Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist Views on Benevolence Essay Example for Free

Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist Views on Benevolence Essay Benevolence can be defined as the moral inclination to be kind and compassionate. If people could control their malicious behaviors and focus on participating in acts that are solely beneficial to humanity, the earth would be much more prosperous. Being kind to others gives us a feeling of contentment that is otherwise unattainable. Receiving compassion and kindness provides us with a sense of gratitude and wellness that many cannot help but share with others. No one enjoys being the subject of someone else’s ill will. This is why moral codes such as (but not limited to) Buddhism, Confucianism/Taoism have emerged. If everyone followed any one of the previously stated practices, it would be much easier for humans to grow and develop as a whole because there would be fewer causes of our discontentment. The Buddhists’ ultimate goal is to end suffering by achieving enlightenment, or nirvana (Kessler, pg. 186). Benevolence is indefinitely required to reach this state. Enlightenment can only be obtained by recognizing the Four Noble Truths. This basically states that life is suffering, which is the result of bad karma caused by malevolent actions that are driven by natural human desires. The end of desire will inevitably be the end of suffering. The only way to end suffering is by following in the footsteps of Siddhartha Gautama’s enlightenment (Kessler, pg. 166). This method of bringing an end to suffering is otherwise known as the Eightfold Path, or the Way of the Buddha. In order to obtain the same enlightenment, Buddhists are required to uphold a strict set of rules regarding the way to behave as a beneficial member of society, including â€Å"right view, right thought, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right meditati on.† (Kessler, pg. 224). The most devout Buddhist possesses immense self-control and discipline in attempt to live the purest, least harmful existence possible. A good example of the ideal Buddhist is the bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas have reached the ultimate level of moral purity, kindness, and compassion toward the world and therefore live to relieve people from suffering (Kessler, pg. 170). Concerning overall kindness and compassion, the fate and preservation of the entire world should be taken into account before performing any act. No living being should ever be harmed or killed. One should never steal from another, but may receive gifts openly. Buddhists should be chaste, truthful, and fair. They are required to keep peace among people if necessary. A devout Buddhist would never speak to someone in a discourteous manner, including sharing erroneous information (Kessler, pg. 185). This moral code practiced by Bodhisattvas is directly concerned with the wellbeing of the world through good deeds, which leads to the end of eternal suffering, according to the previously stated teachings of the Buddha. Another influential teacher of morality and obtaining widespread human prosperity is Confucianism. The Way, or Tao, is the Confucian concept of human nature. The Mandate of Heaven is dictated by the fact that humans, by nature, want to obtain balance and harmony in the world, which is possible beginning with harmony within the self. Harmony within one’s self leads to harmony among other people, which results in the harmony of natural phenomenon, and thus the world is harmonious. This requires that all human emotional conditions be in balance. Although the notion is truly inconceivable, this can be most closely described as the Confucian concept of heaven. People must be understanding and compassionate towards one another, and make sacrifices for the greater good. When this is achieved, human flourishing is then possible. People are either intelligent enough to possess the sincerity of the way, or they can be instructed to do so. Humans are all capable of making a contribution toward achieving the order of the Way, which results in spiritual salvation (Kessler, pg. 242-243). The most important way this goal is to be achieved by the followers of Confucian teachings is through sacrifice. An honorable person intends to sacrifice in order to spread good will to the earth. This helps emphasize the responsibilities all humans have to maintain peace and harmony in the world for the well being of everyone (Kessler, pg. 240). Humans are born into different ranks, which must be taken into consideration, but the overall goal of Confucian teaching is to uphold the moral obligation of goodness. Elders and authority figures are to be respected in accordance to the Confucian way. For example, a child is respectful to a parent because both are needed to maintain balance in the family. This plays a crucial role in the functionality of the family unit. The same notion can be applied to the citizen and his governing body. The citizen is obedient to the government because defiant behavior would lead to chaos (Kessler, pg. 242). The Buddhist and Confucian doctrines are similar in many ways. The ultimate goal of both sets of teachings is the same: human benevolence leads to moral salvation and the well being of humanity. Renunciation plays a major role in the overall intention of both parties. The crucial difference between the two is the source of the regarded texts. Confucians’ fate is subject to the government no matter what. They pay respect to all people, but understand the necessity to respect the upper class because they play a major part in the well being of the whole. The elders and authority figures â€Å"take care† of the younger or less fortunate. Buddhists focus more on solitude and undergoing suffering for the greater good. They go as far as to give up normal eating habits as to refrain from any selfish behavior that may lead to bad karma. Confucians also undergo suffering, but do not give up basic human desires for the benefit of others. They are undeniably considerate. Any feeling that one would not enjoy feeling would never be bestowed upon someone else. No form of extreme asceticism required of Confucians as it is sometimes in Buddhism. Rather, Confucian success is more important to human flourishing. Although true, both moral concepts have the same intended outcome of benevolence toward everyone. Works Cited Kessler, Gary E. Ways of Being Religious. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Pub., 2000. 166+. Print.

Managing Operations Apple Inc Commerce Essay

Managing Operations Apple Inc Commerce Essay Apple Inc is a large multinational in the consumer electronic business that builds on its ability to innovate and use its strong flexibility in product development speed to create competitive capability in the market. Fortune named Apple as the most admired company in the world. However, Apple did not figure in the top ten companies on use of assets, social responsibility, and global competitiveness in this survey. This study explores the reasons for this insofar as they lie in management of operations in the company. A survey of literature reveals that there are few agreements on what constitutes lean or agile manufacturing and disagreement on the correct choice of operations management strategy. We examine whatever one can find in reports, literature, and the companys own publications and compare these to the gleanings from theory to arrive at some recommendations for Apple to consider for operations management strategy. Globalisation has increased complexity of supply chains that need to span several countries with diverse cultures, laws and regulations, and time zones. However, with increasing pressure on the need to conserve non-renewable sources of energy and to mitigate the impact of operations on the environment, globalisation is a process likely to reverse in the not so far future. Apple must prepare for this through innovative strategies in organisation and distribution. We recommend a strategy that simultaneously looks at lean when addressing use of resources and agile manufacturing in addressing customer needs, to meet competition on both, cost and product differentiation, fronts. In looking at lean manufacturing, we strongly recommend moderation in implementation to preserve flexibility and agility. Operations Management Apple Inc Contents Operations Management Apple Inc 1.0 Introduction Apple Inc is a large multinational in the consumer electronic business. The comment of James Collins, editor-in-chief of the T3 Consumer Gadgets Magazine, talking about the iPod exemplifies the image and sheer volume of market penetration achieved by the company; Collins says: Its cool across the board: everyone from my seven-year-old niece to my 60-year-old uncle has one. Norbert Reithofer, CEO of BMW adds to the image in his comment (in Bernasek, 2010): Apples customers are more than customers theyre fans. The whole world held its breath before the iPad was announced. Thats brand management at its very best. Apple builds on its ability to innovate and use its strong flexibility in product development speed to create capability in the market. Consider the fact that Apple introduced 7 different versions of its iPod within four and a half years of launch (Levy, 2006). Despite not being the first-to-market, it has used this capability to leverage its expertise in the iPod, iPhone, iTunes, iWorks suite of products and command a premium on all its products (Boddie, 2005). However, on the critical issues of use of assets, social responsibility, and global competitiveness it does not score favourably (money.cnn.com). As long as Apples products command a premium, and as long as it can continue introducing innovative new products this does not appear a serious concern. However, it is the contention of this report that despite these factors, Apple stands to gain tremendously by using modern operations management concepts such as Lean Manufacturing (which we alter to Lean And Green), Supply Chain Ma nagement, Quality Management etc. In this report, we look at these concepts in some detail to demonstrate how they can help Apple meet its commitments to its stakeholders and meet the need for Corporate Social Responsibility. 2.0 Background Apple Inc. (Apple) is a multinational consumer electronic corporation headquartered in Cupertino, California in America established in 1977. The company designs, manufactures, and sells hardware and software products for computers, entertainment, and portable music systems. Some of its best-known products include the iPod, the iPhone, its desktop and the MacBook Air line of laptops. Vital backup through software for computers and its iTunes virtual music store form important parts of its operations (google.com). Since its inception, the company did moderately well as a number of CEOs changed between 1977 and 1997 when Steve Jobs, the founder of the company, returned to take charge of the company. Steve has remained the CEO since then, except for short periods in 2004 and 2009 when Tim Cook charge during his absence on medical grounds. Since 1997, the company has grown phenomenally and presently employs 35,000 personnel and recorded revenue of $42.91 billion for the year ended September 26, 2009 (finance.yahoo.com). Young and Simon (2005) call Steves return and the growth of Apple following his return the greatest second act in the history of business in the subtitle of their book. Its stock prices dropped to a low of $82.33 on January 12, 2009 from the previous high of $193.91 on December 17, 2007 mostly in response to the economic turndown that affected all companies. Since then, the stock has risen steadily and traded at $226.60 on March 8, 2010 (ibid). Apple has established a unique image for itself through its characteristic advertising and the design of its products. The Fortune magazine named Apple the most admired company in the world in 2009 (Colvin, 2009). Again, in 2010, Fortune named Apple as the most admired company in the world (money.cnn.com [b]), based on a survey among industry leaders using nine criteria. Importantly, from the viewpoint of this report, Apple did not figure in the top ten companies on counts of: Use of Assets, Social Responsibility, Financial Soundness, Long Term Investment, and Global Competitiveness It rated No.1 and No. 4 on Innovation and Product quality respectively. The same report records that Apple have so far sold 250 million iPods, 43 million iPhones, and 32 million iPod Touch, and introduced the game changing iPad portable computer. In 2006, the Mail on Sunday carried a report that alleged Apples contract manufacturers in China, Foxcom and Inventec, were using sweatshop conditions for the production of the iPod (mailonsunday.com); The Washington Post followed washingtonpost.com [a]). Apple took immediate action to investigate and correct the situation (washingtonpost.com [b]). 3.0 Theories of Operations Management In the emerging scenario for manufacturing enterprises, three trends evident are the deployment of technology and effort towards lean and green manufacturing, quality management (TQM) and the impact of globalisation on the thought processes of business. In the following passages, we draw on existing research to discuss the points of convergence and the conflicts between different approaches to operations management. 3.1 TQM and Lean Pettersen (2009) says that it is very difficult to find a definition of lean despite this being a popular management concept. Some authors have attempted to define the concept while others have questioned whether it is indeed possible to understand the meaning of lean management through a narrow and restrictive definition (ibid). This researcher (Pettersen, 2009) carried out detailed investigation of lean and its closest relative TQM that threw up a number of observations that help us understand the concept of lean and TQM. The most important observation is that the two groups [,] human relations management and supply chain management are not definable characteristics of lean they are important (although not vital) parts of the lean concept (ibid: 132). On the other hand, TQM sees employees as components in the production process that cannot be trusted to produce good quality and focuses on removing possibilities of human error from the system. In addition, this author finds diverge nce in the general opinion that lean implies waste reduction, and says that lean aims at two different types of goals; those that are internally focussed, and those that look outward. While internally focused initiatives may look at cost reduction the externally focused may seek a goal of higher customer satisfaction. In addition, Pettersen (2009) finds divergence in the opinion that lean is a set of practical waste-reduction tools compared to others who believe lean is a philosophical approach to operations management. In his discussion of the similarities and differences between lean and TQM Pettersen (2009) points out that in lean quality is a secondary consideration and decreasing cost through waste reduction is an important concept to lean with some research saying that waste reduction adds to customer value. Waste reduction is a significant aspect of TQM, but under the banner of poor-quality-costs (ibid: 134). Perspectives of the two systems also differ. TQM focuses on the int ernal structure of the organisation while lean sees the need to address the entire supply chain where the internal organisation is one part of a value-creating stream. Another major point of departure between TQM and lean is that TQM strongly emphasises investigation of customer requirements while lean does not emphasise this as strongly. However, there appears to be convergence in literature that lean manufacturing implies a constant focus on reducing waste of all types, i.e. waste of materials, time, equipment, space, inventories, and human effort across the entire supply chain (Corbett Klassen, 2006). This focus leads to management of operations in such a way that helps improve quality, reduce costs, and improved service to customers located all over the globe. Pettersen (2009) also points to the many similarities in the two systems of TQM and lean. Both see quality as the responsibility of senior management and focus on removing the human factor to reduce errors. This requires management to concentrate on analysing and improving processes and training people to achieve better quality and cost reduction. Both also focus on continuous improvement through learning with a small difference, TQM looks to stimulate creativity and learning for the individual and quality a result of individual efforts while lean emphasises standardisation of work and collective learning. Both TQM and lean see the importance of supplier and internal worker team participation through long-term partnerships. 3.2 Globalisation, Green and Supply Chain Management Globalisation, provided impetus by the information technology revolution and the lowering of trade and other barriers by nation states, has witnessed increased and free movement of capital and labour across national boundaries. For manufacturing operations, this has meant offshoring of production, inventories, and suppliers as firms look to find customers across the world and to benefit from the differences in economies, infrastructures, and the regulatory mechanisms that exist in different countries and regions (Manuj Mentzer, 2008). These authors state that firms have restructured their supply chains to operate on a global basis to take advantage of the international product, factor, and capital markets (Manuj Mentzer, 2008: 133). Therefore, we can see globalisation as a strong influence on revenue generation by enabling entry into new markets and finding vendors who can supply goods of the same quality at cheaper prices and improved logistics for existing markets. Continuing tre nds since the last few years have seen companies shift their entire manufacturing lines to regions that offer competitive facilities to reduce manufacturing costs. These processes come with some serious downsides also as evident from the complexity of management of a supply chain that extends across several countries that have different laws and regulations, time zones, and cultures. In their drive to outsource production many companies, including Apple, find themselves accused of adopting work and labour practices completely unacceptable to western sensibilities but which are okay in those countries. In this last statement, we hasten to add, there is a fallacy in that it is not the acceptability of sweatshops in the host countries of the subsidiaries but more a question of poor monitoring and governance. An added dimension is the increasing stakeholder pressure to ensure sustainability of operations through restraints on the use of non-renewable natural resources, and controlling pollution and emissions that lead to climate change (Sarkis, 2001; Kovacs, 2008). This pressure to go green requires firms to work with their suppliers and customers to change production processes and promote recycling. Within the organisation, firm now need to analyse their operations and processes, and assume extended stewardship through the entire life cycle of their products to diminish impact on the natural environment through changes that reflect a positive attitude toward corporate social responsibility (Corbett Klassen, 2006). The difficulty remains on how to measure the environmental impact of the operations of a firm as no metrics, except for the ISO 14000 standard. This standard sets out the procedures for identifying environmental aspects of site operations, safe handling and disposal procedures for hazardous materials and waste, and compliance with relevant environmental legislation (Corbett Kirsch, 2001), but does little to provide a metric for measuring the environmental footprint of a multinational and multi-location firm. Where companies deploy outsourcing as a strategy they may face resistance from suppliers reluctant to adopt green practices as they see these as time consuming and expensive (Larson Greenwood, 2004) and requiring high upfront investment for changing manufacturing technologies on which the return on investment is low (Rothenberg et al, 2001). In implementing greener manufacturing firms need to look beyond mere cost efficiencies because such initiatives deliver benefits difficult to quantify into money earned, but are substantial nevertheless (Larson Greenwood, 2004). Friedman (2008) points to the example of Wal-Mart who found that their lean and green initiatives improved financial performance and earned them respect from customers. This respect translates to customer preference to buy from environmentally responsible firms and pay a price premium, which can finally influence the bottom line positively. However, having considered that going green holds a number of potential benefits for the firm; it is understandable that global suppliers, not into retailing, may not find these as plausible reasons to make investments for converting to a greener manufacturing technology. Gattiker et al (2008: 28) say that [. . .] it is difficult to ask suppliers to engage in environmental practices when the buying organization lacks (or is perceived to lack) environmental commitment and concrete practices. Thus, buyers may need to get their own house in order before requiring the same of suppliers, or vice versa. In the considerations that we have discussed above, one can see numerous conflicts that may arise. For example, lean manufacturing requires movement of materials within the supply chain based on demand. Earlier concepts of safety stocks, bulk purchases to avail discounts, and inventory holding have become passà © as firms focus on Just-in-time (JIT) inventory management. However, this requires purchase, production, packaging, and transport of ever reducing batches of materials that can adversely affect the green approach. Christopher and Lee (2004) discuss this conflict at length to conclude that, in the context of global supply chains, lean manufacturing results in longer lead times and more inventories that contradicts lean management principles. In this, they extend the findings of an earlier research by Levy (1995) that concluded that globalisation of the supply chain results in higher levels of pollution because of the longer transport routes and smaller batches. Rothenberg et al. (2001), in their investigation of the automobile industry, also point to the fact that implementation of lean processes, waste reduction measures do not add to environmental performance or pollution reduction, and that the relation is negative. This contradiction requires the firm to rethink its approach to overcome the negatives of JIT operations and find innovative solutions that may involve re-useable packaging and reduced container sizes and product mix to decrease package volume. It is difficult to identify such strategies for global supply chains. 4.0 Operations Management Theories and Apple Inc How Apple manages its global supply chains is not readily discernible from company literature and research documents. The only mention found is on page 16 of the Industrial Engineer magazine that quotes Mike Janes talking of Tim Cook the fill-in chief executive of Apple in the absence of Steve Jobs away on medical leave. Mike says, Supply chain management, which seems so incredibly unsexy, is very sexy when you look at your bank account and you have managed the product transitions perfectly. Thats the thing that Tim is absolutely a master at. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Tim is an amazing, brilliant mind when it comes to operational excellence and is really a master of execution Tim Cook is right at the top of the list. Apple enjoys a unique position in the market in that it does not look to measure and investigate customer requirements but looks to create customer needs by offering innovative and feature-rich products, which at first sight the customer do not require but soon become a need through use of the product. Another issue that most research in the area of operations management seen in the light of globalisation and environmental pressures misses is the need to think local while going global. The reducing quantities of available natural resources, especially oil, and the disagreement on use of nuclear energy, the only viable alternative and increasing pressure on issues related to climate change require companies to rethink their strategies. Apple, in its manufacturing processes emitted 3.87 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2010, added to this is the 5.40 million tonnes that the use of their products by their customers added to the burden. These together represent 91% of the total emissions of pollutants for which Apple is responsible (apple.com[a]). While Apple, in various statements on its website, says that they are taking proactive action on these issues and are industry leaders in this respect, we believe Apple has to keep an eye on the future and use its strengths of innovation and agile management to initiate action that will help it and the industry. Steve Jobs says that Apple is far ahead of competitors in these areas and by 2010 Apple will be recycling about 28% of its product in America compared to Dell or HP who achieve about 10%. A reason behind this, Steve explains, is the use of high quality materials that recyclers look for (apple.com[b]). Apple has taken a number of actions on its own and in compliance with government regulations to mitigate its impact on the environment. Some of the salient actions are the phasing out of lead batteries in 1991, stoppage of use of CFCs in manufacturing, and implementation of the ISO 14000 quality standards in 1996 (apple.com[e]). In 2000, all its manufacturing sites were ISO 14001 certified (calrecycle.ca.gov). 5.0 Conclusions and Recommendations Morrison (2010) uses an analysis of the success factors at Apple to recommend a set of four mantras that other companies could emulate. The first is that one needs to avoid following the herd, a strategy Apple adopted in avoiding the building of a miniature laptop and instead came out with the ultra-thin Air, a product in line with the Apple image. Next, he says is that a company should not back out from fights it can win, a strategy Apple displayed when it pulled NBCs television programs from the iTunes Store in 2007. NBC backed off within days and now other media companies hesitate to face Apple on pricing. Third, says Morrison is to flatten hierarchies within the organisation, as deep vertical structures tend to dither when it is time to act. Finally, and most relevantly to the context to quality management, Apple has never looked at market research or to emulate its competitors but goes by its own feel to create products like the iPod and the iPhone, which create their own market . While several companies have adopted some of these strategies, none of them has used all four together. The result is the spate of innovative products that make Apple the most valued company in the world. Morrison says Apples culture has codified a habit that is especially valuable for firms that make physical things: Stop, step back from your product, and take a closer look. Without worrying about how much work youve already put into it, is it really as good as it could be? Apple asks that question constantly. Hallgren and Olhager (2009) find that in intensely competitive markets, the firm has the option of choosing to distinguish itself on price or on product differentiation, and the choice of operations management must align with the chosen strategy. Lean management is good where the firms aims at cost leadership where processes are repetitive, require adherence to predetermined schedules, a steady flow through the production process. Conversely, where high customisation, changing variety of products, and agility to introduce new products is the determinant of competitive strategy, the firm should choose agile manufacturing. Examining the internal and external factors these researchers (ibid) use a comprehensive review of literature that lean and agile manufacturing differ in the results, one helps cost leadership and the other can significantly raise costs to obtain agility. Examining the case of Apple, it is evident that the correct strategy must consist of agile manufacturing. However , we do not agree with Hallgren and Olhager (2009) that lean and agile are mutually exclusive strategies. In this, we find support in the earlier work of Katayama and Bennett (1999) who proposed that a combination of lean and agile is mandatory for long-term competitiveness. These writers see the need for a firm to think lean when addressing resources and agile when looking to build capabilities to meet customer requirements. We recommend this strategy to Apple. Chen et al (2009) discuss lean concepts and point to potential pitfalls that an overzealous implementation can cause. They emphasise that lean management aims to eliminate waste, effectively manage personnel, distribute design among entities that are best at each stage, work with the supply chain, manage customers, and wisely manage the organizations finances. Their (ibid) paper draws attention to the fact that in addressing elimination of waste the firm may risk elimination of creative time that is so essential for innovation. Focussing on short-term value creation through cost reductions may threaten competitive ability that can only come through radical and disruptive innovations. Similarly, when a company focuses on building a lean supply chain they risk disruptions of the processes that late or faulty shipments and failure of any of the links in the supply chain (Chen et al, 2009).In these warnings, we see echoes of the very strengths that Apple relies on to lead competition. Using the recommendations of Chen et al (2009), we can see that in order to derive maximum benefit from lean operations Apple needs to maintain a high flexibility and agility in its design and manufacturing capabilities linked to the innovative spirit exemplified in its motto Think Different. However, this does not imply that Apple has no use of the concept of lean; it is through careful and moderate application of its principles that the company can build strength to meet the stress of economic and political disruptions, and most vitally meet the growing competition brought about by rapid globalisation. Word Count: 3483

Arthur Dimmesdale and John Proctors Guilt and Sin Essay -- The Crucib

Arthur Dimmesdale and John Proctor's Guilt and Sin Guilt is something that weighs heavily on the human soul. It incorporates itself in our dreams, our thoughts, and our actions. Everywhere we turn, it stares us blankly in the face. While it is unbearable to suffer, guilt is an emotion that reaffirms our humanity. Repentance of a particular guilt, being spiritual, physical or both, is evidence that we are beyond the baseness of our animal tendencies. This fact has not gone unnoticed to the many great figures of literature. They have explored the sentiments of guilt and repentance by exploiting the conscience of flawed characters. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne presented to the world Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, a man suffering in a past sin. Likewise, in his play The Crucible, the great modern playwright, Arthur Miller, penned the character of John Proctor to allegorize the dangers of moral passivity. Their guilt and repentance were the primary causes of their â€Å"undoing†. Dimmesdale and Proctor were both martyrs to their sin. More specifically, they were both martyrs to the sin of adultery. Being a man of the cloth, this was especially painful for Dimmesdale. How could â€Å"a ruined soul like [his] effect toward the redemption of other souls?† (Hawthorne 182). As he confessed so mournfully to Hester, his partner in sin, â€Å"Canst thou deem it, Hester, a consolation, that I must stand up in my pulpit and meet so many eyes turned up to my as if the light of heaven were beaming from it†¦and then look inward, and discern the black reality of what they idolize?†(Hawthorne 182). He was so consumed by his hypocrisy that he turned to self-masochism as a means of escape. In stark contrast to Hester’s outward ... ...e†(Miller 22). All he wanted to do was get on with his farming and continue to live happily with his wife. It was only when the witch hunt directly affected him did he realize the gravity of his mistake. This was completely different to Dimmesdale’s seven long years of suffering. However, unlike Dimmesdale, when faced with the decision to confess and live or stand by his convictions and die, Proctor’s love for life interfered. He had so much to live for including his children and his livelihood. Only his honor steered him back to the importance of his cause. Arthur Dimmesdale and John Proctor were both martyrs for personal and societal guilt. They paid earthly penances and the final penance of death. Their â€Å"undoing† was a necessity for a society at the brink. Without their sacrifice, the society they lived in would have collapsed under its own weight.

Management Information System Essay -- Computers Business Information

It deals with planning for, development, management, and use of information technology tools to help people perform all tasks related to information processing and management. In the above definition you can find the three key resources-information, information technology, and people. You will also find various functions that you as a knowledge worker must undertake to ensure that your origination maximizes its advantages. It doesn't matter if you are preparing to work in the area of finance, human resource management, logistics, marketing or even information technology, you will still have responsibilities that include planning for, developing, managing and using MIS function with in your area of expertise. Management information system challenge: Many people believe that information technology is the key resource in MIS. Indeed information technology is critically important set of tools for working with information and supporting the information information-processing needs of your organization. But IT is not a panacea. We have to realize that the success of IT as a set of tools in your organization depends on care full planning for, development, management, and use of IT with the two other key business resources-people and information. And that's what MIS is about -planning for, developing, managing, and using IT tools to help people work with information. There are three aspects of THE MIS challenge, including What businesses do? Customer moment of value. The role of information technology What businesses do? In a nutshell, businesses service their customers. And it really doesn't matter whether you own a business that are employed by an organization that provides telecommunications services arou... ...ible of capturing information, creating new information and cradling these information and transaction in a data base. TPSs also have secondary responsibilities that include conveying information to users. TPS performs the following functions Capture information concerning the order Creates new information such as the total purchase and applicable tax. Convey that information to the order-entry specialist. Cradles or stores the information. Customer Integrated system: A CIS is an extension of a TPS that places technology in the hands of an organization's customers and allows them to process their own transactions. ATM's are perhaps the most common example of a CIS. ATM's provide you with the ability to do your own banking anywhere at any time. ATM'S actually do nothing "new" but they give you greater flexibility in accessing and using your money.

Software Piracy Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Software Piracy Nowadays, software became part of our everyday life, running everything in the digital world from our PCs to the internet. It is definitely the most valuable technology of the Information age. Software is also the victim of a big problem that exists in homes, schools, businesses and government: Piracy. Copyright laws protect the intellectual property software developers, but unfortunately, not only did new technologies enhanced ways to access and distribute copyrighted work legally but also illegally. Software piracy is an illegal and unethical behavior that should be understood by everyone. It is important for us to understand what software piracy is in its variety, then realize its importance in the US and the world, and examining its causes and consequences and finally identify ways of dealing with it. Software Piracy is the unauthorized copying of software. Buying software applications differs from everything else you buy: the software does not belong to you; you become a licensed user, â€Å"you purchase the right to use the software on a single computer† (â€Å"What is Software Piracy?†). It is vital to understand that you cannot copy the software to other machines or lend the software to friends, colleagues or family. The unauthorized copying of software is illegal, it does not matter whether you call it â€Å"borrowing, copying, sharing or fair use† (â€Å"Software Piracy: What You Should Know.†). You are only allowed to make copies of software for back up purposes. Most licenses only allow the program to be run by one user on only one machine (â€Å"Software Piracy.†). There are several kinds of software piracy: End User Piracy, Client-Server Overuse, Internet Piracy, Hard-Disk Loading, and Software Counterfeiting. End... ...ss Technology Network. March 20th, 2004 http://www.techweb.com/tech/opinion_mad/20021220_mad â€Å"Software piracy takes toll on global scale.† USA today website. March 20th, 2004 http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techreviews/2001-08-01-software-piracy.htm â€Å"Focus on Software Piracy Problem.† Wired website. March 20th, 2004 http://www.wired.com/news/linux/0,1411,58306,00.html â€Å"Legal Land Mines† By: Melymuka, Kathleen. Computerworld, 9/22/2003, Vol. 37 Issue 38, p37, 2p, 1c â€Å"Many Students Use Software Without Paying For It† By: Carlson, Scott. Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/3/2003, Vol. 50 Issue 6, pA30, 1/4p â€Å"Pay Now, or Pay Big Later† By: Kruger, Robert M. Design News, 12/1/2003, Vol. 58 Issue 18, p20, 2/3p â€Å"Pirate This Page† By: Erickson, Jonathan. Dr. Dobb's Journal: Software Tools for the Professional Programmer, Sep2003, Vol. 28 Issue 9, p8, 1p Software Piracy Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays Software Piracy Nowadays, software became part of our everyday life, running everything in the digital world from our PCs to the internet. It is definitely the most valuable technology of the Information age. Software is also the victim of a big problem that exists in homes, schools, businesses and government: Piracy. Copyright laws protect the intellectual property software developers, but unfortunately, not only did new technologies enhanced ways to access and distribute copyrighted work legally but also illegally. Software piracy is an illegal and unethical behavior that should be understood by everyone. It is important for us to understand what software piracy is in its variety, then realize its importance in the US and the world, and examining its causes and consequences and finally identify ways of dealing with it. Software Piracy is the unauthorized copying of software. Buying software applications differs from everything else you buy: the software does not belong to you; you become a licensed user, â€Å"you purchase the right to use the software on a single computer† (â€Å"What is Software Piracy?†). It is vital to understand that you cannot copy the software to other machines or lend the software to friends, colleagues or family. The unauthorized copying of software is illegal, it does not matter whether you call it â€Å"borrowing, copying, sharing or fair use† (â€Å"Software Piracy: What You Should Know.†). You are only allowed to make copies of software for back up purposes. Most licenses only allow the program to be run by one user on only one machine (â€Å"Software Piracy.†). There are several kinds of software piracy: End User Piracy, Client-Server Overuse, Internet Piracy, Hard-Disk Loading, and Software Counterfeiting. End... ...ss Technology Network. March 20th, 2004 http://www.techweb.com/tech/opinion_mad/20021220_mad â€Å"Software piracy takes toll on global scale.† USA today website. March 20th, 2004 http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techreviews/2001-08-01-software-piracy.htm â€Å"Focus on Software Piracy Problem.† Wired website. March 20th, 2004 http://www.wired.com/news/linux/0,1411,58306,00.html â€Å"Legal Land Mines† By: Melymuka, Kathleen. Computerworld, 9/22/2003, Vol. 37 Issue 38, p37, 2p, 1c â€Å"Many Students Use Software Without Paying For It† By: Carlson, Scott. Chronicle of Higher Education, 10/3/2003, Vol. 50 Issue 6, pA30, 1/4p â€Å"Pay Now, or Pay Big Later† By: Kruger, Robert M. Design News, 12/1/2003, Vol. 58 Issue 18, p20, 2/3p â€Å"Pirate This Page† By: Erickson, Jonathan. Dr. Dobb's Journal: Software Tools for the Professional Programmer, Sep2003, Vol. 28 Issue 9, p8, 1p

Political disruption, the flight from poverty, and the promise of better prospects Essay

There are traditions that are unique, and at the same time, these characterize the history that the Mexican Americans who live in the US as opposed to those of the other ethno linguistic groups or purely ethnic groups. In essence, this is a people that have been conquered. It must be known that this conquering took place in the classical era, after that the US prevailed in the Mexican- American war that took place from 1846 to 1848. Following this, the US then took to carving out the American Southwest. This made the US be in a position to inherit close to 80,000 Mexicans. More trouble set in for the Mexicans, courtesy of the fact that the US continually contravened the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty that existed between the Mexicans and the Americans. Although the Treaty had assured the Mexicans of all their rights being upheld as citizens, yet, the Mexicans failed to benefit from the treaty, given the fact that Mexicans to a great extent forfeited their rights. For instance, the Mexicans ceded away their land together with their political rights at the hands of Americans. Ways in which Mexican immigrants and Dust Bowl refugees forged a place for themselves in Early twentieth-century California  The Mexicans and the Dust Bowl refugees made a palace for themselves in the primordial times of the twentieth century. The measures that these groups took so as to make a niche for themselves have been discussed forthwith. Their backgrounds The phrase Dust Bowl refers to the US prairie states that underwent ecological and economic devastations during the 1930s. It is also known well that the problems were also experienced by the same group during the 1950s. It is held by historians such as Monroy (2000 P 99) who point out that the problems could be traced back to the First World War. This is a time that saw wheat prices soar. This led to the needs of the Allied Troops also being adjusted upwards. This type of affairs compelled the farmers to step up their efforts in growing more wheat in the prairie states by plowing and seeding these same areas. Some of these states were Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. These states in the times past were purely grazing grounds. Impediments they faced It is true that when the dust bowl struck the US, it sparked a mass exodus from the states that were affected to California, with these states being Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, among others. This led to the scramble over the little resources that were there in California. The situation became so tense to an extent that those who had escaped to California were not welcome there. The backlash from the Californians against the new immigrants eventually culminated into bad blood between the two parties. Conflicts between the two also materialized. There are a lot of impediments that the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl faced while attempting to establish a place for themselves in the earliest 20th century. In most cases, the problem was that they were not technologically endowed the way their invaders the Americans were. In the first place, the Americans had superior weapons such as guns and gunpowder. This state of affairs made the Mexicans very susceptible, as guns had the potency to extirpate the lives of the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl by tens of thousands. All these factors that were pegged on military might of the Americans forced the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl into capitulation. At the same time, the Americans carried out the incursion into the land that was being occupied by the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl by employing the use of large animals such as horses. It is held by Gregory (2002 p 122) that the Mexicans and the aborigines who had been living in the US had never seen these huge animals. It is held that these large animals placed the invaders at the vintage point at the expense of the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl, as this allowed the Americans to move with swiftness. On the other hand, there are historians who point out categorically that the socio- cultural practices and beliefs also contributed as setback to the Mexicans as well in the bid to establish a place for themselves in California in the 20th century. These historians point out at the streams of myths and legends that the Mexicans had at the time of the invasion. An example of these is the Legends of the Quetzal Qoatel that talked of an imminent coming of a deity. This left a gap for the invaders to manipulate the legend by usurping the place of this god. This definitely made the Mexicans and the neighbouring communities to submit easily, thinking that the invaders were the agents of the deities and the deity itself. The mythical beliefs that the Mexicans held about the cosmological elements did also make things a little bit easier for the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl. It is also true that the Dust Bowls also underwent a lot of setbacks due to the environmental challenges at the time. For instance, since the areas that were being used for grazing wilted, there were spates of plummeted output in agricultural produce. Livestock in large numbers shriveled in size and lost their lives. The fact that the soil remained unprotected only made the situation worse as most of these states succumbed to soil erosion and drought. This challenge of soil erosion was epitomized in 1934 when strong winds blew away into clouds, the fertile soil into huge clouds. The situation recurred in the next succeeding years during the months of December and May. The actions they took to overcome these impediments There are many measures that the Mexicans took so as to overcome the setbacks that stood on their way, in the bid to establish their settlements in the California in the early times of the 20th century. For instance, the Mexicans tried as dexterously hard as they could, to consolidate their political and economic might. This was done by carrying out and maintaining the Southwest trading between the Americans and the Mexicans. This was done at a time when the interests of the East were still held in high esteem prior to the takeover. At the time, the Britons and the Europeans had coexisted with and also intermarried with these Mexicans. Kenneth (2002 p 145) says that based on the fact that there was a transition in the US rule, and the inception of the gold rush, there arose the military strength to bring into subdue and expunge the Indian tribes and the increase in the population. The increase on the population at the same time bolstered the chances for the merchants, farmers, livestock raisers, and transportation companies. This protracted heavy economic activities engaged the British the Mexican and the European entrepreneurs. As mentioned before, there are those who tried to solve these problems by shifting to areas that are very conducive in supporting human life, courtesy of the being free from the actions and the devastations of the Dust Bowl. At the same time, there are those who employed the use of positive measures to tackle the problem that was at hand. For instance, there are those who took to documenting the plight of the refugees. To this effect, in 1935, there was a photographer, Dorothy Lange by the name, who apart from carrying opt the documentary, also faithfully stuck to the cause of the California State Emergency Relief Administration, Rural Division (SERA), a unit that existed as a section of the performed under the aegis of the Administration of the Federal Relief. In almost the same wavelength, this group also conducted research activities on pertinent matters such as soil erosion and conservation, the most ideal farming methodologies that were to be carried out. There were cases whereby there was also the ratification of the seemingly offensive measures in the attempt to reverse the situation and to thwart the looming cases of overpopulation in California. For instance, the police chief in Los Angeles in a similar effort, dispatched a contingency of 125 policemen who were to carry out the roles of a bouncers along the Californian borders with an overall intention of turning away the migrants or the bum brigade who were also known as the â€Å"undesirables†. The move was only nipped in the bud when the general public began to question the way in which funds were being dispensed in this project. The success and limits of their adaptation There are constraints and successes that were experienced by the Mexicans and other immigrants who were trying to get to California. In the first case, after getting to California, the situation did not get better automatically. The crops that were being grown in California were very different from the ones that were being grown in other regions. This means that the first issue that they were to grapple with is learning painfully that some crops did not fair well in some regions, getting new seeds and new farming and tilling techniques, the need and cost to learn new techniques, and competition that was stemming from the skilled Californian aborigines. There are historians who also point out that on arriving California, the immigrants found that the farmland was being monopolized at the hands of large corporate farms. This situation prevented the immigrants from acquiring land for cultivation. The above situation led to a profound economic chasm between the immigrants and the land owners as the former appeared to have and access more land. Conclusion It can therefore be seen clearly that the American history is full of inconsistencies just like any other country’s history. Perhaps the most memorable legacy that the US history has bequeathed the world is the fact that it later came to assimilate all the ethnic groups that it met in the Americas. This was epitomized when both the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments placed all men and women on the pedestal, irrespective of religion, race, color or sex. It is on this backdrop that the US is not only a mosaic of many states, but a conglomeration of different races. Thus, US unity totally exemplifies the strength and unity in diversity maxim than any other nation on planet earth.

Analysis on Gender Discrimination

Do you ever wonder why your parents never make your sister cut the lawn or maybe if you are a female, your parents automatically make you wash dishes? Moms get their girl†s ears pierced at age two yet will not let their sons get their ears pierced until they are out of the house. What gives? These are examples of how decisions are based on whether you are male or female, otherwise known as gender bias. Because of their sex, people do not get jobs they are well qualified for, are paid lower wages, and are overlooked for job promotions and many other opportunities. Gender discrimination is all around us; you can find it everywhere. Gender discrimination is an ongoing problem in the Fox Valley, the state of Wisconsin, and the United States. Samantha Miller and Mark Dagostino report an example of this discrimination at Boston College. They explain that for the past twenty-five years, Mary Daly, 70, has barred men from her classes, insisting that her female students learn better without male distractions. â€Å"The point of my class is that there be a space where women can create our thoughts and our own philosophy, unencumbered by patriarchal invasions,† Daly stated. â€Å"It†s not about discrimination at all.† Boston College recently fired Daly when she rejected the school†s ultimatum to admit men after a male student threatened to sue the school claiming Daly was violating federal law. Boston College officials maintain Daly†s stance violated the landmark 1972 Title IX legislation that bars gender discrimination at schools receiving federal funds (1). She may have good reasons for wanting an all-female class, but the law states everybody is entitled to an equal opportunity for education. Gender discrimination dates back as far as Adam and Eve. Can you imagine the world starting out with a woman in control? As gender discrimination continued to invade all aspects of life, the government began to step in. Laws were passed so women could vote and become public officials. President Richard M. Nixon signed Title IX of the Federal Education Law in 1972 that banned gender discrimination in classes. Barbara Bitters reports there are schools in Wisconsin that are not complying with the law because they still have separate boys† and girls† choirs. Little Chute High School, a small community located in northeastern Wisconsin, has a women†s† choir. Are they in compliance? Jean Beschta, an Appleton high school guidance counselor, remembers when the law was passed in the seventies. â€Å"There were a lot of nervous fathers who were worried what would happen to their boys if someone introduced them to cookbooks, recipes, and dish towels.† Some of Wisconsin†s well-known colleges are also battling with gender bias. Julie Sneider from the Business Journal Serving Greater Milwaukee reported a study done in 1998 that shows only twenty-five percent of Marquette†s full-time tenure track faculty are women, and only six of the school†s one hundred and fourteen faculty members with full professor status are women. The federal government has criticized UW-Madison for not bringing the number of female faculty closer to the number of female students who constitute more than half of the student body. Gwen Carleton from the Capital Times reports part of the problem is that many of the deans and administrators making hiring decisions continue to believe women are unqualified or uninterested in faculty positions. How are we doing as a nation? The Capital Times, cites a study released by the AFL-CIO, indicating that Wisconsin is among the worst states for a gender pay gap among full-time workers. â€Å"Across the nation, women earn 74 cents for every dollar earned by men. A typical woman in Wisconsin earns 69 cents for every man†s dollar, or $193 less per week,† (1). The U.S. President Bill Clinton said, â€Å"Equal pay is not a political issue. It is not even a gender issue. It is, at heart, a national issue, a family issue, and a matter of principal – a question of what kind of country we want America to be today, and in the twenty-first century,† (Zadrozmy). If our own president thinks equal pay among both sexes isn†t a political problem, whose problem is it? Gender bias is seen at all levels but without the support of laws to enforce equality between the sexes, what can be done? Each of us as individuals needs to do our part. Vote to keep politicians in office that favor equality for men and women in all aspects of their lives – equal employment opportunity, equal rights to a good education, equal pay for the same job, and so on. Support schools that offer equal opportunities for their teachers and students regardless of their gender. Teach your children to keep open minds and not judge people and their capabilities by whether they are male or female. Most importantly, base your decisions without letting bias interfere with your outcome.