Pros and Cons of Organisational Mergers

Pros and Cons of Organisational Mergers Abstract The purpose of this paper was to take a look at a topic of our choosing and determine how it relates to a human resource management issue. The topic that was decided to discuss was what the pros and cons are of organizational mergers. We also planned on looking at how organizational mergers affect both the success of the organization and the employees within the organization involved in the organizational merger. Lastly, we went on to look at whether this issue has an HR relationship of if it more of a management issue. Overview So for my topic project I came up with a proposal to investigate what the pros and cons are of organizational mergers. I also planned on looking at how organizational mergers affect both the success of the organization and the employees within the organization involved in the organizational merger. Therefore, we will start by creating an outline of what we will be looking for followed by the research needed to answer the questions asked by the outline. Once we have completed this we will look at a Q A from a human resource professional’s point of view. Lastly, we will conclude by determining whether the pros of organizational mergers outweigh the cons of organizational mergers and if there is any kind of success that comes from organizational mergers for the organization and the employees. Outline Now to begin the following is the outline we will use to start our topic project. WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF ORGANIZATION MERGERS (Moadhadi, 2015)? What are the pros of organizational mergers (Moadhadi, 2015)? The first pro of an organizational merger is a larger network of economies (Moadhadi, 2015). The second pro of an organizational merger is an increase in research and development (Moadhadi, 2015). The third pro of an organizational merger is all the other economies of scale (Moadhadi, 2015). The fourth pro of an organizational merger is that it allows for the avoidance of duplication (Moadhadi, 2015). The last pro of an organizational merger is that it helps with the regulation of monopoly for the industry (Moadhadi, 2015). What are the cons of organizational mergers (Moadhadi, 2015)? The first con of an organizational merger is that there can be higher prices (Moadhadi, 2015). The second con of an organizational merger is that consumers now have less choice (Moadhadi, 2015). The third con of an organizational merger is that there can be job losses (Moadhadi, 2015). The last con of an organizational merger is that the larger organization can suffer diseconomies of scale (Moadhadi, 2015). WHAT ARE THE TWO TYPES OF MERGERS THAT ORGANIZATIONS CAN GO THROUGH (Moadhadi, 2015)? The first type of organizational merger is a horizontal merger (Moadhadi, 2015). The second type of organizational merger is a vertical merger (Moadhadi, 2015). WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF MERGERS ON THE ORGANIZATIONS (Moadhadi, 2015)? A merger can cause employees to display a new attitude (Moadhadi, 2015). Mergers may cause employees to disapprove of the new regulations (Moadhadi, 2015). Mergers may cause concerns with whether the current benefits and compensations for each of the employees will stay the same (Moadhadi, 2015). There may be employee resistance to the new integrations (Moadhadi, 2015). WHAT KIND OF RESISTANCE TO ORGANIZATIONAL MERGERS CAN EMPLOYEES HAVE (Moadhadi, 2015)? The first reaction is because they have a fear of control loss (Moadhadi, 2015). The second reaction is because there can be excess uncertainty (Moadhadi, 2015). The third reaction is because it may have been a surprise for them (Moadhadi, 2015). The fourth reaction is because the work environment is becoming different (Moadhadi, 2015). The fifth reaction is because there are changes in the way the work is completed (Moadhadi, 2015). The sixth reaction is because they may have competency concerns (Moadhadi, 2015). The seventh reaction is because there may be added responsibilities (Moadhadi, 2015). The eighth reaction is because the employee may have new risks on their company investments (Moadhadi, 2015). The ninth reaction is because the current work may be affect by unsettled matters prior to the merger (Moadhadi, 2015). The tenth reaction is because there may be a risk of the company downsizing due to economic losses (Moadhadi, 2015). Research Before we discuss what the pros and cons are of organizational merger we have to know what a merger is first. So what is a merger? A merger is a chosen fusion of two or more organizations with approximately equivalent stipulations into a single organization (Merger. 2015). Now that we know what a merger is so we can now begin to look at what are the pros and cons of organization mergers. We can begin by looking at what the pros of organizational mergers. There are five major pros to an organizational merger. The first pro to an organizational merger is a larger network of economies (Pettinger, 2012). Basically, this means that by merging the new company now has a much broader network to cater to. The second pro to an organizational merger is there is an increase in research and development (Pettinger, 2012). This basically means that the new company is able to come up with better top of the line inventions or designs. The third pro to an organizational merger is all the other economies of scale (Pettinger, 2012). This is basically dependent on what type of merger has taken place. If it is a horizontal merger it will be much larger than if it was a vertical merger which will still expand, but it will be less than that of a horizontal merger. The fourth pro to an organizational merger is that tit allows for the avoidance of duplication (Pettinger, 2012). This basically means that the market is no longer over populated and that the market is now only influenced by one company instead of two. The last pro to an organizational merger is that it helps with the regulation of monopoly for the industry (Pettinger, 2012). This basically means that the government limits the new company’s pricing so that the consumers do not get hurt. The pros of an organizational merger do so much for the new organization so what do the cons of an organizational merger limit the new organization too? There are four major cons of an organizational merger. The first con to an organizational merger is that there are higher prices (Pettinger, 2012). This basically means that now that there is only one choice in the market that they can make their prices less competitive which will make the new prices of the company become a little bit more expensive. The second con to an organizational merger is that consumers now have less choice (Pettinger, 2012). This is really straightforward in the sense that the consumer can no longer chose between the two rivaling companies now they can only chose the one company. The third con to an organizational merger is that there can be job losses (Pettinger, 2012). This is also straightforward in the sense that if the new company is considered as an aggressively merged take over than the employees may h ave to fear the loss of their jobs in under preforming departments. The last con to an organizational merger is that the larger organization can suffer diseconomies of scale (Pettinger, 2012). This basically means that with the merger that the new company may not be able to maintain control and with such problem may lose the ability to motivate their employees. Now these are just a few of the pros and cons of organizational mergers. We will also look into two types of mergers that organizations can go through (Merger. 2015). Earlier I mentioned two types of mergers which we will now explain. The first type of mergers is an organization to organization merger known as a horizontal merger. The second type of mergers is an organization to supplier merger known as vertical merger (Merger. 2015). Now the last things we will look into is how these types of organizational mergers affect the individuals that work within these organizations. With a merger of organizations the employees may begin to show some new attitudes (Kokemuller, 2015). Another issue that may occur is that the employees may not approve of the new regulations (Kokemuller, 2015). There may be concerns with whether the current benefits and compensations for each of the employees will stay the same (Kokemuller, 2015). Lastly, there may be resistance with the integrations of each of the organization’s employees. These are just a few issues that could arise within a newly merged organization (Kokemuller, 2015). With more research we can understand this so much better. Now the last issue is slightly inevitable but there are ways to make the resistance to these changes a little bit more manageable (Bolognese, 2002). By keeping in mind these top ten reasons why the organization’s employees are resistant the organization can limit the amount and length of their employee’s resistance to the new merger (Kanter, 2012). The first reason an organization’s employees might be resistant to the merger is because they feel they have loss control (Kanter, 2012). The second reason an organization’s employees might be resistant to the merger is because there is a new excess uncertainty (Kanter, 2012). The third reason an organization’s employees might be resistant to the merger is because it may have been a surprise for them (Kanter, 2012). The fourth reason an organization’s employees might be resistant to the merger is because everything seems to becoming different (Kanter, 2012). The fifth reason an organization’ s employees might be resistant to the merger is because the way things used to be done are gone (Kanter, 2012). The sixth reason an organization’s employees might be resistant to the merger is because they have concerns about their competence (Kanter, 2012). The seventh reason an organization’s employees might be resistant to the merger is because there may be more responsibilities (Kanter, 2012). The eighth reason an organization’s employees might be resistant to the merger is because it may affect their organizational investments (Kanter, 2012). The ninth reason an organization’s employees might be resistant to the merger is because not everything from before the merger was settle appropriately and may cause issue for everyday work (Kanter, 2012). The final reason an organization’s employees might be resistant to the merger is because the new organization might be downsizing due to a loss of funding instead of expanding (Kanter, 2012). With this in mind we can better understand how mergers impact the organization and their employees (Kanter, 2012). Now that we know what the pros and cons are of organizational mergers and how they can affect the newly established organization and their employees let us look at how a human recourse professional is made. Interview of an HR Professional The follow Q A is of my interview with Judy Whimmer an HR professional of 15 years. With CSL Plasma 1) How did you meet the requirements for a human resource administrators status? Answer: The function of a human resource administrator requires somebody that is able to relate with others on a private level and aids them in meeting their goals, while at the same time obeying the companys guidelines (Whimmer, 2015). With that said, I believe that with my 15 years of skills I am more equipped to interact with both employees and consumers (Whimmer, 2015). Since my previous job allowed me to understand what the guidelines of a human resource administrator are (Whimmer, 2015). I now know that human resource administrators have to remain aware of these guidelines while operating (Whimmer, 2015). 2) What are your strong suits and weak points as a human resource professional? Answer: As I deal with an employee’s dilemmas I have a tendency to get overly involved in their problems (Whimmer, 2015). Yet, I believe that this aspect has allowed me to understand their dilemmas better (Whimmer, 2015). After understanding their problems I am able to suggest to them possible solutions while remaining within the company’s limits (Whimmer, 2015). I have come to understand that experiences like this have helped shaped my attitude towards problems that my staff has had in the past and has allowed me to help them while remaining loyal to this company (Whimmer, 2015). 3) According to you, what are the qualities that a human resource administrator must have? Answer: I feel that an administrator has to have understanding, instinct, adaptability, elasticity, concentration, and above all an employee needs to be in touch with what has to be done on a daily bases (Whimmer, 2015). 4) Why did you choose a human resource career? Answer: It was because I enjoyed being involved when new employees are hired (Whimmer, 2015). The reason I enjoy this because human resource administrator are able to help recognize the right people and how they will fit in the company (Whimmer, 2015). It was as a recruitment officer that I found that I enjoyed the human resources field and adopted a human resource profession (Whimmer, 2015). 5) What are the major roles and responsibilities of a human resource administrator? Answer: The role of a human resource administrator is to care for the strategic and functional responsibilities of all of the human resource disciplines they work with (Whimmer, 2015). 6) What are the responsibilities of a human resource administrator? Answer: The responsibilities of a human resource administrator can include, but are not limited to staffing, education, structural progress, interaction, operation progress and administration, income and benefits, crew development, developing staff relationships, forming directions, motivational trainings, evolving company rules and processes, and handling health care programs for employees (Whimmer, 2015). 7) Why did you decide to get into HR after you graduated? Answer: I was looking for a job when I got my first opportunity as a human resource administrator (Whimmer, 2015). I picked it up and gradually realized that I had a liking for it (Whimmer, 2015). I improved my skills by remaining up to date on any new advances in the field (Whimmer, 2015). I also went and acquired a professional degree in the human resource field. It was one of the best choices in my life (Whimmer, 2015). Conclusion So now we have looked at an outline of what we will be researching, we have conducted our research, and we have even chatted with a real life HR professional we will now take the time to determine whether the pros of organizational mergers outweigh the cons of organizational mergers and if there is any kind of success that comes from organizational mergers for the organization and the employees. To begin the amount of pros to an organizational merger are much more significant than the amount of cons an organization merger has. I also feel that what an organization gains from a merger is much more rational than what may potentially occur to both the consumers and the employees. I also feel that the pros to an organizational merger are better than the minimal issues that may come from the cons of an organizational merger. Now with this said we also have to look at if there is any kind of success that comes from organizational mergers for the organization and the employees. To answer th is it solely depends on a few things. The first thing is to determine what kind of merger we have on our hands. For example if the merger is horizontal than the success of the merger is dependent on whether the merger takes well by the employees and the consumers. So let us say we have two hospitals that merger this is a great example of a horizontal merger and can have some major recourse in the sense that the doctors may now fear the loss of their jobs and may even resent the new changes or even management and their decision to merger in the first place. We will now look at the other side. For example if the merger is vertical than the success of the merger is dependent on whether the merger takes well by the consumers. So let us say we have a retailer and a third party soda vendor that decide to merger. The retailer now has to make sure that the inventory of their newly merger supplier takes well versus that of the sodas of other non-merged vendors. With all of this said the succ ess of a merger is really dependent on a handful of situations and if they are not the right situations than the successfulness of an organizational merger tanks rapidly. Therefore, I have to conclude that the pros of organizational mergers do outweigh the cons of organizational mergers and the any kind of success that comes from organizational mergers for the organization and the employees is dependent on situational factors and depend on how well the merger is taken by all the parties involved. I also feel that the effects of organizational merger can be controlled by HR Professionals such as the one we interviewed. References Bolognese, A. (2002). Employee Resistance to Organizational Change. Retrieved May 26, 2015, from http://www.newfoundations.com/OrgTheory/Bolognese721.html Kanter, R. (2012, September 25). Ten Reasons People Resist Change. Retrieved May 26, 2015, from https://hbr.org/2012/09/ten-reasons-people-resist-chang.html Kokemuller, N. (2015). Post-Merger HR and Cultural Issues. Retrieved May 26, 2015, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/postmerger-hr-cultural-issues-14400.html Merger. (2015). Retrieved May 26, 2015, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/merger.html Moadhadi, S. (2015). Merger Proposal. Retrieved June 6, 2015, from https://api.turnitin.com/dv?o=545723293u=1007168898s=3student_user=1lang=en_ussession-id=e954f4cc236d3d4b1434f6533eb8d641 Pettinger, T. (2012, February 22). Pros and Cons of Mergers. Retrieved May 26, 2015, from http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5009/economics/pros-and-cons-of-mergers/ Whimmer, J. (2015, June 5). Human Resource Professional Analysis [E-mail interview].

Her Lifestory Essay

Now you can see how successful Concepcion Baylock is. At the age of 12 the young Concepcion was already away from her family and lived with her relatives in order to have a good education. Living with her relatives is not that easy, she had to do the household chores for them to let her stay, and she goes to school at the same time. At a very young age Concepcion showed her diligence in everything she does. When the time her grandparents took her, Concepcion’s life changed because they treat her nicely and they were good to her. However she still tried to help doing the chores because she wanted to thank them, in that simple way she showed her grandparents how thankful she is. As a teenager Concepcion supposed to be hanging out with her friends going to movies, parties, and outings. However she missed this, she would rather save her money that was given by her grandparents. She doesn’t even buy new things. When she was still in her senior years in high school she already worked by teaching grade school student. Later on she worked as a telephone operator in the United States Naval force in Subic. While she was working she married an irresponsible man, he just let Concepcion doing all the work. Good thing Concepcion successfully gets out of this marriage. She had a child with this unsuccessful marriage. Years later, Concepcion married again with an American who she had a four children. He is the one who helped her to put up her first business, they had a jeepney and taxi concession. When her business succeeded she put up her second business a four-storey hotel, which later on turned out to be a combined hotel, night club, and restaurant. Her ventures succeeded, but she remembers that before she married her second husband she faced many disapproval regarding in her plan f having a business. She never let this bring her down, despite she used this as challenge to pursue more. Concepcion was not still contented; she pursue her education in Manila. She managed to raise her children and run a business at the same time while she was studying. She had a very hectic schedule; she only had around four hours of sleep every day. After she finished her degree in commerce, she proceed to law, and then to a master’s in public administration, and a doctorate in commerce. Concepcion Blaylock is now a president and chairman of Diamond Motors Corporation. As an entrepreneur and a manager Conception knows how to deal with different type of people. She knew how to treat her people properly. She never hesitates to help them, especially those who showed loyalty to her and to the business. She never forgets to credit the companies who trust her. She always makes sure to maintain their trust to her. She never abused her creditor, who trusts her. Today, when Concepcion Blaylock looks back at her past she was very thankful for such an experience that she had. She was very grateful with the things that challenged her more to do more and thought her to be strong. A. Cultural Values| Manifestation of the Value| 1. Frugality (katipiran)| As a child, she saved money rather than buy new things; as an adult, did not immediately buy a car even though she can afford it. | 2. Risk taking (lakas ng loob)| She pursue her plan of having a business even though she knew that she don’t have any formal orientation in running a business. | 3. Amor Propio (utang na loob)| She never hesitates helping her staff especially those who have proven loyalty and commitment. 4. Harmonious labor management relations| She makes it to a point to compensate her people generously with profit sharing schemes and other benefits. | 5. Diligence (sipag)| At a young age, she already attributed this trait, she do the housemaid works and study at the same time. | 6. Endurance (pagkamtiisin)| She was already away with her family at an early age, for her to have a good educ ation. She never let this be a reason for not to achieve her goals, instead she makes this as her inspiration. | B. As a Filipino we were brought up by our parents to have a sense of adventure (pakikipagsapalaran) that is big help in venturing a business. Filipinos were not afraid of trying new things , we intend to be a risk taker. We usually put in our mind that God will help us in everything we do, that is a â€Å"bahala na† attitude. â€Å"Bahala na† attitude is not that bad because we do our part, but we just hope for the guidance and help of God. We Filipinos are well known of having a good relationship to people such as being family oriented and â€Å"pakikipagkapwa†. Filipinos are naturally have a close family ties. This trait is a good thing when you are in a business. Our family serves as our strength because we knew that they will be always be there to support us. They are the one who inspires us to do our best. Filipinos also exhibits the trait of being good to the people around us. This trait really plays a big role in how Filipino entrepreneur manages their people very well. Yes, the Filipino culture and values that were instill in us really help in building our entrepreneurial spirit.

Benefits Of Entrepreneurs At The World - 1318 Words

Julia Kowalski Mr.Flynn English 4, Period 8 30 January 2015 Benefits of Entrepreneurs When people take a close look at the world today they can see an abundance of producers and consumers. Consumers buy and producers sell, but there is more to it than that. People have to work and so the producers can sell, producers must supply so that the consumers can buy and so on. It is truly a never ending chain reaction of buying and selling. In order for the economy to run, people to live, and so many other crucial parts of a daily life, one things has to keep growing, and that one thing is entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is when one takes on a personal goal or businesses plan that can benefit all. These benefits are shown through, enhancing†¦show more content†¦Along with these varied options, the consumer also achieves the benefit of lower prices (Brown). When two companies sell the same product or service it forces either company to lower their prices, and even in some cases can cause both companies to lower prices. Competition can only result in benefits for t he consumer, whether it is by lower prices or a variation in products. Entrepreneurs must make themselves adaptable to every market. One way this can be achieved is through variation in products and creating new and unique ideas. These small businesses must come up with these ideas and products to push other competition out and to bring new customers in. â€Å"Most of the innovations of the past 100 years, electricity, the automobile, the airplane and even the computer, that have re-made the economic landscape have come from the minds of entrepreneurs† (Kritikos). All of this intense need to get ahead in the game has positive effects on the consumer and on the market. This obviously benefits the consumer because of the new tools that can be created to make life easier. This also can benefit the economy because money is being put into it through the buying and the making of the products. If successful with creating a new product a small company can start to expand. When most small businesses expand they look to develop in to a company that can bring in a larger revenue (Brown). This brings good news for the rest

Damien Hirst Art Work Essay - 627 Words

Humanities â€Å"Bring Forth the Fruits of Righteousness from Darkness† The artist of whose work I observed was Damien Hirst. He was born June 7 1965 and is an English artist, entrepreneur and art collector. The piece of art I observed was â€Å"Bring Forth the Fruits of Righteousness from Darkness†, it is a gloss covered canvas covered by real butterfly wings and household paint. It is set up to resemble three stained-glass windows from a gothic cathedral. The piece is on display at the Cleveland Museum of art and on loan for five years. The work of art showcases Hirst’s theme of death that is shown in many of his pieces. Damien Hirst became famous for his artwork in preserving dead animals. His works have included cows, sheep, sharks,†¦show more content†¦Damien Hirst is a Conceptual artist because his work most often takes precedence over and traditional matters or ideas. This is shown by his work with dead animals and preserving them, which is most often frowned upon. Hirst is known to be a contemporary artist with his work being very modern and spread throughout the country in galleries, exhibits, and even private collections. The Cleveland Museum of Art holds Damien Hirst’s â€Å"Bring Forth the Fruits of Righteousness from Darkness† on special loan for five years. It also holds many different exceptional pieces that include Asian and Egyptian art, and its own Picasso collection. It holds 43,000 works of art from around the world. The Museum holds so much history and offers free admission to its public to come and absorb some of world’s greatest works of art the Cleveland is lucky to have on display. Damien Hirst is a widely known artist that is known to be one of the richest artists to be alive today. His work moves many people for many different reasons and is known for its controversy, beauty, and eccentric style. We are lucky to have his work on display in the Cleveland Museum of Art. He continues to make art today that stands out and is just as beautiful and interesting as the piece I was privileged toShow MoreRelatedMythical Creatures in the Sculpture, Legend and Myth by Damien Hirst800 Words   |  3 PagesI. Description The sculpture Legend and Myth by Damien Hirst is a pair of sculptures depicting two mythical creatures. Legend is a sculpture of the legendary creature known as a Pegasus, and its counterpart, named Myth, which is a sculpture of a white unicorn. The medium that was used to create the two sculptures was a combination of painted gold, silver, and also bronze. The sculpture Legend measures to be 4575 x 2590 x 2260 mm or 180.1 x 102 x 89 in and was sculpted in 2010, while its companionRead MoreThe History Of Art And Its Impact On Modern Art970 Words   |  4 Pageshappens when you splash the stuff down. â€Å"- Francis Bacon. However when I learnt more about history of art and the way each movement and happenings in the world inspired artist to make new works, I was able to see much more than just a canvas with random paints and sketches. The interesting part about this concept is that each piece of art could be interpreted in many different ways. In contemporary art there isn†™t right and wrong, each of us view and find different meanings and connections with artworksRead MoreDamien Hirst s The On The Mind Of Someone Living1149 Words   |  5 Pages The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living is a piece that was created by the artist Damien Hirst in the year 1992. In summary, it is a tiger shark that is preserved in a formaldehyde solution in a case of glass and steel. The case is separated into three parts, which most likely is because Hirst did not want the viewer to see and observe the piece as one whole dead shark. It is thought that this steel casing breaks the continuity of the shark and therefore, becomes less connectableRead MoreDamien Hirst: the Tranquility of Solitude1476 Words   |  6 PagesLichty  Ã‚ ­Ã‚  MTD Damien  Hirst:  Ã‚  The  Tranquility  Of  Solitude  (for  George  Dyer) The  Tranquility  Of  Solitude  is  a  three  dimensional  work  of  art  by  English  contemp orary artist  Damien  Hirst,  debuted  in  2006  at  the  Gagosian  Gallery  in  London.  Hirst  uses  dead  animals in  his  Ã¢â‚¬Å"fine ­art,†Ã‚  something  that  once  shocked  the  art  world.  Is  this  Ã¢â‚¬Å"artwork†Ã‚  an  ostensible  farce operating  on  shock ­value  alone?  Or,  could  a  lasting  meaning  to  be  derived  from  the  artists creation  make  a  memorable  impact  on  the  art  world  for  years  to  comeRead MoreThe Exclusivity of the Art Market875 Words   |  4 Pages 1819). A phenomenon very true to the art markets, one might say. Elitism and exclusivity drive the art world. Value of art works is socially and subjectively constructed, based on one’s concocted rationales of what is significant and what is not. Giving art works the title of commodities, hence, is rather trivial, particularly due to the nature and quality of t hese works. One cannot, however, deny that in the case of contemporary art, capitalism and the art world seem to run hand-in-hand. Ben Lewis’Read MorePostmodern Art And Its Impact On Modern Society2133 Words   |  9 PagesPostmodern art is typically anti-establishment and rebellious, the beginning of postmodern art can be found in the late 1950’s-1960’s although the term was first used around 1970. The movement differed from previous movements as it deliberately went against the rules, artists used many different disciplines within one piece of work. A core value of postmodern art is that it is for everyone and tries to be a connection between art and everyday life. Modernism triggered post-modernism, modernismRead MoreEthical Judgements Limit the Methods Available1400 Words   |  6 Pages We make decisions all the time whether it would be in the arts or in the natural sciences. Natural science is an area of knowledge that seeks for patterns. Meanwhile the arts is a discipline in which we express both ethical and unethical ideas that are more subjective. Both areas of knowledge are affected by the ethical judgements that people make in the production and of knowledge. Ethical judgements are related to human moral values and they affect how people should or should not act (DombrowskiRead MoreThe Work Of Manchester Born And Black Artist Chris Ofili1827 Words   |  8 Pageschapter of this dissertation it will focus on the work of Manchester born and black artist Chris Ofili. Most known for his experimentation with elephant dung, Ofili communicates a humorous and rather stereotypical reaction to how an African man ‘should’ be painting, â€Å"You don’t exist, unless you start to build yourself up, and start to work† (Ofili 2010). There was much comment about Ofili becoming the first black contemporary artist whose name and work was known to a wider British public. Ofili, comparedRead MoreArt: A Tool for Change Essay2276 Words   |  10 Pagesâ€Å"In a decaying society, art, if it is truthful, must also reflect decay. And unless it wants to break faith with its social function, art must show the world as changeable. And help to change it.† This quote by Ernst Fischer, a German composer, means that truth in art exposes the parts of society, and of life, that no one wants to see. In order for art to change society, it must first reflect the fears and failures of its people. The artist can change how people think of themselves and the worldRead MoreArt Essay 21433 Words   |  6 Pages‘What I like so much about contemporary art now is its ambiguity, its uncertainty. It is precisely this quality that engages and unsettles us’ – Benjamin Genocchio, art critic. How does this view challenge traditional ideas about art? Discuss particular works such as installations, happenings and site-specific works. Audiences make pretentious judgements on artworks due to their ambiguity and uncertainty. However, traditionally site-specific art was created to exist in a specific place, rather

Jiayun - 1132 Words

Ann Li May 5, 2013 Social Study Research Paper Ms. Yassin Abraham Lincoln On February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of United States came into the world in a poor family in Hardin County, Kentucky. When Lincoln was born, he was given his paternal grandfathers name. His father, Thomas Lincoln was a farmer and shoemaker with only a little amount of knowledge. However, Abrahams father gained respect of the community because he purchased his own land twice. His religious beliefs against slavery deeply influenced Abraham in his childhood. Abraham Lincolns childhood life was rough. His family moved three times, crossing states. Lincolns mother, Nancy Hanks, died from milk sickness caused by drinking the milk of†¦show more content†¦Douglas from Democratic, and became the 16th president of the United States. Because of his strong mind against slavery, several Southern states seceded from Union and formed the Confederate states by the time of Lincoln inauguration in March 1861, and the Civil War began barely a month later . It was the darkest war time in the American history, where thousands of people giving their lives to the country from 1861 to 1865. During the Civil War, Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation which took effect on January 1, 1863. This document freed all of the slaves in the rebellious states but left those in the border states in bondage. He justified his decision as a wartime measure, and did not go so far as to free the slaves in the border states loyal to the Union because at that time, Lincoln cared more about keeping the country together. In fact, his Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves only located in states actively in rebellion against the United States was in order to allow those slaves to fight for the Union army. He was not able to free all slaves until the victory of the Union. Still, even though some slaves remained in bondage, the Emancipation Proclamation deprived the Confederacy of the bulk of its labor forces and put international public op inion strongly on the Union side. In April 1865, with the Unions victory, Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed by the Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth at The Fords Theater in WashingtonShow MoreRelatedBalance Sheet and Total Capital Ratio Essay979 Words   |  4 Pagesway to expand the use of fair value accounting to the non-liquid asset, such as the bank loan, since there may be doubt of the interest rate and debt revaluation. Group members: Chenpu Li, Jiaxuan Li, Aiyun Wang, Jiayun Ao

Operations Management London Zoo and Nottimham Castle Case Study Free Essays

string(77) " number of visitors can fluctuate greatly depending on the time of the year\." In today’s information age, it is important for businesses to take advantage of the available avenues to reach out to customers and potential customers. Tourist attractions such as London Zoo, and Nottingham Castle, are no exceptions of being in the age of constant information flows. These places want to attract visitors with their facility layouts and overall experiences, and to improve upon what they already have, they would need to optimize their products through well planned operations management. We will write a custom essay sample on Operations Management London Zoo and Nottimham Castle Case Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now When one thinks of a zoo and a historic museum, it is very natural to think of both places as tourist attractions, but what they offer the visitors could be very different. The London Zoo offers patrons the experience of interacting with animals that we would otherwise have very little chances of seeing, while the Nottingham Castle brings the visitors back in time and allows them to feel and see the history. The zoo needs to attract people with their animal collections, while the Nottingham Castle needs to intrigue visitors with their well laid out tours, guides, and interesting historic facts. The purpose of this report is to describe how each of these places, the London Zoo and the Nottingham Castle, are run in terms of operations management, then to identify possible flaws and ways to improve upon their current operational methodology. Though these two places are both tourist attractions, but their appeals are unique to their own. The zoo offers exciting and dynamic interactions with live animals, so it needs to capitalize on the animals it has or through possible new animal acquisitions. The Nottingham Castle on the other hand should cater to what the visitors would be most interested in knowing about the place. To wrap up this report, a comparison between the two locations will be done. Nottingham Castle can trace its history back to 1067; the wooden castle was built by the Conqueror. In 1878, Prince of Wales opened it as a municipal museum and art gallery and it has since become one of the popular scenic spots in Nottingham city. According to Nottingham City Council website, Nottingham Castle is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. From March to September it opens until 5 in the evening. Although the Castle only provides parking for disabilities, public parking and railway station are all within 10 to 15minutes walk. In order to attract more visitors, Nottingham Castle has a Tuesday free entry plan for the local citizens. Other visitors can purchase tickets from 3 to 5. 5Pounds depending on different types of tickets. There is only one entrance into the Castle, therefore after visitors purchase the tickets; they have admission to any of the places inside Nottingham Castle which includes the indoor facilities: museum, art gallery and outdoor facilities: Victorian bandstand, playground. It can be seen that Nottingham Castle has both the educational and entertainment functions which are suitable for family leisure activity. Figure 1: Nottingham Castle process and layout diagram Source: BBC Local Nottingham Website Nottingham Castle is surrounded by walls, when visitors go into the castle gatehouse they will see a beautiful garden and the castle atop the hill. As can be seen in the Figure 1, Nottingham Castle has tried to arrange a route for visitors. Visitors usually are attracted by the Robin Hood statue just outside the castle before heading to the castle gatehouse to purchase the tickets. Once inside the Castle, visitors can access any facility to their likings and do not necessarily have to follow the route which is suggested by Nottingham Castle. According to BBC Nottingham local website, the route suggested by Nottingham Castle shown as below: Robin Hood Statue Castle Gatehouse Victorian Bandstand Eastern Terrace Guard Room Dungeon 01 Dungeon 02 Long Gallery Castle Roof Soldiers Tunnel Mortimer’s Hole Cannon Position Miller’s Cottage In this case, Nottingham Castle could be classified as process layout. This is because when visitors flow through the operation, they choose a route from facility to facility according to their needs. (Slack et al. , 2004) Nottingham Castle is considered a small Castle. The museum and gallery are all located inside the Castle. The space of the exhibition compare to many other museums is on the smaller side. The Castle Cafe and shop are not very busy during the day. Visitors normally spend one to two hours to see all the facilities. Therefore, the volume of its output is low. Moreover, when visitors go to the gatehouse, the staffs are not only selling tickets but also in charge of the gift shop. Slack et al. (2004) state that when the volume is lower, â€Å"the number of staff will be lower and therefore individual staffs are likely to perform a wider range of tasks† (p. 0) this situation can be observed at Nottingham Castle. It might cause visitors to wait in the long queue, because of the customers who want to buy gift and tickets have to wait at the same counter. Once the visitors are in the Castle, they can access many attractions. For adults, they can enjoy the art and historical display; children can experience the outdoor playground and some indoor displays which are design for kids on ground floor. Furthermore, Nottingham Castle hold different events and tours throughout the year. (Table 1) These information shows that Nottingham Castle provides high variety of services. However, when there is no special event, the outdoor facilities tend to be idle. The function of playground and bandstand will be low. Table 1: Nottingham Castle events and tours Events| Time| Outdoor theatre| June, July and August| Robin Hood Pageant| October| Christmas events including visiting Santa| Christmas| Fireworks| | Historical en-enactments| | Indoor and outdoor activities for families| All year long| Festivals and fairs| | Cave tours| Tuesday – Sunday| Private hire| | During the weekends, holidays and school vacations, the number of visitors will increase. In addition, the castle is closed on Mondays; the number of visitors can fluctuate greatly depending on the time of the year. You read "Operations Management London Zoo and Nottimham Castle Case Study" in category "Free Case study samples" Along with big crowds,variation of demands can arise. It is then crucial for the Nottingham Castle staffs to assist the patrons when necessary. Visitors do not need to spend for a long time to find staffs for assistant. The transforming resources such as: Castle, Museum and gallery are highly visible to the visitors. The second case in this essay is London Zoo. Since it opened in 1828, London Zoo has been one of the most favorite attractions in England. (Watt and Stuart, 1995, p. ) Similar to Nottingham Castle, London Zoo adopt process layout as their operation layout type. Visitors do not have many limitations after they get into the zoo. Once inside the Zoo, not only staff and facilities are transforming resources but so are animals. Therefore, the collection of animals and their well-being is very important for the zoo. The average number of visitors during holidays, weekends and special events tend to be high. The number of visitors can peak at 18,000 people per day compare to 4000 to 6000 people on average. (Watt and Stuart, 1995) Base on these figures, the volume of London Zoo’s output is high. Moreover,London Zoo offers high-variety service. They have grown their animal collections and developed children’s zoo, education centre †¦etc. Additionally, questionnaires are sent out to customers to help them improve their daily operation. Although the volume of London Zoo is high, the Variation of demand is quite high as well. According to Watt and Stuart (1995), daily number of visitors fluctuated dramatically. The lowest and highest visitor numbers are 48 and 18. 000 people. London Zoo is predicted as a high visibility leisure facility. Most of the transforming resources are visible to the visitors. During peak periods, the zoo will hire more temporary stuff to help permanent stuff and thus provides customers a better experience. After carefully examining each facility’s operations management, we can then compare and contrast them side by side. As discussed,the Nottingham Castle and the London Zoo have the same type of operation layout which is process layout. One disadvantage of process layout is customer queuing. (Slack et al. , 2004, p. 217) This issue is present in both of the two cases, especially during peak periods. London Zoo has queue everywhere, even the food in the shop is not up to the demand. Watt and Stuart, 1995) The other problem which appeared in author’s own experience was the clarity of flow in Nottingham Castle was low. Although visitors are free to choose their own route, the signposts in Nottingham Castle appear to be not clear. The unclear signposts sometimes confuse visitors; causing visitors to be unsure whether they have been to the all th e facilities on each floor. This problem match another possible disadvantage of process layout which is complex flow could be difficult to control. These two disadvantages both affect visitor’s experiences adversely. As we know customers’ satisfaction is crucial to any business sustainability and credibility. Therefore, improvement should be taken to upgrade their service quality. Refer to the difference between the four Vs in each facility. (Figure 2) Due to the size of the facility, London Zoo tends to have higher volume and variety to their outputs. Furthermore, London Zoo shows higher degree of visibility than Nottingham Castle. This is not only about contacts with the staff, but also higher visibility of the transforming resources to visitors. For instance, sometimes, visitors could have the chance to see workers feeding the animals. Hence,there is more interaction between transformed and transforming resources in London Zoo. Figure 2: Nottingham Castle and London Zoo Four Vs One common issue between both facilities is high variation in demand. This could lead to unstable financial statements and high unit costs. (Slack et al. , 2004) For leisure facilities, not surprisingly, the number of visitors varies from period to period. For example, during the summer vacation or school holidays, more families are willing to visit leisure facilities. The number of visitors will also get a boost when there are special events. This kind of unpredictable situation has a great impact on both places, especially the London Zoo. â€Å"On the Easter and August Bank holidays we can easily reach 10,000 people. † (Watt and Stuart, 1995, p. 8) Having a huge number of visitors in a day might be a good thing on short term profits. However, fluctuation of visitors can be a challenging obstacle to formulate a long term plan for due to the uncertain demands between peak and down times without sacrificing the quality of product. The shortage of stuff and products can lower the service quality which directly affects its reputation. As London Zoo’s director Jo Gipps said: (Watt and Stuart, 1995, p. 12) â€Å"They (visitors) will spread their dissatisfaction or disappointment by ‘word-of-mouth’. The consequence will be that visitors will not return, and new visitors will not be attracted† Since London Zoo is a bigger facility than Nottingham Castle, the temporary shortage on staff and products in busy months should have more impacts on its overall customers’ experiences. Thus, having a plan to cope with the short term increasing demands is even more vital for the Zoo to include in its operations management. This essay described Nottingham Castle and London Zoo in terms of operations management. After identifying each of facilities’ characteristic, it can be found that the basic layout adopted by both is process layout. Since visitors are free to move inside the zoo and the castle, the layouts of facilities need to maximize the traffic flow and put down well indicated signs for the visitors. The appropriate management of the traffic flow and the demands that are associated with a big crowd of people is a major mission for both the Nottingham Castle and the London Zoo. To some extent, Nottingham Castle and London Zoo have many similarities. Continual developments are the keys to attract more visitors to both places. However, due to the size of the facility and the nature of services provided, London Zoo has a more complex and dynamic operation process. In order to be competitive among today’s competitive leisurely activities choices, The Zoo needs to constantly reinvent itself with new acquisition of animals, interesting promotions to keep its spot light in potential customers’ minds. Therefore, the important resource for the Zoo is new capital which can help it explore new developments. On the other hand, the Nottingham Castle is a historic museum. The beauty of the Castle is its originality. There is simply not enough room nor need for new developments, but what the Castle would need is better representations of the history and stories of the Castle. And these improvements should be implemented on the guided tours, and better trained staff members. This is obviously not a single way to manage both of these multifaceted leisure facilities. Each case is unique of its own and should require careful considerations before implementing changes that suite its best interest. How to cite Operations Management London Zoo and Nottimham Castle Case Study, Free Case study samples

ERP Implementation A Compilation and Analysis of Critical Success Fac

Question: Discuss the factors you have identified and explain why they are more reliable than the clichs in the original article? Answer: Introduction ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning has become an essential part of corporate information technology. SME or small and medium size businesses are also now inclined to ERP implementation suitable for their business as ERP gives advantages in longer terms. During past, businesses used to implement information systems for their different core business processes. With time, the business processes have become complex, more data have been generated from those processes and it has become harder to integrated the heterogeneous legacy systems. For enterprises, those legacy systems gradually failed to cope up with the changed circumstances of the business processes and technologies. As a natural choice, the businesses want to have an integrated information technology solution for their business processes. ERP helped then to bridge the gap between what they had and what they wanted. With time ERP has become more sophisticated and more functional. Now it is available for any kind of business process. The vendors sell customizable ERP solutions. However, as ERP is closely related to the business processes, it is needed to be implemented very carefully. A change into another will affect the other. There have been several examples from various industries that shows fatal failures during their attempt to ERP implementation and that led them to significant losses. Studies have identified several critical success factors behind the implementation of ERP. However, there is no fixed list or solution. The main requirement is mapping the business process correctly to the ERP solution. (Harwood, 2003) Critical Success Factors Other than the shallow clichs found in the given case study, there are several other critical success factors or CSFs. Some of the important ones are given below, 1. Strong control from top management This is a first and foremost requirement of ERP projects. The top management should be very clear about the outcome of the project, the scope and objective of the project. They should also understand how well the business processes can be mapped to the implemented ERP solution. They should have backed up with all required knowledge about ERP implementation so that they can take decision about the project effectively. (Wong Tein, 2003) 2. Customization Customization is necessary if a business has chosen ERP solution from some vendor rather than in house solution. In industries, they are more interested in buying ERP solutions from vendors rather than building it in-house. Because solutions from vendors are cost effective. Now, there is a process of customizing an ERP solution according to the requirement of the business process. ERP is a modular system. The modules are highly coupled and cohesive by nature and that is why it offers an integrated business solution. Customization of the modules is very challenging. It may affect the inter-relationship among the modules and in that case the primary objective of ERP solution that is the integrated business solution will suffer. And it will become a factor behind the success or failure of the project. (Nah Delgado., 2006) 3. Business process reengineering In another case of ERP implementation, the business processes are customized to fit into the ERP implementation. This is also risky process. Because business process reengineering can be another project along with the implementation. So, at a time there will be two crucial projects running in the organization and as these projects are closely related so, managing both simultaneously is very challenging. And this plays crucial role behind the success of both projects. 4. Communication Communication for any task or within an organization is very important. There should be enough collaboration and communication across the organization and between the IT project management team and the management of the business. Clear communication clears up bubbles of confusion and other human behavioral factors. For a project like ERP, participation and collaboration among all parts of the business process and organization is very much needed. (Ram, et al., 2013) Communication also helps in building healthy organizational culture that in turns can play positive role behind success of any project even the ERP project. 5. Change control ERP implementation will bring certain changes in the working culture, business process etc. within an organization. The employees should be accustomed with it. They should not feel confused or afraid. A proper change control play a serious role in this context. 6. Employee Resistance Employees are driving force behind an organization and its business process. A common fear around ERP implementation may raise up among employees that it may cut down employment and they may become job less. As a consequence, they protest or resist to the changes and the ERP implementation. This is a very natural feeling for them. It is the responsibility of the organization to communicate with them, letting them go through some effective change control management policies and clearing out their fears. (Finney Corbett, 2007) 7. Participation of management and end users ERP implementation projects need participation of the IT staffs, management and the end users who will use the systems. This helps in deciding the acceptability of the system and the validation for the same. Building or implementation an ERP solution is actually the start of the scenario rather than the completion. So, this is an important CSF. 8. Testing Testing is important CSF because, generally vendors offer a prototype of the actual solution. Then depending on the business processes the prototype is customized. Thus it is needed to be tested thoroughly that whether the customization have done in the correct way or there are some issues. 9. Post implementation Phase Employees generally start actually utilizing all functionalities of an ERP system after they are accustomed with the system and they are confident. This takes some more time after the implementation of the ERP and a mere training is not the end of this learning phase. When the employees start utilizing the system, bugs may start coming in. but in most of the cases, during that time no project management team is there and it make the ERP system and the business process suffer. Some cases, there are maintenance team but bugs may paralyze the whole ERP system and in that case it needs more than maintenance support. (Ram, et al., 2013) Conclusion These CSFs are more than the clich factors as these covers up broader spectrum of CSFs and includes the clich factors too. References Finney, S. Corbett, M., 2007. ERP implementation: a compilation and analysis of critical success factors.. Business Process Management Journal, 13(3), pp. 329-347. Harwood, S., 2003. ERP: The Implementation Cycle. s.l.:Butterworth-Heinemann. Ifinedo, P., Rapp, B., Ifinedo, A. Sundberg, K., 2010. Relationships among ERP post-implementation success constructs: An analysis at the organizational level. Computers in Human Behavior, p. 11361148. Leon, A., 2008. Enterprise Resource Planning. s.l.:McGraw-Hill. Nah, F.-H. Delgado., S., 2006. Critical success factors for enterprise resource planning implementation and upgrade. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 46(5), p. 99. Ram, J., Corkindale, D. Wu, M.-L., 2013. Implementation critical success factors (CSFs) for ERP: Do they contribute to implementation success and post-implementation performance?.. International Journal of Production Economics, 144(1), pp. 157-174. Wong, B. Tein, D., 2003. Critical Success Factors for ERP Projects. Proceedings of the national conference of the Australian institute of project management..