IT Component in MIS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IT Component - Research Paper Example When employed in an organization, management information systems transform the dynamics employed by the organization in order to operate efficiently. One of the main advantages of MIS is decentralization. MIS makes it possible for the operations of the organization to be monitored at low levels and goes further to free resources used by department managers while devoting time to strategic plans and actions. Such a system ensures specialized projects are well coordinated and the decision makers are well informed of the problems and issues in different departments. MIS also reduces information overload which is common in conventional businesses. In my organization, MIS was designed in such a way that it was in a position to effectively aggregate information, monitor the activities of the organization and enhanced collaboration as well as communication among employees. The above led to better planning within the organization and enabled the management to come up with means of measuring performances, facilitate compliance and manage resources according to government and industry regulations. The control achieved through the employment of MIS also helps in the accurate budgets preparations, forecasting and offers vital tools and information to business partners, top management and employees. The main aim of adapting MIS in my organization was to come up with processed and synthesized information from manual systems as well as computerized systems. By doing this, information was easily distributed to different levels of professionals and corporate managers making key executives become seamless in relation to the streamlined MIS. The system places the managers in such a position that they are able to make decisions that are informed, quick and timely.  

The foundation of every state is the education of its youth Essay

The foundation of every state is the education of its youth - Essay Example the individual with a vision to excel with the ultimate goal of being instrumental in the future progress of one’s nation, education is the best alternative. The foundation of every state is the education of its youth. Traditionally, Americans have viewed education as a means of social advancement. By providing equal educational opportunity to all, schooling could serve as a progressive force for eliminating poverty and promoting economic equality. The study conducted by Alliance (2007) point out that dropouts are a drain on the economies of each state and the nation. Lower local, state, and national tax revenues are perhaps the most obvious consequence of higher dropout rates; even when dropouts are employed, they earn significantly lower wages than graduates. State and local economies suffer further when they have less-educated populaces, as they find it more difficult to attract new business investment. Simultaneously, these entities must spend more on social programs when their populations have lower educational levels. Dropouts represent a tremendous waste of human potential and productivity, and reduce the nation’s ability t o compete in an increasingly global economy. For the individual with a vision to excel with the ultimate goal of being instrumental in the future progress of one’s nation, education is the best alternative. For the society, higher educations provides lower rate of unemployment, more tax revenues, lesser reliance on governmental support. In addition, those who acquired college education were found to smoke less, are more health conscious, and are less likely to commit crimes. Education, per se, provides innumerable benefits for the individuals as well as for the society. There is a responsibility to ensure that every student who is granted the right to be educated would not only value and cherish the lessons learned; but more so, to share what they have learned in terms of making each and everyone aware of the importance that

Why And When To Use Shell Scripts Essay Example for Free

Why And When To Use Shell Scripts Essay Use the Internet and the ITT Tech Virtual Library to research shell scripts and answer the following question: What is a shell script? What are the advantages of using shell scripts? What are the common usages of Windows PowerShell? A shell script is a computer program designed to be run by the shell of an operating system such as Unix. The various dialects of shell scripts are considered to be scripting languages. The advantages of shell scripts are: Shortcuts – provides a convenient variation of a system command where special environment settings, command options, or post-processing apply automatically, but in a way that allows the new script to still act as a fully normal shell command. Batch Jobs – allow several commands that would be entered manually at a command-line interface to be executed automatically, and without having to wait for a user to trigger each stage of the sequence. Generalization – Instead of each item being listed within the script, the item is provided on a command line and the shell uses loops, tests and variables to take those items and perform a simple task. PowerShell is a Microsoft Windows tool used to create scripts used in place of the command-line tool. PowerShell uses cmdlets which are specialized commands that implement specific functions which in turn perform a single or multiple tasks.

Communication Processes and Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

Communication Processes and Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Introduction Communication is extremely important to organisations and individual alike. The effectiveness of the communication will directly relate to the success of the organisation and the achievements of the individuals within it. Communication in the retail industry is all important to survival and profitability. The successful retailer is constantly developing a network of communication channels to customers, distributors, financial institutions, the government and employees. Each of these groups is composed of people with differing interests and cannot be reached by the same communication channels. Similarly, employees need skills for a range of communication activities that are used a daily in the retail environment. These include written communication, verbal communication and an understanding of non-verbal communication. There is also an increasing need for retailers and staff to adopt and effectively use new communication technology such as integrated computer systems with functions su ch as e-mail, customer data bases and Internet information access. Because communication is a central factor in the emerging knowledge economy and a major consideration for anyone entering todays workforce, we need to look more closely at the total process of communication. Purposes of communication are the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another. The crucial element in this definition is meaning. Communication has as its central objective the transmission of meaning. The process of communication is successful only when the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it. Both parties must agree not only on the information transmittee but also on the meaning of that information. Communication Process Sender Has Idea The process of communication begins when the person with whom the message originates the sender has an idea. The form of the idea will be influenced by complex factors surrounding the senders mood, frame of reference, background, culture, and physical makeup, as well we the context of the situation and many other factors. The way you greet people on campus or on the job, for example, depends a lot on how you feel, whom you are addressing (a classmate, a professor, a colleague, or your boss), and what your culture has trained you to say (Good morning, Hey, Hi, Howdy, or How ya doing?). The form of idea, whether a simple greeting or a complex idea, is shaped by assumptions based on the senders experiences. A manager sending an e-mail announcement to employees assumes that will be receptive, whereas direct-mail advertisers assume that receivers will give only a quick glance to their message. The ability to accurately predict how a message will affect its receiver and skill in adapting that message to its receiver are key factors in successful communication. Sender Encodes Idea in Message The next step in the communication process involves encoding. This means converting the idea into words or gestures that will convey meaning. A major problem in communicating any message verbally is that words have different meanings for different people. When misunderstood, skilled communicators choose familiar words with concrete meanings on which both senders and receivers agree. In selecting proper symbols, senders must be alert to the receivers communication skills, attitudes, background, experiences, and culture. Message Travels Over Channel The medium over which the message is physically transmitted is the channel. Messages may be delivered by computer, telephone, cell phone, letter, memorandum, report, announcement, picture, spoken word, fax, Web page, or through some other channel. Because communication channels deliver both verbal and nonverbal messages, senders must choose the channel and shape the message carefully. A company may use its annual report, for example, as a channel to deliver many messages to stockholders. The verbal message lies in the reports financial and organization news. Nonverbal messages, though, are conveyed by the reports appearance (showy versus bland), layout (ample white space versus tightly packed columns of print), and tone (conversational versus formal). Anything that interrupts the transmission of a message in the communication process is called noise. Channel noise rangers from static that disrupts a telephone conversation to typographical and spelling errors in a letter or e-mail message. Such errors damage the credibility of the sender. Channel noise might even include the annoyance a receiver feels when the sender chooses an improper medium for sending a message, such as announcing a loan rejection via postcard or firing an employee by e-mail. Receiver Decodes Message The individual for whom the message is intended is the receiver. Translating the message from its symbol form into meaning involves decoding. Only when the receiver understands the meaning intended by the sender that is, successfully decodes the message does communication take place. Such success, however, is difficult to achieve because no two people share the same life experiences and because many barriers can disrupt the process. Decoding can be disrupted internally by the receivers lack of attention to or bias against the sender. It can be disrupted externally by loud sounds or illegible words. Decoding can also be sidetracked by semantic obstacles, such as misunderstood words or emotional reactions to certain terms. A memo that refers to all the women in an office as girls or chicks, for example, may disturb its receivers so much that they fail to comprehend the total message. Feedback Travels to Sender The verbal and nonverbal responses of the receiver create feedback, a vital part of the communication process. Feedback helps the sender know that the message was received and understood. If, as a receiver, you hear the message Hoe are you, your feedback might consist of words (Im fine) or body language (a smile or a wave of the hand). Although the receiver may respond with additional feedback to the sender (thus creating a new act of communication), we will concentrate here on the initial message flowing to the receiver and the resulting feedback. Senders can encourage feedback by asking questions such as, Am I making myself clear? And is there anything you dont understand? Senders can further improve feedback by timing the delivery appropriately and by providing only as much information as the receiver can handle. Receivers can improve the process by paraphrasing the senders message with comments, such as, Let me try to explain that in my own words. The best feedback is descriptive rather than evaluate. For example, heres a descriptive response. I understand you want to launch a used gold ball business. Heres an evaluative response. Your business ideas are always goofy. An evaluative response is judgemental and doesnt tell the sender whether the receiver actually understood the message. Common forms of communication use in hospitality and tourism industry there are: Auditory communication Visual communication Tactile communication Multichannel communication Auditory communication is where messages are perceived through the sense of hearing. Words, music, sounds and noises take part in this type of communication. In the hospitality sector we can establish auditory communication through different media according to activity and objectives such as: direct conversation or face to face communication, phone conversation and radio broadcasting. Visual communication is where messages are perceived through sight. Sign, gesture and images are very important when communicating. There are different media such as, letters, complaint forms, contracts, invoices, labels and leaflets. Tactile communication is where messages are perceived through the sense of touch. Affection is conveyed through tactile sensations. Shaking hands or tapping someones shoulder can have positive or negative effects, so it is necessary to be very respectful in this matter and know cultural conventions. There are different mediums such as greetings at meetings and negotiations. Multichannel communication is where messages are perceived through different senses at a time. There are different media through which this is possible such as television, video and computer. Conclusion Managers need complete and correct information in order to perform their functions efficiently and effectively. If such information is not properly communicated, the whole organisation suffers from mismanagement. For instance, business planning, requires information on available resources, strength of competitors, government policies, and other external factors. Such information provides very important inputs for management to be able to formulate the right objectives and strategies for achieving its goal. Proper communication is again needed. Decision-making is a crucial function of management. It greatly depends on accurate information. Wrong information means wrong decisions; hence, the need for proper communication. Likewise, good communication is needed in controlling. However, it is in leading or directing where effective communication is most needed. People have to be influenced or motivated to think and move towards the right directions; to achieve peak performance; and to act in consonance with the culture of the organization. These clearly require a lot of communication. Managers do not only deal with their peers and subordinates, but also with customers, suppliers, and bankers. Their success in dealing with the said outsiders greatly depends on their ability to communicate. Customers are No.1 in any business organization. Without customers, there is no business. To create customers and satisfy them are certainly big jobs for communication. These require proper planning, organizing, and implementation of marketing strategies. All the said activities depend on effective communication. Introduction Motivation is to supply a motive to and also be the motive of. The willingness to exert high levels of effort to organisational goals, conditioned by the efforts ability to satisfy some individual needs. It is also to cause a person to act in a particular way. Stimulate the interest of a person in an activity. This definition is a good example of the problems associated with the concept of motivation. In essence, there seem to be two conflicting views of motivation. In one way, the definition indicates that motivation is where someone (perhaps a team leader) causes someone else (a team member) to act in a certain way. In other way, it appears that motivation is something that someone uses as a motive for doing things. This apparent conflict reflects an ongoing debate research into motivation. Traditional views of leadership and motivation reflected a passive view of motivation. In effect, people required strong leaders to motivate them towards certain goals. If someone says they are demotivated and we offer them a bag of cash or threaten to sack them, and then they get on with the task in hand, what has happened? This approach to motivation implies that the leader had to motivate his or her team member through various rewards and/or punishments. Motivation is described, usually, as intentional. That is, motivation is assumed to be under the workers control, and behaviours that are influenced by motivation, such as effort expended, are seen as choices of action. One can look at motivation as a deficiency, a need that must be fulfilled. Hunger is a motivation- it is an internal force, food. Before you can motivate your staff, you must first understand what motivates each employee in his or her specific job position. As a manager with human resources responsibilities it is easy to realize that differences exist between what motivates hourly and management employees. What makes a job interesting to a group of hourly employees is different from what makes a job interesting to a group of managers. Furthermore, what one employee may find interesting may not be of any interest to another employee. No matter what, there will be some jobs in the hospitality industry that just cannot be made interesting. There are some motivation theories that the organization must understand in order to motivate their employees to excel at their jobs. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, Abraham identified the whys of motivation theory. His theory (Hierarchy of Needs) states that man is motivated by satisfying a set of needs common to all individuals. In ascending order of importance these are: Physiological needs (food, clothing, and shelter). Safety/security needs (freedom from fear of losing job, clothing and shelter). Acceptance needs (to belong and be accepted by others). Esteem needs (status, prestige, and power). Self-actualization needs (maximize ones potential). Maslow believed that until the physiological needs are satisfied, the other would not serve as motivators. Furthermore, once a need is met, it no longer acts as a motivator, and another need takes its place. One of the problems with Maslows theory is that although it works in life situations, it is not applicable to work settings. Hertzbergs two-factor theory identified job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction as separate elements that are not polar opposites of each other. The two-factor concept states that job factors generally regarded as motivators should actually be divided into two groups: one consisting of motivation factors (or satisfiers) and one consisting of maintenance factors (dissatisfies or hygiene). Because job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction do not balance each other out, the elimination of a dissatisfier does not necessarily lead to job satisfaction. Motivation factors include such conditions as recognition, achievement, advancement, and responsibility. Hygiene factors include working conditions, company policies, and salary. One of Hertzbergs major conclusions was that money was not a motivator. Hertzberg believes that if motivation factors are present in the workplace, employees will be motivated; if such factors are not present, then motivation will not occur. If hygiene factors are present, then employees will be satisfied with their work; if such factors are not present, then employees will be dissatisfied. Hygiene factors in no way affect motivation, whether they are present or absent. Expectancy theory is one of the more implementable motivation theories. The theory states that a person will be motivated when the individual perceives a link between what he or she is doing and the expected reward. The higher the effort, the greater the reward and vice versa. It is important that the reward is attainable and that your human resources will feel rewarded for the effort they produce. Pay-for-performance compensation systems operate on this principle. Fixed hourly wages and salaries do not motivate because there is no link between effort and reward. For the reward to operate as a motivator, the employee must value attainment of the reward, the employee must see a link between his or her work efforts and receiving the reward, and the individual must possess the abilities and skills to do the job. Money as a motivator, the motivational value of money may change after a persons basic needs have been reasonably well satisfied. Because human beings have a way of continually redefining their needs, whether money will motivate is to some degree a matter of the amount the employee is already earning. Therefore, while some people will be more motivated to work for money, companies find that for most employees other things are equally, if not more important. Job enrichment, Hertzberg proposed the idea of job enrichment as a reaction to the KITA (kick-in-the-ass) motivational approach there are most managers practicing. Job enrichment is based on that the only way to motivate employees is to give them challenging work in which they can assume responsibility. This strategy includes modifying jobs so that they are more meaningful and give the employee an opportunity for recognition and greater responsibility. Motivational effectiveness, there is no consensus on how best to motivate your work force. As a human resources manager, consideration needs to be given to several factors that involve human resources functions other than development. Selection procedures need to be effective so that individuals are places in job positions that they are capable of performing. Training programs must be effective in ensuring that our employees have the necessary skills, and evaluation procedures must be in place to monitor employees performance. Compensation practices needs to be developed that link performance and pay. Furthermore, these practices must all be viewed as fair; that poor performance is not tolerated, high performance is recognized. If your work force is to be motivated, they must believe that extra effort and superior performance is of benefit to them. Rewards do not have to be monetary. Flexible work hours, recognized achievement, increased responsibility, and the opportunity to develop personal and career goals work directly toward a motivated work force has to create desire, commitment, and confidence in your employees. Communication channels have to be open and organizational goals clearly defined. Conclusion There is always an interesting group of drives in every human being that determines how we interact with the world around us. The basic survival drives, like the need for food and water, are not as evident in the workplace as some of our other instincts-our need for activity, curiosity, and manipulation. People need to be active. The level of activity we seek differs tremendously, but, generally, people dislike being confined in a small space with nothing to do. People also have a drive to explore new and unknown places and stimuli. We have a preference for complexity over simplicity, because complexity is more interesting. We also have a tendency to enjoy manipulation; we want to touch, play with, and handle specific objects. These very basic needs have far-reaching implications for the design of jobs and of workplaces. No wonder boring, repetitive, or make-work jobs, even if they are easy, lead to burn out frustration, and even sabotage (just to liven things up.)

remembering :: essays research papers

Home For the holidays When it comes to giving thanks for what you appreciate there is no better time than thanksgiving, what better way to celebrate than with family, food, and friends. Every year millions of people all across the country come together for a very special reason. This day is when you are to give thanks for all that you have been blessed with, and food is a big part of this day. Without mention this dinner usually includes succulent Turkey, cranberry sauce, spiced stuffing, and very creamy mashed potatoes with gravy. There is nothing like the rising chatter of your family members, or the sweet aroma that billows from behind the kitchen door each time it is opened to let you know you’re home for the holidays.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When you come from a family of Jamaicans you’re going to know how to party, holidays are the times when you look forward to rejoicing and catching up with kinfolk. My older cousins from New Jersey seem to always have energy enough to fill a ball room. Each and every conversation seems to be as exciting and bright as the one prior; it’s surprising they have time to have dinner with the family. My mother and most of the females often rejoice with each other while cooking or preparing the dinner, old hymns gleefully fill the air, reminding them of the isle they have left behind. When my sister and her husband bring my nieces & nephew to visit it’s always a sight for sore eyes, there presence often remind me of when they were born, so innocent, delicate, and precious, like a real white Christmas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the years the location of where we have our thanksgiving has changed drastically. As our family becomes larger and more united we have to find more space to accommodate the guests around this holiday. I can remember a couple of more important times when thanksgiving was extra special. In 1999 me and my most immediate family traveled all the way back to Jamaica to visit my mother’s mother and too spend the holiday with more than 3 generations of family. This was one of the most important times in my life because it gave me a chance to experience and interact with family I don’t see everyday. On a more recent note this year we spent dinner with my mom, and just my cousin.

Edward Kennedy Ellington :: essays research papers

The man was born Edward Kennedy Ellington; but he exists in the eyes of American culture as the Duke. He received the nickname from a childhood friend who recognized his style and debonair. That style would carry him around the country and eventually the world as one of the music world’s most prolific composers. His life began in Washington DC on April 29, 1899. Duke did not start up as a child prodigy; while he took piano lessons, he leaned more to sports in his formative years. His parents were strong role models who supported his interests and taught him how to be successful in life. As he grew up and made his way through high school, he developed artistic talent which would lead him to seek higher education in that field. He turned down and prestigious scholarship to Pratt Institute of Fine Art and stayed in Washington to attend Armstrong Manual Training School instead. It was during college that his interest in music took off. He was intrigued by Ragtime style pianists in Washington and would seek out Jazz piano players wherever he went. His earliest personal influence was a piano player named Harvey Brooks. Combined with his early teachers, Oliver â€Å"Doc† Perry and Louis Brown, Duke Ellington found the encouragement and skills necessary for him to go out and become successful . He left school to pursue music as a career and found some work in Washington with his first band – The Duke’s Serenaders. They played in Washington for six years before making an important move to New York in 1923 at the advice of Jazz great Fats Waller. In that year Ellington recorded his first record and changed the band’s name to The Washingtonians. Radio was the big key to the foundation of Ellington’s success in New York. It was radio which had prepared New Yorkers for his sound and once his band made connections with the major New York clubs, it was radio which made their sound a national phenomenon. The most important of the clubs which Duke Ellington played for was the Cotton Club. The combination of the national radio broadcasts that aired from the Cotton Club and the addition of Irving Mills as the bands manager launched Ellington from running a great band to being a star. His fame gave him the ability to develop his band and add in the best musicians from around the country.

Mccarthy Paper

Ubiquitous Love In the novels, The Road and All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac McCarthy, McCarthy shows through symbolism and setting, that ever-present love is a basic human need. In The Road, the boy symbolizes faith, and is the source of never-ending love. All the Pretty Horses, the horses symbolize an unfallen spirit, and is the basis of a deep love. In The Road, the desolate and godless world proves to be unforgiving, yet there is a beacon of light and love found through the boy. In All the Pretty Horses, the beautiful yet disappearing Wild West is a source of pain, but also love. McCarthy uses symbolism in both of his novels, to show an underlying importance, and to further enhance his overall theme of needing something concrete to love. In The Road, McCarthy shows how a father and son’s relationship is based off of the father’s unconditional love for the boy. McCarthy writes; â€Å"Can I ask you something? Yes. Of course you can. What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you. Okay† (McCarthy 11). This quote dives deep into how the man feels about the boy. Through this quote, the man fully expresses that he would not want to live if he had to live without the boy. The boy proves here to be the man’s only hope and the source of what keeps him going. The boy symbolizes faith in a godless and desolate world. In All the Pretty Horses, horses hold deep importance and meaning for John Grady Cole as he adventures away from home. McCarthy writes, â€Å"What he loved in horses was what he loved in men, the blood and the heat of the blood that ran them† (McCarthy 7). In this quote, John Grady Cole simply, but quite deeply displays his undeniable love for horses. John Grady Cole goes as far as to say that he loves horses equally as much as he loves mankind, and that both horse and man have similar qualities. McCarthy gives great symbolism to the horse, as it is being compared to mankind. Horses symbolize an unfaltering spirit that John Grady Cole so dearly idolizes as he experiences pain and anguish while his beloved Wild West slips through his fingers. The horses are the only thing that John Grady Cole can hold onto from the Wild West. He will hold on strong, no matter what happens to him, and will love horses as he loves mankind. In both The Road and All the Pretty Horses, McCarthy symbolizes holding onto something and never wanting to let go in both the boy and the horses. The boy and the horses prove to be something that is ever-present that the main characters in the novels can love unconditionally. McCarthy uses setting to further enhance plot and the theme that ever-present love is a basic human need. In The Road, McCarthy creates a desolate and destroyed world that the man and the boy find themselves trapped in. McCarthy writes, â€Å"When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he’d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him. Nights dark beyond darkness and the days more gray each one than what had gone before. Like the onset of some cold glaucoma dimming away the world. His hand rose and fell softly with each precious breath† (McCarthy 1). In this quote, McCarthy sets the stage for what the world looks like. He describes it as extremely dark, and uses the simile of glaucoma to physically describe the Man and Boy’s experiences. The sight of this new, harmed world basically deteriorates your sight, as the world is no long worth looking at. McCarthy also uses strong and consistent word choice with dark, darkness, gray, cold and dimming. These words give rise to the depressing setting that the Man and the Boy are in. Also in this quote, describes the man’s love and protectiveness for the boy. McCarthy uses juxtaposition here to show that despite the dark, dreary and ever discouraging world they are in, there is a strong and deep love that can overcome any type of desperation. In All the Pretty Horses, McCarthy paints a beautiful country whose culture is slowly diminishing. McCarthy writes, â€Å"They rode out along the fence line and across the open pasture-land†¦The light fell away behind them. They rode out on the high prairie where they slowed the horses to a walk and the stars swarmed around them out of the blackness. They heard somewhere in that tenantless night a bell that tolled and ceased where no bell was and they rode out on the round dais of the earth which alone was dark and no light to it and which carried their figures and bore them up into the swarming stars so that they rode not under but among them† (McCarthy 30). In this quote, McCarthy sets up John Grady’s world with incredible imagery, describing the open fields, prairies and the abundance of stars that consume them. John Grady’s world is picturesque and seems quite perfect as the feeling of this quote is quite calming. But, in the face of this beauty, John Grady is still faced with the ever-present disappearance of the Wild West culture. Although McCarthy finds sadness in the beauty, John Grady is yet again placed with his horses. McCarthy describes the men and their horses as â€Å"they† showing an unbreakable bond. In both The Road and All the Pretty Horses, McCarthy uses contrasting settings to ultimately unite them by showing that ever-present love can be found no matter where you are. In the novels, The Road and All the Pretty Horses, McCarthy shows through symbolism and setting that ever-present love is a basic human need. He cleverly displays this by providing similar and contrasting elements. Humans need to know that they have something constant and concrete to love in order to survive. People tend to struggle when faced with challenges alone. The presence of something to love; whether it is a son, or a horse, is essential. This love is what drives the human race to overcome obstacles and barriers throughout life. McCarthy, Cormac. All the Pretty Horses. New York: Knopf, 1992. Print. McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.