Racial Disparity in Criminal Justice System Essay

Introduction Twenty-five percent of the world’s prison population, 2.5 million people, are held in American penal institutions. (ACLU, 2008). Sixty percent of those incarcerated are racial and ethnic minorities. These figures mean that 2.3% of all African Americans are incarcerated. The percentage of whites admitted to prison is 0.4% of whites and Hispanics, 0.7%. (Associated Press, 2007; Bonczar, 2003; Mauer & King, 2007; ACLU, 2008; Bridges & Sheen, 1998;). One of the primary contributors to this gross disproportion of incarceration of blacks is the result of â€Å"the war on drugs† and â€Å"tough on crime† initiatives that were established in the 80’s. The aggressive law enforcement strategies of The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, disproportionately arrested, convicted, and incarcerated millions of blacks for relatively minor nonviolent drug offenses as compared to white offenders. The dramatic escalation of incarceration for drug offenses was accompanied by profound racial disparities. Blacks were incarcerated at a grossly disproportionate rate to white Americans and blacks received much harsher and longer sentences, 14.5% longer, creating racial disparity within the criminal justice system (Alexander, 2010; Austin, et al.; Georges-Abeyie, 2006; Gonzà ¡lez & Chang, 2011; Lynch & William, 1997; Mauer, 2007; Mauer & King, 2007; Spohn, 2000 (Alexander, 2010, Associated Press, 2007, Mauer M. 2009; Mauer M., 2008; Spohn, 2000) Mass incarceration functions more like a caste system than a system of crime prevention serves the same purpose as pre-Civil War slavery and the post-Civil War Jim Crow laws: to maintain a racial caste system: a system designed to keep a racial group locked into an inferior position by law and customs. (Alexander, 2010) While scholars have long analyzed the connection between race and America’s criminal justice system, argue that our growing penal system, with its black tinge, constitutes nothing less than a new form of Jim Crow. There are writers that feel the analogy’s myopic focus on the War on Drugs diverts us from discussing violent crime—an oversight when discussing mass interaction in the United States. (James Forman) There is no dispute as to the extent of the escalation in criminalization and incarceration in the United States in the 40-year war on drugs. That violent offenders make up a plurality of  the prison population, but research has shown that the unequal enforcement of mandatory policies in place, black males received longer terms than whites for similar drug offenses, 14.5% longer, this creates the level of mass incarceration that racial disparity within the criminal justice system. ). Look at states in there Midwest and northeast have the greatest black-to- white disparity in incarceration. So when states as Iowa, the 10th safest state in the US, 91.3% of the population is White (88.7% non-Hispanic),and 2.9% is Black or African American, how is it for every 100,000 people Iowa incarcerates 309 white and 4200 are black, imprisoning black at 13 times the rate of whites. The unequal enforcement of mandatory policies in place, black males received longer terms than whites for similar drug offenses, 14.5% longer, this creates the level of mass incarceration that racial disparity within the criminal justice system. Supporting data shows the extraordinary increases in several states of nonwhite drug offenders committed to prison receiving harsher sentences for similar drug offences. (Alexander, 2010; Tonry, 1994 (ACLU, 2008; Alexander, 2010; Green, 2012Lacey, 2010; Bonczar, 2003; Glaze & Herberman, 2010; Mauer, 2009; Mauer, 2008; M Mauer and King (2007);Russell-Brown, 2008; Mauer & King 2007; The Institute for Economics and Peace, 2012; Petersilia,1983; Loury, 2010; Russell-Br own, 2008). There have been studies in theoretical foundation and methodological sophistication to assess the disproportionality in incarceration of racial minorities. Research has dispelled the assertion that blacks are disproportionality sentenced and incarcerated due solely to differential crime commission rates. All actors within the criminal justice system are under the delusion, or pretense, of objectivity in the criminal justice system. (Spohn, 2000; Russell-Brown, 2008) In response to this gap in literature, the current study will focus exclusively on the consistent patterns indicating that offender race operates directly through other factors, arresting officer, prior record, type of crime, pretrial status or type of disposition, or interacts with other variables that are themselves related to racial disparity. I will also attempt to determine why these disproportionalities exist by examining the criminal justice system policies and practices that have contributed in recent decades to t he disproportionate overrepresentation of minorities in the criminal justice system. Literature Review Criminologist and social-political geographer Daniel E. Georges-Abeyie introduced the concept and theory of petit apartheid in criminal justice and juvenile justice in 1990 to describe discriminatory, discretionary acts by law enforcement, correctional officers, and jurists that advantage or disadvantage an individual, or individuals, on grounds of their identity characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, or nationality Georges-Abeyie Petit Apartheid Social Distance Severity Scale to predict criminal justice process outcomes when the identity characteristics of those making discretionary decisions and those impacted are similar or dissimilar. Petit Apartheid Social Distance Severity Scale. His frank interview with Justice Bruce Wright confirmed that each actor brings his personal bias into his duties in the criminal justice system. New York State Supreme Court Justice the Honorable McM. Bruce Wright, author of Black Robes, White Justice (1992), a criminal justice advocate, believed that a judge should consciously be â€Å"Black, Hispanic, female, working class, et cetera†, while adjudicating. Judge Wright believed that all judges manifested their social, cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, and social class biases while adjudicating. We are all impacted by life experiences. He gave an example, a specific judge, who would regularly, with pride and pomposity, proclaimed that he â€Å"quickly sized-up a defendant† as the defendant was led into the court in chains, by noting the demeanor, gait, body-language, and general physical appearance of the defendant before the defendant’s attorney, or the defendant, uttered a single word. What appalled Judge Wright was not the scrutinizing of that defendant but the denial of the phenomenologically filtered judgment, which accompanied that observation. (Georges-Abeyie, 2006) Multi factors economic, personal bias and what are considered subtle bias, offender age and gender, are major factors in the level of racial disparity within the criminal justice system. (Georges-Abeyie, 2006;; Austin, et al., 2012;Bonczar, 2003; Brewer & Heitzeg; Glaze & Herberman, 2012; Green, 2012; Lacey,2010; Gonzà ¡lez & Chang, 2011; Lee & Vukich, 2001;Loury, 2010)Mauer & King, 2007; Petersilia, 1983; Spohn, 2000; Tonry, 1994; Marc Mauer has been reporting on racial disparity since 1975 report on racial disparity and mass incarceration in the criminal justice system. His 1995 report led the New York Times to editorialize that the report â€Å"should set off alarm bells from the White House to city halls – and help reverse the notion that we can incarcerate our way out of fundamental social problems.† Finding evidence of direct discrimination against minorities in the role of race, prediction, and discretion in the criminal justice system (Baradaran, 2013; Mauer M. 2009) Research has proven that the first point of discrimination that afflicts the system is contact with the police. Police arrest black defendants more often for crimes than white defendants. (Mauer & King, 2007) Spohn in his report, Thirty Years of Prison Reform: the race for a neutralizing sentence process,† found that â€Å"a certain type† of minority offenders, perhaps because they are perceived as being more dang erous, are singled out for arrest and harsher treatment. These markers are Blacks and Hispanics who are young, male, and unemployed are particularly more likely than their white counterparts to be sentenced to prison and in some jurisdictions, they also receive longer sentences or differential benefits from guideline departures. There is also evidence that minorities convicted of drug offenses, those with longer prior criminal records, those who victimize whites, and those who refuse to plead guilty or are unable to secure pretrial release are punished more severely than similarly situated whites. (Spohn, 2000) Crime rates, law enforcement priorities, sentencing legislation and other factors play a role in creating racial disparities in incarceration. (Roth, 2001). The prosecutors, more than any  other officials in the criminal justice system, have the most direct impact on racial disparities, and thus, must bear the most responsibility in remedying them. (Davis, 1998) Race (and in particular racial stereotypes) plays a role in the judgments and decision making by all of the participants within the criminal justice system. The influence of an individual’s bias is subtle and often undetectable in any given case, but its effects are significant and observable over time. When policymakers determine policy, when official actors exercise discretion, and when citizens proffer testimony or jury-service, bias often plays a role. (Georges-Abeyie, 2006). In January of 2000, 19-year-old Jason Williams was convicted of selling a total of 1/8 oz. of cocaine on four separate occasions. Although he had no prior convictions, the Texas youth was sentenced to 45 years in prison under a state law provision that increases penalties for drug sales that occur within 1,000 feet of a school or park. As it turns out, roughly half of Williams’ hometown of Tulia falls within these â€Å"drug-free zones.† Williams was just one of 46 Tulians – including more than 10 percent of the town’s black population – caught up in a law-enforcement sweep initiated by a single undercover officer who claimed that he had bought drugs from each of them. Half faced enhanced prison terms under the drug-free zone statute, and many pled guilty in order to avoid Williams’ fate. In the months that followed sentencing, it became clear that the evidence used to convict Williams and the other defendants had been fabricated by Tom Colem an, the undercover ofï ¬ cer. The wrongfully convicted Tulians were pardoned by Governor Rick Perry in August 2003, but the incident remains a vivid example of the dangerous excesses of the nation’s increasingly unpopular â€Å"war on drugs.† These systems operate collectively to ensure the subordinate status of a group defined largely by race. And while the size of the system alone might suggest that it would touch the lives of most Americans, racial disparities in the US prison system have been increasing throughout the last third of the twentieth century (Alexander, 2010; Tonry, 1994). We have to look at the first point of contact for the defendant – and follow his journey through the criminal justice system through the maze of racial bias and discrimination and focus on answering why these disproportionalities exist. The problem of racial disparity is one which builds at each stage of the criminal justice continuum from arrest through parole, rather than the result of the actions at any single stage. How race, ethnicity, class, and gender influence decisions about individuals being processed through the criminal justice system. (Georges-Abeyie, 2006; Marc Mauer; 2009; Lynch & Sabol, 1997). Statistics show the cumulative impact of decisions made through personal bias at one level contributes to racial disparities at subsequent levels in the criminal justice system. Race-based differences in individual treatment are some of the most apparent in American society today and these bias based decisions challenge the principle that the criminal justice system is fair, effective and just. Methodology Study Purpose This study explores the extent of racial disparity within the criminal justice system and where it exists. The criminal justice system involves numerous actors—such as police officers, prosecutors, judges, jurors, and eyewitnesses—whose decisions and judgments have a significant impact on the conviction and punishment of criminal defendants this study will demonstrate how how race significantly affects the decisions and judgments of those at various levels within the criminal system. (Blumstein et al. 1983, 72; Lee & Vukich, 2001). Does racial disparity exist within the criminal justice system? Does the perceptions of race affect their response to offenders? Hypothesis: Racial disparity exist within the criminal justice system? Null Hypothesis Racial disparity does not exist within the criminal justice system. Research Design This study will use a longitudinal design that will collect data through questionnaire structured interviews, observations and analysis of documents. Sampling  Using secondary data from the General Social Survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago in connection with the Implicit Association Test (IAT), which measures reaction times in response to certain visual stimuli. (Gonzà ¡lez & Chang, 2011). The sample frame will represent all actors in the criminal justice system. This study uses a research design that simultaneously collects quantitative and qualitative data through the use of various survey instruments, observations and questionnaires by which to conduct bivariate comparisons of incarceration rates for whites and racial minorities and methodologically more rigorous multivariate analyses designed to identify direct race and indirect race effects and for interaction between race and other predictions of arrest,  sentencing and adjudication. A link between discrimination and disproportionality using multi-variate organizational, environmental, contextual and individual factors with police behavior and research on the effects of pre-trial decision making (Mauer & King, 2007). The intent of this approach is to gain a broader perspective than would be otherwise achieved from only one data collection method (Small, 2011). Moreover, this mixed-methods approach for the collection and analyses of data will be utilized to increase the validity of the research and the reliability of the findings by using the results of both methods to support each other (Bachman & Schutt, 2007; Creswell, 2013). Quantitative data using a survey and school database will be used to obtain an overview of the research questions I will use qualitative methodology through semi structured focus groups, giving studies the opportunity to convey their personal encounter with the criminal justice system so that a fuller understanding of factors involved with racial/ethnic disparity. Issues of validly and reliability Validity methodologies include testing subjects while â€Å"measuring cardiovascular response, micro-facial movements, or neurological activity when viewing. As another example, police officers in one experiment exhibited a tendency to associate Black (as opposed to White) faces with criminality. In yet another experiment, both police and probation officers exhibited a significant influence of race on their judgments of culpability and decisions to arrest and to charge. Much of this research is done in connection with the Implicit Association Test (IAT), which measures reaction times in response to certain visual stimuli.71 Other methodologies include testing subjects while â€Å"measuring cardiovascular response, micro-facial movements, or neurological activity (Gonzà ¡lez & Chang, 2011) Limitations What tends to be expressed may not provide good data about â€Å"true† attitudes, especially when people wish to conceal their motives or if they have unconscious biases. Sentencing data are limited in terms of demographic and extra-legal variables, and these data are neither readily available nor easily obtainable. Contribution to the field Racial disparity operates as a tightly networked system of laws, policies, customs, and institutions within our criminal Justice system. This information will inform decision makers about differences in the unequal treatment of defendants based on the illegitimate criteria of race, when ‘like cases’ with respect to case attributes—regardless of their legitimacy defendants are sentenced differently. Possibly identifying gaps between established policies and actual practices. It will outline the various levels that racial disparity enters the criminal justice system. The decision-making that occurs prior to sentencing often has a greater impact on the punishment that offenders receive than does the exercise of discretion in sentencing. If there are differences in the way these decisions are made for different racial and ethnic groups, such differences could contribute to sentencing disparities that would be masked by â€Å"legal† factors. Arrest and conviction rates do not correlate precisely with criminal behavior rates and cannot serve as a proxy for criminality. A very large portion of disproportionality cannot be explained by legitimate race neutral factors, leading us to conclude that race matters in ways that are not fair, that do not advance legitimate public safety objectives, that produce racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and that undermine public confidence in our legal system (Gonzà ¡lez & Chang, 2011)　 Analysis will show that the ways that the correctional system in the United States functions to control minorities through deliberately chosen, systematically imposed legal restrictions. Is that crime rates do not explain the sudden and dramatic mass incarceration of African Americans during the past 30 years. Crime rates have fluctuated over the last few decades—they are currently at historical lows—but imprisonment rates have consistently soared. Quintupled, in fact. And the vast majority of that increase is due to the War on Drugs. (Alexander, 2010; Russell-Brown, 2008) References ACLU. (2008). The Prison Crisis. Washington, DC: American Civil Liberties Union. Alexander, M. (2010). The new Jim Crow: Mass incarceration in the age of coloirblindness. . New York: The New Press. Associated Press. (2007, July 18). Study show racial disparities in prison. USA Today, p. 1. Austin, J., Cadora, E., Clear, T. R., Dansky, K., Greene, J., Gupta, V., . . . Young, M. C. (2012). ENDING MASS INCARCERATION:CHARTING A NEW JUSTICE REINVESTMENT. Washington: The Sentencing Project. Baradaran, S. (2013). Race, Prediction, and Discretion. George Washington Law Review, 157-216. . Bonczar, T. P. (2003). Prevalence of Imprisonment in the U.S. Population, 1974-2001. Washington,DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/piusp01.pdf Brewer, R. M., & Heitzeg, N. A. (2008). The Racialization of Crime and Punishment: Criminal Justice Color-Blind Racism, and the Political Economy of the Prison Industrial Complex . American Behavioral Scientist, 625-644. Bridges, G. S., & Sheen, S. ( 1998). Racial Disparities in Official Assessments of Juvenile Offenders: Attributional Stereotypes as Mediating Mechanisms. American Sociological Review, 554-570. Davis, A. J. (1998). â€Å"Prosecution and Race: The Power and Privilege of Discretion.†. Fordham Law Review, 50. Georges-Abeyie, D. E. (2006). Race, Ethnicity, and Social Distance Severity. The Western Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 30, (No. 2), 20. Glaze, L. E., & Herberman, E. J. (2012). Correctional Populations in the United States Series. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics. Gonzà ¡lez, S. C., & Chang, R. S. (2011). Task Force on Race and the Criminal Justice System . Seattle: Task Force on Race and the . Green, A. (2012). The disproportionate impact of the criminal justice system on people of color in the capital region. The Center for Law & Justice. Greene, K., Pranis, K., & Ziedenberg, P. (2006, March). Disparity by Design: How drug-free zone laws impact racial disparity – and fail to protect youth. Justice Policy Institute, p. 1. James Forman, J. (n.d.). RACIAL CRITIQUES OF MASS INCARCERATION: BEYOND THE NEW JIM CROW. Yale Law School. Kleiman, M. (1997). â€Å"Drug-Free or Unfree: To Get Heavy Users to Stay Clean, Link Parole and Probation to Abstinence. Washington: The Washington Post . Lacey, N. (2010). American imprisonment in comparative perspective. Daedalus, Vol. 139(No. 3 ), 102-114. Lee, N., & Vukich, E. M. (2001). Race in the Criminal Justice System. Wsashington: State of Washington Sentencing Guidelines Commission. Loury, G. (2010). Crime, Inequality and Social Justice. American Academy oif Arts and Sciences, 134-140. Lynch, J. P., & Sabol, W. (1997). Did getting tough on crime pay? Washington, DC: The Urban Institute. Mauer, M. (2008). Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs Hearing on Federal Cocaine Sentencing Laws. The Sentencing Project, 8. Mauer, M. (2009). Racial impact statements: Changing policies to address disparitie. The Sentencing Project. Mauer, M. (2009). The changing racial dynamcis of the war on drugs. Washington: The Sebtebcing Project. Mauer, M., & King, R. (2007). A 25-year quagmire: The â€Å"war on drugs† and its impact on american society. The Sentencing Project, 33. Mauer, M., & King, R. (2007). Uneven Justice: State Rates of Incarceration. Washington, DC: Sentencing Project. Mauer, M., & King, R. (2007). Uneven Justice:State Rates of Incarceration By Race and Ethnicity. Washington: The Sentencing Project. Nellis, A., Greene, J., & Mauer, M. (2000). Reducing Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System. Washington: The Sentencing Project. Petersilia, J. (1983). Racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Santa Monica,: Rand Corporation. Roth, K. (2001, March 2014). Race and Incarceration in The United States. Human Rights Watch. Russ ell-Brown, K. (2008). The Color of Crime; Racial Hoaxes, White Fear, Black Protectionism, Police Harassment, and Other Macroaggressions. New York: New York University Press. Spohn, C. C. (2000). Thirty years of sentencing reform: The quest for a racially neutral sentencing process. National Institute of Justice. The Institute for Economics and Peace . (2012 ). Peace in the United States of America. Washington, DC: The Institute for Economics and Peace . Tonry, M. (1994). Racial Disproportion in US Prisons. British Journal of Criminology.

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Post traumatic stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Post traumatic stress - Essay Example The current state of literature suggests that numerous events and factors can trigger posttraumatic stress in children, from a minor physical injury to earthquakes and wars. Psychological treatment has a potential to reduce the symptoms and complications of posttraumatic stress in children. The current state of empirical literature suggests that a whole range of factors and events can trigger the development of posttraumatic stress experiences in children. Dozens of studies confirm that children are particularly vulnerable to the risks of PTSD. Aaron, Zaglul and Emery (1999) explored posttraumatic stress in children after acute physical injury. The researchers interviewed forty children 8-17 years old and concluded that many children hospitalized with physical injuries met diagnostic criteria for PTSD (Aaron et al, 1999). In a similar vein, Thabet and Vostanis (1999) analyzed posttraumatic symptoms investigating Palestinian children who suffered the emotional effects of war. War was found to heavily contribute to the development of posttraumatic experiences in Palestinian children: 72.8% of children in the sample reported posttraumatic reactions to war traumas (Thabet & Vostanis, 1999).

Chinas Many Faces Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chinas Many Faces - Research Paper Example The writer is focusing on the racial segregation in China. She first compares it with other developed nations that have mixed races, but the racial factor is less regarded. The author has introduced China basing it on three factors as viewed by the Americans. These include political image, injustices waved on the people and violation of human rights, and the last dimension is the economical image. However, the author has decided to distant herself from this perspective and decided to bring about how China exists in many faces in terms of ethnical diversity.The major ethnical tribe in China is the Han, which constitute about 92% of the total population, the other 8% is for the minority tribes which are marginalized and are referred to as the Minzu (Blum, n.d,). The author has decided to raise concern on this minor ethnic group. In China people are not classified according to their physical appearance. This fact is supported by the anthologists, who state that physical appearance is no t a distinctive factor for human beings. This mode of approach is different from the one used in America, where identification of persons is based on appearance. Although some groups like the Yi and the Tibets are tall, they are not classified using this feature.Most of these minority groups live along the borders of China and the good thing is that they have not been neglected by the state. Rather, there is high concern and their residence along the border is beneficial to the country. The larger majority group is in the central area and is less conversant with the minority tribe, except in the regions where both the majority and the minority are found. Although the government had impacted a lot of efforts to ensure that the minority live in harmony, they still suffer from discrimination and abuse whenever they mingle with the Han (the majority tribe) in the urban regions. Due to their marginalization, they are poor, uncivilized, and uneducated, features that clearly distinguish them from the Han. As a result, according to the author, they have not been able to hold powerful positions in the government. The author further took an outlook on each of the minority groups, the largest of them being the Zhuang, who live in the Vietnam border. Others are the Hui ethnic group, who are well spread across the nation; they are Chinese speaking Muslims with Asian ancestry. The Hui community is also known for their constant clashes with the Han. The Mongolian community is another minor group, whose main economic activity is pastoralism. Wa are hunters and are the most primitive with a unique religious belief. The Han, who are the majority tribe, have diverse cultural practices and regional diversity. According to the author, China is divided in to two main regions; the north and the south; the north is where there is

Response ro 4 students with no more than 60 words; Place 2 referencess Assignment

Response ro 4 students with no more than 60 words; Place 2 referencess for each student's response and indicate which student responded to before each response - Assignment Example The dissertation prospect covers effectively the role of NCR in planning and responding to disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. Disasters outcome are such as negative impact on economic, political and security in a nation, and deaths of citizens. Marilyn’s prospect is not diversified various intergovernmental collaboration. Eller, W. S., & Gerber, B. J. (2010). Contemplating the role of precision and range in homeland security policy analysis: A Response to Mueller. Policy Studies Journal, 38(1), 23-39. doi:10.1111/j.1541-0072.2009.00342.x Alade’s dissertation focuses on the development of new nations in the West Africa. The prospect agrees with the bases formulated by the authors on why the West African region has no unity. The issues hindering the realization are not presented effectively as indicated by the authors focusing on political unification of the West Africa countries, which according to Lavergne 1997, are located at a fragmented and marginalized region. Psychological mental illnesses possess a great danger to individuals around the victim. The prospect agrees with the authors, Diamond and Stephen 2007 in that, mental illness cause aggression to victims. The various methodology used are effective because they relate to the forensic psychologist responsible for studying people’s minds and behavior changes. Abnormal human behavior indicates mental illness that increase terrorism acts in a state (Poland, James

Personal, Organizational and Cultural Values Essay Example for Free

Personal, Organizational and Cultural Values Essay Personal, organizational and cultural values are common approach to understand conflict or success in today global business environment. With the increasingly globalized economy and climate of multicultural workforce, organizations is continuously implementing and establishing desired core values to remain competitive. This paper will discuss how one can reconcile personal, organizational and cultural values in global settings. Personal values develop when the individual start to interact within family, school or religious organization. The followings are considered the core personal values in my life personally: goals oriented, respect, caring and trustworthy. Personal values will always be the foundation for each individual path of life. They are personal belief and philosophy for one to live by. Personal values shape our choices, impact the decision about our ability and how to treat ourselves and others. Experiences and interactions with external units influence the values people deem important to them. Personal values become a personal direction for people on how to live their lives. Ghosh (2008) explains â€Å"The individuals cognitive moral development stage determines how an individual thinks about ethical dilemmas, his or her process of deciding what is right and wrong in a situation. †(Ghosh, 2008). Organizational values are established rules and polices that each organization believes to be acceptable and logic, professional and practical. Organizational values also provide a basis for employee decision making in the workplace. In my professional career, I have always set my goals to develop the following core organizational values: loyalty, reliability, hard work and commitment. Fenton (2007) explains: â€Å"when organizations articulate their values, they take what are thought to be shared, stable, and deeply held beliefs and communicate them as standards to guide decisions and actions, often with the intent of increasing productivity, improving efficiencies, and acting socially responsible. † (Fenton, 2007). Findings in a Deloitte and Touche Ethics and Workplace survey also reveal the critically important influence that management and supervisors have in promoting ethical workplace behavior by all workers. (Verschoor, 2007). The above mentioned survey explains: â€Å"Management and leadership have a huge responsibility in setting examples for their organizations and living the values they preach if they want to sustain a culture of ethics. † (Verschoor, 2007) Similar to personal values, cultural values are deep-rooted since childhood. Cultural values are developed in social heritage, traditions and reflect psychological, religious or spiritual, and moral experiences. Cultural Values are closely related to personal values since they are developed from the individual tradition, heritage and origin. Cultural values differ in several levels: ethnicity, religion, organization. Different cultures interpret moral and values differently therefore, affect individual interactions in many level. The influence of cultural values has a significant impact on how people and organizations operate and make their decisions. Cultural values affect actions in both personal and organizational level Verschoor, C. (2007) survey also found that more than 91% of working adults are more likely to behave ethically at work when they have a good balance between their job and their personal life. It was said that quality of an employee’s personal life strongly influences job satisfaction and related productivity, the 2007 Deloitte and Touche Ethics and Workplace survey shows that work-life balance also promotes ethical behavior in the (Verschoor, 2007) Values are energizing, motivating and inspiring. When people care passionate about something they will urge themselves with achievement Instilling and maintaining a values-oriented approach to ethics in the workplace, together with giving greater attention to related work-life balance issues, should remain at the top of the agenda of organizations. Employee fulfillment is essential to customer satisfaction, good quality, high productivity, low turnover, and other factors that lead to superior corporate financial performance (Verschoor, 2007) Employees make decisions in the workplace often reflecting value judgment and having ethical connotations. Corporate values are often used interchangeably with the concept of corporate culture. The usual paradigm is that corporations with strong positive cultures have institutionalized a set of corporate values. These values help employees identify with the organization and develop a commitment to its goals (Ghosh, 2008). In conclusion, personal and cultural values have become core elements in today global economy. Organizations calculate and implement these core values with the intent to improve efficiency and productivity, and establish organizational values and standards to communicate to all employees. Personal and cultural values have a major effect in people lives and interactions, and clearly work performance. To be able to find a balance between organizational values and personal, cultural values is the solution to career fulfillment and life satisfaction.

Brief Introduction Of Intercultural Business Communication Commerce Essay

Brief Introduction Of Intercultural Business Communication Commerce Essay At present, the world is illustrated as a place where people belonging to different cultural backgrounds interact with each other to have effective communication do that they can exchange their ideas, thoughts and feelings (Bhardawaj, 2010). The communication between individuals can occur in various areas such as science, education, entertainment, tourism, immigration, mass media and business. In order to have constructive communication, it is mandatory that all forms of misunderstandings and breakdowns are completely removed from the system. It has been stated by Martin and Nakayama (2007) that the latest trend in the business world is of globalisation and many companies are expanding their operations outside their regional boundaries to enhance their presence in different international markets. According to Lewis (2008), the swift increase in the globalisation of businesses has mandated the corporations to develop an understanding about the intercultural business communication methods, techniques and theories so that the organisations can overcome the prospective hurdles in their international businesses. All the experts who are working in the field of multicultural environment require guidance on developing a work environment that is conducive for their entire workforce; the researchers belonging to the fields of cultural anthropology, sociology, psychology and applied linguistics have studied various factors to demonstrate the importance of various cultures knowledge and their implications on conducting effective intercultural business communication (Bowie, 2008; Chaney Martin, 2011; Zang Zhou, 2008). When the businesses have adequate understanding about the cultures and differing aspects of various countries, there is a high probability that there are positive interactions among people and cordial and effective business relationships are developed (Jameson, 2007; Lewis, 2005). The main concern for every organisation operating in international regions is to develop an understanding about the culture, values, norms and attitudes of each area of operation so that there are less chances of the misinterpretation of communication. In order to provide guidance to the organisations that are engaged in the globalisation processes, the researchers have studied the cultural contexts of distinct nations and have provided in-depth insights about the intercultural business communication (Espinar, 2010), working cultures (Forey Lockwood, 2010), work behaviours (Bowey Thill, 2010), work etiquettes (Okoro, 2012), language barriers and subcultures present in the organisation (Zang Zhou, 2008). Intercultural Business Communication in the light of various researches According to Reynolds and Valentine (2011), intercultural communication takes place when people belonging to diverse ethnical backgrounds share and discuss their ideas and tasks in a language that is different from their native language. As the globalisation of businesses has been increasing, the productive intercultural business communication is vital for appropriate performance of the organisation. A successful and effective intercultural communication is one that is simple, frequent and effective along with demonstrating respect to the cultural viewpoints of everyone working within the business premises (Crate Fox, 2008). Since intercultural business communication is an important area of study, many researchers have studied the concept from varying angles have classified them into three main approaches i.e. positivist approach, humanistic approach and systemic approach. The first person who coined the term intercultural business communication was Edward Hall who emphasized the importance of this concept in his work The Silent Language in 1959. Halls high-low context of culture and Hofstedes national culture were the major contributors in the field of intercultural communication. Halls theory (1959) helped many researchers to study context of the culture in determining the contrasting communication patterns among the individuals from low and high context cultures. On the other hand, Hoftstede (1980) limited his studies on the national culture that created difficulty in comparison among various cultural methods and styles of communication. Samovar, Porter and McDaniel (2011) stated that the cultural studies further investigated the communication and cultural systems in distinctive nations, countries and cultures; while, in the negotiation studies, intercultural thinking was incorporated by Ting-Tommey (1988) who stressed the importance of understanding negotiation skills in the international business contexts. In the intercultural business communication, other factors such as non-verbal behaviour, emotional factors and gestures (facial expressions) were added to understand their role in the communication exchange proficiency within the organisation. Some researchers are of the opinion that although Hofstede primarily studied the cultural differences associated with the nationality element but for various practical reasons, culture has strong association with a country of origin and it should be incorporated in understanding the business problems, issues and strategies (Beebe, Beebe Redmond, 2011). According to Asante and Gudykunst (1989), cited by Reynolds and Valentine (2011), the individual variable should not be overlooked because a lot of times people react or communicate in a particular way on the basis of their own perceptions and beliefs which can be totally different from the culture to which a person is related. As the cultures are heterogeneous, other components besides the national factor need to be considered to understand the individuals perception about business communication. Hence, it is vital for the businesses to understand the individual nature of each act of communication to avoid any kind of misinterpretation or confusion that can impact the business operations. Validity and reliability of the article After careful analysis and evaluation of the article, it can be concluded that it has highlighted all important elements that are vital for the development and implementation of an effective intercultural business communication. In order to avoid problems in the communication processes, there is a drastic shift in doing extensive research about the culture and other attributes of each nation to gather sufficient information about that respective country. With an in-depth understanding about the business culture and communication processes along with individual behaviours towards different modes of communication, an organisation can take proactive steps of countering them within its potential international destination. Recently, all the organisations have mandated the need of training their staff to work in the business environment so that they can incorporate the cultural values and intercultural communication process that will help them in achieving their desired targets in the global businesses. It has been rightly stated by the author of the article that both verbal (language) and non-verbal (gestures, facial expressions, acts of socializing) communication are important for understanding the intercultural business communication in an organisation. Hence, globalisation has made it vital for every Multi-national Corporation to modify its operations in international destinations in accordance with the culture and business etiquettes of the respective nation. Task # 2 Business Etiquette and its importance in international business communication International Business Communication and Business Etiquettes In todays world, every organisation is expanding its business operations globally and this expanding scope of the corporations in the current decade is drawing attention of the researchers to study the importance of business etiquettes in international businesses (Bowee Thill, 2010). With the advent of global economy i.e. globalisation, consumers are more aware of the environment, an organisations business operations have to deal with new rules and standards for effective production processes and even expansion in the interdependency of achieving economies of scale on international level (Chaney Martin, 2011). Almost all of the Multi-national corporations are exploiting the opportunities available for them globally and are demonstrating their sensitivity to the cultural differences so that they can successfully prosper as an international enterprise. The studies of some researchers have shown that some organisations have been successful in their international operations (Forey Lockwood, 2010; Okoro, 2012), while, others had to face survival problems either because of cultural imperialism or improper acculturation of their expert managers on the international level. According to Espinar (2010), the success of global business is heavily dependent on their ability of developing adequate understanding about the cross-cultural etiquettes and diversity management among global workforce. On the other hand, Samovar, Porter and McDaniel (2010) emphasized that training is mandatory for the global managers so that they are equipped with the interpersonal communication skills, relationship building skills along with group communication competencies. The managers must have excellent negotiation skills of cross-culture level so that they can maintain their global competitiveness. In order to achieve the business goals successfully in global businesses, the cross-cultural business etiquettes are important for effective international business communication (Hooker, 2008). Implications of Business Etiquettes in International Business Communication In order to manage the global businesses effectively, it has become mandatory for the international corporations to understand the business etiquettes of each nation as there is a huge variation in the working behaviour. The business etiquettes are developed on the basis of culture that is prevalent among the individuals and society as a whole; the researchers are studying culture of other countries to develop an understanding about their role in international business communication. For instance, during a business conversation, in U.S. making an eye contact is considered to be a business etiquette; while, in Japan, eye contact is considered as a misbehaviour (Okoro, 2012). According to Deresky (2010), the managers working in global corporations have to acquire effective skills for strategic negotiations and intercultural exchange so that the targeted goals can be achieved and a positive impression is created on the people. The studies have shown that both decision-making and negotiation processes have to be culture-specific and they should ensure that an extensive detailed analysis of understanding, reciprocity and sensitivity is conducted so that all complications in the business operations are addressed beforehand (Bharadwaj, 2010; Forey Lockwood, 2010; Jameson, 2007). As the workforce in global organisations is diverse, the managers have to learn the complexities that are associated with the cultural values and norms (Lewis, 2008). The researchers of intercultural business communication field have emphasized the importance of understanding the importance of business etiquettes in global workplaces to sustain the competitive edge in the market. It is vital for every organisation to understand that they will have to tolerate some behaviour that is unaccepted by them because these behaviours are an integral part of the business environment of that country. According to Martin and Nakayama (2007), in high-context cultures like Japan meaning is interpreted by way of non-verbal communication such as body language, rephrasing of the words, pauses and meetings; while, in U.S. which is also a high-context culture, meaning is conveyed by means of verbal communication such as spoken words. When mixed messages are communicated to the people, it can create feeling of discomfort and international managers will have to struggle in reconciling the inconsistencies; such situations can be avoided by following the right business etiquettes applicable within that country. For example, in China and some parts of Africa, having a direct eye contact while talking is considered rude and inappropriate; on the other hand, in US, making direct eye contact is mandatory and it is interpreted as demonstration of reliability, honesty and trustworthiness. In India, this act is viewed as disrespect and hostility especially when people communicate with elders (Chaney Martin, 2011). The business etiquette in Great Britain has its basis on the strong sense of nationalism and identity. The businessmen tend to be very detail oriented and have high importance for their traditions and customs; they are reserved and expect everyone to act in this way. However, U.S. businessmen tend to be frank and believe in developing friendly and cordial relations with everyone working in their organisation (Espinar, 2010). For British business people, professionalism and adherence to the ethical code of business practice are important factors of their business etiquettes; while, US business people prefer to have casual relationship within the business premises. The business etiquettes in Germany have their foundation on the formal culture of the country and ensure that the behavioural expectations are provided with great details so that the participants have understanding about the way of doing things. The German businessmen respect hierarchical differences and believe in authoritative style of business; they have high preference for hierarchical organisational structure and want to avoid any kind of uncertainty. The communication within the organisation is formal and increased focus is on achievements on personal level, directness and truth (Okoro, 2012). Conclusion As the business organizations are expanding globally, it has become vital for them to maintain their global competitiveness by managing the differences in the culture, developing effective intercultural business communication mediums and training the managers to equip themselves with cross-cultural decision-making and negotiation skills. The success or failure of an organization in managing such a diverse workforce that has people from various cultural backgrounds is largely depended on the managers ability of communicating effectively with everyone within the organization. Although the international businesses have been growing because of rise in globalization and they are largely driven by the advancements in the field of technology and opportunities in economic interdependencies but the success of these businesses is largely impacted by the intellectual skills of the managers to understand the business etiquettes, values and customs that are required for conducting the business among nations. With good understanding about the cultures and business etiquettes, global companies will be able to implement proper international business communication processes which will help them in sustaining their position in the global market.

Business Aligning And Business Impact Information Technology Essay

Business Aligning And Business Impact Information Technology Essay There are many views on what constitutes business strategy. Definitions for business strategy and its features include the following. A business strategy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ should encapsulate a statement of an organisations mission or vision so that there is a clear and consistent point of focus (King, 1978); à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ provides a deliberate plan of action (Kaplan Norton, 1996: Henderson Venkatraman, 1993, King 1978); 2)Definition of IS/ IT Strategy Figure 1: IS/IT Strategy. The figure describes the where, what and how of the planning Source: Source: Edwards, Ward Bytheway, 1991; Ward Peppard, 2002, p.41 IS Strategy IS strategy can be defined as a strategy to implement information systems that recognizes organizational requirements, in other words demand for the information and systems to support the overall business strategy and its plan to gain or maintain the advantage (Rackoff, Wiseman Ullrich, 1985; Ward Peppard, 2002; Edwards, Ward Bytheway, 1991). An IS strategy should include the business needs for the future aligned closely to the business strategy. It should also define and prioritize the investments needed to achieve the application portfolio. IT Strategy IT strategy is the supply to the demand created by IS strategy. It outlines the vision of how the organizations demand for information and systems will be supported by technology (Ward Peppard, 2002). They further suggest that the IT strategy is concerned with the IT capabilities and services like IT operations, systems development and user support. Luftman (2003) refers to the IT strategy as a set of decisions made by IT and functional business managers that either enable or drive the business strategy. It leads to the deployment of technology infrastructure and applications, and human competencies that will assist the organization in becoming more competitive. Figure2: Inputs and outputs of IS/ IT strategy Source: Edwards, Ward Bytheway, 1991 Literature on IS and IT Strategy In view of Clarke (2005), The role of Information Systems (IS) has developed during the years. The original formation was of automation of existing manual and precomputer mechanical processes. This (automation of existing manual processes) was quickly replaced by the rationalisation and integration of systems. In both of these forms, IS was regarded primarily as an operational support tool, and secondarily as a service to Management Clarke (2005) further suggests, Information Technology (IT) had been critical to the implementation of an organizations strategy. The dominant sense in which the term is used is that a strategic information system (SIS) is an information system which supports an organization in fulfilling its business goals. Ward and Griffiths (1996, p1) say that it is essential for the organizations to understand how the role of technology based information systems has evolved. With time, organizations have realised that there is a need to approach IS/IT more tactically by understanding the role of IT in business, and making IT a part of business. As suggested by Ward and Peppard (2002, p1) the organizations are looking at the application of technology not only to underpin existing business operations but also to create new opportunities that provide them with a source of competitive advantage and propose a strategic approach for managing their systems. Kearns and Lederer (2003) have supported the critical and strategic role of IS/IT by stating that, Recent surveys of CEOs (Chief Executive Officer) have shown that, despite numerous failed investments, information technology has assumed a critical and strategic role in their organization. If IS/IT is to fulfil its role, the CIOs (Chief Information Officer) need to adopt Strategic Information Systems Planning. SISP began during 1970s and organizations began using IS/IT in ways that changed the functioning of their businesses. Bruns and McFarlan (1987) thought that, Information Technology has done more than just enhancing the existing processes within the organization. IT has provided the spark that caused the managers to rethink their business strategies. The organizations that have changed their control systems and structures have seen a transformation in the effectiveness of the business processes. Bruns and McFarlan (1987) further suggest that, they have found ways to channel the power of information to the muscles of their corporations. IS/ IT- Business Alignment For an organization to achieve competitive advantage it is important that the business use IS/IT to support the main business processes and become dependant on IS/IT. It is also important that there is IT participation in business planning (BP) and vice-versa. Chan and Huff (1993) say alignment of an IS plan and the business plan is very important and it leads to IS efficiency and value. A closer look at the aims for adopting a IS/IT strategy according to Ward and Peppard (2002) suggests that the SISP process is used for aligning IS/IT with business and gain competitive advantage from business opportunities created by using IS/IT. However, not all IT projects are implemented and many factors have been identified that contribute to IT failures. One of the main failures that have been highlighted is that the 14 failure to implement is due to the planning process and its practices (Hartono et al.2003). Another major problem that has been seen in SISP is failure to translate goals and objectives into action plans (Teo Ang, 2001 in Hartono et al., 2003) and lack of support for IT architecture and also the duration of SISP have been viewed as factors contributing to low rate of implementation. According to Reich and Benbasant (1996) is a process. It is unique to each organization and uses both the IT and business knowledge to support business objectives. Thus, it is important to bring IT into the main business stream and let IT function as an entity in the business. For this to happen, the senior executives in the companies must work together and define the business needs and frame an IS/IT and business strategy to support the business goals and objectives. Thus, for an organization to achieve competitive advantage and improve business performance it is important to align its IS/IT plan with the business plan, and IS/IT systems should be used in accordance with the resources and the capabilities of the organization in times of environmental changes. SISP is a way to implement those IS/IT systems not only to achieve competitive advantage but also for proper functioning in the ever-changing business environment. Business Aligning and Business Impact of IS IT Because of the complexity of the strategic information systems planning process and uniqueness of each organization, there is no one best way to tackle it. Vitale, et al. (1986) classify SISP methodologies into two categories: impact and alignment. Impact methodologies help create and justify new uses of IT, while the methodologies in the alignment category align IS objectives with organizational goals. 1) Impact Methodologies Value Chain Analysis: The concept of value chain is considered at length by Michael Porter (1984). According to him, every firm is a collection of activities that are performed to design, produce, market, deliver, and support its product. All these activities can be represented using a value chain. Porter goes on to explain that information technology is one of the major support activities for the value chain. Information systems technology is particularly pervasive in the value chain, since every value activity creates and uses information. A firm that can discover a better technology for performing an activity than its competitors thus gains competitive advantage (Porter, 1985). Thus value chain analysis: (a) Is a form of business activity analysis which decomposes an enterprise into its parts. Information systems are derived from this analysis. (b) Helps in devising information systems which increase the overall profit available to a firm. (c) Helps in identifying the potential for mutual business advantages of component businesses, in the same or related industries, available from information interchange. (d) Concentrates on value-adding business activities and is independent of organizational structure. Strengths: The main strength of value chain analysis is that it concentrates on direct value adding activities of a firm and thus pitches information systems right into the realm of value adding rather than cost cutting. Weaknesses: Value chain analysis suffers from a few weaknesses, namely, (a) It only provides a higher level information model for a firm and fails to address the development and implementation issues, (b) Because of its focus on internal operations instead of data, it fails to define a data structure for the firm. 2) Alignment Methodologies Business Systems Planning (BSP): The methodology focuses on business processes which in turn are derived from an organizations business mission, objectives and goals. Business processes are analyzed to determine data needs and, then, data classes. Similar data classes are combined to develop databases. The final BSP plan describes an overall information systems architecture as well as installation schedule of individual systems. Steps in a BSP study are: Barlow (1990) and Ledrer and Sethi (1988) have discussed strengths and weaknesses of BSP. Strengths: Because BSP combines a top down business analysis approach with a bottom up implementation strategy, it represents an integrated methodology. In top down strategy, BSP develops an overall understanding of business plans and supporting IS needs through joint discussions. Weaknesses: (a) BSP requires a firm commitment from the top management and their substantial involvement. (b) It requires a high degree of IT experience within the BSP planning team. ((e) Major weakness of BSP is the considerable time and effort required for its successful implementation. About the Assignment The past few decades have witnessed major changes in the way we do business. Increased competition and the pursuit of ever-greater performance have forced businesses to focus on quality, efficiency, and productivity, while encouraging innovation and creativity. In addition, there have been significant changes in global economies and in the structure of the business worlds that exist in those economies. As a result, a variety of disparate approaches and methodologies for evaluating and restructuring business enterprises has emerged. The terms reengineering and business transformation have taken on amazing significance. In many company like Dell, those terms mean the complete assessment, restructure and redesign of entire businesses, including information technology (IT) and Information System its Management (IS) In Below assignment we are going to focus on Business strategies and Information strategies of Dell Company, we are also going to look into Advantage and Disadvantage of Business strategies, Information System and Information Technology in general. Company Overview Dell, a Delaware corporation, was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell on a simple concept: by selling computer systems directly to customers, Dell could best understand their needs and efficiently provide the most effective computing solutions to meet those needs. Dell is based in Round Rock, Texas, and conducts operations worldwide through its subsidiaries. Unless otherwise specified, references to Dell include its consolidated subsidiaries. Dell operates principally in one industry and is managed in three geographic segments: the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific-Japan regions. Vision Statement: Its the way we (Dell) do business. Its the way we (Dell) interact with the community. Its the way we interpret the world around us-ours customers needs, the future of technology, and the global business climate. Whatever changes the future may bring our vision Dell Vision will be our guiding force. Dell needs full customer satisfaction. In order to become the most successful computer company, they need the newest technology and loyal customers. Mission Statement: Dells mission is to be the most successful Computer Company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. In doing so, Dell will meet customer expectations of: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Highest quality à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leading technology à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Competitive pricing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individual and company accountability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Best-in-class service and support à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Flexible customization capability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Superior corporate citizenship à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Financial stability http://retailindustry.about.com/od/topusretailcompanies/p/dellincprofile.htm Business Strategy of Dell Dells business strategy combines its direct customer model with a highly efficient manufacturing and supply chain management organization and an emphasis on standards-based technologies. This strategy enables Dell to provide customers with superior value; high-quality, relevant technology; customized systems; superior service and support; and products and services that are easy to buy and use. The key tenets of Dells business strategy are: A direct relationship is the most efficient path to the customer.  A direct customer relationship, also referred to as Dells direct business model, eliminates wholesale and retail dealers that add unnecessary time and cost or diminish Dells understanding of customer expectations. At www.dell.com, customers may review, configure and price systems within Dells entire product line; order systems online; and track orders from manufacturing through shipping. Customers can purchase custom-built products and custom-tailored services. Dells flexible, build-to-order manufacturing process enables Dell to turn over inventory every four days on average, and reduce inventory levels. Dell is the low-cost leader. Dell maintains the lowest cost structure among its major competitors, and to pass those savings to its customers. Non-proprietary standards-based technologies deliver the best value to customers.  Dell believes that non-proprietary standards-based technologies are critical to providing customers with relevant, high-value products and services. Focusing on standards gives customers the benefit of extensive research and development from http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/826083/000095013405004423/d22995e10vk.htm Information Systems Strategy of Dell Information systems were critical to Dell. The information systems supported the Dell Direct business model by providing a range of tools from order entry to production integration. Information systems provided the means for delivery of instant information to employees through e-mail or over the intranet. And information systems were a way to connect suppliers to the business, to collect and analyze information collected from the marketplace, and to support decisions on everything from hiring practices to product offerings to pricing. IT is an enabler to make the business model work, The backbone of the information system was an architecture called G2 (See Exhibit 3). Data Engine Message Broker Application Server Wed Based Client Application G2 Model The G2 architecture was an object-based infrastructure, with a web browser front end interface. It had a single point of connection and was built in small pieces. There was local control of functionality but a global view of the business. The primary components of the G2 architecture were commonly available applications such as Microsoft office, database engines, and Internet servers. The G2 architecture was similar in design to the Dell organization structure, which was also built in small pieces, with local control but a global view of the business. The Dell business model resulted in a different production profile than other business models. The direct model implied that every production run is unique in some way, and hence every lot was of quantity one. http://www.kppartners.com/documents/zerotime-dell_case_study.pdf Analysing Business Aligning in Dell To show Business aligning in Dell we will use value chains analysis The value chain in place at most firms assumes a make-to-forecast strategy. That is, standard products are produced from long-term forecasts of customer demand. And in the case of Dell Computer corporation Michael Dell made business model, which allows the company to build each product to order. Dell is well-known for its ability to mass-produce computers that are customized to a customers order. This production and operations process is known as mass-customization or, in a value-chain context, a build-to-order (BTO) strategy. In its build-to-order strategy, Dell assembles the product only after the customer has placed the order, . At Dell, this process depends on computer systems that link customer order information to production, assembly, and delivery operations. BTO frequently requires a change in organizational culture, managerial thinking, and supplier interactions and support. Inevitably, the process begins by acquiring a better understanding of customer demand; then improvements in information flow will produce the ability to increase responsiveness in all areas of the value chain. http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/msabet/c12_Turban_0471705225.pdf Advantage and Disadvantage Of Business Strategies There are numerous advantages you can extract from the marketplace if you know how. And the marketing plan is an excellent tool for identifying and developing Business strategies for extracting these advantages. 1) Advantages of Business Strategies of Dell: Identifies needs and wants of consumers Determines demand for product Aids in design of products that fulfil consumers needs Dells inventory turnover rate of 60 times per year compares to 12-15 times for most indirect vendor. Dell can develop direct customer relationship. Dell knows who the end user is, what equipment it has bought from Dell, where it was shipped, and how much the customer has spent with Dell. Dell uses that information to offer add-on products and services, to coordinate maintenance and technical support, and to help the customer plan its PC replacement and upgrade cycle. 2) Disadvantages of Business Strategies of Dell: Leads to faulty marketing decisions based on improperly analyzed data Creates unrealistic financial projections if information is interpreted incorrectly Identifies weaknesses in overall business plan http://inventors.about.com/od/licensingmarketing/a/advantages_mark.htm Advantage and Disadvantage of IS and IT 1) Advantages of information technology and Information System Dell Inc Dell Inc company realizes Internet-associated efficiencies throughout its business, including procurement, customer support and relationship management. At www.dell.com, customers may review, configure and price systems within Dells entire product line; order systems online; and track orders from manufacturing through shipping. At valuechain.dell.com, Dell shares information with its suppliers on a range of topics, including product quality and inventory. Dell also uses the Internet to deliver industry-leading customer services. For instance, thousands of business and institutional customers worldwide use Dells Premier Dell.com Web pages to do business with the company online. http://e-learning.dmst.aueb.gr/mis/Cases/Dell/index.htm 2) Disadvantages of information technology and Information System for Dell Inc The Internet has also created entirely new markets and formed the basis for thousands of new businesses and that is biggest disadvantage for Dell Inc. Internet technology is based on universal standards that any company can use, making it easy for rivals to compete on price alone, due to which profits have gone down. Information is available to everyone on internet, due which it raises the bargaining power of customers, who can quickly find the lowest-cost provider http://www.prenhall.com/behindthebook/0132304619/pdf/Laudon%20Feature%203.pdf Barriers in implementation of IS and IT in Dell Company Dell Co business model was unique in its way and the company did not had time to think differently because the company was growing by about $1 billion every 9 weeks. Dell had a limited time for classroom training of new Information systems to employees. The Dell business model resulted in a different production profile than other business models. The direct model implied that every production run is unique in some way, and hence every lot was of quantity one. Dell was not able to have a centralized structure, because the local business units had to have their own IT people. As such, the information systems were highly decentralized. No programmers reported directly to the CIO. Instead, each division and business had some IT people. http://www.kppartners.com/documents/zerotime-dell_case_study.pdf Conclusion Dell has increased the opportunity for revenue and the increased access to information, which potentially translates into new product and service offerings. The advantage to the customer is the traditional one-stop-shopping arrangement for products and services, offloading these tasks from information systems organizations, and freeing the IS management up to concentrate on core business issues rather than procurement and services. http://i.dell.com/sites/content/corporate/secure/en/Documents/FY10_Form10K_Final.pdf Recommendations To get a successful IS and IT Strategy program will rely on (1) Senior managements commitment; (2) The full support and participation of the IT IS team (3) The competence of the IS and IT team, which must have the expertise to apply the specific site and system, identify mission risks, and provide cost-effective safeguards that meet the needs of the organization; (4) The awareness and cooperation of members of the user community, who must follow procedures and comply with the implemented controls to Safeguard the mission of their organization (5) An ongoing evaluation and assessment of the IS IT-related mission risks. http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-30/sp800-30.pdf Authors Reference Barlow, J.F., Putting Information Systems Planning Methodologies Into Perspective, Journal of Systems Management, July, 1990, pp. 6-9. Bruns Jr., W. J., McFarlan, F. W. (1987). Information technology puts power in control systems. Harvard Business Review, 65(5), 89-94. Chan, Y. E., Huff, S. L. (1993). Strategic information systems alignment. Business Quarterly, 58(1), 51-55. Clarke, R. (2005). The path of development of strategic information systems theory. Retrieved 24/04/2011, from http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/SOS/StratISTh.html Edwards, C., Ward, J., Bytheway, A. (1991). The essence of information systems. London: Prentice Hall. Retrieved from 24/06/2011 http://www.coda.ac.nz/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000context=unitec_scit_di Hartono, E., Lederer, A. L., Sethi, V., Zhuang, Y. (2003). Key predictors of the implementation of strategic information systems plans. ACM SIGMIS Database, 34(3), 41-53. Henderson, J.C. Venkatraman, N. (1993) Strategic alignment: Leveraging information technology for transforming organisations, IBM Systems Journal, Vol 32 No 1, pp 472-484. King, W.R. (1978) Strategic planning for management information systems, MIS Quarterly, Vol 2 No 1, pp 27-37 Kaplan, R.S. Norton, D.P. (1996) Translating strategy into action The Balanced scorecard, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA Kearns, G. S., Lederer, A. L. (2003). A resource-based view of strategic IT alignment: How knowledge sharing creates competitive advantage. Decision Sciences, 34(1), 1-29. Ledrer, Albert L., and Sethi, Vijay, The Implementation of Strategic Information Systems Planning Methodologies, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 3, September 1988, pp. 445-460. Luftman, J. N. (2003). Competing in the information age align in the sand (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Porter, M.E., Competitive Advantage, Free Press, 1984. Retrieved on 30/04/2011 http://viu.eng.rpi.edu/publications/strpaper.pdf Porter, M.E. and Millar, V.E., How Information Gives You Competitive Advantage, Harvard Business Review, July-August, 1985. Retrieved on 30/04/2011 http://viu.eng.rpi.edu/publications/strpaper.pdf Rackoff, N., Wiseman, C., Ullrich, W. A. (1985). Information systems for competitive advantage: implementation of a planning process. MIS Quartery, 9(4), 285-294. Reich, B. H., Benbasat, I. (1996). Measuring the linkage between business and information technology objectives. MIS Quarterly, 20(1), 55-81. Teo, T. S. H., Ang, J. S. K. (2001). An examination of major IS problems. International Journal of Information Management, 21(6), 457-470. Vitale, M., Ives, B. and Beath, C., Identifying Strategic Information Systems, Proc. 7th Intl Conf. Inf. Sys., San Diego, December 1986, pp. 265-276. Ward, J., Peppard, J. (2002). Strategic planning for information systems (3rd ed.). Chichester: John Wiley. Retrieved on 25/04/2011 http://www.coda.ac.nz/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000context=unitec_scit_di Ward, J., Griffiths, P. (1996). Strategic planning for information systems (2nd ed.). Chichester: John Wiley. Retrieved on 25/04/2011 http://www.coda.ac.nz/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000context=unitec_scit_di Website reference http://retailindustry.about.com/od/topusretailcompanies/p/dellincprofile.htm Retrieved on 30/04/2011 http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/826083/000095013405004423/d22995e10vk.htm . Retrieved on 01/05/2011 http://www.kppartners.com/documents/zerotime-dell_case_study.pdf Retrieved on 02/05/2011 http://inventors.about.com/od/licensingmarketing/a/advantages_mark.htm Retrieved on 02/05/2011 http://www.smallbusinessbible.org/advan_disadvan_informationtechnology.html Retrieved on 02/05/2011 http://www.kppartners.com/documents/zerotime-dell_case_study.pdf Retrieved on 02/05/2011 http://i.dell.com/sites/content/corporate/secure/en/Documents/FY10_Form10K_Final.pdf Retrieved on 04/05/2011 http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-30/sp800-30.pdf Retrieved on 04/05/2011 http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/msabet/c12_Turban_0471705225.pdf Retrieved on 04/05/2011 http://www.prenhall.com/behindthebook/0132304619/pdf/Laudon%20Feature%203.pdf Retrieved on 04/05/2011 http://e-learning.dmst.aueb.gr/mis/Cases/Dell/index.htm Retrieved on 04/05/2011

Parental Pressure Within High School Students Essay -- essays research

Parental Pressure within High School Students I. I became interested in this topic because my entire academic life has been filled with pressure from my parents. This pressure was mainly in school and grades, and in high school, the amount of pressure increased dramatically. This is because my parents now realized that everything in high school counts towards college. When I first came to high school, my grades were not as good as they were in middle school. I needed a little time to adapt to high school before I could improve my grades. During this time, my parents became upset because I brought home a report card that was not as good as they were expecting. Then I really noticed the pressure getting higher and higher. I did not only notice this with me, but I noticed this with many of my friends. I heard phrases like â€Å"My parents are going to kill me† and â€Å"I'm going to be grounded for 10 years† many times so when the opportunity to do research on this came up, I chose this as my subject. II. How does parental pressure influence students in high school? If there is an influence, is it positive or negative? I would like to do research on this because it raised my curiosity. For me personally, I do better in school if I am calm and have little pressure, but there might be students out there at Ramapo High School that think differently. These are some of the things that I will try to find out through this I-Search. III. At the beginning of my search, I had a really hard time finding secondary sources. First, I went to the school library. Since the school library has this computer program called BELS, there was no need to go to the other libraries. BELS is a program that lists all the books in Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff, and Oakland. It is a network that unites the two public libraries and the one in Indian Hills. I then went to an article search. I had no luck here either. When I went home, I went on America Online to try to find some articles or any secondary sources. I went to the article search and still found nothing. After a few days, I asked the school librarian to help me find some books. She guided me to a section that had books about social problems. Luckily, I found two books on families and parents. These were two good books, but I still needed at least one more to fulfill my requirement. I w... ... Kelly states, â€Å" My whole family is smart, and they all go (or went) to good colleges." In the issue of pressure affecting their school performance, Tyler said that he has a good amount of pressure and that without it, he would probably do worse. Kelly on the other hand, said that she would do a lot better if she had less pressure from her parents. Being a good parent means being there and having confidence in a child. A parent should provide outstretched arms for a safe place when the child might need it. The child should be relaxed and should be enjoying school. Maybe the child will get good grades because he/she wants to (Webb pg.25). Works Cited Gaillard, Lee â€Å"Hands Off Homework?† Education Week 14 December 1994 Guetzloe, Elennor C. Youth Suicide: What the Educators Should Know. New York: The Council for Exceptional Children, 1989. Leaman, Kelly - interview Mills, Tyler - interview Rubin, Dr. Jeffrey and Dr. Carol When Families Fight. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1989 Webb, Margot Coping with Overprotective Parents. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 1990

Mother-Daughter Communication in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club Essay

Mother-Daughter Communication in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club      Ã‚  Ã‚   Of the many stories involving the many characters of "The Joy Luck Club", I believe the central theme connecting them all is the inability of the mothers and their daughters to communicate effectively.      The mothers all have stories of past struggles and hard times yet do not believe their daughters truly appreciate this fact.   The mothers of the story all want their daughters to never have to go through the struggles they themselves had to go through, yet they are disappointed when their daughters grow up and do not exhibit the respect or strength of their mothers.   This is the ironic paradox of the story.      The Chinese mothers came to the United States to escape the difficult life they led in China and to start fresh in the United States.   They did not want their children to grow up as they had.   The short story in the beginning of the book describes this feeling.   "Then the woman and the swan sailed across an ocean many thousands of li wide, stretching their necks toward America.   On her journey she cooed to the swan:   "In America I will have a daughter just like me.   But over there nobody will say her worth is measured by the loudness of her husband's belch.   Over there nobody will look down on her, because I will make her speak only perfect American English.   And over there she will always be too full to swallow any sorrow!   She will know my meaning, because I will give her this swan - a creature that became more than what was hoped for."   Even though this is just a short story before the long one begins and is not actually attributed to any specific cha racter in the story, I believe it accurately describes all the mothers' feelings a... ...tionships in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife." Women of Color: Mother Daughter Relationships in 20th Century Literature. Ed. Elizabeth Brown-Guillory. Austin: U of Texas P, 1996. 207-27. Ghymn, Ester Mikyung. Images of Asian American Women by Asian American Women Writers. Vol. 1. New York: Peter Lang, 1995. Heung, Marina. "Daughter-Text/Mother-Text: Matrilineage in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club." Feminist Studies (Fall 1993): 597-616. Huntley, E. D. Amy Tan: A Critical Companion. Westport: Greenwood P, 1998. Ling, Amy. Between Worlds: Women Writers of Chinese Ancestry. New York: Pergamon, 1990. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. Vintage Contemporaries. New York: A Division of Random House, Inc. 1993. Wong, Sau-ling Cynthia. Reading Asian American Literature: From Necessity to Extravagance. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1993

Shakespeares Sonnets :: William Shakespeare

There has been some dispute whether or not the sonnets are actually written by William Shakespeare, the strongest argument for this is the phrase "BY.OVR.EVERLIVING.POET.", in which some, the most notable being the entertainment lawyer and author Bertram Fields, argue that this would mean the author would be dead by 1609, while William Shakespeare lived until 1616.[1] The 154 poems were most likely written over a period of several years and published in the 1609 collection. These were all in sonnet form and previously unpublished, with the exception of poem number 138 and 144 which had been part of The Passionate Pilgrim, released in 1599. Sonnets 18-126 tell the story of young man and the poet's admiration and love for him, while 127-152 are addressed to the poet's mistress. In this essay we will look at sonnets 18, 116 and 130 and what they say about love, and see if they share similarities with each other.[2] Sonnet XVIII (18) Sonnet 18 speaks of love in its purest form; it is obvious that the author has great admiration for the person the sonnet is addressed to, giving the subject an almost god-like and eternal status. If we look at the two first lines: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:". It is clear that he cannot use a summer's day as a comparison, because the person is better than a summer's day. He goes on to explain how a summer's day is not perfect, saying that: "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May" and "And summer's lease hath all to short a date". This is believed to mean that even a summer's day has its faults, in the start of summer there can be rough storms that distort the beauty of darling buds and summer does not last for ever. At the end of the sonnet there are some very important lines, which speak of eternal life and beauty: â€Å"But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st, nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade† This can be seen as a promise that he will never die and be forgotten, nor will he lose the beauty which he owns. The last line could be a biblical reference â€Å"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil: for thou art with me†[3], even though death has taken him, his beauty will glow like a beacon and light up any shade death may have cast upon him, thus giving eternal life.