5 Points to Mind When Working on a Psychology Personal Statement

5 Points to Mind When Working on a Psychology Personal Statement 5 Points to Mind When Working on a Psychology Personal Statement Psychology is the study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting a person’s behavior. It is no surprise that most institutions that offer courses in the study of Psychology are looking in detail at which candidates to accept. Tertiary institutions are looking beyond the marks or grades of each applicant, they are looking for deeper insights as to whether the candidates accepted will excel in the study of psychology and make a material contribution to the profession. In this article, we will take a look at some of the unique aspects of the psychology personal statement. We will share with you some tips on how to structure your personal statement, the things that you should include, and some examples of the types of things that you may want to say in order to stand out from the rest of the candidates competing for the available positions. 1. Describe Why You Wish to Pursue a Career in Psychology It is helpful if you can articulate what draws you to a career in this field. Try and demonstrate an understanding of the profession, demonstrate that you know what is involved in being a psychologist. 2. Describe Why This Specific Course Appeals to You If you are competing against a lot of other candidates for a limited number of spaces, then you need to demonstrate to the assessors that you have researched the courses available, that you have selected their course for a specific reason, that you are confident that this course will give you the training you need to progress your career. 3. Describe Your Previous Academic Performance That Is Relevant to This Course This is an opportunity to not just talk about your grades or the marks that you have achieved in previous studies but also to demonstrate that this is a natural progression for your academic career. 4. Describe the Personal Skills and Experiences That Make You a Suitable Candidate for This Course Try and demonstrate that you have an emotional connection to the career that you are pursuing. You need to have a personal reason to want to study this course. What makes you want to be a psychologist? 5. Seek Feedback on Your Personal Statement Make sure that you get your personal statement professionally proofread, and that you also seem objective feedback regarding the quality of what you have written. Possibly, the most important thing to remember about your psychology personal statement writing is that it should be about you. While it is important to get advice and expertise on how to make your personal statement as compelling as possible, what you must not do is to try and copy a personal statement that someone else has written. Your personal statement has to be authentic, it has to feel like it has been written by a real person, a person who really wants to study psychology and enter the profession. With a bit of thought and efforts, you could soon be starting the psychology course that you aspire to.

INTRODUCTION TO PROPERTY LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

INTRODUCTION TO PROPERTY LAW - Essay Example Kumar does not possess the right to claim any right to be given the first preference. In fact, the sale is a three stage process starting from contract, transfer of conveyance and finally registration of title (Lecture Note- formal acquisition of title). In Mr. Kumar’s case, even the contract was not done according to legally valid terms (Lecture note- must be in writing) and hence his claims hold no ground. At this juncture it is necessary to check the formal way to be adopted in developing a contract. At the pre-contract stage, or before signing a contract, the buyer and the seller can negotiate and agree on the sale leading to a ‘subject to contract’. However, as far as a contract is not signed and exchanged in the usual way, the contracts are not legally binding (Lecture notes). As Goo (69) illustrates, similar was the case of Spottiswoode, Ballantyne & Co Ltd. V. Doreen Appliances Ltd. [1942] 2 KB 32 at 35; Keppel v. Wheeler [1927] 1 KB 577 at 584. In fact, a ccording to 1975 Law Commission directive (Law Commission 65, January 1975, Para 4), before a formally signed contract, there is no legal validity for the ‘subject to contract’. ... Then, the buyer can ask the seller to make necessary changes in the draft and can ask for explanations. Thereafter, both the parties sign the contracts and exchange them. At this stage, the purchaser is normally required to make a deposit of 10% of the purchasing price. If the buyer fails to do the transactions in time, he loses the money. In this context, it is apt to note another example that Goo (73) describes i.e. Union Eagle v. Golden Achievement [1997] 2 WLR 341, PC) as in Sourcebook on the law. The above information proves the weak position of the claims made by Mr. Kumar. All the communication he had with Thorpe Trustees were in the pre-contract stage and one can say, they have agreed on the ‘subject to contract’. However, as evident from Spottiswoode, Ballantyne & Co Ltd. V. Doreen Appliances Ltd, ([1942] 2 KB 32 at 35) this will not have any legal validity. In addition, the payment Mr. Kumar made was another mistake. Such a payment, not according to the normal procedures of contract, will not give him any ground, especially as it was made under cover of a Compliments Slip. In addition, the long time that has elapsed, that is from 8th September to 11th November, will further weaken Mr. Kumar’s stance as even in his letter, he has promised to act quickly. Making his situation even pathetic, Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989, Section 2 states that the agreement must be in writing (Lecture Note-the agreement must be in writing). The conversation Mr. Kumar had on telephone with Thorpe Trustees on 9th September will not have any legal value. Thus, in total, it is evident that Mr. Kumar will not be able to claim any legal right to be solely considered for

Cultural phenomenon in African-American History from the Colonial Era Essay

Cultural phenomenon in African-American History from the Colonial Era to Reconstruction - Essay Example Her sisters were sold away from the family. Her mother held the rest of the family together with a determined resistance which was an inspiration to her daughter. Ben was freed from slavery at the age of forty-five, but continued to work as a foreman for his former owners. The family was helpless to fight for the freedom which his wife and children were later entitled to. (Biography.com). The young Harriet’s childhood was marked by harsh conditions: she inserted her toes into the smoldering ashes of a fire at night, in order to avoid frostbite. She received severe whippings even as a small child, working at various jobs, including weaving, housekeeping and baby-sitting, by the age of six. At the age of 12, she was seriously injured by a blow to the head, inflicted by a white overseer for refusing to help him tie up a runaway slave. This injury continued to be the source of life-long seizures, severe headaches and narcoleptic episodes. In 1844, at the age of 25, Harriet married John Tubman, a free Black man, who did not share her dreams of escaping to freedom in the North (Williams).    In 1849, Harriet’s owner died and she feared being sold to the South. This impelled her to make a bid for freedom. She was initially accompanied by her two brothers, but the men lost their courage and returned to their slave life. Guided by the North Star, penniless and friendless, Harriet hid during the day and walked across strange country by night. Her determination is seen in her words, â€Å"I had reasoned dis out in my mind; there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty, or death; if I could not have one, I would have de oder† (qtd. In Simkin). She secured aid from white abolitionists. Harriet’s escape bid included being covered in a sack and carried in a wagon, using a succession of ‘safe houses’ and finally crossing the Mason-Dixon line (dividing the free states of the North and the slave states of the South) to reach Phi ladelphia. In a poignant tribute to her freedom, Harriet says, â€Å"When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything† (qtd. in Biography. Com). Harriet then embarked on the next stage of her life, which was to make her one of the most remarkable women in African-American history. Harriet took on a job in Philadelphia, worked tirelessly, and used her pay to help other blacks follow her path to freedom. She made the acquaintance of William Still, who was one to the most active ‘station masters’ of the Underground Railroad. The UGRR was the route to freedom along which slaves were transported from the South to the North. In order to maintain secrecy, the routes were called ‘lines’, the safe-houses were ‘stations,’ the slaves were ‘freight’ or ‘packages’ and the agents who guided them were the ‘conductors.’ With Stillâ₠¬â„¢s help, and that of the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society, Harriet became an official ‘conductor’ of the UGRR. When the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made the North dangerous for runaway slaves, who faced the threat of recapture and return to their former masters, the UGRR made Canada the destination of the people it guided. In 1851, Tubman moved to St. Catharines in Canada and used the city as the base for her activities.

Tim OBriens The Things They Carried Essay Example for Free

Tim OBriens The Things They Carried Essay Introduction There is a thin line between fact and fiction.   This is particularly true in Tim O’Brien’s THE THINGS THEY CARRIED.   Tim O’Brien expertly dealt with words as he described the atrocities of war in this book. Tim OBriens The Things They Carried goes beyond the usual fare of war fiction. As a matter of fact it goes beyond fiction despite the fact that the author labeled it as a work of fiction on the title page.    The book is an amalgamation of several genres – a memoir, a novel, and a collection of short stories. O’Brien’s genius lies in the fact that he turns fiction into something real so much so that the demarcation of fiction and fact in this story is hardly noticeable. You can never tell when the fact ended and the imagination begins.   There is a subtle intertwining of fact and fiction that hooks the reader into reading further.    The story may be fiction but the emotions, tragedies and lives behind the story are real. So real in fact, anybody can relate to them. I want you to feel what I felt. I want you to know why story-truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth. Chapter 18, pg. 179. This is a telling part of the story as Tim O’Brien relates how he wants the truth to come out not as the way other people seen it but the way he does.   His own version of the truth is what matters to him. Truly, facts could sometimes be stranger than fiction. Analysis The first-person narrator of this book is named after the author, Tim OBrien.   Tim is both a writer and combat veteran of the Vietnam War. The war fiction is not about the usual war story where gory tales of hatcheted bodies and non-stop killings abound. Instead, one finds a certain attachment to the characters as O’Brien skillfully narrates the emotional and psychological impact of war on them.   OBrien shows the true nature of the soldiers of the Vietnam War not as fearless soldiers but as young men and boys who are inexperienced and frightened in a strange land.   Even O’Brien is not spared from fear of going to war. My conscience told me to run, but some irrational and powerful force was resisting, like a weight pushing me toward the war. What it came down to, stupidly, was a sense of shame. Chapter 4, pg. 52. In this part of the story, Tim contemplated on how he was indecisive about being drafted for the war.   The character Tim OBrien reacts to his draft notice by going to the Canadian border and spends six days in a isolated lodge in the company of an old man named Elroy while he debates on whether he should evade the draft or accept it and go to war. In the end, he decided to go to war not so much he believes in it but more so because he does not want to put his family to shame. It is largely compelling, emotional and even humorous.   It gives a human face to the war as opposed to a mere narrative. OBrien explores the things they carried both figuratively and literally through the intermittent narration of the lives, even death, of the soldiers comprising the Alpha Company. OBrien masterfully recounts the emotions going through a soldier during unforgettable moments of his life: his feelings when drafted, his guilt when forced to kill an enemy, his shock at seeing friends or fellow soldiers killed in action and the gnawing feeling of homesickness. The plot is simple but told several times through different characters point of view, making it appear more complex than it seems. The book has its light and humorous moments though as depicted in the story the Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong.   O’Brien, the author, knows exactly the perfect order of stories to attain the best effect, whether as a stand-alone story or to augment other stories.   Tim has a way of relating stories that catches the reader by surprise like this one: Speaking of Courage was written in 1975 at the suggestion of Norman Bowker, who three years later hanged himself in the locker room of a YMCA in his hometown in central Iowa. (Page 155) Love is one of the motivating factor for Tim’s need to tell the story. It had all the shadings and complexities of mature adult love, and maybe more, because there were not yet words for it, and because it was not yet fixed to comparisons or chronologies or the ways by which adults measure such things. I just loved her. Chapter 22, pg. 228. Tim O’Brien, the character professes his love for a girl when they were little. In the end, Tim admitted that his penchant for telling stories and why he needs to do it as he relates his life to the soldiers.   Im skimming across the surface of my own history, moving fast, riding the melt beneath the blades, doing loops and spins, and when I take a high leap into the dark and come down thirty years later, I realize it is as Tim trying to save Timmys life with a story. Chapter 22, pg. 246. In this quote, Tim tells of his need to tell stories. He knows it can bring the dead loved ones back to life, as if they are still with us. The soldiers do this to shield them from painful memories of losing a friend or killing a person. Tim, the character, tells stories since he was a child, when he lost the first girl he ever loved to brain tumor. The stories may change –characters, places, and events but the storyteller keeps the memories alive. These multiple narratives seem complex even at times confusing but OBrien once again manages to pull this off perfectly. â€Å"The Things They Carried† is a moving, heart-rending tale of the men in Vietnam War and the emotional and psychological baggage they carried, which leave them scarred for life, because of it. Work Cited: O’Brien, Tim. 29 Dec. 1998. The Things They Carried. Amazon. Accessed on 10, January 2007 http://www.amazon.com/Things-They-Carried-Tim-OBrien/dp/0767902890.

Gun Control :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Whenever some terrible act of violence occurs, such as a horrible school-shooting, people start asking questions and pointing fingers. They want to put the blame on someone or something. The blame is most often put on an inanimate object that does only what the person using it wants it to do. Guns do not cause crime and more gun control laws are not the answer. Gun control violates rights given to us by the Second Amendment, guns have proven to be extremely effective in deterring crimes and protecting private property, gun control does not work in controlling violence, and gun control goes against everything the founders of this country stood for. Gun control violates the rights that the founders of this country shed their blood for. Our constitution is the rights that the framers of this country put together because they felt it to be necessary for a strong nation. In it the Second Amendment states, ?A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. One would think that the men who wrote the Constitution knew and understood the importance of allowing a free people to have the right to keep and bear arms. Some would say that today?s well-regulated militia was the National Guard, but even if that was true the Second Amendment still protects individ uals rights to keep and bear arms. As Thomas Jefferson so emphatically put it, ?No free man should ever be disbarred the use of arms.? (Quotations 1) Thomas Jefferson, being a huge supporter of the right to bear arms, also said, ?The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.? Jefferson also said, ?The strongest reason for the People to retain the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.? He definitely realized, as did the other writers of the constitution, the importance of letting a free people have the right to Bear Arms. It has been said that guns just cause violence and are never a benefit to society, nothing could be so far from the truth. Statistics have shown time and time again that guns are used hundreds of thousands of times a year in the defense of one?s self, property, and family.

Factors Affecting the Successful Implementation of Ict

qFactors Affecting the Successful Implementation of ICT Projects in Government David Gichoya, Research School of Informatics, Loughborough University, UK D. M. [email  protected] ac. uk Abstract: A government is a huge and complex organisation, whose operations and strategic focus could be greatly enhanced by the well focussed application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to support improvements in productivity, management effectiveness and ultimately, the quality of services offered to citizens.While the benefits of ICT in government cannot be disputed, there are several concerns about its success as well as the strategies to be adopted in implementation of systems in various countries. In this paper, the characteristic challenges that developing nations face, which make ICT implementation in government fail to succeed are identified and synthesised. The paper presents results of literature review of case studies from both developed and developing countries and p reliminary studies grounded in the Kenya e-Government reality.The key factors are identified, synthesised and categorised under common broad categories. This results in a rich picture of ICT implementation experience that helps to identify possible solutions. A descriptive framework for categorising key factors in ICT implementation in government illustrated with references to the literature is proposed. The input variables are categorised into factors for success (drivers and enablers), and factors for failure (barriers and inhibitors). The output variables are categorized into organisational and technological benefits. Finally, an action for success is proposed.This action includes suggestions for increasing the impact of factors for success while reducing the impact of factors for failure and use of available good practice. Keywords: Government informatics, ICT projects implementation, e-Government, information system, ICT success and failure applied to various phenomena (Beynon- Davies 2002). Following this definition of informatics, government informatics can be defined as the application of information, information systems and information technology within government. This therefore includes application of eGovernment which is â€Å"primarily to do with making the delivery of government services more fficient† (Bannister, Remenyi 2005). 1. Background With the emergence of information and communication technologies (ICTs), and eGovernment, it is possible to improve efficiency and effectiveness of internal administration within government and to re-locate government service from government offices to locations closer to the citizens. Examples of such locations are cyber cafe’, telecenters or a personal computer at home or office. While the benefits of ICT in government cannot be disputed, there are several concerns about its success as well as the strategies to be adopted in implementation of systems in various ountries. This paper therefore p resents the findings of a literature review, knowledge acquired from reviewed case studies from developing countries and a preliminary study grounded on Kenyan government. The paper considers the characteristic challenges that developing nations face, which make ICT implementation in government fail to succeed. A descriptive framework for categorising key factors in ICT implementation in government and an action for success are proposed. The action for success is presented as response to situation specific challenges. In support of government informatics, Tapscott (1995, p. v) argues that ICT causes a â€Å"paradigm shift† introducing â€Å"the age of network intelligence†, reinventing businesses, governments and individuals. Ndou (2004, p. 2) quoting Kaufman (1977) observes, â€Å"the traditional bureaucratic paradigm, characterised by internal productive efficiency, functional rationality, departmentalisation, hierarchical control and rulebased management is being r eplaced by competitive, knowledge based requirements, such as: flexibility, network organisation, vertical/horizontal integration, innovative entrepreneurship, organisational learning, speed up in service delivery, and a customer driven trategy, which emphasise coordinated network building, external collaboration and customer services† all of which are supported by ICT. Informatics is a bridging discipline that is fundamentally interested in the application of information, information technology and information systems within organisations. Informatics is therefore the study of information, information systems and information technology ISSN 1479-439X 1. 1 e-Governments initiatives According to Kaul and Odedra (1991) governments around the world have been engaged in the process of implementing a wide 175  ©Academic Conferences Ltd Reference this paper as:Gichoya D (2005) â€Å"Factors Affecting the Successful Implementation of ICT Projects in Government† The Electroni c Journal of e-Government Volume 3 Issue 4, pp 175-184, available online at www. ejeg. com Electronic Journal of e-Government Volume 3 Issue 4 2005 (175-184) range of (ICT) applications. Countries have been classified by the United Nations according to their Computer Industry Development Potential (CIPD) as advanced or less developed Mgaya (1999). Advanced include, for example, the United States, Canada, West European countries and Japan; less developed include for example Argentina, Brazil, India, Mexico, Kenya and Bulgaria.For all countries, use of ICTs for government reinvention is increasing not only in investment but also in terms of visibility with a number of high-profile initiatives having been launched during the 1990s. According to Heeks and Davies (2000), this reinvention has taken place especially in the advanced countries. Western countries are convinced that the information society will result in economic and social benefits (Audenhove 2000). The author quoting Organis ation for Economic Cooperation and Development, notes that information infrastructures are expected to stimulate economic growth, increase productivity, reate jobs, and improve on the quality of life. Heeks (2002) observes that there is a big difference between ICT implementation and use between developed and developing countries. However, Westrup (2002) observes that similarities can also be expected. These similarities include funds which are never sufficient, bureaucracy and user needs. The difference is how problems are addressed in different countries. It can be argued that, with their adequate resources and advanced technology, the Western countries have an easier way of implementing ICT projects than DCs. Most developing countries are characterised by limited omputer applications in the public sector, inadequate infrastructure and shortage of skilled manpower (Odedra 1993). Odedra (1993, p. 9) notes that â€Å"this situation exists not merely due to lack of financial resourc es, but largely due to lack of coordination at different levels in making effective use of the technology†. This uncoordinated efforts can only result in duplication if each department implements its own ICT projects without due regard to compatibility within the government. technical and support staff and facilities including buildings. So far, the Government Information Technology Investment and Management Framework is onnecting all ministries to the Internet under the Executive Network (Limo 2003). The government is also connecting the ministries to run integrated information systems for example the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) and the Integrated Personnel and Pensions Database (IPPD). While developing countries may have similar characteristics, the Kenyan context presents various challenges that affect the successful implementation of ICT projects. Characteristics that define Kenyan ICT environment: †¢ Most ICT projects are initially dono r funded. †¢ Some donations are made without prior consultation or carrying out a needs nalysis by the recipient organization †¢ Operational/running costs are met by the government. Funding (capital and human resource requirements) ends with the project phase. †¢ The budgets for ICT are inadequate but rising. †¢ A lack of ICT policies and master plans to guide investment. To the extent that, with a number donors funding ICT, there have been multiple investments for the same product due to lack of coordination. †¢ A focus on ICT applications that support traditional administrative and functional transactions rather than on effective information processing and distribution within and without government epartments; †¢ Unstable ICT resources. This paper therefore helps to answer the following questions: 1. What critical factors or variables can be identified as important in terms of their effect on ICT project implementation in government? 2. Are there comm on variables and can the variables be synthesised and categorised under common broad categories for specific action to be taken? 3. Does the resulting analysis of the data lead to a framework that enables analysis and understanding of the ICT implementation experience in Kenya and can it help to identify problems and solutions? 4. Does this in turn result in a framework hat can be used to guide ICT 2. ICT Implementation in Government of Kenya Over the last five years, the Kenyan government has initiated some capital investment towards set up and installation of ICT infrastructure. Funding for these investments is achieved through partnerships between the government and development partners. The foreign funding component constitutes the largest percentage of this investment in terms of technology. The government contribution is usually in the form of www. ejeg. com 176  ©Academic Conferences Ltd David Gichoya implementation in Kenya and other developing countries? 5. Does the resul ting framework build on revious frameworks either in terms of its applicability to real life situations, its inclusive nature, its cohesiveness, and its ability to generate questions for further research? The research strategy envisaged is close to one used by Doherty, King et al. (1998), since the objectives are partly confirmatory but primarily exploratory. The strategy involves use of in-depth interviews, observation and documentary review. This approach provides new insights, grounded in the Kenya e-Government reality, into factors that contribute to the success or failure of ICT projects. It also shows the relationship between the doption of good practice during implementation and the resultant level of success attributed to the operational systems. The methodology envisaged therefore has two dimensions, one theoretically based on ICT literature; and the other analytically based on case studies. This paper therefore includes knowledge acquired from a literature review and a pre liminary investigation grounded in Kenya. focus. Planning projects Implementation of ICT A familiar maxim says, ‘if you cannot plan it, you do not do it’. Another maxim says, ‘I never planned to fail, I just failed to plan’. Planning spans a whole project period. It begins once the roject planning activities determine the organization’s strategy and identifies the ICT projects. Within the framework of a few fixed constraints, project plans evolve with the lifecycle. The constraints are time and money so each project has a clear deadline and a tight budget. According to Moran (1998, p. 39), plans fall into one of the two categories: vision without substance and a budget without vision. The identified problems of vision without substance are vagueness of future vision, lack of institutional vision, current position and time. Identified issues of budget without vision are questions as to what roblem is being solved, what are the priorities and definitio n of the roles and responsibilities. With ICT projects being advocated for and financed by donors, budget without vision is likely to be the project plan. Maciaszek (2001, p. 10) has suggested some planning models and methods for ICT implementation. Further, Aineruhanga (2004) observes that planning as a tool can help in reducing waste by identifying the pre-requites conditions for successful ICT implementation rather than â€Å"rushing into a complex e-Government strategy without having first finalized a national ICT policy†. Figure 1 presents a research framework onstructed from these preliminary studies. The framework specifies the area of research interest and shows how ICT implementation success affects ICT facilities quality and information system quality. In turn ICT facilities quality and information systems quality affect the perceived benefits. An ICT project implementation can only be perceived to have succeeded if the perceived benefits are realised. ICT facilitie s quality can be assessed after careful evaluation of the infrastructure to determine technical functionality. For example if the facilities were for networking different departments, the question may be hether this has been achieved successfully. This will involve a technical and user evaluation of the functional communication systems. Information system quality can only be determined by evaluating the information they generate. For example if the information is for budgeting purposes, the question might be whether the information system can generate accurate and timely financial information. Three reasons are identified for poor project planning in organisations. These are; risk management had not been addressed, business systems had not been justified to the full and lack of involvement from management Knott andDawson (1999). These can be taken as the major reasons but are not exhaustive. This is due to the diversity of the implementation environments. Also, as noted by Bannister and Remenyi (2000), p. 1), when it comes to complex decisions, managers often rely on methods which do not fall within the traditional boundaries of so-called rational decision making. It is observed that managers sometimes base decisions on ‘acts of faith, gut instinct or blind faith’ (referred to as strategic insight). As noted by Harindranath (1993), though developing countries commit a sizable amount of economic resources to ICT, for hem to reap maximum benefits, ICT needs careful planning and coordination prior to implementation and use otherwise trial and error methods of implementation that characterise most government ICT applications will only succeed in the wastage of scarce resources Perceived benefits are the end products that can be used to judge the success of the whole system. If the perceived benefits like easier communication, networking, and system integration, timely, relevant, complete and useful information are not realised, then the system will be perceived to have failed. Attributes of each component are shown for clarity and www. ejeg. com nd 177 ISSN 1479-439X Electronic Journal of e-Government Volume 3 Issue 4 2005 (175-184) Figure 1: Research framework 1998, Heeks 2002, Mgaya 1999). However, a careful review of reasons for failure identifies other factors whose presence or absence determines success or failure of projects. To begin with, the researcher looks at the output variables which are the benefits to be achieved if the initiative succeeds. The purpose of this is to clarify the goal of ICT projects. These goals may form a key element to the planning process as described above. Achievement of these goals helps to determine how to classify ICT projects. In ddition, perceptions of, and reasons for ICT failure are reviewed and these helps to identify possible key variables. 3. ICT performance evaluation ICT evaluation can be defined as establishing by quantitative, and/or qualitative methods the value of the ICT to th e organisation Khalifa et al. (2004). Performance cannot be judged as good or bad without the successful implementation of the project. In this paper, the technical or operational implementation of ICT infrastructure is of interest. Evaluating ICT projects can be quite problematic and can sometimes be quite subjective (Heeks 2002, Currie 1995, Bannister, Remenyi 2004, Irani 002, DeLone and McLean 2002, Bannister and Remenyi 2000) and there is no single ICT evaluation method that can be applied to all situations (Khalifa et al. 2004). Currie (1995) justifies this position using various case studies drawn from businesses in various developed countries while Heeks (2002) observes that evaluation is subjective and can depend on circumstances including time. Evaluation leads to the determination of success or failure of an ICT project. 4. 1 Output variables 4. ICT and IS success and failure Many benefits can be achieved using ICT in government. However, a word of caution given bySaul and Zulu (1994) is in order. The authors see ICT as a means to an end and not an end in itself. The value of ICT lies in its ability to assist the government in finding solutions to its problems. ICT expenditure can only be justified if there are benefits accruing to it and not adopting it for its own sake. Literature shows that planning and management of ICT projects has a very poor record in developing countries (Galliers et al. 1998, Qureshi The benefits are listed below: †¢ Cost reduction †¢ Quality of service delivery www. ejeg. com 178  ©Academic Conferences Ltd David Gichoya †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 5. Factors for ICT success and failureIncreasing capacity of government Improved decision making Transparency Improved efficiency Improved access to information Other technological benefits for example cheaper and efficient and access to large storage capacities within larger and more advanced computers While discussing factors for success and failu re, it is necessary to clarify the â€Å"opposite† effect of most factors. This means if the presence of a factor encourages success, the lack of it encourages failure (examples are, proper infrastructure and well motivated staff). The converse is true such that if presence of a factor causes failure, its bsence will cause success (examples are bureaucracy, poor project and change management). 4. 2 Categorisation of ICT projects failure Broadly, the assessment of worth of an ICT venture focus on considerations of the success and failure of IS. The issue of ICT failure can be analyzed by assuming that learning from IS failures will provide us with important lessons for formulating successful strategies for the planning, development, implementation and management of information systems. While discussing dimensions of ICT failure, Beynon-Davies (2002, p. 201) considers both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the informatics model.The horizontal dimension is expressed in t erms of the difference between development failure and use failure. The vertical dimension is expressed in terms of failure at the level of ICT systems, IS projects, or organization, or at the level of the external environment. Six types of IS failure is identified as follows: †¢ Technical failure †¢ Project failure †¢ Organizational failure †¢ Environmental failure †¢ Developmental failure †¢ Use failure Beynon-Davies supports the argument with several case studies and quotes other models for IS failure put forward by Lyytinen & Hirschheim (1987). 5. 1 Factors for successFactors for success are those occurrences whose presence or absence determines the success of an ICT project. They can be drivers or enablers as described by (Moran 1998, Riley 2000, Doherty et al. 1998, Heeks 2003b, Mugonyi 2003, Heeks 2004, Khaled 2003). . Their absence can cause failure and their presence can cause success. Drivers are the factors that encourage or reinforce the suc cessful implementation of ICT projects. Some of these are listed below: †¢ Vision and strategy †¢ Government support †¢ External pressure and donor support †¢ Rising consumer expectations †¢ Technological change, modernization, and globalizationEnablers are the active elements present in society, which help overcome the potential barriers. Some of these are listed below: †¢ Effective project, coordination and change management †¢ Good practice 5. 2 Factors for failure The factors for failure are those occurrences that constraint proper/smooth implementation of ICT projects in government. These can either be barriers or inhibitors as described by (Khaled 2003, Gakunu 2004, Aineruhanga 2004, Heeks 2003a, Ndou 2004, Bhatnagar 2003, Saul and Zulu 1994). ICT success or failure in developing countries can be categorized into three depending on the degree of success (Heeks 2002).First, is the total failure of an initiative never implemented or in which a new system was implemented but immediately abandoned. Second is partial failure of an initiative, in which major goals are unattained or in which there are significant undesirable outcomes. Associated with partial failure is the sustainability failure where an initiative first succeeds but is then abandoned after a year or so. The last is success of an initiative where most stakeholders attain their major goals and do not experience undesirable outcomes. For the purpose of this paper, Heeks categorisation is more relevant since it can be sed to categorise the few projects implemented by the Kenyan government using the above criterion as the case may be. www. ejeg. com Barriers can be considered as those occurrences that hinder ICT implementation. Some of these factors for failure are listed below. †¢ Infrastructure †¢ Finance †¢ Poor data systems and lack of compatibility †¢ Skilled personnel †¢ Leadership styles, culture, and bureaucracy †¢ Attitudes 1 79 ISSN 1479-439X Electronic Journal of e-Government Volume 3 Issue 4 2005 (175-184) Inhibitors do not necessarily prevent the implementation of ICT projects but they do prevent advancement and restrict successful mplementation and sustainability. Some of these factors for failure are listed below. †¢ User needs †¢ Technology †¢ Cordination †¢ ICT policy †¢ Transfer of ICT idolisers †¢ Donor push far as they help in shaping the process of identifying the areas of weaknesses in ICT implementation in government. In this paper, functionality is considered to depend on ICT systems and usability and utility are crucial in determining stakeholder satisfaction, which increases stakeholder acceptance, and reduces resistance to adoption. 7. Action plan for success The best way to achieve maximum benefit for ICT implementation is to have all the factors for uccess with no occurrence of the factors for failure. However, in real world that is not the case. Given su ch a situation, an action to increase the chances of success is required. Clockwork (2004) suggests the following framework for implementing e-Government projects. 6. Previous models for ICT project success Several models for assessing success, failure and the way forward for ICT systems in general DeLone and McLean (2002) and developing countries Heeks (2002) have been suggested. These and other models are considered relevant to this paper. The model proposed by DeLone and McLean (1992, p. 87) was later overlaid on a impler scheme of functionality, usability and utility by Beynon-Davies (2002). This overlaid model introduces the idea of functionality and usability, which are considered relevant to ICT implementation. Beynon-Davies argues that, the worth of an IS will be determined in the three contexts of functionality, usability and utility. The framework consists of five stages: †¢ Examine national e-Readiness †¢ Identify and prioritize themes †¢ Develop a program of action †¢ Apply to target groups †¢ Implement solutions – the final stage of the framework, is to implement the solutions. A key factor in this implementation is to ensure that the rganization is ready and in place to realize the new activities and corresponding changes. Some ICT best practices that have been â€Å"harvested† from a review of successful applications are suggested by Clockwork. Given their simple situation, developing countries are in a position to make effective and speedy use of such best practices for their own purposes. This can be viewed from an angle of ‘technology leapfrog’ which can be achieved through appropriate technology transfer (Ifinedo 2005). DeLone and McLean (2002, p. 2) acknowledged the difficulty in defining information system success and noted that different researchers ddress different aspects of success, making comparisons difficult and the prospect of building a cumulative tradition for I/S research simil arly elusive. The ITPOSMO model seeks to explain the high rates of failures of information systems in developing countries Heeks (2002). This model assumes the designers of IS are remote which means their contextual inscriptions are liable to be significantly different from user actuality. It assumes the designers come from developed countries or have been trained in developed countries and their knowledge of the local circumstances is at variance with the local reality.This model can be used in explaining some of the reasons as to why implementation of ICT in Kenyan government fails. However, the interest of the paper is on the whole of the ICT implementation which views IS as a passenger. The suggested best practices in ICT are: 1. Do not underestimate the complex environment in which ICT programs evolve. ICT projects are too often believed to have a technology focus. 2. Be sure to select a project that is expected to demonstrate the greatest benefit for your target group. 3. Gove rnment staff should be ‘re-skilled’ to anticipate the changes that accompany an ICT structure and new roles 4.Identify the right technologies. 5. Make a decision on how an organizational process fits your technology. 6. Strong program and project management is essential to develop and implement successful ICT solutions. The first two models deal with ICT/IS in general but Heeks model is for ICT/IS implementation in government and especially in developing countries. All these models act as useful guides in highlighting some of the key variables that affect ICT success. They are considered in this paper as www. ejeg. com 180  ©Academic Conferences Ltd David Gichoya 7. Do not underestimate the total cost of ownership (TCO) of an ICT project.The above best practices might not be sufficient but they can act as a basis for further research. In this paper, the best practices have been analyzed but their adoption in Kenya is not clear at this early stage of e-Government imple mentation. prophylactic against failure and should be adopted more widely. 7. 3 Local improvisations According to Heeks (2002), local improvisation is done to reduce actuality-reality gaps. This can be through hybrids that recognize local capacities and improve success rates. However, Heeks notes that schemes to develop these hybrids in the DCs are virtually nonexistent thus hampering improvisation.Participative approaches to implementation e. g. group working and end-user involvement; have to be carefully considered since most have been developed for the industrialized countries. Examples of how these participative IS techniques were a failure, are the case of Mexico’s General Hospital and an enduser development initiative for health IS in South Africa (Heeks 2002). The implementations failed because of the large gap between design assumptions and requirements and actuality of organizations into which ICT was introduced. The conclusion drawn is that these implementations fai led because there was too large a gap between he design assumptions and requirements of those techniques and the actuality of organizations into which they were introduced and not necessarily because of participative design is necessarily wrong. 7. 1 Conducting e-Readiness assessment In this paper, e-Readiness refers to the government ability to take advantage of the ICTs as a facility to enhance and improve its administrative functions. e-Readiness has several components, including telecommunications infrastructure, human resources, and legal and policy framework. e-Readiness assessment suggested above can be conducted on: †¢ Data systems infrastructure Legal infrastructure †¢ Institutional infrastructure (standardization of various departmental means of communication and the technology that is used) †¢ Human infrastructure †¢ Technological infrastructure †¢ Leadership and strategic thinking readiness (short, medium and long term plans by specific governmen t ministries) In this regard, e-Readiness assessment can be used as an information-gathering mechanism for governments as they plan their strategies for ICT implementation. It can help the project team to better understand what impediments to ICT implementation exist and what initiatives are needed to overcome them. . A descriptive conceptual framework for developing countries context A framework for mapping the knowledge gained from both the literature and the case studies is given in figure 3. The framework gives a pictorial representation of a conceptual format of the literature for representational purpose. Input variables are all those factors considered as inputs to an ICT project. Some of these factors though necessary might be absent and are considered to be factors for failure. Other factors are present but their presence becomes obstacles to success. These are categorised as factors for failure. 7. 2 Design divisibilityDivisibility of local design can decrease chances of f ailure as explained by Heeks using the Volta River Authority (Ghana) as an example (Heeks 2002, p. 109). Divisibility is achieved by: modularity (supporting one business function at a time by allowing separation of, for example, accounting and personnel functions), incrementalism (providing stepped levels of support for business functions by allowing separation of, for example, clerical and management support). In Kenya this has been achieved to some extent. Both the personnel and accounting functions are computerised with varying degrees of success within the ministries.This has been done through the implementation of Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) and the Integrated Personnel and Pensions Database IPPD). Heeks (2002) observes that design divisibility is therefore a www. ejeg. com The input variables that act as the foundation of the ICT project and are considered as main ingredients to ensure the success of the project are referred to as drivers or prer equisites while those variables that encourage success are referred to as enablers or essentials. As ICT projects are implemented, it is necessary to map the input variables to assess where action should e taken. Output variables are represented as either organisational or technological benefits. The 181 ISSN 1479-439X Electronic Journal of e-Government Volume 3 Issue 4 2005 (175-184) organisational benefits are the benefits that accrue to the organisation. Technological benefits may not necessarily accrue to the organisation but are regarded as benefits resulting from implementation of the technology. These benefits can be enjoyed by individuals, the organisation and the public. situation specific action. Input and output variables are considered as far as they affect the success and failure of ICT implementation.The framework takes cognisance of broad premises (benefits, challenges and impact) of the Kenyan perspectives discussed in this paper and those observed by (Avgerou and Wa lsham 2000, Berleur and Drumm 2003, Heeks 2002) for both research and action. Lastly the framework shows the response which is presented as action for success. The response proposed has three characteristics. First, it analyses the situation, second, it looks at the various factors contributing to success and/or failure and finally an action for success to a In the response, action is taken to increase the chances of project success by reducing the mpact of the factors for failure and increasing the strength of the factors for success. Drivers (Prerequis ites) Factor for s uccess Input variables 1. Fina nce 2. Infrastruc ture 3. Attitudes 4. Coordination 5. Strategy 6. Skills 7. O thers E nablers (Essentia ls ) Action plan for s ucce ss : 1. Conduct an e-readiness assess ment 2. Strategy and Policy – a decla ratio n b y the government stating goals and objectives by appointing a board for co-coordinating ICT impleme ntation 3. Local improvisation inc lud ing design divisibili ty 4. Encourage public-private partne rs hip to create sustainable ICT programs 5. O thersResponse O utput varia ble s 1. Organis ational be ne fits †¢ Improved efficienc y †¢ Improved access to information †¢ Tra nsparency 2. Te chnological be ne fits †¢ Cheaper and efficie nt communication †¢ Large stora ge †¢ Real time process ing Barriers Facto rs for Failure Inhibitors Figure 3: Descriptive framework or region within which their work is located (Avgerou and Walsham 2000). As the literature reviewed suggests, developing countries are still far behind in implementing e-Government and it is hoped that successful implementation of ICT projects will act as a strong foundation for eGovernment initiatives. 9. ConclusionTo fulfil the development needs of ICT projects, those involved in the design, implementation and management of IT-related projects and systems in the developing countries must improve their capacity to address the specific contextual chara cteristics of the organisation, sector, country www. ejeg. com 182  ©Academic Conferences Ltd David Gichoya cooperation from development partners on ICT projects †¢ To produce guidelines that the governments can use to help define their needs and agendas with regard to government ICT implementation and use †¢ Provide a basis for assessing good practice for ICT implementation in government Contribute to the body of knowledge on ICT implementation According to Doherty et al (1998), the factors that influence the ultimate level of success or failure of informatics projects have received considerable attention in the academic literature. Doherty et al (1998, p. 3) summarised studies on success factors and current research objectives involving empirical studies. Future papers will include the findings of cases studies done in 9 ministries of the Kenyan government. Therefore, this further research will identify and categorise the factors influencing ICT implementation accordin g to their degree of influence in Kenya and suggest ossible actions. In this paper, the factors affecting ICT implementation have been categorised into factors for success and factors for failure. These have been further categorized as either drivers, enablers, barriers or inhibitors. The paper does not classify the factors in terms of their influence. However, vision and strategy and government support are considered important for success while lack of funds and poor infrastructure are considered as major factors for failure. As many arguments for ICT planning prove, ICT project implementation is a complex exercise and more research is needed to identify challenges, ood practice and solutions for successful implementation. This paper analyses and syntheses both all information gathered to develop a framework that hopefully can be used during ICT infrastructural planning and implementation in developing countries. The response framework discussed in this paper is expected to be used to: †¢ Provide a basis on which to analyze and specify international support and References Aineruhanga, M. , 2004. Focus on the ‘Kenya ICT Week'. Chakula Newsletter, (9),. Audenhove, L. V. , 2000. Information and communication technology policy in Africa: A critical analysis of rhetoric and practice.In: C. AVGEROU and G. WALSHAM, eds, Burlington, USA: Ashgate Publishing company, pp. 277-290. Avgerou, C. and Walsham, G. , 2000. Introduction: IT in developing countries. In: C. AVGEROU and G. WALSHAM, eds, Information technology in context: Studies from the perspective of developing countries. 1 edn. Burlington, USA: Ashgate Publishing company, pp. 1-7. Bannister, F. and Remenyi, D. , 2005. The Societal Value of ICT: First Steps Towards an Evaluation Framework. http://www. ejise. com/volume6-issue2/issue2-art21. htm edn. Reading, England: Academic Conferences Limited. Bannister, F. and Remenyi, D. , 2004.Value Perception in IT Investment Decisions http://www. ejise. com/vo lume2/volume2-issue2/issue2-art1. htm edn. Nr Reading, England: Academic Conferences Limited. Bannister, F. and Remenyi, D. , 2000. Acts of faith: instinct, value and IT investments. Journal of Information Technology, 15(3), pp. 18. Mar. 2004-pp. 231-241. Berleur, J. and Drumm, J. , 2003-last update, information technology transfer to developing countries [Homepage of ICT research and consulting], [Online]. 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Oversea Study Agent in China Essay

1.0 Introduction As China’s refrom and opening up, foreign exchange increasing day by day. Studying abroad craze after another. More and more people chose to accept foreign advanced education. This report is small scale survey on experiences with the services of oversea study agencies, which in order to inform readers some informations about oversea study agencies, let them have a more comprehensive understanding of these agents. First, some basic overviews of oversea study agent such as what is the oversea study agent, the history and development of these agencies, the role and characteristics of oversea study agencies, will be described in this report. Then it also show some main problems of oversea study agencies, which include some illegal phoenomenons, professionalism of employee is low and regulatory mechanism is not perfect. Legal system is not perfect and the lack of high-quality personnel as the causes of problems followed by. At last the recommendation and conclusion will be illustrated. 2.0 Procedures This paper is after a group discussion and arrangements. Five education agents are investigated through telephone consultation, internet search, etc. They are Golden Oriental, Jin Gillette, Mei Grabrel, CIEC World Famous Studio to study vertical and horizontal, Zhong Rui in Shanghai. There are also some views reference by authority report. 3.0 Findings 3.1 Some basic overview of oversea study agent 3.1.1 What is oversea studying agencies Oversea study agent is a intermediary for students to studying abroad to other countries that provide school students application and visa application assistance and services. Everywhere in the world exist this industry. In China the first countries to ratify the legal service agencies to study abroad is very high, the first practitioners of the business background needed to be engaged in education institutions, so the first batch of approved institutions most comprehensive university with some formal or large state government departments, only two company are private institutions, Jin Gillette in Beijing and Zhong Rui in Shanghai . And the choice of this two institutions are engaged in their education both at the same time quite strong behind the enterprise groups as the background. Second and subsequent access to qualified institutional conditions in the application than the first batch of great relaxation, an increase of more institutions, but are required to be registered within the legal institutions. 3.1.2 The role of oversea study agent First, providing professional guidance to reduce the personal trouble. This is the most important role of education agents. The current situation is that most people and institutions of education abroad do not quite understand the situation, the role of intermediaries is to use the relationship with foreign educational institutions, combined with national policies to individuals and schools to study the national situation, to apply for admission, handle Visa and other relevant information and advice. Procedures for many students, if they apply the words of ordinary people, not only spend more time, and error-prone, with the help of an intermediary, you can greatly reduce such problems. Second, providing legally qualified schools. It is understood that there are two types of foreign registered schools, one is teaching institutions, although another category called the school, but in fact is the company, and such registration requirements of the company’s relatively loose, the more difficult for teachers and teaching quality assurance. Chinese government prohibited foreign institutions and educational service agencies engaged in recruiting activities on their own in, requiring direct intermediary service organizations and educational institutions with foreign universities signed a cooperation agreement and submit the location of the relevant provincial education administrative departments for the record, but also requires foreign school to provide the Embassy of China in the internationally renowned certification other than the institutions. The goal is to prevent a number of international universities and the poor quality of some multinational companies fraud in China. Therefore, the study intermediary agreements with foreign institutions of higher learning in schools is actually a constraint, so as to ensure the quality of teaching in schools and individual rights. Then, to help design individual study plans. Study abroad is a new way of learning in China, so most Chinese people find it difficult to design their own study plan. There arise a phenomenon that many people have chosen wrong counties, wrong school or wrong professional. The losses are difficult to be measured by money. Study intermediary with resources, according to consumer expertise, interests and financial ability to provide consumers with a most appropriate and most effective way to study. In addition, there is a balance the function of oversea study agencies for market supply and demand. As with other products in the market, study abroad market also has a supply and demand balance. The difference is that, as the case involves foreign students, consumers are poorly understood, the role of intermediaries is that the students grasp the situation told the consumer market, and guide consumers in different countries and schools to filter, so that the education market and a balanced supply and demand. 3.2 Problems of oversea study agencies It is report that â€Å"Golden Oriental† has the trap of going abroad, 15 students trapped in Germany. A parents said the â€Å"Golden Oriental† is a German training center in Qingdao, the main business is to recruit students to learn German. Enrollment in the center, forward to introduce registration of students and parents â€Å"to learn the language here, must we go through the exit of the relevant procedures.† This fully demonstrates the agency of studying abroad at this stage still exit some problems. 1. Some illegal phenomenon First, unauthorized business in the studying intermediary. Without the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Security issued a â€Å"permit to study intermediary services,† without the approval of the administrative department for industry and commerce registration, engaging in business activities of education agents. In Beijing there are still some people who employ by the â€Å"three no company† (no license, no office, no charge certificate) to the embassy in front of students engaged in activities of intermediary services around by some foreign embassies. These illegal intermediary agencies in profits, driven by the illicit in intermediary services. Second, there is a linked management phenomenon. Linked management is some of the illegal gain qualification in legal education agents affiliated companies access to the following qualification to the legitimate operations of those features. There are some study intermediaries authorized by the parent company of illegally engaging in a branch or branches of intermediary business, the umbrella agency to act as illegal. Finally, some foreign companies do illegally business in China. State expressly that foreign investment institutions in the country engaged in the study can not be mediated. But there are still some companies as the representative of the foreign school or under the banner of the Office of foreign schools in China to enroll students. 3.2.2 Professionalism of employee is low It is understood that practitioners who have the correlated educational background in the study abroad agency are less than 50ï ¼â€¦. Management has not issued specific standards for employees in certificates, but no appraisal system. Most of the intermediary’s employees are recruited from the community, by the agency after a simple training to induction, a considerable number of other employees in the state organs or institutions of workers retire, there officers aging. Therefore, the variation in levels of professional and reduce the agency’s service quality and effectiveness of the service extensively restricted. 3.2.3 Regulatory mechanism is not perfect At current situation, it has not specifical laws and regulations on the study abroad agency to regulate behaviours they have. At the same time, the management of policies from different departments, regulatory agencies is not clear. It is a more complex work to supervision and management the intermediary services for studying abroad. Too few managers, industry and commerce, are also responsible for public security, there is busy. Three units of the joint action, they often stay in the rectification movement style, and they can not do more frequent, thorough and meticulous work, so that the management is difficult to place. 3.3Causes of the problems 3.3.1Legal system is not perfect Currently, the state has not the development of social intermediary organizations and the general considerations of unified planning, there is no national authority in charge of social intermediary organizations and coordination of departments, to study abroad agency management and macro-control weaknesses still exist. Government lack of studying abroad Pan strictly regulate intermediary management, law degree is not high. Market economy is the legal economy, study abroad agency to rely on laws and regulations to locate and act. However the legal management of oversea study agencies has a far way from the establishment of socialist market economy. 3.3.2The lack of high-quality personnel Oversea study agency is a strong professional service, foreign language level requirements high. Thus, requiring that their employees must have a high quality of cultural knowledge, good professional service and knowledge of international practice. However, there are talents in this area obviously can not keep up the situation and development needs: the quality of personnel is not high, the shortage of professionals. 4.0 Recommendation At present, more and more people choose to go abroad, the oversea study agent play an important role in China. However, there are still exit the problems which mentioned above. So some measures must be taken such as effectively strengthen the supervision and management of education agents’waste, further improve the advertising review and investigation, to increase the intensity modulation of employees’ education and training, improve relevant laws and regulations to standardize and restrain intermediary acts. 5.0 Conclusion Whit the boom of study abroad set off, oversea study agency has become an indispensable institution to student. It provide professional guidance, provide legally qualified schools, help design individual study plans and so on. However, there are still some problems that can damages the interests of consumers. When people choosing the oversea study agencies, both advantages and disadvantages should be considered. Whit the sound of legal system and the development of market economy in China, problems in the intermediary agencies of study abroad will be solved. Their business will be more and more standardized. 6. Reference Gousheng Li, 2006-10-29, Study abroad at one’s own expenses intermediaraes’problems and countermeasures. Junrong Yan, 2001-12-4, Education agents, you play what role http://baike.baidu.com/view/864680.htm http://www.runsky.com/homepage/study/abroad/news/userobject1ai413028.html