Project Management Failure Essay Example

Project Management Failure Paper PROJECT MANAGEMENT FAILURE: MAIN CAUSES by Soraya J. NetoAlvarez A Graduate Research Report Submitted for INSS 690 In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Science in Management Information Systems ` Bowie State University Maryland in Europe March 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES CHAPTER I LITERATURE REVIEW Understanding Failure The Systems Failure Method II METHODOLOGY Sample Selection Procedure Limitations III PROJECT MANAGER (PM) CHALLENGES Managing People The Organizational Challenge Lack of Resources Lack of Clear Vision and Objectives Lack of Training Project Size Lack of User Involvement IV ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION V CONCLUSION RERERENCES APPENDICES A. Interview Protocol 1 1,2 2 3 3 3 4 5 5,6 7,8 9 9,10 10,11 11,12 12,13 13-15 16 17 18 18 iii iv II ABSTRACT In the business world, â€Å"problems† can be looked as opportunities to improve the processes that contribute to business objectives. Information Systems and Technology (IS/IT) play a very important role in the daily operations of most businesses; hence, the development of such systems has become very important. There are well known models designed to guide Project Managers throughout the development and successful completion of these projects. However, many IS/IT projects continue being reported as â€Å"failures†. We will write a custom essay sample on Project Management Failure specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Project Management Failure specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Project Management Failure specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Studies suggest that a great deal of responsibility lies on Project Managers who need to focus on their interpersonal skills to get people to accomplish the work. Nevertheless, technical skills play a very important role in project development; learning from hard lessons can avoid repeating mistakes as well as developing tools for analyzing, predicting, and taking actions to prevent failure. III LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES Page Chart 1 – Major Causes of Project Failure Chart 2 – General Dynamics Partial Organizational Structure Chart 3 – Success by Project Size Table 1 – Common Causes for Project Failure 6 8 12 13 IV CHAPTER ONE LITERATURE REVIEW Information systems projects continue to fail at an alarming rate, according to a 2001 Standish Group study; only 16% of all projects are fully successful, 84% fail. Failed IT projects cost US companies an estimated $145 Billion per year causing serious business problems. Many research studies have been conducted to determine the reasons for project management failure. Project Managers (PMs) are usually held responsible for the success or failure of their projects; therefore, most studies revolve around PMs skills. The development and design of a project requires skills that range from soft people skills to sophisticated technical skills. This study looks at the main reasons for project failure, and analyzes whether they pertain to soft or hard skills. Before discussing the reason for project failure, it is important to define â€Å"failure† in the context of project management. Understanding Failure Failure does not always have to be negative; it can be a positive experience if the procedures involved in the failure are analyzed and corrected. If one does something always right, there is no opportunity for learning. Failure gives opportunity for learning from previous mistakes; therefore, improving the decision making process. â€Å"When one does something right, one only confirms what is already known: how to do it. A mistake is an indicator of a gap in one’s knowledge. Learning takes place when a mistake is identified, its procedures are identified and it is corrected† (Ackoff 1994). The idea is to take advantage of the failure and turn the negative feeling around by analyzing what went wrong and 1 correcting it for future times. In project management, a project is onsidered â€Å"failure† when results don’t match initial objectives; common reasons for project failure are budget overruns and time overruns. Understanding why projects are not completed on time and/or go over budget can help correct the problem. For instance, a recent study conducted by Spikes Cavell (Lytinen 1999) shows that a successful practice to overcome time overruns is implementing meeting miles tones. Analyzing failure is not always that intuitive, so PMs are starting to apply the system failures method to information systems analysis to prevent project failures. The Systems Failure Method The aim of the Failures Method is to investigate some identified failure to learn what aspects of the situation may have led to the failure occurring. The investigation consists of comparing â€Å"ideal† models against the real-life failure situation. This comparison is expected to reveal discrepancies between the two, highlighting areas of concern. These discrepancies can then be interpreted in relation to the failure situation and conclusions can be drawn. (West 1998) Investigating whether failures can be avoided, or reduced by some degree, is certainly a worthwhile effort. Studies suggest that most IS project disasters are avoidable (Heekens 2002). Many times, warning signals occur long before an information systems project has begun to fail. History has shown that software projects are far more likely to be successful if they are highly focused and built upon well-understood technology (Heekens 2002). 2 CHAPTER TWO METHODOLOGY This study was designed to identify the main causes for project failure. Interviews with Project Managers from General Dynamics Systems Integration Management Office (SIMO) were conducted. Data gathered from interviews was analyzed and corroborated with previous surveys and case studies on project failure. Sample Selection In order to find out common reasons for IS/IT projects failure, Project Managers from the SIMO office were interviewed. Participants were composed from a diverse socioeconomic background including Black, Hispanic, and White. Their ages ranged from 30 – 55 years old. Each participant had at least five or more year’s experience in his or her profession. Procedure The interviews took place during August – September 2002. The interviews were conducted in person during lunch breaks. Project Managers were given a survey (shown in Appendix A), and asked to list the main reasons for project management failure. Later individual appointments were scheduled to discuss answers in more detail. Results were then combined and analyzed. A table containing the most frequent causes for project failure was produced (See Table 1 Discussion Section). The table serves as a discussion tool, and it shows the type of skills (soft or hard) related to the reason for failure. Common reasons for project management failure are discussed and analyzed in detail. Discussion points are reinforced with statistical data. Limitations Unfortunately General Dynamics does not require Project Managers to have any type of formal Project Management training, so most PMs have little knowledge of Project development techniques and models. General Dynamics’ main customer is the US Armed Forces; therefore some requirements are unique. A larger sample is required to include other companies that have customers from different industries. Farther research could include companies from other countries as well. 4 CHAPTER THREE PROJECT MANAGER (PM) CHALLENGES Managing people Managing a project is not just about accomplishing tasks, but getting people to accomplish the work. One of the major challenges for a Project Manager (PM) is managing people. Most Project Managers have the technical skills required to manage a particular project, but not everyone has the interpersonal skills required to manage people successfully. A PM has to communicate with people inside and outside the organization, and be able to speak their languages. When dealing with top management and stakeholders, the PM should address how the system will contribute to business objectives, and highlight initial investment and return on investments figures. They want to hear the project in terms of profits to the company. Their reason for launching a project is to make money or to save money, so the PM should focus on the financial aspect of the project. When dealing with team members, the PM is esponsible for fostering teamwork. Usually the team consists of people from different departments who have their own priorities, and departmental interests. The PM faces the challenge of getting team members to share a common objective and focus on what is best for the project itself and not each individual department. For a project to be successful, everyone should pull in the same direction and towards the same vision. According to Fortune (1 997) â€Å"You don’t get people to buy into a vision, you get them to enroll†. Once again, it is on the 5 PM to inspire team members to take ownership of the project and do their best to lead the project to a successful completion. When dealing with engineers, scientists, and computer experts, it is crucial for the PM to remain focused on the business objectives. It is very easy to lean towards the state of the art technology, even if it does not add value to the business. The PM has to look at the system technology from the business perspective. If it does not contribute to the efficiency of business processes, there is no need to spend the extra money. In 1998, the French computer manufacturer and systems integrator, BULL, contracted an independent research company to conduct a survey in the UK to identify the major causes of IT project failure in the finance sector (Linberg 1999). Interestingly enough the survey reveals the major causes of project failure during the lifecycle of the project are a breakdown in communications (57%), a lack of planning (39%) and poor quality control (35%). See Chart 1. Chart 1 6 The Organizational Challenge Most companies have some type of hierarchical organization, which may undermine the authority of Project Managers (PMs). For instance, having PMs report to a section leader, who is under a team chief who reports to a department manager who also reports to someone higher, may delay communication among team members from different departments. Ideally, PMs should be able to control the company’s resources needed to accomplish their projects, and directly supervise their teams. Unfortunately, in the real world PMs have little or no authority, so they have to rely on the official process for communicating their needs across the organization. This cross-organizational communication can result in delaying project tasks, which can ultimately bring the project to failure. The field study conducted in the General Dynamics Systems Integration Management Office (SIMO), Project Managers were asked to give the most common reasons for project failure. Survey results indicated that 75 percent of Project Managers are unhappy with the current structure of the company, and list it as the top reason for not accomplishing their projects on time. General Dynamics is broken down into departments; each department has its own manager, and the department is further broken down into sections managed by section supervisors. See Chart 2. 7 Site Manager IT Manager Engineers Dept. Training Division Personnel Manager Acquisitions Systems Integration Office Chief Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Chart 2 General Dynamics Partial Organization Structure The System Integration Management Office (SIMO) has a team chief who is responsible for communicating with other sections and departments. When interviewed Project Managers pointed out the inefficiency of going through the team chief to coordinate tasks with other departments. As Project Managers, they believe that a flat organization would be the ideal because they would have the authority to contact other key players themselves. By coordinating the tasks themselves, they increase the accuracy of the information, and make changes in the schedule as needed. More than 50 percent of General Dynamics Project Managers attribute the success of their projects to the good personal relationships at work. In most cases, they don’t follow official communication channels. They establish good relationships with people from other departments, and approach them directly whenever they need to get the job done. This shows the importance of good interpersonal skills, but also reiterates the need for an organization structure that facilitates communication across the company. Lack of Resources Project managers face the challenge of coordinating the use of valuable resources when other people seem to have higher priorities. Not having control 8 ver resources can cause the project to fall behind schedule and subsequently to fail. A survey conducted by IT Cortex (Lytinen 1999), on â€Å"Reasons for Project Impaired Factors† conducted among 365 IT managers from companies of various size and in various economic sectors showed that lack of resources is one of the main reasons for project failure followed by lack of executive support. It is interesting to point out that lack of IT manag ement and technology illiteracy was at the bottom of the list, showing soft skills superceding technical skills. When competing for resources it is important to document the days and times resources are available, and try to accommodate the needs of the project during these times. Organizational skills play a very important role in managing resources successfully. Lack of Clear Vision and Objectives Not understanding the true needs of the company can prompt supervisors and project mangers to jump to a quick solution, decreasing the chances for selecting the best solution. Solution jumping can take place in the department where the problem/opportunity is identified, or by the Project Manager himself/herself. An example of a department jumping-solution is when instead of describing the problem, a solution is drafted and turned into a project requirement. For instance in a manufacturing company, the head of the production department requests to start up a project for the creation of an additional production line to meet customers’ demands. Once the PM starts identifying the true needs, he/she realizes that the real problem lies in the existing production lines that are not performing at optimal levels. In this case, 9 the real need and perhaps the best solution to the problem is to focus on the other production lines first. Sometimes the PM feels the pressure to get the project started right away without understanding the true needs of the company. Without this true understanding, it is very difficult to select the best solution to the problem. General Dynamics ensures its PM’s are familiar with the company’s needs by holding weekly meetings to discuss and debate new and ongoing projects, increasing the odds for selecting the best solution, and keeping projects on schedule (Heekens 2002). Banco Itamarati, a privately held Brazilian bank, attributes the success of its IT project to clear vision and documented specific objectives. The company produced an annual net profit growth of 51% and moved from 47the to 15th place in the Brazilian banking industry (West 1998). Lack of Training – The â€Å"Accidental Project Manager† Phenomenon Researchers at Athabasca University’s Centre for Innovative Management in Alberta, Canada, conducted a global online study on project failure. As part of the study, a large-scale online survey was posted to key websites on the Internet and distributed via e-mail to 40,000 executives, project personnel, and consultants involved in managing or directing public and private sector projects. The researchers received 3,156 responses (7. % response rate). Results indicated that project failure dominates all sectors, and more than half of PMs have little or no formal training to deal with the complexities of today’s projects. (Res 2001) In addition, the study indicated that company executives continue to underfund project management; they view the job of a Proje ct Management as 10 an add-on to an employee’s job description, thus creating â€Å"Accidental Project Managers. † Furthermore, 75 percent reported that projects consistently came in late and over budget, and that management tools, techniques, and methodologies were rarely applied to projects. Project Size A research study conducted by the Standish Group in shows that small projects are more likely to succeed than large projects. Typically, as project size increases, cost increases as well, and its chances of success decreases. Extra features and functions may decrease the likelihood of success. Results show that projects costing less than $750 K had a success rate of 55% while projects budgeted over $6M were successful only 8% of the time (See Chart 3). Some IS projects should be segmented into smaller subprojects to increase the likelihood of success. Pilots can be used in this case as relatively inexpensive methods to provide a â€Å"proof of concept† for an application before additional resources are allocated. This is especially useful when it comes to the use of new technology. One of the biggest mistakes a company can make is using a new technology on a highly visible and large project. A $100 million project should not be started with any technology unless a $10 million project has used it first, and a $10 million project should not be conducted until a $1million project has been completed (Glass 1998). New technology is notorious for having software bugs. Big projects should be broken down into small, low visibility projects, where problems are easier to address before it is unleashed on a larger project. 11 Success by Project Size Over $10M $6M to $10M $3M to $6M $1. 5M to $3M $750K to $ 1. 5M Less than $750K 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 0% 8% 15% 25% 33% 55% 60% Chart 3 Lack of User Involvement A Standish Group survey (2001) shows user involvement as the number one reason for successful projects followed by executive management support, and a clear statement of requirements. One of the participants in this survey was the IT executive manager from a Hyatt Hotel. Hyatt implemented a system that allows customers to dial from a cellular airplane telephone at 35,000 feet, and check into your Hyatt room, schedule the courtesy bus for pick up, and have the keys to the room waiting at the express desk. This new reservation system was ahead of schedule, under budget, with extra features. Hyatt had all the right ingredients for success starting with user involvement, management support, clear requirements, proper planning, and small project milestones. 12 CHAPTER FOUR ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION The results of compiling the main reasons for project failure from different surveys and case studies are hown in Table 1. Although no percentages are shown, the reasons are prioritized from most common to less common. It is also indicated whether they pertain to soft skills or technical knowledge. As shown in Table 1, the top two most common reasons for failure pertain to soft skills (lack of user involvement, and lack of management support), but there is also a good balance of soft skills and technical knowledge. This shows that both are important, and one cannot focus just on the soft skills or the technical knowledge. Managing projects is not all science. Project management involves working with people, and getting people to accomplish the work. Common Reasons for Failure Lack of User Involvement Organizational Structure/Lack of Mgmt Support Lack of clear vision Unable to Manage Team Unable to Cope with Project Size Lack of Training Lack of Resources X X X X X Soft Skills X X X Technical Knowledge Table 1 Common Causes for Project Failure From Most Common to Less Common 13 Lack of user involvement deals mainly with soft skills because the Project Manager needs to schedule appointments to interview users, and get them to buy into the project. Sometimes project mangers can face resistance from users who do not like change. PMs have to use their interpersonal skills to assure users that they will benefit from the new system. In addition, it is important to make the users feel they are part of the project and their input is highly valuable for the overall success of the project. Organizational structure/lack of management support also deals with soft skills because Project Managers need to adjust to the company structure, and be able to find effective channels of communication. In order to get all the key players involved, project mangers need top management support to schedule meetings, and to use the company’s resources. Lack of clear vision deals more with critical and analytical skills; the Project Manager is expected to understand project requirements, and convey these to the rest of the team. It is important to grasp the true needs of the company and to ensure that the project meets the business objectives. Unable to manage team deals with soft skills since Project Managers are in charge of getting the teams together and motivating every member to excel within the project. Unable to cope with project size deals with technical knowledge and the ability to break complicated tasks into smaller manageable modules. Complex projects can be compared to math problems; solving complicated math problems requires breaking the problem down into small pieces, and solving it step-by-step. 14 Lack of training deals mainly with technical knowledge; Project Managers need to understand different models used for developing and designing systems; recurrent training is also important due to fast technological advances; knowledge of management tools is necessary to facilitate planning and tracking of project tasks. Lack of resources can require both soft skills and knowledge of the systems. Competing for resources requires coordination with other users. This coordination can be accomplished by communicating the project needs well in advance. Scheduling resources also requires technical knowledge to know which resources are needed and when they can afford to go offline without inconveniencing other users. 15 CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION A Project Manager is like a bridge that links key pieces together, and in order to reach pieces effectively he/she needs to have a balance of soft skills and technical knowledge. Some pieces need to be handled with soft skills, especially those that depend heavily on people to accomplish the work. Other pieces need to be addressed logically and precisely, such as instructions given to programmers and engineers for system implementation. Project Managers need to be able to learn quickly and become familiar with the needs of the company and the business objectives. It is important for a Project Manager to keep a positive attitude even when projects fail or are cancelled. Failure should be seen as an opportunity to learn what went wrong and could go wrong again if not corrected. Project failure can ultimately lead to success if it provides insight, and encourages learning. According to an article in the Journal of Systems and Software (Lingberg 1999), struggle and challenge are part of the learning process. Many organizations have used an IS project failure as a method to improve the next version of software or on a completely different project. The key point to be made with this notion is: if you lose with an IS project, do not lose the lesson. Not every IS failure can be labeled as a â€Å"failure†, especially if lessons can be learned and applied. 6 REFERENCES Ackoff, R. L. , 1994, It’s a Mistake! Systems Practice, 7, 3-7. Fortune, J. , Peters, G. (1997). Learning from Failure: The Systems Approach John Wiley Sons, Inc. Heerkens, G. R. (2002). Project Management. New York: McGraw-Hill Lytinen, K. Robey, D. (1999). Learning Failure in Information Systems Development: Info Systems J. 9, 85-101 Linberg, K. (1999). Software Developer Perception s about Software Project Failure: a case study: Journal of Systems and Software, 49(2-3), 177-192 Parker, W. (2003). WorkStart Net: The Eight Keys to Project Management Failure. Retrieved March 2003, from WorkStar Web site: http://www. workstar. net/library/pm1. htm Results of World’s Largest Study on Project Management: Athabasca University Study Indicates High Rate on Project Failure and Accidental Managers in Today’s Organizations. (2001). Retrieved December 15, 2002, from Athabasca University Web site: http://www. athabascau. ca/media/mba_pm. html Ross, J. , Weill, P. (2002). Six IT Decisions Your IT People Shouldn’t Make: Harvard Business Review, 80(11), 85-91. Satzinger J. , Jackson, R. , Burd S. (2000). Systems Analysis and Design in a Changing World. Course Technology MA. Spot Light on PM Training: Global Study Cites Problem of â€Å"Accidental† Managers. (2001, December). PM Network: Project Manager, 15 (12), 8 The Standish Group Report Retrieved December 2002, from http://www. scs. carleton. ca/~beau/PM/Standish-Report. html West, D. (1998) The systems Failure Method and its Potential Use in Information Systems Analysis: Computing and Information Systems, 5, 135-38. Wiegers, K. (2003). Know Your Enemy: Software Risk Management. 1-9. 17 Appendix A Interview Protocol Project: Reasons for IS/IT Project Failure Time of Interview: Date: Interviewer: Interviewee: (Description of Project) Questions: 1. What is your professional background as Project Manager? 2. What is your educational background? 3. How many projects are you currently managing? 4. List the project management models/methods that you use to manage your projects 5. List the major challenges that you face as Project Manager to successfully complete your project. 18

Free Essays on Identity Theft

Identity Theft In today’s society, there is a white-collar crime that has greatly risen in popularity among criminals. This crime is identity theft. Hundreds of thousands of people have their identities stolen each year. Identity theft is when these criminals obtain and use consumers personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, insurance information, and social security numbers to purchase goods or services fraudulently. According to the Federal Trade Commission, over 1.1 million people were the victim of identity theft. With this number, it is very evident that identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our country. This paper will attempt to more thoroughly define identity theft. It will give examples of identity theft by examining the stories of Rosalie Pugliese and Mari Frank. It will show ways in which this very easily committed crime can be avoided, and in the extreme case that a person is a victim of identity fraud, to show the steps one can take to get their lives back on track. According to identityguard.com, identity theft is defined as, â€Å"when someone uses your name or personal information to open a credit account, take out a loan, or make a major purchase. And if they can do it once, they can do it repeatedly, using each new account as a reference for the next one. The result is that identity thieves can run up thousands of dollars worth of charges or obligations all in your name.† In our current society, since there have been a great deal of technological advances made, it is easier than ever for a common criminal to steal a social security number, a bank account number, or any other piece of information which could help a criminal gain access to ones personal finances. Identity thieves can retrieve vital information in many different ways. They can look through your trash at home or at work and retrieve a discarded bill, a piece of mail, or a credit application. ... Free Essays on Identity Theft Free Essays on Identity Theft The effects of the crime of identity theft are numerous. As our society continues to develop and our populations continue to explode, crime is a major concern. Our society is bombarded daily with shocking crime statistics that elude to the destruction of our morality; however, most law-abiding citizens feel reasonably safe from becoming a victim. Only in the last few years have we begun to recognize that crime can affect us personally, even if not physically. Originally, identity theft was considered a victimless crime since everything occurred on paper. However, â€Å"since September 11th, the entire country has been made aware of the impact that identity theft has on national security† (Primary Payment website). The tragedy of that day has increased our national skepticism and paranoia of others. Another effect of this rampant crime has been the development of expensive services offered by companies to help consumers protect themselves. â€Å"While some services are offered for free by financial institutions, others cost well over $100 a year† (Bergstein, p.B2). This new industry capitalizes on our fear. Their efforts include things such as monitoring credit reports, email alerts, professional help from identity theft experts, and insurance. The â€Å"services are marketed as salves for a growing problem† and create huge profit margins for these businesses (Bergstein p.B2). For example, the personal solutions unit at Equifax brought in $70 million in revenue in 2003 and is expected to contribute more than $100 million in 2004 (Bergstein p.B2). Consumer advocates â€Å"complain that identity theft protection services are being offered by companies that could do more to stop the problem in the first place† (Bergstein p.B2). A third effect resulting from this new crime has been the new legislation created to help protect victims and punish offenders. Our politicians have been forced to spend countless tax-dollars to create b... Free Essays on Identity Theft The Identity Thieves website last updated 2/19/01, told the story of Scott Clinton Gilbert, or at least someone who was believe to be â€Å"Robert Hartle†. As â€Å"Robert†, Scott was able to produce debts of more than $110,000, including bills for three pick up trucks, two motorcycles and a doublewide mobile home. If anyone was to question Scott on his identity of Robert Hartle he was more than prepared with a drivers license, Social Security card, and even a birth certificate. For quite some time Scott left the real â€Å"Robert Hartle† in a bit of a financial mess. Fortunately Scott’s â€Å"fraud spree† ended, leaving the true Robert free of all debts and credit charges. â€Å"But he that filches from me my good name/Robs me of that which not enriches him/And makes me poor indeed†- Shakespeare, Othello act iii, Sc. 3. Shakespeare was correct indeed, long before the time of the cashless society. Now it seems that almost everyone (especially here in the United States of America) has a credit card, Mac card, debit card, gift cards, I.D. cards, and a checking account with book and card. With all these plastic conviences, identity theft has become a common practice among thieves. â€Å"Stealing someone’s identity†, as the Identity Thieves website states, â€Å"to buy everything from cars to toys and leaving the real person’s credit rating in ruin may be the perfect crime because there is little that can be done to prosecute it†. This new identity crisis brings about a few serious questions; who owns who in this society, are we all really only what’s on a piece of plastic or paper, and what steps can we take t o assure this will not happen to us? First lets explore the thought or theory of â€Å" who owns who in this society†. Years ago we know that slavery was outlawed in the U.S.A., yet from time to time we see examples of it still going strong. In a vulgar sense we see the â€Å"pimp and hooker† as a form of slavery and o... Free Essays on Identity Theft Identity Theft In today’s society, there is a white-collar crime that has greatly risen in popularity among criminals. This crime is identity theft. Hundreds of thousands of people have their identities stolen each year. Identity theft is when these criminals obtain and use consumers personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, insurance information, and social security numbers to purchase goods or services fraudulently. According to the Federal Trade Commission, over 1.1 million people were the victim of identity theft. With this number, it is very evident that identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our country. This paper will attempt to more thoroughly define identity theft. It will give examples of identity theft by examining the stories of Rosalie Pugliese and Mari Frank. It will show ways in which this very easily committed crime can be avoided, and in the extreme case that a person is a victim of identity fraud, to show the steps one can take to get their lives back on track. According to identityguard.com, identity theft is defined as, â€Å"when someone uses your name or personal information to open a credit account, take out a loan, or make a major purchase. And if they can do it once, they can do it repeatedly, using each new account as a reference for the next one. The result is that identity thieves can run up thousands of dollars worth of charges or obligations all in your name.† In our current society, since there have been a great deal of technological advances made, it is easier than ever for a common criminal to steal a social security number, a bank account number, or any other piece of information which could help a criminal gain access to ones personal finances. Identity thieves can retrieve vital information in many different ways. They can look through your trash at home or at work and retrieve a discarded bill, a piece of mail, or a credit application. ...

The 11 Best SAT Snacks to Help You Get Through the Test

The 11 Best SAT Snacks to Help You Get Through the Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Snacks are one of the most overlooked yet most necessary parts of your SAT planning. Snacks can be an energy fueler, helping you to power through the SAT. However, the wrong snacks can be energy drainers, making you crash during the marathon that is the SAT. In this guide, I’ll talk about the importance of snacks, what makes a good snack and provide 11 SAT snack options. I’ll also let you know what snacks to avoid. The Importance of SAT Snacks The last thing you want is to be part way through a section when you feel your stomach start to grumble.The SAT is stressful enough without this type of additional distraction.You don’t want your concentration to be disturbed by a need for food. You need a snack that will keep your stomach satisfied, help fuel your brain, and won’t leave you craving more or crashing.The right snacks can set you up for SAT success, but the wrong snacks can lead to a worsened SAT performance. I’d recommend you bring three good snacks (or one snack that you have three portions of) so that you have one snack per break (since there are three breaks during the SAT). What Makes Good SAT Snacks While sugar and simple carbs will provide you with a quick energy boost, they will also provide you with a steep crash.The crash can bring with it a lack of focus and sleepiness, which you don’t want.Also, empty carbs can cause cravings and make you feel more hungry than you were to begin with.Avoid snacks that are entirely made up of simple carbs and/or sugar andcorn syrup. A good snack will be packed with healthy fats (Omega-3s) and/or protein.Healthy fats make you feel satiated, so it’ll be unlikely you’ll have any stomach grumbling.Additionally, both healthy fats and protein boost brain function, putting you in the best mindset to ace the SAT. A good snack should also be easy to transport. Below I’ve created a list of the 11 best SAT snacks. Snack #1: Nuts Nuts are great snacks because they’re high in protein and healthy fat, low in carb.They are very satisfying and will help boost brain function.Choose any nut you like: almonds, cashews, walnuts, macadamia nuts, etc. I'd recommend you try to stick to just plain nuts or nuts and dried fruit trail mixesrather than trail mixes that add in chocolate or candies.The candies and sugar could cause that unwanted crash and lead to fatigue. Go nuts for nuts! Snack #2: Jerky Jerky is a super easy to transport snack that's packed with protein to fuel you. Any type of jerky will do: beef, pork, turkey, salmon, etc. Pick whatever type you like best! Snack #3: Carrots or Celery Sticks and Nut Butter Veggies and nut butter can be a more enjoyable way to eat nuts (for the picky eaters of the world like me!).While I hate raw nuts, I love nut butters.Nut butters have the same great healthy fats and proteins to boost that brain function and keep you satiated. Anut butter that is natural (just nuts and maybe salt)is preferable to one with added sugar and/or corn syrup, but if you can only find the latter, that's fine. Snack #4: VeggieChips/Corn Chips and Guacamole Guacamole is a great source of omega 3s.You can buy single serving packs of guacamole by Sabra or Wholly Guacamole at your local Target, Walmart, or another grocery store. I'd recommend eating it with corn or veggie chips over potato chips for a slightly healthier option, but potato chips are okay. This is a good snack for those with allergies since you can avoid nuts, dairy, and eggs with this tasty and healthy snack. Guac for days. Snack #5: Cheese This is a great choice for picky eaters; seriously, who doesn't like cheese? I'd recommend an easy to eat/transport option such as string cheese and/or Babybel. Cheese is packed with fat and protein tosatisfy your food cravings and give you brain power to ace the test. Snack #6: Carrots or Celery Sticks and Hummus This is another good choice for those with allergies because you can avoid dairy, eggs, wheat, and nuts.It’s a really tasty and filling snack.It’s more protein than fat, which is fine. However, I’d probably recommend you only eat this for one of your three snacks as it’s not as filling as some of the other snacks listed on this list.Choose a higher fat packed snack such as the veggiechips and guac as your other snack to keep a good balance of proteins and fat. Snack #7: Dried Fruit Dried fruits are packed with nutrients to give you a boost during the SAT. Try topickdried fruit with no added sugar.If you can only find dried fruit with added sugar, I'd recommend mixing them with nuts to create a trail mix that offsets that sugar with healthy fat and protein. If you don't mix the dried fruit with nuts,I’d probably recommend you only eat dried fruit for one of your three snacks;it’s not as satiating as some of the other snacks listed on this list.Choose a fat and proteinpacked snack such as the veggie sticks and nut butteras your other snack. Colorful dried fruit rainbow. Snack #8: Apple or Banana and Nut Butter This snack is another great way to eat nuts if you’re a picky eater.Just as I said in the veggie and nut butter section, try to opt for a naturalnut butter over the processed ones with sugar and/or corn syrup. Snack #9:Fruit and Nut Bars I love these kinds of bars, and as a very picky eater, I can be hard to impress. I'd recommend KIND or Larabars because these bars contain very few ingredients and only natural ingredients.They’re made primarily with dried fruit and nuts, so they’re packed with healthy fats and nutrients. I’d recommend choosing one of the bars without chocolatesince you don’t need any added sugar. I’d also suggest you only use this for one of your snacks since the dried fruit add some sugar (albeit natural sugar).Offset it with other snacks that are protein and/or fat packed such as stringcheese. Snack #10: Seeds Seeds are packed with fats to keep you focused during your test. Any seeds will work: pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas), flax seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.You can also mix seeds with nuts to make a yummy and healthy trail mix.This is an easy to make and easy to transport snack that’ll keep you full and focused. Snack #11: Water While water may not be exactly a snack, I felt it was crucial to have on this list.If you get dehydrated on test day, you can lose focus and potentially end up with a worse score.Bring one bottle of water in addition to your three snacks. While your test center may have a water fountain, you don’t want to rely on that, and you also don’t want to be waiting in line throughout your whole break to use the water fountain. However, avoid drinking too much water because you don’t want to get the urge to pee in the middle of your test.I’d recommend splitting the one bottle of water into three portions (you don’t literally have to split it, but imagine it).Consume at most one portion each break. Water: the cool kid's drink. SAT Snacks To Avoid While you don’t necessarily have to eat one of the snacks on this list, you at least need to avoid sugar-filled or corn syrup filled snacks such as candy.You should also avoid simple carbs such as potato chips.These kinds of snacks are not filling and not nutritious. You'll just end up craving more food after eating these types of snacks. Also, avoid coffee.If you’ve never had coffee before, don’t try it on the day of your SAT.If you’re a regular coffee drinker, limit yourself to one cup.Too much coffee will make you jittery and then will cause a steep crash.If you feel the need for more caffeine, opt for green tea! Tips for Test Day Success To ensure you walk into your test center feeling calm and ready, you want to follow our three steps for test day success. Step #1: Pack all of your belongings the night before so that you're not scrambling the morning of the test. Pack your SAT admissions ticket, picture ID, calculator, extra batteries, pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, watch, snacks (if non-perishable) and water bottle. Step #2: Go to bed early.Make sure you get eight hours of sleep so that you feel well rested. Wake up at least an hour before you need to leave for your test center. This way you'll feel awake by the time you get to the test center. Step #3: Eat a goodbreakfast in the morning.Eggs, greek yogurt, and oatmeal are all great options for breakfast. While eating breakfast, read the newspaper to get your brain going. Follow these steps, and you'll be well prepared to take the SAT. What’s Next? Preparing to take the SAT? Learn how you should spend the night before the SAT. Also, check out the rules and regulations for the test, so you don’t make a mistake. Do you know what your dream college is? Find out what SAT score you need to get in! Learn about what is important to colleges. Not sure where you want to go to college? We will help you find your target schooland help you figure out what your SAT target score should be. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Foreign Market Entry and Diversification Research Paper

Foreign Market Entry and Diversification - Research Paper Example Argument for diversification of your business Diversification is a much hyped topic and forms a part of strategic decisions and firm’s needs to decide whether they should diversify or not to diversify. It has been the most debated topic by business and it has been said that firms which has the resources and capability to diversify should g for diversification as most of the businesses planning to go for diversification often fails. Diversification involves the highest level of risk but still firm opt for diversification strategy solely for one reason is to create synergy. The publishing company may diversify for better opportunities, to leverage the competencies as well as capabilities by way of expanding into business where the firm’s resources can be used as competitive assets. Also to some extend diversifying will help the company to minimize the risk but as pointed earlier the risk involved is high. There is no guarantee that the business will succeed (Rao, et al, 2 009, 228). Strategy for diversification indicating the products and industries for the diversification and how synergies may be gained from the diversified activity The publishing company which deals with books and other publishing items should continue with its business and go for related diversification. ... Thus the publishing firm may search for new business whose product, market, distribution is similar to that of its own and where acquisition would result in â€Å"synergy.† Thus the company in order to create synergy should enter into related diversification and share resources and capabilities with its existing business unit. Identification and discussion on the foreign market that the company should enter and the strategy it should use to enter the market With the growth of online and digital media, the publishing business has been undergoing significant changes. Thus considering the current situation the publishing business should diversify its business into emerging and developing countries and at the same time follows the emerging trends in the publishing industry which are like eBooks, blogs, mobile publishing along with self publishing (ICMR, 2007). While diversifying the business the publishing company can opt for strategic alliance. Strategic alliances are formed thro ugh partnership between the firms and combining the resources, capabilities and core competencies and pursue a mutual interest to develop, manufacture and also manufacture goods (KAZMI, 2008. 187). The alliance is a collaboration which aims for synergy where both the partners hopes to benefit from the other alliance and will be greater as compared to individual efforts. Other benefits which the publishing company will receive by adopting the strategic alliances is gain capabilities, much easier way to access the target market, share the financial risk and most importantly achieve synergy and competitive advantage which are the important elements that lead a business to success. Challenges that company may face in the foreign market, and how it might respond

Experimental Designs II Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Experimental Designs II - Statistics Project Example Blocking however has a number of disadvantages to a research initiative. It is not appropriate for large number of participants as large sizes reduces the design’s efficiency. Another disadvantage of blocking is in its rigidity with respect to homogeneity as it is not appropriate for populations or samples with extremely diverse features. â€Å"Interactions between block and treatment effects† also contribute to experimental error, discrediting reliability of the design (Hawai, n.d., p. 1). A factor refers to an independent variable that is manipulated in the research process and can be subjected to different treatments to generate a variety of factor levels. Using factors benefits an experiment by providing a basis for comparison of different treatments as each factor or factor level is subjected to a different treatment (Stat, n.d.). Mains effect refers to the variation of means across factor levels within a given factor. It considers a factor level mean and compares it with means of other factor levels to determine existence of significant difference. Interaction effect however considers variation of a factor level mean across levels of another factor in a ‘multi-factored’ design to determine existence of significant combined effects among factors in a design (Stockburger, n.d.). Covariate refers to a control setup in an experiment and reduces noise by predicting outcomes of the dependent variables. This helps in identifying outliers for appropriate measures (Druckman, Greeen, Kuklinski and Lupia, 2011). Tradeoffs define compromises that must be made in an experiment. Experimental tradeoffs are for example realized in validity. Ensuring both internal and external validity is a tradeoff that must be made with respect to sample size and sampling technique because strict focus on achieving one type of validity undermines the other. Practicality is another experimental trade off that considers research methods that call for adjustments to ensure

Realist style Essay Example for Free

Realist style Essay The winning spirit of our modern painting derives from Courbet. He was the individualist with strong elbows (George W. Chrystal, 1908). Courbet began the pragmatist movement when he exhibited his own paintings. By 1850 Romantic painting had become remarkably affluent. Courbets painting based around what he witnessed at the funeral of his grand uncle became the first masterwork in the Realist style. People were uninterested with romantic and classical paintings. There was a strong desire among many people for a unique painting, which sensibly portrayed the real world. When Courbet attended the funeral of his great uncle at Ornans, He was inspired and later painted the massive canvas, Burial at Ornans. It was one of the exceptional subjects in art illustrates an event with funerals. For his painting, he picked people as a model who had been to the funeral and created the new style. It leaves an impression of realistic style at the people of Ornans (Rubin 1997). People have mostly negative ambience with death and dying. Gustave Courbet’s underlying principle behind creation of such realistic painting is to utilize artistic talent as a way toward self-awareness and to transform the customs, the ideas. Courbet did not want to commune any religious message with his work. Courbet viewed this work as not just a funeral for his uncle, but in authentic truth a funeral for romanticism as a style (Rubin, 1977). Courbet’s paintings are generally viewed as realist one, increasingly concentrating on innocuous landscapes and seascapes for a bourgeois clientele. He had become extremely prominent during 1870 for his unique work. He captured middleclass marketplace by producing his painting on large scale. Forgers also started flooding the market with fake ones. In the United States, Courbets art was exhibited more than a dozen times by the mid-1870. The results were mixed: sometimes he churned it out; sometimes he didnt (New York Times). Courbet pushed towards a realistic style and created different, rare look as compared to other paintings in general like classical or romantic. Gustave Courbet painted in a way, which allowed artists to paint the world around them as they saw it, rather than making it complicated to understand. Courbet established the right of the artist to be contemporary and unconventional, to be free from the need of adding an elevating sentiment or an imposed message to the representation of realism (Nochlin 1976). Courbets painting of a young man and an old man breaking stones was a work of pragmatism which still had a trace of romanticism. He depicted the idea and the event without romanticizing it, just showing the workers engaged in their daily activity (Kleiner 2001). I am above all a total realist, he confessed on one of his many proclamations (Arthur C. Danto, 1989). Work- cited 1) Arthur C. Danto; Courbet; Magazine Title: The Nation. Volume: 248. Issue: 3. Publication Date: January 23, 1989. Page Number: 97. 2) George W. Chrystal, Julius Meier-Graefe, Florence Simmonds; Modern Art: Being a Contribution to a New System of Aesthetics. Publisher: G. P. Putnams Sons. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 1908. Page Number: 219. 3) Kleiner, F. et al; Gardner’s Art Through the Ages. Eleventh Edition. Harcourt, Inc. , Orlando, Florida; 2001. 4) Nochlin, L. Gustave Courbet: A Study of Style and Society. Garland Publishing Inc. , New York; 1976. 5) Rubin, J. Courbet. Phaidon Press, London. 1997.

Doublespeak: Nuclear Power Plants :: essays research papers

Doublespeak: Nuclear Power Plants Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is the home of a large, efficient, and threatening nuclear power plant, Three Mile Island. Nuclear power plants have the awesome ability to create large amounts of power with very little fuel, yet they carry the frightening reality of a meltdown with very little warning. Suppose you live in Harrisburg and you here that the nearby nuclear plant had a partial meltdown, how would you react? When most people here the word meltdown, they automatically think radiation, cancer, and death. Now suppose your living in Harrisburg and you here the nearby power plant experienced a "normal aberration", you would probably react differently. Even with the highly proven safety of nuclear power, there is still fear from citizens and the chance of an accident. The nuclear power industry uses misleading language, and words understood by nuclear employees only, or euphemisms and jargon, to mislead the public and make them believe that there is nothing to be afraid of and that there is no possibility of a major accident. They take the public's biggest fears, meltdowns and contaminations, and make them into "events" and "infiltrations." This use of doublespeak is misleading to the public and may make them believe that a major accident hasn't happened, or the accident was a normal event or minor incident. In 1979 a valve in the Three Mile Island stuck open, allowing coolant, an important part of the plant, to escape from the reactor. An installed emergency system did its job and supplied the reactor with necessary coolant, but the system was shot off for a few hours due to employee error. Corrective action was eventually taken, and only a partial meltdown occurred. The plant's containment building was able to hold most of the radioactive products from entering the local environment. Only a small amount of activity escaped, that activity was carried by coolant water that had overflowed into an auxiliary building and then to the environment. Though the event didn't pose any extreme harm to citizens, this one billion dollar incident wasn't an everyday event or normal occurrence, as the industry's doublespeak makes you believe. In 1986 a similar but more serious event occurred in the USSR. A nuclear power plant at Chernobyl exploded and burned. The explosion was caused by an unauthorized testing of the reactor by its operators. Radiation spread rapidly forcing 135,000 evacuations within a 1000 mile radius, and more then 30

Evaluating GE’s Organizational Culture Essay

Introduction Every business has its own set of values and beliefs that make up an organizational culture that is unique to each specific business. â€Å"_Organizational Culture_ is a complex set of basic underlying assumptions and deeply held beliefs shared by all members of the group that operate at a preconscious level and drive in important ways the behavior of individuals in the organizational context† (Strategy Glossary, 2006). GE’s organizational culture is considered one of high ethical standard in the corporate world. According to The Age of Ethics (2007) â€Å"_GE now has one of the best ethics compliance programs in existence_, says Larry Ponemon, national director of Business Ethics Services at KPMG†. The purpose of this research paper is to identify and evaluate GE’s organizational cultureal appeal, shared values, customer base and customer service standards, characteristics of organizational culture, and to determine if GE’s organizational culture is ethical, customer-responsive, or spiritual. Organizational Cultural Appeal When looking at an organization’s cultural appeal, one must first realize what he or she looking for in a company. What appeals to me may or not appeal to someone else. Therefore, the following categories will show what it is about GE’s organizational culture that appeals to me personally. These categories include but are not limited to: Leadership: It is important for me to be with a company that allows leaders to have the freedom and flexibility to contribute their knowledge and expertise in both their daily job and at company levels. â€Å"At the top, we don’t [sic] run GE like a big company. We run it like a big partnership, where every leader can make a contribution not just to their job, but to the entire Company† (Immelt, J., 2005). Opportunity for Advancement: It is important for me to work for a company that offers employees an opportunity for advancement. â€Å"GE has six strong businesses aligned to grow with the market trends of today and tomorrow† Our Business, 2007). Work Environment: It is important for me to work for a company that provides a pleasant and vitalizing work environment that is easy to balance with my personal life. â€Å"GE is an invigorating place to work. Ours is a high-performance culture that emphasizes high-integrity business practices as well as work/life [sic] balance† (Our Culture, 2007). Training and Education Programs: It is important for me to work for a company that provides additional training and educational benefits that will enhance employee leadership capabilities. â€Å"We invest nearly $1 billion a year in career development for our employees at every level of professional growth.† (Leadership Programs, 2007). Shared Values When looking at an organization’s appealing values, one must first realize what he or she values. Categories in my value system may or may not be the same as someone else’s. Therefore, the following categories will show the values that I share with GE’s value system. These categories include but are not limited to: Ethics and Integrity: I believe that it is important for an organization and its employees alike to operate with strong ethics and integrity. â€Å"At GE, it isn’t [sic] enough to think big. Imagination must be practiced within boundaries of ethics, compliance and integrity† (Our Company, 2007). Community Volunteer Work: I believe it is important for every person and organization’s alike to come together and address community needs i.e. health and welfare for disadvantaged community members. â€Å"Each year, GE volunteers come together as one GE to participate in Global Community Days,  working together to improve our many communities† (Worldwide Activities, 2007). Environmental Health and Employee Safety: I believe it is important for a company to focus on environmentally safe production plants and employee safety. â€Å"Operational excellence shapes the tools and measurements that help keep employees safe while reducing our impact on the environment† (Our Business, 2007) Customer Base GE has built a strong and loyal customer base by continually meeting the needs of the customer. Robbins, S. (2005) describes six variables that are routinely evident in customer-responsive cultures like GE. Type of Employees: â€Å"outgoing and friendly† Low Formalization: â€Å"freedom to meet changing customer-service requirements† Extension of Low Formalization: widespread use of empowerment i.e. decision discretion to do what is necessary to please the customer. Good Listening Skills: â€Å"listen to and understand messages sent by the customer† Role Clarity: â€Å"Service employees act as _boundary spanners_ between the organization and its customers† Organizational Citizenship Behavior: employees are conscience of customers needs and go above and beyond the call of duty to satisfy a customer’s needs GE has been able to build such a strong and loyal customer base by meeting each of the six variables described by Robbins. Variable one, type of employee, is met through GE’s efforts to provide a diverse work environment. In fact, GE was named among the top 40 best companies for diversity by Black  Enterprise Magazine (Employees, 2007). Variables two and three, low formalization and extension of low formalization, is met through GE’s efforts to provide employees the freedom to become closer to their customers while finding new operational efficiencies and ways to work toward customer service (Leadership, 2007). Variable four, good listening skills, is provided by GE’s customer support centers through 1-800 numbers or e-mail correspondence that provide support for all customers, civil and military, with a variety of innovative support solutions tailored to individual customer needs (Customer Support, 2007). Variable five, role clarity, is met through GE’s effective use of influential employees (_boundary spanners_) who help shape the goals and parameters of inter-organizational cooperation with international markets such as: Algeria, Brazil, Columbia, Egypt, France, Germany et cetera (Worldwide, 2007). Variable six, organizational citizenship, is met through GE’s continued commitment to citizenship issues worldwide including human rights, philanthropy, public policy and environment, health and safety (Citizenship, 2007). Customer Service Standards GE’s customer service standard demonstrates their commitment to excellence and customer standards. In an effort to ensure top quality service standards in today’s competitive market, GE has implemented Six Sigma Quality standards. According to Making Customers Feel Six Sigma Quality (2007) â€Å"Six Sigma is a highly disciplined process that helps us focus on developing and delivering near-perfect products and services.† The goal behind training employees through Six Sigma and implementing this system is for GE to be able to evaluate defects and come as close to _zero errors_ as possible. Six Sigma standards have raised the bar and implemented the highest quality of customer service standards for GE since the 1980’s. According to Making Customers Feel Six Sigma Quality (2007) â€Å"Sigma †¦ is embedding quality thinking – process thinking – across every level and in every operation of our Company around the globe.† According to Key Elements of Quality (2007)†¦ the three key elements of Six Sigma quality are: Customer: customer satisfaction i.e. product quality, dependability, competitive pricing, quality service and so on takes precedence so clients will not find another service provider. Process: _outside-in thinking_ i.e. observing the company from the customer’s viewpoint and identifying areas that could use improvement to ensure customer satisfaction. Employee: _leadership commitment_ i.e. providing training, opportunities and incentives for employees to excel and focus their talents on customer satisfaction. Six Sigma centers on reducing process deviations and improving process capabilities. This process is dependant on six key concepts. According to The Six Sigma Strategy (2007) these concepts that GE focus on include: Critical to quality: customers most important attributes Defect: customer satisfaction failure Process Capability: deliverability of the process Variation: the customers perceptions Stable Operations: guaranteeing a constant and predictable process that meets with customer perceptions Design for Six Sigma: designing to meet customer requirements and process capabilities Characteristics of Organizational Culture There are seven primary characteristics of organizational culture: (1) innovation and risk taking, (2) attention to detail, (3) outcome orientation, (4) people orientation, (5) team orientation, (6)  Aggressiveness, and (7) Stability. Research indicates that GE embodies five of the seven primary characteristics of organizational culture. Innovation and Risk Taking: GE employees focus on innovation as their basis for taking calculated risks for change in the areas of transforming health care, cleaner power generation, exploring nanotechnology, aviation technology, greenhouse gas reduction, global research facilities and so forth (Innovation, 2007). Attention to Detail: GE employees focus on attention to detail in such areas as customer service, quality and assembly of products, meeting performance targets, enhanced decision-making through training and education and so on. People Orientation: GE considers their more than 300,000 employees to be their greatest asset, and they are â€Å"passionate about making life better with new ideas and technologies† (Our People, 2007). Team Orientation: A significant part of GE’s culture as a global company involves nurturing diverse and cross-cultural teams in such areas as public relations, automotives, global research, nanotechnologies, marketing and so on (Employees, 2007). Aggressiveness: Though GE does provide the tools necessary for employees to be aggressive and competitive, the degree to which people are aggressive and competitive is truly up to the individual employee. Conclusion Research indicates that GE’s organizational culture is both ethical and customer-responsive. In the area of organizational culture appeal, it was found that GE appealed to me in four categories: (1) leadership, (2) opportunity for advancement, (3) work environment, and (4) training and education programs. One should keep in mind that these categories may vary depending on the needs of each individual. In the area of shared values, it was found GE had three values that I identified with: (1) ethics and  integrity, (2) community volunteer work, and (3) environmental health and employee safety. Again, one should keep in mind that these categories may vary depending on the perception of values of each individual. In the area of customer base, it was found that GE has been able to build and sustain a strong and loyal customer base through adherence to the six variables as described by Robbins. In the area of customer service standards, it was found that GE has demonstrated their commitment to excellence and high customer standards through the training and implementation of The Six Sigma Strategy. In the area of characteristics of organizational culture, it was found that GE does embody five of the seven primary characteristics of organizational culture: (1) innovation and risk, (2) attention to detail, (3) people orientation, (4) team orientation, and (5) aggressiveness. Based on the above findings, my evaluation of GE’s organizational culture is that they do provide a strong framework for positive attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values that would be appealing to almost anyone looking for job satisfaction and advancement within an organization. References: Citizenship (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/citizenship/index.html Customer Support (2007). _GE Aviation_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.geaviationsystems.com/Systems—/Customer-Support/index.asp Employees (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/citizenship/2007_citizenship/highlights.html Immelt, J. (2005). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/leadership/index.html Innovation (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/innovation/index.html Key Elements of Quality (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/sixsigma/keyelements.html Leadership & Learning (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/culture/leadership_learning.html Leadership Programs (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.gecareers.com/GECAREERS/html/us/ourPeople/leadership.html Making Customers Feel Six Sigma Quality (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/sixsigma/makingcustomers.html Our Business (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/businesses/index.html Our Company (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/index.html Our Culture (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/culture/index.html Our People (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/culture/people.html Robbins, S. (2005). _Organizational behavior_ (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Strategy Glossary (2006). Ampol Partners. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ampolbiz.com/consulting/resources/strategy_glossary.htm The Six Sigma Strategy (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/sixsigma/sixsigstrategy.html Worldwide (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/worldwide/index.html Worldwide Activities (2007). _GE Imagination at work_. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://www.ge.com/company/worldwide_activities/index.html

Similarities of Different Styles of Writing

Title: Similarities of Different Styles of Writing Similarities of Different Styles of Writing Most recently, I have read many different short stories and poems. The three works that stuck out to me the most are, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† written by William Faulkner, â€Å"Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day† written by William Shakespeare, and â€Å"The Cathedral† written by Raymond Carver. Although there are different writers and poets, we are able to find similarities in the text through interpretation. A Rose for Emily† and â€Å"The Cathedral† is told in third person. The third person point of view is when the narrator relates all information in third person. The short story will often use third person pronouns like â€Å"he† or â€Å"she. † The narrator in â€Å"The Cathedral† is consistently describing his wife and the blind man’s actions. Craver is also sure to provide great detail in the emotions that are supposed to be felt. Ignorance, for one, â€Å"My idea of blindness came from the movies. In the movies, the blind moved slowly and never laughed† (1977, Craver).A Rose for Emily† is told from the viewpoint of an unknown townsman. â€Å"When Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral: the mean through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen monument, the woman mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her house, which no save an old-manservant—a combined gardener and cook—had seen in at least ten years† (1929, Faulkner). Besides being told in third person, the main similarity that I recognize is how people react to others.The narrator in â€Å"The Cathedral† was fascinated, for lack of a better description, about a blind man named Robert; to the point where he was not looking forward to the Robert staying in his house. When I was reading this story it seemed as if the narrator did not even understand how his wife coul d be friends with someone who cannot see. When Miss Emily passed away the women in the town went to her funeral because they had not seen the inside of her house. It also seemed as if Miss Emily did not leave her house for many years.Miss Emily seemed to be one of those scary neighbors that we have seen in the movies, not too sound like the narrator in â€Å"The Cathedral†. Both of these short stories are familiar to life. When Faulkner writes about Miss Emily speaking to the City Hall about taxes, this rang true to me. I, myself, have had to discuss taxes with the city hall. When the narrator in â€Å"The Cathedral† made an off color comment to his wife about Robert this also rang true to me, â€Å"maybe I can take him bowling† (1977, Craver). Growing up with my brother, there was always an off colored comment.He is ten years older than me always tried to ruffle my feathers. It is sometimes easier to interpret short stories. There seems to be more of a preface and description. When it comes to poetry, I feel that interpretation is using your imagination or creative side. â€Å"Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day† is fourteen lines long but it says so much, as if it was a story about love. â€Å"But thy eternal summer shall not fade† or as I read it, my love will never die (1609, Shakespeare). To me, poetry is formed with non descriptive words that tell a story, mood, or feeling.The main difference between a short story and poem is the length of the reading or its format. â€Å"Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day† is written in sonnet style. Most poets use rhyme in set form. From my understanding this can be called a sonnet. Authors who are writing a short story do not think about making anything rhyme; however, I can still find similarities in a poem and short story. For example, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† talks about feeling. I felt one of the points being made in A Rose for Emily† was n ot to judge.I also interpreted that just because someone is different does not mean that they cannot find love. Miss Emily found love. Does the title of Faulkner’s short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† mean this is a memoriam of Emily’s life? William Shakespeare is timeless writer. Not only did he write poetry but he is also a Play Right. Shakespeare wrote plays that I remember acting out as a child or reading in school, such as Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. I personally feel that Shakespeare wrote a lot about love. Of course I am a sucker for love stories so I instantly gravitate to his work.Shakespeare, Carver, and Faulkner are all from different generations. Each writer has made a name for himself with words. These three men had a completely different up bringing; times differed morally as well. Similarities between these three gentlemen can also vary by person. I found that the two stories and poem had humanity in them. Everyone feels love, everyone is nosey, a nd unfortunately, everyone has stereotypes.References DiYanni, R. , 2007. Literature, Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. McGraw-Hill, Higher Education, New York, New York.

Sample Standard Deviation Example Problem

Sample Standard Deviation Example Problem This is a simple example of how to calculate sample variance and sample standard deviation. First, lets review the steps for calculating the sample standard deviation: Calculate the mean (simple average of the numbers).For each number: subtract the mean. Square the result.Add up all of the squared results.Divide this sum by one less than the number of data points (N - 1). This gives you the sample variance.Take the square root of this value to obtain the sample standard deviation. Example Problem You grow 20 crystals from a solution and measure the length of each crystal in millimeters. Here is your data: 9, 2, 5, 4, 12, 7, 8, 11, 9, 3, 7, 4, 12, 5, 4, 10, 9, 6, 9, 4 Calculate the sample standard deviation of the length of the crystals. Calculate the mean of the data. Add up all the numbers and divide by the total number of data points.(925412781193741254109694) / 20 140/20 7Subtract the mean from each data point (or the other way around, if you prefer... you will be squaring this number, so it does not matter if it is positive or negative).(9 - 7)2 (2)2 4(2 - 7)2 (-5)2 25(5 - 7)2 (-2)2 4(4 - 7)2 (-3)2 9(12 - 7)2 (5)2 25(7 - 7)2 (0)2 0(8 - 7)2 (1)2 1(11 - 7)2 (4)22 16(9 - 7)2 (2)2 4(3 - 7)2 (-4)22 16(7 - 7)2 (0)2 0(4 - 7)2 (-3)2 9(12 - 7)2 (5)2 25(5 - 7)2 (-2)2 4(4 - 7)2 (-3)2 9(10 - 7)2 (3)2 9(9 - 7)2 (2)2 4(6 - 7)2 (-1)2 1(9 - 7)2 (2)2 4(4 - 7)2 (-3)22 9Calculate the mean of the squared differences.(4254925011641609254994149) / 19 178/19 9.368This value is the sample variance. The sample variance is 9.368The population standard deviation is the square root of the variance. Use a calculator to obtain this number.(9.368)1/2 3.061The population standard deviation is 3.061 Compare this with the variance and population standard deviation for the same data.

Assignment Final Paper Topic Essay Example for Free

Assignment Final Paper Topic Essay This work contains GEN 499 Week 3 Assignment Final Paper Topic Thesis Statement and Annotated Bibliography Education – General Education Review the Final Research Paper instructions located within the Final Research Paper link. The Final Research Paper is due in Week Five. To help with the preparation of the paper, complete the following and submit it to your instructor for feedback. Topic : Refer to the Final Research Paper guidelines for your topic selection. Confirm your topic, and identify how this selection relates to your academic and professional pursuits. Review the feedback from your topic choice presented in the Week One discussion. How did your argument stand up to the examination of your peers? Thesis : Write a direct and concise thesis statement, which will become the point or perspective you will argue or prove in the Final Research Paper. Refer to the Ashford Online Writing Center for information on how to develop a solid thesis statement. APA Reference Page : For this paper, you will conduct research in peer-reviewed journals or other sources that are considered to have academic information. You will need a minimum of five professional scholarly sources, at least one of which is a multimedia source. For each source, you are responsible for summarizing the source and examining how it will support you in defending your argument. Keep in mind the Academic Research standards for all Ashford University Papers. Academic Research Academic research and papers must meet certain standards of quality recognized by the academic community. What constitutes quality, academic research? Primary sources, which are documents from the time period being discussed Secondary sources supported by research in primary sources Credible sources (experts in the area of study)   Relevant research (materials are p†¦ For downloading more course tutorials visit – https://bitly.com/1rubFkT If you are returning to college with a kid or more, you might assume that on-campus living is not an option. This is not always true. Alot of colleges provide a place for children to live as well. Colleges and universities have accepted the fact that some students are older and already have families. Be sure to ask early about housing options for families, because it tends to fill up very fast. Education – General Education Review the Final Research Paper instructions located within the Final Research Paper link. The Final Research Paper is due in Week Five. To help with the preparation of the paper, complete the following and submit it to your instructor for feedback. Topic : Refer to the Final Research Paper guidelines for your topic selection. Confirm your topic, and identify how this selection relates to your academic and professional pursuits. Review the feedback from your topic choice presented in the Week One discussion. How did your argument stand up to the examination of your peers? Thesis : Write a direct and concise thesis statement, which will become the point or perspective you will argue or prove in the Final Research Paper. Refer to the Ashford Online Writing Center for information on how to develop a solid thesis statement. APA Reference Page : For this paper, you will conduct research in peer-reviewed journals or other sources that are considered to have academic information. You will need a minimum of five professional scholarly sources, at least one of which is a multimedia source. For each source, you are responsible for summarizing the source and examining how it will support you in defending your argument. Keep in mind the Academic Research standards for all Ashford University Papers. Academic Research Academic research and papers must meet certain standards of quality  recognized by the academic community. What constitutes quality, academic research? Primary sources, which are documents from the time period being discussed Secondary sources supported by research in primary sources Credible sources (experts in the area of study) Relevant research (materials are pertinent to the area of study) In graduate work, the use of peer-reviewed journal articles (journal articles reviewed by recognized experts in the relevant field of study) is required. Assignment Final Paper Topic. (2016, May 19).

Airbus Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Airbus Business Plan - Essay Example AS), it leases and finances about 1,680 owned and managed commercial aircrafts and serves over 230 customers in over 75 countries around the world (GE Capital Aviation Services). Results, analysis and discussion We think that a joint venture with GE is a mutually beneficial partnership today and into the future. Strategically each partner will be able to increase business volumes and serve more customers. The partnership has to be focussed on innovation in new cost-efficient aircrafts and lighter but able to do the same work or even higher. World economic crisis impacting the world did not spare the industry as revenue streams thinned, passenger numbers dwindled or stagnated growth making airlines use innovative ways to remain in operation. This is expected to be short-term, but passenger growth is expected to pick and grow at an average of 4.7% in the period under industry forecast. Growth is expected to double the passenger numbers in all routes (Airbus S.A.S. 2009). Competitors in the industry are applying the latest technology in aircraft manufacture to make lighter aircrafts consuming less fuel. Our venture will focus towards innovation to counter the stiff competition by making compatible engines towards this end. Research and development (R&D) are crucial in attaining this goal alongside partners such as GE. Airlines in the world buying planes from us have been finding problems in servicing and repairing planes. This forced them to fly in technicians from either our company or GE, or fly the plane to our factory to be repaired. GE has been investing in setting local repair and servicing centres in the countries where airlines have major operations. We believe this is the best strategy to be closer to clients offering them first-hand services and appropriate...Competitors in the industry are applying the latest technology in aircraft manufacture to make lighter aircrafts consuming less fuel. Our venture will focus towards innovation to counter the stiff c ompetition by making compatible engines towards this end. Research and development (R&D) are crucial in attaining this goal alongside partners such as GE. Airlines in the world buying planes from us have been finding problems in servicing and repairing planes. This forced them to fly in technicians from either our company or GE, or fly the plane to our factory to be repaired. GE has been investing in setting local repair and servicing centres in the countries where airlines have major operations. We believe this is the best strategy to be closer to clients offering them first-hand services and appropriate technical advice. This will enable the airlines to cut repair costs, downtime and turnaround time hence making more money. R&D at GE has enabled them this far, to produce another state-of-the-art advanced environmentally compatible technology GP7200 engine for Airbus A380. The engine is technically advanced fit for the world biggest wide-body planes (GE Aviation 2012). Continued research is imperative in the area of carbon emission and sound pollution to reduce green house gas emissions. The industry estimates that over the last forty years, carbon emission and aircraft fuel burn has been reduced by 70% while noise pollution has been reduced by about 75%