How to Find Satire Topics for an Essay on the Web

How to Find Satire Topics for an Essay on the Web The Upside to Satire Topics for an Essay Although writing a fantastic satire essay might be challenging for a number of students, it may also be an enjoyable experience. For you to write about a present event, you have to have a thorough comprehension of the function. While it may look difficult to begin writing and thinking about satire ideas or presentation topic ideas, it is sometimes a rewarding project to complete. Still, if you're stuck on writing, you always have the option to ask us for support! Naturally, satire essay topics can be difficult to think of. On occasion, essays can be quite enjoyable to read. Usually, they require to be informative and factual. Very good satire essay topics are the ones which are ready to increase your reader's interest. When it has to do with academic writing, good satirical essay examples may be the ideal way to inspire and motivate you. In truth, it is more enjoyable to write since you're permitted to set your own creativity and your individual views in your essay. Now, in regards to the last point, the boiling point, it's the correct time for good satire and satirical essays. If you discover that it's tricky to compose a satire, you can get an essay or even take a look at some absolutely free essay samples online at a better idea on the best way to write it. Hence, it truly is quite crucial to take part in a topic you want and feel motivated to write. Nowadays you have sufficient topics to have you started! If you wish to write satire essay topics, you have to have a better comprehension of what it actually means. Obviously, an important point to take into consideration when you are selecting your satire essay topics is to think about a subject that is in fact funny. A History of Satire Topics for an Essay Refuted You would like to understand all elements of a problem and the various viewpoints of the function. If you're writing a cause and effect obesity essay, you can mention unique causes of obesity and the way it can impact the general health of someone. Additionally, the world is going to be a barren wasteland due to pollution. It's also wise to read some back issues to get familiar with the publication. In instance, you come across further difficulties with your essay, don't hesitate to seek out expert aid. It can be challenging to settle on a topic for a satirical argument essay if you're not accustomed to viewing the world with an important eye. For this reason, you should be aware that a satire essay is convincing and opinionated, so if you're to read your final copy, make certain that you, since the author, can truly feel a specific pull of conviction. Not all essays are intended to be sound serious and forbidding. Essay writing is the largest component universal type of copy writing. You need to have excellent research abilities to enable you to compose an academic article. Nicely, if you're joyful to make pay-for-my-essay a fantastic article, then may take the aid of Wonderfulessay.com. It's possible to look here for more help on writing a great paper. Top Choices of Satire Topics for an Essay Open your paper by confidently stating you've found a means to resolve the nation's economic difficulties. Of you want to have a personalized article for an acceptable cost, you're at the right spot. After all, to be able to produce your very best work, it's important to opt for a topic that you're passionate about and that you understand enough going to form an opinion and make a humorous analysation. In a Proposal to address an issue, it's important to spell out the issue specifically and globally. It's also important to make sure your humor is going to be understood and taken well. Satire ought to be fun and produce the reader laugh. Most writers would agree that satire is just one of the toughest styles. Satire has become the most powerful democratical weapon in the arsenal of contemporary media. Writing satire isn't as simple as it might seem. It's quite obvious once you have infinite satire project ideas! To create the best choice, you should select the topics with an excellent awareness of humor or irony. Naturally, you are here because you wish to understand how to write decent satire. Obviously, writing satire isn't effortless.

Essay on Risk Management - 1121 Words

When trying to create a positive risk management culture as a manager it is important to make sure that all employees of my organization realize the importance of managing risk. Some of the factors to consider when attempting this approach would be: †¢ Making sure all unforeseen events have been taken into account so that employees are self- assured when succeeding with service delivery projects; †¢ Reassuring employees that their individual safety is always a priority; †¢ Employees will be given the proper guidance, direction and consequences in order to gain and maintain a healthy risk management culture; †¢ Communicate to all staff the importance of the organizations assets and resources, as well as its employees, is an important,†¦show more content†¦After establishing goals and identifying strategies, I will then incorporate a risk manager who will support and organize strategic risk management and safety programs, along with the ideas of management and staff. Getting everyone involved makes risk management everyone’s responsibility. To accomplish these efforts, a committee will be formed of employees from all levels of the organization. The committee will also consist of employees who have genuine interest regarding safety in the organization. They will be responsible for: †¢ Drafting goals which would be presented for approval by the board of directors. The goals will be constructed statements regarding safety, customer satisfaction, sustainability concepts, and organizational effectiveness. †¢ Developing value statements that would identify what we want to accomplish as an organization. These statements will be guided by the terms respect for people, integrity, service, excellence, and sustainability. †¢ Reviewing all other organization commitments (employee handbooks, job descriptions, and operating manual) so that they are in line with the organizations overall dedication to risk management. †¢ Incorporating the policy views of the board of directors into the risk management program. The collective process will be gathered into a report which will be presented by the risk manger to the board of directors. With the assistance of the riskShow MoreRelatedRisks And Risks Of Risk Management3542 Words   |  15 Pagesvalue of risk management in healthcare industries today. Not only is it difficult to quantify how risk is prevented because it didn’t happen; challenging measures need to be taken to assess risk managements effectiveness and efficiency. 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To make it more simple and understandable risk management is the procedure to secure the advantages by maximizing modern techniques to minimize the risk that might lead to the breach of information privacy and information security. Managing risk is a proactive function of any organization. The concept of risk managementRead MoreRisk Management10258 Words   |  42 Pagespapers are available from the author. Integrated Risk Management for the Firm: A Senior Managers Guide Lisa K. Meulbroek Harvard Business School Soldiers Field Road Boston,MA 02163 The author gratefully acknowledges the financial support of Harvard Business Schools Division of Research. Email: Lmeulbroek@hbs.edu Abstract This paper is intended as a risk management primer for senior managers. It discusses the integrated risk management framework, emphasizing the connections between theRead MoreThe Risks Of Risk Management1632 Words   |  7 PagesThe ability to understand and quantify risk, is of the utmost importance. This is something that can be used to define the precise ways that risk should have the ability to be managed, and the precise way that risk should be dealt with on a macro level. It is important to understand that risk management is an excellent medium in which risk could be mitigated. This is an important variable that must be understood in this case, as there are many potential risk areas that the firm must deal with. ByRead MoreRisks And Benefits Of Risk Management Essay2191 Words   |  9 Pagesobjective considered the basic premise in the concept of risk management. The uncertainty is a source of risks and opportunities that could create or destroy value. Risk management provides the ability to respond effectively to the risks and opportunities associated with the u ncertainty that the organization faces, strengthening the organization s value creation capacity. The value of the organization is maximized with one hand when management is developing a strategy and targets to achieve an optimalRead MoreRisk Governance : Risk Management3427 Words   |  14 Pagespaper examines the risk governance can aim the boards to achieve expected risk oversight outcomes. This paper introduces the risk oversight function that is the responsibility of the boards, and reviews the origin and development of risk governance theory. Also, it discusses both risk governance frameworks and ISO 3000’ approach to the risk governance. At the end, there is an analysis of limitation of risk governance as pragmatic guidance for directors, and recommend 1) reducing risk governance limitation;Read MoreQuestions On Risk And Risk Management944 Words   |  4 Pages............................................................. 3 2. THE CONCEPT OF RISK............................................................ 3 2.1. 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Advanced Business Finance and Accounting

Question: Discuss about the Advanced Business Finance and Accounting. Answer: Introduction: According to Picker et al., (2013), the IFRS 8 standard is for to those financial statements, which is applicable to entities, which are traded in public and seeking for any class of issuance of instruments, which are traded in public. The operating segment under the IFRS 8 is defined as the operating segment, which engages itself in the revenue earning business activities. It has been also stated that the chief operating decision maker regularly reviews the revenue earning related to the operating results. This is referred to as a function than a title as per IFRS 8 (Pardal et al., 2015). In order to consider the segments, which are reportable under this criterion, the total external components in the revenue with respect to the total entity of the company is taken into consideration. The report is intended to show the necessary application for this technique in a relevant NZX listed company. The company chosen for the application of this standard has been studied with Main freight Limited, based in New Zealand. The company is transportation and Logistics Company operating in Auckland. Then main operation of the firm is to deliver a pioneering domestic service in the logistics division. The operating segments are reported as per the IFRS 8 segmentation reporting in terms of the operating expenditure. NZ IFRS 8 requirements relating to reportable segments According to Nichols et al., (2012), The IFRS 8 of the operating segments became effective form 1st January 2009. It has shown the various parameters shown of the operating segments of the financial, segments of the financial, reports. The different types of the parameters to show the changes in the financial reporting include four sections. The first section shows the difference in IFRS 8 standards, which will replace IAS 14 standards of reporting. The second change in the IFRS reporting clearly shows the identification of reportable entities. It also contains example to illustrate the necessary standards for the application of this technique. The example for the purpose of this application of this technique is shown below as follow (Mardini et al., 2015). As per the IFRS 8 norms the external turnover is reported for only those operating segments, which has an identified operating size of less than 75% of the total entity, needs to be reported. The main criteria for the examples are related to the revenue proportion analysis in terms of the total entity. For example, the selection of the IFRS 8 criteria may involve the following consideration in the operating section Component External Revenue Internal Revenue Profit Assets 1 78000 Nil 12000 35000 2 Nil 40000 7000 32000 3 14000 Nil 2000 5000 4 9000 Nil 300 3200 5 3000 6000 400 4000 Total for the entity 104000 46000 21700 79200 In the above example, it can be seen that only component 1 and component 2 is to be selected for the separate reporting purpose. This is because the external revenue value in component 1 meets the criteria for threshold achievement of 75% as per the IFRS 8 reporting standards. It can be seen that the external revenue in the component 1 amounts to 78000/104000 = 75% of the total revenue component. Similarly the component 2 also has the accounted for 87% of the total internal revenue, hence this will be also selected for the purpose of separate reporting standards as per the IFRS 8 reporting standards. The rest of the components does not meet the essential, criteria, hence it cannot be included in separate report standards as per the specified guidelines (Leung Verriest, 2015). The third section related to the changes in the financial statement declaration as per IFRS 8 is related to the disclosures which differentiates from the IAS 14 norms includes several reporting components under the operable segments. The IFRS 8 framework provided the guideline for the reporting of the entities based on the general information, which is responsible for the identification from revenues derived from the reportable segments. Moreover, the disclosure should include the report for measuring of the profit and loss on the total assets for the individual, reporting segments. The IFRS 8 specifies the disclosures, which are needed to be reported for profit or loss and the amounts for the measuring of the profit and then loss on the total assets. These types of disclosure are related to the internal and external sector and revenue detail disclosure. The interest revenues and expenses must not be netted off in the disclosures sections. It needs to be included only if the chief op erating decision maker is able to assess the performance of the interest revenue (Kang Gray, 2013). The fourth section of the IFRS 8 guideline is responsible for providing answers about the frequently asked questions. New Zealand Listed Company analysis In the annual report of the selected company, Main freight Limited for the half-yearly ended 2016 and the financial year ending 2015, states the various aspects in the operating segmentation of the different components. The different types for the operating segments clearly stated in the annual report show the operational, segmentation in the foreign currency transaction, transactions and balances. The foreign currency transactions are based on the presentation of the currency, where each entity in the group is able to determine the functional currency and the items included in the financial statements. The various types of the transactions and the balances related to the foreign currency transactions are recorded initially in terms of the date of the transaction. The various types of the impairments are based on the disclosure of the recognition of loss and impairments (Mainfreight.com., 2016). The company is further responsible for the disclosure in the internal and external and re venue disclosure in form of the revenue declaration (Crawford et al., 2012). The company has further segregated the internal, external revenue source in form of the segregation of the information in separate operating columns as spark, digital, spark connect. Company is follows this standard in representation of operating segments at the end of each financial year. The disclosure of the information is also shown in form of the segregation of the profits and total of the profits in separate overheads. This is considered to be in followed as per the rulings followed by the IFRS 8 guidelines. Conclusion The report provided the necessary information on the changes in the IAS reporting standards to include the changes suggested in the IFRS 8 reporting standards. The various types of the information presented in this report show the necessary segments which identifies the several types of the reporting standards presentation in the IFRS 8 regulations. The study has been able put emphasis on the necessary changes made along with the relevant examples for the guidelines providing in the individual sections. The report deals with the putting stress on the several, types of the standards which are in line with the present market conditions. The selected company has been ideal, to shown then segmentation for individual reporting of the separate, operations segments which is responsible for showing the changes in then relevant sections as suggested in then IFRS regulations. Thought the several observation in disclosures in perspective of the New Zealand companies the main components selected for the disclosure has been seen in the area of internal revenue, external revenue and disclosure of the profits from the respective sectors. Reference List Crawford, L., Extance, H., Helliar, C., Power, D. (2012). Operating segments: The usefulness of IFRS 8. Edinburgh: ICAS. Kang, H., Gray, S. J. (2013). Segment reporting practices in Australia: Has IFRS 8 made a difference?. Australian Accounting Review, 23(3), 232-243. Leung, E., Verriest, A. (2015). The impact of IFRS 8 on geographical segment information. Journal of Business Finance Accounting, 42(3-4), 273-309. Mardini, G. H., Crawford, L., Power, D. M. (2015). Perceptions of external auditors, preparers and users of financial statements about the adoption of IFRS 8: Evidence from Jordan. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 16(1), 2-27. Mainfreight.com.(2016). [online] Available at: https://www.mainfreight.com/Files/Downloads/Mainfreight%20Annual%20Report%202015.pdf [Accessed 19 Sep. 2016]. Nichols, N. B., Street, D. L., Cereola, S. J. (2012). An analysis of the impact of adopting IFRS 8 on the segment disclosures of European blue chip companies. Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, 21(2), 79-105. Pardal, P., Morais, A. I., Curto, J. D. (2015). Competitive harm and business segment reporting under ifrs 8: evidence from european union listed firms. In EAA 38th Annual Congress. Picker, R., Leo, K., Loftus, J., Wise, V. J., Clark, K., Alfredson, K. (2013). Applying international financial reporting standards. Milton: Wiley.

Oroonokos Slavery Problem An Interpretation Essays - Novellas

Oroonoko's Slavery Problem: An Interpretation Aphra Behn's seventeenth century tale of a noble African prince's tragic fall to slavery, Oroonoko, has often been cited as a major antislavery work. Under close examination, however, Oroonoko tells a more complex story. The volatile cultural, moral, and religious crosscurrents that Behn finds surrounding her manifest themselves in the forms of narrative equivocality and intermittent satire in Oroonoko. Throughout the text, she seemingly possesses a conflicting attitude toward the slavery institution and racism in general. On one hand, her portrayal of the protagonist Oroonoko is just, heroic, and deeply sympathetic, and she often disparages European culture and religion while portraying Europeans themselves in an unfavorable light; however, Behn perhaps unconsciously reveals her deeply rooted cultural bias and racism, fictionalizes and romanticizes the lives of slaves on the plantations, and displays an apparent noncommittal attitude towards slavery. In selecting an African prince as her protagonist in a heroic romance, Behn not only makes an unconventional literary decision but also makes a statement on race. She shows that African Americans can be just as noble, virtuous, passionate, heroic, and just as worthy of literary praise and human compassion. Rarely before has an African American been portrayed in such a favorable light in British literature: . . . 'Twas amazing to imagine where 'twas he got that real greatness of soul, those refined notions of true honor, that absolute generosity . . . the highest passions of love and gallantry(2155); There [is] no one grace wanting that bears the standard of true beauty(2156). The manner of Oroonoko's death echoes that of tragic Christian martyrs and heroes in classic literature. His speeches compare to great leaders of antiquity, and the question he puts to his fellow slaves--Shall we render obedience to such a degenerate race, who have no one human virtue left to distinguish them fr om the vilest creatures?(2184)--is perhaps Behn's strongest statement against slavery. Her pen lavishes no less praise on Oroonoko's lover Imoinda, the brave, the beautiful, and the constant(2193). Through Oroonoko and Imoinda's suffering Behn highlights the excessive cruelty of the white man while underlining the honor and virtue of the lovers. She thus elevates two slaves to immortal status. She establishes what she has set out to do: to make [Oroonoko's] glorious name survive to all ages(2193). His name survives indeed, not as a common slave or even a mere prince, but an African American who serves as a sympathetic while revolutionary hero and a vehicle for Behn's indirect attack on the slavery institution and those who perpetrate it. In addition, Behn shows that she is not incapable of appreciating cultures different from her own while disparaging European society and its religion. She devotes many paragraphs to descriptions of the natives of Surinam whom she portrays as charming and novel(2153), innocent in their ways yet skilled in war and game. A philosophical libertine, Behn conveniently utilizes these natives, along with Oroonoko's virtues, to launch a raillery against European civilization, especially religion. The natives' nakedness, she claims, better instructs the world than all the inventions of man; religion would here but destroy that tranquility they possess by ignorance(2153). When the captain who captures Oroonoko as a slave refuses to release his shackles, Oroonoko replies that he [is] very sorry to hear that the captain [pretends] to the knowledge and worship of any gods who had taught him no better principles(2170). To his death Oroonoko refuses to accept Christianity. This is no surprise since Behn all but populates her story with dishonest, villainous Christians. There is the captain who abuses Oroonoko's trusty nature and sells him as a slave; there are the pursuants of Oroonoko who torture him in a most deplorable and inhumane manner(2187). Indeed, the most despicable character in the story is the European deputy governor: He [is] a fellow, Behn describes, whose character is not fit to be mentioned with the worst of the slaves(2186). He, too, lures Oroonoko back to captivity with cunning duplicity, and his men eventually kill Oroonoko with unimaginable cruelty. The governor's council has no sort of principles to make them worthy the name of men(2189). In addition, Behn comments on existing gender issues when she describes Europeans laughing at Mr. Trefry because

Managing for Sustainability

Managing for Sustainability Introduction This assignment is a critical reflection essay whose aim is to demonstrate a critical understanding of stakeholder engagement and to develop an informed interest concerning a complex sustainability issue through an experiential stakeholder engagement activity.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Managing for Sustainability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The essay is based on the production of Coal Seam Gas (CSG) in the State of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia and how stakeholder dialogue activity might be a useful tool in pursuing CSR in the CSG industry. The stakeholders include industry employees, farmers and land owners, miners (Eastern Star Gas, Santos, and Dart Energy), NSW government, environment-green and NSW local community. The essay starts by exploring the concept of corporate social responsibility based on the recent literature from various sources, then goes on to explain how the various stakeholders may team up, through dialogue to purse and enhance a sustainable corporate social responsibility. The discussion draws heavily from the stakeholder dialogue, and represents the point of view of the community members. Corporate Social Responsibility This concept is generally used to refer to the relationship between businesses and their environment. All businesses operate in social, political, economic, and natural environments. The concept therefore takes into account how businesses interact with these environments, either positively or negatively. The topic of corporate social responsibility can be broken down into four main components namely the ethical, economic, philanthropic and legal components (Aras and Crowther, 2010). The ethical component of corporate social responsibility comprises the requirements or expectations of any business by the society. Such requirements or expectations include things like doing what is just, fair and right, using the law as the basis of organizational behaviour, avoidance of questionable practices and doing business in a manner which is above the minimal requirements (McWilliams, Siegel and Wright, 2006. pp. 1–18).Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This component is one of the most crucial aspects of CSR because it influences the philosophy of corporates which determines the extent to which they engage themselves in activities which do not generate profits for them. The ethical climate in corporations constitutes adherence to principles of ethical behaviour and conduct, both within and outside the corporations. It also constitutes how corporations relate to their internal and external environments. The ethical climate therefore touches on things like working environment, safety of the employees, care and conservation of the environment and practices which promote the i nterests of the consumers like adhering to the rules of manufacturing of products and putting the correct ingredients of products during packaging as well as disclosing full details of the costs of any project implemented within a community setting (Harrison, 2007. pp.371-384). For many corporations, the ethical component of corporate social responsibility appears to be more deterministic than it is a matter of choice, that is, the ethical conduct of corporates touches on decisions which the corporates must make on how to relate with their employees, clients and the general business environment. The nature of these decisions only allows for the executives to make them (Beets, 2004.pp.193-219). What this means is that the corporate executives make decisions in a unilateral manner, without factoring in the views, interests or concerns of all relevant stakeholders. When this happens, the corporate executives conduct themselves in a biased manner, where they prioritize profits at the ex pense of safety of people (both employees and the general population) and the environment, a concept referred to as utilitarianism. In corporate ethics, utilitarianism is about considering several courses of action, considering the costs involved and choosing the course of action which produces maximum good for the maximum number of people, irrespective of the negative effects of the maximisation of the good, in this case, profits (Britannica Educational Publishing, 2011). In some cases, this utilitarian cum capitalistic line of thinking is extended to the employees, by requiring them to abide by the utilitarian philosophy or quit, a concept referred to as deontology.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Managing for Sustainability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The deontological principles require employees to perform their duties as per the given instructions, leaving no room for them to give their opinion regarding the consequences of their actions as they perform their duties. According to the utilitarian corporate chiefs, if employees do otherwise, it not only amounts to unethical conduct but also to gross misconduct, which may warrant suspension without pay (Britannica Educational Publishing, 2011). The other perspective to corporate ethics is the decision making model, which begins with clarification of the issues on which ethical decisions are to be made. After doing the clarification, what follows is the evaluation of the clarified decisions, which paves the way for arriving at a precise decision on the most appropriate course of action. The decision is then implemented with modifications coming after the implementation (Marshall, 2007). This model is more or less similar to the normative approach (utilitarianism and deontology) to ethics in that during the implementation stage, the guiding principle is mainly the maximisation of profits and minimisation of the costs. This is done mainly with a view of ensuring that the corporations realize their objectives with the use of the minimum resources possible. The decision making model, same as the normative approach exclusively involves the corporate leaders with the employees playing insignificant or no role in the same. According to Lock the Gates Alliance, Many of the corporations which deal with CSG in NSW have been operating under the influence of the normative ethics, which comprises utilitarianism and deontological approaches to corporate ethics. For instance, the production of CSG generates a lot of water as a by-product. This water is very toxic both to the human and aquatic life.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After the extraction of the CSG in form of methane, most of these corporations just transport the water by road using tankers which are not properly sealed thus leading to spillage. Once this water lands on the ground, it not only interferes with the respiratory systems of people who are near, but it also leads to permanent destruction of soil fertility (Cleary, 2011.pp.115-120). It is not that the corporates do not have the capacity and capability to dispose the water in a proper manner but what is there is that the corporate chiefs channel the funds intended for such purposes back to the business as capital, which is used to purchase more equipment, pay for labour or compensation of the displaced landowners. This is purely a utilitarian way of operation, whose sole interest is the maximisation of profits. The Lock the Gate Alliance reports indicate that the employees of most of the corporations which deal with the exploration and exploitation of CSG in NSW are not a happy lot. Thi s is because the corporates sometimes force them to work for long hours without adequate safety equipment like gloves or masks, which puts their health at stake especially due to the inhaling of the toxic fumes of the CSG. These employees are not supposed to report safety concerns, say for example the linkage of the toxic water produced after the extraction of CSG. Those who dare reporting are threatened with termination of their contracts. This is what is referred to as deontological principle of corporate ethics, which oblige employees to focus on rules and directives in their job irrespective of the effects of the rules and regulations to themselves and to the environment (Cleary, 2011.pp.115-120). The economic component of CSR comprises taking care of the interests of the shareholders, investors and customers, profit making and maximization, the minimization of the costs in undertaking the business and the formulation and implementation of strategic policies which propel busines s forward (Clarkson, 1995). Most of the corporates which deal with CSG extraction in NSW do not take care of the interests of the stakeholders, especially rural communities and farmers. According to an article written by Bronwyn Herbert of the ABC news, there is a growing discontentment by the rural farmers with the manner in which the miners, especially those interested in CSG conduct themselves. These farmers, through the NSW farmers association are now calling for the government to enact a legislation to give them veto powers to land access (Herbert, 2011).The only thing which the corporates can be given credit for is the development of policies which propel their business forward in total disregard of the interests of the stakeholders. The legal component comprises the respect and compliance of the business to laws such as environmental laws, consumer laws, laws which protect the employees, as well as the respect of contractual and warrants agreements between a business and its clients or employees (Aras and Crowther, 2010). Most of the corporations which deal with CSG extraction in NSW are not in compliant with the rules and regulations of human and environmental safety. What they do is that they sometimes collude with some law enforcing agents and get away with their gross misconduct as far as adherence to environmental rules and regulations is concerned. Finally the philanthropic component entails basically giving back to the society by the business. Businesses may do this in a variety of ways like establishing or supporting programs which directly benefit the society like health, education, and cohesion programs as well as programs which boost harmonious living of people of diverse backgrounds (Blowfield, 2005. pp. 515–524). Most of the corporates dealing with extraction of CSG are rarely involved in any acts of philanthropy. They merely use the media to make the impression that they are seriously committed in giving back to the community, but t here has never been a proper audit of what tangible activities they have undertaken on purely philanthropic grounds. In fact, majority of them treat the compensation given to the land owners as philanthropic acts, arguing that the compensations are far beyond the actual amounts which they should give. This is hypocrisy of the highest order. How stakeholder dialogue activity might be a useful tool in pursuing CSR in the CSG industry in NSW In NSW, the CSG industry is a very crucial as well as a sensitive one to the various stakeholders. It is important to mention that these various stakeholders have different interest, views and perspectives regarding the generation of petroleum using CSG. On the part of the mining companies led by Eastern Star Gas, Santos, and Dart Energy among others, their priority is maximisation of profits irrespective of the side effects of their business to the people and the environment (Daniel, David and Chris, 2010, pp. 299-312). On the part of the governme nt, its priorities may be the protection of the citizens, but it’s equally interested in the generation of revenue from the CSG industry. The land owners and the communities in general have their priorities being the protection of their health, land security and compensation issues (Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, 2009). Due to these varied interests, the conceptualization of CSR is different among these stakeholders. This calls for a dialogue among all of them, so as for them to reach a compromise position. This dialogue generated CSR should be a product of give and take, in which the stakeholders must be willing to compromise some of their passionate priorities for the sake of those of the other stakeholders (Fraser and Barrett, 2010). For instance, the mining companies must be ready to fully abide by the NSW Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991, which requires that all mining companies must disclose the full details of the nature of the mining projects and their impacts on the environment. According to the Lock the Gate Alliance, some of the companies have been reported to be applying guerrilla tactics to win the confidence of land owners and local communities in acquisition of land for exploration and exploitation of CSG (Wildcat Publishing Inc, 2009). In the dialogue, the government on its part should push for full enforcement of rules which govern the exploration and exploitation of products like CSG. It should come up with new pieces of legislation to hold the companies fully responsible for the effects of CSG on the environment and their mitigation. The government should also engage researchers to evaluate the production of CSG and come up with recommendations on whether it is economical for the State of New South Wales or not (Martin, 1986). The local communities must be informed about the mining of CSG and how it affects them. They should seek information from experts regarding the compensation issues as well as how the pr ojects may impact on their lives in terms of pollution, displacement and exposure to chronic illnesses (Standard and Poors Corporation, 1988). All these propositions can however best happen in a dialogue setting, in which all stakeholders would air their passionate concerns, which should then be analysed and harmonised to inform the corporate social responsibility for the CSG producing companies. Results from the dialogue would ensure that all the stakeholders reach a consensus on the way forward (Durie, Williams and Mcmullan, 2001). The results would also ensure that the CSR agreement arrived at is a sustainable one because it would be a result of a wide consultation of all relevant stakeholders, as opposed to the current situation, whereby CSR is defined from the perspective of the companies which produce CSG, with little or no adherence to the rules and regulations governing the health of people and environmental safety (Standard and Poors Corporation, 1988). Reference List Aras, G Crowther, D. (2010). A handbook of corporate governance and social responsibility corporate social responsibility series. Farnham GU9 7PT: Gower Publishing, Ltd. Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association.(2009).The APPEA journal, Volume 40, Issue 1. California: Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association. Beets, S.D.(2004). Critical Events in the Ethics of U.S. Corporation History.Journal of Business Ethics Volume 102, Number 2, pp.193-219. Blowfield, M. (2005). Corporate Social Responsibility: reinventing the meaning of development?. International Affairs. Volume 81, Issue 3, pp. 515–524, May 2005. Britannica Educational Publishing. (2011).Thinkers and Theories in Ethics. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group. Clarkson. M.B.E. (1995). A stakeholder frame work for analysing and evaluating corporate social responsibility. The Academy of Management Review Vol. 20, No. 1, Jan., 1995. Cleary, P. (2011).Too Much Luck: The Mining Boom and Au stralias Future. Chicago, IL: Black Inc.pp.115-120. Daniel M.F., David, B., and Chris , M.J.(2010). Managing the cumulative impacts of coal mining on regional communities and environments in Australia. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal,Volume 28, Number 4, December 2010 , pp. 299-312. Durie, R.A., Williams, D.J., and Mcmullan, P.A.(2001).Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies. Collingwood VIC 3066: Csiro Publishing. Fraser, A., and Barrett, B.(2010). ‘LNG wells threaten Murray’. Available from  https://www.aph.gov.au/ Harrison, E. (2007). Estate Planning under the Bush tax cuts. National Tax Journal, 60(3), pp.371-384. Herbert, B. (Monday, September 12, 2011). NSW farmers call for power to veto coal seam gas explorers. PM ABC News. Martin, H.(1986).Australasian coal mining practice Issue 12 of Monograph series Australasian coal mining practice. Golden, CO: Australasian Institut e of Mining and Metallurgy. Marshall, J. (2007). An Ethical Decision-Making Model. The Ethics Scoreboard, ProEthics, Ltd. McWilliams, A., Siegel, D.S., and Wright, P.M.(2006). Corporate Social Responsibility. Strategic Implications Journal of Management Studies Volume 43, Issue 1, pp. 1–18, January 2006. Standard and Poors Corporation.(1988).Standard and Poors register of corporations, directors and executives, Volume 1, Part 1. Jamestown, ND: Standard Poors Corp. Wildcat Publishing Inc.(2009).The Oil Gas Year Australia 2009. Beverly Hills, CA: wildcat publishing.

Allegedly

Allegedly Allegedly Allegedly By Maeve Maddox A reader who edits financial news has observed that some writers seem to be unaware of the specific connotation of allegedly and gives this example: [Company name], an integrated automotive company, is allegedly to reduce expansion plan for its car rent company, from initially 4,000 units to 3,000 units of additional fleet. The word allegedly is not a suitable choice in the context of what seems to be a straightforward business report about an impending reduction in the fleet of a car rental agency. The writer of the piece has received the information from some source. The professional approach would be to name the source. If for some reason a known source must not be named, then the information can be â€Å"rumored.† In modern English usage, the words allege, alleged and allegedly must be used with care because they imply suspected illicit activity. In 1300, the verb allege meant, â€Å"to swear on oath† or â€Å"to submit as legal evidence.† In the 21st century, the verb allege means, â€Å"to claim something unproven as true, especially with reference to illicit or illegal behavior.† Allege, alleged, and the noun allegation are verbal hot potatoes. The Associated Press Stylebook devotes five and a half column inches to guidelines for its use. Writers are advised to avoid any suggestion that they are the ones doing the alleging. This means that the writer must identify the source of the allegation in the form of an authoritative person, agency, or official document. For example, In a civil antitrust lawsuit, the Justice Department alleged that CEOs of the publishing companies met regularly in private dining rooms of upscale Manhattan restaurants to discuss how to respond to steep discounting of their e-books by Amazon, a practice they disliked. Once the source of the accusation has been identified, the writer must then use alleged or allegedly when referring to whatever has been alleged. For example: She is being sued for the $78,000 in parish funds she allegedly misappropriated for her own personal and family use. Several SNC-Lavalin employees said they were aware of the alleged scheme. On the other hand, it’s possible to overdo the allegeds and allegedlys. In these examples, the word accused is sufficient: Mendham Police Accused Of Allegedly Targeting Young Drivers Evansville woman  accused of allegedly  embezzling thousands from local program. Alleged is not a word to use in referring to an event that actually took place. The following example is from a news item about a speaker accused of making racist remarks at a meeting that was attended by many people: The police [are] collecting statements from people who were present at the alleged meeting. The speaker’s remarks were alleged, not the meeting. The meeting really took place. Finally, there’s no need to use alleged when some other qualifier can do the job as well or better. Here are some options: professed purported supposed so-called ostensible putative unproven/unproved Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)The Four Sounds of the Spelling OUPreposition Review #1: Chance of vs. Chance for

Short Story Criticism Argument Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Short Story Criticism Argument Paper - Essay Example But in Chopin’s age such an attempt of a woman to seek for freedom which seems to be insulting to the male-dominated society usually ends in smoke like Louise, as Wang says in the following sentence, â€Å"By the death of Louise at the end of the story, Chopin clearly implies that any woman’s search for ideal feminine selfhood is impossible in an age dominated by patriarchs† (Wang 107). Indeed the textual evidences that Wang puts forth are not strong enough to prove his proposition as a fact. In this paper, I will prove that Wang’s claim about Chopin’s motif in the story is partially right and partially wrong. It is true that Kate Chopin explores â€Å"feminine selfhood in a patriarchal society† but not through â€Å"the heroine’s spiritual journey to freedom†. Again, unlike Wang’s proposition, Chopin’s heroine does not show any sign of attempt to search for her feminine selfhood. What Wang says in support of his c laim about â€Å"the heroine’s spiritual journey to freedom† is the textual reference to Louise’s reaction to the possibility of freedom at the possible death of her husband. Louise’s one-hour reaction to the possible freedom does not involve any struggle that could provoke the protagonist’s awareness of her imprisonment in the male dominated society. Therefore, Wang’s phrase, â€Å"the heroine’s spiritual journey to freedom†, is quite meaningless in the sense that Chopin’s protagonist does not make a journey to freedom. Indeed freedom once comes to her unexpectedly. Again, since Louise is ignorant of what imprisons her in a male dominated society, she can see only the minimal aspect of freedom. For Chopin’s protagonist, freedom means to live for herself, not for others, to live on one’s own will, as the narrator of the story tells Louise’s feeling for the oncoming freedom: â€Å"There would be no o ne to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature† (Chopin 89). Such perception of freedom rather reveals the protagonist’s immaturity and failure to perceive the greater responsibility that freedom imposes upon the one who enjoys it. When ‘to live for others’ is supposed to be one’s duty one’s freedom â€Å"to avoid it† should be considered as anarchy. Louise’s perception of freedom is ultimately flawed, because she seeks freedom from her responsibilities for others and because she does not seek freedom to be responsible. However, Louise herself is not responsible for such flawed perception of freedom; rather she is a mere production of the patriarchy that shapes her psychological development in such way. Unlike Wang’s claim that Louis e makes a journey to freedom at the prospect of her husband’s death, she remains far away from freedom in its true sense. Apart from this wrong interpretation, Wang righteously asserts that Chopin’s protagonist begins to form her selfhood hearing the news of her husband’s death. Though Wang claims that Louise searches for â€Å"ideal feminine selfhood† (Wang 108), Chopin’s portrayal of Louise’s nascent self is purely asexual, not a feminine selfhood. A man also can possess the self that Louise starts to form after hearing the death-news. It is the self (the asexual one) that defies any bondage and repression in any form and that always resists the suppressive power. Louise

Roy Lichtenstein - Stepping Out Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Roy Lichtenstein - Stepping Out - Essay Example ‘Stepping Out’ implements Lichtenstein’s traditional comic book imagery. The painting, Fig. 1 in the appendix, features two individuals. Seemingly these individuals are a woman and a man, however Lichtenstein uses cubist like forms to obscure easy and clear distinctions. The male figure seems to be identifiable though traditional social conventions of dress; he is wearing a hat, has short-trimmed hair, as well as a suit and tie. Conversely, the woman does not take on complete form; instead her face is depicted not in the traditional form of the human head, but as a canvas. She only has one eye, which is slanted vertically. She has long blonde-hair, red lips, and a yellow dress that seems to further situate her with feminine identification. The division between the man and woman is blurred such that they seem to dissolve into each other; this perspective on singularity is further witnessed through Lichtenstein’s slight use of pointillism on the right side an d left side of the woman and man’s faces, respectively. Finally, the background of the work is divided into strong black and white, the white is on the woman’s side and the black is on the man’s side. Aesthetic analysis of Lichtenstein’s ‘Stepping Out’ reveals a considerable number of insights. Upon its debut the work was well received. One recognizes that by 1978 Lichtenstein’s reputation as a Pop artist was well established and this surely factored into its positive reception. In terms of meaning, interpretations differ widely from different critics. Indeed, the very post-modern elements of the work invite such multiple-critical voices. In terms of objective elements one recognizes that there is a degree of inter-textuality in the work. The male in work is based on Fernand Leger’s 1944 painting ‘Three Musicians;’ however Lichtenstein’s version is the mirror image of Leger’s earlier work.2 Additionally the female in the painting is clearly influenced by Picasso’s cubist style, in the multi-dimensional and slightly surrealist juxtapositions. In terms of the specific meaning this elements form, this essay contends that the primary emphasis is the

Head Chef Essay Example for Free

Head Chef Essay If I wasn’t told to choose a career now, I wouldn’t have. Although I’ve had the question â€Å"what do you want to be when you grow up† constantly in the back of my mind for the past 4 years, I never really came up with a definite answer. Last September I started the culinary arts program at the North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center and since then I’ve realized that I really enjoy cooking so I started to consider being a chef as a career. In order to become an executive or head chef you must have a relevant education, training, and be willing to work hard. With all these attributes getting a position as a chef in a nice restraint is not difficult, and is very rewarding. After doing much research and talking to a few chefs I found out that higher education is not required to become a head chef, but it wouldn’t hurt either. Many people considering becoming a chef as a career decided to go to a culinary college. One of the most well-known culinary institutes is the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. A full academic year at the CIA in 2011-2012 cost $39,440 (CCIA). There is no GPA requirement in order to apply to the CIA but you must have your high school diploma. According to the CIA’s web site before you can start classes it is required that â€Å"you gain relevant experience in one of two ways before enrolling: by working in a non-fast food establishment with a professional kitchen for six months or by completing culinary classes at either the high school or college level† (AR). Although education is important, proper training is even more essential. Some training a chef is expected to have are knife skills, food preparation and sanitation. Training of a chef usually consists of an internship, apprenticeship, or externship, during which time the aspiring chef will work in all areas of the kitchen, mastering all aspects of food preparation. Many culinary colleges have an internship program in place to experience the culinary industry while gaining skills and on the job experience. On top of education and training if you expect to go far as a chef there are certain skills you should have such as; high stamina, organization, flexibility, teamwork, customer focus, and the desire to learn (SPCTP). Chefs work really long days under high pressure and should be able to maintain a clear mind and continue to be productive. A really big part of being a chef has to do with the customers; after all, without them you wouldn’t have a job. â€Å"A good chef knows that customers want fresh, delicious food that’s presented attractively, and does his or her best to make sure that happens for every customer that enters the restaurant† (SPCTP). I did my job shadow with the head chef, Julie, at St. Andrews Place in Port Angeles, WA. When I asked her what the most important skill needed to be good at her job was she said, besides from knowing how to cook, time management. Having been in the culinary arts program and experiencing the pressure of getting done to get what needs to be done, I agree. Time management is a very important skill to have in the culinary industry. Most high schools have a culinary program that you could attend in order to obtain these skills, or you could simply learn through on the job training. A typical day for a head chef is different than that of an executive chef. An executive chef works in more of an office style; leading other chefs, doing more meal planning, and a lot of paperwork. Executive chefs are hardly on the line cooking except occasionally during dinner rush. Head chefs may be involved with the meal planning and some paper work but mostly work in the kitchen the majority of the time. Being a chef means working mornings, nights, weekends, and holidays. â€Å"Depending on the size of the restaurant or establishment, a head chef may arrive as early as 9 a.m. to begin planning the day’s menus and not leave until the dinner rush is over, sometimes at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. Most chefs work at least 12-hour days and many times six days a week† (Buchan). Not only is the workday long, but the work itself is hard as well; almost the whole day is spent walking or standing. In order to be a chef you have to love what you do. â€Å"Passion. This is what is going to make all the sacrifice, low pay, and long hours worth it. You have to have a defined, passionate goal; something you want to work towards. And you need to have passion about food and someday being a professional chef. Without true passion, you will never succeed in a restaurant kitchen†. (WIAPK) Being a chef can be a very stressful job and take quite a mental toll as well as physical. Although the work is difficult, the rewards are well worth it. The level of pay for head chefs varies depending on where you work and who you work for. Those who get paid most often work in upscale restaurants and hotels. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, â€Å"the median annual wage of chefs and head cooks was $40,630 in May 2010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,260, and the top 10 percent earned more than $70,960† (CHCP). â€Å"Seventy percent of chefs working for employers reported receiving health care benefits: 69 percent received medical care, 51 percent received dental care and 36 percent received vision care† (SBC). This does not apply to self-employed chefs. Although the pay is decent, if you are going to pursue a career as a chef you shouldn’t do it simply for the money. Being a chef has personally gratifying rewards as well as financial, such as the satisfaction you feel when people love the food you’ve created. The culinary industry is only expected to grow 14% in all occupations between now and 2020 (CHCJO). Although the projected growth isn’t a lot, the culinary industry is always in need of new employees. I feel like this would be a good fit for me because I have many of the skills needed to be successful in the industry already. I have been learning these skills though the Culinary Arts program I have been taking at the North Olympic Skills Center. I have been exposed to customer service, knife skills, food preparation, sanitation, HACCP logs, dish-pit, and have been told by my instructor that I have great time management skills. As you can see, with a proper education, training, and hard work, a career as a chef can be an extremely rewarding experience. The preparation of food is not only a job that satisfies peoples hunger, it is also an art, and the chefs are the artists.

Culture: The Wests Biggest Export? :: Tourism Tourist Papers

Culture The West's Biggest Export? I spent a month over the summer of 2002 trekking in Borneo with a team of 15 other boys from my school. This was the first time that I had traveled outside England, my home, to a destination that was not geared towards hosting tourists. The expedition provided me with a very interesting perspective on the march of developed culture across the globe. The tourism industry is simply one example of this expansion, but it is an interesting example because it is the industry that takes the public to these â€Å"exotic† lands. The 20th century has seen the creation and rapid expansion of the tourism industry, fuelled by our ability to travel faster and more conveniently to remote places on the planet. Tourism describes a huge variety of different activities, all falling under the banner of people traveling for pleasure. I think of tourists as falling into two main categories, those people who travel to find somewhere to relax, and those who travel to experience new cultures. The first category has less direct effect on the spread of tourism, as these people prefer to travel to places in developed countries, where they can relax in comfort. The second category likes to travel to experience new cultures and environments without necessarily having a relaxing trip. It is these people who are constantly pushing the tourist industry into new areas. Once the tourist industry realizes a region is becoming popular with adventurous tourists, big resort hotels appear, and the wild is tamed for the benefit of the to urist who likes to feel adventurous without having to endure the hardship of dingy, cockroach-ridden hotels. The location is now ruined for the adventurous tourist. These westernized resorts can be found all over the world, giving a highly sanitized version of the local culture. This leaves the adventurers to go in search of a new location to visit, an even more remote and exotic place is visited, and so the cycle continues until we will have a resort hotel next to every lake, mountain, forest and beach on the planet. I have been lucky enough to see this expansion of tourism firsthand during my trip to Malaysian Borneo in the summer of 2002. This was a very interesting place to visit because different parts of the country are at different points in the transition between untouched wilderness and popular tourist spots.

Aging Out of Crime and the Unexpected Consequences

Aging Out of Crime and the Unexpected Consequences of Tougher Punishments April Chartrand Grand Canyon University JUS 250- Critical Issues April 20, 2012 Cuauhtemoc Espinoza Aging Out of Crime and the Unexpected Consequences of Tougher Punishments Did you ever wonder if our youth will ever outgrow the need to commit the crimes that they do? There have been numerous studies that most of our youth do outgrow the need to commit crimes. Usually by the age of 20 years old most juveniles age out of crime (Robert J.Sampson, 2005). For those who do not age out of crime by the second offense there are severe consequences that our society with higher moral standards, more severe punishments, and the placement of the three strikes laws place on these individuals. The three strikes law was installed to stop violent offenders from the continuation of their violent behaviors. In most cases the three strikes law works in keeping repeat offenders off the streets and keeps the victims of these crimes safe from further persecution.Although the three strikes law works it also increases the homicide rates. In many cases the repeat offenders who realize that they will receive the same punishment no matter what the crime decide to increase the crime to suite the punishment that they are inevitable to receive. More than half of the third strike offenders that are in prison today involve neither violent nor serious felonies. Even shoplifting can be escalated to a third strike felony bringing a sentence of life in prison for those with prior convictions of petty theft (Diaz, 2011).Many felons that realize that they will receive the same punishment for murder as petty theft end up killing their victims and police officers to avoid detection and apprehension (Marano, 2002). In California the three strikes laws have been approved to involve youth offenders as well as adults (Egelko, 2010). If two crimes are committed when the offender is a youth those two crimes follow that same youth thr oughout his life and if he commits a third offense when he becomes an adult he will suffer the consequences of 25 years to life in rison. As our adolescence develop, become more mature, engage in families of their own, and age out of crime there are some unexpected consequences that they may endure as our society holds higher moral standards, more severe punishments, and three strike laws for repeat offenders. Although there have been studies to prove that many of our juveniles age out of crime there are still severe consequences for those who do not rehabilitate after the first or second offense or do not age out of crime early enough in their lives.Many of these juveniles and young adults face the consequences of the three strikes laws. The consequence of the three strike law includes serving a severe punishment of 25 years to life in prison no matter what the crime may be. References Diaz, J. (2011, May 8). Crime and Punishment Politics of the Three Strikes Law. Retrieved April 2 0, 2012, from SFGate. com: http://www. sfgate. com/cgi- bin/article. cgi? f=/c/a/2011/05/08/INN21JB7OD. DTL Egelko, B. (2010, April 20). High Court: Calif. can apply ‘3 strikes' law to juveniles. Retrieved April 17, 2012, from CorrectionsOne. om: http://www. correctionsone. com/juvenile- offenders/articles/2050079-High-Court-Calif-can-apply-3-strikes-law-to-juveniles/ Marano, L. (2002, September 16). Study: 3-Strikes Laws Increase Homicides. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from Upi. com: http://www. upi. com/Odd_News/2002/09/16/Study-3-strikes-laws-increase- homicides/UPI-23411032191348 Robert J. Sampson, J. H. (2005, October 25). A life course View of the Developement of Crime. Retrieved April 16, 2012, from The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science: http://www. ann. sagepub. com/content/602/1/12

Reflect on the Importance of a Child Centered Approach Essay

The whole ethos of a Child Centred Approach is built around the needs of the individual child; the setting should fit to meet to needs of the child, not the other way around. Practitioners should look at the child as a whole- their strengths, weaknesses, abilities, preferred learning styles as well as any Special Educational Needs or disabilities they may have. The Child Centred Approach allows children to choose, make connections and communicate, providing them with the freedom to think for themselves, to explore and search for answers. In early years settings, rather than directing play, practitioners ‘take a back seat’ and see how play develops, providing children the opportunity to become more creative, improve social skills with one another and take control of their learning. Most settings will work in cohesion with outside agencies in order to create an environment accessible for all children, one that allows for every child to participate fully in all aspects of school life. Children with SEN or learning difficulties may require extra/different resources such as larger keyboards and lower desks, and/or 1:1 support in order for them to flourish and reach their own individual goals. Settings should be aware that their building needs to be adapted to allow for wheelchair users, ramps, wider doors, hygiene suites etc. By involving children in the decision and choice making regarding their education, you will provide them with a sense of ownership over their learning, which greatly improves their self-esteem and confidence, as well as enabling them to become more proactive in their learning, in turn furthering their motivation to succeed. Children can access what they are really interested in and therefore excel in this area whilst being supported in less developed areas. This approach and individual target setting creates a closer match between the child and the curriculum; allowing children to learn and develop at their own level/speed, building on their previous knowledge. When a child sees that their opinions have an effect on the care and education provided for them, they begin to value themselves more and their self-esteem and confidence improves greatly.

Experience That Influenced Your Academic Interests Essays - Surnames

Experience That Influenced Your Academic Interests Essays - Surnames Experience that influenced your academic Interests UT Texas at Austin The prompt is: Describe and evaluate one experience that significantly influenced your academic interests. Be sure to explain how this experience led to your setting the goals you know have for yourself and why you think the academic program for which you are applying will help you to reach these goals. He Opened the Door to Anywhere and Anything Mr. Trimble- the tall, bike-riding Calculus teacher who truly made me realize the value of education. As far as academics were concerned, I believed I had always tried my best in reaching my full potential. That is, until I met Mr. "T." He made me understand that I was not going as far as I was capable of Mr. Trimble offered to help me out on a couple of problems I had been experiencing with Pre-Calculus, and after a short while he became not only a tutor, but a true friend. I cannot even begin to imagine how many hours I spent in his classroom after the last school bell had rung. Posters of music legends and helpful math mnemonics covered his walls. It was a very spirited room for the lively man he stood to be. He went over the math in great detail while also informing me of how eminently important it was for academics to be my top priority. As an avid swimmer and loyal friend, I was greatly dedicated to the sport and my social surroundings, but Mr. Trimble would always be there to tell me to slow down and repeat his key phrase, "Studying always comes first." Although Mr. Trimble's main purpose was to perfect my Pre-Cal, he did so much more that he was unaware of doing. He convinced me into believing that anything was possible if I put my mind to it and had a brain-full of determinat ion. If I wanted to be the first woman President, he would say "Hey, the sky's the limit." After the year ended, my goals had unconsciously changed for the better. I believed in myself, my capability, and accomplishing anything as though the world was an open door to endless possibilities. I did not just want to be a newspaper reporter, my desire was to be sports editor of the New York Times. Since the University of Texas ranks as having one of the best academic curriculums in the nation, participating in such a program will challenge me tothe best of my ability, probably more than anything ever will. Under the mentoring and guidance of Mr. Trimble, I do not fear the intimidation that college puts forth, I welcome and look forward it.

The Scope and Health of the African Rainforest

The Scope and Health of the African Rainforest The vast African rainforest stretches across much of the central African continent, encompassing the following countries in its woods: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote dIvoire (Ivory Coast),  Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Mauritania,  Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger,  Nigeria,  Rwanda, Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,  Somalia, Sudan,  Tanzania, Togo,  Uganda, Zambia,  and  Zimbabwe. Degradation Except for the Congo Basin, the tropical rainforests of Africa have been largely depleted by commercial exploitation: logging and conversion for agriculture. In West Africa, nearly 90% of the original rainforest is gone. The remainder is heavily fragmented and in a degraded state, being poorly used. Especially problematic in Africa is desertification and conversion of rainforests to erodible agriculture and grazing lands. To counteract this trend, the World Wildlife Fund and the United Nations have put a number of global initiatives in place. Details About the Rainforests Status By far, the largest number of countries with rainforests are located in one geographical section of the world- the Afrotropical region. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) indicates that these countries,  mainly in West and Central Africa, are mostly poor with populations that live at the subsistence level. Most of the tropical rainforests  of Africa exist in the Congo (Zaire) River Basin, though remnants also are present throughout Western Africa in a sorry state due to the plight of poverty, which encourages subsistence agriculture and firewood harvesting. This realm is dry and seasonal when compared to the other areas, and the outlying portions of this rainforest are steadily becoming a desert. Over 90%  of West Africas original forest has been lost over the last century and only a small part of what remains qualifies as closed forest. Africa lost the highest percentage of rainforests during the 1980s of any other tropical region. During 1990–95 the annual rate of total deforestation in Africa was nearly 1%. In the whole of Africa, for every 28 trees cut down, only one tree is replanted. Challenges and Solutions According to rainforest expert Rhett Butler, who wrote the book A Place Out of Time: Tropical Rainforests and the Perils They Face: The outlook for  the regions rainforests  is not promising. Many countries have agreed in principle to conventions of biodiversity and forest preservation, but in  practice, these concepts of sustainable forestry are not enforced. Most governments lack the funds and technical know-how to make these projects a reality.Funding for most conservation projects comes from foreign sectors and 70-75% of forestry in the region is funded by external resources....Additionally, a population growth rate exceeding 3% annually, combined with the poverty of rural peoples, makes it difficult for the government to control local subsistence clearing and hunting. An economic downturn in important parts of the world has many African nations re-examining their forest product harvesting policies. African and international organizations alike have initiated local programs addressing the sustainable management of rainforests. These programs are showing some potential but have had minimal effect to date. The United Nations is putting some pressure on African governments to abandon tax incentives for practices that encourage deforestation. Ecotourism and bioprospecting  are  believed to have potential as they add much or more value to local economies when compared with wood products.

Response Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Response Paper - Essay Example The author’s argument on debts is valid from a moral perspective but not from a legal perspective. Moral values such as beneficence and nonmaleficence require that actions result in benefits or at least minimize harms to people and offering credits that can increase economic burdens on borrowers fails the morality test. Similarly, a utilitarian perspective to ethics requires optimal benefits. The relative number of lenders and borrowers, however, identifies concentration of benefits in the hands of a few individuals while majority borrowers bear the burden of refinancing loans and even consequences of defaults. A legal perspective, however, identifies equal responsibilities between lenders and borrowers because of their roles in creating contracts; and this is consistent with deontology ethics. Credits are, therefore, legal as long as both parties consent to it and though resistance to credit may be necessary, especially to protect vulnerable populations, awareness among the p opulation and social bargaining is the most suitable approach because it is likely to induce moral soundness in the credit system that is based on legal frameworks and profit motive (Ross

The impact( positive and negative) on the customer relationship Essay

The impact( positive and negative) on the customer relationship management in the hospitality and tourism - Essay Example 221) stated that CRM has many definitions depending on different people and their industry and in most cases it is also referred to as relationship marketing. CRM can be defined as a marketing method that allows a company or an organization to use its available resources to establish a lasting relationship with customers, thus gaining a competitive advantage compared to its competitors (Mohammed & Rashid 2012, p.221). It can also be defined as a method of retaining clients using after sales strategies. CRM, if properly implemented, can be suitable for the hospitality and tourism industry considering that hotels and other industry players get lots of information regarding their clients. An effective CRM programme should ensure that the customers get the best experience, decrease management cost, source new customers and increase profitability (Sotoudeh 2006, p.1). This paper will critically look at  the impact of the customer relationship management in the hospitality and tourism. A dvantages Marketing CRM is an activity that helps to source for customers and retaining them (Ku 2010, p. 1085). CRM focuses more on retaining existing customers for repurchase than recruiting new customers as well as increasing client base through referrals from the existing clients. In most cases, companies use the available resources such as the employees, technologies and their databases to set up this system. These methods are cheaper than advertising and marketing to new customers. It ensures that the company grows their customer from the existing customer base. CRM can also help to indentify the lost customers or those that are almost moving out, to ensure they are won back. Long lasting relationship also helps to minimize the effects of the competition through word of mouth by their customers. They benefit financially due to a lower marketing cost. Ensuring Customer Satisfaction Customers should get value for their money from the services paid for. Repeat customers feel atta ched to the service providers and thus are able to bond with companies’ employees. The existing database can be analysed by the company to improve the services offered. In the hospitality sector, there is direct interaction between the company or its employees and the customers as they deliver their services. Proper interaction helps service providers understand their customers and thus help them develop proper plans that suit the customer’s needs. Having a direct interaction helps to develop trust between the involved parties. According to the study by Hashem (2012, p. 132) in Jordan, most hotels that use CRM has higher customer satisfaction. Relationship marketing together with CRM translates to repeat customers and customer loyalty (Shirazi & Som 2011, p. 82). Increase in Revenue Well designed CRM should help a firm reduce cost and increase revenue by enhancing client loyalty. It helps to put together information from within and without the organization. This inform ation can be used by the company to understand the market trends and specific customers’ needs. CRM helps to ensure customer satisfaction and, therefore, long term relationship. Company’s personnel interact directly with the consumers and their actions impact directly the customers (Kattara et al. 2008, p. 310). Good service by the employees leads to

Questions on Program Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation Essay

Questions on Program Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation - Essay Example Public goods are very good example of market failure. Market failure exists when the production or use of goods and services by the market is not efficient. It leads to the free rider problem. Causian solution is a very fair solution to this problem. It is a mechanism by which the potential beneficiaries of a public band together and pool their band together and pool their resources based on their willingness to pay to create the public good. Me rover if the transaction cost between the beneficiaries are sufficiently low then an adequate level of public good production can occur even under competitive free market condition. Q.2 what are the essential elements of the classical experimental design (CED) in evaluation research Define the concept "threat to validity," and identify the threats to validity which a classical experiment does and does not address. Sol. evaluation is a systematic determination of merit, worth, and significance of something. it someone using criteria using a set of standards it is a methodological area than is closely related to, but distinguishable from more traditional social research while the design of experiments is a theory concerning minimum number of experiments necessary to develop an empirical model of a research question and methodology for setting up the necessary experiments. There are various elements of classical experimental design related to research evaluation research such as replications, variations, internal validity, and reproducibility. Concept of validity: the validity of study reflects the accuracy of the results. Matter of validity can bring complexity. So the principal concerns of validity should be straightforward and its consideration is very necessary in every evaluation. Validity can be classified as internal and external validity. Empirical there are too many problem that needs t o be solved experimentally or by observations. Different research designs are susceptible to various types of validity threats such as the common pre/post design. However it is not valid for what we know as malnutrition effect .another common threat to validity is knows as history effects. It is different from that of malnutrition effects. Selection effects, mortality effects and threats to external validity are next in the cue. These above are the threats to validity that a classical experiment does addresses Q.3 Describe the steps in the "prospective evaluation" methodology recommended by the GAO. Address the question, Should all new public programs or policies be subjected to prospective evaluation Sol. GAO has developed the PES as a systematic method for fulfilling congressional request for analyzing proposed legislation and helping and helping identify top-priority

Relationship between Business Strategy and IT Strategy

Relationship between Business Strategy and IT Strategy BUSINESS-IT ALIGNMENT (BITA) The relationship between Business strategy and IT strategy and the influence of organisation culture on this strategic alignment in Saudi firms will form the basis of the research in this research. As such, the literature reviewed here will survey major research and practice in the business-IT strategic alignment domain for the purpose of deriving a research framework, or model, of business-IT strategic alignment that will unite the key principles contained within the literature. The intention is to develop a model simple enough for application that will provide a practical tool both for management and IT practitioners. 2.1 BITA A CHRONLOGICAL HISTORY Study on the strategic alignment concept will soon be reaching a quarter of a decades worth of knowledge. Henderson Sifonis (1988) began studying this notion during the late 80s when alignment emerged from a focus on strategic business planning and long-range IT planning where IT plans were created in support of corporate strategies Chan Reich (2007, p. 298). Nevertheless, strategic alignment has retained its interest and value in the business and IT communities and is still a popular topic today for organisations; perhaps even more so as technological advancement continues to dominate the exchange of information. Not surprisingly, its evolution has followed closely the developmental progress of IT itself which began with the operational era continuing through the re-engineering viewpoint and the new economy as figure 2.1 illustrates: The initial phase, the operational era, was concerned primarily with the operations that an organisation performed and focused on setting up mainframes, managing networks of PCs, and backing up organisational data. IT provided the nuts and bolts to facilitate automation of back-office functions through the development of software and had only a supportive role. Strategic alignment was thus viewed merely as a supporting act for every-day operations with its software applications. The second phase, re-engineering, arose from the increasing trend toward dependency on the automation of business processes by IT which not only offered back-office functions support but the promise of total automation within an organization as a whole through IT software applications. At this stage, IT was still viewed only as a supportive tool with no representation in the business end of an organisation. For example, business managers expressed their system needs which the IT department embraced and went on to develop and deploy a new software application in isolation. These early strategic alignment projects were not always successful. It was discovered that the development of software (with embedded processes) for automation of a business function was no guarantee of improvement over its earlier manual operation, indeed it could end up being more time-consuming and therefore less efficient as operators were not necessarily au fait with the application. There was not a full unde rstanding of what IT could do and how it could enhance a companys position beyond speeding up communications and thereby creating more ‘time for production or interfacing. A ‘Them and Us atmosphere prevailed with the ‘techies in a separate world to the mangers or drivers of the business, neither fully understanding the others needs [elements that are also considered further in the organisation culture aspect of this research and dealt with in the next chapter]. In the 1990s, Baets study of European banks (Baets, 1996) supported the findings of Vitale and colleagues ten years earlier (Vitale et al., 1986) that knowledge of IT had to be on a par with expert business knowledge for the two to create any comprehension and thereby effective application of strategic alignment in organisations. The third phase, new economy, saw IT commanding greater importance and status as organisations began to emerge that were embracing e-commerce. The demands of the new e-business projects required involvement of IT representatives in their management and strategic planning. The implementation of Internet technologies to augment business processes for productivity or profitability improvements brought the role of IT into the spotlight, according it recognition and strategic responsibility. Along with the newly elevated status of the old IT department there was a greater familiarity with technology and its capabilities and the prejudice that had previously scorned the ‘nerds dissipated somewhat as managers and personnel became more knowledgeable and the IT personnel more essential beyond a lab coat and a screwdriver [cf: artifacts causing division, Schein (1992) and Trompenaars (1997) in chapter 3]. Despite the current global economic crisis and the demise of the new economy IT con tinues to assume new responsibilities and organisations have even more need for strategic alignment projects. An IT department in 2010 must manage relations with partners and bear business responsibilities concerned with the development and customisation of software that will improve how a business functions; practice effective project management to control costs and maximise efficiency and ensure that the introduction of any new hardware or software support operations and infrastructure, â€Å" maintaining the crucial corporate data that helps managers throughout the enterprise to make intelligent and informed decisions Hoque (2002, p. 31). Kearns Lederer, (2003) and Seggie et al. (2006) agree that strategic alignment is a means to gain competitive advantage and Sabherwal Chan (2001), Wagner et al. (2005) and Zhou et al. (2008) further add that it improves organisational performance. 2.2 DEFINING BITA Determining a conclusive definition for alignment is as challenging as its function and application. There are many perspectives and multiple definitions including in chronological order: strategic alignment (Henderson and Venkatraman, 1993); harmony (Luftman, 1996); fit (Porter, 1996); bridge (Ciborra, 1997); integration (Weill and Broadbend, 1988); fusion (Smaczny, 2001); IS alignment (Chan et al., 2006; Benbya and McKelvey, 2006) business-IT alignment (Luftman, 2007); and IT alignment (Chan, 2007). It is understandable that there is such diversity as definitions depend on our understanding of language. The semantics involved are precarious because the new technologies are often described in technical terms and applying simplistic synonyms to explain the intention of alignment in the context of business IT in terminology that is understood without associated jargon is very difficult. Overall, the definitions offered, though they have nuances of difference between them, do relate to the improvement of organisational capability through technology. Broadbent and Weills (1993) early definition, purports that it is the degree to which information strategies support, stimulate and/or enable any business strategies. A later definition offered by Reich and Benbasat (1996) asserts much the same but frames it in terms of the missions of the IT and business objectives and plans on both sides. Luftman (2000) was the first to introduce the element of evolution into the definition and argued that it required strength [as the key element] from leadership, senior management and working relationships, combined with a complete understanding of the business and technical environments, fitting prioritisation, mutual trust, and of course, effective communication. Hirschheim and Sabherwals (2001) definition included the idea of a reciprocal arrangement as fundamental to its meaning and stated that alignment was the achieved between strategy and supporting structures that allowed both IS (information systems) and business to function and communica te responsively each way to one another. Most accepted definitions do highlight the alignment dichotomy described by Kearns and Lederer, (2000), where the argument is that the IS plan ought to align with the business plan (ISP-BP) and vice versa (BP-ISP) the business plan ought to align with the IS plan. Each perspective serves to increase the understanding of IT at organisational level and assist the prioritisation of IT projects. Reich and Benbasat (1996) were protagonists of the ISP-BP model, which they declared signified, IS managements comprehension of the business strategy. Whereas Bensaou and Earl (1998) contrarily preferred the BP-ISP alignment model as they believed it assumed a greater understanding on the part of the business comprehension of the IT aspects and thus the plan and the resources would ally more effectively together as a result of this knowledge, understanding and commitment. These elements are believed to be enablers of alignment (Luftman et al., 1999). In the definitions offered some view alignment as a specific happening or event and others regard it is an ongoing process. Duffy (2001) saw BITA as a process of achieving competitive advantage through a developed and sustained business and IT symbiosis. Maes et al. (2000) claimed BITA to be a continuous and continual process that involved management and design sub-processes with conscious and coherent interrelation of all elements and mechanisms within the business/IT relationship offering contribution to the ongoing performance of the organisation. Moodys (2003) definition saw BITA as a form of comprehensive resources management (people/ technology/ outside resources) that provides a set of IT services and capabilities that are in line with the business needs and priorities. And Senn (2003) was assured that each action executed by IT individuals was to focus on the creation and delivery of shareholder/stakeholder value through supporting business operations and/or achieving business goals. 2.3 BITA PERSPECTIVES AND DIMENSIONS With the diversity of definitions offered to explain the meaning of the strategic alignment concept, as outlined in the previous section, there is a need to further explore the differences to discover why there is such variety. Part of the explanation may be that as the concept has evolved it has been closely linked to the evolution of technological capabilities. Attitudes have changed as organisations have adopted new technologies and personnel have become more familiar with their potential and their operation. These dynamics and the evolution of strategic alignment are reflected in the number of conceptualisations and their definitions will be analysed in the context of the differing perspectives afforded to them. BITA with regard to its perception as a strategy, an event, a continuous process, a performance indicator, an assessment tool, a social influence and as an operation will be briefly outlined below to expand on the definitions in the literature from their different dimensi ons. 2.3.1 BITA AS A STRATEGY It has been a tradition for literature to refer to Business-IT alignment as ‘strategic alignment. Considering it in these terms frames it as an intellectual notion rather than something more concrete or practical and as such it can be high-jacked to represent whatever strategy suits the organisation that is considering alignment. There is no harm in referencing alignment in this manner for it allows debate and therefore change, essential for evolution and adopting a ‘strategy suitable to the structure, culture and level of alignment required. By referring to it in this way however, the literature suggests that strategic alignment is dependent on the fit between IT strategy and business strategy, and on how the IS plans are established to support such a fit (Teo and King, 1997). Many authors in the strategic alignment field approach alignment purely at the strategic level, e.g. Baets (1992), Broadbent and Weill (1993), Chan et al. (1997), and Luftman (2003). At the core of their conceptualisations is the notion that business strategy itself must first be analysed and only thereafter be used to determine a complementary IT strategy. In this scenario the business strategy is paramount and the IT strategy contribution secondary, it is a means to an end rather than a means in its own right. However, despite the alignment between business strategy and IT strategy where emphasis is laid on defining IS strategy plans (Benbya and Mckelvey, 2006) strategic alignment continues to be problematical in many organisations. Thus, reaching an agreed definition that details IS strategic plans is important for strategic alignment; however, is it not enough on its own for the achievement of such alignment (van der Zee and de Jong, 1999). 2.3.2 STRUCTURAL TOPOLOGY AFFECTING BITA The literature often takes for granted the strategic element of the concept and delves further into its implications for organisations, concentrating on the behaviour and nature of BITA what it does when you introduce it [and also is a strong feature of the organisational culture types discussed in the following chapter]. This depends largely on what type of a structure into which it is introduced. A formal structure, an informal structure or a hybrid structure, each having its own merits and each being capable of effective function when the circumstances and environment are conducive to the choice made (Brown and Magill, 1994). Against their three identified structures, Earl (1989) identified five potentially suitable structures: centralized, business unit, business venture, decentralised, and federal. Tavakolian (1989) found a direct correlation between competitive and conservative strategies within an environment and the corresponding decentralised or centralised IT structures ev ident in an organisation and this finding is supported to some extent by Bergeron et al. (2001) with the caveat that it is not solely the complexity of structure that impacts performance but that other factors are influential too. Chans (2001) view is that informal structure, â€Å"†¦relationship-based structures that transcend the formal division of labour and coordination of tasks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Chan, 2001, p67) can be just as effective as formal structure with the human element rather than intellectualised models and processes driving alignment, often with more impact and success than a formal arrangement. Structure, therefore can add a new dimension to the perspective of alignment as it places it in a setting that will impose its own constraints on the practice and execution of alignment exercises and ideals. 2.3.3 BITA AS AN END IN ITSELF For some authors it alignment doesnt seem to ‘do anything rather it is a business unit that lacks the dynamics others see in it. The implication is that it is something that is ‘brought in like an object concrete and physical and recognised by its static end state where some sort of equilibrium is achieved between the IT and business sides in an organisation. In the previous section, some of the definitions only present strategic alignment as an outcome achieved through the employment and adoption of different models, techniques and processes (Ortiz, 2003). Broadbent and Weill (1993), Chan et al. (1997), Luftman (2003) and Reich and Benbasat (1996), also see strategic alignment as something to be arrived at, a destination that is terminated when an optimal situation has been achieved. This may be a misunderstanding of the full meaning as the attitude that having strategic alignment the business married with the technology required for effective fulfillment of objectives cannot stand alone and it would be naà ¯ve to believe that BITA was a panacea for all business problems so perhaps the authors see it as an optimal achievement when all the other factors, or perspectives, also come into play to make BITA a worthwhile ‘thing in itself. 2.3.4 BITA AS A CONTINUING PROCESS If a business is static it will stagnate and if a business wishes to grow, like IT, it must always continue to evolve through a naturally occurring dynamics that are integral to the implementation of policies such as strategic alignment. Baets (1996), Luftman et al. (1999), and Rondinelli (2001) agree that these dynamics require constant monitoring and appropriate adjustment. Therefore, strategic alignment is not something attainable but something constantly in development, as it is variously described by Henderson and Venkatraman (1993), Baets 1996, Maes et al. (2000), Duffy (2001), Moody (2003), and Senn (2004). â€Å"An issue that has remained relatively unchallenged and unquestioned is how to align IT that is relatively fixed once implemented in an organization, with a business strategy and associated information requirements that are constantly in need of adjustment Galliers (2007, p. 228). Even within this perspective there are two schools of thought; the classical school of thought with emphasis on contingency adaptations and the ‘processual approach (Whittington, 1993) that emphasises the importance of addressing internal and power issues, particularly how cultural elements influence the formal elements of rationality and the decision process in strategic alignment and rejects IT as merely an adaptation but gives it greater weight as a resource. Furthermore, practitioners are being advised to adopt a view of strategic alignment as a continual process. In Pearlmans (2004) article advice to CIOs, in summary, is that they should communicate, demonstrate, lead, collaborate, govern and build if they wish to achieve alignment. 2.3.5 BITA FOR PERFORMANCE INDICATION It is the consideration of several authors that strategic alignment is not only a process but also a tool whereby they can reflect on the business value that organisations might possess, or not. In studies analysed the relationship between strategic alignment and competitive advantage or organisational performance were tracked, (Venkatraman, 1989; Sabherwal and Chan, 2001; Kearns and Lederer, 2003; Wagner, 2005; Seggie et al., 2006; Zhou, 2008). Tallon and Kraemer (2003) were responsible for the additional concept of business value being included as an element to the performance indication point of view of strategic alignment and analyse business value by relating it to organisational IT goals and measuring the IT return of investment from a strategic alignment viewpoint. 2.3.6 ASSESSMENT USING BITA In response to the question: `how do organisations know how good their strategic alignment is? different authors have developed Maturity Models (MMs) (de Koning and der Mark, 2002; Duffy, 2001; Luftman, 2003; van der Raadt et al., 2005). MMs describe the development of a specific domain over time. This perspective is in itself a more mature outlook than other perspectives as it has to consider many of the dynamics before being able to construct an effective strategic alignment. Because of the in-built review and evaluation required for this perspective it has to look at all aspects that the alignment may affect. Researchwork and systems are subject to assessment and revision through these maturity models and their monitoring. On the basis of the assessments of those MMs, organisations can fine tune and calibrate their strategic alignment: Identify any alignment-related aspects/processes improvements required to obtain a higher level of strategic alignment maturity. Initiate any change processes to ensure that the identified improvements eventuate. In much the same way, acceptance of the cyclical nature of strategic alignment as posited by Burns (1996) ‘lead-lag model implies assessment in response to intermittent predictable and unpredictable changes as does the ‘punctuated equilibrium model of Sabherwal et al. (2001) where interruptions to stability demand a fresh look at the long term plan and goals of strategic alignment. 2.3.7 BITA AS A SOCIAL INFLUENCE If an organisation intends to work toward achieving strategic alignment it will necessitate communication that will involve negotiation, collaboration and mutual understanding elements not always present a specific organisational structure or culture. This communication can blur the boundaries of traditional or conventional approaches and therefore becomes a driving force behind social attitudes and perceptions. Chan (2002) and Huang and Hu (2007) uphold this view that maintaining effective communication in an organisation will impact on corporate strategic alignment culture. Concord must be developed for effective channels of communication, transparency in the exchange of knowledge and sharing of learning (Hoque, 2002; Daneva and Hu, 2007), and the use of informal communication is just as important a factor for adjustment and control (Mintzberg, 1993; Chan, 2002; vander Raadt et al., 2005), to generate an atmosphere of trust and an effective response to business needs from an IT pe rspective. Reich and Benbasats (2000) study further confirms that strategic alignment is more likely to succeed when business and IT executives have an [importantly] expressed and [understood] shared common vision of ITs contribution. 2.3.8 BITA AND OPERATIONS Strategic alignment [when it is all-encompassing and embraced by all as part of an organisational culture] necessarily involves organisational issues of communication, structure and, particularly, coordination processes that are operational to the business in specifically performed actions (Wieringa, 2008). Operational strategic alignment consists of aligning the operational activities of IT and business people with each other so that optimal IT support for business requirements is achieved. In this context, Peak and Guynes (2003) put the onus of success on the IT side of the equation, though it does imply some reciprocity in the initial communication of ‘quality requirements and they state that strategic alignment will only be attained when an organisations IT staff can deliver quality information and quality IT products and services to the business side. 2.4 BITA MODELS 2.4.1 MIT90S FRAMEWORK (1991) During the 1980s, research conducted at the world renowned MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) initiated interest in the academic community to the potential of the strategic power of IT. In the attempt to exploit the possibilities revealed in the model from the research it was suggested that radical innovation involving IT investment could carry substantial reward if key elements of strategy, structure, technology, management processes and individuals and their roles were kept in alignment (Morton, 1991). Organisation can be visualised as a set of five forces in dynamic equilibrium subject to external influences from the technological environment and the socio-economic environment. In this view, a core task of general management is to ensure that all five ‘forces (represented by the boxes), can flow without restriction or impediment in order to achieve the organisations goals and objectives. With management at the centre of the model its role is central too. Though some areas might not necessarily be in direct contact with each other they are connected via the management process which plays the principal role and ensures organisational response to shifts in demands from the external variables. 2.4.2 THE HENDERSON AND VENKATRAMAN STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT MODEL (1993) Henderson Venkatramans (1993) strategic model (Figure 2.3) is a widely used four-part illustration favoured by many researchers and organisations for the assessment of the level of alignment in a company. Each of the four parts [quarters] contain three distinct and individuals elements which, when collectively analysed, can be used to define each quarter operationally. These twelve elements- further expanded in Table 1 are used to establish the level and type of alignment within a corporation (Henderson Venkatraman, 1993; Papp, 1995). Table 1 Components of the Strategic Alignment Model Within the model it can be seen how external influences may affect change on either processes [lower sectors] or strategies [upper sectors]. A vertical link couples the upper and lowers sectors and shows the relationship between strategic fit to accommodate strategy with infrastructure. A horizontal link for functional integration shows how IT strategies must adapt as business strategies change, and displays the dependence and required response of each sector upon anothers adaptations particularly in relation to skills and operation. Giving focus to three of the four quarters of the model at a given time can permit a simultaneous address to both strategic fit and functional integration (Papp, 1995; Luftman et al., 1999). The SAM (Strategic Alignment Model) model has proven empirical authenticity and has provided valid conceptual and practical value (Goedvolk et al,. 1997; Avison et al., 2004). Nevertheless, it is subject to confines, eg, the applicability of the SAM model may vary depending on the IT-intensity of an industry and the assumptions expounded might not be relevant to the circumstances (Burn and Szeto, 2000). As mentioned, the model does have recognition and a number of scholars have further elaborated on it (e.g., Luftman et al., 1993). Goedvolk et al.s (1997) extension of the SAM model gave greater focus to technical and architectural attributes. Avison et al.s (2004) addition to the SAM model was able to provide practitioners and academics with further practical ways to attain alignment in their advocacy of examining projects retrospectively to determine alignment. This form of alignment monitoring, can allow pre-emption in a change in strategy and implementation of a new alignment perspective by re-allocation of project resources. The SAM model inspired Maes et al. (2000) to produce a framework that incorporates even more layers pertinent to function and strategy where information providers are separated from the systems providing information in a new information domain representing knowledge, [and exchange of information through] communication and coordination. Their third dimension addresses specific sub-architecture areas. 2.4.3 IS CAPABILITY AND ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE MODEL (2004) Peppard and Wards model (2004) shows IS capability at the core of everything, inherently affecting competencies and emanating an influence on all areas that interrelate [business strategy/business operations/IT operations and services/IS/IT strategy] and impact upon the organisational performance. Such focus on the importance of this core element demonstrates the value IS capabilities can create and is therefore an organisation-wide responsibility that cannot be delegated to the IS function alone (Peppard et al., 2000). Peppard and Ward (2004) later asserted that though an organisation might envisage an IT based innovative strategy, it will be their IS capabilities that permit such a vision to come to fruition. 2.4.4 CO-EVOLUTIONARY IS ALIGNMENT (2006) By 2006 the model suggested by Benbya and McKelvey (2006) through its graphic presentation appears a more fluid representation suggesting, even visually, that there is more of a flow between relationships in alignment. It still addresses the need to analyse relationships between business and IT (horizontal IS alignment) but introduces a need to merge the views at different levels [strategic/operational/individual] of analysis (vertical IS alignment) through shared understanding and communication. The co-evolutionary IS alignment perspective conveys the necessity for mutual adaptation within a dynamic interplay of co-evolving elements. Co-evolution does not necessarily seek harmony between the elements but a respect for their position and the innovation that may result from the circumstances and environments in which they function. 2.5 ASSESSMENT APPROACHES OF BITA In this section MMs (maturity models) are referred to that have been developed for the assessment of BITA. 2.5.1 DUFFYS MM (2001) Duffys (2001) MM is founded on the principle that a dependable, mutually compatible partnership between IT and business executives is elementary in order to achieve a worthwhile BITA. Without this premise there cannot be a successful desired outcome. Accepting that there is a level of interdependence between IT and business objectives, any schism or division between IT and non-IT areas would sabotage any efforts to establish alignment. This model is arranged about a series of key success drivers (the domains: human resources organisation and management/innovation and renewal strategy/IT/business architecture/IT/business partnership/operational excellence/ROI strategy management) which are operationalised in KPIs (key performance indicators) that each contain five contributory factors aspects designed to address explicit and significant questions within the KPI where it is included. The six domains are briefly explained below: Human resources organisation and management. In this domain reference is made to an organisations personnel and emphasis is given to the importance of workforce recruitment, retention and management by an organisation. Innovation and renewal strategy. The focus here is how innovative an organisation is with an emphasis on currency and validity having a bearing upon understanding when renewal is required to processes and capabilities in an organisation. IT/business architecture. This domain is concerned with the relationship and interaction of entities involved in the information and applications in the business environment of an organisation. IT/business partnership. This domain reflects how the recent upgrading of the role of the IT function affects an organisation â€Å"Technology is critical to business success and this co-dependency drives the need for the IT and non-IT executives to pursue a win/win relationship Duffy (2003, p. 4). Operational excellence. This domain deals with the performance outcomes of the organisation. Duffy recognises that operational excellence can only be achieved if an organisation can recognise the value of ideals embedded in learning and partnerships, and can respond to market demands promptly. ROI strategy and management. This domain investigates the importance of the metrics and processes required for efficient and effective financial management within organisations and accepting IT costs and benefits as having parity with business ones. Duffys six domains address the â€Å"IT and non-IT assertion as well as certain strategic elements within an organisation but there are no explicitly stated maturity levels for them. Instead, Duffy merges the six domains of the model into four BITA scenarios where organisations fall into the following categories: â€Å"uneasy alliance†, â€Å"supplier/consumer relationship†, â€Å"co-dependence/grudging respect†, and â€Å"united we succeed, divided we fail†. These laymans terms are loose at best and though intended to be descriptive only serve to confuse in their interpretation. Such scenarios are the maturity levels in the model. 2.5.2 LUFTMANS MM (2003) Luftmans model (2003) was constructed on the basis of practical experience and research into enablers and inhibitors of alignment (Luftman et al, 1999), incorporating reference to various other models [here listed chronologically and not in order of importance or influence]: Nolans stages of growth model (Nolan, 1979), SAM (Henderson and Venkatraman, 1993) and CMMs (Capability Maturity Model) reach and range concept of (Keen, 1996). Luftmans MM is an endeavour based in six domains (skills/technology scope/partnership/governance/competency measurements/communications) to discover a specific organisations BITA profile. A brief description of each domain follows: Skills: addresses practical human resources issues such as cross-training in IT and business issues regarding the cultural environment and its impact on innovation and organisational change. Technology scope: refers to how much provision of comprehensible and flexible infrastructure comes from IT, the implementation of emergent technol Relationship between Business Strategy and IT Strategy Relationship between Business Strategy and IT Strategy BUSINESS-IT ALIGNMENT (BITA) The relationship between Business strategy and IT strategy and the influence of organisation culture on this strategic alignment in Saudi firms will form the basis of the research in this research. As such, the literature reviewed here will survey major research and practice in the business-IT strategic alignment domain for the purpose of deriving a research framework, or model, of business-IT strategic alignment that will unite the key principles contained within the literature. The intention is to develop a model simple enough for application that will provide a practical tool both for management and IT practitioners. 2.1 BITA A CHRONLOGICAL HISTORY Study on the strategic alignment concept will soon be reaching a quarter of a decades worth of knowledge. Henderson Sifonis (1988) began studying this notion during the late 80s when alignment emerged from a focus on strategic business planning and long-range IT planning where IT plans were created in support of corporate strategies Chan Reich (2007, p. 298). Nevertheless, strategic alignment has retained its interest and value in the business and IT communities and is still a popular topic today for organisations; perhaps even more so as technological advancement continues to dominate the exchange of information. Not surprisingly, its evolution has followed closely the developmental progress of IT itself which began with the operational era continuing through the re-engineering viewpoint and the new economy as figure 2.1 illustrates: The initial phase, the operational era, was concerned primarily with the operations that an organisation performed and focused on setting up mainframes, managing networks of PCs, and backing up organisational data. IT provided the nuts and bolts to facilitate automation of back-office functions through the development of software and had only a supportive role. Strategic alignment was thus viewed merely as a supporting act for every-day operations with its software applications. The second phase, re-engineering, arose from the increasing trend toward dependency on the automation of business processes by IT which not only offered back-office functions support but the promise of total automation within an organization as a whole through IT software applications. At this stage, IT was still viewed only as a supportive tool with no representation in the business end of an organisation. For example, business managers expressed their system needs which the IT department embraced and went on to develop and deploy a new software application in isolation. These early strategic alignment projects were not always successful. It was discovered that the development of software (with embedded processes) for automation of a business function was no guarantee of improvement over its earlier manual operation, indeed it could end up being more time-consuming and therefore less efficient as operators were not necessarily au fait with the application. There was not a full unde rstanding of what IT could do and how it could enhance a companys position beyond speeding up communications and thereby creating more ‘time for production or interfacing. A ‘Them and Us atmosphere prevailed with the ‘techies in a separate world to the mangers or drivers of the business, neither fully understanding the others needs [elements that are also considered further in the organisation culture aspect of this research and dealt with in the next chapter]. In the 1990s, Baets study of European banks (Baets, 1996) supported the findings of Vitale and colleagues ten years earlier (Vitale et al., 1986) that knowledge of IT had to be on a par with expert business knowledge for the two to create any comprehension and thereby effective application of strategic alignment in organisations. The third phase, new economy, saw IT commanding greater importance and status as organisations began to emerge that were embracing e-commerce. The demands of the new e-business projects required involvement of IT representatives in their management and strategic planning. The implementation of Internet technologies to augment business processes for productivity or profitability improvements brought the role of IT into the spotlight, according it recognition and strategic responsibility. Along with the newly elevated status of the old IT department there was a greater familiarity with technology and its capabilities and the prejudice that had previously scorned the ‘nerds dissipated somewhat as managers and personnel became more knowledgeable and the IT personnel more essential beyond a lab coat and a screwdriver [cf: artifacts causing division, Schein (1992) and Trompenaars (1997) in chapter 3]. Despite the current global economic crisis and the demise of the new economy IT con tinues to assume new responsibilities and organisations have even more need for strategic alignment projects. An IT department in 2010 must manage relations with partners and bear business responsibilities concerned with the development and customisation of software that will improve how a business functions; practice effective project management to control costs and maximise efficiency and ensure that the introduction of any new hardware or software support operations and infrastructure, â€Å" maintaining the crucial corporate data that helps managers throughout the enterprise to make intelligent and informed decisions Hoque (2002, p. 31). Kearns Lederer, (2003) and Seggie et al. (2006) agree that strategic alignment is a means to gain competitive advantage and Sabherwal Chan (2001), Wagner et al. (2005) and Zhou et al. (2008) further add that it improves organisational performance. 2.2 DEFINING BITA Determining a conclusive definition for alignment is as challenging as its function and application. There are many perspectives and multiple definitions including in chronological order: strategic alignment (Henderson and Venkatraman, 1993); harmony (Luftman, 1996); fit (Porter, 1996); bridge (Ciborra, 1997); integration (Weill and Broadbend, 1988); fusion (Smaczny, 2001); IS alignment (Chan et al., 2006; Benbya and McKelvey, 2006) business-IT alignment (Luftman, 2007); and IT alignment (Chan, 2007). It is understandable that there is such diversity as definitions depend on our understanding of language. The semantics involved are precarious because the new technologies are often described in technical terms and applying simplistic synonyms to explain the intention of alignment in the context of business IT in terminology that is understood without associated jargon is very difficult. Overall, the definitions offered, though they have nuances of difference between them, do relate to the improvement of organisational capability through technology. Broadbent and Weills (1993) early definition, purports that it is the degree to which information strategies support, stimulate and/or enable any business strategies. A later definition offered by Reich and Benbasat (1996) asserts much the same but frames it in terms of the missions of the IT and business objectives and plans on both sides. Luftman (2000) was the first to introduce the element of evolution into the definition and argued that it required strength [as the key element] from leadership, senior management and working relationships, combined with a complete understanding of the business and technical environments, fitting prioritisation, mutual trust, and of course, effective communication. Hirschheim and Sabherwals (2001) definition included the idea of a reciprocal arrangement as fundamental to its meaning and stated that alignment was the achieved between strategy and supporting structures that allowed both IS (information systems) and business to function and communica te responsively each way to one another. Most accepted definitions do highlight the alignment dichotomy described by Kearns and Lederer, (2000), where the argument is that the IS plan ought to align with the business plan (ISP-BP) and vice versa (BP-ISP) the business plan ought to align with the IS plan. Each perspective serves to increase the understanding of IT at organisational level and assist the prioritisation of IT projects. Reich and Benbasat (1996) were protagonists of the ISP-BP model, which they declared signified, IS managements comprehension of the business strategy. Whereas Bensaou and Earl (1998) contrarily preferred the BP-ISP alignment model as they believed it assumed a greater understanding on the part of the business comprehension of the IT aspects and thus the plan and the resources would ally more effectively together as a result of this knowledge, understanding and commitment. These elements are believed to be enablers of alignment (Luftman et al., 1999). In the definitions offered some view alignment as a specific happening or event and others regard it is an ongoing process. Duffy (2001) saw BITA as a process of achieving competitive advantage through a developed and sustained business and IT symbiosis. Maes et al. (2000) claimed BITA to be a continuous and continual process that involved management and design sub-processes with conscious and coherent interrelation of all elements and mechanisms within the business/IT relationship offering contribution to the ongoing performance of the organisation. Moodys (2003) definition saw BITA as a form of comprehensive resources management (people/ technology/ outside resources) that provides a set of IT services and capabilities that are in line with the business needs and priorities. And Senn (2003) was assured that each action executed by IT individuals was to focus on the creation and delivery of shareholder/stakeholder value through supporting business operations and/or achieving business goals. 2.3 BITA PERSPECTIVES AND DIMENSIONS With the diversity of definitions offered to explain the meaning of the strategic alignment concept, as outlined in the previous section, there is a need to further explore the differences to discover why there is such variety. Part of the explanation may be that as the concept has evolved it has been closely linked to the evolution of technological capabilities. Attitudes have changed as organisations have adopted new technologies and personnel have become more familiar with their potential and their operation. These dynamics and the evolution of strategic alignment are reflected in the number of conceptualisations and their definitions will be analysed in the context of the differing perspectives afforded to them. BITA with regard to its perception as a strategy, an event, a continuous process, a performance indicator, an assessment tool, a social influence and as an operation will be briefly outlined below to expand on the definitions in the literature from their different dimensi ons. 2.3.1 BITA AS A STRATEGY It has been a tradition for literature to refer to Business-IT alignment as ‘strategic alignment. Considering it in these terms frames it as an intellectual notion rather than something more concrete or practical and as such it can be high-jacked to represent whatever strategy suits the organisation that is considering alignment. There is no harm in referencing alignment in this manner for it allows debate and therefore change, essential for evolution and adopting a ‘strategy suitable to the structure, culture and level of alignment required. By referring to it in this way however, the literature suggests that strategic alignment is dependent on the fit between IT strategy and business strategy, and on how the IS plans are established to support such a fit (Teo and King, 1997). Many authors in the strategic alignment field approach alignment purely at the strategic level, e.g. Baets (1992), Broadbent and Weill (1993), Chan et al. (1997), and Luftman (2003). At the core of their conceptualisations is the notion that business strategy itself must first be analysed and only thereafter be used to determine a complementary IT strategy. In this scenario the business strategy is paramount and the IT strategy contribution secondary, it is a means to an end rather than a means in its own right. However, despite the alignment between business strategy and IT strategy where emphasis is laid on defining IS strategy plans (Benbya and Mckelvey, 2006) strategic alignment continues to be problematical in many organisations. Thus, reaching an agreed definition that details IS strategic plans is important for strategic alignment; however, is it not enough on its own for the achievement of such alignment (van der Zee and de Jong, 1999). 2.3.2 STRUCTURAL TOPOLOGY AFFECTING BITA The literature often takes for granted the strategic element of the concept and delves further into its implications for organisations, concentrating on the behaviour and nature of BITA what it does when you introduce it [and also is a strong feature of the organisational culture types discussed in the following chapter]. This depends largely on what type of a structure into which it is introduced. A formal structure, an informal structure or a hybrid structure, each having its own merits and each being capable of effective function when the circumstances and environment are conducive to the choice made (Brown and Magill, 1994). Against their three identified structures, Earl (1989) identified five potentially suitable structures: centralized, business unit, business venture, decentralised, and federal. Tavakolian (1989) found a direct correlation between competitive and conservative strategies within an environment and the corresponding decentralised or centralised IT structures ev ident in an organisation and this finding is supported to some extent by Bergeron et al. (2001) with the caveat that it is not solely the complexity of structure that impacts performance but that other factors are influential too. Chans (2001) view is that informal structure, â€Å"†¦relationship-based structures that transcend the formal division of labour and coordination of tasks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Chan, 2001, p67) can be just as effective as formal structure with the human element rather than intellectualised models and processes driving alignment, often with more impact and success than a formal arrangement. Structure, therefore can add a new dimension to the perspective of alignment as it places it in a setting that will impose its own constraints on the practice and execution of alignment exercises and ideals. 2.3.3 BITA AS AN END IN ITSELF For some authors it alignment doesnt seem to ‘do anything rather it is a business unit that lacks the dynamics others see in it. The implication is that it is something that is ‘brought in like an object concrete and physical and recognised by its static end state where some sort of equilibrium is achieved between the IT and business sides in an organisation. In the previous section, some of the definitions only present strategic alignment as an outcome achieved through the employment and adoption of different models, techniques and processes (Ortiz, 2003). Broadbent and Weill (1993), Chan et al. (1997), Luftman (2003) and Reich and Benbasat (1996), also see strategic alignment as something to be arrived at, a destination that is terminated when an optimal situation has been achieved. This may be a misunderstanding of the full meaning as the attitude that having strategic alignment the business married with the technology required for effective fulfillment of objectives cannot stand alone and it would be naà ¯ve to believe that BITA was a panacea for all business problems so perhaps the authors see it as an optimal achievement when all the other factors, or perspectives, also come into play to make BITA a worthwhile ‘thing in itself. 2.3.4 BITA AS A CONTINUING PROCESS If a business is static it will stagnate and if a business wishes to grow, like IT, it must always continue to evolve through a naturally occurring dynamics that are integral to the implementation of policies such as strategic alignment. Baets (1996), Luftman et al. (1999), and Rondinelli (2001) agree that these dynamics require constant monitoring and appropriate adjustment. Therefore, strategic alignment is not something attainable but something constantly in development, as it is variously described by Henderson and Venkatraman (1993), Baets 1996, Maes et al. (2000), Duffy (2001), Moody (2003), and Senn (2004). â€Å"An issue that has remained relatively unchallenged and unquestioned is how to align IT that is relatively fixed once implemented in an organization, with a business strategy and associated information requirements that are constantly in need of adjustment Galliers (2007, p. 228). Even within this perspective there are two schools of thought; the classical school of thought with emphasis on contingency adaptations and the ‘processual approach (Whittington, 1993) that emphasises the importance of addressing internal and power issues, particularly how cultural elements influence the formal elements of rationality and the decision process in strategic alignment and rejects IT as merely an adaptation but gives it greater weight as a resource. Furthermore, practitioners are being advised to adopt a view of strategic alignment as a continual process. In Pearlmans (2004) article advice to CIOs, in summary, is that they should communicate, demonstrate, lead, collaborate, govern and build if they wish to achieve alignment. 2.3.5 BITA FOR PERFORMANCE INDICATION It is the consideration of several authors that strategic alignment is not only a process but also a tool whereby they can reflect on the business value that organisations might possess, or not. In studies analysed the relationship between strategic alignment and competitive advantage or organisational performance were tracked, (Venkatraman, 1989; Sabherwal and Chan, 2001; Kearns and Lederer, 2003; Wagner, 2005; Seggie et al., 2006; Zhou, 2008). Tallon and Kraemer (2003) were responsible for the additional concept of business value being included as an element to the performance indication point of view of strategic alignment and analyse business value by relating it to organisational IT goals and measuring the IT return of investment from a strategic alignment viewpoint. 2.3.6 ASSESSMENT USING BITA In response to the question: `how do organisations know how good their strategic alignment is? different authors have developed Maturity Models (MMs) (de Koning and der Mark, 2002; Duffy, 2001; Luftman, 2003; van der Raadt et al., 2005). MMs describe the development of a specific domain over time. This perspective is in itself a more mature outlook than other perspectives as it has to consider many of the dynamics before being able to construct an effective strategic alignment. Because of the in-built review and evaluation required for this perspective it has to look at all aspects that the alignment may affect. Researchwork and systems are subject to assessment and revision through these maturity models and their monitoring. On the basis of the assessments of those MMs, organisations can fine tune and calibrate their strategic alignment: Identify any alignment-related aspects/processes improvements required to obtain a higher level of strategic alignment maturity. Initiate any change processes to ensure that the identified improvements eventuate. In much the same way, acceptance of the cyclical nature of strategic alignment as posited by Burns (1996) ‘lead-lag model implies assessment in response to intermittent predictable and unpredictable changes as does the ‘punctuated equilibrium model of Sabherwal et al. (2001) where interruptions to stability demand a fresh look at the long term plan and goals of strategic alignment. 2.3.7 BITA AS A SOCIAL INFLUENCE If an organisation intends to work toward achieving strategic alignment it will necessitate communication that will involve negotiation, collaboration and mutual understanding elements not always present a specific organisational structure or culture. This communication can blur the boundaries of traditional or conventional approaches and therefore becomes a driving force behind social attitudes and perceptions. Chan (2002) and Huang and Hu (2007) uphold this view that maintaining effective communication in an organisation will impact on corporate strategic alignment culture. Concord must be developed for effective channels of communication, transparency in the exchange of knowledge and sharing of learning (Hoque, 2002; Daneva and Hu, 2007), and the use of informal communication is just as important a factor for adjustment and control (Mintzberg, 1993; Chan, 2002; vander Raadt et al., 2005), to generate an atmosphere of trust and an effective response to business needs from an IT pe rspective. Reich and Benbasats (2000) study further confirms that strategic alignment is more likely to succeed when business and IT executives have an [importantly] expressed and [understood] shared common vision of ITs contribution. 2.3.8 BITA AND OPERATIONS Strategic alignment [when it is all-encompassing and embraced by all as part of an organisational culture] necessarily involves organisational issues of communication, structure and, particularly, coordination processes that are operational to the business in specifically performed actions (Wieringa, 2008). Operational strategic alignment consists of aligning the operational activities of IT and business people with each other so that optimal IT support for business requirements is achieved. In this context, Peak and Guynes (2003) put the onus of success on the IT side of the equation, though it does imply some reciprocity in the initial communication of ‘quality requirements and they state that strategic alignment will only be attained when an organisations IT staff can deliver quality information and quality IT products and services to the business side. 2.4 BITA MODELS 2.4.1 MIT90S FRAMEWORK (1991) During the 1980s, research conducted at the world renowned MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) initiated interest in the academic community to the potential of the strategic power of IT. In the attempt to exploit the possibilities revealed in the model from the research it was suggested that radical innovation involving IT investment could carry substantial reward if key elements of strategy, structure, technology, management processes and individuals and their roles were kept in alignment (Morton, 1991). Organisation can be visualised as a set of five forces in dynamic equilibrium subject to external influences from the technological environment and the socio-economic environment. In this view, a core task of general management is to ensure that all five ‘forces (represented by the boxes), can flow without restriction or impediment in order to achieve the organisations goals and objectives. With management at the centre of the model its role is central too. Though some areas might not necessarily be in direct contact with each other they are connected via the management process which plays the principal role and ensures organisational response to shifts in demands from the external variables. 2.4.2 THE HENDERSON AND VENKATRAMAN STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT MODEL (1993) Henderson Venkatramans (1993) strategic model (Figure 2.3) is a widely used four-part illustration favoured by many researchers and organisations for the assessment of the level of alignment in a company. Each of the four parts [quarters] contain three distinct and individuals elements which, when collectively analysed, can be used to define each quarter operationally. These twelve elements- further expanded in Table 1 are used to establish the level and type of alignment within a corporation (Henderson Venkatraman, 1993; Papp, 1995). Table 1 Components of the Strategic Alignment Model Within the model it can be seen how external influences may affect change on either processes [lower sectors] or strategies [upper sectors]. A vertical link couples the upper and lowers sectors and shows the relationship between strategic fit to accommodate strategy with infrastructure. A horizontal link for functional integration shows how IT strategies must adapt as business strategies change, and displays the dependence and required response of each sector upon anothers adaptations particularly in relation to skills and operation. Giving focus to three of the four quarters of the model at a given time can permit a simultaneous address to both strategic fit and functional integration (Papp, 1995; Luftman et al., 1999). The SAM (Strategic Alignment Model) model has proven empirical authenticity and has provided valid conceptual and practical value (Goedvolk et al,. 1997; Avison et al., 2004). Nevertheless, it is subject to confines, eg, the applicability of the SAM model may vary depending on the IT-intensity of an industry and the assumptions expounded might not be relevant to the circumstances (Burn and Szeto, 2000). As mentioned, the model does have recognition and a number of scholars have further elaborated on it (e.g., Luftman et al., 1993). Goedvolk et al.s (1997) extension of the SAM model gave greater focus to technical and architectural attributes. Avison et al.s (2004) addition to the SAM model was able to provide practitioners and academics with further practical ways to attain alignment in their advocacy of examining projects retrospectively to determine alignment. This form of alignment monitoring, can allow pre-emption in a change in strategy and implementation of a new alignment perspective by re-allocation of project resources. The SAM model inspired Maes et al. (2000) to produce a framework that incorporates even more layers pertinent to function and strategy where information providers are separated from the systems providing information in a new information domain representing knowledge, [and exchange of information through] communication and coordination. Their third dimension addresses specific sub-architecture areas. 2.4.3 IS CAPABILITY AND ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE MODEL (2004) Peppard and Wards model (2004) shows IS capability at the core of everything, inherently affecting competencies and emanating an influence on all areas that interrelate [business strategy/business operations/IT operations and services/IS/IT strategy] and impact upon the organisational performance. Such focus on the importance of this core element demonstrates the value IS capabilities can create and is therefore an organisation-wide responsibility that cannot be delegated to the IS function alone (Peppard et al., 2000). Peppard and Ward (2004) later asserted that though an organisation might envisage an IT based innovative strategy, it will be their IS capabilities that permit such a vision to come to fruition. 2.4.4 CO-EVOLUTIONARY IS ALIGNMENT (2006) By 2006 the model suggested by Benbya and McKelvey (2006) through its graphic presentation appears a more fluid representation suggesting, even visually, that there is more of a flow between relationships in alignment. It still addresses the need to analyse relationships between business and IT (horizontal IS alignment) but introduces a need to merge the views at different levels [strategic/operational/individual] of analysis (vertical IS alignment) through shared understanding and communication. The co-evolutionary IS alignment perspective conveys the necessity for mutual adaptation within a dynamic interplay of co-evolving elements. Co-evolution does not necessarily seek harmony between the elements but a respect for their position and the innovation that may result from the circumstances and environments in which they function. 2.5 ASSESSMENT APPROACHES OF BITA In this section MMs (maturity models) are referred to that have been developed for the assessment of BITA. 2.5.1 DUFFYS MM (2001) Duffys (2001) MM is founded on the principle that a dependable, mutually compatible partnership between IT and business executives is elementary in order to achieve a worthwhile BITA. Without this premise there cannot be a successful desired outcome. Accepting that there is a level of interdependence between IT and business objectives, any schism or division between IT and non-IT areas would sabotage any efforts to establish alignment. This model is arranged about a series of key success drivers (the domains: human resources organisation and management/innovation and renewal strategy/IT/business architecture/IT/business partnership/operational excellence/ROI strategy management) which are operationalised in KPIs (key performance indicators) that each contain five contributory factors aspects designed to address explicit and significant questions within the KPI where it is included. The six domains are briefly explained below: Human resources organisation and management. In this domain reference is made to an organisations personnel and emphasis is given to the importance of workforce recruitment, retention and management by an organisation. Innovation and renewal strategy. The focus here is how innovative an organisation is with an emphasis on currency and validity having a bearing upon understanding when renewal is required to processes and capabilities in an organisation. IT/business architecture. This domain is concerned with the relationship and interaction of entities involved in the information and applications in the business environment of an organisation. IT/business partnership. This domain reflects how the recent upgrading of the role of the IT function affects an organisation â€Å"Technology is critical to business success and this co-dependency drives the need for the IT and non-IT executives to pursue a win/win relationship Duffy (2003, p. 4). Operational excellence. This domain deals with the performance outcomes of the organisation. Duffy recognises that operational excellence can only be achieved if an organisation can recognise the value of ideals embedded in learning and partnerships, and can respond to market demands promptly. ROI strategy and management. This domain investigates the importance of the metrics and processes required for efficient and effective financial management within organisations and accepting IT costs and benefits as having parity with business ones. Duffys six domains address the â€Å"IT and non-IT assertion as well as certain strategic elements within an organisation but there are no explicitly stated maturity levels for them. Instead, Duffy merges the six domains of the model into four BITA scenarios where organisations fall into the following categories: â€Å"uneasy alliance†, â€Å"supplier/consumer relationship†, â€Å"co-dependence/grudging respect†, and â€Å"united we succeed, divided we fail†. These laymans terms are loose at best and though intended to be descriptive only serve to confuse in their interpretation. Such scenarios are the maturity levels in the model. 2.5.2 LUFTMANS MM (2003) Luftmans model (2003) was constructed on the basis of practical experience and research into enablers and inhibitors of alignment (Luftman et al, 1999), incorporating reference to various other models [here listed chronologically and not in order of importance or influence]: Nolans stages of growth model (Nolan, 1979), SAM (Henderson and Venkatraman, 1993) and CMMs (Capability Maturity Model) reach and range concept of (Keen, 1996). Luftmans MM is an endeavour based in six domains (skills/technology scope/partnership/governance/competency measurements/communications) to discover a specific organisations BITA profile. A brief description of each domain follows: Skills: addresses practical human resources issues such as cross-training in IT and business issues regarding the cultural environment and its impact on innovation and organisational change. Technology scope: refers to how much provision of comprehensible and flexible infrastructure comes from IT, the implementation of emergent technol