The Dangers of Social Media - 1290 Words

Social Media is dangerous. Predators uses websites like social network, sexting, online gaming and chat rooms to harass and can lead to many dangerous situations. Many students send inappropriate pictures, videos of themselves to their friends and they send it to other friends. Anonymous people can see these pictures and send hurtful messages to teenagers. It could harm teenagers because students in school begins to call names and bully them which increases students to commit suicide. Suicide is common towards teenagers due to being harassed, humiliated, threatened from ages 10-18. Teenagers have access to everything on their computer and smartphones at home like Facebook, myspace, twitter. Teens are often harassed by friends or classmates. Classmates spread rumors to other to make the victim feel embarrassed and lie. They use the websites talk to with anonymous people online. These people can lie about their age, where they live and what they look like. In fact a student who ended their life such an early age named â€Å"Phoebe Prince hanged herself, she was a new student at South Hadley High School in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Phoebes school reportedly called her an Irish slut, a whore and a bitch, viciously harassing her in person and on Facebook† (Holladay 1). Insulting teens can cause them to have disorders for example depression or eating disorder makes teens think about committing suicide. Schools have the right to punish a student that harasses anotherShow MoreRelatedThe Dangers Of Social Media1177 Words   |  5 PagesCarlos M. Fernandez Cornelius Brownlee Fund. Of Speech September 18, 2015 Dangers of Social Media In the offline world, communities are much more easily managed, and rules enforced. However, in the virtual world that is the internet, rules become arbitrary. It is scary how much we have incorporated social media into our lives, to the point we are almost dependent on it. While social networking sites may have started off as places where we could share thoughts with our peers and communicate with ourRead MoreThe Dangers Of Social Media1265 Words   |  6 PagesThe Dangers Of Social Media The world of social media can be a broad spectrum of various possibilities and a deep pool of the unknown. When diving into the world of social media you have to consider the fact that technology has become so advanced that people don’t even have to meet you in order to know who you are without even being present in your person lives. Nowadays you have all sorts of spyware which gives a predator the capability of invading your daily life. We will get more into the differentRead MoreThe Dangers Of Social Media911 Words   |  4 Pagesone feel, when going online and talk to a random person through a social media? Does one feel invincible? Like, one has a voice? We all feel that one way or another, because what kind of harm can come to a person through a screen. As it turns out, there is a danger to social media and the online world. This is true, especially for the youths of today; it is also true for the adults as well. Though many know the dangers of Social Media, there are m any kids that will still ignore it; which is why itRead MoreThe Dangers Of Social Media1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe Dangers of Social Media Sitting down at the dinner table is not the same as it used to be in past years. Now parents must contend with their kids fighting to hold onto their phones, updating statuses, sending Snapchats, and chatting with friends. Dads must stay up to date with sports and work. Moms take photos, send out emails, and check pins on Pinterest. In this world of fast-paced media accessibility, it is hard to find the time and patience for personal conversations with those we love mostRead MoreThe Dangers Of Social Media3067 Words   |  13 Pagesharmful situation. Millions of teenagers fall into the perils of the social media world due to the over usage of public networking. Everyday tasks including homework, communication, browsing, entertainment, etc. that is done via the internet may seem like a simple and expedient choice when it comes to exploring new things and completing your tasks in a timely manner, but there are millions of people taking advantage of social media usage as a virtual shi eld that consists of hiding themselves behindRead MoreThe Danger Of Social Media Globalization761 Words   |  4 Pages The Danger of Social Media Globalization Jun Su Park (Jun) ILSC in Toronto The Danger of Social Media Globalization The Scottish football manager Sir Alex Ferguson said that â€Å"How do you find the time to do that? There are a million things you can do in your life without that. Get yourself down to the library and read a book. Seriously. It is a waste of time (O’Connell, 2011, para. 5). That is to say; the social media technology is not necessary for the human. However, people tryRead More The Dangers of Social Media Essay908 Words   |  4 Pagesnewly developed technology by means of social media. In today’s society, we are surrounded by sites such as Facebook, Twitter, E-Mail, and various other websites that can often times consume our lives. While social media has plenty of advantages, it also has disadvantages that often times get ignored. As Internet users, it is important to examine these disadvantages and make sure we understand the negative sides to social media. As social media has become the easiest way to communicateRead MoreEssay about The Dangers of Social Media Correlating to Privacy3105 Words   |  13 PagesIntroduction Social medias have become a big part of our society now, they are being used in all aspects of our life. We are connected twenty-four hours a day, at work, school, home, shopping etc. There is a necessity, a need to be connected to these social media’s, to feel like you are a part of society. With these growing numbers in being connected to social media’s on the web, there comes a growing desire for privacy and safety. In this paper I will discuss and analyze the social media’s themselvesRead MoreEssay On Teen Suicide1332 Words   |  6 Pagesbeen on the rise just as fast as the rise of social media use. Teenage suicide is never a good thing and is heartbreaking to those it affects. As social media becomes more intertwined in young people s lives there has been an increase in teen suicide from cyber bullying. Often times young teens don t know the dangers and consequences social media can cause and makes it a dangerous place for some of them. The companies that provide these social media websites sometimes do not have the features necessaryRead MoreSocial Media And Its Use By Those Under 18908 Words   |  4 PagesSocial media and its use by those under 18 Social media sites are websites that allow users to connect with large groups of people and share opinions, daily experiences, as well as pictures. These sites can aid with staying in contact with family and friends regardless of their proximity to you. However, these social media sites can cause damage and even bring harm. Parents should not allow children under the age of 18 to access social media sites, because children are not mature enough to deal

Injustices The Wrong Human Rights - 1459 Words

Injustices: The Wrong Human Rights In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article one states, â€Å"[that] all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,† (â€Å"The Universal Declaration . . . â€Å"). Although this is written and followed in many countries around the world, there are still countries that do not follow this statement. These countries are the ones where freedom are not given freely. People have to fights for rights that should be automatically given. Goal number sixteen of the United Nations’ global goals for sustainable development specifically targets this issue. Working towards equality and liberties for all citizens that are sharing this planet by reducing violence is a vital part of societal advancement. Without the people of the world, the other goals are not worth fighting for. Some people believe that poverty is the top priority, yet others disagree due to substantial problems that arise in limited and reduced human rig hts, the lack of strong powerful governments in developing countries, and violence in conflict areas. Poverty is a worldwide problem that is quite detrimental to health, however it should not be the first goal accomplished. According to the United States census, fourteen point eight percent of people which equivalent to forty-six million seven hundred thousand citizens that were living in poverty (â€Å"Poverty† About). Despite this percent not being a majority, a very large number of people are affected. These people haveShow MoreRelatedCan Utilitarianism Be Defended Against The Injustice Objection?1361 Words   |  6 Pagesdefended against the Injustice Objection?    In this essay, I will argue that utilitarianism cannot be defended against the injustice objection. Utilitarians may be able to reply to the injustice objection in some cases by invoking one of two replies, the ‘Long term consequences’ reply, in which utilitarians will avoid unjust actions that increase short-term utility because in the long-term they will not lead to the greatest good. The other reply that may help utilitarianism avoid injustice in some casesRead MoreUtilitarianism Can Not Be Defended Against The Injustice Objection1162 Words   |  5 PagesI will argue that utilitarianism cannot be defended against the injustice objection. Utilitarians may be able to reply to the injustice objection in some cases by invoking one of two replies, the ‘Long term consequences’ reply, in which utilitarians will avoid unjust actions that increase short-term utility because in the long-term they will not lead to the greatest good. The other reply that may help u tilitarianism avoid injustice in some cases is the ‘Secondary principles’ reply, where some rule-basedRead MoreEssay On Social Injustice1097 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Injustice When will we stop being unjust? Our society today is full of problems and issues. We not only experience economic and politic issues, but we face social problems as well. One main problem that our society must acknowledge is injustice. However, many members of our society are blind not to recognize that permitting unjust and unfair acts is an actual injustice. They believe it’s appropriate to judge others, to make inappropriate comments and to be disrespectful. Merriam-Webster dictionaryRead MoreAnalysis Of Ella Wheeler Wilcoxs Protest767 Words   |  4 Pagesthat can be fixed with one simple solution, and that is kindness. The issues that the world faces today are mostly created by humans, which means they can also be fixed by humans. Sherman Alexie and Ella Wheeler Wilcox both claim that people can do things that are not right. These poems both depict the importance of kindness in the world today in order to show that we as human believe in making the world a better place because we live on the world and want it to be beautiful. In â€Å"Protest† by Ella WheelerRead MoreThe Hypocrisy Of American Slavery By Fredrick Douglass1269 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout much of American history, African Americans have been the victims of countless injustices and have been thought of as less than human by society. Many people opposed society’s view of African Americans and stood up for their rights. Those who stood up for the rights of slaves and African Americans tried their best to persuade the public that their treatment of these people was cruel and an injustice to humanity. This is evident in the speech â€Å"The Hypocrisy of American Slavery† by FredrickRead MoreTheme Of Injustice In Macbeth758 Words   |  4 PagesMacbeth, written by William Shakespeare, implies that once injustice occurs, it stays in the society, and gets carried out by others. However, â€Å"Redemption Song†, lyrics by Bob Marley, implies that the act of unfairness exists in society but you can regenerate the situa tion to justice. To begin with, in Act 4 Scene 3 of Macbeth, because of the information Macduff began to learn and infer about Macbeth, Macbeth ordered murderers to attack MacDuff’s family, while he was visiting Malcolm in England.Read MoreKing s Letter From Birmingham Jail1267 Words   |  6 Pagesthe action or state of setting someone or something apart from other people or things. Martin Luther King Jr. is well known for his acts against segregation during the civil rights movement. In this Letter from Birmingham Jail, King discusses the inequalities and prejudice forced upon African Americans. This great injustice leads to protest which ar lead by King and his followers. These protest are described to be as â€Å"unwisely and untimely† but King has counter arguments which include the severeRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr And Henry David Thoreau1393 Words   |  6 Pagesconscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arou se the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for the law† (para 20). King knows that he was wrongfully thrown in jail and accepts going to jail because he believed that eventually the community will see the injustices and pressure the government to change. King is respecting the law by obeying it and believes in following the rules peacefully in orderRead MoreKing s Letter From Birmingham Jail1253 Words   |  6 Pagesthe action or state of setting someone or something apart from other people or things. Martin Luther King Jr. is well known for his acts against segregation during the civil rights movement. By this Letter from Birmingham Jail, King discusses the inequalities and prejudice forced upon African Americans. This great injustice leads to protest, which are led by King and his followers. These protests are described to be as â€Å"unwisely and untimely† but King has counter arguments which include the severeRead MoreCultural Relativism : A Universal Standard Of Morality1480 Words   |  6 Pagestolerated by people of other cultures (Fastiggi, 2013, p.30). The universal standards of morality do not exist between cultures rather it exists within cultures which prevents other cultures form being judged (Rachels, p.2). This means that the rights and wrongs are based upon an individual’s culture so an action considered moral in one society can be immoral in another. Cultural relativism is invalid because it is self-refuting and does not have objective standards. However, cultural relativists argue

Hamlet vs. Laertes Free Essays

Jeffrey Kotch Mrs. Ingram Literary Analysis English 12 The main theme in Hamlet is revenge. Although Hamlet and Laertes are both seeking revenge, they go about it differently. We will write a custom essay sample on Hamlet vs. Laertes or any similar topic only for you Order Now Because they are in the same situation, they can be compared to one another. Shakespeare probably created the retaliatory Laertes in order to make the reader or audience side with Hamlet, the protagonist. By comparing him to the rash Laertes, the author forces the reader to appreciate the careful thought that goes into Hamlet’s every move (until towards the end when he too becomes rash). They are both high-class males placed in strenuous positions. Without Laertes, the audience would have no one else to compare Hamlet to, other than Fortinbras, who rarely appears. Laertes is almost the standard to which Shakespeare wants his audience to compare the Prince to. Comparing the two almost intensifies their different characteristics. The differences between Laertes and Hamlet affect a main theme of the play revenge. Both men have fathers killed, and both are seeking revenge. Hamlet, though he knows who murdered his father, hesitates to take direct action against the villain. In stark contrast is Laertes, who doesn’t know who killed his father but will kill anyone on a whim. Laertes’ rashness throughout provides the play with an unlikely stereotypical hero– brave, unwavering, ready to kill– and is rather ironic because Laertes is not the play’s â€Å"hero† role. The hero instead is Hamlet, and Hamlet is not a typical hero, in that he shies away from violence, and is portrayed as insane for half of the play (though that is by his own doing). Hamlet is not even able to kill his uncle until Act 5, by which time he can be argued to be mentally and emotionally instable, if not insane. In order to avenge his father’s death, Hamlet must lose himself in insanity; he must become, essentially, an entirely different character. Another considerable difference between Hamlet and Laertes are their relationships with Ophelia. Hamlet is obviously taken by Ophelia in the first two acts of the play, as he writes her letters and even tries to grab her in his lustful advances. This is clearly not the case with Laertes, as he is Ophelia’s brother; although Shakespeare is not beyond writing about incest, it is not being portrayed here. Instead, Laertes takes on a protective role of â€Å"big brother† (although we do not know which sibling is the elder), warning Ophelia of Hamlet’s advances as being juvenile and false. Hamlet later begins to treat Ophelia badly, scorning her affections and seemingly driving her insane and to her inevitable death. Laertes seems to dislike Hamlet from the beginning of the play, and emotions collide in Act V: the two men scuffle in the open grave of Ophelia, each believing that they loved her the most, and jealous of the other’s affections for her. Hamlet’s clashes with Claudius also build the plot of the play; knowing that his uncle killed his father in cold blood, Hamlet’s scorn of the new king grows throughout the play. Hamlet continually struggles with his emotions as he fights the desire to avenge his father’s death by killing the king. He uses circuitous means to take metaphorical stabs at his uncle: a play about a man killing his uncle by pouring poison in his ear (the same method of murder used to kill Hamlet’s father). Claudius eventually gets the feeling that Hamlet knows more than he is letting on, and begins to feel threatened. Claudius begins looking for ways to get rid of Hamlet, and eventually decides to send him off to England, where he has sent orders to have his nephew killed. His plan, however, is thwarted when Hamlet discovers the orders for his death. Claudius now needs Laertes, a rash and violent person, to kill Hamlet for him. He tells Laertes that Hamlet killed Polonius, and Laertes allies with Claudius against Hamlet. Thus, another dissimilarity is disclosed, as Hamlet would never consider allying with Claudius for anything, and Laertes, hungry for blood, is willing to ally with anybody who will give him an easy kill. How the characters feel about their fathers is also very dissimilar. Hamlet loves his father and is devastated when King Hamlet is killed; Hamlet is suicidal at the beginning of the play due to his father’s death. Hamlet feels that, for the love of his father, he must take revenge, yet is unable to do so for lack of courage and ambition. Laertes (while the level of his relationship with his father is unclear in the play) shows very little emotion over the actual death of his father, but is over-eager to avenge it. It is therefore apparent that while Hamlet truly loves his father, Laertes is more concerned with the saving the pride of the family by avenging his father’s death than with realizing that his father is dead. Therefore, Hamlet seems to be more exocentric, while Laertes, continuing his father’s quest for personal gain, appears to be more egocentric. Hamlet seems to fancy himself an actor; several times during the play, he either gives â€Å"pointers† to other players or excessively dramatizes a scene. The famous line, â€Å"Alas, poor Yorick! (V. i. 179-188)† finds Hamlet dramatically talking to a skull. In order to enhance emotion and to add a mood to a monologue, Elizabethan actors often talked to inanimate objects. In this scene Hamlet is utilizing the skull and the overall dark aura of the graveyard to speak of Ophelia’s death. In addition to these instances, Hamlet is acting insane for the majority of the play, in order to put his devious schemes into action without being suspected by his uncle. He uses his surroundings to enhance his words, thus acting out a philosophical monologue in a regular conversation. Laertes seems to be more rough and unrefined than Hamlet– like his actions, his words are bold and to the point. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes’ lines at the end of the play tend to be short and to the point– he speaks no more than eight lines at a time in all but one occasion beginning in Act 4, Scene 5. Hamlet frequently goes into long monologues that can exceed fifty lines. The distinctions between Hamlet and Laertes are significant because they provide some insight into the personalities of both characters, particularly Hamlet. By introducing Laertes into the play as a fiery, compulsive person; any resemblance of ambition or courage displayed by Hamlet pales in comparison to Laertes’. This enhances the emotion in Hamlet’s monologue at the end of Act II, when Hamlet examines himself and finds him lacking in courage. The inner turmoil in Hamlet is strong, as he calls himself a â€Å"coward† and thinks himself as weak as a woman. He wants to avenge his father’s death at Claudius’ hands, yet, like his uncle, he does not approach conflict directly– he takes covert action. Conversely, Hamlet’s lack of action allows him to think through his plans before he puts them into effect, allowing for much deviousness in planning on his part; Laertes does not tend to think before he puts his throat to a person’s throat. Laertes provides a counterpart to Hamlet– they are in relatively the same situation, but they deal with their problems in entirely different ways. How to cite Hamlet vs. Laertes, Papers

Enterprise Resource Planning free essay sample

There are twenty KSFs considered in this study. They were chosen from literature review. The KSFs are classified into five stages of ERP implementation life cycle; namely: project preparation, technology selection, project formulation, implementation/development and deployment. To address the study objectives, a survey questionnaire was considered the most appropriate research method. It was sent to 74 companies that have been implementing ERP system for at least one year. The respondents are staff at management level, IT staff and users involved in the development and use of the ERP system. The survey received 248 responses from 740 quesitionnaires that were sent to the companies. To find the priority of KSFs on ERP implementation life cycle, a quantitative analysis is applied to identify the weighting of KSFs toward ERP implementation success. The success of ERP implementation can be measured through five indicators; namely: system quality, information quality, service quality, tactical impact and strategical impact. Based on the weighting of KSFs on each stage of ERP implementation life cycle, it is found that the communication is most critical KSF on project preparation stage (? 0. Cost reduction  : It reduces cost only if the company took accounting and reporting seriously even before implementation and had put a lot of manual effort in it. If they didnt care about it, if they just did some simple accounting to fill mandatory statements and if internal reporting did not exists of has not been financially-oriented, then no cost is reduced. Less personnel  : Same as above. Less reporting or accounting personnel, but more sales assistants etc. Accuracy  : No. People are accurate, not software. What ERP does is makes the lives of inaccurate people or organization a complete hell and maybe forces them to be accurate (which means hiring more people or distributing work better), or it falls. 2. Evaluate the importance of integrated information systems in an organization’s success This study proceeds from a central interest in the importance of systematically evaluating operational large-scale integrated information systems (IS) in organizations. The study is conducted within the IS-Impact Research Track at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The goal of the IS-Impact Track is, to develop the most widely employed model for benchmarking information systems in organizations for the joint benefit of both research and practice (Gable et al, 2009). The track espouses programmatic research having the principles of instrumentalism, tenacity, holism and generalisability through replication and extension research strategies. Track efforts have yielded the bicameral IS-Impact measurement model; the ‘impact’ half includes Organisational-Impact and Individual-Impact dimensions; the ‘quality’ half includes System-Quality and Information-Quality dimensions. Akin to Gregor’s (2006) analytic theory, the IS Impact model is conceptualized as a formative, multidimensional index and is defined as a measure at a point in time, of the stream of net benefits from the IS, to date and anticipated, as perceived by all key-user-groups (Gable et al. , 2008, p: 381). The study adopts the IS-Impact model (Gable, et al. , 2008) as its core theory base. Prior work within the IS-Impact track has been consciously constrained to Financial IS for their homogeneity. This study adopts a context-extension strategy (Berthon et al. , 2002) with the aim to further validate and extend the IS-Impact measurement model in a new context i. e. a different IS Human Resources (HR). The overarching research question is: How can the impacts of large-scale integrated HR applications be effectively and efficiently benchmarked? This managerial question (Cooper amp; Emory, 1995) decomposes into two more specific research questions – In the new HR context: (RQ1): Is the IS-Impact model complete? (RQ2): Is the IS Impact model valid as a 1st-order formative, 2nd-order formative multidimensional construct? The study adhered to the two-phase approach of Gable et al. (2008) to hypothesise and validate a measurement model. The initial ‘exploratory phase’ e mployed a zero base qualitative approach to re-instantiating the IS-Impact model in the HR context. The subsequent ‘confirmatory phase’ sought to validate the resultant hypothesised measurement model against newly gathered quantitative data. The unit of analysis for the study is the application, ‘ALESCO’, an integrated large-scale HR application implemented at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), a large Australian university (with approximately 40,000 students and 5000 staff). Target respondents of both study phases were ALESCO key-user-groups: strategic users, management users, operational users and technical users, who directly use ALESCO or its outputs. An open-ended, qualitative survey was employed in the exploratory phase, with the objective of exploring the completeness and applicability of the IS-Impact model’s dimensions and measures in the new context, and to conceptualise any resultant model changes to be operationalised in the confirmatory phase. Responses from 134 ALESCO users to the main survey question, What do you consider have been the impacts of the ALESCO (HR) system in your division/department since its implementation? were decomposed into 425 ‘impact citations. Citation mapping using a deductive (top-down) content analysis approach instantiated all dimensions and measures of the IS-Impact model, evidencing its content validity in the new context. Seeking to probe additional (perhaps negative) impacts; the survey included the additional open question In your opinion, what can be done better to improve the ALESCO (HR) system? Responses to this question decomposed into a further 107 citations which in th e main did not map to IS-Impact, but rather coalesced around the concept of IS-Support. Deductively drawing from relevant literature, and working inductively from the unmapped citations, the new ‘IS-Support’ construct, including the four formative dimensions (i) training, (ii) documentation, (iii) assistance, and (iv) authorisation (each having reflective measures), was defined as: a measure at a point in time, of the support, the [HR] information system key-user groups receive to increase their capabilities in utilising the system. Thus, a further goal of the study became validation of the IS-Support construct, suggesting the research question (RQ3): Is IS-Support valid as a 1st-order reflective, 2nd-order formative ultidimensional construct? With the aim of validating IS-Impact within its nomological net (identification through structural relations), as in prior work, Satisfaction was hypothesised as its immediate consequence. The IS-Support construct having derived from a question intended to probe IS-Impacts, too was hypothesised as antecedent to Sati sfaction, thereby suggesting the research question (RQ4): What is the relative contribution of IS-Impact and IS-Support to Satisfaction? With the goal of testing the above research questions, IS-Impact, IS-Support and Satisfaction were operationalised in a quantitative survey instrument. Partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling employing 221 valid responses largely evidenced the validity of the commencing IS-Impact model in the HR context. ISSupport too was validated as operationalised (including 11 reflective measures of its 4 formative dimensions). IS-Support alone explained 36% of Satisfaction; IS-Impact alone 70%; in combination both explaining 71% with virtually all influence of ISSupport subsumed by IS-Impact. Key study contributions to research include: (1) validation of IS-Impact in the HR context, (2) validation of a newly conceptualised IS-Support construct as important antecedent of Satisfaction, and (3) validation of the redundancy of IS-Support when gauging IS-Impact. The study also makes valuable contributions to practice, the research track and the sponsoring organisation. a. List the technologies that increase the power and effectiveness of an ERP system. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementation differs in organizations structured into nearly independent business units, as they will each have different processes, business rules, data semantics, authorization hierarchies, every-day business operations, decision-making criterias and decision centers. In order to be able to respond to todays customer needs, software designers are struggling to provide custom-integrated solutions that would ensure standard systems requirements and also a platform for customized solutions. Still, customizing an ERP package can prove to be expensive and resource consuming and can influence the implementation of the standard benefits of an integrated system. Nevertheless, customizing an ERP suite gives the scope to implement smart and new solutions for excellence in specific areas while ensuring that industry best practices are achieved in less sensitive areas. In this paper, we will proceed to the analysis, presentation and comparison of the current most important technologies (like information methodologies and data warehouses) which are being used in development of the ERP systems. . Differentiate between commercial and open source ERP Open Source ERP and Commercial ERP It is a known fact that most big organizations select and implement Commercial ERP solutions rather than go with Open Source ERP software. Why so? What are the challenges then that Open Source ERP Vendors face when competing against a Commercial ERP package? Let us investigate and see how Open Source E RP Solutions stack up against the Commercial ERP counterparts. Time to Market The time to market, or the time it takes to implement a Commercial ERP package is generally longer (given that you may be subject to software availability timeline restrictions from the software vendor and implementation process methodologies from a large systems integrator). Typically, organizational processes need to conform to the software process itself, and effecting that change can take a long time. Open Source ERP implementations are generally used by smaller companies who are just setting up processes initially, are typically not averse to adjusting to a new process. For this reason, typical Open Source ERP implementations see smaller implementation cycles (mostly due to the simplicity of the project itself) Price Open Source ERP solutions are typically less expensive (most being completely free) to license than Commercial software. The only upfront cost associated with using them is the support and maintenance contract fees or some small amount as License fees when using a customized version that is being promoted by a specific company. But to assess true price/lifetime costs can be trickier! The following sections discuss this in more detail. Flexibility Open Source, means you now have the code, and can modify it yourself! How can a system provide more flexibility than this? Compare this to a Commercial ERP solution: To get any fix, patch upgrade or new functionality on your system and it will take time! However in case of an Open Source ERP you might need to keep your own team of developers to not only add the features, but to also maintain it yourself. So a complete IT Team may be required. This implies that even though the cost of initial software acquisition is low, the cost of keeping the software running can potentially be higher. Training amp; Ramp-Up Commercial ERPs typically need specific training for the developers/implementers (examples SAP, Oracle ERP) etc. But for Open Source, you have the entire source-code itself! Open Source ERP providers believe (as do most geeks) that there is no better documentation than the source code itself. Source code may be the best piece of documentation for a Developer, but for an End User it usually means nothing. While the code base is the most authentic documentation in a sense, but it takes time for someone to understand the organization of the code, workflows and how it is packaged. Commercial ERPs score over the Open Source ERP community because they have better documentation, many technology forums where developers can discuss their issues, find solutions, and most often a very large community to help you out if you need answers to tricky problems. SAP and Oracle Apps, probably have the world’s largest developer forums/community. If we consider the arguments above, Open Source ERPs seem to have an edge. But we rarely see a large organization going for an Open Source ERP solution. Here’s why I believe Commercial ERPs have an edge: Support Network/Communities/Forums There plenty of software professional service firms, who are willing to support a SAP/Oracle implementation. The eco-system is established and not only generates revenue for these implementation firms, but also delivers client value – that is proven. Isn’t it true that you will rarely get a Vendor to Support an Open Source ERP solution other than the Solution Provider themselves! If you are not sure that you can rely on a Vendor or your own capabilities, to support your current systems it might not be a good idea to invest in an Open Source ERP even if it is a fraction of cost today. You need to plan for adequate support, when you need it. And you need to plan ahead – at least   for a good 5-10 years! Tried amp; Tested Software Platforms Companies like SAP and Oracle have been in the ERP business far too long for anyone to have doubts about their implementation track record. Open Source ERPs are relatively new and do not have too many implementations to boast of. When deciding between a proven ERP solution and a new ERP solution (a decision on which your company’s future rides) you will tend to lean towards tried and tested methodologies wont you? Intellectual Property Many large clients of enterprise commercial software are themselves not in the business of writing and maintaining software. They would rather rely on specialists, and license the relevant technology from them. Also, they are usually wary about intellectual property rights, and using open source software – implies that they would have to contribute back to the software – that other companies can benefit from as much as them. This can be a big deterrent – and most companies do not want to share how they are leveraging a given enterprise software, with their competition. Needless to say, that commercial ERP vendors, also have the best Sales teams! Conclusion The best brand ambassador for Open Source today are probably Linux (big presence in Enterprise), Android (big presence in mobile, tablets), Firefox web browser, JBoss Application Server to name a few. However apart from Android and Firefox, not many are known for their user friendliness! The perception in the enterprise about Open Source is still very shaky if one comes to reliability (Linux and JBoss being the exceptions probably). Enterprises will swear about Blackberry security and reliability but not about Android will they (android being the more feature rich platform here! )? Similar perception goes with the Open Source ERPs. Open Source ERP solutions are still far from establishing a brand name for themselves (like Linux, JBoss). They probably will need to build communities like those for Linux and JBoss. They might also require angel investors like those that JBoss, RedHat, and Ubuntu have and at least a decade or more of serious concerted development in order to compete with Commercial ERPs 4. Explain the major functions of the Manufacturing and Production Planning module. 5. Discuss the three types of information essential for a successful ERP system 6. Introduction Tougher competition in the marketplace is generating the need to better optimize resources, improve profitability and keep customers satisfied. Companies are increasingly implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software solutions to improve operations and provide faster customer response. Choosing an ERP solution that meets your specific business requirements will enable you to have a smoother implementation. If the software package is written for your industry, you won’t have to custom design a solution. Customized solutions are time consuming to implement and add unnecessary cost. One of the top reasons ERP implementations fail is because the software doesn’t meet basic industry specific business requirements. However; purchasing an ERP application is only half the battle. A well designed implementation plan is the key to success. e, finalizing objectives, formulating a training plan. Make sure you include first line workers as well as management on your team. Base the selection on the knowledge of the team not status of the employee. Examine current business processes: Have the team perform an analysis on which business processes should be improved. Gather copies of key documents such as invoices, batch tickets and bill of lading for the analysis. To start the team discussion, consider questions such as: Are your procedures up to date? Are there processes that could be automated? Are personnel spending overtime processing orders? Does your sales force and customer service personnel have real-time access to customer information? The team members should also conduct interviews with key personnel to uncover additional areas of improvement needed. Set objectives: The objectives should be clearly defined prior to implementing the ERP solution. ERP systems are massive and you won’t be able to implement every function. You need to define the scope of implementation. Ideally, the scope should be all inclusive. But practically, it is very difficult to implement. Examples of objectives would include: Does the solution reduce backlogs? Can the solution improve on-time deliveries? Will you be able to increase production yields? Develop a project plan: The team should develop a project plan which includes previously defined goals and objectives, timelines, training procedures, as well as individual team responsibilities. The end result of the project plan should be a â€Å"to do† list for each project team member. 1. Strategic Planning 2. Procedure Review 3. Data Collection and Clean-Up 4. Training and Testing 5. Go Live and Evaluation a. What is CAD/CAM and what are its advantages? 1. Eliminate extra and costly data translation steps between applications that are operating on the same 3-D model. Some systems offer a complete set of fully integrated applications for the complete process from part design through mold design, NC programming, electrode design and CMM inspection programming. 2. Automate more of the manufacturing authoring process: (a) automate NC and CMM programming by using design requirements (GDamp;T and product manufacturing information (PMI), and color coding) directly on the 3-D model; and, (b) store NC data inside the standard part’s 3-D model file. For example, the NC data inside a standard slide model can be easily updated to its determined design dimensions. 3. Use integrated validation tools throughout the process. Integrated CAD/CAM systems can include tools to validate (and even improve) part and tool designs: molded part manufacturability checks, injection molding simulation and tool motion simulation with collision detection. Before machining, validate NC data with integrated g-code driven machine tool simulation. 4. Keep your data organized so you can work in teams, work in parallel and react faster to design changes. For example, using a master model with associativity allows you to update your mold design, NC programs, electrodes and setup sheets when the CAD model changes. Associativity makes design changes go faster and simple changes can be updated automatically— they don’t require reprogramming because they automatically re-adjust. More than one designer can work on the same tool at the same time; and, you can start NC programming before the tool design is completed. 5. Share knowledge between departments so designs can be done right the first time with manufacturability taken into consideration. When everyone works on the same system, this is much easier to do and the benefits can be substantial. Unfortunately in some cases, designers do not realize the impact of their decisions on the manufacturing process. Design features that are difficult to manufacture can add extra costs to jobs. They can add extra manufacturing steps and extra NC programming time due to feature redesign. When NC programmers and designers work with the same system, it’s much easier for both disciplines to work together. Some CAD/CAM systems have the ability to copy features and store them in a library for later use or can create custom features. When this is the case, NC programmers can work with designers to specify features that include manufacturability considerations. Designers can reuse these features from a library (saves design time) with the confidence that manufacturing knows how to machine them. When you are able to start with a clean sheet and complete the whole process with the same system, the value of using one integrated CAD/CAM system pays off. Besides the process-based benefits summarized above, additional benefits are to be gained in the forms of reduced training costs due to one easy-to-learn consistent user interface, administration of one system and working with one vendor. b. Briefly explain the need for Sales and Distribution module (August 2012) Sales and Distribution module TO keep pace with rapid changes in the business world, companies need an integrated and flexible enterprise system that supports all aspects of their business with state-of-the-art functionality. This innovative solution should upgrade effortlessly and interface easily with third-party applications as well as have the ability to incorporate existing systems while extending its reach to the Internet and e-commerce. In todays competitive business environment, companies are increasingly being forced to streamline business processes. In a world where it is no longer enough to simply have the best product, companies are focusing on core competencies and closer partnerships over the whole supply chain. Here, increased efficiency in sales and distribution is a key factor to ensure that companies retain a competitive edge and improve both profit margins and customer service. In helping business to beat them on delivery, the Sales and Distribution module of eresource ERP systems offers a comprehensive set of best-of-bred component for both order and logistics management. Eresource ERP system is tightly integrated with the Sales and Distribution module. This integration enables the mapping and supply of single-site or multi-site organizations. Developing precise logistics planning for just-in-time deliveries, this system can also generate replenishment orders by using defined warehouse requirements. The following are the sales related business transactions:   Sales queries, such as inquiries and quotations Sales orders Outline agreements, such as contracts and scheduling agreements   Delivery/Shipment Invoicing/billing After sales support During sales order-processing the following basic functions are carried out:   Inquiry handling Quotation preparation and processing Contracts and contact management (order management) Monitoring the sales transaction Checking for availability Transferring requirements to materials planning (MRP) Scheduling the delivery Calculating pricing and taxes Checking credit limits Invoicing/billing Creating printed or electronically transmitted documents Depending on how your particular system is configured, these functions may be completely automated. The data that results from these basic functions is stored in the system where it can be displayed. Eresource ERP s Sales and Distribution module very actively interacts with the material management and financial accounting module for delivery and billing. Master of Business Administration MBA Semester 3 â€Å"Operations Management† Specialization OM 0011 – Enterprise Resource Planning (4 credits) (Book ID:B1233 ) ASSIGNMENT- Set 2 Marks 60 Note: Each Question carries 10 marks Describe the ERP inventory module. ERP Inventory module facilitates processes of maintaining the appropriate level of stock in a warehouse. The activities of inventory control involves in identifying inventory requirements, setting targets, providing replenishment techniques and options, monitoring item usages, reconciling the inventory balances, and reporting inventory status. Integration of inventory control module with sales, purchase, finance modules allows ERP systems to generate vigilant executive level reports. Features of Inventory Module: Online status of item quantity in terms of on-hand, on-hand, available, reserved, ordered, to order, rejected, defective and rework able quantities. Complete excise functionality and generation of excise registers * Multiple levels of classification of items * Quality Control based on QC parameters * Handling Material Rejections * Rejected Material dispatch to subcontractors * Linking of GRN to PO and Invoice * Gate pass – returnable/non return * Cenvat claim for capital goods * Analysis which help in maintaining optimum stock levels * Physical verification of stock * Re allocation of rework able stock * Multiple warehouses/branches/regional offices * Stock transfer – receipts from other warehouse Excisable items – Definition and Chapter allocation * Multiple units of measurement * Alternate items for Production Planning * Handling of non-stock low value items like stationery * Lot wise tracking of inventory at shop floor and main stores * Stock Valuation – LIFO/FIFO/weighted average * Material Requisition from different requirement areas * Purchasing and subcontracting * Receiving material against sales order processing, material requirement, subcontracting, gate pass and production requisition * Landed Rate of Items * Consolidation of all warehouses Consolidation at any level of company hierarchy * ERP inventory module covers all stock related functions of an organization. Stock management and valuation activities, which form the backbone of any organization generally, take a lot of time and resources. M- wan Inventory handles all the store activities of issues, dispatches, receipts and quality control. The lot wise stock of each item is maintained and various MIS are provided for tracking stock movement. b. Summarise the various features of ERP financial module When it comes o financial matters, it is always recommended to be organized, whether your requirements are very straightforward or not. There is a wide range of software packages to choose from simple programs where you record income and expenditure to the more sophisticated which allow you to import bank statements, look after your investments, set up budget. Enterprise resource planning, or ERP is a system designed to integrate both internal and external management information across an entire organization, including finance/accounting, manufacturing, sales or customer relationship management. It comes with a dedicated software application meant to automate the entire activity and to streamline the flow of information between all business functions of an organization as well as to manage the connection with the outside stakeholders. Well-designed software reap a wide array of benefits including a better performance in the business. MIE Solutions is the company that provides Financial Modules for ERP Software which gather financial data from different functional departments and generates accurate financial reports such as general ledger, trail balance, a balance sheet and quarterly financial statements. It also enables the information sharing between the functions inside the boundaries of the organization, irrespective of the geographical locations and facilitates a better decision making process. Taking into consideration the long term impact of different financial modules for ERP software, organizations are very cautions when choosing an application. It is a fact that once you start using this kind of software, it is very difficult to switch to another program. The significant financial investment and the complexities associated with the implementation of this software make imperative the use of the most reliable software. If you carefully evaluate the financial modules for ERP software provided by MIE Solutions, you can notice that the system is very easy to install, learn and implement in your core business process. It boasts a great usability and performance streamlining your work flow and improving productivity. Financial modules for ERP software cover the most important areas of job costing, cash flow, maintenance of general ledger, accounts payable and account receivable, manages fixed assets and produces required financial statements. Although it is a complex software, it doesnt require technical expertise but rather a basic training in order o prevent any further complications. This training is required just at the initial stages of implementation and thus it offers a great return on investment. The main goal of the financial modules for ERP software is to improve productivity of an organization by catering the specific and growing requirements and needs. It is worth mentioning that the financi al modules for ERP software represent the core modules around which other modules of the system revolve. Therefore, MIE Solutions has creating a solid, feature rich but still user-friendly system which can be easily integrated with other modules. The most important feature of the software include accounts receivable, accounts payable, general ledge, trial balance, profitamp;loss, balance sheet, debt, balance, creditors balance and cash/bank balances. It allows any organization to automatically distribute transactions for it comes with a built-in flexibility that reduces the amount of work required for specific processes. Financial modules for ERP software offer you a better control over your business activity for they represent a complete solution that meets and even exceeds your expectations. . a. Illustrate the role of ERP systems in Human Resources ERP Today: At present the primary advanced ERP vendors offering ERP solutions are SAP, Oracle, JD Edward,PeopleSoft,Microsoft Dynamics and Invensys. They focus on internet based architecture because of the raise in E-commerce and globalization of business (Garg and Venkitakrishnan, 2006). Few of these organizations are growing their ERP system with new modules and also have chan ged their names of ERP systems to catchy names such as Enterprise Suite, E-commerce Suite, Enterprise solutions etc. However, todays ERP is much more advanced than the Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II) and is famous today for non-manufacturing operations (Hunter, 2008). In the present day SAP is the global leader in inter-enterprise software manufacturing company and leading ERP supplier in the world. To have a wide-ranging applications, SAP idea was to give customers the ability to cooperate with a common database in an organization and today the corporations like IBM also use SAP products for running their business. The ERPs Human Resources Module Main Features A business is concentrated by four productive resources namely its Land, Labour, Capital and Enterprise to produce or sell products and provide services. Simultaneously while achieving business tasks, concentration must be also be given to the people who carry out these functions jobs i. e. , the organizations  Human resource  (HR). Human Resources are the companys people included in all hierarchy from employees to middle managers and non-managerial employees to the CEO and others (Jones, 2007). The management which involves the activities framed to recruit the best candidates suitable for the respective nature of the job and improve their skills and abilities by providing them good and proper support is called  Human Resource  Management (HRM). The five gears of HRM system are: recruitment and selection, training and development, performance feedback, payments and benefits, and labour relations (Jones, 2007). According to Kapp et al (2001), the usage of ERPs in Human Resource Module is each core part of HR practice is explained below. Recruitment, Retention:  This ERP module used to maintain the record of college visits for the recruitment process, candidates from consultancies and their resumes; list of candidates available for full-time or Part-time work etc. This HR module can be integrated with training management to link with the initial process of the selected candidates. Training Management:  This module tracks the newly enrolled candidates who are under training process. It also maintains the course description, course availability, review course assessment, traces the training cost and fixes a training budget. The most important thing about this module is that, the e-learning training sources are connected to the employees desktop which can be used for requirement. Finally, ERP records the employees performance during the training period which will be useful to be reviewed by the training supervisors. Payroll:  Employees attendance and their time of entry to work and exit are entered into the system to determine the number of work hours. This module tracks, check and reports both the hours of work and respective wages of employees. It also includes the process of calculating the taxes and deducts from the salary and also garnishee wages for charitable purpose like child support and for cancer patients. Time and Attendance:  this module is integrated with Payroll module. Apart from the roles of Payroll systems, it also concentrates on the sick leave of the employees. Time and attendance are easily recorded in the system by scanning the employee barcode which is located on every employees identity card. c. What is the purpose of gap analysis and how are the gaps fixed? Definition of Gap Analysis The process through which a company compares its actual performance to its expected performance to determine whether it is meeting expectations and using its resources effectively. Gap analysis seeks to answer the questions where are we? (current state) and where do we want to be? (target state). A method of asset-liability management that can be used to assess interest rate risk or liquidity risk excluding credit risk. Gap analysis is a simple IRR measurement method that conveys the difference between rate sensitive assets and rate sensitive liabilities over a given period of time. This type of analysis works well if assets and liabilities are compromised of fixed cash flows. Because of this a significant shortcoming of gap analysis is that it cannot handle options, as options have uncertain cash flows 4. How does an ERP system facilitate better decision-making? Decision making success The trend in information systems is toward implementing highly integrated enterprise-oriented systems, and the output of the system is a source of information related the managers behavior (Doinea et al. , 2011). ERP systems originated as an attempt to eliminate data redundancies, data inconsistencies and overall organizational inefficiency by integrating core business activities into one single database. Besides integration, the purpose is to enhance decision support from accurate and timely information (Madapusi and DSouza, 2011). Hence, an ERP system continually collects information and provides timely availability of the information for managing, accounting, reporting, data mining and communicating internally and with outside parties. ERP investment can support the responsiveness, control, reliability, and adaptability of firms and enable more effective decision making (Aral and Weill, 2007). Many studies reveal that ERP systems provide information for better decision making (Bernroider et al. , 2005; Davenport, 1998; Jain, 2008; ODonnell and David, 2000). Different decision-makers directly turn into ERP systems to access information in different organizational task (Madapusi, 2008). Basically, ERP systems improve quality of accounting information, develop alternatives and solve problem through the computer-based technology (Forslund, 2010; Griffin and Dempsey, 2011; Jain, 2008). ERP system capability is a part of computer-based technology for the acquisition, storage processing and communication that can improve both efficiency and effectiveness (Karimi et al. , 2007). Accordingly, ODonnell and David (2000) state that accounting information systems provided information to improve decision making when the information produced by IT (ERP systems) combines with IT user and IT environment. As mentioned above, the potential resources is realized when they are valuable, rare, costly to imitate, and non-substitutable (Chuebang and Ussahawanitchakit, 2009). ERP system capability helps to integrate the structure, people and process for creating valuable information to make decision as a successful factor for business to allocate a firms resource and maximize the effectiveness and goals. ERP system capability is business resource and utilization of information in decision-making strategies (Doinea et al. , 2011). Hence, the related hypothesis is postulated as follows. Hypothesis 4: Resource utilization effectiveness is positively related to decision making success. Accounting Information quality provides ERP systems to have attributes as reliability which is composed of accuracy, completeness, relevance and timeliness. It is used to deal with the usefulness in management functions. ERP system capability would improve decision making success through the accounting information quality (Ditkaew and Ussahawanitchakit, 2010; Doinea et al. , 2011; Karimi et al. , 2007; Madapusi, 2008). ERP system capability creates accounting information quality which is composed of accuracy, completeness, relevance and timeliness and effects decision-making quality. Decision makers are a factor that influences utilization of information (Doinea et al. , 2011). Moreover, it also found that ERP system capability supports storing, processing and disseminating accounting information both financial and non-financial data by improving decision making and planning (Doinea et al. , 2011; Karimi et al. , 2007; ODonnell and David, 2000). Consequently, the related hypothesis is postulated as follows. Hypothesis 5: Accounting information quality is positively related to decision making success. ERP Information quality in one of the critical parts affecting decision making which is the influence of various physical ERP system that affects their decision-making quality. Accounting module is an important part in business process that has to regenerate valuable information for decision making. Karimi et al. ,(2007) examined the role of information systems resource in ERP capability in manufacturing firms results and found that ERP capability affects business process outcomes (Karimi et al. 2007). ERP systems are a set of business process that change management accounting information and change business process such as the elimination of routine jobs, line managers with accounting knowledge, more forward looking information and a wider role for the making decision success (Galani et al. , 2010). Therefore, decision making success is a consequence of business process efficiency by integ rating all the function areas within an organization, to determine the extent to which ERP system capability enhance firms in achieving that. Hence, ERP system capability is often tightly connected to the resources based embedded in organization business process efficiency. The related hypothesis is, thus, postulated as follows. Hypothesis 6: Business process efficiency is positively related to decision making success. 5. What are the modules available in SAP R/3? SAP can be expanded as Systeme, Andwendungen, Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung in German or Systems, Applications and Products in Informations Processing in English. The German enterprise founded in the yr 1972 published module R/1 and module R/2 earlier. Still, with the advent of the client server architecture the module R/3 was released by the company in the yr 1992 and is a business management application founded on this architecture. The answer to the application has been extraordinary and it can be expressed that the R/3 module has needed the global software industry by storm. The R/3 module can be best described as a comprehensive and integrated information system. SAP R/3 is a now being widely used around the globe and is easily customizable for several organizations reckoning on their sizes of operation due its ABAP/4 programming language. The R/3 architecture is a 3 tiered one which includes a user interface, a software application and database server and is compatible with a mixture of hardware configurations. The R/3 module includes several operational modules like financial control, human resources, materials management, sales and distribution in increase to production planning. Though every last of these modules executes their procedures one by one they are integrated together wherever applicable. This feature makes accessing the complete business actions of a organisation feasible to all it employees. The module too profits through its easy to use interface and online help functionality. The SAP R/3 module is provided to the client with general features turned on and a host of optional features impaired. An corporation can manipulate the software corresponding to their particular needs by altering the settings of the database and tables in the module. Still, the module with its greatest features comes with a high price tag. The price of the R/3 module ranges anyplace between US$1. 5million and US$5million. Though the functionality of the module is highly amazing implementing the R/3 module is a tiring task not to refer the superior costs involved. Implementation and maintenance prices range between US$10million to US$100million and include the service charges of the SAP consultant who assists in the process. By And Large the implementation operation needs a lot of changes within the corporation and can be distributed into four primary stages the project preparation stage where SAP technical support enterprise is based and preparating the SAP necessities of the organisation are undertaken. In the 2nd stage, the blueprinting stage analysis of the cost of ownership, high availability and disaster recovery demands, staffing the support organization and training are executed. In the 3rd functional management stage the changes that the company need to undergo are designed and the SAP systems management and SAP computer procedures are established. The phase likewise involves testing the SAP system before implementation. The final preparation stage involves another testing operation and the cutover phase where the organization plans the process of transmission from the older system to a newer 1. It is obvious that the SAP R/3 module is a highly usable and integrated system for companies. Though the price of the application, maintenance and implementation are high the functionality of the module overweighs the costs needed. Some organisations around the globe have executed the R/3 module and benefited hugely. 6. a. Who is an end-user and why are they so critical for the success of the ERP implementation Top Factors Needed to Ensure a Successful ERP System Implementation Faculty and staff at 12 higher education institutions were asked what strengths their institutions had that would help them effectively implement a new ERP ystem. The strengths that consistently came out on top included the following: 1. Consensus on the Need to Change 2. Knowledgeable, Experienced, and Dedicated Staff 3. Supportive and Aligned Leadership 4. Technical Capabilities and Support 5. Institutional Teamwork Individually, each of these factors will contribute to the success of a large project or majo r change initiative. Collectively, these factors create an environment ready for success. Consensus on the Need to Change Consensus on the need to change is a key factor in helping institutions navigate their way through significant change. A natural human reaction is to work to eliminate pain or dissatisfaction. The more pain people experience with their current conditions or situations, the easier they accept the goals of a new and improved future. They will also work harder to reach these goals. When planning an ERP implementation, leadership should identify, clarify, and communicate the current situation and the resulting problems. Next, leaders must articulate and describe the future after the project or change is implemented. Institutional constituents will be more open to largescale change if they see both the present problems and the improved future. Different constituents will feel varying amounts of pain. In the case of implementing a new ERP system, some constituents are comfortable working around their outdated systems. In these situations, leadership needs to communicate the pain from an institutional perspective to help gain the consensus needed for the change (i. e. nconsistent data across the institution, the inability to create comprehensive reporting, and unsatisfactory student services). Creating consensus around the need for change is an important element in any organizational change initiative. Knowledgeable, Experienced, and Dedicated Staff Having knowledgeable, experienced, and dedicated staff is the second most-mentioned institutional strength to facilitate a successful ERP system implementa tion. These staff members are the people who are dedicated to the institution and care about its mission and service to students. They are also the ones who will be critically involved in the project and are most often affected directly by the institutional change. Whatever type of change you may be initiating, a key strategy to take advantage of this strength involves recognizing these people and engaging them early on and continuously throughout the project. These staff members can help you position the need for change, lead and manage your project team tasks, and provide great vehicles for two-way communication. Supportive and Aligned Leadership Alignment of and support from leadership was the third ost-mentioned strength that institutions indicated would be helpful when implementing their ERP system. Leadership buy-in and ongoing support are critical components in any successful change effort. Leaders should take responsibility for determining, clarifying, and communicating a consistent message of support for the initiative as well as reinforcing the need. In addition, especially with large-scale changes or projects like an ERP implementation, leadership must recognize the volume of work involved in implementing the change and the impact upon the various functions of the organization. Technical Capabilities and Support Specifically for large technology projects, institutional stakeholders indicated that having internal technical capabilities, strong technical support, and institutional commitment to technology are important for project success. Having these capabilities can facilitate the implementation process and the effective transfer of knowledge and necessary skills. This factor is also extremely important for other types of projects or change initiatives. Experience and skills in the applicable areas are needed to implement a project or initiative with an increased likelihood of success. If these skills are not available, hiring a third-party to provide those skills can be advantageous. Institutional Teamwork Not surprising, higher education constituents indicated that teamwork is a critical component for implementing large-scale projects or change initiatives. Teamwork can be built when working on a project; however, starting with people who general like each other and work well across functions can help make a significant change or large project easier and more effective. This knowledge is helpful when putting together project teams who will be assigned specific activities and tasks. If institutions have not implemented many enterprise-wide projects (i. e. an ERP system implementation), faculty and staff are unaccustomed to working on teams with other functional areas. In these cases, providing an orientation to working on a team can help familiarize people with and accomplish tasks. b. Explain the various factors to consider while choosing application platform

Beach Pollution Essay Analysis Essay Example

Beach Pollution Essay Analysis Paper These are a few of the thoughts going wrought my mind while descending on my first open-water dive in Monterey, California. I hear the eerie silence, interrupted only by the sound of water surging past me. As the salty water trickles through my regulator and into my mouth, I feel the cold rush toward my bare face, the only exposed part of my body. I look through my goggles and see absolutely stunning animals and organisms that most people will only see in books and pictures. See coral and kelp, fish and sea stars, just swaying with the ocean their home. Listener Relevance Link: It is their home that I, and many of you, use for creation. To swim, play, surf, scuba dive, boat, and other activities. It is also their home that the world is poisoning with pollutants and toxins every minute of every day. Ill. Speaker Credibility: As I observed the beauty of the ocean, I looked past the creatures and beneath the sandy sea floor. I was surprised to find some pieces of plastic and a few bott le caps, accompanied with more garbage. Although did notice these foreign objects, there was nothing could do at the moment. So I continued on my journey in the deep, a little disturbed at the sight had just witnessed. This experience made me want to counter this action and enhance the quality of the ocean. IV. Thesis: Today, I am going to talk to you about how water toxins, pollutants, and human impact affect the ocean. (Transition: A significant problem with water toxins and pollutants are the negative effect it has on the ocean water and the marine life. ) BODY l. Need A. Some of the most common toxins and pollutants are in a destructive group called organogenesis and include toothache, Pubs, EDT, dioxins, and more. . According to the Columbia Encyclopedia, Pubs are Polycarbonate phenyl, which are mixtures of organic chemicals that are non-flammable, chemically stable, and have high insulating qualities, which make them ideal to use for paints, plastics, and rubber products. 2. Despite the beneficial qualities they hold, such as being an inexpensive material for everyday items, they are considered to be substances that build up in the food chain and accumulate to levels that are harmful to environmental health (www. Bluestockings. Org/plastics). We will write a custom essay sample on Beach Pollution Essay Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Beach Pollution Essay Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Beach Pollution Essay Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer B. Step into the ocean and you will encounter everything from Pubs and dioxins to plastic bags, cigarette butts and bacteria from human waste. Canoe Lake and Steven Garret, authors of A guide to the surfing life, tell us that in polluted seas, ear and skin infections are common, and diseases including Hepatitis A have been known to be contracted. If this is how much contamination affects humans, just imagine the effect pollution has on smaller organisms. C. Oil is one of the most widespread pollutants in the marine environment. Most oil spillage is caused by oil leakage in refineries, cargo ship and tanker accidents, and problems with blown out pipelines and drilling rigs. 1. A local and severe oil spill took place on November 7, 2007. A cargo vessel pilled 58,000 gallons of heavy bunker fuel into the San Francisco Bay when it hit a tower of the Bay Bridge. A. Oiled sea birds are one of the most emotive images that come with the term oil spills. For every oiled seabird that lives long enough to be washed, many more have died at sea. The oil clogs their feathers, which provide insulation and buoyancy in the water. As stated by the US Davis environmental toxicology newsletter, The Cisco Buses spill led to the death Of 1 ,803 birds on arrival, 634 birds in a cleaning environment, one harbor seal, one northern fur seal pup, three marbled murderers, two brown pelicans, ND one western snowy plover. B. These numbers show what a vast impact only one oil spill has on an environment. In the past, detergents and steam cleaning were used to clean up oil spills, but the damage made by those treatments were worse than just leaving the shore alone. D. Chemicals and foreign liquids are not the only factors causing harm in the ocean. Many tangible objects, especially plastic, glass, and other trash, contaminate the deep blue sea. 1. The main problem with plastics is that they will virtually never go away. Most consumers throw them away, but they do not go away, they just go elsewhere. Out of sight, out of mind. Animals suffer injury, and in many cases death, from their encounters with plastic. Animals can be harmed through entanglement, laceration, suffocation, and ingestion. Depending which body of water and the buoyancy of it, plastics thrown into the water can either float, sink, Or stay in the Water column, leaving nowhere for animals to hide. The animals often mistake plastic pieces for food and ingest them. Discarded plastic packaging, fishing nets, and ropes usually take several years to break up. Meanwhile marine animals become entangled and trapped. Each ear, enormous numbers of plastics, ropes, fishnets, glass and metal are dumped in the sea. Some broken down by wave action, but most are non- biodegradable and stay in the water for years on years. 2. Anything glass will theoretically be in the water for eternity. Glass is non- biodegradable and chemically stable in seawater. It can remain unchanged for an unrestricted period of time. A motorbike dumped in the water will take 50 years just to rust away. The engine will take at least 200 years to dissolve completely (Hutchinson). The oil and petrol residues will harm animals for a very long amount of time. . Some people may not care about these effects because they do not have anything to do with humans, but think about how the food chain works. Small organisms will feed on this rust and oil residue. The larger fish will feed off those small organisms. All the while, we, humans, are catching these fish and eating them. At the rate that people are catching and eating fish. Who knows how many fish have been distributed that had harmful residue on their surfaces. 3. Other debris that is more ocean-based comes from boats, specifically merchant ships. Plastic is used for a plethora Of Uses on a merchant ship. This includes plastic strapping bands, sheeting, and shrink-wrap, which all interfere with marine wildlife. Recreational fishing holds home to one of the deadliest forms of debris imaginable infotainment line. This is the strong, clear, common fishing line used with common fishing poles. Fishermen often cut this when it becomes snarled or snagged on an object. It is not unusual to find a single segment of line with several dead birds entangled in it. 4. The amount of junk in the sea has a lot to do with the amount of junk on the beach. Urban means city, city means people, and people mean trash. Add an adjacent ocean to the equation, and trash means marine debris. About 70% of the Lignite States population lives within fifty miles of a coast (Including the great lakes); it should be of no surprise that a big portion of marine debris comes from land. Candy wrappers, cigarette butts, plastic straw and drink lids, Styrofoam cups, and plastic bags all find their way to coastal waters by storm drain (Come). Anything that can fit through the grate of a storm drain or anything of the like is usually untreated and end up in the oceans in which we swim. Everyone has seen it; Six-pack rings, average cans and bottles, cigarette butts, plastic bags, fireworks, and suntan lotion bottles are common things to find on the sandy beaches. Everyone has seen it, yet few people actually do something to get rid of the outlandish waste. All of the trash we see on the beach find their way into the waves, and soon enough to the bottom of the ocean. (Transition: Now that we know the affect this marine litter and pollution has on ocean life, how can we help fix it? ) . Satisfaction A. Even though human impact and pollutants have caused damage, it does not mean it is too late to help and improve quality of the ocean. Many conservation and restoration efforts have been made already, and there are many efforts people can make to keep the ocean clean.

Federal Reserve Essays - Monetary Policy, Banking, Free Essays

Federal Reserve Essays - Monetary Policy, Banking, Free Essays Federal Reserve University of Phoenix The purpose of money was created to allow trade between people and countries for goods or services. The functions of money are: medium exchange which is when sellers are willing to accept money in exchange for goods and or services. Unit of accounts function of money gives the buyer and seller a way of measuring value in the economy. Store of value function of money works so that you can hold the rest of the money that is not use can be stored and use in the future. Standard of deferred payment function of money is for purpose in borrowing and lending. The Federal Reserve Bank manages the nations monetary systems by three monetary policy tools: Open market operations which are the buying and selling of Treasury securities like bills, notes and bonds. They have three reasons for conducting the system through open market operations and they are: the Fed completely controls their volume, can make both small and large open market operations and can implement the open market operation quickly with no administrative delay or required change in regulation. Discount policy is when the banks borrow money from the Fed by getting a discount loan with a discount interest rate. Reserve requirements are when the Fed reduces the required reserve ratio; it concerts required reserves into excess reserves. The Fed reserves requirements much more than it does open market operation. . Reference blurtit.com/q23326784.html HYPERLINK "encyclopedia.com/topic/Monetary" encyclopedia.com/topic/Monetarypolicy.aspx FEDERAL RESERVE PAGE 2 Running head: federal reserve PAGE 1

2 page-paper brief for a case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

2 page-paper brief for a case - Essay Example SDI defendants aggressively marketed a test for diagnosing a common sleep disorder. According to an affidavit sworn by IRS Special Agent Julie Raftery, they at times billed twice for their services and made reward payments to doctors who participated in their tests. The US government claims that SDI employees who were in participating physicians’ offices would persuade patients to take part in a sleep study. As the cardiac diagnostic companies doing business with SDI would claim to complete a report of the results of the sleep studies, SDI staff would put fake stamps bearing the signatures of physicians reports. SDI would then recommend that a patient should take part in further studies, in which the patient’s health insurer would pay for them. The affidavit revealed cases of suspected tax fraud. At the end of a 2 year investigation led by the Internal Revenue Service with the active participation of 4 other federal and state agencies, investigators concluded that SDI F uture Health, Inc. had committed Medicare fraud. Based on the results gotten from the investigation, IRS Special Agent Julie Raftery sought for a warrant to search SDIs premises on January 28, 2002. The warrant was based on an affidavit which had information collected from 3 former employees and 2 associates of SDI.  Whether the warrant incorporated Special Agent Rafterys affidavit can be evaluated to check if it meets [the Fourth Amendments] requirements. If incorporated, then the affidavit should be evaluated to see if it satisfies deficiencies in the warrant. The SDI defendants also purportedly forced patients to make visits to SDI clinics, and told them that their assigned doctors had asked them to participate in the sleep studies. The US government states that Kaplan and Brunk lack a base to challenge the search and collection of materials from SDI’s premises. According to the government, a corporate defendant has standing with respect to searches of corporate property and

PeopleSoft State of art Part of my thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

PeopleSoft State of art Part of my - Thesis Example se PeopleTools 8.50 and PeopleSoft Enterprise Learning Management 9.1 and PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal 9.1, Oracle claims to offer the customers a platform to provide improved employee productivity and better performance. One of the differentiating features of this software is its Web 2 capabilities. Besides this enhanced ability, the software also has 300 new Web services and around 200 industry specific improvements (oracle.com). A summary of the various applications shows how these tools help in business improvement. A very interesting feature of HCM is that it facilitates the alignment of individual goals with those of the organization. This is achieved by ensuring that each business goal is extrapolated to the individual employee goal sheets. It even helps identify the succession plan for the organization by identifying the talent pool through the performance sheets and matching them with the key skill set at the various hierarchical levels. The Web 2.0 capabilities of PeopleSoft Enterprise help employees engage with each other through chats, wiki, social and knowledge networking forums. The software’s MIS generation features help analyze performance and productivity and thus enable leaders to chalk out future course of action. Its ability to talk to previously released versions of applications helps save its customer acquisition costs as there is no need to replace the previous applications to ena ble installation of the new ones. This helps save money on account of software acquisition and installation and training costs. With country specific HR and payroll programs the software is a global platform which can be used even in countries like China and Argentina. It also has educative and research oriented capabilities along with provisions for industries like retail, public sector and professional services. In the ensuing sections we will be discussing the various features that the software provides which enable a smooth running of the various HR functions

Aneurysms Nursing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Aneurysms Nursing - Case Study Example Not all aneurysms are live threatening but when the vessel is over enlarged it may burst causing massive internal bleeding (â€Å"Aneurysms and dissection†, 2011).In normal situations, arteries are capable of withstanding normal blood pressure due to their thick walls. Dissection occurs when a split occurs in either one or more layers of the walls of artery. This splitting causes bleeding along and into layers of the artery wall (â€Å"What is aneurysm†, n.d). Incidence, mortality and morbidity Aneurysms affect 1 in every 20 people in most societies and are therefore a global health problem. It is approximated that about 30,000 people suffer from aneurysms in each year in USA (Khurana, and Spetzler, 2006) with abdominal aortic causing about 9000 deaths yearly. Most of abdominal aneurysms occur in 5th, 6th and 7th decades of life (Debakey, Crawford, Garrett, Beall, and Howell, 1965 ; Mastracci and Eagleton, 2011) .The 9000 deaths are inclusive of 1400-2800 deaths which o ccurs due to elective operation in an effort to prevent bursting (Lederle et al., 2002). Aneurysms rupture causes approximated mortalities of 80-90% and most of the patients die before they are hospitalised.These deaths are inclusive of pre, intra and post operative cases (Russo, 2006).For aortic aneurysms, it has been estimated that 13,000 Americans die annually and most of these deaths occur due to dissections or bursting of arteries (â€Å"What is aneurysm†, n.d).On the other hand, abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are the 14th leading killer in USA (Russo, 2006). Risk factors and causes of aneurysms Any condition which leads to weakening of arteries walls predisposes a person to aneurysm. Other risk factors are smoking ,inborn abnormalities of connective tissue such as Ehler Donlos syndromes, congenital bicuspid valve abnormalities (Montgomery, Henderson, Ostrowsky, Karimmi and Hennein, 2010), high blood pressure, atherosclerosis which is characterized by building up of fa tty plagues in the arteries, deep wounds, injuries, infections occurring in blood vessels, inherited diseases such as Malfan syndrome (a health condition which affects body’s connective tissue) which causes people to have very flexible joints and long bones (â€Å"Aneurysms and dissections†, 2011).Pregnancy has also been linked with the formation and bursting of aneurysms of the splenic artery which leads to the spleen (Reed et al, 1992). Aneurysms can also occur due to defective genes which play a critical role in maintaining the integrity of arterial wall which offers strength and elasticity to arteries. It has been thought that disruption of extracellar matrix of arterial wall plays a critical role in pathogenesis of aneurysms such as intracranial aneurysms (Kuivaniemi,Troup and Prockop, 1991).For those patients with intracranial aneurysms it has been observed that they have decreased level of arterial structural proteins (Kuivaniemi et al, 1991). People with defect ive genes have been shown to have abnormal aortic matrix proteins, insufficient inhibition of proteolysis or overactive proteolysis, lack of elastin and abnormal production of type 111collagen which is a structural component of aorta wall (Reed et al, 1992). Patients who have autosomal dominant polystic kidney disease (ADPKD) have also been shown to have risks of developing aneurysms. In addition to this, infective endocarditis and Aspergillosis, syphilis infection, trauma and cocaine use has also been

The Death of Ivan Ilych and The Sun Also Rises Analysis

The Death of Ivan Ilych and The Sun Also Rises Analysis Lie The short story The Death of Ivan Ilych and the novel The Sun Also Rises have different from each other structure, scenery, and protagonists. The Death of Ivan Ilych is told by the author, omniscient. Per Kelly If there is no limit to what the narrator knows, if he can eavesdrop on the minds of characters and reveal their unspoken thoughts, we call him omniscient (xiv). In difference The Sun Also Rises is told by the protagonist. The narrator, limited omniscient, is the character of the novel and everything was shown based on his thoughts and views. The underline of each story is the lie and how it leads characters lives. In the story The Death of Ivan Ilych many lies have been accepted by characters as a truth. The lie starts from the begging of the story when Ivan Ilychs coworkers learned about his death. Their thoughts and actually pronounced words were complete opposites. Tolstoy states, receiving the news of Ivan Ilychs death the first thought of each of the gentlemen in the privet room was of changes and promotions (15). Tolstoy also exposes that the coworkers were acquaintances and so-called friends, but not true friends. Even the persons, who Ivan Ilych considered friends, had one thing in their mind how to benefit from his death. [T]he more intimate Ivan Ilychs acquaintances could not help thinking that they have to fulfill the very tiresome demands of propriety by attending the funeral service (Tolstoy 16). They were so fake friends that, the attending to the funeral had only far-sighted reasons. Ivan Ilychs life was full of lies and dishonesty. Everything started from his work and society that he was in. Throughout the story, Tolstoy shows how power and good connection help to get things that people are not qualified. [Ivan Ilych] set off for one of the provinces where, through his fathers influence, he had been attached to the Governor as an official for special services (Tolstoy 23). He started to act and do things that bring him good reputation and respect. Tolstoy affirms that [he] picked out the best circle of legal gentlemen and wealthy gentry living in the town (25). His life started to be just show off and every action was done for societies reaction, even getting married and having a family. To say that Ivan Ilych married because his social he fell in love with Praskovya Fedorovna would be as incorrect as to say that he married because his social circle approved of the match (Tolstoy 26). These all made the accepted lies bigger and bigger. The realization about lies came to Ivan Ilych when he got sick. The fist realization accrued to him in a visit to a doctor. He was accepting that doctor was avoiding his questions and overlook something like he used to do on the court. The doctor put on just the same air towards him as himself put on towards an accused person (Tolstoy 35). When Ilychs condition became worst many more thoughts came to his mind. He had additional time to think and realize that his life was filled with many lies. Every small thing was irritating and inflaming to him. He could find any relief in his relatives. The only pleasant person for him was his butlers young assistant, Gerasim. In the story, Tolstoy represented Gerasim as a person who lived good and clean life. Grasim was in Ilychs side most of the times and Gerasims sleepy, good-natured face made him think that he lived his whole life wrong. He realized that everything in his life was false and there was nothing real to him. It occurred to him tha t . his professional duties and the whole arrangement of his life and of his family, and all his social and official interests, might all have been false (Tolstoy 60). At the end of his life, Ivan Ilych understood that his life was not what he would want it to be. He was feeling sorry for his wife and kids, especially for his son. The novel The Sun Also Rises is told by the main character, Jake. In this novel, all the characters are living in the lies. Even though the whole time in the story Jake talks about other people, he describes him and his fillings. Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of Princeton. He cared nothing for boxing, in fact, he disliked it, but he learned it painfully and thoroughly to counteract the feeling of inferiority and shyness (Hemingway 11). Jake hade some insecurities which he was showing by describing Cohn. Jake is slightly concerned about the violence and fighting happened with Cohn, and it feels that Jake have feelings of inferiority too. Later in the novel, we find that Jake was in a war. Youre not a bad type, she said. Its a shame youre sick. We get on well. Whats the matter with you, anyway? I got hurt in the war, I said. (Hemingway 23). A conversation between Jake and Georgette brings in Jakes injury and how the war has influenced his life but keeps some things uncovered and shaded. The barrier between Jake and Brett gets quite clear at the end of the novel. Oh, Jake, Brett said, we could have had such a damned good time together. Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me. Yes, I said. Isnt it pretty to think so?' (Hemingway 250). The policeman, cars being slow downed and stopped symbolically represent that their relationship is not going anywhere and they are not going to be together. Furthermore, Jakes somewhat skeptical and unpleasant response demonstrates that he has no impressions about their relationship. It looks as if he respected the circumstance that a relationship between himself and Brett would have been improbable to end otherwise than any of her other unsuccessful relationships.

David Suzukis A Planet For The Taking :: essays research papers

David Suzuki's A Planet for the Taking In the essay "A Planet for the Taking," David Suzuki describes Canadians' odd appreciation for this great natural bounty we call our own. He is an internationally acclaimed scientist who is concerned about the welfare of Canada. Suzuki's intended audience is the Canadian population that does not realize the grave danger they are instilling upon themselves by haphazardly taking our resources without looking at the subsequent repercussions of their actions. The essay is persuasive and informative. He compares various facets of science and gives reasons why none of these fields can explain why we are destroying nature. The organization of the essay supports the author's views well. It begins with general opinions about the Canadian population and is followed by more detailed explanations. The general opinions in the beginning are well- chosen considering the audience. Suzuki's tone is evident when he states "We have both a sense of the importance of the wilderness and space in our culture and an attitude that it is limitless and therefore we needn't worry." These words suggest that we are willing to reap the rewards of our vast resources but we fail to see the harm that we are doing, and will continue to do if we do not stop these actions. Although his approach for explaining his beliefs changes, Suzuki's tone of great concern remains consistent throughout the essay. After his views are presented, Suzuki begins to tell us what we have done to our country and how we are destroying it. Present day Canadians are compared to native Canadians which successfully serves its purpose in illustrating how, for centuries, people lived off the natural resources in Canada. With the development of science and technology, we have developed better ways of mass harvesting resources but these methods are taking at a faster rate than nature can sustain. Science suggests means of replacing these resources we are taking but there is no quick replacement for ecosystems that have taken thousands of years to evolve. Following his explanations of how we have destroyed nature, Suzuki discusses science and how society deals with it, "I believe that in large part our problems rest on our faith in the power of science and technology." This statement and the following sentences are used to describe how people deal with great developments in science and technology. Because there have been so many great advances in these fields in the past century, people are comfortable placing their faith in science though scientists are still far from discovering all of the secrets to the universe. Scientists interfere with nature without

Essay – Big Fish

Big Fish M Krause 02/27/13 Production: Columbia Pictures, 2003 Producer: Bruce Cohen/Dan Jinks Director: Tim Burton Screenplay: Daniel Wallace (novel), John August (screenplay) Cinematography: Philippe Rousselot Editing: Chris Lebenzon Music: Danny Elfman Principal Characters: Ewan McGregor Ed Bloom (Young) Albert FinneyEd Bloom (Senior) Billy CrudupWill Bloom Jessica Lange Sandra Bloom (Senior) Helena Bonham CarterJenny (Young)/Jenny (Senior)/The Witch Alison LohmanSandra Bloom (Young) Robert GuillaumeDr. Bennett (Senior) Marion CotillardJosephine Bloom Matthew McGregoryKarl the Giant David DenmanDon Price (Age 18-22) Missi Pyle MildredLoudon Wainwright IIIBeaman Typical of Tim Burton films, Big Fish is full of interesting elements of fantasy, exaggerated reality, and other time periods or worlds. Most interesting is how Tim Burton seems to always use such separate elements and weave them into films with great continuity, the same is true for Big Fish. Through creative use of narrat ive advancement, period costuming, and two complete casts of characters (one playing the younger versions and one playing the older versions of people) Burton is able to tell the story of Ed Bloom and his crazy life which is chock full of tall tales and interesting people he met along the way.While there was no shortage of bright colors and oddball characters typical of Burton-esque mise en scene (Danny Devito as a werewolf for example), there was more of a story to Big Fish than found in other films by this director. In an article from 2004 critiquing what was at the time the newest in the Tim Burton library of films, author Beth Deters stated â€Å"With Big Fish, curiously enough, the opposite holds true — story prevails over images. The narrative proves far richer than the visual style that depicts it. † (Beth Deters, Worldpress).Honestly, viewing the film twice might not be enough to understand every element and catch every thread of symbolism in this film, the goo d thing is that Big Fish is entertaining enough to watch multiple times, especially if you are a fan of Tim Burton. The screenplay is effective even with all of the jumping around from present day to the past and is only enhanced by spectacular editing and symbolism. Even with the fantasy elements and symbolism intertwined, the story has a great relaxed flow to it, one reviewer stated â€Å"Since this is a film about tall tales, the structure is quite different from Burton’s other work.You never know when or where the story is going to go next, which is part of the film’s charm. †(Arran McDermott, www. timburtoncollective. com) The main protagonist of the film is of course Edward Bloom. He is, in a way, constantly trying to entertain everyone around him with his tall tales and means no harm to anyone in doing so, however through his storytelling, he unintentionally drives a wedge between himself and his son. Edward is also by far the roundest character of the fi lm.Even though his whole life, it seems Edward Bloom has done many acts of kindness for strangers and friends alike, his own son cannot appreciate him the way he should. Throughout this film, we see much character development for young and old Edward Bloom – from a young man who becomes the hero of his town to a family man and finally to his deathbed and beyond. We understand his view of the world through watching his struggles and experiences along the way. Edward Bloom literally is Big Fish. There is no real defined antagonist in Big Fish, however, society/expectations/external forces could all be antagonists in this film.For example, after Sandra and Edward finally get together as a couple, Edward is shipped off to the war and has to fight his way back to his love along with the help of two very colorful, Asian Siamese twins all the while Sandra thinking he is dead. He needs to overcome that obstacle to make it back to Sandra and continue along in his life. Even before tha t after he sees Sandra for the first time, Edward is forced go to work for Amos Calloway in the circus in order to even find out more about his love and how to contact her, this is another antagonist in his way. The foil in this movie is Edward Bloom’s son Will.He is judgmental against his father, yet in the end turns out to be the most like him in the whole movie. Throughout much of the film, Will dislikes and purposely doesn’t tell stories in a rebellious act toward his father (it seems). Even Edward himself says to Will’s wife that it was good that Will had never shared with her the story of how he met Will’s mother because â€Å"He would have told it wrong anyway, all of the facts and none of the flavor†(Edward Bloom, film). Will’s dry, serious character provides a stark contrast to Edwards colorful one and his fantastical stories.The most telling fact about these two is that Will turns out to be a writer, albeit at first a reporter, but a writer nonetheless. This is also the underlying principal conflict in the film, father vs. son, fantasy vs. reality and it is only resolved by the character of Will doing some digging about the stories to understand his father better and discovering the threads of reality interwoven into the fantasy stories he has been told since he was a child. He never appreciated his father until he was almost gone and by the time he realizes his mistake it is almost too late.To the contrary, an example of a confidant and a fairly static character (besides becoming pregnant in the course of the movie) is Josephine Bloom. She, unlike her husband, enjoys the stories that Edward tells and believes there is more truth to them than her husband is giving them credit for. The town of Spectre is an example of foreshadowing in the film Big Fish. When Bloom first comes across Spectre, it is a town which is almost ethereal (read Heaven-like), there are no roads just soft grass and no one wears shoes. It is then described that he arrived at this town â€Å"too early†.The next time we see Spectre, it has become gloomy and dark and is falling apart. Edward takes it upon himself to buy up the town and â€Å"fix it†. The contrast between Spectre’s downfall and Bloom’s bad health represents how one would right themselves religiously to prepare for heaven and foreshadows the idea that Edward passes on by the end of the film. It is also stated in the film that after Edward left Spectre, he never returns and â€Å"the story ends where it began†(Jenny-Senior, film). Additionally, Spectre is described as â€Å"feeling so strange, but so familiar† which is what could be interpreted by the mainstream what Heaven is believed o like. There are two mise en scenes in this movie, there is one in the present day which is typical of any generic film with present day clothing and normal camera tones and backdrops. There is also the mise en scene of the fantasy world which seems to be filmed using a brighter, overexposed film to show the difference. The clothing being worn by the characters in the fantasy world are brighter, the characters themselves are stranger, and the backdrops of a different time period. There is a stark contrast between the two and that plays into part of the story.The two are only tied together in the end during the funeral scene when Karl the giant, the Siamese twins and various other characters from Edwards past come to pay their respects. One scene in particular has a great deal of symbolism, both implied and spoken, it is also one of the most beautiful of the film. When Josephine and a senior Edward are speaking of the first time Edward sees his love, he describes time standing still – in this moment in the film, Edward is at the circus and spots Sandra from across the room. Everything freezes (literally) just as is being described) the scene shows everything stop†¦except Edward Bloom.He then moves t oward his love, even pushing popcorn which is stopped in mid-air and literally walking through (read jumping through) hoops to reach his love. And then just as he is about to reach her, time starts up again and moves even faster (again just as he is describing), and she disappears. The symbolism of Edward stepping through the hula hoop to be interpreted as â€Å"jumping through hoops† is so important and beautiful. The literal interpretation was so amazing and unexpected, the viewer could see literally what falling in love was like.The music is particularly effective in this movie, almost in an expected way. Too much music could have been overpowering, but there was just enough and timed correctly throughout the film. From Buddy Holly in the middle of the film when Edward is going to find his love, to traditional â€Å"end of the movie† music, to the ending credits with Pearl Jam (a soundtrack can’t get more poignant than Pearl Jam). The soundtrack really added another dimension to the film and increased its likeability and made it easier for the viewer to relate.The editing in this movie was spot-on and it had to be with all of the back and forth between two worlds and two sets of characters. The movie seamlessly weaves together both the stories and provide a flowing, continuous story which keeps the viewer entertained from the first scene describing â€Å"The Beast† (film). The pacing has a smooth, even keel to it – Burton somehow manages to keep the viewer at the edge of their seat, sometimes literally leaning forward in anticipation, while still keeping a calm feel throughout the entire film.The pacing of the film literally charms the viewer into accepting the images on the screen. The transitions in this film are especially magical, starting with something reality based and moving to a fantasy element, repeat. Each perfectly timed and taking the viewer back in time tell one of Edwards fantastical stories, one more magica l than the last until the grand finale where the transition isn’t even anticipated because the son takes over the storytelling (Will).Another aspect, the cinematography, is flawless and best described in this quote â€Å"Director Tim Burton uses cinematography to create a believable fantasy world. With bright colors and flawless shots, viewers feel as if they are in a dream. This other worldly feel helps viewers imagine that the events could actually be true. †(www. bookrags. com[->0]) . Big Fish transports the viewer to Edward Bloom’s imagination and makes even the craziest ideas seem tangible such as escaping from the war with Siamese twins or saving a town by befriending a giant.What a fabulous film to view as a final selection. Visually beautiful, emotionally moving, and thought-provoking. Works Cited Big Fish. Tim Burton. Columbia Pictures. 2003. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Big_Fish http://jordanfogerson. wordpress. com/2012/02/28/tim-burton-narrative-st ructure/ http://yaledailynews. com/weekend/2004/01/16/tim-burton-doesnt-quite-reel-in-a-big-fish/ http://www. bookrags. com/films/bigfish2003/styleandcinematography. html http://www. timburtoncollective. com/bigfish. html http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0319061/? ref_=fn_al_tt_1 [->0] – http://www. bookrags. com