Thursday, October 31, 2019
Usage Of IT Tools In Organization Research Paper
Usage Of IT Tools In Organization - Research Paper Example Organizations such as Farmers Insurance and Travellers Insurance recently have benefited on a major part with the technique of outsourcing their IT and BPO sector. These successful companies seemed to have partitioned core processes and other back-end processes that are of least importance for outsourcing. Organizations have moved beyond initial stages of outsourcing only the back-end processes and they have adopted outsourcing the core development which produced a statistics report of 40% increment in productivity and high efficiency in cost of labor. On a contrary, companies like CCC Information services in source or import people as a solution to reduce the incurring cost that is at a hidden level. This finds a way to control a company's taxes and decisions on outsourcing and insourcing are made based on the business goals of each company. On the analysis made, it is found that the manufacturing companies prefer more of insourcing labors from China or from remote areas in the north where employment is less. Companies can make a straightforward decision to choose insourcing or the other depending on the business requirement. It is also clear that insourcing requires a lot of effort and manpower to train a team and match them to the skill set in a short period of time but on a large duration inclusive of the cutting down cost of labor, and then this is the best way adopted by companies to enhance their profit and productivity. In outsourcing, we get a more powerful and skilled team in a short period. This was considered more expensive and used by larger organizations earlier. Rapid growth of the IT industries such as TCS, CTS, Accenture and IBM is mainly due to migration of industries from undertaking the core process all by themselves with less manpower and resources to distributing the process among few trusted partners which is less time consuming and effective availability of resources. At a reduced cost, work can be smartly insourced too. It is found that companies with major growth and productivity have adopted these strategies only after a thorough analysis of which organization or people should be insourced or outsourced. Â Â Â Organizations such as Rackspace have started building their own cloud spaces where they can share secure data and make it private. The traditional approach of disk spaces has been removed from the stage and the big picture is all about web. Most of the data and information that organizations use are through web. They emerge obtaining permissions and spaces from providers with such cloud options to make their organizational data much
Monday, October 28, 2019
BBC The Next Five Years Essay Example for Free
BBC The Next Five Years Essay Introduction The purpose of this study is to investigate the information strategy of the BBC. Having reviewed the various modes of enquiry, we have decided that the unbounded mode is the most appropriate in this instance. Using this, we have investigated the BBCs’[1] IS strategy, examining the external factors that may have an affect upon its planning and design. In addition we have reviewed other issues pertinent to the BBC to determine the possible negative of these might have on the strategy. Finally we have looked at the next five years to evaluate the relevance that significant advances over that period might have on the BBC IS strategy. Enquiry system            In compiling this report we need first to decide what method we are going to plan our research upon. There are five basic enquiry modes ranging from the simple to the complex and innovative. Enquiry Modes 1) Inductive-Consensual            As the words suggest this mode of enquiry relies upon one reaching a single conclusion by using a restricted range of interpretations, for example from previous researches into the subject matter. The result is influenced by the general consent of these opinions. For example if one asked the question â€Å"Is public service broadcasting superior to commercial,†and this was only put to BBC employees, the consensus is likely to answer affirmatively. 2) Analytic-deductive            This mode approaches the problem or enquiry from a different aspect. In this case the problem is broken down into its component parts. Each one of these parts is then analysed and tested for logic. Once this process is complete a formula is used to build the results from the analysis of those parts into a single solution that addresses the problem. 3) Dialectic            One of the more complex of the enquiry modes, the dialectic mode is based upon conflict or different viewpoints. It does not question the data, simply the views that are expressed about it, working on the basis that by discussion of the variance a logical conclusion will be reached. A relevant argument for this mode would be the discussion about whether the BBC should be allowed to sell advertising space in the same way that the commercial media does. 4) Multiple reality            Multiple reality recognizes that people will approach problems from a predetermined viewpoint, based upon their own experience and training. For example an Accountant will look at the commissioning of a new revolutionary BBC sit-com from a different angle of the program planner. This process therefore relies upon the problem being addressed from a number of viewpoints, which will essentially come up with a range of conclusions. 5) Unbounded systems thinking            This modes works on the basis that, in any given situation, all modes of enquiry are automatically brought to bear, and therefore cannot be separated. Thus, when addressing a problem every viewpoint and conclusion needs to be taken into account. Similarities and differences            All of the modes described above have similarities. All five rely upon the fact that there is a situation to be addressed in the first place. Additionally the point of the exploration, review and analysis of this problem, for all of the modes is to a) gain knowledge and b) reach a conclusion based on that knowledge, or a solution to the hypothesis or problem posed. Modes 1 and 2 above are similar to the extent that they both have a singular approach to the subject matter, relying upon one viewpoint (or consensus) being the input and the result.            With modes 3 and 4 the similarities are that both look for a range of viewpoints from which to approach a subject and neither attempt or profess to reach a singular conclusion, preferring instead to provide multiple conclusions.            Mode 5, in theory, displays the most similarity to all of the others. This is simply because it works on the premises that, in the real world, none of the enquiry systems and modes described can operate independently.            Equally there are some major differentials between these systems. The key difference is in their approach to a given situation. Mode one differs from the others in that it relies upon a consensus of opinion from a limited range of sources and seeks a single conclusion. Mode two differs from three to five for the same reason, but it also differs from one in the it analyses the component parts of the problem, rather than relying solely on interpretation. Mode three and four differ from each other in that they treat the conclusion in a different manner, three allowing differing conclusions to be presented, and four, seeking argument between different conclusions. Mode fives similarity is also its difference to the others, namely that it does not limit itself to a particular enquiry mode, instead using all formats. Strengths and weaknesses            Inherent in all enquiry modes are strengths and weaknesses, which need to be recognised. Inductive-Consensual. The strengths of this mode rest in the fact that it is focused in one direction, making it simple to use and relatively quick to apply to a given problem. Its weaknesses lie in the limitation of approach and its reliance upon consensus of opinion. There is no attempt to check the validity of core data. Using the BBC example used in the mode description, there is no guarantee that the consensus of agreement is based on a genuine or, because they are employees of the BBC, biased and inaccurate opinion. Analytic-deductive. In this instance the strength comes from the fact that the component parts have been analysed before arriving at a conclusion. It bases that conclusion on logic. Its weakness comes from the fact that, like mode 1, it relies heavily upon a single source of operator to address the problem or situation. Both modes 1 and two have a strength that is also a weakness. This relates to the fact that both seek to arrive at a single conclusion. This is strength when given a task that asks for a definitive solution and the receiver does not want to input into this, but a weakness when asked for an opinion or range of solution.  Dialectic. The major strength in this mode is that it does allow for differing viewpoints to address a situation, thus relating itself more closely with a real world scenario. Similarly, the fact that it does result in a range of conclusions, and allow these to compete against each other to reach a conclusion is good when seeking a final unified approach. It means that all the options have an opportunity to be considered and discussed. The argumentative aspect can be strength insofar as such an approach can often lead to a tempering of divergent views. Weakness may Multiple reality. Like Dialectic, the multiple approaches have the strength of numerous viewpoints. In this case though, it presents all of the options. This allows the receiver to consider the options from their own particular viewpoint, before they make the final decision. Unbounded systems. The strength of this system is in its unlimited approach to a subject. Using this method ensures that it covers all possible aspects, resulting in a wide range of probable solutions. Its weakness rests in the fact that it is cumbersome and, if used as a tool for a conclusive result, could not facilitate this. In addition it would be a time consuming project. For the purpose of this study we will be using the multiple reality mode. Information Systems strategy – External environment Socio-political            The BBC is a public service broadcasting organisation. Because of this there are more socio-political factors that impact upon the corporation and its operations than with most other businesses. From a social point of view one has to look at both society as a whole as well as individual groups. Such groups can consist of ethnic, class and disabled minorities. All of these groups expect to receive equality of service from the corporation. This means that the corporation needs to ensure that it represents each group within all of its programme output. For example, it needs to ensure that within the public face of its broadcasting such minorities are adequately represented, be that in a factual or fictional environment.            On the political front the BBC also has to deal with a number of factions. In line with other businesses it has to pay heed to governments and judicial legislation, although the difference that exists with the BBC is that has a closer link in that it is a public corporation. Similarly, like other media, regulatory bodies overview its product and output. However, in addition to these, the BBC has two additional political factors to deal with. These are the Royal Charter, which has recently been reviewed (2006) and the BBC Trust.  Technological            Trust is one of the key issues, which dictates the rate at which new technology is taken up. Often the speed at which technology develops is the one thing that makes trust difficult to achieve. No sooner has a user familiarised themselves with one system than this is rendered obsolete by a new one. Davis (2002) in his paper written for the Joint Information Services Committee posed the question that many users were asking. â€Å"How sure can one be that the outcome of an interaction is what it purports to be?†As it operates within the business medium, the BBC has greater access to technology than other organisations. It is an integral part of their broadcasting environment. This includes such areas as Broadband, digital and interactive technology. Internally it uses similar modern technology to other media businesses, in terms of computers, network systems in addition to the TV and radio broadcasting technology. The latter includes such things as cameras, film equipment and outside broadcast vehicles. However, as Paul Cheesbrough, BBC head of technology for production and technology direction, admitted in his interview with Miya Knights (2004), their internal systems do need updating in a number of areas, where he says, â€Å"Internally, our processes for producing and authoring content have been the same for many years and are still very physical. Its a very distributed set-up with lots of physically-based processes in between.†The internal technology of an organisation is important (Glasson 1996) Economic – Geographical            The BBC, unlike the commercial broadcasting media, does not receive money from other businesses in terms of advertising revenue, nor much in the way of sponsorship. It is funded in the main by a system of revenue from the television and radio licence, together with the annual financial support that it receives from the British government. Despite the wish, within some factions of the corporation to change this situation, so far this has been rejected. The only other of funding available to the BBC is the commercial sales it makes of its programmes to other broadcasting media throughout the world, including joint ventures, and sales of its products through other medium, such as books and publications, CDs and DVDs.            From a geographical point of view, the BBC is predominately a British based broadcaster, although it does have a world service for radio, originally set up with the intention of providing a link for armed forces overseas. Historically it has concentrated upon this limited geographical area through which to develop and market its products. However, it does produce programmes relating to and based upon many areas of the world. Nowadays it is also making use of the Internet through which to extend its audience. To add to its home-based productions, the BBC also buys programmes from other media throughout the world. Impact on IS strategy planning and design â€Å"The social, legal, political, ethical, and ecological issues facing business have never been more complex or more difficult to comprehend,†wrote Stephen Wartick (1997). This statement is particularly applicable to the BBC. The factors mentioned previously form an intrinsic element of its Information Services at the planning and design stage. From a social point of view the BBC is required to cater for all sectors of society. The means that part of its strategy has to be geared towards minority groups. In addition it has historically been seen as a provider of learning, necessitating part of its information system strategy to be used in that direction. Political issues also impact upon its planning and design because, as a result of the need to divert resources to other areas set within its charter, this means that there are fewer resources available to pursue avenues that it might otherwise wish to develop. There have been instances in the past where the political forces have tried to introduce a modicum of pressure onto the corporation and, knowing this is a possibility, must impact on the corporation strategy. The area where the BBC does appear to both holding its own, and in some respects, making significant advances, is in technology. Whilst internally there are areas that need addressing, from an external and production standpoint the organisation is keeping up to date. Here it has encompassed the changes that have occurred since the Information era began in the 1970’s, using modern technology to maintain its reputation as possibly the best broadcaster in the industry. The planning and designing stages are very important. As Paul Cheeseburgh (2004) observed â€Å"The term digital islands means a lot in our industry, but theres no point in moving from analogue to digital processes if those islands are disconnected.†Nevetherless they have made some of their processes more cost competitive as a result of technology, with the use of digital technology being an example of this. Economics probably has the greatest impact on the businesses IS strategies and their planning. Because its funding is subjected to restrictions than other broadcasters, this means that some of the innovative ideas that the BBC might wish to develop may not be possible due to financial restrictions. Similarly, it has a finite budget from which to take advantage of technology advances in the way that it would like to. Geographical issues have an impact on the IS strategy. Being a media corporation means that they have to plan for communication access sometimes to even the remotest parts of the world, and have a variety of climates to contend with. In the equatorial countries for instance, the corporation has had to make use of refrigerated broadcast vehicles. Impacts on IS strategy Risk Categorization Scales            As has been widely publicised, Information systems and Technology attract risks and these manifest themselves in a number of ways. In all areas of life and business, there is the risk of sabotage (Stewart 2000) Technology for instance, suffers from hacking, virus and other dangers instigated from outside sources. Then there are the mechanical and accidental risks.            Knowing that these events are likely to happen even in the best protected of systems, it is vitally important that this eventuality is recognised and addressed at an early stage. Kim Andersen (2005) in his book on the subject, shows â€Å"how getting things right†helps the information system. This is particularly relevant in a broadcasting organisation such as the BBC. At all stages of the development of an IS and IT strategy plan a consequence analysis should be carried out, this is relevant at each subsequent change as well. Within this process one needs to identify where the possibility of risks lies, what type of risks could attach themselves to the area in question and what the effect of those risks might be. Figure 1 (see appendices) gives an example of a consequence matrix. Effect/probability/Action Grid            Having analysed the areas of risks and the types of risks that could occur, one then has to categorise and evaluate the risk. This means that one needs to first work out what the effects of that risk will be. Will it be in favour of the organisations and its IS and IT, or will it be fatal. Or will it be somewhere between the two. The next step it to ascertain the probability factor. What is the likelihood of the risk occurring, negligible or certainly? Armed with this information one can then work out what action to take in terms of prevention, assuming that the risk is not to the businesses advantage. Figure 2 (see appendices) shows a simple grid detail the possible results of this analysis. Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability (CIA)            Following on from the previous analysis, the organisation needs to work out what impact this potential risk will have on the business. This can be categorised in three ways. Firstly there is confidentiality and privacy. The BBC IS and IT systems contain a lot of sensitive data, both from an internal and external point of view, such as staff and financial details. It could be embarrassing and costly if this information were to be obtained illegally, in addition to the fact that it could see the organization facing legal action for breach of confidentiality. This area will impact on the information system, (Mwangama 2006)            The second impact of risk could be to the integrity of accuracy of the data. If information is tampered with or altered in any way this would have serious consequences for the business.            The third area of impact is when the data or system is corrupted of deleted. In this case the system or database would be unable to operate and, in an extreme case the contents and data non-recoverable. Potential Negative Impacts 1) Technical            From a technical viewpoint the negative impact of the consequences of risk will attach to the strategy planning and design. For example the BBC would need to ensure that, by the introduction of new and more versatile systems and upgrades, this does not increase the risks. If this appears likely then the direction of the strategy will need to be reappraised. Similarly, if by installing new software the system becomes less secure in terms of the data access, the necessity and cost benefit of new software should be evaluated. This may result in technology and information system upgrades being delayed until such time as the security of the hardware can be guaranteed to be as risk proof as possible. 2) Non-Technical            The organisation also needs to look at the negative issues that the consequence of risk may raise in relation to human and business processing issues. Employees and others involved with the Corporation have a right to expect personal information to be maintained in a confidential and secure manner. The shoulders of the organisation that has the information, to keep it secure. In addition to this is the damage of such a risk to the business processes. It is not only losing of the programmes, which would prove costly enough, it is also the potential of lost data, which in some areas could be irreplaceable. Ethical Issues            Added to all of the above are the ethical issues surrounding risk. The BBC, like all organisations that keep sensitive and personal data, is subject to both the data protection ACT and their own professional code of conduct and ethics. These include a duty to not harm those for whom you are responsible for and to respect their right to privacy, which includes ensuring that any personal information that they give to you are kept safe. Thus it cannot be passed to a third party, either by the organisation itself or by the intervention of an outside party. Even if that third party is committing an illegal act it does not absolve the corporation from liability. In the modern legal environment, if such an event occurs, the possibility of legal action being taken the organisation is very likely. The code of conduct for the BBC also states that it sees part of its duty being to respect and honour human rights. This extends to ensuring that the technology that is installed within its systems offers the same rights.            In addition to the rights of the individual whose rights have been violated there is the impact that such a breech will have on the corporations’ own reputation. According to a newspaper report written by Owen Gibson (2005) the BBC recently revised their code of ethics to take account of some of these issues. The Next Five Years            Strategic planning for the future of information systems is important. (Ward Peppard 2002) A business needs a â€Å"clear vision of where it is trying to go.†(Andersen 2004) and to produce the correct strategy the BBC needs to know what events will impact on the strategy. External changes In terms of the future, the next five years are likely to produce changes of significance in terms of IS and IT in a number of areas, in hard and software (Mark Haggerty 2006). The advances in wireless technology are one area where these advances are proving to be particularly rapid. This development will allow both television and computers to become really possible, with consumers able to carry the receivers in pockets. They will then be in a position of being able to view at any time and in any place. Wireless technology development will also have an impact on broadcasting in that it will allow ease of access for people involved in news reporting, such as with the BBC. Using these systems, particularly in their news department, the corporation will be able to achieve instant news reporting from almost anywhere in the world. In addition the reports will be able to be accessed and reported on air in real time, in other words as it happens. Continued development in satellite technology will also improve the ability of the BBC to achieve its strategy of moving closer towards a more â€Å"on-demand†consumer environment. Video conferencing is set to be one of the main growth areas in technology over the next five years. (Laura Hailstone 2006). This technology is already being used and implemented by a growing number of businesses. In addition to the business use, this technology is set to move into the private sector, allow for projects such as games shows to be conducted with participants not having to move from their home. With increasing computer technology being incorporated within television sets, the opportunities are available for television presenters to be able to interact directly with the consumer. There will be continued developments in the field of interactive media. The continuing improvements in this area will eliminate the need for there to be two or three machines in a household in order to give the consumer flexibility and choice. Within the next five years the facility of recording direct from the TV should improve substantially, allowing additional onset recording facilities, improving upon what systems such as sky offer already. Interaction will also affect the BBC’s learning facilities leading to closer interaction between teacher and learner, (G. Conole et al 2000). B. Davies (2002) also showed how modern and future information system developments are impacting on users in the education arena. An area of significant relevance to the BBC is the continued development of compact storage systems, such as the MP3. From an internal point of view this will mean less space utilised for storage of produced material, therefore reducing the corporations costs in the area of storage. With the increase in globalisation, business systems will also witness significant innovation over the next five years. Such programmes as the multi-national, multi-lingual supply chain software could be implemented within the BBC, providing it with more accuracy and accessibility in terms of its global operations, allow it to work more closely with the stakeholders who supply the corporation and ensure that the quality of the product is maintained. Internal changes            The BBC will see changes in a number of areas of IS and IT. It is expected that within the next five years media broadcasters will need to keep updating their technology and systems to meet the increasing demands from the public in the way in which programmes are presented. Digital development is something that the BBC sees as having a significant effect over their programming abilities over the next five years. From the point of view of the production side of their programmes, a test run on one programme has shown that it produces a significant cost reduction. More developments of this nature are planned. Development of the digital technology for the end user is also seen as a means of being able to extend the ability of the viewer to have more control over the way in which they organise their personal viewing or listening schedules. The corporation is planning to use this to restructure the way in which it produces programmes and extend the range of interaction with the consumer. Further developments on the World Wide Web are also being looked at. This will provide the BBC with the ability to make its services available in a number of new ways, including providing a service where programs can be downloaded and watched for a limited period, thereby avoiding the possibility of this being stored and affecting others possible sales of the programmes. As part of this development they are working with all of the major software organisations in the development of products, which will open new opportunities in terms of programming. The BBC sees, what its Director-General Mark Thompson (2005) â€Å"On Demand†television as the way forward in technology. In addition to this the BBC are also developing ways in which their programmes can be transmitted for screening on a range of portable devices. From an in house perspective the BBC sees that IT developments over the next five years will enable it to integrate all of its in house operations, linking together internal systems that previously have been disconnected. Internally there will also be changes in terms of office systems and other related technology usages. Microsoft’s chief technology officer, in his interview with Chris Nuttall (1999) stated that â€Å"every five years there is a revolution in the computer industry.†Therefore it is necessary that organisations like the BBC have a strategy prepared for it. Evidence Research shows that all of the changes outlined are evidenced. Tafazolli, Rahim (2006) comments â€Å"that the days of the totally wireless technology are close and that soon consumers will be able to access the media wherever they are.†Future Tech (2006), have noted that one organisation is already well advanced on a system of voice recognition for the purpose of media viewing, amongst other applications. The article also reveals that MIT are developing the computer glasses, which will make operation of computers and televisions much less tiresome, allowing the consumer to operate TV and Computer without using hands. The article also reveals that hardware companies are working to make the computer less visible. This means that, instead of the current box on the desk, they may be incorporated in the TV or portable devices, which can be, located and operated from anywhere. The BBC launched â€Å"Creative Future Project†. Part of the remit for this project is to continue to monitor the advances in new technology with a view to using the technology as part of its development strategy for the future. The project, and the BBC’s IT department are working with a number of the largest software houses, such as Microsoft and Apple, to development programmes and systems which can assist in the development of broadcasting. Energy consideration is already an area that the BBC is aware of. In the future the role of Information systems and technology will take on more significance in terms of its contribution to energy conservation, (J R. Franchi 2004) Bibliography Andersen, Kim Viborg. (2004) The Past and Future of Information Systems. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd Carpenter, Leona, Shaw, Simon and Prescott, Andrew (eds) (1988) Towards the Digital Library, The British Library, London Conole, G., Jacobs, G., Squires, D (ed) (2000), The Changing Face of Learning Technology. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1-3. Davies, B. (2002), How new technologies are impacting on users, Joint Information Systems Committee. Retrieved 17 July 2006 from: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=pub_inform2 Franchi, John. R. Franchi (2004) Energy, Technology and Directions for the Future. Elsevier Academic Press. Future Tech. (2006) Future Computing. Retrieved 12 July 2006 from http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~jwb24/newtech/integrate.html Gibson, Owen. (2005) New Ethics Code for BBC. The Guardian Glasson, Bernard, C, Vogel, Doug, Bots, Pieter and Nunamaker, Jay (1996) Information Systems and Technology in the International Office of the Future. Chapman Hall. UK Haggerty, Mark. (2005) GMS Software development. The next five years. Clientside News Hallstone, Laura (2006). VC market set to grow over the next five years. Retrived 16 July 2006 from www.vcunet.com Knights, Miya (2004) Interview with Paul Cheeseburgh: BBC sees new technology horizons. Retrieved 18 July 2006 from http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/analysis/2132111/bbc-sees-technology-horizon Mwangama, Ena. (2006) Information in the Next Five Years. Retrieved 18 July 2006 from http://www.comptechlib.com/326.html Nuttall, Chris. (1999). Windows to lose its crown within five years. Retrieved 10 July 2006 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/253592.stm/ Press Release (2006) Response to the white paper. Retrieved 16 July 2006 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/03_march/14/white.shtml Review of the BBC’s Royal Charter. (July 2006). Retrieved 17 July 2006 from http://www.bbccharterreview.org.uk/pdf_documents/BBCRoyal%20Charter_july06.pdf Stewart, R.A. (2000). Dam Risk Management (Invited Paper). Proceedings of the International Conference on Geotechnical and Geological Engineering (GeoEng2000). Melbourne, pp. 721-748. Tafazolli, Rahim (2006) Technologies for the Wireless Future. Wireless World Research Forum. UK Thompson, Mark (Director General) (2005) Creative Future Project. Retrieved 16 July 2006 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/thefuture/text/creative_future.html Ward, John and Peppard, Joe. (2002) Strategic Planning for Information Systems. John Wiley Sons Wartick, Stephen L. (1997) International Business and Society. Blackwell Publishers [1] British Broadcasting Corporation
Saturday, October 26, 2019
The Impact Of Climate Change On Cambodia
The Impact Of Climate Change On Cambodia Cambodia is one of the countries on the mainland of Southeast Asia. Cambodia is 181,035 square kilometer in total area, and the total number of population is nearly 14 million in 2008. Cambodia shares the border with the three countries in Asia such as Thailand, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, and Socialist of Vietnam and about 6400 kilometer in total border. Actually, 80 percent of the total populations are farmers. They grow crops, especially rice paddy, for daily use in the families and sale the surplus products to the market places to earn money for the future needs. Besides the doing agriculture, people are usually work for other people either in the rural or in the urban to make money for the families. These kinds of jobs are commonly about building, garment sectors, electricians and so on. In addition, Cambodia is one of the countries has the tropical monsoon in the region in which classify the climate in Cambodia into two different seasons respectively, the dry season and the rainy or wet season. Actually, the dry season in Cambodia commonly starts from the month of November to the month of April; and the rainy or wet season start from the month of May until the month of October, to which provide easy going for Cambodian people in doing agriculture. In fact, they can do the agriculture more than one per year. However, since there was a change in climate, most of fields in Cambodia were not usable for growing such a crop, rice paddy. Actually, in order to make it easier, we should firstly understand what the term of climate change is. The answer is that climate change is one of the most concerning global issues that have severe impacts on human securities. It is truly a long term change of climate in a specific areal or locations or we can say that climate change is the increasing of temperature on the earth that we commonly cannot see through our naked eyes. Obviously, such a dangerous issue, global warming, is not take place incidentally. There are always the factors that encourage or facilitate it to take place. In order to make this topic easier, I would raise two major factors that cause to the changing of climate; those factors are the humans activities and from the natural activities. First of all, all humans activities always affect to the environment either on the large scale or in the small scale. For example, greenhouses gases are the major actor that cause to the to the change climate. What is a greenhouse gas? Greenhouse gas is gas that happened by the construction of greenhouse. Actually, the people who are living in the cold areas have not access to grow crops and vegetable as usual. Therefore, the constructions of greenhouses are inevitable for them. Scientifically, the greenhouses are built to trap the suns heat for growing crops. Obviously, not all the heat that trapped by the greenhouse returns to the atmosphere. Therefore, it keeps warm in the houses, and it is usable for growing crops. However, these kinds of heat will lead to change of climate or called global warming. Another factor that humans activities cause to the change of climate is the wealthy of the people. Actually, when people become wealthier, they would change their behavior of consumpt ion of goods or services to the new products to facilitate their daily living standard. For a real example, in order to make lives more comfortable, people use modern equipment such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and cool agents, and so on. Actually, these kinds of equipment are the main factors that exploit to the environment because of the chemical substances inside are dangerous to the environment that we usually called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). It is actually the main substance that exploits the ozone layer. What is ozone layer? Scientifically, the ozone layer is layer that can be found in the atmosphere about 30 kilometers above the earth surface. It plays a very crucial role in keeping the earth not so hot, for most of Ultra Violet (UV) is absorbed by the ozone layer. Therefore, the temperature on the earth surface will be cool. In contrast, what will happen if the ozone layer is exploited? Scientifically, when ozone layer is lost, the large amount of Ultraviolet will g o directly to the earth. Therefore, the temperature will be increasing on the earth. Another factor that people do affect to the climate change is through the cutting a large amount of the tree or we call deforestation. As we can see that, forest is the main actor and plays a very significant role in keeping temperature on earth cool. Actually, most of the carbon dioxide (CO2), a main actor in increasing the temperature, is usually absorbed by the trees, and the trees convert such a bad substance to Oxygen (O2) to which useful for human beings. Moreover, forest also plays a very important role in balancing the number of carbon dioxide. However what will happen when a large about of the forest is cut down? Actually, when the number of population increases, their demands for daily lives also increase. Therefore, they have to cut down the forest for building house, to make land usable for growing crops. Scientifically, when the trees were cut or burned down, the carbon dioxide will immediately go back to the atmosphere. Obviously, Carbon dioxide is the main actor that h elps accelerate the processing of trapping the suns heat. When there is a large amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the temperature will be hotter and hotter. The second major factor that cause to the climate change is through the natural activities. First of all, I would raise the case of forest fire. Forest fire sometimes happen when the temperature in the forest is hot or when there is lightning. Scientifically, Carbon dioxide is easily backed to the atmosphere when there is getting involved with the fire. Obviously, forest fire may take long time, so the number of Carbon dioxide that releases to the atmosphere will be larger. Therefore, the temperature on the earth will gradually increase. Another factor that cause to the climate change is the eruption of volcanoes. When there is eruption, the environment in the region will be polluted. In fact, the smoke from the eruption consists of toxic substances that affects to the environment such as gases, carbon dioxide, and sulphur oxide and aerosol. Most interestingly, climate change has severe impact on human being around the world, especially for the people living in the developing countries. Obviously, for most the developing countries like Cambodia is not a main factor that cause to the climate change. However, Cambodia is still affected by the changing of climate on the same level as the main contributors. Specifically, Cambodian people are facing some problems under climate change. First of all, people in some provinces in Cambodia have no access to grow crops, especially rice paddy. There are drought and flood in the provinces to which delay people from growing crops. For example, Kampong Speu is one of the provinces in Cambodia that experienced in drought. People find it hard in growing any kind of crops because of the drought. It was difficult to plough the field because the soil is too dry. At the same time, the land became unusable, infertile, for crops to grow. Therefore, a large number of people immigrated to the city to look for jobs. Some people immigrated to the third countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and currently Korea to earn for the families that are waiting for their money. Another example that affected by the climate change is that for some provinces such as Prey Veng and Kampong Cham experienced in flooding. In fact, people in these two provinces usually do the agriculture during the rainy season, in September of the year. Because there was flood in the rice field for long time, people late in practicing in agriculture. Therefore, they have to wait until water become lower. Obviously, the late of doing agriculture may cause many problems for the farmers such as there is not enough water for the rice to grow, there are pests that eat and exploit the rice stalk and the field becomes infertile. As a result, many people immigrated from the provinces to work in the city. Actually, when large numbers of people keep going to the city, it would make the city unstable and difficult for the government to take control. Similarly, climate change also affected to the human security in Cambodia for a few consequences. First, most Cambodian people, especially to the young people under the age of five, are affected by the diseases. Obviously, most of Cambodian people, especially the people who are living in the rural areas, are depending on the water from the nature sources such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and stream and so on. When there is a changing in climate, it causes the quality water in those sources become shallow the water become more polluted. When people took the water to use for cooking, drinking, and washing, they were affected by this factor, especially for the young people, because they had a weak anti-bacterial system in their bodies. Moreover, one of the most serious diseases that have severe impact on the young people was diarrhea. Statistically from the Ministry of Health of Cambodia, around 12,500 Cambodian people die per year. Because of the bad impact of the climate change in Cambodia, both state and non-state actors have found out new strategies and solutions in reducing the serious effects of the climate change. First, non-state actors are playing a very crucial role in fighting against the climate change. Actually, there are a few strategies that non-state actor such as NGOs practicing to reduce the climate changes effects. Initially, NGOs are trying to promote education system for the poor people who are living in the rural areas in Cambodia. They believe that educational system is key role that help people escape from the poverty. When people become literate, they will stop cutting down the forest. They will change their perception of cutting down forest and think about important factors of forest for lives for lives to live harmoniously, for it helps reducing the effects of climate change. At the same time, they may look for other jobs that can also make money for their families such as ecotourism. Another strategy that NGOs in Cambodia help reducing the effects of climate change, they promote reforestation for people living in the rural areas. Actually, if people want to cut down a tree, they have to grow another to for the future use. When the people keeping practicing this strategy, there will be a stability of forest in Cambodia and climate change will gradually be reduced. Similarly, Royal Government of Cambodia is trying very hard in looking for the solution that can deal with the effect of climate change on Cambodia citizens. First thing that the government of Cambodia uses to reduce the effects of climate change is conservation of forest. They try to keep the amount of forest cover to about 60 percent by promoting on both private and public institutions to reforestation. It is one of the affective ways to cope with the expansion of the climate change. Second, the government keeps their eyes on community forestry. Obviously, community forestry helps preventing from any kind of illegal deforestation and land enlargement activities. Finally, in order to make the awareness of Cambodian people, especially for younger generation, the government of Cambodia has inserted the subject of climate change to the formal study subjects. The government wants people to be aware of the climate change and what are the strategies that help protect the environment. In conclusion, climate change totally affected to everyone one round the world. Although a country such as Cambodia was not the main contributor to the climate change, the effects of climate change still affected on Cambodia on the level as the main contributor once. The climate change causes the rice fields in Cambodia became infertile and did not usable for growing rice. Also, a large number of people moved from the rural areas into the city to look for any job to support their families. Moreover, diseases were taken place under the effects of climate change. However, climate change was immediately responded by the two actors, state and non-state actors, NGOs. Both played very important role in reducing the effects of climate change respectively. Finally, if these two main actors standstill on their commitment, I optimistically believe that the word climate change will gradually be eliminated and the environment will be as normal as the ancient time before there was getting involve by word climate change.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
From Welfare To Workfare Essay -- Canada Work Welfare Jobs Essays
From Welfare to Workfare      There's an old joke that goes something like... Where do you hide a welfare recipient's cheque, where he'll never find it? Under his work boots. When Mike Harris was campaigning for the Progressive conservative party in 1994 he promised a "common sense revolution". This mixed with the huge unpopularity of Bob Ray's policies, made him a favourite for the upcoming election. With this new "common sense revolution", came Ontario Works, or workfare. (a program designed to help recipients find their cheques) The workfare topic was a huge issue to voters, and will effect not only the thousands of Ontario welfare recipients but every Ontarioan in one way or another. When the election was close, Mike Harris often called workfare his "hand up" on the other candidates, (Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Nov. 17, 1995, 846), arguing that the current welfare system is just "hand outs".      The decision on behalf of the conservative party to introduce Ontario Works in Ontario is an interesting one, with respect to traditional, and modern day Conservative party beliefs. This issue will be discussed in depth further into the essay, but much research and (case) study went into the prospects of workfare by the Tories.      To better understand workfare, one must understand the basics and reasoning of welfare. John Romanyshyn wrote "Free men living in a community of free and equal men is the democratic ideal", (Armitage, 59) which describes the ideals of welfare. Welfare is a liberal and/or democratic program and policy and is intended to allow equal opportunities of success to all. Other welfare goals include giving temporary assistance for people who are living below the poverty line and are basically implemented by using the insurance principle: pay premiums when you're able in order to reap benefits when you are unable.      These are principles consistent with the liberal democracy point of view. Nowhere does welfare help the community or society. (Conservative beliefs) Welfare should help people in their time of need until they get back on their feet. This was becoming less and less the case in the late eighties and early nineties, when welfare abuse became such a major issue. According to the Progressive Conservatives, this gave way to workfare. "UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF WORKFARE"      As ea... ...wers and more will soon be answered after the results are in from the first wave of welfare reform in Ontario. WORKS CITED Armitage, Andrew. (1988). Social Welfare in Canada. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc. Canadian Council on Social Development. (1975). Social Services in Canada: An           Introduction. Ottawa. The Canadian Council on Social Development press. Crane, John. (1994). Directions for Social Welfare in Canada. D.W. Frieson & Sons. Hansard. Ontario Legislative Assembly of Ontario. (1995-1996). Office of the hansard.      (various dates specified in essay) C. McCormack (personal communication, Nov. 7, 1996) ...Workfare Watch News ("CCPA Monitor," July/August 1996) ...Backgrounder ("Community of Social Services home page", "http://www.gov.on.ca",      Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1996) Henderson, Gord (Apr. 9, 1996) Give Tories' workfare plan a chance in Ontario. Windsor      Star. ...Ontario Works makes ("Community of Social Services home page", "http://www. gov. on.      ca", 1996) Workfare Watch ("bulletin posted on Internet", "www. worldchat. com/ public/ tab/ wrkfrw/      bul1.htm") (various dates specified in essay)
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Marketing Implications of Product Life Cycle Essay
1. New strategies for new times The changed economic conditions are affecting consumer behavior and attitudes. Can the marketing strategies based on the understanding of the consumers in the prosperous times still hold water now? Consumers are changing their behavior in several different ways and various underlying attitudes and values govern these changes. It is critical for us to re-look at the consumer and refresh our understanding to fine tune the marketing strategies. 2. Segment and decide Not all the consumers react to the environmental changes in the same way. Different consumers have different reactions to the financial challenge – ranging from an extreme tightening of the purse-strings, to a nonchalant continuation of the current indulgences. Tightening may be reflected in different tangible and psychological ways. Manufacturers also need to offer a range of different solutions and propositions to meet these changes in behavior. Additionally, different consumer segments may be affected to different extent – and growth may vary from segment to segment. In luxury goods, for example, connoisseurship and indulgence segments may grow more as compared to the pure status segment, as these consumers’ relationship with luxury segments is not only emotional but also very tangible. 3. Find new pastures In these times, growth may be easier to come about through geographical expansion, than competitive fight in the current markets. The impact of the slowdown is more pronounced in larger cities – though the smaller towns and villages are also affected if they relied on export based industries. Hence while growth may be challenged in the larger cities, it may be a good time to set forth and explore new markets in county towns, townships and villages. These are the markets which are growing at a faster pace and offer greater return for investments. 4. Emphasize value – re look at your brand portfolio It does not take rocket science to conclude that in these times the consumers will look for value. The challenge is to offer value without compromising the image. There are different strategies to deliver value – some are appropriate and some ill-advised – some will damage the brand equity permanently, some will keep the image intact but still help adjust to the times. Research shows that direct price reductions are likely to damage more than temporary discounts and decreasing pack sizes more harmful that increasing pack size at the same price. 5. Look at your distribution channels A strained economic situation not only changes the consumer, but also changes the shopper. Consumers are normally more attached to the brand than the retail store, hence their first choice is not to change the brand, but try to locate the same brand at a cheaper price at another store. With more time at hand and greater incentive to economize, more consumers are likely to shop at hyper markets than the more ubiquitous but pricier supermarkets and convenience stores. The search for value and bargains will also turn the shoppers to internet shopping–the only channel that will grow even faster than hypermarkets. 6. Help the consumer – teach her, train her, comfort and reassure her. Research indicates that Chinese consumers’ response to the economic challenge is cerebral. When opportunities are fewer and the competition more fierce the Chinese consumers will want to further enhance their skills and knowledge. Clearly it is very good news for companies teaching English or computer programming. But the opportunity is not confined to these firms – the FMCG industry could also take a more educative communication stance – wine makers could try to educate the consumers about appreciating fine wines, cosmetic companies could offer lessons on skin care and food companies could coach on diet and nutrition. 7. Family, home and security When the going gets tough, the consumers tend to take comfort at home and in the arms of the loved ones. Recession is the ideal time to catch up with friends, take the children to the park and visit the parents, and in the process enjoy emotional warmth to compensate for the coldness of the economic climate. The children are likely to pay a heavy price for this, with parents having more time and inclination as well as a renewed determination to help their children with their studies. This offers opportunities to promote in-home consumption, rather than out of home consumption – which in many categories such as alcohol, is much more expensive. 8. Communication It is not just the product but also the message which needs to reflect the current consumer mind. The communication messages of today needs to reflect sentiments of care and protection, rational and considered behavior and performance and value these tones of communication, which always appealed to the Chinese consumers, are likely to find even greater resonance in these times. 9. Go digital For the largest internet population in the world, internet has so far been a tool of entertainment and information – less so a tool for commerce. However the initial barriers are being overcome and consumers are discovering the joys of internet shopping. The attributes consumer associate with internet shopping are variety, enables detailed evaluation and comparisons and competitive prices. These are the attributes the consumer will be looking in the times of economic slowdown. 10. Keep a permanent hand on the pulse of the consumer These are dynamic times. Things are changing at a phenomenal pace. As a result, so is the consumer mood and sentiment, which will have an effect on her decision making and the brands and products that she buys. If marketers don’t feel her pulse all the time, they could go wrong. One cannot just listen to the consumer once a year – marketers need to put their ears firmly on the ground and listen to every change of beat, every nuance of the consumer mood and continue to fine tune the strategy.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Why Being a Perfectionist Can Be Harmful
Why Being a Perfectionist Can Be Harmful If you are a perfectionist, you are probably familiar with the feeling of wanting to get everything just right. You may struggle with handing in papers, agonize over projects at work, and even worry about small errors from the past. High standards are one thing, but perfectionism is quite another. And as some researchers have discovered, pursuing perfection can have serious consequences to both mental and physical well being. What Is Perfectionism? According to researchers, perfectionists hold themselves to unrealistically high standards and become self-critical if they believe they haven’t met these standards. Perfectionists are also likely to feel guilt and shame if they experience failures, which often leads them to avoid situations where they are worried they might fail. Amanda Ruggeri, writing about perfectionism for BBC Future, explains, â€Å"When [perfectionists] don’t succeed, they don’t just feel disappointment about how they did. They feel shame about who they are.†How Perfectionism Can Be Harmful Although many people see the pursuit of excellence as a good thing, researchers have found that on the extreme end, perfectionism is actually linked to lower mental health. In one study, researchers analyzed how perfectionism was related to mental health across previous studies. They looked at a total of 284 studies (with over 57,000 participants) and found that perfectionism was associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders. They also found that people higher in perfectionism (i.e. participants who more strongly identified with perfectionist traits) also reported higher levels of overall psychological distress. In an article published in 2016, researchers looked at how perfectionism and depression were related over time. They found that people higher in perfectionism tended to have increases in depression symptoms, which suggests that perfectionism may be a risk factor for developing depression. In other words, although people may think of their perfectionism as something that helps them succeed, it appears that their perfectionism may actually be harmful for their mental health. Is perfectionism always harmful? Psychologists have debated this point, with some suggesting that there can be such a thing as adaptive perfectionism, in which people hold themselves to high standards without engaging in self-criticism over mistakes they make. Some researchers have suggested that a healthier form of perfectionism involves pursuing goals because you want to, and not blaming yourself if you fail to meet a goal. However, other researchers suggest that perfectionism is not adaptive: according to these researchers, perfectionism is more than just holding yourself to high standards, and they don’t think perfectionism is beneficial. Is Perfectionism on the Rise? In one study, researchers looked at how perfectionism has changed over time. The researchers reviewed previously collected data from over 41,000 college students, from 1989 to 2016. They found that over the time period studied, college students reported increasing levels of perfectionism: they held themselves to higher standards, felt there were higher expectations placed on them, and held others to higher standards. Importantly, what increased the most were the social expectations that young adults picked up on from the surrounding environment. The researchers hypothesize that this could be because society is increasingly competitive: college students might pick up on these pressures from their parents and from society, which would increase perfectionist tendencies. How to Combat Perfectionism Since perfectionism is associated with negative outcomes, what can someone with perfectionist tendencies do to change their behavior? Although people are sometimes hesitant to give up their perfectionist tendencies, psychologists point out that giving up on perfection doesn’t mean being less successful. In fact, because mistakes are an important part of learning and growing, embracing imperfection can actually help us in the long run. One possible alternative to perfectionism involves developing what psychologists call a growth mindset. Researchers at Stanford University have found that cultivating a growth mindset is a crucial way to help us learn from our failures. Unlike those with fixed mindsets (who see their skill levels as innate and unchangeable), those with growth mindsets believe they can improve their abilities by learning from their mistakes. Psychologists point out that parents can play a crucial role in helping their children develop healthier attitudes towards failure: they can praise their children for making an effort (even if their results were imperfect) and help children learn to persevere when they make mistakes. Another potential alternative to perfectionism is to cultivate self-compassion. To understand self-compassion, think about how you would respond to a close friend if they made a mistake. Odds are, you’d probably respond with kindness and understanding, knowing that your friend meant well. The idea behind self-compassion is that we should treat ourselves kindly when we make mistakes, remind ourselves that mistakes are part of being human, and avoid being consumed by negative emotions. As Ruggeri points out for BBC Future, self-compassion can be beneficial for mental health, but perfectionists tend not to treat themselves in compassionate ways. If you’re interested in trying to foster more self-compassion, the researcher who developed the concept of self-compassion has a short exercise you can try. Psychologists have also suggested that cognitive behavioral therapy can be a way to help people change their beliefs about perfectionism. Although perfectionism is linked to lower mental health, the good news is that perfectionism is something you can change. By working to see mistakes as learning opportunities, and replacing self-criticism with self-compassion, it’s possible to overcome perfectionism and develop a healthier way of setting goals for yourself. References: Curran, T., Hill, A. P. (2017, Dec 28). Perfectionism Is Increasing Over Time: A Meta- Analysis of Birth Cohort Differences From 1989 to 2016. Psychological Bulletin. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/bul0000138 apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/bul-bul0000138.pdfDahl, M. (2015, Sept 17). Is it possible to be a perfectionist without driving yourself nuts? The Science of Us (New York Magazine). http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015/09/perfectionism-but-without-driving-yourself-nuts.htmlLeahy, R. L. (2017, Mar 15). Successful imperfection. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-files/201703/successful-imperfectionLimburg, K., Watson, H. J., Hagger, M. S., Egan, S. J. (2016). The relationship between perfectionism and psychopathology: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73(10), 1301-1326. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22435 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311939754Neff. K. Definition of self-compassion. http://self-compassion.org/the-t hree-elements-of-self-compassion-2/ Pruett, K. D. (2017, May 18). Being parents of a perfectionist. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/once-upon-child/201705/being-parents-perfectionistRuggeri, A. (2018, Feb 21). The dangerous downsides of perfectionism. BBC Future. bbc.com/future/story/20180219-toxic-perfectionism-is-on-the-riseSmith, M. M., Sherry, S. B., Rnic, K., Saklofske, D. H., Enns, M., Gralnick, T. (2016). Are perfectionism dimensions vulnerability factors for depressive symptoms after controlling for neuroticism? A meta-analysis of 10 longitudinal studies. European Journal of Personality, 30(2), 201-212. doi: 10.1002/per.2053 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b6ad/6f32c90beb8b2c2e6f3a0b698bd781bed0ba.pdf
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