Multicultural Management in the Virtual Project Setting

MULTICULTURAL MANAGEMENT IN THE VIRTUAL PROJECT SETTING Carlos Galamba, University of Liverpool Introduction The Virtual Project Setting In today’s globalisation era, effective cross-cultural management of virtual teams is an emerging subject in international business literature and practice. Virtual teaming has a number of potential benefits; not only in terms of human resources flexibility but it can also reduce the operating costs of one organisation. On the other hand, the challenges of such environment should not be undermined. Many scholars have attempted to analyse the impact of virtual work in a number of factors such as communication, leadership, trust, decision-making and productivity (Symons and Stenzel, 2007), while others were particularly concerned with the management of geographically dispersed units and therefore addressed the challenges of working with time zone differences and culturally diverse groups (Ardichvili et al. , 2006). The findings are very interesting and the business literature appears to agree that the virtual project setting is somehow different from face-to-face working and more important it brings some unique challenges. This project will review the literature under these headings and explore the critical issues regarding cross-cultural management in the virtual project setting. Based on the theoretical framework for virtual teaming I will attempt to outline solutions and establish a set of best practices for effective international management of such environments. Managing the virtual environment Critical issues The emerging number of virtual teams is a reality in the global market place. The virtual project setting allows organisations to assign the most skilled individuals to projects across the globe, with less concern for travel or elocation expenses, which improves productivity (Rorive and Xhauflair,  2004). However the challenges of managing culturally and geographically diverse teams must not be undermined. Some of the problems and critical issues arise in different areas such as: communication, technology, synergy among team members, culture and time zone differences (Grosse, 2002; Kuruppu arachchi, 2009). In the next pages I will discuss these issues and review the current literature and theoretical framework to outline possible solutions. |COMMUNICATION | |ISSUE |In the bigger picture the most critical factor with regards to communication is the language barrier. Effective | | |communication can be affected when team members speak different native languages. For instance, Bakbone Software, a US| | |company faced communication problems when Japanese workers were employed in their virtual team, due to their flawless | | |English (Alexander, 2000). | |Nevertheless, some cultures prefer a more formal communication than others, and managers must pay special attention to| | |individual needs. There are a number of communication platforms available, such as phone, email, chat and | | |video-conferencing. Selecting the most appropriate method for a virtual project setting is critical for the project’s | | |success. Ardichvili et al. (2006) found significant differen ces in the preferred methods of communication of Russian | | |and Chinese team members. The former are comfortable with email communication whilst the second would rather prefer | | |face-to-face or phone calls. These findings seem to support the distinction between high and low-context cultures | | |established by Hall (1981). | |SOLUTION |A valuable strategy to deal with communication challenges can be achieved by understanding and identifying everyone’s | | |strengths and backgrounds. By recognising different levels of expertise, skills and experience among team members, | | |virtual team leaders can distribute the workload accordingly. | |Lipnack and Stamps (1999), posit three basic steps to overcome obstacles to communication: listening skills, respect | | |and patience. | | |TECHNOLOGY | |ISSUE |The available technology is another critical factor for virtual teams. It is essential that an equal access to | | |technology can be guaranteed to all team members, otherwise productivity can be compromised (Kuruppuarachchi, 2009). | |Broadband services are not ava ilable in every location and some regions may experience slower internet speed than | | |others or may have incompatible networks | |SOLUTION |Ardichvili et al. (2006) posit that the start of the project is crucial and moreover team leaders must choose the most| | |appropriate computer-mediated technology that best suits the needs of team members. One that can be readily available | | |to all users and therefore potential problems in the use of technology must be identified before the virtual project | | |takes place. | | |CULTURE | |ISSUE |Individualism-collectivism is one of the biggest dimensions of cultural variability. The findings by Gudykunst (1997) | | |and Hofstede (1980) suggest that team members from collectivist cultures are less ready to trust others than those | | |from individualistic cultures. | | |Chow et al. (2000) established that individualistic and collectivist cultures make a sharp differentiation between | | |in-group and out-group members, with regards to knowledge sharing. For example, Chinese managers are found to be more | | |reluctant in sharing knowledge with an out-group member when compared to Americans. |SOLUTION |With regards to culture, many scholars agree that cultural awareness is the most effective solution to minimize the | | |negative effects of cross-cultural differences (Mead and Andrews, 2009). Ardichvili et al. (2006) emphasise that | | |leadership must facilitate an environment of cultural adaptation in order to create a unique competitive advantage. | | |Therefore it is essential that managers have the ability to channel culturally-determined behaviours and d ifferent | | |expectations into rich outputs. | |SYNERGY | |ISSUE |To communicate across cultures it is essential that managers can foster an environment of trust and understanding. | | |Several factors, such as repeated interactions, shared experiences and shared social norms, have been found to | | |facilitate the development of trust (Mayer et al. 1995). Many scholars also argue that face-to-face encounters are | | |irreplaceable when it comes to building trust (Ardichvili et al. , 2006). |SOLUTION |Following Ardichvili et al. (2006) findings, it appears essential that virtual team leaders make personal meetings | | |possible, because face-to-face encounters are one of the most critical factors for trust building, particularly at the| | |beginning of the team’s existence. This has been found to be essential in many cases of virtual teams, like Ericsson | | |in China (Lee-Kelley and Sankey, 2008) and the virtual project of the New South Wales police in Australia (Peters and | | |Manz, 2007). | |Nevertheless, in the virtual project setting, this synergy may be difficult to maintain and it is therefore important | | |that virtual organisations consider activities that indirectly create trust, such as group and individual feedback | | |(Walker et al. , 2002 cited in Ardichvili et al. 2006). | | |TIME ZONE DIFFERENCES | |ISSUE |The problem of working in distant geographical locations arises for example when certain activities need to be | | |synchronized or when real time communication is critical for the project. Due to time zone differences, users may not | | |be able to exchange information instantly. For example, the US company BakBone software, faced some challenges in the | | |coordination of its Israeli and US teams, because they have a 7 hour time difference between them (Alexander, 2000). | |SOLUTION |Precise coordination processes can help conquer time-related challenges and help increase production outcomes. | | |Planning of schedules and tasks appears to reduce repetition in discussion (Lee-Kelley and Sankey, 2008). This | | |planning should also be organic, particularly if disruption of planned activities takes place. Additionally, virtual | | |team leaders must ensure that all team members are aware of time-zone differences so that they can plan ahead the best| | |time for communication. | | |Microsoft for example, has overcome some of these issues by using a 24 hour service in some of their virtual teams | | |(Alexander, 2000). | Ethical implications Lee (2009) describes e-ethics as the ethical leadership that is required in the virtual project setting. The need to address ethical issues in virtual teams has increased over the years and appears to be more important in the international business environment. The literature over this subject appears to agree that there is a clear distinction between the issues raised within this new virtual design when compared to more traditional organisations (Lee, 2009). Therefore, based on the problems and solutions identified before, for the multicultural management in the virtual project setting, I will now attempt to review the ethical implications of such issues. Based on the work developed by Lee (2009) I agree that ethic leadership is ultimately the responsibility of the project manager (p. 457). It is up to the leader to ensure that an ethical environment can be followed by the users at all times, and moreover that environment must be encouraged in the organisational design of the virtual project setting. Cranford (1996) highlights that the use of computers that are in different geographic locations can affect the communicative behaviour of the users involved. For instance, the absence of face-to-face interactions can encourage a more aggressive and disrespectful behaviour. Therefore it is up to the project leader to control this environment, and monitor any unethical behaviour as it can have a negative effect on trust and synergy among team members. Moreover, Lee (2009) agrees that it is essential that a code of ethics is available to all users, so that they understand what is acceptable or not in the virtual environment. Another issue identified in the literature regards the potential for social isolation in the virtual community (Lee, 2009), which in turn can affect motivation and commitment to the project. It is up to the project leader to ensure that all users are participative enough and avoid potential morale problems due to the lack of interaction. The latter has been found to be more noticeable in the virtual environment than in traditional organisations (Lee, 2009). There are a number of other ethical issues in the virtual environment, but the ones identified above appear to be those that are directly linked with working in cross-cultural virtual teams that lack face-to-face interaction. It is essential that leaders can effectively manage the unique ethical issues that arise in the virtual setting; in turn this will increase job satisfaction, efficiency and ultimately improve the service value. Case study BankCo Inc. as a result of a fusion of many multinational companies, as an attempt to create a global brand, with similar corporate identity and global standards. The virtual team members are based in many different countries and come from well distinct cultures, for example Greece, UK, Germany and Singapore. It has been suggested that any poor performance or project delays were not related to the virtual team itself, but mo reover were a result of cultural differences and communication problems (Lee-Kelley and Sankey, 2008). For example, some groups considered the excessive number of conference calls to be unproductive and time-consuming. The critical issues Communication With regards to communication, the authors point out that the excessive number of emails, over a 100 per person per day, was seen as negative by many of the users, particularly in the Greek and UK teams problems (Lee-Kelley and Sankey, 2008). It is suggested that this could be the result of a low-trust culture, where colleagues feel they have to preserve email communication if a dispute takes place, for example. The excessive number of emails also meant that they could not be fully tracked or even read sometimes. The company used video-conference as a replacement for face-to-face interaction, however staff felt that many of these conference calls were very long and unnecessary (over 8 hours in some cases). As suggested in the literature, the business language used can be a challenge for non native speakers, however this was not the case for the team in Singapore, due to their superior command of the English language. In the case of BankCo Inc. this was actually more problematic amongst Germany, Spain and Italy when they had to communicate in English. Also, despite the business language being English, BankCo Inc. as flexible enough to allow certain groups to discuss problems in their native language when interacting with each other, for example, in Singapore, this allowed easier explanation of concepts. Technology With regards to Technology, there were a number of tools available for communication. However, there were cases reported where users were not familiar with them. For example, with th e tool â€Å"Test Director†, created to identify and raise problems, many users were duplicating work, by using emails as a secondary way of raising these problems. The article by Lee-Kelley and Sankey (2008) emphasises that the challenges of technology could be resolved if managers addressed the training needs of the users involved, in a way to improve communication. Synergy among team members In the early stages of the project, it was reported that there was lack of clarity in responsibilities and roles, and therefore people were passing on the problems to others. Also, the authors pointed out that there was no obvious global project leader, which could have been seen by the users as lack of leadership and direction. The scholars highlight that cultural and temporal issues affected the building of trust. For example the UK and Greek teams showed some frustration by the East tendency to avoid answering a question fully. They also felt they could not rely on their Eastern counterparts to complete tasks, even if they were committed to do so. Senior management acknowledged the problem, and highlighted the need for more interaction and understanding. As a consequence, some positive steps were taken, for example by implementing more face-to-face meetings. Culture The authors pointed out that there was a difference in the work ethics between the West and the East, for example despite those in the West work very hard, the colleagues in the East worked longer and socially unaccepted hours. Another issue pointed out was the way that members in the team in Singapore would accept all change requests from senior management, even though they did not have the time to complete those tasks. They justified it as being part of their culture to not reject or disappoint any requests from someone higher in the hierarchy. However, the Western counterparts perceived this as inefficient and pointed out that â€Å"these guys are lying continuously† (Lee-Kelley and Sankey, 2008, p. 60). Time zone differences With regards to this issue there were two different sides: some of the virtual team groups were working long hours, for example in Singapore to allow flexibility and problems to be picked up, even out of routine hours. On the other hand, the West assumed that they could then communicate with the East whenever they wanted to, and some problems arose when staff in Singapore was dealing with queries way past midnight. Conclusion By examining the critical issues regarding global virtual teams, this project offers significant insight to broaden our academic understanding of culturally and geographically distant virtual teams. An emergent perception that arises from this discussion is that the virtual project working has a set of unique characteristics that in turn create new challenges for international management. The findings in the case of BankCo Inc. also suggest that a variety of issues affect cross-cultural virtual teams, but on closer inspection, only cultural differences impacting on conflict and team elations, and time zones differences affecting coordination and communication, may be directly related with the temporal and geographical distance features of virtual teams. Lee-Kelley and Sankey (2008) highlight that the remaining factors, such as trust, technology, and communication are not unique to virtual teams, and can also be found in more conventional organisations. That being said, the ir presence should not be undermined, as it adds to the challenge found in the virtual project setting. For instance, communication as a traditional team issue can be magnified by cultural diversity and distance. Based on this discussion, I would consider the following as a set of best practices for the effective management of cross-cultural virtual teams: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ? Leaders must ensure that a functional language is adopted in the virtual project setting, one that fits the level of diversity of the virtual team. ? The organisation must provide guidelines for communication and adequate training with the relevant communication tools. ? Equal access to information must be assured for all members of one team. ? Recognise that technology is an enabler SYNERGY ? Encourage face-to-face encounters where possible, particularly at the beginning of the team existence. ? Good definition of roles. Leaders must clarify what is expected and what are the responsibilities of all team members and also ensure that members in one team are aware of each other’s responsibilities. ? Set clear, measurable and achievable goals ? Provide constructive feedback VIRTUALLY MINIMIZE TIME-ZONE DIFFERENCES ? Encourage the planning of schedules and tasks. ? Consider the possibility of 24h services. Ensure that all team members are aware of time-zone differences amongst fellow colleagues CULTURAL AWARENESS ? Understand the different backgrounds and distinct cultures of all team members. ? Leaders must be able to predict potential areas of conflict due to cultural differences and prevent them from happening. ? Foster one organisational culture that promotes listening skills, respect and patience among culturally diverse workers. ? Value diversity The fut ure This project identified key areas for cross-cultural management and it represents a step towards more research regarding global virtual teams. Also it provides a more profound understanding of the managerial implications in the virtual project setting. One can argue that the use of virtual teams contribute to a borderless world, however a new set of borders appears to emerge from this particular environment. One that is well distinct from other, more conventional multinational corporations. This project demonstrated that the durability and future of the virtual project setting relies heavily on both the organisational capabilities and the individuals, and moreover that organisations cannot depend solely on their members to attain the organisational goals. Future research is encouraged to address the unique challenges of such organisational design, and contrast the effective leadership styles when face-to-face contact is hardly present. References ? Alexander, S. (2000) Virtual Teams Going Global, InfoWorld, 22(46): 55-56. ? Ardichvili, A. , Maurer, M. , Li, W. , Wentling, T. & Stuedemann, R. (2006) ‘Cultural influences on knowledge sharing through online communities of practice’, Journal of Knowledge Management, 10 (1), pp. 94–107 ? Cranford M. (1996) ‘The social trajectory of virtual reality: substantive ethics in a world without constraints’. Technol Soc; 18(1):79–92. ? Jarvenpaa, S, & Leidner, D (1999), ‘Communication and Trust in Global Virtual Teams', Organization Science, 10, 6, pp. 791-815, ? Kuruppuarachchi, PR (2009), ‘Virtual team concepts in projects: A case study', Project Management Journal, 40, 2, pp. 19-33 ? Lee, M. R. (2009) ‘E-ethical leadership for virtual project teams’, International Journal of Project Management, 27 (5), pp. 456-463 ? Lee-Kelley, L, & Sankey, T (2008), ‘Global virtual teams for value creation and project success: A case study', International Journal Of Project Management, 26, 1, pp. 1-62 ? Mead, R. & Andrews, T. G. (2009) International management. 4th ed. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons. ? Peters, L. M. , & Manz, C. C. (2007). ‘Identifying antecedents of virtual team collaboration’. Team Performance Management, 13(3/4), 117–129. ? Rorive, B. et Xhauflair, V. ,  (2004),  Ã¢â‚¬Å"What binds together virtual teams? Some an swers from three case studies†, in Reddy, S. (Ed. ), Virtual teams: concepts and applications, India, ICFAI University Press, pp. 132-140. ? Symons, J. & Stenzel, C. 2007) ‘Virtually borderless: an examination of culture in virtual teaming’, Journal of General Management, 32 (3), pp. 1-17 ? Hall, E. T. (1981), Beyond Culture, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday. ? Lipnack, J. and Stamps, J. (1999), `Virtual Teams', Executive Excellence, Vol. 16, No. 5, pp. 14-15. ? Grosse, C (2002), ‘Managing Communication within Virtual Intercultural Teams', Business Communication Quarterly, 65, 4, pp. 22-38 ? Mayer, R. C, Davis J. H. , Schoorman F. D. (1995). An integrative model of organization trust. Acad. Management Rev. 20 (3), pp. 709- 734 ? Hofstede G. 1980), Culture's Consequence: International Diâ‚ ¬erences in Work-related Values, Beverly Hills: Sage Publications. ? Gudykunst, W. B. 1997. Cultural variability in communication. Comm. Res. 24 (4) 327-348. ——à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ OPENING CASE: BANKCO INC. BankCo Inc. is a large consumer bank that is truly global, with branches in more than 100 countries (Lee-Kelley and Sankey, 2008). By being present in distinct geographic areas (Africa, Europe and Middle East), this is a great example of a virtual organisation that faced unique challenges and more important, it includes all of the critical issues identified above. Team relations and communication were affected by both time zone and more important, cultural differences. Also, I will use this case study as a reference for establishing a set of best practices for â€Å"management in the virtual project setting† for two reasons: 1. It incorporates cross-cultural management of geographically and culturally distant units. 2. The company achieved an outstanding level of success in terms of budget, time and value delivery.

Important Element in the Story Essay

In the two short stories, â€Å"Little Things† by Carver and â€Å"The End of Something† by Hemingway, both authors make the title significant to the story’s message. The title â€Å"Little Things† is somewhat ironic in that the word ‘little’ could refer to the baby or could in fact be calling their argument petty, even though the child that they are fighting over is a major issue. This irony is significant to the story because even though the parents appear passionate about their infant, the argument clearly lies deeper. The title â€Å"The End of Something† could also refer to a number of things. In this story many things are coming to an end. The end of the mill and the town at Horton’s Bay, the end of Nick and Marjorie’s relationship, the end of their fishing trips and the end of their day. Both stories are about the end of relationships however, in â€Å"Little Things† the breakup is angry and violent whereas in â€Å"The End of Something† the breakup is calm and brief. The story â€Å"Little Things† is about the violent breakup of two parents. It is implied that they are married but Carver does not explicitly state this. The opening paragraph describes the weather and the time of day, which reflects the mood of the piece, the darkness of the evening mirroring the dark mood inside the house, â€Å"it was getting dark. But it was getting dark on the inside too. † This shows that although the mood was dark, it was not completely pitch black outside implying that there may still be a slight glimmer of hope for the young couple that is soon introduced. As the fight and the emotions become more reckless and brutal the light begins to fade, showing that all hope is lost. The characters in the story are not named. This gives their predicament a deeper sense of urgency and immediacy. This is used to great effect as when we first meet the man and women, the absence of names throws us directly into the middle of their quarrel. In this piece there is no need to build up the characters with a descriptive foreplay as it is not important to the story, making it more urgent. However in â€Å"The End of Something† we feel more sympathy for the characters as we have learned about them in more detail. From the line â€Å"he was in the bedroom pushing clothes into a suitcase when she came through the door,† we can deduce from the subtext that these people are in some kind of long-term relationship, and the second line of the same paragraph draws attention to the fact that they are having a heated argument. It is extremely common that in short stories a lot of information is insinuated rather than being clearly stated and so the reader must draw a meaning from the subtext. The woman is the first to speak. Carver does not use speech marks at all during the story in order to draw more immediacy to the article. The first line of speech â€Å"I’m glad you’re leaving! I’m glad you’re leaving! Do you hear? † shows that although the woman appears to be angry at her partner and glad that he is moving out it is easily noted that she in fact feels exactly the opposite. This is illustrated by the repetition of the line â€Å"I’m glad you’re leaving† showing that she is trying to reassure herself that she doesn’t need him. This shows irony. The woman continues to barrage the man with slurs, â€Å"son of a bitch†, obviously in an attempt to provoke his attention and convince him to stay. When she states â€Å"you can’t even look me in the face can you? † it is blatantly obvious that the man has had some kind of affair. The woman fails in catching the man’s attention and therefore when she spies the baby’s picture on the bed she takes it, out of spite. The man follows her; turning off the bedroom light as he leaves symbolising the end of their relationship, â€Å"looked around the bedroom before turning off the light. † The baby is also not named showing that although it is the child that they are fighting over, the battle about more and the baby is merely a pawn in their game of spite or revenge. The man states â€Å"I want the baby. † This immediately provokes maternal instincts from the mother who rushes to keep her child. The infant is continuously referred to as ‘the baby’ or ‘this baby’ showing that their child is solely an object that the couple are focusing their anger on. The man’s request for the baby is not because he necessarily wants the child from love but more because he sees it as a prize that he can win over the woman. Gradually their battle becomes more physical and violent as the man tries to take that baby from the woman, â€Å"in the scuffle they knocked down a flowerpot. † The baby senses the tension in the room and starts to cry which adds to the anxiety and desperation in the mood of the text, â€Å"the baby had begun to cry. † Throughout the rest of the story Carver intensifies the atmosphere by using urgent and effective words such as â€Å"screaming,† â€Å"red faced,† â€Å"gripped† and â€Å"hurting†. Nearing the end of the story the light is involved again, â€Å"the kitchen window gave no light,† this line exemplifies that there was no hope left for the couple and the baby. The lines become shorter to add to the fierce battle that the couple is suffering. The man and the woman both grab the child and pull it in different directions in a hope that one will triumph but we do not know the victor. The last line â€Å"in this manner the issue was decided,† leaves us pondering a number of possible out comes. The man or the woman may have succeeded in snatching the infant for themselves or they may have pulled their baby in two. If so the story appears to be a parody of the biblical story ‘The Two Women and Solomon’, in which a man offers to cut a baby in half to settle a quarrel between two woman as to who the mother of the baby is. In this story we are left with an ambiguous end. It is very common in short stories that the resolution of the story is left undecided, again leaving the reader to make their own conclusion from the clues given. The second short story â€Å"The End of Something† is also about the end of a relationship, however it is handled in a calmer and less violent manner. The first paragraph sets the scene of a calm deserted bay, once a busy lumbering town, now reduced to a citizen-free ghost town. The couple, Nick and Marjorie, are rowing through this bay in a calm fashion â€Å"they were trolling along the edge of the channel bank,† but they soon head towards â€Å"dark water† which shows that they are heading towards trouble. They are rowing soundlessly until Marjorie breaks the silence and begins to talk about the old mill on the shore, describing it as â€Å"our old ruin†; this shows that their relationship stretches back a long way. Nick answers unenthusiastically. Marjorie tries to keep up the conversation describing it as a castle, which shows that she sees ‘their’ ruin in a fairy-tale manner. However Nick is still distant which makes Marjorie have to work hard to keep their conversation alive. Marjorie appears to love everything about their fishing trips. She obviously loves Nick very much and is enjoying spending time with him, â€Å"She loved to fish. She loved to fish with Nick. † Clearly Nick is quite qualified at fishing and Marjorie tries to make him feel good by putting him in charge and asking him questions to boost his ego, â€Å"‘They’re feeding,’ Marjorie said. ‘But they won’t strike,’ Nick said. † By this Nick means that he will not strike that night. The couple carries out their actions of fishing with scarce communication and we can tell that something is clearly upsetting Nick as Marjorie is trying to provoke conversation but to no avail. When Marjorie questions Nick â€Å"What’s the matter Nick? † he replies â€Å"I don’t know. † The couple set out a picnic on the beach but we can tell that Nick is merely going through the motions as he says â€Å"I don’t feel like eating† and all it takes is one line from Marjorie and he agrees. They eat silently until finally Nick breaks the tension. â€Å"There’s going to be a moon tonight,† but when Marjorie agrees Nick becomes angry as if he was waiting for anything to release the pent up emotions held inside. Marjorie tries to divert the conversation from an argument and begins to talk about the moon. As in â€Å"Little Things†, the weather and setting play a part in describing the mood of the piece. The moon could represent chastity, coldness or even the passing of time. Silence follows and they do not touch each other until Marjorie ventures to ask Nick â€Å"What’s really the matter? † Marjorie is desperately trying to make their evening enjoyable and romantic but Nick is making it extremely difficult. Nick tries to avoid the question until he starts to explain that it wasn’t fun any more and that he was mixed up inside. â€Å"I feel as though everything was gone to hell inside of me,† the use of the word ‘was’ instead of ‘is’ shows that he is confused and suffering a confidence crisis. Marjorie is evidently shocked as she barely speaks except to say â€Å"isn’t love any fun? † which is swiftly followed by an answer from Nick, â€Å"No. † Unlike in â€Å"Little Things†, there is no major battle about to be released, instead Marjorie leaves calmly, dignity intact, in the boat. Nick offers to help push the boat out, which shows that he still cares for her, but is refused. When Marjorie leaves Nick lies on the blanket for a long time until mysteriously a new character named Bill emerges from the woods. Bill is a curious character. Obviously he is related to Bill in some way and Hemingway makes his sexuality and Nick’s dubious when we read the line â€Å"Bill didn’t touch him either. † Bill appears as insensitive when he barrages Nick with questions about his extremely recent breakup, provoking Nick to lash out and tell him to leave. This story again is left at a loose end. We are left questioning the sexuality of Bill and Nick. It is implied that Nick and Bill were in a homosexual relationship together. This would explain Bill’s presence hiding in the wood and the fact that it states â€Å"Bill didn’t touch him either. † The last line shows that Bill has replaced Marjorie because Bill walks over to check the fishing rods which was previously Marjorie’s job. However, Nick appears to be insecure about his choice to be gay, as we can see from the fact that he tells Bill to go away. Bill has clearly pressured Nick into breaking up with Marjorie, as we can see from the list of questions he asks and his quick appearance from the wood. Both the short stories are about the breakup of relationships but under different circumstances. As always in a short story the reader is left thinking many things from one brief text. All short stories consist of and introduction, a main conflict, a resolution and a conclusion. In â€Å"Little Things† the conclusion was the questionable death of the child. In â€Å"The End of Something† the conclusion was the appearance of Bill and the question of Nick’s sexuality.

Hunger Games Book Report Essay

â€Å"The Hunger Games† is a the first book in a fantastic series of three books written by Suzanne Collins. It takes you into the life of a scared but quick-thinking, brave girl named Katniss Everdeen who learns how to survive on her own from a very young age when her father died in a mining accident. From that day on, she took care of her little family (mother and little sister, Prim) as well as herself by hunting in the woods of District 12 everyday with her guy friend Gale (who might have a thing for her but no one really knows). District 12 was one of the twelve districts that made up the country of Panem. Panem was once the continent of North America. When an epidemic swept through the continent of North America, Panem was formed and, the people who lived under the rules set by the capitol did not like it. They rebelled against the capitol and lost. Now, every year, children’s names, ages 12 through 18, are put into a bowl and drawn out during a ceremony known as â€Å"The Reaping. † This is a dreaded time and no one wants to be a part of it because they know that if their names are drawn, it is almost like a death sentence. When a name is called, you are then taken and thrown into what is known as â€Å"The Hunger Games. † Our narrator, main character, and hero also known as Katniss Everdeen, offered herself as a tribute in place of her younger sister Prim in an effort to save her life. When her and Peeta Mellark (the boy tribute from district 12) were taken off to the capitol, they went through some pretty intense training and in the end, well, you’ll have to read the book to find out what happened but it was sort of an unexpected ending. This book was so good because it kept you on your toes the whole time. I would rate it a solid 9. 5. I gave it that high of a rating because, the unexpected seemed to happen a lot and things popped up all the time out of no where. The book also kept a good pace and there weren’t to many dull moments; there was just enough detail that you could picture what was going on in your head while the story kept moving. The only thing that I did not like about this book was the fact that it seemed almost too futuristic. Yes, it is true that the story takes place millions of years from our present day but, it seemed almost to realistic. Crazy is a good word that describes what some of the people acted like that lived in the capitol. In all though, I really did think that this was a very good book and I would suggest it to anyone who was considering reading it.

Week 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 5 - Essay Example Population defines economic output in most countries through the labor market that in turn will affect the productivity and economic performance of a population. In general, The U.S. has a larger labor market than Japan, while China and Mexico have a larger labor market than India and Saudi Arabia respectively. While most standard of living indices uses GDP per capita, I chose the Human Development Index to measure the quality of life in a country. This is because countries with lots of income do not necessarily spend their money in ways that create higher life expectancies or better education. According to Investopedia, the HDI is a tool developed by the United Nations to measure and rank countries’ levels of social and economic development based on four criteria: Life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling and gross national income per capita. A higher HDI generally means a better quality of life this index has been standardized to track changes in development levels over time and to compare development levels in different countries. Generally, the US and China has a better quality of life than Japan and India respectively while Saudi Arabia and Mexico are at par in terms of quality of life. International Monetary Fund. (2012, April). Report on Population and GDP of Selected Countries. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from

Exam about research class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Exam about research class - Essay Example Examples of these variables can be given as the socio-economic backgrounds of children and family ethics. Unlike longitudinal research, cross sectional researches do not look at variables over long periods of time but rather conduct observations into a given phenomenon within a set time frame. For instance there could be the study of child delinquency events the causative factors associated with them in modern times rather than looking at the relationship that has existed between the rate of child delinquency and rate of school drop out. Cross sectional researches are therefore often directed towards finding solutions to an occurring problem whiles longitudinal research would want to establish reasons and facts surrounding a child delinquency over a period of time. If the topic of child delinquency is taken from a cohort research perspective, it would be more of combining the advantages and merits of the first two forms of research study discussed. However, one transformational trait about the cohort research in relation to child delinquency would be that the cohort research would look into specific cases of child delinquency and correlate previous events and happenings to come out with substantive conclusions. It is in this direction that Shuttleworth (2009) writes that â€Å"a cohort study is a research program investigating a particular group with a certain trait, and observes over a period of time.† There is a highly technical issue with this scenario. As a matter of fact, the technicality of the issue reduces the decision to be taken by the thesis student to one thing and that complying with research ethics. In the absence of research ethics, the issue could have been described as a typical dilemma but once there is the issue of research ethics, there could be a straight forward option for the researcher. The straight forward

Technical aspects of cables stayed bridges Essay

Technical aspects of cables stayed bridges - Essay Example In simple terms, cable-stayed bridges carry mainly vertical loads that act on the girder. Immediate support for the girder is provided by the stay cables so that the bridge can extend over a long distance. Basically, the structure of a cable-stayed bridge is such that it is constructed of a series of overlapping triangles made up of the tower, the pylon, the girder and the cables, which are usually under axial forces, and are considered flexural and efficient. The cables are always under tension whereas the girder and the pylon are under compression. This report looks at the history of cable stay bridges, examines the configuration and design structure, technical requirements, offers a description of various bridge structures and an analysis of the bridge structures. The report concludes by offering recommendations for stay-cable design, installation and testing. Introduction A first glance at cable-stayed bridges raises some interesting questions from both the public and bridge engi neers, who find them technically challenging and innovative, as well as the architects. The cable-stayed bridges attracted public attention when the Stromsund Bridge in Sweden was completed. ... Basically, the structure of a cable-stayed bridge is such that, it is made up of a series of overlapping triangles, made up of the tower, the pylon, the girder and the cables, which are usually under axial forces, and are usually considered flexural and efficient. The cables are always under tension whereas the girder and the pylon, under compression (Dayaratnam 2000). Overtime, cable-stayed bridges have become very popular in bridge engineering; there are more than seven hundred cable-stayed bridges in the world today. With advancement in technology and architectural design, the length of cable-stayed bridges has significantly increased over the years. For instance, the first major cable-stayed bridge built in 1955, the Stromsund Bridge in Sweden, spanned 183m; in the 1970’s, the Neuenkamp bridge in Germany spanned 350m and was considered the longest one then until the 1980s when another bridge, the Alex Fraser-Annacis Island bridge, spanned 465m was completed (Denney Pate & Rohleder, Jr., 2008). This was, however, surpassed in 1994 by the Normandie bridge that spanned 856m. Today, the longest span cable-stayd bridge is the Russky Bridge, in Vladivostok, Russia, spanning 1,104m, completed in 2012 (Svensson 2012). Configuration of Cable-Stayed Bridges The concept of cable-stayed bridges as illustrated in Figure 1 was that cable suspension was to be used to replace piers as intermediary support for girder, so that it could withstand the vertical load over a long span or distance (Morgenthal & Yamasaki 2010). As a result, the first cable-stayed bridges spaced stay cables far apart based on the maximum girder strength. The

Sociopolitical Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sociopolitical Paper - Essay Example vel will require to use a lot of time and resources in studying the pros and cons of the car and even more time in changing the existing road safety laws and having to formulate new ones on manufacturing, production as well as distribution. This will lead to political implications both negative and positive. The automotive industry owners will also need to get new manufacturing equipment, seek scientists and software technocrats to install the technology or use billions in purchasing the technology from Google with the returns not being felt for several more years. The first users have to incur the high cost of production through the high price of the vehicles. The impacts are acceptable. The future stakeholders are the consumers and the automotive industries that have to bear and meet the high costs of production as well as the laws changing. However, even though the initial costs may be high, the returns in the long run will be worth it with the numerous benefits these cars are promising to bring to the human generation. The government is bound to adopt the technology because in the long it will save lives and billions of dollars in road repairs and other infrastructure that are constantly damaged by road accidents, it will save on money used when drivers are arrested and charged for traffic violation among offences in relation to cars and roads. The consumers will adopt as it will save on insurance money, expenses of car repair and traffic violation as well as letting people text while still driving. When people adopt the technology and view its advantages, the other stakeholders will benefit in increased profit through mass production due to high demand. The engineers are concerned with making the car as safe as possible as their main aim is to reduce the human loss and health problem brought about by accidents. The engineers are therefore concerned with adding as many safety features as possible while at the same time ensuring the cost will not be too much

The Benefits of Understanding Financial Ratios Essay

The Benefits of Understanding Financial Ratios - Essay Example Within the questions that were considered were the specific ratios CFAs use to measure liquidity, long-term debt paying ability, and probability; and what are the relative importance of specific financial ratios. While there were sixty-ratios considered, a number of prominent points emerged. In these regards, it’s noted that a single ratio oftentimes functions to measure more than one aspect of financial health. One example is that a ratio of days’ sales measures both liquidity and profitability. In terms of the most important financial ratio, analysts placed the most emphasis on return on equity after tax. b) Specification of thesis – main point The main point thesis of the article is that financial analysis places great emphasis on the corporate annual report and the financial ratios that examine it. A further thesis is that financial ratios have a varying degree of importance in terms of a variety of financial categories, specifically liquidity, long-term debt paying ability, and profitability. c) Supporting opinions/reasons There is a great body of research that supports the notion that financial ratios are an integral part of determining a firm’s financial performance. ... al to measuring a business’ financial performance and future viability; in addition they add the DuPont Ratio as a significant financial ratio for analysis. Financial ratios have also been extended to examine the financial strength of a firm when enlisting an underwriter before an IPO; this perspective was noted by Quantitative Applications in Economics & Finance (2008). Another prominent perspective was advanced by Kaufman (1995). Kaufman (1995) considered that bank failures are oftentimes linked and anticipated by the key financial ratio of low capital-to-assets. d) Opposing opinions/reasons While there are a number of strong elements supporting these understandings of financial rations, there are also a number of opposing perspectives. One perspective, as proposed by Ming-Yuan, Meng-Feng, et all (2007), argues that instead of financial ratios, behavioral determinants of firms’ oversees financing policies function as the primary analytic criteria. This study examined behavioral factors of, â€Å"(1) persistence behavior effects, (2) mental account effects, (3) the year of the company, (4) attraction effect, (5) character qualifications of managers and (6) overseas investment effects† (Ming-Yuan, Meng-Feng, et all 2007, pg. 183) in attempting to determine financial strength. The study revealed that there were statistically significant correlations between behavioral aspects and firms’ oversees financing decisions. Even more notable, financial ratios were not influential in these decisions. Another prominent consideration was that advanced by Pantos (2008). Pantos (2008) argues that previous arguments, specifically those of Emm and Gay (2005), that high concentration ratios can demonstrate significant risk implications in over-the-counter derivatives markets are

Cautions or Adverse Effects of Massage Assignment

Cautions or Adverse Effects of Massage - Assignment Example 3). The inspiration of the nursing profession, Florence Nightingale, had stressed the importance of creating an environment that supports healing and noted that in such an environment supportive to healing, complementary therapies like music perform an important role (Snyder, 2006, p. 8). Complementary therapies are important for holistic nursing. This is because holistic nursing considers the individual’s interior, collective interior and collective exterior (Dossey, 2009, p. 4). Snyder and Lindquist’s (2010) list of complementary therapies include massage. Citing several sources, Snyder and Taniguki (2010, p.337) identified massage therapy as â€Å"one of the most widely used complementary therapies and has been a part of the nurse’s armamentarium for centuries.† In many cases, â€Å"massage is combined with other therapies, such as music, aromatherapy, acupressure, or light touch† that it has become difficult to separate the effects of the benefi cial specific effects of massage from those of the other therapies (Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, p. 337). However, several studies have reported that massage has beneficial effects for relaxation, improving sleep, and minimizing pain (Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, p. 337). Based on at least two sources, the term â€Å"massage† was derived from an Arabic word that means â€Å"to press gently† (Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, p. 337). However, the term â€Å"massage† was defined by American Massage Therapy Association as â€Å"the application of manual techniques and adjunctive therapies with the intention of positively affecting the health and well-being of the client† (Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, pp. 337-338). Snyder and Taniguki emphasized that there is a scientific evidence for the view that massage therapy works. One study indicated that massage promotes relaxation and pain reduction, and stimulates the mechanoreceptors that activate the nonpainful nerve fibers ( Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, p. 338). Thus, based on the study, Snyder and Taniguki asserted that massage prevents pain transmission from reaching the consciousness. Studies also suggested that massage can affect the psychoneuroimmunological functions of the mind and body (Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, p. 338). Although anecdotal, there are indications that massage produces positive results in persons afflicted with HIV (Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, p. 339). A study also pointed out that massage is used to decrease aggressive behavior, improve sleep, facilitate communication, improve patient mobility, increase body weights, and increase psychological well-being (Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, p. 344). In practice, nurses explain to a patient the basis why massage therapy has to be used, assess a patient’s history, and secure the consent of a patient (Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, p. 343). Snyder and Taniguki (2010, p. 343) stressed that it is important to find out a patient’s overal l response to touch because some people are adverse to touch as a result of negative experience. Others are also hypersensitive to touch and this matter must be factored in by a nurse (Snyder and Taniguki, 2010, p. 343). In overcoming the situation, Snyder and Tanigu

The Muslim Arts Essay Example for Free

The Muslim Arts Essay Introduction Assalam-al-aluikum, through out this booklet Im going to describe about how Islam, one of todays leading religions, started off. I am also going to show you some of the worlds most beautiful calligraphy, most well decorated mosques and the most famous historic Islamic landmarks. I will also be explaining a few basic principles and the meanings of some of the holy words in the Quran. The Holy Prophet The prophet Muhammad was born in 571CE. He was born into one of the most rich and powerful Quraish tribes. He never saw his father and his mother died when he was six years old. He then lived with his grandfather, until he was eight years old. When he died he moved to live with his Uncle Abu Talib, who cared and protected him. Muhammad soon began to look after his uncles sheep and helped in expanding his uncles profits and trade. He became respected by many merchants, by doing many things e.g. He had an honest trade and never over charged any man and if anybody overpaid him he would travel all the way back to the man no matter where he is or how far away, to give him back his money, sheep etc. This is one of the many stories about him, the prophet sold some camels to man. After the man had left, the prophet remembered that one of the camels had 1 lame leg so at once Muhammad galloped after the man so he could give the man back the price of the camel, (it took the prophet 1-week to catch that man up). Such acts like this had been unheard of and soon a Rich widow in Mecca called Khadija who was known for her independance and nobleness heard about Muhammads honesty asked him to work for her in her large business. Muhammad accepted the offer and did trading trips for her by going to Syria with another slave called Maisarah. Maisarah spoke about Muhammad to her master very highly. Khadija completely won over by Muhammads honesty and manners asked him to marry her. Muhammad after talking to his close relatives agreed. Khadija was forty years old at the time and Muhammad was only twenty-five. As time wore on Muhammad became less and less involved with the business and spent more time thinking about all the problems of the world and in helping the poor people of Mecca. Muhammad used money as a means to free slaves. He had 7 children, 4 daughters 3 sons, all his sons died in infancy. Muhammad often went to mount Hira, where he spent a very long time thinking about different matters. One day after staying in the mountain for a very long time (610A.D) the angel Jibril appeared to him and brought the first message of Allah, that there is only 1 God and Muhammad is his prophet. The appearance of the angel was a strange thing that had never happened to him before, so he ran home and first told Khadija. Islam was a message to save mankind from suffering and illness. It was to teach kindness and to lead men to live good and clean lives and to test who can withstand all the worlds evil temptations. It also teaches you self-discipline, because youre the only one who can stop yourself from doing bad things. Famous Historic Landmarks In Islam there are many very magnificent old architural Mosques and buildings. Most of them have some of the most exquisite patterns and symbolic calligraphy along the inside and outside of the walls. Most of them were built where they are because something special happened there as you can see in the following. The Dome of The Rock The Dome of the Rock was built in Jerusalem and it is called the most beautiful building in Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock is the holiest Muslim shrine in the city. I have been inside it once and Muslims believe that gold-domed building was built over the rock from which Muhammad rose to heaven. Jews also believe it is the place Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal, designed as a tomb for the wife of a 17th-century Mughal emperor, was constructed by about 20,000 workers from 1631 to 1648 in Agra, a city in northern India. The massive domed structure was constructed using Islamic style, using white marble and inlaid gems. At each corner is a minaret (prayer tower), and passages from the Quran, the Muslim holy book, cover the outside walls. The bodies of the emperor and his wife remain in a room below the building. Mecca The al-Haram Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, holds the holiest shrine of Islam, the Kaaba. As the birthplace of Islams founder, the prophet Muhammad, Mecca is considered a holy city. It is a pilgrimage point for Muslims worldwide, who are expected to visit the city at least once if they are able to do so. The Kaaba Pilgrimage to the Kaaba Muslims consider the Kaaba a small sanctuary near the centre of the Great Mosque in Mecca to be the most sacred place on earth. Muslim legend teaches that the ancient religious patriarchs Abraham and Ishmael built the shrine using foundations first laid by Adam. Muslims all over the world face towards the Kaaba while praying, and every able Muslim is expected to make a pilgrimage to the Kaaba at least once in his or her lifetime. This picture shows pilgrimage ceremonies, which consist of several days of rituals and festivals during the Islamic month of pilgrimages, Dhu al-Hijja. ISLAMIC CALLIGRAPHY ART Delicate glassware decorated in enamels was produced over many centuries in the Islamic world. This early 14th-century mosque lamp is covered with three inscriptions from the Koran delineated in Kufic script. When the lamp was lit, the flame within accentuated the elegant calligraphy. Miniature painting, in the form of illustrations to secular texts, was one of the few art forms in which the Islamic faith permitted the depiction of living things. This miniature by Aqa Mirak, a court painter to Tahmasp (1524-1576) illustrates a story; a fight seems to have occurred, and the loser is on his back. In the background a gardener works industriously. Mosaic Decoration Because the representation of living things were forbidden in Islamic religion, abstract patterns, usually depicted in mosaic, were used, and these reached great heights of refinement in Islamic architectural decoration. This intricate geometric scheme, used in conjunction with quotations from the Koran in the elegant Kufic script, decorates the interior of a madrasah in Eà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½fahà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½n, Iran. Central Dome, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul The central dome of Hagia Sophia is decorated with intricate geometric patterns created by means of small pieces of gilded glass and marble of different colours. Roundels enclosing gold calligraphic script fill the pendentives. Such abstract patterns, used with quotations from the Koran executed in the elegant Kufic script, are typical of Islamic decorative schemes. ISLAMIC PAINTINGS Laila and Majnun at School Bizhad, one of the great Persian miniature painters, gave new impetus to the Oriental tradition of miniature painting.Laila and Majnun at School (1494) shows his skilful use of pattern and colour, and his graceful, calligraphic line. The flat, layered perspective shows the influence of Chinese landscapes. The juxtaposition of scenes taking place indoors and outdoors is particularly notable. Persian Manuscript A range of texts, from the Koran to scientific and literary works, and books of tales and fables, were illuminated in Islamic Persia. This page, from a Persian manuscript dating from the 13th century, consists of text and an accompanying illustration showing a group of men on horseback. Bibliography 1. Encarta Encyclopaedia 2002 2. Encyclopaedia Britannica 2001 3. Heroes of Islam Prophet Muhammed 4. Focus on Islam 5. www.islamicart.com 6. Skills in Religious Studies 2

What Is The Organizational Justice Theory Commerce Essay

What Is The Organizational Justice Theory Commerce Essay Organizational justice theory provides a model through which perceptions of fairness and equity by those affected by change can be explored and understood. OJT combines social psychological theories and psychological contract models to explain fairness judgments. Based on an individuals perception of fairness within their organization, three typologies of OJT have been defined; i) Distributive justice refers to the perceived fairness of decision outcomes and is judged by measuring whether rewards are proportional to costs (Homans, 1961, cited in Colquitt, 2006), whether outcomes stick to expectations (Blau, 1964, cited in Colquitt, 2006), and whether outcome/input ratios match those of a comparison other (Adams, 1965). ii) Procedural justice refers to the perceived fairness of decision-making procedures and is judged by gauging whether procedures are accurate, consistent, unbiased, and correctable (Leventhal, 1980, cited in Colquitt, 2006), and open to employee input (Thibaut Walker , 1975, cited in Colquitt, 2006); iii) Interactional justice refers to the perceived fairness of the performance or implementations of procedures (Bies Moag, 1986, cited in Colquitt, 2006). Implications of negative justice perceptions could be seen in an individuals behavioral response to perceived inequity of rewards. Based on exchange theories of organizational and social behavior, individuals will compare the ratio of their inputs (e.g. education, skills, effort, experiences) to outcomes (e.g. pay, promotion, recognition) with that of a referent other, and will strive to restore their perceived balance of rewards through a behavioral response. An organizations policies often signal what the organization believes to be important and can enhance employees trust and confidence in the organization (Tyler and Lind, 1992, cited in Brown. Et al., 2010). Individuals can look to the fairness of organizational policies in order to gain insight into the type of treatment they can expect to receive from the organization. Fair policies not only establish what the organization considers to be appropriate treatment but policies also build employees expectations that this treatment will occur (Sitkin and Bies, 1994, cited in Brown. Et al., 2010). Unfair policies, in contrast, can signal to employees that they might experience unfairness and/or have difficulty meeting their needs in the organizational environment. Although individuals may consider procedural justice to determine the probability of future mistreat ­ment, we argue that policies provide a more reliable source as policies are relatively stable, enduring, and often provide ex plicit guidelines for future treatment by the same or other managers in the organization. 2.1 Details of cases (Critical thinking questions no.5, pp 109) Several service representatives are upset that the newly hired representative with no previous experience will be paid $3,000 a year above the usual starting salary in the pay range. The department manager explained that the new hire would not accept the entry-level rate, so the company raised the offer by $3,000. All five reps currently earn salaries near the top of the scale ($15,000 higher than the new recruit), although they all started at the minimum starting salary a few years earlier. Use equity theory to explain why the five service representatives feel inequity in this situation. 3. Problem Identification by Niek Ling Keong Equity theory focuses on the concept of how hard a person is willing to work is dependent on their perception of what is fair or just when compared to others (Redmond, 2010).   In the early sixties, John Stacey Adams proposed that employee motivation is impacted by whether or not the employee believes that their employment benefit/rewards (output/outcomes) are at least equal to the amount of the effort they put into their work (input).   If an employee believes their outputs are not equal to or greater than their input, then the employee will become de-motivated.   Employees will often compare their inputs and outputs to a peer within the organization when judging whether or not the outputs that they receive are fair. In this case, five service representatives feel inequity in their company because they did not get high salary ($3,000) compared to those new recruits even though they all started at the minimum level few years earlier. When a person perceives his/her input/outcom e ratio to be unequal with a comparison other, inequity results, they may choose to use cognitive (e.g., adjust perceptions of referent others inputs or outcomes) or behavioral (e.g., increasing or decreasing inputs) approaches to resolve the inequity. However, individuals subjected to the same inequitable situations often respond in different ways, suggesting that there may be individual differences in sensitivity to inequity (Redmond, 2010). Specifically, research suggests that individuals are differentially sensitive to disparities in outcome/input ratios between themselves and their referents, which helps to explain why there are differences in reactions among individuals to the same unfair situations. Equity theory can be broken down into four basic schemes (Huseman, Hatfield, Miles, 1987, cited in Redmond 2010) 1.   Individuals develop their perception of fairness by calculating a ratio of their inputs and outcomes and then comparing this to the ratio of others (Huseman, et. al., 1987). Inputs are the value proposition of individuals, such as their productivity, time, and education. Other examples include the experience, knowledge, ability, qualifications and ambition of the individual (Cory, 2006). Outcomes are the rewards an individual receives. These rewards can be tangible, such as financial compensation, or intangible, such as recognition or job security. The comparable other could be a co-worker, a relative, the industry norm, a friend, or even a group of individuals (Adams, 1963). The comparable other can even be oneself in a past job (Adams, 1963). For example, an individual may not perceive he is being treated fairly when he works 40 hours per week (input) and receives $500 in pay (output) while his co-worker works 30 hours per week and receives $650 in pay. In this critical ques tion, the five representatives think that those new recruits dont have previous experience, same with them who start work at the minimum level few years ago. However, the salary earn by those newly hired representatives are higher than the salary earned by senior representatives. 2.   If the comparative ratios are perceived by the individual to be unequal, then inequity exists (Huseman, et. al., 1987). According to equity theory, an individual needs to perceive that the ratios of their contributions are weighted fairly: determined by equal ratios. Equity is all about balance (Spector 2008). Equity is present when a person feels that they are receiving the appropriate amount of outcomes from their inputs, when compared to their chosen comparison other. Inequity exists when there is a perceived difference in the ratios of inputs and outcomes. Two specific types of inequity exist: underpayment inequity and overpayment inequity. Underpayment inequity occurs when an individual perceives that their ratio is smaller than their comparison other: they are getting less for their inputs. For example, if someone feels they are putting in more effort or working harder than a co-worker, yet they earn equal or less compensation, their perceived ratios will be different an d that person will experience underpayment inequity. In contrast, overpayment inequity tips the scales in the other direction. For example, someone will feel they are being paid too much considering their work, when compared to the work and compensation of a co-worker. This can cause feelings of guilt and the ratios used for comparison are based upon the perception of an individual, and not an objective measure of inputs and outcomes. Additionally, the choice of a comparison other is also the subjective selection of the individual. While in this case, the senior representatives feel inequity of overpayment exists due to the higher salary in comparative ratios to the newly representatives. 3.  As the difference in inequity increases, the tension and distress felt by an individual will increase (Huseman, et. al., 1987). Smaller differences of inequity are more tolerable than significant differences of inequity. Not every person will experience equity or inequity in the same way because people have varying tolerance levels or sensitivity to perceived situations of inequity. Three types of individuals have been identified along an equity sensitivity scale: compassionate, equity sensitives, and entitled (Huseman, et. al.,  1987). Benevolents are more tolerant of underreward (Huseman, et. al., 1987). Equity sensitives follow the norm of equity theory and prefer their ratios to be equal to their comparison other (Huseman, et. al., 1987). Entitleds prefer to be in over-reward situations and want their ratio to exceed that of their comparison other (Huseman, et. al., 1987). Entitleds frequently have the attitude that the world owes them a favor, so they will freely accept and seek out over-reward situations. In this critical study of question, five representatives are perceived as entitleds since they still think the company owes them a good turn although they earn $15,000, which is near the top scale of salary and is higher than the new recruits. 4.  The greater tension an individual feels due to perceived inequity, the harder they will work to decrease their tension and increase perceived levels of equity (Huseman, et. al., 1987). Most individuals will try to achieve equity by adjusting their own inputs and outcomes, or attempting to change the inputs or outcomes of the comparison other. Individuals can use behavioral processes or cognitive processes in order to attempt to restore equity. Examples include decreasing productivity at work, finding a new job, asking for a wage increase, changing the comparative other, or attempting to distort or justify changes in their perceptions of inputs and/or outcomes (Adams, 1963). The means of reducing inequity will vary depending on the situation and will not all be equally satisfying to an individual (Adams, 1963). 4. Source of the problem by Ng Hui Ming a. Explanation Equity theory deals with two questions: (1) What do people think is fair and equitable? And (2) How do they respond when they feel they are getting far more or far less from their relationships than they deserve? How do they react when they see their fellows harvesting undeserved benefits or enduring undeserved suffering? Interestingly, Lind and Van den Bos (2002, cited in Sora, B. et al. 2010) conceptualized the integration of justice with stress through uncertainty management theory. This model can be summarized by the following principle: people use fairness to manage their reactions to uncertainty, finding comfort in related or even unrelated fair experiences and finding additional suffering in unfair experiences (Lind and Van den Bos, 2002: 216, cited in Sora, B. et al. 2010). In other words, work uncertainty is perceived as a threatening situation for employees. In this setting, employees tend to seek certainty and security, and one way to obtain them is through developing fai rness judgements that make the uncertain event more predictable. Organizational justice is an effective tool to reduce the feelings of uncertainty and, therefore, lessen the discom ­fort to a great extent (Elovainio et al., 2005; Judge and Colquitt, 2004; Thau et al., 2007, cited in Sora, B. et al. 2010). In this case, the inequity judgment by those five service representatives that new employees will be getting more pay of salary has caused them to feel unsecure. This is say so because the salaries earn by new recruits now are higher than the time senior representative earned. They worry that those newly hired workers will earn much than them in a very short time since the newly recruits starting salary already higher than them compare to the time they started at minimum level. b. Mind-map In this critical question, the five senior representatives feel they are facing underpayment equity, they feel that the salary they earn when working at the starting minimum level are lower than those newly recruits now. The senior representatives feel very upset and dissatisfy because manager explained that the newly hired would not accept the previous entry level rate. The newly representatives have no previous experience, but why still being paid $ 3,000 yearly above the usual staring salary in the pay range. Comparison between the situations faced by two groups of representatives 5. Learning outcomes by Ng Hui Ming After completing this study of paper, we should be able to: a. Identify what is Equity theory and under payment equity. b. Balance or correct the inequity feelings of employees towards co-workers. c. Know what managers can do to overcome/ reduce the perceptions of inequity by employees. 6. Responses to inequality by Ng Hui Ming Equity theory suggests that when individuals perceive inequality between their own outcome/input ratio and that of the comparison referent, they are motivated to respond. Specifically, equity theory outlined six possible responses that individuals may take to restore equity: a) change their inputs, b) adjust their outcomes, c) distorts their inputs and outcomes cognitively, d) leave the situation, e) act on the comparison referent to influence its inputs or outcomes, and f) compare to a different referent. There is little information, either in Adams (1965), or in subsequent work, that predicts when individuals will choose a particular response option. Equity theory comprises four linking suggestions: SUGGESTION I: Individuals try to maximize their outcomes (where outcomes equal rewards minus costs). SUGGESTION IIA: Groups can maximize collective reward by evolving accepted systems for equitably apportioning resources among members. Thus, groups will develop such systems of equity, and will try to persuade members to accept and stick to these systems. SUGGESTION IIB: Groups will generally reward members who treat other equitably, and generally punish (increase the costs for) members who treat others inequitably. SUGGESTION III: When individuals find themselves participating in inequitable relationships, they will become distressed. The more inequitable the relationship, the more suffering individuals will feel. SUGGESTION IV: Individuals who discover they are in an inequitable relationship will attempt to eliminate their distress by restoring equity. The greater the inequity that exists, the more distress they will feel, and the harder they will try to restore equity. 7. Choose alternatives to solve inequality by Loh Sin Yee One behavioural approach for an individual to balance equity is to either increase or decrease their inputs in order to achieve equity. If they feel underrewarded they will decrease their inputs. For example, an employee who feels underpaid at work compared to his coworkers (underreward) might start taking longer breaks in order to read the entire newspaper which decreases productivity (reduced input). By decreasing inputs, the perception of equity is restored. Underpayment Equity Thus, consistent with uncertainty management theory and with the assumption that job insecurity reflects uncertainty about job loss, we would expect that organizational justice related to organizational aspects such as resource distribution, personal treatment and processes could be related to employees outcomes and moderate the relationship between job insecurity and its outcomes. That is, organizational justice could help employees to deal with the uncertainty of job insecurity, justifying the negative outcomes of job insecurity and, therefore, preventing deterioration of job satisfaction. 8. Team reflection by Loh Sin Yee A concern with fairness or justice is critical to the management of numerous organizational issues (e.g., pay distribution, grievance resolution; Greenberg, 1990, cited in Kilbourne, L.M., OLeary-Kelly, A.M. (1994). In fact, in any distribution of outcomes (positive or negative) across individuals, employee perceptions of fairness are important. Because these perceptions of fairness are related to both organizational functioning and employee satisfaction (Greenberg, 1990; Leventhal, 1980, cited in Kilbourne, L.M., OLeary-Kelly, A.M. (1994), organizational scholars and practitioner equally are interested in understanding them. As a result, managers must try to communicate with their employees frequently to understand their feelings or perceptions towards inequity or any dissatisfaction on work. Adams (1965) equity theory proposes that an individual who believes an exchange is inequitable will be motivated to achieve equity or reduce inequity. According to the theory, individuals determine if exchanges are equitable by computing the ratio of perceived personal outcomes (rewards) to perceived inputs (contributions) and comparing this ratio with the perceived outcome/input ratio of some comparison referent that they have chosen. If inequality is perceived, the individual is expected to experience tension and to be motivated to respond either cognitively or behaviorally to restore equity. By the way, an employer can also prevent consequences from perceptions of inequity. For example, Skarlicki and Folger (1997, cited in Redmond 2010) found that employees that are treated with respect are more likely to tolerate unfair pay. Whether the pay or compensation is actually unfair might be irrelevant. To the employee a perception of unfair compensation is the same as actual unfair compensation. So, if an employee has a perception of inequity in their compensation they might be more willing to tolerate their perception of unfair pay if they are treated with respect by their employer. Then they will be less likely to decrease their inputs or engage in counter-productive work behaviours to compensate for a perception of underpayment inequity. So, in addition to establishing fair distribution and procedures in an organization, employers should always treat their employees with respect. This can help maintain or increase motivation and prevent problems that stem from perceptions o f under reward. Employers also need to remember that employees can value different outcomes. For example, younger employees tend to value more pay (Miles, et. al., 1994, cited in Redmond 2010). Even if an employee receives a higher salary than their co-worker they could still develop a perception of inequity if that co-worker has a flexible schedule, and a flexible schedule is more valuable to them than extra salary. To combat this problem, employers can implement two strategies. First, they could continually request feedback from employees to determine what they value and how they would prefer to be compensated. Another strategy used by employers is to offer a choice in benefits. For example, one employee might want to use a health flexible spending account while another employee might prefer to have a dependent care flexible spending account. Employers can offer choices on health or dental insurance as well as other choices among benefits. This type of plan, called a cafeteria sty le, allows employees to select outcomes that they value most. This can help prevent perceptions of inequity because each employee has the outcomes that they value the highest. This helps increase their ratio of inputs to outcomes when compared to their co-workers. Employers can also utilize intangible rewards such as a pat on the back, a luncheon, or even simple praise in front of co-workers. These simple intangible rewards can help balance a measure of inputs and outcomes. 9. Conclusion by Loh Sin Yee After we have studied the problem and revised on the research done by several researchers, we can now understand about Equity theory and underpayment equity. Additionally, the five senior representatives must know how to balance or correct the inequity feelings towards newly hired representatives. They are encouraged to use the behavioural approaches to change the input or outcome of their comparative other. Furthermore, it is important for managers to understand and prevent consequences from perceptions of inequity by employees. Equity theory of motivation, developed in the early 1960s by Adams (1965), recognizes that motivation can be affected through an individuals perception of fair treatment in social exchanges.  When compared to other people, individuals want to be compensated fairly for their contributions. The organization may need to recognize the different interpretations inherent with such group of employees and devise a strategy for effectively managing their different perceptions. 10. References by Ng Hui Ming Redmond, B.F. (2010).   Lesson 5:   Equity theory:   Is what I get for my work fair compared to others? Work Attitudes and Motivation.  The Pennsylvania State University World Campus. Adams, J.S. (1965). Inequality in social exchange. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (pp.267-299). New York: Academic Press. Williamson, K., Williams, K.J. (2010). Organizational justice, trust and perceptions of fairness in the implementation of agenda for change. Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The College of Radiographers, United Kingdom. Radiography 17 (2011) 61-66. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from www.elsevier.com/locate/radi. Colquitt, J.A., Scott, B.A., Judge, T.A., Shaw, J.C. (2006). Justice and personality: Using integrative theories to derive moderators of justice effects. Journal of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 100 (2006) 110-127. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from www.elsevier.com/locate/obhdp. Brown, G., Bemmels, B., Barclay, L.J. (2010). The importance of policy in perceptions of organizational justice. Journal of human relations. 63(10) 1587-1609. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from http://hum.sagepub.com/content/63/10/1587. Sora, B., Caballer, A., Peiro, J.M., Silla, I., Gracia, F.J. (2010). Moderating influence of oganizational justice on the relationship between job insecurity and its outcomes: A multilevel analysis. Journal of Economic and Industrial Democracy. 31(4) 613-637. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from http://eid.sagepub.com/content/31/4/613. Karriker, J.H., Williams, M.L. (2009). Organizational Justice and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: A Mediated Multifoci Model. Journal of Management 2009. 35:112. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from http://jom.sagepub.com/content/35/1/112. Roch, S.G., Shanock, L.R. (2009). Organizational Justice in an Exchange Framework: Clarifying Organizational Justice Distinctions. Journal of Management 2006 32: 299. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from http://jom.sagepub.com/content/32/2/299. Kilbourne, L.M., OLeary-Kelly, A.M. (1994). A Reevaluation of Equity Theory: The Influence of Culture. Journal of Management Inquiry 1994 3: 177. Retrieved February 23, 2011, from http://jmi.sagepub.com/content/3/2/177. Paula W. P. (2006). Procedural justice and voice effects. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications and Conflict. Retrieved 23 Feb, 2011, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1TOT/is_1_10/ai_n25009730/.

Assignment In Client Server Architecture Information Technology Essay

Assignment In Client Server Architecture Information Technology Essay This report focuses on understanding the problems being faced by the Information System (IS) department of Hures as well as other Organisations dealing with human resource and management. Such organizations, private or public, continuously collect and process data (information) using technologies available at an increased rate and store the information in computerized systems. To maintain such information systems becomes difficult and extremely complex, especially as scalability-issues arise. Such problems identified are required to be sorted and find out the solutions. Therefore from the scenario given, the measures were taken into considerations to minimize problems in communication mechanism. The client server architecture was established in the beginning to improve productivity, efficiency and information handling. Nevertheless, the Hures Information System department experienced difficulties as the stored information grew leading to the need of establishing peer to peer architecture, intranets and extranets for security purposes. QUESTION ONE Do you think the problems faced by Hures are unique? Why or why not? The difficulty faced by Hures IS department is not peculiar to them rather the underlying technology. In a distributed environment they were working on, the client server technology had problems when it comes to the extension or scaling servers to accommodate additional loads that were initially not envisaged. Client-server architecture consists of series of clients connected to a common server mounted at some remote or nearby location. Hence when there are load increments in the distributed environment, it usually tends to cause problems that make the architecture difficult to scale accordingly. Moreover, for all users on the network the rate of data transfer might go down, and sometimes a powerful and expensive computer needs to be installed and integrated into the system in an attempt to improve scalability and availability of the server. Nevertheless, for every application under heavy loading, numerous computers may be needed. It is customary to utilise one computer to each server application under medium loading, so as to prevent the extent of damage, for example in the occasion of system failure or violation of privacy and security. Client and servers when connected together to form a network that would facilitate better communication is referred to as a client server architecture. A client is an application or system that accesses a (remote) service on another computer system known as a server by way of a network. Hence servers by their operation receive a message from client and work on them and then return the responses to the client. For instance, file server, web server, mail server and web browser are servers and client respectively (Harkey et aL, 1999). QUESTION TWO Suggest alternative architectures that could be used to overcome the problems faced by Hures current Client/Server technology. Increasingly need of users accessing to network resources (i.e. information) virtually for anything held on a database through a common interface. The network supports between the user and that information. Therefore, distributed system is one of the most ideal for location of resources or database transparency. In general, a server and client systems consist of two major parts which are software and related hardware. On a controlled and shared ground to the clients, servers host resources and make them available. This allows access to server content to be controlled in a much better and secured manner. Basically, client/server architecture is a two tier technology which means that it has two nodes namely a client and a server. In order to improve communication between the client and the server, a third node or interface called a middleware is introduced between the client and the server. This is technically a better design as the middleware which is a form of software between the client and the server processes data for clients such as web browsers e.g. internet explorer, mozilla firefox and safari which are all web client. Middleware store data for user applications enabling a comparatively better design that facilitate server scalability as the processing of requests has been separated by balancing the load on different servers (Harkey, et al, 1999). The role of Middleware in a Client-Server Architecture is illustrated in the figure below: Introducing the middleware results in the design of a three-tier architecture which later can be extended to an n-tier. The n-tier architecture has the disadvantages of impacting or increasing traffic congestion and reducing the design robustness. N-tier architecture becomes more difficult to run and test software than the two-tier architecture due to device congestion resulting in communication difficulties. The increased load in n-tier architecture could lead to overloading of the network. Apart from the mentioned disadvantages n-tier architecture has number of advantages which include: better security control, increased flexibility, user friendly, easy upgradeability and scalability compared to the two tier architecture (Harkey, et al, 1999) The implementation of an n-tier distributed computing architecture will be a solution to overcome problems faced by Hures. N-tier architecture has the potential to provide better, more timely information across the enterprise at a lower cost than the current combination of PC LAN, two-tier client/server, or mainframe applications that have been developed in most organizations. For n-tier architecture to be effective, three key components need to be present: Empowerment of the developer to integrate a distributed computing architecture within existing databases, tools, and components. Certainty of efficient network traffic. Mechanisms to handle load balancing to distribute the work across many servers. The n-tier client/server architecture provides an environment which supports all the benefits of both the one-tier approach and the two-tier approach, and also supports the goals of a flexible architecture. The three tiers refer to the three logical component parts of an application, not to the number of machines used by the application. An n-tier application model splits an application into its three logical component types-presentation logic, business logic, and data access logic, where there may be any number of each of the component types within an application. The application components communicate with each other using an abstract interface, which hides the underlying function performed by the component. This infrastructure provides location, security, and communication services for the application components. The n-tier client/server architecture provides an environment which supports all the benefits of both the one-tier approach and the two-tier approach, and also supports the goals of a flexible architecture. The technology should be able to handle future growth. Hures should carry out n-tier client/server technology to solve their partitioning problems. N-tier client/server architecture is an evolution of the traditional 2-tier and 3-tier models, and is suitable for large business applications where many users share common data and operations on them. Peer to Peer The structure of peer to peer network architectures, they do not have a fixed server responsible for blocking and routing request to and from nodes unlike client server architecture. Peer-to-peer networks are simple and easy to implement. However they fail to render the same performance under heavy loads. Distributed computing, instant messaging and affinity communities are all examples of peer to peer network architecture (Deal, 2005). QUESTION THREE One of the suggestions proposed by Hures IS department is the use of intra net web technology. Examine the pros and cons of such an idea. Intranet can be described as a private version of the internet or network connectivity. It is based on TCPIIP protocols configured for a particular organization system, usually a corporation, accessible only by the organizations members, employees, or others with permission to do so. An intranet website looks and acts just like any other Web sites, but the firewall surrounding an intranet fends off unauthorized access. Like the Internet, intranets are used to share information over a network (Douglas, 2005). Intranet is privately owned computer network that utilizes Internet protocols and network connectivity. It is safe and secure in sharing part of organizational operations such as marketing, administrative information or other matters concerned with the organization and its employees. The techniques, concepts and technologies associated with the internet such as clients and servers running on the Internet protocol suite are employed in building an intranet. HTTP, FTP, e-mail and o ther Internet protocols are also applied. Usually intranets are restricted to employees of the particular firm, while extranets tend to have wider scope so that they can be accessed by customers, suppliers or other authorized agents. On the other hand, intranets like other technologies have their own merits and demerits. Below are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this technology (Stallings and Slyke, 1998). The pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages respectively) for Hures using intranet web Technology were accounted for as follows: Advantages Intranet serves as an effective communication tool within the organization, both vertically and horizontally thereby promoting a common corporate culture where every user is accessing the same information available on a common platform. Intranet enables proper time management, since organizations are capable to make adequate information available to employees on the intranet. This way, employees are able to connect to relevant information within the effective time. Increases the productivity levels of workforce by allowing them to locate and view information faster. It also enables them to use applications relevant to the task at hand. Also, web browsers such as Internet Explorer or Firefox help users to readily access data from any database the organization makes available, subject to security provisions within the companys workstations thereby improving services to users. Intranets have cross-platform capability which enables it to adequately support different types of web browsers irrespective of their backbone be it Java, Mac or UNIX. This ability enhances collaboration since every authorized user is capable of viewing information on the site thereby promoting teamwork. Provide a comparatively cost-effective means for network users to access information or data through a web-browser instead of preparing physical documents like manuals, internal phone list or even ledges and requisition forms. Publishing on the web permits critical corporate knowledge such as company policies, business standards, training manuals etc to be secured and easily accessed throughout the company using hypermedia and other web technologies. It facilitates the business operations and management. Increasingly they are being used as a platform for developing and deploying applications that support business operations and decision making across the whole enterprise. (Goldberg, 1996) QUESTION FOUR Do you think the popularity of intranets and the Internet pose threats to traditional Client/Server systems? Intranet and Internet become popular to some extent because they pose some threats to the traditional Client/server systems. It is true that Internet and intranet are both web technologies. A few years ago, the typical office environment consisted of PCs were connected to a network, with servers providing file and print services. Remote access was awkward, and profitability was achieved by use of laptop computers. Terminals attached to mainframes were prevalent at many companies as well with even fewer remote access and portability options. (Silberschtuz, 2004) Currently the secure intranets are the fastest-growing segment of the Internet comparatively much less expensive to build and manage compared to the private networks. Usually private networks are based on proprietary protocols with mostly client server architecture. An extranet creates a secure tunnel between two companies over the public Internet. It is also used to connect remote employees to corporate network by the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Also intranets are increasingly being used for tools and applications delivery, which facilitate group work and teleconferencing to an enhanced collaboration within the organizations. In order to increase productivity of organizations, sophisticated corporate directories, sales and CRM tools and project management, are all taking advantage of intranet technology (Robert, et al, 1999). Conclusion The problems faced by Hures like other organization including private and public,which are continuosly collecting and storing data in accelerated rate. The above answers on respective four questions discussed on as follows: If the problems experienced by Hures since 1985 up to now are unique or not, comparing to other organizations, such problems experienced were due to growth of business demands in information systems (IS). For example, Hures was forced to downsize the IS from mainframe to Client/Server network resulted in higher efficiency and profit. Nevertheless the problems arise on the server scaling due to loading capacity, forced the company to incur much cost on implementation of distributed environment with more powerful desktop machines. These problems are not unique because all organizations demand changes in IS while they grow up in business. Secondly, the alternative architectures have been discussed about solving the problems of Heures as well as other organizations in information systems. Therefore, distributed system has been suggested which is the most ideal for location of resources or database transparency in networking environment. Thirdly, the intranet web technology as the special network for special organization suggested by Hures IS department, was discussed on its pros and cons which can be relied on for proper construction of networks in any organization. Finally, we have seen that the popularity of intranets and the Internet pose threats to traditional Client/Server systems since the most fastest growing firms with sophisticated systems have taken advantages of Intranet and Internet technologies to facilitate the efficiency in networking and higher production. Bibliography Douglas, E. Corner: (2000). THE INTERNET. 3rd ed. Prentice Hall Publishing. Emmerich, W. (2003). Engineering Distributed objects. Wiley publishing Gralla, P. (2005). How the Internet Works .3rd ed. Addison Wesley Norton. P. (2003). Introduction to computers. 5th ed. http://www .firstauthor .orglDownloadsIP2P. pdf Wikipedia (2007), Client server architecture, accessed 18th September, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.orglwiki/Client-server _architecture REFERENCES: Douglas, E. C. (2005). Internetworking with TCPIIP Principles, Protocols and Architecture. 5th ed. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, pp.349-359 Goldberg, C. J. (1996). Entrepreneur Business Service Industry October. (http://findarticles.coIIUp articles/mi mODTVis /ai 18726414), accessed on 09/10/2008. Harkey, D., Edwards, J. and Orfali, R. (1999). Client/server Survival Guide. 3rd ed., Canada, Pp 7-10, 12, 199-201 and 349 Silberschatz, A. (2004). Operating System Concepts with Java. 6th ed. USA: John WHey Sons, Inc. p.23. Stallings, W. and Slyke, R. V. (1998). Business Data Communications. 3rd ed. Prentice-Hall International. Pp.422, 429-433. Beal, V. (2005). All about Peer to Peer. Date accessed-12th September, 2008 http://www.webopedia.comIDidY ouKnowlInternet/2005/peer to peer.asp

The lost battle :: essays research papers

The Alamo   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  General Sam Houston is in charge of the Alamo but he needs time to get a army ready to fight Santa Anna. Houston trusts Jim Bowie and Travis but now Bowie is drunk so he leaves Travis in charge of the Alamo. Then Houston leaves with his army to get it ready to fight. Bowie wakes up from being drunk and they raise the flag. Bowie doesn’t think they can beat Santa Anna and his 7,000 troops. Travis gets word that Santa Anna and his men just crossed a river that is way closer than he had thought. Travis does not tell his troops because they have no hope. Davy Crockett arrives at the Alamo with his men and they dance and drink. Travis does not drink and he wants to give a speech to all of the men about how Texas has no rights. Crockett makes Emil pay a little boy a tip for caring a woman’s bags. Crockett wants her to leave if she wants. Emil and his men try to attack Crockett in the street and Crockett and Bowie beat them up and then they go and have a dr ink. The women told Crockett that there was gun powder in a church and then Crockett and Bowie and some of their men that were sober went to get it and they bring it back to the Alamo they find about 50 rifles and gunpowder. Crockett has Flaca write a letter in Spanish to himself. Travis asks Crockett to ask his men if they will fight and he asks them and they will stay and fight. Crockett has Flaca read the letter in front of everyone and says its from Santa Anna but then after they talk about it he tells them it was from him and that he wrote it. Crockett make Flaca leave to safety. The Mexicans come and tell them to leave but Travis wants to have a war. The Mexicans have a huge cannon so at night Crockett and Bowie sneak out with their men and blow it up by putting mud down the cannon. They are running back and the Mexicans are shooting at them but they all make it back ok. Travis says that they cant do that again. Bowie says he’s going to leave in the morning with his men but Crockett gets him drunk and then he changes his mind and says he’s going to stay and fight in the war.