Sample for a Field Report. Written in Hazina Towers , Nairobi free essay sample

LIGHT AND HOPE FOR DISABLED CHILDREN CENTER OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY REPORT Introduction Light and Hope for Disabled children is a center that caters for children with special needs. These children are physically, mentally challenged and have other disabilities. The center has more than 6 employees and shelters 45 children and runs its program daily except on weekend. The center owns a standard therapy room which is equipped with several equipments that are specifically modified for disabled children. It also provides a feeding program that offers nutritious food to the children who come from disadvantaged background. The center is located on the outskirts of the city of Nairobi and in an area called Korogocho. This report is based on a follow up to a panel interview that was conducted at ICRI-Africa by the Centers’ manager and ICRI-Africa Operations Manager and other two panelists. Out of the five who turned up for the interview two candidates who scored high points were short listed and considered suitable for the job. We will write a custom essay sample on Sample for a Field Report. Written in Hazina Towers , Nairobi or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They were requested to report to the center to do their occupational therapy practicals on the children. The center had stopped using the services of an occupation therapy for one year after a contract ended between them and another organization. OBSERVATIONS Two children aged 10 and 7years were selected to benefit from the therapy services which lasted for 30minutes. Rhoda was the first to do her practical and she was requested to take the child to the therapy room. In the presence of four overseers both internal and external, Rhoda immediately engaged Milton in a conversation while she laid him on the mattress and undressed him partially. Milton suffers from a multiple of disabilities ranging from his incoherent speech, complete loss of his two legs and cannot sit on his own without been supported. Rhoda explained what she was about to do and why . She started with massaging the neck and the upper body with some Vaseline, continued to explain the effect on various parts of the body parts if therapy is offered continually. She worked on fine motor skills unfolding the fingers which looked feeble. One by one so they can grasp, release toys and develop good handwriting skills. She also requested to be given toys for the child to use as she laid him on his side to enhance the skills and muscular strength We noted that she had long nails and exerted extreme pressure while working with Milton. He used gestures after sometime and showed us that he was going to kill her which made us realize he was feeling pain. Milton does not have verbal communication but have an amazing rapport with the caregivers using gestures. Rhoda at one point used force and positioned Milton’s leg in the wrong way and used her leg to hold it firmly in position. Since the last therapy was done a year ago, we felt that she was not sensitive . Rhoda also literally lifted the children from the mattress as she worked out sit ups instead of assisting them to do so. The second candidate was Bravian who worked with Mary whose condition was slightly different . Mary could sit on her own but has complete loss of both legs but can crawl, no speech but also communicates through gestures. Bravian used oral motor skills while working with both children to stimulate movement of muscles in the mouth and to help produce words. He explained after massaging the cheeks. He also worked with both children to develop fine and gross motor skills. Bravian way of working with the children was unique. He connected with both, made the children relax and Milton showed no sign of anger. Though Bravian offered little communication he was sensitive and offered gradual therapy. No force seemed to be applied and his concentration was good. The use of all the equipment was good and also asked for toys for one child as he worked with the other one. He multi tasked and was quite alert. He supported the children when they did their sit ups Recommendation Bravian qualifies for the position and should improve in engaging the children in conversation. He also came dressed for the job and wore his dust coat. His dress code was good. Conclusion Both candidates worked with the children using techniques and routines that may seem like play, but are designed to target areas of delay and difficulty.

5 excuses that won’t work for calling out during the “bomb cyclone”

5 excuses that won’t work for calling out during the â€Å"bomb cyclone† So you may or may not have heard about the weather forecast for January 4th 2018. Well here’s a quick update on what to expect. There will be a bomb cyclone up ahead for the East Coast. What’s a bomb cyclone you may ask? Well according to USA Today, a bomb cyclone occurs through the process of  bombogenesis, which is basically a winter hurricane. There will be heavy snow, wind, and below freezing temperatures ahead in the forecast. Be prepared! Some areas are expected to get nearly a foot or more of snow. Even with the arctic conditions up ahead calling out of work may not be an option for some. But if you are still planning to stay home under a warm blanket with a hot cup of cocoa, these 5 excuses for calling out of work will not cut it.  Ã‚  Ã‚  My car is snowed in.via GIPHY2. I slipped and fell on my way out the door.via GIPHY3. I don’t own any snow boots/ snow gear.via GIPHY4. I tried to come in but the children on my block threw snowballs at me and now I am in the hospital.via GIPHY5. It is way too cold to be outside.via GIPHYThere you have it. These 5 excuses will not work tomorrow. Good luck, be safe, and keep warm during the bomb cyclone. The first snow storm of 2018.

Famous Inventions on the April Calendar

Famous Inventions on the April Calendar What famous events happened in the calendar month of April concerning patents, trademarks, and copyrights? Find out who patented roller skates, and discover which famous inventor has the same April birthday as you or what invention was created on your April birthday. April Calendar of Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights April 1 1953- Arthur Millers The Crucible, a play in four acts based on the Salem witch trials of the 17th century and referencing the then-current plague of McCarthyism, was copyrighted. April 2 1889- Charles Hall patented an inexpensive method for the production of aluminum, which brought the metal into wide commercial use. April 3 1973- Francis W. Dorion was granted patent #3,724,070 for a dual razor blade assembly. April 4 1978- Francisco Garcia was granted patent #4,081,909 for orthodontic pliers. April 5 1881- Edwin Houston and Elihu Thomson were granted a patent for a centrifugal separator: the creamer.   April 6 1869- Isaac Hodgson received patent #88,711 for the roller skate. April 7 1896- Tolbert Lanston was issued a patent for a monotype printing  press. April 8 1766- The first fire escape was patented- the contraption was a wicker basket on a pulley with a chain.1997- Hooshang  Bral received a patent for an automatically rinsing baby bottle. April 9 1974- Phil Brooks received a patent for a disposable syringe, although intravenous injections and infusion began as early as 1670. April 10 1849- Walter Hunt patented the first safety pin, based in part on the Roman brooch known as a fibula. Hunt also invented several other famous things, all of which he gave up on before seeing any profit. April 11 1893- Frederic Ives patented the process for a half-tone printing press. April 12 1988- Drs. Philip Leder and Timothy Stewart on behalf of Harvard University were issued the first patent, #4,736,866, for a new animal life form: a genetically altered mouse. April 13 1990- The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was copyrighted. April 14 1964- Paul Winchell (a ventriloquist whose main dummy was Jerry Mahoney) was granted patent #3,129,001 for an inverted novelty mask. April 15 1997- Bertram Burke received a patent for an automatic philanthropic contribution system called the MILLIONAIRES CLUB. April 16 1867- Wilbur and his brother Orville Wright invented the airplane, which they called a flying machine.1997- James Watkins received a patent for confetti that flutters and darts. April 17 1875- Snooker, a variation of pool, was invented by Sir Neville Chamberlain.1908- The song Hail Hail the Gangs All Here was copyrighted. April 18 1916- Irving Langmuir received a patent for an incandescent gas lamp. Some of his other accomplishments include atomic-hydrogen welding and contributions to the development of the radio vacuum tube. April 19 1939- John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath was copyrighted. April 20 1897 -  Simon Lake was granted a patent for an even keel submarine. April 21 1828- Noah Webster published the first American dictionary.1857- Albert Douglas patented a ladies bustle.1931- Ester Kiefer received a patent for ornamental paper. April 22 1864- The United States minted the first coin with In God We Trust on it.1884- John Golding patented a process for metallic silk screening.1955- Congress declared that all U.S. coins would be minted with In God We Trust on them. April 23 1964- My Fair Lady, the movie based on a musical version of George Bernard Shaws play Pygmalion, was registered.1985- The trade secret New Coke formula was released. Coca-Cola was invented by John Pemberton of Atlanta, Georgia. The famous trademark name was a suggestion given by Pembertons bookkeeper, Frank Robinson. April 24 1907- Anchors Aweigh, the march and two-step by Chas. A. Zimmerman, was copyrighted. April 25 1961- Robert Noyce was granted a patent for a semiconductor device-and-lead structure, the integrated circuit otherwise known as the chip. Noyce was the co-founder of Intel Corporation. April 26 1881- Frederick Allen patented a life raft.1892- Sarah Boone patented an ironing board. April 27 1920- Elijah McCoy received a patent for an air-brake pump lubricator. April 28 1908- Leonard Dyer obtained a patent for an automobile transmission. April 29 1873- Eli Janney received a patent for automatic railroad car couplings. April 30 1935- Patent #2,000,000 was issued to Joseph Ledwinka for vehicle wheel construction. April Birthdays April 1 1578- English physician William Harvey, who discovered blood circulation.1858- Italian sociologist Gaetano Mosca, who wrote the Circulation of Elite.1865- Germany chemist Richard Zsigmondy won the Nobel Prize in 1925.1887- American philologist and linguist Leonard Bloomfield dominated the science of linguistics.1922- American computer scientist Alan Perlis was best known for his pioneering work in  programming languages. April 2 1618- Mathematician and physicist Francesco M. Grimaldi discovered light diffraction.1841- French engineer and inventor Clement Ader is remembered primarily for his pioneering work in aviation and as a mechanical and electrical genius.1875- Walter Chrysler founded the Chrysler car company.1900- German musicologist Heinrich Besseler is best known for his Medieval, Baroque and   Renaissance music.1922- Russian atomic physicist Nikolaj G.  Bassov  worked with  lasers  and won the Nobel Prize in 1964.1948- Noted astronomer and educator Eleanor Margaret Burbridge was the first woman to be appointed to the Royal Greenwich Observatory. April 3 1837- Writer and nature enthusiast John Burroughs had the Burroughs Medal named after him.1934- British ethologist  Jane Goodall studied African chimps. April 4 1809- American mathematician and astronomer Benjamin Pierce contributed to studies in celestial mechanics, algebra, number theory and philosophy of mathematics.1821- Linus Yale  was an American portrait painter and inventor who invented the Yale cylinder lock.1823- Karl Wilhelm Siemens was an inventor who laid undersea cables.1826- Zenobe Theophile Gramme invented an electric motor.1881- Encyclopedist Charles Funk produced Funk and Wagnalls.1933- English manufacturer Robin Phillips invented a hand-dryer. April 5 1752- Sebastien Erard invented improved pianos and harps.1838- American invertebrate paleontologist Alpheus Hyatt made important contributions to the study of invertebrate fossils.1899- American inventor Alfred Blalocks invention ushered in the era of cardiac surgery.1951- Dean Kamen  invented the  Segway, and several other things, including the AutoSyringe, a mobile dialysis system, and the first wearable insulin pump.1954- Computer programmer Michael W. Butler invented the TODAY program. April 6 1920- Swiss scientist Edmond H. Fischer won the 1992 Nobel Prize in medicine with Edwin Krebs for their discoveries in reversible protein phosphorylation.1928- Chemist James D. Watson co-discovered the structure of DNA.1953- American inventor Andy Hertzfeld was a co-inventor of the Apple Macintosh; he started a new company called General Magic. April 7 1775- American businessman  Francis Cabot Lowell  invented the first raw cotton-to-cloth textile mill.1859- Walter Camp  was the father of American football and invented many of the rules.1860- Noted American vegetarian  Will Keith Kellogg  was the founder of the Kellogg Company and invented a process of making flaked cereal, corn flakes, for use as a healthy breakfast cereal.1869- American botanist explorer David Grandison Fairchild brought new plants into the United States.1890- Noted environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas was nicknamed the First Lady of the Everglades. April 8 1869- American neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing did the first blood pressure studies.1907- Noted chemist Maurice Stacey is known for his contributions to carbohydrate chemistry.1911- American chemist Melvin Calvin won the Nobel Prize in 1961 for his work on photosynthesis. April 9 1806- Isambard Kingdom Brunel invented the first Trans-Atlantic steamer.1830- Eadweard Muybridge  pioneered the study of  motion photography.1919- John Presper Eckert was the co-inventor of the first  all-electronic  computer called the ENIAC. April 10 1755- German physician Samuel Hahnemann invented homeopathy.1917- Organic chemist Robert Burns Woodward won the Nobel prize in 1965. April 11 1899- Chemist  Percy L. Julian  invented a drug for the treatment of arthritis called cortisone. 1901- Adriano Olivetti was an Italian engineer and manufacturer of typewriters. April 12 1884- German psychologist and biochemist Otto Meyerhof won the Nobel Prize in 1922.1926- James Hillman is credited with developing archetypal psychology. April 13 1832- British designer and inventor James Wimshurst invented the electrostatic generator.1899- Alfred Moser Butts invented the game Scrabble. April 14 1886- American psychologist Edward C. Tolman created behaviorism. April 15 1452- Italian painter  Leonardo da Vinci  was also an inventor. April 16 1682- John Hadley invented the first reflecting  telescope.1867- ​Wilbur Wright  co-invented the first manned and engined airplane. April 17 1934- Don Kirshner invented bubblegum music. April 18 1905- Medical research pioneer George Herbert Hitchings was renowned for developing drugs for several major diseases and was co-winner of the Nobel Prize in 1988. April 19 1768- English entomologist and botanist Adrian H. Haworth was known for his work with succulent plants.1877- Ole Evinrude  invented the outboard marine engine1912- American chemist Glen T. Seaborg discovered plutonium and won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1951.1931- American computer scientist Fred Brooks is best known for managing the development of IBMs   System/360 computers. April 20 1745- Physician Philippe Pinel is considered the founder of psychiatry. 1921- Donald Gunn MacRae is a noted sociologist.1927- Swiss superconductivity physicist Karl Alex Muller won the Nobel Prize in 1987 for his discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in a new class of materials.1934- Lindsay Oliver John Boynton is a noted furniture historian. April 21 1782- German educator Friedrich W.A. Frobel invented kindergarten.1849- German embryologist Oskar Hertwig discovered fertilization.1913- Biochemist Choh Hao Li isolated growth hormones. April 22 1799- Physician and physiologist Jean Poiseuille discovered blood pressure.1853- French anthropologist Alphonse Bertillon devised the crime ID system.1876- Sweden otologist Robert Barany was a vestibular expert who won the Nobel Prize in 1914.1919- American biochemist Donald Cram won the Nobel Prize in 1987.1929- Margaret Pereira was a noted forensic scientist. April 23 1858- German physicist Max Planck wrote the Planck Constant and won the Nobel Prize in 1918.1917- Nuclear physicist Jacob Kistemaker invented an  ultracentrifuge. April 24 1620- Statistician John Graunt founded the science of demography.1743- Edmund Cartwright  invented the power loom.1914- Justin Wilson invented Wise  Potato Chips. April 25 1769- Mark Isambard Brunel was a noted engineer and inventor.1825- Charles Ferdinand Dowd standardized time zones.1874- Guglielmo Marconi  invented a radio system and won a Nobel Prize in 1909.1900- Swiss-American physicist Wolfgang Pauli discovered the Pauli inhibition and won a Nobel Prize in 1945. April 26 1879- English physicist Owen Williams Richardson won a Nobel Prize in 1928. April 27 1896- Wallace Hume Carothers invented nylon.1903- Biochemist Hans Walter Kosterliz is best known as one of the key discoverers of endorphins.1791- Inventor  Samuel Finley Breece Morse  was born. April 28 1846- Swedish astronomer Johann E. Backlund discovered planets and asteroids.            1882- Italian industrialist Alberto Pirelli joined the family small rubber factory in Italy- the first of its kind- and was active in international affairs.   April 29 1893- Physicist Harold C. Urey discovered Deuterium and won a Nobel Prize in 1934. April 30 1777- Carl Friedrich Gauss is considered the worlds greatest mathematician.

Article Evaluation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evaluation - Article Example p. 50) they primarily assumed depending on the research of Sutton, McKinney, and Hallahan (1992) that school settings affect student’s performance and therefore, they set the outline of their study on the comparative line among the three types of schools: home school, private school, and public school. As a result, the study apparently loses the rudimentary trait, but other reviews of literatures that Sutton and Galloway refer in their study make a clear and harmonious relation with the purpose of their study. Their literature reviews clearly assess the level of performance and success of these schools. The procedure of the study appears to in fair concordance with the holistic purpose. The researchers prudently selected the participants from the balanced proportional ranges in order to encapsulate the whole country and to avoid the marginal bias. Participants of the study aptly represent the all of the 50 states and 48 foreign countries; though the study must confront the question whether each school individually represented all of the states of the country, the numbers of none of these schools equate the numbers of the states. So the question arises whether the fragmental number of each school fairly represents all of the same types of schools in the whole country. However, the representational integrity of the participants of each school seemed to compensate the lack of the representation of all the schools of the whole country. One hundred and eighty sample students of 1992-3 academic years were taken from the Liberal Arts University and they were compared school-wise with thos e who completed their graduation in 1997. Determining the rate of representation of the students with the use of Chi-square scale and considering the effect of the socioeconomic status of the students the data were intended on an all-embracing set of 40 indicators. Indeed their procedure of the

Conflict Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conflict - Coursework Example Relationship conflicts arise between two or more people. It can be between intimate relations or people from due to miscommunication, negative behavior and emotions and stereotype reasons. Larry Alan Nadig who is a family therapist, marriage and clinical psychologist there is no relationship that does not face conflicts. He also says that conflict in a relationship is not necessarily a bad thing. It can teach self-awareness; a person learns about his shortcomings such as communication problems and behavioral and relationship issues. It is often said that conflicts can also make relationships stronger. In a workplace however conflict is more of a negative thing which is why employers try their best to avoid such situations (Boles et al, 2001) According to recent findings conflict at work can also have a positive side (Tjosvold, 1991; Amason and Schweiger, 1994; Jehn, 1994, 1995; Van de Vliert and De Dreu, 1994; Pelled, 1996) for example task-related management team conflict which impr oves growth and overall performance in the organization (Eisenhardt and Schoonhoven, 1990). Data conflicts are raised due to misinformation, insufficiency of information that is required for making the right decision. Sometimes relevance of data is different for different people and so is the way it is collected and communicated. If the data possessed by two different parties is different there is a conflict of data between them. Interest conflicts come into play when two people have different interests because their needs differ from each other. These disputes might be related to issues of money, trust and resources (Thompson, 1993). Conflicts of interest (COI) are basically circumstances forming a risk that a professional decision can be effected by a secondary interest. These conflictscan also be called a conflict of duties. There are five types of conflicts of interest; self-dealing, outside employment, family interests, gifts from friends who are in the same business as them an d pump and dump in which stock brokers inflate prices of a security by spreading rumors about it according to his own interest. Structural conflicts occur due to geographic factors or time constraints. These may also happen because of inadequate physical resources or organizational changes. These types of conflicts have structural solutions if they are mediated in the right way. They are not in the control of the individuals and are caused mainly by external factors therefore solving these conflicts can require the help of external agents meaning anantagonist; a person who are not directly involved in the quarrel. This is the structural conflict theory; the people who have nothing to do with how the conflict started have to help resolve it. There are two types of structural conflicts; symmetrical and complementary schizogenesis. The first kind is one where a lot of negative thoughts and feelings lead to a structural breakdown between the two groups at odds. This leads to an eventual arms race. The second type is the opposite of this situation. Instead of being both parties being hostile the response is more submissive. Surprising as it may seem this scenario tends to escalate a conflict and is more of a compromise rather than being the solution to the problem. The fifth type of conflict is a conflict of values which occurs when individuals form a different group of beliefs or values are in opposition. The clash happens when one person tries to force his belief on the other person. This

Business Intelligence Solutions for Organisational Goals

Business Intelligence Solutions for Organisational Goals Information System is becoming an important framework that can assist organizations to manage, develop and communicate their intangible assets such as information and knowledge. Therefore it can be considered as a necessary framework in the current knowledge-based economy arena. In this paper, I will also explain the role of Business Intelligence in providing organizations with a way to plan and obtain their strategic managements objectives. Than others. Theres almost always a prominent firm. In the automotive industry, Toyota is considered an exceptional performer. In pure online retailing, Amazon.com is the leader. In off-line retailing Wal-Mart, the largest retailer on earth, is the also leader. In online music, Apples iTunes is considered the superior with more than 75 percent of the downloaded music markets, and in the related industry of digital music players, the iPod is the best. In Web searching, Google is considered the leader. Firms that do better than others are said to have a competitive advantage over the others: They either have access to specific resources that others do not, or they are able to use generally available resources more efficiently-usually because of superior knowledge and information assets. In any event, they do better in terms of revenue growth, profitability growth, or productivity growth (efficiency), all of which eventually in the long run translate into higher stock market valuations than their competitors. But Why do some firms do better than the others and how do they obtain competitive advantage? How can we analyze a business and recognize its strategic advantages? How can we build a strategic advantage for our own business? How do information systems cause to strategic advantages? One answer to questions above is Michael Porters competitive forces model. Arguably, the most famously used model for understanding competitive advantage is Michael Porters competitive forces model (See Figure 1).This model provides a common view of the firm, its competitors, and the firms environments. Porters model is all about the firms common business environment. In this model, five competitive forces form the fate of the firm. Figure 1- Porters competitive forces model Customers A profitable company depends in large criterion on its ability to attract and hold customers (while denying them to competitors), and charge more expensive prices. The power of customers becomes larger if they can easily switch to a competitors products and services, or if they can force a business and its competitors to compete on price alone in a clear marketplace where there is slightly product differentiation, and all prices are known immediately (such as on the Internet). For example, in the used college textbook market on the Internet, students (customers) can find various suppliers of just about any current college textbook. In this case, online customers have high power over used-book firms. Suppliers The market power of suppliers can have a important impact on firm profits, particularly, when the firm cannot increase prices as fast as can suppliers. The more different suppliers a firm has, the greater control it can practice over suppliers in terms of price, quality, and delivery timetables. For example, manufacturers of laptop PCs almost always have various competing suppliers of key components, such as keyboards, hard drives, and monitors. Competitors All firms share market space with other competitors who are continuously making new, more efficient ways to produce by introducing new products and services, and attempting to attract customers by developing their brands and compelling switching costs on their customers. New Market Entrants In a free economy with moveable labor and financial resources, new companies are always entering the marketplace. In some industries, there are very low barriers to entry, whereas in other industries, entry is very troublesome. For instance, it is easy to start a pizza business or just about any small retailing business, but it is much more costly and difficult to enter the computer chip business, which has very high capital costs and requires a considerable amount of expertise and knowledge that is hard to achieve. New companies have several possible advantages: They are not locked into former plants and equipment, they often employ younger workers who are less expensive and maybe more innovative, they are not burdened by old, worn-out brand names, and they are more hungry (highly motivated) than traditional occupants of an industry. These benefits are also their weakness: They depend on external financing for new plants and equipment, which can be costly; they have a less experienced manpower; and they have little brand identification. Substitute Products and Services In just about every industry, there are substitutes that the customers might use if our prices become excessively high. New technologies make new substitutes all the time. Even oil has substitutes: Ethanol can substitute for gasoline in automobiles; plant oil for diesel fuel in trucks; and wind, solar, coal, and hydro power for industrial electricity production. Likewise, Internet telephone service can substitute for customary telephone service, and fiber-optic telephone lines to the house can substitute for cable TV lines. And, of course, an Internet music service that permits us to download music tracks to an iPod is a substitute for CDbased Music shops. The more substitute products and services in industry, the less we can control pricing and the lower our net profits. Information System Strategies for Facing up to Competitive Forces How can firms use information systems to neutralize some of the forces outlined in Porters competitive forces model? Four general strategies are outlined in Table-1 Strategy Descriptions Example Low-cost Leadership Use information systems to produce products and services at a lower price than competitors while enhancing quality and level of service. Wall-Mart, Dell Computer Product Differentiation Use information systems to differentiate products, and enable new services and products. Google, eBay, Apple, Lands End Focus on market niche Use information systems to enable a focused strategy on a single market niche; specialize. Hilton Hotels Harrahs Customer and supplier intimacy Use information systems to develop strong ties and loyalty with customers and suppliers. Chrysler Corporation, Amazon.com Table 1-Four basic competitive strategies Low-Cost Leadership Use information systems to obtain the lowest operational costs and the lowest prices. Firms such as Wal-Mart have utilized IT to make an efficient customer response system that directly links customer behavior back to production, distribution and supply chains. Product Differentiation Use information systems to allow new products and services, or greatly change the customer convenience in using our existent products and services. Through mass customization, organizations are capable of to offer individually tailored products or services by using mass production resources. Focus on Market Niche Use information systems to enable a particular market focus, and serve this narrow target market better than competitors. Information systems support this strategy by producing and analyzing data for extremely well tuned sales and marketing techniques. Information systems enable companies to analyze buyer buying patterns, tastes, and preferences closely so that they efficiently establish advertising and marketing campaigns to smaller and smaller target markets. Strengthen Customer and Supplier Intimacy Use information systems to make tight linkages with suppliers and develop intimacy with customers. Amazon and Chrysler Corporation are both excellent instances that are quoted in the text of how these firms used information systems to fortify their customer and supplier relationships. Strong linkages to customers and suppliers raise switching costs (expense a customer or company incurs in lost time and expenditure of resources when changing from one supplier to a competing supplier). The Business Value Chain Model Although the Porter model is very useful for identifying competitive forces and suggesting general strategies, it is not very specific about what accurately to do, and it does not provide a methodology to follow for obtaining competitive advantages. If our aim is to achieve operational excellence, where do we start? Heres where the business value chain model is really helpful. The value chain model highlights specific activities in the business where competitive strategies can best be applied (Porter, 1985) and where information systems are most likely to have a strategic effect. This model recognizes specific, critical-leverage points where a firm can use information technology most effectively to improve its competitive position. The value chain model shows the firm as a series or chain of basic activities that add a margin of value to a firms goods or services. These activities can be classified as either primary activities or support activities (see Figure 2). Figure 2-Business Value Chain Model Now, How can we use information systems to enhance operational efficiency, and improve supplier and customer intimacy? This will encourage us to critically examine how we perform value-adding activities at each phase and how the business processes might be enhanced. We can also begin to ask how information systems can be used to improve the relationship suppliers with customers who locate outside the firm value chain but belong to the firms extended value chain where they are absolutely crucial to our success. Here, supply chain management (SCM) systems that arrange the flow of resources into our firm in proper order, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems that coordinate our sales and support employees with customers are two of the most common system applications that derive from a business value chain analysis. Using the business value chain model will also bring about us to consider benchmarking our business operation versus our competitors or others in related industries, and recognizing industry best practices. Benchmarking involves comparing the effectiveness of business processes against severe standards and then measuring performan ce versus those standards. Industry best practices are usually recognized by consulting companies, government agencies, industry associations and research organizations as the most successful solutions for consistently and effectively achieving a business goal. Once we have analyzed the several stages in the value chain at our business, we can come up with proper applications of information systems. Then, once we have a list of proper applications, we can decide which to build first. By making enhancements in our own business value chain that our competitors might miss, we can obtain competitive advantage by attaining lowering costs, operational excellence, enhancing profit margins, and forging a closer relationship with suppliers and customers. If our competitors are making similar enhancements, then we will not be at a competitive disadvantage-the worst of all cases Synergies and Core Competencies A large firm is typically a collection of businesses. Often, the firm is managed financially as a collection of strategic business units, and the returns to the corporation are directly tied to the performance of all the strategic business units. Information systems can enhance the overall performance of these business units by promoting core competencies and synergies. Synergies The aim of synergies is that when the output of some units can be used as inputs to other units, or two organizations pool markets and expertise, these relationships reduce costs and make profits. Recent bank and financial firm mergers, such as the mergers of JPMorgan Chase and Bank One Corporation, FleetBoston Financial Corporation and Bank of America, and Deutsche Bank and Bankers Trust, occurred exactly for this intention, One use of information technology in these synergy situations is to fasten together the operations of dissimilar business units so that they can work as a whole. For instance, merging with Bank One provided JPMorgan Chase with a enormous network of retail branches in the Southwest and Midwest. Information systems assist the merged banks lower retailing costs and increase cross marketing of financial goods. Enhancing Core Competencies Another way to use information systems for competitive advantages is to think about ways that systems can improve core competencies. The argument is that the performance of all business units will rise insofar as these business units improve, or make, a central core of competencies. Core competencies may include being the, the best packaged delivery service, worlds best miniature parts designer or the best thin-film manufacturer. In general, a core competency leans on knowledge that is gained over many years of experience and a first-class research organization or simply key people who pursue the literature and stay side by side of new external knowledge. Any information system that supports the sharing of knowledge across business units enhances competency. Such systems might encourage or improve existing competencies and help employees become conscious, of new external knowledge; such systems might also facilitate a business leverage existing competencies to related markets. The Impact of Business Intelligence on Competitive Advantage Business Intelligence is becoming crucial for many organizations, particularly those have extremely large amount of data. Decision makers depend on detailed and exact information when they have to make decisions. Business Intelligence can provide decision makers with such precise information, and with the suitable tools for data analysis. Business Intelligence is an umbrella term that combines tools, architectures, applications, data bases, practices, and methodologies [20, 6]. Gartner Group (1996) (the first company used Business Intelligence in marker in the mid-1990) defined Business Intelligence as information and applications available broadly to employees, consultants, customers, suppliers, and the public. The key to thriving in a competitive marketplace is staying ahead of the competition. Making sound business decisions based on accurate and current information takes more than intuition. Data analysis, reporting, and query tools can help business users dig in the mine of data to extract and/or synthesize valuable information from it today these tools collectively fall into category called Business Intelligence [9]. Many organizations who built successful Business Intelligence solutions, such as Continental Airlines, have seen investment in Business Intelligence create increases in revenue and cost saving corr esponding to 1000% return on investment (ROI) [22]. A critical question that was raised by many researchers [16, 18] as to what were the main reason pushing companies to seek for business intelligence solutions, and what distinguishes Business Intelligence from Decision Support System (DSS) systems? Actually, over the last decades, organizations built a lot of Operational Information Systems (OIS), resulting in an enormous amount of dissimilar data that are located in different geographic locations, on different storage platforms, with not the same forms. This situation impedes organization from building a general, correlated, integrated, and instantaneous access to information at its global level. DSS developed during the 1970s, with the objective of providing organizations decision makers with the demanded data to sustain decision-making process. In the 1980s, Executive Information System (EIS) developed to supply executive officers with the information needed to support strategic decision-making process. Business Intelligence developed during the 1990s as data-driven DSS, sharing some of the tools and objectives of DSS and EIS systems. Business Intelligence architectures comprise: business analytics, data warehousing, business performance management, and data mining. Most of Business Intelligence solutions are facing up to structured data [1]. However, many application domains need the use of unstructured data or at lowest semi-structured data e.g. customer e-mails, web pages, sales reports, competitor information research paper repositories, and so on [4, 21]. Any Business Intelligence solution can be divided into the following three layers [1]: data layer, which is accountable for storing structured and unstructured data for decision support objectives. Structured data is usually collected in Data Warehouses (DW), Operational Data Stores (ODS), and Data Marts (DM). Unstructured data are managed by using Content and Document Management Systems. Data are extracted from operational data sources, e.g. SCM, CRM, and ERP or from exterior data sources, e.g. market research data. Data are taken out from data sources that are transformed and loaded into DW by ETL (Extract, Transfer, and Load) tools. Logic layer prepares functionality to examine data and provid e knowledge. This obtains OLAP, data mining. And finally access layer, realized by some type of software portals (Business Intelligence portal). My main focus in this paper is to explain the function of Business Intelligence solution that facilitates organizations in formulating, implementing, and obtaining their strategies. Many researchers [5, 17, 10, 12] were emphasizing the IT alignment in general, with businesses, without clearly describing what are the technologies, and tools that can assist organizations in achieving their strategy. The next section will describe the role of Business Intelligence is taking as an IT-enabler to obtain organizations strategy; such role will be emphasized by using strategic alignment model proposed by Henderson and Venkatraman (1993), explaining how this alignment can assist organizations in becoming flexible organizations, concluding how could Business Intelligence solution prepare organizations with sustainable competitive advantages. Business Intelligence as an IT-Enabler to Achieve Organizations Strategy Nowadays, Information System in general, and Business Intelligence as a strategic framework, is becoming increasingly significant in strategic management, supporting business strategies. IT-enabled strategic management addresses the IT role in strategy formulation and implementation processes [19]. Drucker, the pioneer of management by objectives, was one of the first who recognized the surprising changes IT presented to management. Strategic management theories were widely geared towards gaining competitive advantages. Porter (1979) proposed a number of very influential strategic analysis models, such as the five-force model of competition, the value chain and generic competitive strategies that I mentioned above. Porter (1979) said The essence of strategy formulation is coping with competition [14]. Many researchers have indicated the importance of IT alignment with business strategy in order to enhance corporate strategy [5, 17], (Figure3). Figure 3-IT alignment with Business Strategy [5]. Strategic Alignment Model was developed by Henderson and Venkatraman (1993) was one of the first models that explained in a clear way the interrelationships between business strategies and IT strategies [10]. This model is based on two principal concepts (Figure 4): strategic fit that identifies the necessity to position the firm in an external marketplace where growth can take place, and functional integration which addresses how to best structure internal systems to carry out the business strategy of the firm [12]. IT alignment is not only formulating IT strategy to fit business strategy. It has to consider exterior forces and the environment uncertainty. Such alignment facilitates organizations becoming flexible organizations. Due to accelerations in the rates of innovation and technological changes, markets develop rapidly, products life cycles get shorter and innovation becomes the principle source of competitive advantage. And so, organizations look for flexibility to meet market demands. Drnevich and other; (2006) illustrated that flexibility-based perspectives evolved from Schumpeters concept of creative destruction [8]. Operationalization of these perspectives in strategic management is done by way of dynamic capabilities and real options views. Dynamic capabilities view refers to the firms abilities to maintain and fit its internal resources to environment changes to maintain sustainability of competitive advantages. It applies to the capability of obtaining new ways of competitive advantage. It causes to be concerned with continuous search, innovation and adaptation of firm resources and capabilities to reveal and tape new sources of competitive advantages. Real options outlook is effective in dealing with issues of uncertainty. It allows the firm to postpone investment decisions until uncertainties are resolved. New IT organizational adoption expedites the transition into flexible organizations. Business Intelligence is one of these new IT frameworks that can assist such transition. Business Intelligence technologies become a source of competitive advantages and differentiation [13, 11]. Tang and Walters (2006) hint that competitive advantage became a hot strategic management topic [19]. They also view that making new knowledge in a continued way is the single way to achieve competitive advantage. There are many reasons for organization to adopt business intelligence systems in order that achieve organizations strategy: Business Intelligence is considered as an expansion to corporate strategy activities. Herring (1988) considered that Strategy can be no better than the information from which it is derived [11]. Data analytics can be used efficiently to create future business strategy. Data analytics and data mining could disclose hidden reasons for some deficiencies as well as possible high-yielding new investments. Corporations require to be sure that they are receiving the right information related to their long-term strategy. Herring (1988) considered that business intelligence can facilitate organizations in [11]: Supporting the strategic decision making process of the firm. Supporting SWOT analysis Supporting strategic planning and processes. All the mentioned advantage should provide organizations with sustainable competitive advantages. Conclusion In this paper, I explained the use of one aspect of Information System (Business Intelligence) in formulating, implementing, and achieving organizations strategy. I also demonstrated how Business Intelligence solution could provide organizations with sustainable competitive advantages. This survey can be extended by integrating knowledge management (KM) with Business Intelligence (IB) solutions, as it can assist deriving more value (knowledge) from the explosion of textual information(tacit to implicit), which can add more inputs for strategic decision makers. Another important factor is the take advantage of agile methodologies in order to manage the high-change high-speed current environment. Such complicated and dynamic environments highly affect organizations strategies.

Making Best Use of Windows Server 2003

The basis of technology development lies in bettering the older systems and coming to terms with enhanced functions in our information systems, etc.   Without the operating system, however, the information system technology would barely come to anything.   Hence, the Windows Server 2003 was developed as an enhancement to the Windows Server 2000, taking â€Å"the best of Windows 2000 Server technology and make it easier to deploy, manage, and use.†   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The result,† as described by Microsoft, is â€Å"a highly productive infrastructure that helps make your network a strategic asset for your organization.†Ã‚   The world’s leading company for operating systems, once charged with near-monopolistic practices in an anti-trust trial, further reported on the new addition to the operating system family that Microsoft continues to be famous for: As of March 28, 2005, all Windows Server 2003 operating systems ship with  Windows Server Service Pack 1 (SP1).   Windows Server 2003 SP1 provides enhanced  security, increased reliability, and a simplified administration to help enterprise  customers across all industries†¦Ã‚   In addition, in December 2005, Standard, Enterprise,  and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2003 R2 were released, offering Active  Directory, storage, and branch office enhancements for customers (â€Å"Introducing the  Windows,† 2006). Released only recently, the Windows Server 2003 has become the talk of every computer technician today.   One of its key features is its enhanced availability through improved â€Å"clustering support.†Ã‚   Microsoft reports that â€Å"clustering services† are very important to trade, where inputs and outputs, imports and exports must be clustered so as to ease organizational functioning.   Windows Server 2003 allows for just that.   Besides, it helps in â€Å"scalability,† and not just â€Å"manageability.†Ã‚   Also according to the maker of the new operating system: Clustering installation and setup is easier and more robust in Windows Server 2003,   while enhanced network features in the product provide greater failover capabilities  and high system uptime.   The Windows Server 2003 operating systems supports server  clusters for up to eight nodes.   If one of the nodes in a cluster becomes unavailable  because of failure or maintenance, another node immediately begins providing service,  a process known as failover.   Windows Server 2003 also supports network load  balancing (NLB), which balances incoming Internet Protocol (IP) traffic across nodes  in a cluster (â€Å"Introducing†). As far as support and training are concerned, it has been confirmed that Windows Server 2003 is meant to make communications easier than before, not just between the organization and the users of the operating system, but also between the organizational users of the system and the customers of the organization.   The R2 Standard Edition of the Windows Server 2003 was made by collaboration between â€Å"third-party hardware and software partners† of Microsoft (â€Å"Overview of Windows,† 2005). Similarly, the company ensures that there are experts (Microsoft Certified Consultants) available to guide people through the process of installing any one of the following: (1) Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition; (2) Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; (3) Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (for highest availability); and (4) Windows Server 2003, Web Edition (Microsoft Certified Consultants). Seeing as Microsoft’s Windows Server 2003 is targeting businesses for the most part, the operating system – truly one of its kind – is packaged with sure technical support and training.   Microsoft’s business is tough, and the abundance of Microsoft experts in every nation in the world proves that the Windows Server 2003 would survive in firm business. Windows Server 2003 has training courses available with it (â€Å"Windows Server 2003,† 2007).   What is more, it is Microsoft’s intention to sell more of its countless software amenities to businesses after giving the new operating system to many of them for free.   Given that no other operating system company has thus far been able to meet or match the practices of the giant (â€Å"near-monopoly†) – the Windows Server 2003 would capture its unique market until a more advanced operating system, with better availability, support, and training, arrives out of Microsoft to substitute and complement the Server 2003. References Introducing the Windows Server 2003. (2006, January 24). Microsoft. Retrieved 26 May 2007, from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb429524.aspx. Overview of Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition. (2005, December 6). Microsoft. Retrieved 26 May 2007, from Microsoft.com. Microsoft Certified Consultants. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Help: Consulting, Support, Troubleshooting.Retrieved 26 May 2007, from http://www.progent.com/microsoft_windows_server_2003.htm. Windows Server 2003. (2007). Symantics. Retrieved 26 May 2007, from http://www.systematix.co.uk/mstech/windows-2003-training.