Traditional Conflict View - 6112 Words

Traditionally, conflict has been viewed as a destructive force to be ignored or silenced; today, many are redefining conflict as an opportunity. Once conflict is approached as a cooperative effort, nurses and other healthcare professionals can restructure trust to enhance professional relationships. By understanding the dynamics of negotiation in areas such as leadership, power, and conflict management, healthcare professionals will improve the quality of their professional practice, relationships and their working environment. Article Author Diana Ward Collins, RN BSN Legal Nurse Network This article presents an overview of conflict resolution by introducing: * Conflict management concepts and principles * Strategies for†¦show more content†¦(2,3) Until issues are addressed and collaborative agreements reached, the problem worsens, affecting more professional relationships and personal well-being.(4) When conflict arises, professionals have the opportunity either to affect change by taking action or do nothing and maintain the status quo. This choice puts us in a powerful position to assist or obstruct the negotiating process and thereby expand or diminish our own potential. If we choose, we can remain silent, feeling victimized, powerless, and pressured. Realize that taking no action is a decision—in essence, an act of avoidance. By giving away our voice, we give away our power. By staying caught in the middle, we lose our voice, our options, and the chance to make a positive difference. Regardless of the strategy used, effective professionals understand the connection between the choices we make and the results we live with. Power Most conflict involves power, either directly or indirectly. Here are a few basic thoughts on the nature of power: * Every relationship involves power issues on some level. * Sometimes power issues are covert and hidden, and other times they are overt and clear to all. * When we use our power for personal advantage, others are affected, either negatively or positively. * Power is neither good nor bad. * We tend to associate the idea of power with strength and ability. * The purpose of power is to get another person or groupShow MoreRelatedEssay on Organizational Conflict775 Words   |  4 PagesConflict 1 Organizational Conflict: The three views Organizational Conflict: The three views Conflict 2 Organizational conflict is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests between people working together. Conflict takes many forms in organizations. There is the inevitable clash between formal authority and power and those individuals and groups affected. There are disputes over how revenues should be divided, how the work should beRead MoreTypes of Organizational Conflicts: Similarities and Differences758 Words   |  3 PagesConflict is an occurrence in virtually any organization, regardless of how large or small it may be. It is exceedingly difficult to get people to agree with one another about everything all the time, especially when they are competing for the same resources (Tsang, 2012, p. 84). This difficult is naturally exacerbated when there are stratifications between people, which frequently occurs in organizations. Organizations may have different categories of employers such as those in sale, marketing, financeRead Mor eThe Three Views of Conflict: How Criminal Justice Agencies Function in the Midst of Conflict1115 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is conflict? There are many definitions for conflict. A conflict is defined by Robbins Judge (2011) as A process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect something that the first party cares about. In this paper the three views of conflict will be discussed, then compared and contrasted. They are: (1) traditional view ;( 2) human relations view and (3) interactionist view. In addition functional conflict and dysfunctionalRead MoreTraditional and Non-Traditional Litigation1006 Words   |  4 Pagesthat people can use to day to resolve disputes are the traditional and nontraditional judicial dispute resolution systems. Generally, the traditional system tends to be more rigid than the nontraditional system, with a very specific sequence of litigation steps to follow to arrive at the resolution of the dispute. In either case, the traditional or nontraditional litigation systems can work towards the resolution of specific types of conflict; both are necessary tools for resolving a variety of disputeRead More Conflict Resolution Essay1288 Words   |  6 Pagestask, inconsistent views or opinions commonly arise. People come from different backgrounds and live through different life experiences therefore, even when working towards a common goal, they will not always see eye to eye. Major conflict that is not dealt with can devastate a team or organization (Make Conflict Work, 2008). In some situations, conflict can be more constructive than destructive. Recognizing the difference between conflict that is constructive to the team and conflict that is destructiveRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s A Very Simple Way963 Words   |  4 Pageswhat thing he has done at this age and if he is using that time properly. The application of figurative language like metaphors makes the reader connect to the poem. The poem contains a particular rhyme scheme, an individual point of view, direct conflicts, a traditional perspective and a specific theme. Milton tries to connect to the reader and he does it in a very entertaining way. The idea of the author in this poem is to make the reader get identify by it. Milton finds the way to do so by structuringRead MoreConflicts Are Prevalent Within Business Organizations772 Words   |  4 PagesConflicts are prevalent within business organizations, in fact, â€Å"eighteen percent of managers’ time is spent trying to resolve personality conflicts among staff members.† (Robbins Judge, 2009, p. 486) According to Robbins and Judges’ research, there are three views of conflict in the workplace, â€Å"Traditional, Human Relations, and Interactionist views.† (Robbins Judge, 2009) Equally important to conflicts and resolutions within an organization is negotiating. The ability to negotiate in businessRead MorePolitics As A Method Of Resolving Conflict Essay1390 Words   |  6 Pagescontested concept with numerous differing views and perspectives presented to us. These different perspectives can offer similar perspectives on the concept of polit ics and what it means; whilst other times the views are strongly contrasting creating debate on the subject. The main examples of the differing views of politics are as follows: Politics as the art of government; which is the more traditional view of politics. Politics as public affairs; a view which focuses on public institutions ratherRead MorePersepolis Essay998 Words   |  4 PagesSamuel P. Huntington once said, â€Å"In the emerging world of ethnic conflict and civilizational clash, Western belief in the universality of Western culture suffers three problems: it is false; it is immoral; and it is dangerous.† Two contrasting beliefs have a tendency to cause conflicts. When groups of people have opposing views, dangerous confrontations will occur to see which view is dominant. The Islamic Revolution was blood ridden, violent, and incessant; the conservative sect of the populationRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie One Night The Moon 1254 Words   |  6 PagesOne Night the M oon (Rachel Perkins) is a marvellous portrayal of the conflict between the white settler and the Indigenous Australian, at the heart of which, is their attitude to the land and what it represents. The film demonstrates the conflict created through opposing views of land ownership due to misunderstanding and stubbornness over opinions, and highlights the mistreatment the Indigenous people have suffered over this confusion. The film follows a white settler, Jim Ryan, and an indigenous

Use of Information and Communication Technology-Free-Samples

Question: Analyse beliefs regarding the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in early childhood education and propose FOUR (4) strategies for direct interaction with technology. Answer: Viewpoint The main viewpoint in this context is the debate for and against the introduction of the ICT in early childhood. The different viewpoint came from the Enthusiasts and Sceptics. The main argument, which can be stated in this context, is that meaningful task can be scaffolding towards the tools of the technology. The main assumption came from the Enthusiasts is based on child-centered practices of constructivist and the nature of the childhood. The children learn more things directly for the future of the computer games that they learn in school. The debate against the practice of the ICT would be beneficial for the schooling since it would directly incorporate a sense of responsibility for the students which would be helping them to frame a better future (Lecluijze et al., 2015) On the other hand, it can be stated that the view of the Sceptics was that the ICT learning would be physically hazardous for the students, which can cause different type of problem for example Myopia, it can be emotional and hazardous taking into consideration social activity such as social isolation and detachment, which would be emotional. Intellectual hazards are also a point of emphasis in this aspect, which can be related to the devoid of the creativity (Samuelsson, 2014). Moral hazards can be also considered a weak aspect of the technological advancement as this could lead to exposure to undesirable websites, which could create harm to the mentality of the students. In this context it can be stated that creation of technology has disappeared the concept of the childhood and it directly impacts the eating and the natural habits of the children. Use of ICT The term ICT stands for information and communication technology. The schools use the concept of the ICT tools for the concept of communicate, store and management different information. The concept of the ICT can be considered integral part of the teaching- learning interaction. The concept had replaced the traditional aspect of chalkboard with the concept of digital white board, which are interactive. In the classroom, the students use their own smartphone and other devices to create a sense of learning in the classroom. When the teachers are literate in accordance to the usage of the ICT technique the students can also benefit from the concept. The main advantage, which can be achieved from the concept, is that it would create a higher order of thinking for the student in order to express their own understanding and leave the student well prepared in order to deal with the technologies, which are ongoing. The concept can directly change the workplace and the society. Strategies Strategies 1: Implementation of integrated learning modules The implementation of open source software can be implemented which would be enabling the concept of development of learning management system (LMS) and management content system. The main advantage, which can be achieved from the concept, is that it would incorporate messaging which would be instant and the capacity to create a forum. Strategies 2: Creation of Wiki Most of the student and the teachers can implement the concept of wiki, which can be used for the concept of creating a means of interaction. The concept of Wiki can be beneficial in a way that a group of students can add different sort of information into it which can be accessed by the students and the teacher at any point of time. Strategies 3: Podcasting The use of audio files can be used for the concept of development of digital recording. The concept of podcasting can be used for broadcasting audio files using softwares which are supported by RSS feeds. Strategies 4: Browsers Enhancement The concept of web browsers are adding more functionality relating to the user. The main advantage, which can be, achieved form the concept is that it would be adding value directly to the student by means of accessing the bookmarks and their favorite topic over the concept of the internet (Chua Chua, 2016) References Cheng, M., Yuen, A. H. (2017). ICT Use at Home of Hong Kong Students: Understanding New Arrival Children from Mainland China. In New Ecology for EducationCommunication X Learning (pp. 173-183). Springer, Singapore. Chua, M., Chua, C. (2016, November). App characteristics guide for ICT integration in early childhood education: an experience analysis. In Proceedings of the 28th Australian Conference on Computer-Human Interaction (pp. 628-630). ACM. Diogo, A. M., Silva, P., Viana, J. (2018). Children's use of ICT, family mediation, and social inequalities. Issues in Educational Research, 28(1), 61-76. Lecluijze, I., Penders, B., Feron, F. J., Horstman, K. (2015). Co-production of ICT and children at risk: The introduction of the Child Index in Dutch child welfare. Children and Youth Services Review, 56, 161-168. Nikolopoulou, K., Gialamas, V. (2015). ICT and play in preschool: early childhood teachers beliefs and confidence. International Journal of Early Years Education, 23(4), 409-425. Samuelsson, U. (2014). Digital (o) jmlikhet? IKT-anvndning i skolan och elevers tekniska kapital (Doctoral dissertation, School of Education and Communication).

Invisible Man Essays (1391 words) - Invisible Man, Invisible

Invisible Man "Invisible Man" is about a black man and his struggles until he eventually becomes ?invisible' to society 1. Youth-given a chance for an education 2. New York- finding a job and joining the Brotherhood 3. Becoming invisible B. Characters 1. Ellison a. never describes himself b. well educated, tries to become white 2. Mr. Norten- rich man, says Ellison is his ?destiny' 3. Dr. Bedlose- head of the University, kicks Ellsion out 4. The Brothers- Brother Clifton C. Major issues in the book are the ways that Ellsion's character oppresses himself rather than other people doing to for him II. Novel is a primary example of the hesitance of the blacks to feel confident in American society A. Author wrote book to confuse me- had to read pages many times- didn't describe people or places, just things- didn't read in to he nuances B. Book will help me when we start to study the Black movement because it shows where the begingings started C. Ellison's Character "speaks" while being invisible, pg 576-581 III. Had and impact on the way I look at my place in society A. Think of it not like a "black novel" but as one big analogy B. Every one is an ?invisible man' in one way In Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison's narrator recalls to us how he became ?invisible' to the world. Since the name of the narrator is never known I wlll refer to him as Brother X. The novel opens with Brother X describing what it is like to be invisible: "I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edger Allen Poe...I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids00and I might even go said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me..That invisibility of which I refer to occurs because of a peculiar disposition of the eyes of those with whom I come in contact. ... those eyes with which they look through their physical eyes upon reality... In the introduction, Brother X shares with us the advantages of his being invisible; he also explains to us that he lives in a ?pit' that is damp and dark, yet full of light. Living in this pit makes him realize that he is black and blue. "I was born black, but what did I do to become blue? Bear with me." During the first couple chapters of the book, Brother X tells us about his education. He attended a prestigious collage in the South and was a top student. While at the University, he met a prominent white man named Mr. Nortan. He was Mr. Nortan's driver during his stay. Although we only hear about Mr. Nortan for a few chapters, and he doesn't show up again until the end of the book, he plays a very important role. He said that he didn't have a destiny, that Brother X and others like him were is destiny. Brother X often refers to being Mr. Nortan's destiny for the rest of the book. After a violation of the rules, Brother X is kicked out of school. Thinking he will be able to return next term, he heads off to New York to find a job. He has with him references from Dr. Bedlose, the dean who kicked him out. He was told not to open the letters, but after not hearing back from any of the jobs, he opens one. The letter explained to the potential employers that Brother X had been expelled from the University and it would not be wise to employ him. After several blue collar jobs, Brother X ends up giving and impromptu speech at an eviction and catching the attention of several leaders in the Brotherhood movement. He is employed by the Brotherhood and given a new ID, which we never learn. The Brotherhood was an organization in Harlem that focused on unity through peace. Brother X finds himself giving speeches all over Harlem and invading the territory of Ras, the Exhorter's group of black Nationalists. After a while with the Brotherhood, the Youth leader, Brother Clifton disappears. The Brotherhood movement starts to lose its force and they start to talk of shutting down. One day, while Brother X is walking down the street, he spots Clifton illegally selling dolls which were demeaning to blacks. Clifton refuses arrest and ends up being shot. At Cliftons funeral, Brother X is asked to speak. When Brother X crosses

Discipline as an integral part of effective police supervision

Discipline as an integral part of effective police supervision Introduction The police department, as faction of the judiciary and law enforcer, cannot be allowed to be tainted with traces of indiscipline. It is a ridicule and an outright insult to the judicial system in its totality. The duty to ensure that unbecoming behavior and unacceptable professional conduct does not gain ground in the police force is bestowed on the police supervisor.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Discipline as an integral part of effective police supervision specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For the effective role of supervisor to be fully realized, the individual supervisor cannot overlook the importance of a disciplined force. Without discipline, the supervisor will have failed as an individual and failed the whole institution as well. This essay looks into the maintenance of discipline among the police as an integral part of effective police supervision. Fostering discipline in the police force Supe rvisors as disciplinarians The ability to maintain discipline among the subordinates is one way of measuring the suitability of a supervisor for the role. The sergeant is the most important party in the police force, and his position the most challenging one. â€Å"It is the sergeant†¦who plays the pivotal role and, in large measure determines whether the police department will face unfair labor practice charges, costly arbitrations, lengthy litigation, and more union activism,† (More Miller 2007, P.314). The police are the point of connection between law enforcers and the society. They have been given discretion to deal with matters concerning the public such as determining when to arrest a suspect or when to shoot. â€Å"The powers that police hold and exercise†¦if improperly used, reduce public confidence in police, decrease respect for the law, and increase fear amongst a community, thus destabilizing it,† (Office of Police Integrity 2007, P. 18). When a supervisor sleeps on his work as the disciplinarian organ of the institution the result is; â€Å"lower quality of service provided by a given department and undermine the integrity of the entire profession,† (More Miller 2007, P. 316). Further, â€Å"poor supervision and the lack of effective disciplinary mechanisms allow ‘loose cannons’ who are in positions of power to abuse that power,† (More Miller 2007, P. 317). Being the one who has the most contact with the subordinates, he can use that advantageous position to create a police force whose professional standards are not tainted with unethical issues. The discipline could be constructive or punitive. Constructive refers to disciplinary measures geared to create internal discipline of an officer while punitive comes way after the employee has been found to have committed an indiscretion and is intended to make him not repeat the act, and should only be used when all other alternatives are depleted.A dvertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Good disciplinary measures Sergeants, when they notice indiscipline, should not wait until the situation gets out of hand. They should take corrective measures with immediate effect. â€Å"Failure to act promptly and decisively tends to perpetuate the problem and sets the stage for more debilitating interpersonal conflict,† (More Miller 2007, P. 301). It makes other subordinates believe that the disciplinary measure laid down by the organization are merely for formalism purposes and are not really applicable. Further, they show that the supervisor is in control and has the authority over the subordinates yielding respect from them. The disciplining should also be firm and fair and must be seen to be applied indiscriminately and equitably. â€Å"A great sergeant establishes a sense of equity. This doe’s not mean people are always treated equally, just always fairly,† (Werder, 1996). They should not be in violation of any written law or accepted rules of procedure and the subordinate must be able to understand his reasons of being disciplined. The root of the indiscipline and motive of performing the act must be established through enough evidence and the errant subordinate must be given a chance to be heard and explain his case. Further, other less serious disciplinarian measures such as formal reprimands or arbitration should be tried out before the supervisor can jump to the more serious ones such as demotion or discharge. The measure adopted should be reasonable and not excessive taking into consideration the circumstances of the particular case. The disciplinary measure should be less bureaucratic and filled with many formalities. A research currently conducted showed that â€Å"amongst the significant defects with the current discipline system, are the numerous, inconsistent, excessive ly formal and slow review and appeal processes available,† (Office of Police Integrity 2007, P. 14) The employees should be properly informed of the unacceptable form of behavior to avoid a situation where the employee was unaware of the existence of the offence in the first place. â€Å"Once, the subordinate knows the rules he knows what to expect in case of failure to follow the disciplinary code,† (Shimansky 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Discipline as an integral part of effective police supervision specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The discipline measures adopted must have just two objectives i.e., to act as a future deterrence both to the deviant subordinate and to the others or to change the specific individual and ensure he is reformed. Any other objective of the supervisor such as to muster control of the subordinate or to settle some old scores, will be inappropriate and an abuse of pow er. The supervisor must at all time guard himself against making an emotional decision on discipline matters. They must remain in total control of the situation without having to be accommodative of subordinate’s improper behavior. As much as supervisors are mandated to maintain discipline, they should not take to themselves the habit of nosing around the private business of the subordinates. All their actions should be confined to circumstances within the formal business of the organization. What the subordinate does outside the employment circle should be a no go zone for the supervisor. The most effective manner of maintaining discipline is by outlining some procedures and principles, uniform to the whole organization, that every individual has to adhere to. The rules must also prescribe the right punitive measures to be undertaken in case of the subordinates defying such rules. This makes the system a lot more formal and will yield respect from subjects. It will also ensu re uniformity and avoid situations where the subordinate feels unfairly handled. They must, accordingly be communicated to all the subjects in a manner to obtain acceptance from them. Rules which are not generally accepted by the subjects often result into a situation of chaos and unresolved conflicts. Positive discipline These are measures taken by the supervisor long before any indiscipline has been detected. they are more of preventive measures as opposed to curative. They are aimed at securing the officers loyalty to the principles and procedures and get them to adhere to such policies willingly, without being sanctioned. The subordinates are driven by â€Å"the human tendency to do what needs to be done, to do what is right in a given situation, and to voluntarily comply with the reasonable standards of performance and conduct that apply to all members of the workforce,† (More Miller 2007,P. 291).Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The supervisor has the duty of ensuring that create this kind of dedication from the subordinates. They develop self-discipline where the subordinate decide to give their all to the better performance of the whole institution for which they work for. Here, the supervisor simply acts as role model to be emulated. They take a personal decision to motivate the subordinates through recognition and rewards. They create an environmental that is necessary for the growth of such a self-driven employee. A supervisor who has acquired skills and expertise to achieve this is a quality staff to the institution. Conclusion Discipline in the police force is one of the most important things and the topic should be handled with care. Lack of discipline in the force means that the indiscipline is extended to the society in general since a person who is undisciplined himself cannot function to the right standards. But as much as we delve in punitive discipline institutions should realize that the most important discipline is the positive discipline. When subordinates are internally disciplined, the effects will be long lasting as opposed to corrective discipline which is administered after some malpractice has already happened. Police supervisors should seek to adopt methods of according positive discipline if they want to be effective in the role in the long run. References More, H and Miller, L. (2007). Effective Police Supervision: Coaching, Counseling and mentoring, 5th Ed, Chapter 11-13, copyright Mathew Bender and Company, Inc, a member of the LexisNexis Group Office of Police Integrity. (2007). A fair and Effective Victoria Police Discipline System, Victorian Government Printer, session 2006-2007, P.P No. 3 Shimansky.B. (2006). Discipline as an integral Part of Effective Supervision, retrieved from web. Werder, E.J. (1996). The Great Sergeant! Personal Qualities of a Great Sergeant, National Executive Institute Associates, Major Cities Chief’s Association and Major County Sheriff’s Association.

Darwin and Evolution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Darwin and Evolution - Assignment Example Prior to Darwin, though some naturalists had speculated about modification of species, they failed to explain why and how species change. They also believed that evolution began with the special creation of only a fixed number of species. Partly influenced by Thomas Malthus' essay on the Principle of Population and stimulated by a letter from Alfred Russel Wallace, in 1859 Charles Darwin discussed in detail the evolution of species through natural selection in his famous work titled On the Origin of Species, which totally revolutionized the previous concepts of evolutionary biology. Natural selection refers to a process in which species compete and struggle for their survival according to the limited resources and conditions of their natural environment with different adaptive abilities. As individuals in a population are not same due to difference in inherited characteristics, nature only selects those individuals that are best suited to the environmental conditions, and thus rest o f the population dies over time. As all the offspring in a population acquire characteristics from their ancestors, produced more than nature can support and have different reproductive characteristics, only those organisms will survive that are better adapted to the living conditions. This means that organisms with higher reproduction ability will remain due to higher probability of their descendants to survive, and other will eventually become extinct due to less survival rate of their offspring with the passage of time. Since environmental conditions are different from place to place, there will be variation in characteristics of species at different locations. Darwin concluded that populations extending over large areas or through migration might have been isolated resulting in variation of their characteristics according to varying environments. Over long periods of time, they may have diverged or evolved into separate species different from each other. For instance, Darwin fou nd that finches he observed on the Galapagos Islands were similar to one another than they were to finches of the mainland. He also noticed that some varieties were only existent on the archipelago islands. So, he proposed that all species might have descended from a common ancestor and increase in number of species occurred through evolutionary natural selection over time rather than special creation. Question Two Darwin and other naturalists believed that variations among individuals of a species were due to mixing of traits from both male and the female. He was not aware of the heredity mechanism and different traits were regarded to be the result of blending of characteristics through generations over time. However, the concept of blending inheritance failed to describe the survival of variety as they descended through generations with time. It also failed to describe the maintenance of specific characteristics in varieties and that how new species would emerge through blending. It was 1866, when Gregor Mendel published his experimental findings on garden peas. To experiment with pure seeds, he selected a self pollinating plant. He experimented with garden peas that were different from each other in many characteristics such as their flowers were either red or white, had green or yellow seeds, and tall or dwarf. After cross-breeding generations having different characteristics, he observed that descendants from each cross possessed characteristics of only one of the parents and blending did not happen. Mendel concluded that instead of blending of certain fluids, heredity from parents was passed on to offspring through independent discrete units, particles or factoren, which were later termed as genes. The characteristic that appeared in a descendant after cross breeding was termed

Information Managment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Information Managment - Case Study Example However, these retailing powerhouses have weaker market presence in areas where Pamida is located thus creating a competitive, first entrant and first mover advantage for the company. (Porter, 1985) ShopKo has implemented a systems application called Markdown Optimizer in order to deal with pricing of a product according to season, store location, local tastes and past demand. The software analyzes historical pricing plus sales data in order to control and price product leftovers of individual stores. Pamida overhauled its inventory management systems in order to address product shortage from its different stores. It has implemented a full service distribution system in three warehouse locations. Initially, the company experienced setbacks and low earnings caused by the implementation of the new distribution system. This was due to a inappropriate allocation of resources where Pamida focused on new technology infrastructures and new merchandising software without modernizing their back-door operations. The warehouse management system was old, inflexible and outdated. The functionalities and features of the software were not anymore aligned to the new business strategy and it cannot cope up with the growth of the company's demand. The company normalized its distribution operations when it has utilized and employed a better and flexible distribution system software. Results and Business Benefits The ShopKo operations have benefited a lot from the new application. The Markdown Optimizer increased the gross margin and decreased its payroll costs from the previous year. Importantly, it has dramatically decreased the percentage of unsold goods at the end of each season. With these benefits, the net profit of ShopKo has increased. On the other hand, Pamida performed well by maintaining a high in-stock availability of merchandise through effective warehousing, efficient distribution and modernized information systems. At the end of 2001, Pamida has turned around its operational setbacks and implemented a functional full service distribution system.. They had become successful such that the company has decided to consolidate its distribution at two centers instead of three to further save on costs. Key Learnings Information systems strategies should be aligned with the business strategy of a company. It must not focus on modernization of infrastructures alone. It is important for IS to give value to the company and compliment the business goals. As part of strategic management, information system's role in the decision making process has become very important in the organization. It functions both as support and driver of corporate strategies.(Pearlson, 2001) An effective information system needs a valuable and useful symbiosis with the rest of the management structures in an organization.(Turban et al, 1999) Case 2: What Happened to Kmart Background Kmart was the largest discount chain in the retail industry. It was established in 1962 and has expanded to 63 stores at the end of 1963 through their introduction of discount stores.

Fiction as History Essay Example for Free

Fiction as History Essay He was known as â€Å"Gabo† to the people living in Colombia and to those who knew him by his reputation. He was not only a short-story writer, a novelist and a screenwriter by profession for he was also a journalist—these were only among the many things which gave him the honor as among the famous writers of Latin America and one of the most significant 20th century authors. At the age of 65, Gabriel Garcia Marquez was given the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982: the product of the combination of an early life largely influenced by his grandfather and a life lived through the ways and means of journalism after quitting law school (Williams, p. 135). Gabo is considered to be a pioneering author in the Latin American â€Å"Boom† during the 1960s, stemming from the fame he achieved through his masterpiece One Hundred Years of Solitude and his indispensable presence and role in Latin American literature (Maurya, p. 54). One Hundred Years of Solitude has been significantly understood by critics and literary scholars as a history of Gabo’s rendition of the circumstances during the strike that happened back in 1928 in Colombia (Posada-Carbo, p. 401). That magnus opus of Gabo is said to scrutinize the Colombian regime’s repressive nature as well as the strike itself which claimed the lives of many workers. Throughout the course of his career, the literary style known as â€Å"magical realism† has been largely attributed to Gabo as he was the one who popularized the literary technique of using magical events and elements so as to give real experiences the fitting explanations (Hinds and Raymond, p. 897). Gabo is also said to have been an influential writer not only for his fellow Latin Americans but also for fresh authors and budding writers from other nations. For Gabo, reality is a very significant theme and ingredient in his writings, especially evident in his works â€Å"In Evil Hour,† â€Å"Big Mama’s Funeral† and â€Å"Nobody Writes to the Colonel† (Aizenberg, p. 1239). These three works of Gabo reflect the kind of Columbian society where he lived inasmuch as they also reflect the reality of life in the nation. The theme of reality is the foundation for the rational structure of the books of Gabo, although European readers may tend to be less aware of the reality that Gabo wants to send across and tend to be more inclined to interpret his works as testimonies to his magical realist craft. The first few years in the career of Gabo Marquez saw a struggling journalist in him. He was literally a travelling journalist simply because he was always on the move, transferring from town to town across Latin America and Europe. At one point, he worked for El Espectador back in 1955 as a correspondent reporting from Rome and Paris. Although the newspaper was shut down by the dictator Rojas Pinilla which took away his position as a journalist, Gabo nevertheless was able to pick up on where he was left and continued his writing career in Mexico City. In the City, he did not only work as a journalist; he also worked as a screen writer and as a publicist before moving back to Barcelona during the 1970s. Although Gabo was a well-travelled writer, it can be said that he never fails to at least think about his hometown and reflect it on what he has written. Evidence to this is his constant use of the town â€Å"Macondo† in his many stories which reminds the readers of the town of Aracataca where Gabo was born and lived his childhood days (Molen, p. 4). This was true right from the time when Gabo began writing to the time when he was able to considerably attain success in the literary limelight. Nonetheless, the time when Gabo began writing was a significant event for the literary scene in Hispanic American societies because the literature in those regions was characterized either by realist-modernist or super-regionalism during the middle part of the twentieth century. Those were the times when Latin American writers were busy either writing as a modernist or as a realist—both having the tendencies to categorize themselves as ‘regional’ writers or writers who either depict or mask reality in their respective places. Maurya Vibha further suggests that there is an apparent â€Å"absent history in the Third World conditions of Latin America† and a â€Å"link between postcolonial fiction and a desire to think historically† in the works of Gabo (p. 54). If Vibha is indeed right, then there is strong reason to believe that what Gabo did in his works is to provide that link and, in the end, to capture the significance of those ‘third world conditions’ into a piece of literature which depicts the stark reality in Latin American societies. Apparently, the works of Gabo, if not the course of his life, present the struggles faced by Latin Americans in their own territory as well as in others. In effect, it can be said that Gabo’s ‘magical realism’ is indeed a combination of the depiction of the social realities that the author saw in his lifetime and of the literary magic that he used in depicting those realities. Although European readers may get the impression that the literature of Gabo is ‘magic’ in itself, it should not be the case that the substance of his works be confined to that magic alone for it transcends the barriers of that magic by portraying reality at its highs and lows. Works Cited Aizenberg, Edna. Historical Subversion and Violence of Representation in Garcia Marquez and Ouologuem. PMLA 107. 5 (1992): 1239. Hinds, Elizabeth Jane, and Raymond Leslie Williams. Interview with Gabriel Garcia Marquez. PMLA 104. 5 (1989): 897. Maurya, Vibha. Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Social Scientist 11.1 (1983): 54. Molen, Patricia Hart. Potency Vs Incontinence In The Autumn of the Patriarch Of Gabriel Garcia Marquezpotency Vs Incontinence In The Autumn of the Patriarch Of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature 33. 1 (1979): 4. Posada-Carbo, Eduardo. Fiction as History: The Bananeras and Gabriel Garcia Marquezs One Hundred Years of Solitude. Journal of Latin American Studies 30. 2 (1998): 401. Williams, Raymond Leslie. The Visual Arts, the Poetization of Space and Writing: An Interview with Gabriel Garcia Marquez. PMLA 104. 2 (1989): 135.