Analysis Of Booz,Allen And Hamilton Essays - Management Consulting

Analysis Of Booz,Allen And Hamilton Introduction Booz-Allen & Hamilton is one of the world's largest management consulting firms. Traditionally, the firm had decentralized regional offices serving clients independent of other offices. This made cooperation between offices difficult, which was hurting company's overall performance. To overcome this problem they came up with a Vision 2000 plan under which the company was divided into three regions which were further sub-divided (see exhibit 1). This was the first phase of the plan and the company was considering implementation of the second phase which was to globally integrate all the three regions. Advantages of Vision 2000 plan ? The biggest challenge that the company was facing was cooperation between different offices but this problem was solved because of the new compensation plan. ? It made the geographic expansion easier as the offices now shared the staff within the same region. ? The Target Client concept helped the company in developing long-term relationships with the clients which resulted in increasing revenues (see exhibit 2). ? The Mentoring program resulted in development and evolution of better consultants. It also helped the company in serving the personal needs of the consultants and provided as a skill set for mentors to become partners. ? The extensive training programs that consisted of four delivery channels really helped in training and increasing the efficiency of the consultants. ? The globally integrated structure of knowledge sharing through different programs gave the company a competitive edge over its competitors. ? Through the Knowledge On-Line databases, the consultants could get considerable amounts of information about the clients and could also get knowledge and expertise of other consultants from all over the world. These information databases helped consultants serve the needs of clients better with analysis formulated by other consultants. ? Through the knowledge sharing amongst innovation teams, the company used to come up with solutions on particular problems. ? The monitoring of the engagement teams through information professionals also helped in keeping a check on team's performance. Also they helped the team to put the knowledge gained after the engagement for the use of the other consultants in the future. ? Greater integration and communication between teams working on the same client helped in understanding and serving the client better. ? Higher growth in revenues and Profits was achieved against competitors (see exhibit 3). Disadvantages of Vision 2000 plan ? The staffing and planning process became very difficult and complex because the company wanted to give the clients the best consultants possible and tried it's best to match the consultant's expertise to the client's needs. ? Cultural Differences and higher demand for expert consultants also created a problem in the allocation of consultants. ? High cost and inefficiencies were also associated with allocating management. ? Lot of times consultants didn't want to move from their original places of practice to where the client was located and therefore the strain of traveling and moving affected their performance. ? Consultants often wanted to broaden their knowledge by shifting into different industry groups making expertise in one group shorthanded. Recommendations After looking at the above advantages and disadvantages of the vision 2000 plan, I recommend that they should not globally integrate their three regions into one because of the following reasons: ? Already the company is facing problems because of cultural differences and further integration would increase these differences. ? The cost of traveling and communications would increase by further integration because of larger distances. ? The strain of traveling and moving would also increase which would result in high staff turnover and would also affect staff performance. ? Already the staffing and planning process is complex and difficult and further integration would make it worse. ? Without global integration, the company could very well manage the projects of its very important client -IAL all around the world through its advanced communication and knowledge sharing methods. ? The main benefit that is associated with the global integration is that better staff knowledge and expertise can be utilized from all over the world but the company to a large extent is already successful in doing that through its advanced knowledge sharing methods. So instead of globally integrating, I think they should focus on their current strengths such as building long term relationships with their clients, recruiting and retaining more expert consultants and making the

The Bearer of the Shield essays

The Bearer of the Shield essays Set in the Belgian colony of the Congo, Joseph Conrads novella Heart of Darkness centers upon European colonial activities. On the surface, the protagonist Marlow seems to denounce the hypocrisy within imperialism. He lashes out against imperialisms inherent cruelty towards Africans and also subtlety hints at imperialisms fall by alluding to the sense of revenge within the African jungle. However, these condemnations of imperialism do not necessarily label Marlow as an anti-imperialist. In fact, Marlows actions manifest his support of imperialism. The tendency to glorify imperialism already exists in Marlow before he experiences imperialism first hand. When Marlow recalls his impression of seeing the Company map depicting colonial powers in Africa, he says, There was a vast amount of red good to see at any time... (110). Seeing the great extent to which British colonies, represented by the stretch of red, occupy Africa pleases Marlow. He proudly exalts the fact that British territory exists not just confined to Europe but also all the way out to the African continent, a range of impressive territory that extends Britains overall power. By emphasizing how British territorial expansion leads to national prestige, Marlow praises imperialism and acts as yet another European votary of imperialism. During his actual experience in the Congo, Marlow also commends imperialisms contribution to enhancing civilization. To describe his African fireman, Marlow says ...to look at him was as edifying as seeing a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather hat....he was useful because he had been instructed... (140). As if he were training a dog, Marlow insists that education uplifts the primitive African to a useful human being. By reasoning how the benefits of European interference in Africa allow the natives to escape from a savage-like state, Marlow shows his imperialistic ...

Preliminary Search Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Preliminary Search - Assignment Example Such factors, coupled with high integration and maintenance costs, training, and redesign of business processes, disrupt organizational operations (Grabot, Mayere, and Bazet, 2008). Scalability is an integral concept for organizations that seek to protect their software investment. Functionality, platform, usability, and user account are the four integral dimensions of scalability. Utilization involves such factors as data storage limitations and reliable performance. Platform is the ability of an ERP system to function in multiple computing environments. User account is about the ability to add users in the system in a cost-effective and easy manner. Functionality is the ability of the system to adapt to organizational changes (Grabot, Mayere, and Bazet, 2008). For ERP installation, scalability of a product determines the success of an ERP system. All the dimensions are necessary considerations before installation of a system. In terms of functionality and security, a three-tier client server model provides ease in control because its middle tier (application servers) is centralized and is manageable as compared to two-tier client server models. There are less vulnerabilities in a three-tier model, and data recovery is easier in comparison to a two-tier model. A two-tier model runs two integrated ERP systems simultaneously at the corporate and subsidiary level, and is beneficial for organizations with several branches or multiple sites. It is also useful when organizations merge or if there is, a newly acquired operation that does not match the current ERP an organization uses. In contrast, a three-tier is for small businesses because of its ease in installation. Even so, they are not as easy to customize as the two-tier client server model (Grabot, Mayere, and Bazet,

Summary of two articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Summary of two articles - Essay Example The authors note the fact that what has in fact happened under the modern construct of cultural development is a mass standardization. Whereas before no unifying cultural interpretation existed, a false construct has been born out of this void and integrates with the individual on nearly every level of daily life. Moreover, this â€Å"false† form of culture, as the authors describes it, was originally born out of the supposed needs of the consumer (Horkheimer 1972). Such a process in and of itself is not inherently bad; however, the fact of the matter was that in order for the â€Å"needs† of the consumer to be met, a type of stereotypicalization and least common denominator had to be found. It is this process of the false culture seeking to find the least common denominator that the author’s claim is the greatest single reason why our current cultural interpretation is so misinformed, warped, and non-indicative of what would otherwise likely naturally exist in i ts place. The second article which will herein be reviewed is entitled, â€Å"Cultural Consumption as Manipulation†. This article deals with the more sinister ways in which the false ideas of culture that continue to be manifest to the individual are in fact highly developed tools which can affect a number of ulterior goals upon the consumer. As has been noted in the analysis, governments and corporations can both make ample use of culture as a platform to affect the given needs that they feel would best benefit their own particular interests in a given matter. As a means of discussing such a research interest, the authors break the ultimate question down into an analysis of both contemporary and past cultural historians and the means by which they have understood the unique paradigm that has grown and currently manifests itself within the global system of cultural interpretation. By analyzing both past representations as well as current realities of cultural conveyance, the authors seek to draw a level of inference upon the way that individuals embrace, identify with, and ultimately create a false reality within the constructs of the cultural material they are being fed on a daily basis. In short, what the authors present is something of a self fulfilling prophecy that takes place regardless of the particular cultural paradigm that is being studied. For instance, if one is met with the understanding and eventuality that what they are seeing, hearing, and otherwise experiencing is in fact a type of cultural reality, they are all the more likely to reflect this understanding back to the media and to the culture by closely mirroring the behavior that has been learned. In this way types of socio-cultural and psychological factors of mimicry and mirroring of what has been integrated into the mind of the collective consciousness is in fact what drives the interpretation and derivation of culture within the context of the given article’s point of view. Although this view is perhaps more cynical of the two articles that have been reviewed within this short analysis, the fact of the matter is that there is no clear divorce between culture, perception, and its exhibition within reality. Although the method by which this information is presented to the reader is disquieting, due in large part to the fact that the reader beings to see and understand the level of mirroring that takes place within the current system and within his/her

Control Smoking Essay Example for Free

Control Smoking Essay Everywhere, we see people smoking where most of them are men. It has become a trend and a daily necessity to smokers. Therefore, it is very difficult to control smoking habit. However, benefit of smoking only for certain things such as increasing in economy income and chance of jobs but as for individual, it will only bring harm rather than good. Body A. Topic Sentence Most of smokers which are men have a lack of awareness about disadvantages of smoking. There are several disadvantages that can be seen from smoking, such as smoking is a cause of lung dysfunction. Supporting Point A cigarettes contains almost 600 ingredients, when burned it would produce about 6000 chemicals, where one of it is tar. The tar mostly will sticks to the cilia in our lungs and more things is it will be the cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD a. Specific Detail. Cilia are microscopic, hair-like structures that extend from the surface of every human. This can be found in the lungs, respiratory tract and middle ear. These cilia have a rhythmic waving, in other words, cilia will act as a broom that clean dirt in your respiratory system. b. Specific Detail COPD will affect the function of the lungs and how oxygen being delivers into the body plus it also the cause of chronic bronchitis and emphysema and involve the charge in the structure of your lung tissue and airways. Topic Sentence Moreover, cancer is also one of the contributions from smoking cigarettes. There are many statistics and organization that make research about cigarette but none of them have proven that cigarette’s a good thing. Supporting Point There are many kind of cancer from smoking habit and some of them are mouth and throat cancer. a. Supporting Detail Cigarette contains many cancer agents know as carcinogens. These carcinogens can cause mutations in mouth cells and develop a mouth cancer. b. Supporting Detail Since carcinogen is an agent of cancer that contain in cigarettes, it also can affect throat which lead to throat cancer. Moreover, the heat from burned cigarettes, also contribute in having Topic Sentence Another reason why smoking can harms the smokers because it can affect heart and blood vessel ability and yet there are many smokers who did not realise or lack of knowledge about the effect of smoking. Supporting point Smoking can change the structure of blood vessels. This can lead to the build-up of plaque that hardens and narrows the vessels, causing a disease called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a common cause of heart attacks and peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.) a.Specific detail Atherosclerosis is a disease which is plaque builds up inside your arteries. Ingredients that contain in the cigarettes will help the build-up of the plaque. Over time, plaque hardens and narrows your arteries. This limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body and also it is one of the factor of heart attacks. b.Specific detail Peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.) also a disease in which plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs P.A.D.  usually affects the arteries in the legs. Smoking is the main risk factor for P.A.D. the smokers will have a risk of P.A.D. increases up to four times. Conclusion This are some of the bad effect by smoking cigarette which will affect your life, family and also people around you either in the past, present and future. Even though, some people may assume smoking is a good thing for them but the fact is that smoking is a bad habit that brings bad life style. Therefore we hope that every smoker in the world realise and start taking action on stopping a smoking habit because there are no benefit can be get from smoking.

Cosmology :: Essays Papers

No one knows how the universe began but there are many theory’s, and ideas man has created to explain how we got here and how everything else around us came to be. There are many different cosmologies. Cosmologies are theories of how the universe began. Physical, biblical, and mythical are theory’s based on personal beliefs. Some people don’t give the universe a second thought and like to stick to what they were first told. Others such as philosophers tend to explore all options and all aspects of how we came to. How did we become, how do we become, and what will we become are great questions. An even greater question is how everything we know did and even things we don’t know become? We probably in this lifetime will never know entirely, but if we do soon, that will be an even greater step for man than walking on the moon. Physical theories such as the big bang are based upon the universes finger prints. Radio active fingerprints that is. We can trace back a single pebble to at least 13.73 Billion years ago. The big bang theories are based off some theories you may or may not know like the string theory. The sting theories itself has many different theories based on it and many mathematical equations based on thoughts. Physical theories are well beloved by scientist, and have a lot of circumstantial evidence that back them up. But no one theory is 100% perfect. They all have a flaw in them somewhere. Biblical Theory’s are very unreliable and do not have a lot of evidence to prove them. Genesis 1 states. â€Å"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good and he separate the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness night. And there was evening, and there was morning.-the first day." Now this is all fine and dandy, but "God" has not told us how he came to be, or how when he said light it was just there cause he said it. Well if there was no light before how did "God" even know about light? Was he just living by himself in the darkness not doing anything so he got bored one day and decided to create life.

Aim and Objectives of the Study

The UK tourism industry is the fifth largest industry and is worth 85 billion pounds and employs 2.1million people which as about 7.7% of the total workforce. (Visit Britain, press release, 11/Jan/2007)Internet is the major driving force behind this growth, which has seen the development of latest technologies that encourage browsing on personal computers. These days, people can get tourism information easily anywhere in the world if they have access to a computer. Internet usage and popularity has continued to grow at an unprecedented rate ever since its invention. Today according to Internet world state (data), 1.1 billion people are connecting to it.The Internet has generated new communication space, which is called cyberspace (Cyberspace 2 data). People can be in and out ‘virtually’ at any time in this space where a community of users is formed.Recently the Internet has become an essential factor in the cyber market and in people’s life. Because of this the to urism industry needs to invest much of its resources towards establishing a comprehensive Internet marketing system. There are many travel agencies, hotels and airline companies opening their own web homepages and offering tourism information and related services for tourists. This makes it almost impossible today to operate without the Internet, because many organizations are selling their products on-line and covers all aspects of life service.Since the advent of Internet, electronic commerce or E-commerce as popularly known has become an important factor for revenue generation for organizations. According to the Market Report of 2005, the amount of UK e-commerce consumption is expanding annually. (Figure 1)Figure 1: The estimated total UK online market for leisure and entertainment by value (ï ¿ ¡m), 2001-2005Moreover, Internet electronic commerce revenue is predicted to increase by 177.4% between 2005 and 2009 to ï ¿ ¡236.9bn. As seen in the above chart, e-commerce in hotels h as continued to increase over the time. (Keynote Ltd, 2005)However, there would not be enough levels of revenue from hotel products over the Internet, because of unfamiliarity on the Internet. Over the last few years it has had a big impact on modern life, so people would not hesitate to pay for these products online using the electronic facilities available.The Hotel on the Internet uses sophisticated technology in its business relationship-marketing program that helps to generate business-marketing leads and maintain long-term customer relationships. Hotels need to use effective reservation services for easy gathering of customer information, enhancing various services like media advertising, internal marketing programs and customer feedback platforms.Therefore, the marketer and the manager of the hotel need to pursue a systematic and organized management process for their web homepage by regularly updating their website.These study is a research on a hotel organization to see how they utilized their homepage in relations to their own Internet marketing and the most important factors to pay attention to. It also checks out the general performance using the Internet system. Finally, the research will suggest recommendations for future hotel Internet marketing.