The Role of Technology in Facility Management A Case Study of the MacDonald Restaurants

The Role of Technology in Facility Management A Case Study of the MacDonald Restaurants Introduction Facility management comprises a broad continuum of services which require to build a suitable environment that can enhance performance of functions and activities for which the facility is intended for. The management activities of a facility entail the day to day activities which are critical in its operation and maintenance. For that matter, for the facility to operate to its peak efficiency and effectiveness, there must be measures put in place to promote its smooth operation.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Role of Technology in Facility Management: A Case Study of the MacDonald Restaurants specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result, technology becomes an important tool that should be used to ensure facility’s smooth operation and proper maintenance. In relation to this, the MacDonald Restaurants are a group of hotels that have branches widespread in all the continents all over the world. Their core services offer catering and hotel services. Nonetheless, this group of hotels has been called the best catering service provider in the world on several occasions. For that reason, facility management in this organization is regarded as one of the driving forces behind the accolade performance in this line of business. However, their effective facility management has been attributed to effective use of technology. Therefore, this paper presents a research that was conducted in the field of facility management which was intended to determine the role of technology. the MacDonald Restaurants group was used as a case study. Moreover, challenges that exhibit themselves in facility management were also explored. In addition, the field of the facility management presented some opportunities and, therefore, they were also considered in the study. Nonetheless, emerging trends in this field were covered. Importantly, it is worth noting that this research was conducted t o determine the relevance of technology in facility management particularly to the hospitality industry. For that matter, the results of the study were, therefore, generalized in the entire hospitality industry. Result of the research In relation to the research conducted, several issues relating to the role of technology in facility management were established. To begin with, it was evident that maintenance procedure in facility management can be computerized. This can be done in form of an automated maintenance system for the facility management. The automated information system can be used to manage the day to day activities by tracking and monitoring the status of the maintenance and related costs of those activities. On the other hand, the automated systems not only provide tools for managing activities metrics that are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the operations and maintenance activities. For that matter, it was established that for an organization that is able to us e automated systems in its operation and maintenance activities, key performance indicators are usually provided to be used as performance guidelines.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This leads to increased productivity due to effectiveness and efficiency that are key determinants for business growth. This was evident in the MacDonald Restaurants as the automated management systems were largely used for maintenance of their facilities. This was noted as one of the major contributions to its business growth. Moreover, it was established by the study carried out that introduction of technology to management of the facility resulted in delivering of services in a shorter period compared to the catering with the traditional systems. In addition, some services that are currently being provided by technology based systems did not used the manual systems. Just li ke Atkin and Adrian (108) affirmed the automation facilitated faster service provision than the traditional manual systems. Challenges facing the role of technology in facility management Technologies have been regarded as a panacea to effective management of business activities. This is still the case in facility management since a lot of stakeholders regard technology as the best solution to management problems of these facilities. In relation to this, the study carried out established that application of technology in facility management had challenges that threatened their effective management. To begin with, it was evident from the research conducted that application of technology in this organization raised the issue of obsolescence. Users of the technological systems that are applied in management of facilities in MacDonald Restaurants were more concerned with technology becoming obsolete too fast. This was attributed to its high rate of advancement. Therefore, the advancemen t dictates that the systems should be changed from time to time. After a very short period, replacement of systems in the organization raises the operational expenses of the organization which at some point contribute to poor financial performance. Moreover, it was acknowledged by Piercy (56) that any technological system is likely to fail in the process of its operation. This is a challenge that technology experiences in the management of facilities. In the design of any system, its engineering is usually assumed to be in a remarkable state. Therefore, prediction of its failure is normally elusive at this point. However, the more complex the technology may appear, the more likely it is to fail. According to Tichy (89), any technology can fail because of different reasons which include mismatch of the modules, poor design and development among other reasons. As a result, it was established by the study that technology failure results in more adverse and costly consequences. For inst ance, critical failure of these systems leads to disruption of processes, especially if they are real time systems where irreversible effects are usually used.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Role of Technology in Facility Management: A Case Study of the MacDonald Restaurants specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nonetheless, these unpredicted risks can result in the total failure of the entire system, hence paralyzing activities of the organization. In relation to this, the study established that most organizations usually try to put in place measures that are designed to minimize or prevent the failures. In most cases, this usually increases their total operating costs. In addition, it was acknowledged by Atkin and Adrian (23) that any technology always presents some side effects. Furthermore, it was established by the study conducted in the MacDonald Restaurants that despite having the technology with the desired benefits to the organization, it also presents some unwarranted effects which affect the organization negatively. For instance, it was stated by Tichy (103) that working conditions of a system might be safer when the substances are molded rather than when they are squashed. Moreover, in some cases, substances that are used in the production may affect the workers as well as harm the entire public in general. For instance, workers who constantly use computers in their work processes in facility management usually suffer eye related problems which in turn lead to isolation by others. In regard to this, it was acknowledged by Nutt and Peter (42) that these effects affect not only big technologies but also their small counterparts. For instance, it was found out due to the research conducted that ordinary technologies normally applied on a small scale in the hotel industry have collective side effects in their usage. For instance, though refrigerators which are used on an every day basis have constructively contributed to preservation of food, they have a gas outflow in their cooling system which has a negative impact on the surroundings. Still, it was postulated by David et al (34) that these negative effects are usually not expected because of lack of resources to foresee them. Moreover, most of them are not predictable because of their complexity. As a result, Tichy (54) postulated that some side effects have turned out to be economically unacceptable, unethical and in some cases resulting to conflicts in the organizations in which they are being used. Opportunities of technology in facility management Technology presents a broad range of opportunities in facility management. According to David et al (24), this fact is ascribed to the fact that organizations usually have the aim of keeping low operational costs. Therefore, integration of technology in the management activities becomes one of the aims that can be achieved. As a result, organizations, su ch as the MacDonald Restaurants, have opted to adoption of technology in their operations in order to keep their operational cost at a reasonably low levelThus, according to the research conducted, it was established that the need for innovation in organizations presents bountiful opportunities for the incorporation of technology in facility management.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In respect to this, it was evident from the study conducted that there is a need for quantity and quality changes in support services. This is usually required in the facility management as it provides an opportunity for technology to be incorporated in their management. For instance, opportunity to use technology can come in through application of a central support desk in the organization. Bigger organizations may be comprised of numerous departments which may be dispersed from each other. In such environments, it was believed by Atkin and Adrian (145) that a centralized support desk should be put in place in order to handle queries. Therefore, this provides an opportunity to incorporate technology. The technological tools, such as information communication technologies, can provide such kind of services in a manual based environment effectively. Moreover, the need for sustainability has resulted in an increased need for innovation in organizations operations. This has in turn fur ther opportunities for technology incorporation. For that matter, using technology in facility management remains one of the ways through which organizations have stretched their resources for sustainability. For instance, from the study conducted, it was established that organizations are adopting enterprise resource planning systems which help attain higher level of sustainability. From the study, it was established that enterprise resource planning systems contribute immensely to achieving effective service delivery. As a result, the need for sustainability has brought forth technological innovation in the facility management operations in organizations. For instance, the need to save on space has given technology an opportunity to be applied in the facility management functions. This has, therefore, influence the space management functions that are used to attain sustainability. For instance, technology is applied in creation of space inventory that is desired to manage organiza tion’s space more economically and effectively. Moreover, technology is also put in use to manage equipment and furniture through tracking techniques which as a result, lead to facilities accountability. According to Georgoulis (89), accountability of equipment that is facilitated by automated systems has resulted in sustainability of these organizations. This was exhibited through the study carried out in the MacDonald Restaurants as the effective management of their facilities was attributed to application of automated systems. Moreover, due to the need for sustainability of business activities in terms of information management, there has been creation of opportunities for technology. For instance, space management issues have resulted in the need of using technology in management of organization’s databases. For example, from the study conducted, it was established that database management systems are largely applied in management of their information. This is take n as one of the best mechanisms of managing space in the organization. Additionally, application of database management systems also enhances sustainability of organizations through provision of effective and efficient services to stakeholders. This is made possible due to its capability of providing a bi-directional interface that is able to connect different departments of the organization remotely. Nevertheless, it was opined by Gerard (27) that challenges that present themselves to the organization are opportunities through which technology can be banked on its advancement. For instance, in the operation of these organizations, environmental factors, such as accelerated population growth and continued depletion of energy resources, present negative challenges to organizations. However, despite these factors having negative effects, they show an opportunity for technology application in trying to solve them. Therefore, this gives an opportunity to design sustainable technologies that can utilize the limited resources more effectively in order to make these organizations robust in their activities. This was evident from the research conducted in the MacDonald Restaurants which indicated that the company adopted new technologies in their facility management in order to save on resources that could deplete natural resources in the environment. Furthermore, facility management presents security issues that need to be addressed to assure long term sustainability. For that reason, they present a number of opportunities to technology since in the current times, security is provided by automated systems. This is so since security systems have advanced over time, hence they provide facility managers with the capability to expand the scope of their security measures. For instance, instead of using traditional guards, organizations are adopting new technologies by current developments, such as cameras and sensor systems, which are real time operational systems that ar e able to give signals to key operational situations. This was evident from the study conducted since it emerged that the group of restaurants had replaced all their physical security measures with automated systems that were able to secure their facility. This was done through application of tracking systems which were able to trace every facility within their premise. In relation to this, it is acknowledged by Barrett and David (235) that organizations began applying automated intelligence systems which are able to monitor any aspect of the facility being managed. This has, however, resulted in a value proposition for organizations since they became able to monitor all operations. For example, in retail business setting as that of the MacDonald Restaurants, the system is able to track movement in and out of the storage rooms and also check those of the products purchased and sold. As a result, the organization is able to gain some value in the facility management. Trends in the ro le of technology in facility management In facility management just like other disciplines, there are several expected trends. These trends are projected to shape the way the discipline will be managed in the future. For that matter, these trends of technology in facility management can be broadly categorized into three. These are externally motivated trends, internally motivated trends and organizationally motivated trends. To begin with, externally motivated trends are usually determined by the societal factors. For instance, according to Nutt and Peter (231), the need for sustainability by organizations in their business operations is a trend that will continue to be experienced. This is ascribed to the fact that competition in the environment is steadily growing hence the need to position an organization strategically to have some competitive edge. Therefore, for that to be possible, it is believed by Elaine (136) that sustainability in the present business operation is only mad e possible by adoption of technology which is robust in the business environment. Therefore, as the rate of competition in the operating environment increases, thus the adoption of technology will be necessary to maintain the sustainability required. As a result, the trend for sustainability in facility management will continuously increase. Moreover, the external motivated trends dictate that systems that result in complex building structures will continue to offer challenges and opportunities. These will increase integration of technology in the management of facilities in these organizations. This implies that the more the building technology continues to grow, the more technology will be required to be integrated into their management. However, it was acknowledged by Thomas and Christopher (94) that this trend will result in the need to train professionals in the field of facility management. This is so since development of complicated technology will surely arise the need of ad vanced skills and knowledge to manage these facilities. Contrary to the emergence of the complex structures in the future, it is also important to acknowledge that with the existing building structures, the future trends are also categorized by aging. This, therefore, brings forth the challenges of management since these structures and current systems are likely to exceed their desired operating lives hence bringing in the issue of replacing or repairing them. Consequently, this will mean spending an additional cost in the management of these facilities. In addition, the second trend in the role of technology in facility management relates to internally motivated trends. According to Tichy (78), these are trends that originate from within the discipline of facility management itself. For instance, Effy (34) alluded that the data was increasing in complexity and quantity which in some cases, overwhelmed effort of their management. However, despite the current increase in quantity and complexity, it still expected that this would continue to be the trend in facility management. This is likely to result to information overload that poses a risk to its effective management. For that matter, this trend is likely to present negative effects in management of these facilities. This was affirmed by the research conducted in the MacDonald Restaurants since automated systems that were used to manage their facilities were noted to collect and process a lot of information. This was feared that it could lead to information overload if necessary measures were not put in place. Lastly, the third trend relates to organizationally motivated trends which originate from the organization itself. For instance, in most organizations, there are trends of increasing and expanding expectations of management of these facilities to include both business and technical acumen. This requires to have a developed skill set for the individuals to manage these activities. Nonetheless, it is als o expected that the trends will change the working styles significantly in order to conform to the new technologies that will be in place. According to Piercy (23), due to the technological changes and advancement that are being experienced in facility management, working styles will also considerably change. Therefore, organizations should always be willing and ready to adapt to the new technology and working styles. This was affirmed by the research conducted in the MacDonald Restaurants which showed that automated systems keep on changing from time to time and as they do so, working styles are also forced to follow them. Conclusion To wind up, it is important to acknowledge that facility management presents a variety of opportunities to technology. This has made technology to be one of the key aspects of facility management discipline. However, it is also relatively important to note that application of technology in facility management is faced by several challenges. Nonetheless , it is important to establish a balance between the weaknesses and strengths of using technology in order to have an equilibrium that will guarantee the effectiveness and efficiency of facility management as required. Nevertheless, it is acknowledged by David et al (112) that challenges that face facility management in themselves present an opportunity through which technology can explore in order to provide better service delivery. For instance, it is believed that challenges relating to negative environmental effects that may be viewed as results of activities of facility management can be addressed smoothly through use of technology that is environmental friendly. On the other hand, it is important to acknowledge that there are several trends that are expected to exhibit themselves in the field of facility management. These trends are likely to create new opportunities in the integration of technology in the facility management. They are broadly classified into three categories of internally, externally and organizationally motivated issues. In all these trends, they provide opportunity for technology to be integrated in the management of facilities. Therefore, they should be capitalized on to improve service delivery. In conclusion, from the research conducted in the MacDonald Restaurants, it was established that technology has a major role in the facility management to hospitality industry in a wider spectrum. This ranges from provision of security to the facility and its accountability. Therefore, it is relatively important for facility managers to prioritize integrating technology in their management activities and functions. For that matter, as the hospitality industry evolves over time, it is important for this aspect to be prioritized in order to gain management effectiveness and efficiency. Therefore, it is recommended for the hotel managers to adopt technology in the management of their organizations. Moreover, they should keep on changing with te chnology to be able to remain relevant in the business environment. This will surely guarantee their competitive edge. Atkin, Brian and Adrian Brooks. Management. Hong Kong: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print. Barrett, Peter and David Baldry. Facilities Management Towards Best Practices. London: Blackwell Publishing, 2009. Print. David, Cotts, Roper, Kathy and Richard Payant. The Facility management Handbook. New York: Broadway, 2010. Print. Effy, Owen. Management Information Systems. London: Cengage Learning, Inc, 2009. Print. Elaine, Brian. The 2011 Pfeiffer Anuall: Consulting. London: John Wiey Sons, Inc. 2011. Print. Georgoulis, Stephen. Facility Management: A Profession at Risk. Arizona: Arizona State University Press, 2010. Print. Gerard, Blokdijk. IT Management 100 Success Secrets. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Print. Nutt, Bev and Peter McLennan. Facility Management Risks Opportunities. London: Blackwell Publishing, 2009. Print. Piercy, Newton. Management Information System: The Technology Challenge. London: Croom Helm Ltd, 2004. Print. Thomas, Christopher and Christopher Gregory. Organizational Development Change. U.S: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Tichy, Michael. Managing Strategic Change: Technical, Political and Cultural Dynamics. London: John Wiey Sons, Inc, 2009. Print.

Marketing Design and Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing Design and Innovation - Essay Example The success of international marketing strategies strongly relates to the ways in which companies design and promote their products. Any errors in designing products to meet customer requirements and evolving market trends can lead to failure in capturing market shares and loss in revenues for the companies. The international environment provides the organization with the scope of marketing products to both local and foreign markets. Multiple strategies are adopted by companies to promote their products to these markets either through standardization of products launched in both local and foreign markets or through adaptation in design and features to match the tastes of the foreign consumers (Hill & Allen, 2007). While standardization in design and features provide the customers with a uniform image that is attached with the product, it may fail to satisfy their needs that are influenced by local environment and cultural factors. Hence localization or adaptation to local tastes and preferences is considered a feasible solution by marketers for promoting market shares and growth (Lamb, Fair & McDaniel, 2009). McDonalds – the global brand McDonalds is one of the largest chains of fast food restaurants selling burgers, French fries and host of savories since 1940. The business started with the opening of a fast food outlet in California in the year 1940 and since then the company has grown to become a household name with its presence across different countries (Roth, 2010). The success of the brand is largely attributed to its flexibility in product design and innovation in tastes that has ensured a satisfied customer walking out of its outlets. â€Å"In Germany, McDonalds serves beer with meals. In Israel, the first kosher McDonalds opened in Jerusalem in 1995. In Arab countries, the chain used Halal menus† (Paul, 2008). The respect for local tastes and cultures have earned the company its reputation and contributed to its success in global market expansion strategies. The company operates through a number of franchisees across different market regions. Innovation in product design and marketing mix are key det erminants of the success behind McDonalds. The fast food service chain gained customer loyalty and trust through its creativity in offering new range of products and flavors. McDonalds recognizes the fact that different cultures support varying customer needs and tastes. It is important to identify the distinctiveness in tastes and adapt its flavors to suit the local customer choice and preference. Market demand and competitive advantage The market demand for any product in any region is influenced by the consumer demographics of the region, industry competition, pricing, quality, and service efficiency of the companies. The competitive environment is one of the key aspects influencing market demand for any product. â€Å"Moving from a product and sales philosophy to a holistic marketing philosophy however, gives them a better chance of outperforming competition. And the cornerstone of a well-conceived marketing orientation is strong customer relationships† (Kotler, 1972). Mc Donalds operates in a highly competitive

Client Orientation and the Effective Ways for Continuous Improvement Term Paper

Client Orientation and the Effective Ways for Continuous Improvement - Term Paper Example siness environment, administrators and managers need to prioritize customer needs and customer satisfaction to facilitate a strong customer service chain. They should organize and manage all processes in their organizations with an aim of attracting and retaining customers through customer focused practices and strategies. This can be done through creating guidelines and strategies, improving the skills and competencies of their employees, and creating quality benchmarks and methods of measuring customer satisfaction effectiveness in their companies. All managers and staff must understand the importance of customer service and should be able to link it to customer orientation. By recognizing that the company benefits most from loyal customers through generation of more profits and creating a good image to the public, they must identify and utilize efficient customer service delivery principles to be used by all employees and position the same services in a competitive manner in the market. Commitment to continued improvement can only be done through continued management and monitoring of customer service quality. Customer orientation holds that the main task of the organization is to determine the perceptions, needs, and wants of the target markets and to satisfy them through the design, communication, pricing and delivery of appropriate and competitively viable offerings (Kotler 41). All external and internal customers in a company want provision of good quality products and services in time and in a continuous manner. To achieve this, an organization must put in place strategies and guidelines that makes satisfying the needs of their customers their primary objective with the long term goal of developing and sustaining a long time beneficial customer relationship. Customer and client satisfaction should be the ultimate goal of all firms because both theoretical and empirical research links a firm’s business performance to the satisfaction of its clients

Childhood Essay Essay Example for Free

Childhood Essay Essay Natural growth is the child-rearing method that working class and poor parents use to raise their children because there is not a lot of time and money for structured activities and long verbal discussions with the children (Lareau, 2003). Families who practice natural growth child rearing practices need to focus on providing the simpler needs of the child like providing shelter, clothing, food, and water therefore unable to have the structured activities and worry about establishing communication skills. This is important to consider because the way children are raised because this has a social impact. The children that are being raised today will eventually grow up to be a part of their own society; there are social impacts on the current society because of the methods of child-rearing and the consequences that these child-rearing practices are having on children with the way they interact in society, There are benefits and disadvantages to both childrearing methods reported by Lareau (2010) however there are definitive differences in the child’s outcome due to the child’s social class and thus the method the child was raised with. In concerted cultivation children spend a lot of time with adults at structured activities and so they start to communicate with adults as relative equals. The children of concerted cultivation also have longer and more reasoning conversations with their parents which leads them to the sense of entitlement when dealing with institutions (Lareau, 2003). Children raised with concerted cultivation had a larger group of language skills than children raised with natural growth because they communicate longer and more often with adults. This leads to children raised with concerted cultivation having the ability to manipulate rules and thus deal with institutions easier than those of natural growth, however they also have issues figuring out how to occupy their time because they did not often do â€Å"free play† (Lareau, 2003). The children that are raised with natural growth have less communication skills simply because they have less experience talking to adults (Lareau, 2003). Parents of natural growth have to worry about putting food on the table and taking care of many basic needs so when the children are spoken to its often in short direct phrases, without any room for questioning or discussing. The children who are raised with natural growth also do not have that much time spent in structured activities with adults as the children of concerted cultivation (Lareau, 2003). The children who are raised with natural growth developed what Lareau (2003) reported as constraint. Constraint was the disadvantage that natural growth children experience because of their lack of communication skills and the subordination they felt to adults. Children raised with natural growth absorbed their parents feelings of powerlessness with institutions and learned to distrust authority. These differences tend to perpetuate themselves when it comes to differences in child rearing because what class a child is raised in impacts his/her life and then when that child grows up and has children of their own the child rearing practice will most likely be used again if the child grows up to live in the same social class. It is a cycle that continues throughout generations because children usually grow up to be in the same social class they were born into and since the child rearing practices are social class based primarily the children will raise their children as they were raised. After reading Lareau’s (2003) case study I had to do some reflection to figure out with method of child-rearing it was that I was raised in. My family has crossed the line from middle class to working class several times through my childhood, but predominately I feel as if I have been raised using concerted cultivation. My mother and father separated by the time I was seven years old. While at times living with my mother basic necessities were hard to come by because of her poor management of finances, my father always was middle class (I lived with him permanently from age 15 on) and I feel as if I have been raised a middle class child. Since, I was younger I now realize I was active in many structured activities such as: ballet, tap, jazz, girl scouts, youth group at church, choir, bell choir, church plays, cheerleading, cross-country, track, and swim team. Although I did not always think of the activities I participated in to be particularly hard on my family at the time I now realize with my brother, two sisters, and all of their activates my mother must have found it very hard to transport us all to our different activities. The number of activities I was involved in during my childhood shows proof of my upbringing being concerted cultivation because one of the characteristics of being raised with concerted cultivation is a lot of structured activities such as the ones I participated in (Lareau, 2003). Another concept of concerted cultivation which I know I have also be blessed with in my child-rearing is the better communication skills due to long discussions and reasoning with my parents (Lareau, 2003). Both of my parents have always encouraged my sisters, brother, and me to talk openly and voice our opinions. I did not realized it growing up, but now I understand that the lengthy communications I had with my parents enabled me to have a larger vocabulary, good communication skills, and feel comfortable when talking to authority or adults from institutions. The sense of entitlement I feel due to my middle class upbringing makes sense because of the amount of time I spent in structured activities with adults (Lareau, 2003). The time I spent with adults as a child and the way I spoke to them made them relative equals in my perspective. This is an advantage of having a concerted cultivation middle class upbringing because I do not mistrust authority or feel subordinate to intuitions, on the contrary I feel as if they are to serve me and that I can work with institutions to get both my and the institutions needs met. It makes sense that my entitlement feelings allow me to perform well in college and to communication effectively with all professors or staff at the college because of the experience I had dealing with institutions when I was younger. Another concept of concerted cultivation that I have experienced in childhood has to do with social connections. Much like Lareau’s (2003) case study has reported concerted cultivation raised children had weak ties with their extended family. This is true in my upbringing because while I love and sometimes talk to my extended family I seldom see them or would by any means categorize our relationships as strong kinship ties (Lareau, 2003). This I feel has been an unfortunate result of concerted cultivation because I see how some of my other cousins behave towards each other as they are so close talking everyday and meet several times a week for lunch or dinner. I feel this is sad because while I would love to have stronger ties with my extended family I realize it is not a part of the way I was brought up because of my middleclass child-rearing. The concept of my social connections often being mostly in homogenous age groups as a child is very accurate (Lareau, 2003). Because of the activities I participated in and the area in which I lived and went to school I predominately have friendships through activities with children much like I was at the time.

Attention Leads to Confidence in the Chrysanthemums Essay -- John Stein

Women, always have and always will love receiving attention; especially when that attention is from a male because girls just like feeling special above all else. In The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck, Elisa Allen likes this recognition as well. However, her husband Henry is selfish and too occupied to deal with Elisa and this makes her feel unimportant. Later on, when the man on the wagon arrives at the ranch Elisa and her chrysanthemums find the respect that every woman hopes to secure. Nonetheless, that respect given to Elisa was brief since the man discards her confidence and her chrysanthemums on the road. Therefore, it is clearly evident that the amount of notice bestowed to Elisa and her chrysanthemums alludes to her level of confidence. Throughout the story, Henry Allen’s selfishness and mixed priorities result in the neglect of Elisa which causes her to feel unappreciated and unloved. Elisa is not very comfortable around her husband Henry, this fact is illustrated when â€Å"he leaned over the wire fence that protected her flower garden from cattle and dogs and chickens† (Steinbeck 270). By keeping Henry outside of the garden, on the other side of the fence it is shown that Elisa does not trust him to get near her chrysanthemums. The chrysanthemums are very symbolic in the story as they symbolize Elisa Allen herself, and her only source of joy in the world. Henry is not welcomed into the garden for fear that her confidence, joy and beauty may be crushed. Henry opposes Elisa and the hard work the protagonist has put into her chrysanthemums. Henry tells her that â€Å"[he wishes she would] work out in the orchard and raise some apples [as big as her chrysanthemums]† (Steinbeck 270). In d oing so, Elisa’s efforts go un... ... cries because her dignity is gone, and it becomes a realization that she will never get the attention she seeks, the one that will give her the confidence she needs. It appears as though hope is non existent for Elisa Allen and that is why the protagonist is described as â€Å"crying like an old woman†. In conclusion, Elisa’s level of confidence is directly proportional with the amount of attention given to herself and her chrysanthemums. Henry’s selfishness causes Elisa to experience feelings of neglect. The bearded man’s interest in Elisa makes the protagonist feel very confident as a woman. Eventually, this same man makes Elisa realize that her expectations of men were too high as the man threw away her only source of joy in the world. When receiving unexpected extra attention, be prudent because it may be for other reasons than the one originally thought.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Savvy by Ingrid Law. Cover Illustration by Terese Dikun. Dial Books, 2008. Ages 12 and up. Savvy is a story about an unusual family, the Beaumonts, whose family members awaken powers – coined savvy – at the age of 13. The Baumont’s sons, for example, can cause hurricanes and sparks with their savvies. The novel begins with Mibs, the youngest of the Beaumont clan, as she nears the eve of her 13th birthday and is excited to discover what her savvy would be. However, tragedy strikes a mere two days before her 13th birthday as Poppa, the Beaumont patriarch, figures in a terrible accident 90 miles away from home. What ensues is an extraordinary adventure fueled by Mibs’ unwavering belief that her savvy would be able to save Poppa. Riding a pink rickety bus and accompanied by her two brothers and the preacher’s kids, Mibs embarks on a journey to awaken her savvy and prove she can save the day. Ultimately, Savvy is a story about growing up and coming to know and accept oneself and others. It teaches about learning and seeing beyond appearances and appreciating what is skin deep. Savvy is a wondrous tale of hope, love, and redemption. The novel bridges the idea that each and every individual is very special, with unique gifts that make that person unique. Ingrid Law craftily manages to incorporate all of these into a concise yet elegantly written novel while still making the story and the characterization a priority, resulting in a book that leaves the reader filled with all sorts of wonderful emotions even after turning over that last page.

Technology And The Cell Phone - 3727 Words

Wearing your computer may not be a future fashion statement so much as a way to carry the most ubiquitous personal electronic device with us wherever we may roam. Gear lust of the wearable sort stretches back to Bat Man s utility belt: technology you could take with you on the go. Today, we carry the modern version of a Star Trek communicator (the cell phone)-a device that is increasingly indispensable. Alongside the cell phone are a host of other handheld gadgets that would have been science fiction a few short years ago: child locators, universal remote controls (now capable of turning the AC down on hot summer days, opening the miniblinds, and controlling our increasingly-complex home entertainment systems, just to name a few standard jobs), portable CD and DVD players, and personal organizers. But where does our infatuation with portable technology come from? In the 1980 s, during the era of Reaganomics, computers became personal-and profitable. Until the first generation of the so-called home computers , computers had been anything but personal. Most of them were million-dollar mammoths that took up whole floors of buildings and took an engineering degree just to find the power button. Large corporations like IBM and Xerox were the only entities outside government agencies and research facilities that could afford computers-ironic, since many of the same corporations would miss the boat when it came to initial investments in the PC market. The Internet-destinedShow MoreRelatedCell Phone Technology1488 Words   |  6 PagesCell Phone Technology The cell phone technology that is ever changing by the day was scientifically invented and born back in the early 1980’s. Science was the main key to the birth of the cell phone which was put together by the Motorola Company who today is still making cell phones. Before the cell phone came out the car phone was the first mobile phone which were very large and had to be hooked up to a briefcase which supplied the power for the mobile phone. Science was the utilized to createRead MoreThe New Technology Of Cell Phones991 Words   |  4 PagesA modern craze now is the new technology of cell phones. Everyone feels that they need them at almost every moment of the day. It may be normal in social life, but in the business world, this may cause a problem. With people glued to their cell phones, it is tough for anyone to really focus on anything. From Samsung, iOS, iPhone, LG, to Nokia, everyone is after the newest trends in the social world of technology. Some may feel the need to compete with one another to see whom has the better modelRead MoreCell Phone Technology Essay2791 Words   |  12 Pagesuse cell phone technology at work, in public, or for personal reasons it all contributes to how connected we feel to other people and to our daily obligations.† (Hanson) Take a walk down any major city in the world Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, Mumbai, Shanghai, or New York City and you will most likely find someone attached to their cell phone or blackberry. The number of cell phone subscribers world wide reached 4.6 billion at the end of 2009 and estimates show a growth rate of one billion cell phoneRead MoreTechnology And Evolution Of Cell Phones2038 Words   |  9 Pages When cell phones were first introduced, they were large and expensive. In 1983 the first truly mobile phone was released by Motorola. It was the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x. To some people it is known as the â€Å"Zack Morris phone.† He used this phone on a regular basis in a popular television show called â€Å"Saved by the bell† which took place in the late 80’s to early 90’s. It was an extremely large device compared to the ones we are used to now and it was only designed to make phone calls. It was not oftenRead MoreTechnology And Cell Phones For Granted1769 Words   |  8 PagesNowadays we take technology like internet and cell phones for granted. They allow us to operate more efficiently and provide us with solutions to various issues. There was a time however when cell phones and the internet did not exist and technology was not as evolved. A time when fax machines were new and few in numbers due to its value and only the telephone was the central means of communication. During the 1970’s, many or close to all businesses relied on postal service for financial papers suchRead MoreTechnology: The Invention of The Cell Phone Essay1431 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology has been a part of Americans’ lives for several years and continues to improve. It has given society an easier way to communicate with family and friends with one simple device, the cell phone. A cellular phone is the most common type of technology used by all groups of people including parents, teenagers, and even young children. The number of people who own a cell phone also continues to increase, causing a huge distraction on society. Cell phones seem to own a person as they dependRead MoreNegative Effects Of Technology On Cell Phones807 Words   |  4 PagesWith the growth of new technology, society is becoming too dependent on cell phones. Although communication and information may be important over a screen, it may take away from interaction in society. Overuse can cause negative side effects when it is not available as well as take away the overall experience of life itself. Cellular technology ha s contributed to negative and positive factors. It is best to view each side and understand how to best use it for a healthy lifestyle. To begin with,Read MoreSocial Construction of Technology: Cell Phone Development1289 Words   |  6 PagesConstruction of Technology (or SCOT) is a new research tradition rooted in the sociology of technology. SCOT provides a multi-directional model based on the property of interpretative flexibility, and emphasizes on social influences on the technology design and development. This paper will apply SCOT principles to explore the development of cell phone, define the development of cell phone into three different stages historically, and analyze the interpretative flexibility of the cell phone accordinglyRead MoreAn Analysis of Cell Phone Technology, Security, and Individual Rights1059 Words   |  5 PagesAn Analysis of Cell Phone Technology, Security, and Individual Rights In this technology driven era, I question what effect cell phones are having on our lives as American citizens? To investigate this, I read two articles. The first reading was â€Å"Mobile Phone Tracking Scrutinized† by Nikki Swartz originally published in the Information Management Journal for March/April 2006, and the second reading was â€Å"Reach out and Track Someone† by Terry J. Allen, originally published by In These Times onRead MoreEssay about The Most Important Technology: Cell Phones1220 Words   |  5 PagesWhen I got the assignment, I sat thinking about which technology I felt was most important in my life and became amazed about how popular, of all the technology, cell phones have become. It’s amazing that in our culture we make ourselves available every minute of every day. Many people don’t even have home phones anymore. Cell phones have become more of a necessity more than a need nowadays. They became an essential communication tool. Ce ll phone usage in the US has increased from 34 million to 203