What Is Meant by Appropriate Technology, and Why Is It Important for the Less Developed Countries to Adopt It?

Science and technology is a critical and greatly improving area in most countries if not all. However, as it requires large amounts of man power and materials, a great deal of money is required. Governments provide a substantial amount of this money, and therefore they often make decisions regarding the direction and quantity of the money that should be placed into certain technologies. It is also the government’s role to decide which technologies will be used, and how (Bridgstock 1998:12).During recent times the science and technology field has dramatically changed. For example, stunning developments are being made by the Third World and science and technology has become more focussed on the government’s short-term economic goals. These developments by the Third World are due to the technology transfer from more advanced, industrialized countries. The Third world is only able to use appropriate technologies, which makes their choices limited, but offers many benefits a nd opportunities (Bridgstock 1998:12).Appropriate technology was created as a way of enhancing national independence by encouraging people to use local substitutes rather than imported resources, and is aimed at improving technologies that already exist in the Third World. By making small adjustments to existing technologies the Third World only has to create variations of technologies they are familiar with. This ensures that Third World countries work within their capabilities (Bridgstock 1998:223). Appropriate technology is the idea that lower level technologies, using local resources are more appropriate than higher level technologies that require imported resources.This idea has been used unsuccessfully by England, where inventors tried to sell their new product, based on the Third World’s local resources they were selling to. An example of this was an Englishman who tried selling his new cooking stove in Kenya. The cooking stove was more wood economical than others at t he time and could be built from clay found in Kenya. A total of 250 stoves were sold. Whilst these stoves were being sold in Kenya, a kerosene stove from Japan was also introduced into the market. However, the kerosene stove did not use local resources and as a result the kerosene was imported.A massive 10,000 kerosene stoves were sold via normal commercial channels, which is 9,750 more sold than the wood stove. Before it can be said that appropriate technology does not work, there are some potential reasons that the kerosene stove sold better than the wood stove. Firstly, the kerosene stove was cheaper, which makes a product dramatically more appealing in a country with very little money. Secondly, the kerosene stove was advertised through commercial channels and the wood stove was not advertised at all. Thirdly, the way in which the idea of appropriate technology was presented, did not appeal to the Kenyans.Finally, appropriate technology focuses largely on the organization of dis tribution and construction, which is usually the weakest area of Third World countries (John McCarthy 1996). Less developed countries should learn from and use appropriate technologies and ideas that have been successful in other countries. However, due to less developed countries having fewer people with a talent for organizing or industrial experience, introducing new technologies tends to be harder and a more complex process than in other, more developed countries.A solution to this problem is for less developed countries to adopt appropriate technologies and become more talented and experienced in them. After a period of time the country will become richer as it is able to export these technologies/goods to countries needing them. The money gained from exporting these technologies/goods can then be placed into training people to become more experienced in industries, allow individuals to gain an ability for organizing and raise the average wage. These factors will increase the a mount of technologies appropriate for their country, and the process can then be repeated.When people hear the words ‘technology transfer’ often the first thing that will come to mind is the trade of technology from an advanced country to a Third World country. This interpretation is incorrect as there is much more to technology transfer than exportation and importation. The process also includes an understanding and ability to perform methods and procedures that are required to create the desired result (P. F. Basch 1993:353-358). When the Third World first began transferring technologies from industrialized,Western countries back to their own countries, problems arose due to different resources and machinery available. The Third World did not realise that Western technologies were specific to the conditions of an industrialized country (Bridgstock 1998:216). According to Bhalla, A (1994) this is preventable if industrial countries keep in mind the different requiremen ts of the Third World whilst designing technologies that will be sold to these less developed countries. However, evidence indicates that the industrial world’s research and development (R&D) system is doubtful of responding to any concerns.Less developed countries need to adopt appropriate technologies as these technologies will ensure less developed countries can manage and have the specific resources required. If underdeveloped countries do adopt appropriate technologies, they will be able to increase profits, increase the amount of technologies appropriate for their country, increase the level of their R&D and possibly change their countries status as underdeveloped. However, if underdeveloped countries do not undertake appropriate technologies, they will unfortunately be unable to move forward as a country.

Psychology Perspectives

This behaviourist perspective is that we can understand any type of behaviour by looking at what the person has learned. Pesonality traits for example shyness, confidence, and optimism. Pavlov (CLASSICAL CONDITIONING) Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist working with dogs to investigate their digestive systems. The dogs tested where attached to harness, and Pavlov attached monitor to their stomachs and mouths so he could measure the rate of salvation. He noticed when the laboratory assistant came in with the food before the dog had actually tasted the food the dog began to salivate.Pavlov speculated that the dog salivating because it had learned to associate the laboratory assistant with the food. This is when his theory began. Food automatically led to the response of salivation. Since salivation is an automatic response, he called this unconditioned response. This means a response that regularly occurs when an unconditioned stimulus is presented. As the food automatically leads to t his response, he called this an unconditioned stimulus; this means a stimulus that regularly and consistently leads to an automatic (not learned) response.Pavlov then presented food at the same time as the bell; too see if the dog would learn to associate the bell with food. After many goes the dog learned that the bell associated with food and began to salivate when only the bell rung and no food was presented. This is called conditioned response; this means a new, learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that mimics the response to unconditioned stimulus, it had learned the conditioned response of salivation to the conditioned stimulus (the bell).Conditioned stimulus means a neutral stimulus that, when paired with the unconditioned stimulus, produces a conditioned (learned) response, just as the unconditioned response used to. Skinner (OPERANT CONDITIONING) Burrhus Frederic Skinner, an American psychologist who worked mostly with rats and pigeons, to discover some of the key principles of learning new behaviours. He used a famous device, called a Skinner box. The box contained a leaver which, when pressed, released a food pellet into the box, this reinforcing lever-pressing behaviour.At first when he rat is in the box it will be running around sniffing his new surroundings, which at some point it, will press the leaver, releasing a food pellet. After a while when the rat has repeatedly performed this action, it will learn that this behaviour (pressing the leaver) I automatically followed by the release of a food pellet (the consequence). As the pellet is experienced as reinforcing (something that the rat would like to have more of), you called this positive reinforcement, this is happens when the consequence following a particular is experienced as desirable.Skinner then used a negative reinforcement which is when behaviour results in a consequence that removes something unpleasant. The negative reinforcement he used was a very low electrical curren t on the floor of the Skinner box. The current could be de-activated if the rat pressed the lever. Social learning theory Role models are very important. We can learn new behaviour from anyone but we imitate behaviour if we are strongly influenced by the way we perceive the person. We can be influenced by others when we observe someone who we admire behaving in a particular way; we are more likely to imitate such behaviour.Solomon Asch, social psychologist conducted experiments to show how an individual’s behaviour could be influenced and changed because they did not want to stand out from a crowd. This is known as ‘Majority Influence’ we all have a powerful desire to fit in and belong. He gathered a group of 6 people together. These people were play acting according to instruction. They were joined by a naà ¯ve participant and asked to take part in a visual perception test. Albert Bandura, theory is we learn from people we are exposed to in our environment. We learn new behaviours from people we observe, either in real life or in the media.This is called observational learning. The person we learn from is known as a role model (someone who has characteristics that inspire us to copy their behaviour). The process of imitating is called modelling (a process of basing behaviour, attitude, and style, of speech or dress on someone we admire or would like to be. Introduction This is a theory of human development which emphasises the interaction of biological drives with the social environment. Sigmund Freud, an Austrian psychologist, who developed the theory of psychodynamic psychology and the treatment known as psychoanalysis.Freud suggested that what we are aware of is represented in our conscious mind but many of our memories, feelings and past experiences are locked up in a part of our mind which he calls â€Å"unconscious†. We cannot access the contents of our unconscious, but they often â€Å"leak out† in our dreams or maybe just slip out of our tongue. He said early experiences are also important is in later life behaviours is clearly illustrated by Freud’s development theory of psychosexual several stages; 1. Oral Stage, primary source of interaction occurs through the mouth, so the rooting and sucking reflex is especially important.The mouth is crucial for eating, and the infant derives pleasure from oral stimulation through rewarding activities such as tasting and sucking because the infant is entirely dependent upon caretakers, the infant also develops a sense of trust and comfort through this oral stimulation. 2. Anal Stage, primary focus of the libido was on controlling bladder and bowel movements. The major conflict at this stage is toilet training; the child has to learn to control his or her bodily needs. Developing this control leads to a sense of accomplishment and independence. 3. Phallic Stage, primary focus of the libido is on the genitals.At this age, children also begin to disco ver the differences between males and females. Freud also believed that boys begin to view their fathers as a rival for the mother’s affections. 4. Latency Stage, The stage begins around the time that children enter into school and become more concerned with peer relationships, hobbies and other interests. 5. Genital Stage, during the final stage of psychosexual development, the individual develops a strong sexual interest in the opposite sex. This stage begins during puberty but last throughout the rest of a person's life.He tries to explain the power of early experience and how this may influence the adult personality. Freud divided the mind (the psyche) into 3 structures, the id, the ego and the superego. According to Freud these appear at different stages of a child’s development and are empowered by the libido (energy). The ID, part of the psyche we are born with, it operates on the pleasure principle, contains all our basic instincts such as need for food, drink, warmth. The Ego, part of the mind whose function it is to moderate the demands of the id and prevent the superego being too harsh, E. . Repression is a defence mechanism when a person forgets an event , denial is also a defence mechanism because your pushing am event or emotion out of consciousness. It operates on the reality principle. The superego, roughly equivalent to a conscience, the superego consists of an internalisation of all the values of the right and wrong we have been socialised to believe in. It also contains an image of our ideal self. Erik Erikson, a psychologist who agreed mostly with Freud’s theory in so far as he thought we developed through a series of stages.He also believed Freud’s put too much emphasis on our desire for individual gratification and not enough of our need to be accepted in society and lead meaningful life. The different psychosocial stages: Stage 1 (0-1 Year): This stage focuses on how the infant is parented, the positive outcom e of this is it dependable, responsive, and caring parenting leads to a sense of trust. The negative outcome is parenting lacks warmth and affection or is inconsistent leads to mistrust. Stage 2 (1- 3): This stage is being enabled to do things by yourself; the positive outcome is being supported in growing independence leads to a sense of autonomy.The negative outcome is being criticised and over-controlled leads to a feeling of doubt about your own competence. Stage 3 (3-6): This stage is interaction with the world; the positive is being encouraged to try out new skills and explore the world leads to a sense of initiative. The negative is being hampered in the desire to find things out. Stage 4 (6-12): This stage is to understand how things are made and how they work; the positive outcome is the ability to succeed at realistic tasks leads to a sense of industry. The negative outcome is being published take on tasks they are not ready for leafs to a sense of inferiority.Stage 5 (12- 18): This stage is developing a consistent sense of identify by experimentation, the positive outcome is the experimentation leads to a secure sense of identity. The negative outcome is the inabilities to experiment and develop a sense of identify leads to role confusion and a negative identify. Introduction Humanistic psychology looks at human experience from the viewpoint of the individual. It focuses on the idea of free will and the belief that we are all capable of making choices. Two psychologists associated with this approach are Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers.Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) an American psychologist who believed that we are all seeking to become the best that we can be, spiritually, physically, emotionally and intellectually. He called this self-actualisation, with this he constructed a theory known as the hierarchy of needs, in which he explained that every human being requires certain basic needs to be met before they will be able to approach the next level. Masl ow believed that until our basic physiological needs are met, we will focus on all kind of energies on getting them met and not be able to progress further.When we are all well-houses, well-fed and comfortable physically, we begin to focus on our emotional needs, such and the need to belong and be loved and to feel self-esteem. When our lives are such that these needs are met, we strive to self-actualise. Carl Rogers (1902-1987) was particularly interested in the concept of self. There are many aspects of the self but there are three important ones, self-esteem, self-concept and internalise. Self-Esteem, this is how valuable we feel as individuals. Someone with high self-esteem will believe they are loved and loveable and that they are important and valued.On the other hand people with low self-esteem may feel themselves to be worthless, of no value to anyone else, unloved and unlovable. Self-concept, this is how we see ourselves. In early life this comes from what we are told about ourselves E. g. You’re so Amazing, You’re such a good singer. As we grow older, our ability to think about ourselves develops and we begin to incorporate our own judgements e. g. I was really good at Science, I was the best driver, I wasn’t invited to that party- I was unpopular. Internalise, this is to do the way we take in information from the outside world and build it into our sense of self.It then becomes part of our feelings, thoughts and beliefs about who we are and what we expect from the world around us. Introduction This psychological perspective gas gained enormous ground since the 1960’sm when the influence of behaviourism began to wane. A great deal of research has been devoted to understanding cognitive processes such as attention , memory , perception, information processing , problem solving , though language and other aspects of cognition. Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a Swiss psychologist who initially worked on measuring intelligence.He came to a conclusion that cognition develops through a series of stages m each new stage building on the previous one after he noticed children the same age made the same mistakes in logic. Stage 1: Sensory-motor (0-2), the world is experienced through motor activity and the senses. Stage 2: Pre-operational (2-7), Language develops along with memory. The child is egocentric and unable to conserve. Stage 3: Concrete operational (7-11), the child can now understand conversation but cannot yet solve problems mentally.Stage 4: Formal operational (11+), the child can now use abstract thoughts and represent problems mentally. Introduction The biological perspective is one of the major approaches to doing psychological research, which is focused on the idea that behaviours have biological causes. Common types of biological studies on behaviour include things like the effects of physical child abuse on future adult actions, how injuries such as head trauma affect behaviour, or whether or no t criminal behaviour can be explained by genetics.Maturation theory: The theory holds that the effects of the environment are miminal. The child is born with a set of genetic instructions passed down from its parents, and it’s cognitive, physical and other developmental processes merely unfold over time, rather than being dependent upon the environment to mature. This is the effect, a theory which states that development is due to nature not nature. Arnold Gesell, a psychologist and educator in the 1940s, was interested in child development. He did frequent observations of children, which Gesell formulated a theory known as maturation.This theory stated that developmental changes in a child's body or behaviour are a result of the aging process rather than from learning, injury, illness, or some other life experience. Gesell's idea of maturation was fixed in the biological, physiological, and evolutionary sciences. As a result, Gesell centered most of his theory on the power o f biological forces, which he felt provided momentum for development to occur. Gesell and his contemporaries proposed that development follows an arranged sequence and that the biological and evolutionary history of the species decides the order of this cycle.Maturation supports the idea that each child's unique genetic and biological makeup determines the rate of development despite of other potential environmental influences. Genetic influences on behaviour, genes can affect behaviour in many ways. Some disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anaemia, are caused when both parents pass on the gene for the disorder. Disorders that occur regardless of environmental influences, such as those listed above, are genetically determined disorders. This means that the individual who inherits the gene or genes is certain to develop the disorder, regardless of environmental factors.The influence of the nervous and endocrine systems on behaviour, the autonomic system produces its ef fects through activation of nerve fibres throughout the nervous system, brain and body or by stimulating the release of hormones from endocrine glands such as adrenal and pineal glands. The hormones are biochemical substances and they are released into the blood stream and have a profound effect on target organs and on behaviour. They are present in very small groups and individual molecules have a very short life, so their effects quickly disappear if they are not secreted 24/7.There are all sorts of different hormones in our body including. Melatonin, which is released by the pineal gland and its job, is to act on the brainstem sleep mechanism to help synchronise the phrases of sleep and activity. The second hormone is testosterone; this is released in the testicles in which may influence aggressive behaviour. The last one is oxytocin; this is release by the pituitary gland and stimulates the milk production and female orgasms. Only some hormones are released as a response to exte rnal stimuli. For example, the pineal glands respond to reduced daylight by increasing production of melatonin.M1 After doing my P1 criteria, I’ve look backed and only certain perspectives explain well and here are my opinions on them. These are Skinner (Behaviourist Perspective), Carl Rodgers (Humanistic Perspective), Sigmund Freud (Psychodynamic Approach) and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs helps explain also. On the other hand, I do not agree that our behaviour is simply down to our genes. In my opinion I believe that the environment and what we surround our self with has a huge impact on our behaviour. Due to this explanation I don’t think Gesell explains it very clear.I think Albert Bandura explains it very well as it is true we do tend to try to be like and want to be like people we consider as our role model. However, we only copy behaviours that interest us. In my opinion I don’t think the biological perspective explains behaviour well as I donâ€℠¢t believe that just our genes determine our behaviour, to me there is more to it. Such as our upbringing and environment and personal beliefs. People may say we don’t always copy a behaviour that we have seen by observing others as it may be reinforcing negative behaviour and therefore we recognize it as wrong and for those reasons we do not want to copy it.The behaviour could also be something that you don’t agree with as it may go against your beliefs or the way you have been brought up E. g. Moral and Values. We are more likely to copy behaviour from someone we know E. g. Peers like Family and Friends or aspire to be like. We are likely not to copy if we don’t have the same opinion or if it is simply against our beliefs or what we have been told. If the person has had a bad experience from doing certain behaviours, then we see it as a lesson and as a result we do not do the same, as we see it as negative behaviour.Another reason is if the outcome of that spe cific behaviour wasn’t something we anticipate. Also if the person who behaved in a certain way. In addition to this we are less likely to copy someone who is being punished for a certain action. We only imitate behaviours that interest us. Therefore, in my opinion I feel like the approach that is best at explaining behaviour is Skinner and his skinner box. I think this is the best approach when explaining behaviour as it is truthful and the outcome have shown this.I also believe it is the most successful as I believe it is true when we are satisfied with something and like the way it works. We will continue to use that service as long as it keeps us happy and meets our needs. This is very similar to what the rat was doing inside the Skinner box. Whenever the rat felt hungry it would press the lever which would then release a food pellet. The rat then continues to press the lever. This is similar to an individual being satisfies with a service as it is giving the individual w hat it requires therefore they keep going back.As they see it as a positive experience. Then it became an unpleasant experience when the rat was becoming electric shocked once pressing the lever. The rat then learned that it would continue to receive the shock if it continued to press the lever. So the rat learned to stop as it wasn’t having a pleasant experience. This is the same with us, if we started to have a horrible experience somewhere the likeliness is that we would stop using that service, and in the same way the rat stopped using the lever. Also when we do something where we see positive results, we will carry on.However, when the conflicting event occurs we will learn to stop carrying out that behaviour as it isn’t working in the way we wish. Therefore I believe this is the best approach to behaviour as I feel it is the truest in real life. My second person who I think explains behaviour well is Sigmund Freud. This is because he explained behaviour in a way where people can relate too. As the past we don’t often perhaps think of but sometimes it may hit us and make us realise that we were still carrying those memories and past experiences with us but we just didn’t realise.He also said they often leak out in dreams and slips of the tongue. Although we don’t always think of it as such, it is still there with us and that is what makes us dream about it. We then realise that it is still on our mind and it is something that is still creating an effect on us, even if the event occurred many years ago. My last person I agree with is Carl Rodgers. I judge what a child has been told throughout their life, will affect who and how they develop when they are older.For example, someone who has been called horrible names, will feel of no value will develop a low self esteem and confidence and they won’t feel good enough to do certain events. They will not feel very constructive about themselves. Therefore they may give u p on life and may miss many good opportunities. However someone who has always be pushed in life and have been told that they are smart and will do well, may actually go on in life and do well as they feel they have people that believe them. Therefore they believe in themselves and so this person will have developed a high self esteem and may be quite.

Strategic Review of Associated Business Consultants and their use of IT The WritePass Journal

Strategic Review of Associated Business Consultants and their use of IT Introduction Strategic Review of Associated Business Consultants and their use of IT IntroductionGeneral BackgroundSWOT AnalysisCompetitive AdvantageLow-cost StrategyDifferentiation StrategyPEST AnalysisAdvantages of a New IT SystemDisadvantages of a New IT SystemRecommendationsConclusionShort Term GoalsLong Term GoalsBibliographyRelated Introduction Over the years businesses have become extra reliant on technology and moreover throughout the current economic climate as there is a huge importance for a business to keep up to date technology.   Competition is driving companies to become more efficient and effective through the purchases of IT developments.   Gaining competitive advantage over rivals can play a major part in the use of information technology. Based on the business structure, I have looked at the IT systems that are currently in place to see if there can be any alterations to help increase productivity and also business strategies.   The following report goes through this. General Background The firm is a large sized business based on the fact that there are over twenty offices throughout the UK with 50 partners and also 350 support and administration staff.   The firm provides business and financial information to clients, so it is vital to have a system that holds the relevant information and in one secure place.   The current system consists of standard office software which includes basic word processing, access to spreadsheets and also a range of specialist software.   Some IT provision has been inherited; therefore creating a wide range of systems between sites and has consequently meant communication has been limited to email. SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis of the competitive environment is used so that the business can identify its position in the market place and recognise potential future strategic options. Figure 1 SWOT Analysis The strengths of the business include factors such as the firm expanding quickly as per the success in various consultancy projects.   This has meant the need for work to be required overseas and is to become a huge benefit to the business.   Other strengths are that the business holds many offices across the UK, which will also provide future prospects. The main weakness are that the business is running on a wide range of IT software and systems, meaning that all data will be scattered around the various sites and almost everything will be in a different format.   These issues cause problems in terms of wanting or needing files that are saved on a different computer in another office.   This also interferes with the lack of communication between sites.   Communication can be shown in all different ways by means of voicemails, meetings, emails, and reports.   In terms of this business, the current system has only allowed communication between sites to be via email.   In a business of this size, poor communication can result in a lack of planning and also mistakes by employees that later cause complication to the business.   This is a major problem as the ability to communicate is one of the biggest factors in business success and an essential part of a smoothly running business, for example business partners need to discu ss future goals and tactics. Another concern is the lack of corporate IT policies and procedures throughout the business, therefore adding to the communication problem.   Policies procedures are required when there is a need for consistency in day-to-day working activities. These procedures allow employees to understand their roles and provide the ability to work to the same rules when dealing with activities that are of importance to the business, such as the acquisition of hardware and software.   There are different IT policies that are needed within the business environment and would include IT Administration, IT Asset Management, IT Training and Support, IT Security and Disaster Recovery and Software Development.   Despite the fact that these offer a firm background, they do not provide the employees with any formal training. While the strength of the business is growing, the opportunity for working overseas has become available, therefore creating many opportunities for future business and in turn more projects. Although the existing system has provided the ability to grow, it is hugely noticeable that due to the quick expansion, the IT system needs to be reliable and accessible in different offices, which the current system is not.   Therefore, the current system is not providing the best resource, so is not allowing the business to give the best possible service.   So the need for a decent system is an important part in the running of this business.   Even though a new system is needed as a matter of urgency, there can be several threats that come about due to the transition from the old system to the new system.   These problems can be anything from teething problems to the loss of important data, so planning is important.   Another possible threat is the competitors, as they can use their IT systems to gain advantage. Competitive Advantage A competitive advantage is an advantage over competitors gained by offering consumers greater value, either by means of lower prices or by providing greater benefits and service that justifies higher prices. The most significant model for assessing the nature of competition in a business is Michael Porters Five Forces Model.   It shows how a firm can use these forces to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage.   According to Porter and the model below, there are five areas of the external environment that affect the profitability of the firm.   These include supplier power, buyer power, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes and also Industry rivalry.   These are used as an action plan to exploit the information system by investigating how IT might spawn new businesses. The business can use their IT systems to gain competitive advantage using Porter’s five forces to do this. Figure 2 Porter’s Five Forces To gain advantage through the threat of new entrants, the business must raise the level of competition by means of providing a unique service that no new entrant can compete against, thereby reducing its appeal. To gain advantage through the threat of substitutes To gain advantage through bargaining power of suppliers, To gain advantage through bargaining power of customers, To gain advantage through Intensity of Rivalry Porter suggests that any firm can be profitable in any industry, it all depends on the strategy that the firm adopts. There are two significant strategies that any firm can follow to improve their profitability. The firms that fail are those that do not follow any strategy, or try to follow both. These firms get stuck in the middle. Low-cost Strategy The firm adopts a position trying to minimise all its expenses. It should set prices below other firms in the market. Ordinarily this would seriously constrain profit margins, but the second aspect of this is that the costs of providing the product are pushed down even further so even though the firm sells at a lower price it still makes more profit than other firms in the industry. Differentiation Strategy If the firms competitors are trying to undercut the prices of its products, there are two choices. Fight them in a price war to keep matching or undercutting their prices, or make the products different so that it doesnt matter how low their prices go, there will still be some customers that prefer the goods that the firm produces. The price war has a tendency to reduce profits almost completely, so obviously a different product is the slightly more desirable method. This is why there are so many subtly different products on the supermarket shelves. PEST Analysis Also by using the PEST framework we can investigate many different factors in a firms macro environment that may be affected by a change in the way the business will be run following an upgrade in an Information System. Figure 3 – PEST Analysis Advantages of a New IT System As with any investment and also every business, many advantages and disadvantages need to be considered to establish the best way forward.   The intention of a new system is to provide a structured framework and a practical approach, providing major increases in processing speed, cheaper memory and improved storage capacity. Other advantages and benefits of updating a system include: Better safety Improved service Competitive advantages Less errors Greater accuracy Higher-quality products Improved communications Increased efficiency Increased productivity More efficient administration Further opportunities Reduced labour requirements Reduced costs Superior financial decision making Superior control over operations Superior managerial decision makingAdded value to products (goods and services) Disadvantages of a New IT System However, every business must consider start-up costs when implementing an IT system.   In addition to the cost of hardware and software, some technology dealers require businesses to purchase user licenses for each employee that will be operating the system.   There are also other costs that need to be anticipated when introducing new software into a business; these can include the cost of training employees and maintenance costs and could therefore get expensive.   Although the initial costs would be high, the possibility of greater competition is of a greater advantage. Other difficulties include business opportunities being missed, lack of integration of systems, and also priorities are not based on business needs.   Some or all of these can occur when the firm does not have the means to plan and manage information systems strategically. Whilst the business works with data, a key concern is the security of the data, as the input of a new information system would enable the business to process more and more personal data.   For instance, as more data is set up and the more information is exchanged, there becomes a greater risk that the information will be lost, corrupted or misused. Information technology systems are vulnerable to security breaches, mainly when they are accessible via the Internet. If the correct measures are not in place, this data could be lost or misused. The Data Protection Act says that: â€Å"Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.† Data Protection Act 1998 The statement above is taken from the Data Protection Act and is the seventh data protection principle.   It means that you must have appropriate security to prevent the personal data held being accidentally or deliberately compromised.   If data is not properly safeguarded, this can seriously damage a business’s reputation.   To protect the business, it must make sure it has the right security, backed up by policies and procedures and also the use of reliable staff. Recommendations There are 50 partners and 350 support staff that require office software and a range of specialist software that include customer and project management packages.   The business would help from a WAN (A wide area network), this is a computer network that covers a broad area and are all connected together.   Their software packages could be held in a centralised place and customers details held on the central server so each employee has access to them and be synchronised, which creates a more secure system and better data integrity.   A WAN could allow for an intranet for better communication purposes, overseas and internationally.   Another advantage of a WAN is the allowance of being able to have remote access from where ever in the world, and due to the firm now achieving business overseas, this is essential. In addition to the WAN, the business would also benefit from the investment of up to date software in both word processing and spreadsheets, as these would help both the employees and also at managerial level.   Offices these days try to keep up to date software as it helps the general running of day to day activities. Conclusion Short Term Goals In terms of short term goals, I recommend that all computers are updated immediately with the latest version of office software as this can be done easily with the right planning.   I also recommend that the IT policies and procedures are written and implemented to start bringing all the offices and staff together to create one whole business across the various sites. Long Term Goals It is imperative that the long term goal of the business is to look into updating and combining their systems.   In order to do this, a strategic plan must be put in place which looks into all aspects of combining systems throughout the business.   This may include the advantages and disadvantages, costs and also problems that may come about in the process.   Once an agreed time limit and plan has been agreed, work can be started to merge the office systems into one. Bibliography ico.gov.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/the_guide/principle_7.aspx bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A593345

Fiscal Policy Paper Essays - Fiscal Policy, Free Essays, Term Papers

Fiscal Policy Paper Essays - Fiscal Policy, Free Essays, Term Papers Fiscal Policy Paper Instructor Sam Pirnazar ECO/372 July 27, 2015 Introduction Here we will discuss as a group of like minds how and why the USs deficits surplus and debt have an effect on tax payers and future social security and Medicare users. Now in many cases deficit can affect multitudes while a surplus creates positive results for those on the receiving end. As you may know debt requires the liability to be paid or the liability in some cases it may be repossessed or rendered bad credit to the individual. Now while Americans face issues with debt, surplus, and even deficit it is important to know that the United States deals with it first hand as well. Several areas the three topics affect include tax payers, unemployed, Social Security, Medicare, imports, exports, and the GDP. A synopsis of Team Bs discussion of the topics follows, however in this reading we will focus on Taxpayers, fyture social security and Medicare users. Tax payers Fiscal deficit means government expenditure exceeds its revenue in any particular year. All taxpayers are affected by U.S.'s deficit and debt. Higher government debt crowds out private investment in the form of higher taxes and inflation. Higher debt raises several question marks on government ability to repay it. Due to higher debt levels, risk premium increases, which leads to rise in interest rates. High interest rates negatively interest rate sensitive sectors of the economy such as real estate, consumer durable. High government deficit results in increasing US debt. In order to reduce the current deficit, government hikes tax rate on taxpayers. High debt and fiscal deficit affect US taxpayers in the form of tax hikes, high interest rate on debt, reduced social security benefits/programs and weakening of currency. The overall effect of all these measures results in lower purchasing power of taxpayers and they are left with less money to invest or spend. Fiscal surplus means government revenue exceeds its expenditure in any particular year. When the government runs surplus, it positively affect taxpayers. There are differing ways in which government could spend surplus money. The surplus money could be used to repay debt. Government can decide to issue tax refund to taxpayers or government can increase its spend on social security benefits and programs. The overall effect of all these measures results in higher purchasing power of taxpayers and they could spend or invest more money. Future Social Security and Medicare users The meaning of deficit is defined as, the amount by which something, especially a sum of money, is too small. The meaning of surplus is defined as, the amount of something leftover when requirements have been met; an excess of production or supply over demand. The meaning of debt is defined as, something that is, typically money, owed or overdue. Now that the terms are in order and understood, the answers to how and why can now be addressed. The reason that the United States deficit, surplus, and debt effect future Social Security users is the following; according to "The Medicare Newsgroup" (2015), "Medicare significantly contributes to the federal budget deficit only through its general revenue financing under its Medicare Medical Insurance (Part B) program. Its outlays financed under its Medicare Hospital Insurance (Part A) or by individual premiums are features of the programs expenditures, but do not show up in federal budget calculations (para. 1). Social Security is currently running a surplus, due to all of its revenue figures that get combined and calculated determining the payroll taxes, trust fund interest, and income taxes earned from some of the Social Security benefits (Morrissey, 2011). According to the Economic Policy Institute, Morrissey (2011), "The trust fund, which currently has $2.6 trillion dollars, is projected to grow to around $3.7 trillion in 2022. But once Social Security starts drawing down the principle in the trust fund to help pay for the Baby Boomer retirement, Social Security will be running a deficit. Also, Social Security is currently running a primary deficit, which means it would be running a deficit absent the interest on the trust fund. (Is Social Security running a deficit?). Conclusion Reference Morrissey, M. (2011). Economic Policy Institute. Retrieved from epi.org/blog/social-security-federal-deficit-part-1/ The Medicare Newsgroup. (2015). Retrieved from medicarenewsgroup.com/news/medicare-faqs/individual-faq?faqId=69028cf0-2ab2-453e-a43d-5f143debc68c How our national debt hurts our economy. (n.d.). Retrieved July

Why Google is Looking for These 5 Key Traits in Employees

Why Google is Looking for These 5 Key Traits in Employees Google did a two-year study of its workers and discovered (surprise!) that fancy degrees and super-genius IQs don’t make great team players. Recent research out of the University of Notre Dame confirms this: what matters most is that coworkers trust each other and believe in what they’re doing. Forget self-interest and pedigree. Forget top-name colleges and the SATs. Google is now shifting course to recruit people who are hardworking and resilient instead- and finally working to diversify their workforce (which is a shocking 70% male and 60% white). Say goodbye to the old elitism of the lone wolf superstar, and say hello to an appreciation of candidates who can overcome adversity.The most important thing companies want to do is building better teams, and here’s what they’ll be looking for:1. Psychological safetyTeam members need to trust each other to take risks. Superegos only get in the way. Team members need to be comfortable being vulnerable together t o do their best work.2. DependabilityThe best teams get it done on time and set the bar consistently high.3. Structure ClarityThe best teams work together with clear roles and goals and strategies.4. MeaningIt’s important to believe in the work you’re doing together and to make it matter.5. ImpactThe best stuff comes out of teams working to make something meaningful and affect change.As a Harvard HR rep wrote in a blog post, â€Å"Who  is on a team matters less than how the team members interact, structure their work, and view their contributions.† The dream team of the future is a powerhouse of people with a wide variety of strengths and talents, people who can trust each other enough to take risks and create a more dynamic future. It doesn’t matter where you went to college. What matters is what you bring to the table and how well you contribute to the group.

Japanese colonialism was fundamentally different from western Essay

Japanese colonialism was fundamentally different from western colonialism. Do you agree Discuss - Essay Example Such, it cannot be generalized that all colonial nations follow the same form of colonialism that bears the same geopolitical meaning and practice across regions and continents. This fundamental difference in colonialism can be best illustrated in the case of Japan when contrasted with its colonialist counterpart in the western part of the world where its colonialist differences were identified in this paper. The most plausible cause that can be identified for this difference was that Japan jumped in the colonialist foray later than its western counterpart that it had an implication why colonialism in the East, particularly Japan, fundamentally differed from its counterpart in the West. It can be surmised that while the west has already a deep experience of colonizing, the idea of colonialism was only impinged into the consciousness of Japan in the 1870’s with the Meiji Restoration (Myers and Peattie, 1984) which has an implication on how it exercised its power and prerogative over its colonized countries. Japan’s exposure in colonialist effort was short while its western counterparts had already a long history of colonizing exploits that stretched as far back as 900 A.D. with the crusades. This wide gap in terms of colonizing experience has an implication on Japan’s motivation, purpose and method of colonizing that fundamentally differed from the West which will be elaborated in this paper. ... II. The Fundamental Difference of Japanese Colonialism from Western Colonialism A. Timeline and motivation for being a colonial power The western colonizers have a very long and deep experience in colonizing. While Japan as a country was still struggling among itself in 900 A.D., Europe has already embarked on a crusade to reclaim the Holy Land from the Turks and Saracens in the Middle East. Needless to say, the West already has already a deep experience with colonizing while Japan only learned the idea of colonialism in the 1870’s. It is also important to note that before the Meiji Restoration in the 1870’s, it came from a 200 year isolationist policy of the Tokugawa Shogunate and as such, was economically and military inferior compared to the west. In addition, Japan began with the same disadvantages just like its neighboring Asian countries. Also, just like any other non-European states, it was forced to sign unequal treaties that chafed the ire of its nationalists a s an infringement of its national sovereignty. Moreso, when Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States came to Japan in 1853 with its fleet that forced Japan to open itself to trade and end its self-imposed isolation (Myers and Peattie, 1984:78). This made Japan realize how backward they were and prompted them to embark on a nationalist endeavor to strengthen itself and become a respected country. This sentiment was recorded by a memorandum of saga samurai, Eto Shimpei in 1856 that â€Å"what was required . . ., was a long-range plan to utilize the talents, not merely of all Japanese, but of talent wherever it might be found in tools, in arms, in medicine, in land development, in astronomy, and so on, should be utilized

Personal Journal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Journal - Personal Statement Example However, I noticed a big change in my lifestyle. With all the pressures of being a student and living on my own, I have realized that it was too soon that I have changed physically. Although I am very active and busy, I have gained a lot of weight in the past year. When I arrived here, I was of average weight. Later, when I visited my family last December, I received comments that I have become bigger. Some said that I looked cute with my slightly chubby cheeks, others said I looked more mature (I am not sure if this is a compliment or what) than my age. I guess what they wanted to say was for me to go on a strict diet lest I wanted to join â€Å"The Biggest Loser† on TV. Of course I don’t want to face that kind of challenge and shame (friends here and back home would be watching and laughing at me). Neither do I want to grow old a big fat man. For this reason, I thought of shedding some pounds so I could keep on playing my favourite sport even if I grow older. Getting slimmer could also lower risks of heart disease and other sicknesses. Therefore, it is something I should take seriously in the next few days or months. I have not made a diet plan and I think I need to research on this to find out what I should eat and drink while trying to become physically fit. Anyway, I have a strong feeling that I need to really lose some weight because I am getting lousy at football. My friends whom I play with are better. They could run faster straight to the goal while I lagged behind, feeling sorry for being this heavy. I wish losing weight would be that easy and manageable, something that could happen in a click. Nevertheless, I also know that I have to work out and really face the problem because if I don’t, I would go bigger and bigger and become unmanageable. I swear, one of these days, I’m going to create a diet and exercise plan good for at least two months. The diet plan that I should make has to be