Identify the Mission, Objectives, and Responsibilities of an Organisation Within It’s Environment Essay Example for Free

Identify the Mission, Objectives, and Responsibilities of an Organisation Within It’s Environment Essay An organisation is defined as ‘A group of people working together’ (Collins Dictionary 2001). An organisation is generally accepted as a unit working together to achieve the same goals. Concurring with this statement, Mintzberg (1997) defined goals as ‘the intentions behind decisions or actions, the states of mind that drive individuals or collectives of individuals called organisations to do what they do’. In order for an organisation to work, set guidelines have to be put in place for both short and long term aspirations, to ensure that the organisation is moving as a whole, a unit, to avoid separation, miscommunication, and misunderstanding. This can be achieved by administering a meaningful and worthwhile strategic plan consisting of a progressive, hierarchical set of aims. This will give each individual, as well as the organisation as a whole, a purpose. A set of aims can be as follows (Business Essentials 2010); An example of this would be my current place of employment. Their Vision Statement is as follows; ‘We are committed to providing a modern, efficient, and cost effective service focused on meeting our customer’s needs in a friendly , timely, and accurate manner, and will provide the necessary resources to enable achievement of our objectives. We will be readily accessible to everyone in the community to maximise social inclusion, minimise barriers to work and assist people to live in decent housing. We will process claims quickly and accurately, while actively reducing the incidences of fraud or error through investigation. Where fraudulent intent is proven, we will seek to apply appropriate sanctions as a deterrent against future activity. Where we seek to collect money, we will issue bills promptly and correctly. Where recovery action is required, we will act quickly, fairly, and impartially, but with due regard to social welfare and human rights of our customers.’ (Heather Tiso, 1995) However something so unobtainable may not be in the forefront of people’s minds. This is summed up in the following article statement ‘Mission statement in some companies has a huge influence in all management levels of the firm, but in others it is still just addition on the wall and usually what’s forgotten.’ Values of an organisation are more likely to be remembered, as they are more relatable to people within. The values upheld by the people within my organisation, are that of trust, respect, pride in work, ability to take ownership, two way communication – to give as well as to receive, to maintain excellent customer service at all time, to help each other out if need be, to feel comfortable and confident enough to speak up if they have any ideas for improvements, to strive for fairness, equality, and diversity, versatility, flexibility, taking responsibility for their own development, to be open minded as our line of service is ever changing. This encourages a culture of people that are able to pull together against constant adversity, and still achieve excellent results, as well as continually exceed Service Level Agreements (SLAs). The key objectives of my organisation, can be broken down in to the following examples; †¢Operational Goal – to increase revenue (Objective – decrease number of incorrect subsidy claims by 10%) †¢Non Operational Goal – to modify behaviour of customers (Objective – to get customers to act and think in a productive manner) †¢Primary Objective – to maximise revenues with as little expenditure as possible †¢Secondary objective(s) – to maintain excellent customer service, to strive for 100% accuracy, to maintain excellent working relationships with stakeholders. †¢Corporate Objectives – To increase customer satisfaction, to minimise risk, to ensure a glide path is in place for these objectives. †¢Unit Objectives – to answer all calls within 20 seconds, to deal with all work items with a turnaround of 9 days, to see all customers visiting the offices within under 5 minutes, to identify and understand our customer’s needs, to maintain a very high level of service, to develop personal/professional relationships with stakeholders. The influence of stakeholders Identifying Stakeholders is a process of integration within the said organisation. This can be summarised with a statement from a World Bank Group article – ‘All parties should be listed which are likely to be affected by the development, both positively or negatively, directly or indirectly.’ Stakeholders in our company are highly valued and important, and therefore our relationships with them are maintained to a very high standard. Our organisation has numerous companies identified as Stakeholders. This is not just on a professional level, as on top of Internal Stakeholders (i.e. staff) we recognise a number of Connected Stakeholders (customers, suppliers,) and External Stakeholders (local community, the government). Therefore, overall Stakeholder influence is vast, extending way beyond just making a customer happy. The knock on effects of the positive or negative experience of that customer may affect my organisation greatly. As different Stakeholders have different interests, it is not possible to focus on all of them at once with a blanket gesture in the hope of satisfying all their needs. Their needs have to be prioritised by looking at individual objectives, and balancing important/urgent needs with needs that would not have an adverse effect or affect relationships by waiting to be dealt with. Examples of Stakeholders in my organisation, are employees, customers, and the Government. As staff are immediately and intimately connected with the organisation, their influence is going to possibly be the strongest influence. It has been said numerous times that employees are the most influential. Motivated employees are highly likely to be more productive in producing work, ideas, and meeting objectives. Coincidently, the objectives of staff, are to be treated fairly, be given equal opportunity, be recognised for the consistently excellent work they produce when the odds are stacked against them, feel secure in their job and working environment, and have a sense that they are achieving. These objectives are met in the most part, however, as the organisation as a whole has a hierarchy , and it tends to be the senior managers setting objectives and deciding whether these have been met. This can lead to the human element being lost, and people judged by numbers, as other factors aren’t always taken into consideration. This can affect morale, but ultimately, our nee ds are met. Achieving objectives of stakeholders One of our Connected Stakeholders, our customers, are generally the focal point of our work. The bottom line, is customers want a service provided with their individual interests in mind, with the least possible output from them. The saying ‘The Customer is Always Right’, is incorrect in my opinion. The customer may not know what they need, they need to be asked open and closed questions in order to ascertain exactly what service they require. Customers wish to be heard, treated with respect, and for a positive experience with whatever organisation they deal with. The needs of our customers are met, as they are one of the most important stakeholders. Failure to meet these needs may result in loss of business, complaints, and repercussions from higher management if objectives are not met. The Government is an example of our External Stakeholders. This is due to the fact we are a public sector organisation, and a direct derivative of Central Government. The Government’s objectives are mainly that their Corporate Objectives influence our Unit Objectives, as well as Primary/Secondary Objectives. We meet the requirements of the Government by adhering to their laws, policies, procedures, and implementing them whilst maintaining a professional forefront to other stakeholders, such as the general public.

Overview of Cryptography and Encryption Techniques

Overview of Cryptography and Encryption Techniques What is cryptography Cryptography is the discipline of cryptography and cryptanalysis and of their interaction. The word â€Å"cryptography† is derived from the Greek words â€Å"Kryptos† means concealed, and â€Å"graphien† means to inscribe. It is the science of keeping secrets secret. One objective of cryptography is protecting a secret from adversaries. Professional cryptography protects not only the plain text, but also the key and more generally tries to protect the whole cryptosystem. Cryptographic primitives can be classified into two classes: keyed primitives and non-keyed primitives as in the figure. The fundamental and classical task of cryptography is to provide confidentiality by encryption methods. Encryption (also called enciphering) is the process of scrambling the contents of a message or file to make it unintelligible to anyone not in possession of key â€Å"key† required to unscramble the file or message. Providing confidentiality is not the only objective o f cryptography. Cryptography is also used to provide solutions for other problems: Data integrity, Authentication, Non-repudiation. Encryption methods can be divided into two categories: substitution ciphers and transposition ciphers. In a substitution cipher the letters of plaintext are replaced by other letters or by symbols or numbers. Replacing plaintext bit pattern with cipher text bit patterns is involved in substitution when plaintext is viewed as a sequence of bits. Substitution ciphers preserve the order of plaintext symbols but disguise them. Transposition ciphers, do not disguise the letters, instead they reorder them. This is achieved by performing some sort of permutation on the plaintext letters. There are two type of encryption :symmetric(private/secert) encryption key and asymmetric(public) key encryption. Conventional encryption model A conventional encryption model can be illustrated as assigning Xp to represent the plaintext message to be transmitted by the originator. The parties involved select an encryption algorithm represented by E. the parties agree upon the secret key represented by K. the secret key is distributed in a secure manner represented by SC. Conventional encryption’s effectiveness rests on keeping the secret. Keeping the key secret rests in a large on key distribution methods. When E process Xp and K, Xc is derived. Xc represents the cipher text output, which will be decrypted by the recipient. Upon receipt of Xc, the recipient uses a decryption algorithm represented by D to process Xc and K back to Xp. This is represented in the figure. In conventional encryption, secrecy of the encryption and decryption algorithm is not needed. In fact, the use of an established well known and tested algorithm is desirable over an obscure implementation. This brings us to the topic of key distribution. Cryptanalysis Code making involves the creation of encryption products that provide protection of confidentiality. Defeating this protection by some men’s other than the standard decryption process used by an intended recipient is involved in code breaking. Five scenarios for which code breaking is used. They are selling cracking product and services, spying on opponents, ensure accessibility, pursuing the intellectual aspects of code breaking and testing whether one’s codes are strong enough. Cryptanalysis is the process of attempting to identify either the plaintext Xp or the key K. discovery of the encryption is the most desired one as with its discovery all the subsequent messages can be deciphered. Therefore, the length of encryption key, and the volume of the computational work necessary provides for its length i.e. resistance to breakage. The protection get stronger when key size increases but this requires more brute force. Neither encryption scheme conventional encryption no r public key encryption is more resistant to cryptanalysis than the other. Cryptographic goals However, there are other natural cryptographic problems to be solved and they can be equally if not important depending on who is attacking you and what you are trying to secure against attackers. Privacy, authentication, integrity and non-repudiation are the cryptographic goals covered in this text. These three concepts form what is often referred to as the CIA triad? The three notations represents the basic security objectives for both data and for information and computing services. FIPS PUB 199 provides a useful characterization of these objectives in terms of requirements and the definition of a loss of security in each category: Confidentiality: Preserving authorized restrictions on information access and disclosure, together with means for shielding personal secrecy and copyrighted material. A damage of privacy is the illegal disclosure of information. Integrity: Guarding against improper information modification or destruction, and includes ensuring information non-repudiation and authenticity. A loss of integrity is the unauthorized modification of information. Availability: Ensuring timely and reliable access to and use of information. A loss of availability is the disruption of access to an information system. Although the use of the CIA tried to define security objectives is well established, some in the security field feel that additional concepts are needed to present a complete picture. Two of the most commonly mentioned are: Authenticity: The property of being genuine and being able to be verified and trusted; confidence in the validity of a transmission, a message, or message originator. Accountability: The security goal that generates the requirement for actions of an entity to be traced uniquely to that entity. Generally there are two types key present 1 Symmetric-key 2 Asymmetric-key Symmetric key encryption The universal technique for providing confidentiality for transmitted data is symmetric encryption. Symmetric encryption is also known as conventional encryption or single-key encryption was the only type of encryption in use prior to the introduction of public-key encryption. Countless individuals and groups, from Julius Caesar to the German U-boat force to present-day diplomatic, military and commercial users, use symmetric encryption for secret communication. It remains by far the more widely used of the types of encryption. A symmetric encryption scheme has five ingredients as follows- Plaintext: This is the original data or message that is fed into the algorithm as input. Encryption algorithm: the encryption algorithm performs various transformations and substitutions on the plaintext. Secret key: The secret key is input to the encryption algorithm. The exact transformations and substitutions performed by the algorithm depend on the key. Ciphertext: This is the scrambled message produced as output. It depends on the plaintext and the secret key. For a given message, two different keys will produce two different ciphertexts. Decryption algorithm: This is reserve process of encryption algorithm. It takes the ciphertext and secret key and produces the original plaintext. Symmetric key encryption is shown in fig. There are two necessities for protected use of symmetric encryption: We need a strong encryption algorithm. Sender and receiver must have secured obtained, keep secure, the secret key. Stream Ciphers The stream ciphers encrypt data by generating a key stream from the key and performing the encryption operation on the key stream with the plaintext data. The key stream can be any size that matches the size of the plaintext stream to be encrypted. The ith key stream digit only depends on the secret key and on the (i-1) previous plaintext digits. Then, the i ­th ciphertext digit is obtained by combining the ith plaintext digit with the ith key stream digit. One desirable property of a stream cipher is that the ciphertext be of the same length as the plaintext. Thus, a ciphertext output of 8 bits should be produced by encrypting each character, if 8-bit characters are being transmitted. Transmission capacity is wasted, if more than 8 bits are produced. However, stream ciphers are vulnerable to attack if the same key is used twice ormore. Block Ciphers A block ciphers fragments the message into blocks of a predetermined size and performs the encryption function on each block with the key stream generated by cipher algorithm. Size of each block should be fixed, and leftover message fragments are padded to the appropriate block size. Block ciphers differ from stream ciphers in that they encrypted and decrypted information in fixed size blocks rather than encrypting and decrypting each letters or word individually. A block ciphers passes a block of data or plaintext through its algorithm to generate a block of ciphertext. Asymmetric Key Cryptosystems In Asymmetric Key Cryptosystems two different keys are used: a secret key and a public key. The secret key is kept undisclosed by the proprietor and public key is openly known. The system is called â€Å"asymmetric† since the different keys are used for encryption and decryption, the public key and private key. If data is encrypted with a public key, it can be decrypted only by using the corresponding private key. Public Key Encryption shown in fig. Classical encryption techniques The technique enables us to illustrate the basic approaches to conventional encryption today. The two basic components of classical ciphers are transposition and substitution. Combination of both substitution and transposition is described in others systems. Substitution techniques In this technique letters of plaintext message are placed by symbols and numbers. If plaintext is in the form of a sequences of bits, then substituting plaintext bit patterns with ciphertext bit patterns. Transposition techniques Transposition instantly moves the position around within it but does not alter any of the bits in the plaintext. If the resultant ciphertext is then put through more transpositions, the end result has increasing security.

Moral Panics And Create Folk Devils

Moral Panics And Create Folk Devils There are many ways in which the media can incite moral panics and produce folk devils and one way in which this is possible is through labelling. Moral entrepreneurs, who dislike some particular behaviour such as drug takings, may use the media to put pressure on the authorities to do something. This is an important element in the process in creating moral panic. This refers to an exaggerated over-reaction by society to a perceived problem- usually fuelled or inspired by the media. The media also help to make the problem bigger and blow it out of proportion. There are many ways in which the media can stimulate this. In a moral panic, the media identify a group as a folk devil. Folk devil can be identified as a threat to societys values. The media also present the group in a negative stereotypical fashion and again exaggerate the scale of the problem. Also the respectable people of the society such as, bishops, politicians and police chiefs condemn the group and its behaviour. Usually this would lead to a crackdown on the threatening groups. In spite of this, it may result in creating a self-fulfilling prophecy that amplifies the very problem that caused the panic in the first place. This could be seen in the instance with cases of drugs. As a result police set up drugs squads and in turn find out more drugs and the crackdown identifies more deviants, which then calls for even tougher action creating a deviance amplification spiral. The most influential study was by Stanley Cohen, which was featured in his book Folk Devils and Moral Panics. He examined the role of the media and the medias response to disturbances between 2 groups of teenagers. The Mods and the Rockers were two groups of largely working class teenagers, at English seaside resorts from 1964-1966, and Cohen examined the way in which this created a moral panic. The mods were distinguished as wearing smart clothes and rode scooters and listened to pop and soul, whilst rockers wore leather jackets and rode motorbikes and listened to rock and roll. Although in the early stages, distinctions were not very clear. On the Easter weekend 1964 there were a few scuffles and broken windows and some beach huts were destroyed. Although the disorder was minimal, the media over reacted. In Cohens analysis, he uses the analogy of a disaster, where the media produce an inventory or stocktaking of what happened. This inventory contained three things. Exaggeration and distortion are one of them. This is where the media exaggerate the numbers involved and the extent of the violence and damage, and distort the picture through the dramatic reporting and sensational headlines. Second, is prediction and this were the media regularly predict and assume further conflict and violence will take place. Lastly, symbolisation, and this is where the mods and rockers symbols such as- their clothes, bikes, scooters and hairstyles- are negatively labelled and associated with deviance. Cohen goes further and argues that the medias portrayal of events produces a deviance amplification spiral by making it seem as if the problem was spreading and getting out of hand. This then led to an increased control response from the police and also courts. This then in turn produced further marginalisation and stigmatisation of the Mods and Rockers as deviants and less tolerance. The media further amplified the deviance by defining the two groups and their sub cultural styles. By emphasising their supposed differences, the media made clear the two distinct identities and transformed loose-knit grouping into two tight knit gangs. This encouraged polarisation and helped create a self- fulfilling prophecy of escalating conflict as youths acted out roles the media had assigned them. Cohen also observed that the medias definition of the situation are crucial in creating a moral panic, because in large-scale modern societies, most people have no direct experience of the events themselves and therefore have to rely on the media for information about them. In the case of the Mods and Rockers, this allowed the media to portray them as folk devil. However it could be said that the notion described by Cohen are outdated. Fashion and music have become more diverse, and young people rarely identify themselves with one particular style. Subsequently, society has become more complex, fragmented and liberal and its less clear what constitutes deviant behaviour. Thirdly, politicians are cautious when trying to create a moral panic over, for example, teenage mums, in case they are seen as old-fashioned bullies. McRobbie and Thornton argue that society and the media have moved on and new concepts and ideas. They also point out that early versions of the moral panic model saw society as one influenced by postmodernism, would take a more differentiated approach. It has been widely accepted that this is the age of moral panics. From the Bulger case to mad cow disease, newspaper headlines continually warn of some new danger and television programmes  echo the theme with sensational documentaries. Although todays media audiences are accustomed to shock stories. So it could be said that they do not react to manic to media exaggerations. Finally it has been said that the media create moral panic to preserve ruling class hegemony. This was seen in the 1970s mugging, which were sensationalised by the elite to divert the attention from the crisis of the Britain capitalism. In conclusion many of the dramatized stories illustrate many aspects of moral panic and highlight the way such issues are portrayed and orchestrated by the media. As it is the case with many moral panics become deviants such as the Mods and Rockers, and are deemed threatening to our society as a result of the medias reporting of their views and actions.

Robber Barons: Gates, Carnagie, Rockafeller, Vanderbilt Essay -- essay

Robber Barons   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The robber barons of the early industrial age, and one modern day baron have been accused of creating monopolies over several different areas. The four barons focused upon are Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Bill Gates. They have all created monopolies over their respected industry. These monopolies eliminated all opposition and left consumers with only one choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First off is Cornelius Vanderbilt, he built his business with the New York railways. He built the New York Central System by the 1850’s, he also produced the largest steamboat fleet in the United States at that time. He created the New York Central from three smaller railroads which he purchased, the expanded from New York City to Buffalo. Eventually his railroads connected all the way through to Chicago in under four years of being in the business. Not only did he run a very large rail system but also became the first to use several different techniques. One was the Westinghouse Air Brakes, which would allow for faster and more reliable brakes as well as being able to ravel at higher speeds. Another idea pioneered was the four track system which would allow for two freight tracks, one for each direction, and two more tracks for passenger cars. The tactics he used were legal, the only thing he did was purchase smaller lines to help expand his railroads. The se were not unethical moves just ways to help his business. &n...

88 Ways to Know Whether You Are Chinese :: essays research papers

88 Ways to Know Whether You Are Chinese ( BBS  µÃ‚ µÃ‚ °Ã‚ ¸) 1. You look like you are 18. 2. You like to eat chicken feet. 3. You suck on fish heads and fish fins. 4. You have a Chinese knick-knack hanging on your rear view mirror. 5. You sing Karaoke. 6. Your house is covered with tile. 7. Your kitchen is covered by a sticky film of grease. 8. Your stove is covered with aluminium foil. 9. You leave the plastic covers on your remote control. 10. You've never kissed your mom or dad. 11. You've never hugged your mom or dad. 12. Your unassisted vision is worse than 20/500. 13. You wear contacts, to avoid wearing your "coke bottle glasses". 14. You've worn glasses since you were in fifth grade. 15. Your hair sticks up when you wake up. 16. You'll haggle over something that is not negotiable. 17. You love to use coupons. 18. You drive around looking for the cheapest petrol. 19. You drive around for hours looking for the best parking space. 20. You take showers at night. 21. You avoid the non-free snacks in hotel rooms. 22. You don't mind squeezing 20 people into one motel room. 23. Most girls have more body hair than you, if you are male. 24. You tap the table when someone pours tea for you. 25. You say "Aiya!" and "Wah!" frequently. 26. You don't want to wear your seatbelt because it is uncomfortable. 27. You love Las Vegas, slot machines, and blackjack. 28. You unwrap Christmas gifts very carefully, so you can reuse the paper. 29. You only buy Christmas cards after Christmas, when they are 50% off. 30. You have a vinyl table cloth on your kitchen table. 31. You spit bones and other food scraps on the table. (That's why you need the vinyl tablecloth). 32. You have stuff in the freezer since the beginning of time. 33. You use the dishwasher as a dish rack. 34. You have never used your dishwasher. 35. You keep a Thermos of hot water available at all times. 36. You eat all meals in the kitchen. 37. You save grocery bags, tin foil, and tin containers. 38. You have a piano in your living room 39. You pick your teeth at the dinner table (but you cover your mouth). 40. You twirl your pen around your fingers. 41. You hate to waste food. 42. You have Tupperware in your fridge with three bites of rice or one leftover chicken wing. 43. You don't own any real Tupperware - only a cupboard full of used but carefully rinsed margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars. 88 Ways to Know Whether You Are Chinese :: essays research papers 88 Ways to Know Whether You Are Chinese ( BBS  µÃ‚ µÃ‚ °Ã‚ ¸) 1. You look like you are 18. 2. You like to eat chicken feet. 3. You suck on fish heads and fish fins. 4. You have a Chinese knick-knack hanging on your rear view mirror. 5. You sing Karaoke. 6. Your house is covered with tile. 7. Your kitchen is covered by a sticky film of grease. 8. Your stove is covered with aluminium foil. 9. You leave the plastic covers on your remote control. 10. You've never kissed your mom or dad. 11. You've never hugged your mom or dad. 12. Your unassisted vision is worse than 20/500. 13. You wear contacts, to avoid wearing your "coke bottle glasses". 14. You've worn glasses since you were in fifth grade. 15. Your hair sticks up when you wake up. 16. You'll haggle over something that is not negotiable. 17. You love to use coupons. 18. You drive around looking for the cheapest petrol. 19. You drive around for hours looking for the best parking space. 20. You take showers at night. 21. You avoid the non-free snacks in hotel rooms. 22. You don't mind squeezing 20 people into one motel room. 23. Most girls have more body hair than you, if you are male. 24. You tap the table when someone pours tea for you. 25. You say "Aiya!" and "Wah!" frequently. 26. You don't want to wear your seatbelt because it is uncomfortable. 27. You love Las Vegas, slot machines, and blackjack. 28. You unwrap Christmas gifts very carefully, so you can reuse the paper. 29. You only buy Christmas cards after Christmas, when they are 50% off. 30. You have a vinyl table cloth on your kitchen table. 31. You spit bones and other food scraps on the table. (That's why you need the vinyl tablecloth). 32. You have stuff in the freezer since the beginning of time. 33. You use the dishwasher as a dish rack. 34. You have never used your dishwasher. 35. You keep a Thermos of hot water available at all times. 36. You eat all meals in the kitchen. 37. You save grocery bags, tin foil, and tin containers. 38. You have a piano in your living room 39. You pick your teeth at the dinner table (but you cover your mouth). 40. You twirl your pen around your fingers. 41. You hate to waste food. 42. You have Tupperware in your fridge with three bites of rice or one leftover chicken wing. 43. You don't own any real Tupperware - only a cupboard full of used but carefully rinsed margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars.

C.S. Lewis’ Reflections on the Psalms

Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis, best known for his slew of fantasy novels, Chronicles of Narnia, is undoubtedly one of the most popular and controversial Christian writers.   His unabashed use of Christian mythology and concepts in his literary works reflected the impact of his conversion late in life, though his background and interest in folklore and the occultist manage to shine through his texts time and again. In any case, it would be improper and an insult to consider Lewis a run of the mill Christian writer, whose literary products are expected to subscribe to the doctrines of the religion.   Though devoted and a staunch believer, Lewis’ intellectual take on the religion and its implications run against the grain of common Christian literature.   It is, therefore, imperative to view Lewis using this frame of mind, particularly in understanding his post-conversion writings. One must also take into consideration that Lewis’ unorthodox view of Christian teachings – though decidedly supportive and faithful – often elicits much controversy from various parties.   Being an Anglican Christian, his writings are often condemned for their perceived attack on Catholicism and Judaism.   It is with this viewpoint that most literary analysts and critiques pillory Lewis’ most controversial non-fiction Christian tome, Reflections on the Psalms. The book is the result of Lewis’ reading of the Book of Psalms in the Bible, and the result of his discussion is not as easily acceptable for most readers.   It is the culmination of both his Christian background and a genuine interest in the apparent contradiction that faith and religiosity can be the breeding ground for the worst forms of violence and anger. This study posits that C.S. Lewis’ Reflections on the Psalms is a misunderstood body of work that may not be a perfect discussion of the Book of Psalms but does represent the occasionally valid theological theories of the author himself.     Though it will be necessary to compare Lewis’ theological musings to the writings of his peers, one must take into consideration the fact that the book is essentially an encapsulation of Lewis’ own musings and comprehension of the Book of Psalms without proselytizing or seeking any religious influence over any reader. To prove this thesis, the study shall begin with a brief discussion of the contents of the book, primarily with regards to Lewis’ interests and understanding of the Book of Psalms.   Second, the study shall discuss the similarities and differences of Reflections on the Psalms as compared to other books or articles of similar vein.   Third, the study shall seek to understand the value of Lewis’ tome through its intended audience and the message he wished to deliver to his readers. Lastly, the study shall present an in-depth review of the strengths and weaknesses of the book, primarily through specific quotations from the text.   Only then can a valid judgment of the book be achieved.   It would, of course, also be a reliable standard through which the merit and validity of continued patronage for Lewis’ little known tome on the Psalms may be measured. First of all, what exactly is Reflections on the Psalms about?   In a nutshell, Lewis reads the Book of Psalms and finds both joy and fear in his readings.   He is alternately ecstatic and appalled by the combination of praise and vitriolic anger found in this Old Testament book, citing some areas as aberrations when taken against the standards of the Christian world. In the process of reviewing the Book of Psalms, however, Lewis unleashes some seriously controversial lines, such as the condemnation of Jews as worst than pagans in their vindictiveness and anger[1].   Despite his negative pronouncements about the Jews and their violent indignation, Lewis’ book also looks into the essence of praise and what it means to man. The Book of Psalms is essentially a collection of prayer songs.   These songs are filled with praise for God in the same way that man would sing praises of anything or anyone he cares about.   This concept is not lost on Lewis, who promptly dedicates a moving chapter to the power of praise.   Lewis presents a different point of view in the sense that he urges readers not to fall for the theological jargon and technicalities that essentially make the reading of the Bible tedious and academic. Rather, his main point in writing Reflections on the Psalms is to emphasize the love that drives man to sing praises to a higher power and a greater being.   It is this essence of the Book of Psalms that Lewis focuses upon, emphasizing the unique rapturous sensation that fuels the Psalmists’ songs of praise for God, even in all their imperfect glory. Lewis’ book on the Psalms, of course, is not the first or last one in the literary world.   Arthur Weiser’s The Psalms: a Commentary, for example, is a straightforward commentary on the writings in the Book of Psalms.   Without essentially dissecting the concepts within the book, Weiser presents a modern discussion of the Psalms in a manner similar to a literary addendum; his book is explanatory of the book in the context of history rather than straight theology. The result is more of an academic verse by verse explanation of the Book of Psalms.   For example, the book attempts to find a correlation between the promised power of the Israelite king and the known history of Israel.   In doing so, Weiser likens the kings of Israel to the ruler of Egypt, explaining the psalmist’s faith as a product of the historical submission to an unseen God prominent in the area during that period.[2] On the other hand, J.M. Smith’s The Religion of the Psalms is more focused on the significance of the Book of Psalms with regards to its effects on morality in the Jewish sphere.[3]   How did the Book of Psalms influence the moral and ethical standards of the Jewish community? In essence, it is less a theological discussion (as in Lewis’ Reflections on the Psalms) or a historical study (as in Weiser’s The Psalms: a Commentary) and more of a study on the ethical dimensions and impact of the Psalms.   What is most important to discuss, apart from the approach to the Book of Psalms, however, is the literary style employed by Lewis.   Both Weiser and Smith present a near clinical explanation of the Book of Psalms, rendering it completely academic in nature. With Lewis, however, the style of writing is entirely different.   Though the content may be controversial, Lewis’ writing style undoubtedly produces beautiful, free flowing prose.   Even in his damning critique of what he calls â€Å"Jewish prison of self-righteousness†, his words never fail to contain a certain degree of mastery that renders the reader speechless and enthralled. His use of imagery and metaphors – a feature not found in other studies and commentaries on the Book of Psalms – alternately brings to life the peaceful, rapturous bliss of praise and the scathing fire-and-brimstone speeches of anger and vindictiveness.   Lewis’ style leaves no room for doubt: he indicts, judges and rhapsodizes about every nook and cranny of the Book of Psalms, thereby presenting a delightful and visually stimulating analysis of the Old Testament’s ode to prayer.[4] It may be said that the style of writing itself speaks volumes about Lewis’ very message.   His use of vivid prose and occasionally harsh, unforgiving words essentially show that the book is far from a theological dissertation that begs readership from scholars of the same field alone.   Rather than an academic approach, Lewis has utilized a less formal yet no less insightful means to discuss his views of the Book of Psalms. As such, it may be surmised that the intended audience of the book are the masses – lay people who cannot be presumed to know enough of the Bible’s scholarly and theological debates.   Instead, the book is designed to appeal to and at the same time educate the ordinary people who wish to learn more of faith rather than spend their hours reciting prescribed prayers. It is a discussion made entirely accessible to ordinary people – an exercise in proletariat â€Å"education†.   It is not exactly an attempt to aid conversions or strengthen the proselytizing armies.   More importantly, Lewis does not write directly for the Christian readers, either, despite his subject matter.   Lewis’ intention is to move people towards action, towards moral indignation against illicit and immoral activities.[5] In essence, the target audience is anyone who cares about moral uprightness, and the Book of Psalms becomes a means for Lewis to deliver across his point.   Rather than a platform for theological proselytizing, the end of Lewis’ book emphasizes moral action rather than any actual alignment with any church.[6] As mentioned earlier, Reflections on the Psalms is a book both loved and hated.   First of all, its subject matter and brash approach render it quite prickly for many critics.   One significant weakness of the book is its blatant criticism against Jews that can easily be misunderstood as an attack on the Semitic community. For example, in explaining the vitriolic anger that populates parts of the Book of Psalms, Lewis indicted the Psalmists (Jews, inevitably) for their hatred and the devilish and vulgar images graphically present in the psalms.[7]   Indeed, if Psalm 9, which speaks of blessings for people who violently bash the brains of Babylonian babies, is anything to go by, Lewis is not at all far-fetched or exaggerating. Despite the reality of Lewis’ accusations of violence and sensationalism in the Book of Psalms, this becomes a weakness of his book, particularly since it is viewed as a biased indictment of one race rather than an accurate response to a literary piece.   Moreover, since Lewis is incapable of reading the original Hebrew version of the Book of Psalms, this is easily a weakening of his rhetoric. Though essentially accurate in his reaction to the contents of the Book of Psalms, his admission that he is no reader of Hebrew becomes more of a problem rather than a powerful disclosure.   While it does not entirely negate the validity of Lewis’ contentions (as reading from an English translation is also perfectly valid), it does become a thorn on the author’s side when issues of validity and objectivity arise. Perhaps in sharp contrast to this failed disclosure is Lewis’ admission that he is no theologian.   Rather than become a weakness of the study, this becomes a very powerful tool in Lewis’ defense of his writings.   As Lewis wrote, â€Å"One is sometimes (not often) glad not to be a great theologian.   One might so easily confuse it with being a good Christian†.[8]   In essence, this provides Lewis with a very good defense with regards to the allegations that he is bias on purpose, with an obviously anti-Semitic bend. Lewis does not claim any moral superiority in discussing the Psalms.   The essence of Reflection on the Psalms, therefore, is a very personal book written from Lewis’ own point of view and should not be taken as a tool for ethnic indictment or proselytizing. This concept is also highly related to the final and most significant strength of the book.   Despite claims that the book is biased and subjective, the greatest power of Reflections on the Psalms is its raw, honest discussion of the power of praise.   He wrote, â€Å"The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express that same delight in God which made David dance†[9]. It is precisely this bliss that Lewis captures perfectly in his book, rendering it a bittersweet portrayal of human flaws and the love of God that continues to inspire even the most imperfect of humans to dance for joy and sing in bliss.   Though he does present a rather negative depiction of the Jews in the early part of his book, he acknowledges their flaws as human and present in everyone.   It is their ability to connect, love and be moved by the presence of God that makes them worth and even admirable in the eyes of Lewis. BIBLIOGRAPHY â€Å"Lewis on the Psalms†, TIME Magazine, 22 September 1958; accessed on 5 May 2008 available from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,863917,00.html Lewis, C.S.   Reflections on the Psalms.   New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1958 Meilaender, Gilbert.   Things That Count: Essays Moral and Theological.   Wilmington, DE: ISI Books, 2000 Smith, J.M.   The Religion of the Psalms.   Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1922    Weiser, Arthur. The Psalms: A Commentary.   Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1962    Wood, Ralph.   â€Å"Conflict and Convergence on Fundamental Matters in C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkie [1] â€Å"Lewis on the Psalms†, TIME Magazine, 22 September 1958; accessed on 5 May 2008 available from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,863917,00.html [2] Arthur Weiser, The Psalms: A Commentary,   (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1962) 111 [3] J.M. Smith, The Religion of the Psalms, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1922), v [4] â€Å"Lewis on the Psalms†, 1958 [5] Ibid [6] Ibid [7] C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms, (New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1958) [8] Ibid., p.57 [9] Ibid., p.45

NCR Corporation Essay

NCR Corporation, known as a world leader in ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) retail checkout scanners, and check- in kiosks at airports, announced in June 2009 that it would move its world headquarters from Dayton (OH) to Duluth (GA), a suburb of Atlanta, after more than 125 years. An employer of 1,200 mostly high-salaried, profes- sional workers in Dayton, NCR was enticed to move by Georgia’s offer of more than $56.9 million in tax credits; its fast-growing, educated 25- to 34-year-old population cohort; international offices for 10 European state govern- ments; and the busiest international airport (Atlanta) in the world. aWhat qualitative research might NCR have done to reach this decision? b NCR will use its move to Georgia to downsize its world headquarters workforce. What qualitative research could help NCR determine which of its 1,200 employees will be offered positions in Duluth? Qualitative research is the type of research people use to gain insight into a problem, issue or theory. Qualitative research is an in-depth exploration of what people think, feel or do and, crucially, why. If you want to know identify human behavior and what barriers there may be to their changing that behavior, you would use qualitative research to explore those issues. Qualitative research does not give statistically robust findings. In the case of NCR and their decision to move, focus groups I think would have been utilized to form this decision. This method would have reduced the risk of researcher’s bias. A focus group is basically research that organizations do to gather information about person’s perspectives and opinions about new ideas. Focus group participants are asked questions in an interactive setting and are encouraged to discuss thoughts freely with other participants. The open and free discussions typically generate ideas and can provide a wealth of information for the business or organization. Questions asked of group participants should be based on the objectives of the project. For the decision of which employees to take in the move, one  on one interviews would be a useful qualitative research method. When qualitative research takes the form of an interview, the interviewer asks open-ended questions and simply records what the participant says. The more intimate environment allows participants to talk openly and is particularly appropriate where participants are competitors who would not agree to come together in a focus group. The individual interview is a valuable method of gaining insight into people’s perceptions, understandings and experiences of a given phenomenon and can contribute to in-depth data collection. However, the interview is more than a conversational interaction between two people and requires considerable knowledge and skill on behalf of the interviewer. (Ryan;Coughlan;Cronin,2009) 7.10 Pepsi launched a new global branding campaign based on the concept of live in the moment called â€Å"Live For Now.† It did extensive research prior to the campaign’s launch. What research should be done to determine if the campaign is resonating with worldwide audiences? Qualitative research would be the method that would be uses. Qualitative research follows a semi-structured discussion guide to ensure that all topics under consideration are covered and that the discussion stays relevant. However, the questioning is open and participants are encouraged to explore the reasons for their responses. The discussion process can reveal underlying views and motivations, behavioral triggers and barriers. It can explore reactions to messages, printed material, design features and new products, test understanding of terminology, help generate new concepts and much more. Qualitative research is usually audio-recorded and transcribed. The transcriptions form the data which is then analysed by the moderator. Groups can also be video-recorded and can also be observed in real-time at venues specially designed for that purpose. You can expect a report or a presentation of the findings supported by verbatim quotes from the participants. References Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2014). Business Research Methods. (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Frances, R., Coughlin, M., & Cronin, P. (2009). Interviewing in qualitative research: The one-to-one interview. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 16(6), 309-309.