The Forbidden Game The Hunter Chapter 1 Free Essays

Jenny glanced back over her shoulder. They were still behind her, on the other side of the street but definitely following. They matched their pace to hers; when she slowed to pretend to look in a store window, they slowed, too. We will write a custom essay sample on The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 1 or any similar topic only for you Order Now There were two of them, one dressed in a black T-shirt and leather vest, with a black bandanna on his head, the other in a long flannel shirt, black-and-blue plaid, unbuttoned. Also unwashed. They both looked like trouble. The game store was a few blocks ahead. Jenny quickened her pace a little. This wasn’t the best neighborhood in town, and she’d come here specifically because she didn’t want any of her friends to see her. She hadn’t realized, though, that Eastman Avenue had gotten quite so rough. After the last riots the police had cleared things up, but many of the vandalized stores still had boarded windows, which gave Jenny a creeping feeling between her shoulder blades. They were like bandaged eyes turned toward her. Not at all the place to be at dusk-but it wasn’t dusk yet, Jenny told herself fiercely. If only those two guys would turn off onto another street. Her heart was beating unpleasantly hard. Maybe they had turned†¦. She slowed again, her feet in their lace-up canvas Tretons making no sound on the dirty sidewalk. From behind and to the left she heard the flat smack of running shoes and the clack of bootheels. The footsteps slowed. They were still there. Don’t look back, she told herself. Think. You have to cross over at Joshua Street to get to the store-but that means crossing left, to their side of the street. Bad idea, Jenny. While you’re crossing they can catch up to you. All right, then, she’d turn off before that, she’d go right on this next street up here-what was it? Montevideo. She’d go right on Montevideo, and then she’d find a store to duck into, a place to hide until the two guys had passed by. The Tower Records on the corner of Eastman and Montevideo was no longer in business. Too bad. Back straight, stubbornly pretending she was perfectly calm, Jenny walked by the darkened windows. She caught a glimpse of herself in one of them: a slender girl with hair that Michael had once said was the color of honey in sunlight. Her eyebrows were straight, like two decisive brush strokes, and her forest-green eyes were dark as pine needles and even more serious than usual. She looked worried. She turned right at the cross street. As soon as she was out of sight of Eastman Avenue, she stopped and stood as still as a deer, backpack swinging from her hand, eyes desperately scanning Montevideo for cover. Directly opposite her was a vacant lot and beside that a Thai restaurant, closed. Behind her the looming bulk of the record store presented a blank wall to the street all the way down to the park. No cover. Nowhere to hide. Jenny’s neck prickled and her little fingers began to tingle. She turned toward Eastman and hugged the wall, tossing back her hair to listen. Were those footsteps or just the sick thudding of her own heart? She wished that Tom were with her. But of course that was the whole point. Tom couldn’t be with her, since it was his party she was shopping for. It was supposed to have been a pool party. Jenny Thornton was known for her pool parties, and here in southern California late April was a perfectly reasonable time to have one. The temperature often hovered in the mid-seventies at night, and the Thornton pool glowed like a huge blue-green jewel in the backyard, giving off little wisps of steam from its surface. The perfect setting for an outdoor barbecue. Then three days ago the cold snap had come †¦ and Jenny’s plans were ruined. Nobody except polar bears swam in this kind of weather. She’d meant to rethink things, to come up with some other brilliant idea, but it had been one of those weeks. Summer’s fourteen-year-old schnauzer had finally had to be put to sleep, and Summer had needed Jenny for moral support. Dee had taken a kung fu exam, and Jenny had gone to cheer her on. Audrey and Michael had had a fight, and Zach had had the flu†¦. And then suddenly it had been Friday afternoon, with just hours to go before the party and everyone expecting something special-and nothing set up. Fortunately an idea had come to her in the middle of computer applications class. A game. People gave murder mystery parties and Pictionary parties and things like that. Why not a game tonight? It would have to be a very special game, of course. Something chic enough for Audrey, sexy enough for Tom, and even scary, if possible, to keep Dee’s interest. Something seven people could play at once. Vague notions had run through Jenny’s head of the only really exciting games she’d ever played as a child. Not the ones the adults arranged, but the kind you devised on your own once they were safely out of the house. Truth or dare and spin the bottle. Some combination of those two-only more sophisticated, of course, more suited to juniors in high school-would be ideal. That was what had brought her to Eastman Avenue. She’d known perfectly well it wasn’t the best neighborhood, but she’d figured that at least none of her friends would see her and find out about this last-minute scramble for entertainment. Jenny had gotten herself into this mess; she would get herself out of it. Only now the mess was getting bigger than she’d bargained for. She could definitely hear footsteps now. They sounded very close and were approaching quickly. Jenny looked down Montevideo again, her mind taking in irrelevant details with obsessive precision. The record store wall was not truly blank after all. There was a mural on it, a mural of a street that looked much like Eastman Avenue before the riots. Strange-parts of the mural looked real. Like that storefront painted in the middle, the one with the sign Jenny couldn’t quite make out. It had a door that looked real: The handle seemed three dimensional. In fact†¦ Startled, Jenny took a step toward it. The knob appeared to change shape as she moved, like any three-dimensional object. She looked more closely and found she could see the difference in texture between the wooden door and the painted concrete wall. The door was real. It couldn’t be-but it was. There was a door stuck in the middle of the mural. Why, Jenny didn’t know. There wasn’t time to wonder about it. Jenny needed to get off the street, and if this door was unlocked †¦ Impulsively she took hold of the knob. It was cool as china and it turned in her hand. The door swung inward. Jenny could see a dimly lit room. One instant of hesitation, then she stepped inside. Just as she did, she consciously took in the sign above the door. It read: â€Å"More Games.† I here was a push-button lock on the inside doorknob, and Jenny depressed it. There were no windows looking out on Montevideo, of course, so she couldn’t see whether the two guys had followed her. Still, she had a tremendous feeling of relief. No one was going to find her in here. Then she thought, More Games? She had often seen signs reading â€Å"More Books† in the arty, shabby used bookstores around here, signs with an arrow pointing up a narrow staircase to another floor. But how could there be More Games when there hadn’t been any games at all yet? Just the fact that it happened to be a game store she’d stumbled onto was strange, but very convenient. She could do her shopping while she waited for the tough guys to go away. The owner would probably be glad to have her; with that mural camouflaging the door they couldn’t do much business here. As she looked around she saw just how strange the store really was. Even stranger than the usual odd shops around Eastman Avenue. The room was lit by one small window and several old-fashioned lamps with stained-glass shades. There were shelves and tables and racks like any other store, but the objects on them were so exotic that Jenny felt as if she’d stepped into another world. Were they all games? They couldn’t be. Jenny’s mind filled suddenly with wild images from The Arabian Nights, images of foreign bazaars where anything-anything-might be sold. She stared around at the shelves in amazement. God, what a weird chessboard. Triangular. Could anybody really play on a board like that? And there was another one, with strange, squat chessmen carved of rock crystal. It looked more than antique -it looked positively ancient. So did a metalwork box covered with arabesques and inscriptions. It was made of brass or maybe bronze, decorated with gold and silver and Arabic writing. Whatever was in that box, Jenny knew she couldn’t afford it. Some of the games she could identify, like the mahogany mah-jongg table with ivory tiles spilled carelessly on the green felt top. Others, like a narrow enameled case crawling with hieroglyphics, and a red box embossed with a gold Star of David in a circle, she had never seen before. There were dice of every size and description: some twelve-sided, some shaped like pyramids, and some ordinary cubical ones made of odd materials. There were card decks fantastically colored like illuminated manuscripts. Strangest of all, the weird antique things were intermixed with weird ultramodern things. A cork bulletin board on the back wall sported signs reading: â€Å"Flame.† â€Å"Rant.† â€Å"Rave.† â€Å"Surf the Edge.† â€Å"Cheap Thrills.† Cyberpunk, Jenny thought, vaguely recognizing the terms. Maybe they sold computer games here, too. From a boom box on the counter came 120-beat-a-minute acid house music. This, thought Jenny, is a very peculiar place. It felt so-cut off-from everything outside. As if time didn’t exist here, or ran differently somehow. Even the dusty sunlight slanting in that one window seemed wrong. Jenny would have sworn the light should have been coming from the other direction. A chill went through her. You’re mixed up, she told herself. Disoriented. And no wonder, after the day you’ve had-after the week you’ve had. Just concentrate on finding a game, if there’s anything here that you can actually play. There was another sign on the board, a sort of square: W E L C O M E T O M Y W O R L D Jenny tilted her head, examining it. What did the letters say? Oh, of course, she had it now. Welcome†¦ â€Å"Can I help you?† The voice spoke from right behind her. Jenny turned-and lost her breath. Eyes. Blue eyes. Except that they weren’t just blue, they were a shade Jenny couldn’t describe. The only place she’d seen a blue like that was once when she’d happened to wake up at the precise instant of dawn. Then, between the window curtains, she’d glimpsed an unbelievable, luminous color, which had lasted only a second before fading to the ordinary blue of the sky. No boy should have eyes as blue as that, and especially not surrounded by lashes so heavy they seemed to weigh his eyelids down. This boy had the most startling coloring she’d ever seen. His eyelashes were black, but his hair was white-true white, the color of frost or tendrils of mist. He was †¦ well, beautiful. But in the most exotic, uncanny way imaginable, as if he’d just stepped in from another world. Jenny’s reaction was instant, total, and absolutely terrifying. She forgot Tom’s existence. I didn’t know people could look like that. Real people, I mean. Maybe he’s not real. God, I’ve got to stop staring – But she couldn’t. She couldn’t help herself. Those eyes were like the blue at the core of a flame. No-like a mile-deep lake set in a glacier. No †¦ The guy turned and went to the counter. The boom box clicked off. Silence roared in Jenny’s ears. â€Å"Can I help you?† he repeated, politely and indifferently. Heat rose to Jenny’s cheeks. Ohmigod, what he must think of me. The moment those eyes had turned away from her, she had come out of it, and now that he was farther away, she could look at him objectively. Not something from another world. Just a guy about her own age: lean, elegant, and with an unmistakable air of danger about him. His hair was white-blond, cropped close at the sides, long in back and so long over the forehead that it fell into his eyes. He was dressed all in black in a weird combination of cyberpunk and Byronic poet. And he’s still gorgeous, Jenny thought, but who cares? Honestly, you’d think I’d never seen a guy before. On Tom’s birthday, too – A flash of shame went through her. She’d better start her shopping or get out of here. The two alternatives seemed equally attractive-except that the tough guys might still be outside. â€Å"I want to buy a game,† she said, too loudly. â€Å"For a party-for my boyfriend.† He didn’t even blink at the word boyfriend; in fact, he looked more laconic than ever. â€Å"Be my guest,† he said. Then he seemed to rouse himself to make a sale. â€Å"Anything in particular?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"How about Senet, the Egyptian Game of the Dead?† he said, nodding at the enameled case with the hieroglyphics. â€Å"Or the I-ching? Or maybe you’d like to cast the runes.† He picked up a leather cup and shook it suggestively. There was a sound like rattling bones. â€Å"No, nothing like that.† Jenny was feeling distinctly unnerved. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something about this guy sent whispers of alarm through her blood. Maybe it was time to go. â€Å"Well-there’s always the ancient Tibetan game of goats and tigers.† He gestured at a curiously carved bronze board with tiny figurines on it. â€Å"The fierce tigers, see, stalk the innocent little goats, and the innocent little goats try to run from the tigers. For two players.† â€Å"I-no.† Was he making fun of her? There was something to the twist of his mouth that made Jenny think yes. With dignity she said, â€Å"I was looking for-just a game that a lot of people can play at once. Like Pictionary or Outburst,† she added defiantly. â€Å"But since you don’t seem to have anything like that in the store-â€Å" â€Å"I see,† he said. â€Å"That kind of game.† Suddenly, looking at her sideways, he smiled. The smile unnerved Jenny more than anything yet. Definitely time to go, she thought. She didn’t care whether the tough guys were still outside. â€Å"Thank you,† she said with automatic politeness, and she turned to the door. â€Å"Mystery,† he said. His voice caught Jenny halfway across the room. She hesitated in spite of herself. What on earth did he mean? â€Å"Danger. Seduction. Fear.† Jenny turned back to face him, staring. There was something almost mesmerizing about his voice-it was full of elemental music, like water running over rock. â€Å"Secrets revealed. Desires unveiled.† He smiled at her and pronounced the last word distinctly: â€Å"Temptation.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† she said, tensed to hit him or run if he took one step toward her. He didn’t. His eyes were as innocently blue as Nordic fjords. â€Å"The Game, of course. That’s what you want, isn’t it? Something †¦ very special.† Something very special. Exactly what she’d thought herself. â€Å"I think,† she said slowly, â€Å"that I’d better-â€Å" â€Å"We do have something like that in stock,† he said. Now’s your chance, she told herself when he disappeared through a door into the back room. You can just walk out of here. And she was going to leave, she was just about to go, when he appeared again. â€Å"I think,† he said, â€Å"that this is what you’ve been looking for.† She looked at what he was holding, then up at his face. â€Å"You’ve got to be joking,† she said. The box was about the size and shape of a Monopoly game. It was white and glossy and there wasn’t a single word, line, or figure printed on it. A blank white box. Jenny waited for the punch line. There was something about it, though. The more she looked at that box, the more she felt†¦ â€Å"Could I see it?† she said. Touch it, was what she meant. For some reason she wanted to feel the weight of it in her hands, the sharpness of its corners in her palms. It was silly, but she did want to. She really wanted to. The guy leaned back, tilting the box between his own hands, gazing at its glossy top. Jenny noticed that there wasn’t a single fingerprint on the shiny finish, not so much as a smudge. She also noticed that his fingers were long and slender. And that he had a snake tattooed on his right wrist. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said. â€Å"I don’t know. On second thought, I’m not sure I can sell it to you after all.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because it really is special. Un-mundane. I can’t let it go to just anybody, or for just any reason. Maybe if you explained what it was for†¦ .† Why, he’s a tease, Jenny thought. Without in the least stopping being scared, or disturbed, or any of the other things she’d been since she’d come into this store, she started being amused as well. Wildly, inexplicably amused. Maybe if I looked like him, was that gorgeous, I’d be a tease, too, she thought. She said seriously, â€Å"It’s for a party tonight, for my boyfriend, Tom. He’s seventeen today. Tomorrow night we’ll have the big party-you know, with everybody invited, but tonight it’s just our group. Our crowd.† He tilted his head to one side. Light flashed off the earring he was wearing-a dagger or a snake, Jenny couldn’t tell which. â€Å"So?† â€Å"So I need something for us to do. You can’t just get seven people in a room, throw Doritos at them, and expect them to have a good time. I’ve screwed up massively by not getting organized until now-no real food, no decorations. And Tom-â€Å" The guy tilted the box again. Jenny watched its surface turn milky, then bright, then milky again. It was almost hypnotic. â€Å"And Tom will care?† he said, as if not believing it. Jenny felt defensive. â€Å"I don’t know-he might be disappointed. He deserves better, you see,† she added quickly. â€Å"He’s-† Oh, how to explain Tom Locke? â€Å"He’s-well, he’s incredibly handsome, and by the end of this year he’ll have lettered in three sports-â€Å" â€Å"I get it.† â€Å"No, you don’t,† Jenny said, horrified. â€Å"He’s not like that at all. Tom is wonderful. He’s just-so wonderful that sometimes it takes a little keeping up with him. And we’ve been together forever, and I love him, and I have since second grade. Okay?† Anger gave her courage, and she advanced a step toward the guy. â€Å"He is absolutely the best boyfriend in the world, and anybody who says he isn’t-† How to cite The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 1, Essay examples

Accounting Information System 5 Free Essays

string(195) " its complexity mixture of people, plant, materials, locations, technology, knowledge of the law as well as the design and valuation of work done, which are much subjectivity \(Capon, 1990: 1\)\." American Journal of Scientific Research ISSN 1450-223X Issue 4 (2009), pp36-44  © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2009 http://www. eurojournals. We will write a custom essay sample on Accounting Information System 5 or any similar topic only for you Order Now com/ajsr. htm Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management Universiti Putra Malaysia Abstract This study seeks to examine the use of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) by ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. , and it’s contribution to the knowledge management and strategic role of the organisation. ZBMS is a company that registered in Kuala Lumpur and operate in construction industry. The company used automated AIS known as ‘Contract Plus – Financial Project Accounting’ package commercially developed by a private company (ZYXW). Wide variety of people that involve in the company’s operation within and outside the organisation uses accounting information generated by this system for decisionmaking. Based on input provided by operational level managers, the Contract Plus software produces monthly projects’ income statements, balance sheets and statement of changes in financial position for the strategic and tactical managers to plan, control and make decision on the resources allocation. The role-played by AIS enhanced the organisations’ accounting functions, and add information value. The automated AIS speed up the process to generate financial statements and overcome human weaknesses in data processing. The system enhances management of resources and the process of monitoring, control and prediction of ZBMS business for better future. With the advent of AIS, the growth of tacit and explicit knowledge could be seen from the intensive training of personnel at the early stage of system implementation to the development and use of company’s own manual in training of new staff and assisting the job of existing staff. Given the benefit of AIS to ZBMS, this paper recommended that the source of data should be fully automated, and the existing system should be upgraded through computerise the pre-tendering and post-tendering of projects to enable AIS integration. Keywords: Accounting Information Systems, Knowledge Management, Accounting Functions, Information Value, Financial Statements 1. Introduction Accounting Information System (AIS) is vital to all organisations (Borthick and Clark, 1990; Curtis, 1995; Rahman et al. , 1988; Wilkinson, 1993; Wilkinson et al. 2000) and perhaps, every organisations either profit or non profit-oriented need to maintain the AISs (Wilkinson, 2000: 3-4). To better understand the term ‘Accounting Information System’, the three words constitute AIS would be elaborate separately. Firstly, literature documented that accounting could be identified into three components, namely information system, â€Å"language of business† and source of financial inform ation (Wilkinson, 1993: 6-7). Secondly, information is a valuable data processing that provides a basis for making decisions, taking action and fulfilling legal obligation. Finally, system is an integrated entity, Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study 37 where the framework is focused on a set of objectives. The combination of the three words Accounting Information System indicate an integrated framework within an entity (such as a business firm) that employs physical resources (i. e. , materials, supplies, personnel, equipment, funds) to transform economic data into financial information for; (1) conducting the firm’s operations and activities, and (2) providing information concerning the entity to a variety of interested users. Indeed, the combination or interaction between human, technology and techniques would permit an organisation to administer its knowledge effectively (Bhatt, 2001; Thomas and Kleiner, 1995). Currently, the world and human life has been transformed from information age to a knowledge age (Syed-Ikhsan and Rowland, 2004: 238; Thomas and Kleiner, 1995: 22), and knowledge has been recognised as the most valuable asset. In fact, knowledge is not impersonal like money and does not reside in a book, a data bank or a software program (Drucker, 1993). Drucker believed that knowledge is always embodied in a person, taught and learned by a person, used or misused by a person. As the world moving into knowledge era, this paper will examine how ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. manages its knowledge in order to remain competitive amongst the construction industry. Probst, Raub Romhardt (1999, p. 1) stressed that companies must learn to manage their intellectual assets (i. e. knowledge) in order to survive and compete in the ‘knowledge society’. Indeed, knowledge management is concerned with the exploitation and development of the knowledge assets (Davenport et al. , 1998). This paper seeks to examine the Accounting Information Systems (AIS) used by a Malaysian company named ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. The paper will highlight the users of the system and the way information adds value to the organisation. Also, the paper will investigate the way knowledge is managed through the process of creating, storing, disseminating and applying and how information system plays an important role throughout the process and the AIS contribution in the organisation’s strategic role. The remainder of the paper is organised as follows. The following section describes the background of ZBMS and the use of accounting information systems. The third section provides research findings on accounting information systems employed by ZBMS. The fourth section offer suggestions for future research. The final section concludes the paper and outlines the limitations of the study. 2. The Use of Accounting Information Systems in ZBMS ZBMS is a private limited company registered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that operate in construction industry, where the main activities ranging from construction of infrastructure, building, power, waste water to property development as well as engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) in the oil gas sector. The company used automated AIS known as ‘Contract Plus – Financial Project Accounting’ package in their Finance Department, which was commercially developed by a private company (ZYXW). Contract Plus is a fully integrated business solution designed specifically for companies in the engineering and construction industry. The software will generate financial data to be analysed by the accountants and subsequently used by top level of management for strategic decision making, thus, these managers could identify future opportunities and limitations face by the company and industry (McCarthy, Minichiello and Curran, 1987: 243-244). . Findings As mentioned earlier in section 2, ZBMS is a company that operate in construction industry. The industry was identified as one of the most difficult to understand due to its complexity mixture of people, plant, materials, locations, technology, knowledge of the law as well as the design and valuation of work done, which are much subjectivity (Capon, 1990: 1). You read "Accounting Information System 5" in category "Papers" However, these challenges are under control with the advent of technology such as software development that allows systematic data 38 Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori processing. Therefore, it is important to understand the information flow in ZBMS in order to appreciate the usage of information within the organisation as shown in Figure 1-1 below. 3. 1. Users of AIS As shown in Figure 1-1, the finance personnel that reside at site project office (or called Project Accountants) and head office such as the Financial Accountants, Management Accountants and Finance Manager are the internal users of the system. Also, the management team that consists of Finance General Manager, Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director and Board of Directors are among the internal users of the system. On the other hand, the external users consist of government agency (i. e. Inland Revenue), external auditors and creditors. Indeed, wide variety of people within and outside the organisation uses accounting information for decision-making (Rahman and Halladay, 1988, Renau and Grabski, 1987). Figure 1. 1: Information Flow of ZBMS ZBMS HEAD OFFICE Management Team Inland Revenue ZBMS HEAD OFFICE External Auditors Finance Department Bankers Suppliers Site Office Design Team SubContractors Client 3. 2. Function of AIS The main function of AIS is to assign quantitative value of the past, present and future economics events. At ZBMS, AIS through its computerised accounting system (i. e. ZYXW-Contract Plus) produces the financial statements namely income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statement. The system will process the data and transform them into accounting information during input, processing and output stages that will be used by a wide variety of users such as internal and external users (see for example Wilkinson, 2000: 10-11). Wilkinson noted that an effective AIS performs several key functions throughout these three stages such as data collection, data maintenance, data Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study 39 management; data control (including security) and information generation. Figure 1-2 summarised the transformation process of AIS. Figure 1. 2: Data Processing in Finance Department at ZBMS Input – Progress Billing Certificate, Subcontractors Progress Certificate, Suppliers’ Invoices Processor – ZYXW Accounting System Output – Financial Statement Human Element – Finance Personnel 3. 3. Usage of Information Within AIS The construction projects undertaken by the company are divided according to the type of construction activities that comprised of five divisions, namely infrastructure, building, power, wastewater and oil and gas, where each project is treated as a separate company. The number of projects undertaken by each division depends on the contracts being awarded to the company. As indicated by Figure 1-2, the sources of data originated from external parties such as client, subcontractors and suppliers. The Project Accountants will work closely with the Quantity Surveyors to come out with the appropriate information as illustrated below: Client – The client’s Quantity Surveyors (QSs) will evaluate work in progress (WIP) and come out with percentage of WIP to be agreed by both parties. Once agreed, Progress Billing Certificates (PBC) will be issued by Client’s QSs, which a copy of it will be sent to head office for data processing. Subcontractors – The ZBMS’s QSs will evaluate subcontractor’s WIP at site and come out with percentage of WIP to be agreed by both parties. Once agreed, Subcontractor Progress Certificate (SPC) will be issued by ZBMS’s QSs and verified by ZBMS’s Project Manager, which a copy of it will be sent to head office for data processing. Suppliers – QSs and Project Accountants will ensure that the materials and machineries are delivered in good condition at construction site before delivery orders are accepted. The delivery orders will be attached to supplier’s invoice and sent to Head Office for processing. 40 Figure 1. 3: Simplifies the AIS within ZBMS: Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori CLIENT SUBCONTRACTORS SUPPLIERS Site Valuation by Client Site Valuation by ZBMS Materials machineries delivered Certified by Client Certified by ZBMS Materials machineries delivered PBC SPC Invoices Verified KeyPunched by Project Accountants Projects’ Accounts Receivables HQ Database (ZYXW) Head Office Maintenance Projects’ Accounts Payable Projects’ Fixed Assets Projects’ Cash Book Project Ledger Projects’ Trial Balance Projects’ Financial Statement Consolidated Consolidated General Ledger Consolidated Trial Balance Consolidated Financial Statements These documents will be verified and input into the system by Project Accountants. The projects’ data will be stored at Projects’ Account Receivables, Account Payables, Fixed Assets accordingly. Projects’ cashbook will be updated automatically after the data being entered to the projects’ Account Receivables and Account Payables. Any expenses incurred at head office will be stored at HQ Maintenance master file by Financial Accountant. The Contract Plus Accounting System software will process the data and produce financial statements of individual company’s projects on Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study 41 monthly basis, which subsequently consolidated at group level. The process flow is shown in Figure 13 above. The automated AIS play an important role in the ZBMS’s operational level. As indicated by Rahman and Halladay (1988: 20), most modern organisation’s operational control of financial resources depends largely on automated support. This is due to the financial statements are generated by the Contract Plus. As shown in Figure 1-4, projects financial statements are generated by the Project Accountants, while the Financial Accountant generates the consolidated financial statements. The Management Accountant uses the consolidated financial statements to prepare company’s Performance Report such as cash-flow forecasts and ratio analysis. Once the Finance Manager (operational level) approve the report, it will then be submitted to the Finance General Manager and Chief Operating Officer (tactical level) to assist them for planning, control and decision making. The Performance Report will provide the information regarding work in progress relevant information. Therefore, AIS plays very important role at operational and tactical level as the activities at these level depend heavily on the information generated by the AIS. Figure 1. 4: Type of Information in ZBMS Strategic Board of Director, Managing Director Tactical Chief Operating Officer, General Manager (Finance) Finance Manager, Management Accountant, Financial Accountant, Project Accountant Operational Transaction Processing ZYXW Accounting System . 4. Value Added of AIS The role played by accounting functions has been enhanced with the development of AIS, which in turn contribute to the profession’s value added to organisation. In fact automated AIS employed by ZBMS expedite the process to generate financial statement and reduce the human errors compared to non-automated AIS, which add the existing value of accountants. AIS also provide information on both actual and budget dat a of the organisation that helps company’s management to plan and control business operation. Good management of resources and better control of cost, budgeting and forecasting enhance the well being of ZBMS to continually generated profits. The AIS also played a crucial role that contributes to ZBMS’s value added by providing internally generated inputs from financial statements. Rahman and Halladay (1988: 19) believed that viable strategic plan must have inputs based on history of organisation, the current assets and capabilities of the organisation, and the trends in operations of the organisation. 42 3. 5. Role of Knowledge Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori At ZBMS, both tacit and explicit knowledge are used as shown by the extensive used of accounting information system to assist business decision-making. The ZBMS begins its computerised accounting system in 1997. During the transformation process from manual to computerised accounting system, all finance personnel were sent for comprehensive computer training. Table 1: Relationship of AIS at ZBMS and Knowledge Management System Knowledge Management System Creation of knowledge Creation of Knowledge Storing of Knowledge Disseminating of Knowledge Knowledge Conversion Explicit to Tacit Explicit to Tacit Tacit to Explicit Tacit to Explicit Development of Automated AIS Training by hands-on experience ZYXW implemented, staffs learned from vendor’s manual Staffs gaining experience; Problems and solution being recorded on paper Improvement on system; Internal manual that suits the ZBMS needs being produced; Widely used in the department; Assists learning process of new staffs Explicit to Tacit System constantly use in Finance Department to generate monthly financial statements Applying of Knowledge Explicit to Explicit As shown in Table 1, the staffs were given hands on experience on the ZYXW System. During the early stage of system implementation, finance personnel were given flexibility to explore the system due to limited experience on the software at that time, and most of the staffs depend largely on the manual provided by the vendor for trouble-shooting. At initial stage, two-way communications with the vendor were developed to solve problems arised. As the time going on, the personnel were encouraged to record the problems aroused. Problems that have been solved were recorded for future reference. Currently, the ZBMS Finance Department has its own ZYXW manual that suits with the department needs. The manual provides valuable information to new employees as well as to the existing personnel at Finance Department. Indeed, AIS provide the systematic recording, processing and generating of accounting information, and in the absence of AIS, information would be scattered, random and hard to access, which would become a barrier to the growth of knowledge. 3. 6. Strategic Role and AIS To analyse the AIS strategy in ZBMS, McFarlan Strategic Grid will be utilised. The McFarlan’s strategic grid would locate ZBMS to the appropriate category with respect to its information system strategy (Curtis, 1995: 61). Automated AIS is fundamental part of the strategic plan of ZBMS in 1997. It has been improved over the years of implementation and generates accurate and timely accounting information that contributes to a good decision-making. Realising the benefit brought by the AIS, the sour ce of data must be fully automated. The existing system should be upgraded through computerise the pre-tendering and post-tendering of projects in the primary stages of the construction activities. When the system is upgraded, the ZYXW Contract Plus will integrate the two modules of pre- and post-tendering with the currently automated Financial and Project Accounting. Therefore, the most suitable position to locate AIS at ZBMS on the McFarlan Grid is on Factory Grid as shown in Figure 1-5 below. Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study Figure 1. 5: ZBMS Location on McFarlan’s Strategic Grid 43 Low Current Dependence on AIS Support Turnaround High Factory –AIS at ZBMS Strategic Low Future Importance of AIS High 4. Direction for Future Research Having mentioned the above opportunities and challenges to the AIS, future research should investigate the AIS contribution on the organisation’s growth of knowledge. Though AIS would organise and structure the data input and knowledge, lack of understanding on the potential effect of human behaviour on the system such as human error, manipulation and work-style. In fact, Ponemon and Nagoda (1990) noted, â€Å"the most difficult problems often are caused, or are exacerbated, by those individuals who have erroneous expectations of the new system being implemented† (p. 1). The study would be fruitful with the use of questionnaire and interview survey. Perhaps, the survey should concentrate on a sample of senior managers of the top hundred companies listed on the Bursa Malaysia (Malaysian Stock Exchange), banks and regulatory bodies. These groups could contribute significantly due to their role as a decision maker in their respective organisations. Secondly, future research should also investigate the possibility to expand the use of AIS to the other areas that still did not use the system such as non-profit organisation and society. Indeed, the current level of usage shows that the benefit outweighs the investment cost. The successful implementation of AIS could save shareholder’s money and time. Finally, future research should explore issues on the information value generated by AIS to shareholders and stakeholders in making investment decisions. Case study approach on top companies would be appropriate methodology because the understanding on specific AIS model would be more valuable rather than using questionnaire and interview approach that assumes AIS across sampled organisation is identical. 5. Conclusion This paper examines the use of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) by ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. The wide varieties of people that involve in the company’s operation get the benefits from the implementation of AIS and the use of Contract Plus software developed by ZYXW. The system assists the operational managers to come out with monthly reports for the top managerial level (i. e. tactical and strategic) plan, control and decide resources allocation. In addition, the paper showed that the AIS add value to information processed within the company. The automated AIS could speed up information process and overcome traditional human weaknesses. As a result, the system supports the resource management and help ZBMS pursue its projection of continuing business profit. The use of AIS indicate the growth of tacit and explicit knowledge, where personnel were trained intensively and experience and trouble shooting were 44 Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori recorded for future reference and training. Indeed, the successful implementation of an accounting information system can be described as a series of complex, interconnected activities necessitating participants to have technical and managerial skills to sort out prospective problems (Ponemon and Nagoda, 1990: 1). Note To keep the identity of the respondent and it’s software developer anonymous, an imaginary name was used in this study i. e. ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. and ZYXW respectively. References [1] [2] Bhatt, G. D. (2001). Knowledge management in organisations: examining the interaction between technologies, techniques, and people. Journal of Knowledge Management, 5(1): 68-75. Borthick, A. F. ; Clark, R. L. (1990). Making accounting information systems work: An empirical investigation of the creative thinking paradigm. Journal of Information Systems, 4(3): 48-62. Capon, G. C. C. (1990). Construction Industry. London: The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Curtis, G. (1995). Business Information Systems: Analysis, Design and Practice. Wokingham: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Drucker McCarthy, D. J. , Minichiello, R. J. and Curran, J. R. (1987). Business Policy and Strategy: Concepts and Readings. Illinois: Irwin. Ponemon, L. A. and Nagoda, R. J. (1990). Perceptual Variation and the Implementation of Accounting Information Systems: An Empirical Investigation. Journal of Information System, 4(2): 1-14. Probst, Raub Romhardt (1999) Rahman, M. and Halladay, M. (1988). Accounting Information Systems: Principles, Applications and Future Directions. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Reneau, J. H. and Grabski, S. V. (1987). A Review of Research in Computer-Human Interaction and Individual Differences Within a Model for Research in Accounting Information Systems. Journal of Information Systems, 2(1): 33-53. Rowley, J. (1999). â€Å"What is knowledge management†. Library Management, 20 (8): 416-420. Syed-Ikhsan, S. O. S. (2004). â€Å"Benchmarking Knowledge Management in a Public Organisation in Malaysia. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 11 (3): 238-266. Thomas, V. and Kleiner, B. H. (1995). New developments in computer software. Industrial Management Data Systems, 95(6): 22-26. Wilkinson, J. W. (1993). Accounting Information Systems: Essential Concepts and Applications. Second Edition. New York: John Wiley Sons Inc. Wilkinson, J. W. , Cerullo, M. J. , Raval, V. and Wong-On-Wing, B. (2000). Accounting Information Systems: Essential Concepts and Applications. New York: John Wiley and Sons. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] How to cite Accounting Information System 5, Papers

Accounting Information System 5 Free Essays

string(195) " its complexity mixture of people, plant, materials, locations, technology, knowledge of the law as well as the design and valuation of work done, which are much subjectivity \(Capon, 1990: 1\)\." American Journal of Scientific Research ISSN 1450-223X Issue 4 (2009), pp36-44  © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2009 http://www. eurojournals. We will write a custom essay sample on Accounting Information System 5 or any similar topic only for you Order Now com/ajsr. htm Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management Universiti Putra Malaysia Abstract This study seeks to examine the use of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) by ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. , and it’s contribution to the knowledge management and strategic role of the organisation. ZBMS is a company that registered in Kuala Lumpur and operate in construction industry. The company used automated AIS known as ‘Contract Plus – Financial Project Accounting’ package commercially developed by a private company (ZYXW). Wide variety of people that involve in the company’s operation within and outside the organisation uses accounting information generated by this system for decisionmaking. Based on input provided by operational level managers, the Contract Plus software produces monthly projects’ income statements, balance sheets and statement of changes in financial position for the strategic and tactical managers to plan, control and make decision on the resources allocation. The role-played by AIS enhanced the organisations’ accounting functions, and add information value. The automated AIS speed up the process to generate financial statements and overcome human weaknesses in data processing. The system enhances management of resources and the process of monitoring, control and prediction of ZBMS business for better future. With the advent of AIS, the growth of tacit and explicit knowledge could be seen from the intensive training of personnel at the early stage of system implementation to the development and use of company’s own manual in training of new staff and assisting the job of existing staff. Given the benefit of AIS to ZBMS, this paper recommended that the source of data should be fully automated, and the existing system should be upgraded through computerise the pre-tendering and post-tendering of projects to enable AIS integration. Keywords: Accounting Information Systems, Knowledge Management, Accounting Functions, Information Value, Financial Statements 1. Introduction Accounting Information System (AIS) is vital to all organisations (Borthick and Clark, 1990; Curtis, 1995; Rahman et al. , 1988; Wilkinson, 1993; Wilkinson et al. 2000) and perhaps, every organisations either profit or non profit-oriented need to maintain the AISs (Wilkinson, 2000: 3-4). To better understand the term ‘Accounting Information System’, the three words constitute AIS would be elaborate separately. Firstly, literature documented that accounting could be identified into three components, namely information system, â€Å"language of business† and source of financial inform ation (Wilkinson, 1993: 6-7). Secondly, information is a valuable data processing that provides a basis for making decisions, taking action and fulfilling legal obligation. Finally, system is an integrated entity, Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study 37 where the framework is focused on a set of objectives. The combination of the three words Accounting Information System indicate an integrated framework within an entity (such as a business firm) that employs physical resources (i. e. , materials, supplies, personnel, equipment, funds) to transform economic data into financial information for; (1) conducting the firm’s operations and activities, and (2) providing information concerning the entity to a variety of interested users. Indeed, the combination or interaction between human, technology and techniques would permit an organisation to administer its knowledge effectively (Bhatt, 2001; Thomas and Kleiner, 1995). Currently, the world and human life has been transformed from information age to a knowledge age (Syed-Ikhsan and Rowland, 2004: 238; Thomas and Kleiner, 1995: 22), and knowledge has been recognised as the most valuable asset. In fact, knowledge is not impersonal like money and does not reside in a book, a data bank or a software program (Drucker, 1993). Drucker believed that knowledge is always embodied in a person, taught and learned by a person, used or misused by a person. As the world moving into knowledge era, this paper will examine how ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. manages its knowledge in order to remain competitive amongst the construction industry. Probst, Raub Romhardt (1999, p. 1) stressed that companies must learn to manage their intellectual assets (i. e. knowledge) in order to survive and compete in the ‘knowledge society’. Indeed, knowledge management is concerned with the exploitation and development of the knowledge assets (Davenport et al. , 1998). This paper seeks to examine the Accounting Information Systems (AIS) used by a Malaysian company named ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. The paper will highlight the users of the system and the way information adds value to the organisation. Also, the paper will investigate the way knowledge is managed through the process of creating, storing, disseminating and applying and how information system plays an important role throughout the process and the AIS contribution in the organisation’s strategic role. The remainder of the paper is organised as follows. The following section describes the background of ZBMS and the use of accounting information systems. The third section provides research findings on accounting information systems employed by ZBMS. The fourth section offer suggestions for future research. The final section concludes the paper and outlines the limitations of the study. 2. The Use of Accounting Information Systems in ZBMS ZBMS is a private limited company registered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that operate in construction industry, where the main activities ranging from construction of infrastructure, building, power, waste water to property development as well as engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) in the oil gas sector. The company used automated AIS known as ‘Contract Plus – Financial Project Accounting’ package in their Finance Department, which was commercially developed by a private company (ZYXW). Contract Plus is a fully integrated business solution designed specifically for companies in the engineering and construction industry. The software will generate financial data to be analysed by the accountants and subsequently used by top level of management for strategic decision making, thus, these managers could identify future opportunities and limitations face by the company and industry (McCarthy, Minichiello and Curran, 1987: 243-244). . Findings As mentioned earlier in section 2, ZBMS is a company that operate in construction industry. The industry was identified as one of the most difficult to understand due to its complexity mixture of people, plant, materials, locations, technology, knowledge of the law as well as the design and valuation of work done, which are much subjectivity (Capon, 1990: 1). You read "Accounting Information System 5" in category "Papers" However, these challenges are under control with the advent of technology such as software development that allows systematic data 38 Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori processing. Therefore, it is important to understand the information flow in ZBMS in order to appreciate the usage of information within the organisation as shown in Figure 1-1 below. 3. 1. Users of AIS As shown in Figure 1-1, the finance personnel that reside at site project office (or called Project Accountants) and head office such as the Financial Accountants, Management Accountants and Finance Manager are the internal users of the system. Also, the management team that consists of Finance General Manager, Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director and Board of Directors are among the internal users of the system. On the other hand, the external users consist of government agency (i. e. Inland Revenue), external auditors and creditors. Indeed, wide variety of people within and outside the organisation uses accounting information for decision-making (Rahman and Halladay, 1988, Renau and Grabski, 1987). Figure 1. 1: Information Flow of ZBMS ZBMS HEAD OFFICE Management Team Inland Revenue ZBMS HEAD OFFICE External Auditors Finance Department Bankers Suppliers Site Office Design Team SubContractors Client 3. 2. Function of AIS The main function of AIS is to assign quantitative value of the past, present and future economics events. At ZBMS, AIS through its computerised accounting system (i. e. ZYXW-Contract Plus) produces the financial statements namely income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statement. The system will process the data and transform them into accounting information during input, processing and output stages that will be used by a wide variety of users such as internal and external users (see for example Wilkinson, 2000: 10-11). Wilkinson noted that an effective AIS performs several key functions throughout these three stages such as data collection, data maintenance, data Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study 39 management; data control (including security) and information generation. Figure 1-2 summarised the transformation process of AIS. Figure 1. 2: Data Processing in Finance Department at ZBMS Input – Progress Billing Certificate, Subcontractors Progress Certificate, Suppliers’ Invoices Processor – ZYXW Accounting System Output – Financial Statement Human Element – Finance Personnel 3. 3. Usage of Information Within AIS The construction projects undertaken by the company are divided according to the type of construction activities that comprised of five divisions, namely infrastructure, building, power, wastewater and oil and gas, where each project is treated as a separate company. The number of projects undertaken by each division depends on the contracts being awarded to the company. As indicated by Figure 1-2, the sources of data originated from external parties such as client, subcontractors and suppliers. The Project Accountants will work closely with the Quantity Surveyors to come out with the appropriate information as illustrated below: Client – The client’s Quantity Surveyors (QSs) will evaluate work in progress (WIP) and come out with percentage of WIP to be agreed by both parties. Once agreed, Progress Billing Certificates (PBC) will be issued by Client’s QSs, which a copy of it will be sent to head office for data processing. Subcontractors – The ZBMS’s QSs will evaluate subcontractor’s WIP at site and come out with percentage of WIP to be agreed by both parties. Once agreed, Subcontractor Progress Certificate (SPC) will be issued by ZBMS’s QSs and verified by ZBMS’s Project Manager, which a copy of it will be sent to head office for data processing. Suppliers – QSs and Project Accountants will ensure that the materials and machineries are delivered in good condition at construction site before delivery orders are accepted. The delivery orders will be attached to supplier’s invoice and sent to Head Office for processing. 40 Figure 1. 3: Simplifies the AIS within ZBMS: Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori CLIENT SUBCONTRACTORS SUPPLIERS Site Valuation by Client Site Valuation by ZBMS Materials machineries delivered Certified by Client Certified by ZBMS Materials machineries delivered PBC SPC Invoices Verified KeyPunched by Project Accountants Projects’ Accounts Receivables HQ Database (ZYXW) Head Office Maintenance Projects’ Accounts Payable Projects’ Fixed Assets Projects’ Cash Book Project Ledger Projects’ Trial Balance Projects’ Financial Statement Consolidated Consolidated General Ledger Consolidated Trial Balance Consolidated Financial Statements These documents will be verified and input into the system by Project Accountants. The projects’ data will be stored at Projects’ Account Receivables, Account Payables, Fixed Assets accordingly. Projects’ cashbook will be updated automatically after the data being entered to the projects’ Account Receivables and Account Payables. Any expenses incurred at head office will be stored at HQ Maintenance master file by Financial Accountant. The Contract Plus Accounting System software will process the data and produce financial statements of individual company’s projects on Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study 41 monthly basis, which subsequently consolidated at group level. The process flow is shown in Figure 13 above. The automated AIS play an important role in the ZBMS’s operational level. As indicated by Rahman and Halladay (1988: 20), most modern organisation’s operational control of financial resources depends largely on automated support. This is due to the financial statements are generated by the Contract Plus. As shown in Figure 1-4, projects financial statements are generated by the Project Accountants, while the Financial Accountant generates the consolidated financial statements. The Management Accountant uses the consolidated financial statements to prepare company’s Performance Report such as cash-flow forecasts and ratio analysis. Once the Finance Manager (operational level) approve the report, it will then be submitted to the Finance General Manager and Chief Operating Officer (tactical level) to assist them for planning, control and decision making. The Performance Report will provide the information regarding work in progress relevant information. Therefore, AIS plays very important role at operational and tactical level as the activities at these level depend heavily on the information generated by the AIS. Figure 1. 4: Type of Information in ZBMS Strategic Board of Director, Managing Director Tactical Chief Operating Officer, General Manager (Finance) Finance Manager, Management Accountant, Financial Accountant, Project Accountant Operational Transaction Processing ZYXW Accounting System . 4. Value Added of AIS The role played by accounting functions has been enhanced with the development of AIS, which in turn contribute to the profession’s value added to organisation. In fact automated AIS employed by ZBMS expedite the process to generate financial statement and reduce the human errors compared to non-automated AIS, which add the existing value of accountants. AIS also provide information on both actual and budget dat a of the organisation that helps company’s management to plan and control business operation. Good management of resources and better control of cost, budgeting and forecasting enhance the well being of ZBMS to continually generated profits. The AIS also played a crucial role that contributes to ZBMS’s value added by providing internally generated inputs from financial statements. Rahman and Halladay (1988: 19) believed that viable strategic plan must have inputs based on history of organisation, the current assets and capabilities of the organisation, and the trends in operations of the organisation. 42 3. 5. Role of Knowledge Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori At ZBMS, both tacit and explicit knowledge are used as shown by the extensive used of accounting information system to assist business decision-making. The ZBMS begins its computerised accounting system in 1997. During the transformation process from manual to computerised accounting system, all finance personnel were sent for comprehensive computer training. Table 1: Relationship of AIS at ZBMS and Knowledge Management System Knowledge Management System Creation of knowledge Creation of Knowledge Storing of Knowledge Disseminating of Knowledge Knowledge Conversion Explicit to Tacit Explicit to Tacit Tacit to Explicit Tacit to Explicit Development of Automated AIS Training by hands-on experience ZYXW implemented, staffs learned from vendor’s manual Staffs gaining experience; Problems and solution being recorded on paper Improvement on system; Internal manual that suits the ZBMS needs being produced; Widely used in the department; Assists learning process of new staffs Explicit to Tacit System constantly use in Finance Department to generate monthly financial statements Applying of Knowledge Explicit to Explicit As shown in Table 1, the staffs were given hands on experience on the ZYXW System. During the early stage of system implementation, finance personnel were given flexibility to explore the system due to limited experience on the software at that time, and most of the staffs depend largely on the manual provided by the vendor for trouble-shooting. At initial stage, two-way communications with the vendor were developed to solve problems arised. As the time going on, the personnel were encouraged to record the problems aroused. Problems that have been solved were recorded for future reference. Currently, the ZBMS Finance Department has its own ZYXW manual that suits with the department needs. The manual provides valuable information to new employees as well as to the existing personnel at Finance Department. Indeed, AIS provide the systematic recording, processing and generating of accounting information, and in the absence of AIS, information would be scattered, random and hard to access, which would become a barrier to the growth of knowledge. 3. 6. Strategic Role and AIS To analyse the AIS strategy in ZBMS, McFarlan Strategic Grid will be utilised. The McFarlan’s strategic grid would locate ZBMS to the appropriate category with respect to its information system strategy (Curtis, 1995: 61). Automated AIS is fundamental part of the strategic plan of ZBMS in 1997. It has been improved over the years of implementation and generates accurate and timely accounting information that contributes to a good decision-making. Realising the benefit brought by the AIS, the sour ce of data must be fully automated. The existing system should be upgraded through computerise the pre-tendering and post-tendering of projects in the primary stages of the construction activities. When the system is upgraded, the ZYXW Contract Plus will integrate the two modules of pre- and post-tendering with the currently automated Financial and Project Accounting. Therefore, the most suitable position to locate AIS at ZBMS on the McFarlan Grid is on Factory Grid as shown in Figure 1-5 below. Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Knowledge Management: A Case Study Figure 1. 5: ZBMS Location on McFarlan’s Strategic Grid 43 Low Current Dependence on AIS Support Turnaround High Factory –AIS at ZBMS Strategic Low Future Importance of AIS High 4. Direction for Future Research Having mentioned the above opportunities and challenges to the AIS, future research should investigate the AIS contribution on the organisation’s growth of knowledge. Though AIS would organise and structure the data input and knowledge, lack of understanding on the potential effect of human behaviour on the system such as human error, manipulation and work-style. In fact, Ponemon and Nagoda (1990) noted, â€Å"the most difficult problems often are caused, or are exacerbated, by those individuals who have erroneous expectations of the new system being implemented† (p. 1). The study would be fruitful with the use of questionnaire and interview survey. Perhaps, the survey should concentrate on a sample of senior managers of the top hundred companies listed on the Bursa Malaysia (Malaysian Stock Exchange), banks and regulatory bodies. These groups could contribute significantly due to their role as a decision maker in their respective organisations. Secondly, future research should also investigate the possibility to expand the use of AIS to the other areas that still did not use the system such as non-profit organisation and society. Indeed, the current level of usage shows that the benefit outweighs the investment cost. The successful implementation of AIS could save shareholder’s money and time. Finally, future research should explore issues on the information value generated by AIS to shareholders and stakeholders in making investment decisions. Case study approach on top companies would be appropriate methodology because the understanding on specific AIS model would be more valuable rather than using questionnaire and interview approach that assumes AIS across sampled organisation is identical. 5. Conclusion This paper examines the use of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) by ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. The wide varieties of people that involve in the company’s operation get the benefits from the implementation of AIS and the use of Contract Plus software developed by ZYXW. The system assists the operational managers to come out with monthly reports for the top managerial level (i. e. tactical and strategic) plan, control and decide resources allocation. In addition, the paper showed that the AIS add value to information processed within the company. The automated AIS could speed up information process and overcome traditional human weaknesses. As a result, the system supports the resource management and help ZBMS pursue its projection of continuing business profit. The use of AIS indicate the growth of tacit and explicit knowledge, where personnel were trained intensively and experience and trouble shooting were 44 Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori recorded for future reference and training. Indeed, the successful implementation of an accounting information system can be described as a series of complex, interconnected activities necessitating participants to have technical and managerial skills to sort out prospective problems (Ponemon and Nagoda, 1990: 1). Note To keep the identity of the respondent and it’s software developer anonymous, an imaginary name was used in this study i. e. ZBMS Sdn. Bhd. and ZYXW respectively. References [1] [2] Bhatt, G. D. (2001). Knowledge management in organisations: examining the interaction between technologies, techniques, and people. Journal of Knowledge Management, 5(1): 68-75. Borthick, A. F. ; Clark, R. L. (1990). Making accounting information systems work: An empirical investigation of the creative thinking paradigm. Journal of Information Systems, 4(3): 48-62. Capon, G. C. C. (1990). Construction Industry. London: The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Curtis, G. (1995). Business Information Systems: Analysis, Design and Practice. Wokingham: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Drucker McCarthy, D. J. , Minichiello, R. J. and Curran, J. R. (1987). Business Policy and Strategy: Concepts and Readings. Illinois: Irwin. Ponemon, L. A. and Nagoda, R. J. (1990). Perceptual Variation and the Implementation of Accounting Information Systems: An Empirical Investigation. Journal of Information System, 4(2): 1-14. Probst, Raub Romhardt (1999) Rahman, M. and Halladay, M. (1988). Accounting Information Systems: Principles, Applications and Future Directions. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Reneau, J. H. and Grabski, S. V. (1987). A Review of Research in Computer-Human Interaction and Individual Differences Within a Model for Research in Accounting Information Systems. Journal of Information Systems, 2(1): 33-53. Rowley, J. (1999). â€Å"What is knowledge management†. Library Management, 20 (8): 416-420. Syed-Ikhsan, S. O. S. (2004). â€Å"Benchmarking Knowledge Management in a Public Organisation in Malaysia. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 11 (3): 238-266. Thomas, V. and Kleiner, B. H. (1995). New developments in computer software. Industrial Management Data Systems, 95(6): 22-26. Wilkinson, J. W. (1993). Accounting Information Systems: Essential Concepts and Applications. Second Edition. New York: John Wiley Sons Inc. Wilkinson, J. W. , Cerullo, M. J. , Raval, V. and Wong-On-Wing, B. (2000). Accounting Information Systems: Essential Concepts and Applications. New York: John Wiley and Sons. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] How to cite Accounting Information System 5, Papers

The Forbidden Game The Hunter Chapter 1 Free Essays

Jenny glanced back over her shoulder. They were still behind her, on the other side of the street but definitely following. They matched their pace to hers; when she slowed to pretend to look in a store window, they slowed, too. We will write a custom essay sample on The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 1 or any similar topic only for you Order Now There were two of them, one dressed in a black T-shirt and leather vest, with a black bandanna on his head, the other in a long flannel shirt, black-and-blue plaid, unbuttoned. Also unwashed. They both looked like trouble. The game store was a few blocks ahead. Jenny quickened her pace a little. This wasn’t the best neighborhood in town, and she’d come here specifically because she didn’t want any of her friends to see her. She hadn’t realized, though, that Eastman Avenue had gotten quite so rough. After the last riots the police had cleared things up, but many of the vandalized stores still had boarded windows, which gave Jenny a creeping feeling between her shoulder blades. They were like bandaged eyes turned toward her. Not at all the place to be at dusk-but it wasn’t dusk yet, Jenny told herself fiercely. If only those two guys would turn off onto another street. Her heart was beating unpleasantly hard. Maybe they had turned†¦. She slowed again, her feet in their lace-up canvas Tretons making no sound on the dirty sidewalk. From behind and to the left she heard the flat smack of running shoes and the clack of bootheels. The footsteps slowed. They were still there. Don’t look back, she told herself. Think. You have to cross over at Joshua Street to get to the store-but that means crossing left, to their side of the street. Bad idea, Jenny. While you’re crossing they can catch up to you. All right, then, she’d turn off before that, she’d go right on this next street up here-what was it? Montevideo. She’d go right on Montevideo, and then she’d find a store to duck into, a place to hide until the two guys had passed by. The Tower Records on the corner of Eastman and Montevideo was no longer in business. Too bad. Back straight, stubbornly pretending she was perfectly calm, Jenny walked by the darkened windows. She caught a glimpse of herself in one of them: a slender girl with hair that Michael had once said was the color of honey in sunlight. Her eyebrows were straight, like two decisive brush strokes, and her forest-green eyes were dark as pine needles and even more serious than usual. She looked worried. She turned right at the cross street. As soon as she was out of sight of Eastman Avenue, she stopped and stood as still as a deer, backpack swinging from her hand, eyes desperately scanning Montevideo for cover. Directly opposite her was a vacant lot and beside that a Thai restaurant, closed. Behind her the looming bulk of the record store presented a blank wall to the street all the way down to the park. No cover. Nowhere to hide. Jenny’s neck prickled and her little fingers began to tingle. She turned toward Eastman and hugged the wall, tossing back her hair to listen. Were those footsteps or just the sick thudding of her own heart? She wished that Tom were with her. But of course that was the whole point. Tom couldn’t be with her, since it was his party she was shopping for. It was supposed to have been a pool party. Jenny Thornton was known for her pool parties, and here in southern California late April was a perfectly reasonable time to have one. The temperature often hovered in the mid-seventies at night, and the Thornton pool glowed like a huge blue-green jewel in the backyard, giving off little wisps of steam from its surface. The perfect setting for an outdoor barbecue. Then three days ago the cold snap had come †¦ and Jenny’s plans were ruined. Nobody except polar bears swam in this kind of weather. She’d meant to rethink things, to come up with some other brilliant idea, but it had been one of those weeks. Summer’s fourteen-year-old schnauzer had finally had to be put to sleep, and Summer had needed Jenny for moral support. Dee had taken a kung fu exam, and Jenny had gone to cheer her on. Audrey and Michael had had a fight, and Zach had had the flu†¦. And then suddenly it had been Friday afternoon, with just hours to go before the party and everyone expecting something special-and nothing set up. Fortunately an idea had come to her in the middle of computer applications class. A game. People gave murder mystery parties and Pictionary parties and things like that. Why not a game tonight? It would have to be a very special game, of course. Something chic enough for Audrey, sexy enough for Tom, and even scary, if possible, to keep Dee’s interest. Something seven people could play at once. Vague notions had run through Jenny’s head of the only really exciting games she’d ever played as a child. Not the ones the adults arranged, but the kind you devised on your own once they were safely out of the house. Truth or dare and spin the bottle. Some combination of those two-only more sophisticated, of course, more suited to juniors in high school-would be ideal. That was what had brought her to Eastman Avenue. She’d known perfectly well it wasn’t the best neighborhood, but she’d figured that at least none of her friends would see her and find out about this last-minute scramble for entertainment. Jenny had gotten herself into this mess; she would get herself out of it. Only now the mess was getting bigger than she’d bargained for. She could definitely hear footsteps now. They sounded very close and were approaching quickly. Jenny looked down Montevideo again, her mind taking in irrelevant details with obsessive precision. The record store wall was not truly blank after all. There was a mural on it, a mural of a street that looked much like Eastman Avenue before the riots. Strange-parts of the mural looked real. Like that storefront painted in the middle, the one with the sign Jenny couldn’t quite make out. It had a door that looked real: The handle seemed three dimensional. In fact†¦ Startled, Jenny took a step toward it. The knob appeared to change shape as she moved, like any three-dimensional object. She looked more closely and found she could see the difference in texture between the wooden door and the painted concrete wall. The door was real. It couldn’t be-but it was. There was a door stuck in the middle of the mural. Why, Jenny didn’t know. There wasn’t time to wonder about it. Jenny needed to get off the street, and if this door was unlocked †¦ Impulsively she took hold of the knob. It was cool as china and it turned in her hand. The door swung inward. Jenny could see a dimly lit room. One instant of hesitation, then she stepped inside. Just as she did, she consciously took in the sign above the door. It read: â€Å"More Games.† I here was a push-button lock on the inside doorknob, and Jenny depressed it. There were no windows looking out on Montevideo, of course, so she couldn’t see whether the two guys had followed her. Still, she had a tremendous feeling of relief. No one was going to find her in here. Then she thought, More Games? She had often seen signs reading â€Å"More Books† in the arty, shabby used bookstores around here, signs with an arrow pointing up a narrow staircase to another floor. But how could there be More Games when there hadn’t been any games at all yet? Just the fact that it happened to be a game store she’d stumbled onto was strange, but very convenient. She could do her shopping while she waited for the tough guys to go away. The owner would probably be glad to have her; with that mural camouflaging the door they couldn’t do much business here. As she looked around she saw just how strange the store really was. Even stranger than the usual odd shops around Eastman Avenue. The room was lit by one small window and several old-fashioned lamps with stained-glass shades. There were shelves and tables and racks like any other store, but the objects on them were so exotic that Jenny felt as if she’d stepped into another world. Were they all games? They couldn’t be. Jenny’s mind filled suddenly with wild images from The Arabian Nights, images of foreign bazaars where anything-anything-might be sold. She stared around at the shelves in amazement. God, what a weird chessboard. Triangular. Could anybody really play on a board like that? And there was another one, with strange, squat chessmen carved of rock crystal. It looked more than antique -it looked positively ancient. So did a metalwork box covered with arabesques and inscriptions. It was made of brass or maybe bronze, decorated with gold and silver and Arabic writing. Whatever was in that box, Jenny knew she couldn’t afford it. Some of the games she could identify, like the mahogany mah-jongg table with ivory tiles spilled carelessly on the green felt top. Others, like a narrow enameled case crawling with hieroglyphics, and a red box embossed with a gold Star of David in a circle, she had never seen before. There were dice of every size and description: some twelve-sided, some shaped like pyramids, and some ordinary cubical ones made of odd materials. There were card decks fantastically colored like illuminated manuscripts. Strangest of all, the weird antique things were intermixed with weird ultramodern things. A cork bulletin board on the back wall sported signs reading: â€Å"Flame.† â€Å"Rant.† â€Å"Rave.† â€Å"Surf the Edge.† â€Å"Cheap Thrills.† Cyberpunk, Jenny thought, vaguely recognizing the terms. Maybe they sold computer games here, too. From a boom box on the counter came 120-beat-a-minute acid house music. This, thought Jenny, is a very peculiar place. It felt so-cut off-from everything outside. As if time didn’t exist here, or ran differently somehow. Even the dusty sunlight slanting in that one window seemed wrong. Jenny would have sworn the light should have been coming from the other direction. A chill went through her. You’re mixed up, she told herself. Disoriented. And no wonder, after the day you’ve had-after the week you’ve had. Just concentrate on finding a game, if there’s anything here that you can actually play. There was another sign on the board, a sort of square: W E L C O M E T O M Y W O R L D Jenny tilted her head, examining it. What did the letters say? Oh, of course, she had it now. Welcome†¦ â€Å"Can I help you?† The voice spoke from right behind her. Jenny turned-and lost her breath. Eyes. Blue eyes. Except that they weren’t just blue, they were a shade Jenny couldn’t describe. The only place she’d seen a blue like that was once when she’d happened to wake up at the precise instant of dawn. Then, between the window curtains, she’d glimpsed an unbelievable, luminous color, which had lasted only a second before fading to the ordinary blue of the sky. No boy should have eyes as blue as that, and especially not surrounded by lashes so heavy they seemed to weigh his eyelids down. This boy had the most startling coloring she’d ever seen. His eyelashes were black, but his hair was white-true white, the color of frost or tendrils of mist. He was †¦ well, beautiful. But in the most exotic, uncanny way imaginable, as if he’d just stepped in from another world. Jenny’s reaction was instant, total, and absolutely terrifying. She forgot Tom’s existence. I didn’t know people could look like that. Real people, I mean. Maybe he’s not real. God, I’ve got to stop staring – But she couldn’t. She couldn’t help herself. Those eyes were like the blue at the core of a flame. No-like a mile-deep lake set in a glacier. No †¦ The guy turned and went to the counter. The boom box clicked off. Silence roared in Jenny’s ears. â€Å"Can I help you?† he repeated, politely and indifferently. Heat rose to Jenny’s cheeks. Ohmigod, what he must think of me. The moment those eyes had turned away from her, she had come out of it, and now that he was farther away, she could look at him objectively. Not something from another world. Just a guy about her own age: lean, elegant, and with an unmistakable air of danger about him. His hair was white-blond, cropped close at the sides, long in back and so long over the forehead that it fell into his eyes. He was dressed all in black in a weird combination of cyberpunk and Byronic poet. And he’s still gorgeous, Jenny thought, but who cares? Honestly, you’d think I’d never seen a guy before. On Tom’s birthday, too – A flash of shame went through her. She’d better start her shopping or get out of here. The two alternatives seemed equally attractive-except that the tough guys might still be outside. â€Å"I want to buy a game,† she said, too loudly. â€Å"For a party-for my boyfriend.† He didn’t even blink at the word boyfriend; in fact, he looked more laconic than ever. â€Å"Be my guest,† he said. Then he seemed to rouse himself to make a sale. â€Å"Anything in particular?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"How about Senet, the Egyptian Game of the Dead?† he said, nodding at the enameled case with the hieroglyphics. â€Å"Or the I-ching? Or maybe you’d like to cast the runes.† He picked up a leather cup and shook it suggestively. There was a sound like rattling bones. â€Å"No, nothing like that.† Jenny was feeling distinctly unnerved. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something about this guy sent whispers of alarm through her blood. Maybe it was time to go. â€Å"Well-there’s always the ancient Tibetan game of goats and tigers.† He gestured at a curiously carved bronze board with tiny figurines on it. â€Å"The fierce tigers, see, stalk the innocent little goats, and the innocent little goats try to run from the tigers. For two players.† â€Å"I-no.† Was he making fun of her? There was something to the twist of his mouth that made Jenny think yes. With dignity she said, â€Å"I was looking for-just a game that a lot of people can play at once. Like Pictionary or Outburst,† she added defiantly. â€Å"But since you don’t seem to have anything like that in the store-â€Å" â€Å"I see,† he said. â€Å"That kind of game.† Suddenly, looking at her sideways, he smiled. The smile unnerved Jenny more than anything yet. Definitely time to go, she thought. She didn’t care whether the tough guys were still outside. â€Å"Thank you,† she said with automatic politeness, and she turned to the door. â€Å"Mystery,† he said. His voice caught Jenny halfway across the room. She hesitated in spite of herself. What on earth did he mean? â€Å"Danger. Seduction. Fear.† Jenny turned back to face him, staring. There was something almost mesmerizing about his voice-it was full of elemental music, like water running over rock. â€Å"Secrets revealed. Desires unveiled.† He smiled at her and pronounced the last word distinctly: â€Å"Temptation.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† she said, tensed to hit him or run if he took one step toward her. He didn’t. His eyes were as innocently blue as Nordic fjords. â€Å"The Game, of course. That’s what you want, isn’t it? Something †¦ very special.† Something very special. Exactly what she’d thought herself. â€Å"I think,† she said slowly, â€Å"that I’d better-â€Å" â€Å"We do have something like that in stock,† he said. Now’s your chance, she told herself when he disappeared through a door into the back room. You can just walk out of here. And she was going to leave, she was just about to go, when he appeared again. â€Å"I think,† he said, â€Å"that this is what you’ve been looking for.† She looked at what he was holding, then up at his face. â€Å"You’ve got to be joking,† she said. The box was about the size and shape of a Monopoly game. It was white and glossy and there wasn’t a single word, line, or figure printed on it. A blank white box. Jenny waited for the punch line. There was something about it, though. The more she looked at that box, the more she felt†¦ â€Å"Could I see it?† she said. Touch it, was what she meant. For some reason she wanted to feel the weight of it in her hands, the sharpness of its corners in her palms. It was silly, but she did want to. She really wanted to. The guy leaned back, tilting the box between his own hands, gazing at its glossy top. Jenny noticed that there wasn’t a single fingerprint on the shiny finish, not so much as a smudge. She also noticed that his fingers were long and slender. And that he had a snake tattooed on his right wrist. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said. â€Å"I don’t know. On second thought, I’m not sure I can sell it to you after all.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because it really is special. Un-mundane. I can’t let it go to just anybody, or for just any reason. Maybe if you explained what it was for†¦ .† Why, he’s a tease, Jenny thought. Without in the least stopping being scared, or disturbed, or any of the other things she’d been since she’d come into this store, she started being amused as well. Wildly, inexplicably amused. Maybe if I looked like him, was that gorgeous, I’d be a tease, too, she thought. She said seriously, â€Å"It’s for a party tonight, for my boyfriend, Tom. He’s seventeen today. Tomorrow night we’ll have the big party-you know, with everybody invited, but tonight it’s just our group. Our crowd.† He tilted his head to one side. Light flashed off the earring he was wearing-a dagger or a snake, Jenny couldn’t tell which. â€Å"So?† â€Å"So I need something for us to do. You can’t just get seven people in a room, throw Doritos at them, and expect them to have a good time. I’ve screwed up massively by not getting organized until now-no real food, no decorations. And Tom-â€Å" The guy tilted the box again. Jenny watched its surface turn milky, then bright, then milky again. It was almost hypnotic. â€Å"And Tom will care?† he said, as if not believing it. Jenny felt defensive. â€Å"I don’t know-he might be disappointed. He deserves better, you see,† she added quickly. â€Å"He’s-† Oh, how to explain Tom Locke? â€Å"He’s-well, he’s incredibly handsome, and by the end of this year he’ll have lettered in three sports-â€Å" â€Å"I get it.† â€Å"No, you don’t,† Jenny said, horrified. â€Å"He’s not like that at all. Tom is wonderful. He’s just-so wonderful that sometimes it takes a little keeping up with him. And we’ve been together forever, and I love him, and I have since second grade. Okay?† Anger gave her courage, and she advanced a step toward the guy. â€Å"He is absolutely the best boyfriend in the world, and anybody who says he isn’t-† How to cite The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 1, Essay examples

Gough Whitlam free essay sample

Abolished tertiary education fees and established the Tertiary Education Assistance Scheme to attract more students to study in uni and further education. †¢ Increased pensions. Established a universal system of health insurance known as Medibank which at that time provided many benefits to the family and which gradually involved to a free medical service to all applicable. †¢ Established controls on foreign ownership of Australian resources to ensure our economical gains go towards us. †¢ Passed the Family Law Act, establishing no-fault divorce which allowed to divorce without reasons. †¢ Passed a series of laws banning racial and sexual discrimination to make multicultarism more equal and fair. Whitlam believed in equality and he achieved that with applying this to all public of Australia. †¢ Extended maternity leave and benefits for single mothers to aid the costs while still retaining the original job. †¢ Sought to democratise the electoral system by introducing one-vote-one- value which aimed to get the government in equal say. We will write a custom essay sample on Gough Whitlam or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This still applies today and greatly affects the way we vote and set out laws and bills. Post-war development Increasingly, a citizens real standard of living, the health of himself and his family, his childrens pportunity for education and self-improvement, his access to employment opportunities, his ability to enjoy the nations resources for recreation and cultural activity, his legacy from the national heritage, his scope to participate in the decisions and actions of the community, are determined not so much by his income but by the availability and accessibility of the services which the community alone can provide and ensure (Whitlam, 1985, p. 3). This was Whitlam’s concept and guidelines for his government, and this is what made a difference for the working class people in Australia. People When he ended conscription, students and parents were relieved that that no one would have to fight a war for nothing. Women finally saw equal rights in the workplace. It was no longer fair and more women thought of working and pursuing their ambitions. Education Education was one of the main concerns held by the Whitlam government was Education, and because of the policies in schools and universities, today working class children have access to university education they can afford. Aboriginals Aboriginals had always been left out, no voting rights, no land rights and discrimination throughout Australia. Whitlam introduced policies that would grant aboriginals the right to have their land and the treatment they deserved. In the policy speech in 1972 Whitlam said that â€Å"All of us as Australians are diminished while the Aborigines are denied their rightful place in this nation†. Economy The Whitlam government started to establish new connections and trades with other nations around the world. He made links to China, which now, holds an important part of our economy. It gives us the boom in our resource industry and furthermore the Source A This was the successful poster and campaign launched by the Labor government to show the time of change and understanding. This poster particularly shows the labor party’s strength in doing the things they do and change.

Should Wealthy Nations Be Required to Share Their Wealth free essay sample

While the world is going so fast, a lot of countries are still inefficient in following this global trend. While citizens in developed countries have a high standard of living, people in poorer are nations still suffering from the terrible and bad economic conditions as well as in their quality of life. Thus, in my view, I strongly believe that the wealthy countries should take some responsibility to share parts of their wealth to those poorer nations. The first reason is that this world economic imbalance can lead to many global problems. As you may know, many problems result from the difference in economic conditions. Hardship and hunger prompt people to begin doing illegal activities. For example, in Somalia, one of the poorest countries of the world, the Somalian citizens have begun to turn themselves into pirates and attacking the commercial ships which come nearby. They claim that they are better off by being thieves. We will write a custom essay sample on Should Wealthy Nations Be Required to Share Their Wealth or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is a big obstacle to world trade activities. Thus, to make them have a sufficient resource to live their daily lives without being pirates, I believe that sharing is one of the possible solutions to reduce such problems. Moreover, while sharing parts of the resource might cost a little to one country, it might help a great number of people in another country. Consider this simple example: as we know, the value of one currency differs from that of other currencies, so, the cost of one particular meal in one country could differ from another country. To contrast, one comparable lunch-meal in Thailand might cost $1 per person, while it might costs $5 in USA. Thus, sharing parts of wealthy country’s resources can help a lot more people than we expected, and not cost too much However, the governments of the poorer nations should mainly take the responsibility to look after their people. They should find ways to improve their economic well-being, as well as the standard of living of the citizens. They should not expect to be given things from others forever; instead, they should find the way to enhance the quality of life of inhabitants rapidly. In short, although wealthy nations should be required to share parts of their resources, such as food and education, among poorer countries, I suggest that the main task should be taken by the governments of the poorer country.

Telstra SWOT Analysis and Marketing Strategies Essay Essay Example

Telstra SWOT Analysis and Marketing Strategies Essay Essay IntroductionTelstra Corporation is a telecommunications and information services company. It provides a scope of services including fixed line services. Internet entree. and concern services. Telstra is the market leader in the telecommunication industry in Australia. with one of the most outstanding trade name names. However. its merchandises and operating services face an increasing menace from rivals. An analysis with recommendations of Telstra selling is necessary in order to better its public presentation. 2. 0 SWOT Analysis2. 1 Strengths†¢Telstra is one of the biggest trade names in Australia and dominates the taking concern place of telecommunications and information services in this state. †¢Telstra owns and operates an extended web substructure which will give it a competitory advantage over industry challengers. whose webs fail to cover all of Australia. particularly the distant and rural countries of the state. We will write a custom essay sample on Telstra SWOT Analysis and Marketing Strategies Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Telstra SWOT Analysis and Marketing Strategies Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Telstra SWOT Analysis and Marketing Strategies Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer †¢Telstra has the latest engineering on Mobile ( Next G Network ) and broadband ( ADSL 2 Plus ) to vie with other telecomm operators. †¢Telstra has 115 owned Telstra branded shops and 153 accredited stores that are strategically located across Australia. 2. 2 Weaknesses†¢Telstra is deficiency of enterprise to diversify internationally and limits its growing scheme. †¢The monetary value of nomadic phone and broadband programs are much higher than those of the other companies. †¢Telstra reduced fixed line advertisement and invested a immense budget on advancing new merchandises such as Next G Network. †¢Telstra is maintaining concentrating on postpaid Mobile phone programs instead than prepaid nomadic phone. 2. 3 Opportunities†¢Telstra is the Australian government’s contracted informations provider. Through a authorities enterprise. Telstra expanded its CDMA web to rural countries. Therefore. the company has one of the most extended CDMA webs in Australia. †¢Telstra has expanded their services into a extremely demanded subdivision of the telecommunications market with the execution of 3G. It leads to the increasing demand for broadband. †¢The increasing demand for broadband has been a displacement from dial-up to ADSL 2 Plus broadband connexions. And seemingly. it will be followed by the immense demand for the faster Internet entree among the bing users. 2. 4 Threats†¢The nomadic phone market about reaches impregnation in Australia. †¢The client behaviour has significantly changed ; Telstra will happen it progressively hard to vie for new clients. †¢Telecomm equipment was damaged by bushfires. †¢ACCC mandated entree to Telstra’s local web by publishing local cringle unbundling makes the competition fierce in Australian telecom market. 3. 0 Marketing Situation Analysis3. 1 Existing and Potential SegmentsIt is really of import to specify market in footings of section. as it will ease fine-tuning the attempts to aim the market. Based on Telstra’s selling research. the mark sections are aimed towards understanding and fulfilling its client demands ( Shanahan 2006 ) . As Telstra services a broad demographic of clients. its merchandises are segmented harmonizing to the different mark markets. Telstra’s nucleus concerns are land lines. nomadic phones. cyberspace and information services. And its current sections are single A ; household. little concern. concern endeavor and authorities. Basically. Telstra has covered most of the available sections in its concerns. For the future enlargement of Telstra. the company should supply better services to the bing cleavages and besides aim the international market. Telstra could offer new services such as music downloads and streaming media. which require broadband entree velocities. development of faster and cheaper broadband engineerings. and authorities plans to widen broadband coverage. For nomadic phone clients. Telstra could add more 3G content for diversenesss need. This altering tendency would be one of the cardinal growing drivers for Telstra. As the biggest telecommunication supplier in Australia. Telstra should widen its market internationally. Developing states. such as China and India. are the possible market for Telstra in the Asia-Pacific part. And the mark sections may include rural country ( Farms ) . concern and authorities. 3. 2 Telstra Market PositioningTelstra’s mark sections are based on cognizing clients and run intoing their demands. And its placement scheme is to show the valuable differences on merchandises and services offered and create competitory advantages. To place Telstra and capture its mark sections most efficaciously. the followerss need to be taken into consideration: †¢Important: the cardinal difference to advance is the range and dependability of Telstra merchandises and services. †¢Distinctive: advance the typical characteristics such as the easy entree to broadband via Mobile. Satellite. ADSL2 Plus and the drawn-out characteristics of utilizing nomadic phones. †¢Superior: promote quality and the multi-functional applications of our merchandises and that services are superior to most of our rivals. †¢Communicable: the above mentioned characteristics are catching and clients can easy place the differences. †¢Affordable: the above mentioned competitory advantages offer high value benefits and our mark market can afford the monetary values. †¢Profitable: one of the cardinal standards for choosing the above competitory advantages is that the company can present them productively. 4. 0 Marketing aims: The selling aims of Telstra for the hereafter market are: †¢To section the industry and concentrate upon the mark client group in the identified mark part. †¢To create public consciousness plans targeted at these markets and place them consequently. †¢To place the company as unique. offering specific merchandises to the mark clients that satisfy their demands. †¢To continue international enlargement and growing. peculiarly in Asia Pacific Region. 5. 0 Marketing StrategiesThe 7 P’s selling scheme is the cardinal component in marketing maps. All the selling aims mentioned above can be achieved in pattern by bettering the current bing selling strategies5. 1 ProductTelstra provides assorted merchandises and services in the telecommunications industry. They are land lines. nomadic phones and the cyberspace. Telstra must guarantee that its merchandises are run intoing the demands of the clients. In a merchandise life rhythm. the different characteristics of the merchandise should be observed. such as quality confidence. engineering and visual aspect. For case. after the cyberspace velocity is observed to execute ill through customers’ experiences. Telstra need to maintain the broadband innovate and better the public presentation. Telstra ferociously competes with the bing conventional nomadic phone service suppliers. and the turning market and untapped potency will present Telstra to the more ferocious competition. Consequently. the point is to distinguish Telstra on the impression of customers’ services and merchandises invention. and set up Telstra as a Modern high-tech telecomm company. Customer service could be one of the competitory advantages. Therefore. Telstra should better the ways to supply information or aid such as through 3G phone broadband. S. M. S and video message to clients. 5. 2 PriceTelstra seems to put monetary values higher than rivals on some of its merchandises offered. This means that the house is less willing to take part in monetary value wars and is more willing to repair monetary values. The pricing policy that Telstra chooses will reflect the market aimed at. Monetary values may be set to pull clients or to maximise net income. They may even be prepared to endure from short-run losingss in order to obtain a big market portion. Telstra may utilize such pricing policies as cost based pricing ( monetary values are based upon costs ) . market orientated pricing ( monetary values are based upon the analysis of the market ) and competition based pricing ( monetary values are mostly based on how rivals charge for their merchandises ) . 5. 3 PromotionTelstra would utilize publicity techniques to derive a competitory advantage. This could be done by above-the-line publicity ( publicity through an independent media ) . such as telecasting advertizements. newspaper advertizements. wireless and postings advertizements. and below-the-line publicity ( the house has a grade of control over the methods it uses ) . such as personal merchandising. direct mailing. trade carnivals and merchandise indorsements. Telstra has spent a batch of money on large name sponsorships such as Telstra Dome. Telstra Stadium and National Rugby League. However. patronizing a name may non be the best manner to pull clients. Telstra can cut down the outgo on large name publicity and put more money on advertisement through other methods such as nomadic phone S. M. S competition. blue tooth engagement study and unrecorded experience narratives on Telstra’s merchandises. 5. 4 PlaceTelstra shops are widely located throughout Australia. Telstra should maintain up their attempts on good placement in order to derive a non-price competitory advantage over the other market suppliers. For international market. it’s good for Telstra to turn up its ain stores in the chief metropoliss of other states instead than hold a joint venture with local traders. It will construct up Telstra’s image and trade name acknowledgment in those states. 5. 5 PeoplePeople with assorted non-English speech production backgrounds are employed by Telstra to function consumers. That is a cardinal component to fulfill the clients. Telstra takes people into consideration in the selling mix really earnestly. Therefore. it should maintain developing staff in order to cover with clients better. and holding the staff seting themselves in the customer’s place to understand what the clients want and speaking to the clients on the same degree. for illustration. they should non utilize proficient slang to the clients. 5. 6 Physical EvidenceEven though the good is intangible. the client can still experience that the physical environment of the shops. This will be displayed by the spending of the shops and the memorabilia such as Rugby squad shirts in the instance of Telstra. The psychical grounds is really of import because it will act upon the customers’ first feeling to the merchandises. The Telstra shops are clean and tidy. However. compared with Vodafone and Hutchison 3. Telstra shops are excessively crowded and packed in the metropolis. Therefore. in order to derive a better image from clients. Telstra should re-arrange the merchandises show and do more infinites for clients in peak hr times. 5. 7 ProcessSometimes Telstra will hold some study to clients in order to supply better services. For illustration. clients will be asked about the jutting clip spent on the phone and what clip they use the phone or international calls in order to happen the best trade. However. this may be a hinderance to the clients. particularly when they feel that excessively many inquiries are asked. Telstra should see the merchandising procedure as an of import component. if it hopes that the clients can acquire their merchandises as fast as possible and what the clients require. The enigma shopping revealed that client was being pressurized by staff when buying a Telstra Mobile phone. It resulted in an unenjoyable experience for the client. Besides. the new users took a longer clip to use for the latest engineering following G web due to strangeness with the new merchandise. Telstra should develop staff to service clients better in order to do the clients get the merchandises they want without fuss. A more efficient manner to buy merchandises and services on the Telstra web site will besides rush up the purchasing procedure. 6. 0 Selling Actions and ProcessesFor Telstra’s future enlargement and effectual execution of the selling schemes mentioned supra. the undermentioned selling actions need to be executed: †¢Continuing to transform its corporate civilization and assign an image embassador to better public dealingss with the corporate aim of functioning the clients better. †¢Establishing on-going staff preparations in order to update new products’ information and service clients better†¢Promotions on advanced merchandises and services including a scope of informations and information services such as wireless communications markets and 3G webs. †¢Collecting informations and feedback from clients and suggestions on merchandises and services. †¢Marketing selected international investing. acquisition and confederations. peculiarly with endeavors engaged in nomadic telecommunications. informations. the Internet or content-based concerns. †¢Using its broadband capablenesss to develop and market extra broadband applications and to foster penetrate to the wage telecasting market in Australia. 7. 0 Marketing Measurement and Monitoring ProcessesTelstra can implement assorted measuring and monitoring techniques to accomplish the selling aims better. †¢Gain feedbacks from Telstra clients through questionnaires†¢Give feedbacks to employees on their public presentation through training†¢Regard service quality of the employees as a critical standard in the motive mechanism†¢Record the gross revenues of each employee to bespeak the efficiency respectively†¢Monitor client and employee interactions during concern operations†¢Measure the alteration in abroad market share8. 0 ConclusionThe selling schemes are prepared for accomplishing Telstra’s selling aims. Currently Telstra has merely few direct rivals. However. the untapped and possible market will surely present Telstra to core rivals in the hereafter. The new Next G Network market is still in nascent phase and to be explored. The entry to this market gives Telstra many chances to research and derive footage in the market but at the same time it is accompanied by many challenges. The turning concern about engineering inventions will heighten the market growing in the hereafter ; this tendency is a major input to the continuity in this concern. Telstra still has to go on research and development to make better merchandises with improved characteristics. 9. 0 Mentions Shanahan J. 2006. Consumer-centricity: An thought whose Time Has Come. Australian Marketing Institute. viewed on 5 December 2006. Optus. viewed 24 January 2007 Hutchison 3. viewed 24 January 2007. Telstra. viewed 24 January 2007 Vodafone. viewed 24 January 2007 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. vodafone. com. au/ gt ;