Financial problem in a country or organization of your choice Essay Example for Free

Financial problem in a country or organization of your choice Essay Discuss the causes of a financial problem in a country or organization of your choice and suggest some solutions. Specify the problem and the City/Country and relate to a particular study. Zimbabwe is an agricultural based economy previously known as the ‘bread-basket’ of Southern Africa. In the past decade, the country experienced a drastic economic disintegration due to wide range of factors including: unconstitutional land redistribution, health, decline in foreign investment and hyperinflation. The Zimbabwean economy is strongly intertwined with politics; therefore the political instability subsequently offset the economy. In 2000, the government embarked on ‘the land reform programme’ which removed white commercial farmers from arable lands so that it could be redistributed among black farmers. The experienced farmers were replaced by mostly black subsistence ones, with no farming knowledge, equipment and capital and therefore could not produce at a commercial scale. There was no agricultural export, meaning there was a loss of foreign currency being injected into the economy on a regular basis. This marked the beginning of economic downfall. Richardson (2004:307). The failure of the agricultural sector which is the backbone of the economy led to the economic crisis. This meant that the government could not generate enough revenue to sustain its infrastructures such as the health sector. Health conditions are directly related to the poor economy. Sick workers were not able to work as much or as productively as healthy ones. Labour markets were less efficient and the market was not able to produce as much. Consequently, the economy produced far less per-worker than a similar healthy economy. This was evident in Zimbabwe by the low participation rate that at just over 35 %, as opposed to 51.08 % in the U.S. or 51.97 % in Japan. Richardson (2004:289). Another contributing factor was that foreign investors also fled, due to insecurities and the government policies dictating that 51% ownership of their businesses should be locally owned. Foreign direct investment fell to zero by 2001, and the  World Bank’s risk premium on investment in Zimbabwe shot up from 4 % to 20 % that year as well. Hill (2003: 109). Furthermore, the Zimbabwean economy was brought down by the illegal sanctions (an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with it. Merriam-Webster dictionary 2012:198) imposed by the American and European superpowers. This meant that no trade was to be done with Zimbabwe. There was a sudden death of foreign currency and investment influx to the country. The U.S. and Britain have partially withheld financial support for Zimbabwe and there would be no access to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because they could not pay their debt and the prevailing hyperinflationary conditions. Hill (2003: 102). The causes of Zimbabwe’s financial problem can be mitigated by first achieving a ‘political breakthrough’ that will depoliticize the economy. Then, land should be re-redistributed among experienced commercial farmers and train the less experienced ones to ensure a more sustainable output. There must also be a liberalisation of foreign investment regulations to attract the foreign investors. In conclusion, these suggested solutions will help to rebuild the economy and restore Zimbabwe as the bread basket of Southern Africa. References: Richardson, C,J. 2004. The Collapse of Zimbabwe in the Wake of the 2000–2003 Land Reforms. New York: Edwin Mellen Hill, G. 2003. The Battle for Zimbabwe. Cape Town: Zebra

Inventory Management Methods

Inventory Management Methods Introduction Success of an inventory management process entails the balance of costs of inventory with the benefits of the inventory (Alison et al., 2005). Inventory in business is one of the tangible and visible components of a company. Inventory management is the act of keeping and placing stock in a business. Many businesses have problem keeping the inventory. Each and every service provided anywhere is concerned with operation management technique in one way or another. Its objectives are to provide goods and services that the customers demand for in the right quantity, quality and cost at the appropriate time (Waller et al., 1999). ABC analysis The ABC analysis groups inventory into three classes. Class A contains 80 percent of the total value of inventory. Class B contains 15 percent of the total value of inventory while class C contains 5 percent of the total value of inventory (Bowersox Cooper, 1992). The ABC analysis gives a simple and quick review of the inventory. The ABC analysis also gives a clear view and meaning of the whole assortment of products in the inventory, thereby making it an efficient method to control inventory investment. The ABC analysis makes it easy for an inventory manager to devote resources to only those places where it will have the biggest positive feedback. Nike, Inc is an American manufacturer of shoes. In their ABC analysis, leather forms class A, sole forms class B while shoe lace forms class C (Cousins Spekman, 2003). ABC analysis is a vital method for management of inventory. Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) EOQ is a technique for inventory management that minimizes ordering and holding costs for the year. EOQ is a crucial accounting formula that determines when the combination of inventory carrying cost, order and costs are the least (Simchi et al., 2003). The result obtained from the formula gives the most effective quality to order. There are two models used in EOQ: Q and P models. In the Q model, whenever the stock on hand reaches the recorder point, a fixed quantity of materials is ordered. Advantages of the Q model are that the inventory materials are at the most economical quantity and inventory control personnel automatically devote attention to stocking the only items that are needed, when they are needed. A major disadvantage of the Q model is that the suppliers may be inconvenienced by orders that are raised at irregular intervals. In the P model, the stock position of every item in the inventory is closely monitored. Advantages of the P model are that the inventory and orderi ng costs are low and the model can be used on materials that are used irregularly or in seasons. Sales estimates are easily calculated for seasonal materials and the purchase of these materials can be planned in advance. A disadvantage of the P model is that is inefficient because it compels a periodic review of inventory. At Best Buy, the demand for desktop computers is 1000 units per month. Every time an order is placed, Best Buy incurs 4000 dollars in order cost. Best Buy incurs further costs in purchasing each computer at 500 dollars and the retailer charges a holding cost of 20 percent. The annual demand, D, is equal to 12000 dollars (1000 multiplied by 12). S, the order cost per lot is 4000 dolars. C, the price per unit, is 500 dollars. The annual holding cost, h, is 0.2. From these values the optimal order size and the optimal order frequency can be calculated. The formula for optimal order size, Q*, is given by SQRT((2DS)/hC) (Russ, 1999). Substituting the letters with the corresponding values gives the number 980, which is the optimal order size. Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) This is a process where the vendor makes orders for clients and customers according to the demand information they get form the customers. Both the customer and the vendor are held together by an agreement that conclude the costs, the inventory level and the fill rates.VMI use IDE (Electronic Data Interchange) to specify their delivery quantities which are sent to clients and customers by the use of distribution channel (John et al., 2008). VMI is an inbound logistic plan based on the idea that the dealer should be in charge of managing customers inventories by using the demand information provided by the customer himself. This eliminates a step in the information chain and creates a better demand visibility for the supplier, who can synchronize his manufacturing process to the actual demand with the result of having less inventories and lower logistic costs (Disney Towill, 2003). Hennes Mauritz (HM) AB, a new clothing retailer situated in Sweden is famous for its cheap but chic fashion. While other vendors are struggling, HM sees the economic slowdown as a chance to enlarge, go into new markets and to put in new brands. In September 2008, HM was all set to go into Japan, known as one of the worlds most competitive fashion markets. It was to open another store in Japan in November and a third one was to be launched soon. In Japan, HM decided to enter into a  collaboration  of design with designer Rei Kawakubo, who was the creator of well-established  fashion brand, Comme des Garà §ons. Last year, HM got into China and has established itself in 30 more countries with more 1,600 stores worldwide. As a result of effective vendor management inventory skills, it was able to establish in other countries. This has come as a result of planning which is essential in VMI, knowing the demand, improved quality of production. As a result they HM increased its inven tory annual turns and reduced material obsolescence and hence a considerable increase in assets. It was able to improve its customer services and responsiveness through scheduling forecasting of the fluctuations. VMI has some benefits to the supplier and the customer.VMI ensures that the company operation of production is not interfered with by shortage of material. Secondly, they make sure that the distributor is not caught short on products. Moreover it helps in ensuring that the customers and the suppliers do not have more inventories that are necessary to meet the needs of the customers.VMI also improve the planning processes that are beneficial to the business. Some of the pros and cons of VMI to the supplier include: bullwhipping effect reduction, lowering reliance to forecasting, it reduces the order of modifications and simplifies production plan. To the customers, it assists in reduction of stock, reduces financial cost, simplify the purchase process and increases sales. To both the customers and the suppliers, VMI helps in reducing the data entry errors, improves the speed of the process, reduces stocks level and it improves the service level (Vereecke Muylle, 2006). VMI plays a major role in cost management. In this case, the supplier holds stock on site or near the buyer. By doing this, the customer is given instant access and the power to get stock while they pay for only what they have sold. This increases the stock turnover and reduces investments in the stock. The supplier is mandated to replenish the stock in many VMI business partnerships. This also comprises of stock ordering, logistics and freight management and counting and stocking the stock. By doing this, the expenses are handled by the supplier and hence they are responsible for regulation of the prices to the customers. Another benefit of VMI is that they distinguish variations of demands and errors of forecasting between the downstream and the upstream chain supply associates. This type of decoupling assists in reducing the levels of stock and the linked stock maintenance costs (Hollensen, 2001). Conclusion VMI as a supply chain practice is very essential in monitoring, planning and managing the inventory or stocks of an organization by a vendor for the organization.VMI has many advantages which range from cost, delivery and also quality. It is necessary to have VMI in a business as they play a big role in the management of the inventory. The advantages of the VMI outweigh the disadvantages and hence they are vital in an organization which requires major stock taking during business. Vendor-managed inventory (VMI) systems have been proven to be a technique for improving the efficiency of supply chain operations. VMI is made efficient by the execution of an electronic means that eradicate many of the built-in delays associated with traditional ordering systems and enable the establishment of shared inventory management systems (Xu et al., 2001). Part 2:- Recent trends in operations and supply chain management. Introduction Modern company may choose to cooperate through supply chain arrangements that combine their personal strengths and distinctive resources. In the past year, supply chain management has showed organizations that they can attain sustainable competitive advantage whether they are in competition with other suppliers of not (Vergin Barr, 1999). Due to this, many companies have been involved in outsourcing logistic functions which has provided a great opportunity to many companies to operate efficiently, be flexible, improve their service levels and have a better focus on their main benefit of the organization. Overview Outsourcing logistics has been one of the trends that have been on the rise in supply chain management (Walter et al., 2003). Many companies have really gained from outsourcing and thus they have improved their involvement with providers and facilitated the integration of the whole supply chain. Outsourcing has led to development of various partnership initiatives which have been successful in exploiting the logistics flow and the customer demand. For instance, Dell Computer Corporation opened up the Direct Model of sale and service of PCs directly to the consumers. This is a way of outsourcing which ha been of great impact on Dell Inc. Dell Computer Corporation a leading computer systems company was started in 1984. Dell trades its computer systems straight to end customers, avoiding distributors and retailers. Dell matches supply and demand because its consumers order computer configurations online computer configurations are built up from components that are available. Its strateg y is to give customized, low cost, and quality computers that are distributed on time. Dell successfully employed this strategy via its resourceful manufacturing operations, better supply chain management and direct sales model. Dell uses the phone or online through the internet to take orders directly from its customers. Other recent trends in operations and supply chain management include, planning for the demand; as more manufacturing companies come up, the level of quality of products increases and hence the demand has to be planned for. Having a demand focused approach assists an organization deliver and have a demand driven model (Alan, 2008). Planning for the demand improves the management efforts and helps overall costs and customer services efforts .The other trend is globalization; the business market becomes global as a result of improvement in communication. Processes like manufacturing, distribution, selling, invoicing, returns have a big impact on the thirdly, increased competition is another trend the trend in supply and operation management. Due to the increase in market, demand and supply, there is high competition form all the companies selling the same products. This comes as a result of high demand and also having many suppliers. Dell has decreased the cost of intermediaries that w ould increase the cost of PC for the customer. Dell also saves time on handing out orders that other organizations normally incur in their sales and distribution system. Moreover, by dealing directly with the customer Dell gets a clearer indication of market inclination. This helps Dell to plan for the future apart from having better managing its supply chain (Walter et al., 2003). The company with the products of highest quality has an upper hand over the other companies (Wikner et al., 1991). As a result of competition, the prices are also affected and hence they reduce due to many suppliers in the market. Many companies are viewing their  supply  chains in two ways to help offset this trend. Dell Inc looks at ways to decrease cost and still create a more efficient value  chain  to remain cost competitive. Second, companies are looking at ways they can offer value-added services to get together the demands of more complicated customers (Vivek, 2009). Dell Inc does this by taking orders direct form the customers and delivering their products at home. Reorganization of the procedures with better design, better collaboration across networks and new services will help your company stay competitive and strengthen relationships with your customers. Conclusion Many recent trends in operations and supply chain management have come up in the business industry. Vendor-managed inventory (VMI) systems have been proven to be a technique for improving the efficiency of supply chain operations. Experience has shown that developments in these two areas can lead to eradication of between 20 percent and 30 percent of the previously required supply chain inventory. Nevertheless, in order to achieve this level of success, it is vital for those companies that have not yet applied VMI to follow a best practice approach. Flourishing VMI programs take benefit of a key supply chain association that has been reaffirmed many times over (Michael   Nigel, 2003).

Prehistoric Culture Culture in the Stone Age

Prehistoric Culture Culture in the Stone Age CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: Prehistory is a term used to denote the long period of time before people began making written records. Some people believe that prehistoric people had lived on earth for millions of years before writing was invented more than 5,000 years ago. Recent finds of prehistoric fossils have led some scientists to believe that the first hominids, or human like creatures may have appeared in Africa seven million years ago. They think that a large range of different hominid species developed over the next millions of years. Some scientists think that the first species of Homo, the genus to which humans belong, emerged about 2.5 million years ago and that their successors eventually began making stone tools, mastering the use of fire, living in cave entrances and simple shelters. Scientists hold that modern humans first appeared in Africa more than 160,000 years ago, eventually leaving that continent to spread across the whole world. In Europe, they are thought to have lived at the same time as another species, the Neanderthals. When the Neanderthals died out, modern humans became the only hominids left on earth. Some of our hunter gatherer ancestors eventually took up farming, and their early settlements gradually grew into cities and formed the basis for the first civilizations on earth. After people found time to devote to art, religion and trade, the invention of writing finally marked the end of the prehistoric period. Prehistory is about sets of sites, artifacts and landscapes from the past which we try to understand in the present, putting the evidence we have in the context of their contemporary environments, both physical and social. The chronological scheme for understanding prehistory, the so called Three Age System, was mainly developed in Europe. The three-age system is the periodization of human prehistory into three consecutive time periods, named for their respective predominant tool-making technologies; the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. The Stone Age was divided into two by the start of farming, with the Old Stone Age(Paleolithic, with its own three divisions-lower, middle and upper) succeeded by the New Stone Age(Neolithic). The metal age of bronze and iron(the Mesolithic Age), it was thought saw the development of tribal societies with sophisticated farming and the ability to build monuments like hill forts or create metal objects. Some of humans greatest achievements were made by prehistoric people. They created the worlds first languages, and learned to make tools and clothes and to control fire. They invented art, religion, farming, boats, and the wheel. Prehistoric people also settled the world, from the Arctic to the deserts of Australia. All the evidence that we have for our prehistoric past comes from material remains-objects and sites-that ancient people have left behind. It is the task of archaeologists to find and interpret this evidence. Many prehistoric sites have been discovered by accident, such as Seahenge in England, an ancient wooden monument revealed by the tide in 1998. Other prehistoric features, including standing stones and burial mounds, stand out in the landscape. The first question archaeologists ask about any prehistoric site is, How old is it?. 1.1 WHAT IS CULTURE ? Term traditionally used in prehistoric archaeology to define a specific collection of portable material objects, most often stone and bone tools, that exhibit similarity in a number of variables and that are found within a delimited region and time period. Culture also refers to a shared system of learned behaviors, passed on through several generations and thus characteristic of particular groups or communities. In this sense, there is considerable debate over whether humans are the only living primate species with culture, and, if so, when culture first appeared. At one extreme, only anatomically modern humans are considered to have possessed culture; at the other, chimpanzees and even certain species of cercepithecoid monkeys (macaques, baboons) are described as exhibiting culture in the form of long-term learned behavioral differences between populations. 1.2 EVOLUTION: The theory that living things evolve with time, giving rise to new species, was first proposed in the 1790s by English scientist Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802). But there was no convincing explanation as to exactly how a species might evolve. Then, in 1859, Erasmuss grandson Charles Darwin (1809-1882) published The Origin of Species, in which he explained that evolution was driven by a process he called natural selection. Darwins theory led to the conclusion that humans and apes had evolved from a common ancestor. Hominization is the evolutionary process that results in the present human being. It was a very long process. The first ancestors of the human beings appeared about five million years ago. We call them Australopithecus. They were quite similar to chimpanzees. Two million years ago a new human species called Homo Habilis appeared. They made tools of stone and lived on hunting and gathering. Homo Habilis and Australopithecus lived in Africa. Homo erectus appeared a million and a half years ago. They were similar to Homo habilis but they made more perfect tools. They had a greater technological development. This species discovered and learned how to use fire. Home erectus remains have been found out of Africa, in Europe andAsia. Homo antecessor is an extinct human species discovered in the Atapuerca site ( Spain). He appeared about 800,000 years ago. Most probably he is the oldest European. He is a common ancestor of Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens. Then, about 100,000 years ago Homo sapiens appeared. This species is divided into two subtypes: Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis or Neanderthal man and Homo sapiens sapiens. Neanderthal man looked like us but he was more robust and sturdy. This species became extinct. Homo sapiens sapiens is the species we belong to. Archaeologists have found remains of Homo sapiens in America and Australia. The continent where human beings first appeared is Africa. Homo erectus were the first human beings to leave Africa. Their remains have been found in Asia, Europe and Africa. In America and Australia, there are no remains of Homo erectus.The only vestiges that archaeologists have found there belong to Homo sapiens. There are several characteristics that make human beings different from other similar species: they invent tools thanks to the evolution of their intellect; they can walk on two legs (biped walk) so they can work with their hands; they have an opposable thumb, which, for example, allows them to make tools or write; and., finally, the fact that learning is possible because human beings develop a symbolic language and have a long childhood. Homo Neanderthalensis Homo Erectus Homo Sapiens Austrelopithecus The basic timeline of Prehistory is dominated by the so-called Old Stone Age or Paleolithic era, which lasted (roughly) from 1,600,000 until 10,000 BCE. It spans three periods: (1) Lower Paleolithic (2,500,000-200,000 BCE) (2) Middle Paleolithic (200,000-30,000 BCE) (3) Upper Paleolithic (40,000-10,000 BCE). After this comes a transitional phase called the Mesolithic period (sometimes known as epipaleolithic), ending with the spread of agriculture, followed by the Neolithic period (the New Stone Age) which witnessed the establishment of permanent settlements. The Stone Age ends as stone tools become superseded by the new products of bronze and iron metallurgy, and is followed by the Bronze and Iron ages. CHAPTER 2: PALEOLITHIC AGE: The period, also known as the stone age, encompasses the first widespread use of technology-as humans progressed from simpler to more complex developmental stages-and the spread of humanity from the savannas of East Africa to the rest of the world. It is generally said to have begun approximately 500,000 years ago and to have ended about 6,000 B.C.E. It ends with the development of agriculture, the domestication of certain animals, and the smelting of copper ore to produce metal. It is termed pre-historical, since humanity had not yet started writing-which is seen as the traditional start of (recorded) history. Knowledge of human life at this time is confined to generalities. Scientists do not have records of individual lives or of the achievements of individual contributors to human development. As technology enabled humans to settle in larger numbers, however, more rules were needed to regulate life, which gave rise to ethical codes. Religious belief, reflected in cave art, also be came more sophisticated. Death and burial rites evolved. As hunting and gathering gave way to agriculture and as some people became artisans, trading implements they produced, even larger settlements, such as Jericho, appear. Art and music also developed as some people had more time for leisure. Human society emerged as more self-consciously collective. People became aware that they faced the same challenges, so co-operation was better than competition. In the early Paleolithic period, each clan or family group regarded themselves as the people to the exclusion of others. Strangers may not even have been thought of as human. With settlement, this changed and community identity became more important than individual identity. 2.1 MATERIAL CULTURE DURING THE PALEOLITHIC ERA: IMPLEMENTS AND TOOLS: Implements are essentially an extension of human limbs-the extension of the fist and tooth with the stone ; the arm with the stick; the hand or mouth with a bag or basket. If an implement such as a stone, picked up and thrown, is the beginning of human technical process, that progress becomes unlimited once the tool is developed. The tool-the implement to make implements-creates the possibility of producing far more different types of implements than could by simply selected from nature. The process of making tools, first by chipping from stone, then by grinding, and finally from metal by hammering and casting, underlies all our modern techniques of dealing physically with material objects. Through the practice of tool making, men learned the mechanical properties of many natural products and thus laid the basis for physical science. Paleolithic means Old Stone. In the Paleeolithic objects were made of stone, wood and animal bones. Most objects were made of stone and that is why this period was also called Stone Age. The technique to make tools and objects out of stone was very simple. They knocked two stones together until they got small pieces from one of them. These pieces became cutting objects. They used them to hunt and cut animal skins and meat. Examples of objects made of wood and animal bones are: harpoons, needles and lances CLOTHING: Partly from the need to carry things about, at first only food and implements, came the custom of attaching objects more or less permanently to the body, wherever a convenient hold could be made, in the hair, round the neck, waist, wrists and ankles. These attachments tended to become distinctive and ornamental. Feathers, bones and skins were added. Then came the crucial discovery that furry skin helped to keep people warm on cold nights and in winters. From this came clothes, first in isolated skin, cloaks and skirts then sew and tailored garments. FOOD: Food sources of the early hunter-gatherer humans of the Paleolithic Age included both animals and plants that were part of the natural environment in which these humans lived, often animal organ meats, including the liver, kidneys, and brains. They consumed little dairy food or carbohydrate-rich plant foods like legumes or cereal grains. Current research indicates that two-thirds of the energy was derived from animal foods. FIRE AND COOKERY: Fire was discovered about half a million years ago. For human beings in the Paleolithic Age it was one of the most important discoveries. The climate was extremely cold and with fire they could heat and light their caves, cook their food and frighten wild animals away. How man came across fire and why he dared to tame and feed it is yet to be discovered. The preservation and propagation of fire must at first have been frightening, hazardous and difficult. At first it must have been used to warm the body on cold nights. Cooking could only have come once the camp fire had become an established custom. Just as the tool is the basis of physical and mechanical science, so is fire the basis of chemical science. First of all came the very simple and essentially chemical practice of cooking. It is from the accidental use of fire that the more specifically controllable and scientific uses of fire in pottery and later in metal-making first arose. It was not very difficult to roast meat on sticks, but boiling represents a real problem, the solution of which was to lead to further great advances. The crucial discovery, was that by coating a basket with thick clay it could be put on the fire and actually improved in the process. In time it was discovered, probably towards the end of the Old Stone Age, that the basket could be dispensed with and clay pottery made that would hold water and stand fire. PRIMITIVE ART: For this, we have the evidence of the most detailed knowledge of nature possessed today by all tribes still in the hunting phase and by the large part that animal dances play in their ceremonies. All this is shown by widely dispersed cave paintings, drawings and sculptures, which are almost exclusively of animals. These representations don not stop at the outside of the animal, often bones, heart and entrails are also shown giving evidence of the origin of anatomy arising from the cutting up of game. A rock painting at Bhimbetka, India, a World heritage site. 2.2 SOCIAL BASIS OF PRIMITIVE LIFE: LANGUAGE: The cooperation of several individuals in the pursuit of food with their bare hands or with unshaped sticks and stones is possible only by the use of gesture or words. Early language must have mainly dealt with the getting of food, including the movements of people and the making and using of implements. Language must have been, from the very beginning, almost entirely arbitrary and conventional. In each community the meaning of sounds had to win acceptance and be fixed by tradition into a complete language capable of dealing with the totality of material and social life. FOOD GATHERING AND HUNTING: DIVISION OF LABOUR The general ecological character of the human groups was determined at first almost exclusively, later very largely by how they got their food. To begin with they must have collected anything they could eat-seeds, nuts, fruit, roots, insects etc. All primitive people still surviving have passed into the next stage where food gathering is supplemented by hunting large animals. The necessarily small social groups of the early Stone Age maintained their continuity through the women, while the young men for the most part must have gone off and mated with girls of other groups to which they then attached themselves. This corresponded to an economic division in which the women collected fruits, nuts, grains while men caught game and fish. The further development of big game hunting a mans business increased mans importance as a prime food-getter. It may be that this, combined with the extra strength, aggressiveness and skill that went with it, led towards the end of the Stone Age to the dominance of men over women. RELIGIOUS/BURIAL CUSTOMS: A number of archeologists propose that Middle Paleolithic societies such as Neanderthal societies may also have practiced the earliest form of totemism or animal worship. Animal cults in the following Upper Paleolithic period, such as the bear cult, may have had their origins in these hypothetical Middle Paleolithic animal cults. The oldest known burials can be attributed to the Middle Paleolithic Period. The corpses, accompanied by stone tools and parts of animals, were laid in holes in the ground and sometimes the corpses were especially protected. In some cases, the findings give the impression that the dead were to be held onto. Whether or not that meant that the dead were to be cared for lovingly or that their return was to be feared, it implies, in any case, a belief in life after death in some form. But it is not necessary to infer a belief in separate souls; rather, it could also indicate the concept of a living corpse. SACRIFICES: Sacrifices (i.e., the presentation of offerings to higher beings or to the dead) appear as early as the Middle Paleolithic Period. Pits with some animal bones have been found in the vicinity of burial sites; thus, it is a likely possibility that they represent offerings to the dead. There is a dispute over the interpretation of the arrangement of the skulls and long bones of bears, since they are deposited in such a manner that it is hardly possible to discern a profane explanation. It is assumed that they had a cultic or magical significance. Most likely, certain parts of the prey, such as the head and the meaty shanks, or at least the bones with brain and marrow, were sacrificed. Even if it cannot be definitely stated who the recipient of these sacrifices was, analogies with present-day primitive phenomena make it likely that a part of the prey was offered to a higher being who was believed to dispense nourishment. CHAPTER 3: MESOLITHIC ERA: The Mesolithic period is a transitional era between the ice-affected hunter-gatherer culture of the Upper Paleolithic, and the farming culture of the Neolithic. The greater the effect of the retreating ice on the environment of a region, the longer the Mesolithic era lasted. So, in areas with no ice (eg. the Middle East), people transitioned quite rapidly from hunting/gathering to agriculture. Their Mesolithic period was therefore short, and often referred to as the Epi-Paleolithic or Epipaleolithic. By comparison, in areas undergoing the change from ice to no-ice, the Mesolithic era and its culture lasted much longer. The Mesolithic is characterized in most areas by small composite flint tools microliths and microburins. Fishing tackle, stone adzes and wooden objects, e.g. canoes and bows, have been found at some sites MESOLITHIC CULTURES: As the ice disappeared, to be replaced by grasslands and forests, mobility and flexibility became more important in the hunting and acquisition of food. As a result, Mesolithic cultures are characterized by small, lighter flint tools, quantities of fishing tackle, stone adzes, bows and arrows. Very gradually, at least in Europe, hunting and fishing was superceded by farming and the domestication of animals. The three main European Mesolithic cultures are: Azilian, Tardenoisian and Maglemosian. Azilian was a stone industry, largely microlithic, associated with Ofnet Man. Tardenoisian, associated with Tardenoisian Man, produced small flint blades and small flint implements with geometrical shapes, together with bone harpoons using flint flakes as barbs. Maglemosian (northern Europe) was a bone and horn culture, producing flint scrapers, borers and core-axes. MESOLITHIC ROCK ART: Artworks created during the Mesolithic period reflect the arrival of new living conditions and hunting practices caused by the disappearance of the great herds of animals from Spain and France, at the end of the Ice Age. Forests now cloaked the landscape, necessitating more careful and cooperative hunting arrangements. European Mesolithic rock art gives more space to human figures, and is characterized by keener observation, and greater narrative in the paintings. Also, because of the warmer weather, it moves from caves to outdoor sites in numerous locations across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas. For example, in Africa, a number of bushman rock paintings were found in the Waterberg area which date from about 8,000 BCE. In India, the paintings in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, derive from Mesolithic artists. A good deal of Australian Aboriginal art (eg. from Arnhem Land) dates from Mesolithic as well as Paleolithic periods. Most of the Aborigines ancient artwork i s stylized rock painting, often executed in a symbolic or abstract manner as many were created from a birds eye view. MESOLITHIC SCULPTURE: As well as these stylized cave paintings, the Mesolithic era also featured more 3-D art, including bas-reliefs and free standing sculpture. Early examples of the latter include the anthropomorphic figurines, typically embellished by animals, uncovered in Nevali Cori and GÃ ¶bekli Tepe near Urfa in eastern Asia Minor (now Turkey), dating to 9,000 BCE. The mesolithic statues of Lepenski Vir (eg. The Fish God) in Serbia date from about 5,000 BCE and depict either humans or hybrid figures, part-human, part-fish. MESOLITHIC DECORATIVE CRAFTS: Other examples of this type of new portable art include adornments, like bracelets and painted pebbles, together with decorative drawings on functional objects like paddles and weapons. Ceramic art was also developed, notably by the Jomon culture an early highpoint of Japanese Art whose sophisticated pots have been dated to the 11th millennium BCE. Their clay figures and vessels were typically decorated with patterns created by impressing the wet clay body with cord and sticks. Chinese pottery begins during the Mesolithic period. MESOLITHIC MASTERPIECE: The Thinker From Cernavoda (5000 BCE) One extraordinary example of Neolithic art is the sculpture known as the Thinker From Cernavoda (c.5,000 BCE), discovered in the lower Danube in Romania. It belongs to the Hamangia culture, usually classified as a Neolithic culture practised in Dobruja (Romania and Bulgaria) on the right bank of the Danube in Muntenia, and in the south, but may be connected with mesolithic hunter-gatherers. The uniqueness of the sculpture stems from the fact that the figure is neither a hunting or fertility idol, but simply sits in deep thought. A near-perfect illustration of a thinking Neolithic man. CHAPTER 4: NEOLITHIC OR NEW STONE AGE: Neolithic means New Stone Age. This was a period of primitive technological and social development, toward the end of the Stone Age. Beginning in the 10th millennium BCE (12,000 BP), the Neolithic period saw the development of early villages, agriculture, animal domestication, tools and the onset of the earliest recorded incidents of warfare It is characterized by the discovery of stone implements that were polished, and, in particular, the stone axe that was bound to a wooden handle. There were also numerous arrow-heads that were found. Also found was the beginning of a sort of agriculture, as well as the use of plants and seeds. Evidences of hunting revealed that there were hunters among Neolithic humans. There is also evidence revealing the domestication of animals, such as dogs, cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. Hunters began tending the herds that they hunted. Also discovered are evidences of pottery, plaiting and weaving. In the Mesolithic period, people built up knowledge about harvesting wild foods. In the Middle East, they specialized in gathering the seeds of wild grasses. Between 10,000 and 9000 bce, people learned how to store and sow seeds of plants, which then changed as a result of human selection. Wild wheat has brittle stalks that shatter when ripe, releasing grains to be spread by the wind. People harvested wheat with larger, intact ears, which stayed longer on the plant and eventually created a new wheat with heads that no longer shattered. People also began to control the breeding of animals, such as sheep. They had become farmers. This new period of prehistory is called the Neolithic (New Stone) Age. 4.1 VILLAGE AND RIVER CULTURE: The characteristic economic and cultural unit of the Neolithic age is the village. Village economy is strictly limited in scope and possibility of change. Even where it involves thousands of people, as in some African villages today, it remains an economy in which nearly all the people are occupied most of the time in agricultural pursuits or in the production of locally made and locally used goods. The first step towards larger scale of operations occurred when people tried to practice agriculture in the wide alluvial valleys of rivers which flowed in their lower courses through aris lands. They may have started from the low river banks where seeds could be sown in the wet mud and then gradually cut back the marshes and cleared the river channels. Alternatively, the practice of agriculture in small upland valleys may simply have been pushed downstream step by step into the great valleys. In some such way, a new kind of agriculture based first on natural then on artificial irrigation came into being. 4.2 SOCIAL ORGANIZATION: During most of the Neolithic age, people lived in small tribes of 150-2000 members that were composed of multiple bands or lineages. There is little scientific evidence of developed social stratification in most Neolithic societies; social stratification is more associated with the later Bronze Age. Although some late Neolithic societies formed complex stratified chiefdoms similar to Polynesian societies such as the Ancient Hawaiians, most Neolithic societies were relatively simple and egalitarian. However, Neolithic societies were noticeably more hierarchical than the Paleolithic cultures that preceded them and Hunter-gatherer cultures in general. The domestication of animals (c. 8000 BC) resulted in a dramatic increase in social inequality. Possession of livestock allowed competition between households and resulted in inherited inequalities of wealth. Neolithic pastoralists who controlled large herds gradually acquired more livestock, and this made economic inequalities more pronou nced. CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION: We can conclude by saying that Prehistoric culture refers to human evolution and development that occurred before the discovery of writing. For a short cut, this period is sometimes called the Stone Age. As the sciences of Geology, Paleontology, Anthropology and Archeology have developed, they have, by our time produced a vast, complex body of knowledge about the dawn of the human mind. If we correctly evaluate modern discoveries and proposed hypotheses, it can help us understand human nature and shed light on modern human problems. What is the role of reason in the life of mankind. Question One. What does our current knowledge about prehistoric times tell us about the use of reason in the prehistoric culture? Question Two: How do we use our personal, modern day reason in order to answer Question One. In order to examine the role of reason in prehistoric times, it first behooves us to understand the role of reason in our own lives here and now.

Leo Tolstoy :: Essays Papers

Leo Tolstoy Leo Tolstoy was a Russian author, one of the greatest authors of all time. Leo Tolstoy was born at Yasnya Polyana, in Tula Province, the fourth of five children. His parents died when he was young, and he was brought up by relatives. In 1844 Tolstoy started to study law and oriental languages at Kazan University, but he never earned a degree. Dissatisfied with the standard of education, he returned in the middle of his studies back to Yasnaya Polyana, and then spent much of his time in Moscow and St. Petersburg. After contracting heavy gambling debts, Tolstoy accompanied his older brother to the Caucasus in 1851, and joined an artillery regiment. In the 1850s Tolstoy also began his literary career, publishing the autobiographical trilogy Childhood, Boyhood, and Youth. During the Crimean War, Tolstoy commanded a battery, and was at the siege of Sebastopol . In 1857 he visited France, Switzerland, and Germany to learn more about society and how to improve it. After traveling for a time, Tolstoy settled in Yasnaja Polyana, where he started a school for poor children. He saw that the secret of changing the world was in education. He investigated during his travels to Europe educational theory and practice, and published magazines and textbooks on the subject. In 1862 he married Sonya Andreyevna Behrs, and they had 13 children. Sonya also acted as Tolstoy’s secretary. Tolstoy's fiction originally came out of his diaries, in which he tried to understand his own feelings and actions so as to control them. He read avidly, both in literature and philosophy. In the Caucasus he read Plato and Rousseau, Dickens and Sterne; through the 1850s he also read and admired Goethe, Stendhal, Thackeray, and George Eliot. Tolstoy was convinced that philosophical principles can only be understood in their concrete expression in history. Tolstoy's major work, War and Peace, appeared between the years 1865 and 1869. The epic tale depicted the story of five families against the background of Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Its vast canvas includes 580 characters, many historical, others fictional. The story moves from family life to the headquarters of Napoleon, from the court of Alexander to the battlefields of Austerlitz and Borodino. War and Peace reflected Tolstoy's view that destiny controls everything, but we cannot live unless we imagine that we have free will.

Affirmation of Adulthood in John Updikes A&P Essay -- A&P Essays

Affirmation of Adulthood in Updike’s A&P  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Researching John Updike’s story, "A&P", I found many readers agreed that the main character Sammy is viewed as a hero or martyr for quitting his job at an A&P store in a northern beach town. I did, however, find that critics disagreed on why Sammy quit. Initially it appears that Sammy quits his job to impress girls who were reprimanded for wearing bathing suits in the A&P.   Sammy did not ultimately quit his job to be the hero for three girls who happened to walk into this A&P. This is not just a story about a nineteen-year-old guy trying to impress a group of girls by quitting his job, but it is also a story describing in detail the day this nineteen-year-old realizes that sometimes, in the transition from boyhood to adulthood, one must take a stand and ultimately follow through with this affirmation of adulthood. From the beginning of the story Updike "uses Sammy’s youth and unromantic descriptive powers" to show his immaturity and apparent boyish nature (Uphaus 373). We see this in the opening line of the story: "In walks three girls in nothing but bathing suits" (Updike 1026). Even the voice of Sammy is very "familiar and colloquial" (Uphaus 373). Much of the information that Sammy relays about the three girls is sexually descriptive in a nineteen-year-old boy’s way: "and a sweet broad looking can [rear] with those two crescents of white under it, where the sun never seems to hit" (Updike 1026). It is apparent that Sammy looks at the three girls who happen to walk into the A&P only as objects of lust or possibly boyish desire. Thus, on the surface it is easy to take this story as that of a boy who would do something like quit his job to "impress" these girls. It is even ... ...omach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter" (Updike 1030). This was the day that Sammy grew up. Works Cited Greiner, Donald J. Short Story Criticism. Vol. 13 Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1991. 398-399. Updike, John. "A&P." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.1026-1030. Uphaus, Suzanne Henning. Short Story Criticism. Vol. 13 Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1991. 372-373. Works Consulted Coffman, Kelly. "A Turning Point." Ode To Friendship & Other Essays. Ed. Connie Bellamy. Virginia Beach, 1997. 190-191. Hatcher, Nathan. "Sammy’s Motive." Ode To Friendship . Ed. Connie Bellamy. Virginia Beach 1997. 188-189. Luscher, Robert M. John Updike: A Study of the Short Fiction. New York: Twayne, 1993. Uphaus, Suzanne. John Updike. N Y: Frederick Ungar, 1986.   

Absolute beginner’s guide to databases Essay

Decision Making Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Decision is very crucial in every business and the success of every business is attributed to effectiveness of the decision which is made. If the managers make sound decision ultimately the company will perform while bad decision making will only make things worse for the company or business. In that relation, it is important to note that sound decision is paramount in everyday life not only in business. A good decision calls for a calculated thought and that’s why there is success and failure. Failure is attributed to bad decision while success is attributed to sound decision making. In the same breath, it quite difficult to define business decision since every business is governed by specific ethical theories and at the same time there are some ethical considerations which should be taken into account when one is making and formulating a decision. In defining good decision making, good and sufficient information is paramount as we ll as experience in making the decision. Consultation goes hand in hand with information since one has to get sufficient information before making the decision. When making the decision, consultation involves seeking advice from different people especially the experts since their knowledge is pivotal to effective knowledge. Moreover, there are various aids which facilitate making information better and clear as analyzed. Numerical facts are at times very crucial when making a major business decision making since it reduces the cases of subjectivity and at times it enhances free thinking (Goleman et al, 2000, p.67).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Managers can be trained to better decision makers through following stipulated procedures which are in line with the training marks. Supportive environment is also crucial in attempt to make managers effective decision makers. It should be supportive in the sense that they should not be criticized when they make certain decision in as much as it is not very right. Proper support should be granted especially when the managers err and it paramount to ensure they get to know where they erred. Climate of ridicule and criticism creates unfair environment of reduced creativity and low chances of risk taking. Therefore managers will always avoid situation which need tough decision making as well as risk taking so that they can avoid being criticized. Such decisions will only diminish the chances of expanding the business and this means that growth will not be experienced. Also, adopting this kind of strategy means that the manager may spends a lo t of time trying to pass the blame from one person to the other hence turning out to be a blame game business (Greco, 2012, p.35-43).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A skill in decision making escalates at all levels of business and the board of directors may be very crucial at some stages of decision making. For instance, decisions that involve the future of the company, may borrow a lot from the directors hence terming it as the ultimate stage of decision making. On the other hand, managers will only solve the tactical challenges which will emanate from their departments or areas which they are allowed to supervise. Moreover, employees and junior staff should make decisions concerning the conduct of the tasks which they operate. However, in such cases, careful selection and training is paramount in ensuring that the right thing is done (Goleman et al, 2000, p.57). Types of business decisions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Programmed decisions .These are the standard decision which are always follow the same routine now and then. In the same breathe, they can be written down into various series which have fixed steps that can be followed by anyone. These decisions could even be written as computer programs. The idea of programmed decision was formulated by H.A Simon in his book† The new science of management decisions.† the programmed decisions were al defined as the repetitive decisions which were normally undertaken in the organization on a repeated procedure. Commonly, the related daily activities were relatively simple and relying on the data and solutions that were offered previously. The reordering of the standard inventories and preparing monthly newsletters which handle discipline and factors to determine the salary of a new employee are all inclusive (Goleman et al, 2000, p.38).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second we have the non-programmed decisions which are normally non-routine and non standard. Each decision is not actually the same as any previous decision. This decision involves those which are made in response to novel and unique situations. The decisions usually develop extended geographical scope of the company, introducing a new product in the market or even entering a new service to the market. More also, cases of relocating headquarters to another country could also be an example of non-programmed decisions. The decisions require senior managers to evaluate the intricate problems and analyses the alternatives and finally make strategic decisions that have significant consequences to the organization (Goleman et al, 2000, p. 46).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Third, it is the strategic decision which affects the long term direction of the business. For instance, taking over company A or Company B involves strategic decision making. Strategic decisions are those which are concerned with long-term policies and the general direction of the business. The far and wide reaching decisions may affect the long-term as well as the short-term goals of the organization. Strategic decisions exhibit high risk factor since their outcomes are extensively unknown. It mainly involves steering the company into a completely different procedures and also acquiring the new procedures. Strategic decisions making is heavily employed in areas of finance, marketing, product technology and production changes and integration. Vesa Savollanen in his book† perspectives of information systems†, the strategic decision is unstructured, structured or c semi structured. The investment targets are usually unstructured strategic decisions and pricing decisions are some of the most semi-structured goals (Savolainen 1999, p.34).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tactical decision is the fourth type of decision making and it involves medium term decisions that help in implementing strategy. For instance, the kind of marketing to have or the extra staff that needs to be recruited. Mostly the decisions here are predictable in terms of outcome. They are usually shorter in the scope than the strategic decisions. Tactical decisions are often needed when answering some strategic decisions. John V. Petersen in his book â€Å"Absolute beginner to the Database† affirms that strategic decisions usually focus on the main goals of the company. The fifth type of decision making is the operational decision making that normally involves short-term goals and decisions. Such decision involves the administrative decisions. For instance how to implement a particular task i.e. allocating duties to the supporting to staff. The criterion to use here is known as operational decision making (Petersen 2002, p. 45). Levels of decision making   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In as much as we have types of business decision making process, there are also levels which are involved in the decision making process. The levels are important since they indicate whether the steps involved are following the right format. First if employees feel that they want to make a particular decision concerning an issue, all that they do is communicating to the manager. The manager then evaluates the threshold of the issue and later forwards to the CEO who later tables it to the board. The board is formed by the owners of the company and they are very instrumental in the process of decision making. Many companies usually follow these principles when there making decisions in attempt to ensure that they are involving every party. Following the format ensures that every party is represented in the right way hence contributing to the growth of the business (Fitzgerald, 2002, p. 23-28). Factors necessary for wise business decision   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When managing the business, it is possible that one will be encountered with pertinent issues which may impact in the future of the company or any business. It may seem stressful but considering the following tips may help in improving the process of making a sound decision. First one should define as much as possible the decision that needs to be made. Is it your original idea or it is an idea from another person? More also, you ask yourself whether a decision is basically essential if not then you should make any decision at all. Also ponder why the decision is important or helpful to you in any way, how will the company or the business benefit. Brainstorming through writing as many as solutions as possible and come up with alternatives which could solve the problem. Checking out from friends and other people is also important since people will give different ideas some of which may be very clear and valid. Visualizing the outcome is als o another issue that one should take into account whenever making any decision.try to imagine how the impact would be, Will it be fruitful? Or will it bring more complications to the business? These issues should be pondered over and over again. The option that gives much satisfaction should be followed and finally stand at that. Moreover, reality check is paramount since one will get to know what can happen and what will not happen. Upon making the decision, it is important to get moving on it. Worrying or second guessing will only continue increasing stress yet you have delivered your best (Savolainen, 1999, p.74). Common mistakes in decision making   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many mistakes people do when they are making decisions and they should be note to avoid regrets and miscalculations. For instance, people tend to rely too much on expert information and they fail to apply their knowledge and skills to make a sound decision. Often people tend to place too much emphasis on experts assertion forgetting that they have their bias and prejudice which prompt them to make some decisions while leaving out the others. Therefore, to avoid this, seeking information from many sources will help one overcome the challenge. Secondly, overestimating and underestimating the value of information is also another factor that should be taken into account. For instance, the people in authority, parents and experts tend to prompt people to make negative decisions since they believe everything they say is right which not the case. When faced with this kind of problem, you should ask yourself whether they know as much you do especially in that kind of information. More also, you should ask yourselves whether they have ever encountered such kind of challenge before. After pondering over the issues, then one can make the decision based on the premises proven to be right (Savolainen 1999, p.42).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Understanding the value of information received from other people also contributes to erroneous decisions. Whether we agree or dispute it, it’s possible that people usually discount and discredit information which is received from other people and this ends up violating the process of making effective decision. For instance, some of the information that people tend to overlook is the information that usually comes from children and people who work in the blue collar jobs. It’s very wrong because these people may at times paint the right picture of you at the other end of the problem. In these case people may use entirely different perceptions and values in attempt to answer your question. The result is usually a larger perspective of the issues (Savolainen, 1999, p. 51).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The other mistake people do is hearing what they want hear and seeing from the perspective they want to see. For instance, if you tell somebody to close his eyes and then later you ask them the color of the forest, he will say green yet he s red. The same way people want to see things from their perspective. They want to see things from their point of view which is not correct always. Erroneous decisions may culminate from the same and it means that if followed it result to drastic results since the person is basing the fats on his or her cocoon (Fitzgerald, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It’s always important to listen to your feelings but not reactions or the guts. At times one may make a decision and it is later followed by headaches and stomachaches simply because you did not do the right thing. When such a thing happens you should know that it is your body talking to you since the brain is able to store very huge piece of information. Though it is not possible to retrieve information, the body stores until such a time it is needed. When we want to do something, our bodies will always provide clues and answers through feelings and gut reaction. However, the society we are living in today teaches to ignore such feelings yet they are very important ant in our lives today. Therefore, it is paramount to turn to your intuition and you will find that by the end of the day the decision is right (Savolainen, 1999, p. 64). Steps of decision making   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first step in decision making is identifying the purpose of the decision. In this case the problem is analyzed thoroughly and determined whether it is worth. Moreover, several questions are formulated to ascertain whether the decision will be fruitful and they include the following: The exact problem The scene of solving the problem Who will be affected by the problem? Whether the problem have a deadline or specific time line   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second step involves gathering the information. For instance, an organization problem will end up having many stakeholders and the more the people the possible the decision. Moreover, there can be dozens of factors to be involved and which are affected by the problem. The process f solving problems will end up gathering as much information which is related to the factors and the stakeholders who are involved I the problem solving. For the process of gathering information tools and checklists are mainly used to promote the latter (Goleman et al, 2000, p. 49).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third step involves the principles to be judging the alternatives. In this particular step, brainstorming in attempt to list the possible ideas is usually the best option .Prior generation of idea, the step is crucial in attempt to understand the main causes of the problem and the ultimate prioritization of the causes. For instance, companies do not make decision which reduce profit, instead the decisions which increase the productivity of the company. However, in exceptional cases such decisions would be made in honor of something or somebody. It should be noted that the baseline principles should be identified and related to the problem which is usually at hand. In this stage using cause and effect relationship is accepted and also the Pareto Chart tool. The cause and effect relationship diagram helps to identify the possible problems of the company (Goleman et al, 2000, p. 62).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fourth stage is principles for judging the alternatives that should be set up. For instance, when it comes to the goals of the organization, corporate culture should be adopted and take into consideration. For instance, profit is among the organizational goals where corporate culture is usually taken into account. For instance, profit is one of the main concerns which should be taken into account in every company and the decisions made should be oriented to the latter. The fifth stage is whereby one uses judgments principles to make decisions in attempt to evaluate each alternative and value its credibility. After evaluating them all, you ultimately end up with the best solution and finally implement that particular decision. The sixth step involves selecting the best after going through all the other procedures. After doing all these it is possible to come up with a good decision. Next it’s the executive decision which is the seven th stage; it involves converting the decision or plan into sequence of activities. It also involves executing the plan yourself with the help of the subordinates. Next in the stage is the evaluating result which involves evaluating the outcomes of your decision and seeing whether there is anything it should be learnt in attempt to make correct decision in future. The procedure is one of the best practices it usually improves the skills needed in decision making. Following the above procedure it becomes easy to make decisions in the long run. Business decision making is important since it makes work easier I the long run (Goleman et al, 2000, p. 85). Strategies of decision making in Business   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Systematic analysis affirms that analysis it is good not good to assume analysis and information in attempt to make decisions quickly. Basically, systematic analyses involves collecting a lot of information as one can and later analyzing it in ordered and logical way and find the best option. Managers can actually prepare themselves in attempt to make to make quick decisions through practicing pre-decision making. The analysis and intuition should not match though at times they do not match (Fitzgerald, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second, it’s the principle based decision making though it is not widely used in these days. It relies heavily on personal beliefs and principles especially ethics. Unlike the ethical or moral; decision making, the principles used in these case may be unethical or else to unethical outcomes. The two step stats with beginning of the communication process and it ends with application of such principles. Company missions, statements and goals usually provide the principles which the process of decision making. Such principles are vital since they help the business to cope with challenges that happen over time. Such challenges may include, shifting in leaders, fluctuating styles of leadership among others. Strategic style of decision making is also another mode of making decisions. It involves major decisions which affect the entirety of the company. Some of the decisions that the style should adopt include strategic alliances, mergers among other major decisions which are usually handled by the CEO (Fitzgerald, 2002, p. 35). Significance of effective decision making in a business   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In each and every action there are repercussions associated. When you make a good decision, it is possible that you will experience good results and the same happens when you make bad decisions. In business good decision is that which improves the business in terms of profit and the same time the welfare of people is taken into account. When a bad decision is made, the business does not only lose revenue but at the same time it leads to collapsing of the business. Mostly, the managers and the chiefs’ executive officer are responsible for making decisions which will help in development of the business. At times business wisdom is actually hard, but at times, it is important to get the employee feedback since it will be useful in implementing core decisions (Petersen, 2002, p. 83).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore, implementing is the best decision upon evaluating all the alternatives that would yield to the best outcome for the company. Work force decision are the most important when it comes to decision which are long-term. These decisions can either make or break the company and therefore, it is important to choose the best decision. For instance, escalating the cutbacks and increasing the workforce is an important issue and it should be taken into account noting that any cases of employees are never easy. There are usually very important questions that managers should ponder through before they make decisions. The same pattern of reasoning and logic should apply to all situations and by doing that; it becomes extremely easy to over thrive in the world of business. Hasty decisions which are made without effective research usually contributes to ruining of the business or organization. Quick decision cannot be done at many cases, and whe n they are high cost is incurred. Moreover, lengthy decisions can contribute to the breaking of the company. Therefore, the best decision is that which can be done within a stipulated amount of time with minimal resources wasted. Moreover, any decision made should be guided by the morality codes or what is commonly known as ethics. When managers implement decision which has less conviction, they end up losing the respect from their employees. However, even if the decision made is wrong but with the conviction of the employees it ultimately becomes accepted. This particular form of leadership does not only promote loyalty but it also stimulates performance in the overall in the organization (Goleman et al, 2000, p. 77).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At normal circumstance, business operates in for phases which include; the start up phase, emerging phase, the growth phases and finally the high growth phase. As the CEO Manager, it is important to acknowledge that the phase of the business which your business or company lies. Young businesses which are growing should be spearheaded by people who what they are actually doing and finally they end up becoming successful in the line of specialization. Business which are slowly clambering through the growth ranks and it has started to emerge is said to be in booming growth stage. On the other hand, high growth business is that which requires the counsel of the executive members in attempt to strategize goals and mission of the company (Petersen, 2002, p 49).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Good business decision is that which is involving every party and it leads to increased motivation within the company. When the junior are consulted by the senior staff, it feels good and they can easily be motivated to work for the company more and more. For instance, the issues concerning the workforce, it is good to consult them since they will give good feedback which will promote effective decision making. Moreover, where the decision is good, harmony and understanding is evident and in the long run the business grows without measure. Therefore, consulting the junior staff is paramount in attempt to make wise and effective decisions. Finally, employee input is highly determined by decisions made in the business. When the decision is favoring them, it is possible that the employees will even come up with strategies which will boost the growth of the business. In such a scenario, everybody will be working towards the growth of the enter prise (Fitzgerald, 2002, p. 38).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion it’s evident that that business decision making is paramount to sustainability and growth of the business. Good decision often harbor growth and enhance morale and participation among the workers.However inefficient decisions will lead to the detrimental of the company and mostly nothing much will come out of the business. it should be noted that Consultation goes hand in hand with information since one has to get sufficient information before making the decision. It involves seeking advice from different people especially the experts since their knowledge is pivotal to effective knowledge. Moreover, there are various aids which facilitate making information better and clear as analyzed. Numerical facts are at times very crucial when making a major business decision making since it reduces the cases of subjectivity and at times it enhances free thinking. Following god decision making guidelines will ultimately lead to effectiveness and efficiency in business. However, lack of effective consultation will lead to the down fall of the business References Fitzgerald, S. P. (2002). Decision making. Oxford, U.K.: Capstone Pub.. Goleman, D., Kotter, J. P., Heifetz, R. A., Goffee, R. a., & Bennis, W. G. (2000). HBR’s must-reads on leadership. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Pub. Corp.. Greco, S. (2012). Advances in computational intelligence 14th International Conference on Information Processing and Management of Uncertainty in Knowledge-Based Systems, IPMU 2012, Catania, Italy, July 9-13, 2012. Proceedings.. Heidelberg: Springer. Petersen, J. V. (2002). Absolute beginner’s guide to databases. Indianapolis, Ind.: Que. Savolainen, V. (1999). Perspectives of information systems. New York: Springer. Source document

Martin Luther King, Jr. Beliefs

According to About.Com, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in 1929 in Atlanta Georgia.   His father was the pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, and later on, he himself became the preacher of a Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. He led the famous Black Boycotts between 1955-1956 against the segregation in city buses. His policy of nonviolent resistance culminated in the â€Å"March on Washington† in August of 1963, with more than 200,000 African-Americans joining the protest, calling for equal civil rights for all.   This again was able to bring worldwide attention to his cause.   In 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.   In 1964, Congress finally passed the Civil Rights Act, which essentially prohibited discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, religion and national origin in restaurants, hotels, motels, and also prohibited discrimination in employment on the basis of the same factors mentioned above. Dr. King finds that his present actions are inspired divinely.   These clergymen, unwise and untimely, referred to his actions, as a new mayor had just been elected in Birmingham, and it is believed that these clergymen wanted to wait for a while and observe what the new mayor was going to do.   Dr. King described Birmingham as the most violent city in the United States of America with respect to the disregard for the rights of the African-American at that time. He makes mention of biblical passages where equally inspired men left their own homes and comfort zones to preach the gospel of Christ to the far corners of the world. Dr. King also stressed the â€Å"interrelatedness of communities and states† (Dr. King’s letter).   Any event that occurs in one part of the world somehow affects each and every other state to a certain extent. Hence this spurred his desire for direct action as a form of protest against discrimination of blacks in the United States. He then replied to the clergymen’s charge that the demonstrations were not the solution to their problems, stating that the Negro community in fact had no other alternatives, as racial injustice was becoming too far widespread and that many cities were becoming too segregated.   He went on to give particular examples of violence against the Negroes: lynching, drowning, kicking, beating, on the physical side, and the deprivation of education; thereafter economic opportunities on the economic side.   He tells how it feels to be called â€Å"nigger† (Dr. King’s letter), and to have such an overwhelming sense of helplessness, to the point of despair. In the same letter he outlines the four steps in any non-violent campaign.   The first is the collection of facts to determine if the injustices done are really existent.   He enumerates the facts of the case: bombings against Negro communities, the violence against Negroes, and the like.   Next, he mentions the need for negotiation, and in the letter it is stated that their group had gone so many times to talk to city officials about the need for changes in the law and in the city ordinances, but it would seem that their pleas had fallen on deaf ears. The third step then is described as the process of self-purification, where one examines himself in order to determine if he is ready to take the effects of the demonstrations or protest actions that they will do in the near future.   Would one be ready for jail, for beatings, or for other forms of retaliation against the self and his family?   If one successfully overcame the step of self-purification, then direct action would follow. (Dr. King’s letter). Dr. King stated in the letter that the end objective of direct action was to create a crisis – a sort of tension within the community, especially if it was known that the aggressors had refused negotiation several times. He stressed the need for a dramatization of the situation, as requests for negotiation have been refused from time to time.   As a result of this refusal to negotiate, direct action has been taken.   He goes on to describe the tension as a necessary item for growth, so that â€Å"men can rise from prejudice to understanding and brotherhood† (Dr. King’s letter). Thus, the purpose of direction is to create a situation so packed with tension such that the aggressors agree to go back to the negotiation table. We often forget that Dr. King is a preacher, and a religious man at that. His basic philosophies in life were also revealed in the very same letter.   The reason for civil disobedience, or in his terms direct action, is because of the existence of unjust laws.   He then goes on to define any unjust law as a law that is not in tune with moral law, and with natural law. If that particular law happens to degrade the human personality, then Dr. King calls that law to be unjust.   He then goes on to say that the constant stream of unjust laws, specifically the instance of discrimination against Negroes in America, has caused some Negroes to become very complacent, and to accept discrimination as a way of life and as their destiny. Towards the end, Dr. King wrote â€Å"nonviolence demands the means we use be as pure as the ends we seek† (Dr. King’s Letter). He points out that the policemen in Birmingham used the nonviolent means of policing the demonstrations as a good means to achieve the immoral means of racial injustice.   Civil disobedience per se may be non-violent, but many will never know the intense loneliness that accompanies their crusade. Civil disobedience is a religious crusade in itself, for it tests the faith of man in his personal beliefs. On March 9, Martin Luther King, Jr., led a â€Å"symbolic† march to the bridge from which civil rights leaders asked for court protection for another big march from Selma to the state capitol in Montgomery (Selma to Montgomery March). Several historic moments in the civil rights struggle have been used to identify Martin Luther King, Jr. — prime mover of the Montgomery bus boycott, keynote speaker at the March on Washington, youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate (Colaiaco, p. 28). But in retrospect, single events are less important than the fact that King, and his policy of nonviolent protest, was the dominant force in the civil rights movement during its decade of greatest achievement, from 1957 to 1968 (The Seattle Times, n.p.). King Jr. places his bets on the inherent goodness of man and that peace and justice will indeed prevail in the end.   He truly was a man of great faith, and in the end, gave up his life towards the achievement of his dream. In his short life, Martin Luther King was instrumental in helping us realize and rectify those unspeakable flaws that tarnished the name of America. The events, which took place in and around his life, were earth shattering, for they represented an America that was hostile and quite different from America as we see it today. Indeed, he was one of the outstanding leaders who have changed the way we live today. REFERENCES Clayborne C. A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Retrieved Feb. 1, 2007 at: http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/publications/speeches/contents.htm Colaiaco, J. A.(1988). Martin Luther King, Jr.: Apostle of militant nonviolence.† New York: St. Martin's Press. Fairclough, A. (1995). Martin Luther King, Jr. University of Georgia Press Dr. King, M.L. Letter from Birmingham Jail. reproduced in the Semi Daily Journal of Stephen Long, Retrieved Feb. 1, 2007 at: http://www.bdlong.com/mlkingjr.htm Dr. King, M.L. Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail.   reproduced in NobelPrizes.Com. Retrieved Feb. 1, 2007 at:. http://www.nobelprizes.com/nobel/peace/mlk-jail.html; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. About. Com. Retrieved Feb. 1, 2007 at: http://www.christianity.about.com/od/martinlutherking/a/martinking.htm Selma to Montgomery March. Retrieved Feb. 1, 2007 at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/NR/travel/civilrights/al4.htm The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. The Seattle Times.   Retrieved Feb. 1, 2007 at: ;http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/mlk/king/biography.html; ;