Management Information Systems (MIS)

Introduction Businesses require constant information to be processed and disseminated to the relevant stakeholders on time. To achieve this, they need Management Information systems. A Management Information System is a set of connected apparatus, mostly computerized combinations that continuously acquire raw and needed data from within and outside a firm. Consequently, the data is processed and stored in a central place called database where it is always updated and availed to those with authority to access it.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Management Information Systems (MIS) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are several applications that are described in the case study. They are known as the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. The disseminate information relating to financials, inventories, manufacturing, sales and marketing, as well as order management and procurement. The systems also ass ist in project management documentation as well s post-implementation performance measurement. El Alamein is faced by various challenges as they seek to implement the Enterprise Resource Planning systems. First and foremost, some heads of department have been resistant to change. They are used to relying on separate computers which were fitted with custom excel sheets so as to facilitate the operations. The second challenge was high staff turnover during implementation. It is clear from the case study that El-Alamein suffered loss of six crucial people in a period of six months only. High staff turnover is hurting for business because a corporation has already invested a lot in those people in training as well as other resources offered to them during their stay in the organization. In addition to heavy investment in the staff who left, their departure led to delay in the areas they were in charge of as well as repeating some of the steps already done during the analysis and set up stages. To mitigate the resistance to change, El-Alamein took drastic steps. Firstly, the company identified crucial persons from all major departments to act as agents of change. These agents were to take up the role of convincing the other employees on the need to embrace the system. Secondly, El-Alamein took it upon themselves to train users for the new system so that they understand how the new system will affect business operations. Lastly, the company took a step further by fostering participation by end users through inclusion of more employees than just the senior management when it came to decision making, analysis and implementation.Advertising Looking for case study on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In my opinion, the three steps taken to mitigate resistance to change are so bright. When you involve people and especially the junior staff in decision making, analysis and implementation, the proce ss is bound to be smooth because the feeling of imposition and ambush is expunged. They feel part of the process and as such, they own it and would not wish to see it fail. Over and above, change agents, if well trained on their critical role can influence the viewpoint of other employees. They are trained to believe in the system/process first. Consequently, what they pass on to their colleagues is deep conviction from within them. This becomes easy to convince others in various departments. The Enterprise Resource Planning systems helped El-Alamein to reduce investment risks. In addition, the company has strengthened the process of integration as well as improving the rate of production. The efficiency in regard to handling of inventory is now rated highly. The IT investments have helped El-Alamein to initiate connections with multinational corporations. This case study on Management Information Systems (MIS) was written and submitted by user Elsa Herman to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Management Information Systems (MIS) Introduction Management information system in organizations is a very essential element which cannot be disregarded especially in contemporary business organizations. It is important to note that information system is one of the crucial and invaluable approaches in the modern generation’s way of doing business.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Management Information Systems (MIS) – Linked In specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Indeed, information systems play pivotal role in operational, strategic and tactical decision making. Such systems are used by every department in all levels of managing an organization bearing in mind that the modern world of business demands an optimal information flow. Therefore, it is imperative to note that every business organization is obliged to make information technology part and parcel of its operations. The application of information systems has become crucial and needs to be optimized throughout the entire life of a business organization. Organizations which have opted to operate on poorly established and under developed information system platforms find themselves missing out on the myriads of opportunities which are available in the global economy (Akcura 380). It is definite that these organizations are undeniably realizing dismal operations since businesses have grown considerably more competitive with the adoption of viable information systems and platforms. A comprehensive study of Linked In information systems offers a typical discussion of the value of a quality information system in both national and multinational organizations. This paper offers a deductive analysis of the management information systems as applied by Linked In. It highlights how information technology has been used in management, the general operations of the organization as well as how the use of information systems has helped the organization to attain a com petitive edge. A brief background of the organization Linked In is a global professional networking and consulting company. It was started way back in 2002 in the house of co-founder Reild Hoffman (Linked In par 1). After its launch in the year 2003, the Linked In site realized a total of 4,500 members within a period of one month.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Professionals continued to join the network and studies reveal that by the end of the first three months of 2012, the link was receiving two new members in every two seconds (Breitbarth 20). Needless to say, the company has a strong public image. It is believed and has also been rated as one of the most diversified modern business models. It is a well known entity which provides hiring options in large scale. It is imperative to note that the company also gives all marketing solutions and has a specialty in premium subscriptions. Through the use of its professional team, linked In has managed to display high standard use of information systems in its overall operations by providing an information-rich approach of conducting researching in the business world. The company has been able to venture into new markets across the world and has developed reliable methods of serving its customers. Linked In has acquired the status of a formidable company. This has been achieved by employing information systems in all its internal and external operation mechanisms. This company was started to set a wide and dependable platform for professional linkage. Over the several years the company has been in operation, Linked In has been able to exhibit an effective management of information systems through the use of professional mergers. According to recent studies, Linked In has been able to smoothly cooperate with other networking firms because of the nature of its business ventures (Gregor and Hevner 8). The field of professional networking of business firms has a holistic need of articulating and assimilating interested stakeholders from all host nations. The management has constantly endeavored to establish a highly integrated international network (Lim and Ting 52). Their network has a base line which incorporates all international as well as intermediary branches with the establishment of control units in numerous nations. The application of modern information technology has equally led to the inception and expansion of a widely spread and networked system of professionals.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Management Information Systems (MIS) – Linked In specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Information systems Studies indicate that success in the adoption of broad spectrum IT is dependent on a technical selection process. Linked In has selected a post modern system which is specially designed in a manner which ensures that high-tech objectives of doing e-business which have been adopted by the company are timely met. Development of efficient internet technologies has been used to create an operational stability. Their system ensures that transactions are carried within the shortest time possible and according to the preferences of clients (Latham 26). In addition, it is worth to note that security has been prioritized in the sense that the system has a powerful criterion of detecting white collar criminal activities. Due to the emergence of sophisticated internet criminology, the company has privatized and personalized technological systems. They have a pimp of their entire information system with multiple chambers which do not merely increase functionality but also ensure greater speeds for efficient operation. Their IT architecture is under constant evaluations to cater for malpractices from within or without the organization. The infamous e-commerce machine used by L inked In is mastered with the incorporation of a directed operation. This enables customers to access findings and facts about the company without making contact with its officials. This company has also been using management systems which are data oriented. Their system have been determined by the data category which they deal with on their day-to-day operations. It has broad divisions which accommodate the management teams in all different positions of the company. Their system is well programmed to ensure that professionalism is displayed in every aspect of the company’s dealings. Internal control has been made viable enough through the use of a clear set of ethical procedures which are to be portrayed when interacting with the company’s network (Rosenkranz and Holten 21). The use of a decision making strategy which relies on information systems has improved service production and delivery across the whole dominion of linked In (Linked In par. 6). There is enough ev idence that the dependence of the company on information technology has created a high and desired quality and comfortable business environment.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Furthermore, more robust information system applications are continually being invented due to the application of the clear approach of intensive reliance on IT (Palvia and Pancaro 8). Over the years of operation, their system design has moved the company from the level of a developing enterprise to the category of a highly profitable organization. The great awareness of the need of using standardized information systems has not been a recent development at Linked In. it has been intrinsic in the operations of the organization. Besides, the company has principle strategies of countering competition by keeping their services highly usable (Lim and Ting 54). Use of information systems in management A season has come whereby business trends are more reliant on the dynamism of the global market. This is as a result of the emergence of dynamic consumer patterns, modern management of information systems and the realization of business success depending on the degree of embracing reliable information technology. By understanding the essence of information systems in effective decision making, Linked In has been able to adopt a mainstream business circle. It is worth to underscore that information systems have been used by Linked In as a toolkit which has bore quality development strategies (Breitbarth 22). The information technology has been a critical factor in the business environment as part and parcel of determining the needs of the market. Through the application of online evaluations, the company has been in a position to accurately address the exact demand of the market. Managing information systems effectively is a fundamental activity in business operations. It is evident that it leads to simplification of actions and speeds up business transactions (Akcura 384). This leads to the achievement of the set profitability goals and objectives the company is targeting. The company has also displayed an expertise in applying information technology in all its intern al operations with key decisions having a strong technological foundation. Studies reveal that linked In has greatly invested in IT to create the much needed business and organizational value as one of its major objectives. This has helped their management information system to become a basic tool which provides quality responses to all professional needs of customers. The diverse needs of customers from all over the world are being met online by just a single mouse click. The management has embarked on such large scale investments in information systems especially after accruing numerous gains from information technology. Notably, the broad and organizational wide use of management information systems has given the business the power to have a multinational influence. Information technology for competitive advantage The application of management information systems in the internal and transactional operations of a company is important in determining how the company articulates its major procedures (Palvia and Pancaro 8). By understanding this, the information and communication managers at Linked In have been able to formulate effective strategies towards realizing the aforementioned goal. As a matter of fact, they have learned to articulate all the systems which infer desirable alignments and also create the ability of building a correct niche which gives the company the much needed competitive advantage. Complex situations emerging from the business operations of the company are clearly tackled with the employment of information technology transparency. In addition, the organization has been exemplified by clear implementation of IT which has enhanced the realization of higher financial returns. The use of information systems in short and long term strategic planning has been very resourceful. It has helped the company to grow tremendously in addition to seizing opportunities as well as formulating a transition into maintaining high profile market competitio n. Appropriate use of information technology by Linked In Latham (26) has observed that focus on effective marketing, effective differentiation of the available marketing opportunities as well as effective leadership are the three major strategies of competing favorably in the corporate world. Linked In has used information technology to offer variety of quality services to all its customers. The company has developed a clear focus through the application of cost leadership. Their worldwide network has equally integrated both top and bottom line strategies. The e-commerce strategy has been instrumental in cutting down the overall cost of reaching its consumers. Collaborative software has helped in resource planning, chain operations management and in developing quality customer relations. Therefore, the company enjoys a good linkage with its consumers. Its technology is wired in a manner that it offers services which are unique and different from those of other firms in the industry . Their site has been built using a technological design which is able to recommend services to clients depending on their earlier transactions. It has a time saving check out system which allows them to evaluate the services which attract many persons. Customers enter their credit card numbers to make payments online. During subsequent visits, one is able to track their activities and the services which were proposed to them by the company. In order to maximize on the actual focus of the company, the organization has embarked on using the internet to reach the widest market possible. This has generated wide range differentiation and cost advantages. In any case, these are some of the merits which the company has leveraged on for some time now. The company has embraced the principle of using information technology to reach the vast market in the most cost effective way. Linked In has grown highly competitive realizing billions of net and gross sales from hiring and consultation serv ices. Gregor and Shirley (9) believe that if the organization continues being effective in management information systems, there is no doubt that it will become a consistent top player in the industry. In spite of the above platforms that the company has put in place, it is also worth to mention that the use of wireless technologies and innovations like cloud computing characterize the operations of linked In. A mobile digital base has created a global customer and service provider collaboration. It has been so easy for the officials of the company to identify and utilize customer outcomes. This happens with the quality monitoring mechanism which is in place at Linked In. The workers of the company have a perpetually high output since the information system works by keeping them aware of all new functionalities and trends in the market. It has been successful for them to work digitally in and out of their routine offices. Their information system has elements of personal training vi a its online store of resources which are freely accessible by all staff members. The workers have not lagged behind when it comes to the management of change for improvement. Information has helped in keeping everyone informed enough to make professional decisions without difficulties. Innovation, operational excellence and customer confidence have been attained through the use of the directions provided in the flexible instruction tool which is a major attribute of this company’s information system. All the stakeholders operate closely with the company since its comprehensive data base is open to scrutiny. The latter has also been used as platform for ensuring that the security of both clients and company staff is safeguarded at all times. The inevitable challenge In the analysis of this corporation’s information technology system, it is important to point out cases of illegal and unauthorized activities which are evident similar to any other organization, it is impe rative to mention that challenges are indeed inevitable. For instance, the use of technology gadgets to perpetrate malicious activities has been a significant blow. The practice has had adverse effects to the site. Online computer programs which compromise the usability of online services have been a major challenge. Due to the wide use of technology viruses have been able to find their way into the systems of linked In. Cases of malfunctioning which have led to financial losses have been severally reported within the operations of the company (Rosenkranz and Rolend 15). The most significant threats in this case are site viruses like Dloadr-CMJ and Randex which corrupt the links to most visited programs. They rename the paths of access and block all terminal lee ways (Gregor and Hevner 5). Indeed, one of the most important steps to take is to educate clients on the high risk of online criminology. Owing to the high dependency on information technology to do business, Linked In has e mbarked on concerted efforts of securing its basic online consumers. There are strong appliances to abhor hackers who seek to benefit from the organization through manipulating its operation outcomes. It has put in place expertise employees who trace all criminal activities from within and outside Linked In. In order t ensure optimal security, Linked In has personalized its systems digitally. Its information has very strict digital seals. Proprietary data, electronic fund transfers and professional communications entail high levels of technological secrecy. Their security system has been engineered with high sensitivity and response programs. They operate according to procedures which have inherent digital excellence (Linked In par 2). It has been ensured that the company does not lay its technical methods of product processing in the sole hands of technological engineers. Its copy right operation is well known to the whole executive team and is protected by the international secrec y of IT productions. Conclusion The credible use of information systems by Linked In has been handy to the company. The choice of building an exemplary digital foundation is indeed resourceful especially in the current post modern professional industry. The organization has been able to become a force to reckon with in giving the corporate fraternity the desired status of professionalism. It is worth noting that organizations as well as individuals have been able to tap the standard services of Linked In. This has in turn been reciprocated into the creation of a culture of corporate coexistence. Businesses are able to share their most useful techniques through the easy communication and publication via the Linked In professional network. The inventions of the company have created an interdependence of professionals across many nations. It is possible to access the most reliable ways of operation by the use of the ultimate linkage which has been necessitated by Linked In. This succes s is accredited to the appropriate management of information systems in the key areas discussed. Moreover, the management of information systems at Linked In has taken a diversified approach in the sense that new and better method of running the organization has always been devised as part and parcel of meeting the needs of the dynamic market. In spite of the prevailing challenges, the company has managed to maintain its brilliant performance as a networking tool across the globe. Works Cited Akcura, Togla. â€Å"Affiliated marketing.† Information Systems and e-Business Management, 8. 4 (2010): 379- 394. Print. Breitbarth, Wayne. â€Å"Linked In or Lose Out.†Quality Progress 44. 7 (2011): 18-22. Print. Gregor, Shirley and Alan, Hevner. â€Å"Introduction to the special issue on design science.† Information Systems and e-Business Management, 9.1 (2011): 1-9. Print. Latham, John. â€Å"Latham’s Response to Commentaries.†The Quality Management Journal , 19.2 (2012): 27-29. Print. Lim, Weng and Ding, Ting. â€Å"E-shopping: an Analysis of the Technology Acceptance Model.† Modern Applied Science, 6. 4 (2012): 49-62. Print. Linked In. Company background. 2003. Web. https://about.linkedin.com/ Palvia, Shailendra and Rudy, Pancaro. â€Å"Promises and Perils of Internet based Networking.† Journal of Global Information Technology Management, 13.3 (2010): 1-9. Print. Rosenkranz, Christoph and Holten, Holten. â€Å"The variety engineering method: analyzing and designing information flows in organizations,† Information Systems and eBusiness Management, 9.1 (2011): 11-30. Print. This research paper on Management Information Systems (MIS) – Linked In was written and submitted by user Jedidiah Knapp to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Definition of a Myth

The Definition of a Myth Although it may seem obvious, there is no single, simple answer. Here are some of the common ideas and their short-comings. Following these is a look at what folklorists and psychologists/psychoanalysts take the term to mean. Finally, there is a working definition you may find useful. If Its a Silly Story, It Could Be a Myth Everyone knows what a myth is, right? Its a story featuring centaurs, flying pigs or horses, or return trips to the Land of the Dead or Underworld. Classic compilations of myths include  Bulfinchs  Tales From Mythology  and the lesser known Heroes of Greek Mythology, by Charles J. Kingsley. Obviously, you might argue, a myth is a ridiculous story no one really believes. Maybe sometime, long ago, there were people naive enough to have believed in it, but now we know better. Really? Once you start looking carefully at that so-called definition, it falls apart. Think about your own firmly held beliefs. Perhaps you believe a deity spoke to a man through a burning bush (the story of Moses in the Hebrew Bible). Maybe he performed a miracle to make a tiny amount of food feed a multitude (New Testament). How would you feel if someone labeled them as myths? Youd probably argue and very defensively they arent myths. You might admit you cant prove them to unbelievers, but the stories simply arent as fantastic as myth (said with tones indicating disparagement). A vehement denial doesnt prove one way or another that something is or is not a myth, but you could be right. The story of Pandoras box is said to be a myth, but what makes that any different from a Biblical story such as  Noahs Ark, that is not necessarily considered a myth by a religious Jew or Christian? Even the disproved legend about the axing of a cherry tree by the perennially truth-telling George Washington may count as a myth. The word myth is used in many contexts, but it doesnt seem to have a single meaning. When discussing myth with others, you should determine what they mean in order to have a common frame of reference and avoid hurting someones feelings (unless, of course, you dont care). Myth Could Be Part of a Religion You Dont Believe In Here is how philosopher and psychiatrist James Kern Feiblemanone defines myth:  A  religion in which no one any longer believes.   What is a  myth for one group is truth and part of the cultural identity for another. Myths are stories shared by a group, that are a part of that groups cultural identity- just like family traditions. Most families would be offended to hear their stories described as myths (or lies and tall tales, which probably fit them better than a  myth because a family is generally considered smaller than a cultural group). Myth can also be used as a synonym for a despised religious dogma or, as the quotation above says, a religion in which no one any longer believes. Experts Define Myth Putting a value on myth doesnt help matters. Negative and positive descriptions of the content of myth are not definitions and dont even explain very much. Many have tried to define myth, with only limited success. Lets look at an array of definitions from leading philosophers, psychoanalysts, and other thinkers to see how complicated the seemingly simple term myth actually is: Myths are Origins. Myths are often stories of origins, how the world and everything in it came to be in illo tempore. - Eliade.Myths are Dreams. Sometimes myths are public dreams which, like private dreams, emerge from the unconscious mind. - Freud.Myths are Archetypes. Indeed, myths often reveal the archetypes of the collective unconscious. - Jung.Myths are Metaphysical. Myths orient people to the metaphysical dimension, explain the origins and nature of the cosmos, validate social issues, and, on the psychological plane, address themselves to the innermost depths of the psyche. - Campbell.Myths are Proto-Scientific. Some myths are explanatory, being pre-scientific attempts to interpret the natural world. - Frazer.Myths are Sacred histories. Religious myths are sacred histories. - Eliade.Myths are Stories. Myths are both individual and social in scope, but they are first and foremost stories. - Kirk. A Useful Working Definition of Myth From the above-learned definitions, we can see that myths are important stories. Maybe people believe them. Maybe they dont. Their truth value isnt at issue. Approaching, but not quite reaching an adequate, thorough definition of myth is the following: Myths are stories told by people about people: where they come from, how they handle major disasters, how they cope with what they must and how everything will end. If that isnt everything, what else is there?

Health and Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Health and Safety - Essay Example The manager is now faced with a tough problem and that is to find means to save the image of the product and the company. This will cause a disruption in the manager’s planned routine and he will try to curtail losses as much as possible. Furthermore, the manager will try to gain back the confidence people has in his brand and his company and will therefore invest his time, energy and resources to retain the company’s market share. Hence, it is evident that safety plays a vital role in a manager’s job. Safety ensures the well being of a business in all aspects. Be it the manufacturing process, work place environment, food and beverages, occupational hazards or the environment in which business takes place. Safety is important for the efficient running of these processes and for the welfare of the people involved in these processes. For a business to prosper all business functions should work together and perform efficiently. Therefore, safety issues need to be considered right across the organizational domain starting from production and going up to shipment and delivery. For this reason most companies have developed standards for safety in their work domain and ensure that safety standards are always met. According to the WHO, food and waterborne diseases are the leading causes of illness and death in less developed countries, killing approximately  2.2 million people annually, an estimated 1.8 million of whom are children Therefore, the recent trends in global food production, processing, distribution and preparation are creating an increasing demand for food safety to ensure a safer global food supply (WHO). Even in the developed countries food safety has become a major concern. Food safety needs to be ensured in restaurants as well as homes to prevent people from catching food borne diseases. The WHO has identified five ways to ensure

Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Employment Law - Essay Example The long run effect of the law is emergence of an active and vibrant economy. However, implementation of the Act has faced various challenges. For instance, there are many ways of defining comparable worth that creates confusion.Despite enactment of the law, statistics shows that the labour market is still gender biased when valuing work. Females are still underpaid compared to male workers. The Family Medical Leave and the Pregnancy Discrimination Acts provide protection for family related situations. What are the four most critical elements an employer needs to know about the Family Medical Leave Act. Identify examples of pregnancy discrimination. Indicate whether there is any justifiable reason to deny a pregnant woman a job and explain why or why not. The employer should give a twelve week unpaid leave to employees that have served the organization for more than twelve months. The employer must continue providing group health plan benefits despite the worker’s absence from work. Under the Act, employers are required to publish a notice informing employees of their rights to leave (Meyers, 2005). Employees are supposed to notify their bosses of the intended leave thirty days prior to the leave. An employee that calls in sick is entitled to leave. An example of pregnancy discrimination is where an employer takes punitive measures on a pregnant employee who fails to fulfill her obligations due to medical complications related to her pregnancy. Additionally, failing to hire or promote a woman due to her pregnancy is pregnancy discrimination. Sometimes a pregnant woman can be denied a job, and this might not constitute to pregnancy discrimination. If the job to be undertaken is risky and poses a threat to a woman’s pregnancy then denying her the job is not discriminatory. However, such denial of job can be discriminatory if it is evident that the work is not reasonably risky to her

Critical analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Critical analysis - Essay Example He is put in an asylum. The place- Villete, an asylum in the city of Ljubljana. And the author- an expert storyteller, Paulo Coelho. Though, the plot of the story may sound gloomy but the story keeps the reader engaged as it unwinds. Because, you can relate to atleast one of the characters, you are eager to find out what happens next. You want to know the path taken up by the characters. Perhaps, you could follow the same. And the path that you should follow in life is revealed by Paulo Coelho in the most amazing way. You will find it difficult, if not difficult, impossible to disagree with him. The battle of every character is painted by Paulo Coelho with great detail. On one fine day (11 November 1997), Veronika simply decides to die. She swallows sleeping pills and peacefully waits for her death. She could have used some other method of committing suicide but the book explains why she uses sleeping pills- â€Å"Obviously she could have thrown herself off one of the few tall buildings in Ljubljana, but what about the further suffering caused to her parents by a fall from such a height?† Veronika fails to realize that her death will, anyway, bring misery to her parents. Veronika is saved and admitted to an asylum. In the asylum, she is told by Dr.Igor that her suicide attempt has succeeded but she will live for another five days before she dies. Veronika had planned to die quickly. But waiting for your death is different. And so, begins the five day ordeal for Veronika. Many of us commit suicide and die a cowardly death. This happens in a matter of a few minutes. How quickly the scenario changes when you have to wait for your death! You know that every minute is taking you towards death. And so you want to make the most of it. That is what happens to Veronika. At the asylum, Veronika meets other ‘mad’ people.

Effect of Management Change | Case Study

Effect of Management Change | Case Study 1.1 BACKGROUND Change has always been with man from creation. Man and plants have evolved and adapted to the environment anytime the need arises. Failure to change, most often than not leads to extinction. The general perception is that changes are made always for the better, but sometimes, it is for the worst. At other times also, there is no need for change. Change is an inevitable phenomenon. A system would have to undergo change at some point in time. The effectiveness of the change to a large extent depends on how it is managed. For an organization to survive, it is necessary for it to continue to adapt to its changing environment. Change is the singular factor that upgrades a system to suit its current environment. Change in management is one typical way of effecting change. Change in management can take the form of privatization, re-shuffling or merging. Most times, old managers leave with their ideologies and new managers come in with new ones. Vodafone Ghana is one company in the Telecommunication Industry which has experienced management change in recent times. Vodafone Ghana, formerly Ghana Telecom, was the national telecommunication company of Ghana. In 2006, it had around 400,000 customers for fixed and mobile telephony and internet services. On 3rd July 2008, the sale of the company for $900m to Vodafone group was announced. After the transaction closed, Vodafone had a 70% stake in the company, while the Ghanaian Government retained a 30% stake. On 16th April 2009, the company was rebranded as Vodafone Ghana. The rebranding, seeks to lead to a stiff competition among the operators in the Ghanaian mobile market. 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT. Changes in almost all organizations are not freely welcomed by the organization members. The reluctance to change is mostly as a result of fear of the unknown. Changes in management in organizations are resisted by staff for lack of knowledge of the impact the change will bring. The impact could be positive or negative. The change will at the tail end affect the performance of the staff and for that matter the organization as a whole. Change in management actually changes the status quo of how things are done. How the change is managed to get everyone along is crucial to the effectiveness of the organization. The performance of the organization is also translated in the response by the organizations external customers, government and regulatory bodies to the change. 1.3 PURPOSE/AIMS The purpose of the study will be to assess the performance of Vodafone Ghana, as there has been change in management. The research will assess the performance of the then Ghana Telecom and its management team for the last two years and do a comparative analysis with the performance of the now Vodafone Ghana and its new set of management team. At the end of the study, the research will find out which of the two management teams led to a higher performance of Vodafone Ghana. 1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The objectives of the study will include the following; To identify the effect of change in management on the performance of Vodafone Ghana. To identify the factors that necessitated the change in management of Vodafone Ghana. To ascertain the challenges of the process (change in management) and how it was managed to ensure that it is on track to achieving the required performance. 1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY It is believed that, the results of this study will do the following; Enable internal and external customers to know how the management team of the then Ghana Telecom fared in the last two years of their being as against the first two years of Vodafone Ghana. Inform the current management team of their performance in Ghana as far as Vodafone Ghana is concerned. Serve as a source of secondary data for further research in the area of change in management. 1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESIS The research question for this study will be: What are the effects of Change in Management on the Performance of Vodafone Ghana? The null hypothesis for the study will be: Ho: change in management does not significantly affect performance. The alternative hypothesis for the study will be: H1: change in management significantly affects performance. 1.7 SCOPE AND ORGANISATION OF THE STUDY The research will be grouped into five chapters. The first chapter is Introduction. The introduction will include an overview of the background of the study, the focal point of the statement of the problem, an explanation of the study, key objectives of the study, the reasons for the study, the question and hypothesis. The second chapter will review literature, that is, the theoretical and the empirical. It will explain relevant theories that relate to the subject area as well as give a description of literature that has been practically observed and validated objectively on the subject matter. It will again explain certain terms in the research. The third chapter will present the methodology. It shall give a general description of the design of the work. It will include population and sampling, instrumentation and statistical analysis. The fourth chapter will be results and discussions, where data collected will be analyzed and findings experimented. The fifth chapter will draw conc lusions and give recommendations. LITERATURE REVIEW It is often said that two heads are better than one. Most often than not, we see individuals coming together to undertake projects that cannot be done individually. One of the most known ways is through organization. An organization according to (Robbins Coulter, 1999) is a deliberate arrangement of people to accomplish some specific purpose. Organizations in trying to accomplish their goals get proper management systems in place. 2.1 THEORETICAL LITERATURE DEFINITION Management is the process of achieving organizational goals by engaging in the four major functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Bartol Martin (1998). Bartol and Martin emphasized on the fact that, it is an ongoing process that begins with planning and ends with controlling. It never ends because the controlling checks if the organization is on the right path as far as the plans (objectives) are concerned and as such, the results serve as input again in the process. Robbins Decenzo (2001) also defined the term management as the process of getting things done, effectively and efficiently, through and with other people. Like Bartol and Martin, the process in their definition pointed to the four main functions of management. Thus planning, organizing, leading and controlling. However, they believed that managers should not only be able to engage in the four major functions but managers should be able to do that simultaneously as the functions are interrelated and interdependent. Efficiency in their definition means making best use of the resources available. This brings into play the scarcity of the resource which has numerous uses. It is always prudent to minimize waste as much as possible when using these resources. Minimizing waste in the use of resources will lead to high productivity and efficiency. Effectiveness means choosing the right goals, strategies and tasks in a present condition. In essence, effectiveness is doing the right things while efficiency is doing things right. There are two well known ways of achieving efficiency and effectiveness which are; The organization increasing the output with the same level of input. The organization producing the same output with a reduced input level. Koontz Weihrich (1990) also defined management as a process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals working together in groups efficiently accomplish selected aims. Koontz and Weihrich like Robbins and Decenzo, and Bartol and Martins, believed that managers engage in the main functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. They also believed that management does not necessarily apply to a particular organization but rather, all kinds of organizations. Aside that, they believed that irrespective of the level a manger finds himself he needs to manage. They also underscored efficiency and effectiveness in trying to achieve the set goals. They however, believed that all managers focus on making surplus. This may not be necessarily true as some managers are found managing non-profit making organizations. Most managers in non-profit making organizations normally focus on the well-being and satisfaction of some people rather than making profit. All the stated definitions basically emphasize on management being putting in place the right atmosphere and conditions so that the set goals can be accomplished. All the definitions also highlight the major functions that are performed by managers and the fact that it should be done in an efficient and effective manner. Management is therefore a phenomenon that applies not only to organizations but also the daily lives of individuals. MANAGERS Managers are individuals who are engaged in the combination of the four functions of management to accomplish organizational goals. LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT Managerial jobs in organizations allow for the categorization of managers into three levels. Top Managers: It is the highest level and concerned with creating the organizations goals, overall strategy and operating policies. (Griffin, 1999). According to Rue Byars (2003), Senior management are not involved in the organizations day to day problems, but concentrate on setting the direction of the organization. Jennifer M George (2004), argued that top managers are responsible for the performance of all departments and therefore a cross departmental responsibility. Top managers are responsible for the successes and failures of the organization and most often have their performance scrutinized by the organizations internal and external customers. In Management by Robbins Coulter (1999), top managers are responsible for making organization-wide decisions and policies that affect the organization. Middle Managers: Managers at this level are responsible for the implementations of policies and plan drafted by top management and playing a supervisory role and co-coordinating the activities of the lower-level managers. Griffin (1999). According to Jennifer M. George (2004), middle level managers are responsible for finding the best way to organize human and other resources to achieve the organizational goals. To increase effectiveness, they evaluate the goals that the organization is pursuing and make suggestions to top managers. First Line Managers: The managers at this level are placed at the base of the managerial hierarchy and are often referred to as supervisors. They are responsible for the daily supervision of the non-managerial employees who perform many of the specific activities necessary to produce goods and services. They work in all departments of an organization. Jennifer M. George (2004). Its argued by Griffin (1999), that the common titles held by managers at this level are supervisors, coordination and office managers. These positions are often first held by employees who enter management from the ranks of operating personnel. According to Bartol Martin(1998), first line managers are extremely important to the success of the organization due to the special role of seeing to the day to day activities of the organization. These managers operate at the interface between management and the other work force and due to this can easily find themselves in the middle of conflicting demands. MANAGERIAL SKILLS Due to the validity and difficult nature of a managers job, certain skills are required to successfully carry out the duties and roles of a manager. Research by Robert L. Katz, during the early 1970s identified three essential skills or competencies needed by managers. The importance of these skills varies according to the managers level within the organization. Technical Skills: These are skills that reflect both an understanding of and a proficiency in a specialized field. Bartol Martin (1998). These skills are needed by both first line and middle level managers in their operations. It becomes less important as a manager moves into a higher level of management. However, top managers need some percentage of proficiency. For instance, an accountant must be proficient in the rules and standards of accounting, and be able to help its clients when faced with problems relating to the duties. Robbins Coulter (1999). According to (Bartol Martin, 1998) the technical skills are needed most by first line managers since they are directly involved in the supervision of the technical and professional employees, who are not managers. Middle level managers also need sufficient technical skills to recognize major problems. Top level managers will need some technical skills especially when technology is an important part of the product or service the org anization is offering. Human Skills: These are skills associated with a managers ability to work well with others, both as a member of a group and as a leader who gets things done through others. Bartol Martin (1998). Managers deal with humans and therefore need human skills to function effectively. Robert L. Katz indicated that, human skills are more important at the top level than the lower level. Managers with good human skills are able to get the best out of their people. How to communicate, motivate, lead and inspire enthusiasm and trust are some good human skills that managers should possess. Robbins Coulter (1999). Bartol Martin (1998) argued that human skills are needed by all the three levels of managers, since they deal with humans, and get things done through them. Managers without sufficient human skills are likely to have problems with internal and external customers. Conceptual Skills: These skills are related to the ability to visualize the organization as a whole, discern interrelationships among organizational parts, and understand how the organization fits into the wider context of the industry, community and world. Bartol Martin (1998). Conceptual skills are needed by managers for effective decision making that will positively affect the organization. Robert L. Katz proposed that these skills become more important as a manager moves into top management position. MANAGEMENT SKILLS AT DIFFERENT HIERARCHICAL LEVELS. SOURCE:BARTOL AND MARTIN, 1998 Griffin (1999) states that, the skills needed by a manager to perform activities go beyond the three skills. Four other skills are expected of a manager. They are; Diagnostic skills Communication skills Decision-making skills Time management skills WHAT MANAGERS ACTUALLY DO. Henry Mintzberg, a management scholar observed the activities of several top managers and discovered the work methods of managers as well as the major roles that they play. EXTENDED MODEL OF THE MANAGEMENT PROCESS. Management scholars Steven J. Carroll and Dennis J. Gillen went beyond the four major functions of management. These functions were used to form basis for the establishment of the managerial process. These management gurus upon their review of major studies on managerial work identified several key elements in the management process. There was the addition of work agenda, work methods and roles fused into the core management functions with a managers knowledge base and key management skills being contributing factors to high performance. WORK METHODS Mintzberg found that in their actual work methods, the managers differed drastically from their popular image as reflective, systematic planners who spend considerable quiet time in their offices poring over formal reports. Bartol Martin (1998). Three of the findings of Mintzberg give the revelation of what high-level managers actually do. UNRELENTING PACE: Managers are very busy people who work from dawn to dusk and are engaged in several activities. BREVITY, VARIETY AND FRAGMENTATION: Managers are very brief in their activities like meetings, attending to telephone calls, addressing the issues subordinates continue to bring to interfere with their work. VERBAL CONTACT AND NETWORKS: Managers prefer verbal communication through either phone conversations or meetings to written communication using memos and formal reports and rely heavily on networks to obtain and transmit information. MANAGERIAL ROLES According to Kreitner (1989), a research was conducted by Henry Mintzberg who concluded on what managers actually do. Mintzberg criticized the traditional functional approach as unrealistic, as they tell little about what managers actually do. Many other authors agree with Mintzberg and believe that the functional approach portrays the management process as far more systematic and rational and less complex than it really is. Mintzberg and his team said that to study managers and to know what they do, it is good to focus on the key roles they play, using a method called structured observation. This method involves recording the activities and correspondence of five top-level executives. Mintzberg identified ten roles he believed are common to managers at all levels. These ten roles are grouped into three categories. They are; Interpersonal Roles: This is the role that involves interpersonal contact with subordinates and peers. Figurehead, Leaders and Liaison are the interpersonal role managers play. Figurehead Role. It represents a symbol of legal authority and involves the performance of certain ceremonial duties like signing documents and receiving visitors. Leader Role. It seeks to motivate workers to get the job properly done Liaison Role. It serves as a link in a horizontal and vertical chain of communication. Informational Role. This is the role that provides information relating to the task. This role is important because information is the lifeblood of organizations, and includes nerves center, dissemination and spokesperson roles. Nerves Centre. It serves as a focal point for non routine information; receiving all type of information. Disseminator. Deals with the transmission of information to subordinates. Spokesperson. Deals with the transmission of selected information to outsiders. Decisional Role. With this role, managers balance competing interests and make choices. It enhances the development and implementation of strategies. The decisional roles are entrepreneurs, disturbance handlers, resource allocators and negotiators. Entrepreneur: Designs and initiates changes in the organization. Disturbance Handler: Takes corrective action in non routine situations. Resource Allocator: Takes decisions on allocation of resources to individuals and units. Negotiators. Participates in negotiation sessions with other parties like vendors and unions to make sure the organizations interest are adequately represented. Jones George (2004) in their book Essentials of Contemporary Management outlined Mintzbergs ten managerial roles. However, information technology has major effects on how managers perform their roles and on the skills they develop to perform the roles effectively. CHANGE The dynamic nature of business organizations naturally brings change. It is imminent for organizations to focus on change with competition increasing both domestically and globally. Companies that were enjoying mono-power are now been faced with competition from all the corners of the world. Bartol Martin (1998) defined change as any alteration in the status quo. They identified innovation to be one of the most applied forms of change. Innovation according to Bartol Martin (1998) is a new idea applied to initiate or improve a process, product or service. Hardly do people (employees) accept management action that endeavors to facilitate change as the existing processes and procedures may be seen consummate. The management of change in an organization has become an area of possible conflicts because of problems of understanding and communication. John Harvey-Jones (1993) stated that, it is impossible to change organizations which do not accept the dangers of their present way of doing things. A managers ability to manage change efficiently in an organization has become an indispensable skill in todays management. FORCES OF CHANGE A variety of forces influence change in an organization. Some of these forces are external whiles others may be developed internally. Recognizing and adapting to internal and external changes can mean the difference between continued success and going out of business. EXTERNAL FORCES All organizations are open systems and they therefore interact with the external environment of which they are part. The following factors may necessitate change: Escalating competition and globalization. Rapid development in new technology and the information age. Increased government regulation pressure. Scarcity of resources. Increased demand for quality. Increased demand for high levels of customer service and satisfaction. INTERNAL FORCES Internal forces for change also develop from a variety of sources. Some of these sources include; Ethical difficulties that arise because of employee behaviors. Decisions that entail changes and innovation. Organizational culture shifts. Reorganization. PROCESS OF CHANGE The process of change is likely to be associated with certain features. Hannagan (2004) in the book, Management Concept and Practices outlined the features as uncertainty about the causes and effect of change, unwillingness to give up existing practices, and awareness of problems in the change process. These characteristics according to Hannagan arose from a natural reaction to; Deny that the change is necessary. Resist any change irrespective of the merits. Avoid changes when they are introduced. Hannagan further suggested that managers should be able to determine the actual causes of change and remain flexible enough in their approach to overcome them in an appropriate manner. In the process of change, it is prudent to consider the degree of interaction between independent variables in the organization. The workers, technology and the organization structure seriously depend on each other and they therefore need to be recognized in the change process. The task of the manager is to direct energy away from feeling of powerlessness and looking backwards and towards seeing the opportunities for the future. This is important because in the process of change, people are likely to be threatened by the future while they need to recognize the dangers in the present position and the opportunities in the new ones. The process may involve denial of the need for change and resistance to it, until the change is able to be explored when opportunities will be discussed and commitment created. Hannagan (2004) outlined that the experience of the feeling of loss can take the following forms; Security: People feel unsecure of their position in the organization and how it will change. Competence: Becoming worried about their ability to carry out new tasks. Relationships: They may feel the familiar contacts will be lost with other employees, with managers and teams and groups. Territory: They may feel uncertain about their work space or job responsibility. Direction: They lose a clear view of where they are going. It is important that the manager reckon that these feelings are part of the transition process. It is the task of management to recognize these sentiments and endeavor to minimize it. This transcends provision of information as workers are not likely to change their behavior simply because they have being told. Change therefore needs to be managed carefully. TRANSITION IN THE CHANGE PROCESS From denial and resistance to exploration and commitment. SOURCE: MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES, 4TH EDITION BY TIM HANNAGAN. CHANGE MANAGEMENT It is obvious that a system that is not functioning well needs to be changed. The effectiveness of the change however to the large extent depends on how it is managed. Change aims at moving organization from the current position to place it in a desirable way in which its objectives can easily be accomplished. For the change to achieve its purpose it need to be managed properly. Hannagan (2004) outlined the various steps; Vision: A process of reminding everybody and clarifying to everybody the direction of the organizations. Strategy: Outline how this is to be achieved through the development of objectives and goals. Monitoring change: Progress is measured in order to observe and encourage change. Different strategies are developed and implemented depending on the stage of the change. At the stage of denial, the manager has to provide information and give time in order to explain the information and advocate action. Also at the resistance stage managers have to accept peoples response and encourage support. In the exploration stage, the manager needs to focus on the priority, train people involved in the planning. In the commitment stage of the process, long-term goals are established with emphasis on building team. SOURCE: MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES, 4TH EDITION BY TIM HANNAGAN PERFORMANCE People run and steer the affairs of organization. People are the main underpinning for goal setting and objectives accomplishment. The performance of an organization thus depends on the sum total of the performance of its members. Pattanayak (2006). Pattanayak believed that the success of an organization will depend on how it accurately measures performance of its workers. He further argued that the performance of an employee is his resultant behaviors on task which can be observed and measured. Performance refers to the contribution made by an individual in the accomplishment of organizational objectives. Pattanayak (2006). The performance of individuals in an organization is the resultant behavior on task which can be observed and evaluated. Normally organizations assess performance by looking at quantity, time of completion, cost involved and most importantly quality. One way of urging people to work in an organization is giving them feedback on the results of their action. It is important that feedback on both success and failures are provided on regular basis. Most organizations use performance appraisal systems or techniques in trying to provide feedback. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Pattanayak (2006) acknowledged that performance appraisal system provides management an opportunity to recall as well as feedback to people as to how they are doing, so that they can correct their mistakes and acquire new skills. Pattanayak defined performance appraisal as all those procedures used to evaluate the personality, the performance, and the potential of its group members. Performance appraisal techniques used could either be formal or informal. INFORMAL PERFORMANCE APPPRAISAL Pattanayak defined informal performance appraisal as a continuous process of feeding back information to the subordinates about how well they are doing their work in the organizations. Pattanayak believed that it is normally conducted on the day-to-day basis. FORMAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Pattanayak argued that formal performance appraisal occurs usually annually on a formalized basis and involves appraise and appraiser in finding answers to the following questions. What performance was set out to be achieved during the period? Has it been achieved? What has been the shortfall and constraints? What are we going to do now? How will we know that we have done it? What kind of feedback can be expected? What assistance can be expected to improve performance? What rewards and opportunities are likely to follow from the performance appraisal? EMPIRICAL LITERATUIRE Change has always been part of organizations. Day in and day out, organization are seen trying to adapt to a changing environment. A study by Agudze, Simon and Sunu on the influence of price on customer loyalty of selected supermarkets in Accra outlined the fact that organizations are affected by change in price. The study revealed that Melcom will lose 42% of its customers if prices should increase (change), at Game it was realised that 62% of their customers will stop buying if prices increase (change), and at Maxmart the survey showed that 50% of their customers will not purchase from the shop if prices should increase. Also on a thesis by Hans-Jà ¼rgen Brà ¼ck on the impact of organisational change management on the success of a Product Lifecycle Management Implementation -an investigation into the Electronics Manufacturing Industry, 59% of the respondents to the eighth questionnaire indicated that productivity is slowed down a little bit in the phase of implementing change, whereas 35% did not realize any negative influence on productivity. However, 6% indicated a significant decrease in productivity. The research also brought out the fact that vision is very important in the change process. The researchers fourth questionnaire focused on vision which half of the respondents indicated that it was very important. Moreover another survey by Natalie L. Petouhoff, PhD, Tamara Chandler, and Beth Montag-Schultz on The Business Impact of Change Management revealed that Organizational Change Management (OCM) programs have significant effect on Returns On Investment (ROI). The survey showed that ROI was 143% percent when an excellent OCM program was implemented. ROI however was 35% when OCM program was poor or there was no OCM program at all. 3.0 METHODOLOGY 3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN The study will be cross sectional as data collected from the field will be used within a short period of time. The study will take a period of nine months to be completed. The purpose of the study shall be descriptive in nature as a gap will be dealt with and employ both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The qualitative research will be based on knowledge, views, perceptions, observations and opinions of the effect change in management will have on the performance of Vodafone Ghana. The quantitative research shall also be based on the design and issue of questionnaires to customers, top management and employees to solicit for the objectives of the topic that will be expressed in terms of figures for the study. 3.2 POPULATION OF THE STUDY The population of interest for the study shall include all employees and customers at Vodafone Ghana. 3.3 SAMPLE FRAME The sample frame for the study will be all Vodafone customers within the age bracket of 20 to 40 years in Accra and selection of employees at Vodafone Head office at Circle. The reason for the chosen sample is due to the fact that, the study seeks to investigate the performance of Vodafone

A Solar-Powered World Essay examples -- Environment, Energy Resources,

A Solar-powered World Since the beginning of the war against environmental contamination, it has been the job of engineers to come up with solutions to this problem. Waste management regulations, material recycling and recursion to renewable energy resources have been some of the many brilliant ideas engineers have emerged with to take control of the situation. Of these three, the use of renewable energy resources has meant to be the most complicated of the solutions to repair the damage done to nature. The generation of energy has always been of concern to humanity and so it demands to be studied rigorously. Here is when questions about solar radiation appear over the table of many scientists. With all of its mysteries and power, the sun has shown its potential to be a reliable source of renewable energy. The question is: how can engineers take advantage of the energy that comes from the sun? In order to wisely exploit solar energy, engineers must execute precise arrangements in solar energy systems. Primarily, engineers should be able to identify what kind of solar configuration is the best for harnessing solar energy. First, engineers must explore what advantages each solar energy system can provide. This step is crucial for understanding the potential of sunlight in the renewable energy world. Most researchers in the field of renewable energy name, at least, two fundamental types of solar energy system configurations: flat-plates and concentrators (Balat 981, Higgins 26 and Hepbasli et al. 556). In their works, these researchers describe each type of configuration as equally suitable to convert solar radiation; nevertheless, they encourage the use of flat-plates for photovoltaic conversions and concentrator for solar-the... ... the factors that shape the performance of such systems. For instance, engineers must pay close attention to the type solar energy system configuration as well as the type of material they choose for the task, so they will ensure maximum efficiency and satisfaction. Also, engineers must find reliable ways to store and manage the energy that has been already converted, without letting aside the new technologies and applications they could destine to that energy. Finally, engineers must come together to figure out how they could make solar energy systems a true adversary for fossil fuels, so they could free society of such damaging fuel. In summary, engineers have the capability of imposing solar energy systems as a reliable energy source or let it be forgotten. Either of both will be a reflect of how they manage the technology and on what they focus to handle it.

Promote communication Essay

In this assignment I will be identifying systems that promote communication and assessing my knowledge, understanding and skills required to develop communication systems for meeting individual outcomes. Your ability to communicate is about delivering your message clearly and understandably to others in order to achieve good communication skills. Communication is very important as day to day we are always communicating or using communication techniques to communicate with others. Our body position and what we do with our body is also a way of communicating for example if someone asks you a question and the reply is yes or no we can answer this by shaking our heads which is communicating back to them with the answer but without speaking. In society today we have so many more ways of communicating than we did 50 years ago such as mobile phone, internet access, writing letters etc these are all ways we can communicate and what we do in our day to day lives. I personally work in a small residential home where communication is a key factor in my day to day job role, we are all expected to follow and provide the best communication we can. My job role is very much involved with the clients in which I am always communicating in different ways to meet their individual needs. Some of my clients have different impairment needs for example some have visual impairments and some have hearing impairments which makes it harder for them to communicate with others and can leave the clients feeling very frustrated and lonely if they feel that they cannot communicate with people, eventually it may make them want to give up trying and then they become feeling all alone and not having their needs met. This is why my job is very important by having good communication skills I can meet all their needs and communicate with them and they are able to communicate back to me. Day by day I’m still learning new techniques and skills in order to communicate and make the clients feel better in themselves as I can communicate with them in a way they can understand and not find it difficult for them, for example I have one client which has an hearing impairment and finds it very difficult to communicate with others although client A has an hearing aid client A still has trouble to communicate, in order for me to communicate with client A I often use icture cards which I can hold up and show to client A for example I hold up a picture of a drink or food then by doing this I know if client A wants any and then they can respond to me either by speaking to me or shaking their head. This makes client A feel wanted and not that they are being left out and not being spoken to I also hold cards up of a toilet, the words hot and cold and much more, client A likes the idea of pictures cards and never knew we could do this until they came to stay with us, so where they thought they would move into a care setting and nobody would communicate with them, client A was very relieved that pictures card where invented. I felt good in myself when I was providing this communication as I knew I was doing something which was making a client feel better in themselves and made it very rewarding for me. I also use techniques like signs, symbols and objects in order to communicate with the clients with hearing impairments. However in my work place I have a few clients with slight hearing impairments where they can hear me if I higher the tone of my voice slightly and they also lip read which can also be classed as a way of communicating. I find using these communication techniques helps not only the clients but also me as when I’m promoting communicating with them I feel rewarded and good about myself knowing that my clients are happy and getting what they wish. Writing information or certain things down is one way I have also found is an effective way of communicating especially times like meal times when I can write down the options available and then the client can respond to me with their answer once they have read what I have written down. I think anyone with communication barriers will find it difficult to communicate but there is always a way to outcome the situation and work around it for example client B’s first language was not English which made it hard for client B to communicate with others around the home even though he could speak slight English the other clients found it hard, we overcome this situation as we got a translator in for a little while each week which made client B’s English more sufficient in order for everyone to be able to communicate with client B a little better, now I hear client B having full conversations with others which makes us feel better as a home knowing we promoted this communication. Clients with visual impairments must find it really difficult to try and communicate with others as not only can they not see the person, they do not know where the person is positioned and sometimes who they are (if they have never met the person before). This is why it is very important to always be at the same level as the person you are trying to communicate with for example if a client is sitting down then the carer is expected to kneel down to the clients eye level and communicate with them face to face and not stand above them and have to shout in order for them to understand you. In a care setting communication should always be at the top of the priority list as if the clients are not being communicated with then their day to day basic needs are not being met.

Computers and How They Impact Our Lives Essay

Have you ever thought about how much computers have been integrated into our lives? Personally speaking there is not a day that goes by that I don’t sit down in front of a computer for something. Computers play a large role in the way that businesses are run, the days of type writers and filing cabinets are a thing of the past. We can access information about almost anything on the internet, such as banking records, insurance information, shopping, technical assistance the possibilities are almost limitless. Looking at the history of computers they really haven’t been around that long. Frederic Golden writer for Time magazine tells us this on the history of computers If you look at most history books, they’ll tell you ENIAC (for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was the first true all-purpose electronic computer. Unveiled in 1946 in a blaze of publicity, it was a monstrous 30-ton machine, as big as two semis and filled with enough vacuum tubes (19,000), switches (6,000) and blinking lights to require an army of attendants. Capable of adding 5,000 numbers in a second, a then unheard of feat, it could compute the trajectory of an artillery shell well before it landed. This machine was a remarkable achievement for its time but it doses not even begin to compare to the average personal computer that people have in their homes today. In its short 57 year span of history computer technology has increased at an unprecedented rate. Businesses are very dependant on computers, email, printing, data storage, internet access, data analyst are just a few of the thing that people take for granted in everyday business. Email has revolutionized the way we communicate and has become one of the most critical systems in business today. Servers are the back bone of almost every business. They handle many of the things that are essential for people to do their jobs. From email to file storage, printing and databases, these are just a few of the jobs that they perform. The complexity of what is going on behind the seen is unimaginable to the common person doing their job. Your basic end users have  no idea about how much work that is involved to maintain the systems that they use every day. Computer networking is an area that I find to be very interesting. The ability to access information on a server thousands of miles from where you are amazes me. For instance, Joe Smith is traveling to England and he wants to access his work email while he is there. He arrives at his hotel, turns on his notebook and plugs it into a phone line, signs on to the internet and gets his mail. To the user this seems like something simple but what is going on in the back ground is far more complex than he can ever imagine. I was watching the news a few months ago, and there was a doctor that could control a robotic device and perform surgery on a patient, via a high speed connection thousands of miles away. We have gone from a machine that performs simple calculations to a machine that enables a doctor to perform surgery on patient thousands of miles away in 57 years. Where will we be heading in the next 50 years? What you would think to be science fiction is becoming reality, Ascribe Higher Education News Service, Oct 8, 2003 wrote this article on DNA research at Purdue University â€Å"They have precisely placed strands of DNA on a silicon chip and then stretched out the strands so that their encoded information might be read more clearly, two steps critical to possibly using DNA for future electronic devices and computers.† The possibilities for the future are exciting when you reflect on how far we have come already. We are just beginning to scratch the surface of our potential with computers. Computers play an important part in our society; from our personal life to large corporations they are integrated into our lives. Some of the most basic and common tasks that we perform today such as driving cars or even turning on a light is made possible by computers. The advancements we’ve made over the last 57 years have been substantial, but what we will accomplish in the future will be even more amazing. References Ascribe Higher Education News Service, Oct 8, 2003 Purdue Researchers Stretch DNA on Chip, Lay Track for Future from the InfoTrac database Time, March 29, 1999 Title: Who Built The First Computer? (TIME 100)(Brief Article) from the InfoTrac database

8 Expressions with the Word Quick

8 Expressions with the Word Quick 8 Expressions with the Word Quick 8 Expressions with the Word Quick By Maeve Maddox The English word quick is related to Latin vivus, â€Å"alive.† The version of the Apostle’s Creed I grew up with contains this sentence: â€Å"Thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.† The line echoes 1 Peter 4:5 (KJV): ‘Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.† The â€Å"quick and the dead† are the â€Å"living and the dead.† When a fetus begins to move in the womb, it is said to quicken, that is, â€Å"show signs of life.† Because motion is an attribute of being alive, quick has come to have the additional meaning of â€Å"rapidity of movement.† The OED entry for quick offers numerous definitions, but this post is limited to eight idioms that employ the word in its senses of â€Å"living† and â€Å"rapid.† 1. quickie In the 1920s, quickie was Hollywood slang for a Grade B movie because such a film was made quickly, often in a few days. By the 1930s, the term was being used to mean â€Å"a quick act of coitus.† Nowadays, the sexual connotation seems to be the most common for the noun, but attributively, the word quickie is used to indicate that something took place quickly or was of brief duration, for example, â€Å"a quickie divorce,† â€Å"a quickie interview,† â€Å"a quickie nap,† etc. 2. quick and dirty The OED entry shows that quick-and-dirty was in use at the turn of the 19th century in reference to a restaurant or diner that served cheap, quick meals: â€Å"I was far too proud to ever think of becoming a house maid or a waitress in one of those quick and dirty lunch places† (1896). In modern usage, the phrase means â€Å"done or produced hastily but effectively; makeshift†- a meaning similar to that of â€Å"jerry-rigged.† 3. quick fix Although in use in the 1960s, the expression’s popularity began to rise in the 1980s. A â€Å"quick fix† is â€Å"a quick and easy remedy or solution.† Such a remedy is often expedient but temporary and fails to address underlying problems. 4. quick on the draw The stereotype of the Western gunslinger is that of a man who could draw his gun from its holster instantly. Another idiom that references the quickness of the gunslinger is â€Å"quick on the trigger.† Both mean â€Å"quick to act or react.† 5. quicksand Quicksand is a bed of sand usually saturated with water. Because it is semi-liquid, it tends to suck down objects that rest on its surface. The name derives from the fact that the bed shifts as if it were alive and breathing. Figuratively, quicksand implies something treacherous, dangerous, and difficult to get out of. For example: â€Å"It may be the only policy that can save us, long-term, from sinking into the  quicksand  of endless  war  and bankruptcy or nuclear Armageddon.† 6. quickset Stories set in the English countryside frequently include mention of quickset. Farmers separate fields with fences and hedges. Fences are made of dead wood. Quickset is a living hedge. Plants with thorns are preferred for this use, usually hawthorn. 7. quicksilver Anyone who has ever broken a thermometer and played with mercury can understand why the element is also known as quicksilver. Shiny silver in appearance, the substance moves as if it were alive. Figuratively, quicksilver is used in the sense of very fast or mercurial. It’s often used as an adjective. For example, â€Å"Colbert was as  quicksilver with  his  wit  as Fred [Astaire] was  with  his feet.†Ã‚   8. cut to the quick If in trimming your nails you cut too far, the pain informs you that you have cut yourself â€Å"to the quick.† This quick is the flesh below the nails or skin that hurts when it is cut. Figuratively, this kind of quick represents the essence of one’s being. The expression â€Å"to be cut to the quick† means, â€Å"to be deeply hurt.† For example, â€Å"His remark cut her to the quick.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Congratulations on or for?Rules for Capitalization in TitlesStarting a Business Letter with Dear Mr.

Evaluation of the English File Intermediate Essay

Evaluation of the English File Intermediate - Essay Example Based on the framework suggested by Cunningsworth, the guide line one will address the aims and objectives of the course work. The Aims and Objectives of the course work are normally set and that would decide on the kind of course book that one might use for the course. Course books better be servants than masters, says Cunningsworth. More in line with this, the choice of the course book will depend on the nature of the students, the level their currently in and they would like to achieve in addition to their learning capabilities. These points need to be considered before laying out the course contents and, subsequently, the course book. Some books might not present the aims and objectives explicitly. But then, there is an implicit referral to the content of the book and the nature of audience for whom the same is addressed. In line with this, most books need to be analyzed as to the aims and objectives of the book and whether the book meets up to the level expected out of it.

Separation and anxieties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Separation and anxieties - Essay Example Approximately four to five percent of the children in US suffer from this disorder. The disorder is not sex-specific meaning that it affects both males and females equally. The disorder usually wears off during the teens or puberty however a small percentage of people still retain it. Separation anxiety is a natural phenomenon in babies that are of the age group two to four since that is the time when they need their parents’ constant attention. However as the children grow up and start to become a little independent, this feeling dies off. In some cases, the anxiety persists and hence results in this so called separation anxiety disorder. There are many symptoms which may point towards the presence of this order. Some of the most common ones include not going to school or bed without the parents or a caretaker. Also there is a persistent fear in the minds of these children that something bad will happen to the guardian if they are separated from them which causes them to cry or act in a very hyper manner. Separation anxiety disorder has multiple origins. The most obvious being some mental distress or trauma that a child has gone through like an accident or a death in the family. However many a times the parents themselves are responsible for this condition. Sometimes the anxiety is mutual and a greater contribution comes from the side of the parents who refuse to let go of their children alone. Children whose parents are over protective have a greater likelihood of suffering from the separation anxiety disorder. The disorder is also thought to have genetic origins and it is said that parents who suffer or suffered from separation anxiety have a greater probability of having children who have to go through the same thing. During normal conditions the separation anxiety symptoms usually subside when the child gets assured that the parents