What Is a Limit in Math

What is a limit? This is a question I often hear from calculus students. The limit notation can be confusing at first, and it seems that every limit problem requires a different method. In this short article, Ill explain the concept of a limit and how to find them in a few different cases. Approaching the Limit Suppose y = f(x) is a function. Informally, a limit of f is a y-value that f(x) approaches as x approaches some specified number a. We use the following notation for limits: This notation means that f(x) approaches a limit of L as x approaches a. In the graph shown below, we can see that the values of f(x) seem to get closer and closer to y = 2 as x approaches 3. Trends in the Data Its important to realize that a limit problem is not really asking for the actual value of f at x = a. Instead, its about what happens near x = a. Based on the y-values at points near a, what would you expect the value at a to be? The situation is a bit like finding a trend in the data. Suppose you recorded your quiz grades over the semester and found that the first 5 of them were: 74, 75, 77, 79, 80. What is the trend? The grades seem to be close to each other but rising. So you might expect the 6th quiz grade to be somewhere in the low 80s, right? You would not expect a 62 or a 99. For example, lets look at the graph below. What is ? As the arrows suggest, the limiting value is 3. This is because the curve seems to lead into the point (2, 3) from both the left and the right side. Even though (2, 3) is not on the graph (thats what the open circle signifies), and even though f(2) = 1 (thats what the detached dot is telling us), we say that the limit as x approaches 2 must be equal to 3. Finding Limits Algebraically Okay, so what if we dont have a graph in front of us? How can we find a limit of a given function? Im glad you asked! There are many different techniques that may work on different kinds of limit problems. If f(x) is continuous at x = a, then you can simply plug in and evaluate f(a). Many kinds of functions are continuous on their natural domains, including polynomials and rational functions. On the other hand, sometimes a function can be undefined at a given point and yet the limit still might exist there. In those cases we must be extra careful. It may take some algebraic manipulation to rewrite the given function first. Here is an example in which we factor and cancel before plugging in. If you tried plugging in x = 1 at the beginning, you would get 0/0, which is meaningless. Whats Next? Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg. For more about limits, check out AP Calculus Exam Review: Limits and Continuity and Limits on the AP Calculus Exam.

Racism In Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man - 1573 Words

Racism has been around for several centuries and it means, Prejudice, discrimination, antagonism, all directed towards someone of a different race, believing that one’s own race is superior over another† (CITATION). Racism goes far back into the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and continues today although it isnt near as bad as it was before the 1900s. Invisible Man, written by Ralph Ellison and published in 1952, uses objects that symbolize the narrator to aid in the explanations of the racial views of society. The main character of the novel calls himself the Invisible Man (IM). Though, not characteristically invisible, narrates his perspective of racial oppression. The novel depicts the immoral ways of racism. One of which is the†¦show more content†¦In the 30s men often would carry around briefcases for work IM however uses it for meaning. In 1930s America racial oppression had settled down some. Black Americans received more opportunities than they insu fficiently had in the past. In the 1930s, blacks were still segregated against; separate schools, water fountains, hospitals, benches, restaurants, etc. Very seldom it was to find a business that included every race in a non-segregated setting. The matter of education for blacks was rare in the 1930s, IM had received a full-ride scholarship to an all-black college after fighting in a boxing match blindfolded, for the entertainment of white spectators. In the 1930s, few blacks would receive scholarships and only 48% got a higher education after the fifth grade. (CITATION). The immoral ways of racism are a root of many social protests. At the beginning of the novel, the narrator joined a group named The Brotherhood who was known for that protesteing inequality and encouraged harmony of all races. However, the Brotherhood used the narrator as a way to voice their opinions without having to do it themselves. The protesting group only looks at the things that will allow them to survive, and do not care what other peoples opinions are of them. The Brotherhood degraded IM, by treating him as if he were as invisible to them as he was to the world. Later in the novel IM found out that the protestingShow MoreRelatedA Protest Against Racism In Ralph Ellisons The Invisible Man1099 Words   |  5 PagesA Protest Against Racism Merriam- Webster’s dictionary defines racism as, â€Å"prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that ones own race is superior† (Merriam-Webster). The story follows a young college age black man (Invisible) in his quest of personal identity. The story follows a young college-age black man (Invisible Man) in his quest of personal identity. The novel exposed the evils of racism that are difficult to eradicateRead More Racism and Identity in Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man Essay2209 Words   |  9 PagesIn Ralph Ellison’s novel The Invisible man, the unknown narrator states â€Å"All my life I had been looking for something and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was†¦I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself the question which I, and only I, could answer†¦my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: That I am nobody but myself. But first I had to discover that I am an invisible man!† (13). throughout the novel, the search forRead MoreMetaphors In Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man1235 Words   |  5 PagesMetaphors in Invisible Man Ellison uses many examples of metaphors in his novel to convey invisibility, especially with references to music, imagery, and the use of a nameless character. With literature that challenged the accepted ideals surrounding that time period, Ellison expresses his thoughts by comparing an invisible man to various relatable subjects in life. When the narrator firsts starts on his journey and gets constantly bumped, he states that â€Å"You constantly wonder whether you aren’tRead More Ralph Ellison’s Prologue to the Invisible Man Essay1119 Words   |  5 PagesRalph Ellison’s Prologue to the Invisible Man The Invisible Man is not a story of things that go bump in the night, but of those in society who people refuse to â€Å"see†. The essay was written by Ralph Ellison, an African American writer of the 20th century, whose stories tended to focus on racial issues. The main character of this story’s prologue is anonymous and unseen. He resides in a basement and lives off stolen energy in Harlem New York. Throughout the essay it is hard to determineRead MoreThe Tone and Style of Ralph Ellisons Battle Royal Essay963 Words   |  4 PagesA short analysis of the major theme found in Ellison’s Battle Royal, supported by a literary criticism dealing with the tone and style of the story. Introduction: Ralph Ellison’s short story, Battle Royal, is mainly an account of the African American struggle for equality and identity. The narrator of the story is an above average youth of the African American community [Goldstein-Shirlet, 1999]. He is given an opportunity to give a speech to some of the more prestigious white individuals. HisRead MoreThe Struggle for Equality and Identity in Ralph Ellisons Battle Royal915 Words   |  4 PagesRalph Ellison’s short story, Battle Royal, is mainly a description of the African American struggle for equality and identity. The narrator of the story is an above average youth of the African American community [Goldstein-Shirlet, 1999]. He is given an opportunity to give a speech to some of the more prestigious white individuals. His expectations of being received in a positive and normal environment are drastically dashed when he is faced with the severity of the process he must deal with inRead MoreRevelations Of The Fictional Charact ers Of Ralph Ellison s Invisible Man1402 Words   |  6 PagesDrew Wiseman Mrs. McElroy AP English 12 September 3, 2012 Revelations of the Protagonist In Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, the main character goes through a spiritual realization just as Meursault does in Albert Camus’ The Stranger. In the Invisible Man, Dr. Bledsoe leads the protagonist astray to the fabled Harlem of New York City. Once the narrator arrives in Harlem, it becomes apparent that he was sent to Harlem as a punishment and has been permanently expelled from black college. The narratorRead More Use of Symbolism In Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man Essay766 Words   |  4 PagesRalph Ellison uses several symbols to emphasize the narrator’s attempt to escape from stereotypes and his theme of racial inequalities in his novel, Invisible Man. In particular, the symbolism of the cast-iron is one that haunts the narrator throughout the book. Ellison’s character discovers a small, cast-iron bank that implies the derogatory stereotypes of a black man in society at the time. From its â€Å"wide-mouthed, red-lipped, and very black† features , to its suggestion of a black man entertainingRead More Essay on Race in Invisible Man and Black Boy1153 Words   |  5 PagesThe Question of Race in Invisible Man and Black Boy      Ã‚   In the early twentieth century black American writers started employing modernist ways of argumentation to come up with possible answers to the race question. Two of the most outstanding figures of them on both, the literary and the political level, were Richard Wright, the most important voice in black American literature for the first half of the twentieth century (Norton, 548) and his contemporary Ralph Ellison, one of the mostRead MoreRalph Ellison’S Novel, Invisible Man Serves As A Cultural1408 Words   |  6 PagesRalph Ellison’s novel, Invisible Man serves as a cultural ethnography of the African American condition in the 1950s. Flooded with issues of signifyin(g), African American folklore, and trickster figures, Ellison’s main theme for the novel is for the narrator to find his own identity in a world defined by whiteness. Specifically, Ellison’s employment of the trickster, a figure that generally bends normal rules and conventional behavior, acts as a cultural â€Å"gift-bearer† that is essential to the reading

Essay about Theme of Madness Conveyed in Shakespeares Hamlet

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, one of the most evident and important themes is the theme of madness. The theme is apparent throughout the play, mainly through the actions and thoughts of Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes. Madness is defined as the quality or condition of mental illness or derangement (being insane). Madness is at the center of the conflicts and problems of the play and is conveyed through Shakespeare’s elaborate use of manipulation and parallels between Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes to contribute to Hamlet’s tragic character. All examples of madness begin and end with death. Hamlet’s madness, or feign of madness begins with the death of Old Hamlet and seeing his ghost, and Ophelia’s madness begins with the death of her†¦show more content†¦158-161). Claudius believes that whatever the reason for Hamlet’s madness, the end result or outcome will be dangerous. Polonius, however, believes that the reason Hamlet is acting so strangely is because he is madly in love with Ophelia. Because of Claudius’ fear of what Hamlet could do he decides that â€Å"Madness in great ones must not unwatched go† (3.1. 182-183) and sends Hamlet to England. Hamlet admits to others that he is mad, which would seem like something that someone who was actually mad would be unlikely to do because they wouldn’t want to bring attention to it. Hamlet wants to bring attention to the idea that he is mad because he wants it to be spread around so that it becomes a known fact. Hamlet says â €Å"How strange or odd someer I bear myself / as I perchance hereafter shall think meet / to put an antic disposition on.† (1.5. 170-172) to show the reader that his madness isn’t real. There is however evidence that Hamlet is actually mad. For example, Hamlet sees the ghost of his father when others do not, but this could also be seen as evidence to prove that he is not mad because there are others who did see the ghost as well. By using examples such as this, Shakespeare makes it difficult for the reader to distinguish Hamlets actually insanity and feign of insanity if there even is one orShow MoreRelatedHamlet’s Struggle with Life and Death1005 Words   |  5 PagesDeath In Act III, scene I of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the thematic imagery, along with the symbolic use of syntax and diction that Shakespeare uses helps convey Hamlet’s state of mind as troubled and as having a painful view to life which, overall, is subtly expressed with weakness as he talked about death. Death is a major theme in Hamlet and through Shakespeare’s astonishing words in his â€Å"To be, or not to be,† soliloquy; it is obvious that Hamlet is conveyed as a troubled character. HeRead MoreHamlet Film Vs Film Essay1737 Words   |  7 Pagesof the past fifty years there have been many cinematic productions of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, some of which remain true to the text while others take greater liberties with the original format. Director Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 production of Hamlet was true to Shakespeare’s work in that the film’s dialogue was delivered word or word as it is presented in the text. In contrast, Franco Zeffirelli conducted his 1990 production of Hamlet in a much more liberal direction in which lines, scenes and charactersRead MoreThe Portrayal of Ophelia on Stage Over the Years959 Words   |  4 Pages(1790-1830) as Ophelia in 1813, opposite  John Philip Kembles Hamlet While it is known that  Richard Burbage  played Hamlet in Shakespeares time, there is no evidence of who played Ophelia; since there were no professional actresses on the public stage in  Elizabethan England, we may be certain that she was played by a boy.[11] The  early modern  stage in England had an established set of  emblematic  conventions  for the representation of female madness: dishevelled hair worn down, dressed in white, bedeckedRead MoreLanguage Techniques in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay1087 Words   |  5 PagesLanguage Techniques in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Shakespeare used a variety of language techniques throughout Hamlet, which contribute to the themes in the play. They also help to add more meaning and understanding for the audience. Soliloquies, word play, symbols and other figurative language are some of these important techniques that enhance Hamlet. The way Shakespeare switches Read MoreDeception Versus Truth : Illusion Versus Reality Essay1790 Words   |  8 Pagesreality. In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Prince Hamlet is constantly having to differentiate between their dichotomous nature, amongst a royal Danish court ensnared in a web of espionage, betrayal and lies. Shakespeare explores challenging ideas of truth and deception through imagery developed by features of language throughout the play of Hamlet. Images of nature, unworldly ghosts, madness, the struggles of battle and symbols of juxtaposing colours are explored by Shakespeare to convey themes of deceitRead MoreBetrayal and Loyalty in Shakespeares plays3231 Words   |  13 PagesAP English Literature Composition March 14, 2012 Betrayal and Loyalty in William Shakespeares Plays William Shakespeare is one of the most recognized playwrights in the history of man. People have analyzed every sentence of his works and have taken note of the various styles used in his writing. Ironically enough, little is known about Shakespeares personal life. It is assumed, however, that like other literary writers, Shakespeare relates occurrences in his life into his writing. The averageRead MoreEssay about William Shakespeares Relevance Today2257 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Relevance Today For as long as formal education has existed in Britain it has been a largely standard assumption that teaching the works of William Shakespeare is relevant and necessary. Perhaps the relevance of his writing is taken for granted, perhaps it is necessary to re-examine the role of Shakespeare for the modern audience. There are indeed many people who question the relevance of this 440 year old playwright to a 21st century audienceRead MoreFamily in Jane Eyre and Hamlet2673 Words   |  11 PagesIn both William Shakespeare’s play, ‘Hamlet’ and in Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s novel, ‘Jane Eyre’ the self is an extremely powerful notion. One of the main constraints and one of the main motivators in both texts is the importance and influence of the family. Both texts explore the powerful impact of the family, or perceived family, to define or shape the self and the extent of influence that the family can have to alter, prevent or encourage development of the self. This influence is used effectively byRead MoreHamlet Human Nature Essay1819 Words   |  8 Pagespast it. In Hamlet, William Shakespeare depicts the role human nature plays in the striving for answers and justice surrounding death. Even though Hamlet was written early in the seventeenth century, the depiction of death and human nature still rings true today; people and their lifestyles might chan ge, but aspects of human nature remain consistent. People grieve in different ways and the characters of Hamlet reflect the ever constant yet unique way human nature takes over. In Hamlet, the differentRead MoreDuchess Of Malf Open Learn10864 Words   |  44 PagesConclusion 24 References 24 Further reading 25 Next steps 25 Acknowledgements 26 Figures 26 Don’t miss out 26 Introduction This unit, on the first two acts of John Webster’s Renaissance tragedy The Duchess of Malfi, focuses on the representation of the theme of love and marriage in the Malfi court, and the social conflicts to which it gives rise. The unit guides you through the first part of the play and will help you to develop your skills of textual analysis. This unit focuses mainly on Acts 1 and 2

Strategic Information System Banking Software

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Information System Banking Software and Packages in Australia. Answer: Introduction Accounting is a necessary department in the organizations and plays a significant role in its business processes and activities. An organization cannot function well without the presence of a strong and efficient accounting department. The accounting activities are being done since years and there have been several modifications in the journey. The latest advancements that have been observed are in the software and tools that are used for the execution of activities. There are automated information systems and software packages that are being installed and are successfully being used in the industries. Australian industries have also adopted these latest practices to have advanced services with better quality and result. The document highlights the details of the accounting software packages along with the information of an organization in Australia along organizational structure and challenges. Organizational Structure Woolworths Limited is an Australian company that is a retailer of groceries and associated products. The company has its online portal in the form of a website to allow the customers to easily buy groceries from any location. The organization is composed of senior, middle and low level management along with the technical and operational staff members. There are several components and departments that are present in the organization that are interlinked and interrelated with each other (Woolworths, 2017). Problems with Organizational Structure There may be several problems that may be associated with the current organizational structure of Woolworths as it requires a strong integration of the departments and sub-components that are present. It is also necessary to have the information systems in place in order to avoid the issues associated with the operational and security threats. There may also be insider threats and attacks that may come up due to this structure (Henderson, 2004). System Acquisition Method There are numerous system acquisition methods that are present that include implementation of custom software, commercial software or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software (Yang and Tamir, 2015). The method that would apply the best in this case would be ERP. It is because of the reason that the ERP packages will offer several advantages to Woolworths in terms of the business processes and their continuity along with the performance and integration of all the components (Mallery, 2011). System Flowchart of the Sales Process System Flowchart of Sales Process at Woolworths The sales process that is followed at Woolworths is as described above. There are several sales activities that are performed in the organization and it is necessary to make sure that these activities are carried out with the required levels of performance, processing speed and reliability. The sales activities in Woolworths are therefore divided in to a number of four phases as described in the flowchart above. Each of the phases has its own set of activities and sub-activities (Gulledge, 2002). Control Problems Frauds With the presence of so many activities in the sales flowchart of the operations at Woolworths, there may be a number of control and monitoring problems that may emerge. Not all of these activities are automated in nature and therefore there may be issues associated with timely tracking and review of the status of these activities. The same may give rise to the problems associated with the performance and the outcome. There may also be some of the frauds that may be given shape by the employees in association with the sales activities. Such frauds may be associated with deliberate steps to incorrect operations, operational errors along with insider threats that may possess threat to the security of the information (Mohapatra and Patnaik, 2011). Development and Adoption There has been a lot of change in technology in the present times and the same has had an impact on the accounting software packages as well. The primary demands of the customers in the present times are associated with the speed and availability of the services along with their reliability. The same expectations are now associated with the accounting software packages as well. The expectations and demands of the customers are associated with better performance along with enhanced handling of queries and cost effectiveness of the software (Seethamraju, 2012). It is because of these changes in the customer expectations that the accounting software packages that are being developed in the current times are fully automated and require a very little human intervention. The focus on the service providers are also in accordance with the customer expectations and are associated with the minimization of the costs and enhancement of the technology. There are numerous interesting and useful features that are being incorporated in these packages such as automated and customized reporting, frequent and scheduled alerts, ease of transactions and easier management, integration and convenient development (James, 2016). Current Market Size The accounting activities are huge and varied in terms of volume and operations. However, there are primarily three classes of services and operation that the accounting software packages of Australia offer to their customers viz. accounting services, auditing services and bookkeeping operations (Afpbb, 2016). There are close to 10k companies that provide automated accounting services and the employees that are associated and collaborated with these companies are over 134,000. The expansion of the companies, their clients and their operations is on an ever increasing pace and it is because of this reason that it has been estimated that there will be further development of close to 5.5% in the year 2016-17 in order to achieve AUD 20.7 billion (Bankwest, 2015). Accounting Packages Present Market Leaders and Competitive Advantages Intuit QuickBooks Accounting software packages and the companies that are developing and providing the same are huge in number in Australia. There are several such packages that can be deployed and acquired by the customers and one some extremely useful and popular one out of the list is the Intuit QuickBooks package. The package offers the features and benefits associated with cost-savings and cost-effectiveness. The package has an equally good performance for the business users as well as the individual users. The package scores exceedingly well in terms of the storage of data, management of data along with the other operations on the data and information. The package allows the users to do the payroll payments for the free of cost. The package can be accessed on mobile platform as well as on the web platforms without any performance issues. Security is the most important advantage of this package as it comes with basic as well as enhanced security mechanisms to allow the customers to avail the same without any security risks and threats (Advisoryhq, 2015). MYOB Accounting Software Accounting software packages and the companies that are developing and providing the same are huge in number in Australia. There are several such packages that can be deployed and acquired by the customers and one some extremely useful and popular one out of the list is the MYOB package. The business users can experience and view the real-time situations and context with the aid of this software package. Point of Sale (POS) transactions and operations can be done easily with the aid of this software package. There are no issues with the continuity of accounting activities even in case of network loss or breakdown as this package can be used in the offline mode as well. There are no issues with the compliance and related formalities associated with this software There is an option of customization that is also available that allows the users to include additional features and functionalities (Myob, 2016). Reckon Accounting software packages and the companies that are developing and providing the same are huge in number in Australia. There are several such packages that can be deployed and acquired by the customers and one some extremely useful and popular one out of the list is the Reckon package. The customer base that is associated with this package is huge and therefore the investments that are made using this accounting software package remain safe and secure. It offers easier integration with the rest of the activities and services in the organization. Some of the advanced features that are offered by this package include management of credit, management of billing activities, resource planning, processing of taxes and many more (Carey, 2015). Saasu Accounting software packages and the companies that are developing and providing the same are huge in number in Australia. There are several such packages that can be deployed and acquired by the customers and one some extremely useful and popular one out of the list is the Saasu package. The integration and connectivity that is offered by this particular accounting software package has no comparison and also it offers the activities to be completed and customized on the basis of several currency options that are available for the customers. Also, there can be customizations that can be done in this package in terms of language and themes. Xero Accounting software packages and the companies that are developing and providing the same are huge in number in Australia. There are several such packages that can be deployed and acquired by the customers and one some extremely useful and popular one out of the list is the Xero package. The processing speed along with the online transactional speed is extremely fast. The software allows the reconciliation activities to be done quickly and without any compromise in performance as well The software package allows the users to experience enhance usability along with rich user experience. Integration and connection that can be done with this package is easy and quick (Miller, 2016). The following table brings out the comparison of the cost that is associated with the accounting software packages that are listed above. Cost of the Accounting Software Package Intuit QuickBooks MYOB Reckon Saasu Xero Basic Cost of the Package $12 to be charged in a time period of one month $50 to be charged in a time period of one month $5 to be charged in a time period of one month $15 to be charged in a time period of one month $9 to be charged in a time period of one month Premium or Advanced Cost of the package $21 to be charged in a time period of one month Can go up to $99 to be charged in a time period of one month Increases upon addition of features Can go up to $180 to be charged in a time period of one month $70 to be charged in a time period of one month Cost of the accounting software (www.advisoryhq.com, 2015). Challenges for users There can be numerous frauds that may be given shape by the attackers and hackers in terms of the information security threats and there may also be a number of insider threats that may also emerge. Companies look for the accounting software packages that may be cost-effective in nature. There are many packages that are available at basic rates but the cost of the add-ons is huge and that disturbs the estimated budget for the company (Crowder, 2016). There are requirements for the users to have some sort of system documentation available to allow them to run several functionalities without any errors. Accounting is one department in which there is lesser scope for errors and any mistake can prove to have devastating results. Companies at times do not provide adequate documentation and therefore the users face troubles during the usage. Maintenance and support is also often the major challenges as these activities are not developed correctly. References Advisoryhq.com, (2015) 5 Best Small Business Accounting Software in Australia. [online] AdvisoryHQ. Available at: https://www.advisoryhq.com/articles/5-best-small-business-accounting-software-in-australia/ [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Afpbb, (2016) The Australian Accounting Industry. [online] Afpbb.net.au. Available at: https://www.afpbb.net.au/Resources/TheAustralianAccountingIndustry.aspx [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Bankwest, (2015) Accounting Services Industry Report. 1st ed. [ebook] Bankwest. Available at: https://www.bankwest.com.au/cs/ContentServer%3Fpagename%3DFoundation/CS/Blob/Document%26id%3D1292539844555%26ext%3D.pdf+cd=3hl=enct=clnkgl=in [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Carey, M. (2015) Cloud Accounting Overview 2015: MYOB Essentials vs Xero vs Intuit QuickBooks Online vs Reckon One - Digital First. [online] Digital First. Available at: https://www.digitalfirst.com/2015-overview-cloud-accounting-software/ [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Crowder, C. (2016) [online] Techin.oureverydaylife.com. Available at: https://techin.oureverydaylife.com/disadvantages-accounting-software-1965.html [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Gulledge, T. (2002). Business process management: public sector implications. Business Process Management Journal, 8(4), pp.364-376. Henderson, L. (2004). Encoding and decoding communication competencies in project management ? an exploratory study. International Journal of Project Management, 22(6), pp.469-476. James, D. (2016) 7 accounting packages for Australian small businesses compared: including MYOB, QuickBooks Online, Reckon, Xero. [online] BIT. Available at: https://www.bit.com.au/Review/344651,7-accounting-packages-for-australian-small-businesses-compared-including-myob-quickbooks-online-reckon-xero.aspx [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Mallery, M. (2011). Project Management Portal (PMP) from the University of Washington Information Technology Wiki - https://wiki.cac.washington.edu/display/pmportal/Project+Management+Portal. Technical Services Quarterly, 28(3), pp.365-367. Miller, K. (2016) Xero Review 2016 | Reviews, Ratings, Complaints, Comparisons. [online] Merchant Maverick. Available at: https://www.merchantmaverick.com/reviews/xero-review/ [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Mohapatra, S. and Patnaik, A. (2011). Sustainability in HRIS implementation through effective project management. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 3(1), p.78. Myob, (2016) Online Accounting Software for Businesses | MYOB. [online] Myob.com. Available at: https://www.myob.com/au/accounting-software/compare [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Ryan, E. (2016) The Evolution of Accounting Software: Past, Present and Future|. [online] Gaaaccounting.com. Available at: https://www.gaaaccounting.com/the-evolution-of-accounting-software-past-present-and-future/ [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Seethamraju, R. (2012). Business process management: a missing link in business education. Business Process Management Journal, 18(3), pp.532-547. Woolworths, (2017). Woolworths Supermarket - Buy Groceries Online. [online] Woolworths Online. Available at: https://www.woolworths.com.au/ [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Yang, Y. and Tamir, G. (2015). Offshore software project management: mapping project success factors. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 7(2), p.111. Strategic Information System Banking Software Question: Discuss about theStrategic Information System. Answer: Introduction There are several entities and departments that make up an organization. It is essential for the organizations to have an integrated unit with all the departments linked together. There are often certain departments which are essential and there are also some which are not very essential. One of the extremely essential departments in the organization is Accounts department. This is the department that was entirely functional upon paper based records and manual processes to carry out the accounting operations. Technology has evolved itself and has applied to the department of accounts which has led to the use and application of automation in the same. Automated and integrated packages offering required services and accounting activities are being provided by numerous providers in the market. Australian industry has also witnessed the presence of a lot many providers in this regard. Background of the Organization Online retailing is on a rise in the present times and there are several organizations in Australia and on a global scale that are doing business in this field. Woolworths Limited is one such organization that has set its foot in Australia and is a retail store that provides the customers with a variety of products such as groceries and many more. The organizational structure that is followed at Woolworths comprises of several levels in which the resources have been placed. Some of these levels include top level management, leadership levels, operational staff and many more. Collaboration of these resources from all the levels is essential to ensure that Woolworths succeeds in achieving the goals (Woolworths, 2017). Issues associated with Current Organizational Structure As stated in the overview of the organization and its organizational structure above, it can be observed that there are many resources in Woolworths that have been placed at several levels. Woolworths will be able to achieve its objectives only when the resources collaborate with each other and function as one team. However, such a strong integration is currently missing from Woolworths which leads to a lot many problems in the operational and managerial activities (Henderson, 2004). Method of System Acquisition System acquisition methods that can be applied in case of Woolworths are many in number. The organization can go for utilization of custom software and can also implement the required functionalities with the aid of commercial software. The most applicable methods out of all will be the use and implementation of enterprise application as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) (Yang and Tamir, 2015). ERP will provide the organization with the ability to overcome the issues associated with the organizational structure as stated above (Mallery, 2011). Sales Process: System Flowchart Sales operations in Woolworths are carried out in four phases one after the other as depicted in the flow chart above. Woolworths: Sales Process Business objectives act as the input for the sales procedures which lead to the satisfied customers as an outcome. There are numerous sub-activities that are carried out in between (Gulledge, 2002). Control Problems Frauds As seen in the flow chart above, there are four phases in the sales procedures with multiple activities and sub-activities being carried out at each phase. As a result, there are several problems associated with control and monitoring of the entire process. Manual tracking and management of these activities is not feasible due to the vastness of operations and therefore use of automated systems would be essential to tactfully control and monitor the sales operations. Because of the varying activities and excessive numbers, there are also some of the frauds and malevolent practices that have been observed in terms of information handling and exchange of information (Mohapatra and Patnaik, 2011). Adoption Development One of the extremely essential departments in the organization is Accounts department. This is the department that was entirely functional upon paper based records and manual processes to carry out the accounting operations. Technology has evolved itself and has applied to the department of accounts which has led to the use and application of automation in the same. Automated and integrated packages offering required services and accounting activities are being provided by numerous providers in the market (Seethamraju, 2012). There has been a shift and transformation in the customer expectations as well. Earlier, customers did not complaint regarding the involvement of long queues and waiting hours; however, such delays are not acceptable in the present times. In case of a system downtime, customer engagement and level of satisfaction will immediately drop down. Similarly, the levels and expectations in terms of performance of the system along with its usability has also changed and evolved with time (James, 2016). Market Size in Current Times One of the extremely essential departments in the organization is Accounts department. This is the department that was entirely functional upon paper based records and manual processes to carry out the accounting operations. Technology has evolved itself and has applied to the department of accounts which has led to the use and application of automation in the same. Automated and integrated packages offering required services and accounting activities are being provided by numerous providers in the market (Afpbb, 2016). There are more than 11,000 firms that work in the area of accounts and related activities and more than 135,000 individuals are engaged as employees in these firms. With such a huge share of market, it is expected that the industry will grow to another 6% in terms of revenues and profits in the current financial year (Bankwest, 2015). Accounting Packages: Leaders in the Market and their Competitive Advantages Reckon The market share and market size that is associated with accounting industry is huge as can be seen from the number presented in the previous sections. According to the requirements and demands from the customers, there are numerous providers that have established themselves and have emerged in the market to provide customized automated accounting software package. One of the leading accounting package providers in the list is Reckon. The unique features of the provider have been illustrated below. Excellent reputation in market with good reviews from customers Ensures that the investments will remain safe. There is no risk involved in this regard Provides the ability to easily integrate the system with other sub-systems Use of latest technology at the back-end for faster processings (Carey, 2015). MYOB Accounting Software The market share and market size that is associated with accounting industry is huge as can be seen from the number presented in the previous sections. According to the requirements and demands from the customers, there are numerous providers that have established themselves and have emerged in the market to provide customized automated accounting software package. One of the leading accounting package providers in the list is MYOB. The unique features of the provider have been illustrated below. Real-time picture can be seen with the aid of this package Point of Sale (PoS) transactions can be easily done Does not depend upon the network issues for delivering the excellent performance Adheres to the standards and compliance policies Scalability and supportability offered is excellent (Myob, 2016). Xero Market share and market size that is associated with accounting industry is huge as can be seen from the number presented in the previous sections. According to the requirements and demands from the customers, there are numerous providers that have established themselves and have emerged in the market to provide customized automated accounting software package. One of the leading accounting package providers in the list is Xero. The unique features of the provider have been illustrated below. Back-end processing is very quick leading to shorter response time Reconciliation tasks and processes can be easily executed Usability and user experience is super rich Easy integration with the rest of the systems (Miller, 2016). Saasu The market share and market size that is associated with accounting industry is huge as can be seen from the number presented in the previous sections. According to the requirements and demands from the customers, there are numerous providers that have established themselves and have emerged in the market to provide customized automated accounting software package. One of the leading accounting package providers in the list is Saasu. The unique features of the provider have been illustrated below. Easy collaboration with the rest of the systems Customer base is strong Scalability and supportability along with adaptability of the system is excellent There are many currency and language options Intuit QuickBooks The market share and market size that is associated with accounting industry is huge as can be seen from the number presented in the previous sections. According to the requirements and demands from the customers, there are numerous providers that have established themselves and have emerged in the market to provide customized automated accounting software package. One of the leading accounting package providers in the list is Intuit QuickBooks. The unique features of the provider have been illustrated below. Charges extremely low from the customers for providing the services No issues with performance have been observed Data related operations and the management of the data is excellent Payroll services can be availed without spending any penny Mobile application for the package has also been developed There are no security occurrences and breaches that have taken place in the past (Advisoryhq, 2015). Cost of the Accounting Software Packages Type of Cost for the Accounting Software Package Reckon MYOB Xero Saasu Intuit QuickBooks Basic Package $5 would be charged from the customer with the validity period of the package as one month $50 would be charged from the customer with the validity period of the package as one month $9 would be charged from the customer with the validity period of the package as one month $15 would be charged from the customer with the validity period of the package as one month $12 would be charged from the customer with the validity period of the package as one month Advanced Package Decided as per add-ons that are included $99 would be charged from the customer with the validity period of the package as one month $70 would be charged from the customer with the validity period of the package as one month $180 would be charged from the customer with the validity period of the package as one month $21 would be charged from the customer with the validity period of the package as one month Cost Table (Advisoryhq, 2015) Challenges Faced by the Users There are a number issues and challenges that are associated in terms of the security vulnerabilities that may have an adverse impact upon the information of the users and the system The overall cost is sometimes not revealed by the providers at the time of purchase and the customers are then asked to pay a heavy amount at the later stages (Crowder, 2016). System documentation and user manuals are not provided to the customers that bring them to a situation when it becomes very difficult to understand the steps to follow to execute a particular operation Support after the deployment and delivery is often not up to the mark References Advisoryhq.com, (2015) 5 Best Small Business Accounting Software in Australia. [online] AdvisoryHQ. Available at: https://www.advisoryhq.com/articles/5-best-small-business-accounting-software-in-australia/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Afpbb, (2016) The Australian Accounting Industry. [online] Afpbb.net.au. Available at: https://www.afpbb.net.au/Resources/TheAustralianAccountingIndustry.aspx [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Bankwest, (2015) Accounting Services Industry Report. 1st ed. [ebook] Bankwest. Available at: https://www.bankwest.com.au/cs/ContentServer%3Fpagename%3DFoundation/CS/Blob/Document%26id%3D1292539844555%26ext%3D.pdf+cd=3hl=enct=clnkgl=in [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Carey, M. (2015) Cloud Accounting Overview 2015: MYOB Essentials vs Xero vs Intuit QuickBooks Online vs Reckon One - Digital First. [online] Digital First. Available at: https://www.digitalfirst.com/2015-overview-cloud-accounting-software/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Crowder, C. (2016) [online] Techin.oureverydaylife.com. Available at: https://techin.oureverydaylife.com/disadvantages-accounting-software-1965.html [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Gulledge, T. (2002). Business process management: public sector implications. Business Process Management Journal, 8(4), pp.364-376. Henderson, L. (2004). Encoding and decoding communication competencies in project management ? an exploratory study. International Journal of Project Management, 22(6), pp.469-476. James, D. (2016) 7 accounting packages for Australian small businesses compared: including MYOB, QuickBooks Online, Reckon, Xero. [online] BIT. Available at: https://www.bit.com.au/Review/344651,7-accounting-packages-for-australian-small-businesses-compared-including-myob-quickbooks-online-reckon-xero.aspx [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Mallery, M. (2011). Project Management Portal (PMP) from the University of Washington Information Technology Wiki - https://wiki.cac.washington.edu/display/pmportal/Project+Management+Portal. Technical Services Quarterly, 28(3), pp.365-367. Miller, K. (2016) Xero Review 2016 | Reviews, Ratings, Complaints, Comparisons. [online] Merchant Maverick. Available at: https://www.merchantmaverick.com/reviews/xero-review/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Mohapatra, S. and Patnaik, A. (2011). Sustainability in HRIS implementation through effective project management. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 3(1), p.78. Myob, (2016) Online Accounting Software for Businesses | MYOB. [online] Myob.com. Available at: https://www.myob.com/au/accounting-software/compare [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Ryan, E. (2016) The Evolution of Accounting Software: Past, Present and Future|. [online] Gaaaccounting.com. Available at: https://www.gaaaccounting.com/the-evolution-of-accounting-software-past-present-and-future/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Seethamraju, R. (2012). Business process management: a missing link in business education. Business Process Management Journal, 18(3), pp.532-547. Woolworths, (2017). Woolworths Supermarket - Buy Groceries Online. [online] Woolworths Online. Available at: https://www.woolworths.com.au/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2017]. Yang, Y. and Tamir, G. (2015). Offshore software project management: mapping project success factors. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 7(2), p.111.