Profile of the National Organization for Women (NOW)

During a June 1966 meeting of state commissions on the status of women in Washington, D.C., Betty Friedan and other attendees felt dissatisfied with the lack of concrete forward motion. Seeing the need for a civil rights organization specifically focused on womens rights, 28 of them met in Friedans hotel room and created the National Organization for Women (NOW) to take action to achieve the equality of women. The time was ripe for such a move. In 1961, President Kennedy had established the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) to study and resolve problems experienced by women in areas like work, education, and tax laws. In 1963, Friedan had published her groundbreaking feminist classic The Feminine Mystique, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had technically outlawed sex discrimination (though many women still felt there was little or no enforcement.) Did You Know? Betty Friedan was elected the first president of NOW and served in that office for three years. NOW Statement of Purpose 1966: Key Points womens rights as truly equal partnership with men, fully equal partnership of the sexesfocused on activism: confront, with concrete action, the conditions that now prevent women from enjoying the equality of opportunity and freedom of choice which is their right as individual Americans, as human beingswomens rights seen in the context of the world-wide revolution of human rights; equality of women as an opportunity to develop their fullest human potentialspurpose to put women in the mainstream of American political, economic and social lifeNOWs commitment equality, freedom, and dignity for women specifically defined as not being about special privilege for women or enmity towards men Key Feminist Issues in Statement of Purpose employment -- the most attention in the document is to issues around employment and economicseducationfamily including marriage and divorce laws, home responsibilities by gender rolepolitical participation: in parties, decision-making, candidates (NOW was to be independent of any particular political party)images of women in the media, in culture, in laws, in social practicesbriefly addressed issue of double discrimination of African American women, linked womens rights to broader issues of social justice including racial justiceopposition to protectiveness in work, school, church, etc. NOW instituted seven task forces to work on these issues: The Seven Original NOW Task Forces. NOW Founders Included: Gene Boyer, 1925-2003Kathryn Clarenbach,1920-1994Inez Casiano, 1926-Mary Eastwood, 1930-Caroline Davis, 1911-Catherine East, 1916-1996Elizabeth Farians, 1923-Muriel Fox, 1928-Betty Friedan, 1921-2006Sonia Pressman Fuentes, 1928-Richard Graham, 1920-2007Anna Arnold Hedgeman, 1899-1990Aileen Hernandez, 1926-Phineas Indritz, 1916-1997Pauli Murray, 1910-1985Marguerite Rawalt, 1895-1989Sister Mary Joel ReadAlice Rossi, 1922-More about some of these women and men: The First NOW Officers Key NOW Activism Some key issues in which NOW has been active: 1967 Into the 1970s At the first NOW convention after the founding conference, 1967, members chose to focus on the Equal Rights Amendment, repeal of abortion laws, and public funding of child care. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) remained a major focus until the final deadline for ratification passed in 1982. Marches, beginning in 1977, tried to mobilize support; NOW also organized boycotts by organizations and individuals of events in states which had not ratified the ERA; NOW lobbied for a 7-year extension in 1979 but the House and Senate only approved half of that time. NOW also focused on legal enforcement of provisions of the Civil Rights Act that applied to women, helped conceive and pass legislation inluding the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (1978), worked for repeal of abortion laws and, after Roe v. Wade, against laws that would restrict abortions availability or a pregnant womans role in choosing abortion. In the 1980s In the 1980s, NOW endorsed presidential candidate Walter Mondale who nominated the first woman candidate for VP of a major party, Geraldine Ferraro. NOW added activism against policies of President Ronald Reagan, and began to be more active on issues of lesbian rights. NOW also filed a federal civil suit against groups attacking abortion clinics and their leaders, resulting in a 1994 Supreme Court decision in NOW v. Scheidler. In the  1990s In the 1990s, NOW remained active on issues including economic and reproductive rights, and also became more visibly active on issues of domestic violence. NOW also created a Women of Color and Allies Summit, and took aim at the fathers rights movement as part of NOWs activism on issues of family law. In the  2000s+ After 2000, NOW worked to oppose the Bush administrations strategies on issues of womens economic rights, reproductive rights, and marriage equality. In 2006, the Supreme Court removed the NOW v. Scheidler protections that kept abortion clinic protesters from interfering with patients access to the clinics. NOW also took on issues of Mothers and Caregivers Economic Rights and the interface between disability issues and womens rights, and between immigration and womens rights. In 2008, NOWs Political Action Committee (PAC) endorsed Barack Obama for president. The PAC had endorsed Hillary Clinton in March, 2007,  during the primary.  The organization had not endorsed a candidate in the general election since the 1984 nomination of Walter Mondale for President and Geraldine Ferraro for Vice President. NOW also endorsed President Obama for a second term in 2012.  NOW continued to put pressure on President Obama on womens issues, including for more appointments of women and especially women of color.   In 2009, NOW was a key supporter of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, signed by President Obama as his first official act. NOW was also active in the struggle to keep contraception coverage in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Issues of economic security, right to marry for same-sex couples, immigrant rights, violence against women, and laws limiting abortions and requiring ultrasounds or extraordinary health clinic regulations continued to be on NOWs agenda.  NOW also became active on new activity to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

Police Enforcement Is The Cornerstone Of A Civilized Society

From a very young age, we are taught that the police are here to protect us: if we feel we are in danger, we are supposed to call the police. Law enforcement is the cornerstone of a civilized society; without law and order, communities degrade into chaos. The police officers that serve in our communities are expected to act in the most honorable and respectful manner, all while risking their lives to serve and protect our communities. When police officers are perceived as threats, the stability of a community is brought into question. The recent shootings of Michael Brown and Brandon Tate have questioned the integrity of our police force, particularly how overwhelmingly white law enforcement officers interact in predominantly black communities. Those with an anti-police agenda would like to suggest that police go around killing citizens with impunity. This claim is untrue and damages the integral relationship that citizens have with their law enforcement officers. Many media outlets, political pundits, and activists want their audience to believe that police are killing citizens at alarming rates. My research and data will show that police are not killing citizens with increasing frequency; rather, it will show that it is citizens that are killing citizens at alarming rates. Mass-media coverage of citizens being shot by Law Enforcement Officers have caused outrage in the African-American and liberal communities. Some in those communities believe that the police areShow MoreRelatedPrinciples of Taxation in Nigeria14253 Words   |  58 Pagesmerely to raise revenue to support the existence of government. Taxes may be levied with a regulatory purpose to provide means for the rehabilitation and stabilization of a threatened industry which is affected with public interest as to be within the police power of the State. 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Mental Health and Social Inclusion Free Essays

Title: An examination of social exclusion policy and its effect on adults of a working age with serious mental health problems To begin, this essay will briefly define the term social exclusion and its historical background. It will then move on to the political history of social exclusion in the United Kingdom. Particularly the essay will focus on the reasons behind unemployment, and the resulting effect of excluding people from society. We will write a custom essay sample on Mental Health and Social Inclusion or any similar topic only for you Order Now The policies around employment and the benefit system will be discussed in some detail, and their consequences on working age adults, including those with serious long term mental health issues. The French socialist government termed the phrase ‘social exclusion’ in the 1980’s; it was used to define a group of people living on the edge of society whom did not have access to the system of social insurance (Room, 1995 citied in Percy-Smith 2000). The concept of social exclusion has been defined in many different ways since then. The European commission defines social exclusion as referring to the â€Å"multiple and changing factors resulting in people being excluded from the normal exchanges, practices and rights of modern society† (Commission of the European Communities, 1993 quoted in Percy-Smith 2000 p. 3). This was a move away from using the term underclass in the UK, which was not an acceptable phrase to some, as it was more related to poverty (Lavallette et al, 2001). The term social exclusion pointed at a much more complicated problem rather than just money, if you were excluded something or someone was excluding you and that could be sorted out. Although for some this new phrase just represented a ‘new’ form of the word poverty (Room, 1995 citied in Lavallette). In the UK the New Labour government set up the interdepartmental social exclusion unit in 1997 (Percy-Smith, 2000). Its aims were to â€Å"to find joined-up solutions to the joined-up problems of social exclusion† (No10 Website, 2004). The social exclusion task force works within a number of government departments such as work and pension, children school and family and the ministry of justice (No10 Website, 2004) The social exclusion unit published a series of reports in 1997 that criticised the way both central and local government had failed deprived groups and areas (Batty, 2002). It found that deprived area’s had fewer basic services such as GP surgeries and that little effort had been made to reintegrate some who had been excluded through unemployment (Batty, 2002). Unemployment is seen as one of the main causes of social exclusion (Percy-Smith, 2000). Being unemployed can have serious effects on a person’s confidence, sense of purpose and motivation (Percy-Smith, 2000). The person who works is seen as a full citizen, paying tax and contributing to society (Baldock et al, 1999). Unemployment can also be linked to mental health; a person is twice as likely to suffer from depression if they are not working. (Department of health, 1999). The period since the 1960’s saw a distinct decline in the British manufacturing industry leading to a shift in the type of work available, the service sector and office based jobs replaced the manual jobs and altered the pattern of demand in the labour market. Baldock et al, 1999) The unemployment rate for semi skilled / unskilled workers if four times that compared to managerial / professional workers (Percy-Smith, 2000). Those people who live in area’s with low demand for low skilled workers are highly likely to be unemployed for a very long time, leading to a near permanence in exclusion from the labour market (Percy-Smith, 2000). Welfare to work policies were the answer from the Labour government in 19 97, `They set out plans to encourage people back into the labour market. Labour came up with the New Deal family of policies. These where aimed at specific groups. For example young people, adults and new deal for people with a disability (Percy-Smith, 2000). One of the results of this policy was to create Job centre plus from a merger of the Employment Service and the Benefits Agency. (Hoben, no date given) The Tories previously had set up the job seekers allowance, which had changed the Insurance-based unemployment benefit. (Baldock et al, 1999). With this allowance you had to prove you were actively seeking employment or you would not get your allowance. People who became unemployed would have to go for an initial interview where an adviser prepares an action plan, then short interviews are conducted every two weeks to review the claimants success at gaining new employment and to look at new job vacancies (Percy-Smith, 2000). New deal gateway is aimed at 18 – 24 year olds who had been out of work for 6 months. This offers subsidised work experience within the voluntary sector or with an employer with a ? 0 a week incentive. Also full time education/training is offered to those who did not have sufficient qualifications up the recognized NVQ level two. Young people also have an allocated personal advisor who offers assistance around job seeking, careers advice and in some circumstances drugs/homelessness advice (Percy-Smith, 2000). Anyone who refuses to take up these incentives will have their benefit cut. As Gordon Br own put it (the then Chancellor of the Exchequer) there will be no option â€Å"to stay at home in bed and watch television† (Baldock et al, 1999 p149). For people aged twenty five and above who have been on job seekers allowance for over six months then become eligible for a different set of measures, before becoming eligible for the ‘New Deal’. This is called ‘restart’. Work trials are offered as well as help with interview techniques and CV’s writing skills. After twelve months if the individual has not found work they attend a five-day ‘job plan workshop’ to assess the individuals job prospects. This happens again at eighteen months. If after two years they are still unemployed this is when ‘New Deal’ applies. New Deal’ offers training grants as well as an employment credit similar to that of the new deal gateway of sixty pounds a week and the benefit of a personal advisor. The budget for this was ? 250 million for the three years between 1999 and 2002 (Percy-Smith, 2000) It can be argued that jobseekers allowance forces people back to work or forces them to appear to be looking for work in a desperate attempt to keep their benefit. It can be seen as punitive (Percy-Smith, 2000) and with no option to opt out, and it does not actually increase the amount of jobs available. Without the creation of a sufficient number of jobs, people may lose their benefit, though not through lack of trying (Baldock et al, 1999). Also critics have commented on the cost of the new deal strategy with some say this money could be better used creating more jobs. (Percy-Smith, 2000) Other arguments against new deal look at the timescale difference between the young people and adult services, it cost a lot less to intervene early when someone becomes unemployed so why wait for two years in the case of the adult new deal. (Percy-Smith, 2000). The new deal policy has been quite effective, particularly at getting young people back into the labour market. However, for people with long term significant mental health problems finding paid work can be very difficult. (Layard, 2005) If social exclusion can be linked to unemployment then for people with mental health issues they are excluded by default, with not only unemployment but with the social stigma associated with their mental health difficulties (Layard, 2005). â€Å"There are now more mentally ill people on incapacity benefit than there are unemployed people on jobseekers allowance† (Layard, 2005 p1). Evidence suggests that work can be very therapeutic for people with mental health problems, but it seems doctors are sceptical about their patients finding and holding down jobs. (Layard, 2005) The problem gets worse the longer the person is on benefits, and as time passes social isolation increases and motivation decreases (Layard, 2005). Ninety percent of people on incapacity benefit say they would like to return to work but would find it very hard to find a job that pays as much as the benefit they receive (Layard, 2005). However, it has been an underlying trend in welfare policy that low paid work should always be the better option than state handouts. This goes way back to the poor law of 1832 where the workhouse provided the last option for very poor families, providing food and shelter for the exchange of labour. For most of those who lived in these workhouses life expectancy significantly dropped upon entering these desperate places (Higginbotham, 2008). In current times, however, sacrificing benefits and returning to work may mean a compromise in quality of life. People receiving incapacity benefit may also claim housing benefit, council tax benefit, free prescriptions and discretionary loans from the social fund to buy large more expensive items (Alcock, 2003). With all this help in place it is quite easy to see why people with a mental illness are unlikely to want to go back to full time employment and run the risk of losing money. This is known as the benefit trap. There is another problem, people who have been on benefits for a long time lack the right qualifications to join the labour market (Dummigan, 2007), increasing social exclusion. If a mentally ill person wanted to find a job but had little or no skills, the choices are very narrow normally leading to a low wage job, again making it unlikely for the individual to want to come off his/her benefits (Dummigan, 2007). The government has tried to rectify this problem by offering further incentives to get people back to work, such as disability tax credits that offer a tax break should some one find work but there is limited awareness of the financial incentives to return to work (Percy-Smith, 2000). Pathways to work is a recent government initiative with the aim of getting the recipients of incapacity benefit back to work, the claimant will have to take a personal capability assessment which is used to determine whether or not the person is eligable for the benefit, but will focus on â€Å"what the customer can do rather than what they cant† (Department of work and pensions, 2007). A mandatory work focused interview will also take place eight weeks after making the intial claim followed by a screening tool to establish who will have to have more work focused interviews and those who will be exempt from further manditory participation (Department of work and pensions, 2007). Pathways to work will offer a range of programmes to support the â€Å"customer† in preparing for work with a fourty pounds a week incentive or credit for twelve months if their salary is below fifteen thousand pounds a year (Department of work and pensions, 2007). Pathways to work is currently operating in fourty percent of the country. In an interesting move, the remaining sixty percent of pathway to work providers will be from the public sector leading to critism that the government is privatising the welfare system. The government’s chief welfare to work adviser, David Freud, said recently: â€Å"I worked out that it is economically rational to spend up to sixty thousand pounds on getting the average person on incapacity benefit into work, somebody will see a gap in the market and make their fortune. † (Quoted in Vaux, 2008). Some voluntary sector organizations have criticized the rather aggressive approach taken by the public sector organizations in winning the contracts, and feel that the voluntary sector would be in a better position to deliver the contracts (Vaux, 2008). Mind charity has criticized the pathways to work initiative stating it â€Å"places all the emphasis on the individual to find work†, yet, it said  there  was no obligation on employers to actively recruit people with mental health problems. It would also seem that if you disclose to an employer that you have a mental health problem you are more likely to be sacked before your sane colleagues. Also there is a lack of support in the work place for mental health sufferers, which lead to higher sickness rate, which in turn puts off employers recruiting future pathways to work employees (Lombard, 2008). In the recent action plan on social exclusion â€Å"Reaching out† the government recognizes the need for encouragement in the workplace for recruiting people with mental health issues and supports employer based anti-stigma campaigns. It also states that the government alone cannot address social exclusion, and that the wider community has a role to play. But most of all, the individual must want progress for themselves and those around them (Reaching Out, 2008). In the last five years mental health services have improved greatly (Layard, 2005) Better treatment and early intervention have empowered people to control their own lives, but though these services have improved the medical condition, mentally ill people still suffer from exclusion from society. The association with dependency that being on benefits brings leads to a segregation (Percy-Smith, 2000). In conclusion, social exclusion is a far reaching problem and not an easy task to overcome. Evidence suggests that the government still identifies the problem with unemployment and poverty, and has taken a great deal of measures in providing policies that aim to get people back into the work place. Unfortunately for some, as has been shown, work is not always a viable or the best option, and people who fall under this category may stay on the boundaries of society due to no fault of their own, or be forced into working at the detriment of their health. The changes around the incapacity benefit rules may leave some people worse off than when on benefits and this may increase the chances of a relapse in mental ealth issues, which in turn will make them less employable, continuing the cycle of social exclusion. As we enter another recession and unemployment rises again, this is likely to be a huge focus, and the government will have to rethink existing policies around unemployment. Those who are recently unemployed must be given sufficient support to regain employment to avoid falling into the benefit trap in order to avoid the danger of becoming socially excluded. Bibliography Alcock, P (2003) Social policy in Britain, Basingstoke, Palgrave Baldock J, Manning N, Miller S Vickerstaff S (1999) Social Policy. Oxford University press, Oxford Lavalette,M Pratt A (2001) Social Policy a conceptual and theoretical introduction. Sage publications London Percy-Smith, J (2000) Policy responses to social exclusion. Open university press. Oxford Batty, D (2002) Social exclusion: the issue explained (Online), available at http://www. guardian. co. uk/society/2002/jan/15/socialexclusion1 (accessed on 28/10/08) Department for work and pensions, (2008) Pathways to work process. (Online) Available at http://www. dwp. gov. k/welfarereform/pathways_process. asp (accessed on 5/12/08) Department of health, (1999) National service framework for mental health, modern standards and service models. (Online) available at http://www. dh. gov. uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4009598 (accessed on 1/12/08) Dummigan, G (2007) The benefit trap. (Online) available at http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/programme s/politics_show/6403329. stm (accessed on 4/12/08) Higginbotham, P (2008) Poor laws (Online) available from http://www. workhouses. org. uk(accessed on 4/12/08) Hoban,M Thomas, J (No date given) DW response to welfare to work – discussion paper. (Online) available at http://www. voicefromthewheelchair. co. uk/pages/dw-response-to-welfare-to-work (accessed on 1/12/08) Layard, R (2005) Mental health: Britain’s biggest social problem? (Online) Available from http://cep. lse. ac. uk/textonly/research/mentalhealth/RL414d. pdf (accessed on 1/12/08) Lombard, D (2008) The replacement of incapacity benefit. (Online), available at http://www. communitycare. co. uk/Articles/2008/10/27/109795/incapacity-benefit-reform-will-leave-some-disabled-people-worse-off. tml (accessed on 5/12/08) Reaching out, (2006) An action plan on social exclusion (Online), available from http://www. cabinetoffice. gov. uk/media/cabinetoffice/social_exclusion_task_force/assets/reaching_out/chapter1. pdf (accessed on 28/10/08) Social exclusion trends show success (2004) Online, available from http://www. number10. gov. uk/page5544 (accessed on 28/10/08) Vaux, G ( 2008). Pathways to work, to help those unfit for work. (Online), available at http://www. communitycare. co. uk/Articles/Article. aspx? liArticleID=107551PrinterFriendly=true (accessed on 1/12/08) How to cite Mental Health and Social Inclusion, Papers

Enterprise Systems in Practice and SAP Implementation

Questions: (1) As an external consultant, you have been hired by the organization to analyze the implementation of its ERP system and to identify issues that when addressed would create a better outcome. You are to present your analysis in the case study format to CEO. 1. Read the complete case study to ensure you fully understand the SAP implementation and its outcomes.2. Use your knowledge of the Motiwalla Thompson textbook, chapters 5-9 inclusive and at least 4 academically sound external sources, to develop your report.3. As the case study highlights many issues, too many to be addressed in this assignment, you are required to restrict your analysis to following topics:a. The objectives for adopting an ERP systemb. Implementation strategiesc. Vendor selectiond. Knowledge transfere. Critical success factorsf. Organisational commitment.4. Your report should discuss the points above and determine their effectiveness of the Implementation Process (in relation to the above topics only), and provide suitable alternatives to ensure that implementation of an ERP system would have a better outcome. (2)1. Complete the SAP exercise as directed in tutorials 7-9 and record the outputs in a word or refined text file.2. Continue to keep a journal of your activities and experience of using SAP. Include a copy of your full journal as an appendix to the reflective essay.3. Reflective Essay: Using your journal written as you completed both SAP exercises, write an essay of between 800 and 1200 words reflecting your end user experiences of the SAP software. To assist you in your reflection, you must:a. Identify five appropriate end user criteria with which to evaluate the SAP software. The five criteria should be based upon the course readings and your research of suitable academic and highly regarded industry papers. That is, this essay should be based on your journals but should also draw upon the theoretical knowledge you have gained during the semester. Answers: Introduction Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing (SAP) is a market leader of the enterprise application software industry and is recognised as an innovation master that help its clients run their business process in a much organised way which finally leads to high profitability and market share (SAP SE, 2015).Founded in year 1972 SAP today has around 65,000 employees working in 130 countries. It has reported a customer base of 253,500 present in 188 countries. With $16.82 billion of annual revenue SAP enjoys a market share of 24.46% with its prime competitor being Oracle Corporation, Microsoft Corporation and IBM (SAP Investor Relations, 2014). SAP has developed solutions for all industry types and almost all major markets. It serves organisations irrespective of their sizes. This report analysis the implementation of a single-instance ERP system by Nike who is the Worlds largest supplier of sports apparels and shoes and manufacture of various sports equipments. Nike was founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman in year 1964 in Beaverton, Oregon. It was initially named as Blue Ribbon Sports which in 1972 introduced Nike to the worlds athletic footwear market. Nike witnessed remarkable growth in the athletic footwear industry and by 2005 it reported annual revenue of $13.7 billion, 26,000 employees. It has facilities in Tennessee, Oregon, Netherlands and North Carolina; it has more than 12 women stores, 200 factory stores and more than 100 administrative and sales offices. The company provided job opportunities to 650,000 individuals of local communities at its 104 factories in EMEA, 137 in Americas, 238 in South Asia and 252 in North Asia. The report conducts an in-depth analysis of Nike need for an ERP system and how it proceeded towards a successful impl ementation process and stabilisation post implementation. Purpose of adopting an ERP system ERP system implementation is a complicated process and needs huge capital, time and human resources investment. As depicted in the case some of the factors that made Nike adopt for the implementation of an ERP system are: Reach: Nike became a global company with large number of factories; manufacturing plants and sales offices in different parts of the globe thus it was in urgent need of a real-time and centralised system. It needed a system that could enhance its reach. An ERP system owing to its high integration enables organisations to use a centralised system in multiple geographies (Addo-Tenkorang P.Helo, 2011). Information: Nike managed factory contracts, product design and distribution from its headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. They had 27 order management systems that did not talked to each other and to the home office. Thus the home office did not receive real-time data and day to day operations was becoming difficult. ERP systems enable an organisation gain access to multitude of company information on a real-time basis (E.O'Leary, 2004). This information is found to be more effective as they are comparatively more accurate and relevant. Productivity: Nike has a manufacturing cycle of nine months which was not being controlled properly and they wanted to reduce that cycle to six months. ERP systems owing to their integrated system architecture help enhancing overall productivity (Leon, 2013). ERP systems integrate processes and data from several locations and departments thus they help organisations in moving their products faster, quickly process orders, rapidly invoice customers and rapidly reconcile shipments. Implementation Strategies ERP system implementation becomes a complex process if not handled properly. It is concerned with selecting the most suitable software and implementation strategy and simultaneously managing risks in order to ensure that the desired business goals are met and project remains within the allocated time frame and budget (Motiwalla Thompson, 2011). The implementation process starts with accurate, open and honest assessments of organisations culture, environment, overall employee skills and readiness. While selecting an implementation strategy it is essential to identify and plan implementation components accordingly (Motiwalla Thompson, 2011). Hardware, Software and human resources are the three primary ERP components. Any physical hardware used by the ERP system comprises its hardware components. It includes servers that must be powerful enough to support development, testing and production environments. It consists of clients/people who use the ERP systems and other peripherals like printers, print servers, networking hardware etc. Software components of ERP system refers to the programs that control and direct the functions performed by hardware. System Software, database management system and application software are three key software components of an ERP system. People resource components in an ERP system implementation include end-users like vendors, employees, clients and other people who use the system, IT specialists like developers, database administrators, change man agers, IT operations support and trainers and most important the project manager who makes the teams work in coordination with each other. Virtualisation is the next important decision while implementing an ERP system(Lech, 2011). It is a technique that enable multiple and isolated virtual servers to run on a single physical device, this process helps organisations in greatly optimising hardware usage. Hardware virtualisation and para-virtualisation are the two many virtualisation models. Microsoft, Oracle and SAP are there vendors that provide virtualisation services. Governance is also an important approach to successful ERP system implementation (Motiwalla Thompson, 2011). It is concerned with defining and outlining workgroups and committees that handle different components of implementation process, the way these components interact with each other and making important decisions. Each role within Governance is assigned specific responsibilities; various roles include owners, project executive, steering committee, application steward, chairperson, project management office, project teams, project team leads and cross functional team. These committees and work groups must meet on regular basis. Some sample set of meetings include steering committee meetings, project sponsors meetings, issues meeting etc. Selecting the correct implementation methodology is greatly essential for successful ERP system implementation otherwise it results in missed deadlines and functionality failures. The two main ERP implementation strategies are; Vanilla implementation wherein organisations choose to make almost zero or very little customisation, they prefer to change their business processes and practices in a way that it fits the system (Motiwalla Thompson, 2011). This strategy is generally implemented by businesses whose business practises are not unique or they do not have expert IT resources. Chocolate implementation wherein organisations prefer to customise the ERP system to fit their business practices (Motiwalla Thompson, 2011). It is generally preferred by business with strong IT resources. The case depicts the use of Chocolate implementation strategy by Nike Inc. to implement the single-instance ERP system. Single-instance ERP systems are easier to maintain and support. It helped Nike to minimise the risk associated with ERP implementation enabling it to access organisational change while the system was being modifies to meet business needs. Vendor Selection Vendor selection is the most crucial step towards successful ERP system implementation (Addo-Tenkorang P.Helo, 2011). It is important to select a vendor that best suits companies needs and understands its ultimate business goals. At times specialised consulting firms are also hired to select the most suited vendor. The ERP product must fit the business process and should have strong market performance in order to be selected. The ERP purchase process is quite tiring and involves tough decision making. It is a eight step process that starts with vendor research and gathering related information, vendor demonstration and evaluation, assessments of needs and requirements, request for bid development, analysis and selection of vendors which is a lengthy process that is subdivided into tasks of bids evaluation, technical and functional evaluation, vendor demonstrations, reference verifications and development of total cost of ownership. Next step is vendor negotiation that involves revie wing contract and incorporating changes if needed. Overall prices related to software, maintenance, support and consulting are included in the contract. If all terms and conditions appear relevant last step of vendor selection involve purchasing the system. The list of prime ERP vendors include companies like SAP, Oracle, Lawson, SSA Global, Epicor, Great Plains, Infor Visual, and Plex online. SAP is the market leader of world ERP industry and faced tough competition from Oracle. SAP enjoys a market share of 24.46% and develops solutions for business of all types and sizes. The case does not display the name of ERP vendor chosen by Nike Inc, however it appears that SAP would have been their best choice as it helps it helps integrating all business module on a single platform a functionality that best suits Nikes business processes. Knowledge Transfer Knowledge transfer is a well-defined process that involves transferring knowledge and skills to employees and team member through the implementation process and post-implementation (Motiwalla Thompson, 2011). It is essential to create a repository of documents of project monitoring and tracking process, subject matter expertise, collaboration and communication and lessons learned. A well-defined knowledge transfer plan should be in place to monitor the transition from one phase of implementation to another that helps ensuring smooth transfer of knowledge. An effective knowledge transfer plan is one which facilitates quicker learning, makes sure that knowledge is retained, enhances system capabilities, reduce trouble shooting problems, ensure that the system is used correctly and supports in reduction of overall cost of support owing to reduced number of support calls. As depicted in the case Nike ensured that knowledge transfer process was carried effectively during and post-impleme ntation. Training sessions were increased wherein each customer service representative received 140-180 hours of training and they were not allowed to use the system till it was confirmed that they have completed full training course. Critical Success Factors Apart from a strong leadership team, choice of suitable implementation strategy, focused vendor selection and well-controlled and monitored knowledge transfer there are some other factors that are critical for the overall success of ERP system implementation. Some of these factors are: Decision making process: A well-defined decision-making process throughout the project implementation cycle is effective in reducing various issues and risks related to efficiency, scope and productivity. As depicted by the case Nike had a well defined decision making process that helped them in smooth implementation of ERP system even though their implementation of demand planning system was a failure. Scope: Scope of a project helps in deciding what actually the project must deliver. Any changes identified in the scope means the project is not going ahead in right direction. Nike had developed a well-defined scope for both the demand planning system and ERP system however the demand planning system presented a change in scope due to a number of factors like end-users were not given adequate training. Team Work: ERP system implementation is a complicated process and need teams to work in close coordination with each other. Project team for implementation include existing and new hired employees and external consultants that need to work in coordination with each other to achieve common goals. ERP system implementation at Nike was supported by a strong team work which was the prime reason behind its success. Change Management: ERP system implementation brings about numerous changes in organisations ways of working at times it changes organisations operations completely. Effective change management strategies are needed to handle resistance to change shown by employees as they are adopted to the old ways of working. It is essential that project manager communicate the need for change to employee, share companies vision with them through effective communication. All information must be shared with employees to keep their uncertainty level low. Employee engagement through training, effective communication and employee support and empathy are primary aspects of effective change management. Change management was effectively carried out the Nike to minimise resistance to change during ERP system implementation. They kept the employees engaged by providing those 140-180 hours of training. Organisation vision was effectively communicated to employees showing them the change needed was urgent. Fu rther business process reengineering helps them defined clear and realistic performance based goals that increased employee motivation and commitment. Implementation and Executive teams: Success of an ERP system implementation greatly depends on program and project manager. Implementation team can be build by choosing individuals from either internal IT organisation or vendors that provide package software or from a consulting organisation. Support and commitment of executive management team is very important for success of the project. Nike had developed strong implementation teams that included employees from internal IT organisation and its executive management team was highly committed and extended full support to ERP system implementation project. In order to successfully handle the project Nike had exceptional buy-in for the project. Organisational Commitment Organisational commitment is the key to successful ERP implementation. It needs strong commitment and will of senior management and team members to make the project success by facing numerous problems that come on the way. A well-defined communication plan and an Organisational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3) is key focus area to ensure high organisational commitment. A communication plan help reducing resistance to change and employee uncertainty associated with the project. OPM3 model helps in continuous evaluation of strategic objectives against best practices. It is a continuous process that include three steps namely; knowledge, assessment and improvement. Nike displayed high organisational commitment; they had a well-defined communication plan which informed everyone within the company about overall business plan for all the systems and the need for a highly complex system. In spite of the initial failure faced with their demand planning system they has exception buy-i ns that helped them make adjustments in the system and continue with the implementation process. Nikes aim was to ensure that business goals are met through implementation and was in no hurry to get the systems up and running. Recommendation for suitable alternatives Nike choice of implementation strategy best suited its business processes. As their primary aim was to meet business goals through implementation and not to rush for getting the systems running a phased rollout was best suited. However as Nike is a large company with huge number of employees and wide geographic presence it would have been beneficial if they hired external consultants who have more experience of IT system implementation. Knowledge transfer is an important part of implementation process and it is important to ensure that it is carried out effectively throughout the process and post implementation. It is also important to ensure that end-users are exposed to enough training hours before the go-live date. It is essential to ensure that system testing is planned effectively and has full capabilities to find faults with system interfaces. However instead for implementing two different systems it would have been better if they looked for implementation of an ERP system like SAP which integrate all business modules together and is very effective in increasing operational efficiency and productivity. SAP Reflective Essay Reflective practice is a process that enables learners to evaluate their own actions and according plan improvements. SAP is the market leader of worlds enterprise resource planning industry. It enjoys a market share of 24.46% and has Oracle, Microsoft and IBM as main competitors. SAP software can be evaluated over five end user criteria as described below: Usability: Usability is defined as the measure of end-users perception about how easy its applications are to use. SAP software is highly user friendly; its easy to navigate in the software using specified T-codes. SAP Easy Access screen and menu bar itself carries all the required information and is a complete tutorial in itself. SAP software in itself has complete information regarding its functionality. Transactional efficiency: It is the measure of users perception about the ease of executing repeated and common tasks. SAP with its specific T-codes and navigation paths have high transactional efficiency. SAP functionality makes it very easy for users to execute repeated commands. It also creates a log of recent activities performed, T-codes run and reports extracted which is greatly helpful to users. T-code that are run repeatedly can also be saves a favourites. Flexibility: It is measure of users perception about the ease of executing unusual tasks and handling unexpected problems. SAP is highly flexible software which itself contains all information about its functionality. Just with use of different T-codes and navigation paths users can move from one business module to another. SAP software that kept things very simple and also prepares a log to recent activities performed. Business Insight: It is measure of users perception about the ease of comprehensive reporting, cross departmental information visibility and access to real-time information. SAP is recognised for its high degree of business insight. It is very easy to full out comprehensive reports in SAP using simple T-codes or navigation paths. These reports real-time information and provide high visibility to cross departmental information. SAP integrates all business modules together thus enabling easy communication of different business departments. Its easy to share data with different departments and review their work. SAP allows easy communication with vendors, clients and partners. Speed: It is measure of users perception about the softwares response time, how long it takes to execute codes, queries and pull reports. SAP software has a very low response time. T-Codes are executed in very less time depending on the amount to data to be displayed. At times it is seen that extracting SAP reports take quite long time however it is also understood that they present highly accurate and real-time data which shows information related to almost all functional modules. For example a sales order not only give information about the sales orders only but it gives complete information related to customer, pricing, material, shipping plants, distribution centres etc. All these factors reveal that SAP software is a highly user friendly software that delivers accurate and real-time information which helps increasing overall efficiency and productivity. References Addo-Tenkorang, R. P.Helo, (2011) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) : A Review of Literature Report. Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering and Computer Society, 2(1), pp. 1-10. E.O'Leary, D., (2004) Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) Systems: An Empirical Analysis of Benefits. Jounal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting, 1(1), pp. 63-72. Lech, P., (2011) Knowledge Transfer Procedures From Consultants to Users in ERP Implementations. Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management, 9(4), pp. 318-327. Leon, (2013) Enterprise Resource Planning. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Education. 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