Why Grad Schools Require Your Undergraduate Transcript

Its easy to get caught up in the graduate admissions process. Applicants to graduate school are often (and rightly) overwhelmed by the most challenging parts of the process, like approaching faculty for recommendation letters and composing admissions essays. However, the little things like college transcripts also matter in your graduate school application. No admissions committee will accept an incomplete graduate application. A late or missing transcript may seem like a dumb reason to receive a rejection letter, but it happens. Unfortunately, students with stellar credentials arent even considered by admission committees at their dream graduate programs because of a  forgotten transcript or one that is lost in snail mail. Request All Transcripts Your application is not complete until the institution receives your official transcript from all of your undergraduate institutions. That means that you must send a transcript from every institution that you have attended, even if you did not earn a degree.   Official Transcripts Are Sent by Colleges Dont even think about sending an unofficial transcript or a print out of your school record in place of a transcript.  An official transcript is sent directly from your undergraduate college or university to the school(s) to which you’re applying and bears the college seal. If you attended more than one institution, you will need to request an official transcript from each institution you attended. Yes, this can get pricey. What Do Admissions Committees Look for in Transcripts? In examining your transcript, admissions committees will consider the following: Your overall GPA and verification of your actual GPA compared to what you reported on your admissions documentsQuality of the undergraduate institutionBreadth of courseworkCoursework in your major: Your grades in your major subject area and especially in the upper division courses and within the past two yearsPatterns of performance and improvement if you did not have a strong start Request Transcripts Early​Prevent mishaps by planning ahead.  Request your transcripts from the registrars office early because most offices take a few days, a week, and sometimes even more time to process your request. Also, understand that if you wait until the end of the Fall semester to request transcripts they may be delayed as most offices close for the holidays (sometimes taking an extended break). Save yourself grief and request transcripts early. Also,  include a copy of your unofficial transcript with your application and a note that the official transcript has been requested so that admissions committees have something to review until the official copy arrives. Only some admissions committees may review an unofficial transcript and wait for the official version (this is especially unlikely in competitive graduate programs), but its worth a shot.

Patriotism Vs Human Rights. Linking Patriotism And Human

Patriotism vs Human Rights Linking patriotism and human rights seems like an odd couple but it should go hand in hand. Patriotism is the love of a nation and human rights is the love of mankind. Bringing them together to show that, no matter your background, having a love for your country and of human beings should be treated the same. Finding a connection between the constitutional patriotism, that gives an understanding of both state and politics, and human rights is hard to connect to unpatriotic patriotism. Constitutional patriotism as Mueller states â€Å"ought to center on the norms, the values and, more indirectly, the procedures of a liberal democratic constitution† (Gordon). When President Ronald Regan set up Proclamation 4898 and†¦show more content†¦As per the United Nations website, Human rights is summed up as the right to be human and all things good about being human should be respected. Examples are to be born free, equal dignity and rights, entitlement to all freedoms to life, liberty, and security of person. The United Nations, a commission made up of fifty-one members in 1945, created a document called The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) just after World War II on December 10, 1948. They vowed to â€Å"never again to allow atrocities like those of that conflict happen again† (â€Å"Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations†). When Vincent says, Politics cannot embrace humanity he is clearly wrong because, if that wer e the case, the one hundred ninety-three states that make up the United Nations today would not exist. To be unpatriotic is to not support your country in any way, shape, or form and everything about your country is questionable. Those who are considered unpatriotic are called Anti-patriotic, who usually consider themselves as owned only by the fatherland. A term used in Vincent’s essay when breaking down how patriotism came about starting with the Romans. An example of this would be West Virginia v. Barnette when just after West Virginia Board of Education mandated that the Pledge of allegiance as a sign of Patriotism. The Supreme Court ruled this to violate the First Amendment rights that statedShow MoreRelatedEssay about America and Post World War II Era: New Left Versus Right2119 Words   |  9 PagesAmerica’s Post-World War II Era: New Left vs. Right The challenge to a variety of political and social issues distinctly characterizes the post World War II (WWII) era, from the mid 1940’s through the 1970’s, in the United States. These issues included African-American civil rights, women’s rights, the threat of Communism, and America’s continuous war effort by entering the Cold War immediately after the end to WWII. 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The Duties of an Agent Towards His/Her Principal free essay sample

Explain, with reference to the relevant sections in the Contract Act 1950 and example of case law, the duties of an Agent towards his/her Principal. Normally, an agreement creating an agency relationship may be arises out by express or implied and as such, their rights and duties will depend on the terms of the contract of agency. When the contract of agency is silent on the terms, the rights and duties of an agent to his principal are governed by sections 164 to 174. The main duties of an agent are as follows: 1. Section 164: Agent’s duty in conducting principal’s business.An agent has to obey his or her principal’s instructions when conducting the business of the principal. Failure to obey may be treated as a breach of contract and the agent is liable for any loss sustained by the principal an account of the breach. For example, in Turpin v Bilton (1843), the agent failed to insure a ship when instructed to do so and the ship was lost, therefore the agent was held liable. We will write a custom essay sample on The Duties of an Agent Towards His/Her Principal or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another example is Bostock v Jardine (1865), where the agent was liable when he bought more than he was directed to buy. However, an agent has no duty to obey the unlawful instructions of his or her principal.In Cohen v Kittel (1889), the agent was held not liable for failing to place bets. In the absence of instructions from the principal, the agent has to act according to the customs which prevail, in doing business of the same kind, at the place where he or she carries on his or her work. Otherwise he or she has to make good any loss sustained by the principal. As an example, N is a broker, in whose business it is not the custom to sell on credit. N sells goods of M on credit to Q and the credit at that time was very high. But before payment, Q becomes insolvent. Hence, N must make good the loss to his or her principal, M. 2.Section 165: Skill and diligence required from agent. An agent has to exercise care and diligence when carrying out his or her work and to use such skill as he or she possesses. The agent has to act as a professional which demands a particular skill and has to display such skill as is generally possessed by people who engaged in such a similar profession, unless the principal has notice of his or her lack of skill. Otherwise, the usual requirement is that the agent must act with reasonable diligence and use the skill he has. For example, M is employed to sell goods, thus it is his duty to obtain the best price as possible.It has been held that his duty does not end upon obtaining an offer which was conditionally accepted. If there is a better offer and is subsequently made, he is obliged to inform the principal of the new offer. A case in point is Keppel v Wheeler (1927), the defendant, Wheeler was employed by the plaintiff, Keppel to sell his house. Keppel had received and accepted an offer as a subject to contract. After a few days, Z had made a higher offer for the same property, but this offer was not communicated to Keppel. A written contract of sale between the plaintiff and the first offeree was duly signed.The court held that the defendant was liable for the difference between the two offers. Hence, an agent must disclose everything which comes to his or her knowledge that is likely to influence the principal in the making of a contract. Even where a power of attorney gives the agent an authority to act without instructions, he or she still has the duty of giving the principal correct and timely information. As an example, in Phillips v Barn (1937), the defendant had been given a power of attorney by the plaintiff to manage and invest money entrusted to them by him.Then the defendants made loans to debtors through brokers and the business was good for some time. The plaintiff was to be informed that owing to the world depression, one of the brokers made default in paying interest, but the defendants expressed their opinion that if there were time to be given, the broker would improve in his position; the plaintiff did not differ in this opinion. After that, the plaintiff wrote to the defendants that they should sell the defaulted scrip as and when they thought it is the best time to do so. However, sooner or later the market grew worse and the broker became bankrupt.The shares were afterwards being realized but it resulted in loss to the plaintiff. The plaintiff was not satisfied with his affairs and then he went to the defendants’ place to investigate the matter for himself and thereby incurred an expense of $2,500. The plaintiff then claimed damages for negligence and breach of duty in not informing him of the situation earlier. The Privy Council held that though the power of attorney gave the defendants authority to act without in structions, it did not relieve them from a business obligation enforced by statute to give to the plaintiff correct and timely information.

There Are No Children Here free essay sample

Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate. (Anonymous)† In the 1980 Chicago slums this quote couldn’t be truer. The slums were/are a terrible place for not just children, but everyone to live. The Henry Horner homes in particular are full of death, drugs, and poverty. This may not seem like the greatest place for children to be raised, but for some, they know nothing different. The constant gang trouble, drug trafficking, and hiding from stray bullets are an everyday occurrence for people living in these government housing complexes. The devastation is a never-ending cycle. The parents get into drugs and violence, and the children have no choice but to imitate their parents and everyone around them as they grow up. The end of the cycle is unseen for most, but for some, such as Lajoe Rivers that cycle will end with her youngest five children. â€Å"But you know, there are no children here. We will write a custom essay sample on There Are No Children Here or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They’ve seen too much to be children. (Lajoe)† The plot begins in the summer of 1987, the boys, Lafeyette and Pharoah Rivers are enjoying their time near the tracks searching for snakes. Here, the boys could be children. They could let their imaginations run wild and they could just take a break from the horrible life they have waiting at home. Lafeyette and Pharoah are a part of large family living in the Chicago projects. Their mother, Lajoe, has eight children; the three older ones have slowly fallen off the deep end, but the five younger have a chance to do good. Lajoe takes great pride in her children and does everything she can to raise them to be upstanding citizens and stay out of trouble. She is greatly disappointed in the way her first three turned out, so she makes it a point to keep the younger kids under strict supervision. Because of the absence of their drug addicted father, Lafeyette, a child himself, takes the role of man of the house. He looks out for his siblings and takes care of his mother. Even when Lajoe loses her welfare check, her Lafeyette stands strong and reassures her it will all be ok. During the course of their lives, the children face everything from drugs, violence, rape, imprisonment, and worse of all, death. They learn quickly that they must grow up fast to overcome the despair that shadows their everyday lives. Lajoe tries hard to preserve the youth of Pharoah and the triplets. Because of this, most of the responsibility gets put on Lafeyette and his childhood is quickly taken from him. Throughout the boy’s lives, there are significant events that shape the way they grow up and how they learn to cope with their surroundings. For Lafeyette, losing several close friends to violent deaths results in him hating gangs, and also resenting police officers. Pharoah eventually finds himself having bad feelings towards the white people that just offer ridicule and never help, to the worthless black boys. Racism plays a huge role in the boy’s lives, and the older they get the more they can see and understand it. But, in the end, Lajoe is successful in what she dreamed and hoped for. Lafeyette, Pharoah, and the triplets all turn out to be good kids and for the most part, stay out of trouble. The housing complex is fixed up with the arrival of Vincent Lane, and news of Terence getting his GED warms his mother’s heart. Among the main characters is a young boy, Pharoah Rivers. Pharoah, around nine years old in the beginning of the book is the fifth child born of Lajoe Rivers. Life in the projects takes a great toll on poor young Pharoah. He is old enough to know what is going on, but still young enough that he hides behind his youth to shield himself from the terrifying experiences of most children living in the Henry Horner homes. Throughout the story, Pharoah’s character changes on an up and down roller coaster. In the beginning he is a very shy, innocent, youthful young boy who tends to keep to himself. He spends most of his days daydreaming to escape his scary life. He thinks about the trees, the dog, the snakes, all the smaller things in life and it makes him happy. He is often ridiculed for being small for his age, but his drive for knowledge makes up for his size and he excels in school. Although Pharoah struggles with a stutter and it seems to get worse throughout most of his childhood, he manages to overcome it and takes great pleasure in answering questions and speaking out in class. His mother relished in the fact that her son was so brilliant for his age, and often bragged about the young boy. Pharoah is Pharoah. He’s going to be something,† she would tell friends. â€Å"When he was a baby, I held him up and asked him if he’d be the one. I’ve always wanted to see one of my kids graduate from high school. I asked him if he’d be the one to get me a diploma. † (Lajoe, 116) I feel that out of all the characters in the book, I relate most to Pharoah. Although I am not a small black boy living in the projects, nor do I have any similar life experiences; our personalities parallel in several different ways. Growing up I was the small stick girl that everyone else would make fun of. Because of my bony figure I was often teased and thought to be younger than I really was. And like Pharoah, I learned to look past how small I was and build all my strength and power with my mind. I excelled in school every year of my life. Through elementary school I was awarded certificates for my achievements and enrolled into the â€Å"Talented and Gifted† program at my school. I was smart for my age, almost a couple years ahead in some subjects. This persisted through middle school, high school, and even through college. I strive to do my best, just as Pharoah does. I can imagine that Pharoah’s mind looks somewhat like mine did when I was his age. I had the biggest imagination and often used it as an escape from normal life. No, normal life for me was not drugs, gangs, and street violence; but I still had a sometimes empty and scary reality. My military family and I lived overseas all of my childhood and my father was often absent due to fighting for our country. Every day he was gone my siblings and I would wonder if we would ever get to see him again, or if he would be killed doing his job and never return. That was my scary reality, and the constant absence of my father caused me to daydream and life in a fantasy world most of my days. Because of this, I can understand why Pharoah tries so hard to hold onto his childhood and how he can life every day in a daydream to escape the harsh reality of his life. â€Å"As the young children pursued each other from one end of the parking lot to the other, Pharoah stood by himself on the building’s back stoop. He leaned on the black metal bannister. Chin in hand, and stared into space, paying little attention to the shrieking children just a few yards away. (Kotlowitz, 61) Poverty, the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor (Webster Dictionary). Poverty is a constant issue for not only the America, but all over the world. This theme runs the course of the books narrative, and is clearly shown in the lives of Project inhabitants. Throughout the story the cycle of poverty is clea rly shown. The living conditions and dependence on welfare is a definite example of what poverty looks like. Gangs run the streets, drugs run the gangs; and with both of these comes violence. For most in the Projects, the only way to live is through illegal activity. Often it is easier to get into and faster to make money. And for most, it is nearly impossible to escape. In the book there is mention of â€Å"The Other America†, referring to the projects. Because America strives to be the greatest country citizens often try to hide the poverty that runs our inner city streets. For the wealthy it is easier to just turn away and pretend this â€Å"other America† doesn’t exist. â€Å"Horner sat so close to the city’s business district that from the Sears Tower observation deck, tourists could have watched Lafeyette duck gunfire on his birthday. (Kotlowitz, 13) Poverty is a reality for many Americans. The constant reliance on food stamps, welfare, and government housing is what these people live like. The sad thing is that Americans would rather pretend this doesn’t go on in our country than do anything to fix it. For me, this doesn’t make any sense. Because my mother works for First Steps; a government funded program for underprivileged families with children with disabilities, I have seen firsthand what poverty in America looks like. When I help my mother on her job and we enter the run down unsubsidized houses or the broken down trailers and shacks it gives me the overwhelming feeling of hate and anger towards our government and people. There is no reason there should be so much poverty in our country. I feel if American citizens would stop worrying about everyone else in the world and just try to fix our country; a majority of poverty could be eliminated. â€Å"Many times, American citizens talk about helping abroad in underdeveloped countries. As an international student, I appreciate that. However, if there is poverty right across the street, why not help those of where you live? † (Molina, 1) Exactly! Why are we sending so much money out of our nation? In the end all that is going to do is hurt us. America is not the only country to have problems with sending money away; a British writer states that it would be immoral to withdraw their funds to lesser countries, but the rich should also be more generous in the sense that they give more to their own country, not everyone else (Glennie). A little generosity is all it takes. Ther are many people in America that have millions of dollars. It doesn’t take much to feed a needy family, so why do they hoard the money? Due to the governmental changes, and the economy failing, the American Government is putting more and more of its people into poverty. The numbers of jobless, homeless, starving families is reaching new heights and isn’t going to stop until people help each other out (Shaft). The first step to fixing poverty in America is to look and realize it’s here. There should not be people growing up in the â€Å"Other America†, this should not exist. Americans need to come together and get the country straight. I know it is easier said than done, but nothing will get done until someone first says something about it. People like Lajoe and her family don’t need to live in fear, not in the greatest country in the world.

How to Select a Science Fair Project Topic

How to Select a Science Fair Project Topic Great science fair projects dont need to be expensive or difficult. Even so, science fair projects can be very stressful and frustrating for students, parents, and teachers! Here are some tips for coming up with science fair project ideas, deciding how to turn an idea into a clever project, performing the science fair project, writing a meaningful report about it, and presenting a great-looking, sturdy display. The key to getting the most out of your science fair project is to start working on it as soon as possible! If you wait until the last minute you will feel rushed, which leads to feelings of frustration and anxiety, which makes good science harder than it needs to be. These steps for developing a science project work, even if you procrastinate until the last possible minute, but your experience wont be as much fun! Science Fair Project Ideas Some people are brimming with great science project ideas. If you are one of those lucky students, feel free to skip to the next section. If, on the other hand, the brainstorming part of the project is your first hurdle, read on! Coming up with ideas isnt a matter of brilliance. Its a matter of practice! Dont try to come up with only one idea and make it work. Come up with lots of ideas. First: think about what interests you. If your science project is restricted to a subject, then think about your interests within those limits. This is a chemistry site, so Ill use chemistry as an example. Chemistry is a huge, broad category. Are you interested in foods? properties of materials? toxins? drugs? chemical reactions? salt? tasting colas? Go through everything you can think of that relates to your broad topic and write down anything that sounds interesting to you. Dont be timid. Give yourself a brainstorming time limit (like 15 minutes), enlist the help of friends, and dont stop thinking or writing until the time is up. If you cant think of anything that interests you about your subject (hey, some classes are required, but not everyones cup of tea, right?), then force yourself to think up and write down every topic under that subject until your time is up. Write down broad topics, write down specific topics. Write anything that comes to mind - have fun! See, there are LOTS of ideas! If you were desperate, you had to resort to ideas on websites or in your textbook, but you should have some ideas for projects. Now, you need to narrow them down and refine your idea into a workable project. Science is based on the scientific method, which means you need to come up with a testable hypothesis for a good project. Basically, you need to find a question about your topic that you can test to find an answer. Look over your idea list (dont be afraid to add to it at any time or cross off items that you dont like... its your list, after all) and write down questions that you can ask and can test. There are some questions you cant answer because you dont have the time or the materials or the permission to test. With respect to time, think of a question that can be tested over a fairly short time span. Avoid panic and dont try to answer questions that take most of the time you have for the entire project. An example of a question that can be answered quickly: Can cats be right or left pawed? Its a simple yes or no question. You can get preliminary data (assuming you have a cat and a toy or treats) in a matter of seconds, and then determine how you will construct a more formal experiment. (My data indicates yes, a cat can have a paw preference. My cat is left-pawed, just in case you are wondering.) This example illustrates a couple of points. First, yes/no, positive/negative, more/less/same, quantitative questions are easier to test/answer than value, judgement, or qualitative questions. Second, a simple test is better than a complicated test. If you can, plan to test one simple question. If you combine variables (Like determining whether paw use varies between males and females or according to age), you will make your project infinitely more difficult. Heres a first chemistry question: What concentration of salt (NaCl) needs to be in water before you can taste it? If you have a calculator, measuring utensils, water, salt, tongue, pen, and paper, youre set! Then you can proceed to the next section on experimental design. Still stumped? Take a break and go back to the brainstorming section later. If you are having a mental block, you need to relax in order to overcome it. Do something that relaxes you, whatever that may be. Play a game, take a bath, go shopping, exercise, meditate, do housework... as long as you get your mind off of the subject for a bit. Come back to it later. Enlist help from family and friends. Repeat as necessary and then continue to the next step.

Preposition near Doesnt Need a to

Preposition near Doesnt Need a to Preposition near Doesnt Need a to Preposition near Doesnt Need a to By Maeve Maddox Daniel writes: The expression â€Å"near to X, Y, or Z† is becoming prevalent, even in the Times (of London).   Whats wrong with â€Å"near†?   Is there any linguistic ammunition that can be fired in the direction of this misuse? The question comes from England and most of the â€Å"near to† examples I found by cruising the web I found on British sites: There are [sic] a distinct lack of pubs near to the ground (sports field) as it is built away from other buildings. the pub is near to the junction with the A34 The church is near to Charing Cross, Waterloo and Blackfriars stations. This caption is the only â€Å"near to† I was able to find for the US: Panorama from the lawn behind Living Stones Church near to Kailua-Kona. Hawaiian tourist site. Plenty examples of near without the unnecessary â€Å"to† are to be found on British sites: Saint Marys Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio of the red cave. information about St Cwyfans Church, near Aberffraw Wembley Arena Hotels offers great rates on over 50 hotels near Wembley Arena. American usage definitely favors near without a â€Å"to†: Other attractions near our Houston, Texas hotel include Situated near some of the most recognizable landmarks in Washington DC, this hotel provides easy access to renowned monuments, Patent attorneys located near the US Patent Office People visiting the Little Rock area can find several hotels near Verizon Arena that offer suite accommodations. The adverb nearby sometimes gets lumbered with â€Å"to.† In this example the preposition is used without the extra word, but the adverb gets a â€Å"to†: Nearby to the pub is the hidden 13th century church of St John the Baptist the most isolated church in Surrey. The pub is near the T-junction at the top. Not everyone sees the tacked-on â€Å"to† as an error. I came across this â€Å"tip† on an ESL site: Use the preposition near with or without to for the same meaning. Ex. He lives near (to) the bank. My friends play soccer near (to) my office building. Adding a â€Å"to† after the preposition is grammatically unnecessary. Nothing is lost by dropping the â€Å"to† in the following examples: the pub is near the junction with the A34 The church is near Charing Cross Can it be a regional thing? 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 Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Program vs. ProgrammeWriting the Century20 Slang Terms for Law Enforcement Personnel

Horror movie- Man versus monsters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Horror movie- Man versus monsters - Essay Example An all-time rival of Mr. James Devin- The neighbor of Mr. James who also does fishing. Martha- An old superstitious neighbor of Mr. James. She is a widower who lives alone with her numerous cats. Plot The movie starts with Mr. James on the lake in his boat. It is late in the afternoon and Mr. James is fatigued with the day’s work. He harms his usual favorite tune as he goes about his final fishing of the day. Devin, his childhood friend and a neighbor, is watching from the sides of the lake as he smokes tobacco from his pot. Somehow Mr. James’ vessel stops to move and he does not understand why. He tries to speed up the engine but all is in vain as the boat rocks up and down from the forming waves in the lake but does not move a single inch forward. From the shores of the lake, Devin spots the mayhem that is going on in the lake. He stands up and looks on more keenly and closely. He discovers that Mr. James is indeed in some kind of a limbo and that not all is well with him. He shouts at the top of his voice inquiring on how Mr. James is faring. His voice is however drowned by the sound of the roaring engine of the vessel which Mr. James is trying to speed up so as to get off the stuck position. â€Å"James, are you alright?† shouts Devin over and over again. After struggling with the vessel for some four or so minutes, Mr. James decides to find out what is getting the vessel stuck and to deal with it at once. Over the years of his fishing endeavors, Mr. James has come about such instances but every time the vessel would veer off the path of whatever was getting it stuck if the engine was speeded up. This does not seem to work this time round and it got Mr. James a little bit nervous. As Mr. James approaches the side of the boat to check out the state of the water surrounding the boat, the entire vessel is abruptly lifted up and it comes down tumbling in the water in a capsizing position. Devin gets all jittery as he is helplessly watching Mr. James going into the water with his head first. Mr. James has been brought up near the lake and he has very perfect swimming skills. He drops into the water and recollects his senses, then immediately tries to come up above the level of the water and swim to the shore. He feels something pulling his leg down in a manner that would definitely get to drown him. He uses his left foot to kick the foreign creature that is pulling him down. The first sight of the monster flashes on the screen for seconds as it is shown receiving the kick blow from Mr. James and letting him loose. As proposed by Kleeblatt (58), this is a perfect way of introducing a key element in a film. Apparently, Mr. James gets to kick the monster in his left eye and it loses its composure. Devin jumps into the water and helps James as he is swimming outside. They get to the shore and both can not tell what exactly has attacked them. The winds drive the James’ boat to the shoreline and it spends the night th ere unmanned. James and his neighbor Devin go home with no fish and with very frightened faces. Soon, the story of the ordeal that has happened at the lake gets to the entire locality. People have mixed reactions concerning the story. Most of the people find it difficult to believe that the story has indeed happens. Some believe in it partially, but still leave some room for doubt. The James’ old neighbor Martha is among those who have a very weird explanation of the ordeal. She believs that the story

Annotated bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Annotated Bibliography Example The method that has been used by the author is order to conduct the research is the case study with an authentic usage of parallelism. There are many cases and facts that have been brought to life by the author. The reason behind using this source for the paper is because it reveals many important reasons behind the development and transitions between older and modern communities. The second source taken for the purpose of research work is one that has been cited by various researchers. It is mainly because the source makes use of a wide array of cases, chronology, illustrations that indicate the readers about the history of Europe during 1648 till 1815. The objective of the source is to discuss the main conflicts that were noted or observed during the selected period. The religious factors, societal aspects and economic decline are the highlights of the book. The authors of the book have rather become the reason for high credibility of the book because they are well informed and professional able in the field of

The Story of an Hour Essay Example for Free

The Story of an Hour Essay The Story of an Hour is a work of short fiction by southern regionalist writer Kate Chopin. Originally published in Vogue magazine in 1984, this widely read story by Chopin did not receive strong recognition until it was rediscovered during the height of the feminist movement back in the 1960’s. This work of the author greatly reflects and represents Chopin’s personal view on women’s roles in society which very much shocked her reading audience at the time. As a writer, Chopin was highly influenced by the southern environment she grew in. She was raised in a household of intelligent, independent, pioneering women for she was raised by her French-Creole mother and grandmother (who was the first woman in Kansas to be legally separated from her husband) after being orphaned of her father at the young age of four. Toth in her biography notes that Chopin â€Å"†¦also smoked cigarettes in public and revelled in wandering around alone, drinking beer. † Like in many of her other writings, in The Story of an Hour she illustrates to the reader [some of] the concerns faced by women and their plight to have their own identity. The Story of an Hour is a story set in the late 19th century when women’s duties were basically to keep house, bear children and present themselves as faithful loving wives and not much more. It tells the story of a married southern woman, Louise Mallard, who receives news of her husband’s (Brently Mallard) death. Being of frail condition, those around her (sister Josephine and family friend Richards) took great care in gently revealing to her the disastrous news. At first the heroine takes the reception of the news like any other loving wife of the time: with despair and grief. However, when Louise isolates herself from her sister and Richards to deal with her feelings in private, she realizes something quite surprising to herself. To her surprise [and the reader’s], â€Å"a monstrous joy†¦held her† (Chopin) and it was during this moment of epiphany she realizes her overwhelming desire for freedom. Empowered by her new realization, Louise ends her brief isolation and decides to go down from her room to welcome her future filled with â€Å"days that would be her own† (Chopin). However, with a sudden twist of faith, her erroneously reported deceased husband walks into the house to the surprise of everyone. As a result, Louise ended up dying ironically â€Å"of heart diseaseof the joy that kills† (Chopin). This short fiction by Chopin tackles the issue of identity and self-discovery of women. Written in a time where numerous social and ethical questions were in the minds of most Americans, Chopin’s take on the â€Å"Woman Question† proved to be quite controversial for the period. Rejected initially for its feminist message, The Story of an Hour is a prime example of how the author tackles female self-assertion. In the story, the author subtly hints at the social oppression of women. During the period at which the story was originally written, the standards upheld by general society for women were that of selfless wives and mothers. This is reflected in the way the lead character Louise Mallard doesn’t even receive a name at the beginning of the story. She is only referred to as Mrs. Mallard and in pronouns until much later in the story. Ironically her husband Brently, a minor character, is named at the beginning of the story. By the simple omission of Louise’s name early in the story the author manages to imply how women at the time were mere â€Å"property† of men – that they were â€Å"attachments† to their father’s and husbands.

The Meaning of Home in The Seafarer Essays -- The Seafarer Essays

The Meaning of Home in The Seafarer  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚     It is important to consider the meaning of home when analyzing The Seafarer. The narrator of this poem seems to feel a sense of belonging while traveling the sea despite the fact that he is obviously disillusioned with its hardships .The main character undergoes a transformation in what he considers home and this dramatically affects his life and lifestyle. Towards the end of The Seafarer the poet forces us to consider our mortality, and seems to push the notion that life is just a journey and that we will not truly be at home until we are with God.   The first instance of a sense of home in this poem comes with the description of the former life of the narrator in his pre-seafaring days. He leaves his old life for some unspecified reason, telling us that he was "cut off from his kinsmen", and he talks about this with a definite sense of regret and loss. Winter on the sea is presented as an "exile" or "wrà ¦can"1 , a form of punishment where someone is forced to leave their homeland, the place where they belong. It seems that in the early stages of the poem the seafarer identifies his life with his kinsmen on land as his home, the place that he belongs.   At first he does not seem content with his seafaring life. During the early descriptions of his time there, it is painted as a life of hardship and penance. Images and adjectives of the sea and life there are harsh and foreboding-"ice cold", "hung round with icicles" , "fettered with frost". The sea is seen as cold, and not just in the physical sense .It is remote, a place of despair , an earthly purgatory, where there is "always anxiety †¦. as to what the Lord will bestow on him"2. The narrator is cut away from the comforts ... ... angels"6.What ever home we make for ourselves on Earth, we must keep in perspective that it is only temporary.   To conclude, there are two main opposing representations and aspects of home presented in this poem, from what is seen as the "norm", the narrators life on land, to the "favoured", the narrators life at sea. Home is irrevocably linked to lifestyle and should not just be where the heart is,(though there is a sense that our "Heart's fulfilment" is important) but should more importantly be a place where we can live a life that will bring us towards heaven, which the poem portrays as our eternal home. The Seafarer is a poem which urges us to carefully "consider where we possess our home, and then think how we com thither."  Ã‚     Works Cited   Mitchell, Bruce and Robinson, Michael A Guide To Old English, fifth edition 1992 , Blackwell Publishers , Oxford .  Ã‚  

Atlantic Slave Trade Essay

A slave can be defined as a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another, a bond servant or a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person. Slavery was well recognized in many early civilizations. Ancient Egypt, Ancient China, the Akkad Ian Empire, Assyria, Ancient India, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, the Islamic Caliphate, the Hebrews in Palestine, and the pre-Columbian civilizations of the Americas all had either a form of debt-slavery, punishment for crime, enslavement of prisoners of war, child abandonment or birth of slave children to slaves. However, as the sixteenth century approached, so did the change in the way slavery would be looked at, for years to come. The Atlantic slave trade became the name of the three part economic cycle that involved four continents for four centuries and millions of people. The Atlantic slave trade or the middle passage, triangular trade and slavery affected the economy of Europe, Africa and the Americas in both negative and positive aspects. Starting in the 1430’s Portuguese were the first to sail down the coast of Africa to search for gold and jewels. The Portuguese had to extend their power across the co+ast because Sub-Saharan Africa’s trade routes were controlled by the Islamic Empire. By 1445, The Portuguese conquered three African countries and created trading posts. This allowed them access to Europe across the Sahara. Initially, the Portuguese traded copperware, cloth, tools, wine and horses for pepper, ivory and most importantly gold. The first slave purchase is said to have taken place in 1441 when the Portuguese caught two African males while they were along the coast. The Africans in the nearby village paid them in gold for their return. Eventually, they developed the idea that they could get more gold by transporting slaves along Africa’s coast. The Muslims were enticed by the idea of slavery as they used them as porters and for profit. Portugal had a monopoly on the export of slaves in Africa for more than two hundred years. This encounter is the beginning of one of the most tragic events in history, the Atlantic triangular trade (Thomas 1997). A triangular trade evolves when a region has export commodities that aren’t required in the region which its major imports come and provides a method for trade imbalances. The triangular trade is named for the rough shape it makes on a map. It worked like a triangle between all the colonies that were involved. For centuries the world was took part in its most successful trading system. There where nearly fifteen million Africans were shipped to both North and South America for more than three-hundred. Slaves, cash crops and manufactured goods were the most traded between the Americas, Europe and Africa. The Europeans controlled the first stage of the trade by carrying supplies for sale and trade such as, cloth, spirit, tobacco, beads, shells, metal goods and guns. This was their method of which were used to help expand empires and capture more slaves. These goods were exchanged for purchased and kidnapped African slaves (www. nmm. ac. uk/freedom/viewTheme. cfm/theme/triangular). African kings and merchants would capture the slaves or organize campaigns ran by the Europeans. The motives of the Europeans were based on one thing; they lacked a major source, a work force. It was stated that the Indigenes people were unreliable and Europeans were unsuited to the climate. However, Africans had experience in agriculture, keeping cattle, content with the climate. Africa soon became reliant on the slavery of their people and the profits that came along with it. The next stage involved the slaves being transported by voyage to the Americas and Caribbean, the middle passage (PBS. â€Å"The African Slave Trade and the Middle Passage. † http://www. pbs. org/wgbh/aia/part1/1narr4. html). The middle passage was a perilous, horrendous journey slaves made across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. The final stage of the Atlantic slave trade was the return to Europe from the Americas with the produce from the slave-labor plantations. Most regions of North and South America were used to provide these raw materials to Europe for manufacturing. This wasn’t the first or only slave trade, but it was the cruelest. What began as a quest for gold ended as a quest for slaves, leaving a major stamp on African and American history (Thomas 1997). Before undergoing the middle passage, slaves faced human misery and suffering. Kidnapped slaves were forced to walk shackled in slave caravans to European coastal forts. Due to the lack of food and energy, half of the slaves became sick and were killed or left to die. Some had the strength to make it so they were left in underground dungeons. For years, Africans were stranded in these dungeons across the coast of Africa.. There, they wait on the embarked horrid encounter of the entire slave trade, the middle passage. None of the previous passengers returned to their homeland so none of the Africans knew what they were about to endure. The voyages were generally organized by companies and investors because they were a huge financial burden(â€Å"The African Slave Trade and the Middle Passage). Two theories show the packing of slaves in the European ships; loose and tight packing. Loose packing carried less slaves with the hopes of more room and more slaves making it to the Americas alive and in fair condition. This was exchanged for tight packing. Captains believed despite more casualties, this would yield a greater profit. On occasion, veterinarians inspected the slaves before the voyage to determine which slaves could make it across the Atlantic Ocean. The enslaved Africans were chained together by hand and foot, not even being able to lie on one’s side. They ate, slept, urinated, defecated, gave birth and died all in that one spot. There was overcrowding, inadequate ventilation and little to no sanitation. Twenty percent of every hundred died along the way from either suffocation, starvation, amoebic dysentery, scurvy or a disease such as small pox. The slaves that died were thrown overboard as well as the slaves that showed illness. Some threw their self-overboard risking their life rather than deal with these horrific measures. Approximately fifteen million captured Africans were sent to the Americas. The middle passage was the longest, most dangerous part of the Atlantic slave trade (â€Å"The Middle Passage Experience†). From the seventeenth century on, slaves became the focus of trade between Europe and Africa. Europe had already colonized North and South America as well as the Caribbean islands from the fifteenth century onward. This created an insatiable demand for African laborers, who were deemed â€Å"more fit† to work in the tropical conditions of the New World. The numbers of slaves imported across the Atlantic Ocean steadily increased, from approximately 5,000 slaves a year in the sixteenth century to over 100,000 slaves a year by the end of the eighteenth century (www. mariner. org/captivepassage). Upon their arrival to the Americas, the slaves were washed, greased and placed inside dungeons. The grease added a more appealing look making the slaves appear healthier so the profit would be much higher. European slave traders made sure all of their potential properties were in well condition before bidding. They were branded with a hot iron to keep their identity as a slave. There were two main types of slave auctions; highest bidder or grab and go auctions. Highest bidder was a bidding process which the buyer with the highest bid would get the slave. Grab and go auctions was the process in which the buyer would give the trader an agreed amount of money in exchange for a ticket. This process was where the slaves were released from their dungeon and the buyers would rush and grab the slave they wanted, Each slave would be sold to an owner who owned a great deal of land and worked on either a plantation or mine and there, the living conditions were still only barely better (Curtin 1969) A prominent African, author and a major influence on the enactment of the Slave Trade Act of 1807, Olaudah Equiano was well aware and very familiar with the Atlantic slave trade. At the age of eleven, Equiano and his sister were kidnapped from his village in Nigeria. He survived the middle passage, and taken to the West Indies. He tells how he was bought by Captain Pascal, a British naval Officer as a â€Å"present† for a cousin. He tells how was enslaved in North America for ten years, working as a seaman. In 1766, he bought his freedom and wrote an autobiography, â€Å"The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano,† Equiano gave a firsthand look of the conditions enslaved Africans were forced to live. This document was one of the first documents that explained, thoroughly, the terrible human cruelty of the Atlantic slave trade (Wright et al. 001). Although many lives were taken or at risk, The Atlantic slave trade fulfilled its major goal, profit and change the three continents. Europe, America and Africa’s economy were all affected by the slave trade. Europe’s economy was suffering before the slave trade. The Atlantic slave trade was during the time of recovery for Europe and completely recovered their economy. Because of the success of the trade, they needed more people to manufacture raw materials and export them to Africa. The great supply of jobs created many exports and the income to buy imports. By the end of the slave trade, Europe’s economy was in well standings as one of the wealthiest continents in the world. The America’s economies rose too. They were honored with a free workforce that provided many resources from sugar to cotton. The free labor allotted for them to received one hundred percent of the profit. They were importing more slaves and exporting the goods made by them to gaining wealth. America’s economy became agriculturally stable and soon industrialized. Europe and the Americas economies were affected in a positive way. However, Africa’s economy received a negative effect. Many, for years lived in fear due to slavery. African villages became small and poor. All of the kingdoms that were strong at one time, collapsed and were conquered. They received raw material goods from the slave trade but with nothing shown. The African kings prospered only because they were heavily involved in the slave trade. As the kings’ wealth grew, their economy was at a standstill and eventually failed. The Atlantic slave trade, human cruelty and evil at its finest, had a substantial effect on Europe, the Americas and Africa (www. understandingslavery. com).

Girl by Jamaica Kincaid

The short story â€Å"Girl† by Jamaica Kincaid is a story of the belief that happiness steams from a life of domesticity. The central topics of gender roles in a family structure, and the expression of female sexuality and will be examined. A look into the mother’s beliefs on the necessity of serving your husband and remaining sexually conservative will be the focus. Secondly, the importance of food and clothes in the story will be looked at, providing evidence to the central claim of being content with this lifestyle. Lastly, the relationship between the mother and daughter will be discussed, reflecting on if the views of the mother will ultimately make the decisions for the daughter, as to the path she will follow in her own life. The portrayal of gender roles in this story shows the husband as the breadwinner and the wife staying home to tend to the house and children. This could be considered traditional, however we would consider it outdated in western society today. This story has the mother, teaching her daughter her place in Antiguan society, most likely in the fifties, and in a marriage. This is demonstrated though the teaching of everyday tasks she will need to know to run a household smoothly. It is also clear that the mother’s life reflects these ideals that a husband should be the one working and the wife is to be happy and content by taking pride in her home. The mother also has very strong views on behavior and throughout the story gives many warnings on this such as â€Å"on Sundays try and walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming†. This is a very clear statement giving us an idea of the mother’s values with female sexuality as well as a reflection on the values at that time. She wants her daughter to find a husband and she believes kept pure, and with the knowledge of how to run a successful household, she will be a prize for any man. Abstinence sounds great in theory, but this is not always the case for young women. In this time, expectations are to be wed and then have sex. As much as the mother would like to keep her daughter from having sex, from warning her, and teaching her things like letting then hem of her dress down to be longer, she does realize this may not happen. It is interesting how she feels it necessary to teach her how to get rid of a baby. This reference to abortion at this time shows how crucial the need to keep up appearances at any cost can be, even if it is illegal or against moral and religious beliefs. Food and clothes play an important role in many of the mother’s teachings. The mother shows the daughter how to cook pumpkin fritters, bread pudding, pepper pot and doukona. Some of these dishes are traditional Antiguan which shows the importance of tradition and doing things the way they always have been done. The mother also teachers her how to set tables specifically for different meals. This shows how in the household, eating together is an important part of her ideal home and family. The role of bread in this story is crucial. At the end, he mother teaches her how to squeeze the bread to tell if it is fresh. The daughter, replies â€Å"but what if the baker wont let me feel the bread? † The mother frustrated after all of her lessons is upset that her daughter has not gotten the point that if you do all of these things, you will not have to worry about it because the baker will respect you. The role of the clothes is quite similar to that of food. She teaches her daughter to keep things clean, how to separate the colors from the darks and lights, as well as when to wash each. This particular example shows how much importance the mother places on routine. She also mentions the pressing of her husband’s khaki pants, showing that the way he presents himself can be a reflection of her. Hemming dresses and skirts was looked at with relation to female sexuality earlier, but it also is an example of how much importance is placed on appearances. The relationship between the mother and daughter in this story is important to recognize because the mother seems to hold preconceived notions about what daughter will or will not become. Following most instructions her mother provides, the mother concludes the set with some mention of her daughter being bent on becoming a slut. It seems like she uses this word to encompass any from of deviance from the social norm. It’s questionable as to why her mother has such a strong fear that her daughter will become his—we do not have any specific examples identifying any reason for her to think such things of her own child. Therefore, we lack the ability to argue for or against such a point. However, this might be a difference in generation, perhaps the girl’s mother is stuck in the ways to which she was taught by women in her family before hand. Perhaps her mother has a fear that her daughter is going astray from her values or living a modernized life that she is so unfa miliar with. We tend to fear what is unfamiliar, especially when it happens so close to home. Parents always want to teach their children what they know, however, children don’t always choose to follow. Whether the daughter chooses to listen and follow, or listen and lead her own life, it is clear that her mother has had a significant impact on the daughters life. The importance of domesticity to the mother, and having her daughter display a conservative sexuality ties back to the behaviours related to food and cloth in this story. The mother places this vital importance on household knowledge and respectable appearances, believing they are the key to overall happiness. This is clearly not the case. For some people this type of life could bring them a sense of fulfillment or accomplishment. However, for others, this may not feel like a life of their own and could live always feeling empty or wanting something more. People should be given the choice to do what they want. Unfortunately in this time, women did not get that luxury.

Strategic Perspectives The WritePass Journal

Strategic Perspectives Strategic Perspectives . In the former instance, the company was accused of employing suppliers in its outsourced production strategy who were running sweat shops, an accusation which subsequently led to the closure of one of its factories over poor labour conditions. The company agreed to these accusations taking the position that the misdeeds pointed out amounted to a serious breach to its code of conduct (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). In the latter instance, testimonies and claims of abuse and terror meted on 25 of Zara’s employees, including store managers and staff, were aired in the media.   The company undertook to regularize such situations through the enhancement of supervision of the production systems of its entire network of suppliers (Economist, 2012). 2.1   Stakeholder theory The Stakeholder theory states that, without regard to the fact that some stakeholders would make more contributions to the organization, all stakeholders are entitled to equal treatment (Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). Stakeholders include individuals, organizations or groups that have legitimate interest in the business and who therefore affect or are affected by its actions (Nordberg, 2011). With crises and concerns over abuses of human rights, Zara’s corporate reputation and brand equity was hard hit giving it the image of a business entity which neither places sufficient importance to the needs of its stakeholders nor regard to them (Economist, 2012; Buelens, et al., 2011). With the interdependence between the company and its stakeholders, it is essential for an organization, in the recognition of the needs of its stakeholders, to act and reason rationally as well as to make ethical responses. The organization’s leadership is required to have the desire, will and the skill that will ensure that all stakeholders are treated with respect and their voices heard (Buelens, et al., 2011). 2.2   Corporate social responsibility Among the ways in which corporate entities may shore up their reputation and image as perceived by its stakeholders is through conformance and adherence to ethical principles (Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). A notable avenue is the pursuit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which is a mechanism integrated into business processes and an organization’s business model that ensures that ethical principles and provisions in law are complied with and monitored (Nordberg, 2011; Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). It entails the deliberate attempts by an organization to do good as a corporate citizen in reciprocation of goodwill it enjoys from society. For success in ensuring adherence to ethical principles and in the endeavour to build up its corporate image and reputation, Zara needs to institute mechanisms towards CSR that would also serve to guide its mission towards a better relationship with its stakeholders, outline its stand on such issues and as well clearly indicate the promis es it intends to uphold for society as an entity obtaining its sustenance within society (Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). 2.3   Organizational ethics Organizational ethics is a concept that expresses the values of an organization to its stakeholders (Dricscoll and Hoffman, 2002). It includes written codes of ethics or standards such as Zara’s â€Å"Code of Conduct for External Manufacturers and Workshops of Inditex† which it claims to have had (Inditex, 2013); systems of reporting which are guarded with confidentiality; as well as ethics training and advice (Buelens, et al., 2011). Despite its claims of written codes of conduct, it is evident that they were not complied with, respected and adhered to. For its success in entrenching organizational ethics, Zara should endeavour to institute elaborate systems traversing the entire organization and its partners that enable the maintenance of requisite ethical standards (Nordberg, 2011). 3.0 Zara’s levels of strategy 3.1   Business level strategy of Zara The primary aim of a business in the competitive business environment, underpinning its goals and objectives of sustenance and growth, is to develop an edge over rival firms building on its resources and competencies. Porter fronts three generic strategies which a company can employ in its pursuit of competitive advantage over its rivals (Kim, Nam and Stimpert, 2004). They include cost leadership, in which a company seeks to offer similar value with a lower price; differentiation, achieved by a company when it offers benefits different from and of more value than those of its competitors; and, focus on either of the two (Kim, Nam and Stimpert, 2004). A company can pursue a hybrid of both strategies simultaneously, achieving differentiation and a price lower than its rivals. Zara pursues a hybrid strategy seeking to exploit both cost leadership and differentiation strategies. Its closest and most comparable rivals challenging its market presence and competitive advantage include Gap, HM and Benetton though Zara sits closest with HM in the more fashionable and less priced segment. Zara is however considered to be more fashionable among the three, a position the company intends to sustain and exploit (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). Its strategic venture into the low-cost segment through its Lefties brand of stores illustrates its pursuit of a clear cost leadership strategy enabling Zara to tap into lower market segments meeting the need of customers in the current harsh economic times (Inditex, 2013). This ensures that the company is still better placed to sustain its growth and profits even with unfavourable shifts in the economy and consumer spending. However, Zara primarily pursues a differentiation strategy through significant focus on competitive strategies that enhance overall efficiency in its entire value chain (Economist, 2012; Inditex, 2013). Zara’s value chain, which is often tweaked to enhance efficiency and performance, is a major platform upon which the company derives its differentiation from rivals. Enhanced efficiency is enabled by vertical integration and therefore control of crucial processes; employment of technology to coordinate suppliers, production and distribution processes; outsourcing of intensive tasks; as well as its finely-tuned logistics and just-in-time manufacturing strategy which shorten response time and enable the achievement of greater flexibility in variety, frequency and amount of new styles produced (Economist, 2012; Inditex, 2013; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009). The constant refinement of operations in pursuit of continuous efficiency gains including leveraging on technology to enhance crucial production processes has enabled the company to reverse the trend of costs rising faster than revenues. Enhanced efficiency and attendant effectiveness lead to the minimization of costly errors, reduction in costs which consequently enables the enhancement of bottom line and price (Inditex, 2013; Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). Zara also derives its differentiation from its effective market intelligence and focus on continuous awareness and understanding of the customer. Customer feedback through personalized ‘word-of-mouth’ interactions with staff at store level used to assess their preferences and wants is used to guide design and development, as well as other essential improvements (Inditex, 2013; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009). Unlike its competitor’s reliance on electronic consumer data, this has enabled quick turnaround of merchan dise through quicker replenishment of popular items and removal of slow-selling lines enabling Zara to generate more cash, reduce inventory and eliminate the need for significant debt on held inventories which has a direct impact on costs (Inditex, 2013; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009). These strategies and the resultant efficiency have enabled the company to achieve enhanced return visits by customers far greater than the industry average on several indices, a significant competitive advantage (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). They have also enabled Zara to incur significantly less expenditure on advertising with the saved revenue being redeployed to enhance competitive advantage (Inditex, 2013). 3.2   Corporate level strategy Corporate level strategy as the highest level of strategy in an organization is concerned with the overall scope, seeking to add value to constituent businesses/ elements within the entire organization (Lynch, R., 2006). In its pursuit of competitive advantage in the hostile business environment characterized by intense competition and economic challenges, Zara has adopted a growth focus in its corporate strategy. This is evidenced by its pursuit of vertical integration, market penetration, market development and product development strategies in an attempt to sustain its growth and strategic positioning in the fashion industry (Lynch, R., 2006; Inditex, 2013). Guiding these strategic decisions and particular choices, the Ansoff matrix highlights scenarios in consideration of the existence or newness of products or markets (Christodoulou and Patel, 2012; Mintzberg, et al., 2008). Existing product New product Existing market Market penetration Product development New market Market development Diversification Ansoff matrix 3.2.1   Market penetration and market development Zara is hindered by constraints resultant from its Spain-centred model, a major weakness in its endeavour to sustain growth and to maintain its strategic positioning (BloombergBusinessweek, 2009; Economist, 2012). An outward focus towards market development is essential. This has necessitated international expansion and the exploitation of untapped markets including North and South America, Asia, Middle East, Africa and the rest of Europe, particularly Italy.   Enabled by the construction of additional distribution facilities in Zaragoza, Spain and in South America, as well as the upward scaling of its logistics processes to enable the realization of economies of scale in the strategic expansion, the company has spread out into Asia, America, Australia, India and Africa (BloombergBusinessweek, 2009; Economist, 2012). The company has also sought to achieve market penetration in its development of virtual stores, tapping into the opportunities in internet retailing and marketing through online stores and boutiques. Available in ten countries and seeking entry into the USA and Korea, the company has since 2010 sought to exploit this model venturing into this field (Inditex, 2013; Economist, 2012). 3.2.2    Product development For a company to survive and grow in the fast changing fashion industry, it is essential that a business keenly enhances product development, matching or beating its rivals in output and production of new items. Zara has endeavoured to maximize its throughput of new items keeping merchandise in stores always new and fresh. This frequency, enabled by just-in-time manufacturing and focus on limited runs, also ensures that products do not stay long enough risking replication or imitation (Inditex, 2013; Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). The active pursuit of market intelligence and awareness and appreciation of customer preference ensures that the company does not become complacent and unresponsive thereby losing its track in the fast changing and intensely competitive industry (Carpenter and Sanders, 2007; Thompson, et al., 2008). 3.2.3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vertical integration To enhance control of the entire business and its processes, achieve stability of production and thereby strengthen its competitive position, Zara has pursued vertical integration strategies. These include forward integration through the investment in distribution facilities and specialty stores, as well as backward into production and manufacturing facilities. Zara has also developed subsidiaries that manage its purchases of fabric and dyes (Inditex, 2013). The company has undertaken this strategy in an endeavour to minimize its exposure to expensive distributors and suppliers and the inefficiency attendant to the lack of complete control of especially crucial processes. 4.0 Recommendations Zara in its performance and strategic positioning can be considered to be a success. However, the company cannot afford complacency and should endeavour to maintain its competitiveness and to sustain its position in the fashion industry into the future. At its strategic position and level of maturity and given the slow growth of the fashion industry and attendant economic challenges (Economist, 2012; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009), a number of strategies are suggested for Zara to pursue for its sustenance into the future. Among these strategies is Diversification either into a business that also deals in fashion or to an unrelated field adding value and broadening present business. Also recommended is the strengthening and sustenance of its successful strategies such as efficiency in its entire value chain which has been the primary factor that has enabled its differentiation; Market Development in its international expansion and exploitation of new markets; and Market Penetration in the exploitation of the boom in the information technology field, enhancing its virtual platforms and stores. Such ventures have the potential of being important avenues through which the company can acquire additional revenue, as well as, reducing its exposure to vulnerabilities of its centralized model and complete focus on a single line of business. 5.0 Evaluation of strategies A simple and straightforward criteria used to evaluate strategy is the Suitability, Acceptability and Feasibility model (SAF). It offers a process of rationalization to assess importance, priority and likely success of each strategy identified (Haberberg, A., and A., Rieple, 2008; Thompson, et al., 2008). This report evaluates two strategies identified above including: diversification and continued market development. 5.1   Suitability Suitability is concerned with the rationale of the strategy and its overall fit in the organization’s mission (Thompson, et al., 2008). At the company’s level of maturation, with regard to the Industry Life Cycle (ILC), and stature in the fashion industry, diversification is highly recommended as a priority strategy given that its strong competitive position in the fashion industry is constrained by slowed growth in the market. This strategy would enable the broadening of present business to include complementary products (Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). Continued market development is also recommended for Zara enabling it to tap into new markets enhancing its growth and ensuring its sustainability. These strategies would generally also enable the company to lower its vulnerabilities to financial and political factors that could affect it given its centralized model, as well as risks attendant to the fashion industry (Economist, 2012; Mintzberg, et al., 2008). 5.2   Acceptability Acceptability deals with the expected outcomes of the implementation of strategy and expectations of stakeholders (Thompson, et al., 2008). Diversification, if pursued, would enable the capturing of cross-business strategic fits such as the creation of new competitive strengths and capabilities, the sharing of facilities to reduce costs, and/or the spreading of risks across diverse businesses (Christodoulou   and Patel, 2012). Market Development and entry into new territories/geographical areas and distribution channels enable the company to exploit markets that are not saturated, utilising its surplus production capacity. These strategies would enable the generation of additional revenue and the securing of shareholder interests which contribute to the enhancement of shareholder value (Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). They would also reduce risks due to Zara’s centralized mode of operations. 5.3   Feasibility Feasibility is concerned with the capacity of the organization to implement the strategy, especially focusing on the availability of resources (Thompson, et al., 2008). With Zara’s success in the fashion industry and, consequently, availability of adequate financial and organizational resources, as well as the consideration of the diminishing prospects of growth in the fashion industry (Economist, 2012; BloombergBusinessweek, 2009), diversification should be a priority strategy for Zara. Its surplus financial and organizational resources can be exploited to enable the company’s sustenance and growth. These surplus resources can also be utilized in pursuit of Market Development. Its highly efficient distribution system can be scaled up, such as in its present initiative to develop additional distribution facilities (Inditex, 2013), to build the company’s capacity to exploit the opportunity offered. Zara has successfully found activities that matter to customers and has significantly enhanced key activities enhancing its key activities. However, to sustain this strategic position and achieve necessary growth into the future, the company needs to pursue appropriate strategies as outlined above especially diversification, market development and the continuous pursuit of efficiency gains. 6.0 References BloombergBusinessweek, 2009. Zara Looks to Asia for Growth. August 26 Buelens, M., K., Sinding, C., Waldstrom, R., Kreitner, and A., Kinicki, 2011. Organisational Behaviour, 4th Edition: McGrawHill Higher Education Carpenter, M., and W., Sanders, 2007. Strategic Management: A Dynamic Perspective. Harlow: Pearson Prentice Hall Dricscoll, D., and W., Hoffman, 2002. Ethics Matters: How to Implement Values-Driven Management Economist, 2012. Inditex Fashion forward Zara: Spain’s most successful brand, is trying to go global. Mar 24th. LA CORUÑA Haberberg, A., and A., Rieple, 2008. Strategic Management: Theory and Application, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Inditex, 2013. Zara. Viewed from: inditex.com/en/who_we_are/concepts/zara Kim, Nam and Stimpert, 2004. â€Å"The Applicability of Porter’s Generic Strategies in the Digital Age: Assumptions, Conjectures, and Suggestions.† In: Journal of Management, 30, 5 Lynch, R., 2006. Corporate Strategy, (4th ed.), Harlow: FT Prentice Hall Mintzberg, H., B., Ahlstrand, and J., Lampel, 2008. Strategy Safari: The Complete Guide Through the Wilds of Strategic Management , 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall Nordberg, D., 2011. Corporate Governance: Principles and Issues. London: Sage Publications. Christodoulou, I., and Z., Patel 2012. BKEY 601 Strategic Perspectives, McGraw Hill editions. Thompson, A., A., Strickland, and J., Gamble, 2008. Crafting and Executing Strategy: (16th edition), Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill

Nanoflares Keep Things Hot on the Sun

Nanoflares Keep Things Hot on the Sun One thing we all know about the Sun: its incredibly hot. The surface (the outermost layer of the Sun that we can see) is 10,340 degrees Fahrenheit (F), and the core (which we cant see) is 27 MILLION degrees F. Theres another part of the Sun that lies between the surface and us: its the outermost atmosphere, called the corona.Its some 300 times hotter than the surface. How can something farther away and out in space be hotter? You would think it would actually be cooling off the farther away it gets from the Sun.   This question of how the corona gets so hot has kept solar scientists busy for a long time, trying to find an answer. It was once assumed that the corona heated gradually, but the cause of the heating was a mystery.   The Sun is heated from within by a process called fusion. The core is a nuclear furnace, fusing atoms of hydrogen together to make atoms of helium. The process releases heat and light, which travel through the Suns layers until they escape from the photosphere. The atmosphere, including the corona, lie above that. It should be cooler, but its not. So, what could possibly heat the corona? One answer is nanoflares. These are tiny cousins of the big solar flares that we detect erupting from the Sun. Flares are sudden flashes of brightness from the Suns surface. They release incredible amounts of energy and radiation. Sometimes flares are also accompanied by massive releases of superheated plasma from the Sun called coronal mass ejections. These outbursts can cause whats called space weather  (such as displays of northern and southern lights)  at Earth and other planets. Nanoflares are a different breed of solar flare. First, they erupt constantly, crackling along like countless little hydrogen bombs. Second, they are very, very hot, getting up to 18 million degrees Fahrenheit. Thats hotter than the corona, which is usually a few million degrees F.   Think of them as a very hot soup, bubbling along on the surface of a stove, warming the atmosphere above it. With nanoflares, the combined heating of all those constantly blowing tiny explosions (which are as powerful as 10-megaton hydrogen bomb explosions) is likely why the coronosphere is so hot.    The nanoflare idea is relatively new, and only recently have these little explosions been detected. The concept of nanoflares was first proposed in the early 2000s, and tested beginning in 2013 by astronomers using special instruments on sounding rockets. During the short flights, they studied the Sun, looking for evidence of these tiny flares (which are only a billionth of the power of a regular flare). More recently, the NuSTAR mission, which is a space-based telescope sensitive to x-rays, looked at the Suns x-ray emissions and found evidence for the nanoflares.   While the nanoflare idea seems to be the best one that explains coronal heating, astronomers need to study the Sun more in order to understand how the process works. They will watch the Sun during solar minimum- when the Sun is not bristling with sunspots that can confuse the picture. Then,  NuSTAR and other instruments will be able to get more data to explain just how millions of tiny little flares going off just above the solar surface can heat the thin upper atmosphere of the Sun.

Environmental economics. Article review 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Environmental economics. Article review 4 - Essay Example This was done by monitoring their presence in automobile filters. Furthermore, it is checked using rain water which may contain the isotopes. It has been a great worry to most researchers, scientists and writers at large. Therefore thorough checking in all possible components in the environment that can be contaminated is analyzed. Food is one such an area of major concern to these interested parties (Smith1 et al, 2014). Analysis of the samples suspected to contain heavy metals and isotopes is done using spectroscopy techniques. During analysis of the dangerous rays and substances, safety measures are taken into account to avoid accidents. For instance, shielding against cosmic rays is done. Air sampling is carried out using an air sampler to assist in determination of gamma emitting fission products from the site of occurrence. This is done with high efficiency while observing safety. Filter exchange is also done after a period of about twenty four hours. First findings indicated that Half-life of Iodine isotopes were 8 days for that with atomic number 131 and for that with atomic number of 132 took 2.3 hours. These findings were essential for establishment of a sample gamma spectrum that could give a good visual representation of findings. However, that alone is not sufficient and other sources of samples have to be considered. Therefore automobile air filters come into play. Priority is given to analysis of sample deemed to release radio isotopes that have the capability to harm or affect people. The technique aims at measuring airborne contamination degree (Smith1 et al, 2014). Samples up to about one thousand two hundreds are used to ascertain the level of available radio isotopes. They are estimated using an odometer or through monitoring of fuel consumption of the vehicles. Screening helps the researchers to get alerts of any possible contaminants. This sets the area apart and gives a

CRITIQUE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CRITIQUE - Essay Example I think comparative grounded theory was appropriate to achieve the purpose of this study. The author used 15 homeless adolescents, who were interested into self-care. All participants were asked two questions: 1) What helps you maintain healthy living as you do, 2) What would you like to tell me about how you take care of yourself? The interviews, behaviors, physical appearance and gestures of participants during the interview were recorded, analyzed and compared to within and between them by comparative grounded therapy.The descriptive theory of self-care for homeless youth was generated from this study. The descriptive theory linked three categories: becoming aware of oneself, staying alive with limited resources, and handling one’s own health. The theory supports Orem’s conceptualization of self-care that personal care of human beings can be modified by self-awareness, environmental conditions, the effect of medical care and other factors. The homeless youths of this study were resilient, because they faced so many obstacles in their lives, but still showed courage to redirect their lives towards health, growth and development. In conclusion, our community is still in need of support groups, which can help homeless youths to develop self-care awareness and behaviors in a high risk environment (Lynn, 2003, p

PUBLIC LAW Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PUBLIC LAW - Case Study Example So Rob had no chance of getting a lawyer on Sunday when the courts were also closed. Even if the courts were closed on Sunday, Rob had the option of getting a lawyer on Sunday as there are lawyers who are accessible 24/7. Thus, the issue is volatile not only for Rob but also the Officer Clegg. By denying Rob his right to approach a lawyer on the same night and by coercing him into accompanying him to the police station to get back the keys Clegg had confiscated from Rob, the Officer had put his own position on par with Rob. Further, Clegg continued to keep Rob in detention the whole of Saturday night after assuring Rob that he would be released in a matter of few hours and then extending the detention up to Monday when the courts opened. Rob was charged with possession of controlled drug on Saturday night at 10.30 pm and kept in custody until Monday so that the police could take him to the court. Police officer Clegg told Rob that he did not trust Rob, and consequently he kept Rob in custody until the court decided what to do with Rob. However, the manner in which Officer Clegg took Rob into custody is debatable. At first he confiscated Rob's key ring saying it was dangerous because of its sharpened edges. At the police station, Clegg took Rob to the front desk and put him straight in a cell saying he was just going to fill in some paperwork and be back shortly. When Rob again asked for a solicitor, Clegg told him that he would not need a solicitor since that would mean waiting all night. However, early next morning at 6.00 am, Clegg tells Rob that he was being charged with possession of a controlled drug that would require him to appear before the Magistrate on Monday morning. Basically, Officer Clegg had good reason to take Rob into custody. However, the manner in which it was done raises eyebrows. Rob has been nervous. He should not have confessed to the officer that the cannabis found on the road was his. He should have stuck to his rights to consult his lawyer before saying anything and kept his mouth shut. By confessing the cannabis as his, he has given the police a bigger reason to arrest him and put him on trial (Dirga, Eric J, 2002). In the circumstances, Rob has weakened his own defense. There is no mention of the amount of cannabis he was carrying. If he has been carrying a higher amount of cannabis that is above 28 grams, he could be prosecuted on charges of trafficking drugs. "the penalties for drug crimes range from very severe to probation and classes or a treatment program. Charges are generally based upon quantity, intent to sell or distribute and other factors such as weapons possession or use, evidence of sales activity, having large amounts of money, etc. The seriousness and ultimate punishment for drug crimes normally depends upon the quantity of the drug, the classification under the drug schedule, and the purpose of the possession (for personal use or for sale)" (Robert Miller & Associates, 2010). Apparently, Rob is a known offender and Officer Clegg is obviously under the impression Rob does not deserve to be dealt with

The Fundamental Rethinking Processes Of BPR

The Fundamental Rethinking Processes Of BPR BPR is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed. The major benefit of BPR is that it eliminates redundancies of work and improves accuracy. BPR can transform the basic ways that people and departments work and allow users to work better and often to produce higher quality work. BPR would enable smooth restructuring process of business processes at Velogic Airlines Limited. The chapter discusses BPR process, implementation method and the changes those may have to be made for upgrading the existing ERP system at Velogic Airlines Limited. Details about the modules related to Human Resource and Payroll System, Finance and Accounting System and Inventory Management System have also been elaborated in the chapter. Business Process Reengineering (BPR) is the organizational procedure required to align people, processes and technology with strategies to accomplish business integration. It can be considered as taking a business in its current state and forming an organizational and operational blueprint to redirect skills, polices, information (data), cultural values, organizational structures, processing and incentives towards targeted improvements15.  [1]   Velogic Airlines Limited are now inspiring to enhance their airline by coordinating their business processes more closely and in some cases integrating these processes so that they can focus more on efficient management of resources and customer service. The oracle application would not require specific non-intuitive software to be installed. Virtually all-new systems available in the market today run in industry standard web browsers, thus reducing software and training costs. Moreover with the emergence of new competitors they need to enhance their service level and be a step ahead of competitors. A powerful type of organization change is brought forward the business process reengineering (BPR) also known as Business Process Improvement (BPI) or business process redesign. From the early 1990s it became familiar for management in many organizations to focus their attention inwards and to consider how proficient business processes can be redesigned or re-engineered. Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) is the popular term for reutilisation of organizational procedures and structure following the introduction of new information technologies into an organization. It is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to accomplish impressive improvements in critical contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed. Objectives of BPR A more significant kind of organizational change is business process reengineering, in which business processes are analyzed, simplified and redesigned. Using information technology, organizations can rethink and streamline their business processes to improve speed, service, and quality. Business Process Re-engineering reorganizes workflows, combining steps to cut waste and eradicating repetitive, paper-intensive tasks (sometimes the new design eliminates jobs as well). It is more ambitious than rationalization of procedures, requiring a new vision of how the process is to be organized  [2]  16. BPR Advantages over Automation and Rationalization The evolution of the information-processing pattern over the last four decades to build intelligence and administer amendments in business functions and processes has generally progressed over three phases: Automation Rationalization Business Process Re-engineering Each of them carries different rewards and risk. The most common form of IT-enabled organizational changes is automation. The first applications of information technology implicated assisting employees with achieving their tasks more efficiently and effectively. A deeper form of organizational change one that follows quickly from early automation is rationalization of procedures. Automation frequently reveals new bottlenecks in production and makes the existing arrangement of procedures and structures painfully large. Rationalisation of procedures is the streamlining of standard operating procedures more efficient. BPR, ERP AND IT In the majority of cases, information technology powers BPR. Formerly, information technology was used to facilitate companies automate existing business processes but now, technology is being used to transform those processes fundamentally. Current developments in information technology have not only made BPR possible on a radical and extensive scale, but also more efficient. The merger of the two concepts has resulted in the latest concept, namely, business engineering (BE). BE combines the innovations of information technology with BPRs focus on better business processes. The heart and soul of BE lying in radical, process-oriented business solutions, which have been greatly enhanced by the information technology of client/server computing. ERP is a tool, which acts as a facilitator of BE to mould business processes efficiently  [3]  17. While the objectives of BPR have not been altered by information technology, they have gained an extra dimension in business engineering. The main thrust of BE is the efficient redesign of a companys value-added chains. By definition, value-added chains are the set of connected steps running through a business which, when quickly and efficiently completed, add value to both, the company and the customer. With the appearance of enterprise software systems, information technology has become a business-modeling vehicle that can assist in the redesigning of those processes. Method of implementation Before deciding upon a BE project, the management, IT users, and the IT experts must get together to chart out Velogic Airlines Limited goals and identify the key processes that affect its success. Next, those processes should be reengineered to improve their effectiveness. At this point, the BE team must establish how information technology can enhance the reengineered process. Other potential benefits of information technology should be identified, such as its role in developing a business strategy to satisfy customer requirements. The BE team must maximize and streamline business process and access whether they should be changed or perhaps thrown out, before they apply technology to them. Velogic Airlines Limited has different kinds of information systems that support different functions, organizational levels, and business processes. Most of these systems are built around different functions; business units and business processes that do not talk to each other. Because of the challenges mentioned earlier the company has decided to set up an ERP system. Oracle Application consist of a set of interdependent modules for applications such as sales and distribution, financial accounting, investment management, and human resources that allow data to be used by multiple functions and business process for more precise organizational coordination and control. The modules can communicate with each other directly or by sharing a common repository of data. ERP helps to support organization-wide process coordination and integration. It creates an integrated organization-wide platform to coordinate key internal processes of the firm. They address the issue of organizational ineffi ciencies created by isolated islands of information, business processes, and technology. Information that was previously split in different applications can seamlessly flow throughout the company so that business processes in finance, accounts; human resources, payroll and inventory can share it. The systems collects data from various key business processes and stores the data in a single comprehensive data repository where they can be used by other parts of the business. Managers emerge with more precise and timely information for coordinating the daily operations of the business and the company wide view of business processes and information flows. Select the process appoint process team for restructuring the process. Business processes are simply a set of activities that transform a set of inputs into a set of outputs for another person or process using people and tools. The strategic processes: Account Payable/Receivable Client Record Employee Record Training plans Inventory Separate systems were built over a long period of time to support discrete business processes and discreet business functions. The organizations systems rarely included vendors and customers. Managers also required IT support in order to create accounting and inventory reports, a labour- and time-intensive project that complicated the estimation of future inventory levels and product availability. In many cases, these simple reports took days to complete. It was difficult to assemble data to get an overall picture of the organizations operations. Facing increasing accounting and administrative needs, the company wanted to streamline business practices and provide better visibility into financial information. ERP systems integrate the key business processes of the company into a single software system that allows information to flow seamlessly throughout the organization. These systems focus primarily on internal processes but may include transactions with customers and vendors. The new system proposes to give employees an easy-to-use interface for creating reports, tracking sales and customers, and searching inventory lists. Prime benefits from BPR are: positive effect on service quality the entire organization can respond more efficiently to customer query and deliver information on time labor resources (improved employee morale and productivity) Customer satisfaction (quicker response to customer requests). elimination of bottlenecks and delays between steps provide simultaneous access to documents by multiple departments/people allow for quick, simple access to information elimination of redundancies of work and improves accuracy decreasing defects, errors Business engineering makes companies more customer-focused and responsive to changes in the market. The organisation achieves these results by reshaping corporate structures around business processes. BE implements change not by the complete automation of a business but rather by the redefinition of company tasks in holistic or process-oriented terms. Only companies with innovative staff, products, and services as well as short development cycles, will be able to retain the market or by hope to get a bigger slice of the pie. By maximizing individual and team creativity and emphasizing a process-oriented approach, BE enables a company to realize its goals. Examples of business processes With the current practice Accounting and Finance department was not able to tell what the items available in inventory were and when they were ordered without consulting the inventory department. All entry for invoices, credit notes, accounts receivable and checks had to be continually checked with each department before entering data. Human resource Payrolls had to send report for all payments. Transferred of information was done on paper and then each department made the necessary entry or adjustment. There was no control over data transmitted and on items ordered. The traditional system also affected employee productivity. Staff members struggled to use online resources to complete daily tasks. Sales teams had difficulty tracking customer history and face difficulty to extract data from the system. It was time consuming to use the traditional system resulting delay in work and customer dissatisfaction, as they could not get the information they requested on time. After reengineering process all departments will be interconnected. Transfer of information will occur more smoothly and on time. The process will be as follows: When a reservation officer enters a customer reservation, the data flows automatically to others in the company who need to see them. The ERP system stores the reservation information where customer service representatives can track progress and know how many seats are available. Updated sales data automatically flow to the Accounting and Finance department. The system transmits the information to calculate the companys balance sheets, accounts receivable and payable ledgers and available cash. Management can view up-to-date minute data on sales and inventory at every step of the process. With the present system Accounting and Finance department get all the information automatically for instance all checks are printed now instead manually prepared. For any information required each department just have to verify on the system and it is automatically processed whereas before for all information they have to consult respective departments. Now there will be better control and resource management. After reengineering, staff members can perform customer service-related and inventory-related tasks without having to open multiple programs. Role-based security features keep sensitive information from employees who are not authorized to view it. On the other hand, managers and employees can gain access without having to call IT support to the information that they need to perform their jobs well. Employees have access to company information from a centralised point-of-entry. Through powerful analytics-reporting tools, Velogic Airlines Limited decision makers have a way to better manage operational matters, such as reservation fulfillment and inventory levels and improved management with real-time data, such as accounts receivable. IT Requirements A commonly disregarded area is the issue of information technology change. Often, the IT infrastructure changes required to implement a new ERP Oracle are not given high priority, which these technology issues otherwise, deserve. Undoubtedly, business issues should drive implementing ERP Oracle, not technology that improves business processes. Ignoring the preparation and education new information technology requires is asking for trouble. Further, IT personnel often must make the technology transition quickly. If the technology and infrastructure transition are not done well, the project, at the very least, will be delayed. Oracle Technology Oracle Applications include the license usage for Oracle 9i RDBMS and Oracle 9iAS Enterprise Edition software  [4]  18. Oracle 9i Oracle Applications run on Oracle technology. Oracle RDBMS 9i is the market leader in reliable and scalable database technology that continuously upgrades its products upgrading to the latest version is made easy with subscription to the Oracle Technical Support Service. Oracle RDBMS is the market leader with a market share of 33.8% compare to IBM which maintained a steady 30% portion of total database sales. Microsofts SQL Server product cornered 13.9% of the market. Oracle is based on three-tier architecture. This is different from the traditional client server architecture in the way that the application instead of residing on the client now resides on the middle-tier i.e. the Application Server. This enables access of application from the client-end, which just needs to have a web browser. The three tiers of Oracles architecture are as follows: Presentation tier (or user interface) This tier interfaces with the user and consists of hardware such as a PC or workstation and a web browser. This may consist of any number of client machines. Functionality /Business Logic tier- This tier provides functionality to the end users and contains the business logic (application). It provides the bridge between the first and the third tiers. Data tier This tier includes the database that contains all the data of the organization and this is encapsulated from the end users. This three-tier architecture can work on the Intranet as well as over the Internet. A typical diagrammatic representation of the three-tier architecture of Oracle is as follows: Figure 4 Oracles 3-Tier Architecture The various software components at the three tiers are as follows: Client Tier Operating System (Windows XP/7) Java enabled web browser (Internet Explorer 8.0/higher or Mozilla Firefox 4.0 of higher) Middle Tier Platform Windows NT 4.0/Windows 2000/SUN Solaris Oracle IAS Developer 2000 Server 2.1 (Forms Reports Server required for ERP component) Database Tier Platform Windows NT 4.0/SUN Solaris Oracle 9i Workgroup server Technical Strengths Oracle product being based on three-tier architecture enables resource intensive components to run on Middle tier thereby moving bulk of the processing load away from the client. Oracle Application server has built-in components which deliver high degree of scalability and consist of balancing, logging, automatic failure recovery, security, directory, and transaction components. The ERP based on Oracle is highly scalable and robust to handle volumes of clients requests concurrently. The Java Servlet Engine runs in a multithreaded environment and can process numerous client requests at one go. Hardware Infrastructure Server Sun Fire x4540 The Sun Fire x4540 storage server delivers 2 to 3 times the storage density of traditional solutions the maximum data throughput at 3 GB/sec from disk to memory, and 30% to 50% power savings at almost half of the total cost  [5]  19. The specifications of Sun Fire x4540 620 Software Oracle database will be the relational database management system installed on the server. The actual Oracle 8i will be upgraded to Oracle 9i standard Edition. Operating System Solaris 9 Operating Systems The Solaris 9 Operating environment is intended to sustain Multiprocessing multithreading. SUN Microsystems servers are designed from the ground to have Symmetric Multiprocessing. From Entry level workstation to SUNFire 15k (106 processors), SUN Microsystems employs the same architecture (UltraSparc) and Solaris OS. Also, Solaris OS is less prone to Virus attacks unlike other Operating systems  [7]  21. The Solaris platform supports; One million simultaneous processes on a single system Up to 128 CPUs on a single system More than four billion network connections 32- and 64-bit applications Two-, four-, and eight-node clusters IPv4 and IPv6 network addresses Up to 512 CPUs in a clustered environment Client Hardware The client should be linked to the server through a local area network and have the following minimum configuration: 1 processor core 2 duo 3.00 GHz 1 GB RAM 320 GB HDD Software and Operating System The client PC should be loaded with Explorer 8.0/higher or Mozilla Firefox 4.0 and should have one of the following OS: Windows XP, or Windows 7. Communications Computers and communications equipment can be connected in networks for sharing voice, data, images, sound, or even video. It is to be noted that the number of user at the company will be 60 persons. In the existing environment 30 data points are being used and with speed up to 10 mbps (megabits per second), and the proposal is to move to 100 mbps, using 60 data points, assuming that their will be 60 users. The company will need cabling whose speed is up to 100 mbps at an affordable price. Secondly, there are routers device that forwards packets of data from one LAN to another. Local Area Network (LAN) are recommended for applications transmitting high volumes of data and other functions requiring high transmission speeds, including video transmissions and graphics. LANs often are used to connect PCs in an office to shared printers and other resources or to link computers and computer-controlled machines in factories  [8]  22. Application Software Oracle Financials for Accounting Software Oracle Integrated Payroll/HR System Application supporting BS7799 Information Security Standard Information is an asset that, like other business assets, has value to an organization and consequently needs to be suitably protected. Information Security protects information from a wide range of threats in order to ensure business continuity, minimize business damage and maximize return on investment and business opportunities. Information can exist in many forms. It can be printed or written on paper, stored electronically, transmitted by post or by using electronic means, shown on films and spoken in conversation. Whatever form the information takes, means by which it is shared or stored, it should always be appropriately protected. Information security is characterized as the preservation of: Confidentiality: ensuring that information is accessible only by those authorized to have access; Integrity: safeguarding the accuracy and completeness of information and processing methods; Availability: ensuring that authorized users have access to information and associated assets when required. Figure 5 Source: BS 7799-2/2002: ISMS Specifications with Guidance for Use Increasingly, organizations and their information systems and networks are faced with security threats from a wide range of sources, including computer-assisted fraud, espionage, sabotage, vandalism, fire or flood, sources of damage such as computer hacking and denial of service attacks have become more common, more ambitious and increasingly sophisticated. The following diagram suggests a structure for the ten domains of the standard. Each domain deals with a separate topic built around administrative, technical and physical measures and driven from the top down, in other words such that its impact is felt from the management level all the way to the operational level. The 10 main control points of BS 7799 are: 1. Security Policy To provide management direction and support for information security. 2. Organizational Security To manage information security within the company 3. Asset Classification and Control To maintain appropriate protection of corporate assets 4. Personnel Security To reduce risks of human error and ensure that users are aware of information security threats 5. Physical and Environmental Security To prevent unauthorized access to information 6. Computer Operations Management To ensure the correct and secure operation of information processing 7. System Access Control To control access to information 8. System Development and Maintenance to protect the confidentiality, authenticity and integrity of information. 9. Business Continuity Planning -To ensure business continue to operate from the effect of a disaster 10. Compliance To avoid breaches of any criminal or civil law Technical Design Requirements The current system runs as three distinct and separate databases (Human Resource Payroll system, Finance Accounts system, and Inventory Management system). Currently, Velogic Airlines Limited has separate, elements in all three systems; examples include the definition of departments and divisions, which is handled manually now. While they try to maintain consistency, the systems do not demand it, so they cannot easily pull department costs across the Human Resource Payroll, Finance Accounts, and Inventory databases. Departments should be defined only once and used by all data elements. Similarly, Human Resource data on employees should only be defined once on a master screen and all databases use this same information. The proposed modules for ERP are: Human Resource and Payroll System Finance and Accounting System Inventory Management System Systems Interconnection Diagram The figure below shows the interconnection of the three modules and gives a brief description of the systems that will support Velogic Airlines Limited main activities and their requirements. Payroll System Human Resource and Payroll System Human resource and payroll systems help business develop staffing requirements; identify potential new employees; maintain employee records; track employee training, skills, transportation (allowances), salary, overtime and job performance; and help managers develop appropriate plans for employee compensation and career development. ERP systems help the company coordinate their staffing levels with sales activities and financial resources. Employee Details Basic Information on: Surname, Name, Maiden Name, Marital Status, Gender, Date of Birth, Age, NID, Social Security Number, Telephone Number, Residential Address. Manage Recruitment process Leaves management Sick Leaves, Casual Leave, Computation of Annual Leaves, Refund for Contract Officers, Maternity Leave: Study Leave, Leave without Pay, Leave with Pay: Record and Listing, Miscellaneous Leaves: e.g. Injury / Special Leaves: Record and Listing Staff Development Plan Database of qualifications: Professional! Academic/Vocational possessed by Staff. Record of all training programmes provided to Velogic Airlines Limited staff. Performance Management Monitor employee competencies for career planning. Payroll Basic Salary + Gross Salary Allowances paid by Type, e.g. Acting / Responsibility, etc Overtime paid Record of all Staff having received Incremental Credits Record of all Staff eligible to Uniform Allowances Deductions made Car Loan entitlement: Staff entitled to Car Loan and Amount Other categories of staff eligible to Car Loan 2) Finance and Accounting System Finance and accounting systems help firms keep track of their assets and fund flows. ERP systems integrate financial information with productions and sales information so that the impact of transactions can be immediately reflected on the companys balance sheets, accounts receivable and payable ledgers, and reports of cash flows. ERP systems will help to obtain up-to-the-minute reports of the companys overall financial performance. The accounting system should be operated on an integrated standard accounting package incorporating the following modules/functions: [23] General Ledger Purchasing Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Fixed Assets Register A. General Ledger The system should also provide for: Unlimited number of sets of accounts for as many divisions as required. Balance forward facility creating new year open balances All journal entries should automatically balanced Cash movement report to show the net in flow/out flow of cash Financial statements and reports such as the Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet and Sources and Support for VAT Tax system. Rate of VAT must be more definable. The general ledger system should allow analysis of transactions by cost  ­centres at division as may be appropriate. B. Purchasing The purchase order processing system should integrate with the general ledger, purchase ledger and stock control systems. The system should provide for: identification of suppliers by name, product, order number, etc monitoring of purchase orders checking of purchase invoices against orders and deliveries for quantities and price report on outstanding orders, purchase and overdue deliveries link multiple purchase orders or Goods Received Notes to a supplier invoice C. Accounts Payable The purchase ledger should integrate with the general ledger and the purchase order processing systems. It should provide for: Unlimited number of suppliers accounts Recording and analysis of credit purchases returns and adjustments in accordance with user defined Analysis codes The recording of payment due date for each purchase invoice for settlement within credit period Printing of checks as per Velogic Airlines Limited format Support for VAT Tax system. Rate of VAT must be more definable. D. Accounts Receivable The Debtors Ledger system should integrate with general ledger system and provide for: Unlimited number of customers accounts The recording and analysis of credit sales in accordance with user-defined analysis codes Debtor classification by category Automatic generation of invoices Support for VAT Tax system. Rate of VAT must be more definable. E. Fixed Assets Register It is desirable that the Fixed Assets register be integrated with the general Ledger but, this is not an essential requirement. The system should provide for the following: User defined fixed assets codes as well as analysis codes for divisions, location, and types of assets, etc. Calculation of depreciation using either straight line or written down value methods Re-evaluation of assets Memorandum entries for each asset to keep track of the assets profile from acquisition to disposal in terms of maintenance, repairs, insurance, down-time replacement date, on loan 3). Inventory Management System Since the inventory system is a perpetual system, all transactions are posted at the time of entering, regardless of the transaction date. Therefore, if an inventory valuation is required for month-end, this report must be produced at the last working day after all current month transactions are posted and before any transactions f