Alternative education Essay Example for Free

Alternative education Essay E-learning is an excellent option in education, particularly when there are hindrances to traditional learning situations. For example, some people wish to continue their educations but do not live within driving distance of a college or university and dont find it feasible to relocate. E-learning is a viable alternative for these students. Another hindrance to traditional learning, especially in grades K through 12, is the one size fits all mentality it embraces. Many students just do not learn well in a traditional learning environment, but thrive in a more flexible setting. To address this issue, parents are turning to e-learning opportunities for their children. Some choose full-time enrollment in a virtual school, while others use e-learning to supplement a home school curriculum. In the business world, e-learning provides a way for companies to train and instruct employees without requiring them to travel to a central location. Convenience is one of the major advantages of e-learning. It allows students to work and learn at their own pace without the unyielding time restrictions of traditional learning. Because e-learning provides access to learning materials at any time, students have the flexibility to schedule around families, jobs and other activities. Another major benefit of e-learning is the accessibility it provides. Students can learn from anywhere in the world. This is an especially important consideration for students who wish to study in a different country. In addition, because e-learning can be done from home, students have less clothing and driving expenses than with traditional learning. A major disadvantage to e-learning is the self-discipline it requires. While being able to work at your own pace can be an advantage, it can also be a disadvantage. This is especially true for students who have difficulty with time management and procrastination. These students tend to be more successful with the structure of traditional learning. Another disadvantage to e-learning is the technology involved. Some people do not have ready access to a computer and Internet connection. And some who do have the required equipment feel ill-equipped to use it. Lack of interaction between teacher and student is another drawback to e-learning. Some students need the immediate feedback that interaction provides. E-learning greatly increases the availability of educational opportunities. Unfortunately, it also increases the number of scams related to online education. Persons considering e-learning possibilities should be alert to such scams and thoroughly investigate any program before making a commitment.

Communication - Pizza Essay Example for Free

Communication Pizza Essay Introduction Pizza Hut is based in Wichita, Kansas USA 19581. A woman and her two sons created pizza recipes. From here, a family friend advised the sons to open their own Pizza Parlor. 2. Pizza Hut is one of the flagship brands of Yum! Brands, Inc. , which also has KFC, Taco Bell, AW and Long John Silver’s under its umbrella. Pizza Hut is the world’s largest pizza chain with over 12,500 restaurants across 91 countries 3. In India, Pizza Hut has 133 restaurants across 34 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chandigarh amongst others. Yum!is in the process of opening Pizza Hut restaurants at many more locations to service a larger customer base across the country 4. Borrowing $600 from their mother, the two brothers purchased second-hand equipment and rented a small building on a busy intersection in Wichita, Kansas. The result of their efforts was the first Pizza Hut and the foundation for what would become the largest and the most successful pizza restaurant in the world 5. Pizza Hut franchisees exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit, which launched their system back in 1958. Through interest and initiative, the Pizza Hut system was able to develop new territories in the United States and overseas. Today, franchisees and joint-venture partnerships account for more than half of the Pizza Hut systems total units. Their development on the international front is a good indication of the growth that has characterized their system. Following the opening of the first international restaurant in Canada in 1968, the Pizza Hut restaurants quickly appeared in Mexico, South America, Australia, Europe, the Far East and Africa. Today, Pizza Hut operates in more than 100 countries and territories throughout the world 6. When Pizza Hut opened its outlet in Baroda, Gujarat they firstly thought that they should make a new pizza to the recipe of the local style in order to attract the local population. g They decided to provide the pizza according to the customer’s taste of choice7. This essay aims to answering the following question: â€Å"Should Pizza Hut open a new outlet in Baroda? † 1. http://www. pizzahut. com/OurStory. aspx 2. http://www. pizzahut. com/OurStory. aspx 3. http://220. 226. 195. 78/pizzahut. co. in/about_us. php 4. http://220. 226. 195. 78/pizzahut. co. in/about_us.php 5. http://www. pizzahut. com/OurStory. aspx 6. http://www. pizzahut. com/OurStory. aspx 7. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview RESEARCH QUESTION Pizza Hut is an established brand all over India. To increase the growth of the new outlet, Pizza Hut recently set up a new market research on the outskirts of Baroda with the investment of __ Basically, Pizza Hut firms in India send Managers to spread proper awareness about their new outlet among the customers through different types of advertising and keep the customers informed about their advancements in current outlets 10. Commercially, I expect that the opening of the new branch will lead to an increase in sales in Baroda, Gujarat, and could increase the market share of Pizza Hut. For this reason, they want to be able to successfully market their new firm when it is commercially launched. As previously mentioned, to increase its growth and successfully market their upcoming outlet, Pizza Hut has been reviewing various promotion strategies like price reduction, to increase the price in their marketing budget and increase in number of staffs 11. So increasing the production by opening the new outlet and to increase the number of staff to work in both of the outlets is a strategy that Pizza Hut is strongly considering in order to increase their growth in the domestic market 12. 8. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 9. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 10. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 11. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview THEORETICAL FRAME WORK The Growth of a business can be measured in many different ways such as assets, sales revenue, operating profit, market share, value added, and number of employees 13. As information of pizzas is involved, Pizza Hut believes that what they bring new in the market is not compared with any of the products of any another firm which is selling pizza’s14. I commercially expect that the opening of the new firm will lead to increase in sales in Baroda, Gujarat, and could increase the market share of Pizza Hut. Due to this, they want to be able to successfully market their new firm when it is commercially launched. Pizza Hut aims to convince the customers to set down their new business, (target market) 15. The other promotional method used by Pizza Hut and to spread the awareness about their new outlet is to do market research. I did the market research for Pizza Hut so that they can locate their new outlet where there are more potential consumers. High income group was also asked about the opening of a new outlet, before it is brought up in the market. Pizza Hut believes that the methods used to research on opening a new outlet take hold of the attention of the customers for long time, so that they can visit the outlet frequently16. For reasons mentioned above, growth is widely regarded as the most favorable method to increase the profit level. 12. http://www. tutor2u.net/business/presentations/strategy/businessgrowth/default. html 13. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 14. _________ 15. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 16. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview METHODOLOGY To reach a suitable conclusion, an in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis shall be conducted by using different business tools to the primary data as well as the secondary data collected. The primary data contains the interview of the Manager of the Pizza Hut outlet which already exists, the opinion of the customers who visit the exiting outlet and a few other people. Market research: This will contain the content of the market research and what it entails. This was conducted by me. Analysis of market research: This will contain the graph and an explanation about how many people will visit the new outlet (assumption) from the old outlets daily earning. Swot analysis: This will contain the strength, weakness, opportunity, and threats of the business for opening the new outlet. Ansoff’s matrix: A model which identifies growth strategies for a business and it is based on an analysis of their products and their market. Pest-g: This will identify the political, economical, social and technological, as well as the environmental problem of the firm. Cost analysis: Cost analysis will be conducted to find out the quantifiable and unquantifiable cost involved in increasing the personal selling. MARKET RESEARCH Market research is the collection, collation and analysis of the data relating to the marketing and consumption of the goods and the services18. Market research helps in opening the new outlet, tells us were we stand in the market and how we can improve. How many times does the customer visit Pizza Hut? Group of people |More than once a week |Once a week |Fortnight |Monthly or less | |Family |04 |20 |45 |25 | |College students |35 |50 |36 |19 | |Above 50 |00 |05 |36 |30 | |Teenagers |40 |45 |26 |17 | (18) Here the market research data is organized according to age group. |Market research done of the location |Yes |No | | |(%) |(%) | |Sayajigunj |66 |34 | |Karelibaug |68 |32 | [pic] Here I have conducted the market research for the two different areas and I have come to a conclusion that in Karelibaug there are 90% of people saying yes to open the new outlet 20. This is due to one outlet of Pizza Hut not providing delivery services to distant areas21. So if it is in that area then many people can visit the outlet and this will give more profit to Pizza Hut. As people from Fathegunj, Sayajigunj, city area and Karelibaug can visit as it will be nearer to them 22. 17. market research done by interviewing different people 18. business studies book by Dave hall pg 147 19. interviewing different age group of people 20. People gave reason that why in these two areas. 21. Told by the people staying in that area. ANALYSIS OF THE PRIMARY DATA The finding of the market research which I have done for Pizza Hut will be analyzed to identify specific market attributes such as the manner in which the customer will respond more. In addition to this, it will identify important information such as the effectiveness of the market research results given by the customers will be discovered. From this data, it will be possible to judge the weaknesses of Pizza Hut. Recommendations will then be made by me on methods which Pizza Hut can adopt to overcome these weaknesses. Once Pizza Hut overcomes these weaknesses, it will have a better chance to successfully market their new outlet, and at the same time increase the sales from their current outlet. The graph below compares the frequency of teenagers who visit Pizza Hut as opposed to college students. [pic] 22 The ratio of college student is more than teenagers23. This means that on an average, college students visit Pizza Hut more compared to the teenagers. This graph tells us how many families and those above 50 wish to go to Pizza Hut. [pic]24 22. market research done by interviewing different people 23. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 24. market research done by interviewing different people SWOT ANALYSIS Swot analysis: swot analysis is an analysis of the internal strength and weaknesses and the external threats and opportunities that Pizza Hut faces. The swot analyses will illustrates how the external opportunities and the threats can be matched with the Pizza Hut’s internal strength and weaknesses to result in a set of possible strategic alternative. This would identify Pizza Hut’s distinctive competencies and the opportunities that the Pizza Hut is not currently taking a due to lack of appropriate resources swot means : S-strength W-weaknesses O- Opportunities T-threats Strength(S): these are the things which I observed, Pizza Hut and their staff do and which is the strength for them: They are well known for their pizzas 26. They provide good quality, taste and quick service 27. Their good service; grooming, cleanliness, and good interaction with the customers make customers want to visit them again 28. Due to their good taste and grooming, the other domestic pizza outlets try to compete and learn from Pizza Hut 29. Reputed brand, market excepted very easily, Due to the above, Pizza Hut makes good profit30. Pizza Hut has the ability to provide it’s customers with deals, offers and specials so that they can save money and get more value. This is a strength for the organization as it makes customers purchase more while receiving more value for their money. Customers use these vouchers and specials when ordering in bulk or for everyday orders. Weaknesses (W): these are the things which I observed and Pizza Hut does poorly and in which they can be affected are: During the weekends, Pizza Hut is full of customers, during that time the service is poor 31. There is little to no place for the people to sit who are waiting to be seated32. Availability of other multinational outlets like Mac Donald and Dominos will be the competitors of Pizza Hut too. 33 Opportunities (O): the directions which the business could take in future like: By opening a new outlet there will be an opportunity for growth of the business and development for employees34. If a person was previously employed by Pizza Hut and has passed the Pizza Hut course with the appropriate certificate, then they are able to receive double their salary35. Pizza Hut is a branded and a multi-national chain, therefore it allows staff salaries to be double that which is offered to other staff in other company’s36. Threats (T): the threats to a business arise from the activity of the competitors and failing to take opportunities like: Pizza Inn is the domestic pizza outlet in Baroda; both of them are doing very good profit-wise therefore Pizza Inn is a threat for Pizza Hut37. Pizza Inn is a well-known organization to the Baroda community as it also provides good quality and taste and this is a threat to Pizza Hut as this is one of Pizza Hut’s strengths. 25. business studies book by Dave hall pg 38 26. http://www. tutor2u. net/business/strategy/SWOT_analysis. htm 27. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 28. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 29. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 30. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 31. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 32. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 33. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 34. interview taken while doing market research 35. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 36. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 37. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 38. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview THE ANSOFFS MATRIX The ansoff matrix: The Ansoff Growth matrix is a tool that helps businesses decide their product and market growth strategy38. Ansoff’s matrix will allow the firm to consider the alternatives open to it for entering a new market or entering new product into the market39. Product | |Existing |New | |Existing |Market penetration |Product development | |New |Market development |diversification | Market Market penetration: market penetration is used to achieve the growth in the existing market with the existing product40. Market penetration uses the marketing mix to push the product which is gaining as much as market share and as quickly as possible41. Market penetration seeks to achieve four main objectives: Increase usage by existing customers, maintain or increase the market share of current products42. Pizza Hut is the branded outlet so that people use the substitute outlet less (Pizza Inn, u s pizza, Uncle Sam’s Pizza, and Dominos). Pizza Hut encourages customers to use their outlet more regularly by providing new taste to the customers43. Product development: this is concerned with marketing new or modified products in the market for the customers 44 like: Normal pizzas intend to act as a replacement for the new product which will be introduced45. Market development: this involves the marketing of the existing product in the new market such as: As Pizza Hut has one outlet already in the market, they will open a new outlet in Baroda but in a different area. They will introduce some new products when they open their new outlet. However, they will need to continue the marketing of their old and classic products along with the new products46. Diversification: this will occur when the product is developed for the new market. Diversification allows a business to move away from the trust upon the present market and product47. 38http://www. tutor2u. net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm 39oxford study course book by jo toy pg 32 39. http://www. tutor2u. net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix. htm 40. business studies book by Dave hall pg 239 41. oxford study course book by jo toy pg 32 42. http://www. tutor2u. net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix. htm 43. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 44. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 45. Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 46. business studies book by Dave hall pg 239 PEST –G ANALYSIS Pest g: this will look at the external environment and the global factors that may or will affect a business. It can provide a quick and visual representation. It is usually divided into five external influences on a business-political, economic, social, and technological and green46. Political: this is concerned with how political developments, regionally, nationally and internationally might affect a business’s strategy47. Political development is not so relevant in this instance as Pizza Hut has an existing established branch which is not affected by this external factor, the political issues are not so important because they do have the outlet in India and Baroda. For opening the new outlet government factors are not important as it already has opened one outlet48. Economic: this might include the analysis of a variety of economic factors and their effect on business they include: consumer activity, economic variable, government policy, the effect of change in product and labor markets49. Pizza Hut’s outlet which is Baroda, Gujarat has competitors in Baroda, Gujarat50 however, these are not Pizza Hut branches – they are other competitors such as Dominos and Pizza Inn. These have an economic external influence as it affects the consumer activity as customers may prefer to go to Dominos if there is better service, quality and price offered. The new place suggested trough market research, there mainly the people with their families and above 30 will visit. It is not that the youth’s wont visit but there are less youth’s in that area compare to the area where the current Pizza Hut is located. Social: how is Pizza Hut affected socially? It is not likely that Pizza Hut will be affected socially as each age group visit’s Pizza Hut51. Due to the location of the old Pizza Hut site (located near commercial places) it attracts a lot variety of consumers. The new site will be located in a suburb where there are families therefore the market will be families. When a whole family eats a meal at Pizza Hut, they tend to splurge on extras such as drinks and sides. This is positive for the organization in terms of profit. However, in Karelibaug, families won’t come daily or once a week to have pizza’s so it can be affected socially. Generally in the new outlet older segment people will visite. Technological: Businesses operate in a world of rapid technological change. The organization needs to regularly review the impact of new technologies upon their activities. The product can become old-fashioned quickly. The production method can become out of date52. Pizza Hut looks that how they are different from other firms such as Pizza Inn, Domino’s pizza, us pizza and many other domestic outlets for pizza’s. Even Mac Donald’s is a competitor. One technological factor which could effect the environment is how Pizza Hut creates its products such as the production line in which a pizza is made. 47. business studies book by Dave hall pg 38 48. business studies book by Dave hall pg 38 49. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 50. business studies book by Dave hall pg 38 51. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 52. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview. 53. business studies book by Dave hall pg 38 COST ANALYSIS Cost analysis is currently a some what controversial set of methods in program of evaluation one reason for the controversy is that these terms cover a wide range of method, but are often used interchangeably. There are two types of cost associated with hiring new place. They are fixed cost and variable cost. Both these cot will be identified to check the financial growth of the undergoing new outlet. Both are classified as below: Fixed cost Hiring charges foe the new place Salary of the staff Minimum hiring charges of telephone. Variable cost Production cost Office usage Approximately amount of profit for the new outlet May by through which you will be able to fine out pbit (profit before interest and tax), pbt (profit before tax), pat (profit after tax). | | |Per month |Per annum | |Sales | |1350 |16200 | |- variable | |60 |720 | | |contribution |1290 |15480 | |- fixed cost | |45 |540 | | |PBIT |1245 |14940 | |- interest | |78 |940 | | |PBT |1167 |14000 | |- tax | |350 |4200 | | |PAT |817 |9800 | 55 From the above assumption we can conclude that profit on pbit is approximately equals to 65. 60% |1260 |720 | |100 |? | |= 57. 14 | This is the variable cost |1260 |540 | |100 |? | |= 42. 58 | And this is the fixed cost. Variable cost of new outlet is higher than its fixed cost about 14. 12. Contribution of new outlet is about 96% which can be calculated by following formula: |Sales |contribution | |16200 |15480 | |100 |? | |= 96 | 56 Variable cost depends upon number of units of new outlet but the fixed cost is fixed. Cost may also be defined in different class For example: production cost office cost selling and distribution cost We can include raw material cost for the pizza’s and service cost for the pizzas. In production cost all the administration expense and legal and professional charges in office expense. We can bifurcate the transportation of the delivery man and advertisement expenses as selling and distribution charges. Selling and distribution charges can depend on number of unit sold and cost up till cost of goods sold always depends on goods sold57. 55. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 56. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview 57. (Manager of Pizza Hut). Personal interview INVESTMENT APPRAISAL Investment appraisal is the evaluation of an investment project to determine whether or not it is likely to be worthwhile. It is essential to appraise the investment Pizza Hut will undertake and to establish weather it is going to be beneficial. Below are the techniques, which will assist appraising the investment: †¢ Pay back period and †¢ Net present value Pay back period This technique assesses the number of years it will take foe the Pizza Hut to recover all their initial costs. This is a very simple tool as it ignores most of the costs the firm would incur due to opening a new outlet. The cash flow is also an approximate estimate when there are too many variable then Pizza Hut cannot control. They assume that they have more customers and 10% more profit throughout the year than what they had the previous year. There were a few assumptions made for the cash flow. These were that the machine they used to make pizza’s worked at 100% capacity and all products were sold. |Pay back period for the new outlet | |Year |Net cash flow | |0 |-10,00,000 | |1 |2,00,000 | |2 |6,00,000 | |3 |3,00,000 | |3,00,000 |12 months | |2,00,000 |? | |= 8 months | You can get 2,00,000 in 8 months so our net pay back period for investing RS 10,00,000 in new outlet is 2 years and 8 months. Analysis of pay back period. The pay back technique has shown us that it takes 2 years and 8 months to pay back for the new outlet. However, we learn form the market research and swot analysis that there are mainly people above 35 hence it would be smarter from them to do some thing which might attract the youth from other areas and influence them to visit that outlet too. Net present value Net present value incorporates the principle of time value of money by converting payments at different times to the equivalent values at the common reference time. The discount factor used is 4% as the interest they could have got from the bank currently is 4%. I then did NVP. |Year |Net cash flow |Discount factor 4$ |Present value | |0 |-10,00,000 |1 |10,00,000 | |1 |2,00,000 |0. 9615 |1,92,300 | |2 |6,00,000 |0. 9246 |5,54,760 | |3 |3,00,000 |0. 8890 |2,66,700 | Analysis of net present value The new outlet will generate ____ amount after 5 years. ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES To effectively deal with the increase in the growth by expansion, it is necessary for there to be some internal changes. It is very necessary that the staff’s grooming should be done properly, so that they can serve the customers in a professional manner. When they open their second outlet from a single, Pizza Hut will have to keep some one on whom they can trust and can rely on and they have to shift a few staff from the present one to the opening one. As they opening a new outlet, they are turning from one into two outlets. Due to this the position of many of the staff’s have been will be changed. This change does not affect their work, they have an effective communication channels among the employees. This could be in the form of giving the staff a proper atmosphere in which they can settle easily, the changes in the outlet and the goals that the Pizza Hut wants to attain. RECOMMENDATION Starting up the new outlet, initially it will not give them that much profit but it will definitely give some. For this: 1. Pizza Hut should shift few of their staff and of course one of the leader to supervise from the existing outlet to the one which will open in the near future. 2. They should appoint few new staff for the existing outlet and also foe the future’s outlet so that the one who are new in the new outlet can get t know more from their seniors who are shifted from the existing business. 3. For marketing about their new outlet they should restructure they method in which the do the marketing. 4. The market research was done on few people in Baroda, Gujarat, and not in the whole of Baroda. So the extensive market research needs to be conducted across the whole Baroda, Gujarat to get the proper kind of information about the location. CONCULSION The report shows that Pizza Hut should pen the new outlet in Baroda, Gujarat, India. If Pizza Hut increases their staff, then it would be in a better position to serve the customers and if they shift few of their trained staff and give training to the new staff to whom they are going to appoint then they would also be in the better position. They should also shift one of the managers to the new outlet so that in case if any problem occurs then they will be able to handle it. The financial aspects of the undertaking are not the problem for the Pizza Hut as it is in a strong financial stage. But the recruitment of the new staff cold affects the staffs. The environment and the working portfolio of the staffs will be changed as Pizza Hut will reconstruct the marketing set-up. So before employing the new staff Pizza Hut should let the old staff settle into their working environment. As previously said, the personal interview were only conducted in Gujarat, and the result of this only represented he view of customers from Gujarat. Hence, the further market research needs to be done to get a broader perspective on this study. The indirect costs associated with the undertaking the project will have to ascertain. As previously mentioned, one indirect cost is that a large recruitment could lead to a decrease in the motivation of the existing staffs. Other indirect cost could be in the form of the training program for the new recruits to a specialist company, so that it is done efficiently. If the new recruits do their job well, serve the customers in the proper way, follow the training properly, are groomed very well and give the best service then this would motivate the customers to visit them again. `Graph showing the frequency of visits to Pizza Hut by college students and teenagers 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 More than once a week Once a week Fortnight Monthly or less time period College students Teenagers graph showing the frequency of visit to Pizza Hut by families and people above 50 0 10 20 30 40 50 More than once a week Once a week Fortnight Monthly or less time period Family Above 50.

Impact of ICT on Accounting

Impact of ICT on Accounting Effect  of  ICT in the Accounting Records Keeping and how ICT features in todays organization in Sierra Leone 1.  Introduction Information and communication technology (ICT) connectivity (PCs and Internet) is very widespread in businesses of all sizes in Sierra Leone. As is the case with all technologies, small businesses are slower than large ones to adopt new ICTs. Potential small business benefits and firm and sector-specific strategies drive the adoption and use of ICTs. Furthermore, sectors are increasingly global and dominated by large firms and the structure of their values chains and operations shape opportunities for small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). Principal reasons for non-adoption are lack of applicability and little incentive to change business models when returns are unclear. SMEs also face generic barriers to adoption including trust and transaction security and IPR concerns, and challenges in areas of management skills, technological capabilities, productivity and competitiveness. The issues for governments are to foster appropriate business environments for e-business and ICT uptake (e.g. Sierratel to diffuse broadband, enhance competition), and target programmes to overcome market failures to the extent that they are needed in particular areas (e.g. Skill formation, specialized information). Advancement in technology has affected the way things are done in various domains. Accounting is no exception. The traditional books are being replaced by computers. Accounting staff are required to be computer literate and spend more time in front of a computer screen than writing on papers and in books. Information and communication technology (ICT) and e-business applications provide many benefits across a wide range of intra- and inter-firm business processes and transactions. ICT applications improve information and knowledge management inside the firm and can reduce transaction costs and increase the speed and reliability of transactions for both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. In addition, they are effective tools for improving external communications and quality of services for established and new customers. For small firms to adopt e-business and e-commerce strategies and tools, benefits must outweigh investment and maintenance costs. Commercial considerations and potential returns drive adoption. Beyond a certain level of connectivity (PC, Internet access, on-line information or marketing), not all SMEs will necessarily catch up with large firms, simply because e-commerce may not bring large benefits and SMEs will stay with traditional business processes. Other barriers have been seen to be the availability of ICT competencies within the firm, and availability and cost of appropriate interoperable small-firm systems, network infrastructure and Internet-related support services. Lack of reliable trust and redress systems and cross-country legal and regulatory differences also impede cross-border transactions. 2. Why Have So Few SMEs Adopted ICT in Sierra Leone? Given the benefits that ICT can bring to SMEs, SMEs in Sierra Leone have been slow to adopt it. For example, 90 percent of SMEs still use basic communication technology such as fixed phone line and fax, and approximately 10% percent use CRM software. Meanwhile, their counterparts in developed countries are using advanced ITs. One cause of limited adoption is the lack of dynamism between ICT firms and SMEs outside of the ICT sector. ICT firms have not provided goods and services tailored to SMEs in the past because demand from SMEs has been low. However, their demand is low in part because ICT products available in the market are too complex and expensive. The result is a vicious cycle of limited supply and limited demand that ultimately excludes SMEs from the benefits of ICT. Other factors also contribute to the limited supply and demand of ICT for SMEs: Supply Side 1. Poor communications infrastructure results in limited access and higher costs.Sierra Leone have poor communications infrastructure. Outdated equipment and state-owned monopolies often result in expensive charges and limited coverage, especially in rural areas. This discourages SMEs from adopting even the basic ICT of fixed lines or mobile phones. 2. Most advanced ICT products are designed for larger firms and not SMEs.ICT firms used to target large enterprises because they had a larger budget and were willing to pay for more complex ICT services. Their products are often too expensive and too complex for SME users. However, competition in this market is making firms both large and small turn their attention towards the untapped SME market. Rosetta, for example, is pushing to capture SME customers by lowering prices by 50 percent and increasing awareness. Demand Side 1. Limited ICT literacy of SME owners hinders their ability to choose the appropriate technology and understand the concrete benefits it can bring to their business. Many SME owners in Sierra Leone are unfamiliar with operating a computer, are skeptical of the concrete benefits to its core business, and have the stereotype that ICT is only for larger companies. Even if they have the will and financial resources to integrate ICT into their core business, SME owners are often at a loss when needing to choose the most appropriate and cost-efficient product. 2. Limited ICT literacy of employees in SMEs hinders ICT adoption. Even if SME owners have a strategic understanding of why they should adopt ICT, their staff is often untrained. Training costs both time and money resources that SMEs usually lack. 3. Adopting ICT is an adaptive challenge, not a technical challenge. Adopting ICT is a difficult task for companies of all sizes, whether they are in developed or developing countries. In fact, a lot of management literature focuses on the organizational changes that firms must go through in order to effectively adopt ICT because they change the way firms do business. While the changes may be beneficial in the long run, they often hurt one department and strengthen another. For example, Zhang Hongwei, senior consultant with DLong International Strategic Investment, comments that in order to make ERPs cost-saving and efficiency-building features work, managers must be willing to take measures that can be anathema in the state-owned sector, such as selling businesses, laying off workers, and changing longstanding vendor relationships. All of this can be tough to do. Thus, SME owners are often reluctant to bring their firm through a learning curve that may be difficult and costly. 4. Lack of financing options limits SME ability to purchase ICT. Lack of financing and appropriate technology is clearly a major handicap to developing country producers and exporters, and it inhibits developing countries from deriving full benefits from their trade rights. Rubens Ricupero, Secretary General of UNCTAD, 18 February 2002, Geneva SMEs in Sierra Leone usually have limited ability to make larger investments in their firm due to the lack of financing options. Given the financial squeeze, IT budgets are usually small or nonexistent. In addition, adopting ICT is not a one-time cost because there are ongoing costs of maintenance, upgrading, and human capacity building. 3. Why Should SMEs Adopt ICT? SMEs are often the main driver for a countrys economic growth. However, as the number of SMEs increases, competition increases, which then results in a decrease in prices, customer base, or both. This in turn will erode existing profits, creating less incentive for people to start SMEs. This dynamic is captured by balancing feedback loops where the greater the number of SMEs, the greater the competition, resulting in a slower rate of growth for SMEs. To counter the increasing competition, firms can lower prices, increase promotion of their product, improve their product, add new distribution channels, and/or improve their internal processes. The challenge is to counter competition when the firm still has the financial resources to do so. Otherwise, once the pressure of competition sufficiently erodes the SMEs profits, it will no longer have resources to counter the competition and will have to exit the market. Foreign firms in both the import and export markets further add to competi tive pressures, especially if they react faster to improve their product, process, promotion, or distribution channels. This is the problem of the Digital Divide. When firms in developed countries adopt ICT, firms in developing countries like Sierra Leone will lose out on the competition. This in turn can slow the growth rate of SMEs and hurt the economy as a whole. ICT can thus play a very important role because it can help SMEs both create business opportunities and combat pressures from competition. Appropriate ICT can help SMEs cut costs by improving their internal processes, improving their product through faster communication with their customers, and better promoting and distributing their products through online presence. In fact, ICT has the potential to improve the core business of SMEs in every step of the business process. In Sierra Leone where SMEs already have basic ICT, adopting more advanced ICT still brings enormous benefits. Advanced communication technologies such as email can help firms communicate faster and cheaper with both its suppliers and clients. In 2000, an organization that uses paper took on average 7.4 days to move a purchase from request to approval, but if done electronically, only took 1.5 days. Advanced ITs such as ERP software can capture cost savings. Beyond cost savings, SCM software can also help increase productivity, efficiency of inventory controls, and increase sales through closer relationships and faster delivery times 4. Conclusion ICT has been now boon to every modern system to perform all its operations with computer as the middle principle. The application of ICT in Financial management has also accounted a lot more success and efficiency in performing various operations related to different activities to commit a financial transaction. So for as the efficiency and effectiveness of ICT is concerned it has notably produced better throughputs which were acceptable and reliable. The need of the hour is the plan and develops more security measures to ensure authentic and secure client and server communication. Sierra Leone SMEs in addition to dont having required expertise and knowledge and also lack of familiarity with technology is also beginning to use ICT with face fixed costs very high in comparison to their size, while for large businesses, this is not so. These costs include costs such as creation website, using e-commerce and costs associated with projects of electronic auctions, search engines and similar cases. While the costs associated with deploying advanced ICT technologies for industries and big businesses are not very significant. These are issues that a broad group of SMEs doesnt know digital technologies related to their business and their goods and services do not know appropriate for e-commerce (E-Business Policy Group 2002). SMEs often have to accept market conditions and they are not in a situation like the big companies that form the market conditions (this issue is concerned follow and leader companies in the market). Moreover, instability (such as financial insecurity in SMEs) and potential risks in e-commerce, many SMEs may be inclined to risk aversion and the choice of conservative policies and in fact they adopt policy of wait and observed in acceptation of digital technology. For many SMEs, there is considerable uncertainty about the opportunities and benefits of ICT adoption, this opportunities for them is still unproven. This problem causes that they are reluctance to complete the adoption of new business models and technology. 3. Small and medium companies due to limitations such as low investment, lack of laboratories, capacity less for communicating with and external consultants is facing to experiment with more serious problems for testing new procedures of business. Although financial cons traints are the most important limitations but factors such as less time, fewer resources and also imposed to these enterprises. Using modern ICT technology is In fact new ways that SMEs will face a substantial risk. Accordingly, we can say that the use of ICT in enterprises depends on the size of the firm. References [1] Aliyu A.A, Tasmin R.B.Hj (2012), The Impact of ICT on Bank Performance and Customer Service Delivery in Banking Industry, InternationalJournalofLatestTrendsinFinance,Economicsand Science, 2(1): 80-90. [2] Adwin A.M, Opkara A, Mike A.O, Francis A.O (2014), The Impact of ICT in The Strategic Management of Financial Institutions, International Review of Management and Business Research, 3(3):1588-1602 [3] Adesola M.A, Moradeyo O.A, Oyeniyi K.O (2013), Impact of ICT on Nigeria Banks Operations: A Study of United Banks for Africa (UBA) Plc, International Journal of Business and Management Invention, 2(9): 7-12. [5] Ashrafi, Murtuza. M (2008), use of impact of ICT on SMEs in Oman, Electronic Journal Information SystemandEvaluation, 10: 125-138. [6] Gichoya D (2006), Factors Affecting the Successful Implementation of ICT Projectsin Government, Electronic Journal of EGovernment, 3(4): 175-184. [7] Binuyo A.O, Aregbesola R.A (2014), the impact of ICT on Commercial Bank Performance: Evidence from South Africa, Problems andPerespectives in Management, 12(3): 59-68. [8] Curristine T, Lonti Zsuzsanna, Jaumard I (2007), Improving Public Sector Efficiency: Challenges and Opportunities, OECD Journal of Budgeting, 7(1): 1-42. [9] Gadamsetty Sai Arun (2013), understandin financial inclusion in India and role of ICT in ICT, InternationalJournal of InnovativeResearch andDevelopment, 2(12): 198-201.

Wildlife Management Plan :: management of grassland birds

COVER The vegetation on this property is classified into 7 cover types (Fig. 3 and Appendix B). The property is largely dominated by agricultural land. Approximately 350 ac (141 ha) out of the 410 ac (165 ha) are cultivated for crop production. The dominant four crop types are soybeans, alfalfa, corn, and oats. The overstory consists of white oak (Quercus alba), black walnut (Jugalns nigra), and American elm (Ulmus americana). The shrub layer is sparsely located around the property and contains a lot of blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.), American halzelnut (Corylus americana), and staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina). The understory vegetation, located in the wooded areas on the property consists of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), common plaintain (Plantago major), mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), grasses (Poa spp.), Mosses (Sphagnum spp.), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), common mullein (V erbacum thaspus). A complete list of plant species can be found in Appendix B. STATUS OF WILDLIFE POPULATIONS: Inventory techniques used to identify wildlife consisted of direct observations, input from the landowner, and signs from the different wildlife species. Common bird species present on the management area were American robin (Turdus americanus), American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), European starling (Sturnus vulgaris), barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), sandhill crane (Grus canadensis), blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata), white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), bald eagle (Hallaeetus leucocephalus), turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), and red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). Direct observations and input from the landowner identified these commonly found mammalian species: eastern chipmunk, (Tamias striatus), eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), coyote (Canis latrans), raccoon (Procyon lotor), red fox Vulpes vulpes), red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus f loridanus), and Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginianus). Within our management property western meadowlarks and badgers are not as commonly found as white-tail deer. Grassland bird species are limited to small parcels of the property due to a lack of necessary habitat. Badgers have been seen on an infrequent basis within the management site. White-tail deer are seen at low densities and have the potential be more abundant with the right management plans. See Appendix C for a complete listing of wildlife species. REQUIREMENTS OF TARGET SPECIES: The first objective of our wildlife plan is to increase the density of the American badger population on the management site. American badgers are commonly found in open treeless habitats and grasslands (Scobie 2002).

Life Controlled by Media Results in False Knowledge Essay -- Fahrenhei

Life Controlled by Media Results in False Knowledge Fahrenheit 451 is a novel where the society eliminates unhappiness. The fire department starts fire instead of putting it out, because they burn books. The author is trying to show that life prohibited by community results in false knowledge of ourselves. Not everyone feels that way. So, some people go against the law and read books. Ray Bradbury shows the readers that there is always something wrong with perfect society. The society dislikes books because it makes them unhappy. For example, â€Å"Mrs. Phelps was crying. The others in the middle of the dessert watched her crying grow very loud as her face squeezed itself out of shape† (Bradbury 100). This shows that when Montag read a poem to Millie’s friends, the misery of the poem got one of them to cry. This is because they don’t know how to accept the truth and grief. In addition, Beatty said â€Å"You can’t rid yourselves of all the odd ducks in just a few years† (Bradbury 60).This shows that people even try to remove people that are weird but didn’t do anything wrong. This is because once again they try to make the society as perfect as they can. As a result, they can do some pretty cruel stuff to make life better for them. The more people read the more knowledge they have but not everyone. For example, â€Å"If anything should happen to Harris you are the book of Ecclesiastes† (Bradbury 151). This shows that Montag is smart and has knowledge of what’s going on. This is b...

The Lamb and The Tiger by William Blake Essay -- Poet Poems William Bl

'The Lamb' and 'The Tiger' by William Blake Write about The Lamb and The Tiger by William Blake. Explain how the poet portrays these creatures and comment on what you consider to be the main ideas and attitudes of the poet. 'All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.' Cecil Frances Alexander Indeed, God created all creatures great and small, and he could not have created two creatures more different from each other than the lamb and the tiger. The question arises in one's mind therefore: - 'Could one creator design and give life to two exhibits of such a vast contrast?' ====================================================================== William Blake certainly poses this question in a somewhat clever manner in the two examples of his work that I've analysed and compared, namely 'The Lamb' and 'The Tiger'. In the two collections of his work, namely Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, he has several contrasting poems that bring the two states of being described by both collections under the microscope. As one of the early Romance poets, Blake was writing in opposition to the rapidly changing, revolutionary eighteenth-century. Essentially, that opposition developed into an appreciation of the emotions, as opposed to reason ant intellect, and a recognition of the purity and innocence which childhood represents in contrast with the corruptions and in-authenticity of adulthood, with its learning and experience of life. The English Industrial Revolution played a very influential role in William Blake's work. Songs of Innocence includes a reversal of the expected 'hierarchies'. The poems reject t... ...ecessary self-knowledge. The Lamb develops into the Tiger - innocence is the price that must me paid to attain an identity in 'grown-up land'. It has to sacrifice its meek, mild, gentile innocence to become the Tiger of Experience prowling the 'dark forests' of life. In conclusion, I feel William Blake is attempting to transmit an important message: never mind how innocent we are during our naÃÆ'Â ¯ve, happy playground days, the big bad world is awaiting us all, and we have to stop resisting and accept that we're all going to develop into Tigers at some point - gaining our own unique symmetry in place of our soft, delightful, tender selves. Life past, present and future poses many questions - it's up to us to answer them, to discover our true identities, and to decide where exactly our faith lies. Innocence is the foundation upon which experience is built.

Claim of Fact Essay Essay

With the biggest GDP, prestigious universities, and a multitude of successful entrepreneurs, the United States has always been considered one of the leading countries in the world. Unfortunately, with other countries outdoing the United States in education, this notion is quickly changing. In recent years, students from other countries have been surpassing the United States academically and have proven that they are the future of the world. Researchers have found many differences in the school systems in foreign countries compared to those in the United States; however, the main reasons America is being trumped by students in other countries are because of the lack of parental support at home and the use of technology in schools. With test scores to prove this change in academic hierarchy, it has become obvious that other countries are outperforming the United States. Each country was compared and ranked based on scores of the 2011 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. Multiple countries, such as Hong Kong, Russia, and Finland, scored above the United States in reading, math, and science. The United States is still one of the top thirteen educational systems in the world; however, they are lagging behind and are being consistently outranked (Khazan). One reason for this differentiation in test scores is the ways in which school systems are set up. For example, in Finland, the country with the â€Å"best performing education system,† â€Å"schools assign less homework and engage children in more creative play,† which is the opposite of schools in America (Dillon). At the rate that these countries are exceeding, with student s ahead of American students by one whole school year, those from places such as Hong Kong, China, and Finland will soon be the top entrepreneurs and leaders of the world. One of the main reasons that students in other countries are more successful academically is because of parent involvement. According to the University of Michigan, â€Å"parental involvement is a critical component to a child’s educational experience† and â€Å"it is proven that greater involvement in a child’s education can foster more positive attitudes toward school, can improve homework habits, increase academic success and can reduce dropout  rates† (â€Å"Comparing). Parents in other countries, such as China, ensure that their children understand and complete their homework, while parents in the United States play a more passive role. This is because many parents in the United States are among the working class and not present when their children return from school. Parent involvement helps children succeed in school, leading them to continue on to college. Today, â€Å"the odds that a young person in the U.S. will be in higher education if his or her parents do not have an upper secondary education are just 29%† (LaRock). This proves that parents in other countries are more supportive of higher education and encourage their children to attend even if they did not have the chance. In order to ensure that the United States can redeem itself and once again be a top nation academically, American parents need to be more involved with their children. Another reason that the United States is being surpassed is because of their lack of use of technology in the classroom. As a nation, America should be placing the newest technology in schools in order to ensure that children are keeping up with the technological advances of the world and progressing at the same or higher pace than other students. As Dr. Michael Mills states, â€Å"‘apart from the engagement aspect of using technology, students must master the digital literacy skills necessary to thrive in today’s society and workplace’† (Lawrence). As technology quickly becomes the basis of the world, children need to be familiar with up-to-date versions. This will ensure that they can compete with other nations when entering the workforce. Schools in countries such as China agree with this idea and â€Å"[have] moved far ahead of almost every country in the world on measures of integrating technology into academic curriculum.† Many American parents believe that if their children are going to use advanced technology, they are more likely to use it at home than in school (Lawrence). With these ideas in mind, American parents are allowing their children to fall behind the rest of the nation; thus, they are contributing to the success of students in other countries. Although the United States needs to spend money on placing the latest technology in schools, there are valid reasons as to why they cannot do this. American school systems are based on standardized testing, which is  what they are forced to spend a majority of their budget on (Lawrence). Also, parents in the United States are not able to be home for their children as often because they are busy at work. Many would agree that this high number of working class parents is a key component to America’s success. However, these are not valid reasons as to why children in America should be allowed to slip so far behind those in other countries. As stated by the University of Michigan, â€Å"mothers in eastern Asian countries for example, will actually attend school in order to take notes for their children when they are ill and unable to attend themselves,† so why can’t mothers in the United States make at least half the effort? (â€Å"Comparing). If society continues to act this way, the future of the world will no longer be in the hands of Americans. With the lack of parental support in the United States and advanced technology in the classroom, America is quickly being outshined. Compared to other countries, their academics are suffering. In order to ensure that the United States remains a leading country in the future, these two aspects need to be changed. If nothing is done, the leaders of tomorrow will not be from the United States, but children who now live in countries such as China or Finland. Works Cited â€Å"Comparing U.S. and Chinese Public School Systems.† University of Michigan. Ed. Tara L. Van Schaack. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2013. . Dillon, Sam. â€Å"Many Nations Passing U.S. in Education, Expert Says.† The New York Times. N.p., 10 Mar. 2010. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. . Khazan, Olga. â€Å"Here’s why other countries beat the U.S. in reading and math.† The Washington Post. N.p., 11 Dec. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. . LaRock, J.D. â€Å"Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators 2012.† OECD. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. . Lawrence, Julia. â€Å"Chinese Education Technology Efforts May Surpass America’s.†Ã‚  Education News. N.p., 3 Apr. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. .