Tim Duncan

Teachers, principles, administrators, superintendents, and any other school dignitary's goal are for the students to do their best at everything that they can do. How can they do that when they are denied access to a learning technique that is not cheating, not wrong or inappropriate? Listening to music while they work. â€Å"Music makes doing task easier for some people. † – Leonard Audacious and Stuart J. McKenzie. I am a Junior at Crestview High School and I have been here for 2 years. Ethos) I have had some teachers that let students listen to music while they work and some that eave not. I have always in my opinion found that the teachers that do relate to the students more, which in turn captures the students focus, attention, and effort. All of these lead students to learn more efficiently. Learning more efficiently is one huge goal that an every educator has. (Logos) Generically students also like to think that they are independent, most of the time, if they rea lly want to listen to music, then they are most likely going to anyway.This causes kids that are trying to work harder ND learn more to get into trouble, because of a silly and stupid rule. Ask yourself, how do you feel when you listen to your favorite song? (Rhetorical Question) Now imagine if you combined that feeling with schoolwork. A lot more students would actually want to be at school, and if they want to be there, then they are going to want to give everything they have Into working. (Repetition) I'm not saying that everyone will do that but because one person doesn't focus, should that effect the futures of other students.It would be surprising to find out that under a rude, lacking, and disrespectful student could be a Straight A student If you left them alone with their work and their headphones. Kids should be allowed to do their work anyway that's best for them to learn, which Includes allowing kids to listen to music. Tim Duncan By timidity want to give everything they have into working. (Repetition) I'm not saying that slacking, and disrespectful student could be a Straight A student if you left them anyway that's best for them to learn, which includes allowing kids to listen to music.

Supply Chain Management and Zara

Zara Case Analysis Operations Management MBM1110 Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 Introduction 3 Outstanding Operational strategies Layout 4 Forecasting 5 Product life cycle 5 Product Design and Supply Chain Management Marketing 5 Just in time 6 Vertical Integration 6 Incorporation of Bershka Conclusion 7 Bibliography 8 Executive Summary Zara, a flagship chain store of the Inditex group owned by Spanish business tycoon Amancio Ortega is one of the top names in the mid-priced fashion industry. Zara was established in 1975 in Acoruna, Galicia, Spain and has expanded to 1395 stores all across the globe.It is said that Zara, unlike any other retail organization in the clothing industry takes just two weeks to design, develop and get a new product into the stores. However, the retail industry has a six month average to do so. By using its operational strategies in a very successful manner, Zara is able to launch 10,000 new products every year. This report will discuss the operational strategies that Zara uses which works as order winners and order qualifiers. It also discusses the strategies that they use which makes them one of the top names in the fashion industry.Introduction Zara uses very innovative strategies for its business. By doing so, Zara is able to avoid outsourcing its manufacturing proce ss to low cost and developing countries like most of the other companies in the industry. Zara does not even spend a lot of money on marketing, hence increases its profit margin. It however does spend on the layout of its stores. Unlike many of its competitors, Zara is a vertically integrated retailer since it controls most of the step in it supply chain by designing, producing and distributing itself.This unique business model has resulted in the emergence of one of the most successful retailers in the fashion industry. Terry Hill in 1993 came up with the terms ? order qualifiers? and ? order winners? , against which it is believed that manufacturing strategy should be determined (Add Reff. Hill, T. (1993), Manufacturing Strategy: Text and Cases, 2nd ed. , Macmillan Press, London. ). Order Winners are characteristics that serve as a competitive advantage for one firm over others.Order winners enable the customers to choose a particular firms goods and services over the competitors. Order winners in this case for Zara are: y High-end fashion at a reasonable price Even though Zara ¶s products are highly fashionable, they comparatively cost way less compared to other big names in the fashion industry Supply Chain Management y As discussed below in the report, due to Zara ¶s outstanding SCM, it is able to order order the latest in fashion every two weeks for a reasonable price. Thus, are able to offer something to their clients that none of their competitors can.Order qualifiers are the competitive characteristics that a firm must take advantage of in order to be a viable competitor in the market place. To provide order qualifiers, companies need only to be in par with the competitors, however, in order to provide with order winners, companies need to be way better than its competition. Having said that, order qualifiers are in no way less important than the order winners, in fact, they both complement each other. In Zara ¶s case the order qualifiers are: y Quality They offer good quality products at relatively cheaper price compared to the competition.Outstanding Operational strategies While Zara maybe a very successful high end retailer, the main facet of Zara that has got academics buzzing is its completely novel approach to its operations and supply chain for a retailer in high-end fashion. Layout The main intention of a layout strategy is to develop an economically viable layout that will be in line with the company ¶s Competitive requirements (Render & Heizer, 2005). Zara invests a lot in their store layouts to make sure that their store maintains the fresh and trendy look.They have a testing facility close to their head office in Spain, where they test different types of store layouts on a regular basis. Zara remodels each of its stores every five years in order to keep up with the current trends (Zara ¶s Business Model, 2010). The entire layout, including the furniture and the window displays are all designed at the testin g facility in order to maintain a standardized image globally. A flying team from the head office usually flies down to a new location to set up the store. Their motto is that they want the store managers to focus more on sales than anything else.Zara can afford to do this since they do not spend lot advertising and marketing campaigns. Forecasting One of Zara ¶s major competitive advantage over other retailers is it technique of forecasting. Unlike, other retailers, Zara has developed its business model around reacting promptly. Zara focuses heavily on its forecasting effort on the amount and the type of fabric it will purchase. Zara tends to do this since it ¶s usually cheaper to rectify mistakes on raw fabric as compared to a finished product. It also uses the same fabric to produce something else (Render & Heizer, 2005).Zara usually buys un-processed fabric and colors it according to the season based on market ¶s immediate need. By doing that, and by combining it with a hi gh-speed garment design & production process, it ¶s able to the deliver what the market is actually looking for at that time. Product life cycle In a typical Product Life Cycle Curve of the fashion retail industry, sales decreases as products move across the times line. However, Zara ¶s Product Life Cycle Curve is totally the other way round since it is in a high fashion industry and it offers products that are of the latest trends and designs with a life of maximum 5-6 weeks.Product Design and Supply Chain Management The entire process of product design is very unique compared to its competitors. Commercial managers and designers at Zara start working on the design of the fabric, the costs, raw material, selling price etc as soon as they receive the instructions from the Zara stores. Instructions are issued to cut appropriate fabric as soon as approvals are received. All the raw materials are distributed for assembly to a network of small family owned businesses that are mostly in Glacia and in Northern Portugal.Unlike its competitors, Zara ¶s high-tech distribution services system ensures that there is no style lying around at the head office. The finished products are quickly cleared through the distribution centers and are shipped to the stores within 48 hours. Deliveries ¶ are received twice a week by each store. This entire process of product design and supply chain management gives Zara a huge edge over its competitors. Marketing Zara has a very unique approach to marketing compared to the other big players in the industry.Unlike its competition, which spends 3-4 % of total revenues on marketing and advertising campaigns, Zara spends 0. 3%. This is a major competitive advantage over its competitors. Zara strategically locates all of their stores in prime retail districts for  µvisibility marketing ¶. As mentioned earlier about the product development cycles, customers are rendered immune to visit Zara stores very often since new items are st ocked weekly and are often not re-stocked. Zara creates a feeling of scarcity within the customers, and this makes them come back to the store frequently and make purchases.Just in time Just-in-time (JIT) is a strategy that is used for inventory management in such a way that it helps a business improve its return on investment by reducing in-process inventory and the associated carrying costs (Shingo, 1989). Zara follows a true JIT inventory system. Its inventory system is influenced by the pull of the customer instead of a push from the designer. This helps Zara to have a competitive advantage over the competition since it has a very low inventory to sales ratio. Vertical IntegrationZara is a very vertically integrated company by working through the whole value chain and is highly capital intensive. This is a unique model that let the company develop a strong merchandising strategy that led it to create a unique model of fast fashion system (Craig, Jones, & Nieto, 2004). Incorporat ion of Bershka Most big brands in the world regardless of the industry they are in usually have more than one brand name. In the fashion retail industry, Gap Inc. Owns few big names as Gap itself, Old Navy, Club Monaco, etc. It is a strategy used to penetrate different segments of a market and to increase the market share.It also tries to give consumers an impression that different brand names have something different about them. Companies also use the is strategy to create a specific brand for each and every market they try to target. Inditex has also used the strategy of penetrating different segments of the market by creating a different brand name for each segment (Inditex Annual Report, 2008). Inditex owns different brands such as Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear and Bershka which tends to cater to different markets. Merging all of these brands or any two brands into one name would not make a lot of business sense for Bershka.The brand Bershka was launched by Inditex in the y ear 1998 with an aim of targeting the young fashion-conscious crowd. Incorporating Bershka into Zara ¶s operations would not be a very good strategic move for Inditex. Bershka currently owns 638 stores in 41 different countries, hence incorporating that in to Zara ¶s operations would raise lot of challenges for Inditex. Since Bershka and Zara both have a very different target market, formulating strategies for both of these firms combined will definitely effect the operations of the company in whole. Both brand names have established different clientele for themselves.Bershka currently targets the young and fashionable and Zara targets the fashionable crowd as well, however it has different demographics for it. Combining these two brands into one will result in loss of loyal customers and might also impact the company negatively. There ¶s no guarantee that Bershka ¶s existing clientele will shift to Zara, in fact they might just end up losing majority of that segment. Zara ¶s market share might increase by a very small percentage; however Bershka might end up losing a major chunk of its current clientele, which in turn will not be good for Inditex in whole. Conclusion Read also: Advantages and Disadvantages of Administrative Management

How have oil prices affected our economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How have oil prices affected our economy - Essay Example This abnormal worldwide condition reduces the value – the purchasing power – of money and it buys less than it previously did. Hovering at $130 a barrel in June of 2008, oil price has fast become a central problem affecting global politics. Nations with oil supplies recognize the scarcity and importance of oil and deal with any government and the proceeds may be lost either to corruption or may deprive other countries of a much-needed development. It is a huge investment (oil), that some governments use this as leverage for threats and financial advancement. As this has become a global phenomenon, the increasing oil prices have been felt more significantly in the airline industry and other industries as well. The high fuel prices have affected the number of cities major airlines serve as they battle to rise above the oil crisis. Jet fuel prices prompted an airline company (the Alaska Air) to even end its international flights on July of this year to curb the costs of maintaining its company afloat on a floundering market availability of oil alone (â€Å"Oil and Gasoline,† 2008). One can fairly observe the downtrend of most flights in commercial air service as well as this also affected through rising air fares where traditionally, air fares are cheap and commuter-friendly. This turmoil in aviation trickled even in earnings projection that foresee a collapsing and a bleak revenue outlook until next year. Due to these developments, airlines have been forced to cut jobs on their employees thereby increasing the statistics on unemplo yment and job security of employees is waning. The oil surge is spreading economic gloom as thousands turn jobless after companies dependent on oil such as the airline industry struggle to make ends meet and stay afloat in the business. As the shocked employees of airlines investors and airlines companies affected by the oil price increase

Animals in Visual Arts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Animals in Visual Arts - Assignment Example The aim of the discourse is to proffer pertinent ideas of the type of filmmaking that one finds interesting. Currently, I actually have five ideas in mind that has been thought of as virtually interesting. These ideas are categorized as follows: (1) seeing animals in fantasy; (2) cultural and social influence and impact of social networking sites, particularly Facebook; (3) the claw game; (4) life within the womb; and (5) exploring the dark. For the first idea, one finds illustrating animals in fantasy as thought provoking and would entail a lot of innovative and creative talent. For the wild animals, I have envisioned them being transformed to tame animals: taking away everything that makes them wild or the strength that helps them attack. For instance, one sees the lion opening his mouth and his teeth are like baby teeth; the elephants will be petite; the eagle flying without sharp claws and brick; the frog without a long tong to catch the insects; and the bear without sharp nails and sharp teeth. What one believes that it would be an interesting concept for the human being ability to approach these previously wild animals and accept them as regular part of everyday life. On the other hand, I see parallel transformations for the tame animals as well as evolving into free and independent animals: for example the turtle will be free from its shell and will be able to move without it faster - not needing to be hidden anymore; so as the snail and the deer would not need to worry if the lions are around. And other animals won’t be hiding under a rock or in a cave and at the end of this short animation, there is a scene when a deer is running and escaping from a lion who is trying to attack and suddenly what the lion really wanted was to lick the deer’s face. Wonder of all, the deer opens its eyes and realizes that it was all a dream; but a dream that came true. The wild and tame animals are not anymore segregated and start running and playing with ea ch other in a unified world. For the second idea, the source for the plot is one’s cultural background and experience. I think it would be interesting to depict the social anxieties and struggles contemporary generation face from social networking sites, particularly Facebook. This idea focuses on cultural response and reaction to social networking. One envisions a local community where each member lived in a tranquil environment. A simple teen-ager in her own room posts pictures of favorite celebrities on her wall (a wall very similar to Facebook) where friends’ updated statuses, memorable events, places that were visited could be viewed as frequently as one intends to. However, since she considers this a magical wall, she covers it and hides it from people. Somehow, the secret is revealed and people coming knocking on the door and they come just to look at the wall. This girl’s wall is then compared to other girls within the community who has not discovered th e secret to the magical wall. Their lives could be seen as conservative, boring, but not subject to prying eyes. People who discovered the magical wall have posted all things about them and their friends which were revealed in their entirety to the community. There are diverse reactions ranging from awe, amazement, curiosity, embarrassment, frustration, hate, anger and eventually despair and being isolated.

Assessment in Mathematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Assessment in Mathematics - Essay Example Use of reasoning can only be achieved through questioning, a major theme in this essay. Additionally, learning cannot be termed successful if the learners have not been assessed (Black & William, 2001). From a simple question, a lot can be derived from just a single concept. This essay shall center on the implications of assessment on the teaching and learning environment in relation to the national and school’s policy. 1.0. Introduction In the course of teaching and learning, it is of the essence that a myriad of tests are given to learners so as to make certain that the learners are well tested on the concepts taught in the classroom. With the concepts trained in Mathematics are mostly concerned with solving problems, the teachers cannot confine themselves on multiple choice questions, but quizzes that are meant to define the weight of understanding of the whole concept by the students. With the learners being subjected to challenging concepts by the day, the learners are at mot times at par with the concepts being taught in the classroom setting. This leads to the theory that both the formative and summative assessments cannot be estranged in the success of teaching and education and Mathematics. Analysts and researchers in the field of schooling claim that, no learning structure can be viewed as successful if the students have not been evaluated, and given a chance to improve on the previously achieved scores. With the learners having a chance to assess their improvement, learning becomes a joint approach between the educators and the learners. According to Donald &Ainsworth (2006), formative evaluation as compared to summative evaluation allows learners have an immediate assessment strategy on the concepts being taught in the learning environment. Detection of limitations they have on a certain concept, they are able to take charge of what they need to improve on, in the course of learning. Summative assessment on the other hand, is only designed fo r the long term results and grading of the learners. Critics argue that summative assessment is more of a tool that shifts its energies to general assessment of the learners, not considering the aspect of improving the learners’ ability on an immediate manner. In this case, it is warranted to make the assumption that formative assessment are of great importance to teaching and learning as compared to summative education (Stanley & Moore, 2009). Additionally, Lester & National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2007) indicate that if educators select formative assessments over summative assessments, their learners stand a better chance to have close monitoring of the learner progress and assistance on the tasking topics in the course of learning. Positive results are likely to be yielded in the learning environment with the educators devising the best approaches to apply while teaching. Positive results, new trends picked by the learners and varying responses can be well reco rded in the learning environment in the case of formative assessment, since the entire process is continuous. This essay shall focus on the current national policy on assessment in Mathematics, the school policy on assessment, after that give a critical reflection of my personal classroom practice with assessment in Mathematics. Finally, the essay shall make a conclusion on the importance of theories of assessment in Mathematics among my learners. 2.0. Body 2.1. Current national policy on assessment in Mathematics Maughan & Cooper (2010) indicate that in the UK, there have been massive attempts by

The Vigilance Project Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Vigilance Project - Case Study Example Vigilance is aimed at harmonizing record keeping and recording by the company across the division employees in different parts of the world. For the success implementation of the project, it is expected that the project team works together to ensure that the project is successful. However, the fact that there is a lot of bureaucracy with different project team members trying to prove superiority over others, the likelihood of the Vigilance project being successful is at doubt. Arnold, (2005) analyzes the major causes of conflict in the workplace citing that there must be a reason for such conflicts to arise. There must be a reason specific members of the project team were chosen for the project including those in the sub-teams. This implies that every individual on the team is equally important as the other. Frank Lanigan, who is the project communication lead, is charged with the responsibility of ensuring effective communication between the project managers and ensuring that all communication is done in good time. From France is the project manner Didier Armani. The sub-teams from the U.S. and France are also charged with the responsibility of identifying the appropriate fields that should appear on the screen of the system. Conversely, the French counterparts are supposed to map the data from the existing database and transfer the same to Vigilance. In this case, the members of the U.S team have prior experience in the development of a similar project called Perspective while working at Valmed. From the onset, Didier who is the project manager is very restrictive of the information flow despite all the members working on the same initiative. The U.S. team feel disgruntled because Didier does not give most of the opinions a fair due hearing. This is an indication that there appears to be some conflict between the U.S members and those from France. However, the

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO - Coursework Example Thus, I have always cherished the dream of pursuing an academic career in engineering with some orientation towards electrical engineering. On the other hand, I also value self dependency and supporting myself in my endeavours to the maximum extent possible without having to depend on my family. Therefore, immediately after completing high school, I sought out a job with HSBC Bank, Dubai, as a business development executive. In this position, I was responsible for marketing several products of the bank and I have been effective in this role. Since I had good connection in the region I was instrumental in bringing several new customers to the bank. During my tenure of six months with the bank, I was also able to learn administrative procedures apart from having here had also enabled me to become more organized in terms of settings goals, planning the achievement of targets as well as how to make good the short falls. However, I did not want to entertain the idea of getting strike to a job which did not entirely fit into the frame work of the carrier of my choice. In the meanwhile I realised that global aviation industry is poised for a sea change in the near future, in the aftermath of globalization. Even in Dubai, the developmental activities were in full swing. Similar was the case with Asian and European countries as well as the US. Travel and tourism industry was flourishing on an unfathomed manner. A realisation of the opportunity in aviation management, coupled with my inherent affinity towards a career in engineering, motivated me take up a course in aerospace systems. Thus, I joined Barry College, South Wales, UK, for a 3 year Diploma Course in Aerospace Systems Management. I selected this college because of its popularity as a premier institution in the field of aviation studies and over 9,000 learners pass out from there every year. They provide state of the art aerospace training and development programmes in maintenance, repair and overhauling and th eir courses are approved by the Civil Aviation Authority. Besides, they also have a vast network of institutions in partnership with several colleges that offer a wide range of aircraft engineering courses. The stint I spent in Barry’s campus was a major turning point in my life. The college had an excellent faculty supported by modern equipment and sophisticated infrastructure. It also provided a congenial environment for me to focus on my studies with full involvement both in terms of academic betterment and personal development. My peers and tutors in there were very supportive and encouraging, which helped me in my overall development not only in my academics but in the personal front also, by inculcating in me several values and ethics. My earlier work experience with HSBC had helped me in properly setting my goals and objectives, planning my studies appropriately as well as executing the plans as prescheduled. The main objectives that I set for myself were to achieve im provement in three subjects, which are: mathematics, electrical engineering and practical work (communication skills). Taking cue from my work experience as stated earlier, I was also able to integrate aspects of personal development into my academic schedule, focusing on values and ethics. Thus, I was able to organize my studies in a proper manner, aligning my plans with the objectives I set for myself and executing my plans as per the predetermined schedules. Besides, I had carried out

The Sacred Pipe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Sacred Pipe - Essay Example The sentimental value of some possessions may range from something as simple as a letter, a pen or even jewelry which is a family heirloom. These things may seem ordinary and mundane to others but it is what it represents that makes all the difference. The same consideration, at a different level of intensity, makes for the meaning that the sacred pipe holds. Another aspect of a sacred pipe is how it serves as a communication device that communes man not only to his nature but also to his ancestors. This is not an entirely alien concept as there are other religions that believe in the influence of people who have already passed as guardians present in daily life. The pipe is a means to communicate with ancestors who can be a source of hope for these people. Anyone who has lost a loved one knows how it feels to want to be able to talk to them again and maybe to ask them for guidance during the most trying times. Winter represents a difficult time and it symbolizes hardships and despair. The knowledge that a sacred pipe could connect two worlds is nothing short of faith. The mother should sacrifice everything for her children and must develop in herself and in her children a great love for Wakan-Tanka, for in time these children will become holy people and leaders of the nation and will have the power to make others wakan. At first we keep only the souls of a few of our great leaders, but later we kept the souls of almost all good people (Brown 11) This quote affirms that the Native Americans place the responsibility to mothers to be able to rear her children properly and to sacrifice her own desires and needs for their benefit. Regardless of this passage, I believe that a mother’s love is absolute and that even without any order or reminder remains the same notwithstanding what culture one belongs to. The same mother’s love is seen and manifests in a loving home in a way that a person’s success and virtue is most likely to be attributed to one’s mother and the patience with which he was brought up to. It is by this same n otion that I suppose that my own character was shaped. My mother served as a role model and the primary person who has molded me from birth. Mothers would want nothing more than for their children to grow up to be good people. The respect you show to your parents is a good indication of a person’s upbringing. The same amount of respect is invaluable in the traits that make for a great leader. The concept of wakan provides for the perpetuation of memories of people who have imparted an indelible memory to the community. They are better than historical figures such as presidents for they remain in spirit with the people. They are not the only subject of stories and anecdotes studied for memory but they are infinite beings that transcend time and lifetimes. This commune with a concept as intangible as the soul substantiates why being a holy wakan is something to achieve for. â€Å"The leader of the rite then says: ‘This is the fire that will help the generations to come i f they use it in a sacred manner".

Why I would be successful on Independent Studies ( Home Studies) Essay

Why I would be successful on Independent Studies ( Home Studies) - Essay Example Independent, or home study, requires a person who is able to rely on self-motivation to complete the process. A lazy or defiant person would have difficulty meeting deadlines and completing assignments from home. Knowing the responsibility placed upon me to do my assignments, to take the initiative and to develop my independence as a learner would all combine to make me highly motivated to prove to myself and others that I can complete all work assignments from home, and outside the more structured and controlled classroom. Organization and punctuality are also important in independent study. My skills at organizing, prioritizing, and meeting deadlines would allow me to be successful with independent work. I am aware of deadlines and dates, and work throughout the process to make sure each step is accomplished before the deadline, breaking a larger project down into smaller, more manageable steps along the way. The chief motivator to do this is a passion I would have for developing my skill set in organizing large amounts of information, assignments, readings, and products into my work day, and completing each step or small goal I would have made for myself relative to each assignment. This skill set is essential for success in independent studies, and I have those skills necessary for success. Lastly, structuring a schedule to best fit my daily routine is essential to success in independent study. Procrastination and avoidance would not be an option, as I would make a schedule that best reflects my ability to complete assignments, and would open up the work day to a greater ability to meet independent study deadlines along with family and personal responsibilities I may have. Sticking to that schedule, and even changing it if I see a conflict would help develop in me a habit of seeing a project through to completion, no matter what it takes. Knowing that independent study requires organization, motivation and dedication, I would be highly motivated

A Hard Life is No Excuse for Poor Academics Essay Example for Free

A Hard Life is No Excuse for Poor Academics Essay All too often people treat community college students are inferior to students of large universities, even believing that community college students are expected to be less successful. Doing this lowers students’ morale and makes them feel they are unworthy of obtaining gainful employment or even raising their own standards. Though this lowers morale, having a hard life absolutely is no excuse for having excessive absences, rewrites, late papers, plagiarized work, or instructors with low standards who do not require the students to adjust as needed to succeed. As a community college student, the education I am working so hard to gain has been scoffed at and even mocked. Once while having a casual conversation with a co-worker, he asked what college I attend. I told him Spartanburg Community College and he replied â€Å"that isn’t a college, it’s a technical school.† This is a prime example of how students from community colleges are treated as inferior to students of a large university. Students from every institution can suffer hardships and handle their hardships in their own way. I have seen a student who was battling cancer and still holding a B average. On the other hand, there are also students who are just lazy and that lackadaisical attitude shows in their academics. In the article â€Å"The Myth of Inferiority† T. Allen Culpepper stated: At both kinds of institutions, I have also found students who manage to complete a full load of classes successfully while working three jobs, rearing multiple children alone, caring for elderly relatives, and coping with chronic illness or disability, as well as students who take a relatively light load of courses and don’t do much else (except illicit drugs) but still manage to fail all their classes, despite considerable intelligence and ability. (330) What this all comes down to is how hard a student is willing to work on their education. The more students see instructors accepting lackluster work from lackadaisical students, the more the attitude spreads. This is where the instructor comes in. Accepting students’ excuses and excessive absences, allowing rewrites, late papers, and plagiarized work gives the instructor and in turn the institution a bad reputation. With the world literally at everyone’s finger tips, thanks to the internet, no one has the excuse that they weren’t able to at least attempt to complete and submit assignments on time and without plagiarism. Thankfully, there are instructors who don’t believe this is helpful. If asked why he would do well as a community college instructor Culpepper said he would reply, â€Å"I have learned to maintain high standards, expect students to meet them, and do whatever I can to help students meet those expectations.† After which he goes on to explain, â€Å"To lower our standards is to accept the false assumption that students â€Å"here† are inferior to students â€Å"there.†(331) In any college, students may have to adjust to a different form of learning than they are familiar with, but to change a teaching style to appease students is ridiculous. â€Å"In my experience, most students respond favorably to professors who teach well and respond negatively to professors who teach badly, regardless of the teaching methods employed.†(331) Treating someone as though they are beneath you is disrespectful and, if in a position of power, may be considered discriminatory. Though negative words don’t leave visible scars they do leave emotional scars that can turn a once successful student into a struggling, hopeless student. We are all equal and should treat each other as we would like to be treated. The sooner the world as a whole practices this, the sooner bias and discrimination can become a thing of the past. Works Cited Culpepper, T. Allen. â€Å"The Myth of Inferiority.† The Norton Mix. Ed. Judy Sieg. New York; Norton, 2012. 327-31. Print.

Evaluation of the Viability of the Sukuk

Evaluation of the Viability of the Sukuk This proposal aims to evaluate the current status and the viability of the Islamic financial Securities such as Sukuk as an alternative of the conventional financial securities like Eurobond in the context of the current financial crisis. I will outline the overall aims and objective of the research and discuss the various studies on growth of Islamic finance and decline of conventional finance in the background of the financial crisis. This paper will reflect an overall structure of the whole proposal. SIGNIFICANT FOR THE RESEARCH In the financial global market, the Islamic financial services sector is analysed to be gown at double digit rate(Bley Kuehn, 2005), involving over 200 financial institutions with assets estimated to exceed US$ 200 billion(Al-Dhahiri et al, 2003). Researchers (Hamwi Aylward, 1999) already has recognised that over the last decade, Islamic banking and finance has experienced global growth rates of 10-15 percent per annum, and has been moving into an increasing number of conventional financial systems at such a rapid pace that Islamic financial institutions are present today in over 51 countries (Sole, 2007 pp:1). This research is aimed at investigating the practicability of the Islamic Financial system as an alternative to the traditional financial system especially in the context of the recent financial crisis. The fast growth of Islamic banking and finance raises different important questions: Is the development in Islamic banking and finance a result of the comparative advantages of the Islamic banking concept or is it largely attributable to the worldwide Islamic recovery since the late 1960s (Chong Liu, 2007). The fact that Islamic laws forbid paying and receiving interest promote all parties in a financial transaction to share the risk and profit or loss of the project (Qorchi, 2005). In an Islamic contract the output and the quality of the project, ensures a more equitable distribution of wealth (Qorchi, 2005). AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The overall aim of this research is to review and evaluate significant growth of Islamic finance and financial securities as an alternative of the traditional financial system and financial securities which led to the current financial crisis. The objectives of the research can be further identified as: (1). the recognition of the basic concepts of conventional and Islamic financial system. (2). How did studies deal with financial crisis and its effect on the traditional and Islamic banking system. (3). what are the effects of current financial crisis on traditional bond market? (4). How does the Islamic Finance response to the crisis? (5). Is Islamic Securities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Sukukà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ feasible? (6). If Islamic Sukuk is feasible then can it replace the traditional Eurobonds? (7). If it is not feasible then can it co-exist with the traditional Eurobonds? Overview Conventional Financial system Everyone has to contact with the financial system and everyone is very well aware of the financial institution like banks, building securities, and insurance companies, each providing in its own way for every day needs, such as payment facilities through banks, convenient savings and access to home loans from building societies, and car, house, or life insurance. The other financial markets, like the Stock exchange where the securities are bought and sold, are an important market though very few are directly concerned with their activities (Van Harne, 1990). All these financial institutions and markets fit together into a network which comprises the financial system or conventional financial system (Brian, 1992). The conventional financial system based on debt and the fixed rate of interest. The borrower in gaining the high fixed returns may get default as these bonds and corporate securities are not backed by the assets or gold. The burden and all risk are transferred on the issuer. Therefore in try to get high returns and greed of getting more financial share the conventional borrower and mortgage prices went up which result in the drying up the financial market and major companies got default. Islamic Financial System The Islamic financial system makes possible lending, borrowing and investment functions on a risk-sharing basis (Ishaq Mansoor, 2008). Islamic finance is fundamentally different from the conventional finance model as it is based on a profit and loss structure (PLS), which requires that a financial institution invest with a client in order to finance their needs, rather than lending money to the client. Because of the inherent risk involved in an investment, the financial institution is entitled to profit from the financial transaction (IBID). (SBP, 2007). Islamic banking and finance industry has been making breakthrough developments to become a truly feasible and competitive alternative to conventional systems at the global level as an industry adding more ethical, competitive, flexible and diversified tools and systems to global financial marketsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ (Ishaq Mansoor, 2008 pp: 708). The need for Islamic banking is prompted by three considerations: (a). An Islamic investor should keep away from alliance with industries forbidden to Muslims: such as; alcohol, gambling, pornography, meat packing (of pork), weapons production, and liquor. (b). An Islamic enterprise is advised to avoid interest (riba), as well as gambling, and, accordingly, constraints exist on transactions involved in debt securities and in futures and options. (c). Many Muslim investors tend to be attracted to enterprises monitoring the Islamic ethical and moral standards (Oà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Sullivan, 1996). The Islamic finance industry has grown by about 15 percent on average over the last three years, with more than US$500 billion now lodged in Islamic banks, mutual funds, insurance schemes (takaful), and Islamic branches of conventional banks (Jobst, Kunzel, Mills, Sy, 2008). Islamic Law prohibits charging interest (Rajesh, K.A Yousaf, T., 2000). Islamic banking is currently practiced in more than 51 countries worldwide. In countries such as, Iran, Pakistan, and Sudan, only Islamic banking is practiced whereas other countries, such as Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan and Malaysia, Islamic banking co-exists with conventional banking (Chong Liu, 2007). Therefore Islamic banking, is not limited to Islamic countries as In August 2004, the Islamic Bank of Britain became the first bank licensed by a non-Muslim country to engage in Islamic banking (Chong Liu, 2007). SUKUK Islamic securities have become increasingly popular in over the last five years, both as a means of raising government finance through sovereign issues, and as a way of companies obtaining funding through the offer of corporate Sukuk (Wilson, R., 2008) as Sukuk is to be use as a tool for liquidity management (Wilson. R., 2008), the Sukuk market continues to generate strong interest by new issuers in Muslim and non-Muslim countries. Sukuk (plural of Sakk) are commonly referred to as an Islamic bond, but a more precise translation of the Arabic word would be an Islamic investment certificateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"(Thomas, 2005). The Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) defines the Investment Sukuk as a certificates of equal value representing undivided shares in ownership of tangible assets, usufructs and services or (in the ownership of) the assets of particular projects or special investment activityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"(Norman, T.,2009). Sukuk is an Islamic financial certificate, similar to a bond in Western finance that complies with Sharia, Islamic religious law. As the traditional Western interest paying bond structure is not permissible, the issuer of a Sukuk sells an investor group the certificate, who then rents it back to the issuer for a predetermined rental fee. The issuer also makes a contractual promise to buy back the bonds at a future date at par value (investropedia, 2009). Sukuk are monetised real assets (converting a government debt into available currency, especially issuing securities, that are liquid (easy to convert into cash), easily transferred and traded in the financial market (Adam, 2006). Likewise the Eurobonds are also liquid assets which are marketable and accepted by all the investors (www.independent.co.uk, 2005). Eurobonds are issued by a government, company shows potential to repay borrowed money at a fixed rate of interest at a specific time. Eurobonds are liquid and trusted bonds as it is backed by a fixed interest rate (ibid). Sukuk can be examined without any difficulty by international and regional rating agencies which facilitate their marketability (Adam, 2006). Likewise the Eurobonds are easily rated by the rating agency as these rating agencies rate these securities on the basis of the liquidity and the liabilities not on the basis of the religion and ethics (Standard Poorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"s, 2009). As the agencies do not rate the securities on the basis of the religion, rather securities are rated on the basis of the quality and the ability of obligator to meet the obligations (ibid). Same like the similarities in the Islamic and conventional financial securities, there are few differences as well, and on the basis of that one system can be preferred on the other system. Starting from the type, the conventional financial Security is a debenture bond whereas the Sukuk are the Secured securities. Debenture bonds are those securities that is unsecured corporate bond by any mortgage, dependent on the credit of the issuer (Dictionary Reference.com, 2009). Whereas the Sukuk are backed by the real assets such as they are attached with the assets which can be turned into tradable in the future or can be replaced by the real assets (Richardson Abdl-Khaleq, 2007). Eurobonds are paper bonds whereas the Sukuk securities are really assets based security which have potential to convert the security into tradable asset in future. Secondly, the major difference in Sukuk and conventional bond is the right of ownership. As Sukuk represent the ownership opportunity in existing or well described assets whereas conventional bond represent pure debt on the issuer (Adam, 2006). LITRATURE REVIEW The relative success of the Islamic finance is remarkable (Bley Kuehn, 2005)as islamic finance institution are making progress with the grwoth rate of 15-18% which is double the average growth rate of conventional finacial institutions (Saifi, 2004). We will discuss A review of the litrature on traditional financial system (TFS)and Islamic financial system( IFS) and the security markets. That is devided into sections as will be reviewing the litrature on the decline of the popularity of the TFS and the growth of the IFS over the last two decades. The litrature review basically discuss information of three area on which research will be carried: (a) traditional banking system and its downfall, (b) islamic financial system and its growth, and (c) the empirical investigation of the feasibility of islamic financial securities to alternate the traditional finacial bonds to raise funds for the projects. BACKGROUND FOR STUDY The current collapse of banking and financial institutions raised a question as interest rate has long been recognized not only by classical and neo-classical economists but also by contemporary economists as one of the factors that determine the level of savings in the economy. Although there are cases of inconsistent findings, it is a generally accepted opinion that interest rate has a positive relationship with savings (Ahmad Haron, 1999). Generally, financial institutions perform two functions; one is to collect deposits and the other is to issue loans (Toutounchian, 1996). Depositors are guaranteed a predetermined return on the nominal value of the deposit by the bank even in most of the cases the deposits are insured (ibid). Hence it can be argued that the traditional financial system plays a passive role in the economy, is operating to face any economic fluctuations (ibid). It is argued that in these banks since the nominal value of the deposits is guaranteedshocks that can lead to banking crisis can cause divergence between real assets and real liabilities and it is not clear how this equilibrium would be corrected and how long the process of adjustment would takeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ (Mohsin, 1985). This is the real essence of fund intermediary function of a traditional finance (Toutounchian, 1996). Islamic finance can simply be defined that it is based on the basic principle of the prohibition of the riba as Islamic institutions does not charge interest but rather participates in the yield resulting from the use of the funds( Lewis Algaoud, 2001). Ebrahim Safadi ( 1995) advocates that islamic finance operations are according to the profit and loss sharing principle which are superior financial security to debt for many reasons including risk sharing of the equities (Hamwi Aylward, 1999. Liu Chong(2007) are of the view that the islamic finance is not different from the conventional finance as the unique feature Profit and Loss sharing (PLS) practically is very similar to the TFS as islamic financial products based on the PLS are not interest free beacuse pegged to conventional deposits(ibid). On the other hand the basic pillar of the conventional financial system is interest rate and fixed income securities have been accepted globally in raising finance for funding large development and capital expenditures (Usmani, 2006). A fixed income security is an investment which provides a return in the form of fixed periodic payments and ultimate returns of principal at maturity (Usmani, 2006). The motivations of firms that issue global bonds is particularly to test whether firms are motivated to offer bonds in multi-markets to raise more capital, take benefit of being well-known in foreign markets and owing to poor domestic economic conditions (Tawatnuntachai Yaman, 2008). The bond market robustness converts into depression when financial crisis which started in 2007 has created the greatest financial dislocation since the Great Depression of the 1930s (Melvin Taylor, 2009). The Eurobond which are based on fix interest rate and guaranteed of fixed return failed to impress the investors in an auction (Kaminska, 2009). In addition, the loans rate set in the fixed income market will have large effect on the demand for properties, and thereby prices, one would strongly believe that securitised property prices are determined by the interest rate changes rather than the stock market (Cheong, Wilson, Zurbruegg, 2009). Financial markets are intergrated now a days and no single economy can avoid the effect of the financial crisis (Chapra, 2007). If the financial system is not responsible for the crisies then why there is a general nervous feeling that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢something is wrong with the financial systemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ (Stiglitz, 2003, p: 54 On the other hand, the Islamic finance manages the affair without involving the pre-agreed interest payment and receipts that replace the interest-based intermediation between the borrower and the lender with profit and loss sharing and equity based link (Bhatti Khan, 2009). CURRENT FINANCIAL CRISIS The credit crunch refers to a sudden shortage of funds for lending, leading to a resulting decline in loans available (Blog, 2008). A Credit Crunch can occur for various reasons such as sudden increase in interest rate, direct money controls by the governments and a drying up of funds in the capital market (Blog, 2008). The crisis started in 2008 in US supreme mortgage market and widely spread all over the world which raised a question that why this has system collapsed which leads the splillover effects from US sub- prime crisis to UK by far the most transparent and worrying for the authorities that exposed the tension between the central banks with respect to the provision of liquidity support facilities, the difficulties inherent in the economy for dealing with the banking crisis, defects in banking economy regulation and supervision and the glaring flaws in deposit protection arrangements (Maximilian, 2008). Islamic Finance Response to Crisis Principles of Islamic Finance The first principle has an effect on the depositors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"behaviour and their decision-making process. The choice of action is based not only on the immediate financial returns but also on those returns in the hereafter. Since Islamic banks operate on an interest-free basis and their establishment is designed to improve Muslim communities. In the case of the second principle that involves wealth, Islam has given a clear guideline to be followed by Muslims. The essence of Islamic finance summarised by the Charles FÃÆ' ¨vre, 2006 is as following: Interest rate, taking or receiving on transactions is prohibited. Capital must have a social and ethical purpose further than pure, unfettered return; Investments in those businesses which are dealing with alcohol, gambling, drugs or anything else that the Sharià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ah considers unlawful and unwanted, are prohibited. Transactions involving masir (speculation or gambling); gharar, or uncertainty about the subject-matter and terms of contracts are forbidden which includes a prohibition on selling something that one does not own. As the interest-earning on investments are restricted, Islamic banks obtain their earnings through profit-sharing investments or fee-based returns (Charles FÃÆ' ¨vre, 2006). Traditionally an Islamic bank offers two kinds of services: firstly; it provides services for those on a fee or a fixed charge, such as safe deposits, fund transfer, trade financing, property sales and purchases or handling investments (IBID). Secondly; those that involves joint ventures in investments and the sharing of profits and losses (Charles FÃÆ' ¨vre, 2006). REASEARCH METHODOLOGY Methodology is a set of tools, techniques, procedures and investigative methods, used to collect, store, analyse and present information. Scientific methodology involves the development of hypotheses and predictions, investigating the manipulation of particular variables while maintaining all other variables constant, using measurable, objective measures and statistical analyses in order to come to conclusions about the topic under investigationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ (inspiritive.com, 2009). Research can be defined as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“something that people undertake in order to find out things in a systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledgeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Saunders et al, 2003). Research methods are the means by which knowledge is acquired and constructed within a discipline. It needs to be both relevant and rigorous in order to be accepted as legitimate within a particular field of knowledge (Harvey Myers, 1995).whereas Leedy Research methodology can be explained as the process ca rried out to achieve the overall aim and objectives of the research (Saunders et al, 2003). What does Research Methodology Include? The research methodology involves primary data and secondary data. The primary data collected are more consistent with our research questions and research objectives. With the help of primary data the reasons behind consumer behaviour, management decisions or problems faces in internationalisation efforts can be identified (Ghauri Gronhaug, 2005). According to Hussey and Hussey, (1997, pg.149) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢original data is known as primary data, which is data collected at sourceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ. Primary research provides information and data which doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"t already exist. Some of the methods of primary data collection include: Focus groups, Interviews, Observation and Questionnaires (Saunders et al, 2003). According to Saunders et al., (2007, pg.272) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“data that have already been collected for some other purpose, perhaps processed and subsequently stored, are termed secondary dataà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. Data can be collected internally or externally from the available materials for literature. These materials come from books, journals, articles, research papers, conference proceedings, newspapers, theses and internet sources. It includes both quantitative and qualitative data and they can be used in both descriptive and explanatory research. Within business and management research such data are used mostly in case study and survey-type research (Saunders et al, 2003). Research Methods Generally available methodological options for Research are two: qualitative research and quantitative research (Ticehurst Veal, 2000). Qualitative Research The purpose of qualitative research is to describe a certain process or problem, to interpret a particular problem and to develop new theoretical concepts and perspectives, to verify the validity of certain problem, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen particular problem (Leedy, 2005). The qualitative analysis based on meaning expressed through words, symbols, interpretations, actions and behaviour (Thornhill et al, 2003). Quantitative research Generally, quantitative research is used to answer the question about relationships among measured variables with the purpose of explaining, predicting, and controlling phenomenon ( Leedy Ormord, 2005). Whereas, Thornhill et al, (2003) stated that in quantitative analysis, the data is based on meanings from numbers. The collection results in numerical and standardised data and the analysis are conducted through the use of diagrams and statistics (Thornhill et al, 2003). The aim of the project can be viewed as qualitative, explanatory, and comparative. To fulfil these aims, the study intends to use the qualitative comparative research strategy (Bryman Bell, 2003). As Leedy Ormrod (2005) noted that qualitative researchers commonly use triangulation for the validation of the research. Comparative Analysis Given the options, qualitative research will be carried out where the literature to be reviewed will be mainly secondary data. The results obtained from the data can be validated by using the above mentioned strategies and comparative analysis which is suggested by Leedy Ormrod (2005) to fulfil the requirements of research. As the Max Weber (1968) also develop approach for social and economical analysis based on comparative method to identify that the researcher plays primary role in outlining research questions, categorizing elements of analysis, and the topics for comparison rather than assuming an objective separation of the researcher and data, as he is of the view that this kind of approach does not confuse researcherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"s conceptualization of the under research phenomenon and phenomenon itself. Comparative analysis facilitates researcher to investigate the problem from a recognized starting point and the investigate other aspects of the object during analysis (Weber , M., 1968 cited in: Google, 2009) Data Collections and Methods In order to achieve the aims and objectives of the research a series of the reviews will be conducted on available literature on Islamic Finance and Conventional finance, particularly the Islamic securities. Islamic source of finance, Al- Quran, Sunnaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"ah, Shariaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"a Laws, and Hadiths books have been taken into account to get information about the Islamic financial principles, and the regulations which are applicable to the finance. This research is based on secondary data which is collected by using research techniques, procedures and instruments such as 1. Journals 2. Books 3. Libraryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"s web based services such as ABI/Inform, Proquest system, Jstor, Emerald. 4. Newspapers 5. Internet and internet article As qualitative comparative analysis will allow the researcher to outline the research objectives and categorizing the elements of the analysis and the choice of selection of the topic to analyse. The comparative analysis will helpful throughout the research to investigate the selected topic from a recognised point and researcher will be able to investigate the other aspect of the analysis. The methodology will be persuaded towards an approach in order to analyse appraise views on the Islamic financial system and Islamic securities in detail as an alternative to the traditional financial system in the context of current financial crisis by presenting and discussing with supervisor as to how he see the future of Islamic and traditional banking following the direction in which it is undertaken. LIMITATIONS This research may have few limitations The main concern is the collection of basic qualitative data from reliable sources mainly from university web based sources and Google scholar search materials; the challenge will be the identification of the reliable sources as often there will be situation where the results can vary from source to source. Sorting the reliable data from since the resources have vast options and all of them might not be having the same facts and figures which will be may required more time than expected in research process. Another limitation that may occur and cause the research to be narrowed and summed up sooner is for the research to miss out on some useful information which would be useful if taken under consideration. As for the vastness of the topic it is a concern that could be distracting as religious validities can be possible but main focus will be managed throughout the research. This research is a qualitative comparative analysis which is depending on the secondary data that may lead research to be limited as collection of data is generally more time consuming and the time is limited and it is not possible to studied wide range of literature which can make difficult to make a systematic conclusion. Drawn Conclusion Comparison of the both system (Islamic Financial System and Conventional Financial System, major will be the Islamic financial securities and conventional bonds) will formed the ground for the conclusion depending on the information gathered from research.

Managing a Creative Culture Essay -- essays research papers

Managing a Creative Culture: Do â€Å"Creatives† Fit into the Traditional Management System? The ability to reach the creative individual cannot be achieved through the traditional management organization. Creative people don't fit in very well in a hierarchical organization with traditional management techniques. To manage creatives, a new model must be developed. Organizations must take heed to the needs of creatives or be subject to losing these valuable resources. Summary Resources, freedom and challenge are the management keys necessary to develop and maintain a creative environment. These keys, along with encouraging and supporting â€Å"creatives,† will foster the growth and development of an organization’s employees, management and ultimately it’s culture. Many organizations have tremendous success in recognizing and cultivating the creative talent of its employees. Whether this talent is already in effect or brought out, managers must take the best approach to ensure a positive, creative impact on the organization. Organizations that do not change with the times will soon find themselves behind or more seriously—non-existent. Different things motivate them and money is no longer the top motivator for creatives. Looking at creatives from another view, this group, also referred to as the creative class, represents a powerful economic force. Not economic force in terms of ownership of property or the means of production but their creative capacity which is an intangible because it is literally in their heads. So what will draw the creative to a particular organization? Creative expression and the chance to present new ideas and deliver results in different ways is the top motivation, but does traditional management provide this opportunity? This paper will present a correlation between organizational management, culture, creative types and how understanding and fostering their integration produces successful organizations. Introduction Managing creatives is counter-intuitive. It goes against almost everything we are taught about managing a business. That's why managers rarely do a good job at managing these kinds of workers. Managing creative people is counter-intuitive for two reasons--the nature of the work is different and the nature of the worker is different. Creative people don't fit in very well in a hierarchical organization with traditional man... ...ir work to inspire them. They want to feel good about who they are through the work they do. When that happens, creativity flourishes. An organization must look within its employees and understand what they are passionate about. It is then that they will build systems to successfully nurture creatives. References Amabile, T. (1998). How to kill creativity. Harvard Business Review, 77-87 Beir, J. (1995). Managing Creatives, Vital Speeches of the Day, 61(16) Cummings, L. (1965). Organizational climates for creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 220-227 DeSalvo, T. (1999, June). Unleash the creativity in your organization. HR Magazine, 154-164. Florida, R. (2002). The rise of the creative class. New York: Basic Books. Myers, R. & Ray, M. (1986). Creativity in business. New Jersey: Doubleday & Company, Inc. Robinson, A. & Stern, S. (1997). Corporate creativity: How innovation and improvement actually happen. California: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Smethurst, S. & Glover, C. (2003, March). Creative License. People Management, 30-34 Tan, G. (1998). Managing creativity in organizations: A total system approach. Managing Creativity in Organizations, 7(1): 23-31

The History of Computers in Education :: Technology in Education Computers Essays

The History of Computers in Education Computers were first introduced into schools in the late 1950, however, at that time they were only used by large universities for clerical work such as accounting, payroll, and for storing student records. Computers began to emerge more and more in the 1950, but it was still uncommon to see computers in schools. Today, one will find that quite the opposite exists. Since 1977 there has been a rapid growth in the use of computers throughout schools. Today the average public elementary school has 110 computers and 98% of these schools have access to the Internet. The ratio of students to computers, as of the year 2000 is less than five students per computer (Kafer np). Since their first appearance they have greatly changed education and have proved to be useful, valuable resources both in and out of the classroom. In the mid 1960 through the early 1970 the cost of computers decreased, while the availability of the machines increased. This allowed more schools and colleges to buy and use computers. With this new technology, teachers, administrators, and other school personnel could complete required tasks in less amount of time. One main benefit of computers in schools was that they saved the time and the energy of those who operated them. When computers were first introduced into schools they were largely used for secretarial tasks and administrative purposes. Records of the school students and faculty could all be stored on a computer. Also, inventory control and accounting could be done with a computer now. Computers allowed schools to keep and produce accurate records, which helped avoid financial disputes. Grades and attendance could now be stored on a computer drive, which also prevented disputes over miscalculations that might have occurred if records were kept by hand. Another administrative convenience introduced with computers was the ability to process and print student schedules. School resources, such as library books could now be managed through a computer system, monitoring what books were on loan and what was available. Having computer access in schools was extremely beneficial for administrative purposes.

Converting Your Manual Bookkeeping Essay

If you’re converting a manual bookkeeping system to a computerized system, your conversion will take a bit more time than just starting fresh because you need to be sure your new system starts with information that matches your current books. The process for entering your initial data varies depending on the software you’ve chosen. To ensure that you properly convert your bookkeeping system, use the information that comes with your software; read through the manual, review the startup suggestions made as you set up the system, and pick the methods that best match your style of operating. The best time to convert is at the end of an accounting period. That way, you won’t have to do a lot of extra work adding transactions that already occurred during a period. For example, if you decide to computerize your accounting system on March 15, you’d have to add all the transactions that occurred between March 1 and March 15 into your new system. It’s just easier to wait until April 1 to get started even if you buy the software on March 15. While you can convert to a computerized accounting system at the end of a month, your best time to do it is at the end of a calendar or fiscal year. Otherwise, you have to input data for all the months of the year that have passed. Whenever you decide to start your computerized bookkeeping, use the data from your trial balance that you used to close the books at the end of most recent accounting period. In the computerized system, enter the balances for each of the accounts in your trial balance. Asset, liability, and equity accounts should have carry-over balances, but Income and Expense accounts should have zero balances. Of course, if you’re starting a new business, you won’t have a previous trial balance. Then you just enter any balances you might have in your cash accounts, any assets your business may own as it starts up, and any liabilities that your business may already owe relating to startup expenses. You also add any contributions from owners that were made to get the business started in the Equity accounts. After you enter all the appropriate data, run a series of financial reports, such as an income statement and balance sheet, to be sure the data is entered and formatted the way you like it. It’s a lot easier to change formatting when the system isn’t chock-full of data. You need to be sure that you’ve entered the right numbers, so verify that the new accounting system’s financial reports match what you created manually. If the numbers are different, now’s the time to figure out why. Otherwise the reports you do at the end of the accounting period will be wrong. If the numbers don’t match, don’t assume the only place an error could be is in the data entered. You may find that the error is in the reports you developed manually. Of course, check your entries first, but if the income statement and balance sheet still don’t look right, double-check your trial balances as well. Read more: http://www. dummies. com/how-to/content/converting-your-manual-bookkeeping-to-a-computeriz. html#ixzz1SMwAbn8q

Wellness Plan

Well I started to e myself gaining weight, I told myself that I was not happy with the way I looked and I was going to do something about It, I Joined Ballsy Fitness. That did not last very long, I was going to the gym two times a week for at least 2 months and did not see much of a change so I gave up going and Just decided to start eating right, that helped a bit, I was doing k I told myself and then shortly after that I got divorced and the stress from all the consequences of getting divorced made me loose a lot of weight, which was great but I lost it in an unhealthy way.I was able to keep the weight off, until I got involved in a relationship which after a couple of years went downhill and I became very depressed, which led to another eating binge and the weight gain came back in no time. With the positive influence from friends I was able to join a group at work in which we walked 3 times a day, 15 miss for both our morning and afternoon break and about 20-25 miss during our lu nch, we did this everyday we were at work. You are probably wondering what was the purpose behind this first paragraph? I Just wanted to give you a bit of my background with my challenges due to my weight.Now at the age of 33 1 am a mom again and so far I am lucky to have lost just about all the weight I gained during pregnancy. I have decided to keep up the healthy eating habit I adapted while being pregnant but I have now also added a 30 min walk each evening around the Jogging track at the community center. I plan on doing this until my baby is at least 3 months old where he can be a stroller for a longer period of time without a head support. I believe by starting off with the 30 minute walk I have had a little bit more energy during the day, instead of feeling like I have to sleep all day long as my baby slept.Together with breast feeding, the 30 minute of walking will help me burn more calories which assist with the weight loss and help eliminate the possibility of diabetes or heart disease by not being overweight. I know by not sticking to my plan, It could lead to negative results such as, continuous weight gain which can potentially lead to serious health conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, less energy to spend time with my family, also lack f motivation to get my school work done, resulting In poor grades, and which can eventually lead to me being unhappy and unhappiness can affect you In many ways.In order to make sure that I suck to my plan of choice I need to make sure that I make the time everyday like I have been doing to vaults the community center to put In the 30 miss to get my walking done. As my little one gets older I plan to Increase that 30 miss to at least an hour or even try to incorporate some other form of exercise at least two toner clays out AT ten week. As I make tense plans to lead a enameller Tie ten only obstacles I see that could prevent this is myself.I need to make sure I stay as discipline as I am now to follow th ru. Also I need to make sure that throughout my busy schedule I do find the time to get these activities done. I plan on sticking with this plan for at least a year, by the end of that year I plan to be at least boss as compared to the 159 lbs I am at now. If this is achieved, I will not only be a happier person but will be able to do more with my family, especially with my kids. My reward will be a long awaited shopping spree!

Response Paper on “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut

The short tale of Harrison Bergeron is something that isn't very new to me. Way back in high school, we were tasked to read this in one of our Literary Circles sessions. I took a quick look at it and particularly enjoyed how short the story was. Today, having finally read a good selection of interesting stories, I decided to take a deeper and much more complete look at it. I can definitely say that despite it being rather short, Harrison Bergeron was a story just oozing in meaning and symbolisms. Harrison Bergeron makes us think twice on just how far we want to go to push for equality. In 2081, total equality is achieved but at a cost – sacrificing freedom and individual skill and talent. The three main characters also symbolizes different types of people who have different views toward the law set by the Handicapper General. George Bergeron to me was pretty much your average Joe. Despite him being blessed with substantial intelligence, he simply decides to get by and observe all the rules properly, being content with the system and afraid of consequences. Hazel Bergeron on the other hand, was really just an oblivious girl in a place where oblivious and unaware was the new â€Å"average†. She had nothing special to offer, therefore was never even handicapped. Her obliviousness and outright stupidity simply shadows over her kindness and good intentions. And finally, Harrison Bergeron, who was the perfect specimen. He literally had it all, which made the government fear him and did everything in it's power to contain him. Harrison wanted to showcase his abilities to the world and this ultimately led to his death. With this, we are shown that superiority amongst others will not be tolerated. To end, I feel like this story faces us with a dilemma, whether to simply get by, and live with rules and laws that are clearly unfair and wrong or be like Harrison, who is condemned for being the gifted and talent-laden man that he truly was. I'd also like to point out how this story takes on a completely different angle as a slight jab to faulty governments. Vonnegut may just be trying to show us how the government tries to control and ultimately, censor our very thoughts and ideas, hence limiting our potential to grow and become more aware and active with regards to such issues.

Alternative Energy Sources

The depletion of conventional and non-renewable sources of energy i. e. fossil fuels, which include coal, gasoline and natural gas, has caused concern among the policy makers and the consumers. Moreover, the recent increase in oil prices has caused inflation due to higher transportation costs of the commodities. However, the biggest drawback of using the non-renewable sources of energy has been an increase in environmental pollution, and the phenomenon of global warming.When the fossil fuels are burnt by millions of vehicles on road, ships on water, and by aeroplanes in air, toxic emissions including deadly hydrocarbons, and lethal carbon monoxide are released into the atmosphere. These poisonous gases cause severe respiratory diseases, and cancer in the most vulnerable human population i. e. children and elderly. Is it beneficial to continue the use of fossil fuels whose emissions cause deadly diseases in humans?Also, one of the emissions is carbon dioxide, which is the main cause o f global warming. Since the fossil fuels are limited in supply, scientists, environmentalists and policy makers have been striving to find the alternative sources of energy, which are replenishable, easily available, non-polluting, non-detrimental to the health of humans, environmental friendly and do not cause global warming. Isn’t it beneficial for us to explore and deploy the alternative energy sources?I strongly feel that we must develop technology to commercially exploit the alternative energy sources. Some of the types of alternative energy sources along with their utility to humanity are highlighted in the following discussion. Discussion Different definitions of alternative energy have been given by different thinkers and organizations. Economy Watch reported that Material Management Services defined it â€Å"as an alternative for the renewable energy forms,† which has â€Å"not been extracted from fossil fuels.† Further, as defined by Natural Resources Defense Council, Economy Watch stated that alternative energy is peripheral and environmental-friendly. According to Economy Watch, Responding to Climate Change 2007 has defined alternative energy as the one â€Å"that is drawn from the untraditional sources of energy like winds, compressed natural gases, hydroelectricity and solar sources. † When different definitions are merged, the complete meaning of alternative energy sources becomes evident. Alternative Energy Sources The consumption of natural resources has come to dominate the minds of policy-makers and general public in the US, given the limited range of these resources and concerns associated with the burden the growing population places on the reserves.The most obvious problem the US encounters in the realm of natural resources consumption is undeniably the consumption of energy resources.In addition to increasing the efficiency of oil production, the nation will sooner or later have to turn to alternative energy sources. While these sources still remain too expensive to be operational, their technology is undergoing rapid transformations to make them more cost-efficient. Wind mills are already effectively used in Spain where the climate is characterized by strong winds.Solar energy, geothermal power, tides, hydroelectric power plants – all these are ways to receive energy in a way that is less dangerous for the environment and can with time fully replace oil as a source of energy. Con sidering the dangers posed to the US society by the resource depletion, we will also try to look at alternative solutions that will enable us to replace the reserves.Current StateSolar energy is attractive because the energy received by the earth annually exceeds the amount of energy used by humanity by 35,000 times, although â€Å"about 1/3 of this energy is either absorbed by the outer atmosphere or reflected back into space† (University of Utah).Geothermal energy that stems from the inner heat of the earth is of lesser importance as it can be used only to replace a small amount of human needs. The temperatures of 100 degrees Celsius are located only three miles away from the surface, which gives man an opportunity to use geothermal energy.Tidal facilities like the one operated by the former Soviet Union in Lumkara, use the power of the water â€Å"to fill reservoirs, which are then slowly discharged through electricity-producing turbines† (University of Utah).The at traction of tidal power, in contrast to solar and wind energy is its predictability and rich supply that can be calculated since it comes on a regular basis. In contrast, in the case of solar and wind energy, the industry often has to wait for days until the sun comes out or the wind begins to blow. However, the Survey of Energy Resources published by the World Energy Council in 2001 points to â€Å"long construction times, high capital intensity and low load factors† as preventing economic efficiency of this type of energy (World Energy Council). Alternative Energy Sources The move to alternative energy sources is inevitable for most of the modern world. Reasons for the move include sheer economics, geopolitics and environmental protection.Through the years, the world has gotten used to using fossil fuels for their energy needs. Products derived from fossil fuels are used in transportation, in electricity generation, in petrochemicals and even in road construction.The primary reason for the move is the inadequacy of fossil fuels to meet future energy demands at an economically feasible price. Fossil fuels, due to their nature, are of finite supply. Even though no estimates show that the amount of fossil fuels in the Earth is not about to run out, economic forces will cut the fossil fuel supply even before it runs out.As the amount of fossil fuels extracted decreases, the greater the demand for it becomes, particularly because of rising economies. Economics will thus dictate that the price of fossil fuels go up due to shifts in global supply and demand. Sooner or later, the price of energy will rise to unsustainable prices – prices which can cripple economies and cause great financial problems for the common man due to inflation.Already, we have seen evidences of this scenario happening. The price of oil has risen continually over the years and has already sparked unrest in some countries.Alternative energy sources, especially renewable energy sources are clearly better in the long run. Renewable energy sources will not face the problems faced by rising oil prices today simply because these energy sources are not finite.Alternative energy sources like biomass, wind, hydro and solar energy will always be replenished. Moreover, these energy sources are also less polluting than fossil fuel sources. The use of fossil fuels has been linked to the phenomenon of anthropogenic global warming.Carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels are said to cause Earth’s temperature to rise abnormally – a situat ion which can have disastrous effects on a global scale if left unchecked. Renewable energy sources do not suffer from this drawback which makes them more attractive from an environmental perspective.Nuclear energy is also another alternative energy form. While it is not exactly renewable due to the finiteness of the Earth’s Uranium deposits, the high yield of nuclear energy means that the accessible Uranium in the Earth can last us for centuries before running out.Nuclear energy is clean, already available and can supply energy at a large scale. While there are concerns regarding its safety as well as what to do with spent nuclear waste, newer technologies have managed to reduce the dangers from these nuclear side effects. These make nuclear energy an attractive stopgap until the development of more advanced energy sources.In the pipeline are also some more futuristic energy options. Hydrogen power is a promising alternative to using oil products in transportation. Unlike oi l combustion which releases pollutants into the air, the by-product of Hydrogen consumption is harmless water vapor. Lastly, Helium-3 fusion is an attractive solution which can potentially end all of Earth’s energy problems. Helium-3 fusion is a form of nuclear energy which utilizes Helium instead of Uranium and has no radioactive by products.ReferencesNational Renewable Energy Laboratory – www.nrel.govSchmitt, H. (October 2004). Mining The Moon. In Popular Mechanics. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/air_space/1283056.html?page=4.Whitlock, J. (2008). Uranium. In Canadian Nuclear FAQ. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www.nuclearfaq.ca/cnf_sectionG.htm#uranium_supply.    Alternative Energy Sources It is undeniable that global warming has been one of the most pressing issues facing the world today. Global warming is due to the greenhouse effect wherein greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide trap the sun's heat in our atmosphere and prevent it from radiating back into space. However the issue of global warming is not about global warming.The greenhouse effect has been around for millions of years and is indeed responsible for the development of life as without it the earth would be too cold to support the variety of flora and fauna we see today. The issue of global warming has been accelerated global warming.The issue is how the rate of heating by the earth's surface is proceeding at a much faster rate than mother nature can adapt to. If the predictions are correct, this will result in a multitude of changes. Environmental changes such as the rise in global sea levels due to the melting of the ice caps, an increase in the frequency of extreme weather due to changing precipitation patterns, and massive rates of extinction.These massive environmental effects also translate to massive economic effects especially in agriculture. Drought will affect the production of essential foodstuffs like grain especially in the equatorial regions. The retreat of glaciers will also affect farms which are dependent on glacier runoff for irrigation.Global warming will also strain government pockets as the need for preventive infrastructure like floodgates as well as for repair and reconstruction of old infrastructure which is damaged by the increased temperature variation. Increased health costs will also be a burden on social services.One of the key methods for mitigating the advance of global warming is by the reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Some of the ways of reducing greenhouse gases include changing practices in agriculture, stopping deforestation, as well as restoring and conserving degraded land.Another way for reducing greenhouse gases is by switching our energy production from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Some renewable energy sources include solar power, wind power, hydrogen, and nuclear power. This paper discusses these alternative energy sources and the prospects for their use.Most of the energy needs of the United States comes from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. The combustion of these fossil fuels drive generators which provide electricity as well as engines that power our transportation.However, these fossil fuels are considered nonrenewable energy sources simply because these fossil fuels are of limited supply. Sooner or later, the world's fossil fuel deposits will reach a point such that their extraction would not be economically feasible. Already, the huge demand for oil is pushing its price to record levels with each   passing year.As opposed to fossil fuel based energy sources, renewable energy comes from sources that wont run out in any anthropological time frame. Renewable sources suc h as wind or solar power come from sources which are constantly replenished, and will be constantly replenished barring major changes of geological or astronomical scale.As such, investments in renewable power is much more future proof. Because these renewable sources of energy wont run out, we can be sure that succeeding generations will be able to benefit from renewable energy sources we develop today. That much cannot be said for sources of energy from oil, gas and coal.

A poet that is very aware of transience Essay

We also see the loss of innocence in ‘Tear’, which is another memory from Kinsellas childhood about the time he lost his grandmother. This poem is very vivid and you can imagine you were right there in the room with him through it all. It was for that exact reason that I did not like ‘Tear’ as I found it emotional to the stage of disturbing, reminding me of the first person I lost who was close to me. The way he describes his reluctance to say goodbye to his grandmother is understandable, but I do not like how he describes her. â€Å"Drying mud†. I think that insulting someone who has passed is wrong and shouldn’t be done, even in poetry for imagery. I also dislike the how he says â€Å"smell of disused organs and sour kidney† as if the body was already rotting. Those along with the idea that it is more favourable to him to â€Å"kiss the damp† than his dying relative has caused me to strongly dislike this poem. However even though this poem is not for my tastes, the imagery is clear and the depiction of the pain that is experienced and loss of innocence that is lost when a relative close to you dies is very obvious in this poem. You can tell that the boy in the poem will not leave as the same person who entered. â€Å"Old age can digest anything. † He has been forever changed by his run in with death now that he is old enough to understand it, rather than when he was too young and his sister died. His â€Å"Child-animal grief† shows us this. I really liked studying Kinsella’s poetry even though I couldn’t relate to a lot of the themes that his poetry deals with, such as the negative effects of aging. However there was others that I could like how the dead haunt the present and how memories haunt us. I may be too young to have a lot of experience with getting â€Å"haunted† but there are a few things that, try as I might, cannot forget and I can relate to Kinsellas poetry in that way. He has shown that he is a thoughtful person and thinks about family and friends even when working. I love how he can so clearly depict thing that happened to him back when he was as young as 7 or 8 and I hope that I can do that too when I am older. Kinsella’s acceptance with death is inspiring and showed me that even when our body grows old and good looks are a thing of the past, you can still continue to carry yourself with pride and grace. It is for these reasons and many more that I have enjoyed studying Kinsella for my leaving cert course, and I plan to look further into his work when I have time after it. He is definitely a poet that I will try to remember when I am an old woman.

Why the arab countries are not paying attention to the mental health Essay

Why the arab countries are not paying attention to the mental health issues compared to the west - Essay Example However, there is no single study that has elucidated on the continued negligence of different stakeholders on the issue. Nevertheless, some research has indicated that the frequency of mental disorders does not vary much across the globe Ghodse, 2011). In this regard, it is correct to argue that Arab countries are not different. However, it is critical to review why Arab countries stand out to be distinct given that there are no disparities in terms of variation in mental illnesses between Arab countries and the west. It is apparent that the only difference in mental disorders in the Arab countries and the west is how the two different regions perceive and look at the issue. Studies have indicated that the manifestations of the mental illnesses vary with culture. In fact, in many developing countries, mental illnesses are highly characterized with the culture of those particular countries. The data, believes, and attitudes of persons in these areas dictate how the illnesses are addr essed. However, as Suad, (2006) stipulates, the problem in many Arab countries is not on how difficult it is to deal or treat mental disorders, it has to do with how well physicians or psychiatrists can be able to handle issues revolving around the illness. For example, there is a need to articulate on why people have negative attitude towards mentally ill persons. Basically, Mooney, et al. (2011) argues that, these attitudes have several and severe consequences to both the patient and the society. This is highly seen where even if the patient is well treated and attended to by the psychiatrist, the situation gets no better especially when the public view such patients as outcasts or inhuman. Therefore, even if the patient is treated, discrimination, which is mostly associated with negative attitudes in such societies, tends to manifest itself (Corrigan, et al., 2011). In light with this, the patient may continue to suffer psychologically as they try to contemplate that some people view them differently. There has also been a problem with how psychiatrists attend to persons with mental disorders in Arab countries. As McKenzie, et al. (2012) contends, this is highly attributed to the fact that the mode of treatment of persons with mental illnesses is not advanced. It is indispensible to have psychiatry programs upgraded in order to integrate modern teaching techniques, which would go a long way in bringing up more competent psychiatrists. Moreover, the upcoming doctors needs to be trained in such a way that they will be in a position to establish a rapport relationship with their patients in order to have in-depth analysis of the patient’s condition (Faraone, et al., 1999). Another major concern is on how psychiatrists can utilise the unique cultural traits that exists in these countries to counter any negative factors surrounding mental illnesses. For example, it is believed that religion and family settings can be utilised in reverting the negative att itudes towards mentally ill persons. This is arguably true because family ties in many Arab countries are strong. Therefore, they can be used to strengthen social support to issues revolving around positivity and support for mentally ill persons, rather than discriminating against them. In regard to religions, it is believed that religions can as well be utilised in impacting and preaching good deeds that induces good traits in their believers, and this can be used to protect mentally ill persons from discrimination and harm (Stuart, 2005). Discrimination is well manifested in situations where a certain religion belief insinuates that mentally ill persons are sort of coursed or outcasts. Therefore, if such religions are educated on severity and vagueness of such beliefs, then they

Activity Based Costing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Activity Based Costing - Essay Example Conventional costing methods have caused problems in their implementation in most companies. This is because of the constant change in technological advancement which requires the use of modern methods of costing. The use of the ABC system creates difficulties in the separation and allocation of some overhead costs on a product unit. For instance, the Chief Executive Officer’s salary does not provide the management with the appropriate reports on costs. The ABC method allocates business cost on a proportionate basis to products or based on assumptions (Lawrence, 2004). This makes inaccurate reports on costs to be generated to the management. Some of the traditional methods of costing ensure accuracy of information which can lead to a competitive advantage. ABC is a costly method as compared to the traditional methods, but it is the most efficient. In planning implementation of ABC method, it is important to identify key purposes of the information that the method will provide. A well designed ABC method can form the basis of improved budgeting and capacity of resource planning (Lawrence, 2004). Organizations need to understand their cost structures and have a cost management system that supports the understanding. Effective management of both ABC and the conventional methods may have greater profitability to the

A formal business letter to the Chief Executive of Arsenal FC Essay

A formal business letter to the Chief Executive of Arsenal FC - Essay Example The major external environment forces include; Based on the PESTEL model, Economy is one of the external forces that influence business practices of Arsenal. Change in the UK economy may present both the positive and the negative results to Arsenalii. Therefore, business activities and strategies used by the club should acknowledge the influence of UK economy in the club’s business activities. Growth in economy may present various opportunities to the club. On the other hand, decline in economic growth during instances of recession affects the club’s business objectives in a negative manner. Favorable economic environment is strength to the club. Arsenal generates a substantial amount of income from match ticket sales. In 2011, the audit company, Deloitte, ascertained that the club earned  £93.1 million from ticket sales. With respect to the underlying external factor, ticket purchases depend on the prevailing economic environment. Recession results in low ticket sales. On the other hand, a boom in economy increases ticket sales; hence a subsequent increase in ticket revenue. In addition, economy affects the club’s commercial activities. Sale of property and other merchandise depends on the state of UK economy. Since the club owns property, which includes houses, recession results in poor sales of property. On the other hand, improvement of economy makes fans to buy more merchandise and homes. Finally, the UK economic environment influences player value whereby growth in economy results in a subsequent increase in player value. Consequently, the club may not be in a position to sustain quality players due to exorbitant wagesiii. Technology is another external force that influence business practices of Arsenal. In the contemporary business platform, technology plays a significant role in communication. In this regard, Arsenal adopts modern technological tools in conducting some of the business