Dissertation on the Effects of E-government on the Transparency of the Government of China

Dissertation on the Effects of E-government on the Transparency of the Government of China Abstract The concept of transparency has always been debated upon by the general public and experts as they critique the performance of their national governments. Many have argued that the government is difficult to reach out to due to the danger of misconduct by some of its officials and the possibility of waiting for the government to respond to each case for months. Upon the introduction of the internet and its prominent role in improving business and social processes, many experts have noted that the internet can be utilized to improve governance. Out of the various propositions and solutions, the idea of creating an e-government became a favorite project in improving government affairs. However, upon China’s implementation of the said program, many have questioned if it is genuinely skilled in changing the Chinese government given the various factors that must be considered to enable it to succeed. The study will examine the effectiveness of Chinas e-government on the transparenc y of the Chinese government. The study will also discuss how it has managed to replace the standard governance strategies of the oldest civilization in Asia. Keywords: e-government, chinas e-government, Chinese politics, Chinese e-government CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION Transparency and effective management are usually the factors on which voters and experts look for in examining executive candidates, especially those who are re-running for a position in the government. Many of the governments opposition notes corrupt practices and weak governance, but they have vehemently denied these accusations and try their best in developing strategies in proving to their constituents that they are sincere in their desire to provide a clear government. Most of these development programs have failed while some have managed to improve most management processes to be fit in the modern time. Gronlund and Horan (2004) stated that the concept of E-government was created sometime in the late 1990s alongside the emergence of the internet and the creation of e-Commerce which was then a fledgling concept. Unlike its current function, the e-government system has first been used by practitioners whom are looking for new systems to include the use of the internet in certain new programs and systems. However, upon the introduction of the system, the definition of the E-government has varied in each government. But, they still have the same goals and the same function that revolves on creating a more systematic government that would cater to the public and improve the government’s democratic processes. This particular notion on the function of the e-government program has remained in most official documents and programs that uses the system however the part wherein the system is for the improvement of the democratic processes of the government is downplayed in both definitio n and application. (Gronlund Horan, 2004) Upon the introduction of the internet in the early 1990s and the wonders of the World Wide Web, many have noted its use in improving government affairs and governance and have formulated the e-government model. In the definition given by Holliday and Yep (2005), the e-government system is the use of ICT to disseminate information properly to all sectors and allow the public to participate in government-related decision making. Through the e-government system, channels are available for the public to access vital publications, reports and studies and the public finds the luxury to seek for government services. It is in full hopes of those who have conceptualized the e-government model that it would be used by developing countries in improving their own governments. The e-government system has first been used by practitioners experimenting in the application of the internet to different leadership styles and strategies. However, upon the application of the model to governments, its mea ning has evolved to fit each government belief. Although the centre has varied, it still promotes automating most of the government processes and introducing public-influence to existing government dealings and decision-making. What lacks in the definition is the development of the democratic processes of the government as it is downplayed in both research and implementation. Without this improvement, the e-government program can only be referred to as e-governance (Gronlund Horan, 2004). The international community has understood the purpose of e-government in improving its services and has directly applied it into their developing design. The United Nations had issued their opinion on the idea of e-government through the Human Development Report of 2001. The assessment had argued that using the ICT would allow the United Nations to demonstrate the importance of using technology to enable development. The World Bank has also applied the E-Government design and released a handbook entitled The E-Government Handbook for Developing Countries in November 2002. After a year, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development followed suit as they met up in Geneva and Tunis in 2003 and 2005 respectively and discussed how they could use the ICT in the system. Other developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom have already applied the e-government program in their own governments while others followed suit. The United States has even been consider ed to have the best e-government type in the world after Singapore. (Holliday Yep, 2005) The influence of the e-government model has managed to reach even the Eastern continents which gained utmost attention. One such country, which have quickly gained a fascination with the model, is the Chinese government. Upon the dawn of the early 1990s, China has gradually developed itself as one of the most influential Asian nations in the present century after Japan. However, the country was late in introducing technology to the country which could be seen in their discovery of the internet. Unlike the other developed countries and its neighbors, China has only experienced the internet in 1994. Since then, they have slowly enabled it to become mainstream. According to Xiong (2002) and Luo (2009), studies have noted that the number of online users in China reached at least 12,540,000 computers since 2002 which can be estimated to 2.6% of the entire population. In terms of usage, at least 7597.5MB is the accumulated bandwidth used around the country while domain names under the CN l ine counts up to 127319 users, most of which are from the government with 5,864 websites. Through this data and some techno-cadres, some have pushed for the application of the e-government program to the current Chinese system of governance. Some even argued that China is capable of overtaking the US in its position as the most powerful nation if the country continues to improve in both its political and financial sector. However, there is still the problem that not all who go online visit government sites and the concern that not all have the capacity to go online to view these improved sites. The e-government system’s success is detrimental to the number of people who access the government website and those who seek services through this method. Despite this setback, many departments have already promulgated the e-government program, resulting to 145 gov.cn domain names by May 1998. It has also managed to reduce the workload of government departments and gave more time for decision-making and implementation. To the national government, there is a need to create a system that would allow each executive department and offices to work efficiently online and merge them without a risk of potential backlashes, information leakage and dumping. The e-government, in their opinion, would be an ideal instrument that would allow them to work hand-in-hand in any level. However, they had a problem in developing a system that would fit the Chinese setting. After a couple of months, China Telecom have managed to find a solution and proposed the Chinese model of e-government. This proposal then led to the creation of the Chinese â€Å"Government Online Project† which immediately began as early as 1990 (Xiong, 2002) (Luo, 2009). Despite the eagerness of the Chinese e-government to administer the system, there are still questions on how accurately the model would improve the state of affairs of the country. Some argue that the current e-government system fails to cover some aspects of data sharing to their groups while some argue that the change is not visible in some departments and levels. Once the international community heard of the Chinese intension in applying the e-government program, they have immediately criticized the system how it would become. With the Chinese entering the competition in e-government application, how exactly would it change the Chinese traditional government and its effectiveness ? Did China change anything to allow the program to perform its function? What are opinions raised by the public, by non-government organizations and critics upon the Chinese e-government? What are the notable lapses the program has missed? How did the e-government program show the governments openness in promoting transparency and public influence in government affairs? What may happen in the future of Chinese e-government and would it be corrected? This paper will explore these questions and the issue on the Chinese e-government program and explain what has changed in the political stance of China since its inception. Statement of the Problem: For this study, the main question to be discussed is the effects of e-government on the transparency of the Chinese government and how it has changed the Chinese, the effectiveness of the system and how people and critics are reacting to this change. The question serves as a stepping stone to the secondary questions this paper intends to respond. The intention of the Chinese e-government is as an act that would indicate China’s acceptance to technological development. It can also be seen as a step in improving its century old beliefs. The supporting questions are as follows: first, what are the differences between the US e-government to the Chinese e-government strategy? Why do data have to be withheld from the public? Third, how did China change its approach to implement e-government to showcase their transparency? How about the proposed solutions and the criticisms, what are they? Lastly, what are the possible conclusions and changes that would occur once the government reac ts to the continuously advancing technology that would allow the public to obtain information? Other questions would be raised in the conclusion and recommendations for future research regarding this issue. Significance and Objectives: For this study, it aims to tackle briefly the history and significance of e-government and how it enables governments such as the Chinese government to create a means to allow the public to be involved in government decision-making and policies and promote transparency. This study intends to convey to its readers the efforts done by the national governments in finding a way on opening itself to the nation by applying new concepts such as e-government in allowing much information and influencing ability to be given to the people, as well as improving the services of the government. Knowing the concept of e-government would allow readers and other researchers to understand how the system works, what it is for and to make a comparison should the system be updated in the next few years. Understanding the system would also allow readers to understand how transparency generates through this system. Another goal of the study is to recognize the possible decisions and improvements that China would apply to its e-government system once technologies update, giving the people more chances to view information about the government online and get more areas and groups that have not yet been included in the current e-government network. China may rely for a practical approach once they improve their e-government to match the current technological advancements. Nevertheless, there are still possibilities that they would try and maintain the same system. The recommendations can also fix minor problems in addressing the update in the system. Lastly, this paper can also serve as a secondary source concerning either transparency through e-government, e-government or Chinas e-government to provide an overview. It would also explain to the general public the idea on how the Chinese government embraced the advantages that would be beneficial for the country. This study also shows how various actors around the world view the Chinese position in promoting transparency. Scope and Limitation: The study will focus on sources that discuss studies, critiques and updates on the Chinese e-government policy, due to the extremely broad theory of e-government and the available sources for the topic alone. Most of the sources would be acquired from books, journals, news clippings and articles written since the inception of e-government in China up to the present. This period would allow the study to absorb the changes and debates raised regarding the Chinese model. As part of the literature review, the study would be using sources detailing the history and structure of the US E-government system as it would serve as a comparison and a basis for the Chinese model. A limitation for this paper has met is the insufficient secondary sources regarding the subject on the Chinese e-government program. The languages on which some of the main sources can be seen as limitations to the study given the researchers unfamiliarity in the Chinese language. Some of the sources, books, journals and articles are too expensive for purchase and free copies thereof are unavailable for use. This paper will not, however, consider the status of the other countries with respect to China’s transparency and e-government strategy as this would be a long argument to understand and determine. It will also not discuss events or policies done by the Chinese government in the intervention of these groups with regards to their complaints about the e-government system. This paper will also not discuss the use of the E-government program in China’s unique provinces such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. Definition of Terms: The definitions stated below appeared on the sources the researcher has reviewed. E-government – this is the use of information and communication technology or ICT to disseminate information properly to all sectors and allow the public to participate in government-related decision making. E-Government (US Definition) – According to the US E-Government Act of 2002, it refers to â€Å" use of Government of web-based Internet applications and other information technologies, combined with processes that implement these technologies.† E-Government (Chinese Definition) it enables the government to open up its services to the public by making it available online, improve its work and let it become efficient and boost the economy through the system E-governance – this term is mixed with the definition of e-governance. However, for the term, E-governance constitutes the success of how the e-government system would become successful as this would determine how the government delivers the services and information the public would need. Informatization – the Chinese use this term to refer the importance of the ICT sector to the public, notifying them on how the ICT sector could promote change in the country especially in the government. Techno-cadre – these are officials who have been promoting for the ICT sector in improving the government. CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Overview: The e-government system creates the hope of finding a governance strategy that can match the present time. For developing countries, this is just a way to automate the government and governed. Some see it as a way for the public to transform government services and decision-making and establish a clear future. Chinas intensions on applying the e-government have some merits that they wish to try it now that the public is becoming aware of the happenings in their government by accessing online media websites, discussion boards and even online panel debates. Nevertheless, for a country such as the United States, how exactly is their e-government system unique from all the others? The United States is the remaining superpower and the only country that can stand against any rising threat that may arise from any corner of the world. Its governance programme is a model for many countries in the hope that they could obtain the same level in their own governments. As the Congress signed the E -Government Act of 2002, the United States has been able to utilize the internet for the government by creating new online mediums to spread the word to the people, get access to their services and even let them speak up regarding their opinions on government services and policies. Nevertheless, there are still consistent flaws pointed out by critics such as server downtime, hacked official webpages and even information censorship. Despite all of these criticisms, the United States has continued to evolve and with their e-government promotion and impose laws that would secure online users from any cyber assault and damage. How exactly did the United States manage to create an almost fool-proof and flourishing E-government program that many envy in the field of politics? This review of related literature will explore the concept of e-government outside China and use it as a foundation in analyzing if Chinas e-government has the same problems, concepts and recommendations raised from other e-government models. The review will begin by discussing the history of the E-government model of the United States given that its approach is one of the best in the globe after Singapore. The study will also explain how the US E-government program works, its structure and some examples as to where it has showed its effectiveness. The country will be able to provide a fair comparison to the Chinese e-government model and determine how they differ from one another. It will also solutions to Chinas current e-government model and identify recommendations to the systems lapses. The scholars in this review wrote about various problems and advantages they have seen regarding the US E-governance policy. They also write about how effective the system is and recommendations on how the US government can develop and enhance the program in the future. A review of the threats and challenges the US E-government system identifies the flaws of the e-government system . This would constitute the end of the review alongside the short comparison of both models. Identifying the threats to the US E-Government system can also pose as a foundation on how they can be remedied and saved. Although the United States’ e-government program is still a lot better and more reliable than the fledgling e-government version of China, both governments have invested a lot of dollars to improve the ICT sector which paved way for both of these programs to automate their system of government. The flaws on state jurisdiction and transparency determine a country’s e-government system to be a success. The United States E-Government Program In the field of e-government, the United States is one of the main countries that have managed to utilize the power of e-government. The country has struggled to united its various agencies in the beginning of the 1990s. According to the Forman (2002) the federal government has only started in creating an e-government task force in 2001 with the Office of Management and Budget noting that the task force aims in improving services for each sector and improves its ability. For the US, this plan is how they perceive a successful e-government. However, the US has still yet to develop this version of e-government with their set of goals. The federal government also outlined how the e-government program can be expanded to include four main groups Government to Citizen (G2C), Government to Business (G2B), Government to Government (G2G) and Internal Efficiency and Effectiveness (IEE). The G2C approach provides the one-stop access needed by citizens when they seek for government information and services, G2B concentrates on eliminating redundancy for businesses and using the ICT for help. G2Gs concentrates in creating a connected network with all government levels to facilitate information sharing and collaboration. The IEE initiative promotes efficiency in government operations. (Forman, 2002) Seifert and Relyea (2007) stated that this strategy kick started the US e-government policy-making when President George W. Bush signed on December17 the E-government Act of 2002. This is not just the enacted statute that concentrates on information technology and security as many policies have already been signed before the Act. However, the E-Government Act of 2002 is the first of its kind that stresses the purpose and development of an e-government in the country. E-Government Act of 2002 is a subsidiary law to promote the Clinger-Cohen Act signed in 1996, created just a couple of years upon the dawn of the Internet. The Clinger-Cohen Act concentrates on decentralization of IT management in the government, how to launch new IT procedures and how to choose a chief information officer to serve as the administrator of these ID procedures. The E-Government Act of 2002 introduces a means for the public to gain access to publications disclosed from the public. A $345 million budget for the act is to ensure success in applying the e-government system. The OMB maintains the information technology investment of the country and ensures that it will continuously be citizen-friendly, efficient and performance-based. According to the Act, e-government refers to â€Å"use by Government of web-based Internet applications and other information technologies, combined with processes that implement these technologies. To (A) enhance access to and delivery of Government information and services to the public, other agencies and other Government entities; or (B) bring improvements in Government operations that may include effectiveness, efficiency, service quality or transformation.† (Seifert Relyea, 2007) The application of the E-Government Act of 2002 enabled improvement in the system because of its effectiveness in identifying the sectors it has to address immediately. The webpage USA.gov is a notable example on how the US E-government enabled easy access to government websites and services. The website itself accommodates viewers with updates like jobs, weather, contact information, forms and even FAQs regarding the 40 different branches and agencies of the government. The report also included the OMB emphasis on a National Contact Centre that would allow the public to obtain information regarding any government services even with the use of a cellular phone or chat, spoken in either English or Spanish. The report also noted the development of the disaster relief services using the FEMA completed in December 2008, enabling disaster victims to acquire and apply for benefits from the various agencies required. (Mathews, 2010) Conclusion With regards to how much the US federal government used to automate the entire US government especially its services, the cost is not a secret as everyone agrees it has been a substantial investment. The country has already used $60 million in the introduction of E-Government Act of 2002 in 2003. It gradually increased over to $600 million in 2007. The allowance covers development, implementation and maintenance with regards to all related projects and security development with the Internet. The government has noted that this budget would reduce any long-term costs that the government may face in the next decade. However, many arguments can be raised regarding which group who needs to pay for all these costs. At present, the funds of the federal government come from the taxpayers fee and dues. Since the E-governments main purpose is to improve the governments productivity and information sharing to the public, citizens would not continue to pay for this project due to the realization that it is for the government’s productivity. Many would also argue that not all can access these services so why would they bother supporting it. Another threat to the program is how the US government controls and manage all the information they collect per user of the system. There are some webpages which downloads data without informing the user. This can be compared with the Chinese system as the Chinese government was more focused on watching their citizens and the data downloaded from each government site. Despite this, Mathews states, many Americans are not that happy that their government is snooping in their online business as the information the government takes out of their personal computers. Americans have this notion of distrusting their governments given the numerous times the government has failed to respond to problems regarding corruption, fraud and how they fail to provide the citizens of what they want. Since the E-government system would require people to use the program to succeed, this notion of suspicion may cause the entire system to falter. (Mathews, 2010) The Associated Press (2010) noted that the US e-government is also going to have a problem in addressing the citizen’s concern over cyber-security and how the government imposes the program in each state and agencies of the federal government. Since most of the records of most US national webpages uses in databases connected to the internet, there may be cases that national security would be compromised immediately once hackers access the system. Vital databases connected to the nation’s security would immediately weaken the whole country in a single attack. At present, the country does not a fixed policy in addressing the problem of Internet threats and presently enacted laws are not that easily enforced given the nature of the internet. If federal officials do not allot much time to improve the system, there would always be a possibility of security threat. Since each section also has a different approach in organizing their business and decision-making, there may als o be confusion in uniting these different groups in one system especially in the e-government mechanism (Associated Press, 2010). Through this literature review, the US e-government programme has raised many key points that the Chinese model can use in updating its own version. Unlike the Chinese model, the US e-government program has several policies such as the E-Government Act of 2002 that enabled change to the current system and supports it. The US has also studied all possible conclusions their current system has which could harm the e-government system in any form. The federal government has quickly understood the importance of transparency, but, they have failed in understanding the notion of the US people onto them. Despite the improvements, there is still a perception that the government cannot be trusted given all the controversies behind many of the countrys politicians. There is also the problem that with the nature of the system to be connected to one system, one wrong move would cause the whole country to decline from one cyber attack. Nevertheless, the complex system has answered most of the ques tions and lapses raised by many experts when it comes to governance. The unique factor of the US version is the 99% automation it has introduced to the entire government structure. In comparison with the Chinese model, the Chinese government has failed to understand the importance of their application of the e-government which caused most of its departments and agencies to develop mediocre webpages to cater to its constituents. There is also the nature of the e-government system which shows that China is fearful in all the actions of its people, especially once they see the governments websites. Since the US is a federal nation, the Chinese belief in communism and its belief pressed by its ruling party has drastically prevented it to climb the ladder as one of the top e-government policies promoted today. Many politicians still believe that they must be the people to store these data and publications instead of sharing it with the public. What makes the Chinese e-government system unique from the US version is the structure of the Chinese model and its impact in all sectors of government. This can be seen in the Twelve Golden Projects which comprised the second stage of the Chinese application of the program. Understanding these challenges would be crucial in updating the e-government system. The challenges, flaws and significant improvements can serve as an important factor in revising the system and create an almost fool-proof electronic government action that no one can use. This comparison shows that no matter what the meaning of the e-government policy is in another country, it would come to the extent that it would face the same flaws and use different solutions to the flaw. These solutions can be further enhanced if there is a constant understanding between nations to create a workable e-government system that both developed and developing countries can apply. CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY Research Design In this section, the researcher will discuss the methods, types and instruments of the research that would help in understanding how the study design. The selection of the subject is due to the researchers interest in the growing popularity of the Chinese economy and the impact it has to the United States. Its projected that the United States will end up defaulting on their debt due to the on-going recession and debt crisis in the country. This would then give the opportunity for the Chinese to overtake the US in their position as the largest and powerful nation in the world. Should the situation continue, the Chinese may be able to control and influence the United States as to how it dictated the state of affairs of China in the past? This research hopes to educate people regarding the solutions applied by each national government around the world in fighting against corruption and promoting transparency. This research is to open up a discussion on how the government could develop a nd promote transparency. Its decided to apply basic research as the nature of this research discusses the subject thoroughly and then add more information to supplement the discussion. In this case, the subject is the e-government of China and the additional information would be the effects and recommendations to the system. This research has also incorporated both qualitative and descriptive methods to allow the researcher to focus on the discussion of the topic. This research has also incorporated a few quantitative data to analyse how the Chinese e-government faired with the people and the governments production of decisions, programs and policies. With qualitative research, data collection does not necessarily mean it will be solely numerical as it would be a narrative. While for descriptive research, it will allow readers, other researchers and the researcher himself to understand the subject without the stress of analysing numerical data. As mentioned in previous statements, the purpose of this paper is to examine how the effects of e-government changed the concept of transparency in the Chinese government and how it improved the image of the Chinese and the international community on Chinas transparency. All of the selected research methods will highlight the critical factors leading to the changes introduced by the Chinese e-government. It will help in predicting Chinas action once technology opens up more channels to the public, and issues that emerged because of the update. This analysis can also be considered a case study as it concentrates on the effectiveness of the e-government policy in promoting government transparency in the Chinese context, allowing the researcher an in-depth analysis over the topic and a clear perspective on how transparency can be achieved with the use of information technology. Variables: The independent variable in this study would be the e-government program of China. As stressed in the first few paragraphs of the introduction, the E-government idea is the use of the ICT in providing the public information they need regarding government dealings, researches and reports and a means to influence the government on the decisions they may partake into when needed. The IT industry can serve as a medium for the Chinese government to answer all inquiries and questions by the public in the nations e-government position in the next decade. The dependent variable in this study are the effects of e-government and perceptions of the public about the e-government system. The implication of these effects of e-government would not only affect the countrys political system, but, it also would change how the Chinese would see their government and how much their opinion matters. Transparency would also come into play once these effects determine whether or not they have served their purpose in introducing the e-government program. Data Gathering Procedure This research will concentrate primarily on Chinas e-government program implemented in the country’s state and local government units, including agencies. Most of the articles used in this study came from secondary sources due to the subjects broad range. Journals and books discussing recommendations and studies by researchers and scholars about the introduction of e-government in China and the issues that revolve around the matter fall under the set of secondary sources. Digital copies of the articles pertaining to the arguments on Chinas e-government also belong to this category. Data also used from articles, press releases and documents posted by some of Chinas English news organizations, another good source for updates pertaining to the opinions and updates regarding Chinas e-government strategy. Some sources would also come from online subscriptions JSTOR and SAGE and through Google Scholar. Data Analysis An analysis of the information would discuss effects of the Chinese e-government and why its watched by the international community. As discussed in the analysis of related literature, an e-government program would never be successful without proper analysis and strategy in the end of the government. The United States was able to keep the program with various governmental policies to establish cyber safety and efficiency in introducing transparency. This research will take two sides: first is the effects of an information technology program such as the e-government program in a non-democratic country such as China and how it has drastically change the whole government programme of the country. The possible future actions of China with regards to their E-government program would also be discussed. The body of the study begins with the background of the Chinese e-government policy and the notion of even applying the concept of information technology in the system. It would then be supported by discussing how the system itself works, the goals of the system and what it intends to showcase to the people who would also be benefiting from the program. The discussion includes the analysis on the changes it has introduced and the number of policies it has approved since its application. The study would also include the advantages and disadvantages of the e-government policy as noted by several experts in and out the country and how it affects the system all together. A discussion on the distinguished flaws will also be raised in the body of the study especially how the world sees the virtue of the e-government project. A short comparison between the Chinese and US models will also be discussed in the studys literature review. Hypothesis: Transparency has always been connected with the theory of moral governance every time a government analysis or comparison to the current administration arrives. The usual arguments such as hidden information regarding government transactions and less involvement of the people influence the main problem. Of course, governments have vehemently denied these allegations as this would destroy their public image and state that these are false rumors. Developed countries have this problem the worst especially because some of their constituents belong to C and D level of the country. This paper argues that the application of the e-government program in China has managed to change the views on politics and governance. It has enabled government officials and employees to keep proper track of their assigned duties and allot more time in creating policies and programs. The Chinese public, on the other hand, now finds the accessibility of information, services and news from e-government webpages whenever they need it and even comment on how they see a program launched by the government. However, there are still flaws and gaps that the Chinese e-government strategy is yet to address as data is still not properly distributed to other prominent organizations and civilian groups. Some argue that there are regions who do not have this system, while some are inconsistent. Since China has applied e-government whilst their online community is slowly understanding the importance of the internet, not only has it enabled China to earn revenue upon the application of the system, but it has also ranked high as one of the ten countries with an effective e-government system and a high transparency grade. Nevertheless, it is still a work in progress as there have been complaints and arguments that the e-government system has failed to answer questions regarding the information transmitted and services offered by these sites, the availability of these data specifically to NGOs and private organizations and the systems constant shutdowns and errors. Hypothesis Testing The application of the e-government program in China, the program has managed to change how politics and governance means for the public. This serves as the studys main premise. However, there are still flaws and gaps that the Chinese e-government strategy is yet to address as data is still not properly distributed to other prominent organizations and civilian groups. Nevertheless, it is still a work in progress due to the comments that it has still failed to include fundamental aspects of its reach and influence. The Chinese version is now a model for some developing nations in creating their own version of the system due to Chinas continuously improving image at present. The hypothesis is to be proven only if the effects of e-government has managed to fulfill its purpose. However, the hypothesis is to be disproven if the country has noted that the flaws of the Chinese e-government strategy not just limited their access to the governments deals and finances, but if it has also kept the country completely in the dark regarding policies that should be consulted to the public view. The theory would also be disproven if there are essential critiques raised by experts on the department of politics and economics in the effectiveness of the e-government in China. CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION Like any other country, the Chinese have their own meaning in defining the need, purpose and intent of an e-government. The definition of e-government for China would be difficult to identify given the country’s non- democratic perspective. However, most Chinese officials agree that the e-government system enables the government to open up its services to the public by making it available online. It has also updated its work efficiency. It has also allowed the economy to improve thanks to the system. Since China has a centralized political system, a creation of a Chinglish (Chinese-English) â€Å"informatization† would allow the government to develop the ICT sector to the public without a backlash. The discussion as to how the ICT sector could help the country in creating the dianzi zhengwu or the e-government system began immediately. Politicians such as Deng Xiaoping have expressed that improving and developing the countrys telecommunications sector would be essential to initiate economic growth. As the government slowly planned out the system, the focus became the e-governance image of the system and not the e-government process itself. This only constitutes government websites or zhengfu shangwang. Jiang Zemin, former minister of the electronic industry, followed the lead of Deng Xiaoping and showed interest in investing in the information technology sector like US vice-president Al Gores theory of improving the digital network. Jiangs desire to utilize the internet is evident in one of his interviews. Of course with Zemin’s backup, the Chinese e-government programme has gained its form. With this development, it would allow the government to introduce change within the system. It will alter its functions and improve its services. This would then allow the government to become competent and cost-free. Zemin also states that this would create a more transparent and fair administrative system.(Zhang, 2002) Lagerkvist (2005) noted that the Chinese effort in promoting the information and communications technology industry was perfect. It has promoted a clear field for both domestic and external groups. This promotion of the sector is also a way for the international community to show that the Chinese government is prepared to open up its doors. Many have noted that leaders such as Zemin can be classified as techno-cadres, people who are into improvement through the use of the technological developments as a way to solve traditional governmental policies in the country. Former Prime Minister Zhu Rongji expressed that informatization strengthens efficiency in the government and entices employees to work harder and be more responsive to the public. His opinion perceives changing the current administration and enabling automation through ICT would help clean the government and become productive. The hope that the e-government program can wipe out any misunderstanding about government is foun d in Zhu’s speech. (Lagerkvist, 2005) Liang (2006) explains how the history of the Chinese E-government program began. The Chinese E-government system was presented by the General Office of the State Council and called it san wang yi ku or Three Networks and One Database consisted of an internal, visible and external networks and a database system. The internal network consists of the Intranet, handling all classified information and inter-agency operations. The specific network is the Extranet which connectes the Intranet with office functions and allow local governments to share information. The external network is the Internet, source of information to the public and how they could be part of the system. Finally, the database system is the one that supports all of these networks and enables users with preferences to request for services that would be appropriate with their requirements. China has stopped in presenting the structure of the program, but, continuously invested in the system with $5 billion worth of budge t. Many analysts noted that Chinas IT industry would also be affected by the sudden interest of the Chinese in updating the system as analysts estimate that $10 billion worth of funding would be given by 2009, 15.9% of annual growth. Of course, the Chinese government anticipated the programs effects into the entire system. They came up with three stages as a result of this prediction which would help the e-government program fulfill its obligation. (Liang, 2006) Figure 1. Three Stages of E-Government Development in China. This chart shows how China has allotted time in enacting its three stages in developing e-government. (World Bank) The first stage is the Office Automation in Agencies which began from the 1980s to the early 1990s. The stage noted the establishment of office networks that would connect the city, regional and national level networks together. This also enabled most of the city or national-level governments to reduce the amount of paper they need to use to view information and policies. Lovelock and Ure (2002) explained the following stages known as the Twelve Golden Projects, created around December 2001 alongside the creation of the Chinese Information Office. Premier Zhu Rongji enabled the stage to proceed as he had State Council Document No. 17 to be released just eight months later. The period became known as the Twelve Golden Projects because it concentrates on twelve different networks. These networks primarily cover sectors of society and government which can influence the countrys position. This then enables the e-government program to become an effective and accurate government policy with a fluid aim for each section. The twelve golden projects are as follows: 1. Administrative Resources System (bangong yewu ziyuan xitong) is a system that would allow all government work in any position to be part of the e-governance mechanism of the government. This would rotate from video-conferencing to a government disaster management system that would facilitate the community through the World Wide Web. 2. The Golden Macro Project/ Macro Economic Management (jinhong) concentrating in enhancing intergovernmental connectivity and sharing that would help in creating a transparent and more efficient policy-making 3. The Golden Tax Project (jinshui) concentrates in discovering and punishing any case of tax evasion by using false receipts and invoices that can easily be done with the government computer. This project has been one of the most successful ones in the stage as it has managed to cover 45% of taxpayers in the country. 4. The Golden Customs Project/ Golden Gate Project (jinguan) was launched in 2001. It concentrates on four points: the management of quotas and licenses, import and export statistics, tax returns for exporting companies and international trade currency transactions normally done by the government. The projects long-term objective is to make sure Chinas international trade and economic transaction mechanism is revolutionized through the use of computer networks. 5. The Golden Finance Project (jincai) was applied earlier than the first four programs applied in 1999. The projects main focus is to integrate the eleven sub-systems in the national level and handle its income and budgeting to all its finance related inquiries. The project also focuses on the creation of vertical channels that would encompass the provincial and municipal departments of finance. 6. The Golden Card Project (jinka) promotes the use of an electronic currency to the public that would help in e-commerce and improve financial markets with the use of a unified payment clearance system. This will also enable the government to monitor any illegal and legal activity by an individual that would strengthen their efforts in promoting anti-corruption efforts in the government, whether local or national. 7. The Golden Audit Project (jinshen) establishes a unified digital auditing system for all levels of government in the country and reviews all transactions done by its officials and related groups. 8. The Golden Shield Project (jindun) concentrates in using specialized ICTs to develop efficient police control and crime prevention around the country that would improve the current image of the law-enforcing agency. 9. The Golden Social Security Project (jinbao) establishes a national system that would protect labor and social security and this system would then enable governments in all levels to enact recommendations if any breach happens in these sectors. 10. The Golden Quality Project (jinzhi), transforms quality supervision that enables transparency to reign in the system especially in the newly created national network. 11. The Golden Agriculture Project (jinnong) promotes the use of ICT in the field of agriculture that then can be applied in three key forms: a monitoring and alert system that is used to announce any updates crucial in agriculture production and animal raising. This would include whether updates, infestations and even animal diseases; an information system that would inform the public about new materials for agriculture and cattle and finally a system that would provide tutorials and samples of the current technological breakthroughs in the field of agriculture. Finally, 12. The Golden Water Conservancy Project (jinshui) is created to increase the information to the public about the concept of water conservation that would help in saving Chinas water supply. This project also enacts a creation of a National Flood-Control and Draught-Relief Command System with a National Supervision Network for Water and Soil Conservation as China has constantly been destroyed by several floods and landslides, killing thousands in progress. Aside from these twelve golden projects, there have been other projects called golden projects. Some of these were called as the Golden Bridge Project (jinqiao), the Golden Hygiene Project, the Golden Travel Project, the Golden Wisdom Project and the Golden Trade project. The implementation of the Golden Projects allowed the government to react immediately. At least 50 and more agencies have applied the project into their official webpages. (Lovelock Ure, 2002) Figure 2. Government Agencies’ Response to the Golden Projects. This chart shows how much has supported the Golden Projects of the Chinese E-government system. Ma, Chung, and Throson (2005) explained the next stage called the Government Online Project or the â€Å"Zhengfu Shangwang Gongcheng† established in 1999. This stage encourages all government levels to build their own customized webpages in the internet. These sites would then become their digital image for online users to request for services and information China Telecom and the State Economic and Trade Commission, assisted by the various different government agencies and groups supports this stage. For this stage, the goals are identified into three different aims: post relevant government information, create documents and publications open for access and finally to implement administration through the use of databases as this would increase efficiency in the part of the administration. The GOP is the most complicated out of all the three stages as it needs to create a centralized administrative system to share information. This stage also promotes office automation and red uces corruption at all levels. It is also through this project that would change how to use the Internet. It would enable employees to improve the government’s efficiency and transparency in all levels (Ma, Chung, Thorson, 2005) Of course, many have noted that the Chinese e-government program has met many different reactions from the different groups in the country. Each has noted that there are still lapses in the e-government system, which must be addressed by the Chinese government for them to say that it is a successful project. Xu and Astone (2000) noted that the Chinese e-government could be more successful if there is a definite system on how the government would enact their policies and how they would promote it to the public without showing how hard it is to enact the system. The Chinese Communist Party has an immensely complex system which enables the higher ops to keep the information all to themselves which is not a concept well grasped in modern political systems as this shows the Party’s unwilling attitude towards any reform that would affect their influence. Since this is the case, the e-government of China cannot move forward. Without a stable and systematic government Party, funding w ould also be a problem. Since China has many departments and agencies, it is impossible to fund each website with the budget allotted by the national government. Even the beginning of the Government Online Project had to be compromised by just a command mechanism (Xu Astone, 2000) In the case of the public, Junhua (2001) showed that many are still not connected and aware of an e-government system implemented in the country which is extremely crucial should the government want to claim that they do have an efficient system. With regards to how people see their government webpages, some have seen that it does not provide the people of what they need. There are no definite data in the government sites that would show visitors documents, giving them the notion that the government is hiding something from them which they do not want to see. This can easily be translated as a clandestine and illegal activity that may promote the misuse on behalf of the government (Junhua, 2001). Han and Zhang (2011) refuted this notion of the public with regards to government websites as their study has pointed out that several webpages of the government, especially in the local regions such as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has listed relevant information such as reports, briefi ngs and speeches which people can read. However, they have notice that these webpages do not include a list of publications which makes it hard for the public to search for other forms of government documents (Han Zhang, 2011). In a study done by Yang (2006), there was another group in China that is monitored by both the public and the government considering that it would affect them the most if changes happened within the government. The group is called the vulnerable groups. Unlike the US and the European vulnerable groups, Chinas vulnerable groups are the people whose life is highly dependent with the countrys economic growth and the relationship of the group with other groups. Chinese scholars often defined vulnerable groups as those social colonies who need help and support from this nation and society because they cannot maintain the living standard for themselves and their family members with their own strength or ability. Yang notes that the situation of the vulnerable groups has even reached the foundations of the Communist Party of China. Of course, the government has introduced numerous strategies to help this group. Figure 3. Asia Rankings of 2005 with regards to E-government capability. This table shows the ranking of Asian countries that applied the e-government policy (World Bank) As the country applies the e-government policy, Yang notes, the system itself may enable the government to develop the countrys management skills in improving the efficiency and services the government offers. However, there is still a problem as to how it could immediately affect the vulnerable groups given that these groups came to be because several government policies and social structure dictated it to happen. The group, like with the normal public, also have limited mediums which are less than effective to influence the governments decision-making. This turns the Chinese E-government to be an independent kingdom that the government can use to do any clandestine activity. Yang also noted that since the e-government system has various definitions, the system slowly shifts to concentrating on providing a sense of ease and the bulk of the benefits the e-government system rather than giving the public the power it has given the application of the system. The Chinese e-government pro gram can only reach these groups if they can provide services and teach them to become confident in approaching the government. The government must be able to create a working economic system that would enable these groups to feel the economic changes and melt in the society without feeling some backlash. If the Chinese government cannot refocus the benefits of the e-government program and enable everyone to experience the benefits of the said program, the current application of the E-government program in China will continuously face many challenges regarding its popularity with these special groups. (Yang, 2006) Conclusion The E-government policy may seem to be a perfect system that would enable the governments to open up its doors to the public to address the problem of government transparency. Not only does this change the publics view on how they could reach out to the government without the fear of scrutiny and a flicker of corruption, it also changes how governance must be done at this age. Although these improvements can be exceedingly detrimental to the whole country in general, there are still some things to consider on how much, which group pays and how to implement the system which comprises each agency and department of the government. If these lapses and questions are not properly resolved by the governments, there is no hope on finding a successful e-government policy that would work in their country. In the Chinese perspective, although the concept is still far from being perfect in terms on how well it has enabled the public to acquire information, services and improvement and how well it opens up the government to the people; the program is well on its way to changing the Chinese concept of how governments must be run by its officials. At present, there is still a question on how much transparent the Chinese government has become since there are still government officials who would rather stick to the old system of governance to keep their influence. There is also the question on how much information is transmitted to the public and groups who access them through government webpages. There is also the issue of cyber-security that would also concern the publics safety while accessing these webpages. Chinas e-government policy is also questionable to some due to its obsessive tendencies on user views. Not all Chinese government agencies can also open up decent and efficient webpa ges due to the budget given to this program. Some groups are also not capable of going online given their social background and financial capacity. This is immensely troubling considering how much money the Chinese government spends each year. Some studies have also shown the inaccuracies in some government websites which unedited. Some do not possess valuable information needed to assure that the government is not hiding anything from the public. In its comparison with the United States, these countries possess the same problems when it comes to e-government programs. Both countries do not have much funding when it comes to the system. There is also a flicker of distrust in terms of the public’s view of the program and the data accumulated from each user visit. Seifert and Chung (2009) provided a table on the comparison between the two e-government programs. However, what varies from these two is the application of each country’s belief for the US, it is more democratic giving out what people would want. China, on the other hand, embodies a tighter and secured system as compared to the US model of immediate solution. (Chung Seifert, 2009) Figure 4. Comparison between the US and Chinese E-Government Policies. This table shows the different policies and positions of both models of e-government. It is without a doubt that the government is trying its best in recovering from these lapses and locating solutions that would help in developing the system. Given the current structure of the Chinese model, it is already perfect as it is. There is a need to reassess the current structure of the model and identify one by one the lapses each stage has failed to comply and resolve. Whats needed is cooperation between the ruling party and the people themselves for them to understand what the other does not have. The government must be open for reform and must embrace the system, helping the public in progress in understanding the e-government system and opening channels for those who cannot access it. The public, on the other hand, must be open to try the system and see for themselves if the government has opened itself to them. No matter how much technology would change, it would not work unless these two different sides open themselves for reform. References Associated Press. (2010, February 7). Cybersecurity Threats. Retrieved November 7, 2011, from KX News: http://www.kxnet.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=517578 Chung, J., Seifert, J. (2009). Using E-Government to Reinforce Government Citizen Relationships: Comparing Government Reform in the United States and China. Social Science Computer Review, 27(3), 3-24. Forman, M. (2002, February 27). Implementing the Presidents Management Agenda for E-Government. Retrieved November 2, 2011, from United States of America Official Web Portal: http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Includes/Reference/egov_strategy.pdf Gronlund, A., Horan, T. (2004). Introducing E-Gov: History, Definitions and Issues. Communications of the Association for Information System, 15, 713-729. Han, Y., Zhang, Z. (2011). E-Government in Guangxi, Peoples Republic of China: Administrative Reforms towards Citizen-centered Service-oriented Government. European Group for Public Administration Conference (pp. 1-25). Bucharest: European Group for Public Administration. Holliday, I., Yep, R. (2005). E-Government in China. Public Administration And Development, 25, 239-249. Hood, C. (2007). When Transparency Meets Blame-Avoidance? Public Management Review, 9(2), 191-210. Junhua, Z. (2001). Chinas Government Online and attempts to gain technical legitimacy. Asian(80), 93-115. Lagerkvist, J. (2005). The Techno-cadres Dream: Administrative Reform by Electronic Governance in China Today? Sage Publications, 19(2), 189-216. Liang, G. (2006). Under the Golden Shine: Chinas Efforts to Bridge Government and Citizens. United Nations Centre for Regional Development, 1-20. Lovelock, P., Ure, J. (2002). E-Government in China. Technology Research Project: University of Hongkong, 1-15. Luo, G. (2009). E-Government, People and Social Change: A Case Study in China. Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 38(3), 1-23. Ma, L., Chung, J., Thorson, S. (2005). E-government in China: Bringing economic development through administrative reform. Government Information Quarterly, 22, 20-37. Mathews, K. (2010, May 5). E-Government in the United States: Steps to Advance Its Success. Retrieved November 3, 2011, from Indiana University: http://www.indiana.edu/~spea/pubs/undergrad-honors/volume-4/matthews_kimberly.pdf Seifert, J., Relyea, H. (2007). E-Government Act of 2002 in the United States. Washington, DC: US Congressional Research Service. World Bank. (n.d.). Achieving E-Government: Chinas Information Revolution. Retrieved November 8, 2011, from World Bank: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTINFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATIONANDTECHNOLOGIES/Resources/282822-1176738081732/China-ch6.pdf Xiong, C. (2002). E-Government in China, Present and Future. E-Administration for the Benefit of Citizens (pp. 1-6). Paris: Tsinghua University. Xu, D., Astone, M. (2000). E-Government In China. Troy State University Publications, 1-10. Yang, F. (2006). The Status of Vulnerable Groups in the Chinese e-Government Construction. Peking University School of the Government, 1-16. Zhang, J. (2002). A critical review of the development ofthe Chinese E-government. Perspectives, 3(7), 1-16.

Analysis Of Ralph Ellison s Battle Royal - 990 Words

Sebastian Arroqui Professor Madden English 1102-217 October 21, 2015 â€Å"Battle Royal† By Ralph Ellison: Racial Symbols Ralph Ellison’s â€Å"Battle Royal† is an excerpt from his book Invisible Man, and throughout out this short story Ellison tells a great story about a nameless boy. The story starts off with the narrator speaking about the life of his grandfather, and how he led people to freedom after the Civil War because he thought they were spate but equal. He tells us that later his grandfather lived a meek and quite life after he was freed. Now, the narrator lives a life just like his grandfather, submissive to the white population. Then, the narrator tells us about his high school speech. In his speech, he urges blacks to be submissive to whites because that is the key to the advancement of the black population. The speech is so popular that he is invited to present the speech at a gathering of the white population’s leading citizens. Throughout this story, Ellison uses a number of techniques to speak about racism . His uses of symbolism throughout this story speak very loudly on the racial problems of society. Upon arriving, he is told to participate in the battle royal, and he and his classmates are given boxing gloves. A white woman walks around naked and the narrator points out the American flag on her stomach. They are forced and threatened by white men to watch the naked woman, and then they are blindfold and instructed to pummel each other. After the narrator isShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Ralph Ellison s Battle Royal 808 Words   |  4 Pages Ralph Ellison’s short story, Battle Royal, is symbolic in many different ways. In one way it is symbolic of the African Americans’ struggle for equality throughout our nation’s history. The various hardships that the narrator must endure, in his quest to deliver his speech, are representative of the many hardships that the blacks went through in their fight for equality. The narrator in Ellison’s short story suffers much. He is considered to be one of the brighter youths in his black communityRead MoreAnalysis Of Ralph Ellison s Battle Royal945 Words   |  4 PagesHow would you feel if you were trying to succeed in life but there was a greater force holding you back? Ralph Ellison uses setting, irony, and symbolism in â€Å"Battle Royal† to further explain how African Americans were treated in regards to social equality. In the Deep South racism was very common and unfortunately it lead to many cruel things. Many people were mistreated and disrespected for no reason other than their skin color. The white man wanted to keep the African Americans separated from themRead MoreThe Prejudice Of Race And Gender1365 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"About eighty-five years ago they were told they were free, united with others of our country in everything pertaining to the common good, and, in everything social, separate like the finger of the hand † (Ellison). The notion of â€Å"separate but equal† is one of the things that are mentioned by Ellison. This foreshadows the social constraints that the narrator and other blacks will face in this narrative and basically sets up a context to when the story was written. He explains that during this time manyRead MoreRalf Ellisons The Invisible Man Essay1927 Words   |  8 Pagesoutlandish (Holland 34). To his peers Ellison was a thinker as well as writer he had the capability of repairing automobiles and electronic devices; â€Å"He had a particular passion for high quality audio equipment, and found a hobby in building and customizing stereo systems.† (LitCharts 3) After writing the Invisible Man Ellison found it to be an arduous task to replicate the success of the Invisible Man, â€Å"Which immediately was considered a classic†(Brennan). Ellison made it is life mission to write aRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 PagesCa nada 118 Riverview Children s Hospital 124 The Evolution of Project Management at Quixtar 145 3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT CULTURES 151 Como Tool and Die (A) 153 Como Tool and Die (B) 157 Apache Metals, Inc. 160 Haller Specialty Manufacturing 162 The NF3 Project: Managing Cultural Differences 163 An International Project Manager s Day (A) 172 An International Project Manager s Day (B) (see handout provided by instructor) An International Project Manager s Day (C) (see handout provided by

Great White Shark Free Essays

The great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a species of large lamniform shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The great white shark is mainly known for its size, with the largest individuals known to have approached or exceeded in length, and in weight. This shark reaches its maturity around 15 years of age and can have a life span of over 30 years. We will write a custom essay sample on Great White Shark or any similar topic only for you Order Now The great white shark is arguably the world’s largest known extant macropredatory fish, and is one of the primary predators of marine mammals. It is also known to prey upon a variety of other marine animals, including fish and seabirds. It is the only known surviving species of its genus Carcharodon, and is ranked first in having the most attacks on humans. The IUCN list the great white shark as a vulnerable species, while it is included in Appendix II of CITES. The bestselling novel Jaws by Peter Benchley and the subsequent blockbuster film by Steven Spielberg depicted the great white shark as a â€Å"ferocious man eater†. In reality, humans are not the preferred prey of the great white shark. Taxonomy In 1758, Carolus Linnaeus gave the great white shark its first scientific name, Squalus carcharias. Later, Sir Andrew Smith gave it Carcharodon as its generic name in 1833, and also in 1873. The generic name was identified with Linnaeus’ specific name and the current scientific name Carcharodon carcharias, was finalised. Carcharodon comes from the Greek words karcharos, which means sharp or jagged, and odous, which means tooth. Ancestry and fossil record The great white shark came into existence during the mid-Miocene epoch. The earliest known fossils of the great white shark are about 16 million years old. However, the phylogeny of the great white is still in dispute. The original hypothesis for the great white’s origins is that it shares a common ancestor with a prehistoric shark, such as the C. megalodon. Similarities among the physical remains and the extreme size of both the great white and C. megalodon led many scientists to believe these sharks were closely related, and the name Carcharodon megalodon was applied to the latter. However, a new hypothesis proposes that the C. megalodon and the great white re distant relatives . The great white is also more closely related to an ancient mako shark, Isurus hastalis, than to the C. megalodon, a theory that seems to be supported with the discovery of a complete set of jaws with 222 teeth and 45 vertebrae of the extinct transitional species Carcharodon hubbelli in 1988 and published on November 14, 2012. In addition, the new hypothesis assigns C. m egalodon to the genus Carcharocles, which also comprises the other megatoothed sharks; Otodus obliquus is the ancient representative of the extinct Carcharocles lineage. How to cite Great White Shark, Papers

Introduction of Management AGL

Question: Discuss about the Introduction of Management AGL. Answer: Introduction AGL Energy is a publicly-listed Austrian organization, which is providing energy products as well as services to the economy of Australia whereas Lendlease Group is a multinational property as well as infrastructure organization having its headquarters in Sydney, Australia. In respect of AGL Energy, the company is serving towards identifying, managing, monitoring as well as reporting on the materials risks that are affecting the companys ability for protecting as well as enhancing the long-term values regarding AGL. Lendlease acknowledges that the companys environmental, social as well as governance objectives as well as targets are extending beyond their direct business functioning in respect of their supply chain. AGL Energy: Mission Statement The companys mission statement is taking action for the creation of energy solutions in respect of the communities of today and tomorrow. Organisational values The organizational values of AGL is working as an ethical compass that is guiding the people in their behaviour as well as processes to make decisions and to fuel the good energy that is thriving in the organizations teams as well as providing inspiration for the companys accessible leaders. There are five values in respect of AGL, One Team It takes into consideration the aspect of acting in the best interest of the entire organization, to break down silos as well as to do the application of steady standards as well as expectations across the business. It does not take into consideration the aspect of Us versus them, protection of the turf as well as to undermine peers as well as leaders. Delivery It takes into consideration the aspect of making things happen, keeping it simple as well as to set goals having clarity as well as actualizing them. It does not take into consideration the aspect of making excuses, to bully individuals for getting results as well as waiting for being told to do something. Authentic It takes into consideration the aspect of speaking the truth with news that are good as well as bad, doing what is being said and to have knowledge regarding the organizational business. It does not take into consideration the aspect of saying something and doing something different, to run hidden agendas as well as to hide the companys flaws (Hammond 2015). Safe and Sustainable It takes into consideration the aspect of having seriousness for being safe, to take individual accountability in respect of individual safety as well as to think about ways by which the organizational actions will be impacting tomorrow and not just in the current situation. It does not take into consideration the aspect of cutting corners for getting results, to have complacency regarding safety as well as to worry only about the present times and not about tomorrow (Alexander 2013). Vitality It takes into consideration the aspect of stating that the company is open to ideas that are new as well as to go above as well as beyond. It does not take into consideration the aspect of having complacency, to work at the lowest common denominator as well as to maintain the status quo (Anderson 2015). Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainability At AGL, sustainability is associated with the aspect of thinking concerning the responsibilities that the company is having in respect of all the stakeholders of the organization such as the staffs, customers, investors, the community as well as the environment. The sustainability of AGL is serving towards identifying, managing, monitoring as well as reporting on the materials risks that are affecting the companys ability for protecting as well as enhancing the long-term values regarding AGL (Combe 2014). The framework of AGL is a continuous reporting offering a precise, transparent, responsive as well as timely account of the companys performance as well as commitments concerning the risks as well as scopes regarding sustainability. Sustainability Report The sustainability report of AGL will be setting out the social, environmental as well as economic challenges as well as scopes that are faced by AGL. The energy industry and the ways by which the company is responding regarding these aspects towards the protection as well as growth of the long-term value regarding the organizational business (Foxall 2014). Sustainable Procurement Program This program is aiming towards embedding principles of sustainability into our processes relating to procurement as well as activities regarding procurement. Moreover, influencing the organizational suppliers to function in accord with the companys sustainability values. Also, assisting the sustainability targets of the company (Chernev 2014). In addition, encouraging fairness, openness, transparency as well as non-discrimination within the companys supply base as well as improving the governance, reducing the risks, as well as ensuring labour practices that are considered being responsible for getting embedded in the organizational processes. Last but not the least, ensuring compliance in respect of Occupational Health and Safety laws regulations as well as managing the environmental as well as social influence of the company (Hislop 2013). For actualizing these goals is the Supplier Code of Conduct and it was formed for establishing a minimum set of necessities that needs to get complied by the suppliers in respect of conducting business with AGL. Key Stakeholders of AGL The company is having a wide range of stakeholders having varied interests. It is very essential that the company needs to have an engagement regarding continuous as well as constructive dialogue with these stakeholders for staying responsive regarding matters that are important in respect of the companys customers, staffs, investors, regulators as well as the overall community (Hollensen 2015). Believable and Add Value In respect of the companys achievements, AGL Energy has achieved the top sustainability-reporting prize at the Australian ACCA Reporting Awards. The awards are recognizing the significance of integration relating to sustainable development towards business strategy as well as brilliance relating to environmental, social as well as sustainable financial reporting (Kinicki 2014). Lendlease Group: Vision Statement The companys vision is working closely with clients, investors as well as communities in Australia, Asia, Europe as well as the Americas for creating the distinctive places. Places that are leaving a positive legacy as well as inspiring and enriching the lives of individuals throughout the world. The company is doing this by putting safety first as well as delivering solutions that are innovative as well as effective for providing long-term sustainable results regarding different stakeholders. Organizational Values The organizational values of the company are associated with certain aspects that are defining the way the company is conducting business. Lendlease Group is a place to progress since the company is supporting staffs for achieving their objectives by providing them scopes for working across a variety of projects, enjoying multiple careers, creating tangible places for experiencing as well as exploring, participating in professional development programs as well as rewarding and recognizing the work the employees are doing (Martin 2015). Lendlease is also encouraging a culture in which the employee are having a feeling of empowerment for taking a proactive approach towards the staffs physical as well as mental welfare so that the staffs can thrive and be their best in both work as well as personal life (Okpara 2013). Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainability In respect of the Lendlease Group, sustainability is associated with the creation of places in respect of individuals as well as to meet their requirements towards the future. Internationally, governments as well as communities are trying to seek trustworthy partners that will be enhancing urban areas with effective, healthy as well as resilient results. At Lendlease, there occurs the delivery of environmental, social as well as economic results through the companys portfolio of global urban development, construction as well as activities related to investment as well as projects. Sustainability is vital regarding the companys business strategic aspect (Pettinger 2013). Key Stakeholders of Lendlease Group Customers There occurs an engagement with the customers with the help of surveys, face-to-face meetings, social media campaigns as well as key clients and JV partner events. Investors The investors are considered being essential for the companys business as well as strategic aspect. They get connected via Annual General Meetings, the Annual Report as well as Securityholder review. People The Company is conducting complete staff engagement surveys every second year as well as International Staff Updates biyearly (Meffert 2013). Community There occurs the production of Stakeholder Engagement Plans in respect of every development projects Suppliers The Company is engaging in supply chain with the help of research, recognition as well as to establish an International Working Group regarding Strategic Procurement as well as selection of product as well as material aspects. Government In case of delivery, the government is considered being a key partner in each of the companys regions (Talk 2016). Believable and Add Value In respect of the companys achievements, marketing excellence has been awarded to the company by the Urban Development Institute of Australia and also got awarded the Presidents Award as well as Environmental Excellence by the Urban Development Institute of Australia. Smart objectives (For becoming Marketing Head from Marketing Executive) Specific It is required having goals that are having clarity and being specific, or else it will not be possible for focusing the organizational efforts or being motivated for achieving it. When the company will draft the goals, there is the requirement for answering the 5Ws that are what, why, who, where and which. For instance, to become a marketing head from marketing executive, there is the requirement for gaining skills as well as experiences that are important for becoming marketing head within the company. Measurable There is the significance in having measurable goals, for tracking the organizational development as well as staying motivated. There is the requirement to do the assessment of the progress that will assist in staying focused, meeting the organizational deadlines as well as feeling the excitement to get close to the actualization of the organizational goals. For instance, an individual aspiring to become marketing head will be measuring the goals to acquire the skills for becoming a marketing head, through the determination that the person will be completing the required training courses. Achievable The organizational goals are required being real as well as achievable for getting success. When an achievable goal is being set, the company might be having the ability for identifying the previously ignored scopes or resources that will be bringing the company closer to it. For instance, the person is required knowing the time for completing the necessary training in an effective manner by having the necessary resources that are available. Realistic This stage is making sure that the companys goals will be mattering to the company and it will be aligning with the other pertinent objectives. For instance, there is the requirement for gaining the skills for becoming the marketing head within the company, but it is necessary to know whether it is the appropriate time for undertaking the necessary training. Timely All the goals require a target date, for having a deadline for focusing on as well as something for working toward. For instance, in becoming the marketing head, there is the requirement to gain the skills and it is necessary to know the time it will take for acquiring these skills (Hammond 2015). Conclusion At AGL Energy, the company will be working with suppliers as well as going beyond the aspect of seeking value for money products as well as services and encouraging value in other areas like concentrating on whole-of-like expenses, cultivation of innovative solutions, to strengthen communities as well as to reduce the companys ecological footprint. At Lendlease Group, Sustainability is putting individuals at the heart of the companys vision for creating the best places. Lendlease acknowledges that the companys environmental, social as well as governance objectives as well as targets are extending beyond their direct business functioning in respect of their supply chain. Reference Alexander, K., 2013.Facilities management: theory and practice. Routledge. Anderson, D.R., Sweeney, D.J., Williams, T.A., Camm, J.D. and Cochran, J.J., 2015.An introduction to management science: quantitative approaches to decision making. Cengage learning. Chernev, A., 2014.Strategic marketing management. Cerebellum Press. Combe, C., 2014.Introduction to management. Oxford University Press. Foxall, G., 2014.Strategic Marketing Management (RLE Marketing)(Vol. 3). Routledge. Hammond, J., Keeney, R. and Raiffa, H., 2015.Smart choices: A practical guide to making better decisions. Harvard Business Review Press. Hislop, D., 2013.Knowledge management in organizations: A critical introduction. Oxford University Press. Hollensen, S., 2015.Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Kinicki, A., Williams, B.K., Scott-Ladd, B. and Perry, M., 2014.Management: A practical introduction. McGraw-Hill Education Australia. Martin, N. and Rice, J., 2015. Improving Australia's renewable energy project policy and planning: A multiple stakeholder analysis.Energy Policy,84, pp.128-141. Meffert, H., 2013.Marketing-Management: AnalyseStrategieImplementierung. Springer-Verlag.ing management. Cerebellum Press. Okpara, J.O. and Idowu, S.O., 2013.Corporate Social Responsibility. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Pettinger, R., 2013. Introduction to management. Talk, O.M., 2016. Operations management.

Operating systems free essay sample

To achieve this they constantly push boundaries, define new standards and ensure continuous improvements in all parts of their business. The MIS can help further this goal by supplying the company with the relevant equipment needed to constancy improve themselves, MIS brings with it the ability to collect and even analyse certain data that may be relevant to the company’s aforementioned goals. An example of this would be data collected on customer feedback would be used to improve current product package whilst surveys done and analysed by the system could project the probability of new revenue sources, thus creating new line of product or services by the company. (Digi, unknown) The company has also set their mission as to deliver Internet for All as part of our commitment to building a connected Malaysia enabling access to Mobile Internet services and applications by offering customers the right combination of devices and value pricing, as well as the best usage experience (Digi, Unknown). We will write a custom essay sample on Operating systems or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page MIS helps this goal of Digi by allowing new hardware such as fibre optics and copper wires to be used not only by the company itself but also as a service that could be offered to the public, many internet connections are now using fibre optics as the medium because of its speed. The company’s MIS could help monitor these connections and the usage of each customer, so the company can better recommend a package to the consumer. Through MSI, companies can generate essential documents such as employee evaluations, financial reports, and other relevant business reports (unknown, unknown). Most listed companies publish their quarterly and annual financial reports on their website which is accessible to the public, this is not only in line with their obligations to publish such reports as a listed company but also to inform the public on the company’s financial wellbeing thus generating attracting more investors. It would also allow the management teams to evaluate performance of human resource and return on investments. A great example of this happening is when a company publish their quarterly or annual report, their stock price will either rise or lower according to the reports. Also in times of economic downturn, only the most consistent workers in the company will be kept, whereas those with low evaluations are the first to be laid off. The telecommunications industry being a service oriented industry relies heavily on its customers to generate revenue, being able to fix flaws and take into account customer feedback is very useful to the companies in this industry. The information gathered by the MIS can be used to gauge the company’s’ position or performance in the public eye; this could help the companies develop themselves further. This can be seen when companies markets or launch a new service or product, the package is usually tailored to fit the greatest amount of customers, as to guarantee the highest customer satisfaction. Therefore most of the packages offered by these companies are very similar in nature. However according to (Vitez, unknown), a disadvantage of the MIS is the ineffectiveness of it at times. MIS could be useful, but the system is only as good as its programmer and its users, a lack of knowledge or incompetent programmer may cause the MIS to reduce in effectiveness. A great example of a system error occurring with the MIS system is in Knight Capital – a mid-size financial firm. According to (Baumann, 2013) a code in the system had gone rogue before a trading day, when the opening bell was struck for the day, the company started losing $10 million a minute due to the system firing off trades, sources from within the company had predicted the company would become insolvent within an hour if the trades continued, the code was dug up within 45 minutes. However by then the damage was already done. This example shows that the MIS weakness is within the code itself. Implementing and modifications of a MIS is also a disadvantage because the expense is great, setting up and maintaining an effective MIS represents a significant portion of any companies expense, especially bigger organisations with many offices and spread out geographically, this leads to an even more expensive system to maintain. What more according to (Vitez, unknown), with new technological advances being made every day, upgrading hardware or even software for that matter will be a major expense to the company as well. In conclusion, there are both benefits and drawbacks to the MIS, it is entirely up to a manager as to how or whether or not he or she wants to implement or introduce such a system into the business. However as technology is advancing every day, the cost of setting up such systems are also decreasing with each step into the future. More and more companies are using advanced MIS to not only keep track of inventories and the like but also to project valuable proprietary information. Furthermore, as not all technological advances may be relevant to certain industries’’ MIS, it is also up to a manger whether or not to upgrade or modify existing systems. The main thing to take away is that the MIS is merely a tool, its ability is directly influenced by the person wielding the system, therefore as useful and important as a MIS is, certain jobs should never be automated.

The Most Dangerous Game Essay Essay Example

The Most Dangerous Game Essay Essay Example The Most Dangerous Game Essay Essay The Most Dangerous Game Essay Essay Essay Topic: The Most Dangerous Game Greed can sometimes be caused by desiring money. a better relationship. a better house. life. and other things. All of these have on e thing in common. desiring more than you already have. The older brother in â€Å"The Scarlet Ibis† . for illustration. wants to populate with a better brother. so he and his brother battle to populate together. Some people do non recognize they have greed until it’s excessively late. Greed will ever ache people in the terminal. because they refuse to give in. it hurts other people. and it can alter history. In â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† . both Zaroff and Rainsford experience greed because they refuse to give in. In the beginning. Rainsford tries to acquire closer and closer to the border of the boat to see. and finally he falls off. and this is avaricious because he keeps seeking to see more and more. until it finally makes him fall off the boat. Next. when Zaroff meets Rainsford. he says he hunts worlds. because regular animate beings do non confront him with a large adequate challenge. and Rainsford defeats Zaroff and gets to last. This is avaricious because he wants to run more and more. until the point that it hurts him. because Rainsford got off without being harmed. Last. while the Hunt is taking topographic point. Zaroff gets greedy by directing out Ivan to take attention of Rainsford. but so because of this. Ivan gets killed. This is avaricious because he wants to direct every bit much at Rainsford as possible. but what he sends ends up acquiring killed. In â€Å"The Scarlet Ibis† . the older brother experiences greed when it hurts other people. The first illustration of the older brother sing greed in this narrative is desiring a brother in better status. but because of this. he thinks less of his brother. and struggles to populate with him. The following illustration of the older brother sing greed was when he forced his brother to touch the casket. and he kept stating him over and over once more to touch it. and the brother eventually did. but so it hurt the younger brother because it made him call. This is avaricious because he wants his brother to make more and more. until it eventually hurts him in the terminal. The last illustration of greed that the older brother experiences was when he was running from his brother in the storm. and so the small brother fell. and when the older brother came back. he realized the small brother had died. This was greedy because his brother didn’t think it would be as terrible of a turnout as it really was. In â€Å"The Sound of Thunder† . Eckels greatly experiences greed and it changes history. First. Eckels wants to travel into the past to run a dinosaur. because he wants to run a immense animate being. but this does non vouch he will come back alive. This is highly avaricious because he wants to run more and more. until he finally changes history by traveling back in clip. The 2nd clip Eckels experiences greed is when he thinks he can easy take down the dinosaur when he sees it. but so because of this he steps off the way. and this is avaricious because he so steps off the way and alterations history because he wanted to run the dinosaur. The last clip Eckels experiences greed is when he steps off the way. he so alters history and alterations it everlastingly. and this is avaricious. because he wanted to run a bigger and better animate being. but so the effects were terrible. Changing history. aching other people. and declining to give in are ways that greed will ever ache you in the terminal. Greed causes many jobs in â€Å"The Scarlet Ibis† . â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† . and â€Å"The Sound of Thunder† . Whenever the people in the narratives experiences greed. they besides experiences the effects. When people experience greed multiple times. they will finally see the effects. This can go on by desiring more than you already have. or desiring person to make something. Every individual will likely see greed in their lives. but if they do non see it multiple times. they may non be presented with the effects.

Why the Islam is a threat to the Western world Essay

Why the Islam is a threat to the Western world - Essay Example ng of thousands of Muslims that are living in the Western World, and new challenges are faced by them every other day due to the deteriorated circumstances created by the Islamic jihadists in these countries. In addition, plight of Western Muslims has exacerbated due to the extremism of a small number of Muslims in these countries. It is observed that many Western Muslims are putting their efforts for the improvement of image of Islam in the West; however, Islam is considered as one of the serious threats to the Western security and democracy. An extraordinary amount of anger and frustration is observed in Muslims in different parts of the globe due to the Western invasion in different Muslims parts, which has caused deaths of civilians by the Western forces in the name of War on Terrorism. A number of researches and studies have indicated that majority of the Muslim World has a negative and angry opinion related to the Western countries and its anti-Islamic policies. (Pratt, pp. 40-47) Moreover, a number of Western countries and its sensible individuals take the terrorist activities as isolated incidents of aggression rather than taking it as an Islamic threat. However, such positive perspective towards Islam has been affected by some issues that keep on presenting Islam as a religion of terror. The Western psyche has been affected by the attacks of September 11 on New York Twin Towers, as well as, suicide bombings on US-led forces and buildings in different parts of the world, particularly Iraq and Israel. In the result, Islam and Muslims are taken as terrorists and threats due to a number of episodes of suicide bombings. One of the reasons of such adverse effects on the Western psyche is the wrong utilization of freedom of speech by a minority of Western Muslims that present such terrorist activities as a noble and Islamic strategy of Islam religion. In the result, such negative approach has presented Islam as a threat and barbaric religion in the Western

Sustainability at Millipore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sustainability at Millipore - Essay Example ents utilized as a part of fluid stream procedures to sift through or concentrate particulates, atoms, microorganisms, infections, and different materials. Clients utilized Millipores channels for sanitizing, cell reaping, and detaching mixes from complex blends. For instance, the refreshment business utilized Millipores channels to expel microorganisms and yeast from wine, lager, squeeze, and water. Millipore likewise delivered a variety of lab hardware, including recognition devices. The questions to be discussed in light of the company’s efforts to achieve sustainability are as below. The manufacturing process or any production process needs some inputs (raw materials). The raw materials undergo a certain chain of process or multiple chain processes before the final product is achieved. These inputs are resources that nature provides like air, water, stones, etc. Therefore, manufacturing processes consume the naturally available resources. During the production process, other substances are produced in the form of waste. The waste materials could be in gaseous, liquid or solid state. These waste materials are chemicals that are harmful to the environment. For instance, greenhouse gasses and other harmful materials that are harmful to the microorganisms living in water and on land. Overutilization of the natural resources beyond the replenishing capacity of nature is the consequence of most company’s activities. The act can be referred to as unsustainable utilization of resources. Sustainability embraces the consumption of natural resources to meet the needs of the current generation, but at the same time conserving and restoring the same resources to meet the needs of the future generation. Sustainability can be achieved through reducing the negative impact of a company’s economic activities on the environment by engaging in activities that are socially responsible. Social responsibility enhances the company’s image and reputation, which in turn, leads