Engineering Hours Accounting System Essay

Introduction Avitronics is a medium sized engineering company that produces components for the aerospace industry. Employees keep track of the hours they work on different projects and at the end of the week turn in a timecard with this information on it. The company can take up to roughly 12 contracts a year; each of these contracts is assigned a ‘Job-Code’. The Current System At present each employee keeps track of their hours using their own system. This could be as informal as a rough tally on a scrap of paper. At the end of the week, the employees fill their hours into a formal timecard, which is handed in and tallied by a clerk. Objectives of The New System Mr. Salomon (the chief accountant) would like a system with data entry forms so that each employee can input their own hours into the system at the end of each week. He would like to have pull-down menus for the job-codes, so that clumsy engineers entering complicated codes do not make mistakes. Hours should be rounded to the nearest quarter-hour. Data entry should be quick and simple. Each individual employee should not be able to see the hours worked by everyone else. The information should be sent to a database from Mr. Salomon can produce reports. He wants to be able to get a report that shows how many hours each employee works each week (these should be sorted by employee number). Mr. Salomon would also like to have a graphical report, which shows the total number of hours worked each week against each contract. He would like to start a fresh new system at the start of each year. Mr. Salomon would also like an easy to understand user guide, which should include complete instructions for a novice, using no jargon. Performance Indicators My solution will have to: * Prevent all employees seeing other employees’ hours. * Be simple to use, and not waste employees’ time. * Prevent errors wherever possible by using validation and combo-boxes. * Allow Mr. Salomon to create reports (with graphs) from entered data. * Include a template for Mr. Salomon to reset the system at the start of the year. * Provide Mr. Salomon with a User Guide designed to assist novice users when they are using the solution. * Accurately calculate the total hours for each employee per week, accurate to each quarter hour. Accurately calculate the number of hours worked on each contract per week, accurate to each quarter-hour. If all of these criteria are met then my solution will be successful. Design Choice of Software A Spreadsheet is the best solution to the problem because I can use the software well already and I know how to solve the problem using this software. I have chosen to use Microsoft Excel because it is the most common piece of spreadsheet software in general use. I could use an equivalent spreadsheet package from a different company, but this may not be compatible with Mr. Salomon’s computer. Features of Excel that make it ideal for solving the problem: * Ability to create a blank template * Pivot tables to create sophisticated reports with graphs * Formatting to help make it clear to the user where to enter data * Macros to automate various functions * Macros which will execute automatically on opening and closing workbooks * Validation and Protection of cells to prevent tampering and errors Systems Overview My system will be based on one workbook, with three sheets (excluding reports). The Hours Entry sheet will be the main input form, where employees will enter the hours they have worked, on what days and on which contract. The Admin Options Sheet is where the Administrator changes Contract numbers and groups, he/she also sets the week beginning date. The database sheet is where reports and charts will be produced form. Detailed Design Follows on the next 6 pages†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Workbook and Sheet Discussion Hours Entry Sheet – This sheet is designed to let the employees enter their hours in a quick and simple way. It is important to keep it simple so that employees do not become disgruntled and frustrated with the system. This sheet has a simple colour scheme that distinguishes input cells from cells where input is not required. Combo boxes are used to keep certain aspects simple and to prevent mistakes. Buttons are used to execute macros that clear the sheet and transfer relevant data to the spreadsheet. As hours have to be recorded by the closest quarter-of-an-hour, I have used a ‘ceiling’ formula in the total cells to prevent mistakes being made when data is transferred to the database. Admin Options Sheet – This sheet contains any options the administrator may need to set concerning the system He/She can add/remove contracts and add/remove groups of workers. At the start of each working week He/She has to set the ‘Week Beginning date’ that is needed throughout the system, it is essential they enter this date correctly. The colour scheme for this sheet is simple, every cell is white, input cells have borders to distinguish them form non-input cells. This sheet contains two buttons that execute macros: – Protect Workbook – This macro opens up the protect workbook dialog, where the administrator can protect the whole workbook, with the exception with cells that are not ‘Locked’ (input cells). – Start New Year – This macro erases all the data in the workbook, and prepares the system for a new year. A warning box automatically pops up when this button is clicked to warn the user that they will be deleting all entered data from the previous year. This is to prevent all the data being removed accidentally. Database Sheet – This sheet contains all the data that has been transferred from the ‘Hours Entry Sheet’. It contains – Employee #, Hours Worked for each employee. – Job Code, Hours Worked for each contract. From this data, an employee report can be created, this is a report listing all the employees, and the number they have worked in a given week. From this data, a contract report can be created; this is a report listing all the contracts and the number of hours worked on them for a given week. From this data a contract graph can be created, this is a graph showing the number of hours worked for a given contract over the past month (4 weeks). These outputs will need to look professional and be suitable for their purpose. Data entry and Validation These are the fields in which data will be entered into my system: Last Name – The employee will type this in. I chose this method, as there is no reasonable alternative. Employee # – This will be typed in by the employee. I chose this method because there is no reasonable alternative. Employee number is a four-digit number. This cell will be validated so that numbers bigger than 9999 are not accepted; also text is prevented from being entered. I use this validation so that problems do not occur further on the process, when reports sorted by employee number are being produced. Group – The user will select this via a combo box this ensures no typographical errors are made when typing it in. I am choosing to use a drop down box as there are few options for the employee to choose from. Job-Code – This will be selected from a drop down box to prevent typographical errors being made. If it were a plain cell, with no validation or input aids, if an error was made it could cause unwanted consequences throughout the system. Monday – Employees enter their hours by typing the number in the correct cell. Any number they enter will later be rounded up to the nearest quarter hour, by the use of a ceiling formula. The validation on this cell will be that it has to be a number between 0 and 20. Tuesday – Employees enter their hours by typing the number in the correct cell. Any number they enter will later be rounded up to the nearest quarter hour, by the use of a ceiling formula. The validation on this cell will be that it has to be a number between 0 and 20. Wednesday – Employees enter their hours by typing the number in the correct cell. Any number they enter will later be rounded up to the nearest quarter hour, by the use of a ceiling formula. The validation on this cell will be that it has to be a number between 0 and 20. Thursday – Employees enter their hours by typing the number in the correct cell. Any number they enter will later be rounded up to the nearest quarter hour, by the use of a ceiling formula. The validation on this cell will be that it has to be a number between 0 and 20. Friday – Employees enter their hours by typing the number in the correct cell. Any number they enter will later be rounded up to the nearest quarter hour, by the use of a ceiling formula. The validation on this cell will be that it has to be a number between 0 and 20. Saturday – Employees enter their hours by typing the number in the correct cell. Any number they enter will later be rounded up to the nearest quarter hour, by the use of a ceiling formula. The validation on this cell will be that it has to be a number between 0 and 20. Sunday – Employees enter their hours by typing the number in the correct cell. Any number they enter will later be rounded up to the nearest quarter hour, by the use of a ceiling formula. The validation on this cell will be that it has to be a number between 0 and 20. User Aids to Operation User Aids to Operation that I have used are combo boxes, and buttons that execute useful macros. Combo boxes assist the user with entering data when there are only a few options to choose from. They also help prevent mistakes from being made when typing out something complicated. For example in my system, the user uses a combo-box to select a job code, if they had to type every job code in it is more than likely that every week several mistakes would be made. By using combo-boxes I have eliminated the probability of this occurring. By using buttons that execute macros I have enabled the employees to enter their hours in a simple entry form. If I did not use macros then each individual would have to type hours into the database, this could cause a huge number of problems for the company. Protection Sheet 1, Hours Entry Sheet The following cells on this sheet will NOT be protected: C6, Last Name C5, Employee # C10:C16, Monday’s Hour Entry Cells D10:D16, Tuesday’s Hour Entry Cells E10:E16, Wednesday’s Hour Entry Cells F10:F16, Thursday’s Hour Entry Cells G10:G16, Friday’s Hour Entry Cells H10:H16, Saturday’s Hour Entry Cells I10:I16, Sunday’s Hour Entry Cells These cells will not be protected because when I protect the sheet, I want them to be ‘editable’. Eg the employees need to enter data into them. Macros Transfer_Macro – This macro will be executed from a button on the ‘Hours Entry Sheet’. The macro transfers required data from this sheet into the database. After it has transferred the data it will return the user to the ‘Hours Entry Sheet’, where they can exit the spreadsheet when they are ready. If the transfer is completed successfully then a message box will popup saying ‘Transfer Successful’. Create_Employees_Report – This macro will create a report on the employees. It will copy selected data from the database, paste it into a new sheet and format it appropriately. The report will show the employee number, last name, hours worked for each week for each employee stored in the database. Create_Contracts_Graph – This macro will use selected data from the database to create a graph showing how many hours are spent on each job code over a period of weeks. The graph will show all of the job-codes and all of the data about each job code that is stored in the database. Auto_Open – This will execute automatically when the spreadsheet is opened, it shows the ‘Hours Entry Sheet’ and clear all of the white input cells. It will select the ‘Employee #’ input box ready for the user to begin. Clear – This macro clears all of the white input cells in the ‘Hours Entry Sheet’. If the employee enters a few mistakes or realises he has entered totally wrong data, instead of having to delete every piece of data separately he/she can simply click the button that executes this macro. Protect_Workbook – This macro will be executed via a button on the ‘Admin Options’ page, this will hide all menus and the taskbar and take the user to the ‘Hours Entry Sheet’. It will also run the ‘Clear’ macro so that the ‘Hours Entry Sheet’ is always blank when it shows up. Start_New_Year – This macro erases all data from the database ready for the system to begin a new year. The employees and job codes will stay on the admin options page as it would be unreasonable to assume that all the jobs were finished at the end of the last year. Data Flow Diagram Testing Test Strategy This is what my solution is required to do, as outlined in the Performance Indicators section of the Analysis: * Prevent all employees seeing other employees’ hours. * Be simple to use, and not waste employees’ time. * Prevent errors wherever possible by using validation and combo-boxes. * Allow Mr. Salomon to create reports (with graphs) from entered data. * Include a template for Mr. Salomon to reset the system at the start of the year. * Provide Mr. Salomon with a User Guide designed to assist novice users when they are using the solution. * Accurately calculate the total hours for each employee per week, accurate to each quarter hour. Accurately calculate the number of hours worked on each contract per week, accurate to each quarter-hour. Here is an outline of the tests I will have to carry out on my spreadsheet: * Does my system open correctly? * Ensure that the Database and Admin sections are hidden from the employees. * Ease of Use, as little complications as possible. * Tests of Validation (effects of incorrect/extreme data entry) * Tests of Protection * Accurate calculation of hours * Does my spreadsheet cause problems after closing? Test Plan The following tests will be performed: Basic Function Tests: 1. Open my spreadsheet. 2. Add data as outlined in test data set 1. 3. Test the ‘Submit Hours’ button. 4. Add data as outlined in test data set 2. 5. Test the ‘Clear Form’ Button. 6. Add data as outlined in test data set 3. 7. Test the ‘Submit Hours’ button. 8. Test the ‘Exit System’ button. 9. Reopen the spreadsheet. 10. Try entering data from test data set 4. 11. Try entering data in a locked cell (eg. The cell containing the word ‘Group’ and the cell containing the word ‘Totals’). Admin Function Tests: 12. Open my spreadsheet. 13. Test ‘Admin Options’ button, enter password from test data set 5. 14. Test ‘Admin Options’ button, enter password from test data set 6. 15. Test the ‘Enter New Employee’ button. Enter the data as outlined in test data set 7. 16. Select cell ‘F19’, Test the ‘Delete Job Code’ button. 17. Select cell ‘B11’, click the ‘Delete Job Code’ button. 18. Test the ‘Enter New Job-Code’ button, enter the data as outlined in test data set 8. 19. Test the ‘Enter New Job-Code’ button. 20. Test the ‘Create Contract-Chart’ button. 21. Test the ‘Employee Report’ button. 22. Test the ‘Change System Password’ button. Enter the password as outlined in test data set 9. 23. Test the ‘Protect System’ button. 24. Test the ‘Admin Options’ button. Enter the password as outlined in test data set 6. Error massage should appear. 25. Test the ‘Admin Options’ button. Enter the password as outlined in test data set 9. 26. Test the ‘Change System Password’ button; enter the original password again as outlined in test data set 6. 27. Test the ‘Start New Year’ button. 28. Click ‘File’ then ‘Exit’ please do not save any changes to the spreadsheet. Jonathan Stamp – ICT Excel Coursework Page 1 of 17 Jonathan Stamp – ICT Excel Coursework Page 1 of 17

Airplane Warfare During World War I Essays - Aerial Warfare

Airplane Warfare During World War I Essays - Aerial Warfare Airplane Warfare During World War I During World War One, the role of airplanes and how they were used changed greatly. At first planes were only used for sport, but people started realize that not only could airplanes be useful but they could even influence an outcome of the war greatly. Soon the war was filled with blimps, planes, and tethered balloons. By the end of the war, planes became a symbol of fear, but they were not always treated with such respect. In the time leading up to the war, the general feeling about planes was, they were a sneaky, unfair tactic that should not be used in warfare. During The 1899 Hague Peace Conference it was put on record that the dropping or shooting of any projectiles or explosives from the air during a time of war was forbidden and was considered a crime of war. It was also decided that airplanes could only be used for reconnaissance or spying missions. (Villard-227) ?The airplane may be all very well for sport, but for the army it is useless? (Quoted in Villard-227) Even by the beginning of the war in 1912, the use of planes in war was still prohibited by the War Office. Shortly thereafter this changed, people awakened to the possibilities of air warfare. The world soon started to realize the effectiveness of planes in war and how the control of the skies could influence the outcome. Although the French were the first to have a working, conscripting air force and to license fliers, their trust in airplanes still was not up to par. Their lack of trust was justified, for the planes had no armaments, too many wires, and no reliable motor. (Villard-228) Soon all countries in the war effort had their own little air force, built hangers, and started to train pilots. The first bombing occurred in November 1911. Although the first bomb was dropped by the Italians, soon all countries were involved in bombing raids. (Villard-229) It was followed by the first aerial dogfight in 1912. This consisted of a primitive exchange of pistol fire between British and German planes . (Harvey-95) The first flying experience for the United States occurred in 1862, during the Civil War. General McClellan went into battle against the South with a balloon corps floated by hydrogen and pulled by four horses. (Saga-51) Literary fiction started to breed ideas about the use of planes in warfare. The most famous writer to explore the idea was H.G. Wells. He wrote The War In The Air, a book about the future in which battle is conducted with planes. (Wohl-70). In Germany, literary fiction preceded the actual development of warfare in the air. Rudolph Martin was a writer who predicted that the German?s future was not on the sea, but in the air. He also believed that further development in aviation would kill the importance of diezce and help to lead toward the German unification of the world. (Wohl-81) Martin?s novel helped to prepare the Germans for their use of planes in the war. The fiction soon became scientific fact. (Wohl-71) The United States, ultimately was slower than France and Germany to develop an air force. On March 3, 1911, Congress appropriated $125,000 to start an air force, which consisted of five planes. The first squadron was organized by the Americans on March 5, 1913, in Texas City. It consisted of nine planes. Although the United States entered the war in 1917, it did not use planes in the war at that time. (Villard-231) U.S. pilots had little or no experience in ?cross-country navigation.? They did not have good maps and sometimes they became lost, ran out of fuel and would have to land behind enemy lines. (Villard-233) As the Americans advanced in the use of planes in warfare, so did the Germans. Initially, the Germans made no effort to hide their skepticism about the use of planes in warfare. In the beginning of the war, many Germans raised in newspaper articles and on government committees the possibilities of warfare in the air, but the country as a whole was not quick to initiate the effort. (Wohl-70) This quickly changed, however, because the development of airplanes during the war

Jose Rizal, National Hero of the Philippines

Jose Rizal, National Hero of the Philippines Josà ©Ã‚  Rizal (June 19,  1861–December 30,  1896) was a man of incredible intellectual power and amazing artistic talent. He excelled at anything that he put his mind to- medicine, poetry, sketching, architecture, sociology, and more. Rizals martyrdom by the Spanish colonial authorities, while he was still quite young, was a huge loss to ​the Philippines and to the world at large. Today, the people of the Philippines honor him as their national hero. Fast Facts: Josà © Rizal Known For: National hero of the Philippines for his key role inspiring and leading the Philippine Revolution against colonial SpainBorn: June 19, 1861 at Calamba, LagunaParents: Francisco Rizal Mercado and Teodora Alonzo y QuintosDied: December 30, 1896 in Barcelona, SpainEducation: Ateneo Municipal de Manila, studied medicine at the University of Santo Tomas and medicine and philosophy at the  Universidad Central de Madrid (1884); ophthalmology at the University of Paris and the University of HeidelbergPublished Works: Noli Me Tangere, El FilibusterismoSpouse(s): Josephine Bracken (married two hours before his death)Children: None Early Life Josà ©Ã‚  Rizal was born on June 19, 1861, at Calamba, Laguna, the seventh child of Francisco Rizal Mercado and Teodora Alonzo y Quintos. They named the boy Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda. The Mercado family were wealthy farmers who rented land from the Dominican religious order. Descendants of a Chinese immigrant named Domingo Lam-co, they changed their name to Mercado (market) under the pressure of anti-Chinese feeling among the Spanish colonizers. From an early age, Jose Rizal Mercado showed a precocious intellect. He learned the alphabet from his mother at the age of 3 and could read and write at age 5. Education Josà ©Ã‚  Rizal Mercado attended the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, graduating at the age of 16 with the highest honors. He took a post-graduate course there in land surveying. Rizal Mercado completed his surveyors training in 1877 and passed the licensing exam in May 1878, but he could not receive a license to practice because he was only 17 years old. (He was eventually granted a license in 1881 when he reached the age of majority.) In 1878, the young man also enrolled in the University of Santo Tomas as a medical student. He later quit the school, alleging discrimination against Filipino students by the Dominican professors. In Madrid In May 1882, Josà ©Ã‚  Rizal got on a ship to Spain without informing his parents of his intentions. He enrolled at the Universidad Central de Madrid after arriving. In June 1884, he received his medical degree at the age of 23; the following year, he also graduated from the Philosophy and Letters department. Inspired by his mothers advancing blindness, Rizal next went to the University of Paris and then to the University of Heidelberg to complete further study in the field of ophthalmology. At Heidelberg, he studied under the famed professor Otto Becker. Rizal finished his second doctorate at Heidelberg in 1887. Rizals Life in Europe Jose Rizal lived in Europe for 10 years. During that time, he picked up a number of languages- he could converse in more than 10 different tongues. While in Europe, the young Filipino impressed everyone who met him with his charm, intelligence, and his mastery of an incredible range of different fields of study. Rizal excelled at martial arts, fencing, sculpture, painting, teaching, anthropology, and journalism, among other things. During his European sojourn, he also began to write novels. Rizal finished his first book, Noli Me Tangere, while living in Wilhemsfeld with the Reverend Karl Ullmer. Novels and Other Works Rizal wrote Noli Me Tangere in Spanish; it was published in 1887 in Berlin. The novel is a scathing indictment of the Catholic Church and Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines, and its publication cemented Jose Rizals position on the Spanish colonial governments list of troublemakers. When Rizal returned home for a visit, he received a summons from the Governor General and had to defend himself from charges of disseminating subversive ideas. Although the Spanish governor accepted Rizals explanations, the Catholic Church was less willing to forgive. In 1891, Rizal published a sequel, titled El Filibusterismo. Program of Reforms In both his novels and newspaper editorials, Jose Rizal called for a number of reforms of the Spanish colonial system in the Philippines. He advocated for freedom of speech and assembly, equal rights before the law for Filipinos, and Filipino priests in place of the often-corrupt Spanish churchmen. In addition, Rizal called for the Philippines to become a province of Spain, with representation in the Spanish legislature (the Cortes Generales). Rizal never called for independence for the Philippines. Nonetheless, the colonial government considered him a dangerous radical and declared him an enemy of the state. Exile and Courtship In 1892, Rizal returned to the Philippines. He was almost immediately accused of being involved in the brewing rebellion  and was exiled to Dapitan City, on the island of Mindanao. Rizal would stay there for four years, teaching school and encouraging agricultural reforms. During that same period, the people of the Philippines grew more eager to revolt against the Spanish colonial presence. Inspired in part by Rizals organization La Liga, rebel leaders like Andres Bonifacio began to press for military action against the Spanish regime. In Dapitan, Rizal met and fell in love with Josephine Bracken, who brought her stepfather to him for a cataract operation. The couple applied for a marriage license but were denied by the Church (which had excommunicated Rizal). Trial and Execution The Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896. Rizal denounced the violence  and received permission to travel to Cuba in order to tend victims of yellow fever in exchange for his freedom. Bonifacio and two associates sneaked aboard the ship to Cuba before it left the Philippines and tried to convince Rizal to escape with them, but Rizal refused. He was arrested by the Spanish on the way, taken to Barcelona, and then extradited to Manila for trial. Josà ©Ã‚  Rizal was tried by court-martial and charged with conspiracy, sedition, and rebellion. Despite a lack of any evidence of his complicity in the Revolution, Rizal was convicted on all counts and given a death sentence. He was allowed to marry Josephine two hours before his execution by firing squad on December 30, 1896. Jose Rizal was just 35 years old. Legacy Mariano Sayno / Getty Images Josà ©Ã‚  Rizal is remembered today throughout the Philippines for his brilliance, courage, peaceful resistance to tyranny, and his compassion. Filipino schoolchildren study his final literary work, a poem called Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Goodbye), and his two famous novels. Spurred on by Rizals martyrdom, the Philippine Revolution continued until 1898. With assistance from the United States, the Philippine archipelago was able to defeat the Spanish army. The Philippines declared its independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. It was the first democratic republic in Asia. Sources de Ocampo, Estaban A. Dr. Jose Rizal, Father of Filipino Nationalism. Journal of Southeast Asian History 3.1 (1962): 44-55.Rizal, Josà ©. One Hundred Letters of Josà ©Ã‚  Rizal. Manila: Philippine National Historical Society, 1959.Valenzuela, Maria Theresa. Constructing National Heroes: Postcolonial Philippine and Cuban Biographies of Josà © Rizal and Josà © Martà ­. Biography 37.3 (2014): 745-61.

Using the PHP Function to Find When a File Was Modified

Using the PHP Function to Find When a File Was Modified If your website contains time-sensitive information- or even if it doesnt- you may want to display the last time a file was modified on the website. This gives users an accurate idea of how up to date the information on a page is. You can automatically draw this information from the file itself using the ​filemtime() PHP function. The filemtime() PHP function retrieves the Unix timestamp from the file. The date function converts the Unix timestamp time. This timestamp indicates when the file was last changed. Example Code to Display File Modification Date   When you use this code,  replace myfile.txt with the actual name of the file you are dating.​ ?php // outputs myfile.txt was last modified: December 29 2002 22:16:23. $filename myfile.txt; if (file_exists($filename)) {  Ã‚  echo $filename was last modified: . date (F d Y H:i:s., filemtime($filename)); } ? Other Uses for Filemtime() Function In addition to time-stamping web articles, the filemtime() function can be used to select all articles older than a specified time for the purpose of deleting all old articles. It can also be used to sort articles by age for other purposes. The function can come in handy when dealing with browser caching. You can force the download of a revised version of a stylesheet or page using the filemtime()  function. Filemtime can be used to capture the modification time of an image or other file on a remote site. Information on Filemtime() Function The results  of the filemtime() function are cached. The  clearstatcache() function clears the cache.If the filemtime () function fails, the code returns false.

The various aspects of the functions of management which are Research Paper

The various aspects of the functions of management which are beneficial for managerial decision making - Research Paper Example The researcher states that management is regarded as a social process involving responsibility for effective and economic planning and regulation of operation of an organization in the fulfillment of the tasks and objectives. The functions of management would include allocation of resources, job design and enhancement of product development. It also enables monitoring which is an important aspect of control and design of well laid plans, activities. These functions are very important at each and every level or status. According to George &Terry there are usually four fundamental functions of management which includes planning, organizing, actuating and controlling. According to Henry Fayol to manage is to forecast, plan, organize, command and control. These four functions of function play pivotal role in determining the strategic process and completion of goals and objectives. These functions help in determining and setting goals and objectives and also developing accurate budgeting procedure. In theory the functions of management would be convenient and would not be separable from each other. The various functions of management would be inseparable from each other and affect the performance of each other. Management functions exist for a particular purpose and that includes manufacturing a product or service, responsibility for a mission accomplishment requires central figure and also to coordinate the primary activities. (Chruden & Sherman, 1980). The main objective of the functions of management would be as follows: Strategic High conceptual and low technical High human relations Tactical Moderately conceptual and technical High human relations Operational Low conceptual and high technical High human relations Planning: It is a systematic process in which the management makes managerial decisions about the future activities and the key goals that would be easily pursuable. It deals with designing of future course of action for the accomplishment of predeterm ined tasks. This deals with the understanding of the manager and contexts in which they operate and this activity starts with the commencement of planning process by examining the company’s operation (Drucker, 1972). Organizing: It shares with similar bonds and other management functions. Organizing helps in perfect job design and outlining the job description activities (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin & Cardy, 2005).Organizing is a process of bringing together resources and people to create products and services. Staffing: This function would enable modifications as new management functions necessitate and evolve. The achievement of the organizational goals through effective and efficient deployment of people is regarded as staffing. This includes filling of several organizational posts by hiring the required and qualified personnel. Controlling: It is regarded as the process of evaluation of the performance of the employees against the established goals. It is also regarded as a creat ion of methods appropriate to take corrective actions for the improvement in the overall performance of the organization. Effective control system are applied and implemented at every departments, functional area and individual levels. This helps in

Toyotas Strategy and Initiative in Europe Case Study

Toyotas Strategy and Initiative in Europe - Case Study Example However, instead of being engaged in price competition, companies are scaling down their operations. The uniqueness of Toyota's strategy was that it designed and manufactured locally adapted models. This strategy helped the company to increase sales: "by almost 50 percent from 2000 to 2005. The new strategy paid off financially, too. According to Business Week, the operating profit increased ninefold to $654 million in 2003" (Thompson et al 2008, p. C245). Research and innovation are a part of Toyota's success. The company launched its new car Aygo and "challenged many of its traditional views: the car was specifically designed for the European market and exclusively" (Thompson et al 2008, p. C245). For Toyota, this business decision is multi-dimensional and extremely complex. It is impossible to assume that business decisions even approach rationality, let alone perfect rationality. Toyota has to make complex decisions and, because of the multi-dimensionality of their decision conditions, they make many decisions (Annual Report Toyota 2008). Product adaptability and outsources are also key success factors. Today's consumer has a tremendous number of choices. Most of the products are complex and many of them have additives, preservatives, and other chemicals. Some of them are dangerous. Many of them have hazardous long-term effects. It is virtually impossible for the modern consumer to be rational and maximizing. Normal average consumers are typically confused and have difficulty making satisfactory decisions. Even though they may have the capability to evaluate functional product attributes in a rational manner, they lack the time and motivation to do so (Annual Report Toyota 2008). Global expansion and penetration to the North American market improves Toyota's position on the market "For 2006 Toyota was expected to reach 9 million units in production-with luxury brand Lexus reaching the 500,000 units mark for the first time (up from 400,000 units in 2004)" (Thompson et al 2008, p. C246). Toyota follows growth strategies based on the idea that expansion and market development will help it to attract new customers. According to its Annual repot: "Toyota expects to record net sales of 2,000.0 billion ahead of schedule for the fi scal year ending March 31, 2008" (Annual Report 2008, p. 3). The global car market is not only very complex but also not quite open for entry. Investment in research and development improve its position and increase opportunities on the global scale (Financial Results. Presentations 2008). 2. SWOT analysis shows that there is a strong correlation between successful strategies and direction selected by the company and its financial performance. The main strength is stable position on the market and loyal consumers. Financial statements highlight that in 2007 Toyota has increased its sales in 4.7% in comparison with 2006. Its operation income increased in 17.3% and income before income taxes and minority interests increased in 29.2 %. The net income is $40,309 million (2007) in comparison with 30,268 million in 2006 (see Appendix 1, 2). The main opportunity for Toyota is growth. Growth up until the 1990s meant expanding productive capabilities and market opportunities and making sure that this growth would yield better

The Great Gatsby Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

The Great Gatsby - Essay Example The novel provides an exploration of Gatsby’s journey in achieving wealth, success and love with passionate optimism while ironically submitting into moral corruption and questionable lifestyle in the process. This paper aims to analyze how the conflict between Gatsby’s representation of an average American’s hopes, dreams and aspirations with his personal, professional and social life conditions affect his capacity to accomplish his ambitions. Wealthy New Yorker James Gatsby is the central character of the novel. Born as James Gatz, he longed to escape from the impoverished life that he was born into from rural South Dakota and possess wealth and sophistication. While studying in college, he worked as a janitor to support his finances but abruptly quitted because of the difficulty of the job. The one thing that inspired and deeply motivated Gatsby to achieve his goals is his love for Daisy Buchanan, a young girl born from luxury and grace that he met before leaving for the World War I as an enlisted officer in 1917. He firmly believed that he can convince her that he was good for her if he has already established his fortune and become a notable name in society. Daisy promised to wait for him though she married football player Tom Buchanan just after two years and settled in the old rich community of East Egg in New York. Heartbroken, Gatsby finished his studies in Oxford and concentrated on getting Daisy back by particip ating in organized crimes such as stealing bond securities and distributing illegal alcohol. His changing of his name symbolizes his reinvention as he improved his social and economic status. After acquiring millions of dollars, Gatsby bought a mansion in West Egg and threw weekly lavish parties in order to lure Daisy in joining such. Expectedly, Gatsby and Daisy’s paths crossed in the wealthy society of New York. Facing the moment that he prepared for several years, Gatsby showed his wealth and