Personal Narrative My Best Friend - 821 Words

It was Tuesday, July 18th. I was a nervous wreck. In desperate need of clothes to wear to impress... her. I begged my best friend Todd to join me at Woodfeild mall. He gave in and we went. Todd and I shopped for hours. Nothing looked good enough for...her. We were running out of time. I made-do with four short sleeve shirts from Champs and two pairs of sweatpants shorts from hm. The total came out seventy dollars. We walked out and got into Todds car. I was shaking the entire ride home. Will she like it? Am I going to look fat? What about my acne? What if she doesn’t end up liking me? Nothing else crossed my mind as we pulled up to my house and I was dropped off. There was around an hour and a half until I had to leave. I walked inside†¦show more content†¦I parked my car on the side of the road and sat aimlessly in my car. I sent Hailey the â€Å"here† text and waited. She was in there. Morgan Tenaglio was actually in there. A girl of her status and beauty ha d never given me any sort of consideration. â€Å"I wont mess this up†, I told myself. Hailey presented herself at the front door and I got out of my car and walked towards her. We exchanged hellos and she asked me, â€Å"are you ready to see Morgan?†. I swallowed my breath and murmured â€Å"yes I am†. She escorted me to her basement door as I said hello to her mother. Hailey opened the door and step by step, started walking down. I followed close behind. As I walked down I heard the voices of Jake, Leila, and Stevie... But no Morgan. I turned and walked past the wall to my right. My eyes were closed and ready to see her. Everyone said Hi to me as I opened my eyes and gaged the room. Morgan was nowhere in sight. I was confused and discombobulated as leila shouted, â€Å"haha jokes on you. Morgan isn’t even here†. Following this, I heard a faint muffled voice come from under a stack of blankets in the corner of the couch that laid rest in Haileyâ⠂¬â„¢s basement. All the sudden the blankets started to move and out of nowhere, she popped up. I froze...Speechless....caught off guard. She was beautiful. The most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her angelic eyes, a greenish brown that could put a man to sleep. Her straight brunette hair looked as gorgeous and smooth as a photoshopped models out of aShow MoreRelatedPersonal Narrative : My Best Friend1210 Words   |  5 PagesSunday, my friends and I were eating a meal of thick stew and crusty bread and drinking a pitcher of hot, spiced, and very watered-down wine. We’d chosen my room because it was the biggest and therefore had the most space for practicing weaponry, our afternoon plan. My friends ate and made small talk. We saw each other most days so sometimes it seemed like we ran out of real things to talk about. I was somewhat lost in my thoughts, about us and about our futures. Koilin was my best friend. He wasRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Best Friend1052 Words   |  5 PagesI Threw my books on the bed and approached the jacket slowly, as if it were Andrew Garfield who would become my best friend. I couldn t look away, I wanted to scream. The jacket would be my new best friend. The leather black and silver studs, the belts, and best of all being popular. This jacket is no ordinary jacket, this is my jacket. I heard steps coming up stairs, my mom stopped by and asked if I like it. I yelled yes with excitement and joy. She left, I stared at the jacket like whenRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Best Friend1080 Words   |  5 Pageswent downstairs to get my older brother so we could finish the vlog, but Caleb laid on the couch unresponsive. As I called his name while walking down the stairs, I realized something was wrong. â€Å"Caleb† I yelled tears pouring out of my eyes as I found him, not breathing. He was dead. My best friend, my brother, the only person who made me really happy, was gone forever. I couldn t imagine what I was going to do without him. I loved him more than anyone in my life he was my hero. It s octoberRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Best Friend757 Words   |  4 PagesI’m Wendy. And no, I look nothing like the perfect happy smiling girl that you all associate with the restaurant. I am 5’6’’ and 13 years old. I have wavy, short, caramel hair and brown eyes, with a light spattering of freckles. My favorite colors are blue and gray, but yellow is such a pretty sunny color... it just doesn t look good on me. I go to North-West Independence Middle School. In case you were wondering, that is in middle of nowhere Nebraska. It is like a scene from an old movie, no colorRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Best Friend940 Words   |  4 Pages Looking back, I remind myself that friends are temporary, but memories are forever. This was going to be our last night together, Cesli and I. Cesli Crum was my best friend that I met in third grade. That year came and went, and though in fourth grade Cesli was held back, we still vowed to always be best friends. Then, that winter of two thousand fourteen, her family decided to move away. I felt devastated, so my mom agreed to have Cesli over one evening right before she left. Thus that is whatRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Best Friend1369 Words   |  6 Pagesreason my palms were sweaty and I had butterflies doing loopty-loops in my stomach. I was on my way to visit Julia, one of my best friends at the time. The whole way there, in bumper to bumper traffic, I reflected on all of my memories with her, including playing on a fallen, rotten tree and pretending that it was milk chocolate shop. As little girls, we would dress up in glittery, razzled costumes and sing our hearts out, which continued well into our teen years when she drove me to school my freshmanRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Best Friend1034 Words   |  5 Pagesbeen my best friend since I was deported to this horrid tent city. My spouse and daughter died in the floods of Grimsdon. Every thought of them, cripples me with grief instantly, my heart and soul ached for my precious daughter and partner bring me to tears. Thankfully, I met . Ella, who, whilst she could never replace my biological Family, I feel she is now like a much-loved sister to me. She is the only light when there is so much darkness, surrounding us. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eyeRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Best Friend1033 Words   |  5 Pageshim cuddling into his side shaking from the cold. We d been outside for over an hour, in barely any clothes. My face edged with tear streaks and bags under my eyes. I had mascara smudged across my right cheek and my makeup was running. At one point, I turned over and glanced up at him. I studied his face and thought to myself. This was my best friend. We used to hang out after school at my house and watch movies until late. How had things changed so suddenly? I thought of all the good mom ents we dRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Best Friend1327 Words   |  6 Pagesabout it.   She was my absolute best friend and I could not imagine living 1,300 miles away.    Growing up, we were resentful of each other.   We used words and actions to get our point across.   Not only did we slap each other, but also kicked and punched.   I cried even if it didn’t hurt, that was me being a baby.   My dad would scoop me in his arms and at the same time, discipline my sister.   It was satisfying if you had asked my 8 year old self.    Later on, Madison turned into my soul mate, as I beganRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Best Friend1192 Words   |  5 PagesWe have been best friends since elementary school and gone through a lot together, but we backed each other when it meant the most. While I waited for my flight at Regan International, I called Elizabeth and invited her to my place for a late dinner. I missed her and looked forward to spend time with her. *** As 8 o’clock grew near, my excitement to spend a girl s-night-in with Liz increased. So much has developed since we last chat. Therefore, when I heard the knock on my front door, I

Accounting Information System 5 Free Essays

string(195) " its complexity mixture of people, plant, materials, locations, technology, knowledge of the law as well as the design and valuation of work done, which are much subjectivity \(Capon, 1990: 1\)\." American Journal of Scientific Research ISSN 1450-223X Issue 4 (2009), pp36-44  © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2009 http://www. eurojournals. We will write a custom essay sample on Accounting Information System 5 or any similar topic only for you Order Now com/ajsr. htm Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management Universiti Putra Malaysia Abstract This study seeks to examine the use of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) by ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. , and it’s contribution to the knowledge management and strategic role of the organisation. ZBMS is a company that registered in Kuala Lumpur and operate in construction industry. The company used automated AIS known as ‘Contract Plus – Financial Project Accounting’ package commercially developed by a private company (ZYXW). Wide variety of people that involve in the company’s operation within and outside the organisation uses accounting information generated by this system for decisionmaking. Based on input provided by operational level managers, the Contract Plus software produces monthly projects’ income statements, balance sheets and statement of changes in financial position for the strategic and tactical managers to plan, control and make decision on the resources allocation. The role-played by AIS enhanced the organisations’ accounting functions, and add information value. The automated AIS speed up the process to generate financial statements and overcome human weaknesses in data processing. The system enhances management of resources and the process of monitoring, control and prediction of ZBMS business for better future. With the advent of AIS, the growth of tacit and explicit knowledge could be seen from the intensive training of personnel at the early stage of system implementation to the development and use of company’s own manual in training of new staff and assisting the job of existing staff. Given the benefit of AIS to ZBMS, this paper recommended that the source of data should be fully automated, and the existing system should be upgraded through computerise the pre-tendering and post-tendering of projects to enable AIS integration. Keywords: Accounting Information Systems, Knowledge Management, Accounting Functions, Information Value, Financial Statements 1. Introduction Accounting Information System (AIS) is vital to all organisations (Borthick and Clark, 1990; Curtis, 1995; Rahman et al. , 1988; Wilkinson, 1993; Wilkinson et al. 2000) and perhaps, every organisations either profit or non profit-oriented need to maintain the AISs (Wilkinson, 2000: 3-4). To better understand the term ‘Accounting Information System’, the three words constitute AIS would be elaborate separately. Firstly, literature documented that accounting could be identified into three components, namely information system, â€Å"language of business† and source of financial inform ation (Wilkinson, 1993: 6-7). Secondly, information is a valuable data processing that provides a basis for making decisions, taking action and fulfilling legal obligation. Finally, system is an integrated entity, Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study 37 where the framework is focused on a set of objectives. The combination of the three words Accounting Information System indicate an integrated framework within an entity (such as a business firm) that employs physical resources (i. e. , materials, supplies, personnel, equipment, funds) to transform economic data into financial information for; (1) conducting the firm’s operations and activities, and (2) providing information concerning the entity to a variety of interested users. Indeed, the combination or interaction between human, technology and techniques would permit an organisation to administer its knowledge effectively (Bhatt, 2001; Thomas and Kleiner, 1995). Currently, the world and human life has been transformed from information age to a knowledge age (Syed-Ikhsan and Rowland, 2004: 238; Thomas and Kleiner, 1995: 22), and knowledge has been recognised as the most valuable asset. In fact, knowledge is not impersonal like money and does not reside in a book, a data bank or a software program (Drucker, 1993). Drucker believed that knowledge is always embodied in a person, taught and learned by a person, used or misused by a person. As the world moving into knowledge era, this paper will examine how ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. manages its knowledge in order to remain competitive amongst the construction industry. Probst, Raub Romhardt (1999, p. 1) stressed that companies must learn to manage their intellectual assets (i. e. knowledge) in order to survive and compete in the ‘knowledge society’. Indeed, knowledge management is concerned with the exploitation and development of the knowledge assets (Davenport et al. , 1998). This paper seeks to examine the Accounting Information Systems (AIS) used by a Malaysian company named ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. The paper will highlight the users of the system and the way information adds value to the organisation. Also, the paper will investigate the way knowledge is managed through the process of creating, storing, disseminating and applying and how information system plays an important role throughout the process and the AIS contribution in the organisation’s strategic role. The remainder of the paper is organised as follows. The following section describes the background of ZBMS and the use of accounting information systems. The third section provides research findings on accounting information systems employed by ZBMS. The fourth section offer suggestions for future research. The final section concludes the paper and outlines the limitations of the study. 2. The Use of Accounting Information Systems in ZBMS ZBMS is a private limited company registered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that operate in construction industry, where the main activities ranging from construction of infrastructure, building, power, waste water to property development as well as engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) in the oil gas sector. The company used automated AIS known as ‘Contract Plus – Financial Project Accounting’ package in their Finance Department, which was commercially developed by a private company (ZYXW). Contract Plus is a fully integrated business solution designed specifically for companies in the engineering and construction industry. The software will generate financial data to be analysed by the accountants and subsequently used by top level of management for strategic decision making, thus, these managers could identify future opportunities and limitations face by the company and industry (McCarthy, Minichiello and Curran, 1987: 243-244). . Findings As mentioned earlier in section 2, ZBMS is a company that operate in construction industry. The industry was identified as one of the most difficult to understand due to its complexity mixture of people, plant, materials, locations, technology, knowledge of the law as well as the design and valuation of work done, which are much subjectivity (Capon, 1990: 1). You read "Accounting Information System 5" in category "Papers" However, these challenges are under control with the advent of technology such as software development that allows systematic data 38 Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori processing. Therefore, it is important to understand the information flow in ZBMS in order to appreciate the usage of information within the organisation as shown in Figure 1-1 below. 3. 1. Users of AIS As shown in Figure 1-1, the finance personnel that reside at site project office (or called Project Accountants) and head office such as the Financial Accountants, Management Accountants and Finance Manager are the internal users of the system. Also, the management team that consists of Finance General Manager, Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director and Board of Directors are among the internal users of the system. On the other hand, the external users consist of government agency (i. e. Inland Revenue), external auditors and creditors. Indeed, wide variety of people within and outside the organisation uses accounting information for decision-making (Rahman and Halladay, 1988, Renau and Grabski, 1987). Figure 1. 1: Information Flow of ZBMS ZBMS HEAD OFFICE Management Team Inland Revenue ZBMS HEAD OFFICE External Auditors Finance Department Bankers Suppliers Site Office Design Team SubContractors Client 3. 2. Function of AIS The main function of AIS is to assign quantitative value of the past, present and future economics events. At ZBMS, AIS through its computerised accounting system (i. e. ZYXW-Contract Plus) produces the financial statements namely income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statement. The system will process the data and transform them into accounting information during input, processing and output stages that will be used by a wide variety of users such as internal and external users (see for example Wilkinson, 2000: 10-11). Wilkinson noted that an effective AIS performs several key functions throughout these three stages such as data collection, data maintenance, data Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study 39 management; data control (including security) and information generation. Figure 1-2 summarised the transformation process of AIS. Figure 1. 2: Data Processing in Finance Department at ZBMS Input – Progress Billing Certificate, Subcontractors Progress Certificate, Suppliers’ Invoices Processor – ZYXW Accounting System Output – Financial Statement Human Element – Finance Personnel 3. 3. Usage of Information Within AIS The construction projects undertaken by the company are divided according to the type of construction activities that comprised of five divisions, namely infrastructure, building, power, wastewater and oil and gas, where each project is treated as a separate company. The number of projects undertaken by each division depends on the contracts being awarded to the company. As indicated by Figure 1-2, the sources of data originated from external parties such as client, subcontractors and suppliers. The Project Accountants will work closely with the Quantity Surveyors to come out with the appropriate information as illustrated below: Client – The client’s Quantity Surveyors (QSs) will evaluate work in progress (WIP) and come out with percentage of WIP to be agreed by both parties. Once agreed, Progress Billing Certificates (PBC) will be issued by Client’s QSs, which a copy of it will be sent to head office for data processing. Subcontractors – The ZBMS’s QSs will evaluate subcontractor’s WIP at site and come out with percentage of WIP to be agreed by both parties. Once agreed, Subcontractor Progress Certificate (SPC) will be issued by ZBMS’s QSs and verified by ZBMS’s Project Manager, which a copy of it will be sent to head office for data processing. Suppliers – QSs and Project Accountants will ensure that the materials and machineries are delivered in good condition at construction site before delivery orders are accepted. The delivery orders will be attached to supplier’s invoice and sent to Head Office for processing. 40 Figure 1. 3: Simplifies the AIS within ZBMS: Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori CLIENT SUBCONTRACTORS SUPPLIERS Site Valuation by Client Site Valuation by ZBMS Materials machineries delivered Certified by Client Certified by ZBMS Materials machineries delivered PBC SPC Invoices Verified KeyPunched by Project Accountants Projects’ Accounts Receivables HQ Database (ZYXW) Head Office Maintenance Projects’ Accounts Payable Projects’ Fixed Assets Projects’ Cash Book Project Ledger Projects’ Trial Balance Projects’ Financial Statement Consolidated Consolidated General Ledger Consolidated Trial Balance Consolidated Financial Statements These documents will be verified and input into the system by Project Accountants. The projects’ data will be stored at Projects’ Account Receivables, Account Payables, Fixed Assets accordingly. Projects’ cashbook will be updated automatically after the data being entered to the projects’ Account Receivables and Account Payables. Any expenses incurred at head office will be stored at HQ Maintenance master file by Financial Accountant. The Contract Plus Accounting System software will process the data and produce financial statements of individual company’s projects on Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study 41 monthly basis, which subsequently consolidated at group level. The process flow is shown in Figure 13 above. The automated AIS play an important role in the ZBMS’s operational level. As indicated by Rahman and Halladay (1988: 20), most modern organisation’s operational control of financial resources depends largely on automated support. This is due to the financial statements are generated by the Contract Plus. As shown in Figure 1-4, projects financial statements are generated by the Project Accountants, while the Financial Accountant generates the consolidated financial statements. The Management Accountant uses the consolidated financial statements to prepare company’s Performance Report such as cash-flow forecasts and ratio analysis. Once the Finance Manager (operational level) approve the report, it will then be submitted to the Finance General Manager and Chief Operating Officer (tactical level) to assist them for planning, control and decision making. The Performance Report will provide the information regarding work in progress relevant information. Therefore, AIS plays very important role at operational and tactical level as the activities at these level depend heavily on the information generated by the AIS. Figure 1. 4: Type of Information in ZBMS Strategic Board of Director, Managing Director Tactical Chief Operating Officer, General Manager (Finance) Finance Manager, Management Accountant, Financial Accountant, Project Accountant Operational Transaction Processing ZYXW Accounting System . 4. Value Added of AIS The role played by accounting functions has been enhanced with the development of AIS, which in turn contribute to the profession’s value added to organisation. In fact automated AIS employed by ZBMS expedite the process to generate financial statement and reduce the human errors compared to non-automated AIS, which add the existing value of accountants. AIS also provide information on both actual and budget dat a of the organisation that helps company’s management to plan and control business operation. Good management of resources and better control of cost, budgeting and forecasting enhance the well being of ZBMS to continually generated profits. The AIS also played a crucial role that contributes to ZBMS’s value added by providing internally generated inputs from financial statements. Rahman and Halladay (1988: 19) believed that viable strategic plan must have inputs based on history of organisation, the current assets and capabilities of the organisation, and the trends in operations of the organisation. 42 3. 5. Role of Knowledge Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori At ZBMS, both tacit and explicit knowledge are used as shown by the extensive used of accounting information system to assist business decision-making. The ZBMS begins its computerised accounting system in 1997. During the transformation process from manual to computerised accounting system, all finance personnel were sent for comprehensive computer training. Table 1: Relationship of AIS at ZBMS and Knowledge Management System Knowledge Management System Creation of knowledge Creation of Knowledge Storing of Knowledge Disseminating of Knowledge Knowledge Conversion Explicit to Tacit Explicit to Tacit Tacit to Explicit Tacit to Explicit Development of Automated AIS Training by hands-on experience ZYXW implemented, staffs learned from vendor’s manual Staffs gaining experience; Problems and solution being recorded on paper Improvement on system; Internal manual that suits the ZBMS needs being produced; Widely used in the department; Assists learning process of new staffs Explicit to Tacit System constantly use in Finance Department to generate monthly financial statements Applying of Knowledge Explicit to Explicit As shown in Table 1, the staffs were given hands on experience on the ZYXW System. During the early stage of system implementation, finance personnel were given flexibility to explore the system due to limited experience on the software at that time, and most of the staffs depend largely on the manual provided by the vendor for trouble-shooting. At initial stage, two-way communications with the vendor were developed to solve problems arised. As the time going on, the personnel were encouraged to record the problems aroused. Problems that have been solved were recorded for future reference. Currently, the ZBMS Finance Department has its own ZYXW manual that suits with the department needs. The manual provides valuable information to new employees as well as to the existing personnel at Finance Department. Indeed, AIS provide the systematic recording, processing and generating of accounting information, and in the absence of AIS, information would be scattered, random and hard to access, which would become a barrier to the growth of knowledge. 3. 6. Strategic Role and AIS To analyse the AIS strategy in ZBMS, McFarlan Strategic Grid will be utilised. The McFarlan’s strategic grid would locate ZBMS to the appropriate category with respect to its information system strategy (Curtis, 1995: 61). Automated AIS is fundamental part of the strategic plan of ZBMS in 1997. It has been improved over the years of implementation and generates accurate and timely accounting information that contributes to a good decision-making. Realising the benefit brought by the AIS, the sour ce of data must be fully automated. The existing system should be upgraded through computerise the pre-tendering and post-tendering of projects in the primary stages of the construction activities. When the system is upgraded, the ZYXW Contract Plus will integrate the two modules of pre- and post-tendering with the currently automated Financial and Project Accounting. Therefore, the most suitable position to locate AIS at ZBMS on the McFarlan Grid is on Factory Grid as shown in Figure 1-5 below. Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study Figure 1. 5: ZBMS Location on McFarlan’s Strategic Grid 43 Low Current Dependence on AIS Support Turnaround High Factory –AIS at ZBMS Strategic Low Future Importance of AIS High 4. Direction for Future Research Having mentioned the above opportunities and challenges to the AIS, future research should investigate the AIS contribution on the organisation’s growth of knowledge. Though AIS would organise and structure the data input and knowledge, lack of understanding on the potential effect of human behaviour on the system such as human error, manipulation and work-style. In fact, Ponemon and Nagoda (1990) noted, â€Å"the most difficult problems often are caused, or are exacerbated, by those individuals who have erroneous expectations of the new system being implemented† (p. 1). The study would be fruitful with the use of questionnaire and interview survey. Perhaps, the survey should concentrate on a sample of senior managers of the top hundred companies listed on the Bursa Malaysia (Malaysian Stock Exchange), banks and regulatory bodies. These groups could contribute significantly due to their role as a decision maker in their respective organisations. Secondly, future research should also investigate the possibility to expand the use of AIS to the other areas that still did not use the system such as non-profit organisation and society. Indeed, the current level of usage shows that the benefit outweighs the investment cost. The successful implementation of AIS could save shareholder’s money and time. Finally, future research should explore issues on the information value generated by AIS to shareholders and stakeholders in making investment decisions. Case study approach on top companies would be appropriate methodology because the understanding on specific AIS model would be more valuable rather than using questionnaire and interview approach that assumes AIS across sampled organisation is identical. 5. Conclusion This paper examines the use of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) by ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. The wide varieties of people that involve in the company’s operation get the benefits from the implementation of AIS and the use of Contract Plus software developed by ZYXW. The system assists the operational managers to come out with monthly reports for the top managerial level (i. e. tactical and strategic) plan, control and decide resources allocation. In addition, the paper showed that the AIS add value to information processed within the company. The automated AIS could speed up information process and overcome traditional human weaknesses. As a result, the system supports the resource management and help ZBMS pursue its projection of continuing business profit. The use of AIS indicate the growth of tacit and explicit knowledge, where personnel were trained intensively and experience and trouble shooting were 44 Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori recorded for future reference and training. Indeed, the successful implementation of an accounting information system can be described as a series of complex, interconnected activities necessitating participants to have technical and managerial skills to sort out prospective problems (Ponemon and Nagoda, 1990: 1). Note To keep the identity of the respondent and it’s software developer anonymous, an imaginary name was used in this study i. e. ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. and ZYXW respectively. References [1] [2] Bhatt, G. D. (2001). Knowledge management in organisations: examining the interaction between technologies, techniques, and people. Journal of Knowledge Management, 5(1): 68-75. Borthick, A. F. ; Clark, R. L. (1990). Making accounting information systems work: An empirical investigation of the creative thinking paradigm. Journal of Information Systems, 4(3): 48-62. Capon, G. C. C. (1990). Construction Industry. London: The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Curtis, G. (1995). Business Information Systems: Analysis, Design and Practice. Wokingham: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Drucker McCarthy, D. J. , Minichiello, R. J. and Curran, J. R. (1987). Business Policy and Strategy: Concepts and Readings. Illinois: Irwin. Ponemon, L. A. and Nagoda, R. J. (1990). Perceptual Variation and the Implementation of Accounting Information Systems: An Empirical Investigation. Journal of Information System, 4(2): 1-14. Probst, Raub Romhardt (1999) Rahman, M. and Halladay, M. (1988). Accounting Information Systems: Principles, Applications and Future Directions. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Reneau, J. H. and Grabski, S. V. (1987). A Review of Research in Computer-Human Interaction and Individual Differences Within a Model for Research in Accounting Information Systems. Journal of Information Systems, 2(1): 33-53. Rowley, J. (1999). â€Å"What is knowledge management†. Library Management, 20 (8): 416-420. Syed-Ikhsan, S. O. S. (2004). â€Å"Benchmarking Knowledge Management in a Public Organisation in Malaysia. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 11 (3): 238-266. Thomas, V. and Kleiner, B. H. (1995). New developments in computer software. Industrial Management Data Systems, 95(6): 22-26. Wilkinson, J. W. (1993). Accounting Information Systems: Essential Concepts and Applications. Second Edition. New York: John Wiley Sons Inc. Wilkinson, J. W. , Cerullo, M. J. , Raval, V. and Wong-On-Wing, B. (2000). Accounting Information Systems: Essential Concepts and Applications. New York: John Wiley and Sons. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] How to cite Accounting Information System 5, Papers

Control Models Of Nestle - Solution is Just a Click Away

Question: Choose an organization with which you are familiar, either as a customer or as an employee, and outline how that organization makes use of the control systems which you have chosen to discuss/analyse. Students are to present their analysis and findings/ conclusions in a professionally presented short report of 1500 + 10% words. Answer: Abstract Nestle organization is confronting different control issues like child labour issue, crude material issue, moral as well as issues related to boycott, rebuilding of association and numerous different issues. For taking care of these control issues, different control systems ought to be utilized by an association. With the help of employee discipline system, the association controls its representatives or its human resources. This procedure is fundamentally performed by the HR Managers and the stock control system, which helps the company in adjusting the demand as well as supply, both for the raw material and generation of product Introduction In this report, we are going to discuss about Nestle Organization. It is essentially going to depict how control model can help the Nestle Organization in taking care of their control issues. It will, likewise, portray the outline of Nestle, control issues which is associated with it, how representatives order system and stock control system can help Nestle to take care of the control issues related to it. Overview of Nestle Henry Nestle established Nestle in the year 1866, in Switzerland. Nestle has a range of food products to offer to its customers. The renowned brands of Nestle are Maggi, Kit Kat, Gerber, Toll House, Milo, Nescafe, Coffee mate, Friskies, Purina, Hot Pockets, Herta, Stouffer's, NIO, Dreyer's and so on. Nestl's slogan "great food, great health" itself explains the strategy that is applied by the company. Nestle is mainly famous as it provides food of good quality which are healthy as well as tasty. The managers at Nestle, are in charge of all the administrative exercises like Quality administration, Process administration, as well as control management. Even after so many issues in its control system, Nestle is the Leading brand in food products only because of its control management approach (Ehrenberg, 1995The quality as well as well-being of Nestl is the base of the association. Nestl's quality control management incorporate the building of trust by gathering the desires as well as p references of the customers, giving defect less items with zero waste attitudes Nestles Control Issues There are many control issues of Nestle. Some of the control issues are discussed below: Child Labour Issue: The most important issue of Nestle association is child labour. The children made to word while producing cocoa. Children do this work because of neediness and due to illiteracy which prompts the infringement of the child labour law and goes under child trafficking and slaving (Park Sandhu, 2002). Raw Material: The other issue identified with control issue, is the control on its raw material. This issue is identified with the unforeseen requests. Here and there the interest may be high and can't be satisfied, ordinarily crude materials get destroyed because of awful climate or catastrophe, or frequently the inventory may stay in the stock itself. Issues related to ethics and boycott: This issue was confronted by Nestle in 1970's. In the late 1970s, in United Stated as well as in other European countries, the products of Nestle were boycotted. Restructuring: Defining the employees as well as the structure of the management of the association is additionally a basic control issue which goes under the representative control issue (Park Sandhu, 2002) Control System In the Organization, controlling guarantees the performance analysis and also aides in taking the restorative activities. Mainly three sorts of controls are there, Feed forward control, Concurrent Control as well as Feedback Control. Before initiating the activities, Feed forward controls are initiated, Concurrent control happens amidst the process and at last, feedback control happens after the work is completed (Bilstad Brown, 1984) Control Process Figure: Control Process (Schermerhorn, 2008) The above diagram demonstrates the control process which has four steps. The first step is to create the objective as well as standards of performance, step two is to quantify the real performance of the control region. In third step, it compares the actual performance to the goal and measures, and the last step is to take all the fundamental actions. Control Models This report discusses about two control models. They are discussed as follows: Employee Discipline system: Employee Discipline System is an approach of employee control. This tackles the different controlling issues identified with the association. This control system gives the control reasonably, methodically and reliably. It incorporates the conduct and disposition treatment of workers, adulating them on their execution and also influencing the representatives to perform more work. This control system additionally incorporates the legitimate issues identified with the representatives, like child labour and other legal issues. This control system helps in dealing with the workforces that are primarily performed by the HR managers (Schrage Ewing, 2005). Inventory Control System: Inventory control system helps in dealing with the interest and supply of the products. This control framework helps an association in different courses like performing and dealing with the demand and as per that demand, the products are delivered and raw material is obtained. Inventory control system ascertains an estimated demand from the past information and afterwards the production methodology is transformed. It helps the association by saving cash, time and prevent the wastage of merchandise and crude materials. This is also one of the responsibilities of the inventory managers. It incorporates the two sorts of stock control techniques: Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) and just-in-time scheduling (Bilstad Brown, 1984). Control Models and their comparison Two separate purposes are taken care of with the help of the control systems. Employees control system, is for controlling the human asset in an association. It is important to control the human assets as this is the base of the development of an association, while the stock control system is additionally a basic control system of an association, because if the inventories are not controlled appropriately, it may prompt a gigantic misfortune regarding wastage of products, crude material or not satisfying the markets demand (Sethi, 1977). In the two control system, the employee discipline system incorporates the administration of representatives which contains the courses of action of compensating the workers if they perform good in numerous ways like giving promotion, rewards and so on., which influences them to work hard in different ways like inspiration, remunerating project, giving appealing offers etc. While the stock control system incorporates assessing the demand of items in the businesses so that the crude material can be bought, products can be delivered, and interest can be satisfied successfully so that no material gets wasted and also demand is fulfilled (Sethi, 1977). These two sorts of control systems are performed by two separate sorts of managers who has the duty to perform all the exercises identified with the control system. These control systems help the association in various perspectives and steps towards the development by waste prevention, demand fulfilment and enhancing worker performance by lawful exercises (Park Sandhu, 2002). Nestles Utilization of Control System As we discussed about the control issues of Nestle which was related to the employee control system and stock control system. Association structure as well as child labour are the issues which go under the Employees' discipline system whereas, raw material and the issue of boycott goes under the Inventory Control System (Park Sandhu, 2002). As discussed earlier, in the employee discipline system, Legal issues identified with the representatives go under this framework. Hence, this system can help Nestle by presenting the supplier code which screens the production network of all members which, in-turn, helps the organization to track if all the workers in the production network are qualified to work or not. Likewise, a unique training by the HR managers ought to be accommodated for the problem of child labour (Park Sandhu, 2002). In the organizations restructuring, the rights of all the employees should be protected. All the employees should get a fair treatment and equal opportunity. There are three cases in which a raw material might turn into a control issue. Firstly, in case there is an unforeseen request by the consumers or the raw material is wasted because of a natural disaster or if the stock is not utilized. The solution which is related with this issue may be that, the managers ought to fabricate a solid association with the suppliers of the raw materials. Different offers ought to be given to pull in the customers and the stock management team should modify themselves as per the market situation (Sethi, 1977). Boycott issue was a genuine issue confronted by Nestle because of unscrupulous showcasing and awful item supply. Thus, the populace of United States declines to purchase Nestle items. Stock control management system incorporates the correct supply of items (Sethi, 1977). Conclusion The above report is based on different research and studies. As per the above report, it can be said that the control systems are a key to the management system of an association. The employee discipline system relates to controlling the employees. The employee control system helps Nestle in different courses like in the child labour control issues and the rebuilding of the association, which helps the company in controlling its employees. Stock control system helps Nestle in controlling the crude material for production. Consequently, these control systems help the association in its development by saving cash, time as well as creating enthusiasm within the workers. References Sandhu, R. S., Coyne, E. J., Feinstein, H. L., Youman, C. E. (1996). Role-based access control models.Computer,29(2), 38-47. Park, J., Sandhu, R. (2002). Towards usage control models: beyond traditional access control. InProceedings of the seventh ACM symposium on Access control models and technologies(pp. 57-64). ACM. Sethi, S. P. (1977). Dynamic optimal control models in advertising: a survey. SIAM review,19(4), 685-725. Bilstad, A. C., Brown, R. I. (1984).U.S. Patent No. 4,425,116. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Schrage, E. J., Ewing, A. P. (2005). The cocoa industry and child labour.Journal of Corporate Citizenship,2005(18), 99-112. Ehrenberg, D. S. (1995). Labor Link: Applying the International Trading System to Enforce Violations of Forced and Child Labor, The.Yale J. Int'l L.,20, 361. Figure: Schermerhorn, R. John, (2008). Exploring Management. 4th ed., London: Cram101

Shelly and Keats The Passing of Time Essay Example

Shelly and Keats The Passing of Time Essay Truth and Beauty of Passing Time Neglect, death, and immortality are powerful themes of not only Romantic poets, but poets throughout every age of history. Countless works of poetry dwell on the seemingly inconsequential passing of life, while still more endeavor to discover something so significant that it can entrench itself into the folds of history as truly immortal. Two Romantic poems that engage wonderfully with these themes are Percy Bysshe Shelleys Ozymandias and John Keats Ode on a Grecian Urn. Although they take opposite approachesshelley uses Ozymandias to express the mutability of ife, while Keats uses the Urn to show that art can be timelessboth poems revolve around an object struggling against the passing of time. Both Ozymandias and Ode on a Grecian urn exemplify the struggle with the passing of time, and although the two poems appear to have opposite approaches to the subject, each can be read with a second interpretation that shows the two are actually extremely similar. Ode on a Grecian Urn beautiful captures the frozen state of the characters painted on the urn. The speaker is entirely enamored by the beauty of the scene. He peaks to each scene as he moves from subject to subject, becoming ever increasingly overwhelmed by the serenity of the Urn, What leaf-fringd legend haunts about thy shape / of deities or mortals, or of both, What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? (Keats Lines 5-9). We will write a custom essay sample on Shelly and Keats The Passing of Time specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Shelly and Keats The Passing of Time specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Shelly and Keats The Passing of Time specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He focuses in on a single motionless piper, Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard / Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on (Keats 11-12), and then moves to a youth who is nearly about to kiss his love, Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss, / Though winning near the goalyet, do not rieve; / She cannot fade (Keats 18-19). In both pictures the speaker dwells on the apparent immortality of the piper and girl, telling the youth not to grieve because his lover will never age. This line, and in fact the entire second stanza, ends with an exclamation mark, signifying the confidence of the statement not to grieve, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! (Keats 20). In addition to being one of only two exclamation marks used at the end of a sentencemeaning exclamations such as more happy love! are a different use of an exclamation markit is also the only time stanza ends with an exclamation. This likely signifies how the Youths frozen beauty stands as the most important symbol of the urn. A more cynical interpretation, however, says the Youth should grieve. To be frozen Just out of reach of a lovers kiss is actually quite tragic. The exclamation mark may be the extra emphasis needed to persuade the Youth not to grieve, masking the truth of his sorrowful position, or even more dramatically, hiding the truth that the urn on which he exists will certainly not last forever. This paradoxical understanding of the sad nature of the painted fgures, hen compared to the more standard view that the figures are frozen immortally in time, can be said about the Piper that comes before and the little town that follows. All three appear at first to be suspended in splendor, but it is equally possible to interpret their position as profoundly sad. The central tone of the poem first appears to be excited wonder. The dominant use of exclamations and questions shows this. Ten question marks are used, most of which appear in the first part of the poem exclamations within the poem are centered around the middle of the poem. This akes sense in the normal interpretation: the speaker is intrigued by the urn, asking many questions about it and gets more excited the more he sees. He then begins to understand the significance of the piece, finishing with a definite and absolute ending punctuation, a period, along with the grand conclusion, Beauty is truth, truth beauty,that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know. (Keats 49-50). Upon closer reading, the second interpretation from before begins to reveal itself. Despite existing as immortal figures suspended in time, the paintings still live upon the urn. It is true that the figures have, and will continue, to outlive those that view it. The progression from this second perspective almost surpasses the progression from the normal reading. Again, the speaker has an acute fascination with the urn, expressed by the many question marks, but as he inquires about the pictures he begins to realize that the fgures on the urn should grieve the inability to ever progress through time. The abundant use of exclamations as the poem moves on is indicative of the speakers attempt to hide the truth he is realizing. The last lines of the poem also make sense when read this way. At the beginning of the 5th stanza, he says, When old age shall this generation waste, thou shalt remain (Keats 46), which tells of the urns longevity. However the last line, Beauty is truth, truth beauty, says two things simultaneously. First it expresses the truth that all things pass away, showing that even the urn cannot exist for all of eternity. Second, it is a recognition that the truth of the urn, that all things eventually cease to exist, is also the most beautiful element of the urn. The Grecian Urn shows the speaker that existing in a frozen state of bliss is in fact not wonderful. It shows him that the passing of time, and with it all things, is the truth and the beauty of life, it is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know (Keats 51). A poem that beautifully captures this explanation is Percy Shelleys Ozymandias. It is far shorter than Ode on a Grecian Urn, which mirrors the scarcity of existence within the poem. It is a short poem that speaks of a short life. Also, the poem is primarily quoted by the speaker, l met a traveler from an antique and / who said.. (Shelley Line 1), which further removes the poem from the concreteness of reality; it is entirely possible that the statue has never existed at all. The speaker, and the readers of the poem, are only heard about the statue as a secondary source. He did not actually see the statue, and obviously the readers have never seen it as well. To further emphasize the transient nature of the statue, there e xists an ellipsis in the center of the third line, Stand in the desart. Near them on the sand (Shelley 3). The ellipsis shows that the portrayal of the statue is only being partially told to the reader; there is more told to the speaker by the traveler that is simply left out. Like the statue itself, only pieces of the story remain. The central body of both have been lost, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies (Shelley 4). The poem centers around a great statue raised to commemorate the life of the long past Pharaoh Ozymandias, who not is but a shadow of the both the original statue but also of the Pharaoh and the kingdom of Egypt as it existed at the time the statue was erected. Unlike Ode on a Grecian Urn, Ozymandias has no uses of question marks. It is not an inquisitive poem, there is no sense of excited wonder as described before for the urn. Instead it is a poem of resigned realization, Nothing shows the subdued feeling of the poem. The poem ends with a resigned realization that, Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, / The lone and level sands stretch far away (Shelley 13-14). This is a line that explicitly shows the barren nature of the desert in which the remains of the statue lay, but it also comments on the boundless nd bare nature of life. Like the second reading of Ode on a Grecian Urn, this poem is content with the passing of time; death, decay, and neglect are understood as the prevailing power, along with truth, of life. No matter what is built, or written, or painted, time is a master of all elements of life, this is the truth explicitly stated in both poems. Yet, there is still some wonder to be found in the language of Ozymandias. In the same manner of the two possible readings of Ode on a Grecian Urn, there are two readings within Ozymandias. The first, as Just shown, is a omber tone of resigned realization, but it is possible to find moments of grandeur within the poem; it can be read in a similar way to the first reading of Ode on a Grecian Urn. Most immediately obvious is the fact that we, the readers, are being told this story of Ozymandias statue. There are many small and insignificant things in life, almost all of which are completely ignored. Rocks erode into sand, sun bleaches our clothes, and bad art is specifically avoided. Yet this poem takes the readers to a very specific monument. Clearly we were meant to focus on the boundless and bare element of the poem, Ozymandias would not even need to be included. A blank page of paper would do a far better Job expressing the boundless and bare truth about life. Instead the poem takes us to a statue, to a story, of a time before. We, the speaker and the reader, think of the wonder of the time that has passed. If the speaker did not, then he would not recount the story told to him by the traveler. Furthermore, despite the statue of Ozymandias existing as a broken and mangled form of what it used to be, it does still exist. It has survived through the ages, and like he Grecian urn, it will likely survive far past the life spans of those who have seen it. Even if the statute fully and thoroughly erodes away, the traveler has, through his stories, given the statue life. This life has the ability to surpass the destruction of matter, and can grow through the minds of those that hear it; this poem itself gives the statue life. There is something wistfully powerful about the story. It is a story that tells of death and erosion, but also a story the tells of greatness. The passing of life is accompanied by the brute stubbornness of humanity to exist past death. Ozymandias has successfully done that, as has Keats and Shelley. As long as humanity survives as a species the three of them will live on forever, along with the Grecian urn and the statue of Ozymandias. Both Ozymandias and Ode on a Grecian Urn contain a more in-depth, and partially opposite reading than the common first glance interpretation. Although the two first glance interpretations appear to be opposite one another, in actuality they are very similar poems that attempt to understand the truth and beauty of the relentless passing of time.

War Upon A Plant

War Upon A Plant The War Upon A Plant Within the last century our government has established laws against certain substances and chemicals labeled drugs. These drugs are often used for recreational use and can have dangerous side affects. Substances within this category include cocaine, methamphetamines, heroin, lsd, and marijuana. Marijuana being illegal is a controversial subject with many advocates petitioning for legalization. Many countries around the world have made marijuana legal and accessible. In Holland marijuana and hashish (a product made of concentrated marijuana into a brown hard chunk which is smoked or eaten) are openly sold in shops and restaurants. Canada and Austria have made laws prohibiting the production of marijuana for sale, allowing for personal consumption. I personally have been to shops in Europe where seeds for personal cultivation are sold. I also have a friend in Salzburg who grows his own marijuana plants but does not sell the product. I am one person who does not agr ee with the laws that prohibit the marijuana plant.English: Four ounces of low-grade marijuana, usual...If marijuana were legalized our country would experience many positive side effects with few negative concerns.The plant known as marijuana has been used among human cultures for thousands of years. Marijuana has been used in many forms: eaten, smoked, used in clothing and rope productions, and even religious rituals and ceremonies. Marijuana is considered a recreational drug, often compared to alcohol and tobacco. When consumed marijuana often has mental and physical affects upon the consumer, causing relaxation and inducing hunger. The side effects of marijuana are not many, long term use has show to decrease memory and in some cases harm the lungs and liver. In certain cases, when marijuana is smoked, the user can experience slow reaction in thought and loss of decisive capabilities. Marijuana is not proven to have any cancer causing...

The 28 Critical SAT Math Formulas You MUST Know

The 28 Critical SAT Math Formulas You MUST Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT math test is unlike any math test you’ve taken before. It’s designed to take concepts you’re used to and make you apply them in new (and often strange) ways. It’s tricky, but with attention to detail and knowledge of the basic formulas and concepts covered by the test, you can improve your score. So what formulas do you need to have memorized for the SAT math section before the day of the test? In this complete guide, I'll cover every critical formula you MUST know before you sit down for the test. I'll also explain them in case you need to jog your memory about how a formula works. If you understand every formula in this list, you'll save yourself valuable time on the test and probably get a few extra questions correct. Formulas Given on the SAT, Explained This is exactly what you'll see at the beginning of both math sections (the calculator and no calculator section). It can be easy to look right past it, so familiarize yourself with the formulas now to avoid wasting time on test day. You are given 12 formulas on the test itself and three geometry laws. It can be helpful and save you time and effort to memorize the given formulas, but it is ultimately unnecessary, as they are given on every SAT math section. You are only given geometry formulas, so prioritize memorizing your algebra and trigonometry formulas before test day (we'll cover these in the next section). You should focus most of your study effort on algebra anyways, because geometry has been de-emphasized on the new SAT and now makes up just 10% (or less) of the questions on each test. Nonetheless, you do need to know what the given geometry formulas mean. The explanations of those formulas are as follows: Area of a Circle $$A=Ï€r^2$$ Ï€ is a constant that can, for the purposes of the SAT, be written as 3.14 (or 3.14159) r is the radius of the circle (any line drawn from the center point straight to the edge of the circle) Circumference of a Circle $C=2Ï€r$ (or $C=Ï€d$) d is the diameter of the circle. It is a line that bisects the circle through the midpoint and touches two ends of the circle on opposite sides. It is twice the radius. Area of a Rectangle $$A = lw$$ l is the length of the rectangle w is the width of the rectangle Area of a Triangle $$A = 1/2bh$$ b is the length of the base of triangle (the edge of one side) h is the height of the triangle In a right triangle, the height is the same as a side of the 90-degree angle. For non-right triangles, the height will drop down through the interior of the triangle, as shown above. The Pythagorean Theorem $$a^2 + b^2 = c^2$$ In a right triangle, the two smaller sides (a and b) are each squared. Their sum is the equal to the square of the hypotenuse (c, longest side of the triangle). Properties of Special Right Triangle: Isosceles Triangle An isosceles triangle has two sides that are equal in length and two equal angles opposite those sides. An isosceles right triangle always has a 90-degree angle and two 45 degree angles. The side lengths are determined by the formula: $x$, $x$, $x√2$, with the hypotenuse (side opposite 90 degrees) having a length of one of the smaller sides *$√2$. E.g., An isosceles right triangle may have side lengths of $12$, $12$, and $12√2$. Properties of Special Right Triangle: 30, 60, 90 Degree Triangle A 30, 60, 90 triangle describes the degree measures of the triangle's three angles. The side lengths are determined by the formula: $x$, $x√3$, and $2x$ The side opposite 30 degrees is the smallest, with a measurement of $x$. The side opposite 60 degrees is the middle length, with a measurement of $x√3$. The side opposite 90 degree is the hypotenuse (longest side), with a length of $2x$. For example, a 30-60-90 triangle may have side lengths of $5$, $5√3$, and $10$. Volume of a Rectangular Solid $$V = lwh$$ l is the length of one of the sides. h is the height of the figure. w is the width of one of the sides. Volume of a Cylinder $$V=Ï€r^2h$$ $r$ is the radius of the circular side of the cylinder. $h$ is the height of the cylinder. Volume of a Sphere $$V=(4/3)Ï€r^3$$ $r$ is the radius of the sphere. Volume of a Cone $$V=(1/3)Ï€r^2h$$ $r$ is the radius of the circular side of the cone. $h$ is the height of the pointed part of the cone (as measured from the center of the circular part of the cone). Volume of a Pyramid $$V=(1/3)lwh$$ $l$ is the length of one of the edges of the rectangular part of the pyramid. $h$ is the height of the figure at its peak (as measured from the center of the rectangular part of the pyramid). $w$ is the width of one of the edges of the rectangular part of the pyramid. Law: the number of degrees in a circle is 360 Law: the number of radians in a circle is $2Ï€$ Law: the number of degrees in a triangle is 180 Gear up that brain because here come the formulas you have to memorize. Formulas Not Given on the Test For most of the formulas on this list, you'll simply need to buckle down and memorize them (sorry). Some of them, however, can be useful to know but are ultimately unnecessary to memorize, as their results can be calculated via other means. (It's still useful to know these, though, so treat them seriously). We've broken the list into "Need to Know" and "Good to Know," depending on if you are a formula-loving test taker or a fewer-formulas-the-better kind of test taker. Slopes and Graphs Need to Know Slope formula Given two points, $A (x_1, y_1)$,$B (x_2, y_2)$, find the slope of the line that connects them: $$(y_2 - y_1)/(x_2 - x_1)$$ The slope of a line is the ${\rise (\vertical \change)}/ {\run (\horizontal \change)}$. How to write the equation of a line The equation of a line is written as: $$y = mx + b$$ If you get an equation that is NOT in this form (ex. $mx-y = b$), then re-write it into this format! It is very common for the SAT to give you an equation in a different form and then ask you about whether the slope and intercept are positive or negative. If you don’t re-write the equation into $y = mx + b$, and incorrectly interpret what the slope or intercept is, you will get this question wrong. m is the slope of the line. b is the y-intercept (the point where the line hits the y-axis). If the line passes through the origin $(0,0)$, the line is written as $y = mx$. Good to Know Midpoint formula Given two points, $A (x_1, y_1)$, $B (x_2, y_2)$, find the midpoint of the line that connects them: $$({(x_1 + x_2)}/2, {(y_1 + y_2)}/2)$$ Distance formula Given two points, $A (x_1, y_1)$,$B (x_2, y_2)$, find the distance between them: $$√[(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2]$$ You don’t need this formula, as you can simply graph your points and then create a right triangle from them. The distance will be the hypotenuse, which you can find via the Pythagorean Theorem. Circles Good to Know Length of an arc Given a radius and a degree measure of an arc from the center, find the length of the arc Use the formula for the circumference multiplied by the angle of the arc divided by the total angle measure of the circle (360) $$L_{\arc} = (2Ï€r)({\degree \measure \center \of \arc}/360)$$ E.g., A 60 degree arc is $1/6$ of the total circumference because $60/360 = 1/6$ Area of an arc sector Given a radius and a degree measure of an arc from the center, find the area of the arc sector Use the formula for the area multiplied by the angle of the arc divided by the total angle measure of the circle $$A_{\arc \sector} = (Ï€r^2)({\degree \measure \center \of \arc}/360)$$ An alternative to memorizing the â€Å"formula† is just to stop and think about arc circumferences and arc areas logically. You know the formulas for the area and circumference of a circle (because they are in your given equation box on the test). You know how many degrees are in a circle (because it is in your given equation box on the text). Now put the two together: If the arc spans 90 degrees of the circle, it must be $1/4$th the total area/circumference of the circle because $360/90 = 4$. If the arc is at a 45 degree angle, then it is $1/8$th the circle, because $360/45 = 8$. The concept is exactly the same as the formula, but it may help you to think of it this way instead of as a â€Å"formula† to memorize. Algebra Need to Know Quadratic equation Given a polynomial in the form of $ax^2+bx+c$, solve for x. $$x={-b ±Ã¢Ë†Å¡{b^2-4ac}}/{2a}$$ Simply plug the numbers in and solve for x! Some of the polynomials you'll come across on the SAT are easy to factor (e.g. $x^2+3x+2$, $4x^2-1$, $x^2-5x+6$, etc), but some of them will be more difficult to factor and be near-impossible to get with simple trial-and-error mental math. In these cases, the quadratic equation is your friend. Make sure you don't forget to do two different equations for each polynomial: one that's $x={-b+√{b^2-4ac}}/{2a}$ and one that's $x={-b-√{b^2-4ac}}/{2a}$. Note: If you know how to complete the square, then you don't need to memorize the quadratic equation. However, if you're not completely comfortable with completing the square, then it's relatively easy to memorize the quadratic formula and have it ready. I recommend memorizing it to the tune of either "Pop Goes the Weasel" or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". Averages Need to Know The average is the same thing as the mean Find the average/mean of a set of numbers/terms $$\Mean = {\sum \of \the \terms}/{\number \of \different \terms}$$ Find the average speed $$\Speed = {\total \distance}/{\total \time}$$ Probabilities Need to Know Probability is a representation of the odds of something happening. $$\text"Probability of an outcome" = {\text"number of desired outcomes"}/{\text"total number of possible outcomes"}$$ Good to Know A probability of 1 is guaranteed to happen. A probability of 0 will never happen. Percentages Need to Know Find x percent of a given number n. $$n(x/100)$$ Find out what percent a number n is of another number m. $$(n100)/m$$ Find out what number n is x percent of. $$(n100)/x$$ Trigonometry Trigonometry is a new addition to the new 2016 SAT math section. Though it makes up less than 5% of math questions, you won't be able to answer the trigonometry questions without knowing the following formulas. Need to Know Find the sine of an angle given the measures of the sides of the triangle. $sin(x)$= Measure of the opposite side to the angle / Measure of the hypotenuse In the figure above, the sine of the labeled angle would be $a/h$. Find the cosine of an angle given the measures of the sides of the triangle. $cos(x)$= Measure of the adjacent side to the angle / Measure of the hypotenuse In the figure above, the cosine of the labeled angle would be $b/h$. Find the tangent of an angle given the measures of the sides of the triangle. $tan(x)$= Measure of the opposite side to the angle / Measure of the adjacent side to the angle In the figure above, the tangent of the labeled angle would be $a/b$. A helpful memory trick is an acronym: SOHCAHTOA. Sine equals Opposite over Hypotenuse Cosine equals Adjacent over Hypotenuse Tangent equals Opposite over Adjacent SAT Math: Beyond the Formulas Though these are all the formulas you’ll need (the ones you’re given as well as the ones you need to memorize), this list doesn't cover every aspect of SAT Math.You’ll also need to understand how to factor equations, how to manipulate and solve for absolute values, and how to manipulate and use exponents, and much more. These topics are all covered here. Another important thing to remember is that while memorizing the formulas in this article that aren't given to you on the test is important, knowing this list of formulas doesn't mean you're all set for SAT Math. You also need to practice applying these formulas to answer questions, so that you know when it makes sense to use them. For instance, if you're asked to calculate how likely it is that a white marble would be drawn from a jar that contains three white marbles and four black marbles, it's easy enough to realize you need to take this probability formula: $$\text"Probability of an outcome" = {\text"number of desired outcomes"}/{\text"total number of possible outcomes"}$$ and use it to find the answer: $\text"Probability of a white marble" = {\text"number of white marbles"}/{\text"total number of marbles"}$ $\text"Probability of a white marble" = 3/7$ On the SAT math section, however, you will also run into more complex probability questions like this one: Dreams Recalled During One Week None 1 to 4 5 or more Total Group X 15 28 57 100 Group Y 21 11 68 100 Total 36 39 125 200 The data in the table above were produced by a sleep researcher studying the number of dreams people recall when asked to record their dreams for one week. Group X consisted of 100 people who observed early bedtimes, and Group Y consisted of 100 people who observed later bedtimes. If a person is chosen at random from those who recalled at least 1 dream, what is the probability that the person belonged to Group Y? A) $68/100$ B) $79/100$ C) $79/164$ D) $164/200$ There's a lot of information to synthesize in that question: a table of data, a two-sentence long explanation of the table, and then, finally, what you need to solve for. If you haven't practiced these kinds of problems, you won't necessarily realize that you'll need that probability formula you memorized, and it might take you a few minutes of fumbling through the table and racking your brain to figure out how to get the answer- minutes that you now can't use on other problems in the section or to check your work. If you have practiced these kinds of questions, however, you'll be able to quickly and effectively deploy that memorized probability formula and solve the problem: This is a probability question, so I'll probably (ha) need to use this formula: $$\text"Probability of an outcome" = {\text"number of desired outcomes"}/{\text"total number of possible outcomes"}$$ OK, so the number of desired outcomes is anyone in Group Y who remembered at least one dream. That's these bolded cells: None 1 to 4 5 or more Total Group X 15 28 57 100 Group Y 21 11 68 100 Total 36 39 125 200 And then the total number of possible outcomes is all people who recalled at least one dream. To get that, I have to subtract the number of people who didn't recall at least one dream (36) from the total number of people (200). Now I'll plug it all back into the equation: $\text"Probability of an outcome" = {11+68}/{200-36}$ $\text"Probability of an outcome" = {79}/{164}$ The correct answer is C) $79/164$ The takeaway from this example: once you've memorized these SAT math formulas, you need to learn when and how to use them by drilling yourself on practice questions. What's Next? Now that you know the critical formulas for the SAT, it might be time to check out the complete list of SAT math knowledge and know-how you'll need before test day. And for those of you with particularly lofty score goals, check out our article on How to an 800 on the SAT Math by a perfect SAT-Scorer. Currently scoring in the mid-range on math? Look no further than our article on how to improve your score if you're currently scoring below the 600 range. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

The Third World War-- the Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Third World War-- the Cold War - Essay Example During the cold war period, the third world suffered more than those two countries. Beginning of the Cold War After the end of the World War II, there was a race between the United States and the Soviet Union to be the superpower in the whole world. This conflict started from 1945 onwards and it lasted for over 45 years till 19911. This is known as the Cold War. The two superpowers tried their best to dominate the world in their own way which suited their interest. As a result, when both these countries confronted each other in any part of the world, there was a sense of tension between them. This was mainly due to the fact that both of them were aware of each other’s power. However, both the US and the USSR never broke into any kind of a direct war. And since there was no â€Å"hot† war between them, it is known as the cold war2. The cold war had impact on more parts of the world than the World War II. There were real wars in many parts of the world due to the cold war . With the use of the nuclear weapons during the World War II, many people had this fear that this might lead to the third world war, which did not happen fortunately. Otherwise, with the nuclear weapons available to both these nations, they are capable of destroying the whole world, not once but many times. During the Second World War both these countries joined their hands and were able to defeat the Germans. But after this, the quest to become the superpower of the world started between these two nations. Interestingly, they were very much familiar with each other’s power. As a result, none of them did actually break down into a direct state of war. Truman Doctrine and the role of containment On March 12, 1947, the president of the U.S. gave a speech to a joint session of congress. He addressed the state of global affairs while he did not discuss anything regarding â€Å"containment† being a strategic concept3. He pointed towards the economic need of Greece and Turk ey. This proposal for economic assistance was termed as â€Å"Truman Doctrine†. The Greek government has asked for an urgent help from the U.S., both financially and economically. Greece, being not a rich country was under tremendous economic pressure. As a result of the invasions by the foreign nations they were in a state of bother. They were in such a condition that they did not have funds for food, cloth and shelter. Same was the case with Turkey, but it was somehow in a better position than Greece4. The main objective of the foreign policy of the U.S. was to create such conditions so that they can be in a state of harmony with other nations. For this reason, the U.S. participated in an immense way in the creation of the United Nations. The main objective of the United Nations was to arrange freedom for all its members5. It started a new relationship with the Soviet Union and the world. The Truman Doctrine described urgency on the part of the U.S. to help Greece and on th e same hand, to stop the spread of communism. With this foreign policy the U.S. was trying to earn the support of their people showing their mercy character towards others. Eventually it was also a way towards making them a leader in front of the world. Great Britain being unable to help out Greece and Turkey, the U.S. had taken this opportunity to look for extending their help to other poor nations with sole motive of acquiring them. U.S. accomplishments The United States has a very interesting history regarding the invasions it made in the past. There was a

Old Smoke Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Old Smoke - Essay Example Thus, the best thing Charles Renfold should do would be to first ask Frank and Alice if they would not mind smoking at another area and bring up Darlene’s concern about the smell of old smoke and being under the weather. If they would not mind doing so in relation to the knowledge of the report being urgent and Darlene not feeling quite well, then the case is closed. However, if Frank and Alice pushes for their right while Darlene confesses how she cannot stand it, then it would be best for Charles to do it on his own if he wishes to reach the deadline. With this situation causing a delay in work outputs that are asked of each employee, I think there is a need to implement a specialized rule on smoking within their company. Aside from allocating an area for smokers to smoke, it would be good to know if there are employees who might be sensitive to old smoke fumes. If there are, including Darlene, it would be wise to transfer them into a nonsmoker room wherein they would not get distracted or feel ill about inhaling old smoke that affects their productivity at work. This decision is wise as it does not only respect the rights of nonsmokers but at the same time for smokers as well, thus, preventing rallies or ill feelings in the office. This case of Darlene being given a leeway for reaching deadlines or being assigned to a certain job output is reasonable because of a health related reason which associates the smell of old smoke to her feeling ill. We all know that even though Darlene does not inhale direct smoke coming from Alice and Frank’s cigarettes, the smoke fume that sticks to their bodies or clothes can still cause this uncomfortable feeling for nonsmokers especially Darlene. However, if what bothers Darlene is not old smoke but the smell of Alice’s perfume or Frank’s body odor, then it is a whole different story. This is

Student visas problem Essay Example for Free

Student visas problem Essay Abstract American by no means is the world’s superpower. The country is very advanced in many aspects like education, technology, business and Research with prestigious learning institutions like the renowned Harvard University. For these reasons student across the globe strive to come to the US and get their education from here. In most cases the various graduates of the American colleges and Universities always stand a higher chance of getting employment into their careers. Graduates from the American educational system are highly regarded as extremely qualified and can also be integrated by employers anywhere in the world. (http://www. hothousemedia. com) Unfortunately most foreign students who come to the US on student Visas end up not pursuing education but take advantage of the various loopholes to remain in the country illegally. With the increased issue about terrorism, most terrorist have taken advantage of the student visas to gain entry into the American Soil where they pursue their own terrorist activities that endanger the lives of the Americans: for example one of the terrorist involved with the 9/11 attack is said to have been a student on such a Visa. For this particular reason the authorities in American have tightened the rules and regulations that govern the acquisition of these Visas. To acquire a student visa today is extremely difficult than before and many aspiring students are denied the opportunity to study in the US because of these restrictions. However, from the American point of view it is justifiable because the security of the country comes first before anything else. (www. unitedstatesvisas. gov). The students on the other hand are not able to understand these issues, and more or less view it as one of the hindrance of them acquiring the much sought after American Education. To acquire the student visas the American immigration department has comprehensively undertaken the task of educating the â€Å"would-be American students† of the requirements for one to acquire the visas. Unfortunately the students do not sometimes understand the requirements thus fail in acquiring these important items. The students may not also know the laws governing the student visas; the immigration rules in the US are rated as some of the strictest and specific, thereby shutting out many aspiring students. Introduction Millions of foreign students are always fighting to get a place in the American academic institutions. The quality of education in the US is highly regarded across the globe which assures anyone a very promising career development. Prior to the September 11 attack, the acquisition of the American student visa was not as difficult as it is today, which has become a nightmare not only for students but businessmen and women including tourists. (http://www. businessweek. com) Most of the challenges that the students face come from the lack of clear understanding of the rules and regulations surrounding the visas. However, the regulations that govern the visa application are extremely punitive and innocent students are left out. This paper is going to discuss some of the difficulties faced by these students. The application process The first major challenge the students face in acquiring the Visa are the various rules and regulations that one has to understand before applying. Students are required to pay a non-refundable fee of $131, which does not necessarily guarantee one of getting the Visa in the first place. This fee is very prohibitive because not so many students can be able to afford it especially bearing in mind it is never refunded if the visa application is not successful. (http://www. businessweek. com) Part of the Visa application process involves an interview with the US Embassy or consulate where further screening is done on the students to ascertain the authenticity of their application. To secure the interview posses greater challenges, this is because depending on the months that one is applying, one is bound to get appointments that might jeopardize the scheduled dates of joining the university or college. It requires the students to start making the applications very early because the appointments can be as far as one month depending on the applications made. Even after acquiring the appointment the students go through various screening processes that maybe dehumanizing especially to the innocent students. Such screening processes include frisking, and finger printing, besides the interview itself. Many students fail to acquire the visa because they fail on various technicalities that they were not clearly made aware of. Sometimes it is extremely difficult to clearly understand the criteria used to award visas, in fact most of the time one considers him/herself lucky to pass the interview. Thus it is not what one has but the mood of the interviewer that matters. There are many cases where students with almost similar backgrounds have varied outcomes on the application; while one may get the other may miss out. The student is never given the opportunity to lobby for a consideration as the word of the interviewer is regarded as final. Therefore the visa application process is always shrouded in mystery, where there are no clear guidelines on who gets the visa or who doesn’t. Therefore one is not really sure that they will pass or fail. Many students after failing the rigorous tests become very discouraged and they are affected psychologically because of the high expectations they had. (Mashiur Rahaman) One of the best solutions for this problem is to educate the students on the visa application process; thereby the students are fully aware of the various pitfalls that they need to overcome and every single detail that is required for the visa process to be successful. To secure an appointment for an interview in a particular embassy is not necessarily a difficult task because all this can be done on-line. However the embassies get busy in July through August and most students may miss out because of the schedules that are fixed by the embassies. ( http://www. bridgeport. edu ) The students who fail in these interviews end up losing the $131 fee and to secure another interview they require a similar amount. This is a very big challenge and the fee should be refundable or just a part of it so that the students can secure other appointments. Students from poor families end up losing their lively-hoods yet they don’t acquire the much-sought document. The U. S embassies should have clear and specific guidelines on the criteria used which should never be shrouded in any form of mystery where a student can out rightly tell if they are qualified or not. (http://www. cnsnews.com). Another challenge that the students undergo in the visa application process, is the requirement that they should provide proof that they will not go to the U. S for other purposes and that they are capable of supporting themselves when they get there. The students or guidance are required to show proof of there bank accounts which are supposed to hold a certain amount of money for a period of time. Many instances students are able to finance there own education by working part time. In any case this requirement means that only the rich stand the chance of getting the American education. Because of the many restrictions students end up cheating in their documents and providing incorrect information. ( http://www. bridgeport. edu ) Once a student has successfully acquired the visa, another problem sets in; one needs to pay for the visa. The amounts are very prohibitive bearing in mind that one needs to pay for the education, airfare, accommodation, and other important materials. Therefore by the time one settles down in the U. S, if you are lucky enough you are poorer than you came in. (http://www. cnsnews. com) Once in the U.S, to ever get the opportunity to go back home to be with your family is almost next to impossible. This is because the chances of ever being accommodated back are very slim. There are many cases of students being delayed for up to 1 year when they want to come back for what is termed as security screening. Students from the Muslim world have to go through harrowing experiences for them to ever go back to the U. S after their holidays. (http://www. cnsnews. com) It is often advisable to stick in the U. S for as long as you are in college unless you want to waste time and money with the immigration. One should forget for a long while of ever going back home for up to 4 years. Students with tight family ties end up suffering a lot. (http://www. cnsnews. com) Conclusion The terrorism issue has gone a long way in making it harder for innocent students to pursue their dreams in the U. S. It is quite understandable of the strict rules that the visa application processes attract, because any loophole would be greatly exploited by the terrorists who do not discriminate in there harmful activities. Students have to bear the brunt of terrorism. It also important for the students to be fully aware of the visa requirements before starting the process, this will enable them avoid any eventual disappointment. Works Cited Fred Lucas: CNSNews. com Staff Writer: 10,000 Saudi Students on US Campuses Retrieved on 17th May 2008 from http://www. cnsnews. com/ViewNation. asp? Page=/Nation/archive/200702/NAT20070216a. html February 16, 2007 UnitedStatesVisas. gov: Studying in the U. S: Retrieved on 17th May 2008 from www. unitedstatesvisas. gov/studying. html US Visas: Retrieved on 17th May 2008 from: http://www.hothousemedia. com/etm/etmbackissues/septetm04/septetm04feature. htm BusinessWeekOnline: Foreign MBA. Students Beware: Retrieved on 17th May 2008 from http://www. businessweek. com/bschools/content/dec2001/bs2001126_8956. htm December 6, 2001 Applying for a Student Visa (useful tips):Retrieved on 17th May 2008 from http://www. bridgeport. edu/pages/2342. asp Mashiur Rahaman: Malaysia offers UK and US degrees at half the cost: Retrieved on 17th May 2008 from http://www. dailytimes. com. pk/default. asp? page=2007%5C09%5C26%5Cstory_26-9-2007_pg7_26.

Solutions to Poverty: Its Time To Deport The Homeless Essay -- Soluti

The homeless population is growing in America. There are more and more Americans living in boxes, sleeping on park benches and panhandling on the streets each day. These people tend to make us, the non-homeless, feel uncomfortable and unsafe. They are also placing increasing stress on the nation's economy. In short, the homeless are a burden on the rest of society. There needs to be action taken against them. "I shall now humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection (Swift.)" I propose that all of the homeless be relocated to foreign third world countries. They can then be hired in American factories producing shoes, automobiles and other various goods at less than one dollar per hour. This will solve many of the problems that are mentioned in Marin’s â€Å"Helping and Hating the Homeless" and Michael Moore’s films â€Å"Roger and Me,† â€Å"Pets or Meat: The Return to Flint,† and â€Å"The Big One.† These problems include both safety and economic issues. The homeless have the ability to make the non-homeless feel threatened and unsafe (Marin.) â€Å"They are homeless, are strangers, alien and therefore a threat (Marin.)† The threat and danger that homeless pose to American society could easily be eradicated by shipping all of them to other countries. We would then no longer have to deal with them on a day to day basis. Yet another problem that could easily be solved by relocating the homeless is that of unemployment. American companies...

System Thinking and Action Research

System Theory and Action Research Susan M Ross Dr. Tyler Zerwekh September 15, 2012 Abstract Public health practices and policies are largely influenced by the population involved and seek to improve the overall health of the public. Achieving success in systems thinking requires making strategic decisions about what processes will best achieve the public health goals. Systems Theory Information Technology Systems Theory evaluates the relationship between information systems, and information technology, and people.Action Research is used in the field of public health to alleviate adverse conditions in communities by addressing the determinants of health, community-wide interventions, and health promotion. Examples of Action Research evaluate the computer usage and health information technology and health collaboration groups as well as promotion of information health management techniques. An emphasis on relationship is the heart of systems orientation.Systems thinking involving huma ns require an understanding of the nature of the system and its dynamics requires and an understanding of the people involved and the interaction with each other in the applicable network of the system. Action Research is a participatory, democratic process concerned with developing practical knowledge in the pursuit of worthwhile human purposes, theory and practice, in participation with others in the pursuit of practical solutions to issues of pressing concern to people, and more generally the flourishing of individual persons and communities. Reason & Bradbury, 2001). This paper will present a demonstration of a thorough analysis of a systems theory, action research, and an action research proposal to analyze the theory in relation to Caucasian socio-economic group. Systems Theory Fundamental systems-thinking perspectives and approaches that are shared across different fields are: (1) increased attention to how new knowledge is ained, managed, exchanged, interpreted, integrated, and disseminated; (2) emphasis on a network-centric approach that encourages relationship-building among and between individuals and organizations across traditional disciplines and fields in order to achieve relevant goals and objectives; (3) the development of models and projections, using a variety of analytic approaches in order to improve strategic decision making; and (4) systems organizing in order to foster improvements in organizational structures and functions (Leischow, et. al, 2008).Achieving success in systems thinking requires making strategic decisions about what processes will best achieve the public health goals for the designated population and how new discoveries can be disseminated effectively, and what structures and functions are needed to deliver the new knowledge. Effective knowledge flow results in better network performance, which allow for the achievement of systems-level change. Systems organizing have evolved from traditional management theory to a learn ing organizational theory, or an adaptive-systems perspective within other systems environments.Information Technology Systems Theory Information Systems (IS) theory is de? ned as concepts that speculate on social and technical relationships between Information Technology, Information Systems and social outcomes. Much IS theory originated in other disciplines and has been re? ned or applied to examine IT/IS issues. IS theory would also be classified as to include the technology acceptance model (TAM) and structuration theory and IT productivity models as applied to IS/IT phenomena (Chiasson, Davidson,2004) . Over the past years public health systems have evolved significantly.As personal computers became more powerful and operating systems became more usable with the advent of Microsoft Windows, Computer information systems were updated to make use of more modern features, capabilities and software. Public health agencies began to recognize that information technology was a legitima te target for investment to improve their ability to perform core public health functions. As agencies began to upgrade replace or create new systems that were more robust and specialized using modern database management systems and tools on more reliable platforms, and the Internet began to come into its own.The Center for Disease Control promoted its first System wide area communication and system integration projects through its Information Network for Public Health Officials (INPHO) initiative in 1993. (Artz, Salkowitz, 2007). Computer technology moved fairly quickly from the glass confines of the dedicated computer room to the general-purpose office. Over the past thirty years standards for technology have become an important fixture of organizational computing life.Enforcement of standards also varies greatly depending on the political support for Information Technology (IT). As applications became more network-aware and network dependent, the need to leverage network investme nts became critical. Public health agencies became more ambitions as technology became more enabling. Computer Information Technology has a lot to offer Public Health agencies: existing data sets may be consolidated and population-based, including experiences negotiating data sharing agreements and memoranda of understanding.With advancing technology national and international standards are being quickly developed to guide this functionality. (Artz, Salkowitz, 2007). Standards with compliance for patient information data sharing among different agencies, and back-up systems in the event of system failure and crisis are also among the concerns for globalizing Information Systems. Action Research Action research is a collaborative approach to research that provides people with the means to take systematic action in an effort to resolve specific problems.Action research focuses on methods and techniques of investigation that take into account the study population’s history, cult ure, interactive activities and emotional lives. Although action research makes use of many traditional data-gathering strategies, its orientation and purpose are slightly different. The basic action research procedural routine involves four stages; (1) identifying the research question (s), (2) gathering the information to answer the questions (s), (3) analyzing and interpreting the information and (4) sharing the results with the participants (Berg, 2004).Action Research is used in the field of public health to alleviate adverse conditions in communities by addressing the determinants of health, community-wide interventions, and health promotion. Indeed, action research is less a methodology and more a set of guidelines for the roles of the researcher and collaborators, interweaving theory and action and the function of the research knowledge.There are many subtle variations and iterations of action research, but a gross distinction could be made between action research that is co nducted by a researcher implementing an intervention at a community level for the dual purposes of change and knowledge outcomes versus community based participatory action research where those affected by the change and other important stakeholders participate in all stages of the research from design, implementation, and data gathering to analysis.Participatory action research approaches often have the additional goal of promoting critical consciousness where through cyclical stages of dialogue participants attain a greater understanding of their situation, which in turn may result in political or major social change (Mullett, Fletcher, 20). Critics of Participatory Action Research (PAR) have questioned whether the reality of participatory research is ideal for promoting a healthy community.The language of participation in health promotion research, and the inattention to gender, social and cultural (as in the use of universal terms like â€Å"the oppressed†) differences in participation in research processes do not always comport with the outcome values of PAR. Further, while participatory approaches can stimulate capacity building and community development, they can also bring unequal players to an uneven table to participate in difficult predetermined decision making (Minkler, 2000).Action research also called participatory research is an alternative philosophy of social research. Three particular attributes are often used to distinguish participatory research from conventional research: shared ownership of research projects, community-based analysis of social problems, and an orientation toward community action. Critical action research expresses a commitment to bring together broad social analysis—the self-reflective collective self-study of practice, the way in which language is used, organization and power in a local situation, and action to improve things.Critical action research is strongly represented in the literatures of educational action research, and there it emerges from dissatisfactions with classroom action research that typically does not take a broad view of the role of the relationship between education and social change. Critical action research has attempted to take account of disadvantage attributable to gender and ethnicity as well as to social class in its initial point of reference (Kimmis, McTaggart, 2007). Examples of Action Research Lau and Hayward (1997) used an action research approach in a study to explore the structure of Internet-based collaborative work groups.Over a two-year period, the researchers participated as facilitators in three action research cycles of problem-solving among approximately 15 instructors and project staff, and 25 health professionals from various regions striving to make a transition to a more community-based health program. The aim was to explore how Internet-based communications would influence their evolution into a virtual collaborative workgroup. The first phase was taken up with defining expectations, providing the technology and developing the customized workgroup system.The next phase saw the full deployment of the system, and the main lesson learned was that the steepness of the learning curve was severely underestimated, with frustrations only minimally satisfied by a great deal of technical support provided by telephone. The final cycle saw the stabilization of the system and the emergence of the virtual groups. The interpretations of the study suggest that role clarity, relationship building, information sharing, resource support, and experiential learning are important aspects in virtual group development.There was also a sense that more research was needed on how group support systems can help groups interact with their external environment, as well as on how to enhance the process of learning by group members. Comstock and Fox (1995) have written about their experiences in integrating computer conferencing into a learning co mmunity for mid-career working adults attending a Graduate Management Program at Antioch University in Seattle. Their findings relate to establishing boundaries to interaction, creating a caring community, and building collaborative learning.Students were expected to use the system for collaborative learning using three forms of conversation – dialogue, discussion and critical reflection. Dialogues were enjoined as a result of attempts to relate classroom lessons to personal situations at work, with a better understanding provided by multiple opinions. Discussions, distinguished by the goal of making a group decision or taking an action, required a fair degree of moderation, insofar as participants found it difficult to reach closure.The process of reflecting critically on ideas was also difficult – participants rarely took the time to analyze postings, preferring a more immediate, and more superficial, conversational style. The authors conclude with four recommendatio ns: 1) be clear about the purpose of the computer conference and expectations for use; 2) develop incentives for widespread and continuous participation; 3) pay attention to affects of the software on the way the system is used for learning; and 4) teach members of the community how to translate face-to-face collaborative processes to the on-line environment (Reason, & Bradbury, 2001).Action Research Proposal The Affordable Care Act calls for a greater reliance on the internet as a means of communicating health and coverage information, yet variations in the current usage of the internet by some populations have important implications for implementation. Based on the results of The Washington Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard University Race and Recession  Survey(2011),  six in 10 adults overall say they have ever used the Internet to access health information, and access differs by race and  income.Forty-three percent of Hispanics report having ever used the Int ernet to access health information, while 56 percent of blacks and 65 percent of whites report doing so. The differences are even more striking among those with lower incomes. Just three in ten Hispanics with incomes under $40,000 say they have ever used the Internet to access health information, compared with 44 percent of blacks and half of whites with similar incomes. More than 70 000 websites disseminate health information; in excess of 50 million people seek health information online, with likely consequences for the health care system.The Internet offers widespread access to health information, and the advantages of interactivity, information tailoring and anonymity. However, access is inequitable and use is hindered further by navigational challenges due to numerous design features (e. g. disorganization, technical language and lack of permanence). Increasingly, critics question the quality of online health information; limited research indicates that much is inaccurate. Meag er information-evaluation skills add to consumers' vulnerability, and reinforce the need for quality standards and widespread criteria for evaluating health information (Kline, Haynes, 2001).An action research project evaluating the effects of the information technology theory on Caucasians over a period of time would be helpful in providing evidence based research for the Information Technology Systems Theory. The research project would review a group of Caucasian males and females in the same age range, the same level of computer skills and education. The focus of the research is to determine if the majority of access to healthcare was through the use of Information Technology would it create a healthier group then a group with minimal access to healthcare period.The group would be evaluated for a year. During the time frame the group would have an in-person visit with a doctor once every six months except for an emergency. The visit would include a complete physical and required wellness checks. Follow-up visits would be via Skye or video-conferencing. The group would be deemed physically and mentally fit excluding family history of health issues. The group would be given a pass to a fitness center for a year to maintain their health, and would have to maintain contact with a nutritionist and their physician via the computer e-mail o a regular basis.The group would also have access to the Internet anytime they want for the evaluation time. The rest of the environmental and social aspects would be determined by each participate of the research project, meaning that each participates could be local or global as long as there is consistent monitoring of the all of the participates. The evaluation would incorporate Action Research and Critical Action research as some instances would take into account the social economic status of the participants. Given that the largest percentage of whites used the computer and there is a large portion of people that lack acce ss to healthcare in all races.Minimizing variables, such as computer knowledge and education levels and providing all necessary tools to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Researchers would have options to focus the variable changes if there are any on the social economic condition of the individual participants. In conclusion Systems thinking involving humans require an understanding of the nature of the system and its dynamics requires and an understanding of the people involved and the interaction with each other in the applicable network of the system.Public health agencies began to recognize that information technology was a legitimate target for investment to improve their ability to perform core public health functions. Computer Information Technology has a lot to offer Public Health agencies: existing data sets may be consolidated and population-based, including experiences negotiating data sharing agreements and memoranda of understanding. Action research approaches can stimulat e capacity building and community development in designated social status groups if the focus is correctly designated. References Arzt, N. H. Salkowitz, S. M (2007), Evolution of public health information systems: Enterprise-wide approaches, p4-6, 11-13, 18-22. Berg, B. L. , (2004), Qualitative research methods for the social sciences, retrieved on August 23, 2012, from http://digilib. bc. edu/reserves/sc210/piat/sc21007. pdf Chaisson, M. W. , Davidson, E. , (2004), Pushing the contextual envelope: developing and diffusing IS theory for health information systems research, Elsevier Ltd. pg 157, retrieved on September 13, 2012, from http://www. butlercommonplace. org/thoughts/images/d/d0/Chiasson_et_al_2004__Info_and_Org. df Comstock, D. , ; Fox, S. , (1995),  Ã‚   Computer conferencing in a learning community: opportunities obstacles. †Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www. seattleantioch. edu/VirtualAntioch/DRAFT7HT. HTM (14/04/1998). Kemmis, S. , McTaggart, R, (2007), Participatory action r esearch, Communicative action and the public sphere, retrieved on September 13, 2012, from http://www. corwin. com/upm-data/21157_Chapter_10. pdf Cline, R. J. W. , & Haynes, K. M. , (2001) Consumer health information seeking on the Internet: the state of the art, Oxford Journals, Volume, 16, Issue 6, pp671-692, etrieved on September 13, 2012, from http://her. oxfordjournals. org/content/16/6/671. long Lau, F. , and Hayward, F. (1997). â€Å"Structuration of Internet-based collaborative work groups through action research. Retrieved on September 13, 2012 from   http://search. ahfmr. ab. ca/tech_eval/gss. htm (11/4/1998). Leischow, S. J (2008), Systems thinking to improve the public’s health, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, retrieved on September 9, 2012, from http://dccps. nci. nih. gov/brp/scienceteam/ajpm/SystemsThinkingImprovePublicsHealth. pdf. Mullett, J. Fletcher, S. , (2011), Action research in public health, Oxford Index, retrieved on September 13, 2012, fr om http://oxfordindex. oup. com/view/10. 1093/obo/9780199756797-0018 Minkler, M. , (2000) Using participatory action research to build healthy communities, Public health reports, Focus on healthy communities. Retrieved on September 13, 2012, from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC1308710/pdf/pubhealthrep00022-0089. pdf Reason, P. , ; Bradbury, H. (2001). Handbook of action research: participative inquiry and practice. London: SAGE. Retrieved on September 7, 2012