The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1875 Words

The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald When many of us hear about the long awaited American dream, we think of working really hard in the United States and succeeding to provide a good life for ourselfs and or family. The ulitimate goal is to be truly happy with ones life. That is the longed for American dream. At least this is what comes to my mind as an immigrant from Mexico. In the novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† by Scott Fitzgerald he demonstrates failure of the American dream in a number of ways. The characters in this novel seem to think they have it all in life.They live extravagantly but they are never satisfied. This is shown in the manner in which most of the characters in this novel live their lives caring only about their needs. Looking from the outside in:Gatsby, Tom, Daisy, and Nick have very good lives and they have accomplished what many people strive for, the famous American dream. However as we are introduced into their intimate personal life we are present with the cold hard truth. The main charact ers in The Great Gatsby fail to accomplish the American dream because their lifes are filled with regrets, obsessions and they are always longing for more. Gatsby is depicted as one of the characters whose presence in the novel clearly brings out the thematic structure of how the American dream was not achieved. At the beginning, Gatsby is presented as a dreamer. He is charming and a little bit mysterious given the fact that no one knows the source of his wealth at theShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1393 Words   |  6 PagesF. Scott Fitzgerald was the model of the American image in the nineteen twenties. He had wealth, fame, a beautiful wife, and an adorable daughter; all seemed perfect. Beneath the gilded faà §ade, however, was an author who struggled with domestic and physical difficulties that plagued his personal life and career throughout its short span. This author helped to launch the theme that is so prevalent in his work; the human instinct to yearn for more, into the forefront of American literature, where itRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1343 Words   |  6 PagesHonors English 10 Shugart 18 Decemeber 2014 The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life. The Great Gatsby is about the lives of four wealthy characters observed by the narrator, Nick Carroway. Throughout the novel a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby throws immaculate parties every Saturday night in hope to impress his lost lover, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby lives in a mansion on West Egg across from DaisyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby The Jazz Age was an era where everything and anything seemed possible. It started with the beginning of a new age with America coming out of World War I as the most powerful nation in the world (Novel reflections on, 2007). As a result, the nation soon faced a culture-shock of material prosperity during the 1920’s. Also known as the â€Å"roaring twenties†, it was a time where life consisted of prodigality and extravagant parties. Writing based on his personal experiences, author F. ScottRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1166 Words   |  5 Pagesin the Haze F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in a time that was characterized by an unbelievable lack of substance. After the tragedy and horrors of WWI, people were focused on anything that they could that would distract from the emptiness that had swallowed them. Tangible greed tied with extreme materialism left many, by the end of this time period, disenchanted. The usage of the literary theories of both Biographical and Historical lenses provide a unique interpretation of the Great Gatsby centered aroundRead MoreThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald845 Words   |  3 PagesIn F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, colors represent a variety of symbols that relate back to the American Dream. The dream of being pure, innocent and perfect is frequently associated with the reality of corruption, violence, and affairs. Gatsby’s desire for achieving the American Dream is sought for through corruption (Schneider). The American Dream in the 1920s was perceived as a desire of w ealth and social standings. Social class is represented through the East Egg, the WestRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay970 Words   |  4 Pagesrespecting and valuing Fitzgerald work in the twenty-first century? Fitzgerald had a hard time to profiting from his writing, but he was not successful after his first novel. There are three major point of this essay are: the background history of Fitzgerald life, the comparisons between Fitzgerald and the Gatsby from his number one book in America The Great Gatsby, and the Fitzgerald got influences of behind the writing and being a writer. From childhood to adulthood, Fitzgerald faced many good andRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2099 Words   |  9 Pagesauthor to mirror his life in his book. In his previous novels F. Scott Fitzgerald drew from his life experiences. He said that his next novel, The Great Gatsby, would be different. He said, â€Å"In my new novel I’m thrown directly on purely creative work† (F. Scott Fitzgerald). He did not realize or did not want it to appear that he was taking his own story and intertwining it within his new novel. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he imitates his lifestyle through the Buchanan family to demonstrateRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1607 Words   |  7 Pages The Great Gatsby is an American novel written in 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald. One of the themes of the book is the American Dream. The American Dream is an idea in which Americans believe through hard work they can achieve success and prosperity in the free world. In F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel, The Great Gatsby, the American Dream leads to popularity, extreme jealousy and false happiness. Jay Gatsby’s recent fortune and wealthiness helped him earn a high social position and become one of the mostRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1592 Words   |  7 PagesMcGowan English 11A, Period 4 9 January 2014 The Great Gatsby Individuals who approach life with an optimistic mindset generally have their goals established as their main priority. Driven by ambition, they are determined to fulfill their desires; without reluctance. These strong-minded individuals refuse to be influenced by negative reinforcements, and rely on hope in order to achieve their dreams. As a man of persistence, the wealthy Jay Gatsby continuously strives to reclaim the love of hisRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1646 Words   |  7 PagesThe 1920s witnessed the death of the American Dream, a message immortalized in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Initially, the American Dream represented the outcome of American ideals, that everyone has the freedom and opportunity to achieve their dreams provided they perform honest hard work. During the 1920s, the United States experienced massive economic prosperity making the American Dream seem alive and strong. However, in Fitzgerald’s eyes, the new Am erican culture build around that

Google in China Case Analysis - 1592 Words

Google in China Business Case Analysis Facts of the Case: Key - Stick to the most important facts presented (Point form is expectable ONLY in this section) ââ€" ª Case is based on the negotiation that took place between Google Inc. and the Chinese government to allow their citizens access to Chinese version of Google.com (Google.cn) ââ€" ª Google looking at vast business opportunities in China as a long-term strategy. Due to its population size and market potential, China has become an attractive market for many U.S. and multinational companies ââ€" ª In order to establish a presence in China, Google had to agree to allow Chinese government to censor access to certain sites ââ€" ª Google take great satisfaction in being different from other†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â€" ª Has it become necessary for Google’s top leadership team to revisit decision in light of new information and circumstances? What should we do? Under a lot of pressure to act†¦.soon Inferences: Key - Read between the lines and make some assumptions about the case that are suggested but not explicitly provided (read between the lines) ââ€" ª Decision by Google to select China as its international target at this particular point in their political and social history is suspect, however, in accordance with their long-term global strategy, they could not pass up such a tremendous opportunity ââ€" ª Censorship decision was necessary to maintain their position as global search-engine market leaders and to fend off advances from major competitors such as Yahoo! (who already have an established foothold in China) and Microsoft ââ€" ª Capable of weathering out the storm of criticism without major negative financial implications ââ€" ª In time, entire episode will simply â€Å"blow over† as media moves on to something else ââ€" ª For long-term gain, worth putting up with short-term pain ââ€" ª Actions can be justified if given the proper â€Å"spin† ââ€" ª NoShow MoreRelatedGoogle in China Case Study791 Words   |  4 PagesGOOGLE IN CHINA CASE STUDY Introduction Currently Google faces major issues regarding its operation in China. Google has been faced with the decision to comply with Chinese government regulation and censor its search engine results or take on the human rights approach of freedom of speech and eliminate censorship of searched terms. This paper will examine the case study, Google in China, and answer the following questions: What advantages and disadvantages does Google have in the Chinese marketRead MoreAn Analysis of Google652 Words   |  3 PagesAn Analysis of Google A)Googles two-sided platform concentrates on products and services that unite users in the network. The triumvirate of Schmidt, Brin and Page has the CEO and two presidents orchestrating (in Schmidts own words) a kind of run-and-shoot offense (Google:3), allowing the search engine to profit both as a place where web searchers can locate information and a place where businesses can advertise their products. What began as a Stanford University research project became anRead MoreGoogle Case Analysis1322 Words   |  6 Pages2011 Capstone Course Google Case: Discussion Google’s mission to organize, and make all information accessible and useful to its users drives Google’s strategies to expand into new markets, gather further information, and make that information available in a beneficial, valuable manner. Googles objectives are to grow, expand into international markets, and continue developing new products such as new advertising technology. Strategically, Google differentiates themselvesRead MoreDecision Making at Google1645 Words   |  7 PagesDecision Making at Google Inc. Data Google defines itself as a non-conventional company which intentionally avoids the traditional management models. â€Å"Google has been managed differently in an atmosphere of creativity and challenge.† That said by Eric Schmidt, CEO, who also affirms that the business is driven according what Peter Drucker understood as a way to manage the â€Å"knowledge workers† in 1959. The idea was first described in his book The Landmarks of Tomorrow. We know now that the sourceRead MoreSWOT Analysis of the Nokia Corporation640 Words   |  3 PagesNokia 1. Declaration of Nokia profits had dropped by 40 % in 2010. 2. Nokia Mobile Phone prices are higher as compare to the prices of china mobiles handsets. 3. Nokia presence in the US cellular industry is very low and in Japan it has very weak position. Resources: http://creately.com/diagram/example/g86yb88e3/SWOT+Analysis+of+Nokia Case study example : Nokia mobiles till the last decade was one of the leading company in terms of mobile marketing. By invent of Samsung mobiles intoRead MoreEssay on Google Inc, in China7565 Words   |  31 PagesCase Study Analysis Template Analyst’s Name:  ¶ Levi Mohorich Date:  ¶ 2/23/14 Case Study Name:  ¶ Google, Inc., in China I. The Pre-Analysis: A. Perspective: 1. Author’s Perspective. Describe the perspective of the author(s) of the case study and possible biases of the author(s):  ¶ The case was wrote by Kirsten E. Martin, the Assistant Professor of Business Administration at George Washington University, School of Business. She has her Ph.D. fromRead MoreGoogle Inc. in China Essay7722 Words   |  31 Pagesï » ¿Case Study Analysis Template1 Analyst’s Name:  ¶ Date:  ¶ Case Study Name:  ¶Google Inc., in China I. The Pre-Analysis: A. Perspective: A.1. Describe the perspective2 of the author(s) of the case study and the possible biases that might result from that perspective:  ¶ The case study is titled Google Inc., In china, written by Kirsten E. Martin for the Business Roundtable Institute for Corporate Ethics. Kirsten Martin is the Assistant Professor of Business and EconomicsRead MoreBusiness Strategy Baidu3069 Words   |  13 PagesQ1) For this question, we will take a deep dive internal analysis of Baidu. Firstly, let us take a look at tangible resources. Under this category, we have financial resources, organizational resources, physical resources and technological resources. Financial resources [Tangible] In 2007, Baidu earned about $86 million net income and $239 million in revenue (Ireland, Hoskisson, Hitt, p266). Majority of the revenue is contributed by an enlarged active online marketing customer base. We willRead MoreGoogle: a Strategic Move1564 Words   |  7 PagesGoogle Inc. A Strategic Move History Sergey Brin and Larry Page met in spring 1995 at a gathering in Stanford University. Between January 1996 and December 1997, they created BackRub, the precursor of Google search engine. The objective was to better organize and huge amount of data on the Internet. Eventually the name was changed to Google to signify the immense amount of information that resided on the Internet. Google is transformed from the word googol, referring to 1 followed byRead MoreApple INC analysis1748 Words   |  7 Pagesfounded the company NeXT that was then purchased by Apple Inc. in 1985. Through this transaction, Apple Inc. has brought back Steve Jobs as part of the management team, which led to his position as CEO in 1997. (Linzmayer, 2004) General Environment Analysis Political Factors Economic Factors Social Factors Technological Factors Environment Factors Legal Factors An external research allows the company to ensure its place in the market, predict modify, proactively respond instead of responding

The Jfk Assassination Conspiracy Or Single-gunman Essay

The JFK Assassination: Conspiracy or Single-Gunman? Adolf Hitler, the Nazi dictator of Germany during World War II, once said, quot;The bigger the lie, the more people will believe it.quot; Although this may sound ludicrous, we can see many example of this in the worlds history. One example would have to be the John Fitzgerald Kennedy assassination. For over thirty years the people of the United States were led to believe that a single gunman shot and killed Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m... However, in this paper, I will dispute the ancient analization of the facts that show a single gunman was involved, and try to show that a conspiracy must have been present. According to the old facts regarding the case of†¦show more content†¦Also, you must remember that sound travels at about one thousand-one hundred (1,100) feet per second, or a little over half as fast as the Mannlicher Carcanos bullets. When keeping this in mind, it is expected that witnesses heard the shot at some point after the bullet passed. The following shows a break down of the frames of the Zapruder film: - The Presidential limousine first comes into view at frame 133 (the starting point of this timeline.) - The first shot at (or just before) Z187 would have passed through both Governor Connally and the President. - The second shot, which passed above the limousine at Z284, missed the President and hit the curb near witness James Tague. This caused his minor wound. - At Z313, the fatal shot occurs, which blew out major portions of the Presidents brain and skull. - A fourth shot occurred at Z323 (slightly 1/2 second after the fatal wound at Z313). Due to the proximity of this report to the one at Z313, as well as its more distant origin, most witnesses were unable to hear this shot. Thus, the above is when the bullets hit either Kennedy or Connally, or passed through the frames of the Zapruder film (in the case of the second shot). Of the one-hundred seventy-eight (178) witnesses at Dealey Plaza, one-hundred thirty- two (132) said that they hear exactly three shots. If Oswald was a single gunman, it would have taken him at least 2.3 seconds to reloadShow MoreRelatedThe Assassination Of Jfk Assassination Theory1385 Words   |  6 Pagesessay is the JFK assassination theory. I would like to research this because I have seen documents and videos online and on television about the conspiracy but I have not done full research into it to see the facts. With the presidents of the United States they are able to make or break the country with their decisions, with that JFK was assassinated due to that and other reasons. I will be going into this research thinking that there is a conspiracy behind the assassination of JFK that it wasn tRead MoreThe Assassination of John F Kennedy1477 Words   |  6 PagesAssassination Like anything of importance, there is absolutely no way that everyone will ever agree on the circumstances surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The theories are as diverse as the outcomes of investigations conducted at the time of his assassination and continuing to present day. There are many who resolutely believe that Lee Harvey Oswald was a deranged lone gunman with no ties whatsoever to any other person or organization with regard to Kennedys murder. In factRead MoreThe Hidden History Of The Jfk Assassination2336 Words   |  10 PagesThe Hidden History of the JFK Assassination For nearly five decades, historians have debated over whether or not the John F. Kennedy assassination was from a lone gunman or as part of a bigger conspiracy cover-up. On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was shot as he paraded through Dallas, Texas. That same afternoon, Dallas police had arrested their suspect, Lee Harvey Oswald. Oswald, an itinerant ex-U.S. marine and self-described Marxist-Leninist, previously lived in the Soviet UnionRead MoreAssassination Of The Post War 20th Century1292 Words   |  6 Pages30 minutes later.The assassination became a defining event of the post-war 20th century, but a lack of clarity over the precise circumstances, together with the fact his assassin was himself murdered two days later, have led to a host of conspiracy theories over who was to blame.In 1964, the Warren Commission concluded Kennedy was killed by a lone assassin – Oswald – while three other investigations, in 1968, 1975, and 1978-79, confirmed the commission s conclusion that JFK had been killed by twoRead MoreOliver Stones JFK1431 Words   |  6 Pages Oliver Stones JFK was a movie about the investigation by a district attorney, Jim Garrison, about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. JFK was one of the most controversial films of its time dealing with the decades-long debate about who actually killed President Kennedy. Was it done by the lone gunman Lee Harvey Oswald and his magic bullet that pierced through the bodies of the two men creating seven wounds? Or was it the end result of a detailed scheme masterminded by the MafiaRead MoreWho Killed JFK? Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesReview of Research The assassination of John F. Kennedy is said to be, as from the Warren report, a murder. The Warren report states that a man, Lee Harvey Oswald, fired 3 shots from the 6th floor of the Texas Book State Depository building. One missed the President’s motorcade completely; another hit President Kennedy in the neck, and the last hit him in the head, which was later said after an autopsy, to be the cause of death. The problem with the Warren report is that some eyewitnessesRead MoreThe Assassination of John F Kennedy 1677 Words   |  7 PagesThe Assassination of John F Kennedy From source B we can learn many things about JFKs assassination. We learn that JFK was hit by 2 shots the second one killing him apparently hitting from the back, into his right temple. Source B also stated that 3 shots were fired from the sixth floor of the Texas schoolbook depository. The rifleman was named Lee Harvey Oswald. Source B declares the assassination weapon to be a Mannlincher - carcano rifle. Source B written by the Warren CommissionRead MoreMystery of Who Killed John F Kennedy1483 Words   |  6 PagesDue to the vast speculations of the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas the mystery of what really happened still lies amongst us today. From theory to theory there is no telling what the true motive in killing the President really was. Among the various theories are those that involve the Chicago mafia, Lee Harvey Oswald attempting the murder by himself, and the left and right wing factions of the U.S. government. After several investigations, there is no realRead MoreWho Shot John F. Kennedy?2616 Words   |  10 PagesWHO SHOT JFK The assassination of President John. F. Kennedy on the 22nd November 1963 shook America to its core. Indeed, it can be argued that America has never really recovered from the events in Dallas on that day. The weekend after the assassination, a poll showed that â…” of Americans believed there was a conspiracy – that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone . This remains a widely held view. For the American people, it perhaps seemed too much to bear that one man had killed the President. AsRead MoreThe Assassination Of John F. Kennedy1626 Words   |  7 PagesThe Assassination of John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was assassinated on November 22, 1963 at 12:30 p.m Central Standard Time in Dallas, Texas while riding in a motorcade in Dealey Plaza.[1] Kennedy was fatally shot by Lee Harvey Oswald while he was riding with his wife, Jacqueline, Texas Governor John Connally, and Connally s wife, Nellie, in a presidential motorcade. A ten-month investigation by the Warren Commission from November 1963 to September 1964

Swot Analysis Of City Of Plantation - 1630 Words

A SWOT analysis of the City of Plantation Introduction SWOT refers to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. SWOT analysis is a process where the management team of an organization or a city; such as, the City Plantation, identifies their internal and external factors that will affect their future performance. Al-Busaidi, (2014) noted that a company or city strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors, while the opportunities and threats deal with factors external to the company environment. Public organizations, such as municipalities constantly beneï ¬ t from SWOT analysis because it is done as part of the overall corporate planning process in which financial and operational goals are set for the upcoming year and strategies are created to accomplish these goals (Nagara, Lam, Lee, 2014). The political governance system and demographics of the City of Plantation In 1931, the founding father of Plantation, Frederick C. Peters, and his family moved to South Dade County from Missouri. Upon their arrival they introduced to South Florida the â€Å"Red Potatoes†, which are still to this day part of Floridians diet. As Mr. Peters and his family became more accustomed to the new Florida lifestyle, he developed an interest in cattle, predominantly Polled Herefords. This interest directed him to look for more space for grazing the cattle in undeveloped and relatively inexpensive land. He discovered that the Plantation area had a subterranean irrigation system consisting ofShow MoreRelatedCoffee Wars India And How Cafe Coffee Day Essay2059 Words   |  9 Pagescompetitive advantage in its favour to meet the competition of Starbucks? This analysis would try to answer this main issue by using various analytical tools such as Porter’s Value Chain Analysis to understand the main internal processes and functions within CCD that can be identified as the areas of competitive advantage. In order to determine the relevant challenges that affect CCD’s competitive advantage, a SWOT Analysis done along among others could be undertaken. One of the many ways we could understandRead MoreThe Coffee Market Of India Essay2021 Words   |  9 Pagesshare of CCD. In the given case analysis, we would analyse the most important competitive advantages and challenges of CCD when compared with StarBucks as well as how the Management of CCD should react to challenges posed by Star Bucks in India. Also we would discuss about a Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) or a Corporate Shared Value(CSV) which CCD should introduce in its operations. For the purpose of analysis the tools which have been used are Capabilities Analysis based on Resource Based ViewRead MoreSummary : The Coffee Day 1489 Words   |  6 Pagesrapidly expanded to various cities in India; by 2013 it had 1,468 cafà ©s. CCD did not have that many challenges until Starbucks entered Indian market by partnering up with TATA. Starbucks is a leader in the world coffee business. Starbucks can take market share from CCD. In order to compete with Starbucks, Mr. Siddhartha has to look for new ways to keep his 1st place in Indian coffee market. Introduction Cafà © Coffee Day was founded by V.G. Siddhartha in South Indian city of Bangalore. India is a tea-drinkingRead MoreSWOT ANALYSIS SAMPLE796 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS 1.Location of the stores are in or near crowded places. It usually has a lot of foot traffic (school, malls, train stations, recreation areas, etc) Its an advantage that Hen Lin stores are located in crowded places and exposed to a lot of prospective customers. 2.The company joins activities that can help it become (more)well-known. 3.The Hen Lin mascot. It helps get prospective customers attention (esp. that the mascot can dance) 4.The food products itselfRead MoreThe District North Point : Ayala Mall Essay1588 Words   |  7 PagesOccidental, Philippines. One of the biggest Community malls of Ayala Land. It is Ayala Land’s first fully combined community center in Negros. It is close to Ayala North Point Subdivision in Talisay City along National Highway. Negros Occidental is much known for its sprawling sugarcane plantations, expansive cane mills, and the friendliness and hospitality of its people called â€Å"Negrense†. It is the third largest island in the whole Philippines and a total land area of 972, 608 hectares. NegrosRead MoreCase Study : Cafe Coffee Day Essay1814 Words   |  8 Pagesfor this case. The SWOT analysis helps to provide a general summary of the company’s internal strengths and weaknesses in their capabilities, as well as the opportunities and threats which are explored in the PESTLE model. The word PESTLE stands for political, environmental, social, technological, legal, economic and they are all belong to the company’s relative macro-environment level factors. Concerning with the company’s industry level analysis, the competitive position analysis will be used to determineRead MoreBoutique Hotels2276 Words   |  10 PagesMethodology The analysis would be carried out using primary and secondary data collection methods including desk research and one to one interviews with experts in the industry and also customers. Analysis The following tools would be used to understand the industry in depth. The SWOT analysis to understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the industry, Micro and Macro environmental analysis (PEST and PESTEL), Porter’s five forces to comprehend the competitive analysis and scenarioRead MoreWoolworths Supply Chain5368 Words   |  22 Pagesdown the study to a smaller aspect of Woolworths namely Woolworths Food. As we look closer into exactly what is required we employ the use of tools to aid in our study. These will consist of a SWOT analysis of the company, a PESTLE analysis of the purchasing processes and a PORTERS five forces analysis. We will then narrow down the purchasing process to one area of Woolworths namely Woolworths Food and base our study on that. A concise discussion is to follow in which we outline the most importantRead MoreCase Study Of Internet Of Achebe s Fuse Technology s Connected Farm Services 3332 Words   |  14 Pagespresents a future projection of smart connected agriculture objects and processes and the scope of the internet driven applications in agriculture field. SWOT analysis has been used to analyze the issue under study. Case has been explained in majorly five portions, introduction, Smart farming operational Fundamentals, Smart Agriculture by AGCO, SWOT Analysis, Conclusion. Keywords: Internet of Things, Smart Agriculture, Smart Farm, Smart Farm Security I.INTRODUCTION Internet of Things is a networkRead MoreChiquita banana case3460 Words   |  14 Pages â€Æ' Contents Chiquita Banana Overview 2 PESTEL analysis for the European Union 2 Political: 2 Economic: 3 Sociocultural Factors: 3 Technological: 4 Legal: 4 Environmental: 5 Marketing Mix 6 Product: 6 Price: 6 Place: 7 Promotion: 7 SWOT Analysis 8 Strengths: 8 Weaknesses: 8 Opportunities: 9 Threats: 9 Internationalization Strategy and Viability 10 Chance: 11 Incoterm 12 Possible incoterms for the company 12 Solution 12 Appendix A 14 Works Cited 15 Chiquita Banana

Impact of It on Process Improvement Free Essays

VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of It on Process Improvement or any similar topic only for you Order Now All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org Impact of IT on Process Improvement 1 1 Lotfollah najjar, 2 Ziaul huq, 3 Seyed-mahmoud aghazadeh, 4 Saeedreza hafeznezami College of Information Science Technology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA, Fax: 402-554-3284, 2 College of Business Administration, University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA, Fax: 402-554-268, 3 Department of Business Administration, School of Business, State University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, Ny 14063, USA, Fax: 716-673-3332, 4 Civil and Environmental Engineering UCLA, 5731 Boelter Hall, box 951593 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1593 1 lnajjar@. unomaha. edu, 2ziaul_huq@unomaha, 3aghazade@fredonia. edu, 4saeedreza_hafez@yahoo. com. ABSTRACT There has been a lack of empirical research related to the role of IT in process improvement in a multidimensional way. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent that IT could be used (from low tech to high tech and constraint to proactive), type of process reengineering projects employed (compromise to radical) and their effect on firm performance. The firm performance was defined as market share, customer relationships Management, IT impact, and efficiency (as multifaceted such as lowering the cost, lowering the process variability, and lead time). Data from 108 small-to-medium sized organizations both in service and in manufacturing were collected for this study. Both Factor Analysis and MANOVA Analysis were employed to analyze these relationships and to find out the optimum points (interaction among the types of IT and types of BPR) and their effect on firm performance. ). The result showed that organizations that adapt high technology alone or BPR alone cannot achieve the same result and business performance as the organization that benefits from interdependency between IT and BPR. Keywords: BPR, IT, Organizational Performance, Process Improvement, CRM, Efficiency, Factor Analysis, MANOVA. 1. INTRODUCTION The modern business organization is a complex collection of business processes, which cross multiple business units and handle everything from the mundane daily operations to core business processes. Many of these business processes have changed very little since their original implementation, thus failing to take advantage of new best practices or technological advancements. Over time, businesses realized that their current processes were no longer providing a competitive advantage, and that changes to processes were necessary in order to improve performance. In order to change the processes or to build completely new ones, process redesign or improvement must take place. Whether the method is Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, Business Process Reengineering (BPR), or one of the many others, the core concepts are the same: streamline the process, reduce costs, and remove waste. Process improvements can be incremental and continuous, or they can be giant leaps that fundamentally change the way organizations do business. One thing in common with all process improvement initiatives is that information technology is a major component, regardless of the method. Hammer and Champy (1993) state IT is an enabler of BPR, and while this is still true information technology has become more than just an enabler. Just as throwing money at a problem will not make it go away, a business problem can’t be reengineered simply by hrowing new information systems at it (Hammer Champy, 1993). 1. 1 Business Process Improvement The drive for process improvement is not new. Process improvement methodologies have been developed and used for over 30 years. Six Sigma was developed in the mid 1980s as a way to improve manufacturing processes (Drake, Sutterfield, Ngassam, 2008). Business process reengineering pushed to the forefront of process improvement in the early 1990s when some felt larger leaps in process performance were needed. Both of these methods are still among the most widely used today, and have been adjusted to meet modern business needs. There are three main types of process improvement: continuous, benchmarking, and reengineering. Continuous is more â€Å"systematic† than simply solving problems as they occur, and can be easily integrated into an organization. Improvements to processes using this methodology are typically small, but if they are ongoing will add up to larger gains in improvement over time (Tenner DeToro, 1997). Continuous improvement is a plan-do-study-act method that uses the following six step model: understand the customer, assess efficiency, analyze the process, improve the process, implement changes, and standardize and monitor. Before an organization can accomplish higher levels of process improvement, it must first successfully 67 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org implement continuous improvement (Tenner DeToro, 1997). Six Sigma, a continuous improvement methodology, was originally created by Motorola to help reduce manufacturing defects, with a five year goal of no more than 3. 4 defects per million. Analyzing the variation in defects was the key to Six Sigma, which required very accurate data (Drake et al, 2008). This method was designed as a quality improvement initiative, but its later implementation in other industries and services allowed for broader application. Bringing an organization in line with the best practices of their industry makes use of the benchmarking methodology. Benchmarking creates greater single improvements than the continuous method, but is more resource intensive and occurs less often (Tenner DeToro, 1997). Benchmarking is essentially reverse engineering of a process: by taking apart a competitor’s processes (or products) if can be seen how they work and what makes them good. Proper benchmarking requires a four phase, tenstep model. The planning phase includes identifying the benchmark subject, indentifying benchmark partners, and collecting data (Tenner DeToro, 1997). The analysis phase includes determining the performance gap and projecting future performance. The integration phase includes communicating results and establishing goals. The action phase includes developing action plans, implementing the plans and monitoring results, and finally recalibrating the benchmarks (Tenner DeToro, 1997). Reengineering is the highest level of process improvement. Reengineering creates radical improvements to processes, often resulting in high performance gains. Reengineering requires a highly skilled organization willing to accept high levels of risk (Tenner DeToro, 1997). Like the continuous and benchmarking improvement methods, a step-by-step model is needed. The six step model for reengineering includes the following: organizing the reengineering project, launching the reengineering project, inventing a new process, integrating, acting, and evaluating (Tenner DeToro, 1997). The origins of business process reengineering began in the late 1980s, but truly started with an article in the Harvard Business Review which called for the total redesign of business processes. Michael Hammer (1990) felt it was not enough to simply renovate existing processes, but instead the processes should be removed altogether and replaced with new and improved processes started from a clean slate (El Sawy, 2001). Unlike other methodologies such as Six Sigma, information technology was seen as from the beginning to be a necessity when trying to achieve BPR (Hammer Champy, 1993). 1. 2 Information Technology’s role in Business Process Reengineering For many BPR authors (Hammer Champy, 1993; Davenport Short, 1990; Irani, Hlupic, Giaglis, 2002), information technology is a crucial component of BPR. It is becoming clearer that investments only in new IT or BPR projects cannot stand by themselves (Kohli Hoadley, 2006). Increasing market pressure, as well as an organization’s need to innovate, will lead to new IT adoption (Lee, Chu, Tseng, 2009), but simply implementing new IT will not make BPR work. Hammer and Champy (1993) say it best: â€Å"A company that cannot change the way it thinks about information technology cannot reengineer. A company that equates technology with automation cannot reengineer. A company that looks for problems first and then seeks technology solutions for them cannot reengineer† (p. 3). How an organization uses IT will largely determine how well and to what degree they will be able to implement BPR. IT was originally considered simply as an enabler for BPR (Hammer Champy, 1993), and while it is still true that IT can enable BPR initiatives, IT’s role in process improvement has become much greater and more varied. IT can be the in itiator that drives process improvement, or the tool which makes process improvement possible. Eardley, Shah, and Radman (2008) define six roles that IT can play in BPR. These roles are: constraint, catalyst, neutral, driver, enabler, and proactive. These roles vary in impact from being constraining at the negative end to being proactive at the positive end. Legacy IT systems are the most common source of IT constraints. They are considered a constraint because process improvement is held back by old, inflexible IT systems (Eardley, Shah Radman, 2008). Organizations have switched to client-server systems over time because of cost, but legacy mainframe systems still exist and the benefits of replacing them are debatable (Akhavan, Jafari Ali-Ahmadi, 2006). The next step towards a positive IT role is that of catalyst. When new information technology is brought into a business and causes changes to business processes, IT becomes a catalyst. While the role of catalyst can be positive, if new information technology is not right for the organization the impact will likely be negative (Eardley et al, 2008). 68 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org Sometimes, IT is nothing more than a support tool rather than a key component for process improvement. In these cases, IT is considered neutral. It will typically be seen in various software tools for process design and implementation (Eardley et al, 2008). Moving further toward a positive impact role is that of driver. Information technology’s role as driver is the result of a technology push from forced implementation of new information systems that then require process improvement to take advantage of the new capabilities (Eardley et al, 2008). Purely IT driven BPR without defined business needs are not desirable and could negatively impact business strategy (Eardley et al, 2008). The role of enabler is generally the most common role associated with BPR and process improvement. Enabler is also a business â€Å"pull† role as opposed to a technology â€Å"push†, meaning that IT and the business units are aligned from a strategic standpoint, thus leaving no technology gap (Eardley et al, 2008). The enabler role may be broken down into specific impacts as defined by Thomas Davenport (1993): automational (removing human interaction), informational, sequential (reorganizing process sequence), tracking, analytical, geographical (processes from different locations are coordinated), integrative (tasks and processes are coordinated), intellectual (intellectual assets are distributed) and disintermediating (process intermediaries are removed). Each of these impacts affects the BPR process differently and to different degrees. The final role for IT in BPR is proactive. Eardley et al. (2008) state that a proactive role is â€Å"the ‘ideal’ role of IT in BPR† (p. 639). This IT role ideally helps create major change as well as supporting BPR. When the organization standardizes BPR within the business and ties it closely with IT and the impact can be tremendous by allowing the ability to transform processes faster and on the fly (Eardley et al, 2008). The impact each of these roles has is dependent on the type of BPR projects that each role is coupled with. The types defined by Eardley et al. 2008) are: failure, compromise, one-step, evolutionary, and radical. A â€Å"failure† project type can theoretically be matched with the more desirable â€Å"proactive† IT role, but advanced IT would be hindered by a poor business plan. Conversely, a â€Å"radical† project type matched with a â€Å"constraint† IT role would result in a progressive business plan being wasted by old technology or simply a poor IT infrastructure (Eardley et al, 2008). The ideal coupling of IT roles and BPR types is for â€Å"evolutionary† and â€Å"radical† BPR projects to be joined with â€Å"proactive† and â€Å"enabler† IT oles to achieve the greatest positive impact on the BPR effort and on the business as a whole (Eardley et al, 2008). 1. 3 Performance and value impact on organizations The primary goal of any process improvement project, regardless of method, is to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and ultimately reduce costs. Information technology plays a key role in reaching process improvement goals, but it does not guarantee success. More than 70 percent of early BPR projects have ended in failure (Ramirez, Melville Lawler, 2010). Choosing the proper method of process improvement or reengineering with a complementing information technology system will determine the impact on combined effectiveness. A study done by Ramirez et al. (2010) discusses the impact of IT on business process reengineering with a focus on cost rationalization BPR (doing more with less) and work restructure BPR (implementing new business processes). Ramirez et al (2010) found in their study that generally, the relationship of IT and BPR had a positive relationship on not only the production efficiency of a company, but also the market value. It was found that production output was increased by roughly one percent among surveyed businesses resulting from IT and BPR interaction, thus having a positive association towards operational efficiency (Ramirez et al, 2010). This result holds true for both cost rationalization and work restructure. However, for an organization’s BPR investment to get positive returns, the BPR project must be â€Å"IT centric† (Ramirez et al, 2010). This means that BPR projects that are not focused entirely around IT will see much lower returns, if any, from the project. While increased performance of production processes and value they add to an organization is simpler to document, performance improvements that affect an organization’s market value are more difficult to discern. To find the impact of IT and BPR on the organization’s market value, one must look at all BPR efforts which an organization has attempted, and their cumulative effect on that individual organization (Ramirez et al, 2010). Unlike the impact on production performance, cost rationalization BPR and work restructure BPR interactions with IT are not positively associated in the long term. There is evidence that over an extended period of time that the impact of either type of BPR can be negative in market value. This may be due to the number of BPR failures, especially earlier BPR efforts, in an organization (Ramirez et al, 2010). The one factor that may determine the degree of positive BPR impact on an 69 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org organization is the appropriate selection of information technology to complement the selection of the right BPR method (Ramirez el al, 2010). While IT and process improvement methodologies such as BPR can stand alone, their impact on each other is significant in improving performance. Research done by Albadvi, Keramati, and Razmi (2007) shows that BPR has a mediating effect on the impact of information technology on an organization’s performance. For IT to positively impact the performance of an organization and thus create a return on IT investment, BPR is needed for IT to reach its full potential (Albadvi et al, 2007). The risks involved with an organization’s decisions must always be accounted for. The impacts of IT and BPR are no different and must be considered along with performance goals. BPR itself requires an organization to measured take risks (Misra, Kumar Kumar, 2008). Information technology can impact an organization’s risk due to BPR in two ways. IT can help mitigate risk by aiding risk management with high quality risk models and process simulation. However IT can also be a source of risk, as BPR will inherently implement new IT systems and IT processes (Misra et al, 2008). Thus organizations must account for all risks involved with IT and BPR implementations. When all aspects, including risk, are considered it is clear that IT and BPR are necessary partners for improving organizational performance and productivity. These improvements will have an impact on a company’s overall market value but they can only be maintained long term with careful selection of projects (Ramirez et al, 2010). Beyond their partnership, IT and BPR must also complement each other to reach performance increase goals of an organization. The impacts that IT and BPR have on each other reinforce their recursive relationship. 2. PURPOSE This paper focuses on investigating the role and impact that information technology has had on process improvement. The combination of information technology with process improvement and how this combination impacts performance and sometimes the value of the business, as well as examples of IT, will also be discussed. This paper investigates the extent that IT could be used (from low tech to high tech and constrained to proactive), type of process reengineering projects employed (compromise to radical) and their effect on firm performance. The firm performance has been defined as market share, customer relationships Management, IT impact, and efficiency (as multifaceted such as lowering the cost, lowering the process variability, and lead time). 2. 1 The Roles of IT in BPR To determine the role of IT in BPR, existing work in the area (Chan, 2000; Gunasekaran and Nath, 1997; AlMashari and Zairi, 20006, Eardley, 2008) was also examined to determine whether parallels could be established for small-to-medium sized organizations both in service and in manufacturing. Their research found that IT could have six possible roles: a constraint, a driver, a neutral, a catalyst, an enabler, or be proactive. The six different roles of IT in BPR are shown in Table 1based on Eardley’s model (Eardley, et al, 2008). Table 1: Characteristics of the role of IT in BPR Role of IT Characteristics of the Role Legacy IT systems dominate main business processes. In ? exible IT infrastructures. Lack of skill and/or investment in new IT. Business processes embedded in existing IT systems. Lack of potential for investment in IT due to budgetary factors. Lack of perception of the potential of IT by management. Strategic alignment is low. New IT has been acquired. Changes in the business have been made that favor the use of IT. New management that sees the potential of IT in business change. New relationship developed with IT vendor, consultant, or service provider. Strategic alignment at crucial stage. Constraint Catalyst 70 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org Neutral Lack of IS applications and IT infrastructure in the organization. No IS or IT strategy in place. Business change targets are not well de? ned. The business is in an industry with low information intensity or little competition through IT. Strategies and infrastructures are in alignment. The business has technological capability and seeks to exploit it through business opportunities. Possibly a new business or a technological innovation. Sufficient investment is available and IT development is not a limiting factor. Strategic alignment process is proceeding rapidly. IT is a key performance factor and a â€Å"competitive arena† in the industry. Management has a clear business vision and a future change plan. Business change targets are well de? ned. Sufficient investment is available and IT development not a limiting factor. Strategic alignment in process. Management has a clear business vision and future change plan. The IS and IT infrastructure is well developed. There are few constraints on IT development. Management sees the potential of IT. Strategies and infrastructure are in alignment. Driver Enabler Proactive Alan Eardley et al, 2008 described the roles of IT as visualized above, as being on a continuum with the constraining role at the â€Å"negative† extreme and the proactive role at the â€Å"positive† extreme, as shown in Figure 1. Roles of IT in BPR More ‘negative’ roles More ‘positive’ roles Constraint Catalyst Neutral Driver Enabler Proactive Figure 1: A continuum of the possible roles of IT in BPR 2. 2 Types of BPR project in the organizations The literature search identi ? ed a number of â€Å"types† of BPR projects in the organizations that were examined, which may be placed on a continuum from â€Å"failure† to â€Å"radical† in terms of their effectiveness in achieving the objectives of major business change (Figure 2). A brief summary of the characteristics of each type of BPR project is given below. Alan Eardley et al, 2008): †¢ Failure – IT does not have a planned role in the BPR project, or the project has to be abandoned, or it is completed but fails to provide the expected business improvements. †¢ †¢ Compromise – The existing IT infrastructure cannot be changed within the given time scale. The BPR project has to take this into account and although it may be a success, will be limited or unambitious in terms of its reach and range. Such BPR projects typically produce â€Å"islands of automation† as they are applied to limited business processes or functions. One-step – The reach and range (and therefore the scope and scale) of a â€Å"one-step† BPR project are greater than for Compromise, but the lack of IT support limits the potential of newly designed processes for achieving â€Å"higher level† transformations. In this case IT is not seen by an organization as being truly strategic. 71 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org †¢ Evolutionary – The rate of business change will be incremental through targeted process redesign. The infrastructure will be sufficiently ? exible to cope with progressive change, and the IT strategy will be capable of maintaining alignment with the business strategy over time, although periodic adjustments will be required. †¢ Radical – This type of BPR project achieves major business change with a high degree of reach and range within an acceptably short time scale. The IT infrastructure is very? exible and copes well with the major â€Å"step change† and the IT and business strategies are completely interdependent, being continuously in alignment. Types of BPR project Less effective types More effective types Failure Compromise One-step Evolutionary Radical Figure 2. A continuum of the possible types of BPR project The proposed framework by Alan Eardley et al, represents the roles of IT in BPR, the types of BPR projects, and includes the concepts of â€Å"business pull† and â€Å"technology push† (Figure 3) by superimposing upon the diagram four quadrants (Q1-Q4), which are interpreted as follows (Alan Eardley et al, 2008): Q1. Low â€Å"technology push† and low â€Å"business pull† – the â€Å"lower† roles of IT when applied to the â€Å"lower† types of BPR (i. e. to the left of the continuum) are associated with a generally low profile of IT in the organization. Similarly the commitment to radical change within the organization may be poor. These factors will interfere with the organization’s ability to implement BPR successfully. For instance, IT is likely to be a â€Å"constraint† in an organization that is aiming to achieve at best a â€Å"compromise† approach to organizational change in a forthcoming BPR program. Q2. Low â€Å"technology push† and high â€Å"business pull – the â€Å"lower† roles of IT when applied to the â€Å"higher† types of BPR are associated with an organization that has poor strategic alignment (Avison et al. , 2004). It may possess corporate ambition in planning a radical BPR program, but its IT strategy is weak (indeed, the whole IT function may be under-represented organizationally) and its IT infrastructure lacks flexibility and â€Å"openness. † IT therefore has a constraining role in an organization that occupies this quadrant (e. g. typical symptoms include â€Å"legacy systems† and â€Å"islands of automation†) and prevents the effective implementation of programs of business change. This occurs irrespective of the organization’s ambition or competence in carrying out evolutionary or radical BPR. Q3. High â€Å"technology push† and low â€Å"business pull† – the organization that occupies this quadrant has a keen awareness of technological trends and standards, but a relatively poor business model. Its IT infrastructure is probably very advanced, and technology has a high profile although the business model or strategy may be relatively weak or undefined. Such an organization exhibits poor strategic alignment (Avison et al. , 2004) (in common with the example in the previous quadrant), and may not progress beyond a â€Å"compromise† or â€Å"one step† type of BPR, irrespective of its technical competence or resources. The potential of IT to be proactive or enabling in support of business change in this type of organization is wasted. The literature contains many examples (Davenport, 1995) of high technology companies that failed to change as a result of poor business processes and plans. Q4. High â€Å"technology push† and high â€Å"business pull† – an organization in this quadrant combines a high profile for IT (e. g. well integrated â€Å"IT governance† and a flexible and open IT infrastructure) with a well-developed business plan and well-designed processes. It is able to achieve a high degree of success in carrying out evolutionary or radical BPR, fully enabled by a proactive IT strategy. However, success is not likely to come about by being competent in isolated functions of IT and business. In order to occupy this quadrant, an organization needs to achieve a high level of strategic alignment (Avison et al. , 2004). Note: Description of Q1-Q4 is from â€Å"Alan Eardley et al, 2008)† 72 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. ttp://www. cisjournal. org Figure 3: A Proposed framework for evaluating the role of IT in BPR projects. 3. METHODOLOGY A total of 150 small-to-medium sized companies in both manufacturing and service sectors were contacted through the Midwest, and 108 valid questionnaires were returned with an effective rate of 72%. The returned valid questionnaires were adequate regarding the sample size and statistical assumptions to conduct MANOVA. The survey questionnaire was based on four constructs or dimensions and each construct had multiple items or questions for consistency of the measurement. The respondents were required to respond to four questions for each of the four constructs. For each of the questions the respondents had to indicate their agreement Q1: HH, high technology push with high business pull. or disagreement on a 11-point Likert-type scale with the end points being 0 for â€Å"less likely† and 10 for â€Å"more likely†. The four constructs determined the four dependent variables for conducting t MANOV . The four response variables were: market share, customer relationship management, IT impact on organization, and efficiency (multifaceted, such as lowering cost, lowering process variability, and lead time). Four quadrants of figure 3(Q1Q4) were chosen as four levels of treatment of one factor, which is the quadrant (One way MANOVA) as follows: Q1: LL, low technology push with low business pull. Q2: LH, low technology push with high business pull. Q3: HL, high technology push with low business pull. 73 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org The following MANOVA linear model was used to see which quadrant was the optimum point for business performance. The pairwise comparison test was conducted to compare all four quadrants regarding the four dependent variables as representative of business performance. Y1,Y2,Y3,Y4 = B0 + B1X1 + B2 X2 + B3 X3 + B4 X4 + e Before conducting MANOVA, the factor analysis was performed. Table 2 shows the result of factor analysis and factor loading. SPSS was used to analyze the data. Table 2: Scale Reliability: Cumulative variance explained and Cronbach’s alpha for four factors 16 questions Questions Impact of IT on Organization 0. 988 0. 750 0. 690 0. 790 0. 789 0. 789 0. 689 0. 87 0. 897 0. 745 0. 897 0. 798 0. 698 0. 987 0. 687 0. 786 100. 00 0. 754 Market Share CRM Efficiency Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5 Question 6 Question 7 Question 8 Question 9 Question 10 Question 11 Question 12 Question 13 Question 14 Question 15 Question 16 Cumulative variance Cronbach’s alpha 28. 588 0. 788 56. 595 0. 881 70. 413 0. 974 The following tables shows the distribution of 108 organizations on 4 different quadrants. Table 3: Organization distribution on 4 quadrants Q1 LL 23 Q2 LH 28 Q3 HL 32 Q4 HH 25 4. DISCUSSION AND RESULTS Table 4 shows the result of MANOVA that all respondents’ means are significantly different for all four quadrants, and different combinations of technology push and business pull achieved different levels of strategic alignment. 74 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org Table 4. Tests of Between-Subjects Effects Dependent Source Quadrants nt IT. Impact M. Share CRM Efficency df 3 3 3 3 F 333. 960 236. 449 45. 051 79. 995 Sig. .000 . 000 . 000 . 00 The pairwise comparison shows the result of business performance for each quadrant as follows: Fig. 4: IT Impact 4. 1 Impact of IT on Organization This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR ) or only high business pull (BPR). 75 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. ttp://www. cisjournal. org Fig. 5: Market Share 4. 2 Market Share This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again, it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). Fig. 6: Customer Relationship Management 76 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org 4. Customer Relationship Management This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again, it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization eithe r with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). Fig. 7: Efficiency 4. 4 Efficiency: This variable was the highest both for HH and LH respectively and again it proved that the organization with high technology alone cannot achieve the same result as the organization either with both high technology push and high business pull (BPR) or only high business pull (BPR). ecurrent theme† (Markus and Robey, 1995, p. 592). The framework demonstrates that no serious BPR effort can afford to ignore the role of IT, and if it does so then the risk of failure is high. It appears that the role of IT in BPR is undervalued at present, especially in terms of its wider and more longterm implications. These implications are as follows. First, IT strategy and business strategy need to be aligned for maximum benefits to be realized. Second, IT strategy dictates the type of IT infrastructure within a company. Third, the IT strategy and infrastructure sh ould both support the business strategy and even influence it. Most importantly, as change is endemic to corporate life, the IT infrastructure also needs to be flexible in order to cope with changes in the environment and the business strategy (Alan Eardley et al, 2008). 5. IMPLICATIONS OF THE WORK The proposed framework is needed because some organizations attempt to undertake BPR or strategic alignment without giving due consideration to the role of IT in BPR. Indeed, it has been observed that the â€Å"exclusion and expulsion of IS specialists from BPR programs is a 77 VOL. 3, NO. 1, January 2012 ISSN 2079-8407 Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences  ©2009-2012 CIS Journal. All rights reserved. http://www. cisjournal. org A flexible IT infrastructure appears to be an increasingly desirable objective for companies in a rapidly changing environment (Avison et al. , 1997). By enabling an organization to exploit potential business opportunities quickly, such flexibility helps give an organization competitive advantage (Duncan, 1995). A key issue for an organization is the configuration of its IT platforms, network, and telecommunications, and this in turn raises questions concerning configuration, compatibility and integration rules, access standards, connectivity of systems, and excess apacity over the current requirements (Duncan, 1995, p. 42). These needs have led to a move towards distributed computing and standardization (or â€Å"open systems†) that give a high level of connectivity. One example of a company that has implemented such an infrastructure for purposes of improving BPR success is Sweden Post (Moreton and Chester, 1997). any process improvement, no matter whether IT is present or not. Therefore, future research should integrate some dimensions of organizational structure and leadership, mission, and vision as mediating factors. REFERENCES [1] Akhavan, P. , Jafari, M. Ali-Ahmadi, A. R. (2006). Exploring the interdependency between reengineering and information technology by developing a conceptual model. Business Process Management Journal, 12(4), 517. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. [2] Albadvi, A. , Keramati, A. , Razmi, J. (2007). Assessing the impact of information technology on firm performance considering the role of intervening variables: organizational infrastructures and business processes reengineering. International Journal of Production Research, 45(12), 2697-2734. Retrieved December 9, 2010 from Business Source Premier database. 3] Al-Mashari, M. and Zairi, M. (2000b). Creating a fit between BPR and IT infrastructure: a [4] proposed framework for effective implementation. Inte rnational Journal of Flexible [5] Manufacturing Systems. 12 (4). 253-74. [6] Avison, D. E. , Jones, J. , Powell, P. and Wilson, D. (2004). Using and validating the strategic [7] alignment model. Journal of Strategic Information Systems. 13. 223-46. [8] Avison, D. E. , Eardley, W. A. and Powell, P. (1997) â€Å"Developing information systems to support [9] flexible strategy†, Organisational Computing. 7 (1). 57-77. [10] Chan, S. L. (2000). Information technology on business processes, Business Process Management Journal. 6 (3). 224-37. [11] Davenport, T. (1995). The fad that forgot people. Fast Company. available at: www. fastcompany. com/online/01/reengin. html (accessed July 2006). [12] Davenport, T. (1993). Process innovation: Reengineering work through information technology. Boston: Ernst Young. [13] Davenport, T. , Short, J. (1990). The New Industrial Engineering: Information Technology and Business Process Redesign. Sloan Management Review. 31(4), 11-27. Retrieved December 10, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. [14] Dedhia, N. (2005). Six sigma basics. Total Quality Management Business Excellence, 6. CONCLUSIONS This paper demonstrates the significance of IT in BPR and their interdependency that then impact business performance that is defined in four important dimensions: market share, customer relationship management, IT impact, and efficiency (as multifaceted such as lowering the cost, lowering the process variability, and lead time). This study expanded and further explored the frame work developed by Alan Eardley et al,( 2008) by collecting data from 150 small-to-medium sized companies in both manufacturing and service sectors through the Midwest. They showed the different roles of IT in providing effective support for different types of BPR, and indicated that aiming for a type of BPR that is not compatible with the present role of an IT infrastructure will reduce the probability of success for a BPR project. If this is ignored, a BPR effort will either fail or will not produce the level of results that are often expected from BPR projects ( Alan Eardley et al, 2008). Organizations adapting high technology alone or BPR alone cannot achieve the same result and business performance as the organization that benefits from interdependency between IT and BPR. How to cite Impact of It on Process Improvement, Essays

Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirteen Free Essays

string(52) " hand as they walked, his grip warm and reassuring\." â€Å"IT’S NOT FUNNY!’ â€Å"Youre right,’ agreed Sydney. â€Å"It’s not funny. It’s hilarious. We will write a custom essay sample on Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now ’ We were back at Raymond’s house, in the privacy of our room. It had taken forever for us to get away from the fireside festivities, particularly after learning a terrible fact about a Keeper custom. Well, I thought it was terrible, at least. It turned out that if someone wanted to marry someone else around here, the prospective bride and groom each had to battle it out with the other’s nearest relative of the same sex. Angeline had spotted Joshua’s interest from the moment I’d arrived, and when she’d seen the bracelet, she’d assumed some sort of arrangement had been made. It therefore fell on her, as his sister, to make sure I was worthy. She still didn’t like or entirely trust me, but proving myself a capable fighter had shot me up in her esteem, allowing her to consent to our â€Å"engagement.’ It had then taken a lot of fast-talking to convince everyone– including Joshua–that there was no engagement. Had there been, I’d learned, Dimitri would have had to stand in as my â€Å"relative’ and fight Joshua. â€Å"Stop that,’ I chastised. Dimitri leaned against one of the room’s walls, arms crossed, watching as I rubbed where Angeline had hit my cheekbone. It was hardly the worst injury I’d ever had, but I’d definitely have a bruise tomorrow. There was a small smile on his face. â€Å"I told you not to encourage him,’ came Dimitri’s calm response. â€Å"Whatever. You didn’t see this coming. You just didn’t want me to–‘ I bit off my words. I wouldn’t say what was on my mind: that Dimitri was jealous. Or possessive. Or whatever. I just knew he’d been irritated to see me friendly with Joshua †¦ and very amused at my outrage over Angeline’s attack. I abruptly turned to Sydney, who was just as entertained as Dimitri. In fact, I was pretty sure I’d never seen her smile so much. â€Å"Did you know about this custom?’ â€Å"No,’ she admitted, â€Å"but I’m not surprised. I told you they’re savage. A lot of ordinary problems are settled by fights like that.’ â€Å"It’s stupid,’ I said, not caring that I was whining. I touched the top of my head, wishing I had a mirror to see if Angeline had taken a noticeable chunk of hair. â€Å"Although †¦ she wasn’t bad. Unpolished, but not bad. Are they all that tough? The humans and Moroi too?’ â€Å"That’s my understanding.’ I pondered that. I was annoyed and embarrassed by what had happened, but I had to admit the Keepers were suddenly way more interesting. How ironic that such a backward group had the insight to teach everyone to fight, no matter their race. Meanwhile, my own â€Å"enlightened’ culture still refused to teach defense. â€Å"And that’s why Strigoi don’t bother them,’ I murmured, recalling breakfast. I didn’t even realize what I’d said until Dimitri’s smile dropped. He glanced toward the window, face grim. â€Å"I should check in with Boris again and see what he’s found.’ He turned back toward Sydney. â€Å"It won’t take long. We don’t all need to go. Should I just take your car since I only have to go a little ways?’ She shrugged and reached for her keys. We’d learned earlier that Sydney’s phone could pick up a signal about ten minutes from the village. He was right. There really was no reason for us all to go for a quick phone call. After my fight, Sydney and I were reasonably safe. No one would mess with me now. Still †¦ I didn’t like the thought of Dimitri reliving his Strigoi days alone. â€Å"You should still go,’ I told her, thinking fast. â€Å"I need to check in on Lissa.’ Not entirely a lie. What my friends had heard from Joe was still weighing on me. â€Å"I can usually still keep track of what’s going on around me at the same time, but it might be better if you’re away–especially in case Alchemists do show up.’ My logic was faulty, though her colleagues were still a concern. â€Å"I doubt they’d come while it’s dark,’ she said, â€Å"but I don’t really want to hang out if you’re just going to stare into space.’ She didn’t admit it, and I didn’t need to say anything, but I suspected she didn’t want someone else driving her car anyway. Dimitri thought her coming was unnecessary and said as much, but apparently, he didn’t feel like he could boss her around as much as me. So, they both set out, leaving me alone in the room. I watched them wistfully. Despite how annoying his earlier mockery had been, I was worried about him. I’d seen the effect of the last call and wished I could be there now to comfort him. I had a feeling he wouldn’t have allowed that, so I accepted Sydney’s accompaniment as a small victory. With them gone, I decided I really would check in with Lissa. I’d said it more as an excuse, but truthfully, it beat the alternative–going back out and socializing. I didn’t want any more people congratulating me, and apparently, Joshua had read my â€Å"maybe’ and acceptance of the bracelet as a real commitment. I still thought he was devastatingly cute but couldn’t handle seeing his adoration. Sitting cross-legged on Angeline’s bed, I opened myself to the bond and what Lissa was experiencing. She was walking through the halls of a building I didn’t recognize at first. A moment later, I got my bearings. It was a building at Court that housed a large spa and salon–as well as the hideout of Rhonda the gypsy. It seemed weird that Lissa would be going to get her fortune told, but once I got a glimpse of her companions, I knew she was up to something else. The usual suspects were with her: Adrian and Christian. My heart leapt at seeing Adrian again–especially after the Joshua Incident. My last spirit dream had been too brief. Christian was holding Lissa’s hand as they walked, his grip warm and reassuring. You read "Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirteen" in category "Essay examples" He looked confident and determined–though with that typically snarky half-smile of his. Lissa was the one who felt nervous and was clearly bracing herself for something. I could feel her dreading her next task, even though she believed it was necessary. â€Å"Is this it?’ she asked, coming to a halt in front of a door. â€Å"I think so,’ said Christian. â€Å"That receptionist said it was the red one.’ Lissa hesitated only a moment and then knocked. Nothing. Either the room was empty or she was being ignored. She held up her hand again, and the door opened. Ambrose stood there, stunning as always, even in jeans and a casual blue T-shirt. The clothing hugged his body in a way that showed off every muscle. He could have walked straight off the cover of GQ. â€Å"Hey,’ he said, clearly surprised. â€Å"Hey,’ said Lissa back. â€Å"We were wondering if we could talk to you?’ Ambrose ever so slightly inclined his head toward the room. â€Å"I’m kind of busy right now.’ Beyond him, Lissa could see a massage table with a Moroi woman lying face down. The lower half of her body had a towel over it, but her back was bare, shining in the dim lighting with oil. Scented candles burned in the room, and a calming kind of New Age music played softly. â€Å"Wow,’ said Adrian. â€Å"You don’t waste any time, do you? She’s only been in her grave a few hours, and you’ve already got someone new.’ Tatiana had finally been laid to rest earlier in the day, just before sunset. The burial had had much less fanfare than the original attempt. Ambrose gave Adrian a sharp look. â€Å"She’s my client. It’s my job. You forget that some of us have to work for a living.’ â€Å"Please?’ asked Lissa, hastily stepping in front of Adrian. â€Å"It won’t take long.’ Ambrose looked my friends over a moment and then sighed. He glanced behind him. â€Å"Lorraine? I have to step outside. I’ll be right back, okay?’ â€Å"Okay,’ called the woman. She shifted, facing him. She was older than I’d expected, mid-forties or so. I guess if you were paying for a massage, there was no reason not to have a masseuse half your age. â€Å"Hurry back.’ He gave her a dazzling smile as he shut the door, a smile that dropped once he was alone with my friends. â€Å"Okay, what’s going on? I don’t like the looks on your faces.’ Ambrose might have radically deviated from a dhampir man’s normal life, but he’d had the same training as any guardian. He was observant. He was always on the lookout for potential threats. â€Å"We, uh, wanted to talk to you about †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Lissa hesitated. Talking about investigations and interrogations was one thing. Carrying them out was another. â€Å"About Tatiana’s murder.’ Ambrose’s eyebrows rose. â€Å"Ah. I see. Not sure what there is to say, except that I don’t think Rose did it. I don’t think you believe that either, despite what’s going around. Everyone’s talking about how shocked and upset you are. You’re getting a lot of sympathy over having been tricked by such a dangerous and sinister â€Å"friend.† Lissa felt her cheeks flush. By publicly condemning me and renouncing our friendship, Lissa was keeping herself out of trouble. It had been Abe and Tasha’s advice, and Lissa knew it was sound. Yet, even though it was an act, she still felt guilty. Christian stepped to her defense. â€Å"Back off. That’s not what this is about.’ â€Å"What is it about then?’ asked Ambrose. Lissa jumped in, worried Christian and Adrian might upset Ambrose and make it difficult to get answers. â€Å"Abe Mazur told us that in the courtroom, you said or, uh, did something to Rose.’ Ambrose looked shocked, and I had to give him points for being convincing. â€Å"Did something? What does that mean? Does Mazur think I, like, hit on her in front of all those people?’ â€Å"I don’t know,’ admitted Lissa. â€Å"He just saw something, that’s all.’ â€Å"I wished her good luck,’ said Ambrose, still looking offended. â€Å"Is that okay?’ â€Å"Yeah, yeah.’ Lissa had made a point to talk to Ambrose before Abe could, fearing Abe’s methods would involve threats and a lot of physical force. Now, she was wondering if she was doing so great a job. â€Å"Look, we’re just trying to find out who really killed the queen. You were close to her. If there’s anything–anything–at all you’ve got that can help us, we’d appreciate it. We need it.’ Ambrose glanced curiously between them. Then, he suddenly understood. â€Å"You think I did it! That’s what this is about.’ None of them said anything. â€Å"I can’t believe this! I already got this from the guardians †¦ but from you? I thought you knew me better.’ â€Å"We don’t know you at all,’ said Adrian flatly. â€Å"All we know is you had lots of access to my aunt.’ He pointed at the door. â€Å"And obviously, it didn’t take you long to move on.’ â€Å"Did you miss the part where I said that’s my job? I’m giving her a massage, that’s it. Not everything is sordid and dirty.’ Ambrose shook his head in frustration and ran a hand through his brown hair. â€Å"My relationship with Tatiana wasn’t dirty either. I cared about her. I would never do anything to hurt her.’ â€Å"Don’t statistics say most murders happen between close people?’ asked Christian. Lissa glared at him and Adrian. â€Å"Stop it. Both of you.’ She looked back at Ambrose. â€Å"No one’s accusing you of anything. But you were around her a lot. And Rose told me you were upset about the age law.’ â€Å"When I first heard about it, yeah,’ Ambrose said. â€Å"And even then, I told Rose there was some mistake–that there must be something we didn’t know. Tatiana would have never put those dhampirs in danger without a good reason.’ â€Å"Like making herself look good in front of all those terrified royals?’ asked Christian. â€Å"Watch it,’ warned Adrian. Lissa couldn’t decide which was more annoying: her two guys teaming up to spar against Ambrose or them throwing barbs at each other. â€Å"No!’ Ambrose’s voice rang throughout the narrow hall. â€Å"She didn’t want to do that. But if she didn’t, worse things were going to happen. There are people who wanted–still want–to round up all the dhampirs who don’t fight and force them into it. Tatiana passed the age law as a way to stall that.’ Silence fell. I’d already learned this from Tatiana’s note, but it was shocking news to my friends. Ambrose kept going, seeing he was gaining ground. â€Å"She was actually open to lots of other options. She wanted to explore spirit. She approved of Moroi learning to fight.’ That got a reaction from Adrian. He still wore that sardonic expression, but I could also see faint lines of pain and sorrow on his face. The burial earlier must have been hard on him, and hearing others reveal information you hadn’t known about a loved one had to hurt. â€Å"Well, I obviously wasn’t sleeping with her like you were,’ said Adrian, â€Å"but I knew her pretty well, too. She never said a word about anything like that.’ â€Å"Not publicly,’ agreed Ambrose. â€Å"Not even privately. Only a few people knew. She was having a small group of Moroi trained in secret–men and women, different ages. She wanted to see how well Moroi could learn. If it was possible for them to defend themselves. But she knew people’d be upset about it, so she made the group and their trainer keep quiet.’ Adrian gave no response to this, and I could see his thoughts had turned inward. Ambrose’s revelation wasn’t bad news, exactly, but Adrian was still hurt at the thought that his aunt had kept so much from him. Lissa, meanwhile, was eating the news up, seizing and analyzing every piece of info. â€Å"Who were they? The Moroi being trained?’ â€Å"I don’t know,’ said Ambrose. â€Å"Tatiana was quiet about it. I never found out their names, just their instructor.’ â€Å"Who was †¦ ?’ prompted Christian. â€Å"Grant.’ Christian and Lissa exchanged startled looks. â€Å"My Grant?’ she asked. â€Å"The one Tatiana assigned to me?’ Ambrose nodded. â€Å"That’s why she gave him to you. She trusted him.’ Lissa said nothing, but I heard her thoughts loud and clear. She’d been pleased and surprised when Grant and Serena–the guardians who had replaced Dimitri and me– had offered to teach Lissa and Christian basic defense moves. Lissa had thought she’d simply stumbled onto a progressive-thinking guardian, not realizing she had one of the pioneers in teaching combat to Moroi. Some piece of this was important, she and I were both certain, though neither of us could make the connection. Lissa puzzled it over, not protesting when Adrian and Christian threw in some questions of their own. Ambrose was still clearly offended by the inquisition, but he answered everything with forced patience. He had alibis, and his affection and regard for Tatiana never wavered. Lissa believed him, though Christian and Adrian still seemed skeptical. â€Å"Everyone’s been all over me about her death,’ said Ambrose, â€Å"but nobody questioned Blake very long.’ â€Å"Blake?’ asked Lissa. â€Å"Blake Lazar. Someone else she was †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ â€Å"Involved with?’ suggested Christian, rolling his eyes. â€Å"Him?’ exclaimed Adrian in disgust. â€Å"No way. She wouldn’t stoop that low.’ Lissa racked her brain through the Lazar family but couldn’t peg the name. There were just too many of them. â€Å"Who is he?’ â€Å"An idiot,’ said Adrian. â€Å"Makes me look like an upstanding member of society.’ That actually brought a smile to Ambrose’s face. â€Å"I agree. But he’s a pretty idiot, and Tatiana liked that.’ I heard affection in his voice as he spoke her name. â€Å"She was sleeping with him too?’ Lissa asked. Adrian winced at the mention of his great-aunt’s sex life, but a whole new world of possibilities had opened up. More lovers meant more suspects. â€Å"How did you feel about that?’ Ambrose’s amusement faded. He gave her a sharp look. â€Å"Not jealous enough to kill her, if that’s what you’re getting at. We had an understanding. She and I were close– yes, â€Å"involved’–but we both saw other people too.’ â€Å"Wait,’ said Christian. I had the feeling he was really enjoying this now. Tatiana’s murder was no joke, but a soap opera was definitely unfolding before them. â€Å"You were sleeping with other people too? This is getting hard to follow.’ Not for Lissa. In fact, it was becoming clearer and clearer that Tatiana’s murder could have been a crime of passion, rather than anything political. Like Abe had said, someone with access to her bedroom was a likely suspect. And some woman jealous over sharing a lover with Tatiana? That was perhaps the most convincing motive thus far–if only we knew the women. â€Å"Who?’ Lissa asked. â€Å"Who else were you seeing?’ â€Å"No one who’d kill her,’ said Ambrose sternly. â€Å"I’m not giving you names. I’m entitled to some privacy–so are they.’ â€Å"Not if one of them was jealous and killed my aunt,’ growled Adrian. Joshua had looked down on Adrian for not â€Å"protecting’ me, but in that moment, defending his aunt’s honor, he looked as fierce as any guardian or Keeper warrior. It was kind of sexy. â€Å"None of them killed her, I’m certain,’ said Ambrose. â€Å"And as much as I despise him, I don’t think Blake did either. He’s not smart enough to pull it off and frame Rose.’ Ambrose gestured to the door. His teeth were clenched, and lines of frustration marred his handsome face. â€Å"Look, I don’t know what else I can say to convince you. I need to get back in there. I’m sorry if I seem difficult, but this has been kind of hard on me, okay? Believe me, I’d love it if you could find out who did that to her.’ Pain flashed through his eyes. He swallowed and looked down for a moment, as though he didn’t want them to know just how much he’d cared about Tatiana. When he looked up again, his expression was fierce and determined again. â€Å"I want you to and will help if I can. But I’m telling you, look for someone with political motives. Not romantic ones.’ Lissa still had a million more questions. Ambrose might be convinced the murder was free of jealousy and sex, but she wasn’t. She would have really liked the names of his other women but didn’t want to push too hard. For a moment, she considered compelling him as she had Joe. But no. She wouldn’t cross that line again, especially with someone she considered a friend. At least not yet. â€Å"Okay,’ she said reluctantly. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you for helping us.’ Ambrose seemed surprised at her politeness, and his face softened. â€Å"I’ll see if I can dig up anything to help you. They’re keeping her rooms and possessions locked down, but I might still be able to get in there. I’ll let you know.’ Lissa smiled, genuinely grateful. â€Å"Thank you. That’d be great.’ A touch on my arm brought me back to the drab little room in West Virginia. Sydney and Dimitri were looking down at me. â€Å"Rose?’ asked Dimitri. I had a feeling this wasn’t the first time he’d tried to get my attention. â€Å"Hey,’ I said. I blinked a couple of times, settling myself back into this reality. â€Å"You’re back. You called the Strigoi?’ He didn’t visibly react to the word, but I knew he hated hearing it. â€Å"Yes. I got a hold of Boris’s contact.’ Sydney wrapped her arms around herself. â€Å"Crazy conversation. Some of it was in English. It was even scarier than before.’ I shivered involuntarily, glad that I’d missed it. â€Å"But did you find out anything?’ â€Å"Boris gave me the name of a Strigoi who knows Sonya and probably knows where she is,’ Dimitri said. â€Å"It’s actually someone I’ve met. But phone calls only go so far with Strigoi. There’s no way to contact him–except to go in person. Boris only had his address.’ â€Å"Where is it?’ I asked. â€Å"Lexington, Kentucky.’ â€Å"Oh for God’s sake,’ I moaned. â€Å"Why not the Bahamas? Or the Corn Palace?’ Dimitri tried to hide a smile. It might have been at my expense, but if I’d lightened his mood, I was grateful. â€Å"If we leave right now, we can reach him before morning.’ I glanced around. â€Å"Tough choice. Leave all this for electricity and plumbing?’ Now Sydney grinned. â€Å"And no more marriage proposals.’ â€Å"And we’ll probably have to fight Strigoi,’ added Dimitri. I jumped to my feet. â€Å"How soon can we go?’ How to cite Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirteen, Essay examples

Psychoanalytic †Freud- Psychoanalytical theory was formulated by Freud based on how the human mind functions. free essay sample

He believed that there were factors outside of the individual person’s awareness (unconscious thoughts, feelings and experiences) that influence their emotions, behaviour and actions, and that their past experiences, and their future. The Psychoanalytical Theory highlights the importance of the unconscious mental processes and childhood development issues as they relate to childish impulses, childish wishes, juvenile desires and the anxiety of reality. The Psychoanalytical Theory is also based on the idea that a person’s personality is formed throughout the childhood years, that children go through certain stages at certain points of their childhood and depending on how well the child copes with each of these stages, their adult personality will be affected. This influences current practise as Freud’s observations into the link between our unconscious actions and our mind are still seen as beneficial. Psychoanalytic – Freud- Psychoanalytical theory was formulated by Freud based on how the human mind functions. We will write a custom essay sample on Psychoanalytic – Freud- Psychoanalytical theory was formulated by Freud based on how the human mind functions. or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He believed that there were factors outside of the individual person’s awareness (unconscious thoughts, feelings and experiences) that influence their emotions, behaviour and actions, and that their past experiences, and their future. The Psychoanalytical Theory highlights the importance of the unconscious mental processes and childhood development issues as they relate to childish impulses, childish wishes, juvenile desires and the anxiety of reality. The Psychoanalytical Theory is also based on the idea that a person’s personality is formed throughout the childhood years, that children go through certain stages at certain points of their childhood and depending on how well the child copes with each of these stages, their adult personality will be affected. This influences current practise as Freud’s observations into the link between our unconscious actions and our mind are still seen as beneficial. Psychoanalytic – Freud- Psychoanalytical theory was formulated by Freud based on how the human mind functions. He believed that there were factors outside of the individual person’s awareness (unconscious thoughts, feelings and experiences) that influence their emotions, behaviour and actions, and that their past experiences, and their future. The Psychoanalytical Theory highlights the importance of the unconscious mental processes and childhood development issues as they relate to childish impulses, childish wishes, juvenile desires and the anxiety of reality. The Psychoanalytical Theory is also based on the idea that a person’s personality is formed throughout the childhood years, that children go through certain stages at certain points of their childhood and depending on how well the child copes with each of these stages, their adult personality will be affected. This influences current practise as Freud’s observations into the link between our unconscious actions and our mind are still seen as beneficial. Psychoanalytic – Freud- Psychoanalytical theory was formulated by Freud based on how the human mind functions. He believed that there were factors outside of the individual person’s awareness (unconscious thoughts, feelings and experiences) that influence their emotions, behaviour and actions, and that their past experiences, and their future. The Psychoanalytical Theory highlights the importance of the unconscious mental processes and childhood development issues as they relate to childish impulses, childish wishes, juvenile desires and the anxiety of reality. The Psychoanalytical Theory is also based on the idea that a person’s personality is formed throughout the childhood years, that children go through certain stages at certain points of their childhood and depending on how well the child copes with each of these stages, their adult personality will be affected. This influences current practise as Freud’s observations into the link between our unconscious actions and our mind are still seen as beneficial. Psychoanalytic – Freud- Psychoanalytical theory was formulated by Freud based on how the human mind functions. He believed that there were factors outside of the individual person’s awareness (unconscious thoughts, feelings and experiences) that influence their emotions, behaviour and actions, and that their past experiences, and their future. The Psychoanalytical Theory highlights the importance of the unconscious mental processes and childhood development issues as they relate to childish impulses, childish wishes, juvenile desires and the anxiety of reality. The Psychoanalytical Theory is also based on the idea that a person’s personality is formed throughout the childhood years, that children go through certain stages at certain points of their childhood and depending on how well the child copes with each of these stages, their adult personality will be affected. This influences current practise as Freud’s observations into the link between our unconscious actions and our mind are still seen as beneficial. Psychoanalytic – Freud- Psychoanalytical theory was formulated by Freud based on how the human mind functions. He believed that there were factors outside of the individual person’s awareness (unconscious thoughts, feelings and experiences) that influence their emotions, behaviour and actions, and that their past experiences, and their future. The Psychoanalytical Theory highlights the importance of the unconscious mental processes and childhood development issues as they relate to childish impulses, childish wishes, juvenile desires and the anxiety of reality. The Psychoanalytical Theory is also based on the idea that a person’s personality is formed throughout the childhood years, that children go through certain stages at certain points of their childhood and depending on how well the child copes with each of these stages, their adult personality will be affected. This influences current practise as Freud’s observations into the link between our unconscious actions and our mind are still seen as beneficial.

A Paper on Shelby County V. Holder free essay sample

With the condition to receive preclearance stated in section 5 of the Act from the Department of Justice before making any changes affecting the voting process, also came four other prohibitions. The prohibition of literacy test or other similar test or devices as a prerequisite to voter registration is one prevention. The requirement of jurisdictions with significant language minority populations to provide non-English ballots and oral voting instructions is another. Third is the prohibition of vote dilution, which is the remapping of districts to suppress the minority vote. The final provision was one of the most controversial of the Act. It established the federal oversight over the administrations of elections in areas where racism and discrimination thrived. This provision of the VRA was one of the most controversial because some citizens believed it was a major intrusion of States rights. The covered jurisdictions included nine states, most of them in the south. They are; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Since its enactment it has been renewed four times. The most recent time in 2006, was signed into law by President George W. Bush, and renewed the Act for twenty-five more years. Soon to be heard before the United States Supreme Court, is the court case Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, Attorney General, et al. Shelby County argues that with an African American president elected twice, the VRA of 1965 has outlived its necessity. However, the tactics used to discriminate racially against the African American vote and the civil rights of United States citizens warranted this intrusion which is the purpose of the federal government. The entanglement of racism and discrimination was so deep in the south; the federal government had to establish the oversight of elections in those states with a history of discrimination. After an analysis, it should be found that then and now it is necessary to have this federal jurisdiction. Voting is one of the most important components of democracy. The ability to cast a vote in the United States is a right afforded to all of its free citizens. The Fifthteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution makes this evident. It was passed by Congress on February 26, 1869. The first part of this two sectioned Amendment reads, â€Å"The rights of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude. Section two finishes with, â€Å"The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation†. Following its ratification, violations of this right still occurred on accounts of race, color, and a previous condition of servitude. An example of this violation is the African American struggle to gain it. Primary sources from the United States Constitution, the United States Code of Laws, as well as secondary sources and recent newspaper articles can be used to form an opinion of the African American struggle to gain and protect their voting rights. The American Civil War ended in 1865. However, following the end of reconstruction and the withdrawal of national attention towards other national matters, southern racism reduced the newly freed peoples to second class citizens. Chapter one of Abraham and the Second American Revolution written by, James M. McPherson, discusses the categorization of the American Civil War as a revolution. To do this he analyzes the social and economic factors that justify the appropriate use of the title. He defined revolution as the overthrow of the existing social and political order by internal violence. Social and economic factors and conditions that contributed to his definition and categorization of the American Civil War as the nation’s second revolution include; education, distribution of property and self-ownership increased, and political power with the right to vote. According to McPherson, No other period in American history witnessed anything like so great a rate of relative change. † He finished with probably one of the most defining characteristics of a revolution, a shift in political power. McPherson wrote, â€Å"At the beginning of 1867 no black man could vote in the South, a year later they were a majority of registered voters in several ex-Confederate states. † Also adding to this evidence is the fact that four years after the war blacks held 15 percent of southern offices. In his conclusion, McPherson answer what may lead one to ask if the American Civil War was indeed an extraordinary revolution, one whose likes the world had ever seen. The answer lies in the exact opposite of revolution. Counterrevolution occurred at first chance which in so many ways blanketed the revolutionary characteristics to the best of its applicability. From 1865 to 1866, immediately after the war, black codes began to surface. The purpose of these codes were to keep black labor in a state of dependence and subjection as close to slavery as possible. These codes appeared in the forms of vagrancy laws, contract labor laws the subjected freedmen to peonage and sharecropping, and violence. This code also makes for the final piece of evidence toward support of McPherson’s goal in categorizing the American Civil War as a revolution. Southern redeemers, after the withdrawal of northern Republican interest, went through great lengths to counter evolve them. Why would that be? In order to stifle the effects of a revolution, counterrevolution tried to reverse it. This is the most relevant evidence of all analyzed data in support of McPherson’s defining because had not some counterrevolution taken place the evidence of the American Civil War as being a revolution would be even stronger. The redemption of the southern United States continued to thrive until the next century. The Civil Rights Movement in the nation in the 1950s and 1960s finally confronted the disenfranchisement of African Americans. One federal law produced during this time that forced the entanglement of racism and discrimination was the Civil Rights Act of 1964, particularly in southern states where African American disenfranchisement from economic, political and social institutions was a way of life. According to the Act, All persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall have the same right in every State and Territory as enjoyed by white citizens, and shall be subject to like punishment, pains, penalties, taxes, licenses, and exactions of every kind, and to no other. It also was the first federal statute of its kind to addressed voting rights stating: All citizens of the United States who are otherwise qualified by law to vote at any election by the people in any State, Territory, district, county, city, parish, township, school district, municipality, or other territorial subdivision, shall be entitled and allowed to vote at all such elections, without distinction of race, color, or previous co ndition of servitude; any constitution, law, custom, usage, or regulation of any State or Territory, or by or under its authority, to the contrary notwithstanding. The Struggle for Black Equality, written by Harvard Sitkoff is a chronological narrative and interpretation of the struggle of the Civil Rights Movement. Sitkoff, a Professor of History at the University of New Hampshire writes, I believe then that the struggle was confronting the United States with an issue that had undermined the nations democratic institutions for nearly two hundred years, and that morality, justice, and a due concern for the future well-being of our society necessitated an end to racial inequality. In its two hundred and forty eight page entirety his book discusses the struggle for racial equality and justice between 1954 and 1980. He continues, given the rapidity with which the popular media have relegated the civil-rights battles to the scrap heap of inattention and indifference, I felt compelled to write of the strivings and sufferings of these battles to make real the promise of democracy. † In a book comprised of seven numbered chapters, he largely su cceeds in his goal. He argued within his book that 1964 CRA’s authorization of the government to withhold federal funds to; public programs practicing discriminations, banning of discrimination by employers and unions, creation of an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, establishment of a Community Relations Service, and provisions of technical and financial aid to communities desegregating their schools helped to set fire to the path to African American equality. The passing of the Voting Act of 1965 dealt directly with voting rights. Chapter 20 of the United States Code of Laws, 42 USC 1973 titled,’ The Public Health and Welfare, is where the enforcement of the VRA is codified. According to the Cornell Legal Institute, â€Å"The original length of the VRA’s preclearance provision was five years; Congress reauthorized the provision for another five years in 1970, another seven in 1975, and another twenty-five years in 1982. † The most recent reauthorization in 2006 came after twenty one Congressional hearing on the matter. Upon its review, Congress found evidence of hidden methods that infringed on the voting rights. In these hearing, over 90 witnesses were heard from and 15,000 pages of evidence collected. There were 110 House members from covered jurisdictions, 90 of them voted for renewal. Soon after President George W. Bush signed the renewed Act into law. In his speech he stated, For some parts of our country, the Voting Rights Act marked the first appearance of African Americans on the voting rolls since Reconstruction. And in the primaries and elections that followed the signing of this act, many African Americans pulled the voting lever for the first time in their lives. In four decades since the Voting Rights Act was first passed, weve made progress toward equality, yet the work for a more perfect union is never ending. Well continue to build on the legal equality won by the civil rights movement to help ensure that every person enjoys the opportunity that this great land of liberty offers. And that means a decent education and a good school for every child, a chance to own their own home or business, and the hope that comes from knowing that you can rise in our society by hard work and God-given talents. Today, we renew a bill that helped bring a community on the margins into the life of American democracy. My administration will vigorously enforce the provisions of this law, and we will defend it in court. Now in 2013, Shelby County, Alabama has brought to the Supreme Court an argument that asserts that the provision for preclearance has outlived its purpose of protecting minority voters in an era where an African American man has been reelected to the presidency. Shelby County argues that the extension violated the authority of the Fifteenth Amendment with double standards among those states covered within federal jurisdiction. These double standards are explained as the failure of several of Alabama’s submissions to be cleared under the VRA. An example of this is when the state tried to enact a law that would require residents to provide proof of citizenship when they registered to vote. Alabama compares this to identical laws passed in Arizona and Georgia. Both of these states were cleared by the Department of Justice and did not require supplemental submissions. Shelby County also argues that the measure in which preclearance is levied upon covered jurisdictions is unequal. This is based on the preclearance denials from individual jurisdictions. The previous denials mostly comprise the justification for renewal. The County claims that these denials are based on vote dilution which is not a violation of the Fifteenth Amendment because it does not actually deny access to the ballot. The other dispute from Shelby County is the infringement of states’ rights. Before this federal law, no other offered the amount of protection the VRA had on voting discrimination. In requiring certain states to be cleared before implementing any voting changes, some say this is a major intrusion on a state’s sovereignty to hold elections. Since Shelby County insists vote dilution is not a direct violation of the Fifteenth Amendment, they impose a less drastic but still adequate measure be taken that is not so intrinsic on a state’s rights. The defense is led by United States Attorney General Holder. Holder argues that he extension in 2006 was within Congress’s authority and was necessary to counter regression in voting practices among states with a history of restrictions on minority voting. Holder asserts that the preclearance is a Constitutional power and the formula for coverage, in addition to the bailout provision found in section meets the requirements of the Constitutions Fifteenth Amendment. Holder also argues that the precedent case in establishing the manner in which each jurisdiction is covered was decided in 1966 in South Carolina v. Katzenbach (1966). The Supreme Court concluded, â€Å"†¦case-by-case litigation had been wholly ineffective in guaranteeing African-Americans the right to vote and that nothing short of a prophylactic remedial scheme would succeed in eradicating the â€Å"insidious and pervasive evil which had been perpetuated in certain parts of our country. † Holder then asserts that the bailout provision of the VRA also found in section 5, allows covered jurisdictions to apply to be removed from the preclearance requirement. To do so, the applicant state has to show that within the date of applying, they did not violate the VRA within the last ten years. This bailout option, argues the Attorney General, addresses the double standard Alabama claims to be subjected to. Alabama has failed to submit adequate evidence in support of a bailout option compared to other states under jurisdiction. In response, Shelby County insists that the bailout option is unachievable because of the preclearance criteria set in South Carolina v. Katzenbach and is unequal based on state to state. Also in response the plaintiff states that the use of out dated evidence from previous renewals is unconstitutional. However, the evidence used from past cases and current attempts to dilute the vote of African Americans and other minorities over the years is overwhelming. With this overwhelming, Congress finds no need on implementing another system to collect more evidence. Renewing the VRA in 2006 based coverage on election data from 1964, 1968, and 1972. This authorization of the use of old election data was challenged in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No. One v. Holder, 557 U. S. 193 (2009). Northwest presented its argument based on the current needs of the VRA and not the first generational issues the Act initially addressed. Its argument rendered the used evidence out dated, as well as the first generational needs the Act addressed. The Supreme Court ruled the evidence used under Section 5 as justified by current needs and continues with, â€Å"†¦departure from the fundamental principal of equal sovereignty requires a showing that a statute’s disparate geographic coverage is sufficiently related to the problem that it targets. † This means that the compiled evidence directly related to the covered jurisdiction are justified because it directly relates to the jurisdictions under oversight. The main arguments presented in cases to take down the VRA are based on constitutionality and state rights. Constitutionality can be cited on the preclearance requirement and the formula in which jurisdiction is decided. In each renewal Congress used old evidence as precedence as well as newly collected data. We have seen this with the 21 Congressional hearings on its latest renewal. After analyzing the ways in which coverage and preclearance have been decided one assume that this federal law under the VRA is still necessary. When Shelby Count asserts that vote dilution is not a violation of the Fifteenth Amendment, they also assert that it can be used because it is not a denial of access to the ballet. However, remapping districts within a state to suppress votes is an underlying denial of the ballet. â€Å"Supreme Court to Hear Alabamas Countys Challenge to Voting Rights Act,† is a newspaper article published in the New York Times that will support this. It is written surrounding Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder. The article also gives a current example of the hidden discrimination tactics still being used. Jerome Gray is seventy four year old African American man in Evergreen, Alabama. In the summer of 2012 during an election he was removed from the voting rolls by a clerk who pulled the list based on new utility records. According to the VRA this violated the provision that some named states and local governments were required to obtain permission from the DOJ or from a federal court in Washington before making changes that affect voting. Voting is power. Its power lies in giving people an opportunity to elect candidates of their choosing. These elected candidates will hopefully stand for the beliefs and goals of their electives. Voting also gives a sense of liberty for those who are able to exercise it. Withholding the right to vote was a reminder to those excluded that they were un-American and ineligible to participate in our societies’ fundamental rights and civic duties. The entanglement of racism and discrimination was so deep in the south; the federal government had to establish the oversight of elections in those states with a history of discrimination. After an analysis, it should be found that then and now it is necessary to have this federal jurisdiction.