Electoral College Vs Popular Vote Essay Research free essay sample

Electoral College Vs. Popular Vote. Essay, Research Paper Electoral College Vs. Popular Vote. When given this assignment I had no hint what subject I might take. I waited and waited until the recent elections blew up in my face. This past election was a learning experience for me because I merely turned 18. This was the first twelvemonth I could of all time vote and a eldritch election like this occurred. I noticed how many people were really really disturbed with how Gore won the popular ballot but will most probably lose the election merely because he couldn # 8217 ; t win adequate electoral ballots in one province. The Electoral College was designed in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention. A assortment of thoughts were originally brought to attending. Two important and extremely regarded options were a ) Congress selects the President and B ) the popular ballot. Both thoughts were disregarded. Having Congress elect the President would give the legislative assembly complete control over him ( 6: 159-162 ) . The thought of the people and merely the people voting for the President was eliminated because the establishing male parents of the U.S. Government felt that normal people would non be able to vote for the best President in an intelligent mode. Despite the fact that many of the original convention members thought that the popular ballot would be the best option, there were still excessively many that opposed the thought ( Glennon 7 ) . George Mason, a former political officer in the 1800 # 8217 ; s, states that a it would be # 8220 ; as unnatural to mention the pick of a proper character for main Magistrate to the people, as it would, to mention a test of colorss to a blind adult male # 8221 ; ( qtd. In Glennon 7 ) . I became really interested about the whole system of the college and thought that I could show an statement about how it # 8217 ; s truly out-of-date and could utilize a large alteration. And so the Electoral College is created. It is made up of voters from all of the provinces in the state. The voters from each province are what we the people really vote for in the November elections ( # 8220 ; Electoral College # 8221 ; ) . Each province can hold no less than 3 voters. This is because they get an voter for every chair they fill in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Because all provinces have two Senate members and at least one House member, we see why. All together, including all of our state # 8217 ; s provinces we have an Electoral College consisting of 538 members. In order for a campaigner to really go the President he must obtain at least 270 electoral ballots, giving him the bulk plus one ( Glennon 19 ) . Because we use the Electoral College, it has come to happen on legion occasions that a campaigner with a higher per centum of the popular ballot is defeated by his political opposition by the electoral run ( Glennon 19 ) , therefore get the better ofing the intent of a Democracy. A Democracy exists if we the people have # 8220 ; the right to self- governance. # 8221 ; # 8220 ; American # 8216 ; democracy # 8217 ; has existed for over 200 old ages, and citizens are ready, as they have been for decennaries, if non centuries, to eventually command their ain state # 8221 ; ( # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems # 8221 ; ) . Therefore the usage of the Electoral College is wholly useless and should be abandoned to the thought of the popular ballot. If non wholly thrown out, so altered by an amendment. Under the signifier of the present college, it is noticeable that about all of the 3rd party campaigners are non even glanced at. Most people don # 8217 ; t even know their names or what party they come from. Many people still find no job with the ways of the college. Enthusiasts of the College point out that it has no budget what so of all time, and truly has no manner to # 8220 ; support itself. # 8221 ; Many besides argue that if the authorities were as efficient we would be much better off. If the Electoral College were non established, campaigners these yearss would most likely skip over the provinces that don # 8217 ; Ts have a important figure of electoral ballots. For illustration, the District of Columbia, which has the lower limit of three ballots. Andrew Spano, a Westchester County executive provinces that # 8220 ; The system forces you to run all over the U.S. as you try to roll up electoral ballots # 8230 ; It fits with the diverseness of our state # 8221 ; ( Yanc ey ) . The Federal System is supposed to hold the power. The people are non the Federal system, the provinces are the Federal system. Anti-electoral citizens believe that they should hold control of who becomes the president. They point out that under the present Electoral College mentality, every individual in the United States that ballots, is fundamentally blowing their clip. In an article found on the World Wide Web, it states that, in the Presidential election, # 8220 ; single ballots are non even tallied # 8221 ; ( # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems # 8221 ; ) . In regard to the # 8220 ; 3rd # 8221 ; party campaigners, the Electoral College gives them perfectly no opportunity of winning. This comes away because even if a elector likes one of the # 8220 ; 3rd # 8221 ; party campaigners the best, he or she will non vote for them because they think it will be a otiose ballot. This is rather true because if they do vote for the campaigner he will more frequently than non even have one electoral ballot. For illustration, in 1992, Ross Perot, a member of the Reform Party received this really bad luck. Desp ite the fact that he won 12 % of the popular ballot, he failed to obtain a individual electoral ballot ( # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems # 8221 ; ) . This demonstrates the really # 8220 ; faltering block # 8221 ; that the Electoral College has become. It is best summed up with another quotation mark found on the Citizens for True Democracy web site. # 8220 ; The Electoral College is non deserving salvaging # 8221 ; ( # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems # 8221 ; ) . The disadvantages of the Electoral system are obvious. On top of the above listed jobs found with the system at that place comes another. As stated B efore, many people won’t even vote for their favourite campaigner sometimes if he/ she may be in a â€Å"third† party. Many times, these parties fail to happen in provinces that, more frequently than non, are controlled by one specific party. Whether a province has three ballots or 33 ballots, its electoral electors are merely supposed to vote for the campaigner they have been pledged to ( 6: 159 -162 ) . This means, in the 2000 election for illustration, that if an electoral elector from Florida wants Gore to win he has to vote for Bush anyhow. He has made a promise that he will vote for Bush and merely Bush. Despite this promise, many of the electors still may vote for the individual they feel will suit the place best. It doesn’t go on excessively frequently ( â€Å"Electoral College† ) . But if it does you can non state who has done it because ballots are cast on nameless ballots ( Longely 103 ) . In many of our states past elections, the Electoral College has demonstrated its capacity to give the win to the existent also-ran. For illustration, in 1888 Grover Cleveland was the victor of the popular ballot by merely about 100,000 ballots. His opposition Benjamin Harrison won the election because of his win in the electoral ballots. This besides happened in 1876 when Rutherford B. Hayes stole the election from Samuel J. Tilden ( 6: 159 -162 ) . These illustrations demonstrate why the Electoral College should be either eliminated or at least controlled. Because of these failures of the Electoral College, legion options have been thought through to forestall farther complications. Since the Electoral College is in the Constitution, it would take an amendment to make any alteration what so of all time. If we could alter to a direct popular ballot, many 3rd parties may emerge into the running ( # 8220 ; Electoral College # 8221 ; ) . Ideas that have been introduced have been seeking to work since when it was foremost created. If the Electoral College were to be wholly demolished the construct of direct election would be the best manner to travel. Under this signifier, all citizens who are eligible would vote for the campaigner they feel best fits the place. If we have sixty million people that can vote in the United States a campaigner would necessitate thirty million plus one to win ( Glennon 19 ) . Under this option, the ca mpaigner that the bulk of the people want as president will really go the President. The other will non somehow weasel his manner out of it. In two provinces, the Electoral College has already had its entire power limited. Maine and Nebraska have their ain small program. The thought of popular ballot is used in these two provinces. In Maine there are four electoral ballots. Three belong to the major statewide popular ballot victor and the other goes to the campaigner who wins the second congressional territory. In both countries, whoever wins the popular ballot gets some of the electoral ballots ( Curry ) . We have been talking about altering it for old ages and eventually it # 8217 ; s such a large issue. It was really interesting how this happened merely as I was old plenty to vote. I know that if I were still non old plenty I wouldn # 8217 ; t care as much. I would be really caught up in the whole state of affairs but would non mind. Now that I have voted I feel that I am still excluded along with everyone else in the state that casts their ballot. It reminds me of how undistinguished I am in the procedure. Because of this I agree with those who want a alteration. In my sentiment I feel that holding the Electoral College is bad, but non what is keeping us down the most. The winner-takes-all map is a major job. If we can somehow acquire that to fall apart our elections will work much better. The # 8220 ; Electoral College # 8221 ; under its present signifier has got to travel. If a campaigner wins the popular ballot he should finally be declared the people # 8217 ; s favourite an d hence should non hold to cover with being voted out by a cockamamie electoral ballot. If we can somehow compromise the state of affairs I think that our state will profit the greatest. Let # 8217 ; s say for illustration that if a campaigner wins 65 % of the ballots in a given province, he will besides have 65 % of the electoral ballots. This manner, holding no winner-takes-all system, the campaigner who wins the popular ballot will win the electoral ballot besides. So we won # 8217 ; Ts have to cover with all of the past jobs that we as a state have had. # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems. # 8221 ; Citizens for True Democracy 1998-2000 # 8220 ; Your Vote Does Not Count! You Can Thank the Electoral College. # 8221 ; Citizens for True Democracy.1998-2000 Curry, Tom. # 8220 ; Making Sense of the Electoral College: How the indirect, intricate system works. # 8221 ; MSNBC. Enrich, David. # 8220 ; 2000 Presidential Campaign Showcases Electoral College Problems. # 8221 ; Citizens for True Democracy 23 October 2000 Glennon, Michael J. When No Majority Rules: The Electoral College Presidential Sequence. Washington, D.C. : Congressional Quarterly Inc. , 1992. Kesler, Charles R. The Federalist Papers. Ed. Clinton Rossiter. New York: Penguin Inc. , 1961. Longely, Lawrence D. , and Neal R. Peirce. The Electoral College Primer. New Haven: Yale University, 1996. MacBride, Roger L. The American Electoral College. Idaho: Caxton Printers, 1953. Margasak, Larry. # 8220 ; Florida Voters take to Web. # 8221 ; Times Union 10 Nov. 2000: A16 # 8220 ; Electoral College. # 8221 ; Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2000. 10 Nov. 2000 Wechsler, Alan. # 8220 ; Election Drama a Great Lesson. # 8221 ; Times Union 10 Nov. 2000: A16 # 8220 ; Electoral College. # 8221 ; The World Book Encyclopedia. 1990 erectile dysfunction. Yancey, Roy. # 8220 ; States # 8217 ; Gore Electors Question Electoral College system. # 8221 ; Times Union 10 Nov. 2000: A9

The mission statement for Audi Essay Example

The mission statement for Audi Paper Audi is an internationally renowned manufacturer of high-quality cars.  We aim to establish new standards to substantiate our brand claim of Vorsprung durch technik.  The objective of a business can vary depending on what the business does.  E.g. Oxfams main objective is to raise money and the profit goes directly to helping poverty in third world countries. But an organisation like Audi AG will have there main objective to sell top of the range cars to all sorts of clientele and there profits goes straight back into the company. A mission statement gives an indication of what the purpose of the business and dovetails with the objectives the organisation sets itself.  Business objectives are medium to long-term goals or targets that provide a sense of direction to the business. For example in the case of Audi AG they might have an objective to boost Car sales from 20,000 to 30,000.  Companies may have a number of objectives. In general, the objectives pursued by a business tend to vary according to its size, ownership and legal structure. Small business are more likely to have survival as there main objective as they tend to lack the financial recourses to cope with adverse trading conditions.  Larger business will have maximising there profits as there main objectives, especially if they are a plc [public limited company] because they will have shareholders breathing down there neck wanting the highest possible return. These objectives will reflect purpose of the business as expressed in the mission statement and they have a considerable impact on the way in which it operates.Culture describes the values and beliefs of the people who make up an organisation. An organisations culture will be displayed in the attitudes of its staff and the ways in which they interact with other people such as customers, suppliers an colleagues. It will also be shown by the way that decisions are taken and in the management style used throughout the organisation. We will write a custom essay sample on The mission statement for Audi specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The mission statement for Audi specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The mission statement for Audi specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Role culture.  Many business have traditionally operated in a bureaucratic manner, relying upon agreed procedures and strict hierarchy and roles within the organisation.  Within these traditional or role cultures, employees are expected to behave conventionally. They are expected to follow the rules- individualism is discouraged.  Audi Ag are based on using this organisational culture. It benefits the larger companies such as Audi were there is a strict hierarchy as the table below shows. Person-oriented culture.  A person-oriented culture is characterised by a focus on fulfilling the needs of the individuals within an organisation. It allows individuals freedom to shape theire jobs and operate with a degree of independence.  It is therefore appropriate when employees are highly skilled and motivated. This type of culture may exist within organisations such as firms of accountants and solicitors. Power culture.  Power culture places considerable emphasis on personal charisma and  risk-taking. It disregards procedures and values entrepreneurship. This type of culture Is most common in small business, where a ingle person can have an overview of the entire organisation.  From this table we can see that roles are spread out so managers can concentrate on there specific job roles instead of putting a half hearted attempt in to there job because of the heavy work load.

Talking About Young People

Talking About Young People Talking About Young People Talking About Young People By Maeve Maddox Many terms exist to describe children of various ages, all of them having different connotations. The messages of journalists, politicians, merchants, professional educators, and social commentators are often slanted by the terms they choose to describe children. For example, politicians who may usually refer to children as kids are careful to use the words child and children in their important speeches. Apparently, child evokes a more tender response in the listener than kid. Professional educators, who once distinguished between the words pupil and student, now refer to all school children as students. Any word that describes a child is going to carry some emotional charge, but some are more heavily weighted than others. Here are some fairly neutral words to describe young people under the age of 21: baby infant toddler child boy girl youngster juvenile adolescent minor The following words convey more specific images and appeal to different emotions: tot tyke little one preschooler teenager teen preteen student young man young lady young adult waif urchin brat rug rat guttersnipe In the past, the word youth was a useful term often seen in news stories with the meaning of â€Å"a young man between boyhood and mature age.† For example, â€Å"Youth Robs Liquor Store.† Recently, I’ve seen the word used to describe a three-year-old who drowned. Finally, there’s the word kid. As a word for the young of a goat, kid has been in the language at least since 1562; possibly since 1200. The OED documents kid, â€Å"a child, especially a young child,† from the 17th century, noting that it originated as â€Å"low slang,† but by the 19th century had become common in familiar speech. Nowadays, kid is used in the most formal contexts, from the speech and writing of professional educators to the naming of children’s clinics. The word’s elevation to the status of an acceptable synonym for child may have something to do with its similarity to German Kind (child); after all, English is a Germanic language. However, despite its ubiquity as a generic term for child, the word kid can carry negative connotations that prevent it from being acceptable in every context. Related post: â€Å"I Hate ‘Kids† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?Anyone vs. EveryoneHow Long Should a Synopsis Be?

The major challenges for China; Why the past successful export-led Essay

The major challenges for China; Why the past successful export-led growth model cannot continue; How the Chinese economy should be further reformed - Essay Example Despite all these down turns, there is hope for the resurgence of this economy; the Chinese government has re-embarked on strategic plans that would enable resurrection of its previously steadily growing economy. A country with settled political situations, democracy and that is well equipped in terms of technology has all the privileges to kick start the road to an impressive economy. The Chinese economy has been one of the most consistent and swiftly growing with a sustainability growth rate of 10% (Naughton, 2007). China has portrayed a dynamic and unrivaled density; however, it is still transforming from two transitions as first, it â€Å"is still completing its transition away from bureaucratic socialism and toward a market economy† (Naughton, 2007, p. 4). Naughton further explains the second transformation with which China is transforming, which is the fact that â€Å"China is in the middle of the industrialization process, the protracted transformation from a rural to an urban society† (2007, p. 4). These two transitions are still far from completion and therefore China still has challenges. The Chinese economy can now be compared to those of developing nations. While this economic similarity exists, so do the challenges. One of the crucial challenges that have been faced recently due to the transition is the shift from the socialist type economy to the market based economy. This challenge was however fixed but again, it led to the rise of another challenge related to development. According to Naughton, these challenges are â€Å"the need to invest in human skills and physical infrastructure, the need to create effective institutions, and the need to protect underprivileged and vulnerable sections of the population† (2007, p. 5). Although there are many positives related to the growth such as improved living standards, many Chinese have fallen in the hands of uncertainties marred with risks. Majority

What is the Status of Moral Claims Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is the Status of Moral Claims - Essay Example f is fundamentally and diametrically opposed to such a practice and does not consider any argument for it as being ethically or morally convincing (Nussbaum 1). As such, Nussbaum presents a very simple yet well reasoned approach that defines the process of FGM as reprehensible regardless of the cultural determinants that claim to the contrary. It is this author’s belief that the strong position that Nussbaum takes is absolutely defensible. Firstly, it should be a commonly held view across humanity that violence is not the solution to any perceived problem and that humans should most certainly not be subjected to a violent form of clitoral mutilation; especially prior to the age where they can make a determination for themselves how they would like their bodies to develop and represent their own unique understanding of culture. Whereas this view may be seen as xenophobic, the truth of the matter is that it should be understood across culture as patently wrong to inflict willful damage on any member of society; especially those that are unaware with regards to the pain and trauma that such a situation will effect later in their

Issues And Assumptions Of Hotel Mangement

Issues And Assumptions Of Hotel Mangement The following report is a thorough analysis of the outrigger Hotels and Resorts case that describe the current Information Technology (IT) being used by this firm and the Information System resources that are being employed by Outrigger Hotels and Resorts. We will first start by giving a brief background history of the company and then analyze the current business structure and the Information System currently being employed. Key Issues and assumptions are identified from the case and thoroughly analyzed. Additional SWOT (strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis questions are answered and finally, additional recommendation on how Outrigger can improve their current IS and IT infrastructure are provided to improve the future outcome of Outrigger Hotels Resorts. INTRODUCTION: Outrigger Hotels and Resorts is a management company that is owned by its holding corporation, Outrigger Enterprises. It is one of the largest, privately-held leisure lodging and hospitality firm in the Asia Pacific and Oceania. With rapid growth, Outrigger is expanding its presence throughout the Hawaiian Islands and the south pacific. By the dawn of the 21st century, the industry was estimated to have exceeded $295 billion in sales (Outrigger, 2010). With more than 60 years of hospitality experience, Outrigger has a diverse product portfolio that include highly successful, multi-branded line of hotels, condominiums and vacation resort properties, including Outrigger Hotels resorts, OHANA Hotels Resorts and Outrigger Condominium Collection (Outrigger, 2010). It is considered as one of the leading destination and vacation spots in the Hawaiian market with above average performance levels of the global industry (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 106). KEY ISSUES AND ASSUMPTIONS: Main focus is to gain competitive advantage. Currently in waves 1 and 2 of the Waves of Innovation development of its electronic interfaces with their wholesalers. But not all wholesalers were interested in automating The firms integrated CRS/PMS (Central Reservation System/Property Management System) IT infrastructure Stellex, failed to migrate with a modern platform that was thought to simplify connectivity with the other off-the-shelf computer systems Having a Central Reservation Office (CRO) operating in Denver, Colorado. Reservations were centralized for all properties in Hawaii and beyond Hawaii, reservations was taken at each property. Issues with distance, high telecommunication costs and unacceptable reliability of international network led to a decentralized structure. Competitive pressures raising the importance of integration as larger branded hospitality and resort companies are entering the market. travel agents and wholesalers were finding the condominiums hard to sell advancements in technology and the overall internet boom proving a challenge for outrigger to keep up with and jeopardizing Outriggers future stability Detailed description: The main concern that Outrigger had was to analyze the current outriggers business strategy and to come up with an appropriate IS vision, IS architecture, and a strategic IS plan for outrigger hotels and resorts that not only gives Outrigger competitive advantage but also ensures future stability and success of the firm. When looking at IT and how it is used by industries and enterprises, waves of innovation chart is used (provided in the appendix, figure 4) that identifies the current evolution of IT within a firm (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 46). Currently, it is our assumption that Outrigger Hotels and Resorts are in Wave 1 and Wave 2. Their main goals are to reduce costs (Wave 1) and in leveraging investments (Wave 2) that focus on cutting cost through organizational effectiveness while increasing corporate assets and profitability (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 47). Outrigger achieved in reducing costs by automating manual processes to wholesalers such as billing and invoicing generating organizational effectiveness. They gained competitive advantage by implementing the electronic interface to be used by wholesalers. As shown in Figure 4, both Wave 1 and Wave 2 are below the line as this identifies that systems were developed mainly for administration, finance, and manufacturing (McNur lin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 47). Furthermore, with the outsourcing of their website and web services, they introduced online chat to better help their customers and provide more information to them. Although this can be regarded as Wave 5 under the Waves of Innovation as it shows how IT is used to communicate directly with consumers, thereby leading to new marketing, distribution and service strategies (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p 47). Also what can be considered under Wave 5 is the adoption of a dynamic package that Outrigger serves that appeals to travellers, suppliers, even travel agencies. It provides the option and flexibility to choose air, hotel, car rental and even activities, ticketed independently and then priced out as a bundle to the buyer. This is another example of how Outrigger is reaching consumers and creating opportunities (Wave 5 in Waves of Innovation) by directly communicating with their prospective clients, making use of internet and e-commerce (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 47). Outrigger Hotels and Resorts historically maintained a highly centralized organization structure. As the firm grew in size from Hawaii locations and expanded internationally such as Australia, Outrigger remained consolidated and offered centralized services where possible such as in accounting, IT, finance, engineering, purchasing etc. The challenge that was presented with their Australian resorts was of distance and real-time coordination of the reservation system with the central reservation service. Within the IT infrastructure, the firm felt that its current centralized IT infrastructure was the source of competitive advantage. Their software Stellex was an integrated Central Reservation System/Property Management System (CRS/PMS) which was upgraded to Stellex 2.0 in 1992 to provide revenue management functionality and reservation center support. But with the expansion of the firm internationally, they ran into issues such as high telecommunication costs to and from Hawaii and the unacceptable reliability of international networks. Therefore, they did not extend their centralized model to their operations in Australia and the Pacific. Outriggers IT professionals did minimal application development wrote customized reports, and configured and interfaced with off-the-shelf applications. Even their website development and web services were outsourced and hosted by a third party in Portland, Oregon. Their main competitive advantage that outrigger had was the development of real-time electronic interfaces with wholesalers as mentioned above. Outrigger felt that with the use of technology, electronic interfaces will generate substantial efficiencies, including automatic billing and invoicing without human handling and thus lowering costs. But not all wholesalers were interested in automating reservation processing. The lack of interest was generated from those doing small operations or those for whom Hawaii and the Pacific represented a small percentage of business. Not only that, but the electronic interfaces proved to be expensive to maintain and replace and didnt provide the expected goals that Outrigger envisioned to gain to get beyond their competitors (Piccoli, G. 2005, P 113). System integration is the trend that allows different departments to have communication and information flow amongst each department and thus making technologies and systems co-exist with one another to work together. This is usually accomplished by implementing and ERP system that provides the accessibility of working from a single computing platform integrating different departments and functions across an organization (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 333). With stellex software though, it failed to migrate with the modern platform that integrated other off-the-shelf application prompting outrigger to re-evaluate Stellexs role. Additionally, Stellex also failed to interface with outriggers Point of Sales (POS) system which were old and needed to be upgraded first. Therefore, the whole project was aborted. Outriggers management is also in need of change management. They had this misconception that they did not want to extend their centralized model in operations because of high telecommunications cost and the unacceptable reliability of international networks. They had no central servers, stand alone systems and their use of outsourcing was limited to website development and hosting. Their data management systems consisted of data marts setup to hold detailed information for a maximum of three years, and later they would consolidate this data for aggregate analysis. Overall, Outriggers management felt that their IT function was enabling them complete success and that their IT function would be able to operate more efficiently than its competitors. QUESTIONS: What are Outriggers most important internal business strengths and weaknesses, as well as, the external opportunities and threats to their competitive environment? Strengths: Through Partnerships and management agreements with third party owners, Outrigger added properties on Maui and Kauai and grew to 26 locations in the Hawaiian Islands. Furthermore, through partnerships, joint ventures, acquisitions, and new developments the firm grew internationally adding properties in Guam, Fiji, Tahiti, Australia, and New Zealand thus becoming geographically dispersed. They also begain to diversify their product portfolio by adding condominium resorts The changing of their name from Outrigger Hotels Hawaii to Outrigger Hotels and Resorts and rebranding their off beach hotels in Waikiki to launch a new hotel brand name OHANA Hotels of Hawaii. OHANA became the largest Hawaii-owned operator in Waikiki catering to budget travelers looking for value on off-beach properties. Even though they were expanding their firm and buying properties (both on-beach properties/condominiums and off-beach budgeted properties) their commitment in their identity remained the same. Providing hospitality and sense of place to their guests visiting and a leisure experience that is rich in culture and the characteristics of their destination. 2004 data showed outrigger as being the stronghold in the Hawaiian market with performance levels above the average of the global industry. By 2005, Outrigger had a portfolio exceeding US $1.4 billion and approximate revenues of US $45 million. It awarded their success of their destination markets and to the well-being of airlines serving its destinations. Being quite isolated from any large population pool, Hawaii is a classic destination market with an exclusive fly-in customer base. Their Stellex software proved to be an anchor from which all operational systems connected, including telephone switches, call accounting, and in-room entertainment. All the Hawaiian islands had access to Outriggers centralized IT system which was served from the Honolulu-based data center, through the firms Wide Area Network. Their management of their multicultural and multilingual employees and guests in a multicultural environment adding to the richness and culture of their organization. Also, engaging in a non-unionized business in a heavy unionized Hawaiian labor market. Operating properties that have good location, strong travel distribution network and employees who provide hospitality from the heart adds value and creates a differentiated product. David Carey Use of outsourcing was limited to website development and hosting. Weaknesses: Even though condominiums represented an increasingly important share of the total portfolio of properties, travel agents and wholesalers found them hard to sell. Not only are condominiums expensive, but they were also complex and proved to be a non-standard product from what Outrigger offered. It appealed to independent travelers and are built to serve as primary or vacation homes for the tenants offering little office or staging space for management companies to operate in. They also lacked typical hotel services and departments such as food and beverage, room service, laundry, and daily maid services. Thus, there was a lack of reasoning involved on Outriggers behalf when they decided to expand their firm into condominium market and acquiring expensive properties. As Outrigger started to diversity their product portfolio, the profile of their customers and competitors also changed. Traditionally targeting to middle class travelers and families with income below $100k a year, they became to target towards leisure travelers. A typical guest staying at their premium brand was often a multigenerational customer with a sense of loyalty to the brand and an income exceeding $75,000. Their guests became exclusive leisure travelers. Outrigger still relied on the traditional system of faxing. Reservations were taken at each location and almost all the reservations were faxed to the property. Although Outrigger was expanding rapidly, they had yet to find an integrated solution for international properties namely for operations in Australia and Pacific. Having centralized stand alone systems or legacy systems. It created high telecommunication costs to and from Hawaii, as well as international networks proved to be unreliable. Their Stellex software failed to migrate to a more modern platform that was thought to simplify connectivity with the other off-the-shelf computer systems. Point of Sales (POS) systems were not centralized and couldnt be interfaced with Stellex software as they were old and needed to be upgraded first. This resulted in inefficiency as a manual charge voucher had to be manually written. Data marts were setup to hold detailed customer information for three years, but later this data would be consolidated and it would only provide aggregate analysis. Outsourcing was done to website only. Opportunities: Investments in condominiums provided a way for expansion to expensive properties. It created value to on-beach property location spots Condominiums also appealed to independent travelers and couples who desired privacy. Hawaii is a classic destination market Competitive pressures will raise the importance of integrated system and the benefits that come along with it within Outriggers IT infrastructure. Better integrating of its international properties is a crucial stepping stone to the firms continued success. With the increasing competition in its key markets, outrigger should also look towards strengthening their electronic presence and relationships with their distributers, improve their trademark hospitality and customer service. Threats: More competition from larger brand competitors entering into the market. Hawaii is the classic destination spot and many competitors are entering into the Hawaiian market. More larger branded hospitalities and resorts are entering into the Hawaiian market Not all the wholesalers were interested in automating the service of billing and invoicing for small operations IT infrastructure needs to be upgraded and changed to keep up with modern platforms. Competitive pressures will raise the importance of integration systems within Outriggers IT infrastructure The change in the overall hospitality distribution is also rapidly changing. Historically, travel agents would provide significant amounts of information, counseling, and reassurance to leisure travelers, but more and more consumers are turning to the internet for this information. Thus, Outrigger should challenge populating the new electronic world and create a powerful presence. The emergence of online agencies such as Expedia has created significant opportunities and threats. Explain the strengths and/or weaknesses of Outriggers existing infrastructure i.e. Information Systems Technology, People (users and IS staff), and Data. Include your assessment of its performance today as well as how well equipped it is to support future needs. Outrigger existing infrastructure includes the overall establishment with their Stellex software. It was introduced in 1987 as a COBOL application and guaranteed complete redundancy and 24/7 uptime. Later in 1992, and update to stellex, Stellex 2.0 was introduced by Outrigger which ran on Sun Microsystems UNIX platform and provided revenue management functionality and reservation center support. They also implemented JD Edwards ERP system as a foundation for their back-office operations. This led to Outrigger having a competitive advantage by having centralized IT infrastructure (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 111). All of the properties in the Hawaiian Islands had access to the Outriggers centralized IT systems and was served through their Wide Area Network based in Honolulu. Stellex provided the anchor to which all other operational systems connected, including telephone switches, call accounting, and in-room entertainment. Due to the high telecommunication costs to and from Hawaii and the unreliability on the international networks, Outrigger did not extend this centralized model to its operations in Australia and Pacific. The properties in Australia and New Zealand which were all condominiums, used standalone Property Management Systems (PMS). None of the properties in Hawaii had a server on property and these other regions used standalone PMSs and on-property reservations. Additionally, Outriggers IT professional engaged in interfacing off-the-shelf applications and writing customized reports with minimal application development. The use of outsourcing was limited to the Web site that was developed and hosted by a third party in Portland, Oregon. But to maintain the integration of the direct channels, Stellex served as the booking engine behind Outriggers Web site. The development of electronic interfaces with wholesalers was considered a key initiative and was custom-developed by the firms IT group using XML (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 113). This provided real-time electronic interfaces for wholesalers allowing them to check availability, to get reservations instantaneously, to provide automate billing and invoices, and ultimately lowering any estimated costs. However, not all wholesalers were interested because of Outriggers small percentage of business. In 2001, business intelligence software, a data mart and analytical tools, were acquired from E.piphany and the application ran on Windows 2000 platform. Their data management system could hold data for up to three years, and then it would get consolidated for aggregate analyses (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 118). Being able to harness the analytical power of E.piphany to do forecasts and generate business intelligence, outrigger could better use the data for marketing and operational analysis as well as incorporate information into their daily operations with improved efficiency and service to their customers. With regards to their IT staffing and organization as a whole, an organization chart has been provided in the appendix section detailing the distribution of duties and responsibilities among Outriggers IT staff. The overall IT function was organized along user needs one IT professional in charge of Australian properties application needs. The hardware support was contracted out to local vendors. Outriggers senior executives found technology a great asset to enable communication and felt confident that the IT function was enabling the firm to compete effectively and that they were operating more efficiently than their competition (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 116). As the firm was expanding aggressively, they still had yet to find an integrated solution for their international properties. Some even questioned the viability of reinvesting in Stellex. The IS group felt that their legacy system namely their ERP, integrated PMS/CRS, and electronic interfaces with distribution partners was serving the firm quite well. They were prompted to re-evaluate the role of Stellex after a failed attempt to migrate a more modern platform thought to simplify connectivity with the other off-the-shelf computer systems in the portfolio. Outrigger engaged in limited formal technology training and relied mainly on on-the-job training when it came to software applications. This approach however created difficulties for people who were hired from outside the firm. With the latest advancements in technology, even the guests who arrive to resorts expect to have access to their technological needs. Eg wireless access and thus outrigger should look into future to provide that feasibility to their guests. Additionally, it would be best to strengthen their internet presence and populate the electronic world strengthening their electronic relationships with their distributers, improving their own trademark hospitality and customer service. Although currently their firm is doing well, but for the future, a better integrated system that connects all the international properties is a crucial step in enabling the firms continued success. Developing a right kind of information strategy and developing a clear vision for the role of IS and a solid IS architecture are a crucial step in enabling these goals. Based on your assessment of the case, state your key recommendations and rationale to Outriggers senior management to ensure that it competes successfully. To compete successfully in the future, a key recommendation for Outrigger is to implement a change in their overall current IT and IS systems and strategy and look towards the advantages that are offered by a complete ERP system. An ERP system aims to integrate corporate systems by providing a single set of applications from a single application (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p332). Although Outrigger has already implemented the JD Edwards ERP as their back-office operations, its more advantageous to have the ERP system integrating the whole overall different departments and properties together with one module and have information flows in real time. These days, an ERP system is used extensively in almost every major organization whether it be in manufacturing or distributing services, an integrated ERP system allows a firm to gain competitive advantage. Not only that but competitive pressures have raised the importance of integrating business processes and thus, the underlying info rmation system. Additional motivations for ERP implementations are provided in Figure 4 outlining the advantages of an ERP system implementations. To realize the benefits of ERP, Outrigger must therefore change its organizational structure and culture. APPENDIX CASE 1: OUTRIGGER HOTEL RESORTS Outrigger Organization: Figure : Organization Chart Outriggers Infrastructure: Figure : Timeline of Major Infrastructure Developments at Outrigger Waves of Innovation: Picture2.jpg Figure : Waves of Innovation Motivations for ERP implementations: Figure : Motivations for ERP implementations

John Steinbecks East of Eden - The Character of Adam Trask :: East Eden Essays

The Character of Adam Trask in East of Eden In Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, the word love is defined as a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. Love can bring two people together but it can also have a person be rejected by another because of love. In the novel East of Eden by John Steinbeck, the main character, Adam Trask, confronts a feeling of love throughout the whole book but he either rejects the love of people who care about him or has his love rejected by the people that he cares about. When Adam was a young man in the beginning of the novel, his father, Cyrus Trask loved him but Adam did not love him back and when Adam went into the army he did not come back home until his father's death. Later on in the story Adam really loved his wife, Cathy, but she didn't love him back and so when she tried to leave him and he would not let her, she shot him. Even though Adam survived he was demoralized for most of his life because he still loved her. Through Adam's ex periences of love in the novel, John Steinbeck shows that Adam Trask has an inability to handle love. When he first appears in the novel, Adam Trask is a young man who is not loved by his brother or mother but only by his father. Cyrus had punished Adam before and had tried to teach him to be a soldier and so Adam hated him for that and when Cyrus told him he loved him, Adam did not accept his love. Cyrus tells Adam, "I think you're a weakling who will never amount to a dog turd. Does that answer your question? I love you better. I always have. This may be a bad thing to tell you, but it's true. I love you better. Else why would I have given myself the trouble of hurting you?" (Steinbeck 28). Cyrus is telling Adam that he has always loved him and that the only reason that he punished him is because he loved him. He wants Adam to go into the army because he knows that Adam would be courageous and since Cyrus was in the army, he wants to pass on the legacy. When Adam came home from his discharge, his brother and him were talking about their father and Adam told him the truth.