Analyzing an organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analyzing an organization - Essay Example The general public expects exceptional services of care and attention from these institutions and it is important for the organization design to be flawless and dependable. There are internal and external factors involved in shaping and organizational size, strategy and effectiveness are very important. There are many internal and external factors on which the organizational design depends on. These various dimensions of the organizational design are presented with their influences. When it comes to the size of an organization, it is greatly affected by the life-cycle of an organization. Since hospitals have complicated procedures to be amalgamated with streamlined operations to ensure maximum success, there are formal structures with employees having definite organizations duties and responsibilities. In a health care system, the tasks are highly specialized with detailed rules and instructions to direct the easiest as well as the most complicated procedures. ... The most important aspect of a health care institution is to provide quality service to its customers which in this case are the patients. The services of a health care organization are highly specialized with almost zero margin of error. Therefore, efficiency and accuracy is the need of such an organization and defines the core belief of such an organization. Therefore, generally hospital and health care organizations have a tall structure with hierarchical relationships take put high responsibilities on the people of the organizational chain. It has been researched and proved that big organizations are mechanical in their operational conductivity and therefore try and achieve maximum efficiency. This works in perfect unison with the needs and requirements of a health care institution (Pfeffer, 1978). Organization life cycle is another important internal factor that dictates the size of an organization. Just like a human being, organizations also have different stages of their life and therefore have different needs. In terms of a hospital, as the hospital becomes bigger, it adds more functions and research departments in itself and therefore becomes bigger and bigger. They amalgamated processes and increase in size. The number of levels within an organization increase as the level of complexity increases of the service or the product that is being provided by the organization. Environment is another important factor dictating the organizational design. There are many external factors that influence a hospital’s development of strategy, its size and processes. The need of its biggest stakeholder, the customer, streamlines the basic work ethic of the organization. The organization strives to provide quality life saving service

Accounting standards board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Accounting standards board - Essay Example Accounting Standards Board (ASB) believes that the statement of principles is a narrative of the fundamental approach underlining the financial statements of all profit oriented businesses.This approach is intended to be up-to-date,consistent internally and should also be in line with all other approaches adopted in the world.Despite the statement of principle assisting in the preparation of the accounting standards,they are also used by preparers and auditors who are faced with new or emerging accounting issues in order to assist them to carry out initial analysis of the issue involved.When reporting the financial position and performance of the firm, the financial statements need to reflect the effect of all transactions of the firm. This can only be achieved by specifying and classifying the items in terms of elements. These elements include: Gains: This is defined as the increase in the ownership interest. This occurs when the company has made a profit after deducting all the expenses from the sales. For example if a business sells a commodity for 4000 and this commodity had cost it 2500. Then we are told the commodity incurred operating expenses of 300, and then we can say the commodity had a gain of 1200. (Lynn, 2004)Losses: This is defined as a decrease in the ownership interest. This occurs where the business has more expenses than the sale price. For example, if one buys his goods at 1000 and sells them at 1200, we need to deduct the cost price and other operating expenses from the selling price. ... Assets: These are rights or access to future benefits controlled by a business as result of past transactions. These include things like premises, motor vehicles, stock, and cash in hand and at bank. (Lynn, 2004) Liabilities: This is an obligation to transfer the economic benefit due to past transaction. This is what the firm has in the business that does not actually belong to it but it is borrowed. For example the business might have taken a long from the bank of 10,000 to boost the business. This 10,000 loan is referred to as a liability. Ownership Interest: This is usually what the owner of the firm has actually contributed to the business. We get it by deducting the entities liabilities from the entities assets. (Accounting Standards Board, 1999) The above elements enhance financial reporting because these are elements that are included in the profit and loss account and those to be included in the balance sheet. For example, gains and loss commonly referred to as revenue and expenses respectively are included in the profit and loss account. On the other had the Assets, liabilities and the ownership interest is included in the balance sheet. (Wood and Sangster, 1999) Matching is not Regarded as the Driver of the Recognition Process The above phrase means that the gains or a loss should not be recognised at the same time. If the effect of a transaction was to create a new asset or a liability, then the new asset or liability should not be recognised immediately in the balance sheet once there is reliable evidence of its occurrence which should be in monetary value. Unless there is no change in the net asset or the change is as a result of the capital

Theories of Female Victimisation

Theories of Female Victimisation In todays society crime is a constant. People that are well know, to people that no one has ever heard of fall victim to criminal activity on a daily basis. There has to be a reason why these things happen so often. Victim precipitation theory holds that the victim is the contributing fact of their victimization. Women, especially, can make themselves available to criminals and can effortlessly become easy targets. In a sense, every victim contributes to their own victimization in one way or another. Crime is very apparent in our everyday lives. It seems as though the average American cannot go a day without hearing about another atrocious crime that has happened in their community. According to the US Department of Justice, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, violent crimes accounted for 1,254,358 of the crimes committed in 2009. There are many different types of offenses that can be classified as a crime. The FBI, in its annual Crime in the United States report, publishes data for serious crimes in the Crime Index. The Index includes murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. All of these crimes happen frequently to Americans, some reports show that some even happen on a minute to minute basis. Victims of crimes are those that are affected by the outcome of a crime that has been committed; these can include the primary victim, the secondary victims, and related victims. A whole community can be affected by just one crime. It is very common to know someone who has been the victim of a crime, especially in todays society. Many people may have empathy for these people and often speculate how something like this could have happened to a person, as many victims wonder the same thing. A primary victim is someone within the range of foreseeable physical injury, typically a participant in the accident; damages are recoverable for psychiatric injury as for physical injury, even if no physical injury has occurred. Secondary victims are those outside the range of foreseeable physical injury, such as witnesses or relatives of the accident victims. A related victim is a person who is a close family member, or a dependant, of a primary victim who has died as a direct result of an act of violence being committed against them. (www.justice.qld.gov) As you can see, when an offender commits a crime against one person, the primary victim, it can lead to domino effect. There can many victims for one crime. There are many theories on why crimes happen and why people fall victim to them. Some think that being victimized is just a matter of opportunity, that particular person that became a victim to a crime was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Shouldnt people this day in age be smart enough to where the wrong place is and what the wrong time is? Some people theorize just that. People should know the difference in right and wrong, and they should use their brains as to decide the difference. One theory that upholds these opinions is the victim precipitation theory. As in, the victim participated, in some way, to their own victimization. Victim precipitation theory views victimology from the standpoint that the victim themselves may actually initiate, either passively or actively, the criminal act that ultimately leads to death or injury. (www.associatedcontent.com) If a victim passively initiates in their own victimization, they unknowingly do so. On the other hand, if a victim h as an active role in their victimization, they might have consciously made the decision to do; by either provoking or instigating the crime that occurred. Either way, the victim precipitation theory blames the victim for their role in their victimization. Job promotions, job status, successes, love interests, and the like are examples of these unconscious behaviors and characteristics of passive precipitation. Additionally, political activists, minority groups, those of different sexual orientations, and other individuals pursuing alternate lifestyles may also find themselves as targets of violence due to the inadvertent threat they pose to certain individuals of power. Active victimization occurs under this theory through the threatening or provocative actions of the victim. One of the most controversial points of this theory is the idea that women who are raped actively contributed in some way, either through provocative dress, a relationship, or suggested consent of intimacy. Because of this viewpoint it is hard to convict an accused rapist who has had some form of relationship with the accused, or one that was behaving provocatively or suggestively. (www.associatedcontent.com) Generally speaking, there are two victims of crime; men and women. Some people still view women as the inferior sex, even in the 21st century. Even though men and women are both susceptible to crime, women are 8 to 10 times more likely to fall victim to rape and spousal abuse. A select few still perceive women as weak and not having the ability to think for themselves. Let every Man (in particular) be asked his thoughts of women and he will tell you without doubt, that they were not made but for man; they are fit for nothing, but to nurse; and breed little children in their low age; and to mind the house. (www.users.muohio.edu) Men, on the other hand, are considered to be the protectors of their home and are the ones that have the education to speak openly. Many times this can be a reason to why some men commit crimes against women; a male offender may say that a woman was out of place by speaking her mind, or doing other things that may seem normal to other people in todays society, so he felt that he had to do something about it. Even though these views seem dated, there are still many men, and women, that think this way. Because of the way that women are viewed it can make them an easy target for some offenders. Many rapists still believe that women should submit to a man, when he wants her to, and fear him for the things that he may do to her is she does give in easily. Men rapist usually have the need to punish, humiliate, dominate, overpower, and control their victim. Most of the time a rapist does not see their action as them doing anything wrong, and they do not even consider the feelings of their victim. Women are also more susceptible to scams than men are. People often use emotions to their advantage when they are trying to con someone, be it for money or a place to live. Women are known to be emotional beings because they are made to produce children and be motherly. People all over America, and neighboring countries, use email scams, mail fraud, or even just random telephone cons in order to receive money and other goods and services. An email scam can be randomized and sent out in to multiple inboxes at one time. People from other countries can collect email addresses from sites in which people sign up for updates about their favorite cookbooks or even pornographic websites. Either way, these scams can create dangerous situations. There is a scam known as the Grandparent Scam. This scam entails someone choosing a number out of the phonebook and if an elderly woman answers the person on the other end simply says, Grandma, is that you?, when the woman answers yes, the scam begins. The person basically tells their grandmother that they have gotten into some kind of trouble and are in need of money and asks her to Western Union the money to them. Without a question the grandmother sends the person the requested funds and doesnt even realized that they have been conned. Who wouldnt help their grandchild that was in need? Feelings are often used against women in this all of the time. Without delay a most women would he lp a person in need because it seemed like the right thing to do, and before their very eyes, that have fallen victim to another scam. Rape that occurs on dates or between people who know each other should not be seen as some sort of misguided sexual adventure: Rape is violence, not seduction. In stranger rape and acquaintance rape, the aggressor makes a decision to force his victim to submit to what he wants. The rapist believes he is entitled to force sexual intercourse from a woman and he sees interpersonal violence (be it simply holding the woman down with his body or brandishing a gun) as an acceptable way to achieve his goal. (Warshaw, 1988, pg.20) In 2005, 1,181 women were murdered by an intimate partner. Thats an average of three women every day. Of all the women murdered in the U.S., about one-third were killed by an intimate partner. (www.ojp.usdoj.gov) One- third of women killed in 2005 actually knew their attackers, which is an alarming rate. Victim precipitation theory holds that some women are subjected to this violence because they have brought it upon themselves. A mixture of body image, the way a wo men dresses, where a women hangs out, and the company that she keeps can attribute to her own victimization. Dissatisfaction with ones physical appearance can lead to a negative body image. (Lankford, 2010, pg.13) A womans negative perception of herself can lead to her to making poor life decisions. How a woman perceives herself can affect her everyday life, such as, her career, family life, and finances. Women that do not think highly of themselves tend to think that they do not deserve to be truly happy. Having a low self-esteem can cause a person to become depressed. Depression can lead to a number of self mutilating problems, such as, drug use, alcoholism, and eating disorders. (Wolff, 1999, pg.18) If a woman thinks that she may never be able to find a husband, boyfriend, or partner she may become licentious. Some of these women may think that if a man takes them out or was nice to them, that they are obliged to say yes to sex afterwards. Women with this condition may become an easy target, and they may even submit to an attacker. The way a woman dresses can contribute to the type of lifestyle that they live. We, as a society, know how many different people in different professions dress. A police man wear a blue uniform, a person in the military wears BDUs, and a prostitute wears a short dress and a low cut shirt. The way women dress is routinely cited as an encouragement to rape; the argument is that if a woman is dressed a certain way, then they were asking, or even inviting, a potential rapist to attack them. References to sheer and clinging fabrics, low-slung jeans and low-cut tops, bare midriffs, short skirts and liberally applied make-up are common in the context of rape trials. (www.thisisnotaninvitationtorapeme.co.uk) A common assumption is that if a woman wears revealing clothing they are considered to be either a whore or a prostitute. Prostitution is illegal in all states, but one, in the United States. About 80% of women in prostitution have been the victim of a rape. Prostitutes are raped, on the average, eight to ten times per year. They are the most raped class of women in the history of our planet. ( Hunter and Reed, 1990) Where a person lives can say a lot about them. If a person lives in project housing then we know that they are financially stable, if a person lives in a big house in a great neighborhood then we know that they have the resources to do so. Statistically speaking, the crime rate is higher in lower income neighborhoods than it would be in higher income neighborhoods. In theory, individuals are targeted based on their lifestyle choices which expose them to criminal offenders and situations in which crimes may be committed. If a woman lives in a lower income neighborhood or in known to venture in these types of places, they are subjecting themselves to become a victim of crime. The correlation between victims and the perpetrators of crimes is that they both exhibit impulsive and antisocial-like behaviors. These behaviors may contribute to their victimization since they cause the individual to put themselves at risk more so then more conservative lifestyle counterparts. (www.associatedcon tent.com) In a nutshell, if a neighborhood is deviant, the only way to lower a persons risk of victimization is for them to leave the neighborhood for a less deviant, low crime rate area. Drug use is more common in lower income neighborhoods. People who use drugs put themselves in dangerous situations every day. People who commit crimes, as drug use and distribution is a crime, are more prone to become victims because they are involved in precarious conditions. Those who choose high-risk lifestyles which include taking drugs, drinking, and participating in criminal activities run a much higher risk of becoming victims. (www.associatedcontent.com) If a woman is a drug runner, or is just purchasing drugs for personal use, she may be involved in situations where other women are being prostituted out. If a woman gets desperate enough, then she may start doing the same thing in order to get money to purchase more drugs. Women are much more frequently involved in prostitution to fund drugs habits than men. What exacerbates the danger to these women is the powerlessness they experience due to their intense need for drugs and severe poverty. Because many men seek out dangerou s sexual services from drug- addicted prostitutes, they are at a great risk. (Egendorf, 2003, pg.98) The factors previously mentioned are palpable. Most of the time the average person can identify a prostitute or a continuous drug user, but what about women that contribute to their own victimization in less obvious ways? Women who stay in violent relationships, their sexual orientation, walking down a street at night by themselves, or just being simply too nice are way a woman can contribute to being victimized and they do not even know that they are doing so. Woman need to prepare themselves for being victimized if they are making themselves an easy target. Women who stay in violent relationships, be it with a man or a women, contribute to their own victimization every day that they are with their abusive partner. Relationship abuse can include, but is not limited to, physical, mental, verbal, and emotional abuse. Some women may not even recognize that they are being abused at the time it is occurring. A woman may assume that they cannot do any better than the person they are with, and that it why they continue to be in a relationship with them, this can stem back to having self-esteem and being depressed about ones self. It is sad to know that most women cannot get out abuse relationships until it is too late for them to do so. There is a rising number of women being abused to a point to where they end up being murdered, and most of the time it is by an intimate partner. Physical abuse is defined as any behavior that inflicts harm on a person. (White, 2001, pg.14) Physical abuse can include; hitting, shoving, biting, throwing objects at a person to inflict harm, and even sexual abuse. Every year, domestic violence results in almost 100,000 days of hospitalizations, almost 30,000 emergency department visits, and almost 40,000 visits to a physician. (American Medical Association, 1991) Sexual abuse can fall under many different categories at one time, such as physical and mental abuse. An abuser can make a woman feel that it is their duty to have sex with their husband or boyfriend by saying If you loved me you wouldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, if the abuser makes a woman think that he will not love her if she does not provide him with sexual favors, then he is sexually and mentally abusing her. Mental and emotional abuse go hand in hand. Mental abuse is sometimes referred to as psychological or emotional abuse. Mental abuse is the intentional infliction of anguish, degradation, fear, or distress. Mental and emotional abuse can be used to brainwash someone into thinking that they are wrong if they leave an abuser. A mental abuser can be very distant from their partner at times, but if the woman decides to leave them, then they become very distraught with loving emotions. A woman may feel as if they are walking on egg shells around their partner, because they do not want them to become upset and argue with them. Fear is not part of a loving relationship, but it is a vital part of a mentally abusive relationship. It enables the abuser to maintain control over a woman. (http://ezinearticles.com) A woman who stays in a violent relationship can actually set themselves up for more victimization if their children are witnessing the abuse. Children who grow seeing a man abuse their mother will grow up and think that this type of treatment is acceptable. If the mother does eventually remove herself and her children from an abusive relationship, the abuse could continue to live through her children. Children who grow up in violent homes are: at higher risk for substance abuse and juvenile delinquency, bear emotional scars, as well as feelings of insecurity, guilt, and isolation, often experience difficulties in school such as inattentiveness, learning disabilities, and stress-related physical problems, fail to develop the experience they need to enter into healthy relationships as adults, and often grow up with low self-esteem and become easy victims of verbal and physical abuse. (www.heartlyhouse.org) Although we are now in the 21st century, it is still common to find people who do not agree with sexual orientations other than heterosexual relationships. People that participate in same sex relationships are at a higher risk for having hate crimes and hostility committed against them. There are people in America that suffer from homophobia and heterosexism. Homophobia is the unreasonable fear or disdain from of homosexuals and/or homosexuality. At its most extreme, homophobia is expressed through physical violence, including rape and murder. Heterosexism is the assumption that heterosexuality is the only form of sexual identity and family life. Although less stigmatizing than overt homophobia, the assumption of heterosexuality can alienate lesbians in mainstream institutions, including health care settings. (Liebschutz, 2003, pg.238) Yet another way that a woman can increase her chances of becoming a victim is not reporting a crime or violent act. Some women seem to be embarrassed that they were victimized in the first place, so they fail to report a crime that has occurred. When a woman does not report a crime that has been committed against her she increases her chances of being victimized again, she also leaves the door opened for another woman to be victimized. Since there was no reason to detain the criminal that committed the act, that person is still roaming free to commit another a horrendous crime and the next time it may be the initial victims neighbor, friend, or even her own daughter. A woman that is naÃÆ' ¯ve to situations in todays society can also put herself at a higher risk of becoming victimized. It is obvious that more and more people in this day in age are becoming victims of crime. If a woman were to walk down a low lit at night, by herself, in an ominous neighborhood; there is no telling what gang or rapist might see her, or what they might do to her. Woman who make it common knowledge that they live by themselves are also at a higher risk. Situations like this happen all of the time, which is one of the reasons why crime rate is so high in certain parts of the United States. Woman are victimized, in this case, by just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If a woman were to tell a stranger that she lives by herself, then that stranger could easily follow her home and victimize her. It is that simple. Women have to take certain defensive precautions in order to not become a victim. There are cases where a person can be too nice. In todays society people tend to lose sight of morals to use to be upheld. There are more scams and cons than ever. A woman could just think that they are beginning nice to a stranger and not even know that person is really a rapist or murderer. There is a difference in being nice and being too nice. People tend to take advantage of people that do not have the ability to say no. If a woman works all day long and picks up her co-workers slack, and then comes home and complains that she is wore out, whose fault is it really? Being too nice, or vulnerable, can sometimes stab a woman in their back. Although it is nice to see a friendly face, a woman should never invite a stranger to come to her home where she lives by herself. This is one of the reasons that more and more people are becoming reluctant to help someone, because a person can never know what a stranger, or even someone they know, is capable of behind closed doors. The biggest way a woman can contribute to their own victimization is to think that it will not happen to them. Women who feel that they will never be attacked are the ones that get raped, kidnapped, murdered, or burglarized. The mistake that they make is not being prepared. Violent crimes happen to normal people every day. Why should it not happen to the girl next door, or the woman from two towns over? To offenders, they are all the same. Offenders do not care if the woman they are attacking is a mother, sister, or wife. This might even make them feel as if that particular woman is more important and they have a more valuable thing to take away from someone. Women need to be educated to become more sufficient in protecting themselves. A way that a woman can prevent serious victimization is to always be prepared. In todays society a person can never know what is lurking around the next corner waiting to pounce on their next victim that will fall prey. When a woman is too arrogant abo ut criminal activity, they make themselves an easy target. Some other ways that a woman could protect herself from becoming a victim is having the knowledge to know the different types of offenders. Some offenders victimize people out or pure self satisfaction, others offend in order to provide for their families. Multiple offenders have the knowledge to know how to get the act committed, since they have not been caught thus far, they think that they know what they are doing and how to get away with it. On the other hand, first time offenders could be easier to negotiate with and may easily feel sorry for their victims. When a man approaches a woman in a dimly lit parking lot and asks for her keys and her wallet, the best thing that woman can do cooperate with that person. If a woman was being robbed at gun point and did cooperate with the person committing the offense, then that person could easily shot the woman and take what they want. The most important thing is that a woman educates herself with the knowledge of know when to fight and when to do as the offender asks. Staying calm can produce better results for these types of situations. No material possession is worse losing their life for. Along with emotional, woman tend to materialistic. If approached by a stranger that asked for her jewelry, a woman might hesitate. Even the ring that her great-great-grandmother gave her would not be an acceptable reason to lose her life. The mental capacity of an offender can have an effect on how they will respond to ways their victim reacts to their actions. If a person holds the mental capacity of a 3rd grader they are liable to respond in different ways than an offender with a high I.Q. would. The problem with offenders with low mental capacities is that they could easily commit an offense because they do not know any better. Knowing the different situations that woman could find herself in, could be the difference in her surviving victimization. Knowledge is power to women that have no choice but to live in lower income neighborhoods that are surrounded by frequent drug use and violent crimes. The victim precipitation theory upholds that it is the victims fault that they became victimized in the first place. From a woman wearing a low cut shirt to a woman walking down a street late at night by herself, there is a reason that woman was victimized from the start. A woman can knowingly or passively contribute to her own victimization. Bad life decisions, staying in a violent relationship, and even a womans sexual orientation can contribute to her victimization. Criminals seek out women who make easy targets. Prostitutes and drug users are more prone to get raped and used for sexual favors. Women who make themselves available to crime are more likely to be victims of crime. Women should use common knowledge in order to stay safe and protect themselves. Overall, crime is a rising scenario in todays society. Crime can happen to an everyday average person in the blink of an eye. There are ways to prevent becoming victimized. Sources: Susan Kay Hunter and K.C. Reed, July, 1990 Taking the side of bought and sold rape, speech at National Coalition against Sexual Assault, Washington, D.C. Psychiatric injury primary victims, secondary victims, Page v Smith, Alcock v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police http://law.jrank.org/pages/16981/psychiatric-injury.html#ixzz16jdchKYW [online] American Medical Association. 5 issues American Health. Chicago 1991 White, Katherine (2001) Relationship Violence, The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. Egendorf, Laura K. (2003) Chemical Dependency, Thomson- Gale www.associatedcontent.com The Four Theories of Victimization [online] Lankford, Ronald D, Jr. (2010) Body Image, Gale, Cengage Learning Warshaw, Robin (1988) I Never Called It Rape, Harper and Row www.thisisnotaninvitationtorapeme.co.uk This Is Not An Invitation To Rape Me [online] Wolff, Lisa (1999) Teen Depression, Lucent Books, Inc. Liebschutz, Jane M. (2003) Violence Against Women, American College of Physicians www.heartlyhouse.org Children From An Abusive Home [online]

To kill a mocking bird :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

To Kill a Mocking Bird Essay -Courage- Harper Lee’s timeless classic of human nature and evils of mankind are well highlighted throughout the plot of â€Å"To Kill a Mocking Bird.† This novel mainly centers on the characters’ lives through racial prejudice at extreme measures. Courage is presented several times throughout the book and is the dominant defense towards vile people and dead-ended circumstances. Justice and equality are two important traits lacking in the town of Maycomb. Tom Robinson, an innocent black man, is under wrongful accusation of raping a young girl, Mayella Ewell. Due to a lack of morality and fairness, black people are naturally sentenced guilty and must suffer with the consequences appointed by the judge. No ordinary lawyer wastes their time on a color coded case, since chances of the black side winning are nearly inexistent. Atticus Finch steps forward and agrees to defend a black man, since he knows Tom’s innocent. This courageous leap costs Mr. Finch his towns respect and changes the outlook on his family. Knowing that he will lose the case, Atticus bravely protects Tom Robinson to all extents and tries to achieve justice. Although his attempts to set racial equality fail, he doesn’t lose confidence in his clients’ survival chances. Mr. Finch’s risk almost cost his children their lives and cause many people to scorn at him. Tom Rob inson knew how dangerous it was getting involved with Mayella would be, but he also understood that she needed a friend in this world. His brave attempts to help her with life cost him his life. Atticus Finch knows his morals, holds to his goals and stands up for what he believes in. As word about such an imposturous task of defending a black man gets out, the town of Maycomb is enraged. A mob of the community’s residents plot to visit the jail to pay a ‘visit’ to Tom Robinson’s cell. The town men arrive late at night, only to find Atticus quietly reading in front of the jail door. Facing 20 armed men in the middle of the night puts Atticus in a tight situation. The men start arguing as Mr. Finch’s safety becomes questionable. His daring personality doesn’t allow him to change his mind and go home. Atticus still has faith in the people of Maycomb. He still believes that good lies deep within their minds. Just as the men begin to heat up and get impatient, Scout runs out of her hiding place, from which she had been secretly spying on her dad.

Estee Lauder: Integrated Marketing Communications plan Essay

Executive Summary The purpose of this situation analysis is to identify internal and external factors that will have an impact on Estee Lauder’s integrated marketing communications program (IMC). A situation analysis is necessary to determine the position Estee Lauder is currently occupying, in terms of finances, promotional strategies, product range and brand image. A thorough analysis will help identify any opportunities and potential threats that the company may come across and the effect that these opportunities and threats will have on their new IMC program. Strengths and Weaknesses will also be identified and taken into account as the new IMC program is developed. As part of the internal analysis Estee Lauder’s past promotional mix strategies will be assessed and evaluated. Strengths and weaknesses will also be evaluated in terms of brand image and the products and services they offer were also identified. Estee Lauder’s current promotional strategy has a strong focus on advertising in sources of print media within media relevant to its target market such as fashion magazines including, Harper’s Bazaar and In Style. Personal Selling also plays a dominant role in Estee Lauder’s current IMC strategy. The use of the Internet and Direct marketing has played a minimal role in Estee Lauder’s IMC program for Australia. This was identified as a weakness but also as a potential opportunity to expand and use these promotional tools in their future IMC program. Other weaknesses were based around poor and inappropriate promotional strategies for reaching their intended ‘youth’ market and consumers in their twenties. Brand image, price, package and product design were seen as being â€Å"too old† for the targeted younger consumer. The new IMC program will be focused on overcoming these weaknesses and on reaching the younger audience in the most effective way. Strengths such high levels of brand awareness, trust and a strong position in the market place have been Identified and utilised in the future IMC program. The external analysis involved gaining insight regarding customers and competitors. A pilot study was conducted among 18-25 year olds regarding  their perceptions and experiences with Estee Lauder in order to develop a more in-depth analysis of Estee Lauder’s customer base amongst young Australian females. Competitor Analysis required thorough research into the strategies and positions of Estee Lauder competitors in the market place. Major competitors included Loreal and Revlon, their strengths and weaknesses were identified and will be considered during the development of Estee Lauders new positioning strategy. Although a company has little or no control over their external environment an effective marketing communication strategy will anticipate such conditions and respond to them sufficiently. Estee Lauder needs to consider socio-cultural forces such as consumers increasing concern regarding animal testing among other environmental and social issues. They must also be aware of the adverse affects on the IMC program that will occur if any social expectation are breached or if any legal or political regulations are breached. The environmental analysis also identifies the opportunity for growth due to the trend in overall retail growth and specifically cosmetic growth in Australia today. If the following factors are considered Estee Lauder have the opportunity to develop an effective IMC program that will strengthen its brand and allow them to expand into the younger market as they have been aspiring to do. Industry and Company Information Estee Lauder is a market leader in the cosmetics and skin-care industry. This market is highly competitive and rapidly expanding, with competitors continually entering the market. They offer a range of cosmetics, fragrances and skincare products. Estee Lauder is a well established brand since 1946 and has grown into a parent company for many well known skincare and cosmetics brands. These include MAC, Clinique, Stilla, Aveda and Bobbi Brown. This situation analysis will focus on Estee Lauder as a consumer brand and not the EL Companies empire as a whole (see appendix 1). Internal Analysis Today, Estee Lauder has a solid customer base in many countries including the USA, UK, Asia and Europe. Estee Lauder’s and Clinique’s combined sales made up 40% of the total cosmetics market share, with Lancome (owned by competitor L’Oreal) holding the third largest market share, with 13% of the cosmetics market (Bittar, 2002, p.29). Over the past five years, Estee Lauder’s sales have slowed, allowing for Clinique, Estee Lauder’s sister brand to gain market share, replacing them as number one brand in department store sales (Bittar,2002,p.29). Currently Estee Lauder’s primary objective is reposition themselves as the consumers first choice for cosmetics. In order to achieve this objective Estee Lauder need to analyse current marketing efforts and identify opportunities for further expansions that will increase and improve the reputable Estee Lauder brand. Pricing Strategies Estee Lauder’s prices are at the higher end of the price scale within the cosmetics market. This is consistent with many of Estee Lauder’s direct competitors namely Lancome and Dior along with other subsidiary brands including MAC and Stilla. Their prices are set 20-35% above the price points of Clinique products. Current RRP prices for various Estee Lauder products can be found in appendix 2. Review of Firm’s previous promotional programs o Advertising – Print media is the current primary advertising medium for Estee Lauder. Some of the main channels include fashion and lifestyle magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, In Style, Marie Claire, Cleo and Cosmopolitan. These magazines are targeted toward females with various lifestyles and levels of disposable income however they are all image conscious and is appealing to Roy Morgan’s visible achievement segment and those who aspire to be part of this group (Mindset, 1998) (See appendix 3). Estee Lauder has been featuring Liz Hurley as the face of their cosmetics for the past seven years and has proven successful in endorsing their  prestigious brand of cosmetics, fragrances and skin-care, (Bittar, 2002). Estee Lauder’s current models infuse â€Å"the brand with energy, vitality and modernity† and aiming to â€Å"connect the brand with consumers† (Staff Report, 2003). Last financial year, EL companies allocated $US56 million to advertising to promote the core Estee Lauder brand. This figure has been consistent over the past five years and is the largest advertising figure of any EL Company. o Internet – Estee Lauder have not utilised the internet within the Australian marketplace. Their current website is targeted towards the U.S, European and Asian markets. It does not provide Australian consumers with a customised information source regarding available products and new company developments. o Sales Promotion – Estee lauder endorses its distributer such as Myer and David Jones with promotional gift packs as an incentive to spend as certain amount of money or buy a specific product. They uphold their prestigious image by seldom discounting their products. Sampling promotion has also been used successfully to promote new products and allow consumers to experience the product first hand, without having to commit to a purchase.However, this has not been successfully used for Estee Lauder’s recent release of â€Å"Pure Colour† range of eyeshadows and lip gloss’s. Pilot research conducted found although this new range is targeted towards the younger market, it is still not being recognised as the brand of choice for 17-25 year olds (see appendix 4 & 5). o Personal Selling – All Estee Lauder sales consultant are specifically trained and have high levels of product knowledge. Cosmetics is a high involvement purchase and therefore requires consultants to have an in depth knowledge of all products offered by Estee Lauder. o Direct Marketing – Currently Estee Lauder are not using the internet for direct marketing sufficiently. Department stores often send promotional brochures to opt in mailing list clients if new products are released or  special offers are available. Assessment of relative strengths and weaknesses of product and brand Estee Lauder as a brand  · Strengthes – High brand awareness – High brand recall – Trusted brand – High perceived quality – High Brand Equity – Good customer service – Perceived as prestigious brand  · Weaknesses – Communication Strategy not in line with target market – Price of products too high to allow for repositioning into young market – Brand perceived as â€Å"too old† for target market – Products not designed for younger market (i.e. anti-ageing moisturisers) – Package design for mainstream product lines not innovative and modern, sending conflicting messages and confusing consumers  · Opportunities – Possible expansion into younger mass markets – Ability to pursue an online strategy to enhance their marketing communications by introducing online catalogues and creating a direct marketing database. – Ability to establish themselves as the leading cosmetics brand in other markets including Australia, specifically targeting 20-30’s market and the youth segment. – Creation of new communication strategy to build upon existing brand strengths and reputation. – Opportunities for co-branding to reach untapped markets.  · Threats – Losing existing customer base i.e. older market due to new market direction – Possible confusion for consumers regarding mixed promotional messages targeting the young and older market i.e. strategies are not integrated – Losing market share – Deterioration of perceived brand quality and prestige due to changing the promotional strategies to suit the younger market – Potential loss of revenue as a result of decreasing product prices to attract the younger customers Competitive Analysis As Estee Lauder redirects their focus from the older aged females to those in  a younger age bracket, they encounter a different group of competitors. These competitors operate in the mass market of cosmetics and skin care. Each brand is continually challenged to apply a successful integrated marketing plan so as to maintain and/or increase their share of the market thus creating a high level of competition for Estee Lauder. Direct Competitors Revlon and Loreal Paris are both mid-range cosmetics brands that represent Estee Lauder’s biggest threats. They are direct competitors of the traditional EL Company brand as the quality, price and packaging of their products are more appealing to the younger market. Recent annual 2000 figures showed Revlon making $1,491,600,000 alone in cosmetics sales and Loreal with $12,051,000,000 from cosmetic and skin-care sales combined (http://www.sharelearn.com/520samp.html). Estee Lauder presently generates $2,700,000,000 in the prestige market, and can largely be attributed to a higher gross margin in retail prices (http://www.myneweconomy.com/articles/020703/estee.htm). Indirect Competitors Estee Lauder’s indirect competitors or product substitutes consist only in skin-care and not in cosmetics. Face-moisturizers and cleansing products are not yet specifically designed or even targeted towards younger women and appear to still target mature-age women. In which case, Loreal Paris’ offering of skin-care products specifically designed to nourish the skin of young women, offers a substitute for those products not catered for by Estee Lauder. Message and Media Strategies used by Competitors  · Loreal Paris Evidently, Estee Lauder’s primary competitor is Loreal Paris because both are competing for leading positions in the skin-care and cosmetics market. The  Loreal Paris brand was developed for infiltration into the mass market and targets young females who desire high-quality, innovative and fashion-forward beauty products at affordable prices (http://www.lorealparisusa.com/frames.asp#aboutloreal/page_a.asp). Their promotional campaign ‘Because I’m worth it’ (http://www.lorealparisusa.com/frames.asp#aboutloreal/page_a.asp), has proven to be a success in terms of their efforts to communicate a modern and self-confident message to their target audience. They have used a number of international spokespersons including Andie McDowell, Laetitia Casta, Heather Locklear, Vanessa Williams, Virginie Ledoyen, and Milla Jovovich (http://www.lorealparisusa.com/frames.asp#aboutloreal/page_a.asp), all famous actors and models, to endorse the quality of Loreal Paris products and give young females an image to aspire to. Using a range of international faces allows Loreal Paris to target the cultural youth market because it promotes a wide cosmetics range suiting any skin colour and image. This allows them to expand their target market and remain competitive.  · Revlon Revlon also has a similar marketing approach as Loreal Paris. Their corporate strategy aims to offer young women a sense of ‘glamour, excitement and innovation’ (http://www.revlon.com/corporate/corp_ca_history.asp) when using these cosmetics. They have recently launched their new face for the Revlon brand ‘Halle Berry’ a famous U.S. actor, whom exerts an independent, confident and sexy young image for women of today. By using this one spokesperson, they have created a unique identity for the brand and encourages the younger market to use the Revlon products so they can be perceived in the same way. This consistent image associated with the brand gives consumers an easy product recall whenever they see her in movies, billboards, magazines and other channels of advertising. Key Benefits of Competitors and their Positioning Relative to Estee Lauder’s  · Loreal Paris – has established its brand name in the market place since 1907 and therefore high brand awareness – large budget committed to R&D and ability to be on the edge of cosmetic technology – have been targeting the younger mass market for years and are therefore trusted in their quality of beauty products and known to sell at affordable prices – is the global cosmetics leader with 16.8% market share – product offering is extended to hair colouring, cosmetics, skin care and styling aids thereby enhancing brand recognition  · Revlon – has established its brand name in the market place since 1932 – have been targeting the younger mass market for years and are therefore trusted in their quality of beauty products and known to sell at affordable prices – ranks 4th in the top ten global cosmetics leaders with 7.1% market share – product offering extends to personal care (eg. Nail polish), fragrances, cosmetics thereby enhancing brand equity  · Estee Lauder – has the opportunity to penetrate the youth mass market with years of marketing and operating expertise in the cosmetics industry – is currently ranked 2nd global cosmetics leader – extensive economic resources to conduct R&D – has economies of scale because of the size of its pre-existing operation – trusted as a prestigious quality brand – family controlled enterprise allows for consistency in marketing and management decisions although no evidence to support this observation Consumer Analysis Cosmetics is a luxury product and involves a high level of involvement from the consumer (Schiffman et al, 2001). When purchasing cosmetics and skincare, consumers want to be sure that the products they are purchasing are safe and will not harm their skin . Estee Lauder has identified this need and has catered for this by decreasing the risk involved when purchasing cosmetics at pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase stage. Experience at Point of Purchase Estee Lauder Australia is the third country to undergo dramatic transformations in the appearance of their counters in department stores (King, 2003). The new counters are brightly coloured and have interactive displays, which allows passers by to test products at their own discretion without having to consult Estee Lauder staff. However should assistance be required with any of the products, there are always friendly, knowledgeable staff to assist potential customers. All consultants are thoroughly trained and have extensive knowledge about all product lines. This professionalism enhances to the consumer’s experience of Estee Lauder at the point of purchase as they learn more about specific products and their skin type as well. The revitalised counters are a real feature now as they are by far the brightest and most elaborate in major department stores (namely Myer/Grace  Bros and David Jones) in comparison to any of its direct or indirect competitors and creates a salon like experience for the consumer (Gold Coast Bulletin, 2003). Buyer Roles and Cosmetics Unlike products such as fragrances where the buyer is not the user, the majority of the time, cosmetics buyers are the users of the product. Although, this does differ around increased purchase periods such as Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day when the buyer (i.e. husbands and boyfriends) are not the end users of the cosmetics. Estee Lauder has identified this and designed their promotional activity accordingly. All advertising (predominantly instore promotion and print media) features young attractive women, that many purchasing the product would see as an aspirational figure. The more youthful Carolyn Murphy featured in the current advertisements provides the younger market that Estee Lauder is currently trying to conquer, a face that they can relate to (as opposed to Elizabeth Hurley, who Estee Lauder felt was too old for the younger market). Perception of Estee Lauder The perception of Estee Lauder amongst younger people is that it is a brand for â€Å"older people† (The Nation, 2003). This perception of the brand will clearly take an extended period of time to change, however with the current steps undertaken by Estee Lauder, they are well on their way to turning this around (see appendix 7 for Kapferer analysis of perception of Estee Lauder). As the pilot research conducted depicted, Estee Lauder’s products are priced too highly for the younger market to purchase. If they do wish to conquer this market successfully, they will have to consider pricing options on certain product ranges to make it more affordable to the target market (See appendix 8). Whilst Estee Lauder is priced too highly for people in this age bracket, they still view the brand as fashionable, as results of the pilot research study concluded (see appendix 9). Environmental Analysis Social/Cultural In recent years consumers have developed a heightened awareness of social and environmental conditions such as animal testing. Many consumers hold strong views towards animal testing and do not want to buy products that have caused animal suffering. Consequently consumers often want to acquire company information regarding animal testing before they buy the product, many cosmetic companies including Estee Lauder shy away from this controversial topic and provide confusing and ambiguous statements regarding the topic as they are guilty of continuing animal testing but wish to avoid public opposition (http://www.buav.org/pdfs/cosmetic_experiments_-_bluf.pdf). As well as being environmentally friendly consumers expect their brands to be socially responsible and to give back to the community. This force gives Estee Lauder the opportunity to sponsor charities that are important to their target market. Any sponsorship should form an integral part of Estee Lauder’s IMC to promote the brand as being socially aware and responsible.. If a customer perceives a brand as being socially irresponsible they will often remove the brand from their evoked set and not even consider them in any of their future purchase decisions. Political / Legal There are many political and legal obligations that Australian cosmetic companies must comply with in order to protect consumers. â€Å"The public has the very reasonable expectation that cosmetics should be safe to use as directed on the label and as people would normally expect to use such products† (www.ASCC.com.au). All cosmetic companies selling their products within Australia must comply with all Australian Safety Regulations. Cosmetic companies must also comply with the Trades Practices Act among other regulations and legislation regarding product safety and ingredients (www.ascc.com.au). These rules and regulations have enormous implications for Estee Lauder and other cosmetic companies in Australia. It is imperative that these regulations are followed as court action can be seriously detrimental to the company financially. Further more, bad publicity as a consequence of not following such regulations can cause irreversible damage in terms of the reputation of the brand. Technological Due to technological advancements there is a lot more information available to the consumers regarding the safety and effectiveness of cosmetic products and the ingredients within them. Due to the amount of scientific information and studies available to them, consumers have developed a very sceptical attitude towards cosmetic brands and their products. The implication for this is that Estee Lauder must provide consumers with as much information and as much proof regarding product effectiveness as possible in order to facilitate the buying decision process. Technology has also worked in favour of Estee Lauder as they have been able use technology to create new innovative products in attempt to gain competitive advantage. Economical Changes on the economy could also have a strong impact on cosmetic sales. Cosmetics are categorised as a luxury item so when the economy is down and consumers have less buying power cosmetics would be among the first product categories to suffer. After the events of September 11 sales dropped to a virtual standstill resulting in the worst holdiay season for American retailers in years (Bittar,2002). However currently Australian retail sales has experienced strong growth since May 2003 (www.abs.com.au) (See Appendix 10). In 1998-99 $4.1 billion was spent on cosmetics, perfumes and toiletries (www.abs.com.au). These statistics indicate it is a healthy growing industry giving companies the opportunity to increase sales and expand product lines.

Human Resource Information Systems

INTRODUCTION Office automation has become a reality. Stand-alone personal computers are universally used for word processing, and spread sheets have become the workhorses of office life. As a result, electronic records are being created virtually everywhere in the world. Wherever computers are used to carry out a function records are being generated. Records provide the primary evidence of how the functions of public administration are carried out. They are the building blocks of accountability.In a growing number of organizations human resources are now viewed as a source of competitive advantage. There is greater recognition that distinctive competencies are obtained through highly developed employee skills, distinctive organizational cultures, management processes, and systems. Increasingly, it is being recognized that competitive advantage can be obtained with a high quality work force that enables organizations to compete on the basis of market responsiveness, product and servic e quality, differentiated products, and technological innovation.The effective management of human resources in a firm to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace requires timely and accurate information on current employees and potential employees in the labour market. With the evolution of computer technology, meeting this information requirement has been greatly enhanced through the creation of HRIS. A basic assumption is that the effective management of employee information for decision makers will be the critical process that helps.A HRIS is concerned with activities related to employees and potential employees of the organization. Because the human resources function relates to all other functional areas in the business, the HRIS plays a valuable role in ensuring organizational success. Some of the activities performed by the HRIS are workforce analysis and planning, hiring, training, job and task assignment and many other personnel related issues (Stair R,2006,241). TH E EVOLUTION OF HRISIn the 1980s, office automation began to appear on the landscape, and HRIS were developed as a special category of office automation systems (OAS). At first it seemed the emphasis was on developing systems as cheaply as possible. The replacement of people with software was seen as the main advantage. Rather than have HR managers maintain extensive employee records, data-entry technicians would enter data once into a system and update records as necessary. Today, however, HRIS would be more accurately viewed as a hybrid of several classical types of information systems.Along with OAS capabilities, current HRIS include features of transaction processing systems (TPS), decision support systems (DSS) and communication systems. HRIS may comprise stand-alone software for any of the primary areas of use for information systems in HR management. These areas include employee record management, compensation and benefits, recruitment and retention, training and development, performance appraisal, and promotion and succession planning.It became evident as HRIS took hold in the corporate culture that a quality HRIS could provide valuable information to the organization in managing one of its most valuable assets: the organization’s human resources. As top management began to put pressure on HR managers to use HRIS, it was becoming clear that by collecting and processing more and more information in a timely manner, the value added was in the use of the data in decision making and not in the actual system used for collection and storage.This evolution has resulted in firms being able to leverage HRIS for administrative and strategic competitive advantage. WHY THE NEED FOR HRIS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Using HRIS gives firms several benefits. They include the following: †¢Providing a comprehensive information picture as a single, integrated database; this enables organizations to provide structural connectivity across units and activities a nd to increase the speed of information transactions. Increasing competitiveness by improving HR operations and management processes †¢Collecting appropriate data and converting them to information and knowledge for improved timeliness and quality of decision making †¢Producing a greater number and variety of accurate and real-time HR-related reports †¢Streamlining and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of HR administrative functions †¢Shifting the focus of HR from the processing of transactions to strategic HRM †¢Reengineering HR processes and functions Improving employee satisfaction by delivering HR services more quickly and accurately TYPES OF HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION SYSTEMS Although there are multiple classifications of computer-based systems, these the most basic types of systems that are most readily applied to the HR context and for use within an HRIS Transaction Processing Systems: Managers need systems that keep track of the elementary activities and transactions of the organization such as payroll, sales, receipts, cash deposits and the flow of material in an organization. Transaction processing system provides this kind of information.This is a computerized system that performs and records the daily routine transactions necessary to conduct business such as employee record keeping and payroll. This type of system is used as operational level and at this level tasks, resources and goals are predefined and highly structured (Laudon K, 2012,76). When using a transaction processing system for payroll processing, a payroll system keeps track of money paid to employees. An employees’ time sheet with their number of hours worked per week is an example of a single transaction.The system also supplies data to the business on employee payment history for insurance, pension and other benefit calculations to the firms human resources function. The overall aim of this system is to improve transaction speed and accurac y, improve efficiency in the processing of daily business transactions, automate routine transactions and reduce transaction costs Management Information System: This type of system serves the level of middle management and provides managers with reports on the organizations current performance.This information can be used to monitor and control the business and predict future performance. This system summarizes and reports on the company’s basic operations using data from the transaction processing systems. The basic transaction data is compressed and usually presented in the form of reports that are produced on a regular schedule and many of these reports can today be found online. Management information systems serve managers primarily interested in weekly, monthly and yearly results.These systems are also used to answer routine questions that have been specified in advance and have a predefined procedure for answering them as opposed to sophisticated mathematical models o r statistical techniques (Laudon K, 2012,77-78). The main focus of this system is to provides key data to managers, supports regular and on-going decisions as well as provides defined and ad-hoc reporting. Decision support systems: In contrast to management information systems this system supports more non- routine decision making. They focus on problems that are unique and rapidly changing.For which the procedure for arriving at a solution may not be fully predefined in advance. Although this system uses internal information from both the above systems they often bring in data from external sources such as prices of competitors (Laudon K, 2012, 78) These systems use a variety of models to analyse the data and are designed so that users can work with them directly. The systems main concern is to provide interactive managerial decision making, support forecasting and â€Å"what-if† analysis and support business simulations.It can be used to assess staffing needs, analyse the l abour market and assess employee skills Executive support systems: Helps senior managers address questions like what will the employment level be in five years? They deal with non-routine decisions requiring judgement, evaluation and insight because there is no agreed procedure for arriving at a solution. This system presents graphs and data from many sources through an interface that is easy for senior managers to use.These systems are designed to incorporate data about external events such as new tax laws or competitors but they also use summarized information from internal management information systems and decision support systems (Laudon K, 2012, 80). The primary focus of this system is to provide aggregate high-level data, to helps managers with long term planning and support strategic direction and decisions. It can be used to assist HR managers with succession planning which means having a systematic process where managers identify, assess and develop their staff to make sur e they are ready to assume key roles within the company.Enterprise resource planning systems: are used to integrate business processes in human resources as well as manufacturing and production, finance and accounting and sales and marketing into a single system. Information that was previously separated into many different systems is stored into a single comprehensive system where it can be used in many different parts of the business. Managers are able to use firm-wide information to make more precise and timely decisions about daily operations and long term planning as well as share data across functional boundaries (Laudon K, 2012, 81).ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HRIS SYSTEMS Widespread Access Traditionally, records and archives have been created and maintained in paper form as physical objects. Their physical state limits access to a specific time and place: only one person can use a record at one time and only in one physical location. Producing multiple copies is expensiv e and time consuming, requiring access to photocopiers or printers. Duplication also leads to confusion about which of many versions of a document is the official record.Electronic records, on the other hand, can be shared widely and they can be accessed and used by several people at the same time, even if they are in different places. In environments where resources are scarce or distances are great, the ability to provide access to information without the boundaries of time or space can dramatically improve service, increase information sharing and enhance operations. In some countries, for example, the ability to share an electronic record among government offices in different parts of the country saves money and time.Copying and mailing or faxing documents across thousands of miles can become prohibitively expensive and can slow down operations and delay decisions and actions. But even in some less developed countries, governments today are installing computers in community outp osts in rural, underdeveloped areas so that people in the area can keep abreast of government activities and world events. Flexibility HRIS enhance flexibility in the creation, storage, use and management of information and records. In a paper environment, records are created, received and filed in one office, and they accumulate in one place.Electronic records can be stored remotely or on CD’s or flash discs, allowing people to share records and use their information resources more dynamically. Because so many people in an organisation can have access to electronically stored records at the same time, they can carry out their duties without being hindered by a lack of information. They also have better access to more up-to-date information, since they can access data such as electronic records on employees or databases directly. Efficiency and EffectivenessThe use of information technologies improves information handling and allows for the speedy retrieval of records and inf ormation through electronic search facilities. As a result, policy makers can make informed decisions quickly and efficiently, contributing to the effectiveness of the organisation. Further, when the retrieval of records and information happens swiftly and decisions are made on time, the image of the organisation improves as it is seen to be reliable, capable and responsive to the needs of its clients or the public.Certainly, if someone knows where records are stored, whether in paper or electronic form, he or she can retrieve them in good time, but too often knowledge about where manual records can be found maybe held by only one person in the organisation, and if he or she is not available then access to records is delayed. And once the volume of records reaches a certain point, no one person can ‘remember’ where everything is. Well-designed HRIS will facilitate easy retrieval of electronic information, improving the speed and quality of service.Economic Benefits In t he paper environment where records are physical objects, their accumulation requires ever-increasing amounts of space, including office space, shelves, filing cabinets and storage boxes. Several staff members may be needed to carry out routine procedural work such as filing documents and retrieving boxes. Through the use of new technologies, organisations are able to economise in terms of storage space, as HRIS can store large volumes of data and records in a small physical space.Database management systems, electronic mail systems, web and multimedia software programs are all good examples of information technologies that can store far more information than traditional paper records storage systems. In a well-managed organisation, it is also possible to manage staff resources more effectively. Much of the day-to-day work of filing and retrieval will be done by officers throughout the organisation as part of their daily routine, leaving time for other staff to participate more activ ely in activities such as appraisal.General Business Opportunities The professional image of an organisation can be enhanced by improved information flow, and the organisation may be able to take on more complex work because it is more efficient and cost-effective. HRIS can improve communications, reduce the loss of essential information, speed up the completion of projects and increase public awareness of the organisation. The use of technologies also exposes organisations to communities outside of their normal client base, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.Auditing Capabilities Well-designed records and document management systems also allow an organisation to regulate and oversee actions and decisions. Many HRIS include mechanisms to maintain audit trails, encouraging more accountable record keeping and promote compliance across the organisation. HRIS Disadvantages An HRIS also can be a problematic for small businesses in which some employees must wear many hats . If your company isn’t big enough to have a dedicated human resources technology specialist, consider outsourcing.Some of the disadvantages of an HRIS involve human error during information input, costly technology to update your system and malfunctions or insufficient applications to support your human resources needs. There is a demand for computer and technology specialists with general information technology knowledge, and finding a qualified specialist with human resources functional area knowledge can be difficult. With such a demand, your cost to hire an HRIS specialist may be far above the average salary for a computer technology specialist.The cost per-hire for another employee in a specialized field may be a stretch for some small businesses. CONCLUSION It is obvious as we move into the 21st century that data will drive an increasing number of business decisions and strategies. HRIS is an excellent example of an area where businesses can capitalize not only on admi nistrative cost savings, but also on leveraging a strategic advantage through information gathering, processing, and sharing.Despite certain potential pitfalls, it appears that HRIS are now today’s cutting-edge software for effective human resources management. We are only now beginning to realize the potential not only within the HR function, but organization-wide. What was once a future vision is reality and HR managers should jump aboard immediately. If they do not, the train is about to pick up speed rapidly, and they will be left behind. |

An e

An e Executive Summary This paper analyzes e-business at Walmart.com E-business is the carrying out of business on the Internet, not merely through buying and selling, but, as well, teaming up with business partners and serving clients.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on An e-Business Analysis of Walmart.com specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Wal-Mart was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, and the earliest Wal-Mart discount store became set up at Rogers Ark. The utilization of information technology was a vital element in the growth of Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart gets dedicated to assisting persons live better through leading on social matters that affect their consumers and partners. The company tackles society needs and support openings in workforce development, education, health, as well as environmental sustainability. Wal-Mart employs the WMS warehouse management software to follow its inventory via RFIDs radio frequency detectio n. This tracking method has vertically incorporated its supply chains and decreased inventory shelf phase. Besides, Wal Mart uses passive knowledge management systems like the EDI system. Wal-Mart employs two metrics including information sharing metrics and fulfillment systems metrics. Too much domestic Internet regulation makes significant qualms for businesses running on this international medium and has a distressing effect on business communication. Wal-Mart posses fire walls instituted to aid guard threats against the integrity and authenticity. Wal-Mart also employs a technology known as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL encrypts susceptible data ahead of the data transmission to the Internet. So as Wal-Mart can obtain orders to its clients promptly, the company uses an IDS which checks network traffic for invasion efforts, and reports such occurrences. Company History and Background, including Stage in the Company Life Cycle Wal-Mart was founded by Sam Walton in 1962. The firs t Wal-Mart discount store was set up at Rogers Ark. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. integrated into the business in 1969.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In 1970, Wal-Mart became public, and in 1972, the business became programmed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1977, Wal-Mart executed its earliest noteworthy achievement when it purchased 16 Mohr-Value stores in Illinois and Missouri. Wal-Mart expanded swiftly in the 1980s because of the fast development and diversification of the business (Hayden, Lee, McMahon, Pereir, 2002). Wal-Mart focused on small-towns before attempting to enter popular cities. The corporate management strategy of Wal-Mart entails vending superior quality and brand name commodities at the least value (Vance Roy, 1994). So as to maintain low prices, Wal-Mart reduces overheads by the use of superior warehousing and electronic technology. The co mpany as well agrees on deals for products from producers, directly getting rid of the middleman (Vance Roy, 1994). Wal-Mart is the leading retail store in America which is bigger than any other retail corporation all around the globe. Nowadays, Wal-Mart runs above 4,150 retail facilities all over the world (Hayden, Lee, McMahon, Pereir, 2002). Wal-Mart holds the first position categorized by its entire sales. Wal-Mart offers broad products including health beauty aids, family apparel, electronics, household needs, crafts, toys, fabrics, shoes and jewelry. Wal-Mart is at the stage of rapid growth in the companys life cycle (Higgins, 2007). Wal-Mart increased its revenues to $421.8 billion for its financial year ending January 2011; more than 3 percent compared to earlier year sales of $408 billion (Cope, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on An e-Business Analysis of Walmart.com specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While the rate of growth lessened for Wal-Mart throughout 2010 and 2011, it still increased by over $13 billion in a stressed economy (Cope, 2012). The Need(s) the Company Addresses and the Customers it pursues Wal-Mart gets dedicated to assisting persons live better through leading on social matters that affect their consumers and partners. The company tackles society needs and support openings in workforce development, education, health, as well as, environmental sustainability. Wal-Mart, besides, supports persons with disabilities, catastrophe relief efforts and veterans/military families. Wal-Mart supplies its customers and associates over 200 million clients in around 10,130 retail units, which fall under 69 diverse banners in 27 states, every week (Ayers Odegaard, 2007). The Role of the Internet in Strategy/ Knowledge Management Strategies the Company Uses The roles of the new digital world strike every industry. Each action, which customers make, can be examined to make enhanced commodities and intelligent demographic promotion. The benefits of enhanced technologies touch even those who do not participate via the internet. Wal-Mart employs the WMS warehouse management software to follow its inventory via RFIDs radio frequency detection (Piasecki, 2006, July). This tracking method has vertically incorporated its supply chains and decreased inventory shelf phase. Such savings get conceded on to all customers, irrespective of whether they utilize the internet. Wal-Mart uses passive knowledge management systems like the EDI system. Such knowledge management systems can be differentiated by their focus on the â€Å"present† and apt to become used with channel affiliates like suppliers, in order to plan component deliveries narrowly, cut inventories, lessen cycle phase and reduce the costs of production depending on the existing behavior of sellers and buyers. EC Metrics that Wal-Mart Employs Wal-Mart employs two metrics, including information sh aring metrics and fulfillment systems metrics.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Information sharing metrics determine the capability of the website to gather and analyze data on clients or products, flawlessly, in offline and online channels (Troy, 2008). For instance, Wal-Mart lets its clients access their accounts both offline and online. Fulfillment systems metrics mention a company’s capacity to deliver on a client’s order, regardless of whether the order became sited offline or online. For instance, Wal-Mart allows its customers to confirm their order condition both online and offline, irrespective of the means that they have used for making the order. The Online User Types for Wal-Mart and the E-Commerce Considerations The online users of Wal-Mart include clients and other commercial computer users. Wal-Mart utilizes an Ethernet card, which is the most popular network interface card. This card links to a switch or center, which enables individuals to utilize cables with diverse wiring. At a relatively small charge, Wal-Mart stores can utiliz e links between adjoining stores and amid workers. Some e-commerce considerations include first impression, visibility of merchandise, rotation of the inventory and recording of names of emails. First, the home page for the site must be striking and clean, as well as, be first enough, so as not make the client wait for a long duration. Second, the picture of the product should be clearly visible on the internet. Third, different products should be featured and promoted daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the volume of sales. Lastly, names of buyers or other clients who log in into the websites should be recorded. To conduct a credit card order using the Internet, the client must complete a small form including the name and address. For Wal-Mart and other business, this acts as a perfect chance to maintain contact with their customers. The Impact of Internet Regulation Too much domestic Internet regulation makes significant qualms for businesses running on this international medi um and has a distressing effect on business communication. Censorship, for instance, has several limitations. Wal-Mart values products that are friendly to the family (Quinn, 2000). Hence, if a TV-show, series or film has â€Å"mature content, the corporation will be reluctant to stock and sale it Hayden, Lee, McMahon, Pereir, 2002). This is a source of criticism, to the company, from a range of groups. EC Security that Wal-Mart Uses The main values of network security include authenticity, integrity, availability and confidentiality. Authenticity implies that data originates from the claimed source. Integrity means that the information has not been distorted. Wal-Mart posses fire walls instituted to aid to guard threats against the integrity and authenticity. Confidentiality implies that data can be acquired merely by those who get an access. Wal-Mart employs a technology known as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL encrypts susceptible data ahead of the data transmission to the Inte rnet. Availability implies that a resource or service is accessible when required. So as Wal-Mart can obtain orders to its clients promptly, they use an IDS which checks network traffic for invasion efforts, and reports such occurrences. Prevention and intrusion exposure systems operate through having information regarding various network attacks and tracking an attack that is upcoming. Competitive Advantage that Technology can Provide Wal-mart The utilization of information technology was a vital element in the growth of Wal-Mart. Ten years ago, Wal-Mart pursued K-Mart, which could allow low wholesale prices because of its volume. An ingredient of Wal-Marts tactic for coming up was a point-of-sale system, a programmed system that makes out every item vended, locates its price in a programmed database, makes and correct sales receipt for the buyer, and keeps this item-by-item sales data for utilization in scrutinizing sales and reorganizing inventory. Efficient use of this data enab les Wal-Mart to shun overstocking through realizing what product is selling slowly apart from handling data competently. Wal-Mart employs telecommunications to connect directly from its supplies to its main computer system and, then, to the computers of its suppliers. This enables superior coordination and automatic reordering. Coordinating directly with suppliers and being aware of what is selling well precisely enable Wal-Mart to use less money in inventory as compared to most of their rivals. Barriers to Global E-commerce First, government regulations and legal restrictions interfere with global e-commerce. Such regulation involves the content that a company can post to the internet, as well as copy right issues. Such laws are usually local, although e-commerce is worldwide. Second, language barriers obstruct global e-commerce. Most of the material on the internet is written in English; however, not everyone who knows this language. Business client on the internet are apt to proc ure commodities when the Web site uses their language. Cultural barriers obstructs global e-commerce as well. Cultural practices and customs can hinder the use of the Internet. In most Confucius nations, business becomes carried out on a private basis. It is difficult to become identifiable with local markets on top of local cultures through the internet. The fourth barrier is the ownership of personal computers. In several rising markets, possession of personal computers is low. Hence, slow Internet access is a key predicament in several states. Lastly, high costs of Internet access in several nations may discourage users. Internet access rates differ across states. References Ayers, J. B., Odegaard, M. A. (2007). Retail supply chain management. London, UK: Averbach Publications. Cope, K. (2012, February 23). Growth and the business life cycle. Retrieved from http://blog.eonetwork.org/2012/02/growth-and-the-business-life-cycle-2/ Hayden, P., Lee, S., McMahon, K., Pereir, M. (2002 , September). Wal-Mart: Staying on Top of the Fortune 500. Web. Higgins, R.C. (2007). Analysis for financial management. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Piasecki, D. (2006, June 16). Warehouse management systems. Retrieved from https://www.inventoryops.com/warehouse_management_systems.htm Quinn, B. (2000). How Wal-Mart is destroying America and the world. Berkeley CA: Ten Speed Press. Troy, M. (2008). The Worlds largest retailer. London: Sage. Vance, S.S. Roy, V. S. (1994). Wal-Mart. a history of Sam Waltons retail phenomenon. New York. Twayne Publishing.

Latin MusicHere to Stay or Gone Tomorrow essays

Latin MusicHere to Stay or Gone Tomorrow essays Thesis sentence: The music industry has experienced a drastic impact as a result of the rise in Latino Music. The increased popularity shows a rise in CD purchases, Latino stardom, and the ethnic values of an old culture. The impact has also influenced relations between the United States and Latin America. I. Latin American music represents the Hispanic culture of the artist. II. The artists express individuality influenced by the region they came from, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Chili, or Brazil. III. While Latin hits top the charts in the United States the musicians influence: A. Issues surrounding differences in American and Latin culture. B. Politics and policies in the United States that have had a long affect on Hispanic social acceptance issues. IV. Critics review the increase in popularity of Latin music as temporary and will decline in time stating. An essential element of a great era is rated by the amount of time the musician spends in the studio. A. Lengthy production time will cause a decline in sales. B. BMG and EMI are two of the famous music labels making investments in the Latin Music craze. The music industry has experienced a drastic impact as a result of the rise in Latino Music. The increased popularity shows a rise in CD purchases, Latino stardom, and the ethnic values of an old culture. The impact has also influenced relations between the United States and Latin America. The cultural expression in the music and popularity of artists have paved the way, or broken the ice for the Latin image in the United States and surrounding continents. Author John Lannert, whose works are the most up to date on the subject asks the question ...will the current passion for Latino artists be ultimately deemed a summer fling? (Lannert, Latin). In order to examine the effects of this trend, one must understand where this culture has originated their music expressions and content. The relation bet...

The Best and Worst States to Make a Living

The Best and Worst States to Make a Living We’ve all heard about the American Dream, right? It’s a lovely concept that has driven millions of people to set up their lives and careers all over the country. It speaks to the hard work that people do every day, hustling to maintain the best life possible for themselves and their families. The only trouble with â€Å"the American Dream† as a notion is that the U.S. is made up of 50 distinct entities, each with its own government, culture, and set of challenges. So career opportunities are not always created equally. Some states are definitely more hospitable to career growth and maintenance than others. Every year, the personal finance and investing site MoneyRates publishes the results of their research on the best and worst states to make a living. This is not to say that the â€Å"worst† states should be shunned, or that you should pack your bags immediately and move to the â€Å"best† ones. But MoneyRates has evaluated five of the most crucia l, career-impacting factors to help you make an informed decision about where you want to be:Cost of LivingWorkplace safetyState tax burdensMedian wagesUnemployment ratesThese ratings are designed to help you decide where you should be, depending on your job priorities and goals.The 10 BestFirst, the good news†¦let’s look at the top-rated states for making a living for 2017.1. WashingtonWashington sits at the top of the poll after knocking out six-time champ Wyoming (now #6). Although it has a fairly high cost of living (about 7% higher than other states), other factors helped elevate it above the crowd this year, like high median wages, and solid employment rates and workplace safety. Washington also does not have a tax on wages, which makes it appealing as well.2. MinnesotaIf you can handle cold winters, Minnesota is a good choice for people seeking work. Its high median wages (it’s in the top ten), low unemployment rate, and low number of workplace safety issue s make it a welcoming place to start your career, or make the jump to a new level. MoneyRates notes that Minnesota’s state tax is the fifth-highest in the country, however, so those high wages do come with a catch.3. IllinoisIllinois is a good all-around candidate, scoring above the median in cost of living, state tax burdens, workplace safety, and median wages. The fly in the ointment: its unemployment rate of 4.9%.4. TexasDon’t mess with it. Texas consistently ranks highly in this study year over year, including a #1 finish in 2015. Texas’s shining metrics are its low cost of living (significantly lower than the national average) and the fact that workers do not pay state income tax on their wages. These benefits come with a caveat, though: Texas’s unemployment rate is the tenth highest in the U.S., so that is definitely something to consider if you’re looking to change jobs without having one in the works already.5. ColoradoAlthough it’s home to some of the best skiing in the country, Colorado offers more to potential employees than its outdoorsy mountain charm. Colorado earns its place on the list by having the lowest unemployment rate in the country, 2.6%. The state ranked 11th on the list of states with the highest median wages, and if you’re a fan of the movie This is Spinal Tap, that is basically the same as finishing in the top ten. Colorado’s low unemployment and high wages are balanced out somewhat by its higher cost of living and taxes paid by workers.6. WyomingThe previous â€Å"best in show† from 2016, Wyoming is still a contender- however, it lost some of its standing by an uptick in workplace safety incidents after the list was expanded to include both fatal and non-fatal incidents. Given that Wyoming’s top industries include mining, manufacturing, and logistics, this fact may be dismaying, but not entirely surprising. If you are in a lower-risk industry, then Wyoming can be a great place to make a living, with a strong median wage, no state income tax, and a low cost of living.7. VirginiaVirginia is for lovers, as the tourism slogan goes, but it turns out it’s also for workers. Like many of the top ten, Virginia is a state that gets consistently high marks year after year. It’s a large state with diverse industries, and has above-average wage and unemployment rates. The state tax burden is high (perhaps keeping it from the upper echelons of the top ten), but it has a top 5 workplace safety ranking.8. OhioThe factors that sealed Ohio’s place in the top ten are two big ones: low cost of living and low state income tax burden. This means that although the state is about average when it comes to wages, that money can go farther than it might in other states. As with Texas, however, the unemployment rate may give you pause: at 5.1%, it’s the fifth-worst unemployment rate in the country.9. MichiganIf you love college football, the n Michigan just might be the place for you. While there, you would also enjoy a reasonable cost of living, strong median wage, and safe workplace. However, its state income tax is higher than other states, which keeps it from being at the top.10. KansasThere’s no place like home, right? If you’re thinking of clicking your heels and heading to Kansas, you’d be selecting a highly affordable state with a very low unemployment rate of 3.8% (lower than the national average). Kansas’s best feature is its cost of living, which is the eighth best of any state.The 10 WorstNow the less-good news. These are the ten states deemed to be the worst for making a living.1. HawaiiIt turns out that living in tropical paradise doesn’t come cheap. Hawaii features a high median wage (the tenth-highest of all states) and a low overall unemployment rate, but also has a very high cost of living and a very high state income tax burden. Hawaii has the dubious distinction of being the worst state for making a living for the past seven years.2. CaliforniaIf you’ve been humming â€Å"California, Here I Come† and thinking about making a permanent scenery change to the West Coast, the state’s performance on the survey may cause you to put a pin in it. California’s high cost of living is Hawaii-esque, and workers in the state pay high income taxes.3. MontanaKnown for its rugged terrain and independent spirit, working in Montana can be risky. The state is the third worst state in the ranking of workplace safety, thanks to injuries and workplace fatalities. The state also has a low median salary, placing in the bottom ten among all states.4. West VirginiaLike Montana, West Virginia earned its spot near the bottom with risky working conditions and low wages. The cost of living is relatively low, but this is not supported by other factors as it is in the states ranked higher on the list.5. VermontAlthough it has a low unemployment rat e (it’s among the top ten in the country in that regard), Vermont also has a very high cost of living (it’s among the bottom ten in the country in that regard).6. OregonKnown for its Pacific Northwest charm (and, more recently, its hipster cred thanks to Portlandia), Oregon unfortunately also has a high cost of living. It’s also the dubious winner of the â€Å"highest state tax burden† prize, ranking dead last of all the states.7. South CarolinaSouthern charm aside, South Carolina ranks low in almost all of the metrics measured by MoneyRates: median wages, state income tax burden, and workplace safety, specifically.8. MaineWhile Maine has many coastal charms (and the best lobster rolls you’re likely to find anywhere), its cost of living and state income tax burdens are among the higher ones on the list.9. New YorkFrank Sinatra might disagree about the inhospitability of his beloved home city, but as a state New York’s high cost of living (pa rticularly in the metro areas) and very high state income taxes counteract its high median wages.10. MississippiMississippi’s affordable cost of living is unfortunately counteracted by its low median wage and dismal workplace safety ratings.Again, whether you want to move somewhere might be based on factors outside of the ones evaluated here. Your career is about what works best for you, but the best asset you have is information, so it’s in your best interest to take metrics like these into account when you’re making major life and relocation decisions.

Wind Shield Survey Community Assessment of a community in Queens , NY Term Paper

Wind Shield Survey Community Assessment of a community in Queens , NY - Term Paper Example The Wind Shield survey is a health client community that conducts surveys on continuing and comprehensive practices that are preventive, curative and rehabilitative. It also assesses the method in which a series of questions are used to collect data for analysis of specific group or area. The philosophy of care is based on the belief that health cares are directed to individual, family and the communities contribute to the health care of a population as a whole . Community parameters and history of community client The involvement of consumers of health care is encouraged in the development of community activities that contribute to the promotion of education and maintenance of good health. In order to achieve these activities, a comprehensive health programs are required that pay a special attention to social and ecological influences and specific population that is at a risk. As a community client, nurses should focus on environmental features such as physical, cultural, psychosoci al and political features that ensure good health of the population. As a matter of fact, Zuckerman (1998) adds that community client is not restricted to provision of health care to a particular age or diagnostic group but the health nurse is practicing their profession to all people without any biases. A healthy community is one that makes wise use of its resources and is prepared to meet the dangers and threats that may arise as a result of factors encountered when dealing with health problems. This has been the mandate and the aim of the community client over a quite a long time to ensure a mutual relationship between the community and the location . Community client and Windshield Survey assessment According to the ideas presented by Joint Commission Resources, Inc. (2008), they put it that in assessing the performance of Wind Shield survey in New York, a close examination of the original survey data on beneficiary is needed. According to our expectations, the general satisfact ion with the WindShield survey intervention should be high. However, the evidence was found that the endeavor of the WindShield survey to redress the balance between the rich and the poor communities was fairly satisfactory . There was a neglect of the isolated communities possibly due to cost reasons and that the accessibility of the WindShield Survey to beneficiary communities is lower in poor communities. As asserted by Shi and Singh, (2010), these factors significantly reduced the client community satisfaction with Windshield survey. The levels of Windshield survey induced community participation in decision making which also varied with some evidence that participation has an effect on community satisfaction Joint Commission Resources, Inc. (2008).Among the dissatisfaction that the members of the Windshield survey were accused of were self-serving, unresponsive and less than good in whatever they were doing. Assessment of Windshield Survey workers was also done. This was obtain ed through evaluation of the physicians and other professionals caring for the client . With the principles of continuity of care in mind, the nurses’ assessment on condition of care and treatment was done. Also all individuals receiving Medicare were also assessed using the OASIS guidelines. OASIS is an assessment tool developed to measure the outcomes of persons receiving the home health care. After this, assessment of the family was carried out as asserted by Shi