Management Challenges Posed By the Role of Information Systems in Organisations - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2466 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Review Level High school Did you like this example? Management Challenges Posed By the Role of Information Systems in Organisations Throughout the 20th century, businesses thrived by making their production methods more and more efficient by improving production processes and developing better ways for making things. However, efficiency in production methods is no longer the only success factors in todays business world. The excellence of 21st century lies in Information management i.e. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Management Challenges Posed By the Role of Information Systems in Organisations" essay for you Create order having the right thing, on the right time, in the right quantity. Information is one of the most critical elements for the success of a business. Information has become one of the most significant assets for a business. The performance of a business depends on how it manages this asset like every other assets such as finance, humans, buildings, products, customers, etc. (Ward, 1995). The advancements of Information and Communication technology have provided various tools to effectively manage information. Using information and communication technologies, businesses and organizations nowadays rely largely on Information systems to store and manage and analyse data. Information system is a combination of various subsystems that coordinate with each other to collectively gather, store, manage, retrieve, distribute, and transfer information. Information systems help businesses to enhance their productivity by increasing the efficiency and value of business processes (Porter Millar 1985). Using information technology tools for managing information in conducting business is referred to as E-Business. E-business is a very wide concept comprising of different aspects of business transaction or transferring information by means of Internet. E-business can be classified into three categories. It can be within an organization which may include of various information systems such as Accounting Information System, Knowledge management system, Decision support system, Executive support system, etc. This type of communication technology is called Intranet. The standards used for Intranet are the same as for Internet communication. Accessibility to the Intranet is limited to organization-specific applications or web sites. These web sites and applications are protected against any unauthorized personal by firewalls and other security measures. The second category is involves business-to-business (B2B) communication conducted via Extranet. The Extranet integrate s two Intranets which are inter-connected to each other via Internet, which facilitates two separate organizations to communicate and share confidential data. Thirdly category is the business-to-consumer (B2C) communication which occurs over the Internet. The business-to-consumers activity is the most prominent feature of e-business (Amor, 2001). Purpose of Information Systems The purpose of an information system is to empower its users. There is a wide difference in a simple database which stores data and return it to its users upon request. A database can be created in a way that manages and retrieves information in a sorted manner. This information can help make decision at various levels within an organization. Information system recognize that there are different levels of workers in an organization who have their specific duties and thus provides them information is different ways (Heinrich, 2002). Its purpose is to make sure that the users of the system are quickly able to access, comprehend, and react to the information provided to them. Wiseman (1985) mentions that the information system improves business functionality by automating some of the fundamental information procedures. He further mentions that the information system increases the effectiveness of the management by satisfying their information demands. Information demands of b usinesses vary at different organizational levels. Various business functions at strategic, tactical and operational level have different types of subsystems of information system to serve their information demands. Some of the commonly used subsystems are as follows: †¢ Management Information Systems (MIS) †¢ Decision Support Systems (DSS) †¢ Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) †¢ Expert Systems (ES) †¢ Executive Information Systems (EIS) †¢ Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) †¢ Accounting Information Systems (AIS) E-commerce An important component of the information and communication technology and indeed one of its most momentous impacts is the provision and empowerment of electronic commerce. Electronic commerce is a process of buying and selling of products or services by means of electronic systems involving the Internet and e-mails (Graham 2008). Commercial activities performed through e-commerce are either business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumers (B2C). E-commerce is a very cost-efficient mode of conducting business-to-consumers commercial activities (Graham 2008). E-commerce allows economic agents to reduce the transactional cost to a great extent (Porter 2001). Instead of internal hierarchies, it empowers the market itself to organize economic activities, which in turn increases the efficiency of the not just the business but across the entire commodity chain (Malone et al. 1987). E-commerce creates a dimension of ‘spacelessness for economic activities which is one o f its most distinctive features. Since the emergence of the Internet and increasing use of e-commerce, the imminent â€Å"death of distance† and creation of an ‘eight continent has been highlighted by researchers which is spurred by the increasing trade and commerce activities conducted electronically. They assert that constraints such as space and distance are becoming less significant for conducting economical activities (OBrien 1992; Cairncross 1997). A large literature exits regarding various firms having used e-commerce to achieve competitive advantage by finding new and distant customers (for example see Daniel and Grimshaw 2002; Hamill and Gregory 1997; Kim and Mauborgne 1999; OKeefe et al. 1998; Poon and Swatman 1999). Thus information systems also serve the purpose of communication with external business entities for trade and commerce activities. Analysis of the problems of gathering data and analysing information Information systems are a vital tool in achieving competitive advantage for a business by properly managing and analysing the information. However there are many security concerns that have being in the corporate agenda since its early usage. Today organizations are challenged by various and complex information security matters for handling distributed computer networks. Large amount of e-commerce activities, increased usage of internet, and ever changing technologies means new threats and risks and vulnerabilities for businesses as more and more business functions and procedures are becoming paperless. For this purpose, right controls are required within an organization to reduce the risks and ensure effective functioning of the information systems (Sushil Leon, 2004). Information Systems requires certain controls to be implemented for its smooth and effective functionality (Boczko, 2007). Information security managers can put these controls in place to ensure the system is secure against threats, exposure, and risks. (Gertz, 2003). †¢ A threat can be any possible unwanted occurrence or event that could harm the Accounting Information System or the business. †¢ The exposure is the possible loss of money that would occur as a result of the threat becoming a reality. †¢ The risk is the chance that the threat will become reality. The controls that secure information systems against unfavourable outcomes are as follows: †¢ Preventive Controls †¢ Input Controls; Input controls checks upon the information that is being entered into the system. †¢ Processing Controls; Processing controls checks whether the data is processed properly after it is entered in to the system. †¢ Output Controls; The output controls ensure the completeness, validity, and accuracy of the data in various output mediums. †¢ Storage Controls; The storage controls ensures that the data in stored in such a manner that it cannot be tampered with. †¢ Files Controls; Files controls reduce the errors that occur due the improper storage of files. †¢ Hardware Security; Hardware security control is very important as any damage or harm to the hardware would mean that the failure of the system therefore the hardware for the information system must be kept in a secure place and with only reliable and relevant personal having access to it. Proper protection against high temperature or power failures and incidents should be made along with backup support. †¢ Standardization; Standardization controls involves usage of already laid down standards by the developers and operators for the methodology of the system development and operation respectively. (Basset, 1993) †¢ Detective controls †¢ Testing; Testing is required to detect any problems occurring in the system and is thus performed before it is made operational. Testing can shows problems that can occur in the processing and any other errors. It is recommended that testing should be performed on a routine basis or after any new developments. †¢ Training; the training of the data processing staff ensures proper functioning of the system. The awareness of the staff also helps in pointing any defects in the system which could then be resolved. †¢ Operation Controls; Operation controls in Dean Plc are controls which record what computer systems and the employees have been doing. The operational controls can include tasks such as rotation of shifts, duty logs, manual of operating instructions, attendance controls and computer logs, etc. which can referred to whenever a problem is reported. (Basset, 1993) †¢ Corrective controls †¢ When any problem in the system is detected, the management along with the help of Business Analysts and Expert can take relevant steps to correct the problems in the system. †¢ Certain procedure can be set for reoccurre nce of the problems. Apart from security concerns, there are several other challenges and issues associated with managing information systems. These are: †¢ Increase costs of a technological solution (developing, implementing and maintaining of the information technologies and systems) †¢ Reliability for certain processes (information systems require thorough testing before they could be used and are difficult prone to errors leading to potential losses) †¢ Software tools are not fixed but constantly evolving (information communication technology tools require timely upgrades to meet prevailing standards) †¢ Integrating digital and non-digital sales and production information (for e-commerce activities) †¢ Customer fear of personal information being used wrongly (privacy issues) †¢ Customer have high expectations regarding efficiency and real time responses †¢ Vulnerability to fraud and other crimes †¢ Higher emplo yee training required to effectively using the information technology. Another technological concern regarding information technology is the high volume of data generated from its use and its management. Organizations are required to create robust middleware application that are capable of handling the high amount of data and route it to the appropriate information systems in a timely manner (Ngain and Gunasekaran 2009). Major sources of relevant data used for management information systems As mentioned previously, businesses and organizations have a variety of information requirements. Executives at strategic level require information to help them with their planning and strategic decision making. They require a summarized form of information that can give an overview of the business. Middle management requires more detailed information in order to oversee and control business activities. Operational level employees need basic routine information to carry out their day to day duties. Therefore, businesses have several information systems working altogether at the same time. Different information systems have different sources of gathering data according their purpose. The following presents a list of most commonly used information system and their likely sources of data and users. Executive Support Systems Executive Support System helps the senior management of an organization in making strategic decisions. Executive Support Systems shows the status of all key business activities and involves large data analysis to help strategic decision making. Therefore, it is likely to have information from all the internal and external sources which is gathered, analysed and summarized for strategic decision making. Internal sources include information collected from other information systems. External information system can include external data gathered by e-commerce activities, external market analysis and etc. Management Information Systems Management information system is concerned with the summarized data of the business transactions that helps middle management to monitor business activities. Therefore it is likely to have information from all the internal sources such as transaction processing systems. It summarizes information into management reports. Decision-Support Systems Decision Support Systems are designed to assist middle and top level management in making decisions at uncertain conditions. It informs the user about the possible consequences of their decisions. It gathers internal information to analyse the available options and alternatives. It has a predefined set of logic which is part of its design. It uses complex tools spreadsheets, and databases for creating ‘what if models. Knowledge Management Systems Knowledge Management Systems are created to help organizations and businesses create and share information. The source of such information systems is typically the employees who create new knowledge through their own expertise and then share it along with others within an organization. This share pool of information is created to search new commercial opportunities. Examples of such information systems are web-portals and Intranet portals created by professional lawyers, management consultants and etc. these information systems categorize and distribute information efficiently among users. Information could be contained in any form and formats such as word processed documents, presentations, web pages and etc. Transaction Processing Systems Transaction Processing Systems are created to process daily repetitive activities and transaction in an automated efficient manner. The automation increases the accuracy of the information. A business usually involves several reoccurring transactions. Therefore, there are several Transaction Processing Systems such as Billing systems, Payroll systems, Inventory management systems, etc. The sources of these information systems are the employees at the operational level or the organization. Sometimes automated identifications are also used to input data to these systems such as Radio Frequency Identification. Office Automation Systems Office Automation Systems are tools that help improve the productivity of employees processing data. Such systems usually work as standalone programs and do not link data to other information systems. Examples of such systems include Microsoft Office Tools, and Computer Operating Systems. References Amor, D., (2001). Introduction to Internet Business. Available from :https://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=165183seqNum=3 (cited on 22nd November, 2010) Basset P.H. (1993) Computerized Accounts, 3rd ed, Manchester : NCC Blackwell. Boczko, T., (2007). Corporate Accounting Information Systems. Financial Times Press Cairncross, F. (1997), The Death of Distance: How the Communications Revolution will Change our Lives. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Daniel, A. (2001), Introduction to Internet Business. Inform IT Networks Available from https://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=165183seqNum=3 (cited on 22nd November, 2010) Gertz. M., (2003). Integrity and Internal Control in Information Systems. Springer Graham, M. (2008), Warped Geographies of Development: The Internet and Theories of Economic Development. Available from https://geospace.co.uk/files/compass.pdf (cited on 22nd November, 2010) Hamill, J Gregory, K. (1997), ‘Internet Marketing in the Internationalisation of UK SMEs. Journal of Marketing Management 13, pp. 9–28. Heinrich, L.J. (2002). Informations management. 7th ed.. Munich: Oldenbourg. Kim, C Mauborgne, R. (1999), â€Å"Creating the New Market Space. Harvard Business Review 77, pp. 83–93. Ngain. E. and Gunasekaran. A, (2009). RFID Adoption: Issues and Challenges. International Journal of Enterprise Information Systems, Volume 5, Issue 1, pp. 2-8 OBrien, R. (1992), Global Financial Integration: The End of Geography. New York: Council on Foreign Relations Press. OKeefe, M. OConnor, G. Kung, J. (1998) ‘Early Adopters of the Web as a Retail Medium: Small Company Winners and Losers. European Journal of Marketing 32, pp. 629–643. Poon, S Swatman, C. (1999) ‘An Exploratory Study of Small Business Internet Commerce Issues. Information and Management 35, pp. 9–18. Porter, M. E. (2001). ‘Strategy and the Internet. Harvard Business Review March 79, pp. 63–78. Sushil. J., Leon. Strous. (2004) Integrity and Internal Control On Information Systems VI. Springer Ward. J., (1995) Principles Of Information Systems Management. Routledge Wiseman, C. (1985). Strategy and computers: information systems as competitive weapons.

Essay on Do Medical Practitioners Need the Virtues

A revival of Aristotelian thinking with regard to morality, in particular the idea of virtue ethics, has been in the ascendance for the past twenty years, and now forms the basis of a theory of morality which challenges the dominant utilitarian and deontological schools of thought. These two principal theories have shaped the ideas underpinning the teaching and practical application of medical ethics for the second half of the last century, and into the current one1. Whether or not the resurgence of virtue theory in philosophical circles should lead to a questioning of this status quo in medical ethics is open to discussion, and this essay aims to evaluate this debate. The ascendance of utilitarianism has its roots in the scientific†¦show more content†¦Aristotle founded the doctrine of virtue theory in the 4th century BC. He agreed with Plato that humans are essentially social beings, but diverged from his teacher by concentrating on commonsense application of ethical concepts involving goodness and moral philosophy as opposed to a study of theoretical abstracts. The basic principle is that an adherent of virtue theory can become more moral by habituation; aspiring to become more virtuous, this aspiration is reinforced when a good act is performed, the reward being a feeling of advancement towards the virtuous ideal. Through this process, the aspiring virtuous person will eventually find themselves equipped with an array of virtues; honed character traits through which they can evaluate ethical scenarios, and act in such a way as to perform only good acts. The cultivation of virtues is the means to the end of flourishing as a human be ing, and living the good life. The virtues themselves are described in detail by Aristotle in his Nicomachean Ethics5. In Aristotles model, individuals act within many different, distinct spheres of existence, common to all human beings, irrespective of individual or cultural differences6. Together these spheres include all theShow MoreRelatedPrinciples of Confidentiality, Ethical Theories, and a Presented Case Study on the Z Family and the Practitioners Ethical Decisions1511 Words   |  7 Pagesfamily and the practitioners’ ethical decisions. It will provide a better understanding of how moral and ethical situations can be approached by the practitioner, and giving examples and theories that can be put into practice in difficult decisions. B. Ethical Theory The importance of ethical theory plays a large role in nursing practices. It is often difficult to understand where the lines of confidentiality should be drawn, so in order to help decipher the feelings nurse practitioners have of whatRead MoreThe Ethical Theory Of Virtue Ethics1115 Words   |  5 Pagesfew criticisms of virtue ethics. First, virtue ethics is really complicated and multiple varieties of the theory of virtue ethics exist. Hence a single summary of VE cannot completely do justice to this theory and the complexity it encompasses. Second, as VE is attempted to be used on more specific cases and is tried to be made more concise, the theory tends to become more inaccurate. The article further suggests the needs for a more comprehensive and specific explanation of virtue ethics. AlthoughRead MoreThe Role Of A Nurse Practitioner As An Advocate And Teacher1380 Words   |  6 Pagesroles to promote healthy lifestyles. The responsibility of this profession ventures beyond d iagnosing and treating patients. The primary healthcare nurse practitioner (PHCNP) represents a â€Å"unique form of change agent for delivering services differently in a manner giving primacy to health and human complexity while delivering primary care medical services as a means of increasing and maintaining access†(Kooienga Carryer, 2015, p. 806). APNs have emerged as advocates for their community and mustRead MoreEthical Issues Of Healthcare At Midamerica Nazarene University Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pagescan be simply defined as the moral and ethical duty of the Practitioner to keep all the patient’s bio-data under lock and key, and offer a disclosure of those facts that the patient is legally mandated to disclose or deems fit to enhance their positive health outcome. According to the Segen’s Medical Dictionary, â€Å"Confidentiality is the ethical principle that a physician may not reveal any information disclosed in the course of medical care, unless the patient who disclosed that information posesRead MoreThe Ethical Conduct Of The Physician Assistant1308 Words   |  6 Pagesnon-maleficence, which basically means, ‘Do no harm’. The physician assistant must aim at producing a net benefit over harm. 6 If Sally decides not to treat the abusive patient, which is simply abandoning the patient, then she is doing harm. Ignoring the patient’s needs is an act of negligence, which will probably cause the patient’s condition to worsen. Sally must act accordingly with the Deontological view 7, which requires her to do her duty as a medical provider to treat the patient no matterRead MoreProfessionalism and Humanism in the Practice of Medicine1333 Words   |  6 Pagesthe basis for all medical care. The current medical model of education and training, as well as an increase in technological reliance and the overburdening of healthcare workers has generated a shift in how practitioners behave in the medical set ting. As a student of the PA profession, much of my success as a healthcare provider will be determined by the success with which I perform my technical responsibilities and generate meaningful interactions with my patients. The virtues of professionalismRead MoreEthics in Nursing2589 Words   |  10 PagesCartwright, Young, 2008). Its corresponding virtue is that of being respectful ADDIN EN.CITE Beauchamp20091384(Beauchamp Childress, 2009)138413846Beauchamp, T.L.Childress, J.F.Principles of Biomedical Ethics2009New York, NYOxford University Press9780195143317http://books.google.com/books?id=_14H7MOw1o4C( HYPERLINK l _ENREF_1 o Beauchamp, 2009 #1384 Beauchamp Childress, 2009). Beneficence This principle simple implies that the medical practitioners should be of some benefit to the patient.Read MoreWhat Is the Morality Behind Patient Confidentiality?1530 Words   |  7 Pagesconfidentiality is one of the pillars of modern medical profession. It implies that the medical practitioner is under the obligation to keep his patient’s medical profile confidential. The main reason is to help the patient maintain his privacy. However, there have been numerous cases of breach of such confidentiality, which has raised varying ethical implications. Further, there have been instances where the medical practitioner has felt that he needs to divulge such private information to a 3rd partyRead MoreAdvanced Nursing Practice Essays1338 Words   |  6 Pagesrange of human responses to actual or potential health problems.† (Calkin, 1984). Advanced nurse practitioners attempt to maximize the use of knowledge and skills and improve the delivery of nursing and health care servi ces. The field of advanced nursing practice differs from basic practice as the former requires clinical specialization at the master’s level. At this level, nurses become expert practitioners whose work includes direct and indirect patient care. Direct patient care involves caring forRead More Ethics and Medical Practice Essay example4853 Words   |  20 PagesEthics and Medical Practice Since Alasdair MacIntyres landmark book, After Virtue, there has been renewed interest in the role of the virtues in the moral life and attention paid to reappropriating the Aristotelian notion of a practice. (1) Recent reappropriations of the virtues and virtue theory in medical ethics have contributed to conceiving more adequately the nature of good medicine. In this paper, I wish to explore some of these insights and the special relevance the notion of a practice

Developing your leadership styles free essay sample

Title: Developing your leadership styles Level: 4 Credit value: 4 Unit guided learning hours 10 Learning outcomes (the learner will) Assessment criteria (the learner can) 1 Understand the outcomes of effective leadership 1. 1 Evaluate the importance of performance and engagement with followers in an organisation 2 Be able to assess own leadership styles 2. 1 2. 2 Review the six specific scales for leadership Assess the effectiveness of own leadership style in terms of the six scales 3 Understand the implications of own leadership styles for self and for leadership within own organisation Using the self-assessment of own leadership styles, evaluate the implications for self and own organisation Evaluate the impact of changes in the situation on the effectiveness of the adopted style 4 Be able to assess own leadership behaviour, in terms of the three global factors which determine effective leadership 4. 1 4. 2 Evaluate the three global factors which impact on leadership effectiveness Assess own leadership behaviour in terms of the three global factors 5 Understand how to develop own leadership style and effectiveness Produce an action plan for developing own leadership style and effectiveness Explain the benefits of implementing the action plan Explain how you will monitor and evaluate the action plan Additional information about the unit This is an optional unit and uses the Integrated Leadership Style Measure (ILM72). We will write a custom essay sample on Developing your leadership styles or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Centres choosing this unit should contact AQR Ltd directly at [emailprotected] co. uk or on telephone number 01244 572050 to arrange access for their candidates to this measure and to obtain the cost of using this per candidate. This would be a direct arrangement between AQR Ltd and the Centre wishing to obtain access to the ILM 72 instrument for their candidates. Unit purpose and aim(s) To be able to develop own leadership style to improve own and organisational performance. Unit review date 31/03/2017 Details of the relationship between the unit and relevant national occupational standards or professional standards or curricula (if appropriate) Links to Management and Leadership 2004 NOS: A2 Assessment requirements or guidance specified by a sector or regulatory body (if appropriate) Support for the unit from a sector skills council or other appropriate body (if required) Council for Administration (CfA) Equivalencies agreed for the unit (of required) M4. 24 Developing your leadership styles Location of the unit within the subject/sector classification system 15. 3 Business Management Name of the organisation submitting the unit Institute of Leadership Management Availability for use Additional Guidance about the Unit Indicative Content: 1 Definition of leadership The difference between leadership and management Importance of performance and interaction (engagement) with followers in an organisation  2 Influential leadership models Great person models Trait theories (intelligence, personality etc) Behavioural models (Pull Theory, Transactional Models, Transformational Models, Action Centred Leadership, The 7 Habits etc) Situational Models (Hersey-Blanchard, Tannenbaum-Schmidt etc) ILM 72 (Integrated leadership measure) Situational leadership Six specific scale s to measure aspects of leadership style task vs person flexible vs dogmatic de-centralised vs centralised reward vs punishment the means vs the end structured vs organic) 3 Ability to assess and understand various situations Implications of leadership styles for self and for organisational performance (productivity, open to ideas and suggestions, effective delegation, developing people and processes etc) Implications for different situations 4 Three global scales Determination to deliver Individual cohesion Team working Assessing own leadership behaviour in terms of the three global scales Understanding how these work in terms of motivation theory 5 Compiling an action plan (current behaviours, goal setting, implementation practice, identification of what the difference in performance would be) Benefits of implementing an action plan

Newspaper Articles About Lance Armstrong Stepping Down free essay sample

A comparative analysis of 2 newspaper articles from different publications, both reporting the same issue. Abstract This paper compares 2 newspaper articles from different publications, both centered on the same issue. After a brief background of the publications and the journalists, this paper will provide an initial analysis of the coverage. The articles will then be further analyzed based on the following criteria: * Intended audience * Objectivity * Accuracy amp; documentation The articles that will be compared are Armstrong resigns as Livestrong chairman by Andrea Ball and Suzanne Halliburton, published on Oct. 7, 2012 in the Austin American-Statesman daily newspaper and Lance Armstrong steps down as chairman of cancer charity, dumped by Nike by Oliver Moore, published on Oct. 17, 2012 in The Globe and Mail. Publications The first article, Armstrong resigns as Livestrong chairman, was retrieved on Oct. 17, 2012, from the Austin American-Statesman. The daily newspaper, or at least some version of it, has been in publication since May 31, 1914. We will write a custom essay sample on Newspaper Articles About Lance Armstrong Stepping Down or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Statesman serves Austin and the majority of central Texas, with readership hitting 68% in 2009 according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The newspaper had a circulation of 180,345 in 1991. At that time, it had also joined the Associated Press and the United Press International News Service. The second article, Lance Armstrong steps down as chairman of cancer charity, dumped by Nike, was retrieved on Oct. 17, 2012, from The Globe and Mail. The prominent, Canadian based, newspaper has been in production since the 1840s. The Globe has an extensive national readership, averaging 991,800 readers for their weekday issue and 1,101,100 readers for their weekend edition (GlobeLink, 2012). The daily newspaper covers national, international, business, technology, arts, entertainment and lifestyle news. The paper claims it is, â€Å"An essential read for Canadians who want in-depth reporting on the issues, facts and opinions that affect our domestic landscape and the world at large. † (GlobeLink, 2012). The Globe and Mail has a very clear mandate, â€Å"We will continue to represent the only definitive consumer choice of newspaper, magazines and websites that truly engages Canada in a conversation. We are the definitive word on both world and domestic events, supplying deep analysis, insight and perspective. (GlobeLink, 2012). Journalists The journalists of the article in the Austin American-Statesman were Andrea Ball and Suzanne Halliburton. Ball is the social services reporter for the newspaper. She is the 2012 Texas Associated Press Managing Editors organization recipient of the Star Investigative Report of the year. The newspapers’ online site explains her focus areas as, â€Å"†¦mental health, intellecual disabilities, poverty and nonprofits. † (Statesman. com, 2012). She has been with the publication since 2009. Halliburton, the co-writer of this article, has a more concentrated sports interest. The journalist has been with the paper since 1986 and is described by the Statesman’s website to, â€Å"†¦primarily write(s) about college athletics and Lance Armstrong† for the newspaper. The Associated Press Sports Editors, Women’s Sports Foundation, Texas Managing Editors and Southwest APSE have all honoured her. The journalist of the article in The Globe and Mail is Oliver Moore. Moore has been with The Globe and Mail since 2000, starting as an editor before becoming a reporter. Although a native of Toronto, Moore has worked worldwide including the US, Afghanistan, Grenada and Tanzania. The Globe and Mail website acknowledges Moore as being, â€Å"†¦part of a team of Globe reporters nominated for a National Newspaper Award for their coverage of a murder-suicide. † (The Globe and Mail, 2012). Initial Analysis The issue being covered by both articles is the recent news that former Tour de France cyclist, Lance Armstrong, has stepped down as chairman of his cancer foundation, Livestrong. He does, however, plan to remain on the charity’s 15-member board of directors. The news comes in the midst of doping accusations by the USADA surrounding Armstrong, suggesting the 7-time Tour de France winner used performance-enhancing drugs during his participation with the event. He is also being accused of expecting his teammates to do the same. Based on its timeliness, impact, proximity, prominence and level of conflict, the issue of Armstrong stepping down, as chairman from his Livestrong foundation, is news. The way that the story is reported in each publication is quite different. Both articles are littered with facts and direct quotes from reputable sources. The articles do differ dramatically, however, in the way in which they present their facts. The article in the Statesman, the local newspaper of Armstrong’s hometown, omits the lengthy discussion of the doping scandal itself, which is prominent in The Globe and Mail article. Ball and Halliburton start with a little background information on the scandal. This information is buffered with high-notes from Armstrong’s cancer-advocacy run, stating facts like: the campaign â€Å"has raised more than $500 million†. The article also proceeds to speak of upcoming fundraisers, a dinner for honourable donators and a recent surge in donations. Ball and Halliburton conclude with a timeline of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which consists of all positive accomplishments and milestones, minus a final entry from August 2012 that states, â€Å"The U. S. Anti-Doping Agency declares that Armstrong’s refusal to arbitrate doping charges against him amounts to an admission of guilt and strips Armstrong of his Tour de France victories. † The Globe and Mail article by Moore has a much different feel. Compared to the preceding article, Moore’s account of the issue is very scandal-heavy. Where Ball and Halliburton emphasize what positive aspects they could find, Moore focuses on the USADA and their allegations, with an overall feel of failure and disappointment. Contrary to Ball and Halliburton’s article, which focuses primarily on Armstrong resigning and the foundation itself, only 6 sentences of Moore’s 2-page article mention the foundation or cancer-awareness. Of those 6 sentences, only one contains any positivity, â€Å"Nike said that it would continue to support the Livestrong Charity,† however, this was immediately followed by a direct quote from Nike stating that it does not condone the use of performance enhancing drugs. Intended audience As previously stated, the Austin American-Statesman is a newspaper published in Armstrong’s hometown. The readership for the Statesman is citizens of Austin and central Texas. Armstrong has been the hometown hero of Austin since his first major cycling wins, dating back to 1993 when he became the cycling World Champion. Taking this into account, the intended audience for Ball and Halliburton was a city and a state that has idolized Armstrong for years. Ball and Halliburton’s article is very Armstrong and Livestrong focused, most likely because Halliburton writes predominantly about sports and Armstrong for the publication. The heroism and courageousness of Armstrong, in turn, is a strong theme throughout their article. The Globe and Mail is a national news publication, therefore the intended audience is broader than that of the aforementioned article. Moore follows suit with global coverage of the topic, as the majority of articles found concerning the same issue focused heavily on the doping accusations. Unlike Ball and Halliburton, Moore does not attempt to sugarcoat the situation in any way. Although the article includes little information concerning the resignation itself, Moore outlines the issue for his national audience with little support for Armstrong. Objectivity Objectivity, as it relates to journalism, refers to the fairness and factuality of news and the idea that it should be told value-free. Despite an adequate number of direct quotes and facts, objectivity is arguably nonexistent in both articles. This is most evident in the journalists’ use of language and tone, as well as the completeness (or incompleteness) of both articles. Language and tone – Ball and Halliburton Ball and Halliburton, writing about their hometown hero, seemingly attempt to vindicate Armstrong in some respect. Referring to the USADA’s investigation as a â€Å"witch hunt†, the writers imply that they are on Armstrong’s side. They also use words such as â€Å"shield† and â€Å"escape† when referring to the foundation, conveying their feeling that Armstrong had stepped down to somehow save the Livestrong foundation. As previously mentioned, any facts concerning the doping investigation and loss of sponsorship have been cushioned with statements that pull the heartstrings. A good example of this is the following statement, â€Å"The biggest sponsor to dump the 41-year-old Armstrong was Nike, the sports apparel giant that has had a financial relationship with Armstrong since before his cancer diagnosis in 1996. †. The Nike â€Å"dump† is immediately followed by Armstrong’s â€Å"cancer diagnosis†. Ball and Halliburton comment on the future of Armstrong and the Livestrong foundation optimistically using a complementary, positive tone. Concerning the athlete, the writers mention that he is â€Å"set financially for the rest of his life†, that (at the time the article was published) â€Å"his name is still on the race results† and that he would â€Å"continue to play an active role in his cancer-advocacy foundation†. Regarding the foundation, readers are ensured that none of the charity’s sponsors â€Å"have indicated they will sever ties†, that the foundation has received donations at â€Å"twice the normal levels† since the scandal began and that the foundation will continue to run under high quality professionals. With few negative words or statements the overall tone of the article, despite the negativity of the topic itself, is positive. Language and tone – Moore Moore implies a more pessimistic view of how Armstrong and his foundation are surviving the problem at hand. Phrases such as â€Å"took a beating†, â€Å"quick blows†, â€Å"escalating fallout†, â€Å"abandoned† and â€Å"damning accusations† are just a few samples of the language used by Moore to amplify his facts about the doping controversy. Presented more as evidence to prove Armstrong guilty, Moore’s article has little to say about Armstrong stepping down as chairman like the neutral headline suggests. When mentioned within the article, the resignation is explained as follows, â€Å"Lance Armstrong’s brand took a beating Wednesday as he was abandoned by longtime corporate sponsors and acknowledged that he could no longer head Livestrong, the cancer awareness foundation he launched. †. Not only does Moore highlight that the Livestrong brand has been negatively impacted, he also seemingly attributes the resignation to Armstrong’s inadequateness to continue as chairman. Moore presents no positivity in his article. Both Armstrong and his Livestrong foundation are described either with a neutral or negative tone throughout the article. Not only does Moore use an excess of gloomy language, the strength of the negative words is surprising. Instead of using cheating, for instance, Moore uses the phrase â€Å"cheating on an epic scale†. Instead of saying accusations, he adds the adjective â€Å"damning†. The overall tone of this article supports the negativity of the topic. Moore uses a strong negative tone consistently in his article. Completeness of the articles Both articles are incomplete in coverage of the issue. Ball and Halliburton focus heavily on the Livestrong campaign, leaving out much of the background information as to why Armstrong had to step down as chairman. This article does manage to back up its headlines in the body, explaining both the resignation and the cancellation of Armstrong’s endorsement deals. Moore’s article, although briefly describing the resignation and Armstrong being dumped by Nike, focuses the majority of his article on the doping conspiracy itself. More coverage should be focused on the actual resignation and cancelled endorsement deals. Accuracy amp; Documentation Overall, the information presented in both articles seems credible. Both articles concentrate on facts rather than opinion. A concern is that only select facts, supporting the overall tone and audience for each article, have been used. * All facts from the USADA, as presented in both articles, are accurate. This can be verified from various news releases on their organization’s website. * All facts regarding the Livestrong foundation, including the timeline section of Ball and Halliburton’s article, have been verified on the foundation’s website. All facts concerning Nike terminating its contract with Armstrong have been verified on the Nike, Inc. webpage in a press release. Facts concerning the Trek Bicycles sponsorship could not be verified, as the media section of the company website has not been updated in almost a year. It can be confirmed through the media contact provided Eric Bjorling. * Direct quotes from friends, former teammates, credible sources and other members of the Livestrong foundation have been found in various other news articles. Further verification could be made through contacting the individuals directly, however, there is some ambiguity concerning credibility. * Ball and Halliburton provide an indirect quote from â€Å"a close associate†. This is not verifiable. Both articles explain how information was obtained, providing specific references for the majority of facts and quotes. The exception is described in the last point above. Summary This paper compared 2 newspaper articles from different publications, both centered on Lance Armstrong resigning as the chairman of his Livestrong foundation. Analysis of the publications revealed that the readership of each publication was very different, both in number and proximity to the issue. The background of each journalist varied, one article being written by a sports writer and a social services reporter, while a general reporter wrote the other. The initial analysis of the articles revealed that they had varying focuses. Ball and Halliburton focused heavily on the Livestrong foundation itself, whereas Moore placed more weight on the doping controversy. Through further investigation of intended audience, it was discovered that the reason for the varying points of view and slight biases could be most likely attributed to the readership – Ball and Halliburton writing of their hometown hero while Moore reported to the nation on the next athlete to be accused of doping. An analysis of language, tone and completeness revealed that the objectivity of both articles is questionable. Ball and Halliburton used a positive tone throughout their article, softening the few negative facts they presented with an emotional appeal. Moore used a negative tone in his article. Many words were described with adjectives that carried a strongly negative feel. Positive aspects concerning the foundation and Armstrong’s work were essentially omitted. The final analysis was the accuracy and documentation of the articles. Both articles are accurate in their presentation of direct quotes and facts. All information is verifiable and neither article contains opinions of the reporters. One concern noted was the one-sidedness of facts and quotes presented in each article.