Feminism in South Park

Introduction South Park has been around for a while now. Since it was aired for the first time on 13th August 1997, the show has constantly pushed the boundaries taking on everything, leaving out nothing. The reception among the wider population and the media had a wide range from â€Å"shocking† to â€Å"excellent†. One of the aspects of this success story is that, because of its provocative tone the show has managed to stay in the limelight.Public debate was evolving around certain episodes, bringing more and more attention to the show. As it was constantly picking up contemporary themes, topics or events, expectations were growing and â€Å"‘How will South Park deal with x' has become a common catch phrase† Oohnson-Woods 257). Another reason why South Park is so appealing is its humour which is absolutely unrestricted and irreverent Oohnson-Woods 257). Seemingly, the creators of the show do not set any boundaries for themselves, taking on everything and everybody.Even public fgures and celebrities are not spared. The viewer witnesses events like Barbara Streisand mutating into a giant, destructive monster, Martha Stewart taking a turkey up her ectum, or Ben Affleck having a sexual affair with a nine-year old boy. People apparently enjoy the stylistic, humorous and critical social approach of the show, making it the most successful satire so far. Being full of toilet humour and foul language, South Park is pushing â€Å"the boundaries of good taste. Few shows have dared to go where South Park goes† Oohnson-Woods 244). It is also full of introspect and unbiased social commentary' (Khodasevich 2) and is characterized by its libertarian attitude, which is granting freedom to everyone and especially to itself. As it is a satirical approach to social conventions. South Park tries to make a point on various discourses within our society by â€Å"filtering these problems through children† Oohnson-Woods 163, 164). These childr en are a group of elementary school boys, namely Stan Marsh, the normal kid, Kyle Broflovski, a Jew, Eric Cartman, the fat and selfish kid and Kenny McCormick, who is the timid kid dying in every episode without further recognition.There's also several other characters that get developed throughout the seasons. However, it is interesting to point out that it is mostly male characters that grow. Female characters in the show are prevalently portrayed â€Å"as he boys mothers, classmates, and authority fgures†, and do â€Å"rarely develop past a specific role† (Khodasevich 2). This very fact, among others, â€Å"raises many red flags† among feminists (Miller 177). Furthermore feminist criticism is extended to the vulgar language and the derogatory words that are used in labelling females.Also the prevalent sexual inequality between men and women, namely the sexual objectification that is supposedly depicted makes the show a target for feminist criticism. So seemin gly, feminists rarely do belong to the wide fan-base of the show. However, the show is actually, despite the hateful, vulgar, and derogatory language which is often misinterpreted and misunderstood and therefore labeled misogynist, incorporating feminist standpoints and theories like the objectification of women, patriarchal views and stereotypical gender roles, and strongly supporting them.As sometimes† (177). 2. South Park and Feminism â€Å"South Park is a show that can either be considered as â€Å"cruelly funny and hysterically satirical [†¦ that] took animation one step backwards and five steps forward intellectually,† or as â€Å"degrading toilet humour, depending on your point of iew' Oohnson-Woods X'). This description by Johnson-Woods is perfectly serving as a transition to the main part of this paper. Is it â€Å"intellectually' challenging or is it simply â€Å"degrading† nonsense that feminists and feminist critics can not endorse? . 1 Use of Language Many feminist critics are focused on the derogatory and vulgar language in South Park. The choice of words is, for the most part of the series, bound to swearing and oaths which are mainly used by the male charactersl . Words like â€Å"bitch†, â€Å"whore† â€Å"chicks† or â€Å"cunt† are seen as generalizing terms for women, used to degrade their tatus within in the series and thereof for women in real life. This assumption might be conceivable, as most women in the TV-show are far from using comparable phrases to describe men.There are simply less words which would have the same descriptive and generalizing effect as the above-mentioned terms used for women. However, women in South Park are not expelled from using derogatory and vulgar language. Robin Lakoffwrote in his book Language and Woman's Place that little girls should not use rough language like boys because this would not enhance their status and prestige among men within the patriar chal system. In fact it would expose females to ridicule and ostracising (5).Within this scope South Park makes a feminist stand in â€Å"Tom's Rhinoplasty' (episode 11 of the first season). When Wendy Testaburger is, driven by Jealousy to the new class teacher Ms Ellen approaching her after class to have a word with her, she Just explodes with furious swearing and threatening. Wendy: Miss Ellen, can I talk to you Ms. Ellen: Of course Wendy. Wendy: I couldn't help but notice that you taking a liking in my boyfriend Stan Ms. Ellen: Well IVe taken a liking in all of you. You're all so young and cute and full of life.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

In â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses several writing techniques. There are two that are used predominately in his famous letter. To clarify his strategy the reader has to first understand the intended audience of his letter. The document is addressed to â€Å"My Dear Fellow Clergymen. † Then to look at the letter a little deeper – it is not only the who the letter is addressed – but the position of those to who the letter is addressed. The recipients of this letter do not agree with Dr. Marti Luther King Jr’s actions.Dr. King uses the writing techniques of exposition and description in this letter to his fellow pastors. Dr. King is defending his actions to his fellow pastors. To do this he has to describe why he is doing what he is doing and then expand on these ideas and actions. The first technique I will prevail on is that of expository writing. Dr. King is communicating to concerned clergy what he firmly belie ves. What his ideas and dreams are for the movement. Dr. King goes beyond description in this letter. He finds words to ensure the readers understand his ideas. Although the recipients of his letter disagree with his actions Dr. King draws out again that, â€Å"Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever.The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (King). He digs deep within his heart to share his readers what he is feeling, his pain, his torment, his anger, his joy, his hope – and even his love. Dr. King holds nothing back in sharing his ideas and his inner most feelings. The next technique used in this letter is that of description. Dr. King goes into great detail describing what he and the movement are doing. What and why they have done 1 things that some don’t agree with. He at no time apologizes for the actions he has taken – he is merely describing what led him to take these certain actions. At one point in theletter he describ es his feeling of how he came to be at the front of the civil rights movement. He goes on to describe the event that led to his leadership role. He states â€Å"When I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama, a few years ago†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dr. King was very effective in his technique and strategy of writing. He relates many activities the movement has been involved in. He shares some of the stories of those he has met and stood side by side with. The letter describes his dreams of a better America.He describes not only a 72 year old lady in Alabama – bet expands on why she is doing what she is doing. Because her feet are tired†¦. In thirty nine paragraphs and using less than 7,000 words (6,898) – Dr. King shares from a single jail cell in central Alabama the very essence of the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960‘s. He describes to his readers not only what he is doing as part of that movement and why he i s doing these things. More importantly – through exposition writing the reader understands exactly who the movement is for. As a reader of this letter I could see the entire movement unfold up to that point from his cell. I could also from benefit of history see where that movement was going.From a bus ride in Montgomery, to a cell in Birmingham, on to speaking in front of a National Monument and a finally a wave from a balcony in Memphis. Was he successful in his writing strategy and techniques? The lunch counter signs are gone – there are not notes at water fountains – and let’s not forget who just moved into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 2 Bibliography King, M. L. Jr. (1963). University of Pennsylvania: African Studies Center. Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Retrieved February 18, 2009, from, http://www. africa. upenn. edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham. html

First Amendment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

First Amendment - Essay Example Speech, as defined by the Constitution is not limited to the spoken word. It can be an expression or idea. Symbolic speech, as it is often referred to, includes various types of nonverbal communications such as peaceful protests, campaign signs in the front yard and burning the American flag. Yes, burning the flag is a legal expression of free speech. The Supreme Court, through years of rulings, has clearly defined the parameters of free speech. For example in 1969 Brandenburg v. Ohio case the Court ruled that government could not forbid speech that encourages subversive or illegal activity unless that â€Å"advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action.† (Brandenburg v. Ohio, 1969) Using Brandenburg as precedent the Supreme Court ruled the government could not prosecute a Vietnam draft dodger who said â€Å"if they ever make me carry a rifle, the first man I want in my sights is L.B.J.† in Watts v. U.S. (1969). ... A person risks their life in many other countries for much less flagrant self expressive speech than that. The right to free speech is not all-inclusive however. The Court has ruled speech which damages another person’s reputation or defamation including both slander and libel is actionable in court. (Cohen, 2009). â€Å"Defamation law attempts to balance the freedom of speech and open exchange of ideas without giving someone permission to run around spreading lies about another that may harm his or her reputation, ability to earn a living, etc.† (Fabio, 2009). Merely expressing an opinion, however, is not regarded as defamation. Factual statements can only be considered defamatory. Public figures such as celebrities and government officials have not enjoyed the same level of protection under defamation laws. For those in the â€Å"public eye† actual malice toward that person by the speaker must be demonstrated in order to prevail on a defamation claim. (Cohen, 2 009). This is the reason we see so many celebrity tabloids with outrageous headlines in he checkout lanes in grocery stores. It’s much tougher for celebrities to win a lawsuit than the general public. Most forms of speech are covered by the First Amendment but besides defamation other types of speech may be legally restricted and civil litigation initiated based on these restrictions. The Supreme Court has set guidlelines for these other types of speech such as obscenity, causing panic, incitement to crime, sedition, fighting words and hate speech. The test for obscene speech established by the Court is (a) whether that spoken word or expression of speech such as artwork is regarded by the average person as being erotic, (b) whether the words or art depicts acts that are obviously offensive, and (c)

The Nature Conservancy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Nature Conservancy - Case Study Example This paper illustrates that the conservancy used the buck and Acre approach where the buck represented fundraising efforts while Acre was the number of acres under protection. Over time they realized consistent discrepancies between their mission and the outcome measures. The number of acreage under the conservancy did not necessarily translate to the preservation of biological diversity which was its core mission. The organization adopted a scientific method of analyzing the outcome. The approach involved four principles namely, setting up of priorities, designing strategies, implementation, and measuring of success. The extensive analysis of the success as defined by the mission statement of the organization was able to clearly bring out the impact better than buck and acre approach. The strength of this approach lies in its ability to give a systematic formula of arriving at the desired outcome. The setting of goals gives specific outcomes against which the organization will be as sessed. The strategies adopted to achieve the outcome can be designed to suit the resources available without wastage and promoting efficiency. The measure of the targeted success is focused on the initial targeted goals and therefore easy to measure the impact of the organization as per its set goals. The approach enables an organization to maintain focus to its goals which are normally difficult to achieve in the nonprofit organization. Various stakeholders in such organizations have the different interest which derails from their core mission. Unlike in profit-making organizations where different stakeholders are unified by the need to make the profit, a nonprofit organization has multiple visions. The mandate of the nonprofit organization is always broad and cannot be narrowed to few goals.

HIV and Communicable diseases Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HIV and Communicable diseases - Article Example The efforts that it takes to diagnose an individual with HIV and further its treatment are relatively higher for which a great deal of time is needed. It should be noted that there are a number of risk behaviors that are associate with the AIDS treatment. The authors have highlighted different kinds risk behaviors that is more likely to affect various developmental systems of the human body (Schreibman and Friedland). Furthermore, the authors have noted that there is much assistance required for helping the health care practitioners to understand the treatment methods of AIDS. It is because there are different variations in behavior which may differ from gender to gender. There are a number of risks which are associated with the spread of AIDS which have also been studied by the authors. Victims of HIV AIDS are more likely to get affected by other STDs for which the body may not be able to develop

Are social networks a positive phenomenon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Are social networks a positive phenomenon - Essay Example When considering the nature of social networking as a phenomenon or lasting element of culture, one must consider the means by which networking has already made a significant impact within society. In these regards, perhaps the most important or meaningful can be found within the field of education. Within education social networking has taken hold in many classroom environments through innovative learning solutions. One such example is that of the networking device Ning. Teachers throughout the country have been able to implement Ning to advance classroom project collaboration in functional and innovative ways. For instance, one such method of collaborative processing has been shown to occur in English classrooms when the instructor is able to assign homework to students through this messaging system, allowing them to collaboratively brainstorm projects, and to seek advice from each other on challenging passages and group projects (Fraser & Dutta, 2008). While such collaborative thi nking was previously relegated to the classroom environment it is now able to be carried over to homework situations. This has expanded the intellectual reaches of the classroom and made social networking an essential aspect of this process (Dede, 2005). ... In these regards one must only consider how a platform such as Facebook has brought individuals into contact with each other throughout the nation and world. While only a decade ago immediate social communication with individuals in another country could only be conducted through email or telephone, Facebook and Twitter allow individuals to remain in contact with each other through indirect yet strong and profound means. This not only constitutes a means of communicating that is on par with the previously mentioned means of communication, but functions as an entirely unique form of socialization. Through these social networking platforms individuals can readily meet people through the world and communicate not simply through verbal dialogue, but engage in self-expression through pictures and songs. This means of communication allows for newfound means of interaction and expression that goes beyond past forms of social communication, advancing knowledge of the world through improved c ollaboration. Perhaps the most pressing question of social networking is not whether it will be considered a phenomenon, but in what forms it will evolve. As has been demonstrated social networking is a vital element of contemporary culture and not merely a trend, yet it is also clear that networking is constantly evolving. When one considers that past forms of networking communication as embodied in MySpace and Friendster quickly gave out to the more functional Facebook, it should come as no surprise that social networking as a solid definitive aspect of culture must evolve into a form of communication that is even more advanced than current networking

Surveillance for protection or surveillance for control Thesis

Surveillance for protection or surveillance for control - Thesis Example Despite the fact that surveillance has been necessitated by serious underpinnings such as security, law enforcement and technological advancement, there is still a considerable ambivalence towards the same, with a larger fraction being indifferent about the same, with others resisting. This paper explores the concept of surveillance as it applies to art within an ethical or a necessary tool in combating social ills. Recent developments in the world have continually advanced the idea of huge benefits that is apparent with a network of technology, and the impetus to this implies that people should appreciate and participate rather than protest. Each and every person is wired differently and the mysterious artist Bansky represents a form of post modern reflexive, this means that they have a self awareness and soberly part of a process of individual perception and that of the society in a deconstructive manner1. That is they will never accept the state of affairs as provided, but will have a reason to go against the establishment. However, surveillance given its benefits remains controversial, as privacy rights fall deeply in the interest and considerations of many a people. In Britain, for instance, the use of surveillance and surveillance cameras, especially the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras immediately appear to be helpful in abating, arresting and thwarting crime. Nonetheles s ethical considerations for the use of surveillance cameras have been a thorn in the flesh of the establishment, particularly profiling of certain people who share similar features. The case for more protection and security in the midst of increased terror activities directed towards western countries, and the need to put behind bars those deemed by the society as being harmful towards mutual coexistence is equally strong. Though surveillance of persons in Britain is

Lenin's The State and Revolution critical summary Essay

Lenin's The State and Revolution critical summary - Essay Example For many Marxists, grasping the essence of State and Revolution is regarded as the hallmark of genuine communists. The social analysis presented by Lenin ultimately justifies violent revolution. Lenin explains that those who continue to claim that they are Marxists too are exposed as fraud if they dispute the concept that only a violent uprising led by the proletariat and participated by all working masses can bring about the downfall of the bourgeoisie and lead to the construction of a new society where the majority are indeed superior to the minority, one that is also the cornerstone for the achievement of communism in the future. Lenin’s articulation is not just based on the earlier works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels though. This is also a by-product of the actual revolutionary experiences in Germany and France. Because of this, his ideas are not entirely new but are the more timely and practical perspective of Marxism. However, not everyone, even among the ranks of th ose who claim to be socialists, appreciate the points raised by Lenin. Even as he presented his criticisms against the reformists and the anarchists alike, his concepts were also heavily bombarded by the very people he criticized. From whatever perspective, whether left or right, State and Revolution is undoubtedly one of the foremost texts that shape theories useful in political science. This means that it is definitely not just the Marxists or the revolutionaries who should comprehend its meaning. The State: Establishment and ‘Withering Away’ In the first chapter of State and Revolution, Lenin reiterated the essential point raised by Engels regarding the principal character of the state. In defining the state, he merely re-emphasized Engels’ theory that it is a reflection of the reality that class antagonisms could be resolved in societies according to the current level of historical development. In Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State, Engels points out that the state â€Å"is a product of society at a certain stage of development; it is the admission that this society has become entangled in an insoluble contradiction with itself, that it has split into irreconcilable antagonisms which it is powerless to dispel† (Engels, 2004, p.157). Social hierarchy as represented by the government is a means of instilling order, one that favors the economic elite, the bourgeoisie. It is precisely because there is a majority of working masses that need to be oppressed to instill subservience that the state creates armed components such as the armed forces and the police, aided by the judiciary and the penal system. The state, as Lenin explains, is therefore an instrument of those who are dominant also in the economic sphere. It is a coercive mechanism that is employed by the bourgeoisie in order to maintain its power seemingly, at first, in the sphere of politics. However, it ultimately serves as weapon against those who may wa nt to change the status quo in the economy and production as well. However, the establishment of the state apparently does not resolve contradictions among the classes. Instead, it only sharpens these to the point that the oppressed and exploited would deem it necessary to wage a revolution. Lenin clarifies that revolutions are not just abnormal reactions of the masses to intense oppression and exploitation. Revolutions occur as a natural response to the realities of class antagonisms. Therefore, for as long as classes

Discuss 3 health promotion opportunities applicable Assignment

Discuss 3 health promotion opportunities applicable - Assignment Example The health problems that the patients were facing occurred due to excessive alcohol usage, excessive smoking, as well as obesity. A couple of patients underwent lung failure due to smoking whereas others were suffering from liver inflammation due to excessive alcohol usage and obesity. Fortunately, all the patients were in normal mental state therefore communication was easier. The patients primarily required counseling and amendments in daily habits. While entering a clinical placement, everything seems to take a completely different meaning. Life of patients depends upon the interventions and actions provided by healthcare professionals. During my interaction with all my patients, they began to express their experiences and medical history with me. The patients seemed to have fear of physical dependence and such fears must be addressed through communication, counseling, and compassion. Hope and moral support was vital in order to deal with such cases. When it comes to placement setting, if learners do not feel supported in the environment then it becomes difficult to participate in necessary communication for patients care and learning objective of students. The placement setting of ABC Nursing Home was more organized and the staff was very cooperative. The staff assigned wards and patients to us. Furthermore, they ensured that all learners receive handover sheets and tea breaks with other team members. Staff assigned responsibilities such as setting up the environment and trolley, comforting and positioning the patients, reviewing the policy and order etc. These two factors proved to be positive contributors in personal learning. Smoking is known to have severe effects on individuals. In UK, nearly 100,000 deaths are caused by smoking. The major health effects of smoking include coronary heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, as well as

Hsc Mod C Julius Caesar Essay Example for Free

Hsc Mod C Julius Caesar Essay Composers of texts present a biased attitude to the events, personalities or situations represented. In various texts such as Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar† and Leunig’s cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption†, the composers bias is evident even though conflicting perspectives towards the personality are presented. Although conflicting perspectives are present in Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar†, the composers bias is still evident. Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar† is a play which reflected the anxiety of England over succession of leadership. When the play was written in 1599, intense censorship prevailed and Shakespeare chose Caesar’s story in order to convey significant ideas and messages to the Elizabethan audience about the importance of strong leadership. Shakespeare’s biased attitude is evident throughout the course of the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as perspectives of Caesar differs greatly. The representation of multiple conflicting perspectives in â€Å"Julius Caesar† does not ensure that the text remains unbiased in its portrayal of personalities. Conflicting perspectives are used in â€Å"Julius Caesar† to build dramatic tension, within the group of conspirators as well as those who oppose them. In the beginning, Shakespeare manipulates us to take on the conspirators’ view of Caesar as an egomaniac dictator whom is ruthless, cunning and overall intolerable. This view is depicted in Act I Scene II of the play whereby Flavius and Murellus are killed for breaking up celebrations on Caesar becoming king â€Å"Murellus and Flavius, for pulling scarves of Caesars images, are put to silence. Fare you well†. Caesars arrogance and egotistical nature can be seen through his language which is autocratic and imperative throughout the play â€Å"For always I am Caesar†. Shakespeare depicts Caesar in an unflattering light to a certain extent to reiterate the importance of strong leadership to the Elizabethan audience. Shakespeare’s bias is further presented in the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as he moulds us to value Caesar, and we later perceive him as a successful and deserving leader. This is shown after the assassination, as Caesar remains omnipotent throughout the rest of the play whereby Brutus sees his ghost on several occasions. This notion is further heightened as both Cassius and Brutus die with their last words being concerned with Caesar â€Å"Caesar, thou art revenged†. In turn, this further illustrates that the composers biased attitude is evident in the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as we are given multiple perceptions on the one personality. Therefore it is evident that even though different perspectives towards the personality are manifested, Shakespeare’s bias is still evident. In the play â€Å"Julius Caesar† individuals are driven by different ambitions and motivations including those of freedom, idealism and honour. Both Brutus and Cassius see the need for Caesar’s death but are driven by different motivations and perspectives on the political situation at the time. Cassius hates Caesar and his hatred towards him is caused in part for the power given to someone he sees as his physical and intellectual inferior, which is shown through persuasive rhetorical questions â€Å"Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed/ That he has grown so great? † His hatred is trigged by his own lack of success infuriated by perceptions that a man so physically feeble should â€Å"bear the palm alone†. Cassius hatred towards Caesar and his perception of him being a Tyrant is further heightened through the use of visual imagery â€Å" he doth bestride the narrow world/ Like a Colossus, and we petty men/ Walk under his huge legs and peep about/ To find ourselves dishonorable graves†. Unlike Cassius, Brutus is an honorable, self –righteous and noble man whose motivation for Caesars death is driven for the love of Rome as well as his concern that Rome would become a dictatorship ruled by a single corrupted individual, rather than the malice, greed and envy that Cassius carries. Brutus’s motivations behind the death of Caesar is clearly evident in his speech after the assassination. Throughout his speech, Brutus relies on reason and logical rationale and syllogisms to explain the reasons behind the assassination â€Å"If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free man? /as he was ambitious, I slew him†. These strong and emotive words demonstrate Brutus strong love for Rome. Thus it can be said that, although Shakespeare presents various perceptions towards Julius Caesar, the composer’s bias is not negated. In comparison to the perceptions both Cassius and Brutus have towards Caesar, is the perspectives of Antony and Caesar of himself. Antony looked at Caesar as a friend, a role model as well as a kind and deserving leader. This notion is exemplified through the use of emotive language â€Å"O mighty Caesar! /most noble blood of all this world/ the noblest man/ That ever lived in the tide of times†. Furthermore, the use of descriptive and connotative language throughout Antony’s funeral eulogy such as â€Å"sweet Caesar† paints Caesar as a victim to an appalling and monstrous crime. His disgust and pity towards the conspirators is also clearly illustrated throughout the eulogy. He describes the conspirators as â€Å"butchers† and, again in a soliloquy, cries â€Å"havoc and let slip the dogs of war†, which reiterates Antony’s deep loathing of the conspirators actions towards Caesar. On the other hand, Caesar perceives himself as invincible as well as a grand and confident leader. Self promoting imagery which relates to constancy, â€Å"But I am as constant as the northern star† as well as Godlike, monumental power, â€Å"Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus? † exemplifies his steady and firm nature of being a ruler. His confidence of being a successful leader which has been aroused by his social status is heightened throughout the imperative words â€Å"For always I am Caesar†. This therefore illustrates the many perceptions presented to the one personality in the play â€Å"Julius Caesar†. Hence it is evident, that the text â€Å"Julius Caesar† remains biased even though there are conflicting perspectives presented. Leunig’s sardonic cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption† is another example of conflicting perspectives. The cartoon is in the form of a newspaper report in which shocking facts and statistics about the conditions in the war in Iraq are just beneath the image in which John Howard and George Bush are leaning forward, smiling and shaking hands in front of an immaculate fireplace. There are two very obvious perspectives being presented about the coalitions in the cartoon. The first perspective being their own views on themselves. In regards to the war in Iraq, both John Howard and George Bush believe they are doing an exceptional job. This view is motivated as the coalitions look self assured through their smug expressions. Also, the coalitions are overly pleased with themselves and look at one another as successful and righteous. In comparison to Julius Caesar, the Conspirators believed that by killing Caesar, they would be doing Rome and the people of Rome a favour. They strongly believed it was the right thing to do, and if they did not act in such a way, then Rome would have been controlled by a dictator. This notion can be linked to Leunig’s cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption† as only in the coalitions opinion that Sadam Hussein is a dictator and therefore must also be killed. The news reporter’s own opinion on the coalitions in Leunig’s cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption† is also apparent. This view is motivated through factual information, statistics which are provided, expert opinion present of the shocking reality of the war in Iraq â€Å"Increasing numbers of children in Iraq do not have enough food to eat, and more than a quarter are chronically undernourished, a UN report says†. In comparison to Shakespeare’s â€Å"Julius Caesar†, the people of Rome go against the conspirators and disagree with the killing of their leader. The removal of Caesar as a king and leader leads to civil strife, anarchy and eventually a war. The composer Leunig has represented the personalities in a negative light in the cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption†. His aim is to satirise the coalition and highlight their malice and profound ignorance. Ultimately, there are many texts which portrays conflicting perspectives. These texts include Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Julius Caesar† as well as Leunig’s sardonic cartoon â€Å"Yet another picture with the wrong caption†. Therefore is can be concluded that although conflicting perspectives towards the personality are represented the composers’ bias is still evident in various texts.

Dream Job of a real estate agent

Dream Job of a real estate agent Executive Summary This report describes about matters that I personally need to know to be a real estate sales agent in Singapore after I graduated from my study of pursuing my bachelor degree. The first part of this reason explains why I decided to be a real estate sales agent in Singapore, its more or less based on the financial reasons. The next part is a sort of job description for a real estate sales agent that I got from careerplanner.com (2010). After a long list of job description, the other things that I should be aware are the knowledge requirements, skills requirements, ability requirements, and job activities for a real estate sales agent. Last but not least the author has showed a list of human resource development program that is conducted by ERA Real Estate that is conducted for people who want to get a better understanding and knowledge to be a real estate sales agent in Singapore. The training includes an introduction to Singapores real estate market, real estate relating laws and legal procedures, how to make a presentation, marketing, closing a deal, and so on as well as learning to utilise information technology (IT) in order to maximise your earnings (ERA Real Estate, 2010). A brief conclusion and recommendation also have been developed and can be seen at the end of this report. 1.0 Introduction This report describes about my dream job as a real estate sales agent that Id like to do when I graduate. Im interested in this profession because of many testimonials from my friends and relatives that real estate sales agent is a good job that can generate a lot of money. Ive decided to do this job in Singapore because based on my observation Singapores real estate market is quite promising added with the new tourists attraction which will be opened soon that will make Singapore to be a better place for tourist as well as for foreigners to invest, do business, or just simply to find an employment which I believe those factors will make the real estate industry in Singapore become even more promising. The latter part of this report explains about jobs description, knowledge requirements, skill requirements, ability requirements, and job activities of a real estate sales agent based on careerplanner.com website (2010). 2.0 Real Estate Sales Agent Job Description Stone (2007) described the definition of job description as a written statement that explains the purpose of the job, what are the activities that need to be performed, stating conditions which the work are completely finished, and the standards of performance needed to do the jobs. Below is job-description of a real estate sales agent that is taken from careerplanner.com (2010). 1. Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration. 2. Confer with escrow companies, lenders, home inspectors, and pest control operators to ensure that terms and conditions of purchase agreements are met before closing dates. 3. Interview clients to determine what kinds of properties they are seeking. 4. Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds and leases. 5. Coordinate property closings, overseeing signing of documents and disbursement of funds. 6. Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other. 7. Promote sales of properties through advertisements, open houses, and participation in multiple listing services. 8. Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold in order to determine its competitive market price. 9. Coordinate appointments to show homes to prospective buyers. 10. Generate lists of properties that are compatible with buyers needs and financial resources. 11. Display commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential properties to clients and explain their features. 12. Arrange for title searches to determine whether clients have clear property titles. 13. Review plans for new construction with clients, enumerating and recommending available options and features. 14. Answer clients questions regarding construction work, financing, maintenance, repairs, and appraisals. 15. Inspect condition of premises, and arrange for necessary maintenance or notify owners of maintenance needs. 16. Accompany buyers during visits to and inspections of property, advising them on the suitability and value of the homes they are visiting. 17. Advise sellers on how to make homes more appealing to potential buyers. 18. Arrange meetings between buyers and sellers when details of transactions need to be negotiated. 19. Advise clients on market conditions, prices, mortgages, legal requirements and related matters. 20. Evaluate mortgage options to help clients obtain financing at the best prevailing rates and terms. 21. Review property listings, trade journals, and relevant literature, and attend conventions, seminars, and staff and association meetings in order to remain knowledgeable about real estate markets. 22. Investigate clients financial and credit status in order to determine eligibility for financing. 23. Contact property owners and advertise services in order to solicit property sales listings. 24. Develop networks of attorneys, mortgage lenders, and contractors to whom clients may be referred. 25. Visit properties to assess them before showing them to clients. 26. Contact utility companies for service hookups to clients property. 27. Conduct seminars and training sessions for sales agents in order to improve sales techniques. 28. Appraise properties to determine loan values. 29. Solicit and compile listings of available rental properties. 30. Secure construction or purchase financing with own firm or mortgage company. 31. Rent or lease properties on behalf of clients. 32. Locate and appraise undeveloped areas for building sites, based on evaluations of area market conditions. (Source : careerplanner.com, 2010) 3.0 Knowledge Requirements for Real Estate Sales Agent Below are the knowledge requirements for a real estate sales agent that are taken from careerplanner.com (2010). Customer and Personal Service Refer to understanding of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services include assessing the needs of customer, meeting the services quality standard, and evaluating the customer satisfaction (careerplanner.com, 2010). Sales and Marketing Refers to understanding of principles and methods to show, promote, and sell products or services include marketing strategy, tactic, demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems (careerplanner.com, 2010). Clerical Clerical refers to understanding of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology (careerplanner.com, 2010). Administration and Management Refer to understanding of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources (careerplanner.com, 2010). English Language Singapores national language is English, so that there is a need to understand the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar (careerplanner.com, 2010). Economics and Accounting Understanding of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data (careerplanner.com, 2010). Law and Government Refer to understanding of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process (careerplanner.com, 2010). Building and Construction Refer to the understanding of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads (careerplanner.com, 2010). Computers and Electronics Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming (careerplanner.com, 2010). 4.0 Skill Requirements for Real Estate Sales Agent Active Listening Such as giving full attention when other people is saying, take time to understand the points that are being communicated, ask questions where appropriate, and not interrupting at the wrong time (careerplanner.com, 2010). Writing Writing refers to effectively communicate to other person in written medium (careerplanner.com, 2010). 5.0 Ability Requirements for Real Estate Sales Agent Oral Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand (careerplanner.com, 2010). Written Comprehension The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing (careerplanner.com, 2010). Problem Sensitivity The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem (careerplanner.com, 2010). 6.0 Job Activities for Real Estate Sales Agent Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources (careerplanner.com, 2010). Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests (careerplanner.com, 2010). Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events (careerplanner.com, 2010). Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information (careerplanner.com, 2010). Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work (careerplanner.com, 2010). Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job (careerplanner.com, 2010). Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others (careerplanner.com, 2010). Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time (careerplanner.com, 2010). 7.0 HRD Program to be a Decent Real Estate Sales Agent Delahaye (2005) explains that we have to carefull choose the trainer whether the trainer has the competency and the expertise. Beside my knowledge of marketing as my specialization for my university study, in order to fulfill all the requirements above, I think I need to attend a training that is conducted by ERA Real Estate (2010), one of the biggest real estate companies in Singapore which I believe is competent enough and have enough experiences and expertise to give me the training (kindly refer to Table A below). Table A Sales System Training Session Topic 1 The Singapore Real Estate Market Fundamentals of Real Estate Financing Valuation 2 Real Estate Law Property Rights Conveyancing Law Procedures 3 Basic Contract Law Types of Contract Law of Agency 4 Preparation for the Listing Presentation Listing Presentation 5 Marketing the Property Closing the Sale 6 HDB Resale Policies Procedures 7 Private Residential Commercial Properties Procedures 8 Using IT to Maximise Your Earning Potential (Source : ERA Real Estate, 2010) In session one, I will learn the real estate of Singapore and the fundamentals of real estate financing and valuation to get a better understanding about the condition and the current trends of the real estate market in Singapore, how people finance their house, how to conduct a house price valuation. In session two, I will learn about the Real Estate Law and Property Law as well as Conveyancing Law Procedures. Singapores business law that Ive learned in the university did not cover the real estate and property law so that I need further education to learn about that. Subjects that will be learned in chapter three are basic contract law and types of contract law of agency. Ive learned basic contract law under business law subject conducted by Nanyang Institute of Management but currently I still dont understand the specific contract law of agency. The next session will be the listing presentation, marketing the property, and closing the sale which usually should be done when the customers want to sell or rent out his/her property. I dont have any idea how to do this, and I think this session will benefit me a lot. Then I will learn about the HDB and private property resale policies and procedures which I dont have any understanding in these matters. At last I will learn about how to use Information Technology Media to help me maximise my earning potential. This courses will cost me S$642 (S$600 + 7%GST) and I think its worth the price (ERA Real Estate, 2010). Beside attending this course, I also need to learn more about how to communicate better in English (written and oral) which plays a crucial role in this profession. 8.0 Conclusion and Recommendation In order to be a good and reliable real estate sales agent, I should have a good understanding and knowledge of the real estate sales agent job description, knowledge requirements, skills requirements, ability requirements, and job activities of real estate sales agent described in this report. I suggest to all who also have interest in being a real estate sales agent, you should read this report to get a better understanding about the profession, and do whatever necessary for your development in order to fit in with this job. References Amos, J. (2001). Managing Your Time. Hong Kong: Grolier International. Careerplanner.com. (2010). Job Description Jobs for: â€Å"Real Estate Sales Agent†. Retrieved on 19 February 2010 at http://careerplanner.com/Job-Descriptions/Real-Estate-Sales-Agents.cfm Delahaye, B. L. (2005). Human Resource Development: Adult Learning and Knowledge Management, (2nd ed.). Milton, Qld: John Wiley Sons Australia, Ltd. Stone, R. J. (2007). Human Resource Management, (6thed.). Milton: John Wiley Sons Australia. ERA Real Estate. (2010). Real Estate Traning. Retrieved on 19 February 2010 at http://www.erasingapore.com/index.jsp?eContent=About/training.html#Module%201%20-%20Principles%20%20Practice%20of%20Singapore%20Real%20Estate Zeller, D. (2009). Successful Time Management for Dummies. USA: Wiley Publishing, Inc.

I Will Find Happiness :: Happiness Essays

So I am a girl. What do you expect? What do you want to find here? Long hair [I've always been told never to cut my hair, boys will never go for short hair], colt legs, flat stomach, cute accessories. Do you want me to drive you up the wall with all my adorable quirks? Do you want ribbons and dresses? Lipstick and rouge? I find myself slipping between different states of mind. What should I be? Who should I be? I read books about subservience like Memoirs of a Geisha. I see television shows late at night when I can't sleep, the only time I watch TV. And there are women on these sitcoms just smiling. Non-stop smiling in their immaculate aprons and Sunday dresses. And I think of my aunt in Arizona who lives under my by-marriage-Italian uncle's will. How they are so money but she's only allowed to spend what he approves of, and he accuses her of pigishness if she eats some of the candy his son stuffs himself with. How he never mentions his 250-pound plus weight, while her bones poke out through her shirts. I see my best friend from junior high being dragged into her father's room while I'm standing right there to get hit with The belt. Huge welts formed for her borrowing a v-neck shirt from a girl at school and blue eye shadow. The shirt and make-up made her a "whore." I remember him yelling through the thin trailer walls while I was standing right on the other side. And there are other things . They all swim in my head, like a tank with too many tropical fish that needs cleaning. And I start thinking†¦ I will not appear to be "easy." At the same time I will not come off as too cold or rigid. My shirts must be low-cut, but not low enough to leave nothing to the imagination. It is better that he has something to look forward too. I will make my body hourglass like. I will be careful about my weight and skin and clothes and make up. I will stay thin, but retain hips and breasts. I will set high standards for myself and the other women around me. I realize we are all in competition for the most handsome and financially sound male, despite the fact that we are the "prize" in relationships.

The Twenties :: essays research papers

Area One-Politics and Government-The Harding Scandals and the Bonus Bill veto   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The presidency of Harding was filled with continuous scandal. Many compare the Harding to Grant has both being postwar presidents marked by scandals and corruption. Having appointed several excellent officials, Harding also appointed a number of incompetent and dishonest men to fill important positions, including the Secretary of Interior, Albert B. Fall and Attorney General Harry M. Daugherty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Secretary of Interior, Albert B. Fall, in 1921, secured the transfer of several naval oil reserves to his jurisdiction. In 1922, Fall secretly leased reserves at Teapot Dome in Wyoming to Harry F. Sinclair of Monmouth Oil and at Elk Hills in California to Edward Doheny of Pan-American Petroleum. A Senate investigation later revealed that Sinclair had given Fall $305,000 in cash and bonds and a herd of cattle, while Doheny had given him a $100,000 unsecured loans. Sinclair and Doheny were acquitted in 1927 of charges of defrauding the government, but in 1929 Fall was convicted, fined, and imprisoned for bribery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another scandal involved Charles R. Forbes, appointed by Harding to head the new Veteran’s Bureau. He seemed energetic and efficient in operating the new hospitals and services for veterans. It was later estimated that he had stolen or squandered about $250 million in Bureau funds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scandal also tainted Attorney General Daugherty who, through his intimate friend Jessie Smith, took bribes from bootleggers, income tax evaders, and others in return for protection from prosecution. When the scandal became to come to light, Smith committed suicide in Daugherty’s Washington apartment in May 1923. There was also evidence that Daugherty received money for using his influence in returning the American Metal Company, seized by the government during the war, to its German owners. Area Two-Economics-Prosperity and Innovation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though overall the economy was strong between 1922 and 1929, certain segments of the economy, especially agriculture, did not share in the nation’s general prosperity. Improved industrial efficiency, which resulted in lower prices for goods, was primarily responsible. Manufacturing output increased about 65%, and productivity, or output per hour increased by about 45%. The numbers of industrial workers actually decreased from 9 million to 8.8 million during the decade. The increased productivity resulted from improved machinery, which in turn came about for several reasons. Industry changed from steam to electric power, allowing the design of more intricate machines and replaced the work of human hands. By 1929, 70% of industrial power came from electricity.

Target Corporation’s Supply Chain Management

Target Corporation Supply Chain Assignment Target’s Supply Chain Unit 2 Assignment GB570 Managing the Value Chain Dr. Rita Gunzelman Kaplan University December 12, 2011 Target’s Supply Chain The purpose of this paper is to show evidence of cohesive knowledge of the supply chain and how it works by the exploration of Target Corporation’s supply chain.Target, one of the nations largest retail chains, first opened in 1962 in Minnesota as key leadership were looking for new ways to move from a family-run (The Dayton Family) department store to a mass market national chain strengthening customer relationships by appealing to value-oriented shoppers in quest of a higher-quality experience. Today, Target operates approximately 1750 stores (including nearly 240 SuperTarget stores) in 49 states with Gregg Steinhafel as their CEO. We will review the effectiveness of Target’s supply chain and analyze if it meets the necessary expectations of their demand chain. Targe t, 2011) Overview of Target’s Supply Chain Target, the 2nd largest discount-retailer in the U. S. has focused on their slogan, â€Å"Expect More Pay Less† and strategizes to increase optimal value and growth for global networking, an exclusive upscale and trendy product line, and value added service that creates a distinctive niche throughout the world. This multi-billion dollar company set out to change how consumers thought about discount shopping by offering a more upscale shopping experience.In 1998, Target purchased Associated Merchandising Corporation (AMC) as part of the development of their global service network in efforts to offer products at more competitive prices and survive one of their biggest competitors, Walmart. Target and its founders have always focused on constantly reducing costs, improving sales, adopting efficient and competent distribution and logistics management systems while using sophisticated and cutting-edge information technology (IT) sy stems—thus creating the makings for an efficient supply chain management system.Components of Target’s supply chain that will be evaluated include product and service specs, order processing and management, evaluation of delivery options, procurement, inventory management, processing/manufacturing, and transportation (Target, 2011; Walters and Rainbird, 2007). Product and Service Specification Target believes in a differentiated approach to set them apart from their direct competitors and provide products and services based on what their customer needs and wants.They begin by offering customers a more upscale shopping experience that makes shopping easier in stores that are always clean and attractive with more trend-forward merchandising at lower costs. For added value and convenience for the customers the development of new store prototypes birthed where they are offering more than just a general merchandise store with pharmacy, photo processing center, Food Avenue r estaurants, but a grocery store with fresh produce and quality food items, Target. om website, an optical department, their own credit card, more exclusive deals with various name brands and designers, and sell more gift cards than any other retailer in the country. Also, unlike Walmart, Target does not sell firearms (real or toy firearms that look real) or tobacco products. As well, Target does not promote services or items on their public address system or use music in its stores.All of this, with a highly contemporary design, signage, and graphics enhances the attractiveness and appeal of the store along with knowledgeable and well-dressed employees (who are referred to as Team Members) attract a different type of customer or â€Å"Guests† than that of Target’s direct competitors. Target tends to attract a younger, affluent, educated, and fashion-forward customer. Order Processing and Management To further deliver on Target’s Brand Promise and optimize their supply chain network, leveraging cutting-edge logistics technologies to drive service and meet the needs of the guests cost-effectively and efficiently is critical.With great leadership and effective management, Target prepares, plans, and delivers the guests what they want, where they want it, and when they want it (whether customer purchases online or in store) via analyzing, developing, and implementing successful supply chain strategies and initiatives. This is done by coordinating activities from Finance, Merchandising, Distribution, transportation, and stores. Senior leadership will be addressed with additional opportunities, alternative solutions, and anticipated benefits via the internal systems, company infrastructure, and streamlining.Value Delivery Options In efforts to enable Target to deliver more value to their customers and shareholders, Target, a Partners Online Website is utilized as a vehicle to communicate to Target’s Partners business- critical information that ultimately elevate performance, speed, and accuracy while maximizing profitability within the supply chain. Due to the ability of cutting expenses, Target provides customers with high-quality merchandise at low margins.In addition, with over 1700 stores globally and more than 300,000 employees, Target offers continued customer relations improvement and greater guest experiences through their product life-cycle whether receiving assistance in stores or online. (Target, 2011; Walters and Rainbird, 2007) Procurement Target takes seriously the need to provide efficiency and opportunity in this area with the use of internal consultants who ensures performance improvements of safety and quality, driving service, and strong financials.For example, due to the high costs of fuel in today’s challenging economy, Target and their Logistics Management Team across the country to re-calculate and strategize the impact and develop alternatives to continue low costs that are passed on t o their customers. As a result, Target will keep goods moving on the cheapest forms of transportation whether via all-water, railroad, or transload methods for as long as possible to minimize exposure to high-fuel expenses (Target, 2011; Tirschwell, 2008). Inventory ManagementTarget has developed and caters to the needs of each individual store through their sophisticated technology and Online IT systems. In-stock improvements are supported for efficiency, speed, and profitability with excellent tracking and communication systems (Target, 2011). Processing Target focuses on continued improvements of their customer’s product life-cycle starting at set-up to the delivery of the product by managing process improvements, organizational support, consistent measurement, and technology updates.This global focus helps the Distribution Centers maintain the grounds, equipment and systems, and buildings as well as as providing the leadership and facility operations processes it requires . Transportation To ensure Target meets the needs of their guests effectively and cost efficiently, they manage their overall supply chain to provide the fastest and shortest routes and create a team that has a direct and vital connection between internal purchasing, distribution centers and stores, and their import warehouses. Assessment of Supply Chain EfficiencyMy assessment of the efficiency of Target’s supply chain based upon your review above and the reference materials provided in this unit is that Target has a very effective supply chain. They provide a high value proposition as it pertains to their products, suppliers, distribution, and manufacturing and service systems. The focus of value, quality, cost reduction, network optimization, and profitability was delivered in a cost and time efficient manner and re-strategized their plan if it did not. (Target, 2011; Walters and Rainbird, 2007). Relationship of Supply Chain to Demand ChainI believe Target’s supply chain successfully supports its demand chain. Target focuses on their customer’s needs and wants and let their market knowledge determine working relationships with suppliers, employees, and customers. Therefore, the focus is primarily on customers and product service and offering, exclusivity, quality, and affordability while increasing performance and adding value. This differentiation is an integral factor in seeking a competitive advantage. Target provides efficiency in their processes to ensure customer satisfaction by having state of the art technology that’s fast and efficient.Target supports partnership and flexibility in efforts to foster growth and sustainability. Target has great customer relations management as well supplier relationship management, which overlaps and makes for a more efficient and effective management (Target, 2011; Walters and Rainbird, 2007). Conclusion Target’s supply chain management practices effectively met the needs of their demand chain. This resulted in increased efficiency in customer value, offering of quality products and services, and optimal effectiveness in operations and customer service.The use of excellent strategies with customer and value focus will ensure Target will continue to create sustainable competitive advantage that separates it from the evident competitive activities of their direct competitor. This will guarantee Target has a strong market position, increased profitability, and contribute to their ongoing success. References Misra, H. , & Choudhary, K. (2010). Opportunities and challenges for ICT mediated innovations in a development oriented value chain: The case of Jaipur Rugs Company.Vilakshan: The XIMB Journal of Management, 7(2), 21-48. Target. (2011). Retrieved on December 13, 2011 from http://sites. target. com/site/en/company/page. jsp? contentId=WCMP04-031316. Tirschwell, P. (2008). The Journal of Commerce: Target reconsiders supply-chain strategy. Retrieved on December 13, 2011 from http://www. ittc. com/uploadedfiles/News/07_14_08_target_reconsiders_supply_strategy. pdf. Walters, D. , & Rainbird, M. (2007). Strategic operations: A value chain approach. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Event on Social Gathering for Women’s Day Essay

Gathering means a group of people together in one place and social gathering means a gathering for the purpose of promoting upliftment of the society/fellowship. A social gathering is an informal user generated event for those interested in social entrepreneurship enterprise, share ideas and meet new people. A social gathering is open to anyone with an interest in social enterprise. It helps in gaining advice, support and inspiration from entrepreneurs. It is an event specially organized for the awareness of the current issues. The event may include speeches, discussions, dramas, songs and many more cultural activities to make people aware. It is organized 4 to 5 hrs or lesser. It may include social issues like suicides, girl education, water conservation, garbage, etc. mostly the social gathering on these issues are followed by a campaign on large scale. Social gathering includes all the general public. The publicity is done on great extent. The targeted people are colleges, universities, other NGO’s, own NGO’s members and volunteers contacts and family and relatives etc. Since gathering means a collection or accumulation an assembly of persons, so the people gather for completing a task. It is a fully refreshing and entertaining type of event. Thus the event includes lunch together, and has discussions. This is organized in such manner that every one participate in the task taken on the issue. Mostly the social gathering is free of cost or low cost. The speakers are well-qualified and master in their field. The speeches by them are very practical which we can have in our daily-scheduled-routine life. The term female feticide means killing the female fetus in the mother’s womb. Sex selective abortions and increase in the number of female infanticide cases have become a significant social phenomenon in several parts of India. It transcends all castes, class and communities and even the North South dichotomy. The girl children become target of attack even before they are born. India is growing dynamically in all the fields†¦ the country have witnessed advancement all over but female feticide is still prevailing in India. In spite of all the stringent laws framed to curb the female feticide still, the practice continues. Many girls missing from our country are seen buried in the graveyard. The bias against females in India is related to the fact that sons are called upon to provide the income; they are the ones who do most of the work in the fields. In this way, sons are looked to as a type of insurance. With this perspective, it becomes clearer that the high value given to males decreases the value given to females. The exorbitant dowry demand is one of the main reasons for female feticide. A girl means accumulation of sufficient recourses for the dowry the parent have to give away, when the girls get married. As a matter of prestige too, more money and material goods are asked in dowry. Poor families are unable to give so much of things in dowry. Result is in front of you many, many women are treated hostile by their ‘in laws’’ so many of them commit suicide. Murders of women whose families are deemed to have paid   insufficient dowry have become increasingly common. Another major problem among girls is that in many villages of India, girls are considered as a big trouble to their parents. They are killed as soon as they are born. The phenomenon of female infanticide is as old as many cultures, and has likely accounted for millions of gender-selective deaths throughout history. It remains a critical concern in a number of â€Å"Third World† countries today, notably the two most populous countries on earth, China and India. In all cases, specifically female infanticide reflects the low status accorded to women in most parts of the world; â€Å"Female infanticide is the intentional killing of baby girls due to the preference for male babies and from the low value associated with the birth of females.† It should be seen as a subset of the broader phenomenon of infanticide, which has also targeted the physically or mentally handicapped and infant males as with maternal mortality. Some would dispute the assigning of infanticide or female infanticide to the category of â€Å"genocide† or, as here, â€Å"gendercide†. When demographic statistics were first collected in the nineteenth century, it was discovered that in â€Å"some villages of India, no girl babies were found at all; in a total of thirty others, there were 343 boys to 54 girls. In rural India, the centuries-old practice of female infanticide can still be considered a wise course of action.† According to census statistics, â€Å"From 972 females for every 1,000 males in 1901 †¦ the gender imbalance has tilted to 929 females per 1,000 males.

Critical Thinking Triad Insurance Company Essay

Introduction The term critical thinking refers to â€Å" †¦ to a wide range of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions needed to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth claims, to discover and overcome personal prejudices and biases, to formulate and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions, and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe and what to do†¦ â€Å"   (Bassham, G., et al, 2005).     It serves as the foundation of objective analyses that leads to the correct problem definition resulting in the generation of sound alternative courses of action.   In the absence of critical thinking models, companies can fall into decision-making traps where, unconsciously, they are forced to make the wrong decisions (Langlois, G, 2007). What are the issue and conclusion? The case study, as embodied in the Memorandum to the Chief Executive Officer, dated September 20, 2007, presents a prescriptive issue, to establish or not a leadership development program for Triad Insurance Company of Indianapolis (TICI).   Ms. Denise Khali (Vice-President of Human Resources) specifically recommended disapproval of the proposal submitted by the Director of Operations, Mr. Ralph Clarke. What are the reasons? As VP of human resources and from her personal standpoint, Ms. Khali presented various arguments, notions and ideas to support her recommendation. TICI has 12 senior executives and none has attended a leadership development program. The past performance of TICI casts doubt on the necessity of the program. Supporting reason 1: TICI is over 50 years old.   The continued operation of TICI suggests a successful business undertaking.   Even at over 50 years, there is no end in sight for its continued operations, increasing its going-concern value. Supporting reason 2: TICI has an annual average growth rate of 12%.   There is a presumption that the 12% growth rate is acceptable in the insurance industry where TICI is located. Supporting reason 3: The age and growth factor of TICI are indicative of the company’s prosperity. According to Ms. Khali, the successful and effective leadership experience of TICI suggests that â€Å"leaders are born, not made.† Supporting reason 1: Ms. Khali surveyed TICI’s senior staff on the notion that â€Å"leaders are born, not made.†Ã‚   The survey result showed that all, except one, agreed with this notion. Supporting reason 2: Dr. Carleton Parker, a famous economist, has a similar stance. Supporting reason 3: Ms. Khali refers to an existing â€Å"entire school of leadership theory† that the world’s famous leaders possess common traits – that â€Å"cannot be learned; they are innate.† Ms. Khali cited her personal observation that leaders have a genetically determined tall physical stature. Supporting reason 1: She cited two internet websites Laughter Genealogy and IMDB that presented a partial list of American leaders, of different generations, having a height of more than six feet. Supporting reason 2: All of TICI’s senior staff members have heights of over six feet tall.   With the exception of Mr. Ralph Clarke, the leadership training advocate. The intentions of Mr. Ralph Clarke are doubtful with regards to his ambitions and liberal views on education and achievement. Supporting reason 1: Ms.Khali believes Mr. Clarke covets her position as VP of Human Resources. Supporting reason 2: Ms. Khali believes Mr.Clarke is out to discredit her. Supporting reason 3: According to Ms. Khali, Mr. Clarke believes every citizen can get anything they desire through each citizen’s right to get education. Supporting reason 4: The leadership theories of Aspen Institute do not fit in the culture of TICI. Agreement to the proposal will set off requests for expensive trainings that TICI cannot afford. Training staff without leadership traits is a waste of money. Supporting reason 1: Two research studies, described as â€Å"well-respected,† concluded that personality traits point to a person’s leadership potential.   These two studies appeared in the Journal of Applied Psychology and Leadership Quarterly.   There was no mention of the specific issues where they appeared. Supporting reason 2: Recruitment efforts should focus on applicants with leadership traits. Which words or phrases are ambiguous? We review the reasons cited above for ambiguity.   Vague words undermine the strength of the reasons supporting the conclusion.   The discussion of ambiguity also opens the door to look into the proposal itself for weaknesses and possible points of misunderstanding.   The Background Section identifies the ultimate purpose of the training program as preparation for â€Å"future advancement† of 20 junior executives annually into executive positions.   There was no justification on the number of trainees.   Does TICI have as many executive positions to fill up in the short or medium term?   The phrase â€Å"future advancement† can be broken down into the exact executive positions with vacancy and in what future timeframe.   The training program can be viewed as an investment and the training costs can be matched with the costs of pirating executives to see which is feasible. The term prosperity in Reason 1 can mean increases in value in different things.   The increase can refer to gross sales, net profit, net worth, goodwill, and others.   In the insurance industry, cash flow is not proportionate to sales levels as there is no guarantee in the collection of annual premiums due to nonpayment or termination of contact by the policyholder.   Even if an insurance company is growing in terms of premium sales, there is the possibility of cash flow problems that will translate in operational problems, including training activities by the Human Resource Department. Reason two, uses a very general description of TICI leadership in the words successful and effective.   The words suggest that TICI leadership is successful in all areas of corporate management – finance, operations, marketing, sales, administration, information systems, and others.   If that is the case, there is no need for an outsourced training program.   The best training the junior executives can get is from the company leadership itself.   The Human Resource Department can develop in-house training programs.   Ms. Khali was silent on this possibility.   She did mention training of personnel with leadership traits, but she failed to elaborate. Ms. Khali conducted a survey to support the notion that â€Å"leaders are born, not made.†Ã‚   She did not inform the technicalities as to sample population characteristics, sample size, and others.   It could have been a simple query to a select group such that the procedure itself is biased.   Therefore, in this case, the result is also biased.   The use of the descriptive phrase â€Å"entire school of leadership theory† suggested a huge following but said following is unverifiable. Reason 4 reveals power play and Ms. Khali accuses the Operations Director of discrediting her.   There seem to be an assumption the training proposal of Mr. Clarke is needed by the company and the VP of Human Resources was not able to see or sense this.   Therefore, she may have been bypassed in the formulation of the proposal.   How the leadership theories of Aspen do not fit the culture of TICI is in itself vague. Ms. Khali mentioned subsequent requests for expensive trainings are something TICI cannot afford.   Are they having cash flow problems even if the company is experiencing a long period of prosperity? What are the value conflicts and assumptions? The case facts limit us to values in the work place.   A good reference in analyzing the interplay of values in Triad Insurance is Schwartz’s Values Circumplex (McShane & Von Glinow 2:47, 2005).   The case facts present bipolar positions where the VP of Human Resources assumes conservative values while the Director for Operations assumes values reflecting openness to change.   This explains, in part, the actions of the two protagonists and the values they are assumed to have.   Ms. Khali possesses the values of conformity (adherence to corporate culture), security (tenure and stability) and tradition (moderation and maintenance of the status quo). Mr. Clarke whose values cluster on the opposite side of the model is assumed to possess the values of self-direction (independence in thinking and action) and stimulation (facing challenges and taking risks).   The Schwartz model also has vertical bipolar clusters around self-transcendence and self-enhancement.   From this dimension, only the values clustering around self-enhancement are present, from the facts given in the case.   Both protagonists possess the values of achievement (personal success) and power (dominance over others within the organization).   The conflicting values and assumptions explain the collision course of the two corporate protagonists. What are the descriptive assumptions? The first descriptive assumption is that the senior executives know almost everything about leadership and further training is unnecessary.   This assumption is hard to accept in this age of globalization, which promotes the free flow of information, resources and people (Jrank, 2007).   Several decades ago, the concept of international competition was limited to the big multinationals.   With the developments in information technology, competition is now global in character and big and small players can compete in various geographic locations at the same time or within cyberspace itself. Genetics play an important role in determining leadership traits of every person.   Ms. Khali relied heavily on this descriptive assumption to support her recommendation not to accept Mr. Clarke’s proposal.   Underlying this descriptive assumption is another descriptive assumption that exposes Ms. Khali’s incapability of adequately supporting her arguments.   The data on leader heights she presented to the CEO was taken from the Laughter Genealogy website.   Professional journals are readily accessible in the libraries and the internet and are better sources of reliable data and information. The case did not present much information on Mr. Clarke.   It was apparent that Ms. Khali was wary of Mr. Clarke’s intentions and she was convinced that the latter was after her position.   The manner by which Ms. Khali reacted, gathering supporting arguments left and right and throwing accusations, seemed to indicate another descriptive assumption.   Ms. Khali was insecure of her position in the company for reasons not stated in the case.   She was desperately protecting herself in the ongoing power struggle, as she perceived it. Are there any fallacies in the reasoning? The following analysis on fallacies is based on the article of Haskins (2008) as posted on the Skepdic website. Ms. Khali has committed the fallacy of argument from ignorance and the fallacy of begging the question when she argued that all, except one, senior executive of TICI are over 6 feet tall that explains why they are â€Å"successful and effective† leaders.   She also committed the fallacy of false analogy by quoting Dr. Carleton Parker in proving that only a select group can be leaders and they are genetically determined to become leaders.   What Dr. Parker said is that each human being is born into this world with â€Å"rich, psychical disposition† that provides â€Å"all his motivations of conduct.†Ã‚   She also committed the fallacy of slippery slope when she argued that there would be more requests for expensive trainings if the leadership program were approved. It is only a claim but remains to be proven.   Upon concluding her arguments, she also committed the ad hominem fallacy by shifting her criticisms from the leadership program to the character of Ralph Clarke accusing him of coveting her position.   She resorted to the ad populum fallacy when surveying the acceptance of the notion that leaders are born, not made.   The survey was more of a popularity vote on an idea rather than a serious attempt to establish statistical probabilities. How good is the evidence? The evidences given by Ms. Khali were gathered to support her decision not to recommend the acceptance of the proposal.   On the contrary, whatever position she takes will be more acceptable with a study that will show the feasibility of the proposed program.   She capped her memorandum with personal accusations that were impossible to prove or defend. Are there rival causes? As Vice President of Human Resources, it was the prerogative of Ms. Khali to recommend or not the leadership-training proposal.   It is assumed that anybody n her position will recommend what is best for the company.   The memorandum she wrote was filled with ambiguities and fallacies.   As she cast doubt on the intentions of Mr. Clarke a similar cloud of suspicion hung over her intentions. The manner by which her memorandum was crafted was not deserving of the CEO.   All these factors indicate the possibility of rival causes.   Did Ms, Khali recommend the rejection of the proposal as part of her job as vice president or did she make that recommendation to protect her hold on the position of vice president?   Conflicting values as discussed above indicated a collision course between the two major players in the case.   Corporate executives live with conflict and are expected to resolve them in a professional manner expected of them. Are the statistics deceptive?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The proposal itself and the arguments against it contain deceptive statistics.   Training 20 junior executives for senior positions every year indicates a requirement stemming from growth or a fast turnover of senior executives.   Both of these two possible reasons remain unsupported throughout the case.   If the number of junior executives for training were down to five, for example, would it have been more realistic for the company?   Ms. Khali did not look at it from this perspective; she simply went all out to prevent project implementation. Dr. Carleton Parker was quoted as supporting the hypothesis that a select group is genetically destined to become leaders.   What Dr. Parker said was all human beings are psychically equipped to face motivations in his lifetime. What significant information is omitted?   The pros and cons of the project proposal did not get equal investigation.   The memorandum would have gained much credibility if the side of Mr. Clarke was sought and presented in the memorandum.   Perhaps, Ms. Khali was not consulted during the formulation of the project proposal causing her personal hurt and doubts as to the real intentions of Mr. Clarke.   In retaliation, she presented only her side of the picture.   In the absence of Mr. Clarke’s arguments, the memorandum could have achieved a sense of balance and fairness if both sides of the coin were represented in all the arguments used. What reasonable conclusions are possible? There were so many ambiguities and fallacies in the memorandum.   Perhaps the CEO will ask an improved version, one expected of a vice president.   A balanced report will provide stronger arguments and the opinion of Mr. Clarke may be required in the modified memorandum.   The CEO may ask other parties to conduct the investigation.   Both the proposal and the arguments have weaknesses and points to the possibility that personal interest weighed heavily against that of the company. Conclusion As mentioned, critical thinking is a requirement to generate the right arguments, generate Alternative courses of action and make the right decisions.   By not following a critical thinking model, the company finds itself with the wrong decisions.   Many decision alternatives are arrived at because of the poor thinking styles used in the process.   As a result, companies unconsciously limit their own decision choices. Langlois (2007) identifies several heuristic (decision) traps companies face.   In the case of TICI, a decision based on Ms. Khali’s memorandum will force the company into a framing trap that prevents the generation of other alternatives to the proposal presented.   It is the responsibilities of the CEO to identify heuristic traps and develop strategies that will guide the company develop a healthy decision making environment. References Bassham, G, Irwin, W, Nardone, H, & Wallace, J (2005). Critical thinking, 2nd ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Haskins, G. (2008). A practical guide to critical thinking.   Retrieved January 20, 2008, from   http://skepdic.com/essays/haskins.pdf Jrank, 2007, Modernization theory – globalization theory.   Retrieved January 16, 2008, from   http://science.jrank.org/pages/10275/Modernization-Theory-Globalization-Theory.html Langlois, H. (2007). The challenge of changing, part II. Massachusetts: Cambridge [Course notes.]   Retrieved   January 14, 2008, from http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic203996.files/Challenge_in_Changing092507B.ppt McShane, S.L., Von Glinow, M.A. (2005). Organizational behavior: emerging realities for the workplace revolution, 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Choosing the Best Method of Service Desk Automation for a Growing Government

Organizations and companies come up with plan that are aimed at ensuring their success in meeting the needs of their customers as a step towards the achievement of organizational goals. Therefore, planning is the first step towards the realization of a companies goals as laid down by its vision and mission statement. Coming up with a good policy is not good enough if any organization is to meet its goals and thus communication of the goals to all members of the organization is equally important in the realization of the goals.The communication mechanism and the means adopted are the key aspects that determine the success of this phase and therefore they have to be well researched on and be relevant to the organization. The formulation and the communication phases are just the fist two steps which act as a guide toward the implementation phase in strategic planning. The implementation phase in strategic development can be described as the action phase. Therefore, as much as the formul ation and communication phase play important roles in the strategic development, much emphasis is placed on implementation.Formulation and implementation are a must and communication is considered a means to the success of the process. Thus the implementation phase is one of the most monitored and resource intensive phase in strategic development to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in delivery and thus the success of the entire strategic development. The importance of information in the modern information conscious society can never be under stated. As it is often the case, effective management of information system is not a Sunday afternoon walk on the beach.It is far from defined and is often filled with uncertainties. Furthermore, the benefits of automating the implementation have been too tempting for most organizations and thus the emergence of a system that allows for automation of the last two processes in strategic planning is seen as inevitable in organizations that are serious about staying afloat. The question is no longer about automation but rather about how to go about it. Problem Statement Two approaches to the development of automation for organization that are moving from a manual system have been adopted.An organization moving from an old system may choose to either develop their own or buy an already made system. There are several issue involved in deciding on whether to buy or to build a system and thus every organization must look at these factors keenly before making a decision as it has a great bearing on the effectiveness of the organization in meeting the needs of its customers and their expectation at the time of implementation and in future. Furthermore, such strategic decisions that affect an organization's future invariably have an effect on almost all aspects of the organization including the stakeholders.Development of in-house software requires long term commitment in terms of resources and time from developers who often have too much to do and not enough time (Jenny, 2004). On the other hand, if a company decides to purchase the software it effectively enters a long term business relation with a vendor who not only charge high amounts for the purchase of the license but a considerable chunk of the organizations finances will be directed towards the customization and installation of the software.The organization which is medium sized and in its active growth period faces a tough decision on the implementation of the software especially in consideration of the relative advantages and disadvantages of each approach. The advantages of building an automated help desk support system may include the reduction of the cost involved, moreover the organizations labor force are presented with a chance to understand the in details with regards to the working of the automated support system.Furthermore, the need for training of supports staff for information technology is eliminated as they are responsible for the s ystems existence and are thus well conversant on its operations. On the other hand, the disadvantage may include the need for IT labor can be significant in the organizations budget, furthermore the approach does not have any form of guarantee that will help the organization in recovery in case the system crashes as they are solely responsible for the existence and maintenance of the system.In addition, the approach is associated with a considerable amount of pain experienced by the customers and the end users of the system in case of system malfunction or lapse in performance. Lastly the building process can be so demanding on an in-house IT department or team that is not well conversed with the application that the organization intends to come up with. A decision to buy the office help support system involves a thorough survey and the calculation of the total cost involved in ownership, determination of the best software company and product and the actual purchase of the automated office support system (Coldwell, 1999).The determination of what the company needs is a very critical part in the decision making process as most individuals and executive often fail at this phase and instead state what the organizations wants. Moreover, the considerations on the financial stability of the software company and their level of experience all come in handy in the decision making process. After the determination of all these, the focus hen shifts to what the organization needs after which a purchase is made.Some of the benefits associated with this approach include increase in user satisfaction, well developed user support, reduced need for internal help support and easy access to support any time of the day. The disadvantages may include increased cost associated with training of staff on the use of the new software, furthermore the process of buying which is quite length may ignore some aspects leading to the purchase of a poor help support system. Lastly, customizat ion of the systems to meet the needs of the customers is done by an outsider which often lead to conflict of interest. Significance of the StudyUsing a help desk management software leads to the increase in efficiency in operation as it allows for the solution of some of the redundant issues over call. This has the effect of reducing traveling costs and man-hour billing to field engineers as they go to customer sites. Research Question The purpose of this research is to determine whether purchasing COTS or building a service desk tracking application is best for the automation and tracking of the GovComm, Inc. Engineering Support Services’ Helpdesk. To answer this question, this research must explore: ? The entities of GovComm, Inc.Engineering Support Services’ Helpdesk ? Based on advantages and disadvantages, which qualities of each configuration best adhere to Engineering Support Services automation and asset tracking; ? If these applications fulfill stakeholders' re quirements Design and Methodology This research is qualitative, drawing mostly from a review of the literature on the subject of Helpdesk/support desk tracking applications and the battle of building versus buying to determine which application structure provides efficient asset tracking, failure notification, and metrics collection. GovComm, Inc.’s Engineering Support Services will be reviewed to discover details that might affect the factors that will contribute to the decision of choosing build or buy. From the review of the internal workings of GovComm, Inc. ’s Engineering Support Services a decision will be made upon comparison with the inherent nature of the two systems of implementation. Chapter 2 Literature Review Automated office systems support (AOSS) is a model made up of teams of technicians in computer who are charged with the responsibility of providing a variety of support activities in a desktop computer environment and area networks for any organizatio n.To ensure the provision of high quality services and products, each of these teams must follow the processes, standard and procedures. A process referred to as quality assurances is used in monitoring and evaluation of the level of adherence to the procedures processes and standard in a bid to determine the potential quality that the product will attain. Therefore, QA involves review and audit of the services and activities as a means of verification of their compliance with the relevant procedures and standards so as to assure the appropriate results are seen.The question of whether to buy or build an AOSS is one of the very complex decisions that an organization has to deal with in its daily activities. It is in deed a perpetual dilemma for the organizations that are contemplating on automating their office activities. Buying implies purchasing an off-shelf Automated office systems support that are produced in mass by some software company, more often multinationals (Leopoldo, 1 999). The products typically contain contents that are not unique to a particular organizations or user population needs.Moreover, it is the general trend in the software industry to create new softwares that do no conflict with the existing and thus the technology can be implemented without conflict with the existing systems. Build imply the creation of Automated office systems support from scratch (Leopoldo, 1999). Therefore, the process of building requires the determination of the organizational needs, the data and information nature and needs of the organization, design of the system an the actual implementation of the system.The process of building may and often include testing the end product to ensure that its functionality are as per the objectives that acted as the basis for its formulation (Leopoldo, 1999). A decision to buy or build a Automated office systems support may seem to be complex but in reality it can be reduced to three considerations: Resources, Needs and uni queness. The organization must clearly determine its needs and wants before a decision is made, this may involve identification of features which are critical in meeting the organizations needs. In determination of the organizational needs they must consider the following:? Organizational objectives ? Skills ? Information needs ? Culture ? Corporate direction. Meeting all the needs is an impossible event and therefore setting priorities is inevitable. Resources Resource as a factor is one that many organizations and individual would quickly jump at an opportunity to ignore. However, examination of resources is a very important aspect to the development agenda. Moreover, many organizations make the mistake of viewing resource in the monetary dimension only. Although money as a resource is quite critical, two other pieces; time and personnel, need to be considered to complete the puzzle (Shrapre, 1999).Time When taken in the context of either building or buying a Automated office syst ems support, time takes the following into account: ? The time that will taken in decision making. ? The developmental time of the Automated office systems support including the time taken in testing. ? The time taken in rolling out the Automated office systems support or implement it within the organization. Analysis of organizations against the three time variables helps in the determination of the importance of time in deciding whether to buy or build. Decision makingThe time taken by the organization in making decision is quite varied and cannot be correctly determined as the nature of the problem and other variables that can never be determined nor controlled easily have a great bearing on the total time (Curan & Mitchell, 2001). The nature of the organization and the kind of decision to be made also have a bearing on the time taken. It time critical decision making the aspects of time is important and the challenge thus lies in coming up with sound decision within limited time (Curan & Mitchell, 2001).Most theories adopted in decision making leave out the time taken in selection of actions which is often considerable in organizations where the decisions are viewed differently by constituent members (Curan & Mitchell, 2001). Coming up with a solution that are made without consideration of a well carried out problem solving session could lead to solutions that lack in operational significance, thus any decision making should be aimed at finding the solution that is either associated with the least cost or most returns of the total costs (Curan & Mitchell, 2001).In coming up with the cost, organizations must include the cost and effort taken in thinking and coming up with a plan or a policy in determination of the time taken in decision making. The problem with time considerations is that complex problems may hinder the development of best solutions (Spezzano & Mertens, 1999). In some instances, coming up with the best solutions could be within organization s grasp but the cost associated with such may not be acceptable to the organization. The organizational structure plays a great role in the speed of the decision making process (Spezzano & Mertens, 1999).A structure whereby all members of the organization have to be involved is time consuming (Kaplinsky, 2007). Such an approach is inclusive and the decisions made from this approach are more likely to meet both the needs and wants of the organization. The implementation of such policies is often smooth as those charged with the responsibility of carrying out the policies are well aware of the good and thus have the motivation required for the implementation. The tread off in this approach is the time taken; the approach requires organization wide consultation and is time intensive.Getting the opinion of each and everyone in a medium or large organization and coming upon with a decision based on their varied views can be demanding on an organization's financial resources and time. Mos t organizations have adopted a mechanism where the executives and top managers exclusively take part in the formulation of the policies. Such an approach is time conscious and often leads to timely formulation of policies. Despite this, the relevance of the policies to the needs of the organization is brought into question as the people charged with the responsibility of implementation are not included in the formulation.Policies implemented through this mechanism often address what the organization wants rather than what it needs since organizations are best known by the people charged with the duty of policy implementation. Deciding on the correct approach is thus complicated as both time and relevance of decisions are very important, moreover, company heads have in a number of occasions made decisions that have turned out to be for the good of organizations without necessarily involving everyone, this complicates the issue even further.Therefore, organizations have to consider al l the factors inherent of their organization that affect the decision making effort and thus the cost of decision making associated with each approach before deciding on whether to buy or build Automated office systems support. Developmental Time The time taken in the development of Automated office systems support varies with the approach employed. Other factors inherent of an organization also play an important part in the determination of the total time the organization will take in coming up with a new system (Tapscott, 1998).The developmental time can be viewed in two contexts; the time taken in building an Automated office systems support and the time taken in buying an off-shelf Automated office systems support. The time taken in building a new Automated office systems support is generally larger than that taken in buying (Tapscott, 1998). Moreover, the factors that are influential on the overall time taken in building are more compared to those in buying.The total time taken in building is influenced by internal and external factors which include; the availability of resources, the organization and coordination of all those involved in the implementation of the project. The level and the availability of the required expertise within the organizations working environment is a consideration. The availability of the required software and hardware components necessary in coming up with Automated office systems support is fundamental. The software and the hardware components must be as per the required functionality set by the organization needs.Change in government policies and market trends may greatly affect the availability of the required components and thus have an effect n the developmental time (Tapscott, 1998). In addition the needs of the users often change with time and this may require the modification of components that are already in place which lead to delay. The time taken in buying a new system is highly dependent on external factors that a re not within the control of the organization (Tapscott, 1998). In most cases organizations lose time in this stage for reasons that are not within their reach or control.Buying as a process requires a well established resource base and a good legal framework to fully engage the system as a whole (Kenyon, 2001). The market conditions are influential on the speed of purchase and thus very important in the determination of the total developmental time. The actual location of an organization is also important in evaluating the total buying time. An organization in an urban setting find it easy to buy software and hardware components as the availability and cost associated with their purchase is small compared to those in a rural setting.Personnel This is also one of the most overlooked factors (Kenyon, 2001). In consideration of the personnel, decision on whether to buy or build an Automated office systems support requires company wide consultation (Kenyon, 2001). As organizations anal yses their resources they must determine what they have and the needed personnel required for the implementation of the Automated office systems support. The organization should determine the number of available technical staff available for the support.If organizations lack or anticipate a lack of personnel, they must decide on when and where the required staff will be obtained from, which may involve the determination of the cost of the support (Kenyon, 2001). Money Money is an important consideration in strategic development as it affects the nature of the budget. A limited or unlimited budget has a great bearing on the choice of whether to buy or build an Automated office systems support (Katzan, 2002). In consideration of the budget both individuals and organizations must consider the short and long term benefits that will be accrued by the implementation of either methods.This may also involve the analysis of the effects of the non-implementation of the alternative. The import ance of money is such that without it the project is non-existent (Levy, 2001). Therefore, organization are required to accurately estimate their resource requirements before a decision on whether to buy or build an Automated office systems support is made. The cost involved in both cases have to be estimated and any other factors that may affect the estimated cost determined.Moreover, since all factors can never be determined accurately, including a contingency or escape plan in the formulation of the original policy will ensure that the organization is well prepared for any eventuality (Kenyon, 2001). The effect of money on the total time taken also depends on the government policies, market and industry condition that can affect the availability of resources especially money (Carter, 1999). Expected change in areas that currently affect the availability of funds largely determines the feasibility of the project in future.The availability of additional funding and all the factors that affect it, which may include legal and political issues all play important roles. Uniqueness The nature of organizations differ and therefore their requirements may vary though the degree depends on the organizations being considered. A major consideration is thus the uniqueness of the needs of the organization. In determination of the uniqueness of an organizations needs the following have to be looked into: ? What are the needs of the organization? ? What are the objectives in the implementation of Automated office systems support What are the connections between the available of the shelf-software and the needed capabilities in what the organization looks for in Automated office systems support? ? Does the implementation of the system go in line with the industry and market needs? ? What is the relationship between the methodology of choice and the organizational culture? The determination of the answers to this question as per the context of the organization helps in coming up with the level of uniqueness needed for the Automated office systems support and thus plays a very important role in the determination of whether to buy or build.The needs of an organization are defined as its requirements to perform in the industry (Herbert & Sparck, 2004). The needs are thus the components that are necessary for the survival of a business in the industry that it is in. The needs are the basic components of the operational environment. Determination of the needs requires one to look deeply into the processes and establish their requirements, outputs, behavior and interaction before any modification aimed at the improvements of the processes is made.It is noteworthy that every process has a number of factors that affect it both from its external and internal environment. Moreover, every activity or operation than an organization may undertake in can be broken into a number of processes and thus determination of the needs of the organization is done effectively i n an efficient manner. The implementation of developmental agenda in any organization is best done through strategic planning (Buckingham, 2006). Strategic planning involves the formulation of a plan aimed at development of some project(s) so as to ensure organizational growth.Any plan that is developed with success in mind must have a well laid out action plan that is characterized by well intentioned and realistic objectives. It is important that the objectives of any plan be in line with the actual needs of the organization. Therefore, the objectives of the organization in coming up with an Automated office systems support must be established and documented clearly so that the guidelines in the implementation of the policies that arise as a result of the consideration of the objectives be in line with the organizational goals.Moreover, the objectives in the implementation of a plan differ according to the priorities of the organization and are therefore unique to the problem bein g addressed and the organizational approach to problem solving. After the determination of the exact needs of the organization, the available software and software components have to be evaluated. An important consideration is that in either case the organization has to buy either software components to, or the full Automated office systems support since the organization does not engage in the manufacture of softwares (Gibson, 2004).Thus, determination of the needs of the organization and the available software capability in meeting those needs must be established. Moreover, organizations must effectively determine any addition capabilities possessed by the available softwares that may enhance service delivery. These capabilities which meet the wants of the organization must be addressed clearly and effectively if the investment is to be a success. Industrial and market considerations also contribute a great deal in deciding whether to build or buy Automated office systems support.A n industry is defined as a collection of businesses and related economics (Gibson, 2004). The industry is thus one of the factors that is influential on the strategic development of any organization. Companies may choose to either go with the trends of the industry or adopt a trend that can be considered as being contrary, in either case there are pros and cons that must be considered. The effects of the trends in an industry do impact on its players. Moreover, how the effect is felt by the constituent members depend on their abilities and thus differs across the industry.An occurrence in an industry may be viewed by the sector players as an opportunity or a threat depending on their policies, resource base and technical capabilities (Gibson, 2004). Policies implemented by organization under the consideration of the industry may be aimed at measuring up to other players in the industry or gaining an edge over them. In either consideration the nature of the organization in question p lays a great role in the strategic direction adopted. The market is a very important consideration in deciding on what strategic direction an organization will adopt in pursuing its vision.Most organizations are in business for the sole aim of meeting their customers' needs and thus their strategies are often biased towards the achievement of this cause. The customers needs are an aspect of business that is nearly impossible to predict. The requirements and the expectation often shift with changes in technology, industry, preferences, fashion and taste. The social, environmental, legal, political and economic factors all have a great bearing on the market and thus on the decision.Moreover, in market considerations, expected growth in the future plays a central role in formulation of current market strategies. In consideration of the market needs, the policies formulated are often aimed at coming up with directions that will best meet the needs of the market so as to either match the other players or earn a reputation and thus a competitive advantage. Organizational culture Organizational culture is defined as the shared values and beliefs within an organization (Wilkes, 2000).The culture also comprises of the norms and beliefs and is thus an in build system within an organization (Wilkes, 2000). Thus organizational culture is specific to an organization and it defines the relationship and the nature of the interaction between members of an organization and is influential on the nature of the relationship with outsiders (Wilkes, 2000). The culture is also definitive of the goals that are set for each member of the organization and is seen to go in line with thee vision of the organization. From the clear definition, goals, guidelines or expectations are developed; these constitute the norms.The management may try to instill some kind of a culture on its employees, this type of culture is thus described as corporate culture and is more specific (Wilkes, 2000). T he classification of culture takes on diverse dimensions and therefore the analysis of the effects must also take on the same trend. The following are some of the factors that are used in classification of organizational culture: ? The expected differences in power levels. ? The extent to which the organizations members are willing to take risks. ? The level of collectivism or individualism in an organization. ? Gender aspects.? Orientation, which can either be short or long term. Any strategy that an organization comes up with must be within the organizational setting and thus be relevant to the organization culture. A clash between the strategies and the organizational culture will lead to the flop of any program, therefore all organizations must ensure that their development plans are in line with the culture, failure to which the implementation will be a flop. Support for the policies After the analysis of needs, resources and uniqueness, there is an additional factor that must be considered in coming up with a decision; support.The organizational support to the mode chosen is very critical in the determination of the success of the mode of choice in meeting the needs of the organization. This is because it affect how members of the organization receive the decision. Support can be categories into three: ? Upper level support ? Like/ Colleague level ? End user support Management The reasons for support by upper management staff and executives is quite clear. The main reason for their support is the power they posses in the implementation of the plan especially in resource allocation and policy formulation (Woodruff, 2005).Moreover, the obvious nature of the need to influence the top executives often lead to concentration on them and thus ignoring the other members. Organizations must ensure that such occurrence are minimized and if possible eliminated as they can cause failure of well intentioned plans. Colleagues This group is made up of all those that th e organization have to interact with in their daily undertaking (Woodruff, 2005). The importance of this group lies in counteracting the power that the organizations executives have on the decision making process.The support of the members of the organizations operational environment plays a very important role in influencing the decision. Therefore, enlightening the colleagues on the importance of Automated office systems support will go in line with drumming up support for the implementation of the approach of choice. In addition, enlightening the colleagues to understand the implementation of the plan, which it is meant for and the effect of its implementation on their jobs will go a long way in influencing their support.End Users Even though they have the power to influence the success of a plan, the end user are often ignored in lobbying for support (Woodruff, 2005). The end users have the power to render the plan a failure by deciding not to use the product, which will have th e effect of changing the attitude of the colleagues and the management executives on the effectiveness and efficiency of the adopted Automated office systems support acquirement mechanism.Moreover, the sabotage need not be intentional; the failure of the system may be due to their lack of understanding of why the product is necessary or as a show of their lack of support of the governance model adopted. Furthermore, the products failure in meeting the needs of the end user could lead to failure and thus the importance of the end user in deciding on whether to buy or build Automated office systems support can never be downplayed.The Decision Process Whenever an organization decides to buy, the decision is always an aftermath of a series of processes. The decision may be instantaneous or take a long time though buying is a process and not an event (Woodruff, 2005). No matter the length of the process the origin is when a company becomes aware of the need (Woodruff, 2005). The need is then identified and the organizations searches for avenues through which the needs can be met.In the process of information or data gathering, the criteria that will be used in buying affects the buying process and should therefore be evaluated and refined. It is advisable for organizations to choose a few alternatives that are considered to be the best from the lot. Once a decision in reached and a choice made the purchase is made which is another process that can be quite time consuming (Woodruff, 2005). In summary, the decision to buy can be broken into five stages in which the first three are also constituted in a decision to build:? Identification ? Searching ? Evaluation ? Decision ? Purchase ? Reevaluation i. Identification This is the phase in which the organization realizes that it has a need that can be met by an Automated office systems support. The identification could be as a result of the failure of the system that they are using, increased competition from their rival s who have automated or as a strategy to gain some competitive leverage on players in the industry who are still implementing the manual system or are using a poor automated system.ii. Searching This is more of a research phase where the organization analyses itself, processes together with the industry to come up with the aspects in which it is lacking (Woodruff, 2005). Moreover, the organization can establish areas in which it can improve in so as to aid the establishment of its presence in the industry. iii. Evaluation In this phase the results from the searching p