Saturday, August 31, 2019

Nuclear Technology and Countries of the Persian Gulf Essay

Nuclear energy has been used widely only for thirty years . In sixtieth it was an exotic source of power, researched by scientists, and widely discussed in press. Nowadays, as Ilan Lipper & Jon Stone state in their article about nuclear powers and society, it is the second largest energy source in the U. S. There are more than 110 nuclear plants throughout the U. S, and they produce more energy than hydropower, oil or gas, researchers write. For the U. S nuclear energy became a cheap and relatively safe source of energy, and many countries decided to adopt American experience in this field. Today most European and Asian countries have nuclear plants that provide them with energy. Nevertheless, a question emerges which is whether it is safe to grant access to nuclear powers to countries of the Persian Gulf, like Iran, who are known for being aggressive and searching for the means to get weapons. Politicians and usual people all over the world are discussing this question. Their main fears are that nuclear power in wrong hands may be transformed into weapon, and thus harm the ecology severely. Discussions take place all over the world about the influence of nuclear power plants on the ecology. Some say that they are not safe, even when nuclear powers are used only as a source of energy, and not as a weapon. The thing is that nuclear power plants use radioactive materials like uranium and plutonium to produce energy, and there are toxic wastes left, the authors of encyclopedia entry on renewable energy source on NationMaster, a large statistical data source claim. They add that the results of one significant radiation leakage accident on Yucca Mountain were disastrous; so people should be really very careful when using nuclear energy as the source of electricity. In the same time, Ilan Lipper & Jon Stone prove that the dangers of using nuclear power are overestimated. They state that unlike the wastes that stay after burning of coal, which stay toxic forever, nuclear wastes toxicity reduces with each passing day, as its elements are not stable. They prove that the amount of toxic wastes thrown into the air each year is less in the countries where nuclear plants are the main source of electricity, than in the countries where there are few or no nuclear plants. It is clearly seen that nuclear power is a very effective source of energy, and the damage it does to ecology in normal conditions is less than that of burning coal, or other means of getting electricity. Nevertheless human factor should not be forgotten. One serious human mistake is enough to let the effective and relatively safe nuclear power lead to disastrous consequences. In case an uncontrollable chain reaction emerges on the nuclear power plant, thousands of acres of lands and thousands of tons of water would be polluted, and the health of thousands of people would be damaged. The problem with nuclear power is that it is too powerful. When used correctly it can let governments save billions of dollars, as the energy produced by nuclear power plants is relatively cheap, and protect the environment from negative influence of toxic wastes other methods of getting electricity produce, but one mistake with nuclear power can lead to unpredictable and very serious consequences. Another serious problem with using nuclear power for producing energy is that the elements used for it can also be used for creating nuclear weapon. Human beings have always been at war with each other, and since prehistoric times they have been inventing more and more accomplished methods of murdering each other. On the present moment nuclear weapon is one of the most effective ones, along with bacteriological weapon. Nuclear weapon was used only two times in history, on Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. It slaughtered all the dwellers of these cities, and polluted the area so that people could not live there. More than sixty years passed, and still no one lives in these places. The consequences of using nuclear weapon were so disastrous and cruel that humans finally understood they had to stop. Most countries signed various agreements stating that they would not use and produce nuclear weapons. Still many countries have nuclear powers, either officially on non-officially, but no one comes to the scratch to use them. Everyone understands that the first bomb dropped will became the end of the world we all live in. Nuclear weapon is so powerful that dozen bombs dropped can slaughter several millions of people, depending on bombs’ sizes. The country which became the target of the nuclear attack will fight back with nuclear weapon murdering people and making land unfit to live on. That is why the issue of giving nuclear power to aggressive countries like those of the Persian Gulf is so debatable. The leaders of these countries state they need nuclear power in order to make the life of their people better, enhance their economy and protect ecology. For example, Iranian scientists prove that the oil and gas resources Iran has are not enough for satisfying the countries need of electricity, as the plants that recycle them to get electricity are out dated, with tons of equipment broken. The article published in Herald Tribune states that the demand on electricity is getting bigger with each passing year, and using non-renewable resources like oil for satisfying it is not rational, and, moreover, dangerous for the country’s ecology. They add that 57 of 60 oil fields need major repairs and modernization in order to produce enough oil to satisfy the demand in electricity. In general their viewpoint is easy to understand, as they want to use the cheap and relatively safe method of getting electricity most European and American countries use. In the same time Iranian aggressive politics towards other countries makes everyone suspect that they can use nuclear powers in purposes other than producing electricity. Giacomo Luciani, the Director of Gulf Research Center, states in his article â€Å"The Gulf Countries and Nuclear Energy† that the resources of oil are scarce in Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. He proves that soon there will not be enough of oil there to satisfy the existing demand in electricity. He adds that the restrictions USA and its allies impose on Persian Gulf countries in the issue of nuclear energy put their industries from adequate development. Luciani reminds that there are some industries within these countries, like aluminium smelting and water desalination that are of crucial importance to this region, and to other countries. His viewpoint is that given that Persian Gulf countries are gradually becoming industrial ones it is not rational to deprive them of the means to get cheap electricity, which is essential for all industrial fields. â€Å"The key to success is exactly in viewing nuclear technology as an economic, not a political or security choice. † – says Luciani. Nevertheless, given the political situation in this region the question of granting access to nuclear power cannot be viewed as an economic issue only. Some of the leaders of these countries are too ambitious to be satisfied with current situation. Of course most people who vote for creating nuclear power plants in Iran, Dahrain and other countries of this region in fact want to provide electricity. Their goal is to help develop industry in this region, in order to provide well-being to its dwellers. Meanwhile one person in power who desires control would be enough to create nuclear power plants to security threat. There are no warranties that the leaders of these countries will not be able to access nuclear power plants, as their powers in their countries are almost unlimited. In addition, terroristic groups functioning in Persian Gulf region should not be forgotten. Terrorists are people who are ready for anything to reach their goals; murdering thousands of people is not an ethical problem for them; again, there is no warranty they will not be able to access elements used for nuclear reactions on plants producing electricity. Nuclear energy is a relatively safe and cheap source of electricity nowadays. Most American and European countries use it. Some economists see nuclear plants as a universal solution for satisfying the demand in electricity. Meanwhile there are aspects about nuclear energy that have to be considered when using it. Using nuclear power may be dangerous, as an uncontrollable chain reaction may occur, and lead to nuclear explosion. In the same time the danger exists that nuclear powers may be used to create nuclear weapons. This fear is one of the main obstacles for giving Iran and other countries of the Persian Gulf access to nuclear powers. Researchers prove it would be beneficial for their economy, but, given the current political situation in that region, the decision cannot be the purely economical one. At the moment giving nuclear powers to Persian Gulf countries is too dangerous for the well-being of all the people in the world. References 1. Lipper, I. , Stone, J. (1998). Nuclear Energy & Society. Earth and Society Interaction Project. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from http://www. umich. edu/~gs265/society/nuclear. htm 2. Luciani, G. (2007). The Gulf Countries and Nuclear Energy. Gulf Monitor, 6(20-23). Retrieved January 3, 2008 from http://www. grc. ae/data/contents/uploads/Gulf_Monitor_no_6_3450. pdf 3. Renewable Energy Source. (2005). Nation Master Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from http://www. nationmaster. com/encyclopedia/Renewable-energy-source#Is_nuclear_energy_renewable. 3F 4. Sahimi, M. , Mojtahed-Zadeh, P. , Afrasiabi, K. L. (2003, October 14). Energy : Iran needs nuclear power. International Herald Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from http://www. iht. com/articles/2003/10/14/edsahimi_ed3_. php

Friday, August 30, 2019

Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Rights Essay

This brings me to the system theory. A system has interconnected parts that depend on each other to develop the mutual goal, which is a successful center. The interconnected parts are the environment, the processes, and the outcomes. Each component needs the support of the other to keep the common goal. According to Bloom the system theory is, â€Å"A set of interrelated parts that is characterized by the interdependence of its parts and it differentiation from its environment, a complex network of social relationships, and its own unique culture. † (Bloom, 2005, p. ) The environment is a place where input is implemented. When I think of a childcare center environment I think of children and how they develop. I think of the atmosphere, the setting, and the conditions that can spark the chil d’s analytical thinking abilities. But that is just the internal environment. The external environments consist of the parents, sponsoring agencies, local communities, legislative bo dies, and the professional communities / teachers. â€Å"The external environment places constraints and demands on the center. † (Bloom, 2005) The external environment is the input and processing stage. This is a collaboration of people and agencies that come up with strategies to support the development of the center. The centers that have sponsors have money and agencies that develop supportive programs such as art, literacy, and technology. Columbia College sponsors the center that I work for. The center used the money Columbia gave them to developed a program for the teachers to learn the importance of art and how a person can utilize art throughout the day. Parents, sponsoring agencies, local communities, legislative bodies, and the professional communities / teachers are big factors on the input and processing stage. Parents may demand that the students have more free play and outdoor play. The sponsoring agencies might require more outcome data. The local communities may ask the center to stop the students from writing on the ground with chalk. The Legislative bodies may require the students to take shorter naps for more gross motor activities. The professional communities may ask for better wages for their degrees. (Bloom, 2005, p. 6) After the inputs of complaints or suggestions the director needs to structure and process how to develop a plan of action. Getting feedback from the sources that asked for the changes is essential. After developing a plan of action the director can stand back and observe if the changes are working or not. This system allows the director to process the changes, implement the changes, and revise the changes if needed to prefect the change. The outcome process is very important because it could either sink or sail a center. If the changes in the program are not supported by staff, and parents this may become a problem that causes low enrollment, and staff turnovers. I am experiencing these problematic issues at the center I work for. Four years ago the center hired a new director. During the four years she has made lots of changes. She changed classroom teacher teams. She closed classrooms that were bringing in the students. She put teachers in infant classrooms when they did not want to work with babies. Recently she enforced closed campus lunch. No one can go out for lunch. You have to order your lunch or bring your lunch from home. She stated that it was mandated by the state. She gave all the teachers the head-start licensing standards that stated the teacher child ratio. It said nothing about our lunch hour. We also have low enrollment. Parents are complaining about teachers’ morale and the director’s attitude. How you implement change can affect the outcome and cause staff and parents to be disgruntle. As Bloom stated, â€Å"Problems can arise when directors and boards lack adequate data and bas decisions about outcomes on inference. † (Bloom, 2005, p. 16) My director did not collaborate with her environment. She is an autocratic leader. She is a dictator. She does not give anyone an opportunity to be involved with the decision making process. As it stated in the article Leadership Styles, autocratic leaders are extremely controlling and paternalistic, where leaders have complete power over their staff. Staff and team members have little opportunities to make suggestions, even if these would be in the team’s or the organization’s best interest. (Tools) If my director managed the center in a People oriented/relation oriented approach I believe the center would not be I such a crisis. People oriented/relation oriented approach leaders are totally focused on organizing, supporting, and developing the people on their teams. They treat everyone on the team equally. They’re friendly and approachable. They pay attention to the welfare of everyone in the group, and they make themselves available whenever team members need help or advice. (Tools) Directors need to be mindful of how they lead. A director needs s to know how to coach, mentor and manage the staff. Dictating is not he way to lead. If my director collaborated with the staff, parents, and the community I believe the outcome would be different. Coaching and mentoring is not telling a person what to do.

Dang It’s Him Essay

Hassan considers Amir as his friends, but in Amir’s eyes he is more than a servant, except he couldn’t accept him as a friend. Amir is unable to accept Hassan as a friend because he is a Hazara and in his mind, due to peer pressure, he considers Hazaras to be lower in status than he is. Amir constantly tests Hassan’s loyalty because he is jealous of Hassan’s loyalty and therefore wants him to slip up. Amir is jealous that he doesn’t treat Hassan with the trust of a friend that Hassan gives him, so he wants Hassan to slip up so he can feel like they’re equal. He resents Hassan because of the love that Baba gives him and how he never forgets Hassan’s birthday. His Baba always compares Hassan and him consequently his Baba would mention that he is more proud of Hassan than Amir. We begin to understand early in the novel that Amir is constantly vying for Baba’s attention and often feels like an outsider in his father’s life, as seen in the following passage: â€Å"He’d close the door, leave me to wonder why it was always grown-ups time with him. I’d sit by the door, knees drawn to my chest. Sometimes I sat there for an hour, sometimes two, listening to their laughter, their chatter. † Discuss Amir’s relationship with Baba. After hearing Amir’s story, Hassan asks, â€Å"Why did the man kill his wife? In fact, why did he ever have to feel sad to shed tears? Couldn’t he have just smelled an onion? † How does this story epitomize the difference in character between Hassan and Amir? Refer to the beginning of Chapter 4. How might Baba’s treatment of Ali have influenced Amir’s understanding of how to treat Hassan? What moral lessons does Baba convey to Amir, and are any of them contradictory? 1. After Amir wins the kite running tournament, his relationship with Baba undergoes significant change. However, while they form a bond of friendship, Amir is still unhappy. What causes this unhappiness and how has Baba contributed to Amir’s state of mind? Eventually, the relationship between the two returns to the way it was before the tournament, and Amir laments â€Å"we actually deceived ourselves into thinking that a toy made of tissue paper, glue, and bamboo could somehow close the chasm between us† (93). Discuss the significance of this passage. 2. As Amir remembers an Afghan celebration in which a sheep must be sacrificed, he talks about seeing the sheep’s eyes moments before its death. â€Å"I don’t know why I watch this yearly ritual in our backyard; my nightmares persist long after the bloodstains on the grass have faded. But I always watch, I watch because of that look of acceptance in the animal’s eyes. Absurdly, I imagine the animal understands. I imagine the animal sees that its imminent demise is for a higher purpose† (82). Why do you think Amir recalls this memory when he witnesses Hassan’s tragedy in the alleyway? Why does Amir respond the way that he does? 3. What role does Rahim Khan play in Amir’s life? What are the requirements for a true friendship? How can a friendship be damaged? Make sure to refer to a specific example from your experience AND a specific example from The Kite Runner.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 39

Essay Example That information should be made public so that future generations would not have a misconception of what truly happened. In tours, it has been said that the killings happened non-stop. Then according to Dr. Franciscek Piper, it was the delousing happened day and night while the â€Å"killings† happened 20 to 30 minutes during 24 hours. Exaggerations are being given to facts. For what reason? Just the thought of innocent people being killed is enough to get sympathy from generations. There is no need for false information to gain compassion about what have transpired. All that the public needs is the truth. Figures may not be exact and just estimations, which would be completely fine as long as estimations would not be sensationalized. Based on the video which had been the focus and the main reference of the paper, right and truthful facts are of utmost importance specifically in facing issues such as the Holocaust which had affected the lives of a whole

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Possible Selves Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Possible Selves - Assignment Example Kail and Cavanaugh (2013) elaborate that possible selves constitute powerful motivator for people to struggle towards achieving their dreams and live satisfying life. Reflective judgment theory explores and details ways in which people base their reasoning through real life dilemmas that concern and revolve around religion, personal relationships and science among others (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2013). According to reflective judgment theory, there are seven stages of judgment. The seven stages are in three groups, namely prereflective thought that covers stages 1 to 3, quasi-reflective reasoning that covers stages 4-5 and reflective reasoning that covers stages 6 and 7. According to Kail and Cavanaugh (2013), prereflective thought of the reflective judgment theory that covers stages 1 to 3 makes people regard knowledge as something gained through the word(s) of a higher authority or firsthand observation rather than through evaluative and analytical reasoning of evidences. People exhibiting this element believe that their knowledge about life issues is absolutely correct and certain. Students in high school or colleges tend to apply prereflective thought in the process of learning. Since they do not want to challenge the knowledge of perceived intelligent and correct lecturers and teachers, they simply believe and trust instructions and lectures with little intent to seek further evidence. Teacher or lecturer is usually a person of higher authority and knowledge and cannot give false instructions or concepts to the students (Zytowski & D’Achiardi-Ressler, 2011). Believing instructions as given is usually a show of obedience, respect and disc ipline, which constitute elements of the so-called â€Å"good students†. In addition, prereflective thought of reflective judgment enable students to read, believe and grasp research findings documented in books

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Disaster planning utilizing informatics Assignment

Disaster planning utilizing informatics - Assignment Example Most often the poorest are greatly affected by the disaster. This is the case many nations. But the developments in the field of information technology make things different. We can expect any kinds of disasters any where in the world at anytime in any forms. So there is no matter of doubt about the disaster, natural or man made. We should prepare for to manage the disaster. We have enough facilities to manage and save the life. The communication system of today is efficient, powerful and fast. We can use the communication systems telephone, radio, video, fax, television and other technological devices to communicate to the people who are in the area of disaster in advance. (http://practicalaction.org/disaster-reduction?utm_source=S000&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=C10105&gclid=CIng24eEvKUCFYIa6wodwisfYw) By passing information about disaster in advance, the people in the area of disaster can saved. Do not think that we can understand all about disaster in advance. The facility of science and technology of today will help us to understand the disaster in advance in some extent. So people can move safe area. The role of informatics is very valuable and in pre-disaster time and post disaster time. As we know that the natural disasters very terrible and frightening. We have no control over them. So the role of informatics and modern information technology is very weak and not at all efficient. ( Craig H. Llewellyn) Science and information technology will become silent when these kinds of crucial and terrible natural disasters arrive. Informatics can perform its valuable role in health care and medical field in somewhat great extent. But its role in disaster planning has many limitations. Even though it has limitations, it is unavoidable in disaster planning. It overcomes its all limitations by certain advantages. We must hope more developments in informatics in the field of disaster

Monday, August 26, 2019

Fashion Business and Family Dynasties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Fashion Business and Family Dynasties - Essay Example The essay "Fashion Business and Family Dynasties" discovers the business and families of Hermes and Louis Vuitton. Hermes has been associated with the most wonderful luxury brands and is related to the category of women’s handbags, perfumes and jewelries. Hermes is one of the oldest firms in France that has been owned and managed by the family of Hermes. Thierry Hermes is the founder of the Hermes Group. Until 2004, the business of Hermes had been controlled and managed by the family members of Hermes. The family owned group had controlled the family stake and had shown efficient leadership to retain control over the strategic decision of the business within the family. During the period of 1978 to 2004, the Hermes Group was managed under the leadership of Jean-Louis Dumas who was the great-grandson of Hermes. In the year 2006, Jean-Louis Dumas had passed away and Patrick Thomas became the manager in Hermes. He was the ‘first non-family manager’ in Hermes in their entire history of business operations. Patrick Thomas became the first CEO of Hermes but the control was with the family members of Hermes and they retained the control to maintain the family heritage of the business. Hermes is basically known as the bag and scarf maker. They have by no means aggressively pursued any kind off strategy to develop as a luxury conglomerate and constantly remained strong in their individual space of operations. Louis Vuitton is a French based company that deals with fashionable merchandizes. ... family members of Hermes and they retained the control to maintain the family heritage of the business (Bhalla, â€Å"Disintegrating Family Firm: How Well Are You Prepared For the Ultimate†). Hermes is basically known as the bag and scarf maker. They have by no means aggressively pursued any kind off strategy to develop as a luxury conglomerate and constantly remained strong in their individual space of operations (Elite Choice, â€Å"Louis Vuitton Claims to be a Long Term Shareholder of Hermes, Raises Stake to 20%†). Louis Vuitton (Family & Business) Louis Vuitton is a French based company that deals with fashionable merchandizes. Louis Vuitton was established by the founder Louis Vuitton in the year 1854. It deals in the luxury merchandizes (Louis Vuitton, â€Å"About Us†). The Louis Vuitton brand had been famous for its LV logo that features upon most of the merchandizes of Louis Vuitton ranging from luxury chests and leather merchandize to shoes, ready-to-wea r merchandizes, accessories, books, sunglasses, watches and jewellery. Louis Vuitton is known as the leading fashion house in the international market. The merchandizes of Louis Vuitton are sold through the model of standalone boutiques, e-commerce application and lease departments that are departmental stores which represent high-end values (Louis Vuitton. â€Å"The World of Louis Vuitton†). Louis Vuitton and family have managed their entire business in the world. They started in Paris and slowly gained acceptance due to their skillful work. Louis Vuitton had developed the brand uniquely as there was duplication of the products especially in the leather bags category for travelers. After the demise of Louis Vuitton, his son Georges Vuitton controlled the business and managed all its activities. Georges Vuitton

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Discuss the Implications of the Increaing Length of Annual Reports Essay

Discuss the Implications of the Increaing Length of Annual Reports - Essay Example In this regard, many independent and regulatory authorities have tried to protect the investors’ and shareholders’ interest from managements’ biases by taking major steps like corporate governance and accounting policies. Publication of annual reports is one the basic responsibilities. With tightening policies from regulatory authorities, the managements are required to disclose number of information other than financial statement. This paper will attempt to present the purposes and increasing length of annual report and its implications (Stittle, 2003, p.143). Purposes and Importance of Annual Report Annual report is primarily associated the disclosure of the financial report of a corporate which is important for the users like prospective investor, existing shareholders and creditor for making economical decisions. Financial information is highly required as it shows the financial health of the organisation like financial risk, stability, volatility, assets, li abilities etc (Valencia College, n.d.). However, merely disclosing the financial information does not serve the purposes for protecting shareholders’ interest by offering sufficient level of transparency. ... The annual report also discloses other necessary information which is highly required for ensuring the biased free information. For example, the company also discloses accounting policies, footnotes which act as empirical studies for the stakeholders. Form the companies’ perspective, annual reports are also used for market signalling by disclosing a number of voluntary news and recent developments. Moreover, the annual reports are prepared in the simplest way so that a person with basic knowledge of economics is able to understand the internal information and activities. The companies are obligated to ensure that each of its stakeholders is able to access the annual reports and hence, publicly listed companies are responsible for publishing its annual reports through corporate websites, economic journals and news papers, and subscriptions (Vause, 2009, p.9). Increasing Length of Annual Report and its Implications To make the annual reports more relevant with enhanced disclosur e has become a challenge for both the regulators and firms. On one hand, regulatory authorities require that the companies’ annual reports must be understood by ordinary shareholders and investors; on the other hand, they are required to include complete and transparent disclosures. The recent financial crisis of 2007-2010 has marked the importance of financial disclosures. The international and independent organisations like FRC, OECD, IASB and FASB require wide ranges of information as mandatory disclosure. The IFRS and US GAAP are two major financial reporting frameworks that recommend upon the accounting standards and disclosures in the annual report. Their requirements of disclosure have been constantly increased for better transparency and monitoring the activity of the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Identity - the influence between a person and crowd Dissertation

Identity - the influence between a person and crowd - Dissertation Example This proposal provides the exegesis to study the issue of individual and group behaviour in relation to an art or group activity. The point of reference is the film industry in general and marketing commercials in particular. Zimbardo (2010) argues that people often have a profound effect on others. This effect tends to make people on the wider scale tend to behave along lines that are similar to them (Ariely, 2009). In this wise, we can examine the role of directors and important stage managers who get others in a larger crowd to go in a given direction. Knippeberd and Baaren (2009) identify that one of the biggest ways that people tend to influence groups of people is though mimicry. They define mimicry as the process of consciously or unconsciously doing what other people do in a given society. Mimicking is one of the ways people learn and also gain social acceptance. Thus, for instance, we might want to check the impact of an important star in a film or TV commercial on the wider audience. Will the audiences mimic him or her? Or will their countenance and activities change to suit their presence. This provides a basis for studies of the relationship between individuals and the wider group. ... Secondly, what is the role of the crew and production authorities in creating herd behaviour amongst the group? How do the individuals blend into the bigger picture? Thirdly, does the presence of significant personalities in the group affect individuality amongst members of the group? The research questions above will be answered to provide a holistic picture of the main enquiry. To this end, we will want to test a single hypothesis. A hypothesis is a temporal statement made at the beginning of a research, which is tested for its truthfulness or falsity in the actual research (Kothari, 2005). The hypothesis is that â€Å"lesser known actors in groups lose their individuality in order to blend with the wider group†. Thus, the research will reconcile the primary research question with the sub-questions in order to identify whether less known actors and actresses keep their unique identity in films and commercials or they cede it to the group identity. The sub-questions will prov ide an exegesis of why the lesser known actors cede or retain their individuality in group scenes. Research Positioning This section of the proposal will examine the research report. The research approach will involve the application of significant and core concepts of individualism and group identity in the filming of movies and commercials. This heading will discuss important theories and a framework of cases that would be studied in the research. This will set the tone for the discussion of the three cases that would be examined to draw conclusions on the research questions and prove or disprove the hypothesis. The core concept that will be used in this research is the boiling point concept of Gladwell (2000). Gladwell sought to study the point off transition from individualism

Friday, August 23, 2019

United States of America Vs Sony BMG Research Paper

United States of America Vs Sony BMG - Research Paper Example The Issue This case is about the violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by Sony BMG Music Entertainment in 2008. Sony Corporation of America is a company whose Sony BMG subsidiary represents musical entertainers who are popular even with underage children. COPPA aims at protecting the children’s privacy against misuse of their private information by the online community. The act was passed on 21st April, 2000 and provides legal guidelines for companies or organizations which provide Internet services through websites. This act covers the privacy of children who fall below the age of thirteen years.1 The legal provision of the act to the online service providers is that consent must be obtained from the parents of children under the age of thirteen before collecting personal information about the children. Moreover, the parents have to be informed when an online service provider needs to use or reveal personal information of the children. 2 In 2008, Sony BMG Music Entertainment violated the provision of COPPA by collecting, using and disclosing information of children below thirteen without the permission of their parents. This led to the legal suit against the company by the USA on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission. ... The information collected from the underage children by the company affected more than 30 000 of the young people within its 196 websites. The ethical and legal issue in this case is that the company collected the information with full knowledge that it was obtained from underage children. This demonstrates that the company knowingly violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The legal issue was worsened by the failure of the company to reveal that it intended to keep the information. Additionally, the company did not disclose how the collected information was to be used. Applicable Law The law that was violated by the company is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The Federal Trade Commission’s implementing rule was also violated by Sony BMG which made the commission to be the Civil Penalty Complainant. The Federal Trade Commission on 5th April, 2010 requested for opinions of the public on the use of private information by the onlin e community in relation to the changes and advancement in technology. This was through the Commission’s publication in the Federal Register.3 The public opinion on the matter was received from members of the public, technologists, advocacy groups, representatives of various industries and academicians. The information obtained from the public was useful in clarifying and defining various terms within the COPPA, such as Child, Website and Private Information. The considerations of the opinions of the public led to the definition of a child as an individual below the age of thirteen. These considerations were based on expert opinion on the ability of a child to make right judgments on the information provided to the online service providers. The assessment of a child’s level of

Thursday, August 22, 2019

To What Extent Has The Globalization of The Mass Media Created a New Assignment

To What Extent Has The Globalization of The Mass Media Created a New Form of Global Consciousness or Identity - Assignment Example The culture and identity which is followed by people in one country differ from the culture of other nations in various aspects. However, if there is interaction among the people belonging to different countries or cultures, and importantly if there exposure of one culture to other cultures through the omnipresent media, there are chances that the native culture may be influenced by the culture of other nations. This is what happens because of globalization, leading to the emergence of global consciousness or identity or multiculturalism. That is, as globalization and the resultant spread of mass media causes and promotes more interaction and integration between the people and thereby their cultures, it kind of creates and impacts global consciousness or identity. So, this paper will discuss how the globalization of the mass media created a new form of global consciousness or identity to a maximum extent. Among the many economic based movements, globalization is the one which had and is still having a major impact on the economic development of many countries and its people worldwide. â€Å"The word globalization marks a set of transitions in the global political economy since the 1970s, in which multinational forms of the capitalist organization began to be replaced by transnational† (Appadurai, cited in Meyer and Geschiere 1999, p307). The economic part of globalization is the key because with the whole world becoming a kind of global village, barriers between the countries are broken with integration happening mainly in the economic aspects. In this scenario, foreign organizations particularly media organizations or houses, using the  globalization plank, have entered and will also enter various sectors of the businesses leading to the establishment of many industries and thereby having an impact on multiculturalism.  

A Brave New World-perspective analysis Essay Example for Free

A Brave New World-perspective analysis Essay Imagine Brenda, a woman who will not under any circumstances trade her life in order to be conditioned, and then live as a Beta in the Brave New World (BNW), universe. If this is the case, then Brenda could not consistently accept Hedonism. This is due to the definition of Hedonism, the amount and intensity of bodily pleasure in Brave New World (BNW), and the amount and intensity of bodily pleasure here in real life. The definition of Hedonism leads one to maximize the amount of pleasure and minimize the amount of pain: The only thing intrinsically good in life is pleasure, and the only thing intrinsically bad in life is pain. Other things in life have extrinsic value they can lead to either pain or pleasure, but do not produce the sensations by themselves. However, Hedonists are only concerned with pleasure and pain, as these are the only intrinsic values. The distinctive factor that determines a better life from a worse one, is the amount of net pleasure in ones life. The net pleasure is determined by subtracting the amount of pain in ones life from the amount of pleasure. Notice that Hedonism only determines better lives from worse ones, not good from bad. To make the distinction between good and bad is an arbitrary decision and cannot be measured through a comparable medium such as net pleasure. Quantitative Hedonism states that quantity and intensity are the only criteria that determine just how good a certain pleasure is. If all pleasures differ only in quantity and duration, then the world in BNW is a dream for hedonists. Ones life in BNW is conditioned to be content and happy with ones, job, class in life, and the daily schedule of life. This schedule for ones life never changes and so delivers a maximum amount of pleasure due to being happy and content. High pleasure in BNW also comes from the open sexual relations between people. Basically, it is encouraged from childhood to have as many sex partners as possible, therefore maximizing the amount of pleasure from sex. The drug of choice in BNW is called Soma, and it delivers an amazing feeling without any hangover effect like alcohol. This drug is distributed daily at ones work to maximize ones amount of body pleasure. With all of these factors enhancing pleasure, it is also important to state that not much causes pain for ones life in BNW. There are no personal relationships to cause pain, jobs and education are  given specifically for people, and life is very much planned and repetitive. This repetition is what maximizes the amount and duration of pleasure in BNW lives. In real life, there does not exist anything like the above mentioned pleasures, in either quantity or duration. Therefore, when comparing the net pleasure of a life in BNW to a real earthly life, a hedonist finds that BNW lives have a higher net pleasure, and are thus far better. This is because they in BNW have much more intrinsically good pleasure, and much less disappointment and intrinsically bad events. So, if Brenda refuses to trade her life in order to be conditioned and live a BNW life, then she could not consistently accept hedonism because trading her life would give her a higher net pleasure, and by definition, a bett er life. Brenda still could accept hedonism if she accepted qualitative hedonism, based on Mills distinction between higher and lower pleasures. According to Mills, certain pleasures have a distinct higher value than other pleasures. This can be due to a mere preference for one pleasure over another, with the preferred pleasure having more intrinsic value because it is preferred, and thus more net pleasure. This can also be due preferring higher intellectual mind pleasures, as opposed to body pleasures like those in BNW. Mills distinction goes hand in hand with qualitative hedonism, which adds quality to the criteria distinguishing pleasure (intensity and duration). Higher quality pleasure are generally thought to be intellectual and creative pleasures as compared to bestial pleasures. Intimate relationships can also be thought of as being a higher quality pleasure. It is not substantial, however, that these higher pleasures merely exist for a hedonist, these higher pleasure must contribute to a higher net pleasure in life in order to be of value. Since there are absolutely no intellectual or intimate pleasures in BNW, the argument could be made that the intellectual and intimate pleasures in real life give higher net pleasure, and thus a better life. This theory also takes into account the pain that may be caused by relationships or by not attaining certain intellectual milestones. However, the argument can be made that the pleasure derived from these higher pleasures far surpasses any pain caused by them and guarantees a higher net pleasure than any life in BNW. If Brenda adopts this method of thinking, then she could both accept hedonism and still not  want to trade her life for a life in BNW. A qualitative hedonist, in order to consistently believe that actual life is better, must claim that the overall net pleasure one receives in real life is more than the net pleasure one receives in the BNW universe. One must claim that experiences in actual life, including but not limited to intellectual and intimate pleasures, produce more net pleasure than a life of bestial pleasures in BNW. This includes all of the pain and hardships experienced in real life, but not in BNW. The argument is that even with all of this pain, the net pleasure is still higher in real life. This is also what Brenda must adhere to if she wishes to not trade her real life for a conditioned BNW life.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Overview Of Electronic Funds Transfer Marketing Essay

Overview Of Electronic Funds Transfer Marketing Essay ABSTRACT My thesis is based on the E-banking technology in which consumers can acquire more perfect, more rapidly and quick banking services from the programmed banking system. This technology has also been implemented by the global banks as well as by banks in Pakistan to provide well-organized and efficient services to their privileged consumers. The objective of this thesis is conceded to unchain the importance that Pakistani banks are associated with this form of e-banking technology that is being executed by the banks for providing the electronic services to the consumers and in what degree this technology is significant to customers. This research work will also aid to conclude whether the e-banking services are more perfect, more rapidly and quick banking services. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1.1 INTRODUCTION When Internet has entered into our daily life, the most dimensions of our lives such as education, communication, business, etc, were overshadowed by this novel phenomenon. One of these dimensions is to handle banking affairs through the Internet (Shirali Shahreza, 2007). According to (Richard Nyangosi Arora, Sumanjeet Singh, 2009) banking through electronic channels has gained much popularity in recent years. This system, popularly known as e-banking, provides faster delivery of banking services to a wide range of customers. Information technology is becoming an important factor in the future development of financial services industry, and especially in banking industry (Nami. M. R, 2009). In current business environments, customers using the services products of the banks want better choice. (Avkiran, 1999) stressed the importance of the human touch in the customer services. The capability of banking staff can be expected to directly affect the customers satisfaction. However, e-banking technologies can help in better understanding customers needs and customizing the services/ products according to their needs. In the new era there is a need of bank customers to get improved electronic banking services and also better relations with the bankers. It is also the need of time to provide efficient services/products to the customers. In Pakistan however, such kind of electronic banking has started recently. Online banking system present to their consumers a set of information-related benefits that favors to adopt e-banking, including the facility for the customers to control their bank accounts at any time and any place, and to access information content for making investment and financing decisions (Howcroft B, 2002). Due to the competition among the banks in Pakistan, the banks want to provide the services, which are more efficient, rapid and enhanced the banking system. Therefore, the objective of e-banking is to create such working environment where customers can easily find about the information they require for performing financial transactions. 1.1.1 Definition of E-Banking Electronic banking, known as Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), it is basically the use of electronic methods or means to transfer money electronically directly from one account to another account, rather than cash or cheque. We can use electronic funds transfer for: 1. We can withdraw money by an ATM machine with a personal identification number (PIN), for our convenience at day or night. We can guide our bank or credit union to pay automatically monthly utility bills from our account, or our auto loan even our mortgage payment. 2. We can buy food, fuel for our personal transport, and other goods at the purchasing point, using a credit card rather than cash. 3. We can use a prepaid smart card embedded for our daily purchasing like pay phone, toll expenses, daily college expense or any bookstores. 1.2 BACKGROUND The increasingly change in worldwide competitiveness in commercial behaviors has improved the volume of bank in the world. It has produced additional banking knowledge and also improved customer demand of services given by banks. This revolution has set a motion in the banking sector for the provision of a payment system that is compatible with the demands of the electronic market (Balachandher, 2001). On the behalf of increased competition, many banks and organization did not only reduce their costs but they have also increased their products. Technology has changed the preconditions for service delivery, dramatically in recent years (Fredriksson, 2003). The banks are the financial institutions to provide consumers savings services, money transmission services and credit services (Sinkey, 1990). In other terms, banks are concerned with safe transaction and collection of management functions. In this regard the main object of the banks is to making profits and giving best services to their customers. Customers are eager to a banks behavior because the customers are the most significant cause of a banks deposit and revenue creation. These customers may either be a single person or group of a person or organization. According to (Chaudhury Kuilboer, 2002) the potential of providing innovative services over the Web is limited only by ones imagination. Online services, especially banking services, are becoming more attractive and alternative to visiting service outlets or phone call centers for increasing their customers. Therefore it become easy for the customers to prefer online services (Szymanski Hise, 2000), feel more in control of the service process (Bateson, 2000) to avoid from human contact with time saving (Meuter M.L. 2000). In Pakistan however, banking organizations have been focused on censure for not given to their customers with original and suitable banking services. Therefore, the outcome that some customers, find it suitable to keep their money or reserves at home than the banks. Studies will carry out by two famous banks working in Pakistan, which have researched and applied computerized technology for the delivery of banking services. Although, banking administration has delayed to execute computer technology in banking exercises. A number of studies have concluded that IT has positive effects on bank services delivery to customers, bank productivity, cashiers work, banking transaction and banking investment. So, these have positive effects on the growth of banking system (Balachandher, 2001). In addition, delivery the high quality services is a way for the banking to improve their relationships with their customers. By the Delivering high quality services, banks can achieve customer satisfaction and through customer satisfaction banks can gain loyal customers (Grà ¶nroos, 2000). Because of the highly undifferentiated services and products, financial organizations specifically banks become main tool for competing in this marketplace (Kim J.K, Han, Choi Kim S.H. 1998). Much research has been done about the quality of services and customer requirements in the traditional banking environment, where personal interaction between the customers and the bank employees takes place (Oppewal Vriens, 2000). Therefore, this is very important for the online banking services providers to become more capable about the customers perceptions of the online banking services quality. On the other hand the customers also have more expectations and demand when they are using e-banking services either the services are satisfactory or not. Because it is quite easier for customers to evaluate and compare the benefits of competing services (Santos, 2003). 1.3 PROBLEMS DISCUSSION The study about e-banking adaptation has gained special attention during the last decade as for instance; banking journals have devoted special issues on the topic (Waite Harrison, 2002). There were a lot of grievances over the delays in traditional banking services, withdrawals and delay in processing. Time is money but the customers have to wait for a long time of their turn in the bank for any banking facility. Some time even from a remote area a customer has to travel to the concerned branch for any kind of transaction. On the closing hours it becomes more harmful if anyone want make a business deal for payment. Having the computerized operations and automated teller machine; it has made it easy that the banks would activate their e-units to support the online banking services. In Pakistan, manual-banking system was performing below standard services to the customers and it may be affected on the customers support. Transactions of the money from one manual bank to the other can take five to ten days. Some time, when the purpose of transferring the money has almost dead. Sometimes businessmen have to cancel their business deals due to the unavailability of the cash transferring facility in time in traditional banking system where services are as slow as non-secure, non-satisfactory. In order to satisfy customers needs, many banks build their set up through web sites and Internet that provide the services and information to customers and the better service can help to get higher profitability. With the studies of IT in substantial, that would put a positive effect on bank productivity, cashiers work, banking transaction, bank support, and delivery of bank service. These have positive effects on the growth of banking (Yasuharu, 2003). Now Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited is providing broadband, which has enabled the customers to adopt the e-services instead of manual banking because these are much efficient and accurate. In Pakistan there is low literacy rate of workingwoman that are in service. But now young educated generation especially woman are trying to get jobs and taking part in nation building and economy and they have to use the banking services. Therefore the e-banking services will help and satisfy them regarding their expectations for efficient, accurate services. Recently, many local banks in Pakistan have used the online services as a new market channel to offer their customers a variety of services 24 hours a day. This e-banking, compared to traditional banking, heavily involves non-human interactions between customers and online bank information systems (Furst, Lang Nolle, 2002). When the customer evaluate of the e-banking service they received from Banks, then their satisfaction depends on website features/user interface design (Doll Torkzadeh, 1988) and that can be important to analyze the designed features of banking services delivered to the customers. 1.4 STUDY PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to establish the important that how the customers fond the concept and carry out e-banking services and to determine whether the utilization from the e-banking services, make more efficient, accurate and in time of banking services and also to make a variety and excellence between automated and a manual or ordinary Banking systems. To comprehend electronic Banking system in the context of Pakistan by the way of an analysis on the factors that manipulates customers favorable reception of electronic banking services. Particularly to consider the services and products associated with ordinary banking and e-banking with their fast, rapid, efficient, enhanced are more useful methods and to provide the customers to recognize the online banking services. It is to identify the significant aspects that shape the customers view about electronic service and features and the outcome of these services on customers satisfaction in Pakistani banking sector. The current study offers and considers a model to explain how ease, rapid, efficient operation, security, enhanced reliability and reaction positively and meaningfully affect customers awareness of e- services and how these manipulates the customers satisfaction. The leading issues pay attention in the study of e-banking customers to recognize the necessary dimensions of e-service provided by the banks. The study of the literature exposes the convenience, efficient operation, security and privacy, reliability with rapidness, and responsiveness with enhanced methods of e-banking service factors. These dimensions share many general facets of those quality determinants originated within the context of traditional service industries by earlier research (Parasuraman D. Grewal, 2000). Alternatively, these dimensions have their distinct attributes inherent in automated service quality environment (Al-Hiwari ward, 2006). The convenience dimension refers to ease of use and accessibility of the service at all times. The customers prefer flexibility to meet their financial needs at all times, which affect their perception of the e service quality (Gerrard Cunningham, 2003). Lio Cheung, 2002 found that accessibility positively determines perception of quality of service. (Lockettt Litter, 1997) and (Moutinho Goode, 1995) established that time utility is a major contributor of customers perception of e service quality. A lot of studies mentioned that the location e-service delivery is a strong driver of customers perception of e service quality (Aldlaigan Buttle, 2002; Almossawi, 2001; Levesque McDougall, 1996). The second dimension of e-service quality, efficient operation, relates to efficient and speedy operation of these services. Efficient in operations enhances the resources for the customers. Customers accord priority to user-friendliness of ATM. (White Nteli 2004) found that efficient and faster delivery has positive effect on customers perception for quality. Dilijonas, D.; Kriksciun ien, D.; Sakalauskas, V Simutis, R. 2009 argues that minimum breakdown of machines constitutes the essential aspect of e-service feature. (Al-Hawari ward, 2006) talks about the efficient ATM functions positively affect the customers perception of service quality. The element of consistency and dependability describes accurate and assured service at all times. Online users want to obtain the right quantity and right feature of service at all times, as promised by the banks. The literature provides strong support that rapidness, efficient and enhanced are essential determinants of customers perceived service quality and positively relates to customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ use of online services (Fassnacht Koese, 2006; Polatoglu Ekin, 2001). The responsiveness aspect of e-service quality relates to the ability of the bank staff to provide the agreed services timely, accurately, dependably, and promptly. Customers prefer to resolve their complaints expeditiously (Karjaluoto, Mattila Pento, 2002). Prior studies indicate that responsiveness is crucial to sustain service quality and facilitates to build long-term relationship between service provider and the customers (Bauer, Falk Hammer Schmidt, 2006; Long McMillan, 2004). The research results will reflect a positive and strong relationship between online service quality and customers satisfaction. 1.5 BENEFITS OF E-BANKING The e-banking services open seven days a week and 24 hours a day. To decrease the cost-line and no need of physical bank branches To create more deep collection  for consumers needs and expectations. Terms of services to customers for their personal choices. Easy access for all. With the e-banking money can easily be get within no time from ATM machine. In current time E-banking has open out rapidly all over the world. Almost all Banks are making much use of E-banking amenities to offer good services. The extension of E-banking has also significantly advantaged the normal customer in all purposes. 1.5.1 Benefits from the customers point of view Common customers have been much affected in an optimistic manner by E-banking. A lot of ordinary tasks have been fully computerized resulting in much ease and reliable. The main benefit from the customers point of view is major time saving by the computerized of banking services as well as online processing and an easy maintenance tools for managing customers money. Some other key benefits of e-banking for customers are as follows (BankAway, 2001; Gurău, 2002). Decreased costs in operating and using the banking e-services. Increased relief and timesaving operation can be made 24 hours a day, without consulting with the bank. Rapid and enhanced access to information. Organizations or customers will have much easy access to get information as, they can check on several accounts on click of a button. Improved cash management. E-banking services speed up cash cycle and enhance the efficiency of business operations, as large types of cash management methods are available by e banking. Decrease costs in terms using the different e-banking products and services Rapidness the reply of services is very fast therefore the customers can actually wait till the last minute before final fund transfer transaction. Customers can take their history of different funds management Consumers account is particularly accessible with in online account. Consumers can withdraw money at any time through ATMs that are now generally available all over the country. With withdrawing money, customers can also take mini banks statements, account balance on ATMs. Through online banking consumers can control their account while sitting in his office or in home. No need to go in the bank personally for such matters. E-banking has also provided the facility in payment of utility bills. There is no need to stand in long queues for these matters. All these services are generally available at bank website. The development of credit card and its usage also owes significantly to E-banking. Now a customer can purchase anything worldwide without moving paper money with him. Banking services are available 24 hours a day; seven days a week or they are only a mouse click away. 1.5.2 Benefits from the bank point of view Banking industry has also various benefits due to the development of E-Banking procedure. Some are mentioned as below. The core benefits for the banking point of view is that e-banking services are better response to the market. The main purpose of every financial organization is to boost up the profits for its vendors. Online banking services offer ideal chances for increasing the profits. Some clarifications for this pricing plan can be proposed Banks receive extra profits on transactions completed via electronic channels.The abundance of payments is not a main concern for banks. Cross subsidization in special services groups is used, for instance, profits from loan activity balance poor abundance from payment services. The development of E-banking has much helped the banks in minimizing their overheads charges and service cost. Many services and dull tasks have now been fully computerized and in better Efficiency and good time usage. The growth of E-banking has made banks more economical. It has also led to growth of banking industry, commencing of new opportunities for banking processes. E-banking has reduced the paper work in banking industry, thus give them to work with paper less environment. E-banking has also provided facility to bank in proper records and documentation of the transactions. The e-banking capabilities of computer networks, like as the Internet, are much better than any branch network. 1.6 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF E-BANKING With the fame of the Internet growing progressively, many industries are discovering new and attractive method to make it appealing medium to keep up with the continually altering preferences of clients. Nowadays, we can do almost everything over the Internet like shopping for home goods, business deals, contact with friends and so on. The Internet has apparently nonstop possibilities for the banking industry. Most of us have known about online banking services, and more than a majority has perhaps not even tried it yet. Some of us are feeling more relax and easy to work with real people, paper work and money instead of its virtual complement. At last there are a many advantages and disadvantages of online banking services. In this study there will be outline of good side as well as the bad side of online banking services. That you can feel online banking is safer way to manage your transactions and you can be overcome your fears. 1.6.1 Advantages Online banking is very suitable and convenient. It allows people to pay their bills and make transactions anytime during any time of the day and in the week. E-banking system never closes any time because people can access it through internet. There will be no matter in which country you are or anywhere in the world. Customers can make online transaction and handle your finances with conveniently. Secondly, e-banking services are very rapid, effective, enhanced and efficient. E-banking system also gives the option of transaction making in the different bank accounts from a website. Mostly e-banking websites are compatible with programs like Microsoft infrastructure, which makes organizations assets more valuable. 1.6.2 Disadvantages There are also some disadvantages in e-banking services. The main problem is that most people do not trust the transaction performed on online and almost wonder whether they did the right thing? Of course, people more relax and feel easy to find printing the transaction receipts of their transactions. The receipt will confirm them whether or not their transaction has gone successfully. For beginner e-banking can be difficult to learn and some time website could take time to start up. Some websites ask for identification, which can be very inconvenient for the new comers in e-banking. People like talking in person-to-person in case of any difficulty or problem. They like the personal touch like customer service and these kinds of people do not feel comfortable with e-banking. 1.7 ELECTRONIC BANKING IN PAKISTAN Electronic banking is the most recent in the line of technological aspects of the recent past in Pakistan. ATMs, mobile Banking, Credit Cards and Debit Cards, Internet Banking, Cyber Cash have come forward as useful delivery channels for usual banking services and products. In Pakistan, MCB RBS took as a pioneer to introduce ATMs and credit cards in the mid 1990s. The Annual Report of SBP (2003: p. 110) mentioned this delayed access of electronic banking by regulatory hurdles; much costs for startup, reforms on-going banking sector and lack of technological knowledge. The e-banking promoted with the circulation of the Electronic Transaction Ordinance 2002 by the Government of Pakistan. This attraction facilitates legal respect of digital signatures the risks associated, reducing documentation with the exercise of electronic technology in business. In current situation, almost all Pakistani commercial banks have their own setup and networks, they issuing debit and credit cards and have joined collectively in operating ATM Switch Networks with each others. As according to (Kolachi, 2006) Pakistani banks offers the following online banking services and products to their customers. Inquiry:  Account balance inquiry, Account statement inquiry, fixed deposit inquiry, Check statement inquiry Payment:  Credit and Debit cards payments, Transfer of funds, Utility bills payments and direct payments. Request:  Demand draft requests, Stop payment requests, Cheque/Check book requests, New fixed deposit requests Download:  Statement download, download Customer profile, other information and guidelines. The Annual Report (2009, p. 111) of SBP explains that domestic banks are the foremost provider of ATM facilities while foreign banks, like ABN AMRO Bank, Standard Chartered, and Citibank control the credit card business in Pakistan and over 95% of the total amount of transactions. 1.8 RESEARCH QUESTION The research question is in the sense that, the endurance of any e-banking system based on the large extent that depends on the banks ability to maintain and attract customers by offering modern and technologically enhanced banking services and products. Investigate between customer perception of e-services and the services environment in Pakistan. In order to understand and to be accomplishing the purpose, the research question of the study defined as follows: To what extent E-banking System is more efficient, rapid and offers enhanced opportunities compared with ordinary banking system in Pakistan?

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Causes of the Egyptian Revolution

Causes of the Egyptian Revolution CHAPTER II Literature Review Revolution is a process of rapid and fundamental change of the social, economic, and political systems, leading to collapsing an old regime and its associated elite. By studying concepts and historical examples of revolutions, we can find some valuable points common for all revolutionist movements, thus helping analyze the motives of the Egyptian Revolution. Ted Robert Gurr defines revolution as, â€Å"highly organized political violence with wide spread general participation, designed to over-throw the regime or dissolve the state and accompanied by extensive violence.†[1] The term revolution can be used differently in many contexts; however, it usually means a violent overthrow of a regime or social structure or a great sudden change in social principles. A revolution typically characterizes a complete change from one way of doing something to a different way that is usually represents the reverse. Gurr writes, men are quick to aspire beyond their social means and quick to anger when those means prove inadequate, but slow to accept their limitations.[2] He also states, â€Å"people act out their frustrations if they believe that they stand a chance of relieving some of their discontent through violence.[3] He explains this, however, by signifying that angry people are likely to be more open to arguments that violence would help, so emotion eliminates the calculation, making acts less than rational. Jeff Goodwin gives two explanations for revolution. He defined revolution in one definition as any and all instances in which a state or a political regime is overthrown and thereby transformed by a popular movement in an irregular, extra-constitutional and/or violent fashion. He made also a narrow definition and points out â€Å"revolutions entail not only mass mobilization and regime change, but also more or less rapid and fundamental social, economic and/or cultural change, during or soon after the struggle for state power.[4] Both definitions tell us that revolutions are instruments for changing a system. From another perspective, Jack Goldstone defines revolution as an effort to transform the political institutions and the justifications for political authority in society, accompanied by formal or informal mass mobilization and non-institutionalized actions that undermine authorities. [5] He does not talk about large mobilization movements. He simply mentions revolutions as an effort to change political institutions. Proponents of Marxist thought use the term revolution in a very particular way. While reforms are changes in existing social and cultural system, social revolutions cause a sudden shift from one social order to another. For example, Theda Skocpol described revolution as rapid, basic transformations of a societys state and class structures; and they are accompanied and in part carried through by class-based revolts from below,†[6] attaching revolutions to a combination of several conflicts between state, bourgeoisies and the lower class people. She also states, â€Å"revolutions are not just extreme forms of individual or collective behavior. They are distinctive conjectures of socio-historical structures and processes,†[7] attributing revolutions to social elements. What observable political conditions ought to prevail before a revolution begins? Charles Tilly states that three conditions appear to be necessary, and a fourth strongly facilitating. The three apparently necessary conditions are as follows: Alliances or coalitions of contenders, bringing forward claims to the control the state that is currently being controlled by the members of the regime. A significant part of the given population’s commitment to those claims Reluctance or ineffectiveness of the government to put an end to these alternative coalitions or people’s commitment to their claims. Establishment of alliances or coalitions between members of the regime and the contenders bringing forward alternative claims.[8] From a different of view, James Defronzo explains conditions that make revolutions possible in terms of five factors: mass frustration, divided elites, unifying motivations that unite different social groups in support of revolution, a severe political crisis for the government including legitimacy loss and loyalty of armed forces, and a permissive or tolerant world environment in which other nations do not intervene to stop a revolution from developing.[9] He argues that a high amount of mass discontent usually stems from three steps independently or a combination of them: a decline in living situations; a change in the moral tolerability of current conditions involving people feeling that their lives can and should be better; or a period of betterment in the people’s living conditions followed by a severe decline.[10] Displeasure previous to an outburst of a revolutionary movement is often deepened by sensational events that stir up many people such as violent government suppression of challengers. According to Jack Goldstone, revolutions rarely triumph because the conditions rarely coincide. Monarchic states are able to sustain popular support through making appeals respect for nationalism and royal tradition. Privileged elites, who are often enriched by such governments, will only abandon them if their conditions or the doctrine of the rulers changes radically. It is difficult for a general mobilization to triumph because it requires reconciliation of the different interests of the rural or urban poor, students, the middle class people, and many ethnic or social groups. There are many events in history such as student activists, workers strikes, and peasant uprisings that were quickly suppressed because they were a movement of one single group, rather than of a large one. Other international states have often gotten involved in these uprisings to support authoritarian rulers in order to preserve balance and make the international system stable.[11] Even if revolutionary efforts fail, they can possibly result in significant social change. Government or dominant groups will make concessions so as to settle down the protestors, when people try to make an important change in society. Even if these concessions do not satisfy the people’s demands of a total change, they can indicate significant progress. At times, social change can take place step by step because unsuccessful revolts gradually lead a society into a different way, until a new lifestyle is finally achieved. Not all turbulence should be labelled as revolution. Political turmoil is highly possible during the process of modernization. In Samuel Huntington’s words â€Å"it is not a lack of modernity rather the efforts to achieve it that causes political turmoil.†[12] Social mobilization and economic development may be disruptive. For example, economic development results in high economic inequality and social mobilization causing that inequality to be less legitimate.[13] A discrepancy between the public wellbeing and private interest becomes apparent when a culture improves, resulting in the rise of corruption as a problem. This problem can lead to the entrance of new groups to the current political system, or it can promote economic growth if government creates it through the expanse of government regulation. Though corruption may weaken the current regime, it can make political parties stronger, and in fact promote political development in countries where the regime has too much authority.[14] Theda Skocpol states that social revolutions are rapid and basic transformations of a societys state and class structures. What makes Social Revolutions important is that basic changes in social and political structure occur and these changes take place by means of intense sociopolitical conflict.[15] In the end, these changes lead to the collapse of one system and the erection a new one. The French Revolution was a social and political one that supplanted feudalism with capitalism. People did not just get rid of the monarchy, but also they killed thousands of aristocrats who had taken advantage of people for centuries. Peasants made up most of the people and the feudal relationship between those peasants and landlords was eradicated. It paved the way for capitalist relationships of manufacture and trade. In â€Å"Comparative Revolutionary Movements,† Thomas H. Greene argues that if economic conditions of a state worsen, they can lead to a revolution.[16] The reason for the economic downturn, which led to the overturn of the government in Ghana, was the worsening agricultural production that caused great trade imbalance, a huge overseas loan, and extremely high unemployment rates.[17] Likewise, the economic crisis between 1970s and 1980s in Poland exploded enormous revolts and high rates of discontent.[18] Neil Smelser states that economic issues, such as unemployment, food scarcities, rising food prices, and decreased earnings are related to the upsurge of violence between Mexico and England in a situation similar to what was seen before the French Revolution.[19] One of the most important factors that gave rise to the Mexican revolution in 1911 was the economic crisis that the country experienced at the end of Porfirio Diaz’s rule. High levels of inflation and unemployment rates in the last four years of Diaz`s reign, causing Mexico to experience deterioration and stagnation. Decline in the price of sugar, which was the country’s chief export product, was the main reason behind the decline in the Mexican economy. Likewise, in Cuba, the over-dependence on sugar as an economic incentive brought about high levels of unemployment rate and worsening economic conditions when exports to the U.S. diminished. The economic crisis of the late 1950s was only credited to sugar plantation and following unemployment. This over-dependence on single business, together with widespread corruption and nepotism by the Batista government also brought about increasing unemployment rates, particularly during non-growing seasons. The living standard in Cuba decreased dramatically because Cuban wages were unable to contend with high inflation levels during the 1950s. [20] History of revolutions in Egypt Making revolution is not something new for Egyptians because they have had three momentous revolutions in their history. One of them was he 1881 Urabi Revolution which dethroned a crooked and comprador monarchs. Another one was the Revolution of 1919, which almost overthrew British military hegemony, and the other one was 1952 revolution, which initiated the military despotism of Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak for sixty years. Creating the second parliamentary regime on the African Continent, the first revolution turned out to be successful before foreign military intervention changed the form of government. After the defeat, the British formed a colonial rule in Egypt for more than seventy years. The second revolution was a persistent, widespread revolt controlled by a range of pro-democracy protestors from many different civil societies. Although violently suppressed, it did compel the British to make some concessions. The third revolution in Egypt is different from the first two becau se it was a revolution that went out of its way to restrict popular involvement. [21] Anyhow, in 1881 it finally ended the regime of the royal family and started a course of British removal from Egypt. Views on the Causes of the Egyptian Revolution What are the causes that gave rise to this important synergy and resistance? Three main reasons have emerged to explain this mystery: technology, Tunisia, and discomfort.[22] It is obvious that Tunisian unrest was a catalyst, motivating Egyptians to rush out into the streets. The Tunisian government was even more oppressive than the government of Egypt. So if the Tunisians were able to get rid of their ruthless dictator, why could the Egyptians not manage? Tunisian upheaval might have been the starting point, but there are many other important changes in Egypt’s political and social background that also give rise to an explanation for the revolution. Egyptians had increasingly resorted to protests and street politics to claim their demands and disrupt the position of their monarchs. Since 2004, Egypt had seen an increasing number of protests and rallies led by textile and health workers, judges, doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, transportation workers and even property tax collec tors. These workers wanted better salaries and working conditions, and relief from the harsh poverty that has distressed most of the people, whereas the rich became obviously richer and public organizations that in the past delivered service for poor Egyptians descended toward disrepair and jobs decreased as well.[23] People fell into a miserable situation where there were no hopes, nor dreams left for a better future for their children. There are many other assessments regarding the origins of the Egyptian 2011 Revolution. Political thinker and strategist Dr. Tarek Heggy, one of Egypt’s more famous authors on the subject of political reform in Egypt, states that the Egyptian people’s desire for democracy, the ruling system and legal elections were the main motives for the revolution. Another specialist Mohammed Fadel states that bribery and corruption in the government were the most important reasons behind the revolution.[24] Mona El-Ghobashy expresses in her article that the 2011 revolution occurred because there had been an unexpected change in the equal distribution of resources between ruled and rulers.[25] She also provides three reasons for the revolution: â€Å"technology, Tunisia and tribulations.†[26] Moreover, Ursula Lindsey has argued that social media, whereas it did not directly bring about the upheaval, shared a spectacular role in connecting the people who would join latter in the protests.[27] The Bank Information Center (BIC)[28] in 2007 reported that the World Bank had shown the following problems as among the most tenacious challenges that Egypt faced in fighting poverty and maintaining sustainable development: high unemployment, increasing poverty, social and economic inequality, high budget deficit, and net public debt. Every problem, whether it was corruption, the country’s foreign policy, economic conditions or social problems, played a role in motivating Egypt’ s people to revolt. The people, particularly young people, had important access to use of information and communication networks, such as mobile phone services, new social media and TV were important as events blossomed. While the government used the state information, disseminating systems to spread propaganda against the rebellions, the protesters dispersed their message by using means that was creative, disciplined, and revolutionizing. The victory of the revolution, at least for its main demand, resignation of Mubarak, was associated with defamation of state-controlled newscast, a blossoming of home-produced media of all kinds.[29] While social media did not create the Egyptian uprising, they played an immense role in getting together many of the young people who would ultimately join the demonstrations. We Are All Khalid Sa‘id was one of the Facebook groups that was created in 2010 to honor a young man beaten by police and died, having more than half-million members in the protests on January 25, 2011. These groups were instrumental in organizing the protests and a new expression has come into the Egyptian language. The internet-led generation that organized the initial protests is known as the Facebook Kids.[30] In general, street politics and in particular, the Arab street politics were more complicated. The Arab street is chiefly an appearance of public sentiment, but it has experienced important changes in its style and way of expression. Street politics is the contemporary theater of discontent people. It has played a great role in such massive political events as the French Revolution, anti-colonial fights, nineteenth-century industrial movements, the velvet revolutions in Eastern Europe, and various anti-war protests. For ordinary people, the street is the main site of politics, or and it is the chief place to spend time for those who do not generally have positions of power. It is at the same time social and cultural, continuous and present, a home of the strange and the familiar, the visible and the verbal, the street symbolizes a complex place where opinions and attitudes are formed, spread and voiced in a unique way.[31] Economic inequalities and poverty among different groups of society are important precursors for many revolutions. Welch and Taintor mention those concepts in addition to rapid economic worsening, poverty and inequalities between manufacturing and the distribution of that merchandise.[32] Cynthia McClintock argues that the inconsistency between global and domestic markets causes the latter to depend on the former concerning reliance on industrialized states for technology and money.[33] Schultz and Slater state that this dependence essentially triggers the separation of society and diminishing of rural population.[34] The chronic structural problems affecting the Arab world came to a head prior to 2011 through a combination of persistently high unemployment, especially among youth (and educated youth at that), rampant corruption, internal regional and social inequalities, and a further deterioration of economic conditions because of the global 2008 financial crisis and food price increases. Even the initial event in Tunisia that exploded into the Arab Spring upheaval was related to economics. The Tunisian street seller,  ­Mohamed Bouazizi, burnt himself because of his conditions of poverty. [1] Ted Robert Gurr, Why men rebel, Princeton, N.J.: Published for the Center of International Studies, Princeton University [by] Princeton University Press, 1970, 11. [2] Ibid., 58. [3] Ibid., 210. [4] Jeff Goodwin, No Other Way Out: States and Revolutionary Movements, 1945-1991 (Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001), 9. [5] Jack A. Goldstone, Toward a Fourth Generation of Revolutionary Theory, Annual Review of Political Science 4, no. 1 (06, 2001), 142. [6] Theda Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions: A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia, and China (Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1979), 4. [7] Theda Skocpol, France, Russia, China: A Structural Analysis of Social Revolutions, Comparative Studies in Society and History 18, no. 2 (Apr., 1976), 177. [8] Charles Tilly, Does Modernization Breed Revolution? Comparative Politics 5, no. 3, Special Issue on Revolution and Social Change (Apr., 1973), 425-447. [9] James DeFronzo, Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements (Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 2007), 12. [10] James DeFronzo, Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements, 13-14. [11] Jack A. Goldstone, Understanding the Revolutions of 2011: Weakness and Resilience in Middle Eastern Autocracies, Foreign Affairs 90, no. 3 (May/Jun 2011, 2011), 8-16. [12] Samuel P. Huntington, Political order in changing societies, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1968 41. [13] Samuel P. Huntington, Political order in changing societies, 59. [14] Ibid., 69-70. [15] Theda Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions, 3. [16] Thomas H. Greene, Comparative Revolutionary Movements (New Jersey: Prentice Hall Publishing, 1990), 19. [17] Greene, Comparative Revolutionary Movements, 96. [18] Ibid., 97. [19] Neil J. Smelser and Richard Swedberg, the Handbook of Economic Sociology, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994), 73. [20] Brian H. Pollitt, Sugar, Dependency, and the Cuban Revolution (Glasgow, Scotland: University of Glasgow, 1985), 196-197. [21] Jeannie Lynn Sowers and Christopher J. Toensing, The Journey to Tahrir: Revolution, Protest, and Social Change in Egypt (London; New York: Verso, 2012), 48. [22] Ibid., 21. [23] â€Å"The Architects of the Egyptian Revolution,† The Nation, Saba Mahmood February 14, 2011 [24] Mohamed Fadel, Public Corruption and the Egyptian Revolution of January 25: Can Emerging International Anti-Corruption Norms Assist Egypt Recover Misappropriated Public Funds? Harvard International Law journal, volume 52, April 2011, 293. [25] El-Ghobashy Mona, The Journey to Tahrir, The praxis of the Egyptian revolution, 22 edited by Jeannie Sowers and ChrisToensing, 22. [26] El-Ghobashy Mona, The Journey to Tahrir, 21. [27]El-Ghobashy Mona, The Journey to Tahrir, 54. [28] Bank Information Center (BIC).http://www.bicusa.org,accessed on (October 19, 2013). [29] Jeannie Lynn Sowers, Christopher J. Toensing, The Journey to Tahrir, 53. [30] El-Ghobashy Mona, The Journey to Tahrir, 54. [31]Jeannie Lynn Sowers, Christopher J. Toensing, The Journey to Tahrir, 75. [32] Claude E. Welch and Mavis B. Taintor, Revolution and Political Change, (California: Wadsworth Publishing, 1972), 149. [33] Cynthia McClintock, Revolutionary Movements in Latin America: El Salvador’s FMLN and Peru’s Shining Path, (Washington DC: United States Institute of Peace Press, 1998). [34] Schultz and Slater, â€Å"Revolution and Political Change in the Third World,† 34.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Client :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I read the book The Client by John Grisham. This book was about a boy, named Mark Sway, and is younger brother who witnessed a horrible suicide. Before the suicide, he talked to the lawyer who was about to kill himself. This lawyer, Jerome Clifford, had a client in New Orleans who had murdered a United States Senator and hid the body at the lawyer?s house. Right before he shot himself, the lawyer told Mark everything about his Mafia connected client. When the lawyer took his life, the younger brother went into shock, but Mark realized that he had to tell the police something. He didn?t want to tell them that he knew the whereabouts of the body for fear of the Mafia coming after him. He just decided to tell the police that he and his brother were in the woods and they found the car and the lawyer?s body, not knowing anything about it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later, the police found Mark?s fingerprints around and inside the car, where he had been talking to the lawyer, and even on the gun. FBI agents and local police all suspected that Mark knew more than he was telling them. Mark hired a lawyer, Reggie Love, to help him get out of the mess he put himself in. A couple newspapers got word of the fingerprints of the boy and they quickly made up stories that Mark was now suspected to be the killer of the lawyer. Mark realized that the best thing to do would be to let the police know where the body was and tell them the truth about everything he knew. The next day, he and Reggie had an appointment with some FBI agents. On the way to his lawyer?s office, Mark ran into a man obviously in the Mafia. He threatened to kill him if he told anyone about what Jerome Clifford had told him. He knew the man wasn?t joking because he was holding a switchblade to his face at the time. By this time, Mark no longer wants to talk to the aut horities. Through all this, Mark?s mother was still living at the hospital, worrying about her youngest son, who was still in shock and comatose.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eventually, the FBI gets annoyed with waiting for Mark. They decide that he should be put in a juvenile home until he agrees to talk to them. Mark knows that he should not be in the home.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Pride and Prejudice Essay: First Impressions -- Pride Prejudice Essays

First Impressions in Pride and Prejudice      Ã‚  Ã‚   First impressions are very important in Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice. As the story develops, we discover how the prejudices and first impressions of each of the main characters change. The primary focus is on the character of Elizabeth Bennet.    Elizabeth's judgments about other characters' dispositions are accurate about half of the time.   While she is correct about Mr. Collins and how absurdly self-serving he is and about Lady Catherine de Bourgh and how proud and snobbish she is, her first impressions of Wickham and Darcy steer her incorrectly.   Wickham is first thought to be a gentleman by all.   His good looks and his easy manner fool almost everyone, and Elizabeth believes without question all that he tells her of Darcy. Elizabeth's first impressions of him are contradicted when she realizes that he has lied about Darcy.    Elizabeth and many of the other characters se... ... her married daughters with pride, and Elizabeth is said to be proud of Darcy because of what he had done for Lydia.   First impressions can be discussed of many of the other characters than those discussed here, and prejudice is illustrated not only in Elizabeth's behavior, but in Darcy's and Lady Catherine's reactions to the status of Elizabeth's family as well    Work Cited: Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 1813. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Acorn Industries Essay

It is the rare corporation that can recognizes the need to integrate its resources, policies, people, assets and procedures with changing business strategies. Rarer still is the organization that acts on this need. Yet, in today’s competitive global market, an integrated strategy is increasingly necessary. Given the speed with which change occurs in the global business environment, standard planning techniques and asset allocation methods have become woefully outdated. Indeed, achieving new levels of business sophistication is a never-ending process, requiring Acorn to rapidly a strategic organizational transformation to meet changing conditions. To effectively accomplish this transformation the company needs a system that provides continuous evaluation and improvement, ensuring effective use of both business (hard) and organizational (soft) assets. In particular, what is required is a balance and alignment between customer, organizational and business investment. In today’s market, organizations not taking such an approach run the serious risk of failing to meet the expectations of shareholders. The case of Acorn Industries highlights the lack of strong leadership, the need for a transformation in its organizational structure, the need for a balance scorecard system, the need for a programme manager and the effective operation and utilization of such a structure. Among the distinguishing characteristics of companies achieving sustainable shareholder value is that the management in these organizations constantly evaluates the key operational drivers of the business and, in response to changes in the business environment, strategically transforms the company’s resources among those drivers, whether they are in marketing and sales or in some area of production. This process must occur every time the business changes marketing strategies, experiences a merger, acquisition or spin off,  or moves to a new level of sophistication and globalization maturity. The result is a company experiencing an ongoing process of active, bottom line-oriented self-assessment and growth. When a company’s organizational and business assets are in alignment, adjustments occur naturally. For this alignment to occur, however, the business must measure its organizational and business assets differently than it did at previous levels of maturity. It also m ust be able to transform organizational assets rapidly to meet changing conditions. PROBLEMS AND CAUSES Many new projects implemented within organizations either partially or fully fail because the intervention does not adequately address the enabling environment within which the organization operates (UNDP, 1993). For example, Acorn tried to keep the commercial and government contracts separate. They were also managed as separate entities based on marketing and the resources from the functional departments. Any effort to diagnose and improve the performance of this organization requires an understanding of the forces inside and outside the organization that can facilitate or inhibit that performance (Savedoff, 1998). Enabling environments support effective and efficient organizations and individuals, and creating such environments is becoming an increasingly important aspect of developing this organization towards one that can operate on a programme organizational structure. The organizations natural resources, human resources, financial resources, infrastructure and technology together form what is call â€Å"capabilities.† They combine with rules and institutional ethos to create an enabling or inhibiting environment for organization’s growth and development. This point illustrates the overriding influence of rules and, as noted earlier, the interdependence of the various components of an enabling environment. Acorn embarked on launching ambitious programs to develop capabilities but neglected the importance of conducting a thorough institutional analysis. It involves mapping the institutional environment in terms of politics,  administrative capacity, culture, leadership, organizational structures, etc. in a manner that includes all stakeholders and measures their level of ownership and commitment to reform. Acorn had numerous projects underway with no formal project management process in place to effectively manage successful outcomes. They have not embraced programme management as the discipline to hold people accountable and execute the implementation of strategic change initiatives. Acorn had failed at the process to effectively manage all their projects. Projects emanate from the strategic plan, therefore to increase project success at the strategic level a process must be established to select and monitor projects and ensure projects and resources are in alignment with the strategic plan. For success to occur, synergy is required from all project participants at all levels. RECOMMENDATIONS Strategic leadership is associated with the organization’s vision, as well as with the ideas and actions that make the organization unique. It is the process of setting clear organizational goals and directing the efforts of staff and other stakeholders toward fulfilling organizational objectives (Mintzberg and Quinn, 1995). In essence, therefore, strategic leadership has to do with the organization’s ability to influence its internal and external stakeholders so that they will support organizational directions. Strategic leadership needs to empower its members to create the changes that are necessary for an organization to perform and survive (Byrd, 1987). It goes beyond simple planning, in that it creates ways of clarifying and obtaining organizational goals by looking within and outside the organization. It sets the stage for organizational action and the methodologies the organization will use to produce the results required. Thus, an organization’s strategic leadership involves developing ways of inspiring organizational members and stakeholders to perform in ways that attain the mission, while adapting to or buffering external forces. Strategic leadership consists of three main dimensions: leadership, strategic  planning and niche management: LEADERSHIP _Leadership is basically the process through which leaders influence the attitudes, behaviors and values of others towards organizational goals_ (Vecchio, 1995). Indeed, no one can deny its critical importance to the success of any organization, no matter where the organization is located or what it does. Salopek (1998) outlines four fundamental qualities of leadership, each of which has several specialized and associated competencies. These qualities relate to the ability to become and act as the following: Collaborators skilled at facilitating, coaching and fostering dialogue; Innovators skilled at visioning, championing and diffusing; Integrators skilled at organizing, improving and bridging; Producers skilled at targeting, improving and measuring. The need for leadership qualities is not restricted to executive senior managers, but extends to workers at all levels of the organization. Leadership exists at many places inside the organization, both formally and informally. Formal leadership, exercised by those appointed or elected to positions of authority, entails activities such as setting direction, providing symbols of the mission, ensuring that tasks are done, supporting resource development, and modeling the importance of clients. _STRATEGIC PLANNING_ Strategic planning entails formulating and implementing activities that lead to long-term organizational success. It is essentially a decision-making process that involves a search for answers to simple but critical and fundamental questions: What is the organization doing? How is it doing what  it does? Where should it be going in the future? What should it be doing now to get there? Strategic planning encompasses issues spanning the entire spectrum of the organization, from introspective questions of what the organization’s personality is or ought to be, to strategic operational issues connecting the focus on the future with work to do to move the organization forward. The strategic plan itself is a written document; setting out the specific goals, priorities and tactics the organization intends to employ to ensure good performance (Kaplan and Norton, 1996). Thus, strategic planning must typically include a scan of opportunities, threats and constraints presented by the environment. This means that the organization must repeatedly ask itself what potential or pending actions are likely to influence (positively or negatively) what it does and plans to do? How can the organization forestall or mitigate the negative influences, as well as take advantage of the potential opportunities? Another strategic issue for the survival of an organization is the acquisition of resources in the vital areas of funding, technology, infrastructure and personnel. Strategic planning must adequately pursue these resources by anticipating and capitalizing on opportunities in the external environment that might yield or support them. It also means predicting threats to organizational resources and intervening (politically, in general) to ensure that organizational performance and survival are safeguarded (Korey, 1995). This level of leadership and intervention generally transpires between the senior executive of the organization and the organization’s directors. Resource acquisition entails constantly being on the lookout to create opportunities that will augment the organization’s resources. For strategies to become operational, they need to be communicated, processed and revised according to feedback from stakeholders, both internal and external. All members of the organization need to work toward making the strategic plan a reality, from senior management down to the most junior worker (Mintzberg  and Quinn, 1995). ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The ability of an organization to structure and restructure itself to adapt to changing internal and external conditions is important for maximizing organizational performance. Unlike other capacities, the structuring and transformation of an organization does not formally occur on a constant basis; however, adaptations of structure are always occurring. Organizational structure is defined as the ability of an organization to divide labor and assign roles and responsibilities to individuals and groups in the organization, as well as the process by which the organization attempts to coordinate its labor and groups. It is also concerned with the relative relationships between the divisions of labor: Who has authority over whom? How and why should an organization divide labour individually and by grouping people? How should organizations coordinate their work to maximize the benefits of the divisions of labour? What do people look for to indicate that problems are structural in nature rather than some other type of problem, such as one of leadership? OPERATING STRUCTURE The operating structure of an organization is the system of working relationships arrived at to divide and coordinate the tasks of people and groups working toward a common purpose. Most people visualize an organization’s structure in terms of the familiar organizational chart. The task of creating appropriate and manageable work units or departments has challenged managers and students of organizational development for decades. In looking at structure, we are interested in the extent to which  individuals, departments or other groupings understand their roles in the organization; whether they have the authority to carry out their roles; and whether they are accountable for their work. Structure also includes coordination issues (Mintzberg and Quinn, 1995). Coordination is the process of linking specialized activities of individuals or groups so they can and will work toward common ends. The coordination process helps people to work in harmony by providing systems and mechanisms for understanding and communicating about their activities. In organizations where innovation and productivity is key, interdisciplinary project teams are a competitive advantage. Entire networks are formed where the best minds collectively tackle difficult projects, with each contributor bringing his or her special perspective and expertise. The ease with which the programme office facilitates interdisciplinary approaches to projects is an indicator of organizational health. Many variables influence organizational structure, including history, size, technology, organizational goals, strategy, governance, funding and other pressures from the external environment, the specific fields of research, and technology. HUMAN RESOURCES The human resources of any organization are its most valuable assets. In the view of many top-level executives, employees are the key source of an organization’s competitive advantage (Brown and Kraft, 1998; Chilton, 1994). Critically important to effective human resource management is to develop and instill core values throughout the organization (Down, Mardis, Connolly and Johnson, 1997). These values include integrity and honesty, commitment to the organizational mission, accountability for and pride in one’s work, commitment to excellence, and building trust. They form the basis for developing cohesiveness and teamwork, as well as for developing policies, procedures and programs that focus on meeting the needs of customers or clients. In the case of Acorn Industries, human resources management functions is  charged with planning and controlling human resources to make sure that people’s needs are met so they can work to achieve organizational goals. Commitment to meeting employees’ needs is not merely an altruistic function-it is highly likely that staff who are reasonably comfortable with working conditions, and stimulated by the environment, will be productive (Miron, Leichtman and Atkins, 1993). From an organizational perspective, control over human resources is critical to hold managers accountable for organizational performance. Nevertheless, progress in this area has been slow. HUMAN RESOURCES PLANNING Human resources planning involve forecasting the human resources needs of the organization, and planning the steps necessary to meet these needs. This planning is the first step in any effective human resources management function. Human resources planning should be closely linked to the organization’s strategic objectives and mission. Even in regions of the world with a plentiful, well-educated workforce, such planning is a challenge because the needs of the organization are constantly changing and sometimes do not converge (Cockerill, Hunt and Schroder, 1995). The challenge is even greater if the pool of people from which the organization recruits is limited by such factors as brain drain, or because labor market wages in the private sector are more attractive (Colvard, 1994). Forecasting in these environments is quite difficult. PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT According to Booth (1998), the term â€Å"programme management† is used mainly by two groups of professionals in ways that are consistent. The first group, those involved with information systems, employs the term to describe the management of _big projects, especially system implementations._ The second group, corporate strategists, uses it to mean the _practical task of translating grand strategies into operational reality._ In many organizations, individual managers typically pursue their own  projects and cite their own successes. In fact, the link between their efforts and organizational performance is generally quite obscure. By coordinating and linking the cascade of corporate goals reflected in diverse projects into specific sets of common-goal actions, program management helps to avoid this problem. Programme management is regarded as â€Å"an additional layer of management sitting above the projects and ensuring that they remain pertinent to the wider organization† (Booth, 1998). In the context of funded organizations in developing countries, organizations often receive financing from different donors or funding agencies for different projects that are not necessarily congruent with organizational goals. In such a situation, there is a clear need for programme management to align different projects with wider organizational goals and coordinate them into common-goal actions. PROGRAMME PLANNING Programme planning ranges from working out what to do on a day-by-day basis to long-term strategic planning. It should be happening constantly within a project and program. Programme planning must take into account what an organization has to do to create its goods and services, as well as the resources it needs to do so. Program planning requires thinking ahead and, as such, involves several concurrent questions. Whom are we serving? What demand are we supplying and at what cost? What are our objectives? What must be done to meet these objectives? Who will do this? How will they do it? How long will it take? How much will it cost? How will we know whether we have met our objectives? Programme planning has many levels and is time bound, so it can be short, medium or long term. However, when conducting an assessment, the extent to which the organization’s plans are well communicated and used as management tools must be determined. This will require written plans. PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION The major task of the leaders of an organization is to put the organization’s program into practice. It is all well and good to have a great plan-making  it work is the hard part. Programme implementation requires organization and having staff that can put their skills to work. It requires integration of the management skills needed to allocate resources and the technical skills needed to do what has to be done (for example, to do several projects con-currently and with the sharing of resources). Programme implementation is the stage at which an organization integrates all its resources to concretely achieve its goals. PROGRAMME MONITORING AND EVALUATION Sound project monitoring and evaluation need to be built into projects during their planning stage and carried out throughout the project (IDB, 1997). For example, an assessment of the volubility of a programme or project ensures that it contains the basic elements required to monitor results and ultimately determine whether development objectives are being met. The planning section should have an increasing array of tools that help project planners develop quality projects. The logical framework can be incorporated into a project both for use as a planning tool but also to provide indicators for monitoring and evaluation (IDB, 1997). Similarly, outcome mapping (Earl, Carden and Smutylo, 2001) is used as a tool to support better planning, monitoring and evaluation. PROCESS MANAGEMENT Functional managers with many organizations today view their business as a series of functional silos concerned with their own requirements (Dent and Hughes, 1998). This perspective is particularly pervasive among managers accustomed to being rewarded for optimizing the performance of their functions relative to the rest of the organization. Although managers talk about â€Å"big picture† processes, their efforts are often focused inwardly on their own requirements and are measured accordingly. In such situations, there is an obvious need for common systems and operations that apply uniformly throughout the organization and, like a thread, sew the various functional parts together into a common purpose. There is also a need for compatible strategies to optimize organizational performance. In other words, process management is required. Taking a vision and making it a reality through smooth-flowing daily work in an organization is largely dependent on ongoing â€Å"processes.† These are the internal value-adding management systems and operations that cut across functional and departmental boundaries. They are the mechanisms that guide interactions among all groups of people in an organization to ensure that ongoing work is accomplished rather than hindered or blocked. Thus, _process management is the task of aligning and integrating the various practices and cultures of different segments of an organization through the introduction of common systems and operations that apply uniformly to all segments of the organization_. These common operations or processes include problem-solving, planning, decision-making, communication, and monitoring and evaluation. If the processes are all working, the outcome is that the organization is learning and accomplishing a great deal. Process management takes place at every level of an organization, from the board of directors to the line worker. The board and senior managers must know how to problem-solve, plan and make timely decisions. If they are deficient in these areas, organizational direction is often hampered. As with the case of Acorn Industries, programme units, departments and other functional segments of the organization must plan and set short- and medium-term goals, as well as solve problems, make decisions and generate strategies to carry out appropriate activities to achieve results. VISION AND MISSION The vision and the mission of an organization emerge from important social, economic, spiritual and political values. They are meant to inspire and promote organizational loyalty. Vision and mission are those parts of an organization that appeal to the heart; that is, they represent the organization’s emotional appeal. They motivate people and draw upon staff  and stakeholders’ hopes and aspirations. In this sense, the vision and mission of an organization provide inspirational motivation. Clarifying the vision and mission are important in private organizations. Private sector organizations often identify the importance of serving their customers, and have created visions and missions to support this theme. At issue for many organizations is not only to write but to then live the statements. When vision and mission statements are not lived up to, the result is not to enhance motivation but to foster cynicism. Assessing an organization’s motivation primarily involves looking at its mission, since this is more closely linked to what the organization wants to do. However, in examining the mission, the link to the larger vision, as well as more operational components, must also be assessed. DEFINITION _An organization’s vision defines the kind of a world to which it wants to contribute._ Visions lie beyond the scope of any one organization. They represent the hopes and dreams of organizational members. The vision describes the changes in the prevailing economic, political, social or environmental situation that the programme hopes to bring about. Missions, on the other hand, are a step in bringing about the operational aspects into the vision, an organization’s raison d’à ªtre. _The mission is an expression of how people see the organization operating._ In this context, the mission lays a foundation for future action (Bart, 1997) and guides the organization’s choice of strategies and activities. Some of the main reasons for an organization to have a vision and mission expressed in clear statements are to: Promote clarity of purpose Function as a foundation for making decisions Gain commitment for goals Foster understanding and support for its goals. Whereas the vision locates the organization within a cluster of organizations, it is the mission that answers the questions: Why does this organization exist? Whom does it serve? By what means does it serve them? Those responsible for the performance of an organization increasingly recognize the benefits of clearly and simply communicating the direction in which their organization is going. Such descriptions of the organization’s future, whom it serves, what it values, and how it defines success can have a powerful impact on the organization’s personality. ASSESSING THE MISSION Those seeking to diagnose and analyze the mission of an organization often find themselves dealing with multiple realities-those that are written down, and those that are perceived by organization members. One task in an organizational assessment is to determine the degree to which the formal mission statement is understood and internalized by members and stakeholders of the organization; that is, measure the congruence of the perceived and stated missions. CULTURE While the mission statement formally articulates organizational purpose, it is the organization’s culture that gives life to the organization and helps make the realization of its mission possible. The concept of organizational culture has been the focus of much attention, with analysts associating it with superior corporate performance (Peters and Waterman, 1988), increased productivity (Ouchi, 1981), improved morale, and high rates of return on investment. _Organizational culture is the collectively accepted meaning that manifests itself in the formal and informal rules of an organization or a sub-group._ The culture embodies the collective symbols, myths, visions and heroes of the organization’s past and present. For instance, culture finds expression in the collective pride (and even embellishment) of the accomplishments of individuals. Values important to the organization are illustrated through stories about past successes and failures; these form a living history that guides managers and drives members’ behavior. DIMENSIONS Diagnosing organizational culture helps you understand the relative levels of consistency or inconsistency of â€Å"meaning† that exist in an organization. In some ways, culture is like an iceberg; it has both seen and unseen aspects. From an anthropological perspective, culture has material and non-material dimensions. Culture has both physical artifacts-mission statements, policy guides-as well as basic beliefs that direct the thinking, feelings, perceptions and behaviors of the people in the culture. To know why some people are in trouble, are rejected or punished, or are not appreciated by an organization, you need to know the belief system and norms that underlie the organization’s behavior. In this context, four dimensions of organizational culture can be identified: artifacts, perspectives, values, and assumptions (Bloor and Dawson, 1994). _Artifacts_ are the most tangible aspects of an organization’s culture. These are the physical aspects of an organization: the type of office, the logo, dress, rituals (Christmas parties), stories, language and so forth. Artifacts are the physical manifestations of the organization’s culture. _Perspectives_ are the ideas that people hold and use to act appropriately. For example, a perspective includes how the organization handles customer complaints or, for that matter, employee complaints. In some organizations, people go to great lengths to help customers obtain the products and services they say they need. In other organizations, customers are ignored. _Values_ relate to the ideals held by the organization, including concepts of standards, honesty, quality and integrity. Underlying or basic _assumptions_ are â€Å"the taken for granted† beliefs of an organization. This refers to what members of the organization feel is appropriate behavior for themselves and others. Since assumptions are considered a given, they are rarely if ever questioned. The set of tacit assumptions helps form the uniqueness of the organizational culture (Denison, 1996). BALANCE SCORECARDS Balanced Scorecard is a popular tool for implementation of strategy (Kaplan and Norton 1996a). As the founders of the concept, they promote the concept primarily as a tool that can provide aid in the implementation of strategy. They argue that the main causes of poor strategy implementation are: Visions and strategies are not actionable Strategies are not linked to departmental team and individual goals Strategy not linked to resource allocation Feedback that is tactical and not strategic The name BSC reflects the need for a balance between short and long time horizon for goals, between financial and non-financial measure parameter, between lag and lead indicators and between internal and external perspectives (Kaplan and Norton 1996a). The author argues that _†what you measure is what you get†_ The measurements have a running effect. In order to accomplish a strategic effect, the organization must measure what is strategically important. This can be achieved in the Balanced Scorecard concept. Hence, the concept is not a control tool, but rather a strategic tool to help managers look ahead. In addition, the BSC shows how the results are achieved not only that they are achieved. With the four dimensions; the financial perspective, the internal business perspective, the customer perspective and the innovation and learning perspective, BSC combines a  number of flows that are going on in the organization. By understanding the organisation in this context, t he manager can learn what connections exist between the different perspectives. The common picture of the four dimensions is one of the contributions of the BSC concept. _ARCHITECTURE OF BSC_ Kaplan and Norton (2001a) describes the building of a BSC as a process to define a set of near term objectives and activities, the drivers that will differentiate a company from its competitors and create a long term customer and shareholder value, the outcomes. The process begins in a top down fashion, clearly defining strategy from the perspective of the shareholders and the customer. In other words, the scorecard is supposed to define the short term goals and activities. These are the strategic drivers that are supposed to differentiate the organization from the competitors and create long term value for the customers and the owners. The financial goals for growth and productivity are the most important. Causes of growth are to be defined. When the financial goals are defined, we must ask the question _†Who are the target customers that will generate revenue growth_ _and more profitable products and services? What are their objectives and how_ _do we measure success with them?†_ The customer perspective should also include a value proposition that defines how the company differentiates itself to attract retain and deepen relationship with targeted customers. The defined measurements in the customer and financial perspectives should not describe explicit how this should be achieved internally. It is the internal processes, like product, design, marketing development, sale, service, production that are about to define the necessary activities to achieve the goals in the customer and financial perspectives. The fourth perspective, learning and growth, should put pressure to execute internal business processes in new and differentiated way, based on the organizations infrastructure; the skills, capabilities and knowledge of employees; the technology they use and the climate in which they work, in other words what Kaplan and Norton (2001a) refers to as the learning and growth factors. _IMPLEMENTATION OF BSC_ Kaplan and Norton suggest implementing the BSC to overcome the strategy implementation problems: Visions and strategies are not actionable, strategies are not linked to resource allocation, and feedback is tactical and not strategically. However, when studying Balanced Scorecard, there is no common theory or model for implementation. Some use more perspectives than Kaplan & Norton’s initial four, others not. For example, some have added a human focus or an environmental focus. Kaplan and Norton do not include the human focus as they believe the human is contained in all of their focus areas. This might be a result from the stepwise development of the BSC. The first concrete model for building a BSC is presented by Kaplan and Norton (1993) where they use a system model in eight steps to create a BSC that should link the measurements to the strategy. In the article _†Using the BSC as a strategic management system†_ by Kaplan and Norton (1996b), the development of BSC is extended from the eight step to a ten step model. According to the authors, after the tenth step, BSC has been included in the routine part of the strategic management system. The communication within the organization follows the different units in the business plan and lies in line with BSC. Through follow up of BSC, learning in the organization is enabled through performance and deviation assessments. However, Kaplan & Norton (1996a) mean that this might not be as easy as it looks. This is probably an understatement. They show failures in several cases with structural and organizational problems. The step wise development by Kaplan and Norton is also influenced by other research findings. This also applies to the implementation of BSC system. Kaplan and Norton start out with an implementing model in eight steps, while the Kaplan and Norton 1996b article present another 10 step model. For all models, a common theory for building and implementing BSC is missing. Despite this observation, Kaplan and Norton have developed principles for  how to become a successful strategy focused organization. However, these principles do not tell _how_, but rather _what_ matters to implement strategy successfully. In the article by Kaplan and Norton (2001c) the authors show how organizations use their scorecard to align key management processes and systems to the strategy. Although each organization achieved strategic alignment and focus in different ways at different paces and in different sequences, each eventually use a common set of principles to become what Kaplan and Norton refer to as the principles of strategy focused organization. The five principles are: 1. Translate the strategy to operational terms 2. Align the organization to the strategy 3. Make strategy everyone’s everyday job 4. Make strategy a continual process 5. Mobilize leadership for change When Kaplan and Norton (2001c, 2001a) talks about the first principle _†TRANSLATE THE STRATEGY INTO OPERATIONAL TERMS†_ they mean that the scorecard creates a common and understandable frame of reference for all organization units and employees through the translation of strategy into a logical architecture of a strategy map and the Balanced Scorecard to specify the details of the critical elements for their growth strategies. The second principle _†ALIGN THE ORGANISATION TO THE STRATEGY†_ (Kaplan and Norton, 2001c, 2001a) relates to the organizational performance to become more than the sum of its parts. It must be linked and integrated. The Balanced Scorecard defines what is expected to create synergy and ensure that linkage actually occurs. This will prevent the strategies of different units to go in opposite directions. As many organizations have difficulties  communicating and coordinating across the different functions, suboptimal behaviours may become a major barrier in strategy implementation. The third _principle_ _†MAKE STRATEGY EVERYONE’S EVERYDAY JOB†_ means that the BSC should be used to communicate and educate the organization about the strategy. Scepticism towards unlimited communication to the entire organization risking leakage of valuable information to competitors is answered: â€Å"_Knowing the strategy will do little good unless they execute it. On_ _the other hand we have no chance to execute it if people don’t know about it†._ This is also in line with Kotter (1996) who argues that real power first occur when those involved in the enterprise or activity have a common understanding of goals and directions. The author argues that it is not a top down direction, but rather a top down communication. When Kaplan and Norton (2001a, 2001c) talks about â€Å"_MAKE STRATEGY A CONTINUAL PROCESS†_ they claim that the BSC introduce a new â€Å"double loop process† to manage strategy. The process integrates the management of tactics with the management of strategy using three important processes. First, organizations link strategy to the budget process where they use BSC as a screen to evaluate potential investments and initiatives. Just as the BSC attempts to protect long term objectives from short term sub optimization, the budget process must protect long term initiatives from the pressures to deliver short term financial performance. The second step is to make strategy a continual process by introducing a simple management meeting to review strategy. Information feedback systems are changed to support the new management meetings. Finally, a process for learning and the strategy evolves. The initial BSC represent a hypothesis about the strategy. At the time of formulatio n, it is the best estimate of the action expected to create long term financial success. The design process of the scorecard establishes the cause and effect linkages of the strategic hypothesis explicit. As the scorecard puts it to action and the feedback system start reporting actual results, an organization can test the hypothesis of its strategy. In the fifth principle _†MOBILIZE LEADERSHIP FOR CHANGE†_ also named  _†mobilize_ _change through leadership†_ (Kaplan and Norton 2001a); the authors claim that the first four principles focus on the BSC tool, the framework and the process to support it. They also argue that active involvement of the executive is the single most important condition. If the top management are not active leaders of the process – change will not occur, strategy is not implemented and the opportunity for breakthrough performance is lost. Over time, a new management system will evolve; this is a strategic management system that institutionalizes the new cultural values and processes into a new system for management. This is also in line with Kotter (1996) where he describes how transformational change occurs. By linking traditional processes such as compensation and resource allocation to a BSC that describes the strategy, they create a _strategic management system_. Furthermore, the author claims that the strategy must be a continual process that reflects shifts in opportunities and threats. Here, it is important that the integration of the new strategy into the organization does not create a barrier to future progress. CONCLUSION The relationship between organization and innovation is complex, dynamic and multilevel. The existing literature is voluminous and diverse. For Acorn to be a successful organization, I looked at the aspects of organizational structures, human resources, programme management, process management, their vision and mission, the organizational culture and balance scorecards. These are the potential different aspects of the relationships that form the coherent conceptual framework for understanding the phenomenon of ‘organizational innovation’. Executive Management needs to engage organizational functions in programme execution to obtain information evaluate progress and learn from failures regarding strategic change initiatives. If they don’t, they, like most projects, will fail. Committed leadership is required to provide the right environment for people to succeed when implementing change initiatives.  Projects are essential to the growth and survival of their entities because, when executed successfully, they help deal with changes in the environment, fiscal conditions and citizens’ needs. Directors must be held accountable for managing change and the best way to manage change is to employ a project management methodology that enables the Department to manage strategic project initiatives as a portfolio of budget investments and prioritize them in accordance with their importance to the Department strategy. Acorn Industries needs to focus on making change happen to improve their organizations performance!! Programme management is their ticket to that success. It will enable them to get on the road to quicker implementation of strategic initiatives and keep Acorn Industries moving forward. Organizations that want to be successful need to establish an integrated programme management process in order to execute strategic initiatives and enhance the organizational and individual’s project management capability. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bart, C. 1997. Sex, Lies and Mission Statements. _Business Horizons_ (November/ December): 9-18. Bloor, G., and P. Dawson. 1994. 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