Assess the usefulness of social action theories in the study of society free essay sample

Social action theories are known as micro theories which take a bottom-up approach to studying society; they look at how individuals within society interact with each other. There are many forms of social action theories, the main ones being symbolic interactionism, phenomenology and ethnomethodology. They are all based on the work of Max Weber, a sociologist, who acknowledged that structural factors can shape our behaviour but individuals do have reasons for their actions. He used this to explain why people behave in the way in which they do within society. Weber saw four types of actions which are commonly committed within society; rational, this includes logical plans which are used to achieve goals, traditional-customary behaviour, this is behaviour which is traditional and has always been done; he also saw affectual actions, this includes an emotion associated with an action and value-rational actions, this is behaviour which is seen as logical by an individual. We will write a custom essay sample on Assess the usefulness of social action theories in the study of society or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Weber’s discovery of these actions can therefore be seen as useful in the study of society. Weber discovered these actions by using his concept of verstehan, a deeper understanding. However, some sociologists have criticised him as they argue that verstehan cannot be accomplished as it is not possible to see thing in the way that others see them, leaving sociologists to question whether Weber’s social action theory is useful in the study of society. Social action theories have also been referred to as interactionism as they aim to explain day-to-day interactions between individuals within society. G. H Mead came up with the idea of interactionism and argued that the self is ‘a social construction arising out of social experience’. This is because, according to Mead, social situations are what influence the way in we act and behave. He claims that we develop a sense of self as a child and this allows us to see ourselves in the way in which other people see us; we act and behave in certain ways depending on the circumstances which we are in. Mead also claimed that we have a number of different selves which we turn into when we are in certain situations; i. e. we may have one self for the work place and another self for home life. Mead concluded that society is like a stage, in which we are all ‘actors’. Mead’s theory if interactionism is useful in the study of society as it explains why people behave in different ways in certain situations. Mead argues that the social context of a situation is what influences our behaviour, humans use symbols, in the form of language and facial expressions, to communicate, he also argued that humans and animals differ as reasons behind humans’ actions are thought through and not instinctive, unlike those of animals’. However, it has been argued that not all action is meaningful, as Weber’s category of traditional action suggests that much action is performed unconsciously and may have little meaning. Therefore, mead’s idea of interactionism cannot be seen as an appropriate theory to use when studying society. Blumer, a sociologist, who elaborated on Mead’s concept of the self – ‘I’ and ‘me’ – stated that there were three principles about actions and behaviours within social situations. He argued that our actions are the result of situations and events and they have reasons. The reasons behind our actions are negotiable and changeable, so they’re not fixed. Our interpretation of a situation is what gives it meaning. Blumer’s three principles can therefore be used in the study of society. However, it has been argued that his principles cannot explain the consistent patterns which we see in people’s behaviours. This therefore leaves many sociologists to question whether Blumer’s principles can be used to study society. Labelling theory has also been used to apply the interactionist theory to society; the theory, like Mead, emphasises the importance of symbols and situations in which they are used. The main interactionist concepts are the definition of the situation – if we believe in something then it could affect the way in which we behave. The looking glass –self – this was created by Cooley who argues that we see ourselves in a way in which we think others see us. These concepts have been useful in explaining why people act in certain ways in certain situations; therefore, the labelling theory is effective in the study of society. Overall, in conclusion, there are many different social action theories which can be used in the study of society, however, not all of them can be applied to all individuals.

TOP 10 Idioms Chinese Students Should Use in English 101 Essays

TOP 10 Idioms Chinese Students Should Use in English 101 Essays English 101 is an entry-level English class that most American college students take at their first semester in college. All the international students who’re studying in American universities are required to pass this course. However, to most of them, it is not an easy task. The major difficulty of Chinese students is to make their essay look like it’s written by a native speaker. The reason hides behind the lack of idioms and set phrases that are naturally entangled into their essay writing. Below are 10 idioms that a Chinese student could use in their English 101 essays. Together with explanations and usage samples, they should form a solid basis for excellent writing score. Head over heels This phrase means you’re totally attracted by someone or something, e.g: I’m head over heels about this book. Break a leg This idiom means â€Å"Good luck to you†, e.g: Break a leg at the performance tonight! Cat got your tongue This idiom means totally speechless, e.g: Why aren’t you answering me? Cat got your tongue? Beat around the bush This idiom means to be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information, e.g: He beat around the bush for a half hour without coming to the point. Cut to the chase This idiom means to say what is important without delay or just leave out all the unnecessary details and get right to the point, e.g: Stop with all the details and cut to the chase. Cost an arm and a leg This idiom means the price is very high, e.g: This new computer cost me an arm and a leg. Silver lining This phrase means a consoling aspect of a difficult situation, e.g: As they say, every cloud has a silver lining. We have drawn lessons from the decisions taken. Feel under the weather This phrase means someone is sick, e.g: When you catch cold, you feel under the weather. Call it a day This phrase means to end a period of activity, especially resting content that enough has been done. e.g: We were prepared to do another long march before calling it a day. Give it a shot This phrase means to have a try, e.g: I’ll give it a shot. Hopefully this article is useful to you. To excel in one language, diligence is important, but there’s something more important, and this is confidence. Trust yourself undoubtedly and move on continuously, finally you’ll climb to the peak and see the beautiful scenery surrounding the mountain!

Case study about succeful information system projects

About succeful information system projects - Case Study Example More often than not, the projects can fail regardless of how much financial resources the organization has invested in the project. There are however some guidelines that are important in trying to avoid project failures. Carrying out a well planned and scheduled system analysis is a very good way to avoid project failures. As Graham (2013) argues, most projects failures can be attributed to lack of good system analysis that was done. System analysis refers to investigating the informational needs of the organization to determine its informational needs and then developing an information system that is geared towards serving these needs. This process involves a number of actions as follows; As Pinto ( 2011) says, involving the end users is a helps in avoiding system failures as it reduces user resistance. These end users have a crucial role in the success of IT projects. Their involvement will determine how the system acquisition process will be successful as well as the end product. Failure to involve the users leads to a number of issues that threaten to stop the project on its track. These are as follows; Although information technology has been there for a long time, many people in many organizations still have the phobia against IT. Not only does IT mean that the users will have to learn new skills, it also poses a threat to their job (Pinto, 2011). Whether this threat is real or perceived, it will make the users to feel that the system is going to affect them in a negative way. This phobia arises from the fact that people are generally afraid of change because change removes them from their comfort zone. Change also brings the unknown and people are also afraid of the unknown. However, project managers do not have to deal with the issues of user resistance, as long as they are able to understand the factors that bring about this user resistance and deal with them in the right

FIVE short seminar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FIVE short seminar - Essay Example The texts were available before in the local orthodox language and beliefs of the Church which were given new expression in the print media and led to more openness of the expression. The target segment for receiving the benefits of print revolution already existed. The paper and block printing was first invented in China in the first century which spread to Europe in the twelfth century (Eisenstein, 2012, p.53). The spread of Martin Luther’s ideas and the lessons of the Church found channels of expression. In the nineteenth century, the print presses were power driven and faster dissemination of information happened among the masses. Development in investment scenario of the countries like Australia, etc is also a contribution of the print media. Radio days The emergence of radio as a mass medium happened long back from the days of Marconi. Marconi invented ways of decoding the communication codes used in a telegraph and transmitting useful information through a radio. In the early days, the use of radio was an amateurish activity by the audiences who used crystal radio sets. People also pursued hobbies of using radio as a communication medium. In 1920, the corporate radio broadcasting centres stared to operate for reaching out to the masses. With time the desire and the need for radios developed. This gave rise to subsequent developments of the radio communication through the introduction of vacuum tube radio and loudspeakers for better communication. During the time of depression in 19298, radio became the mass medium of communication. Thus for the stages of hobby, radio developed into a wired mass medium for distant communications. Messages and information starting from emergency to entertainment were spread through the radio. The sinking of Titanic and messaging for SOS happened through telegraphic system. However, the news of the world wars was more wide spread with the help of radio. In the field of entertainment, radio started to broadcast new on films, broadcasted musical events and commentaries on live sporting events like Olympics, Football world cup, etc. Image Technologies and Mass Society The image technologies came into vogue during the end of the nineteenth century. The image technologies marked the emergence of the mass society in the twentieth century. In the twentieth century, the communication in the world circulated through wired media like telegraph and telephone. The advent of the image technology brought about the spread of news and entertainment to a wider section of the society. Almost all the spheres of life that include urbanisation of the regions, transportation and public works, information on the time zones were all the more accessible with the help of image technologies. Consumerism developed rapidly with the formation of departmental stores, exhibitions and fairs, e.g. Paris Exposition of 1901. Numerous small theatres developed along with the stardom of the celebrities also grew. The spread of pictu res led to change in lifestyles of the population with more interest to the world of eminent personalities. The Paris Exposition of 1901 received overwhelming responses on sensual pleasures as compared to the knowledge part. The heritage properties like the Crystal Palace of 1950 were designed for the awareness of the masses. The manufacturers started to apply

AmeriCares Association, Strengths and Weakness Assignment

AmeriCares Association, Strengths and Weakness - Assignment Example The organization has strength associated with the ability to assemble product donations from the private sector, thereby determining the urgent needs and requesting financial support for sending aid through airlift or ocean cargo. The organization has health and welfare professionals who are deployed in impecunious areas faced by a need for medical support. Moreover, Americares applies a model, which is tested, cost-effective and driven by experience (AmeriCares, 2013). On the other hand, they have high accessibility to donated medicines and medical supplies offered by corporate partners, through an established and trusted network. In this case, they use locally based hospitals and healthcare providers in different places of the world. Contributions made by supporters of the organization around the world have a led to a positive influence on their operations in different parts of the world. The only weakness identified in the organization relates to the inability to access people suffering in some counties due to lack of information, high level of insecurity or lack of necessary capacity (AmeriCares, 2013). Most of the time, the organization is not able to access some these location due to lack of the necessary information that can assist in accessing these areas. Opportunities of Americare can be associated with long-standing commitment of fiscal responsibility that is always attributed to high rankings from the Charity Navigator for their success (AmeriCares, 2013). This provides a platform that facilitates recognition by different parties from different places of the world with the same interest in assisting people in needs. Therefore, the organization is able to acquire trust in terms of management of funds donated by corporate partners. In fact, the organization has used the donations as an opportunity to reflect their commitment towards support programs, whereby ninety-eight of their expenses are directly channeled to relief for people in need, while two percent is consumed through administrative costs.        Ã‚  

T.K.Maxx Strategic Analysis

T.K.Maxx Strategic Analysis T.K Maxx is one of the famous European off- price retailer with more stores, more variety of products and quality brands. T.K Maxx is part of the TJX companies which is known as the off-price retail chain in the United States. Retail concept of United States came to the United Kingdom in 1994 because the first T.K Maxx was opened in Bristol in 1994. As of June 2009, T.K Maxx had 247 stores across Europe, 212 stores in the United kingdom, 13 in Ireland, 18 in Germany and 4 in Poland (Source: Official website T.K. Maxx).T.K Maxx is the 10th largest fashion retailer in the UK (Source: TNS Fashion Tracker). T.K. Maxx is the UKS fourth favorite retailer, the third favorite clothing retailer and the UKs shoe retailer for 2009 (Source: Verdit Retail Group). III. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats 3.1 Strengths Affordable price and quality product is the demand of the more customers and T.K Maxx has the positive impact of customers. T.K Maxx encompasses a wide range of sectors and people may have little options but to buy new clothes and other accessories they choose for T.K Maxx. The falling cost of goods over the past decade has encouraged consumers, to buy goods more often than in the past. The UK retail marketing benefits from a strong tradition in fashion and design. T.K Maxx also affected from this. 3.2 Weakness Sales are seasonal, Most of the expensive items like coats, party wear and different gifts are required mainly in Christmas time. Many large retail companies wear established and it is difficult for competition and to established new T.K Maxx stores. The recession has also sparked price war that is further eroding profit margins. 3.3 Opportunities T.K Maxx chain that offer relatively cheap items should do well during the recession. UK residents continue to spend less on clothes than Europeans because there is a potential for continued growth in the overall market. Mainly men spend less on clothing than women, and there is scope to encourage men to take a greater interest in fashion. T.K Maxx provides the quality product in discount price which becomes the opportunity to those people who have low income. Thus, it is easy to make customers change their buying behavior by special characteristics of the products. A product with special features demonstrated in appropriate places can draw customers attention and result in their buying decision. 3.4 Threats The growth of the retail market shows little symbol of slowing in business because of more competition. Then the choices of the customers may decrease. The decrease in the value of the pound could cause the cost of retail market of T.K Maxx also because the imported clothes and other accessories will rise, which could result in lower sales volumes. A prolonged and deep recession may cause shopping habits to change in the long term, with a new emphasis on saving. Consumers may reduce to spend more money on clothing and other areas of consumption. The growth of the cheap production and the higher competition could affect the overall business. IV. PESTLE Analysis The external factors have a great impact in the sector of business. The external factors which affect the business are dealt under PESTLE analysis. PESTLE stands for political, economical, social, technological, legal and environmental factors. 1. Political factors: Politics is the art and science of government. The policy of government directly affect to the company. Similarly, T.K Maxx is affected by the tax policies, trade restrictions, political stability, tariffs restriction etc. 2. Economic factors: The global recession and economic downturn has reduced the sales of retail products and other home accessories. At present most of the people are jobless. The unemployment rate for October to December 2009 was 7.8 per cent, unchanged on the quarter. The number of unemployed people fell by 3,000 over the quarter to reach 2.46 million. The number of people unemployed for more than 12 months increased by 37,000 over the quarter to reach 663,000, the highest figure since the three months to September 1997. The number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance (the claimant count) increased by 23,500 between December 2009 and January 2010 to reach 1.64 million, the highest figure since April 1997. This monthly increase in the claimant count was preceded by two consecutive monthly falls. (Source: Office for National Statistics ) Increasing in unemployment affect to the business. This is also affecting the T.K Maxx Company. T.K Maxx have branded themselves as selling to everyone and therefore offer a range of products and services from Value to Finest prices thus appealing to all segments of the market. 3. Social factors: Society and culture is an important factor that must be given emphasis by any business. Now a days most of the people are becoming sophisticated and crazy in fashionable clothes and shoes. T.K Maxx provide these fashionable clothes and shoes in afford able price. Also customers have positive effect towards the quality product of the T.K Maxx Company. 4. Technological factors: Technology offer companies a new way to communicate with consumers. Technology can reduce costs and improve quality of product, online shopping, online gift card competition ,T.K Maxx fan from face book , CCTV recording for security etc. are the example of technology which are used in T.K Maxx. Customers can select and order for goods from the nearest T.K Maxx store according to their choice using technological instrument. 5. Environmental factors: To keep the neat and clean environment inside every T.K Maxx stores, cleaners are provided by the Initial Company of UK. Initial company provides training to the cleaners to make tidy as well as to recycle the waste. 6. Legal factors: Age restriction, increasing in the minimum wage, variety of employment law for employee (student 20/10 hours, full time workers 40 hours) are example of recent laws which affect to the company. Change in trade policy, health and safety, product safety are the legal factors. V. T.K Maxx Strategic Marketing To develop a new business strategy T.K. Maxx developed a promotional campaign that emphasized big labels small prices and love T.K. Maxx. To connect customers within the business it provides 60% discount in different items. Also to attract customers T.K Maxx produces products according to the choice and interest of the customers. T.K Maxx is trying to increase number of stores near about 275 in the United Kingdom and Ireland also approximately 300 stores in Germany. While we consider in to the strategic marketing process, T.K Maxx aims at building customer satisfaction .Also for successful market it gives more focus on building brand. T.K Maxx makes sure that all staffs are motivated and all pulling in the same direction to fulfill the objectives of the company. It has a unique business approach .Customers are empowered to buy all sorts of brands and labels, various qualities like big and small, a range of colors ,styles and sizes. The most important part is that customers can get e xceptional value. As a sales promotion technique T.K Maxx organized some monthly promotions. To enter in the promotion customers aged over 18 need to sign up in the online .Every month one person will get the top prize i.e. TK Maxx gift card of  £250 to spend in TK Maxx UK. 1. Sport Relief [emailprotected] competition 2. Sport relief face book competition 3. Sport relief online T-shirt competition The major competitors of TK Maxx are Tesco PLC, Primark stores limited and George clothing. The development of an effective marketing strategy depends upon an understanding of the working of the market place, of customers needs as well as appropriate mix for the market segment and prevailing environmental conditions. Also understanding of the needs, wants and behavior of customers are the most important factors in designing a marketing strategy. T.K Maxx is always trying to fulfill these factors for the development of effective marketing strategy. Advertisement is also one of the effective communication tools for marketing consumer products in T.K Maxx. Television, newspapers and internet are the medium of advertisement of T.K Maxx. Similarly, T.K Maxx fan which is provided in the face book of T.K Maxx is also the attraction of the customers towards this company. For the promotion of the company T.K Maxx has participated in some charity works which are given below: In the UK in 2007, T.K. Maxx was an active participant of Comic Relief, having been the sole retailer of the Red Nose Day t-shirts which generated  £2 million to the Comic Relief cause. In 2009, T.K. Maxx was again the sole retailer of the Red Nose Day t-shirts with exclusive designs by Stella McCartney, raising a total of  £3,200,589. T.K. Maxx also works with the Woodland Trust by starting to charge for plastic carrier bags in August 2008 and donating the proceeds to the Trust. The proceeds have allowed the Woodland Trust to plant 30,000 new trees on a 15acres (60,703m2) site near Elmstead Market, Essex. The usage of carrier bags from T.K. Maxx has reduced by 73% since the scheme was launched. Since 2004, T.K. Maxx has held a Christmas card recycling scheme in conjunction with the Trust. (Source: www.tkmaxx.co.uk) 5.1 Problems 1. Staff availability: It is nearly difficult to get assistance, especially on a Saturday or during a sale. It is a discount designer retailer store which does not offer the same level of service as a Ralph Lauren outlet. 2. Security: The computer systems of T.K Maxx were targeted by hackers in Watford and Massachusetts from which about 45.7 million accounts were stolen. Those customers who used their card between January 2003 and June 2004 were affected from this problem. 3. Stains and holes: some retail items in the T.K Maxx appear worn. So customers should do full check before paying for the item. Returning it with marks could prove tricky. VI. Conclusion From the analysis of the study it can be concluded that T.K Maxx has the positive impact of the customers because it uses a concept called off price to sell designer and high street goods at a discount up to 60 percent on recommended retail price. This will help to T.K Maxx to sell huge amount of its product in a short time and to provide new, fresh and fashion able products to the customers. Since the company is offering clothing designs for all age groups which depend on the needs and demand of their customers. The result of the PESTLE analysis carried out on the macro-environment of T.K Maxx company indicated very significant effect for the industry and company itself, it can be concluded that the business of T.K Maxx Company is expected to be feasible and grow faster. The sector of the retail is one of the most competitive in the business world so that effective marketing strategy is required in order to be successful. Availability of the quality products, good customer service and promotion of the T.K Maxx shows the effective marketing strategy of the company. This will provide a better idea of how to market products and improve customers base. VII. Recommendation From the above analysis and conclusion I would like to suggest some recommendations for the improvement of the T.K Maxx Company. 1. Full check of clothes and goods should be performed before sending the items to the T.K Maxx stores to sell because they may be damaged or worn. 2. T.K Maxx stores are situated in the European countries and United States only. To expand in its business and to provide good customers service it is recommended that the stores of T.K Maxx should open in developing countries also. To reduce the waiting time of customers in queue to pay for items T.K Maxx should increase more staffs. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cartwright, R. (2002) Mastering Marketing Management, Palgrave Frain, J. (1999) Introduction to Marketing 4th edition, London: Thomson Business Press http://www.tkmaxx.com 14 Feb 2010 at 00:35 http://www.tjx.com 17 Feb 2010 at 15:37 About T.K Maxx. T.K Maxx Retrieved 26 Feb 2010 20:26

The Definition of a Hero :: Definition Essay

The Definition of a Hero When I think of a hero I immediately think of someone who is strong, intelligent, handsome, and daring. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. Courage, honesty, bravery, selflessness, and the will to try are just a few of the overlooked qualities of a hero. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa. A person can be a hero for saving the life of one or of millions. Heroes are not only real people, but they are also fantasy figures. Children are extremely interested with legendary and fantasy figures because they take on such tasks as: difficult journeys, challenges with dragons, discovering lost treasure, and changing the nature of the world through their singular acts of courage and selflessness. They also endure much resistance, hardship, and danger. Often the hero learns valuable lessons about survival and self-reliance. Not only do heroes teach valuable lessons they give a child a sense of belonging. To a child, a hero is an invincible person who will change the world. There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country, live mostly minorities and other ethic background. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination to succeed work hard all of their lives to become what everybody doubted they could. Escaping the crime, drugs, and prostitution is enough to escape hell, even if they don’t go to college. Despite of their financial problems, drug and crime surroundings, or difficulties in the language skills, their desire to triumph fuels their persistence. Those who make it to success are the few living examples of the purest form of hero anyone can be. They are not only their own heroes but also the heroes of the poor children who dream of becoming like them someday. You also don’t have to kill anyone, conquer foreign land, or risk your life to be a hero. Anyone who influences anyone else by saving or helping save his or her lives is a hero. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. changed the lives of millions of people by bringing justice to minorities. Mahatma Gandhi, one of the greatest heroes, led a nonviolent revolution to free his country.

Good to Great †by Jim Collins Essay

I found my reading of Good To Great by Jim Collins very informative and even entertaining. It is interesting to me his concepts and perceptions and how although when you read them they seem rather elementary and obvious, Mr. Collins is indeed an outside the box thinker/writer and it is because of his ease of explaining his concepts that the message simply comes across as easy. The main idea that is presented in this book is that â€Å"Good is the Enemy of Great. † At first glance I had to re-read the statement to make sure I understood it correctly. My immediate response was to understand it as all too often people, and business decision makers, have a simple goal of being good at what they do. Mr. Collins and his research team were able to whittle that idea down to a handful of concepts that although many have the perception are good, but don’t clarify their exact goals of greatness. The first concept of Good To Great was Level 5 Leadership. Companies may have great product, great sales, great marketing, etc. but what makes them better than Good? What makes takes them to the Great level? Their Leadership. During the research of this book Mr.  Collins and his team identified multiple characteristics these leaders had that lead their company above and beyond just the Good status. Of these the common factor I understood was that of humility and giving credit to his surrounding personnel. Keeping the focus off of â€Å"look what I did† but rather keeping the focus off them, but at the same time taking responsibility for the mistakes of the company as a whole that they were in charge of looking after. These personalities also showed a great level of commitment and loyalty to their companies and tended to have been promoted from within. Thus having a firm understanding of the culture of the company and knowing a long term goal of the company. Secondly the book introduced the concept of â€Å"First Who, Then What†. I related this concept to the phrase â€Å"Trimming The Fat†. Great leaders realize that if you’re only as good as your support, than you better get the right support in the right places. The Level 5 Leader would have to find those that could lead as well. If you have the right thinkers and decision makers in the right positions, then the â€Å"what† could be figured out. By having the right decision makers from the get go then the goal was already on its way to Great. By doing so you are training your supports to eventually be capable to take your place and instilling a long term succession of the company’s goals for great. The next concept given was Confront the Brutal Facts With Unwavering Faith. Expanding on having placed the right â€Å"Who† where it was most beneficial, it is equally important to stay focused no matter the difficult time. The chapter focused on sticking to your guns, having faith in your company, and seeing the obstacle though. This again focused on loyalty to the company. As time goes on and the tough time regains it’s momentum back into the right direction, Problem solving starts with asking the right questions. It’s more proactive to take control of our future than being reactive and leaving the destiny up to chance. Companies that were able to make it through the ups and downs of success on their way to Great. Another aspect was for these decision makers to be honest with them and be willing a capable of confronting the hard questions that perhaps they didn’t want the answer to. But, faced the brutal facts head on. Fourth is the â€Å"Hedgehog Concept†. This was probably my favorite concept and I think will be the most important lesson I will take and use in my career path. The comparison was stated, â€Å"The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing†. I think all too often it gets confused that if you’re in charge and making decisions you have to be the most knowledgeable person in that area. Remember though, especially in the totality of the emphasis of this book, you are not alone. In the chapter, Mr. Collins worded his idea this way, â€Å"The Hedgehog Concept is a turning point in the journey from good to great. It typically takes the right people willing to address the brutal facts over an extended period of time to get to the deep understanding of a Hedgehog Concept. What a great statement. It shows the level of determination, loyalty, and staying focused that you realize your true One thing. Then you expand on that One thing. It will set you apart from the field and past the Good threshold into the level of Great! â€Å"Culture of Discipline† was the next concept. One again focusing on hard work and staying focused on your goal of surpassing into the Great realm and not just staying there but forever raising the bar. Mr. Collins focused on the idea the in this sense discipline as a system. It involves the company in it’s entirety and making sure the companies â€Å"culture is filled with people committed to discipline in keeping to the standards. Each of these concepts builds on the one before it and this one is no different. Staying true to his â€Å"Hedgehog Concept† Mr. Collins also introduces his â€Å"Three Circles† concept. By focusing on keeping a Discipline in the company, it will help keep those involved with their eye on the prize of being able to find that one thing to be great at and to stay on top. Technology Accelerator was the idea to not let technology become a crutch of sorts. Technology is like any other tool and if used properly it will assist you in your success and getting here faster or with ease. Again, building on the concept before it also emphasizes to stay with your Hedgehog circles and keeping focused on them. Technology will not make you the best or most disciplined. It is a tool and should be used to accelerate your momentum into the right direction of your company’s goals, not be the creator of the momentum. Lastly â€Å"Flywheel and Doom Loop† was used to follow up. It’s a focus on being able to identify any and all aspects that take you away from the previous concepts. You should always be looking for ways to improve and stay ahead of the pack. The world of business is ever changing which keeps the bar separating Good from Great ever moving as well. Complacency is a â€Å"Good† trait. Having a system of check and balance working together with a cleaning house mentality will help to keep your company above that bar.

Documents in the Revenue Cycle List Example

Documents in the Revenue Cycle List Example Documents in the Revenue Cycle List – Coursework Example Accounting Internally and Externally generated documents in the revenue cycle list are as under: Internally Generated Documents Sales Order SalesInvoice Credit Memo Picking Ticket Packing Slip Monthly Statement Remittance List Externally Generated Documents Customer Order Bill of Lading Remittance Advice 2. Internally Generated Document No. of Copies & Departments where the copies are sent Purpose of each copy Sales Order Copies Required: 3 1.Accounts Department 2 Warehouse and Shipping department 4.Customer 1.For Preparing Sales Invoice and authorizing customer credit 2.Preparing Shipping Advice, Stamping with date of shipping, and Releasing goods to carrier 3. Confirmation of order Sales Invoice Copies Required: 3 1.Customer 2.Book keeper 3.Accounts Department copy 1Copy to customer along with delivery through carrier 2.For matching with confirmed sales order from customer 3. For recording sales in books through sales journal, Credit Memo Copies Required: 2 1 Book Keeper 2. For Record 1. To prepare Sales Invoice on basis credit memo report of customer. 2. For future reference Picking Ticket Copies Required: 2 1. Warehouse 2. Shipping Department 1. For picking and making entries in stock bins & registers 2. For delivering goods to carrier. Packing Slip Copies Required: 3 1. Customer 2. Accounts Department 3. Warehouse 1. Along with delivery through carrier 2. To contra check quantity of goods sold with invoice 3. For goods issued for sales recording in stock registers Monthly Statement Copies Required: 2 1.Credit Control department 2.Management 1. For reminders to delayed accounts receivables 2.As a periodic report for management decision making Remittance List Copies Required: 2 1.Collection Department 2. Accounts Department 1. To be prepared by collection department for posting in Cash Rec. Journal and counter checking of bank deposit slips. 2.For posting in Subsidiary Accounts Receivable ledger 3. In the present business scenario, manually created revenue cycle documents slow down the revenue cycle operations and that may create a number of financial problems emerging from delayed recoveries from accounts receivables. â€Å"Internet and ERP have injected many changes in the revenue cycle. Sales Orders arrive on web. In the cases sales orders that need credit decisions in few minutes, web based services offer automation of the entire credit approval process.† (Ashotosh Deshmukh, 2005)1. But sometime automations become inefficient say when customers’ credit worthiness is judged merely on the basis of credit points stored in a system. There is always a need control to maintain a standard Basic objective of control over electronic forms is that accurate data should be available when needed, and all revenue cycle activities be performed efficiently and effectively. For effective control over electronic documentations in the revenue cycle operations the following proce dures should be considered: Further processing on Sales orders should be done only on verification that required goods are available. Sales Order processing should be automated as per batch technology and real time technology. Sequential number to Sales orders, Sales Invoices and Credit Memos generated through electronic system should be assigned by the system itself. Regular file backups, file labels, modification of default settings on ERP systems, encryption etc. are the basic control features of electronically operated revenue cycle. Under electronic system, though customer’s credit is approved as per criteria decided by the Credit Manager and programmed into the system, final approval should be manually done by the Credit manager after generation the hard copy of the Credit memo by the system. In other words there should be some manual control in approval of customer credit history. Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) should be encouraged instead of receiving cheques and pay orders from Accounts receivables. This will eliminate the mistakes and frauds occurring at the stage of maintaining and operating remittances related documents, like remittance lists and passing of accounting entries on basis of those documents.

How the printing press effected the media world essays

How the printing press effected the media world essays If it were not for Johan Gutenbergs invention of the printing press, literacy would not be where it is today. That is way the invention of print is considered a communications revolution. One of the aspects that will be discussed is how society pre-existed before the printing press and how information was collected and distributed through out the communities. Literature was becoming a lot more popular so the world was ready for an invention that would help this need for more literary material. An important aspect is the invention of john Gutenbergs printing press and what progression happened after it and what impact it had on Europe and the world. Before paper and print were invented, oral communication was the only way information was gathered and distributed. Everything from tax to politics and legal matters were discussed orally. This type of communication was face to face and only people present could hear the message. Even though this bound the community together, it did not allow the community to grow and there were no ways of storing information except in the brain, also if the community moved on or perished so did their historical records and knowledge. But not everybody was illiterate. The local priests were educated and could be employed for literal services like the writing of wills. The church was the only manufacturer of books like illuminated manuscripts (500-1500c), scrolls which were practical for reciting literacy text and codex which were reference books, made from parchment or animal skin. These were rare as they took a long time to produce and emperors had them as status symbols (8th-11th c) even if they could not read them, they conferred an image of intelligence and power. Literacy was slowly evolving but books were still expensive and took a long time to produce. A monk could spend a year or more to reproduce one bible. In 105AD the Chinese had made paper and block printing was brought to the...

The Ultimate Helmet ( H Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Ultimate Helmet ( H - Assignment Example The effectiveness of this would matter mostly by the willingness of distributors to store and sell this new helmet. The channel would also take care of eliminating extra costs in getting new distributors. The channel would also ensure direct competition between the old helmet and the ultimate helmet. The old mode of distribution involved stocking the product at some online stores and merchant stores countrywide. This would ensure a global availability of our product. Another channel of distribution was identified to improve on the availability of the product. This channel was to identify new overseas sales people from different countries. This mode was established to make sure the ultimate helmet reached those countries that the old helmet was not able to get to due to poor channel of distribution. This would eliminate the need of the company having to first study the tax low in those countries to establish branches. Pricing of the product The pricing of the product is supposed to pl ay a major role in sales made of the ultimate helmet. Taking into consideration the cost incurred in designing and making improvements the ultimate helmet is supposed to be high. A strategy to gain approval of the product had to be identified so that clients would believe they were paying the right price for the product. Different pricing strategies were identified by first dividing the market into two. These two markets are the new market identified and needed to be tapped while the second market was the market where people were using the old helmet. The new market, a penetration price had to be established which had to be lower than the old market price. This price required to be lower because most of these clients were seen as people who owned motorbikes but did not see the need of the helmet. It was established if the helmet was priced so high they would not bother even buying it. The market was seen to exist mostly in developing countries where motor bike ownership is taking to ll in the 21st century. The old market was seen to exist in developed countries like the USA. People who owned motorbikes in these regions were more concerned with their comfort ability due to their high purchasing power. A factor that had to be put in consideration while also setting up the price is that these region stiff competition would be faced due to the existence of the old helmet. The old helmet producer had already established control over the market. It was established the main driver of the marketing would be first draw the attention of the client to the extra capabilities of the ultimate helmet and show them the benefit. This would then make the client buy the new helmet even if the price is higher than the old helmet. Promotion The helmet is supposed to be used mostly by people riding motorbikes and those people who like motorbike sporting. An appropriate channel of advertisement had to be identified with some weighted reason to make sure the product reached the intend ed client. The Medias of advertisement that were identified are as follow: Social media The helmet due to its capability in GPRS location and picking phone is so attractive to the generation. This group of people can be found on social media which includes face book, MySpace and Twitter. Most of these companies allow companies to advertise their product with them for a certain fee. We analyzed the different social media to identify which had many

Developing a Code of Conduct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developing a Code of Conduct - Essay Example The Joint Commission has a mandate of ensuring that health care services provided by health care facilities are up to standards. In order for the commission to improve the quality of health care services provided to patients, it has to review the activities of health facilities to identify situations that may inhibit a health facility from providing quality medical services to patients. The Joint Commission carries out its review with reference to sentinel events and it has to ensure that it includes all required accreditation surveys as well as random unannounced surveys. The main purpose of a Sentinel Event Policy is to provide an avenue where events that occur in the organization, both in the private and public health care facilities, will be identified, reported, investigated and managed (Joint Commission Resources Inc., 2005). Health care facilities are required to work towards meeting the requirements set by Joint Commission. These requirements include: development of effective mechanisms through which sentinel events can be reported and analyzed especially events that involve patient falls, meeting patient-safety goals as well as meeting patient-safety standards. Some health care facilities, however, have not implemented most of the requirements in all areas of operation. This is seen to have huge impacts on improving communication and increasing leadership knowledge of a hospital. These hospitals are therefore not able to account for the safety of its patients. Health care facilities that do not meet the set standards or do not respond to sentinel alerts as required by the Joint Commission may face consequences such as loss of accreditation. This means that a lot of money from Medicaid programs as well as Medicare will be lost. Hospitals will lack financial resources and they will also lose their patie nts since no one would want to seek medical services from an institution that provides unsafe care to patients. A code of conduct policy is in