Autism Spectrum Disorder and Interventions - 1042 Words

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that develops during a child’s first few years of life (Lesack, Bearss, Celano, Sharp, 2014). This disorder occurs significantly more often in boys than girls (Goldstein, Naglieri, Rzepa, Williams, 2012). Autism is part of a group that is known as pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), which also includes Asperger’s disorder, Rett disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) (Sunita and Bilszta, 2012). Some characteristics children represent with autism is the inability to make eye contact, to initiate and respond communication, and smile back at someone else who is smiling at them.†¦show more content†¦However, there was no evidence for those notions but parents still held on to the belief that the diet and or vaccinations were responsible for causing autism. The reason for the idea of the measles and mumps vaccination causin g autism was that autism would develop in children around the same time when the child would need to get the vaccination. This became suspicious to people. The reason for the idea of the children’s diet causing autism was that there were publications of a controversial article stating that there was a link between enterogastric toxins appearing from eating foods that had gluten in them and autism. With this idea too there was nothing proven that a gluten allergy and autism were linked (Thompson, 2013). When children are able to receive early education that supports their development there diagnostic symptoms are likely to decrease and even go away, permitting those children who have autism to reach parallel developmental levels with other typically developing children around the same age (Sari, 2014). There are multiple different programs and interventions a child with autism can go through to help them succeed in life as best as they can as well as programs and interventions the children’s parents can participate in with the child. One intervention is applied behavior analysis (ABA). The treatments that are in applied behavior analysis include PivotalShow MoreRelatedEarly Intervention For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Essay1638 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Autism spectrum disorders are a set of similar disorders that each have their own challenges that educators must address. Although K-12 educators are not directly responsible for the types of interventions that individuals receive before they begin school, it is beneficial for educators to be aware of how those interventions work so they may incorporate useful elements in future teaching. Additionally, educators should have a stockpile of knowledge that they can draw from. This shouldRead MoreEarly Intervention is Crucial in Treating Autism Spectrum Disorder988 Words   |  4 Pageshas autism spectrum disorder† are words no parent wants to hear. They are words that will instill fear, worry, and sadness. When parents hear this for the first time, they will have many questions. â€Å"Is there anything I can do to help my child? If so, what can be done?† Early intervention services; such as applied behavior analysis therapy, occupational therapy, sensory integration therapy, and speech therapy before the age of three; can help improve the development of children with autism spectrumRead MoreA Study Based Interventions Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder3343 Words   |  14 Pages Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences Department of Occupational Science and Therapy Paper Name: Evidence Practice Paper Code: 537333 Assignment Title: Family- Centered Play-Based Interventions of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Student ID: 1383124 Word count: 2748 Declaration - This assessment has been written by me and represents my own work. - This work has not previously been submitted by myself or anyone else. - All sourced information has been appropriatelyRead More Physical-Based Intervention Therapies For Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder1616 Words   |  7 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is not one specific disorder, but a group of disorders that have similar behavioral characteristic, such as difficulty with communication and socialization. The cause of ASD is still unknown but there are studies that indicate there may a genetic or environmental component. More specifically, ASD can cause limitations in intellectual abilities as well as difficulties with attention and motor coordination. ASD is usually identified during the first three years of lifeRead MoreEffective Intervention For Children And Adolescents Possessing A Diagnosis Of An Autism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )860 Words   |  4 PagesInterventions There is a wide range and much controversy surrounding the study and overall effectiveness of different interventions for children and adolescents possessing a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, regardless of the method of intervention, every intervention shares the common goal which focuses on improving functioning in one or a combination of the following areas: social, communication, behavior, and academic. Social functioning includes interaction with peersRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder And Autism1492 Words   |  6 Pageslife there are several different disorders that have been well known from many years ago. There is one disorder that was diagnosed in the early 1800’s but it wasn’t until a few years ago that it gained lots of attention. What used to be known as Autism was later renamed in the DSM to Autism Spectrum Disorder meaning, a neurodevelopmental disorder rather than a pervasive developmental disorder (Gargiulo, 2015). Autism spect rum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by abnormal or impairedRead MoreAutism Case Study1717 Words   |  7 PagesWasserman, S., Swanson, E., Settipani, C. (2012, March). A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of fluoxetine for repetitive behaviors and global severity in adult autism spectrum disorders. Am J Psychiatry, 169(3), 292-299. This study examined the overall effects of fluoxetine on repetitive behaviors and global severity in adults with autism. There were a total of thirty-seven participants in this study (18- to 60-years old), all of which exhibited repetitive behaviors, who were randomly separated intoRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder1409 Words   |  6 Pagesboys and 1 in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States (Autism Speaks, n.d.). Can be diagnosed in all racial and ethnic groups, as well as every age group. In the 2013 publication of DSM-5 diagnostic manual, Asperger syndrome, Autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder- not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) were merged into one category of ASD. This paper will explain what Autism Spectrum Disorder is, causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosisRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder And How It Affects Children1092 Words   |  5 PagesGeneral purpose: To inform Specific purpose: To inform my listeners about Autism spectrum disorder and how it affects children in society today. Central Idea: Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disability that affects very many children in the United States today. Although there is no cure for autism, through early intervention, and proper therapies it can reduce the child’s ASD symptoms and improve their ability to grow and learn new skills. INTRODUCTION I. Attention Material A. ImagineRead MoreTherapies For Autistic Children.Individuals Take For Granted1678 Words   |  7 Pagesbecause of a disability. Autism or autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that effects many children in the United States of America. Communication, interaction, and motor and social skills are usually effected in the autistic child. According to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC), an estimation of prevalence rate for autism spectrum disorder individuals is one in 68 children in the United States of America (CDC, 2016). Early intervention in the form of therapy has

Risk Management Theory Equity Value - 1254 Words

Risk management theory can be divided in two competing approaches: equity value maximising strategies and strategies determined by managerial risk aversion. The first category suggests that hedging can increase the market value of equity and that companies should be concerned with total risk rather than systematic risk. There is, however, no comprehensive framework for explaining risk management within the imperfect financial environment in which firms operate. Therefore, it is not possible to draw undisputed conclusions on the value maximising risk management policy. Assuming imperfect capital markets, hedging theory suggests the following policies to maximise the market value of equity: Assuming no transaction costs, a constant volume of†¦show more content†¦If the firm’s primary concern is to reduce the costs of financial distress and it can faithfully communicate its true probability of default, the firm should minimise the likelihood of the firm value falling bel ow the market value of debt and/or avoid cash flow shortfall. If hedging is prompted to reduce the demand for costly external finance and the investment volume is independent of the risk factor(s), the firm should perfectly hedge all hedge able risks to minimise cash flow variability. If the firm wants to minimise the demand for external finance and the optimal investment volume is perfectly correlated with the risk factor(s), the firm has a natural hedge and, therefore, does not need to manage risk actively. If external debt has to be raised, the company should minimise contracting costs. To achieve this goal, the firm can faithfully define a conservative risk management policy by bond covenants or reputation building, it can choose preferred stock or convertible debt instead of straight debt and it can constrain its dividend payments. Once the hedging policy is identified, the firm has to trade-off hedging costs and the benefits of hedging (Fok, 1997). The competing approach to va lue enhancing risk management techniques claims that managers will maximise their expected utility rather than the market value of equity. This approach may have other implications for risk management,

Meeting Stakeholder Needs free essay sample

Diploma in First Line Management Jackie Bowen Tutor Name: Liz Pawlowski Title: Meeting Stakeholder Needs Unit: 3003 Contents PagePage Number * Title Page1 * Content Page2 * Aim of the report3 * Identifying Stone Computers key stakeholders4 * Understand the process required to continually 8 Improve meeting stakeholder’s needs * Be able to prepare a case to support a change in meeting11 Stakeholder needs * Bibliography14 Aim of the report In this report I will be focusing on how to identify, meet and support all stakeholder requirements within my Job role, I will base this report on my role as progress controller at stone computers focusing on the following outcomes: 1. Be able to identify the stakeholders and formulate a plan to meet their needs 2. Understand the process required to continually improve meeting stakeholder needs 3. Be able to prepare a case to support a change in meeting stakeholder needs 1 Identifying Stone Computers key Stakeholders. 1. 1 Identify stakeholders in relation to the team’s objectives. A stake holder is a party or person that has an interest, direct or indirect stake in an enterprise or project, Eden and Ackermann (1998) described stake holders as â€Å"People or small groups with the power to respond to, negotiate with, and change the strategic future of the organisation† (Eden and Ackermann, 1998:117), a further reference by Heerkens (2006) stated that â€Å"a stakeholder can stand to gain or lose through the success or failure of the project, can provide funding for the project or has invested resources and is affected by the outcome and outputs of the project†. Based on my reading thus far on the subject, I have diagrammed below (figure 1) the relevant stakeholders present in an organisation or enterprise. Figure 1, Diagram showing the relevant stakeholders present to an organisation or enterprise. 1. 2 Describe how the team’s Objectives meet stakeholder requirements. My main objective as a progress controller is to achieve a customer service level agreement (SLA) of 10 working days, from receipt of order to customer acceptance of the goods. The primary objective of the role is to maintain high customer satisfaction by ensuring SLA (Service level of agreement)adherence. This is achieved through internal communications with my colleagues, which allows the customer to be kept fully updated on the progress of their order. By ensuring this happens, Stone Computers are able to keep the customer base happy ensuring future repeat orders. Working within the operations team our objectives are to work efficiently, maintain a high quality product, whist reducing costs and providing the customer satisfaction discussed previously. Below is a SWOT analysis of the current situation within the organisation. Strengths * Reputation in education * Recycling * Configuration * SLA (Service level of agreement) * Good supplier base * 4500 Customer base * Manufacture base established * Total cost of ownership * Product Quality| Weaknesses * SLA (Service level of agreement) * No software specialist * Brand recognition in the IT industry * No specialist solutions to offer * Vantage (ERP System)| Opportunities * SLA (Service level of agreement) * Technology improvements * New markets * Fluctuating dollar rate| Threats * SLA (Service level of agreement) * Competitors (Viglen, RM) * Finance * Cash flow * No branded components * Fluctuating dollar rate * ‘big ticket’ manufacturers (Dell, HP) * Stakeholders demand more returns in a contracting market. | Table 1, showing a SWOT analysis of Stone Computers As shown above in the SWOT analysis I will now point out in table 2 some of the key objectives as part of the operations team to try and meet the essential needs of the stakeholders withi n Stone Computers. Objective| Stakeholder positive| Stakeholder negative| Why| Benefits| SLA| ? | | Hit the agreed SLA to keep the customer happy which secures future orders to maintain a profit. | Continues to improve cash flow. | SLA| | ? | Don’t meet the customer SLA customers are less likely to purchase more products. | N/A| Product Quality| ? | | Keeping quality high keeps customers satisfied to secure future orders to maintain profit. | Maintaining high quality also keeps costs down to help improve cash flow and keep overhead cost to a minimum. | Table 2, showing our objectives to achieve the stakeholder’s needs within the organisation. 1. 3 Identify the work plans with the team, gaining commitment to meet stakeholder needs. The management team at Stone Computers hold weekly operational meetings to inform the operations team of the importance of maintaining the key objectives shown above in table 2, in this meeting we discuss what our current key performance indicators (KPI) are and how we can improve these to meet the customer and the stakeholder’s requirements. We set daily targets for the production line to try and meet the demand of the service level of agreement. As a progress controller I analyse the orders and prioritise the sequence in which they go down into production to be processed to try and keep our target greater 90% KPI. 1. 4 Evaluate and modify the work plans to meet the stakeholder needs. To monitor the KPI of the business a monthly report is run which gives us the percentage of orders that were shipped and delivered to the customer within their 10 working day SLA, and a percentage of orders which were shipped and delivered to the customer beyond their 10 working day SLA, we are currently achieving on average 85% SLA. Some of the key issues which affect our Service level of agreement are: * Parts arriving late * Sales trying to prioritise their orders * The time a machine takes to go through Euro soft * Sales making unachievable promises to customers To observe the Production quality, each machine to come off the assembly line goes through Euro soft which tests the components and the build quality efore packaging and shipping the order to the customer, as a team our aim is to accomplish less than 1% failure rate however we are currently achieving 1. 5%. Some of the key issues that could affect the production quality are listed below: * Poor quality on the assembly lin e * Sales Errors * Damaged product coming from supplier * Under trained assembly workers I would like to modify the operations work plan by introducing Quality Circle meetings on a regular basis to help achieve and maintain meeting our stakeholder needs. 2 Understand the process required to continually improve meeting stakeholder’s needs 2. 1 Identify improvements to meet stakeholder needs To continually achieve meeting stakeholder’s requirements I believe a business must frequently evaluate processes, through communication and analysing methods to recognise needs for improvement. I plan to hold monthly Quality Circle meetings which I believe could help the business move positively forward. The outcome of these meetings should be based on receiving customer feedback both negative and positive and put new processes in place to help us achieve better build quality and also help us reach our SLA, by putting these new procedures in place I hope it could identify the processes that need more attention within the operations department. The first process to help improve the production quality and customer SLA is a sales errors log on a excel spread sheet, to identify culprits and provide further training to help reduce the number of sales errors. An example of the spreadsheet is shown below: Date| Order QTY| Order number| Account Manager| Error| 16. 10. 12| 21| 771258| Mr | No blanking plate for CD drive| 17. 10. 12| 8| 770586| Mrs | No Hard drive on order| Table 3, showing example of sales errors log. Secondly a form to be passed out to QC operatives to fill in with any build errors so these can then be logged and evaluated regularly to identify any assembly operatives that require further training to help prevent poor quality from the production line. An example of the sheet is shown below: Date| Order QTY| Order Number| Builder| Error| Number of errors on order| 18. 10. 12| 40| 771563| Mrs | Hard drive cable not added| 1| 19. 10. 12| 15| 771578| Mr | Cable to CDROM not plugged in| 3| Table 4, showing example of build errors log. 2. 2 Identify resources and costs to support improvements. I would envisage 2 meetings per month, meeting 1 to discuss the customer SLA and meeting 2 to discuss production quality for a 6month period then review whether the meetings need to continue afterwards. With the following attendees: * QC manager to discuss new process for QC operatives * Production manager to discuss production quality Sales manager to discuss new process for sales errors * Admin assistant to take the meeting minutes * Me to conduct the meetings * A Buyer to discuss getting parts quicker The Quality Circle meetings would take place on the 1st day of every month for 1 hour in a meeting room which needs to be pre-booked. The administration assistant would send the schedul e via email calendar. The meetings of those minutes would then be emailed at the end of each session for everyone to read through and add any additional comments. The costs implications would be the hourly rate of each attendee, opportunity cost and training of employee’s if any are necessary. 2. Identify benefits obtained from improvements. I have listed below the benefits the company will attain to support the new process that I would like to put in place: Process| Benefit| Outcome| Recording and monitoring quality from assembly line. | Less errors QC operatives have to repair. | Overhead costs go down producing more profit. | Recording and monitoring sales errors. | The assembly line stops less often. | Overhead costs go down producing more profit. | Recording and monitoring quality from assembly line. | Order goes through production quicker and should then arrive with customer within their SLA. | Customer satisfaction so secure future orders. Recording and monitoring sale s errors. | Order goes through production quicker and should then arrive with customer within their SLA. | Customer satisfaction so secure future orders. | Table 5, Showing benefits from new processes. 3 Be able to prepare a case to support a change in meeting stakeholder needs. 3. 1 Identify the individuals to whom a case for change is to be made. To put my Quality Circle meetings into action I would need to run this past the Operations Director and Sales Director as these will be the 2 departments the change will effect. I would present my plan and discuss with them the benefits from the processes I propose to introduce. Once these processes are finalised and agreed we would hold a meeting with the production team to show them the new process and how to log the assembly errors. I would log the sales errors but a meeting would also need to be held with the Sales Account Managers to inform them of the new process being put in place. 3. 2 Describe the components of a case for change Forces for change Forces against change I believe the best way to describe the components for a case change is by using LEWIN’s force field analysis as shown below: Stakeholders People reluctant to change SLA for customer satisfaction Cost Competitors Better quality to keep overhead costs down Loss of staff overtime Total 3 Total 4 Vantage (ERP system) Figure 2, Showing LEWIN’s Force Field Analysis. 3. Describe how a case for change supports the team’s objectives By providing staff training and implementing the new processes I believe our customer service level of agreement (SLA) can excel 90% and a fail ure rate of less than 0. 5% of build errors. By providing individuals with extra training, producing better quality on the assembly line to reduce the time for machines to go through our testing system and reducing the number of sales errors as a team we can move positively forward to reach our stakeholder needs and continue to secure future orders from our customers. 3. 4 Describe how to monitor and review the effect of the change Review and discuss stakeholder requirements and our team’s objectives Service level of agreement and Euro Soft Failure rate targets not achieved Run the KPI report monthly to review progression of SLA Plan Quality Circle Meetings to discuss new processes to be put in place Evaluate sales error log and Euro soft failure report weekly and identify any individuals who require more training Put new processes in place Figure 3, the flow of review processes Bibliography Eden and Ackermann (1998:117) Stake holder Management [internet] http://www. karkhanisgroup. com/consulting/management/project-management/142-stakeholder-management. html? showall=1 Heerkens, Gary (2006) Project Management (The Briefcase Book Series). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-137952-5. LEWIN’s Force Field Analysis http://www. mindtools. com/pages/article/newTED_06. htm

Advantages And Disadvantages Transportaion -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Advantages And Disadvantages Transportaion? Answer: Introduction The purpose of writing this research report is to understand the Accounting Information System(AIS) and ERP(Enterprise Resource Planning) system in public transport in Australia and to understand the ERP and its benefits in public transport in Australia. In this report, we will study how the successful implementation of ERP helps in reducing the development time of business transactions to facilitate better management, analyzing the impact of public transport in Australia and how these systems (ERP/AIS) help public transportation department to take their business to the next level. This research also includes the recommendations for proper implementations of ERP/AIS systems and providing the industry an awareness related to the feasible security risks. This research also explores the guidelines on how the analyzed risks can be mitigated (Hidalgo et al., 2011). Business process This part of the report includes understanding about the various processes of the transport organization provided to the travelers with the help of ERP. The functional flow of the transport management system is as follows: There are various ERP management functionalities provided by the transport companies. These functionalities are classified as follows: Mode Support: ERP transportation system plays a major role in providing various options or mode of transport and saving the financial cost (Starr, 2013). This system helps in providing different travel packages provided by different modes of transport such as rail, bus, flight, taxi, etc. and help the users travel long term in less expenses. Finance Functionality: This includes the exchange of money between the bus owners or transport organizations and the users. This involves the billing of transportation, invoices, freight calculations etc. Operations Management: This management handles all types of rates, tariffs, capacity of the mode selected, and asset management (CIMA, 2016). Strategic Management: This part of the management defines the design of the network, decisions related to the sources, administration and overall flow of the process. Calculation of Key Performance Indicators: This functionality manages to calculate the exact values of the ERP metrics like those of calculating the percentage difference in pick up, drop, cost per distance etc. Route Planning: This functionality helps in managing the routes, carriers, drivers etc. Execution Monitoring: This functionality of transport management system helps in retrieving the real-time updates to the location and progress. This functionality also helps in communicating with the drivers in real-time (Aberdeen Group, 2013). Business requirements The public transportation company provide services to the customers that enable them to travel from one place to another. The transport companies provide services to the travelers that enable them to track their booked mode of transport online, make the queries and payments, etc. Thus, the transportation system need to be updated in real-time so that the users can get the updated information all the time. The arrival or emergence of advanced information systems (AIS) helps the users the reliability in their own mobility, and adapted to their needs. AIS also plays a vital role in bringing the ease to access, and stable price to the users, alternatively helping them to travel with cost effective features and time schedule (Team, 2012). This has also increased the competition within transportation companies and have transformed the way in which the transportation companies provide their services. Thus, there is a need of integrating the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) in the transpor tation industry to streamline business process. The integration of ERP helps the industry to manage the flow control of cash and reduce the loss and delays. Systems requirements It has been observed that ERP systems not only assisting with the back-end of the organizations but also assisting the transport industry in managing the enterprise diverse operations such as supply chain management, operational efficiencies, increasing monogamies, while reducing the overall cost. Nowadays, transport companies need to track all the information in the real time. Other than tracking, companies also need to create a plan for carrying out other process or procedures (APTA, 2007). These include managing future bookings, accounting, payments, maintenance, etc. Thus, this managing and maintenance of all the information require some software to simplify their work and operations and reduce the complexity. This has also been analyzed that the required software must be user-friendly and advanced enough to manage all the backend or administrative tasks. Another most important thing, which the software must be using is the encryption of all the data to make all the user data con fidential. This feature is a crucial factor because its very important to make the data secure to win the customer loyalty and preventing the hackers to misuse the confidential information linked to their financial accounts and personal information. Also, the transport company needs to get connected to the drivers in the real time to match the information related to the travelers, track the transportation mode drop and pick up time, destinations, and other important relevant factors (Combs, 2008). Thus, the software must make certain of providing the safeguard measures to prevent the users information from any kind of misuse while following all the protocols or rules and regulations for the transport agency. The Enterprise Resource Planning must put forward the security measures and all the other requirements that are required for a specific purpose and role and make their system safe and efficient (Baray Hameed, 2006). Software and vendor selection The present ERP systems design or destine to utilize the technologies to combine in such a way to enhance the functionalities of the software. There are a number of choices available to select the software, but transport company must select the best one that manages both the front-end and back-end in a user-friendly and effective manner. Major sellers in the ERP marketplace includes SAP, Oracle, J.D Edwards software, Baan, Microsoft dynamics, Peoplesoft, etc, which are the major competitors to propose effective software solutions. Every ERP software mentioned above provide all the basic managing services and has the potential to handle all the transport related features. The transport industry has revolutionized in a way that they are using the ERP systems in an effective manner. Generally, the J.D Edwards ERP systems provide three services which are been used by the travel industry to run all major processes and functions. These three services include customization services, consult ation services and support services which are defined as follows: Customization services: These services are used by the organization by customizing the software intended for the use in a specific place or time. That is, the industry can customize the software depending upon their needs and can add extra functionalities to the software. The customization of software requires the professional expert to write the robust code effectively and efficiently (Julian, 2007). Consulting services: Consulting services help the industry to go online or track real-time information while tracking, workflow and improving the customer loyalty. These services help the industry in the initial stages to implement the ERP. Support services: These services help in providing the solutions to troubleshoot the issues and assistance with various ERP issues, that is, these services provide both the maintenance as well as support (Jatin, 2013). Ways to utilize technology for business efficiency In this competitive world, it is very important to use the best tools and technologies to manage the functions of the industry. As the travel industry requires the regular updates and the real-time tracking, it is very important to choose the best software providing the best features and functionalities. One of the advantageous software is the ERP software, which can be easily customized so as to reduce the labor hours of the industry, thereby decreasing the operational costs (Goldsmith et al., 2006). Following are the ways in which the ERP software can be utilized to get more benefits from it: Integrated Information: To perform the various functions at the same time and managing all the functions, ERP system provides a one stop service for all. That is, there is no need to buy a new software or manage other software to handle multiple tasks. ERP provides the information in an integrated manner which can be retrieved any time. Increased efficiency in processes: The data and information can be collected in a more effective and accurate manner which eliminates or put an end to processes which require manual efforts. The information can be collected from the software in a fraction of seconds, thereby helping the travel industry in numerous ways. Effective management: The management required various control systems to examine the present promotions, offers, and customer loyalty strategies being implemented by the other competitors in the market. ERP system also helps in making control on existing contracts with other industries working in the similar domain. Modular software system: Integrating the modules that help in sorting all the basic functions in real time. Access to data: ERP systems provide an ease to access the retrieve the information of the users and to interact with the clients in the real time. Increased security of data: ERP system provides the service to secure all the information and the confidential data of the users, and making sure all the data shared in the real time is encrypted and safe (EL-Geneidy, 2005). User friendliness of the system: ERP systems are user friendly enough to update all the info in ease and make adequate preparation to get all the data with specific reports. Efficiency from technology implementation The implementation of technology in the travel industry plays a vital role in improving the efficiency of the system. To broaden the customer base and providing the advantageous offers, the acquisition of advanced technology systems is crucial. It helps in reducing the manual hours and efforts by making the system retrieve the information in a fraction of seconds (Combs, 2008). The travel industry has become exponentially dependent on the ERP systems to manage all the information. These ERP systems also help in remaining competent with other travel industries and managing their position within the same vertical. The efficiency of the system while using the ERP software also helps with: Automating and integrating the predominance of the industry processes. Sharing frequent data and practices among various companies or enterprises internally. Access of information in the real-time environment. Potential security risks This part of the report is to analyze the potential security risks associated with using the advanced technologies. Although, the use of ERP systems in the travel industry has substantial advantages, but there are some risks associated within the system which need to be addressed to prevent the confidential information from getting misused by the defaulter. The travel industry should adhere to all the security measures as any carelessness in taking the preventive measure may lead to the leak in the confidential information. There are also some additional risks associated with the advancement of technologies and using the ERP systems. These risks arise due to the ignorance of the threats which need to be taken care of while using the systems. Some of the threats of using these systems which should be addressed in advance are as follows: Using of Outdated, and unsupported software which can lead to crashes and integration issues: This is the major threat related to the excessive usage of advanced enterprise resource planning(ERP) systems without getting enough knowledge related to the risks associated with the systems. Using or running outdated and unsupported software, which are not compatible with the latest versions or products doesnt work properly and result in the inaccurate outcomes. Also, outdated servers and browsers can also adversely affect the result. The no longer supported systems can result in system crashes which need to be taken special care of (ISACA, 2011). Loss of data control and external reporting due to insufficient reporting capability: Use of the external ERP system which manages the confidential information should be taken care of, to reduce the loss of data. The ERP systems used must be analyzed to access the information properly. The information must be properly backed up regularly so that the system contains all the data in an organized manner. The industry should also make the employee aware about the permanent loss of the data due to the insufficient attention of using the latest tools such as excel or access. Providing access to the technical employees who make large scale changes to program: This is to make ensure that the control of the access should be in place to prevent the unauthorized modifications to the data within the system. The configuration settings must be properly considered and overlooked. More scrutiny is required when it comes to the control of direct access to the software developers (Maginus, 2015). Software vulnerabilities due to delayed updates: It has been observed that an Enterprise Resource Planning software account to more security threat due to delay in updates. Approximately 65 per cent of companies are more vulnerable to threats because of not running the software on the latest versions or not updating the systems on time. It is, therefore, necessary to update the software to the latest version, so prevent the information from the easy access to the hackers. Lack of compliance with security standards: This is to understand the complaint of the legacy ERP systems. This can be done by verifying the users using the OTP system, or by verifying through the security code. These numbers are sent to the users for the verification. Also, a number of security measures can be used for controlling the data and backups. Thus, the transport industries must take additional preventive measures to safeguard the information and maintain the security of the information to prevent any unauthorized access to the data. Mitigation strategies This part of the research report is written to pen down all the points which help in understanding the strategies which can be implemented to lower down the threats or steps which can be taken to remove the threat if it arises. The first one is the implementation of the correct ERP system or choosing the best ERP software that best matches the requirements of the public transport industry and the second one is to correctly integrate the ERP system to the industry. Also, this depends upon the industry and its capabilities to handle and manage the risk or threat. To evaluate the risk, the risk assessment process is used to develop the protocols (rules and regulations) to help the public transport industry to mitigate the risks or how to control or eliminate the risk. There are different risk scenarios that are used to address the risks or fraud in the implementation of the ERP system (enVista, 2014). These are mainly classified in three categories which are shown in the figure attached below: Other than fraud, there are other different factors which can be evaluated while selecting the options and choosing the organizations which provides the services related to the Risk advisory. Some examples provided by the risk advisory organizations are as below but not limited to: Acquiescence with the government and its laws. Understanding the risk that may occur during the implementation of ERP system. Understanding the stability of the software. Threats related to external and internal security, etc. There are some risk advisory services provided by the ERP implementation systems which are as follows: Comprehensive risk assessment: This is to understand the configuration changes in the current system which has not been tracked and executing some SQL and Operating system scripts. This risk assessment also includes the overriding of the three-way matching requirements (ERM Initiative, 2013). Targeted risk assessment services: The services provided by this risk assessment are internal control design, business process design, management of changes and software configurations, definitions of security controls, and testing, etc. Conclusion This research report has been prepared for the public transport industry and understanding their business processes, requirements of the business process and the impact of implementation of such a system on the efficiency of the business processes. Through this research report, we have explored the ways via which an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system can be used to streamline the public transport industry processes and make the system efficient. The arrival of the advanced technologies in the field of public transport has made the system user friendly, mobile responsive and much more effective. The introduction of ERP/AIS systems in the field of technology has made all the possible ways to make the system cost effective in the real time. This research report also concluded how the ERP/AIS systems help in providing the real-time support and management to the travel industry. This report includes the detailed requirement of businesses and the system software in the field of public transport. While making understanding of the software, we have also recommended the best software to be used in the industry and how it helps the industry in remaining competitive with the other competitors. This report also pays a special attention to the understanding of the risks or the threats that may arise due to their usage and what preventive measures can be taken to reduce the risk to safeguard the information collected in the system. Thus, overall, this report concludes that while implementing the ERP system in the industry, there is a requirement of making a considerable investment to match the expectations of the outcomes from the ERP system, that is, whether it fulfills all the requirements of that industry and checking whether the risk advisory services has been deployed to prevent the system from potential risks. References Aberdeen Group, 2013. The value of ERP and expense management integration, Available at: https://www.brittenford.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/us-value-of-erp-expense-mgmt.pdf APTA, 2007. Public Transportation: Benefits for the 21st Century, Available at: https://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/twenty_first_century.pdf Baray, S. Hameed, S., 2006. Analysing the effectiveness of implementing the enterprise resource planning systems, Available at: https://emcis.eu/Emcis_archive/EMCIS/EMCIS2006/Proceedings/Contributions/C118/CRC/Hameed2.pdf CIMA, 2016. Travel and Expenses Management: How modern finance leaders balance control with employee satisfaction, Available at: https://www.cimaglobal.com/Documents/Thought_leadership_docs/white-paper-hub/2016-04-12-Travel-and-Expense-Management.pdf Combs, S., 2008. A Plan for the Implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for the State of Texas, Available at: https://www.txprojectone.org/documents/ERP_Advisory_Council_Report.pdf EL-Geneidy, A., 2005. The use of advanced information technology in urban public transportation systems, Available at: https://tram.mcgill.ca/Research/Publications/Ahmed_dissertation.pdf enVista, 2014. How to Avoid an ERP Implementation Failure, Available at: https://info.envistacorp.com/blog/how-to-avoid-an-erp-implementation-failure ERM Initiative, 2013. ERP implementation risk: managing sources of project delays and other risk, Available at: https://erm.ncsu.edu/library/article/erp-implementation-risk-managing-sources-of-project-delays-and-other-r Gershon, R., 2005. Public transportation: Advantages and challenges. PMC journal, 82(1), pp.7-9 Goldsmith, S., Killorin, M. Larson, E., 2006. The economic benefits of public transportation, Available at: https://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/final_beneoftransit.pdf Hidalgo, A., Albors, J. Gmez, K., 2011. ERP Software Selection Processes: A Case Study in the Metal Transformation Sector. Intelligent Information Management, 3, pp.1-16. ISACA, 2011. Risk Management When Implementing ERP Systems Available at: https://www.isaca.org/Journal/archives/2011/Volume-1/Pages/Risk-Management-When-Implementing-ERP-Systems.aspx Jatin, 2013. Selecting an Enterprise Resource Planning [ERP] system Available at: https://www.pa.com.au/media/1107436/selecting-an-erp-whitepaper.pdf Julian, A., 2007. Criteria for the selection of ERP software. Informatica Economic?, 2(42), pp.63-66. Maginus, 2015. 5 Ways to Avoid ERP Implementation Failure, Available at: https://maginus.com/news/blog/5-ways-to-avoid-erp-implementation-failure/ Starr, S., 2013. Top 7 ERP Transportation Management Features, Available at: https://www.erpfocus.com/erp-transportation-management-features-1481.html Team, L.-8., 2012. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Public Transportaion, Available at: https://lang-8.com/465821/journals/1705528

WalMart and its Criticism

Introduction In recent years, Wal Mart has come under intense criticisms. Its major critics have been Christian groups and labor organizations in relation to the company’s practices. In the long run, the company has ended having bad public relations. This is a matter of concern to the management. As a matter of fact, there are various issues that need to be looked at for sustainability.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on WalMart and its Criticism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bad public relations affect the company’s performance in various ways. Although there might be some misconceptions in relation to the company’s policies, there is need to ensure that such issues are clearly addressed. This will make it easy for various stakeholders to understand the company’s position in a better way. Discussion Criticisms In recent years, several labor unions have argued that the company does not allow its workers/employees to become their members (Frank 5). They have further implied that Wal Mart has a very strict anti-union stance. This means that workers cannot join trade unions without any victimization. For instance, in 2005, the company was negatively portrayed by labor unions through media campaigns (Kabel 7). An example of such negative media campaigns is the Wal-Mart Watch advert. This advert was sponsored by the service employees union (Kabel 12). In addition, there was the wake up Wal- Mart advert by the food and commercial union. Wal-Mart has also been criticized for locking night shift workers in the shopping malls. This case was compounded by an employee who waited for hours before he could get any help after crushing an ankle (Frank 15). The worker could not get any medical attention because all the exits were locked. Various organizations have argued that this is the cheapest practice that the company has ever engaged in as far as risk management is concerne d (Stilgoe 32). Furthermore, this is a very draconian working environment. Wal- Mart is being accused of paying its employees low and unacceptable wages. Most people believe that the company is getting away with such a practice and this is unacceptable. Although these payments are above the poverty levels, the company is being pressurized to at least increase its wages. Because of this, the company’s competitors and other organizations are saying that there is an impact to workers wages when it enters a given market. In this case, the company can displace other high wage retail jobs. This therefore becomes an economic loss to most workers. In addition, disposable income is greatly affected and this reduces their purchasing power. On the other hand, the company reduces a country’s employment by 2.7% (Meekel 16). This is in relation to its store openings as far as retail employment is concerned.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we ca n help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These critics have further implied that Wal- Marts entry to a given market makes other retailers to change their wage policies and practices. In this case, it depresses wages and salaries. In addition, the company is believed to displace good and better paying jobs. Jobs that have been eliminated pay 18% more than what the company offers in a metropolitan area. Generally, merchandising workers wages are reduced by more than 0.8 % (Meekel 24). Wal- Mart is also being accused of exposing employees to dangerous health hazards. This means that employees are subjected to poor working conditions. According to them (critics), the company is big enough to ensure that health standards and practices are adhered to (Barbaro 19). To push their case forward, they have made reference to the company’s reports that attest to the fact that it has extensive health problems in its directly sourced factories. Apart from these argu ments and accusations; there is a feeling that Wal- Marts entry in a given market hurts small businesses. This is because; there is a reduction in net employment more so by small retailers. As a matter of fact, this increases the chances of job destruction in case there is an exit from the market. From the Wake- up Wal- Mart media campaign, the company has been accused of making taxpayers to suffer because of its poor pay and low wages (Barbaro 34). This means that public assistance as a result of the company’s policies makes different states to lose a lot of money. Various communities feel that the company does not consult them in their expansion programs. In this case, they argue that Wal- Mart builds various stores in different towns without involving to residents (Barbaro 41). The company is also facing various gender and sexual orientation law suits. It is alleged that female employees are discriminated against as far as promotions and pay are concerned. This is a very b ig law suit considering that the company employs more than 1.5 million women (Stilgoe 23). The company has received various grievances in relation to employee-employer relationships. There is an unfavorable relationship that makes it hard for employees to carry out their duties more effectively. This affects their productivity and ability to become more creative and innovative (Barbaro 19). Recommendations All these arguments and accusations have in one way or the other affected the company’s public relations. As a matter of fact, the company needs to rectify the bad public relations it has received. In addition, they can still turn this public relations mess into a more positive public image. As much as the company has launched an effective media campaign, working families for Wal- Mart, it needs to intensify such campaigns to correct its image. This will give it an opportunity to tell its own side of the story (Sellers 21).Advertising We will write a custom essay sampl e on WalMart and its Criticism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this case, people will be able to understand what is going on in the company instead of reading stories from the media. There should be more intensive counter criticisms through effective public relations. As a matter of fact, the company has a PR website, walmartfacts.com, which needs to be made more effective. Through this website, the company can be able to engage various stakeholders and come up with the best way forward. Wal- Mart needs to engage the services of a competent PR firm that will interact with stakeholders on a personal level. This will give them a chance to express themselves in relation to the company’s policies. In addition, the company will be able to explain these concerns before they are taken advantage of by its critics. As far as the company’s health standards and working conditions are concerned, they can invite people to visit i ts headquarters and stores. This will enable the company to interact well with various parties and come up with a solution to such a problem. The company needs to come up with good health coverage plans that will cover more employees (Basker 9). These plans should be well marketed and publicized to attract more employees and ensure that they are taken care of. This will correct the bad public relations that it has received in relation to health standards. Online interaction should also be enhanced to improve its relations with shoppers and customers. This will enable the company to get rid of any misconceptions in advance. Because it has been hurt by bad public relations, the company should increase its public relations and media team. This will ensure that any concerns and bad public relations are attended to without straining its existing team. In the long run, it will attract the best talent in public relations and improve its image (Basker 27). Through these recommendations, the company will be in a better position to improve its bad public relations for sustainability. This is because bad public relations can affect its business and market position. Conclusion Bad public relations affect the company’s performance in various ways. Although there might be some misconceptions in relation to the companies policies, there is need to ensure that such issues are clearly addressed. This will make it easy for various stakeholders to understand the company’s position in a better way. All these arguments and accusations have in one way or the other affected its public relations. As a matter of fact, the company needs to rectify the bad public relations it has received. In addition, they can still turn this public relations mess into a more positive public image. As much as the company has launched an effective media campaign, working families for Wal- Mart, it needs to intensify such campaigns to correct its image. This will give it an opportunity to t ell its own side of the story.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Works Cited Barbaro, M. It’s not Only about Price at Wal-Mart. New York: The New York Times, 2007. Basker, E. Job Creation or Destruction? Labor-Market Effects of Wal-Mart Expansion. Missouri: University of Missouri, 2002. Print. Frank, T.A. A Brief History of Wal-Mart. The Washington Monthly, 2006. Kabel, M. Wal-Mart, Critics Slam Each Other on Web. Washington: The Washington  Post, 2006. Meekel, D. Wal-Mart Flacks Detail Plan – Again. Lebanon Daily News, 2005. Print. Sellers, J. Deliver Us from Wal-Mart? Christianity Today, 2007. Stilgoe, J. Wal-Mart Giant Can Be Tamed. The Boston Globe, 2006. This essay on WalMart and its Criticism was written and submitted by user Warm Lynx to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Verbal Behavior Analysis (VBA) Helps Children With Language Deficits

Verbal Behavior Analysis (VBA) Helps Children With Language Deficits Verbal Behavior Analysis, or VBA, is a language intervention strategy based on the work of B.F. Skinner. An American psychologist, social philosopher, and inventor, Skinner was a leading figure in the branch of psychology known as Behaviorism. This school of psychology derives from â€Å"the belief that behaviors can be measured, trained and changed,† according to Psychology Today. With this in mind, Verbal Behavior Analysis can be a powerful approach to addressing the language deficits of children on the autism spectrum. Autism is a developmental disorder that makes it difficult for children and adults who have the condition to communicate and interact with others. But Skinner posited that language is learned behavior mediated by others. He introduced the terms Mand, Tact, and Intraverbal to describe three different kinds of verbal behaviors. Defining the Terms Manding is either demanding or commanding others for desired objects or activities. Tacting is identifying and naming objects, and intraverbals are utterances (language) mediated by other language, often called pragmatics by speech and language pathologists. What Occurs During VBA Treatment? In VBA treatment, a therapist sits with an individual child and presents preferred items. The child will receive the preferred item when he or she imitates the therapist and mands or requests the item. The therapist will ask a child for a number of responses, often in quick succession, known as massed trials or discrete trial training. The therapist will build on success by having the child select from more than one preferred item, by demanding clearer or more audible approximations of the word in order receive the preferred item (called shaping) and mixing it up with other preferred activities. This first step is done once a child has exhibited success in manding, especially manding in phrases, the therapist will move ahead with tacting. When a child succeeds in learning and naming familiar objects, the therapist will build on that with intraverbals,  naming relationships. For example, the therapist will ask, Jeremy, where is the hat? The child will then respond, The hat is under the chair. The therapist will help the child generalize these verbal skills to a variety of settings, such as school, in public and at home with parents or caregivers. How VBA Differs From ABA The MyAutismClinic website states that ABA and VBA, though related, are not the same. What’s the difference between the two? â€Å"ABA is the science that uses principles of behavior like reinforcement, extinction, punishment, stimulus control, motivation to teach new behaviors, modify and/or terminate maladaptive behaviors,† the MyAutismClinic site states. â€Å"Verbal Behavior or VB  is simply the application of these scientific principles to language.† The site states  that some people believe that ABA is more efficient than VBA, but this is a misconception. â€Å"A well-trained professional should make use of the principles of ABA in all areas of the child’s development including language,† according to MyAutismClinic. VBA is simply a comprehensive ABA approach to language.

IceCool Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

IceCool Company - Essay Example IceCool Company main product will be IceCool water that will be sold in 500 milliliters and 1-liter bottles. Locally and globally many people are now participating in sports as a way of maintaining healthy bodies. In this regard, IceCool Company target individuals participating in athletics and footballers. IceCool water aims at making the consumers experience a cooling effect that will make them continue with the sports without getting tired. IceCool Company will be located in New York along the Manhattan Street. Based on the large population in the neighborhood, I expect to make sustainable sales and profits. IceCool Company will serve the US and UK markets. Based on a large number of people who watch football in the UK, the company will benefit from strong consumer awareness once it launches an extensive advertisement and promotion during the matches (Gummesson 24). In the next few years, IceCool Company will enter the developing economies including African region where the market is not fully exploited. In this way, it will benefit from high sales that will make it to effectively expand in the global market. One of the major opportunities that IceCool Company will benefit from is the rising interest in the area of football in the emerging economies. This will be a great opportunity that the company will use to inform the consumers about the benefits of the IceCool bottled water. Being a new venture, IceCool Company is faced with a threat of stiff competition from the established companies in the US. For example, Dasani bottled water produced by Coca-Cola Company will be a major competing brand in the market. During the start of my business, I will hold the position of the Chief Executive Officer. I will also establish three positions that will be filled with experienced managers. These include the marketing manager, finance manager, and human resources manager (HRM).