Women as Police Chiefs Essay Example

Women as Police Chiefs Essay Police officers are meant to safe guard citizens against the various forms of crimes that take place in today’s society. Today, this role is played by both the women and men as everyone has equal rights in society. The acceptance of women taking carrers as police officials has come a long way. In the olden days, women were regarded as the weaker sex that is, both physically and emotionally while the men were the courageous one who headed their families and protected them from danger. For this reason, there is no way a man could have ever thought a woman was able to fit in their shoes. Perceptions on women in policing People still think that women are not courageous enough to take up such roles. Moreover, people think that women will let their emotions interfere with their work hence they are not suited for the job. Why would women want to become police officers? We will write a custom essay sample on Women as Police Chiefs specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Women as Police Chiefs specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Women as Police Chiefs specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The answers to this question are as varied as the women themselves. Some dreamt of becoming police officers although they do not quiet understand how they got such a non traditional dream, Some have family members and friends in law enforcement and have been encouraged to take up the career, others have seen it as an exiting career as opposed to the traditional women jobs, some want to prove to their male counterparts that what they can do a woman can do and do it better, or as a result of a dare from their colleagues. â€Å"But the one reason that most of them share is that they would like to be able to help other people in society (Schulz, 2004).† Advantages women police chiefs bring to the police force Although policing is one of the few remaining strongholds of male dominance, in greater numbers, women have been challenged them. Males have dominated the most of the law enforcement agency especially in the military. â€Å"Around the 1970s an increasing number of women have took up the battle to invade the hallowed male halls of this bureaucracy (Wells Sowers, 2000)† and have brought a lot of advantages in the police force with it. Some of the positive attributes include: women take their work very seriously and passionately. Just as they would run their own homes, the woman police chief ensures that all the police departments are well coordinated and activities are well supervised and monitored. Through this, the woman police chief ensures that the police operations are on course. Women are good at listening and offering advice. This makes them good counselors as they are able to listen to the views and opinions of their workmates as well as the general public. People can easily approach them and this makes it easier for people to share with them how they feel about the job and what they would like to be improved. â€Å"The women Police chief brings balance in the police force (Wells Sowers, 2000).† People will be assured that more women can get in the force as they will continually fight for the rights of other women especially when they see someone is talented but due to male biasness they are not considered therefore they can rally for them so that they are chosen. The woman police Chief just like any other police chief represents the police departments in public relations matters. They will always want to provide a good image of what they do and this makes them better supervisors and they ensure that they maintain discipline among the employees. The process of becoming a police chief Just as medical students spend many years in school before they become doctors, so is the road to becoming a police chief long and challenging. Women who have become police chiefs are a living example that all things are possible if you put your heart and mind to it. The process usually starts when people are being recruited. When those who have the heart and all that is required, they undergo harsh training conditions to become police officers. Once a police officer, they would like to go to the next level just as humans need to progress, after working as police chiefs and doing a good job at it, they can decide to be detectives if they please or go on to be sergeants. After this, they will move up the ranks to become, Lieutenant, captain, Major, and a then commander. Upon reaching here, they may see that they have come far but since they are so close to the top, they may as well apply for the police chief job. Because they will be elected, women candidates have been forced to confront these dilemmas of style and presentation much earlier in the selection process. â€Å"Candidates’ opponents would have to make sure that to have raised the issue of sex/ gender during the campaign so that employees understand who they will be better sited for the job (29, breaking).† They may be very successful and eventually get the job because they have all the qualifications that are needed. We can therefore say that the path toward Police Chief is very challenging and takes years of hard work. Challenges facing women police chiefs At work The police chiefs deal with dangerous people who may harm them. They may fall victims of attacks in that law offenders who had been caught, imprisoned and released and were planning revenge they could easily harm them if they know their where about. Furthermore, women officers as well as men have been killed in the line of duty. When the people who work for them are harmed or lose their lives, their womanly instincts obviously takes full course and they feel remorseful. Sometimes they get affected psychologically especially when the victims are people they really liked and would have loved to see them accomplish their personal and career goals. This will therefore make them afraid in sending off their staff to very dangerous mission but when they took their oaths of office, they vowed to protect the lives and peoples property hence they have to lead and act as leaders under any circumstances. The police departments have fallen victims of numerous corruption allegations and the police chief, who is the head of all the departments, will be held accountable for the actions of those under her. Excessive use of force by the police has also been another issue that the public usually complain about and certain people have been seriously hurt while others have died in the hands of such police men and women (Silvestri, 2003). There have been cases of discrimination especially in dealing with race and ethical issues such that they tend to blame certain members of a particular race for most of the crimes. When all these internal issues take place, all the accusing fingers will be on the woman police chief if she is in charge and sometimes they have no idea of such occurrences but are left to take the blame for things they did not do. On top of this, â€Å"they will have to deal with incompetent police officers as sometimes during the recruitment process, some people are favored and this is one of the underlying issues that cause most of the internal problems in the police force (Scarborough Collins, 2002).† Discrimination and intimidation â€Å"The society has not full embraced the roles played by women Police and sometimes people look down on them (Natarajan, 2008).† This is evident in their places of work as they have to work twice or more than their male counterparts in such positions so that they get the respect they deserve from their subordinates as well as other officials people whom they usually interact with in the course of their duties. They have to overcome this fear which is not an easy task as sometimes their efforts go unnoticed. Lack of corporation by members of the society is another issue. When the people they fight to protect day and night are stubborn in giving information that the police may find useful, this does not really help them much in fighting crimes as they have to plead with people thus wasting a lot of time. This will make them frustrated and at times feel like the job I dragging them down. Personal They concentrate so much on their work that they can easily neglect other sectors of their lives. For example, if someone has a family, they have to play the mother role as well be a wife. â€Å"Sometimes they get so consumed with their work that they have little time to spend at home and run their families (Brown Campbell, 1994).† The children may start engaging in activities that are not mortally right like taking alcohol, drugs or sexual activities. These are the kind of things the mother deals with which are now in her family. The father might feel that they do not spend a lot of time with the wife and this brings about marital problems. Moreover, they do not have a social life as they spend most of their time solving crimes. Such problems at home may make the chief not to perform at work like they are supposed to. Lack of support from family members and friends sometimes, the husbands of police chiefs may feel intimidated by their wives as they are superior to them and this will also affect their work. This could be that their wives earn more than them or that wherever they go the focus is always on the wife. They therefore do not have mentors or people they can look up to for the support they need especially in dealing with stress at work. Solutions to the woman police chief challenges Families, friends, he public and fellow work mates need to show support to the woman police chief because that will be the only way that they will see that their services are required will do work in peace and enjoy what they are doing. The male officers need to embrace the roles women can play and agree that at times someone of the opposite sex can out do them. This will ensure that discrimination and intimidation will reduce. Moreover, â€Å"they will be respected by the women police chief if the males make an effort to show them respect (Westmarland, 2001).† The internal management strategies in the police departments should be improved so that there will be fewer cases that involve police departments. This will include things like the police men and women not accepting and supporting bribes or illegal practices in society because they would like to gain, not using excessive force on caught victims; they can simply arrest or warn them and not discriminating against any person regardless of their age, sex, color among other things. All this is to say that they must adhere to the ethics in place with regards to their scope of work. The woman police chief can also go for trainings that do not necessarily deal with police matters so that they can know how they can deal with their personal/emotional and psychological feelings that affect their work. By undergoing such trainings, they will be able to control their feelings and not let them affect their work. Through this, they will remain on top of the game and become better and brave leaders. City officials and other law enforcement agencies need to reward and recognize the work the women do in this business. This they can do by giving them awards for the work they do and this gives them morale to carry on with their work. Women police chiefs need to meet regularly so that they can discuss matters that affect women in the police force. This will create a forum where they can share their personal experiences and find solutions to matters that affect them. The future of Police Women Chiefs The future looks brighter because the women police chiefs who are there serve as mentors to other women who want to pursue such careers. Moreover, the community has seen the work they have done; which has turned out to be good or even better than speculated. Many women are now joining the police force and other law enforcement agencies and this means that in future, the ratio of men to women in such departments will be equal. Conclusion As much as we accept the roles men play in society, women can and have become better officers. The obstacles they face as they seek to reach the top of one of the most quintessentially male professional are many and diverse but such problems will not make them stop doing what they love which is the prevention of crime and the protection of both life and property. They need to be continually supported and such careers encouraged in the school systems.

Gender Research Essays

Gender Research Essays Gender Research Essay Gender Research Essay Women and the world they live (d) in: Every society has pre-defined roles for men and women-Men are the bread-winners, the decision makers and the aggressive half whereas women are the procreators, the executors of the man-made decisions and the demure, passive half. The obvious sex difference has translated and now is firmly rooted as the gender difference that manifests itself in the roles that men and women are supposed to play. For a long time women have been confined to homes (sometimes it was a voluntary decision) and they have been expected to bring up children and take care of other social and societal obligations. But as the world evolved and the revolutions ensued women began to look beyond their homes for a life. This, obviously, caused quite a flutter among the puritans who still desperately clung on to the belief that the hand that rocks the cradle should not be paid. Transgressing from the unwritten rules of male female role-play was blasphemy the conservatives cried. But thanks to courageous women like Joa n-of –Arc, who led the French army against the British, women found a new life that led to avenues and careers they never thought existed. Now, a couple of centuries after women first began working there is a general if not grudging acceptance to the idea of working women. Women today are scaling new heights, setting higher goals and are climbing the corporate ladder. The working woman has finally arrived. : What women really want? Most women who venture out to start a new business face three major problems. First they have a difficult time raising capital for their business because most loan providers are skeptical of a woman run business. Second, they have to find a balance between home and work. This is a unique problem for women who run their business (other working women who are employed face this problem to a lesser degree) as it entails being at the helm of affairs (read crises) at work and running a perfect household as well. The third challenge for business owners is to be taken seriously by their peers; on the face of it the issue seems a petty one but then any business owner needs the acceptance from the peer group-it gives them a sense of pride and satisfaction. The lack of such respect could also have a severe damaging effect on the business as the non-acceptance by competitors may translate to consumer wariness towards the product. Women on top: As more and more women began to join the workforce there was a need to do more than just work for somebody. Women started to take risks and start their own ventures. Most such ventures started out very small and most of these women wanted little more than to fulfill their creative potential or meet a basic need. But as time passed by and their businesses flourished they began to move beyond the comfort zone and expand their businesses. These are the women who have made their sisters believe that they too can. One such enterprising woman, touted as the most successful woman in the twentieth century, was the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics Mary Kay Ash. Embittered by the male-dominated workplace where she was repeatedly denied promotions she launched her own cosmetic store with the help of her son and the rest as they say is history. The company became one of the largest cosmetic products manufacturers ever. Anita Roddick, Madame C.J.Walker, Coco Chanel and Estee Lauder all discovered op portunities in their problems and went on to make a name for themselves in the beauty and fashion business. Debbie Fields made her chocolate chip cookie a national dessert rage when she decided to start selling cookies at age 20 to earn just a little extra. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, the founder of Biocon, also braved all odds to become the most successful (and the richest) woman entrepreneur in India. Their stories are all different but all of these enterprising women have what the Ernst and Young survey called the Top Qualities required to make an effective entrepreneur-resourcefulness, hard work, creativity and risk taking ability. These women recognized disguised opportunities and made the most of them. But more importantly they have shown other women (and men) that their dreams were not impossible. Women in the corporate world: Unlike their counterparts in the entrepreneurship arena the corporate women seldom make it to the top in their offices. The number of women on the board of directors is abysmally low in most companies. However, in recent years, the number of women making it to the elite panel of directors has steadily been on the rise. There were 10 women CEOs in the Fortune 500 companies in Apple, Accenture and Coca-Cola all ushered in female directors on board in the last couple of years. PepsiCo elected Indra Nooyi as the CEO in a landmark move. Brenda Barnes is CEO of Sara Lee; Anne Mulcahy heads Xerox and Janet Robinson leads New York Times. The number of women at the helm of affairs in major companies is testament to the under recognized managerial capability of women. These women too are standing examples for millions of women across the world of what can be achieved. Is gender bias really transgressed? Women face discrimination. It is a statement tacitly agreed upon in office corridors and living rooms alike. They face discrimination right from the entry point to the final destination. Most women complain about being bypassed for jobs simply because the company cites security being a reason for the job on hand-positions that demand graveyard shifts and frequent travel are examples. Once they do land a job the real nightmare begins. A woman has to work twice as hard as she has to overcome the stigma, which proclaims women as inferior workers. Also the incidence of sexual harassment by male colleagues and superiors is alarmingly high (most of them, sadly, go unreported). Women also face a predicament when they are put in-charge. Although she is an authority the woman is more likely to deal with non co-operative male subordinates. The road to the top of an organization for a woman employee or the time at the top for a female entrepreneur is rather tenuous and difficult. Besides all th is Most Women put up a glass ceiling for themselves. They begin to find solace in secure positions at work and opt out of the race in the early stages because they think that they cannot find a balance between the family and professional lives. This fabled glass ceiling needs to be shattered before they blame the opposite sex for coming in their way-they have to believe in their abilities and move forward purposefully.

The Purpose of the Financial Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 21

The Purpose of the Financial Policy - Essay Example Coming to the month of May, the expenses go much down, making the net income to increase, hence an increase in the profit. This shows that the month was not much over-budgeted. On the month of June, the net expenses and deductions increase again drastically. This reduces the net income, in the same way, hence making the net profit be reduced. Even though the company does not realize a loss this month, the profit it gets is so much reduced when compared to the previous month.  Financial policy is criteria or procedure that describes a company’s choices as far as debt/ equity mix, currencies of denomination, maturity structure, the method of financing investment projects, and hedging decisions with a goal of maximizing the value of the firm to a particular group of stockholders.  The purpose of the financial policy is to minimize cost over a long period of time, providing citizens, investors and business owners with confidence when they know that there are strong, and consis tent financial policies in place to guide their businesses.  The benefits of a financial policy include the fact that the stakeholders are guided by certain rules and regulations, hence the gain of confidence in the business over a long period of time. It also enables people to receive payment at the time of service. The financial policy allows one to gain control over a financial system, this enables one to offer financial services to patients while minimizing possible confusions.

CREBP Mutation Schematic Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

CREBP Mutation Schematic - Lab Report Example The kinase pathways, in essence, induce phosphorylation of a single residue SER133 (Salks Institute, Undated) on CREB to activate it. There is evidence of four such kinase pathways - cAMP-dependent protein kinase, multiple mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), ribosome S6 kinase and - and calmodulin-dependent kinases (CAMKs) (Euskirchen, G., et al, 2004). The phosphorylated CREB attracts coactivator CREB binding protein (CBP or CREBBP ) which allows the activated phosphorylated CREB to bind to cAMP-responsive element (CRE) sequences on DNA to initiate gene expression (Thiel, G., et al, 2005). CBP coactivator work is often copied by its paralog p300, a highly related transcriptional coactivator protein targeted by the adenoviral oncoprotein E1A (Brody, T.B., 1996). This is still not a very clear process as much has yet to be known about the mechanism by which CBP binds to the phosphorylated CREB and subsequently promotes gene transcription. For gene transcription to take place a polymerase complex must be recruited, it must then be subsequently isomerized and cleared to transcribe the target gene (Kim, J., et al, 2000). There is evidence that the phsophorylated CREB, after binding with CBP, also recruits a RNA(2) polymerase complex to initiate transcription on CRE elements on target genes in various cells and tissues (Kim, J., et al, 2000). There is much that has been cleared in this direction by the research efforts of Kim et al, 2000, yet more has to be done before any definite conclusions can be reached. The paper now focuses on the molecular and genetic identity of CBP so that the next section on possible mutations on the protein can be better understood. Nevertheless, it is noted here that CREB activity is triggered off by diverse factors such as growth factors, hormones, neurotransmitters, ion fluxes and stress signals (Euskirchen, G., et al, 2004), all of which help recruit the protein. CBP action is initiated through heterodimerization of basic leucine zipper (bZIP) domains (Euskirchen, G., et al, 2004). Its action via gene transcription is also very diverse and the number of genes it helps express is also >100. Thus, mutations in CREBBP or CREB binding protein have numerous implications.The CREB Binding Protein (CBP or CREBBP) CBP is encoded in DNA sequences on human chromosome 16 at 16p13.3 (CREBBP, GeneCard, 2006). Gene location is from GC16M003716 to GC16M003870. The sequence starts at 3,716,568 bp from p terminal and ends at 3,870,723 bp from p terminal making up a sequence of size 154,155 bases with a minus strand orientation (CREBBP, GeneCard, 2006). The human CBP is made up of 2442 amino acid sequences and is 265337 Daltons in molecular weight (CREBBP, GeneCard, 2006). A rough domain count of the protein sequences is available for isoform 'a'. These are as per Table 1 and Diagram 1, Appendix, sourced from Giles et al, 1997, Fig. 3 and 4 respectively. As can be observed from both the table and the diagram, there are 11 distinct domains. This is not exhaustive as there are many regions on the total CREBBP (human) DNA sequence that have not been mapped according to function

Supermarket Information Systems

Supermarket Information Systems INTRODUCTION Following the development of technology, Supermarket information systems have been improved from time to time. From the beginning of buying product from supermarket, to internet shopping system, up to now, Supermarket information system, customers behaviour have changes a lot. However, as retail system need high business analysis procedures, the ePos system and decision support system and Customer Loyalty System has been overlooked. This project aims to improve these Supermarket information systems in human factors perspective. History China Resources Vanguard Shop (CRV) is one of the largest supermarket chains in Hong Kong. It is a member of China Resources Enterprise, a wholly owned subsidiary of State-owned enterprise. China Resources Vanguard Shop, or CR Vanguard, is a flagship operating supermarket chains of China Resources. It is the third largest supermarket chain in Hong Kong. It operates approximately 450 stores in Hong Kong, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Tianjin and Beijing. PROBLEM DEFINITION DSS: For the decision support system, Traditional Invoicing system based on single database system, usually including management Information systems and decision support systems, business processing subsystem and decision support systems with a database. Composed of a single database-centric database systems often can not satisfy the diversification of modern supermarket data processing requirements. Specifically manifested in the following areas: Cannot integrate internal and external aspects of data. Cannot meet transaction processing and analysis and processing needs. Difficult to adapt to various types of users of different levels of data integration requirements. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY SWOT [B2] A tool that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organization. SWOT analysis determines what may assist the firm in accomplishing its objectives, and what obstacles must be overcome or minimized to achieve desired results. Strengths Part of the China Resources Enterprise 2926 stores in Hong Kong and China. Provide wide range of products No. of Staff 14500 in China ; 1000 in Hong Kong Weaknesses Founded in 1984 Branch store less than PARKnSHOP Wellcome in HK. Manpower: -Only 1000 in Hong Kong Product or service: Undifferentiated in relation to supermarket. Location. Opportunities Developing market: China Merger: Alliance with Manka (Supermarket) Theaters Price war. Negative impression a new competitor in your own home market Substitute: Competitor also has a new, innovative substitute product. Porters 5 Forces [B3] A tools is a simple but powerful tool for understanding where power lies in a business situation. This is useful, because it helps you understand both the strength of your current competitive position, and the strength of a position youre considering moving into. Threat of New Entrants (Low Pressure) High capital and investment requirement High likelihood of retaliation from existing industry players Threat of Substitutes (Low Pressure) Not easy to have substitution Modern family and office lady dislikes the traditional market Online supermarket / phone order is not popular No delivery delay Power of Supplier (Low Pressure) Many supplier sources Many kind of goods Supermarket has much bargaining power for price negotiation Power of Buyers (Medium Pressure) Not easy to order the goods from supplier directly Various customer group Easy to switch to other competitors Competitive Rivalry (High Pressure) Many equally sized competitors Parkn, Wellcome, DCH, Jusco and etc Price Wars DATA GATHERING juki CRC Business Manager, Roland said: We spent a few days, and open business meeting, the Preparatory trend analysis of customer loyalty to a few months, so we prefer to focus on the rush for our products than our competition Opponents and the development of our business. Questions Asked The questions that were asked from the Manager of Business ¼Ã…’Mr. Rolando, are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How many sales staff do you have? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How many customers do they cover daily? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What is the process of registering a new customer in your organization and how do the sales people introduce the company products? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The way of keeping the customer history? The questions that were asked from the Head of IT are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Describe the current environment in the supermarket industry? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Current IT capability and infrastructure of the company? RECORD REVIEWING AND ONSITE OBSERVATION xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx PROPOSED SYSTEM In the chart, we will be able to see the whole flow of the supermarket system situation, first by the RFID received the data by the customer and sales and supplies and the production warehouse, and then save into the traditional Database, the data have been re-organization store into the Data warehouse, used to support decision analysis (OLAY), at the end, Customer Loyalty system can collect the right information use for the promotion. RFID, OLAY and Customer Loyalty are the object of our study. We recommend the following three ways: DSS Data warehouse [B2] and Technology in the application of DSS on decision support systems has become a new trend. OLAP [B1]decision-making method according to demand in the process of multi-dimensional view [Figure1]of various types of information to the data stored in the warehouse, to provide decision makers with a wide range of business analysis. Data Warehouse environment supermarket Invoicing System Architecture Traditional Invoicing system has been built with a single database-centric data organization model, decision analysis has been unable to meet the system requirements on the database, but the emergence of data warehouse technology and Development of the above-mentioned problems provides a powerful tool and Means . Data warehousing is a kind of multiple distributed, heterogeneous databases to provide a unified query technology. Data warehouse management system of enterprises from outside the original data and collate the data together into a data warehouse, on this basis, through smooth, rational, comprehensive information management, so that end users can extract data directly from the data warehouse, associated data analysis. Data warehouse is not a substitute for traditional databases [Figure 4], but on the basis of a traditional database, the data re-organization, used to support decision analysis. Data warehouse and traditional database systems assume different tasks, play a different role. That is based on the traditional database, business processing system to complete the daily business of data entry and processing, the data processed are sent to data warehouse; based on data warehouse decision support system implementation analysis and processing, in order to provide decision makers with complete, timely and accurate decision-making information. In this way, transaction processing environment and analytical processing environment to achieve the separation, the relative independence, constitute new system environments, while the data warehouse is a system of core-based environment . Data warehouse environment at a supermarket invoicing system Structure shown in [Figure 1]. System is composed of business processing subsystem, support decision-making subsystem, and data management subsystem consists of three parts. Business processing subsystem in which the background for the traditional database (can be multiple distributed, heterogeneous database), foreground is a business application systems, the completion of all Invoicing business day processing, the entire Invoicing system data entry, and to support decision-making subsystem provides the raw data; support decision-making subsystem, the background for the data warehouse, front from the on-line analytical tools, data mining tools, etc., and the completion of statistical analysis and forecasting capabilities to achieve decision-making support; data management subsystem is responsible for the entire system of data management, in particular data from various data sources (traditional database) to the transfer of data warehouse and data warehouse data structures and business rules management. GOLBAL SUCCESS STORIES PROPOSED SOLUTION ADVANTAGES DSS Carry out market analysis Trend analysis Subgroups of commodities, layout, purchase of the analysis, recommendation and merchandise The analysis of the effectiveness of promotional activities carried out Customer loyalty analysis PROPOSED SOLUTION DISADVANTAGES DSS Higher initial capital investment Staff should need a special training. Difficult to integrate with other management information system. OVERALL BENEFITS OF THE SOLUTION DSS Data warehouse and multi-dimensional analysis with comprehensive data on capacity and can be fast and accurate analysis of the data to help managers make better business decisions, you can bring a competitive advantage for enterprises. The current data warehouse and data mining technology in domestic applications is not very extensive, but because of commercial enterprises have complex business structures, there are a large number of Invoicing business data, there is a specific need for decision analysis, the data warehouse technology in the business enterprise applications has broad prospects. GAINING A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGRE DSS. Carry out market analysis Trend analysis Subgroups of commodities, layout, purchase of the analysis, recommendation and merchandise The analysis of the effectiveness of promotional activities carried out Customer loyalty analysis RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx MAIN RESEARCH OUTCOMES Given below are the main research outcomes that we came across. The figures however are derived from observing past data of the organisation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ This project can be deployed with an initial cost of around US$.1 million à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ ROI Expectation time within 18-30 months à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Expected sales growth up to the maximum of 25%-35% à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Clear competitive advantage with the new system BIBLIOGAPHY Book references: [B1]Jun Chen, Sheng Yi-chi, CHEN Mian-yun. OLAP-based data warehouse DSS application in the study of .2003 (1) :30-31 [B2] WHInmon. Data warehouse. Mechanical Industry Press, 2000,5 [B2] SWOT Analysis I: Looking Outside for Threats and Opportunities [B3] Australias Construction Industry Porters Five Forces Strategy Analysis by Aruvians Rsearch Web references: [E1]

Healthcare Finance Essay

Like with any household, businesses have some expenses that are the same each month, and others that fluctuate based on utilization. The mortgage, car note, and insurance premiums for the most part are the same throughout the year, but the utility bills, credit card bills, and cell phone bills may increase or decrease monthly based on usage. In health care organizations, several types of cost can be classified according to the amount of services provided. This can be referred to as activity, utilization, or volume (Gapenski, 2012). Reference for Business (2012) says, â€Å"Fixed and variable expenses are the two main components of a company’s total overhead expense† (p.1). This paper will address how costs in healthcare organizations are classified according to their volume, and the importance of cost allocation. â€Å"†¦for healthcare providers, a cost involves a resource use associated with providing or supporting a specific service† (Gapenski, 2012, p. 14 8). With fixed and variable cost classification the range of volume should be specified (Gapenski, 2012). In health care organizations, the actual future volume is uncertain for the number of patient days, number of visits, number of enrollees, or the number of diagnostic tests (Gapenski, 2012). However, a general idea of the volume range over a particular period of time is usually known (Gapenski, 2012). Fixed costs are known and are not related to volume within a relevant range (Gapenski, 2012). Unless the volume deviates excessively in a positive or negative direction, fixed cost is not affected. Basu (2012) says, â€Å"Fixed costs remain constant within a specific range of activity. However, if volume increase or decrease past certain levels, fixed cost may change† (p.1). For example, if a physician’s office staff can handle up to 10,000 patient visits, as long volume stays within the relevant  range of 8,000 to 10,000 defined by the office, the fixed costs remains un changed (Gapenski, 2012). Although most fixed costs such as equipment, weekly payroll, and rent are fixed for a period of time, an increase or decrease in volume in the future could mandate changes/adjustments to the fixed costs (Gapenski, 2012). Fixed costs dose not fluctuate with volume changes within a relevant range, but variable costs does. â€Å"Costs that are directly related to volume are called variable costs† (Gapenski, 2012, p. 150). Reference For Business (20120 says, â€Å"Variable costs are those that respond directly and proportionately to changes in activity level or volume†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 1). Using the physician’s office above as an example, some of their variable cost could be gloves, tongue depressors, disposable exam gowns, and needles. As patient volume fluctuates, the cost associated with these supplies will also fluctuate in relation to the volume changes. Because some costs are organizational and some are specific to a subunit, it is necessary to create a system that a llocates costs (Gapenski, 2012). â€Å"A critical part of cost management at the subunit level is the assignment, or allocation, of direct costs. Costs allocation is essentially a pricing process within the organization whereby managers allocate the costs of one department to other departments† (Gapenski, 2012, p. 188). Overhead cost such as, facilities management personnel, financial staffs, and housekeeping and maintenance personnel, must be allocated to the money generating departments of an organization (Gapenski, 2012). Cost allocation assigns the costs of an organization to the entities that incurred the costs. Cost allocation data allows the organization to make better decisions in, tracking, assigning, and controlling costs, as well as the offering and pricing of services. (Gapenski, 2012). Cost allocations can also assist with reducing cost, because departments are held accountable for the full cost associated with running their department. As a result, mangers will use costs saving methods to keep c osts down, since evaluations, compensation, and promotions are sometimes dependent on economic results (Gapenski, 2012). Costs can be fixed or it can be variable. â€Å"Peavler (2012) say, â€Å"Fixed costs are the costs associated with the product that have to be paid, regardless of the volume of the product you sell. Variable costs are directly related to sales† (p.1.). â€Å"†¦some cost are more or less predictable because they are independent of volume, while other costs are much less  predictable because they are related to volume† (Gapenski, 2012, p. 150). Whether fixed or variable, costs are usually allocated within an organization. Averkamp (2012) says, â€Å"The goal is to assign the costs based on the root cause of the common cost instead of merely spreading the costs† (p. 1). Knowledge and utilization of these concepts, helps with current and future planning for an organizations financial success. References Averkamp, H. (2012). What is cost allocation?. P. 1. Retrieved from http://blog.accountingcoach.com/what-is-cost-allocation/ Basu, C. (2012). Effects a Sales Volume Increase or Decrease Will Have on Unit Fixed Cost. P. 1. Retrieved form http://smallbusiness.chron.com/effects-sales-volume-increase-decrease-uni†¦ Gapenski, L. C. (2012). Healthcare Finance: An Introduction to Accounting and Financial Management (5th ed.). Chicago, Illinois : AUPHA Press / Health Administration Press. Peavler, R. (2012). Fixed and Variable Cost. P. 1. Retrieved from http://bizfinance.about.com/od/pricingyour product/qt/Fixed_Variable_Cost†¦Ã‚ ­ Reference for Business. (2012). Fixed and Variable Expenses. P. 1-4. Retrieved from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/Eq-Inc/Fixed-and-Variable-Ex†¦

Project Management Sample Assignment Essay

The Association for Project Management (APM) suggests that the project business case provides justification for undertaking a project by evaluating benefit, cost and alternative options. The main purpose is to obtain approval and commitment for investment in the project (Association for Project Management 2006, p.129 and MGT8022, USQ 2013). According to Project Management Institute (PMBOK, PMI 2013), the business case describes information from a business standpoint to determine whether or not the project is worth of investment. It is used as a decision making tool by senior leadership. Based on the above, US Toys business case (attached as Appendix I) is being examined with a review of process and process control, project management literature and project management framework. According to Turner (2009), performance improvement can come from sources like operational efficiency, organization effectiveness or higher order strategic issues due to changes in technology or overall busine ss strategy. New capabilities will not solve the problems blocking performance improvement directly but rather it is necessary to achieve intermediate benefits before realizing the main benefit. It is evident from the business case that US Toys has purchased a software solution called Demand Chain Management whose full benefit will be show-caused by integrating it with its legacy warehouse management system. During initial planning phases, appropriate team members or groups should be involved so that they contribute and create auxiliary ideas (Young 2006). Key components of business case like project purpose, objectives and success criteria were established, US Toys business case misses on holistic identification of stakeholders and other critical components. Business case is a recommendation to take a particular course of action supported by benefits, costs and risks analysis (Journal reference). Critical elements of a business case applied to the case scenario are summarized in the following table  DefinitionDiscussionUS Toys Business caseA business case should be a recommendationRecommendation should have finely balanced options providing purpose and direction.Business case lists two cost impact options with a nothing option to continue current processes. However, it does not list supporting analysis on why option 3 is recommended. Providing supporting analysis of benefits with the option will influence business decision.For the organisationA business case is worth for significant projects in organisationBusiness case pertains to increased  operational efficiency and hence it is a significant project for the organisation.Supported by analysis of benefitsBusiness case requires exegesis of strategic rationale as well as more detailed, systematic analysis of benefitsUS Toys business case lists options but lacks systematic analysis and strategic rationale.CostsCost estimation is the difficult aspect in a business case but without it, the case cannot be madeCost estimates provided in the business case appear to be high level. It would be good if Return on Investment (ROI) and break even duration are provided as an additional supporting analysis.RisksProjects involve risks and understanding and taking ownership of risk is an essential part of a business caseUpon evaluation, US Toys business does not have risk manag ement process or risk scoring methodology. (Adapted from Gambler 2009, Making the business case Table 1.1 on page 2). Upon review of US Toys business case, it is evident that the enhancements to the existing Warehouse Management System are undertaken for achieving operational efficiency and technology as depicted in below figure. Figure Achieving performance improvement (Adapted from Turner, 2009, Chapter 2 figure 2.2) The targeted benefits lists operational efficiency and leveraging new technology in the form of interfaces to purchased package solution. From the above figure, it is evident that performance is directly proportional to the time involved. The higher the targeted performance the more time required. However, US Toys Business case has not included duration of the project. One of the key definition of project is a project will have definite start and end time in other words a fixed duration during which resources, tools and organizational efficiencies are logically grouped to achieve an agreed upon outcomes. The business case provides a consolidated and summary-level overview of the proje ct. It should address objectives, critical success factors, and communication plan and measurement framework to measure the work being undertaken. It will form the baseline from which the project planning can proceed (MGT8022, USQ 2013) The more formal business case contains more quantitative information for decision making purposes. Applying these principles to US Toys Business case, it is evident that it does not include detailed quantitative information. Though SOWT/TOWS analysis has been included in the Appendix, it does not cross reference to the main objectives of the purpose. While presenting the business case to  the stakeholders, it is imperative to talk about key strengths of the organization and how they can be leveraged to overcome the weaknesses or to exploit opportunities for the benefit of the organization. In addition to this, benefit analysis is shown for the option being recommended. This gives an impression of being forced to take that option instead of recommendation. By including benefit analysis for the option 2 outright purchase of a pre-packaged application, business case would have provided a comparison for the stakeholders in taking an informed decision. Upon review of US Toys business case, it is evident that risk assessment involves continuous monitoring and assessment ongoing basis. It would be beneficial to use spiral model for the proposed solution. By clarifying on the future risks unknown at the point will be known in the course of time during project execution. This provides a framework to manage risks. Figure (Adapted from Turner, 2009 The Spiral Model Chapter 11, figure 11.3) As depicted in the above figure, by advising an appropriate model like spiral model, will provide a framework of project management methodology being followed for the proposed project. This will clarify to the decision makers that process of risk assessment is continuous and does not end with those listed in the business case. As the project progresses, a mechanism is in place to identify risks and appropriate risk response planning is incorporated. According to Turner (2009), projects has three levels of planning the integrative level, the strategic level and tactical level. The business case would have presented with greater value by defining the objectives at the above three levels like efficiency improvement as strategic level, achieving integration of Warehouse Management System with the recently procured Demand Chain Management system as integration level and reduced cycle times in supply chain as tacti cal level. The summarized objectives as listed in the following table will be value-add to the business case. LevelObjective of the proposed projectStrategicWarehouse operational efficiency improvementTacticalReduced cycle times in replenishment of stock at stores country-wideIntegrativeSynergy by integrating with Demand Chain Management system Based on the above analysis, it is recommended for all future projects, US Toys project management team should employ a systematic project management processes in addressing their deficiencies particularly financials and controls analysis in the formation of business case. The  successful project deliverables are dependable upon system thinking approach involving people, structures and application of processes. It is also recommended that to provide an assessment of the Project/Stakeholder relationships to have a better understanding of relationships.  References Archibald, R 1992, Managing high technology programs and projects, 2nd edn, John Wiley, New York, USA. Gambles, I 2009, Making the business case proposals that succeed for projects that wo rk, Ashgate, Farnham, UK, pp. 1-20. Gardiner, PD 2005, Project Management A Strategic Planning Approach, Palgrave Macmillan, New York MGT8022 Project-based management, Study book -University of Southern Queensland, 2013. PMI 2013, A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5th edn, Project Management Institute, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Turner, RJ 2009, The handbook of project-based management Leading strategic change inorganisations, 3rd edn, McGraw Hill, New York Young, TL 2006, Successful Project Management, 2nd edn, Kogan Page Limited, London.  APPENDIX – I US Toys – BUSINESS CASE Introduction US Toys is a leading seller of Toys merchandise in the world with 700 plus stores in United States and 900 plus international stores located in United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Spain, Australia, Hong Kong, China and Japan. This business case is for proposed enhancements to current Warehouse Management System for increased operational efficiency. Demand Chain Management (DCM) is a Teradata product currently employed by the US business to control inventory flow from the vendor-to-DC (Distribution Centre) and DC-to-store. DCM supports the full automation of these functions by utilizing the RDF (Retail Demand Forecast) forecast and applying proactive inventory management policies. Included in sc ope for the DCM project are enhancements to the International Warehouse Management System (WMS) to enable to efficiently process store replenishment orders generated by DCM. Overview Vision To ship less quantity of an item to stores but more frequently and ensure that forecasted demand (from RDF) is covered, as well as minimum shelf stock (MSS). Organisational Objective US Toys is restructuring its business operations for cost effectiveness and has set a target of improving operational efficiency by 10 by year 2014. By shipping less quantity but frequently will result in reduced idle inventory in stores and distribution centres. Business Case Purpose of Business case DCM will generate new SOQs (Store Order Quantity) each day that will be used  to pull goods from DCs to Stores as needed, based on the sales demand forecast from RDF. Instead of processing a large batch of Transfers early in the week, the DCs workload will likely adjust so that smaller waves are processed each day for stores that have a scheduled delivery (Appendix C System Flow). Maximize cross dock ability (to ship the goods to stores, which have been received by Distribution Centre on the same day hence eliminating storage space and effort for put away operations (Appendix C System Flow). Business Case Sponsor This business case is sponsored by Senior Vice President Merchandising Senior Vice President Purchasing Situational Assessment and Problem Statement Current process and its limitations when compared to the proposed solution can be summarized in the following table Operational Process/AttributeCurrent ProcessProposed SolutionFrequencyStores get shipment from DC once in a week which is resulting in huge costs in terms of trailers, labour and storage (floor area)Instead of processing a large batch of Transfers early in the week, DCs workload will likely adjust so that smaller waves are processed each day for stores that have a scheduled delivery.User InterfaceCurrent process has to be run from a legacy terminal and maintenance of these terminals is cost intensive.A new web interface is being proposed for the DC to use to plan and create waves that will process both Transfers and Receivers from Interactive Transfers System (existing Legacy system), as well as SOQs f rom DCM. By having a web interface, wave can be planned and process from any system (like PC or Laptop) instead of current use of legacy terminalsCross Dock EfficiencyCurrently receivers (shipment from vendors) and transfers (shipment from DC to stores) are run independently. This limits cross dock ability.To maximize cross-dock, daily receipts will be processed for all stores, each day. PrioritizationCurrent process does take into account trailer capacity. This results in shipping those goods which are not required immediately. Goods which are required urgently are put onto next trailer which results in a weeks delay.Service Level Maintenance is being proposed through a web interface which will be used as input in generating the wave. If a trailer does not have capacity, low priority goods will be excluded from that days shipment and will be included in subsequent wave.Optimize Case PickCurrent transfer system does not optimize case picks (where a carton has to be opened and ship said individual pieces).The  proposed system will utilize current and future needs of a store for optimizing the case picks to a full carton thereby case pick operation is optimized. Assumptions and Constraints Based on SWOT/TOWS analysis as listed in Appendix A, following assumptions and constraints have been summarised. Assumption DCM system is live and in use before building the propos ed system. All web interfaces are being developed for Internet Explorer browser. Proposed enhancements are for International Warehouse Management System and do not include domestic transfers/receipts. Any customisation to DCM is not included in the current scope. Constraints Proposed enhancements will handle multiple distribution centres within a country. Cross country transfers are not possible. Identification and Analysis of Options Identification of Options Following options are available to the organization Option 1Do nothing Option 2Purchase packed Warehouse Management System and interface with Demand Chain Management system. Option 3Enhance the current in-house developed Warehouse Management System. Comparison of Options Key parameter comparison of options is summarized as CriteriaOption 1Option 2Option 3CostNothingUS 1.5 million plus recurring license fee of US 7,500 per instance if purchased instance basis or 25,000 enterprise wide.US 0.5 million and no on-going costs as current support teams can support the enhanced system.HardwareNot applicableServer Infrastructure need to be upgraded costing US 1 million.None as Current infrastructure can handle the enhancements.Benefits to PurchasingNot applicableIntegrated packaged solution will benefit purchasing in making purchasing decisions based on actual stock in DC stores and forecasted demand. Enhanced Warehouse Management System is integrated with DCM thus providing enhanced abilities to make purchasing decision.Benefits to MerchandisingNot applicableOff the shelf package require customization to enable Merchandising to integrate with current legacy systems.Ability to run transfers/receipts on daily basis will result in efficient use of Distribution Centre floor space, trailers and labour. Recommended Option Based on the comparison and benefit analysis in Appendix B, Option 3 Enhancements to Warehouse Management system is recommended for the organization at this point in time. Implementation Strategy Based on the details explained in section 6, Enhancements to Warehouse Management System is scoped as below Project Title Project is being name as iWMS Internet  enabled Warehouse Management System Target Benefits Web Interface to plan and create waves to process transfers and receipts. Web interface to maintain service levels for inventory (Prioritization) Optimized case p ick and re-packing Outputs Browser based interactive screen to process transfers and receipts. Integration with DCM system to update replenishment information for future demand forecasting. Budget Cost break down of Option 3 Enhancements to Warehouse Management System. ActivityEstimated Cost (in US Dollars)Initiation and planning25,000Development Costs300,000Testing Unit and integration25,000Implementation Costs including documentation, training and travel.150,000  Appendix A SWOT/TOWS Analysis Strengths-SWeakness-W1. Brand Value1. Inefficient use of floor space in DC.2. Quality Processes2. Delay in shipping high priority goods to stores3. Own trailers3. Stock out in stores even if the stock is in DCO-OpportunitiesSO – StrategiesWO- Strategies1. Efficient Cross Dock Ability1. By cross docking receipts will improve Distribution Centre floor space and stock the goods for seasonal demands.(S2/O1)1. Increase efficiency in customer communication by several mediums like social media and internet (W1, W3, O1)2. Web Interface2. Flexibility to run waves either from PC or Laptop S2,S3/O22. Provide fuel efficient means to process transfers/receipts (W1.O2)3. Prioritisation3. By prioritizing goods, high priority goods are delivered to stores just in time (JIT) – S1,S2, S3/O33. Prioritization of goods will result in efficient trailer utilization (W1, W2, O1,O2, O3)T-ThreatsST – StrategiesWT – Strategies1. Increasing Competition1. By scheduling trailers like small or medium instead of standard 18 wheelers result in fuel efficiency (S2,S3,T1,T2, T3)1. Implementing lean, Kanban quality processes to reduce non-value add processes. (W1, T3, T1)2. Increasing fuel costs2. Focus on selected market segment for long term growth and market penetration (S1,S3, T2, T1)2. With high service quality and shelfs full of products, reduce the risk of losing customers (W1, W2, T1, T3)3.