Lego Case Study Essay Example for Free

Lego Case Study Essay In this case , LEGO needs a flexible and robust IT infrastructure with business intelligence capabilities that could help management perform better forecasting and planning. So they chose to implement SAPs Supply Chain Management (SCM) , Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), and Enterprise Resoures Planning (ERP) modules. In the ERP module includes the Human Capital Management (HCM) application for personnel administration and development. These features such as â€Å"Talent Manager† as well those for handling employee administration, reporting, and travel and time management. These advanced features allow LEGO’s HR personnel to select the best candidates, schedule their training, and create a stimulus plan to retain them. b. Discussion of why the issue/problem is important for Information Systems discipline? IT infrastructure combine with business intelligence capabilities that could help management perform better forecasting and planning. Depth integration of data mining and information systems, able to establish a new business intelligence system to increase profits and reduce costs. In this case , SAPs ERP-HCM module effectively help LEGO’s manager to select the best candidates. It is also possible to include performance measurements and get a real-time insight into HR trends. So LEGO’s manager able to track employee’s leadership potential, develop their careers, and forecast the recruiting of new employees with certain skills. In life, the data is ubiquitous, and how do we treat and use of data? Data analysis must incorporate with information, less of data analysis, probability of failure for decision-making will climbing. Data analysis is the basis of the Decision Sciences, data analysis tells just a trend, predict a phenomenon. These trends and phenomena will change over time, no one can grasp the long-lasting. Data analysis to grasp the trend, can tell you at different times with different variables can produce different views, and the mode how will correct. This reminds me of a movie, â€Å"Moneyball†, the film based on Michael Lewis’s excellent book about the business of baseball, the basic idea is: Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane turned the baseball industry on its head by using objectivity nd data to help pick a baseball team, instead of subjectivity and gut. It was controversial and not perfect, but he did a pretty good job at it. He broke the conventional method, using historical data and data mining method to build the evaluation model, using low cost to purchase those underrated players. Creating a team has the ability to against the famous New York Yankees. Rely on intuition to make decisions has passed, Now the most important thing is effectively to use data analysis, combining with other disciplines, especially with the combination of information systems. . Identification of who are the key stakeholders and how they are impacted by the issue/problem. LEGO’s CEO and head of HR personnel, they can do this by ERP-HCM to predict and pick the talent they need, and handling employee administration, reporting, and travel and time management. SAP’s business suite supports databases from different vendors, so that abroad managers enable to have direct access to the database system from the company’s various locations. d. What is required for the successful continuation of the new method? SAPsbusiness suite is based on a flexible three-tier client-server architecture. In the first tier, a client interface submits user’s requests. The application servers receive and process clients‘ requests. In turn, these application servers send the processed requests to the database system. Therefore, the link between each layer is necessary. Compatibility between the different databases is also an indispensable factor. Most importantly, data analysis must incorporate with information system. e. Can you think of any other alternatives? SAS Business Intelligence also offers an integrated, robust and flexible presentation layer for the full breadth of SAS Analytics capabilities, including statistics, predictive analytics, data and text mining, forecasting, and optimization – all integrated within the business context for better, faster decision making. OSI Consulting also provide infrastructure strategy and planning services evaluate and prioritize IT optimization options and define a road map of activities that can reduce costs and improve utilization using time-tested methods and best-practice analysis. 2. Answer all the Questions at the end of the case correctly (50) f. Explain the role of the database in SAPsthree-tier system. The third tier database system, This tier keeps data neutral and independent from application servers or business logic. Giving data its own tier also improves scalability and performance. Database plays the role of the terminal server, can be used to store or access data. g. Explain why distributed architectures are flexible. The distributed architectures enables authorized personnel to have direct access to the database system from the company’s various locations. A distributed database is a database that is under the control of a central database management system in which storage devices are not all attached to a common CPU. It may be stored in multiple computers located in the same physical location, or may be dispersed over a network of interconnected computers. Collections of data can be distributed across multiple physical locations. A distributed database can reside on network servers on the Internet, on corporate intranets or extranets, or on other company networks. Replication and distribution of databases improve database performance at end-user worksites. . Identify some of the business intelligence features included in SAPsbusiness software suite. The SCM module includes essential features such as supply chain monitoring and analysis as well as forecasting, planning, and inventory optimization. The PLM module enables managers to optimize development processes and systems. The ERP module includes, among other applications, the Human Capital Management (HCM) application for personnel administration and development. These features such as â€Å"Talent Manager† as well those for handling employee administration, reporting, and travel and time management. These advanced features allow LEGO’s HR personnel to select the best candidates, schedule their training, and create a stimulus plan to retain them. It is also possible to include performance measurements and get a real-time insight into HR trends. LEGO’s manager able to track employee’s leadership potential, develop their careers, and forecast the recruiting of new employees with certain skills. i. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of having multiple databases in a distributed architecture? Explain. The primary advantage of distributed database systems is the ability to share and access data in a reliable and efficient manner. Advantages: Improved scalability Unlike a single-database system, in which the amount of data that can be stored depends on the limitations of one database, a distributed-database system is easily scalable and, therefore, set up for growth. As more sites or regions become part of the Teamcenter Enterprise network, you can expand the database topology to include new databases. With multiple databases, Teamcenter Enterprise data is divided into logical pieces, so that users usually work only with the data that is most applicable to them. Improved performance The majority of database inserts, queries, updates, and deletions are on user data; therefore, a distributed-database environment separates user data from centralized or shared data and stores it locally. Local user databases reduce network traffic and eliminate network bottlenecks on most transactions. Local user databases also distribute the user load in terms of system resources, such as memory. In addition, a distributed-database environment separates the user data from the data related to operational or background processing, which also reduces the amount of local system resources used. Increased availability Because user databases are independent, if one database is unavailable, other databases can continue to work. In a distributed-database environment, selected classes are replicated in other databases when they are created, deleted, or updated. This replication increases availability. By separating data, administrators have more flexibility in determining the frequency and types of backups needed for different types of data. This also increases availability. Disadvantages: Degradation of performance on a small network One user action can cause activity in several databases, some of which may be remote. The additional overhead of these transactions can be a performance penalty when the total amount of data in the network is small. Users also see slower performance when accessing user data that is not local. Increased use of database space The schema of all databases must be the same, that is, every table must exist in every database. Therefore, database space is used for tables that may never be accessed. When the number of tables is very large, the amount of space used this way can be significant. Administrators must use database storage parameters to size tables and reduce database space consumption.

gossip girl :: essays research papers

From this review: "Nothing I say in this review can bring justice to master storyteller Cecily Von Ziegesar, whose research comes from her own life as an upper eastside, New York City teen. She has a reality-based knack for bringing cigarette-and-pot smoking rich kids into three-dimensional color. As naughty as these characters seem on every page, they are revealed to be real kids wanting to fit into accepted, meaningful lives as much as sleek clothes..† Rich girl Blair Waldorf is about to discover what it’s like to not get her way. Almost seventeen, she has careful plans: to lose her virginity to steady beau Nate and get into Yale. But life has alternate designs. Her mom is marrying a bald-headed dweeb and his dreadlocked son and slobbery dog are moving in. While her mom plans her wedding on the day of Blair’s birthday, Nate starts dodging her instant messages. Blair’s worse fears are coming true : Nate is losing interest. Then she has a total breakdown at her Yale interview, resorting to tears and cheek-kissing – humiliating herself and blowing any chance of getting in. In the meantime, Blair’s ex best friend, perfect-girl Serena is mixing with artsy West-siders, competing with Blair and others in their all-girl school for a prestigious film award. But Serena has her own problems. She is casually dating a West-sider named Dan, who is becoming obsessed. Can his sulky love poems win her heart? Nothing I say in this review can bring justice to master storyteller Cecily Von Ziegesar, whose research comes from her own life as an upper eastside, New York City teen. She has a reality-based knack for bringing cigarette-and-pot smoking rich kids into three-dimensional color. As naughty as these characters seem on every page, they are revealed to be real kids wanting to fit into accepted, meaningful lives as much as sleek clothes. This second GOSSIP GIRL book in the New York Times Bestselling GOSSIP GIRL series is an edgy page-turner. *Fun Notes: In the book, Gossip Girl is an anonymous online character who reports on the latest events in the lives of New York City’s richest teens at her site www.

“a Caring and Supportive Family Is the Main Building Block of a Community.” Discuss.

————————————————- â€Å"A caring and supportive family is the main building block of a community. † Discuss. Family can be defined as a group of people who have blood ties and who usually live under one roof forming a small community. The traditional concept of this would be a man and a woman who have a legal bond living under one roof with their offspring but when circumstances alter this arrangement the subsequent arrangement that arises does not make obsolete the bonds and relationships and the influence each member of that unit has on each other to form values and ethics that would contribute towards the building of communities. As such a caring and supportive family is the main building block of a community as it helps to mould individuals into positive social characters and personalities who contribute towards building a healthy community. However sometimes even though the family is caring and supportive the individual may fail to become one who contributes positively towards building a healthy community, on the other hand there may be individuals who come from dysfunctional families but are able to contribute towards the community because of other factors. The texts that will be used are The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, Muriel’s Wedding directed by P J Hogan and The Family by Anne Deveson. Firstly a caring and supportive family moulds an individual into a positive social character by building self-esteem and by guiding and helping the individual to realise the potential he or she has. [ts] They may even sacrifice to ensure that the individual is taken care off and disruptions to the individual’s life is minimised thus helping the person face traumatic experiences and eventually develop in them a social conscience to reach out to help the community. On the other hand, when there is no care and support that ensures that the welfare of the individual is secured than the individual may feel cut adrift and may lose all their self-esteem and feel that they are a useless member of society and as such may only focus on their own needs and become insensitive to the needs of others and end up not contributing towards building a better community. This can be seen from the haracters in the novel ‘The Outsiders’ where the two older brothers, Darry and Sodapop, sacrifice their futures and take on the responsibility to hold the family unit together to give stability to the life of their younger brother Ponyboy. They do this so that Ponyboy has the opportunity to fulfil his potential by having a stable home, guidance and support to excel in his studies so that he can have a better life. Pony is eventually able to weather the storms that he faces because his brothers stick by him and support him emotionally and physically. When Pony gets hurt saving the children from the burning church and is sent to the hospital, Darry is at the hospital waiting for him even though it is Pony’s unthinking actions that got Pony into trouble. Darry does not give up and retreat from Ponyboy. In the same token Sodapop does his best to try and help Darry and Pony understand each other. Darry and Sodapop are there for Pony all the time and Darry nurses and cares for him like a mother when Pony collapses after Johnny and Dally’s death. Darry’s perseverance in caring for Ponyboy and Sodapop’s emotional support and understanding eventually manages to shake Pony out of his stupor and depression and he begins to understand his brothers and their needs. This in turn helps Pony to take a grip of his life and come to terms with the grief and trauma of losing loved ones and to move on with his life. It is then that he is able to see that he has a social responsibility to tell people the story of Johnny and Dally so that they can understand boys who live on the wrong side of the cities better. Thus the care and support of his family is what helps Pony through his traumatic experiences and moulds him to be a person who is able to care about others and awakes in him a social conscience which helps to build a strong community. On the other hand Muriel from the movie ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ has little care and support that helps her develop her potential. Her family is dysfunctional. Her father is a corrupt politician who bribes and takes bribes. He is also very loud and bullies his wife and children and constantly makes derogatory remarks about them and especially Muriel all the time. Added to this he also commits adultery and blatantly brings his lover into family gatherings. Muriel does not get any form of guidance from her mother, Betty, who is weak and meek and blinds herself about the state of her marriage by ignoring the blatant adulterous relationship her husband is having with Deidre. Betty seems to cope with these problems by retreating and blurring out details she can’t face. This lack of guidance and bad examples in Muriel’s family results in moulding Muriel into some one who has low self-esteem as well as ethics. She does not think twice about using the blank cheque her mother gives her by mistake and uses all the money in the account in pursuing her own gratification by going to the same resort as her so called friends. Seeing how her Father makes use of friendships for his own gains, Muriel too, later, uses Rhonda’s friendship and support, when she runs away to Sydney, to fulfil her dreams of having a life similar to an Abba song. When Rhonda gets ill, she promises Rhonda to be there for her but eventually dumps Rhonda when she realises that Rhonda will not be able to walk. She deserts her friend who is in need at that point without a tinge of guilt and does not seem to be bothered by the fact that she has betrayed a truly sincere friend. Thus it is clear that Muriel is such a selfish character because of the lack of support and care from her family that have moulded her into a person who could only care for herself and her needs, without any social conscience to look to the needs of another which thus makes her an individual that would not be able to contribute towards building community. A caring and supportive family can also help an individual to develop positive personality traits such as the ability to overcome debilitating circumstances such as poverty and an unstable childhood and take his or her place in the community. On the other hand if the family is dysfunctional, the individual may not be motivated to do anything to get out of the rut and make something of himself or herself by getting a job and contributing positively to the building of the community. We can see how positive family support helps Anne Deveson from the passage titled The Family to learn to deal with her debilitating circumstances of poverty and an unstable childhood. From what she writes we learn that she and her family go through very hard times with points in their life when her parents could barely keep food on their table let alone enjoy the luxury of going for a movie. They have to constantly move and have to share their homes with other families. At one point the family even faces physical separation, yet we know that Anne eventually becomes a successful writer despite this background. Anne herself tells that she was able to do so because no matter how hard life became she did not lack warmth affection and loving. Through all their difficulties the parents always communicate as best they can with the children and persevere in keeping touch with them although they have problems sharing and talking to each other as can be seen at the time Anne’s father would visit her on weekends even though they could not communicate with each other. Anne’s mother’s example also taught her how to be resilient and to cope with problems by focusing on something else. Thus Anne learns never to give up and to face life head on to take her destiny into her own hands and contribute towards the building of a community. Conversely, when a family is dysfunctional, it is difficult for an individual to develop positive character traits that will see them contributing positively towards the building of a community. This can be seen in the character of Muriel’s brother in the movie, Muriel’s Wedding. From the beginning of the movie this character is portrayed as a jobless lout, who sits around watching television all day and orders his mother to do things for him following his father’s example. He also faces verbal abuse from his father who seems to drum into him that he is a useless individual and thus behaves like one too. He, in no way contributes to his family or society. In fact he too becomes a bully like his father and verbally abuses his mother at a time when she is facing emotional trauma because her husband has left her. This insensitivity is probably a catalyst that leads to Betty’s suicide. From this it can be seen that an individual’s home life influences the individual’s character as can be seen in the case of Muriel’s brother who gets no proper guidance from either mother or father. Added to this, he is only exposed to negative behaviour and examples from the father which results in a lazy and loutish character who has no respect for any one not even his own mother. Thus making him an individual who does not seem to have any motivation and interest to make something of himself and so is unable to contribute towards building community. While families that are caring and supportive help individuals to become people who contribute positively towards building a healthy community, there are also times when they may fail because of other factors that also influence the individual. In the same token an individual may come from a dysfunctional family but may be able to contribute positively towards the community because of other factors. This can be seen in the case of Randy from the novel the outsiders. Randy is influenced by the Soc’s and especially his best friend Bob. He joins them in rabble rousing and jumping Greasers. He is also one of those who were with Bob on the night Johnny was jumped and beaten so badly that it caused Johnny to carry a kinfe. As Randy later shares with Ponyboy it becomes obvious that Randy comes from a decent family and one who stands by him in trouble. He is given proper guidance by his father to tell the truth at the inquiry into Bob’s death. From this it can be seen that before Bob’s death Randy had been a destructive person and joined all the acts of aggression and violence of his group despite a family who was loving and caring. At that point of his life Randy was a person who was not capable of contributing towards the building of a community because he just followed his peers without discerning right from wrong. He did not do anything to prevent Bob from doing things that caused harm to others and which eventually cost Bob his life. On the other hand there are also times when the family is dysfunctional and yet the individual develops positive character traits and is able to contribute towards building society. This can be seen in the case of Johnny whose family is dysfunctional. He is abused and neglected and finds shelter with his Greaser friends who do their best to be there for him and support him. At first Johnny’s world is bleak and so negatively impacted by his home life that he shares with Ponyboy that he feels like committing suicide. But after the incident of his killing Bob and running away with Ponyboy, Johnny begins to realise that life can be good. At this point in his life it is his Greaser friends who stand by him. This prompts him to decide to return and face the consequences of his actions rather than drag Ponyboy down with him and become fugitives from the law. This ability to discern and make a life giving decision leads him to take responsibility that he and Ponyboy may have caused the fire and thus go into the burning church to rescue the children. Johnny thus gives his life so that these children may have a chance for a better life than himself. Thus despite coming from a dysfunctional family, Johnny makes decisions that help him achieve personal growth and contribute towards the community because he receives care and support from his friends. In conclusion a caring and supportive family provides an individual with the platform to build self-esteem and realise their potential as well as develop positive personality traits. In this way they can contribute towards the growth of the community. In the same token, despite the fact that they may have a caring and supportive family, ther e are individuals who may fail to contribute positively towards a community and those with dysfunctional families who may end up contributing positively towards a community due to other factors. But the bottom line is that a caring and supportive family is the main building block of the community for we need positive individuals to help influence those who may come from dysfunctional families.

Internet Privacy Essays - 1814 Words

Internet Privacy The concern about privacy on the Internet is increasingly becoming an issue of international dispute. ?Citizens are becoming concerned that the most intimate details of their daily lives are being monitored, searched and recorded.? (www.britannica.com) 81% of Net users are concerned about threats to their privacy while online. The greatest threat to privacy comes from the construction of e-commerce alone, and not from state agents. E-commerce is structured on the copy and trade of intimate personal information and therefore, a threat to privacy on the Internet. The Internet?s leading advertising company, DoubleClick, Inc. compiled thorough information on the browsing routine of millions of users. They accomplished this†¦show more content†¦(www.britannica.com) In 2000 Amazon.com created controversy when they changed their privacy policy without warning. They announced that customers were no longer allowed to obstruct the distribution of personal data. Globally Unique Identifiers, or GUIDS make it possible to link every file, e-mail communication, and on-line chat room posting with the real-world identity of the person who created it. The unease for this issue is also growing. GUIDs are a kind of serial number that can be connected with a person?s name and e-mail address when he registers on-line for merchandise or service. One of the most popular Internet music players, RealJukebox was recognized in November 1999 by privacy advocates when they realized that the music each user downloaded could pinpoint a user?s identity by matching it with a unique identification number. There were even various software products such as Microsoft Word 97 and PowerPoint 97, which implanted distinct identifiers into every document. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;?Americans increasingly seem to agree that Congress should save them from the worst excesses of online profiling.? (www.britannica.com) A poll conducted in March for Business Week magazine showed that 57% of the respondents said that the government should pass laws that modify how personal information could be collected and used on theShow MoreRelatedGoogle and Internet Privacy717 Words   |  3 PagesGoogle and Internet Privacy In this exercise on ethics and privacy policy we focus our studies on an oft occurring situation in offices that have multiple employees sharing office resources that may lead to intrusive instances. The case refers to a couple of employee’s complaints of unwarranted pop-ups on their computers from unsolicited advertisers. In particular, the ads pertain to some sorts of HIV/AIDS medications that stimulate recovery from this fatal disease or at least help cope with itRead More Essay on Internet Privacy - Invasion of Privacy on the Internet964 Words   |  4 PagesInvasion of Privacy on the Internet       Invasion of privacy is a serious issue concerning the Internet, as e-mails can be read if not encrypted, and cookies can track a user and store personal information. Lack of privacy policies and employee monitoring threatens security also. Individuals should have the right to protect themselves as much as possible from privacy invasion and shouldnt have to give in to lowered standards of safety being pursued by the government.    EncryptionRead MoreInternet Privacy And The Internet1895 Words   |  8 PagesInternet privacy is an issue that has constantly taken up a portion of the world stage for many years. Legislators are even now trying to find the delicate balance between Internet privacy and Internet security. The medium of the Internet is simply too new to be completely understood by lawmakers, and it will take some time before there is a complete grasp. Online Privacy and Facebook Nowadays, the new generation life without Facebook is almost unthinkable. Since its inception in 2004, this popularRead MoreInternet Privacy1375 Words   |  6 PagesA Right to Privacy? What a Joke! It has become a sad and upsetting fact that in todays society the truth is that the right to ones privacy in the I.T (information technological) world has become, simply a joke. In an electronic media article No place to hide, written by James Norman, two interesting and debatable questions were raised: ‘Are we witnessing the erosion of the demarcation of public and private spaces brought on by the networked economy and new technology? Also, ‘What rolesRead MoreInternet Privacy1946 Words   |  8 PagesInternet Privacy The concern about privacy on the Internet is increasingly becoming an issue of international dispute. ?Citizens are becoming concerned that the most intimate details of their daily lives are being monitored, searched and recorded.? (www.britannica.com) 81% of Net users are concerned about threats to their privacy while online. The greatest threat to privacy comes from the construction of e-commerce alone, and not from state agents. E-commerce is structured on the copy andRead MoreInternet Privacy Ethics1395 Words   |  6 Pages 1 II. Cookies and User Profiling 1 III. Privacy laws 2 IV. Web Eavesdropping Read MoreEssay on Internet Privacy1325 Words   |  6 PagesInternet Privacy It has become a sad and upsetting fact that in today’s society the truth is that the right to one’s privacy in the I.T (information technological) world has become, simply a joke. In an electronic media article â€Å"No place to hide†, written by James Norman, two interesting and debatable questions were raised: ‘Are we witnessing the erosion of the demarcation of public and private spaces brought on by the networked economy and new technology?’ Also, ‘What roles do government, industryRead MoreInternet Privacy And The Internet954 Words   |  4 Pagesunauthorized information by computer, but they actually make the internet a safer place. With the growth of the internet comes the growth of hackers and internet privacy. New laws that would increase internet privacy and, limit hackers would halt the internets growth and development. Since the year 2000, the internet has grown enormously we can all agree and with this growth comes a growth of internet users. With all the internet users, online comes people trying to accuse their information byRead More Internet Privacy Essay699 Words   |  3 Pagesabout privacy and security? Im not a criminal or a terrorist. Ive got nothing to hide. These are things that most people think. They also believe the internet is much more secure and that their personal information is only available to them, whereas this is actually quite wrong. There are more reasons to want to protect your privacy than can be named. The important principal is that you have a right to privacy as long as that right is used within the bounds of the law. Seeking privacy shouldRead MorePrivacy on Internet Essay1587 Words   |  7 PagesIII April 1st, 2012 Internet Privacy Essay With the internet gaining such popularity, privacy has become a thing of the past. People have come to accept that strangers can view personal information about them on social networks such as facebook, and companies and the government are constantly viewing peoples’ activity online for a variety of reasons. The government has attempted to help the consumer regain their privacy online by passing the Consumer Internet Privacy Protection Act of 1997

How Supreme Court Tie Votes Could Impact Major Cases

Beyond all the political ranker and rhetoric spurred by the death of Antonin Scalia, the absence of the strongly conservative justice could have a major impact on several key cases to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Background Before Scalia’s death, the justices considered to be social conservatives held a 5-4 edge over those considered liberals, and many controversial cases were indeed decided in 5-4 votes. Now with Scalia’s absence, some especially high-profile cases pending before the Supreme Court may result in 4-4 tie votes. These cases deal with issues like access to abortion clinics; equal representation; religious liberty; and deportation of illegal immigrants. The possibility for tie votes will remain until a replacement for Scalia is nominated by President Obama and approved by the Senate. This means the Court will probably deliberate with only eight justices for the rest of its current 2015 term and well into the 2016 term, which starts in October 2106. While President Obama promised to fill Scalia’s vacancy as soon as possible, the fact that Republicans control the Senate is likely to make that a hard promise for him to keep. What Happens If the Vote is a Tie? There are no tie-breakers. In the event of tie vote by the Supreme Court, the rulings issued by the lower federal courts or state supreme courts are allowed to remain in effect as if the Supreme Court had never even considered the case. However, the rulings of the lower courts will have no â€Å"precedent setting† value, meaning they will not apply in other states as with Supreme Court decisions. The Supreme Court can also reconsider the case when it again has 9 justices. The Cases in Question The highest profile controversies and cases still to be decided by the Supreme Court, with or without a replacement for Justice Scalia, include: Religious Freedom: Birth Control Under Obamacare   In the case of Zubik v. Burwell, employees of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh objected to participating in any way with the birth control coverage provisions of the Affordable Care Act – Obamacare – claiming that being forced to do so would violate their First Amendment rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Prior to the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case, seven circuit courts of appeals rule in favor of the federal government’s right to impose the requirements of Affordable Care Act on the employees. Should the Supreme Court arrive at a 4-4 decision, the rulings of the lower courts would remain in effect. Religious Freedom: Separation of Church and State In the case of Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Pauley, a Lutheran church in Missouri applied for a state recycling program grant to build a children’s playground with a surface made from recycled tires. The State of Missouri denied the church’s application based on a provision of the state’s constitution stating, â€Å"no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, section or denomination of religion.† The church sued Missouri, claiming the action had violated its First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The court of appeals dismissed the suit, thus upholding the state’s action. Abortion and Women’s Health Rights A Texas law enacted in 2013 required abortion clinics in that state to comply with the same standards as hospitals, including requiring the clinics’ doctors to have admitting privileges at hospital within 30 miles of the abortion clinic. Citing the law as the cause, several abortion clinics in the state have closed their doors. In the case of Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt, to be heard by the Supreme Court in March 2016, the plaintiffs argue that the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals was wrong in upholding the law. Based on his past decisions dealing with questions of the rights of the states in general and abortion specifically, Justice Scalia was expected to vote to uphold the lower court’s ruling. Update: In a major victory for  abortion rights supporters, the Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 rejected the Texas law regulating abortion clinics and practitioners in a 5-3 decision.   Immigration and Presidential Powers In 2014, President Obama issued an executive order that would allow more illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. under the â€Å"deferred action† deportation program created in 2012, also by an Obama executive order. Ruling that Obama’s action violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the law loosely regulating the federal regulations, a federal judge in Texas barred the government from implementing the order. The judge’s ruling was then upheld by a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. In the case of United States v. Texas, the White House is asking the Supreme Court to overturn the 5th Circuit panel’s decision. Justice Scalia was expected to vote to uphold the 5th Circuit’s decision, thus blocking the White House from implementing the order by a 5-4 vote. A 4-4 tie vote would have the same result. In this case, however, the Supreme Court might express its intention to reconsider the case after a ninth justice has been seated. Update: On June 23, 2016, the Supreme Court issue a split 4-4 â€Å"no-decision,† thus allowing the Texas court’s ruling to stand and blocking President Obama’s executive order on immigration from taking effect. The ruling could affect more than 4 million undocumented immigrants seeking to apply for the deferred action programs in order to stay in the United States. The one-sentence ruling issued by the Supreme Court simply read: â€Å"The judgment [of the lower court] is affirmed by an equally divided Court.† Equal Representation: ‘One Person, One Vote’ It may be a sleeper, but the case of Evenwel v. Abbott could affect the number of votes your state gets in Congress and thus the electoral college system. Under Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, the number of seats allocated to each state in the House of Representatives is based on the â€Å"population† of the state or its congressional districts as counted in the most recent U.S. census. Shortly after each decennial census, Congress adjusts each state’s representation through a process called â€Å"apportionment.† In 1964, the Supreme Court’s landmark â€Å"one person, one vote† decision ordered the states to use generally equal populations in drawing the boundaries of their congressional districts. However, the court at the time failed to precisely define â€Å"population† as meaning all people, or only eligible voters. In the past, the term has been taken to mean the total number of people living in the state or district as counted by the census. In deciding the Evenwel v. Abbott case, the Supreme Court will be called on to more clearly define â€Å"population† for purposes of congressional representation. The plaintiffs in the case contend that the 2010 congressional redistricting plan adopted by the state of Texas violated their rights to equal representation under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. They claim that their rights to equal representation had been diluted because the state’s plan had counted everyone – not just eligible voters. As a result, claim the plaintiffs, eligible voters in some districts have more power than those in other districts. A three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held against the plaintiffs, finding that the Equal Protection Clause allows the states to apply total population when drawing their congressional districts. Once again, a 4-4 tie vote by the Supreme Court would allow the lower court’s decision to stand, but without affecting apportionment practices in other states.

Analytical Procedures †a Powerful Tool for Auditors by...

Learning Zone Analytical Procedures – A Powerful Tool for Auditors (Relevant to Paper 8 – Principles of Auditing and Management Information Systems) David Chow FCCA, FCPA, CPA (Practising) Audit tests Auditors normally carry out the following types of audit tests to determine whether financial statements are fairly stated: (i) procedures to obtain an understanding of internal control (ii) tests of controls (iii) substantive tests: †¢ substantive tests of transactions; †¢ analytical procedures; and †¢ tests of details of balances. assessment of risks of material misstatement at the assertion level includes an expectation that controls are operating effectively. This means that auditors perform tests of controls only†¦show more content†¦The expected results are estimated based on preliminary discussions with the clients. After having performed their analytical procedures, the auditors then compare the actual results with those expected and look for reasons for any significant variations. Unexplained variations may indicate a misstatement in Analytical procedures Audit procedures (iv) confirmation (vii) analytical procedures. They document the findings and conclusions from the audit procedures performed so as to provide: (i) a sufficient and appropriate record of the basis for the auditors’ report; and (ii) evidence that the audit was performed in accordance with Hong Kong Standards on Auditing and applicable legal and regulatory requirements. April 2009 T/Dialogue Learning Zone the figures in that area, which would lead the auditors to plan their audit work to devote more time and resources to those areas. When the application of analytical procedures does not identify any unusual or unexpected differences, the results provide evidence in support of management’s assertions. Timing and purpose of analytical procedures Analytical procedures may be performed at any of all three stages in the audit process: the planning phase, the testing phase and theShow MoreRelatedContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 PagesBritish audit profession to account with his questioning of ‘who shall audit the auditors?’ The subsequent institutional response has most likely gained as much from the likes of Professors Harold Edey, Bryan Carsberg, Ken Peasnell, Geoffrey Whittington, and  ´ David Tweedie as it has from the eminence grise of the profession itself. And even in auditing, significant roles have been play ed by Professors Peter Bird, David Flint, and Peter Moizer amongst others. Indeed it is possible to argue that theRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesof Accomplishing Our Goals† 204 S A L An Ethical Choice Motivated to Behave Unethically 209 glOBalization! Autonomy Needs Around the Globe 210 Self-Assessment Library What Are My Course Performance Goals? 214 Point/Counterpoint Fear Is a Powerful Motivator 229 Questions for Review 230 Experiential Exercise Goal-Setting Task 230 Ethical Dilemma The Big Easy? 230 Case Incident 1 It’s Not Fair! 231 Case Incident 2 Bullying Bosses 231 8 Motivation: From Concepts to Applications 239 Read MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagesusers, I hope the book will meet your full expectations and be an effective instructional tool. Although case books abound, you and your students may find this somewhat unique and very readable, a book that can help transform dry and rather remote concepts into practical reality, and lead to lively class discussions, and even debates. In the gentle environment of the classroom, students can hone their analytical skills and also their persuasive skills—not selling products but selling their ideas—and

The Thing in the Forest Free Essays

Containing all the well-known signs of a fairy tale from the beginning, The Thing in the Forest is expected to include the fantasy aspect of a fairy tale. Unlike most fairy tales however, The Think in the Forest quickly turns into a very real occurrence that happened to children all over that particular region during that particular time period. Once the girls come within earshot, and then sight of â€Å"The Thing†, it takes on many figurative meanings. We will write a custom essay sample on The Thing in the Forest or any similar topic only for you Order Now These meanings include everything from the war and all it entitled, to the girls leaving their innocence and becoming affected by the war. The story includes two little girls as the main characters, yet Primrose, the one who later in life becomes a story teller, is assumed to be the narrator throughout the story. Primrose is â€Å"Plump and blond and curly†¦ [She] had bitten nails, a velvet collar on her dressy green coat. † (353). Interestingly, the narrator (Primrose), who is made slightly greedy from her experiences during the war, goes into grave detail of her clothing. The â€Å"dressy† clothing holds no real value, and is only added into the story because it holds some sort of personal value to the narrator. Also, describing Primrose as â€Å"plump† is about the nicest way to describe and overweight child. It becomes evident from the first description of Primrose that she is favored by the narrator. Penny is different than Primrose in almost every way. â€Å"Penny was thin and dark and taller, possibly older than Primrose†¦Penny had a bloodless transparent paleness, a touch of blue in her fine lips. †(353). Even though Penny becomes a much more established person compared to Primrose later in life, how Penny is described isn’t nearly as positive as the description of Primrose. With the well detailed description of what Primrose was wearing, it would be expected that what Penny was wearing would be told. These details are never brought to light. This missing information proves that the narrator has a much stronger attachment to Primrose than Penny. The two girls are completely different in terms of personality traits, still they do have some things in common. They both lost their fathers. â€Å" Penny’s farther, †¦died in a sheet of flame in the East Indian Docks†¦Primrose’s farther†¦was killed, very late in the war, on a crowded troop carrier sunk in the Far East† (358). While both their fathers were killed, the ways in which they were killed are just another example of how different Penny and Primrose are. With one being killed by fire and one being killed by water, the natural forces could not be any more dissimilar. â€Å"The Thing† is also something that they both have in common. They both hear it. They both smell it. They both see it. â€Å"A sound and a smell fabricated of many disparate sounds and smells. A crunching, a crackling, a crushing, a heavy thumping† (356). The sounds heard by the little girls is the very essence of war. The sound of troops and machinery crushing everything in their way. These sounds are the very sounds that they were sent away from. â€Å"Its face†¦appeared like a rubbery or fleshy mask over a shapeless sprouting bulb of a head. Its expression was neither wrath nor greed but pure misery. †(357). This is the face of war. The rubbery gas masks worn by troops. For almost all, war is pure misery. Not just for the military’s fighting, but for everyone. The girls were sent away to preserve their innocence. Once they ran into the woods, they ran from their innocence and became aware of the war around them. After seeing â€Å"The Thing†, the girls become separated and live very different lives. Just as they started out as completely different people, they continue to live as completely different people. The war did impact them both in similar ways, â€Å"They both never married. † (358). Both Penny and Primrose choose careers that were influence by the war, but both the careers fit their personalities. Even without the war, they would have probably both chosen careers along the same guidelines. The fact they neither of them married is something that the war probably changed. War has the power to give people something in common who would otherwise have nothing in common. â€Å"The Thing† is everything evil about the war from the understanding of two little girls. They didn’t know exactly what this evilness was, but they did know that it was evil. The story also completes a circle. Starting with a story and ending with the story starting again. How the war influence these girls continues to be passed on through Primrose, the story teller. How to cite The Thing in the Forest, Papers