Business Report - IT Management

Question: What is E-business? and also describe about the following: Management process and plan for IS system Challenges associated with the system Problem associated with the emerging technology Benefits associated with the e-commerce methods Answer: Introduction Companies work towards growth and achieving an edge on the competitive global market. For this, the management has to be considering the challenges involved with the operational activities, tactical factors, and strategic process. Such factors need planning as it will help in achieving progress in the competitive market. Apart from collecting information about the market condition and the preferences of the customers, it is essential to draft policies for implementing an effective information system. Almost every company carry out the operational activities through online method. This is called as e-business, wherein the organization attempts to approach maximum number of clients from different parts of the globe. The method selected for applying the information system needs to be well planned as it will help in acquiring the target set by the company. This is one of the reasons many company work towards gathering the required information through which the best information system can be applied for carrying out the operational activities. Management information system or MIS helps the experts of the company to draft and implement the right type of strategies through which the issues can be handled in the right manner (Chan, 2000). Term e-business E-business is a method through which the best applications for the business information and communication technology can be adopted. This is done to plan and execute the business operational activities in the best possible manner. Through this process, it is possible to share maximum information about the products and services that has been rendered by the company to the clients. Such a process enables the company to analyse the external factors or activities, and draft plans to develop positive relationship with the clients, stakeholders, and others who are associated with the organisation. Business promotional activities are carried out through online method. This is one of the best and most effective methods, as the company dont have to worry about incurring huge promotional expenses. Marketing process can be easily carried out through online process. The benefits associated with this process, cannot be overlooked by the management of the company. With the help of e-commerce metho d for business, it is possible by the company to improve the value chain process. Apart from this, the management can plan and implement the best strategies for exchanging of goods, services, funds, and most importantly information about the clients and the rival companies. Through this process, the companies attempt to reach out to maximum number of clients, and analyse their needs and preferences. This is one of the most important factors that are required for successful carrying out the business activities. Product development process can be improved by the company, as the necessary information for the same can be gathered and analysed by the management in the right manner. E-commerce process enables the companies to develop and implement an effective marketing strategy through which maximum number of clients from various market places can be approached (Cooper Schindler, 2008). Management process and plan for IS system The success of the business depends upon the plan drafted for implementing the IS system, within the company. Strategies for IS has been drafted and implemented as per the requirement of the company. In this process, some of the management even reconsider to reorganize the business process, through which the activities could be carried out in the right manner. IS system has to be developed and implemented as per the Information technology process that has been adopted by the company. The strategies are developed and implemented for improving the performance of the company. In this process, the expectations of the company is analysed, and the same is related with the future goals. Different tasks like analysing the customer needs, changing market trends, fluctuations in the price and others can be easily carried out through the implementation of an effective management system. In this case, it is necessary to analyse the challenges that are involved with the implementation of the proc ess. This will help the management in acquiring the desired results, without incurring high operational expenses. The strategies adopted should enable the company in carrying out the below mentioned functions Improve the effectiveness of the IT system adopted and implemented by the company Develop an effective strategy through which the preface can be improved Analyse the requirements of the company in terms of online trading and handling the challenges that are associated with handling the supply chain management system (Das, 2012). Challenges associated with the system Implementing an effective IS system within the company is an expensive affair. Thus, it is recommended to analyse the challenges that are involved with the process. Introducing an effective IT system can impact the way the business has been performed. The need for introducing an effective and workable IT system has become imperative for every organization, regardless of the size and the operational activities carried out. The system is meant to support the organizational strategy which is quite an important factor that would contribute towards the business success. Through the implementation of an effective MIS, the management can effectively carry out the below mentioned factors Implement the right type of plan Introduce the best acquisition plan (Davies, 2009). Implement the right type of strategies that would benefit the company. There is always a possibility of the proposed system to fail. In this case, the management of the company needs to plan and implement the right type of strategies that would enable the company to carry on with the operational activities. The steps involved in the implementation process have to be planned and done in the right manner. This will enable the experts of the company to analyse the challenges involved in every steps and draft the best strategies through which the problem can be easily overpowered. Some of the issues that are associated with the strategies for implementing the steps include Analyse the requirements for introducing an MIS system Draft a plan for accomplishing the task analyse the changes or the benefits that would be derived by introducing the system Costs and time involved with the process of introducing the changes. The prime objective for introducing changes with the MIS or the IS system is to develop an effective approach through which the problem can be handled in the right manner For this, the list of obstacles needs to be drafted and implemented by the company in the right manner. This will help in successful implementation of the project and accomplish the task without losing much time on the same. The challenge lies with the awareness of the system that has been proposed to be adopted by the company. In this case, the challenges have to be analysed at each stages of implementation. This would reduce the negative impact of the system that has been proposed to be introduced by the management. Many companies believe in defining the factors that can increase the success rates at the time of implementing the system. This has been done to improve the possibilities of successful introduction of the MIS (Denzin, Lincoln, 2005). The success of the e-business depends upon the security measures that have been undertaken by the company. It is quite important to protect the company and its information from known and unknown threats. The security measures planned to be undertaken by the company is quite different than the ones that are followed for the traditional methods. Information shared between the clients or the suppliers and the company needs to be protected. For this, the management of the company has to ensure that the below mentioned tasks has been effectively carried out Authenticate the data shared between different members associated with the company Secure the customer information (Gargeya, Brady, 2005). Problem associated with the emerging technology The company has to deal with different types of information that can be used at the time of planning and implementation. It is quite important to adopt an effective strategy through which the changes related to the information can be used in the right manner. For this, the technology needs to efficient enough to analyse the reliable and useful information. This has to be done with an intention of improving the planning and implementation strategies that has been adopted by the company. In this method, it is essential to ensure that the collected data are not lost in transit. It is also essential to assure that the confidential information is not changed either partially or fully during transit from one department to another. For instance, the management strategy needs to be communicated with different departments. In this process, the system needs to be efficient enough, as this will prevent any wrong sharing of the details. For this, it is essential to implement an effective data in tegrity system, which will prohibit unauthorised users from accessing the important information. Apart from this, the e-business application method has to also help the users or the company to retrieve the lost data, which is one of the most important factors (Ghauri, Gronhaug, 2005). The other concern is adopting and implementing a system that would enable the company to store in the details of the transaction for longer period of time. For this, the business or the management has to adopt and implement an assuring strategy through which the clients information and other important details can be stored and retrieved whenever required by the management. This is basically done through the adoption of the digital signature method. Such a method will always validate the occurrence of the transaction. Besides this, such a process needs to be simple and effected for the users as this can be used for future business transactions (Goddard Melville, 2004). The other important aspect of the online or e-business transaction is share the right type of information. There is much important information that has to be shared between members of certain departments. Thus, the system that has been selected by the management has to be securing the details of the information and allow access of the same to the authorised person. Such an assurance is required for the managers, clients, and the stakeholders of the company. For this, the management can propose to introduce one or few of the below mentioned strategies Provide access privileges Introduce fireball system Introduce the user identification or the authentication methods (it includes password access, digital certificates, and others. VPN or the virtual password network method (Gunasekaran, Ngai, 2004). The selection of the system needs to be done after analysing the needs and preferences of the company. Besides this, it is also necessary to analyse the process through which such a change can be implemented by the company. This is one of the most important and required steps that would contribute towards the successful business conduct. Benefits associated with the e-commerce methods There are quite a few features about e-business methods and the applications that have been used by the management. Few of them has been mentioned below 1. Cost effective - with the help of the application it is possible to make the changes in the business performance in a cost effective manner. this will help the management in acquiring the set target, without losing much time on the same 2. Introduce effective marketing plan - The success of the company depends upon the type of marketing plan that has been introduced by the management. In this process, the company needs to analyse the best methods through which the clients can be approached (Hevner et al., 2004). Conclusion The challenges involved with the implementation of the IT system has to be analysed. This will help the management in selecting the best option that would cater the needs of the company. There are many benefits associated with the process of implementing the steps that are involved with the strategies for IT system. It has to be analysed and corrective steps needs to be introduced. This will help the company in accomplishing the task, and improve the performance. Such factors have to be analysed on a regular basis, as this will help the company to select the best option through which the needs of the clients and the management can be catered in the best possible manner. References Chan S, 2000. Information technology in business processes. Business Process Management Journal, 6 (3), 224237. Cooper D Schindler P, 2008. Business research methods (International ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Das S, 2012. Applications of management information system in an organization. Paper presented at the National Seminar held on 2425 Febuary 2012 at IACS, Jadavpur, Kolkata, India. Davies P, 2009. Business information systems. New York, Palgrave Macmillan. Denzin N, Lincoln Y, 2005. The Sage handbook of qualitative research (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Gargeya V, Brady C, 2005. Success and failure factors of adopting SAP in ERP system implementation. Business Process Management Journal, 11 (5), 501516. Ghauri P, Gronhaug K, 2005. Research methods in business studies, a practical guide (3rd ed.). New York: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Goddard W Melville S, 2004. Research methodology: an introduction (2nd illustrated, revised ed.). Lansdowne: Juta and Company Limited. Gunasekaran A, Ngai E, 2004. Information systems in supply chain integration and management. European Journal of Operational Research, 159, 269295. Hevner R, March S, Park T, Ram S, 2004. Design science in information system research. MIS Quarterly, 28 (1), 75105. Hong K. K. Kim Y. G, 2002. The critical success factors for ERP implementation: an organizational fit perspective. Information Management, 40, 2540. Hyvnen T, 2003. Management accounting and information systems: ERP versus BoB. European Accounting Review, 12 (1), 155173. Kroenke D, 2007. Using MIS (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, Pearson Prentice Hall. Kumar R, 2005. Research methodology: a step-by-step guide for beginners (2nd ed.). London, SAGE. Kuruppuarachchi P, Mandal P, Smoth R, 2002. IT project implementation strategies for effective changes: a critical review. Logistics Information Management, 15 (2), 126137. Light B, Holland C, Wills K, 2001. ERP and best of breed: a comparative analysis. Business Process Management Journal, 7 (3), 216224. Loh T Koh C, 2004. Critical elements for a successful enterprise resource planning implementation in small- and medium-sized enterprises. International Journal of Production Research, 42 (17), 34333455. Mabert V, Soni A, Venkataramanan M, 2003. Enterprise resource planning: managing the implementation process. European Journal of Operational Research, 146, 302314. MacKinnon W, Grant G, Cray D, 2008. Enterprise information systems and strategic flexibility. Paper presented at the 41st Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Hawaii, USA. Merriam S, 2009. Qualitative Research: a guide to design and implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Muijs D, 2004. Doing quantitative research in education with SPSS (illustrated ed.). London: SAGE. Murthy C, 2006. Management information systems. Mumbai, Himalaya Publishing House. Nah F, Lau S, Kuang J, 2001. Critical factors for successful implementation of enterprise systems. Business Process Management Journal, 7 (3), 285296. OBrien J, 2004. Management information systems: managing information technology in the business enterprise (6th ed.). New York, McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Transformational Leadership in Human Resource Management

Introduction The business environment is highly dynamic. High stakes in management have been raised rendering the traditional management theories ineffective and compelling new revitalized approach to organizational management. The human capital is the most important agent of change, innovation, and excellence in service in today’s business environment (Burns, 1979, p. 56).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational Leadership in Human Resource Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, human resource management is no longer regarded as a factor of production but a business partner in the pursuit of the goals and objectives of organizations. This research proposal highlights the change in human resource management required given the current trends in business. Transformational leadership is the required ingredient to human resource management for effective realization of organizational goals. Discussion Organizations have realized that human capital is the most important driver for change to the extent that it facilitates the creation and maintenance of sustainable competitive advantage in an organization. Leadership style adopted by an organization is an important people management factor that the style of leadership as indicated by Bass et al. (2003, p. 102) sets the tone in every aspect of people management from performance management to organizational culture adopted and practiced everyday in the workplace. A study by Hay Foundation as explained in Berman et al. (2006, p. 99) examined over 75 components that promote employee satisfaction. It identified trust and confidence in leadership as the most important factors of promoting employee satisfaction and job commitment. The study also showed that effective communication was the most important leadership vehicle for winning workers’ loyalty, trust and confidence. The classical theories are no longer applicable in the management of people and specifically employees in organizations. These theories were autocratic and failed to realize that human capital has an important role to play in the performance and growth of an organization. Many organizations have embarked on using a modern theory of transformational leadership in managing their employees. According to Inkson Kolb (2002, p. 69), one of the theories that successful organizations have adopted in the recent past is transformational theory. Transformational theory makes possible for individuals to redefinition of vision and mission, and refocuses on their pledge and the reformation of their systems for objective achievement. â€Å"A relationship of mutual stimulation and elevation converts followers into leaders and may convert leaders into moral agents† (Samson Raft, 2008, p. 79). It is a process where leaders and followers create a mutual and collective approach to management by emphasizing upon one philosophy, vision, high standards of morality and performance. Transformational leadership style essentially transforms every worker into a leader; it is squarely pegged on egalitarian culture, empathy and self – management.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The use of this type of leadership inhuman resource management will guide organizations to higher levels of performance. The modern organization employing transformational type of leadership usually applies its four components to their management styles to produce excellent out come for the organizations. According to Samson Raft (2009, p. 80), transformational leadership can be applied in the top management of the organization. To begin with, the management should act as role models to inspire and motivate the employees. Through the application of charisma, the management will depict admirable behavior towards employees. They can also in spire and motivate their employees by coming up with vision and mission for the organization that include employees. By making the employees internalize the goals of the company, the human resource management can match the goals of organization and employees’ goals therefore making them achievable (Burns, 1979, p. 121). Human resource management ensures that there is a good compensation package for employees. According to Berman, (2006), when a company is doing well financially by generating more revenue, it commits a substantial part of it to improve the working conditions of its employees as well as raising their salaries. It also employs the best human resource personnel that manage the employee welfare well. Additionally, they improve working conditions so that employees find no reason to complain again. Through promotion strategies, employees gain a sense of belonging and they feel they are valued hence better performance of an organization. The employment of an effectiv e human resource management team is very important. Best performing organizations have efficient and effective human resource management skills. This has enabled increased communication in such organizations thus reducing the cases of employee-employer misunderstanding. According to Samson Raft (2009), an effective human resource management is vital for the dealing with case of collective bargaining. An organization with an effective human resource management rarely experiences strike. The effective management takes into consideration core values like putting the employee first. This is because the employee is a factor of production like capital and the output of the firm is because of the employees’ hard work. Therefore, the employees’ needs and values should be seriously handled (Samson Raft, 2009). The human resource management should challenge employees’ assumptions while stimulating and encouraging creativity at the work place. Above all, the employees sh ould be appreciated for their achievements. The human resource management should come up with mechanisms to recognize, appreciate, and reward extraordinary employee efforts at the work place. This will encourage more productivity and lead to higher performance of the organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational Leadership in Human Resource Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Winkler (2009, p. 145) argues that through the employment of the four major components of transformational leadership in the organization, employees will be transformed to leaders in their respective fields of work and all parties will benefit the organization, the management and the employees. The organization will increase its competitive advantage and therefore become more profitable. Higher profits will translate to higher rewards to employees and the management in terms of better compensation packages. Conclusi on The world has changed with globalization and technology transforming the business environment. Many organizations have now turned to transformational management for human resource management. This is because the use of this type of leadership enables organizations to change their employees into leaders in their field of specialization and therefore increasing the competitiveness of the organization. The four components of transformational leadership are applied in shaping the employees and matching their goals to those of the organization. The management acts as role models and employees follow, as the competitive advantage is increase leading to the benefit of all parties (the employees, the management, and the organization). References Bass, B. et al. (2003). Predicting unit performance by assessing transformational and transactional leadership. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88 (2), 207-218. Berman, M., James, S., Jonathan, P. Montgomery, W. (2006). Human Resource Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems. New York, NY: Sage Publications. Burns, J. (1979). Leadership. New York, NY: Prentice Hall. Inkson, K. Kolb, D. (2002). Management: perspectives for New Zealand. 3rd Ed. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Samson, D. Raft, R. (2009). Management: Asia pacific edition. 3rd Ed. Victoria: Cengage. Winkler, I. (2009). Contemporary leadership theories: Enhancing the understanding of the complexity, subjectivity, and dynamic of leadership. Philadelphia, PL: WB Saunders Press. 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Storm Warnings Ap Lit Sample Essay

Storm Warnings Ap Lit Sample EssayIf you are considering whether or not you should take an AP Lit exam, then you need to take the Storm Warnings Ap Lit sample essay. These tests require students to write analytical essays that compare the differences between weather, forecasts, and forecasting in a given region. You will also need to analyze how people can make such predictions given their capabilities and limitations.The Storm Warnings Ap Lit sample essay questions are particularly challenging, and you should prepare for them before taking the exam. As previously mentioned, the test includes both multiple-choice and true/false questions, and there is a detailed explanation of the type of questions that you will encounter in the exam, along with sample answers, if you click on the link below. The types of questions are very complicated, and you can prepare for them by understanding what the test taker is trying to achieve.Students should prepare by reading the sample essay questions and answers, as well as taking notes. You should also bring along a notebook or reference book to write down your thoughts and the review questions. Writing down your thoughts before testing will help you remember what you have read.The Storm Warnings Ap Lit sample essay is intended to provide a step-by-step guide to understanding the AP Lit test questions. You should review the concepts taught in the essay until you understand each one thoroughly. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with a fair amount of specialized vocabulary before testing, so that you can focus on speaking in proper English instead of speaking in a casual manner.Weather forecasting takes a lot of time and planning, as you need to collect accurate data about weather patterns. It is important to determine the effects of severe weather on specific regions. This is especially true in areas where there is a higher risk of hurricanes.It's Atmospheric Science Exam (AP Abit) is offered online. It is availabl e free online and can be taken anywhere you can access the Internet. This means that your instructor will be able to give you online classroom tutoring to help you with the exam.The topics covered in Abit include Astronomy, Business Administration, Chemistry, Earth Science, Geology, Geography, History, Meteorology, Physics, Statistics, and a bit of Geography and Astrophysics. The test includes topics that cover topics such as individual budgets, theories of gravity, and weather forecasts.In addition to the Abit sample essay, the AP Exam Prep booklet also includes information on the ABit test. You should read this booklet before taking the exam. As previously mentioned, this booklet can be found free online and can help you prepare for the AP exam.

The Case of the Bambus Essay Example

The Case of the Bambus Essay Example The Case of the Bambus Paper The Case of the Bambus Paper The Case of the Bambus The Story of the Gambus and its Evolution Yap Yuan Li Ben U0921231H AAI481 Studies in Malay Music Nanyang Technological University The Story of the Gambus and its Evolution Introduction The gambus is an omnipresent and most commonly found lute instrument in the various styles of Malay folk music. It is usually made from wood and is formed almost like a guitar but with 9 to 12 wire strings compared to the guitar’s 6 to 12 strings. There are two types of gambus, namely Gambus Melayu which is the Malay gambus and Gambus Hadhramaut which is the Arabian gambus. Both of them originate from similar backgrounds with the Gambus Melayu a modification of the Gambus Hadhramaut. Today, the gambus is recognised as a national musical instrument of Malaysia and a symbol of Malay traditional music identity (Hilarian, 2006). We will explore further in this essay the origins and evolution of gambus and its role in the Malay musical genre of zapin, hamdolok and ghazal. Gambus Melayu The slimmer and smaller pear-shaped gambus Melayu is comparable to the Yemeni qanbus. Its uniqueness is in its ornamented sickle-shaped carved pegbox that has emblems engraved into it (Hilarian, 2003). Its body is made from jackfruit tree wood and it has a goat skin belly. The strings in gambus Melayu is attached and tuned precisely similar to gambus Hadramaut (Nik Mustapha, 1998). The gambus Melayu is frequently used in Zapin and Hamdolok performances in Johor (Matusky, 1985 as cited by Ang, 2005). The sounds of the gambus Melayu can also be heard in Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak, Indonesia and Brunei (Hilarian 2006). Gambus Hadhramaut The arched-back, pear-shaped Gambus Hadhramaut is quite similar to the classical Arabian ‘ud (Hilarian, 2003). It is made from a combination of ight wood like red meranti, a type of construction timber and durian belanda. The gambus Hadramaut does not have frets and the strings are plucked and attached in double course except the 11th string. The strings are tuned in perfect 4ths beginning from the highest string from the middle C (Ang, 2005). The Transition of the Gambus from Arab to Malay Culture Studies done by Hilarian (2003, 2007) theorized t hat in the 9th century, Muslim Persian conquerors and traders brought the barbat, an early form of lute instrument, into the Malay Archipelago during their migration to Southeast Asia for entertainment purposes (Sachs, 1940). This is supported by Alatas (1985) who claimed that many Persians and Indians traded in the rich port of Klang, Selangor. The barbat was then modified by Arabs in Mecca to ‘ud and qanbus in Yemen which explains why the gambus bears a striking similarity to barbat, ‘ud and qanbus (During, 1984) down to the tuning in perfect 4ths (Lambert, 1997). In the 16th century, Portugese traders introduced folk music, plucked and bowed stringed instruments to the people of Malacca. However they did not directly influence the introduction of the gambus to the Malay world. The African, Indian and Moorish slaves present at that time integrated their influences of music together with the portugese instruments and created a fusion of music styles that included dondang saying and joget ronggang (Kartomi, 1997). Between the 17th and 18th century, the close ties amongst Johor, Riau and Aceh states via trade, commerce and inter-marriages provided a permeable barrier for gambus to enter the Malay world. Between the 19th and 20th century, the opening of Suez Canal expedited sea journeys from the Middle-East to the Malay world. Many Arabs settled in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia from Hadhramaut (Yemen) bringing along the ‘ud (Alatas, 1997). Consequently, the eminence of gambus Hadhramaut succeeded the gambus Melayu in the late 19th or early 20th century in Peninsular Malaysia. The patronage of gambus by Malay rulers, spread of Islam and the cultural convergence of people facilitated dissemination and modification of the gambus throughout the Malay world (Hilarian, 2006). Uses and Evolution of Gambus Both types of gambus are interchangeable and only one is played during a Malay ensemble performance like zapin, hamdolok and ghazal. They are usually the lead melodic instrument for these ensembles and are essential because the sound of gambus is linked to Islam and carries the essence of the Malay vibe. For example, gambus is played in Islamic singing and in taksim (solo performances) during Islamic events like Hari Raya Puasa and Haji. Moreover, the use of gambus associates the ensembles with particular genres of Malay traditional music (Hilarian, 2003, 2007). Zapin Zapin is a form of traditional dance complemented with music by rhythmic characteristics and singing. It uses the voice, the gambus, violin, harmonium, accordion, marwas and dok (Ang, 2005). Anis (1993) asserted that zapin originated from Hadhramaut and is maintained in Malaysia in its original form, named zapin Arab and as a modified form, named zapin Melayu. The zapin Melayu in Johor today is a product of intermarriage of the Arab and Malay cultures literally with modifications by the Malay community over time (Hilarian, 2003). Zapin songs reflect a blending of Malay and Islamic influences. Zapin Melayu has evolved from a group dance of solely males in zapin Arab to that of two separate rows of male and females. Adhering to the Islamic influence, the sexes do not touch during the dance. The entire zapin Melayu repertoire also reflects the love of the Malays for nature. The dance moves are inspired by chickens and fish and interpreted in stylistic refined movements including small graceful jumps. For instance, like a chicken with a broken leg (ragam anak ayam patah) or fish wriggling on mudflats. The men and women dance without shoes and adorn themselves in traditional Malay apparels. The sarong is not tied but held throughout the performance reflecting the past Malay women culture in attempts to protect their modesty. Md. Anis (1993) however is concerned with the recent situation of zapin. He argues that any changes to zapin or any other Malay genres for that matter must be sensitive to its past and values. Historically, zapin Melayu was meant for play and family entertainment. Now, with it being showcased in performances, the dance moves are exaggerated and the production glamorized with special effects. He frowns upon modern choreographs where females raise their arms too high thereby revealing parts of their arms. In addition, the attention of Malay performances today seem to focus more on fanciful costumes, superseding the beauty of the simple dance. The sarong is also hitched exposing the calves and knees, hence clashing with the original modest values of zapin. Hamdolok Hamdolok is a traditional dance theatre performance found in Johor, originating from the Middle East. It is performed during weddings and includes zapin and inang dance forms too. Instruments used include the tambourine, maracas, conga drums and gambus Melayu (Asmad 1990). Today, the use of gambus Melayu sadly remains only in hamdolok. Ghazal Ghazal, a popular music genre in Johor, is formed from the fusion of elements from two or cultures and a modification of the shared features as aforementioned of the mix between various ethnic music influences. The word ghazal in Arabic means poetry of love and it aims to serenade. The ghazal originated from India and arrived in Johor from Riau-Lingga before 1870s. Songs were formally sung in Hindi are supplemented by the sharinggi, sitar, tabla and harmonium (Ang, 2005). In Johor, ghazal has evolved. Johor players substituted the original sitar with the violin and sharinggi with gambus Melayu initially, and then with ghazal Hadramaut subsequently. Songs are now sung in Malay but still mirror its Hindustani and Persian influences prominently. The song titles are also uniquely Malay because they are written about nature and love. For instance, songs were written about the full moon and â€Å"Pak Ngah balik† meaning Pak Ngah has returned. Today, modern ghazal groups also include instruments like mandolin, guitar, flute, Japanese drum and ukulele (Mohd Ishak, 1978, as cited by Ang, 2005). Is The Gambus Gaining Popularity? 18-year-old Fauziah Suhaili from Sabah, Malaysia who recently won the Gambus Fest Female Solo performance competition faced a mountain of challenges from the start. She had to gain approval from her elders as well as earn that trust to play the gambus. Fortunately, she has received much support from the gambus community in Sabah which enabled her to achieve so much (Fauziah, n. . ). However, especially in the states of Kelantan and Trengganu, these success stories are not as prevalent with the number of gambus female players dwindling. In 1950s, numerous female players in Johor contributed significantly to the music. However, in present times, women are limited to singing in traditional musical ensembles. Similarly, in Brunei, women are discouraged to play the gambus over the last 25 years. The school of Islamic practice in Brunei also generally dissuades women from playing music or performing with men. Other than Fauziah Suhaili, it appears that our generation of youths are not interested in traditional Malay music like ghazal because of widespread dissemination of popular Western culture into the traditional music space (Hilarian, 2007). Conclusion Gambus in zapin, hamdolok and ghazal has evolved innovatively through the decades and is now an expression of Malay culture. The residual distinctive characters from its original forms are clearly evident but the profound changes allow it to be proudly called a symbol of the Malay traditional and contemporary music distinctiveness. However, traditional Malay music has not received much support from the media, especially in Singapore unlike other styles like Chinese and Indian music which has deep roots locally and are always portrayed in media for awareness. The dominance of Western music, ideals and pop culture has intruded into the Singapore’s Malay community, infringing the space of traditional Malay Music. It will be a disaster if this dying art gets killed off in our generation and that beautiful traditional Malay music we take for granted so easily would be only a myth for our future generations. Much support and efforts by the younger and older generation are needed in tandem with the media and government funding to revive this dying treasure back to its glory days. References i) Alatas, S. F. (1985). Notes on Various Theories Regarding the Islamization of the Malay Archipelago. Muslim World, 75, No. 3-4, 162-175. ii) Ang, M. K. (2005). Musical Malaysia. Retrieved October 28, 2009, from musicmall-asia. com/minni/index. html iii) During, J. (1984). In S. S. (Ed. ). The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments. London: Macmillan Publishers Limited. v) Fauziah Suhailah/ Gambus (n. d. ). Fauziah Gambus. Retrieved October 28, 2009 from http://fauziahgambus. synthasite. com/ v) Hilarian, L. F. (2003). Gambus (lutes) of the Malay World- Its Origins and Significance in Zapin Music. Presentation of paper at A Symposium in Memory of John Blacking, 12-14 July 2003, University of Western Australia. vi) Hilarian, L. F. (2006). The Folk Lute (Gambus), and its Symbolic Expression in Ma lay Muslim Culture. Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore Studies XXXII. vii) Hilarian, L. F. (2007). The Migration of Lute-Type Instruments to The Malay-Muslim World. Presentation of paper at the Conference of Music in The World of Islam, 8-13 August 2007, Assilah. viii) Kartomi, Margaret J. (1984) . Gambus.. The New Groves Dictionary of Musical Instruments, (ed. ) Stanley Sadie, London: Macmillan, No. 2, 9-10. ix) Lambert, J. (1997. La medecine de l. ame, Hommes et Musiques. Paris: Societe d. ethnologie, France x) Matusky, P. (1982). Music from Malaysia. Resound. I/4: 1-2. xi) Matusky, P. (1982). Musical Instruments and Musicians of the Malay Shadow Puppet Theater. Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society. VIII(1982): 38-68. ii) Mohd. Anis Md. Nor. (1993). Zapin-Folk Dance of the Malay World. London: Oxford University Press. xiii) Mohd Ishak Abdul Aziz. (1978). Ghazal. Kuala Lumpur: Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan. xiv) Nik Mustapha Nik Mohd. Salleh (1998). Alat Muzik Tradisional Dalam Masyarakat Melayu Di Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Kementerian kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Pelancongan Malaysia. xv) Pickens, L. (1975) Folk Musical Ins truments of Turkey. London: Oxford University Press. xvi) Sachs, C. (1940). The History of Musical Instruments. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. Publishers.

The Development Of Children's Thinking Related To Mathematics Research Paper

The Development Of Children's Thinking Related To Mathematics - Research Paper Example Specifically addressing the cultural disparities, rather than focusing on elements of irrelevant ethnicity or dismissing merely because of socio-economic issues will help to find solutions for the problem as it is restructured for the reasons that these disparities occur, rather than unrelated assumptions (Bodovski & Farkas, 2007). When specifically researched, the disparities due to ethnic diversities, especially between Caucasians and African Americans, the differences can be measured because of the experiences that African American students have in classrooms where they are treated as if they will not learn the information, leaving them in a position where they are not encouraged, are not given adequate attention, nor expected to achieve. The disparities that are observed among children when demographic information is used in regard to ethnicity shows a wide achievement gap between Caucasians and Asians when compared to children who are African American and Latino. Culture, on the other hand, is far more influential than any other aspect of a child's life on how they will approach their education. Research, it appears, has been focused on the wrong criteria for interpreting the data. New information that has been observed for the reasons why children of different ethnicities have different levels of achievement relies on the experiences that children have within their own cultures in regard to learning in combination with the experiences that they have with learning opportunities within the school systems.

Auto world case study- Service Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Auto world case study- Service Marketing - Essay Example Empathy- personalized attention to loyal and regular customers. Separate database maintenance will be established for regular customers who come for routine check up of their cars and no need for them to stand in a queue. Assuming that manual service writing has been replaced with computerized system of entering service orders and creation of database of regular customers with oil and maintenance routine has been put in place at Auto World, the service blueprint will be worked out as follows: (Appendix 2) (Bitner, Ostrom and Morgan 2008) The new service strategy for enhancing service would be to segregate the routine and emergency service customers on the basis of maintained database. As a result, routine customers will be asked to fill a form and let go after taking their cars. Emergency customers would have to detail the service writer about the problem and then place the order. As stated already, cars and their servicing are marked by greater intangibility and thus, bettering this component of the business will definitely bring benefits to Carol. Recovering from service failure will encompass timely deliveries, increased attention to customer expectations and deciding upon who should be involved at which stage and in which process of service delivery (Boshoff 1997). As obvious from case facts, annoying behavior of employees has been a key factor in the failure and bad experience of service in Auto World (Lovelock, Wirtz & Chew 2009). As such, tangible offering will have to be coupled with more of intangible aspects to deliver an optimum service and product mix. One bad service experience in car servicing is error in delivering the worked upon car. For instance, whether manual or computerized entry system, a car was to be delivered to the customer on a specific date but when the customer asked the service agent to confirm the date, it was told incorrect by error. As a result, the customer had to wait

Christian Apologist Essay Example for Free

Christian Apologist Essay Included in the 10 most influential Christians of the 20th century alongside Karl Barth, Pope John XXIII, Martin Luther King Jr, and Billy Graham, the Christian History magazine named him the atheist scholar who became an Anglican, an apologist, and a ‘patron saint’ of Christians everywhere. He was also dubbed as an â€Å"apostle to the skeptics† because he resolutely answered frequent objections individuals had when it came to accepting Christ as their Savior (christianodyssey. com). Born into a Protestant family in Ireland on November 29, 1898, C.   S. Lewis was the son of A. J. Lewis, a solicitor, and Flora Augusta, a promising mathematician. He bore a lonely and unhappy childhood. Especially crushed by the death of his mother due to cancer when he was nine years old, Lewis was left disheartened with God (christianodyssey. com). Lewis came to reject Christianity at an early age, becoming an affirmed atheist. He reasoned that Christian myths were mediocre and that the Christian god must be a sadist (about. com). Whilst being inquired about his religious view, C. S.  Lewis labeled the worship of Christ and the Christian faith as one mythology among many. (christianodyssey. com). Lewis was married to Helen Joy Davidman. She was a Jewish American with two children of her own. Davidman was good-natured and shared her husband’s joy in argument. Sadly, she died of cancer in 1960 (kirjasto. htm). After a prolonged period poor health and sporadic recovery, Lewis himself died on November 22, 1963 (christianodyssey. com). Fondly called Jack by his loved ones, Lewis was a well-known professor at both Oxford and Cambridge. Lewis’ 25 books on Christian topics include Mere Christianity (1952), The Problem of Pain (1940), Miracles (1947), The Screwtape Letters (1942), Surprised by Joy (1955) and The Great Divorce (1945). The Pilgrim’s Regress (1933) was about his own experience while on his way to conversion (christianodyssey. com). In The Problem of Pain (1940), it is asked, If God is good and all-powerful, why does he allow his creatures to suffer pain? Here, Lewis reasoned that the wrong choices people tend to make usually account for the suffering they are eventually faced (kirjasto. htm). Here we see that Lewis is trying to give rational answers to queries people have without completely basing it on blind faith. Critics usually look for an understanding based on the cause-and-effect principle. The Chronicles of Narnia has turned out to be the most lasting of Lewiss novels. It retells the story of the Creation, the fall and redemption of humanity and also includes other Christian themes in allegorical form. The portal to Narnia, a version of Paradise, is a wardrobe through which four sibling children enter this secondary world. In the first story the bad Witch is destroyed in a battle. The final books deal with Narnias beginning and end. In the last Armageddon story, with its death-and-resurrection theme, the struggle was between a king and the forces of evil (kirjasto. htm). We need to understand here that if readers can understand the mechanics of Narnia and how the plot of this story works with the inclusion of certain Christian themes, they can better understand Christian beliefs from a more objective point of view and accept it. The same point of view they read and understood The Chronicles of Narnia. Lewis presented the basic teachings of orthodox Christianity — teachings he labeled â€Å"mere Christianity† (inplainsite. rg). Lewis went on British radio between 1942 and 1944. His discussions during those years were on what he called mere Christianity, that is, the universal and most doctrinal beliefs of the faith. This very collection of radio talks were later tied together in one of Lewis’ most influential books, Mere Christianity (christianodyssey. com). Lewis’s project in this book was to defend â€Å"mere Christianity,† or the most essential basics of the Christian faith, against unbelievers. (leaderu. com) Lewis based his defense of Christianity on an argument from morality. The Moral Argument states that there is a universal â€Å"moral conscience† amongst all human beings. Everybody possesses an internal sense of moral obligation to realize the difference between right and wrong and choose to do what is right. Lewis ascertains that the existence of this common â€Å"moral conscience,† can only be the consequential result from the existence of a god who created all humans. (about. com). C. S. Lewis disputed for reason-based Christianity as opposed to faith-based Christianity. This is a questionable decision on Lewis’ part because conventional Christianity is indisputably faith-based. Lewis’ principal readers were supposed to be skeptics and atheists rather than current believers. Skeptics doubt for lack of reason and evidence; therefore, only reason and evidence is more likely to draw their reconsideration. In his book, Mere Christianity, Lewis writes: â€Å"I am not asking anyone to accept Christianity if his best reasoning tells him that the weight of the evidence is against it. † (about. com). One of Lewis’ most-often-quoted statements is from Mere Christianity, where he uses reason and logic to introduce three possibilities to us (often known as the Lewis trilemma). According to this trilemma, either Jesus really was God and intentionally lying, or was not God but reckoned himself to be (which would make him a lunatic). Mere Christianity goes on to say that the latter likelihood is not consistent with Jesus character and it is, therefore, most likely that he was being truthful A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. - Mere Christianity (christianodyssey. com). As mentioned earlier in this paper, C. S. Lewis’ readings are mostly meant for critics and unbelievers of the Christian faith. It is not designed for Christians who have accepted Lord Jesus as their Savior because they do not need to be convinced through reason-based writings about Christianity. Lewis was very interested in presenting a reasonable case for the truth of Christianity. I chose C. S. Lewis for my Apologetics term paper because I had always known this personality as the author of my favorite books. Years later, I was overwhelmingly surprised the depth of these novels in correlation to Christian concepts of Creation, Paradise and Armageddon. The applications of Lewis’ teachings can be seen in his Christian writings. They all lean towards reason, approaching Christianity as a religion that has factual grounds in addition of those relying on faith. C. S. Lewis believed the best apology for Christianity was the life of a believer and the way we live our lives. Non-Christians are more likely to be attracted to Christianity through the non-verbal acts and conduct of our life. However he also believed in verbal apologetics. Lewis believed Christianity was rational but at the same time was ultra-rational, i. e. that it was supernatural and divine and went way beyond the limits and scope of rationality (thatimayknowhim. o. uk). Lewis even believed in theistic evolution. In The Problem of Pain he wrote, â€Å"If by saying that man rose from brutality you mean simply that man is physically descended from animals, I have no objections†¦. For long centuries God perfected the animal form which was to become the vehicle of humanity and the image of Himself. He gave it hands whose thumbs could be applied to each of its fingers, and jaws and teeth and the throat capable of articulation, and a brain sufficiently complex to execute all material motions whereby rational thought is incarnated. The creature may have existed for ages in this state before it became man†¦. We do not know how many of these creatures God made, nor how long they continued in the Paradisal state† – The Problem of Pain (svchapel. org) The uniqueness of Lewis’ writings is fairly obvious. In comparison to other apologists, Lewis appealed to the reader’s emotions and sense of imagination. He, therefore, wanted to write about the essence of Christianity by reflecting upon its poignant, visual and imaginative side in its rational coherence. He wanted for the reader to taste the beauty of the faith; to draw the reader into the magnificent story of God’s salvation, to submerge him/her into the universe of Christianity. Many Christians testified that they started to seek heaven only after reading Lewis’ works. The way he is able to depict heaven and the spiritual world enabled the reader to truly understand the gift of Heaven that awaits us (euroleadershipresources. org). It is from C. S. Lewis that we need to learn that the kind of language used to explore God and the content of Christian faith is a matter of epitome importance. The human language has the potential to mediate feelings and understanding on an extremely poignant level. If implemented correctly Christian apologists need to be excited for themselves because of the relationship they are in with God. This very excitement on such a personal level will only help them better to find the right words and literary expressions needed to present the Christian faith. In this way, thanks to C. S. Lewis, Apologetics will become an effective personal testimony of God’s salvation (euroleadershipresources. org).