Design of an Application for the Visualisation of Raw Data Free Essays

Abstraction Visual image is really of import for acquiring attending and tells the message in an impressive manner. Our application helps to plan the information and visualise it in different charts, even customization is possible. It provides an effectual manner of communicating to the mark audience. We will write a custom essay sample on Design of an Application for the Visualisation of Raw Data or any similar topic only for you Order Now Application helps to change over research natural information in ocular signifier for better analysis. Application helps to bring forth attractive ocular and synergistic charts. Large set of informations eg study, research etc or informations saved in any signifier eg excel, cloud platforms etc can be integrated and converted. Even unrecorded informations set integrating is possible. Application provides different types of chart customization features eg belongingss, colour, text, drag amp ; bead etc. Predefined templets can be managed or used for better apprehension. Our application besides provides different sharing options and coaction. Multiple peoples can join forces and work on the same research. Application can be unrecorded integrated with different societal media, progress sharing through mail, URL is besides provided. Branding option for branding visual image is besides provided. 1. Introduction 1.1 Project Description The Real-time information visual image can supply significant and noticeable return for companies that use these tools efficaciously. Wielding informations in existent clip can be highly advantageous for organisations of all sizes and acrossindustries, as this ability certifies employees with the resources they need to utilize best public presentation in severalscenarios. At the similar clip, organisations can non anticipate to merely roll up the information into vision without the right proficient tools. This will run the demand for ocular informations find engineerings ; alternatively the critical informations are easier to understand. A new Aberdeen bunch study of over 200 concern executives highlighted the impact ofreal-time information visual image toolsinthe workplace. The research found that companies using period of clip solutions are able togather cardinal informations among a finite measure of clip 22 per centum more oftenthan organisations without real-time platforms. In another words, concerns with real-time information visual image technics are more often able to do better determinations alternatively of trusting purelyon inherent aptitude. This creates infinite for clear competitory advantages. In add-on, companies that is besides able to acquire batch of out of their overall concern intelligence ways, to supplying value on the topographic point with the usage of real-time informations visual image solutions. Harmonizing to the Aberdeen Cluster, 71 per centum of houses utilizing real-time or period image platforms even have ad-hoc analytical services that enable assorted groups throughout the work point in their ownership to take full advantage of the information. Real-time informations visual images are besides ready to supply merely distinguishable returns. The study found that approximately 26 per centum of companies utilizing these solutions in topographic point were ready to verify new grapevine histories, whereas 15 per centum were ready to bring forth a batch of gross through optimized tools. Another 10 per centum of companies with real-time information visual image platforms were ready to diminish extra in operation monetary values, which may ease decision-makers, invest in extra significant undertakings without lay waste toing the stone underside line. Experts normally agree that visual image engineerings could besides be really helpful for corporations that are encompassing the big informations phenomenon and made to cover with more and more complex and advanced information sets. Because the power of traveling rapidly and easy is indispensable in this fast traveling competitory corporate universe, executives has to supply their work forces in real-time solutions which will change over natural informations into merely understood penetration every bit early as possible. Even advanced analytics are acquiring to be portion of the equation, organisations that uses these tools in add-on to visual image platforms that makes easy-to-digest dataimagerywill possible themselves to recognize in a better manner to win and acquiring benefits over compete companies missing thesemethods. Datas analysis Data analysisis the procedure of analyzing and summarizingdatawith the purpose to pull out usefulinformationand develop decisions. Data analysis is closely associated with informations processing ; howeverdata processing tends to concentrate on larger informations sets with less emphasis on makinginference, and sometime uses the information that was chiefly collected for a distinguishable intent. Instatistical applications, some people divide informations analysis intodescriptive statistics, exploratory informations analysis, andinferential statistics ( orconfirmatory informations processing ) , wherever the EDA dressed ores on detecting new option within the information, and CDA on corroborating or disproof bing decision. There are two types of Data analysis: Exploratory informations analysis ( EDA ) : It is an attack to analysing information for the purpose of formulatinghypothesesvalue testing, complementing the tools of typicalstatisticsfor proving hypotheses. Qualitative informations analysis ( QDA ) orqualitative researchis that analysis of non-numerical information, for illustration words, images, observations, etc. Aims The aim of our application is Decision shapers at assorted degree has to welcome information visual image package tool, as batch of information is stored and processed, that helps them to see analytical consequences given visually, happening comparative factors over the 1000000s of variables, communicate factors and decision to others, and it besides read the longer term. Because of the method the human encephalon grips information ; the people can easy and rapidly acquire the mean for big informations points when they are displayed utilizing charts and graphs alternatively of maintaining spreadsheets over hemorrhoids or merely reading pages of studies. Judge the information you are trying to see, together with its size and cardinality ( the individualism of informations values in a column ) . Find what you are traveling to visualise and what type of information you are seeking to pass on. Have a ocular that will supply the information in the simplest and better signifier for your audience. Data visual image is a work of art, and there will be several graphical techniques which can be used to assist people to acquire the narrative, their informations is stating. Faculties Connection Application provides four different options for uploading user’s dataset. Excel Spreadsheet Google Spreadsheet API Users new informations set Tool Tool option provides different type of options as charts formats, templets so visual image can be done really fast. Chart options provided are listed below- Barroom Stacked Barroom Ringing Half-Ring Area Jazz band Line Column Stacked Column Pie Charts- Embed Code: user can copy and glue into user’s web site or web log Uniform resource locator: sharing can be done with URL Social media sharing: charts can be shared on the societal media with the aid of different sharing options. SEO: Even the charts can be used for SEO labeling Live: Application helps to print unrecorded charts Customized Templates Templates can be organized and used harmonizing to the demand, following customization can be done- breadth and tallness background colour line colour line thickness fount colour fount size Grid line colourss and grid line thickness Data series colourss direction Title direction Formating Tool Items can be modified by fount, colour, breadth, etc. Branding user’s chart with a logowill addition user’s on-line presence and guarantee that user acquire ascription for user’s informations, particularly when user’s public charts are shared across web sites. Axiscustomization – class axis Grid Lines– grid lines can be customized Chart Area– the boundary line that outlines user’s graphical informations Background– back colour Data Series– information series can be added or modified Legend– is the cardinal box for the step axis Data Values– values on the charts Comment Text Formatting– text boxes used for noticing, user can attach remark boxes to want informations series How to cite Design of an Application for the Visualisation of Raw Data, Essay examples

International Journal Information Systems -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The International Journal Information Systems? Answer: Introduction: In this report, the pertinent analysis of the auditing standard is carried out, in which ASA 701 Communicating Key Audit Matters in the Independent Auditors Report is evaluated in the context of Sirtex Medical Limited. According to the annual report of the organisation in 2017, it has not conformed to the above-stated standard, in which the independent audit report does not contain any type of key audit matter. The pertinent risk assessment arising due to material misstatement in compliance with ASA 315 is analysed in the context of Sirtex. This report would enable in identifying the actions that the organisation needs to undertake in its financial statements for helping the investors to gain an insight of the pertinent misstatements. It has become necessary for the organisations to include the communication of key audit matters in their annual reports after the financial crisis. This is because they were not reporting the required data in their annual reports (Arens, et al., 2015). With the enforcement of this standard, the accounting bodies have compelled the organisations to comply with the regulation in order to minimise the happening of the next financial crisis. In addition, the organisations are accountable primarily to disclose the explanatory materials in the independent reports of the auditors. This revelation is carried out mainly due to the standard depicted in ASA 701, which could signify the real financial position to the stakeholders. Evaluation: With the help of appropriate evaluation of the annual report of Sirtex in 2017, the material misstatements could be identified that could raise complexities of the organisation. After the financial crisis was over, the authorities identified issues in the financial reports of the organisations, in which they did not disclose all the relevant information. Thus, this issue has lead to the formation of ASA 701, which is a measure of revelation that is required to be communicated in the annual reports. Thus, it has become crucial for the organisations to make pertinent disclosures of key audit matters in their annual reports. The analysis of the annual report of Sirtex enables in identifying considerable risk with ASA 315, which could have influence on its business operations. As commented by Byrnes, et al. (2015), material misstatement helps in estimation and pertinent analysis of the issues in future that could be projected. In addition, after assessment of the annual report, any type of issue restricting the business activities could be anticipated, this would allow the investors in identifying the organisational problems. However, as argued by Cuadrado-Ballesteros, Martnez-Ferrero and Garca-Snchez (2017), the unscrupulous measures of the company could increase, if the material misstatements are not disclosed. The analysis of the annual report of the company could eventually enable to represent greater risk, if the material misstatements are conducted in compliance with ASA 315 as follows: Evaluated areas of material misstatement containing greater risk: After assessing the annual report of Sirtex, there is absence of any pertinent key audit matter, which it could communicate to its shareholders. This minimises the adherence of the company to ASA 701 in revealing the pertinent matters. The assessment of the annual report primarily enables in representing disclosure to the users of financial reports of the organisation. Sirtex is not complying with the rules of ASA 701 that has minimised the feasibility of its annual report. The pertinent revelation of key audit matter is not shown in the annual report of the company. This signifies primarily the lack of adherence to ASA 315, which the auditor and the organisation are not following. Along with this, if ASA 315 is used, it could help the investors of the firm in identifying the risk of material misstatement inherent within the organisation (Simnett, Carson and Vanstraelen, 2016). The accounting policies that the organisation has implemented primarily enables in representing its real financial position. However, if the key audit matters are not represented in the annual report of Sirtex, it denotes primarily the non-adherence to ASA 701. In addition, various corporate scandals have occurred in the past, in which the auditors have unethically depicted the financial strength of the firm (Cohen and Simnett 2014). This might question the credibility of the independent report of the auditor in the absence of key audit report. The auditors of Sirtex are required to gain an insight of the business risk, in which the detection of material misstatement is crucial to be carried out. Moreover, the auditors need to assess the risks related to business environment, business operations and other types of risk before the audit processes are dissected. The analysis of the top down approach that the organisation uses could raise the probability of material misstatements, since there is no employee participation in the decision-making process of the organisation. Hence, the organisation needs to understand the business risk, as it might appear in the form of audit risk at a later point of time. In this context, Farewell and Pinsker (2015) cited that it is vital for the auditors to analyse each business process of the company for understanding the actual risk resulting in material misstatement. The enforcement of ASA 701 is made after the end of the financial crisis in 2007. This crisis has enabled the board of audit assurance in identifying unscrupulous measures, which the organisations and independent auditors conduct at the time of developing the financial report. Such unscrupulous measure in developing financial report has depicted mainly financial strength of the company that has enhanced share value. Thus, it has enabled the firms in retaining additional capital from the market (Farooq and De Villiers, 2017). During financial crisis, all organisations involved in using unscrupulous practices declined and there were no investors to buy their shares. As a result, the financial stability of the capital market and the global economy were shaken. Thus, it is clearly evident that the enforcement of ASA 701 is primarily a step that the audit assurance board has undertaken to minimise the unscrupulous practices of the organisations. In addition, the firms had used their debts in the form of income for hiding their insolvency positions from the investors (Hay, 2015). The ASA 701 aims to restrict the firms in adopting unethical practices to develop their annual reports, which would assure transparency in their financial positions. Considerable risks detected in compliance with ASA: Along with the non-representation of the key audit matters, there is no material misstatement in the organisation according to the independent audit report of Sirtex. However, in conformance to the auditing standard ASA 315 that the audit assurance board has conducted, the auditors could realise the material misstatement risk in the financial books of the organisation (Soh and Martinov-Bennie, 2015). According to ASA 315, it is necessary for the auditors to follow the guideline laid out in the paragraphs from A9 to A11 and from A27 to A30. As a result, the auditors could detect the material misstatement, which might increase the overall audit risk. This pertinent evaluation could enable the auditors in identifying frauds, which the companies might make for inflating their balance sheet statements. In this regard, Junior, Best and Cotter (2014) remarked that the auditors could be able to identify frauds with the help of measures laid out in ASA, which the companies make in developing their annual reports. However, it has been argued that the management influences the independent auditor in using unscrupulous measures in the audit report for inflating the overall financial performance of the organisation. However, the latest annual report of Sirtex does not adhere to ASA 315, since the auditor has not identified any material misstatement (Sirtex.com, 2018). Along with this, it is required for the auditors to follow the paragraphs laid out in ASA 315 from A105 to A108, as it would help them to detect the material misstatement risk inherent within the overall business operations. Furthermore, the analysis could enable in asserting various levels of classes of transactions at the time of identifying the audit process performance. The auditors are able primarily to identify financial risks at the time of evaluating the financial statements of the company in detecting material misstatement restricting its financial stability. Thus, by enforcing the audit procedures, it is possible for the auditors to identify the financial feasibility of the annual report of the organisation (Knechel and Salterio, 2016). Extent and application of the research: The annual report of Sirtex fails to adhere to the ASA standard, which is the utmost requirement for every Australian organisation. Such non-adherence in developing the key audit matters could lead to direct rise in audit risk of the company. This pertinent audit risk could be detected through the audit procedures that the auditors are needed to follow. The auditors need to follow the railways procedures for dissecting risk associated with the overall business operations (Kend, Houghton and Jubb, 2014). Initially, the auditor needs to assess detection of risk related to the business objectives, as laid out in the financial statements. As a result, the material misstatement could be detected, which could represent the inaccurate financial statements of the company. Secondly, the auditors are required to approximate the significance of risk to the management of the organisation, which needs to conform to the rules of the audit assurance board. Along with this, the probability of happen ing of certain risks is required to be detected on the part of the auditors that might raise the material misstatement of the organisation in future (Leung, et al., 2014). Furthermore, the pertinent activities that the company has carried out are required to be assessed for detecting any type of risk arising from such actions. Financial areas in the report requiring considerable judgement of the management: The organisations are required to carry out various levels of internal control in order to minimise the risk arising due to material misstatement. Moreover, the assessment of internal control for a particular entity is needed to be carried out on the part of the independent auditors in order to detect the possibility of material misstatement. According to the Paragraphs A36 to A41 laid down in ASA 315, pertinent insight of the industrial divisions and risk related to the overall business operations are required to be assessed on the part of the auditors. Such analysis could enable eventually in identifying the external factors, which could be applied on developing the financial report (Li, et al., 2017). The auditors are needed to gain an insight of the internal control procedures of the organisation for effective completion of the audit procedure. This could enable the auditor eventually in gaining an overview of the complicated internal control processes, which the organisation mak es for carrying out its business operations. Along with this, most of the internal control procedures that the auditors assess are required to conform to the financial reporting process, since the identification of material misstatement is the primary priority for the auditors. In accordance with the paragraphs A42 to A65 laid down in ASA 315, the auditor could carry out the expert judgement of the assessor in relation to specific control for detecting those controls, which could result in material misstatement. In this regard, Marques, Santos and Santos (2016) advocated that by analysing the business operations and annual report of the organisation, the auditor could identify any type of risk that could result in material misstatement in the financial report. The auditor conducts the audit procedure, which should be comprehended in the control environment where the business operations take place. This analysis could enable the auditors to gain an overview of the total activities that the administration within the company is involved in conduction. As a result, any type of material misstatement could be identified inherent within the organisational governance. In addition, this would enable in identifying the culture of integrity and ethical behaviour inherent within the staffs and management of the organisation. Hence, it is of utmost significance for the auditors to dissect external as well as internal control of Sirtex in order to detect any type of material misstatement, which could be inherent in the business operations. However, both the independent auditors and directors of the company have not identified any material misstatement in the overall business operations (Martnez-Ferrero and Garca-Snchez, 2016). Moreover, the identificati on of material misstatement could help in depicting the real financial position of the firm. As a result, the auditors could present the true picture of the financial position of the firm to the associated stakeholders. Such material misstatement could be depicted directly in the section of key audit matter in the annual report, which could raise the viability of the annual report. Impact of significant transactions and events happened during the period: The analysis of significant transactions and events that the organisation has conducted during the accounting year is required to be assessed on the part of the auditors. This analysis could enable the auditors to identify any kind of odd activities or risk that might raise the possibility of material misstatement (Simunic, Ye and Zhang, 2017). At present, Sirtex is involved in providing all the pertinent information about its activities in the annual report. Henceforth, various influence of the transactions and event happened during the period could be assessed on the part of the auditors. The various accounting standards like ISA 260 could be violated on the part of the company and issues about internal audit processes might increase eventually. As pointed out by Vanstraelen and Schelleman (2017), firms adopting all the pertinent accounting standards are able to depict the real financial condition to the stakeholders that signify the integrity of the organisation in carrying out it s operations. In addition, the analysis of considerable events could enable the auditors in detecting any type of risk engaged in internal as well as external factors of the company. In addition, the external and internal processes could be analysed on the part of the auditor during the year. This type of detection of various kinds of risk detected from operations could enable the auditors in understanding material misstatement of the firm. In the words of William Jr, Glover and Prawitt (2016), organisations use the independent report of the auditor in the form of cover in order to restrict the pertinent unscrupulous measures carried out in the financial year. Conclusion After analysing the pertinent ASA standards like ASA 315, ASA 701 and ISA 260, firms are required to depict their real financial positions in their annual reports. Thus, Sirtex Medical Limited is needed to develop key audit matters in its annual report for detecting any type of material misstatement inherent in its business operations. In addition, it needs to comply with ASA 315 and ASA 701 in its operations to adhere to the audit assurance board. Furthermore, the organisation is required to gain an overview of the pertinent regulations and standards, which needs to be complete to depict the actual financial report. Such transfer of information from the auditors to the investors could enable in understanding the real financial condition of the companies for making effective investment decisions. References: Arens, A.A., Elder, R.J., Beasley, M.S. and Jones, J., 2015.Auditing: The Art and Science of Assurance Engagements. Pearson Canada. Byrnes, P.E., Al-Awadhi, C.A., Gullvist, B., Brown-Liburd, H., Teeter, C.R., Warren Jr, J.D. and Vasarhelyi, M., 2015. Evolution of auditing: From the traditional approach to the future audit.Audit Analytics,71. Cohen, J.R. and Simnett, R., 2014. CSR and assurance services: A research agenda.Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory,34(1), pp.59-74. Cuadrado-Ballesteros, B., Martnez-Ferrero, J. and Garca-Snchez, I.M., 2017. Mitigating information asymmetry through sustainability assurance: The role of accountants and levels of assurance.International Business Review,26(6), pp.1141-1156. Farewell, S. and Pinsker, R., 2015. Does Assurance on XBRLDerived Financial Statements Impact the Decisions of Nonprofessional Investors?.Management Accounting Quarterly,16(3). Farooq, M.B. and De Villiers, C., 2017. The market for sustainability assurance services: A comprehensive literature review and future avenues for research.Pacific Accounting Review,29(1), pp.79-106. Hay, D., 2015. The frontiers of auditing research.Meditari Accountancy Research,23(2), pp.158-174. Junior, R.M., Best, P.J. and Cotter, J., 2014. Sustainability reporting and assurance: A historical analysis on a world-wide phenomenon.Journal of Business Ethics,120(1), pp.1-11. Kend, M., Houghton, K.A. and Jubb, C., 2014. Competition issues in the market for audit and assurance services: are the concerns justified?.Australian Accounting Review,24(4), pp.313-320. Knechel, W.R. and Salterio, S.E., 2016.Auditing: Assurance and risk. Taylor Francis. Leung, P., Coram, P., Cooper, B.J. and Richardson, P., 2014.Modern Auditing and Assurance Services 6e. Wiley. Li, C., Raman, K.K., Sun, L. and Wu, D., 2017. The effect of ambiguity in an auditing standard on auditor independence: Evidence from nonaudit fees and SOX 404 opinions.Journal of Contemporary Accounting Economics,13(1), pp.37-51. Marques, R.P., Santos, H. and Santos, C., 2016. Evaluating information systems with continuous assurance services.International Journal of Information Systems in the Service Sector (IJISSS),8(3), pp.1-15. Martnez-Ferrero, J. and Garca-Snchez, I.M., 2016. The level of sustainability assurance: The effects of brand reputation and industry specialisation of assurance providers.Journal of Business Ethics, pp.1-20. Simnett, R., Carson, E. and Vanstraelen, A., 2016. International archival auditing and assurance research: Trends, methodological issues, and opportunities.Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory,35(3), pp.1-32. Simunic, D.A., Ye, M. and Zhang, P., 2017. The joint effects of multiple legal system characteristics on auditing standards and auditor behavior.Contemporary Accounting Research,34(1), pp.7-38. Sirtex.com., 2018. [online] Available at: https://www.sirtex.com/media/168332/sirtex_annual_report_2017.pdf [Accessed 29 Jan. 2018]. Soh, D.S. and Martinov-Bennie, N., 2015. Internal auditors perceptions of their role in environmental, social and governance assurance and consulting.Managerial Auditing Journal,30(1), pp.80-111. Vanstraelen, A. and Schelleman, C., 2017. Auditing private companies: what do we know?.Accounting and Business Research,47(5), pp.565-584. William Jr, M., Glover, S. and Prawitt, D., 2016.Auditing and assurance services: A systematic approach. McGraw-Hill Ed

With Reference to Bp Plc’s free essay sample

I will illustrate this discussion with an analysis of the strategies employed by the multinational energy company BP plc (formally British Petroleum). Firstly I shall introduce a tool by which cultural attributes and values pertinent to business can be measured and compared through the study of Geert Hofstede. Then I will introduce the firm BP plc, discussing the firm’s history and current competitive environment. BP plc’s recent and current strategic management actions will be outlined and I will analyse any correspondence between the firm’s strategy and cultural biases as revealed by Hofstede. When considering the effect a firm’s home culture may have upon those firms’ operations we must first find a standard methodology that can be applied to measure the value of said culture or indeed all cultures because without comparison with another culture’s values then our measure becomes arbitrary. Measuring Cultural Values Fortunately the work of Hofstede has provided us with such a measure. We will write a custom essay sample on With Reference to Bp Plc’s or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He drew on analysis of data gathered from employees of one of the largest multinational companies at the time, IBM (1967 to 1973) these results have since been supported by several more independent studies. Hofstede produced results that showed different culture’s values in the workplace in terms of four (initially) ‘cultural dimensions’ which was extended to five after a further study designed by Chinese academics: Power Distance Index (PDI) is the extent to which it is accepted in a society that there is an uneven spread of power distribution. Specifically as viewed by those with the least power in any given society. A culture with a high PDI shows that it is an accepted and even expected element of that society that a very few people will retain a large proportion of power influence and wealth. Individualism (IDV) which can be contrasted with collectivism. The inference being that individualistic societies have a less integrated group dynamics, the emphasis on looking after oneself and perhaps your own nuclear family. Whilst collectivist societies tend to be viewed as having tight group cohesion with the emphasis on the ties between members of extended families and those in one’s community. Masculinity (MAS) opposed to femininity. Best described as behavioural opposites, a masculine culture will be more assertive and domineering, a feminine culture more inclined to progression through discussion and mutual cooperation. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) refers to a society’s ability to withstand levels of uncertainty and risk. A society with a low tolerance to uncertainty is more likely to favour structured situations with known and accepted boundaries. It is also less likely to be accepting of new ideas and methods, as these again may constitute an unknown risk. Long-Term Orientation (LTO) is the additional dimension. It refers to values derived from culture’s time perspective. Those with a long term orientation i. e. those who value perseverance and those with short term orientation who value more immediate results. Viewing the combined results of these dimensions for each country goes towards establishing that there are indeed very different cultural biases in each society concerning attitudes in the workplace and in business. When the relative scores are viewed side by side we have a powerful visual tool for exploring how cultural biases may manifest themselves in firms and organisations based in those cultures. In Fig. 1 we see the results for the United Kingdom which can be contrasted against the average results fro all countries in the study. We can observe that British cultural dimensions reflect low power distance tolerance, high individuality, high masculinity, low tolerance to uncertainty and a short term orientation. BP plc. (British Petroleum) When considering which international firm to use as a case study I was curious to apply this discussion to an industry and firm which is a product of the greatest possible degree of globalisation. In a world society with a hydrocarbon economy I find it hard to conceive of an industry more global than that of energy production and thus a multinational oil company. BP plc, unsurprisingly, is a British company. It was founded in 1908 and owes its early prosperity to exploitation of Iranian (formally Persian) oilfields, where it continued to operate until the revolution in Iran in 1979. Although having lost access to the Iranian oilfields, BP plc had expanded operations to the North Sea and Alaska during the 1960s and 1970s. During the 1980s the British government sold off its holdings in the company under the privatization drive. At the end of the decade the company underwent severe corporate restructuring and downsizing. In the 1990s BP plc undertook several corporate acquisitions which resulted in BP becoming the second largest oil company at that time. Moving forward to the present day, according to the Forbes Global 2000 ranking of leading public companies in the world BP plc is ranked seventh as of 2008. It is one of the six ‘supermajor’ oil companies. This title referring to the six biggest energy companies in the world, these firms developed after oil companies began to merge in the 1990s following a period of low oil prices. The intent being to take advantage of the economies of scale such mergers would offer. Anon, 2008) This behavior is typical of the pressures created by increasing globalization; ‘Globalization, the internationalization of markets and corporations, has changed the way modern corporations do business. To reach the economies of scale necessary to achieve the low costs, and thus the new prices, needed to be competitive, companies are now thinking of a global (worldwide) market instead of a national market. ’ (Wheelen et al. 2002) Moving into this decade there have been several events in recent years that have had the potential for large scale negative effects on the firm. In March of 2005, a large explosion hit BPs Texas City Refinery in the United States. Many people were injured in the accident some fatally. BP has admitted full liability for the accident. The following year, in March 2006, a leak in one of BPs pipelines in Alaska caused a spill of oil onto the local environment. BP had to replace a large section of this pipeline. A few months later in July 2006, BP announced closure of its remaining oil wells in Alaska due to leaks into the local environment. Additional leaks in Alaska occurred at various facilities in August 2006 and October 2007. (Anon, 2008) In terms of recent expansion of operations BP has pursued opportunities in Asia Pacific gas, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Angola, Trinidad, deepwater Gulf of Mexico and Russia. Whilst also managing the decline of their established oil developments Alaska, Egypt, Latin America, the Middle East, North America gas and the North Sea, by using new recovery techniques and technologies to improve the recovery from those developments. (BP Company Website www. bp. com 2008) BP Alternative Energy was set up in 2005 to confirm BP’s commitment to alternative energy production; ‘In a short time, we’ve made a real difference – and over the next 10 years we aim to invest $8bn in solar, wind, hydrogen and natural gas power technology and projects that will help reduce carbon dioxide further’ (BP Company Website www. bp. com 2008) Eight billion dollars is a huge investment, and arguable has the dual purpose of improving BP’s public image in the short term and improving its long term competitive advantage as would occur if BP can become a market leader in hese emerging new technologies. Strategy What is strategy? In terms relative to our discussion, strategy and strategic management may be viewed a three part process for the firm in which strategic analysis is required to understand the current position of the firm, strategic choice is require to formulate and choose between of plans of action and strategic implementation is concerned with how strategic choices are delivered (Johnson et al 1989). Failure in realising any part of this strategic process will result in inefficient strategy for the firm. The importance of strategy in the increasingly globalised industries is explained by Wheelen et al; ‘As more industries become global, strategic management is becoming an increasingly important way to keep track of international developments and position the company for long-term competitive advantage. ’ (Wheelen et al. 2002) Essentially, intelligent and appropriate strategic decisions in response to internationally influentially events are necessary in order for a firm to position itself in the market and achieve long term competitive advantage. A concept further emphasised by Porter; A global industry is one in which the strategic positions of competitors in major geographic or national markets are fundamentally affected by their overall global positions. ’ (Porter 2004) Having established what ‘strategy’ entails for a multinational company in a competitive environment of globalisation we should examine Bp’s future strategy. BP’s Annua l Review for 2007 contains the following statement about its strategic intent; ‘BP’s strategy for the future is robust. We have great positions in many of the major hydrocarbon basins of the world. We also have great market positions in the key economies and are preparing for the future by building a new low-carbon energy business. Executing our strategy is where we must improve. In safety, we are significantly lowering the risk profile of our operations. We are working hard to ensure that we have the right people with the right skills in the right places. And we are addressing performance by reducing organizational complexity, improving operational consistency and changing individual behaviours. On the front lines of our business, we are moving this agenda forward. (BP Company Website www. bp. com 2008) Analysis of this statement, along with the information outlined in the previous section regarding recent activities and events in the past decade at BP reveals several key elements of strategy aimed at establishing competitive advantage; BP has identified which area of strategy it must improve upon, that of strategic implementation, as mentioned earlier. BP wishes to reduce the risk associated with their operations. BP is aggressively pursuing new opportunities to ensure its long term viability as an oil producer. BP’s strategy regarding performance includes changing individual behaviours and selecting the best individuals for the business. BP is investing in new and alternative sources of energy to ensure its long term viability as a energy producer and improve its public image BP had a strategy of acquisition and takeover in the late 1990s in order to improve its competitive advantage through economies of scale and also enter new markets. Does Home Culture Matter? Do BP plc’s strategic decisions reflect the cultural dimensions revealed by Hofstede’s study? Reviewing again the British cultural dimensions, we find a culture of low power distance tolerance, high individuality, high masculinity, low tolerance to uncertainty and a short term orientation. Looking at the strategic points above, can be associate any of them with Hofstede’s cultural dimensions? BP wishes to reduce the risk associated with their operations, which would certainly fit the model of a culture of low uncertainty tolerance. BP’s emphasis on the value of the skilled individual and on individual behaviours reflects on this British cultural value of high individuality. BP’s strategy of acquisition reflects the assertive qualities associated with high masculinity, as does the aggressive exploitation of new opportunities. However, when considering the cultural dimension of long-term orientation versus short-term orientation, one must conclude that BP adheres to strategy that suggest a very high long term orientation; its attention to strategic implementation as a means to improve market positioning and competitive advantage, heavy investment in oil exploration and development but also, and perhaps more importantly, heavy investment in the energy producing technologies of the long term future. Both as a means to secure competitive advantage at that time and also to improve its public image. The latter reason suggests a commitment to relational sales strategies, a long term orientation strategy. Perhaps this is not especially surprising given the amount of negative press that was created by several oil spills and a huge industrial accident. BP of course displays many aspects of short term orientation, a drive for performance enhancement and maximisation of profits for example. However the predilection for long-term orientation is not described as being part of British culture by Hofstede’s study. Conclusion In considering the possibility that it is in some way old fashioned to consider the influence of the firm’s home country’s institutions and culture given globalisation’s supposedly homogenising effects we must first acknowledge that the use of one example to illustrate our discussion is hardly likely to be conclusive. With reference to BP plc’s strategic decisions and use of Hofstede’s cultural study I would conclude that in the main part, yes, there is a correlation and thus a suggestion of home culture influence. I believe that the one anomalous result, that of evidence of a strong long-term orientation in BP’s strategy can be explained by the process of globalisation itself and the industry of the firm involved. A multinational firm dealing in a huge and vital industry as oil and energy production could simply not have survived without a tendency for long term orientation in strategy; it would have been consumed by another company by now, very much as BP and the other ‘supermajors’ consumed or merged with smaller companies in the 1990s. Long-term competitive advantage and the necessity of achieving those economies of scale demanded it. In essence, short-term orientation in business strategy cannot endure on the scale that globalisation exists in. In conclusion, no, I do not believe it is old fashioned to consider the influence of the firm’s home country’s institutions and culture, but it must be acknowledged that globalisation itself creates its own normative values in the dimension of long term orientation.

The Next essays

The Next essays Global warming has made the probability of abrupt climate change a real threat to the future. The countries that surround the North Atlantic should expect, and prepare for a very cold future. While global warming has become a problem that no one can deny the evidence of, people overlook some of the consequences that such warming of the planet can cause. As awareness of global warming grows, many fail to be informed about the possibilities and probabilities of abrupt climate change. Although the world is warming up, some areas of the planet may be approaching another "Little Ice Age." Overwhelming facts indicate that global warming is occurring, and that it is becoming a serious issue that should be addressed by all nations around the globe. However, some of the effects and consequences of this growing problem are easily overlooked, or ignored. Opposition and contesting theories abound. Yet, ignoring and debating will not prepare for the probabilities that lay ahead. The planet is warming. The evidence of global warming is irrefutable. The worst part is that the warming is proceeding on an accelerating scale. Many factors contribute to the warming. Human factors cannot be denied when investigating the heating-up of the planet. The Earth's average temperature has been rising for at least 100 years, but in recent decades the rate of increase has itself been increasing. Eleven of the hottest years ever recorded have occurred since 1990, and the top five warmest years on record have all been in the last seven years. The polar regions are heating up much more rapidly than average. Alaska is now as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) warmer than it was 35 years ago. Average summertime temperatures in Antarctica have risen 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit (2.5 degrees Celsius) since the 1940's. The Greenland Ice Sheet, the worl's largest glacier, is growing thinner at a rate of about a meter (39 inches) per year. ...

Biography of Betty Friedan, Feminist, Writer, Activist

Biography of Betty Friedan, Feminist, Writer, Activist Betty Friedan (February 4, 1921–February 4, 2006) was an author and activist whose seminal 1963 book The Feminine Mystique is credited with helping spark the modern feminist movement in the United States. Among her other accomplishments, Friedan was the founder and first president of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Fast Facts: Betty Friedan Known For: Helping spark the modern feminist movement; founder and first president of the National Organization of WomenAlso Known As: Betty Naomi GoldsteinBorn: February 4, 1921 in Peoria, IllinoisParents: Harry M. Goldstein, Miriam Goldstein  Horwitz OberndorfDied: February 4, 2006 in Washington, D.C.Education: Smith College  (BA), University of California, Berkeley (M.A.)Published Works: The Feminine Mystique (1963), The Second Stage (1981), Life so Far (2000)Awards and Honors: Humanist of the Year from the American Humanist Association (1975), Mort Weisinger Award from the American Society of Journalists and Authors (1979), Induction into the National Womens Hall of Fame (1993)Spouse: Carl Friedan (m. 1947–1969)Children: Daniel, Emily, JonathanNotable Quote:  A woman is handicapped by her sex, and handicaps society, either by slavishly copying the pattern of mans advance in the professions or by refusing to compete with man at all. Early Years Friedan was born on February 4, 1921, in Peoria, Illinois as Betty Naomi Goldstein. Her parents were immigrant Jews. Her father was a jeweler and her mother, who had been an editor of the womens pages of a newspaper, left her job to become a homemaker. Bettys mother was unhappy in that choice, and she pushed Betty to get a college education and pursue a career. Betty later dropped out of her doctoral program at the University of California at Berkeley, where she was studying group dynamics, and moved to New York to pursue a career. During World War II, she worked as a reporter for a labor service, and had to give up her job to a veteran who returned at the end of the war. She worked as a clinical psychologist and social researcher along with being a writer. She met and married theatrical producer Carl Friedan, and they moved to Greenwich Village. She took a maternity leave from her job for their first child; she was fired when she asked for maternity leave for her second child in 1949. The union gave her no help in fighting this firing, and so she became a housewife and mother, living in the suburbs. She also wrote freelance magazine articles, many for magazines directed at the middle-class housewife. Survey of Smith Graduates In 1957, for the 15th reunion of her graduating class at Smith, Friedan was asked to survey her classmates on how theyd used their education. She found that 89% were not using their education. Most were unhappy in their roles. Friedan analyzed the results and consulted experts. She found that both women and men were trapped in limiting roles. Friedan wrote up her results and tried to sell the article to magazines but could find no buyers. So she turned her work into a book, which was published in 1963 as The Feminine Mystique. It became a best-seller, eventually translated into 13 languages. Celebrity and Involvement Friedan also became a celebrity as a result of the book. She moved with her family back to the city and she became involved in the growing womens movement. In June 1966, she attended a Washington meeting of state commissions on the status of women. Friedan was among those present who decided that the meeting was unsatisfying, as it didnt generate any actions to implement the findings on the inequality of women. So in 1966, Friedan joined other women in founding the National Organization for Women (NOW). Friedan served as its first president for three years. In 1967, the first NOW convention took on the Equal Rights Amendment and abortion, though NOW viewed the abortion issue as highly controversial and focused more on political and employment equality. In 1969, Friedan helped found the National Conference for the Repeal of Abortion Laws to focus more on the abortion issue; this organization changed its name after the Roe v. Wade decision to become the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). In that same year, she stepped down as NOW president. In 1970, Friedan led in organizing the Womens Strike for Equality on the 50th anniversary of winning the vote for women. The turnout was beyond expectations; 50,000 women participated in New York alone. In 1971, Friedan helped form the National Womens Political Caucus for feminists who wanted to work through the traditional political structure, including political parties, and running or supporting women candidates. She was less active in NOW, which became more concerned with revolutionary action and sexual politics; Friedan was among those who wanted more focus on political and economic equality. Lavender Menace Friedan also took a controversial stand on lesbians in the movement. NOW activists and others in the womens movement struggled over how much to take on issues of lesbian rights and how welcoming to be of movement participation and leadership by lesbians. For Friedan, lesbianism was not a womens rights or equality issue but a matter of private life, and she warned the issue might diminish support for womens rights, using the term lavender menace. Later Years and Death In 1976, Friedan published It Changed My Life, with her thoughts on the womens movement. She urged the movement to avoid acting in ways that made it difficult for mainstream men and women to identify with feminism. By the 1980s, she was more critical of the focus on sexual politics among feminists. She published The Second Stage in 1981. In her 1963 book, Friedan wrote of the feminine mystique and the housewifes question, Is this all? Now Friedan wrote of the feminist mystique and the difficulties of trying to be Superwoman, doing it all. She was criticized by many feminists as abandoning the feminist critique of traditional womens roles, while Friedan credited the rise of Reagan and rightwing conservatism and various Neanderthal forces to the failure of feminism to value family life and children. In 1983, Friedan began to focus on researching fulfillment in the older years, and in 1993 published her findings as The Fountain of Age. In 1997, she published Beyond Gender: The New Politics of Work and Family Friedans writings, from The Feminine Mystique through Beyond Gender, were also criticized for representing the viewpoint of white, middle-class, educated women and for ignoring other womens voices. Among her other activities, Friedan often lectured and taught at colleges, wrote for many magazines, and was an organizer and director of the First Womens Bank and Trust. Friedan died on February 4, 2006, in Washington, D.C. Legacy Despite all of her later work and activism, it was the The Feminine Mystique that truly launched the second-wave feminist movement. It has sold several million copies and been translated into multiple languages. It is a key text in Women’s Studies and U.S. history classes. For years, Friedan toured the United States speaking about The Feminine Mystique and introducing audiences to her groundbreaking work and to feminism. Women have repeatedly described how they felt when reading the book: They realized they were not alone and that they could aspire to something more than the life they were being encouraged or even forced to lead. The idea Friedan expresses is that if women escaped the confines of â€Å"traditional† notions of femininity, they could then truly enjoy being women. Sources Friedan, Betty.  The Feminine Mystique. W.W. Norton Company, 2013.â€Å"Betty Friedan.†Ã‚  National Womens History MuseumFindagrave.com. Find a Grave.

A High School Teacher Proffesion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

A High School Teacher Proffesion - Essay Example Basically, a high school teacher works school hours (commonly spanning from 8 am to 5 pm) which varies depending on the school regulations or state laws. However, some high school teachers can, at their own leisure, work in the evenings, or weekends, to grade (mark) papers and prepare lessons (Maloy and Irving, 24). Most high school teachers do not, however, teach during summer, on public holidays and when schools close on April, August, and December. Judging from the nature of work of a high school teacher, and the amount of free time in a year compared to other demanding, all year round professions such as those of doctors, I think their median annual wage of USD 55,050 is fair. However, there is still room for improvement on this figure and more motivation because teachers are responsible for the important task of shaping the destiny of a nation by modeling students into better citizens, relatives, friends, leaders and employees/ employers (professionals) in all fields (Maloy and Irving, 43). High school teaching can come with its own fair share of challenges and stress. Teachers can often be at the end of unfair criticism from both their superiors, supervisors and students’ parents because of the students’ poor performances while they could have actually tried their best, or while the problem lies elsewhere (either in the school, at home or in the communities in which the students live). Moreover, teachers have too high school teachers have to accept that they will occasionally encounter utter disrespect and lack of motivation from students. Furthermore, high school teachers can find work difficult in schools with very large classes and an absence of critical learning/ teaching tools such as updated textbooks and computers (Haugen, 78).     

10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

10 - Essay Example There are two groups of software professionals; one is the production part of software development and the other one is service part of IT providers. The reason for making two groups is that, the profession is more or less of the same, design and development. The second group is also doing the same but for public service. The responsibility of a software engineer is to design and implement a variety of software solutions. They may be occupied in the design and testing of various applications like computer game, some business applications, operating system or various superior software programmes for extreme hardware and equipment. Once the system is completely designed, the testing team will test and debug the system and after that the maintenance team maintain the system. The software engineers normally work in a complicated and highly technical environment. The application engages computer science as well as mathematics. They should know programming languages and applications because they will be involved in a variety of works. After a university or high school degree, most of the students select the career as IT professional or in software services. The path from university to a company is very straight. According to the recruitment policy; they recruit some experienced candidate. Companies prefer managerial skills as well as technical skills. The demand of IT jobs is extremely high as it provides a better economical potential, better salary scales, and job security. In the United Kingdom those who move to the IT sector from municipal administration won’t get enough job satisfaction. On the basis of their experience; It professionals are classified as a Software Programmer, Analyst, Project Leader and so on. In spite of an enormous reforms relying on outsourcing and transfer of personal, the interviewees assemble all their resources to carry on in the private company the organisational profession that they underway in public administration they