Saturday, November 30, 2019

Versions of Romeo and Juliet Essay Example For Students

Versions of Romeo and Juliet Essay The version which sticks closer to the play is Zefferellis version. Its more like what the scenery was like when it was written and would of take place then. The one that was more successful in my opinion is the Lurmans version, its more modern and more enjoyable to watch. I prefer Lurhmans simply because it is basically modern. I dont think I would be able to watch and enjoy Zefferellis because of the scenery and how old it is. Lurhmans is better to enjoy and would rather by me because new is better. Zefferellis can offer the background clothes and language used in his version. Lurhmans it again modern in his version. In his version they use props and clothes that we use today. The buildings in Zefferellis are palaces and castles and are replaced by buildings and office blocks. We will write a custom essay on Versions of Romeo and Juliet specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The costumes and props used in Zefferellies film the period i.e swords and daggers and period clothing. Lurhmans they replaced swords with guns as well as replacing horses with cars. Costumes where what we wear today. The music in each version are what you would hear in that time. Zefferellis version, the music that was played was by a single hand trumpet and the type of tune played was dictated by the scene on screen i.e slow for conversations and fierce for fight scenes. Lurhmans soundtrack was orchestral instruments of operatic voices through other types of music i.e dance music, rock music for party scenes and background radio of a modern type was used. The scenery and settings of the play were changed, the palaces and mansions of old Verona were replaced with modern buildings and office blocks. They are very different from each other. Zefferellis had little fruit stalls and someone behind selling the fruit. In Lurhmans version is basically replaced with shops selling a lot more than fruit. The interpretation of characters is (to me) very different from each other. I think Id get through Lurhmans movie understanding whats being said more than Zefferellis movie. The language in Lurhmans is more understanding than Zefferellis definitely. The way they dress is different, tights to trousers and so on. Rucushio in the modern one is more lively and understandable. In the old one he doesnt really know what hes on about, hes a step in step out person. The themes of the plays that I see if love, hatred, revenge, life and death. Maybe not a lot of revenge in Zefferellis. Lurhmans has everything, you can feel the themes of his version when watching his movie. Zefferellis you just cant really enjoy it mostly because its old. The concepts I would use if I was to stage William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet would be the modern language, the modern setting and clothes. Maybe the guns instead of the swords, or using the guns and the swords in the one play. Make the setting what its like today not 6-7 years ago even though nothing has changed a bit. A scene I want to compare in both versions of Romeo and Juliet is the scene just at the end of each film at the chapel. They have different arrangements that happen through the whole scene. Zefferellis takes place in a dark, quiet room that isnt all that big. Romeo takes poison says his last goodbyes then Juliet awakes then is devastated and stabs herself with a dagger. Lurhmans version, Romeo takes poison, Juliet wakes up and shoots herself with a gun and they are in a much bigger chapel with neons and candles all around. My conclusion of what I have proved is that a lot has changed, the background, then clothes and the movie. We are in their 2000s not the 1900s or 1800s any more.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Beneficios públicos que son carga pública

Beneficios pà ºblicos que son carga pà ºblica Recibir ciertos beneficios pà ºblicos en Estados Unidos puede ser causa para que el gobierno no apruebe una peticià ³n de tarjeta de residencia (green card) o una visa. Los migrantes considerados como una carga pà ºblica y esa calificacià ³n convierte a los extranjeros en inadmisibles en Estados Unidos. Esto es, se les puede denegar beneficios migratorios y/o visas. Esto es asà ­ por aplicacià ³n del artà ­culo 212(a)(4) de la Ley de Inmigracià ³n y Nacionalidad, conocida en inglà ©s por sus siglas de INA. Con fecha del 12 de agosto de 2019 el gobierno del presidente Donald Trump ha anunciado nuevas medidas sobre cà ³mo debe interpretarse la regla de carga pà ºblica. Por ello a continuacià ³n se explica cà ³mo es la situacià ³n actual y quà © supone la nueva regla y cundo entra en vigor. Carga pà ºblica antes de los à ºltimos cambios del gobierno de Trump Se estimaba que un emigrante era carga pà ºblica y, por lo tanto podà ­a ser negada su peticià ³n de tarjeta de residencia permanente o visa cuando ms de la mitad de sus ingresos en dinero en efectivo –esto es, en cash– procedà ­an de programas econà ³micos del gobierno como, por ejemplo, SSI (Supplemental Security Income) o TANF (Temporary Assistence to Needy Families). Adems, podrà ­a ser considerado tambià ©n carga pà ºblica el migrante est ingresado en una institucià ³n a cargo del gobierno. Carga pà ºblica despuà ©s de los cambios introducidos por el gobierno del presidente Trump Tal y como ha anunciado el gobierno a mediados del mes de agosto de 2019, a partir del 15 de octubre de ese aà ±o entrarn en vigor las nuevas reglas. Segà ºn dichas nuevas reglas se podr negar la tarjeta de residencia permanente o una visa a cualquier persona que, en su totalidad, se considere que es o puede convertirse en carga pà ºblica. Por lo tanto, pueden dar lugar a la negacià ³n de un beneficio migratorio uno o varios de los siguientes factores: haber recibido dinero del gobierno a travà ©s de uno de sus programasrecibir beneficios no econà ³micos como cupones de alimentos, Medicaid o ayudas a la viviendatener pocos ingresos econà ³micosdesconocimiento del idioma inglà ©s o nivel de estudios bajospadecimiento de una enfermedad Estn excluidos de esas nuevas reglas los refugiados y asilados, los menores de 21 aà ±os de edad, las mujeres embarazadas que reciben Medicaid y los miembros en activo del Ejà ©rcito de Estados Unidos. Asimismo, no se incluye en estas nuevas reglas la asistencia mà ©dica de urgencia. Fechas: cundo entra en vigor y no retroactividad En primer lugar, cabe destacar que es importante estar atentos a posibles cambios en este asunto ya que se espera que se dispute en corte judicial. Y, en segundo lugar, la nueva regla comenzar a aplicarse con fecha del 15 de octubre de 2019 y no tendr efecto retroactivo. En otras palabras, los migrantes que recibieron legalmente un beneficio no econà ³mico como por ejemplo cupones de alimentos antes de entrar en vigor la nueva regla no se vern afectados negativamente en sus solicitudes de visa o de tarjeta de residencia permanente. Dos casos diferentes de carga pà ºblica En los casos en los que un ciudadano estadounidense o un residente permanente legal patrocina a un familiar una tarjeta de residencia permanente, dicho patrocinador responde durante 10 aà ±os por la persona patrocinada, como consecuencia de firmar la Declaracià ³n de sostenimiento econà ³mico, tambià ©n conocido como affidavit of support. En otras palabras, si el patrocinado es una carga pà ºblica, el gobierno pedir al patrocinador que le regrese el dinero. Otro caso bien diferente donde la carga pà ºblica es importante es el de turistas que tienen un bebà © en los Estados Unidos y no pagan por la factura del parto ni el pap o la mam del bebà © ni su seguro mà ©dico. En estos casos, cuando el sistema informtico establece la relacià ³n entre el bebà © americano y sus padres turistas puede exigir ver el pago del gasto del hospital, y si los padres o su seguro no se han hecho cargo, las autoridades migratorias pueden cancelar, revocar o no renovar las visas de los padres e impedirles el ingreso a los Estados Unidos. Carga pà ºblica y prioridad para deportacià ³n Segà ºn una nueva polà ­tica del gobierno de Trump, desde 1 de octubre de 2018 los migrantes que abusen de beneficios pà ºblicos pueden recibir una notificacià ³n conocida como NTA para presentarse ante un juez migratorio el cual iniciar un proceso de deportacià ³n contra el inmigrante por considerarlo carga pà ºblica. Carga pà ºblica En las nuevas reglas de carga pà ºblica se incluyen, adems de beneficios econà ³micos, consideraciones como beneficios no econà ³micos (cupones de alimentos, ayuda vivienda, Medicaid), enfermedades, escasos ingresos, o nivel bajo de estudios.Las nuevas reglas entrarn en vigor el 15 de octubre de 2019.El gobierno puede negar una solicitud de visa o de tarjeta de residencia permanente a todas las personas que considere que son o pueden ser carga pà ºblica. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Friday, November 22, 2019

A Comparison of Robert Frosts Fire and Ice and the Mending Wall

A Comparison of Robert Frost's Fire and Ice and the Mending Wall Robert Frost was a successful poet for many reasons. He was well known for the diction used in all his poems. Along with diction, he was widely known for the complexity of his poems. Imagery also was key in many of Frost poems because of the way he described events, people and places. He appealed to many Americans because of the life lessons told in many of his poetry. In all, Frost was one of the most popular poets in America’s history. The diction in Frost’s poems stood out to many of his readers because of the elementary language he used, which made his poems easy to understand. To make his poetry easy to understand, he ventured away from difficult words. The elementary diction was shown in â€Å"Fire and Ice† and â€Å"The Mending Wall†. â€Å"Fire and Ice† is an example where the diction draws attention to a certain concept or idea for the reader to understand. When Frost uses the antonym words â€Å"fire† and â€Å"ice†, he is making a point to the reader that the words are representation of love and hate. In â€Å"The Mending Wall†, there are examples of elementary diction that noticeably portrays Frost intentional word choices. Frost says that, â€Å"there where it is we do not need the wall†(Frost 23). Another focal point is Frost’s poetry was complexity. The messages of his poems are interesting because he does not usually talk about the main idea directly but by using figurative language to get his ideas across. Frost was also commonly known for writing different types of poems like his most humorous one, â€Å"Home Burial†. One of Frost’s most complex poems is â€Å"The Road Not Taken†. In â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, Frost uses complex metaphors to describe the story within the poem. â€Å"Two roads diverge in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by† (Frost 19). When Frost uses a metaphor about the â€Å"two roads that diverge†, he is referring to the two paths in life that there are to take. Imagery in Frost poems was extremely vivid to describe events, people and places. Frost often related nature imagery with romantic views. In â€Å"Desert Places†, Frost uses snow to describe an image of loneliness. For example, the word â€Å"snow† is described as expressionless, â€Å"A blanker whiteness of benighted snow/ with no expression, nothing to express†(Frost 12). â€Å"Birches† is a typical example of the use of nature imagery that Frost uses to talk about the dislikes of the pressures of social life. While Frost does not specify exactly which burden he is targeting, the reader can easily piece together enough evidence from various parts of the poem to depict Frost’s meaning. When Frost compares ice to crystal shells, he uses descriptive words to enhance the image to the reader. The words â€Å"shattering and avalanching† (Frost 11) are used to enhance a visual image for the reader. Robert Frost was most famous for the way that he structured and managed his career. Frost became most popular because of the stories told within his poetry. In Frost poetry, he avoided any explicit language. He also did not discuss the economy or anything dealing with politics. Many other Americans became aware of who Frost because he was the first American poet to read poetry at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. He read â€Å"The Gift Outright†, which was a poem that was written especially for the inauguration. In all, Frost was known for the elementary diction that he used in all of his poetry. Along with diction, he was widely known for the complexity of his poems. His use of imagery was descriptive in a way that it painted a picture for his readers. The life lessons that were depicted in his poems were one of many reasons why Americans favored him. Altogether, Frost was one of the most popular poets in America’s history.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Australian Latest Mining Boom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Australian Latest Mining Boom - Essay Example Both quantitative and secondary research is done to reach at a conclusion. Contents Topic Page Number 1) Introduction 3-4 2) Main Body a) Fiscal policy challenges emerging out 4-5 of the recent mining boom in Australia b) Resource Rent Taxation and Negative externality 5 c) Economic Framework of Non-Renewable 6 Resource Taxation d) Economic Costs and Benefits of Mining Super 6-8 Profit Tax e) Conclusion 9 f) Recommendations 9 g) Appendix 11 Introduction Mining boom in Australia is an outcome of huge demands for these resources in the global market, mainly Asia because of its growing need for these minerals. In all parts of Australia, mining companies are increasing their present operations, shuttered mines are being re-opened and all this is taking place at a never before pace. Moreover, this latest boom in this mining sector can also be attributed to the expansion in demand for Australian commodities by the foreign nations. This, coupled with decreasing import prices has resulted in an amazing enhancement in their terms of trade. (Banks, 2011, p. 1) At first it was perceived by most of the Australians that the boom in their mining sector had bought unequivocal benefits to their nation’s economy by creating more jobs, generating higher revenues from exports, taxation and higher incomes for most of the people. But studies have revealed that some of these increased profits from the mining companies are at the cost of profits from the non mining institutes (Richardson, 2009, p. 2). Australia is known to be an inherently resource rich nation and one of the leading countries in the world from the point of view of production of minerals. Australia, as already said, is a major exporter of mineral resources, exporting huge amounts to Asia and the Pacific regions. The Australian economy, during 2007 had grown at a rate of 3.9% owing to the increasing global demand for mineral commodities. Since, higher prices in world market for mineral commodities were expected in future as well, the Australian economy kept on expanding. As a result of an increase in the domestic demand for more workers and thinning labor market, in 2007, the consumer price index (CPI) rose by 4.2% (Australia Mineral and Mining Sector Investment and Business Guide, 2006, p. 45). With this boom came the need to review the ongoing tax system in the country. Under the Henry tax reviews the mining super profit tax was introduced which was instantly subjected to a lot of opposition from the mining community as well as the media. Here, in this report, the economic costs and benefits arising out of the mining super profit tax are analyzed and the discussion also includes some reasons as to why this tax is a good/bad policy measure. In this paper, both quantitative and qualitative research has been done. In order to analyze the costs and benefits of the super profit tax, vast literature in the form of journals, articles, books etc. have been reviewed. The proposals made by the gov ernment regarding the use of the revenues that would be generating out of this tax led to the cost-benefit analysis part. Quantitative analysis has been performed to see the amount of revenue that would have generated out of this tax, had it been implemented. Fiscal policy challenges emerging out of the recent mining boom in Australia In the upcoming years, with the increase in value of Australia’

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

What causes conflict along the nomadsedentary frontier Essay

What causes conflict along the nomadsedentary frontier - Essay Example Nomadism for Pastoralists is apolitical as well as an economic strategy. Nomads use their nomadic movements to maintain household autonomy, to evade domination by other members of their own communities as well as by outsiders, including state authorities.From ancient times the contrast between nomadic and sedentary ways life has been a recurring theme. It is said in the earliest pages of Bible, farmers those who work in the soil and of "those who live in tents and rise livestock". The most familiar nomads are the pastoral nomads of Middle Eastern countries those who moved and even today move with their camels, cattle, sheep, and goats, seeking pasture for them at each season of the year.Nomads often live and move in arid areas of the world where water and soil condition are not in good condition. But they are also to be found in well watered places, where they could have more political power while compared to sedentary agriculturalists.There is a large population of nomadic pastorali sts in North Africa, in arid areas of West Africa, and particularly in such East African countries as the Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania. From the Middle Eastern countries through Iran, Pakistan and North India, through to China and Mongolia, Pastoral nomadic remains important as a mode of livelihood.Travel with their herds. They are widely found in the Alps and in other mountains areas in Europe and was fixed dwelling in both winter and summer areas. Pastoral nomads contribute greatly to the economic activity of the country, like they sell or exchange pastoral products for grain, cloth, weapons, and other trade goods. Pastoral nomads are able to define themselves according to their priorities as long as they remain nomads like they proved themselves long access to milk, to sustain long- term relationship with members of their own communities, and to build the power and prestige in accordance with their own values and culture. Nomadism for Pastoralists is apolitical as well as an economic strategy. Nomads use their nomadic movements to maintain household autonomy, to evade domination by other members of their own communities as well as by outsiders, including state authorities. Typically Pastoral nomads rely on their own organization, military skills, and weapons to defend their herds and pastures against raiders and to add to their own herds and pastures by raiding others. The military skills that are an advantage for Pastoral nomadians can be used for other purposes and throughout history pastoralists have repeatedly conquered sedentary populations and established dynasties and ruling elites over them. Mongol conquerors in china, central Asia and Russia provide one of the best known examples. The Mongol conquest was the most world- changing event of this era. Barfield says, "The exceptional nature of the Mongol Empire has been largely misunderstood because, as the most powerful nomadic state that ever exited , it was presumed to be the culmination of political evolution on the steppe rather than the exception that it was," (Barfield 1991,48). The Chinnggis rose to power with marginal support even as his own relatives opposed him. His conquest led to Yuan dynasty. He did not rely on kinship to organize his supporters but rather on loyalty and autocratic control. His main supporters were friends and retainers and his political organization rejected the imperial confederacy model whereas the Mongol state was based on the principles of centralized administration and tribal leadership were abolished. A rigid discipline came which unknown among nomads were followed .But after the fall of Mongol Empire the traditional nomads system with imperialism came into existence. After Chinggis's rule it was only with Khubilai that the Mongols took up the responsibility of ruling northern china rather than despoiling it. The Mongol Empire for the first time united most of Eurasia into a single empire whereas western Europe remained outside the Mongol Empire. The Mongol success can be said in the following ways: First the states they attacked in western Asia were weak and vulnerable to conquest. Their ecological adaptations were much more fragile than was the case in

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Need for Power Essay Example for Free

Need for Power Essay The need for power is just one part of McClellands acquired needs theory. The Other Parts of the Theory are Need for Achievement and Need for Affiliation. I would like to stay and write about part The need for Power. We can find little theory about this topic (The need for Power) in book Organizational Behavior on page 101. There is: A third major individual need is the need for power – the desire to control one ´s environment, including financial, material, informational, and human resources. People vary greatly along this dimension. Some individuals spend much time and energy seeking power, other avoid power if at all possible. People with a high need for power can be successful managers if three conditions are met. First, they must seek power for the betterment of the organization rather than for their own interest. Second, they must have a fairly low need for affiliation because fulfilling a personal need for power may well alienate others in the workplace. Third, they need plenty of self-control to curb their desire for power when it threatens to interfere with effective organizational or interpersonal relationship. Resources for this theory: David McClelland and David H. Burnham, â€Å"Power Is the Great motivator,â€Å" Harward business Review, March-April 1976, pp. 100-110. Pinder, Work Motivation in Organizational Behavior, McClelland and Burnham, â€Å"Power Is the Great Motivator.â€Å" We can identified four stages within the power orientation: 1) Drawing inner strength from others being a loyal follower and serving the power of other people; 2) Strengthening oneself beginning to play the power game, collecting symbols of status, one-upmanship, trying to dominate situations; 3) Self-assertiveness becoming more aggressive and trying to manipulate situations so as to use other people to achieve ones own targets; 4) Acting as an instrument of higher authority identifying with some organization or authority system and employing the methods learnt in stages 2 and 3 but now being able to claim formal legitimacy. Blake and Mouton (1964) would feature the kind of person who maximizes this kind of approach as having the Authority Obedience style of management: concentrating on maximizing production through the exercise of personal authority and power. Individuals with a high need for power exhibit a number of characteristics. These individuals tend to be more argumentative. We can see in real life that they are often elected to political offices (member of government etc.). These individuals are also more assertive when a part of in-group discussions. They are known for displaying risk-taking behavior and they also tend to own more prestigious possessions such as expensive cars and credit cards. I think that this people tend to be and want to be on public display. In examing the motive scores of over 50 managers of both high and low morale units in all sections of the same large company, we found that most of the managers over 70% were high in power motivation compared with men in general. This finding confirms the fact that power motivation is important for management. (Remember that as we use the term power motivation, it refers not to dictatorial behavior, but to a desire to have impact, to be strong and influential). The better managers, as judged by the morale of those working for them, tended to score even higher in power motivation. But the most important determing factor of high morale turned out not to be how their power motivation compared to their need to achieve but whether it was higher than their need to be liked. This relationship existed for 80% of the sales managers as compared with only 10% of the poorer managers. And the same held true for other managers in nearly all parts of the company. In the research, product development, and operations divisions, 73% of the better managers had a stronger need for power than a need to be liked (or what we term affiliation motive) as compared with only 22% of the poorer managers. Why should this be so? Sociologists have long argued that, for a bureaucracy to function effectively, those who manage it must be universalistic in applying rules. That is, if they make exceptions for the particular needs of individuals, the whole system will break down. The manager with a high need for being liked is precisely the one who wants to stay on good terms with everybody, and, therefore, is the one most likely to make exceptions in terms of particular needs. If an employee asks for time off to stay home with a sick spouse to help look after the kids, the affiliative manager, feeling sorry for the person, agrees almost without thinking. (I am personally this kind of manager. I have a high need for being liked. I think that if people have a confidence in the manager he can do more things – also not so popular – and the people will accept them and also him.) When President Ford remarked in pardoning ex-President Nixon that he had suffered enough, he was empathizing primarily with Nixon ´s needs and feeling. Sociological theory and our data both argue, however, that the person whose need for affiliation is high does not make a good manager. This kind of person creates poor morale because he or she does not understand that other people in the office will tend to regard exceptions to the rules as unfair to themselves, just as many U.S. citizens felt it was unfair to let Richard Nixon off and punish others less involved than he was in the Watergate scandal. Advantages / disadvantages There are both positive and negative aspects in regards to the need for power. Being argumentative can be perceived as an ideal expression of one’s opinion; although it can also create threatening environments for those of a more compliant nature. Having an assertive manner in group discussions can make others feel as though one is dominating a discussion within the group. However, this individual may have a profound impact on the group’s progress by assisting in accomplishing tasks more efficiently. Participating in risk-taking behavior can allow an individual to experience more radical events in their life, but sometimes risk-taking behavior can lead to undesirable consequences. Owning luxurious items tends to be costly, even though these possessions may make one feel good about themselves and their lives. My conclusion The need for power is good if it is useful for organization and also if the manager can use some kind of humanity to the other. For manager figure is very important the confidence. The people (other) must confidence in him and then they will better in accept his conclusion.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Actus Reus Essay -- International Law

Actus Reus Introduction The Criminal Law of England and Wales which deals with the components and consequences of criminal acts. The English criminal law is in large part not regulated by law, but in the tradition of common law judge-made law. The offense consists in the English law of Actus Reus and Mens Rea together. Actus Reus is the Latin term meaning the act of guilt (the outer or objective of a criminal offense) which is an essential element in the determination of a crime. Thus, when no reasonable doubt exists as a result of the demonstration of proof, the act of guilt, shown together with the intention of the individual to commit a crime (mens rea), creates criminal liability of the accused in criminal jurisdictions that follow the system of common law (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, Ireland). Discussion and Analysis Actus Reus literally means conduct of a person. The phrase is used to refer to the element of an offense that involves prohibited conduct. The Actus Reus is one of two elements that make up criminal offenses. The second element is called mens rea or mental state. No crime may legally exist without an Actus Reus, while some regulatory crimes, called strict liability offenses, may exist without a mens rea. Examples of the Actus Reus element of a capital offense would be causing death, causing death while committing another crime, causing the death of a police officer, and causing death by using a bomb. In each of the examples, the mental state of the defendant is not relevant to Actus Reus. The mental state is relevant for the second element, i.e., the Mens Rea. General Perception The Actus Reus requirement is met if a defendant purposely, knowingly, or recklessly does something that is ... ...air, Medico legal Aspects of Automatism, qtd in McClain v. State, 678 N.E.2d 104, 106 (Ind. 1997), pp 56-78 David Ormerod (eds.): Smith and Hogan Criminal Law,12th Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2008, ISBN 978-0199202584, pp 34 David Ormerod, (2009), Smith and Hogan Criminal Law: Cases and Materials, 10th Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2009, ISBN 978-0199218691, pp 45-78 Felson, Marcus (1994), Crime and Everyday Life, Pine Forge, ISBN 0-8039-9029-4, Hirschi, Travis (1969). Causes of Delinquency, Transaction Publishers, ISBN 0-7658-0900-1 Morse, S. J. Diminished rationality, diminished responsibility, Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law vol. 1 (2003), pp. 289–308 Siegel, Larry J. (2003). Criminology, 8th edition, Thomson-Wadsworth., pp. 139 Symposium, Act and crime, University of Pennsylvania Law Review vol. 142, (1994), pp. 1443–1890

Monday, November 11, 2019

Implications of Business Process Management for Operations Management Essay

Implications of business process management for operations management Colin Armistead and Simon Machin The Business School at Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK Introduction Operations management is concerned with the management of people, processes, technology and other resources in order to produce goods and services. There is a resonance from operations management into business process re-engineering (BPR) of the process paradigm and of the concepts and techniques of designing, managing and improving operational processes. Doubtless much can be learned from operations management for the application of BPR[1]. But business process management is more than just BPR applied to operational processes. What are the implications of the wider consideration of business processes for operations management and can the concepts and techniques from operations management be directly applied to all types of business processes? This paper introduces the concepts of business processes and business process management, and reports findings from interviews in four organizations which are continuing to develop their approaches to managing processes. These findings are then positioned within a categorization of business processes, by way of research propositions. Finally, implications for operations management are discussed. What are business processes? Business processes can be thought of as a series of interrelated activities, crossing functional boundaries with inputs and outputs. Why are they important and why are organizations moving to adopt approaches to explicitly manage by business processes? Reasons include[2] that the process view: †¢ allows increasing flexibility in organizations to meet changing external demands; †¢ addresses the speed to market of new products and services and the responsiveness to the demands of customers; †¢ facilitates the reduction of costs; †¢ facilitates in creased delivery reliability; and †¢ helps address the quality of products and services in terms of their consistency and capability. Processes are part of the philosophy of total quality management (TQM)[3]. Both the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award[4] and the European International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 17 No. 9, 1997, pp. 886-898.  © MCB University Press, 0144-3577 Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model[5], on which the European Implications of Quality Award is based, have at their heart the consideration of business business process processes. Such models require the identification of processes, the management management of these processes with review and targetary, innovation and creativity applied to processes and the management of process change. A second route that leads organizations to consider their business processes 887 is BPR[6-9] which promotes the radical change of business processes. Some have illustrated the complementary nature of BPR and TQM[10], others the conflict[11]. Regardless of this, the fact is that organizations come to consider their business processes through TQM, or through BPR, or potentially through both avenues. What is business process management? There is considerable debate about what business process management means and how organizations interpret the business process paradigm[2,12]. Business process management cannot be considered simply as BPR. Rather it is concerned with how to manage processes on an ongoing basis, and not just with the one-off radical changes associated with BPR. But how are organizations actually managing their business processes? What approaches have they developed? What lessons have they learned and what can be drawn from their experiences? The aim of the research reported in this paper is to address such questions by considering organizations at the leading edge of process management. Methodology A qualitative methodology was adopted in conducting the research. During a pilot phase interviews were conducted in four organizations: TSB; Rank Xerox; Kodak; and Birds Eye Walls. This, coupled with knowledge of the approach within Royal Mail, led to an initial understanding of the approaches being adopted by organizations[13]. This was followed by further interviews in four organizations (including within a different part of Rank Xerox), and it is these that form the basis of the findings reported in this paper. The four organizations, in this second phase of interviews, were: (1) Rank Xerox – European Quality Award (EQA) winners in 1992; (2) Nortel – Netas, a subsidiary of Nortel, were EQA winners in 1996; (3) Texas  Instruments – EQA winners in 1995; (4) Hewlett-Packard – who do not use the EFQM model, but have been using their own â€Å"Quality Maturity System† for several years, with many similarities to the EFQM model, including the central role of processes. While these organizations are at varying stages of their approach to business process management they can be considered â€Å"excellent† against many crit eria (including process management), as shown above, and the findings and lessons derived from the research should inform other organizations which are just starting their approach to process management. IJOPM 17,9 888 In two cases the quality director of the UK operation was interviewed; in one case the participant was the business process manager; in another the participant was a direct report to a service director. We consider that the roles and experience of the participants make possible sensible comparison between the organizations, based on the interviews. Semi-structured open-ended interviews (typically of between two and three hours), based on the ideas emerging from the pilot interviews, were carried out in each organization. The interviews were supported by other documentation from each organization which included process maps, planning frameworks and organizational structures. Interviews were transcribed and the transcriptions used as the basis for analysis. Each interview transcription was read and examined several times and lists of concepts developed[14]. A cognitive map[15] of all four interviews was then constructed showing the concepts emerging from the data and how the concepts i nformed on each other (based on the perception of the authors). Concepts were then clustered, with six clusters, or themes, readily appearing. The clusters were then checked against the transcripts from the pilot interviews and documentary material from the case organizations to ensure consistency of findings. Findings The six clusters emerging from the research we have labelled: organization coordination; process definition; organization structuring; cultural fit; improvement; measurement. While some of these might not be novel in  themselves we discuss them first individually and then as a set. Organization co-ordination One property associated with business processes is their â€Å"end-to-end† nature. They start with input at the business boundary and finish with outputs from the business boundary. Hence their cross-functional nature and, implicit in this, is their ability to integrate and co-ordinate activity. For example, â€Å"a better way to think about process is that it is an organizing concept that pulls together absolutely everything necessary to deliver some important component of strategic value†[16]. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that a strong theme emerging from the interviews was that the process paradigm provides an approach for co-ordination across the whole organization. This integration through the use of business processes is perhaps most simply illustrated by the fact that participants, in describing their approaches to business process management, described how they run and organize their entire business. The co-ordination took a number of forms. For example, business process management was strongly positioned in the overall approaches to business planning adopted by the organizations. This was illustrated in one organization with their long- and medium-term plans explicitly linked to annual plans for their key processes. Business process management also provided an approach for integration through increased knowledge within the organizations (for example, about strategic direction), without the need for bureaucratic procedures or hierarchical control: Implications of business process The concepts of business processes emerged as providing a link between the management top of the organization and activity at the lower levels: â€Å"the bit in the middle†. Central to this is the concept of different levels of processes and typically the organizations reported having identified three or four levels of process from the top-level architecture through to the individual or task level. In providing the co-ordination across the organization, the importance of managing the boundaries of processes was strongly emphasized. One organization, for example, was addressing these boundary issues between their processes through the use of networks of individuals representing the interests of their process. They used networks around each process to formulate and implement strategy, and identified which processes have boundary issues with  other processes. Individuals from one process network then attend meetings of the other process networks on this boundary to address the potential issues. Without some form of co-ordination between processes, changes in one process could also lead to changes in performance of other processes such that strategic goals would be compromised, typically in the areas of quality and costs. but what we were trying to do was create a very free environment, a very innovative environment, but an environment where we knew exactly where we were going. 889 Process definition Much of the literature on managing processes is concerned with process improvement[17,18] and this is typically directed at how to improve the actual operation of processes. However, a view expressed during the interviews was that the real value derived from the process approach is through the understanding and development of an approach at higher levels within the organizations, rather than simply process improvement activity at the task or team level. Nevertheless, these organizations recognized that they struggled with this and acknowledged that, in reality, the understanding of processes was often still at the task level, with a natural tendency for procedure writing. Approaches to help overcome this included communication across the different levels of the organization to develop common understanding (and, in particular, to develop better understanding between process owners and process operatives) and a focus within process flowcharts on value steps and decision points, together with the definition and management of process boundaries. Process flowcharting is often presented as a panacea for understanding and managing processes, but some organizations reported problems with applying the methodology to all processes: the methodology of flowcharting †¦ is OK for consistent, regularly operated, reliable processes – it is not that useful for processes that are very iterative and processes that run infrequently, the more complex processes. Certainly the organizations were coming to realize that such process maps in themselves were not sufficient: people talked a lot about process re-engineering and all they ever did was diddle around with process maps, and they didn’t really get the big picture. IJOPM 17,9 and we have used a flow-charting methodology widely deployed across the company†¦we have still got a lot of problems though in terms of processes gathering dust on the shelf. 890 Also, while the organizations recognized the need to specify processes beneath their high level processes, the need certainly did not emerge to map all processes to the same level or detail. It would be unusual to go to an entity and show all the processes in detail to all depths. In general, the drive appeared to be to use business process management more as a long-term and living tool than just a remedial tool for short-term, tactical issues. Long-term plans were needed for processes to enable the process owners to focus on the future requirements of their processes. Also there was the need to develop methodologies other than flowcharting to support a more holistic approach to business process management, and to directly consider the â€Å"process of managing processes†. Organizational structuring Much has been written about the role of processes in structuring organizations and, in particular, the development of horizontal organizations structured purely around processes[2,19,20]. In general, the organizations interviewed in this research appeared to be taking a less radical view. Instead they had developed matrix-based organizations between functions and processes, and tended to adjust their functional structure to align with their identified processes. They thus saw processes as simply another dimension of the organization structure[21]. Indeed they seemed to have implicitly balanced the dimensions of autonomy/co-ordination,  motivation/ control and efficiency/learning[22] and in doing so derived the matrix structure. This perhaps also reflects other organizational paradoxes[23]. Their reasoning was influenced by a view that personal relationships were the key to effective organizations, as much as the formal, imposed structure. Processes were seen to provide a framework for these relationships in terms of building understanding and common approach across the organization. This framework was reported to help establish empowerment in a structured way, matching level of empowerment with control and support. Hence the entering of the process dimension into their structure. However, they were unwilling to do away with the functional dimension, due to the perception that functions better supported the actual personal relationships within the framework of processes and better supported specialist expertise: people don’t necessarily align with processes, they align with other people, and entities and organizations. People don’t go to parties on processes! and if you start bashing on about process organizations, and â€Å"you’ve got to do away with the silos, and the function† and so on†¦you’re denying it in a way – something to do with that relationship side of things. This has a resonance with reports that moves to process-based organizations Implications of can be ineffective if the personal relationship and cultural aspects are business process overlooked[24]. management These matrix structures were regarded as relatively unstable[13] with a tendency to drift back to a functional structure, or to move too far towards a process focus, but the organizations saw the role of their â€Å"quality professionals† 891 as the catalyst to ensure balance between functions and processes. More interesting is that, in these matrix-based organizations, there appeared to be no desire to move towards a purely process-based structure, with the matrix recognized as a desirable state, enabling constant and efficient reorganization through its flexibility. Inevitably the matrix adds complexity, but it seems that these organizations are willing to trade this complexity against the flexibility and personal relationship aspects supported by the matrix structure. One organization did, however, report a  totally process-based structure, and this did appear to support a high degree of simplicity against the complexity of the matrix approach. There may therefore be value for organizations in explicitly considering the trade-offs between processes and functions in forming their approach. Regardless of the process/function structure, the approach of process groups and process owners at different levels of the processes was common. Cultural fit Culture is an ambiguous concept which is difficult to define[25]. However, most organizations have some notion of their culture, and this was the case in all four organizations, where culture had an implicit meaning. It is an important concept in thinking about organizations since people and processes m ust combine to produce output. However, within the organizations, processes were not seen as a constraint, rather, as reported above, as providing a framework for empowerment. There emerged a general view that the overall approach to business process management needed to fit initially with the culture of the organization, and allow that culture to be maintained, at least in the short term. This is not to say that there was not a longer-term objective to address culture, but culture drove the appropriate initial approach: that’s why it works well, because we’re a highly empowered organization, and a team of people are comfortable working as a team, so bringing them together for a process team is perfectly easy – all we had to do was teach them the tools to do it and a bit of flowcharting and away they go. But that fits well with the culture. This is in stark contrast to some business process re-engineering approaches which may often be insensitive to culture or may have an immediate objective of changing culture[26]. Where BPR was deployed in the organizations it tended to be positioned as part of the overall approach to business process management, for example, alongside process stabilization and continuous improvement, rather than instead of. When used in this context, there were examples of culture change for smaller organization groupings. There were also IJOPM 17,9 892 examples where the failure of BPR initiatives was directly attributed to a culture within the organization which so strongly supported constant, but incremental, change that radical change, as proposed by BPR was rejected. All four of the organizations embraced TQM and, in particular, continuous improvement. The concept and language of teams and â€Å"teams of teams†[27] featured strongly, with rewards and recognition often linked to team performance. The formation of cross-functional teams in improving processes happened naturally in these organizations, and appeared critical to the success of their approach in managing processes. Improvement through business process management Unsurprisingly the interviews supported a drive within the organizations to constantly improve processes and this is reflected in the above discussions of culture. Examples of specific approaches included the use of benchmarking to understand and set best practices and the development of compendiums and databases of best practices and the linkage of improvements to assessments against European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), Baldrige and other quality models. While BPR was clearly used in some of the organizations (indeed Texas Instruments and Rank Xerox are well known for their re-engineering work) this tended to be talked about more at the process simplification or process improvement end of the spectrum of definitions placed on BPR[28-30]: you would not change the overall process radically in a short space of time, but for people (in the process) I think it is a drastic step. and I would not anticipate the total process radically changing over a short space of time because one could not manage it, so you have to move forward in sizeful steps at each part of the process. One organization reported benefits through using human resource professionals alongside process engineers on BPR projects to â€Å"keep some sanity in what the re-engineering was doing†. Measurement and business process management Measurement is a key principle to managing processes[18] with the need to identify trends, assess stability, determine whether customer requirements are actually met and drive improvement. This was confirmed by the interviews  and measurement emerged as central to successful approaches to business process management. There seemed to be a genuine attitude of â€Å"living and breathing† measurement within the organizations: if you can’t actually get good metrics you won’t manage a process, so it’s absolutely fundamental to managing a process. and if we don’t define the metrics we’ve had it. Increasing importance was being given to customer satisfaction and customer Implications of loyalty measures and there was a recognition of the importance of developing business process efficiency measures for the processes as opposed to just measuring whether management processes actually delivered. There was also a drive towards examining the tails of distributions of the measures (process variation) not just average values, consistent with the view of statistical process control[31,32]. 893 One danger that was reported is related to the â€Å"level† issues discussed above: detailed measures were implemented into lower-level process maps, directly related to processes, as one would hope – however, this resulted in a large number of measures that it was then difficult to prioritize, because, at a higher level, measures had not been (or had not been properly) defined. A particularly interesting approach to measurement was in one organization where they had established â€Å"business fundamentals† as performance measures on key processes, deployed worldwide and at all levels. All professional staff in the organization have business fundamentals which are deliverable, cost, customer or people measures, but self-driven measurements rather than management-driven measurements. These business fundamentals are linked to the key processes, and individuals self-assess their progress against these, using a simple rating scale. Every quarter there is then a formal review across the organization against the business fundamentals. The same approach is used to track individual performance, performance against plans, and process performance, providing an integrated approach to measurement across the organization, and a strong illustration of integrating process measures with other organizational measures. Process categorization Different categorizations of processes have been proposed in the literature[28]. For  example the CIM-OSA Standards[33] use the categorization of manage, operate and support. In describing processes we have found a categorization into operational, support, direction setting and managerial processes to be useful (see Figure 1). The separation of direction setting and managerial processes is driven by two considerations: Operational Managerial Direction setting Support Figure 1. Categorization of business processes IJOPM 17,9 894 (1) on a practical level models, such as the EFQM model, adopted by organizations, separately identify leadership from policy and strategy formulation; and (2) the strategy literature regards development of strategy as a process in its own right[34,35]. Operational processes are the way in which work gets done within an organization, to produce goods and services. These processes are the ones which have been the subject of much of the focus to date in TQM and BPR. They run across the organization and are associated with outcomes such as product development or order fulfilment. They are recognized in the ideas of integrated supply chains and logistics and in simultaneous engineering and are part of justin-time approaches. The same ideas for improvement in flow and reduction in cycle times come through into service organizations in the practices of BPR. Support processes are those which enable the operational processes. They are concerned with the provision of support technology, or systems, with personnel and human resource management, and with accounting management. Direction-setting processes are concerned with setting strategy for the organization, its markets and the location of resources as well as managing change within the organization. Direction-setting processes involve a mix of the prescribed steps within a formal planning process and also less well-defined  frameworks. Managerial processes are to some extent superordinate to the other categories and contain the decision-making and communication activities. For example, the entrepreneurial, competence-building and renewal processes proposed by Ghoshal and Bartlett[20] are managerial processes. Some organizations have tried to formalize these processes and have adopted a structured approach to, for example, decision making and communication. This categorization, like any other, does not necessarily fit with the view taken by all organiza tions (for example, some organizations would position the direction setting processes as part of their operational processes) but it provides a useful framework for discussion of the research findings, and for describing propositions for further research. Discussion and propositions arising from the research The six clusters identified in the findings of organization co-ordination – process definition, organization structuring, cultural fit, improvement and measurement can be considered in the light of these process definitions. The issue of process definition at a top level is a view of how organizations work to satisfy strategic intents. The translation of top-level architecture into an operational reality is influenced by aspects of organizational culture which affect both organizational co-ordination and organizational structure. In no cases is the disappearance of functions apparent; rather the functional organization is replaced by a matrix structure. This form of organizational structure derives its co-ordinating strength from the formation of cross-functional teams. The issues of measurement and improvement reflected in the findings reinforce the need for Implications of effective measurement which drives process improvement in a form which co- business process ordinates and prioritizes activity; something which many organizations find management difficult. The findings suggest that taking a business process management approach is one way to overcome some of the difficulties. It is our observation that organizations in approaching business process 895 management tend to initially address their operational processes, then move to focus on support processes, while continuing to improve their operational processes, and next to focus on direction setting processes while continuing to improve operational and support processes. Thus there is a similarity to the operations management  sandcone model, as proposed by Ferdows and De Meyer[36], used to show that cost reduction relies on the cumulative foundation of improvement in objectives. We propose that an organization’s approach to process management is similarly constituted by its approach across process categories, and that to build a stable sandcone the approach to, first, operational processes must be created (see Figure 2). This proposal has practical value, since it is the operational processes that directly impact on customers and so can yield quick benefits. Thus attention to the operational processes ensures capability of delivery; attention then moves to encompass support processes, since these in turn ensure the capability of the operational processes; attention to the direction setting processes recognizes that capability can only be maintained with good direction setting. The superordinate nature of managerial processes positions them outside the sandcone, with influences from the other categories. This sandcone model for business processes implies further propositions based on our findings. P1: As organizations develop their approach to business process management, moving through the sandcone, the appropriateness of techniques will change. Flowcharting methods are well tested in understanding operational and some support processes. However, the organizations in this phase of our research were discovering that such methods were inflexible for other types of process. Operational Operational + support Operational + support + direction setting Figure 2. A sandcone model for developing approaches to business process management IJOPM 17,9 896 The appropriate methodology for understanding the managerial and directionsetting processes may lie in the fields of systems thinking[37] and business dynamics[38] and the shape of a process for managing such processes needs further attention. Thus the appropriateness of â€Å"soft mapping† techniques increases as an organization moves through the sandcone. P2: As  organizations move through the sandcone there is an increasing impact on organization structure, with the need to address structural changes to reap the benefits from the process approach. Increasingly organizations will need to consider organization design as an explicit, rather than implicit, activity to ensure organizational effectiveness. This need not necessitate a move towards a complete process-based structure, but may mean a trade-off between process and functional structures[39]. This trade-off includes the need to consider factors such as personal relationships and cultural aspects. For example, in some organizations a purely processbased structure will be appropriate while in others the process-function matrix approach will be best utilized. P 3: We propose that there is an increasing need for maturity in TQM throughout the organization to ensure a successful process paradigm, as the organization moves through the sandcone. This raises the immediate question as to whether TQM is a necessity before a process-based approach can be effectively initiated. Certainly all organizations in this phase of our research had developed a TQM-based culture. It also raises questions as to whether the continual application of the radical end of the BPR spectrum[28-30] makes it impossible to address all process categories, with the associated lack of care for the human dimension and resulting demoralized workforce. P4: We propose that the degree of co-ordination across the organization increases with moves through the sandcone. As the process approach spreads through the sandcone it forces the question of what integration actually means for an organization and clarifies the requirements for coordination. This is readily understood for operational processes, with a key element being the elimination of barriers to flow. The co-ordination includes the need for a co-ordinated approach to measurement (an example is illustrated in the measurement section above). Further implications for operations management There is a clear message emerging from this research of the need to manage the boundaries between the categories of processes and between the processes themselves. The appropriate approach will be determined by the category of process being addressed and organizations may find the sandcone logic useful in placing their current position. There are different requirements at different points in the sandcone: knowledge and understanding of process flowcharting techniques at one end of the spectrum through to knowledge and understanding of â€Å"softer† mapping techniques; the need to consider the Implications of appropriate organization structure and trade-offs between process- and business process function-based structures; the degree of maturity in TQM; the degree of comanagement ordination desirable and possible and, in particular, the need for a co-ordinated approach to measurement. The research supports a view that there is a need to consider performance 897 improvement methods and concepts such as TQM, lean production and supply and â€Å"agile† manufacturing in a wider context, as applied to all business processes, and not just operational processes with the associated need to manage the interfaces between operations management and other disciplines. References 1. Armistead, C., Harrison, A. and Rowlands, P., â€Å"Business process re-engineering: lessons from operations management†, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 15 No. 12, 1995. 2. Garv in, D., â€Å"Leveraging processes for strategic advantage†, Harvard Business Review, September-October 1995, pp. 77-90. 3. Oakland, J.S., Total Quality Management, Heinemann Professional, Oxford, 1989. 4. George, S., The Baldrige Quality System, Wiley, New York, NY, 1992. 5. Hakes, C., The Corporate Self-assessment Handbook for Measuring Business Excellence, Chapman & Hall, London, 1995. 6. Hammer, M., â€Å"Re-engineering work: don’t automate, obliterate†, Harvard Business Review, June 1990. 7. Hammer, M. and Champy, J., Re-engineering the Corporation, Free Press, New York, NY, 1993. 8. Johansson, H.J., McHugh, P., Pendlebury, A.J. and Wheeler, W., Business Process Reengineering – Breakpoint Strategies for Market Dominance, Wiley-Hamilton, Santa Barbara, CA, 1993. 9. Davenport, T.H., Process Innovation: Re-engineering Work through Information Technology, Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge, MA, 1993. 10. Macdonald, J., â€Å"Together TQM and BPR are winners†, The TQM Magazine, Vol. 7 No. 3, 1995, pp. 21-5. 11. Mumford, E. and Hendricks, R., â€Å"Business process re-engineering RIP†, People Management, 2 May 1996, pp. 22-9. 12. Hinterhuber, H.H., â€Å"Business process management: the European approach†, Business Change & Re-engineering, Vol. 2 No. 4, 1995, pp. 63-73. 13. Armistead, C. and Grant, A., â€Å"Business process management: the future of organisations?†, Proceedings of the Third European Academic Conference on Business Process Redesign, Cranfield University, 21-22 February 1996. 14.  Strauss, A. and Corbin, J., Basics of Qualitative Research, Sage, Newbury Park, CA, 1990. 15. Eden, C., â€Å"Cognitive mapping†, European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 36, 1988, pp. 1-13. 16. Browning, J., â€Å"The power of process redesign†, McKinsey Quarterly, Vol. 1, pp. 47-58, 1993. 17. Tucker, M., Successful Process Management in a Week, Headway-Hodder & Stoughton, Sevenoaks, Kent, 1996. 18. Melan, E., â€Å"Process management: a unifying framework†, National Productivity Review, 1989, Vol. 8, pp. 395-406. 19. Stewart, T., â€Å"The search for the organisation of tomorrow†, Fortune, May 1992, pp. 91-8. IJOPM 17,9 898 20. Ghoshal, S. and Bartlett, C., â€Å"Changing the role of top management: beyond structure to processes†, Harvard Business Review, January-February 1995, pp. 86-96. 21. Galbraith, J.R., Designing Organisations, Jossey & Bass, San Francisco, CA, 1995. 22. Hendry, J., â€Å"Process reengineering and the dynamic balance of the organisation†, European Management Journal, Vol. 13 No. 1, March 1995. 23. Cameron, K.S., â€Å"Effectiveness as paradox: consensus and conflict in conceptions of organisational effectiveness†, Management Science, Vol. 32 No. 5, May 1986, pp. 539-53. 24. Majchrzak, A. and Wang, Q., â€Å"Breaking the functional mind-set in process organisations†, Harvard Business Review, September-October 1996, pp. 93-9. 25. Kroeber and Kluckhohn, â€Å"Culture; a critical review of concepts and definitions†, Harvard University papers of the Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Vol. 47, 1952. 26. Ascari, A., Rock, M. and Dutta , S., â€Å"Reengineering and organisational change: lessons from a comparative analysis of company experiences†, European Management Journal, Vol. 13 No. 1, March 1995. 27. O’Brien, D. and Wainwright, J., â€Å"Winning as a team of teams – transforming the mindset of the organisation at National and Provincial Building Society†, The Journal of Corporate Transformation, Vol. 1 No. 3, 1993. 28. Childe, S.J., Maull, R.S. and Bennett, J., â€Å"Frameworks for understanding business process re-engineering†, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 14 No. 12, 1994, pp. 22-34. 29. Coulson-Thomas, C.J., â€Å"Business process re-engineering: the development requirements and implications†, Executive Development, Vol. 8 No. 2, 1995, pp. 3-6. 30. Crawley, W.J., Mekechuk, B.J. and Oickle, G.K., â€Å"Powering up for change†, CA Magazine, June/July 1995, pp. 33-8. 31. Deming, W.E., Out of Crisis, Cambridge University Press, 1986. 32. Wheeler, D.J., Understanding Variation – The Key to Managing Chaos, SPC Press, Knoxville, TN, 1993. 33. CIM-OSA Standards, CIM-OSA Reference Architecture, AMICE ESPRIT, 1989. 34. Araujo, L. and Easton, G., â€Å"Strategy: where is the pattern?†, Organisation, Vol. 3 No. 3, 1996, pp. 361-83. 35. Segal-Horn, S. and Bowman, C., â€Å"Strategic management and BPR†, in Managing Business Processes: BPR and Beyond, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, 1996, pp. 85-101. 36. Ferdows, K. and De Meyer, A., â€Å"Lasting improvement in manufacturing performance: in search of a new theory†, INSEAD Working Paper, INSEAD, Fontainebleau, 1989. 37. Senge, P.M., The Fifth Discipline, Century Business, London, 1990. 38. Davies, M., â€Å"Business dynamics: business process re-engineering and systems dynamics†, in Managing Business Processes: BPR and Beyond, John Wiley, New York, NY, 1996, pp. 215-42. 39. Armistead, C.G. and Rowland, P., Managing Business Processes: BPR and Beyond, John Wiley, New York, NY, 1996, pp. 39-61.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

How Muhammad Established Islam As A Major Political And Religious Force In The World Essay

While Muhammad was living with his wife Khadija, he often went to a cave outside Makkah called Hira, where he would reflect and pray. During one night in 610CE, when Muhammad was 40, he was in a cave on Mount Hira. God revealed himself to Muhammad. This was called the night of power, and it relates in Surah 95 of the Qur’an, which is entitled The Blood Clot. When Muhammad returned home, Khadija became his first believer. Then his cousin Ali, a freed slave called Zayd, and one of his closest friends, Abu Bakr, all became followers. There started one of the great religions of the world. Muhammad had a strong belief that there was only one God, the creator. He believed that all humans should be equal in their relationship with this creator. This undermined the tribes of Makkah who, especially the Quarish, rose up against Muhammad and his followers. All through his life, Muhammad fought to establish Islam, to gather followers, and to create a substantial political force. In the 22 years after the first revelation, until Muhammad died in 632CE, God delivered the Qu’ran to Muhammad, his messenger. By the time that God had finished revealing the Qu’ran, Muhammad had moved to Madinah. Hence we get Makkan and Medinan verses. The Makkan verses are usually shorter, more judgemental, and are found towards the end of the Qu’ran. After the second revelation, the night journey, Muhammad migrated to Yathrib, 40 miles north of Makkah, to settle disputes with the pilgrims from that town. He went there with family and followers in 622CE. When he arrived, he built a house, which was later to become the first mosque. He then renamed the town Madinah. This is where the central community was established. After Muhammad died, no one knew if he had named a successor. Usually, it would pass to his eldest son. In the end the leader was chosen by the Muslim community as a person of great personal integrity. This is the belief of the Sunni branch of Islam, who did not want a government, but they wanted to rely on an authoritative ruler. The Shi’a branch believes that the early history was biased against Ali, Muhammad’s cousin. When Ali did become the leader, those who believed Ali to be the true successor formed the separate ‘Party of Ali’. The Shi’a branch wanted a leader from the family of Muhammad. Islam was greatly diversified by the achievements of the first four caliph successors to Muhammad. Here is who they are and what they achieved in their rule: * Abu Bakr (632-634 CE) He and his armies conquered Arab tribes, and they went as far as the Byzantine Empire’s borders. Abu Bakr had more than a personal belief of Islam and he had a belief of political ideology. * Umar (634-644 CE) He continued after Abu Bakr and captured Jerusalem and North Africa. * Uthman (644-656 CE) After Ali turned down the caliphate, Uthman was chosen and he expanded the empire through North Africa and Eastwards to India and China. * Ali (656-661 CE) He made Mu’awiya co-caliph, a disastrous move. Two parties were formed, one supporting Ali, the other supporting Mu’awiya. Islam today is the second largest religion in the world and it is growing fast. It is significant in the modern politics. It also contributes to art, music, architecture and philosophy. The religion has grown to have over 2 billion followers. However recently Islamophobia has stepped in. Islam has been treated very cruelly by the western media in the last few years. However Islam means to surrender, or submit, and it is linked closely to another Arabic word meaning peace. Indeed a Muslim is ‘one who surrenders’.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Entry Level Position

Entry Level Position Disability Attorneys of Michigan Has Opening For an Entry Level Position! Position Available Now:   Entry Level PositionDisability Attorneys of Michigan  seeks a team member with a desire to serve and inspire both clients and coworkers. This position involves answering phones, ordering and following up on medical records requests, logging and scanning incoming medical records, and working directly with case managers and attorneys to provide our clients with excellent service.   Attention to detail is a must.We are always looking to recruit talented, compassionate people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to join our firm! We encourage a diverse and robust work environment to invoke quality discussions and superior solutions for our clients. Each employee is supplied with individualized training and the tools necessary to promote personal growth and overall success.To apply for the position of Entry Level position please send your resume to:  resume@damichigan.com by January 10, 2018!Disability Attorneys of Michigan. Compassionate Excellence.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Census Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Census - Research Paper Example This method of collecting census data is periodic, although as previously mentioned statistics are gathered on a continuous basis also. There are also more regular data inputs from various samples, with 1% of the population being questioned in 1995 and 2005, and 0.1% of the population being questioned on a yearly basis (BBC, 2011). Some of the major problems with the Chinese census stem from the simple fact that it is difficult to gather information on 6 billion people living within one autocratic nation. Although the error margin for the 2010 Chinese census was estimated to be only 2%, this represents over 26.7 million people. Another issue with the Chinese census has been that Chinese people have gradually been becoming aware of the rights that they have when it comes to privacy, and it has been noted that around a third of Chinese residents would be uncomfortable with letting the enumerators into their homes (Branigan, 2011). Opposition has, however, been minimal. Germany Germany uses the registration method for births, deaths and marriages but has not held an official enumeration census since 1987. Between 1875 and 1910, the census was held every 5 years, but since then full population censuses have been sporadic, mainly because Germany was split into East and West for a large part of the 20th century.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Synthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Synthesis - Essay Example However, she dislikes the criticisms from the judges. On the other hand, Amy Tan dislikes the use of ‘broken’ and says that it shows negativity. Although she uses this word to describe her mother’s language, she dislikes it and says she is looking for a better one to use. To her, ‘broken’ cannot be used in a good way unlike for Nancy, who sees it as good sometimes. There is a common ground on diversity as both writers highly value it and are happy that it is seen. The engaging of Indian woman in ANTM and having black plus size models in the contests is a good thing to Nancy. Amy wants more Asian Americans and Chinese people to engage in writing and not just concentrate in medicine and engineering fields. She argues that joining the writing field with her ‘broken’ English cuts all odds. Despite her teacher saying that writing is not something she could do, she went ahead and proved him wrong. The way her mother was treated in restaurants shows that people do not take their time to understand other people with different cultures. Consequently, this emphasizes the need to embrace cultural diversity (Franklin). Diversity is a show of variety in people’s culture, behavior and style. According to Nancy Franklin, America’s Next Top Model has more diversity among contestants’ than other reality shows. People from different cultures participate in the contest: for instance, an Indian woman in one of the cycles really set a stepping stone to others since not many Indians are found in this field. Indian women show them that being engineers or doctors is not the only career they can take. It also has plus size models and several blacks who made it to the semi-finals. Banks embraces diversity in all sectors which is so evident. This plays a great role in helping women love their bodies, thus boosting self-esteem. Banks starts ANTM to look for a girl who has diversity, can do many different things, pass different challenges and can fit in different