Origin of the report Essay Example

Origin of the report Essay This Report is submitted to DR. RENEE BLEAU, October 30, 2007, as part of the requirements of the course, (ARTS025). 1.2 Problem and Purpose: This report is to talk about and explain the causes of violence in schools. It includes the possible ways that affects students, with a finishing paragraph giving a solution on how to solve this problem. 1.3 History/Background: We will write a custom essay sample on Origin of the report specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Origin of the report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Origin of the report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There are many reasons why school violence arises in our communities. A majority of education theorists agree that the major reason behind these violence actions is a complex set of causes and risk factors that are implanted in our culture, surroundings, economy, communities, schools families and peer groups not to mention the unique skills, attitudes, and behaviours that each child possess. However, there are many other elements that contribute greatly to the violent behaviour at schools such as the rather easy access to weapons, the major impact the media has on individuals, and the influence of schools, the community, and family environment. 1.4 Sources and Methods: This reports information is found by library research, with the help of books and articles provided by reliable resources. 2. Causes 2.1 Family factors: Parents must always monitor their kids and give them the needed attention in order for kids to feel that they can turn to their family for help and so that the kids can depend on them for guidance and support. Children usually start acting violently when they are faced with periods of free and unsupervised time and therefore this is where the school teacher and parents must come in and guide the children instead of allowing them to take things into their own hands. 2.1.1 Harsh parental discipline: its common and expected in our culture that the family is in charge of dealing with childhood problems, our modern society makes it greatly difficult for parents to meet all their childrens needs. Looking at our current economy today, we can notice that it demands that both parents work, resulting in negligence and less time spent with children. Also, more children are currently being raised by single parents some who are teenage mothers. All these economical factors are changing the way kids are raised today and therefore increasing violent outcomes from children. 2.1.2 Child abuse: A major and disappointing reason could be that the actual schools are failing their troubled and disturbed youthful students. These students become faced with societys agitated, high-stressed environment and eventually choose the wrong ways of dealing with it. And rather than turning for help from parents and other adults, they turn to fake, make believe groups of their own that instead make them sink deeper into their troubles and hardships. Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2005). * In many cases, both victims and performers of youth violence have been subjected to child abuse, or witnessed one of their family members being abused by one another, at one point in their childhood (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2007). 2.6 million Reports were made on 4.6 million children in the United States in 2002. They were made on the concern and the health of them. 19.9% of the children that have been reported on have been victimised of a serious type of child abuse. (Iannelli, 2007). 2.2 Community Factors: 2.2.1 Bullying: Bullying is another meaning to a mean and unkind behaviour; such as harassment, threats and physical abuse, by one student to another or a group of students towards another student (Healey, 2001: 7). Economical backgrounds, parental differences or school atmosphere are in a way motives that cause bullies. Statistics show that 77% of students in the United States have experienced bullying in their school or outside school. (the American Justice Department, 2007). A bully feels many feelings when bullying other students or guys. A bully usually feels that it would make him more popular at school or make him powerful from the inside. They are probably looking for respect and control. Another thing is when a student needs to express his feelings inside; a bully could be made by a student who is stressed or bullied at home by his parents or family. This could lead to very bad aggression done by a student and thats when violence occurs. 2.2.2 Gangs in schools: Gangs are another way of getting students to show respect and to be, in the students words famous. A bully usually starts with forming a gang. Many factors such as religious or racist discrimination and some just form one to be safe at a school. (Public health agency of Canada, 2007). This gang forming idea results to violence when other students or gangs try to interfere in a students way or gang. Some are formed to get their way in school, get their way with teachers and get their beliefs sent to other students to get full control of the school. 2.3 Community Factors: 2.3.1 Media: Media affects students of young age in many ways. First music plays a big role in making a student get violent. With its words and abuse and singers talk about violence and getting respect gets a student to think in that way. Movies is another way to get a student hyped up. An example would be action movies with gangs fighting or even video clips of the violent music would make a student think about it. Watching movies of criminals or singers going to jail and living their life in there makes a child think about trying to go in there. Every movie that shows a person coming out of jail gets all the respect and people would be scared of him in a way. 2.3.2 Drug and alcohol use: Drugs and alcohol use is the most affecting substance that makes people get violent and affects their manners and activities. Harmful use of illicit substances is associated with considerable social problems, crime, morbidity and morality (Healey, 2000: 3). According to Healey, drugs used by young people are used for many reasons. Some of them are: making them happy, to relax and because they want to get their minds off personal reasons, like family problems, school and most of them use the drugs because of their background. The atmosphere or when other people do it get the young students interested and excited to try it. According to a recent survey conducted in Australia, almost 50% of teenagers consume alcohol on a weekly basis. In 2004, estimates indicated that the proportion of alcohol users between the ages of 12-15 was at 32.4%; 16-17 was at 77.4% and 18-19 was at a high of 87.1%. As for the usage of drugs, it has been determined that about 23% of teenagers have used illicit drugs. In 2004, the percentage of youth between the ages of 12-15 was at 5.2%, and between16-17 at 18% (The National Drug Strategy household survey, 2004). 3. Effects 3.1 Effects of violence on students: 3.1.1 Perpetrators perspective: Violence is used to guide them through their life and depression, bei it personal problems or social problems. Criminal activities such as these reasons affect their grades and ruin most of their lives. As an Example, in the state of Tasmania the following figure demonstrates suspension statistics due to verbal, physical and sex-related abuse and harassment in 2001(Parliament of Tasmania, 2002): As the pie chart shows, the percentage of students suspended for verbal-related abuse was 49%, suspension in relation to physical abuse 48%, and finally, the Percentage of students suspended due to sex related abuse 3% (Parliament of Tasmania, 2002). Contrary to public perception, violent crime in schools has declined dramatically since 1994. The annual rate of serious violent crime in 2003 (6 per 1,000 students) was less than half of the rate in 1994. (http://youthviolence.edschool.virginia.edu/violence-in-schools/national-statistics.html) 3.1.2 Victims perspective: From a victims point of view, the school would become an insecure or scary place to go to. They would skip school skip their classes and might even have to change the school they go to. (Klicker, 1999: 18). 3.2 Effects of violence on parents: 3.2.1 Perpetrators parents: Violent students could bring harm not only to themselves but to their families as well. Violent behaviour that is created by a child could be very difficult for a parent to live with. It changes the environment at home, changes the respect of a child to the parent and might also occur in violent actions done at home to the family and its members. (Partington, 2001). 3.2.2 Victims parents: Parents should ideally nurture and reinforce positive behaviour around their kids and always aim to be a good example and influence. When at times parents fail to do so, children may eventually develop negative and violent behaviour patterns. Violence in schools and so would make parents worry and unhappy and even over protective of their children. Violence in schools and communities would always keep parents thinking about their children and if the friends of their child have good behaviour. So constant worrying is on the parents minds. (Klicker, 1999: 72). 3.3 Effects of violence on schools: A survey in the United States showed that 269 students, teachers and staff died between September 1992 and the year 2000 from school related incidents of violence. (Education World, 2005). Another recent research found by the bureau of justice statistics that between the years 1999 and 2003, teachers were the victims of 183,000 crimes at school, including 119,000 thefts and 65,000 violent crimes (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005). These threats and violent actions would make it very hard for any teacher to teach or even work in such schools. 4. Solutions 4.1 Monitored school environment: A Safe and secure school environment is important for effective teaching and learning, as well as for an orderly and disciplined school (Squelch, JA, 2006). Schools are using technology such as cameras with security watching over the students. With these technological enhancements schools could know when and where the problem occur and take action. The teachers after knowing they have security watching for them would feel in a way safer and would find working and teaching easier. 4.2 Counselling programs: Counselling programs such as psychologists or people who listen and talk to students or parents help students find a person that would help him bring out whats on his mind. It would help parents connect to their students and wont have problems of fighting other students to release stress. 5. Conclusion With this report it has talked/discussed about how violence in schools affects the atmosphere being at home or with friends at schools, and how it becomes a big issue which transforms into the killing of innocent students and parents. It discussed how bullies are made in schools and from bullies into gangs. This report has also talked about possible measures that could be done to help such atmosphere to be in some way safer for the student and anyone who goes to school. It is always smart to know the causes and solutions of violence to help resolve a safer and healthy community to live and work in.

The Effect of Competition, Jit and Tqm Essays

The Effect of Competition, Jit and Tqm Essays The Effect of Competition, Jit and Tqm Essay The Effect of Competition, Jit and Tqm Essay 2005: 323). In this context, it will be possible to state two types of criteria conteming the performance measurement in organizations. These are financial and nonfinancial performance criteria. Financial criteria evaluate the performance in terms of monetary assets gained and therefore attach importance to the result. On the other hand, a non-financial criterion evaluate the performance in terms of units or divisions and work processes in a company and highlights the actions that provide final financial result and enable its sustainability. Its possible to separate performance criteria theoretically, but both are linked practically. In fact, firms are organizations in business to make a profit, but today it is possible to argue that there are various functions in organizations and therefore financial performance is likely to be affected much more by non-financial processes. Hence, performance measurement has to have a structure containing both flnancial and non-financial criteria. (Wruck and Jensen, 1998:401^23). Due to its effect on how successful firms are, performance measurement system has to contain accurate and reliable information, which is so critical to business organizations because of its roles in future planning, evaluation of targets and actual results, and decision-making matters affecting employees are all based on the strength of the information contained in performance measurement evaluative processes. However, the more important point needing to be noted here is that generally the meaning of performance for organizations has become limited to only profitability or financial incomes. Undoubtedly, firms are profltbased organizations, but more than that, they have to be sustainable. Making profitability sustainable depends on managers abilities to see all developments in and around firms and evaluate them according to future results. So, this underlines that the concept of performance should not be confined only to financial results, but also should have a wide meaning including the non-financial criteria as well. Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a performance measurement model, which was proposed as a result of this obligation. Three reasons for using multiple performance measures are: (1) perceived limitations in traditional accounting-based measures, (2) Fisher (1995) ndicates that many firms believe that financial measures are too historical and backward-looking, lack predictive ability to explain future The Effect of Competition, Just In Time Production and Total Quality 37 Management on the Use of Multiple Performance Measures: An Empirical Study increasing competitive pressure and (3) applying new management techniques like TQM and JIT needed for non-financial measures (Itner and Larcker, 1998: 217-218). Performance should therefore not be interpreted only as profit-focused activities but also as non-financial activities directed toward obtaining or following profit process. This kind of new comprehension on performance measures points to changing perception of firms toward performance. In this context, improvements in information technology make it easy to observe internal and external business processes, consequently making it possible to apply BSC. (Donovan, 1-3). Hitherto studies have shown that the use of non-financial performance measures by the firms is directly related to such variables as market competition, computer aided production, new production techniques, the structure of firm (size, culture, technological situation and adopted strategy etc. ) and sector structure. The aim of this study is to determine whether the multidimensional performance measures are used or not by the manufactures of top 500 firms in Turkey and if theyre used, to define the relationship between multidimensional performance measures and. firms market position, market competitive density degree, JIT and TQM practices. In this context, first the literature and the developed hypotheses on the subject will be reviewed and then the designation of sampling and factor analysis, descriptive statistics, multi-correlation and multinomial logistic regression analysis results will be described together with the results from our empirical study. 2. Literature Review and Hypotheses 2. 1. Literature Review Many factors contribute to why many firms prefer non-fihancial performance measures. In view of this, some researchers suggest that the preference for these measures on a large scale is related to the enterprises operational and competitive structure (Said, et. l. , 2003: 193-223), others suggest that this preference can be related to the JIT, TQM and CAM structure (Hoque, et. al 2001: 23-45). Similarly, while many reported that the use of multiple performance measures is relevant only to the strategic preference of managers (Malina and Selto, 2001:48; Govindarajan and performance, reward short-term or incorr ect behaviour, provide little information on root causes or solutions to problems, and give inadequate consideration to difficult to quantify intangible assets such as intellectual capital. 38 Melek Eker Fikri Pala Gupta, 1985: 51-66), some reports demonstrate that an enterprises environmental conditions affect this preference. On this subject, for example. Hoque (2004) found that there was a meaningful relationship between environmental uncertainties and the preference for these measures. Chenhall and Morris (1986: 16-35) found that organizations prefer nonfmancial management accounting systems to cope with high environmental uncertainties effectively. The use of multiple performance measures and its positive effect on production performance are demonstrated in another section of the literature. For example. Banker, Potter and Schroeder (1993: 33-55) stated that multidimensional performance measurement system reports presented to the personnel in production line was positively associated with the implementation of modem management techniques such as JIT, Team Work and TQM. However, Chenhall (1997: 187-206), Callen, et al. (2005: 271309), Itner and Larcker (1995: 1-34) examined the use of BSC together with the aforementioned modem techniques and argued that enterprises using the TQM/JIT and non-financial (production performance) measurements together have reached a higher performance than other firms without these measurements. Additionally, many studies examine the positive contribution of multiple performance measures on the general enterprise performance from the fmancial perspective. For example, Davies Albright (2004: 135-153) and Dilber et al (2005: 220) argued that there is a meaningful positive relationship between the use of BSC and high-level fmancial performance. In an empirical study by James, Hoque (2000: 1-17) demonstrates that the use of BSC increases general enterprise performance, but this increase is not associated with organization size, product life circle, or market position. Lingle and Schiemann (1996: 56-61) found that enterprises managed by measurements reached a higher fmancial performance level, a higher industrial position and a higher level in the management process relative to enterprises that are not managed by measurements. Ittnera, Larckera and Randalb (2003: 715-741) indicated that the enterprises placing more emphasis on measurement and variety have acquired a much higher stock exchange income. Perera, Harrison and Poole (1997: 557-572) argue that the use of non-financial measures show significant associations with customer focused strategy, but not the link to organizational performance. Apart from studies examining BSC effects on general enterprise performance, other studies have examined the enterprises suitable working The Effect of Competition, Just In Time Production and Total Quality 39 Management on the Use of Multiple Performance Measures: An Empirical Study conditions as an effective performance measurement tool in BSC. For instance, Cavalluzzo and Ittnera (2004: 243-267) state that organizational factors such as willingness in the top management directed at the use of performance knowledge, decision making and training in the subject of performance measurement techniques have a positive effect on measurement system development and usage. Also, Moers (2005: 67-80) called significant attention to the positive relationship between the variety of performance measures and the degree of perfection with bias during the performance evaluation. It is clear that the bias mentioned here indicates a pre-cognitive accumulation directed at performance measurement. On the other hand, Krumwiede (1998: 239-278) suggested that organizations with higher quality information systems could implement new measurement systems comfortably relative to companies with less sophisticated information systems. Thus, he suggests that this highlights the linear relationship between opportunities for existing information systems and the success of implementation. In addition, he draws attention to managers^ who are satisfied with information from the existing system that might not be willing to invest in new systems. This will give way to the development of a negative relationship between the system and its implementation. Briefly, these studies, within a framework related to literature conceming multidimensional performance measurement system, draw attention to the use of multiple performance measures by enterprises associated with the anagers preference, specifically, the enterprise managers scientific level, organizational culture, environmental conditions, technological developments, new management techniques, enterprise performance and indirectly, stock exchange incomes. Our study considers the relationship between the four dimensions that occur in BSC (financial, customer, internal business processes, learning and growth); a) with the enterprises position in the market, b) with the level of competition in the market, c) with the JIT pra ctices and d) with the TQM practices. 2. 2. Variables and Hypotheses 2. . 1. Balanced Scorecard BSC created firstly by Kaplan and Norton in 1992 at the end of pursuits on altemative planning, control and performance measurement system in 40 Melek Eker Fikri Pala management accounting, is an efficient management tool (Kaplan and Norton: 1992). The target is to enable managers to obtain comprehensive viewpoint about overall business and in this way help them focus more on critical activities that are supposed to improve the organizational strategy of the firm (Wongrassamee, et. al. 2003: 18). In that way, BSC undertakes two crucial functions. First is being a strategic guide for department managers. Second is being communication and strategic planning tool describing the link between financial and nonfinancial criteria as a guide for firms (Kaplan and Norton 1996; Kaplan and Atkinson, 1998: 367-375; Atkinson, Kaplan and Young: 2004; Simons: 2000). Using BSC provides some opportunities to managers on subjects like ability to evaluate changes around a firm, to determine and evaluate the processes of the aims of a firm, to check whether internal performance targets are achieved or not and sustaining the continuation of improvements, in the final analysis. Four dimensions of BSC and derived indicators have created these opportunities. These four dimensions or perspectives will be explained briefiy. Financial performance measures; they are the focal point for the target and measures of other three perspectives in BSC. In this sense, financial performance measures can be considered as the outcome of operational activities (Rao: 2000). Therefore, each selected measure should be a part of the cause-and-effect relationship leading to an improvement in financial performance. These measures are items such as sales amount, market share, new customers, new markets, cash now, return on capital, etc. (Morrow, 1992: 145). Customer performance measures; today, being customer-focused is one of important items for firms, so at the same time its a kind of important expression of vision and mission. In this sense specific measures reflecting critical factors like time, quality, cost should be determined. Customer satisfaction, improving costumer loyalty, gaining new customers, customer profitability, and market and customer shares in targeted scope are basic measures. Internal operation measures; these are obtained from critical success factors which are effective on providing shareholder and customer satisfaction by focusing on work processes and activities (Keegan, Eiler and The Effect of Competition, Just In Time Production and Total Quality 41 Management on the Use of Multiple Performance Measures: An Empirical Study Jones, 1989: 45-49). But, the most important point here is that to create value for both customer and shareholder, it is necessary to define and measure an exact intemal operation value chain at the designing and development stage, production and commercializing (Eker, 2004:128). These measures include the duration of presenting new product to the market, number of new products, sales percentage of new products, rate of defect, duration of production, production cost, just-in-time delivery, etc. Leaming and growth measures; making real the ideals related with financial, customer and intemal operations highly depend on the learning and growth capacity of an organization. In leaming and growth measures especially, it investigates and measures what sort of methods to be followed for increasing the growth of intemal operation methods, which measures are employee satisfaction, productivity and sustainability ofthe employees. 2. 2. 2. Market Competition One of the distinguishing factors of the use of multiple performance measures by the firms is the competition environment in the market. As the market competition increases, the firms are likely to need multidimensional performance measurement system more than before in rder not to lose their power and market share. Also, the measures included in multidimensional performance measurement system (BSC) are known to increase the level of competitiveness by monitoring the static and dynamic capabilities of the firms (Hoque, Mia and Alam, 2001: 26). If its considered that the world has become a single market in global scale, in such a condition, its necessary for a firm to have the capability of offering speedy customer service (reliability), high quality and low cost, different and new product/service in order to be dominant in its own sector. Furthermore, all these need to be supported by total and coordinated organization efforts and also by performance measurement systems serving the same objectives within the organization. BSC is not only satisfied with following the financial performance of the firm, but it could also be functional by monitoring non-financial performances like customer satisfaction, renewal via quality production, which are essential to sustaining the competitive advantage (Otiey, 1999: 363-382; Howell and Soucy, 1987: 27; Trussel and Bitnet, 1998:441). 2 Melek Eker Fikri Pala 2. 2. 3 Just-In-Time Production It is possible to observe that traditional performance measurement system is inconsistent with JIT system benefiting from technological innovations at a maximum level and also that it prevents or hides broadbased effectiveness of new production methods. In this sense, the restrictions of traditional measurement system in JIT environment might be listed as follows: Continuous development in produc tion process is basic element in JIT manufacturing environment. To reach this aim easily, its intended to make flow of production possible with minimal parties and decreasing stock levels to a minimum. Yet, production and productivity measures of traditional understanding have reported that the productivity is low when small-lot production is made (Drury, 1990: 40-41). For this reason, traditional accounting system suggests increasing batch capacity rather than decreasing lot size, which leads to raising stock levels, long supply process, ihcreasing cost and declining customer satisfaction (DonoVah, 2-3; Mcnair, Lynch and Cross, 1990: 29). As in standard costing, appropriate operational control of traditional accounting system cannot be carried out in todays production environment (Allott, 2000: 54-56; Cheatham and Cheatham: 1996; Ezzamel, 1992: 117). Besides, due to the reliability and consistency of manufacturing processes in JIT environment, deviations do not exist or exist in quite low level and it also leads to less use of deviation analyses. JIT manufacturing system changes will bring about changes in information requirements (Upton, 1998:110). As it is known, normally traditional performance reporting is prepared monthly or weekly and cannot detect on time real reasons of processes that are not realized as expected. Yet, in JIT production system there is a possibility of short production cycle, so it requires information for the problems coming out in accordance with one-day or real time principal. In current production environment, direct labor cost is between 5%15% of total product cost. In this sense, traditional accounting system is likely to exaggerate the importance of labor cost and The Effect of Competition, Just In Time Production and Total Quality 43 Management on the Use of Multiple Performance Measures: An Empirical Study ignores the control and measurement methods of increasing general production costs. Another limitation of traditional accounting system is its failure in reporting the criteria such as quality, reliability, supply duration, flexibility, and customer satisfaction (Johnson, 1990:63). As a result of this, management and the employees are encouraged to focus only on costs rather than those critical success factors. Consequently, JIT production system is in need of a performance measurement system that will follow, measure and report critical success factors such as production and delivery time, quality, flexibility, cost efficiency and continuous development(Fullerton, 2003: 40; Mcllhattan, 1987: 25-26). In current environment, which is dominated by a flexible, dynamic, and process-oriented roduction understanding, JIT production system cannot perform its functions including result-focused traditional performance measurement system, measuring, evaluating and reporting of operational actions in order to be successful. Therefore, performance measurement system of a corporate using Just-in-time production system should support basic variations such as increasing product or service quality, continuous development and reducing the losses (Hendricks, 1994: 27). BSC meets the new management requirements because of its following qualifications: (1) focusing long term perspective instead of short term perspective; (2) performing data both in fmancial and non-financial/operational dimensions; (3) being timely and ready for usage instead of being prepared for terms; (4) being easy to understand and apply; (5) immediately answering/adapting the changes in the production process, (6) transforming the firm strategy to operational measures (Santari, 1987: 27). 2. 2. Total Quality Management TQM does produce value, through a variety of benefits: improved understanding of customers needs; improved customer satisfaction; improved intemal communication; better problem-solving; greater employee commitment and motivation; stronger relationships with suppliers; fewer errors; and reduced waste (Powell, 1995: 15-37). In order to get this value and to ensure the success of the system, the features of the performance measurement system of the businesses applyi ng the system should be: (Kaydos, 1999: 150) 44 Melek Eker Fikri Pala to focus the attention of managers on the satisfaction of foreign and domestic customers to produce assumptions on strategy to detect the unforeseen quality and wasting problems to provide objective information for priority-setting to receive support from managers and employees for further changes when they see concrete improvements in performance to increase the loyalty of employees by encouraging managers to delegate their authority Taking all these features into account, it is seen that BSC is in compliance with what is expected from a performance measurement system in the context of TQM. Because there is a reciprocal relationship between BSC and TQM as the former makes the latter more efficient through its applications. Accordingly, BSC makes TQM more efficient in the following matters: (Kaplan and Norton, 2001:376) Firstly, it complements the intemal processes where the progressive elements with critical importance for the strategic success are found. TQM is implemented in many businesses; however, the effects of its implementation can be determined neither in financial terms nor in terms of the performance with respect to the customer, and the implementation remains limited to the department or unit level. BSC, on the other hand, identifies the processes that are important for the strategy as well as the priorities in these processes. Moreover, it also determines whether the process developments focus on such important issues as cost-cutting, quality improvement and shortening of production cycle, or not. Secondly, BSC identifies the non-financial quality measures regarding the quality costs and prepares reports on a daily or real-time basis, and it can find out the real causes of the unfulfilled transactions (Sinclair and Zairi, 2000: 156-157). Therefore, BSC proves to be a crucial resource, which provides continuous and acctirate feedback to managers and employees, in meeting customer expectations, improvement of processes and reporting of quality performance measures. Thirdly, BSC urges managers to develop business processes in order to achieve successful outputs for customers and shareholders, and to create value. Within this framework, a perpetual relationship between quality and the financial outputs is made possible. Based on the above studies, we posit that increasing application of JIT and TQM, as well as intense market competition, would prompt greater The Effect of Competition, Just In Time Production and Total Quality 45 Management on the Use of Multiple Performance Measures: An Empirical Study multiple performance measures usage. Therefore, the following hypotheses are proposed: Hypothesis 1 : The greater emphasis on the use of multidimensional performance measurements by the management will be associated with a more intensely competitive environment. Hypothesis 2: The greater emphasis on the use of multidimensional performance measurements by the management will be related to a greater application of JIT. Hypothesis 3: The greater emphasis on the use of multidimensional performance measurements by the management will be associated with a greater application of TQM. 3. Research Methodology 3. 1. The Nature of the Research This study depends on the data related to 430 manufacture firms of the top 500 in Turkey. The data forms were delivered between the dates of 01 January- 30 June by post and mailed to the top managers (general manager or vice general managers) of manufacture firms that participated in this study. The survey forms return rate was 28. 3% (122). The manufacturing activity of the firms is depicted in Table 1. 6 Melek Eker Fikri Pala Table 1: Profile of respondents by manufacturing activity Manufacturing Activity Frequency 25 15 1 10 12 6 6 13 7 20 1 6 121 Percent 20,5 12,3 ,8 8,2 9,8 4,9 4,9 10,7 5,7 16,4 ,8 4,9 99,2 Valid Percent 20,7 12,4 ,8 8,3 . 9,1 5,0 5,0 10,7 Cumulative Percent 20,7 33,1 33,9 42,1 51,2 56,2 61,2 71,9 77,7 94,2 95,0 100,0 1 Textile, clothing and foo twear 2 Food and allied products 3 Drink and tobacco 4 Construction 5 Petroleum and chemicals 6 Plastic products 7 Metal Wares 8 Machinery 9 Wood and paper products 10 Automotive and spare part 11 Glass products 12 Electronic products TOTAL 5,8 6,5 ,8 5,0 100,0 As can be seen from the table, manufacturing activity distribution was realised in the following order, 20,7% textile, clothing and footwear, 16,5% automotive and spare parts, 12,4% food and allied products and 10. 7% machinery sector. 3. 2. Data Collection Tools The survey form, which was developed to collect the research data, was comprised of three parts. In the first part, it is aimed at defining the usage level of JIT and TQM practices. Within this framework, participants were requested to designate their choose not used, partly used, used, rather used and used at high level. The second part consisted of 5 questions, which were directed at defining the firms market situation and the competition level in the market. Within this framework, participants were requested to mark each term very bad, bad, average, good and very good for each denotation which occurred between 1 and 5. In the last section, the diversity of measurement is measured with an adapted version of the instrument used by Hoque and James (2000) and Hoque et al. (2001). The aforementioned BSC approach was comprised of four sub-dimensions, such as financial, customer, intemal business processes and leaming and growth and a total of 20 items. The participants were requested to designate whether their firms used the aforementioned measures. For this, the likert scale, in which the choices between 1 and 5 were not used at all. The Effect of Competition, Just In Time Production and Total Quality 47 Management on the Use of Multiple Performance Measures: An Empirical Study partly used, used, used rather a lot, and used very much. The reliability analysis was performed to test the consistency of BSC s survey results. The alpha coefficient was found to be 90%. No variable was negatively associated with the . total correlation. The data showed strong internal consistency. 3. 3. Data Analysis In this study, the data was entered into SPSS 13 for data analysis. Factor analysis, descriptive statistics, multi- correlation and multinomial logistic regression analysis were performed. 3. 3. 1 Factor Analysis Exploratory factor analysis was used to designate the factors which form the sub dimensions of BSC. Firstly, KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) sampling adequacy measure was calculated for determining the convenience of data for factor analysis. KMO varies from 0 to 1. This measure shows that sampling is convenient for factor analysis when it is close to 1 and it shows that sampling is not convenient for factor analysis when it is under 0. 50. In the analysis the KMO sampling sufficiency has been calculated as 0. 803, this shows that this sampling has sufficient size. We use basic components and varimax rotating technique to carry out factor analysis. The obtained factor analysis results were examined, because the factor burden related to the market share measure in the second and third factors and the factor burden related to the employees satisfaction measure in the second and fourth factors that have almost the same burdens, analysis has been done again excluding these two variables. At the end of the analysis 5 factors have been determined whose Eigen value is above 1. Five factors explained 69. 857 % of the total variance. Factor 1 explained most proportion of the total variance (17. 098 %) and consisted of variables which contained internal business processes measures. Factor 2 explained 14. 381% of the total variance and consisted of variables, which were related to customer performance measures-I. Factor 3 explained . 13. 582% of the total variance and consisted of variables, which were related to financial performance measures. Factor 4 explained 13. 495% of the total variance and factor 5 explained 11. 301% of the total variance and they consisted of variables, which were related to learning and 48 Melek Eker Fikri Pala growth measures and customer performance measures-II, respectively. Table 2 shows groups of questions. Table 2: Rotated Component Matrix Factor Factor Factor Performance Measurement 1 3 2 Items Internal Business Measures ,839 Rate of material scrap loss Ratio of good output to total ,748 output at each Production process ,667 Manufacturing lead time ,613 Materials efficiency variance ,546 Labour efficiency variance Customer Performance Measures-I ,745 Customer response time ,694 Number of warranty claims ,662 On-time delivery ,609 Survey of customer satisfaction ,562 Number of customer complains Financial Performance Measures ,873 Sales growth ,827 Operating income ,576 Return-on-investment Learning and Growth Measures Number of new product launches Time-to-market new products Number of new patents Customer Performance Measures -II Percentage of shipments returned Due to poor quality Number of overdue deliveries Factor 4 Factor 5 ,831 ,824 ,736 ,774 ,742 The analysis carried out on performance measures was also performed respectively on competitive factors. According to this, alpha co efficient was calculated as 58% for competitive factors. KMO sampling adequacy measure was 0,561 therefore sampling was convenient for factor The Effect of Competition, Just In Time Production and Total Quality 49 Management on the Use of Multiple Performance Measures: An Empirical Study analysis. Also, significant level of Bartlett test was calculated as 0,00. Consequently, both tests showed that factor analysis could be applied to data. In the factor analysis, principal component analysis and none rotation technique were used. At the end of the analysis 2 factors have been determined which have Eigen value above 1. Two factors explained 65. 972% of the total variance. Factor 1 explained most proportion of the total variance 38. 186% and Factor 2 explained 27. 786% of the total variance. In the results of factor analysis the first factor is named firms market situation and the second factor as market competitive density level. Table 3: Rotated Component Matrix 1. Factor ,867 ,824 ,683 ,820 ,810 2. Factor Competition for Marketing Competition for Market Share Competition for New Product Development Competitors Power Number of Competitors in the Industry 3. 3. 2. Descriptive Statistics related to the Variables and Correlation Analysis In Table 4, the BSC and sub-dimension averages, minimum, maximum values and standard deviations of the firms are presented. The firms usage points of overall multidimensional performance measures are between 38 and 100; the average usage point was 74. 751. When the BSC subdimensions were analysed, the financial measures were between 6 and 15 and the average was 12. 8525. The customer measures usage points were between 17 and 40 and the average was 30. 5656. The intemal business process measures usage points varied between 7 and 25 and the average was 18. 9174. The learning and growth measures usage points were between 4 and 20 and the average was 12. 6148. These average figures show us that the firms use the financial performance measures (86%), customer performance measures (76%), and intemal business processes measures (75%) at a rather high level and teaming and growth measures at a medium level. 50 Melek Eker Fikri Pala Table 4 : BSC and Sub Dimensions Averages, Minimum, Maximum Values Mean Standard Cronbach N Theoretical Minimum Maximum No deviation alpha of range items ,572 18,3639 2,40303 2,2 21,2 Competition 122 5 5-25 Factors 3,57 1,191 1 1 5 JIT 117 1-5 1,144 1 1 4,08 TQM 121 1-5 5 74,7951 12,64842 ,905 20-100 38 100 Overall 122 20 Multidimensional Performance Measures ,762 15 12,8525 2,07970 122 3 3-15 6 Financial Performance Measures 40 30,5656 5,46361 ,787 Customer 122 8-40 8 17 Performance Measures 18,9174 4,23396 ,849 Intemal Business 121 5-25 25 5 7 Measures 4 122 4 20 12,6148 3,88352 ,813 Learning and 4-20 Growth Measures Variable Table 5 shows a correlation matrix for all variables. As proposed, the overall use of multiple performance measures is positively and significantly correlated with firms market situation, market competitive density level, JIT and TQM practices and the correlations were 0,425 (p

Power of Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Power of Media - Essay Example Contrary to public perception, â€Å"convergence culture† is not limited to only participating in online voting or phoning in your votes for the latest talent competition on television. Although it is true that the activity is all-inclusive, it does not signify a convergence of any cultural sort. Rather, a mass protest rally in front of an embassy, declaring sentiments against a popular problem or plan of action could be more considered as an example of â€Å"convergence culture†. â€Å"Convergence culture† is the modern way by which our society is being shaped by a new generation of movers and thinkers. While we used to be a culture defined by what the powers that be in mass media such as radio and television say we should be, now we find that people have the actual ability to buck at such dictates already. Instead, people are dictating who they are and what they will be with the help of modern digital communication gadgets. Cellular phones now allow for mass sh aring of information between people faster than a television or news broadcast. Everything these days happens in real time, with various people sharing their experiences across the world by simply a point, click, and send on their phones, laptops, and other portable media devices. In such instances, this collective sharing of events, although depicting various points of view, all dictate the definition of what â€Å"convergence culture† is all about. Basically, â€Å"convergence culture† is not bound by the same restrictions that normal media practitioners must adhere to. Fan fiction writing and blogging are some examples of a method by which people continue to promote ideas and items that they have come to know and love but without the manipulative hand of the owners of the product. An act which, although frowned upon by most media big wigs, has proven to be the new way through which promotional activities can actually gain a longer life span that could oftentimes, su rpass the lifetime of the product or movie being promoted as well. It is because of this emerging power of the new digital media technology that the old guards, the newspaper and book publishers, the movie producers, and they're like, are all in a quandary as to how to position themselves in this new era of promotional activity and news sharing. You see, as Jenkins claimed in his paper, When people take media into their own hands, the results can be wonderfully creative; they can also be bad news for all involved. (par. 39). We have seen the ways through which the regular news sources have become all but obsolete in our modern world. The troubles in the Middle East that escalated in momentum and action this year alone showed that Twitter and Facebook are far more effective information dissemination tools when it comes to news reporting.

Shifting expectations for budget hotels Literature review

Shifting expectations for budget hotels - Literature review Example Budget hotels are the cost effective hotels that are available to the customers at any part of the world. Compared to the luxury hotels the budget hotels have greater industry competition as they have larger customer base. In this paper the researcher has tried to analyze the current scale of Brighton budget hotel business. The researcher with the help of primary research has tried to find out what are the expectations of the Brighton budget hotel consumers and thus in turn tried to find out the shift of customer’s expectations. The objective of the research is to find out the customers’ expectations from the service industry. For this purpose the difference between budget hotel and non-budget hotel has been analyzed along with the analysis of current scale of Brighton budget hotel business has also been analyzed. Through a primary research the researcher has tried to analyze the shifting expectations of the customers from the budget hotels. The customer expectations in the service industry change more frequently than any other industry. It is tough to keep track of the customer expectations in the service industry than an industry where the main product is goods offering (Hseih et al., n.d., p.4-7). In an industry where the customers only perceive the delivered goods, their expectations don’t change as frequently as it changes in the case of the service industry (Infosys, 2009, p.5-7). There are different kinds of expectations that the customer has from the service industry like the predicted service, adequate service and the desired service. The predicted service is one that the customers expect from the company, that is, the minimum basic services which the company should offer to its customers. The adequate service is the level of service that the company should offer to the customers to meet their needs. . The desired level of service is

Neural Grafts for PD Symptoms

Neural Grafts for PD Symptoms New Neurons for Old The Swedish neuroscientist Patrik Brundin was twelve years old when his father was diagnosed with PD. He resolved to devote his life to finding a cure for the disease and elected to study medicine at Lund University in Sweden. In the late 1990s, he joined Anders Bjà ¶rklund, a pioneer of neural transplantation, to work on a series of neural grafts aimed at reversing the symptoms of PD. A neural graft is an experimental procedure for transplanting neural tissue into the brain. The operations were controversial because the transplanted neural tissue came from aborted fetuses. Research had shown that the optimal time to transplant human fetal-brain tissue from the substantia nigra was from six to eight weeks after fertilization. Because only 10 percent of the fetal cells are likely to survive the entire procedure, the neurosurgeon may need to implant cells from multiple fetuses in one operation. To prepare for the operation, the fetal tissue has to be dissected under the microscope so that only those cells whose destiny is to make dopamine would be transplanted. Attached to the substantia nigra tissue are cells that have different fates to become cartilage, skin, etc. If the surgeon isnt careful and grafts these cells into the brain, theyd grow into big bits of skin and cartilage. It is a delicate process. The entire fetus is only the size of a fingernail; the substantia nigra, the size of a pin. After hours of painstaking dissection, the fetal cells will be mixed with a chemical called trypsin to dissociate the cells into a liquid suspension. Researches with rats had shown that fetal cells grafted in the substantia nigra did not reverse PD-like symptoms, because the grafted nerve fibers could not grow long enough to reach their targets in the striatum. So the neurosurgeon will implant the fetal cells in the striatum. In the 1990s, 18 cases of neural grafting operations were conducted at Lund, and over 300 worldwide, with encouraging results. By 1999, many people believed this method is the only way to cure PD. But for others, the results were uncontrolled trials with a potential for a placebo effect. This led two teams in the United States to propose controlled blind trials of fetal tissue transplantation operations. Patients entering the trial would be assigned to one of two groups: a treatment group and a control group. Patients would not know which group they were in and would continue taking their regular dopaminergic medication. The first study performed the trial separately for people over and under sixty. The doctors held follow-up meetings with the patients for twelve months. In 2001, the team reported the results. The over-sixty treatment group experienced no measurable improvement compared to the control group. The under-sixty treatment group got some improvements, but the researchers found worrying evidence of adverse side effects: facial dystonias and dyskinesias. Unlike L-dopa-induced dyskinesias, which disappear as patients medication wears off, these dyskinesias were coming from the graft, and they were permanent. The second study assigned the patients randomly to two treatment groups one using material from a single fetus, the other using material from four fetuses and a control group. The groups were followed for two years and tested using UPDRS. There was no difference between the three groups, showing that fetal dose didnt matter, and again some patients developed graft-related dyskinesias. These two studies killed the field of neural transplantation. A decade after these studies, Brundin is still a strong supporter of neural grafting. He claims the studies had numerous flaws. Brundin may be correct about neural graftings efficacy. It worked in the cases of two patients in the Lund series. The two patients were diagnosed thirty years ago. Both responded well to L-dopa, but developed severe L-dopa-induced motor complications. In the 1990s, they went to Lund, where the surgeons transplanted dopaminergic fetal tissue into the striatum on both sides of their brains. After four years, both patients could drop all dopaminergic mediations. Their PET scans showed clear signs of new dopamine production in the striatum, and their motor states, as measured by the UPDRS, showed a sustained benefit. These cases showed that this bold strategy can work and serve as a caution against dismissing neural grafts prematurely. The early scientific trials of levodopa failed. But scientists like George Cotzias persisted and worked out the correct dosing regimen, and the failure turned into spectacular success. In Europe, a large trial called TRANSEURO is under way involving some 150 patients. The work might redeem neural grafting. In the last few years, a potential alternative to fetal cells and embryonic stem cells has become available. In 2006, Japanese researcher Shinya Yamanaka showed in mice that ordinary skin cells could be reprogrammed to become pluripotent capable of becoming any cell. Soon after, Yamanakas technique was achieved with human skin cells. Rather than using fetal cells, researchers can take a patients own skin cells, reprogram them to become so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), then let them develop into dopamine neurons. These neurons can be studied in the lab or grown for neural grafts. Such iPSCs not only bypass the ethical issues plaguing embryonic stem cells, but also have other advantages. Because iPSCs are derived from the patients own cells, there is no need for immunosuppressive drugs. But because there is a risk that such cells might turn cancerous, it may take decades to develop a safe and effective procedure. Key Takeaways In the late 1990s, Patrik Brundin worked on a series of neural grafts aimed at reversing the symptoms of PD. Two controlled blind trials of fetal tissue transplantation operations conducted in the United States in early 2000s showed that the treatment group experience no measurable improvement compared to the control group. It was also worrisome that some patients developed graft-related dyskinesias. In 2006, Shinya Yamanaka showed that ordinary skin cells could be reprogrammed to become pluripotent.

Symbols and Symbolism Essay - Imagery and Symbolism in The Yellow Wallpaper :: Yellow Wallpaper essays

Imagery and Symbolism in The Yellow Wallpaper On my first reading of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper", I found the short story extremely well done and the author, successful at getting her idea across.   Gilman's use of imagery and symbolism only adds to the reality of the nameless main character's sheltered life and slow progression into insanity or some might say, out of insanity.   The short story is written in first person and it is from our nameless character's writing's that we are introduced to her world and her life.   It is through this that we see our main characters transition into a world that only she has access to.   She changes dramatically from our first meeting while everyone else stays very flat and unaffected.   This method is very effective in that this story from someone else's perspective would not be as real and understanding.   The outside world would have written about a crazy woman who slowly goes mad for no reason.   Only through her eyes can we see the true reason for her, not madness, epiphany. The story begins when she and her husband have just moved into a colonial mansion to relieve her chronic nervousness.   An ailment her husband has conveniently diagnosed.   The husband is a physician and in the beginning of her writing she has nothing but good things to say about him, which is very obedient of her.   She speaks of her husband as if he is a father figure and nothing like an equal, which is so important in a relationship.   She writes, "He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction."   It is in this manner that she first delicately speaks of his total control over her without meaning to and how she has no choices whatsoever.   This control is perhaps so imbedded in our main character that it is even seen in her secret writing; "John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition...so I will let it alone and talk about the house."   Her husband suggests enormous amounts of bed rest and no hu man interaction at all.   He chooses a "prison-like" room for them to reside in that he anticipates will calm our main character even more into a comma like life but instead awakens her and slowly but surely opens her eyes to a woman tearing the walls down to freedom.

Psychological Conflicts in Literature(1) Essay

We all experience psychological conflicts, knowingly or unknowingly. They involve psychological conflicts among our thoughts, emotions, and rational thinking. It may be the most dangerous conflict of all due to the battleground in which it take place in — our mind. There are many examples of psychological conflicts in the stories we have read. In â€Å"Leiningen Versus the Ants† by Carl Stephenson, Leiningen battled not only on his South American plantation, but in his mind. He struggled with the issue of running away and letting the ants take over his plantation. He wasn’t a quitter and enjoys the mental aspects of things. But when the ants and the reality of death came, he had to resolve the conflict whether to stay or flee. This was especially true when he ran to the dam wheel. He could of fled then or died, but he chose to try to save the plantation and workers. He was faced with the conflict living or, perhaps the greatest psychological conflict, which he resolved when he chose to run to the wheel. In â€Å"The Contents of the Dead Man’s Pockets† by Jack Finney, Tom also faced a psychological conflict. The story was mainly focused on his physical conflict, but near the end he experienced psychological conflict. As with Leiningen, Tom faced the choice to die or to live, and he realized with that conflict how much his wife meant to him. He overcame the conflict when, as we read, the yellow paper flew out the window again, but he left to be with his wife. In â€Å"Blues Ain’t No Mockin’bird† by Toni Cade Bambara, Granny experienced a psychological conflict with her past treatment and her current conflict with Smiley and Camera. She struggled to break and maybe actually kill them or fall into depression, but she was successful in winning the conflict. When she hummed in a high pitch instead of low, it showed that she had finally won. In conclusion, psychological conflicts are important. They can be very dangerous because we are fighting within ourselves and our rational reasoning. And when we fight within ourself it is hard to win. Psychological  conflicts can be won, however, by set priorities and moral standards.