Crime Prevention and Safety

Society s Fruit By Haggard Witches - 1065 Words

Society’s Fruit At first glance, Befana and the â€Å"evil†, haggard witches previously discussed in English literature appear to be identical individuals. However, upon taking a closer look, one would realize that Bafana is everything the stereotypically evil witch is not despite the fact that they are physically comparable down to the broomstick. Italian children would not regard her as an evil character, they rather relate her to Santa Clause during Christmastime. Her cheery nature and gift giving abilities overcome all judgments about her appearance, transforming her into the beloved â€Å"good witch† Italian Christians esteem today. Curiously enough, even though the witches discussed in English literature take after a very similar appearance, they are not esteemed and certainly not celebrated. This uncovers a sense of hypocrisy among the Christian history that will certainly be discussed further on in the essay. Opposing opinions in the elderly due to cultur al and religious backgrounds cause society, such as in the Puritan and Italian cultures, to produce different fruits of the matching image of a witch. Befana is a beloved â€Å"good witch† notable in Italy around the Christian Feast of Epiphany (January 6th) which celebrates the revelation of God’s son as a human being in Jesus Christ. She is unlike any other witch one studied this semester. What is peculiar about her, is that she is described as haggard, dirty, and old as the previously discussed witches, yet she is celebratedShow MoreRelatedCalculus Oaper13589 Words   |  55 Pageshtm Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence †¨ Adrienne Rich    Adrienne Rich s essay constitutes a powerful challenge to some of our least examined sexual assumptions. Rich turns all the familiar arguments on their heads: If the first erotic bond is to the mother, she asks, could not the natural sexual orientation of both men and women be toward women? Rich s radical questioning has been a major intellectual force in the general feminist reorientation to sexual matters

ERP Software and Vendor Selection Systems

Question: Discuss about the ERP Software and Vendor Selection Systems. Answer: Introduction Information technology has drastically changed todays business environment which in turn has caused organisation around the world to enhance their business practices especially operation procedures in order to remain relevant and competitive. Enterprise resource planning is an example of a response given by the industry to meet the ever changing operational challenges (Tsai, Lee, Chen, Hsu Lin, 2009). However, ERP systems are usually a heavy and important investment to an organisation, which like any other investment is filled with risks. Therefore, the selection of a certain ERP package takes time and certain processes in order to meet the needs of an organisation. Implementation of these systems requires research, analysis and evaluation to determine the software that best meets the needs of a given organisation. Furthermore, the decisions made by an organisation affect the purchases and operational costs which eventually determines the overall returns (Iulian Mihalca, 2007). In essence, a careful and strategic plan must be used to determine the ERP system. Nevertheless, this selection process is filled with challenges, challenges that test the suitability of the system as well as the organisation itself. These challenges and their possible solutions are the focus of this report. An overview of an ERP Selection process According to Motiwalla and Thompson (2012), understanding the needs of an organisation is the first and most important step in selecting an ERP system. Moreover, it is also through this process that an organisation is able to determine a suitable vendor. It is also through these requirements that an organisation lays down the plans for the selection process, an integral part of ERP integration. In most cases, most organisation will hire a specialised firm in the field to conduct the selection process in order to reduce the overall operational costs and to minimise errors in the process. However, regardless of the direction followed by an organisation two steps always followed, they are product identification and product evaluation (Page, 2013). Product Identification This step will often have three main items i.e. identification of the user requirements, research on vendors and requesting for bids from all possible vendors. Moreover, it is at this stage that the functionality (service and system ability), technical architecture, and cost of the ERP system are determined. Based on these requirements, research is then conducted on vendors that meet the needs of the organisation and can deliver on the said services (Iulian s Mihalca, 2007). Product Evaluation Having established the vendors, an analysis is done to determine the vendors that satisfy the needs of the organisation. These vendors must meet the functionality requirements among other factors such as the cost implications. In addition to this, evaluations are done on the agreements (contracts) more so the system licence agreements that determine the authorization accorded to the organisation by the system developer. Challenges and Issues of the selection process Several challenges and issues emerge in the processes discussed above, however, unlike popular perceived they are not completely technical and can be easily solved through strategic planning as well as through comprehensive communication. From the processes highlighted above, its clear to see how extensive and complex an ERP implementation is in an organisation. This complexity in itself is an issue that an organisation must deal with to succeed. Moreover, this complexity is only simplified through strategic procedures meant to meet the end objectives. However, one notable issue faced by most organisation in the selection process is the lack of patience and the immediate desire to implement the entire ERP system at one instance. This outlook causes failure which turns a system into a loophole rather than a business advantage (Kripaa, 2011). Secondly, ERP implementation is more than introducing a management software, in fact, its more of a re-evaluation of a company to transform its practices to meet the demands of the market. These adjustments/evaluations need the commitment of the top management who consider the implications of the proposed changes. However, because the ERP system is more of a technical process, most organisations will hand these projects to the technical team who implement system based on technical prowess rather than business implications. In the end, the requirement specifications and cost implications are tailored to meet the technical requirements while ignoring the business implications (Kripaa, 2011). On the other hand, the lack of proper analysis procedures to assess the system requirements and to train the essential personnel impairs the overall functionality of the ERP system. Fundamentally, this is a technical issue that most selection processes go through where organisations fail to adequately invest in technical experts and instead rely on unqualified individuals to carry out the initial system assessment. Such limitations end up costing an organisation more money than initially estimated. Moreover, they interfere with the logical flow of investments as the organisation is forced to continuously pay for solutions to recurring problems caused by these limitations (Carpenter, 2016). System compatibility is another issue faced by organisations in the implementation process. A common trend seen today sees companies adopt single ERP systems to manage their entire operations. This enormous requirement creates an integration challenge as the system is forced to cater for all needs of the organisation. Furthermore, many companies today are versatile in nature having different departments with different functionalities, this contributes to the overall problem of creating a single solution that meets the demand. Moreover, it contributes to the complexity of the selection process as the organisation is faced with many unrelated variables. In addition to this, consider the changes that are forced upon an organisation in order to meet the basic requirements of an ERP solution. These changes may serve as a challenge because the flexibility of the organisation is affected by the conformity of the industrial standards set by the system design. Furthermore, implementing and ERP system means re-engineering the processes associated with a business. These drastic changes may prove detrimental to an organisation as the people involved may fail to agree on the conditions set by these changes hence, affecting the overall outcome of the implementation process (Kripaa, 2011). Finally, management issues, especially at the initially phase of the selection process, can lead to cost overheads and poor investment procedures. In this case, the system adopted develops functionality issues such as speed and compromised security. To cater for these deficiencies in the system, the organisation is forced to pay for extra services to deal with the compromised system. As seen before, these solutions end up being setbacks that reduce the overall productivity of a business rather than empower it in a competitive market. Recommendation According to Sage vice president Erik Kaas (2012), strategic planning is the essential elements of winning in an ERP project. Up front, planning helps avoid the confusion of choosing the right system based on the requirements determined by the initial evaluation process. In addition to this, an organisation should conduct an internal audit of all the processes and even policies to determine the system requirements. These requirements are then used to accurately determine the vendors who satisfy the organisations needs. However, these initial decisions should be made in collaboration with the all the stakeholders of a business, especially top management (Schiff, 2014). Secondly, consult far and wide to establish multiple contacts with ERP vendors as well as the services they offer. This versatility in options will avoid functionality restrictions once the ERP solution is implemented. Furthermore, it will help improve the organisations understanding of the proposed system. According to MorganFraklin Corp (2014), more 60 percent of all organisations, today dont understand the features they use in their ERP systems. Therefore, having multiple options will help improve a companys understanding so as to choose the best option. This point retaliates the importance of early selection procedures more so, those that offer multiple solutions. Moreover, having these options will also enable an organisation to seek the most qualified individuals to deal with the implementation of the technical aspects of the selection process (Page, 2013). Finally, approach the implementation process as a support project and not as a solution to all (end to end) problems faced by an organisation. ERP systems are designed to support the management unit within an organisation based on the information provided to them. They are never supposed to absorb all the logistics of a business and thus meet all the functionality requirements. If this basic concept is understood, ERP integration and optimisation is done conveniently with minimal issues as the objectives are clearly understood (Motiwalla Thompson, 2012). Conclusion ERP solutions have improved business today as they help integrate the different aspects of an organisation into one common unit. This integration improves the flow of information, making an enterprise quicker and more efficient. However, these enhancements are dependent on the ERP system itself and processes used to integrate it into a business. Therefore, the selection process is more important than the capabilities of the solution. Poorly implemented solutions end up being liabilities and not improvements to existing business infrastructure. Such liabilities end up being added disadvantages to the survival of a business. However, an ERP solution that is properly managed and implemented with the best strategic procedures contribute to the survival of a business and helps beat rivals in a competitive market. References Carpenter. L. (2016). Common Challenges of ERP Software Implementation. Channel. Retrieved 25 January, 2017, from: https://www.nchannel.com/blog/common-challenges-with-erp-software-implementation/ Iulian. A. U Mihalca. R. (2007). Criteria for the selection of ERP software. Informatica Economic. 2(42). Retrieved 25 January, 2017, from: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/6612434.pdf Kripaa. A. (2011). 7 Common Challenges Faced in ERP Implementation. Ramco. Retrieved 25 January, 2017, from: https://blogs.ramco.com/7-common-challenges-faced-in-erp-implementation Motiwalla. L Thompson. J. (2012). Enterprise systems for management. Retrieved 25 January, 2017, from: h222767.temppublish.com/Enterprise_Systems/motiwalla_esm2e_pp_06.ppt Osintsev. A. (2016). The 5 Biggest Challenges When Implementing ERP for the First Time. Technology evaluation centres. Retrieved 25 January, 2017, from: https://www3.technologyevaluation.com/research/article/the-5-biggest-challenges-when-implementing-erp-for-the-first-time.html Page. C. (2013). How to select an enterprise resource planning system for small and medium enterprises. University of Oregon applied information management program. Retrieved 25 January, 2017, from: https://ce.uoregon.edu/aim/Capstone1Perm/Page20132014.pdf Schiff. J. L. (2014). 9 Tips for Selecting and Implementing an ERP System. CIO from idg. Retrieved 25 January, 2017, from: https://www.cio.com/article/2458889/enterprise-resource-planning/9-tips-for-selecting-and-implementing-an-erp-system.html Tsai. W, Lee. P, Chen. S, Hsu. W Lin. T. (2009). A study of the selection criteria for enterprise resource planning systems. International journal business and systems research. 3(4). Retrieved 25 January, 2017, from: https://msbfile03.usc.edu/digitalmeasures/wtlin/intellcont/09Tsai%20Selection%20Criteria%20ERP-1.pdf

Minority free essay sample

I am a young 23 year old Hispanic girl, I am not married nor do I have kids. I am working towards my degree, live on my own, I have a decent Job, and do not depend on my parents. But as a minority I face the challenge of negative labels in many places I go. I especially deal with them when I am with my 4 nieces and nephews (age range from 6 months-10 years old) in public places. People think I am a typical Latina which includes: being a dropout with no education, four kids (that may be from at least 2 different fathers), no Job, no goals in life, etc. The biggest problem I have faced eing a minority is, being able to overcome negative stereotypes and being able to outweigh statistics. According to statistics from cdc. gov, in 2010, 23. 2% of elementary and high school students were Hispanic, but only 6. 2% of college students were Hispanic. Meaning that Hispanics are not going to college after high-school. This research paper will investigate how people treat me when I am alone and when I am with my four nieces nephews, and how the differences reflect among gender, race, and age. II. Method I utilized a type of participant observation known as complete observation. Playing he role of a complete observer, I observed and recorded the positive and negative, acknowledgement towards me with and without kids, I also observed and recorded the different looks and conversations I was able to get with and without the kids, based on three criteria: gender, race, age. The Setting I selected a very busy mall called NorthPark Center Mall, located in North Dallas off of Central Expressway. I chose this mall for several reasons. First, it is an easy place to view different types of genders, race and age groups. Second, it has several stores that I am able to go into and quickly be able to note the differences among who nters the stores according to gender, race, and age. Lastly, I chose this particular mall because it is huge, containing over 200 stores restaurants, which helped to maximize my potential for observation. Observation Strategy To avoid looking obvious, I observed no longer than 20 minutes anywhere from one central benches located in different areas of the mall, different types of stores which included: Forever 21, Nordstrom, Bebe, Disney Store, Loft, and LEGO, and restaurants inside the mall that included: Luna de Noche Tex-Mex Grill, Hibachi-San, and Maggiands Little Italy, I also observed when walking inside the mall from 2 different ntrances which were from Nordstrom Macys. Moving around from place to place was the only way I could observe discreetly and accurately given the amount of information I had to record for all the individuals. Other ways I considered observing included dressing very poorly maybe with ripped shirt and shorts and my nephews not groomed, not clean, and also the total opposite, also trying to make as much eye contact with someone as much as possible, facial expressions, different conversations as people passed by me in the different entrances, benches, restaurants, stores I isited. These strategies were all possible, because doing so allowed me to record valuable information and observe from the different locations and able to note the differences among gender, race, and age. I observed on five different days Monday at 7pm (alone), Wednesday at 5pm (witn my nephews nieces), Friday at Oam (alone), Saturday at 5pm (with nephews and nieces) and Sunday at 12pm. I chose to observe on two weekdays and on the weekend and also at different types to be able to diversify my research which allowed me to make a more complete investigation. Therefore, I observed on 3 different weekdays Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, which according to a mall cop those are days that an older crowd tend to visit. I also chose the weekend because thats when a more diverse population tends to go and do their shopping. However, according to my own observations it varies among the time, what age groups go since NorthPark is so huge it is very diverse at ALL days and times of the week. That is why I chose different times of the day, ranging from 10am-7pm. I also chose that time range because I believe that vastly different groups of society re active at different times of the day. For example, elders tend to wake up extremely early and go walk some miles at the mall as opposed to a younger crowd that typically go to school or work during the morning time and do their shopping at later times. I believe that by observing at various days and times of the week, I included a more representative sample of the population. Categories and Measurements I based my observations on gender, race, and age, because I believe these criteria highly influence the different looks, facial expressions, comments, manners among people towards me. I chose these three because they are easily determined viewed, and therefore more accurate to measure, although age and race were sometimes hard to determine. One other category I considered measuring was socio- economic status. Although I believe that this may be an important contributing factors to the topic, I decided against using it because I couldnt find a way to accurately determine how wealthy a person is based on a single observation. To determine age and race, I used obvious physical characteristics I could observe to classify a person, such as skin/eye/hair color, style, and language accent if any. For this topic, there wasnt a way to measure exact proximity. I only observed people that actually noticed me no farther than about 2 feet. Ill. Findings Altogether I made a total of 12 observations at different times over 5 separate days. After observing about 200 people that entered the various places inside the mall I observed, I found that more that almost every one of the persons I observed actually said hello smiled at me while I was alone. Less than half, looked at me with a confused face, did not smile, and commented something to the other person they ere with while I was with my 4 nieces and nephews. I found that the day or time didnt matter the huge difference I observed was the gender, age, and race of the people I observed. I found that 60% of males and only 40% females acknowledged me in a positive way, with a smile, opened the door for me while I was alone. The percentages were reversed when I was with my nieces and nephews, only 40% of males and 60% females acknowledged me in a negative way, didnt open the door, made comments or facial expressions towards me and the kids. Race During my research I chose to observe only whites and Atrican-Americans. I tound that 90% of all Whites and African-Americans acknowledged me positively while alone. While I was with the kids it changed drastically, 80% whites and 40% of all blacks acknowledged me in a negative way even when I smiled at each and every one of them. Age When it came down to age, it was a very broad type of positive and negative acknowledgment. Age ranges from 15-60 years old, overall I received positive acknowledgement while I was alone of more than 50% male, blacks from ages 15-60 years old and only about 10% showed negative acknowledgement towards me with the kids. Female, whites, between the ages of 15-45 years old over 40% acknowledged me in a positive way whole I was alone, while 70% acknowledged me an a negative way while I was with the kids. Also, I found that I received much more attention from everyone including cashiers from the various places I was in, when I was with the kids especially when they were not groomed. V. Discussion Implications Through my observations I found overall I had a more negative acknowledgement from Whites, females and males. A more positive acknowledgement from Black, males females. Also, according to my research elders are more likely to stereotype and cknowledge me negatively when I walk around with my nephews and nieces. While I was alone more than half actually acknowledged me while I was alone. Although gender, age, and race statistics are interesting, I see no real-world application for this information to this situation. As it all varies from the different places that you visit. As stated earlier I chose NorthPark because it would allow me to see a more diverse crowd. Proximity, on the other hand, seems to play a significant role, a man or female no matter the race is very likely to open the door for me while coming in through an ntrance with the kids, especially with a stroller. On the other hand, while I was alone males are more likely to open then the door then females. Solutions In reality there is no true solution that I can provide, that will allow me to be seen in a positive way with or without kids. The only thing I can suggest to my Hispanic, single ladies is to not worry about negative stereotypes or acknowledgements and overcome the bad stats, work hard towards career, not to get married at an early age, and work twice as hard as any other race. V. Conclusions Altogether, this paper exposed several previously unknown facts about the different ttitudes, positive negative acknowledgements that people in general have towards young, Hispanic women. What I found much interesting was the fact that I never imagined getting so many bad looks, with kids. I always believed Id be more respected in public when I was with kids, especially because I could blend in as a single mother. If I could I would raise a program to assist young Hispanic women to overcome all stereotypes as they are growing up. As I stated earlier there isnt a solution that I could recommend to avoid stereotypes. Only to work towards goals and dreams, and never give up!