Business Report for Radisson Hotels and Resorts Case Study

Business Report for Radisson Hotels and Resorts - Case Study Example Moreover, Carlson and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) are value holders of the Rezidor Hotel Group (Forbes); therefore giving the name Radisson SAS outside the United States(Forbes). In addition, it has set up accomplice systems with in excess of 20 overall aircraft programs (Radisson SAS) just as with major money related organizations, for example, American Express, Diners Club, Discover Visa and Mastercard to give their clients extraordinary offers and advancements (Radisson SAS). Its vision is: We need to be the most appreciated organization in London and in Manchester(Radisson Edwardian), while its crucial to give 100% visitor fulfillment (clients can answer to the organization if any disappointment happens and Radisson will make remedial move or visitors are not required to pay that specific help), 100% business commitment (for example full staff strengthening) just as obtaining a positive income (by keeping each client and representatives fulfilled) (Radisson Edwardian). The lodging business is confronting many built up rivalry, for example, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, Le Meridien, Marriot, and so forth. Along these lines to make itself extraordinary and one of a kind, offering quality support is a vital activity. Radisson's administration ensure articulation ought to incorporate a guarantee of offering simply the best support, experienced and gifted workers to guarantee consumer loyalty. In the event that the organization doesn't satisfy its responsibility, thus the business vows to compensate for its misstep. It should make it recognized by expressing it in its marketable strategy, set of principles, in the entirety of its inns (in all rooms, at the anteroom, and so forth.), in representative's and franchisee's agreement just as in its media, site, lists, leaflets, email pamphlets, and so forth; to make the entirety of its workers, clients, franchisees mindful of its responsibility. Mechanical progressions have been growing quick as of late. Radisson should utilize this improvement. The business could put a client review poll at its site or send them by means of email. This activity will permit the organization to dissect and assess its client conclusion around the globe and along these lines Radisson will have the option to make remedial move to guarantee that its responsibility of giving 'consumer loyalty' is satisfied. By having the web accessible, the correspondence procedure between the organization and its clients is improved; clients can contact Radisson and get answers from the organization all the more quickly. This framework diminishes the chance of not reacting to specific clients and furthermore decreases time delays. So as to ensure worker and consumer loyalty, checking is basic. This should be possible by embraced execution examinations, where workers round out a structure viewing their presentation just as protests; with this the organization isn't just ready to know its representatives' disappointment however how it has influenced its exhibition. Input from execution examinations will give data to arranging in preparing, enrollment, choice, improvement, prizes and detachment. Radisson ought to likewise play out a complaint strategy (2-way correspondence framework), where workers can convey their grumblings and managers can reprove staff for leading unacceptably execution. The 2-way correspondence framework empowers a balance of intensity, a superior relationship

History of Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History of Psychology - Essay Example Same is with the investigation of various types of regions of instruction. Brain research is a sort of sociology that has developed to be one of the prime parts of life today. All the promoting exercises are spinning around the ideas of brain science which have advanced throughout the most recent 100 years. The innovative work that has occurred has duplicated as time passes. All the basic parts of human life and working are currently clarified through the different ideas of brain science. Thus brain research has become a basic piece of our lives. The sort and degree of examination that was done toward the beginning of 1900s was unique in relation to what it is today. Strategies for research are expanding, and creating; giving space to progress to the exploration that was at that point present. Likewise the hypotheses and ideas which were well known in the beginning were not as significant as more ideas were coming as exploration was developing. A cross-sectional investigation of the examinations which were directed in two distinctive time spans would furnish one with a superior picture in regards to the distinction of suppositions, themes and ideas in various times. For this reason, two articles have been picked relating to various times of the 1900s. Exhaustive examination of these articles would assist us with understanding the advancement of exploration and ideas in brain science. The main article that has been picked was distributed in 1914 in the Psychological Bulletin/Psychological Review Company, named as Brain research of religion. This article was composed by Elsworth Faris and supported the various ideas winning with respect to religion on the planet and their linkage to the brain research of individuals. The other article was looked over a similar diary yet distributed in 1958. The introductory statements from the conference on connections among religion and psychological well-being, conveyed by Herman Fiefel, were picked to be broke down. Like the past article this article likewise discusses the connection among religion and its impact on the psychological condition of humankind. (Faris, 1914) To begin with, religion has a major connection with the emotional wellness and security of an individual. It has been set up that putting stock within the sight of the obscure force above us encourages us to live better/responsible lives in this world. It makes us answerable for our activities and can help improve the world a spot. This point has been examined and explored upon throughout the years by researchers and results have indicated linkage between the two parts of life. While experiencing the primary article, one notification that the basic idea of brain research and religion, sober mindedness, is being talked about; the way that around then all the ideas were viewed as significant just when they were demonstrated. Practicality discusses the reasons behind everything and not a solitary reason; it endeavors to demonstrate to ideas. In the article, the writer accepts that the confidence Christianity is the encapsulation of the question of presence. Despite the fact that the article plainly makes reference to that training is a significant factor in the advancement of sound strict ideas. Training enables the individual to relate to the key realities of the religion; these realities are the nearness of a solitary force which can assist them with thing; the way that they will be offered reclamation, the presence of malice and the nearness of confidence of man. These convictions are

American History Since 1865 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American History Since 1865 - Essay Example It was somewhat effective in doing as such for certain years yet the future occasions demonstrated that the bargain was a finished disappointment. The brutal terms of the arrangement ingrained a craving for retribution in the hearts of Germans and advanced the ascent of Nazism which at last prompted the Second World War. 2. The essential issues of the Scope Trial were training and science v. religion. What were the more extensive social ramifications? What did this preliminary uncover about the American open at that point? How are these issues applicable today? The Scopes preliminary principally spoke to a contention among science and religion, however it had more extensive social ramifications. It set off a discussion on social issues like progressivism, the right to speak freely of discourse and restriction. The way that Dayton got monstrous help the nation over much after he was indicted blameworthy was a reasonable sign that the American open supported opportunity. Individuals su pported innovation and radicalism and the opportunity of decision over preservationist belief system. With respect to dubious theme, the overall population was of the supposition it should just involve individual decision about what is correct. The Scopes preliminary occurred years back yet the issue is still new in the current period. The open despite everything banters on the issue of opportunity over themes like premature birth, gay relationships and sex instruction in schools. Works Cited Bailey, Thomas, Lizabeth Cohen and David M Kennedy. The American Pageant-Vol. II.

Epic Heroes Essays - Ancient Greek Religion, Epic Cycle,

Epic Heroes Besides, we have not even to chance the experience alone, for the saints ever have gone before us. The maze is altogether known. We have just to follow the string of the legend way, and where we had thought to discover an evil entity, we will discover a divine being. What's more, where we had thought to kill another, we will kill ourselves. Where we had thought to travel outward we will go to the focal point of our own reality. Also, where we had thought to be distant from everyone else, we will be with all the world. Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth Saints have been mainstream all through the presence of individuals since that is what merits expounding on (Campbell 123). Saint legends help us to develop into better people by gaining from the preliminaries and triumphs of the saint. In old style Greek writing, the epic saint can be characterized as far as the differentiating characters of Achilles and Odysseus, the two most significant figures in Homer's extraordinary epic sonnets The Iliad and The Odyssey. The two saints speak to the two unique sorts of legends that we have, a saint with an otherworldly deed and a legend with a physical deed: There are two kinds of deed. One is the physical deed wherein the saint plays out a valiant demonstration in fight. The other is a sort of profound deed, wherein the saint figures out how to encounter the supernormal scope of human otherworldly life and afterward returns with a message. (Campbell 123) Achilles, the best warrior of the Greeks in the Trojan War, is really a demi-god as opposed to a human legend, having been plunged in enchanted waters by his mom and given the endowment of resistance. He speaks to the physical deed. Odysseus, then again, is a completely human character, and his bravery comprises more in his astuteness, strength and sly than his military capacity. He speaks to the otherworldly deed. The complexity between these two models of the epic legend couldn't be more grounded, for in spite of the fact that Achilles is divine and practically unfading in his battling ability, he stays adolescent and irritable as a part of his character, even at the time of his most noteworthy triumph he comes up short on the respectability and liberality expected of a genuinely extraordinary saint. The man of numerous ways Odysseus, be that as it may, transcends his absolutely human confinements to accomplish an a lot more prominent predetermination, triumphing over the threats o f war and meandering to return home to his significant other and family. Achilles, the main grievous saint in writing, delineates the two sides of human instinct: Achilles exemplifies what is ideal and most exceedingly terrible in human instinct. He is at his best when he?offers empathy and encouragement that uncover his significant comprehension of the human condition. Anyway even from a pessimistic standpoint he acts like a childish youngster and acts like a ruthless brute. (Rosenberg 121) We watch the more undesirable parts of Achilles' character soon after we first experience him in The Iliad, during his fight with Agamemnon over the ownership of a courtesan. Prior to the collected Greek pioneers, Achilles grumbles that he never gets a lot of the prizes, that the Achaeans don't give him adequate respect, and that he has become tired of battling the Trojans, since to me they have sat idle (Lattimore, 1967:63). At the point when Agamemnon chooses to show him a thing or two and take his courtesan Briseis from him, Achilles exhibits an attack of temper and cautions all the Greeks that they will be sorry they would not take into account his wants: And then you will eat out the heart inside you in distress, that you did no respect to the best of the Achaeans (Lattimore, 1967:65). At that point he leaves to mope in his tent. Achilles unarguably is for sure the best of the Achaeans in battle, however since he is the child of a goddess and favored with safety in fight, courag e isn't the quality that makes him an extraordinary warrior. His partner among the Trojans, Hector, in truth, is an a lot nobler character- - wanting to his folks, spouse and youngsters, intrepid in fight, and ready to forfeit everything for his kin. In examination with Hector, Achilles takes after something of a mom's kid; actually, we see him crying to his mom Thetis

Chemistry of Anti-money Counterfeiting Technology Essay

I. Theoretical Duplicating cash is a major business for crooks. About $70 million of phony money gets utilized day by day, costing shoppers millions. In the current day, there are numerous new advances that have been found and concentrated so as to help put forgers bankrupt. Our cash is something that we should ensure, which is the reason these advances and disclosures are significant in the security and improvement of our economy. The new age of Philippine banknotes incorporates new and further developed innovation to guarantee the wellbeing of the real Philippine banknotes. This is to forestall cash forging in our nation. These new highlights incorporate further developed photograph altering, which highlights miniaturized scale imprinting on the various pictures and messages on the banknotes, an interesting unpleasant surface, another arrangement of sequential numbering, propelled security filaments and security strings, watermark innovation, and optically factor ink. These are the most developed and productive strategies for forestalling cash forging today. Given in this paper is a point by point clarification and portrayal of every security safety measure and an itemized survey of the techniques used to execute them. II. Divisions of Currency The new age Philippine banknotes makes out of the divisions twenty, fifty, one hundred, 200, 500, and one thousand peso bills. The new twenty-piso charge respects President Manuel L. Quezon, the primary President of the Republic of the Philippines on the facade of the bill while the converse shows the picture of the amazing Banaue Rice Teraces and the Palm Civet from the Cordilleras. The fifty-piso bill remembers President Sergio Osmeã ±a who drove our nation at the basic phase of World War II. The converse shows a picture of the Taal Lake, one of the world’s littlest dynamic volcanoes and the Maliputo Fish. The one hundred-piso charge pays tribute to President Manuel Roxas who organized the creating of the Central Bank sanction at that point gave the authority to the remaking of our nation after the annihilation of the Second World War. On the opposite, the close to consummate cone-molded Mayon Volcano and the Butanding or Whale Shark is likewise included. The 200 piso charge highlights President Diosdado Macapagal who reestablished the festival of Philippine autonomy on June 12. The converse highlights the remarkable symbol of Bohol, the Chocolate Hills and the Tarsier. The 500 piso bill is a salute to the heroes of Philippine majority rules system, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. furthermore, President Corazon Aquino. The opposite highlights the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. At long last, the one thousand-piso charge highlights three of our war saints, Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, Josefa Llanes Escoda, and General Vicente P. Lim. The opposite highlights the Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park and the world acclaimed South Sea Pearl. Figure 1 The cash sections come in explicit shading plans of orange for the twenty-piso charge, red for the fifty-piso charge, violet for the one hundred-piso charge, green for the 200 piso charge, yellow for the 500 piso bill, and blue for the one thousand-piso bill. III. Security Features The Philippine Banknote or the Philippine Peso Bill sees the need as present with the utilization of new innovation to upgrade the security of banknotes to stay difficult to imitate by crooks. The new age Philippine banknotes consolidates the most recent accessible innovation in banknote security. This is the explanation that they have grown new plans and redesigned the security highlights of every one of our banknotes. A. Photograph Editing The Central bank of the Philippines utilizes an exceptional photograph altering programming to guarantee explicit prints that are difficult to duplicate by crooks. A portion of these particulars incorporate nano prints on the pictures, lines, and words on the banknotes. B. Surface The note isn't smooth to the touch, however somewhat harsh. This is on the grounds that the monetary certificates are made of 80% cotton and 20% Philippine Abaca. Beside that, the raised prints that are embellishing from the Intaglio printing process give the bill a one of a kind material feel. Intaglio printing is a printing strategy where the picture is etched into a surface. Typically, copper (Cu) or zinc (Zn) are utilized, and the entry points are made by scratching ot etching the picture. In printing, the surface is canvassed in ink and afterward scoured vigourously with tartalan material or paper to expel ink from the surface, leaving it in theincisions. The sharp printing got from the intaglio procedure is difficult to copy by different methods. Intaglio additionally takes into consideration the formation of dormant pictures, which are just obvious when the report is seen at an exceptionally shallow point. Figure 2 C. Sequential Numbers The sequential numbers are made out of a couple of prefix letters and six to seven digits in hilter kilter or expanding size. Sequential numbers are not hard to produce; yet they make banknotes simpler to track and review. Figure 3 D. Security Fibers The paper used to print our cash has modest strings of strands installed into the paper. These red and blue filaments gleam under bright light. In the event that the bill has no red and blue filaments that sparkle, at that point it is likely a phony bill. Fluorescent imprints are the imperceptible phosphor colors on banknotes that gleam under UV or blacklight. This gleam will be noticeable under a cash finder gadget. There are two sorts of security strands. The first is the obvious security strands. These are handily found in current Philippine banknotes as the blue and red filaments that are arbitrarily spread all through the front and back of the paper. The other kind is the imperceptible security fiber. These shine a fluorescent yellow under bright light. Certified security filaments in Philippine banknotes can be effectively culled out (indeed, attempt it!) with the guide of a needle. Fake cash typically just prints the strands on paper, consequently they can't be culled out. Figure 4 E. Watermarks The watermark shows a shadowed picture of the representation and the banknotes’ division on the clear space when seen against the light from either side of the bill. This is conceivable because of paper thickness varieties. Figure 5 The word â€Å"Pilipino†, written in our old Filipino letters in order, Baybayin, can be found in its total structure when the banknote is seen against the light. F. Covered Value At the point when the banknote is turned at a 45-degree edge and tilted downwards, we can see the hid denominational worth overly forced on the littler variant of the representation. Figure 7 G. Security Threads Both the twenty-piso and the fifty-piso have a 2mm wide security string that can be noticeable when seen against the light. The one hundred, 200, 500, and one thousand-piso bills have a 4mm wide stich-like security string installed on the bill and when seen from various edges, its shading changes from red to green. The inserted security string is an uncommon string vertically embedded askew of the note during the production of the banknote paper. The front of the string conveys a reasonable content †the initials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the numeric section of the monetary order. The rear of the string is additionally printed with the initials BSP. There are two sorts of security strings. One is a slender aluminum (Al) covered and halfway demutualized polyester film string with microprinting, which is implanted in the security paper as banknote or visa paper. The other sort of security string is the single or multicolor sewing string produced using cotton or manufactured strands, generally UV fluorescent, for the bookbinding of visa booklets. Figure 8 H. Optically Variable Device Patch The 500 piso bill and the one thousand-piso bill have the optically factor gadget fix, an intelligent foil. For the 500 piso charge, it uncovers the little BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) logo and the blue parrot, while the one thousand-piso bill uncovers the little BSP logo and the South Sea Pearl inside a shellfish. The patches change shading from red to green when the note is turned 90-degrees. Figure 9 I. Optically Variable Ink A security highlight elite to the one thousand-piso note is the optically factor ink for the embellished division esteem on the lower right corner on the substance of the banknote, which changes shading from green to blue when it is seen in various edges. Shading changing inks will be inks containing pearlescent shades that change shading when seen at an alternate point. The shade of the ink doesn't really change, yet the point of the light to the viewer’s eye changes and in this manner makes the adjustment in shading. Various sorts are accessible, including green to purple, gold to green and green to lilac. Optically factor inks (OVI) are over the top expensive inks applied on banknotes as a security include. Up until this point, just the 1000 peso bills have this. There are two renditions of OVI imprinting on the 1000 peso banknotes. This is an astounding security highlight since forgers will require a great deal of exertion and cash to recreate it. They are called optically factor inks on the grounds that minor chips of shading moving film are fused in the intaglio ink. In this manner, prints of OVI change shading when seen from various edges.

Trypophobia Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Trypophobia Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments Phobias Print Trypophobia or the Fear of Holes By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on June 08, 2019 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 02, 2019 More in Phobias Causes Symptoms and Diagnosis Treatment Types In This Article Table of Contents Expand What Is Trypophobia? Common Triggers Symptoms of Trypophobia Causes Treatments View All Back To Top Trypophobia is an aversion or fear of clusters of small holes, bumps, or patterns. When people see this type of cluster, they experience symptoms of disgust or fear. Examples of objects that might trigger a fear response include seeds pods or a close up image of someones pores. There is some debate among researchers as to whether trypophobia is a genuine condition. Early reports of trypophobia were first described in an online forum in 2005, but it has not been recognized as a distinct diagnosis?? in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association. While not listed in the DSM-5, trypophobia would fall under the broad classification of specific phobias as long as the symptoms are persistent, excessive, and lead to significant impairment or distress. What Is Trypophobia? Trypophobia is often described as “the fear of holes,” but it is important to note that it may also apply to bumps or other patterns that are closely clustered together. When people see trigger objects,?? they experience symptoms such as severe fear, nausea, itching, sweating, shaking, and even panic attacks. Fear is one common symptom, but disgust is often described as the overwhelming emotion that people feel with this phobia. Trypophobia also tends to be highly visual.?? Seeing images online or in print is enough to trigger feelings or revulsion or anxiety. One case report?? illustrates how trypophobia often presents. The patient, a 12-year-old girl, experienced feelings of discomfort when she encountered surfaces and objects covered with holes or dots. When asked to draw a picture of her fear, she filled a paper with a repetitive pattern of clustered, round dots. How Common Is Trypophobia? While prevalence is unknown, some research indicates that trypophobia may be quite common. One 2013 study published in the journal Psychological Science found that 16 percent of participants experienced feelings of disgusts or discomfort when looking at an impage of a lotus seed pod. Common Triggers Research on trypophobia is still relatively rare, but some of the trigger objects that have been observed include: HoneycombsStrawberriesLotus seed podsPomegranatesCondensationBubblesHoles or bumps on fleshInsect eyesCoralHoles in diseased or decaying fleshBubble wrapFruit seedsSea sponges Man-made patterns, as well as animals that have spotted or patterned coats, can also cause a phobic reaction. Symptoms of Trypophobia The symptoms of this condition are similar to those of other specific phobias. After seeing clusters of small holes or bumps, whether in person or in an image, people often experience: Feelings of revulsionFear and anxietyGoosebumpsRapid breathingSweatingNauseaItchingVomitingPanic attacksShakingEmotional distress Trypophobia can lead to symptoms related to fear, disgust, or both, although research suggests that people report feeling greater disgust rather than fear. In addition to experiencing symptoms such as fear and disgust, people with trypophobia will often experience behavioral changes as well. Avoidance of trigger objects is common. For example, a person might avoid eating certain foods (such as strawberries or aerated chocolate) or avoid going to certain places (such as a room with dotted wallpaper). Causes Research on trypophobia is still quite limited, but there are some theories about why it happens. Evolutionary Causes According to one of the most popular theories, trypophobia is an evolutionary response to things that are associated with disease or danger. Diseased skin, parasites, and other infectious conditions, for example, may be characterized by such holes or bumps. This suggests that this phobia has an evolutionary basis. It is also consistent with the tendency for those with trypophobia to experience greater disgust than fear when they see a trigger object. Associations With Dangerous Animals Another theory suggests that clustered holes share a similar appearance to skin and coat patterns on some venomous animals. People may fear these patterns out of unconscious associations. There is some research that supports this idea. A 2013 study?? looked at how people with trypophobia respond to certain stimuli in comparison to those without the condition. When viewing a honeycomb (a common trypophobic object), people who dont have trypophobia immediately think of things such as honey or bees. The researchers believe that those with trypophobia non-consciously associated the sight of a honeycomb with dangerous organisms that share the same basic visual characteristics, such as rattlesnakes. While they are not consciously aware of this association, it may be what causes them to feel feelings of disgust or fear. Associations With Infectious Pathogens A 2017 study?? found that participants tended to associated hole patterns with skin-transmitted pathogens, with many reporting feelings of skin-itching and skin-crawling when viewing such patterns. Disgust or fear of potential threats is an adaptive evolutionary response. In many cases, these feelings help keep us safe from danger. In the case of trypophobia, researchers believe it may be an overgeneralized and exaggerated form of this normally adaptive response, A Response to Visual Characteristics Some research suggests that the discomfort people feel has more to do with the visual characteristics of the patterns themselves. One study published in Psychological Reports?? found that while people experience discomfort when viewing trypophobic patterns, these feelings were more related to the visual patterns themselves?? than to associations with dangerous animals. Such results call into question whether or not trypophobia is actually a phobia at all, or simply a natural response to certain types of visual stimuli. Links to Other Disorders Researchers have also found?? that people with trypophobia were more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression as well. The symptoms of trypophobia were also found to be persistent and lasting, leading to functional impairments in daily living. The symptoms presented were most likely to meet the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for specific phobias rather than other conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Treatments No specific treatment has been demonstrated particularly effective in the treatment of this condition. However, many of the treatments used for specific phobias are also likely to be helpful in reducing symptoms. Exposure Therapy This treatment involves progressively exposing a person to their fear object. The hope is that over time, this exposure will cause fear symptoms to lessen. This process is usually done very gradually. A person may start by imagining what they fear, then looking at pictures of the fear object, and then finally being near or even touching the source of their anxiety. In the case of trypophobia, a person with symptoms may start by simply closing his eyes and imagining something such as a honeycomb or seed pod. They will continue working on this activity until symptoms start to recede. Once he is able to imagine the object without a response, he will move onto the next step, which often involves looking at an image of an object that normally triggers symptoms. The process of exposure therapy continues on until the patient is able to encounter an object without feeling excessive disgust, fear, or anxiety. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Cognitive behavioral therapy involves working with a therapist to change the underlying thoughts and behaviors that might contribute to trypophobia. This might involve discussing unrealistic thoughts, replacing these with more realistic ones, and then making changes in behaviors. One of the reasons people experience phobia symptoms is because they often believe there is something inherently dangerous or threatening about the fear object. This leads to negative automatic thoughts as soon as they encounter the source of their fear. Through CBT, people work to replace their often irrational beliefs and negative thoughts with more positive and realistic ones. Relaxation Techniques Different relaxation strategies can also be useful for reducing feelings of disgust, fear, or anxiety. Visualization, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation are a few strategies that might be helpful. Visualization involves picturing soothing images or situations. A person with trypophobia might try to envision a beautiful sunset or a field of flowers whenever they encounter something covered with tiny holes. A simple distraction can also be a useful coping technique. If you see something that triggers a trypophobic response, you might simply look away and find something else to think about or look at until your symptoms ease.   Medications Anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drugs may sometimes be prescribed, particularly if the individual also experiences depression or anxiety. These may include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), benzodiazepines, or beta-blockers. These medications may be used alone, but they are often used in conjunction with another treatment approach such as CBT, exposure therapy, or other types of psychotherapy. A Word From Verywell While trypophobia has been discussed rather extensively online, psychologists are still split on whether it represents a genuine phobia. It is not currently recognized by the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Further research is needed to determine the nature of the condition, its prevalence, and its treatment. Fortunately, most people who experience this condition can find relief through treatment options ranging from therapy to medication to self-help.

The Role of Maid Marian in Robin Hood - Literature Essay Samples

It is hard to evaluate and study the mythic character of Robin Hood without considering his significant other, the fair Maid Marian. Though Marian does not appear in the original legend, by the sixteenth century she becomes an essential part of the tale. One common theory suggests that Marian appeared because the Robin Hood character was rising in class stature: â€Å"[T]he first time a role of substance for a lady emerges in the outlaw myth is when its hero has become a lord, and so needs a lady, both as part of his gracious style of living and to provide the continuation of the landed line†(Knight, 59). Marian plays more significant a role than lady of the house, however. Two major works that have lent an identity to Marian are Thomas Love Peacock’s 1822 novella Maid Marian and the ballad Robin Hood and Maid Marian. In these two pieces of literature Marian appears as both a strong intellectual role model for women and an overlooked, sexualized subordinate to her male peers. This dichotomy draws questions about the possible biases that may have affected the myth until modern times and about the type of feminist hero that Marian has the potential to embody.In Peacock’s Maid Marian, the title character â€Å"is drawn from Peacocks ideal of womanhood, and she owes more to her author than to the legends† (Knight, 61). Peacock was influenced by Mary Wollstonecrafts Vindication of the Rights of Women and â€Å"came to believe that female intelligence should be defended against its contemporary depreciation (Barczeweski, 192). His Marian â€Å"represents vigor and activity† and shows â€Å"unquenchable energy† and determination in both body and mind (Ibid.,151). She refuses â€Å"to be constrained by male authority,† (Ibid., 192), disobeying her father to spend time with the merry men in the forest. While a â€Å"decidedly ungenteel heroine,† (Ibid., 190), Peacock’s Maid Marian is not so unfeminine as to challenge gender assumptions. Marian’s sport of choice is a good example of how Peacock strikes a balance between the unconventional and socially appropriate. Marian excels at archery, which requires great skill but not large muscles, physical contact, or mannish clothing. She can be unwomanly, in other words, but only to a point.One reason Marian must come across as sufficiently feminine is that her purpose, in some analyses, is purely sexual. She may exist as a character solely to affirm Robin Hood’s heterosexuality and sexual prowess: â€Å"With Marian as his lady, Robin is both a lord and, in an undemonstrative way, a lover† (Knight, 61). Peacock depicts Marian as a strong, independent woman but demeans those qualities by blatantly sexualizing her. As â€Å"one of the young romantics,† Peacock’s â€Å"sensual personalization and male viewpoint is clear† (Ibid., 120). Nearly all the novel’s male characters are sexually interested in Marian: â€Å"[T]he text makes it clear that no red blooded male could resist [her]† (Ibid., 120). Peacock undoubtedly collected a great deal of his narrative action from the ballad Robin Hood and Maid Marian, as â€Å"The eighteenth-century ballad†¦ is the primary source of [Marian’s] frequent appearance in many subsequent versions of the legend† (Lux, 191). This is an action-packed ballad in which Marian’s â€Å"disguise, cross-dressing, and revelation become the means of defining the female hero’s identity†(Lux, 192). Her appearance in this ballad is one of the first, as â€Å"women remain largely on the periphery of the earliest Robin Hood ballads and tales† (Hahn, 151). Some critics believe there was simply â€Å"no place for [women] in the context of the tales† (Holt, 37) and have argued that this particular ballad is just â€Å"an ‘extreme and implausible attempt’ to combine Robin the lover and t he fighter† (Knight and Ohlgren, 493).If this is the case, Marian is simply being used as a sexual tool to affirm Robin’s masculinity; indeed, the ballad seems to sexualize her. It begins by describing Marian’s physical attributes: â€Å"For favour and face, and beauty most rare/†¦For Marian then was praised of all men/ That did in the country dwell†(Knight and Ohlgren, 494). Marian’s beauty and her interactions with Robin are prominent: â€Å"With kisses sweet their red lips meet,/ For shee and the earl did agree;/ In every place, they kindly imbrace,/ With love and sweet unity† (Knight and Ohlgren, 494). Marian is also portrayed as weak: â€Å"And Marian, poor soul, was troubled in mind, For absence of mind,/ for the absence of her friend;/ With finger in eye, shee often did cry† (Knight and Ohlgren, 494-495).The Marian of this ballad is not simply a sexual and weak presence, however: â€Å"We notice first that even when Marian is little more than a beautiful plot device she is usually not only brave and loyal but also attempts to claim agency to herself† (Hahn, 152). Marian may first appear as a weak, sexual prop, but she soon comes into her own: â€Å"She drest her self like a page/†¦With quiver and bow, sword buckler, and all/ Thus armed was Marian most bold†(Knight and Ohlgren, 495). Marian goes on to sword fight Robin Hood and even draws blood. She is strong. She excels in archery and fits in with the merry men of the forest quite well. It must be noted that Marian cannot only play sports with the boys, she can think with them too: â€Å"She also takes a leading role in the government of Robin Hood’s Commonwealth, debating issues and offering her opinion on an equal basis with the merry men† (Barczewski, 190). Marian’s role is dichotomous: â€Å"It is striking that as a noble, beautiful, loved woman enters the outlaw tradition, the play realizes her opposite, a sexually aggressive, deceptive, dangerous harridan. The lovely woman it seems, calls up her other, the witch† (Knight, 61). No matter how much power this woman is given, it seems she is constantly contradicted by her negative counterpart: â€Å"This pattern of a witch-like ‘false Marian’ recurs with surprisingdepressingregularity, right into modern films, and indicates a strong undercurrent of male gender anxiety in the tradition† (Knight, 61). When a false Marian is not physically present, she is created by the dichotomy within Marian’s own character. Marian herself becomes the good, pure woman and the evil, sexual woman all at the same time. Maid Marian is essentially two women. She is the intelligent hero that can fight with the boys and she is the sexual object of desire for the boys to look at. She can use her sexual prowess as a means of power, but this is nonetheless a demonstrative process. She has evolved with Robin Hood through the gentr ification process in which she was a major factor. Marian may not be as deep-rooted in the myth as Robin Hood, but she has become a vital character in the legend: â€Å"By the end of the nineteenth century†¦maid Marian’s status as a feminine (and possibly feminist) heroine was beginning to alter perceptions of her character† (Barczeweski, 197). Marian is a female who has â€Å"open[ed] the possibility for female readers to identify the hero within themselves, and enhance[ed] the potential for them to explore, and to liberate, that hero†(Lux, 196). In Peacock’s Maid Marian and the ballad Robin Hood and Maid Marian, we see both a powerless and powerful woman whose role in this legend is fascinating in its own right.

UW Bothell Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA

The University of Washington Bothell is relatively small public university with an acceptance rate of 79%. Located 14 miles from downtown Seattle, UW Bothell opened to first-year students in 2006. UW Bothell shares its campus with Cascadia Community College. The average undergraduate class size is 23 students, and the most popular majors are in professional and technical fields such as business, computing, and nursing. Academics are supported by a 20-to-1 student / faculty ratio. Considering applying to the University of Washington Bothell? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, UW Bothell had an acceptance rate of 79%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 79 students were admitted, making UW Bothells admissions process somewhat competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 3,022 Percent Admitted 79% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 33% SAT Scores and Requirements The University of Washington Bothell requires all applicants to submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 83% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 510 610 Math 520 640 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing The admissions data tells us that most of UW Bothells admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section of the exam, 50% of students admitted to UW Bothell scored between 510 and 610, while 25% scored below 510 and 25% scored above 610. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 520 and 640, while 25% scored below 520 and 25% scored above 640. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1250 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at UW Bothell. Requirements The University of Washington Bothell does not require the optional essay section of the SAT, nor does the university require SAT Subject tests. Note that UW Bothell participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. ACT Scores and Requirements UW Bothell requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 24% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile English 18 26 Math 19 27 Composite 19 26 This admissions data tells us that most of UW Bothells admitted students fall within the bottom 54% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to UW Bothell received a composite ACT score between 19 and 26, while 25% scored above 26 and 25% scored below 19. Requirements Note that UW Bothell superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered. The University of Washington Bothell does not require the optional ACT writing exam. GPA In 2018, the average high school GPA of University of Washington Bothells incoming class was 3.4, and over two-thirds of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.25 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to UW Bothell have primarily high B grades. Note that UW Bothell does not consider class rank in the admissions process. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph University of Washington Bothell Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to the University of Washington Bothell. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances The University of Washington Bothell, which accepts more than three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the schools average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. Note that applicants to UW Bothell must have a minimum high school GPA of 2.0 or higher. UW Bothell also has a  holistic admissions  process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. A strong  application essay  can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful  extracurricular activities  and a  rigorous course schedule. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their test scores are outside UW Bothells average range. Note that UW Bothell does not use letters of recommendation in the admissions process, nor does the university consider interviews or legacy status when making admissions decisions. The distribution of data in the graph above suggests that GPA is more important than standardized test scores in the UW Bothell admissions process. If you have a B average or higher in high school, you are likely to be admitted assuming you have taken sufficient college preparatory classes in areas such as science, math, English, and history. All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and the University of Washington Bothell Undergraduate Admissions Office  .

Meet the Robber Barons Vanderbilt, Gould, Carnegie, and Others

Media s Influence On Gender And Gender Roles Essay

Our world is surrounded by media. Media plays an enormous role in affecting the way we perceive gender and gender roles. Media as well as communications are known to be the key elements of how people live their life in the modern age. The media can be a very inviting place, since it has so many things inside of it that appeals to people worldwide. At the same time, the media can be a cruel, judging and corrupt area that can be scary to involve yourself with. That being said, the mass media has had its history with harsh stereotyping, particularly when dealing with women. Many people within the media view women as a gender that is only allowed to be at home, whether it is cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, or being a slave to their male counterpart. Even with women who work inside of the media are usually overlooked, bashed by their appearance and do not get an equal opportunity as men do in order to succeed in life. This has been the case for hundreds of years, but there are still a myriad of problems that women face today, whether in the media or life in general. Media plays an enormous role on people’s lives. For the good or for the bad, people tend to believe what they constantly see on the internet, television, newspapers and magazines. What the media wants to do is to make an affect on someone. It can literally be anything. As long as something that is said in the media creates or makes an impact on that particular person, the media has doneShow MoreRelatedThe Media s Influence On Gender Roles1042 Words   |  5 PagesThe media is a well-known, influential aspect on gender roles that broadcast negative messages to society through television by the images that are mainstreamed, which has an effect on people’s thinking process. Television brainwashes both men and women to believe they are not perfect, unless they have the body image of a celebrity. Though it is just a fantasy and not reality, â€Å"81% of 10 year girls are afraid of being fat, half of those girls believe they feel better about themselves when they wereRead M oreGender Socialization And Gender Roles1452 Words   |  6 Pages120 Professor Lessor 5/14/2016 Gender role in socialization Gender socialization and gender roles have always existed in society. Gender roles are playing major part in our way of living. As we grow, we learn how to behave and respect from those surrounding us as well as children learn at a young age what it means to be a boy or a girl in our society . there are certain roles placed on boys and girls in accordance with their gender. These gender roles are set on children from birth andRead MoreSocial Media and Society Negatively Influence Gender Roles1376 Words   |  5 Pages Social media and society negatively influence gender roles and perpetuates stereotypical gender behavior. 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ThroughoutRead MoreGender Socialization Of Children : Gendered Toys, Media, And Parental Affects Child Development1289 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract Gender role expectations are inescapable in our society as we naturally tend to sort humans into categories, the easiest one being gender. Upon first meeting a person, most people automatically classify the other’s gender. With this classification come the inevitable gender role expectations. Even for those who consciously try their hardest not to cloud their perceptions of others based on â€Å"traditional† gender role expectations, it is almost impossible not to subconsciously succumb to theseRead MoreThe Media And Society Influence On Gender Roles1116 Words   |  5 Pagesterms of the social world in which you live. 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The expression of aggression is related to gender because social roles and media influences have a hugelyRead MoreParental Influence On Gender Roles1179 Words   |  5 PagesDevega English 120 – Fall 2017 October 8, 2017 Parental Influence on Gender Roles in Children A person s gender identity is a multi-faceted social construct that is defined as a person s sense of being male or female in various combinations; gender roles are then defined as behaviors learned by a person as appropriate to their gender, determined by the prevailing cultural norms. From the moment of birth when a parent hears their baby s gender an identity has begun to form. When we meet a new personRead MoreUnconsciously, We Have All Been Affected Or Can Relate1358 Words   |  6 Pageswe have all been affected or can relate to the effects of gender role stereotyping. From the day we were born, we are labeled as either boy or girl. Although, society has changed its norm in gender roles, many of our traditions have not. In the gender stereotype, we commonly relate a boy with the color blue, and a girl with the color pink. Gender roles have been instilled in us from past generations, due to the way that society was. Gender labeling is still influenced today through children’s toysRead MoreBrainwashing Youth : How Advertising Influences Children On Gender Images1496 Words   |  6 Pages Brainwashing Youth: How Advertising Influences Children on Gender Images For advertising companies, the topic of advertising to children is one that is very controversial and could lead to a lot of debate on whether it is even ethical to do so. None the less advertisements continue to be aired and targeted towards a particularly vulnerable group: children. At a young age it is a critical time for children. They are not only developing their mental and physical capabilities, but they are also developing

Analysis Of The Poem F.w De Klerk Fixing A Broken Land

F.W de Klerk: Fixing a Broken Land Sea and Sand My love My land, God bless Africa Sea and sand My love My land, God bless Africa But more the South of Africa Where we live†¦ Bless the angry mountains And the smiling hills Where the cool water spills To heal the earth’s brow Bless the children of South Africa The white children And the black children Who lost the sea and the sand That they may not lose love For white children Whose fathers raped the land†¦ Sea and sand My love My land, God bless Africa (The land and People of South Africa) This piece of art is written by a South African poet by the name of Don Mattera. This poem embellished the distress and hardship that South Africa and the people of this unique and beautiful land had to go through during the times of Apartheid. During these tragic times of separation people of South Africa, that were against this racial segregation, stood up for their rights through many ways such as poetry and petition. Others, such as F.W de Klerk expressed his dislike for this cruel act of disconnection through politics and made it his goal to make South Africa racially equal and whole. During apartheid in South Africa F.W de Klerk took a stand to fight for human rights through tough times of racial separation to equality by ending apartheid. Apartheid was a government system that South Africa used from the years 1948 to 1994 (â€Å"Frederik Willem De Klerk†). The word apartheid means separateness which is exactly what the government wanted

The advantages and disadvantages of a business plan Free Essays

string(129) " the owner is not used to making business plans, people who will look to it will find out the weaknesses of his business skills\." Entering the world of business is not that easy. When starting a new venture, one should never come unprepared. If you started a new venture without planning anything first, chances are, you will end up going wherever the wind takes you. We will write a custom essay sample on The advantages and disadvantages of a business plan or any similar topic only for you Order Now That is why a business plan is a necessity for someone who is interested in starting a new venture. In the world of business, a business plan is treated like a bible for it lets investors and lenders know about the business you are trying to put up. It also serves as a manual for suppliers and other stakeholders of the business. A business plan may have its advantages but it also have its disadvantages. In this part of the paper, we shall look at the strong and weak points of developing a business plan for a new venture. However, a business plan is supposed to be an advantage to the business that is why the advantages, as expected, outnumber the disadvantages. Advantages One advantage of developing a business plan for a new venture is that it identifies what the consumer really wants. Of course, a business plan is all about making your target market patronize the product or service you are offering in your new business. Before you can make profits, you must first identify your target market and know what they really need or want. This is one important advantage of a business plan especially for those who are new in the business scenario. Once you identify what your target market really wants, you are most probably headed to indentifying the demand for the service or product you intend to offer. Identifying the demand for the product is also very important in launching a new venture because from this, you will know whether the service or product you are to offer is needed by the people. Of course, you cannot just think about your supplies and your suppliers. Those things will come after you determine the demand for your product. Aside from identifying the target market and the demand for the product or service, the advantages of a business plan also include assistance in designing your product that are appealing to the senses of the consumers. Since your purpose in developing a new venture is to make profit, the consumers’ senses are your main target. Designing your product is very important. It includes the packaging of the product and other advertising tools to make the people buy the product. This is also an important aspect of the business plan for it contributes a lot to the success of the business. Of course, if you are developing a â€Å"for-profit† business, making profit and paying debts will have to be included in your business plan. Aside from paying debts, your plan should also include measures on how to generate daily income. In this aspect, a business plan is very helpful because you already have your plans on how to manage the financial aspects of the business (which is one of the most important aspects). If you know exactly the financial path of what you are venturing, you are most likely to succeed in terms of profit. Another advantage of a business plan is that it makes the proprietor identify his competitors. When you have the knowledge about your competitors, you will be able to identify your competitive advantage over the competitor’s firm. Since you are developing a new business, it is important that you know exactly your edge in the business scenario over the others. If you have planned beforehand about your competitive advantage over the competitors, chances are, there will be product differentiation in the market. That is actually a good thing because it lessens competition within simi8lar firms. By analyzing your competitors, you will be able to create strategies that are effective even if there are many competitors in the market. A business plan is also advantageous because it enables us to indentify new product and service areas, and new or potential customers. In business, it is not only important to find the customers for some of them will not be loyal to your firm. It is hard to find new customers when you are just developing a new venture but it is much harder to retain them. The good thing about a business plan is that it helps the owner of the firm to identify potential customers. If it is hard for the owner to retain his customers, it would be very helpful to identify new or potential customers. In that way, at least, you will have your next resort. Lastly, an advantage of a business plan is that it allows the business owner to evaluate his business strategies and if his strategies are giving the desired results. What is good about a business plan is that it enables the owner to assess whether his strategies are effective or not. If he found out that his strategies are not effective enough to make the business succeed, he can immediately formulate new strategies to make the business succeed. As we all know, business strategies are very important, be it human resource, financial, etc. The business plan serves as a test for the formulated strategies and also serves as way to make room for improvement. If the owner finds out that there is something wrong with his first strategies, he will be able to change it right away and save his business from falling apart or incurring losses. Disadvantages Although we mentioned a lot of advantages in making business plans, it also has its drawbacks. If the owner is new in the world of business, he may not have all the business skills that a new venture requires. If he happens to be the one making his business plans, the business plan can be one way of identifying his weaknesses in dealing with business. If the owner is not used to making business plans, people who will look to it will find out the weaknesses of his business skills. You read "The advantages and disadvantages of a business plan" in category "Essay examples" Suppliers, investors, and lenders will most likely not to participate in the business when they find out that the person they are dealing with is not that skilled in business. Also, if the other stakeholders of the business find out that the person they are making arrangements with is not as skilled as they thought, they might not trust him with the success of the business. They might even plan to use his weaknesses or his business plan against him since they know that he is not a skillful businessman. Another disadvantage of a business plan is when it is not properly thought of. If the data in a business plan is not properly analyze, it may result to improper marketing decisions which will eventually have a bad effect on the business itself. Although a business plan helps a lot in making the business successful, it may also make the business fail if not done correctly. What makes it hard for a business to succeed is the impulsiveness of the business owners when it comes to decision making. Sometimes, the data in business plans are not analyzed properly that is why decisions are also made incorrectly. If the one who made the business plan is not a professional business consultant or is not really familiar with making a business plan, information can be interpreted incorrectly. The faulty interpretation of information can result to unrealistic financial projections. In a business, financial matters are very important that is why if financial statements are understated or overstated, it could greatly affect the business. If the information in the business plan is interpreted incorrectly, wrong decisions can be made. The owner can also make unrealistic projections about the financial aspects of the business which can cause further problems. This would greatly affect the future of the business. Since the business plan somewhat includes the mission and vision of the business, it would be a great problem if the business plan fails to make correct projections for the firm. If the business owner is not familiar with making business plans, he may opt to hire a business plan consultant. It is very advantageous actually since they offer quality service and they have been making business plans for many successful businesses. The disadvantage is that the service of these consultants is very expensive. Although they offer good service, it would cost you a lot. The money that can be added to your investment in the business will just go to the payment for the business consultant. If the business owner happens to be saving up for his new venture, he can resort to hiring an inexpensive business consultant which is not always good for the business. Sometimes, inexpensive consultants are not as good as the expensive ones. There are also some which uses software that makes business plans. They will just ask the owner of the business certain questions and then enter the information in the software they use. This will eventually lead to improper analysis of data and information in the business plan which will not do the business any good. Assessment of the Biz Air Plan Just by taking a look at the business plan’s executive summary, we can already have an idea that the financial projections are overstated. With only 6 aircrafts, their projected revenues were  £17.4 million. What I am trying to point out here is that what they are trying to build is an airline company and not just a convenient store or a clothing company. There were statements in the executive summary that seem to understate the losses in the first year. They even projected that there would be a 12% improvement in profits in the company’s second year and a long term 16% of sales in the third, fourth, and fifth year. Aside from wrong financial projections, I find the business plan full of assumptions.   For example, in the part where in they conducted customer analysis, they chose to conduct the study during lunchtime and interviewed people who dress like a business person. In other words, they just assumed that if a person is in corporate attire, he or she could be a potential customer since they assumed that he or she is a businessperson. There is also a part in the paper in which it is stated that â€Å"as long as the flights are not delayed, the post experience evaluation should be favourable.† I find this very assuming because it is not only the delay of the flight that affects on whether the customer will or will not like the new airline company. The satisfaction of the customer does not rest solely on the factor that their flight is on time. Factors such as cleanliness, safety, or the friendliness of the staff also affect the satisfaction of the customer. It is also mentioned in the business plan that through satisfying customers (that is in terms of not delaying their flights), they will serve as salesmen for the airline company who will try to suggest the company’s service to other people. I find this a little idealistic for business does not just go that way. Business does not only succeed through word of mouth. When they said that the customers will serve as the salesmen for the airline company, it gave me the impression that they were already assuming that the delay of the flight solely determines customer satisfaction which would later on result to advertising the company. It is very idealistic since they were sort of assuming that all the satisfied customers will endorse their company. Another thing that I found very disturbing about the paper is its being overconfident about the services it offers. Of course it is very important that you have confidence in the business that you are putting up but not to the point that you will sound boasting about your business that has not even tried by the people. You can see this in the part where in they discuss the advertising of the service. They mentioned that they are just going to advertise through newspapers and billboards near airports. I have nothing against that idea, actually. But you don’t have to say that you do not have to advertise in televisions because you are sure that once the news broke, there would be much television publicity that will come out. I think it will seem very unprofessional for those who will take a look at the business plan. Potential investors will have the impression that they are dealing with unprofessional people. Lastly, there are several faulty analysis and incorrect financial projections which can be the main cause of the failure of the business. Reference: 2004. Creating Your Business Plan. [Online]. Available: http://www.nvbdi.org/howto/biz_plan.php.   [29 July 2007] BELLIS, M. 2007. Creating A Marketing Plan for the Independent Inventor. [Online]. Available: http://inventors.about.com/od/licensingmarketing/a/tutor_marketing.htm. [29 July 2007] 2001. Approaches to Writing A Business Plan. [Online]. Available: http://www.caycon.com/plan_options.php. [28 How to cite The advantages and disadvantages of a business plan, Essay examples

Monetary Policies in China Free Sample †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Monetary Policies in China. Answer: Two examples of Monetary Policies in China: Tightening Monetary Policy by Raising Money Market Rates: The central bank of china has tightened the monetary policy by increasing the interest rates charged by it in the operations of the open market (Mankiw, 2014). The tightening of monetary policy aims to additionally deleveraging, in order to prevent the overheating growty of credit and broaden the advantage of yield for the Chinese bonds that the country have on the US debt in order to support the Yuan. With the rebounding of the factory price following the years of deflation policy makers have made avoiding monetary system risk forming as a key theme in the recent years (Taussig, 2013). The move is aimed at pushing up the cost of funding the short term tenors in order to rein leverage by switching the combination of less monetary stimulus for gaining more financial support. Tightening of the lending facilities and rates of the money markets represents the central banks desire of making further progress on the liberation of the interest rates. Reserve Requirements: Reserve requirements have currently been utilized as the extensive form of monetary policy tool. The mandatory reserve ratio was lowered as the part of allowing the banks so that they can manage their funds in better way (Bernanke et al., 2015). Along with the changes in the reserve requirements, there has been an introductions of differentiated reserve requirements. This impacted the second tier banks, along with the joint stock commercial banks which accounted significant portion of the rise in the growth of lending during the year 2003. Banks under this classification failed to meet the requirements in regard to the superiority of their loan portfolio with capital competency were subjected to a reserve obligation of 8% (Laibson List, 2015). Effects of Global Financial Crisis on China: The global financial crisis unleased a series of significant effects on china that ranged from the collapse of stock market to falling of financial institutions and economy wide recession. In the initial stages of the crisis financial channels were most severally impacted since they had invested heavily in the securities that were related to US estate markets (Sunley, 2017). As a result of this, the investors suffered huge amount of loss. In spite of the fact that china was capable of maintaining a relatively higher growth of the economy but the adverse effect of the international financial crisis on china was sturdier than it realised. In the beginning stages of crisis FDI in china declined and recovered to around the pre-crisis level in the later stages. The global financial crisis impacted on theeconomic outlook of china and risk attitudes around the globe since it was not immune (Case et al., 2014). Beginning from the period of October 2007, the Chinese stock market crashed which eradicated greater than two-thirds of its market value. In addition to this, the export growth rate of china declined sharply to 2.2% from 20% in the month of October. Overall, the export of china declined by around 17% in the year 2009 prior to recuperating to positive growth in the year 2010. References Bernanke, B., Antonovics, K., Frank, R. (2015).Principles of macroeconomics. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Case, K. E., Fair, R. C., Oster, S. E. (2014). Principles of Economics, Harlow. Laibson, D., List, J. A. (2015). Principles of (behavioral) economics.The American Economic Review,105(5), 385. Mankiw, N. G. (2014). Principles of Economics, 6th edn, Mason, OH, South-Western.National Revenue Report,2015. Sunley, P. (2017). Principles of economics. Taussig, F. W. (2013).Principles of economics(Vol. 2). Cosimo, Inc..

Global Journal Of Management And Research -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Global Journal Of Management And Research? Answer: Introduction Intercultural communication deals with exchange of information between organisations located in different countries with different cultural backgrounds. It includes both verbal and non-verbal communication. In this report, various models used to understand different cultures are described with the implications and importance of intercultural communication for managers and entrepreneurs. Intercultural Communication According to Sir Edward Burnett Tylor, Culture is the sum total of knowledge, belief, morals, laws, customs, art and habits which an individual acquires as a member of society(Samovar et al., 2012). Today cultures of different countries are greatly impacted due to Globalisation. Globalisation has brought about an increase in the level of interaction taking place between people who come from different national, ethical, cultural and religious backgrounds. Intercultural communication has now become a subject of study especially after the subject has gained attention from various scholars across the globe. Intercultural communication in its simplest form means receiving as well as sending pieces of information across sundry cultures, which can also be in different languages(Arent, 2009). Understanding cultural diversity is the key to effective intercultural Communication. In order to understand intercultural communication there are four widely used models: Hofstedes five value dimensions: A Dutch researcher better known as Geert Hofstede identified 5 different dimensions of important cultural values. These 5 dimensions include Masculinity and femininity dimension Collectivism and Individualism dimension Avoidance of uncertainty dimension Distance Power Dimension According to this model, moving towards individualism from collectivism societies become more self-centred. Power distance suggests the level of acceptance in a culture for unequal power distance. Uncertainty avoidance measures the true extent up to which any society avoids indeterminate or largely vague situations. Masculinity-femininity examines that on a spectrum ranging from Masculine to feminine where does the dominant values of a society fall. Finally the long term orientation deals with a societys consideration for virtues. Edward T Hall who is a renowned American anthropologist, once proposed a High and Low context model after researching the cultures of the US, France, Germany and Japan. According to his research context of message is important than the message itself. In low context countries communication is direct and frank whereas in high context countries meaning in the message is conveyed indirectly by careful selection of words. GLOBE: Robert House conducted a research which focuses on gaining an understanding about the influence that culture has on various leadership processes. This led to development of a theory which is better known as Global Leadership and Organisational Behaviour Effectiveness (GLOBE). GLOBE Model is similar to Hofstedes value model but GLOBE approach is focused more on management and leadership studies(Nardon Steers, 2009). Importance of Intercultural Communication The adage World is shrinking is a reality now. With the advent of World Wide Web even the small businesses are doing business across geographical boundaries. In order to excel in workplace and reap benefits of globalisation every manager should understand the nuances of intercultural communication. Growing importance of cross cultural communication has made this a topic of great interest. Negotiation: Another point of interest in study of intercultural communication is Negotiation styles. Negotiation styles of different countries are as different as their cultures, and for a successful negotiation effective intercultural communication is a prerequisite. Intercultural negotiation involves discussions about common and conflicting interest among the organisations with different cultural backgrounds. In order to carryout successful negotiations a cultural study based on Hofstedes value dimensions can prove beneficial(Zhang Zhou, 2008). Business Expansion: For businesses that try to gain a competitive advantage in domestic as well as international markets, understanding the impact of globalisation on intercultural communication is of prime importance. Businesses which can effectively communicate inter culturally will find it easier to prove the superiority of their product in global market. Tie ups with foreign business partners is another way business expansion, success of which is dependent on an organisations preparedness as a intercultural communicator(Kei Yazdanifard, 2015). Customization: In order to establish a product or service in a different country it is beneficial to customize their specific needs. Intercultural communication plays important role in appropriately tailoring the product or service to suit the cultural norms of that particular country. Additionally, during marketing and promotion activities ineffective intercultural communication can offend, confuse or send wrong message to consumers(Papa, 2017). Personal reflection of intercultural communication I have rarely been a part of intercultural communication however I wish to travel to various places and become a part of multinational organizations. Therefore, I understand the importance of inter cultural communication. Hence I chose this subject to get a deeper insight upon the same. Intercultural communication requires a brief understanding of the foreign language and culture. More so, I believe, Intercultural communication is a source of learning new things. I have always been fascinated by learning foreign languages and cultures. Last reason behind selecting this topic was that the increasing globalization and the use of social media has made it plausible for people across the world to remain connected with each other. Through this I have made many friends across various social media platforms and from my experience, my communication with them has always helped me learn more and experience a different world altogether. Application of Intercultural Communication Opportunities offered by Globalisation: Multinational companies are increasingly expanding their operations to other countries of the world. Small entrepreneurs are also investing and competing in global marketplaces. Therefore, there is a need for managers and entrepreneurs to develop frameworks for negotiating, managing and communicating across cultures(Okoro, 2013). Developing a workplace Culture: In an era where a workplace comprises of both natives and expatriates from all over the world the focus of Managers and Entrepreneurs should focus on developing a universally accepted culture. Preparing for Leadership Roles: To be Successful in future leadership roles it is imperative for todays managers to be adept at leading and managing people from different cultural backgrounds. It is important to understand here that as the workforce becomes multicultural the internal organisational communication should take note of intercultural elements. For a leader it is important that he/she is being understood and is able to make people understand what is expected of them and this should happen across cultural boundaries. Multicultural team management: Global demand for qualified and diverse workforce has risen with the advent of globalisation. As the reliance of organisational success over multicultural teams has increased the need to develop communication processes to enable smooth functioning of multicultural teams(Congden et al., 2009). Overseas Project Management: Intercultural communication finds its application in managing overseas projects. Success of such projects depends largely on how well the manager is able to lead a team which has a different work culture from the work culture of his/her own organisation. Conclusion There is no denying the fact that Globalisation has changed the way organisations do business. It has impacted every business function from marketing to human resource management. Intercultural or cross cultural communication has made its place in organisational communication practices. Given its implication for managers and entrepreneurs, organisations should focus on developing culturally competent workforce by imparting training on intercultural communication. References Arent, R., 2009. Bridging the Cross-Cultural Gap. University of Michigan Press. Congden, S.W., Matveev, A.V. Desplaces, D.E., 2009. Cross-cultural Communication and Multicultural Team Performance: A German and American comparision. Journal of Comparative International Management, 12(2), pp.73-89. Kei, S.S. Yazdanifard, R., 2015. The Significance of Intercultural Communication for Businesses and the Obstacles that Managers should Overcome in Achieving Effective Intercultural Communication. Global Journal of Management and Business Research: A Administration and Management, 15(4). Nardon, L. Steers, R.M., 2009. Cambridge Handbook of Culture, Organizations, and Work. Cambridge University Press. Okoro, E., 2013. International Organizations and Operations:An Analysis of Cross-Cultural Communication Effectiveness and Management Orientation. Journal of Business Management, 1(1), pp.1-13. Papa, N., 2017. Importance of Cross Cultural Communication in Business. [Online] Available at: https://bizfluent.com/about-6710853-importance-cross-cultural-communication-business.html [Accessed 18 January 2018]. Samovar, L.A., Porter, R.E. Mcdaniel, E.R., 2012. Intercultural Communication: A Reader. Boston: Wadsworth. Zhang, T. Zhou, H., 2008. The Significance of Cross-cultural Communication in International Business Negotiation. International Journal of Business and Management , 3(2), pp.103-09.

Joshua MacAnespie Art History Course Project Essays

Joshua MacAnespie Art History Course Project Essays Joshua MacAnespie Art History Course Project Essay Joshua MacAnespie Art History Course Project Essay Essay Topic: Cane Consider the following questions: How do artists use their media, tools, and creativity to express the period in which they live and work? How do political events such as war, peace, and changes in political power effect the art of the time? How do cultural and religious beliefs shape the artistic expression of the time? How do advances in technology affect the artistic expression of the time? Step 1 Go to the Virtual Diego Riviera Web Museum and explore the murals of Diego Riviera. Note how various murals by Riviera express the artistic style and the historical, political, cultural, and religious influences of the time. Formulate your thoughts and opinions and note specific images that represent your ideas. Step 2 Go to Frescoes in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo and explore the works of art. Note how Michelangelo work expresses the artistic style and the step 3 Develop an outline for your presentation: Title your presentation (include your name as the presenter and the date of the presentation). Clearly define the historical time in which each artist worked. Clearly define and contrast the political influences on each artist and his works. Clearly define and contrast the cultural and religious influences on each artist. Clearly define and contrast the artists artistic styles, including their use of media. Summarize your points in the conclusion. Step 4 Create your presentation. It should be approximately 20 minutes long. If you use slides as a visual for your presentation, include about 15 to 20 slides. Allot your time as follows: Introduction: about 2 minutes (1 to 2 slides) Defining the historical period of Michelangelo: about 2 minutes (1 to 2 slides) Defining the historical period of Diego Riviera: about 2 minutes (1 to 2 slides) Comparing and contrasting the political influences on the artists: about 4 minutes (3 to 4 slides) Comparing and contrasting the cultural and religious influences on the artists: about 4 minutes (3 to 4 slides) Comparing and contrasting the artistic styles of the artists: about 3 minutes (2 o 3 slides) Summarizing your conclusions: about 3 minutes (1 to 3 slides) Visit this website about creating and delivering a presentation for help in organizing writing, and delivering your presentation. Step 5 Edit your presentation to make sure it is accurate complete supported by details interesting and engaging Step 6 Deliver your presentation. The two artists, Michelangelo and Diego Riviera are very different. But similar in some key features that you may not have known about. How are they similar, you ask? Well, read on below and you will find the answer that you seek! Because these artists were way before you or I were born. Michelangelo was born in 1475, which should make you feel young comparing to him. Anyway on to our main topics since I seem to be boring you with this intro. So yes, again, Michelangelo was born on March 6, 1475 near Razor, Tuscany, Italy. He was once a talent artist. He did painting, sculptures, architect designs, poetry, and engineering during the Renaissance Era! Although at a young age, his mother died and because of his liking in art, he was beaten. When he turned 13 he became an apprentice for the painter Domenici Giordano. During this time he was living beside the conflicts of the wars between Spain and France. During this Renaissance was a time of coming out of the dark. It was the rebirth of education, science, art, literature, music, and better lives for the people. The era that bridged between the Middle and Modern Times started with the collapse of the Roman Empire. Part of this was also called the Dark Ages because so much of what was learned became lost knowledge. Diego Riviera was born in Conjugate, Mexico on December 8, 1886. During his lifetime he became a well acknowledged muralist His style mainly retained cubism, which is a type of art that is broken up, analyzed, and reassembled in abstract form. He participated in the founding of the Revolutionary union of Technical Workers, Painters, and sculptors in 1922. Later on he enlisted in the Mexican Communist Party. The Mexican Revolution in 1914-1915 strongly influenced him. So did the Russian Revolution in 1917. Diego was searching for a new style of painting, once that could show the complicated of his day and still reach a wide audience. It wasnt until be started to study the Renaissance frescoes of Italy that he found his medium. Mexican culture and history constituted the major themes and influence on Rivers art The political impact on Michelangelo was that many of his ideas were influenced by Neo-Platonism (which is a modern term used to determine the period of Platonic philosophy beginning with the work of Plotting and ending with the closing of the Platonic Academy by the Emperor Justinian in 529 C. E. ) Michelangelo three principles were: the One, the Intellect, and the Soul. He had more of a religious inspiration rather than political. During his time in the Mexican Communist Party, he became a political activist. The style of his art reflects the working class scenes that reflect his party as well. When he was married, his work started to become less political and more casual. His wife, Friday, used the styles of surrealism and symbolism. The religious impact on Michelangelo was major. His biggest works were David and the Sistine Chapel. David was based on the fable tale of David and the Goliath. The Sistine Chapel ex. bits Michelangelo knowledge of the Bible and Roman Catholic Doctrine. Many other works include the Pieta, Mannerist, Last Judgment Evaluation Rubric Criteria Quality Yes! Yes, but No, but No The introduction communicated the main points of the presentation in a clear, accurate, and interesting way. The introduction communicated the main points of the presentation but lacked some clarity or information. The introduction communicated some key points but missed others. The introduction didnt communicate the main points of the presentation. Body of presentation The body of the presentation made the main points accurately, had a clear and ordered structure, and provided supporting details. The body of the presentation made the main points but lacked some clarity, structure, or purporting details. The body of the presentation made some key points but missed other important points or lacked supporting detail. The body of the presentation missed the main points of the purpose of the presentation. Summary and conclusion The presentation summarized the main points and concluded in an effective way. The presentation had a conclusion, but it could have been more effective or complete. The presentation had a conclusion, but it was not effective. The presentation did not have a conclusion. Language The presentation was well written and delivered in an interesting and effective way. The presentation was accurate but the writing was not interesting and effective. The presentation was somewhat accurate but was poorly written and presented. The presentation was inaccurate and was poorly written and presented. Overall evaluation The presentation did a good job of answering the project questions and was interesting, informative, and engaging. The presentation answered most of the key project questions but could have been more complete and engaging. The presentation answered some of the key project questions but lacked interest. The presentation did not accurately answer the key project questions.

How to Pass a College Class

How to Pass a College Class Whether youre about to start college, about to restart college, or just want to up your game a bit, its important to get back to the basics: doing well in your classes is critical for your success. And while knowing how to pass a college class seems so simple at first, being able to follow through over the course of a semester can often become challenging. In essence, however, there are several key things all college students needs to know and do if they want to pass their classes. Attend Class Go to class! It can be all too easy to not go to class regularly, especially if your professor doesnt take attendance. And it can be all too easy to sleep in or attend other events instead. Over time, however, low attendance can turn into a major problem. Youll miss discussing and learning about important material, of course, but youll also miss other key elements: the moment your professor mentions that something is going to be on an upcoming exam, the moment the light bulb finally goes off in your own brain because of something another student said, the moment you got the idea for your final paper. Engage with the Material Theres more to a class than just the few hours it meets each week, though. Do the assigned reading. Watch the assigned films. Think about what youre learning and how it can apply to all kinds of things outside of the classroom. How is what youre learning important in the bigger picture of your life? Of the universe? Talk to Your Peers Engage with the students. Your classmates can be one of the best resources for your learning experience. Whether youre in a study group or just connect with one student in particular, engaging with your fellow students can deepen your understanding of the course material and help shift your perspective. Talk to Your Professor Engage with the professor. Office hours are like a gift your professor gives you each semester. Use them! Whether you have a question about what was covered in class, want feedback on a paper or project youre working on, or just want to talk to your professor about something kinda-sorta-maybe related to the class, office hours are the place to do it. Additionally, if your professor sees youve been giving it your all at the end of the semester, he or she might be more inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt if youre grade is on the border. Manage Your Time Plan in advance for papers and tests. Time management in college is not easy at all. And managing multiple projects, assignments, and deadlines can be one of the biggest challenges you face. Can you pull an all-nighter? Probably. But you might get sick, your computer might crash, you might not finish in time, and you definitely wont turn in your best work. Plan in advance for papers and exams so that you can work on them slowly, deliberately, and well. Keep Up With Your Work Stay on top of your assignments as often as possible. Staying on top of your reading and other assignments like language lab hours is important, too. Will it always be possible? Probably not. But staying on top of your academic to-do list is a major factor in making sure that youre understanding the material and, consequently, that youll likely pass the class. Remember to Relax Relax from time to time. Even though your brain is technically an organ, it does operate like a muscle in many ways: if you keep doing the same motions over and over, youre likely to sabotage your own chances for success. You cant study all the time, and even if you could, your efforts would quickly become ineffective. Take a break. Go for a walk. Relax for a few minutes. Take an afternoon or even an entire day off. Let yourself relax and enjoy your college life so that you have the mental energy you need for your academic obligations and so that you can have some fun along the way, too. Set Goals Set goals about what you want to learn and experience. Passing a class is more than just getting a certain grade. What do you want to learn? What do you want to experience? What skills do you want to gain? Getting a C in your everyone-else-failed, nearly-impossible-to-pass statistics class, for example, might feel like more of a victory than the A you earned with barely any effort in your creative writing course. While grades are important, they arent the be-all, end-all of your college experience. You need to pass your classes, of course, but you also need to be mindful of what you want to learn and experience along the way.

Research Papre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Research Papre - Essay Example This process gets more aggravated when the people cut more trees, which are absorbers of carbon emitted. If we look at history of earth, we can notice that the earth has cooled and heated alternatively in a gradual span of time. The climate of the earth change according to the intensity of sun light receive or due to shift in the orbital movement of earth. However, in the recent times, one force which has alleviated the heating process of earth is humanity. As per (wiscombe,2012)â€Å"The global average surface temperature rose 0.6 to 0.9 degrees Celsius (1.1 to 1.6 ° F) between 1906 and 2005, and the rate of temperature increase has nearly doubled in the last 50 years†. Global warming can be described as a swift increase in the temperature of earth due to a vast release of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere due to the burning up of fossils by humans. The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon where in the infrared radiation emitted by atmosphere heat up the planet’s surface. The term â€Å"greenhouse effect† derived from an analogy where the heating up of air inside a greenhouse is compared with the air present outside the greenhouse. Apart from earth, the planets Venus and Mars also experience greenhouse effect. Naturally earth receives heat in the form of radiation from sun and 30% of this incoming energy is solar radiation. The 70% of remaining solar energy is absorbed by the land, ocean and atmosphere of the earth. This natural process occurs in order to give the earth a temperature which is of a stable state and not to allow rapid heating or cooling in the earth’s atmosphere. Generally speaking, only one percent of the earth’s atmosphere is comprised of greenhouse gases .But this greenhouse gas has a feature of trapping heat in the atmosphere and creating a warm blanket of air around the planet. This is what is known as â€Å"green house effect†. Without this greenhouse

A Overview of the Grand Canyon Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Overview of the Grand Canyon - Research Paper Example How the Grand Canyon came into existence? No one knows. There are abundant guesses. Accept it as the one of the most beautiful area of nature. A number of processes and more than one factor must have contributed to its formation and what one sees in the Grand Canyon presently, is the outcome of the process of evolution over a very long period. â€Å"The most powerful force to have an impact on the Grand Canyon is erosion, primarily by water (and ice) and second by wind. Other forces that contributed to the Canyons formation are the course of the Colorado River itself, volcanism, continental drift and slight variations in the Earth’s orbit which in turn causes variations in seasons and climate†. (The Geology†¦.)Canyon is basically located in a desert. Heat of the sun bakes the soil in the Grand Canyon; it becomes so hard that it cannot absorb water, when rains come. The roots of the plants in the Grand Canyon cannot pierce the hard earth-bed and the root systems are very shallow and they absorb as much water as is possible during rains. These plants are unable to block the process of soil erosion. With no check on the soil and rock in place, during heavy rains flash floods occur with devastating consequences. The flood water carries down the Grand Canyon, everything on its course, spares nothing, and big boulders roll down as if they are pebbles. It assumes the shape of flowing concrete and not water. Those hiking through the side canyons must have the accurate information of weather conditions, to avoid calamities. It is a steep canyon. The ‘sculptor’ of this canyon is the Colorado River in Arizona, USA. It is 277 miles long, the maximum width is 18 miles and its depth is a stunning 6000 ft. It is part of the countless years of the Planet Earth’s geological history, and the River and its tributaries are the architects of this

Benefits of Technological Innovation in Business

Benefits of Technological Innovation in Business 1.0 INTRODUCTION Advances in information systems and technology (IS/IT) are re1garded as major sources of improvement in the competitive position of firms and industries (Mitropoulos and Tatum, 2000). However, the benefits from technological advances depend on the extent to which these technologies are utilized. Indeed, information is becoming critically important in achieving strategic competitive advantage, particularly in todays competitive environment (Claudia, 2005). This proclamation has led organizations to adopt the most advanced enterprise technology to innovate for a change because organizations that maximize and leverage their information assets have a strategic advantage over their competitors (Claudia, 2005). The ability to speed up making decisions, improving operations performance, managing customer profitability as well as increasing the level of control to management are the core benefits to be considered by decision makers when implementing IT/IS. The rapid emergence of enterprise systems has made applications such as enterprise resource technology (ERP) to be among the most popular technologies used in the industries. Despite its importance to decision makers and also researchers in discovering how the emergence of enterprise systems contributes to organizational performance, there is uncertainty about IT payoff and accountants involvement in determining business and information strategy of an organization. The typical judgmental by organizations on investments of IS/IT is always to battle competition by improving productivity, profitability and quality of operations. Hence, to understand the organizations decisions to innovate always remain as the critical topic of discussion among IS/IT scholars particularly when it relates to the perceptions of accountants as the internal provider of information. Historically, organizational innovations were distinguished process from product innovations (Zmud, 1982; Robey, 1986; Swanson, 1994) and further differentiated between administrative and technological process innovations (Robey, 1986; Swanson 1994). Accountants play a significant role as the internal provider of information for business operations and for competitive positions in the market. Accountants are also described as the gatekeeper of the financial markets (Wallman, 1995). Without information expertise of accountants, businesses would not be able to evaluate their cost and profit position, gauge product or business unit performance or to plan for future financial success (Brecht and Martin, 1996). Traditionally, accountants were trapped on standard financial reporting or financial-related information and having historical orientation (Mia, 1993) to support management in making decisions. However, as information technologies grow more advanced and competitive pressure for innovation increased, the responsibility of accountants to furnish decision makers with valuable information in making intelligent decision becomes very crucial. Therefore, accountants must quickly response to this evolving information environment to mak e sure on the efficient business, information strategy and competitive positions in the industry Most of prior researches have extensively addressed and explained the phenomenon about IS/IT innovation (Rogers, 1983), the perspective of users acceptance of new technology (Davis, 1986) and its impact on organizational competitive advantage (Barney, 1991). Indeed, there are various literatures on IS/IT acceptance among researchers (Gallivan, 2001; Rogers, 2003; Swanson and Ramiller, 2004; Zhu, Kraemer and Xu, 2006) and IT-payoff (Brynjolfsson, 1996; Bharadwaj, Bharadwaj and Konsynski, 2000; Devaraj and Kohli, 2000). However, interdisciplinary research between two different schools of thought that discussed issues on information technology and accounting has been given less attention to date. Hence, this research is intended to discover, understand and explain the basis for enterprise systems innovation and accountants involvement in determining the information and business strategy of an organization. In this case, a grounded theory approach is adopted with the aim to explore the o pportunities for accountants to contribute on enterprise systems innovation that leads to the following research questions: What drives organizations innovate for the latest technology? How does it give impact on competitive position of an organization? 2.0 THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS OF ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS The evolution of enterprise systems began in the 1950s as inventory control systems (Yen, Chou and Chang, 2001), where the manufacturing systems main focus was to handle inventory control in order to replace the traditional inventory concept. Later, bookkeeping, invoicing and reordering have been introduced to support business operations and management (Yen et al., 2001). Material requirement planning (MRP) was then developed in the 1960s with an objective to translate the master production schedule into requirements of raw material planning and procurement. Subsequently, manufacturing resource planning (MRPII) has evolved into a more advanced system with the objective to optimize the production process and distribution management (Yen et al. 2001). It has been extended to include areas such as corporate finance, personnel management, engineering process and business process management. The robust development of MRP II has encouraged IT experts to develop more advanced technologies such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply-chain management (SCM) and customer relationship management (CRM) over some period of time to leverage information about strategic enterprise management, improving operations performance, managing customer profitability, human resource and supply chain information and improving direct/indirect business process (William and William, 2003). These technologies are more sophisticated and efficient in handling multiple business units such as sales and operations planning, inventory/materials management, manufacturing, purchasing, order processing, accounting and finance, human resources, customer relationship management, supply chain management and more. However, due to some limitations particularly in analytical decision-making, these systems could not facilitate the decision support function (Chou et al., 2005). In the 1990s, much adoption of IS/IT was focused on the enterprise systems. The benefits over decisions to adopt IS/IT are basically on cost reduction, transactional efficiency, internal process management, back and front end process automation and transactional status visibility. As businesses continue to use enterprise systems for a growing number of functions, they face the challenge of processing and analyzing huge amount of data into intelligent decision-making. Although current enterprise systems could integrate business transactions data for organizational planning, essentially, it would not support management particularly on analytical and decision support process. The changing of business requirements, new technologies and the software vendors development capabilities has enforced the enterprise applications continue to emerge. The emergence of Business Intelligence (BI) tools in the early 2000s, where its main function is to extract valuable information from existing enterp rise systems, is anticipated to improve organizational performance and competitive advantage (Davis, 2002) and with its capability in conveying intelligent decisions for decision makers (Buytendijk, 2001; Golfareelli and Cella, 2004). Hence, the relevant and suitability of enterprise systems innovation towards competitive position of a firm remain favourable topics of discussion between scholars as it reflects IT-payoff or return on investment of an organization. 3.0 PRIOR RESEARCH The literature provides different definitions of innovations: Rogers (1976) defines innovation as an idea, practice or object perceived as new by an individual or other relevant unit of adoption which is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system. Tornatzky and Klein (1982) define it as an idea, practice or material artifact perceived to be new by the relevant unit of adoption. Swanson (1994) defines information system innovation as innovation in the organizational application of digital computer and communications technologies. Swanson (1994) added that organizational innovation refers to the adoption of an idea or behavior that is new to the organization that is adopting it (Daft, 1978). It is further defined as the first or early use of an idea by one set of organizations with similar goals (Becker and Whisler, 1967, quoted by Daft, 1978). Meanwhile, in the year 2000s scholars have defined information system innovation as: Gordon and Tarafdar (2007) describe that innovation process comprised of three broad stages: initiation, development and implementation (Damanpour, 1991; Utterback, 1971; Zmud, 1982). Initiation involves activities leading to an organizations decision to adopt or attempt to adopt an innovation. Motivation could be poor financial or operational performance (Kanter, 1982; Tushman and OReilly, 1997), internal self-criticism combined with a strategic focus on proactive business innovation (Nonaka, 1988; Tushman and Nadler, 1986). Development involves design and development of product and process innovations planned in the initiation stage. This stage has activities such as idea generation and problem solving (Tushman and OReilly, 1997), rapid information process and fast decision making (Eisenhardt and Tabrizi, 1995), new information is acquired from competitors (Tushman and OReilly, 1997) and customers (Drucker, 1998) and connected with existing knowledge (Galbraith, 1982) to create new product/processes. Implementation involves activities surrounding the adoption and assimilation of innovations designed and developed during the ‘development stage. Process and product redesign leads to changes in different processes and control systems (Davenport, 1993), effective and reasonably strict control systems are required for efficiently accomplishing the administration and co-ordination activities necessary for implementation of the innovation (Galbraith, 1982). Innovating with IT, according to Swanson and Ramiller (2004), is a journey that involves four core processes: comprehension, adoption, implementation, and assimilation. First, organizations collect and interpret information from their environments about the existence and basic idea of an IT innovation. Second, this comprehension effort informs organizations decisions on whether to adopt the innovation, plus the articulation of supporting rationales. Third, where adoption is actually pursued, the innovation is deployed—hardware and software are installed, business processes are changed, users are trained, and so on. Fourth, in due course the innovation becomes assimilated into the routines of organizational work systems. Wang and Ramiller (2009) further define IT innovation as an information technology perceived as new by the adopting organization (Rogers 2003; Swanson 1994). Their perspective on innovation is oriented towards adopters and organizations innovate with IT by appl ying new IT to their business processes. Therefore, in this research, enterprise systems innovation could be defined as enterprise systems that comprised an integrated planning and resource management system that coordinates information across all enterprise functions (Bendoly et al, 2008) and the capability of the systems to provide valuable information for managements in determining the business and information strategy of an organization. In recent years, there are a number of researches that examine the organizational adoption of IS/IT, IT payoff and its impact on organizational performance. IT adoption contributes to various competing models that have been tested in several industries (either services or non-services) and are different in terms of methodological approach, conceptual models and constructs, such as a research model on user acceptance of citation database interface (Lin et.al, 2009), mobile wireless (Kim et.al, 2009; Qi et.al, 2009), internet banking (Lee, 2009a), online trading (Lee, 2009b) and more. Indeed, there are various literatures on IT adoption and acceptance among researchers (Gallivan, 2001; Rogers, 2003; Swanson et.al, 2004; Zhu, Kraemer and Xu, 2006, Qi et al, 2009; Kim and Garrison, 2009) and IT-payoff (Brynjolfsson, 1996; Bharadwaj et. al, 2000; Devaraj et. al, 2000). Within this broad area of investigation, there are several streams of research. One stream of research focuses on individ ual acceptance of technology by using behavioural intention as a dependent variable (e.g Davis et.al, 1989; Bhattacherjee, 2001; Bhacttacherjee and Premkumar, 2004; Zhu et.al, 2006). The other streams have focused on implementation success at the organizational levels (Grover, 1998; Karahanna et.al, 1999) and task technology fit (Goodhue and Thompson, 1995). However, due to the nature of the research designs employed, these streams of research have not attributed the effect of usefulness of information from enterprise systems innovation and its impact on organizational performance. Furthermore, scholars have documented many studies that examine the relationship between investments in technology and its payoff in terms of enhanced organizational performance (Brynjolfsson and Yang, 1996; Kohli and Devaraj, 2003). There is evidence that there are significant differences among studies in terms of the level of analyses, methodologies employed, variables and contexts examined. Many economic studies (Roach, 1987; Morrision and Berndt, 1991) observed a negative relationship between technology-related variables and performance. At the industry level, the results were mixed with some studies documenting a positive impact of technological investment (Kelley, 1994; Siegel and Griliches, 1992) while other studies by Berdnt and Morrison (1995) and Koski (1999) detect no significant advantage to IT investment. At a more detailed organizational level, Diewert and Smith (1994), Hitt and Brynjolfsson (1995) and Dewan and Min (1997) present results indicating a positive relations hip between technology and performance. In this research, information use is tightly related to the technology that provides access to such information. The limitations of the enterprise systems as well as resource constraints on managerial time devoted to information search such as accessing, understanding, transforming and consolidating the information would give the impact on how effectively information use can be converted into strategic results (Bendoly and Cotteleer, 2008). Indeed, IS/IT research concerned with how to design more useful IS for organization (Legris, Ingham and Collerette, 2003; Elbeltagi, 2005; Jeyaraj, Rottman and Lacity, 2006). However, a useful IS/IT is not one that is simply used by individuals or organizations or the one that possesses specific desirable characteristics (such as output information quality, functionality or interface structure). Rather a useful IS/IT is one which can and does support collective action through the nature of the relationship between technological attributes, individ ual users and organizationally situated tasks (Diez and McIntosh, 2008). Consequently, many prior researchers have struggled to show the direct impact of IT with other disciplines such as accounting on organizational performance. However, several recent studies have shown that the fit between accounting and IT has significant impact on performance (Chan et al, 1991; Cragg et al, 2002) where firms that consider their IT strategy with business strategy perform better than those who do not. Raymond et al (1995) found that firms that align their organizational structure and IT structure also perform better than firms that do not. In another study, Bergeron et al. (2001) found that fit between strategic orientation, organizational structure, and strategic IT management had an impact on firm performance. The issues of matching information requirements and enterprise systems capabilities and also the impact of this matching on performance are important questions which are part of a general debate in accounting information system field (e.g. Galbraith, 1973; Tush man and Nadler, 1978; Van de Ven and Drazin, 1985). Accountants are the internal providers of information to decision makers and accountants must adapt to the competitive pressure and increase their ability to leverage information assets in order to contribute for more effectively to managerial decision making. Therefore, as IS/IT grows more advanced, accountants must react quickly to the changes and need to create and apply non-financial information to achieve organizational performance. Hence, this research will discover the impact of usefulness of information through enterprise system innovation and to investigate the accountants involvement in determining the information strategy of an organization. 4.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The classification of this research is mainly a grounded theory approach as it seeks to understand and explain social phenomenon related to the involvements of accountants on enterprise system innovations in determining the business and information strategy of an organization. This research is not to predict as used by positivists or just to have a subjective explanation or interpretation, but this research is expected to come out with unique explanations that constitute to the theory building and/or to come out with a variation of existing theories for modification to be able to fit into the context of the phenomenon of interest. In order to discover the ontological and epistemological aspects of the social inquiry, the method used in this research is important to be realized. In this study, the epistemology adopted is interpretivism and the qualitative research methodology is used to generate explanations on the phenomenon under study. Grounded theory was first developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967) and could be best defined as a qualitative research method that uses a systematic set of procedures to develop and inductively derive grounded theory about a phenomenon (Strauss Corbin, 1990). In such a way, grounded theory is suggested to be inductive rather than deductive. Basically, the purpose of grounded theory is to organize many ideas from analysis of the data (Strauss, 1967) and to build a theory that is faithful to and justified the area under study (Strauss and Corbin, 1990). The theory developed is not necessarily intended to stand-alone but could be related to existing theories within a field and therefore it will strengthen the current understandings of the phenomena in question. Strauss (1967) summarized grounded theory procedures as the systematic analysis of documents, interview notes or field notes by continually coding and comparing data that produced a well-constructed theory. Hence, Strauss and Corb in (1994) noted that the major difference between this methodology and other approaches to qualitative research was its emphasis upon theory development. Although the collaboration works between Glaser and Strauss have contributed to the development of grounded theory, they show some differences on the epistemological aspects between them (Glaser, 1978, 1992; Strauss, 1987; Strauss Corbin, 1990), which have resulted in the ‘Straussian and ‘Glaserian models (Stern, 1994). The Glaserian approach on qualitative data analysis was said to have the preconceptions or positive perspective on doing grounded theory while Straussian approach has a realistic epistemology into empirical inquiry through grounded theory. Furthermore, Glaserian beliefs were to be more positivism about the objective and external reality, while Straussian beliefs were based on the assumption of having an unbiased position in collecting data and use certain technical procedures to ensure the participants express their own perception (Glaser, 1992; Strauss Corbin, 1990). Based on these two beliefs of grounded theory, the author has chosen Straussian approac h as the qualitative data analysis method in her research due to the following reasons: i) this research did not use comparative methods in the development and understanding of grounded theory as introduced by Glaser (2001); ii) to construct a theory by looking at the perceptions of the participants, analysis of the data and to understand what they tell or the participants realities; iii) Strauss views on human beings as the active agents in their lives and brought notions for human agency, emergent processes, social and subjective meanings, problem-solving and the open-ended study of action to grounded theory (Charmaz, 2007). Moreover, qualitative approach adopted in this research also seeks answers to a question, uncovers social behavior, and understands the interaction between organizations and technology that produces findings which are not determined in advance. Qualitative enquiry examines data which are narrative and non-numeric that emphasize on the qualities of entities, on process and meanings that are not experimentally examined or measured in terms of quantity, amount, intensity or frequency (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005). Cassel and Symon (2004) cited that qualitative research is used when researchers would like to understand a circumstance in terms of how and why it occurs. The aim of qualitative methodology is to described and analyze the culture and behavior of humans and their groups from the point of view of those being studied and to collect and analyze data which is uncountable (Cassell and Symon, 2004). In this research, enterprise systems innovation is an emerging issue in the business en vironment. The unique characteristics of the system, for example, a system for data analysis and reporting that provides managers with better analytical and reporting functions which enable them to make intelligent decisions for strategic positioning should be discovered. In view of the above, interpretive research has gained increasing acceptance in the information technology research (Sahay, 1997; Klein and Myers, 1999) as it focuses on producing an understanding of the context of the information systems and the process whereby the information systems influence and is influenced by the context (Walsham, 1993). Therefore, the rationale for choosing the qualitative methodology and grounded theory approach in this research is again reflected to the purpose of the study. 5.0 DATA AND METHOD In this research, grounded theory was developed through data obtained from case studies, involving two private sector companies in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The selection of companies were based on recent technologies adopted in the organizations such as SAP systems and these companies were classified as among the active users of the enterprise application systems. The purpose of using case study as a method of data collection is because the researcher would like to achieve deeper understanding on the process within and outside of the context. According to Yin (1994), data collection for case study may come in a variety of sources for examples documents, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant-observation and physical artefacts and in-depth interviews are the most important source of case study information (Yin, 1994). The strength of an interview is that it focuses directly on the topic to be discovered (i.e the enterprise systems innovation and accountants invol vement in determining the business and information strategy of an organization, as opposed to survey method). Glaser (2001) stated that grounded theory is mainly used for qualitative research. However, when combining methods like grounded theory and case study as data collection method, the utmost care must be exercised to ensure that the norms of case study research do not distort true emergence for theory generation (Glaser, 1998). For example, Yin (1994) stated that theory development prior to the collection of any case study data is an essential step in doing case studies. Based on the statement addressed by Yin (1994), it contravenes from the principle of grounded theory whereby data collection and analysis as a procedure on theory development. Therefore, when combining grounded theory and case study as a way of collecting data, the methodology driving the investigation should be clearly specified. In view of the above, grounded theory was used as an overall methodology to study data obtained from case studies and to drive data acquisition activities within the case study. Indeed, the reasons for using the grounded theory approach were consistent with the three main reasons suggested by Benbasat (1987) for using a case study strategy in information systems research as follows: i) The research can study information systems in a natural setting, learn the state of the art, and generate theories from practice; ii) The researcher can answer the questions that lead to an understanding of the nature and complexity of the processes taking place; and iii) It is an appropriate way to research a previously little studied area. For these reasons, seeking to generate theory grounded in case study data was a particularly appropriate strategy in this research. Table 1 provides some detailed information about the cases. The interviews were held with Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Finance Manager, Accountants and Information Technology Officer. Interviewees were selected to ensure both varieties across disciplines and consistency across cases. They were also selected on the basis that each had an important role with respect to enterprise systems innovations and accountants involvement in making the implementation a success. Meanwhile, the sampling technique used in this research was purposeful sampling. Patton (1990) stated that a qualitative inquiry typically focuses in depth on relatively small samples and uses purposeful sampling, as opposed to quantitative methods that typically depend on larger samples selected randomly. Patton (1990) added that the logic and power of purposeful sampling, is that one can learn a great deal about issues of central importance to the purpose of the research. The unit of analysis in this research is the organizations and holistic (according to Yin 1994, holistic is a single unit of analysis). The selection of organizations as unit of analysis instead of individuals, dyads or groups is to ensure that the answers to research question will be achieved. In this research, literal replication and multiple cases with holistic design were used to allow for more generalizability and transferability rather than the single case design. The reason of selecting literal replication was due to the researchers wishes to obtain as much information as possible in investigating the phenomenon of enterprise systems innovations and the accountants involvement in determining the business and information strategy of an organization until no new information emerges. The appropriate sample size for qualitative research was answered by ‘theoretical saturation (Glaser Strauss, 1967; Strauss Corbin, 1998). Theoretical saturation, according to Glaser Strauss (1967) and Strauss Corbin (1998), occurs when no new or relevant data seems to emerge regarding a category where the category is well developed in terms of its properties and dimensions demonstrating variation and the relationships among categories are well established and validated (Strauss Corbin, 1998). A schedule of interviewees is provided in Table II. In total, six interviews were undertaken. The interviews lasted about fourty five minutes to an hour on an average. Each interview was preceded by a brief explanation on the purpose of the research and the broad area of interest. The key instruments that were used for collecting evidence were open-ended questions and were asked in a naturalistic manner. These were designed to draw participants interpretations of their day to day actions as they affected and were affected by their perceptions on enterprise systems innovations and the accountants involvement in ensuring the business and information strategy of an organization. With the consent from the interviewees, all interviews were tape-recorded. Tape recording helps to prevent the researcher from being too occupied writing notes during the interview so that the researcher could concentrate on the issues discussed (Yin, 1994). Short notes during the interviews were taken and six i nterviews were transcribed. Table I: Company Profiles Table II: Interviewee Details 6.0 DATA ANALYSIS Using Strauss and Corbins (1990) approach, data was analyzed through various stages of coding to produce an ordered data set which was integrated into a theory. The process of deriving the categories from the interviews was driven by the criteria of open, axial and selective coding (Strauss and Corbin, 1990). Open coding is the early conceptual names assigned to data fragments (Lockee, 2001) and is the process of selecting and naming categories from the analysis of the data. This initial stage of data acquisition would describe the overall features of the phenomenon under study. In this research, the categories emerged from the open coding of interview were identified mostly through line by line analysis. Variables involved in the phenomenon were then identified, labeled and categorized in an outline form so that the researcher could see and understand the processes. To ensure the internal consistency, the emerging categories were compared between interviewees and notes being taken. The next step of coding process is axial coding. According to Strauss and Corbin (1990), axial coding is the process that relates the categories to subcategories. In axial coding, data were put together in new ways and this was achieved by utilizing a coding paradigm (i.e. a system of coding that seeks to identify causal relationships between categories). The aim of the coding paradigm is to make explicit connections between categories and sub-categories. This process is often referred to as the ‘paradigm model and involves explaining and understanding relationships between categories in order to understand the phenomenon to which they relate (Strauss and Corbin, 1990). The final procedure was the process of selective coding. Selective coding involves the process of selecting and identify Benefits of Technological Innovation in Business Benefits of Technological Innovation in Business 1.0 INTRODUCTION Advances in information systems and technology (IS/IT) are re1garded as major sources of improvement in the competitive position of firms and industries (Mitropoulos and Tatum, 2000). However, the benefits from technological advances depend on the extent to which these technologies are utilized. Indeed, information is becoming critically important in achieving strategic competitive advantage, particularly in todays competitive environment (Claudia, 2005). This proclamation has led organizations to adopt the most advanced enterprise technology to innovate for a change because organizations that maximize and leverage their information assets have a strategic advantage over their competitors (Claudia, 2005). The ability to speed up making decisions, improving operations performance, managing customer profitability as well as increasing the level of control to management are the core benefits to be considered by decision makers when implementing IT/IS. The rapid emergence of enterprise systems has made applications such as enterprise resource technology (ERP) to be among the most popular technologies used in the industries. Despite its importance to decision makers and also researchers in discovering how the emergence of enterprise systems contributes to organizational performance, there is uncertainty about IT payoff and accountants involvement in determining business and information strategy of an organization. The typical judgmental by organizations on investments of IS/IT is always to battle competition by improving productivity, profitability and quality of operations. Hence, to understand the organizations decisions to innovate always remain as the critical topic of discussion among IS/IT scholars particularly when it relates to the perceptions of accountants as the internal provider of information. Historically, organizational innovations were distinguished process from product innovations (Zmud, 1982; Robey, 1986; Swanson, 1994) and further differentiated between administrative and technological process innovations (Robey, 1986; Swanson 1994). Accountants play a significant role as the internal provider of information for business operations and for competitive positions in the market. Accountants are also described as the gatekeeper of the financial markets (Wallman, 1995). Without information expertise of accountants, businesses would not be able to evaluate their cost and profit position, gauge product or business unit performance or to plan for future financial success (Brecht and Martin, 1996). Traditionally, accountants were trapped on standard financial reporting or financial-related information and having historical orientation (Mia, 1993) to support management in making decisions. However, as information technologies grow more advanced and competitive pressure for innovation increased, the responsibility of accountants to furnish decision makers with valuable information in making intelligent decision becomes very crucial. Therefore, accountants must quickly response to this evolving information environment to mak e sure on the efficient business, information strategy and competitive positions in the industry Most of prior researches have extensively addressed and explained the phenomenon about IS/IT innovation (Rogers, 1983), the perspective of users acceptance of new technology (Davis, 1986) and its impact on organizational competitive advantage (Barney, 1991). Indeed, there are various literatures on IS/IT acceptance among researchers (Gallivan, 2001; Rogers, 2003; Swanson and Ramiller, 2004; Zhu, Kraemer and Xu, 2006) and IT-payoff (Brynjolfsson, 1996; Bharadwaj, Bharadwaj and Konsynski, 2000; Devaraj and Kohli, 2000). However, interdisciplinary research between two different schools of thought that discussed issues on information technology and accounting has been given less attention to date. Hence, this research is intended to discover, understand and explain the basis for enterprise systems innovation and accountants involvement in determining the information and business strategy of an organization. In this case, a grounded theory approach is adopted with the aim to explore the o pportunities for accountants to contribute on enterprise systems innovation that leads to the following research questions: What drives organizations innovate for the latest technology? How does it give impact on competitive position of an organization? 2.0 THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS OF ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS The evolution of enterprise systems began in the 1950s as inventory control systems (Yen, Chou and Chang, 2001), where the manufacturing systems main focus was to handle inventory control in order to replace the traditional inventory concept. Later, bookkeeping, invoicing and reordering have been introduced to support business operations and management (Yen et al., 2001). Material requirement planning (MRP) was then developed in the 1960s with an objective to translate the master production schedule into requirements of raw material planning and procurement. Subsequently, manufacturing resource planning (MRPII) has evolved into a more advanced system with the objective to optimize the production process and distribution management (Yen et al. 2001). It has been extended to include areas such as corporate finance, personnel management, engineering process and business process management. The robust development of MRP II has encouraged IT experts to develop more advanced technologies such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply-chain management (SCM) and customer relationship management (CRM) over some period of time to leverage information about strategic enterprise management, improving operations performance, managing customer profitability, human resource and supply chain information and improving direct/indirect business process (William and William, 2003). These technologies are more sophisticated and efficient in handling multiple business units such as sales and operations planning, inventory/materials management, manufacturing, purchasing, order processing, accounting and finance, human resources, customer relationship management, supply chain management and more. However, due to some limitations particularly in analytical decision-making, these systems could not facilitate the decision support function (Chou et al., 2005). In the 1990s, much adoption of IS/IT was focused on the enterprise systems. The benefits over decisions to adopt IS/IT are basically on cost reduction, transactional efficiency, internal process management, back and front end process automation and transactional status visibility. As businesses continue to use enterprise systems for a growing number of functions, they face the challenge of processing and analyzing huge amount of data into intelligent decision-making. Although current enterprise systems could integrate business transactions data for organizational planning, essentially, it would not support management particularly on analytical and decision support process. The changing of business requirements, new technologies and the software vendors development capabilities has enforced the enterprise applications continue to emerge. The emergence of Business Intelligence (BI) tools in the early 2000s, where its main function is to extract valuable information from existing enterp rise systems, is anticipated to improve organizational performance and competitive advantage (Davis, 2002) and with its capability in conveying intelligent decisions for decision makers (Buytendijk, 2001; Golfareelli and Cella, 2004). Hence, the relevant and suitability of enterprise systems innovation towards competitive position of a firm remain favourable topics of discussion between scholars as it reflects IT-payoff or return on investment of an organization. 3.0 PRIOR RESEARCH The literature provides different definitions of innovations: Rogers (1976) defines innovation as an idea, practice or object perceived as new by an individual or other relevant unit of adoption which is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system. Tornatzky and Klein (1982) define it as an idea, practice or material artifact perceived to be new by the relevant unit of adoption. Swanson (1994) defines information system innovation as innovation in the organizational application of digital computer and communications technologies. Swanson (1994) added that organizational innovation refers to the adoption of an idea or behavior that is new to the organization that is adopting it (Daft, 1978). It is further defined as the first or early use of an idea by one set of organizations with similar goals (Becker and Whisler, 1967, quoted by Daft, 1978). Meanwhile, in the year 2000s scholars have defined information system innovation as: Gordon and Tarafdar (2007) describe that innovation process comprised of three broad stages: initiation, development and implementation (Damanpour, 1991; Utterback, 1971; Zmud, 1982). Initiation involves activities leading to an organizations decision to adopt or attempt to adopt an innovation. Motivation could be poor financial or operational performance (Kanter, 1982; Tushman and OReilly, 1997), internal self-criticism combined with a strategic focus on proactive business innovation (Nonaka, 1988; Tushman and Nadler, 1986). Development involves design and development of product and process innovations planned in the initiation stage. This stage has activities such as idea generation and problem solving (Tushman and OReilly, 1997), rapid information process and fast decision making (Eisenhardt and Tabrizi, 1995), new information is acquired from competitors (Tushman and OReilly, 1997) and customers (Drucker, 1998) and connected with existing knowledge (Galbraith, 1982) to create new product/processes. Implementation involves activities surrounding the adoption and assimilation of innovations designed and developed during the ‘development stage. Process and product redesign leads to changes in different processes and control systems (Davenport, 1993), effective and reasonably strict control systems are required for efficiently accomplishing the administration and co-ordination activities necessary for implementation of the innovation (Galbraith, 1982). Innovating with IT, according to Swanson and Ramiller (2004), is a journey that involves four core processes: comprehension, adoption, implementation, and assimilation. First, organizations collect and interpret information from their environments about the existence and basic idea of an IT innovation. Second, this comprehension effort informs organizations decisions on whether to adopt the innovation, plus the articulation of supporting rationales. Third, where adoption is actually pursued, the innovation is deployed—hardware and software are installed, business processes are changed, users are trained, and so on. Fourth, in due course the innovation becomes assimilated into the routines of organizational work systems. Wang and Ramiller (2009) further define IT innovation as an information technology perceived as new by the adopting organization (Rogers 2003; Swanson 1994). Their perspective on innovation is oriented towards adopters and organizations innovate with IT by appl ying new IT to their business processes. Therefore, in this research, enterprise systems innovation could be defined as enterprise systems that comprised an integrated planning and resource management system that coordinates information across all enterprise functions (Bendoly et al, 2008) and the capability of the systems to provide valuable information for managements in determining the business and information strategy of an organization. In recent years, there are a number of researches that examine the organizational adoption of IS/IT, IT payoff and its impact on organizational performance. IT adoption contributes to various competing models that have been tested in several industries (either services or non-services) and are different in terms of methodological approach, conceptual models and constructs, such as a research model on user acceptance of citation database interface (Lin et.al, 2009), mobile wireless (Kim et.al, 2009; Qi et.al, 2009), internet banking (Lee, 2009a), online trading (Lee, 2009b) and more. Indeed, there are various literatures on IT adoption and acceptance among researchers (Gallivan, 2001; Rogers, 2003; Swanson et.al, 2004; Zhu, Kraemer and Xu, 2006, Qi et al, 2009; Kim and Garrison, 2009) and IT-payoff (Brynjolfsson, 1996; Bharadwaj et. al, 2000; Devaraj et. al, 2000). Within this broad area of investigation, there are several streams of research. One stream of research focuses on individ ual acceptance of technology by using behavioural intention as a dependent variable (e.g Davis et.al, 1989; Bhattacherjee, 2001; Bhacttacherjee and Premkumar, 2004; Zhu et.al, 2006). The other streams have focused on implementation success at the organizational levels (Grover, 1998; Karahanna et.al, 1999) and task technology fit (Goodhue and Thompson, 1995). However, due to the nature of the research designs employed, these streams of research have not attributed the effect of usefulness of information from enterprise systems innovation and its impact on organizational performance. Furthermore, scholars have documented many studies that examine the relationship between investments in technology and its payoff in terms of enhanced organizational performance (Brynjolfsson and Yang, 1996; Kohli and Devaraj, 2003). There is evidence that there are significant differences among studies in terms of the level of analyses, methodologies employed, variables and contexts examined. Many economic studies (Roach, 1987; Morrision and Berndt, 1991) observed a negative relationship between technology-related variables and performance. At the industry level, the results were mixed with some studies documenting a positive impact of technological investment (Kelley, 1994; Siegel and Griliches, 1992) while other studies by Berdnt and Morrison (1995) and Koski (1999) detect no significant advantage to IT investment. At a more detailed organizational level, Diewert and Smith (1994), Hitt and Brynjolfsson (1995) and Dewan and Min (1997) present results indicating a positive relations hip between technology and performance. In this research, information use is tightly related to the technology that provides access to such information. The limitations of the enterprise systems as well as resource constraints on managerial time devoted to information search such as accessing, understanding, transforming and consolidating the information would give the impact on how effectively information use can be converted into strategic results (Bendoly and Cotteleer, 2008). Indeed, IS/IT research concerned with how to design more useful IS for organization (Legris, Ingham and Collerette, 2003; Elbeltagi, 2005; Jeyaraj, Rottman and Lacity, 2006). However, a useful IS/IT is not one that is simply used by individuals or organizations or the one that possesses specific desirable characteristics (such as output information quality, functionality or interface structure). Rather a useful IS/IT is one which can and does support collective action through the nature of the relationship between technological attributes, individ ual users and organizationally situated tasks (Diez and McIntosh, 2008). Consequently, many prior researchers have struggled to show the direct impact of IT with other disciplines such as accounting on organizational performance. However, several recent studies have shown that the fit between accounting and IT has significant impact on performance (Chan et al, 1991; Cragg et al, 2002) where firms that consider their IT strategy with business strategy perform better than those who do not. Raymond et al (1995) found that firms that align their organizational structure and IT structure also perform better than firms that do not. In another study, Bergeron et al. (2001) found that fit between strategic orientation, organizational structure, and strategic IT management had an impact on firm performance. The issues of matching information requirements and enterprise systems capabilities and also the impact of this matching on performance are important questions which are part of a general debate in accounting information system field (e.g. Galbraith, 1973; Tush man and Nadler, 1978; Van de Ven and Drazin, 1985). Accountants are the internal providers of information to decision makers and accountants must adapt to the competitive pressure and increase their ability to leverage information assets in order to contribute for more effectively to managerial decision making. Therefore, as IS/IT grows more advanced, accountants must react quickly to the changes and need to create and apply non-financial information to achieve organizational performance. Hence, this research will discover the impact of usefulness of information through enterprise system innovation and to investigate the accountants involvement in determining the information strategy of an organization. 4.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The classification of this research is mainly a grounded theory approach as it seeks to understand and explain social phenomenon related to the involvements of accountants on enterprise system innovations in determining the business and information strategy of an organization. This research is not to predict as used by positivists or just to have a subjective explanation or interpretation, but this research is expected to come out with unique explanations that constitute to the theory building and/or to come out with a variation of existing theories for modification to be able to fit into the context of the phenomenon of interest. In order to discover the ontological and epistemological aspects of the social inquiry, the method used in this research is important to be realized. In this study, the epistemology adopted is interpretivism and the qualitative research methodology is used to generate explanations on the phenomenon under study. Grounded theory was first developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967) and could be best defined as a qualitative research method that uses a systematic set of procedures to develop and inductively derive grounded theory about a phenomenon (Strauss Corbin, 1990). In such a way, grounded theory is suggested to be inductive rather than deductive. Basically, the purpose of grounded theory is to organize many ideas from analysis of the data (Strauss, 1967) and to build a theory that is faithful to and justified the area under study (Strauss and Corbin, 1990). The theory developed is not necessarily intended to stand-alone but could be related to existing theories within a field and therefore it will strengthen the current understandings of the phenomena in question. Strauss (1967) summarized grounded theory procedures as the systematic analysis of documents, interview notes or field notes by continually coding and comparing data that produced a well-constructed theory. Hence, Strauss and Corb in (1994) noted that the major difference between this methodology and other approaches to qualitative research was its emphasis upon theory development. Although the collaboration works between Glaser and Strauss have contributed to the development of grounded theory, they show some differences on the epistemological aspects between them (Glaser, 1978, 1992; Strauss, 1987; Strauss Corbin, 1990), which have resulted in the ‘Straussian and ‘Glaserian models (Stern, 1994). The Glaserian approach on qualitative data analysis was said to have the preconceptions or positive perspective on doing grounded theory while Straussian approach has a realistic epistemology into empirical inquiry through grounded theory. Furthermore, Glaserian beliefs were to be more positivism about the objective and external reality, while Straussian beliefs were based on the assumption of having an unbiased position in collecting data and use certain technical procedures to ensure the participants express their own perception (Glaser, 1992; Strauss Corbin, 1990). Based on these two beliefs of grounded theory, the author has chosen Straussian approac h as the qualitative data analysis method in her research due to the following reasons: i) this research did not use comparative methods in the development and understanding of grounded theory as introduced by Glaser (2001); ii) to construct a theory by looking at the perceptions of the participants, analysis of the data and to understand what they tell or the participants realities; iii) Strauss views on human beings as the active agents in their lives and brought notions for human agency, emergent processes, social and subjective meanings, problem-solving and the open-ended study of action to grounded theory (Charmaz, 2007). Moreover, qualitative approach adopted in this research also seeks answers to a question, uncovers social behavior, and understands the interaction between organizations and technology that produces findings which are not determined in advance. Qualitative enquiry examines data which are narrative and non-numeric that emphasize on the qualities of entities, on process and meanings that are not experimentally examined or measured in terms of quantity, amount, intensity or frequency (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005). Cassel and Symon (2004) cited that qualitative research is used when researchers would like to understand a circumstance in terms of how and why it occurs. The aim of qualitative methodology is to described and analyze the culture and behavior of humans and their groups from the point of view of those being studied and to collect and analyze data which is uncountable (Cassell and Symon, 2004). In this research, enterprise systems innovation is an emerging issue in the business en vironment. The unique characteristics of the system, for example, a system for data analysis and reporting that provides managers with better analytical and reporting functions which enable them to make intelligent decisions for strategic positioning should be discovered. In view of the above, interpretive research has gained increasing acceptance in the information technology research (Sahay, 1997; Klein and Myers, 1999) as it focuses on producing an understanding of the context of the information systems and the process whereby the information systems influence and is influenced by the context (Walsham, 1993). Therefore, the rationale for choosing the qualitative methodology and grounded theory approach in this research is again reflected to the purpose of the study. 5.0 DATA AND METHOD In this research, grounded theory was developed through data obtained from case studies, involving two private sector companies in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The selection of companies were based on recent technologies adopted in the organizations such as SAP systems and these companies were classified as among the active users of the enterprise application systems. The purpose of using case study as a method of data collection is because the researcher would like to achieve deeper understanding on the process within and outside of the context. According to Yin (1994), data collection for case study may come in a variety of sources for examples documents, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant-observation and physical artefacts and in-depth interviews are the most important source of case study information (Yin, 1994). The strength of an interview is that it focuses directly on the topic to be discovered (i.e the enterprise systems innovation and accountants invol vement in determining the business and information strategy of an organization, as opposed to survey method). Glaser (2001) stated that grounded theory is mainly used for qualitative research. However, when combining methods like grounded theory and case study as data collection method, the utmost care must be exercised to ensure that the norms of case study research do not distort true emergence for theory generation (Glaser, 1998). For example, Yin (1994) stated that theory development prior to the collection of any case study data is an essential step in doing case studies. Based on the statement addressed by Yin (1994), it contravenes from the principle of grounded theory whereby data collection and analysis as a procedure on theory development. Therefore, when combining grounded theory and case study as a way of collecting data, the methodology driving the investigation should be clearly specified. In view of the above, grounded theory was used as an overall methodology to study data obtained from case studies and to drive data acquisition activities within the case study. Indeed, the reasons for using the grounded theory approach were consistent with the three main reasons suggested by Benbasat (1987) for using a case study strategy in information systems research as follows: i) The research can study information systems in a natural setting, learn the state of the art, and generate theories from practice; ii) The researcher can answer the questions that lead to an understanding of the nature and complexity of the processes taking place; and iii) It is an appropriate way to research a previously little studied area. For these reasons, seeking to generate theory grounded in case study data was a particularly appropriate strategy in this research. Table 1 provides some detailed information about the cases. The interviews were held with Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Finance Manager, Accountants and Information Technology Officer. Interviewees were selected to ensure both varieties across disciplines and consistency across cases. They were also selected on the basis that each had an important role with respect to enterprise systems innovations and accountants involvement in making the implementation a success. Meanwhile, the sampling technique used in this research was purposeful sampling. Patton (1990) stated that a qualitative inquiry typically focuses in depth on relatively small samples and uses purposeful sampling, as opposed to quantitative methods that typically depend on larger samples selected randomly. Patton (1990) added that the logic and power of purposeful sampling, is that one can learn a great deal about issues of central importance to the purpose of the research. The unit of analysis in this research is the organizations and holistic (according to Yin 1994, holistic is a single unit of analysis). The selection of organizations as unit of analysis instead of individuals, dyads or groups is to ensure that the answers to research question will be achieved. In this research, literal replication and multiple cases with holistic design were used to allow for more generalizability and transferability rather than the single case design. The reason of selecting literal replication was due to the researchers wishes to obtain as much information as possible in investigating the phenomenon of enterprise systems innovations and the accountants involvement in determining the business and information strategy of an organization until no new information emerges. The appropriate sample size for qualitative research was answered by ‘theoretical saturation (Glaser Strauss, 1967; Strauss Corbin, 1998). Theoretical saturation, according to Glaser Strauss (1967) and Strauss Corbin (1998), occurs when no new or relevant data seems to emerge regarding a category where the category is well developed in terms of its properties and dimensions demonstrating variation and the relationships among categories are well established and validated (Strauss Corbin, 1998). A schedule of interviewees is provided in Table II. In total, six interviews were undertaken. The interviews lasted about fourty five minutes to an hour on an average. Each interview was preceded by a brief explanation on the purpose of the research and the broad area of interest. The key instruments that were used for collecting evidence were open-ended questions and were asked in a naturalistic manner. These were designed to draw participants interpretations of their day to day actions as they affected and were affected by their perceptions on enterprise systems innovations and the accountants involvement in ensuring the business and information strategy of an organization. With the consent from the interviewees, all interviews were tape-recorded. Tape recording helps to prevent the researcher from being too occupied writing notes during the interview so that the researcher could concentrate on the issues discussed (Yin, 1994). Short notes during the interviews were taken and six i nterviews were transcribed. Table I: Company Profiles Table II: Interviewee Details 6.0 DATA ANALYSIS Using Strauss and Corbins (1990) approach, data was analyzed through various stages of coding to produce an ordered data set which was integrated into a theory. The process of deriving the categories from the interviews was driven by the criteria of open, axial and selective coding (Strauss and Corbin, 1990). Open coding is the early conceptual names assigned to data fragments (Lockee, 2001) and is the process of selecting and naming categories from the analysis of the data. This initial stage of data acquisition would describe the overall features of the phenomenon under study. In this research, the categories emerged from the open coding of interview were identified mostly through line by line analysis. Variables involved in the phenomenon were then identified, labeled and categorized in an outline form so that the researcher could see and understand the processes. To ensure the internal consistency, the emerging categories were compared between interviewees and notes being taken. The next step of coding process is axial coding. According to Strauss and Corbin (1990), axial coding is the process that relates the categories to subcategories. In axial coding, data were put together in new ways and this was achieved by utilizing a coding paradigm (i.e. a system of coding that seeks to identify causal relationships between categories). The aim of the coding paradigm is to make explicit connections between categories and sub-categories. This process is often referred to as the ‘paradigm model and involves explaining and understanding relationships between categories in order to understand the phenomenon to which they relate (Strauss and Corbin, 1990). The final procedure was the process of selective coding. Selective coding involves the process of selecting and identify