Information Systems Essay Example Strategic Systems Planning

What is the apparent value of strategic systems planning during turbulent times when technology shifts occur so frequently? The occurrence of frequent technology shifts give companies a great opportunity to differentiate themselves by cost structure, product feature and service. This is especially true with regards to IT which McFarlan and Nolan (Para 8) state could be used to increase efficiencies and improve cost savings, to support incremental improvement of organizational structure, products, and services, and also to create strategic advantage through changing the rules of competition, extending customer value proposition, extending competitive scope and so on. In this light, it is prudent for organizations to maximize on the opportunities availed by today’s rapidly changing technologies. Strategic information systems and technology planning provides a framework that can help organizations recognize and harnessing these opportunities that are arising out of technology turbulence. Strategic information systems and technology planning is valuable to organizations in such environments where the pace of doing business keeps going up because it reflects a convergence of both means and ends. As means, information systems have become so important to achieving business objectives that they have to be weighed as part of the process of selecting objectives, and not merely act as a means to accomplishing objectives already identified (Pollack 49). As ends, information systems can extend the customer value proposition through provision of new IT-based products and services (McFarlan and Nolan Para 9). Specifically, the intended result of the strategic information systems planning process is to arrive at information systems (IS) strategy that comprises of the Information Strategy, the Information Technology Strategy, the Information Management Strategy and the Change Management and Implementation Strategy (Pollack 51). From each of this sub-sections of the IS strategy, the organization is better able to critically appraise the new technologies, identify those that match its business and organizational strategies and implement them. The ideal situation is that technology should not act as a constraint on a company’s current and emerging business strategy, rather it needs to enable and support them. Further, regardless of the whether times are turbulent or not, in a rapidly changing technology landscape or not, the merits of strategic systems planning that an organization is bound to experience have been well documented by several authors such as Steiner. Some of these merits include application of the systems approach, introduction of new set of decision forces, creating channels of communication and creating a framework for making decision (Steiner 38). A good example of the value of evaluating the company using the systems approach is that it permits management to view the organization as a whole and not as a sum of parts. This way the organization can unearth the interrelationships of its different units and how new technologies will affect these interrelationships. Finally, conducting strategic systems planning during turbulent times provides the company with an ability to iterate quickly around the loop: identify, adopt, measure and learn. When opportunities are presented by the technology shifts it is paramount for organizations to respond quickly in order to take advantage. As Pollack (50) states: â€Å"some rapid responses may be viewed later as failed experiments, but that may prove to be better than a lost opportunity.† Works Cited McFarlan, F. W, and Richard L Nolan. â€Å"Does IT Matter? An HBR Debate.† HBS Working Knowledge. 25 Aug. 2003. Web. 29 Jan. 2012. Pollack, Thomas A. â€Å"Strategic Information Systems Planning.† ASCUE 2010 Proceedings. North Myrtle Beach, SC: ASCUE, 2010. 47-58. Print. Steiner, George A. Strategic Planning. New York: The Free Press, 1979. Print. Take Our Academic Assistance Now There is not a speck of doubt in the fact that we are one of the most professional academic writing services you can ever find online. Don’t you want to benefit from such a service? You sure do. Tell us to forward you the login details.

England Essays

England Essays England Essay England Essay A Critical analysis of England in 181 9 At the beginning of the 1 9th century England became a place of both social and political unrest. The King, George Ill, was slowly dying, leaving the country in the hands of his ministers. With this, the idea of liberty began to grow, attacking the ruling classes who remained selfish and in power . Thus, with this in mind, Shelley uses England in 1819 and several other political poems to directly express his views on politics and morality during the period. From the beginning of the poem it is obvious that Shelley poem is one with a AOL to liberate the people of England. The first half go the poem is set on directly attacking the current King of England and his successor, George IV. The King is described as being old, mad, blind and dying, all characteristics of a weak monarch and therefore a weak country. Just like George Ill, England and its people are dying. The Napoleonic wars had left much of the English population poor, unemployed and in misery. However, George Ill seems blind to this, ignoring the suffering populous and crushing any hopes of liberty and change. It is this arrogance of power that Shelley is most critical of. Through violent metaphors Shelley describes the rulers of the country as leech-like, sucking every ounce of blood out of the English population, again blind to what they have done. Thus, it is obvious that this poem represents the decay of the English way of life. What was once a place of freedom, has became a place where the ruling classes ignore the suffering of the English people to fulfill their own selfish desires. The old King fails to relate to his subjects and thus continues to set a bad example to his successors, developing the idea that there is little hope of change any time soon. As the poem continues, Shelley lists the flaws in Englands social fabric. The army for example has become a tool used by the elite to prey upon the citizens, quashing any sign of liberty. Without a strong King, the country has fallen to the power of the army, who are using the lack of control to take advantage over the citizens. The line makes as a two-edged sword to all who wield is particularly powerful. Two edged sword In particular implies that whether the citizens fight in the war or just live under King Georges rule they will fall victims to death. This idea of little of no hope further emphasizes Shelley denouncement of the English monarchy. In addition to the army, Shelley expresses his lack of faith in several other key institutions, the law and religion. The corrupted monarchy has lead to sanguine laws which tempt and slay and rulers who are Crestless and Godless. Here Shelley is trying to explain how the laws of England have become harsh and worthless, while religion has lost all its morality. With these key institutions corrupted, Shelley paints an almost apocalyptic image of England, where all hope has been lost. One of the most significant part of England in 1 819 is how Shelley has structured it. The thematic structure (to a certain extent) is set out so that the first six lines deal with Englands rulers, the King and his successors, and the final eight deal with the rest of the country. This gives Shelley the ability to build up a strong argument; first presenting everything that is wrong with the rulers and then the effects it is having upon England. Furthermore, Shelley also does some non-uniform things with the rhyme scheme of the poem. England in 1819 is written in the form of a sonnet, with fourteen lines and iambic pentameter. However, unlike the majority of English sonnets, Shelley uses an unusual rhyme scheme, in this case BAOBAB, CDC, C, AD. By doing this Shelley inverts a traditional sonnet form. By breaking away from the tradition rules of a sonnet, Shelley creates almost a revolution in poetry. This form reflects his desire for the general populous to break away from the tradition rule of the nobility. The use of a sonnet in this context also contrasts the the Shakespearean sonnet. Traditionally ending with a rhymed couplet, Shelley ends his poem with two rhymed couplets. This seemingly offers 2 separate endings. One Of which expresses restriction with the words sealed and unrepeated and the other that expresses possibility with may and day. Thus, Shelley is saying that England has 2 possible futures; one of suffering and constraint and one of freedom and fulfillment. However it is up to the people to choose the future they want. In addition, the sounds in the poem play a key role in the development of the anti monarchy argument. The poem is filled with the alliteration of consonant sounds. For example, despised and dying, mud and muddy and starved and stabbed. By using this kind of emphasis on the consonants, Shelley phrases and arguments become far more dramatic and threatening. The sounds Of alliteration such as despised and dying produce a gratifying effect to the ear and also emphasis key words in the line. This allows for readers of the poem to remember all the negatives that Shelley has mentioned in the poem and therefore have more of a desire to fight for liberty. The desire for liberty is thoroughly expressed towards the very end of the poem. In a startling burst of optimism, Shelley expresses his hope that a glorious Phantom may spring forth and illumine our tempestuous day. Here, in my opinion, Shelley is indirectly calling for a revolution. These lines seem to allude to the idea of a Phoenix. They suggest that there is hope that England, as a nation, will be so far gone that it will rise again from the ashes of its own destruction. Ultimately here, Shelley concludes his poem by suggesting the spark of a new revolution. To conclude, Shelley England in 1819 is a poem built upon liberation. Through his description of 181 9 England, Shelley creates an argument for the hatred of the ruling classes and the monarchy. With England becoming a place of suffering and poverty, Shelley hoped that through the presentation of his own political views the future of England would be changed. This poem is therefore much more than just a piece of literature, it is a plea for the people of England to stand up for what they and Shelley believe in; a fair and equal democracy.

NaN, Infinity, and Divide by Zero in VB.NET

NaN, Infinity, and Divide by Zero in VB.NET Beginning programming books usually include this warning: Dont divide by zero! Youll get a runtime error! Things have changed in VB.NET. Although there are more programming options and the calculation is more accurate, it isnt always easy to see why things happen the way they do. Here, we learn how to handle division by zero using VB.NETs structured error handling. And along the way, we also cover the new VB.NET constants: NaN, Infinity, and Epsilon. What Happens If You Run 'Divide By Zero' in VB.NET If you run a divide by zero scenario in VB.NET, you get this result: Dim a, b, c As Double a 1 : b 0 c a / b Console.WriteLine( _ Have math rules _ vbCrLf _ been repealed? _ vbCrLf _ Division by zero _ vbCrLf _ must be possible!) So whats going on here? The answer is that VB.NET actually gives you the mathematically correct answer. Mathematically, you can divide by zero, but what you get is infinity. Dim a, b, c As Double a 1 : b 0 c a / b Console.WriteLine( _ The answer is: _ c) Displays: The answer is: infinity The value infinity isnt too useful for most business applications. (Unless the CEO is wondering what the upper limit on his stock bonus is.) But it does keep your applications from crashing on a runtime exception like less powerful languages do. VB.NET gives you even more flexibility by even allowing you to perform calculations. Check this out: Dim a, b, c As Double a 1 : b 0 c a / b c c 1 Infinity plus 1 is still infinity To remain mathematically correct, VB.NET gives you the answer NaN (Not a Number) for some calculations such as 0 / 0. Dim a, b, c As Double a 0 : b 0 c a / b Console.WriteLine( _ The answer is: _ c) Displays: The answer is: NaN VB.NET can also tell the difference between positive infinity and negative infinity: Dim a1, a2, b, c As Double a1 1 : a2 -1 : b 0 If (a1 / b) (a2 / b) Then _ Console.WriteLine( _ Postive infinity is _ vbCrLf _ greater than _ vbCrLf _ negative infinity.) In addition to PositiveInfinity and NegativeInfinity, VB.NET also provides Epsilon, the smallest positive Double value greater than zero. Keep in mind that all of these new capabilities of VB.NET are only available with floating point (Double or Single) data types. And this flexibility can lead to some Try-Catch-Finally (structured error handling) confusion. For example, the .NET code above runs without throwing any kind of exception, so coding it inside a Try-Catch-Finally block wont help. To test for a divide by zero, you would have to code a test something like: If c.ToString Infinity Then ... Even if you code the program (using Integer instead of Single or Double types), you still get an Overflow Exception, not a Divide by Zero exception. If you search the web for other technical help, you will notice that the examples all test for OverflowException. .NET actually has the DivideByZeroException as a legitimate type. But if the code never triggers the exception, when will you ever see this elusive error? When You'll See DivideByZeroException As it turns out, Microsofts MSDN page about Try-Catch-Finally blocks actually uses a divide by zero examples to illustrate how to code them. But theres a subtle catch that they dont explain. Their code looks like this: Dim a As Integer 0 Dim b As Integer 0 Dim c As Integer 0 Try   Ã‚  Ã‚  a b \ c Catch exc As Exception   Ã‚  Ã‚  Console.WriteLine(A run-time error occurred) Finally   Ã‚  Ã‚  Console.ReadLine() End Try This code does trigger an actual divide by zero exception. But why does this code trigger the exception and nothing weve coded before does? And what is Microsoft not explaining? Notice that the operation they use is not divide (/), its integer divide (\)! (Other Microsoft examples actually declare the variables as Integer.) As it turns out, integer calculation is the only case that actually throws that exception. It would have been nice if Microsoft (and the other pages that copy  their code) explained that little detail.

As a leader in the 21st Century, I want to know what technology Research Paper

As a leader in the 21st Century, I want to know what technology decisions to make - Research Paper Example Because of the massive reach of social media, firms regard it as an effective tool for driving relevant messages. From an internal communications point of view, social media allows employees to efficiently manage the exchanging of both professional and personal messages. Through social media, corporate culture has been further enhanced. From an external communications perspective, social media is used by firms to directly interact with their target customers in a less costly manner through the personalization of advertising messages. Therefore, in comparison to traditional forms of media, such as television and radio, marketing professionals prefer social media due to its wide audience reach and flexible nature. In this paper, we examine the relevance of leadership techniques in driving the effectiveness of social media, both internally and externally. As such, the discussion is divided into three parts: (1) look closely into social media as a business tool; (2) delve into the forms of leadership techniques, and (3) analyze the connection between proper leadership techniques and results-driven utilization of social media. In the end, this paper aims to justify its thesis that the effective use of social media in business depends on the leadership styles of leaders in a company. Research: Social Media and its Emerging Relevance in Business Overview of Social Media Social Media is defined by Wright State University (n.d.) as â€Å"an interactive, specifically online, community that builds and enhances relationships between individuals and groups based on interest, occupation, and demographic measures while delivering viable information to such individuals and groups.† Human communication, in this sense, is made more efficient through social media. The increasing use of social media by businesses has been underscored in numerous studies. D’Angelo (2010), in his academic paper entitled â€Å"Social Media Community Management: Implications for Busines s Communication Curriculum,† highlighted that 91% of the top 500 companies the U.S. used at least one social media tool in 2009, an uplift from 77% in 2008. There was also an increase in social media use by small businesses from 12% to 24% between December 2008 and December 2009 (D’Angelo, 2010). Moreover, Harvard Business Review Analytic Services (n.d.), in its newly released survey with top U.S. corporations, claimed that more than three-quarters (79%) of the 2,100 organizations surveyed said that they are currently using social media channels (58%) to launch social media initiatives (21%). As Stelzner (2009) discovered in another study, business owners are more likely to use social media marketing (90%) than employees working for a business (81%). In terms of their actual use of social media, sole proprietors and owners of businesses of 2 to 100 employees mentioned that they have been doing social media marketing for years while 72% of marketers have either just star ted or have been using social media for only a few months (Stelzner, 2009). These data indicate that the rise in the use of social me

Wollstonecrafts Feminism Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wollstonecrafts Feminism - Thesis Example She argues that since woman is the other half of mankind, she should be accorded her basic rights like what the man has. She questions the happiness of the woman when she is under patriarchal subjugation. (Wollstonecraft 13). However, there are problems implementing a fixed doctrine of women's rights. These rights vary with different cultures. A universal doctrine of rights cannot apply when the applicants live under different social conditions and sustain their cultural views. For example, the Western and Eastern societies nurture differing specific cultural and social values. The political leaders defend their right to adapt human rights as in accordance to their country's specifications and refuse to implement a universal set of human rights. Thus, there are two camps of thought with the Universalist and relativist. The next question is how trustworthy is the male dominated hierarchy to implement the rights of women when the male sex are viewed as prejudiced law makers by virtue o f their gender. In the Third World, the forced attempt at drawing up the constituency of human rights using Western principles of universality is met with criticism. Instead of helping, these acts are viewed as colonialism. The superimposition of Western cultural and social values backfires. (Schech & Haggis 172). Wollstonecraft says that women should be educated to become fit companions for men and good mothers. She says that everything stems from the mother; 'If children are to be educated to understand the true principle of patriotism, their mother must be a patriot; and the love of mankind, from which an orderly train of virtues spring, can only be produced by considering the moral and civil interest of mankind; but the education and situation of woman, at present, shuts her out from such investigations.' (Wollstonecraft 12). It is foreseeable that each successive generation depends upon the mother and she should receive sufficient education as a woman to carry out her duties as a mother befittingly. On cultural relativism, Wollstonecraft mentioned that French women have changed in spite of the positive input of education. The women have been conditioned to expose their sexuality and scorn the moral value of modesty. They have adopted the attitude of flouting their sexuality and deriding other women who do not share their value as being prudes. The French women are subject to social conditioning and have assimilated the superimposed values as their own. These French women are being 'educated' to turn against themselves without their realizing it. They do not realize what is happening to them because they have no basic foundations of education and thus are unable to discern what is moral or immoral. (Wollstonecraft 12). Wollstonecraft used this example to warn against the impending social risk of English women suffering the same fate as their French counterparts. Taylor says that; 'In an interesting side-swipe at enlightened ethical relativism, in 1795 Wollstonecraft condemned th ose 'semi-philosophers' who, using examples from 'nations just emerging from barbarism', had attempted to show 'that the vices of one

Analysis of Existing Products Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Existing Products Essay In the design brief I had stated that I will create some kind of thing which will enable me to keep my books cleanly organized and safe. In the past days I have searched on the Internet and in my surrounding community for existing products, which keep books organized and safe. All the sizes are rounded. All the sizes are in inches. The different types of objects/things I have found are: * Open Bookshelf * Closed Bookshelf * Filing Cabinet * Portable Bookshelf * Multi Purpose Bookshelf Below I have described about the products I found for each specific objects. Design/Theme: Open Bookshelf Materials: Open Bookshelf can be made out of basically anything. Wood, Metal (Steel), Marble, Plastic, Glass are all the materials used for making a bookshelf. But the most common material used is Wood and Metal. These is because they are the strongest materials among listed and also are available in great quantities. Functions/Purpose: The function and purpose of a open bookshelf is to keep books. When books are kept without good care, they usually get in bad quality. Another reason the bookshelf does is that it allow the user to easily find his book, rather than going through piles of books. Durability: Since open bookshelves are made from different materials, it depends on what they are made from. If they are made from wood, the durability is high. Wood is a material, which lasts long unless it is put in a condition where nature can access it. But as my open bookshelf would be kept inside the room, or house, it will be safe and last a long time. Whereas Metal has the highest durability compared to all the other materials. They do not get rotted or fungus like wood and are not breakable like glass. They are very strong and attractive looking. Marble is another durable material too. Plastics are durable also, but depending on what conditions they are under. Plastic can react quite quickly with heat and damaged easily. But as my bookshelf would be inside the house, it would not be greatly affected by the sunlights rays. So as it can be seen most of the materials used to make a bookshelf are greatly durable and therefore the product will also be durable. Examples: Open Bookshelf are available in different sizes and different materials. I would like my open bookshelf to be of a medium size. Below are some examples of Open Bookshelf. Environmental Impact? Social Significance? Personal Comments: I think that an open bookshelf is a great product. This is because it fulfills my design brief almost. It allow books to be kept easily stored. The Materials used in the product are good except plastic and wood. Plastic is a material which is not recyclable and that means it is harmful to the environment. Also while in the manufacturing process of plastic lots of harmful gases are left into the air. Wood is a good material to use, as it is durable but cutting trees are producing it, which is not good for our environment. Therefore these materials are harmful to the environment. Bookshelves shown above also have a good color as it matches with my house. But the only thing bad about some of the bookshelves are their prices. Like the ones shown above, some of them are over $500. Even though the materials are very good, I think this price is too expensive. Most of the products have a good size as they are medium. But some of them are too huge. I feel the bookshelves on the most top right are the best as their price, weight, size are all under limits. And as it is made from metal, the durability is also high. I feel these products will be very helpful in solving my problem. But if I decide to use these open bookshelves, I am keeping my books organized but not safe. As the bookshelf is open, dust, insects and all other things will be affecting the conditions of my books. Therefore the open bookshelf does not fully fulfill my needs. Sources: * http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/SKU.asp?BCFlag=FalsePageType=1SKU=449571 * http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000068E82/ref=ase_dealtime-das/104-1481322-3590320?v=glances=office-products * http://www.eofficedirect.com/quickship/qs_item.aspx?dept_name=%3cimg+src%3d%22%2fimages%2fsite%2fdash5.gif%22%3e%3cb%3e+Furniture%3c%2fb%3e+%7c+Bookcases+%7c+Woodsku_gp_id=11121selectedSection=%3cimg+src%3d%22%2fimages%2fsite%2fdash5.gif%22%3e%3cb%3e+Furniture%3c%2fb%3e+%7c+Bookcases+%7c+Woodhidden_pf_id=35270 * http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-8170461-7335348?asin=B00005OU2X * http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-8170461-7335348?asin=B000068XY1 * http://store.yahoo.com/iron-decor/bookcase.html * http://www.bettymills.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?exact_match=yeskeywords=SAF7174BLsearch_office_prods=1 * My own Open Bookshelf at my home (photograph, the last photo) * Brochure from a Furniture Exhibition Design/Theme: Closed Bookshelf Materials: Many materials can be used to manufacture Closed Bookshelf. But the most common materials used are pine and oak for the basic structure. Handles, Glass and Hinges are also used for the doors to work. Functions/Purpose: The function of this closed cupboard is to keep books safely organized with closed doors to protect it. As it has closed doors it will stop dust and other harmful particles from damaging the books. Durability: Since they are made from Wood they will last a long time. Pine and Oak are regarded as one of the best kinds of wood to be found and therefore they are very durable. Examples: Environmental Impact? Social Significance? Personal Comments: I think that closed bookshelf is a better product than an open bookshelf. This is because it gives protection from dust particles and other harmful particles. So therefore it fulfills my design brief fully and solves my problem if I choose to build this further as a product. Just like the last product it allow books to be kept easily stored. The materials, which are used to manufacture this product, is wood. Wood is a very durable material, and if it is used to manufacture closed bookshelf, this means that this product would last a long time. Other than the middle bookshelf all the other bookshelf match my color of my room and therefore would look good if I plan to manufacture something like this. All the products have an average costs which is affordable easily, and I think that these bookshelves are worth the money due to their materials also. This closed bookshelf would easily fit into the environment of Bangkok as they are made out of wood. Wood is a material, which can withstand the heat and therefore wouldnt be damaged by the suns rays. Also the closed bookshelf has adjustable shelves which means that every type of book can fit into the shelf. These closed bookshelves are of a good size, good cost, fit books easily, match my room and are attractive looking. So I think manufacturing a closed bookshelf will be greatly beneficial in solving my problem. Sources: * http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/SKU.asp?BCFlag=FalsePageType=1SKU=491233 * http://www.intrading.com/gujarati-panel-collection.html * http://www.homevisions.com/hvprod/prod_display1.asp?Product=43536partner=11clktru=1 * http://www.furnitureontheweb.com/NoFrame/items_direct/049117nf.html * Brochure from Furniture Exhibition Design/Theme: Filing Cabinet Materials: Filing Cabinets are usually made from metal and sometimes from wood related materials. Other materials needed are handles and other materials to make the drawer work. Function/Purpose: Filing Cabinets are usually used in Offices, Schools, and Hospitals to keep files organized easily. But these filing cabinets can also be used to keep books in themselves. Durability: Since metal is used to make these cabinets, their durability is extensively high. If they are made from wood the durability is slightly less but still will be high. Usually metal cabinets can last up to 6-7 years, if used with normal conditions like in a office. But if they are brought into contact with water, then their durability can decrease. Plus as Thailand has a pleasant warm climate, these filing cabinets will have a higher durability compared to the ones used in places like Sahara desert. Examples: Environmental Impact? Social Significance? Personal Comments: From my opinion a filing cabinet is a good way of storing books safely. But if it is compared to the other products I think it is not worth it. This is because in a filing cabinet, books cannot be organized easily. If I make a filing cabinet for myself then it would take me more time to find my books compared to and open bookshelf or an closed bookshelf. Usually filing cabinets are used for files, and bigger sized books. But the type of books I have are novels. Novels are small and therefore would meet the requirements for a filing cabinet. I think just like the other products, it will be able to keep my books, and that too safely. But the only disadvantage is that it wouldnt be organized. But otherwise it does solve my problem partly and meets all the requirements of my need. But the best part out of all of the products until now is its size. The size of a filing cabinet is usually only until my waist which the size I prefer. But the other bookshelves I have mentioned above are mostly up till my head. This is not what I prefer. Another thing good about this product is its cost. Most of the costs of filing cabinets I found on the Internet are around the range of $200. There are some exceptions, but I think overall the price is reasonable. The colors also available are good specially black, as it stands out. From my opinion the environment in Thailand wouldnt harm this cabinet. But the filing cabinet might have a lower durability due to the conditions it is used under. As the drawer is pulled out always, the drawer might get a lower durability. Another reason I think this filing cabinet might have a lower durability is because of my carelessness. While pulling things I am quite careless and might pull it so fast that it might totally come out and break either my foot or the drawer itself. I think this product is a good idea of solving my problem even though it has some disadvantages. I think maybe I could improvise this idea to further develop a better bookshelf. But this can be decided later on. Sources: * http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PRODUCTPROD_ID=471841cid=19351fp=F# * http://www.comforthouse.com/comfort/unhanandknob.html * http://www.eofficedirect.com/quickship/qs_item.aspx?dept_name=%3cimg+src%3d%22%2fimages%2fsite%2fdash5.gif%22%3e%3cb%3e+Furniture%3c%2fb%3e+%7c+File+Cabinets+%7c+Lateral%2c+Metalsku_gp_id=%20%20%20%20%2014898selectedSection=%3cimg+src%3d%22%2fimages%2fsite%2fdash5.gif%22%3e%3cb%3e+Furniture%3c%2fb%3e+%7c+File+Cabinets+%7c+Lateral%2c+Metalkc=D1hidden_pf_id=1074 * http://www.abigwarehouse.com/abigwarehouse/filecabinet.html Design/Theme: Portable Bookshelf Materials: Portable Bookshelf are made out of wood and metal. Function/Purpose: The function of a portable bookshelf is to keep books organized and safe. But the main aim is to make it portable. By saying portable, it usually has wheels below the bookshelf to make it mobile. Durability: Usually objects made out of wood and metal have a high durability. But these portable bookshelves do not have a high durability. They have a medium durability due to the wheels below them. This is because the wheels have a lot of pressure on them and can easily be spoiled due to the movement. Therefore after the wheels break down then the bookshelf will become like a normal bookshelf at one place. But another thing, which the durability of portable bookshelf is dependent on, is the type of floor it is used on. Usually floors like marble, wood, tiles allow a high durability. But floors that are carpeted can be easily decreasing the durability of this portable bookshelf. Examples: Environmental Impact? Social Significance? Personal Comments: The materials used in a portable bookshelf are mostly metal and wood. Both these materials are in some way harmful to the environment. Wood is cut from tress, and therefore by using wood we are cutting more and more trees. But if these trees are re-grown then the impact on the environment could almost reduce to zero. Then metal is also harmful to the environment. This is because the process used to extract these metals out uses fossil fuels and therefore is damaging the environment. But otherwise these materials do not damage the environment too much. I personally think that a portable bookshelf is not the best way of organizing the books. Even though it has the biggest advantages of being mobile, I think it is useless otherwise. This is because like can be seen above all the mobile cabinets around the world are focused for different purposes rather than books. The portable bookshelf like the one shown on the top left is so heavy that they are unable to move easily. Also while in the moving process of such big bookshelf, the bookshelf can easily topple over and create a mess. But with the disadvantages of the wheels it also has advantages. With the wheels the bookshelf can be shifted around for cleaning and other purposes. Another disadvantages about his design/theme is its costs. Portable Bookshelf are over the price of $300 mostly. This high price is unaffordable for me, as my parents wouldnt allow my to spend all my money on such a small thing. But the size as can be seen from the picture is mostly average and according to my needs. The last disadvantage is its durability. Due to the wheels the durability has decreased and therefore it would be durable for a shorter time. But the top part, which is made out of metal mostly, would last a long time and be beneficial. I am not sure whether I would prefer to make a portable bookshelf like this as it has so many disadvantages. But this can be improvised which will be decided later on. Sources: * http://www.shoplet.com/office/db/SMD06022.html * http://dealtime.catalogcity.com/cc.class/cc?pcd=4488554ccsyn=48 * http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?edc=282379 * http://www.bettymills.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?exact_match=yeskeywords=SAF1872BLsearch_office_prods=1 * Brochure from a Furniture Exhibition Design/Theme: Multi Purpose Bookshelf Materials: Usually Multi Purpose Bookshelf are made from wood with all the other materials required for the specific object. Function/Purpose: The function/purpose of a multi purpose bookshelf is to have several purposes with a bookshelf. Like for example a Multi Purpose Bookshelf could be a Normal Cupboard, in which books, CD-ROM, toys and other materials can be kept. Durability: Multi Purpose Bookshelf has a high durability as they are made out of wood. Examples: Environmental Impact? Social Significance? Personal Comments: I personally think that a multi purpose bookshelf is not the best way of organizing the books. Even though it has the biggest advantages of storing other things it wouldnt suit me. This is because all of the above things are focused on children below the age of 10 years. Now as I am in Year 11 I wouldnt prefer these kind of childish objects. Therefore I do not prefer these kinds of things in my room. But otherwise the advantage is great for the child. If I was to make something like this for my sister, it would greatly benefit her. The ideas used by people are great. I think I could improvise this idea and make a similar idea, but instead not make it childish. Overall the costs, sizes, are fine but these dont matter to me as I dont prefer to have objects like these in my room. Sources: * http://store.yahoo.com/sensoryedge/boshbyki.html * http://store.yahoo.com/sensoryedge/grclboshbyki.html * http://www.roomstogokids.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ktg.showItemipac_id=1640 * http://store.yahoo.com/sensoryedge/1doboshin.html This was my analysis for my existing products. This analysis of the existing product has given me a broader idea of what I might be making and has given me lots of information which would help me in the further stages of this project.

Personal Response to Marge Piercys A Work of Artifice :: Work of Artifice Essays

Personal Response to Marge Piercy's A Work of Artifice My initial response to "A Work of Artifice" by Marge Piercy, was one of profound sadness. In defining myself as the actual reader of this poem, my background becomes significant in my emotional response. "It is this reader who comes to the text shaped by cultural and personal norms and prejudices." (Bressler, p. 72) I come from a family of poets and published writers and have been reading and composing poetry since the age of 4. My first poem was published in the local newspaper, in which I won first prize, at age 5. I have experienced all kinds of texts, as well as many different forms of art. Being exposed to art and literature at such a young age has given me a wide variety of experiences and a huge cultural repertoire. I have even been to Pablo Picasso's home studio in France a number of years ago. What strikes the familiar chord in me through this poem, however, lies not in my cultural repertoire nor my literary background, but my own recent personal background. Having spent many years in an abusive relationship, I can identify with this poem on a very sensitive level. "It is your nature/ to be small and cozy,/ domestic and weak" (12-14). Throughout history, women have been subjected to prejudice and discrimination as the "weaker" sex, oft times becoming subservient to their husbands, bosses, etc. Men have been dominant for years, and in such, have squeezed the role of woman into the domestic realm, that which they believed to be "woman's work." Experiencing this first hand, although I did work two jobs to support a non-working husband and three children, I have felt a sense of weakness and being oppressed or kept down, kept small, which is the essence of this poem. The idea here represents the cultural norm (although this has changed in our culture today) of keeping women from speaking their mind by relegating them to purely domestic chores of little importance. I found no key gaps within this poem on a personal level, although I can define some that would occur should a reader not be familiar with the concept of bonsai trees. My father has grown bonsai trees for many many years, thus the concept of pruning back and stunting the growth of such trees has been in my cultural and personal repertoire since childhood.

U.S. Gaap vs. Ifrs

Thao Vu Accounting 303 October 9, 2012 US GAAP vs. IFRS The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) developed the United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) has been used in US corporations for over 75 years. It allows financial statements from all corporations to be compared accurately and efficiently, and serves as a guideline for accountants. GAAP is slowly being taken out for the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as global business goes across the world. GAAP applies only to United States financial reporting. GAAP and the international rules have close similarity.The differences can lead a financial statement user to believe incorrectly that a company A made more money than company B because they report using different rules. The difference between GAAP and IFRS is the means of inventory valuation. In this case, GAAP permits accountants to use Last-in First-out, First-in First-out, and weighted average. Under IFRS, LIFO is not allowed. If U nited States corporations are forced to switch to LIFO under a universal accounting standard, they will have large increases in income tax. The use of LIFO allows them to avoid larger income taxes in times of inflation.Another example of the different procedures between IFRS and GAAP is in the evaluation of intangibles. GAAP focuses mostly on recording them at a set price, and amortizing that value over the amount of useful life of the intangible. IFRS stresses constant re-evaluation of the price, and recognition at the intangible's fair value (Miska). One of the greatest benefits of adopting IFRS is the fact that the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) would be working together to develop the best, most effective accounting principles.Converting to an accounting standard that is less rule-based, and more principle oriented would definitely save American businesses trouble as well. IFRS authorize three basic accounting models: I. Current Cost Accounting, under Physical Capital Maintenance at all levels of inflation and deflation under the Historical Cost paradigm as well as the Capital Maintenance in Units of Constant Purchasing Power paradigm. II. Financial capital maintenance in nominal monetary units, i. e. globally implemented Historical cost accounting during low inflation and deflation only under the traditional Historical Cost paradigm III. Financial capital maintenance in units of constant purchasing power, i. e. , Constant Item Purchasing Power Accounting – CIPPA – in terms of a Daily Consumer Price Index or daily rate at all levels of inflation and deflation under the Capital Maintenance in Units of Constant Purchasing Power paradigm and Constant Purchasing Power Accounting – CPPA – during hyperinflation under the Historical Cost paradigm. What are the advantages of IFRS?First, it allows a company to compare itself to competitors overseas, because they will all be us ing the same financial language (IFRS FAQs). Second, a company that has offices all around the world will be able to use one set of standards rather than many different sets unique to each country. Third, it may make it easier for companies to grow globally because the accounting methods will be the same everywhere and time won’t need to be spent learning new rules. The projects listed below are a move toward achieving a common accounting framework, a step in the globalization of business and investment. Financial instruments * Revenue recognition * Leases * Statement of comprehensive income * Fair value measurement * Derecognition * Consolidations * Post-employment benefits| * Balance sheet – Netting * Financial statement presentation * Discontinued operations * Financial instruments with characteristics of equity * Insurance contracts * Emissions trading schemes| Currently, the first three projects (in bold) are priority projects – due to the existing divergen ce of US GAAP and IFRS and the need for improvements in the standards they replace.In conclusion, going from GAAP to IFRS will take time, money, training, and patience, but it will be well worth it in the long run for the United States and international businesses. Globalization of business is growing and students and professionals need to become aware of what the IFRS will mean in their careers. As of 2011, IFRS will be eligible for testing in the CPA exam; so, it is important for students to understand the implications of the newest set of global standards (IFRS FAQs).In a profession that needs a lifetime commitment to learning, IFRS is not different than Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and GAAP before it; it is one more academic step for accountants to overcome and master during their professional career. Sources â€Å"IFRS FAQs. † IFRS. com. 2011. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. Imhof, Rori. Accounting Standards Go Global. Articlebase. com. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Kaiser, James G. â€Å"US GAAP ; IF RS Convergence. † PWC. com. Web. August 2012. Miska, Kevin. US GAAP vs. IFRS. Articlebase. com. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. U.S. Gaap vs. Ifrs Thao Vu Accounting 303 October 9, 2012 US GAAP vs. IFRS The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) developed the United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) has been used in US corporations for over 75 years. It allows financial statements from all corporations to be compared accurately and efficiently, and serves as a guideline for accountants. GAAP is slowly being taken out for the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as global business goes across the world. GAAP applies only to United States financial reporting. GAAP and the international rules have close similarity.The differences can lead a financial statement user to believe incorrectly that a company A made more money than company B because they report using different rules. The difference between GAAP and IFRS is the means of inventory valuation. In this case, GAAP permits accountants to use Last-in First-out, First-in First-out, and weighted average. Under IFRS, LIFO is not allowed. If U nited States corporations are forced to switch to LIFO under a universal accounting standard, they will have large increases in income tax. The use of LIFO allows them to avoid larger income taxes in times of inflation.Another example of the different procedures between IFRS and GAAP is in the evaluation of intangibles. GAAP focuses mostly on recording them at a set price, and amortizing that value over the amount of useful life of the intangible. IFRS stresses constant re-evaluation of the price, and recognition at the intangible's fair value (Miska). One of the greatest benefits of adopting IFRS is the fact that the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) would be working together to develop the best, most effective accounting principles.Converting to an accounting standard that is less rule-based, and more principle oriented would definitely save American businesses trouble as well. IFRS authorize three basic accounting models: I. Current Cost Accounting, under Physical Capital Maintenance at all levels of inflation and deflation under the Historical Cost paradigm as well as the Capital Maintenance in Units of Constant Purchasing Power paradigm. II. Financial capital maintenance in nominal monetary units, i. e. globally implemented Historical cost accounting during low inflation and deflation only under the traditional Historical Cost paradigm III. Financial capital maintenance in units of constant purchasing power, i. e. , Constant Item Purchasing Power Accounting – CIPPA – in terms of a Daily Consumer Price Index or daily rate at all levels of inflation and deflation under the Capital Maintenance in Units of Constant Purchasing Power paradigm and Constant Purchasing Power Accounting – CPPA – during hyperinflation under the Historical Cost paradigm. What are the advantages of IFRS?First, it allows a company to compare itself to competitors overseas, because they will all be us ing the same financial language (IFRS FAQs). Second, a company that has offices all around the world will be able to use one set of standards rather than many different sets unique to each country. Third, it may make it easier for companies to grow globally because the accounting methods will be the same everywhere and time won’t need to be spent learning new rules. The projects listed below are a move toward achieving a common accounting framework, a step in the globalization of business and investment. Financial instruments * Revenue recognition * Leases * Statement of comprehensive income * Fair value measurement * Derecognition * Consolidations * Post-employment benefits| * Balance sheet – Netting * Financial statement presentation * Discontinued operations * Financial instruments with characteristics of equity * Insurance contracts * Emissions trading schemes| Currently, the first three projects (in bold) are priority projects – due to the existing divergen ce of US GAAP and IFRS and the need for improvements in the standards they replace.In conclusion, going from GAAP to IFRS will take time, money, training, and patience, but it will be well worth it in the long run for the United States and international businesses. Globalization of business is growing and students and professionals need to become aware of what the IFRS will mean in their careers. As of 2011, IFRS will be eligible for testing in the CPA exam; so, it is important for students to understand the implications of the newest set of global standards (IFRS FAQs).In a profession that needs a lifetime commitment to learning, IFRS is not different than Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and GAAP before it; it is one more academic step for accountants to overcome and master during their professional career. Sources â€Å"IFRS FAQs. † IFRS. com. 2011. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. Imhof, Rori. Accounting Standards Go Global. Articlebase. com. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Kaiser, James G. â€Å"US GAAP ; IF RS Convergence. † PWC. com. Web. August 2012. Miska, Kevin. US GAAP vs. IFRS. Articlebase. com. Web. 20 Nov. 2010.

Carolina Pad and the Bloggers Essay

1- April Whitlock received e-mail from Mommy bloggers requesting financial assistance to attend the upcoming bloggers conference. Bloggers promised a ward of mouth and written reviews about Carolina Pad Company. April must consider that bloggers hadn’t promised favorable review, just review. Also, she worried there was something dishonest about the case: wasn’t implicit that the reviews would be favorable? Moreover, is the act an ethical or not and would the payments be in violation of Carolina Pad’s Mission and Values statement. Finally, if she declined the bloggers’ request while questioning their ethical standards, would her relationship with any of the bloggers become strained? 2- April firmly believed the promotional considerations theses bloggers were offering could provide a significant higher rate of return for Carolina Pad than the company could receive from others such as advertising. Also, she realized that her competitors were receiving similar requests from these or other bloggers, and many of them were benefiting already from paying such requests. But, April also thinks that there are some dishonest about the whole situation and bloggers didn’t promised a favorable reviews and if is an ethical scenario or not. 3- If April agreed to pay the bloggers, the following stakeholders will be effected: a. Bloggers will be satisfied and received money for their job b. Carolina Pad company reputation and revenues will rise if the review is good, but it might enter in unethical stage which will affect its mission and values statement. c. Customers will be willing to buy more of the company products due to the good reviews. d. Employees such as April will be affected by getting better positions in the company due to the increase in company revenues, but it might affects their beliefs about the company mission and values statement. 4- In Virtues Method, honesty, loyalty, and respect from customers and employees will be affected badly if April decided to pay the bloggers. In Utilitarian Method, the benefit the company will receive from paying this small cost amount will be very high and the repetition will increase if April agrees to the deal. In the Rights Method, the right of speech will be influenced if the bloggers to take the payments and they will be force somehow to say only good things about the company. In the Justice Methods, the customers will be affected by false reviews about the company products which is not fair for them to buy products that they received different reviews or false about them. 5- I think April shouldn’t pay the  bloggers their financial support demand because it will affect the company Mission and Values statement badly. Also, the company repetition and revenues are at a high level at the moment. The company doesn’t any good reviews from paid bloggers to increase its values, repetition, and revenues.

Walter E. Williams

Walter E. Williams received a bachelors degree in economics from California State University in 1965, a masters degree in 1967 and a doctorate in 1972 in economics from the University of California at Los Angeles. He currently is a Professor of Economics at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He has also served on many other faculties such as, Los Angeles City College, California State University and Temple University. He was also a group supervisor for juvenile delinquents for the Los Angeles County Probation Department from 1963-1967. Williams recalls that his work with juvenile delinquents was very challenging and stressful and after four years he needed to move on. Williams has written more than 50 publications and almost all of them have appeared in scholarly journals, such as The Economic Inquiry, American Economic Review and The Social Science Quarterly. He was very proud when 2 of his publications made it to the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek. He also made many appearances on T.V. shows such as Nightline, Crossfire and Face the Nation. Along with his many publications, Williams also write several books. Some o his most famous titles include All it takes is Guts , South Africas War Against Capitalism and America: A Minority Viewpoint. Some articles that Willaims has written that have caused heated debates include: Should All Laws be Obeyed and Yours or Mine. Williams has been known to ask the question, Should all laws be obeyed? Williams believes some laws are not worthy of obedience.(Williams, 1997). The question arises, What would happen to our society if the people decided what laws to obey or disobey? during the apartheid in South Africa, some moral acting whites disobeyed the South African constitution and did not persecute the blacks. These whites should not be tired or convicted for their moral acts aga...

Twelver Shiites, or Ithna Ashariyah

Twelver Shiites, or Ithna Ashariyah Twelver Shiites, known in Arabic as IthnÄ  ‘AsharÄ «yah, or ImÄ miyÄ h (from Imam), form the principal branch of Shiite Islam and are sometimes synonymous with Shiitism, even though factions such as the IsmÄ Ã„ «lÄ «yah and ZaydÄ «yah Shiites do not subscribe to Twelver doctrine.   Alternate spellings include  IthnÄ  ‘AsharÄ «yah,  ImÄ miyÄ h,  and ImamiyÄ . Twelvers are the followers of the 12 imams they consider to be the only rightful successors of the Prophet Muhammad, beginning with Ali ibn Abu Talib (600-661 CE), Muhammads cousin and son-in-law, and ending with Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (born 869 CE), the 12th imam whoaccording to Twelver beliefwill emerge and bring peace and justice to the world, becoming the ultimate savior of humankind (Muhammad never appeared publicly and is currently considered in major occultation as the Mahdi). Sunnis recognize Ali as the fourth caliph, but founding commonalities between Sunnis and Shiites end with him. Some Muslims have never recognized the first three as legitimate caliphs, thus forming the nucleus of Islams protesting Shiites. The seeming subversion never sat well with Sunnis, whose habit it became to mercilessly and brutally persecute Alis followers and assassinate subsequent imams, most spectacularly among those the killing in the battle of Hussayn  (or Hussein) Ibn Ali, the third Imam (626-680 CE), on the plains of Karbala. The killing is most famously commemorated in the annual rituals of Ashura. The copious bloodletting gave Twelvers their two most prominent characteristics, like birthmarks on their creed: a cult of victimology, and a cult of martyrdom. The Safavid Dynasty Twelvers never had an empire of their own until the Safavid dynastyone of the most remarkable dynasties ever to have ruled Iranwas established in Iran in the 16th century and the Qajar dynasty in the late 18th century when Twelvers reconciled the divine and the temporal in the leadership of the reigning imam. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, through his 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, pushed the fusion of the temporal and the divine furthest, adding a layer of ideological expediency under the banner of Supreme Leader. A strategic revolutionary, in the words of writer Colin Thubron, Khomeini created his own Islamic state above Islamic law. Twelvers Today The majority of Twelverssome 89%reside in Iran today, with other large populations existing but being mightily oppressed in Azerbaijan (60%), Bahrain (70%), and Iraq (62%). Twelvers make up some of the most destitute populations in countries such as Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Pakistan as well. The three major legal schools of Twelver Shia Islam today include the Usuli (the most liberal of the three), the Akhbari (who rely on traditional religious knowledge), and the Shayki  (at one time absolutely apolitical, the Shaykis have since become active in the Basra, Iraq, government as its own political party).

Problems with Professional Development Dissertation

Problems with Professional Development - Dissertation Example It is easy to agree on the need; how should districts address obstacles that would impede the success of such programs? An inevitable consideration is time, of course. It would be ideal if all teachers had ample opportunities to learn from one another, and to absorb the current research in a vacuum; but considerable juggling of schedules is necessary; as the ongoing practice of direct student interaction is neglected only at the district's peril. With a limited number of school days per year, with needed allocations for snow days and unforeseen interferences with academic scheduling; a teacher's available time is a resource that determines district funding and must be husbanded by the administration. A study by Raywid has sought to examine time allocation by school districts in terms of professional development assignments. Numerous approaches have been devised for time-management that would free-up hours or days needed for improvement of the educational process as a whole. One proposal would be either extending the school year, adding additional days, or just hours to build a block of time permitting ongoing improvement for the staff. The entire day could be planned for an extended length during four days of the week, with one day being designated for a shortened time-frame. A shortened Friday might prove a popular choice in this instance; but specific district needs will of course be paramount in choosing a day most convenient. Without adding time, a budget could be allocated, for some districts to use greater numbers of teaching assistants, qualified volunteers, or teaching interns to cover classes; providing students with the same number of days they are entitled to under State and Federal Law, while granting time needed for continuous development amongst the teaching staff. The use of qualified teaching volunteers could serve as a means to increase community support. Former, retired teachers could be retained in a limited capacity to allow the same number of school hours, but giving current teachers a chance to pursue professional goals. Drawing upon the talent pool of the community at large could be a useful means to strengthen ties, and encourage interest and participation in events such as PTA meetings; or ancillary school-related functions. Certain previously-planned staff meeting and informational sessions could also be re-tasked to allow for instruction in teaching methods, and studies of knowledg e absorption in students. Teachers may be given 'PTO', some form of paid time off, or a substitute bank of time that has been previously allocated, and could be 'tapped' by individual teachers on an 'as needed' basis. (Raywid, 1993) More ideas are needed, as Professional development has not been universally perceived as integral to enhancing teacher effectiveness and adaptability. (Watts & Castle, 1993) The above mentioned recommendations for time allocation may be unusual in most districts; where district administration, as well as parents, and State education officials tend to be leery of anything that distracts teachers from direct student interaction. (NECTL, 1994) It is rare to create scheduling with professional skill development in mind. Guilt, on the part of