Californias Obesity Problem - 635 Words

California’s Obesity Problem According to the World Health Organization, obesity kills over 2.8 million people worldwide each year. California has its share of obesity rates. Almost everyone has a family or friend that is obese. Obesity is a problem that will continue unless it is stopped. Obesity has increased as more and more people eat out. Many campaigns have tried to get people aware of being overweight, but majority of them have failed, because eating out provide a cheap escape from cooking. Since eating fast food is unavoidable for many people the best solution is for fast-food restaurants to offer healthier alternatives on their menus. This could be enforced in America by the state department of health. The History of Obesity Obesity has been around a long time, but only since the 1990s has obesity rates gone up. It has more than doubled and now affects more than half of Americans. (Kazaks, 43) Obesity rates have grown as physical activity levels have decreased and fast food consumption has increased. Obesity related expenses cost the USA about 190 billion dollars every year. (Forbes) Obesity also causes other health risks such as, heart disease, stroke, cancer, liver disease and many others. Many states have high obesity rates, but California is the â€Å"11th least obese state.†(Fasinfat) Even though California is not as obese as other states, it has a serious overweight problem. One of the major causes for this is the over consumption of fast foods. The HistoryShow MoreRelatedObesity : A New Generation Of Healthy Young People956 Words   |  4 PagesFor my informative speech I chose a problem facing California today, as well as a company that helps propose a solution for it, following a trend in culture of creating a healthier lifestyle for the future generations. I wish to inform you of how obesity is growing in California’s youth and how HealthCorps, a company founded by Dr. Oz and his wife Lisa, set out to create a new generation of healthy young people. My sources came from scholarly articles as well as a personal interview conducted withRead MorePolicy Advocacy Essay1293 Words   |  6 PagesPolicy Advocacy Brief to the California Senate Rules Committee Executive Summary: California’s Soda Tax (AB 669) was presented to legislature this year by Assembly member Monning (D-27th District). AB 669 would impose a one cent tax per ounce on soda as well as other sugar enriched drinks. It is estimated that this statewide tax would bring annual revenue of 1.7 billion dollars to the state of California. Under California’s Proposition 98, a percentage of all new state tax revenue will go to K-12 schoolsRead MoreObesity And Its Effects On Children1558 Words   |  7 PagesObesity is one of the several major public health issues that researchers attempt to find interventions for. Prevalence of obesity has been increasing throughout the years, especially in children. If prevalence and incidence of obesity continues to increase in children, long term illnesses start producing, which can hinder an individual’s life span. In addition to chronic illnesses being produced, obesity can also hinder the social and psychological wellbeing. As children ar e growing with obesityRead MoreWomen s Diet And Obesity Knowledge932 Words   |  4 Pagesresearch problem is that women who are anticipating becoming pregnant may lack nutritional knowledge and their weight perception; For example, women may think that their weight is normal, but are unaware that they are actually obese and lack the knowledge of what a healthy diet is. Obese women and their offspring have an increased chance of obesity and chronic diseases while pregnant (Berenson, Pohlmeier, Tabassum, Rahman, Saade, 2016). The authors’ objective is to assess women’s diet and obesity knowledgeRead MoreObesity Has Been A Problem In America For Multiple Years.1168 Words   |  5 PagesObesity has been a problem in America for multiple years. Obesity rates in the United States are going to increase 37% in the next twenty-five years (Pomeranz 2009). According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 68.8% of adults are overweight or obese , one in every 20 people or 6.3% of adults have extreme obesity and 3 in every 4 males or 74% of males are obese (Overweight and Obesity 2009). Once someone comes to the realization that they are obese, it can beRead MoreEssay on Malnutrition is Caused by an Unbalanced Diet955 Words   |  4 Pagesbody isn’t given enough calories, due to the person’s diet, and because they don’t utilize the food properly as they should. Over nutrition, is when the person consumes a lot more proteins and calories then they should. (MNT- Medical News Today) Obesity comes from malnutrition, where a person has too much nutrients causing them to have extra fat. High body mass is when a person’s weight is 20% higher than he or she should be and there is a lot of body weight which affects their health. People whoRead MorePersuasive Essay About Pet Food1632 Words   |  7 Pagespet foods and treats. According to California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, BHA is on the list of Known Carcinogens and Reproductive Toxicants. BHT is also a carcinogen and causes kidney and liver damage in rats† (Mahaney [pg. 4]). This is a scary fact to know that we’ve been feeding our pets these chemicals that are found in their only source of survival. Such chemicals and ingredients can lead to serious consequences, varying from obesity and allergies, to even death. In anRead MoreDiabetes Case Study1733 Words   |  7 Pagesstate, diabetes is way up by 67%--over the last decade (DeNoon 2008). Despite Californias spike in diabetes cases, the Western region of the United States actually has the lowest rates of diabetes, perhaps because of the more active lifestyle enjoyed by residents of the area as well as a more outdoorsy culture. In the South, 27.3% of people are obese. But Americans arent exactly lean in other regions. The obesity rate is 26.5% in the Midwest, 24.4% in the Northeast, and 23.1% in the West (DeRead MoreCoca Cola, A Popular Beverage1579 Words   |  7 Pagescontaining fewer calories and sugar than regular Coke would seem like a much healthier alternative. However this is definitely not the case. In fact, recent studies have shown that drinking as little as one Diet Coke a day can lead to some major health problems. Some of these include an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, and even heart failure. So just what is it that makes this drink so unhealthy? If you take the time to read the ingredients on your bottle of diet coke you will see that itRead MoreCalifornia Needs Prison Health Care Reform Essay2216 Words   |  9 Pagespercent of Californias budget is spent on state employees. On the other hand, about 10 percent of the budget for corrections is applied to inmate health care (Kaplan). But, what taxpayers do not know is the inmates did not receive this costly health care until about four years ago. The 8th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution ensures a prisoners right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment(U.S. Const., 8th Amend.). The inmates incarcerated within Californias correctional

Animal Ancestry The Field Of Anthropology Essay

Ryan Schueneman Intro to Anthropology Rachel McTavish 05 December 2016 Animal Ancestry Within the field of anthropology, there are various subsections that deal with specific branches of knowledge. Zooarchaeology, specifically, is a division of archaeology that deals with the remains of an animal after it has died. Much knowledge can be gleaned about various aspects of the animal itself, as well as the world surrounding it, through the study of zooarchaeology. The following will discuss the history of zooarchaeology, the methods of study utilized within this branch of anthropology, as well as summarize a recent zooarchaeological finding that has impacted anthropology. There is not much history since this field is fairly new. Zooarchaeology is a blend of biology and anthropology, it has been evolving as a study for over a century and a half. In the mid-19th century, anthropologists were beginning to ask questions that had had no precedents, and they had to figure out a way to find the answers and salts. They started to become aware that to fully understand anthropology and cultures of the past, they must embark on gaining biological knowledge. This biological knowledge was no longer limited to human remains, because it was becoming more evident that many answers could be found in observing animal fauna. As Elizabeth J. Reitz notes in her book Zooarchaeology, â€Å"the anthropological or historical orientation of archaeology is an important source of diversity and zooarchaeology.Show MoreRelatedAnthropology and Its Branches1728 Words   |  7 PagesAnthropology is the study of human beings, in particular the study of their physical character, evolutionary history, racial classification, historical and present-day geographic distribution, group relationships, and cultural history. Anthropology can be characterized as the naturalistic description and interpretation of the diverse peoples of the world. Modern-day anthropology consists of two major divisions: cultural anthropology, which deals with the study of human culture in all its aspects;Read MoreEvolution of the Hominids1290 Words   |  5 Pagescomplex brains. Early hominids, for example the australopithecines had more apelike brains and skulls, are less often thought to as human than hominids of the genus of Homo. Homo heidelbergensis are considered to be the most likely to form the line of ancestry of modern humans. Homo sapiens began to reach their modernity about 200,000 years ago. They began to exhibit behavioral towards modern era around 50,000 years ago. Humans have become the most cosmopolitan species at the earth that established theirRead MoreAnthropology: Understanding Subsistance Patterns1304 Words   |  6 Pagesflowers, or trees. 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Discuss some of the general ways physical anthropologists investigate evolution Physical anthropologists investigate evolution through various ways in order to give a wellRead Moreanthopolgy2335 Words   |  10 Pages Topic 1: Introduction to Anthropology and Culture Kottak, questions from chapter 1, 13 DVD questions from chapters 1, 2, and 3 Kottak Chapter 1 1. What do you think is unique about anthropology: its holism or its comparative perspective? Can you think of other fields that holistic and/or comparative? I think that holism is a unique part of anthropology because it’s the study of the whole human condition: the past, present, and the future. It’s also about the biology, society, language, andRead MorePsychology : Cognitive Psychology And Psychology1154 Words   |  5 Pagesto know. Basically, cognitive psychology studies how people acquire and apply knowledge or information. It is closely related to cognitive science and influenced by computer science, philosophy, neuroscience, linguistics, biology, physics, and anthropology. Cognitive psychologists are interested in how people understand, diagnose, and solve problems, concerning themselves with the mental processes which mediate between stimulus and response. Recently, cultural and social factors have also becomeRead MoreAdvancements Of Modern Paleontology : A Research Term Paper3470 Words   |  14 Pagesinclude advancements in computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, genetics, computer software and prog rams. It also includes major field discovers related to dinosaurs, hominids and ice age mammals as well the current prevailing theories on dinosaurs. â€Æ' Advancements in Modern Paleontology Kevin Martin INTRODUCTION Paleontology is in an important field in the sciences, straddling the line between biology and geology it helps us to understand past life forms. This better understanding up theRead MoreCultural Anthropology : Physical Anthropology3800 Words   |  16 Pagesglossary Anthropology: It is a general comprehensive science of man in the past and present of any culture. This is divided into two main areas: physical anthropology, dealing with biological evolution and physiological adaptation of humans, and social or cultural anthropology that deals with people living in society, ie forms of evolution of language, culture and customs. Anthropology uses tools and knowledge produced by the natural sciences and the social sciences. Aspiration of anthropologicalRead MoreDefending Slavery Essay2484 Words   |  10 Pageshis medical practice treating slaves and specialized on what they called â€Å"negro diseases† wrote a report to the Medical Association of Louisiana called: â€Å"The diseases and physical peculiarities of Negro race† . Cartwright’s report described about anthropology and origin of the races providing a biblical interpretation. This paper was clearly based on mere physical observations made on his medical practice rather than scientific evidence. The information about anatomy and physiological reactions of blackRead MoreA Critical Review of Catalhoyuk: a Leopards Tale3659 Words   |  15 Pagesdemography, patterns of exchange and production, history and myth, individuality and the community. Hodder identifies four spheres of activity which he used as the basis of his explanations and discussions throughout the book; domestic activity, exchange, ancestry and community. These spheres are separate to some extent but are inextricably linked. Production was primarily domestic rather than communal. According to Hodder, every household was self-sufficient. Each household was responsible for its own

All About World War I

Question: You are to locate a single primary source document in the Middle East related to the experience of combat in the World War I. This can be in the form of a letter home, a diary entry, or a newspaper article. 200 words. There were many different causes, both long and short term, which led to the First World War. Pick one and explain how it helped take the West to war. 200 words. Use your Web-browsing abilities to locate a site that has actual radio broadcasts from the 1920s or 1930s. You will discover that there are a large number of them. One that I have used in the past is https://www.mercurytheatre.info/ which has an almost complete set of audio recordings of this companys famous productions, such as Orson Welles broadcast of the War of the Worlds. After viewing or listening to the period piece that you found, you are to write a 400-word essay in which you detail how this particular piece ties into one or more of the cultural or social changes of the Great Depression of 1929-1939. Go online and find an example of modernist architecture, art or music that dates 1910-1950. Post a picture to it or a recording of it. Explain why you think it is a good representation of the period. 200 words. Answer: Solution 1: He born in Stratfordupon-Avon, connected with the Birmingham Pals Division as a secret at the upsurge of the conflict, also served as an initial-line fighter all during the warfare, becoming a military officer and achieving the Military Cross. A small number of journals include facts about honors of the Martial Medal as well as the Meritorious or Commendable Service Medal ("WW1 Dentures Identified By BDA"). He won the award in 1918 after he sustained to direct a trench search despite been poorly injured in his leg. He was formerly twisted down by the military because he was too little. "Half an inch smaller in tallness was not leaving to end me getting into the military - the subsequent Monday sunrise, I once more time applied to Birmingham, excited and hoping that this instance I might locate a changed medical panel," he inscribed in an early diary entry. "I was not dissatisfied and enchanting my twirl I was approved fit for common service as well as so, on document at least, I baffled as a soldier." Refuging in front-line dugouts and trenches, he noted down a diary that ultimately occupied six pocketbooks in addition to exposed the whole itinerary of the world war. This is the piece of a diary written by the soldier of WW1, that contains numerous further information about the entire world war course (Dawson). Solution 2: The main long-term reasons that directed to the world war are the development of joint military defense coalitions among diverse imperialism, nations, nationalism, as well as the rise of military strength (Resnick and Wolff). Several countries entered into joint defense associations with each other, for example, Austria-Hungry and Germany, Russia-Serbia, etc. If a union partner is assailed, the other associate was vaulted to support it. Various countries were competing for resource-affluent Asian and African nations (imperialism) furthermore; this was as well the occasion when all of these states are constructed up its military power, none extra than Russia and Germany. The augment of nationalism, longing each citizen or nations people to witness his/her country as the leading power, also ignited the previously troubled circumstances. The short or immediate term reason that directed to the world war-I was the assassination, which held in June 1914 of A. F. Ferdinand of Austria as well as his spouse Sophie by a nationalist of Serbia in dispute of Austria-Hungry boasting rule of Sarajevo, an area Serbia was engrossed in (Isdale). This incident directed Austria-Hungry to announce war on Serbia, which simultaneously provoked Russia to approach to the support the Serbia (because of their joint defense coalition). Germany affirmed war on Russia because of its association or union with Austria-Hungry. Furthermore, the war ultimately started as well as widen to the other countries, concluding in the First World War. Solution 3: Introduction At the end of 1920s, the employ of radio technology, a observable image was transmitted more airwaves. This condition would set off an establishment into the extensively existing television broadcast machinery. In the decade subsequent, FM radio was instigated to the marketplace, which offered a lot understandable relays comparatively free of stagnant and sound. The first trial FM radio place, WIXOM, commenced broadcasting in 1937 with numerous new FM stations rapidly following (Long). Technology transforms the observable moments during World War I, a number of Americans shifted to urban. Technology has altered Americans life style. Various people purchased cars. Electricity completed peoples lives as well as made it simple. It made liability, household tasks easier as well as giving the community additional free time. An Altering Society All through the 1920s or the Roaring Twenties, women did many things they never did before. They endeavor outside their houses. They went to school and played games. The breeze of alteration that flounces through culture at the end of the World War I, was nowhere additionally more apparent than in the unblushing appearance of the 'new woman'. Mainly essential, they succeeded the right to the ballot. Jazz began amongst American African in the South. Harlem, an area in New York City, was well-known for art, also literature. Americas primary radio transmit in 1920. Shortly many peoples owned radios. People sat jointly and listened to current news broadcast reports, sports, music, furthermore comedy programs. In 1927, citizens watched the past movie with noise. In the Ninty twenties, aviators start to fly general distances. In Ninteen Twenty Seven, Charles Lindbergh flew the primary or initial alone flight crosswise the Atlantic Ocean. Bessie Coleman and Amelia Earhart were well-known aviators who enthused lots of women. Troubles of the 1920s In the Ninty Twenties, a group known as the Ku Klux Klan extends hatred also discrimination alongside African Americans along with other crowds. Klan associate attacked and occasionally killed citizens they inspect were Non-American. In 1917, the 18th Improvement to the Constitution was approved. It prepared to sell as well drinking alcohol adjacent to the regulation. That is termed as Proscription. The scandalous made and advertised alcohol. Unlawful behavior led to sadism. In 1933, the administration ended prohibition. After First World War over, the Associates did not want American yields and crops. A few farmers could not make sufficient to pay back funds they rented. A lot of people had to put on the market their ranch. The social amend is accompanied by a transformation in a political position. In 1918, women above 30 acquire the vote, furthermore in 1928 everybody more than 21 was enfranchised. Politics and the Women would in no way be the similar. Theses are the some cultural and social changes takes place during the world war I. Solution 4: Retrieved from: https://www.askart.com/art/Styles/17/y/Modernism. One of the leading members of the assembly of artists just as A. Stieglitz, Marin draws paintings that were amongst the majority of groundbreaking as well as the significance of his cohort. His watercolors, oils, along with drawings, formed throughout the early duration or years of the twentieth century, stand nowadays as symbols of American novelty. Vacationing with the artists domain, M. Ward Art (Fine Art), holds an imbalanced assortment of Marins effort from all eras in every media. Marin surveyed the scheme of association in his work of art more continually than any previous American artists of the 20th century. Commencing from the exposed coastline of Maine to the New York Citys hustle-bustle, the themes Marin prefers to communicate was a sense of activity or movement. Marin saw motion in his work of art as a symbol of modernity, a way of detaining the quickening rapidity of verve in the 20th century (F. and Ketch). More essentially for him, though, was the motion as a sign of the rhythm and pulse of existence or life itself. Scholars, together with Ruth Fine and Sheldon Reich have recommended that Marins curiosity in exploring action or motion is sparked throughout the duration in Paris, where Marin may have observed the paintings of Robert Delaunay. His interest, although, appears to have been a carnival of a vivacity that was fundamentally humanistic. What attracted him was the existence or life of the city as well as the citizens of that area. References "WW1 Dentures Identified By BDA". BDJ 218.10 (2015): 559-559. Web. Dawson, Anthony. "The French Army And British Army Crimean War Reforms". 19: Interdisciplinary Studies in the Long Nineteenth Century 2015.20 (2015): n. pag. Web. F., E. H., and Carolyn Ketch. "U.S. 20Th Century". Woman's Art Journal 24.1 (2003): 56. Web. Isdale, William. "ARE THERE MORAL REASONS TO REMEMBER THE FIRST WORLD WAR?". Think 14.41 (2015): 89-97. Web. Long, Paul. "British Radio And The Politics Of Culture In Post-War Britain: The Work Of Charles Parker". Radio Journal:International Studies in Broadcast Audio Media 2.3 (2004): 131-152. Web. Resnick, Stephen, and Richard Wolff. "Long-Term Global War". Rethinking Marxism 14.2 (2002): 128-132. Web.

John Cheever and His Seemingly Average Americans Essay Example Essay Example

John Cheever and His Seemingly Average Americans Essay Example Paper John Cheever and His Seemingly Average Americans Essay Introduction Average Americans Since 1935 middle class Americans have been able to sit in their suburban home or their urban apartment, open up a copy of the New Yorker, and read about themselves. Not literally, but rather a perfect reflection of themselves, or their next door neighbor, or their friend down the street. Of John Achievers nearly two hundred short stories, one hundred and twenty one were published in the New Yorker. He wrote primarily about the seemingly average American He takes that stereotype and creates narratives that delve so deeply into he psyches of each of his characters that their ordinary lives become immediately enthralling. He draws universal connections that make his stories instantly relate- able no matter the setting. Achievers work is generally sorted into four categories based on their location and while he manages to paint distinct pictures of the types of people in each environment we see an overarching theme throughout his writing the theme of the duality of man . Each story presents us with a main character, usually an upper-middle class American, battling between the facade they have rated for the outside world and their innermost thoughts and desires a feeling we have all dealt with at one time or another. These characters typically live tranquil lives that become momentarily uprooted which sends each into a state of turmoil, and though we can usually rely on Achiever to return them to normalcy, there is the occasional exception. Each character is treated with such care that even at their times of normalcy we find each one somehow captivating. John Cheever and His Seemingly Average Americans Essay Body Paragraphs Achiever creates a dialogue among his vast audience and bridges the gap of social differences by offering moon human conditions manifested within his characters. At the time of Achievers greatest success as a writer suburbia was still a fairly new addition to the American scenery, albeit a significant one, with the majority of Americans leaving the cities for the picturesque notion of quiet suburban living. This is the setting for some of Achievers most successful stories most notably The Housebreaker of Shady Hill and The Country Husband. Achiever has been widely referred to as the chronicler of suburban life, and though his entire body of work does not focus on suburbia, a large oration, and most certainly some of his best does. On this Achiever has said There’s been too much criticism of the middle-class way of life. Life can be as good and rich there as anyplace else. I am not out to be a social critic, however, nor a defender of suburbia. It goes without saying that the p eople in my stories and the things that happen to them could take place anywhere. Many of Achievers stories are set in suburbia because it is a setting that lends itself perfectly to the concept of a characters internal struggle vs. Their external appearance, but we also see this theme manifested elsewhere in other stories such as The Enormous Radio which takes place in a New York apartment building. In The Housebreaker of Shady Hill we meet Johnny Hake. Right away we are given every detail of his life age, height, weight, where he was born, where he grew up, where he was confirmed, etc. Simply put Johnny Hake is your average middle-aged suburban American male, that is until he becomes tired of his work environment and leaves his Job. Johnny rents a cubicle and tries to make a living for himself, but he soon finds that he can not support his family on the amount of money he is able to make. He finds himself desperate when it came time to borrow money he had nowhere to turn. Having b een taught by his mother never to speak about money, he could not bring himself to burden his wife with their financial difficulties. One night Johnny and his wife attend a dinner party at their friends, the Warburton, house. It is there that he learns about the large amount of cash the Carl Warburton tends to carry. That night he feels the desire for money as a premonition of death and explains he had never longed for anyone the way he yearned that night for money. He sneaks away in the middle of the night and enters he Warburton house stealing Carla wallet and returning home. As soon as he is safe in his own house, the weight of what he has Just done bares down on him. Oh, I never knew that a man could be so miserable and that the mind could open up so many chambers and fill them with self-reproach. His misery is unrelenting he makes note of every tiny theft he witnesses or reads about and his eyes twitch when he hears the word steal. He begins to see everyone around him as a thie f and searches for someone he can blame. He begins acting unlike himself he is distracted in church and yells at his wife and children. At one point he even describes the types of people he hates and is pained to realize that he is one of them. Despite all of this, it does not stop him from choosing his next victims. However, on his way to steal from the Pewter’s it begins to rain, and it is this, of all things, that finally sobers him. It is as if is mind had been washed clear. There were ways out of my trouble if I cared to make use of them. I was not trapped. I was here on earth because I chose to be. And it was no skin off my elbow how I had been given the gifts of life so long as I possessed them, and I possessed them then. He the goes home and goes back to sleep. The next day he gets a call asking him to come back to work and that night he goes back to the Warburton and leaves the 900 he had taken. Johnny Hake returns to his normal life, his brief brush with his malevol ent destiny soon to be no more than a nightmare. The Country Husband offers us a look inside the life of Francis Weed. At the beginning of the story Francis is on a plane traveling home. Soon there are technical difficulties and after a moment of terror and the mental image of the spreading wings of the Angel of Death the plane needs to make an emergency landing. All Francis wants is to share his experience with his family, but the house is in a state of chaos, and though he tries to tell his tale the children are fighting and his wife is too preoccupied to listen. At this point in the story we can understand Francis strife through the observations he makes of his life around him. Such as the outpouring of tearful petulance, lonesomeness, and self-pity he hears when listening to the neighbors piano playing or how the energetic golden retriever Jupiter is an anomaly and how his high spirits were out of place in Shady Hill. Soon we see Francis spirits aka a turn for the better when he becomes suddenly infatuated with the beautiful, young, babysitter, Anne Morison. When these new passionate feelings take a hold of him he begins to see life in a new way, observing the beauty around him instead of the drabness. Birds were congressionally and the last of the robins. The sky shone like enamel. Even the smell of ink from his morning paper honed his appetite for life, and the world that was spread out around him was plainly a paradise. Francis, elated, buys his new love a bracelet and he even ends up kissing her, but problems arise when he meets the man that she is engaged to. After a heated argument with his wife, Francis finds himself in a hopeless state. He resolves himself to go see a psychiatrist and his life is returned to normalcy. The story ends on an anticlimactic note with a scene of a typical night in Shady Hill, everything is exactly as it should be. In this way Francis weeds exemplifies the typical Achiever character He is an ordinary middle-class suburban husband and father who experiences a sudden and fierce turn in his emotional state. Instead of changing his life for good he is instead trampled by his social restraints and returns to his average life, his momentary suasion replaced by apathy. Though not set in Shady Hill as the other stories are, The Enormous Radio fits perfectly into the pattern that John Achievers suburban tales follow. This story is instead set in an apartment building and creates the image of dozens of nearly identical rooms and families within, lending a similar feel to the suburbia of the other narrations. Our main characters in this story are Jim and Irene Westport who differed from their friends, their classmates, and their neighbors only in an interest they shared in serious music. Unfortunately, their radio breaks and Jim f forced to buy a new one. However, this new radio is revealed to not play music, but instead the sounds and conversations from the other apartments in the building. Soon listening to the private lives of her neighbors becomes an obsession for Irene. She begins listening to the radio every opportunity she gets, she can not reign in her curiosity and she begins to see her neighbors differently, wondering every time she sees someone who it was who said what. This begins to take a toll on her, she becomes upset over the things she hears but she still can not stop listening, she soon tarts to question her own happiness which before she had taken as absolute truth. She turns to her husband for reassurance Life is too terrible, too sordid and awful. But we’ve never been like that, have we, darling Have we I mean, we’ve always been good and decent and loving to one another, haven’t we And we have two children, two beautiful children. Our lives aren’t sordid, are they, darling Are they She flung her arms around his neck and drew his face down to hers. Were happy, aren’t we, darling We are happy, aren’t we. As desperately as she t ries to confirm their perfect allegations the illusion is shattered when, towards the end of the story, Jim begins yelling at her, laying out all of her past wrongdoings. The story ends with Irene listening to the radio and hearing only the days news. The radio caused the upheaval of the average life of the Westport and exposed them to the evil of the world around them, an evil that they were before ignorant of and now they realize resides within their own family. These stories perfectly reflect Achievers tendency to portray characters in conflict with their inner desires and the reality of their external world. We will write a custom essay sample on John Cheever and His Seemingly Average Americans Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on John Cheever and His Seemingly Average Americans Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on John Cheever and His Seemingly Average Americans Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Current Developments of the European Union, Strengths and We essays

Current Developments of the European Union, Strengths and We essays In todays world, different kinds of alliances are formed between countries and nations in order to compete in a global economy. The European Union is a one of kind allegiance that has shaped many aspects of our current world. Recent developments along with the strengths and weaknesses of the European Union will be the focus of this paper. Before discussing current events, a brief overview of who and what is the European Union (EU) is vital. On May 9th, 1950, The EU was formed by the joining of six countries which were (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) with the foundation of the law of democracy. The basic concept of the EU states that it is neither a new State replacing existing ones nor is it comparable to other international organizations. Its Member States delegate sovereignty to common institutions representing the interests of the Union as a whole on questions of joint interest. All decisions and procedures are derived from the basic treaties ratified by the Member States. Today, after four waves of accession (1973: Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom; 1981: Greece; 1986: Spain and Portugal; 1995: Austria, Finland and Sweden) the EU has 15 Member States and is preparing for the accession of 13 eastern and southern European countries. (EU at a glance) The foundation and st ructure of the EU is definitely one of its strengths. The EU has some basic principals which include establishing European citizenship. This embraces fundamental rights, freedom of movement and civil and political rights. It also wants to ensure freedom, security and justice. Like other unions, the EU definitely wants to encourage economic and social progress and finally assert Europes role in the world. Having well defined goals and showing character and conviction the EU demonstrates inner strength. The EU is governed by five institutions each having a specific function. They are the European Parli...

How to Form Compound Nouns in Italian

How to Form Compound Nouns in Italian Where does the word â€Å"autostrada - highway† come from? It comes from two words: auto (car) and strada (street), giving it a literal meaning of â€Å"a street for cars.† This is just one example of a compound noun in Italian, or a word that is combined of two other words. In Italian linguistics, this is called a â€Å"composto - compound† or a â€Å"parola composta - compound word.† Other examples include: fermare carte  » fermacarte - paperweightpasta asciutta  » pastasciutta - dried pastacassa panca  » cassapanca - dresser Creating compound nouns is one of the primary ways, after adding suffixes, to increase the amount of vocabulary in the language. The formation of new words is particularly useful to the development of terminologie tecnico-scientifiche (scientific and technical terminology). Consider, for example, the numerous compound nouns with Greek elements in the language of medicine: elettrocardiogramma - electrocardiogramcancerogeno - carcinogenic What Makes Up a Compound Noun A compound need not be two (or more) forme libere, such as â€Å"asciuga(re)† and â€Å"mano† in â€Å"asciugamano.† They can also be two (or more) forme non libere, such as antropo- (from the Greek nthrÃ… pos man) and -fago (from the Greek phaghà ªin to eat) in antropofago he who eats human flesh. The Greek elements antropo- and -fago, unlike asciuga(re) and mano, do not exist as stand-alone words, but are found only in compound nouns. Aside from this difference, another should be noted: in compound nouns, such as â€Å"asciugamano,† there is the sequence verb (asciugare) noun (mano) while those such as antropofago have an inverse sequence: noun (antropo- man) verb (-fago to eat). In any event, there is a fundamental property common to these two compounds: the implied, underlying phrase of both has a verbal predicate: (qualcosa) asciuga (la) mano  » asciugamano - (something) dries (the) hand  » hand towel(qualcosa) mangia (l) uomo  » antropofago - (something) eats (the) man  » cannibal In other cases, however, the implied phrase of the compound has a nominal predicate. In other words, it is a sentence containing the verb essere: (il) filo (à ¨) spinato  » filo spinato - (the) wire (is) barbed  » barbed wire(la) cassa (à ¨) forte  » cassaforte - (the) box (is) strong  » strongbox, safe    EXAMPLES OF ITALIAN COMPOUND NOUNS Noun Noun / Nome Nome capo stazione  » capostazione - stationmastercapo giro  » capogiro - dizzinesscassa panca  » cassapanca - dressermadre perla  » madreperla - mother-of-pearl Noun Adjective / Nome Aggettivo cassa forte  » cassaforte - strongbox, safe Adjective Noun / Aggettivo Nome franco bollo  » francobollo - stampmezza luna  » mezzaluna - half-moon Adjective Adjective / Aggettivo Aggettivo piano forte  » pianoforte - pianosordo muto  » sordomuto - deaf-mute Verb Verb / Verbo Verbo dormi veglia  » dormiveglia - stupor, lethargysali scendi  » saliscendi - latch Verb Noun / Verbo Nome apri scatole  » apriscatole - can openerlava piatti  » lavapiatti - dishwasherspazza neve  » spazzaneve - snowplow Verb Adverb / Verbo Avverbio posa piano  » posapiano - slowpokebutta fuori  » buttafuori - bouncer Adverb Verb / Avverbo Verbio bene stare  » benestare - approval, blessing, consentmale essere  » malessere - unease, discomfort Adverb Adjective / Avverbo Aggettivo sempre verde  » sempreverde - evergreen Preposition or Adverb Noun / Preposizione o Avverbio Nome sotto passaggio  » sottopassaggio - underpassanti pasto  » antipasto - appetizersopra nome  » soprannome - nicknamedopo scuola  » doposcuola - after-school    Compound Nouns with â€Å"Capo† Among the compounds formed using the term capo (head), in the figurative sense, a distinction must be made between: those in which the term capo indicates one who commands, the manager: capo scuola  » caposcuola - deancapo stazione  » capostazione - stationmastercapo classe  » capoclasse - class president and those in which the element capo indicates either excellence or beginning of something: capo lavoro  » capolavoro - masterpiececapo verso  » capo verso - paragraph, indent There are also other types of compounds, formed in more diverse ways: capodanno capo dellanno (noun preposition noun) - New Year, end of the yearpomodoro pomo doro (noun preposition noun) - tomatobuono-sconto buono per ottenere uno sconto - discount ticketfantascienza scienza del fantastico - science fiction

Analyse Guy Debords idea of the society of the spectacle. Does the Essay

Analyse Guy Debords idea of the society of the spectacle. Does the concept seem relevant to you - Essay Example During World War II, Guy Debord left home and travelled throughout the country of France. He began schooling in Cannes, where his interest in film and vandalism was discovered. As a young man, Debord was an active opposer of the French war in Algeria. Moreover, he joined in mass movements in Paris against it. Guy Debord joined the letterist internationally. Debord was the head of the situationist international group, which influenced the Paris rebellion of 1968; commonly known as: â€Å"The Society of the spectacle." The society of the spectacle and experts from the group, the situationist began to form their own theory of the spectacle, which explained the nature of the capitalism historical decay. In Guy Debords terms, the spectacle was to be defined as an assemblage of social relationships transmitted through the imagery of class power, and as the period of capitalist development where all that once lived has to be represented by an image. It is my argument that both of Debord’s terms alienated masses and revolutionary collective are secretly dependent upon the atomized perspective of liberal individualism. Both terms abstract the individual from subtending cultural traditions and the over-arching social relations in which they are embedded. Thus, this article seeks to explore the logic of Debord’s influential theory, propounding its insights and exposing the deficiencies of its underlying theoretical foundations. In The Society of Spectacle, Debord talks about the concept of the Spectacle. He also writes of: degradation of human life, commodity fetishism, mass media, and the difference between religion and marketing. The society of the spectacle is an essential text and the main work of the situationist. The work of the political and cultural theory has been provocative from its publication. In communities dominated by contemporary situations of production, life is viewed as an immense accumulation of s pectacle. Everything directly lived is

Strategic Management & Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Strategic Management & Marketing - Essay Example as the process of dividing consumers or potential buyers, in market into different segments or groups in which customer share same level of interest in the comparable set of needs fulfilled by different marketing plans. Customers always segment themselves and they take no notice how companies segments them. When they choose to buy any competing product or service, they select proposition that suits them better than any other. To capture maximum market share, companies must make sure that their offerings meet the requirement of customers and should offer price that customers perceive as value for money (McDonald and Dunbar 2004). The input of winning proposition provides the detail understanding of customers include who they are and where they are found to be, as this understanding plays a vital role in segmentation process. The purpose of this report is to analyze the market segmentation and target customers of desktops, launched by Dell and it will analyze positioning of the desktop s that Dell is offering to the customers around the world. Micheal Dell founded Dell in 1984 in Texas. He has a different and unique vision of designing, manufacturing, and selling the technology. More than 109,000 employees are working for Dell around world and they are committed to make technology working hard for the customers. Dell have made many efforts to make technology more reachable to the customers and organizations around the globe and more than 120,000 computer systems shipped everyday to more than 180 countries, that is more than one computer in every second. The business of Dell designed in such a way that it caters different needs of organization, small and medium businesses, educational institutes, government bodies, health-care providers and for home users of computer. Dell is number one PC provider to big enterprises of the world and number one public sector customer’s provider in USA. The company does business with more than 95% companies of Fortune 500

Domain Name Disputes and Arbitration Essay Example for Free

Domain Name Disputes and Arbitration Essay The sudden explosion over the use of the internet in today’s world has placed domain names in direct conflict with trademarks. The use of a domain name would apply throughout the world, as the internet is accessible throughout the world. On the other hand, the trademark laws of a particular nation would vary with that of another, and hence, there is always a chance that trademark laws and domain name laws are in direct conflict with one another. Domain names would apply to the product and services of a service provider and hence ought to be given the same protection as trademarks . On the other hand, registries that register domain names give the importance of registering on a first-come-first served basis. Oppositions would say domain names contains alphabets and numerals, and hence, qualify to become a trademark. However, no rule is hard and fast. Domain name owners feel that the domain names are not protected under trademark laws as the internet is a global media having no offline limitation. On the other hand, the trademark owners feel that domain names are trademarks and hence are liable to file for dilution, unfair competition, etc . One of the main reasons as to why there is intense disputes with regards to domain names, is due cyber-squatting, in which somebody would register a particular domain name, and later try to sell it to the trademark owner. Domain name registries are accepting registration of domain names on a first-come first-served basis, and hence any person can register a popular trademark as a domain name and later plan to sell to the trademark owner. Often the prices quoted by the cyber-squatters are much more than what is paid of registration. Besides, cyber-squatters can misuse the trademark of the owner, and in turn wrongfully attract customers or tarnish the name of the original trademark owner . In the year 1995, the NSI framed a policy to settle disputes between domain name holders and trademark holders. The NSI is left out of the conflict and does not have the right to suspend the services of the domain name holder. Slowly, the importance of the trademark owners began to be felt. Trademarks owners can extent their services on to the internet, considering that it would be an ideal environment for business purposes. Customers on the other hand may also consider domain names being similar to trademarks for search purposes . One of the means of solving domain name disputes is by adopting the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy implemented by the ICANN in 1999. This is mainly to solve the disputes that arise between domain name owners and trademark owners. The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre would conduct the UDRP procedures. The process is much faster than the courts, and besides the decisions given is credible and impartial. The fees that are imposed are less than the routine courts . ICANN and UDRP The ICANN UDRP has been implemented for several TLD’s including . net, . com, . org, etc. However, it is not applicable to the country level TLD’s, such as . uk, . in, etc. The dispute resolution policy would occur between the domain name holder and the registering authority, such as country-coded domain registering organisation. The UDRP would set the terms and conditions that would arise in case of conflict arise between the domain name holder and any other party, except the registrar (ICANN). According to the ICANN, certain terms and conditions need to be followed when registering for a domain name. The registrant should ensure that all statements made are true, complete, and the domain name would not violate the rights of others. The domain name so registered would not be done for an illegal cause and would not be used to overcome any law. Any action done for the domain name would be lead to the owner being held responsible. The ICANN can transfer, modify or cancel a domain name registered if the domain name registrant requires so, if the court having a jurisdiction requires that the domain name be changed or cancelled or if a relevant administrative body requires that the domain name be changed or expelled. Depending on the situations, the ICANN would make a request to the domain name holder to perform such changes. The URDP procedure would be conducted before an administrative tribunal. Usually such tribunals would come into action whenever a third party has an issue with a particular domain name and files an application for objection before the ICANN.

Stanhope and Raleigh in R.C. Sherriffs Journeys End :: Sherriff Journeys End Essays

Stanhope and Raleigh in R.C. Sherriff's "Journey's End" Journey’s End is a well received play written in 1928, by R.C Sherriff. The play is set in a trench system, which were used during most of the Great War. In the play we get an insight into a fascinating relationship between a Junior officer, Raleigh, and the commanding officer, Stanhope. The relationship shows us some effects of the war and it has many ups and down which are well portrayed. During this essay I will comment about the ever changing relationship between young Raleigh and Stanhope. Commanding officer Stanhope is the company commander and is therefore under constant pressure, as he had to make tactical decisions and is also responsible for the welfare for a number of officers. Stanhope is considered as one of the best infantry commanders, ‘ He’s a long way the best company commander we’ve got’, Osborne (Pg 4). Stanhope forms a strong bond the officers, he is seen as hard working and passionate, ‘His commanded this company for a year – in and out of the front line. He’s never had a rest. Other men come over here and go home again ill, young Stanhope goes on sticking it, mouth in, mouth out’, Osborne (pg6). Stanhope particularly forms a strong bond with Officer Osborne, Stanhope has been involved in war activities since the war started and we see that during this time Stanhope has grown a close relationship with Osborne, and sees him as an ‘Uncle-figure’. Numerous times we see that Stanhope refers to Osborne as, ‘Uncle’. The character of Stanhope also shows the dread and stress of war, we learn of commander Stanhope drinking vice, often he is reduced to endless bottles of whisky to revert from the stress of war, it shows how badly men were affected. His problem with drinking is seen to a large extent, the reason why the relationship between himself and Raleigh is never stable and is continually changing. His drinking problem is highlighted throughout the play, ‘ Drinking as a fish as usual’, (pg 4). He is seen as a workaholic, ‘ I’ve seen him on his back all day with trench fever – then on duty all night’, (pg 6) and it seems as of he is not coping well at all, ‘ Lost control of himself; and the he – sort of - came to – and cried’, (pg 6). Raleigh is a young officer, drafted out from England into commander Stanhope’s infantry. Raleigh is a very inexperienced soldier, having just been transported from England and the prospect of being one of Stanhope’s officers is a momentous boost to his fragile confidence.

My Knowledge Positive Replacement Behaviors Essay

Positive replacement behaviors seem simple enough to understand when breaking down each word. It’s to have the undesired behavior or desired behavior replaced with a positive reinforcement. When doing this you want to try and bring in a replacement behaviors. It is helpful to have a target behavior that is not compatible with its. For example if Roger doesn’t like to have his shoes untied because he has difficulty tying them, make sure to ask his parents or try to obtain shoes that don’t need tying like Velcro. Overall as an educator you want to try and avoid the target behavior and use the replacement behavior as much as possible. What does reinforcement mean? Reinforcement in simple terms is defined as a consequence that follows a behavior. The consequence is used to strengthen the behavior immediately after it has occurred. If you really think about it reinforcement happens all the time in everyday life. Reinforcements happen in a lot of ways outside of the classroom. The reinforcement that first comes to mind for me is doing chores. If I continued to do my chores on a constant basis I would get paid for doing so. Even though this reinforcement isn’t the same it works in a similar way. The main goal for reinforcement is to set a goal or a standard for that person and in the end your get an award for it. There are many different types of reinforcers to help behavior but there are specific types of reinforcers that work for different students. The four reinforcer types are: Natural reinforcers, token reinforcers, social reinforcers, and tangible reinforcers. Natural reinforcers are kind of self-explanatory. For example if Becky Sue stays on task and does her homework, then she will get good grades. Token reinforcers are usually given when a student is executing actions that the teacher has suggested, when given these tokens they can be exchanged for something of value. Social  reinforcers are similar to verbal praise or specific approval of behavior. For example Bobby gets his English paper back and his teacher writes excellent work! The last reinforcer is tangible reinforcement. Tangibles are used a lot with educators and involve a physical award such as treats, money, or prizes. What is positive and negative reinforcement? Positive Reinforcement is a technique used by professionals and parents to modify their children’s behavior by reinforcing desired behaviors. Positive reinforcement can be used as a reward. Educators are well known for using reinforcement in education. â€Å"When you need to help your children learn new behaviors, increase behaviors you desire and reduce undesirable behaviors, your chances for success will increase if you use positive reinforcement† (Butler, 2010). This term is familiar throughout society and is used as a great method for behavior modification. Sometimes people think positive reinforcement is only used for the students that struggle with undesired behaviors but it also there for students that continue to their good behaviors. Negative reinforcement involves strengthening a behavior through the removal or avoiding of negative outcomes. This reinforcement is confused with being negative and used as punishment, when it is not. Negative reinforcement is used in hoped that the behavior will not reoccur. As you can see punishment and negative reinforcement are used in two different ways as one is in hope that it won’t occur again and the other is in hopes of decreasing the behavior. How would you use positive reinforcement in the classroom environment? When I think of a positive reinforcement I think of positive things throughout your classroom and the day. First I would start the day off by greeting my students as they come into the classroom. If I see a few students sitting quietly putting their stuff away and sitting on task I would use verbal praise by saying, thank you for coming in and doing what you need to do in the start of class. A lot of my reinforcements would be verbal and specific to their behaviors and the individuals. When using my verbal praise I would make sure to use a loud but pleasant voice to make it known to that student. Even though it’s great to use individual reinforcements I think it is also crucial for students to have positive  reinforcement as a group. For example if every student gets there homework done in class or close to done they the class receives a smiley face. If the class receives 10 smiley faces they will get a pizza party. Sometimes this is hard to obtain from the whole class but once they do it is great because the class earned this a whole. My plan that including goals and objectives for a student with an emotional disabilities My plan that including goals and objectives for a student with an emotional disabilities Emotional disabilities can be fragile to work with. When working with students that have disabilities like these I would first and foremost be patient with the student. The Article Emotional or Behavioral Disorders Defined states â€Å"Emotional or behavioral disorders can be divided into three groups that are characterized by externalizing behavior, Internalizing behaviors, and low incidence disorders† (Smith, 2007). By looking over these three categories there is a difference between the three. I would try and figure out the students that fell into each group. For goals I would try to make sure that they were measu rable for the students. From the beginning of figuring out their emotion disability I would set up specific goals and objectives for each student to follow. Each student is different so this would be done on an individual basis. When including goals I think it’s great to develop short and long term goals for students. The plan that is developed could have a reward system. For example for every 30 minutes the student doesn’t disrupt the class or have and outburst they will get a check, if the student obtains 10 then they get to do something of their chose like read for 15 minutes or have 10 minutes computer time. After a period of time like two months or every semester/quarter I would evaluate the plans and goals that I have set. I would ask myself, is this effective for the student? Have I seen an emotional change, and if not I might have to reevaluate what is working and what is not. Overall with positive replacement behaviors you want to make sure they are obtainable for the student to achieve. With great planning and getting to know the student it can happen. Reference John Wheeler & Dean Richey. (2010).Behavior management. Retrieved from http//gcumedia.com/digital-resources/pearson/2009/behavior-management_principles-and-practices-of-positive-behavior-supports_ebook_2e.php Butler, A. (2010). Behavior modification through positive reinforcement. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/139880-behavior-modification-through-positive-reinforcement/ Smith, D. D. (2007). Emotional or behavioral disorders defined. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/emotional-behavioral-disorders-defined/

Eating Disorders Essay

Eating disorders are devastating and harmful behavioral patterns that occur within people for numerous reasons. The three types of eating disorders I will be discussing include the three most common of the disorders: anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive overeating (known as binge eating). Though the disorders take physical damage on the body, they are not in fact physical illnesses. You cannot â€Å"catch† and eating disorder. Rather, they are mental issues that develop more frequently within females but do affect the male population somewhat as well. Eating disorders are very common in our culture many people have them or know someone who does. With our cultures unrealistic views on what is beautiful the supper skinny models that woman see everywhere makes many people think that they have to live up to those standards. Some people feel if they cannot be up to these standards that they are not good enough and this causes them to do things that a person in their normal state of mi nd would never do. When people starve themselves to like in anorexia they end up developing many different psychological problems and find excuses to keep up with their destructive habits. There are also people who are addicted to eating they use eating as a way to feel a void that they feel like they have. They lean to use eating as a cooping tool in turn they become obese then they use eating to deal with their depression which works as a double edged sword. What they love is what is destroying them physically as well as mentally. This can also be considered emotional eating this is eating when you’re angry, sad, or even anxious. Many cultures have different views as what is considered attractive these variables play a large part in what peoples diet habits are this can be seen in the magazines and television from the area to show what they culture is  expecting people to look like and what they are expected to eat. Women have been the main ones with eating disorders but men with them are on the rise this is due to the unrealistic thoughts on them as well. Men are more prone to work out more than what is really necessary that way they get lower body fat. Many men think the lower their body fat the better they are this can cause many other mental issues that were not originally perceived as a female problem. With the current changes in culture the rise in men having eating disorders will keep rising. Bulimia occurs with or without anorexia symptoms. Individuals with bulimia tend to binge eat then self induce vomiting. However, binge eating is sometimes not a component of bulimia. Individuals may eat normal a mounts, and then excuse themselves to the bathroom. Another common trait is the use of laxatives, diuretics, and enemas in thoughts that it will excrete those calories. Bulimics are not necessarily underweight. Some are even over weight if not at a normal weight, and they almost always have a swollen appearance to their stomachs. Compulsive overeating is a disorder in which individuals overeat, often using food as an addictive substance. As others may turn to alcohol, drugs, or gambling to alleviate stress, compulsive overeaters turn to food. Eating disorders can plague women, and men of any age. With treatment people can overcome eating disorders and regain a normal lifestyle. They of course will always struggle with their initial issues related to food, however the treatments can teach them and give them the strength to overcome the impulses.

The Classical Definition of a Tyrant

The Classical Definition of a Tyrant A tyrant- also known as a basileus or king- in ancient Greece meant something different from our modern concept of a  tyrant as simply a cruel and oppressive despot. A tyrant was little more than an autocrat or leader who had overturned an existing regime of a Greek polis and was, therefore, an illegitimate ruler, a usurper. They even had some measure of popular support, according to Aristotle. Before Turannoi Were Tyrants: Rethinking a Chapter of Early Greek History, by Greg Anderson, suggests that because of this confusion with modern tyranny, the perfectly good Greek word should be removed from scholarship on early Greece. Peisistratus (Pisistratus) was one of the most famous of the Athenian tyrants. It was after the fall of the sons of Peisistratus that Cleisthenes and democracy came to Athens. Aristotle and Tyrants In his article, The First Tyrants in Greece, Robert Drews paraphrases Aristotle as saying that the tyrant was a degenerate type of monarch who came to power because of how insufferable the aristocracy was. The people of the demos, fed up, found a tyrant to champion them. Drews adds that the tyrant himself had to be ambitious, possessing the Greek concept of philotimia, which he describes as ​the  desire for power and prestige. This quality is also common to the modern version of the self-serving tyrant. Tyrants were sometimes preferred to aristocrats and kings. The article, ÃŽ ¤Ã Ã ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š. The Semantics of a Political Concept from Archilochus to Aristotle, by Victor Parker says the first use of the term tyrant comes from the mid-seventh century B.C., and the first negative use of the term, about a half-century later or perhaps as late as the second quarter of the sixth. Kings vs. Tyrants A tyrant could also be a leader who ruled without having inherited the throne; thus, Oedipus marries Jocasta to become tyrant of Thebes, but in reality, he is the legitimate heir to the throne: the king (basileus). Parker says the use of tyrannos is common to a  tragedy in preference to basileus, generally synonymously, but sometimes negatively. Sophocles writes that hubris begets a tyrant or tyranny begets hubris. Parker adds that for Herodotus, the term tyrant and basileus are applied to the same individuals, although Thucydides (and Xenophon, on the whole) distinguishes them along the same lines of legitimacy as we do. Greg Anderson argues that before the 6th century there was no difference between the tyrannos or tyrant and the legitimate oligarchic ruler, both aiming to dominate but not subvert the existing government. He says that the construct of the age of tyrant was a figment of the late archaic imagination. Sources Before Turannoi Were Tyrants: Rethinking a Chapter of Early Greek History, by Greg Anderson; Classical Antiquity, (2005), pp. 173-222. The First Tyrants in Greece, by Robert Drews; Historia: Zeitschrift fà ¼r Alte Geschichte, Bd. 21, H. 2 (2nd Qtr., 1972), pp. 129-14 ÃŽ ¤Ã Ã ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š. The Semantics of a Political Concept from Archilochus to Aristotle, by Victor Parker; Hermes, 126. Bd., H. 2 (1998), pp. 145-172.

What Producers Look for in a Screenplay Query

What Producers Look for in a Screenplay Query In my decade or so at Treasure Entertainment, I literally received thousands of query letters from fledgling writers desperate to claw their way to the top of the read pile. Want to guess how many I responded to? If you said less than two dozen, you’d be a winner. This is not to discourage you from querying producers, but rather to drive home the reality that competition is fierce and many letters get tossed. However, there are a lot of things you can do (and avoid doing) in your query to increase your chances that a producer will actually request the script. Here are some of the most prominent: Know Who You’re Querying Research the company you’re sending the letter to. Know what kind of pictures they produce. The information is out there if you do a little digging. Look at the company’s credits on IMDb or Wikipedia. Google their films’ budgets. Treasure produces niche genre films under $10 million, but I can’t tell you how many times I received queries about a $75 million period drama. If you pitch something that’s in their wheelhouse, you have a much better shot at a response. Start with a Solid Logline Don’t meander through some circuitous introduction that forces the producer to find your story. Start with â€Å"Dear _____, I would like to submit the following screenplay for your consideration.† Then go right into the logline – a concise, one-sentence description of the plot. A good logline will reveal the protagonist, the antagonist, the conflict, the protagonist’s goal, and what’s at stake if the protagonist fails. It should also infer the genre, tone and scope of the piece. You want the producer to be able to glean from the logline whether it’s a big-budget action film or a dark indie drama. (Read Ashley Scott Meyers’ article â€Å"Writing a Screenplay Log Line† here: sellingyourscreenplay.com/how-to-sell-your-screenplay/writing-a-screenplay-logline/) Other Key Elements After the logline, follow up with a paragraph describing any enticing background about the project such as attached cast or a director, noteworthy awards or competition wins, whether the script is based on preexisting material like a book or magazine article, and whether any amount of funding is in place. This is your chance to really sell it. Follow that up with a short one-paragraph

Critiquing Historical Analysis of Classmate - Subject- Atomic Bomb Assignment

Critiquing Historical Analysis of Classmate - Subject- Atomic Bomb - Assignment Example The reviewer claims that the idea of the atomic bomb came to existence during WWII. This was after President Roosevelt suggested that it was only through it that the nation would achieve victory against its enemies (Truman, 2014). According to the reviewer, the atomic bomb incident is still controversial to date. This is evident by the large number of Non-western as well as European historians who are still trying to analyze the atomic bomb issue. Since this is a historiography, the reviewer starts of by defining the term. According to studies, the term historiography normally refers to the analyzing of the history behind the history of an event. The reviewer organized the work in a chronological order, hence making it easy to comprehend the entire topic. This is because after stating that she would analyze the work of four historians, in the following paragraphs, she talks of different authors in relation to their perceptions as far as the issue of the atomic bomb is concerned. First, the reviewer talks about Kayoko Yoshida’s article, From Atomic Fragments to Memories of the Trinity Bomb: A Bridge of Oral History over the Pacific. Kayoko, apart from exploring the meaning behind trans-media, he also analyses the transnational collaborations behind the atomic bomb (Yoshida, 2003). In a move to get firsthand information concerning the issue of the atomic bomb, apart from interviewing documentary makers, he also involves his students; this was in a move to get different perceptions on how the Japanese community viewed the atomic bomb issue. The reason as to why Kayako involves a number of sources in his analysis is due t o the perception that historians ought to have solid evidence in order to support their claims. In his article, apart from addressing a filmmaker whose objective is to relive the history, he also claims that many Japanese students in the current generation have no clue whatsoever on the reason behind the

Explain three ways in which governments shape labour markets and Essay

Explain three ways in which governments shape labour markets and Explain, using examples, three dimensions of the relationship between paid and unpaid work - Essay Example nt base in order to instill more confidence in the workforce and â€Å"focus on the context for investment† (Lecture 3, p.3) thus creating a congenial environment for business while addressing the social concern of employment. In the current economic situation where the role of government in protecting labor has been reduced to the bare minimum due to globalization and advancements in technology, it is flexibility of the job market that is more in perspective than formulation of laws to safeguard labor. However, the scope of employment also raises the issue of work where salary is high that consequently raises the standard of living and another type of work where workers are paid low wages leading to social disparity and discontent. The issue of low wages is compounded by globalization that firms use as bargaining chip to tame labor with threats of outsourcing, giving business the upper hand as trade unions have largely been marginalized in an environment where technology has reduced manpower. The government is not only responsible to oversee a strong and vibrant economy but also to ensure equitable living conditions for every citizen in general, and the weaker sections of society in particular. There are some countries like the Scandinavian nations where the citizens enjoy generous social packages even if they are unemployed. There are other nations where 5 percent of the population enjoys 95 percent of the nation’s wealth, whereas 95 percent of the population survives on 5% of the country’s resources. It may not be possible for every country to satisfy every citizen with generous social schemes, but it is necessary to create conditions where everyone feels cared for. Generally, the government is noncommittal when it comes to the interest of workers in the lowly paid services basically for two reasons: one, the government wants to encourage new entrepreneurs to rise to the occasion and take advantage of working conditions under the new technological order

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Impacts of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Impacts of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) 1.0 Introduction This paper will labour to explicate the intricacies of enterprise resource planning (ERP), a concept that has long fascinated many in both academic and professional work environments, including the United Nations (UN). In fact, the UN has expressed the need to implement ERP. As part of their examination into this procedure, the UN has implemented ERP at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Pristine, Republic of Kosovo, and other agencies of the UN. As they look into the ramifications of ERP implementation, so does this case study. This study attempts to make predictions of the impact of ERP implementation on the business processes and organisational culture of the United Nations secretariat based on results from the UNDP. 1.1 Introduction to the Problem Since the late 1990s, businesses have flocked to implement enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, e.g., one study showed that more than sixty percent of Fortune 500 companies had adopted an ERP system (Stewart et al. 2000). The United Nations, as one of the largest organisations in the world, has lagged behind in adopting the transformation in the management of its resources. The United Nations has been seriously hampered in its ability to deliver results effectively and efficiently due to the lack of an integrated information system for managing its resources (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). According to Davis and Olsen (1985), ERP is an integrated system that provides information to support operation management and decision-making functions in an organisation. Therefore, the goal of implementing an ERP system is to build an integrated global information system that fully supports the needs of the United Nations, enables the effective management of human, financial and physical resources, and is based on streamlined processes and better practices (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). 1.2Background of the Study 1.2.1 Existing System Currently, the United Nations uses an in-house developed system—commonly referred to as Integrated Management Information System (IMIS)—for the management of human, financial and physical resources. The development of IMIS was a milestone in the use of information technology as a discipline that can beneficially affect many, if not all, areas of administration and management in any given organisation. IMIS was developed as a functionally integrated system, which combines all departments to support key processes such as human resources management, payroll, finance and accounting, requisitioning and funds control, budget execution and travel management. IMIS was introduced in conjunction with desktop, networked computing and office automation tools such as electronic mail in many offices. â€Å"If an organisation is not yet sure of the need for client-server networks, the state of the art in enterprise-wide computing, it has only to consider the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the United Nations,† (Rowe Davis, 1996, p. 122). The launching of IMIS was subsequently affected and conditioned by major developments in the technological market, and an accelerated shift of focus in the United Nations to field activities. In short, IMIS was designed and developed at a time when the context began to change rapidly and profoundly. Yet, only a few years after the implementation of IMIS, it has become evident that the system cannot take full advantage of the advancement in technology; e.g., even though IMIS is functionally integrated, it was deployed and managed locally at each geographical location, which makes reporting and global management very difficult. The implementation in the United Nations peacekeeping operation was partial, as it is a separate department in the UN, and was not able to support the supply chain and logistical management (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). â€Å"The IMIS was not an alternative communication technology to paper and telephones, but it involved the synchronization of multiple data sources and the linking of them to several mainframes,† (Rowe Davis, 1996, p. 122). An investment in tactical systems, which includes a stand-alone system and a modular integration into IMIS through interfaces, was able to address the functional gaps of IMIS. However, the organisation today faces challenges that demand profound transformation beyond the capabilities of IMIS and its ancillary legacy systems currently being used (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). 1.2.2 The need for change â€Å"The United Nations struggled to get everybody in their building to connect electronically. It soon realised that it was time to connect the world with a client-server network,† (Rowe Davis, 1996, p. 122). The need for the United Nations to take on the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) lead to the requirement of significant change in the accounting processes and systems in order to comply with the international public sector standard for accounting. The requisite changes, indeed, were so fundamental that it is fair to say that the life of IMIS had come to an end after fourteen years; moreover, the benefits that the staff and managers expected from the information system in day-to-day operations and decision-making no longer matched the cost of maintenance and ongoing support. This is because IMIS is no longer able to cope with the fast technological development, and the cost of maintenance and ongoing support has become very expensive (Report of th e Secretary-General, 2008). â€Å"The success of your organisations quality initiative depends upon your ability to communicate the need for change throughout the organization,† (Arcaro, 1997, p. 146). The United Nations as an organisation needs to improve the value and cost-efficiency of the services it provides. They report that the existing systems are not up to the standard, not integrated, duplicative, and are inefficient (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). According to the UN, the effective management, planning and decision-making have been hampered by the lack of integration and complete data on resources (ibid). As the organisation continues to grow in complexity in its activities, they are dissatisfied with the lack of integration and data-sharing between different departments as it has become a bigger problem, and the need for a new ICT global enterprise system for streamlining and simplifying processes has become more crucial as the nature of the organisation is changing itself (ibid). 1.2.3 Goals and objectives of implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning System The United Nations reports that the implementation of an ERP system will present the opportunity to fully combine resources and functions across the organisation by replacing the existing IMIS system (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). Minahan (1998) reports ERP to be a multifaceted system that integrates and automates the basic processes of a business such as finance and budget management, human resources management, supply chain management, central support services, and other corporate core functions. Most importantly, the main value of an ERP system is the opportunity to streamline and improve the operations of an entire organisation through process reengineering, sharing of common data, and implementation of best practices and standards, and perform as the inter-organisation information backbone for communication and collaboration (OLeary, 2004). According to reports from the United Nations (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008), the main objectives of the ERP project can be summarised as follows: To have a global operating system that precisely captures core resource data from each department and agency at the UN while linking them together to provide better decision-making. This will minimise the time required to perform administrative processes and enable easy access to necessary reports for each department, thus increasing the efficiency of the organisation and directing the focus to high priority situations. The main functionalities sought from the new ERP system are expected to encompass functions such as programme planning, budgeting, contributions and performance; human resources management and administration; payroll, including management of benefits and contribution to pension, medical and insurance schemes; supply chain management, including procurement; assets and facilities management; general accounting, travel and other administrative flows; reporting to management and stakeholders, and more (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008, p. 8). Specific United Nations peacekeeping operations functions such as logistics, transportation, fuel and rations systems need to be supported by the new ERP system, as these functions are not held in common with other organisations of the United Nations operations. 1.3Purpose and Significance of the Study The research done in this study will attempt to answer the following question: What will be the impact of ERP implementation on the business transformation and business culture of the United Nations? Specifically, this study will attempt to establish the relationship between the business process transformation and organisational culture change offered as the result of ERP. These questions and findings are expected to provide an increased ability in evaluating the performance and standardisation of the business processes within the United Nations, as well as an increased awareness of its effect on the business culture and productivity over time in the UN. In addition, answers to these questions will subsequently enable other researchers to gain more insight into ERP implementation and business process reengineering. It will also enable the management of the United Nations to see how ERP can be a better means of technological reform, thus providing the opportunity to re-evaluate the existing business processes. 1.4 Research Questions The question that constitutes the primary point of pivot for the paper is: What will be the probable future impact of ERP on the business process transformation and business culture of the UnitedNations? The three subsidiary questions of the present work are: > How will ERP implementation make the organisation better off in the foreseeable future? > What will be the effect on the reformed business culture in terms of productivity? > How does the organisation perceive the benefit of ERP on the standardisation of business processes? 1.5Structural Approach The rest of the dissertation has been structured as follows. Chapter 2 provides a review of relevant literature including ERP, business process reengineering, and their impact on organisational culture. Chapter 3 discusses the methodologies used for the case study and describes the data and the various proxies employed for analysing ERP implementation in the United Nations. Chapter 4 provides empirical findings on the relationship between ERP implementation and its effects on business processes and organisational culture. Chapter 5 analyses the research findings. Chapter 6 concludes the research by pointing out the key impacts of ERP on the UN. Chapter 7 makes various recommendations for policy direction and potentially fruitful areas of ERP systems for further research. Chapter 8 reflects on the study as a whole. CHAPTER II 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW The following Literature Review will focus on four main areas of evaluation regarding enterprise resource planning (ERP) on the business process transformation (BPR) in organisations, and more specifically, the United Nations. These are: 1. ERP: definition, evolution, implications 2. BPR: definition, evolution, implications 3. ERP and organisational culture 4. BPR and organisational change This review will analyse the abovementioned systems and related processes insofar as the available data in the literature will allow for a comparison of ERP and BPR and their effects on the United Nations and other large organisations. 2.1 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Definition, Evolution, and Implications Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are commonly described as commercial software packages that allow the assimilation of data and processes throughout an organisation (Markus Tanis, 2000, cited in Kim et al. 2005). ERP enables the flow of information among all business areas such as â€Å"finance, human resources, manufacturing, sales and marketing,† (Tan Theodorou, 2009, p. 52). Basically, it allows data from all departments to exist in one computer system (Pang, 2001), making the managerial dream of unification of all information systems into one computer system come true (Adam ODoherty, 2003, cited in Revia, 2007). This unification should offer many benefits to the UN and other large organisations. Large organisations may have a more difficult time relaying information from one sector to another as they have many different departments and even multiple locations. The combination of all departments in one system, presents benefits of relaying data in a timely mann er. Rather than sending files through inter-office mail or needing to track down one particular staff member, each employee will have access to the information required for their job by simply logging into the system. The researcher will attempt to discover whether this unification does indeed allow for more time-efficiency as well as making simple operations tasks easier to accomplish in the UN. The start of ERP systems came about in the 1960-1970s with the invention of Inventory Control (IC) and Materials Requirement Planning (MPR) systems, which managed inventory in manufacturing. In the 1980s, Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRP II) systems came into use to manage both inventory and production requirements together. In 1973, the first ERP system was created with the goal of supporting all business needs. Since then, ERP systems have become much more popular. In fact, by the year 2000, enterprise resource planning systems were estimated to have serviced $23 billion USD in profits for the various organisations that have been implementing them (Pang, 2001). ERP systems are larger, more influential and faster growing than any other systems in the industry (Finney Corbett, 2007). This is probably why the UN has shown such interest in ERP. The increase in ERP implementation does not seem surprising as ERP allows corporations to update to a new integrated system cutting out the previous legacy systems known for their difficulties in maintenance, large size, and old age, as they are segregated systems (Martin, 1998; cited in Boudreau, 1999). This appears to be helpful for the UN as they reported difficulty with their current legacy system (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). It is likely that employees of the UN will be satisfied with the replacement of the legacy system due to the reported problems it has. However, there is a chance that employees may be intimidated by this change as they will have to learn an entirely new system. Advantages of ERP systems for organisations include overcoming fragmentation by streamlining activities and processes, which provides direct access to real-time information by supplying a group of software modules that encase all departments of a business (Koch, 2003, cited in Finney Corbett, 2007). This implies that all information accessed through the new system will be current as it is constantly being updated by various employees based on the tasks they complete. Rather than there being pieces of information in various places, all information regarding the same issue will be together implying that employees can look in one place and have all the information they need rather than searching through various documents or consulting multiple co-workers. However, it provokes the question as to how employees can be sure the information entered is accurate. This aspect of ERP systems will be investigated at the UNDP in Kosovo in order to determine whether this feature is beneficial. Furthermore, ERP systems are said to provide cost-reduction in addition to increased flexibility (Siriginidi, 2000 cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). Since the initial costs of implementation are so high, it doesnt seem like cost-reduction can be achieved anytime close to implementation. However, Rowe and Davis (1996) reported, the IMIS system which is the current system being used in many UN agencies does not cut down the amount of paper needed in order to do processes. Switching to an ERP system should reduce costs related to this amongst other things, as suggested by the literature. For the UN, this would mean more money to use for their peacekeeping missions or other operations. The reduction of costs and flexibility appear to be linked in some way as decreasing operation costs would imply having more flexibility to perform other processes. Then again, its possible for the availability of data to imply flexibility in making decisions, or flexibility could result from rearranging t he organisations processes and being better equipped to perform certain tasks. ERP systems have been reported to enhance business performance by accelerating the merger of organisational resources as well as strengthening the operational efficiency of the company through minimising human error (Shin Knapp, 2001, cited in Wang, 2006). The implication that ERP reduces human error seems to be correct as there is less opportunity to make a mistake for employees because there is generally only one time they need to input information for data-sharing as opposed to the multiple steps needed to take before but how can employees be sure that the initial information entered was accurate? One may argue that if multiple people are doing the same step there is increased accuracy as there are that many more people assessing the situation. Aside from that, it seems these benefits should assist the UN in accomplishing some of their proposed goals, such as linking all departments within one operations system, which decreases the time required for administrative processes. The UN hopes implementation will increase their operational efficiency by allowing valuable time to be spent focusing on high priority situations rather than simple operations tasks (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). More advertised benefits include improved information accuracy and decision-making capacity (Siriginidi, 2000 cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). The UN wants to make use of these proposed advantages (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). Decision-making is a large part of the UN as they have to make difficult decisions everyday that effect large numbers of people; making a bad decision is not necessarily easily corrected in this case. Furthermore, many situations the UN deals with are time-sensitive; if its easier to access data, and the accuracy of that data is improved, officials can rest assured that they are making decisions with proper knowledge. In implementing ERP, organisations no longer have to create their own applications that are then unique to their company. They now have standard software available for their business processes, referred to as Best Business Practices (BBPs), which came into existence around the same time as ERPs. BBPs are general guidelines to assist companies in the way of handling certain business processes, meaning that each company can now improve itself on the basis of the experience of other corporations that share similar functional processes (SAP, 2007, cited in Revia, 2007). It seems any organisation would be hesitant to implement a system that has not proved to benefit other large organisations as the risk of failure is not unlikely (Moon, 2007). However, each organisation is unique so BBPs may not work for every organisation. .Some of the disadvantages of ERP are that the implementation requires time, costs and risks (Boudreau, 1999), as they tend to be â€Å"large, complicated, and expensive† (Mabert et al. 2001, cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008, p. 3). ERP implementation calls for serious time commitment from all involved as it is often the biggest project that an organisation will ever face (Moon, 2007). ERP execution requires new procedures, employee training and managerial and technical support (Shang Seddon, 2002, cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008), which can be accomplished through good communication of the corporate strategy to all employees (Umble et al. 2003, cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). Consequently, the biggest problem is not actually the implementation itself but the expectations of board members and senior staff as well as not having a clear plan or realistic projections (Somers Nelson 2004, cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). However, the UN has already proposed clear goals and plans for t heir implementation. The question is whether or not they will be able to successfully translate these goals/plans to all employees of the organisation and whether or not they will be successful. Finally, the importance of selecting the appropriate ERP package is stressed. Corporations must make sure they select the appropriate ERP package that will match their organisation as well as its business processes (Chen, 2001, cited in Finney Corbett, 2007). This seems obvious as every organisation is different. Some corporations strategise around providing excellent customer service while others focus on decreasing costs to customers as a way to attract more business. However, there are studies that show that customising ERP packages beyond minimal adjustments is discouraged; these studies show that organisations should adjust their processes to fit the package rather than adjust the package to fit the processes (Murray Coffin, 2001 cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). 2.2 Business Process Transformation (BPR): Definition, Evolution, and Implications Business process reengineering (BPR) was not very popular until the release of the book Re-engineering the Corporation by Michael Hammer and James Champy (Barker, 1995). Hammer and Champy introduced the term â€Å"Business process reengineering† in 1990 and defined it as a â€Å"fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed† (Grover Kettinger, 2000, p. 151). Business process reengineering is also defined as a strategic redesign of important business processes, including the systems and policies that support them, in order to achieve maximum productivity of an organisation (Manganelli Klein, 1994). This would suggest a link between ERP and BPR as they are both structured around the redesign of core business processes. In fact, some goals of BPR are the reduction of cost, cycle-time, defects, and the increase of worker producti vity (Hales Savoie, 1994), very much the same as ERP. The aim of BPR is to change current business processes in order to make them more efficient overall, again mimicking ERP. In fact, Some researchers suggest that ERP systems â€Å"are the major tools for making business processes better, leaner and faster through associated business process reengineering,† (Shang Seddon, 2003, cited in Revia, 2007, p. 25). It is not yet known whether or not BPR will be performed at the UN. It is assumed that it will as it is so closely related to ERP. Additionally, reports have shown that ERP often causes BPR to occur due to its very nature (Seebacher Juszczyk, 2002). It seems that in order for ERP to be most successful, BPR should be performed (Sumner, 2000 cited in Law Ngai, 2007), otherwise the UN may not recognise exactly which processes are most important for their operations. Or, they may not be fully aware of the exact way in which ERP should be performed in relation to the core business processes, which is vital to understand for the selection of the proper ERP package. BPR has its origins in the private sectors as a management tool for companies to deal with change and reorganise their work to â€Å"improve customer service, cut operational costs, and become world-class competitors,† (Hamid, 2004, cited in Wang, 2006, p. 5). Generally, business process transformation takes business processes and allows them to be done routinely through a computer system. It incorporates peoples perspectives and input to make sure that the processes fit needs specific to each corporation (Wang, 2006). This suggests benefits for ERP implementation in any organisation as the systems are supposed to be designed around core processes specific to each company. It would be helpful for the UN to determine which processes are vital to their operations. Furthermore, cutting operational costs should prove to be very valuable for the UN as many of the services it provides are non-profit. Of course, whether or not this will be achieved is a question of interest. Here is a further look into what a core business process is: A core business process is one that gives value to the customers or stakeholders of the company. These are the most important processes within the organisation and are the ones that will set a company above their competitors if done well. In order to figure out what processes are core, one may ask the following questions. 1) Does the process make valued contributions to the customer? Does it improve customer service, increase response-time, decrease customers costs? 2) Is it important for the production/operation of the company? 3) Can it be used for other businesses? If the answer is yes to one of these questions, then the process under consideration can be considered core (McHugh et al. 1995). The UN may consider any process involving cash flow to be core as that is a huge component to many of the services they provide. Furthermore, any documentation of information from one department to another is probably considered core as this organisation relies on data-sharing for its decision-making capabilities. Therefore, it seems that these types of processes will be affected by ERP implementation and will most likely be reengineered. The three most basic strategies that increase a business success are lowering prices, offering more value in products, or focusing on less diversity in commodities and specialising in a certain area (Berrington Oblich, 1995). This suggests that BPR would be structured around these strategies when reorganising core business processes. If the UN is restructuring using BPR, they are likely to focus on a combination of strategies. As already mentioned, the cost of operations is a huge factor for the United Nations to consider as they provide aid to many countries without expecting any favours in return. This implies they would focus on reduction of costs. However, the main reason they are an organisation is to provide services to those in need. That would suggest they would reorganise their business processes around the strategy of offering more value in their services. In implementing BPR, organisations are asked to choose five or six of the processes that are central to the operation of the company and focus on those to see the ways in which they can make them more efficient (McHugh et al. 1995). Concentrating on making sure core processes are completed to the best of the companys ability only ensures the organisation will do better. In the case of the UN, focusing on data-sharing and managing cash flow suggests an increase in the organisations efficiency as those components are vital to their operation. These changes would suggest benefits for both the cost-reduction strategy as well as providing better service to â€Å"customers.† 2.3 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Organisational Culture Organisational culture is a set of core beliefs, values, and behaviours shared by all members of one company, thereby affecting the productivity of the business. It is often described as â€Å"a pattern of shared assumptions produced and manipulated by top management† (Schein, 1992 cited in Boersma Kingma, 2005, p. 131). Organisational culture is influenced through many aspects, including leadership, personal characteristics, interactions of members, as well as tradition. Culture has visible signs and hidden insinuations. Visible signs include behaviour while the hidden insinuations entail morals and beliefs (Rousseau, 1990 cited in Cooper, 1994). The culture of an organisation is even displayed in the way certain processes are done as well as the outcomes of these processes, which will be examined at the UNDP in Kosovo. Because ERP systems involve most departments in a company, they change many business processes and thereby affect the more deep-seated organisational culture of a corporation. Companies that focus on incorporating their cultures into organisational efforts are said to have an edge in accordance with their productivity. Organisations can focus on culture and work with the people to shape new values, morals and work ethics. If employees are happy to be working for the organisation, they will be more apt to want to work, implying there will be an increase in productivity (Farbrother Marc, 2003). Enterprise resource planning can lead to changes in organisational culture e.g., ERP is implemented in order to increase productivity by changing current business processes (Deal Kennedy, 1982 cited in Cooper, 1994). These changes are maximal and cannot be simply brushed aside. When a company implements ERP, if the organisational culture is ready for the changes it will bring, the employees can work with the system to increase productivity. Consequently, the culture within the business must be one that can be made amenable for change (Nah et al. 2001 cited in Finney Corbett, 2007). There is the belief that positive and supportive attitudes of those embarking on implementation of ERP will actually bring about a successful transition (Chatterjee et al. 2002 cited in Law Ngai, 2007). However, if the culture has not been made ready for change or the employees are unwilling to change, the system will be less likely to succeed. A system cannot work if there are no users. â€Å"System implementation represents a threat to users perceptions of control over their work and a period of transition during which users must cope with differences between old and new work systems,† (Sternad Bobek, 2006, p. 285). The social setting of a company and its technology most definitely shape each other; they are hardly independent of one another (Boersma Kingma, 2005). A mistake companies frequently make is to presume that people can change their habits easily when in actuality such changes are considerably taxing for many people. These companies underestimate the effect ERP implementation will have on their employees. Many employees panic when nothing looks the way it used to, nothing works the way it used to, and they can no longer go through their workday with the previously earned sense of familiarity and assurance (Koch, 2007 cited in Revia, 2007). One study showed that it took over two years for users of the new system to forget the process problems they found initially and to gain new knowledge of the system (Seddon Shang, 2003 cited in Revia, 2007). A Chief Information Officer from Nestle sums up this concept very well—she says, â€Å"‘No major software implementation is really about the software. Its about change management†¦You are changing the way people work[†¦]You are challenging their principles, their beliefs and the way they have done things for many, many years† (Boersma Kingma, 2005, p. 123). It seems the best way to ensure that employees are on board with proposed changes is to make them aware of these changes. It is important for them to feel that they are included in the decision to create new values and procedures for the company. Otherwise, they will be clinging to the old culture and ways of doing things. The change will be stressful and forced rather than welcomed with ease. They should feel that the change is happ Impacts of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Impacts of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) 1.0 Introduction This paper will labour to explicate the intricacies of enterprise resource planning (ERP), a concept that has long fascinated many in both academic and professional work environments, including the United Nations (UN). In fact, the UN has expressed the need to implement ERP. As part of their examination into this procedure, the UN has implemented ERP at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Pristine, Republic of Kosovo, and other agencies of the UN. As they look into the ramifications of ERP implementation, so does this case study. This study attempts to make predictions of the impact of ERP implementation on the business processes and organisational culture of the United Nations secretariat based on results from the UNDP. 1.1 Introduction to the Problem Since the late 1990s, businesses have flocked to implement enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, e.g., one study showed that more than sixty percent of Fortune 500 companies had adopted an ERP system (Stewart et al. 2000). The United Nations, as one of the largest organisations in the world, has lagged behind in adopting the transformation in the management of its resources. The United Nations has been seriously hampered in its ability to deliver results effectively and efficiently due to the lack of an integrated information system for managing its resources (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). According to Davis and Olsen (1985), ERP is an integrated system that provides information to support operation management and decision-making functions in an organisation. Therefore, the goal of implementing an ERP system is to build an integrated global information system that fully supports the needs of the United Nations, enables the effective management of human, financial and physical resources, and is based on streamlined processes and better practices (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). 1.2Background of the Study 1.2.1 Existing System Currently, the United Nations uses an in-house developed system—commonly referred to as Integrated Management Information System (IMIS)—for the management of human, financial and physical resources. The development of IMIS was a milestone in the use of information technology as a discipline that can beneficially affect many, if not all, areas of administration and management in any given organisation. IMIS was developed as a functionally integrated system, which combines all departments to support key processes such as human resources management, payroll, finance and accounting, requisitioning and funds control, budget execution and travel management. IMIS was introduced in conjunction with desktop, networked computing and office automation tools such as electronic mail in many offices. â€Å"If an organisation is not yet sure of the need for client-server networks, the state of the art in enterprise-wide computing, it has only to consider the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the United Nations,† (Rowe Davis, 1996, p. 122). The launching of IMIS was subsequently affected and conditioned by major developments in the technological market, and an accelerated shift of focus in the United Nations to field activities. In short, IMIS was designed and developed at a time when the context began to change rapidly and profoundly. Yet, only a few years after the implementation of IMIS, it has become evident that the system cannot take full advantage of the advancement in technology; e.g., even though IMIS is functionally integrated, it was deployed and managed locally at each geographical location, which makes reporting and global management very difficult. The implementation in the United Nations peacekeeping operation was partial, as it is a separate department in the UN, and was not able to support the supply chain and logistical management (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). â€Å"The IMIS was not an alternative communication technology to paper and telephones, but it involved the synchronization of multiple data sources and the linking of them to several mainframes,† (Rowe Davis, 1996, p. 122). An investment in tactical systems, which includes a stand-alone system and a modular integration into IMIS through interfaces, was able to address the functional gaps of IMIS. However, the organisation today faces challenges that demand profound transformation beyond the capabilities of IMIS and its ancillary legacy systems currently being used (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). 1.2.2 The need for change â€Å"The United Nations struggled to get everybody in their building to connect electronically. It soon realised that it was time to connect the world with a client-server network,† (Rowe Davis, 1996, p. 122). The need for the United Nations to take on the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) lead to the requirement of significant change in the accounting processes and systems in order to comply with the international public sector standard for accounting. The requisite changes, indeed, were so fundamental that it is fair to say that the life of IMIS had come to an end after fourteen years; moreover, the benefits that the staff and managers expected from the information system in day-to-day operations and decision-making no longer matched the cost of maintenance and ongoing support. This is because IMIS is no longer able to cope with the fast technological development, and the cost of maintenance and ongoing support has become very expensive (Report of th e Secretary-General, 2008). â€Å"The success of your organisations quality initiative depends upon your ability to communicate the need for change throughout the organization,† (Arcaro, 1997, p. 146). The United Nations as an organisation needs to improve the value and cost-efficiency of the services it provides. They report that the existing systems are not up to the standard, not integrated, duplicative, and are inefficient (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). According to the UN, the effective management, planning and decision-making have been hampered by the lack of integration and complete data on resources (ibid). As the organisation continues to grow in complexity in its activities, they are dissatisfied with the lack of integration and data-sharing between different departments as it has become a bigger problem, and the need for a new ICT global enterprise system for streamlining and simplifying processes has become more crucial as the nature of the organisation is changing itself (ibid). 1.2.3 Goals and objectives of implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning System The United Nations reports that the implementation of an ERP system will present the opportunity to fully combine resources and functions across the organisation by replacing the existing IMIS system (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). Minahan (1998) reports ERP to be a multifaceted system that integrates and automates the basic processes of a business such as finance and budget management, human resources management, supply chain management, central support services, and other corporate core functions. Most importantly, the main value of an ERP system is the opportunity to streamline and improve the operations of an entire organisation through process reengineering, sharing of common data, and implementation of best practices and standards, and perform as the inter-organisation information backbone for communication and collaboration (OLeary, 2004). According to reports from the United Nations (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008), the main objectives of the ERP project can be summarised as follows: To have a global operating system that precisely captures core resource data from each department and agency at the UN while linking them together to provide better decision-making. This will minimise the time required to perform administrative processes and enable easy access to necessary reports for each department, thus increasing the efficiency of the organisation and directing the focus to high priority situations. The main functionalities sought from the new ERP system are expected to encompass functions such as programme planning, budgeting, contributions and performance; human resources management and administration; payroll, including management of benefits and contribution to pension, medical and insurance schemes; supply chain management, including procurement; assets and facilities management; general accounting, travel and other administrative flows; reporting to management and stakeholders, and more (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008, p. 8). Specific United Nations peacekeeping operations functions such as logistics, transportation, fuel and rations systems need to be supported by the new ERP system, as these functions are not held in common with other organisations of the United Nations operations. 1.3Purpose and Significance of the Study The research done in this study will attempt to answer the following question: What will be the impact of ERP implementation on the business transformation and business culture of the United Nations? Specifically, this study will attempt to establish the relationship between the business process transformation and organisational culture change offered as the result of ERP. These questions and findings are expected to provide an increased ability in evaluating the performance and standardisation of the business processes within the United Nations, as well as an increased awareness of its effect on the business culture and productivity over time in the UN. In addition, answers to these questions will subsequently enable other researchers to gain more insight into ERP implementation and business process reengineering. It will also enable the management of the United Nations to see how ERP can be a better means of technological reform, thus providing the opportunity to re-evaluate the existing business processes. 1.4 Research Questions The question that constitutes the primary point of pivot for the paper is: What will be the probable future impact of ERP on the business process transformation and business culture of the UnitedNations? The three subsidiary questions of the present work are: > How will ERP implementation make the organisation better off in the foreseeable future? > What will be the effect on the reformed business culture in terms of productivity? > How does the organisation perceive the benefit of ERP on the standardisation of business processes? 1.5Structural Approach The rest of the dissertation has been structured as follows. Chapter 2 provides a review of relevant literature including ERP, business process reengineering, and their impact on organisational culture. Chapter 3 discusses the methodologies used for the case study and describes the data and the various proxies employed for analysing ERP implementation in the United Nations. Chapter 4 provides empirical findings on the relationship between ERP implementation and its effects on business processes and organisational culture. Chapter 5 analyses the research findings. Chapter 6 concludes the research by pointing out the key impacts of ERP on the UN. Chapter 7 makes various recommendations for policy direction and potentially fruitful areas of ERP systems for further research. Chapter 8 reflects on the study as a whole. CHAPTER II 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW The following Literature Review will focus on four main areas of evaluation regarding enterprise resource planning (ERP) on the business process transformation (BPR) in organisations, and more specifically, the United Nations. These are: 1. ERP: definition, evolution, implications 2. BPR: definition, evolution, implications 3. ERP and organisational culture 4. BPR and organisational change This review will analyse the abovementioned systems and related processes insofar as the available data in the literature will allow for a comparison of ERP and BPR and their effects on the United Nations and other large organisations. 2.1 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Definition, Evolution, and Implications Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are commonly described as commercial software packages that allow the assimilation of data and processes throughout an organisation (Markus Tanis, 2000, cited in Kim et al. 2005). ERP enables the flow of information among all business areas such as â€Å"finance, human resources, manufacturing, sales and marketing,† (Tan Theodorou, 2009, p. 52). Basically, it allows data from all departments to exist in one computer system (Pang, 2001), making the managerial dream of unification of all information systems into one computer system come true (Adam ODoherty, 2003, cited in Revia, 2007). This unification should offer many benefits to the UN and other large organisations. Large organisations may have a more difficult time relaying information from one sector to another as they have many different departments and even multiple locations. The combination of all departments in one system, presents benefits of relaying data in a timely mann er. Rather than sending files through inter-office mail or needing to track down one particular staff member, each employee will have access to the information required for their job by simply logging into the system. The researcher will attempt to discover whether this unification does indeed allow for more time-efficiency as well as making simple operations tasks easier to accomplish in the UN. The start of ERP systems came about in the 1960-1970s with the invention of Inventory Control (IC) and Materials Requirement Planning (MPR) systems, which managed inventory in manufacturing. In the 1980s, Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRP II) systems came into use to manage both inventory and production requirements together. In 1973, the first ERP system was created with the goal of supporting all business needs. Since then, ERP systems have become much more popular. In fact, by the year 2000, enterprise resource planning systems were estimated to have serviced $23 billion USD in profits for the various organisations that have been implementing them (Pang, 2001). ERP systems are larger, more influential and faster growing than any other systems in the industry (Finney Corbett, 2007). This is probably why the UN has shown such interest in ERP. The increase in ERP implementation does not seem surprising as ERP allows corporations to update to a new integrated system cutting out the previous legacy systems known for their difficulties in maintenance, large size, and old age, as they are segregated systems (Martin, 1998; cited in Boudreau, 1999). This appears to be helpful for the UN as they reported difficulty with their current legacy system (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). It is likely that employees of the UN will be satisfied with the replacement of the legacy system due to the reported problems it has. However, there is a chance that employees may be intimidated by this change as they will have to learn an entirely new system. Advantages of ERP systems for organisations include overcoming fragmentation by streamlining activities and processes, which provides direct access to real-time information by supplying a group of software modules that encase all departments of a business (Koch, 2003, cited in Finney Corbett, 2007). This implies that all information accessed through the new system will be current as it is constantly being updated by various employees based on the tasks they complete. Rather than there being pieces of information in various places, all information regarding the same issue will be together implying that employees can look in one place and have all the information they need rather than searching through various documents or consulting multiple co-workers. However, it provokes the question as to how employees can be sure the information entered is accurate. This aspect of ERP systems will be investigated at the UNDP in Kosovo in order to determine whether this feature is beneficial. Furthermore, ERP systems are said to provide cost-reduction in addition to increased flexibility (Siriginidi, 2000 cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). Since the initial costs of implementation are so high, it doesnt seem like cost-reduction can be achieved anytime close to implementation. However, Rowe and Davis (1996) reported, the IMIS system which is the current system being used in many UN agencies does not cut down the amount of paper needed in order to do processes. Switching to an ERP system should reduce costs related to this amongst other things, as suggested by the literature. For the UN, this would mean more money to use for their peacekeeping missions or other operations. The reduction of costs and flexibility appear to be linked in some way as decreasing operation costs would imply having more flexibility to perform other processes. Then again, its possible for the availability of data to imply flexibility in making decisions, or flexibility could result from rearranging t he organisations processes and being better equipped to perform certain tasks. ERP systems have been reported to enhance business performance by accelerating the merger of organisational resources as well as strengthening the operational efficiency of the company through minimising human error (Shin Knapp, 2001, cited in Wang, 2006). The implication that ERP reduces human error seems to be correct as there is less opportunity to make a mistake for employees because there is generally only one time they need to input information for data-sharing as opposed to the multiple steps needed to take before but how can employees be sure that the initial information entered was accurate? One may argue that if multiple people are doing the same step there is increased accuracy as there are that many more people assessing the situation. Aside from that, it seems these benefits should assist the UN in accomplishing some of their proposed goals, such as linking all departments within one operations system, which decreases the time required for administrative processes. The UN hopes implementation will increase their operational efficiency by allowing valuable time to be spent focusing on high priority situations rather than simple operations tasks (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). More advertised benefits include improved information accuracy and decision-making capacity (Siriginidi, 2000 cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). The UN wants to make use of these proposed advantages (Report of the Secretary-General, 2008). Decision-making is a large part of the UN as they have to make difficult decisions everyday that effect large numbers of people; making a bad decision is not necessarily easily corrected in this case. Furthermore, many situations the UN deals with are time-sensitive; if its easier to access data, and the accuracy of that data is improved, officials can rest assured that they are making decisions with proper knowledge. In implementing ERP, organisations no longer have to create their own applications that are then unique to their company. They now have standard software available for their business processes, referred to as Best Business Practices (BBPs), which came into existence around the same time as ERPs. BBPs are general guidelines to assist companies in the way of handling certain business processes, meaning that each company can now improve itself on the basis of the experience of other corporations that share similar functional processes (SAP, 2007, cited in Revia, 2007). It seems any organisation would be hesitant to implement a system that has not proved to benefit other large organisations as the risk of failure is not unlikely (Moon, 2007). However, each organisation is unique so BBPs may not work for every organisation. .Some of the disadvantages of ERP are that the implementation requires time, costs and risks (Boudreau, 1999), as they tend to be â€Å"large, complicated, and expensive† (Mabert et al. 2001, cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008, p. 3). ERP implementation calls for serious time commitment from all involved as it is often the biggest project that an organisation will ever face (Moon, 2007). ERP execution requires new procedures, employee training and managerial and technical support (Shang Seddon, 2002, cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008), which can be accomplished through good communication of the corporate strategy to all employees (Umble et al. 2003, cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). Consequently, the biggest problem is not actually the implementation itself but the expectations of board members and senior staff as well as not having a clear plan or realistic projections (Somers Nelson 2004, cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). However, the UN has already proposed clear goals and plans for t heir implementation. The question is whether or not they will be able to successfully translate these goals/plans to all employees of the organisation and whether or not they will be successful. Finally, the importance of selecting the appropriate ERP package is stressed. Corporations must make sure they select the appropriate ERP package that will match their organisation as well as its business processes (Chen, 2001, cited in Finney Corbett, 2007). This seems obvious as every organisation is different. Some corporations strategise around providing excellent customer service while others focus on decreasing costs to customers as a way to attract more business. However, there are studies that show that customising ERP packages beyond minimal adjustments is discouraged; these studies show that organisations should adjust their processes to fit the package rather than adjust the package to fit the processes (Murray Coffin, 2001 cited in Al-Fawaz et al. 2008). 2.2 Business Process Transformation (BPR): Definition, Evolution, and Implications Business process reengineering (BPR) was not very popular until the release of the book Re-engineering the Corporation by Michael Hammer and James Champy (Barker, 1995). Hammer and Champy introduced the term â€Å"Business process reengineering† in 1990 and defined it as a â€Å"fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed† (Grover Kettinger, 2000, p. 151). Business process reengineering is also defined as a strategic redesign of important business processes, including the systems and policies that support them, in order to achieve maximum productivity of an organisation (Manganelli Klein, 1994). This would suggest a link between ERP and BPR as they are both structured around the redesign of core business processes. In fact, some goals of BPR are the reduction of cost, cycle-time, defects, and the increase of worker producti vity (Hales Savoie, 1994), very much the same as ERP. The aim of BPR is to change current business processes in order to make them more efficient overall, again mimicking ERP. In fact, Some researchers suggest that ERP systems â€Å"are the major tools for making business processes better, leaner and faster through associated business process reengineering,† (Shang Seddon, 2003, cited in Revia, 2007, p. 25). It is not yet known whether or not BPR will be performed at the UN. It is assumed that it will as it is so closely related to ERP. Additionally, reports have shown that ERP often causes BPR to occur due to its very nature (Seebacher Juszczyk, 2002). It seems that in order for ERP to be most successful, BPR should be performed (Sumner, 2000 cited in Law Ngai, 2007), otherwise the UN may not recognise exactly which processes are most important for their operations. Or, they may not be fully aware of the exact way in which ERP should be performed in relation to the core business processes, which is vital to understand for the selection of the proper ERP package. BPR has its origins in the private sectors as a management tool for companies to deal with change and reorganise their work to â€Å"improve customer service, cut operational costs, and become world-class competitors,† (Hamid, 2004, cited in Wang, 2006, p. 5). Generally, business process transformation takes business processes and allows them to be done routinely through a computer system. It incorporates peoples perspectives and input to make sure that the processes fit needs specific to each corporation (Wang, 2006). This suggests benefits for ERP implementation in any organisation as the systems are supposed to be designed around core processes specific to each company. It would be helpful for the UN to determine which processes are vital to their operations. Furthermore, cutting operational costs should prove to be very valuable for the UN as many of the services it provides are non-profit. Of course, whether or not this will be achieved is a question of interest. Here is a further look into what a core business process is: A core business process is one that gives value to the customers or stakeholders of the company. These are the most important processes within the organisation and are the ones that will set a company above their competitors if done well. In order to figure out what processes are core, one may ask the following questions. 1) Does the process make valued contributions to the customer? Does it improve customer service, increase response-time, decrease customers costs? 2) Is it important for the production/operation of the company? 3) Can it be used for other businesses? If the answer is yes to one of these questions, then the process under consideration can be considered core (McHugh et al. 1995). The UN may consider any process involving cash flow to be core as that is a huge component to many of the services they provide. Furthermore, any documentation of information from one department to another is probably considered core as this organisation relies on data-sharing for its decision-making capabilities. Therefore, it seems that these types of processes will be affected by ERP implementation and will most likely be reengineered. The three most basic strategies that increase a business success are lowering prices, offering more value in products, or focusing on less diversity in commodities and specialising in a certain area (Berrington Oblich, 1995). This suggests that BPR would be structured around these strategies when reorganising core business processes. If the UN is restructuring using BPR, they are likely to focus on a combination of strategies. As already mentioned, the cost of operations is a huge factor for the United Nations to consider as they provide aid to many countries without expecting any favours in return. This implies they would focus on reduction of costs. However, the main reason they are an organisation is to provide services to those in need. That would suggest they would reorganise their business processes around the strategy of offering more value in their services. In implementing BPR, organisations are asked to choose five or six of the processes that are central to the operation of the company and focus on those to see the ways in which they can make them more efficient (McHugh et al. 1995). Concentrating on making sure core processes are completed to the best of the companys ability only ensures the organisation will do better. In the case of the UN, focusing on data-sharing and managing cash flow suggests an increase in the organisations efficiency as those components are vital to their operation. These changes would suggest benefits for both the cost-reduction strategy as well as providing better service to â€Å"customers.† 2.3 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Organisational Culture Organisational culture is a set of core beliefs, values, and behaviours shared by all members of one company, thereby affecting the productivity of the business. It is often described as â€Å"a pattern of shared assumptions produced and manipulated by top management† (Schein, 1992 cited in Boersma Kingma, 2005, p. 131). Organisational culture is influenced through many aspects, including leadership, personal characteristics, interactions of members, as well as tradition. Culture has visible signs and hidden insinuations. Visible signs include behaviour while the hidden insinuations entail morals and beliefs (Rousseau, 1990 cited in Cooper, 1994). The culture of an organisation is even displayed in the way certain processes are done as well as the outcomes of these processes, which will be examined at the UNDP in Kosovo. Because ERP systems involve most departments in a company, they change many business processes and thereby affect the more deep-seated organisational culture of a corporation. Companies that focus on incorporating their cultures into organisational efforts are said to have an edge in accordance with their productivity. Organisations can focus on culture and work with the people to shape new values, morals and work ethics. If employees are happy to be working for the organisation, they will be more apt to want to work, implying there will be an increase in productivity (Farbrother Marc, 2003). Enterprise resource planning can lead to changes in organisational culture e.g., ERP is implemented in order to increase productivity by changing current business processes (Deal Kennedy, 1982 cited in Cooper, 1994). These changes are maximal and cannot be simply brushed aside. When a company implements ERP, if the organisational culture is ready for the changes it will bring, the employees can work with the system to increase productivity. Consequently, the culture within the business must be one that can be made amenable for change (Nah et al. 2001 cited in Finney Corbett, 2007). There is the belief that positive and supportive attitudes of those embarking on implementation of ERP will actually bring about a successful transition (Chatterjee et al. 2002 cited in Law Ngai, 2007). However, if the culture has not been made ready for change or the employees are unwilling to change, the system will be less likely to succeed. A system cannot work if there are no users. â€Å"System implementation represents a threat to users perceptions of control over their work and a period of transition during which users must cope with differences between old and new work systems,† (Sternad Bobek, 2006, p. 285). The social setting of a company and its technology most definitely shape each other; they are hardly independent of one another (Boersma Kingma, 2005). A mistake companies frequently make is to presume that people can change their habits easily when in actuality such changes are considerably taxing for many people. These companies underestimate the effect ERP implementation will have on their employees. Many employees panic when nothing looks the way it used to, nothing works the way it used to, and they can no longer go through their workday with the previously earned sense of familiarity and assurance (Koch, 2007 cited in Revia, 2007). One study showed that it took over two years for users of the new system to forget the process problems they found initially and to gain new knowledge of the system (Seddon Shang, 2003 cited in Revia, 2007). A Chief Information Officer from Nestle sums up this concept very well—she says, â€Å"‘No major software implementation is really about the software. Its about change management†¦You are changing the way people work[†¦]You are challenging their principles, their beliefs and the way they have done things for many, many years† (Boersma Kingma, 2005, p. 123). It seems the best way to ensure that employees are on board with proposed changes is to make them aware of these changes. It is important for them to feel that they are included in the decision to create new values and procedures for the company. Otherwise, they will be clinging to the old culture and ways of doing things. The change will be stressful and forced rather than welcomed with ease. They should feel that the change is happ