Review of Related Literature and Studies

CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION The success of many fast-food chains in Metro Manila is largely due to the fact, that they are able to deliver the equality of services expected of them of the people who lead hurried lives. These people businessmen, executives, ordinary employees and workers, students and others, depend on these fast food chains for their food sustenance to keep them going throughout the day. Thus volume of customers turned to these establishments everyday, that keeps service crew on their toes to attend to them especially during peak hours.Customers satisfaction however, depends on the efficiency of their service crew in meeting the demands of the many customers they have to attend to everyday. No where is the importance of human resource clearly exhibited than in fast food chains. According to Martines, people constitute an organization’s most important and vital factor in its success or failure. By and large, while the human factor dete rmines both its input and output, it is also its most significant input and even output in many instances.Through and by men, the others money, machines materials, methods and markets are acquired and utilized. The quality and utilization of the latter are almost always affected by decisions about and by human resources. Indeed, the accomplishment of the goals of an organization depends upon the availability and utilization of all these ingredients the interaction of which are people caused. The acquisition, utilization and development of financial, material, technological and marked resources which may be exhaustible are dependents on human resources.If the latter is available and capable, the other factors can be of great use to the organization. It is through people that they can be either harnessed and developed or dissipated and lost. Man does or undoes what exists, man creates or by passes opportunities and scenarios. Hence, people power is the most significant and potent fact or of all the resources available to an organization. An organization may start with zero funding, but with creative, resourceful, hardworking and honest people, it becomes financially available has really just begun.The fact that this subordinates can do the job well does not mean that they necessary will. There is always the possibility that the quality and the quantity of their work may fall short of targeted objectives. This implies that job satisfactions and employees morale is dependent on the leadership style of the manager. From these perspective, the study adopts the concept that leadership contributes significantly to the success or failure of the organization, by its effects on the morale and job satisfaction. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMThe focus of the study is to determined the effects of the leadership style of the managers of the fast food chains on the morale and job satisfactions of the service crew. Specifically, it seek to answer the following questions: 1. What is t he profile of the service crew in terms of: a. Sex b. Age c. Civil Status d. Educational Attainment e. Experience (As service crew) 2. What is the leadership style of the managers of fast food chain as perceived by the service crew? 3. What is the level or degree of job satisfaction of the service crews? 4.What is the degree of job satisfaction among the service crews? 5. Does leadership style of managers affect the morale and job satisfaction of the service crews? ASSUMPTIONS The study and the problems advanced herein are based on the following premises: 1. Managers of the three fast food have more or less similar leadership style. 2. The morale and job satisfaction are partly influenced or enhanced by leadership style of the managers. 3. Managers do not adopt a single leadership style. HYPOTHESES In relation with the problems and assumptions advanced in the study, the following hypotheses are tested: 1.Managers has no single or specific leadership style; The service crew are the h uman resources of the fast food chains o who rest the success of these organization through customers satisfaction. In relation to this, the foregoing looks on the effects of managers leadership on the morale and job satisfaction of their service crew of leading fast food chains (Jollibee, McDonalds and Wendy’s) in Metro Manila. These three fast food chains, Jollibee, McDonald’s and Wendy’s are among the most successfully operated fast food chains in Metro Manila.They employ hundreds of service crews managed and supervise by able managers designed in their difference branches. In determining the effects of these managers leadership style on the morale an job satisfaction, the study is undertaking from the employees (service crews) point of view. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK According to Lorenzana, even if the organization has been properly staffed and workers have been trained to the point where they are suite capable of doing a good job, the managers work as a director (and leader) of people. The leadership style of mangers has no effect on the morale and job satisfaction of the service crews.SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY The study limited its investigation to 120 service crews of the three leading fast food chains in Metro Manila; Jollibee, McDonald’s and Wendy’s. it specifically focused on the determination of the effects of the managers leadership style on the morale and job satisfaction of the service crews. The study’s major limitation is the fact that it does not attempt to make a comprehensive evaluation of the other factors that may affect job satisfaction and morale like working conditions, pay and son on.The study also does not make an attempt to compare the manager’s leadership styles between the three fast food chains. Thus, the study is generally focused rather than specifically focused, at least on the aspects of leadership style effects on the morale and job satisfaction of the subjects. SIGNIFICAN CE OF THE STUDY the study is deemed significant to managers, as it bring forth through its findings, the vital perspective on the relationship between leadership style and job satisfaction and morale among their subordinates.These may serve as bases for formulating a framework of management and leadership style appropriate in local setting aim not only in bringing about sound management practices, but in enhancing greater efficiency and productivity among Filipino employees and workers as a result of better employee- management relationship. DEFINITION OF TERMS The following are some of the terms that are given their operational definitions according to the context they are used in the study: Age – It refers to the chronological are of the respondents as expressed in terms of years.Autocratic Leadership – it means the type of leadership where the leader tells and concerns or threatens for compliances; authoritarian and despotic. Civil Status – it refers to the s tatus of being single, married, widowed, divorced or separated. Democratic Leadership – Means the leadership that is characterized by participant decision- making and consultative assemblies to enforce majority decision of the group. Educational Attainment – the term means the highest education attained by the respondents. Experience – as used in the study refers to the number of years the respondents worked as service crew, expressed in years.Laissez faire – It is a free- reign leadership, characterized by high people orientation and little task orientation. Leadership – as used in the study refers to the behavior of an individual who is involved in directing group activities. Leadership style – It is the pattern of behavior designed to integrate organizational and personal goals and interests in the pursuit of objectives. As used in the study it refers on the behavior adopt by an individual in directing group activities. Morale – me ans the state of mind with reference to confidence, satisfaction and cheerfulness.Satisfaction – particularly job satisfaction is a general towards ones job; the difference between the amount of rewards the workers receive and the amount they believe they should receive. Sex – Refers to the respondents gender attributes, whether female or male. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE In this chapter, the researcher presents a resume of literature that have significance to the present study. On Leadership According to Plunkett and Attner, in interacting with employees in the work environment, a manager must play four basic leadership roles; educator, councilor, judge and spokesperson.All managers must perform the leadership role of educator. Managers fulfill this role by teaching employees job skills as well as acceptable behavior and organizational values. Managers accomplish much of behavioral education through the execution of their own daily work. Their work habits, attitudes and behavior serve as a role model to all who observe them. In addition to providing education, managers are ultimately responsible for the formal training of their employees. They may provide this skills training directly or arrange for it to be provided by other.Regardless of who ultimately performs the training, the managers should be knowledgeable about training principles learning theory, and training techniques in order to perform this role. There are many opportunities for fast food chain managers to assume this role. Most of them educates their subordinates on company operations and policies. A second leadership role of a manager is councilor. This role involves listening, giving advice and preventing and solving employees problem. In performing this role, managers are fulfilling two expectations of the employees; 1. Awareness and concern for the individual employee; and . Assistance in solving a problem. The counselor role does not mean that the manager is expect ed to solve all the employees problem, but it does mean providing help in recognizing the basic problem and in searching for potential solutions. Fast food managers often assume the role as adviser or counselor. They offer advice on their subordinates on how they can effectively do their tasks, and on work related problems. Playing the leadership role of judge involves appraising subordinates performances; enforcing policies, procedures, and regulations, settling disputes, and dispensing justice.Appraising or evaluating performance requires a knowledge of the standards that are used to measure output. The enforcing of policies, procedures, and regulations is tied to communication and to training. People should be told, and shown what limits and guidelines exist and how these apply to their specific situations. The function of settling disputes requires the exercise of tact and concern for resolution of conflicts. Dispensing justice entails giving credit and rewards, as well as appro priate discipline.Managers act as spokespersons for subordinates when they relay their suggestions, concern and points of view to higher authorities. â€Å"Doing something† about subordinates problems may mean going to bat for them on a higher management level. It may mean that the manager will have to fight for changes to improve procedures, morale and working conditions. In performing this leadership role a manger must be willing to represent a subordinate’s view even when she or he disagrees with it. In pursuing these leadership roles, the managers may adopt one or combination of the following leadership styles: 1.Democratic type This type of leader is characterized by his concern for the achievement of goals set with the group. He is sensitive and understand the needs of the individuals and groups within the organization and helps them to fulfill their needs as well as the functions of the group. He maximizes the use of communication and encourages open inquires, d iscussions and disagreements. 2. Autocratic or Dictatorial type This type of leader uses authority and title to hide certain shorting because he feels insecure. He is domineering toward staff members and co-workers but submissive towards superior officers.The autocratic leader is rigid and reluctant to delegate authority or to permit staffs subordinates to participate in policy and decision- making matters. 3. Laissez- Faire Type This leader gives complete freedom to group or individual decisions with the minimum of leader participation or direction. This type of leadership merely supplies materials and remains apart from the group and participates only when required. He makes no attempt to evaluate or regulate the members of the group of their progress towards achieving their goals and objectives.The laissez faire type behavior is premised on the belief that the members of the group posses the ability to solve their problems and to determine their goals. Regardless of the leadershi p style that a manager applies, he or she is important in the organization. The success of an organization will largely depend on the kind of leader the organization has. With all the factors present in a no organization, the success or failure of any organization, whether governmental, business,civil, social political, whether service or profit- oriented, will largely depend on the kind of eader and the people in the organization. In the study about leadership styles and their development, leadership theories were formulated. Fiedler holds that the most appropriate style of leadership for a manager depends on the situation in which a managers works The contingency model which e developed shows that the effectiveness of a leader is determined by the interaction of the managers orientation (task or employee) with three situational variables: leader- member relationships, task structure and leader position power. Leader- member refers to the degree to which the leader is or feels acce pted by the group.It is measured by the degree of respect, confidence, and trust the subordinates feel from good to poor. If the relationship is rated as good, the leader should be able to exercise influence over the subordinates easily. On the other hand, if there is friction or distrust, the manager may have to resort to favors to get performance. Task structure concerns the nature of the subordinates job or task. If reflects the degree of structure in the job; a structured job would be routine in nature with prescribed processes. An example would be the position of file clerk.An unstructured job would have complexity and variety, and room for creativity. Leader position power describes the organizational power has from which the individual manager operates. The path- goal theory of leadership is concerned with the ways in which a leader can influence a subordinates motivation, goals, and attempts at achievement. It suggests that a leadership style is effective or ineffective on t he basis on how the leader influences the perceptions of: 1. Work goals or rewards of subordinates 2. Path (behavior) that lead to successful goal accomplishment.According to Jose and Micheal, subordinates are motivated by a leaders behavior. This behavior influences both goal attractiveness and the paths available to reach the goals. Their theory contains two propositions concerning leaders behavior: 1. Leader behavior is acceptable and satisfying to subordinates to the extent that they view such behavior as either an immediate source of satisfaction or an instrument to future satisfaction. 2. Leader behavior will increase subordinates efforts if it links satisfaction of their needs to effective performance, and is supportive of their efforts to achieve goals performance.The theory provides types of leadership behaviors based on the work needed. These are: 1. Instrumental behavior It involves the planning monitoring and task assignment aspect of leadership. Instrumental behavior ca n be used to increases an employees work effort or clarify outcomes. 2. Supportive Behavior It involves the employee oriented concern for the welfare and needs of subordinates. In addition, it includes creation of a warm, pleasant climate. 3. Participative Behavior It involves using subordinates ideas in decision making. A subordinates who operates independently and who has ability would respond favorably to this approach. . Achievement- Oriented Behavior This involves both developing a highly challenging climate for an employee and demanding good performance. These leadership behaviors are based on the situational factors. There are two situation factors that influentce leadership behavior: 1. The personal characteristic of the subordinates. 2. The environmental pressures and demands with which subordinates must cope to accomplish goals and satisfy personal needs. Personal characteristics of a subordinate include the person’s ability, self- confidence, and needs.These elemen ts described the performance level of the ability and the degree of confidence in performing the job. This factor of personal characteristic affects how subordinates view their leader and themselves. The stronger their abilities and beliefs in themselves, the less supervision they will tolerate from the boss. Environmental pressures include the influence on subordinates that hey cannot control but which affect their abilities to perform the tasks effectively. Co- workers, the tasks assigned, and the leaders exercise of power are examples of these influences.Co- workers who are not cooperating can influence job performance and minimize an employee’s perception of completing the job. On Morale Jucius, wrote that organizational cooperation and conflict are significantly affected by employee morale. Hence, in personnel management it is important to understand the meaning of morale, the theory of morale development and the factors of morale development. Simply stated, morale is a state of mind and spirit, affecting willingness to work, which in turn affects organizational and individual objectives. Morale may range from very high to very low.It is not an absolute but is subject to change, depending upon management’s plans and practices. This simple definition emphasizes willingness to work. This is important, a person contented with one’s lot may do only enough to get by. Another person works hard because of dissatisfaction and wants to achieve betterment. Good morale would scarecely be a condition of the former; it could well be of the latter. Dissatisfaction of a group need not be a sign of poor morale when it is associated with a deserve to improve through cooperation with organizational goals. Dissatisfaction with management could however well e a sign of poor morale.Morale is, in essence, conditioned by a group’s understanding of the relation between personal interests and company interests. Employees who conclude that their interes t are being served fairly when they contribute to the organization’s interests develop a favorable attitude of mind. Conversely, their attitude is poor when they perceive an unfair treatment of their interests. Essentially, then, morale develops out of a mutual satisfaction of interests. In the case of employees, they understand that to gain their goals, they must help the company achieve its goals.And employees must also believe that the share they get is fair in relation to what they and others contribute. If the interests of all parties to a group endeavor are in their respective minds, fairly served, their morale will be high. Morale development takes place, therefore, through the process of successfully integrating interests. Immediately, good morale has some very important results for management and for employees. Management finds that subordinates are willing to follow their requests and commands with enthusiasm and respects. Indeed, work is done without the need of co mmands or supervision.This is a very pleasant condition for the executive who will find that employees will work hard in the face of difficulties. When overtime or holiday work is called ofr, the response will be quick and understanding. And most of all, employees openly show the attitude of respects for an confidence in their leaders which is so satisfying to the leaders themselves. Good morale has immediate effects upon employees too. They work with satisfaction and pleasure. The hours of work go by in an atmosphere of relaxed effort. Nothing seems to drag, the days are not empty and boring, and a feeling of insignificance is absent.It is in short good to work and in association with one’s co- workers and one’s superiors. Work as much as it can be is a pleasure and not a misery. These immediate effects cause some desirable ultimate effects. To management, there is higher output of better products at lower costs. And in turn, there will be more consistent, higher prof its. To employee there are higher wages, more secure employment, and a higher standard of living. And to society in general, there are more goods and services obtained more effectively from the limited supply of resources. These effects do not all flow morale itself.Morale should not be looked upon as the only source of success. Even the best employee cannot make bricks without straw. But the best employee can do much, much better gives the same materials that can the worker whose morale is low. It is now pertinent to note the factors which have an effect upon employee morale. As a broad statement, anything can do influence the attitude of employees, the factors are limitless. But practically speaking, morale is related to the following: 1. Employee factors The quality of morale is definitely influenced by the type of employees.Understanding has significant effects upon morale. And understanding is dependent in part upon the ability of people to understand. If then, the ability of e mployees to understand reasonable explanations is low, management, try as it may, will not be able to get across its messages. Thus, in its hiring policies, a company should seek not only people who are capable of doing their jobs but also those who can grasp the logical relationship and rewards involved in group effort. The status and roles of employees have a bearing upon the possibilities of morale development. Employees may be members of a union.In that case, they will invariably take on attitudes are reactions because of their membership. This does not mean that such attitudes will necessarily be negative. But it does mean that management will have to deal with a group which is not easy to convince of the views it considers correct. Even when not organized, labor may take on particular attitudes because of such things as labor- management history in a given community or the manner in which labor looks upon itself in the factory. 2. Management Practices The most important group of factors affecting morale are those falling within the province of management.Few employees; indeed would be aware of or disinterested in how management deal with such matters of pertinence to them as goals, policies, procedures and communications. Any of these subjects can have serious impact upon the morale of the employees. Any one of these areas has more than enough powder to blow upon the relations between labor and management. The behavior of executives is particularly significant as a morale factor. Some executives are autocratic in their attitude toward subordinates. Others imply a feeling that they are better that their subordinates that the latter are second class citizens.Others are suspicious of the motives and actions of employees and openly indicate their lack of confidence. Other avoid, if not despise, the company of their workers. And still others are contemptuous of the intelligence of employees. Such attitudes are quickly noted. Obviously, it is natural for emplo yees to return a negative attitude of mind. To reverse these behaviorisms serves to enhance the morale of employees. The author indeed emphasized how leadership style of management could affects the morale of the employees as one factor of morale development. 3.Extra Company forces and factors Morale may also be affected by forces and factors outside the company itself. The union is significant example and various community and family relationships are another. The union is so interwined, and becoming increasingly more so with company affairs that it may be incorrect to classify it as an extra company agency. But legally it is, of not in other relationships. Certainly it is a potent morale factor. How employees feels toward their company is significantly determined by the indoctrination they receive from their unions.And at times such as during a strike their attitude seems to be totally swayed by this force. Other extra company forces affecting employees morale are numerous. Though it may not be company business, an employee’s attitude toward at work is affected by a variety of things, such as; 1. How well he gets along with spouse, children and relatives. 2. The nature of associations with friends and neighbors. 3. The state of personal health or of family well- being. 4. Whether or not the worker has picked a winner is politics, in a favorite team or in the last football pool. 5.Environmental factors in the community, such as parking and traffic conditions, housing conditions and ecological conditions. It might seem a herclean task to cope with such as infinite variety of morale factors. This is not so. Not all are effective at the same time. But to work with any of them, management should be able to determine which ones are effective at particular times. On Job Satisfaction and Morale Robbins describes job satisfaction as an attitude. A person with a high level or job satisfaction holds positive attitudes toward a job, while a person who is dissatis fied hold negative attitudes about the job.Attitudes of a person depend on the values they hold and that is important to them. Values strongly influence a person’s attitudes. An employee’s performance and satisfaction are likely to be higher if his or her values fit well within the organization. The determinants of job satisfaction are mentally challenging work, equitable rewards, supportive working conditions, supportive colleagues and personality job fit. Mentally challenging work employees to prefer jobs that give them opportunities to use their skills and abilities and offer a variety of tasks, freedom and feedback on how well they are doing.Equitable rewards, pay systems and promotion policies that are fair and just, and in line with their expectations. Supportive working conditions, concerns the work environments of both personal comfort and feedback. Temperature, light, noise and other environmental factors should be conductive. Supportive colleges; money or tan gible achievements are not all that matter, work also fills the need for social interaction. Having friendly and supportive co- workers and boss increases Job satisfaction.Personality Job fit theory; people with personally types congruent with their chosen vocations should find that they have the right talents and ability to meet the demands of their jobs. Satisfied and committed employees, for instance have lower rates of turnover and absenteeism. There are at least 4 reasons why organizations should consider the level of job satisfaction: 1. Dissatisfied employees skip work more often and more likely to resign. 2. Dissatisfied employees are more likely to engage in distructive behaviors. 3. Satisfied employees have better health and live longer. 4.Satisfaction on the job carries over to the employee’s life outside the job. According to Lyman Porter and Lawyer, satisfaction is defined as the extent to which the rewards actually received meet or exceed the perceived equitable level forwards. The greater failure of actual rewards to meet or exceed perceived equitable rewards, the more dissatisfied a person is considered to be in a given situation. There are four relative independent areas that will or will not contribute to job satisfaction: 1. Intrinsic satisfaction with the work itself 2. Satisfaction with the company, its goals, policies and procedures 3.Satisfaction with the relationship with co- workers and supervisors; satisfaction regarding rewards and advancement opportunities. 4. Theory X and Theory Y were mentioned in the analysis. A flexible combination of both theories should be used to allow foe differences in people and conditions. In relation to satisfaction and performance, they found out that attitudes were related significantly to performance. As for what Vroom’s theoretical analysis Job Satisfaction is closely affected by the amount of reward that people derive from their job and level of performance is closely affected by the b asis of attainment of rewards.Individuals are satisfied with their jobs to the extent to which their jobs provide them with what they desire, and they perform effectively in them to the extent that effective performance leads to the attainment or what they desire. CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This chapter described briefly the approach in research that is deemed most appropriate for the purposes of the study and the techniques considered adequate for information gathering activities. RESEARCH DESIGN According to purpose and intent, the foregoing could be classified as a descriptive research.The focus and concern of this study is to determine the effects of the managers leadership styles on the morale and job satisfaction of the service crews of leading fast- food chains in Metro Manila. As defined by Best, a descriptive research describes and interpret what is. It is concerned with conditions of relationship that exist, practices that prevail of belief and processes that are goi ng on, effects that are being felt, or trends are that developing. SAMPLING PROCEDUREA random sampling is used in the study, forty respondents each from three leading fast food chains; Jollibee, McDonald’s and Wendy’s are selected at random. Using this sampling method, a total of one hundred twenty (120) respondents are selected. DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENT USED The major instrument used in gathering primary data is the questionnaire which was designed according to the specific problems advanced in the study. For this questionnaire, the data pertinent to the problem raised in the study were obtained. STATISTICAL TREATMENT OF DATAThe descriptive statistical tools were employed in the study. The mean, frequencies and percentages common measure of central tendency are used to present the typical performance or characteristics of the respondents. The respondents to questionnaire pertaining level of morale and job satisfaction are scaled, then the total weighted (TWS) and ave rage weighted score (AWS) are computed using the Likert Scale Rating: 1. 0-1. 5= Excellent= Highest 1. 51- 2. 0= Very Satisfactory = Higher 2. 1 -3. 5= Satisfactory = High 3. 51 -4. 5= Unsatisfactory = Low 4. 51-5. 0= Very unsatisfactory = Lowest SUMMARYThe effects of the Manager’s Leadership style on the Morale and the job Satisfaction of the service crews of the leading fast food chains, and then involving with the leadership that is then involved with the following: 1. The personnel are highly motivated and then performs well on the things that they are satisfied. 2. The leadership managers is also an important factors for job satisfaction and performance of the personnel. 3. Job performance then involved with enhancing then of having a good pay, rapport among co- workers and superiors, nature of work, as mores of morale boosters; and 4.Human relationship is then important in any organization as it influence then the job satisfaction and productivity of the business by run ning relationship between the labor and management. CONLUSION In this study, I would be able to conclude the following: a. There is then the motivation that must be taken I regarding of the personnel. b. Dealing with this part, there is the leadership practices had been taken place. c. And it is then necessary and important for the managers to gain satisfaction in regarding with the customers. d. For this food chains, they are then able to gain the managing of the Customers service.RECOMMENDATION The results of this study is not conclusive due to the time constraints which inhibits the researcher to make extensive study. Hence, a more thorough investigation is recommended before any generation of generalization could be made. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Concepcion Rodil Martinez, Human resources Management: Principles and Practices,rev. ed. (Manila: National Book Store, Inc. , 1991). P. 3. 2. Carlos Lorenzana, Management: Theory and Proactice, Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc. , 1991). 3. John K. He mphill, â€Å"Situational Factors in Leadership,† Leadership studies No. (Personal research Board, Ohio State University). 4. Stephen P. Robbins, Personnel: The Management of Human Resources, (New York; Practice Hall Inc. , 1988) 5. Warren, R. Plunkett and Raymond F. Attner, Introduction to Management, 2nd Edition (Mass; PWS- Kent Publishing Co. , 1991)PP. 341 – 342. 6. Theodore T. Herbert, Dimensions of Organizational Behavior (New York; Macmillan Publishing Co. , 1976) pp. 119 – 120. 7. Fred F. Fieldler, the Contingency Model – New Dimensions for Leadership Utilization,† Journal of Contemporary Business 3 (1974), pp. 79 – 80. Review of Related literature and Studies This Chapter presents the conceptual framework of the study that determines the relationship of Entrepreneurial Management and Operation of Small Business in General Santos City. Conceptual Framework Despite the financial slump experienced everywhere, the wheels of our local economy continue to turn as our development spirals upwards, new business continue to open, and fresh investments pour in providing more employment and livelihood opportunities for the Generals, and in turn resulting to an increased capability to provide for the families necessities, especially education.Because of the growing industry competition and market demands, our entrepreneurs become more skilled, more ingenious, more creative and more determined. Small business is often regarded as entrepreneurship driven. The booming economic activity in General Santos City, its competitive development such as infrastructure, the presence of malls, traffic light, newly constructed commercial buildings and more than 12,0 00 plus registered businesses are some that create dynamic communities in the city.Hence, the city was identified as the area of great advancement and these are all due to Small businesses investments. Small businesses are vital for economic growth and development in both industrialized and developing countries, by playing a key role in creating new jobs. Financing is necessary to help them set up and expand their operations, develop new products, and invest in new staff or production facilities. Many small business start out as an idea from one or two people, who invest their own money and probably turn to family and friends for financial help in return for a share in the business.Figure 1. Conceptual Framework Chart The conceptual framework as shown in figure 1 is composed of three components. The first component is the Entrepreneurial Management and their Operation which can gives impact in various areas it can also often closely associated with the firm’s overall success and survival. This makes the second component includes the Operation by the business as to Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling. These component can create an impact to the industry that affects their operation at some point.Thus, makes the third component as composed of entrepreneurial orientation of small businesses as to innovativeness, pro – activeness, and Risk – Taking to seeks opportunity and take a bold action such as venturing into unknown market and committing resources to introduce new products or services ahead. Related Literature Small Business is very important segments in the society. (Kao & Liang, 2001) defined small business as one that is owned independently (that is, it is not a subsidiary of a larger firm) and managed by its entrepreneur/owner with little or no delegation of decision-making to employees.PLANNING Planning refers to process by knowing their strengths and weaknesses are and where they stand in the market place. The link to pl anning is provided by Fitzroy & Hubert, (2004) who also noted similarities between entrepreneurs and successful senior managers in their ability to plan across longer time perspective than junior managers or most non-managerial individuals. Thus, according to this line theory, planning should not be regarded as merely a bureaucratic exercise but more as evidence of a high managerial and organizational propensity and a necessary condition for sustained business growth.Entrepreneur and successful managers are more adept than other business owners and managers at overcoming apparent informational and production limitations to approach the theoretical production possibility frontiers of their enterprises. However, few-if-any- enterprises actually operate to full theoretical capacity and few targets are completely achieved even by firms that are generally considered to be successful. It is often argued that most business in fact only operate within an even more restricted set- the possib ility set- of possibilities that owners deem to be relevant to their business.This suggest an even closer and more constant link between managerial perception and intentionality and the business performance of an enterprise. (Kenney, 2008) Organizing It is a requirement to utilize the fullest potential of resources such as people, capital, and asset to ensure the success of the plans. Organizing coordinates the resources that needed to implement the plan. In organizing, company structure is established, relationships are formed and resources are allotted appropriately to realize the objectives sought for.(Camposano, 2003). A good and sound management organization may refer to in general refers to increase in size. In research, firm growth has been operationalized in many ways and different measures have been used. This may be one reason for the contradictory results reported by previous studies (Weinzimmer et al. , 1998:235), though other explanations have also been presented (Delma r et al. , 2003; Davidsson & Wiklund, 2000). Entrepreneurs must also be able to balance their managerial duties with leadership activities.In other words, they have to be able to handle both the day to day operations of the business as well as decision making obligations that determine the organization’s long term direction, philosophy, and future. It is a precarious relationship, but entrepreneurs must be both managers and visionaries in order to build their organization. Indeed, it is contented that many otherwise talented entrepreneurs have failed because they were unable to strike an appropriate balance between details of management and the larger mission that guides the new venture.Many entrepreneurs eventually reach a point where they realize that these twin obligations cannot be fully met alone. It is at this point that staffing decisions can become a critical component of long term business success. In general, entrepreneurs should search for ways to delegate some of their management tasks rather than their leadership tasks. After all, in most cases the new business has long been far more dependent on its founders. LEADING/ MOTIVATING Inspiring others to do their part effectively in carrying out the organization’s plans.Entrepreneurial leaders have some specific leadership attributes. Entrepreneurial leadership is leadership that is based on the attitude that the leader is self-employed. Leaders of this type: take initiative and act as if they are playing a critical role in the organization rather than a mostly important one and energize their people, demonstrate entrepreneurial creativity, search continuously for new opportunities and pursue them, take risk, venture into new areas and providestrategic direction and inspiration to their people, take responsibility for the failures of their team, learn from these failures and use them as a step to ultimate success and strategic achievement. Entrepreneurial leadership involves instilling th e confidence to think, behave and act with entrepreneurship in the interest of fully realizing the intended purpose of the organization to the beneficial growth of all stakeholders involved. CONTROLLING Controlling is a six-step process that involves several systematic approaches to ensure performances standards are met in the most efficient way.While controlling is a complicated management function, its importance must not be under – rated. They must (1. ) Establish performance standards. Performance standards give employees an idea of what is expected of them and tells how you assess their performance. This key is to maintain management control. (2. ) Conduct a job analysis and create a job description for each position within the company. Give feedback regularly and give annual performance appraisals. This makes the employee aware of individual chance and weaknesses.Entrepreneurship establish and maintain an environment within the business to encourage a efficiency among e mployees period the functions of management involve planning, organising, directing, and controlling of resources. This function is influence by objectives set by the entrepreneur. They are closely related to each other and interdependent. Organising ordinates the resources that needed to implement the plan. (Brown, et. al, 2005). Innovativeness To innovate successfully, firms must break out of the patterns that have shaped their thinking.For example, Tim Warren, director of research and technical services at the oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell, was sure that Shell’s employees had vast reserves of innovative talent that had not been tapped; investing in new technology, R&D, and continuous improvement- for successful innovation, firms must seek advantages from the latest technologies. Innovativeness is concerned with supporting and encouraging new ideas, experimentation and creativity likely to result in new products, services or processes ( Fitzroy and Hubert, 2007 ).The indicato rs used to assess innovativeness comprised the level of involvement in R&D, the extent of innovation and qualifications of the workforce. Firms were asked to indicate their level for involvement in R&D. For a small number of firms (13) R&D was their primary activity. In total, almost 60 % claimed to be highly involved in R&D, although a quarter undertook of R&D. The 2005 survey on the effects of entrepreneurial orientation, asked the nature of innovations as between product/service, process and logistics or delivery of service.Some firms recorded innovative activity across a broad spectrum whereas others recorded innovations only in respect of product or service. The diversity or extent of innovative activity was considered an important indicator of innovativeness (Daft, 2005) Pro – activeness The concept of pro – activeness refers to a firm’s efforts to seize new opportunities. Firms can use to act proactively: (1) introducing new products or technological capa bilities ahead of the competition- maintaining a high level of pro-activeness is central to the corporate culture of some major corporations.(2) Continuously seeking out new product or service offerings- firms that provide new resources or sources of supply can benefit from a proactive posture. Pro-activeness is concerned with ‘first mover’ and other actions aimed at seeking to secure and protect market share and with a forward-looking perspective reflected in actions taken in anticipation of future demand (Lumpkin Dess, 2005 ). The indicators of pro-activeness used here comprised collaboration; incidence and extent, innovations, (in particular the incidence of ‘novel’ innovations); activities designed to protect intellectual property and market structure.Information was sought about formal or in formal collaboration or alliances with other organizations during the 2 years prior to the 2005 study and the purpose of collaboration had relationship with atleas t one of the following, ‘firms in the same line of business’ ‘customers’ and ‘suppliers’. The majority (more than two thirds) reporting collaborative partnerships gave more than one purpose. However, regardless of the type of organization collaborated with the purpose of collaboration was dominated by market-related issues.Of 74 CEOs giving reasons for collaboration 62 mentioned either ‘to expand the range of products/services’ and/or ‘to provide access to new markets’. Half of the remaining CEO’s gave ‘meeting current customer/client needs’ as the purpose of collaboration. Given that market-related issues dominated reasons for collaboration, firms were assessed for pro-activeness in terms of the diversity of organizations with which they had collaborated.In common with other studies of small businesses ( Kitson and Wilkinson, 2006) the majority of firms (60%) could be classified as operation in â⠂¬Å"niche markets†: confronting 5 or fewer serious competitors. Although striving to establish dominance in a niche market may demonstrate pro-activeness, account also needs to be taken of the extent to which that market is dominated by one or two customers, on which the firm is highly dependent. Few firms (13%) were dependent on a single customer for more than 50% of turnover.It can be suggested that the ideal â€Å"niche market† sought is where customers dependence is relatively low and serious rivals few. Such situations were considered to have a â€Å"positive† niche market effect. The reverse situation relatively high customer dependence combined with higher numbers of serious rivals was considered to have a ‘negative’ effect and intermediate situation a ‘neutral’ effect. On the basis of the above indicators the firms were ‘scored’ in terms of their level of pro-activeness. RISK TAKINGRisk taking refers to an entreprene urs tendency to take a bold action such as venturing into unknown new market, committing a large portion of resources to ventures with uncertain outcomes, and/or borrowing heavily, firms can use the following two methods to reinforce their competitive position through risk taking: (1)Researching and assessing risk factors to minimize uncertainty although all new business endeavors are inherently risky, firms that do their homework can usually reduce their risk; (2) using techniques that have worked in other domains-risky methods that other firms have applied successfully may be used to advance corporate ventures. (ferreire,2008). Measuring the extent to which individuals differ in their willingness to take risk is contentious.Early work in small business research tended to be focused on various psychological characteristics such as locus of control and tolerance of ambiguity. CEO’s subjective evaluation of their approaches towards risk is also fraught with difficulty since wh at one person regards as a ‘calculated’ approach another may regard as ‘aversion’. Others have suggested that the differentiating factor is the way risks are calculated (Norton and Moore, 2004). This study focused on behavior which might willingness to invest with uncertain returns: level of spending on R&D and investment in training as indicated by level of off-job training for full-time employees.Just over half of the firms undertaking R&D spent an average of less than 10% of turnover on R&D in the 2 years prior to the 2005 study but a quarter recorded levels of more than 10% of turnover. Few firms (28) had sought venture capital and those that had were evenly divided in terms of success. Seeking venture funding was regarded as indicative of a willingness to take risks. The impact of involvement in technology sectors was evident from the incidence and extent of training undertaken. Many studies of small firms suggest that they do not train. However like o ther recent studies ( Barnett and storey, 2004) the incidence of training in the firms in this study was high. Almost two thirds provided some off-job training for full-time employees and in a quarter over 20% of full-time employees were given such training.As with employment growth and qualification of the workforce, relative training performance was assessed in respect of employment size. RELATED STUDIES The study conducted by Poutziouos, Michaela and Soufani reports the findings of an empirical investigation on the economic factors affecting small businesses in General Santos City. The study involved interviews in SME’s postal survey with responses from further companies, and entrepreneurship of small businesses. The findings show that although short-term entrepreneurship practices improve as companies grow there is scope for the owner- managers of small businesses to strengthen their trade credit management in order to reduce costs and enhance business performance. Moreov er, they have to consider more financial options.This report has documented the key findings of many organizations responding global forces by re-engineering business process and shifting to horizontal organizations structures with self- directed teams. Some are adopting structural innovations such as the network, to focus their core competencies while outside specialists handle other activities. In addition to these structural changes, today’s organizations face the need for dramatic strategic and structural change, and for rapid innovations in technology and products. (Daft 1998). The report looked t how economic factors affects small businesses in General Santos City, and how these business manage their organizations.In the study of Berry & Sweeting (2002) stated that deficiencies in Economic Factors have been repeatedly cited as a root cause of business failure. (Najak and Greenfield 1994) two arguments are advanced for such deficiencies in SMEs; that new entrepreneurship is not relevant and that SME managers are unable to make up use of business. Here, it is argued that Business ideas are relevant to SME’s but that a process of innovations combining both knowledge to overcome a barrier of belief and an external shock are necessary in order for innovation to take place. These ideas were explored through a survey to SMEs from both service and manufacturing business in General Santos City. It was observed that the use of organizational techniques is negatively related to growth in turnover.However, the use of organizational techniques that were related to the product market was found to be positively related to growth in turnover and that owner/mangers belief in the importance of organization in business decisions was strong related growth very negatively related to size. The second theme of the research was the significance of the role of external advisors. Prima facie it was suggested that external advisors may be key agents of change, but th e study revealed that their perceived value was relatively low. The findings of this survey suggest that when entrepreneurship is perceived to be relevant then it use does support business growth but innovation in accounting in SME requires further research.In a study of measuring organizational performance by Wood & Walmsley (2004); it reports on the analysis methods used during a recent multinational experiment that was aimed exploring concepts for a new planning process within a condition of nations. In February 2004 over 400 participants from other countries took part in the multinational experiment conducted in a distributed collaborative environment. These participants formed a virtual coalition headquarters in order to plan an appropriate response to a crisis situation. These new planning process required â€Å"whole-of-government†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ approach encompassing government departments, coordination of coalition partners, government agencies, non-governmentorganizations and other international application of appropriate organizational structures and process together with supporting information system and technologies The challenge of this study and researcher was to design and develop valid and robust measures of organizational performance. They found out that changes to the way the constructs were operational are required in order to take account of the practical complexities of measuring performance. In another study on organizational performance by Mcmillan, Diedrich and Entin (2005), immersive â€Å"virtual† simulations offer an opportunity to gain insight and experience in new, innovative, organizational structures.Assessing the performance of these new organizations represents a considerable challenge due to the myriad of complex interrelated factors that may contribute to the outcomes observed in the simulation. Theories and models, often in the form of â€Å"constructive† simulations of organizational performance, can guide th e development of empirical performance measures by linking detailed behaviors to overall outcomes for organizations. Constructive simulations can be used to create meaningful test conditions for immersive performance measurement , to identify those aspects of performance that are most critical to measure, and to predict the effects of organizational structures on performance. Considerable challenge, however.This chapter provides examples of the use of the theories and constructive simulations to structure empirical data collecting of organizational performance, and discusses the lessons learned from these efforts. The focus is on organizational structures for military command and control, including innovative structures associated with the new and rapidly evolving concept of â€Å"network-centric warfare† The study of Berry and Rodriguez (2001) reviewed the experience of small and medium enterprises in recent years in the Philippines. It notes that while Philippines economic growth picked up in the early 1990s/, the share of its small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing employment and value added stayed roughly constant. However, the overall stability masks some dynamism across firm sizes and sectors.Thus, very small firms (with less than 10 workers) had higher than average rates of growth of total factor productivity during 1988-94c while larger firm (of between 50and 200 workers) experienced a decline in productivity. Toward the end of decade, the Philippines were affected by the economic factors but less seriously than some other Asians countries. Small firms do not seem to have been worse hit than larger firms. The Philippines has shown slow growth for decades, despite some recent recovery efforts. The evidence indicates that the SME sector was emerging from the deep economic crisis of the 1980s and experiencing the first positive effects of the economy wide reforms implemented in the late 1980’s and early 1990;s.By the mid- 1990â €™s Philippine SMEs appeared to have recovered from long period of decline, but their performance, by itself, does not seem to have been vigorous enough to boost the Philippine economy after the 1997-98 crisis. Large firms and large foreign ownership have rationally characterized the Philippine manufacturing sector. During a period of deep market reforms in the 1990s; the country open up to more FDI. Trade and economic reforms help to improve the growth scenario without providing a period of high growth. During the current crisis the modern sector manufacturing dominated the recovery by exporting high-end items and helped to buffer other negative impacts on Philippine manufacturing while creating a new, but small, breed of SMEs: small or medium foreign-owned enterprises.The study presented in a forum of International Development Studies on September 2005, attempted to analyze the ways of government’s bureaucratic system in the service delivery of SME sector affects the da y-to- day operations of small enterprises, along with other related issues such as the central- local government relations, decentralization, partnership and networking approach, and the demand- supply driven public services. It looked at the experience of the Philippine government’s policies and programs aim at SME’s growth. Dubbed as the national SME Development Agenda. The agenda incorporate a comprehensive and integrated approach to SME development, under the national government’s direction. Apparently, the agenda are centrally planned. Designed and implemented. At the lowest level of the government hierarchy, the local government units are entirely left only the monitor and coordinate the implementation of central government actions. Hence, the role and accountability of local stockholders are of well defined (especially the local government’s).Citing Zamboanga City, the economic center of western Mindanao region, the local government is lacking owne rship involvement, and commitment to this national initiative. Despite this national government-led support scheme. SMEs are continually facing some problems and pressures pertaining to their business operations. Analysis on the effect of national government’s a support scheme at the firm level is presented, with some implications toward the end. The study of Tamangan, Jocef and Habito (2004) discussed the role of SMEs in economic development has been well recognized. SMEs have been regarded as an important contributor to employment generation and wealth creation in developing economy.Ironically, however, SMEs have been discriminated against considering a raft of issues, In almost all countries, there is either a separate policy statement for SME (or for micro or cottage industries) or a general industrial policy statement with some potions of relating to SMEs. Philippines SME development policies that have been set in place may have been in light of major Philippine industri al development policies. Historically, the common thread that binds Philippine industrial policies has been the emphasis on policies regarding expansion of exports, increases in foreign investments, development of the private sector, and enhancement of domestic linkages. Moreover, there might have been industrial policies that may have been undermined SME development because inherent scale biases.Inroads regarding SME development have been realized in the economy thus far, but Philippines SMEs can still derive some lessons from the Japanese experience, particularly Japanese practices regarding subcontracting and clustering. There is also a need to realize that it is now insufficient to address commonplace themes and roadblocks experienced by Philippine SMEs identified through historical experiences, Nowadays, it is inescapable to acknowledge the concerns regarding SMEs will have to be considered and addressed in light of globalization, which is most easily comprehended in terms of i nternational trade. Bilateral trade cooperation is mutually beneficial.One way for Japan to encourage Philippine SME development, as part of bilateral trade cooperation, is to identify and to open some Japanese markets to Philippine SME exports. Hence, sector (or even sub-sector) identification in general, and product identification in particular, is a necessary first step to this end. The study of Salazar (1984) which was conducted among the 230 SMEs located in Region III, IV, NCR and VII in which the SMEs are located. The result of the study presented the economic factors practices adopted by the SMEs on cash forecasting, cash maintenance, sourcing of funds, allocation of borrowed funds and control measures fordaily operations. A study of Stan, Landry and Evans (2004) on boundary spanners’ satisfaction with organizational support services: An internal communications perspective, offered insights into how internal communication by both managers and service providers impact a boundary spanners’ satisfaction with support services. The study used path analysis or structural equation modelling as a statistical tool. Results indicated that service provider and manager communications are largely complementary and that satisfaction with service outcomes, rather than service quality, appears to have an enduring impact upon a boundary spanners’ overall job satisfaction.Small and medium enterprises have long been building blocks of the Philippine economy comprising more than a majority of the total businesses operating in the country. Despite the numbers given and their contributions, many problems beseech the sector. One is in the aspect of the Economic Factors. Areas such as accounting systems, financing, working capital management and capital budgeting are some of the basic concerns of an SMEs which if not given the necessary attention could have an impact on the performance of the enterprise as a whole. The organizational performances of these enterprises are also dependent on these Economic Factors practices such as their competitive advantage, profitability, productivity, sustainability and innovation.

If I Met Three Famous People Essay

If I met three famous people who I like, I would be one of most happiest people in the world. I don’t know what I would do, but I would be very happy. I will tell you about three famous people who I would like to meet. At first I would like to meet my favourite boy-band Backstreet Boys. It’s the best boy-band in pop music history. They are five guys from the USA, and they became very famous after their album †Millennium† release in 1999. I’m their very big fan since 2007. And if I met them I would be very happy. I would like to meet all of them, because I couldn’t choose one of them. Their music is so great, it helps me and all their other fans. I’m waiting for their new album release . If I meet them, I would ask them how they felt when became famous. Also I would ask them what meaning has the God in their life, because they are religious people. Of course I have more questions to them, also I would tell them about my feelings and emotions. I would tell them that their music has a very special meaning in my life. I think they are the best boy-band in the world and the best singers. After that I would like to meet Katy Perry. She is a young singer and just a nice young lady. I heard about her a half a year ago and I think she is a great singer with big future. I think she is a great singer with beautiful voice and she is also very beautiful. I like the way she sings. If I met her I would be shocked and amazed. I would ask her why her songs have such unusual names. Also I would ask her what she thinks about other singers and specialy about Backstreet Boys. I would tell her how I like her and how I love her songs, songs that make my life happier. Also who I would like to meet is the hockey player Mikelis Redlihs. Of course I don’t know him but I think he is a very nice guy with a good sence of humour. I think that he is a good hockey player and he has the future in sports. Even if he doesn’t play in NHL, he will show himself in his team . He is very fast on the ice and he can hold a puck. If I met him I would ask him how he feels playing hockey, about his life and of course about his team. I want to say all about these people who I like, they made my life better. I will never stop loving and I will respect these people for what they are and what they do. They will always be in my life and in my heart.

Challenges That May Arise When Writing a Persuasive Essay

Three challenges that might arise when writing a persuasive essay are making a plan, writing a draft, and revising your draft. While making a draft you should always consider how you can organize your ideas effectively for the readers. You can arrange your ideas and make an outline to organize your ideas effectively (Chapter 7). Doing so will allow the readers to be able to understand what point you are trying to get across without any doubt or confusion. Writing a draft can help show the readers what you mean. In your draft it should include an introduction that is catchy and that will interest your readers, have a strong and solid conclusion, and it should also have a strong solid title (Chapter 8). During the revising process of your draft you should think of ways to make your draft clearer or more convincing to the readers. This could be done by looking for ideas that don’t fit, looking for ideas that could use more detailed support, and connecting ideas with transitional words and sentences (Chapter 9). One more challenge that might arise when writing a persuasive essay is editing. Editing a paper will allow me to ask myself what errors could confuse my readers and weaken my point. This process can also help me find and correct errors in grammar (Chapters 22–33), look for errors in word use (Chapters 34–35), spelling (Chapter 36), and punctuation and capitalization (Chapters 37–41). READING: Read Chapter 3 in Real essays with readings: Writing projects for college, work, and everyday life – Writing Basics. The strategies I will use to overcome making a draft is use my time wisely. By doing this I will be able to have a set block of time to work on this and will not be able to wait until the last minute. I will also write down any ideas that pop up in my head. So I will not forget what it was and is because it could be a useful and helpful idea to use in my paper while writing it. Another strategy I could use is to make a web of ideas while planning out my paper. To overcome the challenges of writing a draft I will need to try show what I mean to the readers, come up with a strong title, come up with a strong conclusion, and come up with a catchy way to start my introduction paragraph. While I am revising my essay I will look for ideas that do not fit and find ideas that could use more detailed support if it does not have enough detailed support already. Finally I will I will look for errors that might confuse my readers and weaken my point more closely. I could also try reading it backwards to see if it will help me find errors such as grammar, errors in word use, punctuation, and if any capitalization errors.

Las Vegas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Las Vegas - Essay Example As the research stresses constantly updated society has become an icon of the American modern metropolitan experience that demonstrates, through its complex combination of theme park and city, how the spaces and practices of the metropolis have consistently shaped our modern experiences and culture. This paper declares that to remain a national attraction to the greatest possible number of consumers, hotels are quickly changed from one form of entertainment to another, from the glamorous settings of the gangster era to the family-oriented theme-hotels of the 1980s to the more sophisticated flair of the latest ideas represented in the Bellagio, an entire hotel devoted to luxury and the pampering of the cultured adult. This concentration on the new helps visitors to the city buy further into the concept of consumer spending, insisting they must participate in the latest events, gamble at the latest hotel/casino and be seen in the latest locations. It is this rapidly changing climate, as well, that Simmel suggests creates an atmosphere in which man must â€Å"react with his head instead of his heart† as the only means by which he can survive the constant sudden shifts in impressions. That the surrounding culture has bought into this concept of constant change and adaptation is evidenced in the speed with which individuals, including superstars like Brittany Spears, make life-changing decisions.

Forensics Research Project 2 Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Forensics Project 2 - Research Paper Example It can be stated that the aforesaid tactics would generally provide broader explanation to various legal aspects relating to the preservation of a computer and its data. Key Steps to Ensuring Legal Success in a Courtroom in a Forensics Case In order to determine the key steps ensuring legal success in a courtroom in a forensics case, it can be affirmed from a broader outlook that forensic readiness is often represented as the capability of an organization to increase its prospective to use modern digital evidences and at the same time, reducing the costs of an investigation by a certain degree. In this similar concern, the key steps towards ensuring legal success in a courtroom in a forensics case have been outlined below. Describing the business circumstances that need digital evidence Identifying current sources & different kind of potential evidence Determining the evidence based collection obligation Establishing a strategy for secure storage plan & handling of possible evidence Identifying the circumstances when a full formal investigation need to be initiated Documenting an evidence-related case explaining the incident and its manifold impact Ensuring legal appraisal to take necessary actions in response to the happening of any incident (Rowlingson, 2004). Conditions That Require Inclusion of Law Enforcement With regard to conclude the conditions that require inclusion of law enforcement, it can be affirmed that computer crime may be conducted through the violation of the policies associated with information technology relating to the preservation of a computer and its data. Generally, there pertain numerous conditions of crime related to the information technology that lays the requirement of the inclusion of law enforcement agencies. In this regard, according to Section 13 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act 2012, law can be enforced against any individual linked with preservation of computer data. The truthfulness of traffic data & subscriber information relating to communication services shall be preserved for a minimum of six months. Moreover, content information shall likewise be preserved for a period of six months from the date of the order received from law enforcement authorities obliging its preservation. It can be stated that law enforcement system may provide extensions for the conduct of the aforesaid activities. It has been apparently observed that one of the conditions that require inclusion of law enforcement is that once computer data is preserved, conveyed or stored by a service provider, the data would be accessible only to authorized users It is the service provider who requires to preserve digital data as well as to keep those confidential and most significantly maintain their compliance by a certain degree. It is to be affirmed that if any computer operator violates or not comply with the order provided by the service provider, then the respective task will be regarded as a crime as and the operator will be punis hed under section 13 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act 2012 (The Office of the President of the Philippines, 2012). Possible Actions to Protect the Employer In accordance with the mentioned case, one of the possible actions could be the introduction of various data prevention plan which might protect the employer by a certain degree. In this similar concern, it can be affirmed that the employer can take the help of a law enforcement group for collecting as well as

Operations Management Principles Bachelor Essay

Operations Management Principles Bachelor - Essay Example Printer and its Toner has to be optimized. In manufacturing, APS gives a methodology of concurrent synchronization of material and capacity with customer orders. (Advanced Planning and Scheduling- APS) With APS to be used is also Lead Time Management, which is the time between the start of a process and its completion. In planning parlance, the lead-time is usually an estimated time. As the plant's finished product consists of Printer and Toner, though different categories of products, but one item is the consumable product of the other. For printer, the toner is the consumable item and as such a printer will be of no use until it is loaded with the Toner. Hence the model of Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment -- CPFR will be useful which provides customer level visibility across the supply chain in order to attain the inventory reductions, revenue lift and cost reductions which remain the final objectives of collaborative initiatives. The solution meets limited materials and production planning against controlled and uncontrolled demand plans to the meet the normal goals of profitability, productivity, competitive customer lead times, and backlog levels.

Families in a Global Context Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Families in a Global Context - Assignment Example Until the 1990s, the issue of migration of women was discussed largely in the context of sex-trafficking. But globalization has unfolded a new phenomenon of overseas migration of women as job seekers. The book, Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New Economy edited by Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Russel Hochschild (2003) have revealed there is more to this phenomenon than breaking down of cultural barriers caused by communication revolution and relaxation of patriarchal restraints on the mobility of women. Exploring the avenues that lead to this social behavior, the authors have begun with the socio-economic context in which World Bank and IMF- imposed development models have forced third world governments to tighten their economies thereby leaving their citizens no other option than to leave the country to make a living (Ehrenreich, Hochschild, 2003, p.1-5). And what is peculiar about this migration is that â€Å"today half of all the world’s migrants are wo men.†( Ehrenreich, Hochschild, 1993, p.5) and they migrate mostly to take up low paid jobs as maids and nannies. The picture that emerges is that of a new kind of economic asylum seekers who are the refugees of globalization. These women, according to the book, ease a ‘care deficit’ that has emerged in the first world. This ‘care deficit’ was created in the developed world when the majority of women who used to take care of the young, aged and the sick of the society shifted their energies to paid jobs (Parrenas, 2003, p.35). Growing awareness about women’s rights and the pressure exerted by a competitive economy were the key factors behind this change. The middle class of US was finding it difficult to balance their budget without two paychecks. In the US, 65% of mothers of children aged six, are now doing paid work. (Ely, Scully, Foldy, 2003, p.404). As men were not considered sharing the domestic work even in this changed scenario, it was in evitable that substitutes had to be there to do the family scores.  Ã‚  

America history since 1865 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

America history since 1865 - Essay Example After the Civil Rights Movement, all practices that discriminated the negro that include laws, norms (giving up a seat to a white), segregation was ended and paved the way for policies that elevated the Negro to have more place in American society such as the Affirmative Action Policy. Today, United States has now an Afro American President to the person of President Obama which would not have been possible without the Civil Rights Movement. II. Growth of government and state power   The New Deal was a government program of action by President Roosevelt to address the Great Depression when he assumed office as a President of the United States on March 4, 1933 I believe is the most important aspect of government’s growth and state power. The New Deal lifted the United States economy from the shambles of the Great Depression to become an economic superpower after the Second World War. President Roosevelt’s New Deal involved a series of economic programs focused on Relie f, Recovery and Reform of the economy not only to address the Great Depression but also to avoid the repetition of the same. Among the programs of his new deal was the obtained permission to reopen most banks and provided grants to citizens. He instituted government initiated work programs to generate employment through the Works Progress Administration (WPA) programs. President Roosevelt also pump primed the economy with the widespread public spending on infrastructure by constructing roads, buildings, dams and similar projects through his Public Works Administration (PWA) which provided not only jobs but income in the system. He also enlisted young men in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to work on conservation projects. President Roosevelt’s New Deal was to elevate both income and prices which dropped during the depression. When Second World War came in 1941, President Roosevelt shifted his attention to foreign policy to address the war. The war proved to be good for the US economy because the massive spending to build war machines double the country’s Gross National Product or GNP and reduced unemployment rate from 14% to less than 2%. III. United States Foreign Affairs   I would like to discuss the immigrants in the Chesapeake and New England as America’s early experience in Foreign Affairs because these migrations in 16th and 17th century helped shape the kind of country that she is today. In between 16th and 17th century, immigrants from England settled into the eastern coast of the colonized New World which was then known as America. These groups settled into two regions which were the Chesapeake and New England areas. Chesapeake included Virginia, Maryland, New Jerseys (East and West), Pennsylvania and Jamestown while New England composed of included Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymouth, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Haven. While these immigrants came from the same country and spoke the same tongue, they proved to become different kind of people when they settled into these regions of America. Settlers in Chesapeake came into America mainly for economic reason while immigrants in the New England settled in America to escape the religious persecution back in England. Those who went to Chesapeake were into finding riches while those who settled in New England hoped to have religious freedom which they did not have back in England. Having different reason and motivation

California since 1970 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

California since 1970 - Essay Example This essay "California since 1970" outlines how this state changed based on main issues: population, school system, and political geography. California has been populated since 1970 when it had a population of 19,953,134. Currently the population of California is 38,292,687. The US Bureau officially estimated the population to be 36, 756,666 as in 2008. In 2000, its population was numbered 33, 871, 648. The state’s population has grown dramatically since 1970 ("California Population."). Based on the US Census Bureau, the population of California is made of white non-Hispanic (42.7%), Hispanic (36.2%), Blacks (6.7%) and Asian (12.4%). The growth rate has slowed recently; from 2000-2004, the state lost 99,000 people to other states than it gained from other states in the United States. The presumption of system of governance, local control based on domestic electoral accountability- the system that was in place for the last 150 years has been taken over by the state control syst em. The decisions that were used to be local discretion matters-among them the student assessment, student graduation and promotion, and resource allocation are now matters of the government policy. Districts are now subjected to federal regulations and voluminous state and reporting requirements ( â€Å"Report of the Joint Interim Committee on the Public Education System†). The state tells the facilitators how to teach readings and how to carry themselves in the company of teachers. Since the enactment of PSAA, the state took over the failing schools and fire principals and teachers. Due to the changes in governance since 1970, there are crucial areas of learning and teaching that were not subjected to the legislative mandate. Currently, the constitution of the state assigns education’s responsibility to the state while the legislature has delegated that responsibility to local schools. The school districts were given the authority to collect taxes, make contracts, an d implement state law as it applied to school’s operation. The education’s accountability was synonymous with domestic political accountability. The members of the school board answered to the electorates. Over the years, state centralization made a difference in some crucial ways. Among them are transparency, efficiency, rationality and adequacy of finance system. Since 1970, the combination of voter initiatives, court rulings and legislative enactment has altered the school system in the state of California finance (Watts, Malcolm and Clark Jones, 67). Compared to 1970s, California now look decidedly blue. Both the California congressional representatives and senators are Democrats. During the last election, the Californians voted solidly Democratic. The growth in the democratic support since 197- has not been uniform in the entire state. The North used to vote for Democratic while the south used to vote for republican. This has been replaced by west-east, or the coa stal inland division. In the early 1970’s, the most Democratic region was the Bay Area in the presidential elections, and the southern and central areas were solidly Republican ( "California's Political Geography."). Over the years the presidential elections has been a measure of political standings among the Californians this

Inquiring Minds Want to Know--Now Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inquiring Minds Want to Know--Now - Case Study Example The Penton Media seeks to answer the question that is brainstorming within the business magazines in the industry Week, Restaurant Hospitality and Machine Design in respect to the decline of the use of publication reader service cards. The dilemma to unravel here is the fact that the industries want to assess the long-term viability of an advertiser and a reader service, that is, the reader service card, which is a post-card size device that the readers use while requesting for further information from a specific advertiser. There is decreased tracking of the sources of the lead onto the use of the post-card device in the period 1998. The other critical aspect of this dilemma is the changing state of technology globally. This renders some trends in business field to be obsolete. This is evident through the Penton research results showing that there was no use of website access information by the various organizations within their ads in the 1992. Conversely, today the â€Å"contact us† icon entails e-mail addresses and other contact means that hasten the communication link between the organization and the general public. The step on the management questions requires that the management fully capitalize on the opportunity that arises. This best outlines the strategic positioning of the organization to tap and grasp the accessible opportunity within the market or the industry. The question that Penton’s research wants to resolve is how best the organization disseminates timely and adequate information to the customers. The essence of this is that there is a new paradigm shift in the industrial purchasing and thus changing approaches that would best fit the divergent consumer environment is most sufficient. This step finds the most reasonable actions that are at disposal towards tapping the advantageous edge of the opportunity presented. The respondents of the

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Essay

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts - Essay Example Deal and Kennedy (1982) refer to organizational culture as ‘the way things get done around here’. There are several different forms of organizational culture. Some of them include Process culture, which involves little or no feedback-such cultures are charged for being too bureaucratic but they are also known to be effective and consistent for public services; Task culture, which involves different teams for different tasks; Person culture, which involves individuals performing tasks on their own and consider themselves superior to the organization-however organizations adopting this form of culture face problems as it drifts away from the ‘group’ idea of the culture. Change of culture is a difficult task and requires huge resource investments because it is intensely established in the experience and background of an organization. Often, it is advised to outsource help from specialists outside the organization. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR Organizational behavior has different viewpoints. There are mainly three perspectives: modern, symbolic and postmodern. According to American academia there are micro and macro distinctions. Micro refers to individual and small organizational behavior. ... Studying organizational behavior is very interesting and challenging at the same time. It shows different results for different individuals. It is interesting to see how a person reacts under some situation and the other individual reacts differently under the same situation and to compare the two. In well-known organizations importance is given to this study as it shows how to improve the state within an organization and improving the output of the personnel. DIVERSITY The basic meaning of diversity is variety. Diversity can be anywhere in individual, religion, mind set, language, culture etc. Each individual is different. It’s important that we recognize them, accept them and commemorate them. Diversity basically creates balance in our society. Diversity is used immensely in financial field, it generally relates to managing financial assets and to put customer’s money in different stocks so as to get positive results. If there is some negativity in one company’ s share the client can get positive result from other thus balancing the loss. Overtime diversity has changed a lot. Long time ago it was used for black people in our societies but now it is being used as Asians, Latinos, Americans. Diversity management is really important in an organization to keep the workers of any color, caste or creed or from different faith or religion collectively in one environment with peace and tranquility. We can’t ignore the role of diversity in our world but the important step is to take it positively and try to ignore the negative impacts of it. This is the only way we can make this world a better place. COMMUNICATION Communication or effective communication is the exchange of information between people or groups. It

Comment on the reaction of the characters Essay Example for Free

Comment on the reaction of the characters Essay How does Miller create tension in this episode? Comment on the reaction of the characters. (Pages 35-42) Eddie feels threatened by his young guest, Rodolpho the blond Italian immigrant. The reasons why Eddie feels threatened are based on the fact that Catherine seems interested in Rodolpho. Eddie being her guardian for so many years feels that Catherine is drifted away from him and blames Rodolpho for that. Eddie never showed how he really felt about Rodolpho but throughout this scene some tension between the two characters is clearly conveyed by their actions and words. The first clear sign of tensions arises when the main characters are talking about lemons on trees. Eddie makes a joke about how oranges are painted to make them look orange. Marco claims in Italy oranges are orange. Rodolpho then says that lemons are green. What Rodolpho said seems so non-provoking but Eddie uses it to sound resentful towards Rodolpho for no reason at all. Eddie openly expresses his feelings. Beatrice tried to divert attention since she senses tension arising by asking Marco personal questions. The tension does not become unnoticed. Eddie shifts the discussion they are having that girls in Italy are strict to use it against Rodolpho, once more revealing the bad feelings he has for him. Eddie point out to Rodolpho that girls in the states also are not so free and those girls without a shawl or a black dress are taken for less strict by some. Rodolpho picks up quite well what Eddie tries to say. He can see where Eddie is coming from. He is not that nai ve as we thought he was at the start of the play. Rodolpho can understand that this discussion is really about Catherine and the time he spends with her. He tries to defend himself by saying to Eddie he always has respect about Catherine. Eddie tries to explain to Marco what he is trying to say and Marco sensing himself some tension he replies to Eddie cautiously. Tension increases due to Beatrices intervention in the conversation. She clearly defends Rodolpho by telling to Eddie that Rodolpho didnt dragged Catherine off. The same time Beatrice is going against her husband. Now we dont only sense tension between Rodolpho and Eddie but also between the couple. Beatrice points out to Eddie to be an uncle to Catherine. She intervenes strictly. Beatrice plays an important role in this episode because she highlights the tension between her and Eddie and also tries to influence Catherine. She tells Catherine to explain to Eddie why she and Rodolpho were late. She is trying to get Catherine involved, to stand up for herself. Marco also gets involved since he is the big brother and guardian of Rodolpho. He tries to ease tension with Eddie. Marco advises Rodolpho on some things to please Eddie and calm things down. Marco also reaches the point of apologizing to Eddie. He feels uncomfortable. Eddie justifies his arguments that Rodolpho shouldnt stay out late with Catherine because the more he is out the bigger the chances of him being caught. Beatrice once more defends Rodolpho. She says that the same chances exist in the daytime also. With the stage direction indicating Eddie is holding back a voice full of anger illustrates the conflict between the couple. Catherine doesnt stay quiet with all these happening around her. The whole conversation and tension is about her and she gets her chance to react to Eddies awkward behavior. Catherine becomes provoking and in a way rebels against Eddie by asking Rodolpho to dance with her. From the stage direction we see Eddies reaction, he freezes. Rodolpho due to the tension and with respect to Eddie he denies her offer. Beatrice once more goes against Eddie by encouraging Rodolpho to dance with Catherine. Catherine takes Rodolphos hands and they dance. A provoking attitude towards Eddie. Beatrice being the distracter in the whole episode she tries to ease the conflict by changing the subject once more. Eddie becomes sarcastic on Rodolphos expense when Marco informs them that Rodolpho can cook. Eddie points out Rodoplhos qualities several times to mock him. Eddie tries to suggest that Rodolpho is gay, a homosexual. Catherine defends Rodolpho by telling to Eddie that all the big chefs are men and get paid well.

Application of Database Developmental Cycle

Application of Database Developmental Cycle Task 1: Apply the database developmental cycle to a given data set or a case of your own Myreadingroom[1.1] details that the database development lifecycle, DDLC, contains six phases: the initial study, the design, implementation and loading, testing and evaluation, operation, and maintenance and evolution. The first phase of the DDLC is the initial study. This involves investigating the companys current solution, determining what is causing it to fail and providing a future solution to resolve the issues, whilst ensuring that it is in the companys capabilities. This can be achieved in four stages: analysing the company, defining the problems and constraints, defining the objectives, and defining the scope and boundaries. To analyse[1.6] is to examine something methodically and in detail. An understanding of what is currently in place helps to decipher the problems and constraints of the current way of working, whilst helping to determine what the companys objectives are. Whilst developing a database there is always an objective[1.7], something planned to be achieved, or there can be several, depending on the requirements. During the initial study consideration should be made as to what the the desired outcome is, as well as the scope and boundaries of the solution. The issue I have been asked to resolve is that there is no way for my client to determine if they have, or want to purchase, a dvd, blu-ray or tv series. The objectives they have defined for the outcome is a fully functional system which allows a users to view and update a media. My client also requires the ability to generate a wish list, as well as view a list of all current media. The solution I have proposed is a Microsoft Access database as there are minor limitations to the system. The only limitation I believe may occur is that the data held may grow to be astronomical so a desktop database application may not be sufficient in the long term. A review should be undertaken throughout the lifecycle of the application to determine if it needs to be transferred to a relational database, hosted on a server. As Access allows you to customise the database to your requirements, my understanding is that there will be no limitations of the data stored. The second phase is the design[1.1]. This is defined as the most crucial phase in the database development lifecycle as this phase revolves around ensuring that the users requirements and objectives are met. If they are disregarded by the system developer, it would ultimately be deemed a failure and the DDLC should commence again. The implementation and loading phase of the database development lifecycle consists of installing the database management system, creating the database and loading, or converting, the data. Installation of the database platform should only occur if it is required. If the platform is already existent, or the install of the database has taken place, creation of the database can occur. The proposed design of the application is a main table which is essentially based on a series of lookups from other tables within the application. This is to ensure data integrity and remove any duplication that may otherwise need to occur. As part of the proposal for the table layout and relationships, consideration should be made as to the performance of the system. Due to Microsoft Access being preinstalled as part of Office, an installation does not need to occur, however creation of the database, designed in the previous phase, is required. The proposed solution for the application is as follows, with each relationship defined utilising a one-to-one relationship[1.8], where a row in one table is linked to one and only one row in another. From there the data needs to be loaded, and possibly manipulated, into the database. As there is no current solution in place a request has been given to my client in order for the main core data to be imported. Once this has been completed, data should be added through the application itself. The third phase, testing and evaluation, consists of testing the solution, tuning the database and finally evaluating the database and its application program. Testing is often referred to as User Acceptance Testing, UAT, in Yorkshire Coast Homes and involves both yourself and the superusers reviewing the system to determine if it is fit for purpose and if navigation throughout is fluid. From there, the system needs amending to introduce any of the anomalies found as part of UAT. My client will undertake the testing of the application which involves ensuring that data is able to be added to system, without any errors or having to go back to any previously accessed fields. In addition to this, they should also review if the application performs adequately and transactions are easily completed without delay. The penultimate phase is operation, which is essentially making the system live and operational. This involves the superusers training any users, within their department, how to use the system to undertake their job role. This results in the application moving from a project state to becoming part of the day to day workings of a department. As my client is going to be the only user of the database at launch, no training needs to occur; and the transition to live should have minimal impact to them as they have worked alongside myself to deliver the application. Throughout the lifecycle of the application being used, maintenance needs to occur and the application needs to evolve as the industry does. This phase is known as maintenance and evolution. Google[1.2] informs that the purpose of system maintenance is to sustain the capability of a system to provide a service. This phase consists of four maintenance types, which will occur as regularly as required. They are periodic, corrective, permissions and adaptive. Periodic maintenance refers to something of a regular occurrence. For example, in Yorkshire Coast Homes, the main housing system has a regular nightly queue which imports any monies received from customers and processes each night, alongside abandoning any no longer required repairs. Another example of periodic maintenance, which should occur in any organisation, is a backup[1.3], the copying and archiving of computer data so it may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. These can occur as regularly as an organisation requires. Periodic maintenance is partnered with corrective maintenance. This is most commonly known as recovery[1.4], the process of salvaging inaccessible data which has been lost, corrupt, damaged or formatted. As a database administrator you must always be prepared to restore any loss of data for any user, however this form of maintenance should only occur as and when required. The permissions element of maintenance consists of three aspects: adding, amending, removing and reviewing. Each aspect of the permissions are closely linked as a user may change job roles, requiring the adding or removing of permissions, or a third party decision may require a change. An example of where this has occurred in Yorkshire Coast Homes is access to tenants rent accounts. As part of a historic decision, everyone within the organisation had access to the rent account. Following a change in the law, users permissions were removed so that those who can access it are only those who require it within their job role, whether it be for informing a tenant of their rent, chasing any arrears or for IT to support any technical issues. The final maintenance type is adaptive. This is the process of adding features to the current system, or enhancing it. This can also be referred to as evolution. This is the process of the system evolving throughout time as either an organisation, or the technology utilised, advances. An example of where this has occurred in Yorkshire Coast Homes is our Total Mobile solution[1.5], a digital workforce management solution. We recently upgraded to the latest version of software, as the version we were previously running was old technology, which didnt support Android. Through the final phase of DDLC for the Media Database, the periodic maintenance that should occur is the copying of the database. This is to provide a recovery point in the event of data corruption or loss of data. Both the permissions element and adaptive maintenance have limited impact on the application. Currently only one user accesses and updates data, however periodic reviews should be undertaken to determine if my client requires further users to have access. From there, adaptive maintenance may need to occur to lock down certain parts of the system my client may not want users to access. In addition to this, Microsoft may upgrade the Access application which may potentially corrupt or remove a functionality currently used within the application. Reviews should be undertaken to determine if an upgrade to a new version of Access may corrupt the application. If a decision is made to undertake an upgrade, the DDLC lifecycle should commence again. Task 2b: Evaluate the effectiveness of the database solution and suggests methods of improvement My client asked me to produce a fully functional system which allows users to view and update a media. The solution I proposed was a Microsoft Access database which utilised relationships and joins, rather than duplicating data. The first objective, a fully functional system which allows a users to view and update a media, has been achieved utilising the Media Information form. As you can see from the screen print below the form details the title of the media, the media type and category. It also includes the purchase information and the genre(s). The second and third objective are closely related as my client requested the ability to generate a wish list, as well as view a list of all current media. This information can be accessed from the main form, as you can see from the print screen below. When selecting either the Wish List or Purchased icon the following report appears, detailing the information. As each of the objectives have been achieved, with the addition of my client being able to access sold media, I would deem the development of the database a success. One factor within applications that should always be considered is performance[2b.2], how well something works. There are three elements that I would deem beneficial to the applications performance. These are the storing of data, the navigation and functionality. When defining the tables and relationships in the design phase of the database development lifecycle, I ensured that the data is stored with a series of joins, rather than duplicated data. This data is then collated in a query and presented in a form to provide the information required to my client. This ensures data integrity[2b.1], the assurance of the accuracy and consistency of data. It also enables the end user to access the information required without having to navigate throughout the whole of the system. The application also benefits from having a limited number of ways to access the data. Providing the information required in one form, and a few reports, provides consistent information. As well as all of the information being provided, the inputting of information is simplistic as when entering data and moving through each field, it navigates in a top to bottom method rather than a muddled method. In addition to navigation through the form, navigation through the application is simple also. Each report and form has been provided with an exit icon, as well as the form having a create, save and delete button. These are controlled by macros. The macros have also been created in a managed way as rather than having multiple macros in one location, they are all their own macro. This removes the need for a triggered action to search a long macro before undertaking it, saving time and increasing performance. As well as successes in the system there are also failures[2b.3], the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended object. There are two failures which have simple resolutions. There are inputting data into the data dictionary form and the search functionality. In order for information to be entered into the data dictionary, the superuser must bypass the initial launch to display the tables. From there information can be entered into both of the data dictionary tables in order to update the related query. There are two issues with this method: firstly, having to enter data in both tables separately, and secondly, there is no password protection so anyone can update the tables. The solution for this issue would be to create an input form which its sole purpose would be to update the data dictionary. In addition to this, the form can be password protected so that only users with the password can update information. The second, and final issue, is the search functionality. As the database has minimal information currently, the only search available in the system is the one provided by Microsoft Access. As more information is entered, the harder it will be to locate the required media. The recommendation for this issue would be to provide a search option on the home screen with the ability to query any value within the database which may need to be updated, such as returning a list of wish list items. Although there is currently a report in the system available, this does not provide the ability to update the data. A form would be required for this. To conclude, the application is fit for purpose and meets the objectives defined by my client. However, there are some minor failures of the system which can be easily addressed. Task 2c: Provide supporting user and technical documentation Supporting your system The Media Information database is a desktop application database developed within the application Access, which is both provided and supported by Microsoft. Any issues relating to the core application is supported until Microsoft decide to cease cover, which is currently set to be October 2020[2c.1]. In the event support has expired, you can quite simply convert to the latest version of Access. In order to do this, make a copy of the database so you dont corrupt the information. With the copied database open, select File, Save As. Select the Save as type drop down menu and change it to the latest version. Ensure full testing is undertaken so that you know that functionality has not been lost, including adding new media types or genres. From there, you are able to delete, or archive, the previous database version. **Please note: DO NOT delete the previous database until testing has been completed, as it may result in corruption of your data** Overview The database provided is referred to as the Media Information database. It is a series of tables which logs whether a media type is owned, the format, genre, and many other things. Upon launch of the application, the following screen is displayed: This screen allows the user to navigate through the system. An exit application button is also provided to close the database. Upon selecting the Media Information icon the following screen is displayed: The main screen details the media title and any information held regarding it, including the status of purchase. Along the bottom pain, there is the ability to navigate throughout the records. In addition to this, the user has the ability to create, save and delete records. A Close button is also provided to return to the home screen. A number of blue boxes open the listed report for the user to peruse. Each report which opens correlates to the title detailed on each icon. The report displayed will look similar to this: As you can see from the screen above, there is also a Close button provided. This is available on each report to navigate back to the home screen. The final icon on the home screen is Data Dictionary. This report details, the table name, a description, what fields are included and the data type. The information is displayed as follows: Maintaining the database Throughout the lifecycle of a database, review and development must occur to determine if it is still fit for purpose. As a result, additional fields or tables may be added. If this is required there are a few things which need to be considered or remembered: The database is currently set up to provide lookups rather than having to manually enter information. This is the preferred method for data integrity. There are multiple relationships defined, detailed below You must remember to update the Data Dictionary tables Adding fields or tables is easily achievable through the backend, which can be accessed from the left hand panel of the application. The current tables in use are as follows: The core tables begin with Media, whereas those which help provide the Data Dictionary, begin with Data Dictionary. If you want to add additional tables into the system, try to add tables with a lookup to the original database. In order to do this, create your table with a primary unique key and the columns required. Then add the lookup column into the required table. For future reference, the database as it currently stands is configured like this: The main tables included and the relationships defined B) The data dictionary tables and the relationships defined Functionality help As part of the configuration for the forms and reports, there are a series of macros enabled which allow fluid interactions throughout the application, without having to exit it completely. These are the macros that are currently in use: When creating macros, ensure that a user friendly name is assigned to enable yourself, and support, to easily determine what it is for as a later date. This can easily be done by selecting the Properties of the tab and creating a description in the Caption field. This will ensure that it is displayed correctly in the macro overview window. In some instances, there may be things you dont know. As Office is one of the market leaders, there are many forums and online help sites available for use. The sites I would recommend are https://support.office.com/en-gb/access and https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_access?auth=1. If these sites do not provide the solution, Youtube is always an alternative or a Google search. References: [1.1] http://www.myreadingroom.co.in/notes-and-studymaterial/65-dbms/506-database-development-life-cycle.html [1.2] https://www.google.co.uk/search?ei=QbCXWN_AL4vQgAaC57GQDAq=system+maintenanceoq=syatem+maintenancegs_l=mobile-gws-serp.1.2.0i13k1l5.11736.12598.0.14403.8.8.0.0.0.0.149.897.1j6.7.0.01c.1j4.64.mobile-gws-serp..4.4.54735i39k1j0i7i30k1.g8bS8KwNeBs [1.3] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backup [1.4] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_recovery [1.5] https://www.totalmobile.co.uk [1.6] https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=tablet-android-googleei=ZOaYWMLKJcLCwATvz5bwDAq=analyseoq=analysegs_l=mobile-gws-serp.3..0l5.14074.14927.0.15108.8.8.0.3.3.0.149.769.6j2.8.0.01c.1.64.mobile-gws-serp..1.7.466.3..41j0i131k1j0i67k1.uUVjfA3KtLw [1.7] https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/objective [1.8] http://www.databaseprimer.com/pages/relationship_1to1/ [2b.1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_integrity [2b.2] http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/performance [2b.3] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Failure [2c.1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/lifecycle?p1=13615