Educational Philosophy Traditional And Progressive Style

Johnny Driza Professor Gee ENG 220 27 February 2017 Educational Philosophy From their initial approaches to their ultimate goal, the traditional and progressive style differ in almost every category. While the progressive style is widespread and used in a greater percentage of the world, both it and its counterpart, progressive education, are rooted in the ides of John Dewey, an American education reformer and philosopher. The traditional style sees school more as a preparation for life and focuses less on the individual more than it does on wave after wave of passive absorbers of information and authority. The progressive style views schooling as a sort of â€Å"stepping-stone† in life, a part that we use to further ourselves and our†¦show more content†¦The teacher is the source of information and authority and the linear learning that takes place in the program will be regulated by exam results that test on factual accumulation and skill mastery (Bonstingl). There is a set program in which decisions have been admini stratively made and there is little room to question or ponder the reasons why you are doing something because all that is necessary is memory and eventual recitation. Success in this type of style is determined through attaining higher scores than one’s peers through achieving the most correct answers on a given assessment. This type of approach does a great deal in terms of aiding the growth of the student’s crystallized intelligence, specifically with regards to their linguistic and logical-mathematical capabilities (Coe, Higgins, Aloisi, Elliot). It is rooted in old studies that have found that learning is aided the most by asking questions over and over and spacing out practice to simultaneously prepare a student for an upcoming exam. The goal of traditional style of teaching is not necessarily to teach and train multiple types of intelligence but rather to indirectly guide the student and have them obtain by-products while studying for academic mastery (Cothran) . In progressive education, the age old teacher-student dynamic is cast aside as the person whom was once known as the sole authority takes more of an aiding and facilitative role. School is a part of life inShow MoreRelatedJohn Dewey s Theory Of Evolution1099 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract This research is on the background of John Dewey (1859-1952), his theories, his influences and the impact that his research had on the educational systems across the United States. Functionalism, Pragmatism and Individualism are looked at, as well as Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. It also goes into the impact that Dewey’s theories had on the educational system as it is viewed during John Dewey’s lifetime and today. John Dewey (1859-1952) was born in Burlington, Vermont in 1859. He graduatedRead MoreProgressive Education Essay1318 Words   |  6 Pagesyou, words and ideas can change the world.† Typically, students do not hear enough of this type of passion in a traditional classroom. However, a progressive classroom, be it a cave or college can inspire students to memorize facts, not because they have to, but rather because they want to for the betterment of humanity. Society desperately needs students educated in a progressive style because America needs students who realize learning never stops. Today’s students and tomorrow’s professionalsRead MoreWhat Values From Traditional And Progressive Philosophies Complement Each Other868 Words   |  4 Pagesidentifiable philosophies that answer these questions: Traditional, Progressive, Existential and Critical Theory. However, they are often taken to the absolute and extreme. I firmly believe that taking both the main val ued approaches from the Traditional and Progressive Philosophies provides strong disciplinary focuses and knowledge integration. The combination of the two philosophies allows for a positive insight to all educational philosophies. Keeping the mind open to these philosophies allow forRead MoreThe Five Basic Principles Of Humanistic Education1318 Words   |  6 Pagesencourages students to work for short term results and prevents true knowledge that remains long after instruction. The fourth humanistic principle believes that both emotional feelings and knowledge are important to the learning process, unlike traditional educators, humanistic teachers do not separate the cognitive and affective domains (Principles, n.d.). Finally, humanistic educators insist that schools provide learners with a safe and secure environment to promote the learning process (PrinciplesRead MoreProgressive Theory Of Progressive Education961 Words   |  4 PagesProgressive Learning Theory in the US John Dewey’s Progressive Learning Theory is defined as any various reformist educational philosophies and methodologies since the late 1800s, applied especially to elementary schools, that reject the rote recitation and strict discipline of traditional, single classroom teaching, favoring instead more stimulation of the individual pupil as well as group discussion, more informality in the classroom, a broader curriculum, and use of laboratories, gymnasiumsRead MoreReflection On Progressivism1379 Words   |  6 PagesAfter completing the survey in the Introduction to Teaching textbook, I learned that my philosophy of education closely correlates with the views of progressivism. My understanding of this philosophy highlights the child as a whole and the importance of active learning that readies students for the world ahead of them. Progressivists also believe that experiences are a large part of a students learning which is why active learning is so common allowing students t o learn about themselves and learnRead More My Educational Philosophy Essay1196 Words   |  5 PagesMy Educational Philosophy Let experience be your teacher. Let challenges be the test of life! ~Unknown Education is an experience that without a doubt no one can avoid at least for a while. While this process should be positive sometimes it can seem more negative. People should not look back at their education and perceive it as a â€Å"bad† thing or a waste of time. Logically one would think that a person is entitled to their own opinion; however, the opinion of one’s education should neverRead MoreUnderstanding The Current Epistemological Understanding1627 Words   |  7 Pagesresearched and proven to be true. For example, when teaching science or math (or really any subject), I will use methods, formulas, equations, etc. that have been used for numerous years before me. This would demonstrate a sense of empiricism within my educational pedagogy and teaching methods. Moreover, when it comes to implementing Biblical principles into my classroom, I can be confident that what I am teaching is accurate, true, and unchanging. The Bible is absolute truth and the basis for righteous livingRead MoreMy Personal Philosophy Of Education1335 Words   |  6 Pages I tested into a progressivism teaching style in the â€Å"Finding Your Philosophy of Education Quiz.† While I enjoyed learning about the different philosophies and psychological influences of teaching, I prefer constructivism, social reconstruction, and progressivism due to their student-centered learning, hands-on or project based learning style, while making efforts to improve the world around them. I will be discussing why I chose progressivism, social reconstruction, and constructivism as my preferencesRead More My Personal Philosophy of Education Essay690 Words   |  3 PagesMy Personal Philosophy of Education Without education, society as we know it would cease to exist. Formal education is what has made our country and other industrialized nations great. Thus, as a future educator, I anticipate the opportunity to assist in the molding of future generations by imparting essential knowledge. The famous philosopher and educator, John Dewey, once said, Education is the process of living through a continuous reconstruction of experience. It is the

Jane Mail, By Jane E. Brody - 979 Words

As people get older, life can get more complicated. When one ages, one is more prone to more negative experiences such as death of loved ones or an incident that is life changing. According to this article written by Jane E. Brody, such experiences can effect one’s ability to work the same job they have been working for 30 plus years (2016). However, many as a society hold the assumption that older adults lack the ability to recreate their vocational experience and instead should â€Å"settle down† and retire. Realistically, however, many older adults are not economically stable to retire. Jane E. Brody argues that changing your career to something that is fulfilling to an aging adult can not only be possible, but highly satisfying and beneficial. The overall theme for this article is â€Å"re-creating yourself† and the stories of older adults who have bravely chosen a different path of employment (of interest) after having done something different for over decad es. Used as one example in the article was Dr. Kenneth Jaffe, a former practicing doctor who left his profession to raising and selling natural grass fed beef (Brody,2016). By incorporating his love of sustainability, he was able to start a cooperation, even at the age of 55. Such actions can challenge a preconceived notion one may have of you based on your previous employments. As humans, we make heuristics (short-cuts) so we are able to quickly transition to new aspects presented to us in life (Henrie,2016).Show MoreRelated Stratospheric Ozone Depletion and Its Effect on Skin Cancer Incidence2712 Words   |  11 Pageseliminated production of 21 ozone d epleting chemicals by 1996 (under the Copenhagen Amendments). If we assumed full global compliance with the restrictions and no change in human behavior with regard to sun exposure (which is an unlikely case), th e researchers estimated that with no restrictions, skin cancer incidence would be four times as grea t by the year 2100 ; un der the Montreal protocol, skin cancer incidence would (only) doublthe year 2100; and under the Copenhagen Amendments, skin cancerRead MoreWho Are You Calling Old? Negotiating Old Age Identity in the Elderly Consumption Ensemble Michelle Barnhart Àà º Lisa Penaloza18943 Words   |  76 Pagesindependent living, single-family home with live-in care, and singlefamily home alone or with a spouse. Seven of the eight family members and all six of the paid caregivers are women, consistent with the ï ¬ ndings that 75% of family caregivers are women (Brody 2004) and that a lower percentage of men work in home care professions (Schindel et al. 2006). Family members were all in their 50s and 60s. Four paid service providers were in their 50s, one was in her 60s, and one was 70. All elderly informantsRead MoreThe Walt Disney Company and Disney Management25371 Words   |  102 PagesPART SIX cases 2 THE CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT OF GLOBAL MARKETING O UTL I N E O F CASES 2-1 The Not-So-Wonderful World of EuroDisney— Things Are Better Now at Disneyland Resort Paris 2-2 Cultural Norms, Fair Lovely, and Advertising 2-3 Starnes-Brenner Machine Tool Company: To Bribe or Not to Bribe? 2-4 Ethics and Airbus 2-5 Coping with Corruption in Trading with China 2-6 When International Buyers and Sellers Disagree 2-7 McDonald’s and Obesity 2-8 Ultrasound Machines, India, China, and a SkewedRead MoreIncome Taxation Solutions Manual 1 300300 Words   |  1202 Pages2013-2014 Ed. CHAPTER 3 LIABILITY FOR TAX, INCOME DETERMINATION, AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE INCOME TAX SYSTEM Review Questions 1. Which of the following entities are subject to income tax? (a) proprietorship (b) individual (c) joint venture (d) trust (e) limited partnership (f) corporation (g) partnership 2. Describe how the income earned by any of the non-taxable entities listed above is included in the Canadian tax system. 3. How and when does income earned by a corporation affect the tax position

Second Foundation 19. End of War Free Essays

string(62) " to count on pin-point return as regards both space and time\." QUORISTON, BATTLE OF Fought on 9, 17, 377 F.E. between the forces of the Foundation and those of Lord Stettin of Kalgan, it was the last battle of consequence during the Interregnum†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica Jole Turbor, in his new role of war correspondent, found his bulk incased in a naval uniform, and rather liked it. We will write a custom essay sample on Second Foundation 19. End of War or any similar topic only for you Order Now He enjoyed being back on the air, and some of the fierce helplessness of the futile fight against the Second Foundation left him in the excitement of another sort of fight with substantial ships and ordinary men. To be sure, the Foundation’s fight had not been remarkable for victories, but it was still possible to be philosophic about the matter. After six months, the hard core of the Foundation was untouched, and the hard core of the Fleet was still in being. With the new additions since the start of the war, it was almost as strong numerically, and stronger technically, than before the defeat at Ifni. And meanwhile, planetary defenses were being strengthened; the armed forces better trained; administrative efficiency was having some of the water squeezed out of it – and much of the Kalganian’s conquering fleet was being wallowed down through the necessity of occupying the â€Å"conquered† territory. At the moment, Turbor was with the Third Fleet in the outer reaches of the Anacreonian sector. In line with his policy of making this a â€Å"little man’s war,† he was interviewing Fennel Leemor, Engineer Third Class, volunteer. â€Å"Tell us a little about yourself, sailor,† said Turbor. â€Å"Ain’t much to tell,† Leemor shuffled his feet and allowed a faint, bashful smile to cover his face, as though he could see all the millions that undoubtedly could see him at the moment. I’m a Locrian. Got a job in an air-car factory; section head and good pay. I’m married; got two kids, both girls. Say, I couldn’t say hello to them, could I – in case they’re listening.† â€Å"Go ahead, sailor. The video is all yours.† â€Å"Gosh, thanks.† He burbled, â€Å"Hello, Milla, in case you’re listening, I’m fine. Is Sunni all right? And Tomma? I think of you all the time and maybe I’ll be back on furlough after we get back to port. I got your food parcel but I’m sending it back. We get our regular mess, but they say the civilians are a little tight. I guess that’s all.† â€Å"I’ll look her up next time I’m on Locris, sailor, and make sure she’s not short of food. O.K.?† The young man smiled broadly and nodded his head. â€Å"Thank you, Mr. Turbor. I’d appreciate that.† â€Å"All right. Suppose you tell us, then – You’re a volunteer, aren’t you?† â€Å"Sure am. If anyone picks a fight with me, I don’t have to wait for anyone to drag me in. I joined up the day I heard about the Hober Mallow.† â€Å"That’s a fine spirit. Have you seen much action? I notice â€Å"You’re wearing two battle stars.† â€Å"Ptah.† The sailor spat. â€Å"Those weren’t battles, they were chases. The Kalganians don’t fight, unless they have odds of five to one or better in their favor. Even then they just edge in and try to cut us up ship by ship. Cousin of mine was at Ifni and he was on a ship that got away, the old Ebling Mis. He says it was the same there. They had their Main Fleet against just a wing division of ours, and down to where we only had five ships left, they kept stalking instead of fighting. We got twice as many of their ships at that fight.† â€Å"Then you think we’re going to win the war?† â€Å"Sure bet; now that we aren’t retreating. Even if things got too bad, that’s when I’d expect the Second Foundation to step in. We still got the Seldon Plan – and they know it, too.† Turbor’s lips curled a bit. â€Å"You’re counting on the Second Foundation, then?† The answer came with honest surprise. â€Å"Well, doesn’t everyone?† Junior Officer Tippellum stepped into Turbor’s room after the visicast. He shoved a cigarette at the correspondent and knocked his cap back to a perilous balance on the occiput. â€Å"We picked up a prisoner,† he said. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Little crazy fellow. Claims to be a neutral – diplomatic immunity, no less. I don’t think they know what to do with him. His name’s Palvro, Palver, something like that, and he says he’s from Trantor. Don’t know what in space he’s doing in a war zone.† But Turbor had swung to a sitting position on his bunk and the nap he had been about to take was forgotten. He remembered quite well his last interview with Darell, the day after war had been declared and he was shoving off. â€Å"Preem Palver,† he said. It was a statement. Tippellum paused and let the smoke trickle out the sides of his mouth. â€Å"Yeah,† he said, â€Å"how in space did you know?† â€Å"Never mind. Can I see him?† â€Å"Space, I can’t say. The old man has him in his own room for questioning. Everyone figures he’s a spy.† â€Å"You tell the old man that I know him, if he’s who he claims he is. I’II take the responsibility.† Captain Dixyl on the flagship of the Third Fleet watched unremittingly at the Grand Detector. No ship could avoid being a source of subatomic radiation – not even if it were lying an inert mass – and each focal point of such radiation was a little sparkle in the three-dimensional field. Each one of the Foundation’s ships were accounted for and no sparkle was left over, now that the little spy who claimed to be a neutral had been picked up. For a while, that outside ship had created a stir in the captain’s quarters. The tactics might have needed changing on short notice. As it was- â€Å"Are you sure you have it?† he asked. Commander Cenn nodded. â€Å"I will take my squadron through hyperspace: radius, 10.00 parsecs; theta, 268.52 degrees; phi, 84.15 degrees. Return to origin at 1330. Total absence 11.83 hours.† â€Å"Right. Now we are going to count on pin-point return as regards both space and time. You read "Second Foundation 19. End of War" in category "Essay examples" Understand?† â€Å"Yes, captain.† He looked at his wrist watch, â€Å"My ships will be ready by 0140.† â€Å"Good,† said Captain Dixyl. The Kalganian squadron was not within detector range now, but they would be soon. There was independent information to that effect. Without Cenn’s squadron the Foundation forces would be badly outnumbered, but the captain was quite confident. Quite confident. Preem Palver looked sadly about him. First at the tall, skinny admiral; then at the others, everyone in uniform; and now at this last one, big and stout, with his collar open and no tie – not like the rest – who said he wanted to speak to him. Jole Turbor was saying: â€Å"I am perfectly aware, admiral, of the serious possibilities involved here, but I tell you that if I can be allowed to speak to him for a few minutes, I may be able to settle the current uncertainty.† â€Å"Is there any reason why you can’t question him before me?† Turbor pursed his lips and looked stubborn. â€Å"Admiral,† he said, â€Å"while I have been attached to your ships, the Third Fleet has received an excellent press. You may station men outside the door, if you like, and you may return in five minutes. But, meanwhile, humor me a bit, and your public relations will not suffer. Do you understand me?† He did. Then Turbor in the isolation that followed, turned to Palver, and said, â€Å"Quickly – what is the name of the girl you abducted.† And Palver could simply stare round-eyed, and shake his head. â€Å"No nonsense,† said Turbor. â€Å"If you do not answer, you will be a spy and spies are blasted without trial in war time.† â€Å"Arcadia Darell!† gasped Palver. â€Å"Well! All right, then. Is she safe?† Palver nodded. â€Å"You had better be sure of that, or it won’t be well for you.† â€Å"She is in good health, perfectly safe,† said Palver, palely. The admiral returned, â€Å"Well?† â€Å"The man, sir, is not a spy. You may believe what he tells you. I vouch for him.† â€Å"That so?† The admiral frowned. â€Å"Then he represents an agricultural co-operative on Trantor that wants to make a trade treaty with Terminus for the delivery of grains and potatoes. Well, all right, but he can’t leave now.† â€Å"Why not?† asked Palver, quickly. â€Å"Because we’re in the middle of a battle. After it is over – assuming we’re still alive – we’ll take you to Terminus.† The Kalganian fleet that spanned through space detected the Foundation ships from an incredible distance and were themselves detected. Like little fireflies in each other’s Grand Detectors, they closed in across the emptiness. And the Foundation’s admiral frowned and said, â€Å"This must be their main push. Look at the numbers.† Then, â€Å"They won’t stand up before us, though; not if Cenn’s detachment can be counted on.† Commander Cenn had left hours before – at the first detection of the coming enemy. There was no way of altering the plan now. It worked or it didn’t, but the admiral felt quite comfortable. As did the officers. As did the men. Again watch the fireflies. Like a deadly ballet dance, in precise formations, they sparked. The Foundation fleet edged slowly backwards. Hours passed and the fleet veered slowly off, teasing the advancing enemy slightly off course, then more so. In the minds of the dictators of the battle plan, there was a certain volume of space that must be occupied by the Kalganian ships. Out from that volume crept the Foundationers; into it slipped the Kalganians. Those that passed out again were attacked, suddenly and fiercely. Those that stayed within were not touched. It all depended on the reluctance of the ships of Lord Stettin to take the initiative themselves – on their willingness to remain where none attacked. Captain Dixyl stared frigidly at his wrist watch. It was 1310, â€Å"We’ve got twenty minutes,† he said. The lieutenant at his side nodded tensely, â€Å"It looks all right so far, captain. We’ve got more than ninety percent of them boxed. If we can keep them that way-â€Å" â€Å"Yes! If-â€Å" The Foundation ships were drifting forward again – very slowly. Not quick enough to urge a Kalganian retreat and just quickly enough to discourage a Kalganian advance. They preferred to wait. And the minutes passed. At 1325, the admiral’s buzzer sounded in seventy-five ships of the Foundation’s line, and they built up to a maximum acceleration towards the front-plane of the Kalganian fleet, itself three hundred strong. Kalganian shields flared into action, and the vast energy beams flicked out. Every one of the three hundred concentrated in the same direction, towards their mad attackers who bore down relentlessly, uncaringly and- At 1330, fifty ships under Commander Cenn appeared from nowhere, in one single bound through hyperspace to a calculated spot at a calculated time – and were spaced in tearing fury at the unprepared Kalganian rear. The trap worked perfectly. The Kalganians still had numbers on their side, but they were in no mood to count. Their first effort was to escape and the formation once broken was only the more vulnerable, as the enemy ships bumbled into one another’s path. After a while, it took on the proportions of a rat hunt. Of three hundred Kalganian ships, the core and pride of their fleet, some sixty or less, many in a state of near-hopeless disrepair, reached Kalgan once more. The Foundation loss was eight ships out of a total of one hundred twenty-five. Preem Palver landed on Terminus at the height of the celebration. He found the furore distracting, but before he left the planet, he had accomplished two things, and received one request. The two things accomplished were: 1) the conclusion of an agreement whereby Palver’s co-operative was to deliver twenty shiploads of certain foodstuffs per month for the next year at a war price, without, thanks to the recent battle, a corresponding war risk, and 2) the transfer to Dr. Darell of Arcadia’s five short words. For a startled moment, Darell had stared wide-eyed at him, and then he had made his request. It was to carry an answer back to Arcadia. Palver liked it; it was a simple answer and made sense. It was: â€Å"Come back now. There won’t be any danger.† Lord Stettin was in raging frustration. To watch his every weapon break in his hands; to feel the firm fabric of his military might part like the rotten thread it suddenly turned out to be – would have turned phlegmaticism itself into flowing lava. And yet he was helpless, and knew it. He hadn’t really slept well in weeks. He hadn’t shaved in three days. He had canceled all audiences. His admirals were left to themselves and none knew better than the Lord of Kalgan that very little time and no further defeats need elapse before he would have to contend with internal rebellion. Lev Meirus, First Minister, was no help. He stood there, calm and indecently old, with his thin, nervous finger stroking, as always, the wrinkled line from nose to chin. â€Å"Well,† shouted Stettin at him, â€Å"contribute something. We stand here defeated, do you understand? Defeated! And why? I don’t know why. There you have it. I don’t know why. Do you know why?† â€Å"I think so,† said Meirus, calmly. â€Å"Treason!† The word came out softly, and other words followed as softly. â€Å"You’ve known of treason, and you’ve kept quiet. You served the fool I ejected from the First Citizenship and you think you can serve whatever foul rat replaces me. If you have acted so, I will extract your entrails for it and burn them before your living eyes.† Meirus was unmoved. â€Å"I have tried to fill you with my own doubts, not once, but many times. I have dinned it in your ears and you have preferred the advice of others because it stuffed your ego better. Matters have turned out not as I feared, but even worse. If you do not care to listen now, say so, sir, and I shall leave, and, in due course, deal with your successor, whose first act, no doubt, will be to sign a treaty of peace.† Stettin stared at him red-eyed, enormous fists slowly clenching and unclenching. â€Å"Speak, you gray slug. Speak!† â€Å"I have told you often, sir, that you are not the Mule. You may control ships and guns but you cannot control the minds of your subjects. Are you aware, sir, of who it is you are fighting? You fight the Foundation, which is never defeated – the Foundation, which is protected by the Seldon Plan – the Foundation, which is destined to form a new Empire.† â€Å"There is no Plan. No longer. Munn has said so.† â€Å"Then Munn is wrong. And if he were right, what then? You and I, sir, are not the people. The men and women of Kalgan and its subject worlds believe utterly and deeply in the Seldon Plan as do all the inhabitants of this end of the Galaxy. Nearly four hundred years of history teach the fact that the Foundation cannot be beaten. Neither the kingdoms nor the warlords nor the old Galactic Empire itself could do it.† â€Å"The Mule did it.† â€Å"Exactly, and he was beyond calculation – and you are not. What is worse, the people know that you are not. So your ships go into battle fearing defeat in some unknown way. The insubstantial fabric of the Plan hangs over them so that they are cautious and look before they attack and wonder a little too much. While on the other side, that same insubstantial fabric fills the enemy with confidence, removes fear, maintains morale in the face of early defeats. Why not? The Foundation has always been defeated at first and has always won in the end. â€Å"And your own morale, sir? You stand everywhere on enemy territory. Your own dominions have not been invaded; are still not in danger of invasion – yet you are defeated. You don’t believe in the possibility, even, of victory, because you know there is none. â€Å"Stoop, then, or you will be beaten to your knees. Stoop voluntarily, and you may save a remnant. You have depended on metal and power and they have sustained you as far as they could. You have ignored mind and morale and they have failed you. Now, take my advice. You have the Foundation man, Homir Munn. Release him. Send him back to Terminus and he will carry your peace offers.† Stettin’s teeth ground behind his pale, set lips. But what choice had he? On the first day of the new year, Homir Munn left Kalgan again. More than six months had passed since he had left Terminus and in the interim, a war had raged and faded. He had come alone, but he left escorted. He had come a simple man of private life; he left the unappointed but nevertheless, actual, ambassador of peace. And what had most changed was his early concern over the Second Foundation. He laughed at the thought of that: and pictured in luxuriant detail the final revelation to Dr. Darell, to that energetic, young competent, Anthor, to all of them- He knew. He, Homir Munn, finally knew the truth. How to cite Second Foundation 19. End of War, Essay examples

Ikea Supply Chain free essay sample

Introduction: IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the worlds largest furniture retailer. It was founded in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden. As of October 2010, the chain has 313 stores in 38 countries, most of them in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. The word IKEA was an acronym of his name and address: Ingvar Kamprad and Elmtaryd, Agunnarydthe name of his farm and the name of the village it was located within. IKEA’s Business Model: IKEA’s competitive advantage is its business model which strives on continuous improvement, best prices, quality products, self-service, production centric design, proactive partnership with suppliers (1500 suppliers in 46 countries) and an integrated global supply chain. IKEA was pioneer of designing and selling ready-to-assemble furniture and practicing flat-packaging. IKEA introduced the concept of flat pack furniture which is a form of furniture that is purchased in multiple pieces and requires assembly. IKEA’s furniture generally arrives in a box and contains instructions for the buyer to follow in order to assemble it after purchase. For that IKEA depends upon the wide array of suppliers who are skilled and have got good natural resources. IKEA also publishes an annual catalog in 55 editions, in 27 languages for 36 countries and is considered to be the main marketing tool of the retail giant, consuming 70% of the companys annual marketing budget. The IKEA stores are large and customers can pick their own purchases. Further services are provided through the IKEA catalogue and home delivery. When IKEA entered Russia, the company noticed that wherever a store was opened, the value of the nearby real estate increased dramatically. Hence IKEA explored two business models simultaneously: selling through stores and capturing the appreciation in real estate values through mall development. IKEA’s new division: Mega Mall makes more profit on developing and running malls in Russia than on its traditional standalone retail business. IKEA Distribution Services is reacting to the growing number of online orders with a new Order Tracking System to help it manage deliveries. Also IKEA works with suppliers to reduce waste or use waste products in further manufacture. To help it has a Code of Conduct called the IKEA Way (IWAY). Supply Chain Model: The global planning process is owned by a central function at IKEA of Sweden (IoS), where decisions concerning the number of articles, purchasing, suppliers, distribution, store coordination, and so forth, are made. As such, IoS is the centre of all planning activities in the new planning process. The phases of supply chain of IKEA are: 1)Sales Planning: The sales planning starts with the overall sales forecast made by the corporate management (Group Management, GM) at IKEA. The forecast is made on an aggregate level in terms of total sales volumes in monetary units for IKEA in total. The forecast is related to the strategic business plan, involving business cycle and market intelligence issues, and includes the remaining part of the current fiscal year plus five years into the future. 2)Demand Planning: Some 32 Demand Planners are active in the tactical demand planning process each responsible for forecasting a certain part of the assortment. The tactical forecast resides with IoS (IKEA of Sweden) and is done on a rolling 84 weeks planning horizon on store level, with new historical sales data loaded once a week. The operational forecast is a manual forecast (for the most of the time – replenishment needed in the stores) registered by the respective sales unit (i. e. store) for the coming three weeks, whereas a tactical forecast (based on sales history) is used for weeks four to 84. The operational forecast and the tactical forecast are combined to create a final forecast for each article on the selling unit level (i. e. the store level). Thereafter the forecasts on store levels are aggregated, reconciled, and compared with the sales frames on the retail forecast group level (i. e. normally country level) and on the distribution services region level (several countries). 3)Need Planning: The need planning process follows traditional distribution requirements planning (DRP) principles. The stores provide a forecast for each article for the coming three weeks (after the product lead-time). The forecasts are netted against current stock levels and safety stock requirements at the stores, and also netted against goods in transit. Thereafter the stores net requirements are aggregated into distribution centres (DCs) and also here netted against DC stock levels and goods in transit to replenish the DCs. Each DC Group is thereafter aggregated and the calculated forecasted demand for the coming 84 weeks is established. Volumes are divided between suppliers based on a so-called Supplier Matrix that determines the split of volumes between different suppliers. One DC SKU could for example be sourced from two or three predetermined suppliers. 4)Supplier capacity planning: The need calculation is used to plan capacity requirements at the suppliers. In the general agreements between IKEA and its suppliers, IKEA often commits to provide a certain volume to a supplier. This is to make the supplier willing to invest in plants and equipment to produce the desired products. Furthermore, the supplier communicates a capacity limit to IKEA up to which the supplier can guarantee delivery of volumes. IKEA’s planning process enablers: 1)Planning Organization: Two specialized planning positions were developed to carry out the main processes in the global planning concept: Demand planners (sales planning) and Need planners (to match need planning with the capacity planning). 2)Data Quality: The importance of improved data quality was early identified as an important cornerstone in order to make the global planning concept successful. Insufficient maintenance of lead time data gave wrong input to need calculation and caused stock out problems in stores. Process improvement was difficult because of incompatible data capture and lead time measurements throughout the supply chain. As a response to these problems, a new lead time concept that assigns clear responsibilities to different actors was implemented. Furthermore, a work group was established with members across the supply chain deciding on working methods and lead time issues and a web-based application (based on a data warehouse solution) was created to visualize lead times and exceptions on missing lead time data. 3)Software Support: The JDA Networks Demand module was implemented to support the forecasting processes. The software, in combination with organizational changes, made it possible to reduce the number of forecasters from 120 to around 30, and at the same time the average forecast accuracy increased from 60 % to 80 %. 4)Project and change management: Part of the recent change efforts, the change process has been taken seriously. A Four-Step model has been defined clearly recognizing the need to create awareness in the first step, create interest in what is coming in the second step, making users try out the solution in the third step and finally adopt the changes in the fourth and last step. References: †¢http://www. plan. se/files/Jonsson_Rudberg_Holmberg_08. pdf †¢http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/05_46/b3959001. htm †¢www. tejonranch. com/tic/img/tenants/ikea/ikea_case_study. pdf †¢www. jda. com/file_bin/casestudies/IKEA_casestudy_022610. pdf †¢www. impgroup. org/uploads/papers/7227. pdf †¢http://martonhouse. wordpress. com/2007/06/25/the-ikea-business-model/ †¢http://khookaypeng. blogspot. com/2007/03/ikea-business-idea. html

Afghan Women and Violation of Their Rights

Strength To Forget Essays - Hosiery, Lingerie, Stocking, Virtue

Strength To Forget Essays - Hosiery, Lingerie, Stocking, Virtue Strength To Forget Courage means a lot of things. Sometimes courage is the will to fight and overcome; sometimes it is the foresight to run away. And maybe, when the past obscures the present like the shadow of a ghost, courage is the strength to forget. In his compilation of short fiction, The Things They Carried, Tim OBrien uses the Vietnam War, a shadow of his own past, to illustrate courage in many ways. Stockings is the story of Henry Dobbins, whose courage to fight comes from a good luck charm: his girlfriends pantyhose. Henry liked putting his nose into the nylon and breathing in the scent of his girlfriends body . . . More than anything, though, the stockings were a talisman for him. They kept him safe. (OBrien, 129). The stockings would be powerless around anyone elses neck. But they represent something for Henry Dobbins that brings him peace within himself when the world around him is at war. On a practical level, it is impossible for the stockings to provide any real protection for him. Nonetheless, Henry was invulnerable (Ibid), and this single word captures OBriens attitude towards courage as a motivation to fight. Vulnerability is not a fault in a flak jacket. Its a breach of self-confidence. And in a theater that puts men at war with themselves as much as it pits them against their enemy, courage comes from within. Is a man without courage a coward? Thats what OBrien calls himself in On the Rainy River, a story about a man with one foot out the door and the other stuck in quicksand. Before he went to war, he thought that courage came in finite quantities, like an inheritance(Ibid, 40), that it could be stashed away in times of cowardice, to be tapped like a reservoir if ever the evil were evil enough, [or] the good were good enough.(Ibid) When he got his draft notice in 1968, his reservoir went dry and he fled for the border. Sitting in an aluminum fishing boat on the Rainy River, halfway between Vietnam and Canada, he realized that he did not have the courage to run away. Every muscle in his body tried to pull him across the water to freedom, but behind him he heard the whole world cheering for him to stay. Like some weird sporting event . . . a million ferocious citizens waving flags of all shapes and colors(Ibid,60) managed to hold him back. In The Man I Killed, OBriens lack of courage also bars him from forgetting his most painful memory of the entire wara slim, dead, almost dainty young man of about twenty . . . with one leg bent beneath him, his jaw in his throat, his face neither expressive nor inexpressive . . . one eye shut . . . the other [a] star-shaped hole. The image he presents is gruesome, and it is easy to understand why he cannot brush it from his memory. In fact, OBrien creates an fictional life for the deceased man as a memorial and a sort of reparation for the fact that he killed the man himself. He is a coward for lacking the strength to forget, and at the same time strong for bearing the weight of his own actions. This is the greatest paradox in OBriens depiction of courage: although courage often means fighting and defying and ignoring, it takes a different kind of courage to stand up and accept reality for what it is. Memories were the heaviest things they carried, and courage is not strength to forget. Bibliography The Things they Carried by Tim O'Brien.

The Native Warrior at the Battle of the Little Bighorn Research Paper

The Native Warrior at the Battle of the Little Bighorn - Research Paper Example You had to deal with the enemy and anyone from the east coast was considered an enemy. Our life in the northern plains was simple. What mattered to us most was our nomadic lifestyle which we cherished like any other person would cherish their culture. It meant a lot to us because everything we did was aimed at protecting our culture as well as our livelihood. The plains we lived in mattered the most to us and we saw this as home and any disturbance was seen as a threat to the survival of our culture as well as our people. It all began when our leaders, forced by the U.S administration of the time, agreed to the terms of a treaty which was meant to create a large reservation system. This meant that we were going to give up our nomadic life and culture as we were forced into reservation and boundaries that ensued meant that we could only operate from certain regions. This was because of the many conflicts that arose due to our culture and the interaction we were having with settlers and many of the rail road surveyors. As a warrior, I was used to the nomadic lifestyle and moving from this to a more stationary life was not something that was interesting to me. I, therefore, joined many of the other warriors and leader who rejected this treaty. There was no way we could be forced into the reservation system and wait on the government subsidies.... Tension began to grow in early 1875 when Custer came over into the already established reservation system. His aim was to map the area ad to locate a suitable place which was to be used in the construction of a military post. He also came to conduct an exploration of the natural resources in the area. Luckily for him, he stumbled upon gold deposits. Word went round about this and we all came to know about the gold deposits in our land. Immediately, a proposition was made by the US government of buying the land and this was rejected by the Lakota leaders. I remember tension growing in the Black hills as there were lots of people who had come as a result of the news about the gold.iv Things became even tougher when the commissioner of Indian affairs demanded that people return to the reservation system. This was rejected by many of the people. This is where our lives took a different turn. I came to realize later that the matter was forwarded to the army. As the US Calvary planned on a ttacking us, we were also planning on retaliatory attacks with our crude weapons. A group of over 1500 warriors was already stationed to counter the threat that was eminent from the US army. Many of our leaders had information concerning the plans that were underway of attacking us.v The aim of attacking us was to force us to return to the great Sioux Reservation. We were considered hostile and thus the army was seen as the only strategy that could be used to get us to cooperate. I learnt from others that about 879 men were being prepared most of who were the 7th cavalry. I was not worried and this is because of our great number which gave me hope and confidence that we would win any battle that could ensue. Our people moved to the plains in

Economic read an article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economic read an article - Essay Example In as much as many governments are institutions set on social contracts, there is a serious failure in the effectiveness to deliver according to set standards granted by the provisions of the social contracts. According to Leeson, a legitimate social contract should attest to three chief concerns. First, the contact must serve the purpose of granting political power. I should be in accordance with the joint consent of all subjects or stakeholders whose interest are represented in the contract. The main intent of the contract should be to facilitate social collaboration. The key consideration in the formation of a social contract is its aim of creating a government (Leeson 444). Leeson identifies the second most important feature of a social contract while referring to the original state before the formulation of the social contract. A social contract should serve the purpose of bringing the various stakeholders in the contract from a situation of no prior contract. The people whose i nterests are expressed in the contract should be in need a forum that can attend to their claims including their appeals. This, according to Leeson, is fundamental since it eliminates the possibility of conflicts and enhances sovereignty. If there is an existing sovereign body and an agreement is drafted which is legitimate, it does not qualify as a social contract. Instead, it is a contract. It does not replace the social contract that existed prior to its formation and, therefore, only remains as a contract. The third characteristic of social contracts identified by Leeson is the recognition that the agreement resulted from voluntary acceptance and approval by all parties subject to its provisions. Should any member of the society expresses disapproval of the social contract, then it no longer becomes a social contract. Every member whose welfare and other aspects of life are subject to the provisions of the social contacts should consent to it (Leeson 445). Disapproval by even on e member of the society renders it unbinding to the entire population affected by it. Should there be part of the population that is in disagreement, at the time of signing, then it should constitute part of the population not bound by the provisions of the contract. Following the absence of the three prerequisites that make up a social contract in most governments, Leeson argues that not all social contracts are genuine. In Leeson’s account, early social contracts that formulated most present day governments did not meet the three requirements that should be the threshold of a legitimate social contract. Following the argument that social contracts should bear the main objectives of forming a government, Leeson renders these early contracts as out of the desired intention. Their formation was legitimately promoted by the desire to gain political rule over the people. Further concerns emanate from the approval of conceptual unanimity that never follows its provisions, as well . The emergence of pirate societies, as outlined by Leeson, did restore the legitimacy of the social contract concept. This was a possibility given the fulfillment of actual unanimity that is vital in meeting the threshold of a social contract based on the three pillars of its formation. As Leeson states, the system of constitutional democracy embraced among the

Arabic spring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Arabic spring - Essay Example The effort to lead authoritarian to enhance their regional influence is not effective because of different reasons. Various regimes have a different view on the opportunities and constrains created by Arabic Spring, the influence may require medication latter, their effort may end up shaping the newly Arabs elected governments. About ten years before the rise of Arab Spring, there was the rise in global authoritarianism with an attempt of Arab autocracies to adopt their own ruling to new domestic and regional challenges. The wide implications of authoritarian collective action lead to Arabic Spring. In analyzing their effect, we stress on two related dynamics, which include the way in which powerful authoritarian regimes work as a team to advance collective interests in sustaining or consolidating institutional and strategic alternative to the western democracy. Secondly is their attempt use the Arab Spring as a mobilization tool to gain regional support, democratic powers such as th at witnessed in Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, among other nations. With their sympathetic critiques of western economy and their geographical strategic dominance, these states are seen as the global authoritarians as potential allies might enlist that in efforts to redefine regional security and political structure, thus threatening the United States aim of advancing their interest. Globalization is a process where in different fields, the world is working together as a single society, marked by common institution, organizations, and shared culture of consciousness.

Building and Operating IT Systems Challenges

Building and Operating IT Systems Challenges Information management can be described as the collection and management of information from single or multiple sources and the dissemination of that information to one or more listeners. Often this involves people those who have a stake in, or a right to that specific information. Management involves the organization of and control over the structure, processing and delivery of information. The focus of this paper will be on distinguishing between a behavioral and a technical approach to information systems, identifying key management challenges involved in building, operating, and maintaining information systems today, and describing the capabilities of a digital firm. Additionally, I will be describing three types of information systems and explaining the four key enterprise applications for organization-wide process integration. Behavioral and Technical Approach Several viewpoints on information systems illustrate that the study of information systems is a field with multiple disciplines and therefore, no single theory or perspective governs. Generally speaking, the field can be separated into behavioral and technical approaches. The behavioral approach can be broken down even further into sub-categories to include economics, psychology, and sociology. The technical approach can also be broken down into sub-categories to include management science, computer science, and operations research. Behavioral Approach A very important element of the information systems field is involved with behavioral issues that surface in the development and preservation of information systems. Problems like strategic business design, implementation and utilization, and management cannot be fully explored with the models using a technical approach. Behavioral disciplines such as economics, psychology, and sociology can also contribute vital concepts and processes. For example, economists study information systems mainly interested in what impact systems have on cost structures within the business and within its particular market. On the other hand, Psychologists are interested in how human decision makers comprehend and use information. Finally, sociologists study information systems looking for how groups and organizations form the development of systems and also how these different systems affect individuals, groups, and organizations (Information Management, 2010). The behavioral approach does not completely ignore technology. In fact, information systems technology is frequently the reason for a specific behavioral problem or issue. But usually the heart of this approach is not normally geared toward technical solutions. Instead it centers on modification in attitudes, management and organizational policy, and behavior. Technical Approach The technical approach to information systems puts emphasis on mathematically based models to study information systems, in addition to the physical knowledge and abilities of these systems. The disciplines that play a role in the technical approach are computer science, management science, and operations research. Computer science has to do with creating theories of computability, means of computation, and approaches to effective access and storage of data. Management science highlights the growth of models for decision-making and management procedures. Lastly, operations research deals with mathematical methods for optimizing business issues such as inventory control, transportation, and transaction costs (Information Management, 2010). Key Management Challenges Building, operating, and maintaining information systems in todays fast-paced business world can be very challenging. These key management challenges are based on a multitude of problems such as information system investments, strategic business decisions, globalization, information technology infrastructure, and ethics and security. Information System Investment Challenge If managed intelligently, investments in information systems can improve employees lives and a businesss overall performance. For instance, over the past twenty years the Internet has developed form a technical innovation to a personal and business necessity. Some businesss have recognized considerable improvements in processing information by changing from mainframe computing to personal computers connected by local area networks (LAN). The ability of software applications to identify and correlate pertinent data in a data warehouse allows businesses to uncover unidentified financial or physical resource relationships and therefore make available suitable assistance where there had been none. However, along with the ability to enhance lives and organizations, some information system investments can become risky, costly, wasteful mistakes. To overcome these challenges, senior management personnel need to be able to successfully evaluate these investments to ensure the correct return on investment (ROI) (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Strategic Business Challenge You can pick up any management book and you can read about the significance of developing a strategic plan, and ideas about how to both develop and implement your plan. On the other hand, you will also find articles that you imply that strategic planning does not work because it is impossible to develop a long term plan in this ever changing business environment. In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in between. Strategic planning can definitely help you get prepared on what you need to accomplish over the next years, what things you will need to accomplish those goals, and exactly how to go about accomplishing your goals. The trouble is that the benefits of strategic planning can be easily lost. These plans fail primarily because of what happens after the process of strategic planning. In general, a great effort goes into creating and developing a strategic plan, which is then quickly put away and forgotten, even by the people that created it. The goal of strategic planning lies not only in the development of the plan, but also in its implementation. Implementing the strategic plan will only work if you are clear about what this plan can bring to you and the organization. The strategic plan needs to have value, not only to the organization, but also to the employees. The bottom line is that the plan needs to be used by everybody. A strategic plan needs to be used as a decision-making tool from the top of the organization all the way to the bottom. Chief Executive Officers ought to be able to use it to make decisions on the direction of their business, mergers, or staffing. Managers should also be able to use it to make decisions for the priorities of their departments goals and objectives, and to align the work of their department with the overall goals of organization. Lastly, every employee must be able to use the plan to recognize his or her own goals, and where they fit in big scheme of things. When implemented correctly, a strategic plan helps to add meaning and focus to not only every individual, but the organization as a whole (Information Systems, 2010). Globalization Challenge The globalization of information technology warrants special attention by business executives, government officials and scholastic researchers for a multitude of reasons. First, is that information technology and systems are high-technology industries of considerable size and with significant potential for stimulating economic growth and jobs. The immediate growth in global trade and the surfacing of an international economy require information systems that can sustain both the production and selling of goods and services in many different countries. Second, access to the most up-to-date computer and telecommunications technology is central to competitive success in nearly all industries. Government policies which deliberately or inadvertently retard technological progress in the production and use of computers, information systems and telecommunications have important economic effects. Third, given language barriers, cultural, and political differences among dissimilar countries, th is focus often resulted in confusion and the breakdown of central management controls (Laudon Laudon, 2006). To overcome these challenges, it is imperative for organization to develop global hardware, software, and information systems standards. Additionally, organizations must be able to create global accounting and reporting methods and design worldwide business processes. Information Technology Infrastructure Challenge This particular challenge for businesses deals with how organizations can develop information technology infrastructures that can sustain their goals when business situations are changing at a rapid pace. Aging infrastructure is obviously a huge issue in many industries that only gets bigger as time goes on. Some equipment may have had external upgrades or facelifts, but in most cases, it is over 70 years old. Many organizations are left with expensive and unmanageable IT platforms that cannot readily adapt to innovation and change. Additionally, a competitive business environment and the pressures of the global financial situation weigh increasingly on companies minds (Information Systems, 2010). To battle this challenge, some organizations may be required to redesign its organization and develop a new information technology infrastructure to survive in this competitive business world. Ethics and Security Challenge Organizations must always be cognizant that their information systems are used in both an ethically and socially responsible manner. Although information systems have provided many benefits, they have also created new ethical and security issues that must be addressed. Every improvement in information technology can be tied in with at least one ethical dilemma. From Facebook to ordering merchandise online, computer users are ignorant of the delicate balance between ethical behavior and profits. Businesses, software and hardware developers, and individuals must think about what is ethically correct when using information technology on a daily basis. The primary issues essential to the world of information technology are the individuals expectation of privacy and the providers ethical duty to use its applications responsibly (Information Systems, 2010). The challenges organizations will face will be how to apply high-quality assurance standards to their information systems, as well as to their products and services. Additionally, they will have to develop information systems that are not only secure but that are still easy to use by most individuals. Digital Firms A digital firm can be described as, One in which nearly all of the organizations significant business relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees are digitally enabled and mediate (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 11-12). The firms primary business processes are performed through digital networks encompassing the whole organization or connecting several different organizations. A core or primary business process can be defined as the minimum single tasks to be completed to provide a certain level of reliability in output, without any thought to hardware, software, or performance. When a core process is put into practice, anything can be added to make the process more efficient, but nothing can be removed. On the other hand, a business process can be defined as, The set of logically related tasks and behaviors that organizations develop over time to produce specific business results and the unique manner in which these activities are organized and coordinated (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 12). Digital firms are extremely powerful because they can sense and react to their ever changing surroundings much faster those traditions organizations. Because of their quick reaction and the fact that they are more adaptable than the traditional firm, digital firms are much more able to endure in unstable times. Because these new firms are completely digital, there exist much more opportunities for them in the global business word. The Internet is quickly becoming the information system infrastructure of preference for electronic commerce. It offers organizations an easy way to connect with other business and individual at an unbelievably low cost. Additionally, it offers a complete and uncomplicated set of technologies and technology standards that can be implemented by any organization. Organizations can use Internet technology to drastically cut their transaction costs, time searching for buyers and sellers, and gathering information on products or services. This information is at the fingertips of anyone with a computer and access to the Internet. One example of a powerful digital firm has to be EBay. Following 2001, there were a high number of dotcom businesses that failed, but there were a few that held their ground, like eBay. The success of eBay is based on its capacity to transform many splintered, predominantly local markets into global ones at a comparatively low cost to its users (Simonsohn, 2010). People have always had a basic need and an appeal in buying and selling used objects and collectibles items. Prior to eBay, people would have tried to sell their unwanted items through family garage sales, classified ads, and flea markets. Nevertheless, the amount of people accessible to sell these items to was limited due to the fact that face-to-face transactions were almost always required. Another great example of a powerful digital firm would be Google. Google isnt just legendary for producing and providing useful services, but it has also acquired a few innovative businesses and integrated them. These include YouTube, Blogger, Picasa and Jaiku. Google used its digital background to take advantage of opportunities in the global business world, making them one of the most powerful businesses to date (Google, 2010). Types of Information Systems For most organizations, there are many different requirements for data or information. Senior managers continually need up-to-date information to help aide in their business decisions. Mid-level managers may need a bit more detailed information to assist them in monitoring and managing a multitude of different business dealings. Lastly, supervisors and employees with operational roles need information in order for them to perform their everyday jobs. Consequently, organizations tend to have a number of information systems operating at the same time. The three I will be discussing are the management information system (MIS), decision-support systems (DSS), and the transaction processing system (TPS). Management Information System A management information system (MIS) management information system (MIS)System used to extract data from a database and compile reports that help managers make routine decisions. obtains data from a database to compose reports, such as detail reports, summary reports, exception reports, and financial statements to assist managers in making better decisions. The different types of reports depend on the specific information a particular manager may require. A MIS is largely involved with internal sources of information. MIS generally receive data from the transaction processing systems (TPS) and reduce it into a sequence of management reports. MIS reports generally are used by mid-level managers and operational supervisors (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Decision-Support Systems A decision support system (DSS)decision support system (DSS)Interactive system that extracts, integrates, and displays data from multiple sources to help managers make nonroutine decisions. is an interactive system that gathers, displays, and combines information from various sources to help managers make non-routine decisions. DSS are explicitly designed to help management make decisions in circumstances where there is doubt about the potential results of those decisions. DSS are made up of tools and procedures to help gather pertinent information and analyze decisions and alternatives. DSS often requires the use of complex spreadsheets and databases to produce what-if models (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Transaction Processing Systems The majority of organizations day-to-day activities are documented and processed by its transaction processing system (TPS)transaction processing system (TPS)Information system used to record and process an organizations daily activities or transactions., which collect input data and changes them into output information meant for a variety of users. Input data are called transactions which are transactionsFinancial and nonfinancial events that affect a businessevents that affect a business. Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) are intended to process everyday transactions accurately and efficiently. A business may have several transaction processing systems to include; billing systems, payroll and tax payments systems, production and purchasing systems, or stock control systems to handle all movements into and out of the organization (Laudon Laudon, 2006). Challenges Posed by Information Systems Although the many different types of information systems are available to an organization and can be extremely beneficial to its growth, there are some management challenges. Some of these challenges include the tension related to designing and building the information systems, the need for training for both management and employees, and the need to establish which information systems is the most critical, therefore which system receives the majority of the funding. For an organization to overcome these challenges they need establish exactly what is needed in terms of information systems. Next, they need to schedule and provide proper training to all company personnel, so they are familiar with the systems. Finally, they need to develop a method of accounting for the cost of the systems and their priority. Key Enterprise Applications Most organizations compete in an rapidly changing, aggressive, global environment. Operating in a global environment forces an organization to concentrate on the most cost-effective implementation of its processes, customer service, and speed at which their products or services are brought to market. To achieve these lofty goals, it is essential that the organization freely exchange useful information across different functions, levels, and business departments. By incorporating all its processes, the organization can more effectively exchange information between departments, customers, and suppliers. The four key enterprise applications are enterprise systems, supply chain management systems, customer relationship management systems, and knowledge management systems. Enterprise Systems Enterprise systems incorporate the vital business processes of an organization into a separate software system. Data from a variety of functional areas are centrally housed and maintained where they can be retrieved and utilized by other functional processes. This alters an organizations work flow. Now information can effortlessly run throughout the organization, increasing synchronization, efficiency, and decision making. Enterprise systems are extremely tricky to employ successfully and once employed, are especially hard to change. Enterprise systems, also known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems solve problems by providing a single information system for organization-wide coordination and integration of key business processes (Laudon Laudon, 2006, p. 56). Supply Chain Management Systems Supply chain management (SCM) can be described as an overseeing of resources, information, and finances as they move form supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer and finally to the consumer. Supply chain management requires managing and integrating the information, goods, and services flow together within and amongst organizations. Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS) are used to help an organization manage its relationship with suppliers to optimize the planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery of goods and services. SCMS supply information to aide suppliers, purchasing organizations, wholesale distributors, and logistic companies coordinate, schedule, and control business processes for their products and services (Su Yang, 2010). Customer Relationship Management Systems Many businesses make more profit from ongoing relationships with their customers than from the original sale. Customer relationship management (CRM) is a term applied to processes implemented by an organization to handle its contact with its customers. Customer relationship management systems (CRMS) concentrates on the coordination all of the business processes encompassing the organizations with its customers in sales, marketing, customer satisfaction, revenue optimizing services, and customer retention (Laudon Laudon, 2006). In todays highly-competitive business surroundings, the success of an organization relies greatly upon maintaining and exceeding customer expectations for both service and value. Knowledge Management Systems Knowledge management is the specific management of essential knowledge and information acquired by individuals so that it can be is effectively shared and made use of by other personnel in the organization. Through the successful sharing of corporate intellectual assets, Organizational Knowledge must be efficiently changed into business intellect. Personal knowledge concerning a business process must be converted into corporate knowledge ensuring it applied throughout consistently, ensuring maximum benefit to the organization. The main function of a Knowledge Management System (KMS) must be to make information obtainable to all authorized users (Laudon Laudon, 2006). However, implementing a straightforward information management system, file indexing and retrieval system is only the start. Securing corporate knowledge requires more than software and technology, it requires solid document management software and cultural alteration of how information is produced, handled, stored, and distributed.

Biomass as an Alternative Energy Essay -- Power Global Warming Climate

Biomass Abstract: The current use of energy in the United States, especially California, is foreshadowing catastrophe in our environment. Due to high demand of fossil fuels, the air is filled with more pollution every day. In addition to, it can increase the chances of having global warming. Since fossil fuels are generated from raw materials which are easy and cheap users are becoming extremely dependent on them. The main problem with fossil energy is that the supply of fossil fuels is not continuous. However, alternative energy is continual and harmless to the environment. Biomass does not pollute the atmosphere as much as natural gas. One of the most convenient alternative energies that are currently used for minor purposes is biomass. From the significant results of recent and past use of biomass, it can be considered trustworthy as the main source of energy in the future. Introduction: The energy that we use presently has raised numerous questions, whether or not it would bring us danger. Thus, scientists tried to find new types of energy that we can use in the future that would not increase the chances of having global warming for other environmental crises. Renewable energy has been examined and tested for many years; and, it [has been proven that it is much better than fossil fuels. Types of renewable or alternative energy include wind power, solar power, and geothermal energy (About, Alternative Energy Resources 2007). Particularly, biomass, â€Å"in the energy production industry, refers to living and recently dead biological material which can be used as fuel or for industrial production. Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown for use as biofuel, but it also includes plant or animal matter used for pr... ...w.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/biomass.html Biomass (2007). EduGreen. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from vvvvvvhttp://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/renew/biomass.htm Biomass (2007). Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 21, 2007, from vvvvvvhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass Biomass Energy Basics (2007). NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Retrieved July 22, 2007, from http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_biomass.html Biomass Energy Vol.3 (2007). Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. John Wiley & Sons Biomass 9 Ramamurthi, R., Kastury, Satish, & Smith, Wayne H. (2000). BIOENERGY vision for the new millennium. Enfield, NH: Science Publishers. Renewable Energy Technologies and their Pros and Cons, Biomass (2007). Loma Prieta. Retrieved July 23, 2007, from http://www.lomaprieta.sierraclub.org/greenpower/renewabletech.htm#Biomass