Types of Business Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Types of Business Organisations - Essay Example Sole Proprietorship: Sole proprietorship is the simplest type of business organisation. A sole proprietor is the sole owner of all of the assets of the business and is solely liable for all the debts and obligations of the business. Unlike a corporation, the business of the sole proprietor is not considered a separate entity. Rather, it is considered an extension of the individual. The sole proprietor is personally responsible for all legal debts and obligations of the business and is entitled to all the profits of the business. Angela Schneeman (2002). John Smith is a middle-aged man who has been running his own plumbing business successfully for the last 15 years and has built a good reputation within his community. His plumbing business has improved with each year and is doing very well. John’s plumbing skills and the work he has done over the years in his neighborhood has earned him a very good reputation and helped him to build a solid client base. John is very happy with his business and plans to hand over the business to Adam, his son, as he wants him to take over this sole proprietorship business when he decides to retire. According to Angela Schneeman (2002) the sole proprietor may delegate decisions and management of the business to agents, but all authority to make decisions must come directly from the sole proprietor, who is responsible for all the business related acts of employees.... must come directly from the sole proprietor, who is responsible for all the business related acts of employees. Sole Proprietorship Advantages: Running a sole proprietorship plumbing business for the last 15 years has provided John many advantages such as being able to choose his working hours, be his own boss, not have to answer to anyone but himself and finally enjoy all the benefits and profits earned out of the plumbing business. Working within his neighborhood also gave him the opportunity to know the residents in person and also establish new friendships and build himself a good reputation, since all of the plumbing work was done by John himself. Sole Proprietorship Disadvantages: On the other hand as John started to get older he began to notice, that working as a sole trader in his business made him shoulder the entire workload by himself, and when he needed help there was no one around, and all accounts and tax related matters had to once again be prepared in detail by him. The other big concern of John was the problem of business continuity, because he was nearing the age of retiring and wanted his son Adam to take over the business but Adam showed no interest when it came to plumbing and instead wanted to become a lawyer. John was concerned as to what will happen to his business. "Plumbco Ltd" a growing private limited company was interested in setting up its operations in the neighborhood that John Smith lived in, and they heard about his reputation in the neighborhood as a plumber and of the number of years that he had served the community. With this in mind, they approached John and gave him a proposal in which they wanted to buy out his

Explain How External Environment Influence Essay Example for Free

Explain How External Environment Influence Essay External environment aims to help an organisation to obtain opportunities and threats that will affect the organisation’s competitive situation. External opportunities are characteristics of the external environment that have the potential to help the organization achieve or exceed its strategic goals. External threats are characteristics of the external environment that may prevent the organization from achieving its strategic goals. Therefore, organisations must formulate appropriate strategies to take advantage of the opportunities while overcome the threats in order to achieve their strategic goals. The external environment consists of variables that are outside the organization and not typically within the short-run control of top management. They may be general forces within the macro or remote environment, which consists of political-legal, economic, socio-cultural, technological forces – usually called PEST. Political-legal force influences strategy formulation through government and law intervention. For example, the environment law requires the world’s automobile manufacturers to reduce emission of green house gasses, and therefore these manufacturers have to reformulate their product strategy. Economic force influences strategy formulation through economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and the inflation rate. For example, exchange rates affect the costs of exporting goods and the supply and price of imported goods in an economy, and thus influence strategy formulation of exporters. Socio-cultural force is about the cultural aspects, health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Trends in social-cultural factors affect the demand for a companys products and how that company operates. For example, increasing health consciousness can influence strategy formulation of fast-food companies that may have to adopt product innovation strategy. Technological factors include technological aspects such as R;D activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. For example, rapid development of the information technology has significantly influenced the strategy formulation of logistics service providers who are now able to provide superior express services. There may be specific forces within the micro or near environment, which involves analyzing the threat from the new entrant, rivalry among the existing players, pressure from the buyers, pressure from the suppliers and pressure from the substitutes. This is introduced in Porter’s Five-Forces Model. Profitable markets that yield high returns will attract new firms which eventually will decrease profitability for all firms in the industry unless the entry of new firms can be blocked by incumbents. The existing firms therefore need to formulate new strategies against potential entrants. For most industries, the intensity of competitive rivalry is the major determinant of the competitiveness of the industry. For example, high intensity of competitive rivalry in the automobile industry forces competitors such as Ford, Honda, to form strategic alliances or adopts the strategy of M;A. The bargaining power of buyers is the ability of customers to put the firm under pressure. For example, strong bargaining power of buyers in the computer industry put Dell under pressure. To deal with such pressure, Dell has to focus on relationship marketing strategy by offering value-added services to its customers. The bargaining power of suppliers is also described as the market of inputs. Suppliers of raw materials, components, labor, and services (such as expertise) to the firm can be a source of power over the firm, when there are few substitutes. Suppliers may refuse to work with the firm, or charge excessively high prices for unique resources such as Microsoft software and Intel chips which affects the formulation of price strategy of PC makers. The existence of products outside of the realm of the common product boundaries increases the propensity of customers to switch to alternatives. In order to retain customers, companies must formulate appropriate strategies to compete with the substitutes. For example, milk producers compete with soy milk producers. However, strategy formulation is also influenced by the degree of turbulence of the external environment. A high degree of turbulence exists if changeability is high and predictability is low. Companies need to formulate strategies based on the planned prescriptive approach if turbulence is low, whereas based on the unplanned emergent approach if turbulence is high. How organizations overcome environmental changes? Organisations need to deal with environmental changes with appropriate strategies. First, organisations may choose to wait and see. Such strategy has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, facing a significant technological change, some companies may choose to integrate the new technology into their products. If they are successful, the rest companies’ ‘wait and see’ strategy is obviously unwise. However, if they failed, the rest companies’ ‘wait and see’ strategy appears wise. As a result, strategic decision making is impacted on and opportunities may either be lost or capitalised on. Second, organisations may choose to change in response to environmental changes through either proactive or reactive. Proactive change involves actively attempting to make alterations to the work place and its practices. Companies that take a proactive approach to change are often trying to avoid a potential future threat or to capitalize on a potential future opportunity. Reactive change occurs when an organization makes changes in its practices after some threat or opportunity has already occurred in the external environment. As an example of the difference, assume that a hotel executive learns about the increase in the number of Malaysians who want to travel with their pets. The hotel executive creates a plan to reserve certain rooms in many hotel locations for travelers with pets and to advertise this new amenity, even before travelers begin asking about such accommodations. This would be a proactive response to change because it was made in anticipation of customer demand. However, a reactive approach to change would occur if hotel executives had waited to enact such a change until many hotel managers had received repeated requests from guests to accommodate their pets and were denied rooms. In reality, companies may use a combination of both proactive and reactive approaches. Proactive approach is highly common when an industry is new with little or no change. The bellwether company entering the industry is making all of the strategic decisions or being proactive. However, because of its success, competitors gradually enter the market, resulting in the turbulent change of the competitive environment. Consequently, the reactive change is on the part of the new competitors as well as the bellwether company. To overcome environmental changes, companies may also choose the merger or acquisition strategy. A merger is defined as the joining of two or more organizations to constitute a new combined, legal entity. An acquisition is defined as the purchase of more than 50 percent of the voting shares of one organization by another, but the two organizations are still separate legal entities with the acquiring organization running as the parent company and another as a subsidiary. For example, recent study discloses that the merger and acquisition strategy in the global automobile industry will be further enhanced in the near future in order to deal with the threat of global financial crisis which decreased the consumers’ disposable income and increased the debt of auto makers and suppliers that have to save their organisations through merger and acquisition Ddiscuss the importance of organisational culture in strategy implementation Organisational culture can be defined â€Å"as the system of shared beliefs and values that guide and direct the behaviour of members, can have a strong influence on daily organisational behaviour and performance. † (1) Reflection to leadership Successful strategy implementation needs strategic leadership. Strategic leadership is the ability of influencing others to voluntarily make decisions that enhance prospects for the organisation’s long-term success while maintaining short-term financial stability. It includes determining the firm’s strategic direction, aligning the firm’s strategy with its culture, modelling and communicating high ethical standards, and initiating, shaping and implementing changes in the firm’s strategy, when necessary. Strategic leadership sets the firm’s direction by developing and communicating a vision of future and inspires the organization’s members to move in that direction. (2) Enable to create mission vision The vision is the source and the main idea of a company. The mission aims to give the direction which presents the unique scope of business, its vision nd specific competence competitive advantages, and to tell employees, consumers, and shareholder what the firm is. For example, IBM’s vision is: solutions for a small planet. Mission is: At IBM, we strive to lead in the invention, development and manufacture of the industrys most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, sto rage systems and microelectronics. Create a shared vision to manage strategic change: objectives and vision of both individuals and organization should coincide. There should be no conflict between them. Senior managers need to constantly and consistently communicate the vision not only to inform but also to overcome resistance through proper communication. Strategy implementers have to convince all those concerned that the change is not superficial. The actions taken have to be credible, highly visible and unmistakably indicative of management’s seriousness to new strategic initiatives and associated changes. (3) Help to create a better strategy (4) Staff motivation Strategy implementation requires special motivation to achieve objectives. The motivation system functions according to the qualities and mechanisms of motivation, which is developed during the stage of entry strategy preparation. First and foremost, this system has to inspire employees involved in the process of strategy development and implementation to orient their mindset toward a strategic way of thinking. Formalizing the strategic motivation system includes establishing a system of daily incentives for employees, especially those who are responsible for strategy development and implementation. The formal system is presented in a document, where all suggestions about motivation and incentives are developed and described. It includes all moral, social, and financial instruments of motivation of individual employees and groups of employees. Special recognition and awards should be given to those who go above and beyond in creating and implementing strategic ideas. (5) Increase or enhance adaptability skills How to use organisation culture to develop competitive advantages 1. Develop CA An organization that is able to maintain a positive culture is likely to enjoy many benefits. When organization members identify with the culture, the work environment tends to be more enjoyable, which boosts morale. This leads to increased levels of teamwork, sharing of information, and openness to new ideas. The resulting increased interaction among employees activates learning and continuous improvement because information flows more freely throughout the organization. Additionally, such a culture helps to attract and retain top employees. For example, Wal-Mart’s founder, Sam Walton, showed concern and respect for his employees from the company’s inception. This created an environment of trust that persists to this day. Walton also modeled the behavior that he desired from his employees, especially customer service (both to internal and external customers), by visiting his stores, meeting customers, and greeting employees by their first names. Walton also embraced and encouraged change in order to remain competitive, and developed employees by having them work in a variety of positions. Wal-Mart considers its culture the key to its success, and to this day employees continue to think about how Sam would have done it’’ when making decisions. 2. Proactive ; reactive Today’s globally-competitive business environment has made a positive corporate culture a critical aspect of success for firms. No longer just a competitive advantage, it has become a prerequisite for success, allowing companies to attract and retain top employees. Therefore, where the culture is serving to lower morale, it is recommended that management take proactive rather than reactive steps to change the corporate culture using a top-down approach, establishing a new vision and demonstrating new behavior consistent with the revised vision. 2. Ability to change 3. Strong learning curve

Role of Institutions in Policy Making

Role of Institutions in Policy Making INTRODUCTION The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of institutions in influencing policy outcomes. First part of the paper provides a brief introduction to the study of institutions in political science. This is followed by description of factors influencing policy outcomes. Final part of the paper looks at the limitations of institutions, which pose additional constraints on policy outcomes. INSTITUTIONS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE The study of institutions is central to the subject matter of political science and, to an even greater extent, public administration. According to Lowndes (1996:181), â€Å"focus upon institutional arrangements for the delivery of public services is generally held to be defining of the sub-discipline of public administration†. March and Olsen (1984) argue that social, political, and economic institutions have recently become larger, more complex and resourceful, and therefore more important to collective life. According to them, attention to political institutions has increased in the literature on legislatures, budgets, public policymaking, local government and political elites. According to Scharpf (1989), much of comparative political science research may be characterised as an attempt to explain and predict the influence of political institutions on the choice of public policy. INFLUENCING POLICY OUTCOMES SETTING NORMS IN DECISION MAKING March and Olsen (1984,1989) see institutions as providing order in political life. Institutions increase capability by reducing comprehensiveness. Institutions express norms of decision-making and behaviour, providing a logic of appropriateness. Rules produce variation and deviation as well as conformity and standardisation. Institutions generally change in an incremental way through responding to environmental signals. AFFECTING POLICY OUTCOMES Institutions are often seen as â€Å"set of factors affecting the interactions between policy actors and hence the greater or lesser capacity of policy-making systems to adopt and implement effective responses to policy problems (Scharpf 2000:764)†. According to Gorges (2001), the European Commission and other EC institutions played a significant role in social policy-making. The European Commission sought to increase both its policy domain and its legitimacy, continually insisting that it would not abdicate its power to initiate policy. Although it is actors that are the proximate causes of policy responses, institutional conditions, to the extent that they are able to influence actor choices, are seen as remote causes. Actors are strongly influenced by the institutional rules to which they owe their existence and by institutional and cultural norms that define the criteria of their success or failure (Scharpf 2000). According to Scharpf (2000:770), â€Å"in sociological ins titutionalism, institutions are defined very broadly so as to include not only externally imposed and sanctioned rules but also unquestioned routines and standard operating procedures and, more important, socially constructed and culturally taken-for-granted worldviews and shared normative notions of appropriateness. In that view, therefore, institutions will define not only what actors can do but also their perceptions and preferences—and thus what they will want to do. Institutions constrain, but do not completely determine, policy choices (Scharpf 1989). Certain policy options are unlikely to be chosen under certain institutional conditions. According to Scharpf (1989), policy choices are simultaneously influenced by at least four sets of factors, institutional, situational, preferential and perceptional. Institutional rules will affect policy by restricting options, constituting actor constellations, regulating their modes of interaction and by structuring the incentives of the participating actors (Scharpf 2000). Institutions are imposing substantive prohibitions to policy outcomes. Countries differ in the range of institutionally permissible policy options and there is an increasing tightness of international legal constraints. For example, the power of governments to determine wages and working time was routinely exercised by most countries but is ruled out in Germany. Moreover, the tight control of capital transfers and the highly discriminatory regulation of credit markets that facilitated the success of macroeconomic full-employment strategies in Sweden until the mid-1980s would now be ruled out by EU directives liberalising capital markets and financial services. The rules of negative integration, in particular European competition law, have become a major constraint on all ec onomic policy options that could be construed as inhibiting or distorting free competition in the markets of EU member states. Institutional rules also define the constellations of actors that may participate in the adoption and implementation of policy responses and their permissible modes of interaction, which could be classified as mutual adjustment, negotiated agreement, voting, or hierarchical direction. Although most policy choices result from multi-actor interactions, some countries whose political institutions approximate the ideal Westminster model have the option of treating any major policy problem in a single- actor constellation. Here, all relevant policy choices are potentially determined by the preferences and perceptions prevailing in a unified action center. Hierarchical direction becomes an institutionally available mode of interaction, as exemplified in Britain, New Zealand, and possibly France. In rational-choice institutionalism, incentives are defined by refere nce to the self-interest of the corporate and collective actors involved in the policy process, for example, governments, political parties, central banks, labor unions, their subunits, or the individuals acting for them. In single-actor systems, the incentives that have the most direct effect on policy choices are constituted by the mechanisms of political accountability. In multi-actor systems, accountability is weakened and policy outcomes are more affected by incentives favoring cooperation or conflict between the veto actors. CRITICAL JUNCTURES AND DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAYS Ikenberry (1994) characterises political development as involving critical junctures and developmental pathways. According to the first principle, different founding moments of institutional formation send countries along broadly different developmental paths. The second principle suggests that institutions continue to evolve in response to changing environmental conditions and ongoing political maneuvering but in ways that are constrained by past trajectories. According to Thelen (1999), where state-builders faced geopolitical competition early, they were forced into greater concessions to the financiers, merchants, and administrators who financed and staffed the bureaucracy, resulting in patrimonial systems. Where rulers confronted geopolitical pressures later, they found themselves in a quite different world, where developments in education and finance made these side payments unnecessary, resulting in greater bureaucratic autonomy. Over time, some avenues of policy become increas ingly blocked, if not entirely cut off, as decisions at one point in time can restrict future possibilities by sending policy off onto particular tracks (Thelen 1999). DIFFERENT THEORETICAL APPROACHES Although it is generally accepted that challenges to which policy actors may have to respond are influenced by the institutional setting, the dominant strands of current institutionalist theorising, rational-choice institutionalism and sociological institutionalism, differ in their conceptualisation of these influences (Scharpf 2000). LIMITATIONS Institutions have limitations which have a significant effect on policy outcomes. These limitations are focus on structures and efficiency, focus on stability, political manipulation and policy networking. FOCUS ON STRUCTURES AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY It has been argued that compliance with structures and practices often becomes more important than its actual efficacy (Lowndes 1996). According to DiMaggio and Powell (1991), it is the demand for similarity of structure and functioning, rather than for increased efficiency, that drives organisational change. According to Thelen (1999), the institutional approach begins with the observation that markets, embedded in political and social institutions, are the creation of governments and politics. The main purpose and effect of institutions are often seen as economising on fraction costs. Lowndes (1996:186) describes institutions as â€Å"efficient organisational frameworks, which arise to solve problems of complex economic exchange†. The critics of the new institutional economics, however, object to the proposal that a universal economic logic determines the choice of institutional systems, regardless of culture and circumstance or power and politics (Lowndes 1996). FOCUS ON STABILITY North (1990) stresses stability rather than efficiency as the economic rationale for institutions, arguing that technically inefficient institutions persist because they contribute to stability and harmony in interaction and because they are deeply embedded in culture and tradition. According to historical institutionalism, institutions do more than channel policy and structure political conflict. Thelen (1999) claims that institutions are socially constructed in the sense that they embody shared cultural understandings of the way the world works. This means that even when policy makers set out to redesign institutions, they are constrained in what they can conceive of by these embedded, cultural constraints. For example, the evolution of Japanese security policy shows how collectively held norms define appropriate conduct, shape actor identities, and influence actor interests, and in doing so, inform how political actors define what they want to accomplish (Thelen 1999). Pearson (20 00) claims that path dependence can be used to explain the analysis of European party systems, labor incorporation in Latin America, the outcome of state-building processes in Europe, and the comparative development of health care systems. According to Thelen (1999), the problem with this approach is that dominant cultural norms emerge out of concrete political conflicts, in which different groups fight over which norms will prevail. Dominant policy paradigms can and do shift at times and organisational fields are often imposed by powerful actors. According to Stinchcombe (1997), it is legitimacy and not automaticity that explains why people follow scripts in the first place. Furthermore, the entrenchments of certain institutional arrangements obstruct an easy reversal of the initial choice (Pearson 2000). The conception of path dependence, in which preceding steps in a particular direction induce further movement in the same direction, is well captured by the idea of increasing returns. In an increasing returns process, the probability of further steps along the same path increases with each move down that path because of the costs associated with exit or change. According to North (1990), institutions induce self-rei nforcing processes that make reversals of course increasingly unattractive over time. This, according to Arthur (1994) leads to unpredictability, inflexibility, nonergodicity and potential path inefficiency. POLITICAL MANIPULATION In politics, institutional constraints are ubiquitous (Pierson 2000). Politics involves struggles over the authority to establish, enforce and change the rules governing social action in a particular territory. According to Gorges (2001), the institutional change could be influenced by material and ideal incentives the policy entrepreneurs provide. Furthermore, change is most likely when there is an increase in the effectiveness of individuals seeking change and a decrease in the blocking power of individuals whose interests are served by the current institutional arrangements. Institutions are not neutral coordinating mechanisms but in fact reflect, and also reproduce and magnify, particular patterns of power distribution in politics (Thelen 1999). Thus, political arrangements and policy feedbacks actively facilitate the organisation and empowerment of certain groups while actively disarticulating and marginalising others. â€Å"Manipulated by utility-maximising politicians and bur eaucrats, institutions degenerate over time. They come to serve the individual, private interests of officials and any conception of the public interest is lost (Lowndes 1996:188)†. Public officials seek to augment their status and material through increases to budgets under their control, and utility-seeking politicians attempt to maximise votes by promising benefits and service enhancements, which results in waste and over-supply of government goods and services (Niskanen 1973). An alternative to the budget-maximising thesis is provided by bureau-shaping theory which accepts that bureaucrats are self-serving, but denies that they pursue a single course of utility-maximising action (Lowndes 1996). In rational-choice institutionalism, institutional rules are understood as external constraints and incentives structuring the purposeful choices of self-interested rational actors (Scharpf 2000). Thus, when certain actors are in a position to impose rules on others, the employment of power may be self-reinforcing (Pierson 2000). Actors may use political authority to generate changes in both formal institutions and various public policies designed to enhance their power. Skocpol (1992) argues that institutional arrangements affect the capabilities of various groups to achieve self-consciousness, organise, and make alliances. For example, the fragmentation of the state, as well as the organisation of party competition along patronage lines, actively mediated against the development of a unified working class that could then spearhead the movement for comprehensive social policies in the United States. Scharpf (2000) does not agree with this notion, arguing that actor preferences have at least two dimensions individual and organisational self-interest on one hand and normative obligations and aspirations on the other. INSTITUTIONS AND THE â€Å"POLICY NETWORKING† The policy network approach is concerned with the institutionalisation of relations between governmental and non-governmental actors (Lowndes 1996). The concern is with actual institutional practices rather than with formal organisational arrangements. Jordan (1990) refers to an institution as an extra-constitutional policy-making arrangement between industries and clientelistic groups. Lowndes (1996) points to the traditionally fragmented structure of British government and the influential role played by interest groups in policy-making. In such environment, â€Å"policy is made not by a unified government machine but by an assortment of actors, governmental and nongovernmental, linked together in more or less formal and coherent networks (Lowndes 1996:190)†. Furthermore, institutions are embedded in networks of other institutions, and it is difficult to change one institution in a matrix because of this embeddedness. According to Lowndes (1996), policy networks routinise rel ationships, promoting continuity and stability. One example is the EU, where the European Commission has often granted access to, and attempted to institutionalise the participation of interest groups as a way of securing legitimacy for its proposals before presenting them to the Council of Ministers (Gorges 2001). The Commission has attempted to sustain and expand the Community political system by providing information to the social partners, forcing them to re-evaluate their interests and priorities, and supporting the development of a Community/Union system of interest intermediation by providing a forum for conflict resolution. The capacity for effective policy responses is affected not only by the quantity and quality but also by the diversity of policy-relevant information and analysis provided by an institutionalised information infrastructure (Scharpf 2000). Policy coordination in Austria, for example, was greatly facilitated by the fact that the government, the political parties, and the social partners relied on the analyses provided by a single economic research institute. In Germany, by contrast, unions and employers maintain separate research institutes, the federal government supports altogether six such institutes, the federal labor administration and the Bundesbank maintain large in-house research capacities, the independent Council of Economic Advisors relies on its own research staff, and the big commercial banks have their own macroeconomic research departments. The downside of the monopoly model is the risks of groupthink, or the failure to pay attention to observations, interpretations, and recommendations that do not conform to the dominant worldview (Scharpf 2000). This was arguably the case in Britain in the early 1970s, when policy makers in the treasury continued to rely on the Keynesian recommendations derived from the single macroeconomic simulation model, even when the economy had ceased to respond as predicted (Scharpf 2000). However, when the analyses of institutionalised information monopolists do fit the problem, they will facilitate effective problem solving in single-actor systems and effective coordination in multiactor systems. The pluralistic model, by contrast, will provide protection against the institutionalisation of error. CONCLUSION The paper has explored the role of institutions in influencing policy outcomes. Institutional conditions, to the extent that they are able to influence actor choices, are seen as remote causes. Institutions influence policy outcomes by setting norms in decision making. Furthermore, institutional rules affect policy by restricting options, constituting actor constellations, regulating their modes of interaction and by structuring the incentives of the participating actors. Although it is generally accepted that challenges to which policy actors may have to respond are influenced by the institutional setting, the dominant strands of current institutionalist theorising, rational-choice institutionalism and sociological institutionalism, differ in their conceptualisation of these influences. Limitations of institutions, such as the focus on structures and economic efficiency, the focus on stability, political manipulation and policy networking, further influence policy outcomes. BIBLIOGRAPHY Arthur W.B. (1989). â€Å"Competing Technologies, Increasing Returns, and lock-in by Historical Events†. Economy Journal, Vol. 99. Ashford, D. E. (1977). â€Å"Political Science and Policy Studies: towards a structural solution†. Policy Studies Journal, Iss.5, pp.570-583. DiMaggio, P and Powell, W. (1991). â€Å"Introduction†, in W. Powell and P DiMaggio The new institutionalism in organizational analysis (eds). University of Chicago Press. Gorges, M.J. (2001). â€Å"The New Institutionalism and the Study of the European Union: The case of the social dialogue†. Western European Politics, Vol.24, Iss.4, pp.152. Ikenberry G.J. (1994). â€Å"History’s Heavy Hand: institutions and the politics of the state†. Conference on The New Institutionalism, University of Maryland. Jordan, G. (1990). â€Å"Policy Community Realism versus New Institutionalist Ambiguit†. Political Studies, Vol.38, pp.470-84. Lowndes, V. (1996). â€Å"Varieties of New Institutionalism: A critical appraisal†. Public Administration, Vol.74, pp.181-197. March, J. and Olsen, J. (1984). â€Å"The New Institutionalism: Organizational factors in political life†. The American Political Science Review, Vol.78, No.3, pp.734-749. March, J. and Olsen, J. (1989). â€Å"Rediscovering Institutions: the organizational basis of politics†. Free Press, New York. Niskanen, W. (1973). â€Å"Bureaucracy: Servant or Master?† Institute for Economic Affairs, London. North, D. (1990). â€Å"Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance†. Cambridge University Press. Pierson, P. (2000). â€Å"Increasing Returns, Path Dependence, and the Study of Politics†. The American Political Science Review, Vol.94, No.2, pp.251-267. Scharpf, F.W. (1989). ‘Decision Rules, Decision Styles and Policy Choices’, Journal of Theoretical Politics,Vol.1, Iss.2, pp.149-176. Scharpf, F.W. (2000). â€Å"Institutions in Comparative Policy Research†. Comparative Political Studies,Vol.33, pp.762-790. Skocpol T. (1979). â€Å"States and Social Revolutions.† Cambridge University Press. Stinchcombe A.L. (1997). â€Å"On the Virtues of the old Institutionalism†. Annu. Rev. Soc. Vol.23 Thelen, K. (1999). â€Å"Historical Institutionalism in Comparative Politics†. Annual Review of Political Science, Vol.2, pp369-404.

microsoft :: essays research papers

There is a requirement for a Vehicle Data Management System (VDMS) by the United States. The military currently has numerous tracked and wheeled vehicles in its inventory, with technical data on their operation and performance available in manuals and reports. Alternatively, there are various vehicle performance computer models and applications, which manipulate characteristics of these vehicles for analytical purposes, but no standard data depot currently exists for collection and storage of this information. This project has developed a means of storing available information about these tracked and wheeled vehicles in a relational database which will allow the user to easily create, retrieve, update, and delete information via a user-interface connected to the database. The purpose of this project was to create a relational database of vehicle information and a user interface for accessing the database. The project allows for a user-friendly environment (Microsoft Excel and Access) that is convenient and efficient for storing, retrieving, updating and displaying vehicle information. The overall objective of this project was to create an updateable, computerized database application, the Vehicle Data Management System (VDMS), which provides a composite reference/storage retrieval system for current information pertinent to characteristics of standard military tracked and wheeled vehicles. VDMS is intended to minimize the individual need for periodic reference to technical manuals, reports, and large vehicle files containing large amounts of data. Currently, there exist much data in various places, (technical manuals, files, folders, envelopes, etc.) and no easy way to store, retrieve, update, and manipulate it. Using Visual C++ (programming language) and Access (database, the goal of this project was to provide a faster and more efficient method to create, retrieve, update, and delete the information contained in these vehicle files. VDMS manipulates vehicle data files that are currently being used as data for vehicle performance models such as the NATO Reference Mobility Model (NRMM). NRMM is an example of an computerized model developed in the early 1970's that combines many mobility-related technologies into one comprehensive package designed to predict the physically constrained terrain/vehicle interaction of vehicles operating in on-road and off-road terrain. Since it's beginning NRMM has been continually updated and expanded as a result of ongoing mobility research and is now in its second release (NRMM II). NRMM provides the NATO members with a standard reference for mobility performance evaluations. NRMM is integrated into other automated models providing the mobility predictions for several other tactical, analytical, and war-gaming models. Currently, the data files are rather large and are not easily read and the data pertaining to these vehicles are stored in text files. These files are not in a format that is easily understood. Having the data in a database allows the user to manipulate and access

Toxic Shock Syndrom

About Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a serious but uncommon infection caused by either Staphylococcus aureus bacteria or by streptococcus bacteria. Originally linked to the use of tampons, especially high-absorbency ones and those that are not changed frequently, it's now also known to be associated with the contraceptive sponge and diaphragm birth control methods. TSS also can arise from wounds secondary to minor trauma or surgery incisions where bacteria have been able to enter the body and cause the infection. TSS also can affect anyone who has any type of staph infection, including pneumonia, abscess, skin or wound infection, the blood infection septicemia, or the bone infection osteomyelitis. Most often, streptococcal TSS appears after bacteria have invaded areas of injured skin, such as cuts and scrapes, surgical wounds, and even chickenpox blisters. Symptoms of TSS can include sudden high fever, a faint feeling, diarrhea, headache, a rash, and muscle aches. If your child has these symptoms, call your doctor right away. Symptoms Toxic shock syndrome starts suddenly, often with high fever (temperature at least 102 ° F [38.  ° C]), a rapid drop in blood pressure (with lightheadedness or fainting), vomiting, diarrhea, headache, sore throat, or muscle aches. A sunburn-like rash may appear anywhere on the body, including the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. A person also might have bloodshot eyes and an unusual redness under the eyelids or inside the mouth (and vagina in fem ales). The area around an infected wound can become swollen, red, and tender, or may not even appear infected. Other symptoms may include confusion or other mental changes, decreased urination, fatigue and weakness, and thirst. If TSS is untreated, organs such as the liver and kidneys may begin to fail, and problems such as seizures, bleeding, and heart failure can develop. Prevention The bacteria that cause toxic shock syndrome can be carried on unwashed hands and prompt an infection anywhere on the body. So good hand washing is extremely important. Girls can reduce their risk of TSS by either avoiding tampons or alternating them with sanitary napkins. Girls who use only tampons should choose ones with the lowest absorbency that will handle menstrual flow, and change the tampons frequently. On low-flow days, girls should use pads instead of tampons. Between menstrual periods, store tampons away from heat and moisture (where bacteria can grow) — for example, in a bedroom rather than in a bathroom closet. Because staphylococcus bacteria are often carried on hands, it's important for girls to wash their hands thoroughly before and after inserting a tampon. If your daughter has her menstrual period, talk to her about taking these precautions. Any female who has recovered from TSS should not use tampons. Clean and bandage all skin wounds as quickly as possible. Call your doctor immediately whenever a wound becomes red, swollen, or tender, or if a fever begins. Diagnosis and Treatment TSS is a medical emergency. If you think your child has TSS, call a doctor right away. Depending on the symptoms, a doctor may see you in the office or refer you to a hospital emergency department for immediate evaluation and testing. If doctors suspect TSS, they will probably start intravenous (IV) fluids and antibiotics as soon as possible. They may take a sample from the suspected site of the infection, such as the skin, nose, or vagina, to check it for TSS. They may also take a blood sample. Other blood tests can help monitor how various organs like the kidneys are working and check for other diseases that may be causing the symptoms. Medical staff will remove tampons, contraceptive devices, or wound packing; clean any wounds; and, if there is a pocket of infection (an abscess), a doctor may need to drain pus from the infected area. People with TSS typically need to stay in the hospital, often in the intensive care unit (ICU), for several days to closely monitor blood pressure, respiratory status, and to look for signs of other problems, such as organ damage. TSS is a very rare illness. Although it can be fatal, if recognized and treated promptly it is usually curable. When to Call the Doctor Call your doctor immediately if your child has any signs or symptoms of toxic shock syndrome. Once you realize that something is wrong, it's important to get medical attention right away. The sooner your child gets treatment, the better. Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD Date reviewed: January 2011 Note: All information on KidsHealth ® is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.  © 1995-2011 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.

Must-Know Vocabulary for French Restaurant Dining

Must-Know Vocabulary for French Restaurant Dining Knowing how to conduct yourself and order food in a  French restaurant can be a little tricky. There are some  important differences between restaurants in France and other countries, including what foods are offered and how they are prepared. Even the way dishes are listed on most  French menus  is a little different. Knowing the terms to use in most French restaurants- and especially learning how to pronounce them correctly- is the key to ensuring that your restaurant experience is enjoyable and that you receive the food you want. Understanding what your waiter is asking you or what the menu says- from Quest-ce  que  je  vous  sers? (What can I get you?) to service  compris (tip included)- will soon have your server and others wishing you:  Bon appà ©tit! (Enjoy your meal!). French Restaurant Terms and Pronunciations The table below contains key French restaurant terms followed by their English translations. Click on the French words and phrases to hear how to pronounce them correctly. French Term English Translation commander to order Vous avez choisi? Have you decided? Que voudriez-vous? Vous dsirez? What would you like? Je vous coute. What would you like? (Literally, Im listening to you.) Que prenez-vous? What are you having? Quest-ce que je vous sers? What can I get you? Je voudrais... Jaimerais... I would like... Je vais prendre... Je prends... Ill have... Combien cote...? How much does ... cost? Cest votre got? Do you like it? Is everything ok? Cest termin? Have you finished? a a t? Was everything ok? Je suis... I am... allergique ... allergic to... diabtique diabetic vgtarien / vgtarienne vegetarian vgtalien / vgtalienne vegan Je ne peux pas manger... I cant eat... bleu, saignant very rare ros rare point medium-rare bien cuit well done le serveur (not garon) waiter la serveuse waitress le/la chef cook le menu fixed-price meal la carte menu la carte side order laddition check/bill le socle base of credit card machine le pourboire tip service compris tip included service non compris tip not included A la vtre! Cheers! Bon apptit Enjoy your meal dfense de fumer no smoking les animaux sont interdits no pets allowed A Typical French Restaurant Dialogue Now that you know the key terms you might need to know to dine in a French restaurant, scan the table below to study a typical dialogue that might occur between a serveur  (server) and à ©tudiant  (student). The first column lists the speaker, the second gives the French dialogue, and the third provides the English translation. Serveur Bonsoir Monsieur/Madame. Good evening sir/maam. tudiant Bonsoir Madame/Monsieur. Je voudrais une table pour trois personnes, pour dner, sil vous plat. Good evening maam/sir. I would like a table for 3, for dinner, please. Serveur Vous avez une reservation? Do you have a reservation? tudiant Non, je nai pas de reservation. No, I dont have a reservation. Serveur Pas de problme. Voici une table pour 3 personnes, et voici la carte. No problem. Here is a table for 3, and here is the menu. tudiant Merci Madame/Monsieur. Sil vous plat. Thank you maam/sir. Excuse me? Serveur Oui Monsieur/Madame ? Yes sir/maam ? tudiant Je voudrais de leau. I would like some water. Serveur Oui Monsieur/Madame. Et pour dner, vous avez choisi ? Yes sir/maam. And for dinner, have you decided? tudiant Je voudrais le menu 15 Euros. I would like the set price menu for 15 Euros. Serveur Oui. En entre ? Yes. For the appetizer? tudiant Je voudrais le pat. I would like the pat. Serveur Et en plat principal. And for your main course? tudiant Je voudrais le steak frites. I would like the steak with French fries. Serveur Bien Monsieur/Madame, quelle cuisson ? OK sir/maam, how would you like it cooked? tudiant Bien cuit, sil vous plat. Non, point, sil vous plat. Well done please. No, medium rare, please. Serveur En dessert? For dessert? tudiant Une glace la vanille. Et, excusez-moi Madame/ Monsieur, o sont les toilettes ? Vanilla ice cream. And, excuse me maam/sir, where is the restroom? Serveur Au sous-sol. In the basement. tudiant Je ne comprends pas. Vous pouvez rpter sil vous plat ? I dont understand. Could you repeat please? Serveur Au sous sol. Vous descendez lescalier. In the basement. Go down the stairs. tudiant Oh, je comprends maintenant. Merci. Ah, now I understand. Thank you. Serveur Comment vous trouvez votre steak frites ? How is your steak? tudiant Cest dlicieux. Cest parfait. Its delicious. Its perfect. tudiant Laddition sil vous plat. May I have the check, please? Serveur Bien Monsieur/Madame. Vous pouvez payer la caisse. OK sir/maam. You can pay at the register.