Fundamental Perspectives and Techniques of Decision Making Dissertation

Fundamental Perspectives and Techniques of Decision Making - Dissertation Example In the contemporary uncertain business contexts, making a decision which has certainly long-term implications on business requires thorough understanding of all possible future situations and more importantly the managerial ability to balance both controllable and uncontrollable parameters (Bhushan and Rai, 2004, p. 3). Managerial decisions are key factors to influence a firm’s success and failure. Managers need to ensure that their firms are able to continually innovate and get accustomed with changing business environments so that it can maintain a reasonable stance and pace in competitive edge. If managers want their firms to survive in the dynamic and uncertain business conditions, they need to carry out effective decision making processes. ... Creative thinking aims at bringing newer ideas whereas problem solving is directed to find a solution, an answer or a conclusion (Adair, 2010, p. 1). An individual or organizational decision is the end result of much more dynamic processes and a series of activities labeled as ‘decision making’. McGrew, Wilson & Wilson (1982, p. 5) stated that the decision maker, in his decision making process, identifies the problem, clarifies particular goals that are desired, examines various possibilities for achieving the desired goal and finally completes the process by taking a definitive choice of action. Decision is therefore an answer to a specific question or some problems or a choice between two more courses of actions. Ahmad, Hasnain and Venkatesan (2012, p.21) described a five-stage process for decision making. It comprises of identifying all alternatives, valuing these different choices according to preferences and potential outcomes, assembling the information, choosing a mong the preferences and outcomes and finally selecting the most favourable and appropriate choice. Decision that has been taken after careful coordination of information, evaluation of potential outcomes and analyzing of various preferences based on advices, suggestions and help of people involved as members in a group-decision making has been found to be very effective in terms of its appropriateness and positive outcomes. Decision making is a cognitive process that involves logical reasoning and creative thinking about choosing a specific course of action that is supposed to bring the decision maker to a certain result. One of the key challenges in decision making is reducing or eliminating the uncertainty. A better way to avoid uncertainty is to collect relevant information before

Research Inquiry for Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research Inquiry for Managers - Essay Example The commonwealth should apply the same rules to alcoholic substances as they have become an issue of interest in the 21st century and this should be done alongside all support groups for effective games condition and proper tourism standards. The sponsorship directly affected the sports as the players received favors from the companies after competitions and this was through their products. Literature Review Introduction Former and current information on the issues states that Australia banned the advertisement of these substances during games for various reasons and since then there have been noticed developments in the field. First Issue One of the reasons as to doing this is that it was an encouraging factor to the abuse of tobacco. This not only stated for the players but also for the friends and closely related people to them. The implications of these advertisements were that the players could smoke tobacco substances such as cigarettes that would cloud their judgments during a game (Beyer, 2003, 57). Second Issue On the case of the fans and spectators, the advertisements were also a motivating factor. In this case, the issue was much further than speculated. This is because the fans could make their way into the stadium with the cigarettes and other tobacco substances and start using them without problem. ... Third Issue There was an increase in concern from the wives and husbands of the players. This they claimed is because the tobacco made them unhealthy and to some of the athletes, it had got to the extent of an addiction. This often kept the players in loggerheads with their spouses as they went through their activities. This issue was a very important one to observe and keep in mind. This is because of the standing theory that states that for a player to portray optimal performance in the field, concentration must be one hundred percent or rather distractions to a minimum. This could have been hard to uphold if the players were having family issues. It was very important to understand that the economic position was critical in the area. This is because as much as there was many accrued benefits from the funding, the players and participants did not actually benefit in any way. This was because it was very hard to focus on the games while thinking about the advantages later. The compa nies actually benefited in a large manner, this boosted their economic situations, and thus they were able to survive the various market issues witnessed. However, after the ban, it was very difficult for the companies to get back to their original conditions. It is very imperative to keep in mind that another issue that came up around that time was the high amount of social unstableness witnessed at the time. This was witnessed from the fact that many of the people and the participants in the game became used to taking the tobacco products. It is due to this that the players characteristically became addicts and kept on with the habit to a point where it became an abuse. The abuse of the products made them reluctant as they made major decisions in a careless

HUMAN RIGHTS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

HUMAN RIGHTS - Essay Example A charter was thus crafted that detailed the creation of the International Military Tribunal and the procedure to be followed during the trials. 2 Finally, the trials and the subsequent judgment handed down at the trials for such novel crimes as ‘crimes against humanity,’ ‘crimes against peace,’ (jus ad bellum) and ‘war crimes’ (jus in bello) committed during a state of war 3has established a precedent that became the models in recent cases like Rwanda and Yugoslavia. These judgments assailed, inter alia, on the grounds that they were based on a crime that was in the nature of ex-post facto law, were nevertheless just and fair considering the grievous crimes that were committed. The indictment of about 24 major defendants specified three kinds of crimes: crimes against peace, which included crimes of waging aggressive war, as opposed to self-defence, against other countries; war crimes, or crimes which violated the conduct of war in accordance with Article 46 of the Geneva Convention like â€Å"murder, ill-treatment, and deportation of populations in the conquered territories, the killing of hostages and prisoners of war, the seizing of private property, and the wanton destruction of villages, towns and cities,† and; crimes against humanity, or crimes committed before and during war like â€Å"murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation and other inhumane acts committed against civilian population.† Another crime, that of conspiracy, - the planned commission of the crimes by two or more persons - connected some of the crimes. After eight months of preparation, considered short for a major trial, the trial began on November 20, 1945. 4 To serve as evidence for the prosecution, the indictments came supported by testimonies, photographs and films – with the last two primarily coming from the Germans who obviously documented every atrocious deed they made with pride. The

Political Influance in Emergency Management Essay

Political Influance in Emergency Management - Essay Example Introduction It has been said that all disaster are â€Å"political†. For instance, the elder President George Bush is said to have lost the election because of perceived deficient response to Hurricane Andrew in 1992. His son, George W. Bush, suffered politically for several years as recovery operations on the Gulf Coast dragged on a pace that constituents considered unsatisfactory (Olasky, 2006). President Jimmy Carter created the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 1979 in order to response to the increasing disasters (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2011). There are numerous environmental threats that United States face today. The environmental disasters include floods, tornadoes, failure of dams, or building structures. Hurricanes and bridge collapses are also considered natural environmental disasters. The federal relief under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been expanded under the Stafford Disaster and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974 and Hazard Mitigat ion Act of 2000. The FEMA was placed under the department of Homeland Security in 2003. Experts attribute the increase in environmental disasters to increased human encroachment and development to areas that are considered disaster prone and increased occurrence of the weather related disasters due to climate change (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2011). ... Hurricane Katrina that happened in August 29 2005 is one of the disasters that experienced intense political influence (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2011). The hurricane blew across southern Florida roaring in to Louisiana coast with 125 mph sustained winds thus causing a surge in sea waters and leaving 80 percent of the city flooded (Olasky, 2006). Katrina killed about 1,836 people and inflicted damages estimated at $ 125 billion. Contrary to President Clinton who utilized the FEMA to deal with a series of hurricanes, President Bush suffered major political blow due to his ability to intervene in Hurricane Katrina disaster (Olasky, 2006). Given that a large percentage of the population in New Orleans comprised of Black Americans, the slow response made the population question Presidents Bush â€Å"compassionate conservative† policies on the minorities (Olasky, 2006). President Barrack Obama also suffered politically in his early years in office due to the slow response to halti ng the oil spill in Gulf Coast. However, he recovered his politically when the oil spill was finally cleaned up (Olasky, 2006). Last week, citizens across northeastern seaboard were hit by Hurricane Sandy that left thousands homeless and destroyed thousands of businesses. The governor’s of the affected cities called for the state of emergency and President Barrack Obama granted the national disaster proclamation. Hurricane Katrina has changed the dynamics of Presidential elections in the eastern coast. For instance, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed President Barrack Obama’s reelection to what he termed as the prompt response to Hurricane Sandy disaster and the urge to people to avoid waters and

2)Debate the importance of Mahalia Jackson to The Movement. Do so with Essay

2)Debate the importance of Mahalia Jackson to The Movement. Do so with reference to a theoretical framework - Essay Example Being the first gospel superstar, up to date, many listeners still love her songs defining the symbol of transcendent power in her music (Darryl 2005, pp.129). With her gift of singularly and expressive contralto, she continues to inspire other generations of vocalists after her. In her music, she inculcated gospel with sensuality and freedom that had not been experienced before. She did that by introducing some blues elements into her music making her be among the first spiritual performers to do so. At the age of 16, like many Americans with an African background living in the south, she participated in the great migration to C she to Chicago, Illinois for better opportunities, Where she was invited in various places to perform her songs. Ever developing her spirit through church and its music, Jackson made the oath use her inimitable voice for spiritual song- a promise she kept. For instance, after her first service, she was invited join choir of the Greater Salem Church. She then began touring some of the city churches and the surrounding areas with one of the professional gospel groups, Johnson gospel singers (Colin 2005,pp 2107). Jackson was also given musical advice by Thomas A. Dorsey in 1929, viewed as the Father of Gospel Music, who also went further ahead and formed an association with her. According to Darryl, (2005) p. 132, some of her songs became her signature songs. Those included; ‘Take my Hand’ and ‘Precious Lord. In the mid 30s, Jackson met Evelyn Gay, a pianist, who accompanied her in her solo career. This was after the Johnson Brothers group members separated (Colin 2005, pp.2118). Later in 1937, she did her first recordings albums for Decca. At this period of time, her singing reputation grew throughout the Midwest. With her Decca song ‘Gods Gonna Separate the Wheat from the Tares’ which sold, she was prompted a lengthy studio break. Since her career

Role of Geology in the Construction of Hoover Dam Case Study

Role of Geology in the Construction of Hoover Dam - Case Study Example Studying the geology of a building site is a vital first step before designing and constructing any structure, particularly formidably large and heavy works like concrete dams. For both civil engineers and environmental scientists, a study of geology is vital, for understanding the soil mechanics and its functions as a building site, and for understanding the environmental impacts of a construction project. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate why geology is important for a civil engineer or an environmental scientist, using a case study of the Hoover Dam. The Hoover Dam: A Construction Miracle of the Twentieth Century The Colorado River was chosen for constructing the Hoover Dam because of its steep gradient of 11,000 feet in 1,450 miles, more than any of the larger rivers. It was expected that the sharp fall of the Colorado river would facilitate the spinning of turbines at the highest speeds. Black Canyon was selected as the site for the dam, and not the e arlier choice of Boulder Canyon. Both sites were on the lower Colorado River beyond the mouth of the Grand Canyon; however the advantages with Black Canyon lay in â€Å"a more solid and therefore safer bedrock foundation† (Powell 2008: 72), which is reiterated by Stevens (1990) who states that the bedrock at Black Canyon had less jointing and faulting than at Boulder Canyon, after diverting the river there would be less silt and debris to clear, tunneling through the canyon walls would be much easier, and the dam would require less concrete for building because the gorge was narrower. Further, the advantages of constructing the dam at Black Canyon included its easier access, and facilitation for sediment accumulation at the deepest part of the reservoir. The Hoover Dam was unprecedented in the number of hazards and problems the construction project presented. The pressure caused by the reservoir of over nine trillion gallons of water was countered by using the principle of th e arch shape to the dam. To anchor the dam firmly, its base was designed to be several times thicker than its crest. Additionally, to keep the dam site dry during construction, the river had to blocked with a coffer dam and the water diverted through bypass tunnels bored through the bedrock (Powell 2008: 74, 58). Further, tremendous measures had to be undertaken for overcoming natural obstacles such as jagged mountains of volcanic rock, the rapid flow of the Colorado River rushing through a narrow gorge, and the rugged and inaccessible Black Rock Canyon between Nevada and Arizona situated against a desert background infested with wildlife including rattlesnakes. The dam site was also in an isolated area, away from human habitation, with the model town for workers being about eight miles from the dam site. There were sharp differences in temperature, from 140 degrees on the canyon floor in summer to below 20 degrees in the winter. Other daunting construction problems included the nec essity to â€Å"divert the Colorado river through freshly made tunnels in nearby rocks and a temporary coffer dam while the site was cleared and the dam built† (McGovern 2000: 144). Additionally, the possibility of stress imposed by temperature changes and the use of large volumes of concrete in relatively small areas, resulting in cracks in

M4A2- Program Evaluation Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

M4A2- Program Evaluation Method - Essay Example The company uses web beacons to collect and provide data about users by clicking on banner graphics, then storing the information on remote server. They are efficient to track data across multiple domains (Boehm, 1997). The company uses â€Å"information system† which is a network of software and hardware used to collect create and distribute data. The information system used by organizations to capture, transmit, store and retrieve information for the benefit of controlling the performance of the business, and produce specific products and services for customers (Bolcer, 2009). The company’s goal is to ensure that the target growth is attained at the end of the stipulated period. The company’s mission is to bring data to the masses and making data-driven decision making a reality by building a sustainable data infrastructure and knowing where each team member fits in building an efficient organizational structure. Every serious business contains boundaries that are agreed upon by both parties, that is, stakeholders and the program evaluator. Successful business professionals constantly ask themselves â€Å"what can I do and not do about this problem†? .This is an ethical question which if not addressed by evaluators in their boundaries can lead to practical difficulties and ethical violations that can threaten the project. Stakeholders in the project include current and potential funders, community partners, professional colleagues and consumers. The stakeholders will be interested in hearing about the program to ensure they will use the evaluation results. The questions will arise out of the goals and objectives in the program description, planning and the stated needs of the stakeholders. These evaluation questions will provide the foundation and direction for the evaluation with the stakeholders. In designing questions the convergent