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ManagementAssignment 1: The University of Wonderland Library Management
Consider
the Library Management case study covered in Chapter 1 of the textbook
where the fictitious University of Wonderland (UWON) wants to convert
its library system into a new system to ensure more effective access to
state-of-the-art books, periodicals and proceedings while reducing
operational costs. The current system consists of multiple unconnected
library subsystems, one for each UWON department. Each department
subsystem is responsible for its own library according to
department-specific procedures for book acquisition, user registration,
loan management, bibliographical search and access to library resources.
Such services are essentially manual in most UWON libraries.
Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you:
Determine the following from the case study descriptions of the library:five (5) strategic objectivesfive (5) functional servicesfive (5) environmental assumptionsGenerate five (5) descriptive statements from the case study descriptions of the library.Generate five (5) prescriptive statements from the case study descriptions of the library.Create
one (1) weighted matrix, using Microsoft Word, for evaluating an
alternative to keeping the current journal subscription system where
journals relevant to one department are subscribed to on the
department’s budget and journal issues are mailed to the department. Note: The graphically depicted solution is not included in the required page length.Identify
five (5) requirements that might need to be prioritized in view of
resource limitations. Perform a cost-value prioritization of the
requirements using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) process.Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be
typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with
one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA
or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional
instructions.Include
a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s
name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover
page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment
page length.
information system homework

Within the academic and the marketing world it is recognised that there is debate on what role the discipline of marketing plays in the creation of hedonistic consumers. The most extreme debates come from those who hold opposing views. This paper will look at some of these polarised views and perspectives in regard to consumer behaviour and will argue that marketing has not created hedonistic consumers that such a stance does not allow for the complexities of human behaviour and motivations and does not take account of the dynamic nature of consumer society. We agree there are associations and parallels in the development of both consumerism and marketing but there is no evidence to prove cause and effect. According to Armstrong et al (2009, p8), wants are the form human needs take as they are shaped by culture and individual personality. Wants are shaped by one’s society. Therefore, consumer wants are not shaped solely by marketers. Conversely, Solomon et al (2006, p21) highlight that marketing is often criticised for employing techniques that convince consumers that they ‘need’ many material goods and that they will be unhappy and inferior if they do not have these ‘necessities’. Do marketers give people what they want, or do they tell us what we ought to want? Marketing is often assumed to be responsible for our consumer society and its hedonistic approach to consumption, and as a consequence undermines other cultural values by promoting a materialistic stance. For many commentators it is the dark side of marketing and worthy of review as it diminishes the marketing professions reputation. 1.1 Definitions Before defining hedonistic consumption, it is useful to define the philosophy of hedonism. This is a school of thought that says the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life, that views man as being motivated by the desire for sensual pleasures – therefore this quest for the ‘good life’ becomes mans driving force. The hedonistic consumer can be viewed as pleasure loving or self indulgent person with a high level of consumption, more preoccupied with their own material goals than thinking of the wider view of society. Hedonistic consumption is ‘the multi-sensory, fantasy and emotional aspects of consumers’ interactions with products’. (Soloman, 2006, p39). This element of fantasy is crucial to this theory as it is the imagined pleasure that attracts the consumer. O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy describe this as the general agreement that consumer pleasure lies not so much in the physical sense as in the total emotional experience. So the pleasure and happiness is real even though the experience can be imagined in the consumers’ brain. From a negative point of view Migone, 2006 views it as a ‘highly wasteful and discrimatory pattern of consumption that predominates in current capitalist models’. Hedonism and Fantasy The role of fantasy in hedonic consumption is key and whilst academics view it from different perspectives they do agree that it plays a pivotal role in pleasure seeking. Gabriel and Lang (2006) are of the view that ‘Western consumption many agree is a realm of seduction – alluring and glamour. As goods leave the world of production to enter the sphere of display, circulation and consumption, they become objects of fantasy and instruments of pleasure. Whilst Abercrombie states that ‘lives are organised around fantasies and daydreams about consuming; they are hedonists, primarily interested in pleasure, and sensual pleasure at that’ they are individualists, largely pursuing their own ends and uncaring about others’.(Abercrombie, 1994, 44). Campbell (1987) in The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism described the key aspect in the creation of the hedonistic consumer as being one concerned with the power of the imagination, he highlights the differences between what was regarded as the traditional view of hedonism and the modern view. He suggested that traditional version was a hedonism of a multitude of pleasures, of the senses whilst modern hedonism – seeks pleasure not in sensation but in emotion accompanying all kinds of experiences. The pleasure lies in the meaning of the experience to the individual. This is the form we are dealing with in postmodern culture. Campbell suggested that the consumer as hedonist must be able to derive pleasure from every item they come into contact with and everything must be orientated to that end. That consumers are in a constant state of unsatisfaction, an ongoing state where we are dreaming about something new however this is linked to the other defining factor of modern hedonism that disillusionment comes from the disappointment when the imagined pleasure are always greater than the actual. When anticipate the enjoyment and pleasure that we will gain when we finally purchase and wear the new phone/watch/car we have been day dreaming about buying, our pleasure is often not as we imagined and is fleeting. We have moved on to dreaming about the next better version and start to feel bad about not having it. Consumerism good or bad? Underpinning the debate on whether marketing has created hedonistic consumers is the view on whether consumerism is a positive or negative force. Some celebrate the rise of the consumer, taking the view that consumerism is ‘the essence of the good life, that a consumer society allows us personal freedom, power and happiness through our ability to choose, acquire, use and enjoy our material objects and experiences. Seen as a sophisticated, mature individual who seeks enjoyment in life: by making choices and exercising freedom.’ (Gabriel and Lang, 2006, p8). Others are concerned that ‘consumerism is associated with reduced consumer well being, partly in terms of quality of human relationships and levels of happiness. That those focused on materialistic values have lower personal well being and psychological health.’ (Kasser,2002). Abela (2006) furthers this argument indicating that hedonistic consumerism ‘shows an association between marketing practice and the harms of consumerism may be greater than it is generally believed to be by marketing academics’. 3. Claims against Marketing Too much interest in material possessions is the responsibility of marketing? Critics have argued that the marketing system encourages too much interest in material possessions. – people are judged by what they own not who they are. (Armstrong et al, 2009 p.552). Critics don’t view this as a natural state of mind but one created by marketing. In answer to this claim many marketers would argue that this alleged ability of marketing to create needs is wishful thinking and is overstating marketing’s scope. In support of this it follows that marketers’ are most successful when they appeal to existing wants rather than when they attempt to create new ones. Also that people seek information when making important purchases and mostly do not rely on a single source (Gabriel and Lang, 2006). However, today’s mania for goods is learnt not instinctive according to Naish, 2002. On a deeper level our wants and values are influenced by many factors including family, peer group, religion, ethnic background and education. If modern society is highly materialistic, these values arise out of socialisation processes that go much deeper than business and mass media could produce alone (Gabriel and Lang, 2006). O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy (2002) argue that accumulation of material possessions is a consequence of wealth. Marketers create artificial needs? According to Solomon et al (2006), ‘some conservative traditionalists are of the view that advertising in particular, contributes to the moral breakdown of society by presenting images of hedonistic pleasure. Conversely, leftists argue that they same misleading promises of material pleasure function to buy off people who would otherwise be revolutionaries working to change the system. O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy (2002) note that wants must be created and that there must be an underlying appetite for the product in the first place. Solomon at al conclude ‘that while marketers do not create artificial needs, they do contribute heavily to the socialization of people in contemporary society and thus to the establishment of the social system of needs. Consequently marketers must take a share of responsibility for the development of society.’ Marketers promise miracles? Consumers are led to believe that via advertising that products have special properties; they will so special things for them that will transform their lives. Soloman et al argues that the manipulative effect of advertising is often overstated, however does concede that there is little doubt that advertising creates and changes patterns of consumption. They offer the view that the main affect may be that the idea that we are defined by our consumer choices is perpetuated by the advertising medium. The impact of fantasy and imagery in influencing buying O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy (2002) cite Baudrillard (1981) who suggested that due to the new technology of electronic media we now have a world where the distinction between ‘real’ and images has become blurred and consumers are viewed as non-rational who gravitate to instant gratification. The claim is that the consumer thinks that this is the reality, however according to O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy there is no proof to substantiate the claim. Image saturated environment pressing consumers to buy The ‘sheer insistence and multiplication of marketing messages’ is evidence to critics of marketing. The sum of the mass effect on consumers pushes them in a hedonistic direction. However consumers are sophisticated and selective, they take notice of the products that attend to them. (O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy,2002). Consumerism and Identity Many cultural forces have been accused of having a role in the creation of hedonistic consumers – the marketing of Hollywood and Celebrity culture are named often in the debate. ‘It’s is recognised by psychology that our ability to weigh desirability and value is knocked awry if the item is endorsed by a well known face. The part of the brain involved in trust and learning is activated and as a result we feel like we are their acquaintances and we want to be like them.’ (Naish, 2008). We chose carefully who we copy and why and have evolved to emulate the most successful, maybe why many of us feel compelled to keep up materially with celebrities. Consumption, is it addictive? Lasch (1991) takes a pessimistic view believing that western consumerism, sustained by mass production and celebrated in the mass media, amounts to a mechanism of addiction. Though Migone (2007) concedes that rather than marketing being at the root of this addiction: it is due to technological advances which facilitated large scale production which in turn leads to large scale consumption. Consumerism and loss of Community Naish notes ‘that only modern capitalist countries concentrate on material greed. In pre capitalist societies the highest worth’s was ascribed to things like family, clan, religion, honour not shiny new objects’. This he says relates to our most base instincts which are the need to relate to others and feel part of a community. According to Naish, man has lost his moral framework, sense of community and life’s higher meaning, so that now all that remains is our thirst for possessions and pleasure. That being a hedonistic consumer does not make us happy and has a detrimental effect on our human relationships. Critics have linked this loss to marketing’s lack of focus on these types of human values. In defence of Marketing Consumerism and Wealth The 80’s recognised a triumph for consumerism – old moral restraints on consumption (frugality, thrift and guilt) swept aside by an extraordinary, credit lead consumerist boost (Lee, 1997). Gabriel and Lang recall that greed lost some of its pejorative and puritanical connotations, in reference to the 1980’s. Consumption and Identity It has been said that consumers take identity from their possessions. Consumption has expanded to fill the vacuum left by the decline of the work ethic. Bauman (1988) also argues that consumption is the new ‘pioneer frontier’ in which individuals may successfully assert themselves, with no insecurity and not harming others. Shopping is not merely the acquisition of things: it is the buying of identity. (Clammer,1992). This is another view that consumer consumption comes from within. Also the general rise in disrupted families has been linked to new ways of forming identities through goods – how negative the effects are depends on the underlying motives. Human Nature Naish believes we are genetically programmed to always want more. In prehistoric times its been discovered that cave dwellers had collections of axe handles, that ‘these were the Jimmy Choo’s and Ferraris of their time’. Important to note that O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy argue that marketing

Chronic Expanding Hematoma in the Chest

A case of chronic expanding hematoma presenting as a huge mass in the chest Abstract: A 42-year-old man presented with a huge mass in the chest. The disease was recognized as a complain of chest pain and was successfully resected by surgery. He had a history of blunt chest injury 25 years ago. Magnetic resonance T2-weighted imaging demonstrated a mosaic pattern of various signal intensities. In cases of an intrathoracic mass with this imaging feature, with combined a past history of blunt chest injury, we should consider the existence of a chronic expanding hematoma. Keywords:Hematoma; thoracic tumor; chest injury; diagnosis Introduction Chronic expanding hematoma in the chest is a rare condition that often develops after thoracic surgery, thoracic injury or tuberculous pleuritis (1-4). In general, hematomas are naturally reabsorbed and rarely cause serious problems. Thoracic hematomas that develop slowly without symptoms until the mass compresses other organs are often difficult to early detection. Surgical removal is the first treatment for thoracic hematomas, but it is not easy to achieve a complete resection because of the presence of a dense fibrous adhesion to adjacent tissues (3-5). Herein, we describe a patient, with a history of blunt chest injury 25 years ago, who exhibited a huge chronic expanding hematoma in the chest treated by surgical resection successfully. Case report A 42-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of chest dull pain. He did not have any other symptoms and had no history of thoracic operation or pulmonary disorders including tuberculosis. Twenty-five years earlier, at the age of 17, the patient had a blunt chest injury after a fight for which he did not seek medical help. He was a heavy smoker for 26 years. Physical and lab examination revealed no positive findings. Chest X-ray revealed a huge mass shadow in the anterior mediastinum, with few pleural effusion in the left pleural cavity. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a huge intrathoracic mass (10.2cm×13.3cm×17.9cm) with a tissue density adhered to the left pericardium (Figure 1). Calcification was not detected in the mass. Left pleural cavity had a moderate pleural effusion. The tissue content in the mass was not obvious enhanced following contrast administration. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the mass containing various signal intensities, just like a mosaic pattern (Figure 2). Diagnostic thoracocentesis of the left pleural effusion was performed, but cytological examination showed only erythrocytes with a few inflammatory cells. Although we could not reach a conclusive diagnosis, our preoperative diagnoses were benign or low malignant tumors including teratoma, chronic empyema and aneurysmal bone cyst. In addition, the probability of complete resection of the lesion is higher than incomplete resection based on the preoperative imaging evaluation. So a surgical resection of the lesion was decided. A left posterolateral thoracotomy along the 5th intercostal space with combined a cut off of the 5th and 6th posterior rib was performed for the purpose of obtaining a wide operative field. The mass which located in the left anterior mediastinu had a thickened and hard capsule, and was completely adhered to thymus, pericardium and part of upper lobe of left lung. Diaphragm just had a mild adhesion to the mass. Completely resection of the huge mass was achieved, including most thymus, most left parietal pericardium and partial upper lobe of left lung. The total operation time was 140 minutes and the total blood loss was 250 ml. Macroscopic observations showed that the resected mass contained a dense fibrous capsule with hemorrhagic materials and necrotic tissues (Figure 3). Pathological examination showed that the mass was an old hematoma surrounded by dense fibrous tissues and the center was consisted of fresh and old hemorrhages (Figure 4). There was no evidence of malignancy or infection in the mass, thymus, pericardium and lung. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient’s chest dull pain disappeared. The patient was discharged without complications. There was no sign of recurrence for two months after the operation. Discussion Chronic expanding hematoma first advocated by Reid et al (6). is a rare clinicopathologic entity that can occur in various locations, such as scrotum, kidney, thigh, retroperitoneum, cerebrum and chest (6-9). The most frequently reports of chronic expanding hematoma was occured in the cerebrum, followed by occurred in the chest. The majority of reports of chronic expanding hematoma in the chest were come from Japan (1,3,5,10). To the best of our knowledge, this present case was the first case reported in China. Chronic expanding hematoma in the chest often develops after thoracic surgery, thoracic injury or tuberculous pleuritis (1-4). It can also develop in the absence of thoracic surgical treatment, injury or inflammatory disorders (5,10). A hematoma persists and increases in size more than one month after the initial hemorrhage is a chronic expanding hematoma. It is still unclear why hematomas grow continuously. Labadie and Glover (11) proposed a theory that microscopic hematomas forming after theinitial hemorrhage do not resolve naturally, and slowly grow due to repeated organization and hemorrhage from new fragile microvessels beneath the fibrous capsule. Various blood factors and its breakdown products that have inflammatory properties, are possibly associated with repeated exudation or hemorrhage from fragile microvessels resulting in inflammation. As was seen in our case, we presumed that the initial hemorrhage was caused by the blunt chest injury 25 years ago, and then the hematoma grow slowly due to repeated organization and hemorrhage from the fragile microvessels in the granulation tissue. Respiratory movements, heart beating or constant coughing under a negative pleural pressure favor the growth of thoracic hematomas to become a larger one than other locations (5). The diagnosis of chronic expanding hematoma in the chest is difficult due to its rarity, especially for those that develop slowly in patients with no history of surgery, trauma or tuberculosis. Chronic expanding hematoma in the chest should be differentiate from teratoma, chronic empyema or aneurysmal bone cyst (5). MRI has an important significance in diagnosis of chronic expanding hematoma. The mosaic pattern of various signal intensities on T2-weighted MRI was reported as specific feature of chronic expanding hematoma (10,12). These various signal intensities indicated fresh and old blood caused by repeated hemorrhage over time. MRI results showed a good correlation with pathology of the disease. Conclusions We conclude that the following characteristics may be helpful in diagnosing chronic expanding hematoma in the chest: (1) have a long course of disease with few symptoms; (2) once received chest surgery, had a history of chest injury or tuberculous pleuritis occurred; (3) T2-weighted MRI presents a mosaic pattern of various signal intensities; (4) preoperative biopsy of the lesion without positive found. Chronic expanding hematoma in the chest remains a very rare disease. However, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis when a patient has a mass in the chest with the above characteristics. Figure 1 Chest CT scan revealed a huge intrathoracic mass with a tissue density adhered to the left pericardium and a moderate pleural effusion in the left pleural cavity. Figure 2 T2-weighted MRI demonstrated a large well-defined mass in the chest, with a mosaic pattern of various signal intensities. Figure 3 Macroscopic observations showed that the resected mass contained a dense fibrous capsule with hemorrhagic materials and necrotic tissues. Figure 4 Pathological examination showed an old hematoma surrounded by fibrous tissues and revealed some dilated microvessels and blood stasis.

SDSU Technology Playing One of The Vital Roles in The World & Society Discussion

essay writing help SDSU Technology Playing One of The Vital Roles in The World & Society Discussion.

Imagine you are presenting at a technology conference. The organizers of the conference have asked all of the breakout session leaders to write articles for the conference website as a way to help promote the conference. You have decided your article will be about society prior to the technological advances you will discuss in your breakout session at the conference.Choose three technological advances to focus on for this assignment as well as the Week 2 Signature Assignment.Write a 350- to 700-word article in which you discuss the following for each technological advancement:What was society like prior to each technological advancement?What were the benefits of not having each technological advancement?What were the consequences or issues because each technological advancement was absent?How did people define and present themselves in society prior to each technological advancement?What was the state of social equity prior to each technological advancement?Cite a minimum of 2 peer-reviewed sources.Format your paper according to APA guidelines.
SDSU Technology Playing One of The Vital Roles in The World & Society Discussion

Operations Management At New Belgium Brewing Business Essay

Operations Management At New Belgium Brewing Business Essay. In 1991 after Jeff Lebesch was not able to get a loan from the bank he started a beer brewing company with his wife Kim Jordon is the basement of their home with only a small capital investment. They delivered their beer in their station wagon. With the profits they generated their company soon outgrew the besetment, and moved to another location in a railroad depot, and finally in 1995 they built a state of the art custom facility which cost $21.5 million. They spent $11.5 million on a 55,000 square foot building, and $10 million on new equipment. Until 2005 NBB’s most effective form of advertising has been word of mouth. Indeed before New Belgium beers were widely distributed throughout Colorado, one liquor store owner in Telluride is purported to have offered people gas money if they would stop by and pick up New Belgium on their way through Ft. Collins. While NBBC has not deviated from its original principles, the methods and people who operate the brewery have become more formal and professional. Production managers and continuous-improvement experts from outside the craft-brewing community have been recruited. As they reshape the manufacturing practices and identify projects with the best returns and highest impact, they’re careful not to squelch staff involvement. By starting in there basement as a small company they were able to focus on the quality of the beer rather than the quantity of it. New Belgium ensures that quality at the plant is monitored closely. Through the process the quality of the inputs as they are transformed is examined. Quality assurance is a critical element of the operations management. However it is difficult and a challenge to maintain a consistent product. The quality of the product should never suffer as a result of the size of the company. When a company is large it is more important than ever that the quality of the product stays the same, because the product is sold to more people. At New Belgium the entire process form receiving the hops, to brewing, and bottling is monitored constantly, to insure that the product is at the highest quality. Even though the quality of the inputs change, the quality of the product should not change. They maximize productivity by fully utilizing their technology. New Belgium closely monitors the quality at the plant. The new technology will continue to be efficient, high tech, and environmentally friendly. implementing a compassionate business model that aims to steward the resources of Earth and nourish its employees, New Belgium has also been successful in maintaining healthy financials. They like to say that they are profitable, not in spite of their social and environmental efforts, but because of them. Sustainable production is not merely a feel-good effort; it’s a pocketbook issue for NBBC’s 350 workers: After one year of employment with the company, the employees become employee-owners. All employees are considered area leaders, and everyone is responsible for ensuring that the quality remains high. The employees of New Belgium own 43% of the company through their “Employee Stock Ownership Plan” or ESOP. While giving employees ownership in the company sets the foundation for an engaged workforce, the real connections occur beyond the Share Statements. The reason for New Belgium’s success are the companies Purpose and Core ValuesOperations Management At New Belgium Brewing Business Essay

Your topic must be for a new product (a good or service). Because this is an applied project and

Your topic must be for a new product (a good or service). Because this is an applied project and not a research paper, please be creative and do not select a new product for a large brand, such as Starbucks, Apple, etc. If you are interested in coffee, for example, consider your own bistro as your topic and then use information from companies like Starbucks or Seattle’s Best Coffee for ideas and competitive research as you work on your project. The deliverable for Week 1 is to write a two-page descriiption of your product, including the following. Information about ownership and company structure A descriiption of product A mission statement Marketing goals Who a typical customer might be