Wednesday, August 26, 2020

The Modern Temper by Lynn Dumenil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The Modern Temper by Lynn Dumenil - Essay Example This phase of history is asserted by the creator to have built up â€Å"the focal themes that have formed the advanced American temper.† While she recognizes how significant the job is of World War I being an instrument or procedure of making the ‘roaring twenties’ occur, Dumenil doesn't have confidence in the normal information which induces that World War I is immensely liable for such a result on which different parts of progress in American culture, governmental issues, economy, and culture are installed. To her, it appears that the primary source focuses to the significant occasions of the mechanical insurgency just as the results of a quickly industrialized culture inside an entrepreneur society. This is to state that World War I serves just to clean the outcomes in the general picture of dynamic economy or the possibility of thriving which made populace move from rustic districts to urban areas accepted to have focuses of business and sufficient work to help great expectations for everyday comforts. Among various patterns which are very clear in her examination of the 1920s, the growing bureaucratic type of government is unmistakable yet to some degree famous for respecting over the top force which had blended general doubt the country over. By noticing how a U.S. delegate kept a contention about light investment funds time in a wartime program, Dumenil exhibits how government laws are practiced even in taking care of negligible issues of legislative issues, snidely responding â€Å"we may before long have laws passed endeavoring to direct the volume of air a man ought to inhale, suspend the laws of gravity, or change the shades of the rainbow.† Alongside the expanding condition of administration developed urban progressivism and pluralism in America’s heterogeneous society. Combined with a mass-purchaser culture, this prompted inconsistent dispersion of riches so social developments which impacted diverse strict, ethnic, and social gatherings were

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Vitamins May Hurt Your Health

Nutrients May Hurt Your Health MSN ran an element about ConsumerLab.coms examination concerning the virtue of multivitamins. The lab saw 21 brands of multivitamins available to be purchased in the U.S. furthermore, Canada and discovered just 10 of these brands met the marked cases or in any case satisfied quality guidelines. That doesnt need to mean anything groundbreaking. It could have been different brands were near gathering norms or had minor issues. In any case, the quality issues were ones that could really hurt your wellbeing. The Vitamin Shoppe Multivitamins Especially for Women were seen as sullied with lead. Presently, gives put this access viewpoint. A few calcium supplements risk lead pollution, since lead and calcium take an interest in a considerable lot of a similar synthetic responses and are hard to isolate. That follow measures of lead would be available may be normal. Be that as it may, ConsumerLab.com detailed an every day portion of this mulitvitamin contained an incredible 15.3 micrograms of lead (in excess of multiple times the sum allowed without a notice in California). To exacerbate the situation, however you got some reward lead for your bucks, you just got 54% of the expressed degrees of calcium. Another nutrient represented an alternate hazard. Legend Nutritionals Yummi Bears, a children multivitamin, contained 216% of the marked measure of nutrient An in the retinol structure [5,400 International Units (IU)], which is extensively higher than as far as possible set by the Institute of Medicine of 2,000 IU for kids ages 1 to 3 and 3,000 IU for kids ages 4 to 8. Nutrient An is one of the nutrients where more isn't better. Rather, an excessive amount of nutrient A can debilitate bones and cause liver harm. Are these quality control issues? Indeed, yet I would have been shocked if the lab had discovered the nutrients met their expressed cases. Why? For two reasons. To begin with, nutrients arent controlled by indistinguishable norms from medication. They are viewed as enhancements and not drugs. Your best guard against this is to purchase an item from broadly perceived trustworthy source with an enthusiasm for ensuring its great name. The other explanation I wouldnt anticipate that nutrients should contain precisely what is recorded on the mark is straightforward science. Nutrients, by their very nature, are receptive. The amounts recorded in an item will change through the span of its timeframe of realistic usability. Your fundamental security here is to not take nutrients past their termination date. Would it be a good idea for you to take a multivitamin? Ask yourself whether the potential advantage exceeds the hazard. In the event that you are taking a significant name brand multivitamin, you are presumably getting around what is recorded. And, after its all said and done, expect some variety inside the item and some level of substantial metal tainting with items that incorporate minerals. These nutrients for the most part are protected, however dont take them consequently accepting they will support you.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

13 Super Cool Examples of Experiential Marketing (Engage Your Customers Now)

13 Super Cool Examples of Experiential Marketing (Engage Your Customers Now) You probably have at least one memory of a time when you felt a special connection with a brand or its product or service. You remember loving the brand so much that you’d literally stop on the street to watch its advert playing on a giant screen.You know all the words of the song or jingle, and you are willing to line up for hours just to get your hands on a limited edition product. In other words, you are fully immersed in the experience offered by that brand.You have just experienced, firsthand, what is referred to as “experiential marketing”. © Shutterstock.com | one photoIn this article, we discover 1) what is experiential marketing, 2) its pros and cons, and 3) inspiring examples of well played experiential marketing campaigns.EXPERIENCING EXPERIENTIAL MARKETINGPerhaps the phrase is new to you, and you are more familiar with its other name, “engagement marketing”. No matter; they are one and the same. In fact, there are other terms used to refer to the same concept, such as “event marketing”, “participative or participation marketing”, and “live marketing”.Experiential marketing, or engagement marketing, is a marketing strategy that encompasses a consumer’s experience with a brand, product or service, inviting and encouraging his direct participation. This direct engagement allows the customer to experience the product or service firsthand â€" to touch it, to feel it, to participate in it, and to immerse himself in the entire experience.Experiential marketers do things differently as, say, those who p ractice traditional marketing. Conventional forms of advertising and marketing often involves presenting the product â€" its features, specifications and the many benefits it offers â€" to the consumer, and letting the latter make his decision based on the presentation. Traditional marketers unleash their charm and their skill at sales talk to convince the consumer to buy them product or service.However, in experiential marketing, the consumer gets to do more than just listen and watch. He will be allowed to try the service or test the product. The experiential marketer will facilitate this interaction between product/service and consumer and, afterwards, let the consumer make the decision whether to buy or not, based on his experience. Sure, there is still some sales talk involved, but the marketer will let the product or service do most of the “talking” and convincing.This is certainly one way of putting great stock on the adage “experience is the best teacher”. They let t he experience teach the customers why the product or service is worth buying, and why the brand deserves their loyalty.Big and established brands are seen using a combination of traditional and experiential marketing in their marketing campaigns. Why is that, you ask? Because they will be able to reap the benefits of both traditional and experiential marketing. PROS AND CONS OF EXPERIENTIAL MARKETINGThere are benefits and drawbacks to experiential marketing. Among the advantages that business may reap from it are discussed below.Experiential marketing makes it easier and faster to direct the consumer’s focus and attention on a product or service, because it engages more than one or two senses of the customer simultaneously. For example, through a wine tasting event sponsored by a winery, the marketer will be able to direct the consumer’s attention to the taste and aroma of the wine, and the pleasure of feeling smooth wine glide down their throat. They are also opening up the cus tomer’s awareness of sharing great wine in the company of friends.Experiential marketing promotes brand loyalty of customers. If a product or service delivers what it promised or claimed, a consumer will definitely like it and decide to purchase it. Experiential marketing techniques will reinforce this positive impression in the customer, so he will decide to keep coming back to that product or service, and eventually stick to that brand for the long term.This marketing strategy, when done right, can potentially increase the profitability of the company. Brand loyalty among consumers means that there will be a loyal following, which also means that there will be stability in the inflow of revenue. More revenue means higher profit, and more profit means greater opportunities for the growth of the business.There is also another side of the coin, presenting drawbacks that must be addressed properly by the marketers.Experiential marketing has a narrower reach at a given time, compared to traditional marketing. A traditional advertisement may be presented to hundreds, thousands and hundreds of thousands of target consumers at one time. Publish an ad in a national newspaper and practically every newspaper reader in the country is bound to see it. Air it as a TV commercial, and you can reach pretty much all the viewers who are tuned in at a specific time. With experiential marketing, that may be quite difficult. In order to let the customer get the full experience, one-on-one interaction is the best way to go about it. This means that you can only target a limited number of consumers at a time.Experiential marketing requires a lot of marketing manpower. This requires a hands-on approach in dealing with customers, and since it is one-on-one, if the company wants to reach as many consumers as possible, there has to be a lot of “hands” on deck, working. More hands means higher expenses on labor and manpower.In general, experiential marketing may be more expensive. Aside from additional manpower costs, the company will have to spend on other expenses related to its experiential marketing expenses, such as the cost of samples and other related overhead. Even the service hours that were rendered for free just so the customer can be apprised on the services of the company cost money.SUPER COOL EXAMPLES OF EXPERIENTIAL MARKETINGOver the years, many companies and brands have made use of experiential marketing. Some worked, some failed, and there are others that were so imaginative and “super cool” that they are bound to be remembered even years later. Here are 13 of some of the most super cool experiential marketing strategies ever.1. “I Wanna Have a Sleepover in IKEA” of IKEA (2011)When furniture retail giant IKEA found out about the Facebook group that called themselves “I wanna have a sleepover in IKEA”, it invited 100 winners out of the almost 100,000 members to a sleepover inside its furniture warehouse in Essex in the UK.In the p ajamas-only sleepover, the guests each got goodie bags, on top of massages and manicures. They were also treated to movies and a reality TV star swung by to read them a bedtime story. They also got to check out and test the various IKEA products inside the warehouse. It’s like a “first look”, only better, because they get to spend the night in furniture heaven!This is a great example of experiential marketing utilizing social media.2. “Livestrong Chalkbot” of Nike (2009)Nike carved its name in experiential marketing with this award-winning campaign, meant to raise cancer awareness and promote Livestrong, the cancer foundation of Tour de France perennial champion Lance Armstrong, who is also famous for being a cancer survivor.In the Livestrong Chalkbot interactive campaign, Nike’s ad agency Wieden + Kennedy commissioned Deeplocal and Standard Robot to build a purpose-built roving machine. Tweets, SMS and other messages via web banners and WearYellow.com were collected fro m Tour fans and spectators from all over the world, and the Chalkbot sprayed these messages in yellow chalk on the roads of the Tour de France 2009 route.The world, especially those who participated in sending messages, became witness to the messages chalked on the roads for the three-week duration of the Tour.According to Nike, this campaign brought its apparel sales up by a whopping 46%. 3. “Guinness Class” of Guinness (2012)Guinness did not have a new product, and it did not have any new offering. But that did not stop it from coming up with a new campaign to build up on what it already has. For many drinkers in the UK, Guinness represents a lot of things, and the campaign played on that, awakening in them the desire or aspiration to fly to Dublin, Ireland on a private jet (the Guinness Class), with three of their best mates.In order to get a chance to win the plum prize, consumers are encouraged to head to any of the 1000 participating pubs across the UK between 6pm and 8pm, from October 5 to December 1, 2012. During that period, staff of Guinness, wearing the flight attendant uniforms, will enter the bars at random, and whoever is caught to have ordered and is drinking a pint of Guinness will get a chance to win various prizes, to be indicated by a mobile tablet. Every night, one winner will get that private jet to Dublin prize.The campaign ran for 9 weeks and a total of 85 lucky winners got to experience the Guinness Class.4. “D Rose Jump Store” of Adidas and Derrick Rose (2013)Getting Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose to sign a 13-year exclusive contract may have cost Adidas close to $185 million, but there is no denying that it was one profitable partnership, made even more successful by its experiential marketing strategy.The most notable of these strategies is the pop-up store “D Rose Jump Store” that Adidas opened in London. When news about the NBA superstar showing up at the store spread, hundreds â€" young and old â€" lined up to catch a glimpse of Rose and even meet him up close.But things got even more exciting when the fans got a chance to win a pair of Derrick Rose 3.5 trainers. All they had to do was to be able to jump up 10 feet in the air, to grab a pair from the top of the wall. They get to bring home the pair that they are able to grab.5. “The Great Sensitivity Test” of Sensodyne (2013)GSK, maker of the Sensodyne line of toothpastes, launched its new Novamin Complete Protection technology, specially designed for sensitive teeth. They gave away free samples of the Sensodyne Complete Protection, but they did not stop there. To ensure customer engagement, they allowed customers to experience “The Great Sensitivity Test”.GSK set up “The Great Sensitivity Test” at Potters Field in London, and sent word about the activity with the help of YouTube celebrities and influencers. The area was divided into three zones. Zone 1 was the Sensitivity Zone, where guests can undergo a 10-minute sensitivity dental check, play games for prizes, and get free product samples and advice at the Product Demo. Zone 2, or the Giant Molar, is where guests can have their photo taken beside a 4-meter tall white molar.At Zone 3, visitors get a chance to help nab an Official Guinness World Record for the “World’s Largest Oral Hygiene Lesson”. It may not have scored a world record, but the numbers during the event were impressive enough to count “The Great Sensitivity Test” as one of the best examples of real engagement.6. “Just Dance Now” of Ubisoft (2014)Ubisoft, the developer behind the Just Dance Now video game, was ready to launch the latest version of the app, and they needed to do it with a bang. In December 4, 2014, Ubisoft turned Piccadilly Circus into one huge dance floor.In the annual lighting of the Christmas tree at Trafalgar Square, spectators were surprised when the Just Dance now troupe went up on the stage and danced. They hyped up the crowd and encouraged them to joi n along, using music from the Just Dance app. The whole place turned into something akin to a flash mob, with the crowd jumping in and having fun. Prizes were also given to those who downloaded the Just Dance Now app.7. “Virtual Balcony” of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (2014 to present)When RCCL first launched its high-tech “Quantum of the Seas” ship, it was touted as the world’s “smartest” ship, and they made that possible by introducing the “Virtual Balcony”.Basically, every interior stateroom of the ship is fitted with 80-inch 4K screens on one wall, and these screens stream live ocean views and sounds, courtesy of footage captured by high-performance cameras strategically situated around the ship. Now this may not be a huge deal for those in staterooms that get the real view, but interior staterooms are windowless, so the virtual balcony is a stroke of marketing genius.Some more awesome examples of experiential marketing campaigns. 8. “Bates Motel” of AE (2 015)Part of the marketing of the TV show “Bates Motel” was the construction of a replica of the eerie hotel of the title and opening it to the public during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival on March 13 to 21, 2015. The hotel replica was built beside the Austin Convention Center.Fans (and even non-fans) of the series are welcome to enter the hotel and take a tour of the rooms, which are fully furnished, just like a real hotel. It has housekeeping and you can even chat with the front desk staff! (Some of the bathrooms, by the way, come with bath tubs that has â€" wouldn’t you know it â€" blood.)And to prove that it is a working hotel, visitors can throw in their names for a raffle draw, and the winner got to spend one night in the Bates Motel, where they will get the whole hotel experience, complete with a welcome package of wine and brownies, as well as maid service and liquor minibar room service by collaborator brands Austin Bakery Delish, Tito’s Vodka, Drizly deliver y service, and booking platform Handy.9. “Probably the Best Poster in the World” of Carlsberg (2015)Carlsberg is readily identifiable the world over for its tagline “Probably the best beer in the world”, which was used since 1973 and was dropped in 2011. In 2015, the brand revived the tagline by using experiential marketing.In a collaboration with ad agencies Fold 7 and Mission Media, they came up with “Probably the best poster in the world” campaign, which consisted of a giant, rectangular poster with a green background and the words visibly printed, in white, in the company’s identifiable font style. The poster was set up at The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, an area in London known as a hub for beer drinkers.Now you may be wondering, what is so special about a large poster that occupies almost the first floor façade of a building? Well, it is not just a giant poster. It’s actually a billboard that dispenses beer, with an actual, working tap at the center of th e poster!Londoners â€" specifically those who are 18 years old and above â€" queued in front of the “best poster in the world” to get their one free pint of Carlsberg beer. This is part of Carlsberg’s aim to recapture the beer market that has been slowly edged out by lager brands over the years.10. “The Bottle with a Mission” of Heineken (2015)Dutch brewing company Heineken is now more than just about selling its world-famous pale lager beer. It has also developed the “Heineken Experience”, which has now become one of the tourist attractions in Amsterdam.This museum, which is located in a former brewery, offers visitors an interactive tour through the history of Heineken. For the finale, visitors will be led to a tasting room and drink as much as they want.In order to lure visitors to the Heineken Experience, the company commissioned ad agency JWT Amsterdam to come up with something. What they did was to fit the signature green bottles of Heineken with a GPS system. Th ese GPS-enabled bottles are then placed in random spots in the city, where people can easily spot them and pick them up.Once the person starts walking, with the bottle in hand, the built-in compass will cause the bottle to vibrate and point the person holding it to follow a route, following major sightseeing spots and landmarks of the city, until finally leading him to the Heineken Experience.Clearly, this ploy has worked, because in 2014 alone, Heineken Experience recorded 730,000 visitors, with the number growing by the year.11. “Stillness in Motion” of Delta Airlines (2015)Delta Airlines’ campaign to introduce its suite of in-flight products that “help people become more productive when they travel” got its inspiration from travel writer Pico Iyer’s book, “The Art of Stillness”. The result was an installation aptly called “Stillness in Motion” and created by experiential marketing studio MKG. It was unveiled during the TED 2015 conference.The installation was a mirrored chamber with a spa-like tranquility, where the user can sit on a chair and let the strategically placed biometric sensors do their work. The heartbeat of the user will be monitored by a heart rate sensor, and the space will be illuminated. Soon the lights and sounds inside the chamber will pulse in time with the user’s heartbeat.Since this is meant to promote the idea of being productive even in stillness, the chamber will react as the user calms down and becomes still, as evidenced by a low heart rate. The lower his heart rate goes, the entire chamber will become brighter, offering an enlightening and dizzying (in a good way, the users insist) experience.Around 800 attendees during the conference were able to experience Stillness in Motion and, according to Quartz’ Anne Quito, the response was overwhelmingly positive.12. “Merrell Trailscape” of Merrell (2015)This is another experiential marketing campaign spearheaded by MKG. Outdoor company Merrell wants to creat e positive buzz about its new Capra hiking boot, and revamp Merrell’s image, making it fresher, updated and relevant enough to hold its own against newer brands.MKG made use of Oculus in-motion virtual reality technology in designing the Merrell Trailscape, which was set up during the 2015 Sundance Festival. Users are invited to try out the Trailscape and experience a simulated trek through a rocky mountain range, wearing Capra boots.Wearing OR goggles, users will find themselves exploring the challenging and often treacherous trails of the Dolomite Mountains. They will also experience simulations of rock slides, strong winds, shaky ground and swinging bridges, among others. After the simulation, users can hang out at the swanky Merrell lounge.13. “Weather Rooms” of Globetrotter (2016)German outdoor and sporting clothing and equipment company Globetrotter took the concept of a “fitting room” to another level by introducing the “weather room” in its stores.Customers who enter a Globetrotter store can now test whether the winter gear they plan to buy can really protect them during the winter. There is also a way to prove whether that waterproof jacket is, indeed, waterproof. How? By entering the weather room, which is essentially a chamber that lets customers get to prove the claims of Globetrotter products in a simulated environment.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Gang Resistance Education and Training - 2647 Words

Gang Resistance Education and Training Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T) is a national program that educates elementary and middle school children how to avoid becoming a gang member. The program is instructed by police officers and is part classroom instruction and other learning activities. â€Å"The goal of the GREAT program is to teach youth how to set goals for themselves, how to resist peer pressure, how to resolve conflicts, and how gangs can affect the quality of their lives.† (Ramsey, Rust, amp; Sobel, 2003) The program also teaches the youth personal empowerment, among other things, that prevent them from getting into any gang activity. Originally the program was based off a nine lesson middle-school curriculum.†¦show more content†¦This is why the goals of G.R.E.A.T. are to stop gang involvement, violence, and prevent youth crime. They do this by providing a pathway to develop relationships with their family, other young people, and most importantly law enforcement officials in order to create a safer environment for the youth. In order to make a bigger impact, the program is taught in two different school levels. The G.R.EA.T. program is taught to the youth starting in elementary and continuing until middle school. The elementary program and middle school program are both skill based learning. The elementary program is designed as an introduction course to the middle school program. The elementary program sets the foundation that begins to teach the youth skills that are needed for the more intensive program that is taught in middle school. All of this is done while they develop the bond between the youth and law enforcement officials. These bonds continue to develop once the students move onto the middle school program. The curriculum of the middle school program is more in depth in an attempt to cement the good behaviors of the students. This is done by enhancing their knowledge of their actions and consequences. These courses are taught to the sixth and seventh grade students. They are based on scenarios in order to show the student how to avoid engaging in violent behavior. At the middle school level the youth shouldShow MoreRelatedGang Resistance Education And Training1381 Words   |  6 PagesUnit 4 DB 1 Introduction Gangs violence and there way they treat citizens within their neighborhood has also ways been a problem. Gangs have a way of taking over like cancer and pulling in our children, by offering them a better family life, one that will protect them and love them always, no school, power, promotion, and respect based on the gang that they join, and the colors they pledge to honor and protect. Citizens are always afraid of them and at times will let them take over their neighborhoodRead MoreThe Gang Resistance Education And Training ( Great ) Program1298 Words   |  6 Pagesthe creation for the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program, America’s inner cities was experiencing a substantial increase of gang membership along the youth living in impoverished communities. During the early 1990s, many viewed gang activity as a particular community’s problem, but as youth and gang violence was increasing drastically across the United States’ inner cities, the p ublic’s perception about this social issue changed. Due to the rapid rise of gang violence and youth membershipRead MoreEssay about Gang Resistance Education and Training Program2439 Words   |  10 PagesGang Resistance Education and Training Program Alian Cruz CRJ 305: Crime Prevention Ann Meek 08 OCT, 2011 For my final paper I am going to talk about a program that in my eyes is a great way for our youth to receive different views and healthy choices when it comes to avoiding and confronting gangs or gang members. Gang Resistance Education and Training, abbreviated G.R.E.A.T., and provides a school-based, police officer instructed program that includes classroom instruction and various learningRead MoreNew York Youth Center ( N.y.y.c )962 Words   |  4 Pagesunder great pressure from peers. There are other similar programs that relate to N.Y.Y.C. Two well-known programs are Gang Resistance Education and Training and the Parent-Child Development Center. Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T) is a middle school based gang and violence prevention program. G.R.E.A.T.’s mission are to teach the students skills to avoid gang membership, prevent violence and criminal activities, and assist youth in developing a positive relationship towards lawRead MoreRacial Segregation Of Chicago And Explosive Gang Related Crime1671 Words   |  7 Pagesthe aforementioned the white gang’s behaviors have contributed to the racial segregation of Chicago and the explosive gang related crime in the present day south side of Chicago. Just like African Americans formed gangs to protect themselves against Chicago s white gangs, the Latin Kings formed in Chicago with the same intent. In Chicago Mr. Sanchez a member of the Latin Kings gang shared in an interview: How the Latin Kings were originally formed decades ago to protect the Puerto Rican communityRead MoreExecutive Summary America s Most Popular Anti Drug Program Essay801 Words   |  4 Pagesespecially salient topic for school psychologists and other educational professionals. Schools are the primary setting for providing education and information aimed at the prevention of drug abuse. Previous meta-analyses† (Ennett, et al., 1994; West O Neal, 2004) indicate that one of the nation s most popular drug prevention programs, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program (D.A.R.E.), was not effective in reducing illicit drug use among youths. Current evaluations have produced an array of evidenceRead MoreIntervention Of All Ineffective Delinquency Prevention Programs Essay903 Words   |  4 PagesDrug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) is a City of Los Angeles Government substance abuse prevention education program that seeks to prevent the use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior. Founded in Los Angeles in 1983 as a joint initiative of the-LAPD chief Daryl Gates and the Los Angeles Unified School District as a demand-side drug control strategy of the American War on Drugs. Students who enter the program sign a pledge not to use drugs or join gangs and are informedRead MoreWhy Gangs Can Be Harmful At Risk Youth1623 Words   |  7 PagesGangs are not a new phenomenon, or a new problem. Gangs have been around for a long time, and will continue to grow and transform throughout the world. I have viewed gangs in a negative manner, and have carried a false misconception of what exactly a gang is. Television and media is partially to blame for society’s view on gangs and gang violence. Today, there are dozens of â€Å"reality† television shows about gangs. It is no surprise the information that we take in through television on the topic ofRead MoreCauses Of Gang And Gang Violence1446 Words   |  6 PagesGang and gang vio lence has always been an ongoing problem within the country. Street gangs have evolved into some of the most notorious group associated with murders and killings that law enforcement agencies have encountered. Gang violence has become one of the most serious crime problem happening in the country that involves physical assaults, drive-by shootings, homicides, robberies, prostitutions, and home-invasion along with a long list of criminal activities. It had occurred and multipliedRead MoreProblem Solution Essay1641 Words   |  7 PagesProblem solution essay Final Draft. GANG VIOLENCE IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS There are approximately 27,900 gangs, with 774,000 members, impacting towns, cities, and communities across the United States. According to a recent bulletin released by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 23 percent of students aged 12 through 18 years reported presence of street gangs in their schools. Almost half (46%) of students in public schools reported street gang presence. In addition, 21 percent

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

The Criminalization Of Prostitution And Sex Work - 1103 Words

In a cozy, first world country, the realm of crime, abuse, and drug use, seems like it is worlds away, when in reality, these horrific acts occur in our own backyard. But to a prostitute, it’s their entire world, being forced to work in the grit and grime of the streets, and to make a dangerous living in the underground. The criminalization of prostitution and sex work is flawed at its very core- men and women shouldn’t have to lower their standards of living in order to exercise their rights to both their body and work. Unfortunately, there’s a disconnect between these sex workers and those outside their world, and people often mistakenly tie prostitution to feeding horrific crimes, such as human trafficking rings, rape, and murder.†¦show more content†¦But of course, Amnesty International, a well known human rights non-profit organization, says otherwise with a recent development: a request for the decriminalization and legalization of prostitution, the vote passing mid August of last year (Global Movement Votes to Adopt Policy to Protect Human Rights of Sex Workers). Amnesty International’s vote is all-inclusive, aiming to do all they can to better the lives of sex workers. The organization actively worked with current and former sex workers in the formation of their policy regarding sex work, and hope to have their model accepted globally. Other abolitionists of prostitution seem to think that â€Å"sex work fuels the demand for commercial sex, which is the indisputable driving force behind the sex-trafficking industry† (McCain) despite evidence that points the opposite of such a relationship, and goes against basic economic principles - criminalizing prostitution will only result in it being driven underground, and raising the stakes of competitive trafficking rings (Ahmed). With regulation, easy access, and availability, there would be less of a reason for johns, or clients, to get an escort through the underground, and would result in the sex trafficking industry having a surplus of victims as demand decreases. And while

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Mental Health in Texas Prisons and Jails Free Essays

string(99) " mind blowing resemblance to what we see today; lack of treatment for those with mental illnesses\." Fall 2012 Mental Health in Texas prisons and jails October 13, 2012 University of Southern California A. Introduction: Issue, Policy, Problem: Texas has approximately 24. 3 million residents according to 2010 state statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness. We will write a custom essay sample on Mental Health in Texas Prisons and Jails or any similar topic only for you Order Now Close to 833,000 adults live with a serious mental illness. Within these 24. 3 million residents of Texas in 2008, approximately 37,700 adults with a mental illness were incarcerated (NAMI. org). Additionally, there is an estimated 31% of female and 14% of male jail inmates nationally live with serious mental illness. We see this because there are inadequate public mental health services to meet the needs of those suffering. Texas public mental health system provides services to only 21% of adults who live with a mental illness (NAMI. org). The objective of the 18th Edition Texas Laws for Mental Health are to provide a comprehensive range of services for persons with mental illness or mental retardation that need publicly supported care, treatment, or habilitation. In providing those services, efforts will be made to coordinate services and programs with services and programs provided by other governmental entities to minimize duplication and to share with other governmental entities in financing those services and programs (TDSHS. us). Regardless of the objective by the Texas Laws, prisoners are not, however, a powerful public constituency, and legislative and executive branch officials typically ignore their rights absent litigation or the threat of litigation (UNHCR. org). With this being said, there is great failure within this objective. Many, even thousands of prisoners become incarcerated without receiving the major mental health services they require. Gazing within, many prison mental health services are woefully deficient, crippled by understanding, insufficient facilities, and limited programs. State budget cuts handed down during the recent legislative session left the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with a dangerously-low $6. 1 billion biennial budget, approximately $97 million less than last year’s funding levels. As a result, the mental health care system suffered layoffs along with the rest of the prison health care services. In addition, although treatment and medications were left untouched, fewer medical workers are now left to treat mentally-ill inmates. Staffing cuts in turn increased the inmate-to-staff ratio from 58 to one upward to 65 inmates for every mental health care worker (Nix, 2011). The growing number of mentally ill persons who are incarcerated in the United States is an unintended consequence of two public policies adopted over the last thirty years. The elected officials have failed to provide adequate funding, support, and direction for the community mental health systems that were supposed to replace the mental health hospitals shut down as part of the â€Å"deinstitutionalization† effort that began in the 1960’s (UNHCR,org). Following the deinstitutionalization process came the â€Å"war on drugs† campaign. This was to have embraced a punitive, anti-crime effort. What we saw was a considerable proportion of the prisons and jails population sore, more than quadrupling in the last thirty years. B. History and Scope of Issue: Eighty-three years after the first American institution exclusively for the insane was opened in Williamsburg, Virginia, the first Texas facility for the mentally ill was established by the Sixth Legislature. Legislation signed by Governor Elisha M. Pease on August 28, 1856, called for the establishment of a state lunatic asylum (Creson). Fifty thousand dollars was appropriated for land and buildings. The State Lunatic Asylum (now Austin State Hospital) did not open until 1861, when Superintendent Dr. Beriah Graham admitted twelve patients. Before 1861, individuals with a mental illness or mental retardation were kept at home, sent out of state for treatment or custodial care, or confined in almshouses or jails. Dr. David Wallace was the first physician in the state to limit his practice to psychiatry. During his tenure as superintendent of the two institutions, Wallace successfully resisted political patronage in the asylums, advocated removal of the â€Å"harmless mentally retarded† from them, did away with restraint, introduced occupational and recreation activities as treatment modalities, and utilized furloughing as a prominent part of institutional procedure. Dr. David Wallace was a true advocate for the mentally ill, and fought for their right to be treated respectfully. Overcrowding became a major problem during the 1940s. Public pressure to reduce the lengthy waiting lists for admission to state hospitals and to remove mentally ill individuals from local jails increased occupancy in already overcrowded hospitals. In 1943, the legislature converted the Confederate Home for Men into a hospital for mentally ill male geriatric patients in order to provide beds in the larger hospitals. In 100 years, the state system for caring for the mentally ill grew to nine state hospitals scattered about the state. Their population had, however, begun to decline as a result of new treatment techniques and changing social ideas about the role of state psychiatric hospitals in caring for afflicted individuals (Creson). Over the years, as the population continued to grow, so did crime, drug use, and violence. Research indicates that 72% of both male and female jail detainees with severe mental disorders also meet criteria for substance use disorders of alcohol or drug abuse (Abram amp; Teplin, 1991). Within this negative growth, the punishment for the crimes also tightened. Soon we began to see an increase in arrest, and more offenders incarcerated. However, some of the increase was because those suffering with mental illnesses were the individuals committing the crimes. Subsequently, the mental institutions were closing, due to the changing social views of the way those suffering were treated, left those suffering with nowhere to go. As time moved forward, we can see a striking corresponding movement with the legislative funding for mental health care; it is spiraling downhill. Hence, the beginning of overcrowding in Texas prisons and jails. Sadly, those suffering from mental illness will not receive quality, fair treatment during incarceration. Providing mental health services to incarcerated offenders is frustrated by lack of resources (UNHCR. org). Reflecting back to the early 1800’s, there is a mind blowing resemblance to what we see today; lack of treatment for those with mental illnesses. You read "Mental Health in Texas Prisons and Jails" in category "Papers" C. Perspectives and Analysis of Policy: In Texas, legislators, mental health professionals, and advocates have recognized the need to reduce the prevalence of serious mental illness in jails and prisons by diverting minor offenders to community-based mental health services. In fact, House Bill 2292, passed in 2004, calls for the development of jail diversion strategies along with the implementation of Resiliency and Disease Management (RDM) by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for the treatment of severe mental illness (TDSHS). Steps should be taken at the federal, state, and local level to reduce the unnecessary and counterproductive incarceration of non- offenders with mental illness. Mandatory minimum sentencing laws should be revised to endure prison is reserved for the most serious of offenders. Reducing the number of mentally ill offenders sent to prison will also free up prison resources to ensure appropriate mental health treatment for those men and women with mental illness who must, in fact, be incarcerated for reasons of public safety (UNHCR). On any given day, between 2. 3 and 3. 9 percent of incarcerated offenders in State prisons are estimated to have schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, between 13. 1 and 18. 6 percent major depression, and between 2. 1 and 4. 3 percent bipolar disorder (manic episode). In 1999, NAMI (formerly known as the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) reported that the number of Americans with serious mental illnesses in prison was three times greater than the number hospitalized with such illnesses (UNHCR). In the fiscal 1990 year, the average state hospital census was 3,475, and the number of clients served in community mental health-mental retardation centers was 125,277. The Harris County Psychiatric Center, a 240-bed hospital established in October 1986, jointly funded by the state and Harris County and under the direction of the University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, served an additional 195 individuals. After federal block grants given to states in 1980 provided more state control in distributing federal funds, Texas (like other states) placed a high priority on severely and chronically ill patients in community programs. This re-allocation of resources resulted in an exacerbation of conflicts caused by different local and state agendas, legislative concerns for cost effectiveness and advocacy groups’ agendas for expanded services, as well as professional territorial battles and an expanded definition of what constitutes mental illness. Lawsuits have further complicated the matter of organizing, implementing, and administering the state system while compelling needed reforms. Significant in this regard in Texas was RAJ v. Jones, filed in 1971. Major issues in the case included individualized treatment, patient rights, use of psychotropic medications, and adequate community aftercare services. Morales v. Turman, filed in 1971, resulted in increased quality and availability of mental-health services for juvenile offenders held by the Texas Youth Council. Ruiz v. Estelle did much the same for adults in state prisons and provided impetus for a new prison psychiatric hospital currently under construction in Sugar Land (THSA. org). D. Impact of Policy and Analysis: During 2003 New Freedom Commission on Mental Health found that the mental health delivery system is fragmented and in disarray- leading to unnecessary and costly disability, homelessness, school failure and incarceration. In many communities, access to quality care is poor, resulting in wasted resources and lost opportunities for recovery. The likely-hood of failure for community mental health services to meet the needs of those suffering with mental illness is pronounced. The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have estimated that 72 percent of mentally ill individuals entering the jail system have a drug-abuse or alcohol problem. Deinstitutionalization resulted in the release of hundred s of thousands of mentally ill offenders to communities who could not care for them. At about the same time, national attitudes toward those who committed street crime-who are overwhelming the country’s poorest -changed remarkably (UNHCR. rg). Prisoners with mental illness find it more difficult to adhere to prison rules and to cope with the stresses of confinement, as evidenced by the new BJS statistics that 58 percent of state prisoners with mental problems have been charged with violating prison rules, compared to 43 percent without mental problems. An estimated 24 percent with a mental health problem have been charged with a physical or verbal assault on prison staff, compared to 14 percent of those without. One in five state prisoners with mental health problems has been injured in a fight in prison, compared to one in 10 of those without. Community health services, though good, are, due to lack of funding, inadequate to meet the needs of persons with mental illness. This results in those suffering to â€Å"fall between the cracks†, and into the world of criminal mishap. The lack of funding also affects the ability of law enforcement, courts and correction facilities to divert persons with mental illness away from the criminal justice system and into a more fitting arrangement. Many persons with mental illness, prison can be counter-therapeutic or even â€Å"toxic. † Nevertheless, we recognize the tragic irony that, for many, prison may also offer significant advantages over liberty. For some mentally ill offenders, prison is the first place they have a chance for treatment. For those who are poor and homeless, given the problems they face in accessing mental health services in the community, prison may offer an opportunity for consistent access to medication and mental health services. Realizing this opportunity depends, of course, on whether the prisons provide the necessary services. In 2008, 1,900 out of 11,000 inmates, or 17. 3 percent in the Harris County jail were on psychotropic medication. Spending on mental health care in the prison has risen to $24 million per year, and the combined cost of incarcerating and treating the mentally ill is $87 million annually. A county official noted: the jails have become the psychiatric hospitals of the United States. Class action lawsuits have led to improvements in prison mental health care in a number of states, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Lawsuits have led to consent decrees and court orders instituting reforms and the court appointment of masters and monitors to oversee compliance. Considering the needs of today’s mentally ill prisoners, the progress to date is far from enough. Viewed from the perspective of where prison mental health was two decades ago, the progress has been momentous. Both the state system and the private sector are in a period of major transition. The Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation was placed by House Bill 7 under the auspices of the Commission on Health and Human Services, a new umbrella agency established by the legislature in July 1991. How this new structuring of the administration of state mental health care will ultimately affect the delivery of mental health services remains to be seen (TSHA). E. Judgement: There are nine state mental hospitals in Texas with a total of 2,477 beds to reat civil and criminal patients. About a third of the beds are reserved for criminal commitments, and in 2006, the Department of State Health Services started a waiting list for the beds, because the demand exceeded availability. The shortage of state hospital beds is a problem that local law enforcement officials have been grappling with for years as sheriffs cope with overflowing jails, in which many of the inmates are mentally ill. Harris County officials have seen the number of mentally ill inmates explode since 2003, the last time Texas had a budget crisis and made major cuts. Then, there were fewer than three full-time psychiatrists on duty at the jail. Now, there are more than 15. Often they see the same mentally ill inmates repeatedly. State lawmakers are considering budget proposals that would reduce community-based health care services for adults and children and for community mental hospitals by about $152 million in 2012 and 2013. It is about a 20 percent reduction in financing from the previous two-year budget. For community mental hospitals, financing would fall about 3 percent, but the money would be split among five facilities instead of three (Grissom, 2011). Several problems associated with housing mentally ill persons in jails and prisons rather than hospitals: – The rate of recidivism. Since mentally ill inmates generally receive little care for their illness while in jail or prison, they return to jail or prison at a greater rate than the general prison population. – Mentally ill inmates cost more than other prisoners to house. The average Texas inmate costs the state approximately $22,000 per year. While an inmate with a mental illness costs the state approximately $30,000 to $50,000 per year. Other issues the study cites include the fact that mentally ill inmates commit suicide at a greater rate than the general prison population, and mentally ill inmates are easier targets for abuse by other prisoners and prison staff. Texas ranks 49th in the nation in per capita spending on mental health services. Only 25 percent of children and 18 percent of adults with severe mental illness and in need of services from the public m ental health system in Harris County are able to receive them. Now, Texas lawmakers are looking to cut funding to the already overburdened public mental health system by $134 million for 2012-13. A prime example of cost shifting has occurred within the Harris County Jail, now the largest mental health facility in Texas. The Harris County Jail treats more individuals with mental health issues on a daily basis than our state’s 10 psychiatric hospitals combined. This is especially worrisome given that the United States Department of Justice reports that it costs 60 percent more to incarcerate inmates with serious mental illnesses than it costs to house typical inmates. It is clear that imprisonment of the mentally ill will not help the situation at hand, only add to the severity of it. Incarceration of the mentally ill can be devastating and costly. While, those suffering from mental illness need help, confinement in federal, state, and local prisons is not the answer. Local leaders and government officials need to advocate for the mentally ill, and push for more funding to insure proper treatment is available to those in need. References Abram, K. M. , amp; Teplin, L. A. (1991). Co-occurring disorders among mentally ill jail detainees. American Psychologist, 46, 1036-1045. Dan L. Creson, â€Å"MENTAL HEALTH,† Handbook of Texas Online (http://www. shaonline. org/handbook/online/articles/smmun), accessed October 14, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. Janice C. May, â€Å"GOVERNMENT,† Handbook of Texas Online (http://www. tshaonline. org/handbook/online/articles/mzgfq), accessed October 14, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. Undefined. (May 15, 2012). Texas Department of State Health Services. In 18th Edit ion Texas Laws for Mental Health. Retrieved October 14, 2012, from http://www. dshs. state. tx. us/mhrules/Texas_Laws. shtm. How to cite Mental Health in Texas Prisons and Jails, Papers

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Strategic Supply Chain Partnership Environmental †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Supply Chain Partnership Environmental. Answer: Introduction Information system helping in gaining all types of organizational goals with excellent strategies is known as strategic information system (Haux et al. 2013). The most significant advantage of this strategic information system is that it provides competitive advantage to that typical organization. These information systems often deliver any product or service that does not incur much cost and is absolutely differentiated for focusing on the segment of market that is important (Galliers and Leidner 2014). It is considered as one of the most important characteristic in the field of IT or information technology. Moreover, this type of information system is responsible for helping all the organizations in storing, categorizing, transferring and processing of any type of information or data. The operational efficiency of the organization is solely developed with this strategic information system (Willcocks 2013). Accounting software can be defined a specific type of application software, which helps in recording and processing the financial transactions in the functional modules like trial balance or general ledger. The functionality of this software is just like an accounting information system (Dandago and Rufai 2014). Accounting software can be accessed from anywhere with any device that has Internet connectivity and does not incur much cost. This literature review will be providing a short as well as precise discussion on the most popular ad significant banking sectors in Australia, Commonwealth Bank of Australia. This literature review will outline the several organizational problems and the organizational structure of CBA. The system efficiency method, system flowchart and the various control problems of the organization will be given here. The relevant accounting software package for CBA will be highlighted here. Commonwealth Bank of Australia is the most popular and important multinational banking sectors having businesses in the various countries across the world including Asia, Europe and entire Australia (Commbank.com.au. 2018). This particular bank is responsible for providing several financial services that include funds management, investment, loans, investment, insurance and many more. In the year of 2015, CBA was listed as the largest bank in Australia in the Australian Securities Exchange with other brands like Bankwest, ASB Bank and Commonwealth Securities. Commonwealth Bank of Australia is one of the four banks with Westpac, ANZ and NAB (Commbank.com.au. 2018). This organization comprises of an extraordinary organizational structure and various organizational strategies that has made the organization extremely popular and well accepted by all. Organizational Structure of Commonwealth Bank of Australia The organizational structure of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia is explicitly popular and important for the organization. This organizational structure comprises of all the managing bodies and important employees of the bank (Palvia and Palvia 2013). The board of directors or the board of commissioners of this organization includes the owners, directors, stockholders and many more. The three levels of management, i.e. top management, middle management and lower management are properly given here. Although, Commonwealth Bank of Australia is one of the best banks in Australia, there are some of the major operational problems within the organization (Ogiela 2015). These problems are therefore the most significant as well as dangerous as they are effecting the market shares of the organization. The shares of this organization are going down explicitly and thus the popularity of the company is falling (Laudon and Laudon 2016). Over the last five years, due to the degradation in shares, various operational problems have occurred. This is mainly due to the wrong strategies that the organization has undertaken. Commonwealth Bank of Australia has taken various approaches for solving their operation problems. The main reason that their approaches or strategies did not work was constant alterations in the market trends (Arvidsson, Holmstrm and Lyytinen 2014). CBA was always involved in the competition of going on top. This type of competition often can be harmful to the organization and this was exactly what happened with CBA. This bank was failing to satisfy their clients and was not being able to meet the expectations (Konsynski and Karimi 2013). The situation even has gone down to such limit that they were unable to give loans to their clients. Another important problem that occurred within CBA was that they were not making enough money. A multinational bank, CBA found it really hard to make money and thus the competition was increased from all types of financial technology companies (Hill, Jones and Schilling 2014). The popularity of all types of financial technology organizations worldwide has somewhat affected the banking sectors and CBA is one of the major victims. This is mainly because CBA is a traditional bank and they are being able to cope up or adjust with the modern changes or alterations. The operations of the bank are much traditional in comparison to other financial technology organizations (Bryson 2017). Moreover, the regulatory requirements have continued to increase and the banks require spending maximum on the discretionary budget and thus escalating the requirements. The above figure has properly demonstrated about the downfall of the share price of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Alexander 2013). In the above figure, during the period of June and July 2013, the share price has gone up to 70%, however, recently, it has gone down to below 20%. Organizational Strategies There are some of the most significant strategies of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. There are four major strategies of CBA. They are as follows: i) Customer: This is the first and the foremost strategy of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. They always focus on their customers. According to them, the customers are the most important part of their organization. The culture of this particular bank is completely vibrant and customer focused (Amrollahi, Ghapanchi and Talaei-Khoei 2013). The diversification and safety of the money of their customers are properly maintained by the bank. The major reason for this type of ideology is that they think that this would help to maintain their popularity. ii) Technology: The second important strategy of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia is their technology. They try to maintain their technology. Although, they are facing problems in coping up with the financial technology companies, they are still trying to increase their technological skills (Yoo 2013). The real time capabilities are maintained with several developed applications. Productivity: The third strategy of the bank is the productivity. The productivity of this particular bank is much more than the rest of the banks in Australia. They are continuously simplifying their method so that they can achieve and obtain for better results or outcomes for their customers (Gholami et al. 2013). Productivity is something that they always focus on and according to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, it is extremely critical for their long term success. The process by process look is undertaken by them and thus the errors are reduced and the unit costs are reduced. Strengths: The final strategy of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia is their strength. The financial crisis of the bank is overcome with the extraordinary strategies and thus they try to focus on their strengths for making the organization strong and popular (Youn et al. 2013). An extremely popular, strong as well as flexible balance sheet is being maintained and is very important for ensuring that they can continue in supporting their clients and thus capitalize on opportunities. System Acquisition Method Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP is undertaken by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia for the system acquisition (Al-Hiyari, AL-Mashre and Mat 2013). ERP can be defined as the procedure through which any specific organization controls as well as integrates various areas like purchasing, planning, finance, marketing and many others. The organizational goals as well as objectives are well achieved with this particular technique. CBA utilizes SAP model for their business (Dandago and Rufai 2014). However, the involvement of SAP is not easy and it needs proper professional training. Flexibility and scalability are the two most significant advantages of SAP. This particular ERP model has provided the Commonwealth Bank of Australia with excess effectiveness and popularity (Simkin, Norman and Rose 2014). Moreover, SAP also help in gaining utmost proficiency within the software. Cost effectiveness is another important benefit of the model. The specific SAP model of the organization is abso lutely updated and thus it helps to solve the problems related to any type of operation. It is even utilized by the bank for making the bank shares absolutely steady and working (Amrollahi, Ghapanchi and Talaei-Khoei 2013). If the interest rates of the bank would be reduced, then the customers would again take loans from CBA. Various problems are faced by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Several modifications have occurred in the bank shares and this growth of the organization completely depends on various stakeholders and marketing team (Bryson 2017). The brand name of this particular bank is solely affected as well as influenced in the sector. The control problems of this organization even are responsible for reducing the growth in the entire market. There are various types of frauds possible in the system of Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The first and the foremost fraud of this organization mainly include the hoax emails or the hoax SMS messages (Arvidsson, Holmstrm and Lyytinen 2014). The other fraud of the bank includes phishing and spoofing. Smishing is the most popular form of phishing and SMS. Accounting Software Packages Accounting software packages are utilized for recording and processing the accounting transactions within the functional modules like the payroll, general ledger, trial balance and many more (Simkin, Norman and Rose 2014). This type of accounting software packages are purchased from any specific third party or is developed by any organization. There is a great variety in cost and complexity. There are various types of accounting software packages available in the market. The most popular examples include Myob and Xero. The accounting software package that CBA has utilized in the accounting software package is Xero (Xero Accounting Software. 2018). It is a cloud based accounting software for all types of businesses. However, it is popular for the smaller and the medium sized organizations. Approximately all products of this software are on the basis of the SaaS model or software as a service. There are various advantages that the Commonwealth Bank of Australia enjoy from the accounting software package of Xero. They are as follows: Supporting Maximum Clients in Lesser Time: It helps to support maximum time in extremely less time and Xero is utilized by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Al-Hiyari, AL-Mashre and Mat 2013). Reporting of Real Time Finances: This is another important advantage of Xero. The real time finances are reported with this. Easy Collaboration: The owners of the business and all the clients could be easy collaborated with this particular accounting software. High Improvement: Xero software is always improving and thus allow easy updates of the software (Yoo 2013). Identification of Market Leaders and Competitors The Commonwealth Bank of Australia is not only the market leader in banking sector. There are few more, who is leading the market of Australian banks (Hill, Jones and Schilling 2014). These banks are the core competitors of the CBA. The most popular and significant competitors of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia are given below: i) National Australian Bank or NAB ii) Australia and New Zealand Banking Group or ANZ Bank Auckland Savings Bank or ASB iv) Bank West v) Westpac New Zealand vi) Kiwi Bank St. George Bank, Australia (Konsynski and Karimi 2013). The most significant competitors of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia are being shown in the above figure (Willcocks 2013). According to this, Commonwealth Bank of Australia is still getting the highest shares. Around 20% is taken by them. 16% is taken by National Australian Bank and 13% is taken by the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group. The remaining 51% of shares are taken by all the remaining banks available. The above figure has clearly shown that Commonwealth Bank of Australia is within a better position than the rest and thus is obtaining competitive advantages (Laudon and Laudon 2016). Hence, it is depicted that Commonwealth Bank of Australia is leading the market of banking and banking services. Relevant Suggestions or Recommendations Commonwealth Bank of Australia has faced various operational and organizational problems within their system. The most significant issue or problem in the Commonwealth Bank of Australia is that the interest rates of this bank are much higher than the rest of the banks in Australia. Therefore, it is highly recommended to the bank to reduce their interest rates as soon as possible so that people are able to take up the loan once again from this bank. The second significant problem in the Commonwealth Bank of Australia is that people are not willing to invest in the bank as they are worried about their security. This is solely because of the downfall in shares. It is highly recommended that they should advertise about their bank more often. Another important problem is their CRM. The customer relationship management should be kept on first priority for this bank. Conclusion Therefore, conclusion can be drawn that the SIS is utilized by various companies for successfully gaining their organizational goals and objectives. The major advantage of the SIS or strategic information system is that it gives competitive advantage to all the organizations. Accounting software is any particular kind of application software that is utilized for the purposes of recording as well as processing of the finance related transactions. The major function of accounting software is similar to an accounting information system. The above literature review has outlined a brief discussion on the strategic information system of the one of the most popular banks in Australia, known as the CBA or Commonwealth Bank of Australia. This literature review has also provided the several organizational problems and the organizational structure of CBA. The system efficiency method, system flowchart and the various control problems of the organization is provided here. The relevant accounting software package for CBA is also provided here. Moreover, the market leaders and the competitors of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia are provided in this literature review. The final part of the literature review consists of relevant suggestions and recommendations for the bank. References Alexander, K. ed., 2013. Facilities management: theory and practice. Routledge. Al-Hiyari, A., AL-Mashre, M.H.H. and Mat, N.K.N., 2013. Factors that affect accounting information system implementation and accounting information quality: A survey in University Utara Malaysia.American Journal of Economics,3(1), pp.27-31. Amrollahi, A., Ghapanchi, A.H. and Talaei-Khoei, A., 2013. A systematic literature review on strategic information systems planning: Insights from the past decade.Verified OK. Arvidsson, V., Holmstrm, J. and Lyytinen, K., 2014. Information systems use as strategy practice: A multi-dimensional view of strategic information system implementation and use.The Journal of Strategic Information Systems,23(1), pp.45-61. Bryson, J., 2017.Effective library and information centre management. Routledge. Commbank.com.au. 2018.Personal banking including accounts, credit cards and home loans - CommBank. [online] Available at: https://www.commbank.com.au/ [Accessed 13 Apr. 2018]. Dandago, K.I. and Rufai, A.S., 2014. Information technology and accounting information system in the Nigerian banking industry.Asian Economic and Financial Review,4(5), pp.655-670. Galliers, R.D. and Leidner, D.E. eds., 2014.Strategic information management: challenges and strategies in managing information systems. Routledge. Gholami, R., Sulaiman, A.B., Ramayah, T. and Molla, A., 2013. Senior managers perception on green information systems (IS) adoption and environmental performance: Results from a field survey.Information Management,50(7), pp.431-438. Haux, R., Winter, A., Ammenwerth, E. and Brigl, B., 2013.Strategic information management in hospitals: an introduction to hospital information systems. Springer Science Business Media. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014.Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Konsynski, B.R. and Karimi, J., 2013. The Information Technology and Management Infrastructure Strategy Globalization and information management strategies. InStrategic Information Management(pp. 103-126). Routledge. Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, J.P., 2016.Management information system. Pearson Education India. Ogiela, L., 2015. Advanced techniques for knowledge management and access to strategic information.International Journal of Information Management,35(2), pp.154-159. Palvia, P.C. and Palvia, S.C., 2013. Understanding the global information technology environment: representative world issues.Strategic Information Management, p.151. Simkin, M.G., Norman, C.S. and Rose, J.M., 2014.Core concepts of accounting information systems. John Wiley Sons. Willcocks, L., 2013.Information management: the evaluation of information systems investments. Springer. Xero Accounting Software. 2018.Online Accounting Software Free Trial, Free Support | Xero. [online] Available at: https://www.xero.com/ [Accessed 13 Apr. 2018]. Yoo, Y., 2013. The tables have turned: How can the information systems field contribute to technology and innovation management research?.Journal of the Association for Information Systems,14(5), p.227. Youn, S., Yang, M.G.M., Hong, P. and Park, K., 2013. Strategic supply chain partnership, environmental supply chain management practices, and performance outcomes: an empirical study of Korean firms.Journal of Cleaner Production,56, pp.121-130.