Different types of business information, their sources and purposes Essay

Introduction Having just started as a trainee at the Corporate Communications Department of Emirates Group, my line manager has tasked me with preparing this set of introductory training materials, on business information in general, for new members of staff in the department, to increase my knowledge and enhance communication skills. Different types of business information, their source and purpose will be discussed throughout this paper, outlining various types of communication that can take place. I will also deliberate how KFC source and communicate effectively, with a true purpose, summarizing with a conclusion. Definition of Information Information comes from a wide variety of sources, in varying shape and form, with numerous qualities. Communicated in time, being fit for purpose, and containing the right level of detail it becomes critical in decision making. Although there is contrast between the value and cost of information, it needs to be: Available Accurate Reliable Objective Relevant Complete On time As defined in the Business Dictionary, information is, â€Å"Data that is accurate and timely, specific and organized for a purpose, presented within a context that gives it meaning and relevance, and can lead to an increase in understanding and decrease in uncertainty†. Once prepared and, structured accordingly, data becomes information. Information adds value, and once facts and figures have been organised into information it has meaning, intended to be interpreted. Information gathering may be performed internally, within an organization, collecting information on sales performance, production output, or maintenance reliability. It may also be accomplished externally, outside the organisation, harvesting information on markets, competitors and customers. Information is valuable because it can affect behavior, a decision, or an outcome. For example, if a maintenance manager is told the reliability of the fleet has weakened, they may use this information as a reason to increa se the maintenance budget or up-skill and further develop the maintenance engineers. However, information is considered valueless if matters remain unchanged, following its consumption. Information Types Organisations, such as KFC, use various types of information, alongside ways to communicate. Verbal – This is the easiest and quickest way to communicate; however, it may not always be more effective; KFC communicate verbally to their customers, over the counter. They inquire about your current order – what you would like to eat and drink. The server will also try to up-sell, possibly suggesting to super-size or add a desert, over-and-above your original request. Written – Words, pictures, charts; from sources such as publications, books, journals, and newspapers; Once an order is taken on the EPOS system the information is transferred to the kitchen, as text on a screen. MultiMedia – Multiple forms of media, together; data, text, graphics, audio, video, etc. like an interactive webpage, with audio; You can order online, through the KFC website, which combines names and prices, alongside pictures of their products. On-Screen – Multimedia TV and CD-ROMs that combine text, graphics, animation, audio and video; Routinely you will witness advertisements on television of offers and new promotional activity for the food chain. Web-Based Information – Combines multimedia technologies and streams them over the Internet; access to rich information anywhere, anytime; When surfing websites you will notice many interactive banner advertisements for KFC, which when clicked will take you to their website, gathering valuable information on their consumer, of where they were transferred from and when. There may also be an interactive flick-book menu to browse. Information Sources Information comes from four different sources: Internal – An organisation’s own intellectual property, such as financial records, customer records, order information, maintenance records, etc. usually gathered from their respective department records – Production, Sales, Finance, Marketing, Maintenance, Administration or HR. KFC have all of this information at hand, within their database systems. Their Electronic Point-of-Sale tills gather all the order and some production information. They have Accounting applications connected directly to the Sales database, which generates the organisation’s financial information. The website gathers consumer intelligence on who wants what, from where, at what time. External – Collected from outside an organization, such as market research, the Internet, newspapers, bulletins, reports, publications, usually from the government, trade groupings, or commercial databases. When you are stopped in the street and asked if you would like a menu, and the issuer asks you a few questions, the information if being gathered to provide market intelligence to the company, which in turn aides decision making. Primary – Collected first-hand by the investigator, by possibly interview or questionnaire, gathered for a specific purpose. It generally is a more costly method, but provides more specific, quality information. Secondary – Gathered second-hand, by someone else, for another purpose, however can still be used – lower cost, though generally not as specific and of reduced quality. Information Purpose In one word, ‘measure’. It is critical in a business to measure and compare actual performance against what was budgeted for. Using historical records is one method, to make comparisons; however, targets may be set to stretch the performance of an organisation. If costs are more than expenditure then it must take action to remedy the situation. Market research reports can monitor altering market conditions, or possibly an increase or demise in demand of products and services. This will help KFC identify whether there current offerings are suitable for that specific time, or if they should pull some from their current available product list. Maintaining records of what currently employed is a legality, to calculate salaries and benefits. Records hold any details, including: Date of joining Name Address Salary Benefits Qualifications Department Title Days absent, with reasoning Holiday entitlement Training and development records Conclusion Managers must have timely, reliable, quality information, as they have to make important decisions. In order to make the business successful the right decisions need to be made, at the right time – correct decisions are only made when this sort of information is both available and used, in time. We live in the Information Age – with the types of complex processing systems available today, at your fingertips, to the majority of people, it is important to realize that the only thing standing in anyone’s way is that they must learn how to interpret the information to make the right choices. List of references Business dictionary, viewed 22nd of October 2013,

After the Sirens

As soon as the radio is switched on it is described as screaming and it startles the man. He also recognized the radio announcer’s voice but it this was the first time his voice did not sound upbeat and happy as it usually was during his morning show. The author also describes his voice as â€Å"Cracking with hysteria† (Hood, pg. 161) which clearly sets the mood in the story. The way his voice is described stresses the role that the announcer plays in this story.The radio announcer uses repetition right from the beginning of the story and creates suspense, when he repeats â€Å"This not an exercise†(Hood, pg. 160) three times. He also repeats â€Å"This is an air raid warning†(Hood, pg. 160) twice right after the radio is turned on. He continues with the count down right until ten seconds before the bomb hit. The radio announcer sets this man into action to save himself and his family.The man responds immediately by telling his wife not to ask questions an d to dress her self and the baby in many layers of heavy clothing. While she is doing that he gathers up food, water, canned goods and two can openers. The radio announcer also helps the man to decide where they should take cover in the house because he reported the target and the man knew where the blast would be coming from. The radio announcer helped them survive. I was captured immediately by his voice and was taken on a journey of anticipation and suspense.

Colony Collapse Disorder

The Buzz on Colony Collapse Disorder Denise Collins According to the National Geographic News website, the domestic honey bee population has decreased 50% in as many years (Roach, 2004). Many reasons are blamed for the decrease in honey bee numbers including diseases and pesticides. Scientists have given the decline in honey bee population phenomenon a name, Colony Collapse Disorder. While some experts maintain that Colony Collapse Disorder is a nuisance and not a catastrophe, it is a serious problem affecting domestic honey bees worldwide. Colony Collapse Disorder is a phenomenon affecting domestic and wild honey bee colonies worldwide. Basically what is happening is worker bees are leaving the hive and not coming back but disappearing. There are warning signs of a hive on the verge of collapse. Queen bees are seen outside of the hive is one warning sign of impending collapse. Another is juvenile bees making up the workforce. The juvenile bees are not capable of caring for the larvae. Bees also will not eat their own stores. Once a hive has collapsed, the hive appears to be abandoned by adult bees with young still in the hive. After a hive has collapsed, some of the bees predators, like wax worms, will not invade the hive (Eccleston, 2007). pic] The New York Times, 2007 One believed cause of this disorder is bees being infected with micro-organisms. These micro-organisms might be affecting the bee’s immune system (Barrionuevo, April, 2007). Most researchers are blaming a parasite for the heavy decline in the bee population. The parasite, varroa mites, is a blood-sucking mite that hitches rides on worker bees backs. Once the mites are in the hive, the female mites bury themselves into the bottom of brood cells. The female mites then feed on the larvae and lay their own eggs (Bejamin, 2008). Once a colony is infected with this mite the colony an collapse within a few days (Latham, 2008). This still does not explain why the bees leave and do not return or why there are few dead bees in the collapsed hive. Some researchers believe that since almost all the cases of Colony Collapse Disorder have occurred among commercial bee keepers that the problem must be with the beekeeping practices (Eccleston, 2007). One possible cause is the use of pesticides on commercial crops. This could be a reason it appears that most of the commercial bee keepers are showing problems with Colony Collapse Disorder. The effects to our everyday life would reach into all areas. First, the shrinking bee population would affect our grocery lists. We would lose honey followed by most fruits and vegetables. We would no longer have cotton. Animals that are dependent on grain would come next. With the loss of cows, goats, and other milk giving live stock, cheese, milk, ice cream, and other dairy products would be eliminated from our diets. One would also have to take into consideration of the life saving medicines that are made from botanicals (Barrionuevo, April, 2007). Presently there is research being done all over the United States and the world looking for a solution to this problem. A researcher with the state of Pennsylvania is looking at the possibility of an â€Å"immune suppression† type of disease that is affecting the honey bees. This disease is being compared to the AIDS disease in humans (Barrionuevo, February, 2007). Pesticides have been considered for controlling the mites believed to be afflicting the honey bees. There are risks with using these pesticides. Keeping this in mind, researchers are looking for alternatives to using pesticides. One possibility is a fungus that only attacks the mites and not the bees. The problem researchers are faced with is how to introduce the fungus into the hives (Roach, 2004). Robbin Thorp, an emeritus professor at UC Davis, has suggested using other bee species to do the work of the honey bees (Nielsen, 2006). Still others say that commercial farming has destroyed the honey bees’ natural habitat through weed free farming and pesticides. To rectify that, new habitats need to be created and protected (Nielsen, 2006). Spanish researchers have recently announced they have found the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder. The scientists are suggesting that the honey bees are being attacked by a fungus called Nosema ceranae. Through further testing of infected hives, the researchers may have also found a cure. Simply enough, an antibiotic has been found to be effective in curing the colony (Ford, 2009). I believe that more research needs to be done to further evaluate the Colony Collapse Disorder. We need to make sure that all possible causes have been checked and rechecked. There could be more than one cause to the devastating disorder. There could also be more than one remedy to the problem. The first item that needs to be completed is do extensive study of the both the wild and domesticated honey bee. This study of both types is to be done to see why commercial honey bee colonies are affected more often than wild hives. A healthy hive needs to be quarantined for the control. When a colony is suspected of being on the verge of collapsing, miniature transponders will be attached to worker bees to track its movements. Every aspect of the honey bees’ life needs to be studied and documented. The first sign of a colony in danger of collapse needs to be documented. When a remedy is found it can be treated as soon as possible. This step needs to be completed as quickly as possible before it becomes critical. I am estimating a time frame of 12 to 18 months to gather data, analyze the data, and distribute the findings. The next step is to interview commercial and hobbyist bee keepers and to record their observations. Since they are working with their bees on an everyday basis, they would be more apt to see subtle changes to their hives. This would be like a mothers relationship with her child. This step can be done in conjunction with the first step. This step should take three to six months to complete this part of the plan. The third step is to educate bee keepers on what to look for in their hives. The bee keepers need to be able to recognize the initial signs that one of the hives is beginning to collapse. Education will be the key in solving this problem. Education should be an ongoing process. There will need to be not only pamphlets and manuals to distribute, but the county agriculture extension offices need to provide training to both commercial bee keepers and hobby bee keepers. This way the keepers can identify symptoms in the early stages. Flyers need to be distributed into the communities. The public can be aware of the bees that have transponders. The flyers will contain information on where to report bees that are found with the transponders. If this plan is followed as laid out, a solution should be found within two years. The benefits for following this plan would be to find a solution and implement it to save the honey bees. To save the honey bees would be to save our way of life. Educating the bee keepers will help to keep track of the progress being made. Communication with the bee keepers will allow researchers to track any new symptoms or outbreaks of Colony Collapse Disorder. Challenges for my plan will consist of not being able to control the accuracy of the data collection from the bee keepers. I would have to trust that the keepers are keeping accurate records. Another challenge would be to secure the necessary funding to keep research going for two years. The federal government will need to provide the funding for the research through grants. I will also need a moderate sized lab to perform the necessary testing of bees and hives. Funding can provide for the lab or the government can provide us with a lab in a central location. The commercial growers need to commit to helping the commercial bee keepers with observations of the bees. When transponders are attached, commercial growers need to help with locating the bees that leave the hive and do not return. The general public should become actively involved in reporting found transponder bees. Private citizens could be contracted to create habitats that are conducive to improving the numbers of honey bees. Flower gardens planted with plants that are favored by the honey bees and not treated with any pesticides can be created by both the public and the local governments. Colony Collapse Disorder is everyone’s concern not just commercial bee keepers or commercial growers. The global community should be aware of any and all evidence of potential out breaks of Colony Collapse Disorder. Information on the research being done is to be shared with other countries that are dependent on honey bees. While some experts maintain that Colony Collapse Disorder is a nuisance and not a catastrophe, it is a serious problem affecting domestic honey bees worldwide. The occurrences of Colony Collapse Disorder are quickly spreading worldwide at epidemic rates. This disorder affects honey bees and the hives. Honey bees are important for more than just food. In order to control or even stop this epidemic there needs to be research done on the causes of the disorder. There then needs to be education for the keepers, growers and general public. In the end, it is the world’s responsibility to solve this issue or hunger will affect more than third world countries. Botanical compounds used in medicines will disappear. At some point, the human race will have to face extinction. Let’s not let it happen without a fight. Barrionuevo, Alexi (February 27, 2007). Honeybees Vanish, Leaving Keepers in Peril. The New York Times, Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2007/02/27/business/27bees. tml? pagewanted=1&ei=5088&en=3aaa0148837b8977&ex=1330232400&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1245258136-9BkLxjVu7rXlI15p1S/g Barrionuevo, Alexei (April 24, 2007) Bees Vanish and Scientists Race for Reasons. The New York Times, Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2007/04/24/science/24bees. html Bejamin, Alison and McCullum, Brian (June 25, 2008). As mystery pl ague threaten to wipe out bees, scientists reveal: our survival depends on them. Mail Online, Retrieved June 10, 2009 from http://www. dailymail. co. uk/sciencetech/article-1028560/As-mystery-plague-threatens-wipe-bees-scientist-reveal-survival-depends-them. html Eccleston, Charles H. (2007). The case of the disappearing honeybees: An Environmental harbinger? , Wiley InterScience Ford, Matt (April 16, 2009) A cure for colony collapse. arts technical. Retrieved June 15, 2009 from http://artstechnica. com/science/news/2009/04/a-cure-for-colony-collapse. ars Latham, Marc (September 26, 2008). Global Bee Deaths Threaten Foods. Suite101. com, Retrieved June 3, 2009 from http://zoology. suite101. com/article. cfm/bee_deaths_threaten_essiential_ Foods Nielsen, John (October 18, 2006) Declining Bee Population Threatens Major Growers: NPR. Npr, Retrieved June 10, 2009 from http://npr. rg/templates/story/story. php? storyId=6299480 Roach, John (October 5, 2004). Bee Decline May Spell End of Some Fruits, Vegetables. National Geographic News, Retrieved from http://news. nationalgeographic. com/news/2004/10/1005_041005_honeybees. html The New York Times. (April 24, 2007). [Graph of states that are reporting colony Collapse disorder as of March 2007] Disap pearing Bees. Retrieved June 17, 2009 from http://news. nationalgeographic. com/news/2004/10/1005_041005_honeybees. html Watanabe, Myrna E. (May, 2007). Bee Seige. Bioscience, 57(5), 464. Doi: 10. 1641/B570516

U.S. and international business operations and environments Essay

U.S. and international business operations and environments - Essay Example Cultural diversity identifies one of the differences. The American domestic culture is largely homogeneous and identifies uniform behaviors and practices in business negotiations and agreements. This is however contrary to the international environment that has diversified cultures and requires extensive knowledge of the cultures for successful business initiatives. Failure to understand the different cultures disadvantages operations in the international environment as opposed to experiences United States’ domestic set up. Business operations in the Unites States majorly uses the U.S. Dollar for transactions while operations in the international environment encounters many currencies, requires currency conversion and is susceptible to losses due to variations in currency values. Business operations and environment in the United States are also subject to a homogeneous legal environment under the federal laws and variations within state laws are not very significant while oper ations and environments in international set ups are regulated by different legal systems. Similarly, moral obligations, as derived from cultures, are homogeneous in the domestic business environment but diversified in international set up. Business operations in the United States are also majorly conducted in English while the international set up involves a multilingual approach that sometimes requires translators (Dlabay, Scott and Scott, 2010). Business operations and environments in the United States are therefore different from those in the international set up with culture, currency, legal environment, language, and ethics as the major bases for the

Business Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Business Plan - Assignment Example injury and death caused or resulted from an auto accident and now a day’s some cars are invented and introduced in such a way that it consist of six or eight air bags. The value of this product is that at the time when the car crashes the momentum of the car changes instantly. The airbags acts as a constraint for helping or assisting the passengers to stop the passengers and also protecting and safeguarding the passengers. The air bag facilitates the passengers from the side swipes of the car , front on collisions etc and the airbags are designed in such a way that it prevents and restricts the injuries that are caused from the severe car accidents. The existence and the presence of the airbags will also influence the secure placement of child and infant. The most essential and the unique feature of the air bags are it transmits crash sensors that indicates and designed in such a way that the vehicle has been damaged in accident. The threat of substitutes of the airbag is that the substitute product and its existence in the market may drive the consumers to switch to the product of its competitors. The substitute product is considered as an alternative of the supply of the product in the market. Therefore the existence3 of substitute is considered as the threat of the company. The seat belt is considered as a substitute of the air bag by some of the customers or the passengers. The customers generally perceive that the seatbelts are designed and introduced in such a way that it provides comfort to its customers and there exist differences in the level of comfort that is being provided by the airbags and seatbelt. The front air bag is not capable of protecting the side and the roll over and the rear crashes. In this case on the basis of such differences the customers generally prefer or select the use of seat belt for the safety and protection for facing these types of crashes. The air bags are designed only to protect or safeguard the frontal crash

Important Changes in European Societies that Influence Politics in Essay

Important Changes in European Societies that Influence Politics in Europe - Essay Example This essay offers a comprehensive review of major changes in European societies in different fields of human life. Their summing impact on change of politics of the EU is assessed in the paper. A new political union was developed by the countries of Western Europe. Europe is made up made up of regions with varying historical backgrounds. The nations making up Europe have different cultural backgrounds too. Various factors have led to division of Europe into autonomous entities, the economic factors, the religion factors and the political factors. The cultural unity that has put European nations together has not yet disappeared despite of the registered transformations. Europe especially the western side has experience increases in immigration cases. Most of the people come from the less developed part of the world especially North Africa due its close proximity to Europe. More people are also moving from central and Eastern Europe towards the western side of Europe. The role of men and women has continued to change in the European society. Initially, male education was considered more superior than educating women. Gender is considered as one of the new cleavage in the current societies. It has been found out that more women are currently employed in the highly paying jobs. However, their earning is considered lower compared to the men’s salaries. Unity has continued to exist among the countries that make up the European Union. Europe remains home to most of the industries in the world.

Simplified Acquisition Procedures Research Paper

Simplified Acquisition Procedures - Research Paper Example The government report uses Simplified acquisitions to illustrate the approach that legalizes a test method that permits government purchasers to acquire profitable items that do not surpass a certain amount (Engelbeck, 2001, p. 29). 2. Describe the circumstances under which the government allows the use of the simplified acquisition procedures One of the conditions offered by the government concerning the use of the Simplified acquisitions is that the government able to validate purchases. Agency officials have been authorized to impose maximum amounts for purchases made. In 1996, the congress widened the use of simplified acquisitions by legalizing a test plan that permits buyers to purchase items that do not go beyond $5 million. As a result, the maximum price set was a requirement that all regime buyers had to follow up. Another condition is the permission of issuing a combined outline and solicitation. This solicitation procedure laid out the plans, procedures, buying modes and v endors to be used throughout the buying procedure. This way, the government would account for every dollar used in the transaction. The issuing procedure might have also needed proposal compliance in less than 45 days as would or else be needed (GAO, 2003, p.3). Government buyers would also be required to set up an official assessment plan or aggressive variety, carry out debates with dealers or achieve quotations or bids. Potential buying risks will be realized through this condition, and make the government less prone to losses or budget upheavals. Another condition that the government applied to all buyers under Simplified acquisitions was the minimization of the credentials needed to give strong reason for compensation decisions. The credentials used for such transactions consume lots of government expenditure, and Simplified acquisitions are one way for the government to reduce expenditure on subsidiary goods and services as such (GAO, 2003, p.2). Currently, the government issu es a test program to include contact procedures for all officers involved in the purchasing procedure. The government seeks maximum efficiency and saving with minimal expenses or financial burdens. Another condition that the government looks forward to is the adherence to the contract clauses prearranged by special documentation that limits administrative costs. This documentation has requirements arranged by FAR 12.3 with the aim of limiting occurrences of sole basis acquisitions. Simplified acquisitions also require a short written report of the processes of employed when compensating the contract file. Other compensations in the contract include the number of bids established, a description of the foundation of the contract reward assessment, and some validation for a sole basis acquisition (Engelbeck, 2001, p. 44). 3. Three examples of the simplified acquisition methods and where they might be appropriate in a government procurement contract An example of Simplified acquisitions techniques is a test plan employed by the government in January 1, 2004. The government used Simplified acquisitions to smoothen the flow of contracting vehicles that federal bureaus use for acquiring goods and services. The test program involved the use of delivery agreements between buyers and the sellers tor educe the chances of acquisition risk, and save time in the course of acquiring the items (GAO, 2003, p.3). Another example is the use of purchase cards that

Networks and System Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Networks and System Administration - Essay Example Company networks serve to facilitate communication processes in the company and facilitate management processes through the use frameworks such as the company intranet. In addition, connectivity to the internet comes with added advantages through which the company can communicate with the outside world. This implies that the implementation and the configuration of a computer network depend on the needs of that particular organization (Bagad 2009). For example, desktop layout is primarily determined by the office arrangement and the need to host a web site warrants the use of a web server in the overall network infrastructure of the company. This paper provided a description of the computer network implemented and management for Target Company (will call it X Company). 2. Part 1 – Network Evaluation of the business needs is the initial step of the design methodology; focusing on business needs, goals and objectives provides an avenue for the designing of a network that will mak e the business meet its requirements. The steps of the design methodology are outlined below. 2.1 Business requirements For a network design methodology to be effective, it must put into consideration the business needs. Business needs are the key drivers towards the implementation of any project. Understanding the organizational and corporate culture and the business processes of the X Company will play a significant role in determining the effectiveness of the design methodology. The design should be tailored so as to facilitate the realization of the business needs of the company (Barnick 2006). Some of the business needs of the X Company are outlined below. Enhancing employee productivity; the present IT infrastructure at the X Company does maximize on the potential of its employees. Reduction in overhead costs; currently, the company incurs a lot of expenses due to lack of proper communication and network infrastructure. To establish effective management strategies. To enhance customer satisfaction through increased employee productivity and increased efficiency in the execution of business processes. To enhance profitability through increased market share. 2.2 Design requirements The network design requirements are based on the business needs. The network design should facilitate the realization of the business requirements. Specific design standards are implemented basing on the design in accordance with the network and information needs of the X Company. The business needs and technical needs of the network play a significant role in determining the network infrastructure to be implemented (McCabe 2007). The X network rational is designed to achieve the following design requirements: management & security, scalability, performance and availability. 2.3 Analysis of network design The network design of any company cannot be effectively accomplished without proper security design if it is public as well as Intranet. Certifications on audit and certificati ons were written by the company and they are reviewed on regular basis to make sure that at all times only genuine employees with authority are the only ones being allowed to have access to their respective applications at any particular time (Caslow 1998). The first element of the network at X is a

#3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

#3 - Essay Example Drugs addicts have continued to increase as the drugs are cheap. The illegalization of these drugs has not helped in reducing the criminals and several people including the chief police in Britain have opted for the decriminalization of these drugs in a bid to stop the drugs circulating in the streets of continuing to increase the number of drug addicts. The research recommendations are that the country should look for other options to help the users of drugs as taking them to jail is not the solution. Some of the alternatives provided in the article include: community health and addiction treatment. I agree with the researchers and other opposes of criminalization of drug users and abusers. This has been the only solution in almost all the nations of the world facing drug problems but nothing has stopped the increase in drugs in the streets and the number of drug users. It is time to seek alternative solutions which will make those dealing with drugs stop doing so and transform on their own accord. Examples should be drawn from other decriminalization issues where once a law is passed on decriminalization, the previously illegal activity ceases on its own accord and I strongly believe this will be the same with the drug issue. The news clip was reliable because it came from published research in a peer reviewed medical journal that is renowned and valid. This therefore means that the research was also valid and hence reliable. The news article is printed in the BBC website. BBC is one of the oldest form of media communication and has reached this far due to the reliability of the information they publish hence making this news article reliable as well. Lastly is the fact that the information in discussion is nothing new but a reiteration of what is truly happening in the society. It is evident that drugs have increased and various reports confirm that and issues of

Introduction to Game Theory Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Game Theory Essay Nobel Prize Citation, 1994: Game theory is a mathematical method for analysing strategic interaction. Problem What is strategic interaction? (Singapore Management University) Introduction to Game Theory Fall 2012 2 / 18 An Example of a Game | Flat Tire Two SMU students, Al and Bob, very con dent about their midterm exam performance in ECON 206, decided to attend a party the weekend before the nal exam. The party was so good that they overslept the whole Sunday. Instead of taking the nal unprepared on Monday, they pleaded the professor to give them a make-up exam. Their excuse was a at tire without a spare and any help. The professor, surprisingly, agreed. On Tuesday morning, the professor placed them in separated rooms and handed them the test. The test had just one question: Which tire? (Singapore Management University) Introduction to Game Theory Fall 2012 3 / 18 The GPA Rat Race All of you are now enrolled in ECON 206 that will be graded on a curve. No matter how well you do in absolute terms, only 33. 3% of the students will get As, and only 33. 3% of the students will get Bs. Therefore, you must work hard, not just in absolute terms, but relative to how hard your classmates work. All of you are smart enough to recognize this, and after the rst lecture you all hold a secrete meeting where all of you agree not to work too hard. What will happen in the end? (Singapore Management University) Introduction to Game Theory Fall 2012 4 / 18 Why Are Professors So Mean? Many professors have rigid rules not to give makeup exams and NEVER to accept late homework assignments. Students might think the professors are so hardhearted to behave in this way. The truth is. Most professors are actually very kindhearted (for example. ) They are willing to give their students every reasonable break and accept every reasonable excuse But most professors also know that this is a slippery slope (for example, ) | if they set very exible rules, what may happen? (Singapore Management University) Introduction to Game Theory Fall 2012 5 / 18 Another Example | Strategic Interactions vs. Individual Decision Problems Underlying story: two students (Alice and Bob) are taking a course together. There are three e ort levels for each student: work hard (utility = 5), work sometimes (utility = 2), shirk (utility = 0). Consider the following two grade schemes. Grade Scheme A: A students nal grade only depends on her own e ort level | if a student works hard, she will get an A for sure (utility = 10); if she works sometimes, she will get a passing grade (utility = 5); while if the student shirks, she will fail the course for sure (utility = 0). Individual Decision Problem E ort Level Utility Disutility Net Work Hard 10 5 Work Sometimes 5 2 Shirk 0 0 (Singapore Management University)

The Mauritius Institute Of Education On Teachers Education Essay

The Mauritius Institute Of Education On Teachers Education Essay Education has always been among the top priorities of every government into power. In Mauritius, education was declared free after the country gained independence from the British in 1968. Since then, every child of the country had the opportunity to go to school and learn. After the decision of free schooling, the government found the need to train sufficient teachers to work in the schools in regions where there were growing demands. Such training course is still being delivered by the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), which equip the future teachers with the necessary skills to deliver a quality service. From the beginning of the 21st century much emphasis is put on the quality of teaching and management in schools as it has been proven that schools with strong ethical managing members outperformed other schools in the academic results. It has always been said that Discipline is the key to success; those schools realised it through hard and structured work and achieved the best results. Discipline is not meant for pupils only and applies for teachers and even top management of the schools. Certain schools even set codes of conduct for their teachers to abide too; which provide a clear line of conduct expected from the teachers. These codes of conduct are simply ethics of care, justice, critique, profession and community put into phrases which demonstrate the expected behaviour of top management and teachers of the schools. Review of Literature The significance of school management and leadership There is great concern in educational leadership in the early part of the 21st century. Since people believe that the quality of leadership makes a significant difference to school and student outcomes. In many parts of the world, there is recognition that schools require effective leaders and managers if they are to provide the best possible education for their learners. As the global economy gathers pace, more governments are realising that their main assets are their people and that remaining, or becoming, competitive depends increasingly on the development of a highly skilled workforce. This requires trained and committed teachers but they, in turn, need the leadership of highly effective principals and the support of other senior and middle managers (Bush, in press). The process of deciding on the aims of the organization is at the heart of educational management. In most schools, aims are decided by the principal, often working in association with the senior management team and perhaps also with the school governing body. However, school aims are strongly influenced by pressures from the external environment, and particularly from the expectations of government, often expressed through legislation or formal policy statements. Schools may be left with the residual task of interpreting external imperatives rather than determining aims on the basis of their own assessment of learner needs. The key issue here is the extent to which school managers are able to modify government policy and develop alternative approaches based on school-level values and vision. (Bush 2003:1-2). Distinction between school management and leadership The concept of management overlaps with that of leadership, a notion of great contemporary interest in most countries in the developed world. However, despite these developments management remains the dominant term in the debate about aspects of school organisation. Cuban (1988) provides one of the clearest distinctions between leadership and management. He links leadership with change while management is seen as a maintenance activity. He also stresses the importance of both dimensions of organisational activity: By leadership, I mean influencing others actions in achieving desirable ends. Leaders are people who shape the goals, motivations, and actions of others. Frequently they initiate change to reach existing and new goals Leadership takes much ingenuity, energy and skill. Managing is maintaining efficiently and effectively current organisational arrangements. While managing well often exhibits leadership skills, the overall function is toward maintenance rather than change. I prize both managing and leading and attach no special value to either since different settings and times call for varied responses. Day et al.s (2001) study of twelve effective schools leads to the discussion of several dilemmas in school leadership. One of these relates to management, which is linked to systems and paper, and leadership, which is perceived to be about the development of people. Bush (1998; 2003) links leadership to values or purpose while management relates to implementation or technical issues. Leadership and management need to be given equal prominence if schools are to operate effectively and achieve their objectives. Leading and managing are distinct, but both are important The challenge of modern organizations requires the objective perspective of the manager as well as the flashes of vision and commitment wise leadership provides (Bolman Deal, 1997). Leithwood et al. (1999) make the important point that, in practice, principals in their day-to-day work are rarely aware of whether they are leading or managing; they are simply carrying out their work on behalf of the school and its learners. However, the nature of that work should reflect the school context and, in particular, its needs at any one time. Underperforming schools may require a greater emphasis on basic management, making the organization functional, rather than a visionary approach. This may involve ensuring regular and timely attendance by learners and educators, maintaining order and discipline in classrooms, and proving adequate resources to enable learning to take place. Once schools are functional, leaders can progress to developing vision, and outlining clear aims and policies, with the confidence that systems are in place to secure their implementation. Models of educational leadership and management Theories of educational management for over 20 years (Bush, 1986; 1995; 2003) have been presented and classified into six major models: formal, collegial, political, subjective, ambiguity, and cultural (see Table 1). More recently, the author of these theories has reviewed concepts of educational leadership, notably in work undertaken for the English National College for School Leadership (Bush Glover, 2002). The literature on leadership has generated a number of alternative, and competing, models. Some writers have sought to cluster these various conceptions into a number of broad themes or types. The best known of these typologies is that by Leithwood, Jantzi and Steinbach (1999), who identified six models from their scrutiny of 121 articles in four international journals. Bush and Glover (2002) extended this typology to eight models. These are among the nine leadership models shown in Table 1, alongside the management models mentioned earlier. Table : Typology of management and leadership models (Bush, 2003) Management model Leadership model Formal Collegial Political Subjective Ambiguity Cultural Managerial Participative Transformational Interpersonal Transactional Post-modern Contingency Moral Instructional Ethics Ethics refer to accepted norms and standards set by people considering them as good practices that one must follow in terms of behaviour and action. Ethics are frequently interchanged with other words such as values, morality, norms, principles and beliefs. According to Fraenkel (1973: 49), values represent everything that people regard as important in life. They represent ideas on what is good, beautiful, effective and appropriate, . and therefore worth having, worth doing, or worth striving to attain. Ethics and Values Ethical framework for education The literature provides  ¬Ã‚ ve major paradigms used to analyse ethics and ethical dilemmas. Ethic of Justice The first type of ethic is the ethic of justice. This ethic often provides a basis for legal principles and ideals. Here, one may ask questions related to the rule of law and the more abstract concepts of fairness, equity and justice. Starratt (1994) characterizes this ethic as originating in two schools of thought, one focusing on the individual as central and the other stressing society as its key component. The former generally involves the concept of social contract where the individual gives up certain rights for the good of society; it includes the work of earlier philosophers including Hobbes and Kant and more contemporary scholars such as Lawrence Kohlberg and John Rawls. The latter conceptualizes justice as emerging from communal understandings (Starratt, 1994, p. 50). Also writing within this paradigm is Kenneth Strike, a scholar who focuses on justice and its in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence on educational decision making by stressing concepts such as maximum bene ¬Ã‚ ts and its rela tionship to respect for individual needs (Strike et al., 1998). Ethic of care Second is an ethic of care. Out of the ethic of justice, the ethic of care shifts the emphasis on rights and laws to compassion and empathy. When the ethic of care is valued, school leaders emphasize relationships and connections in the decision-making process, rather than techniques and rules associated with a hierarchical approach. Noddings (2003) work is central to this ethic as are the writings of contemporary scholars including Gilligan (1982) who challenged Kohlbergs (1981) model of ethical decision making as relates to women and Sernak (1998) who contends that school leaders must balance power with caring. Ethic of Critique Critique is the third ethic. Firmly rooted in critical theory, the ethic of critique seeks to challenge the status quo and give voice to the marginalized sectors of society. Under the ethic of critique, theorists such as Apple (2000, 2001, 2003), Capper (1993), Foster (1986) and Giroux (1991, 2000, 2003), among others, ask us to not only rethink laws and justice, but also consider other concepts such as privilege, power, culture and language. Here, one might question who makes the laws, who bene ¬Ã‚ ts from them, and how they apply to a variety of different people. Grogan (2003) and Marshall et al. (1989) join the ranks of these contemporary scholars who urge educators to consider issues of social justice in their ethical decision making. Ethic of the profession The ethic of the profession (Shapiro and Stefkovich, 2001) calls for school leaders to consider professional and personal ethical principles and codes, as well as standards of the profession and individual professional codes to create a dynamic model that places the best interests of the student as central. This paradigm considers the other frameworks as well as issues such as what the profession expects, what happens when personal and professional ethics clash, and how community in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uences educators ethical decision making. This paradigm of the profession moves beyond a multi-paradigmatic approach and strives to consider moral aspects unique to the profession and the questions that arise as educational leaders become more aware of their own personal and professional codes of ethics (Shapiro and Stefkovich, 2001, p. 18). As Walker (1998, p. 300) points out: The well-considered shibboleth that the best interests of children will be taken to override con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡icting inter ests may be considered both a safe and essential grounds for educational decision making. Ethic of the Community Furman (2003) proposes a  ¬Ã‚ fth ethic for educational leaders that of community. Furman (2004) explicates this ethical posture in an article appearing in this issue of the Journal of Educational Administration. For Furman, community becomes the context within which the other ethical postures are applied as school leaders make decisions in an ever-changing environment. She de ¬Ã‚ nes the ethic of community as the moral responsibility of educators to engage in communal processes. Here, the communal, rather than the individual, is the major focus of schools moral agency. This ethic is very different from Sergiovanni (1994) who views community as an entity and Shapiro and Stefkovich (2001) who see community in relation to the individual. Each of these  ¬Ã‚ ve paradigms is important to educational leaders who are asked to make ethical decisions. By considering the paradigms as complementary parts of a whole, the school leader has access to a more advanced set of tools for decision making. Ethics in School Management and Leadership For a better understanding of the impact of ethics in school management and leadership, a framework would be much appropriate. In their book, Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education, Shapiro and Stefkovich (2001) propose a framework for responding to ethical dilemmas. Ethical paradigms based on models of justice, caring, and critique are merged into a fourth paradigm, that of the profession. At the centre of this conceptualization is the best interests of the student. Educators have often used this concept to justify important moral and ethical decisions; therefore it seems apt that this concept would lie at the heart of a professional paradigm. Application of Ethics in School Management and Leadership The point that school administrative decision making requires more than the mechanical application of existing rules, regulations and various levels of school and school-related policy has been well established (Hoy and Miskel, 2005). The essential aspects of school leadership are more than simply possessing and carrying out certain technical skills to ensure effective and ef ¬Ã‚ cient management of organizational operations (Sergiovanni, 2009). The emphasis and preoccupation with bureaucratic scientism and management perspectives has given way to the importance of value, moral, and ethical bases for educational leadership decision making. There is an increasing recognition that putatively value free administrative decisions and actions are actually value-laden, even value-saturated enterprises(s) (Hodgkinson, 1978, p.122) that undergird our understanding of what Green ¬Ã‚ eld (1985, 1999), and others (Green, 1990) have articulated in more precise terms as the careful location of purpose and worth in things, or in other words moral education and moral leadership. This recognition of value-driven, moral leadership action, according to Hodgkinson (1978), is an administrative logic of a new order. The Ethic of the Profession and the Model for Promoting Students Best Interests (Shapiro and Stefkovich, 2001, 2005; Stefkovich, 2006), recognizes moral aspects unique to the profession that are primarily client-based and highlights the inevitable internal struggle experienced by school leaders due to a wide variety of considerations and factors that seek to inform and in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence their moral practice as school leaders. This existential struggle can be characterized as a phenomenon of intrapersonal moral discord experienced as part of the process of deciding ethically when faced with dif ¬Ã‚ cult moral choices centered on personal versus organizational and/or professional value discrepancy, described as a clashing of codes within the framework. The professional ethic recognizes moral aspects unique to the profession of educational leadership and grounds the moral dimension of the profession on the monothetic injunction to serve the best interests of the student (Shapiro and Stefkovich, 2001, p.23) whereby promoting the success of all students (ISLLC, 1996, p. 8) by focusing on the needs of children (Walker, 1998).