Mercedes Benzs E-Biz Solution Essay Example

Mercedes Benzs E-Biz Solution Essay Free Case Study | Mercedes Benzs E-Biz Solution: The Factory Delivery Reservation System | Free | Case Studies | Case Study in Business, Management Case Details Themes: e-Supply Chain Management Case Length: 06 Pages Period: 1990-2001 Organization : SciQuest. com Pub Date : 2002 Teaching Note : Available Countries : USA Industry : Information Technology (Electronic Commerce) Mercedes Benzs E-Biz Solution: The Factory Delivery Reservation System One of our most fundamental goals in developing the system was to strengthen and market the Mercedes-Benz brand in the United States. The fact that we would be one of the first car manufacturers in the United States to have a factory delivery program would be seen as a very positive thing in this regard. William Engelke, Assistant Manager, IT Systems, Mercedes Benz US International, commenting on the FDRS. Linking Customers By 2000, Mercedes Benz United States International (MBUSI), builder of the high-quality MClass sports utility vehicle (SUV), established itself as a company that also delivered superior customer services. One such service was the delivery option where by the customer could take delivery of the vehicle at the factory in Alabama, US. We will write a custom essay sample on Mercedes Benzs E-Biz Solution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Mercedes Benzs E-Biz Solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Mercedes Benzs E-Biz Solution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The program called the Factory Delivery Reservation System (FDRS), enabled MBUSI to create and validate 1800 orders per hour. FDRS also automatically generated material requirements and Bills of Material1 for 35,000 vehicles per hour. The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution that made FDRS possible was based on Lotus Domino2 and IBM Netfinity3 server4. Analysts felt that with its innovative use of the new program, MBUSI not only managed to improve its customer relations by providing the best service, but also demonstrated its commitment to customers by making them an integral part of the process. Customers were, in a way linked directly to the factory floor – which was a powerful sales tool. Background: Mbusi and its Business Challenges MBUSI was a wholly-owned subsidiary of DaimlerChrylser AG. 5 In 1993, Daimler Benz realized that the Benz brand could be extended to wider market segments. Traditionally, Mercedes Benz6 appealed to older and sophisticated customers only. Daimler Benz wanted to attract customers below 40 years of age, who wanted a rugged vehicle with all the safety and luxury features of a Mercedes. Daimler Benz decided to develop a SUV known as the M-Class. It expected strong demand for the new vehicle and therefore planned to build its first car-manufacturing facility – MBUSI – in the (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) US. The MBUSI facility had many advantages. First, labor costs in the US were almost half that of in Germany. Second, the US was the leading geographic market for SUVs. Third, as the vehicles were assembled in the US, they could be distributed to Canada and Mexico more efficiently. In January 1997, the factory started production at partial capacity and by the end of the year, it was producing at full capacity. By 2000, the factory was rolling out around 380 vehicles per day. The new M-Class „allactivityvehicle represented a new concept for the company. Also, mass customization required that each vehicle be treated as a separate project, with its own Bill of Material. To deal with these challenges, Daimler Benz decided to implement an enterprise wide Information Technology (IT) system, with the help of IBM Global Services7. To further strengthen the image of Mercedes Benz in the US, MBUSI planned to deliver vehicles at the factory, becoming the first international automobile manufacturer in the US to do so. MBUSI also wanted to enrich the customersexperience. Commented William Engelke, â€Å"The factory delivery option gives Mercedes-Benz customers something that they do not get from other automobile manufacturers which is why we think the program will resonate with our customers. We think that having the factory delivery program available to Mercedes customers adds to the overall experience of the customer. † The Design of FDRS The FDRS program was proposed in the first quarter of 1998. In the third quarter of 1998, MBUSI entered into a contract with IBM. A development team was constituted with IBM Global Solutions specialists and IBM e-commerce developers, who worked closely with MBUSI. The program became operational by the first quarter of 1999. The IT team at MBUSI had a clear set of functional specifications for FDRS. However, they relied on IBM to transform the concept into an e-business solution. The FDRS was designed in such a way that customers buying the M-Class SUV could specify that will take delivery of their new vehicle at the factory. They could place the order at any of the 355 Mercedes Benz dealers in the US. An authorized employee at the dealership entered the factory delivery order the web interface. Timing was the most important aspect of the FDRSfunctionality, as it was closely linked with MBUSIs vehicle production schedule. Mercedes Benz United States of America (MBUSA)8, based in Montvale, NJ, was the first link in the FDRS program. It was the point where the dealer actually placed the order. MBUSAs role was to coordinate the distribution of vehicles to dealers across the country. Later, it had to add the order to the companys Baan Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)9system, which scheduled the order for production. About three months before the production date, the dealer could schedule in a window, the date and time of arrival of the customer at the factory for delivery. The window was then automatically computed by the FDRS to give the dealer, the possible delivery dates. Apart from the delivery date, the customer could also specify the accessories for the car and also request a factory tour. FDRS was based on Lotus Domino (Refer Exhibit I), Lotus Enterprise Integrator10 and IBM Netfinity servers. It also interfaced with IBM S/390 Parallel Enterprise Server, Model 9672-R45 located in Montvale, NJ (Refer Figure I). There were two Domino servers – an IBM Netfinity 5500 and an IBM Netfinity 3000. FIGURE I SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE OF FDRS Source: MBUSI The former that acted as the „internal Domino serverwas placed behind a firewall 11. It replicated databases through the firewall to the external server. The replication, which was encrypted, represented the primary means by which the FDRS system achieved security. Netfinity 3000 acted as an „external Domino server. It had public information and was also the primary communication linkage for dealers. The ack-end of the FDRS was equipped with an Oracle database that updated the internal Domino server database with order information. The updation was done using Lotus Enterprise Integrator. The data which was replicated to the internal Domino server included lists of valid dealers and lists of order numbers. When an order was placed by the dealer on the FDRS system, the data was first stored on the external Domino server, after which it w as replicated to the internal Domino server. Then it was replicated to the back-end database via the Lotus Enterprise Integrator. Data replication between the Lotus Notes servers happened every 15 minutes and data exchange with the back-end database three times per day. There was also a link between the back end database and an IBM S/39012 mainframe based system located at MBUSA via a T113 line. MBUSA managed the flow of vehicles to Mercedes dealers across the United States. This mainframe based system, received new vehicle orders (as opposed to factory delivery reservation requests) from individual dealers. The orders were then sent to MBUSIs Baan system and also to the back-end database. The vehicle ordering and factory reservation data were coordinated with each other when the back-end database uploaded the data to the internal Domino server. This coordinated the production and delivery information. FDRS Implementation One of the most challenging aspects of the implementation seemed to be the complexity of the Lotus and Domino scripts. The development team had to group all the information from diverse systems. Commented William Engelke, â€Å"There was a substantial amount of very complex coding involved in the FDRS solution. This application involves a lot more than having our dealers fill out a form and submitting it. There are many things the servers have to do for the system to function properly, such as looking at calendars and production schedules. We built a solution with some very advanced communication linkages. † IBM faced many technical challenges during the implementation of the program. One of them was the different timing schemes of the Lotus Notes databases and backend databases (ERP). This led to discrepancies in the data. Domino server was a Near Real Time (NRT) Server14, and MBUSIs backend activities were both real time15and batch processing16. Also, to get the best results, the Domino server was an optimised subset of the ERP table set17. However, the development team achieved a balance between the two „sidesof the solution by focusing on issues of timing, error detection schemes, and alerts. Customer Satisfaction: FDRS Primary Benefit MBUSI seemed to measure FDRSsuccess in terms of increased satisfaction of its customers. The company also believed that the marketing and customer satisfaction aspects outweighed the significance of more traditional cost-based benefits. Apart from the factory delivery experience, the program also offered the customer a factory tour and ride on the off-road course at a low cost. The company also seemed to gain strategic marketing benefits from the FDRS program, as it was able to establish Mercedes-Benz as a premium brand. (Refer Table I for advantages of FDRS in different areas). Customers could also visit the various tourist spots in Alabama after picking up their M-class vehicles. TABLE I ADVANTAGES OF THE FDRS PROGRAM AREA Strategic Marketing Benefits Cost Savings ADVANTAGES FDRS was expected to improve customer satisfaction and brand loyalty, as it enriched Mercedes customers experience. The program also strengthened the brand image of Mercedes in the US. Development of a web-based solution enabled MBUSI to offer the factory delivery program at substantially lower costs, due to less reliance on administrative personnel. â€Å"Package Marketing† the FDRS program with a ride to tourist sites, enhanced the image of Alabama as a tourist destination. The creation of a similar – albeit smaller – factory delivery system to the European Customer Delivery Center in Sindelfingen, Germany, reflected favorably on the MBUSI business unit. Source: MBUSI Regional Economic Development DaimlerChrysler AG Future of FDRS In 2000, MBUSI planned to leverage FDRSplatform by adding a range of other services. MBUSI built an advanced platform to create communication links to its suppliers. Through the link, MBUSI provided them feedback on the quality of supplies it received. The dealers and suppliers had a user-ID and password, which the system recognized. It then routed them into the appropriate stage of the FDRS. The company also planned to extend the innovative system to include transactional applications such as ordering materials and checking order status on the Web. The company expected that the new system based on FDRS, would be more cost-effective than the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)18 system. ] Bill of Material keeps track of all raw materials, parts, and subassemblies used to create a finished product. 2] A product of IBM Corp. , Lotus Notes and Domino R5 are the industrys leading client/server combination for collaborative messaging and e-business solutions. 3] The IBM Netfinity server offers solutions for file-and-print and application computing needs. 4] A computer or de vice on a network that manages network resources. For example, a file server is a computer and storage device dedicated to storing files. Any user on the network can store files on the server. A print server is a computer that manages one or more printers, and a network server is a computer that manages network traffic. A database server is a computer system that processes database queries. 5] DaimlerChrysler AG was the result of a merger between two leading car manufacturers – Daimler Benz of Germany and Chrysler Corp. of the US in 1998. 6] A luxury brand of passenger cars, Sports Utility Vehicles from DaimlerChrysler. 7] IBM Global Services is the services and consultancy division of IBM Corp. that offers extensive ebusiness solutions. 8] MBUSA is the wholly owned US subsidiary of DaimlerChrylser. ] ERP attempts to integrate all departments and functions across a company onto a single computer system that can serve all those different departments particular needs. 10] A server-based data distribution product that enables data exchange between Lotus Domino and a number of host and relational applications. 11] A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or f rom a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets. All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria. 12] The IBM S/390 servers offer direct high speed access to the e-business application and are used for Enterprise Computing. 13] A dedicated phone connection supporting data rates of 1. 544 Mbits per second. A T1 Line actually consists of 24 individual channels, each of which supports 64 Kbits per second. Each 64 Kbit per second channel can be configured to voice or data traffic. 14] The NRT Server System supports real time distribution of near-real time data. 5] Real time refers to events simulated by a computer at the same speed that they would occur in real life. 16] Executing a series of noninteractive jobs all at one time. The term dates back to the days when users entered programs on punch cards. They gave a batch of these programmed cards to the system operator, who fed them into the computer. Usually, batch jo bs are stored up during working hours and then executed whenever the computer is idle. Batch processing is particularly useful for operations that require the computer or a peripheral device for an extended period of time. Once a batch job begins, it continues until it is done or until an error occurs. Note that batch processing implies that there is no interaction with the user while the program is being executed. 17] The ERP tables are the database tables, (thousands of them), on which the package is built. The programmers and end users must set these tables to match their business processes. Each table has a decision „switchthat leads the software down one decision path or another. 18] EDI connects all the suppliers in and out of the US. www. icmrindia. org/free resources/casestudies/Mercedes Benz-ITSystems-Case Studies. htm

Impact industrialisation and new technology had on theatre essays

Impact industrialisation and new technology had on theatre essays In Jacksons Victorian Theatre (1989) he discusses how during the nineteenth century the British theatre was pretty much exclusively commercial and was central to popular culture and to the entertainment industry of an urban industrial society. Its purposes and effectiveness were argued over by critics and practitioners, and its ability to reach a newly created mass audience made it a prime target for social legislation. William Hazlitt remarked on the inadequacy of the theatres attempts to bring the playss visions to life and concluded: The boards of a theatre and the regions of fancy are not the same thing (Hazlitt, Jackson, 1989, P1). The Victorian theatre was devoted to illusion, an attempt to confute these claims. The stage should contrive to lose its identity in the service of this absolute illusion and make the spectators forget for as much as possible of their time in the theatre that they knew a world more real than that placed before them on the stage. Despite the success of this technological advance, there were many who feared that the theatre, in its pursuit of illusion, might have forfeited its ability to deal directly with human feelings and behaviour. There was concern that pantomime and melodrama traditionally hospitable to spectacle might be losing dramatic qualities in favour of pictorial splendours. Although people acknowledged that the advances in technology could only be good for theatre arts there was worry about the adverse effect it had on the writing of the drama. Melodrama was immensely popular, in both the larger and the smaller theatres: even though it had originally been regarded as somewhat inferior to the Shakespearian dramas produced at the licensed theatres, as theatre moved away from its working-class roots melodrama became acceptable to audiences of all social levels. As Southern (1970, P16, 24, 66) points out in his book, ess...

Understanding Traits and How They Are Determined

Understanding Traits and How They Are Determined Have you ever wondered why your eyes are just like your mothers? Or why your hair color is similar to your grandfathers? Or why you and your siblings share features? These physical characteristics are known as traits; they are inherited from parents and expressed externally. Key Takeaways: Traits Traits are inherited characteristics from our parents that are expressed externally in our phenotype.For any given trait, one gene variation (allele) is received from the father and one from the mother.The expression of these alleles determines the phenotype, whether dominant or recessive. In biology and genetics, this external expression (or physical characteristics) is called a phenotype. The phenotype is what is visible, while the genotype is the underlying gene combination in our DNA that actually determines what is expressed physically in the phenotype. How Are Traits Determined? Traits are determined by an individuals genotype, the summation of the genes in our DNA. A gene is a portion of a chromosome. A chromosome is composed of DNA and contains the genetic material for an organism. Humans have twenty-three pairs of chromosomes. Twenty-two of the pairs are called autosomes. Autosomes are typically very similar in males and females. The last pair, the twenty-third pair, is the sex chromosome set. Those are very different in males and females. A female has two X chromosomes, while a male has one X and one Y chromosome. How Are Traits Inherited? How are traits passed from one generation to the next? This happens when gametes unite. When an egg is fertilized by a sperm, for each chromosome pair, we receive one chromosome from our father and one from our mother. For a particular trait, we receive what is known as an allele from our father and one allele from our mother. An allele is a different form of a gene. When a given gene controls a characteristic that is expressed in the phenotype, the different forms of a gene show as the different characteristics that are observed in the phenotype. In simple genetics, alleles can be homozygous or heterozygous. Homozygous refers to having two copies of the same allele, while heterozygous refers to having different alleles. Dominant Traits vs. Recessive Traits When alleles are expressed via simple dominant versus recessive traits, the specific alleles inherited determine how the phenotype is expressed. When an individual has two dominant alleles, the phenotype is the dominant trait. Likewise, when an individual has one dominant allele and one recessive allele, the phenotype is still the dominant trait. While dominant and recessive traits may seem straightforward, note that not all traits have this simple inheritance pattern. Other types of genetic inheritance patterns include incomplete dominance, co-dominance, and polygenic inheritance. Due to the complexity of how genes are inherited, specific patterns can be somewhat unpredictable. How Do Recessive Traits Occur? When an individual has two recessive alleles, the phenotype is the recessive trait. For example, lets suppose that there are two versions of a gene, or alleles, that determine whether or not a person can roll their tongue. One allele, the dominant one, is symbolized by a big T. The other allele, the recessive one, is symbolized by a little t. Lets suppose two tongue rollers get married, each of whom is heterozygous (has two different alleles)for the trait. This would be represented as (Tt) for each.   Traits are inherited characteristics that are expressed externally in our phenotype. Copyright Evelyn Bailey When a person inherits one (t) from the father and then one (t) from the mother, the recessive alleles (tt) are inherited and the person can not roll their tongue. As can be seen in the Punnett square above, this would happen approximately twenty-five percent of the time. (Note that this tongue rolling is just for the sake of providing an example of recessive inheritance. Current thinking around tongue rolling indicates the involvement of more than just a single gene, and is not as simple as was once thought). Other Examples of Weird Inherited Traits A longer second toe and attached earlobes are often cited as examples of a weird trait that follows the two dominant/recessive alleles forms of one gene inheritance. Again, however, evidence suggests that both attached earlobe and longer second toe inheritance are quite complex. Sources â€Å"Attached Earlobe: The Myth.†Ã‚  Myths of Human Genetics, udel.edu/~mcdonald/mythearlobe.html.â€Å"Observable Human Characteristics.†Ã‚  Nutrition the Epigenome, learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/observable/.

The Role of Tracking in American Schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Role of Tracking in American Schools - Essay Example He further explains that tracking may take place within a specific grade, as well as extend to grade levels. To illustrate the former, Loveless talks about eight graders who can hardly read and students who enjoy Shakespeare plays being placed in different English classes. The latter may be well illustrated by the practice of students’ assignment to math courses starting with fundamentals and ending with abstraction of calculus (Loveless, 1999, p. 1). Theoretically, the purpose of this practice is grounded on the belief that tracking promotes learning thanks to its provision of a good fit between the instruction level and needs of students regarding their learning. The tracking theory asserts that tracking allows tailoring the instruction according to students’ ability levels (Hallinan, 1999, p.79). This is thought to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall instructional process. These claims, however, have been widely criticized by opponents of tracking , who mention a number of negative effects of tracking on students’ academic, social and emotional development, thus questioning the relevance of this practice to the school setting. For example, Jenny Oakes, a professor from University of California at Los Angeles, believes that among other aspects, tracking practice is related to racial segregation in modern American school (Oakes, 1994, p.91). My goal in this paper is to discuss the role of tracking in modern American school. To achieve my goal, I have divided the essay into four parts. The first one aims at highlighting the historical background of tracking in American schools. The second section discusses the positive effects of tracking on school practice, focusing on the proponents’ views regarding this phenomenon. The third part of this paper looks into criticism of tracking by its opponents and possible negative effects tracking has on the school practice. Finally, I conclude my paper with the fourth part whic h sums up the role of tracking within an American school. Historical Background of Tracking The history of tracking within American school system can be traced back to the turn of the 20th century. Since that time, believes Oaks, schools have used tracking â€Å"to address social, personal, and workforce needs, as well as cognitive ones.† (Oakes, 1994, p. 86). In Rubin’s research â€Å"Detracking in Context: How Local Constructions of Ability Complicate Equity-Geared Reform†, it is stated that tracking with a variety of its modifications has been one of the major organizing practices typical for American public schools for nearly a century (Rubin, 2008). Tracking started to come into use at the beginning of the 20th century when G.Stanley Hall’s notions about the inclinations and emotional peculiarities of adolescents were taken as the theoretical ground for implementing a non-scholarly curriculum at American school. At the same time, at the outset of the previous century schools were known to enroll lots of immigrant kids.In this respect, the statement made by Lewis Terman should be mentioned that despite the fact immigrant pupils could not be expected to develop mental abilities that allowed mastering abstractions, they could be enrolled to separate classes, which might help them become well-qualified workers. This is how tracking became a means of sorting out children who were noticed to have limited preparation or

Human resource Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human resource - Research Paper Example But to most modern organizations, the urge and need to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in human resource management remains a very crucial challenge. Because of this, even though there is the practice of human resource management, this is not done in a very well regulated and coordinated manner that meets the growth and developmental aspiration of the organizations (Pattanayak, 2009). Through various forms of research conducted, the researcher has come to realize that in modern day administration and management of organizations, one element that plays a very key role is the use of information systems. Generally, technology has come to have such an important place in organizational management that the elimination of information systems in the management of organizations means that organizations will be stagnated in their growth and development agenda, just as the absence of an effective and efficient human resource management would lead to. In this research paper therefore, the tw o phenomena of human resource management and information systems are combined into a term that is rapidly gaining grounds in organizational management, which human resource information system. ... ed for them to wholly go about their traditional human resource management roles such as benefit, payroll, and labor productivity management and also undertake various tasks with information technology becomes very challenging, expensive and time consuming. Pattanayak, (2009) however notes that there cannot be an easy way out with the two options, which are human resource management and information technology. To compliment the two independent roles therefore, human resource information system is introduced as a bridging gap that â€Å"seeks to merge the activities associated with human resource management (HRM) and information technology (IT) into one common database through the use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software† (Business Dictionary, 2013). In a much generalized sense therefore, one may view human resource information system as the role of information technology in human resource management. From a more technical viewpoint however, human resource information system goes beyond the mere use of computers and the internet to make the roles of human resource management easier. Human resource information system actually is an independent phenomenon on its own that seeks not just to use information technology in human resource management but make the combined use of information technology and human resource management easier and accessible. For all organizations who would undertake very proactive research and development to identify the human resource information system needs that they are faced with, the advantage is that they would have an effective and efficient human resource management in place. This is because Stewart (2009) has observed that the merger between human resource management and information technology that is done bring about a less

Life - Religion Essay Example for Free

Life Religion Essay In my opinion, there is no specific meaning of life. There also is a part of me that thinks that life really doesn’t have a meaning at all. But, since I have to try to define life, I would have to say it’s a combination of things in your life that you are living for, or the purpose of you being on this earth. Everyone most likely has a different purpose for being alive. Whether it is family, school, or your career; those things have a lot of impact on your life and also decisions that you make throughout life. In our society, many families instill faith and morals early into their children’s lives by continuing traditions or practices of religious faith. The idea of faith and moral beliefs are instilled in a person by attending or participating in church activities and reading the Bible or other religious texts. When there is a sound moral foundation in a person’s life it may give them the motivation through faith to build a sound structure for their life or to achieve personal goals. Simply put, a person may believe through faith that it is possible to achieve an education, start a family, or to have a successful business or career because of their foundation in faith. The reason why I somewhat think that life really doesn’t have a meaning, is because no matter what anyone does or how well or righteous someone lives their life, in the end they still die. What happens after that? Nothing, you never come back nor will you have any recollection of what went on during your lifetime here on earth. A person can bust their behind in working doing good for the community and everything else and in the end you still end up in the same place as everyone else, good people or bad people, you die. Another reason why I believe life doesn’t have a meaning is because all of the people in this world have to suffer, they still go through pain, they have to watch loved ones die, they still have to go through heartache, and rough times. Being poor, homeless, and not having food for as single meal in the day. Where is the meaning in life when people have to wake up hungry or worry about where they will lay their head that night? I’d say there is none when you look at it from that perspective. In my opinion, the meaning of life is too complex for the human brain to comprehend. People tend to say that they know what the meaning of life is, but who really knows the answer. There are various opinions and schools of thought, however, most people can never and will never reach a clear understanding of what the meaning of life is. If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering. †? Viktor E. Frankl. Frankl could not have said this quote any better, most people can say that they have found meaning in their life but at the same time, there are some people wondering if the only reason they are on this earth is to suffer on a daily basis throughout their entire lives.

Nothings changed-Choose two poems which make a connection between the :: English Literature

Nothings changed-Choose two poems which make a connection between the past and the present, and explain what this connection means to each writer. When he goes back to the district it's all overgrown. He steps through the rubbish and weeds. It says the weeds are 'amiable' which means friendly, as if the weeds don't know what he knows. He knows in his bones this is where he used to live. It's as if the feeling starts in his feet and works its way up through him, and he gets hotter and more intense, until he suddenly sees this 'brash' new building. 'Squats' makes you think of a toad, or something heavy and solid, and also squatting is when you live somewhere illegal, like the inn shouldn't ever have been there. When he peers in through the glass it's all cool and elegant inside, not the sort of place they would let in anyone. He says 'we know where we belong', meaning outside looking in. So although it no longer says 'Whites Only' on a board, like it used to, only rich white people would feel they had the right to be there. Charollte o neils song-Choose two poems which communicate a sense of injustice, and show how the poets have succeeded in doing this. The rhythm of the poem is very vigorous and assertive. You can imagine it sung in a rebellious way - she's had enough. The stress falls on the important words in each line, especially the verbs, which emphasises all the physical actions that are being described. Words like 'scrape' and 'scrub' echo each other, and when you say the 'scr' you can hear the effort involved. There's also a strong contrast between 'I' and 'you' right through the poem, which emphasises how different their lives are. In the second half of the poem (after the 'But') she shifts into the future tense as she imagines her new life. The poem finishes on a very definite note, with the final rhyme, like she's slammed the door behind her - her old life's all done and dusted. Half caste-Choose two poems where the style and language of the poem seem particularly suited to what the poet has to say, and explain in each case why you think this. The argument of the poem comes out in the way it is written. You could almost say that the poem is written in a mixed language - it's a kind of English, but it's also in Caribbean. The poet writes 'wid' and instead of 'with' to show that the speaker has a Caribbean accent.

Case Study: Limits on Credit Checks Essay

The use of credit checks and their true measure on a person’s ability to perform a job is debatable. With more and more companies requesting pre-employment credit checks, fewer and fewer applicants are able to secure positions. The lack of securing work is leading to more applicants having poor credit scores and these poor credit scores then affect the jobs they can acquire. There is a vicious cycle starting that could lead to even more economic problems. Credit score can be very situational and deceiving when all the facts are not present. There are many reasons someone could have poor credit history such as; unforeseen medical bills, their credit card was stolen, or there could be a mistake by the credit-reporting agency. These could all change the company’s view on your credit. On the other hand, companies generally do not consider just the credit standings in hiring. The company may also use background tests and drug testing. Now that so many companies are using cre dit as a selection method, states have started to step in and consider prohibiting the use of an applicants credit in respect to hiring. There are four states that do not allow the use of credit and eighteen more looking at banning it. States see this as â€Å"discrimination based on credit history†, or as a civil rights issue since minorities generally have lower credit scores. Keep in mind that the company has to have signed permission to get one credit score, so the applicant does not have to give permission. When one does go forward with the credit check, it is important for them to know that the company does not get their full report or even the scoring. There are many factors for why a company may want to use credit. With so many companies having to deal with fraud and theft, it is easy to see why they are taking a proactive stance. Companies use the general thought that people with bad credit are more likely to steal from them than those that do not. Unfortunately, there are no studies to support this reasoning, thus leading to misconceptions of what could be a highly qualified applicant. 1. How well do you think credit checks meet the effectiveness criteria of (a) reliability; (b) validity; (c) ability to generalize results; (d) high utility; and (e) legality? a. Reliability is something that can in some ways be determined in a credit check. Can and does this person pay their bills on time shows how reliable they are for payment. It does not, on the other hand, show one’s reliability in the work  place. A credit check will not tell an employer if a person will be reliable to show up to work on time every day. The employer should understand that unreliable credit could be a result of an unknown situation, thus not relying to heavily on one aspect of one’s history. b. A credit check has little to no validity on someone’s willingness or ability to perform a job or task. It would be nearly impossible to determine if a person can do a job based on whether or not one pays monthly bills in a timely manner. A credit check doesn’t determine I.Q., knowledge of sales techniques, or body strength, thus demonstrating there is no validity in measuring one’s credit score to establish the ability to perform any job or task. An employer would be ill advised to use a credit check in consideration of the skill(s) need to perform in the work place. c. Credit checks are very generalizable when looking at hiring an individual for jobs dealing with money. Can a person who cannot be responsible for their own money management, be responsible for a company’s money? A company can generalize that an individual with a history of money problem could be more likely to steal and or commit fraud. Generalizing can also create a false impression of a good and responsible person. Credit checks do not explain the reasoning for their bad credit, such as identity theft or medical bills. While it is easy to accept generalizations as a way to measure ones susceptibility to theft, understanding the reasoning for the lack of responsible payment may provide a more adequate insight into one’s character. d. The utility or the cost of the credit check verses the benefit of the information gain in the credit check differ s in the job position. If the company were hiring for a low-level mail clerk it would not be cost effective to pay for the credit history, but if one is hiring for a Chief Financial Officer than the utility would be high and would make economic sense. The company must consider the financial burden and weigh it against the validity of the information gained when using the credit checks as a hiring recourse. e. The legality of using a credit check for a tool for hiring has become very controversial, thus leading to the practice being banned in many states. There are currently 4 states, Hawaii, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington that ban the use of credit checks for pre-employment usage. There are 14 others states that have or are considering banning the use as well. There are other considerations of legality such does it cause discrimination or breaking the  equal opportunity employment laws. Companies should look at every job independently and make sure the job justifies the need for a credit check and that they meet all legal obligations in doing so. 2. For what kind of jobs might a credit check be a useful selection method? For what kind of jobs would it be unhelpful, inappropriate, or unethical? A credit check might be helpful method of selection when hiring for a position that require managing money for a company such as an accountant. Companies may also find it helpful when hiring a position that deals with the allocation of money, the assessment of risk with the company’s money or budgeting of company funds. A credit check might be telling of the candidate’s reliability with money and or their willingness to risk financial ruin. Checking of an applicants credit could be unhelpful, inappropriate, or unethical when hiring for jobs that have nothing to do with handling accounts or company money, such as a construction worker. It could unhelpful when prompting an employee that has been with the company for a substantial amount of time, this could make the employee feel untrusted and lead to lack of loyalty to the c ompany. It would be inappropriate to have a credit check run on a minor employee. He or she most likely has no credit history and may not understand what they are allowing the company to check. The practice could be considered unethical if the company is using this as a tool to discriminate against a minority or someone who is disabled. 3. Imagine you are an HR manager at a company operating in a state where credit checks of job applicants have been banned. What other selection methods could you use to pick honest and responsible employees? An HR manager could use selections methods such as honesty test, background checks, and drug testing. One would also want to check references from past employers and educational institutes. It is also a good tool to have enough time with the applicant to get a sense of whom they are and conducting a working interview can help the interviewer to get a feel for the applicants. A situational interview could be helpful in determining how one might react in di fferent circumstances. How Would a Manager from the Information in this Case? The information in this case could help managers weigh the need for credit checks in their personnel selections. They can reference the pros and cons to the reliability, validity and utility of the credit checks as a device in hiring. Managers could also see that the generalizations that come with credit checks may cause them to lose a very viable candidate. Managers will see from this case that credit history can be deceiving when all the information is not available to them. For example if the manager does not know that an applicant’s identity was stolen and that is why their credit appears to be poor than the manger could misjudge the person and lose out on a potentially great employee. The manager could also learn that doing credit checks could lead to prospective legal problems if not handled with care. There are many acts taken against companies for using credit checks as a selection method. Making sure that laws are followed correctly and that the company does not discriminate against anyone can be tricky in the use of credit checks. Many feel that credit checks are discriminating because minorities tend to have lower scores than non-minority groups. No company wants that kind of allegation against them, thus the decision to use credit checks must be considered carefully. A manager could learn that while credit checks are one way to decide on whom to hire it is not the only way and probably not the most just way. References Arnoldy B. (2007). The spread of the credit check as civil rights issues. The Christian Science Monitor. Received from http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0118/p01s03-ussc.html Johnston S. (2011). Can bad credit ruin your job search? Received from http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/can-bad-credit-ruin-your-jobsearch.aspx Noe R., Hollenbeck J., Gerhart B.& Wright P. (2011). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (4th Ed.) New York. McGraw-Hill Irwin. Rosen L. (2011, April 5) 18 U.S. states consider legislation to limit credit checks for employment screening background checks. [Blog]. Retrieved from http://hr.toolbox.com/blogs/background-checks/18-us-states-consider-legislation-to-limitcredit-checks-for-employment-screening-background-checks-45600

Laptops in Schools

Laptop Usage in Schools The issues of laptops being used in schools are brought up throughout the whole country. Many people think that if we provide every student with a laptop, we will end up spoiling our future generation and turn them into lazy, unimaginative individuals. But with the correct usage, maintenance, and supervision, the laptop proposal can work. For one, the students would have the internet right at their fingertips, making research quick and efficient. Along with the handiness of looking up all their notes with a simple click of a button.The laptop initiative has been proven to be very effective in schools in the United States; it has increased students productivity, accountability, and convenience. Administrators who are against the initiative of laptops argue that they are a waste of money and the schools budgets cannot handle it. They also believe that laptops would be a big distraction towards the student’s education. Some parents are also concerned about their children visiting inappropriate websites, along with having access to obscene material.Little do they know, there are abundant ways in disciplining the opposing view point. It has been proven in schools across the country that if we provide every student with a laptop, the productivity in classes will go up. To guarantee these successful results, both the students and the teachers would have to have the most up-to-date software’s and access to the internet through the wireless networks at school. A laptop is an essential tool, similar to how a pencil is required for class.If everyone shows up with their prepared material, the class can accomplish an increase in quality access to technology, transform quality of instructions, increase student engagement, improve academic achievement and technology literacy, increase economic competiveness, and enhance home-school connections. Along with so many more benefits. For example, if everyone had laptops, the teacher can easily send quick links of recordings or sources that relate to the curriculum. This is a more fun way to learn for most students. This can serve a sounding board for ideas, such as interactive programs, chat rooms, emails, and instant messaging.Judging from my own experience, I would definitely prefer engaging with different resources online rather than listening to my teachers boring lectures. Therefore, if classroom activities are more interesting, than students are more likely to participate. Laptops are a great way to make things more appealing, from all the educational games that are available to enlightening videos on the web. All of these benefits do not only apply to the students, but studies show that they certainly also have a positive effect on the schools when the results of the states test come in.Incorporating laptop usage in classrooms has also proven the development of student’s accountability. Students then have no reason for any papers being lost or not being able to receive an assignment when being absent. Teachers would also have the responsibility to post up all the required materials and objectives of the course, along with frequently updating lectures and assignments. With this technology, it makes it almost impossible for a student to make up any excuse for not doing their work, considering all the information they need to know is online.By using laptops at school, students have the ability to challenge their assumptions by seeking expert advice and researching data. Having that access gives the students the responsibility to have all the accurate answers on a test or an essay. Another advantage of having a laptop as a digital teaching assistant, all of the visual medium, multi-media, and interactive programs, motivate the students to participate because they can work at their own pace while still being challenged to get to the next level.This also forces the students to think critically by examining and analyzing multiple points of vi ew by participating in online debates. Overall, it has been proven that students, who are involved with laptop usage in classrooms, are more liable to get their work done on time and more competent. Laptops, when used correctly can stimulate a different type of learning and be a great convenience for students. No more would we be sitting in class with paper and an overhead.Paper notebooks will be old school and online and internal collaboration between students and teachers will be at an all time high. Getting rid of the notebooks and moving to laptop based study will help in getting rid of text books. No more lugging around 50 pounds worth of paper. Teachers will not have lectures anymore; instead they will have multiple study guides and utilize our Internet resources to find information. Text books will now be online, where students can quickly lookup parts of reading or study guides in a matter of minutes.Notes will be in the form of think bubbles where student will type their no tes and make them so they can truly understand what is being taught. This is extremely suitable for students for the reason that, it can help them simplify complex operations, such as converting numbers to charts by using excel processor, spell/grammar check, and office PowerPoint as a visual aid for presentations. This laptop initiative can expand student’s horizons by exposing them to new concepts and information, such as virtual tours and simulations.Several individuals, who disagree on the whole laptop idea, think that students would take advantage of the internet access by constantly being on Face book, Twitter, or YouTube. In reality, this is no where true. There are already blocks in place to keep students off of restricted web sites, and with these laptops, the tech administrators will know exactly who is using the computer. So there really is no downside to having laptops incorporated in classrooms.In conclusion, the entire world is changing quickly along with the ra pid revolution of technology. Our society is changing as well and people are adapting to it just fine. So schools should immediately get on the laptops in classrooms project because, technology is going to be in our everyday life soon, and we need to start teaching computers and word processing at a young age and incorporate it into everything we do. I mean why not? It has been proven to better our student’s productivity, accountability, as well as their convenience.

A Comparison between Knowledge and Information Essay Essays

A Comparison between Knowledge and Information Essay Essays A Comparison between Knowledge and Information Essay Essay A Comparison between Knowledge and Information Essay Essay The definition for cognition and information are usually high related. It is true that both of them complement each other but it is besides of import to cognize that they are reciprocally sole constructs. There are some of import differences between cognition and information that brand of them two independent constructs. What are those features? Which comes foremost and leads to the other? How can we utilize them together to acquire their maximal benefit? Well. I have settled on the undermentioned essay a definition for both knowledge and information. the manner the complement each other and which one is more meaningful in a occupation. In my sentiment cognition is made by beliefs. positions. judgements. experiences. visions. truths and constructs ( information ) . I believe besides that cognition is really situational- independent. In the other manus information is made by facts. informations. descriptions. Numberss. words. music. images. sounds and so on. Knowledge refers to the practical usage of information. While information can be transported. stored or shared without many troubles the same can non be said about cognition. Knowledge needfully involves a personal experience. Mentioning back to the scientific experiment. a 3rd individual reading the consequences will hold information about it. while the individual who conducted the experiment personally will hold knowledge about it. It is really of import to hold this difference clear. specially in our Internet-based society. Today information is freely available to anyone anyplace in the universe. An 18 twelvemonth old male child from the Sri Lanka could easy seek on the web and happen all the information of all time produced about an Adenoidectomy. But I am non certain whether I would wish to hold this same male child executing that surgery on myself†¦ what about you?

The Inventors or Muckers Who Worked for Thomas Edison

The Inventors or Muckers Who Worked for Thomas Edison Already by the time he moved to Menlo Park in 1876, Thomas Edison had gathered many of the men who would work with him for the rest of their lives. By the time Edison built his West Orange lab complex, men came from all over the United States and Europe to work with the famous inventor. Often these young muckers, as Edison called them, were fresh out of college or technical training. Unlike most inventors, Edison depended upon dozens of muckers to build and test his ideas. In return, they received only workmens wages. However, the inventor said, it was not the money they want, but the chance for their ambition to work. The average work week was six days for a total of 55 hours. Nevertheless, if Edison had a bright idea, days at work would extend far into the night. By having several teams going at once, Edison could invent several products at the same time. Still, each project took hundreds of hours of hard work. Inventions could always be improved, so several projects took years of effort. The alkaline storage battery, for example, kept muckers busy for almost a decade. As Edison himself said, Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.   What was it like to work for Edison? One mucker said that he could wither one with his biting sarcasm or ridicule one into extinction. On the other hand, as electrician, Arthur Kennelly stated, The privilege which I had being with this great man for six years was the greatest inspiration of my life. Historians have called the research and development laboratory Edisons greatest invention. In time, other companies such as General Electric built their own laboratories inspired by the West Orange lab. Mucker and Famous Inventor Lewis Howard Latimer  (1848-1928) Although Latimer never worked directly for Edison at any of his laboratories, his many talents deserve special mention. The son of an escaped slave, Latimer overcame poverty and racism in his scientific career. While working for Hiram S. Maxim, a competitor with Edison, Latimer patented his own improved method to make carbon filaments. From 1884 to 1896, he worked in New York City for the Edison Electric Light Company as an engineer, draftsman, and legal expert. Latimer later joined the Edison Pioneers, a group of old Edison employees - its only African American member. Since he never worked with Edison at the Menlo Park or West Orange laboratories, however, he is not technically a mucker. As far as we know, there were no African American muckers.   Mucker and Plastics Pioneer: Jonas Aylsworth (18-1916) A gifted chemist, Aylsworth began working at the West Orange labs when they opened in 1887. Much of his work involved testing materials for phonograph recordings. He left around 1891 only to return ten years later, working both for Edison and in his own laboratory. He patented condensite, a mixture of phenol and formaldehyde, for use in Edison Diamond Disc records. His work with interpenetrating polymers came decades before other scientists made similar discoveries with plastics.   Mucker and Friend until the End: John Ott (1850-1931) Like his younger brother Fred, Ott worked with Edison in Newark as a machinist in the 1870s. Both brothers followed Edison to Menlo Park in 1876, where John was Edisons principal model and instrument maker. After the move to West Orange in 1887, he served as superintendent of the machine shop until a terrible fall in 1895 left him severely injured. Ott held 22 patents, some with Edison. He died only one day after the inventor; his crutches and wheelchair were placed by Edisons casket at Mrs. Edisons request.   Mucker  Reginald Fessenden  (1866-1931) Canadian-born Fessenden had been trained as an electrician. So when Edison wanted to make him a chemist, he protested. Edison replied, I have had a lot of chemists... but none of them can get results. Fessenden turned out to be an excellent chemist, working with insulation for electrical wires. He left the West Orange lab around 1889 and patented several inventions of his own, including patents for telephony and telegraphy. In 1906, he became the first person to broadcast words and music over radio waves.   Mucker and Film Pioneer: William Kennedy Laurie Dickson (1860-1935) Along with most of the West Orange crew in the 1890s, Dickson worked mainly on Edisons failed iron ore mine in western New Jersey. However, his skill as staff photographer led him to assist Edison in his work with motion pictures. Historians still argue over who was more important to the development of films, Dickson or Edison. Together, though, they accomplished more than they did on their own later. The fast pace of work at the lab left Dickson much afflicted by brain exhaustion. In 1893, he suffered a nervous breakdown. By the next year, he was already working for a competing company while still on Edisons payroll. The two parted bitterly the next year and Dickson returned to his native Britain to work for the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company.   Mucker and Sound Recording Expert: Walter Miller (1870-1941) Born in nearby East Orange, Miller started working as a 17-year-old apprentice boy at the West Orange lab soon after it opened in 1887. Many muckers worked here a few years and then moved on, but Miller stayed at West Orange his entire career. He proved himself in many different jobs. As manager of the Recording Department and Edisons primary recording expert, he ran the New York City studio where recordings were made. Meanwhile, he also carried on experimental recordings in West Orange. With Jonas Aylsworth (mentioned above), he earned several patents covering how to duplicate records. He retired from Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated in 1937.

Involving Parents Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Involving Parents - Coursework Example This will lead to immensely corporative children as they feel they have caring and considerate parents. This will lead to a society that has enhanced core values and ethics, which are deemed important. The desired outcome in this plan is to enhance partnership between parents and their children. It is a confirmed belief that children need care, protection and guidance from their parents. However, this can only be ascertained from close relationships. First, this will be an approach of parents noting the progress of their children. It is decreed that close monitoring and association with children will enhance their focus on their performance. Parents will be able to note areas of strength in their children. Similarly, the parents will be able to note the children’s weak areas. As such, there will be a better approach into rectifying the weak areas while enhancing their strengths. Secondly, parenting and corporation is a long-term activity, which is not propagated overnight. The refore, there should be initiation of some activities that will enhance the bond between parents and children (NCPIE, 2010). This could be an initial plan of the frequent activities that will enhance partnership between parents and their children. ... This is done through perfect communication and understanding. Therefore, this activity will be an initiation of corporation between parents and their children. This will have long-term results in enhancing trust and honesty in children. A budget is fundamental in this activity. First, there will be budget allocations for snacks and food. During the event, the children will serve their parents with a series of drinks and snacks. This is to teach the children the responsibility of serving their parents. Apparently, this will be a step to enhance the relationship between parents and their children. Secondly, there will be a budget allocation for entertainment. It is noted that the concentration of an audience is enhanced when there is a series of entertainment. Entertainment for both parents and children will evidently enhance the concentration of the meeting. In essence, the entertainment will help ease the audience as they are expecting a bonding session with each other. Thirdly, ther e will be a budget allocation for a venue. In essence, it is an inclusive meeting between parents and their children (NCPIE, 2010). This will help in ensuring all the people in attendance are comfortable with the environment. Fourthly, there will be a budget allocation for the meals. Sharing meals is one activity that many parents do not have with their children. This is partially due to the scope of their work. Some parents spend allot of their time working, which reduces the time for having meals together. Therefore, this dedicated day will be sharing most of the basic activities together. The plan is to have a whole day dedicated to corporation between parents and their children. This will be a day to enhance the relationship between the parents and their