Crossing Borders - Interracial Dating Essay Example for Free

Crossing Borders Interracial Dating EssayIn the hodge-podge of American culture you are bound to find motley date. There are many an(prenominal) differences between people. genius that is obvious to the naked eye is the difference of race. In the society that we live in it is sometimes herculean for people of unlike races to be a couple. The Dominant Culture puts out an invisible restrict that separates people of different races.In an experiment that I did with a white friend named Michelle, we went out as a couple. Me being Indian and her being Caucasian posed some difficulties for some people to understand. We first went to a park and decided that we would middling sit on the swings. There was another little Caucasian girl next to us. The next thing I precept really surprised me and Michelle. The mother of that little girl came and quickly grabbed her daughter and brought her to another part of the playground. All along, the mother looked at me and Michelle in a unea rthly way. After that, we went to the shopping mall. Keeping in mind that we are in a predominantly white suburban area, we held hands at the stores.People looked at us as if we were from another planet. I guess they could not believe that an Indian guy and a white girl could be going out on a date. We even brought another one of my friends to see the reaction of other people that me and Michelle could not see. Our other friend, Jim, said that many people kept on starring at us. Also that some people were whispering about us after they had passed us up. This really was a surprise to me. This experiment that I did was a real eye-opener because it gave me the evidence that people really were not happy seeing different races dating. Although this is not the opinion of all people, it seemed to be the opinion of a quite a number of people. These people are what keep the invisible call present in society.The real question that I asked myself is why this happened. One conclusion I came t o was that since this was a primarily white suburb, people would not be too open to different races just being there. If someone different from them was to come into their society, it would be natural for them to not accept them. Especially in a situation that involved dating, people would be closed minded. Not besides would they want themselves having nothing to do with interracial dating, they would want others of their same race not to be involved with interracial dating.The white people in this suburb probably looked down upon Michelle for being with an Indian guy. Furthermore, the events of September 11th did not help this situation either. Ever since that date, Indian people have been clumped into the whole middle-eastern terrorist category. This just gives the people of this suburb a reason to denounce me and our relationship. Much of this anger comes out of stereotypes. Since these people think that most middle-eastern people are bad or somehow connected to terrorism, this creates a stereotype that I am labeled with.Another reason we got such a hard time is that our cultures did not fulfil up. Even though we have similar values, the customs of Caucasians and Indians are obviously different. Many people in the suburbs that we saw probably did not understand my culture, so what they do not understand, they do not like. People still have stereotypes of Indians. They might think that we cannot speak English or that we smell. These stereotypes bring the Indians in a lower regard with the dominant culture.Why is it harder for black and white couple to be accepted by society rather then an Indian and a white couple? This particular question can be answered in many ways. One of the many reasons is that social standards are set in our fraternity that base blacks down the totem pole. Blacks have been discriminated against from the start of slavery and to this day in some rare cases.The dominant culture has looked down upon blacks because of their skin color for many generations. This is cause for the dominant culture to look down upon blacks. When it comes to Indians, some white people perceive Indians as somewhat semi-British. Whites are less prone to be against a relationship with an Indian person. It is more accepted for Indians to date white people because the dominant culture holds Indians in higher regards than blacks. It is because of biased thinking that this purpose came into being.After everything, people are still not open to other ideas or beliefs. Even though the dominant culture puts out an invisible border, that border is becoming more visible with stereotypes that are put out there. This invisible border is displayed by their actions when they see interracial couples. They make it more difficult for these couples to be together. Other things like September 11th added to this invisible border in me and Michelles case. What this means is that the majority of our society will be closed minded to interracial dating. What i t also means is that the racial lines will be erased if these couples get married and have children. The dominant culture wants to keep the races separate.In relating my experience with Michelle in that suburb, I felt like we should not be together as a couple. The reactions I got made me feel like I did something wrong. It is this feeling the invisible border is suppose to bring to me. I realized this only in the end. It is up me to decide who I date. It should be the concern of the two people that are dating and not the society.

Online Education vs Traditional Education Essay Example for Free

Online Education vs Traditional Education EssayHave you ever enrolled in an online trend and a traditional class at the same time? Kaleb has tried both unfortunately one was more successful than the otherwise. Kaleb is taking Anatomy and English, Anatomy is an online class and English is a traditional class. He go pasts in his English class due the face-to-face interaction and swift feedback from the instructor and his peers. The online class on the other hand was the radical opposite here he is sitting in front of the computer dazed and confused trying to figure what to do next. Kaleb is an auditory and tactile bookman so he needs corporal contact and interaction. The online class did non provide that physical contact and feedback he needed so he was not very successful in it. Although online and traditional educations are both forms of check offing, traditional education is more informative due to the availability, tidings/ conversation, and structure. Traditional cou rses bring availability to its advantage considering that just about students often fail online courses because of lack in availability. In a traditional course you cave in that face to face interaction and physical contact.Your professors are available on hand for you to ask questions about things you do not understand. Your classmates are physically available for you all to interact with each other questions. Online courses lack the swift feedback you receive in a traditional classroom. When learning something new you need that immediate availability that the traditional classroom provides. Class communication and discussions are very helpful when taking any type of class. Online courses do have discussions, because the communications for online courses are not definite. Online communication is somewhat unreliable communication with a peer online will not always receive a response. Traditional classs communication and discussion are beneficial if you have information or respon ses for one of your peers you will immediately receive a response.Unlike online classes, in a traditional course you have class discussion where you are graded to participate. Having discussions during class gives you an opportunity to give your input on the discussion taking place, it also gives you a chance to voice and concerns you have. Also when you have the face to face interaction that I mentioned in the last paragraph you are able to get a response right away without having to appear on an electronic response. Structure in the classroom is very important. In order to have a successful class you have to orchestrate some type of order. Traditional courses have rules that you must follow if you would like to continue the course that you are enrolled in. Traditional courses have rules such as attendance policies and naming due dates.Unlike online courses, traditional classes have required participation and presentation you have to perform in every course. Whenever you have the se rules and requirements you perform better and excel in your class. Last, even though online and traditional educations are both forms of learning traditional education is more beneficial and informative due to availability, discussion/communication, and structure. Online courses whitethorn be preferred by some students, but when enrolled in such a course you have to be prepared and able to teach yourself and learn accordingly. Although, Kaleb tried both online and traditional courses, he realized that traditional courses are more informative especially for him considering that he is a hand on learner. outright Kaleb will think twice before he enrolls into another online class.

Local Government In The Malaysian Context Information Technology Essay

topical anaesthetic Government In The Malaysian Context Information Technology EssayCustomer atonement is a key matter for wholly organizations in both domain and private celestial spheres. This is a highly alpha challenge as service standards instantly relies on excellent service role delivery and high customer satis occurrenceion levels. All employees suffer a spot in determining the item of gratification experienced by their customers. In the public sector, receivable to increased levels of information dissemi commonwealth, governments atomic number 18 expected to be more than sensitive to the demands and needs of the lots and societies they serve. some(prenominal) public sector organisations are undergoing reforms in order to provide better, faster and even wider range of function to the people. The customer has a prominent place in these reforms.In recent history, much has been written on the subject of customer satisfaction, besides comparatively teensy-wee nsy regarding customer satisfaction in the public sector. This is despite the issue of customer satisfaction in public services has been growing in importance, particularly in Malaysia due to the perception of deteriorating levels of satisfaction as comprehend by well-nigh quarters of the public. In the past ten years with the explosive growth of broadband internet penetration levels in the awkward, public agencies learn been increasingly placed in the spotlight for their shortcomings as larger segments of the public are made aware of the lack of satisfaction encountered by others.In most countries including Malaysia, local anaesthetic government has the most direct impact on the resources in the economy as they are most involved in the implementation of subject area and render government policies. The range of activities involving the local government sector is primarily labour intensive. there are on that pourboirefore a number of reasons for the need of this inquiry pa rticularly in the Malaysian environment. Firstly, local government has a monopoly on the supplying of most of their services, and do not have forces of competition and profit whimsical competency and effectualness in meeting customers needs (Caruana, Ramaseshan, Ewing 1998). Members of the public who are unhappy with the local authority administering their premises or property are not able to change to some other local authority or opt out of receiving services from that authority (and thus not paying taxes due) without moving to another area administered by another local authority. Secondly, demand for government services is on an increasing uptrend due to increased expectations by the people. More and more people expect the government to assist them in resolving confused issues encountered. Such issues includes the provision or maintenance (or lack of provision or maintenance) of bag and services. Thirdly, due to increasing pressure on governments as a service provider fo r an increasing range of services, local government has to set up and maintain competence in many aspects of performance. An instance of this empennage be seen with the advent of information technology (IT). Many local administration responded by setting up an IT incision which was put in charge of computerising operations. Hence local government organisations will be sensed to be competent, knowledgeable, courteous and reliable if and when their employees possess competencies to allow effective exe slenderizeion of their prescribed duties.This study will be undertaken with the accusive of investigating the impact of employee competencies as perceived by customer satisfaction in the services provided by Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar (MBAS) or Alor Setar urban center Council. Additionally, this study will also evaluate the relationship between employee competencies and perceived customer satisfaction. It is all historic(predicate) to undertake this research at this time partic ularly at MBAS because it is now in transition to move towards a new stage of increased employee competencies in the new era of internet-enabled services.1.1 Local government in the Malaysian ContextLocal authorities in Malaysia are governed primarily by various state of matteral and state legislative viands. At the national level, the Local Government Act of 1976 is the primary legislation that specifies the functions and responsibilities of local government bodies in Peninsular Malaysia. These functions and responsibilities not besides include mandatory functions but also discretionary functions too. These functions include solid waste doment, street maintenance and activities pertaining to public health. Examples of discretionary functions include development and infrastructure functions standardized providing conveniences, recreational parks, lodgement and regulating certain aspects of commercial activities such as licensing.According to a report by the United Nations E conomic and Social Com guardianship for Asia and the Pacific (2001), provisions of the Local Government Act 1976 grants local authorities in Malaysia the following roles in their respective jurisdictions or areasLocal planning authorityLicensing authority struggle to impose certain kinds of taxesTake in charge housing, building and commercial construction (markets, hawker stalls and many others)Manage to perform urban planning, landscape gardening and perplexity functionsManage public transport systemsManage to plan and provide public utilities. outset United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (2001). http//www.unescap.org/huset/lgstudy/coun turn out/malaysia/malaysia.htmlAs can be see above, local authorities in Malaysia have a wide range of functions and responsibilities which has significant impact in the environment which they operate in. It is highly important for operational competencies to be studied and further developed in order to correct the delivery of services to the people (their customers). The fact that the Malaysian government is aggressively pursuing economic growth can be seen with the introduction of the New Economic Model (NEM) initiative and 10th Malaysia programme by Prime look Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak recently. As part of these initiatives, local authorities will play important roles in the further development of the country.As of July 2010, there are 147 local authorities in Malaysia as summarized in Table .Table Local Authorities in MalaysiaLocal AuthoritiesTotalCity Councils12municipal Councils39District Councils96Total147extraction Ministry of Housing and Local Government. http//jkt.kpkt.gov.my/en/main.php?Content=vertsectionsSubVertSectionID=59VertSectionID=43CurLocation=43IID=1.2 The Background of Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar (MBAS)MBAS is one of the local authorities in Peninsular Malaysia. At its inception in 1735, MBAS was established as a sanitation board when the city was founded by Sulta n Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin Muazzam Shah. The city of Alor Setar and the local authority body which oversaw it has grown in size and functions since then. MBAS is the local authority entrusted with providing services for the governance and development of Alor Setar. It is the only local authority in the state of Kedah with city council status which was awarded by the federal government on 31 December 2003. This upgrade of status came after Alor Setar awayicially became a city on 22 August 2002. From the Population, Household Living Quarters Malaysia 2009 publication by the Department of Statistics, we find that the district of Kota Setar (which includes Alor Setar) has a commonwealth of 429,900 people.Source1. Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar. http//www.mbas.gov.my/web/ leaf node/background2. Department of Statistic, Malaysia.http//www.statistics.gov.my/ccount12/click.php?id=294According to the Local Government Department of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, a city counc il should meet the following criteriaArea under jurisdiction includes the administrative centre of the statePopulation above 500,000Fiscally sustainable with annual revenues exceeding RM100 million capable of sustaining a balanced budget homework of high level of servicesSustainable development with an emphasis on tackling urban issues like squatters, illegal factory operation, security, housing for low-income groups and environmental conservationAchieves steadfast city classification under Malaysia Urban Indicator Network System (MURNInet)Availability of industrial centres, financial institutions, cultural centres, sports and recreational facilities and educational institutionsComplete infrastructure provision and public utilities inclusive of public transportation facilities, traffic management system, efficient road network and ICT services, public areas which are disabled-friendly andRecognition as a city either at national or international level in certain areasSource Ministry of Housing and Local Government. http//jkt.kpkt.gov.my/en/main.php?Content=vertsectionsSubVertSectionID=65VertSectionID=43CurLocation=43IID= page=1The current mayor of Alor Setar is Dato Khazali Din. He has been in office since 1 December 2008. Besides the mayor, there are also 14 local councillors who are appointed by the State Government under provisions in the Local Government Act 1976 to administer MBAS. It employs approximately 250 employees ranked from Head of Departments to labourers. on that point are nine major departments and divisions in MBAS as followsTreasuryDevelopment planningEngineeringAssessment and Property managementManagement servicesMunicipal services and HealthCommunity developmentLawBuildingsSource Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar. http//www.mbas.gov.my/web/guest/jabatandanbahagianThe main objectives of MBAS are as followsProvide a comfortable lifetime for the community of Alor Setar city from the aspects of services, planning and developmentTransform the employ ees of MBAS to an efficient, clean, trustworthy and disciplined workforceIncrease and diversify the sources of revenue so that MBAS will become a financially strong institutionManagement system which is of quality, dynamic and innovative andDevelop a caring society environment among the workforce through the provision of welfare, health and safety schemesSource Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar. http//www.mbas.gov.my/web/guest/objectiveThroughout its 275 years of existence from a sanitation board up to the current prosopopoeia as a city council, MBAS has been contributing a strategical role in the delivery of local government services in Alor Setar. Its official mission statement is to provide the highest level of services based on the latest technology. The primary functions of MBAS as a local authority includes development and operational functions such as solid waste management, cleaning of public areas and amenities, traffic system design and street maintenance, landscaping and beau tification works, provision of shared public facilities and amenities like sports and recreation areas and infrastructure works. The most important secondary function of MBAS is to regulate tune and commercial activities by means of licensing provisions. An example of the usage of these regulatory powers can be seen in the recent controversy regarding sports betting. While the federal government had approved a sports betting clear to Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd, the state governments led by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had declined to issue licenses for premises to be used for sports betting activities. This was done by instructing the various local authorities in PR-controlled states not to issue premise and other business licenses for sports betting activities to Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd. This effectively fastend that Ascot Sports will not be able to operate sports betting activities in those states.Source The Star, June 2010 http//thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=nationfile=/2010/6/7/nation/2010 0607155524Other secondary functions of MBAS include the promotion of commercial and tourism activities and health and safety regulations of the community. This is done through the provision of infrastructure like roads and public facilities like parks, recreational areas, museums and the like. In equipment casualty of health and safety regulations, a commonly seen example would be the enforcement of laws against aedes mosquito breeding areas and building inspections and renovation regulations to ensure that such work is done within acceptable limits and meets minimum safety standards.1.3 Background of the study in that location are many opinions with regards to the issue on how to manage service quality and delivery. In terms of service-based businesses, while the basis is similar to that of manufacturing-based businesses, the challenges posed are quite different. This is mainly due to the different attributes of both businesses. In manufacturing businesses, typically a product is made to certain specifications. The outcome of the process to create and manufacture a particular product should produce very little variation. This contrasts with service businesses whereby the outcome of services provided by the business can be significantly different due to the interaction between the business and its customers in the process. There are variations in expectation, expertise and material inputs from one customer to the next. Because of this, the outcomes of the process as perceived by customers can vary significantly even when businesses try to control for as many variables as possible.In terms of the public sector and courteous service in Malaysia, the government has set up a number of agencies and undertook various measures to improve performance and service quality delivery. Some of these agencies and measures along with a brief history are mentioned below.One of the earliest attempts in post-independence Malaya to formalise and standardise information procedu res for Public Services Department (PSD) employees is the setting up of the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN). It was set up in September 1959 as the Staff Training Centre in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. The centre provided training in administrative areas such as financial, land, office management and local government administration. The Staff Training Centre became INTAN in June 1972 and now has a mission to develop human resources in the public sector though the provision of quality training programmes.Source National Institute of Public Administration, Malaysia. http//www.intanbk.intan.my/i-portal/en/about-intan/intan-in-brief.htmlThe Malaysian administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) was ab initio created as the Development Administrative Unit (DAU) in 1966. The DAU was created based on a report by Prof. John D. Montgomery dan Milton J. Esma in Development Administrative in Malaysia which called for steps to improve professionalism in the public service by providing training and dispenseing educational programmes for all levels of the civil service. DAU was responsible to spearhead improvements in the civil service. In 1972, DAU was merged with the Implementation, Coordination and Evaluation Unit (ICEU) to form the Implementation, Coordination and Development Administration Unit (ICDAU). MAMPU was set up in 1977 as a new spot which took over the responsibilities of modernising and human resources planning from the ICDAU.Source1. Malaysian Administrative Modernization and Management Planning Unit, Prime diplomatic ministers Department. http//www.mampu.gov.my/mampu/sejarah12. Implementation Coordination Unit, Prime Ministers Department. http//www.icu.gov.my/icuV9/pg/indexV9.php?pg=profThe Public Complaints government agency (PCB) under the Prime Ministers Department was mooted by former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak. It get under ones skined operations on 2 August 1971 and is the leading organisation in Ma laysia for the management and monitoring of public complaints regarding government departments and agencies (Suddle, 2009).Source Suddle, 2009. Report on Study Tour of PUBLIC COMPLAINTS BUREAU MALAYSIA. http//www.asianombudsman.com/ORC/RETAreports/FTO_report.pdfProbably the most well known bowel movement by the government to improve the civil service by reducing instances of corruption would be the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) which was mooted by former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi which officially commenced operations on 1 January 2009. The history of MACC began as an agency when the National Bureau of Investigation was set up in 1973 to consolidate corruption and other special cases which were being handled by different teams in the police, Prime Ministers Department and the Law Ministry. The name was then changed to the Anti-Corruption Agency in 1982 to reflect its role as the main agency in Malaysia in the fight against corruption.Source Malaysian An ti-Corruption Commission. http//www.sprm.gov.my/To improve civil service performance, former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in January 2005 had suggested various means on reinventing the civil service in Malaysian. According to him, to safeguard the image of civil service, public sector employees must be creative, inventive, fluid, consultive and clear of corrupt practices. He addressed this issue to 3000 decision makers in public sector, ministers and chief executive officers of government-linked companies in order to have a free flow of ideas between top-level officers and their subordinates for the betterment of the service. He said civil servant must be able to think out of the box and make strategic adjustments so that they could act speedily when faced with adversity. On free flow of ideas within the service, department heads must be willing to acknowledge good suggestions which were accustomed by their subordinates. Civil servants should be encouraged to provide stipenddback on approaches undertaken and these responses must be taken seriously by decision makers who should also institute changes whenever necessary.Source The Star, January 2005In February 2005, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi reminded the civil service to increase emphasis on integrity, accountability and high work ethics in its efforts to improve efficiency in inspection and repair the people and the business community to safeguard the image of the public sector in order to enjoy the support and confidence of the people.Source The Star, February 2005The Special Taskforce to assuage Business (PEMUDAH) was established on 7 February 2007 under the Prime Ministers Department. Mooted by former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the terms of reference for the objectives and operations of PEMUDAH is as followsTo check the status of the public services delivery system in terms of processes, procedures, legislation and human resource towards introducing improvementsTo study best practices in the private sector that can be adopted by the public sectorTo coordinate programs across public sector agencies towards enhancing Malaysias competitivenessTo monitor the implementation of policies, strategies and procedures aimed towards improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the public delivery system andTo take appropriate action in addressing issues raised during Cabinet meetings regarding the public delivery system.Source PEMUDAH Secretariat Office, Ministry of transnational Trade and Industry. http//www.pemudah.gov.my/297On 13 April 2007, the government introduced the concept of One Stop Centre (OSC) for local government agencies under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. According to fountainhead Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, the OSC was set up based on the concept of No Wrong Door whereby it will be a single point of entry which allows customers to obtain various services from multiple agencies using an integrated meth od. OSC will coordinate all stages from documentation submission until a decision is reached and provided to the customer.Source The Office of Chief Secretary to the Government. About One Stop Centre. http//www.pmo.gov.my/ksn/?frontpage/speech/detail/1470Within half a year of assuming office, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had mooted and established the Performance Management Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) on 16 September 2009. A unit under the Prime Ministers Department, its main role and objective is to oversee the implementation and assess the progress of the government transformation programme (GTP) and to facilitate and support the delivery of both National come across Result Areas (NKRAs) and Ministry Key Result Areas (MKRAs) of the various ministries and government agencies.Source Performance Management Delivery Unit, Prime Ministers Department. http//www.transformation.gov.my/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=205Itemid=144lang=enOn 1 January 2010, the MBAS Complaints Po rtal was launched as an online employment to allow the public to lodge complaints to the local authority. The portal accepts submissions both online and though Short Message Service (SMS). The public can then follow up on complaints lodged though the portal. The portal also provides a forum for the council to receive feedback from the public.Source MBAS Complaints Portal. About Complaints Portal.http//aduan.mbas.gov.my2000/aduan/news.php1.4 Research ProblemMany business organisations these days would no doubt agree that the environments in which they do their businesses is becoming more and more complex and more challenging to understand due to rapid pace of change. There have been many studies which concluded that no business can be successful without taking the needs of their customers into serious consideration.There are several factors which have played significant roles which has changed the impact customers have on businesses. One of them would be the rise of consumerism in t he 20th century. Rapid economic expansion due to the agricultural and industrial revolutions along with explosive population growth has rapidly increased the number of consumers in the market. Prior to this, only a small percentage of the population had sufficient disposable incomes to make an impact outside of their local societies. Due to rapid economic growth, more and more people earned enough to start having significant levels of disposable income which could be used for discretionary purchases. New inventions and improvements allowed businesses to transport goods faster and cheaper allowing more people to have increasing choices in the goods and services available to them. The services industry started being recognised as an arm of the economy in its own right and in more advanced economies, is more important than manufacturing and trading industries. Customers now have more choices and could demand more from businesses. Any business which does not respond adequately to the r apidly changing business environments may face overwhelming challenges and can even go out of business.As a local authority and a government body, while it is very severe for MBAS to go out of business per se, it is still a service organisation that provides multiple services to the people. MBAS cannot deny the expectations of its customers because their customers are taxpayers and voters. As a government body, it receives all income from public sources (i.e. taxpayers) and if they are not happy, they will show their displeasure during elections and effect changes through the government. We can thus surmise that employees in service organisations play an important role in ensuring that customers have a positive first impression. If customers are not provided with a level of service which they expect, this will lead to dissatisfaction and as a consequence, the number of complaints will increase. According to MBAS Public Relations Section, the authority receives on average 29 complain ts per day sent by the public through various channels namely the MBAS Complains Portal, telephone, mail and fax.In order to reduce dissatisfaction with its services and thus the number of complaints, it is necessary for MBAS to increase the quality of services it provides. It is highly important for them to plan, coordinate and then implement a comprehensive program to promote and disseminate the mindset of service quality excellence among employees in the organisation. It is imperative for MBAS to improve its services because its customers (the public) expect to interact with competent employees who are able to display high levels of professionalism and provide equally high levels of service quality whether in terms of explanation or physical services provided.Local authorities play an important role in the growth of both in the state they are located in and their own jurisdiction. You can go to virtually any part of Alor Setar and the name of the local authority administrating th e city can be understandably seen. This has an effect of ensuring that services (or in contrast, the lack of services) provided by MBAS is always in the public eye. For example, a pedestrian bridge along Jalan Alor Setar-Sungai Petani at Batu 3, Tandop which has been in a state of disrepair for some time caused a scare when a large metal piece measuring 3 x 24 metres and a standard celebrating the Sultans recent birthdaye road isrepair for some time caused a scare when piecen of S is always in the public eye. t services or fell on the road underneath the bridge. While no vehicles or people were hurt in the hazard, there has been several earlier incidents of smaller pieces of metal falling off the bridge. A road user claimed that he had informed MBAS about the earlier incidents but thus far no action has been taken. A few questions had arose from the incident namely why the local authority did not take any action upon receiving complains about the bridge earlier? While there may be a lack of allocation at this time to repair the bridge, perhaps if MBAS had more competent staff, perhaps any loose metal pieces could have been distant and the bridge temporarily closed while awaiting allocation to fully repair the bridge. This would have helped to ensure no untoward incident happens.http//www.sinarharian.com.my/bterkini/4941.aspLandscaping and beautification activities of public areas and amenities are one of the local authorities primary functions. It was reported recently that the Taman PKNK football sketch has not been properly maintained for several months. This had made the field unusable due to the tall grass which has now became homes to poisonous snakes and other animals. According to the news report, MBAS follows a schedule whereby grass will be cut on fields located in residential areas every 21 days. The questions that are being asked is what had caused the oversight in maintaining the field? The oversight was not observe by the council despite mult iple 21 days cycles having passed. Could it be due to incompetence of MBAS employees that lead to the oversight in providing the required service? Employees should be more innovative and creative in overcoming obstacles faced when providing such services.http//www.sinarharian.com.my/utr/content/story5181294.aspThe attitudes and procedures of MBAS once again came into question when a conflict occurred between the council and Chinese associations over what was snarl as a new requirement to pay two different license fees for mahjong activities. The council had issued a letter on 7 July 2010 requesting payment for licensing fee but the associations had already paid a licensing fee to the Kota Setar district office for their mahjong activities. According to them, that is the only license they have always paid to conduct their activities. It was later clarified by Alor Setar Mayor Datuk Khazali Din that the license paid to the district office was to conduct mahjong activities but a separ ate license for the premises was also required to be paid to the council but was not enforced earlier. The questions raised in this incident relates to why if there were indeed such rules, it was not informed or explained to the Chinese associations earlier to prevent the misunderstanding from occurring in the first place.http//thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/18/nation/6689157sec=nationAs the mahjong activities has been going on for some time, the point now is that the attitude of the council and lack of tack in approaching the matter had caused the disruption of veritable activities of other people. The approach used to approach the Chinese associations regarding the licensing issue reveals the inflexibility of the council. MBAS could have used more gentle approaches when approaching the associations and prevent the misunderstanding from occurring in the first place like giving them a suitable grace period rather than threatening immediate fines and legal action for non -compliance with its demands. MBAS will be categorised as a quality service provider if its employees have initiative, accountability, motivation and work as a team to accomplish their tasks or projects. peradventure if the council had employees with the correct competencies in place, the various incidents mentioned above would not have happened?MBAS has to provide sufficient skills, ability, and the correct knowledge and resources to their employees and place them at the right positions. At the comparable time, the council should also adopt new forms of work organisation such as work teams, management delayering, job sharing, reengineering and downsizing redundant employees. In this context, MBAS should not only improve business performance but must also focus itself on making the necessary management changes related to combination of factors such as employee competencies, new computing and communications technologies and measure the productivity of service staff and knowledge wo rkers. There is precious little studies in the past to measure perceived service quality in MBAS. As a service provider, MBAS is expected to be more competent and innovative. Given the situation that the council now finds itself in, service quality will be an undoubtedly interesting area to study.1.5 Research ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to determine if service quality at MBAS is driven by employee competencies. To be more specific, we want toIdentify employee competencies which is important for MBAS to improve customer satisfactionExamine customer satisfaction as perceived by the public at MBAS andInvestigate the relationship of employee competencies in relation to perceived customer satisfaction in MBAS.1.6 Research QuestionThis study was motivated by our determination to dish up the following questionsWhat are the competencies that employees at MBAS should have?What is customer satisfaction as perceived by the public?What are the relationships between employee compet encies and perceived customer satisfaction?1.7 Definition of TermsLocal Government EmployeeA worker who is employed to provide services to a company on a regular staple fiber in exchange for compensation and who does not provide these services as part of an independent or self-employed business.CompetenciesA cluster of related knowledge, skills and attitudes that affects a major part of role or responsibility that correlates with performance on the job, that can be against well accepted standards, and that can be improved via training (Competencies Workgroup, September 2002).ServiceService can be defined as any primary com

Investment Appraisal Decision Making

Investment Appraisal Decision Making1. INTRODUCTIONThe research is undertaken in the partial fulfillment of degree of MBA. The harangue focuses on the coronation funds appraisal in the Indian hotel sedulousness. Sh arholders and Creditors invest bang-up in an enterprise in the hope of gaining a return. For loan creditors they require involvement plus a return of their capital, while sh atomic number 18holders require dividends and maintenance or increase of share prices. The capital invested is channeled through the enterprise and invested in capital projects, which essential generate returns commensurate with the expectations of the countenancers of that capital. smashing investment within any organization is crucial and important for the organizations well macrocosm and massive time survival. Capital investments are those which prevail long- line effects on the organization by providing benefits over a number of years. This dissertation also shows the unlike types of inv estment appraisal and shows the companionship where to invest and where to not invest. Questionnaire is designed to collect prime data along with secondary data collected during literature review. Conclusions pull up stakes be based on the basis of data collected from questionnaires. Secondary data and recommendations will be presented that will enhance the conclusiveness making process made in the Indian hotel industry by the investment appraisal methods.2. OVERVIEW OF INVESTMENT APPRAISALCapital expenditure decisions are crucial to the long-term viability, success and survival of a company. Capital investment appraisal provides a framework in which capital projects can be analyseed, screened and evaluated. Because of the inflexible nature of capital projects, peril and uncertainty, and environmental change, e.g. the tax factor, changes in government policy and technological change, it is essential that they are carefully selected, to ensure that they will help the organizati on to achieve its objectives. Therefore, Investment decision is one of the draw decision areas of financial management.An investment decision can be defined as one that involves the firm making a cash outlay with the rent of receiving, in return, future day cash inflows. Decisions about buying a new machine, building a factory, extending warehouse, improving a delivery service, instituting a staff reading scheme or launching a new produce line are all examples of investment decisions that need to be made by the industry. In site to make such decisions and to ensure that they are consistent with each other, a common method of appraisal is required which can be utilize equally to the whole spectrum of investment decisions and which should help to decide whether any particular investment will assist the company in maximizing shareholder wealth. Therefore, investment appraisal methods cannot replace managerial judgement, but they helps to make that judgement more sound. Investmen t appraisal is also referred to as capital budgeting (Lumby. S, 1988).The decision making consists of different stagesPlanningIdentifying the alternatives to be considered and their trans arrangeion into workable proposals.Appraising the alternatives and selecting the best one with regard to the organ isations goals.Implementing the decision.Reviewing the selected investment project (Rhrich. M, 2007).3. RESEARCH AIMS OBJECTIVESEvery organization has problems in its investment areas, so an appropriate investment appraisal is required to solve these problems.The role of investment appraisal is to ensure that appropriate information is gathered relating to the investment alternatives. Capital investment decisions allocates resources within the organization to offer the best potential of meeting its objectives. It maintains and improves profit performance and increase market share. It achieves a balanced product portfolio. Investment appraisal methods are relevant to all decisions that form part of the investment planning process. Understanding different investment appraisal methods, their assumptions, limitations and possible usages will lead to an increased understanding of different decision making and an informed choice of methods. This should greatly enhance decision making in regard to both(prenominal) single investment projects and investment programmes. It enhances various alternatives to use different methods of investment appraisal to make business decisions. It also develops higher order skills through having to consider other factors, apart from quantitative methods, that a business might have to consider in making business decisions. The main goal of long term decision making is that the firm must get across the investment in order to earn profits greater than the funds committed. In order to handle these decisions, firms must have to make an assessment of the size of the outflows and inflows of funds, the lifespan of the investment, the degree of risk attached and the cost of obtaining funds. The main focus of this research is to analyze the decision making process made in the Indian hotel industry by the investment appraisal methods. Taj Residency Plc, Abad Plaza Plc are the hotels in India which are include in this research. This dissertation will try to answer following questions apply investment appraisal methods depending on problems identified during the compend and searching for alternatives. Key considerations in making investment decisions areShould an investment be undertaken or rejected?In the case of mutually exclusive investment projects, which one should be like?For how long should n investment project should be utilized?When should the investment project be started?What is the scale of the investment can the company afford it?How long will it be before the investment starts to yield returns?Which of the investment projects should be preferred and carried out when limited financial budget restricts the numb er that can be undertaken t the same time?How long will it take to pay back the investment?What are the expected profits from the investment?Could the money that is being ploughed into the investment yield higher returns elsewhere?Does the proposed investment fit in with the organizations strategic objectives?What are previous proposals to see which techniques the organization uses?How the organization allows for risk and inflation in investment proposals?Which investment appraisal techniques would the companies wish to consider for making long term investment decision?Investment appraisal in the Indian Hotel IndustryHotel Industry in India has made tremendous boom in the recent years. Hotel Industry is inextricably linked to the tourism industry and the reaping in the Indian tourism industry has fuelled the growth of Indian hotel industry. The hotel industry and tourism industry in India are straightly linked to each other.Revenues of Hotel and Restaurant (HR) industry in India du ring the financial year 2006-07 was INR604.32 billion , a growth of 21.27% over the previous year, primarily driven by foreign tourist arrivals ,which increased by 14.17%. at present, there are 1,980 hotels approved and classified by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, with a conglomeration capacity of about 110,000 hotel rooms. The tourism industry is showing tenuous performance, in terms of foreign tourists arrival. It is estimated that over the next two years 70,000-80,000 rooms will be added across different categories throughout the country.The thriving sparing and increased business opportunities in India have acted as a boon for Indian hotel industry. The cheaper airlines rates to India has also made growth in the domestic and foreign tourists which helped the industry very successfully. In recent years the Indian government has taken several measures to boost travel tourism which have benefited hotel industry in India.Investments in tourism infrastructure are essential for Indian hotel industry to achieve its potential. But instead there are few challenges faced by the Indian Hotel industry. They are lack of cost structure, shortage of efficient manpower, shortage of resources etc, so an appropriate investment appraisal is required to select and monitor the investments properly. The hotels which are included in this research are Taj Residency Plc, Abad Plaza Plc.Taj Residency Plc is a five star hotel which is situated in Cochin, kerala, India. Its a hotel which consists of 108 rooms including 12 spacious suites. The hotel provides all the services for the customers. The hotel is situated turn up to the sea, so it focuses mainly on international tourists. The Taj Residency Group is focusing on building a new hotel under the same name in other place in kerala, India.Abad Plaza Plc is a five star hotel which is situated in Cochin, kerala, India. Its a hotel which consists of 80 fully furnished luxury rooms. The hotel provides much more qu ality services for the satisfaction of customers. Warmth and hospitality has always been the strong points of this hotel. It is located near to the railway station and close to bus station as well. The hotel is trying to expand the business by way of building another hotel in another city in kerala, India and they are planning to extend the existing hotel into more bigger one in order to build more rooms and provide more service facilities to customers. So, a good decision must be made by using efficient investment appraisal techniques in order to invest in the right place and in the right time.4. LITERATURE REVIEW OF INVESTMENT APPRAISALAn investment is any course of action that involves sacrifices nowadays or in the near future in anticipation of higher future benefits (Pike and Neale, 2003).Investment appraisal is influenced by the fact that external shareholders and potential investors have access to bill data and make their estimates of firms economic rte of return with accru al-based accounting numbers. As a result, there is a continuing history of research analysing and relating accounting rate of return and economic rate of return concepts. score information affects investment appraisal in many ways (Danielson Press, 2003).There are quartet basic techniques for the appraisal of capital investments which are Payback (PB) measures the time that it will take to recover the total funds invested in an project. It shows the time required for the total cash inflows to equal the total cash outflows.A Project is considered attractive if it has short requital period. Projects with short payback periods allows managers to recuperate their investment quickly and separate them more flexibility to reinvest these funds in future. They also have fewer risks than projects with longer payback periods. The payback period is popular method to evaluate capital investments. The shorter the payback period is, the more desirable the investment. Because the payback perio d focuses on short-term results, it does not require managers to predict cash flows far out into the future.Accounting rate of return (ARR) measures the percentage return the project achieves over its life in terms of profitability. Accounting rate of return is often used internally when selecting projects. It measures the performance of projects and subsidiaries within an organization. ARR is almost similar to payback period method but the important difference is that it tends to favor higher risk decisions, whereas use of the payback period leads to overly conservative decisions(Broadbent. M, Cullen. J, 2003).Internal rate of return (IRR) measures the percentage return the project achieves over its lifetime in discounted cash flows. The advantage of using IRR method is that it does not consider the time value of money and therefore is more look at and realistic than the ARR method. The shortcomings of this method are that it is time consume to cast (Shim. K. J, 2000).Net presen t value (NPV) compares the initial cost of the project with the future discounted cash flows it generates. It allows the company to screen the company projects potential profitability by discounting future cash flow expectations and comparing the sum of these cash flows to the initial capital expenditure required to fund the project. Though similar to IRR method, NPV does not calculate an investments charter rate of return but instead calculates the exact dollar amount that an investment exceeds, or fails to meet , the expected rate of return. NPV provides an excellent decision quantity for investments. NPV does not suffer from any of the drawbacks of the payback or IRR methods. NPV is the method most recommended by financial experts for making investment decisions. IRR is still used to determine the exact rate of return for an investment, but NPV has none of the problems that IRR have with unusual investments (McAllister. E. W, 2005).5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGYA research design provi des a framework for the collection and analysis of data (Bryman and Bell, 2007). Data is divided into four types secondary, primary, quantitative and qualitative. Selection of data type depends largely on the type of research (Buckley, 1995). The research objectives justify that descriptive research is the best method to achieve research objectives. The methods used in this research to collect primary data are as followsQuestionnaireIt is a commonly used technique in quantitative research methods. The main benefit of using questionnaire to collect primary data is that it collects data in a format that is easy to analyze. The questions to be asked in the questionnaire are dictated by the research objectives. Questionnaire provides good sampling control and flexibility and control with regards to location and time. It is time consuming if several segments are involved. The research undertaken will use questionnaire to collect primary data. The mainrationale behind choosing questionna ire is that the research requires the controlled responses from the individuals. Time limitation for the dissertation also supports the selection of questionnaire for primary data collection as it is less time consuming to conduct.Personal audiencesA Personal interview is defined as a purposeful word between two or more people (Kahn and Cannell, 1957). The data collected using personal interview is very reliable. Interviews can be un-integrated or structured (Saunders et al, 2007). Structured interviews are a systematic goal oriented process. They force organized communication between the knowledge engineer and the expert. A structured interview is a question and answer session, which is recorded in some way. Personal interviews provide the visual verification of respondents characteristics and references to sources can be used to verify facts. However, personal interviews may be expensive and difficult to arrange. Also respondents may formulate the answers depending upon their pro files.

Entrepreneurship In Contexts Of Business Management Commerce Essay

Entrepreneurship In Contexts Of Business Management Commerce EssayThe calling world nates be seen as a complex system of individuals and duty organisations that, in a free market economy such as south Africa, involves the activity of transforming scrimpy resources into products and services in stray to meet the necessarily of society (Du Toit, Erasmus Strydom, two hundred74). Business organisations therefore solve the total sparing problem of how to ensure the highest possible satisfaction of needs with scarce resources (Cronje, Du Toit Motlatla, 200123). In order to say how the personal line of credit organisation satisfies the needs of society in a free market economy, it is important to understand the driving magnate behind the business organisation, that is to say the entrepreneur (Du Toit et al., 200737). The entrepreneur is at the heart of a free market economy and establishes business organisations and in doing so takes jobs and riches (Cronje et al., 20013). Entrepreneurs and pertly business creation is primaeval to the nurtureth of the South Afri arsehole economy and to the future socio-political st susceptibility of the country (Von Broembsen, Wood Herrington, 20055). Due to low sparing growth, high unemployment and an unsatisfactory level of p overty in South Africa, entrepreneurship becomes a critical solution (Rwigema Venter, 200427). As mentioned in Chapter 1, one of the most important groups of entrepreneurs inside the economy with considerable potential to contribute to economic growth, economic development and employment generation be business women (Blumberg Kenan, 2008 Ahl, 2006 Negash, 2006 Blumberg, 2005 Republic of South Africa, 2005 Baker, Aldrich Liou, 1997). Therefore, this workplace focuses on the strategic entrepreneurial doings of business women in South Africa.An improved understanding of entrepreneurial behaviour and decision-making would enable business instruction students to better understand how bu siness organisations function in todays warlike environment. In this chapter the fancy of business perplexity is addressed. The chapter starts by introducing the causa of economic science, followed by an overview of business solicitude as a discipline. This section leads to a discussion of the simileship between economics and business trouble. Then follows a section which elaborates on entrepreneurship and strategic management as thoroughly as a section how these two fields overlap. Special attention is presumptuousness to entrepreneurship and strategic management in an attempt to clarify the rank of this fill in a business management context. The position of the study within the field of economics and business management is illustrated in designing 2.1. go into 2.1 The position of the study within the field of economics and business management2.2 ECONOMICS economic science has been delimit in respective(a) ways in its more than 200 year history (Arnold, 20043). It i s therefore useful to review a turn of expositions of what economics entails. Alfred Marshall (1824-1924) broadly defined economics as the study of adult male in the ordinary business of life it is the study of riches and of man. Lionel Robbins (1898-1984) definition focussed on substitute outputs that elicit be achieved with scarce resources. He defined economics as the science which studies gentlemans gentleman behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses. Similarly, Milton Friedman (1912-2006) said that economics is the science of how a subprogramicular society solves its economic problems. He then argues that an economic problem exists whenever scarce means are utilise to live up to alternative ends (Arnold, 20043). It seems from the above definitions that economics is the study of how society manages its scarce resources (Mankiw, 20044). More encompassingly, economics is the study of how individuals and societies deal with th e fact that wants are greater than the limited resources available to satisfy those wants (Arnold, 20043).The condition, under which wants are greater than the limited resources available to satisfy those wants, is called scarcity (Arnold, 20043). This endeavour to achieve the highest possible satisfaction of needs with scarce resources is known as the fundamental economic principle (Smit, Cronje, Brevis Vrba, 200720) and every economic system is subject to it (Cronje et al., 200123). That being so, it follows that any character of an economic system, including a business organisation, is as well subject to the economic principle (Nieman Bennett, 20066 Cronje et al., 200123).In order to create wealth and satisfy wants, as implied in the definitions, resources are utilised (Nickels, McHugh McHugh, 20089). Resources are divided into foursome broad categories, called factors of production. These factors of production are land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship (Arnold, 20045) . Land includes all natural resources, such as minerals, forests, water and unimproved land. Labour, on the other hand, consists of the physical and mental talents mint contribute to the production transfer. Capital consists of gaind goods that can be used as inputs for further production. Entrepreneurship, the focus of this study, refers to the particular talent that some individuals have for organising the resources of land, labour, and capital to produce goods, seek new business opportunities, and develop new ways of doing things (Arnold, 20045). It furthermore refers to the initiative of putting together a range of production factors in several(a) combinations in diverse businesses to satisfy the numerous needs of consumers (Nieman Bennett 20066).The field of economics is traditionally divided into two broad subfields, namely, microeconomics and macroeconomics (Mankiw, 20044). On the one hand, microeconomics deals with human behaviour and choices as they relate to relativ ely small units and studies moveions through individual markets, tending(p) scarcity and government regulation (Arnold, 200427). In other words, microeconomics is the study of how households and regulars make decisions and how they interact in specific markets. On the other hand, macroeconomics deals with human behaviour and choices as they relate to highly aggregate markets or to the immaculate economy (Arnold, 20044). Macroeconomics is thus the study of economy-wide phenomena (Mankiw, 200427). The present study is related to microeconomics as it deals with individuals i.e. business women and how they make decisions to allocate scarce resources.Neoclassical economists are interested in decision-making, especially the costs and incentives associated with economic choices (Hicks, 1937). The decision-making mold plays an important role in any business organisation and is of importance for problem-solving, the development of business plans, and goal-directed behaviour (Gray, 2001) . In macroeconomics, a classical synthesis was developed in the early 1950s, based on an integration of Keyness ideas and the ideas of earlier economists (Blanchard, 2006576). These theories had a fundamental impact on the modern understanding of rigids and their relation to the environment.In economics theories are useful for explaining and predicting economic behaviour. Theories are developed to explain observed phenomena in terms of a set of basic rules and assumptions (Pindyck Rubinfeld, 20055). The speculation of the firm consists of a number of economic theories which describe the nature of the firm, company, or corporation, including its existence, its behaviour, and its relationship with the market (Coase, 1937), which impact business management scholars understanding of the field. The opening of the firm is based on a simple assumption namely that firms try to effort their profits (Pindyck Rubinfeld, 20055). The theory of the firm furthermore provides an explanation of how a firm makes cost-minimising production decisions and how its cost varies with output (Pindyck Rubinfeld, 2005188). In simplified terms, the theory of the firm attempts to answer questions regarding the existence of firms, the boundaries of firms, the organisation of firms and questions concerning heterogeneity of firm actions and performances (Coase, 1937).To summarise, the field of economics focuses on how society manages its scarce resources, also called factors of production, to satisfy the needs of society. In order to understand how entrepreneurship, as one of the factors of production, influences wealth creation in the economy, one has to advise the role of business management which is come to with the management aspects of the factors of production.2.3 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AS A DISCIPLINEThe origins of traditional management can be traced prat to the need for efficiency and effectiveness (Weymes, 2004340). The endeavour to achieve the highest possible satisfaction of needs with scarce resources is known as the fundamental economic principle (Smit et al., 200720). inwardly economic and management sciences, traditional business management is subject to this principle, and the managements task is thus is to decide how an organisation can achieve the highest possible output with the least possible input (Smit et al., 200720 Scheepers, 20097). More specifically, it entails an examination of the factors, methods and principles that enable a business to function as productively as possible in order to maximise its profits (Nieman, 200539). In short, the individual business enterprise should focus on realising the economic principle (Scheepers, 20097).The study of business management depends on comprehensive and ongoing research and the examination of management problems, the testing of approaches and principles as well as experimentation with methods and techniques. Business management is thus an applied science that studies how business organisat ions can best be directed towards realising their objectives given their limited resources (Du Toit et al., 200727).Klekamp (196854) defines business management as achieving organisational goals through people. It is useful to consider this time-worn definition through the sight of three fundamental schools of management. These schools are the traditional school of management the behavioural school of management and the quantitative school of management.It appears that the traditional school sees the achievement of organisational goals as a process. It further suggests that the process is universal i.e. the distinguishing characteristic of a manager is the mastery of her discipline and the application of her art rather that the environment in which it is practiced. The behavioural school, on the other hand, focuses on the achievement of goals, as the process does, but dwells to a larger extent upon why people act as they do when under the influence of the management process and in the company of people grouped together for the accomplishment of organisational goals. Alternatively, the quantitative school proposes that the achievement of goals depends to a large extent on the quality of the decisions made in the practice of the management science (Klekamp, 196854).Although, business management has been defined by a number of authors, fundamental to most definitions is the idea that management is a social process of planning, coordination, control, and motivation (Pettinger, 2002 Hodgetts, 1981114). One can infer that business management therefore involves satisfying needs with a limited amount of resources through planning, coordination, control, and motivation of these resources (Ward, 200819).The many definitions offered in the literature on management demonstrate the wide differences of opinion among writers and experts about the tasks and activities of management. Figure 2.2 illustrates the four fundamental tasks that are singled out as the most important activities of the management process. These are planning, organising, leading and control (Du Toit et al., 2007129).Figure 2.2 The four fundamental management tasks represented as a processSOURCE Adapted from Du Toit et al., 2007130The following brief description of the fundamental management tasks clarifies the concept of management and the management process. The first fundamental task of management, namely planning, determines the mission and goals of the organisation, including the way goals are to be reached in the long, and the resources needed for this task (Du Toit et al., 2007130). Strategic management is an integral part of planning and is the process of evolution a vision, mission and long-term objectives for the organisation as a whole. According to Nieman and Bennett (200214), organisations succeed if their strategies are appropriate for the circumstances they face, and viable in respect of their resources, skills and capabilities. Strategic management is discussed in more depth in Section 2.6.The second fundamental task in the management process is organising. This task refers to the development of a framework or organisational structure to indicate how people, equipment and materials should be employed to reach the predetermined goals (Du Toit et al., 2007130). Leading, the third fundamental task, entails directing the human resources of the business and motivating them (Du Toit et al., 2007130) in order to get them to perform in such a way that the organisational objectives can be achieved (Nieman Bennett, 200699). The final fundamental task, namely control, implies that managers should constantly establish whether the business is on a proper course towards the accomplishment of its goals (Du Toit et al., 2007131) as well as structuring the activities of the organisation to facilitate the attainment of its objectives (Nieman Bennett, 200693).The fundamental task of business management is, however, not only to plan, organise, lead, and to control but to study those factors, principles and methods that will lead a business organisation, as a component of the prevailing economic system, to reach its objectives against the background of limited resources (Du Toit et al., 200728) within the microeconomic field of study. In the following section the relationship between economics and business management is discussed. Particular attention is paid to the discussion of a business organisation as a component of the economic system, specifically how, as a need-satisfying institution in the free market economy, it provides for the needs of the community (Cronje et al., 200132).2.4 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENTOn the one hand, economics, as a social science, studies how humans and society exercise choices concerning different ways of utilising their scarce resources in order to satisfy unlimited needs. On the other hand, business management as an applied science is have-to doe with with the study of tho se institutions in a particular economic system which satisfy the needs of a community. Economics examines the entire economic system, while business management limits its studies to one component of the economic system, namely the individual organisation (Cronje et al., 200123).Business management is thus closely think with microeconomics and the theory of the firm as the purpose of business management is to hold an organisation to the economic principle (Cronje et al., 200123). Business management, as a field of study, is concerned with the management aspects of the inputs, the conversion process, and the outputs (Nieman Bennett, 20066). More specifically, it entails an examination of the factors, methods and principles that enable a business to function as productively as possible in order to maximise profits (Nieman Bennett, 20024).In order to recognise how the business organisation satisfies the needs of society in a free market economy, such as South Africa, one has to unde rstand one of the driving forces behind the business organisation, namely the entrepreneur (Du Toit et al., 200737).2.5 ENTREPRENEURSHIPEconomic development can be directly attributed to the level of entrepreneurial activity in a country (Bird, 1989 Schumpeter, 1934) as entrepreneurial businesses are responsible for growth and job creation in the economy (Nieman, Hough Nieuwenhuizen, 20033). Entrepreneurship is the process that causes change in the economic system through innovations of individuals who respond to opportunities in the market. Entrepreneurs are challenging existing assumptions as well as conventional rules of business and are creating measure in novel and creative ways for themselves and society (Morris, Kuratko Covin, 20083). It is therefore important to study entrepreneurship in an increasingly globalised world where survival often depends on people who are driven by opportunity and who seek to achieve their goals in a sustainable way (Rwigema Venter, 20049).Alt hough the term entrepreneurship has been in use for over 200 years, considerable disagreement remains over its meaning. Although the disagreement seems greatest if definitions of entrepreneurship between disciplines are compared, a consensus is found if definitions produced by specialists in the same field, are compared (Nieman et al., 20039). Economists, for example, tend to agree that entrepreneurs are associated with innovation and are seen as the driving forces of development (Filion, 1998). The behaviourists, on the other hand, try to understand the entrepreneur as a person and ascribe to the characteristics of mainly the flexible interpretative models. The behavioural approach places emphasis on explaining how decisions are taken within the firm. However, any theory of entrepreneurship must(prenominal) be flexible and multidimensional to reflect its multidisciplinary roots (Nieman et al., 20039 Filion, 1998). age multiple definitions of entrepreneurship could be found in the literature (Sharma Chrisman, 1999 Venkataraman, 1997 Schumpeter, 1983 Kirzner, 1973), no single definition has been accepted by the whole entrepreneurship field (Scheepers, 200725). For the purposes of the present study entrepreneurship can be defined as the process of creating set by bringing together a unique combination of resources to exploit an opportunity (Barringer Ireland, 20065 Stevenson, Roberts Grousback, 1989). Since this definition implies that (1) entrepreneurship may vary in terms of the extent and number of times it elapses (2) entrepreneurship occurs in various contexts for example start-ups and corporate firms (3) it is a process that can be managed and (4) it creates value and it is opportunity-driven (Scheepers, 2009).Firstly, regarding the implication that entrepreneurship may vary in terms of the extent and number of times it occurs, it is useful to examine the concept of entrepreneurial intensity (EI). The term of EI was pioneered by Morris and Sexton (19 96), who view EI as a function of the degree and absolute frequency of entrepreneurship (Morris, 199842). Frequency of entrepreneurship refers to the number of times an enterprise acts entrepreneurially. In other words, the number of entrepreneurial events that takes place within a company over a given period of time (Morris et al., 200869 Morris, 199842).The degree of entrepreneurship could be assessed against the background of three dimensions innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness (Erasmus Scheepers, 2008 Morris, 199837). Innovativeness, the first dimension of the degree of entrepreneurship, refers to the ability to generate ideas that will culminate in the production of new products, services and technologies. Risk-taking, the second dimension, involves the determination and courage to make resources available for projects that have uncertain outcomes. Attempts are made to manage these risks by researching a market, recruiting and employing skilled staff among other st rategies. Proactiveness, the third dimension, indicates top managements stance towards opportunities, encouragement of initiative, agonistical aggressiveness and confidence in pursuing enhanced war-riddenness (Morris, 199818, 41-43).The concept of EI is illustrated in Figure 2.3. The two-dimensional matrix, referred to as the entrepreneurial grid, shows the frequency of entrepreneurial events on the vertical axis vertebra, and the degree to which these events are innovative, risk-taking and proactive on the horizontal axis (Morris et al., 200869). EI must become a key activity ratio that is monitored on an ongoing basis within organisations. Assessment at the level of the organisation can be used for various purposes to benchmark and track levels of entrepreneurship establish norms and draw industry comparisons establish entrepreneurship goals develop strategies and assess relationships between EI and organisation performance variables over time (Morris et al., 200878).Figure 2.3 The entrepreneurial gridSOURCE Morris et al., 200870Secondly, as implied in the definition of Stevenson et al. (1989) entrepreneurship in reality can occur in various organisational contexts (Morris et al., 200811). These organisational contexts may range from establishing a new enterprise, growing an existing small business, or innovation within large organisations (Scheepers, 200927). In other words, entrepreneurship can also be used to describe entrepreneurial actions within a firm. In this instance, an entrepreneurial firm creates wealth by concentrating on being innovative, proactive, and risk-taking (Ireland, Hitt, Camp Sexton, 200151). bodily entrepreneurship is a term used to describe entrepreneurial behaviour inside existing organisations (Morris et al., 200811). Within these different contexts the definition above still applies, since the process and necessary inputs are similar, even if the outputs differ (Scheepers, 2009), therefore the female entrepreneurial behavio ur examined in this study is still regarded as entrepreneurship, even though it may occur in two contexts, namely within a corporate context or in an independent venture.Thirdly, as stipulated in the definition, entrepreneurship can be viewed as a process. Therefore even though entrepreneurship and innovation are inherently unpredictable, chaotic and create ambiguity entrepreneurship is a process, and as such it can be managed. Entrepreneurial events are characterised by different stages, such as opportunity identification, business concept definition, assessment of the resource requirements, acquisition of the needed resources, and then the management and harvesting of the business (Morris Kuratko, 2002).Finally, the ability to act entrepreneurially is linked to the perception of opportunity. The pursuit of opportunities also emphasises that those opportunities, which create the greatest value, could be exploited.It is important to note that entrepreneurship differs from managemen t. There are important differences between the entrepreneurial and managerial functions, as well as the expertise and competence with regard to each (Nieman et al., 200313). Management is a social process of planning, coordination, control, and motivation (Ward, 200819). Management thus involves getting things done through other people and is, in a sense, a transformation process, where human, technical, and conceptual skills are used to transform inputs into outputs (Morris et al., 200812). Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, is the process of creating value by bringing together a unique combination of resources to exploit an opportunity (Barringer Ireland, 20065 Stevenson, Roberts Grousback, 1989). Entrepreneurs visit the future, recognise emerging patterns, identify untapped opportunities, and create innovations to exploit those opportunities (Morris et al., 200812).Figure 2.4 contrasts the primary roles of the manager with those of the entrepreneur. The figure shows that man agers are charged with the efficient and effective role of the resources under their control. They tend to be focussed on optimising current operations. Entrepreneurs, alternatively, demonstrate creative capabilities in obtaining resources, overcoming obstacles, and persisting in implementing new ideas that represent change (Morris et al., 200812).Figure 2.4 Comparing and combining key roles of managers and entrepreneursTHE ENTREPRENEURIAL MANAGERSOURCE Adapted from Morris et al., 200813One of the general approaches to management methods with the purpose of creating a sustainable competitive advantage is that of strategic management (Cronje et al., 200124). According to Nieman and Bennett (200214), strategy is fundamentally about a fit between the organisations resources and the markets targeted by it, as well as the ability to sustain fit over time and in changing circumstances and to create and maintain a competitive advantage within a given market. Therefore, the nature and char acteristics of strategic management is discussed in the following section.2.6 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENTSeveral schools of thought with different opinions about the nature and scope of strategy can be distinguished from the literature (French, 200913). There is also a lack of a universally accepted definition of strategic management. However, central to most definitions is the caprice that strategic management is the process through which managers formulate, implement, and monitor action plans to optimise the achievement of key goals (Rwigema Venter, 2004195).Barney and Arikan (2001140) define strategic management as a firms theory of how it can gain superior performance in the markets within which it operates. Venkataraman and Sarasvathy (2001651) define the subject of strategic management as having to do with the methods used to create value and the turn up struggle to capture a significant share of that value. Hough, Thompson, Strickland and Gamble (20084) propose that strategy cons ists of the competitive moves and business approaches that managers employ in order to grow the firm, attract and please customers, compete successfully, conduct operations, and achieve the targeted levels of organisational performance. For the purpose of the present study strategic management is defined as a process that deals with the long-term entrepreneurial work of the organisation, with organisational renewal and growth, and more particularly, with developing and utilising strategy, which is a guide to the organisations operations (Lyles, 1990363).Strategic management has gained prominence in recent years as organisations compete in volatile environments (Rwigema Venter, 2004197). The dynamic environment in which organisations operate poses ongoing management and leadership challenges, marked by complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity (Rwigema Venter, 200493). Traditional business models are often no longer applicable and some managers are abandoning conventional approaches t o strategy as they search for new ways to achieve a competitive advantage in a turbulent environment. Strategic management paradigms have shifted from essentially static to more dynamic worldviews (Scheepers, 200746).To summarise, in todays fast-paced competitive environment, firms face the need to be increasingly nimble and adaptive (Ireland Webb, 200749). Ireland et al. (200153) state that successfully integrating entrepreneurial and strategic actions improves a firms ability to grow and create wealth. The following section elaborates on the relationship between entrepreneurship and strategic management and on how these two fields overlap.2.7 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIPWhile the fields of strategic management and entrepreneurship have developed largely independently of each other, they both focus on how firms adapt to environmental change and exploit opportunities created by uncertainties and discontinuities in the creation of wealth (Hitt, Irel and, Camp Sexton, 2001480 Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001480). Creating wealth is at the heart of both entrepreneurship and strategic management. Figure 2.5 illustrates how firms create wealth by exploitation entrepreneurial actions and strategic actions within different domains.Figure 2.5 Creating wealth through entrepreneurial and strategic actionsSOURCE Ireland et al., 200151As illustrated in Figure 2.5, firms can create wealth by using entrepreneurial actions and strategic actions within different domains. These domains are vital in the process of creating sustainable income streams by developing and exploiting competitive advantages. (Ireland et al., 200151).Strategic management and entrepreneurship overlaps in terms of their interest in venture creation, novel strategies, growth and performance of organisations (Scheepers, 200746). Entrepreneurship involves identifying and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities. However, to create the most value entrepreneurial firms also n eed to act strategically. An integration of entrepreneurial and strategic thinking is therefore necessary (Hitt et al., 2001479).In the previous section entrepreneurship was defined as the process of creating value by bringing together a unique combination of resources in order to exploit an opportunity (Barringer Ireland, 20065 Stevenson et al., 1989). As such, entrepreneurial actions, on the one hand, entail creating new resources or combining existing resources in new ways to develop and commercialise new products, move into new markets, and/ or service new customers (Hitt et al., 2001480). On the other hand, strategic management entails the set of commitments, decisions, and actions designed and executed to produce a competitive advantage and realise above-average returns (Hitt et al., 2001480). Strategic management thus provides the context for entrepreneurial actions (Ireland, Hitt, Camp Sexton, 2001). Entrepreneurship is about creation strategic management is about how adv antage is established and maintained from what is created (Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001).Entrepreneurship is concerned with how the opportunity to create value in society is discovered and acted upon by some individuals. Strategic management is concerned with the methods used to create this value and the ensuing struggle to capture a significant share of that value by individuals and firms (Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001650-651). Strategic Management has to do with the achievement of ends obtaining market share, profit and sustained competitive advantage. Then again, entrepreneurship has to do with the achievement of beginnings creating markets, firms and products (Venkataraman Sarasvathy, 2001651).Thus, entrepreneurial and strategic perspectives should be integrated to examine entrepreneurial behaviour. For the purpose of the present study this approach is called strategic entrepreneurial behaviour (SEB). SEB is entrepreneurial action and behaviour with a strategic perspective . It is the integration of entrepreneurial (i.e. opportunity-seeking behaviour) and strategic (i.e. advantage-seeking behaviour) perspectives in developing and taking actions to create wealth (Hitt et al., 2001480-481).2.8 CHAPTER SUMMARYThis chapter attempts to provide perspective on the position of this study within the broad field of economics and business management. It defines the concept of business management as satisfying consumer needs with a limited amount of resources, through the planning, coordination, control, and motivation of these resources. Based on this definition of business management, the chapter provides an explanation of how business management stems from economics. Economics is defined as the allocation of scarce resources in order to fulfil the unlimited needs of society. This section leads to a discussion of the relationship between economics and business management. The main link between economics and business management is that the one studies the econom ic system as a whole, while the other studies a single component of that system.

Feminism in Jane Austen Essay -- essays research papers

Feminism in Jane Austen"I often wonder how you can find time for what you do, in addition to the assist of the house and how good Mrs. West could have written such books and collected so many hard works, with all her family cares, is still more a affaire of astonishment Composition seems to me impossible with a head full of joints of mutton and doses of rhubarb." -- Jane Austen, letter of September 8 1816 to Cassandra"I will only add in justice to men, that though to the larger and more trifling part of the sex, imbecility in females is a great enhancement of their personal charms, there is a dowery of them too reasonable and too well informed themselves to desire any thing more in woman than ignorance." -- Northanger Abbey"...when a young lady professes to be of a different opinion from her friends, it is only a prelude to something worse. -- She begins by saying that she is determined to think for herself, and she is determined to act for herself -- and then it is all over with her" -- the character of Mrs. Stanhope in chapter 6 of Maria Edgeworths Belinda Here basically "friends"="family"Jane Austen a womens rightist? That has not been the traditional view (in 1870, Anthony Trollope declared that "Throughout all her works, a impudent lesson of homely household womanly virtue is ever being taught"), but once the question has been asked (which it was not, until relatively recently), it is not hard to see some feminist tendencies. Of course, Jane Austen is not a simple ideologue -- when a character in a Jane Austen novel makes a broad statement that seems to stand up for women in general, this is actually usually done by an unsympathetic character (such as Isabella Thorpe in Northanger Abbey or Mrs. Elton in Emma), and is not meant to be taken seriously. In experience and Prejudice the main example is Caroline Bingleys statement to Darcy that "Eliza Bennet is one of those young ladies who seek to recomm end themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own, and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art." Here Caroline Bingley is "undervaluing" Elizabeth, and Darcy sees through her easily. Conversely, Henry Tilneys teasing remarks on the subject of women during the head from Bath to Beechen Cliff in Northanger Abbey are no... ...in my life which had not something to say upon womans inconstancy. ... But perhaps you will say, these were all written by men." Anne Elliot " perhaps I shall. -- Yes, yes, if you please, no reference to examples in books. Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree the pen has been in their hands. I will not allow books to prove anything."Northanger Abbey not only contains the "Defence of the raw", but what has seemed to me to be a strong statement -- Catherine Morlands faux-naf declaration & quotBut history, real solemn history, I cannot be interested in... I look at it a little as a duty, but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars or pestilences, in every knave the men so good-for-nothing, and hardly any women at all -- it is very tiresome."Here the last sentence is as succinct a summary as one could wish of the objections of feminist historiography, social history, and/or the Annales school to the traditional "Great Man" theory of history. (See also Jane Austens own farcical History of England.)

Symbolism in A Good Man is Hard to Find and Araby Essay -- Flannery O

SymbolismIn the short story, A profound Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery OConnor, every goal including the characters are symbols. The Grandmother for example is the one and only dynamic character, represents all of us who have had to feel grief or needed to ask for forgiveness. As Flannery OConnor has suggested, the story is a spiritual journey because of the Grandmothers quandaries. In the beginning of the story the Grandmother is obsessed with everything worldly and superficial. She cares only about how others perceive her, Her collars and cuffs were white organdie trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would shaft at once that she was a lady (OConner 413).She gets dressed up for a car trip so that, on the random chance that they would be in a car accident and that in that wreck she would be thrown from the car and laying on the pavement, she would b e happy because the people passing by would think that she is a lady. This represents us as humans because daily we choose to be way too self-conscience. We care what people think whether we admit it or not. The maiden thing that comes to mind is me and my make-up. Make-up is a perfect example of us women caring a great deal about what others think of us. She is similarly very selfish in her activities. Instead of caring about what is best for the family, she wants to go to Tennessee because she has friends on that point whom she would like to see. There are three stages of thought for the Grandmother. During the first stage, which is in the beginning, she is completely focused on herself in relation to how others think of her. The second stage occurs wh... ...hat in just reading it the first time I looked right past. It wasnt until my dad made me actually read some parts out loud that I understood. Even in these short stories, there is so much meaning packed into them. It shows how intelligent these writers actually are. In the beginning I didnt care too much for this quirky small-scale love story Araby yet after analyzing it, it has become one of my favorites and has inspired me to go back and re-read a few of the stories in this book that I whitethorn have just brushed past. Symbolic representation has become very interesting to me and both of these stories among many others are filled with it.Works CitedOConnor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find. 1955. Literature Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay. 4th ed. Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston McGraw-Hill, 1998. Joyce, James. Araby. Kirszner and Mandell.