Finance Planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance Planning - Assignment Example Their monthly expenditure on insurance for their properties is high and does not comprehensively cover their assets since some assets such their stereo is not insured. The critical issues raised above should be addressed in their order of priority. Recommendation for the emergency fund would be to sum up Mark’s 401(k) contribution and bank savings as previously intended, since they are available. Then the Lanes should top up the remaining amount from reductions in their expenditure and by that their emergency fund objective will have been met. Recommendation for the second and middle term objective would be to make a fixed income investment and channel the proceeds to a child education fund. The long term goal of purchasing a house should be met by freeing up money that was used to pay debts and once these are cleared they can channel the income towards payment of a mortgage. They have a short fall of $18,877.5- $3,070= $15,807.5 Recommendation for funding the shortfall includes implementing the proposed debt management plan so as to reduce debt expenses such as payment of credit card interests. The proceeds realized can then be channeled to the emergency fund. The Lanes have been having a poor debt management plan as they have a negative balance sheet and a negative cash flow balance. They should consider implementing the proposed debt management plan as it will assist them clear their debts systematically from the smallest to the largest debt. In order to save a monthly amount for retirement at the age of 55, both Mark and Ava should cut down on their expenditure and reduce their insurance expenditure. In order to do this, they can consider the emergency fund as a form of self-insurance then save the amounts used to pay insurance premiums to save for retirement. The Lanes should not sell any of their investments to

Culture of Armenia - history, people, women, beliefs, food, customs Essay Example for Free

Culture of Armenia history, people, women, beliefs, food, customs Essay (I am trying to make art that relates to the deepest and most mythic concerns of humankind and I believe that, at this moment of history, feminism is humanism. Judy Chicago, 1990) Armenian traditions and culture made an Armenian woman unable to work outside of their homes for several decades. As women were supposed to marry at very young ages there was no need for personal and professional growth except being excellent households. In the first stage (0-19 years) of their lives, they were dependent financially on their families, especially fathers, after that they were depended on their husbands. As lives of many of Armenian girls were already decided before they were born, there was no room for education and career. However, even in that kind of situation, there were several motives for pushing women to education and workforce. Industrialization and technology development were some of those reasons. So, we may think that women were not utilized entirely by the society, that’s way with the development the role of women in the family decreased hence increased in the society. And as women started to enter the workforce and get out of their â€Å"home† comfort zone, the need for secure rights and respect increased by them. So, why it was not important to have rights within the family? Here come tradition and culture. Armenian women were always thought from their young ages, that family is the most valuable thing that can happen in their lives and family wife, the mother must always sacrifice their happiness, dreams and overall lives to build a strong and â€Å"ch ild-friendly† environment within their families. As families were big (6 10 members) there was no time left for the women to think about their long-term goals and dreams. They were entirely taken by day-to-day household activities and child’s upbringing, however, I personally think that if girls were taught about other values from younger ages, the society would change itself even with very little steps. It is a cyclical system and all starts from the childhood. There is another argument, that we may also consider: women were accepted as the â€Å"tool† of continuing the nation with next generation. Women were blamed when they were not married because they will not be able to give a birth to a child, especially a boy. And those women who decided not to marry were forced to wear old, black clothes and they needed to cover their faces. There is another crucial fact, as many towns and villages couldn’t provide a primary education mothers were supposed to teach their children as well. So, the way that child’s brain and imagination will be shaped was in the hand of their mothers. At the first glance, we may think that women in poverty or girls who were married by force were the main engine of driving the society into feminist ideas. Because they were the ones who had no voice in the family and society, most of their husbands migrated to other towns to make money. In villages especially, women were publicly harassed for their speech in front of another man. However, the history showed us that feminists were from the elite class of the society, we can see lots of cases both in Armenia and worldwide. So, why were feminists from the highest social class, if they could have anything that they needed? There are several reasons for that, but in this paper, I will consider just two of them: being able to afford higher education; free time. A good education has always been an expansive experience. Even now, when almost every city has its own school and at least one university, for graduating you need to have money. What about 19th centuries? When people started to value the education and wealthy families were seeking to give their children the best education, both for their status and for their next generation’s welfare. Graduates from all institutions that provided higher education were from wealthy families. And only the most wealthy families will spend money for their daughter’s education. From that institutions, girls got only knowledge but a dream of getting more than just having husbands and children. They wanted to use their talents and knowledge to change something in this world. Education â€Å"educate† people to move forward and always take into account one’s individual ways of thinking, sometimes feelings and even just intuition when making decisions. However, all these cannot be i ntegrated into typical Armenian Family\s daily routine. Most of the decision was made by the man and sometimes never advised with the women. Even if the issue is really crucial and important for family’s future. So, the women are a subordinate, just an active resource that can be used based on man’s decision. Some people argue that while the feminist movement certainly opened up jobs and opportunities available to women, it ultimately harmed women, children, and family because it devalued motherhood. I would agree with some part of this statement, however, I will change a word in it: As the feminist movement certainly opened up jobs and opportunities available to women, it ultimately changed women, children, and family because it devalued patriarchal families. With the increase of women in the workforce the birth rate decreased. And women got less time to provide to their personal lives and more importantly number of children born by a single woman decrease.When women Ð °cquired greÐ °ter clÐ °ss stÐ °tus and power without conducting themselves differently from mÐ °les, feminist politics were undermined. Middle- Ð °nd lower-middle clÐ °ss women who were suddenly compelled by the ethos of feminism to enter the workforce did not feel liberated once they fÐ °ced the hard truth that working outside the home did not mean work in the home would be equally shÐ °red with mÐ °le partners. So, what is the reason? Is there any solution that could combine a working mother and more children in one family? Yes, in my point of view, there is one. If the life of a woman changes during decades, a routine of man was stable. They haven’t met any crucial changes in their daily routines and plans with this development. And here is the problem. If the father took some of the women’s activities and concerns within the family, everything would be balanced. Because the woman changes entirely after having a child, and in the workplaces, it is not always guaranteed that women could get her job back after maternity leave. Some countries found the solution: paternity leave. Fathers have equal rights to get leave for the newborn baby, and the problem is somehow solved. So, how is this connected to social status? Women from higher social classes have the opportunity of choosing. It can be just an ability to choose a dress or choose a life partner. Along with this, they have more time available (they have servants) for their own interests, so instead of doing household activities they are building their personalities and constructing their own lives. There are lots of examples of wealthy feminists from the history both worldwide and in Armenia. One of the most famous Armenian feminists was Serbouhi Dussab. She was a good example of well-educated, self-confident Armenian women. She was well-known in her time because she had a social status, and it made her voice to be heard. In the traditional Armenian society, it was not always easy to express your opinion as an individual, especially in novels. In her second novel (Siranush, published in 1884) she talked about family life, marriage and women’s right in Armenian families. She stepped into the sphere that was never touched deeply by women. Every question, especially regarding genders, have at least two viewpoints, and it is not always to be in the â€Å"middle†. Women should look into the question of gender equality with a cold heart and sharp mind, or else feelings will make a decision instead of them. This is what we can see in writings of Ms. Srbouhie Dussab. However, in Armenian society women were not only making a difference in literature but also found several charitable funds and organizations, which changed the society’s way of thinking step by step. Some of those organizations were: The School-Loving Ladies Society, founded in 1979 by Ms. Nurik Simanian, Ms. Taguhie Paltazarian, and Mrs. Armaveni Minassian. The goal of the society to promote education of Armenian girls and train teacher for provinces, set private free schools for Armenian girls ; â€Å"Education-loving Ladies†, founded in 1880 and society’s goal was to take care of poo rs, orphans, widows ; â€Å"Union of girls and young men† founded in 1919, an example of joint man and woman organization and â€Å"Armenian Women’s Association† founded in 1919, aimed to contribute to Armenian women’s moral intellectual, material and physical development, establish cooperation between all Armenian women, use Armenian potential to promote the Armenian Cause. The Armenian women’s charitable society of Tiflis Was the largest and long-lived women’s organization. On 4th of December, 1879 114 ladies gathered in the conference hall of the Mariamian-Hovnanian girls’ school, organized fundraising, raised 407 rubles for sending to Constantinople. On 31st of December, 1881 Society’s Charter was adopted. According to the Charter, the goal of the Society was to promote the education of women: a. by opening and maintaining a private school for females at its own cost b. by supporting parochial schools for females with its own funds as well as by assisting those women that wish to become teachers in parochial schools\. The society also granted scholarships for unmarried women to study education or medicine. Within first 10 years, Society organized 11 balls, 6 performances, 3 concerts, 2 public lectures, all of which proved quite successful as fund-raisers. One of the most memorable organizations was Armenian Society â€Å"Meghu† in Tiflis â€Å"Meghu† decided to stop poverty by waging war against women\s unemployment. First, there was the issue of cheap labor. The number of job-seekers is constantly on the rise and fear of starvation forces workers to accept lower wages. Second, there was a danger of the flaw of living at the expense of someone else\s labor. The founders of the Society divided those living at someone else\s labor into two groups, evil-doers or robbers, and beggars. \A beggar with his rags and nakedness does the same thing as a robber: beggary, too, is a trade and a mask, which can be used to peacefully rob someone without running any risk.\ A power was needed that would help them at the time of despair and would encourage them. The class came to the conclusion that the existing charities were powerless to fight against a huge force of economic crisis. Those women came up with an idea of establishing a purely democratic association that would be able without hurting people\s self-respect to provide the unfortunate victims of our materialistic age, especially women. Armenian female workers are the most oppressed, ill-used and exploited social class because, on the one hand, of their shyness and, on the other hand, of the overall economic situation. Women earned their living with home-craft (ex. sewing, and they would make kopecks).The Society set a goal of establishing the \House of Work\ (workshops) and of assisting in promoting the cause of eliminating illiteracy of poor women. Workshops, such as dress-making, dry-cleaning, cardboard, artificial flowers, basketry, cooking. For 13-17 years old-sold girls society opened a school. The final decision was that only girls that have a level of knowledge equal to the graduates of the parochial elementary school shall be admitted to the school at the Meghu House of Work. As mentioned before, a good education and self-confidence can have a cyclical effect and attract more women to take their lives in their hands. Maybe the engines of feminism revolution were a wealthy woman, but they helped the society to understand the importance of equality in every sphere of life. They changed the world by writing novels, founding organizations, societies, and schools. Importance of a good education is rising day-by-day and feminists have a huge role in it by their activities. They brought the problems of women from top to the lives of people and made middle- and low- social class women to think about their futures by themselves.

Leadership Management and Motivation in Organisation

Leadership Management and Motivation in Organisation As the century unfolds, new realities are becoming clearer. New models of Leadership and Management are blossoming, some with unfounded success. For instance, focusing on working better as teams and empowering those closest to the customers to make important decisions have led to great accomplishments (Kurtzman, 2010). Management is often referred to words like efficiency, planning, paperwork, procedures, regulations, control, and consistency whereas Leadership is often associated with words like vision, creativity and risk-taking (Yukl, 2005). It has also been said that management is basically a control-laden activity; whereas leadership is basically a value-choosing, and thus a value-laden activity (Bass et al., 1990). Overall Management is defined as The organizational process that includes strategic planning, setting objectives, managing resources, deploying the human and financial assets needed to achieve objectives, and measuring results (Burgoyne, 1989). Leadership is defined as A process in which leader and followers interact in a way that enables the leader to influence the actions of the followers in a non-coercive way, towards the achievement of certain aims or objectives (Rollinson and Broadfield, 2002) In Kotters (1996) view Management relates to planning, controlling and organising whereas leadership relates to visioning, networking, creating, coping with change and building relationship. Leadership is often considered grander, more lucrative and admirable, in a word: better, than the less visible, fundamentally based, management (Hughes et al., 2009). The relationship between management and leadership is summarised in Appendix 1. From this we can argue are managers leaders or vice versa. As Zaleznik (1977) claims that in a bureaucratic society which breeds managers may restrain young leaders who need mentor and emotional interchange to develop. But Raelin (2004) argued that managers are not excluded from leadership. He says there is a potential for leadership to emerge from any individual under the right sets of circumstances. I would argue from my personal experience that managers can be leaders and vice versa depending on individual capabilities, skills and adapting change, as in Lloyds banking Group (LBG) we have managers as our team leaders and are quite successful in switching their roles and understanding the responsibilities of both managers and leaders. The concept was that as managers have some formal authority to influence subordinates behaviour they can easily occupy the role of leadership. However, just because the authority was there, it did not mean that subordinates will willingly assent to its use. There had been issues initially when they find it hard to switch over and look from leaders point of view, which caused problems in bonding with employees and lack of motivation. This resulted in getting all the managers trained on leadership programmes and understanding the needs or requirements of employees from their leaders. This was again based on how individual managers reacted to situations where they were able to keep their managerial ego aside and think as a team. Some of the managers were very good at switching over and thinking from a team perspective whereas some struggled. Overall we can argue that Zaleznik argument regarding management and leadership requires different types of people can be true, if an individual cannot cope with the changing organisation requirements. But in LBG we have seen that managers successfully play leaders role and vice versa to save cost or to adapt change and thus falsify Zalezniks argument. But as Rollinson and Broadfield (2002) often focus on managers can be leaders, this is not an inevitable state of affairs. Even though it is widely assumed that leadership can be taught to anybody, it is probably far more realistic to regard management and leadership as two complementary activities (Kotter, 1988), each one having its own unique functions. Motivation Quality work being top priority in organisations all over world as the use of contingent workers is on the rise. Managing knowledge workers continues to perplex experienced managers across divergent industries. And globalization and the challenges of managing across borders are now the norm instead of the exception. These changes can have a profound influence on how companies attempt to attract, retain, and motivate their employees (Steers et al., 2004) Motivation, in contrast, results when the person believes that engaging in the behaviour will result in some desired experience or outcome. Motivation is then differentiated into intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation (Herzberg et al., 1957) Intrinsic Motivation is where people may be motivated by the relationship between the worker and the task. It takes place when people feel that the work they do is interesting, challenging and have opportunities for advancement and growth. Extrinsic Motivation takes place when people may be motivated by factors in the external environment such as pay, supervision, benefits, and job perks The process of motivation is broadly based on a number of motivational theories. In this paper we will asses few motivational theories (Appendix 2) and asses these theories to identify what motivates people. Instrumental Theory: Initially in the second half of 19th century a concept of Instrumental Theory stated that people work only for money. Motivation using this approach is exclusively based on system of external control and fails to recognise a number of other human needs (Armstrong and Stephens, 2005). Maslow Needs Theory: The basic of this theory is the belief that an unsatisfied need creates tension and disequilibrium. Maslow (1954) formulated the concept of hierarchy of needs and believed that reasons people go to work changes. It starts from the fundamental physiological needs and leads through safety, social and esteems needs to the need for self-fulfilment. He believed that only an unsatisfied need can motivate behaviour and the dominant need is the prime motivator of behaviour. Herzbergs Two-Factor Model (Motivation-Hygiene): Herzbergs (1957) theory sates that the factors giving rise to job satisfaction are distinct from the factors that lead to job dissatisfaction. His research led him to conclude that hygiene factors such as pay, status, security, company policies and administration were rarely high motivators. People tend to take fringe benefits and good working conditions for granted, but when they are removed they had a highly demotivating effect. A salary increase had a short-term motivating effect when it was felt to be deserved, while what was felt to be an unfair salary was a long-lasting demotivator. Overall all these theories adopt a psychologically universal view, which assumes that everyone has a common set of needs and conveys the impression that people are predictable in terms of what motivates them. Moreover all these theories mostly ignore the crucial issue of individual differences and also to the potentially powerful effects of different national and organisational cultures as factors that can shape human needs (Bagher, 2010). In a work environment, it is sometimes viewed as the difference between what people can do and what they will do. In the practical workplace LBG uses various motivation models one of the highly used motivational models is Support and Challenge Principles Model. Support and Challenge Principles Model (Sheppard Moscow, 1980): This model suggests that to achieve working relationship requires a balance of appropriate and agreed supportive and challenging behaviours. The two axes of support and challenge when put together create four potential workplace environments as shown in fig below: High Support Comfortable high S performance performance U environment environment P P O R T apathetic stressful performance performance environment environment CHALLENGE High Challenge To get the most from your working relationships, it is important to agree how best to work together to maximise performance and minimise tension. One way of thinking about this is to think of in the terms of developing a way of working that is both challenging and supportive. The list of behaviours in each of the categories is detailed in Appendix 3. Different roles and situations will use different mixes of these two categories and depending upon the situation, the same individual can find any of these conditions or characteristics supporting or challenging. If the workplace situation remains very comfortable or alphabetic for a long time, then additional challenges will stimulate the move towards high performance. On the other hand if the workplace situation remains very stressful for too long, then support to help manage the implications is highly effective. Though, there will be times when short periods of high challenges or high support are appropriate e.g. at the end of a particular busy period, comfort is a reward and high challenges can be very stimulating and energising in short bursts (LBG, 2011). Managements main interest in motivation is in the prospects it offers for bringing employee behaviour under tight control. Thus what interest managers most is not the process of motivation but employee behaviour. However we can hardly blame managers for believing that motivation theory offers this opportunity, because content and process theories both imply that if we know o persons needs, the person can be motivated (Armstrong and Stephens, 2005). Thus from the above we have seen different aspects of motivation and it might appear that there is an element of contradiction in what they say. Content theories deal with the needs that give rise to motivated behaviour, but perhaps oversimplify matters because they tend to portray human beings as having a homogenous set of needs. Nevertheless, as long as due allowance is made for individual differences, this does not detract from their potential usefulness. Process theories have a different emphasis: they seek to explain the dynamics of the motivation process and so much greater account is taken of individual differences (Bagher, 2010). Leadership Historically, leadership has been conceived around a single individual in a specialised role, the relationship of that individual to subordinates or followers, and the individuals actions. There are several major paradigms of leadership (Appendix 4), such as the traits (great man), skills and styles approaches, situational and contingency approaches, charismatic and transformational approaches (Northouse, 2007, p2; Bass, 1990). Action-Centred Leadership The action-centred theory of leadership is based on extensive research by John Adairs (1984), which focuses on the group and the needs that leader must meet. Adair argues that there are eight functions you must carry out, to meet these needs. These functions can be learned, practised, observed and refined. Source: (Bagher, 2010: 186) Task need: A team leader needs to bring together the group to achieve a task by providing clear instructions and reasons so each member must know and understand what is expected of them. Team need: Good leaders create groups which function best when they share the sense of purpose along with collaborating work efficiently, effectively, with a sense of pride and responsibility by maintaining or setting new standards. Individual need: People or individuals are heart of any team but they have physical and psychological needs like better working conditions, status, opportunities to develop, build confidence and motivation. From this it follows that being effective as a leader is not just a matter of choosing a specific style of behaviour, but arriving at an appropriate balance between the three functions. Encouraging communication between team members is key to creating a team that will continue to work well when the leader is absent. This resilience is valuable and might be referred to as team sustainability. Leadership Power The link between leadership and power is a strong one and many of the theories of leadership can equally be framed as theories of power. Effective leading depends on relying on different power bases at different times as per need. At its simplest, the way you wield power to get compliance can be appropriate or inappropriate. Appropriate use of power can be described as influence, while inappropriate use can be described as bullying. Source: French and Raven (1960) References Armstrong, M. and Stephens, T. (2005) Employee Reward Management and Practice, London: Kogan Page Limited. Bagher, M. (2010) Organisational Behaviour: a contemporary approach, 2nd Edition, Harlow: Pearson. Bass, B., Bass, B. and Stogdill, R. (1990) Bass Stogdills Handbook of Leadership, New York: Simon Schuster. Burgoyne, J. (1989) Management Development: Context and Strategies, Aldershot: Gower. Herzberg, F., Mausner, B. and Snyderman, B. (1957) The Motivation to Work, New York: Wiley Hughes, R., Ginnett, R. and Curphy, G. (2009) Leadership, 6th ed., Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Kotter, J. (1988) The Leadership Factor, New York: Free Press. Kotter, J. P. (1996) Leading Change, Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Kurtzman, J. (2010) Common Purpose: How Great Leaders Get Organizations to Achieve the Extraordinary, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Maslow, A. (1954) Motivation and Personality, New York: Harper Row. Raelin, J. A. (2004) Dont bother putting leadership into people, Academy of Management Executive, 18(3): 12-28. Rollinson, D. and Broadfield, A. (2002) Organisational Behaviour and Analysis: An Integrated Approach, Harlow: FT Prentice Hall. Steers, R., Mowday, R. and Shapiro, D. (2004) The Future of Work Motivation Theory, Academy of Management Review, 29(3): 379-387. Yukl, G. (2005) Leadership in Organizations, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Zaleznik, A. (1977) Managers and Leaders: are they different?, Harvard Business Review, (May/June) 55(3): 67-77. French, J. P. R., and Raven, B. (1960) The bases of social power. In D. Cartwright and A. Zander (eds.), Group dynamics (pp. 607-623), New York: Harper and Row. Appendix 1 A Comparison of Management and Leadership Competencies. Source: Northouse, 2007, p. 10. Appendix 2 Summary of Motivation Theories and their practical implications Theory Theorist Summary of theory Practical implications Instrumentality Taylor People will be motivated to work if rewards and penalties are tied directly to their performance. Conceptual basis of incentives and pay for performance schemes. Needs Maslow Unsatisfied needs create tension and disequilibrium. To restore the balance a goal is identified which will satisfy the need, and a behaviour pathway is selected which will lead to the achievement of the goal. Only unsatisfied needs motivate. Identifies a number of key needs for consideration in developing total reward policies. Two-Factor Herzberg The factors giving rise to job satisfaction (and motivation) are distinct from the factors that lead to job dissatisfaction. Any feeling of satisfaction resulting from pay increase is likely to be short-lived compared with the long-lasting satisfaction from the work itself. Makes a distinction between intrinsic motivation arising from the work itself and extrinsic motivation provided by employer, e.g. pay. A useful distinction is made between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation which influences total reward decisions. The limited motivational effects of pay increases are worth remembering when considering the part contingent pay can play in motivating people. Expectancy Vroom Motivation is likely only when a clear perceived and usable relationship exists between performance and outcome and the outcome is seen as a means of satisfying needs. Provides the foundation for good practice in the design and management of contingent pay. The basis for the concept of the line of sight which emphasises the importance of establishing a clear link between the reward and what has to be done to achieve it. Goal Latham and Locke Motivation and performance are higher when individuals are set specific goals, when the goals are difficult but accepted and when there is feedback on performance. Provides a theoretical underpinning for performance management processes to ensure that they contribute to motivation through goal setting and feedback. Equity Adams People will be better motivated if they are treated equitably and de-motivated if they are treated inequitably. Emphasis the need to develop an equitable reward system involving the use of job evaluation. Source: (Armstrong and Stephens, 2005) Definitions of key Job Dimensions Job Dimensions Definition Work Satisfaction: The extent to which an employee is satisfied with work, including opportunities for creativity and task variety, allowing an individual to increase his or her knowledge, changes in responsibility, amount of work, security, and job enrichment (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990; Smith et al, 1969) Pay Satisfaction: The extent to which an employee forms an attitude toward pay based on perceived difference between actual pay and the expected pay. Expected pay is based on the value of perceived inputs and outputs of the job and the pay of other employees holding similar jobs or possessing similar qualifications (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990) Supervision Satisfaction: The extent to which an employee is satisfied with his or supervision, as measured by consideration and employee-centred actions of the supervisor and the perceived competency of the supervisor by the subordinate (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990, Herzberg et al, 1957) Satisfaction with promotions: The degree to which an employee is satisfied with the Companys promotion policy, including frequency of promotions, and the desirability of promotions (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990, Herzberg et al 1957) Co-workers Satisfaction: The work-related interaction and the mutual liking or admiration of fellow employees (Bazler and Smith et al, 1990, Smith et al, 1969, Alderfer, 1969) Overall Job Satisfaction: The extent to which an individuals desires, expectations and needs are fulfilled by employment (Szilagi, Sims, and Terrill, 1977) Appendix 3 WHEN SUPPORTING EXPLORE Ideas Build on STRENGTHS Offer HELP and guidance Ask OPEN questions LISTEN actively Give PRAISE DISCLOSE similar experiences TRUST intentions WHEN CHALLENGING Ask PROBING questions Point out AVOIDANCE behaviour Offer ALTERNATIVE opinions Tell people what you EXPECT Share FEELINGS State COSEQUENCES Set STRETCHING targets ASSERT your views Having Things Like Resources Time Funding Direction Guidance Assistance Ideas Tools or Methods Willing collaborators A climate of openness and honesty Emotional support Having Things Like Confronting feedback from others New opportunities Unfamiliar grounds Doing things in a different way Working with fresh people Learning new behaviours New tools or processes Demanding stakeholders High work volumes Tight timescales Personal ambition

A Case Study On Terrorist Database Screening Information Technology Essay

A Case Study On Terrorist Database Screening Information Technology Essay introduction When the FBIs Terrorist Screening Center, or TSC, was created following the 9-11 attacks, the goal was to consolidate information about suspected terrorists from different government agencies into a single list. This was intended to enhance communication and decrease processing times. Subsets of the TSC watch list, such as the No Fly list, were added to reduce the wait for airplane passengers by screening only those who may be prevented from air travel. However, several problems have prompted questions regarding the quality and accuracy of the consolidated list. For a security measure reliant on identification of dangerous individuals, a lack of information regarding the names of suspects is a key issue. Because the list may include duplicated name entries or terrorist aliases, obvious non-terrorists such as former Senator Ted Kennedy have been subject to travel delays because of names that resemble those of suspected terrorists. According to the case study, a single name on the list may have as many as 50 duplicates. This contributes to the over 750,000 records that make up the TSC watch list. A major cause of name similarity or duplication is the process to be included on the list. Various government agencies perform sweeps of traveler information, utilizing misspellings and variations of terrorist names. This often contributes to inclusion of innocent individuals who do not belong on the list. Once an individual is on the list, there is no quick fix to be removed. According to the case study, over 24,000 requests to be removed from the list have been made, including requests from innocent travelers. Only 54 percent have been resolved due to an extensive processing time of 40 days. The Department of Homeland Security developed the Traveler Redress Inquiry Program to help innocents remove themselves from the list and avoid the extensive screening and questioning that results from being a traveler noted on the TSC watch list. Privacy and profiling have also been concerns surrounding the creation and further development of the watch list. To improve the screening process and reduce instances of erroneous inclusion, more detailed and personal data would have to be gathered about individuals on the list. This information may cause sensitivity and safety issues and contribute to existing criticism of the list because of its potential ability to promote discrimination. Some individuals on the list attest that they are marked on the list as suspected terrorists due to their race or ethnicity. However, without including private and sensitive data, the requirements for inclusion on the list will remain minimal and contribute to more false positives. The TSC is working to improve data and data management procedures. Improved communication between intelligence agencies in the future may greatly contribute to advances in the quality and accuracy of the list. But, as of now, the list stands as a major air travel security measure despite its flaws. According to the case study, Given the option between a list that tracks every potential terrorist at the cost of unnecessarily tracking some innocents, and a list that fails to track many terrorists in an effort to avoid tracking innocents, many would choose the list that tracked every terrorist despite the drawbacks. Background A compilation of information from various articles served as the basis for this case study. Journalists from prominent publications internet sites such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNN.com and Businessweek.com contributed to the creation of this case study through articles they wrote regarding the watch list. These articles, as well as those who wrote them, serve as the case study firm. Analysis The TSC watch list has demonstrated a variety of strengths and weaknesses since its creation in 2003. Benefits of the list include safer air travel for passengers and reduced screening time, but this has come at the cost of inconveniences and cases of mistaken identity for many innocent travelers. Data redundancy and inconsistency have contributed to questioning of the lists accuracy and quality. A minimal lack of data and information has contributed to name duplication and erroneous inclusion of innocent travelers. In order to eliminate these false positives, or cases of mistaken identity, more information regarding each suspected terrorist on the list must be gathered. However, attempts to gather this necessary information have led to outcries of privacy invasion issues which have in turn caused continual delays in data gathering processes. Individuals do not want to be inconvenienced by the accidental inclusion on the list that is the result of lack of information, yet they do not want to compromise private information to ensure that they are not falsely named as a suspected terrorist. In this aspect, it seems as if there is no decent standard for the amount of data to include that is a balance of enough, but not too much, information about a particular individual. Another issue that may contribute to inaccuracy is a lack of communication among government agencies. Non-FBI agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives do not view themselves as contributors to the watch list process, or they may disagree with what the FBI says constitutes terrorist activity. Some Department of Justice offices access information that may be necessary to include on the watch list but neglect to share that information with the FBI. Improved communication and coordination of sensitive and important information would greatly improve the quality and accuracy of the list. The government has made significant improvements through the initial creation of the consolidated watch list, but this could be further improved upon by better management practices and a shared information system. Creating a management team specifically to monitor the watch list and the information supplied by other government agencies would improve the quality of the watch list as well as communication with vital contributors. This group could also ensure that innocents are not falsely included on the list. Combining the gathered data into communal information system would allow all the organizations who utilize the watch list access to important data and would create a watchdog effect as well as increased safety measures. Discussion What concepts in this chapter are illustrated in this case? The concepts from this chapter that the case uses are file organization, and problems with the traditional file format including redundancy and consistency, data management and systems to manage the data, and ensuring data quality. Why was the consolidated terror watch list created? What are the benefits of the list? The consolidated watch list was created to slow down the time of processing names in the computer. A No Fly list was created as a subset of the terrorist watch list to lessen the time passengers are waiting at airports by only screening those who are specifically not allowed to get on a plane. According to the article Director of Terrorist Watch List Says Government Has Technical Capability to Screen all Passengers Against Full List Before They Board Planes, by Fred Lucas of CNSNews.com, the No Fly list contains about 3,400 names, but the computers have the capability to screen the entire list if necessary. The article also states that about 14,000 names on the list are put in to another group that must have extra screening before the board an airplane. The benefits of a smaller list definitely decrease the time to look up names in the system. With over 750,000 names, many of which are actually duplicated, shortening the list makes using it much more efficient. Some also believe that the criteria for getting on the list may be too broad, and that shortening the list to include only the most necessary names to watch for will help decrease the amount of people who are mistaken as terrorists. Describe some of the weaknesses of the watch list. What management, organization, and technology factors are responsible for these weaknesses? One of the main weaknesses of the watch list is the lack of information associated with the names on the list. This problem has led to many people wrongly identified as terrorists, and duplicates of names. The case study said that one name may have up to 50 duplicates. The length of the list is also getting longer and longer, which may make it less effective. The case study explains that the organizations that play a role in developing the list need to have more consistent rules for what information is required to get a name on the watch list and understand what other groups need to know who has been added so that a name is not duplicated. The organizations need to work together by sharing information to decrease these duplicates and make the list more detailed and informative for its users. The government could invest in some sort of ERP system that will update each organization when one name has been added to the list, so that each group can update the name with the known information about that specific terrorist. If you were responsible for the management of the TSC watch list database, what steps would you take to correct some of these weaknesses? The first step I would take to improve the list would be to have more research done on each name that the list includes. One of the main complaints of the list is that people are unsure of how a name gets added and why they are added. If there was a specific group of people whose job was to maintain the list we would be able to have more information show up when a name is found to be on the list to ensure that the person being screened is in fact a terrorist and not a person with a similar name. If this group was formed, they would also be responsible for removing unnecessary names on the list that create false positives for innocent passengers. The case study explained that many of the people who requested their name to get off the list are still waiting and face extra scrutiny every time they try and fly. Keeping these names on the list also increase its size and inefficiency. Lastly I would invest more technology into updating and maintaining the list. I think that this tool will be extremely helpful for airlines and keeping the world safer from terrorist attacks, but it must be easier to use and more reliable to increase its potential. After the Christmas Day Bomber almost successfully detonated a bomb over Detroit while his plane was about to land, it is easy to see that we have a long way to go to protect ourselves from this treat. Do you believe that the watch list represents a significant threat to individuals privacy or Constitutional rights? Why or why not? Currently, I do not believe that this list is threatening to an individuals privacy or Constitutional rights. The list is too broad right now and doesnt include very much information about the suspected terrorists. However, if they decide to do more research when pulling the list together people may feel that the government is being more invasive. Even with this extra research however, I do not think that it violates their Constitutional rights. If people want to be able to fly safely all around the world, they will need to give up some of their privacy to do so. Conclusion The Terrorist Watch List was created to monitor those flying on domestic and international flights after the attacks on America on September 11, 2001. Currently, the list is not very detailed and very long, creating many problems. These problems include duplications of names and false positives causing hassle for passengers who are mistaken as terrorists. The list is also growing rapidly which makes screening for names take longer and longer. The government agencies responsible for the list are also slow at removing false names. While this list is a great start to protect passengers while flying, there are still many advances that will need to be made. The names on the list need to have more details and research corresponding to them, and the agencies working with this list need to work together to cut down on duplicate information. They will also need to work on the length of the list, and sub-lists, to make sure that it is used effectively to prevent terrorist attacks.

The New Republic and the Issues It Faces :: Writing Politics Governmnet Essays

The New Republic and the Issues It Faces The New Republic is a weekly British political journal that focuses quite a bit on the internal workings of the US government and issues dealing with foreign policy and issues outside of this country. The New Republic is very broad with its political orientation, but tends to be more liberal with some conservative tendencies. The United States edition is published from Washington DC. The major pieces of information I gathered about the New Republic (TNR) were information about some recent issues the publication itself is facing. The magazine’s major emphasis has been dealing with international issues in the context of the US government and how the US is handling certain aspects of these issues. The New Republic has been seen as a traditionally liberal magazine, but some sources have recently said that the magazine has developed a neo-liberal view. The website http://www.ctheory.net/text_file.asp?pick=111 defined Neo-liberalism as â€Å"a political philosophy which originated in the advanced countries in the 1980s. It is associated with the idea of "liberal fascism": free enterprise, economic globalization and national corporatism as the institutional and ideological grounds for the civil disciplining of subaltern individuals, "aliens" and groups.† The New Republic has also been seen as a very intellectual New York style of magazine. This means that TNR has more of a center on the New York culture and tries to amplify that in the text and articles. Much of the content is put forth toward these intellectuals who have a real sense of politics. The editor in chief is Martin Peretz. His biography on the New Republic web site says that Martin Peretz â€Å"has been editor and chief and chairman of the New Republic since 1974. Simultaneously he has kept up his teaching at Harvard University where he has been a part-time lecturer in Social Studies since joining the New Republic.† The website also goes on to say that he holds many awards and distinctions such as the Jerusalem Medal and the Medal of Distinction of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism. Mr. Peretz’s biography also states that he â€Å"is co-founder and co-chairman of The street.com, a publicly traded company of the NASDAQ†, and â€Å"was a co-founder of Leukosite, a biotechnology and pharmaceutical company.

The History of Computers in Education :: Technology in Education Computers Essays

The History of Computers in Education Computers were first introduced into schools in the late 1950, however, at that time they were only used by large universities for clerical work such as accounting, payroll, and for storing student records. Computers began to emerge more and more in the 1950, but it was still uncommon to see computers in schools. Today, one will find that quite the opposite exists. Since 1977 there has been a rapid growth in the use of computers throughout schools. Today the average public elementary school has 110 computers and 98% of these schools have access to the Internet. The ratio of students to computers, as of the year 2000 is less than five students per computer (Kafer np). Since their first appearance they have greatly changed education and have proved to be useful, valuable resources both in and out of the classroom. In the mid 1960 through the early 1970 the cost of computers decreased, while the availability of the machines increased. This allowed more schools and colleges to buy and use computers. With this new technology, teachers, administrators, and other school personnel could complete required tasks in less amount of time. One main benefit of computers in schools was that they saved the time and the energy of those who operated them. When computers were first introduced into schools they were largely used for secretarial tasks and administrative purposes. Records of the school students and faculty could all be stored on a computer. Also, inventory control and accounting could be done with a computer now. Computers allowed schools to keep and produce accurate records, which helped avoid financial disputes. Grades and attendance could now be stored on a computer drive, which also prevented disputes over miscalculations that might have occurred if records were kept by hand. Another administrative convenience introduced with computers was the ability to process and print student schedules. School resources, such as library books could now be managed through a computer system, monitoring what books were on loan and what was available. Having computer access in schools was extremely beneficial for administrative purposes.

Essay --

Michael Naoum Professor Gurfien INBS 250-04 12 December 2013 Exports vs. Imports Exports and imports may seem like two simple words throughout the English language. Many individuals understand exports and imports as straightforward concepts that are used on an everyday basis. However, these terms have more personality then the normal dictionary definition that the average person abides by. Exports and imports have a weighty impact on the consumer and the economy around them. Currently, the world is changing into a global economy this means, that every countries economy has an impact on another. For example, if the United States economy were to collapse, this would have a large effect on the Chinese economy due to the fact that, exports and imports play a large role in this. This may be a hard concept to grasp but topics such as, effects on economy, effect of exchange rates and the effect of inflation and interest rates are areas which when explained, will clear up most grey areas for the average individual. To begin, gross domestic product is a key concept to understand which invo...