This assignment will consist of a critical and evaluative intellectual Essay

This assignment will consist of a critical and evaluative intellectual biography of a contemporary leading thinker - Essay Example Norton is a consultant as well as a speaker withregard to strategic performance management and a founder of Palladium group. The profession group mainly deals with performance measurement and management and before founding andbecoming the group’s director he engaged in Renaissance Solutions a consulting company he founded together with Robert Kaplan in 1992. The balanced scorecard aims at helping the development and management of strategy through focusing on the way key measures relate in tracking progress. In the paper Kaplan and Norton believe only adherence to quarterly financial returns and bottom line does not offer an organization the overall strategic view. However, the balanced scorecard goes beyond only the exploitation of financial measures through incorporation of three other essential perspectives. These other perspectives include customer perspective, internal business perspective and the learning or innovation perspective. Customer perspective addresses the way customers consider an organization while internal business perspective requires an organization to establish what is needed for it to excel; moreover, the innovation perspective addresses what is needed in an organization to improve and create value in future. Through evaluation of the present and offering indications of future drivers, the scorecard is capable of m easuring and motivating business performance (Kaplan& Norton, 1992). Kaplan and Norton published Strategy Maps, in this book they show that despite the increased significance of knowledge based assets, many organizations still focused on measuring short term financial performance. The book elaborates strategy as a notion by describing it in terms of its relationship referred to as strategy map. The book shows shifting trend from product-driven economy toward a knowledge economy values intangible assets in organizational performance. However, at the time of writing the book there was no literature offering

System analysis and design Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

System analysis and design - Article Example On this basis, this paper focuses on analysis and critique of the functional and non-functional features of a sample information system via an account of petrol station sales management system. A water flow and entity relationship diagram used in the development of the proposed system has provided the basis of the whole analysis process (Shelly & Rosenblatt, 2012). The second phase, requirements specification, is clearly a very positive move in the strategic presentation of the system since it aided in ensuring that the right functional requirements were gathered. This information is highly fundamental in ensuring that this information system is efficient enough in performing the expected functionalities. The design process was about creation of graphical presentations of the targeted system. Implementation phase engrosses development of small independent modules of code that offered unique but related functionalities. In testing and integration, the individual modules were put together into one coherent component and then tested against the design diagrams. Lastly but certainly not the least, the operations and maintenance phase proved to be very important in the development of the Information system. Not only did this phase aid in delivering the final system but also played a huge in adding and removing features that had been spotted as erroneous (Shelly & Rosenblatt, 2012). It is vital to note that, although, the waterfall model offered a clear view and presentation of the system development process; it still delivered a considerable set of challenges. One of the most crucial challenges is that all the errors and omissions can only be rectified at the operations and maintenance phase (Shelly & Rosenblatt, 2012). For any system development process to be successful, users have to be widely involved in the whole development process. However, in this methodology (waterfall), users are only involved

Social Exchange Theory - Communication Theories Essay

Social Exchange Theory - Communication Theories - Essay Example This implies that actions are taken with full knowledge that it would be recognized and reciprocated. Based on the social exchange theory our organization decided to outsource a small part of the work to an external service provider. Ours is in the hospitality sector and we selected a small service provider expecting that we would receive personalized service. This was also the reason that we did not approach one of the recognized firms. However, the communication was not effective. While we wanted to save costs we ended up paying much more as we did not receive the promised services. We had to discontinue with this agent. The evaluation of the service provider is important before signing any contract. In the future we would seek details of the businesses handled and the types of service offered. We did not receive the benefits expected; social exchange was unjust. In the hospitality sector, service excellence counts. The organization recognizes that to deliver excellent service the internal customers have to be focused upon. It is a reciprocal arrangement – the organization focuses on meeting the needs of the employees and the employees deliver service excellence which in turn benefits the organization. To meet this organizational objective, the organization valued their internal customers and provided motivation through different means. The organization was successful in achieving their objective because the employees felt needed and recognized. This served to motivate them and they could deliver their best to the external customers. The employees and the organization, both gained in the process. This example explains the costs and rewards in the relationship, which is the essence of the social exchange theory. On another occasion I needed a day off to attend my ailing brother but was denied the day off. A colleague of mind stood by my side and requested the supervisor to grant me leave. He would extend his working hours and complete my part of the sch eduled task. In exchange he asked for something which relieved me of the obligation while benefitting both of us. He wanted a particular item from the downtown area where I lived and which would cost him the entire day to get it. He would have to take leave instead. Hence, if I could do him this favor, it would save him a day off and the journey downtown which was very far from his place of residence. This example of social exchange involves voluntary actions of individuals motivated by the returns expected. I readily agreed because there was no question of indebtedness or owing to each other involved. Thus in the social exchange two parties are involved and work towards mutual trust, benefit and enhancing relationships. This also forms the basis of how social structures are created. Relational Dialectics Theory Relational dialectics suggests that people in relationships constantly feel the push-and-pull of conflicting desires. These conflicting desires include autonomy and connecti on, openness and protectiveness, and novelty and predictability. Through effective communication they attempt to reconcile these conflicting desires but they continue to have the need for both the opposing pairs. These conflicts, tensions or dialectics cause relationships to be

Marcus aurelius and septimus Severus and there involvement during the Research Paper

Marcus aurelius and septimus Severus and there involvement during the fall of the roman empire - Research Paper Example Emperor Verus went to lead the campaigns in the east however, the situation was tough. The Campaign leadership was left to Roman empires and to Marcus back in the Roman Empire. The return of Verus and his troops came with a devastating plague racking the empire which was then attacked at the North by Germanic tribes. During the fight with the Germanic tribes, Emperor Verus was attacked by the plague and died leaving Marcus as the sole emperor. Later the Marcomanni and Quadi tribes launched their assault to Danube. Marcus and his armies due to the plague had trouble in maintaining control. However, harsh conditions were affecting his forces. Though his reign was constantly affected by gruesome wars, he still worked on Governmental affairs. Marcus was of little faith and to him Christians were just fanatical martyrs who stubbornly failed to work for the empire. In AD 175, the empire experienced another tragedy followed by a bad fortune according to Winkler (68). The emperor became ill during his Danube campaign and rumor came that he was dead. This almost led to civil wars in the country. To avoid the situation occurring again, he appointed his son Commodus as his co-emperor. The Danube wars seemed to take long, Marcus and his son left for north to lead the troops.

Anti-colonial Nationalism in British India Essay

Anti-colonial Nationalism in British India - Essay Example Gandhi became famous in the world for fighting for independence in India from the British colonialists in the early 20th century. The emergence of the communal consciousness between the Muslims and the Hindus was as a result of the British colonial rule, particularly the colonial legislation and administrative division of Indians into religious classes. During the colonial period, communalism and separatism were restricted only to certain regions and groups. Politics of the Indian National Congress, anti colonial nationalists’ parties, the Muslim League and the British legislation brought about the thought that the interests of the Muslim community were different from those of the Hindu community in India (Khan 234). The anti colonial struggle in India took place in three different stages, which is the proto-nationalism stage as the first stage, the rise of new leadership as the second stage and finally mass movement as the third stage. Proto-nationalism is the earliest period of anti-colonial struggle in British India. The local people did not have any knowledge about their rights and their independence during this era. The local people accepted the colonial rule of the British during this period. However, political movements and social groups demanded reforms within the British colonial rule system. When the National Congress of India was established in 1885, it was not anti British colonial rule because it believed that the British colonialists had some sense of justice and fair play in their ruling (Guha 102). The rise of new leadership in India was regarded as the second stage of anti colonial struggle. New patriotic and dedicated leaders in India took control of the movements. During this stage, leaders such as Gokhale, Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and Maulana Azad emerged (Guha 78). The third and final stage of anti colonial struggle in British India was mass movements. These national movements dominated in India in that the British colonialists were forced to use brutal force in order to maintain their power. The movements took their information to the locals in remote areas of India under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. This final stage started with civil disobedience movements whose main aim was to sensitive the locals to disobey some of the rules of the British colonialists that were unjust. The British colonialists in turn arrested the leaders of the movements sending them to jail (Guha 34). With the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, peaceful non-violent struggles were adopted as a method of anti colonial struggle. National Congress of India was established in 1885 as a platform for the educated Indians to express their aspirations and was generally received by the British. The Congress later became anti British. Among the leaders of the Congress included Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Surendra Nath Banerjee who sought for reforms that would allow some Indians to participate in the Legislativ e Councils but after approximately two decades, it became anti British. The main objective of the Congress was the defeat of the British raj. In India, the freedom movement was split into two factions, that is, a less militant faction and a more militant faction. The less militant faction was represented by Gokhale and later by Mahatma Gandhi whose main

Yellow wall paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Yellow wall paper - Essay Example He impulsively yelled at Mary asking her why she had to tear up the paint, and an argument picked up. Mary was surprised as to why removing paint picture from the wall could get the man so worked up and shaken to the extent of fainting. It did not take long before Jane came in the room, alarmed by the noise. She banged the door shouting while asking, â€Å"May I know what is going on here?† The two just gazed at her; no one gave her an answer. She then turned to Mary whose eyes were already filled up with tears and was reluctant to answer but turned around her head and pointed at the tattered papers of the drawing. Little did Jane; Mary’s sister in-law, started to resolve the situation than they heard Mary scream, â€Å"My baby†¦No...No†¦ No, it cannot be†, and blood was all overfilling the floor. Mary lost her infant, and she was so much in despair not knowing what to do. John, who was astounded, came back into senses and immediately rushed to his wives’ rescue. He hastily called a taxi, sobbing and looking so confused. They slowly took her outside the compound to meet the taxi, and after a short while, it was already there. John, being a doctor, he still could not do anything. He was baffled and could not believe that it was a miscarriage, and he still had hopes that his baby was alive. After the doctor had checked up the wife, the terrible news was delivered; Mary had lost the baby. The report was too much for John to take, and he had to sit down on a bench at the hospital, tears undulating down the cheeks. Jane was left with nothing else to do, but comfort he r brother. The narrator had to spend two nights in the hospital to receive further treatment, and her husband stood up with her, spending all day and night watching over for his beloved wife. It is at this moment that Mary realized that her husband truly loved her. At the same time, John thought of hoe he sometimes mistreated the

Why do we accept people who are beautiful Research Paper

Why do we accept people who are beautiful - Research Paper Example Alternatively, one can determine that no matter how other people think or judge, one is going to remain firm in being true to himself. Often when we encounter new people, we can’t help but form a quick opinion of them, going mainly by what they appear to be on the surface. It is not unusual to be wrong in forming an opinion so quickly, without being well informed. However, there is also a psychological explanation for this tendency and that is that many individuals simply do not possess the mental capability to carefully evaluate a new person that they may come across. That being said, there are no short cuts to knowing a person well enough for all his or her strengths and weaknesses, and jumping to quick conclusions hardly ever yields an accurate judgment anyway. Prior to speculating on the myriad aspects of ‘judgmental’ behavior, one such aspect that we will discuss in some detail pertains to physical appearance of people, which is, sadly often, the sole criteria for their being well accepted or not in the society. How often have we heard raving words of praise for beautiful women and handsome men, and how much more do we hear about them other that what they ‘look like’? While there is little doubt that physical beauty is very attractive and endearing, it is surprising indeed that people so often get so mesmerized that sage words such as ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ don’t seem to click at all. It is unfortunate then that people who are good looking are often meted out a ‘preferential’ treatment over the not so ‘good’ looking ones. Let us be clear on one fact – good physical grooming, smart, well maintained appearances play an important role when it comes to appropriate social, professional, or personal interactions. Unkempt hair, gaudy clothes, grim looks reflecting contempt and distaste are far removed from what it takes to create a pleasant company of another human being. But let us suppose that all of the above