Information technology for pims pumps Essay Example for Free

Information technology for pims pumps Essay Analysis section 1 Background/to identification of problem Pims Pumps are an industrial pumping company which are involved in the distribution, installation and maintenance of industrial pumping units. The company has a large fleet of vans and many specialised tools and lots of equipment. Currently all of the equipment is logged in and out of the workshop and vans and this information is stored on paper. Analysis section 2 identification of the prospective user(s) The prospective users are the managers of the business all of whom are computer literate and are already using a computer system for other aspects of the business. The company have a small network of computers installed and all involved are competent in opening and using Microsoft access 2000 Analysis section 3 identification of user needs and acceptable limitations The system needs to be able to store large amounts of data about the whereabouts of equipment, it must be able to search through the data for any specified criteria, it must be able to be edited, it must be secure and user friendly. Interview Example documents from user Observation The proposed system can only be tested to a certain extent on being able to store large amounts of data. Analysis section 4 realistic appraisal of the feasibility of potential solutions. Analysis section 5 justification of chosen solution I have chosen to use this system because Analysis section 6 description of current system data sources and destinations The current system involves the user logging in and out equipment to vans and back into the warehouse. The user must enter his/her name, the date and time, the registration of the vehicle they are taking it to, the name of the piece of equipment and the serial number of the piece of equipment. At the end of each week the logbook except for the most recent page is taken to the admin office and stored in a filing cabinet in date order. When a piece of equipment is missing, needed of has been damaged the user can then refer back to the log book to find out who if anyone still has the piece of equipment and who else has used it recently. This can be very time consuming, as the user has to visually scan through the logbooks until he comes to the entry, which could be anything up to 15 pages. This could easily result in human error and is a big waste of time Analysis section 8 data flow diagram of current system. At current there is no flow of data as the information is simply logged and referred to if needed in the future. Analysis section 7 objectives of the project Input tasks (Data entry / Modification / View) The system will provide a user-friendly simple interface with the initial user allowing them to enter the same information as they usually do just on a keyboard. This should avoid all complications. The user interface for the initial user will be very secure to try and prevent accidental damage to the system however the management features will be able to be accessed by the management team through a password. There will be a user guide and a trouble shooting section to try and solve any potential problems. The system will be presented in form view with a main menu and various forms for different functions Output tasks (Reports) The system will be able to produce a report showing the location of any piece of equipment, or all the equipment one member of staff has recently used or all the equipment currently in a particular van. The system must be able to search through all the records for any criteria and produce a report for each one Processing tasks. The system must be able to process the information and sort it into any order that the user wishes. Quantitative performance considerations The system is going to be run over a long period of time and so will need to be able to store a very large amount of data. This s one thing I will not be able to test to its full extent however I can estimate through hardware performance whether the system is adequate or not. Qualitative evaluation criteria Data security of the new system The system will have security passwords and all obvious features that would allow the user to enter restricted areas of the system would be disabled. The system will prompt the user to save changes or automatically save changes on exit anyway. Analysis section 9 Data flow diagram of new system Analysis section 10 E-R Model Project stage 2 : design Design section 1 Overall system design The system will involve a series of tables, queries, reports and forms all linked together to provide a user-friendly system capable of all of the system requirements. I will have tables for vans, equipment, warehouse and users and will link these together and display them on one form. There will be a menu form giving the user options and security passwords for management to access and edit existing data or to view existing data. All of the data entry will be validated and the tables will be set to certain data types to try and ensure the user is entering the correct information. There will be four main tables related to bookings, employees, equipment and vehicles. There will also be four forms based upon these tables and then a main menu form for easy navigation of my database system Design section 2 Description of modular structure of system. The system will be based around 4 main tables. These are TblEmployees, which contains information about the employees that work at the company. TblEquipment, which lists equipment, details about it, its current location and a list of who has recently used it. TblVehicles will contain a list of all of the vans that Pims Pumps use and contain a list of all the equipment that is currently in each van. TblBookings will record all the bookings in an out that a piece of equipment makes and records the equipment and employee ID numbers. These tables will all be linked together in an entity relationship diagram. Design section 3 Definition of data requirements The database will have to store relevant information about the employees using the booking system information about the companys vehicles and equipment information. The fields I will store in my equipment table are as follows: 1. Equipment ID A unique number assigned to each piece of equipment. 2. Description a brief description of the piece of equipment 3. Service interval The next date when the piece of equipment is due to be serviced The fields I will store in my employee table are as follows: 1. Employee name full name of the employee 2. Employee ID a unique number assigned to each employee The fields I will store in my vehicles table are as follows: 1. Registration The registration number of my vehicle 2. Vehicle ID A unique number assigned to each vehicle I will also have a bookings table, which will store the employee and equipment ID for each booking of equipment, and the date on which the booking was made. This will enable me to run a query to find out for example what equipment any employee has used or what equipment is currently in a certain van etc. Design section 4 Identification of storage requirements and media Development hardware I can design my system on any hardware running Microsoft Windows 95 or later and that is capable of running Microsoft Access at speed. I do not require any additional specific hardware for designing my database. End-user hardware The end user already has hardware capable of running my database and all the staff are familiar with Microsoft based programs. Development software I will design the database in Microsoft Access as this is very flexible and powerful enough to undertake all or the required tasks End-user software The end user will also have to use Microsoft Access as that is the only program that my database will run on I will design the database to be user friendly and limit access to all of its functions to try and prevent accidental damage to the system. Design section 5 Identification of suitable algorithms for data transformation Queries Macros Visual basic code Design section 6 identification of any validation required I have several input masks throughout my tables however no validations are needed. The input masks that ii have used are simply in place to ensure that the user is entering the correct information or at least information that is in the correct format. Design section 7 overall user interface design Here is a plan of the layout of my main menu; Design section 8 Sample of planned data capture and entry (e. g. forms Design section 9 sample of planned data validation Design section 8 Description of record/database structure normalisation Normalisation Tables design Design section 11 Sample of planned valid output (e. g. reports). I will produce reports based on queries related to different things however the format will remain the same. Below is an example of what a report would look like if the user queried for what equipment an employee has recently used: Design section 12 Database design including relations, foreign keys, and primary keys. Entity-relationship diagram List and describe all relations separately 1. There is a one to many relationship from Equipment ID in the Equipment table to Equipment ID in the booking table. This enables there to be many pieces of equipment logged in the bookings table. 2. There is a one to many relationship from Employee ID in the Employees table to Employee ID in the Bookings table. This enables there to be many employees listed in the bookings table of that one employee can have many bookings. Indicate all primary and foreign keys for each table TblEquipments primary key is Equipment ID and it contains no foreign keys TblBookings primary key is Booking ID and it contains Equipment ID and Employee ID as foreign keys TblVehicles primary key is Vehicle ID and it contains no foreign keys TblEmployees primary key is Employee ID and it contains no foreign keys Design section 13 Planned measures for security and integrity of data Design section 14 Planned measures for systems security Design section 15 Overall test strategy Project stage 3 : Technical solution Project stage 4 : System testing Test section 1- Design of test plan strategy Test section 2 Minimal test data Test section 3 Expected results for typical test data Test section 4 Erroneous data (Check forms reject invalid data) Test section 5 Expected results for extreme data. Check that data just within range is accepted and stored Check that calculations using extreme data works Test section 6 Hard copy of representative samples of test runs Project stage 5 : Maintenance Maintenance section 1 System overview Maintenance section 2 Summary of features used Maintenance section 3 -Sample of detailed algorithm design using a recognised methodology Maintenance section 4 Annotated listings of program code, macro code tailoring Maintenance section 5 Screenshots (Mainly from design view) Table screenshots. Reports screenshots Query screenshots Macros screenshots Visual basic code Maintenance section 6 List/description of package items developed Project stage 6 : User manual User manual Brief introduction User manual Samples of actual screen displays in situ User manual Samples of error messages and/or error recovery procedures Project stage 7 : Appraisal Appraisal section 1 Comparison of project performance against objectives Evaluation of end-user requirements Evaluation of the qualitative criteria Evaluation of the quantitative criteria.

Strength And Weakness Of Bureaucratic Organization Management Essay

Strength And Weakness Of Bureaucratic Organization Management Essay Mergers often go to the right, in part because the leaders of human resources working successfully with senior administration to ensure that joining and acquisitions are well conjure up planned and executed with respect to persons. As leaders, we ensure communication of clear business logic, attention to the risks associated with people in the agreement, and the planning of effective integration. A lot of articles and studies on mergers emphasizes why mergers be unsuccessful to accomplish their potential. A widespread subject matter is that people-related issues were not treated early or sufficiently effective. For example, a Forbes review of 500 CFOs found that the main reasons why mergers were no financial issues, but problems related to people: mismatched civilizations, incapability to administer the acquired company, the powerlessness to implement the other hand, overestimated synergies, lack of foresight predictable events, or clash of management styles or egos. However it can be guaranteed the effective implementation of the merger integration and retention of talent vital to maintain the pledge and recital through the changeover, and the loom of people-related coordination, progression and union with the strategic bearing of the new entity. Here are seven questions that we must address. Lets discuss the change management: Change management is a set of procedures that is employed to guarantee that major changes are put into practice in an arranged way, controlled and methodical fashion to upshot the organizational change. Goal of change and there outcome One of the goals of change management is with respect to the human aspects of conquer opposition to change in order for organizational members to buy into change and attain the organizations aim of an orderly and effective conversion. Managerial Change Management: Organizational change management takes into thought both the processes and tools that managers utilize to make changes at an organizational level. Most organizations want change implemented with the slightest resistance and with the most buy-in as achievable. For this to take place, change must be useful with a planned approach so that evolution from one type of behavior to another organization broad will be flat. The consequence of Buy In: Buy in means that the organization entirely recognizes that the changes that need to be taken are in due course positive to both the individual and the organization. If an organization seeks to make changes which are naturally bad or are not established positively by an organization, it will be much more hard or close to impossible to put into practice these changes without significant opposition. How Economy dealing with change: A proper change management policy is the essential. There are three components of change management which are crucial for any industry and as well as for economy: 1) Identifying the needs of customers before rival 2) Fast accomplishment of a prepared strategy with the obtainable resources 3) Real-time examine If the industry be unsuccessful in gaining any of the three objectives, it will lag at the back. Competitors will go beyond it. The case for change management cannot be showy in our changing and difficult times, For example how McCain, a company selling ice-covered potato products, mainly chips, changed its product to suit the times and the needs of customers. The customers were worried over heaviness, mainly among children, and the consequent health danger. The corporation modified the product by reducing the salt content and oil and started using especially chosen potatoes. The company carried out an extensive advertising movement to stress the food value of the chips and regained customer reception. Development in food technology also helped the company address some of the problems. It could successfully overcome the problems. Education not compulsion should be the instrument employed by the management. Obviously, there will be opposition from a part of the employees at least to many of the changes required to be introduced by the management. But they can be convinced over a period of time. It can be lengthy but not impossible. What are the people-related issues? decision-making contracts or other restrain compensation arrangements member of staff relations risks, including amalgamation relationships, contracts, and issues permissible actions or compliance issues Retirement, retirement fund or other millstone Availability of capable organization talent for key roles Employee commitment very important for retention of aptitude and continued high recital. Keeping in mind that the Chief Executive has been derived from the one organization so instead of keeping the old norms and values in newly developed organiation, there must be some commonly productive approach must be used by the CE. Once you have join all the pieces together there is little doubt that you will not find ways to increase revenues, decrease expenses, save time, or make a multitude of other positive improvements. This will result in a novel organizational culture, but it will be a change for the superior. An economy depend upon its industry very much if there is a positive change in industry management then obviously is economy goes up. The real sense of Bureaucratic Organization: The main characteristics that bureaucratic organizations contribute are fundamentally the same. First there is a scheming environment in these organizations, higher management makes the policy and the subordinates go after it. There are clear steps and procedures for doing the simplest of things which makes tasks more time intensive. The inferior level in the hierarchy is controlled by the upper one and the preparation and decision making is federal, all the decisions are made in one place. The higher levels in the pecking order have more liberty in doing their work as compared to the lower levels. These organizations are goal leaning and all the processes are designed to attain the goals. The construction of these organizations is based on the principle of separation of labor and they have specialized department doing various jobs. Weaknesses and Strengths of a Bureaucratic Organization for clear picture The main weakness of bureaucratic organizations takes in not to have novelty. All the processes and tasks are fixed to a large extent that the innovation process is approximately eradicate in bureaucratic organizations. Employees get unprovoked because of smaller employee contribution and association. HR cant be used in the fullest manner by optimizing creativity which is the key drawback in bureaucratic structure of the organizations. Advantages contain the increased control and observations of higher rank  board. The nouns of the organizations depend upon the intelligent judgments of upper headship. If the top management is high-quality, then results can be constructive and if the top headship is poor then it can result in adversity. Organizational development focus Contractual relationship between a change mediator and a supportive organization go into for the sake of using applied behavioral science and for other organizational change point of view in a scheme background to get better the organizational presentation and the capability of the organization to develop itself. OD is a designed intervention. They   Ã‚  are plans or series consist of particular activities designed to achieve change in some part of an organization. Frequent interventions have been developed over the years to tackle special problems or create a variety of results. However, they all are geared toward the goal of improving the whole organization by change. In common, organizations that wish to achieve a high grade of organizational change will use a complete variety of interventions, including those planned to change individual and group behavior and attitudes. Units attempting slighter changes will end petite of those goals, applying interventions targeted mainly toward operating strategies, management structures, employee skills, and staff policies. Usually, organization development plans will concurrently mix more than one of these interventions. Types of Interventions: There are many types of interventions can include a variety of specific practices: Human process, * Process discussion * group building * Search meeting (a high-scale intervention) 2.Technostructural * Work plan * worth loop * reformation 3.Human sources management * presentation management (employee) * Employee willingness * payment systems * variety management 4.deliberate * Organizational revolution * Cultural change * Self-designing organizations * Strategic management What is a Stakeholder? Any human being, set of individuals with a good concern (a stake) in the achievement of an organization is measured to be a stakeholder. Why stakeholders are there? A stakeholder is logically concerned with an organization bring projected outcome and meeting its monetary goals. Instance of a stakeholder are a holder, director, shareholder, investor, member of staff, purchaser, colleague and dealer, among others. A stakeholder may make a payment openly or in some way to an organization dealing actions. Types: Internal and External Stakeholders: Scheme managers are internal stakeholders because they are openly involved in the increase of the project. They have power to run the project by handling duty of work presentation, organizing and arranging; efficiently making sure that all stages of the project are complete correctly and well. Salesperson, dealer, and outer concerns of organizations are external stakeholders because they provide desirable essentials for a projects accomplishment; they need to keep on in communication at all times on objective, high point and deliverables. Direct and Indirect Stakeholders: Direct stakeholders are belonging to the day by day activities of a scheme. Team associates are direct stakeholders as their work is planned around the project for each workday. MINIMUM DISRUPTION TO THE STATUS QUO BUT HOW? Leadership is imperative to the triumph of a combination. The selection process should be based on an purpose measurement of skills and competencies, not on following commitment. The appointment process should be seen as fair and rational. Must also be timely moving quickly to the team in place and increase speed integration. Some issues stand out more than the election of directors of the new mutual organization. A merger of equals implies the management representation from both organizations. JUSTIFICATION OF ARGUMENTS BY REAL EXAMPLE When the amalgamation of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham proclaimed, the top four executives were appointed within one month of executives to fill the nine senior officials were appointed. In the first fourteen positions, executives from each companys entire seven years. At Chase Manhattan, the top fifteen decision makers were named to the announcement, and the next two levels of government were established within four months. Indirect stakeholders are not collision by the project. Those can be your customers and consumer, because their concern is with the final project. This would be the excellence of products, cost, covering, and ease of use. Purpose of Stakeholder Analysis? A stakeholder analysis is a procedure which is use to recognize and evaluate the significance of key people, groups of people, or association that may significantly power the achievement of scheme. The reason of being useful? A stakeholder analysis is use to: 1) Identify people, groups, and institutions that will give power to project (either surely or unhelpfully) 2) Expect the kind of power, positive or negative, these groups will have on your proposal. 3) Developing plan to get the most effectual hold possible for your initiative and decrease any barrier to booming completion of program. Stakeholder and their involvement: To engage stakeholders is a pathway to any victorious project, not only from a communication viewpoint, but also for the sake of the information obtained from their ability and skill, which they will offer again and again if we take the time to engage them exactly from the beginning. Be careful, no two stakeholders individually, or groups of stakeholders, are the similar. Each stakeholder is dissimilar, they will be at different height of understanding and approval for the requirement of the change and their hope s will be different. Ways to involve Stakeholder: 1. Understand Them: To understand an individual is a master key to deal with that person in his own way. However, it is predictable that any team will face some kind of opposition from different stakeholder groups, merely on the base of that we are offer is something that is different to what is finished now. 2. Resolve any Whats In It For Me? Issues There is a factor of individual contact when dealing with stakeholders. When a change is planned, self protection come in and people will firstly look at the change from a very personal viewpoint as compare to outer view. It is impractical to supply for each single individual requisite of every sole stakeholder. Though, there will be harmony in their supplies in their Whats In It for me necessities. Personal nervousness is a usual by-product of any change and determine these Whats In It For Me issues can go a long way to dropping them. 3. Demonstrate Success: Occasionally, the most excellent way to engage stakeholders is to demonstrate them what the change will give to them. This can be done by showing examples of parallel plans run within our personal organization, actual life examples, or case studies of other organizations that have put into practice a parallel change. To involve stakeholder is time consuming process and is a Critical Success aspect for any project that wants to apply its changes productively. 4. Benefits: Benefits are the most important term to involve stakeholders in change. That what kind of benefits they can have in this change. And how these changes are useful to them? EVALUATION AND CONCLUSIONS The position of the stakeholders is inner in the organization approach to get change. Change in this project involved changes to tolerant entrance. The bridge fills the space between groups. The short of information and participation in projects that involve change frequently give outcome in manner of separation and anger; however relations between staff their involvement at every phase of the completion establishment to be significant. Recognition of stakeholders in the beginning steps hold up the process of stakeholder analysis, which exposed the collision of specific stakeholders had within the scheme. Model of change management: The model was firstly used as an instrument for formative of change management activities like communications and preparation were having the preferred results during organizational change. For instance, Awareness of the business cause for change is an objective of early communications associated to a business change. Wish to take on and contribute in the change is the goal of protection and opposition management. Knowledge about how to change is the goal of preparation and training. By recognizing the required results or goals of change organization, ADKAR becomes a useful structure for change management teams in the setting up and implementation of their effort. An individual must get every part in series for the change when it has to be put into practice and continued. As a director, one can use this model to make out space in change organization procedure and to give useful instruction for workers. The ADKAR model can be effectively utilize to: identify employee opposition to change to give aid to the employees move through the change path form a successful act sketch for private and skilled development throughout the change extend a change organization map for workers The ADKAR model was initially in print by Prosci in 1998 after investigated with more than 300 corporations suffering from major change projects.. This model is planned to be a training device to help out employees during the change process. The efficiently, one will need to know the underlying structure for change proposal. In the diagram underneath, change occur and flourishing change go on when both dimensions of change occur at the same time.   Trade Measurement of Transform The business dimensions of change take in the classic plan elements.   Business requirement or chance is known. Project is clear (range and goals). Business resolution is planned (new method, arrangement and organization makeup). New processes and systems are advanced. Solution is applied into the association. These are the typical fundamentals of a business change that director feels most contented organization.   CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS While human resource leaders can facilitate the integration planning. On the other hand, there is a inclination in many situations for executives who are strength and leadership in the implementation of changes, with minimum human resources, low-level executive or human resources. This may be suitable in some situations. However, in other state of affairs, the participation of employees can be important. Participation generates ideas to improve the integration and further support for rapid integration. Being a Human Resource Director I would strongly suggest that to develop effective plans for implementation of merger and to ensure that plans are implemented many companies use merger integration teams and assign responsibility to the executives of the merging of specific integration. Again, the individual resources privileged can rally round teams or to work effectively and quickly to facilitate their work or actually serving on the teams. The human resource leaders to contribute directly to business performance. Now the question arises that what better opportunity could appear that a union? Here we can apply in any organization and to develop further our ability to lead strategic change effectively. As the frequency of mergers increases, and as top executives recognize the critical impact of issues related to people, we should be on center stage to help ensure that mergers on the right. The chaos is connected with any merger or gaining is a unique occasion for time to demonstrate their knowledge and skill in managing human capital. HR is an inherent part of the integration into a team of M A for their ability to assess the compatibility of communal cultures and diverse options for come together the companies. The guiding principles for the successful merging for change * Take final action and make decisions quickly the secret to keeping good people. * Be honest with employees and treat them with respect. Let them know that the combined entity will be a more valuable. * Each time the property is possible, the use of society represented by stock options and stock grants for all pulling in the same direction. * Be honest about the choices of people to be made. * Treat people coming out with the same respect and attention as those who remain.

Cloning: A Good Thing Essay -- Science Genetics DNA Clone Essays

Cloning: A Good Thing A growing controversy in the world today is cloning. One stance is that cloning and cloning research should be banned altogether. Another position is in support of no restrictions of cloning and that scientists should be able to test on animals if they deem it necessary. Many other views are squeezed into different gray areas on the topic. It would be beneficial to explore the methods, benefits, moral and ethical conflicts involved with human cloning to fully understand the pros of cloning. The methods of human cloning and the research that accompanies them can provide a great deal of benefits. The benefits of human cloning include important medical breakthroughs, reproduction, and morality issues. Animals and plants could be cloned to produce lifesaving medicines through the research obtained on the way to human cloning. Human cloning research could cure many incurable diseases. â€Å"Medical breakthroughs from cloning research could cure cancer and heart attacks, lead to organs for organ transplants, and a revolution in cosmetic surgery. A balding man could have grafts made of his own hair and have it transplanted onto his scalp† (Human Cloning Foundation). Human cloning technology could allow children to lead better lives than their parents did, because of medical breakthroughs. Cloning could lead to the fountain of youth. It could allow reproduction of organs so people could transplant organs and never die. Infertile couples co...

Personal Strengths and Weaknesses Essay -- essays research papers

Everyone is embedded with things that make them unique. As individuals we each bring soemthing new, creative, and different to the table. This brings to to discuss personal strengths and weaknessess within myself and my everyday living. Personal strengths are areas where we tend to excel, and seem to express above average. Personal Weaknesses to me are areas where we would like to excel but seem to still need improvement. If I can, let me share with you my strengths and weaknesses and see how they effect my everyday being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lets begin with my personal strengths. To me these are areas where I think I excel and have the most experience. Being an effective communicator is one of the best traits that I think a person can carry. Effective communication consists of being able to speak clearly and professionally, while being knowleadgeable at the same time. I also have to ensure that the message that is being communicated is easy to understand and that my message covers all the facts and pertinent information. Communication has become one of the key parts to being successful in work life and in my personal life. Communication is key to my marriage and any relationship that I build within a team, workplace, and even with my small child. Being an effective communicator is definetely a strong point for me. Possessing the skills to be a leader is also a bright area for me. I learned at an early age that I love to be in charge and that taking initiative to get things done has a very positive out look. Being that I have learned my limitations and what is best for me, I do better as a leader and not a follower. Being a leader takes an outgoing personality, and a person that loves to work an be around people. It also takes good decision making skills and the ability to work well under pressure sometimes. I am truly a people person and feel that I have the traits that it takes to lead a group to the moon if need be. Which leads me into being a team player. I believe that team work is always a great asset to any work or personal group and being a team player is one of my stronger attributes. Being a team player means being able to work well with others, to offer assistance to others in need, and to be very open to new ideas and other peoples opinions. Being a team player to me falls right into place with being a people person and being able to wo... ...d, the bad, and the indifferent I feel that overall I am a great person and that I have many great qualities. As with anyone I have areas that I would surely like to be stronger in but only time will tell. I am starting to realize that the only way that I can change my weaknesses into strong points is to accept the fact that I have troubles in these areas and that they need to be fixed. Observering how my behaviors and weaker points affect others and my lifestyle will help me to develop a plan to fix these weak points beneath the surface. I think that once a person sits back and evaluates what their personal strengths and weaknesses are then a positive self evaluation can be made. Just from putting this paper together I have evaluated some things about myself that I havent touched base with in a long time. A persons strengths and weaknesses help to make up who they are and no one person is alike. I think that it is always important to know who you are and what you are made of and what better way than to evaluate the things that you can attribute and also the things that you work on to possible make you a better person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

International Business Essay -- essays research papers

Today’s world of rapid increase in and expansion of technology is the reasons for recent International Business growth. The rapid growth in international business makes an understanding of organizational behavior all the more important for contemporary managers. Businesses have expanded internationally to increase their market share, as the domestic markets were too small to sustain growth. Business transactions are also becoming increasing blurred across national boundaries. Companies engage in international business to expand sales, acquire resources, diversify their sources of sales and supplies, and minimize competitive risk. When operating abroad, companies may have to adjust their usual methods of carrying on business. This is because foreign conditions often dictate a more appropriate method and because the operating modes used for international business differ somewhat from those used on a domestic level. In many ways, then, we are becoming a truly global economy. No longer will a firm be able to insulate it from foreign competitors or opportunities. International business usually takes place in more diverse external environments than found domestically. Businesses worldwide are no longer going International but expanding globally. This fast occurring global expansion of businesses all over the world has been given a new term, it is called international business. As human beings, we encounter risk every day of our lives. As a manager, risk becomes even more importan...

Life Philosophy Essay

The meaning of life is to give life meaning Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. Life Philosophy of John Wooden Even a fool knows you can’t reach the stars, but that doesn’t stop a wise man from trying. â€Å"You can’t make someone Else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours. † Life Philosophy of Gen. Colin Powell Man is not the creature of circumstances, circumstances are the creatures of men. We are free agents, and man is more powerful than matter. Life Philosophy of Benjamin Disraeli When an affliction happens to you, you either let it defeat you, or you defeat it†¦ Life Philosophy of Rosalind Russell A life lived in fear is a life half lived. To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. â€Å"It is better to be hated for what you are then to be loved for what your not† There are always two choices. Two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it’s easy. Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. Life Philosophy of Zig Ziglar You will never achieve what you never begin†¦ The measure of a man is the way he bears up under misfortune. Don’t wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it. Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore. Philosophy of Life by Andre Gide If one seeks advice, give them direction, not correction. Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can. Philosophy of Life by Richard Bach Do the things you know, and you shall learn the truth you need to know. Philosophy of Life by George Macdonald Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen. Philosophy of Life by Peter Marshall It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. Don’t take life too seriously. no one gets out alive, anyways. Before you talk about what you want – appreciate what you have. A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away. Life Philosophy from Gene Roddenberry You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action. Life Philosophy from Anthony Robbins If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won’t, you most assuredly won’t. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad. Life Philosophy from Denis Waitley You can do what you think you can do and you cannot do what you think you cannot Life Philosophy from Ben Stein Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Life Philosophy from Harvey Mackay You can do what you want to do. You can be what you want to be. Life Philosophy from R. David Thomas Philosophies in Life PHILOSOPHY may be defined as the study and pursuit of facts which deal with the ultimate reality or causes of things as they affect life. The philosophy of a country like the Philippines is made up of the intricate and composite interrelationship of the life histories of its people; in other word, the philosophy of our nation would be strange and undefinable if we do not delve into the past tied up with the notable life experiences of the representative personalities of our nation. Being one of the prominent representatives of Filipino personalities, Jose Rizal is a fit subject whose life philosophy deserves to be recognized. Having been a victim of Spanish brutality early in his life in Calamba, Rizal had thus already formed the nucleus of an unfavorable opinion of Castillian imperialistic administration of his country and people. Pitiful social conditions existed in the Philippines as late as three centuries after his conquest in Spain, with agriculture, commerce, communications and education languishing under its most backward state. It was because of this social malady that social evils like inferiority complex, cowardice, timidity and false pride pervaded nationally and contributed to the decay of social life. This stimulated and shaped Rizal’s life phylosophy to be to contain if not eliminate these social ills. Educational Philosophy Rizal’s concept of the importance of education is clearly enunciated in his work entitled Instruction wherein he sought improvements in the schools and in the methods of teaching. He maintained that the backwardness of his country during the Spanish ear was not due to the Filipinos’ indifference, apathy or indolence as claimed by the rulers, but to the neglect of the Spanish authorities in the islands. For Rizal, the mission of education is to elevate the country to the highest seat of glory and to develop the people’s mentality. Since education is the foundation of society and a prerequisite for social progress, Rizal claimed that only through education could the country be saved from domination. Rizal’s philosophy of education, therefore, centers on the provision of proper motivation in order to bolster the great social forces that make education a success, to create in the youth an innate desire to cultivate his intelligence and give him life eternal. Religious Philosophy Rizal grew up nurtured by a closely-knit Catholic family, was educated in the foremost Catholic schools of the period in the elementary, secondary and college levels; logically, therefore, he should have been a propagator of strictly Catholic traditions. However, in later life, he developed a life philosophy of a different nature, a philosophy of a different Catholic practice intermingled with the use of Truth and Reason. Why the change? It could have been the result of contemporary contact, companionship, observation, research and the possession of an independent spirit. Being a critical observer, a profound thinker and a zealous reformer, Rizal did not agree with the prevailing Christian propagation of the Faith by fire and sword. This is shown in his Annotation of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas. Rizal did not believe in the Catholic dogma that salvation was only for Catholics and that outside Christianity, salvation was not possible even if Catholics composed only a small minority of the world’s religious groups. Nor did he believe in the Catholic observation of fasting as a sacrifice, nor in the sale of such religious items as the cross, medals, rosaries and the like in order to propagate the Faith and raise church funds. He also lambasted the superstitious beliefs propagated by the priests in the church and in the schools. All of these and a lot more are evidences of Rizal’s religious philosophy. Political Philosophy In Rizal’s political view, a conquered country like the Philippines should not be taken advantage of but rather should be developed, civilized, educated and trained in the science of self-government. He bitterly assailed and criticized in publications the apparent backwardness of the Spanish ruler’s method of governing the country which resulted in: 1. the bondage and slavery of the conquered ; 2. the Spanish government’s requirement of forced labor and force military service upon the n natives; 3. the abuse of power by means of exploitation; 4. the government ruling that any complaint against the authorities was criminal; and 5. Making the people ignorant, destitute and fanatic, thus discouraging the formation of a national sentiment. Rizal’s guiding political philosophy proved to be the study and application of reforms, the extension of human rights, the training for self government and the arousing of spirit of discontent over oppression, brutality, inhumanity, sensitiveness and self love. Ethical Philosophy The study of human behavior as to whether it is good or bad or whether it is right or wrong is that science upon which Rizal’s ethical philosophy was based. The fact that the Philippines was under Spanish domination during Rizal’s time led him to subordinate his philosophy to moral problems. This trend was much more needed at that time because the Spaniards and the Filipinos had different and sometimes conflicting morals. The moral status of the Philippines during this period was one with a lack of freedom, one with predominance of foreign masters, one with an imposition of foreign religious worship, devotion, homage and racial habits. This led to moral confusion among the people, what with justice being stifled, limited or curtailed and the people not enjoying any individual rights. To bolster his ethical philosophy, Dr. Rizal had recognized not only the forces of good and evil, but also the tendencies towards good and evil. As a result, he made use of the practical method of appealing to the better nature of the conquerors and of offering useful methods of solving the moral problems of the conquered. To support his ethical philosophy in life, Rizal: 1. censured the friars for abusing the advantage of their position as spiritual leaders and the ignorance and fanaticism of the natives; 2.counseled the Filipinos not to resent a defect attributed to them but to accept same as reasonable and just; 3. advised the masses that the object of marriage was the happiness and love of the couple and not financial gain; 4. censured the priests who preached greed and wrong morality; and 5. advised every one that love and respect for parents must be strictly observed. Social Philosophy That body of knowledge relating to society including the wisdom which man’s experience in society has taught him is social philosophy. The facts dealt with are principles involved in nation building and not individual social problems. The subject matter of this social philosophy covers the problems of the whole race, with every problem having a distinct solution to bolster the people’s social knowledge. Rizal’s social philosophy dealt with; 1. man in society; 2. influential factors in human life; 3. racial problems; 4. social constant; 5. social justice; 6. social ideal; 7. poverty and wealth; 8. reforms; 9. youth and greatness; 10. history and progress; 11. future Philippines. The above dealt with man’s evolution and his environment, explaining for the most part human behavior and capacities like his will to live; his desire to possess happiness; the change of his mentality; the role of virtuous women in the guidance of great men; the need for elevating and inspiring mission; the duties and dictates of man’s conscience; man’s need of practicing gratitude; the necessity for consulting reliable people; his need for experience; his ability to deny; the importance of deliberation; the voluntary offer of man’s abilities and possibilities; the ability to think, aspire and strive to rise; and the proper use of hearth, brain and spirit-all of these combining to enhance the intricacies, beauty and values of human nature. All of the above served as Rizal’s guide in his continuous effort to make over his beloved Philippines.

The Minimum Wage Debate

Minimum wage is defined as the lowest amount that employers can legally pay their workers per hour of labor. Most states have laws in place to enforce the minimum wage; those that do not are subject to the federal minimum wage of $7. 25. There are both benefits and drawbacks of this type of policy. Many supporters of a minimum wage believe it increases the standard of living and reduced poverty. Those that oppose a minimum wage believe it will increase unemployment and harms unskilled laborers. Introduction The Fair Labor Standards Act, passed in 1938, mandated a federal minimum wage that now applies to most work and most workers, in the United States. Originally the wage was set at 25 cents, the minimum wage has risen occasionally since 1938 to its current hourly level of $7. 25, where it has remained since 2009. When the minimum wage was roughly half the average wage, in the late 1960’s, full-time, year round minimum wage earnings for one worker lifted a family of three from poverty. Today, a minimum wage worker lives on $3,000 less than the poverty line – and the minimum wage is worth only 37 percent of the average wage (Owens, 2013). Minimum wage laws were established with certain goals in mind. Minimum wage was initially established to reduce poverty. Establishing a minimum wage in the United States removed sweat shops and insured individuals were paid properly for their work. Minimum wage additionally protects younger workers and minorities from being paid less than others. Support for an Increase in the Minimum Wage The positive effects of minimum wage are plentiful; it is believed that the minimum wage increases the standard of living for the poorest and most vulnerable classes in society and raises the average. It also stimulates consumption, by putting more money in the hands of low-income people who spend their entire paychecks. Minimum wage increases the work ethic of those who earn very little, as employers demand more return from the higher cost of hiring these employees. It decreases the cost of government social welfare programs, increasing incomes for the lowest-paid and encourages people to join the workforce rather than pursuing money through illegal means. The minimum wage also encourages efficiency and automation of industry and removes low paying jobs, forcing workers to train for, and move to, higher paying jobs (Fox, 2006). Many believe that minimum wage increases cause adverse employment effects. Three possible reasons minimum wages do not affect employment were suggested by Alan Blinder: higher wages may reduce turnover, and hence training costs; raising the minimum wage may â€Å"render moot† the potential problem of recruiting workers at a higher wage than current workers; and minimum wage workers might represent such a small proportion of a business's cost that the increase is too small to matter. He admits that he does not know if these are correct, but argues that â€Å"the list demonstrates that one can accept the new empirical findings and still be a card-carrying economist. † (Blinder, 1996). In discussing the minimum wage, Robert M. Solow, a Nobel laureate in economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told the New York Times, â€Å"The main thing about (minimum wage) research is that the evidence of job loss is weak. And the fact that the evidence is weak suggests that the impact on jobs is small. † (Norlund, 1997) The American public supports increasing the minimum wage by a solid margin. Nearly every survey finds overwhelming support for raising the minimum wage. For example, a poll recently conducted by the website Politico, conducted in March of 2013 found that 71% of Americans backed an increase in the minimum wage. Opposition of an Increase in the Minimum Wage Opponents of the minimum wage claim it hurts small business more than large business. By increasing wages, business owners must use their profits to increase wages or increase their prices. Cheaper labor helps small businesses employ younger and more inexperienced workers to perform less skill intensive work. It’s also argued that it may cause price inflation due to businesses increasing the price of goods sold. Small businesses with limited payroll budges cannot offer their most valuable employees fair and attractive wages above unskilled workers paid the artificially high minimum, and see a rising hurdle-cost of adding workers (Jr. , 2005). Some opponents claim that the goals minimum wage was created to accomplish have not been met. In some instances employment has decreased more than the increase in wages and thereby overall earnings are still reduced. Businesses are forced to hire fewer employees because paid wages have increased to meet the minimum. Some studies have shown that few low-wage workers actually come from families in poverty. Thus, minimum wage is more often imposed on the teenage worker with their first job than on people who would otherwise be unemployed. Additional arguments against the minimum wage include how it is ineffective compared to other methods such as basic income (or negative income tax), which is a system of social security that periodically provides each citizen with a sum of money that is sufficient to live on. This does not include a means test, the richest and the poorest would receive it as something similar to a dividend from the government. A guaranteed minimum income is another proposed system of social welfare. It’s similar to basic income, but it is normally conditional and subject to a means test. A refundable tax credit, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit is another alternative for minimum wage, which some claim was an effective stimulus for the economy. Opinion I feel very torn between the pros and cons of the minimum wage debate. I feel that a living wage for employees is necessary to ensure that poverty levels are avoided. In addition to avoiding poverty, fair wages for all is essential to reducing wage discrimination. However, I find that the increased wage paid to employees by small businesses can be crippling to their profits, particularly in our current economy and with how frequently small businesses fail. Conclusion Both sides present valid arguments, so what is the solution? One solution would be to raise the minimum wage to an acceptable higher level for â€Å"adult† workers, while retaining exceptions to allow the businesses to hire teenagers, students and temporary or seasonal workers at a lower minimum wage. This would protect those most impacted by a low minimum wage, families attempting to survive on a single minimum wage salary, while protecting the jobs of traditional â€Å"minimum wage† workers by allowing businesses to hire them at the previous rates. Though this solution has its flaws, however, employers might use a wage disparity as an incentive to hire more young workers at lower rates, leaving older workers jobless. This solution and others are highly debated by politicians and citizens and truly, no solution has been found. In time, the federal minimum wage will rise, as is dictated by laws both purposed and in effect currently. Perhaps a better solution for small businesses impacted would be a tax subsidy to balance the loss in profits from an increased minimum wage. It would increase hiring rates, and would keep small businesses at their previous profit levels. Employment would increase in a sector, small business, which our economy greatly relies on and provide those companies with incentive to increase their labor force.