Cuba essays

Cuba essays The Cuban revolutionaries, led by Fidel Castro, took over the Cuban government on December 2, 1959 and put a strict communist regime into effect. In the midst of the cold war, this Soviet ally so close to American soil is a major cause of fear. The revolution was the outcome of the oppressive rule by Batista y Zaldà ­var, Fulgencio. Batista was a dictator, much like Castro later turned out to be, who took away the "human rights" of his citizens, and effected some other social reforms. Castro overturned the dictatorship of Batista on December 2, 1959 and at first seemed to be a moderate leftist. However, once in power he became increasingly radical, executing and imprisoning thousands of political opponents, nationalizing industry, collectivizing agriculture, and establishing a one-party socialist state that drove large numbers of middle- and upper-class Cubans into exile. He was especially hostile to the United States, which had been friendly to Batista and had frequently int ervened in Cuban affairs. After the Castro government seized U.S.-owned oil refineries, sugar mills, and electric utilities in 1960, the United States stopped buying Cuban sugar and imposed an economic embargo on the island nation. The United States backed an unsuccessful attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro in 1961. In the early 1960s Castro openly embraced Communism and formed close ties with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), relying increasingly on Soviet economic and military aid. However, when the Soviets began to allow some free enterprise, Castro disagreed and broke away from the Soviet Union. This led to a severe decline in the Cuban economy, and loss of support of as many Cuban citizens for the communist system. Fidel Castro remains in control today, not letting people in or out of Cuba. ...

Spring Words With Activity Tips

Spring Words With Activity Tips This comprehensive spring word list can be used to create many spring activities such as worksheets, writing prompts, word walls, word searches, journal writing, and much more. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for tips on how to use these spring words in your classroom. Spring Words A AllergiesAprilApril Fools Day B BaseballBasketBeesBikeBloomBloomingBlossomBlueBlue SkyBreezyBrightBriskBunnyButterflyBudsBuzzing C CaterpillarChickChirpingCinco De MayoClouds D DaffodilsDaisiesDandelions E Earth DayEasterEggs F Flowers G GaloshesGardenGolfGrassyGreenGrowing H HatHatch K Kite L LadybugLambLight colorsLighteningLily M MarchMayMay DayMay flowersMeltingMemorial DayMothers Day N NatureNest O Outdoors P PastelPedalPinkPlantPuddlesPurple R RainRainbowRain bootsRaincoatRobinRoller skates S SeasonsSeedsSidewalkShowersSkySlickerSpringtimeSpring breakSproutingSunnySunglassesSunshine T TadpoleTreesTulipsTwigs U Umbrella W WarmWatering canWeatherWetWindyWorms Y Yellow Activity Tips Here are ten ideas for using this Spring word list in your classroom: Create a colorful word wall of these Spring words for your young writers to view throughout the season.Have students use the Spring word list to create an acrostic poem.Create a Spring word scramble, where students must be detectives and try and unscramble each word from the list.Have students fold a piece of paper in half, then write each spring word on the list down the left-hand side of their paper. Next, have them draw a picture on the right-hand column, to accompany the word in the left-hand column.Have students create a graphic organizer where they must write down ten spring words that are not on the list.Students must choose ten words from the list, and use the word in a sentence.Students must choose five words from the list, and write five adjectives describing each word.From the list, students must write five Spring words under each of the following categories: Spring weather, Spring holidays, Spring outdoors, Spring Activities, and Spring clothing.Using the list, students m ust write down as many compound words as they can find. Have students create a story using as many words from the list as they can.

Report on The Rose Theatre Kingston Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Report on The Rose Theatre Kingston - Essay Example Purposes that qualify a Trust to be a registered charity are â€Å"to promote, maintain, improve and advance education, particularly by the encouragement of the arts including the arts of drama, mime, opera, ballet, music, singing, dance, literature, sculpture and painting† (CC, 2010b and 2010c). To achieve this, The Rose plays an important role, which also justifies entering into funding and working partnerships with the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames Council and Kingston University. The Rose is the â€Å"research laboratory† for the University, specifically its postgraduate Masters degree course in Classical Acting. The Rose is likewise the source of economic activity and the social and cultural revitalization of the surrounding communities (Rose, 2010a). According to its latest (2009) financial report, the agreements signed in 2008 with these groups guarantee annual funding of  £900,000 towards a yearly budget of  £2.3 million. Some of the Trustees are likewise from the University and the Council, helping the Trust secure funding from the Arts Council (CC, 2010d). The Rose Theatre’s executives are industry veterans Sir Peter Hall (Director Emeritus) and Stephen Unwin as Artistic Director and CEO. David Jacobs, Life President, is a retired broadcas ter. These three report to the 20-member Board of Trustees, whose task is to guarantee the execution of the charity’s strategies and purposes. Given its purposes, The Rose wants to attract people from surrounding communities of Kingston Upon Thames to watch performances. It also wants tourists from outside Kingston to patronize its shows. Among those in the community, The Rose wants a wide range of customers coming from a broad range of economic capabilities, from low-budget students to middle- and upper-class local and neighbouring residents and tourists. This is the primary

Communication between the superior and employees Assignment

Communication between the superior and employees - Assignment Example The superior-subordinate barrier can cause a poor communication in the organization resulting in inefficient production and ineffective performance. By resolving this dilemma, a smooth communication going to be created between superior and subordinates resulting in employee motivation and better performance. In this literature review, the superior-subordinate barrier is going to be discussed along with highlighting different studies from a number of scholars regarding the research topic.Superior-subordinate communication barrier, which is an important part of the relationship between both parties. The communication within the organization means the flow of information upward from employee or downward from the management and how easy is it to transform the information specifically from the subordinates to their superiors. Information could mean a suggestion from the employee, recommendation, complaining and engaging. Having looked at the literature of different studies, observed that many people prefer to maintain relationships rather than expression insensitive truth, described this phenomenon as the hierarchal mum effect, which is the reluctance of an individual to oppose his or her superior opinion for the purpose of maintaining the relationship between them.(Edmondson, 1999; Morrison & Milliken, 2000) suggested that by encouraging employees to speak up and raise improvements ideas it will lead to a successful implement change and a better organizational performance.

Understanding Terrorism Essay Example for Free

Understanding Terrorism Essay The word terrorism is derived from the word terror which means to instill fear or cowardice in someone. It also means to carry out acts that are considered inhuman with an aim of punishing or making life difficult and unbearable for the recipient of the terrorist acts. Terrorism is broad in its scope and it is for this reason that there has not been a specific definition for it. Even though there is yet to be a universally agreed definition of terrorism, there seems to be a unanimous agreement on the key components of terrorism. Some of these components include coercion and violence. Many studies have been conducted to unearth what causes terrorism, the tactics used by terrorists and targets for terrorist attacks. This discussion seeks to delve even further to find out what aspects drive terrorism (Lockyer. 2003). Objectives of Terrorist attacks There are a number of objectives with which terrorist attacks are committed. The main aim as already mentioned is to instill fear in the target party. Acts of terrorism are meant to make one afraid so that they do not continue with a particular state of affairs that may not be favorable to the attackers. Terrorism therefore is used to ensure that there is widespread fear (Lockyer. 2003). Terrorist attacks are also meant to create attention especially in the media so that the group responsible for the terrorist attacks can be recognized. Acts of terrorism are also carried out as a way of weakening; embarrassing and harassing the government through its security agencies by making it appear powerless and repressive. As a result, the government ends up overreacting and is thus subjected to public ridicule (Gus. 2009). Thornton, in his book, Terror as Weapon of Political Agitation, argues that one of the main objectives for terrorist attacks is to build morale within the terrorist group. Whenever they carry out the deadly attacks, the terrorists feel that their impact in the society is felt and this makes them feel significant within their organization. Terrorism groups also engage in their dubious activities as a way of provoking some form of response or feedback especially from the government. It is thus sometimes used as a way of making known the grievances of a particular group to the government (Bernard. 2007). Tactics Terrorist groups have a number of tactics they use in carrying out their activities. Their tactics are such that they are not easily suspected by the law enforcement agencies. Terrorism mainly comes as a result of unresolved conflict especially between the terrorist group and the government in power. The terrorist group therefore attempts by all means to frustrate any efforts by the government. This they do in a number of ways. Some of these tactics include religion fanaticism where people are sort of brainwashed to join certain religious groups which tend to control the manner in which people think and make their decisions. They therefore brainwash people into thinking that the government in power do not have their best interests at heart and this leads to rebellion against the government by the people (Lockyer. 2003). At times, terrorist groups can declare open opposition to the government of the day, as a tactic of carrying out their motives. For example, the very recent attack on the capital city of Uganda, Kampala, is said to be linked to Al Shabab who are opposed to the provision of peace keeping troops in Somalia. Other tactics include depriving the population of their basic economic needs so as to lead to a public outcry. At times, the terrorist groups can impose that there should be only a certain form of government as opposed to the form of government that currently governs a certain country. For example, in Somalia, the Al Shabaab group has been very opposed to the government of Somali and they have made several attempts to take over the government (Gus. 2009). Targets There are various targets that a terrorist group may have depending on their motives. It also depends on the ideologies and beliefs held by the group. For example, a terrorist group that is opposed to a certain religion will always target areas that are frequently visited by that group. If it is a multinational company that is at the center of controversy, then top officials may be targeted by the terrorist groups (Bernard. 2007). New Terrorism This term was coined after the September 11 2001 attacks which resulted to death of at least 3,000 people. Although there is not much that has changed in terms of tactics and objectives with the coming of new terrorism, it is believed that this new concept is more destructive than the former. This is because, while old terrorism aimed at creating attention and making known to the society that the group exists with as little damage as possible, new terrorism aims at creating destruction that is devastating and they will go to any measure to achieve their motives. This means that they objectives of terrorism have changed with coming in of new terrorism (Gus. 2009). Something else to note is that new terrorism is quite organized unlike old terrorism. New terrorism has a hierarchy of command and there are various ranks which move horizontally rather than vertically. New terrorism is also bended on religion more while old terrorism was bended on political ideologies. With several recent attacks being linked to the Al Qaeda group, these distinctions seem quite true. However, looking at the two concepts from a critical point of view, we note that indeed there is not much difference especially in terms of tactics and target. The new terrorism may seem to have changed the manner in which the dubious activities are carried out, but the underlying principles still remain the same (James. 2010). Role of the Media in Terrorism The media is a powerful tool of communication especially to the public. This is so because it is able to reach multitudes of people which other forms of communication may not be able to. For this reason, the media has for along time been used by terrorists to advance their propaganda and other terrorism activities. A good example is that of Osama Bin Laden who has always used the media to communicate the threat and hate messages by the Al Qaeda group (Gus. 2009). Due to the number of people the media is able to reach at any given time, the role played by the media either in stopping or encouraging terrorism is quite tremendous. The language used by the media for instance, when they are reporting on terrorism matters greatly. The words they choose will depend on how the audience of the news will react. A couple of studies have been carried out to establish the relationship that exists between the media and acts of terrorism. On more than one instance, the relationship between the media and terrorism has been described as a symbiotic one. This means that they depend on each other either wholly or partly and that none of the two is considered complete without the indulgence of the other. The symbiotic relationship exists in this manner that terrorist groups usually use the media to pass their message across to the target groups. On the other hand, when the media receives information from the terrorist groups it is treated as exciting as it will catch the attention of the public hence the media becomes popular (Bernard. 2007). Janny de Graff, in his book Violence as Communication, asserts that more often than not journalists tend to adopt the language of their sources. This means that whenever a journalist interviews a terrorist, there is a high possibility that the journalist will unknowingly pick the language of the terrorist. If then the journalist will use the same language to report to the public, there are high chances that such a report will result into a public uproar (James. 2010). Terrorism has major impacts on any given country. It is therefore important that governments of all countries guard jealously against terrorism to ensure that all their citizens are protected. Terrorism has seen great countries especially in the Middle East tumble down. It is not possible to overemphasize the importance of guarding any country against terrorism. It is one of the main ways of ensuring that a country does not fall apart References Adam, Lockyer. (2003). The relationship between media and terrorism, New York: Routlegde. Martin, G. (2009). Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues, New York: SAGE. Phillips, B. (2007). Understanding terrorism: building on the sociological imagination, New York: Paradigm Publishers. Poland, J. (2010). Understanding Terrorism: Groups, Strategies, and Responses. Washington: Prentice Hall.

The Pioneers and Cars Essay -- American History Asians Essays

The Pioneers and Cars With the popularity of movies like The Fast and the Furious and its sequel Too Fast Too Furious, import car culture has now become mainstream. What had started out as a small subset of Southern California car culture has quickly become part of American culture. In the same way hot rodding of the 50s and muscle cars of the 60s was a cultural lifestyle of the youths of that era, the import scene is now the new car culture of our generation. Car culture runs deeply in California. Hot rodders and street racers daily cruise the streets, all started from Asian Americans' love of import cars and racing. Since most Asian Americans in the late 70s and 80s drove Japanese imports, they could not compete with the much more powerful Detroit muscle cars. This resulted in a street-racing scene consisting solely of modified imports. But a lack of aftermarket parts to make the various Toyotas Hondas and Nissans go faster meant that drivers often used nitrous oxide as the best way to compete. As the competition increased, so did the speed and danger. One Asian American who had a vision to race safely also wanted to race at the local drag strip. Unfortunately the track was only reserved for V8's, Mustangs, or Cameros. Frank Choi set out to form an imports only drag race where the track turned away all the muscle cars. His vision became what is now called the Battle of the Imports, one of the most popular drag series and the first of which was started in 1990. Today there is a professional drag racing series by the National Hot Rod Association as well as the Nopi Drag Racing Association run by an aftermarket company out of Atlanta called Nopi. Some of the best and most popular import ... ...t is known today as the import culture or import scene. It is a set of people who challenged the norms and did what couldn't be done. Nobody thought a front wheel drive car could do the quarter mile in 11 seconds, 10 seconds, 9 seconds and then, 8 seconds. Today front wheel drive drag cars can do 8 second passes. I look to them for inspiration for what I would like my car to be in the future. I hope that I can achieve as much as they have done as the underdog, as an entrepreneur, and doing what they most loved. In an import world dominated by Asian Americans, the scene today has no color lines. It began from Asian American culture's love for cars and wanting to race to proving you don't need a V8 to be fast. As time goes by, the industry will grow and cars will get even faster. Props to the pioneers that wouldn't be denied the chance to do what they love. The Pioneers and Cars Essay -- American History Asians Essays The Pioneers and Cars With the popularity of movies like The Fast and the Furious and its sequel Too Fast Too Furious, import car culture has now become mainstream. What had started out as a small subset of Southern California car culture has quickly become part of American culture. In the same way hot rodding of the 50s and muscle cars of the 60s was a cultural lifestyle of the youths of that era, the import scene is now the new car culture of our generation. Car culture runs deeply in California. Hot rodders and street racers daily cruise the streets, all started from Asian Americans' love of import cars and racing. Since most Asian Americans in the late 70s and 80s drove Japanese imports, they could not compete with the much more powerful Detroit muscle cars. This resulted in a street-racing scene consisting solely of modified imports. But a lack of aftermarket parts to make the various Toyotas Hondas and Nissans go faster meant that drivers often used nitrous oxide as the best way to compete. As the competition increased, so did the speed and danger. One Asian American who had a vision to race safely also wanted to race at the local drag strip. Unfortunately the track was only reserved for V8's, Mustangs, or Cameros. Frank Choi set out to form an imports only drag race where the track turned away all the muscle cars. His vision became what is now called the Battle of the Imports, one of the most popular drag series and the first of which was started in 1990. Today there is a professional drag racing series by the National Hot Rod Association as well as the Nopi Drag Racing Association run by an aftermarket company out of Atlanta called Nopi. Some of the best and most popular import ... ...t is known today as the import culture or import scene. It is a set of people who challenged the norms and did what couldn't be done. Nobody thought a front wheel drive car could do the quarter mile in 11 seconds, 10 seconds, 9 seconds and then, 8 seconds. Today front wheel drive drag cars can do 8 second passes. I look to them for inspiration for what I would like my car to be in the future. I hope that I can achieve as much as they have done as the underdog, as an entrepreneur, and doing what they most loved. In an import world dominated by Asian Americans, the scene today has no color lines. It began from Asian American culture's love for cars and wanting to race to proving you don't need a V8 to be fast. As time goes by, the industry will grow and cars will get even faster. Props to the pioneers that wouldn't be denied the chance to do what they love.

Distance education Essay

Distance education dates back to at least as early as 1728 when an advertisement in the Boston Gazette promoted â€Å"Caleb Phillips, Teacher of the new method of Short Hand,† who sought students who wanted to learn through weekly mailed lessons. Similarly, Isaac Pitman taught shorthand in Great Britain via correspondence in the 1840s. Distance education has a long history, but its popularity and use has grown exponentially as more advanced technology has become available. By 2008, online learning programs were available in the United States in 44 states at the K-12 level. Definition Education where teachers and students are separated in both place and time. They communicate at times of their own choosing by exchanging printed or electronic media, or through technology that allows them to communicate in real time or through other online ways. Advantages Distance Education does not require commuting, saving money otherwise spent on travel back and forth to school. Convenience and flexibility. You complete classes at your convenience. Accessibility. Live and study from anywhere while pursuing education of your choice. Online classes address accessibility issues that some people with limited mobility encounter. Self-paced learning. Individualized Instruction. Vast resources readily available through the internet which are relatively inexpensive. Potential. The opportunities for distance education have exploded with the increased use of the internet. Many degrees are available through distance learning including high school, college and post graduate programs. Cost. Distance education is considerably cheaper than attending a traditional college. Key players in Distance Education Students Faculty Facilitators Support staff Administrators Interaction and Technology in Distance Education Interaction is an important component of any learning experience. One of the most important factors relating to distance learning is the element of interaction as its much different of an environment in a traditional classroom than what occurs in distance learning. Learner Content LearnerInstructor LearnerLearner LearnerTechnology Synchronous vs Asynchronous Interaction In distance Education most interaction done Asynchronously; interaction between them is delayed. One good example is a teacher may deliver the video instruction via email and the learner may respond in a later time. Synchronous interaction like in traditional classes where learners and instructors interact real time: you talk I immediately respond. This could be achieved in distance learning as when computer conferences are held at pre-established times via chat technologies. Distance Education Technologies The various technologies used in distance learning can be roughly divided into four categories, However many of these technologies could overlap into more than one category. Print Technology The original form of Distance Education was correspondence courses, in which print material was mailed to students and returned to the teachers through the postal system. The University of London was the first university to offer distance learning degrees through correspondence, establishing its External Programme in 1858. This program is now known as the University of London International Programmes and includes Postgraduate, Undergraduate and Diploma degrees created by colleges such as the London School of Economics, Royal Holloway and Goldsmiths. In the United States William Rainey Harper, first president of the University of Chicago developed the concept of extended education, whereby the research university had satellite colleges of education in the wider community. In 1892 he also encouraged the concept of correspondence school courses to further promote education, an idea that was put into practice by Columbia University Computer Technology Computer based technology includes email, online collaborations and web-based education as a means of delivering distance learning. The widespread use of computers and the internet have made distance learning easier and faster, and today virtual schools and virtual universities deliver full curricula online. In 1996 Jones International University was launched and claims to be the first fully online university accredited by a regional accrediting association in the US. Video Technology Video techniques often used for distance learning include videotapes, satellites, television cables, and computers offer opportunities for behavior modeling, demonstrations and instruction of abstract concept. Audio technology Offer cost effective ways to enhance distance learning courses. It can be as simple as a telephone with voicemail or it can be as complex as an audio conference with microphones and speakers. The very rapid spread of radio in the United States in the 1930s led to proposals to use it for distance education. By 1938, at least 200 city school systems, 25 state boards of education, and many colleges and universities broadcast educational programs for the public schools. One line of thought was to use radio as a master teacher. † Experts in given fields broadcast lessons for pupils within the many schoolrooms of the public school system, asking questions, suggesting readings, making assignments, and conducting tests. This mechanizes education and leaves the local teacher only the tasks of preparing for the broadcast and keeping order in the classroom. † Research and Distance Education The University of the Philippines Open University (U. P. O. U.) is a public distance learning institution and research university that provides quality higher and continuing education to Filipinos through the distance education system. Melinda dela Pena-Bandalaria (2007) in her article on Impact of ICT’s on open and distance learning in a Developing Country setting: The Philippine Experience, pointed out the distance education in the Philippines has undergone four general stages or generations. It also includes how quality of education is ensured in a technology-driven system of teaching and learning.

American economy of the 20th century

The growth of industry in the last half of the 19th century laid the foundation for American economy of the 20th century [1]. The expansion was driven by large-scale industrial development and railroads that led to an urbanized industry primarily in the Northeast, and promoted population increase through immigration at a rate of 300,000 persons per year. The second half of the 19th century brought an explosion of new discoveries and inventions that amounted to a â€Å"second industrial revolution.† Examples included: petroleum discoveries, typewrites, refrigerated railway cars, telephone, phonograph, car, electric and the airplane. These inventions enabled the rise of the business tycoon who amassed a vast financial empire, and had tremendous influence on the further development of the U. S. economy. The great tycoons were fierce competitors, singleminded in their pursuit of financial success and power. Among the giants were Jay Gould, J. P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Ro ckefeller and Henry Ford.Some of these men were honest, according to business standards of their day; others used force, bribery and guile to achieve their wealth and power. Their example and the fact that most Americans — living in a society with a more fluid class structure — embraced the idea of moneymaking with enthusiasm created the impetus for the American economic engine at the beginning of the 20th century. The era of progressivism is characterized by the reluctance of the US government to get too involved in the private sector.This freed everyone to do whatever they could to get ahead, and ultimately proved the downfall of many small and large business men by the time of the Great Depression (1929-1940). The tremendous growth of the economy was unsustainable, and the lack of regulations meant that the inevitable slow down affected different economic sectors disproportionately and severely. The 1929 stock market crash had brought on the most serious economic di slocation in the nation's history.The New Deal enacted by Roosevelt's attempt to alleviate the emergency and prevent it in the future by extending federal authority in all fields, notably banking, agriculture, social security and public welfare. It gave immediate attention to labor problems, creating minimum standards for wages, hours, relief and security — and served as a catalyst for the expansion of labor unions in such industries as steel, automobiles and rubber. During this period organized labor unions were developed as a grass roots response to business past excesses.The US economy probably would have returned to its original condition with relatively low government interference in the direction it evolved (though with the newly instituted checks and balances put in place by the New Deal) eventually but the outbreak of WWII in which the US played a major role economically and technologically in contrast to WWI. The U. S. government was compelled to intervene in the eco nomy as it never had before. The War Production Board was created to coordinate the nation's productive capabilities so that military priorities would be met.Converted consumer-products plants filled many military orders. Automakers built tanks and aircraft, for example, making the United States the â€Å"arsenal of democracy. † In an effort to limit inflation due to rising national income and scarce consumer products, the newly created Office of Price Administration controlled rents on some dwellings, rationed consumer items ranging from sugar to gasoline, and otherwise tried to restrain price increases. This intervention had several effects.First it redirected business resources to the military effort, and away from consumer goods. During the Depression, most people were too poor to buy anything, but as the economy sped up in the war effort, it began to put wealth in the pockets of ordinary citizens, who did not have anything to spend it on. Psychologically this created a p ent up demand for everything such that when the war was over and business could return to purely consumer interests there was a huge pent up demand for everything.This pent-up demand was enough to fuel the economy for almost 15 years, and led to the Baby Boom and expansion of suburbs and the middle class. The automobile industry successfully converted from making tanks and bombers, and new industries such as aviation and electronics grew by leaps and bounds. A housing boom, stimulated in part by easily affordable mortgages for returning servicemen, added to the expansion. So did the rise in defense spending, which occurred later with the escalation of the Cold War. Business entered a period marked by consolidation.Firms merged to create huge, diversified â€Å"conglomerates†: for example, International Telephone and Telegraph Co. bought Sheraton Hotels, Continental Baking, Hartford Fire Insurance, Avis Rent-a-Car and other companies. However the seed of imbalance were being s ewn. More people wanted to work at white collar jobs hat paid well, and did not require physical labor, and with the expanding manufacturing it was possible. Farmers on the other hand over produced as a result of technology improvements which led to a decrease in prices and loss in profitability.Finally demographic shifts to the Sun Belt states, began to bleed the talent hungry North of trained employees. These changes began a slow but serious sift in the location and focus of business operations. Businesses began to shift their operations to follow the people, and change the job descriptions by shifting undesirable manual labor jobs to minorities and eventually out of the country. The 1960’s and 1970’s began a period of social malaise as people began to feel the stress of economic changes without really understanding why and how extensive they became.Before all people had to worry about was their own performance, and perhaps their small community, now everyone was aff ected by national shifts that were not obvious as they evolved. In some respect the public’s response was similar to that during the great Depression that led to demand of greater government regulation and labor unions, except that global issues such as the environment, poverty, foreign competition, and energy became the focus.To try to refocus the economy, Kennedy promoted the space program which among other things was to help turn the US economy toward technology rather than manufacturing, but a series of events allowed this to dissipate after several years: Kennedy’s assassination, racial riots, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and the 193 Arab Oil embargo. Thus the space program was unable to refocus the economy, and instead spiraling inflation, increased federal budget deficits, intensified foreign competition, high unemployment and stagnant demand arose.This situation was used politically to shift American political support from Democratic to Republican, since throug h the widespread availability of TV, radio, and new magazines it was possible to convince the public that regulation of business led to stagnation of business, and only through its freedom, it could re-drive the economy, much like it did at the turn of the century. In the early 1980s, the Reagan administration pushed through a series of tax cuts, at the same time that it proposed huge slashes in social programs, and reduction or elimination of government regulations affecting the consumer, the workplace and the environment.Tight control of the Federal Reserve help keep inflation low during these changes, and was used to keep social upheavals by the mainstream populace at bay. Those who lost out in the first wave of economic changes in the 1960’s because they could not adapt, were also affected by the â€Å"fixes† of the 19t0’s and 1980’s. Meanwhile the US government had to support agriculture which had totally collapsed, leading to the establishment of th e budget deficit.Another stock market crash in 1987, suggested more corrections on business activities was in order, and the subsequent collapses of the savings and loan industry in the 1990’s, underscored the lessons learned during the Great Depression, namely that unregulated business activities promote the economy initially, but do not prevent imbalances from developing that eventually threaten the overall positive growth, even though by contrast, other sectors of the economy, such as computers, aerospace and export industries generally showed signs of continuing growth.The US economy of the late 1990’s and beginning of the 21st century is heavily affected by the global economy. The global economic interdependence of the United States and other nations has grown geometrically since the Second World War, and is evidenced in resource utilization, production decisions, raw materials trade and consumer demand. A sign of increased interdependence is the growth of foreign investment. Through foreign investment, the U.S. industry has helped develop major industries in other countries, attempted to increase demand by serving foreign markets from local plants, and to shift undesired or difficult to fill manufacturing jobs to places where it is cheaper and the workforce is available. About one-third of foreign investment in the United States is also in manufacturing. Meantime, those lost jobs are replaced by new ones in industries with more potential.In the late 20th century, those jobs were increasingly in such high-technology industries as computers and biotechnology, and in fast-expanding service industries such as health care and computer software. As a result of this interdependence the US economy is entering another period of economic growth, as well as uncertainty. Since the growth of foreign investment in both directions has developed faster than regulations, there is inevitably going to be problems with economic imbalances, except this time on a global scale. Issues of national security overlap with economic issues traceable to a general global imbalance in wealth.In an attempt to fix these imbalance the US entered into several â€Å"free trade† agreements, aimed a making economic growth equal on both sides. In some cases these agreement have sped up the inevitable job and industry restructuring that was occurring throughout the end of the 20th century. The hope is that in the long run economies of equal partners will work much better than between unequal partners. From Revolution to Reconstruction, Dr. George M. Welling, Department of Alfa-Informatica of the University of Groningen (The Netherlands), 2005.

Financial Information System Essays

Financial Information System Essays Financial Information System Essay Financial Information System Essay It is one of the most modern, largest vertically integrated textile company in Pakistan. Insist Mills Ltd. Is amongst Pakistanis oldest and most respected institutions in the field of textile processing. Insist Apparel is a state of the art facility and was incepted in May 2007. Initially Insist Apparel used Data Flex for its operational and informational needs. This system was implemented for several years but, as the business was experiencing phenomenal growth, coupled with several inherent shortcomings of the system, the growing information needs of the company along with the technological advancement in the ERP field necessitated Nights move to a more sophisticated and advanced system. These reasons have been detailed as follows: Issues with initial system (Data flex): Obsolete: The version of Data flex that was being used at Insist Mills was out-dated and no further vendor support was available for it. Insist was expanding in terms of business and complexity. Thus they required greater support from their system which it was unable to provide. As there was no vendor support to modify the system as per their needs, they had no option else than to switch to an alternative with better vendor support. : Incapable of processing high volume of transactions efficiently: The expansion of Insist Mills resulted in a similar increase in transaction volume that needed processing. The Data flex system with its out dated technology was unable to efficiently handle huge volume of transactions. This resulted in operating in-efficiency and higher costs. The old system thus became the weak link that needed to be replaced in order to support the growth of Nights operations while allowing a greater operating efficiency. Non-centralized database: The initial Data Flex system had a non-centralized database thus each department at Insist Apparel had to maintain its own data leading to great deal of data attendance. Since each department had to update its data separately there were several sets of data being maintained and updating data was not an easy Job. Multiple versions of same data developed inconsistencies which resulted in loss of data integrity. Furthermore, it was not possible for departments to share data with each other, thus each department was effectively working in isolation. Batch Processing: Insist Apparel was competing in the international market for clients like Levies and Dockers. One of the compelling requirements of time was to give short lead times amidst its international competitors. This could not be achieved with the initial Data Flex system which was based on batch processing. There was a time lag between occurrence of business event and the correspondent transaction being processed. This means that the only time the master data was up-to-date was right after the processing has been completed. As soon as the next business event occurs, the master data are no longer up-to-date. This led to lack of proper information for decision making Choice of ERP system: While shifting to new ERP system Insist Group had three basic concerns; they wanted to have a centralized data base, real time transaction processing and a yester that could handle large volume of transactional data. They decided to switch to the Oracle ERP System since it could best cater to their informational needs with respect to the large volume of transactions and also provide the other features that were required, as mentioned above. Oracle ERP system could provide the following benefits to Insist: Better integration across departments Up-to-date database No processing lags caused by the system Better internal controls Improve customer service Reduced lead time Better management decisions Better inventory management Cheaper procurement. Lower costs. Transition Phase: Training Sessions: In order to move from Data Flex to Oracle, month long training sessions were conducted for the employees to train them to work on the oracle system. During this period, they were also made to work on dummy data in order to strengthen their command on the new system. After the conclusion of the training period, one-on-one sessions were carried out with the employees to check for any shortcomings and further build upon their learning. The company had to slightly modify their methods of operation in order to align them with the best practices as dictated by the Oracle yester. Modular Approach: A modular approach was undertaken for the implementation of the Oracle system. The system was installed on a department wise basis like Accounts, Purchase, Inventory, Human Resource and more. Within each department, internal controls were developed to ensure that the organization meets its objectives, such as system logins for users to avoid UN-authorized access. Furthermore, system was modified according to the needs of different units of Insist Mills. For example in Insist Apparel, keeping in mind its nature of business, demand gets generated automatically once bill of materials is prepared which is not a requirement for spinning , weaving or dyeing unit of Insist Mills. Running parallel systems: The older system was still operating in parallel to the new system so that business activities would not be affected. A centralized database was developed and data was transferred from the old system to the Oracle database. During the day, employees used to work on Data Flex and at the day end they transferred the whole days data to the Oracle database. Employees were required to put in extra hours for this purpose. Duration of transition phase: The entire changeover from Data Flex to Oracle consumed nearly 1. -2 years and is still undergoing minor development. For instance, the ERP system pertaining to Human Resource is still undergoing modifications to best meet the organizational needs. Problems Faced: Employee trainings: The employees were acquainted with Data Flex and in order to switch them over to the new system, trainings were conducted. This put on additional stress in terms of loss of time, business process efficiency and HRS costs. Downsizing: Dat a Flex required more manpower to operate the system in contrast to Oracle which squired fewer people. The firm had to downsize as there was excess manpower employed within the firm as per required by Oracle. The layoffs resulted in loss of morale with existing employees and many suffered from the survivor syndrome. Resistance from employees: The decision to upgrade to the new system was not warmly received by some of the employees as they had a thorough command on the previous system. Their ease with the existing system made them unreceptive to change and expressed their displeasure. As a result, they had to be motivated and educated to make the change successful. Information sequencing issues: Insist had a great deal of redundancy within its database. There were multiple versions of the same data stored. This has put on additional problems while transferring data into the new centralized database. They were unsure as to how to consolidate the different versions of data in the new database. Setting up wireless communication links: Successful implementation of Oracle required the set up of wireless routers across offices. This resulted in huge costs to establish the infrastructure that complemented the use of Oracle. Explanation of Entries of Control Matrix The purchase cycle is broadly classified into three sub-processes; purchase requisition, receipt of goods and payable. We have identified the following present controls and we will analyze how these controls meet the operational and informational goals: Pl- Automatic Notification of Inventory Falling Below Re-order Level: Effectiveness goal C: The ERP system is designed in a way that it automatically notifies the store dept. Whenever the inventory level falls below the re-order level thus ensuring the effectiveness of goal C which states that the inventory level should not fall below the re-order level. Efficient employment of resources: The ERP system automatically informs for inventory shortfalls thus eliminating the need on part of humans to physically check (count) for inventory levels. This leads to efficient employment of resources since no manpower and time is utilized for this purpose. PA- Pre-Formatted Screens For All Internal Documents: Efficient employment of resources: The internal documents in the purchase cycle are in the form of pre-formatted screens. Structured entry cells allow user to reduce the number of keystrokes and increase efficiency by displaying only the required information in a desired format to he user. Input Accuracy, Update Accuracy: Due to pre-formatted screens, once a particular field is filled, the cursor moves to the next field on the screen automatically, thus preventing the user from omitting any required data set. Incorrectly filled fields are rejected, hence reducing errors. *Wherever input accuracy or completeness is ensured, update accuracy and completeness are automatically ensured in ERP systems because update occurs in real-time as soon as something is input. PA- Compare input with master data and Automatic Population of Data: Efficient employment of resources: The automatic population of fields from the master data leads to lesser key strokes which improve the speed and productivity of data entry personnel. Input Validity: The automatic population of data from master data as the information passes through various stages is a testament to the fact that information is being accessed and added on different documents from existing records and those data establish authorization for the transaction. Input Accuracy Update Accuracy: Fewer key strokes and use of data called up from existing records reduce the possibility of errors. PA- Record Input: Automatic recording of input event data by system increases efficiency PA- Interactive Feedback Checks: Input Update completeness: Interactive feedback checks display to the user that the input has been accepted and hence ensures data completeness. PA- Online Approval by HOOD: Ensure security of resources: The Hoods approval at several stages during the purchase process ensures that the companys resources would not be misappropriated for any invalid purposes. Input validity: Hoods approval is required when a demand requisition/POP is being made and when the payable data is being processed. He only approves an event after verifying its Aladdin. Therefore the Hoods approval is proof of the validity of the event reflected in the document being approved. PA- Display Requisition to Relevant Purchase Person: Effectiveness goal A: They have assigned particular procurement items to specific purchase persons due to which they have developed expertise in purchase of those items. This helps to ensure that a vendor that will provide the best quality at the optimum price by the required delivery date (on favorable terms) will be selected. Efficient employment of resources: Automatic routing of only the relevant purchase requisitions to concerned researchers saves them from the trouble of finding the items that have been assigned to them for procurement from all the raised requisitions. PA- Key Purchase Terms in SSP: The authorized person selects the most favorable mode of purchase (Comparative Statement, LLC or Cash) which meets our effectiveness goal A. PA- Maintaining Approved Vendor Data: This allows the purchase personnel to quickly access the approved vendors in the database that they already dealt with and know their repute so they do not need to search for a vendor every time they need to buy a particular item. This saves time ND leads to efficiency. PA- Prepare Quotation Entry Form (Including Tallest 3 Vendors): Effectiveness goal A: While preparing quotation entry form, three relevant suppliers are shortlist and then they are asked to provide quotations. This short-listing of three suppliers out of many helps ensure effectiveness of goal A which states that finally only the vendor providing the best quality at the lowest price by promised delivery date should be selected. POI- Preparation and Manual approval of Comparative statement: Effectiveness Goal A: After receiving short-listed quotations, the HOOD compares the vendors in the imperative statement and selects the required vendor keeping in mind that the optimum combination of price and quality is being achieved. Pl 1- Preparation, Approval and Dispatch of POP by HOOD: The clerk brings the POP in the name of the selected vendor to the HOOD. The HOOD ensures that the POP is made in the name of the approved supplier by approving POP online. This ensures the selection of a vendor who will provide the best quality at the optimum price. Input Validity: Approval by the HOOD ensures the validity of the purchase order. PEP- Approval of Invoice by comparing with POP: Effectiveness Goal D: The invoice received from supplier is matched with the POP and then approved to ensure that correct payments are made to the relevant supplier. Input validity: By verifying from the master data that the invoice has been received against an actual POP, validity of invoice will be confirmed. By checking the approval on invoice, the possibility of entering invalid event data is reduced. Input Accuracy: By checking the approval on invoice, it is ensured that the amount on the invoice is accurate. As the master data is not being updated at this point, so update accuracy would not apply. PEP- Prepare copy for record keeping: Security of resources: Keeping records for transactions allows user to keep a track of the resources employed and this ensures the security of resources. PEP- Manual Comparison of Delivery Callahan with POP and Entering receiving data in gate office: Effectiveness Goal The gate person compares delivery Callahan with POP to ensure that the goods received are not different from the demanded goods and if that is the case, then he has the authority to reject them right at the gate. Input Validity: The gate person enters the amount of goods received in the system after matching it tit the POP which ensures that the goods being received are against a valid POP. Input Completeness and Update Completeness: After the delivery Callahan is compared with the POP, the gate person enters the quantity received into the system and prepares a gate pass which ensures that against each receipt there is an entry in the system. The master data is updated simultaneously with the input of receipt data. PEP- Counting of goods by receipt room when received and entering data in the system: Effectiveness Goal B: The receiving personnel counts the goods received ensuring that the correct amount f goods are being received. With the goods being in hand, the receiving person in the receipt room in a good position to ensure that the correct goods are received. The counting of goods ensures that the receipt room is aware of actual quantity of goods received and there is a less chance of goods being lost without coming into the knowledge of authorities. Input Validity, Input and Update Accuracy, Input and Update Completeness: After physically counting the goods, the data is being entered into the system so the data will precisely reflect the actual delivery making it accurate ND valid. For every receipt, a GIN and GRIN are prepared which ensures input and update completeness. PEP- Acceptance of goods after signing of GRIN at store: Effectiveness goal B: The signing of GRIN ensures that the right quantities of goods are stored at the store as per the amount stated in the GRIN. Security of resources: Signing of GRIN serves as a final check that the amount stored at the warehouse is the same as the quantity received in receipt room. PEP- Update inventory levels after storage or issuance against relevant demand number: Input Validity: As inventory is being entered after physically receiving goods against relevant demand number, so the input data is valid. Input Accuracy, Update Accuracy: After physical receipt of inventory, entering data in system ensures that there is less chance of error and that the inventory data is accurate. The master data is simultaneously updated. PEP- Attaching approved invoice with D. C, Gate Pass and GRIN: Effectiveness Goal D: The approval of invoice by the purchase department after verifying it with POP from master data and then attaching it with the GRIN ensure that the correct payment is add to the relevant supplier. Efficient Employment of resources: Since approved invoice is attached with the relevant GRIN, so it makes the posting of vouchers more efficient. PEP- Entering payable data in the payable department: The payable personnel with the approved invoice in hand are in a better position to ensure that the payable liability is made against the relevant supplier. Input Validity, Input and Update Accuracy: The comparison between ESP. and GRIN and invoice ensures that that only a valid payable will be approved and become outstanding against the right supplier. The comparison will also ensure that the amount of payable outstanding will be accurate. PEP- Fortnightly printing of payment list and its approval by HOOD: Effectiveness Goal D: The fortnightly listing of payable reveals the suppliers to whom the payment is due along with the payment details. This process ensures that all the requisite payments are made within the credit period. Efficient Employment of Resources: The payable person does not have to physically go through all pending payable and identify those which are due. Automatically generation by the system ensures efficiency. Input validity, Input accuracy, Input completeness: Automatic generation of payment list using existing information from database ensures that it will have only valid (approved) payable and their amounts will be accurate. It will also ensure completeness because system ensures that the list includes all the payments due. PEP- Generation of payment vouchers and printing of checks: Effectiveness goal D: System generation of checks ensures that they are printed against the right vendors bearing the right amounts due. Efficiency of Resources: Automatic printing of check after generation of payment vouchers saves time. Security of Resources: Printing of checks by system ensures that the right amount due is associated with right vendor. This ensures that payments are made against a valid payable hence eliminating any possibility of cash being paid to the wrong recipient. Input validity: The payable list represents the actual, approved amounts due to vendors as a result of past event. Input ; Update accuracy: The rights amounts are appropriated against the right suppliers eliminating the probability of errors. This subsequently leads to accurate update of the payable account. Input ; Update completeness: The system prints checks for every vendor against whom the payment is due and their corresponding payment vouchers are made. This helps to achieve that no due payment is missed and all corresponding vouchers are made. PEP- Preparation of B. O. M against an open sales contract by comparing input with master data: In preparation of B. O. M, the clerk keys in the sales contract number and the system ensures that the demand being generated is against a valid sales contract. Hence, this ensures that the valid goods in the correct amount are ordered. Input Validity: As the sales order number written on the B. O. M. Is matched with the open sales order in the database, this ensures that the B. O. M is made against a valid sales contract. PEP- Automatic Generation of Demand from Bill of materials: Ensure demand validity: As the production planning finalizes the required raw materials in bill of materials, the system automatically generates demand which ensures that the origin of demand is representative of actual requirements. Efficient employment of resources: As the demand is generated automatically by the system, it saves on any human involvement for the purpose leading to efficient employment of resources. Input The information upon which the demand form is based was taken from the bill of material. This verifies that input is more likely to reflect actual demand. Input ; update accuracy: Automatic updating of fields of demand requisition form from bill of materials eliminates the probability of incorrect entry of data and ensures that the requisition form is accurate. PEP- Check inventory level at store and write current inventory level at generated demand: Effectiveness Goal D: Checking goods from the inventory ensures that excess goods are not purchased by mistake and only the required amount of goods is purchased. Efficiency of resources, Input Accuracy, Update Accuracy: As the inventory level is checked from the system instead of going to the store to physically count it so the efficiency is increased and the correct amounts will be entered and updated. PEP- Inspection of goods received by the user: The inspection of goods by the user ensures that the goods received from the supplier are of the required quality and the quantity is in conformance with the demand of the user. PEP- Comparison of Input with Master Data for Generation of SIR: Validity of Input, Input and Update Accuracy: This will ensure that the SIR is being prepared against a valid, approved requisition against which goods have been received. The comparison will identify any erroneous or suspect data and reduce input errors. PEP- Approval of SIR by HOOD: Input Validity, Security of Resources: Approval will ensure that the issue of goods is authorized for a valid use. This will also ensure security of resources. PEP- Comparison of SIR with BOOM to issue goods: The comparison will ensure that the goods are being issued against a valid BOOM and hence prevent misappropriation of resources. Ml- Scrutinizing vendor before addition to approved vendor list :Effectiveness goal A: This will ensure that only the competent vendors who will supply the best goods at the optimum price are entered into the system. MM- Comparison of comparative statement with actual quotations received by HOOD before approval: Effectiveness goal A: This will ensure that the purchase personnel has not included any fake quotation into the comparative statement and only the approved suppliers to which the quotation requests were sent are there on the comparative statement. Input validity: This comparison will ensure that only valid supplier is selected by the HOOD. MM- HOOD accesses inventory data from DEEDS to check inventory status before approval of requisition: Efficiency of resources: This will save time as the HOOD will directly check the inventory status online while approving the requisition and no requisition will be processed for the goods already present in stock. Hence the store department would not be involved in such situations which would lead to efficiency. ANALYSIS Analyzing the ERP system of Insist, we have concluded that they have implemented the system very effectively and are reaping great benefits from this technological advancement.

Publishing with a Hybrid Press

Publishing with a Hybrid Press Ever since I signed the contract with  She Writes Press  for the publication of my debut novel,  This Is How It Begins  (available now), writers have been asking, â€Å"Why did you choose a hybrid press?† First, what is a hybrid press? A hybrid press walks the line between traditional publishing (the â€Å"Big 5† of HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Simon Schuster, Hachette and Macmillan) and self-publishing (CreateSpace, Kindle Direct, Ingram Spark), taking aspects from each. I chose a hybrid press for several reasons:   Ã‚     After 14 months of getting close but not close enough to land a literary agent, I got impatient with the lengthy process and decided to take matters into my own hands.   Ã‚     I decided against self-publishing because I wanted traditional distribution to bookstores, and that’s not something I could do myself.   Ã‚     I also decided against self-publishing because I knew I wouldn’t have the bandwidth to learn everything there is to learn in a timely fashion.   Ã‚     I wanted to work with a publisher who had ample experience with publishing and selling books, and I wanted a team to give my book its best chance. After much research, I chose the cream of the hybrid crop- She Writes Press (SWP). This innovative press is blazing quality ground in the publishing industry right now. Here’s what their hybrid model looks like:   Ã‚     Emphasis on quality books- they carefully curate their list;   Ã‚     Traditional distribution through Ingram Publisher Services (IPS)- that means a dedicated sales team from IPS sells SWP books directly to booksellers, so your physical books end up in stores;   Ã‚     Generous royalties- You invest up front for editorial, book production and printing, but you get a higher royalty per book sold than you would with traditional publishers (60% of the net profits on print books and close to 80% of the net profits on ebooks);   Ã‚     Respect for authors- Authors are partners in the publishing process, get an education in how best to sell books, have a say in how books look, and retain ownership rights;   Ã‚     Community- SWP fosters a supportive community of women authors, who learn from each other and support each other throughout the publishing process and beyond;   Ã‚     Housekeeping- they take care of all the â€Å"metadata,† which goes to all outlets where books are sold, they warehouse books, file copyright and Library of Congress numbers, fulfill orders †¦ all the stuff you don’t want to have to do from home. One thing I worried about at first was whether working with a hybrid would limit my book in some way - would booksellers consider the hybrid press a poor cousin to traditional publishers? Would I be eligible for the big literary awards and grants? In the case of SWP, I’ve seen no indication whatsoever that booksellers are thinking twice about carrying my book (my preorder numbers from bookstores were quite high). I’ve easily submitted, and been asked to submit, to many of the big-name book awards. There will be some grants that prohibit me from applying (the NEA Fellowship, for instance), but I’m going to try to blaze a new trail with those institutions Not all hybrids are created equal; there are other models out there to consider. Since I can’t speak about them from experience, I’ll leave you with some good articles for further reading:   Ã‚     Not All Hybrid Publishers Are Created Equal: How Authors Should Evaluate Their Choices, Jane Friedman for Publisher’s Weekly   Ã‚     The Indie Authors Guide to Hybrid Publishing: Hybrid publishers look to combine the best of traditional and self-publishing,

Review the sound recording and music industry Essay

Review the sound recording and music industry - Essay Example Another important role in the music/audio industry that requires music technology and audio recording skills is the role of the Sound engineers. They must also possess the ability to recognise and describe the quality of musical sounds and other sounds, in order to be able to adjust and balance these sounds creatively. â€Å"Sound engineers also need to listen for different types of distortion. Music producers need to listen for intonation and timing problems, and DJs need to refine their listening skills in order to match speeds and keys and to recognise points at which to mix.† (http://www.wolvcoll.ac.uk/international/courses/music_tech.html) When working in the audio/music industry, whether as a recording or creative artist, or even in a managerial or supporting role, it is vital to plan and work towards the production of effective final studio products, so that these products can be marketed to the right target audience. Thus, during the planning of a recording session, or any music project, â€Å"effective teamwork is essential and is only possible when everyone involved understands the process.† (http://www.ehow.com/way_5471252_effective-teamwork-care-settings.html).