Prince Henry the Navigator and Zheng He

Prince Henry and Zheng He Comparison Throughout history, many people strived for glory by exploring new lands. They hoped to leave an impact while gaining money and success. Zheng He of China and Prince Henry of Portugal, both set out on maritime expeditions. Prince Henry is widely known and remembered while Zheng He is recognized for being a eunuch. Both used maritime travel to gain economic influence, power and success for their rulers, and to successfully gain economic dominance over the new, conquered lands. However, the two voyagers differed greatly in their reasons for exploration. Henry wanted to spread his religion and focused on gaining allies while Zheng He strived to gain knowledge, trade, and force people to acknowledge Chinese power. In addition, Zheng He actually led these voyages while Henry just funded them. Finally, Portugal largely supported Prince Henry’s expeditions while Zheng He was granted little to no support in China. The structures and values of Portugal and Spain differed greatly. This contributed to how each explorer is remembered. The Portuguese, relied heavily on foreign supplies. Portugal’s capitalist economy allowed many people to conduct and go on explorations. This made Henry’s voyages heavily supported and made expansion possible. Unlike Portugal, China did not have a high demand for foreign supplies. It was a largely self-reliant empire and many citizens believed it was higher than all others. Therefore they did not believe that exploration was necessary. In addition, Confucian scholars believed it was â€Å"demeaning† to rely on any other nations. Consequently, Zheng He’s voyages were barely supported, and he was considered to be a â€Å"servant† of the emperor with little to no independence. Moreover, China relied heavily on their land army while Portugal relied on their navy. Soon, China burnt Zheng He’s works and banned the creation of ships. Throughout Portugal, Prince Henry was highly renowned while in China Zheng He was unacknowledged. Some parts of Prince Henry and Zheng He’s voyages and accomplishments differed greatly. Economically, Zheng He was focused on trading while Henry used the newfound nations to obtain more wealth and allies for Portugal. Zheng He stressed China’s rule and strived to obtain knowledge. However, Prince Henry was more focused on gaining allies. Henry’s several attempts to gain allies can be linked with his desire to gain strength to fight the Muslims on the Iberian Peninsula. When Henry came into contact with other cultures, it was his Christian duty to spread his faith. Zheng He had no desire to spread his religion during his voyages, but he was quite tolerant of other religions. Prince Henry simply guided and controlled the voyages and expansion while Zheng He traveled and led the Chinese on explorations around the world. Though both men traded with the new lands, Zheng He traded rare goods while Prince Henry acquired humans. Zheng He and Prince Henry clearly differed in their reasons for exploration. Prince Henry and Zheng He’s ways of expanding shared several similarities. Both men set out to expand power for their rulers. China and Portugal were extremely advanced in maritime knowledge, which was uncommon, but it allowed for expansion. In addition, both wanted to help their rulers achieve the goal of global dominance, proving that the people of each society highly regarded their rulers. To achieve this goal, both developed boats and relied on their navy. Henry and Zheng He were polite and respectful to the locals, though the Chinese were less forceful than the Portuguese. They also both wanted to impose economic dominance by their homelands over each new land but neither used force. Overall, both Zheng He and Henry successfully expanded their nation’s influence while also accomplishing their exploration goals. Though the voyages of Prince Henry differed with those of Zheng He, the two still maintained many similarities. With such similar achievements, it is surprising that Prince Henry is celebrated and well known while Zheng He is forgotten and disregarded. However, their homelands differed greatly in the way they viewed travel and foreign connections. Portugal’s relied heavily on outside goods allowing for Prince Henry to be regarded as one of the first people to participate in maritime voyages during the age of exploration. However, China was strongly against interacting with the outside world so proof of Zheng He’s achievements were burned and disregarded. Over time, many historians have begun to recognize Zheng He’s expeditions and refer to him as an important voyager during the age of exploration. Without Prince Henry, Zheng He, and other explorers, people believe that the world would not have turned into what it is today.

Innovation in Edu. Sys and Exam Reforms Essay

Introduction As it is a human nature to think about verity in each and everything in our life. Being a human it’s our joy to thing on this matter. We have changed our life style also according to our comfort. As the generation is growing it is necessary to do according innovation in education also so our coming cohort shall continue acquiring through education. As we commemorate our past people use to go to the guru for knowledge and learn the skills and activities from him. But at that time it is strongly believed if the person who is belonging from the respective field will continue with that only after the completion of his school. We can say the child of king will be a king after his father, a child of farmer will be the farmer, child of tailor will be a tailor etc. After the arrival of British rule (1700 Ad) on India the whole system got changed drastically. Now whatever we are learning is under the education system of western culture. We will discuss it in quiet deep in the project. As our work is not ending over here we have putted effort in the examination reform also. The present system of examination encourages the habit of cramming. Now a day we are even able to give and take examinations online through satellite and with the help of internet. We will discuss this topic more deeply in the project. Innovation in Education system Education system:- For India to get transformed into a developed nation in 2020.Education is an important component. Our education policy should ensure that India is transformed into a developed nation †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Good teachers could generate  enlightened minds and instill confidence and will power in students to help them realize their dreams. It is important to ensure that teachers will provided with all facilities so that they can impart proper teaching to students. Importance of Education:- Education is one of the most important factors in achieving the developmental goals of the country. It is an investment in the human resources. If the fruits of education have to reach the common man, it must be adequately and properly administered. In the present age of science and technology, it has been increasingly realized that one needs to be educated not only to become a better man and better social being. Education has come to be recognized as the main instrument of socio economic changes. That is why it has been rightly said that the destiny of a nation is shaped by quantity and quality of students coming out of schools and colleges. A New trend In Education:- E-Learning fosters independent learning. The use of E-Learning in educational activities in various fields has introduced new methods to enhance and transform teaching and learning. E-Learning provides individualized attention to the students. Internet and a vast array of digital resources and content are used for the purpose. E-Learning provides vast information required for independent learning to students which otherwise is not available in the traditional facilities of classroom. E-Learning increased the quality of teaching, learning in the form of vast resources available to them. Independent learners can now learn differently according to the difference they possess. In underdeveloped countries-learning can raise the level of education, literacy and economic development. This is especially true for countries where technical education is expensive, opportunities are limited, and economic disparities exist. The biggest advantage of e-learning lies in its ability to cover distances. For an organization that is spread across multiple locations, traditional  training becomes a constraint. All trainees need to come to a classroom to get trained. Additionally, the trainee’s learning pace is not addressed as all trainees are treated as having equal abilities and there is little flexibility in terms of timing and completion of the course. Ways of teaching and learning:- Curriculum: Fundamental modifications to the curriculum often took the forefront and corresponded mostly to the challenge of catering for individual learning needs. The key words were â€Å"openness† and â€Å"flexibility†. People wanted a more open, broader curriculum providing flexibility so as to give real choices. Development of teachers: Suggestions for changes in the development of teachers mainly responded to the Challenge about training and providing support for school staff. Key concepts here were collaboration, professionalism and experimentation. Creating and managing flexibility: Once again, as with many of the points raised here, the question of creating and managing flexibility was linked to the challenge of catering for individual learning needs. Flexibility was seen in terms of time, place and learning content. Other changes: Amongst the other changes proposed, areas covered included: the provision of resources for disadvantaged areas; broadening the range of learning resources and providing access outside school via various devices; opening school, as a privileged place of learning, to the local community, to industry and to the wider world; developing distributed leadership with greater autonomy for head teachers who should take the lead in teacher development; qualitative research to explore the learning process and results of these experimental practices initiated in teacher training courses. Role of ICT in Innovation:- ICT is put to in seeking to change education. ICT is seen as a vehicle for Collaboration and contact with others at any time and place, enabling, for example, communication between parents and authorities. ICT is also seen to extend both the scope of communication but also the role of students, enabling them to collaborate and communicate with learning partners and become decision-makers in their own learning. Tools such as blogs, wikis and pod/video casting are proposed to support flexibility by working online  and making communication, edition and publishing easy across the world. ICT is also seen to encourage and help teachers by providing dynamic, easily accessible guidance and communication resources whereby they can find support and communicate with coaches and colleagues. Finally, several people pointed to the increasing use of ICT to support social networks and the potential use of these for learning. Challenges to be addressed:- Disconnect between skills provided and skills required by the industry Revision of course curricula lags behind the need of the industry Out-dated machinery/ tools and technology Skill demand of Services/ Unorganized Sector are largely unmet Unsatisfactory employability of trainees because of poor quality of training Shortage of trained instructors and low instructor training capacity in the country Low prestige attached to vocational training Critics to our education Indian Education is although cheap in the world but still a common man today in our country cannot send his ward to a good institute. Examination schedule::we will study for almost 1 year (7 months in engineering). The problem is our paper wills evacuate by a lecturer with in 1 minute, because he will get more money by correcting more papers. Grading of on student is given by calculating the marks obtained in exam which is evaluated in less than 1 minute. I think it is not correct that the of already stated concepts or formulas in text book has to rote students and copy it in exam to get marks in exam. Of course, it’s important to know it. But his capability can judge by his research done on it, his opinions, ideas based on concept what is in text book. Our syllabus will not update forever. In our society it is believed, that who got high percentage, they are super brilliants. I think second class, third class grades in engineering should cancel. Because nearly half of the students in colleges belong to that category,  which is not eligible to so many companies, some government jobs, and the most society will see them as losers. HE confidence will totally smash by experiencing these situations. Examination reforms Introduction to Education Reforms Our entire education system is centered on examinations. Evaluation means to conduct the examination and to give marks and ranks to students. Student’s knowledge is often limited to by hearting and reproducing the same in the examinations. There is no uniformity in evaluation. Different types of evaluation systems are prevailing in different Boards i.e. Government, ICSE, CBSE etc. There is no flexibility in the conducting of tests. It is rigid Board examinations are only helping in classifying students as meritorious and slow- learners i.e. in turn pass/ fail this leads to unhealthy discrimination. The tests and examinations conducted at present are only testing the memory power of the students; they are not measuring the higher order skills of learning. The examinations are mechanical Correcting and posting of marks is done routinely. There is no scope for remedial teaching and testing to know how far a student is lagging behind. Examinations are not helping in assessing the all-round development of the student that is co- curriculum social personal qualities and health status and also they are not helping to testing their level of competency. Reforms proposed in the examination system To follow what is espoused in RTE 2009. Evaluation should have a broader framework and it should not be limited to examinations alone. Exams should include student’s displays, projects, seminars, collection of information and reports. The examinations should not create fear or stress to the student Evaluation should be continuous and comprehensive and it should be the part and parcel of daily teaching learning process. It should not restrict to rote – memory. When construction of knowledge becomes primary in curriculum the evaluation should be continuous and comprehensive i.e. along with the teaching – learning process. The assessment should be based on day  to day activities. The examinations should not be restricted / limited to writing but extended to assessment tools like observation, discussion, note- taking / recording, collection of opinions etc. the assessment should not only be teacher – based but also on peer groups, parents and other. The day to day teaching learning process depends on the experiences of the children. So student’s participation should be there in this teaching – learning process. Their knowledge, understanding and their application skills should be assessed. Therefore the teachers can record this information in their teachers’ dairies and manuals. There should be co- ordination among learning evaluation and objectives. Students note books, their written exhibits and all their other objects should be treated as assessment tools. For self- evaluation of students, quality remarks check – list should be utilized. There is no need to test all the teaching items taught in the classroom. But only some important items must be checked comprehensively at random. After evaluation action plan should be prepared for improvement of the child. Reforms suggested in examinations Examinations are a part of evaluation system. Instead of 3terminal examinations, 2 should be conducted. A test is to be conducted after completion of every unit. The most important item in the test is the nature of questions. They should be above the level of rote- learning. The open – ended questions which allow the students to think and write and express their views on their own should be given importance. To evaluate these questions the indicators should be prepared. Entrance examinations and Board examinations are to be abolished. Teachers are to be encouraged to prepare their own question – papers to conduct examinations. In –service training programmes should conduct for teachers to develop their ability to make question papers innovatively. They must be given adequate skills to prepare Question – Banks. Open book system is to be introduced for languages and social studies. The same test paper is to be used after re – teaching and relearning for slow –learners /non achiever. Evaluation in co- curricular activities like art and games The tools/techniques like rating scales, checklists, observation techniques, interviews are to be used to assess the co-curricular activities like physical education, social, personal qualities, art, games, health and sports. The same things should be recorded in the progress reports of the students through grades. The school-implemented activities like wall- magazines, student dairies and teacher dairies and teacher dairies are also to be evaluated. After conducting the examinations the students progress is to be communicated to their parents as per the RTE Act 2009 children’s’ progress and achievement should also be displayed online.  The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in consultation with the Ministry of Human Resource Development and keeping in view the spirit of National Policy of Education, 1986 has decided to introduce the following education reforms:- There will be no class X Board examination i.e. 2011 for students studying CBSE’s Senior Secondary Schools and who do not wish to move out of the CBSE system after Class X. The students studying in CBSE’s Secondary Schools will, however, be required to appear in Board’s external examination because they will be leaving the Secondary School after Class X. The Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation has been strengthened in all CBSE affiliated schools i.e. October, 2009 in Class IX. The new Grading System has been introduced at Secondary School Level (for Class IX and X) effective from 2009-10 academic sessions. The Right of Children to Free & Compulsory Education Act 2009 has been enacted, which envisages significant reforms in the Elementary Education sector especially with reference to admission, attendance and completion of elementary education by all children in schools which conform to specified norms and standards. Appropriate policy reforms in the higher education sector have also been undertaken, Section 6 of the Central Universities Act, 2009 provides for academic reforms in newly established Central Universities. The reforms are being extended to other Central Educational Institutions also. Exam reform: Why is it needed? Because Indian school board exams are largely inappropriate for the ‘knowledge society’ of the 21st century and its need for innovation problem-solvers. Because they do not serve the needs of social justice. Because the quality of question papers is low. They usually call for rote memorization and fail to test higher-order skills like reasoning and analysis, let alone lateral thinking, creativity, and judgment. Because they are inflexible. Based on a ‘one-size-fits-all’ principle, they make no allowance for different type of learners and learning environments. Because they induce an inordinate level of anxiety and stress. In addition to widespread trauma. Mass media and psychological counselors report a growing number of exam-induced suicides and nervous breakdowns. Because while a number of boards use good practices in pre-exam and exam management there remain several glaring shortfalls at several boards. Because there is often a lack of full disclosure and transparency in grading and mark/grade reporting. Because there is need for a functional and reliable system of school-based evaluation. Conclusion It should be clear from above that the system needs serious re-examining. Whatever changes taking place in the current system are desirable but not worthless. It should be spread over all the corner of the country not only to the metro and developed area. It is acceptable that the process is quite slow but the results are fruitful. We have seen that the advantage of development and innovation is not just limited to the learner but teachers also. So the changes implemented by the  government must be communicated well, If the fruit is hidden in leafs, then it is of no use. New trends in the learning process are too good for the new learners. Moreover, they are entertaining, attractive, expectations of every students, perfect for the one who want to learn, and helpful to the teachers also in holding the attention of students. New reforms in the examination are also one of the areas under the focus of education expansion and innovation. However, there are many critics in the minds of people but they are natural, whenever there is difficulty before the face of one s/he will try to criticize the parent of that problem. We are finding many new ways to reduce those critics by developing many new methods of examine the talent in our new generation. Moreover, that the new reforms in examination have given its contribution in saving strategy also. As the pattern of paper is so simple to solve out and check out too, by that it saves time, energy, and resources also. The concept of online examination is the best innovation in this field. Students can give exams without any long procedure of filling forms and submitting it. S the best example of it. Bibliography * Alan McCluskey Chairperson of EUN’s Policy and Innovation Committee Researcher at Did@ctics, Fribourg University Editor of Connected Magazine * Information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Smt. D. Purandeswari, in the Rajya Sabha. * (Source: National Council of Education Research and Training, Education Reforms 1.1 p. 1) * References: [1] Ren Changrong. Test mode for computer-related curriculum reform of [J]. Fujian computer, 2008 (2:186-187). [2] Jiang major Contemporary German vocational education and teaching the mainstream thinking of [M]. Beijing: Tsinghua University Press, 2007. [3] Jiang major. New Theory of Vocational Education research [M]. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2007. [4] Xiao Kun, Luo Yongwu. Employment-oriented â€Å"recursive method† to build the vocational curriculum [J]. Vocational Education Forum, 2005 (18:29-30. [5] Connor. Vocational education feasibility test mode countermeasures [J]. Modern-commerce industry, 2009 (3:203-204.

African Americans and Southern Racism During Reconstruction Essay

Introduction At the end of the Civil War, America faced the difficult task of uniting not only two separated territories of the United States, but also two races long separated by racism and culture. Devastated and embittered by the damage of the war, the South had a long way to go in order to achieve true equality between the former slave owners and former slaves. The majority of the South remained set in racist behavior, finding post-Civil War legal loopholes to diminish African American rights (Tindall & Shi, 2010, pp. 757-758). Southerners continued to marginalize Blacks in their behavior toward ex-slaves and the later African American generation, continuing the escalation of racial tensions through white terror and discriminatory attitudes (Tindall & Shi, 2010, p. 759). Most subversively, southern newspapers propagated stereotypes against African Americans in their coverage and descriptions of constitutional conventions (Logue, 1979, p. 342). Although Radical Reconstruction offered some prog ress toward social equality after the Civil War, its success was short-lived as African Americans suffered vast disenfranchisement through racist rulings, attitudes, and media representation in the South at the turn of the century. Rulings against African Americans After the Civil War had come to an end, African Americans in the South quickly made use of their new-found political and social rights, employing their right to vote from the Fifteenth Amendment and serving as prominent political figures (Tindall & Shi, 2010, p. 722). However, the formerly fervent commitment to Radical Reconstruction soon dwindled (Tindall & Shi, 2010, p. 739). Many of the advances toward civil equality were soon erased: In 1883, the Supreme Court declared the Civil Rights Laws of 1875 unconstitutional, and the political power Blacks had gained, especially in the South where 90% of Blacks lived, was completely undone. Black voter  participation dropped from 96% to 26% in South Carolina in just 12 years (1876-1888); in those same 12 years, voter participation of Blacks dropped from 53% to 18% in Georgia (Burris-Kitchen & Burris, 2011, p. 5). Even while African Americans enjoyed an uninhibited freedom to voting rights, many still suffered disenfranchisement at the ha nds of rampant racial discrimination in the South. Although discontent Southerners could not impede the Black right to vote, they found ulterior methods to marginalize African Americans. â€Å"Since the Fifteenth Amendment made it impossible simply to deny African Americans the right to vote, disenfranchisement was accomplished indirectly, through such devices as poll taxes (or head taxes) and literacy tests† (Tindall & Shi, 2010, p. 757). â€Å"Jim Crow† laws mandated racial segregation in public areas in the South and were often accompanied by physical abuse and terror to African Americans (Tindall & Shi, 2010, pp. 756-759). These underhand activities in the South demonstrated that while African Americans were technically free, they continually suffered from unjust rulings and actions. These sprang from the rampantly racist attitudes in the South: Although great strides were made toward political and economic freedom for Blacks following the Civil War, the progress made was quickly squashed by political movements and rhetoric, which implied that Blacks could not handle their newly-found freedom and that the White working class was threatened by Blacks who were trying to take their jobs, their property, and their government away from them (Burris-Kitchen & Burris, 2011, p. 5). Racist Attitudes Many Southerners continued to believe and propagate these ideas that African Americans had a subversive agenda to the White working class. These ideas culminated in deep-seated attitudes against African Americans in the South: â€Å"During the 1890s the attitudes that had permitted moderation in race relations evaporated. A violent ‘Negrophobia’ swept across the South and much of the nation at the end of the century† (Tindall & Shi, 2010, p. 756). However, African Americans at the turn of the century had become weary of disenfranchisement and were ready to stand up against these attitudes: â€Å"This generation was more assertive and less patient than their parents. ‘We are not the Negro from who the chains of slavery fell a quarter century ago, most assuredly not,’ a black editor announced† (Tindall &  Shi, 2010, p. 756). Unfortunately, this may have simply increased a White agenda of racial discrimination, as â€Å"a growing number of youn g white adults, however, were equally determined to keep ‘Negroes in their place’† (Tindall & Shi, 2010, p. 756). Whether Southerners felt that African Americans imposed a threat to their jobs, their safety, or their rights, the overarching attitude of the South clearly displayed a strong desire to maintain racial dominance of the pre-Civil War era. Part of this attitude motivated a desire to limit education for African Americans: To keep Blacks uneducated meant Whites could boast of their superior intellect; this had been in the arsenal of Whites for hundreds of years prior to Reconstruction and continues to be used over 130 years after Reconstruction. Denial of education for Blacks existed through Reconstruction as a form of White racism and a justification for their inferior political and economic status (Burris-Kitchen & Burris, 2011, p. 6). Any kind of advantage Whites could claim in the South became ammunition in their discriminatory attitudes. These ideas and attitudes fed the propagation of racist stereotypes and bias in southern newspapers. Prejudiced Media in the South Perhaps the most subtle yet shocking form of racism in the South during Reconstruction was the biased reporting of many southern newspapers. Whether the ideas and attitudes of many southern Whites influenced these published stereotypes or vice versa, it is clear that southern publications often encouraged and promoted racist attitudes at the end of the century. A publication in Charleston, South Carolina displayed this racist subtext: â€Å"While promising its readers ‘truth,’ the Charleston Mercury mocked journalistic license by actually printing racist ridicule. A favorite method was to scorn African-Americans in the convention as a race, exploiting racist attitudes saved by white readers from slavery† (Logue, 1979, p. 339). Covering the constitutional convention in Columbia in 1867, white journalists used racist stereotypes in describing the black delegates’ involvement: â€Å"Reporters emphasized how blacks would â€Å"chuckle and grin,† thereby exploiting the racist assumption of many whites that blacks were mere fun-loving, animal-like creatures who had to be protected from themselves† (Logue, 1979, p. 341). The Charleston paper encouraged racist  attitudes through the ridicule of black speech and pronunciation, mocking ex-slave â€Å"ignorance† rather than reporting important issues discussed at the convention: When blacks debated the issue of ‘changing the title of districts to counties,’ for example, the only thing the reporters heard was â€Å"the very awkward sound of ‘deestrict’ as district is pronounced by some of the delegates.† Because of their preoccupation with such factors, reporters seldom informed their readers about issues that were discussed, such as public education, relief from debts, taxes, and so on (Logue, 1979, p. 342). In this manner, the South remained entrapped in a media-fueled suspicion and fear of African Americans, feeding the continued presence of racism and discrimination during the post-Civil War reconstruction. Conclusion In conclusion, the progress of Radical Reconstruction largely failed to reform the disenfranchisement of African Americans in the South on a long-term scale. The attitudes of the Southern whites continued to influence the freedom of former slaves as they faced discriminating rulings, racist attitudes, and biased media. While some African Americans from further generations were largely unwilling to bow subserviently to the effects of white terror and discrimination, civil rights equality had a long and arduous path to completion in the South. While many of the racist attitudes of the post-Civil War South seem shocking to a modern-day reader, the influence of the actions and attitudes of white Southerners serves as a reminder of the power of repeated falsehoods, particularly within media subtext and bias. The disenfranchisement of African Americans during reconstruction displays the extent of deep-seated racial prejudice based on fear, stubbornness, and ignorance. As Burris-Kitchen and Burris point out: Throughout American history, Blacks have been demonized and criminalized, and this history has led us to where we are today. Until we can change the perceptions of Blacks through the media, political and economic arenas they will continue to pay the price for an inherently racist political, economic, educational, and criminal justice system (Burris-Kitchen & Burris, 2011, p. 14). References Burris-Kitchen, D., & Burris, P. (2011). From slavery to prisons: A historical delineation of the criminalization African Americans. Journal of Global Intelligence & Policy, 4 (5), 1-16. Retrieved from http://0-web.ebscohost.com.library.regent.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=adef70d4-c4d9-4d2b-b5c9-3b1efa487879%40sessionmgr14&vid=2&hid=127# Logue, C. M. (March 1979). Racist reporting during reconstruction. Journal of Black Studies, 9 (3), 335-349. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2784304 Tindall, G. B.; Shi, D. E. (2010). America: A narrative history (8th ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

Internal and External Accountabilities for Organizational Governance Research Paper

Internal and External Accountabilities for Organizational Governance - Research Paper Example Internal accountability in the not-for-profit organizations refers to the internal stakeholders such as employees, managers, directors etc, their quality of work and the coordination between them which leads to the welfare of the public or any other organization whom they are responsible to benefit. Profit is not their motto, their main aim is to provide services to others, therefore, the needs of others and their fulfilment by the staff and the financial resources of an organization are all a part of the internal accountability of a not-for-profit organization. Internal accountability in a for-profit organization similar to the internal accountability of a not-for-profit organization refers to the internal stakeholders such as employees, directors, managers, shareholders etc and the coordination between them. But, the difference between both of them is that, the internal accountability of a for-profit organization deals with the profits and loss made by the company, Such organizatio ns don’t work for the profit of others, instead they work for their own profit, therefore, they are basically concerned how well the internal stakeholders work in order to make more and more money for the organization. External accountability of a not-for-profit organization is concerned with all the external factors that affect a not-for-profit organization. Charities, donations, sponsors etc are some of the external stakeholders of not-for-profit organizations. External accountability of a for-profit organization includes external stakeholders such as customers, clients etc which affect or make up either profit or loss for a for-profit organization.

The Story of an Hour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

The Story of an Hour - Essay Example He later informed -Josephine- Mrs. Mallard’s sister. She is now tasked with the duty to inform her ailing sister that her beloved husband passed away in the ill-fated accident. This must have been a herculean task since it was not easy to break such news to her sister and she did not know how to do it without causing more harm than the situation had already presented. Thousands of thoughts must have been crisscrossing Josephine’s mind. She must have wondered how her sister will take the news, the effect the news would have on her heart. She even wondered what if she broke the news and her sister could not take it that she also dies. The kind of dilemma that Josephine went through was not easy but also required her to be strong for the sake of her sister. Her falling into a grieving mood was not an option because she was to be her sister’s pillar during such trying times. When Josephine finally breaks the news to Mrs. Mallard, she is stricken by grief and she sobs at her sisters’ arm. She is greatly affected by the loss of her husband. When she could not take it anymore, she went into her room and locked herself. Mary Chopin explains the extent of the grief when she says â€Å"She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams† (The Story of an Hour, 476). The writing clearly depicts the extent of the grief. Locking herself in her and shutting everyone else out shows how at the moment she saw her world ending due to the loss of her husband. She was still young and yet at this tender age suffers such a great blow. This seclusion must have worried the sister as well. As much as she wanted to give, her space to grieve she also wanted to be by her side and comfort her. This worried Josephine that she went and knocked at the door of Mrs. Mallard’s room

Will be uploaded later Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Will be uploaded later - Essay Example This has improved the consumer research process used by manufacturers. The article selected for analysis concerns Skagen. Skagen is a US cross-border company, which deals with accessories brand particularly wristwatch brand, handbags, jewellery, and other durable personal disposals. The selected article concerns Skagen’s endeavours of seeking expansion into the UK retail market. The author of the article is Mark Lewis. Lewis posted the article in Financial Times on February 17, 2013. The reason for choosing the article is that the author highlights critical aspects that I will use to review various theories in retail development, theories of retailing, and principles of retailing. Most authors have begun focusing on retail marketing from a theoretical angle. There is no single theory which is universally acceptable or applicable. The applicability of each theory differs from one market to another. The variations are brought about by the different socioeconomic conditions and the maturity level of the market. These theories basically revolve around laying emphasis on the importance of establishing a viable competitive advantage and developing investments that are within an organization’s capabilities. Varley (2005) notes that for these theories to be effectively implemented strategic plans must be set up by the retail organizations to identify market signals and opportunities that occur dynamically. The theories are environmental, cyclical, and conflictual. The article recommends that Skagen’s strategy of expansion should be based on quality product rather than brand exposure. In the contemporary market arena, customers have shifted bases of their purchase decision-making from price or brand popularity to specific attributes of the product that meet their requirements. Charles Darwin’s theory on natural selection or the survival for the fittest can also define this theory. Retail organizations are economic entities that deal

Symbolism and Metaphor in Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Symbolism and Metaphor in Poetry - Essay Example â€Å"Black granite† symbolizes the hard and unbreakable nature of the poet. In the second stanza of the poem Facing It by Yusef K. (1988), â€Å"My clouded reflection eyes me like a bird of prey† is symbolism in simile form. Here the poet symbolizes how bad and shameful he feels when he recalls the past suffering days that are not worth remembering. â€Å"Light† has been used to express hope for a good future. The poet also says â€Å"The profile of night slanted against morning†. Night here symbolizes the bad past which highly depends on a brighter future which is symbolized by morning. â€Å"I’m a window† is another instance of metaphor in the poem Facing It by Yusef K. (1988). Window is used to show that by looking at the poet, people remember the past. â€Å"Smoke†has also been used in the fourth stanza to imply faded and unclear letters. This shows that he is desperate in his options.â€Å"Red bird’swings† is used in the fifth stanza to symbolize a plane. â€Å"Black mirror† has also been used in the sixth stanza of the poem as a symbol of a reflection of the hard times in the past. From the use of symbolism and metaphor in the poem Facing It by Yusef K. (1988), different themes are clearly brought out. The theme of hope and expectation is brought out when the poet says he is â€Å"depending on the light to make a difference†. He hopes morning will come and he will make changes where he can. The theme of racism is also evident. â€Å"A white vet’s image floats† is used to symbolize that the white are highly rated to the extent of using plane than the blacks who only deal with stones as shown by â€Å"My black face fades hiding inside the black granite†. It is clear that the black are viewed as people with no abilities to do anything substantial. In conclusion, symbolism and metaphor are essential aspects of poetry as explained by Timpane J. Watts M. & San Francisco State

Business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Business plan - Essay Example Definitely different boutique had clients who had attended the ceremony and whose designs were outstanding. The journalist who reported this on the news paper termed the designs as definitely different. Initially, the owner carried out designing at his home. He could take customer requests and design their outfits. This lasted for seven years till when loyal and impressed customers urged him to direct his talent toward a retail operation with the promise that they will continue to support the boutique. The customers helped in the establishment of the boutique by providing up to 30 percent of the startup costs. Definitely different boutique has been in this business for a while now and people’s responses have been similar. Definitely different boutique’s designs have impressed many people and been receiving positive responses from our clients and prospective clients. Consideration of a client’s request and demands come first in execution of the boutique’s operations. Most of the fashion trends always focus on the youth. Our target market will be the youth mid twenties professional men and women, and mature women with more disposable income who are looking for definitely different outfits for special occasions and home or business wear. Definitely different company has six competent employees, 3 sells assistants and 3 seamstresses. The seamstresses are graduates from the London School of Fashion. In addition, they also have attained needlework degrees from the London School of Needlework. They are highly trained and competent and experienced. They trained for three years and gained experience in dress making and broidery at the Paris Fashion House. Moreover, they also gained experience while training in Italy. The three sales assistants are highly competent and experienced. They previously had been employed on a part time basis as in-house models for a TV show on air fashion

The System Of Finance For Local Government Essay

The System Of Finance For Local Government - Essay Example The model was primarily concerned with finding a market-like mechanism that would achieve an efficient allocation of resources to the public sector. The main finding included the fact that inter-jurisdictional competition is a vital element of the mechanism. The key players in Tiebout’s model are individual citizens and governments. business firms are not an explicit part of the model (Brueckner 2004, p 138). It was meant to be applied to local governments and to a lesser degree, to state governments. The model assumes citizens have full knowledge of government revenue and expenditure packages, that there are a large number of communities among which individuals can choose to live, and that people will opt for the community that best satisfies their preferences. Moreover, the model assumes that government services exhibit no spillover effects (Billings 2008, p 45). Tiebout’s model made three additional assumptions; one, that jobs impose no locational constraint on indiv iduals; two, that a community’s optimal size, meaning the size for which the average cost of producing a particular packages of public services is minimized, can be determined; and three, that each community seeks to attain its optimal size (Feiock 2004, p. 76). The model envisions citizens sorting themselves out among available communities so that demands for government services within any particular community would become homogenous. In theory, Tiebout concluded that to the extent these rather restrictive assumptions are met, good and services provided by the local public sector will exhibit both allocative efficiency (the right amounts of the various good and services are produced ) and productive efficiency (they are produced at least cost) (Rivkin 2001, p. 206). In Tiebout’s model, community taxes would be benefit taxes, or proportional to the benefits citizens receive form public services, rather than taxes based on the ability to pay.

Information Systems Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Information Systems Management - Essay Example The next sections of the paper talks about value chain of Jupiter Business Systems by framing the main operations within the company. Further the SWOT and PEST analysis follow that represent the basic part before coming down to strategy overview. These analyses describe internal and external environment of the company. Later levels of the information management are critically evaluated basing on the information about Jupiter business operations. Finally the information systems strategy is proposed and recommendations for implementations are provided. Jupiter Business Systems is formed by a dedicated team of young and dynamic professionals. JBS offers various high quality end-to-end business management solutions with unique capabilities for business enterprise of all size. The Company provides innovative and easy-to-use applications that help businesses gain better control over business. Jupiter is therefore B2B Company rather than B2C. Its customized solutions support, specific business requirements and aid in identifying critical issues & accessing information at the right time lets to pursue customers' business goals with confidence. The mission of the company is to empower our clients by implementing complete and powerful end-to-end enterprise solutions thus enabling them to answer their present day business challenges and prepare for greater success in the future. Jupiter Company has partnership with multiple leading technology vendors which makes it the one-stop-shop for the very best in IT solutions for business. Possessing a dedicated team of innovative professionals who have worked in various business streams and industries, Jupiter delivers its customers a complete solution with an extra value of business management expertise. Jupiter flagship product the "Jupiter Business Manager" - a suite of business management solutions developed to meet the requirements of business enterprises of all size operating in the UAE and other Middle East countries. Its secure and reliable design accelerates the actual process of business automation while its flexible structure, designed to grow with your business, effectively combines easy functionality (across all key areas of the business) with high scalability. Organizational structure of Jupiter Business Systems is simple, since there are only 15 employees working for the Company, including ten employees in United Arab Emirates and five outsourced to other countries. The graphical representation of oorganizational structure has the following view: Graph 1: Organizational Structure of Jupiter Business Systems Management Structure includes management director and general manager who are owners of the company working since its very creation. Financing Debt is a department dedicated to managing the debt of the company that it has due to comparative novelty on the market. Two people are working at this department. Production team is the

The United Kingdom, Manchester, A Boeing 737-236 Crashes Assignment

The United Kingdom, Manchester, A Boeing 737-236 Crashes - Assignment Example This was 9 seconds later. The commanders reported that the acceleration of the left engine was acceptable. This was seconded by the first officer who thought it was better than the previous day. The auto-throttle was selected and the engines achieved the required take-off. The controller then confirmed the fire with the air traffic control and warned the crew on an evacuation that was to be done through the right side of the aircraft. The aircraft was then brought to a stop at the entrance to the link delta (Gero, 2011). Investigations showed that the accident was caused by failure of the left engine which was brought about by failure that occurred at combustor 9 which had been the subject of a repair. The fire developed as a result of adverse orientation of the parked aircraft relatively to the wind though the wind was not strong. The main cause of the accident was recorded to be caused by the ignorance that was done to the thud and the accelerator that was ignored to be working. The pilots and the 4 cabin crew reported to take the flight at 0500hrs on Thursday August 1985. The flight was scheduled to take off at 0600hrs. The pilots and the commander who was a training captain completed their preflight preparation and the crew was also briefed on the duties they were to undertake before they boarded the aircraft. The external check was carried out by the commander while the co-pilot carried out pre-flight check on the flight deck (Gero, 2011). Documents of the aircraft were examined and an entry was made on the previous day’s technical problem that related to reduction in acceleration of the left engine. There had been no problems reported on the two flights and the commanders signed the acceptance of the aircraft in the technical log. Starting the engines was done by the co-pilot and there were no problems that were observed during the start (Gero, 2011). The cabin crew carried out their roles through

Tourism in Antarctica Essay Example for Free

Tourism in Antarctica Essay Oil spills, although reasonably infrequent, are major threats to nearby wildlife. Increased tourism is also bringing about the invasion of alien species and spores into Antarctica, and although species such as the Mediterranean mussel will not be able to thrive on the ice shelf due to the temperatures, they can prove to be a threat to the marine wildlife when growing on ship hulls. Most tourists to Antarctica have flown to southern areas such as Punta Arenas in Chile or New Zealand. The pollution created by these long-distance flights is considerable and contributes to global warming. In addition to this, as global warming melts away floating ice sheets on the water, there will be space for larger ships to arrive, resulting in more tourists, and an increase in the issues aforementioned. Furthermore, there are the issues which are prevalent in all tourist destinations, such as litter, sewage, and overcrowding. What is being done to minimise the impact of tourism? All 100+ tour operators in Antarctica are members of IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators), which urges tour operators to be environmentally-friendly, and to urge their clients to also do so. Tourism is very much legal and acceptable in Antarctica, and it is only the scale of this which needs to be controlled. SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest), such as Bird Island on South Georgia are laid out beforehand, and tourists are not allowed to visit these, in order to preserve wildlife and certain habitats. In order to partake in any activities on the island, a permit is required, so that this can be regulated. Ships landing in Antarctica cannot be carrying more than 500 people, with only 100 being allowed to disembark at once and ships carrying heavy fuel oil (normally large passenger ships) are not allowed to enter Antarctic waters. The number of cruise vessels at any one site in the Antarctic has been limited to 40, and only one ship is allowed to land at each site at once. In addition to this, no waste or litter is to be left at the tourist sites, tourists are not allowed to walk on the lichens or moss and no tourist is allowed to go within 5 metres of an animal. All tour guides are officially trained and are experienced scientific personnel who have been involved in research in Antarctica. Waste disposal is tightly regulated, with prohibitions of the dumping of waste anywhere in the Antarctic continent, with ships now having purpose-built waste containment facilities. This shows how sustainable tourism in Antarctica is a high priority, and how there are many measures taken to minimise the negative impacts of tourism. Although these measures are effective now, it is unknown whether they will stay in place in the future, and if Antarctica will retain its title as the ‘World’s last true wilderness’ for much longer.

Examining The Important Business Of ERP Implementation Information Technology Essay

Examining The Important Business Of ERP Implementation Information Technology Essay Enterprise resource planning systems, also called enterprise systems (ES) are among the most important business information technologies that emerged during the last decade. While no two industries ERP systems are the same, the basic concept of ERP systems is focused on standardization and synchronization of information, and as a result, improved efficiency. The benefits of ERP systems include Coordinating processes and information Reducing carrying costs Decreasing cycle time, and Improving responsiveness to customer needs The decision to implement an ERP system is not made lightly. It is expensive, and it usually takes eighteen to twenty-four months to implement from the start of the process to when the first function goes live. A complete suite of functions going live can take three to four years, or more. ERP Implementation Without successful implementation of the ERP system, the projected benefits of improved productivity and competitive advantage would not be forthcoming. This creates trade off for decision makers to find causes and to manage the consequences. Literature suggests that adoption and implementation depends upon various factors during the course of initiation to benefits realization. These factors are influential and hence their understanding is critical to success. Critical Success Factors The following table presents 19 CSFs extracted from the literature and their dominant perspectives that are identified as imperative for successful ERP adoption and implementation. For example, Top Management factor is related to the stakeholders; therefore, it should be implemented by focusing on the Stakeholders perspective of ERP. These factors have been arranged in order of their importance in relation to each of the perspectives. ERP Implementation Critical Success Factors ERP Perspectives Critical Success Factors Importance Stakeholders Top management commitment High Project Champion High Execution Team High External advisory support Medium Vendor Partnership Low Total end-user involvement Low Process Business Process Design High Customization approach Medium Performance measurement and control Low Technology Package requirements and selection Medium System Testing Low Organisation Change Management High Effective Communication High Business vision goals and objectives High Training and education Medium Organisational structure and culture Low Project Project Management High Budget-cost parameters Low Time Low Critical Failure Factors ERP has been implemented all over the world by many companies but their high failure rates suggest that understanding and implementing ERP is a challenging task. The following nine factors are found to be critical in the failure of ERP implementations (A. Momoh, R. Roy, E. Shehab, 2010) Excessive customization Dilemma of internal integration Poor understanding of business implications and requirements Lack of change management Poor data quality Misalignment of IT with business Hidden costs Limited training Lack of top management support Challenges in ERP Implementation There may be various reasons for such rejection or unsuccessful conclusion to ERP adoption as discussed below Management may not be clear about the needs and requirement of IT system such as ERP that why and how they are adopting it or whether such a capital investment is needed or not. A mismatch is created because most of the times managers do not understand the integration between their core business, IT processes, and firms positioning; they may not know about the role that IT can play to their organisations. Management of the firm may not know that these new IT systems can bring multiple synergies or benefits to their company. Firms may not have resources like access, skills, capabilities or dynamic capabilities to generate any tangible output from these systems. Globally operating organisations many times use single ERP solution for all its subsidiaries. This can lead to problems in local subsidiaries such as over budget and time resources spending, lack of technical expertise and compromises in business process. Many firms are not able to leverage already implemented ERP systems for exploiting new business opportunities arising with latest market developments. This creates falsehood of ERP being not successful especially to the top management. Primary focus on adoption and implementation often neglects post-implementation maintenance and support from an early stage after roll out in the life cycle. ERP Integration The benefits of an ERP application are limited unless it is seamlessly integrated with other information systems. Organizations face many challenges in ERP integration The challenges of integrating various functional ERP modules The challenge of integration with other e-business software applications The challenge of integration with legacy systems. The success of ERP implementation is the success of ERP integration. Integration of ERP Modules Packaged ERP software consists of many functional modules (production planning, inventory control, financial and HR). Organizations tend to install modules from the same ERP vendors in the initial ERP implementation. Not all companies will purchase all ERP modules from a single ERP vendor (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft etc.). The implementation of ERP systems could last many years. The integration of ERP modules could be either the integration of modules from different vendors, or the different versions of the modules from the same vendor. Integration of E-Business Applications E-business practice is the combination of strategies, technologies and processes to electronically coordinate both internal and external business processes, and manage enterprise-wide resources. E-business software systems generally fall into four categories: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Knowledge Management (KM). To get the most out of ERP systems, ERP should be tightly integrated with other e-business software Supply Chain systems, CRM, knowledge management, B2B exchange and ecommerce storefront on the Internet. Integration with Legacy Systems Over the years, legacy systems have accumulated vast amount of data vital to the survival, operations, and expansion of corporations and non-profit organizations. Integration of ERP systems with legacy systems is more complex than the integration of ERP modules and Integration of e-business Applications. It routinely requires the installation of third-party interface software for the communication between ERP software systems and legacy systems. Second generation ERP systems use relational database management systems (RDBMS) to store enterprise data. Data conversion from legacy systems to RDBMS is a often a time-consuming and tedious process. While most interface software provides API for ERP to access legacy systems, some vendors offer integration module that automates or accelerates the transformation of legacy application logic and data into reusable components with XML, SOAP, J2EE and .NET interfaces. Cost of ERP Implementation According to any accounting method, ERP investments are among the largest single concentrated investments in dollars and human resources in most industrial organisations. An ERP implementation generally has three cost phases Acquisition Implementation, and Post-implementation Acquisition Costs Initial planning and acquisition costs are a real part of ERP implementation costs. Most of these initial costs fall in the area of human resource expenses (people) due to the amount of time key staff must dedicate to carefully analyzing the need for an ERP system, making a decision to pursue the implementation, and then planning for it. Implementation Costs Once the decision is made to implement an ERP system, the development of the implementation budget can begin in earnest. A realistically developed and funded implementation budget that covers all components and aspects of the project ensures as smooth a process as possible and lessens to some degree the stress an ERP implementation places on staff. An appropriate budget will minimize the surprises of unexpected costs and the abrupt search for funds to cover these costs. The following are the major cost components of an ERP system implementation Cost of new hardware: One major cost, usually, is the cost of new hardware, including network infrastructure, database servers, application servers, Web servers, disks, load-balancing switch, and storage and disaster recovery devices. Cost of additional hardware: The more people there are who use the system on a daily basis, the more application servers will be needed. A quick response time requires more application servers, more memory, and a faster processor speed, among other components. To avoid system downtime, redundant database servers are needed to provide automatic backup when one server malfunctions. The cost of additional hardware must be balanced with how much the organization wants the new system to improve client services and business processes. Software licensing costs: Software licensing costs include the ERP vendor software package and any third-party software the organization decides to include as part of the initial implementation. The ERP vendor software includes the functional software for human resources and student records as well as all the software components required to run the new system, including the database, system tools, operating systems, compilers, and network and integration software. Third party software is often purchased to enhance the functionality of the system. Software maintenance cost: The majority of ERP vendors include a software maintenance cost component in their contracts. These maintenance costs generally vary between 18 and 24 percent of the initial licensing cost, depending on the level of maintenance the organisation requires. Software maintenance fees typically cover software patches, new releases, vendor help-desk support, user mailing list servers, and the right to attend a vendors user conference. Hardware maintenance fees: Hardware maintenance fees are similar to software maintenance fees and cover many of the same support services that software maintenance fees cover, for example, vendor help desk, user mailing list servers, and patches and upgrades to operating systems. In addition, organisations should build in hardware replacement costs as part of the ongoing budget. The life cycle for most hardware is three years. Staffing costs: A third significant cost associated with implementing an ERP system is staffing. To fully staff a project an organisation must consider internal staff assigned to the project (some think of internal staff as an indirect budget cost), backfill for these staff positions, and vendor or other outside consultants. The staffing needs of the implementation must be fully understood and proactive approaches to potential staffing problems must be taken. Training Costs: Training project implementation staff on a new system is vital if the new system is to meet the institutions implementation objectives. Vendor consultants usually provide hands-on training for key functional users and technical support staff. The cost of this training is usually included under consultant costs in the budget. Customisation Costs: Customization of vendor software generally adds significant cost to an ERP implementation, and it is a cost that will repeat itself every time there is a new release of the software. Organisations must carefully consider the implications of customizing vendor software. Post Implementation Costs Staffing costs are associated with every patch, fix, new release, or new version of the system. If any modification was made to the underlying code, the code has to be recreated every time a new release or version is installed. As mentioned previously, there are ongoing software costs (such as when a new database is released, upgrades are made to operating systems and networking systems, or new third-party software is installed). Additionally, there are ongoing hardware costs as hardware is upgraded or replaced, and there are yearly hardware and software maintenance fees. Consulting fees continue as new releases and new versions of the software are implemented. Knowledge Management Issues The following table outlines the Main KM issues found in various stages of ERP adoption. Life-cycle Stage KM Issues Agenda formation When the original idea to adopt ERP is accepted, preparations were made to facilitate adoption. Team members with different knowledge backgrounds and expertise faced a challenge to externalize the embrained knowledge within the team. Developing strong internal team bonds during the early phase appeared critical in facilitating knowledge sharing and creation in later phases. Broader awareness was encourages as the wider community needed to be more actively involved during the design and adoption phases. Design Involves understanding ERP and organizational processes and fashioning a mutual fit. Team focused on accessing the embodied and embedded knowledge distributed in the wider organization to capture knowledge. There was a need to build relationships between the team and other BU members to understand the processes and improve chances that the various stakeholders would view the new ERP systems positively. The project team accessed knowledge through developing a more open network structure that facilitated wider information flow. Accessing distributed knowledge that was embodied and embedded across the organization relied on a variety of social networking activities that involved bridging with others across the organization. Implementation Involves configuring the IT system and introducing changes to organizational systems and processes. Main challenge stemmed from need to change users knowledge and encourage them to share knowledge with each other. The team managed to surface and change some of the deeply embedded and encultured collective knowledge through social interactions to remove boundaries between functions. Team integrated knowledge through mapping of information, processes and routines of the legacy systems into the ERP modules with the use of conversion templates. Team managed to encourage users, using a participative policy, to identify tacit knowledge within their work processes through informal discussions and numerous brainstorming sessions. Fostering social relationships among users was found to be crucial to the success of ERP implementation Appropriation ERP system is fully embedded within the organization so that it is accepted as a routine. A knowledge-based hub (CSC) was formed to codify some of the knowledge about ERP system use and encourage the sharing of knowledge and experiences in facilitating the ERP process. Knowledge-enabling structures contributed to the ERP systems in facilitating the development of organization memory and improving structural integration across the organization. The integration of internal and external ERP processes may create new barriers that could hinder future cross-functional knowledge integration unless prior personal relationships are established. Overcoming ERP Implementation Challenges In order to overcome the challenges and objections to ERP implementation, first and foremost, the following aspects of the system need to be carefully considered during implementation Function: The functions of the ERP system should be well defined to cover the companys necessary business functions. It is also important to choose the right software considering whether or not it can support the defined functions as well as its functionality. Subjective norm: All the members in the company should be encouraged to use the ERP system because their use can increase the companys business value and productivity. Output: To make the ERP system more useful, the company should focus more on enhancing the quality of output during its implementation, especially in management and measurement reports. Perceived ease of use: The ERP system should be easy to use. A complex system decreases usefulness, which also make users reluctant to work with. To make the system easier, many researchers recommended that it should be carefully designed to be user friendly, considering screen design, user interface, page layout, help facilities, menus, etc. Result demonstrability: The company should clearly define what positive results can be expected from the use of the ERP system before or during ERP implementation. This action can make the system more useful, and help employers understand why they should use the ERP system. In order to ensure a successful implementation of the ERP system, the following model is proposed Description of Variables in ERP Success Model Variable Explanation Output Quality of the system output including management and performance report Job relevance An individuals perception regarding the degree to which the target system is applicable to his or her job Image The degree to which use of the system is perceived to enhance ones image or status in ones social system Result demonstrability The tangibility of the results of using the system, including their observability and communicability Compatibility Quality of the system in exchanging data with other systems System reliability The degree to which the system ensures the delivery of data to the users Internal support The degree of the companys internal support for the ERP implementation project (top management support, training, and project planning) Function The functionality of the ERP software and its matching with the companys necessary business functions Consultant support The degree to which consultant support helps to make ERP implementation successful Subjective norm The persons perception that most people who are important to him think he should or should not perform the behavior in question Perceived usefulness The degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would enhance his or her job performance Perceived ease of use The degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free of effort Intention to use User behavior in intention to use and actual system use ERP benefits The degree of user satisfaction with the ERP system and Individual and organizational impacts from the ERP system Project success/progress The degree to which the implementation project was completed on time, and within the budget as initially planned Project success/quality The degree of the quality of the ERP system and matching the scope of the ERP system with the companys needs

St John of the Cross A Mystic for the 21st Century

St John of the Cross A Mystic for the 21st Century Regnum 146874Â   Human beings have always cultivated a desire to meet God, to question him, to know his thoughts, to find out his plans. How to find him? Where can we meet him? In ancient times it was believed that the ideal place would be the peaks of the mountains. All nations had their sacred mountains-meeting places between heaven and earth, the abode of the gods and goal of human ascent-for the Greeks, Olympus; for the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Ararat; for the Ugarits, the Tzaphon. Israel also shared this belief. Abraham, Moses, and Elijah had their strongest spiritual experiences on the mountains: Moria, Horeb, and Mount Carmel. Saint John of the Cross follows in such a tradition. But how could one consider John of the Cross, a 16th century mystic in the scholastic tradition, as having relevance for the 21st century? McGinn, quoting Henri Bremond states; In short, it is not possible to ignore the mystics without disowning ones self. (McGinn, 30) what I believe John offers is a spirituality th at attempts to transcend oneself, comes out of ones experiences and moves close to divine union by forsaking self in relation to others and to God. Essentially, I believe John develops an existential approach to spirituality which offers a hand for the parched lives in modern society. Known as a great advocate of St John of the Cross, Thomas Merton remarked, [T]hese words I underlined, although they amazed and dazzled me with their import, were all too simple for me to understand. They were too naked, too stripped of all duplicity and compromise for my complexity, perverted by many appetites. (Egan, 62) How difficult is it to understand simplicity? In the 21st century, increasingly so. Our lives have become so complicated and dominated by a cacophony of soundbites, images and false truths that we seem to be further from finding God than ever before. It was the Canticle I glanced at while seated in the school chapel. A joyful piece of poetry full of light and far from the Dark Night of my earlier knowledge of John of the Cross. If ever I needed a sign it was on the feast of St. John of the Cross as I sat taking a deep breath removed from the hectic business of a days work. Oh to be a mystic, shut away from the hustle and bustle of life engaged in prayer, spiritual reading and gentle manual work. Such a view of the life of a mystic I am certain is common, yet far from reality. Sitting reflecting on the life of John of the Cross I was intrigued by how busy he was, how engaged in lifes activity. Further, I became aware of a saint for diaconal ministry and for a personal spirituality based on liberation and freedom. What Martin Heidegger would refer to as anticipatory resoluteness. Heidegger says that the intelligibility of Being-in-the-world expresses itself as discourse (Heidegger, 204) That discourse for John is with God and aids a transformation from self to other. For John, conversion is what the contemplative life is all about.[1] Of course, John came from a family of converts to Christianity, as a converso he descended from Jewish converts to Christianity. While his early family life is well known; the rejection of his father by his noble family for marrying his mother who was of a lowly class, the poverty, destitution and homelessness following the death of his father. It is apt to consider such biographical details to come to an understanding of how he developed a self-sacrificial approach towards life. At fourteen, John took on a job caring for hospital patients who suffered incurable diseases and madness. There is little reward for such tasks. For John he discovered his love of life and of God. Such love of God sustained him throughout his prison experience following his contact with Teresa of Avila and his agreement to join her reform movement. John supported her belief that the Carmelite order should return to its life of prayer. After nine months in prison John managed to escape taking with him his unf inished poetry. Ascent of Mount Carmel and Dark Night of the Soul later became two of his books of practical advice along with A Spiritual Canticle and the Bridegroom Christ. His works were never intended to be published, they were merely aide memoirs to help initially the members of the order and others develop in their love of God. Initially John intended the reader to interpret his poetry for themselves. However, like Jesus before him John was prevailed upon to explain and help others to understand. Indeed, in the prologue to the Ascent John makes reference to others who will be attempting to guide directees towards the summit. He says they understand not themselves and lack competent and alert directors. (Ascent Prologue, 2) In the prologue to the Ascent, John indicates his principal sources: I have to say, or at the least, in that which is most important and dark to the understanding, of Divine Scripture; for, if we guide ourselves by this, we shall be unable to stray, since He Who speaks therein is the Holy Spirit. (Ascent Prologue, 2) While predominantly from the New Testament John makes reference to over 1300 scriptural quotations from almost every book. He seems to have known the Bible from heart and he twists and moves such knowledge of the scriptures with his understanding of life and love of God. Shaped, as it was, by his very experience of life. John bases his entire doctrine upon well-established dogmatic facts; nature of God; nature of man; mans purpose and the means by which one gets there. In the Ascent John begins his climb to the summit of divine union with the dark night, essentially a purge of the sensual self to develop passivity and reception of Gods will into our lives. It is no happy accident that John makes reference to a young Tobias from the Old Testament; (Tobit 6:4-5) In the first (night) he commanded him to burn the heart of the fish in the fire, which signifies the heart that is affectioned to, and set upon, the things of the world; which, in order that one may begin to journey toward God, must be burned and purified from all that is creature, in the fire of the love of God. And in this purgation the devil flees away, for he has power over the soul only when it is attached to things corporeal and temporal. When one considers the materialism and the need now mentality in the culture of todays world a brief reflection upon the need to purge oneself of desire of all things seems ever more pressing. As we anticipate the inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the United States the rise of populism creates an energy and drive which at the same time drives a wedge into society. Ghetto mentality has been seen in Warsaw and we neednt spend too long considering the cause of that or the horrific outcomes. So what fills the void when we exorcise Twitter, Facebook and things of no lasting value? John gives us prayer. However, he insists it is not removed from the rest of life nor is it measured in time or quantity. Instead John gives us a life of prayer to help save us from evil, or at least the inordinate indulging of desires that injures the soul. Nothing is evil in and of itself. It is ones attitude. Todays society has seen an inordinate growth in mindfulness, a need for alternative spirituality and a wholesale rejection of the institutional church, at least in the West. Even Apple load, by default, a Mindfulness App on every iPhone they ship. By July 27th, 2016 they had shipped 1 billion units; one billion souls potentially saved by a single trans global corporation, all in the space of nine years. If only Jesus had met Steve Jobs down by the shores of Lake Galilee. One hundred years previously William James raised the same issues in his Gifford Lectures at Edinburgh University, Varieties of Religious Experience, or that John of the Cross and his interest in psychology and human nature got there 400 years before James? In lecture IX and X James refers to Conversion and a need to transform ones soul from sickness to wellbeing. Ironically, James work was utilised by Alcoholic Anonymous some 25 years after his death to help treat sick souls. (Bevacqua, 440) Ones addiction may be al cohol but there is also a plethora of addictions for which one must seek healing. Egan states: For John of the Cross, the journey of The Ascent of Mount Carmel is but a prelude to the love that blooms in a heart that God has freed. Genuine freedom comes not through ones own efforts-the active nights. For John of the Cross, liberation from disordered attachments comes fully and finally through the purifying contemplative dark nights-the passive nights-that follow on what is described in The Ascent of Mount Carmel (Egan, 67) There truly is nothing new under the sun. Consequently, Johns writings are neither a commentary nor a manual for those who devoted their lives to God in an enclosed convent or monastery. They are for every one of us who seek with a sincere heart the best way to spend our lives on earth. Freedom to be and freedom from is alluded to by Johns Ascent of Mount Carmel and his Dark Night of the Soul. According to St John [H]uman nature can never attain to the ontological status of Being Itself inasmuch as it can never assume the divine nature (even while participating in it), the perpetuity of its becoming -that-always-verges-on-being remains an inviolable aspect of its created nature. Mondello, 2) Simply put, we are always moving towards God (or away from), we can never Be God, or attain divine unity. Within existentialism Mahon OBrien argues for the structural and thematic coherence of Heideggers movement from authenticity to the search for an authentic free relation to the world as captured by the term releasement. By demonstrating the structural and thematic unity of Heideggers thought in its entirety, OBrien paves the way for a more measured and philosophically grounded understanding of the issues at stake in the Heidegger controversy. (OBrien, 119) In respect of St John detachment is grounded in his desire for self-sacrifice. It is simply the attitude that makes us value things in their true light before God and use them as He intended. For John the ontological is deeply radicated in the eschatological. Becoming is inexhaustible, for becoming, as such, occurs in eternity. Does John attain the summit? It would be most unlike his character to admit so. Detachment is necessary in, did ministry or indeed in the lives of all Christians. Who is my God? That which is worshipped in the temple of Mammon situated in a shopping centre near each of us? Or the one true God revealed in the scriptures? It is in the prophet Zephaniah that the word poor is used with a new connotation: it indicates not only as a social and economic situation but, above all, an inner religious attitude. For Zephaniah, poor is he who, having no security, trusts entirely in God and submits to his will. John offers us a window through which to gaze at the mountain, but we, as being s in the world, must take the steps to climb that mountain. There is no doubt that St John of the Cross must be read repeatedly and frequently. As a mystic he experienced lifes truly hard knocks, he lived his life in service of God and found love of God in doing for others. If there was ever a sign I received in November 24th 2016 then it was to begin to discover the depth and reality of John, and in doing so I share in some small way the incredulity of Thomas Merton who despite his deep desire to know John found his words, all too simple for him to understand. Saint John has the final word if anyone is seeking God, the Beloved is seeking that person much more. (LFL 3.28) Bibliography Abbreviations Saint John of the Cross Ascent Ascent of Mount Carmel LFL The Living Flame of Love Bevacqua, Tony, (2010). William Jamess sick-minded soul and the AA recovery paradigm: Time for a reappraisal. The journal of humanistic psychology: 50, (4): 440 Egan, KJ 2007, Thomas Mertons Approach to St. John of the Cross, Merton Annual, 20, pp. 62-78 James, William, (2012) The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature. Oxford, Oxford Worlds Classics Kavanaugh, Kieran and Rodriquez, Otilio (Eds.) The Living Flame of Love 1.1; 1.3; and The Spiritual Canticle B, 29.3 in The Collected Works of Saint John of the Cross, rev. Washington, DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1991. McGinn, Bernard The Mystical Tradition, in Woods, Richard and Tyler, Peter.(2012) The Bloomsbury Guide to Spirituality, London: Bloomsbury, 30 41 Mondello, Geoffrey (2010) The Metaphysics of Mysticism:Toward a Theory of Cognitive Transcendence OBrien, Mahon, (2011) Heidegger and Authenticity: From Resoluteness to Releasement, London: Bloomsbury [1]. See The Living Flame of Love 1.1; 1.3; and The Spiritual Canticle B, 29.3 in The Collected Works of Saint John of the Cross, rev. ed., eds. Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriquez (Washington, DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1991).

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Online Reference Links: Asian Crops in North America Link: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/history/lecture12/r_12-1.html Ginseng and Other Native Roots Link: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/ginsgold.html#ginseng History of Ginseng Link: http://www.oxford.net/~ginseng/history.htm History of Alfalfa in California Link: http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/publications/alfalfaHIST.htm Smooth Bromegrass Link: http://animalrangeextension.montana.edu/Articles/Forage/Species/Grasses/Smoothbromegrass.htm Crested Wheatgrass Link: http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-document&issn=1551-501X&volume=027&issue=01&page=0013 Native Siberian Crop Species By Francisco Aguilar, Bryan Barnsley, and Lance Nixon When it comes to plants being native to Siberia it would seem that there would be an extremely limited amount due to the harshness of weather, mainly the extreme cold conditions. A few of the main Siberian natives that are grown all over the United States include alfalfa, lettuce, asparagus, smooth bromegrass, and crested wheatgrass. There is no proven record of when alfalfa was first grown but it is known to be originated in central Asia. In 490 B.C., the Persians carried it into Greece with the invasion by Xerxes. After this the Romans who were fighting in Greece took it back to Rome in 146 B.C. The introduction into Spain was around 711 A.D. by the Moors from Northern Africa who were on a conquest in Spain. From Spain it moved into France, Belgium, and England. In 1519 Alfalfa was introduced to Mexico by Cortes, a Spaniard who was on a rampage through Mexico. Somewhere around 18 or 19 years later, Spain rampaged again in Peru and Chili but left alfalfa here also. In that century, it was brought to the Atlantic coast line of the United States but was not used by the Indian inhabitants or by the early European settlers at this time. In about 1853 or 1854 alfalfa was introduced into California and it was believed that it was brought in my Chili. In 1898 a man by the name of N.E. Hansen of South Dakota ma de a journey to Siberia in search of a more cold tolerable variety of alfalfa because he and many other farmers were having trouble growing this crop successfully in the colder conditions of the northern portions of the United States. Alfalfa is now grown all over the United States and in other parts of the world as well.

Free Merchant of Venice Essays: The Price is Right :: Merchant Venice Essays

When I first read The Merchant of Venice, I had a lot of mixed reactions. One of them, surprisingly enough, was that it was too short! How can this be? We all know that Shakespeare's plays are notoriously too long. In reading it over, I think this perception comes from a number of sources. One is the idea that the two story lines, that of Portia and her suitors and that of Shylock and his money-grubbing ways, are only loosely held together by the title character, Antonio. The other reason is that when we finally get to the trial scene, the supposed highlight of the play, we notice that the trial is only a very small part of the whole play. It is not "what the play is about" in my opinion. Many people have suggested that the play should have ended after the trial, that the final scene served no purpose. I saw it more like the hurriedly thrown together conclusion to a choppy paper. We have talked about cut versions of literature as they make their way to the screen. This seems to me as though it is a choppy version of an idea that didn't work out as well as the playwright had hoped. As I read even more closely, I may find I change my mind. Since it didn't seem to be about what I thought it was supposed to be about, I decided to try to figure out what it really is about. Based on my current understanding (subject to further enlightenment), the play is (at least partially) about the merchandising of people. People can be bought or sold for "Three thousand ducats, well" (Act I Scene 3 Line 1), or "chests of gold, silver and lead" (I.ii.30). Every one has a price. All are bought or sold at one time or another. Let's look at some of the leading characters and see what price they require. Antonio sells "a pound of his flesh" for "three thousand ducats" in Act I Scene 3. Bassanio sells his marriage vows to repay the lawyer/ judge for defending Antonio (Act IV Scene 2). Grationo sells his vows, by giving away the ring that represented them, and his friendship to Bassanio at the same time. Portia sells herself as property in marriage

Individual Behavior Essay

Individual behavior differs from person to person and most differences are based on the background of the individual. Some elements that can affect ones background to influence their individual behavior can include religion, age, occupation, values and attitude differences, gender, and even ethnicity. These individual behaviors can cause people to act differently to situations and can create friction or even chemistry in the work place. The age of a person can be a large factor in the way they behave. There are studies that prove maturity can come at different ages but in most cases maturity is something that is learned and grown into. Age in a work place can work against someone or for them. A young age can be a downfall if there is lack of maturity and experience and old age can be a downfall due to lack of energy or knowledge of new technologies. With that being said I think that it is important that age should not be the deciding factor as to how someone will act. There are many young people who have the maturity to carry many responsibilities and show good individual behavior. Some older individuals have adapted their behavior to fit more suitable into the technologies that have developed over the past few years. More and more people are on Facebook (www. facebook. com) than ever, and it is common to see individuals of all ages on the popular website. You can also find with age individuals depending on their age will have their priorities in different orders. The occupation of a person can also attribute to their individual behavior. For example say there is an individual who works in the public eye like a Senator or Congressman, they are going to be more careful for the things that they say and do because they will not wish the media to catch wind and bring them in a negative media down pour about the situation. When you work in the lime light you have to be cautious about your wording and your actions. There are many occupations that are not in the public eye that also has to think about their individual behavior and make sure that they set a good example because of their occupation. Take a teacher for example it is very important that they do not act in an bad individual behavior because it can have an affect on their job. For instant it would be bad to post pictures of yourself drunk to a popular social networking sight if you are a teacher because you are to be a role model and that is individual behavior that you should not wish your students to witness. Many professionals will maintain their professional behavior when they are dealing with their work and with their lives. Professional behavior usually consists of being calm and thinking your actions and words through before acting upon them. Many professionals also like to make educated guesses instead of sporadic leaps into new things. Many individuals will learn their professionalism from their occupation and it is something that they can carry over into their individual behavior. Religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of life and the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a supernatural agency,[1] or human beings’ relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, spiritual, or divine. [2] Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life. They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature (www. wikipedia. com). That definition alone can should one how religion could influence someone’s individual behavior. Unlike the other elements religion is something, for the most part, that can be chosen by the individual. A person can be brought up with religious beliefs, can adapt to the beliefs, and can even change their religious beliefs. A religion can have strict guidelines as to how their followers should behave some may even have diets or wardrobe requirements that can affect their individual behavior. Values can run hand in hand with religion on some basis. Many religions have a foundation on values and morals that their followers should abide by. When a situation occurs and a decision needs to be made you can understand a lot about a person by their individual behavior. It is usually the person’s values or morals that help them make the decision on what action to take when the situation presented itself. Attitudes about differences can affect ones individual behavior. Someone who is high strung can tend to have a little more dramatic attitudes about differences opposed to a laidback individual who has a peaceful nature and can tend to look at differences with a positive. When attitudes turn negative ones individual behavior can become defenseful, frightful, or even protective. In conclusion there are many parts that tie together to create an individual behavior and those behaviors can be influenced by many different elements. Although many individuals can have common elements in their background it is hard to find an individual behavior that is the exact same. Individual behavior can show a lot about the way a person was brought up, their beliefs, age, and even gender. It can show their religious beliefs or just their attitude but it is certain that one’s individual behavior is something that the individual chooses for their self. It is a way they like to act regarding to a situation.

How far does Austens writing in Volume I and Volume II of the novel? Essay

Austen’s writing is almost constantly persuading the reader that Elizabeth is the heroine of the novel; from the opening pages it is clear by Austen’s brave statement that the matrimonial prospects of the Bennet daughters will dominate the novel: ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife’ yet the reader is still unaware which daughter it is. Since it cannot be Mary (described as a pedantic, book educated bore), nor Kitty or Lydia (both critically depicted by the narrator as flirtatious and idle girls) the reader is left to decide between Jane and Elizabeth. Austen at first hints that it may be Jane, with her perfect charm and character yet soon it is apparent that Austen prefers a less conventional heroine whose lack of extraordinary physical beauty makes her both an inspirational character and also a kind of girl with whom everyone can identify. Elizabeth is also admirable to the reader as she is independent of thought and stands up for herself, even to those far above her in social standing (Darcy, Lady Catherine) which Austen fully supports. Austen’s writing partly reveals this simply by the large amount of attention paid to the events that happen to Elizabeth, Elizabeth’s opinion about every event and the way in which the narrator seems to second all of Elizabeth’s opinions, mimicking Elizabeth’s language and style by Austen’s use of free indirect speech for example ‘it was impossible not to long to know’ when Elizabeth is curious about the strange greeting between Wickham and Darcy. This allows the reader to sympathize with Elizabeth and to understand Elizabeth’s feelings without her having to say them out loud. Austen’s writing style is also mimicked in Elizabeth’s tone (witty, intelligent and funny): ‘I believe, he is very much what he ever was’ when describing Darcy, hinting at Wickham’s false character. Another reason for which the reader may think of Elizabeth as the heroine is because the reader sees the unfolding plot and the other characters mostly from Elizabeth’s viewpoint for example when Miss Bingley is trying to win over Darcy’s affections: ‘Miss Bingley’s attention was quite as much engaged in watching Mr Darcy’s progress through his book’. This provides the reader the viewpoint from someone in the room, who is mocking Miss Bingley light-heartedly, likely to be Elizabeth. However, Austen’s writing may discourage the reader that Elizabeth is in fact the heroine when her faults are evident yet she has not accepted them yet, for example Elizabeth’s feeling of embarrassment about her own family and her impulsiveness and tendency to make assumptions of character too hastily. The reader may especially disapprove of Elizabeth in Chapter IX of Volume I, where Elizabeth is clearly deeply embarrassed by her mother’s untactful rudeness: ‘said Elizabeth, blushing for her mother’, yet does not notice her own rudeness: It does not necessarily follow that a deep, intricate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours’. Yet another way in which Austen suggests that Elizabeth is the heroine, is by showing that Darcy is the hero, since both have a constant connection to each other, whether it is the hatred of the other, or the heated discussions between the two, or the uncontrollable affection to the other. One way which Austen shows us that Darcy is the hero is by agreeing with his statements: ‘I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished’. Darcy is especially noticeable as the hero of the novel when the plot surrounds him more, after his proposal to Elizabeth. Darcy and Elizabeth also mirror each other in the way that both are intelligent and show opinions similar to Austen’s, and both overcome their own faults (Darcy: pride, Elizabeth: prejudice). It is this self-discovery and realization of faults that convinces us that Elizabeth is the heroine, as her character develops since her introduction with Darcy. It is the fact that Elizabeth realizes her faults,that makes it easy for a reader to relate to her. In conclusion, in my opinion Austen’s writing greatly persuades the reader that without a doubt, Elizabeth is the heroine of the novel, going through character development and self-realisation, aswell as Austen’s use of mimicking her own style in Elizabet’s tone and language.