Management Information Systems Essay Example for Free

Management Information Systems Essay Information Systems Failure: The Case of Computer-Aided Dispatch (Cad) System at London Ambulance Service 1. Introduction The LAS covers a geographical area of just over 600 square miles and handles emergencies for a resident population of 6.8 million people. The CAD project is one of the most frequently quoted UK-based examples of information systems failure that took place in early 1990s. The prominence of this particular case is due to the ‘safety critical’ nature of this system and the claim that 20-30 people may have lost their lives as a result of CAD failure. 2. Description of the Manual Dispatch System The manual dispatch system consists of: a) call taking, b) resource identification, and c) resource mobilization. Call Taking: Emergency calls are received by ambulance control. Control assistants write down details of incidents on pre-printed forms. The location of each incident is identified and the reference co-ordinates are recorded on the forms. The forms are then placed on a conveyer belt which transports them to a central collection point. Resource Identification: Other members of ambulance control collect the forms, review the details on the forms and decide which resource allocator should deal with each incident. The resource allocator examines the forms for a particular sector, compares the details against information recorded for each vehicle and decides which resource should be mobilized. The status information on these forms is updated regularly from information received via the radio operator. The resource is recorded on the original form which is then passed on to a dispatcher. Resource mobilization: The dispatcher either telephones the nearest ambulance station or passes instructions to the radio operator if an ambulance is already mobile. A number of problems exist with the manual dispatch system. Most problems are related to the time-consuming and error-prone nature of activities such as: identification of the precise location of an incident, the physical movement of paper forms, and maintaining up-to-date vehicle status information. Therefore, a Computer- Aided Dispatch (CAD) system was considered as a solution to overcome these problems. 3. The Computer-Aided Dispatch System 3.1 Purpose The objective of the CAD system was to automate many of the human-intensive processes involved in the manual despatch system. 3.2 How the CAD system was intended to work The essential features of the CAD system are shown in Figure 1 which illustrates how the system was intended to work in practice. British Telecom (BT) operators would route all 999 calls concerning medical emergencies to LAS headquarters. A total of 18 ‘receivers’ were then expected to record on the system the name, telephone number and address of the caller, and the name, destination address and brief details of the patient. This information would then be transmitted over a LAN to an ‘allocator’. The system would pinpoint the patient’s location on a map. The system was also expected to monitor continuously the location of every ambulance via radio messages transmitted by each vehicle. The system would then determine the nearest ambulance to the patient. Figure 1: The structure of CAD system at LAS Experienced ambulance ‘dispatchers’ were organized into teams based on three zones (south, north-east, and north-west). Dispatchers would be offered details of the three nearest ambulances by the system and the estimated time each would need to reach the scene. The dispatcher would choose an ambulance and send patient details to a small terminal screen located on the dashboard of the ambulance. The ambulance crew would then be expected to confirm that it was on its way. If the selected ambulance was in an ambulance depot then the dispatch message would be received on the station computer. The ambulance crew would always be expected to acknowledge a message. The system would automatically alter HQ of any ambulance where no acknowledgement was made. A follow-up message would then be sent from HQ. The system would detect messages that would tell HQ when the ambulance crew had arrived, when it was on its way to a hospital and when it was free again. 3.3 How the CAD system was built The CAD system was built as an event-based system using a rule-based approach and was intended to interact with a geographical information system (GIS). The system was built by a small software house called Systems Options using their own GIS software (WINGS) running under Microsoft Windows. The GIS communicated with Datatrak’s automatic vehicle tracking system. The system ran on a series of network PCs and file servers supplied by Apricot. 4. Events that Identified the Flaws of the CAD System On the night of the 26th October 1992 (Monday), things started to go wrong at the HQ of LAS. A flood of 999 calls apparently swamped operators’ screens and many of those calls were being wiped off screens for unknown reasons. Claims were later made that 20 to 30 people may have died as a result of ambulance arriving late on the scene. Some ambulances took over three hours to answer a call while the government’s recommended maximum was 17 min utes. Mr. John Wilby, the chief executive officer of LAS resigned within a couple of days of this event. A number of Members of Parliament called for a public inquiry. The Health Secretary initiated an inquiry and the findings were eventually published in an 80-page report in February, 1993, which immediately became headline news in both the computing and the national press. 5. Findings of the Inquiry The inquiry found evidence of poor management practice, high technological complexities and unfavorable operating environment involved in the implementation of the CAD system in LAS. Systems Options, the company responsible for developing the major part of the CAD system had no previous experience of building similar type of systems. This company, which had won the  £1.1 million contract for the development of the CAD system in June 1991, was found to have substantially underbid an established supplier (McDonnellDouglas). Hence, Systems Options was under serious pressure to complete the system quickly. The managing director of a competing software house wrote various memoranda to LAS management in June and July 1991 describing the project as ‘totally and fatally flawed’. It appeared that Mr. Wilby ignored what amounted to an over-ambitious project timetable. Furthermore, an audit report by Anderson Consulting which called for more finance an d longer time scales for the CAD project was suppressed by the project managers. The board of management of LAS was even misled by the project team over the experience of Systems Options and the references supplied by Systems Options were not thoroughly investigated. Due to the extreme time pressure to develop the CAD system within the allocated timeframe, the project team responsible for developing the system practically did not follow any standard systems development approach. As a result, the resultant software was incomplete and unstable. In January 1992, phases one and two of the project began live trials. In March 1992, phase two of the trials was temporarily suspended due to the discovery of system errors. In October 1992, phase three was terminated after two days of reported chaos described above. Questions were raised about the complexity of the technical system. In the manual dispatch system, communication between HQ and ambulances is conducted via telephone or voice radio links. In the CAD system, links between communication, logging and dispatching vi a a GIS were meant to be automated. The automation was completed but no performance testing was thoroughly performed due to the rushed approach to meet the deadline. The system was lightly loaded at start-up on the 26th October, 1992. Any problems, caused by the communications systems (e.g. ambulance crews pressing wrong buttons, or ambulances being in radio black spots) could be effectively managed by staff. However, as the number of ambulance incidents increased, the amount of incorrect vehicle information recorded by the system also increased. This had a knock-on effect in that the system made incorrect allocations on the basis of the information that it had. For example, multiple vehicles were sent to the same incident, or the closet vehicle was not chosen for the dispatch. As a result, the system had fewer ambulance resources to allocate. At the receiving end, patients became frustrated with the delays to ambulances arriving at incidents. This led to an increase in the number of calls made back to the LAS HQ relating to already recorded incidents. The increased volume of calls, together with a slow system and an insufficient number of call-takers, contributed to significant delays in answering the telephones which, in turn, caused further delays to patients. At the ambulance end, crews became increasingly frustrated at incorrect allocations and this led to an increased number of instances where they failed to press the right status buttons. The system therefore appears to have been in a vicious circle of cause and effect. There was also an apparent mismatch of perspectives among LAS management, HQ staff, and ambulance staff. The system has been described as being introduced in an atmosphere of mistrust by staff. There was incomplete ownership of the system by the majority of LAS staff. The hardware and software suppliers involved in this project reported low staff morale and friction between LAS management and workforce. In other words, an atmosphere of hostility towards the computing systems was observed. One of the reasons for low staff morale was that control room staff lacked previous experience of using computer systems. 6. Conclusion In summary, no single element of the case can be regarded as the sole cause for the failure of the CAD system in LAS. The description demonstrates that failure of information systems projects tend to be multi-faceted in nature. Discuss Questions: a) Discuss the CAD system in terms of Interaction Failure. b) What lessons can be learned from the failure of the CAD project in LAS?

Assess the work of Hjalmar Schacht in restoring Germanys economic :: Economics

Assess the work of Hjalmar Schacht in restoring Germany's economic situation. Germany at the beginning of 1933 had a high unemployment rate, which meant poverty was widespread. Those in work found that their wages declining which had consequences for those who produced consumer goods. International trade, industrial production and national income had all dropped. Schacht had been chosen by Hitler to solve Germany's economic problems due to a couple of reasons. The most important one was the fact he was the man who had solved hyperinflation in 1923 and had brought Germany's economy back on track then; the other reason was because Schacht was strongly right wing. Schacht became the Economic Minister in 1934 and used the financial facilities of the Reichsbank to help Germany rearm. He was then given dictatorial powers over the economy. The new plan of September 1934 provided control of all aspects of trade and currency exchange. Schacht had many ideas on how to get Germany's economy back up to full strength. One of his ideas was influenced by Keynes, a British economist. He adopted the policy of deficit financing; this idea was that money would be spent of public works to create jobs. The government would pay people to build motorways, which would then reduce unemployment. They then had money to spend, which would mean more products would be needed and companies would have to take on more workers, lowering unemployment further. The German government hoped that the secondary jobs, which were being created, would reemploy the majority of the population, instead of having to feed more money into the system. But this didn't just solve unemployment; it was useful to the public, it meant there were now modern roads, which eased travel over the country. This idea had one more advantage although this wasn't for the people; it was for the Nazi party. Building roads and updating the country was good propaganda; people liked what they were doing and had even more reason to want to keep them in power. Building wasn't the only scheme launched; afforestation was also used to create jobs. This idea paid off as unemployment was down to 2.5 million by mid 1934, and then by the middle of 1935 it had decreased further to 1.7 million. Hitler wanted 'autarky', which in principal was that Germany would become economically self-sufficient. This would then mean that Germany no longer would have to be dependent on other countries to import foodstuffs and raw materials. Another advantage was that Reichsmarks weren't wasted on import taxes. It also gave Germany the opportunity to strive towards a target and it would give them pride when it was

Mary kay reference sheet

The irony with the youth of today's generation is that even when they become romantically involved with a certain person or a certain project, they eave the abnormal ability to disengage from that entanglement in an instant. II. Preview Statement: The issue our society is suffering from mainline Ill. Preview Statement: In the modern society, one of the major social constrains to this particular issue has to do with liberty-I am going to discuss this ‘V.Preview Statement: [Environmental factors are also a constraint in the development of creating loving and decent adults. Body: [About 85% of speaking time. ] l. Our society is suffering from the condition of anomie, which is a situation in which society doles out very little ethical guidance to individuals, and allows a great amount of self-regulation. A. The recognition of should not go unnoticed. It is important we effectively educate our pupils to appreciate spiritual truth, spiritual fruits, beauty, and each other. 1 .Prevent ion measures should be taken against individuals from becoming underdeveloped and self-centered in their pursuits of selfish desires. 2. These slackers' concept of sex is all about lust and not love, marriage and babies. Our education must prevent individuals from becoming meaningless members who sole purpose is to consume with relentless voracity. . Proper values and education are vital, and students should also be surrounded by the right people as role models. B. Woodrow Wilson sums this up perfectly, â€Å"Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world. B. These days, our members of society view liberty as the privilege of not having any outside form of control to limit them. 1 . Landfills are free to go about as they please and act on their impulses. A. Len counterbalancing their behavior against our society, these individuals find a considerable amount of social permissiveness to commit whatever wrongdoing they wish to rationalize as legitimate. . With society mis leading the youth, they are at a disadvantage of understanding the true meaning liberty.Transition: To truly understand good, we must study the concept of virtue. The great philosopher, Aristotle says, â€Å"the true student of politics, too, is thought to have studied virtue above all things, for he wishes to make his fellow citizens good and obedient to the laws† (Aristotle: Ethics). II. As a result, all our choices and decisions should be made with this end result in mind. The way to go about this rule is through making virtue the sole intention in performing our actions. A.Our society has failed to educate our youth that if our decisions are based on self- interest or emotions such as attitudes such as envy, ill will, or hatred, we are indeed lacking liberty. B. This is because if we do not have the ability to practice self-control by choosing to do what's good, we are blinded to the degree that we ourselves are lacking in liberty. Transition: [Review the last point and p review the next. Be sure to use complete sentences. ] Ill. Modern parents work long hours and spend less time with their kids, giving them less room to teach them right from wrong, values, and etc,.A. The parents are more focused on making more and more money in the modern economy. B. The curriculum of education does not place a sufficient amount of importance on artistic activities. C. The system does not spend enough time teaching our children to acquire an ear for a taste in music and poetry. Conclusion: [About 5% of speaking time. ] l. Summary of Main Points: A. The culture of modern society promotes interests aside from going to work and coming back, to simply consume and consume to fill an internally felt psychological emptiness. B.The issue is multifaceted: how to socialize our children to love one another satisfactorily (which encompasses education); how to correctly assess whether an individual is worth pursuing (which is wisdom and sagacity); and lastly how to choose confi dants who will continue to appreciate and care for us even after we have proven to be of no source of personal benefit or entertainment. C. The teaching of love explains that we are not to love the gifts of this world (self- care, companionship, family) for the sake of itself.

The Effects Of Energy Subsidies On The Consumer, The...

Abstract Subsidies are one of the most powerful policy tools in the hands of the government. They have been used for decades to achieve a range of economic, social and environmental objectives. Indeed, one of the most important and challenging responsibilities of a government is allocating financial resources to achieve public good. This paper analyses the effects of energy subsidies on the consumer, the economy and the energy industry. Energy subsidies are any government actions that support the cost of energy production in terms of reduction in prices paid by consumers and increase in revenues to energy producers (World Bank, 2010). These investments aim to improve energy access by making prices more affordable, shielding domestic consumers from international price volatility and supporting energy intensive industries (The International Institute for sustainable development, 2012). In practice, energy subsidies come in different forms. (The IEA, 2002) and (UNEP, 2008) identify the following typical mechanisms by which governments support the production and consumption of energy: †¢ Direct financial transfers: grants to consumers, grants to producers, low-interest or preferential loans and government loan guarantees; †¢ Preferential tax treatment: tax credits, tax rebates, exemptions on royalties, duties or tariffs, reduced tax rates, deferred tax liabilities and accelerated depreciation on energy-supply equipment; †¢ Trade restrictions: tariffs, tariff-rate import quotasShow MoreRelatedFossil Fuel Subsidy Reform :1504 Words   |  7 PagesFOSSIL-FUEL SUBSIDY REFORM Intro The US spent 699 billion dollars to subsidize the fossil-fuel sector in 2015. The removal of fossil-fuel subsidy will enormously benefit energy markets, strengthen climate change policy and government budgets. Not only do fossil-fuel subsidies undermine global efforts to mitigate climate change, but they also aggravate local pollution problems, causing further damage to human health and the environment. They represent a considerable strain on public budgets asRead MoreSubsidies: The Impact on Our Global Market1333 Words   |  5 PagesSubsidies: The impact on our global market Chinese mercantilism has not only cost the US a significant share of manufacturing job loss, but also has distorted the global location of and nature of production systems. The only real solution to the problem of Chinese mercantilism and massive industrial subsidies in particular, is for the world trading community to say enough is enough. -Robert Atkinson â€Æ' Subsidies by governments around the world have played a large and significant role in theRead MoreRenewable Energy1335 Words   |  6 PagesTopic Canada should subsidize renewable energy options such as wind and solar power in order to increase the share of renewables in Canada’s energy balance. Introduction Canada government subsidizes a number of socially beneficial services, including health care, education and energy services. Subsidies to the energy sector mainly are for oil and gas production, however, they are not all socially beneficial[figure 1]. In fact, they have negative impact for the environment and hinderRead MoreSupply And Demand Scenario Of Electricity1465 Words   |  6 PagesFigure 5.3 shows significant structural changes occurring over the last five decades in Pakistan’s economy. The share of agriculture into GDP has reduced by 27%, currently at 26% only, initially accounted 53% of GDP in 1950. The share of industry has increased tremendously from 8% to 24%. Similarly, share of services sector increased by 11% from 1950 to 1996. Figure 5.4: Supply and demand scenario of electricity (MW) (Source: Siddiqui, R. et. al, 2004) Figure 5.4 shows rapid growth in electricityRead MoreAlternative Energy Solutions For Renewable Energy1295 Words   |  6 Pagessolutions in underdeveloped technology and overlooked industry. There is much debate on whether any alternative energy solutions are able to effectively replace fossil fuels. Even if they are, we are then faced with the problem of how renewable energy programs could be implemented and improved. There are many aspects of this debate to consider, including energy demand, financial support, and ecological factors. The push for alternative energies is essential and the need is eminent, therefore governmentRead MorePublic Opposition Of The New Kosovo Power Plant1683 Words   |  7 Pagesstated its opposition to coal-fired generation: The World Bank Group will cease providing financial support for greenfield coal power generation projects, except in rare circumstances where there are no feasible alternatives available to meet basic energy needs and other sources of financing are absent. Private sector finance will be the preferred option, but where the World Bank Group does engage, the existing screening criteria for coal projects will apply. The World Bank and the U.S. governmentRead MoreThe Consumer Assistance For Recycle And Save Act ( Cars )1161 Words   |  5 PagesThe Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act (CARS), otherwise known as â€Å"Cash for Clunkers†, was a $3 billion U.S. program introduced by Representative Betty Sutton from Ohio. Additionally, the bill was co-sponsored by Representative Bradley of Iowa and Representative Miller of Michigan. The sponsors of the bill believed the initiative would â€Å"accelerate motor fuel savings nationwide and provide incentives to registered owners of high polluting automobiles to replace such automobiles with new fuelRead MoreAustralia s Support For Free Trade1679 Words   |  7 PagesProtection refers to any action by a government that is designed to give domestic industries an artificial advantage in their competitiveness with foreign imports. Since the 1970s Australia has made policy changes to reduce levels of protection and to promote free trade - in order to stimulate greater industrial efficiency and to lower the prices of imported consumer, intermediate and capital goods. In its entirety, average tariff levels in Australia have continued to drop in recent years – fallingRead MoreCurrent Policy And Politics : The International Image Of America Essay1426 Words   |  6 PagesCurrent Policy and Politics The international image of America as it relates to energy is that of a country of non-conformance. We continue to be the largest energy user in the world and a negative externality of that energy usage is the impact of climate change worldwide. The international community believed that our nation created roadblocks in the way of reaching a global agreement on climate change and environmental protection. President Obama and Secretary Kerry worked hard to change thisRead MoreMacroeconomic Impact Of The Carbon Tax1259 Words   |  6 Pagesstudy divides key economic agents (firms and consumers) and analyzes their economic activities. I find that firms and consumers will respond to the carbon tax ($40/ton) by decreasing their economic activities at 2% and 0.7% respectively. As a result, a decrease in GDP is expected due to decreased production and consumption. To avoid this, tax dividends should be allocated to consumers non-uniformly depending on the income level and renewable energy subsidy should be invested to firms to maintain their