Drug and Alcohol Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Running head: REGULATION OF DEVIANCE: DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE Regulation of Deviance: Drug and Alcohol Use among Adolescents and Young Adults Nikkee L Payne University of Nebraska at Lincoln Abstract This paper explores the overall affects that peers, family members, and religious affiliations have among adolescents and young adults when it comes to the use of deviant substances such as drugs and alcohol. Here we will examine the specific affects that peers tend to have on individual adolescents and how subgroups can influence the future of the individual.We will look at the errors in the limitations placed throughout the different studies done and speculate on what could have been done to better generalize the results. Drug and alcohol use among adolescents and young adults is common and tends to lead to later abuse of said substances. Here we will find better understanding of the overall outcomes of deviant adolescents and their choices that they make about drugs and alcohol in congru ency to environmental factors.Regulation of Deviance: Drug and Alcohol Use among Adolescents and Young Adults There have been numerous studies done on the use of drugs and alcohol within the different cultures and subcultures seen throughout society. Many of these studies tend to focus more so on the young adults and adolescents use of different substances more often than the use across all different age groups. There has been much speculation among many psychologists and sociologists around the different influences of these adolescents and young adults.Different studies have focused on the influences of peers and parents as well as religion on the use of drugs and alcohol. It is seen that peers tend to have a more direct influence on the use of different substances than that of parents. Research by Bahr, Hoffmann and Yang (2005) shows that the attitudes of the parents tend to affect the overall outcome of adolescent drug use. It is easy to see the correlation between drug use, devi ance, and future accomplishments of the adolescents who choose to partake in these deviant acts.No matter what the choice of substance is there is a direct correlation between the use and committing different deviant acts. Literature Review There are many studies that emphasize the direct connection between adolescent drug use and the influences that family members and peers have on this. According to Walden et al (2004) there is a clear correlation linking parents, peers and substance use among youth. This study attempts to look at the genetic influences versus the environmental influences in question of which is more significant to adolescent sway.In the study they attempt to illustrate two possible genetic influences that could possibly help explain the connection between peers, parents and what is seen as substance use phenotypes. â€Å"First, the associations could be the product of active genotype–environment correlations, wherein individuals gravitate to different env ironments (or perceive similar environments differently) on the basis of their unique, genetically influenced dispositions. To the extent that risk for early adolescent substance use is influenced by heritable factors (e. g. temperament), selection into deviant peer groups by adolescents with a propensity to use substances would represent an active genotype–environment correlation. Second, the associations could owe to evocative genotype–environment correlations, which occur when individuals elicit reactions from their environments on the basis of their own genetically influenced behavior. For example, an adolescent’s early use of substances (again, as influenced by heritable factors) could negatively impact the relationship between the adolescent and his or her parent(s) by resulting in increased parent–child conflict.Given the possibility that these putatively environmentally mediated associations could, in fact, result from genotype–environment correlational processes† [ (Walden, McGue, Iacono, Burt, & Elkins, 2004, p. 441) ]. When looking at the results of the study Walden et al (2004) came to the conclusion that these genetic, heritable factors were far less significant than that of the environmental factors to influence youth early youth substance use. The findings here provided a much needed view on the different relationships between peer influence and substance use and parent haracteristics and substance use. The different parenting styles definitely had a great affect on the choices that the youth made when it came to the different uses of substances. It is speculated that the choice of peers can also influence the parent-child interactions and account for relationship problems amongst youth and their parents. There are many positive correlations that came out of this study; however there were limitations on the study that did not account for specific aspects of young adult use of specific substances.There is an absence of the influence of that of teachers in the environment as well as a lack of an overall representative sample in that it consisted of mostly Caucasians. Also, there was a lack of recognizing the sibling influences possible. For the lack of coverage on the influence of the siblings of the deviant youth Stormshak et al makes up for in her article covering Sibling and Peer Deviance. Here the study looks at the different constructs set in place as predictors of substance use of adolescents; these constructs consist of sibling deviance, warmth, and conflict.It is also speculated that the sibling relationships will outweigh that of peer relationships when it comes to influencing deviant behavior [ (Stormshak, Comeau, & Shepard, 2004, p. 637) ]. The results compare significantly with that of the hypotheses of the study. Sibling deviance was the more significant forecaster for adolescent substance use in comparison to that of peer influence. They bring up a good perspective on th e fact that the antisocial youth, especially those with behavior problems, often are rejected from the main social groups around them; however they usually end up making their own subgroups.Usually these subgroups are focused on the thing that they have in common; the deviant acts they partake in. This study tends to jump back and forth on the stance of peer groups versus sibling influence on the outcome of the adolescents. However Stormshak does state that sibling relationships comparatively to peer relationships are far more stable and therefore could possibly serve as a more high risk context for adolescents [ (Stormshak, Comeau, & Shepard, 2004, p. 645) ]. One thing that we need to keep in mind is the limitation of age in this study.Age here can be applied in numerous cases; that is the age of the adolescent at risk as well as the age difference between the youth and their siblings. One thing that the majority of these articles can all agree on is the fact that early initiation of substance use is associated with more addictive behaviors later on in the youth’s lifespan. Often early substance use is associated with more delinquent behavior, academic problems, impairments in the individual’s ability to function as a contributing member of our society, and health problems.Kumpulainen (2000) gives several examples of different studies done with the conclusion that psychiatric problems reported earlier in the adolescents life is correlated with that of drug use later on in life; also, â€Å"mental disorders generally precede the development of addictive disorders† [ (Kumpulainen, 2000, p. 1848) ]. Here she focuses more on the mental state of the individuals and its correlation with the drug use.One can see that the mental health is significantly lower when it comes to the use of drugs and alcohol earlier in the adolescents life. Again, Kumpulainen (2000) refers to other sources to confirm that addictive behaviors and mental disorders tend to go hand in hand. Additionally, in a separate study by Andrews and Duncan (1997) they address the mental capacity and academic motivation of youth and its inverse relationship with substance use; rather than the mental state of the individual.Andrews and Duncan’s study had three major constructs to it; focusing on the family relationships, the deviance of the adolescent, and the academic motivation. One of the limitations as well as benefits to the study was the fact that all of the information gathered came from the reports of the mother and the target adolescents [ (Andrews & Duncan, 1997, p. 527) ]. Also, the confine of the individuals mostly being Caucasian and living in single-parent households may slightly skew the overall generalization of the study.The study comes to the conclusion that there is no significant relationship between alcohol use and that of academic motivation; also, for the other substances of marijuana and cigarettes it is inconclusive to the fact th at the results cannot determine which act precedes the other. In that substance use precedes academic motivation or the inverse of this as well. However, they can conclude that the increased use in marijuana and cigarettes does lead to more of a lack of motivation when it comes to academics. [ (Andrews & Duncan, 1997, p. 541) ].There are two separate longitudinal studies that focus more so on the transitions made from these earlier adolescent years into the later adolescent years and adulthood. Here we look at the friendships and peers to understand the direction in which the adult will end up going. Dishion and Owen (2002) have findings consistent with numerous other studies in that many of these individuals tend to be put into specific peer groups that more regularly use substances [ (Dishion & Owen, 2002, p. 488) ]. One needs to remember that the connection made between these peers with the use of these substances is substantial and tend to be long lasting.Therefore we can assume that these connections will be significant throughout the individual’s life and not just the adolescent years. Similarly, the study done by Mason, Hitch and Spoth (2009) shows the transition from early to late adolescents in that with the interaction of the proper peer group at age sixteen along with what they see as the negative affect can be a predictor of the amount of substance use in later adolescence. This negative affect that they speak of is alluding to the use of substance to escape or cope with the current reality that each individual may be facing at that time.This is one of the few studies that hint toward this hypothesis; â€Å"other studies have not supported the self-medication hypothesis among teens† [ (Mason, Hitch, & Spoth, 2009, p. 1153) ]. Here you see more of a lack from this study when it comes to the overall assessment of negative affective states. This is where you gain more insight through other articles concerning the actual mental states of individuals and the direct correlation that it has with the use of different substances.The study done by Dishion and Owen (2002) has fewer limitations on it; their unexpected findings helped to further understand the hypothesis of deviant friendships and the relationship to dangerous drug use. They have seen to have fewer discrepancies when it came to the results and findings. â€Å"The Young adult years are a critical transition point for many individuals,† Dishion and Owen (2002) state; this is â€Å"when selection of partners, formation of families, and the foundation for the next generation are established† [ (Dishion & Owen, 2002, p. 89) ]. One cannot forget the influence of religion and its effects on the use of what is seen as deviant substances by our different sub-cultures and societies. Walker et al states that, â€Å"research has shown religiosity to the a protective factor with regard to substance use and other problem behaviors† [ (Walker, Ainette, Wills, & Mendoza, 2007, p. 84) ]. There are clear indications of differentiation of substance use dependent upon the entirety of the relationship that one has with religion.When it comes to religion they tend to encourage certain behaviors that are more socially accepted and fewer deviants. Therefore, one can assume that adolescents involved in their religious organizations will be less likely to commit acts of deviance such as use of specific substances. This study is yet another indication of the inverse relationship between religiosity and substance use. Discussion It is clear that there are many factors that come into play when it comes to deviance in adolescents and young adults.Many of the findings in the articles come to the same conclusions; that is that numerous environmental factors along with that of peer groups, religious groups and family members all come into play. The speculation that the sibling relationship is more significant than that of peer relationships by Sto rmshak et al. is simply just that, speculation. Looking at the results as a whole we can see that peer relationships are just as significant of that of sibling relationships as well as parent relationships. Peer groups are what help adolescents more or less decide who they would like to be and the activities that they would like to partake in.Bahr, Hoffmann and Yang (2005) also concluded that â€Å"peer drug use had stronger affects than any of the other variables; However, the results [also] showed that the family variables had significant impacts on adolescent drug use as well† [ (Bahr, Hoffmann, & Yang, 2005, p. 545) ]. A major limitation of the majority of the studies would be the ability to generalize them across a number of populations. Many studies are done on Caucasians and also have other specific measures that are not easily able to be generalized across many cultures and subcultures.In order to fully understand the compete influence on peer, family and religious gr oups one would need to look at numerous characteristics not just specific sub-groups. Conclusion and Future Study As a whole the amount of research done on peer, family and religious influence is significant enough that we can get a good idea on the overall affects. Substance use among more troubled adolescence is far more common than that of adolescence involved in religious organizations and those who are motivated academically as well.Those youth who have been labeled as antisocial and having more mental health problems are forced into this more deviant peer group and are more likely to become substance users and abusers later in life. There are clear correlations between deviant peers and drug usage among adolescents. In future studies we should make sure to have a more wide population to study. Not focus as much on the Caucasians and troubled youth. When it comes to troubled youth you need a comparison of what is seen as society as the more angelic adolescents who tend to not g et mixed up in substances that are deviant.Here, however, it is clear that there are many factors that come into play when determining the adolescent’s use of drugs and alcohol. References Andrews, J. A. , & Duncan, S. C. (1997). Examining the Reciprocal Relation Bewteen Academic Motivation and Substance Use: Effects of Family Relationships, Self-Esteem, and General Deviance. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 20(6), 523-549. Retrieved from http://0-web. ebscohost. com. library. unl. edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? sid=21d20bb2-d5ad-4a31-8aef-c9c56a727cbf%40sessionmgr10&vid=1&hid=16 Bahr, S. J. Hoffmann, J. P. , & Yang, X. (2005). Parental and Peer Influences on the Risk of Adolescent Drug Use. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 26(6), 529-551. Retrieved from http://www. inspirationsyouth. com/Teen-Substance-Abuse/Parental-and-Peer-Influences-Adolescent-Drug-Abuse. pdf Brook, J. S. , Lukoff, I. F. , & Whiteman, M. (1977). Peer, Family, and Personality Domains as Related to Adoles cents' Drug Behavior. Psychological Reports(41), 1095-1102. Retrieved from http://0-www. amsciepub. com. library. unl. edu/doi/pdf/10. 2466/pr0. 1977. 41. 3f. 109

Background Statement

My life has always been about making choices and striving to make a difference. I was born in Asia, and late moved to the United States to continue my studies. I could definitely say that my perception about life, including my goals and dreams in life have been formed due to the experiences I had in my life. I grew up taking care of my father, who was obese. As a young child, preparing my father’s food was not much of a big deal; however, this came in as a challenge as I grew older. For this, I decided to hone myself to become a registered dietician. As a student, I have always been hardworking and persevering.My grades were impressive enough for other people to look up to me. I would have grades that would range from A’s to B’s, but nothing lower than that. My parents would always tell me how proud they are to see my dedication to become successful in life. I would always remind others that having a good education would be advantageous for me in the real world. Regardless of this, I would not forget how to care for the welfare of those I love most. Although my main concern has been about the safety of my family and friends, I also want to make sure that I could be of service to those who were in need.As mentioned earlier, I have been exposed to the realities of life at a young age. I was honed further through the endeavors that I had in my life. These included my involvement in the Dietetics department of the Family Nutrition Program of the Ohio State University. I was responsible for data entry and in the preparation of the materials to be used in the program. I was further trained through my experience as a production supervisor for on-campus dining. The task was tedious, for I had to make sure that everything was in place. However, I am still grateful for I was able to learn how to become a well rounded individual.Furthermore, I also believe that I possess the leadership capabilities deemed from your perspective students. I used to work as an orientation leader for the Ohio State University, where I learned how to deal with different kinds of people. As the orientation leader, I was expected to give students an overview of the school they were about to study in, and patiently answer all of their queries. This kind of role may become irrelevant for some, but I believe otherwise. In every aspect of life, patience and dedication for the craft have always been considered essential in one’s success.Moreover, seeing the people become contented with my service also became my driving force in life. I know that my family would always find something good and appreciative in my craft. However, the kind of happiness that I give others cannot be repaid by monetary terms. Through our exchange of thoughts and words, I am able to share with others another side of me that not everyone could see. In this regard, I feel an extraordinary kind of fulfillment wherein I am able to share my talents and become a helping hand in the ir world.I know that I may sound young to have such a wide perception about life. But this is the way things go. My parents have brought me up to always take the feelings and welfare of others into consideration. In our own way, we should not only think of ourselves, especially during hard and trying times. As my father became obese, I have set my mind in giving back the care and compassion that he has shown me all these years. In this regard, I would also expand that extraordinary care by being of service to others.My dreams and aspirations in life do not end after college. I plan to work in the different areas that concern dietetics and hone my knowledge further. The experiences would help me to become an effective Registered Dietician in the future, and eventually widen this knowledge further by spreading my wings in the United States. Having lifetime goals and aspirations in life should never be considered negatively by people. These are the little dreams that keep people, like me, going – working hard in order to achieve a better future for myself and the people around me.

APA Paper Template

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Strategy for Mobinil Essay Example for Free

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In order to survive in todays competitive marketplace, an organization has to consistently satisfy its customers needs and anticipate their future needs. This can be achieved by providing customers with the products they want, â€Å"getting it right first time†, without the need for rework. To satisfy customers, one must go higher along the production chain, right up to the suppliers not forgetting employee morale and commitment. Suppliers provide the raw materials or products for further processing by employees; if suppliers and employees do what is expected of them, â€Å"getting it right first time,† customers will be satisfied. As defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO): TQM is a management approach for an organization, centered on quality, based on the participation of all its members and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction, and benefits to all members of the organization and to society. (ISO 8402:1994) A quality management system in the enterprise, based on prevention rather than cure, minimizes waste and rework by ensuring that products are made right first time and every time. In adopting a preventive approach by investing in plants and equipment, training staff and purchasing the appropriate raw materials/inputs, an organization can reduce inspection cost and more specifically, the costs of failure and/or delays. These costs arise from rework or discarding non-conforming in-process material and finished products. Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Management (QM) Models The publication of the ISO 9000 series of standards in 1987 heightened awareness of the benefits of QA requirements among SMEs, many of which implemented ISO 9000 QA models to improve their competitive position as well as to join the ranks of suppliers to large companies. While both the 1987 and 1994 versions of ISO 9001, ISO 9002 and ISO 9003 were based on a QA model, the revised standard (ISO 9001) published in 2000 is based on QM principles (Ghana Standards Board, Export quality management, 2009) The broad relationships between inspection, quality control, quality assurance and quality management are summarized in the table below. System Objective Activities Applicability Nature Inspection Product conformance by screening out conforming products from nonconforming products Visual checks/ measuring; then testing and reporting the results. Generally, Production-related activities, such as checking incoming goods, in-process or final product, pre-dispatch, etc Detection after the event. Quality control Product Conformance by Eliminating causes of nonconforming products Inspection followed by appraisal of results and feedback to the process being controlled As above Detection and-or off-line correction. Quality assurance Generating confidence in product conformance Comprises all QC activities, plus documented quality systems and quality audits All functions of the company from design to after-sales service. Prevention. Quality Management Continual improvement of product conformance Continual improvement of processes in addition to all QA activities As above Prevention and improvement. What are the ISO 9000 series of Standards The ISO 9000 series consist of four primary standards supported by several other documents. The four primary standards are ISO 9000, Quality management systems Fundamentals and vocabulary; ISO 9001, Quality management systems Requirements; ISO 9004, Quality management systems Guidelines for performance improvements ISO 19011, Guidelines on quality and/or environmental management auditing. ISO 9000 is a starting point for understanding the standard, as it defines the fundamental terms used in the ISO 9000 family or set of standards for quality management. ISO 9001 specifies the requirements for quality management systems which enable you to demonstrate your ability to provide products that fulfil customer and applicable regulatory requirements; it also aims to enhance customer satisfaction. ISO 9004 provides you with guidance on the continual improvement of your quality management system so that the needs and expectations of all interested parties are met. These interested parties include customers and end-users, directors and staff in the organisation, owners and investors, suppliers and partners, and society at large. ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 are consistent pair of standards that relate modern quality management to processes and activities of an organization, and emphasize the promotion of continual improvement and the achievement of customer satisfaction. ISO 9001, which focuses on the effectiveness of the quality management system in meeting customer requirements, is used for certification or for contractual agreements between suppliers and buyers. By contrast, ISO 9004 cannot be used for certification as it does not prescribe requirements but provides guidance for the continual improvement of an organisations performance. ISO 9001 focuses on effectiveness, i.e. doing the right thing in the right way. The ISO 9000 quality management system is generic in nature: it is applicable to both the manufacturing and services sectors, and to enterprises of all sizes, including the single entrepreneur. ISO 9001 specifies what an enterprise is required to do, but it does not indicate how this is to be done thus giving the enterprise much flexibility in running its business. (Crosby, 1992) Worldwide use of ISO 9000 The ISO 9000 standards are widely used around the world. A survey conducted by ISO indicated that at least 4008,631 ISO certificates were awarded in 158 countries in 2000, up by 64, 988 certificates over the figure for end of December 1999, when the total stood at 343,643 for 150 countries. The figures were also significantly higher than the 27,816 certificates issued in 48 countries by 31st January 1993, when the survey was first conducted. The number of certificates issued in Europe in 2000 was 220,127 or 53% of the total. The Far East had 20.05%, North America 11.82%, New Zealand and Australia 6.68%, Africa and West Asia 4.94%, and Central and South America 2.64%. Information on the sector covered by the certificates at the end of 2000 was obtained for 317,126 certificates. The highest number recorded was for basic metal products (40,713 certificates or 12.84% of the total), and the smallest number for nuclear fuel (115, 0.03%) The figures for various other sectors are as follows: electrical and optical equipment, 38,148 (12.0%); food products, beverages and tobacco, 11,440 (3.6%); information technology, 11,067 (3.5%); textiles and textile products, 5, 178 (1.6%); and hotels and restaurants, 1,187 (0.4%) Is quality management an issue only for management? A glance at the definition of quality Management-â€Å"coordinated activities to direct and control an organisation with regard to quality† gives an impression that it is an issue for management only. This impression is reinforced by the fact that the eight quality management principles that form the basis of the ISO 9000 series are all used by senior management as a framework for guiding the organisation towards improved performance. The eight management principles are: Principle 1 Customer focus Principle 2 Leadership, Principle 3 Involvement of people Principle 4 Process approach Principle 5 System approach Principle 6 Continual improvement, Principle 7 Factual approach to decision-making, and Principle 8 Mutually beneficial supplier relationships Herbert Simon argued years ago that the core of managing lies in decision making, which is best thought of as process comprising three phases: Finding occasions for making decisions, Finding possible courses of action, and Choosing among courses of action Looking at the quality management principles again, but from Simons point of view, one finds that some of them provide workers with ample scope for making decisions that influence quality. It would appear that the principles related to customer focus, leadership, system approach to management, and development of mutually beneficial supplier relationships are issues for management only. The other principles apply to employees at all levels in the organisation. Employees accept ownership of problems and their responsibility for solving them. The process approach is applicable to everyone, each person having a triple role (i.e. everyone in an organisation is seen as a customer, processor and a supplier). Continual improvement is within the reach of employees at all levels as they can be trained in the methods of continual improvement and the tools involve. Everyone can base his or her decision on accurate and reliable data, this being made available wherever decisions have to be taken. If everyone looks at quality management as managing of quality, then quality management is within the decision-making scope of both managers and workers. There is a Japanese rule that attributes quality problems to poor product design (40%), errors made during the manufacturing process (30%), and nonconforming materials purchased from suppliers (30%). Generally design and purchasing problems can be solved only through managerial intervention. One can say that quality problems in manufacturing are caused in equal proportion by managers (e.g. inadequate training of workers) and workers (e.g. inadequate attention to machine setting). One can conclude that 85% of the problems come under management control and 15% are under worker control. This ratio of 85:15 has been substantially documented in the literature of quality management. Only 15% of defective products can be attributed to production operators while the other 85% are caused by management. System problems like inadequate maintenance of equipment and faulty raw materials/components can be resolved only by top management. Quality management is regarded in ISO 9000 as comprising four elements: Quality planning, Quality control, Quality assurance and Quality improvement While all four elements are within the purview of management, workers are directly responsible for quality control conducted at the operational level. It should be noted that workers could also contribute to quality improvement if they have been trained in simple problem-solving techniques. FOOD SAFETY QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Food safety is related to the presence of food-borne hazards in food at the point of consumption, (intake by the consumer). As the introduction of food safety hazards can occur at any stage of the food chain, adequate control throughout the food chain is essential. Thus food safety is ensured through the combined efforts of all the parties participating in the food chain. The following are generally recognised key elements to ensure food safety along the food chain, up to the point of final consumption: Interactive communication; System Management; Prerequisite programmes; HACCP principles Communication along the food chain is essential to ensure that all relevant food safety hazards are identified and adequately controlled at each step within the food chain. This implies communication between organizations both upstream and downstream in the food chain. Communication with customers and suppliers about identified hazards and control measures will assist in clarifying customer and supplier requirements (e.g. with regard to the feasibility and need for these requirements and their impact on the end product). Recognition of the organisations role and position within the food chain is essential to ensure effective interactive communication throughout the chain in order to deliver safe food products to the final consumer. The most effective food safety systems are established, operated and updated within the framework of a structured system and incorporated into the overall management activities of the organization. This provides maximum benefit for the organisation and interested parties. ISO 22000:2005 has been aligned ISO 9001 in order to enhance the compatibility of the two standards. ISO 22000 integrates the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system and application steps developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. By means of auditable requirements, it combines the HACCP plan with prerequisite programmes (PRPs). Hazard analysis is the key to an effective food safety management, since conducting a hazard analysis assists in organising the knowledge required to establish an effective combination of control assist in organising the knowledge required to establish an effective combination of control measures. ISO 22000 requires that all hazards that may be reasonably expected to occur in the food chain, including hazards that may be associated with the type of process and facilities used, are identified and assessed. Thus it provides the means to determine and document why certain identified hazards need to be controlled by a particular organisation and why others need not. BUSINESS PROCESSES AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS In order to operate, businesses must deal with many different pieces of information about suppliers, customers, employees, invoices and payments, and of course product and services. They must organise work activities that use this information systems to operate efficiently and enhance the overall performance of the firm. Information systems make it possible for firms to manage all their information, make better decisions and improve the execution of their business processes. (Laudon and laudon 2006). BUSINESS PROCESSES Information systems are all about improving business processes which lie at the very heart of a business. So it is important to understand what is meant by â€Å"business processes† Business processes, refer to the manner in which work is organised, coordinated, and focused to produce a valuable product or service. Business processes are workflows of materials, information, and knowledge-set of activities. Business processes also refers to the unique ways in which organisations coordinate work, information and knowledge, and the ways in which management chooses to coordinate work. Every business can be seen as a collection of business processes. Some of these processes are part of larger encompassing processes. For example, almost every business has a way to hire employees. The process of hiring employees is a business process in the sense that it is a set of activities that a firm uses to hire new employees. To a large extent the performance of a business firm depends on how well its business processes are designed and coordinated. A companys business processes can be a source of competitive strength if they enable the company to innovate or to execute better than its rivals. Business processes can also be liabilities if they are based on outdated ways of working that impede organisational responsiveness and efficiency. Information systems enhance business processes primarily in two ways: Increasing the efficiency of existing processes and Enabling entirely new processes that are capable of transforming the business TYPES OF BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS There are different systems depending on the different business processes but all the systems could be viewed from two different perspectives: a functional perspective identifying systems by their major business function, and a constituency perspective that identifies systems in terms of the major organisational groups that they serve. Systems from a functional perspective From a historical perspective, functional systems were the first kinds of systems developed by business firms. These systems were located in specific departments, such as accounting, marketing and sales, production, and human resources. There are four main types of information systems that serve different functional systems: Sales and marketing information systems help the firm with marketing business processes (identifying customers for the firms products or services, developing products and services to meet their needs, promoting products and services) and sales processes (selling the products and services, taking orders, contacting customers, and providing customer support). Manufacturing and production information systems deal with the planning, development, and production of products and services, and controlling the flow of production. Finance and accounting information systems keep track of the firms financial assets and fund flows. The typical finance and accounting information systems found in large organizations. Senior management uses finance and accounting systems to establish long-term investment goals for the firms and to provide long-range forecasts of the firms financial performance. Middle management uses systems to oversee and control the firms financial resources. Operational management uses finance and accounting systems to track the flow of funds in the firm through transactions, such as paychecks, payments to vendors, securities reports, and receipts. Human resources information systems maintain employee records, track employee skills, job performance and training, and support planning for employee compensation and career development. The system can produce a variety of reports, such as list of newly hired employees, employees who are terminated or on leaves of absence, employees classified by job type or educational level, or employee job performance evaluations. Systems from a Constituency Perspective This is a perspective that examines systems in terms of the various levels of management and types of decision that they support. Each of these levels has different information needs given their different responsibilities, and each can be seen as major information constituents. Senior managers need summary information that can quickly inform them about the overall performance of the firm. Middle managers need more specific information on the results of specific functional areas and departments of the firm. Operational managers need transactional-level information, such as number of parts in inventory each day. Knowledge workers may need access to external scientific databases or internal databases with organisational knowledge. Production or service workers may need access to information from production machines, and service workers may need access to customer records in order to take orders and answer questions from customers. There are four main categories of systems from a constituency perspective. Transaction processing systems (TPS) are basic business systems that serve the operational level of the organization by recording the daily routine transactions required to conduct business, such as payroll and sales receipts. Management information systems (MIS) serve middle managers interests by providing current and historical performance information to aid in planning, controlling, and decision making at the management level. MIS typically compress TPS data to present regular reports on the companys basic operations. Decision Support Systems (DSS), or business intelligence systems, help managers with non-routine decisions that are unique, rapidly changing, and not easily specified in advance. DSS are more analytical than MIS, using a variety of models to analyze internal and external data or condense large amounts of data for analysis. Executive support systems (ESS) provide a generalized computing and communications environment that help senior managers address strategic issues and identify long-term trends in the firm and its environment. ESS addresses non-routine decisions requiring judgment, evaluation, and insight because there is no agreed-on procedure for arriving at a solution. ESS present graphs and data from many internal and external sources through an interface that is easy for senior managers to use. Often the information is delivered to senior executives through a portal, which uses a Web interface to present integrated personalized business content. INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TQM The importance of information technologies and the information systems function is no longer of debate among business people. The question, rather, is how an organization can take best advantage of IT in order to support its operations, add value to its products and services, and gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. To be able to perform up to such high expectations, the IS function must develop an intimate understanding of the expectations of its varied clientele. As organizations embark on their journey to be more responsive to their customers and to continuously improve the quality of their products and services, IS must do the same. Unfortunately, it seems that despite the importance of IT to the success of most organizations, the function is not proactive when it comes to actively pursuing and implementing quality principles. Surveys of IS managers found that a minority of IS managers (41%) understood the basic principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), and thought the y will beuseful to the IS function. Even in the cases where TQM principles were understood, they often were not implemented in the IS function. Total IS quality is a multidimensional concept. (Antonis C. Stylianou and Ram L. Kumar, September 2000) Dimensions Of Information Systems Quality Infrastructure Quality: The quality of the infrastructure (hardware and enabling software) that is fielded and maintained by IS—includes, for example, the quality of the networks, and systems software. Software Quality: The quality of the applications software built, or maintained, or supported by IS. Data Quality: The quality of the data entering the various information systems. Information Quality: The quality of the output resulting from the information systems. In many cases, the output of one system becomes the input of another. In that respect, information quality is related to data quality. Administrative Quality: The quality of the management of the IS function—Includes the quality of budgeting, planning, and scheduling. Service Quality: The quality of the service component ofthe IS function—includes the quality of customer support processes such as those related to a help desk. These dimensions overlap considerably, and what impacts one dimension will in many cases impact other dimensions as well. For example, a decline in infrastructure quality (for example, persistent network service interruptions) is likely to cause real or perceived problems with data and service quality. And even though in the eyes of some IS customers the distinction may be insignificant, it is nevertheless important in being able to respond appropriately. An appropriate response may include actions to address infrastructure quality (such as replacing a defective network component), data quality (such as more frequent backups), and service quality (such as improved communication on cause and resolution of the problem). So far, research on IS quality has addressed individual components of quality and not the big picture. Pearson et al.s framework for introducing TQM into the IS function, although broad, does not provide an integrated and detailed enough perspective for managing quality in key processes and products. Also, Pitt et al. present a model of IS success that is broad but incomplete. That model does not capture the variety of stakeholders affected, the interaction between IS and business processes, the administrative component of IS quality, and environmental influences on quality. An extensive literature exists on data and information quality, and software quality. Administrative IS quality, although it has not received as much attention on its own, is very similar to the quality of other management processes examined in the general concept. INFLUENCES ON INFORMATION SYSTEM QUALITY While IS quality is a general concept, there may be significant differences between organizations in terms of how quality is defined. Different organizations may emphasize different dimensions of IS quality. Environmental factors, such as industry type and the nature of competition, affect the importance of IS in the organization. Managing IS quality is more complicated in IT-intensive industries such as banking because of the large number of IS-supported processes and the high degree of integration between IS and business processes. The impact of organizational investments in IT on IS quality may vary depending on organizational factors such as culture, politics, and senior management support. Stakeholder perceptions of what constitutes acceptable quality may also vary depending on those factors. Departmental factors such as differences in leadership style, employee skills, and IT intensity also impact IS quality perceptions and management. These environmental, organizational, and d epartmental factors impact the relative importance of different stakeholder groups, the weights assigned by each stakeholder group to different quality attributes, and the metrics used to measure them. As a result, deciding how to configure and manage the IS quality program requires sensitivity to these factors. (Antonis C. Stylianou and Ram L. Kumar, September 2000) HOW INFORMATION SYSTEMS IMPROVE QUALITY Reduce Cycle Time and Simplify the production Process Studies have shown that probably the best single way to reduce quality problems is to reduce cycle time, which refers to the total elapsed time from the beginning of a process to its end. Shorter cycle times mean that problems are caught earlier in the process, often before the production of a defective product is completed, saving some of the hidden cost of producing it. Finding ways to reduce cycle time often means finding ways to simplify production steps. The fewer the steps in a process the less time and opportunity for an error to occur. Information systems help eliminate steps in a process and critical time delays. A company selling flowers by telephone or over the Web, used to be much smaller company that had difficulty retaining its customers. It had poor service, inconsistent quality, and a cumbersome manual order-taking process. Telephone representatives had to write each order, obtain credit card approval, determine which participating florist was closest to the delivery location, select a floral arrangement, and forward the order to the florist. Each step in the manual process increased the chance of human error, and the whole process took at least a half hour. A new information system that downloads orders taken in telecenters or over the Web to a central computer and electronically transmits them to local florists was installed. Orders are more accurate and arrive at the florist within two minutes Benchmark Companies achieve quality by using benchmarking to set strict standards for products, services, and other activities, and then measuring performance against those standards. Companies may use external industry standards, standards set by other companies; internally developed high standards; or some combination of the three. An outdoor clothing company used benchmarking to achieve an order-shipping accuracy of 99.9 percent. Its old batch order fulfillment system could not handle the surging volume and variety of items to be shipped. After studying Germans and Scandinavian companies with leading edge order fulfillment, the company redesigned its order fulfillment process and information systems so that orders could be processed as soon as they were received and shipped within 24 hours. Use Customer Demands to improve Products and Services Improving customer service, making customer service the number one priority, will improve the quality of the product itself. Improve Design Quality and Precision Computer aided design (CAD) software has made a major contribution to quality improvements in many companies, from producers of automobile to producers of razor blades. A computer-aided design (CAD) system automates the creation and revision of designs, using computers and sophisticated graphics software. Improve Production Precision and Tighten Production Tolerances For many products, quality can be enhanced by making the production process more precise, thereby decreasing the amount of variation from one part to another. CAD software often produces design specifications for tooling and manufacturing processes, saving additional time and money while producing a manufacturing process with far fewer problems. The user of this software is able to design a more precise production system, a system with tighter tolerances, than could ever be done manually. IMPLEMENTING AND MANAGING INFORMATION SYSTEM QUALITY In instituting an Information System quality program, lessons could and should be drawn from both successes and failures in quality programs implem

Presenting Language Through Texts English Language Essay

Presenting Language Through Texts English Language Essay Texts have been used in language classrooms for many years. There are many reasons for teachers using texts. Firstly, they use texts as a linguistic objects. Secondly, they use texts as vehicle for information. And for the last reason, they use texts as a springboard for production. So texts in language teaching have played the important role in language learning and teaching. The most effective texts in learning process are authentic materials. Leaning English through authentic materials will make the learners feel like the are in the a real language situations. The atmosphere of the classrooms are alive. Research studies on the use of authentic materials reveal that it can promote the students motivation, positive attitude, involvement and interest on the subject. There are several kinds of authentic materials which are audio, visual, printed materials and multimedia materials. The multimedia materials are involved audio, video and graphic presentations. All of these materials are applied for communicating specific dispatches in real situations. Authentic audio materials : 1. Music, news and other audio materials available on the internet 2. TV programming including movies, commercials, quiz shows, cartoons, news and weather 3. Radio including ads, music and sales pitches 4. Taped or eavesdropped conversations, such as one-sided phone conversations 5. Meetings, talks 6. Announcements in airports and stores 7. Professionally audio-taped short stories and novels Authentic visual materials : Images and graphs available on the internet photographs painting and drawings, childrens artwork wordless street signs pictures from magazines, postcards, wordless picture books stamps x-rays coins and currency clocks phones Halloween masks and other holiday decorations Authentic printed materials : web based printed materials available on the internet newspapers including articles, movies reviews and advertisements, astrology columns, sports reports, obituary columns, advice columns, classified ads reports, obituary columns, advice columns, classified ads lyrics to song restaurant menus street signs food product labels such as cereal boxes, candy wrappers tourist information brochures university catalogs telephone books maps magazines including TV guides, comic books, catalogs greeting cards, letters grocery coupons and flyer pins or t-shirt with messages bus schedules mail including bills , missing children flyers and junk mail flyers, posters, billboards school notices forms including leases, tax forms, applications, medical history forms Authentic multimedia materials : TV, Video programmes of various kinds podcasting on the internet we based programes involving multimedia use There are criteria for teachers to consider for choosing the authentic materials for classroom use. Firstly, the interest of the students, the teacher has to ensure that the chosen materials suit the age, interest and background of the students. Secondly, the purpose of language learning, teachers must consider the information in the chosen materials are of value to the learners. Thirdly, the cultural appropriateness, some materials are produced on the basis of the native speakers, the learners might not familiar with the culture of the contexts. Thus, the teachers should carefully select the appropriate second language contexts. Fourthly, the language level, the group of students are different levels like beginner, intermediate or advanced students .because the authentic materials are not made to fit the learning purposes so the teachers must choose the kind of comprehensible input which is slightly difficult in order to sustain their motivation. Lastly, the quality of the materials may be concerned. The chosen texts must have the quality of the text organization and the appropriate picture use. In the same time, the teachers must attentively check for errors and spelling mistakes of the texts. 614 Using authentic materials have great benefits or advantages, specially for the second language learners of English. A large number of evidences of research studies have revealed a wide range of advantages. Firstly, the learners will expose to a wide range of natural language. Next, the reality and the meaningful interactive are brought into classroom. Then, there is a connection between the classroom and the outside world. The teaching and assessment focus on the 4 skills which the facts of language are not included. Moreover, the important objective is not a memorization for the examination but for the communicative proposes. For the next reason, the authentic texts can help the teachers accessing the ready, available, attractive and inexpensive resources of the texts as well as bring the variety to the classroom activities. So, the students have opportunities to practice the skills learnt in the classroom in the outside world when they meet them in the real situations. 771 Using the authentic materials also have some problems. Some kinds of materials may include difficult language and unusual vocabulary items which are not being used in the daily life basis. These kinds of problems cause a burden to the teachers. So to solve the problems, the teachers should carefully pick the authentic materials by using the above mentioned criteria. For instance, the notices, bottled labels and reservation forms are used for the lower level learners. Whereas, the advanced levels need more complex materials. 854 Thornbury claimed that language always happens as text and not as isolated words and sentences Therefore, the basis of foreign language teaching is handling texts for both written and oral. There are three acronyms that have been used to describe texts TALO : Text as a linguistic object A TALO text is used for language work, specifically grammar or vocabulary. TALO texts : are written especially with a pedagogical purpose in mind could be authentic texts the teacher has chosen because they contain lots of examples of a particular feature of language, could be authentic texts adapted to contain or highlight certain features of language. TAVI : Text as a vehicle for information A TAVI text has a different focus. Information within the text is seen as more important than the language. Students should understand the overall meaning of a text instead of ( or at least before ) the finer points of detail, TAVI texts : can be chosen because they are motivating, these texts are mainly authentic and based on communicative approach. TASP : Text as a Stimulus for Production A TASP means using texts as a springboard for another task usually a reading or writing task. TASP approaches also fit well with communicative approach. TASP type activities could be : doing a role play on the text, discussing issues raised by the text, having a debate about the points of view presented in the texts, writing a similar text about something the students know about writing a response to the text ( Verster 2005 ): TALO, TAVI, TASP. From : www.vgtu.it Texts based activities presented in the course book Information Technology are marking the statements as true or false, filling in the gaps in the statements, linking each pair of actions ( donating cause and effect ) by a time clause, matching the terms in table A with the statements in table B, making a list of the key features of the facility ( device ) students are reading about, matching the reviews of the facilities to their titles, writing a brief evaluation of the phenomenon you have read about ( at least by listing its good and bad points ), trying to guess the meaning of the given abbreviations, trying to paraphrase the statements, linking each set of sentences to make one sentence ( corresponding to the descriptions given in the text ), completing the forms to record the main details of the problem described in the text, working in pairs, studying the diagram to explain how facility works, putting the described events in sequence, finding words or phrases in the table which mean what is given in the statements below. 1091 From my experience as a teacher, I have been teaching young learners, mostly in the Phatom 1-3 students. And I have used several kinds of authentic materials in my class. For example, I use English songs and nursery rhymes when I would like to present new language to my students for promoting the motivation and engagement in learning of my students. Then, I use many pictures to present the new vocabulary in order to promote a better understanding of the meanings of the words. Sometimes, I have them read their favorable books from the bookshelf, so they can choose what ever they like. The examples of my authentic materials are : Five Little Speckled Frogs Five 5 little speckled frogs, Sitting on a hollow log, Eating some most delicious bugs, Yum, Yum. One 1 frog jumped in the pool, Where it was nice and cool, Now there are four 4 speckled frogs, Glub, glub. Four 4 little speckled frogs, Sitting on a hollow log, Eating some most delicious bugs, Yum, Yum. One 1 frog jumped in the pool, Where it was nice and cool, Now there are three 3 speckled frogs, Glub, glub. Three 3 little speckled frogs, Sitting on a hollow log, Eating some most delicious bugs, Yum, Yum. One 1 frog jumped in the pool, Where it was nice and cool, Now there are two 2 speckled frogs, Glub, glub. Two 2 little speckled frogs, Sitting on a hollow log, Eating some most delicious bugs, Yum, Yum. One 1 frog jumped in the pool, Where it was nice and cool, Now there is one 1 speckled frog, Glub, glub. One 1 little speckled frog, Sitting on a hollow log, Eating some most delicious bugs, Yum, Yum. One 1 frog jumped in the pool, Where it was nice and cool, Now there are no 0 speckled frogs, Glub, glub. From www. enchantedlearning.com My students really enjoy it. So they like English language too. And I have another example : Hark, Hark, The Dogs Do Bark! Hark, hark, the dogs do bark! The beggars are coming to town! Some in rags and some in tags, And some in velvet gowns. From www. enchantedlearning.com One, Two, Three, Four, Five One 1, two 2, three 3, four 4, five 5, Once I caught a fish alive. Six 6, seven 7, eight 8, nine 9, ten 10, But I let it go again. Why did I let it go? Because it bit my finger so. Which finger did it bite? The little one upon the right. From www. enchantedlearning.com Aesops Fables : The Ant and the Grasshopper In a field one summers day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its hearts content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. Why not come and chat with me, said the Grasshopper, instead of toiling and moiling in that way? I am helping to lay up food for the winter, said the Ant, and recommend you to do the same. Why bother about winter? said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present. But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity. The Ass and His Masters AN ASS, belonging to an herb-seller who gave him too little food and too much work made a petition to Jupiter to be released from his present service and provided with another master. Jupiter, after warning him that he would repent his request, caused him to be sold to a tile-maker. Shortly afterwards, finding that he had heavier loads to carry and harder work in the brick-field, he petitioned for another change of master. Jupiter, telling him that it would be the last time that he could grant his request, ordained that he be sold to a tanner. The Ass found that he had fallen into worse hands, and noting his masters occupation, said, groaning: It would have been better for me to have been either starved by the one, or to have been overworked by the other of my former masters, than to have been bought by my present owner, who will even after I am dead tan my hide, and make me useful to him. He that finds discontentment in one place is not likely to find happiness in another The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion THE ASS and the Fox, having entered into partnership together for their mutual protection, went out into the forest to hunt. They had not proceeded far when they met a Lion. The Fox, seeing imminent danger, approached the Lion and promised to contrive for him the capture of the Ass if the Lion would pledge his word not to harm the Fox. Then, upon assuring the Ass that he would not be injured, the Fox led him to a deep pit and arranged that he should fall into it. The Lion, seeing that the Ass was secured, immediately clutched the Fox, and attacked the Ass at his leisure. *Never trust your enemy

The Physics of the Curve Ball :: Physics Research Papers

The Physics of the Curve Ball Dad said that one of these days I would figure it out, but to this day I am still clueless. I have always been able to throw a decent curve ball; you don’t just throw 6 one hit games in your high school career without one. I have always wondered why and how the ball curves through the air, and it wasn’t until now that I have really had the chance to research a topic that has puzzled me for so long. I would bet that even pitchers in the â€Å"Big show† don’t know how or why, but they obviously have the talent and ability. I don’t know when the first curveball was thrown or who threw it, but there is a lot of controversy out there about whether or not the curveball really exists. The only forces on the curveball were thought to be gravity and air resistance, ( ). So obviously, the path of the â€Å"curveball† was just an illusion, because the effects of gravity pulled the ball toward the ground, at 9.8 meters/squared seconds, as soon as the ball left the pitcher’s finger tips, and the air drag is just the force acting in the opposite direction slowing the ball as soon as the ball is hurled from the same point mentioned above. Concluding that the ball does not curve; the ball just follows the path of expected projectile motion. Even as technology presents itself, scientists have been able to show step by step, strobe photos of a curve ball and conclude that the curveball was just an optical illusion( ). I have to admit that I have seen this illusive curveball many, many times. Believe me, I know because I have been punched out by the umpire on a called strike three because I was just standing there like a deer caught in the headlights with my thumb up my, you know what, as the ball goes right by. I am not happy about being just another statistic in the score books, as I have been fooled by the â€Å"junk† as some in the game would call that pitch. But I do know one thing, there is no illusion there. As you are up to the plate, battling a pitcher with a good curveball, you know that the pitch coming right at you will get you to first base with a good feeling that you are a base runner instead of a strike out victim.

Essay --

Microbe Bug Report Candida albicans: Friend or Foe INTRODUCTION. Our bodies are made up of billions of living microorganisms. Most of these microorganisms are extremely beneficial for our health and actually contribute to our survival. However, if imbalances occur within, our naturally helpful microbes then they can become â€Å"invaders and literal harmful. I will examine Candia albicans and its important role in the body and the consequence of their imbalance. RESEARCH & CLASSIFICATION. The genus Candia is a yeast group that has approximately 150 species that belong to the eukaryote domain. The cell structure is nearly identical to that of a human cell. Candida albicans is a diploid organism with eight sets of homologous chromosomes and a genome size of about 32 Mb. It is a dynamic organelle with cell walls composed of glucan and chitin. Various proteins also exist in the cell walls and can be modified by glycosylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Enzyme secretion occurs with substrates both within the cell and in the external environment. They are gram-positive; colonizing within 3 days and have a soft, moist, and yellowish-cream appearance that form 10 to 12 microns in diameter. Candida albicans fungus reproduces sexually and asexually in hyphal form in which they split into fragments and create new yeast-like forms (mycelia), and the other by budding and forming an ellipsoidal bud. ETIOLOGY & EPIDERMIOLOGY. Candia albicans is an endogenous organism that grows as a diploid fungus and is present in 40-80 % of human beings. It lives in our digestive tract and contributes to the population of our gut microbe by providing nutrients to our friendly gut bacterium. When the balance of C. albicans is at a healthy low ... ...roduce stable electrically conductive bio-nano-composite tissue materials that have been used as temperature sensing elements. This is an exciting new area of scientific discovery. I am eager to read more about the benefits and possibilities that exist with this new biotech process. REFERENCES. â€Å"Candidiasis.† March 8, 2001. CDC. Medline Encyclopedia† May 2005. Medline Plus. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000964.htm Tortora G., Funke, B., Case, C,. Microbiology: An Introduction (11th edition), 2013 Pearson Education. Glenview, IL. â€Å"The Fourth NIAID Workshop in Medical Mycology: Responses to Fungi.† NIAI January 5, 2001. â€Å"What is Candida?† 2004. Ninazu Health Products Inc.

Innovation and Change Management

| Companies that successfully innovate also successfully manage change | INNOVATION & CHANGE MANAGEMENT MHN221935-12-A| Malgorzata Glowacka S0915718 International Tourism & Hospitality Enterprise | Innovation and change management have been and continues to be an important study on a number of levels. It plays significant part in economic growth as well as it is vital for firms’ survival and development. New ideas, new approaches and new products become critical guidelines in organisational strategy, especially for managers and business leaders.According to The Boston Consulting Group (2010) employers’ ranked innovation as a strategic priority with 26% citing it as a top priority and a further 45% ranking it as a top-three priority. Organisations such as Apple or Google adapted this tactic and thanks to their right management of change, now are recognized as one of the most revolutionizing and prosperous companies in the world (Business Week, 2010). It proves that succe ssfully innovating companies are the winners and they play major role in industry market.Therefore, this essay aims to critically evaluate the connection between innovation and change management. The term of innovation is hard to define as it can mean different things for different people. According to Druker (1985) innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit changes as an opportunity. West and Farr (1990) pointed out that organizational innovation can be characterized as a tangible product, process or procedure within company and something what is new to the social setting within which it is introduced although not necessarily new to the individual introducing it.They also exanimated innovation being more intentional rather than accidental, mainly aimed at producing benefit to the organization. Traditional categorizations of innovations divide them into four types (Tidd and Bessant, 2010, Fig1): -product innovation can be a change in the functi on or feature of a product such as Window Vista replacing XP. This kind of innovation is intended to improve the function of the offering to make sales more likely -process innovation is based on transformations in the ways products/ services are created and delivered like for e. g. nline banking system which allows customers to manage their finance. This kind of invention introduces new, or significantly improved, method for production or delivery of output that adds value and better performance -position innovation target changes in market or customer base for a product or service. This kind of strategy change meaning of a product in customer’s eyes like for e. g. four-wheel cars which originally were used for off road work became fashionable family car -paradigm innovations are based on changes in how companies frame what they do; for e. . Air Canada (the largest airline of Canada with scheduled and charter air transport) launched a discount, new low-cost international car rier in Vancouver (The Globe & Mail,2012) Fig 1. Types of innovation. Adapted from Tidd and Bessant, 2010 Innovations are often classified as either radical or incremental (Gallouj and Weinstein, 1997). Radical innovations are generally based on a big change in development that modifies the competitive market and it may results in new markets and product opportunities.Good example of radical innovation is Apple with their first PC Lisa which had graphical interface. The innovation, despite its limited success, was universally recognised as being far ahead of the competition and it took years for some of the advanced features of its operating system to be incorporated in competitors’ operating system (Rayna and Striukova, 2009). An incremental innovation is a term used when there was a minor change to an existing technology like for e. g. in case of Apple and their iPod.MP3 players had been present in the market before Apple introduced iPod but the company still succeed becaus e they made better product, which was easier to use, looked more solid and more appealing compared to other MP3 players (Rayna and Striukova, 2009). Organizational change, like innovation, is hard to specify. It can be described as any alternation or modification, which occurs in the overall work environment of an organization. Moran and Brightman (2000) defined it as the process of continually renewing an organization’s direction, structure, and capabilities to serve the ever-changing needs of external and internal customers.It tend to focus on the management of formally planned changes and it is indicating a macro- level approach, which is concerned with organisation as a whole (King and Anderson, 2002). Due its complexity, many researchers categorised organizational change in different ways, for e. g. Pettigrew (1987) separated it into strategic and non-strategic change while Goodstein and Warner (1995) divided it into incremental and radical change. However the starting p oint for discussing variations of change is Grundy’s (1993) three variations of change. The first, smooth incremental change changes slowly in a systematic and predicable way.The second variety of change Grundy terms ‘bumpy incremental change’. This is characterized by periods of relative calmness disrupted by rushing in the pace of change. Grundy’s third variety of change is ‘discontinuous change’, which he defines as ‘change which is marked by rapid shifts in strategy, structure or culture, or in all three’. There are several drivers and models which clarify the need for change. Most of them are grouped into external drivers or internal drivers (Proehl, 2001). External are those forces that are outside the organization, usually it is an economic, political, socio-cultural or technological driver.The internal drivers are those forces within the organization, which may include finance, limited skill level of employees, changes in leadership etc. Another example, presented by Anderson and Ackerman Anderson (2001) describes seven main drivers of change, which move from what is external (environment, marketplace, organization) to what is internal (culture and people). This model mainly focuses on leaders and management role as they are clearly more aware of external domains and thy play the most important part in internal domains.This is their job to implement any changes in culture, behaviour and mind-set within their company and if they will fail in that, the change will also fail. It can be assumed then, that change is about innovation and innovation is about change. Williams (2006) stated that to successfully manage innovation, company need to be good at managing source of innovation and managing innovation during discontinuous and incremental change. Once again Apple is the perfect example of company effectively handling innovation and change at the same time. They do it for e. g. y managing leadership wit hin organization. Tidd and Bessant (2005) noted that leadership strongly influences the success of change and innovation. For Apple the key role in the company played Steve Jobs and his visionary leadership: My passion has been to build an enduring company where people were motivated to make great products. Everything else was secondary. Sure, it was great to make a profit, because that was what allowed you to make great products. But the products, not the profits, were the motivation. Sculley flipped these priorities to where the goal was to make money.It’s a subtle difference, but it ends up meaning everything—the people you hire, who gets promoted, what you discuss in meetings. Isaacson, 2012 According to Hughes (2006) leading change is fundamentally about influencing groups and individuals, therefore leaders of change need to understand people. And that is what Jobs could do. He understood that customers don’t know what they want until it is shown to them. H e implemented among his employees the desire of perfect design as to him ‘’†¦nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is a fundamental soul’’ (Isaacson, 2012).To conclude, the concept of innovation and change is fundamental to business success. It is viewed as being extremely important for company survival and future development. Organisations such as Apple can prove the point that companies which successfully innovate also successfully manage change. References Anderson, D. , Ackerman Anderson, L. , 2001. Beyond Change Management: Advanced Strategies for Today's Transformational Leaders. USA: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer Drucker, P. F. , 1985. Innovation and entrepreneurship: practice and principles. New York: Harper ; Row Gallouj, F. , Weinstein, O. , 1997. Innovation in services.Research Policy 26, 537–556 Goodstein, L. D. and Warner, W. , 1995. Creating Successful Organization Change. In: Managing Organizational Change. Warner (e d. ). pp. 7-9. New York: American Management Association Grundy, T. , 1993. Implementing Strategic Change. London: Kogan Page Harsh, P. , 2011. Organizational Change. India: Dorling Kindersley Hughes, M. , 2006. Change Management: A critical perspective. CIPD. King, N. , Anderson, N. , 2002. Managing Innovation and Change: A Critical Guide for Organizations. Singapore: Seng Lee Press Isaacson, W. , 2012. The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs. [online] Available from: http://www. atheeqa. com/App_Themes/watheeqa/pdf/The%20Real%20Leadership%20Lessons%20of%20Steve%20Jobs%20-%20HBR%20l%20Apr-2012. pdf [Accessed 15th October] Moran, J, W. , Brighman, B. K. , 2000. Leading organizational change. In: Journal of Workplace Learning: Employee Counselling Today Vol. 12 (2), pp. 66-74 Pettigrew, A. M. , 1987. Context and action in the transformation of the firm. In: Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 24 (6), pp. 649–70 Proehl, R. A. , 2001. Organizational Change in the Human Service s. USA: Sage Publications Ltd. Rainey, D. LA. , 2005. Product Innovation: Leading Change through Integrated Product Development.UK: Cambridge Rayna, T. , Striukova, L. , 2009. The curse of the first-mover: when incremental innovation leads to radical change. In: Int. J. Collaborative Enterprise, Vol. 1(1) The Globe and Mail. Air Canada shuffles small-plane fleet, adds wide body jets. [online] Available from: http://www. theglobeandmail. com/globe-investor/air-canada-shuffles-small-plane-fleet-adds-widebody-jets/article4580211 [Accessed 15th October 2012] Tidd, J. , Bessant, J. , 2011. Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological, Market and Organizational Change. England: John Wiley ; Sons Ltd. The Boston Consulting Group, 2010.Innovation 2010. A Return to Prominence – and the Emergence of a New World Order. [online] Available from: http://tobiaslist. files. wordpress. com/2010/06/innovation-2010-bcg. pdf [Accessed 15th October 2012] The Business Week, 2010. The 50 Most Inn ovative Companies 2010. [online] Available from: http://www. businessweek. com/interactive_reports/innovative_companies_2010. html [Accesses 15th October 2012] West, M. A. and Farr, J. L. , 1990. Innovation at work. In: Innovation and Creativity at Work: Psychological and Organizational Strategies. UK: Chichster Williams, Ch. , 2006. Management. Canada: Thomson South-Western

Commemorative Speech

Today, I'm going to tell you why I'm proud to share the history of the Soccer Ball and the love of the beautiful game. Ill. Most of you are familiar with the proud heritage that the game of soccer has grown to be not only in our country, but around the world. ‘V. Today, I am going to commemorate the Soccer Ball and the love for the beautiful game of Soccer. I want to share with all of you about our proud history and heritage, and discuss personally what working and living with you guys has meant to me these past three years. Transition: First, I would like to share with you the amazing history of the game of Soccer. ) Body l. Through out history, humans have enjoyed kicking a ball or something like a ball. A. According to historical references and legends, early balls ranged from human heads, animal or human skulls, to animal bladders. B. It wasn't until 1855, when Charles Goodyear designed and built the first rubber soccer ball. C. Since then, every four years a new ball is de signed specially for the World Cup. II. B.Due to their specialized training, the men of 2nd Ranger Battalion were chosen to conduct operations on June 6, 1944 during the Invasion of Normandy. ll. The Invasion of Normandy is arguably one of the most famous and greatest feats the men f 2nd Ranger Battalion gained notoriety for. A. During the Invasion of Normandy, the 2nd Ranger Battalion was split in two and sent on two different missions. Ill. One of these groups was send to Omaha Beach. attempt to complete the mission their country asked of them. B.They faced heavy gun fire, mortar attacks, and heavy casualties as they ran up the beach to subdue the German bunkers. IV. The other group of men were tasked with scaling the cliffs of Point Du Hoc to destroy 1 55 mm guns. A. These men scaled cliffs using grappling hooks and rope ladders while gunfire and hand grenades rained over them. B. Once these men reached the top of the cliffs, they held their position for two days against heavy Ge rman counter attacks while only a third of them were left standing at the end still able to fght. V.Both of these instances give pride to the organization. A. These men stared death in the face and fought against it for the greater good. B. Despite being heavily overwhelmed with the odds stacked against them, these Rangers used their training, ingenuity, and courage to complete the mission. (Transition: When I think about the history I have Just discussed and look at all of you tanding here, I see the same type of man in front of me that I have Just described to you. ) l. Since I can remember, I have watched a soccer ball being kicked around.A. Every Sunday, I would wake up and soccer would be on TV. I would sit by my dad and watch the games with him. B. There were times when we would go and kick the ball around instead of watching it on TV. C. This was our father daughter time and I loved it. D. Even now, being far from my father, we still bond through soccer whether it be talking about games or when I come home and visit go watch a game. E. It is a ymbolic figure and representation to the best nations in the world 1. No other sporting event has the same impact as the World Cup.Entire countries grind to a halt to watch games. 2. Even those who arent fans can and should appreciate that the World Cup is far more than a mere competition. During the next year, hundreds of millions of people will celebrate a shared passion and, because of it, perhaps fret a little less over the things that drive them apart. That is a beautiful and all-too-rare thing. Even if we don't speak each other's languages, don't always appreciate and espect each other's cultures, religions, politics and lifestyle choices, â€Å"Goal! is a word that resonates Joyfully and is understood from Beijing to Bogota, Sydney to Seattle. No other sport speaks to so many. The game's cross-border, cross-culture, cross- division universality is what makes the World Cup so special, a celebration not of 2 2 players on a pitch but of all who watch them. F. In the end, all I can say is that you all hold my deepest and most sincere admiration. (Transition: I feel pride not only because I am part of an organization with such an enduring and proud history, but because of the men standing in front of me right Conclusion 1 .The World Cup is an event filled with personal stories, national pride, and heart wrenching moments, and next year in Brazil will be no different. Although these have been the hardest and most miserable times of my life, I wouldn't change it for anything. A. To be be part of such a proud organization, and to have spent this time with you guys is irreplaceable. B. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve in 2nd Ranger Battalion and to have served next to the finest and bravest people I have ever met in my life. C. Thank you for the memories. II. Rangers Lead The Way! Commemorative Speech Today, I'm going to tell you why I'm proud to share the history of the Soccer Ball and the love of the beautiful game. Ill. Most of you are familiar with the proud heritage that the game of soccer has grown to be not only in our country, but around the world. ‘V. Today, I am going to commemorate the Soccer Ball and the love for the beautiful game of Soccer. I want to share with all of you about our proud history and heritage, and discuss personally what working and living with you guys has meant to me these past three years. Transition: First, I would like to share with you the amazing history of the game of Soccer. ) Body l. Through out history, humans have enjoyed kicking a ball or something like a ball. A. According to historical references and legends, early balls ranged from human heads, animal or human skulls, to animal bladders. B. It wasn't until 1855, when Charles Goodyear designed and built the first rubber soccer ball. C. Since then, every four years a new ball is de signed specially for the World Cup. II. B.Due to their specialized training, the men of 2nd Ranger Battalion were chosen to conduct operations on June 6, 1944 during the Invasion of Normandy. ll. The Invasion of Normandy is arguably one of the most famous and greatest feats the men f 2nd Ranger Battalion gained notoriety for. A. During the Invasion of Normandy, the 2nd Ranger Battalion was split in two and sent on two different missions. Ill. One of these groups was send to Omaha Beach. attempt to complete the mission their country asked of them. B.They faced heavy gun fire, mortar attacks, and heavy casualties as they ran up the beach to subdue the German bunkers. IV. The other group of men were tasked with scaling the cliffs of Point Du Hoc to destroy 1 55 mm guns. A. These men scaled cliffs using grappling hooks and rope ladders while gunfire and hand grenades rained over them. B. Once these men reached the top of the cliffs, they held their position for two days against heavy Ge rman counter attacks while only a third of them were left standing at the end still able to fght. V.Both of these instances give pride to the organization. A. These men stared death in the face and fought against it for the greater good. B. Despite being heavily overwhelmed with the odds stacked against them, these Rangers used their training, ingenuity, and courage to complete the mission. (Transition: When I think about the history I have Just discussed and look at all of you tanding here, I see the same type of man in front of me that I have Just described to you. ) l. Since I can remember, I have watched a soccer ball being kicked around.A. Every Sunday, I would wake up and soccer would be on TV. I would sit by my dad and watch the games with him. B. There were times when we would go and kick the ball around instead of watching it on TV. C. This was our father daughter time and I loved it. D. Even now, being far from my father, we still bond through soccer whether it be talking about games or when I come home and visit go watch a game. E. It is a ymbolic figure and representation to the best nations in the world 1. No other sporting event has the same impact as the World Cup.Entire countries grind to a halt to watch games. 2. Even those who arent fans can and should appreciate that the World Cup is far more than a mere competition. During the next year, hundreds of millions of people will celebrate a shared passion and, because of it, perhaps fret a little less over the things that drive them apart. That is a beautiful and all-too-rare thing. Even if we don't speak each other's languages, don't always appreciate and espect each other's cultures, religions, politics and lifestyle choices, â€Å"Goal! is a word that resonates Joyfully and is understood from Beijing to Bogota, Sydney to Seattle. No other sport speaks to so many. The game's cross-border, cross-culture, cross- division universality is what makes the World Cup so special, a celebration not of 2 2 players on a pitch but of all who watch them. F. In the end, all I can say is that you all hold my deepest and most sincere admiration. (Transition: I feel pride not only because I am part of an organization with such an enduring and proud history, but because of the men standing in front of me right Conclusion 1 .The World Cup is an event filled with personal stories, national pride, and heart wrenching moments, and next year in Brazil will be no different. Although these have been the hardest and most miserable times of my life, I wouldn't change it for anything. A. To be be part of such a proud organization, and to have spent this time with you guys is irreplaceable. B. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve in 2nd Ranger Battalion and to have served next to the finest and bravest people I have ever met in my life. C. Thank you for the memories. II. Rangers Lead The Way!