Managing Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Managing Information Systems - Essay Example Data in a Data Warehouse is arranged by subject not by function. As a result a data warehouse provides a peculiar view of the data that is amenable to manipulation for decision support. Levine and Siegel (2003) identify the key elements of a data warehouse as: "They are subject orientated, integrated, time variant, nonvolatile, and contain a collection of both detailed and summary data." The data warehouse can enable a business to solve many problems that can only be diagnosed when someone looks for a pattern in data. For instance, someone can determine problems associated with a product buy analyzing return and repair records. Data warehouse can be used for customer profiling where customer behavior in past promotions can be used to predict results of a planned campaign. A targeted campaign can be launched on a specific set of profiled customers where the anticipated response is expected to be higher. A data warehouse manager is the key person in defining requirements and format of a data warehouse. He or she must ensure at all the time that the data warehouse is meeting a company's strategic objectives. A data warehouse manager leads in specification of new solutions for the business. He or she is in charge of a team of experts that are involved in data warehousing projects. He or she has to ensure that any projects are implemented on time and properly and meet the company's objectives. The data warehouse manager needs to understand the different job responsibility of customers including the user computer skills. It is important that he understands the nature of decisions that need to be supported. In monitoring the system the manager should identify the most effective users of the warehouse. Expand usage of the system within company by identifying non-users of data warehouse and schedule them for appropriate training. The manager must ensure that the user interfaces are user-friendly. Data integrity issues are also the responsibility of the data warehouse manager. It is important to make sure the data in the warehouse is trustworthy. To this end data should be continuously monitored. The manager must search for new data sources and adapt the warehouse to changing data profiles, reporting requirements, and business priorities. The manager must highlight any successful decision made using data warehouse. Finally, "[k]eep your business users, executives, and boss happy". Data warehousing is a dynamic process. The warehouse manager has to ensure that the data is refreshed frequently and no data goes stale. Monitoring of utilization of the warehouse is also important for the data warehouse manager to understand how suitable each of the warehouse solutions is to the business. Being essentially a team leader a data warehouse manager has to supervise a high level team of programmers and database experts. With his or her team the data warehouse manager devises projects such as load processes automation and data modeling. The data warehouse manager must understand high-level business modeling and decision support to assist in development of business solution. Components of a data

Rappaccinis Daughter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rappaccinis Daughter - Essay Example Furthermore it is observed that generally women are physically weaker than men that has led to an imbalance in power throughout the history of mankind, this can also be seen in â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter† and the control of her father over her. As Homas and Zaitzow also state that, â€Å"men and women are socialized from birth into gender-specific roles based on social definitions of masculinity and femininity†¦women are expected to be weak, dependent, passive, emotional, noncompetitive and subservient† (184). A similar behavior is also observed towards Beatrice as well throughout the course of the story may it be in Beatrice’s relationship with her Giovanni or her father or her suffering because of Baglioni’s poison. Throughout the story Rappaccini treats her daughter as his property or better yet as a specimen for his experiments. Moreover according to Baglioni Rappaccini, Cares infinitely more for science than for mankind. His patients are interesting to him only as subjects for some new experiment. He would sacrifice human life, his own among the rest, or whatever else was dearest to him, for the sake of adding so much as a grain of mustard seed to the great heap of his accumulated knowledge (). These lines aptly illustrates Rappaccini’s obsession with his experiments and hints on the fact that her daughter might be a part of his experiments which is later confirmed in the story. If the reasons for such manipulation are delved deeper, then the readers infer that since no one could question him for his actions in those times because daughters were considered as the responsibility of their fathers hence that gave him the right to decide her fate and he got away with his machinations. This also explains Rappaccini’s actions of choosing Giovanni as his future son-in-law as well as a new experiment because he thought he was making the best decision for his daughter. As the girl states, â€Å"But my father,- -he has united us in this fearful sympathy† (). Then again it is also interesting to note the manner in which the women of those times were brought up i.e. they were taught to be docile and made the sacrificing souls for all times. As it is also apparent from the lines when she says, â€Å"Yes; spurn me, tread upon me, kill me! Oh, what is death after such words as thine† (). Although she realizes it was her father’s Machiavellian plotting that has poisoned Giovanni for life yet she asks for death rather than either confronting her father or letting Giovanni confront him. Moreover the title of the story also suggests the nameless existence of the daughter who is known as Rappaccini’s daughter rather than being given a name. This anonymity in the title also symbolizes the mind set of that society where women were properties who were owned rather than individuals. Moreover it is interesting to note that there is a constant power struggle going on between Rap paccini and Baglioni as well as Rappaccini and Giovanni while their pawn in this game of power struggle is Beatrice. As it is observed that in the former’s case Baglioni suggests to use the antidote to save Beatrice without her consent and although it is not actually stated in the story yet the readers can infer that one of the reasons that Baglioni interferes is that he wants to unveil Rappaccini’s practice and assure that his position as a professor is secure. As it is mentioned in the text that he says, â€Å"Rappaccini is said to have instructed her deeply in his science, and that, young and beautiful as fame reports her, she is already qualified to fill a professor's chair. Perchance her father destines her for mine!†

Impact of Shale Gas Extraction on Business

Impact of Shale Gas Extraction on Business Research Question and Research Methodology This study was commissioned by Stolthaven Terminals (ST) to explore the potential economic impact of US shale gas extraction on ST’s business development strategy. The business development team’s preliminary assessment of the impact of US shale gas on ST’s business demonstrates a possibility for US LPG exports to fill unmet global LPG demand, primarily in Asia. This paper generates a strategic approach to selecting an optimal location for a new Stolthaven LPG terminal. Stolthaven Terminals offers storage for petroleum, chemical products, and gas. The implications of any innovative commercial production process, such as commercial shale gas extraction, should be evaluated carefully. Currently, the company is not active in the LPG storage segment. One of the ST’s objectives is to actively enter the LPG storage market, which is highly influenced by the US shale gas production. Shale gas extraction is presumed to be the main catalyst for LPG production and the development of related technologies. The LPG market transformation is believed to be facilitated by the growing US exports of shale NGL-derived LPG, the wider Panama Canal opening in 2015 and a significant LPG shipping capacity increase by 2015. This chapter frames the methodology that will answer the research question: Which investment opportunities does the impact of the US shale gas extraction upon the global LPG market bring to an independent storage operator’s (in application to Stolthaven Terminals) business development? The studied problem can be defined as a managerial optimization problem. The current business should be optimised to reflect the reality of industry developments under the US shale extraction influence. The methodology modifies Chopra and Meindl’s (2013) theoretical framework for network design decisions into a structured strategy for LPG network design and LPG storage capacity location so that it can be applied to the studied problem and in order to develop a recommendation for Stolthaven Terminals on the optimal location of a new LPG terminal in 2015. The supply chain related managerial decision making principles are established by Chopra and Meindl. They derive several factors that influence an optimised decision making process; strategic factors, technological factors, macroeconomics factors, and political factors (Chopra and Meindl, 2013). This chapter will establish the relevant methodology and introduce the research sub-questions. Methodology Management science and the academic world agree on four phases that determine a location for independent storage. Chopra and Meindl describe these phases and a strategic decision making process for a facility location. Phase one contains strategy and requires determination upon development and growth strategy, adequate competition evaluation, and capital constraints. Phase two requires a regional demand analysis, identification of risks and competitors, evaluation of local policy and tax environments, identification of possible trade restrictions. Phase number three implies selection of potential sites for a facility, and phase four is a final location choice that is based on aggregated and analysed information of previous phases. It is understood that a decision of such a nature is predicated by an executive decision to evaluate the feasibility of the investment. Such an executive decision, with a high degree of likelihood, is triggered by a market balance shift or a market transfor mation. In my case, the US shale development is a trigger that facilitated LPG market changes and attracted attention to possible imbalances. If I apply Chopra and Meindl’s (2013) framework to Stolthaven Terminal’s intention to enter the LPG storage market, then the first phase revolves around the strategy considerations with a goal to identify and understand the strategy for the entry. The company is willing to enter the market and the financial decision is assumed to be positive if an investment decision is developed. To establish objectives and define strategy, an initial market analysis and evaluation of potential changes in the market is carried out to fulfil phase one of the framework. Chapter 3 determines the strategic approach and conclusion of the initial market assessment while Chapter 4 analyses the strategic implications and develops a specific areas of applications for the strategy. The third chapter will access the LPG market dynamics in order to narrow the broad market activities down to a specific area that potentially contains business opportunities Stolthaven Terminals and is relevant for the established framework. It concludes with identification of the most opportunistic LPG market segment and answers the first sub-question: From a chemical storage operator’s perspective, in which area of the LPG market will the US-shale impact be the most evident for a chemical storage operating company? Further, the fourth chapter will finalise the phase one and concludes on strategic action that is relevant to Stolthaven Terminals in the identified LPG market segment to answer the sub-question 2: What is the impact of the shale-driven growth of low-cost LPG exports from the US on the global petrochemical industry and which strategic implications for Stolthaven Terminals can be derived from it? The second phase brings consideration of the configuration of the regional facility location (Chopra and Meindl, 2013). Here, fulfilling the strategic implications, the product flows are modelled in order to identify the regions where the exported from the US product optimally emerges in future. Next, within the fifth chapter, the 2015 forecasting network optimisation model is constructed to answer the sub-question 3: How will the US LPG exports be optimally allocated to the LPG demand nations in 2015? Next, when the optimal regions of interest are identified, the transformed 2015 LPG market structure is applied to relevant locations within each optimal region so that an unmet storage demand is geographically sited. The third phase contains an assessment of the existing business environment, which includes competition activity assessment, customers, and potential joint venture opportunities evaluation. This phase also includes analysis of the qualitative variables of decision making, such as geographical location, proximity to major distribution centres, hinterland connectivity, and areal demand localisation. Chapter 5 concludes phase two of the framework with a network optimization model for the product, which identifies specific regions for the third phase analysis. Chapter 6 focuses on the third phase of the market entry site selection process. Chapter 6 answers the sub-question 4: In which specific optimal locations within each optimal nation will the unmet demand for LPG feedstock storage emerge? Next, the fourth phase challenges the selected specific location to assess costs, estimate planning and scheduling, and establish pricing policy. Upon the completion of the last phase, an educated investment decision and financial decision could be made and the further strategic course of action could be established. I stop at phase three with a concluding list of potentially attractive locations for an LPG terminal location. A significant number of assumptions and lack of reliable data lead to a necessity to explore the impact of these uncertainties upon the outcomes of the research. Chapter 7 introduces the qualitative sensitivity analysis of the research uncertainties and assumptions as well as evaluates the reliability of the outcomes of economic evaluations. The sensitivity analysis also investigates the potential impact of implemented forecasting assumptions upon the results of the quantitative model.

Capital Punishment Is Murder :: essays research papers fc

All throughout the media, one hears of murders and homicides. It is a crime to kill someone, but the government "murders" people all the time without thinking twice. There is a risk when pulling the trigger that this horrible fate will happen. If it is not right to kill someone, why does the government kill people all the time? In The Bible, there is a statement that says "Thou shalt not kill," and yet the government believes it can punish for what it already does. It is a crime within a crime and the government should "Practice what they preach." This has been going on for so long that most nations have created a numbness to death. One may believe he is a law abiding citizen and follows the law to every word. This same innocent idividual could very well be put to death by the gas chamber. People are framed for crimes every day and noone notices. Naturally, people in court or in prison will go on and on about their innocence when they know well that they did it. This causes the innocent people's claims of innocence to be discarded. One may then spend half of his life in prison or be put to death. No normal people ever take the time to think that they may be next. If the death sentence was discarded, a few lives could be saved. Technology is advancing everyday and with DNA samples and other high-tech equipment, people could be proven innocent. Most people believe that the "bad guy" kills illegally and the "good guy", or the gas chamber, kills legally. Children in some neighborhoods are exposed to death and murder everyday. They think nothing of it after a while. The children grow up into gun-bearing citizens with the idea that killing the "bad guy" makes him the "good guy". This is often known as "taking the law into his own hands." So, if the government can kill legally, why can't a teenager take revenge for the death of his father?

Fair Is Foul and Foul Is Fair Essay

â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air,† said the witches in the first act and scene of Macbeth. Pertaining to the story, I believe this quote sheds light to the audience on the evil the witches possess. Without even reading further into the book, the audience can feel the eerie aura that the witches give off. You can foreshadow that the witches are going to turn what is good, foul and maintain what is foul. The witches are saying that fair and foul are the same: to be fair, you must be foul and to be foul, you must be fair. The witches do foul things because they think it is the only fair way. The witches basically symbolize everything that the kingdom does not need to prosper. The witches are manipulative. They manipulate Macbeth simply because his downfall would bring them joy. Evil and foul prophecies will cloud Macbeth’s judgment, making him think that they are fair and what he needs to follow. They are foul in their motives but their words are fair and their wordplay cannot be defined as lying but they skillfully dance around the truth. To the witches foul is fair and vice versa. You can also say that what is foul to any normal human is what is fair and good to the witches because they embody everything that we believe is evil. You can relate the phrase to reality or just believe that this is the witches’ opinion. Relating to real life outside of the book, I believe that this quote can mean that sometimes do be fair and just you have to go about it in a way that isn’t fair and just. Justice has to be attained, sometimes, by unjust means. It can also mean that the truth hurts and life is not fair, also to be fair is not to be appealing. These two words are opposite of their meanings. Depending on a person’s definition of fair and foul, it can change its meaning. It is circumstantial, and the meaning can change frequently. Defining fair as benevolent and good and foul as evil and menacing, you can say that to be good, you have to be malicious and to malicious you have to go about it in a ‘good’ and nice way. Some things that are fair might not always be the best but things that are fair might always be what a person what a person wants. Also, it could mean that people and things aren’t as they seem. People who seem foul could be fair and people who seem fair could be foul.

Ethics And Professionalism

Chief Executive and any public servant who solicits or accepts any advantage as an inducement to or reward for performing duties shall be guilty of an offence; the offer of the advantage shall also be guilty of an offence [1]. Alai See' is included money and money can be defined as advantage. Since the engineer is on duty and does not get the permit by the Chief Executive therefore the engineer cannot accept ‘Alai See' and once he accept it will become illegal. Next for an engineer of a private company, the engineer offense the law of BOB section 9 and it can be justify by the ‘AAA' which are agent, accept , act and without approval [1]. In the case, the engineer is an employee not the entrepreneur so he is an agent.Accept ‘Alai See' means the engineer getting an advantage. Providing service is an act and finally the engineer getting the ‘Alai See' without the boss permission. Engineer has four criteria means it is illegal and he cannot accept it. In few years ago, there Furthermore in the ethnically view, engineer is no ethnically. Deontological approach. Utilitarianism approach. Engineer cannot tell which means engineer fail the sunshine test. The last but not least, giving ‘Alai see' is a Chinese tradition and they think that it can bring us for luck.