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Question No 1 solution jut for an idea

Computerized control systems provide benefits that can be categorized into four distinct groups:

Time

Money

Information management

Improved work conditions.

or

computer have greatly enhanced how businesses operate in the marketplace. Technology has grown so quick that any business not using computers are at a distinct disadvantage against competitors

Increased Productivity

Employees can process more information in less time using computers. Additionally, all business operations can be connected through computers, improving overall business operations.

Better Information

Businesses will usually implement a computerized Management Information System, which allows all information from individual departments to be monitored. This allows information to be collected and reported easily with computers.

Faster Operations

Computers can increase the speed of business operations. Ordering materials, inspecting products, and collecting customer feedback via computers allow businesses to operate faster and produce better results.

Cheaper R&D

Research and Development (R&D) costs will decrease when using computers. Scientific research can be done quickly using computer software designed to develop new products and services.

Higher Sales

Computers can generate higher sales for businesses through the use of websites. Businesses can now stay open around the clock, allowing customers from around the globe to shop their stores.

or

This question in various forms has been popular in the Ask Dan! email. For example, J. Maclearn asked "What are the advantages and disadvantages of decision support systems?" On a related topic, Wong Soon Chen asked me to justify the statement that "Managers need computerized decision support and supporting technologies to do their jobs better" with relevant facts and figures. Mick Spain wrote "I'm trying to do an academic literature review of decision support systems in general and measuring how they benefit strategic decision making in particular." He requested my comments on the topic and recent references. Lynn Oelke wrote asking "What are the benefits of using DSS for Health Care Administrators?" Rosjalina asked "How can data warehouses benefit organizations?" 

A number of Ask Dan! columns have addressed related questions, but now seems like a good opportunity to summarize the advantages and disadvantages of computerized decision support. It is not possible in an Ask Dan! column to cite all of the studies that support the following conclusions, but interested readers are encouraged to check Alter (1980), Power (2002) and Udo and Guimaraes (1994) and review articles that have been published in the Decision Support Systems journal (ISSN: 0167-9236, imprint: NORTH-HOLLAND, began publication in 1985). Let's start with the advantages:

1) Time savings. For all categories of decision support systems, research has demonstrated and substantiated reduced decision cycle time, increased employee productivity and more timely information for decision making. The time savings that have been documented from using computerized decision support are often substantial. Researchers have not however always demonstrated that decision quality remained the same or actually improved.

2) Enhance effectiveness. A second category of advantage that has been widely discussed and examined is improved decision making effectiveness and better decisions. Decision quality and decision making effectiveness are however hard to document and measure. Most research has examined soft measures like perceived decision quality rather than objective measures. For example, Hogue and Watson (1983) reported the most important reason managers cited for using a DSS was to obtain accurate information. Studies of model-driven DSS have examined this outcome more than research on other types of DSS (cf., Sharda, Barr, and McDonnell, 1988). Advocates of building data warehouses identify the possibility of more and better analyses that can improve decision making.

3) Improve interpersonal communication. DSS can improve communication and collaboration among decision makers. In appropriate circumstances, communications-driven and group DSS have had this impact. Model-driven DSS provide a means for sharing facts and assumptions. Data-driven DSS make "one version of the truth" about company operations available to managers and hence can encourage fact-based decision making. Improved data accessibility is often a major motivation for building a data-driven DSS. This advantage has not been adequately demonstrated for most types of DSS.

4) Competitive advantage. Vendors frequently cite this advantage for business intelligence systems, performance management systems, and web-based DSS. Although it is possible to gain a competitive advantage from computerized decision support, this is not a likely outcome. Vendors routinely sell the same product to competitors and even help with the installation. Organizations are most likely to gain this advantage from novel, high risk, enterprise-wide, inward facing decision support systems. Measuring this is and will continue to be difficult. For more discussion of this issue read Ask Dan! (Vol. 6, No. 17, July 31, 2005).

5) Cost reduction. Some research and especially case studies have documented DSS cost saving from labor savings in making decisions and from lower infrastructure or technology costs. This is not always a goal of building DSS.

6) Increase decision maker satisfaction. The novelty of using computers has and may continue to confound analysis of this outcome. DSS may reduce frustrations of decision makers, create perceptions that better information is being used and/or create perceptions that the individual is a "better" decision maker. Satisfaction is a complex measure and often researchers measure satisfaction with the DSS rather than satisfaction with using a DSS in decision making. Some studies have compared satisfaction with and without computerized decision aids. Those studies suggest the complexity and "love/hate" tension of using computers for decision support.

7) Promote learning. Learning can occur as a by-product of initial and ongoing use of a DSS. Two types of learning seem to occur: learning of new concepts and the development of a better factual understanding of the business and decision making environment. Some DSS serve as "de facto" training tools for new employees. This potential advantage has not been adequately examined.

8) Increase organizational control. Data-driven DSS often make business transaction data available for performance monitoring and ad hoc querying. Such systems can enhance management understanding of business operations and managers perceive that this is useful. What is not always evident is the financial benefit from increasingly detailed data. Regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley often dictate reporting requirements and hence heavily influence the control information that is made available to managers. On a more ominous note, some DSS provide summary data about decisions made, usage of the systems, and recommendations of the system. Managers need to be very careful about how decision-related information is collected and then used for organizational control purposes. If employees feel threatened or spied upon when using a DSS, the benefits of the DSS can be reduced. More research is needed on these questions.

Decision support systems should accomplish a purpose that is valued in an organization, but in addition it is important to examine the impact of computerized decision support from individual, group and organizational perspectives. I am a computerized decision support "evangelist". I have concluded based upon experience and research that DSS when appropriately implemented and used can provide individuals, groups and organizations with advantages and benefits. I have been spreading the word about computerized decision support for more than 30 years, but I have tried to remain objective and balanced in my writings and research. In that spirit, let's examine "the dark side", the disadvantages of computerized decision support.

DSS can create advantages for organizations and can have positive benefits, but building and using DSS can create negative outcomes in some situations. For example, some data-driven DSS development efforts lead to power struggles over who should have access to data. Also, managers may have personal motives for advocating development of a specific DSS that harms other managers or the organization as a whole. My discussion of disadvantages builds upon the work of Klein and Methlie (1996, p. 172-181) and Winograd and Flores (1986). The following are eight disadvantages:

1) Overemphasize decision making. Clearly the focus of those of us interested in computerized decision support is on decisions and decision making. Implementing DSS may reinforce the rational perspective and overemphasize decision processes and decision making. It is important to educate managers about the broader context of decision making and the social, political and emotional factors that impact organizational success. It is especially important to continue examining when and under what circumstances DSS should be built and used. We must continue to ask if the decision situation is appropriate for using any type of DSS and if a specific DSS is or remains appropriate to use for making or informing a specific decision.

2) Assumption of relevance. According to Winograd and Flores (1986), "Once a computer system has been installed it is difficult to avoid the assumption that the things it can deal with are the most relevant things for the manager's concern." The danger is that once DSS become common in organizations, that managers will use them inappropriately. There is limited evidence that this occurs. Again training is the only way to avoid this potential problem.

3) Transfer of power. Building DSS, especially knowledge-driven DSS, may be perceived as transferring decision authority to a software program. This is more a concern with decision automation systems (check DecisionAutomation.com) than with DSS. I advocate building computerized decision support systems because I want to improve decision making while keeping a human decision maker in the "decision loop". In general, I value the "need for human discretion and innovation" in the decision making process.

4) Unanticipated effects. Implementing decision support technologies may have unanticipated consequences. It is conceivable and it has been demonstrated that some DSS reduce the skill needed to perform a decision task. Some DSS overload decision makers with information and actually reduce decision making effectiveness. I'm sure other such unintended consequences have been documented. Nevertheless, most of the examples seem correctable, avoidable or subject to remedy if and when they occur.

5) Obscuring responsibility. The computer doesn't make a "bad" decision, people do. Unfortunately some people may deflect personal responsibility to a DSS. Managers need to be continually reminded that the computerized decision support system is an intermediary between the people who built the system and the people who use the system. The entire responsibility associated with making a decision using a DSS resides with people who built and use the system. 

6) False belief in objectivity. Managers who use DSS may or may not be more objective in their decision making. Computer software can encourage more rational action, but managers can also use decision support technologies to rationalize their actions. It is an overstatement to suggest that people using a DSS are more objective and rational than managers who are not using computerized decision support.

7) Status reduction. Some managers argue using a DSS will diminish their status and force them to do clerical work. This perceptual problem can be a disadvantage of implementing a DSS. Managers and IS staff who advocate building and using computerized decision support need to deal with any status issues that may arise. This perception may or should be less common now that computer usage is common and accepted in organizations.

8) Information overload. Too much information is a major problem for people and many DSS increase the information load. Although this can be a problem, DSS can help managers organize and use information. DSS can actually reduce and manage the information load of a user. DSS developers need to try to measure the information load created by the system and DSS users need to monitor their perceptions of how much information they are receiving. The increasing ubiquity of handheld, wireless computing devices may exacerbate this problem and disadvantage.

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Question No 2 Solution Just for Idea

Authoritative or democratic

Management Style Training

In business, there are several management styles and theories that support them. Two of the most common management styles, authoritative management and democratic management, have both benefits and dangers associated with their use. Some heads of organizations believe strongly in one particular style and will train their managers to utilize that style in leading their team

Features

Managers who use the authoritative style, according to ManagementStyles.net, require employees to work through "coercive management policies and guidelines." Using this method, employees are allowed very little scope to express  their opinions or participate in decision-making.

Under the democratic style, employees are given incentives to increase their productivity and are "allowed to express themselves and to participate in the decision-making process of an organization," according to ManagementStyles.net.

Theories

The authoritative style is based on the belief that employees, for the most part, do not like to work and must be told exactly what to do and how to do it. The democratic style relies on the theory that employees will feel more motivated and appreciated, which will lead to higher performance and productivity, when their ideas and opinions are sought, valued and incorporated into decisions.

Benefits

According to a case study by Knowledge Train, a project management training organization in London, authoritative management is most successful when used with a team of employees who lack motivation, are in need of a strong leader or are in need of clear direction. In these situations, the authoritative style will point employees toward organizational goals and provide them with clear steps on how to be successful. The democratic style is best practiced with employees who feel motivated and a sense of belonging, according to LearnManagement2.com, a Web site aimed at learners studying global management.

Dangers

According to ManagementStyles.net, some employees who are managed authoritatively will feel as though they are being treated like a child and resent that their opinion is not considered or valued. These employees can become disengaged and leave their employer. Democratic managers run the risk of slowing decision-making time and also provide the opportunity for some employees to "take advantage" of their manager's style and begin "not working to their full potential and allowing other group members to 'carry' them," according to LearnManagement 2.com.

Balance

According to ManagementStyles.net, some experts have suggested that the most effective managers are those that incorporate a mixture of both the authoritative and democratic management styles. Each of the two styles used alone can be considered too extreme, therefore an organization may decide to coach managers to utilize aspects of both styles as needed. For example, a manager may rely on the democratic style when leading a new team that seems to resist change and lack direction, but may switch to the authoritative style after improvements in attitude and productivity are seen and a situation arises in which the opinions and ideas of the team may prove to be valuable.

Training

An organization that offers management style training to its supervisors must first take several factors into account, such as its strategic goals and the behavioral profile of its employees, according to ManagementStyles.net. Once one management style, or a blend of two styles, is chosen, it must be effectively communicated to all levels of leadership within the organization and executed consistently across the company. This training typically takes place in a classroom setting where managers have the opportunity to view case studies and role play under the direction of an instructor.
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company should adopt computerized payroll system due to following reasons.

1. 1. Time Importation

• Many employers use a timekeeping system, such as time clock, to track employees' work hours. A manual system requires tracking employee time by hand; a computerized payroll system often has the ability to automatically transport employee punches/swipes from the timekeeping system into the payroll system automatically. Such a system can separate regular hours from overtime hours worked. All the payroll person has to do is make edits/adjustments, if necessary.

Automatic Calculations

• If employee time is imported into the computerized payroll system, the latter rounds the employee time up and down appropriately, such as to the nearest quarter hour. It calculates the total hours worked and to be paid. This saves on time spent manually calculating the hours and reduces errors. If the payroll person enters the hours into the system herself, it calculates the wages automatically, based on her input. The system calculates all pay frequencies, such as weekly, biweekly, and semimonthly.

A computerized payroll system automatically calculates employee statutory deductions, such as taxes and wage garnishments, and voluntary deductions, such as parking fees, 401k contributions and medical benefits. The payroll person simply enters the data upon which the deductions are based, such as Form W-4 information for federal income tax withholding.

Paycheck Processing

• A manual payroll system requires you to print paychecks on a typewriter or by hand. A computerized payroll system has direct-deposit capability, which saves money spent on live checks and reconciliation. Additionally, paycheck and pay stub generation occurs quickly, regardless of volume.

Report Generation

• A computerized payroll system generates and prints payroll reports. If you want to double-check the payroll before printing paychecks/pay stubs, simply reference the corresponding reports. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Labor requires employers to retain payroll records for at least three years. A computerized system enables hard-copy printing of payroll registers pertaining to each pay period. It also saves the information in the system indefinitely.

The system generates tax reports to ensure payroll tax compliance. This includes quarterly and annual wage reporting and generating employee W-2 forms. If a related department such as accounting handles the company's payroll tax and reconciliation duties, print the necessary reports the department needs via the computerized system. Furthermore, the system tracks benefit days, such as vacation and personal time, taken and paid.

Features

• Automated payroll systems will often calculate payroll taxes, exemptions and withholdings based on pre-programmed settings. The electronic systems can also receive updates or upgrades to remain consistent with current laws.

The main advantages of a computerized accounting system are listed below:

• Speed – data entry onto the computer with its formatted screens and built-in databases of customers and supplier details and stock records can be carried out far more quickly than any manual processing.
• Automatic document production – fast and accurate invoices, credit notes, purchase orders, printing statements and payroll documents are all done automatically.
• Accuracy – there is less room for errors as only one accounting entry is needed for each transaction rather than two (or three) for a manual system.
• Up-to-date information – the accounting records are automatically updated and so account balances (e.g. customer accounts) will always be up-to-date.
• Availability of information – the data is instantly available and can be made available to different users in different locations at the same time.
• Management information – reports can be produced which will help management monitor and control the business, for example the aged debtors analysis will show which customer accounts are overdue, trial balance, trading and profit and loss account and balance sheet.
• GST/VAT return – the automatic creation of figures for the regular GST/VAT returns.
• Legibility *– the onscreen and printed data should always be legible and so will avoid errors caused by poor figures.
• Efficiency – better use is made of resources and time; cash flow should improve through better debt collection and inventory control.
• Staff motivation – the system will require staff to be trained to use new skills, which can make them feel more motivated. Further to this with many ‘off-the-shelf’ packages like MYOB the training can be outsourced and thus making a particular staff member less critical of business operations.
• Cost savings – computerized accounting programs reduce staff time doing accounts and reduce audit expenses as records are neat, up-to-date and accurate.
• Reduce frustration – management can be on top of their accounts and thus reduce stress levels associated with what is not known.
• The ability to deal in multiple currencies easily – many computerized accounting packages now allow a business to trade in multiple currencies with ease. Problems associated with exchange rate changes are minimized.

In summary if you have not computerized your accounting you should seriously consider doing so. I chose to train in MYOB after reviewing all the small to medium business accounting packages on the market. In my view MYOB was the best overall package. A free 90 day trial version of MYOB accounting software can be downloaded from your own country’s MYOB website. This trial version is the full version but any business set up with it can only have entries entered for 90 days; after that, purchase of the software is required. I strongly recommend you download a version and take a look.

Significance and contribution of the Aligarh Movement:

The contribution and significance of Aligarh Movement for the revival and regeneration of the Muslims of Sub-Continent are commendable. Aligarh developed as the most important centre of the intellectual development for the Muslims of South Asia and its students those who studied at Aligarh College came from all over India from different parts of India; they were coming from Punjab, Bengal Frontier and were also from South India. In a way it had become a focal point for the Muslims of South Asia for their education.

In addition to this there were a lot of intellectual activities going on for example publication of different books and the activities of Scientific Society and through these activities there was a lot of intellectual stimulation which was provided by the Aligarh Movement.

Then this movement created students who were combined to different traditions. The students learned modern knowledge English language, modern western philosophy and they also acquired Islamic knowledge and this was a significant feature of this Aligarh College (data copied from vu solutions dot com) that while giving modern education to the students they should not be de-linked from their roots and if you are de-linked from your roots you become rootless. In order to deal with the criticism that western education would alienate our young people from its teachings and principles Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and his colleagues proved that modern education and Islamic education can be brought together.

The 3rd major achievement of the Aligarh Education System was that it brought forward a group of students who were very conscious of what was happening in India and outside India. This educated class that developed in India was instrumental in promoting Muslim identity and also advocating the Muslim demands to the govt and to others because on the one hand this educated class could communicated with the rulers because they knew the language and modern knowledge philosophy and the thinking that had developed there.

So, they were able to communicate with the rulers. On the other hand they held their roots in culture therefore they could also communicate with the ordinary people for mobilization and make them conscious of what made them different from others.

Another, important contribution of this movement was that it inspired educational movements in India. And the last major contribution of this movement was that the Mohammedan Educational Conference that was created by these Muslim leaders had become a kind of a forum where Muslims from different parts of India would come together and they would discuss not only education but all those issues which were of great concern to Muslims and since the meetings of Mohammedan Educational Conference were being held in different places it was able to communicate the message of the Aligarh Movement all over India.

It also brought together like minded Muslims to pursue the goals and ideals of promotion of education and improvement of Muslims all over India. We can say that the Aligarh Movement played a pivotal role in generating the Muslims who were facing a serious psychological depression and economic setback after 1857.

Sir Syed advice to the Muslims to avoid active politics:

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and his colleagues advised the Muslims to avoid joining active politics. He was of the opinion that at that stage Muslims should not get involved in active politics. He was not inherently opposed to politics. The point he was presenting was that at that stage and given the problems and conditions of the Muslims at that time, they should stay away from active politics and concentrate on education.

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan used to say that at that time Muslim needed education, education and education. If, we look at the facts and the data that was available at that time about the education of Muslims and others in India then we can understand why Sir Syed was so (data copied from vu solutions dot com)  particular about education. From 1859 to 1875 only 20 Muslims were able to get graduation degree from the educational institutions which the British colonial administration had set up in India. Against this during the same period 715 Hindus got the graduation degrees, so you can compare the figure 20 verses 715.

The concern at that time was that if they get involved in active politics and they don’t pay attention to acquiring modern education they will be left behind and the gap between the Muslims and others will widen and ultimately the Muslims would suffer. He wanted that over a period of time, there should be a group of Muslims who had modern education and who could fit into the modern system which the British had introduced, “The Modern State System” the administration which was set up by the British and you can only fit in this system if you get jobs and you had an interaction with this system only if you could get modern education and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan thought that if Muslims have an education then they become relevant to the changed conditions and they will be able to meet with the challenges of the time.

There was another reason why he was emphasizing on education at that much. He thought that if Muslims get too much involved in active politics then the perception that Muslims are against the British will be reinforced and the misunderstandings that had developed between the Muslims and the British would increase but if they have education, they get the requisite qualification that misunderstanding will be removed and they will be among those people who could be playing important role under the British.

A number of other developments during the same period influenced the advice which Sir Syed and his colleagues were giving that is advice to acquire modern knowledge, Aligarh Movement was a religio-political Movement which contributed a lot for the regeneration and revival of the Muslims of the Sub-Continent. Sir Syed and his colleagues by their combined efforts tried to equip the Muslims community of Sub-Continent with modern knowledge and English language. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a visionary leader and he envisioned that without acquiring modern knowledge the Muslims cannot compete with the Hindus. That’s why he advised the Muslims to acquire modern language to regain their lost glory in the Sub-Continent. 

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why Sir Syed Ahmed Khan advised the Muslims to avoid active politics:

Sir Syed advised the Muslims against joining active politics and to concentrate instead on education. Later, when some Muslims joined the Indian National Congress, he came out strongly against that organization and its objectives, which included the establishment of parliamentary democracy in India. He argued that, in a country where communal divisions were all-important and education and political organizations were confined to a few classes, parliamentary democracy would work only inequitably. Muslims, generally, followed his advice and abstained from politics until several years later when they had established their own political organization i.e. Muslim League.

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Describe the significance and contribution of Aligarh Movement for the revival and regeneration of the Muslims of Sub-Continent.

Syed Ahmad Khan's Aligarh Movement played a significant role in bringing about an intellectual revolution among the Indian Muslims. Thus it succeeded in achieving its major objectives, i.e. educational progress and social reform. His efforts earned Sir Syed the title "Prophet of Education".

Aligarh Movement was the movement led by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, to educate the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent after the defeat of the rebels in the Indian rebellion of 1857. It had enormous success and had a profound impact on the future of the subcontinent.  (data copied from vu solutions dot com) Its most significant achievement was the establishment of MuhammadanAnglo-OrientalCollege at Aligarh, which later became AligarhMuslimUniversity.

* Why did Sir Syed advise the Muslims to avoid joining active politics?

Syed advised the Muslims against joining active politics and to concentrate instead on education. Later, when some Muslims joined the Indian National Congress, he came out strongly against that organisation and its objectives, which included the establishment of parliamentary democracy in India. He argued that, in a country where communal divisions were all-important and education and political organisations were confined to a few classes, parliamentary democracy would work only inequitably. Muslims, generally, followed his advice and abstained from politics until several years later when they had established their own political organisation i.e. Muslim League.

Describe the significance and contribution of Aligarh Movement for the revival and regeneration of the Muslims of Sub-Continent.

The War of Independence 1857 ended in disaster for the Muslims. The British chose to believe that the Muslims were responsible for the anti-British uprising; therefore they made them the subject of ruthless punishments and merciless vengeance. The British had always looked upon the Muslims as their adversaries because they had ousted them from power. With the rebellion of 1857, this feeling was intensified and every attempt was made to ruin and suppress the Muslims forever. Their efforts resulted in the liquidation of the Mughal rule and the Sub-continent came directly under the British crown.

After dislodging the Muslim rulers from the throne, the new rulers, the British, implemented a new educational policy with drastic changes. The policy banned Arabic, Persian and religious education in schools and made English not only the medium of instruction but also the official language in 1835. This spawned a negative attitude amongst the Muslims towards everything modern and western, and a disinclination to make use of the opportunities available under the new regime. This tendency, had it continued for long, would have proven disastrous for the Muslim community.

Seeing this atmosphere of despair and despondency, Sir Syed launched his attempts to revive the spirit of progress within the Muslim community of India. He was convinced that the Muslims in their attempt to regenerate themselves, had failed to realize the fact that mankind had entered a very important phase of its existence, i.e., an era of science and learning.  (data copied from vu solutions dot com) He knew that the realization of the very fact was the source of progress and prosperity for the British. Therefore, modern education became the pivot of his movement for regeneration of the Indian Muslims. He tried to transform the Muslim outlook from a medieval one to a modern one.

Sir Syed's first and foremost objective was to acquaint the British with the Indian mind; his next goal was to open the minds of his countrymen to European literature, science and technology.

Therefore, in order to attain these goals, Sir Syed launched the Aligarh Movement of which Aligarh was the center. He had two immediate objectives in mind: to remove the state of misunderstanding and tension between the Muslims and the new British government, and to induce them to go after the opportunities available under the new regime without deviating in any way from the fundamentals of their faith.

Keeping education and social reform as the two planks of his program, he launched the Aligarh Movement with the following objectives:

1. To create an atmosphere of mutual understanding between the British government and the Muslims.

2. To persuade Muslims to learn English education.

3. To persuade Muslims to abstain from politics of agitation.

4. To produce an intellectual class from amongst the Muslim community