Monday, September 30, 2019

Influence of Stakeholders on Reigate College

In this report I am going to investigate into Reigate College and evaluate into the business how different stakeholders in the organisation have an impact on the college all together. Evaluating which of the stakeholders has the most power and those who have the least power and impact on the college, also what roles they play towards the college and as individuals what impact they have on the different stakeholders within the college itself. Reigate College is a College based in Reigate with its aims and objectives is to provide a high quality education for 16-19 year old students in a supportive and caring community. Stakeholders: Reigate College is made up of a range of stakeholders those including the Owners, Customers, Employees, Government and Suppliers. All of these stakeholders have a role to play towards the company so that the College gains a good worthy reputation which will help them gain more students wanting them to go to the College as if the stakeholders choose to play their roll well and up to good standards this will result in a good outcome reflecting on the Students results and attendance etc. This will also reflect on their reputation as they already have been graded Outstanding by Ofsted. Below is a list and review of what stakeholders exist within the college and what rolls they play with what impact they have on the college itself and the other stakeholders. Customers: The Customers within Reigate College are the Parents and the Students that choose to attend the college. They attend the college in hope that the college provides them with a great education which will then provide them with good grades that will help them to gain a place in university or whether they choose to go into work. Either way these grades will provide them with an extra boost of knowledge and confidence for when they go on to their further education. If the teachers provide a good service to the students by providing them a good education this will then reflect on the college’s reputation which the college will then benefit from in the long run. So it is essential for the students and teachers to work well together to produce good grades. Not only will the good grades help the students and the college, but also it’s the college’s duty to provide skills such as punctuality, presentation skills and respect which the student will therefor benefit from in the further future. Employees: The employees of the college are the teachers, depending on which department the employee wishes to apply for depends on who employ’s them, so for an example if someone wishes to apply to be a business teacher, they would be interviewed by the head of the business department which will then be followed up by them again and it would be the head of the department which would then contact the employee to whether they got the job or not. It’s the teacher’s responsibility for them to share their knowledge and skills with the students to make sure they are taking in as much information as they can which will then help them in their courses and further education. If they do not provide this service to the students the students will then not be reaching their full potential which will then reflect again on the colleges reputation outcome and slims the chances of the students succeeding. Owner: The owner of Reigate College is Dr Paul Rispoli, he is responsible for the college as a whole, this means he is responsible for the health and safety of the students and staff within the college, also if the students have any main issues or problems with anything they should go to Paul to get this problem resolved. He has the greatest influence on the college as he has the person in the college who should be making sure everything in the college is in line and running as it should be, making sure the teachers are doing their job providing education to the students that attend the college and helping them reach their full potential. If he did not play his role towards the college everything would go totally wrong and the college would lose their reputation they have today. Teenagers would also be choosing to go to a different college as if the grades of the students at the college were gaining weren’t up to the standards they should be, people would then turn to look at other college’s, this would then be a downfall for Reigate as they want as many people as possible to choose Reigate college for the service they provide. Government: The Government work with the college to provide them with a budget of money which can go towards improving the process of the college for example with the money the government give the college they can use it to improve the image of the college by adding more buildings to expand the college to give students a wider choice around the college. Also the government provide the college with essential equipment to help enhance the learning of the students as individuals, such as stationary etc. lso as well as the government providing the college with essentials like stationary for the students they also provide exam boards etc. without the governments input on the college they would suffer a lot as there would not be enough money alone for the college to survive and help the students to succeed in what they want to do for their future career. As without money the college cannot provide the service for the students at a high standard as they would want to. Suppliers: The suppliers of Reigate College have also a great impact on the college as it is their duty to provide the college with anything they wish to purchase such as stationary and computers which help enhance the learning of the students. The college will employ different companies to provide different products such as one company will provide stationary and another computers and electronics. Without the input from these companies there would be no way for the students to learn apart from using text books, but again text books are also provided by a different company. So it would be very difficult for students to learn in the environment the college provide if they did not have the required equipment needed for the students to learn. So as a whole it is very important for Reigate to keep a close relationship with these sorts of suppliers to enable the sufficient of the students.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Globalization and Accountability Essay

A better quality of life has been the objective of societies and nations. This has been pursued since the ancient times to the present. About one hundred years before the Trojan wars, Minos, mythical son of Zeus, organized a communal society in the island of Crete. For centuries, universal justice and virtue reigned in the island. Conditions were similar to the fabulous Shangrila of the Lost Horizon. It was like a paradise for the people. They contributed their individual ideas, talents, skills, and labor to the community for its development, and for he good of all its members. The needs of the people were justly supplied, and they were happy and contented. Plato, the Greek philosopher, designed an ideal state in his book, The Republic. He proposed common ownership of properties as a general rule. The concept of equality of Plato was further improved by Christian doctrines. However, more active and courageous social reformers emerged into the limelight during the age of Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution. Rousseau, Fourier, Bentham, Owen and Marx were the more prominent among them. They stressed the social aspects of the national order, such as cooperation, perfectibility of human nature, and other human virtues. The clamor for equality was not only political but also economic and social. The abuses of the capitalists and landlords, and the great disparities in income and wealth were the primary targets of reformers. The aforementioned economic and social problems still pervade in many developing countries. Throughout the history of the development of nations, only very few have become rich, such as those in North America and Western Europe. Most of the poor countries are found in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In terms of goods and services, the gap between the poor and the rich countries has become wider and wider. In view of the presence of modern transportation and communication, leaders of the poor countries have seen the tremendous prosperity of the rich countries. As a result, people from poor countries have developed the tendency to emulate the rich countries- their economies, technologies, ways of life, and even the architecture of their houses and buildings. However, some intellectuals have realized the disadvantage of such colonial mentality. They have crusaded for economic nationalism to free their countries from the exploitations of the rich counties- and from the weaknesses of their own people. Industrialization has been their dream of solving their persistent problems like poverty, insecurity, and excess population. Even Nehru of India claimed that real progress must ultimately depend on industrialization. Every nation, rich or poor, has economic problems. However, these are more serious and widespread in poor countries. Economic problems do exist because of two fundamental facts: resources are limited and human wants are unlimited. Human wants cannot possibly be all satisfied because resources are scarce. For example, every family wants a house and a farm. This is not possible in many countries, especially in less developed countries. In fact, most countries cannot even meet the most basic needs of their people like food, clothing, and shelter. In the case of the United States of America, the people are capable of satisfying their essential needs. If some groups cannot, it is the government that provides them with basic goods and services. Welfare programs and other social security benefits are made available to the less fortunate, and to the aged. But still, rich countries have economic problems. People, human as they are, are not ultimately satisfied with the consumption of basic goods only. Naturally, they aspire for a higher standard of living. And it is the responsibility of the economic system to help the people acquire it. The economic system of any nation has different factors that are being considered in order to establish and open greater economic opportunities (Soros, 2002). Globalization The remarkable progress in communication and transportation has exposed the high standard of living of a globalized nation. Through foreign travels, periodicals, and movies the peoples of the less developed countries have seen the many wonderful and modern things which have been created by an industrial society like the United States of America, France or Japan. In contrast, many leaders of the third world countries have realized the big difference in their still primitive products of development. Thus, their impressions of a globalized and industrialized economy have further improved. Henceforth, there has been a strong clamor among many of the third world countries for globalization. For years, this has been their aspiration. Through globalization, they believe they can eliminate the problems of poverty, insecurity, and overpopulation. No less than the great Indian statesman Nehru said that real progress must ultimately depend on globalization (Thompson & Strickland, 2003). However, globalization or globalizing a less developed country is certainly not an easy task. There are great obstacles along the long path of globalization. It is not only massive capital, modern technology, competent management, and skilled labor that are required. Well developed commercial sectors are also needed. And of course, the most important requirement for globalization is the restructuring of values and institutions in society. In spite of the formidable barriers to globalized development, it is not completely impossible for a less developed country to globalized economy. There were several poor nations which became industrial economies. They were able to conquer an almost impossible dream through a vigorous and sincere implementation of economic, social, and political reforms. Former countries like England, Germany and the United States of America met fewer difficulties in globalizing their economies because of most favorable economic and political conditions. There are several processes being followed in terms of modern growth brought about by the system and principle of globalization. It must be noted that globalization among the developed countries did not happen overnight. Prior to their globalization, they experience various changes and improvement. The following are the most notable: 1. Economic, social, and political institutions were restructured to pave the way towards globalization and industrialization. 2. There was a rapid technological improvement. 3. Factors of production like capital, labor, and entrepreneurial scheme were made to be more responsive to globalization and industrialization. 4. Substantial improvement in transportation, communication, and electrification were undertaken. 5. Social facilities and services were increased. 6. Agricultural and commercial industries became variable. The aforementioned developments were greatly responsible in the globalization of the highly developed countries. Clearly, their economic growths did not go through a quick and easy process. They laid down the foundation of their industrial development. Such experiences of the industrial countries should provide a lesson to less developed countries that are aiming for rapid globalization and industrialization. However, there are some countries that have achieved very rapid industrial growth. But the other sectors of their economy have not developed as fast as their industries. For instance, there have been no appropriate changes in some industries such as the agricultural industries, public administration, social structure and values among other things and industries. But then again, it can be seen that there is more rooms for globalization even if it means that other industries are left behind. Moreover, there has been a great need for private sectors to be improved and flourished in order for globalization to push through. As far as the economics is concerned, the big challenge is poverty, and the surest route to sustained poverty reduction is economic growth. Growth requires good economic policies. The evidence strongly supports the conclusion that growth requires a policy framework that prominently includes an orientation towards integration into the global economy. This places obligations on three groups: those who are most responsible for the operation of the international economy, primarily the governments of the developed countries; those who determine the intellectual climate, which includes this audience but also government and non-government organizations and individuals; and the government of the developing countries who bear the major responsibility for economic policy in their countries. Economic globalization, the ongoing process of greater economic interdependence among countries, is reflected in the increasing amount of cross-border trade in goods and services, the increasing volume of international financial flows, and increasing flows of labor. As is well known to our profession, economic globalization thrived in the period before 1914, but was set back by the two World Wars and the Great Depression. 6 The international financial order that was established at the end of World War II sought to restore the volume of world trade, and by 1973, world trade as a percentage of world GDP was back to its 1913 level – and it has continued to grow almost every year since. While the founders of the Bretton Woods system saw the restoration of trade in goods and services as essential to the recovery of the global economy, they did not have the same benign view of capital flows. Nonetheless, capital flows among the industrialized countries did recover during the 1950s, and intensified in the 1960s. Rapidly they became too powerful for the pegged exchange rate system to survive, and by 1973, as a result of the impossible trinity – of a pegged exchange rate, capital mobility, and a monetary policy directed at domestic objectives – the Bretton Woods adjustable peg system had to give way to flexible exchange rates among the major countries. Capital flows to developing countries grew more slowly. In the late 1970s and early 1980s they consisted mainly of bank loans; by the 1990s they took the form mainly of foreign direct investment and purchases of marketable securities. And as the volume of international capital flows to and from the emerging market countries – the more developed and larger developing countries – increased, the impossible trinity once again asserted itself, and in a series of crises, country after country was forced to give up its pegged exchange rate and allow the currency to float. By now, the gross volume of international capital flows relative to global GDP far exceeds the levels reached in the period just before 1913, though net flows of foreign direct investment have not yet attained the extraordinary levels of the decade before World War I. It is generally believed that with respect to migration and labor flows the modern system is less globalized than it was a century ago. In 1911, nearly 15 percent of the United States population was foreign born; today that number is probably a bit above 10 percent. Emigration rates from Europe, especially Ireland and Italy, were amazing: 14 percent of the Irish population emigrated in the 1880s, and over 10 percent of the Italian population emigrated in the first decade of the twentieth century. Jeffrey Williamson (2002) attributes a significant part of the convergence of income levels in the Atlantic economy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to mass migration. Whether or not migration and labor flows are greater now than they were a century ago, we are becoming more globalized in this regard too, for migration rates have been rising – and in a potentially important way, for more migration than in the past is from less to more developed countries. All this is at an abstract level. In terms of people’s daily lives, globalization means that the residents of one country are more likely now than they were fifty years ago: to consume the products of another country; to invest in another country; to earn income from other countries; to talk on the telephone to people in other countries; to visit other countries; to know that they are being affected by economic development in other countries; and to know about developments in other countries. Globalization is much more than an economic phenomenon. The technological and political changes that drive the process of economic globalization have massive noneconomic consequences. In the words of Anthony Giddens, a leading sociologist: â€Å"I would have no hesitation in saying that globalization, as we are experiencing it, is in many respects not only new, but also revolutionary. Globalization is political, technological and cultural, as well as economic. The non-economic aspects are at least as important in shaping the international debate as are the economic aspects. Many of those who object to globalization resent the political and military dominance of the United States, and they resent also the influence of foreign – predominantly American – culture, as they see it at the expense of national and local cultures. The technological elements matter in practice as well as in the debate. For instance, the events of September 11, 2001 could not have taken place before the current global era. The communications and transport systems that have accelerated the pace of globalization are also at the disposal of terrorists, money- launderers, and international criminals. On the positive side, improvements in communications and the spread of information were critical to the collapse of the Iron Curtain. People learned what was happening in other countries, and understood that they did not have to live the way they were living, and the Iron Curtain fell. A broad range of critics is arrayed on the other side. Among them are academics, opinion leaders, individuals and groups who see their interests being affected by globalization, politicians, NGOs, and demonstrators – and these categories are not mutually exclusive. To listen to the debate in the terms each side paints the other, who believes that all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds, and those who believe that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. That is doubly misleading. In the first place, many of those who regard themselves as pro-globalization know that there is far too much misery in the world, that there are many wrongs to be righted in the global economy, and that it could be made to operate much better. And on the other side, many – but not all – of the critics are not against globalization. Rather, from NGOs demonstrating for further debt relief and campaigning for greater access of developing country exports to industrialized country markets, to academic critics questioning current policy views, many are seeking a better and fairer globalization.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

REGLECTION PERCEPTION KEYS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

REGLECTION PERCEPTION KEYS - Assignment Example This is so because, the ‘must see’ impressive structure representing the building, is an art in itself. It largely display the artistic ways of the master brains behind the building. 3. Elevators take us to the top of the building, and then we can participate with the exhibited works of art by walking down the spiraling ramp. This enables us to see each work from many perspectives. Does this seem to you to be an interesting, efficient, and comfortable way of exhibiting works of art? Yes, this does seem to me as an interesting, efficient and comfortable way of exhibiting works of art. This is so because; the building in itself is enormous. So, it is advisable for one to start from the top going to the bottom as is an assured way out of the building. This will save one lots of energy and hence wont tire earlier hence will have a better view of the exhibitions. As we all know, it is easier to go down a hill that climbing it. 4. The front of the museum faces Fifth Avenue. The surrounding buildings are tall rectangular structures evenly lined up along the sidewalks. If possible, visit the site. Did Wright succeed in bringing his museum into a harmonious spatial relationship with these other buildings? Or was his purpose perhaps to make his museum stand out in sharp contrast, like a plant among inorganic shapes? But if so, does the museum fit successfully into the spatial context – â€Å"the power and embrace of the positioned interrelationships of things†? The major aim of Wright erecting his building next to ordinary looking buildings was to make his museum stand out in spiky contrast. This was to make it more eye catching like a rose among daffodils. The museum fits successfully into the spatial context this is so because, it made it look so unique hence bringing out its popularity (Martin & Jacobus, 2011). I don’t think that a park site would have been a better site for the building compared to

Friday, September 27, 2019

Online Shopping Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Online Shopping - Term Paper Example With the increased exchange of products via the internet, the economy has been able to gain tremendously. Secondly, online shopping requires the services of middle-businessmen who will transport the products to the buyers. The middlemen serve an important purpose of ensuring the products and services are availed at the most appropriate time. This creates job opportunities to the many people that are unemployed (Miller 121). With such a development, the new economy develops since there are some people that have a disposable amount of income which is spent in the economy. Therefore, it is evident that online shopping has developed the proceeds of the economy by creating job opportunities and enhancing the economy through constant exchange of products from the sellers to the buyers. Similarly, it has enabled constant flow of money in the economy since the quality of products is improved. The buyers and sellers are the first hand benefiters from online shopping. Online shopping connects buyers to sellers in a more elaborate and easy manner. First, buyers get to know the location of sellers and how they can be contacted. This eases the process of acquiring products and services. As such, the buyers will have an easy time in locating the sellers. Secondly, the buyers will not waste time looking for an appropriate supplier of the products that need (Rich 167). This is convenient to people that have a busy schedule. As such, they will spend limited time in contacting an appropriate seller of the products they need. Thirdly, buyers do not have to physically access the sellers’ shop for the products. They can make communications via the internet and provide all the information that is needed. This eases the... Online shopping has had an effect on traditional shopping in a number of aspects. First, online shopping has reduced the number of people that rely on traditional shopping. For instance, this has reduced the number of people that physically access shopping centers and the market to buy products and services. Secondly, online shopping has increased the number of people that use electronic cash transfers in buying products. This has affected traditional shopping since very few people carry hard cash. This has had negative effects on traditional shopping since impulse buying has been reduced. As such, people that do not use online selling tactics are disadvantaged. Thirdly, online shopping has changed the world in that people expect to be supplied with the products they have bought. Many people expect the products to be delivered at their homesteads and door steps after making a purchase. This affects traditional shopping negatively since it does not have such services.Though online sho pping has its favored advantages, it has a number of drawbacks. First, there are some products that are not sold online. This makes it hard for a seller to attract some customers online.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Just answer some easy guiding questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Just answer some easy guiding questions - Essay Example Bioregionalism is thus seen to bring a host of challenges among them environmental degradation and psychological dissatisfaction in what life has to offer. The reason, why human being focuses more on developing new things is because of this psychological dissatisfaction. Frenkel further states that a lot has changed in terms of the relationship that the human being have with the natural environment. However, there is a little or no time to correct some of the damages that have already been done as a result of this detachment. Environmental determinism is defined as the collection of implicit theories that show the relationship between culture and the environment. In most of these theories, the environment has an overall impact on socio-economic developments that occur in day to day life. An example given to this relationship is climatic conditions. Nature or the environment is seen to play a great role in influencing the climatic conditions of a particular place. However, most geographers rejected the environmental determinism theory due to inadequate evidence and scientific shortcomings regarding how the climate and culture and related. Despite this rejection, environmental determinism has played a major role in the development of alternative theories such as possibilism and probabilism. The concept of bioregionalism and environmental determinism share a common ideology regarding the relationship between human culture and the environment. Frenkle cites an argument by previous scholars that the environment affects among other things; religion, literature, and thoughts. This implies that the environment of human beings affects how they do things and how they do it. The concept of the bioregion is also deep-rooted in the integrity of the natural order. Under this argument, it is humans who are trying to change how things are done. However, it is the environment that is supposed to dictate how humans behave or operate. Both environmental

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Gala Event at Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbour Essay

The Gala Event at Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbour - Essay Example The objective is to boost the morale of the employees and the stakeholders to achieve even higher growth. With this in mind, the even logo we suggest is the symbol of â€Å"ladder† which shall be maintained at all locations, transport, hotels rooms, convention center, dining hall or wherever the group would be moving. The stakeholders that would be arriving from outstation need special consideration. To ensure maximum participation, there has to be something exciting for the guests to look forward to. The invitation itself would have to stir their imagination and make them expect something different from the usual dinners and conferences. To generate a positive emotional response, a mystical invitation would be sent out. The symbol of the ladder would serve to show heights not just in the physical life but would indicate that the event would transport them to greater heights. To ensure they have a pleasant experience at the hotel, all arrangements would be in alignment with individual needs. The invitation would carry a form with simple questions seeking their choices in certain requirements which would be provided in their rooms. The rooms too would have the symbol of the ladder and the dà ©cor would emanate a WOW from them. We can assure they would carry the memories of the event at their subco nscious level and would remember it for a very long time. Importance of site selection and venue inspection is an important part of any event planning process. Importance has not been given only to the aesthetics or physical appeal of the venue but the facilities combined with relaxation have been considered. The venue is rich in character and meets the specific business or personal needs. The location of the event has been chosen as the clients want the dinner and accommodation to be at the same location. Australia’s largest hotel, Four Points by Sheraton is ideally located and has 650 rooms and 45 suites. Thirty suites and seventy rooms will be provided.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Impact of Employee Participation for Transparency Research Paper

The Impact of Employee Participation for Transparency - Research Paper Example The selection process needs to be ethical, legal, documented, transparent and should involve the current or existing employees of the firm (Larson & Gray, 2006). The participatory approach is also crucial towards the implementation of team working activities. According to renowned scholars, whenever a company is thinking of bringing a new employee in the organization, their potential collaboration with the coworkers and fit in the system is important. As a result of that when an employee itself is a part of the recruitment process they become more committed to making the new joining employee get accustomed to the situation and succeed in their professional life. Hence, it is evident that employee participation in the process of employee recruitment is a beneficial factor for the firm (Love & Bullen, 2009). This research paper will, however, concentrate on the hiring and recruitment process of the public agencies and to what extent participation of the employees would ensure transpare ncy in the recruitment process. Summary of the literature Selecting and retaining the valuable and efficient employees is a key to business success. Employees who seek continuous skill development, as well as add value to the organization, are the most vital resources of the organization. Thus, it is extremely important to value the employees as well as put more efforts in selecting the right candidates. The principal element of any recruitment plan is to enhance the quality of staffing and developing the overall productivity of the organization. ... g employees and hiring the new employees is an area of business where the company is expected to maintain high levels of transparency, lucidity, and responsibility. Although, the same is evident in many companies whereas some companies often fail in maintain transparency in the recruitment process and are alleged of getting involved in biases or deceptive activities. According to Mumford (2011), one of the most useful ways to maintain transparency in the recruitment process is to involve the existing employees in the recruitment process. The same concept is applicable to the public agencies as well. Since the principal aim of these organizations is to make the welfare of the general public and profit making intention are on the second list, high levels of honesty and veracity in the recruitment process are expected from them. A number of research studies have shown that the recruitment process of the organizations differs in various aspects. For example, some companies have lengthy s creening process whereas some have a unique evaluation system. Nevertheless, what is important is to maintain a greater level of lucidity.  

Monday, September 23, 2019

Chemistry of Hazardous Materials Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chemistry of Hazardous Materials - Case Study Example The characteristics of the hazardous substance in the four containers are determined through NFPA system. The system gives the procedure of identifying the relative levels of the three hazards; chemical reactivity, health, and flammability (Meyer, 2010). The HazMat team experiences several hazardous situations. The puncture tank may contain flammable fumes or chemicals thus it is hazardous because it may result in combustion. The corrosive materials can also negatively affect members of the HazMat team the fumes can cause skin irritation, and respiratory tract infection and inflammation. Strong oxidizing substances have the ability to corrode and thus if not handled properly can burn the skin tissues. Strong acids and bases also show corrosive characteristics and may burn the skin. All the three substances engage in chemical reactions that can produce dangerous substances, like hazardous fumes that cause respiratory tract irritation (Meyer, 2010). A lot of restraint should be exercis ed at the accident scene. Only members of the HazMat team should be allowed to access the site with the punctured tank and the three other tanks containing hazardous materials (Meyer, 2010). The members of the team must wear full protective gear. The gas masks are aimed are preventing the inhalation of dangerous fumes or hazardous chemicals. The reflectors jackets prevent skin contact with the hazardous materials. The other individuals who wish or want to access the accident scene must be told to wear adequate personal protective types of equipment. The protective types of equipment include; eyeglasses, gas masks, reflector or dust coats, gloves, and safety boots. The eyeglass minimizes eye irritation, through minimizing the contact between the eye and hazardous fumes. The reflector clothing reduces corrosion by hindering contact between the skin and the hazardous substances.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Social Accountability Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Social Accountability - Literature review Example Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is â€Å"a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis† (ECCJ 2006). This paper aims at providing an overview of the theoretical and conceptual developments in relation to the increased emphasis on social accountability of those who are responsible for managing businesses and Corporate Social Responsibility, which in turn assists the businesses to establish corporate policies and practices which are meant to pose a positive impact on the social environment. In the modern business world of today, each industry and business plays the role of bringing stability by satisfying the needs of the customers. As the businesses all around the world are growing and developing, every interested individual or organization, whether he is a consumer or investor is asking corporations to conduct their operations in a more efficient and accountable way, which conforms to the ethical requirements. This emerging demand from the elements within the society has forced the organizations to adopt a modern concept named CSR. This paper generally focuses on the theoretical fra mework related to CSR and developments related to CSR in the world so as to analyze the businesses and their operations on these identified parameters. What is Corporate Social Responsibility ... Additionally, the organization should also strive for improving the community and the surrounding environment (Malena, Forster and Singh 2004). The idea of Corporate social responsibility suggests that businesses are committed to protecting and improving the environment in which they are operating and also the interests of individuals who are directly or indirectly affected by their business activities. It underlines the approach that companies must adapt to ensure that the living standards of the individuals and their wellbeing are protected. It also entails considerations for the use of the resources where businesses are located to ensure that these resources do not deplete and the products that are produced by the companies are actually made as per the safety standards to have minimum negative impact on the environment. To achieve all aspects of the broader dynamics of corporate responsibility it is important for businesses to establish and promote a corporate culture within in th eir organizations that understands the importance of corporate impact on environment and its members play an active role in fulfilling organization’s corporate social responsibilities. Thus, it can be stated that the concept of corporate social responsibility is related to safer business operations, which have minimum effects on the environment in which the business is placed (Kotler and Lee 2005). It has been noted that in the past few years, major business entities have received negative reviews and criticisms for not giving back enough to the society in which they are active. Particularly, their lack of consideration for the protection of environment has been

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Food Dilemma of the Omnivore Essay Example for Free

The Food Dilemma of the Omnivore Essay Everybody loves food, especially America. Americans are obsessed with food, and that is correlated to the fact that in America, food is almost always readily available to us. We have fast food restaurants, grocery stores, restaurants, and farmers markets with most of the food being relatively affordable. Our nation without a doubt has many dilemmas that need to be solved, however if you were to group all of these dilemmas into different sets and focus on the â€Å"food† set of the dilemmas, which would be our nation’s current food dilemma? Taking everything into account, finding healthy, tasteful foods seems to be the main concern of many Americans today. With obesity on the rise like it is, healthy foods are a need to many of Americans. However, this is a very difficult dilemma to solve because many of the tasteful foods are usually the unhealthy ones, eating only healthy foods could very well make us miss out on key nutrients our body needs, and also the â€Å"important† qualities of food are only known because of science. Some of the trademarks of American foods are pizza and hamburgers, however when has a regular pizza or regular hamburger ever been ordered by someone on a strict diet or someone who only eats healthy foods? Hamburgers have been transformed into veggie burgers and pizzas have been changed to white pizzas. The problem with veggie burgers and white pizzas are they simply do not taste as good as a regular hamburger or pizza. As Michael Pollen stated, â€Å"to think of some of the most delicious components of food as toxins, as nutritionism has taught us to do in the case of fat, does little for our happiness as eaters† (13). When Americans try and eat healthy, they opt to go for the healthy options and not the unhealthy options even though those are the foods that taste the best. So to conquer the dilemma of finding healthy, tasteful foods, we must find healthy foods that taste as good as the unhealthy foods. In America, the amount of Americans who vow to eat healthy and live a  healthy life has indeed gone up of the past decades, but how come the amount of Americans who get sick and who get diseases have gone up. The quality of life is certainly greater now than it was during World War II and during the steel mill days, but the amount of cancer patients has gone up along with many other life threatening diseases. Could that be connected to the fact that food is no longer what it used to be and vital nutrients are missing from our diet because they are only available to us from unhealthy foods? In The Changing Significance of Food, Margaret Mead brings up the question, â€Å"how can the country be overnourished and undernourished at the same time† (15). Mead is point on when she states that America is overnourished based upon how many healthy foods we have, however it is very interesting when she states we are undernourished at the same time. America is able to be both undernourished and overnourished because the healthy, diet foods do not contain the nutrients we need to live a healthy life. An example of this would be the choice between whole milk and skim milk for a baby or toddler. Skim milk is obviously healthier and does not contain as many calories as whole milk, however does skim milk supply all of the nutrients whole milk does to the body. If we can succeed in adding all of the nutrients we as humans need to the deemed â€Å"healthy† foods, we will be a step closer in conquering the problem of finding healthy, tasteful foods. There are so many foods out there that are labeled healthy, like turkey, white chicken, green tea, and skim milk. However, how do we as consumers know what make all these healthy foods healthy? All of the information we know about food comes from inside a laboratory where food scientists study the components of all the food imaginable. Because of this, any food with any trace of fat in it is automatically thrown out of consideration for being labeled healthy. On the other hand, sure fat may not be healthy, but what if there is a health benefit to eating a certain kind of fat. Maybe down the line scientists will discover a certain kind of fat can help prevent cancer. Going back to Michael Pollen’s article of Nutritionism, Pollen’s quotes Harvey Levenstein when he states â€Å"taste is not a true guide to what should be eaten; that one should not simply eat what one enjoys; that the important components of foods cannot be seen or tasted, but are discernible only in scientific laboratories† (14). Important qualities of  foods now a day are calories, fat and carbohydrates while in the past they were vitamin B, protein and calcium. When producers take out all the unhealthy nutrients in food, the tastefulness of the food indeed goes down, making it a less desirable option. Once again, with the â€Å"important† qualities of food being limited and constraint to a strict standard, it is harder to combat the problem of finding healthy, tasteful foods. Closing out the problems that make it harder to combat the dilemma of finding healthy, tasteful food options, consumers must remember that eating healthy is a very tricky thing. Like stated earlier, the choice between skim milk and whole milk can be a very difficult decision because of the pros and cons of each choice, but in the end the choice should always be decided on which food is better for your body, not which is the â€Å"labeled healthier† option. All in all, our nation’s current food dilemma is finding healthy, tasteful foods because many of the tasteful foods are the unhealthy ones, the country is so concerned about eating healthy we are missing some vital nutrients from the â€Å"unhealthy† foods, and the â€Å"important† qualities of food are only known because of science.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Case Study Of Yellow Auto Company Commerce Essay

Case Study Of Yellow Auto Company Commerce Essay As one of the most well-known car company, Yellow Auto Company was built in 1989 and occupied 54 marketing share in 2008. Why can it develop so fast and increase their share great in less than 20 years? This paper aims to conduct the case study of Yellow Auto Automotive Company, from the perspective of psychology digging the decision making issues in this company. First, a brief introduction of the company is given to let readers know the basic information of Yellow Auto. Then the relevant decision making issues are analyzed combining the theory of psychology in making decision. At last, suggestions on how to maintain long and short comings of Yellow Auto are given and how to improve their decision making in the future is also discussed. introduction of the Company Yellow Auto Automotive Company was built by two brothers, Can and Caner Sale in 1989. As a family company, its shareholders are acted by the owners and the assets came from the two brothers family. Yellow Auto owns two stores in Gaziemir and Cambidi respectively and acts as one of the most well-known car company over the worldwide. Yellow Auto aims at selling famous brands cars in different areas, such as Coca-Cola. They have two options of car market, first of which are high market demand models and second are those cars with special features according to customers needs. Yellow Auto followed the development step and changes of the parent company. All the employees are required to adapt to the developing steps of technologies. The top manager put eyes on three important departments: finance, sales and after-sales services. The sales of Yellow Auto were supervised by a manager and they put a lot of attention on the face-to-face communication to attract customers. In their recruitment, Yellow Auto prefers active and highly-educated young people. Employees are required to ask every detail and not encouraged to make decisions by themselves. Many rules in the company management are unwritten but stored in hearts of the family members. Yellow Auto always cares about the level of customer satisfaction. They figured out several ways to increase customer satisfaction. They made great effort to attract future young customers, and offered sufficient communication with existing customers, such as telephone conversations and sending text message. Analysis on the Relevant Decision Making Issues in the Case 3.1 Relevant Decision Making Issues What kind of issues in the case Since 2001, top managers of Yellow Auto made a risk decision under the background of a serious economic crisis in Turkey. In the whole changing process, top managers made a lot of analysis on the psychology of employees. They even asked external consultants from a university in Turkey for help to assist the policy change process well operated. Therefore, this report is going to conduct the case study of Yellow Auto from the perspective of psychology. What decisions made /how the decisions implemented by the company Yellow Auto used to make several decisions in the whole changing process as the following. First, top managers of Yellow Auto made the important decision, that is, to achieve a goal of having 50% of the market share in the field. It is a high risky decision due to the economic crisis. In order to promise the smooth going of this decision, Yellow Auto decided to ask help from academics in university. Under the guidance of the external consultants, change efforts are put on increasing physical working conditions, distinguishing tasks for managers and employees, designing careers plans for young generations, and right person for the right job principle. Next the implementation of these decisions by the company will be analyzed from the perspective of psychology theory. According to the transactional analysis by Berne (1961), the human psyche consists of three ego states: parent, adult and child. Yellow Auto Company acts as the adult state. They owns strong objective and always are able to evaluate and critique. When implementing the decisions, top managers evaluate the results in time, face the actual effect of the changing process and make enough adjustment to make sure correct changing direction Whats the result After two years changing process under the suggestion from academics, the job satisfaction and organization loyalty of employees in Yellow Auto are enhanced greatly. The following increased profitability of the company is 25% more than the profitability result of 2001. Yellow Auto also extends their sales and added two stores around lzmir. In the future, the owners of Yellow Auto would maintain the good results and continue the investing in human resources. Through the cooperation with a university in lzmir, human resources of Yellow Auto will have a bright future and bring more good results. Evaluations on the Issues and Decisions How important are these issues and possible influences of these issues People are often sort of reluctant in making decisions. Analyzing the psychology of decision making for managers in company is so important that the decisions by owners and top managers would determine where the company is going to. If top managers made the wrong decision, not only huge crisis will be brought to the future of company, but also the morale of employees and loyalty to the company may be affected greatly. There are several psychological approaches for the analysis of decision making, such as psychoanalytic, behaviourist, humanist, neurobiological and cognitive (Lecture 7). In this report, the psychoanalytic approach will be applied on analysing psychology of decision making. Next, the changing strategy of Yellow Auto will be looked into from the psychology of the decision maker. According to Lauent and Kapferer (1985), there are four factors influencing individuals decision making: sense of oneself, perceived risk, social factors and hedonistic factors. These factors are not only suitable for the consumers, but also fitful for decider (Berne, 1964). On the consumer level, if people are willing to buy products from Yellow Auto, they must seek a feeling of satisfaction. All human beings own the potential of hedonistic factors. Good services and products can help consumers obtain superiority and good sense for themselves. Although perceived risk may exist in their mind, face-to-face communication by staff in the company will assist vanishing the risky feeling, such as employees in Yellow Auto. They are required to contact with consumers by phone calls and message, that gives consumers a family feeling and trust the company increasingly. As top managers, the y must be familiar with the psychology of consumers for better management and marketing future. On the other hand, from the perspective of managers in Yellow Auto, they are also decision makers. They made important decision for the company development. Sense of self is crucial for the top managers and shareholders. Based on their experience in the car market, they may be able to sense sensitively where the big fish is. However, 50% of the marketing share is such a huge risk based on the background of economy crisis. A smart manager should be able to put a lot of attention on the perceived risk and conduct some action, such as top managers of Yellow Auto. They asked help from academics in a local university, that is, they used social factors which can be reached to guarantee their company changing process. Those external consultants were professionally good at analysing psychology of employees and provided managers good suggestions to increase the satisfaction and commitment of employees. From the excellent results of Yellow Auto, that is, they had 54% marketing share in 2008, p sychology of employees and managers play crucial rules in the marketing strategy. Strength and weakness of the decisions made in the case Pisharodi and Langley (1990) used to propose a Perceptual Process Model, assisting the analysis on perpetual process in the decision making. That model consists of three parts: selective attention and emotional maker response, perceptual organization and interpretation, and the attitude and behavior. The Perceptual Process Model is going to be used to analyze the strength and weakness of decisions made in this case. First, under environmental stimuli, selective attention and emotional maker response are made (Pisharodi and Langley, 1990). That depends on a lot of factors, such as characteristics of the perceiver, assumptions and anticipation of future events. One strong strength point of Yellow Auto is that their top manager did well in this step. They perceived the right marketing trend and anticipate a bright and feasible goal for the company. Next step is the perceptual organizaiton and interpretation. An important part is the mental process in it. Here the perceivers or managers should do the categorical thinking and perceptual grouping to make sure the feasibility of the assumption and anticipation. Top managers in Yellow Auto did the perceptual organazation and interpretation so that they obtained the results, that is, they cooperated with academics to guarentee the smooth going of the change. It is indeed one strong point in this case. However, each coin has two different sides. There are still some weaknesses for Yellow Auto. Their main point is focused on the psychology of the employees and they aimed to increase the job satisfaction and commitment of employees. Although the good morale and loyalty of employee are important for the company development and culture forming, it is vitally dangerous if all top managers attention is focused on the psychology analysis of employees. They ignored to put more attention on th e marketing wave and flexible future. If marketing would suddenly change, all the previous work could not be efficient anymore. On the other hand, the competitors of Yellow Auto may be aware of this weak point of the company and attack Yellow Auto when the marketing is changing. If Yellow Auto is still paying attention on the psychology of managers and employees, but not to figure out strategies to face the changing market, Yellow Auto would be in big trouble. After these two steps, Yellow Auto come out the attitude and behavior which is the last step of the Perceptual Process Model. Recommendations advices on ways of maintaining advantages and facing challenges ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °and how to improve their decision making in the future From the results of the change in Yellow Auto Company, they indeed did a good job; however, it still has the points to be improved. Here this report is going to give some advices on maintaining the advantages and how to improve their decision making in the future. First, Yellow Auto should continue with their adjustment which maintains the current job satisfaction and commitment of employees. From the experience, increasing morale of employees indeed help people treat the company as their own family, so that they would take 100% effort for working. Also, the recruited personnel for the the right person for the right job should be continued. That saves a lot of time for both managers and employees. From the psychology perspective, this change to some extent increases the morale and loyalty of employees. People can sense the feeling of being valued and nobodys talent would be wasted in some meaningless position. However, there are various sources of perceptual process bias that deserve more attention (Zajonc Nieuwenhuyse, 1964). These perceptual process should be put enough attention by Yellow Auto. They may be able to slow down the development of the company. For example, the attribution error easily leads to the perpetual process bias. All human beings tend to see the favorable point as the future result. Actually that is rather dangerous. If top managers of Yellow Auto were with the attribution error, they would fail to anticipate the actual direction of marketing, so that they may not be able to make the very first decision, that is, a goal of 50% marketing share. Another serious perpetual process bias is recency effect (Broadbent, 1967). Thats why top managers in one company should have long distance insight, and be able to avoid the garble brought by some fancy recency effect. Last but not the least, Yellow Auto should put more attention on the marketing wave and possible change. Although the good morale and loyalty of employee are important for the company development and culture forming, it is vitally dangerous if all top managers attention is focused on the psychology analysis of employees. Then other competitors would seize this opportunities to occupy the good marketing. The huge loss can be hardly saved by psychology. Conclusion This paper aims to study the case of Yellow Auto Automotive Company, from the perspective of psychology to investigate the decision making issues in this company. First, a brief introduction of the company is given to offer the basic information of Yellow Auto. As one of the most well-known car company, Yellow Auto Company was built in 1989 by two brothers and occupied 54% marketing share in 2008. Yellow Auto used to make several important decisions in the whole changing process. This report analyzed the implementation of these decisions by the company from the transactional analysis perspective. Next, the changing strategies of Yellow Auto are looked into from the psychology of the decision maker. And the strength and weakness of the decisions made in this case are analyzed based on the Perceptual Process model. One strong strength point of Yellow Auto is that their top manager did well in perceiving the right marketing trend and anticipating a bright and feasible goal for the compa ny. However, their main point is put on the psychology of the employees and they aimed to increase the job satisfaction and commitment of employees. They ignored to put more attention on the marketing wave and flexible future. If marketing would suddenly change, all the previous work could not be efficient anymore. At last, suggestions on how to maintain long and short comings of Yellow Auto are given and how to improve their decision making in the future is also discussed. Yellow Auto should continue with their adjustment which maintains the current job satisfaction and commitment of employees. And the recruited personnel for the the right person for the right job should be also continued. However, there are various sources of perceptual process bias that deserve more attention, such as attribution error and recency effect. And Yellow Auto should put more attention on the marketing wave and possible change.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

St. James Food Pantry: How Homeless can Occur Essay -- hunger, poverty,

â€Å"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.† Helder Camara What is hunger? According to dictionary.com, hunger is feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by lack of food. A person that has no shelter, love and food is considering being homeless. This makes their demand for food and shelter high. Poverty, for centuries has been look over in the United States of America, and for America to have one of highest poverty rates, it is a disgrace. It is a disgrace because America is one of the wealthiest countries, therefore; the government has the resource, in order for poverty not exists at this caliber. By going to St. James Food Pantry, it showed me that poverty in America is still being overlooked. Since the semester started, I have been volunteering at St. James Food Pantry located on 29th and Wabash which serves the 60605 and 16 zip codes. As an African American female, being a part of society middle-low class, I was shock to see that it was other races especially Asians, coming into the facility for help. I was shock to see Asians coming into the facility because in the media African Americans are the ones depicted to need assistance not Asians. However, volunteering at St. James showed that all races need help, not one more than other. Walking into the food pantry, one will immediately be welcomed by the secretary or volunteer coordinator, Ben. The staff at St. James is friendly and aware of their client’s needs. They bring a since of hope and love to the community in which the government has overlook the demand of hunger their citizens face daily. St. James Food Pantry was not what I expected it to be. It is small-quaint building on the corner o... ... comparing their clients to the people in different community’s s there is a significant difference in class inequality. Not able to support themselves or family shows the differences in class because to support living a person needs money. In majority money is the main aspect in determine class difference. Being in a society where people only care about themselves shows why there is a disparity between the have and have not’s. In the healthcare field, people need to demonstrate an altruism behavior because they service the people. Going to St. James showed me that I need to be more humble in order to be a successful RN. St. James Food Pantry helps their client to build life skills so they can be able to function in today’s society. As I volunteer more at St. James, I hope to receive more direct contact with clients and understand how homelessness can occur.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

School Shootings and Gun Laws Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Imagine your child was nearing high school graduation with their whole life ahead of them. Next year, they will be going to college and you will see them bloom into the wonderful person you know they are. Now imagine the horror of hearing that your child had been shot and killed while they were at school. It is difficult to fathom the enormous amount of grief and anger that would flood the body of a person in a situation like this. No one should have to endure such pain. Now imagine how much this pain would be intensified if there was a possibility that the whole incident could have been prevented. This scene is an all too familiar one in this country. A kid, who for some reason is mad at the world, goes to school with a gun and kills innocent people. If you do not think this could ever happen to you, ask the parents of the victims of the Columbine High School incident. They will tell you they never dreamed it would happen to them either. Is it not reasonable to say that we must do everything we can to prevent this kind of thing from happening again? This is exactly why we desperately need to close the gun show loophole. Non-licensed dealers and private collectors who sell weapons at the thousands of gun shows in this country each year should be required to ask for identification and have licensed dealers run background checks before selling any weapons to potential customers. If these measures are not required, anyone – including convicted felons, underage kids, and even terrorists – will be able to obtain firearms at any local gun show. This provides nightmares not only about Columbine, but also about innocent civilians being killed by terrorists with weapons they bought at gun shows in the United States. ... .... If there are so many guns being sold in this unregulated market that the paperwork for background checks of those who are purchasing these weapons would be unmanageable, doesn’t this prove how big of a problem the gun show loophole is and how desperately it needs to be closed? No one wants to think about taking â€Å"inalienable† rights away from law-abiding citizens of the United States which is exactly what this type of legislation would not do. The only people that could be affected by such legislation would be sportsmen, and if you have any questions lingering in your mind on this issue, ask a sportsman this question: â€Å"Which is more important to you, being able to buy a gun a little faster or doing everything possible to avoid getting a call that says your child has been shot and killed?† I think any sportsman’s answer will settle your lingering questions.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Dilema at Day-Pro Essay

The crossover point is the rate at which the NPV of the two projects are equal. NPV has a direct relationship between NPV and Economic Value Added. The NPV shows how the shareholders’ wealth would be increased if the project is accepted. The goal of the company is to increase shareholders’ wealth, thus NPV shows the better way in choosing the right decision to achieve their goal. NPV method implicitly assumes that the rate at which cash flows can be reinvested is the cost of capital, whereas the IRR method assumes that the firm can reinvest at the IRR. NPV method is better because it selects the project that adds the most to shareholder wealth. Tim can show that the MIRR is the more realistic measure to use in the case of mutually exclusive contracts by explaining that by using MIRR, they can avoid the multiple IRR problems and at the same time explain that since reinvestment at the cost of capital is generally more correct, the MIRR  which assumes that CFs from all projects are reinvested at the cost of capital rather than on the project’s own IRR (in the case of IRR), is a better indicator of a project’s true profitability. Tim could also state that with the use of MIRR, the company can avoid some conflicts encountered when comparing NPV with IRR. With the use of MIRR, they can minimize the conflict between the two, just like when the two projects being compared have equal size and same life, both NPV and MIRR leads to the same decision. The company can also arrive at the same decision when the two projects being compared have equal size and different life. Using Profitability Index can help in deciding which project to choose because it gives the ratio which allows us to measure the proportion of money returned to money invested. Thus by profitability index, it allows us to compare investment opportunities that requires us different initial investments. The higher profitability index will be chosen because it gives higher possible return in the amount that is to be invested. In short, in the dilemma of Day-pro, Synthetic Resin must be chosen because it gives a higher return in spite of the high initial investment. However, in using this method, the analyst will ignore many factors, such as risk, cost of capital, and liquidity of the project. Thus, the company must consider or decide first on what factor they will base their decision in choosing a project. Being more conservative in revenue projection will give us an idea that the project is less liquid because they projected a longer period of time before the company can earn back the invested amount. Moreover, it also indicates that they considered the possible risks that may occur in the project along the way. The chance of overestimation and underestimation of the project is less possible that make it more realistic. Thus, the Synthetic Resin project is more reliable and accurate. Knowing that the synthetic resin would require extensive and longer time before it could be implemented, it will cause doubt on the part of the Board to choose this  project because it only says that Synthetic Resin project is less liquid compared to epoxy resin and the company will be tied longer to this project before it can regain the invested capital. However, looking at the other side of the coin, synthetic resin gives a higher return in spite of its flaws and its risks. On the other hand, Epoxy Resin seems to be more liquid and less risky and the return of this project is less compared to the Synthetic Resin. As a result, the board might be more attracted to Epoxy Resin. Still, the decision of the board depends on what they give importance or emphasis in choosing a project. And since the Board has a strong preference in using rates or return as its criteria, we would recommend to the Board to choose Synthetic Resin.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Admission to college

The world is fast becoming a borderless place.   Cultures, races, beliefs and ideologies are blend together and interact because of the growing advances in communications.   In order to succeed in this world, one needs to be able to adapt to the various cultural differences as well as be able to maintain a certain sense of individual identity.   This is one of the main reasons why I think the (insert name of college here) is the best place for me to cultivate and develop my talents.Life has been challenging for me to say the least.   Unlike many who have gotten many opportunities in life, most of my opportunities have been the result of my hard work.   When I graduated from Columbia-Greene Community College in December 2006 with an Associate in Science Degree, I have to admit that it was one of the proudest moments of my life.   After all these years, the hard work and perseverance that I put in finally paid off and I was able to get the reward that I deserved.It may not seem like a big accomplishment for many people but that day marked the culmination of the years that I put in and the verified my success in the face of the many various challenges that I faced along the way.   It does not appear on any transcript or college record but the fact that I am most proud of is that I accomplished all of this while being a single mother of two very lovely children.They say that college life is very challenging and that the only way to succeed and get high grades in college is by being a full time student.   While I would have wanted to have that same opportunity, I had to do it the hard way; being instead a part time student and a full time mother.Despite these challenges, I was able to remain on the President’s List of outstanding students for the Spring and Fall of 2006 academic semesters.   I constantly maintained excellent grades and also found time to do extra-curricular activities such as participate in the Phi Theta Kappa Sorority where I took part and handled a number of community outreach programs.As I mentioned earlier, the world is changing fast and there are many challenges that lie ahead of me.   I understand that the best way to deal with those challenges is to be prepared and I firmly believe that this (insert name of university here) is the best training ground.   Equipped with a Masteral Degree in Business Administration, I know that I will be able to become much more and be prepared for the challenges that I will encounter.I am currently working full time at the moment in order to prepare financially for college which I will be attending full time should I be accepted to this prestigious University.   Since this is the case, I am hoping that an adult online study course will be able to supplement my quest for knowledge and self-improvement for the meantime.In time, I hope to not only create a better future for myself through the help of a fine education but also to create a better future for my tw o young children who have the whole world ahead of them.While I personally believe that â€Å"there is no such thing as a free lunch† and that everything a person has in life must come from hard work and perseverance, I also believe in charity.   I believe in helping others who do not have much in life.I believe in helping people regardless of their nation, race or creed.   I believe in being a better person so I can best help myself and others around me.   I believe that the (Insert name of university here) is the best place for me to turn these beliefs into realities.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

To what extent and in what ways is Fitzgerald purely critical of Gatsby’s dreams?

One of the main themes of ‘The Great Gatsby' is that of dreams, none of which is more noticeable than Gatsby's own dream of five years in his pursuit of Daisy. What is less obvious is how Fitzgerald wants us to react to these dreams, and whether he is being purely critical of them or whether he in fact does also reveal some good in them. In this essay I aim to show that although in a lot of ways Fitzgerald is critical of Gatsby's dreams, for example by ensuring that Daisy can never live up to the vision of herself which Gatsby has created, he is not entirely disapproving and in several cases even goes as far as to suggest that dreaming is what makes us human. One way in which we may be unsure about Fitzgerald's presentation of Gatsby's dreams is whether they are meant to appear romantic or slightly pathetic. At face value it can seem to be extremely romantic that Gatsby has waited these five years and remained so loyal to Daisy, and I think that it this way Fitzgerald wants us to be on Gatsby's side. Gatsby himself is portrayed as being a very romantic character and this can be seen in his speech when he talks about the past, for example telling Nick that â€Å"His heart beat faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God†. Fitzgerald clearly is making Gatsby appear to be very wistful and dreamlike, and also is making us more sympathetic to him by making his affair with Daisy and his dreams appear to be very romantic. This would obviously cause the reader to sympathise more with Gatsby later in the book when everything falls apart, and I think that it is clearly true that Gatsby believes that his love of Daisy is very perfect and beautiful. However, this quotation could also be read that Gatsby is going too over the top and is trapped in the past by his dreams. Another good place to see this occurring is when Nick warns Gatsby that he cannot recreate the past and Gatsby replies with â€Å"‘Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can! ‘†. This seems like a very irrational thing for Gatsby to say and it begins us questioning what he really wants from his dreams, whether it is Daisy or just to have the past back as it was. Fitzgerald may be doing this to show Gatsby as a man who is just clutching at a past he no longer has and this may make him appear slightly pathetic. The exclamation mark gives him a sense of panic and questioning makes him appear to be almost incredulous to any other way of seeing the situation, which I think is more critical of Gatsby's dreams as they have blinded him to reality. Overall however, when it comes to romanticism or a slightly pathetic appearance, Fitzgerald remains quite ambiguous and leaves it more up to the reader to reach a decision by themselves. , Whichever way it is viewed however, I think in both situations we still have sympathy for Gatsby when his reality doesn't quite live up to the vision. When Fitzgerald comments that â€Å"no amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man can store up in his ghostly heart†, I think that he is making the quite depressing point here that dreams will always disappoint in the end because reality can never live up to what you can dream of. This is quite a negative view of the outcome of dreams but is perhaps not entirely critical of the idea of having dreams and something to strive for in the first place. Although it may appear that Fitzgerald is condemning dreaming, I actually believe that in this case he may be more positive about it than it seems at first. The character of Gatsby is portrayed as a dreamer, and these aims and human feelings which he possesses ensure that he is much more of an attractive character than for example, Jordan, who has no such dreams or ambitions for the future and is often associated with words such as â€Å"lazy† and â€Å"cool†. This makes her seem a lot less human than Gatsby and we empathise with him far more, which I think Fitzgerald wants us to do. This suggests that Fitzgerald is supportive of ‘the dreamer' and tells us that he is not opposed to the idea of dreams in general. In fact he associates the illusion with the phrase â€Å"colossal vitality† which again evokes the idea that dreams are linked with the essence of being human and that Fitzgerald views Gatsby's dreams with something other than pure criticism. One of the main criticisms which Fitzgerald does have of Gatsby's dreams is the materialism inherent with them. To gain Daisy's affections, Gatsby accumulates extortionate wealth and belongings to attract her, and Daisy herself represents something of the materialistic upper class which Gatsby strives to become a part of. This is very concisely put when Gatsby says of Daisy â€Å"her voice is full of money†. Daisy's voice has particular prominence as a motif throughout the book but at this point it is almost a leit motif as it gains meaning. All we can judge Daisy by is her voice, we never know her thoughts or what she is really thinking as what she says is usually quite empty. By saying that her voice is full of money, Gatsby is pinpointing that superficial charm which she has and perhaps even that in being entranced by her voice he has actually fallen for her wealth. This is an extremely critical way of looking at Gatsby's feelings and we probably don't want to believe it of him, but I think we can see it very clearly in Daisy, especially when she sees his Gatsby's house for the first time. In her exclamation of â€Å"that huge place there? † and her reaction to the extravagant wardrobe, we can see that Fitzgerald is showing Daisy as well as Gatsby to be very focussed on the material and the possessions. I think that this is a point Fitzgerald wants to make on the subject of ‘The American Dream', of which Gatsby's own dream is quite symbolic. As Americans, the characters would have been brought up to believe that they could strive to achieve anything and, in short, that nothing was out of their reach. Fitzgerald is not only questioning the belief in this, but also the means of getting to it and is making a point about how society has taken this dream to be something materialistic and to do with what you can own, rather than more spiritual or meaningful dreams. In respects to materialism I think that Fitzgerald is almost purely critical of Gatsby, as what he appears to be searching for is not just Daisy but the entire social and economical class which she represents. Another interesting way in which Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby's dreams is by making Daisy seem quite an unworthy person to long for. Although, as said in the previous paragraph, she is superficially very beautiful and rich, there appears to be very little under the surface and she tends to talk in quite empty and fantastical phrases such as â€Å"I'd like to just get one of those pink clouds and put you in it and push you around. † In that case Fitzgerald's alliteration of ‘pink', ‘put' and ‘push', as well as the polysyndeton, make her phrasing seem childish and simple – not really that of someone who could be relied on for a long lasting relationship. In some ways we may think that Fitzgerald is criticising Gatsby's dreams at this point, after all it seems worthless that he would have spent all this time loving someone who is in fact not worth it at all. This is incredibly clear to us after we see Daisy's awful behaviour after the accident when she drives away without stopping, and in a way we can see her treatment of Gatsby as quite similar to this, driving along with him, leaving destruction in her wake and escaping away as fast as she can. In this way Fitzgerald is being very critical and it could seem as if his message is that no matter how much you love someone and dream about them, they could just as easily let you down and run away. I think that there is also a slight positive side to Fitzgerald's choice of making Daisy an unworthy dream, as it shows that everybody can be loved by someone, however this is not very strong as Gatsby does not love Daisy with her faults, and rather it seems that he is just immune to seeing her flaws. Fitzgerald in fact, is probably somewhere in between these views; he is not directly attacking dreams or even Gatsby's dreams, but he is more in this case attacking Daisy's character. Although it may be a large lack of judgement skills on Gatsby's side, we cannot blame him entirely and again we still feel sorry for him when Daisy does eventually let him down. Overall I think that it is clear that there is a strong sense of ambiguity when it comes to Fitzgerald's attitude to Gatsby's dreams. However, I feel that the main point he wishes to make is that there is nothing wrong with dreaming, you just have to be careful when choosing your dreams that what you are longing for is actually worthwhile and won't end up hurting you more than it can make you happy. In Gatsby's case his aim appears to be more to make us feel sorry that he was so misguided in his choice of dream, rather than to berate him for dreaming at all.

How to Sleep Well Essay

In order to kip good we should follow three grounds. First of all. don’t eat or imbibe a batch before bedtime. If you drink excessively much liquid before kiping. you’ll wake up repeatedly in the dark for trips to the bathroom or cause you to wake up repeatedly. Don’t eat spicy or fatty nutrients because they cause pyrosis particularly. don’t eat something that triggers 5-hydroxytryptamine. which makes you sleepy. Second. make and don’t exercising when you have free clip. For illustration. if you have a sedentary occupation. a deficiency of physical effort may be cut downing the quality of your slumber. A twenty-four hours of physical effort ( such as taking a tally or a swim ) or. better yet. regular exercising can do for deeper and more reposeful slumber. The best clip to exercising is in the afternoon. Third. Change your kiping place. You may believe that it’s impossible to command what place you sleep in since you aren’t to the full cognizant of what you are making. but it can do a considerable difference. When you go to kip. or if you wake up in the center of the dark. do a witting attempt to follow these guidelines until it becomes accustomed. Keep your organic structure in a â€Å"mid-line† place. where both your caput and cervix are kept approximately consecutive. Don’t use a level pillow that causes your caput to lean down toward the mattress. It’s hard to keep the mid-line place. and it is more likely to do strivings. This will assist relieve emphasis on your dorsum and cervix by somewhat shore uping up your organic structure on one side. To sum up. seek one or two or a combination until you have adequate quality sleep to experience watchful and good rested.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Zara: It for Fast Fashion

Zara: IT for Fast Fashion Identification of issues: The case study, Zara: IT for Fast Fashion, focuses on the retail giant, Inditex, and how its largest retail chain, Zara, has been so successful with their business model of high fashion, product variation, low cost, speed, and flexibility. Several issues are identified in this case study. One glaring issue that is apparent relates to the fact that a long term Information Technology (IT) strategy does not exist. There is no formal system in place to plan and predict for their future needs, including operational and capital expenses.Another issue consists of the retailer not having a centralized distribution system in place, their stores do not share inventory counts, and the managers do not have a system in place to look up their inventory balances in their stores or other stores, (they accomplish this by canvassing the stores). Another significant current issue relates to the fact that their current IT system is unsustainable, as th e equipment is obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. Their IT system is not wireless, their screens are small, they are using styluses, which can be cumbersome, and older technology such as floppy disks and modems.The last issue involves a lack of shared knowledge of the current system in place; one person is relied upon and depended for knowledge of the systems functionality. Being so dependant upon one person places the whole system at risk. Importance of the key issue: The key issue in this case study involves whether or not Inditex should upgrade the retailer’s information technology infrastructure and capabilities or whether they should continue using their current system. The problem that Zara faces now is that their current system, P-O-S (Point of Sales terminals), runs on DOS, which Microsoft does not support any longer.Any hardware change in the POS terminal would not be compatible with their current POS software. Without an upgrade, they risk that their current sup plier could no longer support them. Investing in IT infrastructure is inevitable as Microsoft DOS is obsolete technology and there is no guarantee that their POS vendor will continue supplying the same terminal without changes to their hardware. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) are currently used in all Zara stores, POS terminals are not connected with Zara’s headquarters or with other stores. here is no system in place to link employees’ daily sales, causing employees to copy this information onto a floppy disk. Zara’s success and main business strategy is dependent upon their ability to respond very quickly to the demands of their customers. By upgrading their current system, they could add functionality and capabilities that could resolve other issues they face, such as sharing inventory, and being proficient at matching supply and demand. They can comfortably meet their mission by keeping current with fashion.Without the infrastructure to support i t, it would be impossible to accomplish, as they would not have the security controls, and back up systems in place. This issue is more important than any other issue to resolve, as Zara’s mission, success and future depends on technology reliability and accuracy. If this issue is not resolved, it is impossible to address all of the other issues identified above. Key Stakeholders: There are numerous stakeholders who are affected by the key issue of whether or not they should upgrade their IT Zara’s customers system want the latest fashions in stock, in their size and color, in a timey fashion.By having an upgraded, efficient IT system, Zara’s customers could experience better inventory controls to meet their needs. This in turn develops customer loyalty which equates to a higher volume of sales. Another key stakeholder is Zara’s employees. Employees want job security. A well defined, upgraded, efficient IT system can assist in sales volume, which turns in to profit for the company. Employees also want to reduce their workload and redundancy. Their current system does not take advantage of functional automation and communication, which can increase their work load.Another stakeholder, Zara’s IT vendor, certainly wants to maintain their business relationship with them, but may find it difficult to continue conducting business with a company who uses such an obsolete, unsupported, vulnerable system. Zara’s managers are also important stakeholders in the decision to upgrade. Their managers want the current POS system to do more, such as look up inventory balances in stores. This basic functionality is lacking. They want to be in a position to negotiate pricing and keep up with their competitors.Zara’s shareholders are interested in maintaining the financial success that Zara has experienced. They want a system in place to assure that their current fashion demands are met, that a system is in place to account for and share merchandise. They want to be able to invest wisely and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry. Another stakeholder, Zara’s suppliers wants a functional IT system to provide better lead time for orders and materials, and to be able to communicate in a timely, seamless manner. Causes of the issue:There are many causes that contribute to the situation that Zara faces at the moment. Having a mission and vision without having a strategic plan to get there is a contributing factor. Having a decentralized decision making system in place can also be a root cause. Having equipment that is obsolescence is a result of the above factors. Not having staff and systems in place to effectively plan for the future, leads to antiquated equipment and manual, cumbersome, inaccurate, processes. Other factors responsible for the lack of strategic IT planning at Zara include their current business model and leadership complacency.Alternative solutions: There are three alter native solutions. The first would be to purchase the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology, and continue functioning the way they have been. The second solution involves hire a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options. The third solution to the key issue identified is to proceed in upgrading their current IT system and add functional capabilities to meet the needs of their organization.Recommendations: I recommend the third solution, that Zara purchase and implementing a new POS networking system. This recommendation would create a robust system that is more responsive to Inditex’s supply chain network. It also removes the risk of the system becoming obsolete and non- compatible with the vendor’s machine upgrade. It decreases their exposure for system failures, helps to maintain and improve efficiency of decentraliza tion because information flow can be improved between stores, distribution chains and vendors.The most important aspect of Zara’s approach to information technology includes the ability to meet the needs of their customers, whether that involves accuracy, timeliness, marketing, demand, or communication. Their original business model involved linking demand to manufacturing, and linking manufacturing to distribution, this involves a reliable, compatible IT system. Upgrading the POS applications to include additional functionality, such as networking capability, and the ability to share inventory with other stores, only makes their corporation more productive and efficient.The use of larger screens, and keyboards, vs. smaller screens and styluses would also be beneficial to the employees and customers. There are however pitfalls to this recommendation. Above and beyond the obvious capital expense of the equipment and software, implementing the recommended solution in the short term may require restructuring the IT department to include a Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO would also be responsible to conduct a comprehensive review of current industry technologies and determine which IT capabilities and functionalities will best support the company’s strategic mission.This person would also be responsible to initiate a formal IT budgeting process that is part of the broader capital budget, and create a formal process for selecting and prioritizing IT projects that includes both financial and non-financial metrics (Porter, M, 2001). In the medium term, Zara may consider an outside team to initiate this IT change. It is questionable if Zara currently has the time and internal talent to effect the change. An outsourced professional team may accomplish this task, while allowing personnel to focus on their day to day operations.Zara can cross train a few IT personnel to work closely with the implementation team, to assure a seamless transition. A à ¢â‚¬Å"train the trainer† may be beneficial. This may mean that they may have to hire replacement personnel on a temporary basis. In the long term Zara should develop a â€Å"long-term IT renewal plan† as recommended by Feld and Stoddard, 2004, to develop a plan to maintain and sustain their new system; this requires time, money and talent. Incorporating the three principles in executing IT effectively: A long termIT renewal plan linked to corporate strategy, a simplified unifying corporate technology platform and a highly functional, performance-oriented IT organization would benefit Zara (Feld and Stoddard, 2004). Keeping up with technology allows Zara to focus on future fashion trends, with effective IT they will be able to stay ahead of the curve and keep their leadership. They will sustain their business model based on short deadlines, decrease quantities, and updated styles and fashion.If Zara anticipates opening up new stores in the future, they would need to upgr ade their system anyway. If they opened up new stores with new technology, their current technology would not be compatible and the stores could not communicate effectively with one another and share information. The second solution mentioned above, which involves hiring a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options is not in the best interest of the corporation.Hiring consultants takes time and energy and are expensive. They are not familiar with the organizations structure, strengths, weaknesses or capabilities. Financial resources would be better spent on the purchase of new upgraded equipment vs. putting off the inevitable. The first solution described above, purchasing the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology and continuing to function they way they have been is not an option, if they want to remain viable.Change is unavoidable , as this profitable, highly reputable company cannot continue to function with obsolete equipment. Obsolete equipment sets them up for failure in the event the equipment fails or needs repair. It does not allow them to implement a systematic plan to move the organization forward, instead it stagnates their capabilities. The likely outcomes of my recommendation would be an efficient, accurate, timely IT infrastructure that communicates well with all stores, accurately accounts for all inventory, allowing manual processes to dissolve.This creates greater efficiencies on the part of the staff. Changing and upgrading their IT system would compensate for their internal communication weaknesses. Upgrading the POS terminals to modern inventory management software, would allow orders to be made on a daily basis instead of twice a week. This would allow the demand and supply to be matched more accurately, making the production process leaner. Inventory management software would lso allow de signers to follow the sales of garments more closely, instead of relying on manual orders from store managers. Store managers could send new fashion or fabric ideas over the internet to headquarters. This constant monitoring and updating can give designers an advantage over the competition in developing new styles and keeping up with the latest fashions. Updating their communication and IT system sooner, rather than later would overall sustain viability of the corporation and enhance their business success. Zara: It for Fast Fashion Zara: IT for Fast Fashion Identification of issues: The case study, Zara: IT for Fast Fashion, focuses on the retail giant, Inditex, and how its largest retail chain, Zara, has been so successful with their business model of high fashion, product variation, low cost, speed, and flexibility. Several issues are identified in this case study. One glaring issue that is apparent relates to the fact that a long term Information Technology (IT) strategy does not exist. There is no formal system in place to plan and predict for their future needs, including operational and capital expenses.Another issue consists of the retailer not having a centralized distribution system in place, their stores do not share inventory counts, and the managers do not have a system in place to look up their inventory balances in their stores or other stores, (they accomplish this by canvassing the stores). Another significant current issue relates to the fact that their current IT system is unsustainable, as th e equipment is obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. Their IT system is not wireless, their screens are small, they are using styluses, which can be cumbersome, and older technology such as floppy disks and modems.The last issue involves a lack of shared knowledge of the current system in place; one person is relied upon and depended for knowledge of the systems functionality. Being so dependant upon one person places the whole system at risk. Importance of the key issue: The key issue in this case study involves whether or not Inditex should upgrade the retailer’s information technology infrastructure and capabilities or whether they should continue using their current system. The problem that Zara faces now is that their current system, P-O-S (Point of Sales terminals), runs on DOS, which Microsoft does not support any longer.Any hardware change in the POS terminal would not be compatible with their current POS software. Without an upgrade, they risk that their current sup plier could no longer support them. Investing in IT infrastructure is inevitable as Microsoft DOS is obsolete technology and there is no guarantee that their POS vendor will continue supplying the same terminal without changes to their hardware. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) are currently used in all Zara stores, POS terminals are not connected with Zara’s headquarters or with other stores. here is no system in place to link employees’ daily sales, causing employees to copy this information onto a floppy disk. Zara’s success and main business strategy is dependent upon their ability to respond very quickly to the demands of their customers. By upgrading their current system, they could add functionality and capabilities that could resolve other issues they face, such as sharing inventory, and being proficient at matching supply and demand. They can comfortably meet their mission by keeping current with fashion.Without the infrastructure to support i t, it would be impossible to accomplish, as they would not have the security controls, and back up systems in place. This issue is more important than any other issue to resolve, as Zara’s mission, success and future depends on technology reliability and accuracy. If this issue is not resolved, it is impossible to address all of the other issues identified above. Key Stakeholders: There are numerous stakeholders who are affected by the key issue of whether or not they should upgrade their IT Zara’s customers system want the latest fashions in stock, in their size and color, in a timey fashion.By having an upgraded, efficient IT system, Zara’s customers could experience better inventory controls to meet their needs. This in turn develops customer loyalty which equates to a higher volume of sales. Another key stakeholder is Zara’s employees. Employees want job security. A well defined, upgraded, efficient IT system can assist in sales volume, which turns in to profit for the company. Employees also want to reduce their workload and redundancy. Their current system does not take advantage of functional automation and communication, which can increase their work load.Another stakeholder, Zara’s IT vendor, certainly wants to maintain their business relationship with them, but may find it difficult to continue conducting business with a company who uses such an obsolete, unsupported, vulnerable system. Zara’s managers are also important stakeholders in the decision to upgrade. Their managers want the current POS system to do more, such as look up inventory balances in stores. This basic functionality is lacking. They want to be in a position to negotiate pricing and keep up with their competitors.Zara’s shareholders are interested in maintaining the financial success that Zara has experienced. They want a system in place to assure that their current fashion demands are met, that a system is in place to account for and share merchandise. They want to be able to invest wisely and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry. Another stakeholder, Zara’s suppliers wants a functional IT system to provide better lead time for orders and materials, and to be able to communicate in a timely, seamless manner. Causes of the issue:There are many causes that contribute to the situation that Zara faces at the moment. Having a mission and vision without having a strategic plan to get there is a contributing factor. Having a decentralized decision making system in place can also be a root cause. Having equipment that is obsolescence is a result of the above factors. Not having staff and systems in place to effectively plan for the future, leads to antiquated equipment and manual, cumbersome, inaccurate, processes. Other factors responsible for the lack of strategic IT planning at Zara include their current business model and leadership complacency.Alternative solutions: There are three alter native solutions. The first would be to purchase the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology, and continue functioning the way they have been. The second solution involves hire a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options. The third solution to the key issue identified is to proceed in upgrading their current IT system and add functional capabilities to meet the needs of their organization.Recommendations: I recommend the third solution, that Zara purchase and implementing a new POS networking system. This recommendation would create a robust system that is more responsive to Inditex’s supply chain network. It also removes the risk of the system becoming obsolete and non- compatible with the vendor’s machine upgrade. It decreases their exposure for system failures, helps to maintain and improve efficiency of decentraliza tion because information flow can be improved between stores, distribution chains and vendors.The most important aspect of Zara’s approach to information technology includes the ability to meet the needs of their customers, whether that involves accuracy, timeliness, marketing, demand, or communication. Their original business model involved linking demand to manufacturing, and linking manufacturing to distribution, this involves a reliable, compatible IT system. Upgrading the POS applications to include additional functionality, such as networking capability, and the ability to share inventory with other stores, only makes their corporation more productive and efficient.The use of larger screens, and keyboards, vs. smaller screens and styluses would also be beneficial to the employees and customers. There are however pitfalls to this recommendation. Above and beyond the obvious capital expense of the equipment and software, implementing the recommended solution in the short term may require restructuring the IT department to include a Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO would also be responsible to conduct a comprehensive review of current industry technologies and determine which IT capabilities and functionalities will best support the company’s strategic mission.This person would also be responsible to initiate a formal IT budgeting process that is part of the broader capital budget, and create a formal process for selecting and prioritizing IT projects that includes both financial and non-financial metrics (Porter, M, 2001). In the medium term, Zara may consider an outside team to initiate this IT change. It is questionable if Zara currently has the time and internal talent to effect the change. An outsourced professional team may accomplish this task, while allowing personnel to focus on their day to day operations.Zara can cross train a few IT personnel to work closely with the implementation team, to assure a seamless transition. A à ¢â‚¬Å"train the trainer† may be beneficial. This may mean that they may have to hire replacement personnel on a temporary basis. In the long term Zara should develop a â€Å"long-term IT renewal plan† as recommended by Feld and Stoddard, 2004, to develop a plan to maintain and sustain their new system; this requires time, money and talent. Incorporating the three principles in executing IT effectively: A long termIT renewal plan linked to corporate strategy, a simplified unifying corporate technology platform and a highly functional, performance-oriented IT organization would benefit Zara (Feld and Stoddard, 2004). Keeping up with technology allows Zara to focus on future fashion trends, with effective IT they will be able to stay ahead of the curve and keep their leadership. They will sustain their business model based on short deadlines, decrease quantities, and updated styles and fashion.If Zara anticipates opening up new stores in the future, they would need to upgr ade their system anyway. If they opened up new stores with new technology, their current technology would not be compatible and the stores could not communicate effectively with one another and share information. The second solution mentioned above, which involves hiring a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options is not in the best interest of the corporation.Hiring consultants takes time and energy and are expensive. They are not familiar with the organizations structure, strengths, weaknesses or capabilities. Financial resources would be better spent on the purchase of new upgraded equipment vs. putting off the inevitable. The first solution described above, purchasing the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology and continuing to function they way they have been is not an option, if they want to remain viable.Change is unavoidable , as this profitable, highly reputable company cannot continue to function with obsolete equipment. Obsolete equipment sets them up for failure in the event the equipment fails or needs repair. It does not allow them to implement a systematic plan to move the organization forward, instead it stagnates their capabilities. The likely outcomes of my recommendation would be an efficient, accurate, timely IT infrastructure that communicates well with all stores, accurately accounts for all inventory, allowing manual processes to dissolve.This creates greater efficiencies on the part of the staff. Changing and upgrading their IT system would compensate for their internal communication weaknesses. Upgrading the POS terminals to modern inventory management software, would allow orders to be made on a daily basis instead of twice a week. This would allow the demand and supply to be matched more accurately, making the production process leaner. Inventory management software would lso allow de signers to follow the sales of garments more closely, instead of relying on manual orders from store managers. Store managers could send new fashion or fabric ideas over the internet to headquarters. This constant monitoring and updating can give designers an advantage over the competition in developing new styles and keeping up with the latest fashions. Updating their communication and IT system sooner, rather than later would overall sustain viability of the corporation and enhance their business success.