Sprawl and Small Businesses Essay -- Stores Retail Essays

Sprawl and Small Businesses During the past 15 years, I have seen my once-rural hometown of Washington Township transform into a maze of single-family housing developments and strip malls. This type of growth has not been gentle on the local economy, especially small businesses. Stores such as the mom and pop hardware store, a local mainstay for many decades, have been forced out of business by the construction of two Home Depots and a Lowe’s within a two-mile radius of the town’s main street. This negative aspect of sprawl has been a trend that has repeated itself nationwide in recent years. Mega chain stores, or big boxes, are a phenomenon that has spread all over the country, and has exploded in popularity in recent years. Contributing to this phenomenon are monster chain stores, such as Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Target, Kmart and Best Buy. The success of these stores has depended upon the saturation of the retail market in areas where they are built. For instance, Wal-Mart’s strategy of store placement is such that in urban areas, stores are placed within a 10-mile radius of each other and a 30-mile radius is created in rural areas. (sprawl-busters.com/hometown.html) The density of store placement can vary, depending on the presence of competitors in the area. By saturating the market, these stores are undercutting their competition and making it virtually impossible for their smaller competitors to survive, or even start up in a free-market economy. In addition to their planning strategy of market dominance, big box stores have other attributes that are difficult to compete with. These attributes are attractive to the consumer, but come at a detrimental price.... ..., these corner stones are becoming a dying breed. Although progress cannot be stopped, we must hope that ideas like town centers can catch on, and save our small businesses. References: 1. http://www.sharbell.com/washington/washmain.htm : Sharbell is the developer that is building the Washington town center. 2. http://www.sprawl-busters.com/hometown.html : â€Å"Home town America fights back.† â€Å"A citizens view of Home Depot: The Orange Wars.† 3. www.reason.com/9505/NICKwalmart.may.shtml : â€Å"Do Wal-Mart and Home Depot spell the end of Community?† 4. www.nlcnet.org : National Labor Committee Website. 5. www.tradelocal.org/arts/wrongwal.html : â€Å"What’s wrong with Wal-Mart?† 1999 6. www.lawmall.com/rpa/chap1.html : â€Å"Surviving the Invasion of the Mega Stores: The Impact of Mega-Retail Discount Chains on Urban, Suburban and Rural Economies†

Story about a Car Wreck Essay -- Personal Narrative Essays

â€Å"We have to get them out of there!† I heard voices yelling out in the distance, but was to lightheaded to know where they were coming from. Confused, shocked and fear filled my mind as I lye on my side, gasping for air, trying desperately to stagger onto my knees. A sharp pain suddenly ran up my spine into my forehead and quickly I collapsed back onto the cold damp floor inside this mangled metal coffin in which I was trapped in. Bit by bit I moved my hand closer to my forehead, trying to impede this massive throbbing that was affecting my head. I skimmed my forehead and paused my hand on a huge gash. The pain shot into my head again, but I was able to clutch on to the seat and hold my balance. There was blood pouring down the side of my face, forming a puddle on the floor. As I lifted my head up, all I could see were lights flashing and ghostly shadows moving in all directions. The blood that I had loss slowly took affect on me, feeling disoriented I plummeted to the ground hoping that this twisted metal coffin would not become my tombstone. â€Å"I don’t want to go!† I shouted at my mom. â€Å"Perry get in the car, no questions asked!†She refused to repeat herself. My mom was one of those people who had been through a lot in her life. When you stared in her eyes, instead of her backing down she would stare right back at you with 10 times the force, which literally felt like your eyeballs were being pushed right to the back of your head. She always made dinner for the family, and like any women had a little â€Å"me† time where no one could bother her as she filled her brain with useless T.V drama. â€Å"Hurry your lazy ass up† my little brother swiftly remarked before making his quick exit through the front door. â€Å"I’ am not going to hi... ... was placed over my face. Was it over? I deliberated to myself. I tried not to breathe, but in less than a second I was unconscious again. In no apparent order multiple scenes began to flash through my head. My thoughts turned to nothing, and for one minute all I saw in my mind was an everlasting black abyss accompanied by a single deafening beep. â€Å"Perry...Perry?† A soft peaceful voice echoed in my eardrum. â€Å"Good morning† A beautiful nurse awoke me. I truly thought I was in heaven. â€Å"How are you feeling their big guy?† My curiosity got the better of me â€Å"am I in heaven?† She chuckled â€Å"Of course not† she started running some tests. I slowly pushed my eyelids open, finally coming face to face with reality. â€Å"Is my mom okay?† â€Å"Yea she’s fine, you did a very brave thing back there,† she whispered to me. I whispered back, â€Å"the funny thing was†¦I never wanted to go†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 

Laptops in the Classroom Essay

The article â€Å"Laptops in the Classroom? No Problem† by Elena Choy is started with a great quote that makes the readers think about their instructor . â€Å"A teacher is someone who never says anything once (106). † Choy puts up an argument about whether or not laptop computers should be banned in the classroom. She also made it known that some professors may need to reevaluate their teaching techniques. Most professors feel that laptops in class today have become a huge distraction in the learning environment. Some students choose to use their laptop for other reasons other than taking notes. Students who choose to play games during class are obviously bored with the material or the teacher. This is becoming a problem in many classrooms today. Choy’s views on students with laptops do not have an effect on her teaching, and other professors should not let it distract them from doing their job. First, Choy really tries to see both sides of the story in this situation. She came up with some points on what most professors think about the subject. There were top four reasons for banning laptops in classrooms due to Choy’s research and experience. Choy’s reasons were â€Å"(1) the upraised lids of laptops distract the instructor, and they often prevent the instructor from making eye contact with the students;(2) laptops distract other students, who cannot help but see what is on the screens—-for example Facebook and twitter;(3) students who use laptops to take notes, take overly extensive notes, which means that they are doing stenography and are not really focused and thinking about what is going on in the classroom; (4) most students are so busy taking notes on their laptop do not participate in whatever discussion there may be in the course (106). † Choy has made it clear that in her class, there are only a select few who use laptops. She feels that if the students choose to take notes on their laptops and play games, then that is their choice. Choy’s does her job, she feels it is up to the student to pay attention and learn. Different students have different ways of learning. Based on Choy’s knowledge, she thinks that students take notes the best way they can. Some prefer to take shorthanded notes, while others prefer long detailed notes. Choy provided reasons and supporting information to get both parties’ points across. Last, â€Å"Laptop’s in the Classroom? No problem† is an essay that many professors around the globe can relate to. She makes the reader think about the situation from both sides. There were things that she said that most readers could really relate to. In some of my classes, most instructors say that they prefer students with laptops to sit in the back of the class or not have them at all. However, some students feel that teachers should not make students sit in the back just because of their note taking methods. Choy made a point about the teacher needs to stop worrying so much about the student’s laptop and focus on their lecture. Although, some teachers think that banning laptops will help the classroom’s atmosphere, it might do the opposite. Laptops are being perceived as distractions in the classrooms, when they have actually become helpful to some students. Choy has provided information to show both sides of the arguments. She did an excellent job on not taking one side. Choy thought that many professors should ask a hard question: If students in my courses are using laptops for purposes unrelated to the course, what am I doing wrong? Choy said that teachers should just do the jobs that they are being paid to do which is teach. Students are there to learn and it is up to them to do it. So if the laptops are banned, students will most likely have another form of entertainment in class, such as a cell phone or an Ipod. This argument over banning laptops can easily be solved by students and teachers playing their parts. Work Cited Choy, Elena. Laptops in the Classroom? No Problem. The Little, Brown Reader 2008. 106.

Information Systems and Operations Management

Please read the article: Zara: Fast fashion from savvy systems available for free at http://www. flatworldknowledge. com/pub/gallaugher/41128#pdf-7 This article makes up Chapter 1 of the free, open access book titled, Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology, by John Gallaugher. Please ensure that you read the entire Chapter 1 of the book consisting of 3 parts (Part 1 Introduction; Part 2 Don’t Guess, Gather Data; and Part 3 Moving Forward). Now answer the questions below: Question 1: The Zara case shows how information systems can impact every single management discipline.Which management disciplines were mentioned in this case and how does technology impact each? (50% of the total mark) The case study mentioned management disciplines including information gathering, processing, storing, distributing and use of information. Gather market information One of the successful factors in Zara is they know the market trends. Zara deploys the latest information technology tools to facilitate the information exchange and collect market data through both formal and informal channels – the PDA and POS systems.The Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) system Zara’s store managers were given personal digital assistants (PDAs) so they could gather customer input outside an office setting. The staff in Zara would regularly gather information from customers, such as the trend of fashion customers preferred and feedbacks of garment that they would like to see more in the shop. The range of information collected included colours, length and even small detail of the clothes were collected from customers through front line shop staff.Besides getting information directly from customers, they staff have another channel to gather customers’ preferences. The staff will investigate the unsold items that customers tried on but didn’t buy, to find out their preferences in cloth, color, or styles offered among the products in stock. T he Point-of-sale (POS) system Besides the informal channel to gather customers needs (through conversations), the head office will collect information through a formal channel, the store’s point-of-sale (POS) system.This system is a transaction process that captures customer purchase information, in order to show how garments rank by sales. Since the POS system is linked with the PDA system, in less than an hour, managers can send updates that combine the hard data captured at the cash register with insights on what customers would like to see. Information on customer needs and trend information collected daily are fed into a database at head office regularly. The PDAs support the connection between the retail stores and head office.Each store managers are assigned with market specialists, they will communicate regularly through PDAs to transmit all kinds of information to head office. [1] Zara store management and staff use PDAs and POS systems to gather and analyze customer preference data to plan future designs based on feedback, rather than prediction. Data driven product development The data collected from PDA as well as POS system formed a valuable marketing database and provided data allows the design teams to plan styles and issue re-buy orders based on feedback rather than hunches and guesswork.The goal is to improve the frequency and quality of decisions made by the design and planning teams. The designers from â€Å"The Cube† follow evidence of customer demand. When they deign new garments or decide which kind of fabric, cut and price points to be used or modify existing designs, they will base on information from PDAs and POS rather than create trends by pushing new lines via advertisements or catwalk fashion shows. Vertically integrated value chain Inditex is a vertically integrated group, it owns several layers in its value chain.The distribution center in La Coruna equipped with up-to-date equipment for fabric dyeing and processing , cutting and garment finishing. The vertically integrated ability allows the group to response faster against the latest fashion trend including provide the appropriate for new lines. Zara’s IT expenditures are low by fashion industry standards. The spectacular benefits reaped by Zara from the deployment of technology have resulted from targeting technology investment at the points in the value chain where it has the greatest impact, and not from the sheer magnitude of the investment.This is in stark contrast to Prada’s experience with in-store technology deployment. Inventory control Zara uses Toyota-designed logistics system and overnight parcel services to manipulate items stocked in the five-million-square-foot distribution center in La Coruna, or a similar facility in Zaragoza in the northeast of Spain. About two and a half million items were handled every week and none of them stayed in the warehouses more than 3 days. Before sending to each store, clothes are i roned in advance and packed on hangers, with security and price tags fixed beforehand.This system helps staff in Zara utilize their time efficiently with the inventory during busy periods. Just-in-time manufacturing (JIT) The JIT approach to manufacturing involves timing the delivery of resources so that they arrive just when needed. Inventory optimization models help the firm determine how many of which items in which sizes should be delivered to each specific store during twice-weekly shipments, ensuring that each store is stocked with just what it needs.Trucks serve destinations that can be reached overnight, while chartered cargo flights serve farther destinations within forty-eight hours. And the firm can coordinate outbound shipment of all Inditex brands with return legs loaded with raw materials and half-finished clothes items from locations out-side of Spain thanks to the revised shipping models through Air France–KLM Cargo and Emirates Air. Zara’s products are manufactured for a limited production run. This approach encourages customers to buy right away and at full price.The constant parade of new, limited-run items also encourages customers to visit often. Staff allocation Headquarter of Zara uses software to arrange staff’s roster. The manpower is allocated based on each store’s forecasted sales volume, with locations staffing up at peak times such as lunch or early evening. The firm claims these more flexible schedules have shaved staff work hours by 2 percent. This constant refinement of operations throughout the firm’s value chain has helped reverse a prior trend of costs rising faster than sales.Zara’s combination of vertical integration and technology-orchestrated supplier coordination, just-in-time manufacturing, and logistics allows it to go from design to shelf in days instead of months. [pic] Question 2: Do you think information systems are a strategic liability for Zara? Give reasons. (50% of the total mark) Porter’s five forces analysis To understand the business condition of fashion industry, we need to use Porter’s five forces model. It is shown how the market behaved at the very beginning of the company according to the Porter’s 5 forces analysis.Bargaining Power of Suppliers This is how much pressure suppliers can place on a business. If one supplier has a large enough impact to affect a company’s margins and volumes, then they hold substantial power. †¢ There are many suppliers for raw material †¢ There are many substitutes †¢ Presence of substitute inputs †¢ The nature of the products allow to storage them long time, unless the trends conditions. Bargaining Power of customers This is how much pressure customers can place on a business. †¢ Switching to another (competitive) product is simple The product is not extremely important to the buyer; they can do without it for a period of time. †¢ Customers are price s ensitive †¢ Buyer do not have switching costs †¢ Many availabilities of existing substitute products †¢ Buyer is price and style sensitive †¢ Low purchase volume per customer. †¢ Highly dynamic, customers preference changes frequently in short time Competitive rivalry within an industry This describes the intensity of competition between existing firms in an industry. Garment industry is highly competitive generally earn low returns.For many industries, this is the major determinant of the competitiveness of the industry. Sometimes rivals compete aggressively and sometimes rivals compete in non-price dimensions such as innovation, marketing, etc. †¢ It is a mature industry with very little growth. Companies can only grow by stealing customers away from competitors. †¢ It has a lot competitors in the industry about the same size †¢ Little differentiation between competitors’ products and services. Key competitors include Gap,, Benetton, H, Forever 21 , etc.Pfeifer, (2008); Rohwedder and Johnson, (2008) H has increased the frequency of new items in stores, Forever 21 and Uniqlo get new looks within 6 weeks and Benetton, a firm that previously closed some 90 percent of US stores, now replenishes stores as fast as once a week †¢ The barriers to get out of the industry are low in distribution and high in manufacture †¢ Since the chances of clothes getting damaged before sold is very little, the storage costs would be low †¢ High manufacture costs because of high raw material cost and manpower cost Threat of new Entrants No distribution barriers to entrance because it only consists on low costs of renting a shop, no administrative restrictions, low initial capital to start †¢ Reduced reaction possibilities in front of new entrants †¢ In production, there are barriers for the existence of economies of scale. †¢ The start up capital needed is high †¢ Need time to build up relationship wi th supply chain and suppliers Threat of substitute products What is the likelihood that someone will switch to a competitive product or service? If the cost of switching is low, then this poses to be a serious threat. Buyer can easily found substitute †¢ Relative price performance of substitutes †¢ Buyer switching costs is low †¢ Perceived level of product differentiation †¢ Fad and fashion †¢ Technology change and product innovation The main issue is the similarity of substitutes. For example, if the price of coffee rises substantially, a coffee drinker is likely to switch over to a beverage like tea because the products are so similar. If substitutes are similar, then it can be viewed in the same light as a new entrant. Zara’s success factorsThe success factors/ competitive advantages include always producing the style that customers are looking for, short production time from design stage and limited quantities. Information system plays strategic l iability in the following: – Collecting Market Data & customer’s needs – Product development – JIT production Considering the information technology investment helping Zara to maintain it’s competitive advantages, it is strategic liability for the firm. ———————– [1] Zara's Secret for Fast Fashion, Kasra Ferdows, Michael A. Lewis and Jose A. D. Machuca (http://hbswk. hbs. edu/archive/4652. html)

Business Performance Measurement Using Balanced Scorecard Critical Review Accounting Essay

The outlooks of directors are high, and this explains why academic and managerial involvement in this direction tool is on the addition. This paper critically examines plants or research done by outstanding writers on this topic to see the verve of Balanced Scorecard as a concern public presentation measuring tool in modern economic system. Literatures on Balanced Scorecard are on the rise as its methodological analysis become popular among top concerns. Gumbus and Lussier ( 2006 ) in their work, examined Balanced Scorecard and its characteristics ( ) , and why little medium concerns are recommended to utilize it as a metric for concern public presentation. Their surveies came at the clip when Balanced Scorecard is non been widely adopted by SME but by the large companies as a public presentation measuring method. Braam and Nijssen ( 2008 ) discuss factors impacting Balanced Scorecard acceptance and the two cardinal constructs of Balanced Scorecard use in recent clip: as a public presentation measuring system ( PMS ) and as a strategic direction system ( SMS ) . [ 4 ] carried out researches to look into if the Balanced Scorecard add values to companies that adopt it and how it does contributes to the public presentation of an organisation. [ 5 ] examines a outstanding characteristic of Balanced Scorecard cause and conse quence relationship and if Balanced Scorecard can associate operational prosodies with scheme which can be understood and influenced by directors as a valid strategic direction tool. [ 7 ] took a practical attack in discoursing ways that Balanced Scorecard can be used by undertaking directors to step and better the operational public presentation of their squad and besides clarifies aims and concern scheme. These literature discuses extensively on public presentation measuring with Balanced Scorecard cutting across assorted use and industries every bit good as farther elaborated in the advancement of this paper. Most surveies focus on large companies the scarceness of surveies associating to Balanced Scorecard been used in SME for concern scheme motivated [ 1 ] to ship on shutting this spread. They used a instance survey methodological analysis attack on three little concern endeavors. Research was conducted through personal interviews with executives at Hyde Park Electronics, Futura Industries, and Southern Gardens Citrus ( SGC ) . [ 1 ] examine each of the SME to place how of their concern scheme and public presentation aligns with the Balanced Scorecard features both in the short footings and long term. Financial metric, as indicated in their survey, is sale from new merchandise accounting for high net income of the organisation. The Operational Quality was identified to same-day bringing, bringing within five yearss, and on-time bringing. Customer Satisfaction metric was detected to be indicated by increased gross revenues and increased income that would ensue from merchandise credence a nd the coevals of repetition clients. Learning and Growth metric see the induction of employee public assistance plans such as benefits, net income sharing, preparation, and employee communicating and employee activities. By the above findings, [ 1 ] farther cited that about half of the large corporations in recent times has improved public presentation with the usage of Balanced Scorecard as operational and strategic measuring. The instance surveies affecting the SMEs rhenium seen to besides profit from utilizing this direction tool. [ 1 ] The consequences of the instance surveies of Hyde Park Electronics, Futura Industries, and SGC support the anterior literature from big companies. The consequences once more indicated that enterprisers can excessively profit from developing and utilizing a BSC. The benefit or value gotten from utilizing BSC was investigated by [ 4 ] , and in their survey, two research hypotheses were developed: how much does the Balanced Scorecard create value and secondly, how does the Balanced Scorecard create value? For the first inquiry [ 4 ] adopted the usage of Activity-Based Cost Management ( ABCM ) model, in comparing to BSC effectivity in happening how organizational ends aligns to people ‘s public presentation. The 2nd inquiries saw the usage of the Strategy-Focused-Organisation ( SFO ) to research the beginnings of possible value created by BSC. The methodological analysis used was quantitative in nature and an empirical study and analysis of informations collected from EU companies that have used BSC. In their findings, [ 4 ] argued that value is so been added to companies by the usage of BSC. They indicated that the public presentation of an organisation comes chiefly from what it does during scheme interlingual rendition, its consistence in act uponing managerial patterns, and its function in resources alignment to strategic aims i.e. from the agencies to the terminal. The surveies of [ 4 ] hinted the construct of following BSC for PMS every bit good as SMS. Thus, [ 2 ] , in their research differentiate these lifting constructs of Balanced Scorecard ( public presentation measuring system ( PMS ) and strategic direction system ( SMS ) ) , and factors impacting their acceptances by companies as shown the survey done by [ 2 ] . Hypothesiss were developed to steer and develop their methodological analysis which involves quantitative attack. Data aggregation was done by questionnaires sent to 40 Dutch houses gotten from database of companies which had responded to a benchmark study for best patterns in direction control and public presentation measuring in the four areas/domains of involvement of the Balanced Scorecard. [ 2 ] indicated in their findings that the acceptance of both types of Balanced Scorecard benefits from top direction engagement. Consequences besides show that utilizing Balanced Scorecard as PMS will profit from the support of the admi nistration ‘s finance section. They besides cited that Balanced Scorecard as PMS accent on an inclusive measurings of both fiscal and non-financial values which gives valuable image of the company ‘s place in the market. However, public presentation metric indexs cut across the cardinal characteristics of BSC itself, as such [ 5 ] in their survey analysed the cardinal premises of BSC and the relationships among the four countries of measuring suggested ( the fiscal, client, internal-business-process and learning and growing positions ) and its consequence on scheme and public presentation of an organisation. Research inquiry to steer their survey was besides raised: is there a causal relationship between the countries of measuring suggested? The methodological analysis that was used is analytic because, as argued, increases preciseness and lucidity degree in understanding the BSC construct and theoretical account. Past and present literatures were widely analysed. [ 5 ] one cardinal findings indicated that companies ‘ do non necessitate to see priori concern scheme before planing a coherent set of public presentation measurings reasoning that the design of public presentation indexs can work as a accelerator for scheme preparation. The preparation of scheme entails the development of undertakings to transform them into operational aims. This is further discussed by [ 6 ] in their survey. They used the BSC methodological analysis in their survey to develop, trial, and use a strategic measuring system, specifically for undertakings. The attack adopted was a comparing and study of two undertakings monitored by the writers and undertaken by undertaking squad. Their consequence indicated that BSC plays important function in bettering undertaking direction effectivity. They besides argue or indicated that balanced public presentation measuring is an of import technique for set uping on-strategy undertaking bringing The above surveies further give more penetration on the construct of BSC as a public presentation measuring tool that is best used in exciting thought of comparative steps in the critical success factors of any concern. Thus, organizational public presentation sees an addition when, as the chief tool, BSC is used to interpret the scheme of the house. In this respect, BSC contributes positively [ 4 ] [ 6 ] . However, the acceptance of BSC in an organisation depends to a great extent on the degree of top direction and product-market kineticss every bit good as the finance section. If a company is in a competitory market, client satisfaction and fiscal values are of extreme importance to exceed direction and finance section. These public presentation prosodies influence the preparation of scheme and therefore the acceptance of BSC particularly as public presentation measuring system [ 2 ] . However, the support of top direction and the employees ‘ deduction do non look to be requi rement conditions to do the successful development of a BSC [ 4 ] . The influence of BSC on departmental units and internal administrations within the house can be detected in undertaking squads. The BSC clarify and improves strategic step and connexions thereby bettering internal public presentation in traditional deliverables. It is importance to observe that at that place does non be one BSC that matches all administrations but BSC development is team-based [ 1 ] [ 6 ] . Furthermore, as indicated by [ 6 ] , companies ‘ operational aims in undertakings become a direction success as internal sections are exposed to run of strategic-performance indictor which clarifies and proctors project vision and ends. [ 4 ] Surveies indicated that despite the broad acceptance of BSC in recent times, the methodological analysis is non free from defects. Kaplan and Norton describe the relationship among the characteristic of BSC as causal ( cause and consequence ) , i.e. one metric taking to another, and a dependence relationship. This nevertheless, an issue as for case, the satisfaction of clients does non basically give good fiscal consequences hence the relationship is a logical and non causal one as it is inherit in the BSC construct. This portends that the premises made by BSC possibly invalid taking to the expectancy of public presentation indexs which are faulty, ensuing in sub-optimal public presentation [ 5 ] The reviewed surveies are non without restrictions as hinted by the writers. The research by [ 1 ] is marked with a restriction in instance survey attack as at that place does non be any survey on BSC been used by little concern at the clip of the survey. Furthermore, the plausibleness of findings did non protect against the research restrictions in the survey done by [ 2 ] . The generalizability of the findings was edged by a restriction in the sample size, the respondents ‘ chiefly fiscal background, and the usage of cross sectional informations to look into the degree of acceptance of both BSC types at the same time. [ 4 ] besides highlighted that measuring or mensurating the public presentation of an organisation is a difficult scientific discipline. Again, in their survey, sample houses did n’t hold unvarying execution of the BSC construct. One restriction of this paper is that it is analytic which is based on researching surveies and researches associating to BSC. Trusting on these beginnings can, nevertheless, non be deem insightful as an empirical survey. Further research is necessary and should be expanded on about all concern service sectors on how BSC is used to aline concerns to capital budgeting processing. Larger sample size should be used every bit good as extra factors, for case consideration of institutional motives for BSC acceptance. The influence of BSC on the internal relationship between sections and undertaking squads should besides be researched. Decision The balanced scorecard is a tool which methodically expands the measuring zones traditionally involved in accounting. Its cardinal end is to cut down the issues associated with the usage of fiscal steps for control intents by infixing non-financial measurings in a strategic control model [ 5 ] . The connexion between concern scheme and aims utilizing BSC creates an apprehension of public presentation measuring and metric that guides the co-ordinated and careful action of directors. Surveies analysed in this paper show that the BSC creates and adds value to organisations that adopt it and promotes more reliable communicating effectual plenty for direction decision-making. Therefore while the adopting of BSC is on the rise by more concerns, this paper analytically shows the positive part of BSC to the public presentation of an administration with an increasing organic structure of cogent evidence. [ 1 ] Gumbus, Andra. A ; Lussier, Robert N. ( 2006 ) . Entrepreneurs Use a Balanced Scorecard to Translate Strategy into Performance Measures. Journal of Small Business Management, 44 ( 3 ) : 407-425. [ 5 ] Norreklit, H. ( 2000 ) , â€Å" The Balance on the Balanced Scorecard-A Critical Analysis of Some of its Assumptions † , Management Accounting Research, 11 ( 1 ) pp. 65-88.

Concept Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Concept Analysis - Assignment Example This article is geared towards analyzing the nursing concept of â€Å"patient centered care. In this case, the article will focus on explaining various items that pertains to this concept o as to put it in better perspectives for easier applicability. When analyzing this concept, the article will lay more emphasis on various nursing theories on which this concept is enshrined. These theories include the normative decision theory, need theory, interactive theory and humanistic theory. The aim of this concept analysis is to relate the nursing concept of patient centered care with various theories of nursing. This is important because the students and researchers will be able to get important information relating to various needs that patients have. Further, the article is important as it describes the significance of prioritizing the patients in all decisions made in a health care system. The first definition of Patient-Centered Care was given by Kinyua (2013) as the one takes place when the nurse and the entire health care sector recognizes the patient as the source of control and decision making and full partner in providing coordinated and compassionate care based on respect and honor for the patient’s needs, preferences, and value. In this case, the author declared that the most important step in establishing a patient-centered care is by engaging the patient body in making important decisions. In this case, policies that are adopted by the management should be the one that are geared toward enabling a better environment for medical and nursing care provision. Further, Kinyua (2013) argues that the concept of Patient-Centered Care has been ignored for a very long time because of the capitalist nature of our societies. In this case, many nursing facilities are more concerned with making more money in the expense of providing quality healthcare services. to reverse this and to be more

Crouching tiger, hidden dragon by Ang Lee Movie Review

Crouching tiger, hidden dragon by Ang Lee - Movie Review Example The protagonist (Li Mu Bai) is a swordsman and the female protagonist (Yu Shu Lien) is female warrior. Both of them travels to Beijing to gift the sword to another person, named as Sir Te. Eventually, they meet female antagonist (Jade Fox), the mastermind behind the protagonist’s mater’s murder. The female antagonist and another female character, named as Jen, steal the sword. But, the protagonist recovers his sword and kills the female antagonist, but he succumbs to death. In the end, the Jen commits suicide because she realizes the differences between imagination and actuality. In the film, the female characters never face marginalization because they are portrayed as the embodiment of courage, dedication, and self-confidence. Kin-Yan Szeto states that, â€Å"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon embodies a cosmopolitical perspective of the feminine that is inspired by both Taoism and feminism† (63). To be specific, the female protagonist decides to help her friend because courage is inherent in her character. On the other side, Jen helps her governess/trainer in critical situations and follows her own lover. This proves her dedication to martial arts and love. On the other side, the female antagonist murders the protagonist’s master and tries to grab the sword. She was attacked by the protagonist and his female friend, but she does not give up. This proves that she is confident in her abilities as a martial arts trainer. In short, the director makes use of the female characters to uphold and unmask the element of vigor in them. The main characters in the film (say, the protagonist, female protagonist and the female antagonist) consider that revenge is utmost important in human life. Alex Caldon makes clear that, â€Å"The title describes one facet of the Taoist way of life-the Taoist master will crouch like a tiger, in order to maintain the strength of a dragon† (101). One can see that the protagonist