Applying Sociological Theory Into Everyday Life - 1224 Words

This semester I was fortunate enough to enroll in an internship related to the field of Sociology. One of the things I have struggled with in the past is applying sociological theory into everyday life. Enrolling in an internship gave me the chance to practice applying some of what I have learned in the classroom into a real experience. I worked at the Ohio University Athletic Department, and was involved in student-athlete academic welfare. When it was time to write my final research paper, I settled upon the topic of women in sports. I wanted to analyze women’s meaningful contributions and accomplishments within sports, their leadership roles in sports, and what the future of sports could potentially hold for them. I worked with female athletes and what I saw this semester inspired me to write about this topic. My goal is to not only analyze sociological theory regarding these topics, but also to interpret them and apply them to what I saw throughout my internship. As a st udent-athlete myself, I was fortunate enough to obtain a position working for the Ohio University Athletic Department. My official title was â€Å"NCAA Eligibility and Student Center for Success: Academic Intern.† What this means is that I was assigned as an academic advisor to five different student-athletes. They met with me weekly for two types of meetings. Based on GPA, they either had drop ins so I could monitor their grades, or had a scheduled weekly meeting. In the weekly meetings, we preparedShow MoreRelatedSociology 210 Study Guide1129 Words   |  5 PagesChapter One: The Sociological Perspective I. The Sociological Perspective. A. Sociology is the systematic study of human society. B. The sociological perspective (Berger, 1963) helps us to see general social patterns in the behavior of particular individuals (the general in the particular). C. It also encourages us to realize that society guides our thoughts and deeds — to see the strange in the familiar (Berger, 1963). D. Sociology also encourages us to see personal choice in social contextRead MoreSociological Perspectives On The Sociological Perspective1178 Words   |  5 PagesThe Sociological Perspective is a behavior that connects one with society. As written in the textbook Society the Basics, sociological perspective is also defined as â€Å"seeing the general in the particular† (Berger, 1963). A major part of being a sociologist is finding patterns in everyday life. As an ordinary person, finding patterns is almost a natural instinct. Every individual falls into a category, whether how unique they claim to be. Individuals can be categorized by race, class, sexual orientationRead MoreMax Weber s Theories About Status And Social Stratification1343 Words   |  6 Pagesactivity for American society that suffered from the demands of industrialism. In order to better understand the sociological perspective of baseball in relation to the social context of its’ origination, this pa per will consider baseball in the context of Max Weber’s theories about status and social stratification. Although his theories are seemingly similar to Karl Marx, their theories are essentially different. Marx primarily believes that economics and class are distinguishing factors of society;Read MoreWhy You Are Performing Heart Surgery Or Scanning Grocery Items For A Living1665 Words   |  7 Pagesa paradigm based on the assumption that society is a unified whole that functions because of the contributions of its separate structures (Ferris and Stein 2014, p. 22). Émile Durkheim is the founder and central figure of the functionalist theory. In the theory of functionalism, society is created from many connected structures. Institutions are one of those connected structures. Institutions are structures that meet the needs of the society, such as educational systems, businesses, and laws. ThereRead MoreSociology as a Perspective 1332 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"the socio logical perspective is a way of thinking; a form of consciousness that challenges familiar understandings of ourselves and of others, so we can critically asses the truth commonly held assumptions† (Micionis and Plummer 2008:10). This essay supports this statement by analysing and discussing the significance of sociological perspective in our everyday lives. According to Peter L. Berger sociological perspective is described as the link between societal events and an individual’s life. SociologicalRead MoreThe Sociological Concept Of ‘Taste’ Allows Us To See How1651 Words   |  7 PagesThe sociological concept of ‘taste’ allows us to see how our styles and mannerisms directly define and structure the societal groups we inhabit. In Stewart’s book ‘Culture, Taste and Value’ (2013) he defines taste, from a common sense perspective, as a purely subjective, private matter (Stewart, 2013). However, in this essay, my aim is to inf orm the reader of the substantial implications ‘taste’ has as a theoretical framework for explaining societal structures and understanding everyday life. TheRead MoreRedefining Theories : The Importance Of The New Paradigm858 Words   |  4 PagesRedefining Theories: The Importance of the New Paradigm A new type of theory, introduced by Allison James and Alan Prout in 1993 has taken the sociology world by storm. This new type of thinking, called the â€Å"New Paradigm† has moved away from the view of children as passive recipients and adult becomings. Instead, it has progressed towards seeing them as competent social actors and human beings who are able to think for themselves while being influenced by their community and environment (McNameeRead MoreSociological Imagination: Generalized Anxiety Disorder1536 Words   |  7 Pageswill be discussing the generalized anxiety disorder and how if effects society today. The sociological Imagination allows a person to look at a social problem past the particular circumstances of a certain person and look at how it affects people as a whole. Using this theory sociologist have been taught to ignore individuals and look at society as a whole. Social forces are a big part of the sociological imagination. Social forces are anything that affects society. So, a social forces could beRead MoreSociology And The Theoretical Perspectives Of Sociology1710 Words   |  7 Pagesand French Revolutions and the idea of applying the scientific method to real-world problems. All of the influences that impacted society and how we view things today came from theorist that studied the relations between people and things they saw in the community around them. The theorists that helped create the idea of Sociology, lead to the theoretical perspectives of sociology, which include; symbolic interaction, functional analysis, and Conflict theory. The idea of Sociology existed long beforeRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination Of Max Weber s Types Of Legitimate Domination And Bureaucracy1416 Words   |  6 PagesWright Mills’ The Sociological Imagination, the writings of the comparative authors reveal the domination of power in a socially constructed society and the way that individuals are influenced by the constructed hierarchy of power. Through sociological analysis, these concepts can be applied to the ways individuals are continuously influenced through socially constructed institutions in a society where individuals constantly interact with one another. As Mills and Weber apply sociological analysis to the

Should Kids Now A Days Be Forced - 953 Words

Technology In School Currently, schools are switching to technology for all of their assigned work, rather than using paper and pen. As a student attending Fountain Lake Charter School Mark Burfeind experiences this everyday. Mark says, Fountain Lake Charter School is giving Chromebooks to the high school and middle school students, and there is no choice to deny the computer. Students are given the Chromebook so they can do homework and that would make no excuse for not having your homework done. Through the Chromebook students turn in all of their work. For the younger students, such as elementary students, they are given in class iPads and with these mobile computing devices they can do learning drills and play learning games. Schools everywhere are starting to use less paper and switch to technology. Should kids now a days be forced to use technology? Yes, because with technology people are provided with effective ways of learning, it prepares students for college, and the real world. First of all, technology provides students with effective ways of learning during school. A variety of people learn better by just sitting in class listening to a lecture or simply watching a PowerPoint. But then on the other hand, some people learn better visualizing what they are learning. With technology, people would be provided with this opportunity to get visual views of what students are learning. One could find a video over the topic that is being discussed in class, maybe look atShow MoreRelatedShould Kids Now A Days Be Forced? Using Technology For All Of Their Assigned Work?894 Words   |  4 Pagescomputer. Students are given the Chromebook so they can do homework and there should be no excuse for not having your homework done. Through the Chromebook you are to turn in all work. For the younger students, such as elementary students, they are given in class iPads and with these they can do learning drills and play learning games. Schools everywhere are dropping paper and switching to technology. Should kids now a days be forced to use technology? Yes, because with technology you are provided with effectiveRead MoreThe Dangers of Child Work Force Essays1135 Words   |  5 Pagestheir life. Some kids have been working for most of their lives some of their parents dont even work these kids get low money some of their parents sale them.Some of these kids dont even have parents they are just wandering around streets looking for jobs.Some of these kids are working in hazard jobs and domestic labour and carpet weaving and other horrible jobs and these kids and not only missing out of their education but their health is at stake.Child Labour is increasing day by day and its becauseRead MoreThe School Board Meeting For The Schools Of Palm Beach County918 Words   |  4 Pagesschools and an award given to the hispanic teache r of the year. In the next movement the board was asked to name September 17th constitution day and September 21st through the 25th celebrate freedom week. Following this the board was asked to make September National PTA membership month, October attendance awareness month and October second National custodial worker day. All of these movements were passed by the board seven to zero with no additional discussions on any of the topics. After this sectionRead Moregender socialization992 Words   |  4 Pages Gender: Forced Upon American Society Growing up, many Americans childhood consisted of playing tag outside, having cooties, and experimenting with as many toys as possible. Hundreds of thousands of toys flood kid stores such as Toys R Us, Baby Depot, and KB toys. With imagination, kids are able to become doctors, presidents, and princesses during the contents of one day. Television shows such as Barney or Blues Clues encourage having such imagination, thus inspiring kids to want to becomeRead MoreSlavery Is Not Legal Now939 Words   |  4 Pageslegal now, but it still happens. According to â€Å"Researchers estimate that 21 to 36 million are enslaved worldwide, generating $150 billion each year in illicit profits for traffickers.† Apparently criminalizing and outlawing slavery did not end it; there are still people who are enslaved, just like the old days. Slaves are now enslaved to bring money to their owners, a modern day example would be those little kids walking around in the street selling anything or b egging for money, those kids are beingRead MoreTaking a Look at Child Labor1500 Words   |  6 PagesStill to this day child labor is still going on in Democratic Republics. Children and young adults are still fighting for their lives as I write this paper. Trying to help their poor parents survive and to help put food in their stomachs. Child Labor is when young kids and young adults work under poor work conditions. Most young kids worked for Carpet Company’s because their hands were small enough to grab the little strings. Young girls married under the age of 18 and most girls marry duringRead MoreThe Modern Day Slavery1105 Words   |  5 PagesEvery year millions of innocent kids, adults, males and females are forced to do things against their will. Whether its forced labor or prostitution, human trafficking happens everyday, everywhere, and all the time. It happens in the most unlikely places with the most unlikely people. Your neighbor, pastor, teacher, or even a family friend could be apart of the trafficking system. Human trafficking is problem that affects millions of lives and needs to be stopped by educating people about it. HumanRead MoreJunk Food Should Be Banned835 Words   |  4 Pagesamongst students and the ban on it has affected students as well as the schools themselves. The ban on junk food should be repealed, mainly because students will get junk food on their own, but the schools are also suffering from this ban, and finally, studies show that junk food is not the only cause of obesity. The first reason why we need to take away the ban on junk food is kids will get junk food no matter what. According to Rosenthal, â€Å"students at some open-campus schools have made it a practiceRead MoreThe Veil And Salvation By Mary Satrapi And Langston Hughes Adventure980 Words   |  4 Pagesand Langston Hughes adventure themselves on this topic by writing respectively â€Å"The Veil† and â€Å"Salvation†. Both texts illustrate the control of religion by humans for their own benefit. By using a claim of solution, the authors demonstrate that one should find his own path to God. Even though they both share the same idea they approach it differently; one through politics and the other through society. Through this essay both approaches will be shown. Parents are the world of their children. WhenRead MoreExpectation Vs. Reality : Expectation1579 Words   |  7 PagesExpectation: a belief that someone will or should achieve something. Most parents have expectations for their children to live a successful life, whether that be the CEO of a giant company or just being the captain on the football team, parents overall want their child to grow and be triumphant. Nevertheless, there definitely is a point when the expectations become unrealistic. In fact, some parents have such high expectations, they resort to isolating their kids from anything but school: including extracurricular

Criminal Justice Research Paper Free Essays

1. Fred is drunk and driving his dad’s car. Fred is a 21 year old student at Columbia College. We will write a custom essay sample on Criminal Justice Research Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now Fred rams into a parked car at 10th and Rogers. Thinking no one saw him; Fred moves his car and parks it on an adjacent lot. He sprints to his dorm room in Miller Hall. A neighbor saw the wreck and Fred running to the dorm. Police are called and they arrive ten minutes after the wreck. The officers see several empty beer cans and a bottle of tequila (half full) in the front seat. The tags are traced to Fred’s dad, who is called by police. Dad says that Fred is a student at Columbia College. Police run Fred’s record and determine that he has two prior DWIs within the past five years. The third DWI in 10 years is a felony. Police contact Columbia College security who leads them to Fred’s dorm. Fred is passed out, so security lets them in. The officers smell intoxicants, give Fred some Field Sobriety tests (he fails) and confirm that he was driving the car. Fred is arrested for DWI. It is his third offense, a felony under Missouri law. Fred is given a breath test, which registers at . 13 on the scale. During the processing of his arrest paperwork, the officers search Fred’s possessions which he brought to the station, and a small quantity of cocaine is found in Fred’s pocket. Fred is charged with DWI, leaving the scene, and possession of cocaine. What issues do you see? How should they be resolved? (50 points) First of all this, is a legal arrest. A neighbor saw the wreck and Fred running to the dorm. That is sufficient in itself to establish probable cause to arrest Fred for leaving the scene of an accident. The follow-up police investigation added more factors to establish probable cause to arrest for DUI and leaving the scene. A prosecuting ttorney will present evidence that a) Fred has no alibi for the time and date the crime occurred, b) he left evidence at the scene and in his vehicle, c) he failed the Field Sobriety Tests, d) he blew a . 13 on the breathalyzer, e) and he has past records of DWI, and f) he was found to have possession of cocaine. The prosecuting attorney uses this series of specific examples to prove Fred committed the crimes. There would be an issue of whether it was legal for the security guard to give access to Fred’s room. This issue would be resolved because it is totally legal for security uard to give access due to exigent circumstances. . Cole County deputies obtain a search warrant for Mike’s trailer for controlled substances. The warrant was based upon information provided by an informant, some officer corroboration, and the fact that Mike has a past record for drug offenses. The deputies execute the warrant. As it turns out, Mike has no past record for drugs, th e court clerk made an error. This means the warrant will be found lacking in probable cause by the appellate court. While executing the warrant, they observe large quantities of controlled substances, which they seize. While they are executing the warrant a man drives up and knocks on the door. The officers detain the man during the search. The dog accompanying the officers begins to bark at the man’s trunk. The officers open the trunk and see large trash bags with a substance which smells and looks like marijuana. This man (Larry) is arrested for possession ot marijuana. Mike is charged witn possession ot a controlled substance. Are the drugs admissible in Court against Mike? Why or why not? What about Larrys case, are the drugs admissible? Why or why not? (50 points) Whether this search is legal or not depends on the exact circumstances under which it was conducted. In a situation like this, the police have the authority to stop and detain anyone coming to or leaving the residence as they arrive to execute the search warrant. Once you are lawfully detained, they have the right to conduct at least a pat down search for officer safety purposes. If the drugs were found as a result of the pat down search, there is no doubt that it was a legal search and seizure. Whether they could go further than a simple pat down would depend on other factors, such as conversation between the cops and the etainee, as well as other activity in the immediate vicinity and possibly even statements by other people at the scene. Determining for sure whether there are grounds to object to the search and seizure requires review of all of the reports regarding the case. Depending on the nature and quantity of the drugs seized, this could possibly be a serious case. In any event, the person involved should consult with a criminal defense attorney or, if he cannot afford private counsel, with the public defender if he is charged. Officer had probable cause to affect a traffic stop after he observed defendant ollowing too closely. Defendant’s and passenger’s behavior after stop provided reasonable suspicion to expand the detention, and a positive drug dog sniff provided basis for search of vehicle. I’m not aware of reason that the interpretation of the 4th Amendment would be any different in Oklahoma than it is in any other state. All states have to follow the US Supreme Court’s decisions on 4th Amendment issues. It would be true that once an officer has conducted a pat down search and determined that there are no weapons, he is not allowed to go further in searching without either consent or a warrant. On the other hand, it is not the law anywhere that such a search must be limited to the feel of a gun. Any object which might possibly be used as a weapon can be retrieved during a pat down search. Whether retrieval of a bag of dope from the suspect’s pocket would go beyond the allowable scope of the pat-down search would still depend on the totality of the circumstances, including what the bag of dope felt like (for example, was it a hard object that could be a weapon or a soft plastic baggie). There is another issue, as well. If this person is leaving a place for which a search arrant has been issued, the police already have a reasonable suspicion of involvement in criminal activity which would Justity a detention beyond a simple pat- down and identification. What else is said and done by others at the scene (cops and suspects) and what is found in the search may Justify extending the detention of the person who was leaving as a possible suspect in drug sales or possession. The search you asked about occurred under similarly exigent circumstances, the evidence was easily disposable and the intrusion was very limited. So, it seems to e, the evidence seized under the circumstances you described would still be admissible. 3. Kyle and Mel are detectives in the property crimes unit. They are investigating a case of leaving the scene of an accident. The victim’s car suggested an impact on the right front bumper of victim’s car. While canvassing a neighborhood on another matter, Mel sees a car parked in a garage. The garage is attached to the house, but the door is open. The car shows physical damage to the left rear quarter panel with smudges similar to those on victim’s car. How to cite Criminal Justice Research Paper, Essays

Charlottes Web Book and Film Essay Example For Students

Charlottes Web Book and Film Essay When comparing the novel Charlotte’s Web with the 1973 animated movie version, there are some obvious differences. A main and initial difference is that the movie is a musical, and the book doesn’t portray a musical aspect to the story. Furthermore, one sees that in the movie, Wilbur doesn’t speak or talk, until he arrived at the Zuckerman Farm, and this isn’t as obvious in the novel as in the movie. When reading the book, when Wilbur first begins to speak, a person may think that the goose was â€Å"teaching† Wilbur how to speak. But in the musical, Wilbur begins to talk from the get go. One can also see that for example, there is no mention of Wilbur’s attempt to escape in the musical, unlike in the book, where it was of crucial importance. There is also the fact that new character were added such as Henry Fuss’ mother, who chases Wilbur out. The relationship between Fern and Henry is stronger in the movie than in the book. Other examples are like the fact that Wilbur saves Charlotte by attacking Avery directly, unlike the book. There some changes to the film, like the number of spiders that Charlotte gave birth to was 5000, which was not the number in the book. Another important thing for one to notice in the book is the fact that Mr. Dorian the doctor was cut out. In the book, he is very important because he is the first human character to actually be able to understand Fern and Charlotte, and how children may see and hear things. Instead he was replaced by a gosling, who I think was very annoying, because pf constant weird songs and talkative advice. I think that with these general differences between the book and the movie, I can say that the book is more effective in almost any way. If someone wanted to enjoy reading this book to children, or to simply learn from an academic perspective, the book is the way to go. The movies is great specifically on a comedic and â€Å"family time† sense, because there is a lot of music that children can enjoy. But the book also delivers that, and much more. The book has both comedic and also intensive vocabulary for the children to enjoy, and also learn. An example is the characters’ way of speech. They speak in a unique way, and some of them (such as charlotte) talk with high vocabulary, making the other characters ask what it is, but also for the reader to learn something new. The movie does cover some of it, but it doesn’t match. Having the script of the movie almost identical delivers a sort of boredom to the listener. Reading it to a child is better, instead of watching it in between an average of 10 musicals in the movie. Charlotte’s Web is a book/novel where the impossible and tough because possible. The Animals and talk with each other, and also save each other’s lives, as Templeton played a major role in saving Charlotte’s life, but also biting Wilbur’s tail to keep him upright, and not fainting. This is also another difference in the book, because Templeton bites him during the end of the book, unlike in the movie. This attempts to show Templeton’s potential for â€Å"goodness and heroism† as he was greedy and mean all the time. The movie is great, but it does not compare to the book, by a long margin.

What Constitutes an Ethical Response

The Consciousness Raising Model

The Consciousness Raising Model Abstract Consciousness raising model is a process of creating awareness in a new language, learning it and then using it in conversations. Generally, the first step in consciousness-raising model in relation to English language is creating awareness that the language exists, and then distinguishing it from other languages and lastly, using it to communicate. New language consciousness is important, as it helps in making communication easier.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Consciousness Raising Model specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even though people master their first language easily, it is also possible for them to master other languages, especially when the best strategies of consciousness-raising are adopted. In most cases, when learning strategies used match with the learners’ needs and preferences, the learning process becomes easier. Nevertheless, consciousness-raising strategies in second lan guage learning are usually based on motivation of learners, aptitude test, learner’s cognitive ability, and the styles used in learning. These strategies have been proved by personality and social psychologists to be among the factors that determine individuals’ cognitive abilities. Introduction Consciousness-raising model is used to promote and develop cognitive ability of a learner in acquisition of a second language. Second language acquisition is the process that allows learners to master a new language, which is usually different from their first language. Teachers play a big role in raising consciousness on new language by allowing them to recognize its form, meaning, and context, and then learning how to use it. For example, a learner may first learn phrasal verbs used in English and then try to distinguish them from other sounds in other languages before they can be able to communicate using the language. Generally, in raising consciousness about a new language , learners’ differences cannot be ignored, hence the need for discussing second language acquisition in relation to the psychology of the learners. Therefore, this paper will discuss consciousness-raising model and strategies, as well as the styles that can be used in promoting second language learning, specifically the English language. It will also discuss the various individual differences that influence consciousness in second language acquisition, including personality traits and mood of the learners (Robinson, 2002).Advertising Looking for term paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Individual Differences and Consciousness Raising in Language Acquisition In order to come up with the best strategies for consciousness-raising process in second language acquisition, it is important to consider individuals’ differences and characteristics, mainly because they give the basis about their l anguage aptitude, learning styles, and motivation, which are very important contributors in the process of learning a second language (DÃ ¶rnyei, 2005). Individuals’ differences and characteristics that have contributed largely towards raising consciousness in second language acquisition include personality, moods, and learning motivation strategies. Therefore, it is important to consider values, interests, learning coping styles and social identity and relationships of the learners (Johnson, 2004). In addition, their cognitive perceptions and psychological aspects of life including health and educational lifestyle should be given priority in the process of raising consciousness in second language acquisition. Besides, individuals’ characteristics such as attitudes, emotions, skills, socio-economic status, and gender should also be given enough emphasis in order to develop better strategies of learning a second language. Evidently, proper analysis of these qualities w ill give more genetic codes about an individual’s cognitive skills, interpersonal abilities, and emotional attachments, which are very important in acquisition of second language (Macaro, 2010) Individual moods and Consciousness Raising in Language Acquisition Individuals’ moods and personality play an important role in the way individuals communicate, as well as in their self-esteem and beliefs. Therefore, a teacher should be sensitive to these moods and personality traits when raising consciousness about a second language in order to prevent instances of anxiety and fear in the learning process (DÃ ¶rnyei, 2005). Again, personality, temperament, and moods go hand in hand in the learning process, hence the need to consider them in the second language acquisition and learning process. Given that a learner is being introduced to new ideas and sounds, it is important to ensure that they are in the best mood to recognize and internalize what is being taught in order for the learning process to be effective.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Consciousness Raising Model specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Due to this important role that personality plays in the learning process, it is important to give it more emphasis in order to enhance effectiveness of second language acquisition and consciousness-raising process. One of the ways of studying personality involves the use of the big five model. This model involves controlling the use of common sense, hence determining an individual’s emotional stability and consciousness, which lead to good results and good performance in the learning process (Saville-Troike, 2005). Personality and Consciousness Raising in Language Acquisition According to social and personality psychologists, an individual’s personality has great effect on the process of his or her linguistic ability and second language acquisition (Ellis, 2003) . Again, personality plays a significant role in speech acquisition, which makes it important for personality aspects and applied linguistics to be largely considered in the process of teaching oral language including speech. Indeed, research shows these two aspects have an important impact on the theoretical aspects and application in raising consciousness in second language study and learning. Besides, it is important to consider language aptitude of the learner, since it has great influence on the cognitive aspect of second language acquisition. It is also important if the individual’s mental ability is considered in teaching some language styles and methodologies, since the reasoning and thinking skills should be well developed for consciousness-raising process to be effective. Nevertheless, psychologists believe that the process of acquiring new knowledge and processing information depends mostly on the mental abilities (Ellis, 2003). Motivation and Intelligence Developm ent According to research, it is clear that second language acquisition depends on an individual’s intelligence quotient. Hence, it is important to improve the intelligence of learners in order to facilitate the acquisition of English as a second language (Ellis, 2003). Modern language aptitude test, which involves testing numbering, phonetic script, and spelling clues, is also very important in the process of learning English as a second language; hence, the test should be used as one of the strategies of raising consciousness in learning second language.Advertising Looking for term paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, factors such as role learning ability, grammatical sensitivity, and phonetic coding ability should be put into consideration in the process of learning English as a second language. For an individual to learn more effectively, it is usually important that auditory ability, verbal intelligence, and inductive language learning ability of the learner be improved to gain more knowledge about the rules governing the use of English language (Ellis, 2003). The use of good motivational strategies has been regarded as some of the means and ways of improving second language acquisition, since it increases learners’ self-confidence, thereby giving them more courage to express themselves using the new language learnt. Motivation also gives learners, the courage to be involved in self-evaluation, hence leading to self-improvement towards learning of the second language (DÃ ¶rnyei, 2005). Styles Used in Raising Consciousness in Language Acquisition Theories such as task motiv ation theory can be used in order to improve awareness in English language acquisition. Parental influence, learner’s beliefs, and giving feedback to learners can also be effective in motivating learners to become more aware about the use of the new language (Lamb Reinders, 2008). Various styles can be used in raising consciousness in language acquisition such as the use of reflective observation as well as the use of divergence and convergence, including both active and concrete styles of learning. These styles will enable individual learners to develop their own thinking abilities and generate concrete ideas. It is also important that learners be allowed to involve in try-outs, which involve guessing meaning of phrases, verbs and other stylistic linguistics used in English language, followed by continuous and consistent practice. Deductive and inductive styles of learning should also be applied in raising consciousness about a new language in order to enhance faster learni ng of the second language (Robinson, and Ellis, 2008). Conclusion From the above discussion, it is clear that learning a second language requires raising consciousness about the new language and then using strategies that match an individual’s needs and preferences in order to produce positive results. Again, it is clear that personality and individual characteristics play a major role in influencing the effectiveness of consciousness-raising process in second language acquisition. In addition, various style of language learning should be considered in raising consciousness on acquisition of the second language, given that learning different languages requires different styles. From the paper, it is also evident that an individual’s moods and capabilities, including the intelligence level, determine the level of consciousness needed in acquisition of a second language. Cognitive ability must be well developed in order to accommodate the various complex rules and method ologies in second language learning. Moreover, since language promotes easier communication and relationships between individuals, it is important to establish the best strategies that will enhance raising consciousness about the new language and allow learners to use it effectively. Therefore, consciousness-raising strategies discussed above should be adopted in order to promote the acquisition of English as a second language. References DÃ ¶rnyei, Z. (2005). The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition. New Jersey, USA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. Ellis, R. (2003).Second language acquisition. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Johnson, M. (2004). Philosophy of Second Language Acquisition. New Haven, CT, USA: Yale University Press. Lamb, T., Reinders, H. (2008). Learner and Teacher Autonomy: Concepts, Realities, and Responses. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamin’s publishing Company. Macaro, E. (2010). C ontinuum Companion to Second Language Acquisition. London, England: Continuum International Publishing. Robinson, P. (2002). Individual Differences and Instructed Language Learning. Philadelphia, USA: John Benjamin’s. Robinson, P., and Ellis, N. (2008). Handbook of cognitive linguistics and second language acquisition. New York, USA: Routledge. Saville-Troike, M. (2005). Introducing second language acquisition. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Cultural Diversity And Subcultures In The United States Essay

Cultural Diversity And Subcultures In The United States - Essay Example It is interesting to consider the process by which a subculture acclimates to life in the United States. Some may choose to hold fast to as many of their native values and traditions as possible while others may quickly forget who they used to be in exchange for adopting as American customs and value as quickly as possible. Still, others strive for that balance between being proud of their own heritage and accepting that they need to adapt to their new way of life in America. Much research has been conducted on this topic, particularly, in terms of how adolescents acculturate to American culture. Perhaps the two most dominant cultures forming a subculture in the United States would be those from an Asian culture and those of the Hispanic heritage. Since 1965, for example, there has been a steady increase in the number of Korean Americans residing in the country. They are predominately located in California and New York, forming their own subculture in many areas of Los Angeles and New York City, in addition to other pockets around the country as well. Koreans have very strong bonds with their family, and they have a strong sense of Asian values. Research has shown that they largely maintain these customs when living in America. Korean parents often teach their children Korean language, history, morals and general customs. As such, Korean youth is torn between accepting the values and mores of their host culture, while maintaining their strong Asian heritage that their parents are working so hard to protect. An interesting component of this is that South Korean has adopted many western values of their own, such as materialism that has made

Interview an agency administrator Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interview an agency administrator - Essay Example The case record in an agency has several purposes. One of the purposes is to provide information for quality improvement and evaluation of activities. It is also used for purposes of research as it provides a baseline for the research. The case record ensures transparency and accountability of the financial bodies of the agency. The content elements in the case record structure include the problem or diagnose including its cause. Another content element is the interventions which provide the way in which the problem is treated or solved. The outcome is the last content element in the case recording structure. It presents the progress of the case that is, whether it is fairing well or it is worse. Thus the structure is designed in that, the problem appears first followed by the intervention and lastly is the outcomes of the case. There are different purposes of content and structure in case recording. One of the purposes is to provide clear information about the client situation which is the problem. According to Kiser (2007), content and structure provide a clear flow of the assessment that was done on the client. They show the information about the services that are offered to the client hence accountability. They also provide details of case was implemented and also information about the end of the case.

The Government of the Russian Federation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Government of the Russian Federation - Essay Example The transformation in foreign policy thinking profoundly impacted policy making and was based on the realization that the real security threat to Russia came from the deteriorating economy due to excessive military spending. Rather than applying the overt exhibition of military power, Gorbachev chose to apply political influence. He improved diplomatic relations and economic cooperation by such actions as unannounced personal appearances at public events both within and outside Soviet borders. Gorbachev charismatically utilized the world media and made political concessions in the resolution of regional conflicts and arms negotiations that were previously unimaginable under the old regime. The ‘New Thinking’ aided the Soviet Union in garnering wide approval of many nations. Its peace-making policy that released Soviet control over Eastern Europe ultimately led to the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War. Its success would entail radical changes not only in t he way the economy functions, but in social and cultural policy, in Soviet political life, and ultimately, in the way in which the Soviet Union deals with the larger international community. By-products of the ‘New Thinking,’ perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness) initiated far-reaching governmental policy changes that affected virtually every aspect of Soviet life. These new concepts were a distant departure from previous Soviet practices. This discussion will focus on the building of the Russia Federation, the competing ideologies within the government along with Russia’s new approach to foreign policy and how it was designed to tie in with internal reforms. It will briefly review recent political history leading up to this new way of thinking including how such a radical departure from past procedures and policies was accomplished and the subsequent consequences this reversal of political thought inspired as well as its far-reaching

Validity and Reliability of Selection Interviews

Validity and Reliability of Selection Interviews When Organisations are recruiting to find a suitable individual for a position they currently hold, it can be difficult to monitor and ensure that all possible steps are being taken to ensuring that each interview carries the same validity and reliability. This is to ensure that each individual who is being interviewed is given the same equal opportunity, alongside the organisation employing an individual who suits the job specification best. Validity and reliability of structured interviews can have a large impact on type of person that is employed and also affect the actual security that the person employed is the best suited from all the applicants. Selection interviews traditionally consist of a candidate interacting with one or more people from the organisation who have assessed the candidate as meeting the criteria which the role requires. The interviews generally last between 15 and 60 minutes and help the organisation decide whether or not an individual should be offered a job. In general, interviews follow one of three structures (Unstructured; Semi-Structured and Structured). The three vary by the amount of prior preparation for the interview in regards to questions to be asked and how the answers should be assed. Often the more specific answers required from an interview will be shown by the more structured approach an interviewer will take in preparation of the questions. Reliability of the interview is argued to often be low, in that interviewers do not follow the same methods of questioning or method of evaluating each individual interview. Additionally, it has been noted that interviewers support the end decisions on different criteras, different standards, and alter in the amount the final decision is based upon the original intended criteria (e.g., Graves, L.M. and Karren, R.J., 1996. The employmentselection interview: A fresh look at an old problem. Human Resource Management 35, pp. 163-180. Full Text via CrossRef | View Record in Scopus | Cited By in Scopus (14)Timothy A. Judge, 2000: 384]). It has also been found that job performance is a lot more reliable and foretelling from structured interviews opposed to unstructured interviews. Research reviews of employment interviewing have concluded that carrying out an interview following a set structure can add to the reliability and validity of interviewer evaluations (e.g., Therese Macan, 1999: 2 09). Natural instinct to cast a first impression on a person is a major factor in trying to ensure an interviewer casts an unbiased decision which follows the original selection criteria. During interviewing it is vital that each applicant is each given a fair and open opportunity and the end decision on whether or not they are offered the place within the organisation is based entirely on how they performed against the role criteria. Ensuring that Gender, Race, Disability and appearance do not hold any restrictions on each individual interview. A study was carried out which looked into how interviewers can cast a bias opinion based on appearance, finding that applicants which were moderately obese (in particular female applicants) were less likely to be considered for employment despite meeting the required criteria of a role including required qualifications (Timothy A. Judge, 2000: 384). Further from this negative information often appears to become more memorable for an interviewer than positive information. Research has outlined that it often requires upto twice as much positive information to change any negative information the interviewer may have initially cast of an individual. . As a result, the unstructured interview has been labelled a â€Å"search for negative evidence (Timothy A. Judge, 2000: 384). This simply highlights the importance of an interview to have the ability to focus on information passed during an interview to ensure that each applicant is assessed following the same criteria to avoid natural instinct having a major impact on each applicants interview. With interviews being generally an unnatural environment applicants generally spend time preparing for the interview, looking into the company history, preparing answers for generic answers that are usually asked for job roles of that criteria. This would inevitably lead to the answers given being unrealistic responses of how an applicant may act in a role within an organisation. This simply highlights the importance of interview containing questions which are going to show a realistic response to show an applicants approach and ethos towards their working life. During the interview this can be achieved by adding unstructured questions which will allow the interviewer to add and expand on answers given to try and get a more realistic and honest response which will further add to the value of the responses given from a candidate. This can also work well within a structured interview situation, as having an opening for several unprepared questions, can give a candidate further chance t o show their true capabilities. Taking into account unavoidable effects (e.g. Anxiety, signs of being Nervous and body language) of environments like Interviews, consideration needs to be taken by the interviewer to account for these. Often anxiety levels can be raised for an applicant during interviews which can an effect on the responses and conduct during the interview which may result in the applicant not showing their full capabilities. A selection of Undergraduates took part in a mock interview model with peers, which shows sustained levels of raised anxiety before and during the interview, followed by a significant decrease directly after. (Therese Macan, 1999: 209). During an interview it has to be taken into consideration that responses given can sometime be not a true reflection of a candidates natural response in any other situation, so allowing time and a chance to develop an answer is crucial to maintaining a high level of validity from the responses given. All of the elements within this essay which highlight possible affects on an interview fall part of what can be seen as a ‘halo effect. With judgements and stereotyping being cast too easily without looking at each interviewee directly on how well they are suited to the role criteria of which their hiring for. Training for any interviewer is crucial, as they need to learn the ways in which they might cast these judgements subconsciously; avoiding these spontaneous biases is one of the most crucial parts of carrying out interviews to ensure that the most suited candidate is chosen. By following more structured interviews situations like the halo effect can be more easily avoided. By offering each candidate the same set of questions and time for their interview then they each will have as open an opportunity as possible to give their best response. In more recent years, human response management specialists have become more involved within the interviewing process as they have to ensure all interviews are following the orangisations equal opportunities policy. Following these latest changes it has opened more opportunities for minority groups which previous may have been of more of a disadvantage to have a fair and equal opportunity when applying for any role, and how they are assess during the selection interview stage. Overall trying to maintain a high level of validity and reliability within an unnatural environment can be difficult and hard to maintain. It is crucial within any interview environment to try and place measures which can both account for these abnormalities and a way to take them into account. If they are not fully considered then an organisation may end up employing an individual for a role which they are not the best suited from all the candidates. One of the most important factors to avoid is an interviewers personal opinion on a candidate as shown from the research in this essay; they often can cast subliminal opinions on candidates because of personal opinion, anxiety and from misinterpreting responses during an interview. The employment of any individual for an organisiation is timely and costly exercise, ensuring all steps are taken to make the right decision on choosing a candidate is important. Make the wrong choice due to errors during the selection interview stage and a n egative impact may be felt by the organisiation afterwards.

Deontological Ethics Essay -- essays research papers fc

Deontological Theory of Ethics Introduction When ethics is explored, and an inquiry into its origin and sources are explored to find definition and clarity around ethics, one initial discovery will be that two main views on ethical behavior emerge. One of those theories is the deontological theory of ethics. Ethics and ethical decisions surround themselves around what is the goodness or badness of any particular choice or decision. When exploring ethics, it is necessary to explore what are the different thoughts surrounding what framework is used to weigh this goodness and badness. Deontological Theory explores this very point. Defining Deontological Theory Deontological theories of ethics are almost synonymous with Kantianism, after a philosopher, Immanual Kant. Although it must be noted that his views are simply one view of deontological theory, which will be explored later in this paper, it is important to note his powerful influences here. Deontologists base their evaluation of actions in and of themselves. In other words, deontologists view actions without regard to consequences or potential outcomes of any given choice or action. Ethical decisions are made simply by viewing the intrinsic goodness or badness of the act itself. In a simple example, if lying were deemed an intrinsically unethical act, deontologist would hold that lying would never be ethical, regardless of the potential outcome of telling a lie. (Cline n.d.) When viewing deontological thought, one of the first questions that will appear is what framework or system is used to judge the inherent features within actions that determine whether or not they are right. There are many different thoughts behind this question, but for the purpose of an initial definition of the concept, the influences that guide deontological thought come from various sources, such as "religion, biology, psychology, metaphysics, culture, language, etc. Considering the source of the foundation for the deontological thought an act's duty may be absolute (without exception), overridden by a more important duty, or only hold under certain circumstances. The following sections will explore the different types of thought and theories that drive the foundation of deontological thought. The first explored will be the most ... ...horoughly understand. It is a multilayered and multifaceted conceptual study that can controversial for some because of all the overlapping influences on the essence of ethics. It is challenging for ethics to be examined without influences such as religion, politics, culture, race or other highly volatile topics also being raised. It even becomes more challenging to decipher what viewpoint is right about the topic of making moral choices, or the choice that is right. Who is right about what is right? It can baffle the mind and find you thinking and speaking in circles. The deontological viewpoint of ethics is a theory that has tried to place definition on a theory that is indefinable. Although the criticisms are heavy and forthright in regards to deontological ethics, their foundation is truly essential in the discovery and exploration of ethics. Works Cited Action, H.B. Kant’s Moral Philosophy. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1970. Cline, A., (n.d.). Deontologica Ethics. Retrieved March 18, 2005, from http://atheism.about.com. Frankena, W.K., Ethics, (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1973). Warner, D.W., The Basis for Ethical Conduct, (Amberton University, 2002).

Chinese Mythology Essay

Mythology is a collection of myths or the study of ancient traditional stories of gods or heroes, giving an explanation to an unexplained event. For Plato, the fist known user of the term, muthologia meant know more than the telling of stories (Kirk 8). Mythology is an important aspect to the world, today. Through the study of myths help us develop an idea of what the cultures were like. It includes hints that exhibit how they lived their lives. Myth is its serious purpose and its importance to the culture (Lansford 1). Every culture has its own myth that explains about the nature of that particular culture. The Chinese culture has been around for many centuries, its myths have accumulated into varies stories of gods and their culture. China is the world’s oldest continuous civilization (Cotterel 9). Evidence show the earliest Chinese civilization to be found around 1650 B. C. The beginnings of Chinese mythology, started around the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Influenced by alchemist ideas, Taoist and Buddhist superstitions, various writers created storied about their enigmatic surroundings. The beginning of the Chinese civilization is based on mythology. One of the creation myths is about the beginning of the world. In it, the world began as an egg and cracking open, the top of the shell grew to be the sky, the lower shell became the Earth, and in the middle stepped a man named P’an-gu. Mythology of the ancient Chinese is apparent through art, music and literature. Since, there is no explanation of how the Chinese civilization began; mythology has been a way of explanation to the Chinese culture and other cultures around the world, today. Chinese mythology, as with many other cultures, has many gods and goddesses that are in charge of various things. In the Ancient Chinese culture, there are gods and goddesses for every important aspect of the people’s life, even things as unlikely as the stove god and the door god. Other deities that were important to the Chinese people were the gods of the elements such as Chu Jung, the fire god, Lei Kun, the thunder god, the wind god, and the lightning goddess. Most of the element gods devoted themselves to punishing criminals and keeping evil spirits away. There were also important gods in charge of fields such as Kuan Ti, the god of war, Kuan Yin, the goddess of compassion, T’Shai-shen, the god of wealth and Tsao hsang, god of the hearth. Although there gods were very important to the Chinese people, one of the most important gods was Nu wa, the mother goddess. She was a compassionate goddess who created mankind and bestowed love and creation to them. She helped her people when they were in need, like when she created rice from her own milk and blood in order to feed her people. She was very humble and a modest goddess, not wanting credit for her benevolence. The gods and goddesses of Chinese mythology were basically deities that symbolized the good and just qualities that people should imitate in their everyday life. The basis of Chinese life was a belief in harmony and balance (Williams 20). The Chinese believed in harmony with nature, and sometimes honored the spirits with gifts, feasts, and rituals. The Chinese believed the souls of the dead returned (Williams 20), a concept of Buddhism. The family held Chinese society together (Williams 20). In China, many generations of families lived together, even in the same house, and the children were taught to respect and obey their elders (Williams 20). As in all cultures, men were ? superior’ to women in China. Parents believed they would become gods after they died, if they had a son (Williams 21). This belief was taken fiercely to the point that the parents would kill a newborn female. A custom that the upper-class women followed was of foot binding, which was believed to make the foot appear tiny, since the culture considered small feet feminine and delicate. The most important festival in China was the Chinese New Year, it is held in the spring of each year. During this festival, offerings were given to the sprits. In China, the color white is considered the mourning color and the children showed respect for dead parents by fasting and wearing thick clothes (Williams 21). Most beliefs and customs of the Chinese culture appear from the religions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. The Chinese culture has a long history of beliefs and customs, which are used by the generations before and now. It is highly unlikely that the generations to come would not be following the same beliefs and customs of the ancient Chinese. The origin of religion goes back to prehistoric times when the earliest people of China sought answers to the same basic questions that have baffled primitive men over the world: what is the unseen force that brings darkness and light, winter and summer, drought and rain, life and death; what must men do to appease this force? (Schafer 57) Ancient China has three main religions Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Confucius was concerned mostly with laws made by people, and whether people were naturally good or naturally evil. In contrast, the followers of Lao-tzu believed people were guided by universal laws, not human ones. This was the basis of Taoism (Williams 18). Taoists tried to live a life of simplicity and meditation close to nature. Taoism was mystical and influenced by ancient Chinese folk religion. Its followers used magic as well as prayer and diet to seek eternal youth (Williams 19). Taoists were peaceful people who generally lived peaceful lives. Buddhists follow the teachings of Buddha (born 563 B. C. ), a north Indian prince who devoted his life to a search for personal peace, or enlightenment. The name Buddha means â€Å"enlightened one†. He believed that by giving up worldly desires, such as for fine food and clothes, a blissful state called nirvana could be achieved. In nirvana there was freedom from sorrows of the world. Indian belief as that time held that people were reborn many times. Persons who had lived badly in former lives might be born in an animal or insect form. Buddha said that by reaching nirvana, this endless cycle of rebirth could be broken (Cotterell 27). Buddhists follow an â€Å"eight-fold path,† this is like a code by which they live. Confucianism came in earlier than Taoism and Chinese Buddhism. The so-called Confucian classics were, in fact, complied long after the death of Confucius by disciples of his disciples, and were edited and interpreted in Han times by government scribes; but they purport to reflect the views of the great sage of antiquity on history, religious rites, morals, and standards of behavior. The state officers of Han times accepted these interpretations and associated them with the standardized pagan nature worship of state cult as a part of the acceptable way of life for a Han gentleman. We in the west sometimes call this way of life, which includes both reverence for the ? ancient’ books and the ? ancient’ gods, ? Confucianism’ (Schafer 60-61). Confucianism flourished in China as so did the other religions. The Chinese were inquisitive people, always inventing and always wondering how things worked. It is only logical for them to generate religions that explain how life is and how it will be in the afterlife. In Chinese mythology, myths and legends deal with aspects of human nature, human relations and social life (Owens). Chinese myths use human traits, like emotion, to convey lessons. The myth on the creation of man clearly depicts the basics of a Chinese myth. After P’an-gu, creator of the world, died and his body transformed into different elements of the Earth, Nu wa, the dragon goddess, came down from heavens and admired P’an-gu’s creation. In order to honor P’an-gu’s sacrifice to the Earth, Nu wa decided to create humans. She started to make them out of yellow clay, but since it took much of her strength, she dipped a rope into the mud and when she took it out, the drips became people. Her clay and mud people were not alive, so her heart took pity and she breathed her divine breath into them. She also whispered thoughts of love and creation into their ears and told them to reproduce. The people made of yellow clay became the rich and the people Nu wa made of mud became the poor. This myth explains many aspects of human life. It explains how the social classes came to be and also human emotions. Nu wa shows human emotions like honor, when she was determined to let P’an-gu’s death not be in vain; in compassion, she breathed her divine breath into each and every human. This myth represents human relations because Nu wa put ideas of love and procreation into the human race’s mind. These Chinese myths explain how the good and bad came to be and how a person should live a happy a fulfilling life. Mythology is not a subject that should be ignored. It is an important subject that should be learned and understood by all cultures so that as a world, we can come to understand each other better. The first step in hatred is fear. Fear of the unknown can generate more hate than anyone could possibly fathom. If everyone became educated about other culture, there would be little to know unknown, and there would probably be less hate in the world. Mythology, the study of myths, gives people an insight to others dreams, hopes, and their fears. We all have hopes, dreams, and fears. By learning about other cultures’ hopes, dreams, and fears we can feel more connected to each other and reach out. Mythology is a key element in keeping peace without shedding blood. Work Cited Cotterel, Arthur. Ancient China. Kirk, Geoffrey Stephen. Myth: its meaning and functions in ancient and other culture California; University of California Press. 1970 Lansford, Tyler. â€Å"Mythology† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2002. Microsoft Corporation, 2002 Owens, D. W. â€Å"Ancient Chinese Mythology: Gods and goddess folklore† Google. com. November 5, 2003 Schafer, Edward H. Ancient China. New York; Time Inc. 1967 Williams, Brians. Ancient China. Middlesex, England; Reed Educational and Professional Publishing, Ltd. 1996.

Essay on Omid Safi Memories of Muhammad Why the Prophet Matters

Essay on Omid Safi Memories of Muhammad Why the Prophet Matters There are currently about 1.5 billion Muslims who consider Muhammad as the reliable messenger of God and link to divinity. After the bombing of twin towers, there have been a lot of negative publications about Prophet Muhammad.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Omid Safi Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They depict Muhammad is a polygamist who started a religion that does not value women, and it embraces violence. He has been likened to Osama bin Laden. In fact, one of his portraits shows that he has hidden a bomb under his turban. A lot of violence has been linked with Islam leaving the non-Muslim in search of information about this religion. Dr. Safi a professor of Islamic studies recognizes that Prophet Muhammad is the center of all the confusion. He has written this book to aid the Muslim and non-Muslim understand his impact on Muslim religion. This essay will support the thesis that, Islam is about dignity and obedience to God, not oppression of women, extremism or terrorism. Mohammad was born at a time when communities worshipped idols rather than God. Most of their common practices revolved around superstition. Muhammad was sent by God to teach the people his will. The reason why people needed to obey God is to have an everlasting life in paradise. His ultimate message to mankind was that, there exists a supreme being with great authority and immense power. The author emphasizes the necessity of obeying and worshiping God, when he says After birth we envision God to be improved edition of ourselves, then the provider of comfort and all that is absent in our lives. Later we see him as a sovereign being, afterwards we discover that God is Love and magnificent (174). In addition to that, he says, One needs to know God to understand life(76). This emphasizes that humans cannot realize their purpose on earth, unless they seek God. â€Å"Re garding women, Muhammad said that of all the precious things in the world, there is non that is precious as a righteous woman† (205). Muhammad did not regard women any less than men.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is shown when he said that if a woman obeyed God’s law, such as praying five times a day and fasting in the month of Ramadan, she can choose to enter heaven, in whichever door she likes. These are the same requirements a man needs to fulfill in order to get to heaven. He also urges men to protect women, because if they do so, they would end up in heaven with Muhammad. Some of the Muslims have been associated with acts of terror. They claim that Muhammad teaches violence and spread of terror. During Mohammad’s lifetime, he was exiled and mocked. Even one of his neighbors used to throw rubbish on him every day in the morning. Over a nd over again he forgave his persecutors, even when he had the opportunity to revenge, for example, when Mecca was conquered. The relationship between Muhammad and the neighbor who used to throw rubbish at him changed for the better, after realizing the prophet’s kindness and concern. When she failed to throw rubbish on Mohammad one day, the prophet went up to see if everything was alright. The woman was touched by Muhammad’s care and, she became one of his followers. â€Å"This clearly demonstrates that Mohammad had no hatred for his enemies instead; he showed them love and kindness† (207). Some Muslims associate themselves with Mohammad through rage rather than sympathy. Speaking more on war, Safi quotes the Quran saying, â€Å"Do not attack those who propose to fight you and do not be violent, for God hates aggressors. Quran 2:190 (27). Regarding Muhammad’s polygamy marriages, there are certain aspects that people should know. During those days, it wa s alright for the Semitic and Arabs to practice polygamy. It was a normal practice, particularly among the leaders and dignified men. David, Solomon, and Abraham of the biblical times also practiced polygamy. On the peak of his life, Muhammad was married to Khadija only. After she died, that is when Muhammad married many wives. â€Å"Social and political motives to form alliances were the reason he married some women† (143). To the non-Muslim, Muhammad considered all human beings as God’s children. One of Muhammad’s religious practices was connecting social life with internal meditation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Omid Safi Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the core messages of Muhammad was that no one is more significant than the other. He quotes the words of the prophet from the Quran 2:177, Food for a single person satisfies tw o people, and food for two people satisfies four people, and food for four people satisfies eight people† (197). In his book, Safi tells the non-Muslim people that Muhammad was sent by God for the sake of humanity. He says, â€Å"Muhammad stands for the potential in humans because he embraces what it means to be a perfect human† (174). Safi says that Quran does not accommodate other religions â€Å"†¦..but simply conveys the idea of one God and one leadership spread by many messengers to a multitude of people† (264). Although Muslim’s believes are different from other religions, they consider everybody in this world to be equal in God’s eyes. The author does not agree with Muslims who go out causing terror in the name of Muhammad. He says If a Muslims deserves to be called a Muhammads person, then it is up to a Muslims to embrace the qualities of compassion and fairness that Muhammad had. If Muslim is not to be merely a past description or deve lopment sign but a holy sign of hopeful to the morals of Muhammad, then it is critical to live by the divine example that Muhammad placed (Quran 33:21) (267). It is such a pity how bad the extremist Muslim make other law abiding Muslims look. Lastly Safi emphasizes on direct obedience, admiration of beauty, hospitality to strangers, high esteem of life, modest life, family and worship of Allah. Safi, Omid. Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters. New York: HarperOne, 2009. Print.

This essay is about the life of Alexander the Great.

This essay is about the life of Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great's relation to triumph is obvious; he created an army which took over most of the known world. But what is not known widely is how tragic his life was. I cannot do full justice to his life but I will do my best to describe it.When Alexander was a child his parents were constantly fighting and his father was usually away on campaigns, so he rarely saw him when he was young. He therefore was usually under his mother's influence.When he was a young man his father was killed and he had to take over an entire country by himself which was in very bad shape. As he grew he had to deal with disputes, revolts and cruel neighboring rivals.When he was a grown man he killed many people, including some of his friends while in a drunken rage who had saved his life.Alexander Muir Public School, Toronto, 1902 [OHQ-P...At one point in his life he killed a life long friend while drunk and then realizing what he had done would have killed himself if his bodyguards had not restrained h im. He then went into seclusion for three days.This is most likely just a small number of things that shaped Alexander the Great's life and it is likely some of the memories tormented him through most of his life. Most of Alexander's life was one big problem after another. I personally think it would have been hard to live with the blood of so many friends deaths on my hands, but maybe he could.Apart from the immense increase of international trade and the fraternization of many nations, what were the results, temporary and enduring, of the career of this great man? Of supreme and lasting importance to the world was the extension of Greek culture; secondly, a...

Why US should keep sugar quotas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why US should keep sugar quotas - Essay Example This agreement came to benefit most countries, as they could readily export their sugar to the US where sugar price was higher than in the world market. When sugar from other countries flooded the US market, the availability was higher than the demand and the result was a drastic fall in the prices of sugar. To redress the situation, the government had to intervene to reduce the quotas to be imported from each country. Taking such a measure was to protect the sugar industry as well as the farmers and producers of sugar. The government also ensured that if sugar falls below a set price per pound, it would by the sugar so that farmers are guaranteed a minimum price. With the NAFTA agreement reached in 19942, there have been a number of analyses to show that if care is not taking, then the US would witness dumping in the sugar market. Particularly worrying about this is issue is Mexico. It has been shown that as trade barriers fell with the creation of the NAFTA, U.S. exports of high-fructose corn syrup would flow into Mexico, and soft-drink makers in Mexico would start using high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener instead of sugar.

Immigration in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Immigration in the United States - Essay Example Through out the world people strive to maintain and higher their standards of living and thus America being an attractive country for standards is a ideal place for people to immigrate to. These illegal immigrants are both beneficial and harmful to the United States of America. This article would further discuss the topic of illegal immigration in the United States of America. Neighboring countries of Mexico and Cuba have mainly created the wave of illegal immigration currently prevailing in the United States. These illegal immigrants have a great effect on the internal structure of the country and also have an effect on the economy of the country. People immigrating to the United States have a basic reason of maintaining their living standards or get united with their families currently living there (Dudley, 2002). Illegal immigrants have yet not been allowed by the government of United States to live and work on the land with their consent. This is mainly because of the damages caused by these immigrants through out the country. The immigrants currently living on the land of United States is increasing rapidly and is making the situation alarming for the authorities. The population of the whole country is increasing day by day and thus the problems in the country are increasing. Illegal immigrants have a direct impact on the employment rate of the Nativ e Americans. This is because of the cheap labor provided by these illegal immigrants to the employer. And naturally due to the cheap labor provided by these illegal immigrants they are preferred by the employers. It is estimated that these immigrants have dislocated 730,000 jobs in this process (Hazen & Lane, 1998). On the other hand these illegal immigrants add up to the already congested traffic in the United States of America. The required formalities before driving are not met by these illegal immigrants and thus these illegal immigrants are involved in more fatal accidents on the road. These illegal immigrants not only break the rules of the state but also destroy the image of the state. However on the other hand these illegal immigrants have been of a great benefit to the whole economy of the United States. The jobs done by the illegal immigrants through out United States are solely done by them and are not done by any other Native American. These illegal immigrants are specia lly being called upon by employers so that they can work on particular jobs which can only be done by them. This helps to fill the requirements of the United States in terms of labor. Similarly it is also commonly said that the illegal immigrants are not openly paying taxes to the government and are therefore affecting the whole economy of the United States. However with the help of a massive research campaign it was found out the illegal immigrants are paying taxes in accordance to the states policy. Illegal immigrants helped to make $428 dollars to the states gross domestic product in the year of 2006 (Newman, 2006). This shows that even without the documents these illegal immigrants are partially paying the taxes of the state. It is shown through extensive research that immigrants play a vital role in stabilizing the economy of the United States (Flash, 1965). They also play a varying role in different work fields and bring both skilled and unskilled labor to

Review of Telephone and Data Network Research Paper

Review of Telephone and Data Network - Research Paper Example There are total two network segments for all the departments located at this site. The first network segment includes corporate and finance department. The second segment includes MFG, MTLS and QA departments respectively. The third network segment includes laser jet printers. The fourth segment indicated as a gateway switch on the network diagram indicates another network segment connecting all the servers located at the site. The fifth segment indicates the factory floor. Lastly, the sixth segment indicates WAN segment including devices that are required to communicate with the WAN interface. Pontiac is responsible for generating custom-based plastic parts. After analyzing the network diagram, the site has total four network segments. Three out of four are segmented to provide network services to employees working on the site. One of the three network segments is proving connectivity to the WAN devices. The fourth network segment is connecting the workstations of the manufacturing floor. In the end, the remaining site that is the research and development facility, which is also the head office of Riordan manufacturing, consists of total five network segments. The first two segments are providing network services to four different department including Corp, Marketing, Finance and HR. The third segment is connecting color printers. ... Physical intervention is required as the hub backs up each network segment, if the hub become nonoperational, the workstations of the entire department becomes unavailable on the network. Moreover, it is not necessary that each network segment is using the same cabling scheme (Chapter 5: Topology). Due to compatibility issues, cross cabling or straight cabling is required, consequently making difficult for network engineers to troubleshoot network issues. However, in the current network diagram, a standardized cabling scheme is implemented to ease network management issues. Moreover, due to separate network segments on the network, some network segments may become vulnerable to threats, as network administrators do not have a centralized access to the network devices. These considerations must be analyzed during the network design stage of an organization. Network LAN Topologies Network topologies are essential before implementing a network as per requirements of an organization. Top ology is a framework defining the arrangements of every object on the network. This includes workstations, network components, servers, WAN devices and many more. There are total five topologies to design a computer network. However, all of these five topologies shares certain factors. Each topology demonstrates disadvantages as well as advantages that will be discussed further. The five different topologies are illustrated below: Star Topology Star topology is recommended for the wired local area network. It is the most widely adopted topology. The star topology supports the centralized provision of network resources and services. The support staff can manage the network administrative and troubleshooting tasks centrally. Star topology helps to implement centralized security

The Stages of Consumer Buying Decision Process Essay Example for Free

The Stages of Consumer Buying Decision Process Essay A purchaser buy a product or service for the first time. The greater cost or risk, the larger the number of participants and the greater their information gathering. New task buying is the marketer greatest opportunity and challenge. The process passes through several stages. They are: 1. Awareness 2. Interest 3. Evaluation 4. Trial 5. Adoption Systems Buying and Selling Many business buyers prefer to buy a total solution to a problem from one seller. System buying – The practice that originated with government purchases of major weapons and communication systems. The contractor who has awarded the contract would be responsible for bidding out and assembling the system subcomponents from second tier contractor. This is the prime contractor provides a turnkey solution. System Contracting – A single supplier provides the buyer with all required MRO supplies (maintenance, repair, and operating supplies). During the contract period, the suppliers managed the customer inventory. System selling is a key industrial marketing strategy in bidding to build large scale industrial project, such as dams, steel factories, irrigation systems, pipelines utilities, and even new towns. Participants in the Business Buying Process Purchasing agents are influential in straight rebuy and modified rebuy situations whereas other department personel are more influential in new-buy situations. The Buying Center 1. Initiators Users or others in the organization who request that something be purchased 2. Users Those who will use the product or service. In many cases, the users initiate the buying proposal and help define the product requirement. 3. Influencers People who influence the buying decisions, often by helping define specifications and providing information for evaluating alternatives. Technical personel are particularly important influencers. 4. Deciders People who decide on product requirement or on suppliers 5. Approvers People who authorize the proposed actions of deciders or buyers 6. Buyers People who have formal authority to select the suppliers and arrange the purchase terms. Buyers may help shape product specifications, but they play their major role in selecting vendors and negotiating. In more complex purchases, buyers may include high-level managers 7. Gatekeepers People who have the power to prevent seller or informations from reaching members of the buying center. For example, purchasing agents, receptionist, and telephone operators may prevent salespersons from contacting user or deciders. Buying Center Targeting To target their efforts properly, business marketers need to figure out: Who are the major decision participant? What decisions do they influence? What is their level of influence? What evaluation criteria do they use? The business marketers is not likely to know exactly what kind of group dynamic take place during the decision process, although whatever information he can obtain about personalities and interpersonal factors are useful. Stages in the Buying Process 1. Problem Recognation The buying process begins when someone in the company recognizes a problems or need that can be met by acquiring a good or service. The recognation can be triggered by internal and external stimuli. Internal stimuli might be that the company decides to develop a new product and needs new equipment and materials or a machine breaks down and requires new parts. Externally, the buyer may get new ideas at a trade show, see and ad, or receive a call from a sales representative who offers a better product or a lower price. 2. General Need Description and Product Specification The buyer determines the needed item’s general characteristics and required quantity. The buyer will work with others engineers, users, to define characteristics such as reliability, durability, or price. Business marketers can help by describing how their products meet or even exceed the buyer needs. The buying organization now develops the item’s technical specification. Often, the company will assign a product value analysis engineering team to the project. Product value Analysis (PVA) is an approach to cost reduction that studies component to determine whether they can be redesigned or standardized or made by the cheaper methods of production. The PVA team will identify overdesigned components, for instance that last longer for the product itself.

Enterprise resource planning

Enterprise resource planning 1. INTRODUCTION Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are among the most important business information technologies to emerge in the last decade. The basic concept of Enterprise Systems is focused mainly on standardization, synchronization and improved efficiency. Thousands of major construction firms and increasing numbers from other sectors as well, either have just completed their first ERP implementations or are in the middle of this major undertaking. ERP systems can be defined as configurable information systems packages which integrate information and process across organisational functional areas (Kumar and Hillegersberg, 2000). The benefits of Enterprise Systems are very significant: coordinating processes and information, reducing carrying costs, decreasing cycle time and improving responsiveness to customer needs (Davenport 2000). Keeping the project on schedule, under budget and the quality are usually are the main problem that has been faced by the construction industry. Construction industry is one of the major industries in contributing the economy, eventhough it is measured to be one of the most highly fragemented, inefficient and geographically detached industries in the world (Chung, 2007). To overcome this inefficiency, a number of solutions have long been offered including implementation of IT. In the context of the construction industry, ERP would be defined as a computer-based business management system that integrates all processes and data of the business, including engineering/design, planning, procurement, construction and maintenance/operations (Tatari et al. 2007). Now a days numbers of major construction companies are implementing the integrated IT solutions such as ERP systems to better integrate their various functions. However, these integrated systems in construction present a set of unique challenges, different from those in the manufacturing or other service sector industries. Each construction project is characterized by a unique set of site conditions, a unique performance team, and the temporary nature of the relationships between project participants. This means a construction business organization needs extensive customization of pre-integrated business applications from ERP vendors. Unfortunately, such an extensive customization can lead a construction firm to ERP implementation failure. The ERP applications that are used by construction industry can be classified into two distinct groups: pre-packaged Software, and Web-based Project Management System (WPMS). Currently, the worlds biggest pre-packaged ERP software contributors involve SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, J.D. Edwards, and Baan. SAP is said to have about 60% of the world market (Holland, Light, Kawalek, 1999). 2. Problem Statement ERP has become an essential part of enterprise method over the globe. Use of ERP in other sectors is being stable and growing. Its critical influence within designing novel business environments and procedures has been noteworthy. Different organizations in assorted subdivisions have dedicated to paying out and have already paid out large summations of capital for the implementation of ERP in their organizations. These equivalent companies possess been able towards document major improvements, both concrete and elusive, within their campaigns as a outcome of ERP implementation. Large number of organizations have implemented ERP in their process and make it more effective and profitable. The same observation can be made for some of the most successful corporations in the world. The question needs towards be asked why is this? What are a number of the listened benefits that inflict corporations devote towards the implementation of ERP within their organizations? According to Oliver, Romm (2002), in common with other types of investment activity the adoption of an ERP system is a purposive intervention by an organization for bringing about a new state of affairs that is judged to be superior to the current state. The most bulk valued factor that are often stated as a intent for performing to the implementation of ERP: Integration Access of Information Improvement in process Thoughtfulness in business Dissatisfaction with out dated legacy systems After implementing ERP companies have been competent to enhance costumer relation, strengthen delivering the flexible supply chain partnerships, improving the organizational flexibility, improve decision-making competency and decreasing task culmination time and cost (Ahmed, and Ahmed, Azhar, Mallikarjuna, 2003). Although Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has been completely applied by various associations internationally, within almost everybody of the else principal industrial sectors, its utilization in the building industry has been limited to exert via a few large organizations The greatest gatherings of construction administration that have either failed in their efforts to take on this technology, or are not very apparent with it are Small and Mid Size Construction Organizations. These organizations comprises the strength of the construction industry and have their possess specified commercial and operational needs. The failure of Small and Mid Size Construction Organizations to adopt ERP, despite all its promise advantages, is a problem that desires to be addressed. It can be proposed that 2. RESEARCH PURPOSE The overall purpose of this research is to assess the critical success factors for the implementation of ERP systems to support construction industry and to what extent it is being used in enterprise integration and the benefits derived from using ERP systems. Furthermore, success factors coupled with the organizational performance will be assessed and validated. The relationship between the perceived performances will be assessed against the influence of upper management support, role of project champion in managing change in the organization, the level of organizational emphasis on communication and training, and organizational experience with ERP systems. 3. RESEARCH AIM The proposed research endeavours to investigate the following questions: What issues and problems faced by Construction organisations during the implementation of ERP systems? How can problems be reduced in implementing complex new technology into the existing structure of an organization? What must be considered, from the organizational as well as the technical perspective, to effectively integrate the technology and people in the organization who use it? Although this study cannot fully answer these questions, this research will provide valuable information concerning the technological and management systems used to support Construction organizations. Evaluation of implementation and problem issues will serve to further support management decision making. 4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS This research will identify the characteristics of ERP systems used in todays Construction industry. The results of this research will provide additional realistic information for construction organizations seeking to implement ERP systems, providing recommendations pertaining to the issues that must be addressed for companies to avoid critical problems in their own implementation of ERP systems. Questions to address: What are the critical success factors for implementing ERP system in a Construction organization? Is upper management support crucial to the success of ERP systems? What are the change management strategies the management should employed to help the successful implementation and performance of ERP systems? Is the success of ERP system depends upon the level of effective communication and the employee education and training? The generalized question to which this research will contribute is: What are the basic factors that determine the success of ERP systems implementation in regards to the ability of the system to influence organizational performance? When an organization decides to implement and integrate an extended, inter-departmental computer system into its operations, what issues must be addressed to indemnify that the computer application system will effectively contribute to organizational performance improvement? 5. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The objectives of this research are as follows: To independently obtain current information regarding the state of ERP systems in Construction organization today. To determine the critical success factors for implementing an ERP system in Construction organisation. To survey current users about factors that contribute to the success of ERP systems, especially in regards to effective communication, user training techniques, change management and the effect of upper management support. This will serve to validate previous research as well as obtain more information about successful experiences in industry. 6. Research method The research method appropriate for this research project will be of qualitative nature through an interpretive case study, where data collection techniques will consist of thorough literature review, secondary data review of documentation regarding the ERP project and interviews from senior computer, technical and management consultants. 2. Literarture Review 1. INTRODUCTION Literature is a term that refers to all sources of published data and Literature Review is a written summary about the findings from the literature (Hussey and Hussey, 1997). A literature review helps in establishing what research has been conducted on the researchers chosen area of study and also to identify what research is currently in progress (Saunders et al., 2000). In order to research into Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, a thorough literature review has been conducted with a centre of attention placed on ERP systems and the implementation of these systems in Construction organizations. Previous papers on ERP implementation projects will be reviewed focusing on successes and previous failures in ERP projects. As the research site is Hindustan Construction Company Ltd., the coonstruction sector has also been reviewed. 2. ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING 2.1The ERP Phenomena ERP systems are highly integrated software packages (Holland et al., 1999) that can be customised to cater for the specific needs of an organisation (Boudreau and Robey, 2000; Esteves and Pastor, 2001; Laberis, 1999). The concepts that have been evaluated and, at times, utilized by construction organizations in achieving the goal of improved efficiency through better management of collaborated knowledge is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)(Negahban and Baecher 2008). ERP systems have been defined to be a computer program that provides a general working platform for all departments of an enterprise with their management functions being integrated into the program (Jingsheng Halpin, 2003). Several definitions from the published literature are given to further explain the concept: ERP (enterprise resource planning systems) comprises of a commercial software package that promises the seamless integration of all the information flowing through the company-financial, accounting, human resources, supply chain and customer information (Davenport, 1998). ERP systems are configurable information systems packages that integrate information and information-based processes within and across functional areas in an organization (Kumar and Van Hillsgersberg, 2000). One database, one application and a unified interface across the entire enterprise (Tadjer, 1998). ERP systems are computer-based systems designed to process an organizations transactions and facilitate integrated and real-time planning, production, and customer response (OLeary, 2001). Kapp et al. (2001) defined ERP as a system of integrated procedure, rules and algorithms designed to function consistently time and time again (p. 85). The key point in an ERP system is integration. The purpose of ERP is to create one computer system that can perform all the functions of every department within an organization by linking all the departments into one single database. What ERP really does is organize, codify, and standardize an enterprises business processes and data. According to Negahban, S, 2008 By utilizing this technology would allow the construction industry to harness the power of collective knowledge. In addition, regulatory and competitive forces, financial demands of owners, and an ever-shortening timeline to finish projects contributed to an increased pace of the utilization of this technology in the construction industry. It took the construction industry longer than other industries to realize the importance of the utilization of IT applications in improving the possibility of ultimate success in an integrated project environment. 2.2 Evolution of ERP The history of ERP can be traced back in 1960s, when the system focuses mainly towards inventory control (Seo, 1999). During 1970s, a shift of focus towards MRP (Material Requirement Planning) was observed. This system helped in translating the master production schedule into requirements for individual units like sub assemblies, components and other raw material planning and procurement. This system was involved mainly in planning the raw material requirements (Kalakota and Robinson, 2001). Then, in 1980s came the concept of MRP-II (Manufacturing Resource Planning) which involved optimizing the entire plant production process (Seo, 1999; Kalakota and Robinson, 2001). In the beginning, MRP-II was an extension of MRP to include shop floor and distribution management activities. Afterwards, it was further extended to include areas like Finance, Human Resource, Engineering, Project Management etc (Seo, 1999). This gave birth to ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) which covered the cross-functional coordination and integration in support of the production process (Seo, 1999; Kalakota and Robinson, 2001). The role of enterprise resource planning (ERP) does not match its name. It is no longer related to planning and resources, but is rather related to the enterprise aspect of the name. ERP attempts to unify all systems of departments together into a single, integrated software program based on a single database so that various departments can more easily share information and communicate with each other.(chung,2007).The ERP include the entire range of a companys activities. It addresses both system requirements and technology aspects including client/server distributed architecture, RDBMS, object oriented programming etc (Bancroft, 1996). ERP systems are designed as an integrated set of software modules, all linked to a common database, handling a host of corporate functions such as finance, human resources, material management, sales etc. (Slater, 1998). Russell and Taylor (1995) suggested that the ERP of today differ from traditional MRP II system in the areas of relational database management, graphical user interface (GUI), fourth generation languages (4GL), client-server architecture and open system capabilities. In addition, Kapp et al. (2001), stated that the differences between ERP and MRP II is the inclusion of a variety of manufacturing processes within ERP, in which modern ERP software is able to handle both discrete work orders and flow orders, JIT and MRP, EDI, and hand-entered orders (p. 86). Wainewright (2002) also stated that MRP was used for tracking suppliers, work-in progress and the output of finished goods, while ERP was used for all type of business with additional functions including financials, payroll and human resources management. Furthermore, Kremzar and Wallace (2001) also stated that ERP is far better than MRP II for three reasons: a) ERP applies a single set of resource planning tools across the entire e nterprise, b) ERP provides real-time integration of sales, operating, and financial data, and c) ERP connects resource planning approaches to the extended supply chain of customers and suppliers. According to Koch(2002) the main reasons that companies take ERP are summarize below: Because of its Integrated Financial Information i.e. to create a single version of information which cannot be questioned because all the members of the company use the same system. The information is integrated on one system rather than scattered on many different systems that cannot communicate which each other, so that the company can track orders and can coordinate with different related departments across many different location at the same time. It standarized and speed up the process using single integated system which can save time and increase productivity. Reduces inventory by improving the observation ability of the order process inside the company. The popularity of ERP systems started to soar in 1994 when SAP, a German based company, released its next generation software known as R/3 (SAP, 2003). In the following years, companies began to pour billions into ERP systems offered by SAP and its major competitors such as Oracle, Baan, J.D. Edwards, etc. Recently, ERP vendors add more modules and functions as add-ons to the core modules giving birth to the new term i.e. extended ERPs or ERP II (Adam and Sammon, 2004). It is the enterprise systems for the 21st century. These ERP extensions include advanced planning and scheduling (APS), e-business solutions such as customer relationship management (CRM) and supply chain management (SCM) (Bhattacherjee, 2000). ERP II systems are about optimizing the supply chain through collaboration with trading partners. It crosses all sectors and segments of business, including service industries, government, and asset-based industries like mining (Turban et al. 2001). According to Zrimsek (2003), ERP II systems is web-based, open to integrate and interoperate with other systems, and built around modules or components that allow users to choose just the functionality they need. Figure 1 summarizes the historical events related with ERP. 2.3 ERP Functions, Purpose of ERP Systems Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are software driven business management system which integrates all facets of the business, including manufacturing, planning, sales and distribution, financials and human resources (Kuang et al., 2001). It is a system that integrates all information that runs through an organisation (Davenport, 1998) and can be categorised as a large information system. It can be customised to cater the needs of an organization (Watson and Schneider, 1999). During 1990s ERP systems became the de-facto standard for replacement of legacy systems in large, and particularly multi-national companies (Parr and Shanks, 2000) ERP systems become more widely implemented, software applications are developed to help business managers implement ERP in diverse business activities such as project planning and management, subcontracting, material tracking, service, finance and human resources (tatari,2009) However, enterprise systems expanded to include back office functions (such as operations, logistics, finance, and human resources) and non transaction-based systems (Davenport, 1998) or front-office functions (such as sales, marketing, and customer service), as integral components of ERP systems (Davenport, 1998; Chen, 2001). This expansion result from the emergence of Supply Chain Optimization (SCO) (Chen, 2001), or Supply Chain Management (SCM) (Turban et al., 2001) and CRM strategies and systems (Chen, 2001), as illustrated in Figure 2. Turban et al. (2001) referred to this beyond the corporate walls integration as extreme integration (p. 304). Turban et al. (2001) further commented that in this approach to integration, SCM can be viewed as the brain and ERP as the strong body (p. 305). While the names and numbers of modules in an ERP system provided by various software vendors may differ, a typical system integrates all these functions by allowing its modules to share and transfer information freely and centralizing all information in a single database accessible by all modules (Chen, 2001). Provided in Figure 3 is an overview of an ERP system. Due to the importance of these systems in terms of added functionality over legacy systems and potential integration benefits, a large number of organisations are adopting these systems to manage their operations (Ross, 1999). They adopt these systems due to various technical or business reasons. Technical reasons include Y2K issues (myth), replacing legacy system that did not work etc. Organisations that have successfully implemented ERP systems view them as one of the most important innovations that have lead to the realization of substantial tangible and intangible improvements in a variety of areas (Davenport, 2000). Five other reasons for acquiring an ERP system are: 1) to integrate financial information, 2) to integrate customer order information, 3) to standardize and speed up manufacturing processes, 4) to reduce inventory level, and 5) to standardize Human Resource information (Koch, 2002). According to Kremzar and Wallace (2001), operating the business in a rapidly changing and highly competitive environment is the primary purpose of implementing an ERP system. Various studies have been done focussing on adoption and implementation of software applications (Harrison et al., 1997; Lassila and Brancheau 1999). However, the enterprise-wide implications, high resource commitment, high potential business benefits and risks associated with ERP systems make their implementation a much more complex exercise in innovation and change management than any other software package (Nelson and Somers, 2001; Gefen, 2000). Radding (1999) argued that when an organisation puts millions of dollars into a core business application and reengineers its business processes around it, the system is destined to become much more than an application. 2.4 General Perspective of Todays ERP Systems For over a decade the ERP system has had major impact on the manufacturing industry. Besides manufacturing companies, the ERP system has also gone further to serve the other industries. According to Boyle (2000), the ERP system is also linked with the web and e- commerce applications and beginning to use web browsers as the graphical user interface. Management was not using ERP to its full potential. Today, ERP is the foundation of businesses domestically and globally (White et al., 1999). It is used as a management tool and gives organizations a great competitive advantage (Koch, 2002). As ERP systems become more widely implemented, software applications are developed to help business managers implement ERP in diverse business activities such as project planning and management, subcontracting, material tracking, service, finance and human resources.(tatari,2009) Most of the ERP packages, today, provide multiple language and currency capabilities, allowing operations in different countries to become more integrated (Computerworld, 1998). In an era of globalization, such characteristics are very appealing for organizations desiring to expand their activities worldwide without losing control over them. The popularity of ERP is evidenced in a study that showed that nearly 19 percent of organizations across all industry sectors have installed ERP software (Computer Economics, 1999). The study also showed that the popularity of ERP continues to rise, with 34 percent of the surveyed organizations investigating, piloting, or implementing ERP packages. Davenport (1998) characterized ERP as the most important development in the corporate use of information technology in the 1990s (p. 122). 2.5 ERP Systems and Construction Organizations In the construction industry, because of the fragmented nature of the business, ERP implementation and utilization has not reached the same level as the other industrial sectors; however, the construction industry has finally awakened to importance of ERP, even though it is lagging behind other major industries that have been utilizing ERP to improve their efficiencies and bottom lines. (negahban,2008) There has been a remarkable improvement in both the speed and ability to conform to logical, customer-oriented business processes with the configurable and more flexible ERP systems (Donovan, 1998). In fact, now days, the management can chose from number of ERP products that come with multiple best practice options. The old MRP systems were very rigid as predefined business processes were embedded in the software making it difficult to adapt to the real needs of a manufacturing business (Seo, 1999). Customizing an off-the-shelf MRP system was expensive, difficult, risky and unusually time-consuming. As a result, companies had to make their order fulfilment process in such a way so as to accommodate the vendors predefined MRP software process but it greatly limits the managements ability to adjust their order fulfilment process to cope with changing customer requirements and to create a competitive advantage (Donovan, 1998). With todays developments in ERP software technology, compani es have an opportunity not only to configure business processes at much more reasonable cost and risk but also to create the opportunity for a competitive advantage (Kalakota and Robinson, 2001). The success of ERP in manufacturing enterprises resulted in its adoption by some large construction companies (ML Payton Consultants 2002; Voordijk et al. 2003). The high expectation of achieving all-round cost savings and service improvements is very much dependent on how good the chosen ERP system fits to the organizational functionalities and how well the tailoring and configuration process of the system matched with the business culture, strategy and structure of the organization. By implementing right ERP system, the organization significantly improve its entire order-to-delivery process, increase its ability to service customers at a lower cost and also better forecast its sales and other business activities, which is a competitive advantage (Harvard Business School, 1997). With ERP, it is possible to share and exchange information in digital format throughout the project life cycle. Thus, information is stored only once and all project participants are able to access this information in real-time(tatari,2009) Generally an ERP system is expected to improve both backbone and front-end functions simultaneously. Organizations decide to install ERP systems for many tangible and intangible benefits and strategic reasons. In various cases the calculation of return on investment (ROI) is weighted against the many intangible and strategic benefits (Gefen, 2000). However, to get the benefits of ERP systems, organizations need to undertake some problems and disadvantages. The advantages and disadvantages that organizations face after implementing ERP are given below: Benefits of ERP systems Integrating the organizations activities by processing a large majority of an organizations transactions (OLeary, 2001) and managing the information needs of companies (Gefen, 2000; Baskerville et al., 2000). Facilitation of intra-organization communication and collaboration (OLeary, 2001). ERP does the integrating job, allowing the business to spend less time figuring out whats going on and more time for improving (Slater, 1999). Options exist to purchase only the modules needed presently and acquire any extra modules needed in the future (Gefen, 2000). ERPs use an enterprise-wide database which allows access to the data in real time (OLeary, 2001). Both small and large companies can benefit both technically and strategically from investments in enterprise systems (Markus and Tanis, 2000) as they enable organizational standardization, eliminate information asymmetries and provide on-line and real-time information (OLeary, 2001). Disadvantages of ERP systems ERPs can have a negative impact on the work practices and culture of an organization (Allen and Kern, 2001; Soh et al., 2000). It takes an average of 8 months after the new system is installed to see any benefits (Koch et al., 1999). Lack of feature-function fit between the companys needs and the packages available (Markus and Tanis, 2000). The need for competent consulting staff to extensively customize the ERP (Gefen, 2000) to increase the acceptance of a new system. There is a need for extensive technical support prior to its actual use (Gefen, 2000). 2.6 ERP Systems Architecture ERP vendors understood the limitations of the old legacy information systems, i.e. MRP/MRPII systems, used in large enterprises of the 1970s and 1980s. Some of these old systems were developed in-house while others were developed by different vendors using several different languages, database management systems and packages, creating number of incompatible solutions unfit for the data flow between them (Seo, 1999). It was not easy to enhance the capacity of such systems or the users were unable to upgrade them with the organizations business changes, strategic goals and new information technologies (Chen, 2001). ERP systems are recognized for their databases and interdepartmental linkages. ERP structure provides a basis for MRP systems to become an enterprise integration tool (Kalakota and Robinson, 2001). Enterprise integration is viewed as developing the availability and accessibility of information within an extended corporate system and using the information system to efficientl y coordinate both the decisions and actions of thousands of individuals (Enterprise Integration Laboratory, Univ. of Toronto, 1994). To operate in an enterprise sense, the organizations need to distribute their applications for costing, planning, scheduling etc to accommodate the multiple layers of the organization, its work centers, sites, divisions and management levels (Turban et al., 2001). Multiple languages and currencies are also being included for global applications (Chase and Aquilano, 1995). The characteristics of an ERP system are as follows: Modular design containing many distinct business modules such as financial, manufacturing, accounting, distribution, etc (Davenport, 1998; Chen, 2001). Use centralized common database management system (DBMS). It is based on distributed, client/server computer systems (Wood and Caldas, 2001, p. 387). The modules are integrated and provide seamless data flow, increasing operational transparency through standard interfaces (Holland et al., 1999). It is generally complex system involving high cost (Davenport, 1998). It is flexible and offer best business practices (Davenport, 2000). It requires time-consuming tailoring and configuration setups to integrate with the business functions of company (Gefen, 2000). The various functional modules work in real time with online and batch processing capabilities (Davenport et al., 1998). Different ERP vendors offer different ERP systems with some level of specialty but the core modules are almost the same for all of them. The main ERP modules found in the successful ERP systems are as follows (Turban et al., 2001): Accounting management Financial management Manufacturing management Productio Enterprise resource planning Enterprise resource planning ERP Evaluation and Selection process. A successful ERP project requires selecting an ERP solution, implement the solution, manage changes and examine the practicality of the system, Wei and Wang, (2004). Wrong ERP solution choice would either fail the implementation or weaken the system to a greater impact on the enterprise, Hicks, (1995); Wilson, (1994). Most enterprises often jump into looking at ERP functions and features rather than examining the strategy and business processes. It is important for management to know the current strategy, processes and supporting systems compared to what they could be with the new systems, Donovan, (2001). For most enterprises, the decision to implement ERP functionalities will require buying a software package from one of the more popular vendors on ERP market like SAP and Oracle. But the selection process is not a straightforward task, hence thorough understanding of what ERP packages are to offer, differences in each of them and what might be at stake in selecting one package over the other should be well examined, Sammon and Adam, (2000). Evaluating and selecting an ERP system can be a very complex process on the other hand, but it should be a fact-based process that will bring the enterprise to the point where comfortable well-informed decisions can be made, Donovan, (2001). Thus, in an online poll conducted by ESI International survey of 2,000 business professionals, (2005), fig. 1, below, it clearly show that most software projects, ERP inclusive, failed due to lack of adequate requirements definition. In addition to the above, typical ERP project implementation can still fail due to wrong solution choice, Donovan, (2001). Therefore, a research carried out by Management Agility Inc, (2005), revealed that it is imperative to adopt a thorough evaluation and evaluation process before adopting any ERP solution in SMEs. Hence, there are eight steps detailed below in the flowchart, fig. 2, for a careful and reasonable level of a successful ERP implementation in SMEs. None of these steps must be rush through or skip to avoid any element of failure. These eight steps can be categorised into 5 stages; Planning RFP Solution Evaluation Negotiation Selection and Agreement ERP Software Hardware (Solution) Evaluation and Selection Steps Yes No Stage 4 Stage 3 Stage 2 Stage 1 Define Requirements Shop Round for Product Clarify Requirements Evaluation Vendor Inquiry Interact with Vendors Negotiate Agreement Action Agreement Define business case/need and spell-out required values. Be specific. Ensure the business sponsor is willing to push through business case for change. Look round the market for what product is available. Identify vendors that operates and their general approaches to technologies the take. Discuss with others in the same industry as you are etc. Clarify your requirements and be sure of what you are looking for in line with you business case. Refine requirements if possible and be specific too. Find out what product is looking promising in line with the business need and from which vendor. Identify which vendor and their products and invite interesting ones for demo etc. Request for proposal (RFP). Invite each shortlisted vendor over for a chat and find out more about the product. List out expectations based heavily on business requirements. At this point evaluate this approach. Can you afford to change your current process? Can you afford the change the new product will bring and many more? Initiate Negotiation for the selected product with the selected vendor. Agree on who does what, when are they to be done. Negotiate deliverables, timelines, cost payments schedules and terms, support inclusive. Review all legal terms, finalise the contract and select product for onward implementation. Alignment of business requirement to what the software/hardware can provide. This is the core of the whole exercise else stop the evaluation. Evaluate the product capabilities in line with the business requirement. Evaluate the impact of this product on the business requirement. Stage 5 Analyse Gaps Yes For effective ERP Solution evaluation and selection process, the above steps are categorised into 5 phases as explained below; Stage 1 Plan Requirement Business need is defined, along with areas in business that required technical approach. Develop a specific business case with business value for a solution. Ensure that the project sponsor is willing to articulate the business case for change. Indentify vendors that operate in the line of products you are looking for. Get familiar with the software and hardware infrastructure presence for the solution seeking. Get general view of investment needed, considering software, hardware, other related infrastructure and ongoing support. Based on the survey, evaluate the organisation readiness for the investment and decide whether to continue or not. Now define priorities under must-have and nice-to-have accordingly. Stage 2 Request for Proposals (RFP) Shortlist interesting vendor based on the outcome of market survey for products. Invite interesting vendors for interaction/demonstration of their products. Collects facts/functionalities in line with the business need from various products demonstrations for the developments of unbiased RFP for vendors. Set-up a neutral body to develop RFP using all facts gathered during products demonstration aligned to the business requirements. Distribute out RFP that addresses the vendor as a company and the products they offer. Generate basic expectations from an ideal proposal in line with the business need for onward selection of the ideal software vendor. Stage 3 Solution Evaluation Identify and prioritise remaining gaps between software capabilities as demonstrated and business requirements. Sample form in fig. 3; below. Identify how the gaps will be bridge in terms of configuration, configuration, process change or combination of all these. If the gaps cannot be bridge, then discontinue the evaluation exercise immediately. If the gaps can be bridge consider reengineering of those affected business processes affected and continue with the evaluation. Stage 4 Contract Negotiation Negotiate with each vendor. Establish software, hardware and other infrastructure agreement requirements, which include version, components, maintenance and support. Also negotiate participation in user groups, license costs, maintenance fees and many others. Establish service provider agreement which also include deliverables, timelines, resources, costs and payment schedules. Establish other legal requirements. Stage 5 Selection and Agreement Upon successful negotiation with the right vendor; Review all legal terms on privacy protection, operation guidance and data manipulation etc. Approve agreements with the selected vendors. Agree on implementation plan.