Mcdonalds And Computer Systems Information Technology Essay

Mcdonalds And Computer Systems Information Technology Essay McDonalds is one of the fast growing and wide available fast food chain of the world. It has developed a global recognition a competitive advantage all over the world. Technology is the new paradigm of assessing a business performance and success. In our discussion, we will discuss that how McDonalds is able to manage its computer systems. In the start, we will discuss the major component, subcomponents and performance requirements of computer systems. Then we will discuss the operating systems and suggest a compatible operating system to be used with an organization. Thirdly, there will be a discussion about how can we design a computer system keeping in view the end user requirements and organizational goals. Finally, we will test our designed computer system for example, it is properly designed or note keeping view the organizational goals, functional fitness and health and safety of end users. Introduction: As we all know that McDonalds is one of the most growing fast food chains of the world. It has a very diverse system of operations and management. Today due to the recent advancements in technology, McDonalds has developed such a computer and information technology system to manage its operations which has now become a core competence for McDonalds against its competitors. Technology can be a great competitive advantage against competitors if it is used efficiently and correctly. In our discussion, we will try to view technology and computers as a part of operations strategically. First of all, we will investigate the computer systems of McDonalds. Outcome 1: Investigation of Computer Systems P1: Machine components or sub systems appropriate to given task: If we see the operations of McDonalds, then we can easily analyze that due to wide spread and diversity of McDonalds operations, we need a complicated, complex and flexible internal computer database system. This system is needed in such a way that all the departments such as Marketing, Finance and Human Resources should record their operations and data in one database system for integrity and convenience. Talking about the sub systems, we need to develop such a strong subsystem to develop a strong integration in operations but with customer convenience and satisfaction. In terms of machine components, we need CPUs, Display Monitors, Networking Designs and Operating System Software. On the customer side, we need to develop a convenient system to make customer experience better and to increase our sales. Due to the dramatic increase in internet and web users, it could be a powerful strategy to go online for selling merchandise. Unfortunately, McDonalds has not developed such a system yet to deliver goods to customers. They have developed a system of placing orders on phone in which goods like burgers are delivered directly to consumers. Finally, we should develop such a computer system which could provide us convenience, integration and better experience for customers. P2: Evaluation of the Performance of Selected System: The system above we have suggested for McDonalds has a large number of advantages which are as follows: Integrity and Reliability Speed of Operations Enhancement of Customer Experience Control and Audit And the main disadvantages could be: Complexity of Operations Higher Costs But if we evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of selected system then we can see that advantages are more than disadvantages. The advantages of an enhanced computer system may easily overcome the costs of adopting such a system. If we see McDonalds, they have already installed the complete system as we discussed above, but there is small discrepancy that they are not yet online to sell their products. If they add this thing in their strategy, it would be a source of competitive advantage. The reason for is that mostly the online shoppers are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Youngstersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and these youngsters are the most frequent buyers of fast food than the population of other ages. (Associated Press, 2004) (Meena Kumari Rajani, M. S. Chandio, 2004) Outcome 2: Investigation of Operating System P3: Functions and features of different types of operating systems: The different kinds of operating systems are Windows, Acorn Computers, Amiga, Apollo Computers, and Apple etc. The selection of a operating system purely depends on its efficiency, known quality and its compatibility with the organization systems. The different categories of operating systems are: technology, ownership, usage, working state and licensing etc. Microsoft is one the most extensively and widely used operating system in the business world. We think McDonalds being a fast food chain must adopt Microsoft as its operating system due to its known quality, compatibility and integrity. The basic features and functions of Microsoft windows are: Most Widely Used Integrity and Reliability Speed of Operations Another important function of windows is that it is mostly compatible with latest World Wide Web. There is some news about the compatibility issues of other operating systems. Another important function of windows is that it provides more network storage than any other operating system. Most of the computer systems are designed only for Microsoft and it works easily with the older computers. P4: How to customize operating systems: There is a large number of operating software which can be used to customize our operating systems. For example for customizing windows we can use Microsoft word, excel, works etc. For Mac, there is also much software for customization. If we analyze the operations of McDonalds, then by adopting windows, we can customize this operating system and it can be made flexible to use. For writing reports about daily sales or new recruits, we can use Microsoft word. Similarly, for financial reporting, we can use Microsoft Excel. For enterprise resource planning there are a large number of options available. For example, we can use SAP for as an ERP system for McDonalds. For Customer Invoicing, we can again use Microsoft word or Microsoft excel. This customization has also an advantage for us because the numbers of windows users are much more in world than Mac or other operating system users. The McDonalds is operating through franchising system in almost all the countries of the world (McDonalds Official Website, 2007). There are a different operating systems being used in different franchises of McDonalds. It could become a problem and inconvenience to control operations. We think McDonalds, should develop a single operating system and a world wide database to better manage and control it s operations. Outcome 3: Designing a Computer System P5: investigation and identification of the key components for a computer system for a particular user: The key components required for an individual totally depends on the usage and responsibility of a particular user. We can take an example, for example at the front desk needs a complete Central processing unit plus some accessories such as printers for printing invoices. Similarly the accounts department needs to have almost all computer accessories and components because they need to do financial recording and reporting. Similarly the marketing managers need laptops because they to analyze the consumers taste and habits. The higher management needs some extra system software to monitor the activities of the organization. Now will try to develop and investigate the key components for a marketing manager at McDonalds. A marketing manager needs to travel to different areas for making strategies about market segmentation and product positioning. Moreover, McDonalds is also operating in a whole world with diverse cultures and tastes. It has to face the challenges of different cultures and marketing managers need some research work to be done. Thirdly, they need to manage and direct their subordinates. Also, marketing managers need to communicate with the higher level management. Keeping all the function in mind, a marketing manager needs a LAPTOP with wireless internet connectivity for convenience and flexibility. Laptop is helpful because it will not affect the works of a manager while he is shifting places or travelling. Secondly, through internet connectivity, it can guide and manage subordinates through emails. P6: Complete computer system to suit a given task: Let us elaborate more on designing a special computer system for a special task. We will take human resources for McDonalds for our point of attention. McDonalds is a global organization and it operates is different parts of the world. Due to its operations in diverse parts of the world, it needs to hires from local countries to lower its cost and better operations. Human Resources Department of McDonalds has to face different kind of challenges to meet this objective. For example, interviewing candidates from different parts of the world is nothing more but a challenge. They need a computer system with complete components plus accessories such as printers and faxes etc. They also need internet connectivity. This will help them to interview candidates from different parts of the world and their efficient screening. Moreover, they can email candidates or can communicate with them online through internet connectivity. Moreover, they can publish their reports using Microsoft word or excel. They also need projectors and video conferencing to train their employees and subordinates. A proper internal database system must be designed to develop integration and convenience of operations. For example, Human resources department can access personnel information through anywhere in the world. This can help them in efficient personnel planning and employee database. Today, McDonalds is using the Human Resources Information system for this purpose. It is easy for the operation managers again to send reports to the human resources department for internet connectivity. Moreover, employees can easily report back to human resources department in all their organizational problems. Outcome 4: Testing the Computer System P7: Planning that check system hardware and software components using standard techniques: We can adopt systems development lifecycle for managing and checking the computer components just like McDonalds does. We can divide this checking and audit in three sections: Initiation phase, Planning Phase, Designing Phase. In the initiation phase, we can firstly assess the strategic business objectives and can have useful insights about our business. This step involves strategic business objectives and technology goals, expected benefits from adopting a computer system, expected and potential organizational changes, and business regulations and laws. Then we can move to the functional requirements and checks such as end user requirements, information and internal security requisitions, operating systems compatibility and adoption, and internal or external interface requirements. Thirdly, Project management and risk management must be considered. Finally, while selecting a computer system, alternative solutions must be considered. In the Planning phase, we need to plan about the rules and regulations and compatibility of technology with the organizational culture. In this phase, we can check and plan that if a computer system is compatible with the organizational culture or not? Secondly, based on the roles and controls of end user, we can analyze the functional fit of particular computer hardware or software requirement and availability. In the design phase, we can design or REDESIGN a computer system after considering the organizational requirements and end users convenience and efficiency. In our example of McDonalds, we can easily analyze that although McDonalds has a good computer system and management but a lot more needs to be done to avoid any future threat from competition. (www.ffiec.gov, 2009) P8: User Documentation for Computer System: User documentation is the process of discussing and experimenting during a project or in an organization. This system is really important to implement. It includes goals, theories, roles, method, mechanics, and benefits. Goals involve the target assigned to each user in documentation. Well in case of computer sytem, it is the target of a user which he has to achieve using a system. For example, in the example of McDonalds, a sales officer need to properly use computer systems to reach potential sales. Theories involve the purpose or organizational objectives and visions. Users should work under the theories of organization. While roles, method, mechanics and benefits are all associated with user and all these things are important. (Pacific Northwest Software Quality Conference, 1991) P9: Security Policy for the System: The Computer system can be secured by installing proper antivirus software like Norton Antivirus. Proper internet security applications software must be used to prevent the systems from any threats. Moreover, the email monitoring or screen capturing of emails is also practiced by some organizations but it can give rise to a large number of ethical issues like the privacy of employees. Moreover proper firewalls can also be installing to overcome this issue. All these practices are adopted by McDonalds. P10: Health and Safety Requirements of Systems: Proper measures should also be taken while implementing a system. For example, sitting long time against computers can damage the eyesight end users. So proper rays blocking screen must been used with display monitors to prevent employees from the threats of eyesight. McDonalds is doing well in this area by offering its employees a proper balance between work and home. (McDonalds Official Website, 2009) Conclusion: From the discussion above, we can see that McDonalds is a global organization and it has developed a strong computer and information technology system in its operations but there are also some defects in it. All the things we discussed above are important for having a powerful and successful computer system. For a Global Organization like McDonalds, A proper consideration and attention must be paid to I.T Section to meet global challenges.

Effect of Solvent Exposure and Temperature on Beet Cell Membrane

The Effect of Solvent Exposure and Temperature on Beet Cell Membrane Integrity Introduction: Cell membranes are vital to proper cellular function †¢ Cell membranes consist of a lipid bilayer made up of phospholipids †¢ Phospholipids are amphipathic molecules meaning they have a dual nature in that they show both hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic (water-fearing) properties †¢ The amphipathic nature of phospholipids causes them to spontaneously form bilayers in water based solutions o The inner and outer surfaces of the bilayers are hydrophilic and can interact with the aqueous environment, while the core of the bilayer is hydrophobic and able to exclude water and other polar molecules o Because of these properties, phospholipids bilayers are able to serve multiple functions including: ? act as barriers to protect the cell from the outside environment ? house proteins and carbohydrates necessary for cell to cell and extracellular communication ? rganize and prov ide surface areas for metabolic reactions †¢ While the phospholipids bilayer is a highly organized system with multiple functions, it is also highly dynamic and can be functionally described using the fluid mosaic model (FMM) o FMM characterizes the phospholipids bilayer of the cell membrane as highly dynamic and fluid meaning that the position (location) of any given phospholipids in the membrane is not fixed but fluid; thus, individual phospholipids can change positions are needed based on the current conditions. o Similarly proteins and carbohydrates are generally mobile in the membrane as well. †¢ This experiment was aimed at investigating the conditions that affect cell membrane integrity. o Because cell membranes are part of a living system they are sensitive to environmental conditions o Like most biological systems, cell membranes show a relatively narrow range of function with respect to pH, temperature, and exposure to organic solvents †¢ The experimental mo del employed was red beets Red beet cells contain large, membrane bound central vacuoles that house a pigment, betacyanin o When cell and vacuole membranes are in tact, betacyanin in contained within the cell o If the cell and vacuole membranes are disrupted, betacyanin can leak in the surrounding solution turning it pink o Higher amounts of membrane damage will lead to more leakage of betacyanin pigment from the cells. The more pigment present the higher the absorbance reading. o Therefore, betacyanin release, as determined by measuring absorbance, serves as a proxy for quantifying membrane damage. †¢ In this experiment, we tested the effect of changing two environmental conditions on cell membrane integrity.First, we tested the effect of temperature on cell membranes o To accomplish this we exposed beet cells to temperatures ranging from -5(C to 70(C o Because cell membranes maintain integrity under a narrow range of conditions, we hypothesize that exposure to higher temperat ures (50-70(C) and extreme low temperatures (-5(C) will cause severe damage to the cell membranes which will result in higher amounts of betacyanin being released from the cells. †¢ We also tested the effect of exposing beet cells to two different solvents o Methanol and acetone are organic solvents capable of dissolving hydrophobic species such as phospholipids o Acetone is generally considered a stronger organic solvent compared with methanol o Thus, we hypothesize that exposure to acetone will cause more damage to beet cell membranes compared with exposure to methanol.Additionally, we hypothesize that higher concentrations of acetone will cause more damage than lower concentrations. Similarly, higher concentrations of methanol will also cause more damage. Results (the data numbers are for example only and meant to reflect the general trend in the class; data from individual groups will vary): †¢ Experiment 1: The effect of temperature on cell membrane integrity o We tes ted the effect of exposing beet cells to various temperatures ranging from -5(C to 70(C. (Question) o To do this, uniform pieces of beet were placed in empty test tubes then incubated at a specific temperature. (How the question was addressed) ?Following this water was added to the test tube and the cells were incubated for 20 minutes. ? After incubation, the water was transferred to a clean tube and absorbance at 425 nm was determined. o Absorbace readings were similar at temperatures of 5? C, 25? C, 40? C, 55? C, and 70? C (A425 0. 25-0. 30) (Figure 1) (Experimental data) o Incubation at -5? C showed a dramatic increase in absorbance (A460 = 0. 95) (Figure 1) (Experimental data) o We conclude from this data that temperatures ranging from 5-70? C have only minor effects on cell membrane integrity. In contrast; exposure of cells to a temperature below freezing causes much more membrane damage. (Conclusion) Experiment 2: The effect of solvent on cell membrane integrity o We tested wh ether exposure to two different organic solvents, methanol and acetone, disrupted cell membrane integrity (Question) o Beet cells were incubated in 10%, 25%, and 50% methanol or 10%, 25%, and 50% acetone. Additionally, additionally cells were also incubated in saline, a solvent that mimics physiological conditions. (How the question was addressed) ? Following exposure to solvent, membrane damage was determined by measuring absorbance. o Incubation in 10% or 25% methanol yielded absorbance readings of 0. 2 and 0. 25 respectively; however, incubation in 50% methanol showed an increase in absorbance to 0. 5. Figure 2) (Experimental data) o Incubation in 10% or 25% acetone produced higher absorbance readings compared to the same concentrations of methanol (0. 4 and 0. 42 respectively). Similar to 50% methanol, 50% acetone yielded the highest absorbance reading of 0. 8 (Figure 2). (Experimental data) o Taken together, these data show that acetone causes more membrane damage than methanol and that concentrations of 50% solvent are more damaging than lower concentrations. (Conclusion) Overall Conclusion: †¢ We hypothesized that temperatures outside of the normal physiological range would disrupt membrane integrity causing betacyanin to leak out of the cells. Our data shows that our hypothesis was partly correct, low temperature, -5? C, inflicts the most damage to cell membranes while higher temperatures, ranging from 55-70? C induce little damage when compared with physiological temperatures. †¢ We also hypothesized that exposure to high concentration organic solvents would disrupt membrane integrity and that acetone, being a stronger solvent, would show more damage than methanol. o In this case our hypothesis was support. Acetone showed more damage as measured by betacyanin release than methanol. Additionally, the highest concentration of each solvent showed the most damage. Data: [pic] Figure 1: The effect of temperature on cell membrane integrity.Cells w ere exposed to temperatures ranging from -5C to 70C. Following incubation at the indicated temperature, water was added and the cells were allowed to incubate at room temperature for 20 minutes. Damage to cell membrane integrity was assessed by quantifying leakage of the pigment betacyanin via measuring light absorbance at 460 nm. [pic] Figure 2: The effect of solvent on cell membrane integrity. Cells were incubated in the presence of methanol, acetone, or saline at the indicated concentrations. Following incubation, damage to cell membrane integrity was assessed by quantifying leakage of the pigment betacyanin via measuring light absorbance at 460 nm.

Analyzing Intercultural Communication An Intercultural...

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Who Were the Mujahideen of Afghanistan

In the 1970s, a new group of fighters arose in Afghanistan. They called themselves mujahideen (sometimes spelled mujahidin), a word applied initially to Afghan fighters who opposed the push of the British Raj into Afghanistan in the 19th century. But who were these 20th-century mujahideen? The word mujahideen comes from the same Arabic root as jihad, which means struggle. Thus, a mujahid is someone who struggles or someone who fights. In the context of Afghanistan during the late 20th century, the mujahideen were Islamic warriors defending their country from the Soviet Union, which invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and fought a bloody war there for a decade. Who Were the Mujahideen? Afghanistans mujahideen were exceptionally diverse, including ethnic Pashtuns, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and others. Some were Shia Muslims, sponsored by Iran, while most factions were made up of Sunni Muslims. In addition to the Afghan fighters, Muslims from other countries volunteered to join the mujahideen ranks. Much smaller numbers of Arabs (including Osama bin Laden, 1957–2011), fighters from Chechnya, and others rushed to the aid of Afghanistan. After all, the Soviet Union was officially an atheist nation, inimical to Islam, and the Chechens had their own anti-Soviet grievances. The mujahideen arose out of local militias, led by regional warlords, who independently took up arms all across Afghanistan to fight the Soviet invasion. Coordination among the different mujahideen factions was severely limited by mountainous terrain, linguistic differences, and traditional rivalries among different ethnic groups. As the Soviet occupation dragged on, the Afghan resistance became increasingly united in its opposition. By 1985, the majority of the mujahideen were fighting as part of a broad alliance known as the Islamic Unity of Afghanistan Mujahideen. This alliance was made up of troops from the armies of seven major warlords, so it was also known as the Seven Party Mujahideen Alliance or the Peshawar Seven. The most famous (and likely most effective) of the mujahideen commanders was Ahmed Shah Massoud (1953–2001), known as the Lion of the Panjshir. His troops fought under the banner of the Jamiat-i-Islami, one of the Peshawar Seven factions led by Burhanuddin Rabbani, who would later become the 10th president of Afghanistan. Massoud was a strategic and tactical genius, and his mujahideen were a crucial part of the Afghan resistance against the Soviet Union during the 1980s. The Soviet-Afghan War For a variety of reasons, foreign governments also supported the mujahideen in the war against the Soviets. The United States had been engaged in detente with the Soviets, but their expansionist move into Afghanistan angered President Jimmy Carter, and the U.S. would go on to supply money and arms to the mujahideen through intermediaries in Pakistan for the duration of the conflict. (The U.S. was still smarting from its loss in the Vietnam War, so the country did not send in any combat troops.) The Peoples Republic of China also supported the mujahideen, as did Saudi Arabia. The Afghan mujahideen deserve the lions share of the credit for their victory over the Red Army. Armed with their knowledge of the mountainous terrain, their tenacity, and their sheer unwillingness to allow a foreign army to overrun Afghanistan, small bands of often ill-equipped mujahideen fought one of the worlds superpowers to a draw. In 1989, the Soviets were forced to withdraw in disgrace, having lost 15,000 troops. For the Soviets, it was a very costly mistake. Some historians cite the expense and discontent over the Afghan War as a major factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union several years later. For Afghanistan, it was also a bittersweet victory; more than 1 million Afghans were killed, and the war threw the country into a state of political chaos that eventually allowed the fundamentalist Taliban to take power in Kabul. Further Reading Feifer, Gregory. The Great Gamble: The Soviet War in Afghanistan. New York: Harper, 2009.Girardet, Ed. Afghanistan: The Soviet War. London: Routledge, 1985Hilali, A.Z. U.S.—Pakistan Relationship: Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. London: Routledge, 2005.