Analysis Of Trufx An Adelaide Based Visual Effect Studio

Melanie Trieu Business Owner TruFX 33 Warwick Street, Adelaide, 5081 ABN: 53 024 921 617 ACN: 007 249 989 TruFX Business Plan Prepared: [date prepared] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TruFX is an Adelaide based visual effect studio. We will focus on the creation of visual effects for national television commercials, small film productions and websites. The target market is small to medium-size companies that have been established for two or more years. We will work from a small office within the Adelaide CBD. Melanie Trieu is the business owner and sole managing director of TruFX. Melanie is responsible for all of the design work and administrative details. The company is made up of four other employees who are essential to the company’s operation and future success. Start-up summary Background information Name of owners Melanie Trieu Industry knowledge experience/skills of key personnel: EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND – Melanie Trieu: †¢ Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media (Specialising in CGI and Visual Effects) at TAFE SA Technical and vocational skills: †¢ Knowledge in Mac OS, Windows 10 and Windows Office †¢ Lighting and texturing knowledge in the programs Autodesk Maya, Adobe Photoshop. Practical job experience: †¢ 6 months freelance Adelaide Motorbike Group EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND – Adam Smith: †¢ Bachelor of Media Arts at UniSA †¢ 1 term CDW Studios Technical and vocational skills: †¢ Knowledge in Windows 10 and Windows Office †¢ Compositing

Cellphones and Digital Networks Free Essays

Cell phones have been around for nearly 15 years and are now everywhere you look. Over a quarter of Americans and a half of Europeans own cell phones and the numbers have been increasing exponentially. With the continuing increase in technology cell phones have become smaller, cheaper, and thanks to the move from analog to digital the calls are much clearer. We will write a custom essay sample on Cellphones and Digital Networks or any similar topic only for you Order Now They offer a great amount of convenience, and can be very economically for the busy businessman on the go. Advancements in cell phones are always being made, giving a clearer sound and lighter feel, as well as a longer life. The cell phone industry has been one of the fastest growing in the world. The electronics are fairly simple, but they are so small that they are truly and engineering marvel. This paper will discuss in depth the many different components of the average cell phone, and talk about how it converts your voice into something that can be sent through a digital network. The paper will also look at how the inner workings allow for a phone to act as a microcomputer, with Internet access, address books, and even games. Finally, it will review the many exciting ideas for this growing market and look to the future of the industry, and how the industry plans on overcoming various limiting factors. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, 18 years later Guglielmo Marconi created the first radio. It was only natural that these two great technologies would eventually be combined to create the cellular craze. In the 80’s few people used radiophones, these phones were the precursor to cellular, but they had several limiting factors preventing them from every becoming a major part of everyday society. In the radio telephone system, there was one central antenna tower per major city, and no more than 25 channels available on that tower. Each phone needed a powerful transmitter, big enough to transmit 40 or 50 miles. It also meant that not many people could use radiotelephones due to the lack of channels. With the current cellular system any none adjacent cell can use the same frequency, so the amount of phones that can be used are nearly limitless. These cells also mean that each phone does not need a strong transmitter, so the phone can be a lot smaller. With the innovation of digital phones, many great features are now available, such as caller id, Internet access, and several other new features. It also meant that the phone would need a microprocessor to convert from analog to digital, this complicated the circuitry, but left it with new technology available the industry was able to make the phone as small as possible. The only restriction in size became the user-input devices, and the screen size. Usefulness of the Digital Cell Phone The digital cellular phone offers many advantages to today†s society. The conveniences that it offers over simply not having one are obvious and they vary from person to person. But there are many advantages over other types of phones as well. The cellular phone not only allows people to communicate with others while they are on the go, but it also offers many other features to help people. With the services that digital provides, people can access email and find information almost anywhere in the world for a reasonable fee. In the future, as the integration of phones and computers grow, people will be able to access tutorials in the field, and use them to communicate with specialists saving a great amount of time for many researchers. Today digital cell phones, such as the one shown in Appendix C figure 1, can process millions of calculations per second in order to compress and decompress the voice stream. In order to do this each phone is equipped with a circuit board that contains many different chips. The circuit board of a common phone is shown in Appendix C figure 2. Two chips described earlier are the Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog conversion chips that translate the outgoing audio signal from analog to digital and the incoming signal from digital back to analog. There is also a Digital Signal Processor that is highly customized processor designed to perform signal manipulation calculations at high speed. The microprocessor controls the keyboard and display and deals with command and control signaling with the base station, it also coordinates the rest of the functions on the board. This microprocessor is as powerful as the super computer of the 70’s that took up whole rooms, but is now the size of a finger. By using its arithmetic/logic unit or ALU it can perform all mathematical operation that run many of today features in phones. It is also responsible for the transfer of data throughout the phone. It will also make decisions and then run a new set of instructions. In Appendix C figure 3 a very simple microprocessor is shown. Cell phones use microprocessors that are much more complex, but the use the same idea. The ROM and flash memory chips provide storage for the phone’s operating system and customizable features, such as the directory and various simple games. (Appendix C figure 4) The RF and power section handles power management and recharging, and also deals with the hundreds of FM channels. Finally, the Radio Frequency amplifiers handle signals in and out of the antenna. The Radio Frequency amplifier is the same device as you would find in your car’s radio. The display has grown considerably in size as the number of features offered by cell phones has increased. Most phones currently available offer built-in phone directories, calculators and even games. It some new products that will be discussed later, cell phone counter as PDA’s offering very large screen and offer all of the benefit you would find in today’s hand held computers. The display is a liquid crystal display (LCD). It is made of thousands of tiny crystals with two possible colors. They have recently announced that they will be offering color screens on some new phones that work like the display of a laptop computer. Very small speakers and microphones, about the size of a dime, amplify the analog waves. These devices are just like that of a portable radio and the microphones used on television talk shows. They are both wired to the microprocessor. In order for digital cell phones to take advantage of the added capacity and clearer quality, they must convert your voice into binary information. This means that it must break it down to 1’s and 0’s. The reason that this is so advantageous is that unlike analog, digital is either on or off, 1 or 0, instead of oscillating between the two. For the conversion, the device must first record an analog wave, such as the one in Appendix B figure 1. To create the highest fidelity possible, it records number to represent the wave, instead of the wave itself as represented in Appendix B figure 2. The cell phones analog-to-digital converter, a device that is also found in a CD player, does this process. On the other end a separate digital-to-analog converter is used for playback. The quality of transfer depends on the sampling rate, that controls how many samples are taken per second, and the sampling precision. The precision controls how many different levels are possible in the sample. The better these two are the clearer the sound, but it takes a higher speed processor and requires a greater amount of data transfer. In Appendix B the benefits are shown in figure 3. Most common digital cellular systems use Frequency Shift Keying to send data back and forth. This system uses one frequency for 1’s and another for 0’s and rapidly switching between the two. This requires optimal modulation and encoding schemes for recording, compressing, sending, and then decoding without loss of quality. Because of this digital phones contain an amazing amount of processing power. The cellular network is web of towers covering areas, generally thought of as hexagonal cells as shown in APPENDIX A Figure 1. The genius of the cellular system is because cell phones and base stations use low-power transmitters, so the same frequencies can be reused in non-adjacent cells. Each cell is about 10 square miles and has a base station that consists of a tower and a small building containing the radio equipment. As more people join the cellular world, companies are quickly adding more towers to accommodate them. Every digital carrier is assigned different frequencies, an average carrier may get about 2400 frequencies per city, and this number is about three times the amount as analog. The reason that more channels are available is because digital data can be compressed and manipulated much easier than analog. Each tower uses one seventh of the available frequencies, so none of the surrounding 6 towers interfere. The cell phone uses two frequencies per call, called a duplex channel. The duplex channel allows one channel to be used for listening and the other for talking, so unlike a CB or walkie-talkie, both people can talk at the same time. This system currently allows for about 168 people to talk in each cell, for each system. The cellular approach requires a large number of base stations in a city of any size, but because so many people are using cell phones, costs remain low per user. Every cell phone has a special code associated with it, called an electronic serial number (ESN). It is a unique 32-bit number programmed into the phone when it is manufactured. When the phone is activated another five digit code called a system identification code (SID), a unique 5 digit number that is assigned to each carrier by the FCC, is imprinted in the phones memory. When you first power up a cell phone, it checks a control channel to find the SID. If the phone cannot find any control channels to listen to, it knows it is out of range, and displays a no service message. After finding the SID, the phones check to see if it matches the SID programmed in the phone, and if it does not match it knows that the phone is roaming. The central location that the cell phone is registered to keeps track of the cell that your phone is in, so that it can find you when someone calls the phone. When the phone is turned on it sends its ESN to the control channel. If the phone goes out of range, it will take a short while to locate your phone when it enters back into service. This can cause loss of calls, even though the phone is in service, but this problem is very temporary. When someone does call your phone it is sent to the central tower called the Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO). This office is continually communicating with the cell phone. It sends and receives the calls, as well as telling it what frequencies to use. This is all done through the control channel, so it does not impair any calls. As you move toward the edge of your cell, the cell’s tower will see that your signal strength is diminishing. At the same time, the base station in the cell you are moving toward, which is listening and measuring signal strength on all frequencies, will be able to see your phone’s signal strength increasing. The two base stations coordinate themselves through the MTSO, and at some point, your phone gets a signal on a control channel telling it to change frequencies. There are three common technologies used by cell phone providers. These are Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). In FDMA every call is done on a separate frequency. FDMA separates the spectrum into distinct voice channels by splitting it into uniform chunks of bandwidth. This is very similar to the way that radio stations operate. Each station is assigned a signal at a different frequency within the available band. FDMA is used mainly for analog transmission, so it is slowly being phased out. It is capable of carrying digital information, but it is not considered an efficient method for digital transmission. Time Division Multiple Access gives each call a certain amount of time on a frequency. The Electronics Industry Alliance and the Telecommunications Industry Association use TDMA. In TDMA, a narrow bandwidth that is 30 kHz wide and 6. 7 milliseconds long is split time-wise into three time slots. (Appendix D, figure 1) Each conversation gets the radio frequency for one-third of the time. This is possible because voice data that has been converted to digital information is compressed so that it takes up significantly less transmission space. Therefore, TDMA has three times the capacity of an analog system using the same number of channels. TDMA systems operate in either the 800 MHz or 1900 MHz frequency bands. Some phones have the ability to switch between bands. This function is called simply Dual-Band, and is important when traveling between different band frequencies. TDMA is also the access technology for Global System for Mobile communications. The Global system uses different frequencies in different areas of the world and is not compatible with other TDMA systems. GSM operates in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands in Europe and Asia and in the 1900 MHz band in the United States. GSM systems use encryption to make phone calls more secure. GSM is the international standard in Europe, Australia and much of Asia and Africa. In covered areas, cell-phone-users can buy one phone that will work anywhere else the standard is supported. To connect to the specific service providers in these different countries, GSM-users simply switch SIM cards. SIM cards are small removable disks that slip in and out of GSM cell phones. They store all the connection data and identification numbers you need to access a particular wireless service provider. Unfortunately, the 1900 MHz GSM phones used in the United States are not compatible with the international system. 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A doll house ; a raisin in the sun Essay Example For Students

A doll house ; a raisin in the sun Essay A Doll House, by Henrik Ibsen, and A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, both have central themes of search of self-identity within a social system. This is demonstrated by women characters from both plays breaking away from the social standards of their times and acting on their own terms. In most situations women are to be less dominant than men in society. These two plays are surprisingly different from the views of women in society and of the times and settings that they take place in. Henrik Ibsens A Doll House, which was written during the Victorian era, introduced a woman as having her own purposes and goals, making the play unique and contemporary. Nora, the main character, is first depicted as a doll or a puppet because she relies on her husband, Torvald Helmer, for everything, from movements to thoughts, much like a puppet who is dependent on its puppet master for all of its actions. Noras duties, in general, are restricted to playing with the children, doing housework, and working on her needlepoint. A problem with her responsibilities is that her most important obligation is to please Helmer. Helmer thinks of Nora as being as small, fragile, helpless animal and as childlike, unable to make rational decisions by herself. This is a problem because she has to hide the fact that she has made a decision by herself, and it was an illegal one. In Act I, it seems evident that Nora does not understand the actual value of money but she has an infatuation with luxurie s such as expensive Christmas gifts and she justifies this by buying less expensive clothes, which she has confided in Mrs. Linde, her friend. Helmer, immediately labels his wife as a little spendthrift (Ibsen, 660). She seems to think that money can be easily borrowed and paid back. Nora: Oh, but Torvald, we can squander a little now. Cant we? Just a tiny, weebit. Now that youve got a big salary and are going to make piles and piles of money. (Ibsen, 660)Helmer feels strongly that women and finances should have nothing to do with each other, and that a woman could never rationally economize a household. He feels that taking loans out in order to buy expensive items is unnecessary and most importantly, what would other people think?Helmer: Nora, Nora, how like a woman! No, but seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debts! Never borrow! Something of freedoms lost-and something of beauty too-from a home thats founded on borrowing debt. Weve made a brave stand up to now, the two of us; and well go right on like that the little we have to (Ibsen, 660). Nora thought she did the right thing by borrowing money when Helmer was sick and not telling him. She knows that it was illegal to forge her fathers signature but feels that this crime should not apply to her because she had the good intention of helping her husband get well. This can be seen as an example of the subordinate position of women in society. Nora was thinking of the well being of her husband, while not thinking about the rules of the business world which is where men had all of the power at the time and even today. This is evident when Krogstad, the man she borrowed money from, comes to meet with Nora with the forged loan to discuss what she has done. Krogstad: Laws dont inquire motives. Nora: Then they must be very poor laws. Krogstad: Poor or not-if I introduce this paper in court, youll be judged according to law. Nora: This I refuse to believe. A daughter hasnt a right to protect her dying father from anxiety and care? A wife hasnt a right to save her husbands life? I dont know much about laws, but Im sure that somewhere in the books these things are allowed. And you dont know anything about it-you who practice the law? You must be an awful lawyer, Mr. Krogstad (Ibsen, 669). After Krogstad threatens to expose Noras crime, she comes to the realization that what she did was in fact illegal. This is the beginning of the end for Noras perfect marriage and family. She tries to use her feminine charm on the men in her life to make the situation right. Nora tries to please Helmer by dressing up and doing the tarantella dance. She pretends that she needs him to teach her every move in order to relearn the dance. This is evidence of Noras submissiveness to her husband. Helmer in turn shows interest in Nora physically and emotionally, but not intellectually which is consistent throughout the play. It is obvious that Helmer looks at Nora as his object. Nora: Torvald, dont look at me like that!Helmer: Cant I look at my richest treasure? At all that beauty thats mine, mine alone-completely and utterly,Nora (moving around to the other side of the table): You mustnt talk to me that way tonight. Helmer (following her): The tarantella is still in your blood. I can see-and it makes you even more enticing. Listen. The guests are beginning to go. (Dropping his voice.) Nora-itll soon be quite through this whole house. (Ibsen, 682)When Nora feels that she has no where else to turn to for help in hiding her secret, she goes to Dr. Rank, a friend of Helmers, who is also attracted to Nora physically. Nora feels that Rank will be able to prevent her from the consequences she is about to face with her husband, but he wants to tell her how he feels about her. Just as she is about to tell him about her situation, Dr. Rank professes his love for her, and Nora simply replies, Really, I dont know what to say-Why did you have to be so clumsy, Dr. Rank! Everything was so good. (Ibsen, 675) This proves that Noras charm has worked but not for what she really wanted. Nora can be seen as selfish and naive, but she is only a product of the society that she was raised in. She has been handed everything that she has needed in life by her father and later by her husband because she is a woman. It is obvious that she has become dependent on the men in her life. The art of art EssayBeneathas character is very similar to Nora in A Doll House. She is searching for self-identity within a social structure that constrains her because she is an African American woman. Like Helmer, Walter, her brother, does not believe that his sister is capable of fulfilling her dreams of going to medical school and becoming a doctor because it is not a typical occupation for a woman to be in. Walter: Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? If you so crazy bout messing round with sick people-then go be a nurse like the other women-or just get married and be quiet (Hansberry, 1278)Another issue that Walter is worried about is where is the money going to come from to educate her? He has more important plans with the insurance money than to provide an education for Beneatha, whom he feels should be doing more for the family than worry about becoming a doctor. He feels this way because while the rest of the family is working hard all day trying to make ends meet, Beneatha is at school. When she comes home she brings her ideas and thoughts with her and this makes Walter feel inferior. Unlike Nora, from the beginning, Beneatha wants to be independent. She does not want to have to rely on her family or anybody else to put her through school. When Beneatha is at school, she feels as if she has a place in society. She is surround with people who are similar to her. When she i s at home she is uncertain of her place because of the contradicting views her family has of their social status. She frequently questions the ideas and values of her family. There was a discussion between Mama, Ruth and Beneatha about rich white people verses rich colored people, and Beneatha was stating that the only people in the world who are more snobbish than rich white people are rich colored people. (Hansberry, 1282) Mama immediately said, You must not dislike people cause they well off. (Hansberry, 1282) Beneatha felt that her mother did not understand the concept of how society easily labels people of all classes, and she replies, Why not? It make just as much sense as disliking people cause they are poor, and lots of people do that. (Hansberry, 1282) Beneatha knows that in her society she may be looked down on because of the color of her skin and her sex, but she will not let that stop her from accomplishing her dreams. While Mama, on the other hand, has lived through man y years segregation and has become accepting of her place in society, but wants to see a better life for her children. Mama puts up with Beneatha expressing her opinions and ideas about issues, but the one thing she will not put up with is Beneatha denouncing God. Mama was raised in a completely different society, where religion was everything, it was something you had and believed in when you had nothing else. When Mama, Ruth and Beneatha, were talking about Beneatha becoming a doctor only God willing, Beneatha relied, God hasnt got a thing to do with it. Does he pay my tuition? (Hansberry, 1282-1283) Mama immediately reprimanded her and slapped her. Not only does Beneatha question society but also religion and its purpose. George Murchison is one of Beneathas friends. He is rich, and Beneathas family feels that he would be a good husband for her because of this. Beneatha: As for George. Well. George looks good-hes got a beautiful car and he takes me to nice places and, as my sister-in-law says, he is probably the richest boy I will ever get to know and I even like him sometimes-but if the Youngers are sitting around waiting to see if their little Bennie is going to tie up the family with the Murchisons, they are wasting their time. (Hansberry, 1282)Beneatha sees past the money and feels she could never love him for who he really is, he is not as interesting to her as Asagai, and their conversations are not as intellectual. It is obvious that George does not go out with her for her because of her mind, unlike Asagai who is interested in her thoughts. Beneatha: Then why read books? Why go to school?George (with artificial patience, counting on his fingers): Its simple. You read books-to learn facts-to get grades-to pass the course-to get a degree. Thats all-it has nothing to do with thoughts. (Hansberry, 1295)Beneatha also questions her heritage. Asagai, a friend and romantic interest, who is originally from Nigeria, makes her curious to find out about her origins. He introduces her to African customs and styles of dress. He encourages her to be herself and not to fall into the assimilationism that is so popular in your country. (Hansberry, 1286) Beneatha also confides in him when Walter loses the money, and she feels that there is no hope for her dreams. Asagai feels that Beneatha should go back to Africa with him, to help find her identity there, now that she feels Walter has taken it all away from her. At the end of the play it is unclear whether or not Beneatha would actually leave her family in order to find herself and pursue her dreams of becoming a doctor. She is obviously is not going to marry George, although Walter would like her to because of the money. Living in such close quarters for so many years with her family, she developed a love-hate relationship with all of them. I would be surprised if she did actually go to Africa. Like Nora, Beneatha at the end of the play has a strong sense of self. She knows what she wants, and is determined to accomplish her dream. BibliographyHansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. The Bedford Introduction to Drama. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2001. 1274 1310. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll House. The Bedford Introduction to Drama. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. Boston: Bedford/ST. Martins, 2001. 659 688.

Six Sigma Enterprise Architecture

Introduction Today, more than ever before, enterprises are increasingly being faced with unparalleled competitive and regulatory demands, along with elevated levels of business uncertainty as they wade through the upsetting waters of contemporary global economy.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Six Sigma Enterprise Architecture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On yet another front, the convergence of technology witnessed in the 21st century has made many enterprises increasingly concerned with how to productively transition to an enterprise exploiting information technology to its fullest strategic potential (Morganwalp Sage, 2003). In the light of these concerns, it is obvious that executives must embrace a paradigm shift from the traditional enterprise management approaches to more market-oriented approaches, which underlines the need to balance capabilities, manage risks, improve processes and systems, a nd engage in agile decision-making with a view to achieve the desired business end-states (Mykityshyn Rouse, 2007). As has been witnessed in the company, the organization’s Enterprise Architecture (EA) plays a critical role in this transition, particularly in integrating key processes and systems to enable the organization to easily evolve and productively adapt to recurrent technology and business shifts as they occur in the market place (Morganwalp Sage, 2003). To retain competitiveness amid the rapidly changing technology and business discourses, therefore, it is fundamental for managers to sample and integrate other management approaches into the EA practice. Consequently, it is the purpose of this white paper to explicitly detail how one such management approach, known as the Six Sigma approach, can be introduced into the organization’s EA practice with a view to maintain productivity and sustain competitiveness Brief Overview of the Six Sigma Approach Over the last couple of decades, the discourse on the need for, and capacity to deliver, continuous improvement of organizational processes and systems has slowly but steadily gained momentum within the business field.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As reported by van Iwaarden et al (2008), this organizational outlook necessitated Motorola to develop the â€Å"†¦concept of Six Sigma in the mid-1980s to improve the performance of key processes, productivity and quality and at the same time reduce costs† (p. 6739). Mainstream business commentators are of the opinion that the Six Sigma approach was a by-product of internal as well as external drivers of change; not only was Motorola under pressure to undertake continuous improvement in the development of intricate devices involving a multitude of parts with a high prospect of deficiencies in the end product (internal d river), but its customers were demanding that the company improve quality in their final product offerings (external driver). Sanders (2010) notes that although the Six Sigma approach is defined in multi-faceted dimensions, it is primarily a business philosophy that lays much focus on continuous improvement by, among other things, addressing customer needs and expectations, evaluating business processes and systems, and establishing effective measurement techniques to curtail process variation. This approach differs from preceding productivity improvement methodologies in that it accentuates the need to focus on quality as defined through the prism of the customer, reduced defects and variations in the end product, and thorough statistical techniques. The main objective of Six Sigma, according to van Iwaarden et al (2008), is value creation through actively undertaking quality improvement processes. Consequently, the process by which this important facet is achieved, it seems, would involve training of human resources in tools and methods, as well as in problem solving Available literature (e.g., Lee Choi, 2006; Sanders, 2010; Johnson, 2006; Hwang, 2006) demonstrates that â€Å"DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control)† is not only the most frequently used application of the Six Sigma approach, but also one of the most practical initiatives through which enterprises are able to take active steps towards streamlining their business initiatives and reducing unnecessary waste. Indeed, as postulated by Sanders (2010), â€Å"†¦this five-step method structures an approach for clearly identifying the desired level of improvement, measuring current performance, identifying the root cause of deviations from the ideal state, eliminating the root causes, and implementing control systems to maintain improvements† (p. 42).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Six Sigma Enterprise Architecture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this perspective, the Six Sigma methodology employs a dominant quality and statistics toolset to enhance process improvement and performance, relative to customer needs and expectations, to a level of 99.99997 percent (Saunders, 2010). It is important to note that the well documented bottom-line benefits attained by Motorola upon implementing the Six Sigma paradigm to guide the company’s business processes led to the adoption of the approach by other blue-chip companies such as Honeywell (former AlliedSignal), 3M, Sony, ABB and General Electric (Iwaarden at al, 2008). Today, interest in the adoption of the Six Sigma approach is at an all-time high as concerns on process improvement initiatives for organizations reach an instantiation stage. Roles of Six Sigma Approach within the Scope of the Enterprise Architecture Practice Despite increasing awareness of the Enterprise Architecture (EA) in the business arena, and in sp ite of its elevated importance, scholars and practitioners are yet to develop a standard definition of the concept (Ka-Yin et al, 2009). According to extant research in organizational development (OD) and strategy implementation, however, the genesis of the acknowledgment of the role of an Enterprise Architecture (EA) as a major contributor to organizational success and competitiveness can be traced back to the seminal works of J.A. Zachman, particularly his landmark publication in 1987 titled ‘A framework for information system’s architecture.’ Upon further synthesis of this new concept, Zachman, quoted in Mathee et al (2006), defined EA as â€Å"†¦descriptive representations (i.e. models) that are relevant for describing an enterprise such that it can be produced to management’s requirements (quality) and maintained over the period of its useful life (change)† (p. 11). Zachman was categorical that the framework for EA was not ‘the answe r’ to the challenges facing the organization; on the contrary, it is to be used as a tool for thinking through the challenges, implying that if the EA practice is applied with understanding, it would be of immense importance to technical and non-technical management equally in dealing with the complications and dynamics of the information age enterprise (Mathee et al, 2006).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Spewak (1992), quoted in Mathee et al (2006), took the perspective of employing EA to, among other things, â€Å"†¦present a conceptual map of an organization from many perspectives – from business, applications, information and technological points of view† (p. 12). Van der Klashorst (2001), also quoted in Mathee et al (2006), postulated that EA â€Å"†¦typically consists of current and future state models of key components, namely enterprise business architecture, enterprise information architecture, enterprise application architecture, and enterprise-wide technical architecture† (p. 12). Of course there exists many other definitions of EA, but the stated definitions will inarguably assist in determining the scope of EA practice and, by extension, assist in analyzing the role of Six Sigma approach within such a scope. From the above definitions, it can be deduced that every organization – public or public – has an EA, whether it is cons ciously aware of it or not. From the definitions, it also becomes obvious that EA is expansive in scope, though it was initially concerned with information and communication systems and processes. Currently, the EA framework extends to cover business, information and communication, application, and the technology entities within an organization (Mathee et al, 2006). Although organizations are increasingly using the EA framework as a means to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and agility of the enterprise, particularly in the entities discussed above, it has come to the attention of scholars and practitioners that many EA programs to date remain detached from the business entity of the framework, and are indeed viewed primarily as technical endeavours (Burton, 2011). This being the case, it is suggested that the Six Sigma approach, through constant evaluation of business process and systems, can function to move EA beyond the scope of information technology (IT) and, in conjunct ion with the basic tenets of EA, assist the enterprise to unify the planning, optimization, and designing of its most fundamental business initiatives with the technology environment that enable them. Many organizational-wide EA programs are led by enterprise architects, who must possess unique capabilities and competencies for the programs to be a success. The Six Sigma approach, owing to its overemphasis on measuring current performance and discovering the root cause of variations from the ideal state (Johnson, 2006), can be used by enterprise consultants to develop a community of experts who maps for the organization, not only what can or cannot work to achieve optimal performance among and across the entities, but also what can be effectively and efficiently applied to unique and novel situations (Lee Choi, 2006). Consequently, the enterprise architects, through Six Sigma-oriented training, must possess the human competencies to align strategic and operational views of business , drive the technology vision, transform and automate operations, facilitate and govern organizational change, mitigate risk and, lastly, integrate people, processes, and technology (CAEP, 2010). In line with the above, it is a well known fact that the Six Sigma approach, through its DMAIC methodology, concerns itself with implementing lean organization-wide control systems charged with the responsibility of reducing waste and maintaining improvements (Hwang, 2006). This role can be critical in assisting the EA practice, in its broader context, to design the System of System (SOS) hierarchical levels and in deciding what is best for the enterprise-wide SOS rather that having to rely on disjointed, localized considerations that may not only be time consuming, but also resource depleting (Morganwalp Sage, 2003). This implies that the Six Sigma approach have a central role in selecting and streamlining the business processes that the EA practice may wish to synchronize for optimal bus iness results and competitiveness. Lastly, it should be remembered that the EA practice originally dealt with the implementation of enterprise-wide technology projects. However, the knowledge that a multitude of organizations utilize technology ineptly and/or inefficiently and therefore end up producing too many defective products is in the public domain (Hwang, 2006). In such a such a scenario, the Six Sigma approach can be incorporated into the EA practice with a view to introduce its powerful toolset that will not only enhance levels of accuracy and quality, but will also introduce aspects of job management, cost reduction, and speed increment to make the end product much more efficient and effective (Johnson, 2006). Such a disposition will go a long way to enhance and sustain customer satisfaction levels, implying more profits for the enterprise. Relationship between the Six Sigma Approach Enterprise Architecture Practice Two apparently independent paradigms that are capturing the attention of scholars and practitioners in recent years are Six Sigma and the Enterprise Architecture. Both approaches, according to Ravischandran (2006), are largely considered to be powerful management disciplines, but EA has a much broader scope than the Six Sigma approach. In the light of this discussion, therefore, it can be deduced that both EA and Six Sigma are business-improvement approaches with many overlaps, but also with some dissimilarities (Nash et al, 2006). Although it is outside the scope of this paper to engage in comparative analysis of the two approaches, it is worthwhile to note that both are guided by different principles but aim to accomplish similar outcomes in terms of contributing to organizational success and competitiveness. To establish relationships, it can be argued that the EA practice is fundamental when considering the design and development of complex systems within organizations (Long, 2009), but it is the Six Sigma approach that provides the methodology through which such complex business and technology system can be maintained efficiently and effectively within organizations (Hwang, 2006). While the EA practice strives to achieve alignment of components under common standards that aids change management and guarantee integrated and effective operation, it is the task of the Six Sigma approach to provide the common standards that are used to eliminate defects and avoid wastage (Moosa Sajid, 2010). Both approaches, according to Lee Choi (2006), aim to develop more customer-focussed paradigms that simplify processes and unify efforts across the various hierarchies of the organization, not mentioning that both approaches have been predominantly used to drive technology enablement. Consequently, these two approaches can be said to be two sides of the same side, only that one side – the EA practice – is larger in scope than the other side, which represents the Six Sigma approach. Introducing Six Sigma into EA Practice: Management Technical Activities Involved To successfully introduce the Six Sigma methodology into the EA practice, a multitude of management and technology activities must not only be present, but must also be harnessed, aligned and directed towards the achievement of effective and efficient systems and processes in the management as well as in the technical fronts (Jochem, 2009). Aligning the activities involved, according to (Long, 2010), is particularly important if both of these approaches are to be used in complimentary terms as tools for management innovation and growth. The management’s activities involved in introducing the Six Sigma approach into the EA practice revolves around aspects of â€Å"Process Innovation†, â€Å"Quality Improvement†, and â€Å"Corporate Competitiveness Improvement† (Lee Choi, 2006). While process innovation implies the development and implementation of a new or appreciably enhanced production or delivery met hodology, quality improvement implies the systematic approach to lessening or eradication of waste, rework, and losses in any business enterprise (Wiklund Wiklund, 2002). Corporate competitiveness improvement, on its part, denotes a management activity that emphasizes the capability of an enterprise to offer end-products or services that meet the needs, demands, and expectations of customers (Morganwalp Sage, 2003). When put under careful analysis, it is revealed that the discussed management activities, in large part determine the direction of Six Sigma initiatives at the organizational level. The technology activities involved in introducing the Six Sigma Approach into the EA practice revolves around issues of information system, communication channels, policy issues, and education and training (Wiklund Wiklund, 2002). For instance, when the information system is improved under the Six Sigma initiative, the ability to respond to the needs, demands, and expectations of customers is also improved. Equally, it is a well known fact that education and training through the various Six Sigma accreditations, such as the green belt accreditation (training for two weeks) and the black belt accreditation (training for two years), goes a long way to not only influence other processes in the organization, but also the personnel involved are up to the task, particularly in ensuring the availability of critical data for analysis as well as in keeping time for sustainable application of the Six Sigma activity (Sanders 2010). Some consequences may present when attempting to introduce the Six Sigma approach into the EA practice. However, these consequences cannot possibly outmanoeuvre the sublime benefits of engaging in this alignment. Upon introducing the Six Sigma approach, it is expected that employees and management must under extensive training to learn the new language of Six Sigma (Sanders, 2010). Such training, if not well directed and implemented, may drain scarce organizational resources. Second, it is known Six Sigma is about streamlining processes aimed at achieving business improvement. In the process of such streamlining, some management levels may become redundant, while some employees may have to be dismissed from service. Such a situation, if not well controlled and guided, may lead to resistance from management and loss of motivation from employees (Long, 2009). Governance and leadership challenges may also present as the organization takes a new turn towards enacting a leaner system and leaner structure of authority and command (Jochem, 2009). Adequate preparation and professionalism in implementing such an initiative therefore becomes a prerogative rather than an exception. Conclusion Through a critical evaluation of existing literature, this paper has demonstrated the many benefits that the company stands to gain in introducing the Six Sigma approach into the EA practice. The Six Sigma approach will greatly assist the EA practice to understand business processes, actively eliminate the root causes of problems or defects instead of waiting for them to happen before action is taken, improve business processes and systems, and identify tailor-made requirements for organization-wide technology adoption (van Iwaarden et al, 2008). It has been demonstrated that at present, the EA framework extends to cover business, information and communication, application, and the technology entities within an organization (Mathee et al, 2006). The company will therefore benefit immensely by introducing this business-improvement approach into yet another broad-based business and technology improvement program that has come to be known as Enterprise Architecture Reference List Burton, T.T. (2011). Improve HOW YOU improve. Industrial Engineer, 43(8), 48-53. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. Centre for the Advancement of the Enterprise Architecture Profession. (2010). Enterprise Architecture: A Professional Practice Gui de. Web. Hwang, Y.D. (2006). The practices of integrating manufacturing execution systems and Six Sigma methodology. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 31(1/2), 145-154. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Jochem, R. (2009). Quality governance. Total Quality Management Business Excellence, 20(7), 777-785. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Johnson, A. (2006). Lessons learned from Six Sigma in RD. Research Technology Management, 49(2), 15-19. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. Ka-Yin, C., Songhai, L., Wai-Hung, I. (2009). Enhancing enterprise information integration using Six Sigma. Total Quality Management Business Excellence, 20(5), 537-546. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Lee, K.C., Choi, B. (2006). Six Sigma management activities and their influence on corporate competitiveness. Total Quality Management Business Excellence, 17(7), 893-911. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Long, A.M. (2009). Enterprise Architecture: Origins, tools, and insights. Air force Journal of Logistics, 33(2), 116-125. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Mathee, M.C., Tobin, P.K.J., Van Der Merwe, P. (2007). The status quo of enterprise architecture implementation in South African financial services companies. South African Journal of Business Management, 38(1), 11-23. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. Moosa, K., Sajid, A. (2010). Critical analysis of Six Sigma implementation. Total Quality Management Business Excellence, 21(7), 745-759. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Morganwalp, J., Sage, A.P. (2003). A system of systems focused enterprise architecture framework and an associated architecture development process. Information Knowledge Systems Management, 3(2-4), 87-105. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Mykityshyn, M.G., Rouse, W.B. (2007). Supporting strategic enterprise processes: An Analysis of various architectural framewo rks. Information Knowledge Systems Management, 6(1/2), 145-175. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Nash, M., Poling, S.R., Ward, S. (2006). Six Sigma speed. Industrial Engineer, 38(11), 40-44. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. Ravischandran, J. (2006). Six-sigma milestone: An overall sigma level of an organization. Total Quality Management Business Excellence, 17(8), 973-980. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Sanders, J.H. (2010). Six Sigma myths busted begin. Industrial Engineer, 42(3), 41-46. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Van Iwaarden, J., van der Wiele, T., Dale, B., Williams, R., Bertsch, B. (2008). The Six Sigma improvement approach: A transitional comparison. International Journal of Production Research, 46(23), 6739-6758. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Wiklund, H., Wiklund, P.S. (2002). Widening the Six Sigma concept: An approach to improve organizational learning. Total Quality Management, 13(2), 233-239. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. This assessment on Six Sigma Enterprise Architecture was written and submitted by user Maxx Bates to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Observations From the Box Office

Observations From the Box Office Free Online Research Papers Personal traits, tastes, and opinions influence our every day lives. From the places we shop to the classes we take, our personalities affect our choices. This is also true for the movies we choose to see. For the past few weeks four movies, Superbad, Hot Rod, The Nanny Diaries, and the Bourne Ultimatum show how our personalities as people attend these movies. I had my assumptions about what movies they were going to see. Sensation and passion are two of the strongest emotions that a movie can give a person. People might go to see a movie for different reasons. One might factor in laziness while another individual might go watch the same movie to disappear in thought and get sucked into the main characters life. There is so much you can learn about people by studying their behavior. For the past few months, I worked a premier movie theater. Krikorian Premier Theater is located in downtown San Clemente, California. Working there gave me an opportunity to snoop and pry into my customers’ minds. I was able to stand aside, hidden in a corner and watch, just observe. Superbad, though being out in the theaters for a while now, still possesses the title of the most popular movie on Friday nights. Teenagers are the primary audience for this movie because of the premise, getting alcohol while being underage. Even though this movie is marketed towards the older teenage population, many older people go to see it as well. I asked one of them what compelled him to watch a movie. He looked at me, laughed, and told me the reason was that he wanted to feel like he was in high school again. He told me that his high school years were the best in his life and that he connected with the characters in the movie because he tried hard to get alcohol while he was underage with his friends. This movie is filled with comedy and crude humor. making any adolescent or child at heart laugh until they cry. Hot Rod is another simple yet entertaining movie. This is a straightforward movie about a teenager named Rodney Kimble and his dreams to become a stuntman. He accomplishes his dream to jump fifteen buses to acquire money for his abusive father’s surgery. This movie I would consider to be one of â€Å"brainless† funny movies I have ever seen besides Super Troopers. There is not a moment in this movie where the audience is not laughing. Crammed with teenage comedy, witty remarks, and crude humor classifies this movie into the young teenage section. It is mind-blowing how many movies target the younger generation gap. Many of the adults that went to see this film informed me that this movie was imaginatively good, but it would not appear in their personal movie collection. In other words, they probably will not see it again. Teenagers for the most part, told me that it was hilarious and that they will probably see it at least once more in the theaters alone. Their humor is a bit excessive for my taste. The next movie is The Nanny Diaries. I saw nobody coming to this move during the Friday night rush. For the most part, this movie was a date movie. Typically, packs of girls went to see this movie. Very few males made the honorable attempt to watch this movie, unless accompanied by a girl. If not, they were going to see this movie to pick up the girls in those giant groups. My deductions proved me correct; these men were brilliant. Girls, for the most part, want to have a sensitive guy, and these guys were total beach bums. There is no way that they were even remotely interested in this movie. This movie was the slowest for the night and only sold about thirty tickets for the seven-thirty rush. The last movie on the list is Bourne Ultimatum. This movie was made for all ages. Bourne was jam-packed full of action and definitely the thriller of the summer. Jason Bourne learns about how he became a candidate for the Tredstone project. He begins to remember his training, mentors, and his initiation to the top-secret experimental project. I noticed that people of all ages going to see this movie. There were no specific age groups and no fads for this film. I was deeply impressed with the outcome of this one. This movie had a constant rush to it and I saw many teens and adults go to this one, which ranged from youngest being about seven and the oldest being around sixty-five. I am very proud of how this film marketed their movie. The producers brought everybody to the table. The movie makes the person. Everybody loves to go and watch a film or read a book. It takes you into another world another life. You don’t have any worries you get sucked in as if the characters life is really yours. Everybody wants their life to be exciting but due to my studies of ticket sales and observations at the box office, people like comedy more. Most Americans enjoy going to watch stupid comedies. It’s the simple truth. Research Papers on Observations From the Box OfficeWhere Wild and West MeetPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionHip-Hop is ArtThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito

The Art of Not Giving Up in Your Job Search

The Art of Not Giving Up in Your Job Search Reasons. We have so many of them. Reasons to do things, reasons not to do things. Reasons why something is possible, and reasons why it’s not. Reasons to spend money, and reasons not to spend money. Reasons to give up, and reasons to take action. Pretty much every decision we make is based on a reason of some sort or another. Sometimes reasons conflict with each other. For instance, when I look at discounted mocha brownies in the day-old bin at my food coop, my brain comes up with many reasons to buy (and eat) the brownies. They are on sale! They will taste so good! I deserve it! Yet on most days, I do not buy them, because my reasons for not eating them far outweigh my reasons for indulging. I feel better. I look better. Kale will serve me so much better in the long run. Who cares if it costs twice as much and takes five times as much work to prepare? Reasons at work in your job search If you are a job seeker, you probably have lots of reasons to explain why you chose to apply or not apply for a particular job; why someone will or won’t hire you; and even why you are or are not going to hire a resume writer. You can choose to take the easy road, perhaps your default action (buying the mocha brownies), or you can choose to do something a little more difficult that will serve your career in the long term (invest in the kale). Annabelle’s story Two weeks ago I got a call from a woman (I will call her Annabelle) who was referred to me for resume assistance. Annabelle had just found out about a position that was available at a national non-profit in Washington, D.C., and she believed she was perfect for the job. The problem: Through her connections, Annabelle had discovered that the hiring process was quickly coming to a close, interviews were done, and the organization was making a final decision on the person they wanted to hire. Annabelle had also been told by a friend at the organization, who also happens to be a friend of mine, that the language in her resume was confusing and that she should hire me to get it into shape. Not giving up Many people would have given up as soon as they heard the words, â€Å"We are too far along in the hiring process.† Others would have given up at the prospect of spending hundreds of dollars unexpectedly to overhaul their resume. Annabelle could have listened to all the multitude of reasons against applying for this position. But she listened to the reasons to give it a shot. After all, this was a job she wanted more than anything, and no one had actually confirmed that anyone been offered the job yet. Also, there would be more positions open in the future, so it couldn’t hurt to send in her resume. Annabelle jumped into action. She hired The Essay Expert for two hours at our RUSH rate, reformatted her resume on her own, and, despite having a family emergency intervene in the midst of the process, managed to submit her materials to the organization the next day. Was it worth it? The day after sending in her application, Annabelle got an email: the organization wanted to talk to her. She was put through an expedited interview process, and during one of the interviews she could hear one of the managers there going through her resume line by line. He was impressed. Annabelle moved forward with confidence, incredibly well-prepared for her interviews after having talked to me about every bullet on her resume. Yesterday I received a call from Annabelle, who told me with great excitement that she had received an offer last Monday for her dream job. A job, you will remember, that was not available until the hiring manager saw Annabelle’s resume. Annabelle’s job search, beginning to end, for a job at a national non-profit in Washington, D.C.:  4 days. Wow. Annabelle did have a leg up because she had met the hiring manager at a prior event; her network played a crucial role in opening up this opportunity, as it does for many job seekers. She also believes, and I agree, that â€Å"a network can only take you so far; the resume is the only way others can justify your consideration to those who might not know you; it’s your only real voice in the matter.† She continues (and I promise I did not write this), â€Å"No matter how well you think you fit the position, no matter how well you have your contacts lined up, if your resume does not accurately reflect your level of professionalism or capability, hiring managers will never see the true candidate that you are. Having an ill-prepared resume should be the last reason why you don’t go after or get considered for a job. There’s no reason you can’t have a great resume to represent yourself!† Where are you stopped? If you are a job seeker, where are you getting stopped? Are you letting reasons keep you from applying to jobs you are qualified for? Are you using a mediocre resume in applications for your dream job because you don’t want to hire someone to bring it up a level or two? Do you believe that you can find a job in 4 days or do you think such a thing is impossible? What reasons are you listening to? The ones that have you give up (the equivalent for me of eating mocha brownies) or the ones that will move you forward in your career? I encourage you to believe that you can turn impossibilities into possibilities if you put your mind to it. Please use Annabelle’s story as an inspiration. And if you have a voice in your head saying, â€Å"That could never happen to me,† don’t give up. There is always a different set of reasons you can listen to, if only you are willing.

Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) Paper Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) Paper - Article Example The CEO was also accused of using $31 million to acquire a private jet. These and a host of other problems from the corporate world have been around for long and the result is the reduced employee performance because they do not trust their leaders. This is why leaders from non-profit organizations have the obligation of demonstrating that they are accountable, honest and respectful. Based on the research findings, it seems that only through ethical leadership can charitable organizations in America maintain the trust from the public. To understand the importance of ethical leadership, it is imperative to know how this type of leadership influences employees’ voice in non-profit organizations in America. c) Study Mechanisms: Comparative studies of any study mechanisms examining if leaders in different non-profit organizations in America behave in an ethical manner and their influence on employee freedom. On the left-hand side of the search results page, I selected the box next to the Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) journals limiter and updated my results. In some cases, I was able to find the journal articles. However, in some cases, I was not able to obtain the full text of the article. To obtain the full text of the article, I first clicked on the Find It tab button in the articles record. By doing this, I was directed to the Find It window that indicates that the full-text article was not available from any of the UMUC librarys databases. Nonetheless, it meant that I could use the Librarys DocumentExpress service to request a PDF. While I started synthesizing the evidences from the searches, I explored evidences based on Evidence-Based management’s suggestion (2014), which involves asking, acquiring, appraising, aggregating, applying, and assessing. I did this with the aim of enhancing the chance to support my research context and get the evidence that could answer my