GCSS-MC Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

GCSS-MC - Article Example If well developed and strategically applied, GCSS ensures accurate, timely and perfect provision of logistical information for all concerned parties. This means that the Marine Corps would effectively receive the logistical support that they need in varied operations, in their line of duty. Despite all the positive aspects targeted, it is sad to note that the DOD is yet to realize and enjoy the fruits of the acquisition of GCSS. This is because the department is still highly riddled with weaknesses in its programs and procedures. The weaknesses observed have created bottlenecks in line with observed management control. The entire acquisition process has not been justified. This means that many of the expected benefits cannot be observed from the acquisition of GCSS. All the design specification and all the accompanying documents cannot be traced (GAO, 2006). This could be equated to mean that the DOD does not understand the overall importance and significance of the purchase. In orde r for GCSS to attain its overall advantages, the DOD has to make varied adjustments. They have to ensure that the system undergoes concept refinement, which can be acquired through high system and technology development. All the concerned parties have to undergo a system demonstration to ensure that they comprehend its set demands and practices. This is the only way that GCSS would ultimately contribute to product deployment and operations support (GAO,

Revolutions and insurgencies Essay Example for Free

Revolutions and insurgencies Essay Today and Tomorrow – 4th and 5th Generation Warfare The generational theory of warfare indicates a near orderly transformation of wars from the Napoleonic era to the present day, some what neatly divided into four eras. Levee en masse and the concept of nations at wars led to what is referred to as 1st generation warfare. On the other hand an age dominated by firepower spanning the First World War denotes the 2nd generation of wars, while 3rd Generation warfare includes and transcends the Second World War and was dominated by maneuver. Today’s warfare is the next generation of wars which are targeted at the opponents political will and not necessarily the military and are fought by a series of networks operating in tandem, political, social, economic and military. This era is being increasingly referred to as 4th Generation wars. (Hammes, 2004). 4th Generation warfare is one in which monopoly of the state over war has been broken by the non state actor, be it the Al Qaeda, the Tamil Tigers, Hezbollah or the Taliban. In some cases the state and the non state actor seem to be acting in tandem as the recent war in the Middle East denotes where the Hezbollah was considered by many as a proxy of Syria and Iran. This is one of the defining paradigms of 4th Generation war where the difference between the state and the non state seems to have been blurred. (Lind, 2004). Martin von Creveld also tends to support the premise set out hitherto fore by stating that unconventional wars waged against conventional forces are increasingly becoming the order of the day. (Creveld, 1991). The wars of the future are as per Creveld (1991) low intensity conflicts where tempo and intensity will be below that of conventional wars. Armies would increasingly have to tailor their resources to combat these types of conflicts as per Creveld (1991). This generational shift will evidently explain the emerging continuum of insurgencies which have transformed from massed revolutions of the 1940’s to network distributed conflicts of the 21st Century. This new revolution is thus replicating 4th and some would even argue 5th Generation warfare which is fought by non states and small groups, is driven by fundamentalist ideology and is technology fixated. The defining form of 4th Generation warfare is that the military has perhaps lost its primacy in waging wars and the state undoubtedly so. (Hammes, 2004). Thus the centre of gravity as is commonly understood in warfare and in the Clausewitzian trinity is no longer the military but the will of the people and the state to fight. (Hammes, 2004). Peters (1999) has also indicated these shifting trends where the American military which has invested so much in conventional weapons may find these irrelevant in wars of the future. This being the central theme, thus the targets become extremely diffused and are not necessarily military but include a series of possible networks within society such as political, economic, military, social and so on thereby ultimately impacting the mind of the populace to give up the fight. The Hezbollah and the Taliban have very well understood this theme. In the recent Lebanon war, Hezbollah rockets rained on civilian targets while the guerrillas were more attuned to take Israeli soldiers as prisoners. The Taliban is even more suave attempting to undermine the resolve of Western forces to wage war in Afghanistan by tactics such as kidnapping and hostage taking forcing states to accede to its demands. The United Nations is now planning to evolve a policy response for hostage taking such has been the impact of these unconventional means. The tactics used by the 4th Generation warrior to achieve his ends are innovative. The use of the small group is primary to success. In some cases even an individual terrorist can be used effectively to break the political will of the government and the people. The Madrid bombings would denote the most significant example of this new phenomenon which by targeting a large population and causing extensive casualties, the will of the government to fight a conventional war was effectively negated. The relevance of large groups operating in small nodes is also evident with Al Qaeda whose leaders have succeeded in remaining elusive for over half a decade even as the best technology and manpower seeks out Bin Laden across the globe achieving their aims with impunity across the globe. As per Creveld (1991), modern armed forces were organizationally and equipment wise not perfectly suited to fight such a war. Peters (1999) has also indicated that modern arms and armament may not be relevant to the wars of the future. What is of concern however is that conflict trends are already proliferating towards the next stage, 5th generation wars though this is still a disputed concept. Lind (2004) for instance argues that we have not yet fully assimilated the contours of 4th Generation wars, hence contemplating the next generation may be too premature. What then emerges is perhaps, â€Å"Four and a half generation of warfare† where the state is attempting to remain relevant in the years ahead. Others as Lane (Nd) are not so sure, they presage the diffusion of technology empowering individuals in the same way as states in the first three generations have been or the non state in the fourth one. What is remarkable about these postulates is that these are increasingly being made by non military thinkers. Ideology has a central role in 4th Generation warfare. Thus dogma is used to effectively link a large group of people spread across the globe. The aim of the warrior may not be per se a change in ideology itself, it would be merely to use emotional strings in beliefs, in religion, societies and governments to evoke mass reactions thereby achieving the central aim of the perpetrator to create discord. (Lane, Nd). The use of technology is very elucidative. It is used to leverage advantages of a networked organization, scalability of conflict, exploit information and create a borderless world. (Lane, Nd). The impact of media and technology would be evident with the video tapes of Osama Bin Laden regularly promulgated across the globe giving a message of blood and mayhem to followers of the faith. Technology and information is used as a medium to wage war as also as a target of conflict in 5th generation warfare. (Fifth Generation Warfare, 2005). The Cell phone for instance is a means of communication as well as a trigger rigged to remotely explode bombs in far off places. The adaptation of technology by fifth generation warriors is much faster than that of state warriors. The above survey would indicate that insurgency and revolutionary wars are increasingly replicating 4th and 5th Generation warfare fought by non states and small groups, driven by fundamentalist ideology and supported by technology. Thus as Wilcox and Wilson (2002) indicate warriors of the future will be organized along small independent action forces (SIAF) or cells without any need for a logistics base and with psychological rather than physical goals. We should not be surprised if both these generations exist simultaneously, where wars are increasingly fought by a triad of states, non states and empowered small groups. By seeing through these paradigms can we be better prepared to withstand its rigors.

All Toys E Business Plan Marketing Essay

All Toys E Business Plan Marketing Essay Objective: All Toys vision is to be the Worlds Greatest Kids Brand destination on the internet, not only offering parents and families a broad selection of products but to also create a magical playtime memory along with everyday essentials, being able to provide the resources necessary to keep their kids safe and happy. The aim of this e-business plan is to help our business deal with the complex problems that we may face as we develop a response to the e-business challenge. Value Proposition All Toys is a new Web-based company that sells toys over the Internet. All Toys doesnt have toy stores, salespeople, or even a delivery system. It takes orders over the Web and then uses an established shipping company to ship products to its customers. Benefits All Toys Inc. is a leading online retailer of childrens toys and products. Even though it emphasis is toys, its aims to sell parents a wide selection of products that their kids might want or need. Their entire product lines consist of more than 50,000 stock products such as childrens books, music, as well as toys. Its extensive range of toy products consists of mass-market items such as dolls and Legos, as well as other products to specialize in different taste. Altogether, All Toys carries over 500 brands which are sold exclusively on the Internet. Its web site catalogs consist of a range of products, and customers can use the sites advanced search capabilities to find items by a variety of strategies. For instance, consumers can search All Toys for toys of a specific shape, color or brand. On a regular basis the site will be updated with a list of suggestions of Bestsellers, Favorites and most popular. Moreover, All Toys website allows shoppers to sign up and register in which they will receive a birthday reminder service. The company notifies shoppers by e-mail in advance of a childs birthday, and appends a list of gifts appropriate for that age. The site also provides a Wish List service. Children or their parents can use it to e-mail friends and family members lists of the gifts they most hope for. The site also allows children to play games and other fun activities, while parents search for tips, advice and other product ideas The benefits of a new company like All toys are that they: Sell products to consumers at the lowest price possible Its a specialty online toy store Niche items and markets It hires architects and developers acquainted with the latest software techniques. The developers feel comfortable with objects, components, and distributed systems design. They use Java latest application servers to quickly build a powerful, scalable Internet commerce application, and they design their applications for growth and change. Costs and Value As a leading online retailer, All Toys must be able to deliver whatever is best for its customers and its prospective customers. This includes providing excellent customer service, being able to deliver its products in the fastest time and allowing customers to choose and compare the prices amongst the vast selection of products that All Toys offer. All Toys as an E-business will have a competitive advantage amongst other toy companies, as the following process adds value to its business operations: Cost-effective communication and marketing strategy Because your business environment becomes a focal point of your communication, e-business gives you a vital web presence (24/7 web service) Reaching new markets across the globe The internet allow businesses to target consumers from all over the world and customers can access resources from across the globe Minimize marketing costs online advertising is not often less expensive than traditional advertising. Ordering Process Implementing an online ordering system allows you to eliminate the cost of paper work and communication costs such as telephone lines and standard calls. It also offers the possibility of integrating your sales order system with order fulfillment and delivery so customers can be up to speed on the progress of their orders at all times. Potential market Competition The explosion of the internet age has forced e-businesses to compete with the long standing structure of traditional businesses (William, 2006). Although e-business offers endless opportunities for both businesses and consumers. The one main factor that differ e-business from traditional businesses is the technology that underpins the business itself. E-business is built electronically on a network, therefore without a network its completely impossible for an e-business to survive. Local Local businesses that compete for the same pool of local customers can be quite threatening to online businesses such as All Toys. Unlike traditional business who can gain trust from its prospective customers through a straight, personal contact, the web eliminates the customers privileges to experience such personal contact with both the products and organization they want to buy the products from. In traditional business, customers come to a store and have personal interaction with the organization through its sales person and then, possibly, have personal contact with the product. These types of experience somehow develop trust towards the organization and are very important for certain types of product. For example, Customers who buys toy products at their local toy store will have a better impression of the store through the interaction and communication they have with the salesperson. As a result they gain a better understanding of the store itself and the people within it. However, through an e-business store, customers are dealing with a web interface that shows nothing else but a website within a screen. Thereby, it is more difficult to determine the reliability and assurance of the website. Also, when a product is faulty, with a traditional business, customers are able to exchange the product immediately during business hours. However, it is much more difficult to do this through the web, due to procedures and other measures that needs to be done. This could take up to several days or weeks after the complaint. Nevertheless, All Toys has an advantage in that they target to a specific niche or segment of the market, which in this case are children and their parents. Traditional businesses have a disadvantage against e-businesses in that they are forced to choose a location in which they believe to attract their customer base; however it is much more difficult given the degree of adaptability in which a physical store has. For instance, when you have a physical store, there is not a lot of room for error. You can only customize your store, marketing, and product to a small extent. With an e-business, you can do massive customization, and change how and what you market, depending on your business performance (William, 2006). Moreover, the most significant difference is that e-businesses cost very little upfront when compared to traditional businesses. Starting a business on the Internet does not have the burden of a physical storefront and any expenses that accompany it. The vast majority of e-businesses are much easier to use for the customer, most sales and purchases can be done from the comfort of home. Global As competition increase in the global market, customers have a wide range of products to choose from and compare. One of All Toys major competitors are Amazon.com, Ebay.com and the traditional businesses. These firms provide a similar service with a wide range of products ranging from books, toys to music. However, All Toys differentiate itself in that it promises its customers this We bring the toy store to you, hoping to emphasize the convenience of at-home shopping versus the crowded scramble at the mall. William, S. (2006). Traditional Business vs. E-Business. Retrieved 27th April 2011 from http://www.ehow.com/facts_5903880_traditional-business-vs_-e_business.html

The 2nd Vatican Council Essay -- History Religion Catholic Religious E

The 2nd Vatican Council Starting with the First Council of Nicaea in 325 the Catholic Church established a tradition of ecumenical Council meetings to help decide on and shape the future of the Church. The most recent Council, called Vatican II, is considered to be both the largest ever in scope and also the most ground breaking in the amount of change it yielded. The changes in doctrine, dogma and procedure they enacted had major effects both inside and outside the Catholic Church and continue to today. Before the Vatican II the Catholic Church was an aging dinosaur, still crippled by the Reformation and unable to relate to contemporary man. It emerged from it a modern Church, tolerant and accepting of other religions, accessible to the laity and ready to grip with this age of reason over faith. I contend that the Vatican II council, while not being perfect or perhaps as progressive as it should have been, was just what the Catholic Church needed if it intended to maintain its status as one of the largest denominations on Earth. This paper is divided up in to two portions, the first a historical account of events of the council and the second an analysis of the most important of the 16 documents approved by the assembled Fathers and their effect on the Catholic Church. WHAT HAPPENED On January 25th 1959, Pope John XXIII announced that he was assembling what was to be the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. He proclaimed to his closest advisors that the purpose of the council would be â€Å"to proclaim the truth, bring Christians closer to the faith, and contribute at the same time to peace and prosperity on earth.† Pope John immediately made it very clear that his papal reign, which up until this point was considered rather inconsequential, was going to make a difference. Councils of the church are called to contemplate and reevaluate the church’s position on matters such as church administration, doctrine and discipline. An ecumenical council is a worldwide council that can only be called by the pope. All bishops and other high-ranking members of the whole church are to be present. This was to be the first major council in the Church since the original Vatican Council that was convened in 1869-1870. Immediately after the pope’s order the Vatican’s bureaucracy of religious leaders, which is known as the Curia, sprung... ...ly did little more than grant official consent to the beliefs that were already present by that time in the minds of the majority of Fathers. It still was a necessary step and required a lot of bravery on the part of those involved. Without it the Church may well have become a trivial antiquity too stuck in its old ways to be in any way relevant to the modern world. Works Cited Basset, Bernard. Preist in the piazza. Goal line tribute to a council, with illustrations by Penelope Harter. Fresno: Academy Guild Press, 1963. Berkouwer, G.C. The Second Vatican Council and the new Catholicism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965 Caporale, Rock. Vatican II: Last of the councils. Balitmore: Helicon, 1964. Catholic Church: Pope John XXIII. Apostolic letter of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II: on the 25 anniversay of the promulgation of the conciliar Constitution â€Å"Sacrosanctum Concilium† on the Sacred Liturgy. Washington D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1988. MacEoin, Gary. What Happened at Rome? The Council and Its Implications for the Modern World. Garden City: Doubleday, 1966. Ratzinger, Joseph. Theological Highlights of Vatican II. New York: Paulist Press, 1967.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Approaches to Learning Essay

There are various ways which people can learn. There is a need to identify approaches that can assess learning effectively. David Kolb proposed a four stage learning process with a cycle of learning. (Gravells, A. 2008). The process is represented in the diagram below: Concrete experience This is process where the learner experiences or immerses themselves in the task. It is the first stage where the task assigned is carried out. It is also called the doing stage. In my specialism, this could be the time where I give my learner class assignment or test to do in the class. (Gravells, A. 2008). It is good way of assessing learning and getting feedback immediately. Observation and Reflection This involves stepping back from the activity and reviewing what has been done and experienced. Here the learner’s values, attitudes and beliefs can affect their thinking process. This is the process where the learner thinks about what they you have done. The learner has the opportunity to reflect on what has been done in the classroom through the home work given. Abstract conceptualisation This is where the learner tries to interpret and understand the activities that have been carried out during learning. This is the planning how you will do it differently stage. The learner has the opportunity to do this as I lecture a particular topic in mathematics. Active Experimentation It enables the learner to take in new learning and predict what is likely to happen next or what future actions can be taken to improve the way activities can be done in future. This is the redoing stage based upon experience and reflection. When feedback on Tests or home work is given, the learner has the opportunity to improve upon what has already been submitted. Learning styles A learning style is a learner’s consistent way of responding and using stimuli in the context of learning. Honey and Mumford’s learning style questionnaire is another theory used to demonstrate how a learner is able to learn effectively. Questionnaires were given to the learner’s that probes general behavioural tendencies. Although their theory is drawn from David Kolb, it had some differences. Learners were divided into Reflectors, Theorists, Pragmatist and Activist. Reflector The learner prefers to learn from activities they watch, think and review what has happened. They like to use journals and brainstorming. http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles/honey_mumford.html [accessed on 3 July 2012.]. To be able to ensure learning takes place for this kind of learner, as a Teacher I would organise more group work, discussions and lecturing in mathematics sessions. Also give out hand outs for learner to read and reflect upon. Theorists Learners in this category prefer to think a problem through step by step manner. They like lectures, analogies, systems, case studies, models and reading. I would organise more lectures on a topic, give handouts and assignments for such learners giving them the opportunity to tackle problems/ questions later on. Pragmatist The learners prefer to apply new learning to actual practice to see if they work. They prefer field works, laboratories, observations, feedback and coaching. Â  Here learning can effectively take place where a lot of examples on topics are tried out with learner before giving out home work or assignments. A lot of clear feedback on assignments/ tasks and activities will be needed to ensure the learners actually understand information passed across.

Dubliners as a Transition from Childhood to Adulthood

â€Å"Dubliners† is a very particular short-story cycle because, unlike most other cycles, the link between its stories is not based on the recurrence of major characters. Instead, Joyce manages to unify the collection by exploring the same themes, such as the desire to escape a routine and the connection between life and death, from different perspectives. Interestingly enough, these perspectives are tainted by the perceptions that different age cohorts have of their surroundings.The text as a whole delves into these issues from, initially, a more naive and childish point of view and progresses towards a more discouraged and somehow renouncing tone. â€Å"The Sisters† is basically the tale of how a young unnamed boy handles and mourns the death of his friend and mentor, Father Flynn. Although the age of this unnamed boy it not specified, the text abounds in evidence that might lead the reader to believe that this boy is only just discovering the twists and turns of lif e. With phrases like â€Å"the word paralysis†¦ it filled me with fear, and yet I longed to be nearer to it and to look upon its deadly work† (p. ), Joyce invites the reader to presume that this boy has never encountered death and is therefore intrigued by it. Then, Old Cotter, a family friend, repeatedly makes reference to how â€Å"there was something uncanny about [Father Flynn]† (p. 1) and that he â€Å"wouldn’t like children of [his] (†¦) to have too much to say to a man like that† (p1). Such evaluations and the fact that the boy has strange dreams about Father Flynn confessing his sins to him, give way to the reader’s suspicions that Father Flynn is actually a malevolent figure who acted as much more than a mentor.The boy’s inability to make sense of the true nature of his relationship with Father Flynn is also a clue to realizing that this boy is so young he has not yet been exposed to the dark, more vicious side of life. Th en, in â€Å"Araby†, another –or maybe the same- unnamed boy describes an intense crush he had on a friend’s sister. To impress her, the boy promises to go to the Araby Bazaar she so longed to go to and bring her a present. The boy meticulously plans his day and even reminds his uncle of his intentions so that the uncle will return home early and provide train fare.However, the uncle’s tardiness and the â€Å"intolerable delay† (p. 3) of the train, resulted in the boy arriving at Araby when â€Å"nearly all the stalls were closed and the greater part of the hall was in darkness† (p. 3). The boy, noticing the â€Å"English accents† (p. 3) of the salesmen, immediately feels disenchanted. Araby was not, after all, the fascinatingly exotic venue he had imagined it to be. By saying that he â€Å"saw [himself] as a creature driven and derided by vanity;† and that his eyes were †burdened with anguish and anger† (p. ), the boy puts into words his feeling of utter disappointment and frustration. This particular remark, which seems somehow inflated, might lead the reader to believe that this is the boy’s first love-related frustration. The whole of â€Å"Araby†, actually, seems to be the story of a boy who, for the first time in his life, tries to do something special for someone special; and his failure to succeed hits him hard. â€Å"Ivy Day in the Committee Room† is a more grown-up story which unfolds around a political conversation several canvassers hold.In this discussion, it is revealed that the campaigners widely disapprove of the candidate they are allegedly supporting. Already, remarks such as â€Å"Tricky Dicky Tierney† (p. 4) and â€Å"how does [Tierney] expect us to work for him if he won’t stump up? † (p. 5), remind the reader that the men who are talking are adults. Typically, one associates conviction, idealism and blind belief with the young, un touched generations. Conversely, one can associate skepticism and even cynicism with adults, who are those who have experienced frustrations and disappointments that have rendered them more pragmatic.Furthermore, in this short story, the politicians discuss the character of Charles Parnell, already deceased. The manner in which Joyce discusses the issue of Parnell’s death is utterly different from how death is presented in â€Å"The Sisters†. Whereas in the first short story what is explored is an individual’s encounter with death, which culminates in a private mourning in the presence of a body; â€Å"Ivy Day in the Committee Room† presents the death of Parnell as a matter of public opinion and it explores its effects on the Irish society as a whole.Therefore, it could be said that, considering this particular corpus of short stories, â€Å"Ivy Day in the Committee Room† marks the beginning of the more mature and public phase to which Harry Levin makes reference. Last but not least, â€Å"The Dead†, set at the annual dance and dinner party hosted by the Morkans, presents an eventful ball in which several interesting characters are introduced. All along the evening, awkward conversations occur and, through them, it is revealed that these characters are frustrated, exhausted and have given up all hopes.As the main character, Gabriel Conroy, enters the scene, he asks the Morkans’ housemaid, Lily, â€Å"I suppose we’ll be going to your wedding one of these fine days with your young man, eh? â€Å" (p. 3) to which she bitterly replies â€Å"the men that is now is only all palaver and what they can get out of you† (p. 3). Later on, the always-drunk Freddy Malins arrives and Aunt Kate asks Gabriel to â€Å"see if he’s all right, and don’t let him up if he’s screwed† (p. 5) to which she sharply adds â€Å"I’m sure he’s screwed. I’m sure he is† (p. ). Afterwards, Gabriel is cross-examined by a fervent supporter of Irish culture, Miss Ivors, as to why he would rather go to Belgium or France instead of visiting his own country. Following an uneasy exchange of ideas, Gabriel finally retorts â€Å"I’m sick of my own country, sick of it! † (p. 9). As the night ends, Gabriel’s wife, Gretta, becomes absorbed and detached. Irritated, Gabriel confronts her about her unbecoming behavior and, when she tells the story of how Michael Furey, â€Å"a boy[ she] used to know† (p. 7), died, he begins to reflect about love and life and death and finally realizes that â€Å"snow was (†¦) falling (†¦) upon all the living and the dead† (p. 30). All of these characters seem to embody the state of mind one can associate with the outcome of a long life of experience. Lily is utterly disappointed and does not believe in selfless love any more. Aunt Kate doubts that Freddy could ever be sober and, instead of hoping for the best, she only wishes to disguise the worst. Gabriel resents the culture of polarization in which he lives and grows tired of people imposing their opinions on each other.Gabriel finally realizes that nothing can be changed and that all are equal in the end. â€Å"The Dead† illustrates the stage of adulthood in which people no longer believe in the possibility of change and openly act as if nothing had to be concealed†¦ as if there was no tomorrow. Gabriel’s final ruminations add to the reader’s feeling that the characters are near the verge of death. To conclude, it could be said that â€Å"Dubliners† is the story of a city, a culture and the way in which those immersed in it grow up.The cycle begins with stories with younger, more naive protagonists; and then moves forward into stories with increasingly aged characters. Furthermore, the stories themselves become more complex, intricate and lengthy. In a way, Joyce manages to tell the story of the average Dubliner as he moves across the different periods of a human life by integrating the stories of different characters. The fact that all the stories could become the story of the standard citizen, adds to the effect that the book is indeed the story of he who lives in Dublin.