Computer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Computer - Assignment Example From the depiction, it is clear that technology has to be employed in order to provide a superb solution for the bad designing concept. Therefore, that objective was well met. Besides, the other important concept is the description of the image that proves the depiction characterizes a bad design. The essay clearly explains the picture describing the four buttons on it. It talks about the two lights, which are switches and two arrows, which give information about the direction of turning on and off (Ursula 2007). The fact that the description of the picture has a direct association and is consistent with the picture makes it incredible. The explanation also brings in the concept of technology because the aspect of light and arrows on switches it is all about advancement of technology. Therefore, this objective was also well met and clearly brought out. The last and quite important concept is the fact that the essay provides the solution for the bad design. There is no way, for example, a doctor can examine a patient, make a diagnosis and then explain the entire issue of illness to the patient but fail to treat him. Once a problem is identified and examined well, there must be a way to find solution for the problem. As a matter of fact, that the essay identified the problem of bad design and illustrated it well, thus, it had to come up with the solution to the problem so that the same mistakes are not repeated (Ursula 2007). Therefore, the objective was well met. The analysis is clear enough as it addresses the concept of Bad Design essay. It begins from looking at how the issue of technology was implemented on the picture. The fact that the device can light up by just pressing a button clearly implies that technology was used in making it. In order to come up with a good design in a mechanical device requires a lot of research and involvement of

Parity theories analyse and operation in the global economy Essay

Parity theories analyse and operation in the global economy - Essay Example Another theory that advances a notion of equalization or parity is the Heckscher-Ohlin theory. The Hecksher-Ohlin theory is composed of two theorems. The first theorem explains and predicts comparative advantage. Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage assumes but do not explain comparative advantage. The Heckscher-Ohlin Theory’s, particularly the first theorem of the theory, explains comparative advantage to be rooted the in relative factor abundance between nations. The second theorem of the Heckscher-Ohlin theory holds that when there are no restrictions to trade, there will be relative as well as absolute factor price equalisation. Factors of production are land, labour, and capital. The Heckscher-Ohlin asserts, however, that the theory is applicable for labour and capital. The Heckscher-Ohlin theory asserts that with trade liberalisation, mobility of goods can substitute for the mobility of factors and, because of this, relative and absolute factor price equalisa tion will be realized. ... that interest rates will move to parity as interest rates reflect the price of capital which is one of the factors of production and, based on Heckscher-Ohlin theory, mobility of goods substitutes for the mobility of factors and, thus, interest rates also move to parity. II. A main argument against parity theories: markets do not clear There are at least two major areas of the debate on the parity theories. One area of debates is whether markets really move towards equilibrium. Another area of the debate is on the empirical validity of the parity theories: the theories may appear logical but the predictions of the theories and/or their assumptions are not in accord with the situation in the real world. In other words, there are arguments that the theories may be logically constructed but they may not be empirically valid. We discuss empirical validity in the succeeding section and discuss in this section why some economists and critics do not believe why markets do not move towards e quilibrium. The perspective or assertion that markets clear is the more conventional and standard assumption in economics. This view is called the classical view (the more modern variants of this view are the neo-classical and new classical perspectives in economics). The classical view is the theory or perspective that is one of the most important building blocks in many theories of economics. However, another perspective that is also conventional but which has a less following in economics today is the Keynesian perspective.1 One variant of the Keynesian perspective asserts that markets do not clear because there are several obstacles to market clearing. It is a perspective that has a significant following and influence among economists. According to this variant of the Keynesian

Business Essays London Cinema Plan

Business Essays London Cinema Plan West London Gold Class Cinema Business Plan. Executive Summary Negotiations have been undertaken to purchase the West London cinema in Hammersmith. This is a small, family run cinema which has been having trouble competing since a new multiplex cinema opened in the new shopping centre in Shepherds Bush. The purpose of this business plan is to seek funding for the purchase of the West London cinema and for the transformation of part of it into a Gold Class or VIP type cinema. This transformation will involve the renovation of one of the screens, decoration in a classy, movie theme style and the building of a kitchen and bar area. Gold Class will give patrons the opportunity to watch blockbuster movies from the comfort of luxurious, reclining lounge chairs while enjoying food and drinks brought directly to them. If this concept works, then the prospective owners intend to repeat their success in other run down cinemas across the country. Business Summary The business objectives are to develop one of the current cinemas (which has capacity for 250 patrons) into three Gold Class cinemas each having seating for 30 patrons, decorate the lobby area in a movie theme style and build a kitchen and bar area. Once the necessary renovations have been completed, the owners will need to obtain the necessary licensing permissions, hire staff and market the concept. Current Situation and Background At present West London Cinema is a small, three-screen, family run cinema in West London. While it has seating capacity for 750 patrons, the run down nature of the cinema means that on most nights it fails to realise its potential. The cinema has had a relatively steady customer base, but the recent opening of a multiplex cinema complex in Shepherds Bush has meant that patron numbers have been down. Even before the opening of the new multiplex cinema, the cinema had already been suffering a downturn since its heyday in the mid-1980s due to external factors. These have included a rise in property prices slowly changing the demographics of the people who live in the area, shifting customer entertainment habits (people have many more entertainment options available to them today) and the fact that the window between a release in the cinema and subsequently on DVD has been shrinking and movie piracy issues. While these issues have affected the cinema in a negative way, these are also the issues on which the prospective owners believe they can capitalise. This downturn in patron numbers has meant that the cinema is unlikely to make a profit this year and with the current owners not having the funds to invest into upgrading the cinema, it is likely that the this year will be only the start of a downward earnings trend for them. In light of this, the current owners have decided to sell the cinema while it is still showing some profit. This has created the opportunity which is set out in this business plan. Financial Situation and Legal Requirements West London Cinema has been owned by the same family since 1975. It has always prided itself on its friendly atmosphere and reasonable prices. Unfortunately, the owners have not always ploughed the cinemas profits back into the business and as such, it has become a little run down with increasing numbers of complaints about uncomfortable seating, poor screen resolution and a unimpressive sound system. The owners wish to borrow  £250,000 pounds to achieve their business objectives. With respect to legal requirements, the owners will need a liquor licence, building approval from their local authority, a hygiene inspection of their kitchen and advice from a solicitor as to whether or not they are able to trademark the Gold Class name. Industry Analysis Industry Description The cinema industry as a whole is facing challenges from many sides. Consolidation within the UK market means that four groups (Terra Firma, Blackstone, Vue and National Amusements) now own over 70% of UK screens. This consolidation means that the larger cinemas are better placed to meet the challenges of a quickly changing marketplace. Unfortunately, the losers in this consolidation of the marketplace and the emerging challenges to the cinema have been the small, family run cinemas. Industry Growth Across the industry, revenue growth has been quite strong with exhibitor revenue rising by 59% from 1998 to 2004 to over  £900 million (made up of  £650 million net box office sales,  £204 million net concession revenue and  £63 million cinema advertising). Most of this revenue growth was in the multiplex part of the market where it was noted that the four leading cinema groups had been able to raise their prices even in the face of declining DVD prices. This shows that demand for the cinema experience is more than just the watching of a movie and that a market does potentially exist which the larger multiplexes fail to cater for and that can be exploited by the more agile, smaller cinemas. Future Industry Developments The increase in other entertainment options, for instance computer games, pubs, home cinemas and the ever shrinking window between the release of a movie in the cinema and then onto DVD means that the future of the cinema industry is uncertain. The trend towards consolidation will no doubt continue, but it is interesting to note that the number of multiplexes opening has plateaued, with an average of 25 a year opening between 1998 and 2002, only 6 were opened in 2004. This perhaps signals that the multiplex market has reached its full potential and that the marketplace is stabilising. However, the stabilisation of the market at the top end does not as yet seem to have filtered down to the smaller cinemas and as such, many continue having trouble turning a profit. It is the owners belief that the current market is ideal for the development of a new concept which gives movie patrons an entirely unique cinema experience Gold Class. Market Summary Market Analysis The four possible ways in which the market can be defined are: multiplex cinemas; all cinemas; all ways of watching films (including cinemas, DVDs and pay-television); and all ways of using discretionary spend (including films, going to pubs, clubs or other ways of spending time and money in or out of the home). As noted above, it is the prospective owners view that cinemas can no longer focus on the narrow definition of the market. Some guidance can be taken from the multiplexes which offer patrons an experience. Often these cinemas are attached to shopping centres and as such going to the cinema is simply part of a persons shopping day. Multiplexes, like the shopping centres to which they are appended, rely on the principle that if something is large and loud, no one will dare to think that it is anything but the best and it must be said that they do this well. Teenagers are particularly impressed by this logic. However, to the same extent that teenagers are drawn to large and loud multiplexes, older patrons are repelled by them. Market Segmentation Cinema patrons generally fall within the 15-24 year age group with over 53% of people surveyed in this age group having attended the cinema once a month or more. This declines within the 25-34 year old age group to 34% and further within the 35+ age group to 16%. These figures reflect perhaps the fact that older cinema patrons who do not enjoy the nature of multiplexes have limited options with respect to indulging in a cinema experience. Furthermore, along with work and family commitments, older cinema patrons have less free time available to them and more options with respect to how to spend that time. This means that they are more likely to want to spend more money when they do go out to make sure that they utilise their time optimally. Market Research The purpose of the market research undertaken was to determine whether the Gold Class concept has been successful elsewhere, to gauge whether or not Hammersmith is the best location for a Gold Class cinema and to establish a price point for Gold Class tickets, food and drinks. The market research allowed the prospective owners to establish that the Gold Class concept has proven successful in Australia. While it was not possible to obtain financial figures, the prospective owners were able to determine that the concept has been around for several years and they were able to test it for themselves (a sample menu from an Australian Gold Class cinema is attached at Appendix A and can also be found here: http://www.greaterunion.com.au/goldclass/moviemenu.asp). In order to determine whether or not Hammersmith was a reasonable location for a Gold Class cinema, the prospective owners researched the demographic trends and the types of new businesses that were opening in the area. They found that many new business were opening and established businesses were being renovated to meet the tastes of the new residents moving into the area. As such, it was concluded that Hammersmith was a suitable location for a Gold Class cinema. Establishing price points for Gold Class tickets, food and drinks was quite difficult as the measures against which these price points can be determined are not perfect substitutes for each other (ie does a portion of fish and chips in a Gold Class cinema equate to the same meal in a pub?). It was decided that the only feasible approach was to go for higher price points, but offer various promotions which would mean that most people would not end up paying the full advertised price. Competition Analysis As noted, the market is extremely concentrated with the multiplexes taking a lions share of box office receipts. At the other end of the cinema market, are small, family run cinemas which are often seen by the public as being run down and in need of renovation, but priced competitively. There is little between these two extremes. However, while the multiplexes offer a certain type of experience, the prospective owners believe that there is still a potential untapped niche which small cinemas can exploit and which the multiplexes would have trouble competing with in the short term. Other potential competitors are similar niche cinemas which focus on selling a lifestyle (eg cinemas which only screen independent movies). Taking a broader view of the market in which cinemas compete, the market would be the entertainment market generally. People have a limited amount of disposable income and a limited amount of time which can be spent on entertainment. As such, cinemas are also competing with bars, sporting events, home cinemas, travel and restaurants. It is submitted that Gold Class cinemas would be a strong competitor in the general entertainment market at a niche level. Competition Strengths The main competitor for the proposed Gold Class cinema is the multiplex cinema in Shepherds Bush. The multiplexes strength lies in its buying power and the cinema chains ability to obtain the latest blockbusters at the earliest possible opportunity. Due to the multiplexes size, it has the flexibility to offer promotions and tie-ins beyond anything that a small cinema can offer. In the broader sense, the cinemas other competition comes from the various restaurants and pubs found in the surrounding vicinity. However, they are not necessarily direct competitors and are not mutually exclusive unlike the multiplex (ie a person may go to Gold Class and then a pub, but they are unlikely to go to the multiplex and then Gold Class). That said, the fact that Gold Class will offer food and alcohol means that competition between the cinema and restaurants and pubs in the vicinity will increase. Competition Weaknesses The multiplexes main weakness is that it does not cater particularly well to the older market of cinema patron. Furthermore, at present it does not offer a Gold Class experience and due to its business model of trying to fill large cinemas, it is unlikely that it would move towards a model which relied on creating smaller, more intimate cinemas. Likewise, it is difficult to imagine restaurants and pubs being able to compete directly with a cinema. They both offer sufficiently different experiences to customers and it is more difficult for restaurants and pubs to add on a movie-like equivalent than it is for a cinema to offer food and alcohol. Development and Production Sales and Marketing Unique selling point At present cinemas in the UK do not offer a dedicated Gold Class or VIP cinema going experience. In cases in which such an offering has been tried in the UK, for example, the UGC chain, the idea has met with problems due to the fact that a single cinema isnt dedicated to the Gold Class experience, rather, premium seating is attached to the back section of a standard cinema. In this case, the intention is for the West London cinema to have three cinema screens dedicated for premium customers. The prospective owners recognise the demographic shift in the area around the cinema. With house prices steadily rising, the area around Hammersmith has transformed into a hub for city working people with large amounts of disposable income. This change has been mirrored in the types of new shops and eateries opening up to cater to them. These new residents are willing to spend money for a premium and individual experience. Media and promotion strategy The intention would be to choose high headline price points but at the same time offer promotional offers which would ensure that most customers never pay the full rate. The media and promotion strategy would focus on teaming up with local businesses and newspapers to offer special promotional packages (for example, the local florist could offer a two for one deal with each bunch of roses sold). Advertising campaign The advertising campaign would be highly targeted and local. It is assumed that people are unlikely to travel a long way to attend a cinema (especially if they have a local one close by). As such, the goal would be to focus on local customers and to ensure that they remained regulars. Budget A large marketing budget would not necessary as the focus would be on offering promotions such as half price tickets during the day and/or two for the price of one deals can be offered in conjunction with various local business/newspapers reducing marketing costs substantially. As the Gold Class cinema experience is unique, and marketed as an indulgence, it is suggested that many local businesses would be willing to be involved in such promotional activities. While actual advertising costs will be low, printing and distribution costs will still need to be considered. Management The prospective owners of the cinema are the brothers James and Jack West. James West has recently completed his MBA and is working for one of the UKs largest cinema distribution companies. Jack West currently works as an advertising executive. In anticipation of a sale, the current owners have taken the last three months to show James and Jack the operational side to running a cinema. Both Jack and James intend to invest  £250,000 of their own money and take on this project full-time. In addition, James and Jack have already approached a friend who runs a small restaurant to assist them with the preparation of a suitable menu and have had plans for the refurbishment prepared. It is intended that James manage the operational side of the cinema while Jack concentrate on the marketing. Projected sales and pricing strategy Pricing strategy A regular ticket at West London cinema is currently  £4 during the day and  £6 in the evening for an adult. Gold class tickets will be priced at  £8 during the day and  £12 in the evening. In addition patrons will be able to buy food and drinks which will be brought into them while the movie is playing. The average price of food items and alcoholic drinks will be approximately  £5  £10. Financial Considerations The current owners hold a long-term leasehold interest over the premises at which the cinema is located. The main costs incurred by a cinema relate to the percentage of box office takings that go to the film distribution companies. The intention behind the Gold Class concept, along with offering patrons the ultimate cinema experience, is to try to increase revenue from those areas of the business which are not subject to distribution company payments (ie food and alcohol). Projected Sales At present West London cinemas three screens have box office sales of  £174,000 to which can be added sales from the kiosk and advertising, taking annual turnover for the cinemas to  £228,000. 25% to 50% of the box office takings go to the film distribution companies. Along with running costs and wages, gross profits for the cinema last financial year were  £56,000. As one cinema will be converted into three Gold Class each having 50 seats, projected box office receipts are expected to remain the same or rise slightly (less seats at a higher price) but more income is expected to be generated from food and alcohol sales. It is anticipated that food and alcohol sales will add  £25,000 to the cinemas turnover with  £10,000 of this going on higher staff wages meaning that gross profit will be an extra  £15,000 per annum. Appendix 1 Three Years profit and loss accounts 2008 2009 2010 Sales 300,000 500,000 1,000,000 Costs of Sales (112,500) (187,500) (375,000) Gross Profit 187,500 312,500 625,000 Expenses: Advertising 25,000 15,000 10,000 Bank Charges 100 100 100 Insurance 1,000 1,000 1,000 Interest 20,000 20,000 20,000 Legal Accounting 3,000 1,000 1,000 Office Expenses 500 500 500 Postage 250 250 250 Rent 15000 15000 15000 Wages 60,000 60,000 60,000 Telephone 1,000 1,000 1,000 Utilities 1,000 1,000 1,000 Total Expenses 126,850 114,850 109,850 Net Income 60,650 197,650 515,150 Appendix 2 Three years Balance Sheets Assets 2008 2009 2010 Current Assets: Cash 675,000 870,000 1,365,000 Inventory 15,000 15,000 15,000 Other Current Assets 10,000 10,000 10,000 Total Current Assets 700,000 895,000 1,390,000 Long Term Assets 20,000 20,000 20,000 Fixed Assets 50,000 50,000 50,000 Property, plant and equipment 25,000 25,000 25,000 Accumulated Depreciation 5,000 10,000 15,000 Total Assets 800,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 Liabilities and Stockholders Equity Current Liabilities: Accounts Payable 112,500 187,500 375,000 Current Borrowing 250,000 200,000 150,000 Other Current Liabilities 126,850 114,850 109,850 Total Current Liabilities 489,350 502,350 634,850 Long Term Liabilities 60,650 60,650 60,650 Total Liabilities 550,000 563,000 695,500 Total Equity 250,000 463,000 804,500 Total Liabilities and Stockholders Equity 800,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 Appendix 3- SWOT Analysis of Business Strengths: The obtaining of a liquor licence gives the cinema a competitive advantage which is sustainable to a degree. It is unlikely that planning permission for a new cinema would be given by the local Council. As such, as far as cinemas go, a customers only option is to either attend this cinema or the multiplex. Weaknesses: It is not possible to protect the intellectual property behind the concept of a Gold Class cinema. Patrons are only likely to pay a premium price for a movie when blockbuster movies are released. A lack of hit movies could make it difficult to sell tickets. Opportunities: There are plenty of small, family run cinemas which are currently struggling. The depressed market and the Gold Class concept give the owners the opportunity to purchase cinemas at a reasonable price and turn them back into profitable enterprises. Threats: The Gold Class concept relies on people willing to spend a little more to enjoy a more luxurious cinema experience. If the economy was to falter, value added businesses like Gold Class cinemas would be the hardest hit. If the concept proved to be a success, there is nothing stopping the multiplexes from offering a similar service. There is a threat that by offering alcohol in the cinema, the problems associated with anti-social behaviour could follow. Appendix 4 Market Segments When assessing the market segments, it is important not to focus too narrowly. While the Gold Class cinema concept may seem to appeal to only a niche market, the fact that most, if not all, adults in the country have been at some point in their lives been to a cinema to see a movie means that those potential customers already share a common conceptual language making it much easier to appeal to them. It is much more difficult to appeal to someone and have them try something they have never done before. As noted above, the percentage of people who often go to the cinema drops off sharply from the age of twenty five. One of the reasons for this is that the choices of entertainment available as people become older increases and the impression of cinemas is that it is the haunt of teenagers who arent old enough to get into bars. However, this is the segment of the market with the most disposable income, who have happy recollections of going to the cinema as youths and are now expect a more grown up experience when going to the cinema. This is the market segment to which Gold Class aims to appeal. BIBLIOGRAPHY Corrigan, P. (2006), The Sociology of Consumption, Sage Publications, London

Good and Evil in Bless Me, Ultima :: Bless Me, Ultima

Good and Evil in Bless Me, Ultima In Rodolfo Anaya's novel, Bless Me, Ultima the author uses different settings in order to develop Antonio's sense of good and evil. An example of this would be Rosie's, the local whorehouse. To Antonio, Rosie's tempted his brothers and was the cause of their sins. In one of Antonio's dreams, three figures "silently beckoned" (pg. 65) Antonio into the "house of the sinful women" (pg. 156). Antonio saw his brothers entering and he told Andrew, the last of the three to go in, not to enter. Andrew told Tony that he would wait until Tony lost his innocence and only then would Andrew go into the bordelo. So , to Antonio, seeing Andrew in the "evil house" (pg. 156) was a confirmation of Tony's lost innocence and Tony wanted to stay innocent forever. Another example of the evolution of Tony's sense of good and evil through the utilisation of setting is Tony's own home. To him, his home provided him with warmth and safety. This was due to the people who lived in the house. Antonio's father creates a sense of protection in the home. When Tenorio and his men come to he house to take Ultima away, Tony's father "would let no man invade his home" (pg 123). This gave Tony faith that as long as his father was around, he would be protected. Antonio's mother made home a loving and caring place to be. She would always baby Antonio and give him the affection he needed whenever he needed it. The morning after Tony had seen Lupito killed, Ultima tells Tony's mother not to be too hard on Antonio; he had a hard night last night. His mother puts her arms around Tony and holds him saying he "is only a boy, a baby yet" (Pg.28). The Virgin also makes the atmosphere of Antonio's home peaceful and protected. Tony loves the Virgi n Mary because "she always forgave" (Pg. 42). Tony thought she was "full of a quiet, peaceful love" (Pg.42) which she filled the home with. The most important person who contributed to the goodness of Antonio's home was Ultima. She made Antonio feel as though her presence filled the home with safety, love, and a sense of security. When Tony saw Lupito get killed, it was Ultima who calmed him. Whenever he had a nightmare, Ultima was there to comfort Antonio and "[he] could sleep again" (Pg.

Accounting Information Systems Solution Trial Exam

Exam Name___________________________________ MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1) Which of the following types of organizing the information systems function would you be most likely to find in a small company with 20 employees? 1) _______ A) represented within each major division of the company B) as departments within each functional area C) as a separate, centralized department D) none of the above 2) Decisions that are unique, rapidly changing, and not easily specified in advance are best suited to which type of system? 2) ______ A) MIS B) ESS C) DSS D) TPS 3) Buying or selling goods over the Internet is called 3) _______ A) an extranet. B) an intranet. C) e-business. D) e-commerce. 4) ________ uses a set of integrated applications to address all aspects of the customer relationship. 4) _______ A) MIS B) CLE C) CRM D) CLU 5) You work for a highly successful advertiser that is just about to expand nationally. Of utmost importance will be finding a way to store and disseminate their clients' continually updated branding guides, which include multiple image files and text documents, to all of the firm's branches.What system will best serve these needs? 5) _______ A) an extranet with KMS capabilities B) a CRM C) a TPS with KMS capabilities D) an intranet with KMS capabilities 6) Which type of system would you use to forecast the return on investment if you used new suppliers with better delivery track records? 6) _______ A) MIS B) ESS C) DSS D) TPS 7) The Smart Site Solution system used by Johnny's Lunch to help identify the best locations to open new franchises is best categorized as a 7) _______ A) POS system B) KMS C) CRM D) DSS 8)Which of the following occupations would NOT be categorized as an â€Å"interaction† job? 8) _______ A) engineer B) business manager C) operations manager D) sales representative 9) The CPO is responsible for 9) _______ A) overseeing the use of information technology in the firm. B) making better use of existing knowledge in organizational and management processes. C) ensuring that the company complies with existing data privacy laws. D) enforcing the firm's information security policy. 10) Decision-support systems are often referred to as business ________ systems. 0) ______ A) analysis B) intelligence C) information D) modeling 11) An information system for ________ would NOT be categorized as a KMS. 11) ______ A) distributing documents B) documenting the expertise of company specialists C) discovering new sales channels for a product D) enabling the discovery of new product applications 12) What is the most important function of an enterprise application? 12) ______ A) enabling a company to work collaboratively with customers and suppliers B) enabling business functions and departments to share information C) ncreasing speed of communicating D) enabling cost-effective e-business processes 13) The principal liaison between the infor mation systems groups and the rest of the organization is a(n) 13) ______ A) CTO. B) systems analyst. C) programmer. D) information systems manager. SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question. 14) The ________ function is responsible for attracting, developing, and maintaining the firm's workforce. 14) _____________ TRUE/FALSE. Write ‘T' if the statement is true and ‘F' if the statement is false. 5) ESSs are designed primarily to solve specific problems. 15) ______ 16) Decision-support systems help managers make decisions that are unique, rapidly changing, and not easily specified in advance. 16) ______ 17) ESSs are designed to serve the middle management of the organization. 17) ______ 18) Operational management is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations of the business and therefore needs transaction-level information. 18) ______ 19) Decision-support systems use internal information as well as informati on from external sources. 19) ______ Accounting Information Systems Solution Trial Exam Exam Name___________________________________ MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1) Which of the following types of organizing the information systems function would you be most likely to find in a small company with 20 employees? 1) _______ A) represented within each major division of the company B) as departments within each functional area C) as a separate, centralized department D) none of the above 2) Decisions that are unique, rapidly changing, and not easily specified in advance are best suited to which type of system? 2) ______ A) MIS B) ESS C) DSS D) TPS 3) Buying or selling goods over the Internet is called 3) _______ A) an extranet. B) an intranet. C) e-business. D) e-commerce. 4) ________ uses a set of integrated applications to address all aspects of the customer relationship. 4) _______ A) MIS B) CLE C) CRM D) CLU 5) You work for a highly successful advertiser that is just about to expand nationally. Of utmost importance will be finding a way to store and disseminate their clients' continually updated branding guides, which include multiple image files and text documents, to all of the firm's branches.What system will best serve these needs? 5) _______ A) an extranet with KMS capabilities B) a CRM C) a TPS with KMS capabilities D) an intranet with KMS capabilities 6) Which type of system would you use to forecast the return on investment if you used new suppliers with better delivery track records? 6) _______ A) MIS B) ESS C) DSS D) TPS 7) The Smart Site Solution system used by Johnny's Lunch to help identify the best locations to open new franchises is best categorized as a 7) _______ A) POS system B) KMS C) CRM D) DSS 8)Which of the following occupations would NOT be categorized as an â€Å"interaction† job? 8) _______ A) engineer B) business manager C) operations manager D) sales representative 9) The CPO is responsible for 9) _______ A) overseeing the use of information technology in the firm. B) making better use of existing knowledge in organizational and management processes. C) ensuring that the company complies with existing data privacy laws. D) enforcing the firm's information security policy. 10) Decision-support systems are often referred to as business ________ systems. 0) ______ A) analysis B) intelligence C) information D) modeling 11) An information system for ________ would NOT be categorized as a KMS. 11) ______ A) distributing documents B) documenting the expertise of company specialists C) discovering new sales channels for a product D) enabling the discovery of new product applications 12) What is the most important function of an enterprise application? 12) ______ A) enabling a company to work collaboratively with customers and suppliers B) enabling business functions and departments to share information C) ncreasing speed of communicating D) enabling cost-effective e-business processes 13) The principal liaison between the infor mation systems groups and the rest of the organization is a(n) 13) ______ A) CTO. B) systems analyst. C) programmer. D) information systems manager. SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question. 14) The ________ function is responsible for attracting, developing, and maintaining the firm's workforce. 14) _____________ TRUE/FALSE. Write ‘T' if the statement is true and ‘F' if the statement is false. 5) ESSs are designed primarily to solve specific problems. 15) ______ 16) Decision-support systems help managers make decisions that are unique, rapidly changing, and not easily specified in advance. 16) ______ 17) ESSs are designed to serve the middle management of the organization. 17) ______ 18) Operational management is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations of the business and therefore needs transaction-level information. 18) ______ 19) Decision-support systems use internal information as well as informati on from external sources. 19) ______

Sloan School of Management

I am really pleased to have some discussion about my interest to apply for Sloan MBA program. I am determined to take admission in an MBA program in a reputable school and Sloan School of Management is one of my top priorities. The reason that I’ve chosen your school is that MIT Sloan is most popular and reliable in administrating and imparting education to business professionals. It has been able to launch change in our current business environment.Its reputation is much known among professionals and still its well educated and learned faculty is still contributing to this culture. I am much acquainted with the culture you promote and also easy and compassionate essay questions you ask. By taking MBA program at Sloan School of Management I hope that I will learn a lot about business dealings and can perform much better in the construction business.Our company is a recognized name in construction industry of China. We have been engaged in steel structural design, manufacture, and installation for more than ten years. Amazingly, our sales have grown tenfold in the last two years.Though it appeared that we were flourishing but there were uncontrollable crisis through which we were passing. For several months we worked under great pressure and none had time to consider company’s long-term goals.As I’ve spent uncountable hours in allocating assignments, monitoring status, solving problems, and handling nonstop incidents. My experience shows that we need a change in company’s environment.We have to change current project-based model to a mass production and commercialize our products. In order to enhance my career as a ‘project manager’ and my working knowledge in this business I am very keen to take this program. During my management career I’ve successfully dealt with several complex situations and led a team to complete most difficult and time consuming projects in rural China.I have also shown outstanding quantitat ive analysis skills and innovated new and extremely useful operational modes in the company. I want to excel my skills and compete in this business as a successful businessman.My capabilities show that I am a proven leader not just an entrepreneur. In order to put my vision into practice I must continue my studies and complete my MBA from Sloan institute of Management. I hope Sloan will play important role in transition of my career success.My visions are clear and I am determined to pursue my career in this field. After graduating from Sloan, I will return to my family business to take charge of overseas market expansion, and form a total solutions transnational steel-structure on partnership basis. I have planned to combine our unparalleled design originality with competitive cost advantage to broaden our business scope by promoting customized Composite Steel Structural Villa.Besides, I have also planned to establish Green House Business Group and Material Innovation Team for bett er environmental protection. Furthermore, my plan also includes developing multilateral investment strategies and conducting upstream industrial integration. Finally, I aim to capture venture capital for carrying out IPO in 2015. My ultimate objective is to lead my business as a driving force in the world’s economy with a clear mission and improve living standards.

WWII Death Marches From Concentration Camps

WWII Death Marches From Concentration Camps Late in the war, the tide had turned against the Germans. The Soviet Red Army was reclaiming territory as they pushed the Germans back. As the Red Army was heading for Poland, the Nazis needed to hide their crimes. Mass graves were dug up and the bodies burned. The camps were evacuated. Documents destroyed. The prisoners that were taken from the camps were sent on what became known as Death Marches (Todesmrsche). Some of these groups were marched hundreds of miles. The prisoners were given little to no food and little to no shelter. Any prisoner who lagged behind or who tried to escape was shot. Evacuation By July 1944, Soviet troops had reached the border of Poland. Although the Nazis had attempted to destroy evidence, in Majdanek (a concentration and extermination camp just outside of Lublin on the Polish border), the Soviet Army captured the camp nearly intact. Almost immediately, a Polish-Soviet Nazi Crimes Investigation Commission was established. The Red Army continued to move through Poland. The Nazis started to evacuate and destroy their concentration camps from east to west. The first major death march was the evacuation of approximately 3,600 prisoners from a camp on Gesia Street in Warsaw (a satellite of the Majdanek camp). These prisoners were forced to march over 80 miles in order to reach Kutno. About 2,600 survived to see Kutno. The prisoners that were still alive were packed onto trains, where several hundred more died. Out of the 3,600 original marchers, less than 2,000 reached Dachau 12 days later.1 On the Road When the prisoners were evacuated they werent told where they were going. Many wondered whether they going out to a field to be shot? Would it be better to try to escape now? How far would they be marching? The SS organized the prisoners into rows usually five across and into a large column. The guards were on the outside of the long column, with some in the lead, some on the sides, and a few in the rear. The column was forced to march - often at a run. For prisoners who were already starved, weak, and ill, the march was an incredible burden. An hour would go by. They kept on marching. Another hour would go by. The marching continued. As some prisoners could no longer march, they would fall behind. The SS guards in the rear of the column would shoot anyone who stopped to rest or collapsed. Elie Wiesel Recounts I was putting one foot in front of the other mechanically. I was dragging with me this skeletal body which weighed so much. If only I could have got rid of it! In spite of my efforts not to think about it, I could feel myself as two entities - my body and me. I hated it. (Elie Wiesel) The marches took prisoners on back roads and through towns. Isabella Leitner Remembers I have a curious, unreal feeling. One of almost being part of the grayish dusk of the town. But again, of course, you will not find a single German who lived in Prauschnitz who ever saw a single one of us. Still, we were there, hungry, in rags, our eyes screaming for food. And no one heard us. We ate the smell of smoked meats reaching our nostrils, blowing our way from the various shops. Please, our eyes screamed, give us the bone your dog has finished gnawing. Help us live. You wear coats and gloves just like human beings do. Arent you human beings? What is underneath your coats? (Isabella Leitner) Surviving the Holocaust Many of the evacuations occurred during the winter. From Auschwitz, 66,000 prisoners were evacuated on January 18, 1945. At the end of January 1945, 45,000 prisoners were evacuated from Stutthof and its satellite camps. In the cold and snow, these prisoners were forced to march. In some cases, the prisoners marched for a long duration and were then loaded onto trains or boats. Elie Wiesel, Holocaust Survivor We were given no food. We lived on snow; it took the place of bread. The days were like nights, and the nights left the dregs of their darkness in our souls. The train was traveling slowly, often stopping for several hours and then setting off again. It never ceased snowing. All through these days and nights we stayed crouching, one on top of the other, never speaking a word. We were no more than frozen bodies. Our eyes closed, we waited merely for the next stop, so that we could unload our dead. (Elie Wiesel)

Reaction essays

Love Medicine Summary/Reaction essays Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich tells a story of two Native American families and how their lives are intertwined. The story takes place in the mid-west region, including Minnesota and South Dakota. It presents to us many differing point of views from both sides, changing narrators from one chapter to the next. For many of them, their tales focus on uncovering a hidden past, and others that are simply running from the past. We are first introduced to June, who was adopted by Marie and Nector Kashpaw. Her story is short, since we learn about her her death in the next chapter and its effect on the Kashpaw family. After that, it skips back to the past and explains the origins of the children and parents in each of the families. What I didnt like about the story was that I found it hard to keep track of everything when there were so many different stories going on at once. Although they were all connected in a way, I constantly found myself confused at times and often had to check back to the beginning of the chapter to see whose story I was reading. One thing I found very hard to keep track of was Lulu Lamartine, who was constantly sleeping around, had different fathers for each of her children. It wasnt until I had finished reasing the book that I noticed the family tree at the beginning, and even that looks confusing to me. I had too much trouble keeping track of who was from what family, and who had different last names from the rest of the family. Its hard for me to understand since I come from a very traditional family. My parents have only been married to each other and had three kids together. Even in my extended family, there is not one child that was born of a different mother or father. I did not include a theme at the beginning of this summary for one reason, I honestly could not figure out what the author had intended for it to be. What was she trying to say, that its ok to sleep a ...

President Jimmy Carters Record on Civil Rights and Race Relations

President Jimmy Carters Record on Civil Rights and Race Relations When Georgian Jimmy Carter won the 1976 presidential race, no politician from the Deep South had been elected since 1844. Despite Carter’s Dixie roots, the incoming president boasted a large black fan base, having supported African-American causes as a lawmaker in his home state. Four out of every five black voters reportedly backed Carter, and decades later, when the country welcomed its first black president, Carter continued to speak out about race relations in America. His record on civil rights before and after entering the White House reveal why Carter long garnered support from communities of color. A Voting Rights Supporter During his tenure as a Georgia state senator from 1963 to 1967, Carter worked to overturn laws that made it challenging for blacks to vote, according to the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. His pro-integration stance did not prevent him from serving two terms as state senator, but his views may have hurt his gubernatorial bid. When he ran for governor in 1966, an outpouring of segregationists turned out to the polls to elect Jim Crow supporter Lester Maddox. When Carter ran for governor four years later, he â€Å"minimized appearances before African American groups, and even sought the endorsements of avowed segregationists, a move that some critics call deeply hypocritical.† But Carter, it turned out, was simply being a politician. When he became governor the following year, he announced that the time had come to end segregation. Clearly, he’d never supported Jim Crow but catered to segregationists just to win their votes. Appointments of Blacks in Key Positions As Georgia governor, Carter didn’t just verbally oppose segregation but also worked to create more diversity in state politics. He reportedly raised the number of Georgia blacks on state boards and agencies from just three to a staggering 53. Under his leadership, almost half, 40 percent, of public servants in influential positions were African American. Social Justice Platform Impresses Time, Rolling Stone Gov. Carter’s views on civil rights so markedly differed from other Southern lawmakers, such as notorious Alabama Gov. George Wallace, that in 1971 he made the cover of Time magazine, which dubbed the Georgian the face of the â€Å"New South.† Just three years later, legendary Rolling Stone journalist, Hunter S. Thompson, became a fan of Carter after hearing the lawmaker discuss how politics can be used to effect social change. A Racial Gaffe or More Duplicity? Carter sparked controversy on April 3, 1976, while discussing public housing. The then-presidential candidate said that he thought community members should be able to preserve the â€Å"ethnic purity† of their neighborhoods, a statement that sounded like the tacit support of segregated housing. Five days later, Carter apologized for the comment. Had the pro-integrationist really meant to express support of Jim Crow housing, or was the statement just another ploy to get the segregationist vote? Black College Initiative As president, Carter launched the Black College Initiative to give historically black colleges and universities more support from the federal government. â€Å"Other administration education initiatives covered in the collection include science apprenticeships for minority students, technical assistance to black colleges, and minority fellowships in graduate management education,† according to the â€Å"Civil Rights During the Carter Administration† report. Business Opportunities for Blacks Carter also tried to close the wealth gap between whites and people of color. He developed initiatives to give minority-owned businesses a boost. â€Å"These programs focused primarily on increasing the government’s procurement of goods and services from minority business, as well as through requirements for procurement by federal contractors from minority firms,† the CRDTCA report states. â€Å"The aided industries ranged from construction to manufacturing to advertising, banking, and insurance. The government also maintained a program to help minority-owned exporters gain footholds in foreign markets.† Affirmative Action Supporter Affirmative action became a heavily debated topic when the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case of Allan Bakke, a white man denied admission to the medical school at the University of California, Davis. Bakke sued after UC Davis rejected him while admitting less qualified black students, he argued. The case marked the first time affirmative action had been challenged so vigorously. Yet, Carter continued to support affirmative action, which endeared him to blacks. Prominent Blacks in the Carter Administration When Carter became president, more than 4,300 blacks held elected office in the U.S. African Americans also served in the Carter cabinet. â€Å"Wade H. Mc-Cree served as solicitor general, Clifford L. Alexander was the first black secretary of the army, Mary Berry was the top official in Washington on educational matters prior to the establishment of the Department of Education, Eleanor Holmes Norton chaired the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Franklin Delano Raines served on the White House staff,† according to the Spartacus-Educational website. Andrew Young, a Martin Luther King protà ©gà © and the first African American elected as a Georgia congressman since Reconstruction, served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. But Young’s outspoken views on race caused controversy for Carter and Young resigned under pressure. The president replaced with him another black man, Donald F. McHenry. Expansion from Civil Rights to Human Rights When Carter lost his bid for re-election, he opened the Carter Center in Georgia in 1981. The institution promotes human rights across the world and has overseen elections in a number of countries and curbed human rights violations in places such as Ethiopia, Panama, and Haiti. The center has also focused on domestic issues, such as in October 1991, when it launched the Atlanta Project initiative to address urban social problems. In October 2002, President Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize for â€Å"his decades of untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflict.† The Civil Rights Summit Jimmy Carter was the first president to speak at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library Civil Rights Summit in April 2014. The summit commemorated the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking Civil Rights Act of 1964. During the event, the former president  urged the nation to do more civil rights work. â€Å"There’s still a gross disparity between black and white people on education and employment,† he said. â€Å"A good amount of schools in the South are still segregated.† Given these factors, the civil rights movement isn’t just history, Carter explained but remains a pressing issue in the 21st century.

Ethical Theories Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Theories Paper - Essay Example determined solely by its resulting consequent, though there is still a debate over the extent of consideration that should be offered to intended consequences, foreseen consequences and actual consequences. Utilitarianism can be said to be a reductionist and a quantitative approach to ethics, as well as a form of naturalism (Zilioli, 2007). It is the opposite of deontological ethics, virtue ethics, ethical egoism, and pragmatic ethics. This is an absolutist and deontological approach. It is based on the fact that individuals should believe in doing things because it is the right thing to do meaning and the duty of an individual to perform a certain act, which can be regarded as right. It does not believe that each act should be done because it results in happiness but should be done because it is the appropriate thing to do. Kant’s ethics are based on A Priori reasoning while Mill’s and Bentham’s are based on A Posteriori logic (Zilioli, 2007). This is a theory which was developed in anthropological research as axiomatic in the few initial decades of 20th century by Franz Boas and popularized later by his students (Peoples & Bailey, 2012). Boas did not coin the term. Cultural relativism involves certain methodological and epistemological claims. It is still debated whether these claims necessitate a particular ethical stance or not. This principle should be carefully distinguished from moral relativism. This is a principle of truth based on the statement "if one believes something it is true." The outcome of individual relativism results in two obvious absurdities, and consequently one nail-in-the-coffin objection. To begin with, the most obvious absurdity that is a consequent of individual relativism is if everybodys beliefs are true, then there would not be any false belief. This means everybody is always right, and their beliefs are true and cannot be false. The second relatively obvious absurdity is if there are no false beliefs, then no one will ever

Consumers and insurance benefits issues paper Essay

Consumers and insurance benefits issues paper - Essay Example The different issues under the healthcare system include Medicare, Medicaid and insurance. This essay will focus on the historical framework of insurance including management and technology implications in this sector. While Medicare covers hospital insurance, medical insurance, doctor’s service and outpatient hospital care, Medicaid has provided health care since 1965. Medicaid provides essential health support to Americans of all ages. Medicare does not pay for all of a covered persons medical costs and from January 2006, provides coverage for prescription drugs through a complex coverage model (Wikipedia). Medicare is partially financed by taxes on wages and in 2003, Medicare accounted for almost 13% of the entire Federal budget. Thirty three cents of every dollar spent on health care in the U.S. is paid by Medicare and Medicaid. Under the circumstances, health insurance becomes necessary. Health insurance spreads the risk of health care expenses and provides people access to medical services. Since the late 19th century, states have been regulating private health insurance companies and products with a view to assure financial solvency of the insurance companies, promote risk spreading, protect consumers against fraud, and ensure that consumers receive what they are promised (Kofman & Pollitz, 2006). Although the business of insurance was traditionally reserved for the state, in 1974, the federal government became the primary regulator of health benefits provided by the employer. During 1980s and 1990s, Congress established minimum standards for group health insurance. Today every state follows certain basic standards for health insurance. They ensure that insurers are financially solvent and in a position to settle claim promptly. In the private health insurance market, the insurers minimize their risks to avoid losses. They deny coverage to individuals who have health problems. Approximately

Contemporary Marketing- Consumer Behavior Research Paper

Contemporary Marketing- Consumer Behavior - Research Paper Example The type of marketing that is in place today is what is referred to as contemporary marketing. Contemporary marketing, unlike the previous types, has so many considerations to put in place because of the advancements in consumer behavior. While in previous years the procedures involved in successful marketing were simple and absolute, today the complexities have made a somewhat difficult task (Mills, 2004). This paper’s focal point is to analyze and outline the major issue that may arise from consumer behavior and contemporary marketing. The paper also focuses on the link that lies between the two concepts. The issued discussed in this paper are those that are directly related to consumer behavior and contemporary marketing. The issues presented are not the sole viewpoint from which the matter at hand can be analyzed. The level on which a person is dependent on their references varies with the closeness that they share (Charlesworth, 2014). Firstly, there is the primary category of references. This group of people consists of friends, coworkers, family members, and relatives. These people usually influence the consumer reasons. The first reason is that they may have used the product in question at a certain point in time. The second reason is that they may have specific knowledge concerning the product in question. The third reason, the greatest, is that the relationship that an individual has with the people listed determines their categorization in the following groups; Bachelor, Newlywed, Parent, Old age (with adult children). A Bachelor for instance, only values their preference and satisfaction. A parent on the other hand must make purchases that are of value and does not inconvenience their offspring According to a research study carried out by PMR research; consumers prioritize these this influences in different measure. Out of a study carried of 500 regular consumers of a multipurpose store the following

Enforceability of international and local mediation outcome Assignment

Enforceability of international and local mediation outcome - Assignment Example A normal mediation session takes three hours to complete and is attended by both the parties. Mediation is fair, efficient and does not require lengthy litigation and investigation. II. ROLE OF THE MEDIATOR The role of the mediator differs in four different phases of mediation.1 He generally is a contract facilitator. The different roles of the mediator are mentioned below; A. The pre-mediation phase This is considered as the most important part of the mediation process. In this phase, the mediator can create a strong base for mediation process. He has to see if the case is suitable for mediation or not. Some cases cannot be resolved through mediation like criminal matters2 thus he has to see whether the mediation should proceed or not. The mediator also has to check the flexibility of both the parties as the end result of the mediation will be ‘a contract’3 and thus it has to be assessed whether both the sides have the capacity to enter into a contract or not. The last thing that has to be checked is the representation of both the parties, the mediator has to check that the representatives are representing according to the law and their authority over the party has to be checked, so that it should be in the mediator’s knowledge that what kind of agreement the representatives can sign. B. ... e mediator engages both the parties in a detailed discussion in which both of them try to understand each other’s point of view and perspective; the third duty, which is being performed by the mediator in this session, is to influence the parties to settle the dispute, to make them reach an agreement and to resolve the dispute; and the last task, that a mediator performs during this session, is to engage both the parties in a thorough discussion regarding the issues which they have agreed upon. During this session the parties discuss past and present agendas, whereas, discussing future issues is optional, even though, the discussion of the future issues is essential for this session as it enables the parties to understand each other’s interests and goals. After this session the mediator and both the parties will be aware of each other’s point of views, goals and interests. Each party will now be able to frame a proposal that will satisfy its interests. In additio n to that, it will also be able to put forward an offer that will be acceptable by the other party. The mediator will now help the parties to check the accessibility and practicability of their offers. C. The separate session ( the private session) In this stage the mediator tries to detect and put forth the issues that the parties did not discuss in the last session, to enable the parties to reach realistic options that satisfy the needs and interests of both the parties and to guide the parties to negotiate on these options in the upcoming session. The role played by mediator in this phase includes the following; firstly, the mediator has to ensure both the parties that the private session is strictly confidential and therefore they can discuss the issues and agendas which they did not discuss in the

Argument, Concession and Refutation (dp5) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Argument, Concession and Refutation (dp5) - Essay Example In order to avoid overriding arguments from the opposing side, the writer should counter the points given by the opposition. The standard outline for any refutation paragraph should contain the introduction of the opposing argument, acknowledgement of valid points of the opposition and its counter and finally the conclusion which gives a summary of why the counter argument is not a sufficient solution. For a writer to achieve the aspect of effectiveness in passing the information while changing the mind of the audience, the writing should be audience-centered and not writer-centered by considering their needs in addition to which argument best suits which audience. In the academic context, the writer should state both the claim and evidence of their position without assuming that the audience is clairvoyant (n.a, 7). Most importantly, the writer should have a purpose as to what and why they want to communicate. It is of essence for every writer to have such information at their fingertips in order to be efficient and effective. Having learnt these different aspects of drawing out an argument, I have discovered how to give a stronger argument and how to put the same across to different audiences (n.a, 11). I have also understood the art of conceding while at the same time supporting my position which is very useful in the accomplishment of academic

XTRA(2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words - 1

XTRA(2) - Essay Example lysis of the logical requirements, design as well as implementation and these would be discussed under different categories of tasks related to the Xtra case study. A close analysis of the case study of Xtra shows that it is a small company specializing in Hollywood memorabilia and its founding principles were based on the notion of business being conducted via the post from the central offices based in the city center. However, due to global economic recession, the company has seen a significant decline in sales and the need to generate more sales has seen the company underscoring on the need to develop an eBusiness system that would help in collecting of marketing data as well as to provide a more personal customer service. E-Business is basically a general term that encompasses e-commerce but also includes the use of the internet for other business tasks such as teamwork, communication and new business services Post & Anderson 2003). E-business is increasingly regarded as a valuable tool for more traditional firms and has a large role to play in the future of many organisations through offering convenient online services to the customers. The basic eBusiness systems requirement for Xtra is the use of a system that is able to collect data automatically especially at the point of sale. This would increase efficiency in gathering data about the clients and is more efficient compared to the traditional method of using hard files to store data about their products. This involves the identification of problems with the current system and making choices. This stage would also involve the aspect of persuading the others to accept the decision and subsequently implement the ultimate solution that would have been agreed upon. Apparently, this method can handle large volumes of data and process information about any transaction swiftly. Traditionally, Xtra has been conducting its business using postal services to do all the transactions. However, because of the

Argument, Concession and Refutation (dp5) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Argument, Concession and Refutation (dp5) - Essay Example In order to avoid overriding arguments from the opposing side, the writer should counter the points given by the opposition. The standard outline for any refutation paragraph should contain the introduction of the opposing argument, acknowledgement of valid points of the opposition and its counter and finally the conclusion which gives a summary of why the counter argument is not a sufficient solution. For a writer to achieve the aspect of effectiveness in passing the information while changing the mind of the audience, the writing should be audience-centered and not writer-centered by considering their needs in addition to which argument best suits which audience. In the academic context, the writer should state both the claim and evidence of their position without assuming that the audience is clairvoyant (n.a, 7). Most importantly, the writer should have a purpose as to what and why they want to communicate. It is of essence for every writer to have such information at their fingertips in order to be efficient and effective. Having learnt these different aspects of drawing out an argument, I have discovered how to give a stronger argument and how to put the same across to different audiences (n.a, 11). I have also understood the art of conceding while at the same time supporting my position which is very useful in the accomplishment of academic

What Is Andragogy and Its Effects on Today’s Design of Learning for Adults Essay Example for Free

What Is Andragogy and Its Effects on Today’s Design of Learning for Adults Essay Education of adults has always been an issue, but there has been very little interest or analysis of adult learning. Adults were thought to be children alike, when it comes to learning; therefore, the only theory was pedagogy in the educational setting. According to Knowles (1980), after the end of World War I, more modern education theories on adults were developed. Thorndike’s, Sorenson’s, and Linderman’s studies showed that adults learn differently than children, also their interests and abilities differ. Those studies affirmed that, in adult education, the curriculum should be built around the student’s interest instead of student adjusting themselves to it (Aderinto, 2006). With the light of these studies, the basis of more recent adult learning theories emerged. Adult learning differs; therefore, the design of learning for adult education should be adjusted to more recent theories. In 1968, Malcolm Knowles proposed andragogy, the adult learning theory to distinguish adult education from children education, pedagogy (Merriam, 2001). Knowles is the father of andragogy and according to him (1980), it means â€Å"the art and science of helping adults learn†. In the second half of the twentieth century, Malcolm Shepherd Knowles was one of the most influential persons in adult education in the US. He was the Executive Director of the Adult Education Association of the United States of America (Smith, 2002). He worked on informal adult education and also developed the first foundations of grounds for adult learning through andragogy. In his twenties, Knowles met Eduard Lindeman, while he was working for the National Youth Administration in Massachusetts, and he became his mentee. Knowles acknowledges that Lindeman’s Meaning of Adult Education was his main source for inspiration and ideas on his own work. Andragogy, in contrast to pedagogy, is developed based on the needs of adults, and presents a number of learner-focused methods and principles which are particularly valuable in adult education and training (Guilbaud and Bonnie, 2008). The pedagogical and andragogical assumptions are lightly different. In a pedagogical model, it is necessary to direct students on what they will learn. Instructors should be directive and provide all the essential information to the students. Pre-adults are not self-motivated; the instructor should lead the time management and require close supervision. On the other hand, adults are self-directed and ready to take on responsibility, and they come with experience and are willing to transform the information into an application. They are goal-oriented and want to be active rather than passive students. It is important to know why they are learning, instead of just getting the necessary information. These are the reasons why, when teaching adults, different theories and models should be taken into consideration other than pre-adult learning theories. There are some learning theories related to andragogy. Experiential learning theory, is involved with the material being studied, students expected to learn by doing it. In this learning theory, participants are expected to use their own experiences and reflections. The information that is learned, involves doing something and discovering it; therefore, it is effective as it addresses the cognitive, emotional, and the physical aspect of the learner. On the other hand, self-directed learning theory is an example of informal learning, in which individuals are expected to define their own goals and set their needs accordingly, and find their own motivation to achieve these goals. Self-directed learning can be integrated with daily routines. The transformative learning theory is considered to be a constructivist theory, and it is influenced by Jack Mezirow’s work. Transformative learning is to help adults understand their experiences. These theories, combined with characteristics of adult learners and assumptions of andragogy, should be applied to the design of adult learning. Adults want to be involved in the learning activities; therefore, the instructors should guide them to their own knowledge rather than stating the facts. Adults have significant life experience and knowledge that are gained from family and work responsibilities, and previous education. They tend to use this information, so the instructors should draw these parts out to help the participant to connect the information. Adults are goal-oriented; they usually know why they are enrolling a course from the beginning, and it is important to lay out how the course will help them achieve their goals in an early stage. They need to know, why they are learning something and it has to be an applicable information to be valuable, the instructor can obtain this by letting them choose projects that can reflect their interests. Adults usually are not interested in the knowledge itself, but how it will be useful for them. They all expect respect, so it is important to let them express their own opinions freely in class. Andragogy also has many critiques from adult education professionals. Jarvis claims, that even though andragogy is in a dominant position, there is no sufficient evidence to support its status, and a more recent research by Merriam states (2001), that andragogy is one of the pillars of adult education; however, the adult education should go beyond andragogy (Henschke, 2011). Since 1970, there have been many researches to prove andragogy as a strong model for adult education. In recent years, Henschke and Cooper identified six sections in andragogy. They are; evolution and history of the concept, comparison of the American and European understandings, popularizing and sustaining the American and global concept, practical applications, and theory, research and the definition of andragogy. In 2007, Isenberg provided a dynamic design to combine the interaction of andragogy and internet learning. It is clear, that andragogy still has much to contribute to the future of adult learning. In the future, the discussions should go beyond Knowles’ version and include the world-wide perspective of other studies. It should be joined with other adult learning theories and continued to be researched (Henschke, 2011). Studies showed that adults learn differently; therefore, the educational environment, such as online education, which is highly used by adult learners, should be designed based on their needs. Characteristics of adult learners and applications of adult learning, such as andragogy combined with other adult learning theories, should be taken into consideration in the design of such learning.

Communication Skills in Marketing

Communication Skills in Marketing Assignment Two: Communication on the Job Fundamentals of Communication Denby Mackenzie INTRODUCTION: After completing a double bachelor degree at Griffith University, I aspire to obtain a career in a marketing role, either as a marketing director or a marketing communications manager. The double bachelor that I am currently enrolled in is a Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Business and the two majors I am currently undertaking is Japanese and Marketing. Ideally working in Japan or for a Japanese company is very appealing to me. Having a career that would combine these two passions of mine would create the ultimate type of future work I hope to do. Marketing professionals are just about employable across all organisations (Griffith University, 2013), which includes but not exclusively to advertising firms, government agencies, non-profit organisations and large companies. Types of industries that employ marketing graduates that deal directly with sales and marketing, are government industries and travel, tourism and hospitality. Marketing directors have the responsibility of promoting the goods and services of their organisations or clients. Other duties that may be performed on a day to day basis by marketing professionals is knowing how to effectively manage a marketing budget, assist in the development and implementation of communication strategies and activities, write creatively and identify and analyse any strengths and weaknesses of the organisation (Australian Government, 2015). In a professional environment marketing directors would have to work closely with a team, by themselves and possibly with clients. A marketing director would need to have the ability to work independently as well as part of a team, have great interpersonal communication skills and be able to be proactive and meet set deadlines. As a director, it is understandable that written, spoken and unspoken communications will occur in the workplace, from formal meetings, writing emails or promotional plans to positive unspoken communications such as opening a door for a client. Key communication strategies that would be useful in becoming a successful marketing communications director, ideally working for an international company, would be knowing how to successfully influence and persuade others through the use of communication, communication and organisational structures in the workplace and the ability to effectively communicate between cultures. BODY: If there is one thing that marketing directors contribute to in their daily work is getting people to buy into what they are selling, whether that be an idea, a service announcement that people should partake in or goods and services being sold to consumers from a particular company. Marketing personal create messages to mildly coerce audiences into believing or acting a particular way. In order to be successful at persuading others, we first need to understand our receivers, or who the message is intended for and there are many ways to understand our audience, through cultural background, language spoken, gender, location, age and many more. There are three ways that most people will comply to persuasive messages being broadcasted; firstly, people will be persuaded by a force, sometimes this force can be aggressive or violent. Secondly, there is certain social expectation that one believes they must live up to, so they are influenced by what they believe is expected of them. Lastly when a message has become powerful enough, it will change the way that person now thinks (DeFleur et al,2005 p.298). What we must also understand is that not everybody is going to act, think or comply the same way about the messages we are telling our audiences. To better understand why people would resist, we must look subjectively from the person or persons point of view that we are trying to persuade (DeFleur et al,2005 p.310). From a marketing and a business point of view, understanding why people would rebel against a message should help us understand where the faults are in any campaign and how it can be improved on for next time. Being able to persuade a change in people’s habits or behaviours with the use of a reward or motivation involved is perhaps the most common way to influence people. Whether that reward or motivation is not as clear to the receiver, it is almost certainly there, from the receiver buying shampoo to buying an apple, on one hand it says that the consumer wants to look good or keep their hair clean and on the other hand it says that buying the customer buying the apple is hungry or that there is possibly some motivation for them personally to buy the apple rather than a chocolate bar. Much like how understanding to influence and persuade others requires some thought into whom the receivers are and how they will process the message, so does communicating between cultures. For the reason that I wish to work in Japan or closely with a Japanese company, I find that knowing how to communicate between our different cultures will be helpful to my career. Learning the Japanese language as well as understanding their culture should make any communication that is to happen, be a successful one. Even if I was to work in Australia, being able to effectively communicate between cultures would be necessary given that Australia is such a diverse multi-cultural country. According to DeFleur et al (2014), there are seven steps for successful intercultural communication. Firstly, we have to acknowledge that everybody is different and therefore we all have different emotions and needs. Secondly, we have to try to understand any cultural backgrounds of who we are communicating to. Thirdly, we should respect any cultural customs or traditions that our receiver might have. Fourthly, and a good tip for any successful communication, is to actively listen. Fifthly, being able to handle or expect some uncertainty with intercultural communication. Sixthly, when working or speaking with people who are different form ourselves, we should steer clear of making any assumptions or stereotypes. Lastly, we should be aware of our own ethnocentrism and how we may judge another person or culture based off our own values and beliefs. Researchers have found four main cultural features that alter the way in which we relate to one another; individualism and collectivism, high and low context, masculinity and femininity, and high and low power distance (DeFleur et al,2005 p.222). Understanding that all societies have these features can affect the way we communicate with one another. Some cultures value social status over equality, some find nonverbal communication more important than accuracy of what is said and other cultures value assertiveness and wining rather than cooperation and nurturance. From a business point of view, before encoding a message, getting to know the audience it is being distributed to, including their culture, customs, influences and what cultural features they might value would make it easier to do business with. Another communication strategy that would be useful to any career in any organisation is learning how to successfully communicate in an organisational setting. In most organisations there is a bureaucracy set in place, this includes job titles, ranks and roles of staff and goals and a strategic plans made by the organisation. Presidents and CEO’s are responsible for making decisions when it comes to the organisation of employees in the workplace. Successful managers will change the division of the labour roles and the level of authority that some employees have when the nature of the environment in an organisation is changing (Francis-Smythe, Robinson Ross, 2013), this includes any promotions or wage raises and even demotions. Presidents and CEO’s that acknowledge a change in the environment at work and make appropriate adjustments to suit, receive a more productive work setting for all employees as a result. Previously in Japan, workers were reassured that they would work for the one company for their entire life. Now in Japan, any worker, from even the lowest of positions, can suggest ideas to their seniors, without feeling out of place (DeFleur et al,2005 p.189). In Japan a full-time workers day is 8 hours long, however, more than 60 per cent of full-time workers have often recorded working more than 10 hours per day (Nemoto, 2013). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, I personally find these three communication skills would be necessary to become a successful marketing director. As marketing professionals are employable across all industries, all of these communication skills are transferable. Marketing personal not only use persuasion in the messages that they transmit to the public, they would also use persuasion in a business setting, from talking to client to organising tasks for a team to complete. From a business perspective, understanding that most organisations have fixed rules, various positions held by employees within the company and goals and strategic views of that organisation. When securing a senior position within a company, recognising the organisational system that the business has in place would set me up for success. Working as a director or manager in charge of a small team would be the ideal position for a career in marketing for me. Working overseas, in Japan or for a Japanese company would allow for intercultural communication to take place. Understanding our audience before encoding a message will positively assist in the receivers decoding the message as close to how it was intended to be understood. There are many ways to understand our audience, through cultural background, language spoken, gender, location, age and many more (DeFleur et al,2005 p.222). Acknowledging that everybody is different and that we all come from different backgrounds and all make different choices should make better intercultural communication occur. As Australia is a diverse multi-cultural country, understanding how to improve communicating between cultures is a great skill to have in any professional setting. REFERENCES Australian Government, April 2015, Department of education and training, Marketing Officer, Accessed 30 May 3015 from: http://www.jobguide.thegoodguides.com.au/occupation/Marketing-Officer> DeFleur, M, Kearney, P, Plax, T DeFleur, M (2014).Fundamentals of Communication: Social Science in Everyday Life. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp.189, 222, 233, 298, 310, Francis-Smythe, J., Robinson, L. Ross, C. 2013, The role of evidence in general managers decision-making, Journal of general management, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 3-21. Griffith University, April 2013, Careers and Employment Service; Career options: Marketing, Accessed 30 May 2015 from: https://intranet.secure.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/507113/Marketing.pdf > Nemoto, K. 2013, Long Working Hours and the Corporate Gender Divide in Japan, Gender, Work Organization, vol. 20, no. 5, pp. 512-527.

Langauge Essay -- essays research papers

Language   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My language has mainly been influenced socially and politically. The society taught me the proper way to speak, when to speak, and to whom to speak. The politics taught me what views I should hold when I speak. Yet the influences are different through out the world as I have learned when I moved to United States, at the age of nine, from The Former Soviet Union. It has been a very unique experience to learn the social and political boundary differences of the two different nations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My first language experience was through my family and pre-school, as they both taught me the proper ways to say letters. Later on they putt a heavy infuses on me to learn how to make proper sounds when saying words. I recall that one of the hardest sounds I had to learn was to roll my r‘s. I learned other unique sounds as well through out my younger years. I had to learn the proper way to speak in order to sound educated. In The Former Soviet Union a person would be seen inferior if he or she could not speak properly. After pre-school I moved on to the first grade and was expected to learn political poems and other text. The poems that I learned had their own influence on my speech and its content. The nation was heavily influenced by political patriotism and there for so was the language. I remember as a kid my friends and I would always say that we swear on Lenin, an x - national hero, as people in United States say they cross their heart. I would always see adults seating down and arguing about politics and would always think why are the arguing so hard about it if they cant do anything about it. Now I understand that they argued because it was patriotic and proper to care about the government so much. When I watched the television as a kid I would always see cartoons that would teach me the proper ways to communicate with others. But at many times when I would turn the television on I would see the president speaking on every channel. I never really understood his patriotic speeches to the nation. I was expected to be very respectful to all elders by waiting to speak to them after they were done speaking, and to never interrupt two adults while they are talking to each other. And if I was very to address an adult the only proper way to do so was to make eye contact and speak ... ...n in the same way by analyzing the content of their speech and the grammar. Of course those are very stereotypical ways to judge people, but it is the way that the class system works in U.S. Unlike in Soviet Union were people where there were two classes of either educated or they were not, in U.S. there are many levels of the class system. I have learned that it is helpful to be able to communicate with all types of people, there is no single best way to communicate. But when communicating through various types of reports it is very important to be able to use proper grammar, formatting, and sentence structures. That is the only one standard that everyone needs to know. Every person’s ideas and feeling can be expressed on paper, yet the only way to really do that is to know the proper techniques. Oral Communication is world wide in different molds, but communication by words on paper is a world standard. Therefore, the greatest language lesson that I have learned so far is the impotents of knowing how to properly communicate my feelings and ideas on paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Essay --

Liam Connelly Final Project Golden Age of Greece Thermopylae and the 5,200: an Analysis of Creative License in Film There is perhaps no last stand than the famous 300 Spartans at Thermopylae who held the massive Persian army for three days in a narrow mountain pass, nearly two and a half millennia ago. When the movie 300 premiered, I was beginning to appreciate military history and I found the story of these hopelessly outnumbered Greek patriots absolutely riveting. I had known that more than a little creative license was taken after seeing some of the more fantastic scenes but some of the important historical nuances were lost in the depiction. My objective today is not to pedantically nitpick every anachronism and erroneous fact, but simply to discover why the filmmakers augmented the history with them. My primary source for comparison is Herodotus’ Book VII of The Histories, in which he describes the background and facts known to him about the battle itself. The origin of the 5,200 from which this project takes its name is the fact that Herodotus counts not only 300 Spartans but at least a full 4,900 other troops from other Greek regions who fought against overwhelming odds to hold the Persians at bay (Herodotus, 511). While the Spartans may have earned the lion’s share of the glory for their self-sacrifice, the 4,900 or so other soldiers deserve a place in this epic tale of courage and discipline. The primary formation of Greek infantry is the hoplite phalanx. Each hoplite’s hoplon, or shield, protected the man to his left and long spears gave the ranks behind the first allowed them to bring to bear a wall of bronze spears in front of them. The phalanx is a strong formation but it is vulnerable to flanking maneuvers, ... ...eks doesn’t need any tweaking or embelishments; it’s already extraordinary on its own. Indeed, nearly every genre of film audiences love today can be found in the stories of Greek dramatists, myth, tradition, and history, from romance to comedy and war. There’s a rich cultural well waiting to be drawn upon by other filmmakers to tell the story of Greece in her finest hours. I hope more directors discover that. Until then, I’ll remember the 300 as they were, not what I’d like them to have been. Works Cited Herodotus. The Histories. Trans. Aubrey De Selincourt. Ed. Betty Radice. Middlesex: Penguin, 1954. Print. Miller, Frank. Interview by Steve Daly and Entertainment Weekly. 13 Mar. 2007. Snyder, Zack, dir. 300. Prod. Gianni Nunnari, Bernie Goldman, Mark Canton, and Jeffrey Silver. 2007. Warner Bros, 2007. DVD.

Gender in the Matrix Essay

The Matrix became one of the most notable films released in 1999 which provided rich visual effects and a thrilling storyline. Most of the scenes from this film play within the context of the future, a visual offering of year 2199 wrapped in virtual reality where machines govern and control human actions. Though the film deals with the relationship between machines and humans, every character in the plot represents an underlying gender-related interaction. Since the film basically revolves on the cyber world in the form of a simulation created by machines, gender specific plots are not explicitly conveyed throughout the whole duration of The Matrix. The following discussion will focus on some of the gender dynamics present within the film. The paper will analyze some parts of the film where norms of gender are either contradicted or affirmed. As previously mentioned, the world in which the main characters believed to be real, is manipulated by intelligent machines. These machines utilized human body heat to convert into energy while they control human behaviors within the matrix. In the general sense machines are considered as a non-living thing created by man and from this perspective, machines do not have a specific gender. In this film they can be considered as androgynous, the Agents who can take any virtual body for their usage is an example on how the machines in this film are androgynous. Contrary to the real world, these androgynous machines have the power over humans with no concept of male and female. Somehow, it projects a balanced and equal form of gender treatment. First of all, there is no direct interaction between genders since their physical bodies are trapped inside a tank connected to the simulation. Second, all humans are used and contained for a single purpose that no other humans can dominate. Seeing the domination of machines as a projection of gender balance, the concept of the â€Å"ONE† enters the scene. It has been revealed from the start that Neo – the male protagonist of the film – is the savior of the human kind. This can be regarded as an obvious manifestation of upholding patriarchy, since the real world is where men are associated with power. From the world matrix where men and women are controlled, a man is predicted by the Oracle to save the humans from the machine’s imprisonment. Naturally, to the film’s audience, Neo’s success is attributed to the male strength and the power of patriarchy. The female character of Trinity shows her strength which is equal to her male counterparts. However, this strength seems to compliment her appearance which resembles Neo, who has the same shape of face, same sunglasses, and same battle moves. From earlier scenes of the film, Neo mistaken her for a man who cracked a difficult code called IRS d-base (The Matrix 1999), a scene where intelligence are stereotyped among males is reinforced. This film has been said to draw out some of its concept from theological concepts. Neo being the ONE symbolized as the God who is the savior of humankind while Trinity – derived from God’s three dimensional forms – represents Neo not just in physical traits. The kiss she gave to Neo when he died miraculously revived him which can be compared to the Holy Spirit (Diaz-Diocaretz & Herbrechter 200). The issue of gender in The Matrix tackles the usual gender norms of exhibiting male power and dominance. The balance of gender interaction within the simulated environment became the antagonist throughout the film where the characters try to escape. Agent Smith said that the real world is shaped by misery and suffering and the purpose for the creation of the Matrix is to build a perfect world for humans where everyone is treated equally. Ironically, the concept of equality in the film is one thing that needs to be eradicated. Works Cited Diaz-Diocaretz, Myriam. , and Herbrechter, Stefan. The Matrix in Theory. New York: Rodopi, 2006. The Matrix. Dir. Wachowski Brothers. Perf. Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne. Warner Bros. , 1999.

Biomechanice in Volleyball

Physical Education Volleyball Year 11 The purpose of this report is to evaluate my performance, of my chosen serve the overhand serve, using biomechanical principles. As stated by Amezdroz et al, (2004) â€Å"Biomechanics is the study of how living things move, and the efficiency of movement, in particular. Biomechanics is used to† Provide valid reasons for observed effects diagnose problems with technique and justify changes in technique. †Throughout this term I have taken photos of my progress within the Overhand serve, I will be showing you in detail my strengths and weaknesses when applying the serve I will be Correcting errors and justifying my analysis using biomechanical principles. The accurate technique of the over hand serve. To start off the serve you need to make sure you have volleyball, a court and opponents. When getting ready to serve Set yourself up with your feet, hips and shoulders facing the direction you want the ball to go.The less movement you have while performing this serve the better. For a right handed person the left foot is slightly forward, both knees are slightly flexed, with your body weight equally distributed, hold the ball in your non dominate hand at chest level, palm up, it is important to keep your elbow Loose with a slight bend, Position your serving arm so your elbow and hand are just above your ear, keep your hand open and your wrist locked.The toss is the most Important part of this serve, toss the ball 12 to 18 inches above your head in front of your serving shoulder, this keeps your serving motion simple, so you can reach high and hit the ball with a powerful swing, contact the ball with the heel of your hand, keeping your hand opened and flat, your wrist should be locked your arm fully extended, step forwardAs you can see in this figure, the Girl has got her feet, hips and shoulders facing the way she wants the ball to go, her body is also equally distributed, both of her knees are slightly bend also whe n she has tossed the ball up it has gone about 12 to 18 inches and it is also in front of her serving shoulder, then she hits the ball through with a powerful swing.

Arguments for and against using Utilitarian principles Essay

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that proclaims that the morally right course of action in any given situation is the one that produces the greatest amount of pleasure over pain for everyone affected (Ferrell, Fraedrich &Ferrell 2008). This is evident in business decision making processes done by analysts, legislators and managers, for instance on deciding to invest resources in public project, to minimize cost by using foreign labors and such. Thus, the argument on whether utilitarian principles should be applied in workplace practices is highly debated as it carries both pros and cons. First and foremost, utilitarianism in an organizational context â€Å"provides a clear and straightforward basis (Shaw, Barry & Sansbury 2009, p67)† for developing and testing guidelines and protocols. Pain and pleasure is graded in a scale of continuum to measure intensity of the emotion (Burns 2005). As such, organizations can utilize this to derive objective decisions, as the approach uses quantitative result oriented method, and calculates cost and benefit of the consequences of all possible alternatives. For instance, a departmental manager ordered to cut cost in his department may revise all employees’ salary in the interest of obtaining higher utility for all parties rather than lay off some staff. Secondly, utilitarianism enables an unbiased approach of decision making, thus a way to resolve conflicts involving self-interest (Mill, 1863). This approach requires the decision maker to take the standpoint of an impartial third party and give equal weightage to everyone’s interest. As such, the outcome of the decision will not be influenced by self interest and chances of negative implication to all individual are minimized. This is advantages, as incidents such as Bhopal Disaster that killed 20000, as a result of poor maintenance to minimize cost for the shareholders, could be evaded. Moreover, utilitarianism is a comprehensive and flexible method as it looks at the end results of actions and takes into consideration the complexity of the circumstances (Burns 2005, p46). All ramifications, regardless whether they are direct, indirect, long term or short term, are taken into account especially in situations that may have long term environmental and health implication. Thus using utilitarianism, organizations can reach â€Å"realistic and workable moral decisions (Shaw, Barry & Sansbury 2009, p67)†. Nonetheless, there are criticisms against the utilitarianism approach as it is difficult to determine and account for all foreseeable benefit and harm of every possible alternative (De George 2013, p48). This is because we cannot know the full implication of all actions in the long term, nor can we accurately estimate the pain and pleasure of future consequences resulting from these actions. For example, a drug that was released into market after thorough research and careful consideration of benefit over harm, could have undiscovered lethal side effect that could manifest many years later. However, due to limited technological advancement when the research was conducted, this potential harm and its intensity may not be identified accurately during initial cost and benefit analysis. Furthermore, utilitarianism is a teleological theory that looks at the end result itself rather than action. As such, it isn’t concerned with how the utility is achieved and even morally reprehensible actions such as theft and murder could be considered ethically right as long it produces more utility (Shaw, Barry & Sansbury 2009, p68)†.Moreover, the theory, though theoretically plausible, is not applicable in real life situations in which individuals are required to make decision within minutes and could not possibly consider all alternatives and their implications. In conclusion, utilitarianism though highly applicable to workplace, should be practiced with caution as it also has weaknesses like any other theory. As such, the individuals in decision making position, should be aware of potential biases and shortcomings of practicing utilitarianism and attempt to diminish the negative implications. Reference List Burns,J 2005, â€Å"Happiness and Utility: Jeremy Bentham’s Equation† Utilitarianism Resources. P46,accessed 27/08/2013, http://www.utilitarianism.com. De George, R 2013, Business Ethics, Pearson/Prentice Publication, New Jersey. Ferrell,O , Fraedrich, J& Ferrell,L 2008, Business Ethics : Ethical Decision Making and Cases ,South- Western Publication, Mason. Mill, J 1863, Utiilitarianism , Utilitarianism Resources. Accessed 27/08/2013, http://www.utilitarianism.com/mill2.html. Shaw,w, Barry,V & Sansbury,G 2009 Moral Issues in Business, Cengage Learning Australia, South Melbourne.