Strategic Information Systems Environmental Relationship

Question: Discuss about theStrategic Information Systemsfor Environmental Relationship. Answer: Introduction According to Remenyi, (2010), Reponen, (2013), and Sprowls, (2014) a strategic information system is any information system that can change the process, goals, product, environmental relationship, and services at level of an organization to give an organization a competitive edge over its competitors. Moreover, Peterson and Saunders outlined that any decision concerning information system strategy cannot solely depend on the information collected from professional in the field of management information system. In addition to this, Benova and Gregus, (2009) state that management of information system cannot be focused on individuals aspects such as record keeping, accounting, and reduction and control of cost. Ideally, it is a necessity for managers to have a deeper understanding of information systems strategies in order to help in integrating information systems with the business strategies of the organizations (Corbit et al., 2008). Nonetheless, understanding of information systems can help the managers compare their system with that of their competitors in order to achieve full efficiency of the systems. According to Ankit (2016), the sole purpose of information system is to maximize the effectiveness of business strategies of an organization. Ideally, information systems are effective in reducing the cost of production, increasing production effectiveness; revolutionize the face of products and services in order to enhance the competitive advantage of an organization. This report presents an analysis of strategy information systems, its basic system, and business requirements, and how Disk4U can analyze their needs, select an appropriate software to integrate with its business strategies to meets their demands, and gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. Gartner and Porter, (2016) used the concept of value management to evaluate the kind of value each process can add to the products and services of an organization. Moreover, Hemmartfar et al., (2010) believes that product and services of an organization determine the primary objectives of an organization. In addition to this, Gartner and Porter (2016) stated that the major problem that companies face in the current business environment is to maintain their competitive advantage. Nonetheless, according to Turban et al., (2009) implementation of an information system is a complex task because the complex nature of the information systems. Moreover, the main purpose of strategic information systems is to establish a sustainable and profitable position in the market and create an opposing force to the forces that determine the competition of the market. Hemmatfar et al., (2010) asserts that information systems should allow a company enhance its competitive differentiation coupled with co st leadership that gives a company sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, Pearlson and Saunders (2010) argue that information systems must possess the ability of a strategic weapon that can enable a company gain competitive advantage, come up with new ways of management, enhance performance and productivity, and diversify their goods and services. This implies that the use of information systems in managerial and strategic activities is of importance than use in operational contexts. Having mention that is important to point out the effects of improper use of information systems within an organization. Moreover, it is important to understand the different aspects of the organization before adopting an information system. In this regard, the Information System Strategy Triangle (ISST) framework is essential in understanding the dynamics of information systems within an organization and how they can be aligned to concur with the objectives and practices of the organization. This is because the ISST framework outlines the relationship between the business strategies and the information system strategies within an organization. Ideally, an organization strategy and information system strategy are driven by the strategies of the business. Moreover, these strategies have a mutual relationship and they must concur in their operations for maximum sustainability. However, it is important to note that failure to understand the relationship between the three strategies can have detrimental effects on the business. This is because any change in the business strategy can have a negative effect on information system strategy. According to Hemmatfar et al., (2010) information systems play a vital role in financial and non-financial issues and in business operations aspects like decision making within an organization. Thus, the managers are required to make decisions with an integration of the information system and organizational decision by considering the capabilities of resources within an organization. Business Process Disk4U is a company that sells CDs and Vinyl records and is based in Sydney. The company operates in four small outlets in the Sydney metropolis. Moreover, the company sells its products through via physical front shop, mail, phone orders, and a recently opened online channel. In addition to this, the company relies on manual accounting since it started. However, with the recent expansion in business activities the company must automate its accounting system for maximum efficiency. Moreover, automation can help the company achieve its full potential and increase its market share through efficient process and customer services. Disk4U Company is a distribution company that deals with distribution of CDs and Vinyl records. Thus, the company has different stages of administration and information that is available at these stages. In the accounting section, the business has the requirements for the directors, managers, and the cashiers in contact with the clients. Moreover, an automated system will require different levels of access within the system of the company. In addition to this, there is need to reduces the number of process involved in cash handling. Having mention that is important to point out that the company has four different stores that are managed at one central place. Thus, it is important to select an accounting software that can incorporate the financial records of the four different stores to increase efficiency. Strategic information systems offer a variety of services to business, as discussed above these services entails gaining competitive advantage, and revolutionizing the production of goods and services within an organization among other factors. However, it is important to select an information system that meets the demands of the business and can integrate easily into the business strategies. Thus, it is important for a business to assess its process and ascertain the right type of information system that can meet and revolutionize the demands of the organization. According to Worden, (2016) the selection and evaluation phase is an important process that can enable an organization to achieve long-term efficiency. Thus, the first phase of selecting an information system for Disk4U Company is assessing the business process of the company. Assessing Business Process In this phase, the company determines which process within the company are working well and which ones are not working as per their expectations. Moreover, at this phase the company ascertain which process are working well and those that require improvements. The business process can be analysed using the following questions; Is the availability or lack of reports hinder the decision making process within the company? Does the company have any industry specific requirements apart from the ones handled by the current system? Is the data of the company available on the web or via mobile devices and is the availability affecting the success of the company in any way. In other words is the availability of such information benefit the company in any way. Is the productivity of the employees affected by the current system and is there any direct benefit of making the employees more productive. Is the system available flexible that is, is the system able to adapt with new and complex business processes as the company expands. Is the spread of key information available throughout the company and does the availability of such information affect the productivity of the company. Can the available system cope with the current business needs? Does the current system underperform, Does the company use manual systems such as double entry, and use of spreadsheets? Does the company struggle to comply with industry specific requirements and does the company spend a lot on manual auditing and reporting? Does the production of financial statements consume a lot time and is it error prone, and does the company performs inter-company transaction with ease and is it efficient. Ideally, these questions can be answered using a SWOT analysis of the company. This can help identify the weakness and strength of the company and help identify the proper information systems. Moreover, this can help an organization realize the benefits and importance of fitting an information system versus the return on investment. Nonetheless, the analysis can help an organization ascertain the benefits if improving employee efficiency versus fitting a new information system and can help the organization choose an appropriate information system. In addition, these questions can help in creating a needs analysis from different departments of the company. The company can achieve this through assigning the managers of different departments and stores to analysis the stores and departments and outline what their departments and stores need starting from invoice preparation to operations of the inventory Laudon and laudon (2012). After analysis, the managers should classify the tasks according to importance. After separation, the managers can develop flow charts of how the process and tasks are performed, this should include decision-making protocols. Moreover, during the analysis the managers can collect samples of every report and forms generated by the current system. From these forms, process, and samples the company can be able to ascertain the business requirements from an accounting software, which can make it easy for the company to decide the software that meets their demands. Business Requirements Integration of an online platform has diversified the business needs of Disk4U rendering the manual process outdated since it cannot meet the business requirements of the company. Moreover, the online platform expands the business requirements of the company such that the company needs to shift from manual process to automatic process. The business needs an integrated financial system that can integrate both the online and physical location operations. In addition to this, the company needs a system that can help it manage the four stores located in different locations within Sydney metropolitan. Nonetheless, the business needs a system that can manage its business transactions on a daily basis. The business needs a system that can revolutionize its processes and products offered to the customers to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. In addition, the business needs a system that can generate business reports with ease and efficiency. Moreover, the business needs a system that can reduce inventory errors and make inventory control efficient. Nonetheless, the information system should be able enhance customer service through making the goods and services from the company easily accessible. The manual system of inventory and sales control presents a lot of data entry sales that can cause the company to loss revenues through human errors. Thus, the business needs an information system that can facilitate correct information is presented to the managers in order to aid in decision making with regard to the strength of the company. System Requirements A strategic information system should be efficient, reliable, and maintainable. According to Ahmadpour et al., (2011) the main functions of a strategic information system are gathering, analysing, and maintenance of data regarding the intelligence of the competitors, internal resources of a company, customers, suppliers and other relevant organizations involved with the company. In addition to this, there are different types of systems that can company can integrate into its business strategies. These include operational level, management level systems, knowledge level systems, and strategic level systems. However, the focus of this report is on strategic level information systems. The strategic level system can help the managers to deal with strategic issues that can contribute to the success of the company. The strategic level system incorporates features like budget forecasting, personnel planning, sales trends forecasting, and operation plan. Software Selection It is evident Disk4U needs a software to make their operations and services more efficient. This can be attributed to the fact that the manual system is obsolete considering the transactions of the online platform. However, it is important to understand the needs of the company before settling for a certain software. As discussed above, Dosk4U is in need of a software that can control its accounting and financial data generated on a daily basis. Moreover, Disk4u is in need of a system that can manage its inventories in order to enhance customer experience thus, enhancing customer satisfaction that can lead to the growth of the company. However, there exist different accounting software created for different needs and thus, the company must first identify the category it falls in to select a software that can facilitate future success and efficiency. Companies fall in four broad categories according to revenue they generate. These categories include; Entry level. Entry-level software is for smaller business that make a revenue of less than $5 million in a year. Moreover, companies in this category usually have up to 20 employees. Small and medium business (SMB). In this category, software is designed for companies that make revenues of up to $100 million and have more 100 employees. Small and medium enterprises (SME). Software is designed for companies that generate a revenue of up to $100 million and have up to 500 employees. Enterprise resource planning (ERP). This are biggest organizations with revenues exceeding $500 million and have more than 500 employees (Randolph, 2013). Moreover, Randolph, (2013) further states that is a company operates a complex business it can choose a software that is that is one-step ahead, in that, a company in the SMB stage can opt to use a software designed for SMEs. Similarly, Randolph further states that if a company operates a simple business, it can opt for a lower category product. A lower category software has fewer features, which can save money for the company. However, it is important to note that a lower category software has fewer features that can force the company to employ other applications such as Access and Excel to perform some accounting tasks. These fill-in resources can be expensive in the long hence causing the company to spend more making it expensive in the end. Having mention that is important to point out that Disk4U falls in the first category since it has only four stores and its employees are roughly less than 20. Thus, the company should go for a software in the entry level. Software for the ent ry level include Sage 300c and 50c, Microsoft Dynamics , Intacct, NetSuite to mention just a few (Softwareadvice.com, 2016). Sage 300c Sage 300c has the ability to manage business whether in one location or indifferent countries. Moreover, sage 300c has the ability to manage operations, finances, and inventories in multiple currencies and languages. Sage 300c provides real time updates, mobile access, and visibility in the entire company (Sage.com, 2016). In addition to this, sage 300 has the ability down the operations of the company according to departments, which improve collaboration and increase transparency. Moreover, sage 300c provide real time updates of the operations and finances of the company, reduce redundancies and inefficiencies that optimize the productivity and performance of the company, give access to manager anytime and anywhere, and can integrate the process of front-to-back offices like marketing, customer services, and sales which increase efficiency and increase productivity in the company (Sage.com, 2016). On the other hand, sage 50c simplify complex accounting process. This include saving t ime by automating manual process thus, enabling the managers and accountants to do a lot of work in less time. In addition to this, sage 50c increases the accuracy of information since it reduces chance of error. Moreover, sage 50c offers instant analysis and reporting, which simplifies decision-making process. Sage 50c offers instant saving, retrieving, and organizing of financial data. Vendor Selection There are many software vendors in the business world, as mentioned above; they include sage, Microsoft dynamics, Intacct, among others. Among these software sage provides the best services ad dynamics to many environments. According to Comparebusinessproducts.com, (2016) sage offers the best business software with diverse accounting abilities and applications. In addition to this, sage is one the software vendors with pride of providing solutions that address specific industries and companies. However, it is important to note that its extensive products are somewhat confusing and intimidating (Comparebusinessproducts.com, 2016). Nonetheless, sage applications are designed for small and medium sized enterprises and their prices range from $2000 to $100,000. Furthermore, sage software is designed to accommodate any business in any location couple with its friendly prices, which makes it the preferred software for Disk4U Company. Challenges of Information Systems According to Newell and Marabelli, (2015) implementing strategic information systems can be a complex task due to the complex nature of information systems. In addition to this, many other studies concur with the sentiments of Newell and Marabelli and point out that despite several positive result of information systems studies have failed to identify the difficulties during implementation of complex information systems. Moreover, studies by Sosa and Kemerer (2011) and Sosa (2009) show that upgrading and maintaining installed information systems is costly. Ideally, companies are forced to upgrade their systems when their competitors upgrade their systems or buy new ones. In this regard, companies are forced to carry out regular updates to meet the growing demand of the business environment. Conclusion From the above discussion is evident that strategic information systems are an important aspect of any business in the current business environment. In addition to this, information systems are the driving force of change and revolution in businesses. This is because information systems enable competitiveness in the modern business world. Moreover, the concept of information systems is crucial since it can be used for differentiation, cost leadership, reduce cost, and acquire competitive intelligence. Thus, it is important for Disk4U Company to adopt a strategic information system in order to revolutionize its operations and services. In addition to this, information systems can enable a company achieve competitive advantage over its competitors. Ideally, it is important for managers to have a deeper understanding of information systems in order to facilitate smooth integration of strategic information systems to business strategies. In addition, information systems should not focuse d on individual aspects of business management but on the general aspect of business management. Moreover, from the discussed literature it is evident Disk4U can use information systems to revolutionize its operation and make their process efficient in order to increase productivity. References Ahmadpour, A., Akbaryan-Fard, M., Arad, H. and Ojagh, S., 2011. Strategic Information Systems: Some Issues on Competitive Advantages Roles.The International Journal of Digital Accounting Research (Forthcoming),20, pp.1-19. Bhatnagar, Ankit. "Strategic Information Systems Planning: Alignment of'IS/IT'Planning and Business Planning." (2016). Comparebusinessproducts.com. (2016). The Top 10 Accounting Software Vendors. [online] Available at: https://www.comparebusinessproducts.com/briefs/top-10-accounting-software-vendors [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. Gartner, W. and Porter, M. (2016). Competitive Strategy. The Academy of Management Review, 10(4), p.873. Gregus, M. and Benova, E., 2016. Strategic Information Management.Comenius University, E-Leader, Slovakia. Hemmatfar, M., Salehi, M. and Bayat, M., 2010. Competitive advantages and strategic information systems.International Journal of Business and Management,5(7), p.158. Newell, S. and Marabelli, M. (2015). Strategic opportunities (and challenges) of algorithmic decision-making: A call for action on the long-term societal effects of datification. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 24(1), pp.3-14. Kemerer, C.F. ed., 2011.Information Technology and Industrial Competitiveness: How IT Shapes Competition. Boston, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Pearlson, K. E. Saunders, C. S. 2010, Managing and Using Information Systems: A Strategic Approach, Fourth Edition, John Wiley Sons, USA Pita, Z., Cheong, F. and Corbitt, B., 2008. Approaches and methodologies for strategic information systems planning: An empirical study in Australia.ACIS 2008 Proceedings, p.1. Randolph, J. (2013). A Strategy for Finding the Right Accounting Software. [online] Journal of Accountancy. Available at: https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2003/sep/astrategyforfindingtherightaccountingsoftware.html [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. Remenyi, D. (1990). Strategic information systems. NCC Blackwell. Reponen, T. (2013). Strategic information systems a conceptual analysis. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 2(2), pp.100-104. Sage.com. (2016). Sage 300 | Sage US. [online] Available at: https://www.sage.com/us/erp/sage-300 [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. Sprowls, C. (2014). Strategic information systems. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 3(3), pp.255-256. Softwareadvice.com. (2016). Top Business Accounting Software - 2016 Reviews Pricing. [online] Available at: https://www.softwareadvice.com/accounting/ [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. Turban, E., King, D., Viehland, D. Lee, J. 2016, Electronic Commerce 2016: A Managerial Perspective, International edn, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Worden, C. (2016). Roadmap To Successfully Evaluate Select ERP Software. [online] Findaccountingsoftware.com. Available at: https://findaccountingsoftware.com/expert-advice/roadmap-to-successfully-evaluate-and-select-erp-software/ [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016].

Fairytales Lie (Narrative Essay) free essay sample

As a little girl growing up you sit down and watch your princess movies where each and every one of them falls in love and everything turns out perfect. They meet their prince and get to live happily ever after. They never have any arguments or any faults or heart aches in these movies. So you grow up thinking that love is going to be this easy in your real life, but your parents forget to mention that your life isnt a fairytale and things are much harder. I remember the first time I met my first love. I thought he was the greatest guy In he world and I knew right away I was going to spend the rest of my life with him. One of the things that I noticed immediately when I first me him was how safe and secure he made me feel. I remember meeting him that very first day and realizing how good I felt Just being with him. We will write a custom essay sample on Fairytales Lie (Narrative Essay) or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was as If a burden had been lifted from my shoulders. I suddenly felt free and relaxed, as If I had to worry about nothing In life ever again. He was always very supportive of my ideas and my decisions and encouraged me to go ahead and do what I wanted the most.He provided me with the aground support that I had always needed to further my plans but had felt so Insecure before. He had a knack of making me laugh and feel good about myself and whatever was going on at that time. Aside from making me feel emotionally stable, safe, and secure, he also made me feel very secure financially. He made it look so easy, as if I would never have to worry about money ever again. He made me feel that could trust him with no matter what. This Is perhaps the reason that I fell in love with him In the first place, because of how he good he made me feel about myself: very safe, secure, and sound.He was always trying to involve me into his life and with us it is always us and never you or l. He was always willing to do fun projects and things together, and we were always looking to go to new, fun, and exciting places to spend our time together. I thought that I had met my prince, things couldnt possibly ever go wrong. Well, let me tell you after about 3 years of dating things went wrong. People always say after you make it past the first 2 years, the honeymoon stage is over and thats where you really start to tell If your relationship Is going to make It. Lets Just say ours didnt.We started fighting constantly and never hanging out with each other more. The lying started and the hanging out with just the boys started. He was constantly coming home drunk from bars while I sat up and waited for him to come home. I slowly saw this wonderful thing we used to have fall apart In front of my eyes. I tried everything to try and make us work again and get us back to what we had had before, however nothing was working. He didnt seem like he wanted to try anymore and I wasnt going to waste my time anymore with being with someone who didnt want the same In return.My so called fairytale I thought I had was no more. So as you see, romance is not the same In real life. What you see In the movie clearly doesnt happen in real life. Your mother doesnt warn you about the players, 1 OFF go through life searching for that perfect one while along the way get eaten alive by all the not so perfect ones. Unfortunately it doesnt happen in one shot. Im not saying its impossible to find love and hey if you find one like the movies more power to you. However, I dont get my hopes up anymore.

Information About the Presidents Cabinet

Information About the Presidents Cabinet The presidents Cabinet includes the Vice President of the United States and the heads of the 15 executive departments  - the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General. At the option of the president, other officials typically holding Cabinet-rank, include the White House Chief of Staff; the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers; the Administrator of the Small Business Administration; and the U.S. Trade Representative. The president can also designate other senior White House staff members as members of the Cabinet, However, this is a symbolic status marker and does not, apart from attending Cabinet meetings, confer any additional powers. Why a Cabinet? The term cabinet comes from the Italian word cabinetto, meaning a small, private room. A good place to discuss important business without being interrupted. The first use of the term is attributed to  James Madison, who described the meetings as â€Å"the president’s cabinet.† Does the Constitution Establish the Cabinet? Not directly. Constitutional authority for the Cabinet comes from Article 2, Section 2, which says that the president ... may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices. Similarly, the Constitution does not specify which or how many executive departments should be created. Just another indication that the Constitution is a flexible, living document, well capable of governing our country without stifling its growth.  Since it is not specifically established in the Constitution, the president’s Cabinet is one of the several examples of amending the Constitution by custom, rather than Congress.   Which President Established the Cabinet? President  George Washington  convened  the first cabinet meeting on  February 25, 1793. Present at the meeting were President Washington, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary or War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. Then as now, that first Cabinet meeting featured tension when Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton butted heads on the question of centralizing the then widely fragmented U.S. banking system through the creation of a national bank. When the debate became particularly heated, Jefferson, who opposed a national bank, tried to calm the waters in the room by suggesting that the acrimonious tone of the debate had no impact on the achieving a sound governmental structure. â€Å"The pain was for Hamilton and myself but the public experienced no inconvenience,† stated Jefferson. How Are the Cabinet Secretaries Chosen? The Cabinet secretaries are appointed by the president of the United States but must be approved by a simple majority vote of the Senate. The only qualification is that a department secretary cannot be a current  member of Congress or hold any other elected office. How Much are the Cabinet Secretaries Paid? Cabinet-level officers are currently paid $210,700 per year. Their pay is set annual by Congress as part of its approval of the federal budget. How Long Do the Cabinet Secretaries Serve? Members of the Cabinet (except for the Vice President) serve at the pleasure of the president, who can dismiss them at will for no cause. All federal public officials, including Cabinet members, are also subject to  impeachment  by the House of Representatives and trial in the Senate for treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors. Generally, Cabinet members  serve as long as the president who appointed them remains in office. Executive department secretaries answer only to the president and only the president can fire them. They are expected to resign when a new president takes office since most incoming presidents choose to replace them, anyway. Certainly not a stable career, but U.S. Secretary of State 1993-2001, would certainly look good on a resume. How Often Does the Presidents Cabinet Meet? There is no official schedule for Cabinet meetings, but presidents generally try to meet with their Cabinets on a weekly basis. Besides the president and department secretaries, Cabinet meetings are usually attended by the vice president, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and other top-level officials as determined by the president.

International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 11

International Relations - Essay Example The French economy, however, is among the strongest in the world and Europe. France, in coordination with the World Bank, has a commitment to device development policies aimed at enhancing food security in the country, combating climate change, enhancing infrastructure development, improving the health sector and education sector. According to the IMF, unemployment rate, consumer prices, and Gross Domestic Products are among the greatest key indicators of growth in France (Fig. 3). All the key indicators affect the progress of French economy since the 2008 crisis. The number of new businesses registered in 2008, in France, was 147, 049. The number reduced to 128, 906 in 2009, while in 2010 there were 132, 696 new businesses registered against 132, 293 in 2011. The most recent number of new businesses registered is 132, 293. New businesses density is reducing in the country with the highest density per 1,000 people ages 15-64 being 3.5 in 2008 compared against the latest value of 3.1. The implication of few new businesses registrations is slow creation of jobs in the informal sector from entrepreneurial avenues (fig. 4). Primary total is the enrolment is an age-specific enrolment rate of the of the official primary entrance age. An analysis of data indicates an average of 98.9 % over a period of the last 5 years. It is an indicator that France is only a step away at attaining a maximum adjusted net intake to primary schools. A succinct analysis of the gender distribution statistics indicates a balanced intake between male and female. The country is not gender biased as it relates primary education. On an average, both genders have risen over time, from 2008 to 2013. The female gender hits at an average of 98.7 while the male have 99.1. There is however, a need for the country to engage in more sensitization programs to balance the figures. The current dependency

Human Resources Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resources - Assignment Example Human Resources By choosing random individuals who are completely unaware that they are participating in a study realistically has the greatest likelihood of providing the most natural and uninhibited responses and reactions. People who are being watched, often, behave much differently than those who do not. So that part is an agreeable means to attain information that is completely uninfluenced by the research. However, by having no in-depth or personal knowledge of the test subjects there is now way of knowing if there are extenuating circumstances or variables that may make them poor candidates for such study. For example, some people suffer from a psychological or medical issues or inability to use the restroom when others are present, this preexisting condition could contribute to the study’s intention in a negative way; there slow or complete inability to urinate may have nothing at all to do with arousal. â€Å"Although the parameters of these measures have not been extensively studied, the present study implies that they have some construct validity as indicators of arousal† (Middlemist, Knowles, and Matter 544-545). Here they already are attributing the results that they gained as indicative of validation of the hypothesis that arousal can occur from the nearness of other men when urinating in a public restroom. However, the results of their study do not, however, randomly the participants selected, are not representative of the whole of society. Researchers said, that â€Å"†¦during tests of the experimental procedures, none of the test subjects had any suspicions about the confederate's activity† (Middlemist, Knowles, and Matter 545). They repeat this point multiple times in the course of the article. That the lack of knowledge of the test subjects that somehow, again, speaks to the universality of their results, which there is no direct evidence of. In fact, re gardless of the â€Å"promising† results they recorded there is actually no guaranteeing evidence that men are, often, aroused when near to others while urinating at a public urinal; and whether or not the slowness to begin urination or the shortness of its duration has anything to do with arousal, since most men complain of discomfort and unpleasantness associated with personal space violations in public restrooms. †¢Did the authors have any other purposes for sampling besides trying to enable generalization to a population? If so, describe this (these) purpose(s) Well there is a duality in their overall efforts to begin with. Although this study is specifically geared to determining the potential arousal responses of men when urinating while their space is invaded, there are other accessory purposes mentioned. Firstly, are the greater studies being attributed to invasion of personal space. Most of those studies have already indicated that there may be biological reacti on that can occur that might interfere with the immediacy and duration of urination that can be

Analyze companie in operation using analytical tools and strategy Assignment

Analyze companie in operation using analytical tools and strategy implementation (Apple ) - Assignment Example This is part of the risk management philosophy associated with their strategic expansion models. These licensing agreements are proactive protections that ensure no counterfeiting occurs and that the business’ software innovations are not duplicated by competition. Marketing is a major social issue for Apple as their reputation relies on positive consumer sentiment about the company and its products. The business uses marketing research to assist in identifying consumer knowledge about the firm and its products as part of proactive strategic leadership. A recent survey targeting teens in the United Kingdom identified that over 84 percent had already heard of the Apple iPhone and 25 percent would be willing to pay $500 for the device (Jones, 18). Marketing research is important when establishing strategic pricing structures for these products when considering the extent of the products’ life cycle on the consumer and business marketplaces. This is also part of management accounting systems in strategic development that â€Å"provide a monetary reflection of enterprise operations† (Clinton & Van der Merwe, 15). It helps the strategic leaders at Apple maintain control over costs and can assist in planning for new product development s based on consumer attitudes. Socially, Apple must consider the business’ reputation related to the buying behaviors and lifestyles of its target markets. Negative publicity is becoming more important and increases in frequency when trying to establish a brand presence in key markets (Dahlen & Lange, 388). This is part of the strategic governance process to ensure that proper public relations are maintained and that the products or the company image is not tarnished by its own actions or the interventions of third parties. Again, this is a risk management focus that might include hiring PR firms and developing a tracking system to

Australias Health Care System | Analysis

Australias Health Care System | Analysis The key principle underlying Australian healthcare system is equity to universal access to most health care regardless of the situation or ability to pay. This is achieved since revenue for this healthcare comes from taxation. Health services are funded through Medicare and pharmaceuticals schemes which are highly subsidized by the government while public hospitals and public healthcare are partly funded by commonwealth and state funding agreements. The schemes are founded on the spirit to make public health accessible by all the citizens irrespective of their financial ability (Healy Hilless, 2001). The purpose of this paper is to expound on the concepts of equity of access of healthcare in relation to effectiveness and efficiency and the relationships that exists among these concepts. Equity of access Equity is all about ensuring that all people have the support that they need to access, participate and achieve the same level. Access and equity are two concepts that go hand in hand they imply removing barriers and opening up opportunities. In the field of health these concepts mean that people with differing needs and abilities have the same opportunities to be attended to professionally by the medical practioners whether private or public at any time irrespective of their age, disability, color, race, gender, religion, sexuality, or location. It means addressing the healthcare need of everyone (Department of education and equity standards branch, 2003). The Australian government through its insurance schemes have tried to make healthcare accessible to all, however, it has been found that compressive insurance coverage is not always sufficient to ensure equitable access to health services since other factors such as shortages or mal-distribution of health services providers or constraints presented by language or cultural differences limit access to medically necessary care for apportion of the population (Docteur, 2004). In fact there is a wide agreement that rural and remote Australian communities are underserved by appropriately trained health professionals compared to those who live in the urban areas. Further, most remote Districts of Australia communities are unable to attract medical practioners and they are dependent upon rural remote area nurses to provide their healthcare. The shortage of rural registered nurses also impacts negatively on health care delivery. Despite these short comings, Australian population enjoys good h ealth relative to other countries with an increasing life expectancy of an average of 78 years and low incidences of life threatening infectious diseases. Although the spirit of the government healthcare policy to provide equity and access to healthcare has not been fully achieved, this policy has contributed greatly to the health status of its citizens. For instance over 85% of the people consider themselves to have excellent health status. In order to achieve the equity of access to health care ità ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s important that distribution of the health officers be checked and implements tele health services that will ensure that those Australians in remote areas have access to relevant healthcare (Jackson et al., 2009). Effectiveness There is no unanimity on how the concept of effectiveness can be defined, as a result of this there is inconsistency among scholars in their definition of the concept for instance. Some scholars view effectiveness as the degree by which organization achieves their goals, while others view it as the survival of the organization (Sudan Chand, 2004; Stephen, 2008). Other feels that effectiveness is present as long as an organization uses its resources efficiently and continues to contribute to the large system. Despite the inconsistencies, scholars have agreed on some points that may be applicable in measuring effectiveness. For instance how well has expectations of the society been met as per societal regulations and rules, the time dimension of how the system meets its goals in near future. Intermediate or in distant future and the decline or growth of the system can also be an indicator of effectiveness (Sudan Chad, 2004). Increasing the effectiveness of health care systems in Australia is growing priority for policy makers. The notion of effectiveness encompasses a broad and growing number of dimensions, reflecting increasing expectations in Australia in such away that health system must do more than just improve population health and reduce disability. The effectiveness of the access of health care by rural and remote communities in Australia has been enabled by the outreach models initiated; these are periodic supplies of the services from one location especially in towns to other location in this case remote areas. Other problems associated with heath care system especially in secondary and tertiary services such as surgery are not available to the people for instance Kimberley region has higher mortality rates than in the state level due to lack of access of specialist services like surgery which takes to long to be availed. The state rural community lacks enough medical personnel which mean that access to healthcare is also a problem. Compared to major towns like Melbourne, Kimberly the Australiaà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s most northern region with the highest proportion of aboriginal people always have a shortage of not lees than 20 medical doctors (OECD, 2002). Efficiency Measuring efficiency in healthcare is concerned with comparison of inputs with outputs or outcomes of the health care system to access the degree to which goals are achieved while minimizing resource usage. From economic perspective, efficiency put two elements into consideration that is allocative efficiency and dynamic efficiency.Allocative efficiency is aimed at allocation of resources so that the input invested in heath care system yield the best output. To achieve this technical efficiency, effectiveness and priority setting must be addressed. Effectiveness is aimed at maximizing outputs to a limited amount of inputs. Priority setting involves deciding amount of resources to be allocated in each and every disease while technical efficiency is achieved by ensuring that the staff serves to their full potential. Efficiency can also be measured in three levels i.e. the disease, subsector and system level. The disease level focuses on each disease on the gains in heath status brought by healthcare system, while the subsector level focuses on gains brought specifically by hospitals, outpatient care and pharmaceuticals and the system level relies on the holistic view of the system (OECD, 2010). Large hospitals and multi general practioners practice and specialist medical centers are most common in urban Australia and rare in rural Australia and services that look similar are actually structured differently. These healthcares deliver different services and cater for different populations. Rural residents are not equal participants in the primary health system since there are few general practioners in rural areas, they also make few visits in healthcare centers and they spend much to seek health care than their urban counterparts this means that the Medicare scheme of the government is not efficient in providing equity of access of health care to all citizens. The cost of time, transport and greater competition for services in regional centers contributes to lower utilization rates of those in smaller isolated communities (Luck, 2011). In addition the experienced pre-exist nurses in rural area can be up-skilled to serve a broader range of primary health care hence reducing t he burden of the general practitioners rather than trying to fill every vacancy of general practitioner. The nurses serve by complementing the work of medical practitioner. Interrelationships A properly functioning health system can be evaluated in terms of equity of access, efficiency and effectiveness of all the components of the system. Although there are a number of challenges in these dimensions, Australian health care system has strengths which manifests that the government has made efforts to maintain the proper functioning of the system in recognition that all these aspects are necessary and inseparable in a good health system. Efficiency, effectiveness and equity of access concepts are thus interrelated and their matrix is important when formulating policies of a system. Healthcare has remained a focal point for discussion throughout the history. However with entitlement spending dramatically increasing, poised for further increases, healthcare has been placed at the fore front of public policy. Globally very few countries have achieved an efficient and equitable healthcare industry. Australia serves as an excellent example in their health care policy because its system balances for equity of access and efficiency through the adoption of the free market policies in health provision as well as the base safety net for individuals who cannot afford free market rates hence making sure that the biggest population can be able to access the health services. According to Duckett (2008) efficiency compare outputs to inputs in this case, the number of health care staff to the number of people seeking health care services putting in to consideration the satisfaction the patients. Ità ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s possible to estimate the number of health staff required to attend patients satisfactorily in every region if efficiency ratios are known. In the efforts to achieve efficiency and effectiveness of the medical staff the policies of the government ensures that the citizens can access adequate and qualified medical personnel equitably. For instance in rural Australia there is an average of one medical doctor in a population of one thousand people. This is in contrast with the urban settings where the number of medical doctors is higher in the same population. While doctors in rural area may be efficient due to high number of patients they attend to access to them by citizens is limited hence contributing to the in effectiveness of the system due to citizensà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ dissatisfaction. Australia government and private sector has invested heavily in construction of health facilities in all regions so that citizens can access them easily and equitably. For instance it had 1051 acute care hospitals of which 734 were public hospitals providing 70% of the bed stock and 317 were private hospitals. Public hospitals are funded by the government or by charitable organizations while private hospitals are privately funded (Healy, 2001). Due to large number of public hospital with many facilities and resources they at times underutilized hence operating inefficiently. To ensure that efficiency is achieved public hospitals liaise with private hospitals to provide private services that are not available in private hospitals. This way efficiency is achieved and at the same time the satisfaction of the citizens by the kind of collaboration that exist between private and public hospitals indicates that the hospitals are effective in accordance with social rules and regulations. Eff iciency of hospitals has also been achieved through the policy of regional hospitals constructed in regional centers especially to cater for rural population. The regional hospitals also help the citizens to access specialist health care with ease. All this efforts contributes to the success of the health system in the spirit on universal access to health care (Duckett, 2008). For the societal satisfaction with the health care system the founding principles of the Australian health care system must work hand in hand. Effectiveness, efficiency and equity of access principles should be demonstrable in a perfect system. Although perfection cannot be achieved the governments through its insurance policies have tried to make accessibility a reality. In addition to accessibility the efficiency of the health workers has been tried to be achieved through encouraging the general practitioners to work in the remote areas where there is shortage of practitioners this is done through incentives, perks and allowances offered to those who practice in rural areas in addition to this tele health care services are adopted such that health care services are moved closer to the people from the urban areas where it concentrated these practices are done periodically. Conclusion The underlying principle in Australian healthcare system is equity to universal access to most health care regardless of the situation or ability to pay. This is achieved since most health care system get revenue from taxation thus promoting equity of access of the health system. The concept of equity of access in relation to effectiveness and efficiency is also explored in Australian heath care system (Healy, 2001). In this case efficiency is measured by degree to which goals are achieved in health care system while minimizing resource usage while effectiveness is measured by degree to which health care system achieve their goals. Large hospitals and multi general practitioners practice and specialist medical centers are most common in urban Australia and rare in rural Australia. This indicates that the Medicare scheme of the government is not efficient and effective in providing equity of access of health care to all citizens. Representations Of Women In The Media: Unrealistic Representations Of Women In The Media: Unrealistic In this essay I will discuss the images of women in mass media and mass culture and how realistic or discursive they are. I will approach this through observing and analysing media advertising and stereotyping of females as a whole. I will examine the role of the woman in modern society and consider her position in public culture. I will begin with an explanation of Cantors theory that representations of women in the media are unreasonable and too different from reality in present society (Cantor, M. 1978). This hypothesis suggests that these images reflect only a few â€Å"real† women and disregards those of different colour, age, status or sexual orientation. The fact is that female icons in the media reshape the perceptions of women and exacerbate the flaws of ordinary ones. Goffman (1979) argues that while images of men are closer to reality, female are represented as â€Å"models pretending to be real persons†. This comes from the fact that women in mass media have lost their personality and have become an object of sight, a thing to be gazed at (Berger, J. 1972). I conclude that women in popular culture do not represent the complete reality but we can witness some improvement throughout recent years, which I will mention later in the essay. First, I will start with the way that women are displayed in the media and what their role they adopt in terms of populism. Females, either celebrities or models, are often put on exhibit in different types of media in order to promote products, shows, movies, events. There are different stereotypes- from the femme fatale to the supermom but there is a connection between all of them. They are always white, slim, and perfectly-shaped which implies a certain ideal of the modern woman. Problems come when ordinary women are forced to conform to this ideal. And when I say â€Å"forced†, I mean trying to live up to the imposed visions of female beauty. There are set standards of beauty and women try to meet these standards in order to be liked and admired. Womens main concern is their body shape. They try to achieve this mesomorphic figure. This means an ideal shape of the body which for women is an â€Å"hourglass† figure (Handout â€Å"Is Media Sexist†). I argue tha t these beauty standards are established for a purpose. Everybody gains from womens insecurities except them. When women are not self-confident, they turn to cosmetic and diet products to achieve the desired standard. This results immediately in the profit and the development of the companies and the industries. For evidence I turn to data from (BBC News World Edition, Feb 5. 2003) where the diet industry alone is worth 40 to 100 billion (U.S.) a year. What is worse, being surrounded by all these perfect images, women start to feel depressed, lose their self-confidence and develop eating disorders. The American research group Anorexia, Nevrosa Related Eating Disorders, Inc. says that one out of every four female students regulates her weight through fasting, skipping meals or vomiting. â€Å"Beauty demands sacrifices† this is the excuse for women suffering and struggling to achieve the ideal. However, this ideal lies in the realm of the unrealistic beauty. It is impossible to achieve perfection and what is more, flaws make us unique and charming. Nevertheless, not everybody feels that way, especially when every single advertisement, show or magazine has imposed the thinness as the main factor for attractiveness. Canadian researcher Gregory Frouts reports that over three-quarters of the actresses in television shows are underweight and those who happen to be heavier are criticised and get negative comments. Magazine industry has made some efforts to oppose the trend of displaying only slim models by putting a heavy-set model on its cover but the advertisers remain sceptic towards their ability to sell beauty products. Another group being affected by the beauty standards are teenagers. 50% to 70% of all preadolescent girls, for instance, are reported to have been on at least one diet and are dissatisfied with their bodies. This stems from the fact that more young girls are involved in media and popular culture. By observing their idols that dress provoc atively and act controversially, teenage girls look up to them and imitate them, believing this is the right behaviour. In her book the Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf (2002, page 3) says: â€Å"The notorious Calvin Klein ad campaigns eroticised sixteen-year-olds when I was a teenager, then eroticised fourteen-year-old models in the early nineties, then twelve-year-olds in the late nineties.† With reducing the age of the girls on exposure in the media, it becomes harder for youngsters to ignore the sexualized ideal and not to obey the markets and the industrys conventions. The truth is that this sexualized ideal and pornography have started to influence popular culture and this leads to the objectification of women (Briggs, A. and Cobley, P. 1998). Knowing that sex sells in todays society and men are attracted to women on the base of sexuality and seductiveness, the only thing which comes to mind when seeing another commercial with a beautiful and provocative girl, is sex. The need for mens attention and the wish to be desired are the main reasons for a woman to change herself. In spite of the change, women will hardly achieve this ideal because of the high and unattainable requirements it sets. The term which applies to this situation is hyperreal. It is a post-modern theory which suggests that we cannot tell the difference between image and reality (Baudrillard, J.) It seems that media has reshaped usual representations and it is hard to perceive an image of a celebrity going out in the public without makeup to walk her dog, for example. The incapability of making a distinction between media image and reality and setting an expected model for womens appearance make it harder for women to meet the demands of the popular media. That is to stand for something that does not exist. This is the time when the simulacra replaces reality. The Simulacra (a copy) starts as a reflection of reality, then it masks and misrepresents it till there is no longer a basic reality and the simulacra becomes a substitution for the real world (Baudrillard, J. 1988). Good example s are processes which help us transform our image such as digital photography and editing, virtual reality, controlling weight. These methods of changing oneself could have a great impact on the simulacra and it will start to disguise and fight reality. For instance, nowadays is easier to fool the audience. With the developing technology and the growth of cosmetic surgery industry it has become a common practice for faces of the media to cover certain imperfections and to hide flaws. I will argue that female movie stars are highly misrepresented regarding their appearance. The paradox comes when even in movies for ancient times, female characters are still perfect, with perfect skin and white teeth never mind the situation, the place (stranded on a desert island for example, the TV series Lost) or the period of time. Also, body doubles are used to veil some weaknesses of the actresses. (such as Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman). Studies show that 85% of these body doubles have breast implants. (Kilbourne, J., Cant Buy My Love, 2001). However, there is scientific evidence which suggests a lot of women with breast implants suffer different side effects: pain, deformations of the skin, insensitive breasts or potentional tumour. (Centre for Policy Research for Women and Families, Washington, D.C.) Studies indicate that even plastic surgeries among teens have increased by 50% from 1996-1998 mostly for girls. This results from media superstars parading with their plastic surgeries and advertising them everywhere which eventually leads to a model for imitation. This non realistic model, however, cannot be accepted by everyone. Very few women could achieve this ideal. Even so advertised among girls Barbie cannot be a measure for perfection. Research comparing a computer model of a woman with Barbie-doll proportions shows that if put into practice, this exemplary woman would have a too weak back and a too narrow body to include all human organs. Eventually, such a woman would die from malnutrition. (Time, Nov 11. 1996). This is another example of the unrealistic image and role which women accept. There is another alternative that women have started to apply their desire for beauty and change- the reality TVs Extreme Makeover, The Swan or I Want a Famous Face. These people, mostly women, participating in the project are subjected to a strict diet and exercise regimes, psychological counselling and many surgical procedures. The aim is to transform the person physically and then the inner peace and tranquillity will be achieved resulting in ones satisfaction with life. These programmes claim that all social and personal problems could be solved through cosmetic surgery. The only thing that the shows miss, however, is showing the potential risk of such interventions. Neither of them reveals the possibility of complications of plastic surgery. In this way particularly women are made to believe that ideal bodies are attainable and transforming ones figu re is a normal thing now. (Turner, L. 2004). In other words, all kinds of media television, film, radio, magazines and music video industries have a great influence on defining and identifying the conceptions of ideal physiques and figure. Music televisions such as MTV often display girls and women in the traditional role of a sex object, inviting and evoking sexual fantasies, whereas serious female musicians are rarely featured. Also, men are shown as sex objects less frequently. (MTV Programming; and Media Use in America, 2000, Mediascope). So, women are again in the submissive role but this is the way audience will perceive them. Most often, there is a connection between images and audiences. Fiske (1987) suggests that audiences recognise two different strategies when interpreting womens images. One is the realistic interpretation which implies the presence of real persons and the belief that the representations are genuine. The other is the discursive interpretation which reveals a non realistic image and depends on the so cial and cultural values of the audiences themselves. This suggests that images of women in the media correspond to the needs and the values of contemporary society. Eventually, interaction occurs between media representations and their addressees. It is in their hands to decide whether to believe or not, whether to be like these images or not but the most important thing is that the women should have the right to choose and not to follow an unrealistic ideal just because of the trend. I conclude that the conception that women always have to perfect their bodies has made a huge progress. Nevertheless, there have been some indications for a change in recent years. Naomi Wolf (2002) argues that from the first publishing of the book, which criticise the demand and the judgement upon women concerning the beauty, there has been some room for improvement now. According to her, there is no more just one representation of the woman in popular culture. Women of colour have now more publicity in all fields of media (e.g. Rhianna, Beyonce), as the second one is one of the most successful and profitable singers and is more of a plus-size woman at the same time. Speaking of plus-size women, I suggest looking at celebrities like Queen Latifah launching a plus-size clothing line. Before, it was unthinkable to display old women and whenever this happens, they were transformed in such a way that they will have no wrinkles and will look no older than thirty. Now, media is overwhelmed by statements like â€Å"Demi Moore is not afraid of getting old†. Different age, colour, even sexual orientation (Ellen DeGeneres- openly gay TV host) have started to get accepted by general public and gain more popularity in terms of the real representation of women. I would like to conclude that there are still stereotypes and a common misrepresentation of women in the media but it is all starting to create a greater variety of beauty standards which result in a more realistic, though still demanding, conception of beauty and femininity. References 1. Baudrillard, J. (ed.) (1988) Selected Writings, Stanford: Stanford University Press. 2. BBC News World Edition, Feb 5. 2003, The Diet business: Banking on failure. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2725943.stm 3. Beauty and Body Image in the Media http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm 4. Berger, J. (1972) Ways of Seeing, Harmondsworth: Penguin. 5. Briggs, A. and Cobley, P. (1998) The Media: An Introduction, Essex: Pearson Education Limited 6. Cantor, M. (1978) â€Å"Where are the women in public broadcasting?† in G.Tuchman (ed.) Hearth and Home: Images of Women in the Media, New York: Oxford University Press. 7. Centre for Policy Research for Women and Families, Washington, D.C. 8. http://www.mediaandwomen.org/problem.html 9. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1393908.php/Demi_Moore_s_age_ease 10. Friske, J. (1987) Television Culture, London: Methuen. 11. Goffman, E. (1979) Gender Advertisements, New York: Harper Row. 12. Handout â€Å"Is Media Sexist† 13. Kilbourne, J. (2001) Cant Buy My Love, New York: Touchstone. 14. Moore, S. (1998) â€Å"Heres looking at you, kid!† in L.Gamman and M.Marshment (eds) The Female Gaze, London: Womens Press. 15. MTV Programming; and Media Use in America, 2000, Mediascope 16. The Canadian Womens Health Network (Body Image and the Media). http://www.cwhn.ca/node/40776 17. Time, Nov 11. 1996, Barbie boots up. http://www.time.com 18. Turner, L. (2004), Cosmetic Surgery: the new face of reality TV 19. Wolf N. (ed.) ( 2002) The Beauty Myth, London: Chatto Windus