Think Essays

human resource

This paper will try to discuss and present evidences that support the idea that the transformation of the human resources into a valuable asset is a one of the key issue of strategic management in the service sector. It will also try to highlight and evaluate the significance of the term strategic human resources management.

            One evidence that points out to the transformation of the human resources as one of the key issues of strategic management is due to certain challenges that is currently facing human resources. Since organizations and business companies need able and effective pool of employees, human resources must be well suited and must conform to the structure of the organization. Human resources as pointed out by Lawler must be developed in such a way that would enhance the performance, training, career and selection of old and new employees of a company in order to step up its advantages. He further stated that there are five specific aspects that challenge human resources development.

            One challenge is in organizing and achieving high performance. Mohrman believed that in creating small, flexible, cross functional units and aligning people around value-added task rather than overhead task, outsourcing and partnering will be successful if there is a high level of motivation that is present in the workforce. Concerns regarding the condition of the workforce remaining after downsizing, reengineering, and cutbacks must also be addressed. Above average performance is only possible when an organizational form is developed that is designed to incorporate the nature of the task assigned to the employees an the qualifications and characteristics of the employee themselves. In this approach, human resources development personnel must develop a comprehensive understanding with regards to strategy, goals, and motivations of employees that would provide the extra boost in the output of the company.

            There must also be proper and strategic deployment of employees because workers tend to move in a series of projects rather that in organized and prearranged order of jobs and process. The manager must possess an understanding with regards to the weaknesses and strong points acquired by an employee and how the company can maximize these talents and traits. It is therefore possible to use new compensation and rewards system to attract, develop, motivate and retain the workforce. A proper management of organizational competencies and capabilities must also be accessed. Lake pointed out that management of human resources competencies and organizational capabilities are task that are significant in the survival of the company. Organizations are required to constantly update and enhance their knowledge base in order to attain a competitive edge in relation to other competitors.

            Organizations nowadays must have skills in group processes and organizational understanding although there is still an emphasis on leaning intervention and other approaches to development. Aside from these, organizational knowledge and learning is also vital. In traditional companies and business organizations, knowledge and learning is shared by the employees through informal networks and person to person interaction but this practice will no longer be viable in today’s world. Companies and business organization must fashion a structural and highly efficient transfer and development of knowledge and learning. Knowledge must be dispersed cross functionally and must be exploited across geographical boundaries. Knowledge sharing and development, distribution of documents and readily available forms, data and statistics are the primary factors that contribute to the success of a business venture.

            There must also be a psychological employment contract that reflects the beliefs and terms of an employee concerning organizational member’s responsibilities and expectations from the company. Contract must also cater to different group of people and must address the need of each group. New norms, rules and regulations must be implemented while new ways of contracting for work must be devised.

            Other writers and researchers meanwhile underlined different evidences that points to the transformation of human resources. These are: building and operating an effective customer-responsive organization, gearing up in becoming an effective global competitor, competing profitably with lost cost production, transitioning from a profit-through-cost-cutting environment to a revenue-growth environment, effectively taking advantage of new and efficient means of technology, attracting, developing and retaining of new and top level talents and operating internationally without a competitive, pro business industrial policy matching those of foreign competitors.

            Changes and the transformation of human resources is equally affected by the changing business context, a small alteration in the business context can have a reciprocating effect on the state of human resources and its development. Companies are being challenged in to adapt and to modify their human resources in order to be highly competitive against its competitors. Examples of these changing business context are the accelerated pace of business change , reduced cycle time, shifting services while providing total customer solution and total customer retention and satisfaction. Changing business context can also mean operating as a flexible, global and virtual organization relying on partnership, joint ventures and alliances and addressing the needs of service professional and workers while providing the value that they need.

Human resource function has evolved over the decades since it first emerged in the 1920’s. Today, the primary focus of human resources is the development of organizational capabilities required to carry out business strategies. Leaders must grasp that the correlation of strategy, work design, recruiting and staffing can be vital factors that will ensure the success of the company.

            Because of this, human resource leaders on each management team play a lead role in achieving this strategic alignment addressing problems or and seizing opportunities that will impact business performance. Leaders serve as guide in the assessment of people-related issues and shaping of people-related strategies to meet business requirements. They directly influence business thinking and action, with the aim of building talent, processes and systems that may give the organization a competitive advantage. They help define the and formulate a desired future state and shaping a sound implementation plan that would result in organizational success. Human Resources leaders are also expected to be effective in working in the center of each business to grasp and understand each and every problem. Because of these, human resources leaders must have the necessary skills and expertise in monitoring the progress and development of the company.

            Since human resources leaders work as part of a management team, they share accountability in  projecting and achieving objectives and goals set by the company. Peter Drucker once called for the "end of the personnel department," anticipating that "staff will become line by assuming responsibility for business results".

            Human resource is also valued as the primary source of knowledge and skill in the people-related areas of strategy implementation such as staffing, learning and development, performance management and rewards. To solve problems effectively, managers need to have creative and effective solutions that would tap both external and internal practices. Human resources specialists can develop innovative practices thus increasing the potential of the company to achieve a competitive advantage. Differentiating the company from its competitors thru unique  human resource practices will give the company an edge in the market.

            Human resource specialists may reside anywhere in a company. They may be aligned or assigned to specific areas and stages of production to gauge and observe the efficiency. They can also be based in other company areas, such as legal affairs or a quality function or they can be assigend externally through specialized consulting and service firms available on call as part of a resource network. Human resources provides the systems and services structure necessary to enable effective management of people across the company on a direct-access and cost-effective basis. This practise therefore lowers overall cost and improved efficiency and service quality that is offered by the company.

            The traditional human resource function was built with a hierarchical business structure with clear goals and distinct differentiation of staff that were expected to provide support and fast response. Local human resource staff were  charged with implementation and were regarded for their excellence in providing needed human resource services in a quality and responsive manner. The new human resources meanwhile is a virtual organization. At the onset of the 21st century, human resources concentrate resources, activities and all company support in a partiucular area or field in order to have the desired business impact. Human resources  strategies and innovations are increasingly developed within the various business units within the business context and the central services focusing on providing operational services and support. 

            To further illustrate the concept with regards to an effective resources management, a case study or a comprehensive example must be presented. The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) was facing a huge problem that must be remedied quickly in order to provide unending and prompt service to its clients. Problems sucha as  intense price competition and payment reform in healthcare, reduced state and federal funding for research and education, changing workforce and population demographics, and increased societal demands of healthcare and academic organizations are harrasing the company wasting valuable company resources and manpower.

            UNMC, located in Omaha, Nebraska, is a major academic health sciences center and is known internationally for its bone marrow and liver transplantation programs, cancer research and treatments, bio-technology, genetics, and rural health care initiatives. UNMC consists of the colleges of medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and allied health, University Hospital, Eppley Institute for Cancer Research, Meyer Rehabilitation Institute, and other research academic and administrative units with a total workforce of 6,000 employees, including faculty, physicians, and staff.

            A new chancellor, Carol Aschenbrener, M.D., was hired and began a culture change and a series of strategies to prepare the Medical Center to thrive in the face of said challenges. These strategies include total quality management, cultural diversity, value management, and values for excellence. The successful implementation of these strategies depends largely on the effectiveness in addressing people-related issues. The prior human resources organization reported to the business and finance unit and was very traditional and pedestrian, focusing mainly on compliance and administrative activities. In order to reposition human resources as a strategic function engaged in driving organizational change, a new chief human resource officer position was created to report directly to the chancellor. In 1995, a team engaged in a repositioning process, resulting in a human resource strategy that supported UNMC's continued success. The redesign included a new organization structure and many new roles built around the competencies and requirements of implementing the strategy.

            The key reason human resources was not effective in the past was the structure, which was hierarchical and functional. Processes were subdivided along functional lines such as employment and compensation when, in fact, the services we delivered to UNMC were not functionally defined. Another deterrent to human resource effectiveness was the lack of collaborative relationships with the business units. Human resources had historically managed from a position of control, so there was hot a real sense of partnership with the units. Furthermore, the predominant activity of human resources was administration, such as handling forms and processing paper. During the analysis, we determined that 70 to 75 percent of the time and resources of the company were spent on administrative activities.

            Before a new structure could be developed, the human resources planners needed to determine what specific strategies will be used. The team spent several months conducting focus groups and surveying over 300 managers and staff. It also analyzed all the strategic plans of the various units and worked with key unit leaders to determine the people-related issues and to determine how human resources could be lever-aged strategically to resolve these issues and help the units accomplish their plans. A nine-member design team conducted the analysis, gathered the information, and then developed the strategies. This team included representatives from human resources and from some of the key campus units. A steering committee was then appointed comprised of top leaders from every campus unit. The steering committee was critical in giving the process visibility, unit ownership, and direction, and in reviewing the findings, testing various ideas and alternatives, and monitoring the progress of the design team.

            After several months of work, the design team identified five key strategies and priorities: strategic staffing, development and learning, performance management, valuing people, and organization effectiveness. Under the new structure, human resources was realigned to support these strategies. A leader role was created to head up each strategy. Several functions were merged and some managerial roles eliminated. The new design put the emphasis on strategic consulting and service-related activities. A shared services organization called a service center was created to handle the administrative activities more efficiently and to determine which activities could be eliminated and outsourced. Within each strategy a vision statement was developed along with a series of action steps to guide its implementation over the next eighteen months.

            The first step was the program called strategic staffing where a series of integrated, organization-wide staffing strategies that anticipate and meet changing workforce requirements as applied to faculty, staff, and students. To met the goals of this stage, human resources will partner with each unit and review business plans to determine staffing needs. Position profiles will be developed for each position to articulate the core behavioral and technical competencies required. It will then engage in aggressive recruitment of high caliber talent encompassing diversity objectives as part of the process.

            The roles of the recruiter and compensation analyst were also combined and it place an important emphasis  on developing new technology that will be used in screening and interviewing candidates, revising pay rates to reflect the market, and enhancing the speed and quality of the selection process. The staffing consultants are assigned to each unit and partner with the units in developing and implementing staffing strategies. With regards to performance management, all faculty and staff are accountable and rewarded for individual and team efforts that have met the standards and objectives of the organization. This program  established a performance management process by utilizing existing critical results areas, performance indicators, and developmental plans, and by developing team-based critical results areas. In this program, managers will be equipped to provide coaching and feedback to employees and to address performance problems more effectively and promptly. A total reward strategy will be created to guide the design of appropriate base and incentive pay programs.

            Another program initiated by the company leans towards the development and learning processes.  All people will be actively engaged in the learning process and personally accountable for their own development. Various unit-based training functions were merged into a single unit to serve the entire campus. This team will define the most critical technical and behavioral competencies and will develop action learning strategies to increase the speed and effectiveness at which employees can gain these competencies and demonstrate improved on-the-job performance. Outcome measures were also  incorporated into each training program.

            In the area of valuing and respecting people, the comppany presented an image were it can attracte and retain the  best available talent in the employment market. This program leans heavily towards  the shifting of accountability and employee relation from the human resources to line managers. Employee services such as employee assistance, child care, and wellness will be enhanced and family-friendly work practices expanded. To attain organizational effectiveness , the hospital  created an organization that is innovative, flexible, collaborative and dedicated in meeting the needs of its faculty, students and patient. An internal consulting practice is developed leveraging the expertise of key staff around campus. This practice will include work redesign, change management, quality improvement, and other organization development initiatives.

            Under the service center category, all administrative functions will be combined. Functions such as benefits, records administration, compliance reporting, job posting, and secretarial support was consolidated to handle all the administrative duties and to streamline processes for all of the HR strategies.  The service center will be the clearing house and intake area for handling calls and visits and directing employees to the appropriate resource.

            Repositioning of human resources  was also reinforce alongside the strengthening a culture change at the organization. This reposition would require all managers, employees, and human resources staff to perform different roles than before. Managers will be accountable for the development of their people and for addressing issues that directly affect individual and team performance and the quality of work life. Employees will be accountable for their personal performance and development and will be more actively involved in achieving needed change as we move from an entitlement to an empowerment culture. Staff in each unit will partner with human resources in developing new systems and processes that would improve the unit's effectiveness.

            Once all the strategies were developed and action plans identified, proper implementation must be followed and monitored. The strategies can only be implemented if staff in the new roles possess the right capabilities. A resaffing process is developed by a work group using a template from a consultant. In this process, a position profile was created for each role articulating the behavioral and technical competencies required to perform each role. Behavioral interview questions were developed along with benchmark criteria against which to measure the the candidate's competence.

            Each employee in human resources was required to go through the staffing process. This program encompasses the whole campus so that other qualified individuals can also compete for the new human resource roles. The traditional job posting process is suspended while interested employees completed a "preference form for career areas". This form provided the  employees to write down their three career interest areas then describe their experiences, education, knowledge and skills and other factors relevant to the  career areas that they choose. Once the application deadline passed, a team reviewed all the preference forms and selected candidates to be interviewed based on the skills needed to do the work.

            Behavioral interviews were conducted by a three-member panel made up of the leader and two representatives from the steering committee. Selection decisions from the panel were then reviewed by an advisory board which included other members of the steering committee. This group reviewed the process to insure fairness, consistency, and legality. Using this objective process consistently, each position in the department was filled with the best available candidate measured against the job-related competencies. Some positions were not filled internally and were handled through an external search.

            To support employees through the transition, a variety of services such as career-counseling, outplacement and team-building activities to address survivor issues. A transition council has been set up to address day-to-day issues such as training, space, service, and other operational issues, while a strategic council comprised of the leaders and the executive director oversee integration and implementation of the strategies.

            These processes and programs had a  significant impact on the campus and requests are pouring in from all over the campus for support in some of the new strategies and for consulting around redesign issues within the units. Proper implimentation and knowledge of effective human resources management  was the key in the success of this organization.

 

 

 

Dell’s IT strategy

This paper intends discuss the concept of information technology. The paper intends to give a background of Dell.  The paper also intends to discuss on the applicable theories or related literature. Moreover the paper wants to discuss an in-depth appraisal of some of the theories in action within Dell. Through all the information that will be gathered a conclusion shall also be presented. 

 

Introduction

Over thirty-five years have passed since academics began speculating on the impact that information technology (IT) would have on organizational structure. The debate is still on-going, and both researchers and managers continue to explore the relationship between IT and organizational structure. This relationship is becoming increasingly complicated by both the rapidly changing nature of IT and the increasing environmental turbulence faced by many organizations.

 

As organizations need to process more information under these uncertain conditions, IT is one possible way for organizations to increase their information processing capability. However, other, more organizational tools are also at their disposal for processing more information. These include task forces, lateral relationships, self-contained work groups, and slack resources. Thus, the relationship between IT and organizational structures is not a simple one.

IT has a dramatic effect on both people's personal and professional lives. IT is also changing the nature of organizations by providing opportunities to make fundamental changes in the way they do business. Many of the opportunities are recognized and understood. Yet a tremendous number of issues and consequences are only vaguely perceived while other questions are just now being raised. The technology is changing rapidly, with computing speeds and the number of transistor equivalents available in a given area of a microprocessor chip both doubling approximately every 18 months. Organizations are acquiring more and more technology systems to assist in everything from manufacturing to the management of information to the provision and improvement of customer service. Harnessing and coordinating this computing power is the challenge. New tools and innovative perspectives with which to examine, interpret, and comprehend these rapidly evolving environments are always needed and sought.

 

IT is transforming the way that business is conducted. Computers prepare invoices, issue checks, keep track of the movement of stock, and store personnel and payroll records. Word processing and personal computers are changing the patterns of office work, and the spread of information technology is affecting the efficiency and competitiveness of business, the structure of the work force, and the overall growth of economic output. This transformation in the way in which information is managed in the economy constitutes a revolution that may have economic consequences as large as those brought about by the industrial revolution.  Many people believe that the primary driving force behind this information revolution is progress in microelectronic technology, particularly in the development of integrated circuits or chips. Thus, the reason that computing power that used to fill a room and cost $1 million now stands on a desk and costs $5000 or that pocket calculators that used to cost $1000 now cost $10 is that society happens to have benefited from a series of spectacularly successful inventions in the field of electronics. But fewer people understand why the introduction of information technology occurred when it did or took the path that it did, why data processing came before word processing or why computers transformed the office environment before they transformed the factory environment. Because this technology oriented view of the causes of the information revolution offers little guidance to the direction that technological developments have taken thus far, it offers little insight into the direction that they will take in the future. 

 

Dell Computer Corporation Company Background

Dell Computer Corporation is a major manufacturer of personal computers, computer peripherals, and software. Among the leading producers of computers in the world, Dell sells its products directly to customers through the Internet and mail-order catalogs rather than through retail outlets. The company is based in Round Rock, Texas. At Dell Computers, customers are brought into the product planning and manufacturing processes, with all employees encouraged to have contact with customers. Through effective collaboration across boundaries, ideas can be shared about product designs and value propositions. The result is faster and more customer-focused product and service innovation. To produce the capacity for this, considerable attention must be placed on organizational structures, processes, skills and culture. Such elements that may need a radical overhaul in established companies. Dell was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell. In 1983, during his freshman year at the University of Texas, he bought excess inventory of RAM chips and disk drives for IBM personal computers from local dealers. He resold the components through newspaper advertisements at prices far below retail cost. By 1984 his sales totaled about $80,000 a month. In April 1984 Dell dropped out of school to launch his company.

 

The new company soon began manufacturing its own IBM-compatible computers under the name PCs Limited. Because Dell sold computers directly to users through advertisements in magazines and catalogs, the company could price its machines lower than those sold through retail stores. Sales reached nearly $6 million during the company’s first year, climbing to $34 million the following year. By 1987 Dell was the leading mail-order computer company in the United States. That year it created a sales force to target large corporations and began adding international offices to capture the direct-mail market outside the United States. While the company continued to grow rapidly; Dell experienced a series of setbacks that hurt profits. In 1990 the company began selling computers through retail stores, an effort it abandoned in 1994. In 1991 Dell launched a line of notebook computers, but quality problems and inadequate production planning forced the company to stop selling them for a year. In 1994 Dell launched a new line of notebook computers and expanded efforts to increase overseas sales. Dell also began focusing on the market for servers, which are computers used to run local area networks. By the late 1990s, Dell was firmly in place as the world’s number one direct seller of computers. More than 50 percent of the company’s computer sales transactions took place via its website, which generated worldwide sales in excess of $40 million a day.

 

Literature surrounding strategy

Management of a firm needs strategy, to make sure that everything goes well in the company, through the use of strategic management everything done in the company is well organized and no detail is being left out. The company needs strategic management to make sure that the company is doing well internally. The term strategic management originates from the Greek language, where the word means the art of a general. The person who makes strategies is the strategist who is the leader of an army. Strategic management decisions have multifunctional and multi-business consequences, this kind of decision require broad consideration of the firm's external and internal environments, and it may affect the firm’s chance of prosperity. It is important to know what strategy is about, what can it do help the company prosper, what will happen if not used properly, what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a strategy. Strategy is a plan that assimilates the company’s major target; policies and rules; decisions and sequences of action into organized whole. It can apply at all levels of organization and pertain to any of the functional areas of management. Strategy is plagued by a stigma of unsystematic reasoning. It is incomplete searches for strategic alternatives, and bounded rationality influenced this perception. Strategy is a combination of the company’s objectives, policies and decisions to be done in unison or contingent upon each other. In recent years research has made significant contributions to the strategic management field. These efforts, however, have not provided complete answers to many of the core strategic dilemmas faced by top executives.

 

The level of strategy includes corporate, business, and functional strategy.  Each level has its own focus and range. Its level is unique in its own way. Corporate Level Strategy is focused on the selection of businesses in which the company should compete in. Corporate Level Strategy is also focused on defining the issues that are corporate responsibilities; defining where in the corporation competition is to be localized; develop collaboration by sharing and coordinating staffs other resources across business units, investing financial resources across the business units, decide how the business units are to be governed.  The Business Unit Level Strategy focuses on the plans that will be used to fight competition, in the markets the company is competing in. This level of strategy focuses on developing and maintaining a competitive advantage for the goods and services produced. At this level the company focuses on positioning the business against rivals, anticipating changes in demand and technologies and adjusting the strategy to accommodate them, and influencing the nature of competition through strategic actions such as vertical integrations and through political actions such as lobbying. Functional Level Strategy focuses on the operational and value adding activities that a corporation chooses for the improvement of the business. It is also the level of operating divisions and departments. Functional level strategies in marketing, finance, productions, human resources, and research and development involve the development and coordination of resources through which business unit level strategies can be executed efficiently and effectively.

 

The concept of IT strategy is relatively new. IT strategy can be conceptualized as having different dimensions. The first dimension is  an information technology scope, referring to the types and range of IT systems and capabilities potentially available to the organization; the second dimension is  systemic competencies, focusing on those distinctive attributes of IT competencies such as  higher system reliability, interconnectivity, and flexibility that help create new business strategies or better support existing business strategies; and the third dimension is IT governance, choosing structural mechanisms such as joint ventures, long-term contracts, equity partnerships, and joint R&D to obtain the required IT capabilities, such as the deployment of proprietary versus common networks, as well as strategic choices pertaining to the development of partnerships to exploit IT capabilities and services.

 

Theories in action within the company

As an IT strategy Dell increased the knowledge of its employees with regards to websites and information technology. Dell Computer Corporation aggressively pursued Web-based training as a solution to its employee education needs. The company patterned its training after its business model, which emphasizes a direct-to-customer approach, with on-line training available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They anticipate that more than 60 courses will be offered via WBT, representing three-quarters of its industry-related training and an additional 300,000 hours of employee-development training. Through this strategy of dell the company can be assured that the employees they have are the best and the employees are the best in their field. 

 

The employees of Dell as mentioned are given supplemental knowledge regarding information technology since most of them may have no prior encounter with IT. The web-based training given to the employees can not only benefit the company but it can benefit the employees as well. Through increasing the knowledge of the employees on IT by Dell the company can produce not only competitive employees but employees that can produce good IT strategies that can be used against competitors. 

Another IT strategy used by dell is its website being up to date, attractive, and visually informative. The website is up to date and being constantly upgraded so that the clients will not be left behind regarding news, products, and other information that can help them improve their relationship with the company. The website is attractive and it can make people who use the internet to take a glance at the said site at the same time be encouraged to buy products from the company.

 

The website is visually informative. The website serves as a media to inform the company about its products and what each product does.  Adding pictures or visuals to the products can help informing the clients about the product and in can entice the consumer to buy the products.  This can also give the added idea on the product and additional assistance on what product to buy. This IT strategy of the company regarding the website can help the company achieve its goals. This IT strategy of the company regarding websites gives the company advantage against its competitors. It competitors don’t have such feature of their website, the rivals website are more complicated and less visually informative. Moreover the IT strategy of the company regarding websites helps the company be internationally competitive; Being internationally competitive means it is able to deal with companies far from it.   Dell uses the website to be able to compete with other companies from other countries. In a way the chances of the company can increase and its scope of customer can widen at the same time the number of clients the company has can increase, double or triple.

Another IT strategy of Dell is not only helpful to the company but helpful to different countries affected by terrorism. This IT strategy is the company including in its online order form questions about using the product to use it in making a weapon of mass destruction (WMD). Before client’s orders can be finalized they are asked certain things regarding what they will do with the product, how the product will be used, who will use the product, and a little background on the character of the clients. As mentioned one thing asked of the clients is if they will use the said product to cause harm to the country. Through this strategy the company can be assured that the product will not be used to cause harm to the people and the country. Through the said strategy not only the company will achieve benefits but the government as well. The government is assured that there will be restrictions and lesser instances wherein computer products are used to create WMD. Threats that may prevent the operations of the company and the government can be thwarted. Terroristic acts can be prevented by the government and the company. It lessens doubts on the use of the company’s products and it lessens doubts on the importance of the product to the society. Although some may not agree with the company asking the question since it makes the client’s chance of keeping their privacy the said strategy brings more benefits not only to the company but the government as well.

 

Moreover an IT strategy used by the company is the selling its products with lower prices, giving discounts to clients, and making online sale. As an IT strategy the company sells its products with lower prices. Lower prices of products entice clients to buy from the company. It also lessens the clients the competitor has. As an IT strategy the company gives discounts to clients, this discount helps the clients save some money and the saved money can be used to buy other things. An IT strategy of the company is the online sales wherein prices of products are lower than they used to be.  The products of the company are already lower than its competitors it can still become lower when a certain time arrives. These IT strategy makes the company be competitive on the price wars it faces most of the time.  Through these IT strategy the goals, and objectives of the company will be realized and the company will acquire added profits.

 

Lastly an IT strategy used by the company is using other internet sites to promote the company’s website. Some people may not know the company, the product it offers, and the website has. This can be due to the company being not much popular to some people and the website is not that known. Websites by other companies such as Yahoo and others can be used to promote the company, the product it offers, and the website. Many people surf Yahoo and other related sites for different purposes like finding the things they need or things they want to do. People who surf the internet maybe finding computer products that they need and through these sites they can find the company they are looking for. The more popular sites can be used to promote smaller companies and less popular companies. Through the popular website more people will come to know the company and more people will be encouraged to take a look at the products the company has. The more clients the company has means more profits and added competitive advantage. This IT strategies mentioned brings benefits to the company as long as these IT strategy are used well added with proper coordination and effort among the employees and management within the company.

 

Conclusion

IT is also changing the nature of organizations by providing opportunities to make fundamental changes in the way they do business. Many of the opportunities are recognized and understood. Yet a tremendous number of issues and consequences are only vaguely perceived while other questions are just now being raised. IT is transforming the way that business is conducted. Computers prepare invoices, issue checks, keep track of the movement of stock, and store personnel and payroll records. Word processing and personal computers are changing the patterns of office work, and the spread of information technology is affecting the efficiency and competitiveness of business, the structure of the work force, and the overall growth of economic output. Dell Computer Corporation is a major manufacturer of personal computers, computer peripherals, and software. Among the leading producers of computers in the world, Dell sells its products directly to customers through the Internet and mail-order catalogs rather than through retail outlets. The company is based in Round Rock, Texas. Management of a firm needs strategy, to make sure that everything goes well in the company, through the use of strategic management everything done in the company is well organized and no detail is being left out. The company needs strategic management to make sure that the company is doing well internally.  The concept of IT strategy is relatively new. IT strategy can be conceptualized as having different dimensions.

 

IT strategy is like a bullet the company can use against its rivals in the competitive war. The IT strategy used by the company makes it competitive not only within rivals within its scope but rivals in other countries. The IT strategy makes the company be recognized not only in one country in most parts of the world. Although some IT strategy tends to be questionable for some and inappropriate for others it use and benefit for a company cannot be denied. The IT strategy gives the company increased clients, more profits, additional competitive advantage and achievement of goal. Not only has it benefited the company but gave benefits to the clients, the government and other sectors of society.  The clients can be given a better kind of service, and the clients can have satisfaction they desire. The government can benefit by receiving assistance in preventing certain instances and problem. The IT strategy can make the company need more employees thus the government will have lessened problem of high unemployment rate. Through the IT strategy the sectors of society will have easier way of living and more time can be used to do certain things. As long as the company uses the IT strategy and the IT strategy is aligned with the goal and the objectives of the company nothing could go wrong.

 

Article Critique

Inclusion is about belonging and participating in a diverse society. A single definition of inclusion within the context of education has yet to be developed. However, there have been a series of working definitions that have existed over the years. Individuals, teachers, and families define inclusion differently.

Beliefs about inclusion influence its implementation. Programs, not children, have to be "ready for inclusion". This view of inclusion is practically based on the assumption that inclusion can fit for all children. Therefore, making it work successfully will depend on planning, training, and support.

Despite extensive research over the recent years, the knowledge base pertaining to inclusion for disabled children has experienced serious setbacks: (1) lack of clarity in definition; (2) lack of studies of ordinary environments; (3) lack of attention to the pivotal role of culture; and (4) lack of a systems perspective. However, one of the most consistent findings from various researches is the fact that collaboration among adults is an important issue.  Successful programs involve teachers that constantly communicate with each other and also plan together.  Collaboration among adults, even from different disciplines, is actually one of the greatest challenges towards the successful implementation of inclusion. 

Specialized instruction is an important component of inclusion. Specialized instruction can possibly be delivered through a variety of ways and strategies, many of which can be implemented even in ongoing classroom activities. 

Adequate support is necessary to make inclusive environments work. Support includes training, ongoing consultation and other essential factors for inclusion.  This can be provided in various ways, and every person involved in inclusion may have unique needs. Inclusion can benefit children with and without disabilities. Both of these children will be able to learn skills that would eventually help them become successful and independent in the future.

 

Human Respiratory

INTRODUCTION

Imagine people around you not breathing, for sure the world will not be normal so, the human respiratory system plays a crucial role to the survival of human life in the society where communication takes place. Human respiratory involves various mechanism along with the circulatory system to deliver oxygen from the lungs to the cells and remove carbon dioxide and return it to the lungs to be exhaled. The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air, blood and body tissues is known as respiration. It is said that vigorous lungs takes about 1 pint of air about 12-15 times each minute as the blood in the body passed through the lungs every minute.

 

MAIN BODY

Breathing

Thus, breathing process consists of two phases: the inspiration phase that allows air to flow into the lungs and the expiration phase that amicably involves gases leaving the lungs. In the inspiration stage, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract allowing air to enter the lungs as in expiration, the inspiration muscles relax forcing gases to flow out of the lungs. Thus, breathing is an automatic process controlled by the respiratory center in the brain. Intercostal muscles around the chest cavity are stimulated by the medulla, causing them to contract and relax. The intercostal muscles increase thoracic volume by raising the top border of the thorax, while the diaphragm increases it by lowering the bottom border of the thorax as it contracts and relaxes that will draw air into and forces air out of the lungs as the flow of air occurs only when there is a difference in pressure. Air naturally flows from a region of high pressure to one of low pressure, and the bigger the difference in pressure, the faster the flow.

The intercostal muscles are located between the ribs. There are two kinds of intercotal muscles: internal and external. The intercostal muscles are controlled by the medulla.  The internal intercostal muscles are located on the inside of the ribs and extend from the front of the ribs, around back and past the bend in the ribs. The external intercostal muscles are located on the outside of the ribs, and wraparound the back of the ribs. The diaphragm is the muscular partition located between the chest cavity and the abdominal cavity. It plays a major role in respiration. During inspiration, the diaphragm descends, the inspiratory muscles contract, and the rib cage rises. During expiration, the diaphragm rises, the inspiratory muscles relax, and the rib cage descends.

 

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The average pair of human lungs can hold about five litres of air, but only a small amount is used during normal breathing. Different lung volumes and capacities measure various features about the lungs. These volumes vary with the age and height of the person. The values here are for a 70 kg, average-sized adult male:

 

Total lung capacity (TLC) whivh is about five litres all the air the lungs can hold.

Vital capacity (VC) The maximum volume of air that can be expelled at the normal rate of exhalation after a maximum inspiration

Tidal volume (TV) is the amount of air breathed in or out during normal respiration. It

Residual volume (RV) is the amount of air left in the lungs after a maximal exhalation.

Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) is the amount of additional air that can be breathed out after normal expiration.

Inspiratory reserve volume is the additional air that can be inhaled after a normal tidal breath in.

Functional residual capacity (ERV + RV) is the amount of air left in the lungs after a tidal breath out.

Inspiratory capacity (IC) is the volume that can be inhaled after a tidal breath out.

Anatomical dead space is the volume of the airways.

Factors affecting lung volume

The breathing mechanisms in mammals is called Tidal Breathing. Tidal breathing means that air goes into the lungs the same way that it comes out. The total lung capacity depends on the person's age, weight, sex and the degree of physical activity. For example, females tend to have a 20–25% lower capacity than males. Tall people tend to have a larger total lung capacity than shorter people. Heavy smokers have a drastically lower capacity than nonsmokers. Lung capacity is also affected by altitude. A person who is born and lives at sea level will have a smaller lung capacity than a person who spends their life at a high altitude. This is because there is less oxygen in the air at altitude, so the lungs gradually expand to process more air.

 

Gas Exchange within the Lungs - Bronchi, Bronchioles and Alveoli

Bronchi and Bronchioles

The air from the bronchi passes into the smaller airways called the bronchioles, and then into the alveoli. The alveoli are tiny air sacs at the ends of the bronchioles. It is within the alveoli where the oxygen from the air enters the blood, and carbon dioxide from the blood enters the lungs.

Alveoli

The blood barrier between the alveolar space and the pulmonary capillaries is very thin to allow for rapid gas exchange. During inspiration, oxygen diffuses through the alveoli walls and the interstitial space, into the blood. Carbon dioxide diffuses in the opposite direction during exhalation. Alveoli are smaller than grains of salt, with approximately 300 million alveoli in each lung. Although alveoli are tiny structures, they have a very large surface area in total for performing efficient gas exchange.

People can say that pulmonary ventilation may arguably be the most important process of respiration, in that, its function is to continually renew the air content within the lungs. Without continual renewal of the air content in the lungs, the oxygen that is available for respiration and energy conversion would be depleted quickly. For our purposes, we will separate the anatomy of the lungs into two zones. The conducting zone is the portion of the lungs that aids in the movement of air in and out of the surrounding environment, and sets the initial availability of air to move into the respiratory zone. In the conducting zone, no gas exchange occurs.

The respiratory zone is the portion of the lungs that includes the alveoli and capillary plexus and is the site where initial gas exchange between the lungs and blood occurs. In this lesson we will learn how each of these zones are ventilated. To move air into the lungs, a negative pressure differential occurs when the diaphragm contracts downward, allowing the lungs to expand with air. This action is known as inspiration. The movement of air from the lungs to the ambient environment is accomplished when a positive pressure differential occurs, as the diaphragm relaxes, increasing the pressure in the lungs and forcing air out of the nose and mouth. This action is known as expiration. As ventilation occurs, ambient air is moved from the atmosphere into the lungs, and then from the lungs back into the ambient environment.

The function of the respiratory zone of the lungs is to provide concurrent gas exchange of O₂ and CO₂ between the lungs and blood. The act of inspiration brings the necessary O₂ into the respiratory zone and the act of expiration removes the CO₂ from the respiratory zone. The respiratory zone consists of the alveoli and capillary plexus. Each alveolar sac in the lung has contact with the capillary plexus. It is at the junction of the alveoli and capillary plexus where O₂ is exchanged from the alveoli to the blood and CO₂ is exchanged from the blood to the alveoli. The process of gas exchange in this area as well as throughout the body is completed by simple diffusion. Ventilation also acts as the end process to remove carbon dioxide from the body and put it back into the atmosphere in expiration. It is safe to assume that for every liter of inspired ambient air, the O₂ content of that air will consist of 209.3 ml of O₂. People can assume that the greater volume of air that we inspire in a single breath will increase the availability of O₂ for respiration. 

Tidal Volume and Oxygen Capacity

The volume of air that an individual ventilates in one breath is known as the tidal volume (V_T), and maximum V_T is limited to an individual's lung volume. Normal total lung capacities/volumes for the average human are approximately 6 liters for males and 4 liters for females. The lungs however, retain a residual volume (RV) of air necessary to keep the lungs inflated and aid in oxygen transport during the time intervals between breaths. Approximately 20% of the total lung capacity (TLC) consist of the residual volume. This means that the maximal tidal volume (V_T) for a male with a 6 L TLC is 4.8 liters:  6 L * 0.8 = 4.8 L Conversely, the maximal tidal volume (V_T) for a female with a 4 liter TLC is 3.2 liters: 4 L * 0.8 = 3.2 L and that the greatest amount of O₂ available to a male during a single ventilatory cycle (breath) would be: 4.8 L * 0.2093 = 1.004 L O₂ The greatest amount of O₂ available to a female during a single breath would be: 3.2 L * .2093 = 696.7 ml. If oxygen is necessary for energy conversion in aerobic metabolism, then the same time element must be involved. Therefore, we must think in terms of liters/minute or ml/minute when discussing ventilation and respiration. You have learned, thus far, that the maximal V_T for a single ventilatory cycle is dependent on the TLC and the RV of the individual. To further understand the availability of O₂ for energy conversion, you must include the number of ventilatory cycles during a minute. Ventilatory frequency (f) is the term that describes the number of breaths taken in one minute. As frequency of breaths increase the rate of air movement in and out of the lungs increases. Ventilatory frequency for most healthy individuals is approximately 12 breaths per minute at rest and can range from 15 breaths per minute for light exercise, up to 60 breaths per minute during all out maximal effort. Minute ventilation for a healthy individual can range from approximately 6 L/min at rest to above 200 L/min during all out maximal effort depending on the lung volume, breathing patterns, and body size of the individual. At this time I should point out that this description of V_E is describing the ventilation of the lungs as a whole, meaning that V_E incorporates both the conducting zone and the respiratory zone. To determine how V_E is affected by breathing patterns.

Alveolar Ventilation and Residual Volume

The respiratory zone is where gas exchange occurs, so we need ventilation of the alveoli for gas exchange. Alveolar ventilation (V_dotA) is the movement of air in and out of the alveolar sacs. This does not mean that ALL of the air is expelled from the alveoli during expiration. Remember, we have a Residual Volume of air that keeps the lungs inflated and aids in gas exchange between breaths. A small portion of the RV remains in the alveoli at all times for the purpose of gas exchange between breaths, however, the greater portion of the RV is contained in the anatomical dead space (V_D) of the conducting zone. The air that remains in the V_D acts as a buffer by mixing with newly inspired air and protects the alveolar air from severe fluctuations in mixed gas concentrations during inspiration through protecting from severe fluctuations in air concentrations in the alveoli, the V_D allows for consistency of blood gas composition during minute ventilation.