Humans and machines Essay

The interesting feature about discussing the interactions of humans and machines is the inadequacy of language describing these interactions or the ambiguity of the connections between humans and machines. What is really at the center of the debate is how society should view the place of machines or non-human elements within human society. In addition, the application of the technological use of non-human elements in the modern machinery of war exposes the problem of how humans have changed the practice of warfare starting in WWI and how it made war evolve from a â€Å"human† experience to an â€Å"inhuman† experience instead of a â€Å"non-human† experience. The scope of this paper is to analyze the relationships of humans and machines in general as well as in the context of war. Discussion What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be non-human? According to Casper, the human identity is not a natural state of â€Å"being†, rather it is a constructed identity in relation to the context that society gives it. (Casper, 1994) In fact, the recognition of human social identity and the positions or functions attached to it are based on our interpretation of where these elements should be placed, for example, in order to understand or define something, we place it in ‘mental boxes’ that simplify our recognition of identity and function within society. However, Casper argues that we cannot fully justify why we assign human identities to non-human elements or vice-versa. (Casper, 1994) In order to illustrate the lack of consistency as to what we call human or non-human, she uses the example of the fetus that is considered alive for surgery, â€Å"a potential human† with human qualities but also a non-human agent for medical research using fetal tissue (p. 843). Casper mentions The Actor Network Agency (ANT) movement who finds that we should do away with natural/technical and social/cultural labels, which confuses our notions of what is human and what is not. However, this â€Å"analytical symmetry† treatment forgets to explain how we interpret the identities of agents and assign labels. Understanding how and why we label humans and non-humans may help diffuse the confusion over agent identities that bother sociologists and society so much since they cannot seem to make sense of it, for example, some people talk to their car like it was a person but a car is not a person but why do some people have the need to anthropomorphize their car whereas they would call their dog â€Å"it†? Some people would insist that animals are living beings therefore that they deserve to be referred to as he or she. (Casper, 1994) Another example in our technological society is the factory worker who gets laid off and replaced by a robot. The worker knows that he or she is better than a robot. Yet, the robot does his or her job consistently, faster, and without breaks. So, is the worker a sophisticated robot or is the robot a sophisticated worker? Bruno Latour would agree on that ambiguity because of our inadequate handling of situations in which non-human entities are mixed with human agents, especially from the perspective of sociologists. (Latour, 1988) Latour deals with this debate skillfully using an illustration to make his points: the door in a wall, opening and closing thanks to hinges (non-human element) and a human door keeper who has been assigned to close the door each time it is opened. He argues that ‘the hinge always does its work’, precise and consistent while at some time, the human doorkeeper may falter. So, the door keeper could be replaced by a non-human element the ‘door keeper number 2’ to prevent the faltering. The fact that we call the non-human element the door keeper even though it is not human, shows that we do not have ascribed what Latour calls â€Å"a coherent vocabulary† to distinguish humans from non-humans. Thus, his conclusion (p. 310) is that the reason why we have not done that is because â€Å"the delegation of competences and our social interactions imply the participation of non-humans. † The confusion is that non-humans exist within a context of figurative/non-figurative speech, not a human/non-human context. In essence, that is why we anthropomorphize our car. (Latour, 1988) Consequently, it seems that our lives are intimately intertwined with the use of technology, machines, and other tools, including robots as well as computers that all are non-human agents indispensable to our way of life. In fact, one particular illustration of such a reasonable conclusion can be found with computer hackers who, for the most part, are not considered part of ‘normal functioning society. ’ Sherry Turckle investigated MIT A. I. lab students who also are considered hackers. The main recurring idea among these students (almost exclusively male) is the fear of social interactions with other people due to a lack of trust or understanding of social interactions. Hackers are known to be loners and self-admittedly feel in control of their computer and its actions. In fact, on p. 212, this one student states: â€Å"computers have become an extension of my mind. † (Turckle, ) Their self-esteem, their existence become defined only through their medium, resulting in a gradual elimination of life experiences that paralyze them, adding to their needs to mask their personal fears of the world that exists beyond their machine. (p. 208) In contrast, there are people who even today cannot use a computer because they are afraid of revealing to others their lack of computer knowledge that has become essential in our modern society. Some may get help to improve their computer skills whereas others become so angry with the machine, taking their anger, originating from their own lack of confidence in learning new things, onto this ‘stupid’ machine; some may even become technophobic. Unfortunately for our society, science and technology have been used for warfare. Historically, wars always needed improvement in their methods of killing. As a consequence, the development of technology became a part of warfare while its propaganda glorified science and technology as the agents of victory. (Virillio, 1988) (Delanda, ) This became especially true as scientific knowledge evolved in physics, engineering, and chemistry. When WWI broke out in 1914, the weapons available then were the first of their kinds, the most inhuman of their kinds, killing many soldiers remotely: either gassing soldiers with the deadly gas phosgene or using machine guns or canons with an extended range to kill as many enemy soldiers as possible. (Visvanathan, ) In WWII, planes, tanks, and ships became more and more sophisticated with technological advances like radar and sonar. The advent of using nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki horrified the scientists who naively believed that their work would be used to deter, not to destroy. (Kaempffert, 1941) â€Å"Fat Man† and â€Å"Little Boy† were dropped on these two Japanese cities; ironically, these two deadly bombs were named as if they were human themselves. To the Japanese, the nuclear catastrophe and its aftermath on the population promoted the creation of the character â€Å"Godzilla†, a pre-historic mutant monster. With the Cold War, more weapons gradually became stealth weapons instead of ‘front’ weapons. Nowadays, machines have turned into non-human extensions of their makers or rather their military masters, for example, long-range surveying equipment on satellites allowing spying activities on neighboring nations. Yet, is it appropriate to say ‘non-human’ when modern weapons like continental missiles can kill so horribly and from the comfort of a military base on the other side of the world? The military is relying on technology more than ever by using computers, artificial intelligence research, simulation modules that mimic a battlefield or even war video games whose graphics have been rendered so life-like that video gamers who are soldiers may not know reality from fiction, killing enemy soldiers without any care, as if they were video game characters, non-human or human? In conclusion, the relationship between human and non-human agents is complex but not impossible to characterize if the realization is made that non-human agents are part of our environment and society. In fact, they occupy a greater place today than 10 years ago (computer technology, for example). The key to their seamless integration in our society is the figure/non-figurative reference style proposed by Latour as it is already used unconsciously by many of us. References Casper, M. (1994).Reframing and grounding non-human agency: what makes a fetus an agent? The American Behavioral Scientist, 37(6): 839-856. Delanda, Latour, B. (1988). Mixing humans and non-humans together: the sociology of a door-closer. Social Problems, 35(3): 298-310. Kaempffert, W. (1941). War and Technology. The American Journal of Sociology, 46(4): 431-444. Turckle, S. (n. d. ) The new computer cultures: the mechanization of the mind. Book? , publisher, year? Virillio, P. (1988). War and Cinema. Visvanathan.

Mexican Art

The land called Mexico has many moods and faces. Without a doubt Mexico is steeped in ancient Indian lore, seasoned with Spanish colonial customs. The array of folk art and crafts in Mexico is simply mind-boggling. Each region of Mexico has its own specialty, with villagers maintaining the traditions handed down from countless generations. Mexican culture is a fascinating blend of Native American traditions and Spanish colonial influences. Long before the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century, the indigenous civilizations of Mexico had developed arts such as ceramics, music, poetry, sculpture, and weaving. After the conquest, the intricate designs and bright colors of many Native American arts were often mixed with European techniques and religious themes to create a hybrid and uniquely Mexican artistic style. Numerous churches constructed during the colonial era reflect the blending of Spanish architectural designs with the handiwork of Native American workers who built and decorated the buildings. Many of Mexico’s most popular modern crafts—such as textiles, pottery, and furniture making—borrow designs and techniques from Native American culture. Mexican painting and music have also been shaped by this heritage. Indigenous influences were given a tremendous boost by the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920). During and immediately after the revolution, many Mexican artists celebrated the nation’s unique mixture of races and cultures in their work. Political and social themes from the revolution—such as efforts at land reform and the right of common Mexicans to participate in the nation’s government—were also reflected in the arts. Immediate post revolutionary governments supported the arts and contributed to efforts to make them more accessible to average Mexicans, especially in the 1920s and 1930s. The  individual most responsible for this support was Josà © Vasconcelos, a leading intellectual who served as secretary of education in the first post revolutionary government. The government was especially influential in promoting mural painting, commissioning artists to paint murals depicting Mexican history on public buildings (Hutchison, 2003). During the 1930s, painters came to Mexico from the United States to study the mural movement. Many people from Europe, the United States, and Latin America also visited Mexico as tourists in the 1930s and 1940s, increasing the popularity of native arts such as the making of silver jewelry. Paintings Mexican arts, with the exception of folk arts, generally followed European patterns during the colonial period and the 19th century. The Mexican Revolution was instrumental in fostering a new sense of nationalism and experimentation at the School of Fine Arts in Mexico City. Artists such as David Alfaro Siqueiros belonged to a group of painters who decided that content and form was as important as aesthetics. A number of these artists, including Siqueiros, were political activists as well as artists who aimed to inspire the lower classes in Mexico by creating paintings that dealt with revolutionary themes. They encouraged the development of public murals, so that ordinary Mexicans could view the work of leading artists (Martin & Jacobus, 2004). Painting with a permanent medium on large walls, these muralists—including Diego Rivera, Josà © Clemente Orozco, and Juan O’Gorman—dominated the Mexican art world in the 1920s and 1930s. Other artists pursued a different tack. Frida Kahlo painted numerous small self-portraits, which captured her own vision in strange, often surrealistic presentations. Kahlo fractured her  spine and pelvis in a traffic accident as a teenager and began to paint while recovering from her accident. The constant pain Kahlo suffered due to her injuries, as well as her sadness over being unable to bear a child, are reflected in much of her work. In the 1930s Rufino Tamayo combined native folk themes with European art forms such as cubism. His work reached a much larger foreign audience than that of other Mexican artists, particularly in Europe and New York City. Tamayo was an outspoken opponent of the painting style of the revolutionary muralists, arguing that their focus on political and social themes came at the expense of artistic quality. The intense colors of many of Tamayo’s paintings and his use of flattened two-dimensional figures—a style that is common in Mexican folk or pre-Columbian art—gave his work a distinctly Mexican flavor. Manuel Alvarez Bravo, who associated with some of the leading creative photographers in the United States, such as Edward Weston and Tina Modetti, became the first Mexican photographer to reach a large international audience. He was influential in promoting photography as an art form in Mexico. See also Latin American Painting; Latin American Sculpture. Architecture From the 16th through the 18th centuries, architecture overshadowed other forms of art in Mexico. The early buildings of the Spaniards tended to be simple and practical. In the 17th and 18th centuries, however, architecture in Mexico became highly decorative and elaborate. It was during this period that many of the country’s famous churches were built, including the    Cathedral of Mexico in Mexico City. Examples of Spanish colonial architecture are found throughout Mexico. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the French splendors of the Second Empire style were introduced in Mexico City. This trend began under Emperor Maximilian, who ruled Mexico briefly during the 1860s, and later under President Porfirio Dà ­az. Dà ­az commissioned the ornate Palace of Fine Arts, which was completed in the 1930s. Since the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), many outstanding examples of modern architecture have been built in Mexico. The National Autonomous University of Mexico contains many spectacular modern buildings that feature murals in fresco and mosaic. It includes a multistory library almost completely covered by mosaics designed by Juan O’Gorman. Another Mexican architect, Fà ©lix Candela, created highly original concrete shell designs for several churches and for the sports palace at the 1968 Olympic Games (Billington, 2003). One of Mexico’s most internationally admired architects, Pedro Ramà ­rez Và ¡zquez, designed the renowned Museum of Anthropology and History in downtown Mexico City. Ceramics (Clay Art) Since the appearance of the Olmec culture, considered to be the â€Å"mother of the Mesoamerican cultures†, ceramics took a prevailing place in the lives of the Mexican people. The earthenware vessels, anthropomorphic figures, and various types of utensils found in the archaeological ruins of the ancient Olmec cities of Tajin, San Lorenzo, La Venta and Tres Zapotes, suggest the techniques used in their ceramics: the use of clay, the knowledge of some primitive firing techniques, their means of coloring and painting designs. The Olmecs transcended their era (1500 B.C. –800 A.D) and bequeathed their knowledge to the cultures that flourished after them. The Teotihuacans (100 B.C. – 800 A.D.) prepared the majority of their vessels with clay and decorated them with a variety of techniques: mainly stucco, painting, and smoothing. The pottery of the Aztecs (1325 A.D. – 1521 A.D.) was extremely varied.   They made all types of earthenware, plates, jugs, cups, and pots, mostly with red and orange clay. The Mixtecs stood out for their polychrome lacquer ceramics, in which after polishing a piece, they would cover it with white stucco and then paint it. To the north, the Casas Grandes culture (100 A.D. – 1360 A.D.) produced beautiful polychrome ceramic, basically with geometric motives and influences from the Mimbres culture. Each region had its own unique characteristics in pottery.   However, in all these cultures, the potter himself was given a great deal of importance.   The Aztecs summed it up in the following way: â€Å"A good potter: he puts great care into his work, he teaches the clay to lie, he speaks with his own heart, he brings life to things, he creates them, he knows everything as if he were a Toltec he makes his hands skillful.† The ancient techniques employed to make ceramics are still used today – mostly in the rural parts of Mexico. It’s curious how these groups were able to preserve their artistic techniques – coil building, open firing, natural pigments – and yet they lost their original language and their religion. When the Spaniards arrived, the blending of societies allowed the indigenous people to learn new techniques, and the combination of styles gave life to some of the more famous ceramic styles of Mexican earthenware, such as the â€Å"majolica† or Talavera. Puebla’s Talavera is a direct descendant of the Arabic-Andalusian tradition, which began in Spain in the ninth century, when the influence of the Arabic culture passed on its techniques to peninsular potters.   In Talavera de la Reina, Spain, it became very popular and took a characteristic stylistic form toward the 16th century.   It was then that it was brought to the Americas, especially to the Nueva Espaà ±a, the New Spain, as Mexico was called in colonial times. Although Talavera is only produced in Puebla, other majolica type earthenware is also produced in places like Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende. To the west, in Tonala, Jalisco, is another Mexican state with a long tradition of ceramic production.   Here, there is more of a Persian influence, including pieces such as stew urns, using gold and silver. In Metepec, State of Mexico, the ceramic tradition has been influenced by Christian beliefs. Here they create the well-known arboles de la vida, trees of life, which are made to look much like tree. Wire is used to attach the clay leafs and figurines to the â€Å"tree†. It is called de la vida because it explains the origins of life. Usually there are figures of God, angles and Adam and Eve, as well as the serpent and some fruit are represented by special figures. Day of the Dead trees is also made using skeletons, and images related to the festivity. Some are made in terracotta, without glaze; others are painted in every imaginable color. Red ware, which is used to make everything from large cooking pots to rice dishes to table dishes, is typical of Michoacan.   The characteristic decoration of these dishes are small flowers made with the thick part of the paintbrush, with white or green paint around a small black circle, as if it were a margarita (the flower). In Oaxaca, the town of San Bartolo is famous for its barro negro, black clay.   The artwork made with this clay acquires its color through the pigments in the polishing process, which brings out the red color from inside the clay.   There are some more recent techniques that bring out a mixture of the natural dark and light tones of the clay, which artists protectively keep to them (Wasserspring, 2000). The small town of Mata Ortiz, Chihuahua stands out for its beautiful pottery as well.   It was here that they reinvented pre-Hispanic ceramics techniques after shards of ancient pottery were found in the ruins of Paquimà ©.   This renaissance was mostly due to Juan Quezada, outstanding Master Potter of Mata Ortiz. Some Mexican creators have implemented new forms and new designs for typical Mexican artwork, such as ceramic eggs from which little frogs are born, lizards and other little animals; glass and ceramic twisters; key chains with eclipses; masks with a pre-Hispanic or oriental motif; dish sets with images of Tamayo or Rivera; tiles with geometrical figures, etc. In the 1950s, High Temperature ceramics or stoneware appeared in Mexico.   The origin of this type of ceramics is from China, Korea and Japan. This technique was introduced to Mexico by a small group of Mexican ceramic artists who studied abroad, mainly in Japan and the United States.   Little by little, it caught on, and these days there are several regional centers in which artists work with Stoneware, such as Michoacan, Veracruz and Jalisco. As we can see, Mexican ceramics bring together the influences of pre-Hispanic, European, Arabic and Oriental cultures.   Whatever technique is used, Mexican ceramics have individuality and â€Å"flavor† that is appreciated for its art and quality worldwide. References Hutchison, P., (2003). Footprint Central America and Mexico 2004 (p. 93). USA : Footprint Handbooks Martin, F. D., Jacobus, L. A. (2004). Humanities through The Arts (p. 399). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Billington, D. P., (2003). The Art of Structural Design: A Swiss Legacy (p. 136, 162). USA : Other Distribution Wasserspring, L., Ragan V., (2000). Oaxacan Ceramics: Traditional Folk Art by Oaxacan Women (pp. 1, 22). San Francisco, California: Chronicle Books

Is Democracy the Best Form of Political System?

Although there are many virtues to enjoy about democracy and democratic forms of government and political systems, this form of government has still many impending challenges yet to be accomplished. In that sense, I agree with Winston Churchill, on the grounds that â€Å"democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried† (Churchill). Looking at democracy through both its weaknesses and strengths in comparison to other forms of government makes it evident that it is the best form of political system we have, democracy has been subject to problems with, tyranny of the minority, and collective action.Despite all the democratic weaknesses of this form of government, democracy is still highly consistent in terms of Unpredictable outcomes, managing diversity. Lipset, in Political Man, described democracy as â€Å" a political system which supplies regular constitutional opportunities, and a social mechanism which permits the largest possible part of the population to influence major decisions by choosing among contenders for political office†(Glazer). This definition is generally accepted in a democratic heaven in which the heavenly chorus does not sing with a strong upper-class accent (lecture), but this is not always the case.Despite the democratic institutions based on the principle of equal opportunity, political power is not always distributed equally in a democracy. This is clearly seen in India where the â€Å"high cost of campaigning and the opaque system of election finance have titled the electoral odds heavily in favour of the very rich or the easily corrupted† (Ronjoy Sen 90). Although, similar problems can be found in other forms of governments and political system, what differentiates democracy from other regimes is how it manages to deal with those problems.For instance, in Germany’s authoritarian Fascist regime, â€Å"Hitler was very much his own master† (Henry Turner), and his war aims eventually led Germany to a world war conflict. By comparing Fascist Germany to India’s corrupt democracy, it is clearly demonstrated while, â€Å"small groups of leader have the final say in all important matters†(Sen), democracy is still a political system which allows the largest part of the population to influence major decisions. This is best illustrated when â€Å"India’s unpopular BJP Party lost power nationally in an election† (Nathan Glazer 18).Not every democracy will succeed in dealing with challenges of tyranny of minority and corruption, but democratic forms of government have institutions which offer capacity to change leaders in response to public discontent without changing the system. Collective action is a classical challenge in democracy and democratic forms of government. According to Blais, one of the main criteria for assessing electoral systems is representativeness. â€Å"This guarantees an electoral system in which the vote reflects as precisely as possible citizen’s preferences† (Blais 5).However, one of the challenges of a democratic electoral system is even if we have the right to express our views; we would not take advantage of it. As Olson in the article A Theory of Groups and Organization, notes, â€Å"Individuals in any group attempting collective action will have incentives to free ride if the group is working to provide public goods†(Olson). This is because the information cost of researching different candidates makes voting irrational, since the benefits of voting are not entirely clear.As a result, this promotes free riding, and a democratic government which vote does not reflect citizen’s preferences. If†¦ then not only it will be difficult by large groups to achieve their interests in common, but situations could occur where small groups can take over the majority’s incentives. However, what differentiates a democratic form of government from a tota litarian communist a regime is how it deals with the collective action problem with the help of institutional features such as courts.Courts are important political players in democracy. They are expected to moderate, and deal with challenges of democratic politics, not a setting for Stalin’s show trials. As Nathan Glazer put it, â€Å"Courts are accepted as ultimate arbiters not to be irresponsibly challenged. They can take unpopular positions that elected representative bodies cannot or do not, and in doing so they sustain the liberal objectives of democracies† (Nathan Glazer 19). Democracy is mainly about unpredictable outcomes.What makes democracy highly consistent is not knowing what the next election turnout will be, but having confidence that the candidate with a majority of votes would be elected. The essential goal of democracy is to provide a fair degree of uncertainty. What makes this form of government unique in contrast to China’s authoritarian regi me is its ability to allow an alternation of power. For instance, in a democratic election, as Andre Blais had noted, â€Å"Losers believe that even though they may have lost this time there is a real possibility that they will win another time.Because, even though they do not like the outcome, they recognize that the procedure is legitimate† (Blais 3). This raises the question under what conditions; losers peacefully accept the outcome of the election? One can argue that it is due to the fact that democracy is centered on the rule of the law as opposed to the rule of man. Democratic forms of government and political systems are structured by institutions and these institutions direct how political parties function.In example, they determine how legislation passes through parliament or when a citizen is eligible to vote. Therefore, what makes democracy unpredictable in terms of outcome is the perception that each vote counts the same since laws are submitted to all citizens a nd are protected by the constitution. But in the case of China’s authoritarian regime, as premier Li Peng put it, â€Å"to allow the demonstrating students to negotiate with party and government as equal would be to negate the leadership of the CCP and negate the entire socialist party† (Andrew Nathan 39).This makes it more likely the alteration of power in China, should it come, will occur through a rupture, since an authoritarian â€Å"regime is unwilling to relax the ban on autonomous political forces† (Nathan 39). We live in a diverse world and globalization has only made diversity within nations and states more prominent. Democracies and democratic forms of government perform a better job of administrating and managing diversity. This is best exemplify when Nathan Glazer, in the article Democracy and Deep Divides, states, â€Å"Not every democracy will succeed in dealing with its deep divides.But democracy has institutional features which offer the hope th at every part of the population will feel part of the whole† (Glazer 19). What differentiates democracy from Hitler’s anti-Semitic regime or China’s repressive government is how it deals with managing diversity. Democratic forms of government â€Å"promise to address deep divisions more successfully than any alternative†(Glazer) because there are often times characterized by their moderating power.Democracies function to maintain moderate accesses and radicalism, by adhering to norms of inclusion; this ensures citizens are included in a political process whether in terms of voting, engaging in a civil society movement , or having the rights to express ideas in terms of freedom of press and assembly. However, in a non-democratic government like China’s authoritarian regime â€Å"civil society organization and religious groups have to keep a low profile in order to avoid repression† (Nathan 38).According to Nathan’s Authoritarian Imperma nence, this is because â€Å"the regime has not become enmeshed in the logic of institutions created as safety valves to preserve its rule† (Nathan). As Andrew Nathan once remarked, â€Å"Democratic regimes, by contrast, often elicit disappointment and frustration, but they confront no rival from that outshines them in prestige. Authoritarian regimes in this sense are not forever. They live under the shadow of the future, vulnerable to existential challenges that mature democratic systems do not face† (Nathan 38).Democracy and democratic forms of government and political system have been subject to challenges of tyranny of minority, and collection. Despite the democratic weaknesses of this form of government, democracy is still highly consistent in terms of unpredictable outcomes, and managing diversity. Similar problems can be found in other regime types like China’s authoritarian regime, Hitler’s Fascist Germany, and Stalin’s totalitarian communi st regime. What differenciates democracy from other forms of government is how it deals with those problems by the help of free political parties, contested elections, and court.

A SYSTEM TO MANAGE THE POSTGRADUATE COMPUTING PROJECTS Literature review

A SYSTEM TO MANAGE THE POSTGRADUATE COMPUTING PROJECTS - Literature review Example In order to perform configuration management, this research indicates that Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) version 1.1, and the Project IN Controlled Environment (PRINCE) version 2 calls attention to the proper execution of Configuration control activities because of their criticality for the successful operation of the product in the deployment environment. Focusing on the similarities and correlation between these two initiatives, author has mapped PRINCE 2 Configuration Management Component to the CM process in continuous representation. To achieve good transformation results there is a need to apply appropriate software metrics on each and every sub process and sub practice. According to the author’s idea, mapping between two initiatives is never so easy because it requires the specification of suitable granularity level of maps between models. On high level it may be hard to get sufficient understanding of commonalities and variations while on a low level it may result in a large number of connections, make it hard to achieve the appropriate mapping. The mapping performed according to the proposed approach shows that PRINCE 2 and CMMI 1.1 continuous representation deal with the project management by following an improved process management approach. Principally the configuration management activities in aforementioned standards are normally correlated to each other at higher granularity level. It is nearly impractical to achieve one to one mapping between these two and low granularity level because of differences in process improvement approach adopted by CMMI at optimizing level (Luqman, 2006). (Dr. Asim ur rehman et al., 2007), highlight the importance of the understanding of mangers about the strategies being adopted for the management of different aspects of the project. According to their views, Managers while managing a project, tend to show the preference for a specific project management strategy. They find it difficult to manag e another project if a dissimilar project management is adopted. Because they usually are in short of knowledge about how much commonality exists between the preferred and the new required project management methodology. This research is basically focused towards that enhancement of understanding of managers by providing highlighting different aspects of different project management frameworks. Results can be useful by intelligently combining powerful features of different methodologies. To perform the analysis five major project management methodologies, including PRINCE2, have been compared with PMBOK. Prince2 methodology has certain shortcomings when compared with other methodologies. PRINCE2 is not designed to promise proficient results in short period of time. It requires deep concentration from the managers to get the promised results and also it is insufficient if the project requires higher degree of contract and people management. This research also highlights certain commo nalities between PMBOK and PRINCE2 such as the documentation must provide sufficient information to suit the occasion. Usually it does not provide information about how to perform a specific task or use any of the tools described. They are intended to provide a brief sketch of processes involved, their

Customer Satisfaction and Market Segmentation of Mass Transit Railway Dissertation

Customer Satisfaction and Market Segmentation of Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Corporation Limited - Dissertation Example The research has played an important role in highlighting the importance and need of customer satisfaction in the success and growth of the organsiation. The researcher had always an interest in understanding the dynamics of marketing and strategic management and the research offered an opportunity to learn different intricacies of the subject matter. While conducting the research, there were moments when the whole idea of achieving the proposed aim and objectives was looking far away. However, with due support of professors, friends and family, there was a new way that helped in gaining confidence of learning new things. It was really nice to interact with a number of people and analysing their views and opinions on customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is an abstract concept that requires thorough understanding of the nature and preference of customers. The researcher learnt a lot by analysing the views and opinions of customers that were very similar to the literature. An u nderstanding over the different facets of the research allowed the researcher to look things from different angles and perspectives and this learning has been pretty useful that can be incorporated in the personal and professional life. Every research is a kind of journey that adds great value. The researcher has been lucky enough to learn patience, understanding and analysis of things and opinions from different perspectives and angles. ... NT Knowledge is in the end based on acknowledgement- Ludwig Wittgenstein Every research starts with a general idea that gets depth and value with the support and guidance of others. Knowledge is doubled when share and supported in a compassionate manner. The researcher would like to thank his supervisor†¦ for his kind support and positive motivation that helped in achieving the proposed aim and objectives of the research. His continuous guidance created good amount of interest that has been reflected in the research. The researcher would also like to thank his professor†¦ for offering him key insights over the subject matter. Without his guidance and efforts, things would have been a bit different in terms of results and outcomes. The researcher would like to appreciate the management of the University that allowed him to access library and other electronic sources that helped in gaining knowledge over the subject matter. More importantly, this created a positive response f rom the researcher side in terms of delivering the goods in an expected manner. The role of family in supporting the research cause has been immense and without their support and motivation; things would have not shaped in a desired manner. Their understanding and constant support allowed the researcher to add continuous value to the research topic. The researcher would also like to thank his friends for sharing their ideas and views over the research topic that helped in developing multiple perspectives. Overall, a deep gratitude to everyone who made this research journey a successful one. The researcher would like to thank everyone for their direct and indirect support and dedicate the entire effort to their support and motivation. Their presence and guidance helped in identifying various issues

Health Article Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health - Article Example It is also important to know that sexual health is affected by socio-economic and political factors. The physical factors include chronic illnesses and even medical treatment that hinders the sexual functioning of the human being. These also include sexually related diseases such as STIs/ HIV and reproductive tract infections. Infertility also contributes to sexual health problem. And this does not only serve as a physical factor but also emotional and mental. Among the mental factors, mental incapacity hinders us in achieving optimum sexual health. Retardation as a hindrance, have an effect on the sexual urges and the perceptions of a person suffering from mental retardation on sexuality. Anxiety and fear on the other hand is a by-factor of sexual coercions like rape and molestations. When anxiety is developed, a person looks at sexual relationship as a non-gratifying behaviour. When this happens, a person's sexual health is at risk. Social factors on the other hand go beyond medical concerns. These include sexual awareness leading to unwanted pregnancies, which can also have disturbing effects on the health of the women. It may also be linked with sexual coercion. Limited knowledge on safe sex also hinders general sexual health.

An established founder of a therapeutic methodology or psychological Research Paper

An established founder of a therapeutic methodology or psychological researcher must be the author of the book - Research Paper Example The methods used by Freud in this investigation show a long and detailed relationship of increasing amounts of disclosure between the psychoanalyst and the patient. Freud notes almost as an afterthought that the patient became very dependent on him during this process. The patient would talk to the therapist about his childhood and his dreams as fair and even vital subjects for discussion and subsequent dissection by the therapist in terms of meaning and cause. As is usual in Freud, most of the causes found relate to some sort of incest fantasy involving the arrested development of the ways and through different frustrated relationships This case shows Freud’s treatment of â€Å"The Wolf Man,† an eighteen year old early adult with a fear of upright wolves and disturbing childhood dreams about wolves in trees. The patient’s sister used her knowledge of the patient’s fear of wolves to torment him during early childhood years. The patient was four years old when he had the dream about white wolves in a tree. Freud’s conclusions were ultimately that the adult’s obessional neurosis can be traced back to childhood experiences and desires during the patient’s early childhood stages, at which time he was anxious, hysterical, and had an animal phobia (Freud, 2009). I think that the case focuses on childhood and the patient’s dependent relationship to the therapist. The case was very long and drawn-out. Freud saw the patient’s childhood behavior in terms of relationships with his mother, his nanny, and his sister primarily, but also in terms of relationships with his father which started out positive and then changed when he became jealous of the attention his father paid to his sister. The aggression that the patient felt towards his nanny and sister are explained using Freud’s theory of the castration fear, as well as the patient’s remembered or fantasized portrayals of his

Critically discuss what is meant with open innovation With reference Essay - 1

Critically discuss what is meant with open innovation With reference to a specific firm, discuss the extent to which open innovation plays a role in this firms innovation process - Essay Example ges, entrepreneurs and investors are seeking to restructure and adopt new strategies that can overcome barriers to entrance into a marketplace for their products/services. Prior to acceptance of open innovation, companies were focused on self-reliance and methods of internalized research and development (R&D), which characterize the idea of closed innovation. This centralized approach in the current era has proved challenging for most businesses who need to meet consumers need and thrive in the market. It is the current strategy that SMEs and LSC/MC have adopted to stay abreast and competitive in the market. According to Chesbrough, Vanhaverbeke and West, open innovation is â€Å"the use of purposive inflows and outflows of knowledge to accelerate internal innovation, and expand the markets for external use of innovation, respectively† (2014, p. 4). It emphasizes that useful ideas and knowledge are not limited within an organization, but distributed across other organization as well as in the market labour force. Clearly, it’s true there exist smarter people who are not the organization’s employees, but with innovative ideas that give a firm its competitive advantage. Similarly, a company’s internal R&D expertise may be insufficient and may require to be harnessed through external knowledge if the organization needs to be successful. The concept stresses on the need for individuals firms to appreciate and leverage external knowledge and incorporate it w ith their internal capability. Open innovation (OI) is concerned with creation of knowledge through pooling of ideas and information that create value and give superiority to organizations. One, an organization’s R&D discoveries is fundamental to each organizations, hence cannot be disregarded. It is part of the knowledge/idea that an organization own. Second, other sources of knowledge/idea are in the labour force (some of who are sole proprietors or in partnership) or external firms with smart employees.

W2A 590 Whole foods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

W2A 590 Whole foods - Essay Example The welfare of employees in terms health insurance cover, compensation and development are well taken care of. Associates even contribute in the recruitment process for their potential colleagues and the recruitment process aims at tapping top talent. With such autonomy, independence and great teamwork the associates are motivated and this translates into exceptional customer service. Top management at Whole Foods Market strongly believes in building a shared identity where all team members participate. Management therefore encourage all associates to take part in the daily decision making process at all business levels. Employees are empowered to contribute to decisions on the benefit options. The company has also adopted an open-book policy approach where every associate is allowed access to company financial information including compensation all employees. Transparency is regarded highly the management stresses company values such as collaboration and decentralization. At the store levels, associates are members of teams and engage with their team leaders proactively to voice their contributions on product lines and the leaders take that into consideration. Associates re given the authority to participate in the vetting potential employees before they are confirmed. The approach has seen the company attract associates sharing their core values maintain and re ward a workforce that is engaged and highly productive. One potential risk of the company’s democratic model of selecting new associates is that it could interfere with the development of a diverse workforce. With the direct involvement of every employee there always come issues such as bias and favouritism. Some of the store leaders or influential employees could recommend potential employees on personal considerations and therefore bit the logic of tapping talent whilst at the same time maintaining diversity. However this should not be a major problem if the HR function implements

Discussion #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discussion #2 - Essay Example While operating a business, you won’t be surprised learning that in places like Mexico, the presence of religious images such as the Guadalupe Virgin is the fundamental motivation in work areas. Similarly in Brazil, accomplishing a task is not a priority as people rely on â€Å"Jogo de cintura.† People here believe in last minute rush and therefore, having plans does not work with them. Truly indicating how culture influences the practices & styles of work in the Latin America. Corporate training is essential for the general success of a business and so is its conduct in Latin American countries. Training here is not based on professionalism but rather on traditions, and when done contrary, it draws significant internal conflicts. When the employees here realize, that management techniques do not fit well with their local tradition, some practices are rejected. Traditionally, Latin companies devote little part of the budget for training. The result is a shortage of the technical workforce and skilled personnel in the Latin region. Human resource operations in the Latin America, especially recruitment and personnel management are defined from a cultural perspective and embraces nepotism widely. In the recruitment of new employees, priority is given to family members and close relatives of the current employees. Similarly for promotion, family ties play a central role and workers put the well-being of their families ahead of Professionalism. Nepotism is influential in these regions, for instance, in Chilean corporate, selection of executives and promotions focuses mainly on age, contacts, appearance, birth-place among other factors. To establish stable and solid labor relations, personal contacts as well as friendship and social interaction are major considerations. Following the study by professor Anabella, Latin Americans have their way of confrontation during conflicts. For instance, Argentines prefer mediation

Maggi Brand Consumer Behaviour Research Essay Example for Free

Maggi Brand Consumer Behaviour Research Essay Well the history of this brand traces back to the 19th century when industrial revolution in Switzerland created factory jobs for women, who were therefore left with very little time to prepare meals. Due to this growing problem Swiss Public Welfare Society asked a miller named Julius Maggi to create a vegetable food product that would be quick to prepare and easy to digest. Julius, the son of an Italian immigrant came up with a formula to bring added taste to meals in 1863. Soon after he was commissioned by the Swiss Public Welfare Society, he came up with two instant pea soups a bean soup- the first launch of Maggi brand of instant foods in 1882-83. Towards the end of the century, Maggi company was producing not just powdered soups, but bouillon cubes, sauces and other flavorings. However in India(the largest consumer of Maggi noodles in the world! ) it was launched in 1980’s by Nestle group of companies. Maggie had merged with Nestle(This company too has a very interesting history which I will discuss in some other review! ) family in 1947. When launched it had to face a stiff competition from the ready to eat snack segments like biscuits, wafers etc. Also it had other competitor the so called ’home made’ snacks which are till today considered healthy and hygienic. Hence to capture the market it was positioned as a hygienic home made snack, a smart move. But still this didn’t work, as it was targeted towards the wrong target group, the working women. Although the product was developed for this particular purpose. After conducting an extensive research, the firm found that the children were the biggest consumers of Maggi noodles. Quickly a strategy was developed to capture the kids segment with various tools of sales promotion like pencils, fun books, maggi clubs which worked wonders for it. No doubt the ads of maggi have shown a hungry kid saying ’’Mummy bhookh lagi hai’’ to which his mom replies ’’Bas do minute! ’’ and soon he is happily eating Maggie noodles. The company could have easily positioned the product as a meal, but did not, as a study had shown that Indian mentality did not accept anything other than rice or roti as meal. They made it a easy to cook snack that could be prepared in just two minutes. The formula clicked well maggi became a brand name. That’s precisely what is required in making a product a brand The brand has grown to an estimated 200 crore contributes to around 10% of Nestle India’s top line. So next time when you are eating this noodles just remember these facts that have gone on to make Maggi a brand. In the early 1980s India was opening up to the world after three and a half decades of self-existence. Till then, the concept of â€Å"fast food† was practically non-existent. Nestle had already been pipped to the post by Cadbury in the milk chocolate segment and it desperately wanted to create a niche for itself in the high potential Indian market. It was then that it realized that it could be a first-mover in the untapped â€Å"instant food† segment. Several years went by and a lot of money was spent and Maggi Noodles was born. The problems had only just begun. The biggest of them was the Indian psyche of the 80s. The conservatism which India showed in their culture boiled down to their palate also. They would rather stick to their Tandoori Chicken or Idli Sambhar than be a little more adventurous in trying a new taste. Maggi Noodles was a new taste from a new culture. It was then that Maggi Noodles became Maggi Instant Two-Minute Noodles. The whole point was to position Maggi as platform of convenience and soul food for the a fast growing section of the Indian population – the working women. Heavy promotion was done on the same lines. But even this did not work. Sales were good but not as good as they wanted it to be. A research was carried out which revealed that the largest consumers of the brand were not the working women but young children in the Indian households. Realizing this, Nestle repositioned their brand using new promotional strategies and smart advertising. Marketing teams were sent out to schools to distribute free Maggi samples to take home. The kids would inevitably take their Maggi packets home and ask their mothers to prepare it for lunch or as a snack. The mothers would find that it took them only two minutes to make a proper hot meal for their children who would love it. They would refer it to their neighbors who would pass it on to distant bachelor cousins who lived alone and had to cook for themselves. Thus, the hugely successful viral campaign ensured that Maggi created a distinct affection in the hearts of its consumers unlike any other proprietary food of its time. But the story was far from over. In 1997, Nissin – the inventor of instant noodles – launched its flagship brand Top Ramen in the Indian market with Shah Rukh Khan – fresh from the success of super hits like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – endorsing the brand. It was then that Maggi took its first false step – it changed its taste to align itself with that of Top Ramen’s. The results were disastrous. A generation which had grown up on Maggi could not accept the new taste and would rather give Top Ramen a try. Nestle was fast losing ground to Nissin. It took them two years to work out a new strategy – accept the consumer’s verdict and get back to the basics. In 1999, Maggi relaunched itself with its original taste. It paid off handsomely and the faithfuls returned to their master. Top Ramen could no longer sustain the growth it built up in the two years. The next big hurdle came in 2004. The SARS epidemic of 2003 in South East Asia had led to widespread concerns regarding personal hygiene and health. Mothers were now more concerned regarding what their children were eating and maida in general was always considered to be low on the health aspect. In 2005 Maggi launched Atta Noodles with the tagline â€Å"Taste bhi, health bhi. † Although the advertisements showed Atta Noodles replacing the rotis and chapatis, this was never Maggi’s intention. It knew that thinking about that objective was a far cry and the main purpose was to convince mothers that their children was eating the right thing. In this sense, it scored over the Licia and Bambino semolina-based Macaroni products, which, though being an healthier alternative to Maggi, always tried to position themselves as a substitute for wheat based items of daily consumption. Within 10 months, Maggi Atta Noodles was declared a success and now they are foraying further with the â€Å"Taste bhi, Health bhi† campaign with products such as Multi-Grain Noodles. The above examples show that Maggi as a brand knows the customer and is willing to learn from its mistakes. It knows that its USP is convenience to ake and good to eat and it sticks to that without pushing the envelope further in its campaigns. It has also leveraged its success to other food products – the most notable of which is the Maggi ketchup which has garnered a market leader position of about 45% largely thanks to the Maggi brand and its positioning as a â€Å"Different† product ( Remember the tagline – Its different! ). The savior of many students (and especially the ones staying in hostels), there is little doubt as to why many regard Maggi as the greatest invention since the wheel.

Network Security Plan Essay Example for Free

Network Security Plan Essay INTRODUCTION (Purpose and Intent) The Corporation Tech IT Network Security Plan establishes guidelines for IT practices used on a day to day basis to provide a secure and robust computing environment. These practices are used in order to protect the mission, operation, and reputation of Corporation Tech System and its information systems. These system security policies, standards, and procedures that have been established for the Corporation Tech System, are intended to comply with the regulations and policies set down by the State of Florida, Corporation Tech, and the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). SCOPE These standards and procedures apply to all information systems and resources under the control of Corporation Tech, including all computers connecting to the Corporation Tech network and all Corporation Tech System employees, contractors, and any other individuals who use and/or administer those systems and computers, particularly those involved with information system management. STANDARD PROVISIONS Corporation Tech IT will manage risk by identifying, evaluating, controlling, and mitigating vulnerabilities that are a potential threat to the data and information systems under its control. User accounts and passwords are implemented to maintain individual accountability for network resource usage. Any user who obtains an account and password for accessing a Corporation Tech provided resource, is required to keep these credentials confidential. Users of these systems may only use the accounts and passwords for which they have been assigned and authorized to use, and are prohibited  from using the network to access these systems through any other means. This plan also prohibits the sharing of personal user accounts or passwords for accessing Corporation Tech or Internet computing resources. In the interest of maintaining account security, passwords will be changed on a regular schedule or anytime the integrity of the account is in question. Corporation Tech IT network or computing resources may not be used for personal commercial purposes, for personal profit or to violate the laws and regulations of the United States or any other nation, or the laws and regulations of any state, city, province or other local jurisdiction in any material way. Use of Corporation Tech resources for any illegal activity may result in loss of network access privileges, official reprimand, suspension or dismissal. Corporation Tech will cooperate with any legitimate law enforcement agency or inquiry in the investigation and prosecution of any alleged wrongful activity. Corporation Tech’s network or Internet facilities may not be used to disable or overload any computer system or network, or to circumvent any system intended to protect the privacy or security of another user. Corporation Tech owned networking and communications equipment, may only be moved by Network and Computing Support staff, or authorized agents. Reconfiguration of network hardware or software, except by designated individuals within IT, is strictly prohibited. Prior to connecting any server, network communication or monitoring device to the Corporation Tech Network, approval must be obtained from Data Center Communications. Attachment of any the following devices to the Corporation Tech network, other than those provided or approved by Network and Computing Support, is strictly prohibited: a. DHCP servers. b. DNS servers. c. NAT routers. d. Network Gateways. e. Packet capturing or network monitoring devices. f. Any device that disrupts or negatively impacts network operations. STATEMENT OF PROCEDURES The procedures for conducting a risk assessment and for the control and mitigation of risks to the Corporation Tech Information Systems include: NETWORK CONTROL Corporation Tech IT has software and systems in place that have the ability to monitor and record network, Internet and computer system usage. This includes monitoring and security systems that are capable of recording network traffic, including traffic to World Wide Web sites, chat rooms, newsgroups and e-mail messages, file servers, telnet sessions and file transfers into and out of our internal networks. This capability is necessary in order to maintain the health of Corporation Tech network operations and diagnose network related problems. Corporation Tech IT reserves the right to perform network monitoring at any time. The information collected may be used by technicians and management to assess network utilization and trends, and may also be provided to upper management or other authorities as evidence as part of any investigation of alleged policy violations. Corporation Tech IT reserves the right to perform periodic port scans, segment sweeps, and vulnerability scans on all network segments. Network operations, functions, and resources, which are not required as part of the normal and approved job duties or projects at Corporation Tech, may be bandwidth limited or blocked by network control devices in order to protect the integrity and availability of the overall system. Corporation Tech IT may suspend network access to any location or system that disrupts normal network operations or systems that violate Corporation Tech policy. In this event, an attempt will be made to contact the responsible individual to resolve the problem. DHCP SERVICES Corporation Tech IT provides centralized and redundant DHCP and DNS services for Corporation Tech. Due to the nature of these services, and because of the potential disruption of service and possible security breaches resulting from incorrect setup of additional systems, attachment of unauthorized DHCP or DNS servers is prohibited. The following guidelines must be followed when requesting or using any DHCP or DNS services: †¢ Systems requiring an IP address must support DHCP and be capable of obtaining DHCP address information from one of the centrally administered University DHCP servers. †¢ Using DHCP, devices requesting an IP address will be assigned a dynamic pool address from the subnet to which the device is attached. Devices with dynamically assigned IP addresses may have their address change. †¢ Static IP addresses needed for server class machines or specialized clients must be  requested from the Data Center Communications Team via a Help Desk ticket. DNS SERVICES User workstations, which have been assigned a dynamic pool IP address, will have an associated DNS name assigned by the network. Any DNS name or domain name that is to be associated with Corporation Tech network, must be requested from and/or registered through Web Services. DNS names ending in corptech.com are made available upon request for Corporation Tech approved services. Requests for assignment of DNS names must be for valid Corporation Tech related purposes. DNS names for domains other than corptech.com, and which are to be hosted by Corporation Tech systems, must be requested from Web Services. Any charges for initial or ongoing registration of the requested name are the responsibility of the requestor. DNS names, not in the corptech.com domain, will be handled on a case by case basis. Corporation Tech IT will work with any user requesting a domain name to identify an appropriate and available name, however Corporation Tech IT has final approval for all DNS name assignments. WIRELESS NETWORK SERVICES Because wireless networks can be used to provide access to the same resources and services as wired network systems, the same basic procedures that are used in a wired network environment can also be applied in a wireless network environment. However, due to the nature of wireless networks, additional security and control mechanisms are needed in order to maintain the security, operation and inter-operability of both traditional and wireless systems. Wireless routers are not allowed on the Corporation Tech network unless they have been approved by Corporation Tech IT. Access to the Corporation Tech Wireless network is limited to individuals who have a Corporation Tech account except in locations where the guest network is available. The Corporation Tech Guest Network is segregated from the internal servers and resources used by authenticated users to keep the network secure. The Corporation Tech Guest Network is only available in approved areas, and require a request to be expanded into any other areas. Users of the Corporation Tech Guest Network are required to provide a valid cell phone number in order to authenticate. Destruction and Disposal of Information and Devices Restricted information must be disposed of in such manner as to ensure it cannot be retrieved and recovered by unauthorized persons. When donating, selling, transferring, surplusing or disposing of computers or removable media (such as DVDs), the proper procedures to make data unreadable on those media will be taken. Acceptable procedures are listed on ISSP-009, â€Å"Medial Disposal.† NETWORK ACCESS Anyone who uses the Corporation Tech computing environment must have appropriate status (e.g. management, employee, staff, or authorized third party) and must be properly authenticated when required. Access will be provided to vendors and or other Corporation Tech partners through the sponsored VIP account process, as described on http://www.corptech.com/it/services/vip.aspx. VIP accounts are reviewed and renewed on six month intervals to see if access is still needed. When an employee leaves the organization accounts will be disabled once TERM status is updated, and individual departments must approve re-activation of account access. USER COMPUTING DEVICES Users are responsible for the security and integrity of Corporation Tech information stored on their workstation, which includes controlling physical and network access to the equipment. Users may not run or otherwise configure software or hardware that may allow access by unauthorized users. Anti-virus software must be installed on all workstations that connect to the Corporation Tech Network. Corporation Tech Computers may not be used to copy, distribute, share, download, or upload any copyrighted material without the permission of the copyright owner. PHYSICAL ACCESS Access to Corporation Tech IT Data Center should be restricted to those responsible for operation and maintenance. Access by non-IT personnel is not permitted unless they are escorted by an authorized IT staff member. Computer installations should provide reasonable security measures to protect the computer system against natural disasters, accidents, loss or fluctuation of electrical power, and sabotage. Networking and computing hardware are placed in secure and appropriately cooled areas for data  integrity and security NETWORK HARDWARE Network hardware are housed behind a locked door to protect physical access to switches and other network hardware. Access is only allowed though card access or with a checked out key. All switches and network hardware are password protected at a minimum via a local account setup on the device itself, these passwords are changed periodically as administrators leave the organization. Subnets allowed to authenticate with switch management will be restricted, to create tighter control of backend administration. Exec level access Timeouts implemented on Console and VTY lines, so that any idle sessions are terminated automatically. All switches are time synced using NTP, so that incidents can be tracked and correlated to the proper timeframe. SERVER ENVIRONMENTS All servers are subject to a security audit and evaluation before they are placed into production. Administrative access to servers must be password protected and use two-factor authentication whenever possible. Servers should be physically located in an access-controlled environment. All internal servers deployed at Corporation Tech must be owned by an operational group that is responsible for system administration. Servers must be registered with the IT department. At a minimum, the following information is required to positively identify the point of contact: a. Server owner contact(s) and location. b. Hardware and Operating System/Version c. Main functions and applications d. MAC address (If not a virtual server) Services and applications that will not be used must be disabled where practical. Access to services should be logged and/or protected through access-control methods to the extent possible. The most recent security patches must be installed on the system as soon as practical. Do not use administrator or root access when a non-privileged account can be used. Privileged access must be performed over secure channels, (e.g., encrypted network connections using SSH or IPSec). EXCEPTIONS All requests for exceptions to these standards and procedures will be handled by request, and will follow these guidelines: †¢ Must be submitted in writing to and approved by the CIO or with the proper authority. †¢ Will be reviewed on a case by case basis. NETWORK SECURITY Corporation Tech network design is built around three principles, Defense-in-Depth, Compartmentalization of Information and Principle of Least Privilege. Our first step was to look at what we are protecting, which is ultimately our business and clients data and information. To ensure a sound architecture we started the design of our network with scalability in mind. It is important that our design is flexible enough to meet future needs. The threats we know about and face today may not be the ones we face tomorrow. While developing security requirements for our IT system resources, we will determine if they are mission-critical or data-sensitive resources. This will allow us to determine where data confidentiality and integrity are the most important requirements, or where the priority is continuity of operation (availability). DEFENSE-IN-DEPTH Network safeguards offer the first protection barrier of IT system resources against threats originating outside the network. These threats can be in the form of intruders or malicious code. Our network design offers layered protections. What this means is the security layers complement each other; what one misses the other catches. This will be accomplished by locating security defenses in different places throughout our IT system, as well as not using two of the same types of safeguards. Although this may increase the complexity of our security system and can potentially make management and maintenance more difficult and costly, we believe the safety of the IT system resources should be based on the protection. With defense-in-depth in mind, the first layer of our network security plan starts with our network perimeter security. The principle network security defenses are firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IPS/IDS), VPN protections and content inspection systems like anti-virus, anti-malware, anti-spam and URL filtering. The traditional first line of defense against attacks is typically the firewall, which is configured to allow/deny traffic by  source/destination IP, port or protocol. It’s very straight forward, either traffic is allowed or it’s blocked. With the advent of Next Generation firewalls, which can include application control, identity awareness and other capabilities such as IPS, web filtering, and advanced malware detection, all of these features can be controlled by one device. COMPARTMENTALIZATION OF INFORMATION Corporation Tech will have IT system resources with different sensitivity levels or different risk tolerance levels and threat susceptibilities. These resources should be located in different security zones. The idea is to hide the data or information and make it available only to those systems where it is necessary for conducting system tasks. Examples of this are: †¢ E-mail, Web and DNS servers are located in the DMZ behind the perimeter firewall. †¢ Databases servers such as SQL servers are located in the Database Zone, within the internal firewall/IPS. †¢ Intranet servers, file servers and user workstations are in the LAN zone within the internal firewall. †¢ The Internet is located in the Internet zone behind the perimeter firewall. Principle of Least Privilege Corporation Tech administrators and users will have minimal privileges necessary for proper functioning within the organization. This rule applies also to data and services made available for external users. An extension to this rule is the â€Å"Need-To-Know† principle which says that users and administrators of Corporation Tech IT system have access to only the information relevant to their role and duties performed. Other points of security that we will address in our network services availability is the single point of failure principle, the separation of duty and job rotation rules. The network paths between users and mission-critical IT system resources, all the links, devices (networking and security) as well as the servers will be deployed in redundant configurations. The goal of the separation of duty and job rotation rule is to limit an employee’s ability to neglect and break the IT system’s security policy. Separation of duty dictates that important tasks/functions should be performed by two or more employees. Job rotation states that there should be rotation of employees in important positions. NETWORK HARDENING For each layer of security, we will ensure they are running the most up-to-date software and operating systems, and that the devices are configured properly. SECURITY ZONES Intrusion Prevention (IPS) devices are responsible for detecting and blocking penetrations and attacks conducted by intruders and malicious malware applications. We recommend an IPS be installed in the network path between potential threat sources and sensitive IT system resources. Attacks through encrypted SSL sessions are a potential vulnerability so we recommend decrypting the sessions prior to it reaching the IPS device in order to inspect unencrypted packets. The IPS will be properly optimized and monitored to catch attackers that have slipped past the first defense (firewall/router). Internal networks will not have direct access to the Internet so a Trojan sent to a user’s workstation through a phishing attack would not allow the intruder to connect to the external network. Internet services are available for internal users only through company email and HTTP Proxy servers. ENABLE SECURE NETWORK ACCESS We will install a VPN that is configured to allow encrypted communication to our network from the outside. Utilizing two-factor authentication, ensuring the integrity of the users making the request. This is external-facing to our network and allows users to tunnel into our LAN from the outside once the appropriate measures are taken to secure access. SEGMENTED DMZ There will be a front-end firewall for the external traffic and a back-end firewall for the internal traffic. Firewall rules will be optimized and tightened on all publicly available systems to allow traffic to only the necessary ports and services living within the DMZ. Firewall rules have been created to only allow the source IP addresses and port to the specific servers and proxies have been added in the network from which administrators are allowed access to the systems. Systems within different VLANs (with a layer 3 switches) have been configured to help isolate and respond to incidents if a server in the DMZ is compromised. Authentication on the LAN is required before access to the DMZ is even attempted. This prevents allowing complete control over these systems at any given time. DEVICE  INTEGRITY All hardware and software will be purchased only from the manufacturer or from resellers who are authorized and certified by the equipment manufacturer. Unused physical interfaces on network devices will be shut down. Access lists that allow only those protocols, ports and IP addresses that are required by network users and services are implemented. Everything else is denied. Network device configuration file are protected from unauthorized disclosure. Steps have been taken to avoid plaintext passwords in the configuration files. This has been accomplished by using encryption and/or a salted hash with iteration to protect the confidentiality of passwords in configuration files. Change passwords/keys immediately if the network device configuration file is transmitted in the clear (or is otherwise exposed) while containing non-encrypted passwords/keys. Secure protocols will be used when transmitting network device configuration files. All unneeded services on network devices must be sh ut down. Log files will be reviewed regularly to gain an in depth understanding of normal network behavior. Any irregularity will be reported and investigated. SECURE MANAGEMENT Only secure protocol standards (SSHv2; IKEv2/IPsec; TLS v1.0+) will be used when performing remote management of network devices. Default usernames and/or passwords will not be used. The network infrastructure security policy should define password length and complexity requirements. Review the network infrastructure security policy. This policy identifies who is allowed to log in to network infrastructure devices and who is allowed to configure network devices, and defines a plan for updating network device firmware at scheduled intervals. PORT VULNERABILITES Port 25 – Is used for SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). It uses both tcp and udp protocols. This port used for e-mail routing between mail servers and is susceptible to many known Trojan’s. We are keeping this port in a closed state. Port 80 – Is used for web traffic Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP). It uses both tcp and udp protocols. Port 80 udp is also used by some  games, like Alien vs Predator. Code Red and Nimda worms also propagate via TCP port 80 (HTTP). Also, a number of trojans/backdoors use these ports. We are keeping this port in a closed state. Port 139 – Is used for NetBIOS. NetBIOS is a protocol used for File and Print Sharing under all current versions of Windows. By default, when File and Print Sharing is enabled it binds to everything, including TCP/IP (The Internet Protocol), rather than just the local network, meaning your shared resources are available over the entire Internet for reading and deletion, unless configured proper ly. Any machine with NetBIOS enabled and not configured properly should be considered at risk. The best protection is to turn off File and Print Sharing, or block ports 135-139 completely. We will leave this port in an open state but will turn off file and print sharing capabilities. Port 1900 – Is used for SSDP, UPnP. UPnP discovery/SSDP, is a service that runs by default on WinXP, and creates an immediately exploitable security vulnerability for any network-connected system. It is vulnerable to denial of service and buffer overflow attacks. Microsoft SSDP Enables discovery of UPnP devices. We are keeping this port in a closed state. Port 2869 – Is IANA registered for: ICSLAP. It uses both tcp and udp protocols and is used for Microsoft Internet Connection Firewall (ICF), Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), SSDP Discover Service, Microsoft Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), and Microsoft Event Notification. We will leave this port in an open state. Port 5357 – Is used by Microsoft Network Discovery, and should be filtered for public networks. It uses both tcp and udp protocols. It is also IANA registered for: Web Services for Devices (WSD) a network plug-and-play experience that is similar to installing a USB device. WSD allows network-connected IP-based devices to advertise their functionality and offer these services to clients by using the Web Services protocol. WSD communicates over HTTP (TCP port 5357), HTTPS (TCP port 5358), and multicast to UDP port 3702. We will close this port and redirect traffic to HTTPS (TCP port 5358). Port 6839 – This port is not associated with any particular services and should be closed unless it is associated and used. Port 7435 – This port is not associated with any particular services and should be closed unless it is associated and used. Ports 9100, 9101 and 9102 – These TCP ports are is used for printing. Port numbers 9101 and 9102 are for parallel ports 2 and 3 on the three-port HP Jetdirect external print  servers. It is used for network-connected print devices. These ports should remain open to allow print services. There are no listed vulnerabilities associated with these ports. Port 9220 This port is for raw scanning to peripherals with IEEE 1284.4 specifications. On three port HP Jetdirects, the scan ports are 9290, 9291, and 9292. It is used for network-connected print devices. This port should remain open to allow print services. There are no listed vulnerabilities associated with this port. Port 9500 – TCP Port 9500 may use a defined protocol to communicate depending on the application. In our case we are using port 9500 to access the ISM Server. The ISM Server is used for exchanging backup and recovery information between storage devices. This port should remain open while services are in use. There are no listed vulnerabilities associated with this port. Port 62078 This port is used by iPhone while syncing. The Port used by UPnP for multimedia files sharing, also used for synchronizing iTunes files between devices. Port 62078 has a known vulnerability in that a service named lockdownd sits and listens on the iPhone on port 62078. By connecting to this port and speaking the correct protocol, it’s possible to spawn a number of different services on an iPhone or iPad. This port should be blocked or closed when service is not required on the device. References BEST: Network Security Policy and Procedures. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ct.gov/best/cwp/view.asp?a=1245q=253996 Example Security Plan. (2014, November 17). Retrieved from http://www.binomial.com/security_plan/example_security_plan_template.php Hardening Network Infrastructure Security Recommendations for System Accreditors. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nsa.gov/ia/_files/factsheets/Hardening_Network_Infrastructure_FS.pdf Network Security Policy: Best Practices White Paper Cisco. (2005, October 4). Retrieved from http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/availability/high-availability/13601-secpol.html Paquet, C. (2013, February 5). Security Policies Network Security Concepts and Policies. Retrieved from http://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=1998559seqNum=3 SANS Information Security Resources | Information Security Policy Templates |.

Is there Democratic Deficit in the EU?

Is there Democratic Deficit in the EU? It is argued by many commentators[1] that there exists a `democratic deficit` within the European Union although others argue[2] that there exists no such `democratic deficit`, there are also those who acknowledge the existence of a `democratic deficit` but that argue that it is not problematic[3]. This assignment will look at those arguments and consider whether or not in despite of numerous reforms the democratic credentials of the EC still remain a concern. This argument will be considered in light of the evolving nature and the role of parliament. It is important first to understand what is meant by the `democratic deficit`. It is difficult to find a common definition however, in basic terms this argument suggests that the European Parliament as the only directly elected body holds too minor a role in the legislative process. Supporters of the `democratic deficit` argument, argue that the European Parliament, as the only elected and democratic element of the European Community, should exert more power over the legislative process and that the current situation means that the legislative process is controlled by the non-elected Council. It is argued that one of the major problems that this `democratic deficit` creates is a possibility that â€Å"a small minority in a state could be over-represented in the intergovernmental process and thus be able to impose its preferences even in the face of an overwhelming European majority†[4] Conversely those that support the notion that the current situation does not create a `democratic deficit` point to the fact that public interest in elections to the European Parliament is low[5] and as Bermann points out â€Å"participation in elections for European Parliament in June 2004 dropped to a record low of 45.3 percent across the twenty-five member states.† The argument is therefore that even though the MEP’s are, in theory elected by the public, in reality they are not supported by the majority and if they were provided with greater power it would be of little relevance to persons within a member state. This supports the argument, which will be discussed later, that the solution is not to increase the power of the European Parliament but to increase the power of member states within the legislative process. In order to understand the evolution of the European Parliament it is important to consider briefly the legislative process and the growth of European Parliament’s role in that process. Originally a limited number of Treaty Articles[6] provided that the Council was required to consult the European Parliament as to its opinion before arriving at a decision on Community secondary law[7]. This position was confirmed by the case of Roquette Freres SA v Commission[8], although the Council was permitted to ignore and overrule any opinion expressed by the European Parliament[9]. The Maastricht reforms amended Art 251. The new regime creates a co-decision procedure whereby the European Parliament can reject a legislative proposal. Once the European Parliament has provided its views on a legislative proposal, the Council shall adopt a common position by a qualified majority. The European Parliament can, within three months, either approve or take no decision in which case the Council can adopt the measure. Alternatively the European Parliament can reject or amend the proposal by an absolute majority, if this situation occurs then the Council can approve those amendments by a qualified majority within a three month time limit. However if the Commission has issued a negative opinion on the amendments, the Council are only able to approve by unanimity. If the Council does then not agree this amended proposal it will be referred to a new Conciliation Committee to in an effort to accomplish a compromise within six weeks. If a joint text is approved, the Council and European Parliament can then accept the provision together within six weeks and the European Parliament may finally reject it within six weeks by an absolute majority. It is arguable that these reforms do not go far enough in addressing the `democratic deficit` and that they only provide a negative power of veto and in addition they will only apply to limited specific areas. Further changes were introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam, which whilst go someway to decreasing the democratic deficit do not, it is argued, go far enough. The Treaty of Amsterdam increased the use of and streamlined the co-decision procedure. The Treaty also extended the areas in which the assent of the Parliament is to be required to incorporate the structural and cohesion funds. However, it is pointed out that these do not actually increase the level of participation of the European Parliament and its capacity to insist on a specific measure and thus do little to reduce the `democratic deficit` and make the Union more democratic[10]. Finally changes were implemented via the Nice Treaty, although these were very limited in scope and did little to improve the `democratic deficit`. Although they it did extend the Qualified Majority Voting into new areas and also increased the effect of the co-decision procedure which was extended to include more treaty articles. The changes proposed in the Constitution for Europe[11] are likely to set the foundation of the legislative procedures for many years to come and in this regard they are very important. There are essentially three main changes that are proposed by the constitution which seek to improve the `democratic deficit`. The first of these is that there should be more involvement of the European Parliament in the adoption of all EU legislation and this is to be achieved by greater use of the â€Å"Co-decision procedure†, which it is intended, will be the normal procedure for enactment of legislation. The second change that is proposed by the Constitution is that the member states’ parliament has a greater involvement. One of the main proposals is to enact a procedure whereby national parliaments can register formal objections to a European Commission proposal because it failed to respect the principle of subsidiarity[12]. The final proposal is that Council meetings must be public or televised where legislative procedures are being discussed or voted upon, whether or not these proposals will rectify the `democratic deficit` remains to be seen. It is too early to conclude whether or not this will solve the problem. There are two main suggestions for the improvement of democracy in Europe. The first argument, and the one which has been the subject of this assignment, is to increase the power of the European Parliament. The second suggestion involves increasing the power of national parliaments in the legislative process as the general public have little interest in who is elected into the European Parliament. Steiner and Woods consider this second argument but conclude that â€Å"at the level of individual pieces of legislation, national parliaments become involved in the process too late to have any real impact on the outcome, and the level of control exercised by the individual national parliaments may vary significantly between Member States[13]†. Despite the increased power given to the European Parliament following the various treaties that have been discussed above, and as Weiler points out, the European Parliament â€Å"is still characterised by a lesser degree of parliamentary representation and majority decision making in the European political process than its counterparts in national democracies[14]†. However Dehousse[15] argues that the argument that there is a democratic deficit is fundamentally flawed and that the EU encounters similar problems with democracy as are encountered in domestic systems and that some of the â€Å"loudest complaints over a European democratic deficit may be based on idealisations of democracy in the nation-state†. Those who do not support the concept of a `democratic deficit` argue that â€Å"the preoccupation with the concept of democratic deficit is limiting and does little to improve our understanding of the role of the European Parliament†[16]. Finally, Majone argu es that the EU is a â€Å"regulatory state-a state which despite its democratic deficit can be accountable†[17]. Having considered the arguments it seems clear that perhaps one of the primary reasons for the belief that there exists a `democratic deficit` is that powers that were once controlled by national parliaments have now been transferred to the EU where they are subject to a lower degree of parliamentary participation[18]. Therefore it is argued that the `democratic deficit` does exist, but only in so far as it does not match political ideologies and does not mirror the political system of other member states. It is arguable that deficit does not in fact exist and that the EU system is simply different to member states political systems. Even if it could be concluded that a `democratic deficit` did exist how to correct this deficit is problematic in itself. Some argue that a democratic model similar to that of the state should be developed whereas others argue that democracy can only be achieved through national democracies.[19] One certainty is that it is an argument that will not be se ttled in the near future and it is doubtful that the constitution will resolve the problem to the satisfaction of all member states. Bibliography Cases EP v Council (C-65/91) Parliament v Council (C-392/95) Roquette Freres SA v Commission (Case 20/88) [1989] ECR 1553 Treaties Maastricht Treaty 1997 Nice Treaty Treaty of Amsterdam 1997 Journal Articles Barnard C, Dashwood A, (2006) â€Å"The EU Constitution – Dealing with the Deficit†, 156 New Law Journal 173 Bermann G, Monet J Gelhorn W, (2005) â€Å"Executive Power in the New European Constitution†, International Journal of constitutional Law 3.2 (440) Maduro M, (2005) â€Å"The Importance of Being Called a Constitution: Constitutional Authority and the Authority of Constitutionalism†, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (332) Majone G, (1998) â€Å"Europes Democratic Deficit: The Question of Standards†4 European Law Journal 5 Weiler J, (2005) â€Å"On the Power of the Word: Europe’s Constitutional Iconography†, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (173) Books Craig P De Bà ºrca G, (2003)†EU Law, Text, Cases and Materials, Third Edition, Oxford University Press Fairhurst J , (2004) â€Å"Law of the European Union†, Fifth Edition, Pearson Longman Harlow C, (2002) â€Å"Accountability in The European Union†, Oxford University Press, Oxford Hartley T, (2003) â€Å"The Foundations of European Community Law†, Fifth Edition, Oxford University Press Horspool M Humphreys M, (2006) â€Å"European Union Law†, Oxford University Press Lenaerts K Van Nuffel P,(2005)†Constitutional Law of the European Union†, Second Edition, Sweet and Maxwell Steiner J Woods L, (2003) â€Å"Textbook on EC Law†, Eighth Edition, Oxford University Press Weatherill S, (2005) â€Å"Cases and Materials on EU Law†, Seventh Edition, Oxford University Press Weiler J Winds M (eds) (2003) â€Å"European Constitutionalism Beyond the State†, Cambridge University Press Websites http://european-convention.eu.int/ accessed on 21.10.2006 1 Footnotes [1] See for example the comments of Weiler J, (2005) â€Å"On the Power of the Word: Europe’s Constitutional Iconography†, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (173) [2] See for example the comments of Dehousse R in Weiler J Winds M (eds) (2003) â€Å"European Constitutionalism Beyond the State†, Cambridge University Press [3] See for example Majone G, (1998) â€Å"Europes Democratic Deficit: The Question of Standards†4 European Law Journal 5 [4] Weiler J, (2005) â€Å"On the Power of the Word: Europe’s Constitutional Iconography†, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (173) [5] Bermann G, Monet J Gelhorn W, (2005) â€Å"Executive Power in the New European Constitution†, International Journal of constitutional Law 3.2 (440) [6] 17 [7] old Arts 54 or 56 [8] (Case 20/88) [1989] ECR 1553 [9] Although consider EP v Council (C-65/91) and Parliament v Council (C-392/95) where the Court annulled Regulations which the Council had amended without further Consultation to the European Parliament. [10]Lenaerts K Van Nuffel P,(2005)†Constitutional Law of the European Union†, Second Edition, Sweet and Maxwell at page [11] http://european-convention.eu.int/ accessed on 21.10.2006 [12] For further discussion see Barnard C, Dashwood A , (2006) â€Å"The EU Constitution – Dealing with the Deficit†, 156 New Law Journal 173 [13] Steiner J Woods L, (2003) â€Å"Textbook on EC Law†, Eighth Edition, Oxford University Press at page 25 [14]Weiler J, (2005) â€Å"On the Power of the Word: Europe’s Constitutional Iconography†, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (173) [15]Dehousse R in Weiler J Winds M (eds) (2003) â€Å"European Constitutionalism Beyond the State†, Cambridge University Press – Chapter 6 Page 135 [16] Harlow C, (2002) â€Å"Accountability in The European Union†, Oxford University Press, Oxford See Chapter 1 generally [17] Majone G, (1998) â€Å"Europes Democratic Deficit: The Question of Standards†4 European Law Journal 5 [18] Maduro M, (2005) â€Å"The Importance of Being Called a Constitution: Constitutional Authority and the Authority of Constitutionalism†, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (332) [19] Maduro M, (2005) â€Å"The Importance of Being Called a Constitution: Constitutional Authority and the Authority of Constitutionalism†, International Journal of Constitutional Law 3.2 (332)

citizen kane Essays -- essays research papers

Citizen Kane   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the movie Citizen Kane , young Charles Foster Kane is very energetic, optimistic and has a very positive outlook on life. At the same time he hates his old and bitter guardian, Mr. Thatcher, who has secluded himself from the everyday man and the only thing he is after is money and stature. Later on in life Charles Kane turns into an exact carbon copy of Mr. Thatcher, even though that is exactly what he wanted to get away from. In this essay I will prove how the used of sound, in the scenes in Thatcher ¡Ã‚ ¦s library and Xanadu, as compared to the earlier scenes in young Kane ¡Ã‚ ¦s newspaper office, help establish this development in Kane ¡Ã‚ ¦s character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The scene in Thatcher ¡Ã‚ ¦s library starts off with the attendant being on the phone when the reporter walks in to talk to her. The non-diegetic sound is scary and creepy at the same time. It sounds very unwelcoming and gives the impression of Mr.Thatcher as being the bad guy and his library not a good place to be. At first glance we can see that it is a big hall with a huge statue of Mr. Thatcher. The floors are made out of marble and the first impression the audience gets of the room is that, it is very dark, cold and has a gloomy feel to it. The voices of the reporter and the attendant echo in the hall that gives us the impression of the place being very uninhibited and very uninviting, just as the personality of Mr. Thatcher. Once the reporter goes throug...

How Electronic Commerce Is Affecting American Industry Essay example --

ELECTRONIC-Commerce How It Is Affecting American Industry The Internet over the past few years has seen a huge increase in online businesses and consumers. Electronic-commerce is expected to generate $36 billion in revenue during 1999, up 140% from last year alone.[1] With such a huge amount of money to be made on the Internet it is becoming very appealing for small businesses and start-up companies to try and make their niche in e-commerce. The Internet is drastically affecting the way companies and people conduct business now. E-commerce encourages growth in existing as well as new businesses because of lower overhead costs, the huge consumer base and the freedom of information flow. However the online revolution has created a large amount of competition for consumers between businesses despite the fact that the public does not yet have total confidence in the e-commerce market. The Internet is a free and seemingly boundless medium that is distributed to over 200 million people worldwide.[2] This creates a large market for companies that are competing on the Internet, which acts as a level playing field. Small companies can compete with larger vendors by getting their product and prices seen by anyone interested online while not being limited by their locale or to just their local area consumers. Another reason why e-commerce is so attractive are the low star-up costs required to start a company. A basic site can be created with as little as a couple hundred dollars, a computer and a little imagination. A business can then be run from a home or network instead of a large expensive building where many employees and machines are needed. Because of this online businesses can sell their products for much less by passing their ... ... Internet shopping is expected to increase by at least 50% into the millennium, which leaves much room for growth and new opportunities for new and adventurous companies.[4] E-commerce has opened up a new market in American industry that is forcing companies to become part of the online revolution or suffer the consequences in the long run. The freedom of the Internet combined with the huge amounts of information make for a more easily accessible environment that will revolutionize the way all business is conducted in the future. Notes 1. Shop.org. 30 October 1999. http://www.shop.org/nr/99/071999.html 2. NUA - Internet Surveys. 03 November 1999. http://www.nua.ie/surveys/how_many_online/index.html 3. C-Net. 1997. 30 October 1999. http://sellitontheweb.com/ezine/news0296.shtml 4. C-Net. 31 October 30, 1999. http://sellitontheweb.com/ezine/news0310.shtml