Accounting Management and Public Relation Issued Free-Sample

Question: Identify the Professional Accounting Management and Public Relation Issued in your Workplace. Answer: Introduction When asked about the roles of a professional accountant and managers in a workplace, the response from many people is often that they have responsibilities such as independent auditors and tax agents as pointed out by Jui (2013). In most cases, the work performed by many professional accountants, managers, and public relation officers in the workplace are often not fully understood or forgotten. This paper examines the some of the professional accounting, public relations, and management issues that can be experienced in the working environment within an organization. It presents the application of the accountancy knowledge learned and how the skills obtained can be used in solving challenges identified within the workplace. The paper presents in details the analysis and justifications of the workplace accountancy and management challenges that needs to be solved as well as the strategies that can be recommended for adoption in finding solutions to these challenges. Professional accounting, management, and public relations issues in the workplace In every workplace, there are many issues that can directly or indirectly affect the performance and management of the organization for professional accountants, public relation officers and managers as pointed out by Moorman and Fetter (2011). The same study points out that however much a project or an organization is inspirational, most of the stakeholders often face serious challenges and series of roadblocks in the course of executing responsibilities as per the set objectives of the organization. These challenges experienced in the workplace often have a great impact not only on the organization but even to their professional identity Kasem (2015). While the obstacles are always present in any workplace, professional accountants, public relation officers, and managers need to be optimistic on in identifying possible solutions that can be adopted to curb the challenges within their workplace. The challenges faced in the working place include; Limited confidence from professionals toward accountability in handling different tasks Pronobis and Schmid (2017) denotes that management accountants are often perceived negatively to be professionals who are not sufficiently technical but often too broad. They often need a detailed accounting and financial knowledge as well as wide management knowledge and skills for proper functionality within the organization. Leiva (2015) also denotes that transcending these hard skills and broad knowledge with leadership, adaptability, responsiveness, and effective communication are very critical in ensuring success not only for an individual but even the organization. Professional accountants, public relation officers, and managers are often put on a ladder of career growth as pointed out by Robalo and Gago (2017). It is an aspect that demands them to improve their problem-solving skills, communication strategies, and professional competencies so as to be prepared for leadership positions in the workplace. However, most organizations often experience limited response probably due to the accountability responsibilities involved. Therefore, there is a need for collaborating with different professional bodies that can enable the professionals to understand the need for both soft and hard developmental skills that can support their confidence. Glynn (2016) also points out that they will be able to increase their knowledge to deal with the professional challenges within the workplace and view themselves as leaders in different facets of the professionalism. Instability in the financial market within the global business arena In his study, Sithole (2017) points out that every organization is facing challenges about complexities of the global market scenarios such as the unstable economy and inflation. In such cases, financial managers and accountants are facing the pressure of proving to their respective organizations that they can effectively and accurately predict financial futures while inter-relating the analysis with the objectives and goals of the respective organizations in their decision-making. In his review, Riel (2011) also denotes that the unpredictable global market characterized by fewer job opportunities and the unstable economy has proven to be a hard-yard obstacle to professionals ( including accountants, public relation officers, and managers) for various organizations. However, Jui (2013) points out that recession and the global financial instability has given the financial managers in different organizations the opportunity of demonstrating how they can add value to the organizations. As a result, they are hence viewed more like business partners, interpreters of economic times, and communicators of the way forward business strategies that can lead to profitable business decisions. Resistance from respective organizations According to Anderson (2014), resistance is a serious obstacle that faces not only professional accountants, public relation officers, and managers but even other members of the workforce within the workplace. Resistance within the organization can arise from the employees as well as the organization itself when it is not able to provide the necessary resources required for performance. According to Moorman and Fetter (2011), every workplace is always made up of people from different backgrounds and possess different skills, knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards the responsibilities of other employees. For instance, accounting managers often face resistance within their working environments with a claim that it is difficult to deal with non-financial decision-makers as they often ignore figures. On the other hand, these decision-makers claim that it is hard to gain trust and corporation accounting managers Jui (2013). Surging through the resistance hence requires the managers and public relations to prove that they understand their roles in the workplace and have the ability to communicate in a manner that will influence the stakeholders as well as the public towards a positive progress Leiva (2015). Effective communication and employees interactions As pointed out by Schill et al. (2015), whenever there are different personalities working together in the same place, friction are bound to occur from time to time. For instance, professional accountants, public relation officers, and managers working under pressure to meet deadlines are likely to have flare-ups of temper depending on the pressure exerted on them by their responsibilities within the workplace. Garner (2016) also denotes that it is possible for everyone to get along, in theory, the results are often opposite in many workplaces. For instance, the public relations officers often deal with the dilemmas of the organizational corporate social responsibilities and a positive public image of the workplace. On the other hand, financial managers are struggling to ensure there is financial transparency and prevent any form of fund misappropriation that can break the trust of the management as well as the organization. These challenges can be evident from the manner of communic ation between the affected individuals and the fellow employees within the workplace. It is for these reasons that Kasem (2015) recommends the introduction of training to assist the employees to learn on how they can effectively manage work-related stress and get along with other employees within the workplace as an effective way of handling possible challenges. Application of the knowledge learned in solving workplace problems According to Pronobis and Schmid (2017), management accounting plays an essential role in the performance of an organization. The same study denotes that every management accounting professional needs to acquire the financial accounting knowledge such as the asset recognition and internal control among other essential concepts in management accounting. The level of using the appropriate concepts in both management and financial accounting often depends on the management level and the challenge to be addressed since every accounting problem can only be addressed using the relevant skill that matches the problem. Acquiring the professional knowledge of accounting is hence very vital in solving different accounting challenges that are faced in a workplace. Different scholars have different suggestions as to why there is a need for a professional qualification in accountancy, management, and public relations in a workplace. The knowledge and skills acquired can be used in different facet s depending on the environment and the industry of operation. Technical skills learned to give a professional accounting, public relations, and management the ability to perform specialized tasks within the workplace that involve particular process or methods. According to Mayfield (2017), the technical skills obtained enable us to execute certain strategic decisions and make operational moves. We also acquire conceptual skills in the identification and finding solutions to different organizational problems for the benefit of the organization as well as individual professionalism. The knowledge of professionalism also helps us in getting knowledge and interpersonal skills that are essential for effective communication and risk management that are essential in the process of duty within the workplace. Garner (2016) points out that professional accountants, public relations officers, and managers often find themselves in the frontline of safeguarding the organizational reporting and the perception the community has concerning the organization. Fo r instance, professional accounting management helps an organization to defend the quality of reporting its financial constraints by making sustainable financial decisions in tough economic times. Without the public understanding of the diverging responsibilities and roles of different accounting specialists, the public perception of the value of an organization may be misinformed. However, Pronobis and Schmid (2017) denote that with the help of the public relation professionals, accounting managers can help in ensuring a stable and progressive society. For instance, the knowledge learned is useful in the implementation of professional ethics within the organization. The codes and professional guidelines provide as with the rules and regulations while their practical implementation in solving challenges within the workplace requires our judgments. With good working ethics, the personal values and actions of employees will determine how they make decisions and react. In his study, Kasem (2015) points out that the ethics of every individual is often displayed in the way we talk, act, deal with challenges, and how one lives. Acquiring ethical skills and knowledge are hence essent ial in the workplace as they help in being competent and sincere in working towards improving the professional efficiency of an individual. Despite the challenges within the workplace such as the pressure of meeting deadlines, an employee will be able to maintain personal dignity as pointed out by Garner (2016). These will include using proper language for communication, wearing proper clothing, and practicing good manners among other advantages that are vital not only for professional accounting, public relations, and management but to all employees. Accounting management knowledge also enables us to have a commitment to upholding the highest professional standards while ensuring the maintenance of public confidence in management accounting. With the skills, it is easier to maintain objectivity, integrity, and professional competence in making decisions towards the global economic challenges affecting the workplace as pointed out by Garner (2016). In doing this, professional accounting, public relations, and management professionals can maintain the required level of knowledge and skills that will ensure their employers or clients receives quality and professional, competent services. In his study, Leiva (2015) points out that based on current or updated developments on techniques, legislation, and practice, accounting managers can act diligently by professional standards and applicable techniques. For instance, delicate information on financial accountability or resistance within the organization will also be handled with care t o prevent any compromise to trust and working relationship between the professionals. Such a step will give room for proper and procedural action to be taken that complies with regulations and laws while avoiding any action that can discredit the working relationship and the general professionalism according to Kasem (2015). Considerations of accounting knowledge addressed in the project From the project skills and knowledge learned, it is evident that professional accountancy, management, and public relations are key pillars that are essential in helping a company to create a sustainable and valuable growth within the industry of its operations. In his study, Jui (2013) points out that the public knowledge, understanding, and education on the diverse roles of professional accounting, public relations and management in the global business arena needs to be increased. It is a strategy that will add more value to the public on the visibility of their roles to the organization and the employees in a workplace (Lockton et al. 2013). The project fundamentals hence denote that professional accounting, management, and public relations bodies need to pay attention to the dynamic roles of their industry so as to provide different organizations and individuals with the necessary support to effect their roles. The roles of these professionals need to be defined so as to ensure that such projects achieve success in different fronts for a sustained recognition by the society, an aspect that will shape a continued success of the accountancy, management, and public relations professionalisms. With increased competitions in the global project management industry as well as the continuous adoption of technological advancements, Ordanini (2013) points out that various professionalisms are increasingly facing challenges in the attempt to demonstrate their roles. Their relevance in the capital market, as well as the adjustments within the professionalism to evolve towards new challenges such as technology, is not very clear to the professionals themselves as well as the public. Moreover, with the high public expectations, the value of accountancy professionalism is measured by the extent to which the professionals show accountability not only at their workplace but even to the public as well. As a strategy of ensuring effective and sustainable positive resource implications, Kauffeld (2016) points out that every project needs to work together with the relevant accounting, management, and public relations bodies so as to ensure legal and ethical professionalism is upheld within the project operations. The project hence recognizes the roles of these bodies to have an essential mandate of promoting, representing, and enhancing the global accountancy in project management. Despite the hard economic times, professional accountants, public relation officers, and managers are major contributors to discussions that can lead to more positive results towards customer preference, competitiveness, and sustainable performance of the organization according to Riel (2011). They hence help the organizations to adopt strategic formulations, cost control roles, sustainability and business improvement within the workplaces as pointed out by Moorman and Fetter (2011). Their implications for the public relations hence depend on the relationship the organization has with the community so as to foster positive working environment despite the challenging economic times. In his study, Ragins (2017) points out that the role of professional accountancy management and public relations are incomplete if it does not discuss their duties to the public. For instance, accounting as a profession has a privileged position in the society deals with different issues that directly or i ndirectly have public interests. In his study, Mayfield (2017), points out that most of the professional accountants, public relation officers, and managers within a workplace are often members of the staff who have been trained and are professionally qualified in performing their respective roles within an organization. The same study denotes that it is advisable for them to rely on the relevant accounting and management bodies for continues knowledge update and assistance in meeting the objectives and goals of the respective organizations. The stakeholders of the projects should hence strategize on teaming with the relevant bodies to ensure it is fully supported by the knowledge base and resources necessary to ensure the success of the project Kasem (2015). For instance, in every business, professional accountants can connect with their subject matter experts within the bodies of accounting for direction and advice on how they can handle ethical dilemmas that can pose challenges to project management strategies. A ccording to Harkins (2014), such bodies are also important in providing continuous training towards professional development initiatives to update the knowledge and skills of the professionals as per the trending global career advancements such as the use of accountancy software in business. Conclusion Employees and business owners in the workplaces within different organizations often face different challenges. While an organization or an employer may strive to ensure that the working environment is as ideal as possible for any work, there are still various examples of challenges that may affect the operation of many professional accountants, public relation officers, and managers. The accounting knowledge hence helps us to gain the relevant knowledge and skills that can be employed by these professionals in finding relevant and effective strategic solutions to the challenges whenever they occur. It is also recommended that project owners and organizations set and adopt relevant policies that will help in handling different issues to ensure the project or organization remains relevant to its duties. Despite the challenges faced within the working environment, professional accounting, public relations, and management professions still require respect and honor. As responsible membe rs of the society as well as the respective professionalisms in accounting, every employee needs to be constantly conscious of maintaining the professional integrity as lack of ethics has far-reaching impacts both to the individual and the organization. References Anderson, C. D. (2014). Accounting and auditing resources: Sites for the investor, academic, and practitioner.College Research Libraries News,69(2), 96-100. Garner, J. T. (2016). Open Doors and Iron Cages: Supervisors' Responses to Employee Dissent.International Journal Of Business Communication,53(1), 27-54. doi:10.1177/2329488414525466 Glynn, J. (2016). The Use of Management Accounting Techniques by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Field Study of Canadian and Australian Practice.Accounting Perspectives,15(1), 31-69. doi:10.1111/1911-3838.12089 Harkins, J. (2014). Knowledge flow from the top: the importance of teamwork structure in team sports.European Sport Management Quarterly,14(4), 375-396. Jui, L. (2013). Roles and Importance of Professional Accountants in Business. Professional Accounting journal Kasem, S. (2015). Professional Ethics and Integrity- Management Accountants Perspective, Journal of Professional Ethics, 45()7, pgs 789-801. Retrieved from https://www.icmab.org.bd/images/stories/resources/download_member/Professional_Ethics_and_Integrity-A_Management_Accountants_Perspective.pdf Kauffeld, S. (2016). Emergent Team Roles in Organizational Meetings: Identifying Communication Patterns via Cluster Analysis.Communication Studies,67(1), 37-57. doi:10.1080/10510974.2015.1074087 Leiva, P. I. (2015). Negative core affect and employee silence: How differences in activation, cognitive rumination, and problem-solving demands matter.Journal Of Applied Psychology,100(6), 1887-1898. doi:10.1037/a0039380 Lockton, D. d., Harrison, D. J., Cain, R., Stanton, N. A., Jennings, P. (2013). Exploring Problem-framing through Behavioural Heuristics.International Journal Of Design,7(1), 37-53. Mayfield, J. (2017). Leader Talk and the Creative Spark: A Research Note on How Leader Motivating Language Use Influences Follower Creative Environment Perceptions.International Journal Of Business Communication,54(2), 210-225. doi:10.1177/2329488416687057 Moorman, R. H. Fetter, R. (2011), Transformational leader behaviors and their effects on followers trust in leader, satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors. The Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 1, pp.107-142. Ordanini, A. (2013). Don't just fix it, make it better! Using frontline service employees to improve recovery performance.Journal Of The Academy Of Marketing Science,41(5), 515-530. doi:10.1007/s11747-012-0324-3 Pronobis, P., Schmid, S. (2017). Exploring the link between internationalization of top management and accounting quality: The CFO's international experience matters.International Business Review,26(1), 71-88. doi:10.1016/j.ibusrev.2016.05.007 Ragins, B. R. (2017). The evolution and future of diversity at work.Journal Of Applied Psychology,102(3), 483-499. doi:10.1037/apl0000161 Riel, C. B. M. (2011). The impact of employee communication and perceived external prestige on organizational identification. Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 44, pp.1051-1262. Robalo, R., Gago, S. (2017). The role of trust in the primary adoption stage of management accounting innovations.Spanish Journal Of Finance Accounting / Revista Espanola De Financiacion Y Contabilidad,46(1), 63-91. doi:10.1080/02102412.2016.1256721 Schill, A. L., Bhattacharya, A., Cunningham, T. R., Pandalai, S. P., ... Stephenson, C. M. (2015). Considerations for Incorporating "Well-Being" in Public Policy for Workers and Workplaces.American Journal Of Public Health,105(8), e31-e44. Sithole, S. M., Chandler, P., Abeysekera, I., Paas, F. (2017). Benefits of guided self-management of attention on learning accounting.Journal Of Educational Psychology,109(2), 220-232. doi:10.1037/edu0000127

John Proctor in The Crucible free essay sample

In the Crucible John Proctor is a man of many characters that lead to how we interpret his choices. Proctor believes himself as a tormented individual that leads him to believe he is damaged in the eyes of God from how he mistreated his wife and had an affair with Abigail. This is going to lead him to believe he has a flaw, or what would be called if you were reading, a character flaw which is another way of saying John Proctor is a Tragic Hero. He is a Tragic Hero.Proctor is overwhelmed by the fatal flaw that made him eventually succumb to his death. Pride is a huge role in Proctors life throughout the crucible. As spoken by a proctor at the end of the play, â€Å"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worthy of the dust on the feet of them that hang; Leave my name,† (Miller 143). We will write a custom essay sample on John Proctor in The Crucible or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Proctor refused to testify against Abigail during the trials to prevent his name from being blackened. It is easy to understand where he struggles, he cares so much for what his name is and for being a noble character but because of his pride and his internal difficulties with his conscience his hubristic mindset is what caused his downfall.Pride is one of the deadly seven sins, in Act IV this will be covered as you continue to read on into the book. Hale urged everyone that in order to save your life, you need to confess to your sins and what you have done wrong. While speaking with Elizabeth have told her â€Å"It may well be God damns a liar less than he that who throws his life away for pride,† (Miller 132). Hale wanted Proctor to confess to his lies to save his life and meet ends with his mistakes. Proctor does not find the courage to confess to his sins due to not wanting to blacken his name but as time goes on he will end up revealing his sins and that will put an end to his life. Hale was pouring out his emotions particularly when Proctor was being hung, â€Å"Woman, plead with him! Woman! It is pride, it is vanity. Be his helper! What profit him to bleed? Shall dust praise him† (Miller 145) Hale’s conscience is very aware that Proctor is completely innocent of the accusing’s of him being involved in witchcraft? Hale values life and pities Proctor in his own attempt to be able to save his life . Hale always had the conclusion that Proctor was a pure and innocent man.

Stereotypes and Excuses in Literature and Media Essays

Stereotypes and Excuses in Literature and Media Essays Stereotypes and Excuses in Literature and Media Essay Stereotypes and Excuses in Literature and Media Essay The human mind contains one’s true identity; usually, however, one’s mind can also overlook this. Oftentimes people are swayed by popular images of people and act using those opinions. Society floods humankind with these perspectives so excessively through media that it has become an issue. After reading Night, watching Primetime’s What Would You Do? and The Lunch Date, an important message to be grasped throughout this unit is that stereotypes do not define a person because it diminishes individuality, which gives the oppressor an excuse to treat the oppressed with disrespect. Night, a memoir by Elie Wiesel demonstrates the prejudice against Jews and the immoral actions that are thoughtlessly produced. When Elie arrives at Birkenau, a SS officer â€Å"[looks them] over as if [they] were a pack of leprous dogs hanging onto [their] lives† (Wiesel 47). He then threatens them to â€Å"work or [to] the crematory† (Wiesel 47). The officer disregards that Elie and the other prisoners are men. Knowing the effect of the words he produces, he holds fear over the prisoners heads, oppressing them because of unjust verifications. The stereotyping also displays its ways through Elie’s father when he politely asks a gypsy where the lavatories are. Rather than responding â€Å"the gypsy [looks] him up and down slowly as if he wanted to convince himself that this man addressing him was really a creature of flesh and bone† (Wiesel 48). After examining Elie’s father, the gypsy knocks him off of his feet with a punch. The gypsy simply ignor es the harmless nature of Elie’s father’s question and convinces himself that Elie’s father is a creature like the Germans emphasize. The man uses this as a justification to subject Elie’s father to violence. The series of acts put on the prisoners present the immoral outcome of stereotypes that corrode a person’s identity. The ABC Primetime series, What Would You Do?, epitomizes how people can be

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By SP essays Hammurabi, said to be the greatest leader of Ancient Mesopotamia, laid out a set of laws which emphasizes retribution as a form of punishment ("an eye for an eye"). It is my belief that Hammurabi was a just ruler who took into consideration all things that affected his people. The Code of Hammurabi is very similar to our laws and yet it is completely different. Hammurabis set of laws heavily relies on retaliation which has no place in the twenty- first century. But Code number 203, states that "If a free-born man strike the body of another free-born man or equal rank, he shall pay on gold mina," this reminds one of small claims court. But in a case it is different because a modern day society does not poke out the eye of an assailant, (number 196 "If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out"). It is my belief that Hammurabi was a just man but I would not choose to live under his code because of its harsh punishments. For instance, using the above example, what would happen if the eye incident was an accident? There are catch-22s and holes in the code even though it is well thought out. In conclusion, Hammurabi, said to be the greatest leader of Ancient Mesopotamia, laid out a set of laws which emphasizes retribution as a form of punishment ("an eye for an eye"). It is my belief that Hammurabi was a just ruler who took into consideration all things that affected his people. ...

Db5 diversity in the workplace Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Db5 diversity in the workplace - Research Paper Example It is also mean to increase the number of women in the employment sector. In my opinion, I believe affirmative action had fair intensions. This is because the programs were designed so as to provide individuals who are qualified with a fair and equal access to recruitment and opportunities. This is because the polices states that the people responsible in hiring and recruiting people should give fair and equal chances of evaluation regardless of the candidates gender, race or ethnic background. This makes sure that all people get opportunities equally (Tucker, 2000). It also increases social and economic diversity in the American educational system and workplace. Currently, the affirmative action has created a stronger educational and workplace diversity. This is because students of all races have been equally admitted into academic institutions. It has also made sure that women have increased in number in jobs that predominantly were occupied by males (Sadler, 1996). The program has ensured a rich diversity in colleges. There have been greater gains in the enrollment and graduations for women and people of colored skin at higher education institutions. Generally, I believe the affirmative action has had positive effects to the

Leadership Application Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership Application Project - Essay Example Leadership By Example We have read or heard people who have etched their name in history books as a great leader of their time, whether in fame or notoriety. People like Moses in the Bible, Churchill and Hitler during the World War II or Obama and Bin Laden in the 21st century have captured the imagination of the world. They were leaders on their own right, whether chosen by their people or self proclaimed themselves. There are so many types of leadership: charismatic, participative, situational, transactional, transformational, quiet, and servant. What do these people have that they have so many followers? What are their traits? Do they have maxims they earnestly follow? For this project, we will try to look into the style of leadership which an individual can follow which will eventually make him/her a good leader. Firstly, let’s define what leadership is, according to Northouse (2007)â€Å"Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objecti ve and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent† (p. 3) in simple term, it is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal or objective. There is a notion that leaders are born rather than made. On the contrary, leaders are made through knowledge and skills which is called â€Å"Process Leadership† by Jago, 1982. Jago added that we have traits that can influence our actions which he termed as â€Å"Trait Leadership†. When we are task to lead people, we will be confronted on how to strategize them to follow what we have initially planned, in order to achieve our goal. In this case, we choose the leadership by example because study shows this is what the great leaders demonstrated in achieving their objectives. As Mahatma Gandhi once said â€Å"You must be the change you wish to see in the world.† It is not from another person that we rely for an answer to our problem, it should come from us. No matter our position or role maybe we can take the initiative and make the decision to show the way for others. I would like to cite a simple case in a family. The father, usually the breadwinner, who will take care of the basic needs of the family, that is, food, shelter and clothing. If the father remiss his duty-bound responsibilities because of his irresponsible attitude and unsound decisions, he will not gain support worse respect from his children and spouse. The father should be a role model to his children by leading by example. By showing that you care for their well-being and have an open communication, these two traits alone will work effectively in the family. How do we correlate this in an organization or a big corporation? In a setting where a leader plays a vital role to accomplish an organization’s objectives, he/she should have the traits, skills and knowledge necessary to perform his/her assigned task effectively. A classic example of a perso n balancing family and corporate affairs effectively is psychologist Lily Kelly-Radford, a vice-president of the prominent nonprofit Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). As quoted by Deborah Smith Bailey, Kelly-Radford says â€Å"if you’re good at what you do, take self-care measures and get creative about integrating your work and family life, you can be a successful leader and fulfill personal obligations† (Monitor Staff). She had an extensive experience in teaching and private consulting prior

The impact of ICT on the local community Essay Example for Free

The impact of ICT on the local community Essay Introduction I live in the borough of Waltham Forest. Waltham Forest is quite an advanced community in terms of technology. Technology is used for various things, whether to make them more efficient or to provide a better service. Walthamstow is a small town located within Waltham Forest, which also harbours Leyton and Leytonstone. It is located to the North East of London and bordered to the north by Chingford, to the south by Leyton and Leytonstone, to the east by Epping Forest, to the west by Tottenham and the River Lea valley. Walthamstow is identified by the London plan as one of the 35 major centres in Greater London. Walthamstows market is one of the longest daily outdoor markets in Europe and dominates the High Street. There are various shops lined along the high street with some high-end chain brands to several individually opened stalls that specialise in food, fabrics, household goods and other such stuff. The Mall in Selborne Walk is the largest place in the area to find lots of different brand shops selling high-end goods manufactured and produced to the mass public via corporations instead of individual businesses. The individual businesses tend to be all located outside on the high street. The central library has also recently been refurbished and modernised. It was expanded from 2006-2007 to hold a wider range of books to serve to the public and provide a much better service. Walthamstow also contains other things such as post offices, arcades, funfairs, charity events and a variety of different schools. These include the Frederick Bremer School (a coalition formed in 2008 of the two schools Aveling Park and Warwick School for Boys), Forest School, The Holy Family Technology College, Kelmscott School, Walthamstow Academy, Walthamstow School for Girls, Willowfield School and Sir George Monoux College. There is also the Walthamstow Town Hall. The town hall is used for a variety of things, from important council meeting to being rented for other reasons of necessity e.g. during the Muslim holiday, Eid, the Town hall was used as a place of mass prayer. The National Rail and London Underground Stations include Walthamstow Central Underground and National Rail station, Blackhorse Road Underground and National Rail station, Walthamstow Queens Road, Wood Street, Highams Park and St James Street. The biggest would be the Walthamstow Central Underground and National Rail station which is, as the name states, in the central of the town. It is located near the location of the main bus stations that go around the whole town and near the Selborne Walk Mall. This makes it quite an efficient place as people can travel throughout the town simply after arriving at the station. The station in particular is located on the East end of the Victoria Line, being the last stop. The bus services are also quite complex. There exists a full infrastructure Hopper Service and a multi point-to-point network which is serviced to and from the main bus terminal in Walthamstow Central to a cross network passing through the centre and the outskirts. The five pieces of technology I will be investigating, assessing and evaluating will be the following: * Oyster-card/Travel system * Librarian system * ATM machines * Waltham Forest Council website * CCTV/Metropolitan website Oyster card/Travel system The Oyster card system is a system that functions throughout all of London, within the Tube and Bus services. It is a form of electronic ticketing which uses a database system to track travel information, linking it back to the owner of the corresponding oyster card, and charges them to the appropriate degree for the travelling expenses of the services they used. Oyster cards generally need to be topped-up to be used and works similar in this function to a debit card. The following travel systems incorporate the Oyster card: London Underground, buses, the Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, trams, certain river boat services and the majority of National Rail Services within the London Fare Zones. The Oyster card generally appears as the blue card seen above. It can be used as a single-ticket, period tickets and travel permit. It is also integrated with a Smart card system which uses certain data in the Oyster card to be able to, without using contact, be detected by Oyster card machines. Buses and train platforms use Oyster card machines to scan the card. Once the beep is identified, the person is let through. However, there are also different versions of Oyster cards which also come with different prices and a different appearance. For example, the card to the right is an example of an 11-15 age group Oyster Card and is what all Oyster card holders in that age period hold. In this card, a photographic identification is needed. How the Oyster card and London travel system meets the communitys needs The Oyster card is a small, portable, easy to carry card that carries on it the data of all your travelling expenses and money stored on the Oyster card system. Not only this, but it also holds the advantage over tickets of being cheaper and providing discounts, with buses being completely free for 11-15 year olds. All of these provide the incentive to switch from the out-dated ticket method to the modernised Oyster card system. What this does for the community is provides them with a much more efficient and cheaper system. An oyster card can be topped up to a maximum of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½90. This would be equal to about 45 single tickets but the oyster card is capable of carrying this all in one simple card that stores data inside it. People can be much more organised with this system and save a lot of money in the long run. They can keep track of their travels and how much they are spending. Its portability is another thing that is extremely valuable to people who use the Oyster card system. People dont need to go and purchase a ticket and sort it all out. All they need to do is get their oyster card, tap it on the system and their travelling business is sorted! It makes travelling using public services much more simple for anyone using it. The smart card feature instils a small bit of data into the card, meaning that its data can be detected with the oyster card readers the government installs. People dont have to take their oyster card out of their wallets as the card reader can detect the card through wallets. This makes things easier, especially in crowded buses. The hassle of taking everything out, locating the card and removing it can overcomplicate things and waste time. The smart card feature takes away this long process and gives people the ability to simply tap and move on. The travel system incorporates a countdown system on trains and buses to allow people to approximately see when the bus/train will arrive, whether itd be late, early or on time. People can use this to know when to be present at the station so they can have time to do other things and know when to be back at the station. This gives people the chance to spend their time wisely instead of waiting at a station not knowing how long left to wait and not wanting to miss the train or bus, either. The countdown system on the train is more accurate as its all computerised but on buses, most of them are used via a time schedule on paper. The countdown system essentially allows people to organise their time, plan out much more thoroughly their journey and avoid being late to appointments. Theres a site created by the government that goes along with the travel system called Transport for London, accessed from www.tfl.gov.uk. This site has information about everything regarding the oyster card system, the train system and in general, any public transport facility in all of London. But other than information, it also has a travel planner allowing you to plan a journey, avoiding any problems such as closed lines or to be aware of any accidents that have currently took place. This allows you to plan a safe, fast journey with no obstacles delaying you. This helps people to be punctual on their journey. The site also allows you to log on and view your information. Using this, you can check the money on your Oyster Card and top it up using a credit card. This means that you can pre-plan your journey to make sure you have enough money preventing any problems when travelling. You can also find other information on the site regarding oyster cards, e.g. losing the card, replacing the card, benefits and many more. Buses have the ability to be manually stopped at certain stops but also have the choice to go past the stops. This means that unnecessary stops where no one needs to get off or no one needs to get on can be skipped thus saving time and allowing people to get to their desired destination faster. People can plan where they want to stop or skip the stop if need be. There is also the emergency stop which stops at any location in case something dangerous happens. This allows people to get off the bus in case of a casualty of some sort. As mentioned in the countdown system, buses have quite a strict schedule they need to follow. The schedules are all listed in each bus stop or on the tfl.gov site so people know when a certain bus will arrive. This can be more useful than the countdown system as the schedules stay the same every day. This means that people can plan their journey right to the dot and get to the station right when the bus arrives. People know when exactly to arrive, so they arent too early or too late. This saves them time. Summary * While not completely necessary to use public transport in Waltham Forest, it provides the incentive of discounted use of trains and buses, with buses being completely free with an 11-15 Oyster card * Easy to carry and easy to handle on buses and trains * Smart card feature allows a much easier contact/purchase of transport service, only needing a touch of the Oyster card and nothing more * Countdown system in buses and trains give people a lot more preparation and organisation to their daily schedule * Transport system has its own website-Transport for London-that displays all kinds of information and latest news regarding the transport system * Buses can be manually stopped and requested to stop at certain stops and if no requests are made, no stops happen thus saving time and helping people get where they want to faster * Buses all follow a strict schedule so people know when to expect a bus to arrive and at exactly what minute of the hour How it fails to meet the communitys needs A lot of times, you naturally assume that the bus will stop. However, if there is no one needing to be picked up or no one who has pressed the button to stop the bus, then the bus would simply carry on. This can cause a lot of people to be late due to carelessness which happens quite a lot. People have to stay alert when their stops are coming by otherwise the bus might simply pass it before they realise. Oyster cards are small and can be lost quite easily. They also cost quite a bit to replace and take up to a week for a new one to arrive. This can put a halt to travelling plans or force you to spend extra on buying tickets. Oyster cards, when lost or stolen, can still be used unless reported stolen. As a lot of buses or trains dont generally check if the ID/photograph matches, someone can easily just use your oyster card for their own travelling needs and use up your own money supplies topped up on the oyster card. While buses have a schedule, they can ruin it by coming late. This can be due to an emergency, an accident or just simple traffic. They can also come early causing some people to miss the bus and theyd have to wait for the next one. This can cause a few problems for people in terms of punctuality. Summary * Manual stops cause you to miss yours and ruin your schedule * Oyster cards cost a lot of money to replace and are quite easy to lose * Oyster cards can easily be used by a thief using your own money without being detected * Buses can ruin schedules by coming late due to an accident of sorts Conclusion The Oyster card/travelling system is extremely useful for a citizen in London. Its an extremely advantageous system to have and people benefit tremendously. It saves a lot of money for people in contrast to the previous ticket system and makes peoples travel much more organised and safe. People can premeditate their plans and journeys and plan through any foreseeable interruptions. The community find it much more beneficial in terms of arriving on time. Walthamstow Library/Librarian system A library is essentially a building or room containing books, periodicals and occasionally DVDs or CDs ranging from music to movies for people to loan for a period of time. It can also be a place to study, access computers, access a WiFi connection and lots more, depending on the library. The library in Walthamstow is called the Walthamstow Library. It is located on the Walthamstow High Street, one of the biggest high streets in the country. This means it is easily accessible to a large range of people as the high street is linked to a lot of transport facilities. Its area is extremely efficient as it can take advantage of the large amount of shoppers and shops in the area. It is open every day apart from Thursdays and Fridays. As well as providing the usual functions a library would, it also provides events to kids and even adults in the area such as specialty classes (computer, reading etc.). But the most beneficial thing a library provides to its community would be the loaning of books, DVDs and other such things which is essentially controlled by the librarian system. The library system in Walthamstow also connects with the library systems in other towns in London. They all share one database. Having worked in Leytonstone Library, I had access and in-depth experience to how exactly the librarian system works in the community. The library system works in correspondence with a library card which links to a database called OpenGalaxy. This database contains information of all the people who signed up to any of the libraries in all of London, unless they use another database. It also contains information of all the books in London that have been sent to the library. These books are then linked to each person in the database when they either loan or return it. The library can easily track each book and who it is currently loaned to using this system. How Walthamstow Library and the Librarian system meets the communitys needs The OpenGalaxy system essentially allows anyone, as long as they have simply signed up for a free library card, to loan a book, CD or DVD. Books are free to loan and CDs and DVDs come at a small charge. This allows people who cant afford to buy such things to simply borrow them and give them back. People have free or cheap access to things they usually would have to pay for. People of all kinds are allowed to enjoy books due to the library. People can use this system to reserve books from libraries not just in their local one, i.e. Newham Library and such as the system is connected between all the branches. This means that it is much easier to track a book you might not be able to find elsewhere as there is a large source in which you are searching in. People can also have internet access via laptops due to the public WiFi connection in the library. People who dont usually have access to such privilege can do so via the library. They can do all sorts of things to the internet e.g. research, study or even play games. There is also a quiet room where these people can go so they wont be disturbed in any way. People can find a place to go to where they can focus and not be distracted. The library also gives people free access to computers as long as they have a library card. People are given the chance to work on these computers if they dont have one themselves and its all a free service. This means that people who cant maintain their own computer or internet are given the chance to via a library. The library becomes an important place for people like this. The library also offers children/adult sessions on various things like singing groups, computer classes etc. These can be extremely helpful for busy parents who can simply leave their children here where they would be looked after and socialise with other kids. Adult sessions also mean that uneducated people can be taught how to do certain things that are necessary in this modern age e.g. use a computer which is an essential skill to keep up with the fast modernisation of the world. People who dont have access to a printer or photocopier at home can use the library. This means that people save money on not having to purchase their own printer and photocopier as they can simply use the library. People can print out work or photocopy posters and such using the library. Summary * People can loan a large variety of books, CDs and DVDs * People can use this system to reserve books not limited to their local branch * People can use the library to connect to WiFi * People can use the computers free of charge as long as they have a library card * People can use the quiet room to study in the library * People can take advantage of the librarys children or adult sessions * People can take advantage of the photocopying/printing privileges How it fails to meet the communitys needs The library has a minimal amount of faults as they are a funded public service to the community and do well in serving and providing to the general public. However, there are a few. For example, a library card has your library identity in it. If it gets lost or stolen and goes unreported, people can take books and not return them all under your name, thus giving you the blame. Also, the library card is extremely harsh with overdue books. If a book goes overdue, you have to pay a large fine or you cannot use the loaning system any longer. This fee soon increases if you dont pay and eventually becomes impossible to pay for some people as they would either refuse or just not bother with such a high amount. People would also have to pay an exaggerated amount if they lose the book. This can be a problem to people who cannot afford to simply pay this money, stopping them from loaning any more books. Summary * Library cards can be easily lost or stolen and used to steal books under your name * Pay a large fine for books you have lost or not returned within the due date Conclusion The library is a place with many uses and helps the needy who cant afford their own resources. It is an extremely valuable asset to the community as it provides a place to gain knowledge, finish work and study in peace. ATM machines ATM machines, also known as the automated teller machines, are public and easily accessible machines that give you the ability to access your bank account without the need of going to a banker, cashier or any kind of human interaction. They generally work via a pin number and an insertion of the credit card into the ATM. It then displays your credit card credentials, balance and gives you the option to withdraw and deposit your desired amount. How ATM machines meet the communitys needs With the ATM machine, people save the time by not having to go to a bank and wait in a long queue. An ATM machine simply does all these things for you. You can check your balance and withdraw plus deposit money. Its a very efficient method of transferring money from your bank account. Its a quick, fast and simple method to use. The ATM machine has easy instructions to follow to use it so even the most novice person can use it just by following the instructions given. You simply have to enter your credit card, pin number and then the action you want to take. This makes it easy for a lot of people to transfer money and saves a lot of time. Its located in a lot of ideal and efficient areas, such as outside a supermarket. This allows people to use them when theyre in a dire need of money without having to do something elongated such as going to a bank to withdraw a simple amount of money. If you forget some money you need, you can simply go to one of the easily accessible ATMs which are located in a wide area. This saves people a lot of hassle. The ATM machine can print receipts so if there are any errors due to a technical difficulty, you have proof that the transfer did take place. This saves a lot of problems that occur with the ATM machine and allows the transfer to be much more secure. If people stole your credit card, they could just take it to an ATM machine; steal all the money, leave the credit card and run away. The need of a pin number, which should only be known by the owner of the card, prevents this. A lot of credit card fraud is negated this way. Summary * Negates the need of the prolonged method of going to a banker * Quick, fast and simple to use * Located in a lot of areas allowing you to withdraw money in a large variety of places * Allows you to get money out when you most need it, meaning you dont have to carry large amounts of money wherever you go and put yourself at risk * Printable receipts so you can have proof of withdrawal or deposit in-case a problem occurs * Need of pin number prevents a lot of fraud How it fails to meet the communitys needs However, credit card fraud still takes place even with the need of a pin. It is easy to peek over and see what exactly the pin number is. This can also work with fake ATM machines to steal a lot of money from people. ATM machines are located in a lot of different places so itd be hard to tell if an ATM machine is fake or real. People can easily be taken advantage of in this way. Con artists can place ATM machines and use it to steal or copy a credit card and take a pin number and use it to steal lots of money from the credit card. People can easily be stolen from in this way. People are also easy targets to being mugged. If you are seen coming from an ATM machine, people assume you are carrying a mystery amount of money on you. This puts you as an ideal target for thieves who see you coming from an ATM machine. Thats why it is very dangerous to use one in a secluded area. The efficient, easy use of an ATM machine to withdraw cash can also be a big downside. With the ease of money transfer which is supposed to be securely stored, it might tempt you to withdraw too much for personal needs. ATM machines are strategically located outside casinos so when people gamble, they might be tempted to withdraw more money, especially with how easy it would be. Summary * Easy to fraud despite the need for a pin * Fake ATM machines placed in random locations by thieves and con artists might be used * Easy target for theft if seen coming from an ATM machine * Can tempt you to spend too much, especially if placed outside something such as a casino Conclusion ATM machines can be seen as being essential to a community as they allow the community to transfer money much faster and stops banks from being overcrowded. However, a lot of ATM machines in unsecure locations may put you at the risk of credit card fraud. So, while using them might be useful in terms of saving time and practicality, you are also put at the risk of being a target of criminals. Waltham Forest Council website The Waltham Forest council website is an extremely useful website that can easily be accessed from any computer, as long as they have internet. It provides help with living in the community and information regarding lots of things, such as education, jobs, leisure, information on services in the community e.g. timetables, open dates, events, and many more. People can access a feature called My services where they can do many things such as apply for housing, jobs, parking permits etc. to paying council tax and checking business rates and paying off parking fines. It provides a lot for this community and supports the whole communitys needs in lots of different ways. How the Walthamstow Forest Council website meets the communitys needs The vast amount of information which the site holds involving the borough is staggering. Anything you need to know is located on this site. You can learn about events, shops, clubs, schools and many more. People can use the site to find out all they want about the area they live in. People have access via this site to do things related to fines, taxes and other such things. This means that people wont have to get out of their house to do such things. It can all be paid via the website. This is extremely efficient and saves the community a lot of time. People can use the site to find any vacancies in the area in different areas of the job market. They can have up to date information on when a vacancy opens and do all they can to try and find a job, whether it be part time or full time. This is extremely useful to the large amount of unemployed who can simply find any open jobs using this site without having to go to job centres and such. Parents can look up education and find the best schools to go to in the area for their children using the site. They can find which school would fit their exact location and needs. This is extremely useful and helpful to children as parents can choose which school would suit their child best. You can find any current events or news that happen in the borough via the site. You can keep up to date with anything that happens. This beats the need for newspapers and makes sure people dont miss any community events. Summary * A large amount of information pertaining to the borough * Access to services and ability to do things such as pay fines and taxes which saves time doing it in real life * Find jobs in your area * Look up schools in your area * Find out any current events happening in the borough How it fails to meet the communitys needs The website does not necessarily have any disadvantages. But it does need an internet access which a lot of people still dont have or know how to use. Summary * Needs internet access Conclusion People, living in not just Walthamstow, but the whole of Waltham Forest benefit greatly from this site. They can keep up to date with their lives and know everything going on in the surrounding area. They can find out about jobs, education and other important factors of life. CCTV/Metropolitan website The CCTV system and the metropolitan website both work in keeping finding and keeping crime off the streets. CCTV, which stands for closed circuit television, is a system which uses video cameras to monitor a certain location which happens by sending the footage to the corresponding office it is connected to where it is viewed by the security of that particular place. For example, they could be cameras showing footage of a school, a supermarket or any other office environments. CCTV is generally used for surveillance. They are generally in places where there are risks of crime taking place. The metropolitan site is used to help capture crimes not seen by CCTV cameras or lacking evidence. People can report crimes and also stay confidential. This can allow people to supposedly snitch without the fear of being caught for snitching. How CCTV and the Metropolitan website meets the communitys needs When a criminal sees that a CCTV is in the area, they think twice about committing a crime. This is the first step CCTVs do in reducing crime. The fear of being caught on camera stops the crime from happening in the first place. If a crime is captured, then it can be used as evidence in a court case. It can be shown to prove that a person did commit a crime and help put the criminals behind a bar. This makes the community much safer not only knowing that CCTV would capture the crime if it took place but also that the criminal is locked up behind bars. The method of sending the video feed captured on a video camera back to where its being monitored is quite efficient in that its effective and fast at sending the information back. This makes it easier to capture criminals as the system works in a speedy way. Places such as schools where kids are most vulnerable are kept safe. If a stranger appears or something extremely dangerous happens, CCTV can be used to find the culprit. Dangerous people such as child molesters are found and arrested making school safer and making the kids feel much more secure being in school. The most effective use of the CCTV is that it can be placed in a large variety of places, watching crime from even the most dangerous areas. This allows it to be able to reduce crime no matter where it takes place. The metropolitan website aims to make London a much safer place. This provides reassurance in the community and they have access to a lot of the resources located in the site. People are able to confide in crimes while keeping their identity a secret. This stops people from being scared of being caught for snitching which can provide harsh consequences for the snitch in relation with his friends. The anonymity provides reassurance and a sense of security. Summary * The simple presence of CCTV deters criminals * If it captures a crime, it can be used as evidence * Efficient method of sending camera feed to the corresponding connection where it is being monitored * Keeps places such as schools safe * Can be placed wherever it needs to be * The website aims to keep London safe * Allows people to confide in crimes theyve witnessed while staying anonymous * Provides reassurance to people who are having from witnessing a crime How it fails to meet the communitys needs However, people do complain that CCTV makes for a lack of privacy for people. People feel that it invades what should be personal space. It is also quite expensive and advanced to set up as a whole. The CCTV system requires skill and knowledge of ICT to be able to set up properly and also a lot of money. Summary * Invasion of privacy * Expensive to set up * Can be quite advanced to set up Conclusion Overall, CCTV and the Metropolitan website work extremely well in keeping London secure and crime free. People are less worried about crime wherever they go and it adds an assurance to people knowing they are being protected.