Why “software as a service” is going to dominate the next several years in information management. Essay Example for Free

Why â€Å"software as a service† is going to dominate the next several years in information management. Essay Why â€Å"software as a service† is going to dominate the next several years in information management. Introduction                  Saas is the acronym for software as a service. It is usually used to describe deliverance of software via the internet to the end users eliminating any need for applications or servers managed locally. Software is only delivered as a service not through a CD or any other media disc to be loaded in any one’s computer. This service is paid for through a subscription service and is not always located or installed in the computer. Since Saas came into being, it has broken barriers to its acceptance and yet it is more considered to the traditional hosting options. The more stunning instance is the people’s unwillingness to take up the traditional on-premise deployment. This has been proven by studies and surveys carried by different IT companies showing that, in the few years back, 90% of the respondents were willing to deploy these traditional on-premise deployments but today it has declined and is pegged at 56%. This paper discusses why Saas will dominate IT management in future (Creese, 2010). Based to studies carried out, the willingness for Saas consideration grows as the company’s size grow. The highest willingness for this ‘software as a service’ consideration lies with the large enterprises, which are also always the least to take on the traditional deployments. So as the main aim of every premise is to grow and expand, Saas will see itself on a high demand as many companies are sprouting up. Also those with most advanced and successful ERP implementations are mostly considering Saas deployments. According to Mint Jutras, a world class implementation of ERP is at 15% based on the results as from when these ERP were implemented. Most of the progress is on the company wanting to achieve the company’s specific goals and also the current universal metrics performance like complete percentage delivery along with customer retention. Those companies with world class ERP implementations are more willing to consider Saas deployment with more preferen ce lying with the manufacturing sectors where the top performers are twice likely to add up Saas as a deployment option (Lisserman, 2010). Despite the past unwillingness to consider SaaS ERP, the good thing of the SaaS equation in most cases extends beyond the evident advantages of outsourcing the maintenance and feeding of the hardware and the involved software. (Lisserman, 2010) when for instance we consider cost, Saas deployment portrays a lower ownership cost and startup costs. A Chief Financial Officer from one small company deciding on the SaaS route about two years ago showed an estimated investment up-front in an on-premise solution accommodating eight users was $160,000. This amount was mainly for implementation services, and also included hardware and involved software. The real up-front cost for the chosen SaaS solution was less than $90,000 and allowed up to twenty-five users. Despite the fact that software and service costs and also pricing models always vary from solution to solution, this difference is atypical. In fact 48% of survey respondents ascertained the lower cost of Information Technology staff as an the most advantage of a software as service (SaaS) solution. Many of the interviewed companies simply said that they don’t have the staff they felt are required to sufficiently support hardware, infrastructure and software, and hence are not interested in investing in the traditional resources. Heavy customization required in these latest resources present the highest barrier to incorporation of this service. Most people also feel that they do not have the required resources for Saas ERP customization, but there are arguments which can be brought about to counter this. This perception prevents most of the companies, in fact more than 27% of the interviewed to take up this solution. First and for most, one should not think that they cannot customize a SaaS ERP solution. This is because, most recent ERP solutions are offering so many options to customize, configure and tailor solutions that users think of performing customizations, although they are normally not touching the codes or structuring barriers to potential upgrades. In addition, if the requirements truly require modification of the code, some (but not all) vendors, even those providing multi-tenant solutions, will always support customization. These Saas vendors will incorporate the customization into the typical invention, mostly with switches and settings that will efficiently either â€Å"hide† the changes away from other consumers or make them optional. Also they can offer the tailored solution in a single-tenant environment (Creese, 2010). Nonetheless, while a lot of individuals or enterprises may think their businesses are unique (hence making customization a necessary option), a great deal of what they do can be quite comparable to any other business or at any rate similar to other businesses in that same industry. The obvious perceived differences frequently arise from the â€Å"we have always done it or we do it this way† mentality. More so, those supposedly unique business processes may always pre-date the accessibility of tools and know-how that can improve these processes Arthur, 2010). However if one truly feels that they require these heavy customization, then they may take time to reevaluate their businesses to ascertain if they really possess the right software tools for the project being undertaken. Fit and functionality should always be the top priority for any company seeking to acquire an ERP for its operations. Also the ease of use should be of great consideration. These two aspects should go hand in hand for any company, and I believe that Saas solution has these aspects. Owing to this, even the one that is perceived as the best fit, if it does not easily navigated on, or does not allow one to work naturally, does not save one’s time and effort, then it will simply never get used to your overall business operations and will never produce quality and value required by any business (Lisserman, 2010). Conclusion                  Trying to balance the advantages and disadvantages of Saas ERP, the prons outweigh the cons and therefore Saas seems to dominate the information technology in future. It shows a great deal in cost savings, start up costs and information technology cost along with its hardware are substantially low. Although the cost of subscription seems to equal the software and maintenance cost in due course, there are sustained savings realized by not incurring the purchase cost and its maintenance. If you feel that you do not posses enough IT staff today, there is no need to acquire or hire some. On the other hand, if you got a good number of staff, let them engage in the most strategic activities in your business other than the day to day maintenance (Creese, 2010).. Whether you opt to a multi-instance or multi-tenant, take time to evaluate the providers of the solution’s approach and carefully track records in terms of innovation deliverance. You should always look for those that update more frequently and also provide â€Å"opt in† enhancements. Moreover, do not engage yourself or your software into unwarranted and excess current customizations. Software configuration is a good undertaking but code modification and having to continue a routine maintenance of it is perceived not to be fair undertaking. If one feels the need to customize, he/she should be sure that they possess the right solution for the same. If in any case you operate in a distributed atmosphere, you can put into consideration the advantages which can be brought about by Saas in terms of enterprise standardization and access provision to the remote employees in ensuring that remote sites are brought up quickly. Also, if you already have invested or intend to invest in other applications that will surround your ERP or already surrounding it, you must take into account the integration capabilities and requirements that come with the said solution. References Creese, Guy (18 May 2010). SaaS vs. Software: The Release Cycle for SaaS Is Usually (Not Always) Faster. Gartner blog. Gartner, Inc. Jumping to SaaS? Take Agile Software Development Along with You. DevX.com. QuinStreet Inc. 8 January 2008. Lisserman, Miroslaw (20 December 2010). SaaS And The Everlasting Security Concerns. Forrester Research. Arthur, Charles (2010-12-14). Googles ChromeOS means losing control of the data, warns GNU founder Richard Stallman | Technology | guardian.co.uk. Guardian. Source document

Oprah Winfrey Essays -- essays research papers

"The Oprah Winfrey Show". Her show is known to not only all over the United States, but also known to all around the world. Today she is known as the America's most famous and powerful woman. Every woman in America envies her great fortune and her intelligence. But Oprah insists that she is not special or gifted. She had overcome many hurdles and reached to the top of America's national T.V host. What makes her so popular and most loved entertainer in the United States? Oprah Winfrey, a talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist, and business woman is the chairwoman of HARPO entertainment in Chicago. She joins the elite company of Lucille Ball and Mary Pickford, as the only woman in T.V and film to own their own production studios. Through HARPO productions, she produces and hosts America's number one popular show, "The Oprah Winfrey show". (Oprah Winfrey talk show bio 1997 p.1) Today many woman in America envies her life; her popularity, intelligence and her great fortunes. Though her success was gained from her hard work and education. She did not have any special background to be a most loved woman in America. She has overcame number of obstacles that most people have encountered in their own lives. She had to deal with poverty, sexual abuse, racism as a child, and her lifelong battle with weight. Oprah Gail Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi on January 29, 1954. As a child, she moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, then moved back to Nashville. She has lived through poverty, repeated sexual abuse, and a sentence to a juvenile delinquent home. (Hyde 1997 p.57) Oprah was crowned Miss. Black Tennessee at age 19. In 1973. She left Tennessee State University and became a newscaster for WTVF in Nashville. Three years later, Oprah became a news anchor in Baltimore at an ABC station but after 9 months, she was pulled off the air because of an emotional ad-lib delivery. She eventually ended up in Chicago hosting a morning show called "AM Chicago". In less than a year, the show became number one and was expanded to one hour and re-named "The Oprah Winfrey Show". (http://pilot.msu.edu/user/bresnah2/oprahbio.htm 1997 p.1) From there, she has been an actress in the "Color Purple", "The women of Breuster place" and "There are no children here".(Oprah Winfrey)Today, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" is the highest rated talk show in T.V history, and ... ...not, though many women are hoping her to remain in the show and share her power and intelligence with them. Oprah's effect on T.V is so great that since she started to appear on the show, many similar talk shows increased dramatically. And most of these talk show hosts are very popular just like Oprah. Though I believe no one among them can influence American women just like Oprah did. REFERENCES 1. Benezra, K. (1997). Products pitch talk hosts. Media week, pp. 6.2. Dickerson, D (1997). A womans's woman. U.S News & World Report. pp.10. 3. Hyde, W.S (1991). Television and Radio Announcing. Boston:Houghton Mifflin Company. 4. Schlosser, J (1997). Oprah watch. Broadcasting & Cable. pp. 10.5. Stanley, T.L (1997). What they've got. Media week. pp. 34-35.6. http://pilot.msu.edu/user/bresnah2/oprabio.htm. (1997). Oprah Winfrey. pp1.7. http://www.datalist.idsite.com/oprah-table.html. (1997). Oprah Winfrey. pp1.8. http://www.tvtalkshows.com/oprah/bio/. (1997). Oprah Winfrey Talk Show Bio. pp1-2.

The role of a family in the society Essay

How Society Functions? A society is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations such as social status, roles and social networks. It allows its members to achieve needs or wishes they could not fulfil alone. Members of a society may be from different ethnic groups and cultures. What Are the Major Functions of a Family? Major functions of a family are: To ensure that children are satisfactorily socialised into the norms and values of society. To provide economic support for other family members. To satisfy our emotional needs for love and security. To provide us with a sense of place and position in our society Functions of the Nuclear Family? Long considered the idea and norm, this consists of two parents and one or more children as opposed to multi-generational families which include grandparents. The parents provide financial support for their children and the family as a whole depends on one another for emotional support. Work is divided among members of the household according to their abilities. In general they follow society’s rules as well as their family rules. Strong bonds usually develop and provide offspring with the ability to perform well in society when they leave home. The functions of the nuclear family in a traditional sense have been changing within the past 20 years as people divorce and remarry. What Is the Conflict Theory? The family conflict theory basically is where the family unit struggles for power. It is also how family members deal with adversity and change. Most of the time it is prestige and money on the basis for the most intense competitions. Name Different Types of Families? There are many different types of families. The country in which a person lives, and the cultures in this country, will determine the type of family unit that exists. For example, an American family unit is significantly different from that of a Chinese family unit. Among Americans, the type of family units will vary as well. For example, a Christian based family unit is going to be different from a Muslim family unit. Variables that may change the type of family unit also include racial, financial, educational, and other variables. Different Types of Families? The different kinds of families include nuclear families, adoptive or foster families, never married families, same sex parent families, blended families and cross-generational families. A family is a group of individuals affiliated by consanguinity, kinship, or co-residence Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear Family? A main advantage of the nuclear family is that a couple has ultimate privacy. Nuclear families incur less stress and trouble when moving into a new home. There is a specific sense of freedom that gives a nuclear family the ability to live life as they wish. It is also easier to avoid stress. A disadvantage is that children are left to take care of themselves. Another disadvantage is that the feeling of safety and security is lacking. There is also not much of a support system. Disadvantages of Single Parent Families? Single parent families are families where there is only one parent to care for the children. This situation could be due to divorce, death, or abandonment. This type of family situation is not ideal and has many disadvantages compared to a traditional family. Parents in these situations often spend less time with their children, causing behaviour issues, health issues, and problems in school. Financial burdens within this type of family are also all too common. Different Types of Societies and Their Major Characteristics Bir yanÄ ±t bÄ ±rakÄ ±n To begin with, society is groups of people who live in a certain domain and  behave according to existing culture and morality. Culture and morality differ in terms of different parts of a society and different types of societies as well. The types have already been shaped by anthropologists and sociologists in history but there is not one certain classification. Even though almost every type is determined, there are six types of society that are accepted by the sociologists. The classification starts with hunter-gatherer society and finishes with post-industrial society and in between there is the process of development of human beings as a society. First four types, historically, are known as preindustrial societies in terms of social structure, cultural accumulation and the level of their technologies, the last two types were shaped after the industrial revolution. 1. Foraging Societies When human beings did not know how to dominate land and domesticate the animals, they had to live together, share work, use fresh water carefully and also migrate gregariously if anything went wrong, for example, if rivers dried up or they run out of animals. Usually men were hunters and women were gatherers in those societies and this caused matriarchy because men were always in danger during hunting and generally hunter members returned home -cave- with limited numbers. Labour in hunting and gathering societies was divided equally among the members because they were so small and mobile. There was not any political organization compared to understanding of today ´s diplomacy but their decision making body included every person who live in the society and equality conducted it. Certainly some foraging societies have their own tribal leaders but even the leader could not decide anything about tribe, everything in those societies was decided by all members. Their technologies were almost nothing in comparison with today but they could do what they needed, hunting big and small animals and using their hides in order to make cloths and gathering plants. Somehow they learned cultivation and they did not need to relocate anymore and they were divided into two parts as animal domesticators and plant cultivators. Both of them started to live in a certain domain. 2. Pastoral Societies In this type of societies, approximately 12,000 years ago, people lived in a certain place and started to pasture animals for transportation and permanent food. Those types of societies still exist in Somalia, Ethiopia and North Africa countries where horticulture and manufacturing are not possible (Samatar, 1989: 35), hunter-gatherer society did domesticate animals because they realized that using animals ´ wool, milk, and fertility was more beneficial than hunting and wasting them. Consequently, not only trade had started, but also non-survival class had aroused such as the spiritual leaders, healers, traders, craftspeople. This new formation held society together in a certain domain and nomadic did not migrate so far, circulate around the pasture –primitive version of urban- and also difference of people came out for the first time; the nomadic and settled people. These are the first forms of people who live in rural and urban areas. Moreover, as they had to domesticate a nimals and use them, people need some tools and they invented what they needed. By this means technology developed rapidly. Trade improved easily and differences between nomadic and settled people grew up, consequently concept of social inequality started to appear compared to hunter-gatherer societies. 3. Horticultural Societies Similar to pastoral societies, horticultural societies first appeared 10,000 to 12,000 years ago but these societies cultivated vegetables, fruits and plants. Depletion of the land’s resources or dwindling water supplies, for instance, forced the people to leave. Since, they were mobile and small like hunter-gatherer societies; there was not a non-survival class and not trade as well. Division of labour continued, social structures did not develop and because of this, horticultural societies did not differ from foraging societies. They could not develop because agricultural materials invented about 8,000 years ago and they could not relocate rivers and water sources, their plants dried up. It is easily realized that why development of technology is so important and how it affects to shape societies , at the same time in the other parts of the world, people could invent and develop what they needed but for agriculture, technology was not enough. 4. Agricultural Societies What cause horticultural societies to extinguish, were the late agricultural inventions around the 8,000’s. With the new inventions, food supplies increased and people settled together. Population grew up rapidly, villages came up and farmers, land owners and also warriors who protect farms in exchange for food against enemies aroused firstly. In these societies, social inequality solidly showed itself. A rigid caste system developed; slavery and ownership started to be too different concepts in those lives. Caste system developed the differentiation between the elite and agricultural labourers including slaves. Lands started to be so important, especially from ninth to fifteenth centuries, after the understanding of feudalism developed, every small land owners saw themselves as kings and owners of people who live for them as well. Concept of social classes spread through the Europe and not only land owners, but also religious leaders did not have to try to survive because workers had to give them everything that they had. Art, literature and philosophy were in religious leaders ´ hands because of this, time of feudalism is known as the dark ages. Due to existing monarchy, owners set up their own rules in their lands and each lord led the society with different rules and all of them depended on the King. This stratification prevented slaves from rebellion, workers were sweated and classes and inequalities in Europe continued until the industrial revolution. 5. Industrial Societies With usage of the steam power, human beings started to use machines and advanced technologies to produce and distribute goods and services. Industrial revolution process began in Britain and then spread through Europe and to the rest of the world, industrial societies started to develop. The growth of technologies led to advances in farming techniques, so slavery lost its significance, economy developed quickly and understanding of social charity and governments’ aids grew up. Feudal social classes removed but then societies divided into two parts as workers and non-workers. Karl Marx explained that non-workers are composing capitalist class and they hold all money and also set up rules. Considering this explanation, it is easily understood that non-workers are the same with non-survivors like lords and religious leaders in preindustrial societies. Thus, the industrial revolution brought only the slavery extinction and there is only worker class. Learning from previous mistakes rulers gave more opportunities for social mobility and also gave more rights than they gave to the slaves. With changes in social inequalities people started to want their rights and freedom as citizens and then kingdoms and autocracy lost their power on citizens. Democracy seemed more beneficial and necessary with French and American Revolutions, nationality became more important and so, citizens won their rights and classes existed as just economic differences. Politically everyone seemed equal but, of course, inequalities between money owners and sellers of their own labours to survive, unstoppably increased. Villages lost their significance and towns became places where occupation opportunities were supplied. 6. Post-industrial Societies The countries that the industrial revolution began, -Britain, France, the USA and Japan- now became the post industrial countries. These countries are users of advance technologies like developed computers, satellites, microchips . In short, those societies are affected by the technologies at first hand. In comparison with horticultural societies it can be easily understood that how technology is important to shape and characterize a society. Since they are trailblazers of technologies, they are now holding all world ´s economy in their hands. There is not rural and urban areas difference as well as people who are economically at the top and middle. According to common view, in those societies, there is neither social inequality nor classification. People won their own freedom by working hard, if there are any differences or discrimination, this is caused by capitalist and global world, not the governments ´ mistakes. That is, rather than being driven by the factory production of goods, society is being shaped by the human mind, aided by computer technology. Although factories will always exist, the key to wealth and power seems to lie in the ability to generate,  store, manipulate, and sell information. Sociologists speculate about the characteristics of post-industrial society in the near future. They predict increased levels of education and training, consumerism, availability of goods, and social mobility. While they hope for a decline in inequality as technical skills and â€Å"know-how† begins to determine class rather than the ownership of property, sociologists are also concerned about potential social divisions based on those who have appropriate education and those who do not. Sociologists believe society will become more concerned with the welfare of all members of society. They hope post-industrial society will be less characterized by social conflict, as everyone works together to solve society’s problems through science. (Andersen & Taylor, 2006: 118) To conclude, in history, there have been very different societies in terms of their level of development, levels of inequality, political organizations and cultural factors but only those six types explain easily which stages we passed. Moreover, in today ´s world almost all types of societies exist but each of them approaches through post-industrial society even if they are not. From this research paper, it is proved that how technology is important in shaping and characterizing society among the economy, social inequalities and classes.

The Battle Of The American Civil War - 1494 Words

The American Civil War was a battle that took place in the United States from 1861 to 1865. This war ripped the entire country into two opposing sides and forced them to fight against each other due to differences in beliefs. Although this War brought great tragedy across the entire nation, some refer to this time period as an American Revolution. But how could a time that caused mass amounts of death and terror be considered a period that revolutionized the country? By exploring this time period it can be recognized that this battle caused the reevaluation of many fundamental issues that were causing conflicts throughout the country. Many documents that created the foundation of our now existing United States were created due to the after affects of this conflict. This War brought great tragedy to the entire nation, yet complete revolutionized its way of thought; this period of time is often referred to as the â€Å"Second American Revolution†. After settlers had become accustom to their new land many business owners began to work on expanding their businesses. With the aspiration for mass production, many new inventions were created that changed production scales nation wide. With these advancements in technology came a need for more workers, and changed many job descriptions. Millions of settlers advanced to the Midwest and the South in order to take advantage of new lands that were now under the control of the American government. It is also important to note that at thisShow MoreRelatedThe Battle Of The American Civil War Essay1488 Words   |  6 Pages How could a traumatic war possibly be a great cause to our country? The battles of the American Civil War for example, has dramatically affected this country in a plethora of ways; from abolishing slavery in the South, uniting the United States, and changing the political and social ways of how we are today. However, these are not the only changes to occur. Military and medicine started to advance, and even different cultures and languages began to develop across the land. As of today, it has beenRead MoreThe Battle Of The American Civil War905 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Civil war occurred about seventy-eight years after the American Revolution, and has many of the same characteristics of a revolution. In both wars, the American people fought for what they believed in and the way of life that they wished to live. However, the two wars differ from each other, as the soldiers that fought in the Civil War fought a new American Revolution that could have split the new world. The Confederate soldiers in the Civil War fought to keep their way of life withoutRead MoreThe Battle Of The American Civil War1140 Words   |  5 PagesOn April 12th 1861 the famous American Civil War began, citizens from all over the United states fought against one another. The war pitted brother against brother in a fight primarily over the freedom of slaves. 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Few words have a stronger impact, or strike as familiar of a note, as the words â€Å"Four score and seven years ago.† Americans recognize this statement on a subconscious level, even if they do not know whe re they are from. These words were spoken in Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, at a pivotalRead MoreThe Battle Of The American Civil War1463 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Stonewall† Jackson was alive in a very tense time for American History. The Southern States were in a full scale rebellion from the Union now calling themselves The Confederate States of America. The previously unified nation was split into two opposing sides going head to head in a battle to the death, with no end in sight. Starting his career in the US military, Jackson continued on to become one of the most famous generals in the American Civil War. Many historians consider him not only a strong leader