A Literature Review Of Ownership Issues Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2066 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? In this chapter the author has decided to discuss on ownership issues regarding firms and football clubs by presenting the information obtained by previous researches. The author has also presented information on the difference between foreign ownership and domestic ownership that have brought controversies to companies. 2.1 Definition of ownership, foreign ownership and its importance According to the business dictionary ownership means having the ultimate right of a property [1]. Foreign ownership is investment made by non-resident corporations to control another countrys companies for the purpose of profitability [2]. While there is a chance for the recipient to get economic benefit from various field such by technology sharing and management knowledge, the home country has exposed itself to foreign practice and policy. The importance of foreign investment could not be denied as it has proven to be a globalisation tool especially for companies that are la gging behind. While Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) could also be a driver to transform a society altogether, one should consider examining all the effects of FDI before deciding to fully benefit from it. 2.2 Different types of ownership structure with its advantage and disadvantages There are many form of ownership structure such as the sole proprietorship, the partnership, the corporation and the co-operative. Owners or shareholders could have maximized their profitability if they have been running the right type of ownership structure. Table 1 shows different ownership structure with its advantage and disadvantages. Figure 1: Different business structure with their advantage and disadvantages Ownership structure Advantage Disadvantage The Sole Proprietorship Easiest form to set up Unlimited liability Owner solely controls the business Can be hard to raise capital The Partnership Shared risk Risk of conflict between partners Shared m anagement Shared decision making The Corporation Limited liability Most expensive form of business to set up Easier to raise capital Involves a lot of ongoing paperwork The Co-operative Owned and controlled by its members Decision making can be slow Limited liability Risk of conflict between members Sources: BusinessLink: Starting a Business -Forms of Business Structure [3] The easiest to run and most common type of ownership structure is the sole proprietorship in which its business entity is owned and managed by a single person as being shown in the table above. The owner had to ensure the smooth operation of the business and would also be responsible for any profit or loss gained. Unlimited liability means owner have to overcome the debt at his own expense and there would also be difficulties to raise funds. The sole proprietorship can be organized very informally, is not subject to much federal or state regulation, and is relatively simple to manage and control. Partnership in business means two or more people sharing the risks, costs and responsibilities. The profits made are shared between the partners who are self-employed. Decision-making is also shared between partners and it is their responsibilities for any debts produced by the business. At least two members must be designated members the law places extra responsibilities on them. Being known to be complex, LLP could cost problems between members when disagreements happened. If the number of partners is reduced, and there are fewer than two designated members, then every member is deemed to be a designated member. Being owned by shareholders, the corporation share profits and losses generated through the firms operations, and have three distinct characteristics. There is a legal existence in which a firm could be sued or even sued others. This type of business could go on for years, as ownership could be handed over through buy out or through the purchase of shares. For LLC, the risk is restricted to the amount of investment made. However, that this type of company also brings a range of extra legal duties, including the maintenance of the companys public records such as for the purpose of the filing of accounts. A business owned by an organization and run democratically by its members is known as co- operative. The most obvious example is such as the Co-operative Store which is owned by the Co-operative Group which has policy in rewarding it members the share of profits every 6 months[4]. Limited Liability Partnership or LLP means none of the partner takes responsibility for any misconduct caused by other partners[5]. 2.3 Ownership structures of football clubs The three most operated ownership models being used in football clubs which runs as companies are as shown below [L. Nikolychuk, B. Sturgess]: Limited liability companies consisting shareholders and a board of directors. Public limited corporations (plc) with freely t radable equity Football clubs or firms consisting members who jointly own the assets and elect officials on the one member one vote principle. At the top level of professional football such as in the UK, clubs have long been running as limited liability companies. In Spain, most of the football clubs are In Germany, However, there has been transformation towards the plc model that has produced mixed results. Among the top peer football leagues made of the English Premier League, Spains La Liga, French League 1, Germans Bundesliga and Italian Seria A, the Premier League has the best revenue stream but the highest debt. The Guardian (23rd Feb 2010) reported that from the 2007-08 annual accounts produced by the European Club Footballing Landscape, premier league clubs have a total of pound;3.5bn debt which is around four times the figure for the next most indebted top division, Spains La Liga who is domestically owned[]. 2.4 Ownership issues and its controversies Football i s now big business and is becoming bigger. Combined revenue for the worlds five largest football nations (England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy) rose from e1.94 billion in the season 1994-1995 to e6.27 billion by the season 2004-2005. The UK has been leading this global phenomenon (Deloitte, 2006). In the UK, footballs three main revenue streams (match day attendances, broadcasting rights, and other commercial income) have grown much faster than real GDP. Combined turnover of the 20 Premier League clubs rose from pound;170 million in the season 1991-1992 to pound;1.33 billion in the season 2003-2004 (Deloitte, 2005). An important and ongoing consequence of these changes is how this relatively new commercial impetus is competing with the sports traditional socio-cultural foundation (Morrow, 2003). Over the last few years, football clubs in the UK has reported serious financial problems, resulting in increased concerns about corporate governance. Adam Micheal Rapp (2004) stated t hat have pointed to the wave of bankruptcies in English football over the past five years as the result of widespread mismanagement or misplaced incentive schemes[]. In order to clean their debt, football clubs have decided to enter administration or to go bankrupt. The author could not believe that football clubs should be allowed an easy way out by going into administration and then starting from starch again. The response of some commentators has been to assert the dual economic and social role of a football club, maintaining the importance of an inclusive approach to stakeholder relations. This inclusive approach is consistent with the concept of corporate citizenship, which can be understood as the specific activities undertaken by an organisation that are intended to meet social demands in a responsible manner[8]. While corporate citizenship can help to strengthen the social bond between a firm and its community, the successful implementation of corporate citizenship initiativ es can simultaneously deliver firm benefits including employee commitment, customer loyalty, and corporate reputation. In turn, these can contribute towards delivering competitive advantage and improving financial performance (Maignan et al., 1999; Fombrun et al., 2000). Birmingham City FC manager, Alex McLeish has expressed his fear regarding the future of British managers after the increase of foreign investors in the Premier League. He pointed that foreign owners are likely to bring in managers from abroad which could even affect young English talent coming through the ranks if home-grown coaches are gradually eroded. Foreign managers work differently to the British managers who choose their own players and scout through their own networks while the foreign managers tend to use an in between director of football who recruits players. If the foreign owners did that in the UK then it would make it hard for English managers to pursue their managerial style. Despite stability in the socio-cultural nature of football, significant economic changes have occurred. The largest shift that has changed corporate control arrangements relate to the commercialisation and globalisation of the sport. Previous research done in China showed that managerial ownership has a positive effect on firm performance []. Although return on assets (ROA) and return on sales (ROS) decline post-privatization, firms with high managerial ownership and, specially, high CEO ownership, exhibit a smaller performance decline. The difference is highly significant, with or without controlling for residual state ownership and changes in the firms operating environment. In contrast, performance continues to increase with managerial ownership. This finding suggests that, beyond a certain point, the distribution of shares would be more effective if extended to the whole management team instead of being limited to the chief executive. The member owned ownership structure could be implemented in foreign- owned or domestic-owned football clubs. The idea is to be successful in every aspects of football making decisions on whats best for the clubs rather than whats best for the owners. When it comes to foreign owners they may lack the knowledge and the passion to bring the clubs forward as most foreign owners see football clubs as business rather than sports. Among the performance measures being used by firm are such as return on assets, return on sales, and normalized real profits. As foreign investment and globalization continues to increase, developing countries desperately seeking to attract foreign investment can have undesirable outcomes. In this scenario FDI can have numerous negative effects, such as job loss, human rights abuses, political unrest, financial volatility, environmental degradation, and increased cultural tensions. Spar (1999), takes a neutral stance when discussing the complexity of the relationship between foreign direct investment and human rights and the ways in which FDI impacts society both negatively and positively. Portsmouth Football Club had been making headlines for the wrong reason after being the first premier league club to get under administration. Having a changed of ownership 3 times in a year with its latest owner being Balram Chainrai, a Hong Konger. Mr Chainrai has seized the 90% shareholding in the Premier League side that was held by Ali Al Faraj after the club defaulted on loan repayments. Mr Chainrai ordered his lawyers to act on Wednesday when Portsmouth again failed to make due payments by missing the extended deadline given. Mr Chainrai is now the fourth person to own Portsmouth this season after Sacha Gaydamak, Sulaiman al Fahim and Mr Faraj, who has never visited the club. He had expected to receive a sizeable chunk of cash when the Premier League paid all of its 20 clubs pound;7m from television revenue early last month. Portsmouths share, though, was withheld by the governing body and used to pay a proportion o f transfer fees owed to English and European clubs. He hopes to appoint two new members to the Portsmouth board in the next 24 hours and says he is intent on stabilising the finances before looking to attract investors. Portsmouth, who lost 1-0 at Fulham on Wednesday night and are bottom of the league, have been plagued by financial problems despite making tens of millions from the sale of players. This season they have been late paying their team four times once under Mr Fahims ownership and on three occasions after Mr Faraj took control. They are also fighting a winding-up petition served on the club by HM Revenue and Customs before Christmas, which will be heard in the high court on 10 February. They are also fighting a winding-up petition served on the club by HM Revenue and Customs before Christmas, which will be heard in the high court on 10 February. The club is believed to owe around least pound;60m almost half to Mr Gaydamak. He has described himself as a soft creditor an d is not currently demanding repayment. The increase in ticket price for some foreign-owned clubs have also been a caused for concern[]. Foreign-owned football clubs such as Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea had introduced new ticket price for the 2010/11 season with a 5-10% increase to the dismay of their supporters. Since the UK is in financial crisis, clubs should reduce the burden of their supporters and freeze the ticket price for the time being. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Literature Review Of Ownership Issues Finance Essay" essay for you Create order

The Influence of Social Networking Sites on the...

THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON THE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE 3rd year and 4th year EDUCATION STUDENTS AT ST. MARY’S COLLEGE, BAGANGA A Research Proposal Presented to the Faculty of St. Mary’s College Baganga, Davao Oreintal In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in Basic Research By Jenelyn Orada Saint Mary’s College Baganga, Davao Oriental October 2012 ABSTRACT Social Networking Sites are increasingly popular nowadays. Many SNSdevelopers like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and others are competing to give the best features in terms of socialization, interaction, privacy and even entertainment. It is not surprising that many people are hooked on with these sites since it is free and easily†¦show more content†¦It is evident that many students greatly rely on these sites in order to interact with their friends and other people whether they know them or not. Being dependent to these sites promotes online friendships which are not good since they might encounter people that are suspicious in behavior. These sites hinder face-to-face friendship but many students reason out that they use SNS in order to communicate conveniently with their faraway friends. What do these SNS possess to make the students keep on using them? Why do students upload photos, videos, post comments/messages on other profiles and play social games? What are the benefits and purpose of doing these activities? Why are social networking sites frequently used by students nowadays? The researcher goal is to address these questions and have an in-depth study with regards to those questions stated above. Students’ usage of social networking sites provides long-lasting insights to identity construction, social behavior and peer-to-peer interaction therefore studies such as this arises that found out the real perspective of students about social life. B. Conceptual Framework In general, online relationships contain much weaker ties than face-to-face relationships (Vitak, 2008). Social networking sites such as Facebook offer users a convenient method for maintaining a large number of weak ties. While maintenance of strong ties typically requires significant commitments of time and energy, weak ties maybe managed

Society with Soul Free Essays

A Society with Soul â€Å"As the soil, however rich it may be, cannot be productive without cultivation, so the mind without culture can never produce good fruit. † This quote by Seneca, a Roman philosopher, says that nothing good can ever come out of the absence of culture. Throughout history, many have argued that a society stripped of its culture is a society stripped of its soul. We will write a custom essay sample on Society with Soul or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the novel Things Fall Apart, the Ibo people are completely taken of their culture by the white colonialists. Despite a growing pattern of submission to new culture within the tribe, the people never truly lost their soul. The Ibo tribe was invaded by outsiders, their culture threatened with accusations on their way of life, worship, and customs, practically being forced into submission. The Ibo people may have been entirely stripped of their culture, but definitely not of their soul. Due to the colonialists attempting to assimilate the Ibo people, the tribe lost their culture but not the essence of who they are, allowing them to triumph against all odds. The white people pushed to assimilate the Africans, especially in their religion, ultimately tearing families apart and disconnecting the tribe. Obierika even says, â€Å"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on things that held us together and we have fallen apart,† (Achebe 152). As the British colonized the Ibo tribes in Africa, they brought with them their new religion of Christianity. At first these new beliefs were not accepted by the Ibo people, but quickly became a major threat to their old way of life. The appeal of wealth and the flow of money into their village from British traders, in combination with support for the colonialists’ new government and judicial system, eventually attracted many Ibos to convert to Christianity. Ibo society was torn in half, with some being lured in by the British, and others staying faithful to traditional Ibo customs. In addition, by the white missionaries seeking to convert children into their religion, there was no one to carry on the tribe’s traditions, resulting in the falling apart of the tribal system. The attempts of the colonialists to assimilate the Africans in religion caused families and the tribe to be divided. Despite these challenges, the tribe did not lose the essence of who they are and stayed true to a lot of the beliefs of their culture. The Ibo people were stripped of their culture by the colonialists, but they never lost their soul. Amidst the invasion of the white people, the Africans still found ways to maintain their beliefs and the essence of who they were. When Okoli killed the sacred python, he clearly went against traditional Ibo customs, but at the same time, he inadvertently reinforced Ibo customs. The Ibo people always look back to their culture for guidance and believe in it regardless of outside threats. Because it is all they have ever known, the tribe maintains their peaceful ways by deciding not to drive the Christians out with acts of violence, but rather, by ostracizing them. Soon afterwards, Okoli dies of an illness, which reaffirms the tribe’s trust in their gods. â€Å"His death showed that the gods were still able to fight their own battles,† (Achebe 141) and would rightfully punish those who went against them. It made the tribe realize that the gods were still with them, causing them to repeal the new policy of ostracism towards the converts. Furthermore, n the end, the colonialists may have ultimately drove Okonkwo to kill himself, forcing him to go against his culture, but in doing so, Okonkwo also reminded the tribe of their culture. In taking his own life, he reasserted Ibo beliefs, one of the tribesman even saying, â€Å"It is against our custom,† (Achebe 178) when asked by the District Commissioner why the tribe could not take Okonkwo down from the tree. The tribesman went on to say, â€Å"It is an abomination for a man to take his own life,† (Achebe 78). In spite of threats to their way of life and a growing disconnection of their tribe, the Ibos remained true to their culture no matter what. In conclusion, the Ibo people never lost what made them who they were despite challenges presented by the British colonialists. The white people’s attempt to assimilate Africans to the Christian faith resulted in the tearing apart of families, the disconnection of the tribe, and subsequently, the loss of the entire Ibo culture. Notwithstanding, the Ibo people did not lose their soul, or the essence of who they are. Regardless of accusations on their way of life and mounted submission to new culture, the Ibo people were undeterred by the threat of invaders. The Ibo tribe was a society entirely stripped of their culture that made it out on the other side not stripped of their soul. How to cite Society with Soul, Essay examples

Signals and Systems

Question: Discuss about theSignals and Systems. Answer: State Space Approach The state space model is the mathematical description of the physical model that can be used for understanding the various parameters related to the model. The mathematical equations that are generated contain the inputs, outputs and the state variables that decide the system responses. The conventional control system mainly focuses on the frequency domain analysis of the system which mainly stresses on the SISO (Single Input and Single Output) models and the analysis of the MIMO (Multiple Input and Multiple Output) systems is extremely complex (Ogata, 2013). For Sorting out the various computational constraints and difficulties, the state space analysis has been presented which is based on time contrary to the conventional control theory. The state model also helps in analysis of the non-linear and the time-variant system. Hence the State Space Analysis of the system is the set of minimum variables, the knowledge about which at the initial instant t=to combined with the knowledge of the inputs at an instant tto is capable of defining the behavior of the system (Kirk, 2012). The state space representation is done in the form of the following equation: x(t) is the state vector of the model; x(t)?Rn y(t) is the output vector of the model; y(t) ?Rq u(t) is the input vector also known as the control vector to the system; u(t) ?Rp A(t) is the state matrix which has a dimension of p*q B(t) is the input matrix, which has the dimension of n*p C(t) is the output matrix, which has the dimension of q*n D(t) is the feedforward matrix, which has the dimension of q*p Advantages of State Space Approach The advantages of the state space approach are many as it has been developed after suffering the hands of the classical control system. Hence to understand the advantages of the state space model, the disadvantages of the classical models should be understood (Friedland, 2012). The disadvantages of the classical model are: The classical model or the transfer function model has to be defined under zero initial condition. The classical model can only be applied to the linear and time invariant system. The transfer function model cannot be applied to the MIMO systems. The transfer function analysis is difficult to perform on computers. The advantages of the state space analysis model are (Sontag, 2013): The model is easier to work with. The state space model can be easily applied to the time-invariant systems The state space model can be applied to the nonlinear systems. The state space model can be easily applied to the MIMO systems. The state space model can be easily done on the computers. The state space model can be used for understanding the internal state of the system. It can be seen that the modern control system or the state space control system is more efficient compared to the previous classical model. Apart from the stated advantages the various system analysis like observability and controllability can be easily done on the system thus helping in understanding the response of the system (Ogata, 2013). The easy matrix representation also eases the system understanding. Disadvantages of State Space Approach The state space model is up gradation to the classical control theory which used the transfer functions to solve only specific sets of problems, but the state space model has been developed to counter all the drawbacks of the traditional model. Hence the disadvantages have been drastically reduced. The major disadvantages of the state space approach are (Kar Das Ghosh, 2014): Complex techniques. Large computations are required for understanding the characteristics. The complexity of the state space model is because the representation is done in the form of matrices. The construction of the state matrix is done with the help of series of calculation based on the equation of the system, which is not very easy to find for every system. The simpler systems can be combined thus creating a complex system which is very difficult to handle manually (Kirk, 2012). Apart from the complexity, the matrix form causes the amount of calculation which needs computational assistance for a solution, thus making the system not user-friendly. Application of State Space Approach In the initial sections, we have learned about the state space analysis followed by the sections in which the advantages and the disadvantages have been presented. It can be seen from the analysis that the state space model can be easily applied to the time variant, non-linear system but the method is very much complex and involves a lot of calculations (Lathi Green, 2014). Hence it can be easily understood that the simpler model which involve time invariance and linearity should be left to the classical methods as the transfer functions are easier to perform compared to the state space model. Hence the systems which are inherently complex and involves and contains multiple inputs and multiple outputs paired with time invariance and non-linearity should be solved with the help of the state space model. IT should also be understood that the computers are needed for such systems as it will help in the calculation of the various parameters of the system readily compared to human calculations which might take longer duration and is prone to errors (Walter, 2013). The state space models have been applied to trend-cycle decomposition, missing value treatments, time varying parameters, etc. since the model offers the freedom to specify the process without observing certain variables. Various applications that have been analyzed by the model are: H control, estimating the price of the oil and its dynamics, time series analysis (Wang Ding Ximei, 2014). IT should be understood that the implementation has various inputs based upon which the equations of decencies are created, and finally the state matrix is presented which characterizes the model (Durbin Koopman, 2012). Then the inputs are applied to the model and based upon the response of the system; the output is generated. The plethora of academic journal that is available over the internet shows the success of the model and the ease of operation with it, which will mark an era of better controlled and observed systems. References Durbin, J., Koopman, S. J. (2012).Time series analysis by state space methods(No. 38). Oxford University Press. Friedland, B. (2012).Control system design: an introduction to state-space methods. Courier Corporation. Kar, S., Das, S., Ghosh, P. K. (2014). Applications of neuro-fuzzy systems: A brief review and future outline. Applied Soft Computing,15, 243-259. Kirk, D. E. (2012).Optimal control theory: an introduction. Courier Corporation. Lathi, B. P., Green, R. A. (2014).Essentials of digital signal processing. Cambridge University Press. Ogata, K. (2013).Modern Control Engineering: Pearson New International Edition. Pearson Education Limited. Sontag, E. D. (2013).Mathematical control theory: deterministic finite-dimensional systems(Vol. 6). Springer Science Business Media. Walter, E. (2013).Identifiability of state space models: with applications to transformation systems(Vol. 46). Springer Science Business Media. Wang, D., Ding, F., Ximei, L. (2014). Least squares algorithm for a nonlinear input system with a dynamic subspace state space model. Nonlinear Dynamics,75(1-2), 49-61.

Afrodizzia by Chris Ofili

Free Essays on Sales Report

Sales Case Analysis #1 Overview Case 1.4 provides a comprehensive portrayal of the competitive nature of sales, and the nerve-racking aspects a company encounters while attempting to establish beneficial product superiority. Specifically, the case revolves around â€Å"Mediquip S.A’s† attempt and failure to sell a piece of medical equipment called, the computer tomography (CT) scanner. Moreover, the case focuses on Kurt Thaldorf; a sales engineer for Mediquip S.A., and his unsuccessful effort to finalize a deal with the buyer; Lohmann University Hospital. In addition, the other major contenders in the CT scanner market are FNC, Eldora, Magna, and Piper. From a sales management standpoint, it is apparent that the essential problem in Medquip S.A.’s inevitable loss, derives from its inability to distinctively present a beneficially competitive, comparative, and lucrative offer. Recommendations Mediquip, S.A.’s failure to close a deal stems from their elemental inadequacies. Consequently, this refers to their deficiency in planning and preparing for possible issues prior and during the sales process. This goes hand-in-hand with the three interrelated sets of the effective management process being; formulation, implementation and evaluation of a sales program. It was obvious when they initially presented their sales price was unacceptable if they wanted to compete with the other contenders. Realistically speaking, if they had developed a plan and researched the external and internal environmental influences on the sale, they would have been better prepared. For example: If they had researched the possible offers of other competitors, they might’ve rethought their price and approach of their sale. Rationale If I was managing sales I would simply rationalize every decision and alt... Free Essays on Sales Report Free Essays on Sales Report Sales Case Analysis #1 Overview Case 1.4 provides a comprehensive portrayal of the competitive nature of sales, and the nerve-racking aspects a company encounters while attempting to establish beneficial product superiority. Specifically, the case revolves around â€Å"Mediquip S.A’s† attempt and failure to sell a piece of medical equipment called, the computer tomography (CT) scanner. Moreover, the case focuses on Kurt Thaldorf; a sales engineer for Mediquip S.A., and his unsuccessful effort to finalize a deal with the buyer; Lohmann University Hospital. In addition, the other major contenders in the CT scanner market are FNC, Eldora, Magna, and Piper. From a sales management standpoint, it is apparent that the essential problem in Medquip S.A.’s inevitable loss, derives from its inability to distinctively present a beneficially competitive, comparative, and lucrative offer. Recommendations Mediquip, S.A.’s failure to close a deal stems from their elemental inadequacies. Consequently, this refers to their deficiency in planning and preparing for possible issues prior and during the sales process. This goes hand-in-hand with the three interrelated sets of the effective management process being; formulation, implementation and evaluation of a sales program. It was obvious when they initially presented their sales price was unacceptable if they wanted to compete with the other contenders. Realistically speaking, if they had developed a plan and researched the external and internal environmental influences on the sale, they would have been better prepared. For example: If they had researched the possible offers of other competitors, they might’ve rethought their price and approach of their sale. Rationale If I was managing sales I would simply rationalize every decision and alt...

New york city Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

New york city - Research Paper Example New York City is on the Atlantic seacoast. It has a challenging geography for settlement because the Hudson River dissects the boroughs, cutting them off from one another and creating the island of Manhattan. As a result, there are many bridges that connect the boroughs of New York City. The climate of the city is a Continental climate type with a hot summer. Legends tell of the Dutch settlers buying the island of Manhattan for a few strings of beads. This is part of the foundation mythology of New York City. After the British took over, the great harbor in New York caused trade to flourish. New York City became America’s biggest city in 1790 and has stayed that way ever since. The arrival of immigrants into America from Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries happened mostly in New York City. Many of them were allowed into the country through Ellis Island. Here they became United States citizens. Over the years, neighborhoods and boroughs in New York City have changed. Places that were once the homes of Jews or German immigrants are now home to immigrants from Pakistan or Vietnam. New York City is the most ethnically diverse city in the world. More languages are spoken there than any other place on earth. New York City has seen many waves of immigrants over the course of its history. The city is marked by a humid-continental climate with a hot summer. New York City enjoys seasonal changes. The seasons are distinct in regards to temperature but not with rainfall. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of 31 F. The hottest month is July with an average temperature of 76 F. Rainfall is evenly distributed through the whole year, averaging between three and four inches each month (Climate Data, 2010). The Atlantic Ocean has a moderating influence on the climate of New York City but does not dominate it. Other things that affect the climate on a micro scale is the phenomenon of the urban heat island. This

Contract law assessed coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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IDiscusson board reply645 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IDiscusson board reply645 - Coursework Example Several Christian principles focus on our relationship with others. In his message to the scribes, Jesus speaks of the importance of relationships. He utters that the greatest commandment is, â€Å"Hear, o Israel! The Lord, our God, is the one and only Lord. And, you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, your entire mind, and all your strength. The second is also important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these† (KJV Mark 12:29-31). Creation’s account according to Genesis presents an example that provides an account of God’s decision-making, organizing, planning, controlling, and leading. Business commonly accepts the account as management functions that are critical to the success of an organization (Drucker, 2014). God’s principal set of command provides us with a foundation and a sense of our â€Å"mission and purpose.† God further calls us to be â€Å"master over all life, the fish in the sea, birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals† (KJV Genesis 1:26). Simply, just like in an organization, God commissions humans to manage the resources provided by

System Application and Product Training Effectiveness

System Application and Product Training Effectiveness CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Overview of the study This section gives overview of the study of SAP training satisfaction in Felda Authority and Development Board (FELDA) and the impact that SAP brings towards accounting processes in FELDA, including the rationale, brief past literature, reasons for carrying out this study and significance contribution of this study. (ERP) Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are software systems that enable companies to enjoy real time business environment and share common data across the organization (i.e. Gargeya and Brady, 2005, Spathis and Constantinides, 2003, Nah et al., 2001) that assure able to meet business requirement (Bradley and Lee, 2007). ERP systems are commonly used to replace legacy systems which require high maintenance (Bradley and Lee, 2007). There are many selections of ERP. However, the top five ERP system vendors are System Application and Product (SAP), Peoplesoft, Oracle, J.D. Edwards and Baan (Equey and FragniÃÆ' ¨re, 2008). Little and Best (2003) sum up majority of international organizations range from medium to large sizes have adopted ERP. Of these, the most popular choice is won by SAP R/3 (Little and Best (2003). (SAP) System Application and Product (SAP) R/3 is an ERP system (Little and Best, 2003), originally developed and marketed in Germany. In the 1990s, SAP became better recognized outside Germany and attracted many companies due to its various benefits and functionalities (Martin and Cheung, 2000). It is comprised of a collection of modules including financial accounting, sales and distribution, materials management, production planning and human resources (i.e. Martin and Cheung, 2000, Finney and Corbett (2007). All modules are integrated with each other (i.e. Little and Best, 2003, Nah et al., 2001). The R/3 smoothen the progress of monitoring and controlling job, where it can be designed to be fit with companies roles and assigned to users performing these roles (Little and Best, 2003). (How ERP works) As found by Gupta (2000), traditional systems take care of each business transaction separately. Amazingly, ERP discontinues treating these transactions individually. More astonishingly, data generated by various departments are stored in the same database for the use of multiple users, from multiple units, for multiple purposes at multiple places (Gupta, 2000). A transaction generated by one unit can automatically updates any other unitsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ transaction. The interconnections ensure that common information in a unit can be obtained by any other unit. This also brings means that ERP allows real time data processing (Vathanopas, 2007, Gupta, 2000, Nah et al., 2001). However, these functionalities require involvement and support of all level of employees from top management downward to shop-level employees (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). (Benefit SAP-6) R/3 helps in separating duties in an organization (Little and Best, 2003). Other than R/3 usefulness, one of ERPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s major strengths includes the restructuring companies to a better position (Nah et al., 2001, Willis and Willis-Brown; 2002; Kim et al.; 2005; Hong Seng Woo, 2007). While ERP may empower management and serve employees, customers and suppliers needs (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002), this may lead to greater companies value (Spathis and Constantinides, 2003). The study of Spathis and Constantinides (2003) prove ERP offer huge significant benefits on accounting information and management processes. In addition to that, the sample company in Amoako-Gyampah (2004) study of which a healthcare products organization with over 20,000 employees worldwide chose SAP R/3 as they claim SAPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"s tight integration philosophy met their business need for integration. Furthermore, ERP offer seamless data integration or cross-functional within the c ompanies (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). This corroborates the purpose of ERP where it is designed to provide one common source of data. Lastly, ERP adopters may enjoy the productions of real-time data which is shared across the organization (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004, Mustacello and Chen, 2008; Finney and Corbett, 2007). (Cost SAP -6) Perhaps, one of its shortcomings is the pain during implementation (Gargeya and Brady, 2005). For the adopters, the organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s long term implementation process may cause fatigue and dissatisfaction. Worse, this also may cause imperfect system design and testing (Trimi et al., 2005). Moreover, the greatest disadvantage of an ERP system (Trimi et al, 2005) is stiff and expensive to implement (Bradley and Lee, 2007, Gargeya and Brady, 2005, Spathis and Constantinides, 2003). Implementation costs include software, hardware, consultant fees, cost for staff to operate the system and the very large cost component of user training (Trimi et al. 2005). This leads to over budget, in average of 189 percent for many companies, especially failed projects (Gargeya and Brady, 2005). The complexity of the system is another major complaint (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002, Bradley and Lee, 2007). Consequently, companies will face high resistant to change from employee s (Spathis and Constantinides, 2003) as employees do not insist to learn new ERP system due to its non-user friendly features compared to old system (Bradley and Lee, 2007, Pijpers and Montfort, 2006). (CSF) With all the costs and disadvantages of ERP, increasingly we hear of the fall short of ERP implementations (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002, Nah et al., 2001, Finney and Corbett, 2007; Gargeya and Brady, 2005). Resultantly, there has been long-drawn-out investigate concerning on critical success factors (CSF) of ERP implementations (Finney and Corbett, 2007; Gargeya and Brady, 2005, Kim et al., 2005, Hong Seng Woo, 2007; Mustacello and Chen, 2008). Accordingly, as suggest in prior literature, in order to ensure success of SAP implementation, CSF needs to be identified (Nah et al., 2001; Finney and Corbett, 2007; Kim et al., 2005, Hong Seng Woo, 2007); Gargeya and Brady, 2005; Mustacello and Chen, 2008). These factors may act as impediment and in worse case may be the focal grounds of a failure of implementation project (i.e. Nah, Lau and Kuang, 2001; Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002). Finney and Corbett (2007) who compile and analyze current literature of CSFs of ERP implementation, found five mostly cited categories. It includes top management commitment and support, business process reengineering (BPR) and change management, system development and testing, training and education and the best and brightest project team. This study will add up this list focusing on good project management (Nah et al. 2001, Kim et al.; 2005, Gargeya and Brady, 2005, Hong Seng Woo; 2007, Mustacello and Chen, 2008), proper planning (Finney and Corbett, 2007; Gargeya and Brady, 2005, Nah et al. 2001), effective communication (Finney and Corbett, 2007; Hong Seng Woo, 2007; Mustacello and Chen, 2008, Nah et al. 2001), feedback from employees (Nah et al., 2001; Finney and Corbett, 2007) and monitoring and eva luating performance (Nah et al., 2001; Finney and Corbett, 2007). (Importance of training) To outweigh the implementation costs, sufficient training should be given to employees. The training effort is ample and is a challenge to deliver effectively in a timely manner (Martin and Cheung, 2000). Trainings help companies by offering a smoother transition for the employees to accept the new system. Vathanophas (2007) argued there can be a hierarchical level of ERP training. The ERP consultants first train the IT staff that in turn train the individual departmental representatives or key users. These key users then teach their own departmental users or end users. It can be said that ERP implementations can be more successful if training is structured and focused. Training should give rise to satisfaction feel among users to boost their confidence level. (TAM) Theoretically, the technology acceptance model by Davis, suggests successful implementation requires user acceptance (Bradley and Lee, 2007). Since ERP is such a complex technology (Gargeya and Brady, 2005), organizations undertake training as an approach to gain the advantage of technology acceptance. Thus, this study seeks to explore the relationship of training to ERP project success (i.e. accounting processes). The variables used are: User perception of ease of use User perception of usefulness (Job position and business division) Job position and business division may theoretically see to influence SAP training satisfaction (Okpara, 2004). Differences are widely known to augment in the perceptions and attitudes of different hierarchical organizational members toward innovations and technology (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). Managers perceived that technology would be easier to use compared to end users (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). Concerning the need for more training and education, Bradley and Lee (2007) found that all level of employees show the need for more training. While difference job position gives different perception on ERP training, Ifinedo (2007) reported a positive relationship between organizational structures that facilitate ERP adoption. As a consequence, ERP will be less successful in companies where tasks are less specialized and organizational tasks are not properly segregated. (Accounting processes) ERP provide huge benefits to accounting processes in company (Spathis and Constantinides, 2004). ERP systems provide companies the ability to improve business processes by integrating both financial and non-financial data among all functional areas within an organization. The study of Spathis and Constantinides (2004) highly rated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“increased flexibility in information generationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“increased integration of accounts applicationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“improved quality of reports-financial statementsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? as perceived accounting benefits may be achieved in using ERP system. Problem statement (Present situation) To remain competitive, FELDA have undertaken business process re-engineering of using SAP to replace the old legacy system. Throughout the Felda Group of Companies (FGOC), the implementation is executed by phase, since 2002. Currently, 20 companies are formally using SAP and have formal SAP system in place. (Wrong with present situation) Numerous complaints received by the Customer Support Centre in term of the complexity of the system. Many problems logged at Customer Support Centre, requiring guidance on the use of the system. Worst, the problems logged are rising especially during account closing or stock count. Although training prior to implementations had been conducted, many refresh training after the implementations are requested by different companies independently. Many employees of finance unit claim SAP make daily job become difficult due to complexity of SAP. For instance, they feel reporting purpose using SAP takes time to perform. Yet, some of them feel SAP really helps especially during account closing. Countless criticisms on these harms, blaming on the several major issues faced during implementation of SAP were not fully solved. (Needs to be done) Consequently, this study seeks whether users of different groups of employees (i.e. job position and business division) are satisfied on the adequacy of SAP training given by Felda Prodata Systems Sdn. Bhd. (FPSSB) and external consultants. Moreover, the impact of SAP on accounting processes will be explored. Research objectives The main objectives of this study is to examine whether users (i.e. staff of finance department in FELDA) are satisfied on the adequacy of training given prior and post the implementation. The breakdown objectives of this study are: To determine the critical success factors of SAP implementation in FELDA. 1H- H01 To gain insight on perception of groups of employees (i.e. job position and business division) of finance department in FELDA on training adequacy. 2H- H02, H03 To analyze the relation between training and education satisfaction, and perceptions of ease of use and perception of usefulness (i.e. effectiveness and efficiency) on SAP system in the finance department in FELDA. 1H- H04 To explore the impact of SAP implementation on the accounting processes at FELDA. 1H- H05 4 Research questions What are the critical success factors in implementing SAP in FELDA?  · Do different groups of employees (i.e. job position and business division) of finance departments in FELDA perceive training adequacy differently?  · Do training and education satisfaction have impact on perceptions of ease of use and perception of usefulness (i.e. effectiveness and efficiency) on SAP system in the finance department in FELDA?  · How does the implementation of SAP affect the accounting processes at FELDA? Definition of terms Satisfaction of user on the SAP training will act as the independent variable. The dependant variables are the perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) of SAP. Davis (1989) cited in Bradley and Lee (2007) explains the perceived usefulness is attributed by efficiency (perform job faster) and effectiveness (achieve desired results in performing the job). There are other variables use in this study to look for differences in perception of training satisfaction, including job position and business division. Overview of research methodology SAPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s website lists many of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s largest companies as its clients (Trimi et al. 2005). To remain competitive (Spathis and Constantinides, 2003), FELDA have undertaken the Felda Group of Companies (FGOC), the implementation is executed by phase, since 2002. Currently, 22 subsidiaries are formally using SAP and have formal SAP system in place. FELDA face many problems in installing SAP such as resistance to change among employees and useless training which did not achieve the purpose it brings (Bradley and Lee, 2007). The data collected is from Felda Group of Companies (FGOC) who formally used SAP in place. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of training satisfaction on use and usefulness. ANOVA was used on survey data to look for difference in perception of training satisfaction by job position and business divisions. Significance of this study This study is interesting to examine as to fill in the gap in the literature by providing empirical evidence on the adequacy of SAP training conducted at FELDA and the impact on accounting benefits that SAP brought in. FELDA organization may use it in improving their business operation activities. It is a hope that this study can also be used by other companies in dealing with ERP implementation. Summary As FELDA is using SAP system formally, this study focuses on SAP training satisfaction in FELDA in relation to the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use among finance department staff in FELDA. The CSFs of SAP implementation and its impact on FELDAsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ accounting processes are also explored. Regardless of the seamless integration offered in a real-time environment, ERP also badly comes with numerous disadvantages including cost overruns, fatigue implementation and less user-friendly characteristics. By proposing a model on the basis of the Technology Acceptance Model by Davis, this study hopes to support any existing literature on the adequacy or appropriateness of SAP training and the impact on accounting benefits. Organization of dissertation This study is organized as follows. Chapter 1 briefly highlights the literature review, research methodology, rationale and reasons for carrying out this study. Chapter 2 debates literature reviews on previous studies related to SAP. This is followed by Chapter 3 on the research methodology adopted in this study. Chapter 4 describes and discusses the findings of the study. The final chapter concludes with major findings, limitations of the study and recommendations on future research. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW This chapter reviews the literature concerning ERP and SAP definition as well as past studies conducted on benefits and costs of ERP and SAP, and the need of training on ERP. Related literature describes userà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s satisfaction on ERP training and the impact of job position and business division on perceive ness of SAP training adequacy. The chapter then highlights some theories relevant to the ERP impact on accounting processes. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Enterprise resource planning (ERP) come into view as a system for a whole business that offer to share data throughout the entire organization, generate and access information in a real time world (Vathanopas, 2007, Gupta, 2000, Trimi et al., 2005, Finney and Corbett, 2007; Gargeya and Brady, 2005, Kim et al., 2005, Hong Seng Woo, 2007; Mustacello and Chen, 2008, Nah et al., 2001) five years ago (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002). It is one of the most popular software system emerged in this world (Hong Seng Woo, 2007). Realizing its huge benefits, ERP systems have been widely implemented by numerous firms throughout the world (i.e. Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002, Gupta, 2000). According to Equey and FragniÃÆ' ¨re (2008), as at 2001, there are more than 100 ERP suppliers. Of these, only five are the current market leader, of which System Application and Product (SAP), Peoplesoft, Oracle, J.D. Edwards and Baan. Little and Best (2003) sum up majority of international organizations range from medium to large sizes have adopted ERP. And again, of these, the most popular choice is won by SAP R/3 (Little and Best (2003). System Application and Product (SAP) The call for for ERP systems has permit SAP R/3 to dominate the ERP system market (Little and Best, 2003). SAP was opted in reorganization project of large companies in 16 countries in Europe (Martin and Cheung, 2000). Soliman and Youssef (1998) highlight, according to a Fortune magazine survey, there are over 7,000 companies in 50 different countries using the SAP R/3 system. While SAP R/3 is currently the most leading ERP system (Little and Best, 2003), industry watchers and consultants rated SAP as the best system that able to fit with companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s requirement (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). SAP R/3 is an ERP (Little and Best, 2003). It is an integrated software system, originally developed and marketed in Germany (Martin and Cheung, 2000). It a product of the German software company, SAP AG. (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). In the 1990s, SAP became better known outside Germany (Martin and Cheung, 2000). Its centre of attraction is its high level integration and vast functionality (i.e. Amoako-Gyampah, 2004, Gupta, 2000). It is comprised of a collection of modules including financial accounting, materials management, sales and distribution, production planning and human resources (i.e. Martin and Cheung, 2000, Finney and Corbett, 2007). All modules are integrated with each other (i.e. Nah et al., 2001). The R/3 means that facilitates the monitoring and controlling job, where it can be designed to be fit with companies roles and assigned to users performing these roles (Little and Best, 2003). How ERP works Old system or ERP perform the same function of storing data and information, process and present them whenever requested by user. However, for traditional system, there is no link between the systems being used by different departments or units. According to Gupta (2000), traditional systems take care of each business transaction separately. An ERP does the same thing in a different modern manner. Surprisingly, ERP discontinues treating these transactions individually. Data generated by various departments are stored in the same database for the use of multiple users, from multiple departments, for multiple purposes at multiple places (Gupta, 2000). The software is capable to integrate data from several different functions of an organization such as finance, human resources, logistics, marketing and manufacturing (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). In simpler words, user from finance unit can view common data keyed in by human resources unit. ERP allows real time data processing (Vathanopas, 2007, Gupta, 2000, Nah et al., 2001). The emergence of ERP in early 1990 led to linkage between departments such as accounting and sales management (Gupta, 2000). For instance, a purchase order entered by procurement unit sends a materials request to store unit. At the same time, the purchase order transaction appears as an expense on general ledger. Supplier also can monitor latest stock level and whenever the materials run low, they can add the stock without having to be notified by client. The interconnections ensure that common information in a unit can be obtained by any other unit. This makes it simpler to see how the entire business as a whole is operating. ERP systems by their very nature offer cross-functional transact and information system (IS) is widely used in an organization. The wave of changes covers inside out the company where it modifies the way employees does their jobs and how the company operates (Hong Seng Woo, 2007). Hence, the implementation inevitably enquires the involvement of all level of employees from top management downward to shop-level employees (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). Benefits of ERP vs. cost ERP adopters seem to experience one or two opposite outcomes. For some, ERP aids in restructuring companies to a better position (Nah et al., 2001, Willis and Willis-Brown; 2002; Kim et al.; 2005; Hong Seng Woo, 2007). For instance, ERP may empower management and serve employees, customers and suppliers needs (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002). This may bring greater companies value (Spathis and Constantinides, 2003). As found by Willis and Willis-Brown (2002), ERP facilitates companies in term of information pertaining to customers. Customerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s data is collected such as pattern of orders, product preferences and any complaint or satisfaction received. Conversely, suppliers are responsible in monitoring their own inventory level supplied to their client. When the materials run low, they can add the stock without having to be notified by client. In contrast, employees may have facilities to take the ERP with them. This service is referred as mobile ERP, where it is one of the greatest opportunities today. One example is that ERP allows the setup of pricing and promotion programs automatically attached with invoicing and billing. In addition to that, the satellite-based global positioning system (GPS) technology offers another excellent opportunity. Companies can use the ERP system in better tracking the status of materials such as the movement of tagged inventory from receiving, work-in-process, inspection, packaging and distribution. R/3 helps in separating duties in an organization (Little and Best, 2003). The R/3 facilitates the monitoring and controlling job, where it can be designed consistent with companiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ roles and assigned to users performing these roles. The SAP system itself restricts usersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ access to certain functions within the system, which means that users have to be authorized to perform a certain action. These authorizations are associated with roles. And the roles are assigned to users. These authorizations are necessary for users or staffs to perform their duties. If a staffà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s authorization profile contains no authorizations then the staff cannot have access to respective action on the system. ERP advantages have been well explained in the study of Spathis and Constantinides (2003). The study explores ERP system benefits on accounting information and management processes for companies adopting ERP system in Greece. The most highly rated perceived benefits achieved involve increase flexibility in information generation, improved quality of reports-financial statements, increased integration of applications and easy maintenance of databases. This clearly suggests that ERP has significant impact on accounting procedures. The evidences of Spathis and Constantinides (2003) study also support the argument that ERP is successful in fulfilling the adoptersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ business purposes and requirements. The integration of applications, the production of real-time information for decision making, improves both accounting information and business operations. The sample company in Amoako-Gyampah (2004) study of which a healthcare products organization with over 20,000 employees worldwide chose SAP R/3 as they claim SAPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"s tight integration philosophy met their business need for integration. ERP transaction systems meant to offer companies with seamless data integration and it appears that this benefit is likely to be understood by employees regardless of their position within the companies (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). The integration involved the automatically update of different modules at different locations within the organization at different time periods. For example, say ordering goods was being completed at one location, pricing was being started at another department and financials would have nearly been completed at another location. ERP are designed to eliminate multiple sources of data, eliminate multiple data entries and provide more accurate and timely data. This corroborates the purpose of ERP where it is designed to provide one common source of data. Companies adopting ERP enjoy integration business applications using real-time information. The productions of real-time data are shared across the organization. This is important in business environment where effectiveness and efficiency in operations and real-time data are among crucial factors for business success (Spathis and Constantinides, 2003). Consequently, generation of timely information improves decision making process, planning and monitoring of ERP adopters. Despite ERPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s promises, the greatest disadvantage of an ERP system (Trimi et al, 2005) is stiff and expensive to implement (Bradley and Lee, 2007, Gargeya and Brady, 2005, Spathis and Constantinides, 2003). In fact, Trimi et al. (2005) conclude ERP is expensive by their nature. Generally, software development represents about 80 percent of total implementation cost. Implementation costs include software, hardware, external consultant fees and internal staff for installation, and not to forget a very large cost spent on training of staff to operate the system. Studies have shown that, for every dollar spent on ERP software, 3 to 10 dollars might be required for the users training (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). For the adopters, the organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s long term implementation process may caused fatigue and dissatisfaction. Worse, the level of dissatisfaction appears to be arising (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002). The main problem faced by ERP implementers is the decision to customize or not in suiting the system with the organization (Gupta, 2000). Company adopters will demand ERP to meet their needs. They spend excessive time trying to retrofit the business process to ERP. Thus, the companies which customize will end writing more code of which requiring more time and cost. It can be said that the changeover may take a longer time causing cost overruns (Spathis and Constantinides, 2003). Since most external consultants are charged on man-hour basis, project time overruns substantially inflate costs. Many companies, especially failed projects, found themselves over budget, in average of 189 percent (Gargeya and Brady, 2005). Inflating implementation costs that exceed budget has caused many companies to trim project efforts. Companies will then attempt relying heavily on limited-knowledge internal expertise. Generally, the decision was forced by over price set by external knowledgeable consultants. The result was improper setup and configuration (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002). Theoretically, Trimi et al. (2005) see many projects failures as a result of imperfect design and implementation of the system. The lack of knowledgeable and skilled staff resulted in the failure to implement some very useful features or in a worse case, critical operations (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002). For instance, the critical failure would be associated with the companiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ ability to rapidly respond to situation with real-time information. Given any new arises or major SAP upgrade (Gargeya and Brady, 2005), changes are required to respond throughout the system (Trimi et al., 2005, Gupta, 2000) probably denying many of unique customizing or specific business process related to the respective companies. Different companies are unique which they have different cultures, their own way of doing things, operates with different procedures and business requirements. They do not wish to be assimilated into one corporate culture. Companies carry their unique business pr ocess which requires unique ERP customizing. Gargeya and Brady (2005) found Sobeyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, an $89 million Canadian grocery chain, abandoned the implementation process as it feel SAP could not handle its requirements. In a nutshell, planning an ERP project cannot be taken lightly (Gargeya and Brady, 2005). Another major complaint (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002) is the lack of user-friendly systems (Bradley and Lee, 2007). Few staffs may use the system as their perceptions of ease of use of the systems are set at a lower level. Personnel claim it is difficult to capture data at the inception of a particular transaction (Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002). The main hurdle (Gupta, 2000) faced was high resistant to change (Spathis and Constantinides, 2003). Staffs do not insist to learn new technologies due to attachment to old system (Bradley and Lee, 2007, Pijpers and Montfort, 2006). Not surprisingly, many companies suffer guilt of making simplistic assumptions as they realized culture changes do not occur magically. These changes characterized by human psyche. If staffs are not ready or willing to change, change simply will not occur. Unisource, a $7 billion companies, terminate its SAP implementation plan due to internal problems of unable in dealing with cultural change (Gargeya and Brady, 2005). Critical success factor in implementation of ERP The difficulties and failure in implementing ERP have been widely cited in the literature (i.e. Nah, Lau and Kuang, 2001; Willis and Willis-Brown, 2002). For instance, Allied Waste Industries, Inc. decided to pull $130 million budgeted on SAP development and Waste Management, Inc., terminated SAP installation after spent about $45 million from expected $250 million on the project (Kim et al., 2005). Thus, it is important to identify predictors for the success of ERP implementation (Nah et al., 2001; Finney and Corbett, 2007; Kim et al., 2005, Hong Seng Woo, 2007); Gargeya and Brady, 2005; Mustacello and Chen, 2008). Critical success factor (CSF) can be defined as any element or situation that can be characterized as necessary in order to succeed in any ERP implementation (Finney and Corbett, 2007). Below are the list of CSFs which are widely debated in the literature (Nah, et al., 2001; Finney and Corbett, 2007; Kim et al., 2005, Hong Seng Woo, 2007); Gargeya and Brady, 2005; Mustacello and Chen, 2008). (Training and education) As ERP is not easy to use, training users in using ERP is important even for highly educated personnel or highly information technology (IT) skills personnel (Hong Seng Woo, 2007, Nah et al.; 2001, Mustacello and Chen; 2008, Gargeya and Brady ;2005, Finney and Corbett, 2007 and Gupta; 2000). Hong Seng Woo (2007), Nah et al. (2001) and Mustacello and Chen (2008) stress that sufficient training can help enlighten the opportunity for ERP system success. Heavy investment in training, support and education should be emphasized such as hands-on job (Finney and Corbett, 2007), on-site support staff and support centre (i.e. helpdesk, online user manual) (Nah et al., 2001). It is common that training effort is downplayed or ignored, because it does not provide huge quant

Reading Poetry by the Morning Moon :: Personal Narrative Essays

Reading Poetry by the Morning Moon Wind sweeps a stray cloud across the sky, exposing half of a gray-mottled moon. It’s nine-thirty in the morning, and the moon looks like an island in a pellucid sea. Sitting in the mossy crook of a hickory tree, my legs dangle above the creek. A walnut leaf drifts past, on its way through the valley, destined for the river and finally the bay. For a moment, I think of taking off my sneakers and socks, rolling up my jeans, and dipping my toes into the soft silt lining the creek bed. The meandering stream is only shin-deep and with four strides I could sit on the other shore. In the October chill, however, I reconsider; instead, the smells - mud, fish, decaying leaves - intoxicate me. â€Å"My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air.† I know it’s a romantic idea, reading â€Å"Song of Myself† on a stream bank. In fact, if Walt Whitman’s spirit were to brush by me in the gusting wind, I’d probably hear him say: Close the book and watch. Listen. A shriek pierces through the orange and gold treetops like a blast of steam escaping a teakettle. Looking up, I see the silver belly of a red-tailed hawk as it glides in circles below the moon. â€Å"I fly those flights of a fluid and swallowing soul,† writes Whitman. He, too, must have witnessed the swooping undulations of a ruddy-winged bird. His heart, like mine, unburdened. From my rough but solid seat in the hickory tree, I hear, at first, the sounds of Annville’s busy thoroughfare - the drone of engines, squealing brakes, the chime of a church bell. Soon, however, other noises trickle into my consciousness. Water over fallen branches. Staccato crackles of a squirrel in the brush. My own breathing. The world has been reduced to a microcosm in which I am the center. In this cosmos there are no thoughts of the future, only a mingling of the present and past. Maybe it’s my solitude, or perhaps it’s the wind caressing my face with the smell of wet leaves, but I feel suddenly close to my home, a farm that is sixty miles west and a mountain away from this hickory tree on the Quittie. Closing my eyes, I see the familiar wisp of smoke curling from our brick chimney, the crooked lightning rod on the barn roof, and the mountains that surround the valley, Hidden Valley, like the walls of Jericho.

Motivation and the Brain Essay

I certify that the attached paper, which was produced for the class identified above, is my original work and has not previously been submitted by me or by anyone else for any class. I further declare that I have cited all sources from which I used language, ideas and information, whether quoted verbatim or paraphrased, and that any and all assistance of any kind, which I received while producing this paper, has been acknowledged in the References section. This paper includes no trademarked material, logos, or images from the Internet, which I do not have written permission to include. I further agree that my name typed on the line below is intended to have, and shall have the same validity as my handwritten signature. A healthy lifestyle, complete with eating well, takes motivation and constant strong dedication to achieve. When the motivation to see the action completed is at its most compelling state, it can only be placated once the behavior has been fulfilled. A lifestyle that involves healthy eating should be what everyone strives to achieve, but all too often there are roadblocks. The continuous development of understanding regarding eating disorders has expanded beyond what use to just be looked at as anorexia and bulimia or disorders that just associated with malnutrition. Just as eating too little can have a negative effect on a person’s health, so can overindulging, or eating too much of the wrong things. In America today the emphasis is the on-the-go lifestyle, which places a higher incentive to eat junk food as the main staple in one’s diet. The fast food is a quick fix to satisfy the compelling need of hunger. What causes a person to more than satisfy or willingly ignore the motivation to eat is under constant scrutiny; science is finding the links between hormone and gene dysfunction and the onset of eating disorders. There are both intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with eating healthily, these factors play heavily on how a person chooses to live their lifestyle. Brain Structure and Healthy Eating To start on the path of a healthy eating lifestyle one should begin in the brain. The ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) and the lateral hypothalamus (LH) explain the neurological mechanisms of hunger and satiety (Pinel, 2007). The VHM and the LH seem to work together as a sort of stoplight for a person’s hunger and satiety. The hypothalamus is in charge of changing energy into fat stores, by doing this, the hypothalamus creates an incentive to increase ones calories. To put this into psychological terms, the hypothalamus uses the need for energy to create a psychological force or need for hunger and then food, then calculating the rate and amount of fat storage within the body. More than three years ago, geneticists conducted a study with the findings reported the startling discovery that nearly half of all people in the U.S. with European ancestry carry a variant of the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene which causes them to gain weight — from three to seven pounds, on average — but worse, puts them at risk for obesity (University of California, 2010). The FTO gene was studied in mice at a lab in Oxford. One set of mice was administered extra copies of the FTO gene, and fed the standard diet along with the other mice. The mice with the added gene gained 22% more weight than the mice with only one set. It was discovered when the FTO gene becomes overactive there is a tendency to consume more food. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Intrinsic and Extrinsic factors are the factors that work with healthy eating; these factors need to be considered when diet habits are evaluated. Hereditary factors, or intrinsic factors, such as certain types of eating disorders, can affect many generations within a family. Healthy eating and the act of maintaining a healthy eating lifestyle can be influenced by an eating disorder. An example of this would be a person with an undiagnosed case of anorexia might not be able to control their need to diet, thus stifling their ability to have and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Environmental factors, extrinsic factors, also have the ability to influence someone who is trying to eat healthy. For example, a person working in an ice cream store is likely to gain weight and become obese simply because they have access to fatty food multiple days during the week. Another extrinsic factor, which may influence someone’s eating habits, is how they were raised and taught to eat by their family. If the parents are unhealthy eaters, this will rub off on their children who will then grow up to be unhealthy eaters. Michigan State University conducted a study of families with children ranging in the one to three years old age range. The study found the mothers who considered their children to be picky eaters were the ones who did not offer fruits and vegetables as often. This study also learned extra attention must be placed on the family approach for eating good healthy food. When the mother and father makes an increased effort to feed their family healthy food the resulting outcome is a more positive role modeling. Eating healthy with eating disorders Eating healthy is not always possible, especially with someone who has an eating disorder. Even though the reasoning behind a lot of eating disorders is not very clear, there are many factors that are associated with them. Hormones, the environment, genetics, and neurological malfunctions can all be linked to eating disorders. Another factor that is commonly seen in people with an eating disorder is the family dynamic during their puberty years. Families who report being less supportive and less encouraging of the open expression of feelings are particularly prone to producing adolescents afflicted by eating disorders (Dixon et. al., 1989). When some neurological structures malfunction it can effect how people react to food, CT scans of teens exhibiting signs of anorexia show decreased size and functionality of the thalamus, hypothalamus, and other neurological structures (Chowdhury & Lask, 2000). Science has not figured out yet if it is food association that causes neurological problems, or if it is the neurological problems that contribute to the food association problems. Stanford University has been conducting studies of anorexic patients in therapy; they have come to the conclusion that the therapy works more effectively if the family of the patient were involved with the therapy as well. The researchers were able to see a full anorexic remission rate of 42% as apposed to the 23% of those patients who elected to have individual therapy sessions. For these reasons, the motivation following eating disorders such as anorexia and obesity surrounds a broad array of environmental incentives and psychological drives. Conclusion In conclusion, the structures within the brain that work with appetite and satiety are the lateral hypothalamus, aka LH, and the ventromedial hypothalamus, aka VHM. Hunger and the process of eating can be brought on by outside or environmental factors like family gatherings, the quantity of food available, the amount of variety of foods available, and the deliciousness. There are also biological factors that affect a person’s hunger. Some of these are; the obesity associated gene within a person, adolescence and puberty, what the family dynamic is like, and where one works. Reference: Chowdhury, U., Lask, B. (2000). Neurological correlates to eating disorders. European Eating Disorders Review, 8(2), 126-133. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from EBSCOHost Database. Deckers, L. (2010). Motivation: Biological, psychological, and environmental, Second Edition. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Dixon, K.N., Jones, D., Lake, M., Nemzer, E., Sansone, R., & Stern, S.L. (1989). Family environment in anorexia nervosa and bulimia. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 8(1), 25-31. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from EBSCOHost Database. Michigan State University (2010, December 16). Mothers’ diets have biggest influence on Pinel, J.J. (2007). Basics of biopsychology. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Stanford University Medical Center (2010, October 11). Family therapy for anorexia twice University of California – Los Angeles (2010, April 20). Obesity gene, carried by more than a third of the US population, leads to brain tissue University of Oxford (2010, December 6). Overactive FTO gene does cause overeating

Barack Obama - Terms as President

Barack Obama - Terms as President President Barack Obama served two terms in the White House and ended up being more  popular than his predecessor, George W. Bush, at the the time he left office, according to public opinion polls. But Obamas popularity didnt mean he  could have run for a third term, as some conspiracy theorists suggested. U.S. presidents have been limited to serving only two four-year terms in the White House since 1951, when the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was ratified.   Obamas terms as president began on Jan. 20, 2009. He served his last day  in office  Jan. 20, 2017. He served eight years in the White House and was succeeded by Republican President Donald Trump. Obama, like most ex-presidents, hit the speaking circuit after leaving office. The Third Term Conspiracy Theory Conservative critics of Obama began raising the prospect of a third term early in his tenure in the White House. Their motivation was the raise money for conservative candidates by way of scare tactics. In fact, subscribers to one of former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrichs email newsletters were warned of a specific scenario that must have seem rather frightening President Barack Obama running for, and winning, a third term as president in 2016. Conspiracy theorists believed the 22nd Amendment limiting presidents to two terms in office somehow would be wiped from the books by the time the 2016 campaign rolled around, after Obama had won re-election to a second term in 2012. That, of course, never happened. Trump pulled off an upset against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Spreading Rumors About a Third Term The email from Gingrich Marketplace, which is managed by the conservative group Human Events, claimed Obama would win a second term and then go on to win a third term that would begin in 2017 and last through 2020 despite a constitutional ban on such a thing. The truth is, the next election has already been decided. Obama is going to win. Its nearly impossible to beat an incumbent president. Whats actually at stake right now is whether or not he will have a third-term, wrote an advertiser to subscribers of the list. The message itself was not written by the former 2012 presidential hopeful. The email neglected to mention the 22nd Amendment, which reads in part: No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice ... The Notion of a Third Term in Wartime Still, even some pundits writing in the mainstream media raised the question of whether Obama could serve a third term, depending on world events at the time a second term would expire.  Faheem Younus, a clinical associate professor at the University of Maryland and founder of the website Muslimerican.com, wrote in The Washington Post that attacking Iran could give Americans reason to keep Obama as president for a third term. Wartime presidents can sell a Double Whopper to a vegetarian, Younus wrote.  As the festinate decision of bombing Iran turns into a global conflict, dont expect our constitutional law professor turned president to decline his partys suggestion: if it can be ratified; it can be repealed. Repealing the 22nd Amendment - which some argue was never vetted publicly - is not unthinkable. The notion of a third term was not unthinkable at one time. Before the ratification of the 22nd Amendment,  Franklin Delano Roosevelt  was elected to four terms in the White House - in 1932, 1936, 1940, and 1944. He is the only president to have served more than two terms. Other Obama Conspiracy Theories Obama critics spread numerous conspiracy theories during his two terms in office. At one point, nearly one in five American wrongly believed Obama is a Muslim. Numerous widely circulated emails erroneously claimed Obama  refused to recognize the National Day of Prayer. Others believed his signature accomplishment, an overhaul of health care in the United States, paid for abortions. The most nefarious of the conspiracy theories, one propagated by Trump himself, was that Obama was born in Kenya and not Hawaii, and that because he was not born here he was not eligible to serve as president. So maybe a third term for Obama wasnt such a crazy idea, all things considered.

outsiders genra essays

outsiders genra essays The word genre is defined as a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content. (www.doctionary.com) Some of these genres are, comedy, horror, thriller, and or action. The novel written by S.E. Hinton titled The Outsiders may fall into a wide variety of different genres. One of the most distinctive genre formation called is bildungsroman. This term arrives from the German word meaning an upbringing or education novel. (Scamurra, note) The Outsiders emanates a sense of tests and tasks, and eventually Ponyboy comes to maturity when he realizes the futility and distinctive life he has been leading. It is this epiphany that makes The Outsiders a Bildungsroman. In the novel The Outsiders Ponyboy Curtis starts off in a state of innocence and immaturity. Ponyboy shows innocence and immaturity every time he mentions the long feud between the Greasers and Socs. Ponyboy believes that Greasers and Socs are completely different individuals: ... Were poorer than the Socs and the middle class. I recon were wilder, too. Not like the Socs, who jump Greasers and wreck houses and throw beer blasts for kicks... (page 6) Ponyboy clearly states Greasers and Socs are different from each other. Another aspect that proves Ponyboys innocence is he is only fourteen years of age; ...treating me as if I was six instead of fourteen... (page 6) very obviously Ponyboy notifies the readers he is fourteen years old. Ponyboy also does not use his integrity sometimes which shows a great deal of immaturity: ...I make good grades and have a high IQ and everything, but I dont use my head...( page 7) Ponyboy says he is a smart person, but he does not use his full potential a...

Strategic Management and Leadership (3) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Strategic Management and Leadership (3) - Essay Example The political environment of the location insisted on selling off the German Subsidiary of GM, Opel to the other investors formed by the coalition of Canadian-Austrian Brand Magna and Russian bank Sberbank but the company did not agree to that. Funding were being offered by government business regulating agencies to the company to remain in the European market with an assurance of providing 5,500 jobs to the people in the Vauxhall unit of the company (Boston, 2009). More emphasis given on the restructuring of the system in order to resist the effect of the economic crisis and form an entirely new system to provided emergence of new opportunities for business and the employment activities (Brunello, 2009). Buyer Bargaining Power – The complications between GM and German authorities including the other involved companies influenced the buyers’ decision over GM products. It indicated the strengthening of the bargaining power of buyers. Competitive Rivalry – The competitive rivalry between GM and other European brands have increased because of the controversial situation of Opel in European market. To perform in such kind of highly competitive environment GM adopted approaches of product differentiation as it supported the company to develop its unique image in its customer group. Threat of New Entrants – The economic condition of the location does not have potential capability which allows any new organization to enter the market as the economic condition gradually became worse. GM remained out of such kind of pressure as due to several big brands it becomes tough for any company to start its own business in the automobile sector. Resources – The Company possess a strong resource backing for both tangible as well as intangible resources. Forming strategic partnership has also benefited the organization in generating resources for its production process. To confirm the availability of its resources the

The Dramatic Change of Operations Management of Irelands Food and Essay

The Dramatic Change of Operations Management of Irelands Food and Beverage Industry - Essay Example The sector employs 47,000 people directly in over 650 companies; agriculture employs another 110,000 people. Ireland has undergone significant changes since the beginning of the 'Celtic Tiger' phase in the early 1990s. Notable has been the development of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector and that Ireland now has the second highest GDP per capita in the European Union (EU). According to John Linnane, a lecturer in food production in his article, A History of Irish Cuisine, Food production inevitably was the principle preoccupation of the mass of the population and, as it was in most societies of that era, it took up most of their working day. Evidence for agricultural activity during the centuries BC is rather surprising, for periods up to 200 years the level of agricultural activity seemed to have declined then increased and declined again. During the periods of decline the consumption of meat and dairy products increased. Periods of forest clearing for agriculture were followed by periods of secondary re-growth of the cleared forests and a return to dependence on livestock, hunting and gathering. This intermittent cycle of forest clearing and planting lasted up until the 3rd century AD when a dramatic expansion of permanent agriculture occurred. Aspects of social changes include domestication of variety of animals, the clearing of forests, plus the co llection of wild edible plants for immediate use, cultivation or storage. Approximately 5,000 years ago this extended to the cultivation of a variety of edible grass seed and leaf plants. The best example of this kind of agriculture in Ireland where the evidence still exists to this day is the Ceide fields in County Mayo, considered to be more than 5,000 years old. The establishment of single-crop production (oats and barley) is believed to have occurred in these fields, which in turn led to long-term storage and elementary processing of food. Alongside and following the establishment of crops, the rural controlled grazing of animals also began. With these dramatic changes came the creation of relatively stable family units. The increase in the quantity and dependability of the food supply somewhat loosened the natural restraints of starvation, disease, and similar forces that held in check the potential growth of the population which began to expand rapidly, and the Irish moved tow ard a civilisation which had its own political organisations dominated by the Druid Priesthood and the Ruling Class. As the food and drinks sector depends upon the interests of agriculture, fisheries, research, retail, manufacturing and export markets, it faces a number of government agencies which were related to the above sectors. This offers a number of problems and priorities according to IBEC. The industry keeping in view the above problems, was lounging for a single window approach with the government regarding its business. This is the thing they feel that is necessary for the survival and in future thriving of the industry. Even the critical sector agriculture which provides food security for the people depends on this industry to make good

Anthropology of Social Networking Websites Research Paper

Anthropology of Social Networking Websites - Research Paper Example Social networking websites provide many benefits to people, such as, developing kinship and other relationships, information sharing, social interaction with people from different societies, and facility to find old friends. Along with these considerable benefits, there also exist some big concerns regarding these websites. In this paper, we will talk about how social network websites influence privacy and relationships from anthropological point of view. What is Anthropology of Kinship? Talking from anthropological perspective, one can say that the system of kinship includes people who have blood relationship between them or those who are living as a family. People usually create their own definitions of family. They can make a decision on adding or not adding people to their social networks depending on whether they trust them or not. In this way, they usually do not define kinship as blood relationships and add such relationships to the definition of family that may influence thei r lives at some point of time without having any blood relationship with them. Therefore, we can say that social networking websites have changed the dimensions of actual anthropology of kinship in today’s world of digital media. People have forgotten that real life is different from what we feel it in internet’s social networks (Acar 63). ... For example, some people, especially children, make excessive use of social networking websites, which results in less face-to-face interactions between them and their family members living under the same roof. People usually send comments and messages to friends and ignore their actual relations. Such changes in behaviors of people decrease affection and care that people normally have for their closest family members living under the same roof. Anthropologists have a concern over this issue, as they believe that such behaviors harm the actual family structure and give rise to social isolation in an unobservable way. Privacy Concern Socio-cultural anthropologists seem to be worried about the social change that includes excessive and improper use of social networking websites. They believe that such websites harm the privacy of individuals and cause many problems for the society. If we observe people who make excessive use of such websites, we can find that some of them reveal very pe rsonal information to their internet friends with whom they do not have any direct relationship. We have also seen such cases in which people have cheated others to get their personal information pretending to be their relatives or close friends. The fact is that such websites are open to everyone and not every person is well skilled in setting highest level of privacy for his/her account. â€Å"Users of social network sites (SNS) often state that they are concerned about their privacy, yet they often disclose detailed personal information on their profiles† (Utz and Kramer 1). Even if someone has ensured maximum privacy, he/she can be deceived by someone who pretends to be his/her lover or a true friend. Adolescents are the main users of social websites (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out Essay Example for Free

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out Essay Life is compared to a rollercoaster. It has the moments of altitude, where we feel as invincible as could be, but there are also the moments of decline, where the tension and the absolute point of breakage are on the rise. The moment at the bottom of the pit, of feeling that there is no concrete escape or solution are the moments that create character, fortitude and overall, characteristics and strengths that were hidden deep behind our fears. The Roman poet Horace, described adversity as a constructor of character which left a positive and constructive aftermath, â€Å"Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant. † When misfortune and desperation hit home, Horace’s quote would be interpreted as a mock, even an insult, but after recovering and analyzing the situation countless times, Horace’s quote is the absolute truth. Life has to go through the bottom of the pit in order to reach the ultimate height. Remember that. In the city of Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, lives a young man whose known hardships for as long as he could remember. He’s had a humble upbringing, living in a home with no windows, no roof, no carpet or nice floor, his home had cement; he doesn’t have a living room or a nice dinner table. His father struggles with alcoholism and drug usage, his mother was unstable and came from a family lacking common sense and morality. He grew up seeing his father beat his mother, he heard his youngest sisters cry night after night, of hunger, sorrow, of disappointment. He went to school, hoping to become a man with an education and a bright future, different to all that he had known, but he lacked the support and motivation necessary to continue seeking that future. At age 13, not even halfway done with 7th grade, he dropped out of school. He began to work instead, determined to provide his siblings with what his parents failed to provide. A few months after he began working, rumors spread about him. Nasty and deteriorating. The stigma followed him everywhere. After a while they were confirmed. He smoked marihuana, drank alcohol, inhaled chemical substances, he was crumbling. Everyone believed he would become a product of his environment, of his misfortune. All hope was lost for him. And no one would lend him a hand. Did he in fact succumb to the tragedy his life was becoming? No. He fought with the strength of a lion. His courage was widely admired, for he did not give up to anything or anyone he had to face in his 13 years of existence. He sought help to escape alcohol and drug use. He set his priorities straight. He knew he didn’t want to end up as his father did, he knew he didn’t want to be as his mother was, he knew he and his brothers deserved better. He worked harder and longer than he had before; he worked a second job on the weekends. He embodied the role of a father, not any father, but the one he had always wanted to have. Everyone cheered him on; they applauded his actions and offered him their unconditional support. He was a hero. Everyone who knew him agreed that he was the most mature, generous, responsible and courteous young man they had ever met. The difficulties and moments of despair that he stumbled on down the road had only fortified the determination and values he was extremely proud of possessing and being recognized for. Adversity became his ally. It brought back his faith and magnified his courage. It unexpectedly and not according to what he had previously envisioned, prepared him, transformed him into the man he had always wanted to be. A man of character, values, a man that inflicted respect on others upon meeting him. He was who he wanted and needed to be. Whilst others would complain about their misfortunes and tragedies, this young man did not. He welcomed all that life had to offer him. Highs and lows. The prosperity and poverty. The reason he was able to overcome all that he did was because of the hardships in his life. The memories of his sad upbringing, the cries of his siblings, abandoning his education, working long days and hours to contribute to his tattered family were what he built fortitude from. He built his courageous character from all that was supposed to break him. The difficult circumstances he had to live through made him the man he today is. He’d always thank the hardships. Strength is given to those that fight with all that they have and don’t have. At the end of the rainbow there’s always a pot of gold. At the end of adversity and hardships is courage and admirable character. Do not give up.