Library System Essay

Library is a place where people focus their attention in reading and making research which can help everyone gains knowledge. It is organized and maintained for the use of public body, institution, corporation, or private individual. The school library provides opportunities for the individuals with the focus on the intellectual content and information literacy to the learner. It contains books and other reference materials made available to the users for reading, studying and getting references. The books and reference materials are arranged on shelves according to the classification system used for the convenience of the users. Placing similar materials in one location helps the users find multiple items on a given subject more efficiently than those some items scattered within the library. The generation of computer age can be very useful in bridging the demand for library services and ability to provide these services. Deciding the most effective program for establishing an automated circulation system is a task that confronts librarian today. There are major library problems experienced around the world. Aside from Philippines, India and other countries libraries suffer from lack of proper library facilities and facing the problem of poor services, and most importantly unorganized circulation system and process of retrieving data is not efficient. Local libraries also faced several problems these are lack of financial resources and high cost of computer accessories has reduced the trends in the adoption of automated library system in school libraries while such has limited access to a variety of information on stored data. The thesis writers observed that the process of inquiring books and retrieving the borrowed and returned book were done manually in Santa Monica Institute. In this, the borrower spent more time in every process of circulating books in Santa Monica Institute. Thus, the thesis writers were interested to design and to develop the Automated Library Circulation System of Santa Monica Institute – Mabini library to improve its operation in order to provide effective services. Literature Background The evolution of technology has undoubtedly increased the variety of resources available in libraries today. It is especially fueling increased user demands and expectations for information resources and their timely delivery. The impact of the changing technology helps in designing library automation. A. G. Nkhoma-Wamunza stated that â€Å"library automation is a process which involves linking computers electronically within and outside the institution, entering library resources in a database to create an Open Access Catalogue, which allows users to access and retrieve information in a timely manner. † It gained wide acceptance globally due to its many benefits potentials including improved performance efficiency and delivery of quality service in library. Library Circulation is one of those sections of the library that needs automation. It comprises the activities around the lending of  library  books and other materials to users of a  lending library. It provides lending services and facilities for return of loaned items. Renewal of materials and payment of fines are also handled at the circulation desk. Circulation staff may provide basic search and reference services, though more in-depth questions are usually referred to reference librarians. Librarian  is a person who works professionally in a  library, and is usually trained in librarianship and experts of finding, organizing and interpreting information needed. They are the guardians of materials inside the library. The reference desk of the library is a public in service counter where professional librarians provide direction to the materials, advice on the collections and services, and expertise on the multiple kinds of information from multiple sources to the library users. Library user is the borrower of the library materials which can be brought at home / classroom. It can be a student, teacher, patron and even outsider who are greatly benefited on the proposed system. School administration is an important part of our education system. Administrators face a variety of issues on a daily basis. Take a look at strategies and techniques used to combat those issues. The UP College of Science Library System located at Diliman, Quezon city is one of the existing library system that uses online library system. It has many capabilities it allows to view information about the library and its services. The system also provides information about new titles, library hours and has link that will allow user to contact the library through e-mail. UP College Science is similar to the proposed system because it allows searching of books and other library materials. The library system is implemented to provide user fast and quick access of information. Automated Library System referred as a cost effective and space saving alternative to common document shelving technologies, addressing the need for space efficiency, secure and automated document and records handling. ALS is a design and software solution focused on the reliability and maintainability. The solution, developed by team of experienced industry professionals is supported by comprehensive services including on-site maintenance, spare parts, modernization, upgrades and expansions. HK has been installing system utilizing this technology for the past forty years. ALS have been installed at institutions throughout North America. Automated Library System for Navotas City Library (2010). They have two computers in the library without automated library system. The Automated System for Navotas City Library is to facilitate the inventor, lending and returning of books in electronic, systematic and orderly manners. In addition, it aims to cope with the trends of technology today for the library and to the library and to have a system that will attract more users. to the library, therefore, appreciation on the library can contribute it to the information needed by the students, workers, and researchers especially to the people of Navotas City. Bodiongan (2000). The researcher found that the process of retrieving data and information are not efficient. So the borrower takes time in finding information because the materials are not properly returned to the right arrangement. The process of retrieving and keeping records of the borrowers is time consuming due to low quality of the borrower’s card. The library has a huge collection of books so the borrower takes time in sorting information from the card catalogue. The library assistant takes time in searching the borrower’s records because there are some instances that some of the borrower’s card are not properly returned. Curan (2011). In her study, the researcher observed that the process of inquiring books and retrieving the borrowed and returned book were done manually. In this, the borrower spent more time in every process of circulating books. The researcher conclude that the system has great help in minimizing the time consume in borrowing and retrieving data. The system provides accurate and secure keeping of data, and can generate report immediately. Code of ethics of Library Association adopted at the 1939 Midwinter Meeting by the ALA Council; amended June 30, 1981; June 28, 1995; and January 22, 2008 states that â€Å"we protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted. † Privacy is essential to the exercise of free speech, free thought, and free association. Identifiable information about users is confidential and the library keeps that information private and confidential on their behalf. This policy is intended to prevent the unauthorized use of our patrons’ personal information, and to protect the privacy of this information. Librarians are responsible for keeping the information’s security needed for the reference of the user and provide better service to the borrowers. Section 10 Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution mandates that: Science and technology are essential for national development and progress. The state shall give priority to research and development, invention, innovation, and their utilization; and to science and technology education, training and services. It shall support indigenous, appropriate and self- reliant scientific and technological capabilities, and their application to the country’s productive system and national life. Technology plays great role for the improvement of an institution. The continuous growth of technology leads to many inventions for the improvement of the institution one of this is the Santa Monica Institute. Technology help provide system that would provide user better service in this institutions. Section 12, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution mandates stated: The state shall regulate the transfer and promote the adaptation of technology from all sources for the national benefit. It shall encourage the widest participation of private groups, local governments and community-based organizations in the generation and utilization of science and technology. Through the use of technology, it can help the institution to improve process with the use of the proposed system that involves private groups to indentify the features that needs improvement to provide better service. Section 13, Republic Act 8293 mandates stated: The state shall protect and secure the exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, artists, and other gifted citizens to their intellectual property and creations, particularly when beneficial to the people, for such period as may be provided by law. This states that the researchers should protect the right to defend the study and portability of data. In this study, the researchers should protect and secure the proposed system with the use of password to avoid the alteration of information. THE PROBLEM Statement of the Problem. The main purpose of the study is to design and developed Santa Monica Institute Library Circulation System that would serve as a proposal to minimize time in searching books and generate reliable and accurate reports. Specifically, the study answers the following questions: 1. What are the features of the system that needs improvement? 2. To what extent of the performance of the proposed system in terms of 3. 1 Security; 3. 2 Human Interface; 3. 3 Requirements; and 3. 4 Performance/ Reliability. Significance of the study The study would be beneficial to the following: School Administration. This study could be used as basis in implementing library improvement and development. Librarian. It enables her to respond to the borrower’s request immediately. Borrowers. They are greatly benefitted because they can get immediate response on their requests. Future Researchers. This study enhances the capability in making the system. It gives essence on how computerization really helps on developing one’s institution and on how library system operates. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Design The researcher used the Descriptive Survey and Experimental method with the use of a self-made questionnaire and software evaluation tool. The descriptive survey or questionnaire was used to determine the problems encountered by the librarian and library users, and the features of the existing system that needs improvement. The experimental method or the evaluation tool was used to ascertain the acceptability level of automated system. Environment and Participants The study was conducted in Santa Monica Institute, Poblacion 1, Mabini, Bohol. The school administration, librarian, borrowers were the respondents. The librarian will be the user of the proposed system. Data Gathering Instruments. The researcher used two instruments, the self-made questionnaire and the evaluation tool. Self-made questionnaire is a guide used to interview the respondents to get information about the Library Circulation System. This was constructed based on the present transactions at Santa Monica Institute. The evaluation tool was employed to evaluate the performance of the proposed system. This tool was secured from the internet and related books. The tool was modified and respond to the needs of user and tasked to rate the items using a five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire and evaluation tool are attached in appendix B and C. The researcher also used the context diagram, system flowchart, IPO (Input Process Output) and HIPO (Hierarchical Input – Process – Output) in designing the proposed software. These tools are necessary for the development of the system. Procedure The thesis writers interviewed the librarian to have an idea, information and other important details about the flow of operation in the library. Statistical Treatment To ascertain the level of acceptability of the system in library cataloging this formula was used: ?fx N ?fx N Weighted mean, X = where: f = frequency x = weight N = number of responses The Likert-type scale was used for scaling the acceptability level of the system software. Scale| Range| Categorical Response| Description| 5| 4. 20-5. 00| Strongly Acceptable| The system exceeds expectations and outstandingly performs the job requirements or 100% acceptable. | 4| 3. 40-4. 19| Moderately Acceptable| The system highly fulfills the job requirements or 80% acceptable. | 3| 2. 60-3. 39| Acceptable | The system meets the job requirements or 60% acceptable. | 2| 1. 80-2. 59| Slightly Acceptable| The system slightly meets the job requirements or 40% acceptable. | 1| 1. 00-1. 79| Not Acceptable| The system fails to meet the job requirements or 20% acceptable. | DEFINITION OF TERMS Automated library circulation system. It is a system that involves systematic storing of information which includes the book, borrowers and generating reports. Borrowers. Library users can be student or a teacher who can lend books which is brought at home/ classroom. Circulation system. It is the process of circulating of library materials which includes borrowing and returning of library materials. Context diagram. It is used by the thesis writers to scope the project as it provides a visual model of the interactions between the system and the outside entities that interface with the solutions . Data flow diagram. It shows the part of the system which includes the same process but being automated. It is involved in converting data to generate reports. HIPO. Hierarchical Input-Process-Output a high-level view of the functions performed by a system as its functions and software implementation. IPO. Input Process Output these are the components or elements that make-up the system. It is also described as tools on the design of the entire software. Library. A room or building where a collection of books, periodicals, etc. , are kept for reading or reference, or public or private institution in-charge of the care and circulation of such collection. Library materials. Use in this study in order to include books of various kinds, periodicals, newspapers, magazines, vertical files consisting of clippings, pamphlets and the audio-visual materials which include maps, globes, charts and pictures. Library system. It is a systematic way of placing books, journals, magazines and others that would provide the need of the users. System Flowchart. It is formalized graphic representation of a program logic sequence, work or manufacturing processes, organizing chart or similar formalized structsure. Chapter 2 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA A. Present System System Narrative Students/teachers inquired the librarian on borrowing and returning of books. If the students wanted to borrow, they were required to have their library card and place in the folder. For the teachers they were only required to give their ID card and pass it to the librarian. After receiving, the librarian gave the book card to the students / teachers and filled-up the information needed in borrowing the book and gave it back to the librarian before the book was given to the borrower. Borrowed book was returned before the due date. Upon returning it, the librarian gave the identification card of the borrower. If the book returned late, penalty was imposed. If cases of lost book, the borrower was required to pay the exact amount of the book or replaced the book either. Generating report was done after the inventory. It is done twice a year, before the school year starts and school year ends. * Borrowed Book * Library Card * Borrower’s Information Librarian Folder Borrower * Reports Administration * Borrowed Book * Library Card * Borrower’s Information Librarian Folder Borrower * Reports Administration Figure 1. 0 Conceptual Diagram Event Specifications 1. Student/ Teacher make inquiry. Student/Teacher 1. 0 Handle Inquiry Book Information * Response * Inquiry Student/Teacher 1. 0 Handle Inquiry Book Information * Response * Inquiry Borrower Borrower 2. Student/ Teacher borrows book. 2. 0 Handle Borrowing Borrowers Student / Teacher Student Record Book Information * Release Book. * Library Card * Book Card * Book Title * Borrower’s ID 2. 0 Handle Borrowing Borrowers Student / Teacher Student Record Book Information * Release Book * Library Card * Book Card * Book Title * Borrower’s ID 3. Borrower returns book. Borrowers Book Information * Borrowed Book * Borrower’s ID * Penalty Details Borrower 3. 0 Handle Returning Student Record Borrowers Book Information * Borrowed Book * Borrower’s ID * Penalty Details Borrower 3. 0 Handle Returning Student Record 4. Librarian generates reports. Borrowers Student Record Administration 6. 0 Handle Report Book Information. * Reports Borrowers Student Record Administration 6. 0 Handle Report Book Information * Reports Findings / Constraints The librarian took time in giving response to the inquiry of the student/teacher because records were not organized. To provide immediate response to the inquiry, data must be systematized. The student/teacher spent time in borrowing because the librarian got the problem in retrieving the records of available books, because some books were lost and not properly returned. To minimize the time consume in borrowing, all records must be automated for quick access. They had the same problem encountered in returning the books because the librarian found it hard in retrieving the students’ records. To provide fast process in returning, the records of the borrower must be computerized for quick access. The librarian has delayed in submitting reports. To generate early reports, the data must be systematized. Flowchart F T Main Menu Input User’s Name Input Password If Valid X F T Main Menu Input User’s Name Input Password If Valid X Begin Begin Log-in Log-in X X Display Message Display Message Main Menu Main Menu Display Main Screen Display Main Screen A A User Select Button. User Select Button User Select Button User Select Button T T Transaction Transaction If Transactions If Transactions F F T T If Records If Records Records Records F F T T If Reports If Reports Reports Reports F F T T If Utility If Utility Utility Utility F F T T If System User If System User System User System User F F T T If About If About About About F F A A Transactions Transactions Display Transaction Screen Display Transaction Screen Display Transaction Screen Display Transaction Screen B B User Select Button User Select Button If Borrow If Borrow T T Borrow Borrow F F T T Return Return If Return If Return F F. B B Records Records Display Records Screen Display Records Screen Display Records Screen Display Records Screen C C User Select Button User Select Button User Select Button User Select Button T T If Books If Books Books Books Books Books If Books If Books F F O O O O If Accession If Accession Accession Accession If Accession If Accession T T F F If Borrowers If Borrowers T T Borrowers Borrowers If Borrowers If Borrowers F F T T If Book Penalty If Book Penalty Book Penalty Book Penalty If Book Penalty If Book Penalty F F T T If Placement And Classification If Placement And Classification Placement and Classification. Placement and Classification If Placement and Classification If Placement and Classification F F If Borrowers Penalty If Borrowers Penalty T T Borrower penalty Borrower penalty If Borrower penalty If Borrower penalty F F T T If Master List If Master List Master List Master List Master List Master List F F C C Reports Reports Display Reports Screen Display Reports Screen Display Reports Screen Display Reports Screen D D User Select Button User Select Button User Select Button User Select Button T T If Book Information If Book Information Book Information Book Information F F If Borrowers Information If Borrowers Information T T Borrowers Information Borrowers Information F F If Top Borrowers If Top Borrowers Top Borrowers Top Borrowers T T F F T T If Due Books If Due Books Due Books Due Books F F If Lost Books If Lost Books T T Lost Books Lost Books F F D D Utility Utility Display Utility Screen Display Utility Screen E E User Select Button User Select Button If Backup and Restore Database If Backup and Restore Database T T Backup and Restore Database Backup and Restore Database F F T T If Clean Database If Clean Database Clean Database Clean Database F F E E System User System User Display System Screen. Display System Screen F F User Select Button User Select Button T T If User Account If User Account User Account User Account F F L L L L F F T T If Switch User If Switch User Switch User Switch User F F T T If Log Off If Log Off Log off Log off If Lock If Lock F F If Exit If Exit T T Exit Exit If Exit If Exit F F F F About About Display System Screen Display System Screen H H Display System Screen Display System Screen User Select Button User Select Button User Select Button User Select Button If Thesis Writers If Thesis Writers T T Thesis Writers Thesis Writers If Researcher If Researcher F F H H B. Proposed System. System Rules Library Circulation policy is to organize both book records and borrower‘s information and keep track for easy and quick access. This is encrypted with password and only the authorized person is allowed to access for the safety of the information. Some library materials such as pamphlets, magazine and CD’s are also included in the process. These materials are input in the system with the title and corresponding accession numbers, and it is sorted whenever it is needed. Borrowers are only allowed to borrow three (3) books per day for overnight and over week end and have duration of three (3) days. Overnight books are to be taken from 4:30 to 5:00 pm. and to be returned at 7:15-7:30 on the following day. The over weekend books are to be taken from the library on the Friday afternoon from 4:30-5:00 pm. , and to be returned at 7:15-7:30 on Monday morning. If the student exceed the given due date, penalty will be imposed. It will be calculated and will be paid. The payment of the penalty is done at the cashier and only official receipt is needed that is being input on the system. Context Diagram 0 Santa Monica Institute Library Circulation System Borrower Administration * Reports * Response. * Released Book * Penalty * Receipt * Inquiry * Library Card * Book Title * Book Card * Borrowed Book * Identification Card 0 Santa Monica Institute Library Circulation System Borrower Administration * Reports * Response * Released Book * Penalty * Receipt * Inquiry * Library Card * Book Title * Book Card * Borrowed Book * Identification Card Event List: 1. Borrower makes inquiry. 2. Borrower borrows book. 3. Borrower returns book. 4. Librarian generates report. Event Specifications 1. Student/ Teacher make inquiry. 1. 0 Handle Inquiry Student/Teacher Book Information * Response * Inquiry 1. 0 Handle Inquiry Student/Teacher Book Information * Response * Inquiry Borrower Borrower 2. Student / Teacher borrows book. 2. 0 Handle Borrowing Borrowers Student / Teacher Student Record Book Information * Release Book * Library Card * Book Card * Book Title * Borrower’s ID 2. 0 Handle Borrowing Borrowers Student / Teacher Student Record Book Information * Release Book * Library Card * Book Card * Book Title * Borrower’s ID 3. Borrower returns book. Borrowers Book Information * Borrowed Book * Borrower’s ID * Penalty Details Borrower 3. 0 Handle Returning Student Record Borrowers Book Information. * Borrowed Book * Borrower’s ID * Penalty Details Borrower 3. 0 Handle Returning Student Record 4. Librarian generates reports. Borrowers Student Record Administration 6. 0 Handle Report Book Information * Reports Borrowers Student Record Administration 6. 0 Handle Report Book Information * Reports Process Specification Process 1. 0 Student/ Teacher makes Inquiry Begin If student / teacher make inquiry Accept inquiry If inquiry about available book Open available book Retrieve list of available book Close available book Else if inquiry about registration Open book configuration form. Input borrower’s ID, borrower’s Full name, Address, cell number, age, gender, borrower’s type, year level and section. Register borrower End if End Process 2. 0 Student/ Teacher borrow book. Begin If borrower borrow book Accept borrowing If borrower is new Register borrower Open borrower’s configuration form Input borrower’s ID, borrowers name, address, cell number, age, gender, borrower’s type year level and section Close borrower’s configuration form Else if borrower is old Open book issue form Retrieve borrower’s ID, borrower’s name, book info, accession no, ISBN, book title, date issued, due date and purpose. Close book issue form End if End Process 3. 0 Borrower returns book. Begin Do while borrower’s return book Open return form Input borrower’s ID Retrieve borrower’s ID, borrowers name, accession no, ISBN, book title, date issued, due date, date returned and penalty Close return form End Process 4. 0 Librarian generates report. Begin Do while librarian receive memorandum Accept memorandum Retrieve list of books Generate repots of list of book If reports report about books Open inventory report Retrieve total number of books, damage. Lost Print report Close book report Else if reports about other library materials. Open other library materials Retrieved number of copies lost and damage Close library materials End if End Database Design It is a preliminary plan of software, where the collection of related data is organized for convenient access with the use of computer. Accession – contains the number of copies of the certain book. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | ID| Autonumber| Long integer| ID number of the user| Acession_no| Text| 30| Number of the copy of the book| Copies| Text| 80| Number of copies| ISBN| Text| 30| International Standard book number| Date_received| Text| 50| Date received|. Borrowers_fulln-ame| Text| 50| Borrower’s full name| Status| Text| 10| Lost / Returned| Account – contains the username and password of the user. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | User_ID| Number| Long integer| ID number of the user| User_Name| Text| 20| Name of the user| Complete_Name| Text| 30| Complete name of the user| Password| Text| 10| Password of the user| Account_Type| Text| 20| Limited/ administrator| User_Account| Yes/No| 20| Limited/ administrator| Log| Yes/No| 20| Log| Borrow| Yes/No| 20| Borrow| Return| Yes/No| 20| Return| Book| Yes/No| 20| Book|. Stat| Yes/No| 20| Status| Placement| Yes/No| 20| Features| Format| Yes/No| 20| Features| Borrowers| Yes/No| 20| Features of borrower| Up_penalty| Yes/No| 20| Penalty | Book_r| Yes/No| 20| Book| Return_r| Yes/No| 20| Date returned| Date_due| Yes/No| 20| Due date| Inventory_r| Yes/No| 20| Inventory reports| Catalog_r| Yes/No| 20| Catalog | Backup| Yes/No| 20| Back up files| Account_log – contains the time in and out of the user. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | Log_ID| Number| Long integer| ID number of the user| User_ID| Text| 10| ID number of the user|. Timer_login| Text| 20| Time log in | Timer_logout| Text| 20| Time log out| Dte| Text| 30| Date| Remarks| Text| 10| Remarks| Book – contains the information of the book. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | ID| Number| Long integer| ID number of the user| ISBN| Text| 30| Unique no of the book| Book_Title| Text| 200| Title of book| Other_title| Text| 200| Sub title of the book| Other_physical| Text| 200| Other Physical details| Author1| Text| 50| Name of the 1st author| Author2| Text| 50| Name of the 2nd author| Author3| Text| 50| Name of the 3rd author|. Notes| Text| 100| Notes| Publisher| Text| 255| Name of the publisher| Place_publication| Text| 200| Place of publication| Placement_code| Text| 20| Placement code| Book_no| Text| 10| Number of the book| Author_no| Text| 200| Author number| Subject1| Text| 255| Subject| Subject2| Text| 255| Subject| Subject3| Text| 255| Subject| Format| Text| 20| Book classification| Edition| Text| 200| Number of edition| Copyright_year| Text| 10| Copyright year| Date_received| Date/ Time| General date| Date received| Source| Text| 15| Donated/ purchased| Pages| Text| 5| Number of pages| Amount| Number| Long integer| Amount of the book| Total_copies| Number| Long integer| Total number of copies| Book_borrowed – contains the book borrowed by the borrower. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | ID| Autonumber| Long integer| User Id| Borrowers_Id| Text| 10| Borrower’s ID| Borrowers_Name| Text| 30| Borrower’s name| Accession_no| Text| 10| Number of copies of the book| Copies| Text| 10| Number of copies| ISBN| Text| 20| International standard book number| Book_Title| Text| 200| Title of the book| Date_Issued| Date/ time| General date| Date issued| Date_Due| Date/ time| General date| Due date|. Date_Returned| Date/ time| General date| Date returned| Time_Due| Date/ time| General date|Due time| Purpose| Text| 15| Overnight/ over weekend| Penalty| Text| 15| Paid/ unpaid| Status| Text| 15| In/ out| Remarks| Text| 10| Returned/ unreturned| Borrowers_info – contains borrower’s personal information. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | ID| Autonumber| Long integer| User ID| Borrowers_ID| Text| 30| Borrower’s ID| Complete_Name| Text| 100| Borrower’s Full Name| Gender| Text| 20| Gender| Age| Text| 10| Age of the borrower| Address| Text| 80| Address of the borrower|. Cell_Number| Text| 20| Cell number | Type| Text| 20| Student/ teacher| Year_level| Text| 50| Year level| Section| Text| 30| Section| No_borrowed| Number| Long integer| No of book borrowed| Total_borrowed| Number| Long integer| Total no of book borrowed| Event_list – contains of all the event done by the librarian on the system. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | ID| Autonumber| Long integer| Number of data| User_ID| Number| Long integer| User ID| Event| Text| 40| Event| Event_date| Date/ time| General date| Event time | Event_time| Date/ time| General date| Event date|. Format – classification of the book. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | ID| Autonumber| Long integer| Number of data| Format| Text| 200| Classification of book| Inventory – actual counting of all library materials. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | ID| Autonumber| Long integer| User ID| ISBN| Text| 50| International standard book number| Total_copies| Text| 10| Total copies| Copies_on_hand| Text| 10| Copies on hand| Copies_borrowed| Text| 10| Copies borrowed| Copies_lost| Text| 10| Copies lost|. Penalty – contains to the amount to be paid by the user. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | ID| Autonumber| Long integer| User ID| Format| Text| 200| Overnight/ over weekend| First_hour| Text| 10| Penalty for first hour | Next_hour| Text| 10| Penalty for the next hour| First_day| Text| 10| Penalty for the first day| Next_day| Text| 10| Penalty for the next day| Days_limit_for_borrow| Text| 10| Days limit| Placement – contains the code that is being replace. Fieldname Data Type Width Description Fieldname Data Type Width Description | | | | ID|.

Functional areas in Tesco and Oxfam Essay

1. Introduction In this report I am going to compare functional areas of two contrasting organisations Tesco and Oxfam. Tesco is aiming at achieving profit, investing and offerring services and products to customers.Oxfam is a non-profit organisation, helping people in crisis. Tesco is a British multinational grocery and general merchandise retailer, it has stores in 14 countries across Asia, Europe and North America and is the grocery market leader in UK, where it has a market share of around 30%. Oxfam is an international confederation of 17 organisations working in 90 countries worldwide to find solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. It helps to provide training, education and financial aid to people in developing countries and disaster areas. 2. Functional areas in organisations Functional area is a person, area or department which carries out a particular business function, for example, Administration, Customer Service, Distribution, Finance, Human Resources, ICT, Marketing, Sales, Production or Research and development. The main purpose of having functional areas in business is ensuring that all important activities are carried out efficiently and accurately. This is important if the business wants to achieve its aims and objectives; specific areas will be responsible for supporting specific types of aims and objectives, for example, sales and marketing will be involved in developing new markets or increasing sales, finance would be monitoring and keeping costs low to improve profitability. 2.1.Functional areas of Tesco The main activities of Finance department are: †¢recording all the business transactions (expences and incomings) †¢measuring the financial performance of Tesco (how well or badly Tesco is doing financially) †¢controlling the finances and cash flow so the company  stays reliable (ensuring that there is enough money to pay off debts, bills, employees, as well as invest in new developments to gain more profit) †¢taking timely financial decisions by comparing the predicted performance with actual performance (they would do this by comparing the financial situation from previous years with todays situation) Human resources: †¢recruiting, selecting, training and developing new staff †¢keeping all records they have in their possesion confidential (obligation to stand by Data Protection Act) †¢they look after an emploee whilst they work in the company (training, development and promotion) Marketing: †¢Marketing Research – collecting data from surveys and questionnaires, preparing presentations informing about new developments †¢Customer Care and Services – deals with complaints and problems they have, evaluating service, revieving competitors, recommending improvements †¢Sales Promotion and Advertising – making sure that promotions are clear and understandable for customers Production: †¢responsible for making services that are provided by Tesco (offices, vehicles, retailing products) †¢responsible for delivering the products to customers †¢ensuring that there is enough stock available ( that is supported by new technology, for example EPOS system, which will automatically re-order if Tesco is out-of-stock) Administration department: †¢creates an ordered way of working which enables the busines to function smoothly †¢brings together the various parts of the business so they can all work towards achieving the same goals †¢ensures good communication between the management and workers †¢all the methods and procedures should be written down in case staff is beeing changed †¢proper procedures for controlling and monitoring work – high level of supervision and  well-motivated staff 2.2. Functional areas of Oxfam The Global Ambassadors have been campaigning around the world on behalf of Oxfam. They propagate the knowledge about the issues like, for example, climate change, conflict resolution, women’s rights, international arms trade treaty, and others. Among the Oxfams Global Abassadors are for example: †¢Annie Lennox – she lent her support as the voice for TV adverts for the campaign following the 2012 earthquake in Haiti, she also works hard on AIDS and women’s issues, she also set up „The Circle† – a group of influential women who come together to connect with women living in poverty around the world, †¢Coldplay, they donated acoustic version of theuir song for a new Oxfam campaign video, perform concerts for Oxfam, drawn enormous attention to the Make Trade Fair campaign ( supports poor people affected by unfair trade rules), †¢Colin Firth, his work ia wide-ranging, he has helped highlight issues, speaks to the media and wright articles, hosts fundraising events in USA and Italy, †¢Helen Mirren supports Control Arms campaign, travelled to South Africa to meet victims of domestic violenceand firearms crimes and Uganda to highlight the civil war there and push for peaceful solution, †¢Scarlett Johansson, she is a part of „We Can† campaign, which aims to break down attitudes that support violence against women, she also supports GROW campaign (fighting world hunger) and Haiti Earthquake Appeal, also designed a handbag for Mango on behalf of Oxfam to raise money for the appeal. Executive Director Winnie Byanyima appointed in May 2013) provides strategic guidance, support, expertise and coordination across the global organisation. Through its 17 affiliates , oxfam works with people in over 90 countries to provide humanitarian relief in crisis, empower poor and marginalised people to gain social and economic equality. Working with thousands of local partner organisations, Oxfam International works with people living in poverty striving to exercise their human rights and take control of their lives. They focus their efforts in these areas: †¢Development – they work with and through partners and communities on long-term programmes to eradicate poverty and combat justice †¢Emergencies –  deliver immediate life-saving assistance to people affected by natural disasters or conflict †¢Campaigning – raise public awerness of the causes of poverty and encourage ordinary people to take action †¢Advocacy – press decision-makers to change policies and practices that reinforse poverty and injustice †¢Policy research – speak with authority as a result of research and analysis, and the real experience of the partners in developing countries Oxfam GB (one of the affiliates of Oxfam International) has a wide range of policy, programme and research staff, whose shared expertise ranges from public health engineering to lobbying international institusions for change: †¢Oxfams Advocacy advisers work to change public policies and practices in ways that will have a positive impacton poor people’s lives. Advocacy can take place at a variety of levels from local communities through to international institutions, and include the variety of methods including lobbying, media work, popular campaigning and changing public attitudes †¢Oxfam’s humanitarian personnel are responsible for a wide range of activities, including advising Oxfam’s international regions on humanitarian response, building regional capacity to respond to emergencies, leading programme development work on key areas such as WASH, public health, food security, HIV and AIDS, protection, gender, and preparedness. They also deliver advocacy on humanitarian issues in developed countries and provide security management advice †¢Programme Implementation – Oxfam’s country and regional staff work with the programme policy advisers to implement our programmes in more than sixty countries. Programme staff work with local partners to develop, implement and evaluate a variety of initiatives, offering a range of support through training and capacity-building, networking with other similar organisations, and financial support †¢Programme Policy – Oxfam’s collective wealth of expertise and knowledge includes development professionals, who provide global advisory support to Oxfam’s large number of projects and programmes across more than sixty countries.Programme policy advisers assist in improving the coherence, quality, and impact of Oxfam’s programmes and ensure that we learn from good and innovative work through facilitating programme-focused learning processes and resources †¢Research enables Oxfam to look ahead and plan strategically for a fast-changing context. It sharpens and underpins the credibility of Oxfam’s campaigns and helps us design, monitor and assess the  impact of our country-level programmes.Oxfam’s global researchers lead on researching and writing policy papers and campaign reports, keep abreast of new ideas that may feed into future policies or advocacy work or shape our programme thinking, and build Oxfam’s research capacity and quality †¢Oxfam’s Senior Management staff are responsible for ensuring the quality, effectiveness, and accountability of Oxfam’s portfolio of humanitarian, development, and campaigning work around the world Volunteers play a key role in helping Oxfam achieve its missions to reduce poverty and injustice around the world, they work throughout all the departments, they fulfill the variety of roles and tasks and they are significant part of every non-profit organisation. 3 Conclusion Despite many differences in functioning between Tesco and Oxfam (where Tesco works for profit and Oxfam is non-profit organisation) there are certain similar areas that ensure that organisation’s activities and tasks are completed properly. This is important for the business if its going to achieve its aims and objectives. So both of the organisations have: †¢IT staff, who deal with website, hardware and software problems, security and confidentiality issues, they are linked with HR department and Administration as most of the communication and storing data happens electronically †¢Marketing and Research who identifies and tries to meet customer needs, works on new solutions and developments †¢Sales team is responsible for direct contact with customers, they also are linked with Marketing and all kinds of advertising †¢Finance department looks at income and outgoings of the business, as well as fundraising and collecting money for various campaigns Tesco’s area is retail and maximasing profit, gaining new customers and keeping the existing ones, so the structure is streamlined and compact. Oxfam’s activities are much more varied, from gaining income from charity shops, concerts and events, through legal work that advocats do to change regulations, to hands on material help and organising rescue for people affected by natural disasters.

Tour Report at a nearby airport firefighting facility Essay

Tour Report at a nearby airport firefighting facility - Essay Example The facility was built and got commissioned in July, 2009. The facility has ten modern fire fighting vehicles that have a location on a drive through design. The purpose of the vehicles being placed in the drive through position is to be able to move as fast as possible in case of a fire emergency. The drive through design has direct access to the Hartsfield – Jackson Atlanta International Airport aircrafts apron system. Airport apron is the area in the airport where the planes are parked before departure or during maintenance. The new building where ARFF is at accommodates approximately fifteen firefighters (Snedeker, 2009). The building has training facilities, offices and conference rooms where several meetings happen. There are individual sleeping rooms for the firefighters who are on shift and locker rooms enough to accommodate the firefighters. There is a long sloping roof form that has a direct relation to the line-of-sight that is necessary between the control towers f or the taxiway. The airport has a Fire Training Research Centre (FTRC) that is used to train the staff and the firefighters. The staff acquire the much-needed technique to be able to deal with fire. The Hartsfield – Jackson Atlanta International Airport firefighters are trained because they must always be ready for blistering heat, blinding smoke, and blazing fires whenever they have to be on duty (FAA, 2015). Duty calls at any time, whether it is at night or during the day. There are challenges that the firefighters go through in their line of work. One of the challenges involves going through the fire and smoke to help people who are trapped. There are protective gears the staff members get to help protect against the fire flames and smoke. The firefighters have to go to the location in case one of the planes catches fire. The response time should be minimal to be able to save as much life as possible. The ARFF facility’s

British Versus American Cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Versus American Cultures - Essay Example Nicholas a few minutes early. She is welcomed by a secretary who informs her that Mr. Nicholas will be in a minute or two, but she had to wait for more that half an hour. This makes her so agitated and extremely restless. When she stands and brushes her cloth, it is a body gesture that implied that she was already impatient with being kept waiting for a long time (Scott, par10). While still on with the conversation, Mr. Nicholas tried to show courtesy to Mrs. Marybeth. He goes on to talk about the weather so as to build rapport with his guest. Mrs. Marybeth found this to be time wasting and dismisses him. This agitates Mr. Nichols but he does not show it to her; his facial expressions conveyed it all. Mrs. Marybeth was particularly shocked by the state of Mr. Nichols’ office. It was not sophisticated as hers in Los Angels. Mr. Nichols room was in a mess which is not so much common among the Americans to find in such an office. Across the different cultures, how the offices are arranged, conveys lot different things. The way books and furniture were arranged in Mr. Nichols’ office conveyed so much to the American lady which would have been a wrong perception of the situation (Scott, par 4). Mrs. Marybeth should have known about the living culture of the British who do not put so much concern on one’s appearance. Mr. Nicholas also dressed in a way, Mrs. Marybeth found not sophisticated (Scott, par 7). Unlike the Americans, the British have proved not to be a good time keepers. Had Mr. Nichol realized that his visitor was a timekeeper he would not have kept her waiting. Mrs. Marybeth should also have realized or learnt that by saying a minute or two, Mr. Nichols’ secretary was not so precise about the arrival time of her boss. Mr. Nichol and Mrs. Marybeth, should have learnt about the different culture for better communication. Mrs. Marybeth should also have leant that the British consider courtesy to be so valuable to their visitors. S he should not have dismissed Mr. Nichols way of conversing with her, but should have acknowledged it and moved on with the matter at hand. Considering the state of the office, and Mr. Nichols dressing, Mrs. Marybeth should have learned that, in the different cultures, different people do not consider outward appearance to be primary. Although Mr. Nichol dressed in a shoddy manner, he tried to convey himself in a sense of class and also sharp and intelligent. Had the cross culture leaning occurred; none of the business partners would have been offended. Thus, there is need to appreciate other peoples culture. How Technology is Stifling People’s Compassion There are different meanings of some verbal and non-verbal cues in the diverse cultures. A person can be able to decode these cues if he or she understands the culture of the person who is using it. He should also be able to understand that different cultures do decode the different cues to mean different meanings. According to Barnett para3, a person can take several minutes to trust a complete stranger only by using a face to face communication. We can be able to pay attention to inflection in another person’s speech, interpret the smallest change in facial expressions. This has been a norm in many peoples culture since the early times. Electronic evolutions in the society today, has made it to be harder to decode the expressions made by other people. The

CEO of General Electric Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CEO of General Electric Company - Essay Example As the discussion outlines, people in general impression of Reg Jones was additionally high, as he had been perceived the CEO of the decade and he was highly respected in numerous meetings. Welch must be dependent upon the errand of supplanting a man that a lot of people in the business considered a legend. An alternate real test Welch faced that cant be disregarded is the external environment when he assumed control as CEO. In the meantime he was accused of replacing his successful antecedent, Welch likewise needed to manage a U.S. monetary subsidence. Moreover, there was an expanding measure of competition from a worldwide rivalry that aggravated the issues being confronted by the lazy economy. It would be one thing if Welch was entering his new position under perfect monetary circumstances, yet he was consistently tested with the mission to keep on growing GE with numerous powers conflicting with him. A third element that made Welch's test so difficult related to the multifaceted nature of the association. Under Jones and his concentrate on developing the key arranging procedure, GE had bloomed into a huge association with upwards of nine levels of the progressive system. Welch was quoted saying that they used to go from the CEO to small groups and businesses but due to the multifaceted nature of the organization it became hard for them to continue with the reporting structure. It creates the impression that Jack Welch took care of the numerous difficulties he confronted viably. Obviously, as with best CEO’s, they have to make numerous and regularly difficult decisions. Welch hit the ground running when he was designated CEO and from the earliest starting point, he had an objective of extremely rebuilding the company and keeping in mind the end goal of attaining the desired change was looking for.

Discussion 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discussion 1 - Essay Example These are the components that make up the content of art piece. Therefore, content can then be defined as the significance of the art components in a visual rendering. Clear examples of these definitions can be seen in the Catalonia painting collection of Rebecca Crowell which clearly depicts the strong formation of the painting and the content that comes to the fore once the brain has had time to absorb the lines, drawings, and scratches that make up the content of her colorful art work. The relationship between the content and form of the painting is what our eyes see as art. These two components combine to create a thought process in our minds pertaining to the overall effect of the visual qualities as seen in the painting. The two cannot be separated because the form of the painting is what we see while the content is the meaning of what we see as interpreted by our minds. Although the message of a painting in terms of content and form are believed to be timeless, the interpretation of the viewer tends to change over the years. This can be attributed to the fact that people learn more about the background and influences of the artist and his state of mind at the time the painting was created, thus changing any interpretation or understanding that future generations may have about the art work. However the original interpretation shall always stand the test of time as the baseline interpretation of an artists work. Your definition pertaining to content and form is certainly succinct. It is a clear definition that can easily be understood by any lay reader. However, I beg to differ with you in terms of your view that whenever form changes, content changes as well. There have been other painters such as the Kleophon Painter who painted the same content in various forms throughout time. He painted many Red Figure Attic vases while sticking to specific genres. These themes included, Greek mythology, domestic themes, and paintings of warriors. Although he

Concepts Learned to a Real-life Simulation Experience Research Paper

Concepts Learned to a Real-life Simulation Experience - Research Paper Example Now, on the right hand side of the equation, ‘e’ is taken as the number of times the interest is compounded. Now if we substitute the values in the equation we can get the following results. National First    Prime Rate 3.25% Floor Rate 6.75% Number of times compounded Semiannually i 0.1 e 2 a 10.25% Regions Best    Prime Rate 13.17% Number of times compounded Monthly i 13.17% e 12 a 13.99% (ii) Thus it is apparent from the above calculation that the company should borrow from National First Bank as it is charging interest at a lesser Equivalent rate which is 10.25%. If we suppose that the company acquires loan amounting to $ 8 million, then following will be the annual interest charge that the company will have to record in its income statement Loan Amount Bank Rate on interest Interest Charge $ 8,000,000 National First 10.25% $ 820,000.00 $ 8,000,000 Regions Best 13.99% $ 1,119,200.00 Thus it is apparent from the above calculation that in case of National First Ban k, the company would have to pay lesser amount of interest as compared to that if the loan amount was obtained from Regions Best Bank. By adopting to obtain funds from National First, the company will save $299,200 on account of interest payments. (iii) Evaluating the proposal of Regions Best, the following formula is to be used (Figure a) The above mentioned formula is termed as the formula for ‘annuity’ in which â€Å"P† is the present value of the cumulative amount, â€Å"R† is the period payments, â€Å"I† is the period interest rate and â€Å"n† is the number of period for which the funds were borrowed. As per the terms decided with the Regions Best, the company will pay interest at 8.6% which shall be compounded monthly (that is why the ‘I’ in the formula of annuity has been divided by 12). Substituting the values we get P $ 6,950,000 i 8.60% n 5 years R $142,925 monthly Following is the loan schedule further explaining the computation Loan Schedule Months Opening Balance Annual Payments Interest Charged (8.6/12) Principal Paid Closing Balance 1 6,950,000 142,925 49,808 93,117 6,856,883 2 6,856,883 142,925 49,141 93,784 6,763,099 3 6,763,099 142,925 48,469 94,456 6,668,643 4 6,668,643 142,925 47,792 95,133 6,573,510 5 6,573,510 142,925 47,110 95,815 6,477,695 6 6,477,695 142,925 46,423 96,502 6,381,193 7 6,381,193 142,925 45,732 97,193 6,284,000 8 6,284,000 142,925 45,035 97,890 6,186,110 9 6,186,110 142,925 44,334 98,591 6,087,519 10 6,087,519 142,925 43,627 99,298 5,988,221 11 5,988,221 142,925 42,916 100,010 5,888,212 12 5,888,212 142,925 42,199 100,726 5,787,485 13 5,787,485 142,925 41,477 101,448 5,686,037 14 5,686,037 142,925 40,750 102,175 5,583,862 15 5,583,862 142,925 40,018 102,907 5,480,955 16 5,480,955 142,925 39,280 103,645 5,377,310 17 5,377,310 142,925 38,537 104,388 5,272,922 18 5,272,922 142,925 37,789 105,136 5,167,786 19 5,167,786 142,925 37,036 105,889 5,061,897 20 5,061,897 142,92 5 36,277 106,648 4,955,249 21 4,955,249 142,925 35,513 107,412 4,847,836 22 4,847,836 142,925 34,743 108,182 4,739,654 23 4,739,654 142,925 33,968 108,958 4,630,696 24 4,630,696 142,925 33,187 109,738 4,520,958 25 4,520,958 142,925 32,400 110,525 4,410,433 26 4,410,433 142,925 31,608 111,317 4,299,116 27 4,299,116 142,925 30,810 112,115 4,187,001 28 4,187,001 142,925 30,007 112,918

Tony Blair's government between 1997 and 2007 Essay

Tony Blair's government between 1997 and 2007 - Essay Example One successful feather in the cap of Tony Blair is the overthrow of the Saddam Hussein Iraqi military dictatorship. Tony blair was right in helping the United States go to war with Iraq. In fact, Tony Blair's decision to send British Troops into Iraq to topple, capture and try Saddam Hussein for his government's crimes against Kuwait, and murders of some Muslim sects that were against his style of government. Tony Blair, Mr. Bush of the United States and other other nations were right in attacking Iraq. Today, the arrogant Saddam Hussein is finally gone. Now, democracy is slowly but surely unfolding in the once military rule of an army general. Further, Tony Blair's government at this time is very successful because the strong relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom has kept the world in a peaceful state. James Naughtie aptly described Tony Blair as the United States watchdog. Tony Blair had gained the trust and confidence of the Bill Clinton as well the the younger President Bush'es administration. He is called the American watchdog, Alsatian, for Tony Blair warns the American leaders of possible dangers that will be knocking in the next few months or years on the doors of many free nations. Tony Blair does not think twice as he immediately orders his British forces to attack Saddam Hussein during the desert storm era where Kuwait was freed from the clutches of Saddam Hussein (Wheatcroft 2004). In fact, Tony Blair was instrumental in alerting the Clinton administration about the debacle on the United States that would arise if the United States did not take any forcible action in the Kosovo arena. Tony Blair also persuaded President Bush to aid in the war where the Serbs were involved. In addition, Tony Blair's speech to the Economic Club in Chicago, United States in 1999 had emphasised the importance for the United States' use of preemptie strikes if the first step of using diplomatic means to end the Taliban war in Afghanistan and the Balkans failed. In response, President Bush saw Tony Blair as a positive force and a real friend in time of need. President Bush even saw Tony Blair as the prophets who forecasted that doom brougth about by the September 11 airplane attacks in New York and the Pentagon (Thomas 2005). Further, Tony Blair's success during the elections in 1997 until 2007 was because his labour party's battle cry was "The socialist tradition upholds ethical values such as equality, social justice, fellowship, and community. Its adherents typically believe in reciprocal altruism as a condition for the highest possible moral development of all. The proper goal of political action is a moral community in which all citizens attain freedom through cooperation"(Bevir, and O'Brien 2001, 535). Tony Blair's Labour party's success was because his party believed that the socialist tradition that upholds ethical values such as social justice, equality, community and fellowship is what makes the British life more enjoyable. Tony Blair's party believes that political action is a moral community where all the United Kingdom citizens will achieve their true freedom with a secret ingredient. That secret ingredient is cooperation among all sectors of the British society. Tony Blair

Anne Tyler's Digging to America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anne Tyler's Digging to America - Essay Example Although the novel's perspective shifts among its many characters, Sami's mother Maryam is at its narrative and emotional heart, who carefully tries to preserve her 'outsiderness'' and despite having emigrated from Iran almost 40 years earlier, is frequently perplexed by her son and daughter-in-law's ongoing relationship with the loud, opinionated, unapologetically American Donaldson. Anne Tyler uses the story of the families' growing friendship to explore what it means to be American . Two families keep in touch and meet every year to celebrate the day when they adopted two little girls from Korea. The Donaldsons and Yazdans have very different approaches to non-biological parenthood - Brad and Bitsy, "whose cultural sensitivity verges on aggression" (Schillinger, 2006), insist on calling their daughter Jin-ho, a Korean birth name, and dress her in Korean clothes while trying to retain the ethnic heritages of her daughter. Ziba and Sami Yazdan, in contrast, do their best to Americanize their daughter - the original name Sooki is replaced by more American Susan, which is also "a comfortable sound for Iranians to pronounce" (Matthews, 2006) and the way of life does not seem to be Korean for a girl. Despite the opposite brining up approaches the families maintain their relationship, and the reason is no

MBA sem 1 Essay Example for Free

MBA sem 1 Essay Parts of vision statement 1. The core values are those things very close to your heart that you will not give up at any cost. It can be integrity (for example, I will never cheat on the taxes I have to pay) or quality (I will never use a lower quality wood), etc. Usually we say that you should have only 4 to 6 core values. Of course, personal values and business values may differ. For example, love may be a very important personal value but it may not be so relevant in your business of furniture though it can be relevant if you were having a home for the aged. 2. Core purpose is the purpose of the organization, for example, to make furniture. This is something that you want to achieve within the framework of our core values. It gives the achievement orientation to the business and therefore the focus. When we get an opportunity to expand or sell off and if we are in a decision dilemma, this acts as another light house. we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees thats proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on [emailprotected] web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in (b) Differentiate between ‘process’ and ‘tasks’ (Parts of vision statement, Difference between process and tasks) Answer: Processes Process is a set of logical activities that lead to some final or interim output. For example, taking pieces of wood, making it smooth, cutting it, making grooves, connecting them, finishing them, and polishing them are processes to create a table. These have to be done in some logical sequence. This is what a process is. Let us now look at we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees thats proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on [emailprotected] web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q2. Planning is called as the cornerstone of management. Define planning and describe the importance of planning. Explain the types of planning. (Definition of planning, Importance of planning, Types of planning) 2,3,5 Answer: Definition and Importance of Planning Planning can be defined as a basic management function which enables one to select the purpose of the business, and how the resources should be mustered to achieve that purpose to include using the available resources optimally to do that. Planning implies goal setting for the organization keeping in mind the constraints, opportunities, and threats as much as what the person or business which is planning wants to do. Thus, a plan is a blueprint for goal achievement, a blue print that specifies the necessary resource allocations, schedules, tasks, and other actions to achieve the purpose. A goal is a desired future state that the organization attempts to reach. Goals are important because an organization exists for a purpose, and goals define and state that purpose. Goals specify future ends; plans we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees thats proof we are not fake. and we hav e different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on [emailprotected] web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q3. What is meant by ‘span of control’? Differentiate between narrow span of control and wide span of control. What are the factors that influence the span of control? (Meaning of ‘span of control’ ,Difference between narrow span of control and wide span of control, Factors that influence the span of control) 2,3,5 Answer: Span of control The number of subordinates that a manager or supervisor can directly control. This number varies with the type of work: complex, variable work reduces it to six, whereas routine, fixed work increases it to twenty or more. we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees thats proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or mail us on [emailprotected] web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q4 Define Organizational behavior. What are the various approaches to Organizational behavior? (Definition of OB, Approaches to OB) 2, 8 Answer: Definition of OB: OB can be defined as a systematic study that investigates the impact of individuals, groups and organizational factors on productivity to include effectiveness and efficiency, absentee, turnover, organizational citizenship behavior and job satisfaction. ? By systematic study we mean looking at relationships and attempting to attribute causes and effects, and drawing conclusions based on scientific evidence. ? By productivity we mean a performance measure that includes both effectiveness (achievement of goals) and efficiency (ratio on output versus input required to achieve it). ? By absenteeism we mean failure to report to work especially without informing. ? we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees thats proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or ? mail us on [emailprotected] ? web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in ? www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in a whole is to function effectively. Q5. Perception is the way we see and interpret things. Explain the importance of such ‘perception’. What are the factors affecting perception? (Importance of perception, Factors affecting perception) 4,6 Answer: Importance of perception Perception is perhaps the most important aspect of OB that we use in our daily life and in management. The importance of perception is: ? While creating vision for an organization, our perception of the future and the way things should be is a deciding factor. ? While making strategy, out perception of the opportunities and threats make us see the same situation differently. ? Perception gives the impetus to seek more information to make more rational decisions e.g., the perception of Rakhi on the situation of the bakery in trouble, made her travel and talk to the employees to gain more information. If she had perceived what the manager did was right or that it is too small a thing to intervene, she would not have made the effort to find out more information. ? we can provide u Fall 2013 fully solved assignment in rs 500/sem . you can make 5 installment of 100-100 rupees thats proof we are not fake. and we have different set of assignment for many student so. smu mba assignment Fall/summer season 2013 sem (I , II , III , IV) in only 500/ sem ( 6 sub) or 100/ question paper. we provide unique assignment. our assignment provide you good marks. call us 08273413412 , 08791490301 or ? mail us on [emailprotected] ? web- www.aapkiseva.blogspot.in ? www.assignmenthelpforall.blogspot.in Q6. Give the definition and importance of ‘motivation’. Describe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. (Definition of motivation, Importance of motivation, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory) 2,3,5 Answer: Definition and Importance of Motivation Motivation is â€Å"the process that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal.† (Robbins, 2003) Intensity is concerned with how hard a person tries. This is the element most of us focus on when we talk about motivation. Directionis the orientation that benefits the organization. And persistence is a measure of how long a person can maintain his/her effort. Motivated individuals stay with a task long enough to achieve their goal. Motivation is important to an individual because: ? Motivation helps to achieve personal goals. ? Motivation gives job satisfaction. ? Motivation helps in self-development of individual. ? An individual would always gain by working with a dynamic team. Collins, James C. and Jerry I. Porras. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. First Paperback Edition. New York: Harper-Collins, 1997. 219-239.

Values and ethics

Values and ethics Values and Ethics The Value base of Social Work and the Development of my own Values This essay will firstly discuss what values are and the value base of Social Work. It will then proceed to analyse the origin and evolution of my own values. Followed by reflection on them and how they relate to the value base of social work. I will summarise by identifying areas of my personal values that I think require further development. It makes sense to start off by exploring what is meant by the word ‘value. It is a somewhat vague term, most people would claim to have values but struggle to elaborate when asked what their values are. Banks makes a good analysis, ‘ ‘values is often used to refer to one or all of religious, moral, political or ideological principles, beliefs or attitudes. (cited in Thompson 2005, p108) Values can vary greatly from one culture to another, from family to family and differ between each individual. Values and what they mean to each person in my opinion are unique for everyone. As Thompson suggests ‘†¦.a value is something we hold dear, something we see as important and worthy of safeguarding. (2005, p109) The British Association of Social Workers, (BASW), promote a Code of Ethics, that they expect each and every social worker to adhere to. The key principles of these are human dignity and worth, social justice, service to humanity, integrity and competence (1999). Each of these principles contains core values that are imperative for good social work practice. Examples of such values are ‘Respect for human dignity and for individual and cultural diversity, ‘Value for every human being, their beliefs, goals, preferences and needs, also ‘Respect for human rights and self-determination. When I first read the code of ethics, at the very beginning of studying social work, it appeared very simple. I asked myself â€Å"Surely it cant be complicated to follow these basic values?†. Nevertheless, through the teaching Ive had so far and the questions it has raised, I realise that social workers must keep a constant check on themselves, reflecting regularly so as their ser vice users receive a consistent quality of service. Biestek (1961 cited in Dominelli 2004) put together seven points that he felt formed the traditional social work values. These are, Individualisation of the client, treating each service user as an individual. Purposeful expression of feelings, allowing service users to talk about and express the feeling they have. Controlled emotional environment, obtaining the right balance of emotions. Unconditional acceptance, accepting that person for who they are. Non-judgemental attitude, not judging a person on the way they choose to live their life or the decisions they have made. Client self-determination, similar to empowerment, playing a part in helping a service user realise their goals. Lastly, Confidentiality, respecting that everything discussed with a client is personal to them and they may not want others to know their private business. Although Biestek defined these values as important nearly fifty years ago, they still remain significant and can be applied to social work today. With this is in mind a common traditional value to explore would be respect. This is a value held by many different cultures and religions, mostly seen as respect towards elders and also towards people in authority. In the General Social Care Councils Codes of practice, respect is referred to throughout, one instance being ‘Respecting and maintaining the dignity and privacy of service users (2002). This value although stemming from good intentions is open to exploitation, for instance when the older individual or person in authority abuses the power that respect gives them. It is widely agreed that one should have unquestionable respect for anyone older than them or toward a person in a position of authority, whether that respect is deserved is often not open for discussion. So how do values apply to social work? Values are something people make use of in their lives everyday, probably without even realising so. However values also form a significant part of social work practice, as Trevithick points out, ‘Social work is not unique in its values perspective, but other professions may not have given this issue the same importance†¦ (2005, p4). For instance, if a social worker cannot empathise with a service user it is going to be very difficult to understand how best to assist that person. As Thompson suggests ‘(empathy)†¦is a very skilful activity, as it involves having a degree of control over our own feelings while remaining open and sensitive to the other persons feelings. (2005, p119). This is an area of my values I can detect require improvement. I will need to ensure I achieve the appropriate balance of caring without becoming so emotionally involved that I find myself in a position where I am unable to support the individual. My own values stem from my upbringing. We hold very strong family values, encouraging each other completely in whatever we are undertaking. If a member of the family has a decision to make, we will share our views and opinions, but ultimately always support and respect the final choice made. I benefited from this support immensely when I became a mother at just eighteen years old, I received an incredible amount of assistance and encouragement from my family. I am in no doubt this made a huge difference to how confident I was as a mother. However, I was unable understand my partners family values. Within their family they lead much more separate, independent lives. At eighteen I couldnt fathom this way of thinking, I thought, naively, that all families shared my familys values. My Mother-in-law expressed her disappointment that her son was becoming a young father. I perceived this as a rejection. I deliberated for a long time as to why we didnt share the same outlook, identifying it as a disapproval of her sons choice of partner. After many years, and several heated confrontations, I came to realise that it wasnt a personal attack against me. It is simply that my in-laws hold different family values to myself and I can now appreciate and understand this. It was growing more mature that enabled me to distinguish that other peoples values are different to my own. It was not my place to judge my mother-in-law and I can now recognise my over-sensitivity. I believe this was all part of a process that inspired me to form a non-judgemental attitude. I accept others for who they are and do not judge them on how they choose to live their life and the decisions they make. This is a quality that, I hope, will contribute positively towards my social work career. Another value I was raised with is respect; I mentioned this nearer the beginning of my essay and feel that it is an area of my values that has developed. As a child I was expected to show total courtesy to all adults, it was inconceivable that I could question an adult. Although secure that I was completely loved, I was a child and couldnt possibly argue with an elder. An adult would certainly not say sorry to a child, fundamentally this was not a reciprocal value. One occasion I can recall is my mother thinking I had stolen a cake from the kitchen cupboard, my brother had in fact taken it. Even though she was made aware of the truth, I was never apologised to. The concept was that adults, and more so parents, were never wrong. I like to think that now, as an adult myself, I still strongly hold this value of respect and encourage my children to show regard and consideration toward others. Although, for me personally, the value has evolved. I foster the belief that respect should be shown toward all persons, young and old. I aim to show equal respect to children and adults alike and I feel with my own children that, if I have made a mistake in any way, I should always apologise to them. It is vital when interacting with a service user I am aware of the values I hold, as Dominelli points out, ‘†¦. the social and knowledge contexts within which values are embedded impact upon their use,†¦. (2004, p65). For example, I am against abortion once the pregnancy has gone past the twelve week stage, but I am fully aware that if a service user was in this situation, it would be totally unprofessional for me to allow the client become aware of my personal opinion. It is certainly not my position to impact upon any decision the service user may make. I am also attentive to the fact that there are other areas of my personal values that require further development. One aspect that I am conscious I will need to work on is showing respect to persons that have committed certain offences, for example, a paedophile that has molested or murdered children. Having young children myself I find this sensitive issue quite upsetting. Still, I am aware that even though an individual has chosen to carry out this act it doesnt mean that they are not entitled to services. It would be my job to offer that person the services they hold a right to receive and, as before with my views on abortion, I must exercise the non-judgemental area of my values to effectively provide this. To conclude this essay I believe that I am able to recognise the values that I possess and I aspire to remain attentive to these and the areas that require further strengthening. I also feel the values I hold relate to social work practice and I hope they will contribute toward my career, in a positive manner, for many years to come.

Horse Dealer Daughter mythology :: essays research papers fc

Cosmological Life Cycles In â€Å"The Horse-Dealer’s Daughter†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cosmological myths serve the purpose of explaining existence, particularly to less scientifically advanced cultures. These myths, or stories, were created as a way of dealing with the questions regarding the universe which could not be answered concretely. Cosmic myths include creation myths, flood myths, apocalyptic myths, and afterlife myths. Examples of all of these aspects of the cosmological life cycle are present in D.H. Lawrence’s â€Å"The Horse-Dealer’s Daughter†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creation myths, cosmogonies, explain the beginnings of the universe. The book of Genesis, the Hebrew story of creation, tells of a supreme being who brings light unto the darkness, moves the waters from the land, and gives life (Leeming, 24-25). Mabel, the main character in â€Å"The Odor of Chrysanthemums†, finally begins to live her own life after being rescued from dark, murky water by a man who can give her everything she needs (Lawrence, 9-10).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Flood myths help to explain events which cannot be controlled, such as natural disasters. The Hebrew flood myth tells of a man named Noah, who is selected, along with his family, to survive an epic flood. The flood must occur to cleanse the world of its impurities (Leeming, 47-53). The â€Å"flood† in Mabel’s own life involves the many things she loses: her mother, her family’s money, her idea of the future. However, these losses allow her to become a stronger person, to move away from merely being a daughter or a sister and become Mabel (Lawrence, 1-15).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Apocalyptic myths tell of the end of the world. The Norse myth â€Å"Ragnarok† ends with the Gods dying, and new gods stepping in to take their places (85-88). In â€Å"The Horse-Trader’s Daughter†, Mabel loses her mother, her creator. The doctor who saves her from drowning then takes on the important role of having given her renewed life, filling that void for Mabel (Lawrence, 1-15).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Afterlife myths explain what becomes of the soul after the body dies, as humans have a problem accepting the possibility that the soul becomes nothing.

Hamlet :: essays research papers

Something was definitely rotten in the state of Denmark! The king was dead of a terrible murder, a betrayal from his own brother, and young Hamlet was enraged with a sense of needing to seek revenge, which came with his father’s passing. You might think that this sort of revenge would come in the form of a crime of passion; something that would be quick and bloody. This was not the case in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, as the young prince unexpectedly drew out his plans for revenge over a large amount of time due to his own weakness of numbness. Hamlet was full of big ideas and intentions, but he failed to act and to carry out the deed of revenging the death of his father by killing Claudius. Hamlet had his reasons for not acting. I think that partly he wanted it to be unexpected. Hamlet was definitely a smart guy, and throughout the play it seemed as though everything was premeditated. He did nothing on a whim. I think this was another reason for Hamlet prolonging a quick revenge on Claudius. Nearly all of Hamlet’s actions, with the exception of his outburst at Ophelia’s grave, were preplanned. Although Hamlet was never quick to action, he was always thinking aloud and giving those long speeches. He probably thought too much for his own good at times. He wrestled with many ideas, thoughts, and feelings over the course of the play, delaying any real action until the time was right. Hamlet was a perfectionist in revenge. He wanted everything to be perfect, and this caused him to take unusual steps to gain his revenge on Claudius. Hamlet’s play within a play caught the conscience of the king. Hamlet did not only want to kill his father’s murderer; he wanted to send him to an eternal punishment of damnation. This caused Hamlet to move slowly and carefully in his revenge. Hamlet’s delay of vengeance was necessary in order for his ideal revenge to come about. Unfortunately Hamlet’s ideal plans never came to be. Hamlet’s choice to remain idle didn’t cause, but certainly helped bring a downfall to himself. Had Hamlet remained inactive, he certainly would have been able to complete his plans for revenge on Claudius. When Hamlet revealed himself at Ophelia’s tomb, he lost his element of surprise on the king, and causing most of his plans to come apart at the seams.

Why Do People Smoke? :: essays research papers

Do you smoke? This is one of the most popular questions today. It seems that with all of the health risks, cancers and breathing problems that it is hard to understand why one would smoke. There is no universal answer to this question. People smoke because of the way cigarettes are advertised and where they are shown. People also smoke because they believe smoking will make them act, look, relax, feel different or to fit in. There are many reasons why people start to smoke, but is it worth it to start? Cigarette smoking causes a variety of life-threatening diseases, including lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. An estimated 430,000 deaths each year are directly caused by cigarette smoking. Smoking is responsible for changes in all parts of the body, including the digestive system. This fact can have serious consequences because it is the digestive system that converts foods into the nutrients the body needs to live. Smoking has been shown to have harmful effects on all parts of the digestive system, contributing to such common disorders as heartburn and peptic ulcers. It also increases the risk of Crohn's disease and possibly gallstones. Smoking seems to affect the liver, too, by changing the way it handles drugs and alcohol. In fact, there seems to be enough evidence to stop smoking solely on the basis of digestive distress. Smoking one cigarette immediately raises a person's blood pressure and heart rate and decreases the blood flow to body extremities such as the fingers and toes. Brain and the nervous system activity is stimulated for a short time and then reduced. A smoker may also experience dizziness, nausea, watery eyes and acid in the stomach. Appetite, taste and smell are weakened. Smokers typically experience shortness of breath, persistent coughs, reduced fitness, yellow stains on fingers and teeth and decreased sense of taste and smell. Smokers have more colds and flu than non-smokers and find it harder to recover from minor illnesses. Smoking can cause impotence in men, while women who smoke are less fertile than non-smokers.

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker Essay

In the short story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, she introduces a rural black family who struggle with the meaning of heritage. To Mama, the narrator, and Maggie, the youngest daughter, heritage is whom they are, where they come from, and the everyday use of the things around them. Dee, the oldest daughter, has rejected her heritage from the beginning. She wants the better things in life and goes off to college to find them. On her return, she seems to have a newfound sense of heritage. Through a confrontation about family quilts, Mama realizes that Dee’s view of heritage is that of artistic and aesthetic value: not the everyday use of the objects that hold significant meaning in Mama and Maggie’s lives. Walker portrays one meaning of heritage in her descriptions of Mama and Maggie. Mama says she is a big boned woman with man-working hands. She wears flannel nightgowns, overalls, and has â€Å"fat to keep me [Mama] warm in zero weather† (Walker 655). She can also kill and clean a hog as well as any man. Mama is even proud of the fact that she sweeps the dirt yard so clean that is like an â€Å"extended living room† (654). Likewise, Maggie is not a beautiful girl. She has burn scars on her arm and legs and does everything she can to hide them. She is uneducated, as is Mama, and shuffles her feet like a â€Å"lame animal† (655). Maggie is affected greatly as the first house burns to the ground. Mama states â€Å"her [Maggie] eyes seemed stretched open, blazed open by the flames†Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (655). Maggie understands the connection to her heritage is burning with the house. Maggie knows how to quilt because Grandma Dee and Big Dee taught her, as they have taught Mama. Through these descriptions, Walker gives a sense of poverty, but also shows that the lessons taught to Mama and Maggie by their ancestors are what keep them alive. They can feed themselves, cloth themselves, and are self-sufficient, even if they do not have money. Mama and Maggie are proud of where they come from and the fact that they are keeping the traditions alive through their everyday lives. Dee, on the other hand, has rejected her heritage from the beginning. Dee always wants nice things, remarks Mama. She wants black shoe for a green outfit and a yellow dress to wear to her graduation: even though these  things are hard for the family to come by. When the first house burns to the ground, Dee just stands by the tree with a look of â€Å"concentration on her face† (655). Dee feels no connection to the house as part of her heritage and is glad to watch it burn. Dee also rejects her heritage by rejecting who her mother is. Mama explains that Dee wants a mother who is a hundred pounds lighter and glamorous. Dee does not appreciate the knowledge of her past that is living within and through her mother. At the first chance Dee gets, she runs off to college to distance her self from her family and the poor life she is leading. Ironically, the money to send Dee to college is raised through one of the oldest traditions, her mother’s church. Dee does not realize the significance of this act as part of her heritage, nor does she care. Dee has finally accomplished her goal, getting away from the family and the traditions she despises. Upon Dee’s return home, she seems to have a newfound sense of heritage. She takes pictures of Mama, Maggie, the house, and a cow that wanders by. The house that she despises has now become a focal point to her. At dinner, Dee is excited about the food Mama prepares and Mama comments, â€Å"everything delights her† (658). Dee is intensely interested in the benches her father has built and the origins of an old dasher and turn top. It is Maggie who tells Dee the origins of the items by commenting the â€Å"Aunt Dee’s first husband whittled the dash†¦they called him Stash† (658). Dee now seems to embrace the heritage she so quickly distances herself from in the beginning. She gives a sense of appreciation for the things she once found to be vile and an appreciation for her mother and sister. Even though Dee is interested in her heritage, Mama realizes that Dee is still distancing herself from the family and the true meaning of her heritage. When Dee first returns home, she informs Mama and Maggie that she has changed her name to Wangero because she could not stand â€Å"being named after the people who oppress   her (657). Mama informs her that the name Dee can be traced back through the family tree to the Civil war and even before that. Dee dismisses this explanation. Through the changing of her name, Dee feels that she has connected with her African roots. However, she is truly disconnecting herself from the roots of her family. Dee’s interest in Mama’s  everyday items of the dasher and turn top is purely atheistic. She tells Mama she will do artistic things with the item. All Dee can see in the items is the value they hold as art objects. The final confrontation occurs when Dee goes to the foot of Mama’s bed and takes family quilts from the trunk. Mama tells Dee she has promised the quilts to Maggie and Dee flies into a rage. She tells Mama that Maggie does not understand the value of the quilts and that Maggie would be â€Å"backward† enough to put them to everyday use (659). Mama tells Dee she hopes Maggie will use the quilts because that is what they were made for. When Mama asks Dee what will she do with the quilts, Dee responds that she will hang them on the wall. By hanging the quilts on the wall, Dee is further distancing herself from her heritage: turning it into a piece of artwork. Mama has a revelation as Maggie walks into the room. She tells Mama Dee can have the quilts because she â€Å"can â€Å"ËÅ"member Grandma Dee without the quilts† (659). Mama realizes that Maggie is the one that has a real meaning of their heritage. Maggie knows how to quilt because her ancestors taught her. Maggie knows the stories behind all of the things in the house that she and Mama put to everyday use. Maggie is the one that understand that heritage is the knowledge and memories that are inside her, not tangible objects. Mama rips the quilts from â€Å"Miss Wangero’s† hands and places them in Maggie’s lap (659). At this, Dee venomously tells her mother and Maggie that they do not understand their heritage. The irony is that it is Dee that does not understand her heritage. As she leaves, Dee places a large pair of sunglasses on her face that hide everything â€Å"above the tip of her nose and her chin† (660). Dee is once again hiding who she truly is behind a false faÃÆ' §ade that she has created: a creation that springs from the rejecting and perverting of her true heritage. Through Mama, Maggie, and Dee, Alice Walker gives a true definition of the word heritage. Heritage is what is inside Mama and Maggie, the memories and the skills they have inherited from their kindred. True heritage comes from the everyday use of the memories and skills that are passed down from generation to generation. Dee personifies what heritage is not. Heritage is not hung on a wall, admired for its beauty, and then forgotten. Heritage is  a living entity to be built upon by future generations. Mama realizes this in the end and sees that Maggie is the future of their heritage.

Ben & Jerry’s Case

Started almost 20 years earlier, Ben & Jerry’s had plenty of great opportunities to expand the business by entering into foreign markets. However, their attempts of expansion cannot really be considered successful (note: the case describes the period 1978-1997). In the following paragraphs, I will evaluate their international market entry strategies, based on the ’International Market Entry Evaluation Process’ described by J. K. Johansson in his book Global Marketing – Foreign Entry, Local Marketing, and Global Management written in 2000.According to the process, the five steps of evaluation are Country Identification, Preliminary Screening, In-Depth Screening, Final Selection and Direct Experience. Before its idea of entry into Japan, Ben & Jerry’s attempted to expand their business in six different countries on three continents, none of which was approached in a systematical way eg. based on the above-mentioned process. Had the company followed a well-thought-out plan, it probably would have realized more success than it actually did.The first country Ben & Jerry’s tried to set foot in was Canada, which comes by no surprise as the Country Identification step assumes foreign partners to be chosen based on geographical closeness. The strategy was not successful as the company finally had to repurchase its licensing agreement because of high taxes and low quotas. The next country of attempt was Israel, which I consider an opportunistic approach since the license was given based on friendship and not real evaluation.The country held good opportunities though with the product being sold in supermarkets and restaurants, but the partnership did not result in high income according to the terms and conditions of the contract. The first joint venture in Russia did not prove to be a lucrative business either, and the four years spent in the country ended on disadvantageous terms. It could be considered as a free give-away of tec hnologies, equity and equipment. The last three foreign markets approached were the United Kingdom, France and the Benelux States.In none of these cases was any of the steps of the International Market Entry Evaluation Process followed which resulted in very opportunistic approaches without consensus, a well-designed plan or a valuable strategy. I do not consider the first six foreign entries to be successful at all, however, some of the countries held good potentials but lack of experience and knowledge made Ben & Jerry’s not successful. The company has a great chance to increase its sales, market share, profits and income by entering into the Japanese market.Probably having learnt from its previous experiences, the approach of the Japanese market has been more systematic than the previous one. It has actually been quite consistent with the steps of the International Market Entry Evaluation Process, they have even reached the stage of the last step, as it turns out at the be ginning of the case – they made a trip to Japan to get first-hand experience before making a decision. The Japanese market has correctly been evaluated to have a large market and an existing demand for super premium ice-cream, which makes it a prospective opening.At the same time, the company has recently been experiencing declining market share on the domestic markets, worsened by decreasing growth rates. The combination of these factors result in finding the idea of entrance appealing, however, the complicated process of entering into the market must be taken into consideration too. In my opinion, it is time Ben & Jerry’s did the necessary steps to expand their business. The company has seen different ways to approach Japanese consumers, however, the two best ones has been to enter with Seven-Eleven or through Mr.Yamada. These represent two totally different strategies and both have their advantages as well as disadvantages. Entering with Seven-Eleven has the advanta ge of providing high sales and also a lot of experience in effective involvement of professionals. Making them partners would also mean a quick access to the Japanese market. On the other hand, they have expressed a complicated way of logistics and inventory management, and they would also presume a very dominant position in their partnership. Making Mr.Yamada their partner seems to be a much easier way to approach Japanese consumers. Mr. Yamada does not have complex and specific requirements as Seven-Eleven but he still has the extensive knowledge of the market, however, what he does not have is a proven business plan to start the business. Although it may seem to be easier to choose the strategy that involves less complications, Ben & Jerry’s has reached the stage where they ought to make responsible long-term decisions rather than focusing on short-term convenience.Seven-Eleven has a lot of requests to be followed, it only proves that they have experience and market knowle dge and they know what type of products there will be sufficient demand for. In my opinion, the company should choose Seven-Eleven to form a partnership with, based on the information provided by the case. The chance to succeed in the Japanese market would be higher this way. Bibliography Johansson, J. K. Global Marketing – Foreign Entry, Local Marketing, and Global Management, Johansson, 2000.