Overview Of Information Systems Essay

Information Systems Types Description / Benefits Example of Each (Including Vendor Name / Vendor Website) How have you seen them used in your organization or an organization that you are familiar with? 1. Databases A database is a computer mechanism for storing and retrieving data. It gives one true command of their data, enabling one to retrieve it, sort it, analyze it, summarize it, and report results in changes. Example: Google Cloud Website: cloud.google.com/ I have seen them used by businesses, and individual users who want to utilize their data across different IT systems. 2. Networks A network is a group of two or more computer systems linked together. The benefits of networking include more convenient file sharing and Internet connection sharing. Example: Examples include local-area networks (LANs) and wide-area networks (WANs). University of Phoenix www.phoenix.edu/ I am currently using a wide area network to download and post my assignments to the university of phoenix website. 3. eBusiness Electronic Business, is the administration of conducting business via the Internet. This would include the buying and selling of goods and services, along with providing technical or customer support through the Internet. The benefit is ebusiness allows people to carry out businesses without the barriers of time or distance. Example: Amazon www.amazon.com I have owned my own business and ecommerce was a great way to provide  services without actually physically being there. 4. Wireless Wireless is communications sent without wires or cables. the benefits to wireless are productivity, convenience, and cost advantages over wired networks. Example: wireless phones www.att.com The use of wireless technology in business and everday life is prevelant in today’s society as a whole. I have a wireless phone use, use Bluetooth and wireless internet on my laptop, as well as being able to transmit ans share internet, in my home and business. 5. Social Media Social Media is the websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. One main benefit is the ability to seek out potential clients and networking opportunities. Example: LinkedIn www.linkedin.com I am am member of the site and it is a great tool in networking and finding clients and potential employees. 6. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Customer relationship management is the strategy that a company uses to handle customer interactions. It is beneficial by creating various platforms to meet customers needs and receive feedback. Example: rewards card program Best Buy www.bestbuy.com/site/†¦rewards/pcmcat102500050032.c?id Best Buy uses their rewards cards to track purchases ans other consumer information that helps in the promotion of certain products and services that they offer. 7. Supply Chain Management (SCM) Supply chain management is the the oversight of materials, information, and finances as they move in a process from start to finish. This is very beneficial as it shows a log off all happenings with a specific good or service. Example: The U.S. Department of Agriculture www.usda.gov/ The U.S. Department of Agriculture developed a Web-based solution for farmers and ranchers seeking to communicate with distributors and wholesalers. 8. Business Intelligence Business intelligence is a term that refers to a variety of software applications used to analyze an organization’s raw data. It is beneficial by helping companies be more efficient, spot areas for cost savings and identify new business opportunities. Example: the board is an all encompassing BI tool that has helped many companies. http://www.board.com/us/ I have seen a list of and have gotten goods and services from some of the companies that have employed the board’s BI tools.

My Favourite Actress

My favourite actress is Julia Roberts. She is one of the Hollywood's brightest star. She is a very successful actress who has starred in many films, such as â€Å"Pretty woman† and â€Å"The running bride† with Richard Gere. Julia is tall with a perfect figure. She is in her early thirties. Her lips is full and face is tauned. She has got long red curly hair, beautiful blue eyes and rather small nose. She likes wearing formally evening dressed in which she look fantastic. Julia Roberts is a complicated person whose character has many sides. She has very PODOBNA PRACA 75% My favourite sport outgoing personality. She likes to be in the public eye, giving interviews a jurnalists and allows photographers to take photos which are shown in magazines. She likes going to Hollywood parties and dancing in free times. Julia is a sociable person and loves meeting others people. Travelling is what she likes most. She loves fast cars, however she was afraid flying by plane. She travels all over the world and experiences a new adventures. Futhermore, she is very active in work and self-confident. She got Oscar for starred in film â€Å"Pretty woman†. She is also a sensitive person. For example, she helps small ill children. She transnits much money for charity. She is a person who is on diet and keep fit. She never eats fattening food, because she wants to have a good figure. On the other hand, she tends to be a bit explosiv, she often gets nervous without any reason. She is decisive as well. She usually reads a book when finds a private moment. All in all, Julia Roberts is a great actress who J like watching in films. Films, in which she appears are always interesting. J hope to see a new films with her in this time.

A Refugee Letter for Global Environmental Politics - myassignmenthelp

Refugee Review Tribunal file number: This letter to your office seeks to mediate for an asylum seeker who has applied for a Protection Visa from your department. The facts and information I present in this letter might play a part in making a decision on the asylum’s application. The asylum seeker is an Afghanistan woman named Azin who arrived here in Australia by plane. My client’s reason for fleeing the Taliban is because she gave birth out of wedlock. According to 1951 United Nations Convention, a refugee can seek asylum from other nations in case of persecution (Grahl-Madsen, 1972, pp 31). Persecution refers to the act of being ill-treated or victimized especially due to certain factors such as race, religion or gender. In this case, my client is being persecuted based on her gender and having committed a ‘moral crime’.. According to the United Nations Convention a refugee considered a person who is facing persecution on the basis of his/her religion, race, and nationality or having a particular political or social opinion (Zimmerman, Dà ¶rschner and Machts, 2011, pp 81). Owing to the fear of persecution, the person opts to leave the country and is unwilling to return (Grahl-Madsen, 1972, pp 31).   Afghanistan has no respect for women’s rights. Having born a child out of wedlock, my client is subject to persecution. She will have to serve time in jail for her ‘moral crimes’. What pains the most is that her child will also be imprisoned. The Afghanistan government is not only corrupt but also dictatorial. According to a recent report, billions of dollars meant for humanitarian aid have ended up in pockets of corrupt officials. For instance, 850 the Kabul Bank Scandal is one good example of corruption in the government. A whooping 850 million dollars was lost to corrupt governmen t officials (Phillips, 2011, pp 177). In fact, the United States officials described this scandal as the biggest in history. Shockingly, all these crimes go unpunished. This shows that the Afghanistan government is not committed to ending corruption in the country. Moreover, Afghanistan is constantly in war. The war between the government and the Taliban has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians (De Lauri, 2011, pp 47). Additionally, the Afghan government has often sought the services of illegal militias who were reported to have assaulted civilians. These brutal crimes by the government forces make the country even more inhabitable especially to a woman with a young child. Moreover, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has indicated that the number of refugees from Afghanistan has increased due to the war between the government and the Taliban (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2002, pp 12) According to UNDP reports, Afghanistan has been listed among 23 of the least developed nations. More than 42 percent of the citizens live in abject poverty and the conditions in the hospitals poor. Most of the resources which could have been used for developing hospitals and other infrastructure have ended up in the pockets of few powerful individuals. Actually, there is only one doctor and two beds serving approximately 5,000 patients. This further indicates that the country lacks value for human health and life. Normally, women in Afghanistan are jailed for moral crimes including being raped (De Lauri, 2013, pp 261). Realistically, this is a brutal act. What makes things worse is that the women are sent to jail together with their children. The Afghan government has made efforts to deal with the persecution of women and recently ordered the release of the women who were jailed for ‘moral crimes’. However, the government has completely failed to end the persecution of the women who are accused of running away from the country. In short, this means that the women are required to persevere persecution and remain in the country. The Afghanistan Women Council (AWC) has played a huge role by improving the life of women. However, these efforts have been negatively affected by the lack of cooperation from the government (Afghanistan Women Council, 2012, pp 12)Some reporters have recently uncovered the gruesome acts against women that take place in the Taliban. For instance, a photograph er named Gabriela Maj in the company of her editor decided to investigate what the international media referred to as ‘moral crimes’ in the Taliban (Sinno, 2015, pp 51). They revealed that women convicted of moral crimes served time in jail together with their children. In fact, they explained that the women’s prisons sound more like kindergartens than prisons from a distance. This suggests that the number of children in the prisons is high. Immature and young, the children have to endure assault and inhumane conditions of the jails. This is contrary to what the Australian Human Rights Commission states regarding children’s rights. Because of their vulnerability, women and children command a right to special protection (McAdam and Chong, 2014, pp 441). Moreover, Maj took pictures of over one hundred women in different prisons around the Taliban. This is just one report that explains the inhumane acts. Other reports indicate that life for women in Afghanistan is becoming more difficult day by day and more deaths are being reported (Imam, 2010, pp 117). Therefore, the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection needs to consider my client’s case and give her a Protection Visa. Moreover, the woman arrived in Australia legally, by use of a plane and hence qualifies to be awarded a Protection Visa. Under the Refugee Council of Australia, refugees are entitled to several rights. Actually, there are some rights that were enacted to purposely serve the refugees. Also, other human rights treaties also acknowledge and respect these rights. To start with, refugees have the freedom of religion (McAdam and Chong, 2014, pp 441). This means that people have to respect each other’s religion so that there can be room fo r peaceful co-existence among different religions. Also, refugees have the right to education (Kirui and Mwaruvie, 2012, pp21). For instance, the Afghanistan woman should be allowed to seek for education in the Australian educational institutions. Also, the woman has the right to work anywhere in the country. Refugees should also share the same rights as the citizens. For instance, refugees should have the right to access legal assistance, own property, choose religion and own social security (Biermann and Boas, 2010, pp 60). In conclusion, I hope that the information provided above is satisfactory and will play a great role in your decision to grant the asylum a Protection Visa. Currently, Afghanistan has no respect for women’s rights. It is important for nations to respect the rights of vulnerable groups such as children and women. Given the fact that the Afghanistan government has completely failed to implement reforms which will protect the women against persecution, I hope that your department will seriously consider this woman’s case. At the moment, her well-being depends on the action your office will take. Moreover, her child’s future is at stake. Grahl-Madsen, A., 1972. The status of refugees in international law (Vol. 2). Leyden: AW Sijthoff. McAdam, J. and Chong, F., 2014. Complementary protection in Australia two years on: An emerging human rights jurisprudence. Fed. L. Rev., 42, p.441. Zimmermann, A., Dà ¶rschner, J. and Machts, F., 2011.  The 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 protocol: A commentary. Oxford University Press. Biermann, F. and Boas, I., 2010. Preparing for a warmer world: Towards a global governance system to protect climate refugees.  Global environmental politics,  10(1), pp.60-88. Kirui, P. and Mwaruvie, J., 2012. The dilemma of hosting refugees: a focus on the insecurity in north-eastern Kenya.  International Journal of Business and Social Science,  3(8). Phillips, D., 2011. Wounded Memory of Hazara Refugees from Afghanistan Remembering and Forgetting Persecution.  History Australia,  8(2), pp.177-198. De Lauri, A., 2011. Afghanistan: corruption and injustice in the judicial system.  Journal of Law and Social Research,  2(1), pp.47-62. De Lauri, A., 2013. Access to justice and human rights in Afghanistan.  Crime, law and social change,  60(3), pp.261-285. Imam, H. (2010). Aftermath of U.S. Invasions: The Anguish of Women in Afghanistan and Iraq. Women, War, and Violence, 117-134. doi:10.1057/9780230111974_8 Afghanistan Women Council. (2012). Afghanistan Women Council (AWC)/Annual report / Afghanistan Women Council (AWC). The journal of Humanitarian Assistance. doi:10.2458/azu_acku_serial_hq1735_6_a392_v2002 Sinno, A. (2015). 10. The Organizational Theory beyond Afghanistan. Organizations at War in Afghanistan and Beyond. doi:10.7591/9780801459306-014 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2002: Note on the Applicability of Article 1D of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees to Palestinian refugees. Int J Refugee Law; 14 (2_and_3): 450-456. doi: 10.1093/ijrl/14.2_and_3.450

Great Power Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century Essay

Great Power Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century - Essay Example Globalization in the twentieth century fueled the development of favorable environmental conditions which inevitably led to the expansion of international trade of goods and manpower services. On the other hand, the geopolitical polices of the twentieth century allowed the establishment of national and imperial control over the process of globalization. Therefore, globalization coupled with effective geopolitical policies shaped the great power diplomacy of the twentieth century. The development of great power diplomacy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was limited to European countries. The reason for this limitation was due to the centralization of power in Europe. The European countries were and still are in many ways the great powers of the world which promoted the permeation of diplomacy throughout the world. The Second half of the century that followed the Second World War can be legitimately regarded as the great era of balance of power diplomacy in the twentieth century. The balance of diplomacy was essential in order to reduce the increasingly apocalyptic implications another war could have on the stability of the world. Great Britain wanted to take advantage of this time and play an instrumental role in brokering the exact location where the balance of power would lay. However, British dream was threatened from the very beginning due to the rise of two super powers i.e. The United States of America and The Soviet Union. Moreover, Britain did not posses the natural affinity with growing economy and the need for political closeness between previous enemies, which was simply essential for the development of balance of power. 3 I felt the need to briefly discuss the balance of power because it is critically related to diplomacy and it can be safely stated that the mothers of Great Power Diplomacy of the twentieth century were the need for globalization, geopolitical policies, and balance of power. I would now throw light over the real meaning of the word diplomacy. Diplomacy can have different meanings in different countries around the world because the dimensions of the word are determined and influenced by political policies of a country. In general, the meaning of diplomacy is a tool for the promotion and implementation of foreign policies of a country. The most important institute in modern society is, indeed, diplomacy. The process of Diplomacy comprises numerous underlying steps including gathering information, clarifying intentions, and engendering good will. All such processes require stability and peace within a nation. The essence of diplomacy is peace and stability within a society. Therefore, one of the numerous obstacles faced by the great power diplomacy in the nineteenth century had been the political and economical instability of the world. Thus, i n the twentieth century, it became necessary for the great powers to establish peace in order to diffuse the growing tension within the European countries. The diffusion of anger and tension was necessary to eliminate the prospect of another war. I believe that the single most important event which significantly changed the Great Power Diplomacy in the twentieth century were the Locarno Treaties of 1925. The treaties promoted the development of

Affirmative Action Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Affirmative Action - Research Paper Example During half a century, affirmative action policies have proved their effectiveness, but cannot â€Å"abolish† gender and racial inequalities. For this reason, training and promotion activities as a part of affirmative action are vital for successful organizational performance. To over come these possible threats the organization should conduct programming of specific human resources activities, based on personal development and human capital policies (Baqley and Connerty n.d.). The organization under analysis is Wal-Mart. This is a giant supermarket operating around the world. In this organization, affirmative action has stigmatized the white men. Perhaps the least responsible of any harm to ethnic groups and gender differences in employment is the young white men frequently a democrat who has been obligatory to punish because of past injustice. â€Å"The idea that our deep moral obligations are to do things to help disadvantaged people of any sort, and not to give preferential treatment to any racial group, is one that strikes a chord in many people† (Stroud 385). Also, affirmative action helps to break stereotypes of black people and minority groups as lazy and low qualified professionals. This research paper seeks to examine the role and importance of affirmative action in modern organizations and their impact on employees and organizational culture (Anderson et al 77). Modern organizations, like Wal-Mart, play a major and continuing role in the lives of employees, especially with the growth of large-scale business organizations and the divorce of own ­ership from management. Organizations of one form or another are a necessary part of a society and serve many impor ­tant needs. The decisions and affirmative actions of management in organizations have an increasing impact on employees, other organizations and the community. It is important, therefore, to understand the role of affirmative action and the

QUESTION TWO,(it is under assignment criteria) Essay

QUESTION TWO,(it is under assignment criteria) - Essay Example n sources of community law are: treaties establishing the communities in EU, general principles of administrative law, international agreements of the European Commission, directives, and conventions between the Member States. This paper briefly addresses the judicial review of community acts along with the relevant aspects with regard to the applicability of articles 230 EC, 232 EC and 234 EC. The judicial review of community acts involves susceptibility of the law, which can be challenged either directly through an action for annulment, or indirectly through the plea of illegality or a preliminary ruling on the validity of the act. In case of article 234 EC, it has been challenged through the preliminary ruling procedure whereas article 230 EC has been challenged through the action for annulment. â€Å"Article 234 allows the Court to decide on the validity of any ‘acts of the Institutions of the Community and of the European Central Bank’, while EC Article 230 contains some restrictions, e.g., as to the binding character of the act, or so to the authors of the act.† (Schermers and Waelbroeck, 2001, p. 314) In case of a failure to act, article 232 EC entitles individuals to challenge the failure to adopt a binding act. Under article 230 EC, Member States and Institutions can challenge all acts of the Institutions including directives. But individuals can only attack the decisions, there is no mention in the act about the possibility of private parties to challenge provisions of a directive. It is notable in this context that the Court of Justice is the only judge of the validity of community law. National courts are not entitled to invalidate any community act. In the interest of legal certainty, it would be preferable if private parties given time limit (two months) to challenge the provision of a directive for effective consequences. With regard to the applicability of article 230 EC, the purpose of actions for its annulment is to invalidate the binding

Marketing Principles and Practices - (2013_14) Essay

Marketing Principles and Practices - (2013_14) - Essay Example It also started to employ more designers who made up an efficient production line that produced Apple II computers (Lusted, 2012.p.100). Apple II computers were one of the most successful micro PCs. In 1984, Apple released the Macintosh. The next flagship product was launched in 1998, the iMac, which remains the fastest-selling PC in history. Since then, the company has released other technology dictating products such as the iBooks and PowerBooks. At the turn of the century (early 2000s), Apple shifted its focus to design and production of mobile electronic devices. In 2001, the first mobile electronic device was released, the iPod. The iPod which was a palm sized music player became the best selling portable music player in history. Another defining moment came in 2007, besides the change of name to Apple Inc. the company also released the cutting edge iPhone and the iPod Touch. Shortly after, in 2010, Apple launched the iPad. By 2012, Apple had become an iconic brand and one of th e most popular cool brands (Gogerly, 2012.p.21). It is important to note that the success of Apple Inc. has not been without major challenges. It is documented that after the success of the Apple I and the Apple II home computers, Apple struggled to remain a viable company, especially after the resignations of its founders. After financial failures such as the Apple Lisa and the Newton PDA, it was not until Steve Jobs rejoined the company that it found its niche, both with computers and other electronic products (Lusted, 2012 .p.100). Presently, Apple’s products have changed the way people all over the world access technology, communicate, and entertain themselves. These aspects have become synonymous with the company that it becomes hard to think of them and not think about Apple Inc. With the launch of the iPod that set up Apple Inc. in the 21st Century Apple became one of the hottest companies in youth culture. According to cool hunters, these are researchers who track buy ing trends among young people, Apple has continually surfaced in their conversations (Kahney, 2005.p.62). One of the major reasons explaining the appreciation of Apple was the fact that most celebrities whom the young perceive as cool use its products. The company’s slick advertising has also helped raise its profile and contribute to the cool image. Besides the cool image to the youth, Apple Inc. has been able to produce products for everyone. What Apple ‘means’ to most people is a combination of ever-advancing technology and a certain elegance of design and function (Middleton, 2012.p.16). In return, Apple products are pleasing to the eye and to the touch, as well as being simple and generally intuitive in the way they work (Middleton, 2012.p.16). Apple has a reputation for leading-edge technology and attention to detail, particularly style detail. Very few other brands generate such interest and inspire the number of brand ambassadors that Apple does. Apple cu stomers believe that the company really cares about the way the use the technology and about the way people look while using the technology (Masterson & Pickton .p.431). Brand Concept-Apple Inc. The concept of a brand leaves its own mark-a signature-that imparts its own meaning. It is this concept which is generally the force behind brand creation. A brand without its own unique signature would just not

Personal Code of Conduct Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Code of Conduct - Research Paper Example Some of the key areas where the patient first ethic is relevant are through interactions with workmates, patients, the public, other healthcare services professionals and student trainees. Through the conduct, adherence to relevant rules and regulations will be a priority, management and decision making and impartiality in service will be core determinants of service delivery (Tuckett, 2004). The code will offer a standard of review, which will guide the course of service delivery – correcting errors where they occur and in pointing out areas with deficiencies, which can hinder the quality of care delivered. Personal Commitments The first provision of the ANA code for nurses requires the nurse, through all professional relations to work respectfully and compassionately, for the ultimate worth, dignity and the uniqueness of all, without regard to economic or social status, physical characteristics or the kind of health problems (ANA, 2011). This implies that the service deliver ed to different patients should not be discriminatory to any group, and compassion and respect should be offered to all. Deriving from this provision, I will offer healthcare services to all patients in a compassionate and respectful manner, without consideration of their social, cultural or physical characteristics. ... This provision directs that the nurse is admitted into healthcare services delivery to offer care to serve patients of all kinds (ANA, 2011). In observing this provision, I will always overlook all competing tasks, to serve the different patients that seek my service. One case when I exercised this provision was a case when I faced the option of leaving the office for home, but a patient came in requesting for immediate service. During the situation, I took time and attended to him, which took me an hour, before I left the office. The third provision states that the nurse holds the duty of promoting, advocating for and striving to safeguard the safety, health and the rights of the patient (ANA, 2011). This provision directs that the nurse hold the responsibility of working towards the safety, health and ensuring that the rights of the different patients are respected, by themselves as healthcare providers and others. This implies that they can report a situation that compromises the rights or the health of patients to respective agencies like courts. One case during my service at the plastic surgeon’s office, which required me to exercise this provision, was a case, when a patient who had been operated on – by a quark practitioner – came to the office. After attending to him, I evaluated the injuries caused and presented the reports to the police, following which they started the search for the quark practitioner. The fourth provision states that the nurse is answerable for individual nursing care and influences the suitable delegation of roles in ways that are in consistency to the obligation of the nurse, to offer the best care to

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 17

Reflection paper - Essay Example Different people may have different approaches to certain subjects because they The study on the methamphetamine and its effect on memory were explored in a way that linked it to the various aspects mental challenges (The Nervous System 2). In essence, the chapter was important in the manner in which it explored the variations in patterns of thought in different people and the capacity to comprehend situations or respond to certain stimuli from the environment. It might be necessary to consider the fact that some of the challenges that affect the efficacy of thinking processes have to be aligned with the differences in the brain capacities of individuals. Furthermore, the chapter opened my understanding of the enormous potential of the human brain and its capacity to coordinate activities within the understanding of human behavior. The brain as a biological organ is subject to a range of processes that determine human behavior. The communication between neurons is explored in a way that sheds light on the complexity and speed through which biological processes operate and communicate. On this matter, it becomes important to consider the fact the speed of communication is a key factor to communication. The challenge that arises within the element of communication should be considered as a product of the different levels of potentials between individuals with regard to the unique characteristics of the brain and variations in environmental factors. One of the important lessons obtained from the chapter revolves around the effect of substances on the functioning of the brain. Substances have the capacity to alter or ruin the processes of the brain in ways that may not be easy to comprehend in a normal way. In this regard, it becomes necessary to consider the fact that most of the issues that afflict matters of judgment are related to the capacity of the brain to process information with the right kind of

Chromosome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chromosome - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that there are various conditions caused as a result of a defect or abnormalities in the chromosomal pairing. These are chromosomal abnormalities, single gene defects, multi-factorial problems and teratogenic problems. In this summary, the reporter will discuss defects caused by chromosomal abnormalities, Chromosome 5 disorder. He chose this particular topic because it interests me to find out what happens during mitosis and meiosis of chromosomes. Moreover, the disorders caused by chromosomal disorders such as inversion and deletion.  As the discussion stresses the salient features of a child who suffers chromosome 5 syndrome may be born with a small head, unusually round and a small chin. Their eyes are set widely, and they skin under their eyes has folds. Their nasal bridge is relatively small and may experience respiratory problems since their larynx develops that differ the norm. They are usually relatively smaller at birth compared to their counter parts. They may experience heart defects, hearing and sight problems. Their muscles are weak, and mass tone is low. As they grow of age, they may experience difficulty in talking and walking. They may be very aggressive. Fortunately, their life expectancy is normal if there are no organ defects.   Today, unfortunately, there is no medical cure for Chromosome 5 condition.  However, the possible gene therapies are; speech and physical therapy can help people with the disorder lead normal lives.

Knight or The Lady and discuss Essay Example for Free

Knight or The Lady and discuss Essay Decide Whether Keats Creates Sympathy For The Knight Or The Lady And Discuss How He Does This  In this essay I will be discussing how Keats tries to make the readers sympathise with the characters in the poem. From my point of view I think that Keats tries to make you sympathise with both characters the woman and the knight in this play. When you read it the first time you only recognize one layer of the poem, which tells you about the suffering, the man is going through and how he is so depressed. The surroundings help to make you sympathise with him And no birds sing. The surroundings create a mental picture of dullness and quietness in where he is. The first verses of the poem describe his surroundings. This creates imagery in the readers mind. When you read the poem the first time you become sympathised with the knight. As things are mentioned in the poem you do not entirely understand for example I see a lily on thy brow. When you read into it you realise this mean he is depressed. But when he meets this lady he gets happier. But at the end he has a dream in which the people say la belle dame sans merci and he thinks he is one of the long line of people who have been used by the femme fatale or fatal woman. But when you read it a few times more and read each line carefully you realise some things. The things you realise tend to balance out your view on which character seems to receive the most sympathy. Firstly in this poem she has no voice. This in turn means that she cannot express herself like the mean expresses himself and his sadness. She cannot defend herself, as she has no voice. Because of this you can have many of your own interpretations of the woman in the poem. The woman in this poem seems almost to have a supernatural presence. Some things in the poem suggest this for example the first few lines describing her describe her as a faerys child. Even her appearance seems to be supernatural. He describes her as having wild eyes. As she is seen as supernatural the readers would have less sympathy with her, as she may not seem human. Some things when first read might me misinterpreted or might have more than one interpretation. For example it says And made sweet moan. This could mean that she is moaning in pleasure or it could also mean she is moaning in a bad way as in she is unhappy. Thats why the first time you read the poem you do not fully understand the poem and you cannot understand the womans feelings and therefore will not be given a chance to sympathise with the women. At the end of the poem the man has a dream and when he wakes up and the women is gone. This part makes us sympathise with the man because we think the woman without mercy has used him. At the end of the poem he is as sad as he was in the beginning. And the dull surroundings have returned, Though the sedge has witherd from the lake. He seems to be alone and loitering in the end as he was in the beginning. But I dont think it is totally the womans fault because he was a passive victim and he followed her as she led him. We may think that he is a victim of a supernatural person as she is often described like this. But when you think about it she hasnt committed a crime. She did make him happy even if she it for a while and you cannot tell that she was happy herself. She seemed to lead him instead of the other way round She took me to her elfin grot overall I dont think the writer creates sympathy for only one person but for both but it depends on how you view the poem.

The Comparison of George Moore and James Joyce Essay Example for Free

The Comparison of George Moore and James Joyce Essay Ireland is best known for its unique culture, the accent, the green beer, and the music. But it is also known for its diverse literature and writers. Over the years there have been many different writers with their own sense of styles and their personal views of Ireland. There are many writers, such as James Joyce, Roddy Doyle, Edna O’Brien, George Moore, and Frank O’Conner who all came from different places in Ireland or even moved out of Ireland. James Joyce and George Moore are two good examples of the diverse authors. Surprisingly, there are a few things these two writers had in common, yet their writing styles were different. Despite the different styles of writing depicted by each author and their different backgrounds, George Moore did have an impact on James Joyce’s writing. James Joyce was born in Dublin, on February 2, 1882, to John Stanislaus Joyce. His father was an impoverished gentleman, who had failed in a distillery business and tried all kinds of professions, including politics and tax collecting. Joyces mother, Mary Jane Murray, was ten years younger than her husband. She was an accomplished pianist, whose life was dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. In spite of their poverty, the family struggled to maintain a solid middle-class facade. From the age of six, Joyce was educated by Jesuits at Clongowes Wood College, at Clane, and then at Belvedere College in Dublin (1893-97). In 1898 he entered the University College, Dublin. Joyces first publication was an essay on Ibsens play â€Å"When We Dead Awaken†. It appeared in the Fortnightly Review in 1900. At this time he also began writing lyric poems. After graduation in 1902 the twenty-year-old Joyce went to Paris, where he worked as a journalist, teacher and in other occupations under d ifficult financial conditions. He spent a year in France but returned when a telegram arrived saying his mother was dying. Not long after her death, Joyce was traveling again. He left Dublin in 1904 with Nora Barnacle, a chambermaid who he married in 1931. Two of Joyce’s major works, â€Å"Ulysses†, written in 1922, and â€Å"Finnegan’s Wake†, written in 1939, are noted for the experimental language used in them. Joyce’s technical innovations in his novels include the use of interior monologue and the technique of the stream of the consciousness. He used a complex network of symbolic parallels drawn from the mythology, history, and literature, and created a unique language of invented words, puns, and allusions. â€Å"Ulysses† has many good examples of this form of writing. â€Å"We are praying now for the repose of his soul. Hoping youre well and not in hell. Nice change of air. Out of the frying pan of life into the fire of purgatory.† (Joyce 334.) â€Å"Dubliners†, another major work for Joyce is composed of 15 stories including â€Å"The Dead†. This short story shows Joyce’s technique of using a stream of consciousness in his writing. â€Å"Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried.† (Joyce 224.) In this image, Gabriel contemplates his mortality, and how his living experience intersects with death and the dead. Snow is falling everywhere in Ireland and in Gabriel’s life. This quote shows how Joyce technique of reproducing the chaotic manner of the world and how our minds blend themselves with the ideas and memories of our lives with unstoppable thought. This can also be seen in the last chapter of â€Å"Ulysses†, which is a soliloquy of Molly Bloom thinking about her day and her life as she lies in bed. Joyce used puns, parodies, and allusions in his works. James Joyce’s past was definitely an influence in his writing. It is interesting to see that George Moore was also a major influence in his writing as well, despite some differences in their backgrounds. George Augustus Moore was an Irish novelist, short-story writer, poet, art critic, memoirist and dramatist. Moore came from a Roman Catholic landed family. He originally wanted to be a painter, and studied art in Paris during the 1870s. There, he befriended many of the leading French artists and writers of the day. George Moore uses a naturalistic style in his writing. Naturalism, in literature, is an approach that proceeds from an analysis of reality in terms of natural forces. Unlike realism that focuses on technique, naturalism implies a philosophical position. It focuses on a characters instinct, passion, and the ways in which their lives are governed by forces of heredity and environment. As a naturalistic writer, he was one of the first English language authors to really be influenced by the ideas of the French realists, and was particularly influenced by the works of Émile Zola. According to the literary critic and biographer Richard Ellmann, his writings influenced James Joyce, and, although Moores work is sometimes seen as outside the mainstream of both Irish and British literature, he is often regarded as the first great modern Irish novelist. Moore’s stories incorporate loneliness, human weakness, the repressive effects of the Catholic Church on its people, and the implications of emigration, especially to the United States. In Homesickness James Bryden returns to Ireland from America and is dismayed at the tyrannical manner in which the local priest treats his parishioners. He gratefully returns to America and eventually marries there. However, in his old age, he becomes homesick for Ireland. â€Å"There is an unchanging, silent life within every man that none knows but himself, and his unchanging silent life was his memory of Margaret Dirken.† (Moore 59.) In the last paragraph of â€Å"Homesickness†, it is easy to see that James Bryden was homesick for America. He chose to live in the hustle and bustle of New York to escape Irish rural life. There is also a sense of naturalism in this story as well. Bryden is driven by instinct and his own human nature. He is trying to find an environment in which he feels most at home. â€Å"Homesickness†, in a way, reflects Moore’s life. He moved away to Paris; to the hustle and bustle of a big city and away from the rural Irish life. James Joyce and George Moore have different writing styles. But Joyce was influenced by Moore. With having such different backgrounds and different lifestyles, Moore seemed to have a major impact on Joyce and his writing. It is easy to see that Moore’s past in France and interests in philosophy influenced his naturalistic themes and way of writing. Joyce’s work was also influenced by his middle class past and his Catholic background. He wrote with puns ands many symbols; the stream of consciousness was also a major theme in his writing. Both men, James Joyce and George Moore, grew up in Ireland in the Catholic Church. They were educated and both lived in Paris for a while. George Moore was influenced by the French philosophers. They both have many things in common; yet, there are some major differences in their works. Even though their backgrounds are similar, their writing is very unique. Works Cited George Moore. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online. 05 Mar. 2009

Olympus Strategic Management Research Commerce Essay

Olympus Strategic Management Research Commerce Essay Olympus Corporation is a Japan-based manufacturer of reprography and optics products, founded on 12 October 1919 by Takeshi Yamashita with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The company is engaged in the manufacture and sale of precision machineries and instruments for the imaging, medical, life sciences, information and communication and other markets. The companys imaging system business, though Olympus Imaging Corp., markets compact and lightweight digital cameras, optical lenses and voice recorders. The medical systems business, though Olympus Medical Systems Corp., offers medical endoscopes, surgical endoscopes, endotherapy products, ultrasound endoscopes and surgical treatment devices. The life science segments products include molecular imaging systems, such as chemistry analyzers, immunoassay systems and blood analyzers, diagnostic systems and biological and industrial microscopes. Olympus also operates several research facilities, such as the Olympus Bio Imaging Laboratory and the RIKEN BSI-Olympus Collaboration Centre, connected to the operations of their segment. The companys information and communication offerings, through ITX Corp., include investment and business incubation, IT services and equipment sales, such as the sale of mobile terminals. The company operates across six continents and more than 50 countries throu gh 219 subsidiaries and 19 affiliated companies. Altogether, Olympus is comprised of four business segments: Imaging Systems, Life Sciences and Industrial Systems, Medical Systems and Information and Communication. Olympus President and Representative Director is Hiroyuki Sasa, who took this office in April, 2012. PESTEL Analysis Political factors. The political environment is considered as one of the most influential factors that affect the operations of a business. Since all political forces are a part of the macro-environment and are associated with the situation of government, this directly influences the possibility of maintaining a business in a particular economy. Better government would always strive to create the most favorable conditions for a business, developing good policies and making business thrive. Governments also choose the way of taxation and can influence export and import abilities of a particular country (e.g. artificial limitation of an amount of particular good that can be imported in the country, changing taxation for local and foreign producers, stimulating export or import, special license conditions etc.). In our particular case, the most important thing of a political environment Olympus operates in is fiscal policies of the governments of the countries Olympuss stores and its distribution chain are situated in. Pursuing their objectives, governments can levy taxes that make conducting a business unprofitable in this political system, or, for example, cancel taxation of some firms at all to improve the situation of a company on the market. Overall political situation in particular countries also affects Olympus business. Since some countries have unstable political situation (e. g. Somali, Iraq, many African countries), Olympus is reluctant to maintain their business there because of unpredictable business conditions and unreliability of partnerships with local retailers. Economic factors. Economic environment of an organization are all economic factors that effect on the working of a business. This point includes distribution of income and wealth in the economy, trade cycles, economic policies and nature of an economy. Scientists distinguish five main components of a firms economic environment. They are: economic conditions, economic system, economic policies, international economic environment and economic legislations. Since Olympuss initial purpose is bringing profits to stockholders, all these factors should be carefully considered while acting in a particular economy in order to bring the highest profits possible. Size of market, demand and supply trends, inflation rate in the economy, national income, per capita income, efficiency of public and private sectors and many other factors influence Olympus performance in a particular economy and directly influence its profitability. Moreover, since an economic system of a country determines rules, goals and incentives that controls economic relations among people in a society, this factor influences Olympus desire or even ability to perform in a particular economy. Separated word should be said about global economic downturn as a result of the global financial crisis of 2008. The worst economic debacle the humankind has faced since the Great Depression left millions of people without jobs and trillions of dollars in market value evaporated. The global consumption and demand felt dramatically, including the demand for reprography and optics products Olympus manufactures. Although Asian countries did not experience such a striking shock as Europe and Northern America did, overseas sales account for approximately 80% of Olympus sales. Interest rates became higher in practically all countries, somehow influenced by the crisis. National income growth in majority of countries slowed down. Hence, the downturn of the global economy is one of the most prominent economic factors which influence Olympus operations. Furthermore, current economic problems in Europe, which accounts for 26% of Olympus sales, also adversely influence the company scrutinized. Social factors. One of the most important social factors, which influence operations of Olympus is ageing of population in its target markets and constantly growing of health consciousness of those individuals. Since Medical Systems Life Sciences are the largest business segments of Olympus Corporation, these trends can positively influence Olympus because of the demand growth expectations and need for improvement of patient quality of life. However, population growth rates in these countries are not that positive and for the last decade we have observed shrinkage of population in developed countries and constant growth of population in developing countries as India, China and many countries of the Muslim world. Therefore, in the nearest future the trend will reverse and exactly those growing countries will became major importers of hi-tech products as Olympus manufactures. Thus, Olympus should be ready to such changes and pay attention to the development of its distribution chain i n all prospective markets. Technological factors. Any changes in technology have a major impact on the business. New technologies change the business prospects and profits, work culture and methods of production that are used in the industry. Technological changes force management to change the course of how the business is maintained in order to boost the productivity and profitability of the production process. Talking about the industry of hi-tech medical, imaging and information communication products Olympus operates in and technological environment there, it can be said that this industry is probably one of the most technologically-advanced industries of contemporary world. Because of the nature pace of the human progress and constantly growing demand for better medical apparatuses and other hi-tech products Olympus produces, technological changes and breakthroughs in this industry happen extremely often. Technology incentives of many companies are striking, constantly increasing the rate of technological change. All these factors determine the technological environment for Olympus, simultaneously affecting its minimum efficient production level, level of financing its research facilities, cost and quality of products manufactured and ultimately strive for innovation, which will determine the share of the company on the market in the nearest future. Environmental factors. Environmental factors are those factors of any companys external environment, which include weather and climate concerns, directly influencing operations of a business. Environmental factors are not of the highest importance for Olympus Corporation and do not shape its or its competitors products or production chain as they do, for example, for agriculture companies. However, constantly growing concern of the environmental sustainability, greenhouse effect and nature protection define certain environmental standards Olympus should comply with. Legal environment. As any business, Olympus operates within a strict framework of law which influences different aspects of the company. Governmental laws regulate the status of the organization, its relationship with customers and suppliers and certain internal procedures and activities, influencing the behavior of Olympus on the market and specific market conditions. Consumer laws, discrimination laws, employment laws, antitrust laws and health and safety laws of different countries affect how Olympus operates on local markets and also determines cost and demand for its products. Porters Diamond Model The Diamond model of Michael Porter was contrived to evaluate and assess competitive advantages of a firm in national and global competition. Let us construct Porters Diamond model for Olympus Corporation. 400px-The_Porter_Diamond Graph 1. The Porter diamond Source: Factor conditions Skilled workforce High intellectual potential and strive towards innovations New innovations and new methods of corporate governance Developed technological base and infrastructure Demand conditions Sophisticated local and overseas market High pressure and demand for innovations Related and supporting industries Local and international competition creates innovations and cost-effectiveness Participation of suppliers in upgrading process High incentives for innovations in whole production chain Firm strategy, structure and rivalry New corporate governance strategy Focus on core business domains New corporate management policies: Back to Basics, One Olympus, and Profitable Growth Four new basic strategies: Rebuilding of business portfolio/Optimal allocation of management resources, Restructuring of governance, Review of cost structures and Restoration of financial health Fierce domestic competition, which stimulates innovations High standards of corporate culture Government Significant efforts paid to the development of infrastructure and attraction of new businesses Educational incentives and creation of skilled labor Encouragement of BPO/KPO (business process outsourcing and knowledge process outsourcing) Chance Changes in global economic trends All factors, which create discontinuities and are outside of a control of a firm Market Analysis and Industry Life Cycle Nowadays the industry of reprography and optics products Olympus operates in is the subject for constant growth and development. The Medical Business, which is the main business segment of Olympus, has experienced steady growth over the years and is expected to grow even further in view of the social environment. At a time of fast aging of population in the developed countries, early detection and diagnosis of treatment have become urgent priorities for patients, physicians and societies overall. Minimally invasive treatment methods as endoscopic surgery are expected to play a key role in satisfying these requirements. The surgical devices field annual sales are expected to grow 14% annually, creating major business opportunities for Olympus because it is the only company in the world, which possesses the technologies for manufacturing of apparatus that meet the full range of needs from early detection of illnesses to minimally invasive treatment. Therefore, we can conclude that Medi cal Business of Olympus operates in the growth stage of the industry life cycle. Regarding the Imaging Business of Olympus, it operates in the industry, which slowly proceeds from the growth into the mature stage of its life cycle. Although hundreds of innovations are still made in this field, the market in developed countries is close to be saturated. However, there is still an enormous market and place for development in developing countries. Furthermore, it should be recognized that Imaging Business is simultaneously a brand and imaging technology driver for Olympus. Thus, it is an inherent part of the companys marketing strategy and will be paid an utmost attention in the nearest future. Life Science Industrial business of Olympus is also in its growth stage. The driving factor for this is that the industries, where reprography and optics products have not been used before, begin to adapt innovations from this field to develop and increase the efficiency and productivity of their business. Hence, sales expansion by entering untapped industries is of the highest interest for Olympus, since this market is undeveloped yet, contains a lot of opportunities, place for innovations and growth. Porters Five Forces Framework Porters five forces framework is a tool for industry and company analysis, aimed to derive those five forces, which determine the intensity of competition and therefore attractiveness of a particular market and overall industry profitability. Three of the aforementioned five forces concern competition threats from external sources. The remaining two are related to the companys internal threats. Graph 2. Porters Five Forces Framework Source: Bargaining power of suppliers. The concentration of suppliers of Olympuss three key business segments is comparatively high. The number of suppliers and availability of substitute inputs differs from the product or inventory supplied. Availability of lenses Olympus uses, for example, for its Medical Business segment is limited because of the complicated process of their production and various patents. Input of suppliers of hi-tech components is extremely important for companies in the industry Olympus operates in and an ability to substitute suppliers of such unique products is low. Hence, suppliers of technologically advanced inventory have a significant influence on the industry scrutinized and are able to drive up prices with little resistance from their buyers. Firms which produce less unique products, however, have dramatically less power. The number of suppliers in this category is big as well as the availability of substitutes. The competition among these suppliers is severe and therefore their ability to artificially deviate prices is low. Bargaining power of consumers. Bargaining power of Olympuss consumers, similarly to bargaining power of its suppliers, differs greatly from one business segment of a company to another. Imaging Business, for example, has a great number of customers. The size of each order, however, is low in comparison with other businesses of the firm. Buyers of this segment possess a credible backward integration threat, since they can choose to buy products of a rival firm as Canon or Nikon. Buyer power is also strong because switching costs are low, is usually well-educated about the product and lots of substitutes are available on the market. In case of Medical and Life Science Industrial businesses of Olympus, consumer bargaining power is different and is believed to be lower. To the great extent this is because of little number of substitutes available on the market and their lower technical characteristics. Threat of backward integration in these businesses is low and majority of buyers purchase products in low volume. Threat of new entrants. Threat of new entrants on the market of hi-tech products Olympus manufactures is low because of several factors. First, in order to enter this market, extremely high capital investments are required. Second, patents and rights of already established firms make it hardly possible for new entrants to produce products, similar to existing ones. Hence, prohibitive for new firms amount of financial and human resources should be put into research and development to introduce technologies and products unavailable yet on the market. Furthermore, in Olympus business lots of attention is paid to consumer loyalty and it may be very hard for new entrants to entice clientele of well-known already established brands. Threat of substitute products. Feasible threat of substitute products Olympus experiences in all its businesses other than the Medical. This can be observed because of consumers propensity to substitute and comparatively low switching costs. Number of substitute products, which can compete with the products of Olympuss Life Science Industrial and Imaging businesses is high. So is the ease of substitution. There is, however, less threat of substitute products from Medical business of Olympus because products in the Medical business have significantly longer lifecycles and development cycles. For example, Evis Exera III a core endoscopy system, which was introduced by Olympus in spring 2012 and has no substitutes on the market, had the development period of seven years. Since Olympus has a competitive edge in research and development, it is unlikely that products able to substitute Olympus Medical businesses apparatuses will emerge on the market in the nearest time. Competitive rivalry within an industry. Competition within Olympuss industry is fierce. All companies which compete for leadership in this industry have powerful competitive strategies and high levels of advertising expense. Each of the companies tries to achieve sustainable competitive advantage through implementing innovations and investments in research and development. Number of competitors is limited; however, their financial and human resources are huge. Costs of leaving market are high. Olympus Current Strategy Corporate Strategies. Basing on the corporate management policies and aiming to address pressing issues of the company, Olympuss management has set forth four basic corporate strategies. First, three business domains have been chosen as those, in which the company should invest first and foremost. These are: the Medical Business, Life Science Industrial Business and Imaging Business. Medical Business should become a growth driver for the company, which will later transform into a medical-field oriented firm. Second, Olympus will revise its cost structures and aims for profitable growth. Third strategy is to improve the companys shaken financial position and performance. Last but not least corporate strategy of Olympus is to restructure the firms governance after the recent unprecedented turbulence of the Olympus scandal period. Business Strategies. Medical Business. Under the current medium-term vision of Olympus management, the Medical Business of the company should become a profit and growth driver for the firm. The strategy of Medical Business is to achieve further expansion of the business by capitalizing on the highly strategically advantageous position of being capable of simultaneously developing devices necessary for new minimally invasive treatments as well as new diagnostic methods closely related to those new treatments (Olympus Corporation, 2012). The company also plans to replace existing devices with new once and create a new market by applying highly innovative technologies unavailable to its competitors. Life Science Industrial Business. Life Science Industrial Business of Olympus are aimed at growth of the corporation. There are two business strategies for this segment. First strategy is product portfolio expansion. Basing on the customer industry categories and technologies and product categories, Olympus will strive to open up new customers and open up new business fields. Moreover, this strategy also involves focus on emerging and developing countries, where the market and consequently demand for Olympus products is growing. Second strategy is implementation of reform of the income and profit structure of the Life Science field, which will involve reduction of cost of goods sold and improvement of operating efficiency. Imaging Business. For today, two strategies have been devised to address the proclaimed objective of restructuring the Imaging Business. The first strategy is to concentrate on mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras and high-end compact cameras. The second strategy is to restructure the manufacturing process and carry out reform of the cost structure of devises. Functional Strategies. Functional strategies of Olympus include the following: rigorous cost reductions, profitability improvements, increased investment in technology development, restructuration of subsidiaries and production sites worldwide. Olympus Current Business Policies The new management of Olympus, who took their office on April 2012, have set out three major corporate management policies of the company: Back to Basics, One Olympus and Profitable Growth. Back to Basics. Back to Basic policy was devised to deal with the aftermath of recent Olympus scandals, the cause of which was the pursuit of income from investments in non-core business domains of the firm, namely equity. Thus, the Back to Basics policy was developed to bring Olympus back to its initial mission contribution to the development of society through new solutions and products. One Olympus. The idea behind One Olympus policy lies in uniting all Olympuss employees and staff worldwide under a common business strategy and encouraging teamwork and cooperation. Profitable Growth. This policy simply proclaims Olympus intention to grow while earning profits. Olympus Current Performance Performance Indices Results (FY ended March 2012) Net sales  ¥ 848.5 billion Operating income  ¥ 35.5 billion Ordinary income  ¥17.9 billion Net income  ¥49.0 billion EBITDA  ¥80.3 billion Operating margin 4% Ordinary income ratio 2% Net income ratio -6% Net sales ratio 9% Free cash flows  ¥4.8 billion Balance of interest-bearing debt  ¥642.4 billion Equity ratio 4.6% Operating margin 4.2% Return on invested capital (ROIC) 2.7% Table 1. Olympus current performance indices Source: Olympus Corporation. Annual Report 2012 Table 1. Olympus current performance indices Source: Olympus Corporation. Annual Report 2012 Research Question 2. Strategic Recommendations Basing on the analysis above, several strategic recommendations are reasonable for Olympus to overcome its temporary crisis period and achieve financial superiority and growth of stockholders value in long-term period. First, it is pertinent that Medical Business should become the main segment of Olympus production chain. Olympus possesses a competitive advantage over its closest rivals in this sector and holds the largest market share. Its medical devices contain the newest innovations and technologies available on the market and hardly any company can compete in this sector with Olympus. However, for the last several years the company has been deviating from this segment, investing in non-core business segments of the firm. This turned into the debacle for Olympus. Therefore, total reconstruction of the firms operations should be conducted with the aim to bring an emphasis on Medical Business of the firm, which should become profit and growth generator. Life Science Industrial Bus iness, in its turn, will become an accompanying business, specializing in expansion of the product portfolio in the industrial field and hence another source of growth. The task of the Imaging Business, as one of the three core business of the firm, should be development of new technologies and innovations and becoming a brand driver for the company. Research Question 3. Mr. Michael Woodford, a Hero or a Traitor? Recent Olympus scandal has been one of the biggest and longestrunning lost-hiding arrangements in global corporate history since accounting and corporate scandals including Enron, Parmalat, Peregrine Systems, Tyco International, Adelphia and WorldCom. One of the main Olympus insiders, involved in the scandal and who actually was the one who exposed doubtful acquisitions of Olympus dated several years earlier, was British-born top-executive Michael Woodford, former CEO of Olympus. This lead to missing of $6.25 in assets, overall downturn of the company and great concerns regarding corporate governance in Japan. Although some people would aver that Mr. Michael Woodford acted as a traitor, I assert that his actions were extremely ethical and complied with the highest standards of corporate governance and information disclosure. Hereinafter I will provide some cogent arguments to support my point of view. To start with, I would like to mention that ultimate aim of management of any company is growth of value for stockholders. In order to keep an eye on management actions, each publicly traded company has a board of directors, which defines strategy of the company, supervises management and ensures the protection of stockholders interests. Management, as an operational branch of corporate governance, is obliged to deliver truthful information regarding companys performance. From accounting and corporate scandals in the U.S. and Europe which involved Enron, Parmalat, Peregrine Systems, Tyco International and several other big companies we have learned how distortion and hiding of information may make the companies concerned collapse and shook local and international securities markets. In order to avoid such shocks in future, many countries have adopted various standards and laws which regulate corporate governance, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the US and UK Corporate Governance Code. Japan, however, has not adopted any similar documents and this is one of the major reasons why Olympus scandal emerged in 2011. According to internationally-accepted standards of corporate standards and information disclosure, the behaviour of the former Olympuss CEO Michael Woodford was the only acceptable in the situation he faced with. Obviously, local peculiarities of Japanese corporate governance should be taken into account, however, from my point of view, Woodford acted in according to international business ethics standards. Olympus is an international publicly-traded company and therefore should comply with internationally-accepted ways of doing business. Furthermore, Olympus is responsible to its stockholders, who are interested in transparency of the business. Hence, Woodfords behaviour was ethical in all senses and was aimed to bring transparency to the company and protect Olympus stakeholders. Since Woodford did what all members of Olympus board could not do, I think that he is a hero for the company and should be brought back. The behaviour of top management of Olympus, however, was not ethical and, as said by Lindsay Whipp and Jonathan Soble, the management by itself was rotten at the core (Yasu, 2011). A twodecade scheme to hide losses from investment was maintained by the companys top executives. The Olympus scandal tells us that despite accounting and corporate scandals of the last decade, the tensions still remain in some countries, which have not adapted strict standards and codes of corporate governance. Japan is not an exception. The conflict between management and stockholders will probably last forever, however compliance with such laws as Sarbanes-Oxley Act, for example, will bring transparency to the activities of publicly traded companies. Management will have less space for financial machinations and distortion of information. This, undoubtedly, will create a more reliable system of corporate governance and management. Hence, adoption of strict laws which contain enhanced standards for all public company boards, management and auditors should be conducted in all countries where this has not been done yet. If I were in the position to make a decision, I would definitely employ Woodford as a new CEO of Olympus because he has demonstrated himself as a responsible top-executive who has extremely high ethical standards. Although corporate culture in Japan is very peculiar, he managed to uncover one of the biggest and longestrunning lost-hiding arrangements in Japanese history. Despite this created great financial troubles for the company, loss of reputation and urgent need of restructuration, I believe that disclosure of this crime was essential for Olympuss further growth and development. Ultimately, to solve the issues of the Olympus scandal several vital steps should be undertaken. First, and this has already been done, new management structure should be introduced. Second, Olympus should be restructured and the foremost attention should be paid to the core businesses of the firm. Third, thorough re-branding of the company should be conducted to renew the reputation of the firm in the eyes of its suppliers and consumers.

Case Study :: essays research papers

Telecommunications is the commercial and non-profit organization involved in development, production, distribution, and exhibition of entertainment and information to the public by electronic means. Recently, interactive media has began to interest many consumers. Of the four media functions, the distribution section is most effected by any changes made in the industry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Because changes like these are always being made, media businesses must be prepared, so they can continue to produce revenue and profit. Distribution receives the most attention because it is necessary to learn the consumer demand for interactive media, and what will be the most effective way to distribute this service. This change also impacts distribution because they must do research on the audience. And, after doing this, they'll know and respond to the interests and needs of the consumer. Case Study #2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Telecommunications is characterized as an industry of technology and innovation. Business includes the use of cameras, computers, transmitters and many more technical devices. Because of this, telecommunication managers must have a basic technical understanding of this business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technical skills in a manager are important because, one must be able to supervise employees, and operate facilities. Every year there are new developments in modern technology. These technological changes present serious challenges to media management. They have to continuously make decisions on what new equipment to buy for the company, and what will be needed to stay on top.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Basically, understanding radio waves, computer operations, recording systems etc†¦ will allow the media manager to make wise purchases, expansions and employee decisions in a constantly changing, high-tech industry. Case Study #3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The product-life cycle theory marks the stages of industrial development from innovation to growth, maturity and decline. Many of the major media businesses are in the mature stage. Unfortunately, a few businesses are in decline. In order to stay in business, many of these companies must reposition themselves for an information-based economy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to stay on top during this changing economy, businesses have to concentrate on the way the new products are delivered to consumers. In the innovative stage of the Product-Life Cycle, producers need to spend most of the time in research and development (making and refining the product), and in marketing (convincing consumers to buy). The goal is to influence consumers to sample a product by impressing them by its value.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Competition is a big part of the Growth Stage.

Hazardous Materials Incident Response Essay -- Hazardous Waste

Hazardous materials can be important in everyday life when properly handled. However, when improperly handled, they can result in injury, death, and destruction as well as have lingering effects that may last for years to come. To address the risk of an uncontrolled hazardous materials release, there must be a coordinated effort to identify, locate, and quantify the hazardous materials in a particular location (Drexel University Safety & Health, 2001). Typically, industry and government agree that a hazardous materials incident is one where †¢ The intentional or accidental release of a hazardous material is responsible for major injury or fatality †¢ The release of the hazardous material or exposure to the fire that ensues results in the need to evacuate 25 or more people †¢ Closure of a major transportation hub as a result of the release of the hazardous material †¢ The hazardous material is radioactive or a biohazard †¢ Whenever there is a release of over 11.9 gallons or 88.2 pounds of a severe marine pollutant, or hazardous material (Hazmat Incidents and supplies, n.d.). Any single organization or group cannot solve hazardous materials response planning successfully. Rather it must be accomplished through the efforts of local, state, and Federal authorities and in cooperation with the private sector. Because of various limitations, one cannot prepare for every type of release, however, the plan can be written to address those releases that can most likely occur. Regardless, hazardous materials response plans must be designed to minimize hazards to human health and the resulting environment during the intentional or accidental release of a hazardous material. The plan should be written under the authority permitted b... ...(2001, March 15). Drexel Safety and Health. Retrieved June 3, 2010, from Drexel Safety and Health: www.drexelsafetyandhealth.com/hazmat/hazmatplan.doc Hazmat Incidents and supplies. (n.d.). Retrieved June 3, 2010, from Safety Supplies-Work Gloves-Spill Containment-Janitorial Supplies: http://www.bestvalsup.com/v/vspfiles/hazmat_response_tips_and_supplies.asp Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center. (n.d.). Emergency Response Planning: Disaster Preparedness for Small Businesses | pasbdc.org . Retrieved June 3, 2010, from Helping Businesses Start, Grow, and Prosper | pasbdc.org : http://www.pasbdc.org/index/resources/emergency.asp#envemergency Washoe County LEPC. (2006, March 1). Washoe County Local Emergency Planning Committee. Retrieved June 3, 2010, from Washoe County Local Emergency Planning Committee: http://www.washoelepc.com/pdf/Section1.pdf

The Influence of Memories on Selfhood Essay -- Memory Psychology

Memories generate a breakdown of an individual’s selfhood. In addition, memories embody unmistakable repercussions on the self. In the book Mind readings an Anthology for Writers by Gary Colombo, there are several essays that reveal how memories evoke individuals to doubt their ideas of selfhood. â€Å"The Inheritance of Tools† by Scott Russell Sanders, Sanders writes concerning his father’s passing and the strategies that he implements to survive his grief. â€Å"The Brown Wasps† by Loren Eiseley, Eiseley demonstrates why individuals conjure up memories in their imagination, his only reliable guide of happiness. Individuals hold fast to memories that take a lifetime to fabricate. â€Å"The Self and Society: Changes, Problems, and Opportunities† by Roy F. Baumeister makes use of many labels to justify selfhood. Baumeister examines the history of selfhood. The essays by Sanders, Eiseley, and Baumeister illustrate that situations shape unpredictable sets of memories that promote anxiety, and characterizes the selfhood. Memories and individual’s selfhood connect the past and present bringing about a paradox inspiring individuals to feel sane or manic. Frequently memories are simply figments of the imagination. In addition, in life, individuals have conflicts of his or her â€Å"inner self† resulting in a collision of the selfhood. Circumstances activate automatic sets of memories amplifying anxiety that distinguishes the selfhood. Sanders’ while grieving, his father’s death, instigates a flood of memories he must handle. Sanders while in the midst of building a wall in his basement hears the news about his father. Sanders recalls hitting his thumb and cursing at the hammer as if it deliberately smashed his thumb. The significance of the hammer and th... ...e, individuals battle their â€Å"inner self†. Memories generate a divide in an individual’s selfhood. Furthermore, memories leave strong impressions on the self. Memories cause individuals to experience reservation of their judgment. These conflicts are life changing or devastating to an individual’s selfhood. Works Cited Baumeister, Roy F. "The Self and Society: Changes, Problems, and Opportunities." Mind Readings an Anthology for Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002. 320-36. Print. Colombo, Gary. Mind Readings: an Anthology for Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002. Print. Eiseley, Loren. "The Brown Wasp." Mind Readings an Anthology for Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002. 150-57. Print. Sanders, Scott R. "The Inheritance of Tools†. Mind Readings: an Anthology for Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002. 142-49. Print.

Promote equality and inclusion in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings Essay

1. Explain what is meant by Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Equality Equality is the term for treating people fairly and offering the same chances, it’s not all about treating everyone in the same way, but recognising everyone is different, and they all have very different needs, but making sure they are met. These different needs could be race, age, physical health, mental health, gender, sexual orientation, beliefs and creeds. In the workplace, there are many service users, 13 altogether, and each of them have a variety of needs. Some with dementia, others with epilepsy, a group of down syndrome, people of the age of 20 rights through to 70, people with diabetes. DiversityWhere equality is about recognising differences, diversity is about valuing these differences, for example not to along ago a service user came in on respite, he was of an Islamic background. With this there were certain values that came part and parcel of the religion, these were the consumption of Halal meat, praying five times a day and wearing specific clothing. InclusionInclusion is the term used to define the ability to adapt and place measures so that everyone, no matter what their needs are they can participate. see more:equality and diversity in health and social care Many service users hope and want to lead extremely active lifestyles. So with regards to an activity such as the gym, as part of our responsibility 2. Describe the potential effects of discrimination To see the possible effects of discrimination fully, it’s best to look at how it affects from a holistic perspective. With regards to discrimination affecting physical health, this can be a by product of stress and depression. A lot of physical problems can be stress induced such sleeplessness and from this you can end up with a lack of energy, headaches, ulcers. Depression can affect eating habits, getting into the routine of comfort eating; this then would cause weight problems. For those suffering from severe depression it can lead to self harm. From this you can get a massive lack in confidence in one’s own ability, this can then begin to impede on emotional aspects and mental well being. One can almost feel that they lack a voice or authority, a feeling of people unwilling to listen to them. Inducing low self esteem, insecurity, lack of confidence and sudden changes in behaviour. Social effects can include isolation, lack of friends, withdrawing one’s self from society, unrecognized as an individual, feel like a stranger and inability to build relationships. If being discriminated against, the intellectual effects can be massively restricted; this could be a lack of access to education, leading to poor grades in exams or portfolios, a loss of motivation which can impede a wide variety of skills and a lack of self belief. 3. Explain how inclusive practice promotes equality and supports diversity As my role of activities co-ordinator it is absolutely vital that the service users like you or I have the same opportunities. One activity where the organisation is clearly demonstrating is a club called Gresford Scottish Bowls. This club is unique in the sense that there are only about 3 in the UK. However it is not an exclusively LD group. The club opened its doors to about 5 service users. It is a game intricate skill, now it is very rare, and I have had lots of problems with group allowing service users to join. The service users have taken to it very well, one is a sub-skip of a team, one service user won the singles championship. By allowing them this opportunity it breaks the negative barrier held by mainstream society and in this example by including them they have an equal opportunity, and demonstrate that they are more than capable of holding their own. Another example is getting two service users enrolled into the local college, it is a basic human right that every human is allowed to have an education. Though specific measures need to be taken, such as support staff, assistance with the work, they get that equal opportunity. On a larger scale however, the organisation has just taken a massive step forward. This is to do with the funding for one on one hours. The manager has managed to gain equal one on one hours for every service user. This means that for once in the organisations existence they can provide an equal service, to each individual and the will all have an equal amount of support. This is demonstrates inclusive practice leading to equality, however each set of hours can be different for each service user which embraces diversity.

David Alfaro Siqueiros: The Activist Artist Essay

David Alfaro Siqueiros was a social realist painter known for his large murals in fresco. He was born in Chihuahua City in 1896 and by age fifteen David was already involved in artistic studies and political activism. Siqueiros was involved in direct political action more than most other artists. He was a sophisticated political ideologist who was involved in the political conflicts of the Mexican Revolution serving as a protestor, demonstrator, soldier and leader of an assassination squad. The type of art he produces are murals; he believed art should be public, educational, and ideological. He went probably the furthest of all the muralists in his attempts to combine his political views and aesthetic ideals with modern technical means to create a truly â€Å"public art†. Siqueiros was an activist in many different ways, controversy lies in his work, and he has many meanings of his work. In 1911 Siqueiros led a student strike at San Carlos Academy, one designed to force changes in teaching methods, this strike lasted six months and ended in complete victory for students. Through his fellows, he soon became familiar with communist and anarchist writings, embittering him further against the upper middle class to which he himself belonged. Following that in 1913 he joined the anti-Huerta Constitutionalist movement and contributed to its newspaper, La Vanguardia. After serving four years as an active combatant during the Revolution, he attained the rank of a captain. Siqueiros than organized a group called Congress of Soldier Artists in 1918. He then published a magazine called Vida Americana in 1921. These play the roles of him being an activist because he is reporting his issues. In 1924, Siqueiros finished work on The Burial of the Martyred Worker, also in the National Preparatory School, taking the bold step of painting a hammer-and-sickle on the coffin. This provoked outrage on the part of the students at the School, then, as prior to the Revolution, representing the conservative element in society. There were several clashes, and the muralists took to carrying firearms to defend themselves. At one point, a battalion of Yaqui Indians, all devout supporters of the Revolution marched into the school to defend the murals. A short while later, the artists received a major blow when Vasconcelos resigned from his post as Minister of Public Education. Quite soon, the government issued an ultimatum; either the painters had to abandon their Union, or they would be fired from the government payroll. The painters refused. When Diego Rivera adopted a more conciliatory tone, they voted to expel him from the Union. As a result, within a short period of time, he was the only muralist still allowed to work. In response, Siqueiros turned to political activism. Leaving Mexico City, he traveled to the state of Jalisco, where he helped organize trade unions for the silver miners there. He was so successful that by 1927 he was head of the United Syndicate Confederation of Mexico, a national trade union organization that brought together miners, peasants, factory and railroad workers, school teachers and other professional groups. He quickly was harassed and detained several times by the police.

Lan Operating Systems Scenarios

Read the three scenarios below, then answer the questions that follow each scenario. 1. You are the network administrator for a new company that has 10 users and plans to add five more users within a year. The files need to be accessed by all 10 users and each user must have different security rights. What kind of network would you install and how would the pieces and components of this network relate to each other? Define each component. For this situation, I would first recommend a server, which an administrator can assign different security rights. Second, I would recommend a star topology network with a central switch. A star topology is the easiest topology to manage and add other devices. The switch is the best central device to use to segment traffic and alleviate collisions that would occur from a hub. The components such as the nodes would connect to the switch, which would allow communication with the other nodes or devices. In addition, Ethernet cables would be needed to connect to the back of the PC or NIC card. 2. You are the network administrator for a company that has a peer-to-peer network. How would the pieces and components of this network relate to each other? Define all of the components of this type of network. In a peer-to-peer network, all of the devices connected to the network share each other’s resources. This is common in a LAN network that does not have a server. 3. You are the administrator of a client-server environment. What kind of network would you install and how would the pieces and components of this network relate to each other? Define each component of a typical client-server environment. In this scenario, I would again recommend a star topology due to its manageability and scalability. In this model, one would need computers, server, cables, and operating systems. The nodes would go through the switch or router and then that device would get those resources from the serever..

English Is the Only Foreign Language Worth Learning

English is the only foreign language worth learning I likely diasgree with this statement. Every language is worth learning because it is how we communicate with each other. English is third most spoken language in the world, after Chinese and Spanish. I think English is leading language on this planet because Chinese and Spanish are spoken only in few countries. There are approximately 370 million native English speakers all around the world. On top that, there are roughly the same amout who use English as second or third language.And let’s not forget about technologies. Nowadays, it’s hard to find a device without built-in English interface. Is is also considered as the language of international business. In my honest opinion, I’d recommend to learn as many languages as possible. It doesn’t matter if it’s French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean or any other language. It breaks the language barrier between people. Few years ago, some teacher of mi ne told me that I have to learn as many languages as possible because it is my treasure. The treasure that cannot be taken away from me.Since then I usually visualize language as a key that unlocks the world to me. Knowing other languages greatly increases the number of people on the globe with whom you can communicate. You can have friends, pen pals and spouses from all over the world. In addition, people with multilingual skills look more attractive to employers. Chances are that knowing languages will open up employment opportunities that you would not have had otherwise. With greater language skills you can easily raise the amount of your salary.There are other advantages of learning languages. If you know foreign language it gives you the opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and have a deeper understanding of foreign cultures through books, songs and other aspects of culture. Any language is wonderful way to expand your horizon. In conclusion, we are only in the beginn ing of the journey through our life. Let’s not waste our time and learn languages so we can interact with as many people as possible. Any new language is a new opportunity for you. English Is the Only Foreign Language Worth Learning English is the only foreign language worth learning I likely diasgree with this statement. Every language is worth learning because it is how we communicate with each other. English is third most spoken language in the world, after Chinese and Spanish. I think English is leading language on this planet because Chinese and Spanish are spoken only in few countries. There are approximately 370 million native English speakers all around the world. On top that, there are roughly the same amout who use English as second or third language.And let’s not forget about technologies. Nowadays, it’s hard to find a device without built-in English interface. Is is also considered as the language of international business. In my honest opinion, I’d recommend to learn as many languages as possible. It doesn’t matter if it’s French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean or any other language. It breaks the language barrier between people. Few years ago, some teacher of mi ne told me that I have to learn as many languages as possible because it is my treasure. The treasure that cannot be taken away from me.Since then I usually visualize language as a key that unlocks the world to me. Knowing other languages greatly increases the number of people on the globe with whom you can communicate. You can have friends, pen pals and spouses from all over the world. In addition, people with multilingual skills look more attractive to employers. Chances are that knowing languages will open up employment opportunities that you would not have had otherwise. With greater language skills you can easily raise the amount of your salary.There are other advantages of learning languages. If you know foreign language it gives you the opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and have a deeper understanding of foreign cultures through books, songs and other aspects of culture. Any language is wonderful way to expand your horizon. In conclusion, we are only in the beginn ing of the journey through our life. Let’s not waste our time and learn languages so we can interact with as many people as possible. Any new language is a new opportunity for you.

Research paper on scientist Hannah Gay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research paper on scientist Hannah Gay - Essay Example This motivated Gay to pursue big dreams like her brother and she studied science and math. This specialization in her studies enabled her to reach the University of Mississippi at Oxford in which she majored in pre-med. She became the president of the club Pre-med Society and in the process she met Paul Gay and they began dating and later married. Gay is well-known for her contribution in the cure of an infant that was born HIV positive into a negative state. There is need to understand Gay’s early life, personal motivators, and her contribution to the cure of an infant from HIV infection (Le Coz). Early Years Hannah Gay grew up in Jackson, Florida where she was the youngest in a family comprising of two children. She had a desire to practice medicine even from an early age and this motivated her to pursue math and science in high school. Additionally, her older brother, Gregory Berry was doing well in medieval English course such that he was admitted to prominent Yale. She di d not want to be overshadowed and therefore, pursued math and science so that she could join medicine since she was passionate about helping people. This focus in math and science led her to the University of Mississippi located in Oxford. This is where she majored in pre-med and her enthusiasm enabled her to be elected the president of Pre-Med Society at the University. It was in this university that Hannah met Paul Gay; they began dating and became good friends since. In the year 1978, Paul and Hannah got married and they have been together for the last thirty seven years while they are blessed with four children (Le Coz). Hannah Gay was exposed to Christian faith at an early age and this she says, has been a great influence in her life. Her mother was a faithful at the Southern Baptist church and while Gay was in her womb, she was part of the Woman’s Missionary Union Missions. Gay grew up attending the Southern Baptist Church and this drove her to learn about missions whil e she was still a young girl. Gay mentions that she participated in three major missions which included the Sunbeams Children’s Ministry, Girls in Action, and the Young Women’s Auxiliary. Gay believes that this exposure to Christian faith was part of her training as a servant to people. She claims that she prayed to God to give her guidance on what she need to do in life and was guided to a career in pediatrics. It is evident that Gay had a strong Christian faith and this is still a driving force in her life until today (Chandler). Gay and her husband Paul were passionate about religion and largely got involved in church affairs while still in college. It was after they were married and they started a family that their faith motivated them to travel to Africa; in 1987, Gay together with her family travelled to Ethiopia to work as foreign missionaries. It was also Gay’s wish and desire to teach at a medical school after completing her education at UMMC and that i s what led her to Ethiopia. On reaching Ethiopia, it was a period of drought and towards the end of the civil war that had befallen the country. The Ethiopian government had also fallen and a new regime was about to take over the leadership of the country (Mott). These circumstances in Ethiopia made it difficult for her to pursue her missionary dreams and she could not even teach in a medical school. In addition, she had joined the language school but with the civil war and a new government

Critically Evaluate why the Liquidity of a Firm is Considered Crucial Essay

Critically Evaluate why the Liquidity of a Firm is Considered Crucial Especially in the Growth Stage of a Company's Development - Essay Example Current paper focuses on a particular aspect of organizational performance: liquidity, a term used in order to show the potentials of an organization to meet its liabilities. Emphasis is given on the significance of liquidity in the growth stage of the company development. At the same time, efforts are made in order to identify the terms under which the changes in the financial statement of a particular organization can influence the organization’s value creation process. The literature published in regard to these issues has been reviewed and evaluated; it is made clear that the role of liquidity in the growth stage of the company development can be differentiated. As of the changes on a firm’s financial statements, these seem as unavoidable especially under the following terms: the value creation process of each organization is based on specific organizational data; changes on the particular data could influence the validity of the assumptions made in regard to the ec onomic status of the organization and its power within its industry. 2. Liquidity and company development - Why the liquidity of a firm is considered crucial especially in the growth stage of a company's development In order to understand the role of liquidity in the growth stage of a company development, it would be necessary to refer to the activities in which a company has to be involved during the specific phase. In accordance with Schmeisser, Clausen and Popp (2011), during its growth phase, a firm has to develop its activities covering the relevant costs; at this point, the following problem appears: the development of a company in its growth phase may be delayed due to a series of factors that cannot be easily controlled, such as the lack of capability of employees, failures in the communication of the organization with its customers or suppliers and so on (Schmeisser, Clausen and Popp, 2011). During the above period, the cash required for the completion of the firm’s projects can be increased while the profits achieved may be low, especially in the initial period of the firm’s growth. Therefore, the liquidity of the organization during the specific period may be low. In a different case, i.e. in case that the liquidity of the organization in its growth phase is high, it can be assumed that the prospects for the organization, in terms of its performance, are quite positive. Kapil (2011) notes that the level of liquidity of each organization should be periodically checked in order to ensure the status of the organization within its market. It is explained that for modern firms, liquidity reflects their ability to achieve their targets, no matter if they refer to the short or the long term. In the context of the above role, liquidity is described as an indicator of ‘the investments and assets of a firm that can be quickly converted to cash at any time or within one year’ (Kapil 2011, p.6). In the study of Arnold (2008) reference is made to the liquidity risk, which is described as the condition in which the organization is not able to retrieve the cash necessary for covering its liabilities. Moreover, Singla (2007) notes that in the growth sta