The advantages and disadvantages of Enterprise Resource Planning

Introduction Most companies have found it difficult to cope with factors such as mergers and competitiveness among others, using the old system of MRP (Manufacturing resource planning). Moreover, they have found it hard to improve in profitability with the same system.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The advantages and disadvantages of Enterprise Resource Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This has prompted a shift to Enterprise Resource Planning, which has proved to be efficient in all areas of production. Companies that do not use ERP usually find themselves using incompatible software packages that carry with them numerous errors and problems, thus undermining their objectives. This is mainly because several processes are involved in implementing ERP, all the way from designing of the product to marketing. ERP is therefore very instrumental in enhancing management and efficiency; this would help in ach ieving most, if not all of the company’s objectives. The paper will use two articles to analyze advantages and disadvantages of ERP in organizations (Exforsys, Inc., 2009, p. 1). ERP Enterprise resource planning is a platform that integrates all elements of production in an organization to manage and automate the activities, thereby improving their efficiency, logistics and work flow, among others. Its integration combines all the external and internal factors of production in an organization . It begins right from product design and facilitates flow of work throughout the system. ERP does not rely on periodic updates and therefore ensures real time application throughout its integrated system software. Its ability to run in virtually every network as well as hardware makes it not only viable but reliable too. ERP has a common database that work with all applications. Its reliability is unrivaled as it utilizes database as storage for information. Its main objective is to try and consolidate all the departments in a company. Communication is fastened through this method and product design is boosted as well. ERP strives to incorporate finance, manufacturing, customer service, chain supply, data services and human resource departments, among others. ERP has been touted as one of the best management systems in the world. It has succeeded in replacing MRP as the solution based software that integrates all departments. According to Barker and Frolick, successful implementation of ERP is vital to success of a company.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More More often organizations know what to implement, however they fall way shot of its implementation guidelines and in the end failing to maximize its utilization. Several articles have tried to suggest ways of implementing ERP successfully in organizations, focusing more on its advantages than the disadvan tages. Furthermore a number of companies have also failed in successful implementation of ERP, instead trying to cover for it with other software packages. However it is quite imperative to note that as much as it is very efficient and useful in its application, ERP requires proper implementation, following of all the guidelines that relates to its implementation along with the inclusion of all departments to achieve its purpose (Baltzan, Phillips, Lynch Blakey, 2010, p. 23). Discussion Numerous articles have underlined the main advantages of ERP as well as its disadvantages. A number of agreements are evident in advantages with a few disparities. However most of the authors do not quite concur on major disadvantages. The following are a few analyses on two articles that share and differ on various aspects of ERP implementation (Bidgoli, 2004, p. 707). ERP Implementation failure: A case Study, by Barker and Frolick Barker and Frolick concur that implementing ERP is a difficult task and requires more than installation of the software. They feel that most companies have failed in their quest to implement ERP because of its management. They also argue that after installation, the management must act to involve every personnel so as to bring success. Team attitude is emphasized in this article with an assurance that sustainable success will follow those companies that completes the required implementation. Barker and Frolick stress the fact that ERP is very important in facilitating mergers, competitiveness and acquisitions that have caused uncountable problems to companies. In their success stories with ERP they give Fujitsu as one such company that has excelled due to ERP. According to them, ERP has the following advantages. ERP is essential in improving employee satisfaction, by dipping work redundancy that is likely to cause fatigue. They also credit it with time conservation, which allows for value added tasks, employee satisfaction is also credited with tra nsforming them into company assets as they gain more experience and stay with the organization. This is important in lowering employee turnover as well as training costs and helps in widening competitive advantage (Sheilds, 2001, p. 9-10).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The advantages and disadvantages of Enterprise Resource Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The article goes on to state that ERP’s main targets are those departments that are incompatible and incorporates them in the system to help draw them closer. This helps in improving decision making for the organization as it speeds up information processing. Better decision making in companies help them instill corporate environment. The authors attest to the fact that ERP helps break barriers that usually exist between departments, thus helping in workflow. These benefits are usually enticing to companies, causing them to rush into impleme ntation of ERP. The article also majors on disadvantages of ERP, stating that it is prone to failure without proper implementation as well as management. They also concede that ERP is difficult to implement. Other disadvantages include its inability to be modified into the company’s structure and high risks of failure (Barker, Frolick, 2003, p. 43-49). Academic Tutorials Academic tutorials provides several advantages of ERP namely its ability to interface engineering design, tracking of orders, revenue cycle, control and security of information against any sabotage, among others. The article also dwells on disadvantages, in which it concurs with Barker and Frolick that implementation of ERP is very tasking, it has a high risk of failure as companies try to transform into ERP model, difficult in usage and too rigid. Other disadvantages listed by academic tutorials include high switching cost after its implementation, technical support, which may at times cause computer insecu rity. Still others are charges by ERP vendors that is not reflective of the size, and profitability of the organization, risk of over engineering the system that makes it more complex, problems of accountability due to broken barriers as well as its ability to be affected by other department, among others. The article gives more disadvantages than advantages.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Summary The articles have given substantial facts on advantages and disadvantages of ERP implementation. The first article by Backer and Frolick emphasizes on importance of using ERP in management systems although it warns organizations of what to expect if they do not comply with its implementation guidelines. Throughout the article they attribute failure to mistakes by organization; on the other hand Academic tutorials provide several disadvantages of ERP. Nonetheless they both concur that ERP is difficult to implement. Among the advantages provided by the article include reduced costs on inventory, chain supply, material time flow as well as in logistics. It is also credited with standardization of the organization practice, improvement of work flow, error reduction, customer satisfaction, and achievement of company goals. Other advantages include breaking of departmental barriers, faster decision making, improvement on communication and relationships between departments, as well as employee satisfaction, among others (Barker, Frolick, 2003, p. 43-49). Both articles also concur that ERP has disadvantages, although academic tutorials discusses more of it. Among the disadvantages listed include its high rate of failure, high costs of implementation and training of staff as well as the high cost of switching from ERP. Other disadvantages named include its complexity, misfits that may lead to bankruptcy (as in FoxMeyer’s case), high risk of failure, for instance about 20% of companies that attempted implementation of ERP have failed; another example is Dell, which never implemented ERP due to its rigidity to expansion. It may take too long (three or more years) to start reaping benefits, by this time most companies may have succumb to failure. ERP also exposes the company to internet insecurity and this becomes very expensive as they have to continually adapt to contemporary data protection techniques that are costly. Implementation of ERP is therefore very challenging to companies much as it is the best (Vyom Technosoft Ltd., 2011, p. 1). Conclusion ERP is very essential for companies as it helps improve their competitiveness, profitability and product design processes. However, it has several guidelines that make it rigid and therefore very complex. This makes it very expensive to implement and poses a high risk of failure if not successfully implemented. Reference List Baltzan, P., Phillips, A., Lynch, K., Blakey, P., (2010). Business Driven Information Systems, 1 Edition. Print. Barker, T., Frolick, M., (2003). ERP IMPLEMENTATION FAILURE: A CASE STUDY. Information Systems Management. EBSCO Publishing. Bidgoli, H., (2004). The Internet Encyclopedia, Volume 1. John Wiley Sons, Inc. p. 707. Exforsys, Inc., (2009). The Advantages and Disadvantages of ERP. Exforsus.com. Available from:Â  http://www.exforsys.com/tutorials/erp/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-erp.html . Sheilds, G., (2001). E-Business and ERP: Rapid Implementa tion and Project Planning. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. p. 9-10. Vyom Technosoft Ltd., (2011). ERP: The Advantages and Disadvantages of ERP. Academic Tutorials. Available from:Â  http://www.academictutorials.com/erp/erp-advantages.asp . This report on The advantages and disadvantages of Enterprise Resource Planning was written and submitted by user Makhi Smith to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Jewish holidays Essay Example

Jewish holidays Essay Example Jewish holidays Essay Jewish holidays Essay We have used many dramatic techniques in our improvisation. These include a freeze frame, in our first scene, whilst Steven is on the telephone, he freezes and I move around nervously, discussing how I feel about leaving. After I have finished, Steven then carries on, on the telephone. We use writing in role, this is when Lucy writes to her diary, which she refers to as Kitty. She talks about her feelings out loud whilst writing in it, and its a good way of showing how she is really feeling. We have monologues, these are the ones when Lucy writes in her diary, as this only includes her on stage, and also whilst she is praying. Steven also does this whilst praying, and at during the last scene, when he tells the audience the story of what happens to his wife and daughter. The sound effects we use are the radio announcement at the beginning of the scene, which we recorded on to a CD. We use the ceremony of Passover, which Jews celebrate to show how God passed over their doors during the final, most important plague of Egypt, which was to kill the first-born son of each person. The Jews painted blood on their doors, and God passed over them, which is why they celebrate it. We also use naturalism, which means we have based our play on a non-fiction event, based on the story of Anne Frank, which we felt was a very emotional and touching topic. In our first scene we have tried to make it very tense and stressful. This means as actors we need to look like we feel awkward and scared. This is because this is where we learn about the sorts of things the Jews were going to get put through. The Jews were put through having to lead a very unusual life, not being able to go out when they wish, do shopping when/where they wish, and eventually they were tortured and put in concentration camps, in extremely horrendous conditions. In our second scene we celebrate the festival of Passover. In this scene we need to try to look a little happier, as this is one of the most important Jewish holidays. However, when the Gestapo arrive, we act very terrified, as this is the scene when we are taken away to a concentration camp. In the final scene, Steven acts very distressed, and feels like he is a failure, as he gets out of the concentration camp alive. He acts very mentally ill, as he commits suicide in the end, hes very upset, and very angry with himself. In our improvisation, I play the mother character. In it I have to play quite a cold woman, who feels threatened that her husband takes her daughters side all the time. When the family go into hiding I have to be able to convey that I am a caring wife/mother, but the war is getting to me. Overall our rehearsing is going well so far, and I hope for it to be a successful performance. I feel our message is very successful, as it educates the audience of the life of a typical family, despite it being a long time ago, and displays the distress and agony a family has to go through just because of their religion.

US company Global Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

US company Global Marketing - Research Paper Example Global operation of the companies has not only created new avenues to earn more revenue, but also played major role in ensuring companies sustain for a longer period of time. In addition, a company with global operation also has competitive advantage over its competitors, as it allows the company to cater to variety of customers and gain their loyalty (Cherunilam, 2010, p.24). Apart from that, the brand value of the company also increases greatly. In the context of USA, there are several companies which have considered international expansion such as Starbucks, Walmart, McDonalds and Apple among many others. However, this project will shed light on how Apple, the US technology giant is managing their global marketing and operation. The paper will emphasize on the marketing and operation strategy of Apple in the international market. Along with that the paper will carry out in-depth analysis of the business environment of the chosen location. The industry in which the company belongs will be also analysed thoroughly. Once the analysis potion is covered, the issues faced by the company in the chosen market will be highlight and how the company should deal with it will be recommended. Finally, on the basis of the findings a conclusion will be drawn. The study will now provide a brief introduction of ‘Apple’. Apple Inc., commonly known as Apple is a US based company involved in manufacturing and marketing of technology products. The company was founded by Ronald Wayne, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and in the year 1976. It is currently headquartered at Apple Campus, 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California, U.S (LÃ ¼sted, 2012, p.9). The company is known for its wide range of innovative products. Some of the bestsellers of the company include iPhone, iPad, and iPod among others. Apart from manufacturing and marketing electronic gadgets, the company

Branding Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Branding - Research Proposal Example With a clear level of branding architecture, an organization can decide on the level of branding that will receive the greatest support and emphasis. In addition, the organisation can also establish and define the relations between the various brands in the organisation. Branding has moved into the daily lives of individuals in the Western societies affecting more sectors than ever before as the competition for audiences among companies intensifies (Owen, 1993). Branding is no longer a concept limited to companies, as there has been a rise of the practice in universities and other institutions. However, as branding becomes a mainstream practice and concept, it risks being misinterpreted and misunderstood. This is because branding is not only creating a logo and graphics to represent a company, person, or country (Healey, 2008). Branding is encompassed by the perceptions of the reputation as well as the tangible look and feel of the company, service, product, individual, or country (H estad, 2013). It relates to the behaviour of the company as well as the customer experience. Therefore, the concept of branding, applies to aspects that are within and outside the organisation. Consumers usually generalize their attitudes and perceptions across services and products based on two key factors (Hansen & Christensen, 2004). These factors are the impression they form on product attributes and the credibility of the country of origin of a brand or product (Hansen & Christensen, 2004). The product attributes include value of money and product quality while the credibility of the country of origin of a product is based on the individual’s familiarity of the country of origin of the product. These two factors are responsible for the creation of a favourable perception in a consumer that influences them to purchase and use a particular product or brand. The challenge, however, is the formation of stereotypes that are responsible for influencing individuals’

Emerging global governance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Emerging global governance - Research Paper Example A child who is defined as person of age below 18 years is entitled to healthcare, free education, adequate nutrition, freedom from violence, abuse, exploitation and leisure and recreation (Verhellen, 66). The CRC originated from the Geneva declaration o 1924 which according to Verhellen (64) is the first international human rights instrument dealing with children rights. Before then, various organizations like ILO have made efforts to improve the well-being of children by setting minimum employment age for children to avoid abuse and exploitation. The Geneva declaration was made after the First World War to deal with the plight of children and remove them from deplorable situations. The declaration had a preamble and five aims referred as â€Å"Declaration of the rights of the child.† Under this declaration, a child was entitled to receive relief first in times of distress, protection from any form of exploitation, to be fed and sheltered and to develop normally materially and spiritually. This is the obligation of parents or adults. More declarations concerned with children issues continued to emerge. The declaration was reconfirmed by the League of Nations General Assembly ( UNICEF, 2011). Another Declaration which forms the basis for CRC is the declaration on the rights of the child in 1959. Whereas Geneva declaration focused on social and economic needs, the 1959 declaration focused on families, right to name and nationality and need for love among other issues. It had a preamble and based on 10 principles hence it was more complex than Geneva declaration. It touched on issues such as non-discrimination, name and nationality, education, opportunity for development and enjoyment of social security benefits among others (Verhellen, 66). The 1989 convention was a culmination of various human rights instruments developed over the years and its work began during the 20th

Safeguarding the Welfare of the Child Essay

Safeguarding the Welfare of the Child Essay Emma Cummings ‘Young children are vulnerable. They develop resilience when their physical and psychological well-being is protected by adults’ (EYFS card 1.3) The  Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)  sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old. The  EYFS framework  supports an integrated approach to early learning and care. It gives all professionals a set of common principles and commitments to deliver quality early education and childcare experiences to all children and gives parents reassurance that regardless of where they choose for their child’s early education, they can be assured that the same statutory commitments and principles will underpin their child’s learning and development experience. The statutory framework has three sections. The learning and development requirements Assessment The safeguarding and welfare requirements Child protection and safeguarding children is of paramount importance in early years settings. All members of staff must be suitable and providers are required to carry out enhanced criminal record checks on any individual working directly with the children. The EYFS Framework requires all settings provide a policy and have procedures in place to safeguard children. Practitioners are required to be alert to any concerns about a child. All staff in the setting should be trained to recognise the signs of abuse. These may include: Significant changes in children’s behaviour Deterioration in children’s well- being Unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse or neglect Children’s comments which give cause for concern Any reason’s to suspect neglect or abuse outside the setting, for example in the child’s home Inappropriate behaviour displayed by other members of staff, or any other person working with the children. For example: inappropriate sexual comments, excessive one to one attention beyond the requirements of their usual role and responsibilities, or inappropriate sharing of images. Good. All settings are required to have a designated staff member to take the lead responsibility for safeguarding children, known as Safeguarding of Children Co-ordinator (SOCCO) who will complete a course on safeguarding children. For children who need additional help, every day matters. Research is consistent in underlining the damage to children from delaying intervention. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as protecting children from maltreatment, preventing impairment of childrens health or development, ensuring that children grow-up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes. The actions taken by professionals to meet the needs of these children as early as possible can be critical to their future. (Department for Education-Working to Safeguard Children) The statutory requirements promote the safeguarding and welfare of all children when they are healthy, safe and secure and when their individual needs are being met. A positive relationship with adults caring for the children is vital. Settings should be welcoming, safe, secure and stimulating. Providers must take all necessary steps to keep children safe and well from safeguarding, suitability of adults in contact with the children, promoting good health, managing behaviour and maintaining policies and procedures. All early years settings are required to have at least one member of staff present at all times who holds a full Paediatric First Aid qualification. The 1st aid boxes must be fully stocked to administer treatment for minor injuries following guidelines from the Health and Safety Executive Website. The setting must have a procedure in place for recording accidents and incidents either by an accident form or accident book. Food and drinks provided in the setting must be heal thy, balanced and nutritious. Before the children start in the setting providers must establish any special dietary needs. Tables used for meal times must be disinfected before and after meal time. Children wash their hands before eating. Providers are responsible for dealing with behaviour in an appropriate way, under no circumstances must practitioners threaten or give any corporate punishment to the children, behaviour should be dealt with calmly and fairly in all circumstances so that we are not having an adverse effect on the child’s well-being. During outings children must be kept safe, providers must assess the risks or hazards which may arise and identify steps to be taken to remove, minimise and manage those risks and hazards. If children are travelling in a vehicle the driver must be adequately insured. (Statutory framework for the early years foundation) Good. The obvious starting point of keeping children safe in the setting is to ensure that basic principles are being followed. No matter how good the security of a building is, the doors must be closed properly at all times, otherwise all other efforts are likely to be worthless. The message that safety begins with individuals taking responsibility for simple things cannot be overemphasised. A safe environment must meet its registration requirements; there are two registers, the Early Years Register (EYR) and the Ofsted Childcare Register (OCR). Settings which provide day care for children under five have to be registered on the EYR. Meeting registration requirements means that a setting will be complying with the law and legislation, but providing and maintaining a safe environment requires a greater understanding from everybody involved. A safe environment starts with the child and will include: The physical environment the actual building in which care is provided indoor and outdoor areas where children learn, play and develop must be accessible for users whilst maintaining levels of security that keep children safe and protected from harm. The people those providing care are â€Å"suitable† persons (as defined in the EYFS Welfare Requirements) and others who have contact with the children and premises are appropriate to do so. Equipment play equipment and care equipment which is fit for purpose, appropriate for the needs of individual children and meets the guidelines for British and European standards. The emotional environment – which enables children to grow, develop and reach their full potential, with opportunities to explore and take appropriate risks, enabling children to try out new skills and increase their knowledge and understanding of the world around them, through experiences which are both planned and unplanned. Documentation policies and procedures and records that support all of the above which have clearly set out duties, responsibilities and actions. Good. When working with young children who are vulnerable, the challenges for creating and managing a safe environment are different again. Practitioners must work closely with a child’s parents to address aspects which may not be covered in a risk assessment, but still need to be considered for an individual child’s well-being. The environment is just one aspect of keeping children safe and protected. If practitioners  identify a child who is vulnerable or in need of protection, action must then be taken using policies and procedures already in place and tools such as the Common Assessment Framework. Parents’ awareness of the setting’s policies and procedures for safeguarding children promote confidence about safety and this will be reflected in their child’s experiences. All settings must be aware of the procedures for dealing with concerns about a child’s welfare. Although there is a big emphasis on keeping children safe in early year’s settings and where practitioners try to minimise risks, children need and instinctively want to be able to take risks in order that they can test their abilities and strengths. There’s no better environment for them to do so than that of an early years setting where practitioners will already have removed hazards not readily identifiable to young children and will provide well managed opportunities for appropriate ‘risk taking’ to take place. Children need support to take some risks as part of their learning and development. Children with disabilities do not always have the freedom of choice compared to their more able peers, yet have the same need for opportunities to take risks. It is the responsibility of early year’s practitioners to assess and manage the level of risk in the environment. Providers are required to conduct regular risk assessments, which identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis. The process should then involve deciding what should be done to prevent harm, making sure that the relevant actions are taken and are updated whenever necessary. Early years settings should already have comprehensive health and safety risk assessments that inform their procedures and a competent person identified to be in charge of the implementation. Good point. All settings have a duty to minimise risk in all situations. When creating a safe environment for children, practitioners must consider their legal duty to identify and reduce/eliminate risks, with a balance of proportionate/acceptable risk. The risk of falling of slide is quite high, however the risk can be minimised by adult supervision and soft landing mats, turn taking rules etc. Children can indulge in their natural instincts of risk taking unaware that the risk has been assessed and minimised by the practitioner. The EYFS requirements ensure that essential standards of provision are in place. Providers are required to carry out regular risk assessments, which identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis. The assessment should then involve deciding what can be done to prevent harm ensuring actions are taken and updated whenever necessary. Health and safety law does not expect all risk to be eliminated but that ‘reasonable precautionsâ€⠄¢ are taken and that staff are trained and aware of their responsibilities, thus creating an environment that enables children to grow and develop being able to take risks through physically challenging play. Early years settings should already have comprehensive health and safety risk assessments that inform their procedures and a competent person identified to be in charge of the implementation. Staff in all settings regardless of their level should be involved in reviewing these, as they are the ones with the first- hand knowledge as to whether they are effective and can give an informed view to help update procedures. Parental involvement should also be welcomed, they should be aware of their responsibilities, such as closing gates behind them and being aware of strangers entering the building and being encouraged to make staff aware. The basis of effective risk management is that everybody is involved and can therefore take responsibility for their, and others safety. Risk ass essments such as security of the building, fire safety, food safety, bathroom hygiene and nappy changing, and personal safety of staff should already exist. What we are doing with the children during the session also requires a risk assessment such as a cooking activity or an outing. Risk assessments are necessary when making reasonable adjustments for disabled children/children with additional needs. Minor accidents being recorded would also require action. Whatever the reason for the risk assessment, the process remains the same. Risk assessment processes identify five steps that we need to take: Identification of risk or hazard – where it is and what it is? Decide who is at risk and how – childcare staff, children and parents Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions – can we get rid of the risk altogether, if not how can we control it? Record our findings and implement them – prioritise, make an action plan if necessary. Monitoring and review – how do we know if what has been decided is working, or is it thorough enough? If it is not working, it will need to be amended, or maybe there’s a better solution. Safety sweeps are another way of assessing risks, we often do these in our setting either first thing or at the end of the session. Our safety sweeps aren’t recorded unless we identify a risk that needs assessing. It is also helpful for members of staff at all levels to be familiar with the key legal requirements that affect their day to day practice and know where to access updates and further information. My essay has been written using information on the web and from the following books. Working together to safeguard children Department for Education 21 March 2013 Preschool learning alliance Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage March 2014

Existentialism :: essays research papers

Existentialism Existentialism is a concept that became popular during the second World War in France, and just after it. French playrights have often used the stage to express their views, and these views came to surface even during a Nazi occupation. Bernard Shaw got his play "Saint Joan" past the German censors because it appeared to be very Anti-British. French audiences however immediately understood the real meaning of the play, and replaced the British with the Germans. Those sorts of "hidden meanings" were common throughout the period so that plays would be able to pass censorship. Existentialism proposes that man is full of anxiety and despare with no meaning in his life, just simply existing, until he made decisive choice about his own future. That is the way to achieve dignity as a human being. Existentialists felt that adopting a social or political cause was one way of giving purpose to a life. Sartre is well known for the "Theatre engage" or Theatre 'commited', which is supposedly commited to social and/or political action. On of the major playwrights during this period was Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre had been imprisoned in Germany in 1940 but managed to escape, and become one of the leaders of the Existential movement. Other popular playwrights were Albert Camus, and Jean Anouilh. Just like Anouilh, Camus accidentally became the spokesman for the French Underground when he wrote his famous essay, "Le Mythe de Sisyphe" or "The Myth of Sisyphus". Sisyphus was the man condemned by the gods to roll a rock to the top of a mountain, only to have it roll back down again. For Camus, this related heavily to everyday life, and he saw Sisyphus an "absurd" hero, with a pointless existance. Camus felt that it was necessary to wonder what the meaning of life was, and that the human being longed for some sense of clarity in the world, since "if the world were clear, art would not exist". "The Myth of Sisyphus" became a prototype for existentialism in the theatre, and eventually The Theatre of the Absurd. Right after the Second World War, Paris became the theatre capital of the west, and popularized a new form of surrealistic theatre called "Theatre of the Absurd". Many historians contribute the sudden popularity of absurdism in France to the gruesome revelations of gas chambers and war atrocities coming out of Germany after the war. The main idea of The Theatre of the Absurd was to point out man's helplessness and pointless existance in a world without purpose. As Richard Coe described it "It is the freedom of the slave to crawl east along the

Music: Native Americans in the United States and Correct Answer Essay

Incorrect 1. The language used to discuss music is universal. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 0. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): B Correct 2. One way 19th-century Americans were exposed to European classical music was through visiting European musicians. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A Correct 3. The musical language of America is based on: A) Western European musical concepts B) ancient Greek musical concepts C) neither a nor b D) a and b Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A Correct 4. When categorizing music, stylistic labels should be adhered to rigidly. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): B Correct 5. Diverse musical traditions are a contributing element to our rich national culture. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A Correct 6. The composer of a folk song is often: A) poor B) not a musician C) old D) unknown Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): D. Correct 7. Early American settlers _______________ the music of Native Americans. A) accepted B) tolerated C) copied D) rejected Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): D Correct 8. Most early religious, folk, and popular songs were derived the styles of: A) the British Isles B) South America C) a blending of Native American and European cultures D) Native American peoples Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A Correct 9. The instruments Americans have are, for the most part, derived from those in. Europe and the British Isles. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A Correct 10. Ethnomusicologists study the social aspects of music. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A Correct 11. Generally, a culture’s belief systems and music are separate. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): B Correct 12. The merging of cultural traditions produces: A) very little of national value B) ethnic minorities. C) new styles and modes of behavior D) race tensions Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): C Incorrect 13. It is necessary for professional musicians to earn the bulk of their living from performing. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 0. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): B Correct 14. The primary factor in the development of America’s cultural mainstream was the predominance of: A) English-speaking settlers B) African slaves C) Native American culture D) free trade Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A Correct 15. The __________ Law of 1909 provided ownership of popular songs to composers, lyricists, and publishers. A) Permission B) Copyright C) Ownership D) Holder Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): B Correct 16. Ethnomusicologists study audiences as well as performers. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A Correct 17. Many cultures in the world are still unaffected by outside influences. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): B Correct 18. Scientific research has found that music powerfully affects the emotions of listeners. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A Correct 19. Ethnomusicologists rely on a ______________ rather than an ethnocentric perspective to study and describe music. A) regional B) local C) global D) universal Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): C Correct 20. Who composed music for orchestra, but in the â€Å"pop† style? A) Bob Dylan B) Tchaikovsky. C) George Gershwin D) Beethoven Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): C Correct 21. According to the text, it is unnecessary to acquire a sense of what exists beyond our own cultural experience. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): B Correct 22. When music is transmitted from generation to generation by imitation or memory, this is referred to as: A) notational tradition B) oral tradition C) familial tradition D) none of these Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): B Correct 23. Music labels can be: A) helpful B) ambiguous C) a and b D) neither a nor b Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): C Correct 24. True artistry is generally only found in classical music. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): B Correct 25. Music has taken on a global perspective due to technological advances in communication and transportation. A) True B) False Table for Individual Question Feedback Points Earned: 4. 0/4. 0 Correct Answer(s): A.

Monitoring and Evaluations in Development

Monitoring and Evaluations in Development When management of certain programs establishes them, they need to make a follow up that ensures that there is compliance with the set standards and expectations of the project (Vaagaasar, 2009). Project management involves the process through which a project is established, implemented, monitored, evaluated, and any adjustments made to the system to attain its set goals and objectives (Livingston, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Monitoring and Evaluations in Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Oxfam being an international federation of fifteen organizations working in 98 countries need to have a strong monitoring and evaluation team to handle its large volume of work and projects. Currently Oxfam has entered into a contact with Dak Nong Doet that seeks to improve the province’s education quality delivery, the project focuses on teachers, pupils, ministry of education and training, and teacher s. To ensure that the goals of the project have been attained, Oxfam needs to have an effective monitoring and evaluation program. This paper discusses the role that monitoring and evaluation plays in an organization and gives recommendations on the best approach that the organization can adopted for effective monitoring of Dak Nong Doet education project. The nature of Oxfam projects Oxfam is an international recognized NGO that establishes various programs targeting different needs within the society especially in rural development areas, poverty reduction programs, hungers and other such programs that needs fast and effective attention. There are different projects that the international organization manages and their nature and approach always vary with the intended outcome. Projects may take the form of civil society developments, ethnic minority issues address, and focus on girl and boy child, addiction programs, and women empowerments. One of the most renown program that Oxfa m has undertaken successfully is the education system where it aims at improving education for the less fortunate in communities; the main focus of these programs are the disadvantaged areas like third world countries, disaster stricken areas among other areas that need arises (Long and Plosser, 1983). In the past few years, the main focus that the company has had is to improve education in Tra, Vinh, Lao Cai and Dak Nong provinces where the main focus has been girl child programs; when dealing with the projects, the company has its main focus on the school, the child and the ministry as they are players in the segment for an effective implementation.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the same years, the organization has been advocating for the expansion of its programs or models through Ministry of Education and Training (Posond, 2008). The next coming years, th e organization is focusing on building effective governance in education in Vietnam where it will have the main focus on the teachers, school managers, pupils, and education representatives in all level of education (Marcus, 2010). Oxfam has signed a performance contract with Dak Nong Doet where it aims at promoting social accountability in the provinces education sector; with the project that has its own objectives, the organization need to have an effective Monitoring and Evaluation in Development programs. The Monitoring and Evaluation in Development needs to address all areas of the program failure to which it will mean that the projects will not take shape and objectives will not be attained (Walkenbach, 1997). Monitoring and Evaluation in Development Project management evaluation stage has the following roles to play in the entire project management: A project can be defined as a designated ally of tasks that aims at accomplishing a certain task within an organization; it has a period, expected expenditure, expected outcome, and a work framework or schedule; in every stage of the project, there are certain measures that needs to be considered to ensure that the project is running smoothly. Oxfam project evaluation should address all risky areas and ensure that correct measures have been taken to adhere to the set objectives and goals (Newbold,1998). In a nutshell Monitoring and Evaluation in Development has the following main objectives to attain alongside the projects main objectives:Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Monitoring and Evaluations in Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More to plan, organize and control activities: this is to ensure that the set level of operation is maintained in time, costs, and the expected delivery time Manage activities and organize resources (both human and physical) for the project. This ensures that the human capital that is involved in the pro jects fits their roles and they do not get higher or lower gains from the projects. The nature of Oxfam projects is that a person can get direct benefit from the project at the expense of the larger population; such moves should be controlled by Monitoring and Evaluation programs (Pons, 2008) putting all the logistics of a project into place so that there will be full attainment of project goals and objectives: the engagement that Oxfam has entered with Dak Nong Doet should be looked into to ensure that both parties to the program adhere to what they had promised each other; when such moves have been taken then the goals of the project will be attained effectively Ensuring that the project is accomplished in time with the available resources and if possible have some new strategies of completion of tasks that is better than the original plan. Dak Nong Doet and Oxfam project has some probable risks that the organization’s monitoring and evaluation programs should address befo re they limit the attainment of the entire project. The adoption and deployment of the Oxfam-Dak Nong Doet education system involves great risks, primarily due to the vast initial costs, high over-budget ratio, chances low success rate, failure to meet the project goals, and partial attainment of the initially set implementation. Furthermore, initiation costs are typically greater than a tailored integration plan but maintenance and modification costs of post-implementation are lower; Dak Nong Doet and Oxfam decided to have an approach that not only sees Dak Nong Doet students attain good education but one that ensures continuity and maintenance of the project. McComb, Kennedy, Green and Compton (2008) creates an evaluation framework regarding the main issues encountered in the rural development programs and the related costs and benefits; the study has emphasized the requirements of a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of; the writer also suggest that evaluation and monitoring should try to assess attempts of incorporating intangibles into conventional cost-benefit analysis. It is proposed that decision making should be based on scoring methods, cost/benefit analysis, risk analysis and ranking. However, some scholars argue that scoring and ranking techniques are straightforward but insufficient due to the project interdependence. Cost/benefit and risk analysis methods are insufficient either for the interrelated criteria (McComb, Kennedy, Green and Compton, 2008). The concept of Monitoring and Evaluation as should be adopted by Oxfam and Dak Nong Doet project The main aim that the monitoring and evaluation of the program focus on is the development of leaders and managers who can be relied upon to see the entire project come to pass effectively; the leaders should assume the role of planning and making responsive decisions that will see the program come to pass effectively, at any one point the programs should ensure that the programs reach majority of p opulation living in poverty and to sustain the change over a period of time. The Oxfam and Dak Nong Doet project monitoring and evaluation programs should consider the authenticity of policies, strategies and programs for both quantitative and qualitative change; this will facilitate the existence of equal resources distribution and ensuring that the target group get the benefits as had been anticipated.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The programs should embrace high levels of transparency, accountability and high performance as it can only be through such policies that it can succeed and the people targeted by various projects benefit. With an effective monitoring and evaluation standards, the organization will be assured that its funds address issues in the society and they remain sustainable as the company would have wanted them to be. Data collection methods for the evaluation When a project is running, there are checks and balances that should be implemented to offer red flags in the case the set objectives and pathways as has been laid are not adhered to. Project managers have the mandate of ensuring that there are effective internal controls that address any chances of risk; to collect data on the progress and the steps to make the following are effective method of monitoring and evaluation data collection; Use efficient test-run reports Before implementation and after implementation of a project, a Oxfam should be taking an appropriate research on what the world is going through and make relevant reports that can aid in the management of the project; it should be in touch with the occurrences in the project area and other areas of the economy. It is important to consider the following key report types: Single-page project report: this is a short report that offers a single but direct grasp of the project. It should be summarized to offer an overview of what the project if like and how it is expected to be; when there is an observable disparity between what is on paper and what can be observed on the ground Budgetary information: it provides room for an aggregate roll-up on budgetary status; the main issue is to ensure there are resources for every project Project dashboard: they have one-lie simplified reports on execution level and the progress of the project. Resource allocation view: a comparison of the current available resources and their chances of availability in the next 12 months Strategic alignment: reports that align the entire project with the role and goals of an organization. Flexible pivot table capabilities: it uses drag-and-drop pivot table-style analysis to offer management platform of answering certain questions pertaining the project as they arise. Conduct postmortems To manage effectively projects, managers need to have an ongoing budgetary and analyzing method; they should never assume that since the project has been well planned; then that is the end of the story, they should understand that there are changes that might affect the project negatively thus they need to be checked effectively. A constant review of the budget, periods and the final periodical results will assist project managers keep the project on its toes. There are some changes that are expected to be observed in a project as it develop, they include an improvement on the lives of the children and the general school environment. To have the data, the monitoring and eval uation team should undertake regular surveys on the area of implementation the surveys should look into the expected result after certain duration and compare the same with the on paper or the project blue print expectation, in the case there is some disparity they should be addressed effectively (Kumar, 2005). Recommendation for an effective Monitoring and Evaluation program for Oxfam and Dak Nong Doet project Oxfam and Dak Nong Doet project should adopt computer aiding monitoring and evaluation systems supported by qualitative and quantitative data from the field; the systems can be in-house developed or they can be sourced from commercial markets, in whichever the way that they have been attained, and then the system should be responsive to the needs of the projects. They need to have the capacity of interpolating of different issues and information then give the desired response to the managers for effective decision-making. The operators of computer aided project developments s hould have a good understanding of how the system works as well as understand the various logistics that are involved in the project at hand, it is by doing so that appropriate mechanism can be adopted (Shane, 2003). An effective computer aiding monitoring and evaluation is likely to address the following areas: Project evaluation process or methodology: give a framework of the pathway that the project should follow Cost and benefits measurement: evaluate the benefits and gains that every stage in the project is leading to a dif there is a stage that is not fully operation, the system should be strong enough to alert the managers (Wenzhe, Maoshan, Duffield, Young and Youmei, 2007). Progress reporting: the system should be able to check and report the progress of the system periodically and offer reports that can be used to improve the project, to be in a position to do this, the system should incorporate some checks and balances and have optimal performances levels. Communication o f key project data: in management of a project, data and information is of essence, there is need to have timely and relevant data at all times. This will offer the much-needed resource to manage the project effectively: an effective system should have the ability to offer the required data when needed and portray the data in an acceptable manner. Resource and capacity planning: resources are limited, they need to be effectively managed and put in optimal use, an effective system should have the capability of offering a resource allocation tracking system Cost and benefits tracking: as the project unfolds, there is an urgent need to have all the areas on track, the system should ensure that it looks into the development of a project and make improvements changes where needed (Gary, 2010) Computer aiding monitoring and evaluation assess the project as a whole and assist managers to have a better track of the project progress, they are of great benefit to management and they need to be of the right operation, failure to which a project will suffer. The main objective of an effective computer aiding monitoring and evaluation program is to put available resources into optimal use; resources are scarce so their management and utility is paramount in modern societies (Cleland and Ireland, 2006). Managers should understand that their main role id linking the laid down strategy with actual performance, they should understand that they should be the pioneers of development and operation in the firm (Wheelen and Hunger, 1998). When they fail to undertake effectively their duty, they should be assured they are leading their organization to failure. The first thing that program managers should embark on is internal analyzing of its potential, and ways that the potential can be put in proper use. With limited resources and having a variety of mutually exclusive projects to undertake, the managers should ensure they select that project that offers maximum returns to the ta rget population and cost the organizations involved relatively manageable costs (Andersen and Vaagaasar, 2009) To create synergy and keep a project running, program managers needs to develop management elements and factors that can be used to motivate the team players to work hand; they should be encouraged through being shown the success they have made so as they can feel motivated to develop the project further. A project is bound to be faced with a number of risks; there is need for management to establish the risks that are to be associated with the project and develop adequate mitigation measures. When managing a project, there is needed to have an honest management and team, this will facilitate the development of appropriate decisions making systems to the benefit of the company (Wynant, 1980). Communication is important monitoring and evaluation as well as in initialization, concluding and making final reports of project; computer aiding monitoring and evaluation keeps proje ct managers on track and reminds them on their role to communicate the progress of the project for evaluation purposes. There is need to develop and maintain effective communication method. Managers should be able to offer directions and receive feedbacks from the ground using an appropriate communication method (Anderson, 2010). Depending with the technology adopted and the nature of a project, communication can take different forms: they include online reports, word of mouth, and periodical letters. Project success can be measured in terms of the practicability of business relationships that is directly proportional to the quality of communication (Anbari, 2010). Conclusion Oxfam-Dak Nong Doet project aims to improving the provinces education system; the focus of the project is to school administrators, pupils, parents, ministry of education and training, and teachers. The project has its main risk such as chances of not attaining its set goals and objective if risks associated ar e not effectively managed. Monitoring and evaluation program address risks within a project and ensures that every stage adheres to the pathway as planned and outcomes are attained as required. For an effective monitoring and evaluation, Oxfam should adopt a computer aiding monitoring and evaluation program that assist to keep track the progress of the project; when such a program has been adopted then the project will be successful. References Anbari, F., 2010. The Chunnel Project. Washington: The George Washington University Anderson, B. , 2010. Project Leadership and The Art Of Managing Relationship. Project management, 64(3), p. 58. Andersen, E. S., and Vaagaasar, A., 2009. Project management improvement efforts-creating project management value by uniqueness or mainstream thinking? Project Management Journal, 40(1), pp. 19-27. Cleland, D., and Ireland, R., 2006. Project management: strategic design and implementation. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Gary, L., 2010. Project management theory and practice .Baca Raton: Auerbach publishers. Kumar, P., 2005. Effective Use of Gantt chart for Managing Large Scale Projects Cost Engineering, 47(7), pp. 14-21. Livingston, J., 2008. Founders at work: stories of startups early days. Berkeley: Apress Long, J., Plosser, C. I.,1983. Real Business Cycles. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Marcus, G., 2010. Fundamental of agile project management: an overview. New York: Asme press. McComb, S., Kennedy, D., Green, S., and Compton, W., 2008. Project team effectiveness: the case for sufficient setup and top management involvement. Production Planning Control, 19(4), pp. 301-311. Newbold, R. C., 1998. Project Management in the Fast Lane; Applying the Theory of Constraints. New York: St. Lucie Publishers. Pons, D., 2008. Project management for new product development. Project Management Journal, 39(2), 82-97. Posond, D., 2008. Project management for new product development. Project Management Journal, 39(2), 82-97. S hane, S., 2003. A General Theory of Entrepreneurship: the Individual-Opportunity. Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing. Vaagaasar, A., 2009. Project management improvement efforts-creating project management value by uniqueness or mainstream thinking? Project Management Journal, 40(1), PP. 19-27. Walkenbach, J., 1997. Gantt charts in Excel. PC World, 15(12), p. 386. Wenzhe, T., Maoshan, Q., Duffield, C., Young, D., and Youmei, L., 2007. Risk Management in the Chinese Construction Industry. Journal of Construction Engineering Management, 133(12), pp.944-956. Wheelen, L., and Hunger, J.,1998. Strategic Management and Business Policy: Entering 21st Century Global Society. Massachusetts: Addison Wesley. Wynant, L., 1980. Essential elements of project financing. Harvard Business Review, 58(3), pp.165-173. Monitoring and Evaluations in Development For projects to be successful they need to be monitored and evaluated efficiently and effectively. Several techniques are applied during the whole process of project monitoring and evaluations development. The most common is the most significant change technique (MSC). The MSC technique â€Å"is a form of participatory monitoring and evaluation† (Davies Dart 2005, p.8).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Monitoring and Evaluations in Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is preferred as participatory because it involves different stakeholders who are involved in making decisive changes being recorded as well as analyzing the collected data (Ramalingam 2006, p.17; Dart Davies 2003, 157). It qualifies as a monitoring technique because it is applied along the program cycle through the provision of valuable management information. On the other hand, it is considered as an evaluating technique because it ab le to provide required â€Å"data on impact and the outcomes† (Davies Dart 2005, p.8; Serrat 2009, p.1) that is important in assessing a program performance. The MSC technique revolves around the gathering of vital changes that occur from the field and the significant stories (Mcdonald, Bammer Deane 2009, p.57) are selected by the field staff. Upon the capture of the stories, the stakeholders sit down, loudly read the stories and engage in in-depth discussions. The MSC was developed by Rick Davies in 1996 (Coy n.d, p.3; Lunch, 2007, p.28) as way of monitoring and evaluating participatory â€Å"rural development programme in Bangladesh† (Willetts Crawford 2007, p.367; Le Cornu, Peters, Foster 2003, p.3). It was seen as the alternative for the complex monitoring and evaluation techniques. Lastly, when the techniques have been successfully implemented the teams focus on the impact the program would have. The essay explores the challenges that face successful applicatio n of the most significant change technique. Like any other technique, the most significant change technique is faced by numerous challenges. One of the challenges that face successful application of the MSC is the ability to make the staff in a project to adequately and fully understand the MSC (Davies Dart 2005, p.55).Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Although it seems like a simple technique, most of the people find it challenging as it uses a different approach of monitoring and evaluating a project. This is because it is carried across multi-lingual and cross-cultural contexts with the aim of collecting the most successful stories. In these contexts, it may be difficult to implement the MSC because of the communication barrier created. Because of its inclusivity procedure, the Most Significant Change technique does not discriminate people across ethic or language divide. The communication barrier created by this inclusivity and context makes it hard to decide on the basic indicators and domains to use. Other than communication, training the project staffs to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge could be very difficult (Davies Dart 2005, p.55). Training the participants to fully understand the participatory monitoring and evaluation, the trainers are faced with the challenge of deciding what skills to prescribe (Estrella 2000, p.218). This is because the different people used in capacity building are of different levels. For instance, there are those who already have the required skills and need to improve while others are new in the capacity building program and need to acquire the basic skills (Coninck 2008, 144). The choice becomes very difficult because the stakeholders should be at the same level skill wise for the MSC to be successful. The different levels of capacity mean that differing perspectives and capacities are brought on to the table. The implication of this is that at the community level, the stakeholders could be hindered by the powerbase. The stakeholders with much strength could use their influence to control the resources meant for all people. Participatory monitoring and evaluation would be compromised because only few people’s stories would be recorded. Another challenge faced during MSC application is capacity building. Capacity building entails the identification of the participants to be involved in a participatory project monitoring and evaluation. Capacity building consists of different participants who have different level of understanding, skills, and education. Therefore, it becomes challenging to fully accommodate all the people and train them on the same domain without conflict of interest. The need to build the capacities of the participants collectively (Estrella et al. 2000, p.218) could be very challenging making it difficult to successfully apply the participatory monito ring and application. Like development research, MSC requires the proper outlining of the motives (Akker n.d, p.1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Monitoring and Evaluations in Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Dominant shareholders may have negative influence on the implementation of a successful MSC. This is because their willingness to share their resources and power may be compromised. They may not be willing to share their resources and capacities with the other participants or shareholders which compromises the whole project monitoring and evaluation process. For examples, donors may only require the local people to participate at the initiation phases which make the locals participation somehow superficial (Estrella 2008, p.221). This may jeopardize the success of the MSC as more time would be required to negotiate the participants and reach a common operative ground. The fact that capacity buildi ng entails different participants as it is based on the wider range of people inclusion principle means that the participants and stakeholders involved share different expectations (Estrella 2008, p.219; Mikkelsen 2007, p.281). This translates that their access needs are totally different which makes it difficult to decide on which stakeholders to start up with. It also brings the challenge of choosing what concepts and skills to use and deciding the initiation point for the MSC implementation. However, it is argued that capacity building should be started with stakeholders who have been occasionally excluded from participatory monitoring and evaluation. This ensures that the needed skills and confidence are build. This may be difficult in choosing the people because as noted the people are from different cultural and lingual backgrounds making communication a barrier. The wider range of the people included in a capacity building means that the people have different visions. This ca n make it difficult in negotiating the shareholders to accommodate the prescribed vision. It may take a lot of time in deciding the most appropriate and accommodative ground. This would jeopardize the allocated timeframe making the whole process delayed thus increasing the possibilities of coming with a successful MSC.Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More PME involve a lot of stakeholders participating (Mikkelsen 2007, p.283), however the challenge that faces the facilitator is to choose which shareholder to participate at what level because they all cannot participate at the same level. This may cause delay in choosing and allocating the different levels thus compromising the PME success. The inadequate availability and access to resources has been reported as major constraints in abilities building among the stakeholders involved in a PME (Estrella 2000, p.227). Based on this context, the resources do not necessarily mean funds but the material resources, information, and human capital. The inability to have trained and skilled project facilitators, sufficient materials, and adequate information on the locals and the Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation makes individual capacity and institution building in the MSE compromised. The costs incurred in the training and purchase of the required materials may significantly affect the budget allocated in the monitoring and the evaluation processes. Project facilitators are often faced with the challenge of ensuring that they are not faced with bias which may compromise the success of MSC. For instance, the inclusivity principle requires that all people be actively involved and their change stories collected with bias (Moore Offer n.d, p.117). However, the facilitators may be faced with the problem of choosing between the views of the most articulate participants and those of the others. The ability to make a choice from different collections challenges the facilitators as they try not to be biased and be accommodative to all participants regardless of the abilities. The selection process may also be biased if the facilitators do not facilitate the process across a wider range of spectrum. The challenge that is faced is coming with the most consistent and appropriate team to work with without bias in terms of gender or abilities. Given that MSC operates under the participatory context for validity reasons, it is often faced with the challenge of measuring the impact brought about by the participatory projects (Davies Dart 2005, p.68). The stakeholders are often faced with the challenge of choosing the most appropriate participatory ME to adopt instead of empowering the participants. It is utterly difficult to depend on the purposive sampling involved in MSC sampling. This is because the process involves the collection of the success stories rather than being inclusive. This makes it difficult to record the negative aspects of a particular project. In other instances, it is hard to decide on the appropriate stories from the different cultures â€Å"therefore there would be little value to the use of MSC in such an environment† (IOD PARC 2010). MSC is faced with entry of inaccurate data which is not time bound which may make it insignificant (Kotvojs n.d, p.6). In the most remote areas, it would be hard to successfully apply the MSC te chnique as the validity of the recorded information may be compromised. Since, the MSC technique depends heavily on the collected data, its success may be jeopardized if the collected and recorded information is lost. This would make it impossible to analyze the outcome and the impact of a particular program or project. The collected data requires a lot of time to make reviews (Scott Proescholdbell 2005, 29) and this may be hard for MSC. The concept of the applying the Most Significant Change technique is often not well conceptualized. For example, its application in 3 Australian funded project programs was faced with overcoming misunderstanding (Kotvojs n.d, p.3). It was perceived as an alternative of replacing the monitoring and evaluation process rather than playing a greater part in the broader monitoring and evaluation plan. Therefore, MCS is faced with misconceptions on the role it effectively and essentially plays in participatory ME. Field officers may be challenged in expl aining the importance of the technique and its application. This has the capacity of making its MSC unsuccessful because of the mixed opinions and reactions in regard to the questions asked (Outreach Evaluation Resource Center, 2009, p.1). The evaluation of the development projects involves a lot of heterogeneous activities that may be a challenge (Kumar Seth n.d, p.1). The people involved in project have diverse motives and views. Therefore, the use of the MSC may be compromised because the stakeholders’ motives are all different. For example, the MSC is based on storytelling technique (Groot, Toornstra Tarla 2001, p.1) in which the success stories are recorded. In conclusion, MSC technique which is participatory tool applied in the evaluation and monitoring of projects, is often faced with challenges that jeopardize its success. For instance, it is prone to bias as the tool depends on the selection of the most success stories from a list of many. Because of its wide range o f participants with different languages and cultural contexts, communication barrier is created. This hinders the relay of information to the participants. It also prohibits proper understanding between the stakeholders and the project facilitators. It is also faced with the challenge of disseminating the required skills and knowledge across to the participants. This is because of the different abilities and capabilities that shareholders have. For example, the different participants have different level of education, understanding and capacity. The officer is faced with the challenge of deciding on which group to start up with. Depending on the locality of the targeted group MSC may be hard to successfully apply because of inadequate resources and time. Some of the projects require more resources than others making its application jeopardized. The participants involved in a MCS technique all have different expectations and it may be hard to decide on what changes need to be recorde d. Other than different expectations, the stakeholders bring perspectives and capabilities which may be differing. For instance, one of the groups may be constraint while the other may be willing to benefit from the MSC technique application. These differences make it hard to fully apply the MSC. Time constraints the facilitation of a proper MSC technique. Reference List Akker, J. V. n.d, Principles and methods of development research [Online] Available at http://projects.edte.utwente.nl/smarternet/version2/cabinet/ico_design_principles.pdf Coninck, J.D. et al. 2008, Planning, monitoring and evaluation in development organizations: Sharing training and facilitation experiences, Thousand Oaks, California, Sage publications. Choy, S. n.d, Most significant change technique: a supplementary evaluation tool [Online] Available at http://avetra.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/30.00.pdf Dart, J. J. Davies R.J. 2003, A dialogical story-based evaluation tool: the most significant change t echnique, American Journal of Evaluation, Vol. 24 no.2 pp.137-55 De Groot,.W. T, Toornstra, F. H. Tarla, F. N. 2001, Storytelling for Participatory Rural Appraisal [Online] Available at planotes.org/documents/plan_02309.PDF Davies, R. Dart, J. 2005, The ‘Most Significant Change (MSC) technique: A guide to its use [Online] Available at: http://mande.co.uk/docs/MSCGuide.pdf. Estrella, M. et al.2008, Learning from change: Issues and experiences in participatory and evaluation, Southampton, Intermediate Technology Publication Ltd. IOD PARC. 2010, Most Significant Change in practice [Online] Available at iodparc.com/resource/msc.html Kotvojs, F. n.d. MSC: Misconceptions, strengths and challenges [Online] Available at aes.asn.au/conferences/2009/Papers/Kotvojs,%20Fiona%20-%20MSC.pdf . Kumar, A Seth, M, n.d, â€Å"Stories of change for assessing programme impact: Most Significant Change (MSC) technique as a tool for monitoring and evaluation of development programmes† [Onli ne] Available at http://istr.conference-services.net/resources/588/1799/pdf/ISTR2010_0485.pdf Le Cornu, R., Peters, J. Foster, M. 2003, Exploring Perceptions of ‘Significant  Change’ in Reforming Schools [Online] Available at aare.edu.au/03pap/lec03358.pdf Lunch, C, 2007, The Most Significant Change: Using participatory video for monitoring  and evaluation[Online] Available at: http://insightshare.org/sites/default/files/The%20Most%20Significant%20Change%20using%20PV%20for%20ME.pdf . Mcdonald, D., Bammer, G., Deane, P. (2009).Research integration using dialogue methods, Acton, ANU E Press. Mikkelsen, B. 2007, Methods for Development Work and Research. New Delhi: Sage. Moore, A. Offer, L. n.d, Assessing changes in social capacity: experience with the ‘Most Significant Change’ technique, Extension Farming Systems Journal, vol. 5 No.1, pp.113-118. Outreach Evaluation Resource Center. 2009, Handout Five Qualitative Interviewing â€Å"Story† Metho ds  http://nnlm.gov/pnr/training/data_collection/DC_Handout5_story_tech.pdf Ramalingam, B. 2006. Tools for knowledge and learning: A Guide for development and  humanitarian organisations [Online] Available at odi.org.uk/resources/download/153.pdf Serrat, O. 2009, The Most significant change technique [Online] Available at adb.org/Documents/Information/Knowledge-Solutions/Most-Significant-Change.pdf . Scott, S. Proescholdbell, S. 2005. Structured Storytelling Method communityresearchworks.com/Toolbox/ParticipatoryEvaluation/NC_Storytelling_Method.pdf. Willetts, J. Crawford, P. 2007. The most significant lessons about the Most Significant Change technique, Development in Practice, Vol. 17, no. 3, pp.367-379

Life In A Temperate Grassland

Life In A Temperate Grassland As much as one-fifth of the Earths surface is covered in wild grasses in biomes known, aptly, as grasslands. These biomes are characterized by the plants that grow there, but they also attract a unique array of animals into their realm.   Savannas and Grasslands: Whats the difference? Both are dominated by grass and few trees as well as hooved animals that can run fast from predators, so whats the difference between a grassland and a savanna? Essentially a savanna is one type of grassland found in tropical regions. It generally gets more moisture and therefore has a few more trees than grasslands in the rest of the world. The other type of grassland - known more simply as a temperate grassland - experiences seasonal changes throughout the year that bring hot summers and cold winters. Temperate grasslands receive just enough moisture to support the growth of grasses, flowers, and herbs, but not much else. This article will focus on the plants, animals, and regions of the worlds temperate grassland biomes. Where in the World Are Grasslands Found? Temperate grasslands are characterized by their  hot summers, cold winters, and very rich soils. They  can be found throughout North America - from Canadas prairies to the plains of the midwestern United States. They are also found in other parts of the world, albeit they are known here under different names. In South America, grasslands are called pampas, in Hungary they are called pusztas, whereas in Eurasia they are known as steppes. Temperate grasslands found in South Africa are called veldts. Plants in the Grassland: More than just grass! As you might expect, grasses are the predominant plant species growing in grasslands. Grasses, such as barley, buffalo grass, pampas grass, purple needlegrass, foxtail, rye grass, wild oats, and wheat are the main plants that grow in these ecosystems. The amount of annual rainfall affects the height of the grasses that grow in temperate grasslands, with taller grasses growing in wetter areas. But thats all there is to these rich and fertile ecosystems. Flowers, such as sunflowers, goldenrods, clover, wild indigos, asters, and blazing stars make their home among those grasses, as do several species of herbs. Precipitation in grassland biomes is often high enough to support grasses and a few small trees, but for the most part trees are rare. Fires and erratic climate generally prevent trees and forests from taking over. With so much of a grass growth occurring underground or low to the ground, they are able to survive and recover from fires more quickly than shrubs and trees. Also, the soils in grasslands, while fertile, are typically thin and dry, making it difficult for trees to survive. Temperate Grassland Animals There are not many places for prey animals to hide from predators in grasslands. Unlike savannas, where there is a large diversity of animals present, temperate grasslands are generally dominated by just a few species of herbivores such as  bison, rabbits, deer, antelope, gophers, prairie dogs,and antelopes. Since there are not many places to hide in all of that grass, some grassland species - such as mice, prairie dogs, and gophers have adapted by digging burrows to hide from predators such as coyotes and foxes.  Birds such as eagles, hawks, and owls also find lots of easy prey in grasslands. Spiders and insects, namely grasshoppers, butterflies, crickets, and dung beetles are in abundance in temperate grasslands as are several snake species. Threats to Grasslands The primary threat faces by grassland ecosystems is the destruction of their habitat for agricultural use. Thanks to their rich soils, temperate grasslands are frequently converted to farm land. Agricultural crops, such as corn, wheat, and other grains grow well in grassland soils and climate. And domestic animals, such as sheep and cattle, love to graze there. But this destroys the delicate balance of the ecosystem and removes the habitat for the animals and other plants that call the temperate grasslands their home. Finding land to grow crops and support farm animals is important, but so are grasslands, and the plants and animals that live there.

Solve the questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Solve the questions - Assignment Example 2) The user is a critical part of phishing prevention. What are two elements that might give away an attempt to pose as a financial site? One of the two elements is when a user does not use the â€Å"HTTPS† in the URL. This means that the website is not secured. Another way that the website may deemed as fake is when the URL changes. Many phishing scammers attempt to conduct this attack by pasting their customized URL, which may have different ending such as .net. In order to take a preventive action against this type of attack, it is crucial to write the URL on the menu bar as it removes any discrepancy. Another element that it very vital is that the URL might ask for you to upgrade the software. However, this is a deception itself as it tries to run a .exe file. In any notification of running a .exe, this might be a clear example of a fake website. 3) A browser can warn a user of a homeograph attack with a visual cue. Give an example describing a method that still allows the user to browse to a Chinese or Arabic site. Well, this case may be different. Arabic website utilizes right to left text so it may be clear that it’s a homographic attack. However, taking a case of Spanish website versus an American website, the discrepancy is harder to resolve. 4) Based on the reading in the book an attacker (most of the time) must learn about the database in order to attack with SQL injection. How can information be gathered without insider knowledge? SQL injection is a technique that exploits a security vulnerability occurring in the database layer of an application. SQL although is a very useful language, can be very vulnerable against security. By conducting ad hoc queries, such as using a wildcard(*) symbol, hackers can obtain vital SSN or credit card numbers. Even if they acquire certain information, they have programs that can execute queries to utilize many permutations of a function to acquire the right combination of information. 5) Why isnâ€℠¢t input validation always done if it can mitigate the #1 cyber attack vector? Whose â€Å"job† is it? The problem with input validation is the fact that it can be utilized to conduct cyber attacks. Input validation are result of bad programming errors To execute a buffer overflow attack, you merely dump as much data as possible into an input field. The attack is said to be successful when it returns an application error. Cross-site scripting attacks place malicious code, usually JavaScript, in locations where other users see it. Target fields in forms can be addresses, bulletin board comments, etc. 1) Why is DNS considered one of the â€Å"pillar† application layer protocols? DNS is a pillar because all applications depend on DNS to provide authenticated binding between a name and the IP address. DNS also binds a name to unauthenticated IP addresss. Without DNS, SSL and TLS are not established and address authentication services verify the security sessions after the DNS connection. Without DNS< the foundation of networking is not solidified. 2) Briefly describe the process for a DNS query. The first step in a DNS query process is that it requests information. Once the process has begun, the computers searches the local DNS cache to look for the address. If the address is not found, it performs a DNS query. Secondly, it asks the recursive DNS servers to contact ISP’s recursive DNS servers. Since Recursive servers have their own caches, and the information is

Trends in Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Trends in Supply Chain Management - Essay Example Thus, with reference to the current technological innovation, customers expect an efficient system that is both cost effective and reliable for commercial and private use. Operations within an individual market clog the morale of conducting business and restrict diversity therefore leading to reactive industries. With reference to international trade, various investors and product developers are able to develop and create products resembling the demands of the global customers (Green, Whitten, Inman, 2008). In addition, the use of specific strategies in some regions to manage costs, has transpired the trading of best practices leading, in some cases, to unified code of conduct within the logistics industry (Handfield, Straube, Pfohl, and Wieland, 2013). With reference to customer satisfaction, globalization creates interaction between various business blocs thus influencing the development, marketing, distribution, and sale of alternative products. The logistics industry comprises of a network of companies operating in both local and international sectors. These networks help to sustain the industry through the handling of segmented logistics’ service-tasks (Hanningan, & Mangan, 2001). The collapse of one segment in the network has the potential of interfering with global logistics operations. Following the trend of industries experiencing economic-crisis aftershock effects, research suggests that business blocs should loosen ties with volatile markets and implement strategies sustainable within a narrowed logistics’ environment (Florin, n.d). Green, K., Whitten, D., Inman, A. (2008). The Impact of Logistics Performance on Organization Performance in a Supply Chain Context. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol 13, No. 4: pp. 317-327. Retrieved February 14, from Academic search complete. Hanningan, K., & Mangan, J. (2001). The Role of Logistics and Supply Chain Management in