An Analysis Of Emily Bronte s Wuthering Heights

Misery Loves Company Being at the wrong place at the wrong time is dangerous enough, but stumbling across the wrong person can be life threatening. Toxic qualities infect the host individual as well as those surrounding them. Much like a merciless virus that can destroy a life from the inside out, poisonous characteristics run rampant through a community and spread as quickly as the plague. Historian and philosopher Howard Zinn proposes that, â€Å"the air of the world is poisonous. And you must carry an antidote with you, or the infection will prove fatal (Zinn 114). In Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte demonstrates the corrosive effects of human interaction through the motif of disease and contagion coupled with mental decay and the deaths of†¦show more content†¦The rich as well as the poor perished from these merciless viruses; all of England suffered the wrath of contagion. So much as 53,000 people in London died from Cholera alone (Laycock). One of the worst diseases was tuberculosis, which had a high fatality rate and killed Emily Bronte herself. Tuberculosis’ presence in Victorian society is represented in the novel and referenced several times as it infects multiple characters. Victorian illnesses are exceedingly prevalent throughout the novel’s plot. Numerous characters fall ill including, but not limited to, Catherine, Mr. and Mrs. Linton, and Isabella, however, is a virus guilty of the demise of countless characters; perhaps not. For some of the characters, unfortunately, their untimely death could not have been avoided without the advanced medical technology that exists today. For instance, Frances, although tended to by a doctor, could not be saved. Despite attempted treatment, the doctor revealed that, â€Å"misses (Frances) must go; he says she’s been in consumption for months† (Bronte, 59). Since medical knowledge of diseases such as tuberculosis was scarce, it was not uncommon for people to die resulting from waves of contagion . The deaths of characters in Wuthering Heights demonstrates how quickly disease spread during that time; the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Linton proving to be the most integral demonstration of this. The couple contracted the fever from

The Rise of Important Essay Topics

The Rise of Important Essay Topics It is often as large or as small as it is possible to consider! Many students think that it is a waste of time. Definitions of Important Essay Topics As stated above, one of the means where the examiner judges your vocabulary is the way many topic certain words you use. Make sure that you do not repeat the exact same point with unique tones and words. Also, be certain to check at the word in a sentence to be attentive to the way it relates to other words. It's also advisable to realise that IELTS is an international exam and once the writers of the exam are making the questions, their principal concern is writing questions that may be understood by nearly everybody in the world. The majority of the questions are on current topics, therefore staying current with what's going on in the world is really going to help you think of ideas. There are some main things you want to learn about before you even begin picking social issues essay topics. Well, the reply isn't too obvious here. When picking your social problems topic, try to remember that it's always far better to write about something you're already more or less acquainted with. Finding the Best Important Essay Topics Knowing the most usual IELTS essay topics lets you revolve around the most essential vocabulary. If you're reading an English newspaper, search for articles on the usual topics and highlight any excellent vocabulary. There are two major means by which you can use the most typical IELTS essay topics to your benefit. The introductory and conclusion para are definitely the most important section of an essay. There are several persuasive essay topics to pick from to finish your high school or college assignment. Needless to say, it's so much better when a student is supplied a freedom to pick the subject of their essay. When students are writing their argumentative essays that need to find, read and analyze a lot of material to do good. Reading editorials is among the best ways get ideas about how to approach an essay. By doing this it's possible to easily finish the descriptive paper. Firstly, you have to know the suitable format of essay writing. Since you'll be involved in the company of writing a descriptive paper, you ought to be thorough with your grammar. It's possible to go for an intriguing topic from any area of science. Block Chain Technology isn't only about the Bitcoins. Try out another topic and do the exact same 5-minute writing test till you locate a topic you know it is easy to write on. You may write about nearly every topic you enjoy. The majority of the essay topics are picked form the present affairs. If you're genuinely interested in a topic then it is significantly simpler to study and you're not as likely to stop. As an example, in college, you might be requested to compose a paper from the opposing perspective. When you compose a social issue essay, it is very important to clearly show your private view of the issue. If you think that you require assistance with your written assignments it is preferable to request skilled help from online writing service. Many students have a tendency to encounter the writing issues due to the shortage of suitable understanding. The government has proposed a remedy to boost the taxes to lessen the traffic jam. Utilize whatever you know to reveal your comprehension of the Earth, and bring out good old philosophical theories. You might, as an example, discuss advertising or parental influence. The issue is that everybody's interpretation of what makes a great society differs. Becoming creative and descriptive can on occasion be a challenge. Attempt to consider what age is great for students to date with one another. Learning a new language for an early age is helpful for kids. Education scholars are continuously evolving the way that they think about how we learn and what's taught. A lot of students put on a uniform. Some people believe teachers should be liable for teaching students to judge what's right and wrong so they can behave well. Foreign languages ought to be compulsory in the most important school.

Bursitis Essay Example For Students

Bursitis Essay BursitisDoes it hurt to move your arm? Is it tender and radiating pain to your neck andfinger tips? Do you have a fever? If you answered yes to two or more of thesequestions then you may have typical joint injury called bursitis. Bursitis is aninflammation of the bursa that is easily prevented, detected and treated. Bursitis is a common condition that can cause much pain and swelling around anaffected bursa. A bursa is a sac between body tissues that move against eachother. They are filled with a lubricating liquid to minimize the fiction betweenthe tissues. The bursa are found mostly in joints between skin and bone or boneand tendons. When you irritate these lubricating sacs, the bursae fill withfluid and become irritated and inflamed. This inflammation causes severe painwith movement of the joint, often limiting the movement of the affected area. Bursitis commonly strikes in the shoulders, elbows, knees, pelvis, hips orAchilles tendons. Bursitis can affect nearly anyone for any number of reasons. It affects mainly adults both male and female. The individuals most at risk arepeople who engage in excessive and improper stretching and people who areinvolved heavily in athletic training. Bursitis can be caused by many things. For one, it can be caused by injury or overuse of a joint. Strenuous unfamiliarexercise also can cause Bursitis. Plus, such diseases as gout, arthritis, andchronic infection of a joint can be likely causes. But frequently the cause ofBursitis can not be determined. The only ways to prevent getting it are to wearprotective gear when exorcising, practice appropriate warm ups and cool downsduring exercise and to maintain a high fitness level. Bursitis is an easilytreatable disease. If you suspect that you have bursitis, you will probablyseek the advice of a doctor. Most likely the doctor will look at your medicalhistory and take some x-rays. If you are diagnosed with bursitis the doctor mayprescribe some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or pain relievers andmay make some cortisone injections into the bursa to relieve inflammation. Onceat home you are expected rest the affected area as much as possible and to applyRICE ( rest, ice, compression and elevation of the inflamed joint ). Also toprevent the joint from freezing you should begin moving and exercising theaffected area as soon as possible. Most likely the problem will subside in 7 to10 days if proper care is taken. Bursitis a common, yet painful, joint disorderthat can be diagnosed and treated with much ease. Although it is most common inathletes, it can happen to anyone. So take the proper precautions to preventyourself from acquiring this painful inflammation of the joints known asBursitis. Bibliography1. Jeffrey R.M. Kunz MD, Asher J. Finkel MD, eds. The American MedicalAssociation: Family Medical Guide. New York: Random House, 1982. 2. Griffth, H. Winter. Bursitis. Putnam Berkel Group, 1996. Online. Lycos. Internet. 19 November 1996. 3. Lockshin, Micheal. Bursitis. World Book. 1992 ed.

Techtonic Plates Essays - Plate Tectonics, Tectonics,

Techtonic Plates Lab Report The structure of the earth is made up of many layers, but the crust and the upper mantle make up the lithosphere. The lithosphere is divided into individual sections called plates. The rest of the mantle makes up the asthenosphere. Convection in asthenosphere causes the plates to shift and move about. We can tell where the plates are or have been because volcanoes and earthquakes have their own boundaries when the are active. Tectonic plates have three relationships with each other. The have convergent boundaries when they collide, divergent boundaries when they move apart, and transform boundaries when they slide past each other. The friction and heat caused by the plates sliding all over the place causes volcanoes if it melts the rock and earthquakes if the plates slip while sliding away and towards each other. The purpose of this lab was for us to investigate and learn about the three different kinds of plates. The model was used just like any model; To help us understand the different plates and how they work. The model is a great way to help show something which is confusing to tell in words. The lab was to construct a model showing the different kinds of boundaries. First we needed three worksheets each with a different plate on it, and three tacks to hold the plates in place. With scissors we cut out the plates and then we stuck the tacks through designated holes. With everything in tact you could move the model and see how the three plates slid back and forth against each other. 1. Along the East Rise, the plates spread farthest apart in the south (apposed to the north) 2. A convergent plate boundary exists along the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and also along the Andes Mountains in South America. Since they are convergent boundaries, that means plates around these two areas are colliding. 3. It would take Los Angeles 19,444,444.44 years to reach the location that San Francisco is in now. .6 miles = 1km 350miles La to San Fran 583.33 km =350 miles 583.33/.00003 = 19,444,444.44 1cm = .00001km Although this model was very helpful, it wasn't accurate. First of all, the model didn't show all of the plates on the earth. I think it would be important to see all of the plates to fully understand the plate tectonic theory. The model also doesn't show convection in any way. Convection would be important to show in the model because it and the combined force of gravity's what really moves the plates of the earth. The model doesn't have much identified landscape. There are a couple volcanoes labeled, but there has to be more then one mountain range on the earth.

Drug Abuse and Religious Spirituality Concept

Drug Abuse and Religious Spirituality Concept Thesis Statement: Adding the concept of religious spirituality to drug abuse treatment programs can help to decrease the amount of relapses by patients.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Drug Abuse and Religious Spirituality Concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction In his examination of the effectiveness of current drug abuse treatment programs, Olmstead et al. (2012) noted that the rate of relapses among patients was quite high, often reaching 50% or more in some instances. Particularly, this high rate of relapses was determined by Olmstead et al. (2012) as a direct result of a degree of failure on the part of drug abuse treatment programs to sufficiently address the primary reason why people turn to drugs and the lack of a sufficient method of relapse prevention once patients leave the program. Reason for Failure This failure to add some form of effective preventive method for relapse has been n oted by various researchers to occur due to the fact that even the classification of external preventive programs has very little influence to ensure a sufficiently effective preventive capacity when the origin of the problem is the internal decision making process of patients. Pearson et al. (2012) note that it is often the case that patients need to develop their own internal realization backed by psychological reasoning when it comes to abstaining from drug use. What is necessary is the development of sufficiently strong internal reasoning mechanism and support system to ensure that the factors causing a particular individual to use drugs in the first place do not manifest. Religious Spirituality as a Possible Solution One possible method that has gained a considerable degree of progress in a variety of drug abuse treatment programs is the use of religious spirituality.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It was determined in the article â€Å"Patients consider spirituality and self-help approaches vital in TC† that religious spirituality can not only aid in the process of drug abuse rehabilitation but even act as a preventive measure to ensure that relapses do not occur (Dermatis, Guschwan, Galanter, Blun 2004). The reason behind its effectiveness is quite simple, religious spirituality acts as a means of altering individuals perception in such a way that people view their life as not just their own but rather as the one connected to an almighty external creator (i.e. God). Moreover, spirituality, in certain cases involving religious groups and organizations, helps instill a sense of belonging on patients within a religious community they are involved in, often acting as a support to prevent drug related relapses (Dermatis, Guschwan, Galanter, Blun, 2004). What you have to understand is that a great number of current drug abuse cases are often related to such feelings experienced by individuals as depression, worthlessness, and. Such behavioral symptoms are often correlated with a lack of sufficient support and social interaction which makes the use of drugs to seem ideal to act as a form of escape from such situations. By adding religious spirituality to drug abuse treatment programs, this creates the initial foundation due to which addicts could find an alternative to drugs abusing by immersing themselves in the feeling of being a part of community and belonging to a greater unit. Such a solution would prevent the potential for patients to relapse since it addresses the internal psychological state in order to ensure that patients develop their own realization regarding the ill effects of drug use (Pearson et al. 2012).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Drug Abuse and Religious Spirituality Concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As s uch, this paper has the assumption that adding the concept of religious spirituality to drug abuse treatment programs can help decrease the amount of relapses by patients. References Dermatis, H. Guschwan, M.T. Galanter, M. Blun, G. (2004). Patients consider spirituality and self-help approaches vital in TCs. DATA: The Brown University Digest of Addiction Theory Application, 23(7), 1-7. Web. Olmstead, T. A., Abraham, A. J., Martino, S., Roman, P. M. (2012). Counselor training in several evidence-based psychosocial addiction treatments in private US substance abuse treatment centers. Drug Alcohol Dependence, 120(1-3), 149-154. Pearson, F. S., Prendergast, M. L., Podus, D., Vazan, P., Greenwell, L., Hamilton, Z. (2012). Meta-analyses of seven of the National Institute on Drug Abuses principles of drug addiction treatment. Journal Of Substance Abuse Treatment, 43(1), 1-11.

5 Cases of a Missing Hyphen

5 Cases of a Missing Hyphen 5 Cases of a Missing Hyphen 5 Cases of a Missing Hyphen By Mark Nichol In each of the following sentences, omission of a hyphen hinders comprehension; discussion and a revision follows each example. 1. Two and a half months elapse between when the president elect is declared the winner of the election and when he or she takes office. The noun phrase â€Å"president-elect,† based on French syntax (in which adjectives follow nouns), is hyphenated, which helps the reader identify elect as an adjective rather than a verb: â€Å"Two and a half months elapse between when the president-elect is declared the winner of the election and when he or she takes office.† (Phrases referring to mixed fractions, such as â€Å"two and a half,† are often erroneously hyphenated; hyphens are correct only when such a phrase, accompanied by a word referring to a unit of time or distance, collectively modify a noun, such as in â€Å"two-and-a-half-month period.†) 2. I’m just looking for some good tasting coffee. As written, this sentence refers to a type of beverage known as tasting coffee and describes it as good. However, to express a sentiment about coffee that tastes good, hyphenate the phrasal adjective: â€Å"I’m just looking for some good-tasting coffee.† 3. Such documentation requires a decision-tree type approach, in which someone must decide each path to achieve an appropriate control structure. The type of omission illustrated in the previous example can also occur in a phrasal adjective that consists of more than two words. The sentence refers not to a type approach of a decision-tree nature but to an approach of a decision-tree-type nature: â€Å"Such documentation requires a decision-tree-type approach in which someone must decide each path to achieve an appropriate control structure.† 4. It might be a destination you stumbled across on a must-see list on a travel blog or heard was a can’t miss landmark. The writer of this sentence inexplicably correctly hyphenated the phrase â€Å"must see,† which modifies list, but overlooked the necessity of hyphenating the words â€Å"can’t miss,† which serve the same function in describing a kind of landmark: â€Å"It might be a destination you stumbled across on a must-see list on a travel blog or heard was a can’t-miss landmark.† (These phrases should be hyphenated when employed as nouns as well (as in â€Å"The Parthenon is a must-see for visitors to Greece†). 5. The study distinguishes between high and low-risk activities. This sentence refers not to high activities and low-risk activities but to high-risk and low-risk activities, but it does so elliptically, observing the convention that when a two phrasal adjectives in sequence share the same second word, the first can be omitted- but the hyphen must be retained so that the reader knows to supply the implied word: â€Å"The study distinguishes between high- and low-risk activities.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†26 Feel-Good WordsDouble Possessive

Writing about oaranormal such as ghost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Writing about oaranormal such as ghost - Essay Example have had a paranormal experiences, 56% believe that those ghosts are the spirits of the dead, ad over 60% believe that Ouija boards are â€Å"bad news† (Live Science Staff, 2011). As a believer in ghosts I think that there are many instances and locations that have a great deal of activity that can be and has been captured by, both, freelance and professional television ghost seekers. Again, however, for example if a particular show went to a location and could not get a single interesting, suspicious, or peculiar thing to happen, then one has to ask would they fake when necessary in order to improve the show and provide some sort of evidence by the end of the episode? Granted there are many instances, especially in older homes, where the sounds that people are hearing can be debunked as the natural sounds of aging wood, a settling foundation, and air in the pipes. However, when all practical explanations have been considered and accounted for that leaves the unexplainable. Ultimately, when watching these shows one must decide for themselves which seem the most sincere and believable and which seems staged and set up for the benefit of the cameras. I have seen many shows where the evidence was astonishingly strong and others terribly planned and scripted. In others words, television is filled with all kinds, those based on the legitimate research and seekers of scientific proof of the afterlife and those that take advantage of people who are believers. Live Science Staff. (2011, October 11). americans beliefs in paranormal phenomena (infographic). Live Science, 1. Retrieved from

General Background information about Bayer Health Care company Research Paper

General Background information about Bayer Health Care company - Research Paper Example Instead the mission and vision statement for the Bayer group have been given below. The mission statement, features the slogan â€Å"Bayer: Science for a Better Life,† and summarizes the Group’s goals, strategies and values. The mission statement underscores Bayer’s willingness as an inventor company to help shape the future and our determination to come up with innovations that benefit humankind. Of special importance in this respect are new products emerging from Bayer’s active substance research, the consumer health business, the growth markets of Asia and new areas such as biotechnology and nanotechnology. In the future, Bayer will focus on innovation and growth in the areas of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. The company is also driven by a set of values that include: A Will to Succeed; A passion for our stakeholders; Integrity, Openness and honesty; Respect for people and nature; Sustainability of our actions. The Bayer Group was founded in 1863 in Germany and is nearly 150 years old in its operations. As mentioned in the introduction, the company is considered a â€Å"blue-chip† company and the Health Care division is considered a very profitable one. All over the world, the name Bayer is synonymous with Trust, Reliability and Responsibility. The company has other divisions as well though the Pharma division is the one that is the most known of the divisions and is the focus of this paper. To quote from the website, â€Å"Headquartered in Leverkusen,  Bayer HealthCare  researches, develops, manufactures and markets innovative products for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The company thus plays an important part in improving the health of people and animals. This subgroup comprises four global divisions: Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care (Diabetes Care and MEDRAD) and Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany*. Bayer HealthCare has  53,400 employees’ worldwide and generated sales of EUR 15,988

Not-For-Profit Organizations Essay Example for Free

Not-For-Profit Organizations Essay Executive Summary Not-For-Profit organizations are fundamentally different than for-profit, private sector businesses in that they do not have shareholders, their mission statements are focused on furthering a cause rather than just increasing profitability and most Not-For-Profits earn the majority of their revenue through donor contributions. As a result, Not-For-Profit Organizations operate under different reporting requirements than for-profit businesses. In order to provide proper accounting for the numerous activities undertaken by a Not-For-Profit Organization in a given year, it is imperative that one understand the two financial accounting standards that affect Not-For-Profit organizations the most: Statements of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) 116 and 117 which provide guidance on donor contributions and the presentation of the financial statements. The objective of this summary is to provide a high-level overview of the standards and the effect they have on the financial statements of a Not-For-Profit organization. The Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 116 establishes the standards for accounting for contributions received and contributions made to all organizations with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 1994. Contributions are defined by SFAS No. 116 as voluntary transfers in which the donor does not receive any value in return. Donor contributions may include the following resources: Cash, Marketable securities Property and equipment Utilities and Supplies Intangible assets such as intellectual property Professional services SFAS 116 requires that all contributions and unconditional promises to donate in the future, known as pledges, are recognized as revenues at fair value in the period in which they are received. Pledges are recognized as soon as the requirements of a pledge are met and it is no longer contingent on a future event. Additionally, contributions made and received are also recognized at as expenses upon receipt at fair value. The Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 116 also requires organizations to identify those contributions that contain donor-imposed restrictions and the timeframe or requirements for meeting these donor-imposed restrictions. According to SFAS No. 116, organizations must classify contributions into one of the following categories based on the existence or absence of donor imposed stipulations: Permanently Restricted Net Assets Temporarily Restricted Net Assets Unrestricted Net Assets Those assets that are restricted by a donor imposed stipulation of time, a particular purpose or program, or the occurrence of a future event must be set aside and cannot be expended until the restriction has expired through the satisfaction of the donor stipulation. Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 117 is also important in accounting for Not-For-Profit Organizations in that it provides standards for the presentation of the financial statements for organizations with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 1994. Overall, this standard requires that the financial statements provide the necessary information for all of the users of Not-For-Profit financial statements. The standard requires that Not-For-Profit Organizations produce the following financial statements on an annual basis: A statement of financial position (balance sheet) A statement of activities (income statement) A statement of cash flows In the statement of financial position, SFAS No. 117 requires that the  Not-For-Profit organization provide amounts for the total assets, liabilities, and net assets at the end of the fiscal period. Additionally, the statement of financial position must classify the organizations net assets as temporarily restricted, permanently restricted, or unrestricted based on donor imposed stipulations. The statement of activities is required to report to the financial statement users the transactions which caused a change in net assets during the period and the statement of cash flows is must provide a reconciliation of activity between beginning and ending cash balances of the period as either operating activities, financing activities or investing activities. Additional schedules are also required by SFAS No. 117 for special organzations such a voluntary health and wellness organizations that provide unique services related to their cause. Overall, a thorough understanding and application of Statements of Financial Standards No. 116 and 117 allows Not-For-Profit organizations to properly account for their unique activities and provide their financial statement users with relevant, understandable and comparable information in order to assess the financial position of the Not-For-Profit organization over the past fiscal year and going forward into the future.

To Have Or Have Not :: essays research papers

To Have and Have Not Michael Lind Michael Lind wrote the article To Have and Have not about the ever-increasing gap between the rich and the poor. He comments with heart and knowledge on the fact that the prosperous are increasing their wealth by taking from the poor. It sounds like and basically is the story of Robin Hood. He writes about the amount of power the wealthy have, segregated work places, the crooked political system, and tax reforms. But what amazes me the most is that he too is part of the overclass. This first hand knowledge of the system gives Lind such a strong base for his argument, and allows the reader to trust his words that much more. Over the last several years in the United States it has become more and more evident that the gap between the rich and the poor is growing. Not only is the gap growing, but the government is doing very little to stop it. Slowly the poor are being shifted away from the center of wealth and being replaced by the already wealthy. It's a shame how a few people with large cheque books can run the most powerful country in the world, and yet the general public are being redirected to think this problem is a minimal and insignificant issue. The truth is that economic and social inequalities have been growing in the United States at an alarming pace. The inequalities exist because the wealthy want to have more, and the power to obtain more; To do so people must give up their wealth and thus cause the economic gap. Not only is the United States segregated based on the upper class and lower class, it seems that prejudice is also appearing in a hidden manner. Take for example an executive building. You'll notice that everyone working there looks the same. Of course their opinions, value systems, and beliefs may differ, however they are almost always white and mainline protestant. This new and still growing oligarchy is about 20 percent of the population and is evenly spread across every state. What is even more amazing about the American oligarchy is that they pride themselves solely on their individual merit. To them its not because they were born into upper class, nor that they had the opportunity to get an education, but merle on their own IQ, virtue, and genius. Lind uses a great example of this when he says,

Customer Relationship Management in Bahrain Investment Banking Arena Essay

The banking industry has undergone widespread changes within the operating environment and this involves globalization of markets and technological improvements. These two factors have influenced and encouraged innovative practices within the banking industry that has served to enhance its operational efficiency. The introduction of ATMs and e-banking facilities are some of the major milestones in the banking industry that have revolutionized business operations. The global markets have intensified the competitive environment of the banking industry that has created the need for increased efficiency in operations and increasing customer satisfaction. Customers are the lifeblood of any organization and the banking business too depends on the acquisition and retention of consumers for its profitability. Customer relationship management forms a vital aspect of business strategy driving the company’s market shares and market leadership position. Customer relationship management (CRM) has been defined as a business strategy that â€Å"is a fusion of a series of functions, skills, processes, and technologies which together allow companies to more profitably manage (acquire and retain) customers as tangible assets† (Shanmugasundaram, 2008:98). It is viewed as an interactive process that creates a balance between corporate objectives and customer satisfaction to increase the profitability of the business. Acquisition and retention of customers is one of the vital requirements of business and the effectiveness of strategies driven towards this goal determines the success of business enterprises. The past few years have witnessed growing application of CRM in retail banking and investment banking sectors. The key objective behind such initiatives is to ensure the delivery of superior customer service and to fulfil the needs of consumers. Such practices are effective in enabling organizations to meet the needs of the consumers and provide improved services in comparison to other players in the industry. Competitive advantage and business gains are driven by a proactive approach that focuses on consumer needs and expectations, provision of consistently high quality service, looking into consumer convenience and an effective follow up service to ensure consumer loyalty. A vital aspect of investment banking and any other financial services is the changing consumer mindsets. Owing to the abundance of information easily accessible over the Internet the consumers today are more knowledgeable of the wide range of choices and alternatives available to them. The consumers are equipped with more knowledge related to the banking options available and hence their banking decisions are guided by their well-researched study. This fact holds true for all economic sectors and business operations but forms a critical aspect of banking industries since it caters to a diverse segment of consumers. In nearly all business to business markets in which clients are as large as, or as in this case, often much larger than their suppliers, the latter must respond quickly to pressures from their clients to improve client management processes and systems† (Foss & Stone, 2002: 211). CRM in Investment banking sector The short term objective of the marketing department is to acquire customers while the long term objective translates to retaining the old customers through effective customer relationship management (CRM) strategies. Reaching and acquiring a new customer is one thing, keeping the relationship healthy and strong over a long period of time is the mark of the true marketing professional concerned with long term health of the organization† (Dolak, 2009). The increasing competitive market makes it difficult to retain customers over a longer period of time owing to the constant influx of new and substitute alternatives invading the shelf spaces at the local retail shop. This makes the task of CRM increasingly challenging and organizations adopt various strategies to attract old customers back. Retention strategies often employ measures such as consumer behaviour research and product surveys that enable the organizations to assess the needs and expectations of the consumer and enable them to serve better. Customers always appreciate the personal touch that results in building strong relationships. The net today provides numerous effective communication channels that are being used to keep the customer happy. Web based customer relationship management has effectively integrated all modes of communication – web, email, chat, video, voice to serve and support the customers to enhance the total customer experience. Investment banking differs from other forms of banking in the role a few major clients play on the bank’s performance and productivity (Foss & Stone, 2002). This form of banking targets a fixed client segment that drives the sales of investment products and services. The efficiency of the banking sector is determined by the types of products and services sold to customers in response to their investment needs and expectations. Customization of products and services are the key to deriving client satisfaction. Identification of the client segment is a vital factor in targeting and reaching out to the desired client population and this process is driven by market research. The changing demographics and intense competitive pressures from global industry players have however made a significant impact on the business strategies of investment banks worldwide. The challenges faced by investment bankers lie in reaching out to target consumers and providing them with increased ease of banking services that serve to retain clients over a longer period of time. Moreover, the increasing demands of consumers and growing expectations have driven the banking sector to adopt technology based innovative applications for meeting consumer needs and expectations. Online banking services and mobile banking applications are some of the innovative means that are being used by investment bankers to reach out to their target consumers. Such applications have served to improve banking services and efficiencies in resolving customer queries and needs promptly through the click of the mouse button. The anytime and anywhere access to banking services have defined new trends in serving consumers. â€Å"Online customization is one useful customer relationship management strategy adopted by e-business to add value and improve sales of their products and services using the Internet† (Khosla et al. , 2003). Investment banking in Bahrain The banking sector in Bahrain is one of the key sectors influencing economic growth and development in the region. The contribution of the financial services and banking sector is second only to the oil and natural gas industry in the country. The country has experienced an economic boom and an upward trend in economic growth and development over the past few decades on account of globalisation influences and opening of trade channels. The banking sector has also opened to multinational corporations establishing their operations in the country to tap the growing number of high net worth individuals in the country. Despite the globalisation of banking operations and increased de-regulation of the financial services sector in the area the country continues to have a significant control and supervision over the regulatory environment. The Central Bank of Bahrain continues to be monitor and control the banking environment in the country. The modernisation of banking services and strategic approaches made by investment bankers in other parts of the globe have not produced much impact in this region owing to the constraints applied by the existing cultural influence. The retail banking scenario in Bahrain is to a considerable extent driven by the culture of the country. The cultural impacts are realised in the conservative approach of consumers towards banking and investment. Various research studies have concluded that while the region is an emerging market for technology applications and innovative practices, user attitudes have limited the scope of technology based business models in the banking sector. The conservative market environment and user attitudes towards the CRM strategies adopted by investment bankers in Bahrain forms the focal point of the research study. The research study will analyse the various perspectives involved in CRM approach by investment bankers through the study of Unicorn Investment Bank in Bahrain. The bank was founded in the year 2004 and has its headquarters in Bahrain. It is an Islamic financial services group that has an international presence in various locations such as Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and United States. The bank currently has six distinctive business service categories that include asset management and real estate, capital markets, corporate finance, private equity, strategic mergers and acquisitions and treasury. Among the various services offered by the bank the key approach is to deliver the customers with a comprehensive range of investment solutions that are customised to meet client needs and expectations. Unicorn’s integrated product offering and financial engineering skills are closely intertwined with a strong capacity to distribute the Bank’s products and services to a broad client base across the GCC region, the wider Middle East region, Southeast Asia, the USA and the Europe† (Unicorn, 2010). The target customers of the bank include high net worth individuals, business enterprises, financial institutions, corporations, and government agencies and departments. The products offered by the bank are Shari’ah compliant and conforms to the international financial practices (Unicorn, 2010). Issues and challenges â€Å"All major banks have invested heavily in technology and infrastructure over the last 5 and 10 years in this area, but hardly any of them have been successful in actually getting it effective† (Infosys, 2009). The failure of CRM initiatives within the investment banking sector have provided a new ground for research into increasing the effectiveness of CRM applications. There are many strategic implications related to the application of CRM within investment banking sector. This involves the adaptation of normal banking processes and systems to integrate with innovative use of technology based applications and automated query processing systems that require efficient management and handling of issues. Such issues pertain to the efficient use of CRM systems to meet operational goals and integrating the different banking functions to provide a structured application that can be used easily by consumers. Ease of use and convenience are some of the key parameters involved in the development of CRM based banking system. A key challenge facing these areas involves the security and privacy issues that form a major source of concern for consumers using the technology based applications. Technology based business models and CRM strategies enable investment bankers to provide the customers with efficiency in delivery of services, access to relevant information, product details and ease of transactions. Mobile banking and e-banking facilitates the customers of investment banking to a host of facilities that range from product enquiry; access updated rates of interest and market values of the investment products chosen and conducts investment transactions online. Investment portfolios can also be accessed and manipulated according to user convenience from the comforts of their home or office. However, widespread usage of such systems has been restricted on account of user reservations related to security issues and privacy of vital user data and information. Mobile banking and online transactions raise security and privacy concerns among most of the consumers (Barati & Mohammadi, 2009). The transfer of sensitive financial and personal information across mobile networks is found to be the prime reason behind the psychological barriers created among potential mobile banking customers (Laukkanen, 2007).

Accounting Profit vs. Economic Profit. the Necessity of a Management Performance System to Boost Organization’s Performance

Accurate information is a critical input in a decision making process that targets real value creation for shareholders. The objective of this paper is the analysis of two articles of Stern Steward Research, namely â€Å"Accounting is Broken. Here’s How to fix it. A Radical Manifiesto† and â€Å"The capitalism Manifesto. The Transformation of the Corporation – Employee Capitalism –â€Å". Both papers propose a roadmap to fix the conventional accounting shortness through the use of Value Based Management (VBM) as a real and effective management system of value creation and measurement.Economic Value Added (EVA) plays the main role in this management approach, as a very effective performance metric in the alignment of the organization with its ultimate goal of shareholder’s value creation. VIEW OF THE READING In the first paper â€Å"Accounting is Broken. Here’s How to fix it. A Radical Manifiesto†, the accounting related aspects of EV A are discussed, providing a comparison between accounting earnings and economic earnings. Weaknesses of accounting standards are exposed here.The authors suggest a serie of radical reforms for the conventional accounting in order to align conventional with economic accounting in order to provide managers with the information that really matters and avoid mispreactices to deceive shareholders. The paper proposes EVA as a rock solid measure that provides a very clear picture of the organization’s performance. According to the paper accountants should start using economic profit (EVA) to better reflect the economic reality of the organization.Economic earnings underpin the decision making process, clarifying the economic objectives and setting up a target for value creation. The paper highlights the capability of EVA measure to fix some weaknesses of the accounting earnings perspective and proposes some reforms: †¢Cost of equity must be brought into the light of day as a k ey element for the economic profit. Shareholders need and deserve to be compensated for the risk they are taking by investing in a company. †¢Operating decision must be separated from investment and financing decision to avoid manipulation. Intangible assets should be capitalized as investments aimed at the creation of economic profit. †¢Stock options have to be expensed and depreciation and amortization must be better measured. The second paper â€Å"The capitalism Manifesto. The Transformation of the Corporation – Employee Capitalism –â€Å" analyzes the role of EVA measure as a metric of the total organizational productivity and the role it plays or can play in a pay-per-performance incentive plan to align the interest of the owners with the interest of the employees to enhance organization performance.Empowerment and accountability are seen as the basis to boost employee’s performance and the basis to set up incentive programes to stick the gains . The paper presents a deep analysis on the implementation of effective business management and incentive systems down to the shop floor in the European Union. Some examples are presented to explain the potential role of EVA in the implementation of a European policy for incentive plans. According to the paper, executives and frontline employees can or should unify their efforts within the EVA proven management system, to maximize value creation within the organization.The authors propose that decision making process at all levels should be implemented within a management framework where short- and long term incentive plans will be linked to results in form of value creation. Incentive plans should also be linked to cash and equity to guarantee the sustainability of the organization. If the employees can invest in the organization, they will start acting like owners taking right decisions and fostering sustainable growth. MY POINT OF VIEW Both papers assume a shareholder’s va lue perspective: the first and foremost purpose of a Corporation is to maximize shareholder value.This perspective should be brought in balance with the stakeholder’s perspective. Profitability has to be combined with responsibility. According to S. David Young and Stephen F. O’Byrne (2000), the economic pressures that organizations are facing nowadays induce managers, in some cases, to use bad practices in order to deceive shareholders by inflated earnings or not sustainable growth. EVA alone cannot solve this issue. A very clear management system has to be set up with guidelines and accountability for executives. Corporations cannot become economic machines.Responsibility for stakeholders (employees, society, environment, customers) has to play a central role as well. Economic earnings should be the main target, but corporations should be able to provide the needed environment to create the expected value based on ownership, clear economic and financial information, moral recognition, personal growth, empowerment and training. The first paper is a very interesting approach to EVA and to accounting practices. It sheds light on the issue that accounting is not what is used to be and cannot account anymore for what it has to account.Accounting standards lack the ability to control and guide executive behavior. On the other hand, the paper tends to fully disqualify accounting. Conventional accounting has played and will play its role in the society. It is hard to say that accounting is completely responsible for all bad practices and mismanagement cases (Enron, Worldcom, etc). Accounting has its weak points and these weaknesses have been used by irrational managers to inflate value in the shareholder’s eyes. The question is if we are talking about a symptom or about a root cause.We cannot solve the problem working on the symptoms. The root causes have to be found and addressed. In the current competitive environment, managers are struggling with the value creation process. Fierce competition and growing expectations of the shareholders is a killing combination to push managers in the bad path. It is not rare then that some of them make use of bad practices in order to boost value on the short-term, but putting in serious dangerous the future of the organization.In such situation is fair to say that accounting cannot account anymore for what really counts. Accounting standards allow these bad practices. A superior management system is in need. S. David Young and Stephen F. O’Byrne (2000) states that EVA can actually boost productivity and is able to match the interests of shareholders and stakeholders. Decision making process must be decentralized and roll down to the floor. In my experience, executives lack the ability to empower employees.Maybe it is the fear to lose power or that they don’t trust the subordinates. In any case they are missing the possibility to stimulate and motivate employees and the m ost important they are failing to use the advantage of impacting decision making by the ‘time and place’ factors. I think one of the reasons can be that they lack a measure like EVA that can set up the targets for the whole organization, allowing the cascading of the decision making process, improving the performance of the organization through more motivated employees and ownership boosting.EVA can be used at all levels within the organization, stimulating the decision making and risk taking attitude of the employees, since EVA will bring transparency and direction to the objectives to be met to create true value. In this case owners don’t have to worry about the earning sharing and they can start seeing employees as partner with the same objectives and motivations. Nowadays the intellectual capital of a corporation is one of the strongest competitive edges they can create. Employee’s satisfaction must be one of the goals within the organization to make i t sustainable.Employee’s satisfaction cannot be based only on cash or equity. People need a trusty environment where they can interact and reach high productivity levels, based not only on economic incentives, but on total ownership, supported by an increasing role in the decision making process, contributing to the value creation process and ensuring a sustainable growth of the organization. If one takes a closer look at EVA methodology to demonstrate that EVA is not as simple as supporters tell. EVA is a performance measure capable of reliably indicating the intrinsic value of all companies in all times.As a performance metric, EVA remains in control of the corporation and should impact Market Value Added (MVA) on the long term creating true value for the shareholders. With EVA managers have a more effective tool to support their decision making process. The entire metric was developed based on the following three ideas : 1. Cash flows are the best indicators of performance . The accounting distortions must therefore be â€Å"fixed†. Accrual based accounting should be transformed into cash-flow accounting. 2. Some expenses are really investments and should be capitalized on the balance sheet.True investments must therefore be recognized as means to create future cash flow. 3. Equity capital is expensive (or, at the very least, not free). This expense must therefore be accounted for. Investment is an economic decision and opportunity cost should be taken into account. To calculate EVA, two sets of information’s are needed, namely the Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT) and the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC). NOPAT is first calculated based on the Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA).Some adjustments are needed here to account for the correct operating profit of the corporation. Important here is to understand that operating and financing decisions must be evaluated separately. NOPAT provides a very clear picture of the organization operating performance, excluding potential manipulation through financing decisions. On the other hand, WACC is the average of the costs of the financing sources, each of which is weighted by its respective use in the given situation. By taking a weighted average, we can see how much interest the company has to pay for every dollar it finances.WACC demands a very clear policy from the organization about its financial structure (debt and equity relationship) to calculate the cost of the capital. This is a fundament to avoid bad practices, manipulations, abuse of leverage technique through cheaper debts and ineffective decision making process. A very strong and reliable financing structure is needed in order to not compromise the future of the organization and to provide a very solid platform for the economic growth, by choosing projects with a really economic impact on the bottom line. Generally speaking, EVA has a big drawback.As we could se e above, EVA is very far from being a simple metric. The point here is that the implementation of value-added measures such as EVA into a company is a costly and time consuming process . Substantial costs and time are justified only if benefits of optimizing the company’s strategy for value creation can be achieved. A transition to value-added measurements requires serious commitment of the board of directors and senior management to use these measures to manage the business. Every individual in the company must buy into the plan to make it successful.Extensive training and communication effort directed to everyone in the company is also required. EVA may be a complex concept and may not be something the average person/employee/manager/investor is going to understand without big efforts. When it comes to the organizational change required to implement something like EVA, you need to get people on board and it could be a very difficult task and therefore a major obstacle for i ts adoption. EVA should not be viewed as the answer to all things either. It doesn’t solve business problems, which is the manager’s responsibility.In conjunction with MVA, it does provide a meaningful target to pursue for both internally and externally oriented decisions. Managers remain the leaders within the corporations and the one who has to drive the value creation process. Generally speaking, shareholders must be provided with clear data on the corporation performance and on the decision making process. They need and deserve a return on their investment, but it should not be forgotten that their investment decisions involve risk and they must be compensated for this.The cost of the capital should be incorporated. Value creation should be calculated as the difference between NOPAT and capital and its cost. Accounting earnings don’t mean value creation. A Corporation can report net profits that don’t actually mean value creation from the shareholderà ¢â‚¬â„¢s viewpoint. To accomplish this, managers need clear and strong performance metrics able to stretch the corporation to achieve clear performance targets properly aligned with the ultimate goal of creating value. EVA is a metric upon which the whole organization can be build.In the current high competitive market, Value Based Management is a competitive advantage. It aligns the organizations with the expectations of the shareholders, facilitating the decision making process, avoiding accounting manipulation, targeting the ultimate goal of value creation, providing a very unambiguous metric such as EVA to guide the organization through the value creation process and ensuring the long term economic growth of the organization based on clear and transparent management practices.CONCLUSIONS Both papers offer a very clear perspective of the advantages of using EVA. Value Based Management provides Senior Management Teams with a clear benefit since it is able to close the gap between accounting earnings and economic earnings, driving the value within the organization. With EVA, the corporations possesses a metric that drives value and supports the incentive plans to motivate employees and make them to act like owners.Effective implementation could be an issue due to the complexity of the concept, but EVA is nowadays the most effective management approach connecting shareholders and stakeholders to accomplish the ultimate economic goal of the corporation, the value creation. EVA creates a very transparent environment providing more qualitative data to the shareholders about the organization’s performance and the use of the resources. It also provides a more qualitative decision making process in order to satisfy shareholder’s expectations.

American Imperialism essay

American Imperialism essay American Imperialism essay American Imperialism essayAmerican foreign policy generally grew more interventionist and aggressive from the 1890s into the twentieth century because of considerable changes in political, social and economic sectors of the country. The key moments in that development include changing American diplomacy that demonstrated respect to other nations; the promotion of peace and dignity; expansion of foreign commerce, construction of a powerful Navy Fleet, the growth of oversees military bases, promotion of stability and security of the nation. As a result, the ties to Latin American countries became stronger. The greater oversees involvement of the United States improved the country’s social and political position.   Political and economic issues led to the Filipino Insurrection (1899– 1902), including the annexation of the Philippine islands, resistance to colonialism, resistance to the US ruling power, violence and discrimination toward the native population in Philippin es. This conflict was perceived in the United States negatively. The population of Philippines was unfriendly for assimilation and the US had to â€Å"suppress the rebellion against American rule† (Kennedy et al., 2008, p. 685). Americans used different arguments to justify their colonization of the Philippines, including the struggle for freedom of the nation from Spanish oppression. The argument that American presence in Philippines could be viewed as a military imposition was used against colonization. The U.S. wanted to build a canal across Central America in order to use it as a passageway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, expanding trade and improving economy. The Central American canal could reduce the time of travelling. The U.S. eventually accomplished this project through digging the Panama Canal. The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine was an annual message to the US Congress articulated by President Roosevelt that had become an effective pol icy.   In his message, President Roosevelt expanded the Doctrine, stating that the countries of the Western Hemisphere were not open to accepting colonizing power of Europeans, and that the   by United States approach was to preserve existing order, protecting human lives in those countries (Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, 1904). It was used to justify imperialism through its interference the countries of Latin America, building the Panama Canal and providing control over the colonies (Bowles, 2011). In my opinion, the Navy was more influential in this period of imperialism because the United States was focused on expanding its overseas power.

12 Career Options for Political Science Majors

12 Career Options for Political Science Majors Political science majors are popular for a reason: theyre interesting, theyre current, and they open a lot of career opportunities for graduates. Fortunately, political science majors can apply their academic and, often, their political training in a wide range of jobs. 12 Careers for Political Science Majors 1. Work on a political campaign. You majored in political science for a reason. Put your academic interests to the test by working on a political campaign for a candidate youd love to see- and help- make a difference. 2. Work for the federal government. The federal government works in a variety of fields with people of all backgrounds. This offers many opportunities to develop subject matter expertise. Find one branch that interests you the most and see if theyre hiring. 3. Work for the state government. Federal government too big? Give back to your home state, or a new one, by working for the state government. Also, because of federalism, there are certain areas in which states have more control, so some areas of expertise may be a better fit at the state level. 4. Work for the local government. You may want to start off a little smaller and closer to home in your political career. Consider working for the local government, its a great place to get your foot in the door. City and county governments are a good place to start. 5. Work in advocacy for a nonprofit. Nonprofits are often busy working toward their missions- helping kids, fixing the environment, etc.- but they need a lot of help behind the scenes. That includes getting political support for their cause and thats where your degree can help. 6. Work at a politically based website. If you like to write, engage in online discussion, and help create a virtual community, consider working for a politically based website. You could also write for the political section of a website that is broader than politics. 7. Work in government relations in the for-profit sector. Working for a private (or even public) companys government relations department will allow you to blend your interests in politics with the dynamics of working for a specific company. 8. Work in government relations in the nonprofit sector. Interested in government relations but also in helping promote a cause? Many nonprofits, especially larger, national ones, need staff to help with government relations and advocacy. 9. Work for a school. You may not think of working at a school as political in nature, but many institutions- including colleges and universities, as well as K-12 schools- need help with your special skill set. This includes coordinating government relations, advocating for funding, managing regulations, and a whole host of other, interesting responsibilities. 10. Work at a magazine. Many magazines admittedly (or very clearly) have a political tilt. Find one you like and see if theyre hiring. 11. Work for a political party. Consider, for example, checking into whether the Republican or Democratic Party is hiring for its local, state, or national offices. You might surprise yourself with what you end up getting to do! 12. Teach.  Teaching is a great opportunity for the politically minded. You can help inspire a passion for political science and government in your students while also having summers off for your own political work.

Hear Me Out Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hear Me Out - Essay Example I never had to use my health care until a recent illness, and I was shocked to discover how much an emergency room visit costs (even with benefits), and the itemization of the bill was ludircious. For instance, I was charged $38 for a magnesium pill—these can be bought at a drug store at 100 count for less than $10. The doctor, whom I barely saw, charged me close to $900 for being in the hospital for around 4 hours. My bill would have been $8000 without insurance; luckily I had to pay only $2500, still a lot, but not too bad considering the original expense. I see now why so few people can afford this, and why the situation is getting out of control. I am therefore in full agreement of promoting a government-sponsoered health care program to help cut back medical costs. What worries me most at this time is the fact that some of my very close friends do not have health insurance (and they have two 14 month old twin boys). If anything happened to them or the babies, since they a re both without full time jobs (lost due to the economy), they would lose everything. This situation is terrible for many people, and to imagine two hardworking people losing their homes and having to find a way to take care of their babies without a house is a thought I would like to be able to put out of my mind, but I cannot due to the current situation. This brings me now to my fear about the economy. Like my friends I mentioned, many people are unemployed and searching for work unsuccessfully. The true problem with this is the fact that jobs are not out there, and some states are hurting because of the economy. They are less and less able to provide unemployment. Of course, this will only make things worse for the economy. If these people are not able to get unemployment checks to survive, they will lose their homes and not have the money to spend on groceries or anything else to

The shift from specific social science subjects to current Essay

The shift from specific social science subjects to current multidisciplinary approaches - Essay Example The changes this is creating leads into a different set of definitions of what it means to receive a specific education while having the correct approaches to learning within the classroom. Exploring the understanding of movement from social studies and sciences into multidisciplinary approaches to learning within the classroom also conveys a deeper understanding of how education can work from a variety of perspectives and in terms of the necessary components of teaching, education and how learning can be enhanced by using a variety of approaches. However, a variety of perspectives and studies all relate to different factors which change the understanding and outcome of social sciences and learning with multidisciplinary approaches. The traditional approach to teaching the social sciences is based on offering historical facts and figures while moving through highlighted events within history. This particular approach in the curriculum is one which is now being recognized as ineffective. While the historical facts and figures are developed with student retention, there is often little to no association with the facts and figures to the current events. This is combined with the lack of understanding of how the particular historical events affect those who are a citizen of a particular country. The ideology of multidisciplinary learning challenges the concept of traditional learning to an expanded curriculum. The ideology is to create a personal relationship to the materials while expanding the awareness of students with the material that is being learned. Multidisciplinary ideologies consist of everything from adding in personal and social relationships to the material to combining the curriculum with other format s of teaching, such as other topics or literature. The initiative which is taken is based on a re-examination of the materials which are being taught and what this means to students when they are beginning to understand the philosophies of social studies and the importance which this holds (Clark, 2008). Citizenship Education The first approach which is now considered with multidisciplinary education and social studies is citizenship education. There are many which are showing that the concept of history is not only to learn about historical facts and figures. There is also a direct correlation between the approach with citizenship to a country and the way in which one’s perspective alters toward the country. If there is not the ability to understand the historical factors within a country, then one cannot become a responsible citizen while having different opinions, social responsibilities and political actions which are taken. By changing the curriculum to incorporate socia l responsibility and citizenship, there is also the ability to begin altering the way in which social and cultural movements occur in terms of political terms and conditions. Changing the approaches to teaching so it correlates with meaning behind being a citizen is one which is then able to develop a different alternative in terms of educational development as well as the relationship which one holds to the historical ideologies which are taking place through current events. There are a variety of factors which show that social studies are not only linked to the main topic and sets of facts but also to other multidisciplinary approaches. The first is with the understanding of citizenship and what it means to be a part of a nation. The concept of being a citizen within a nation becomes an important term. It links directly to the understanding of the country, relationships to different historical facts and the responsibility which one takes in turn of being a citizen. However, this c annot be

Psychology 14 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Psychology 14 - Essay Example Kohlbergs moral stages are applicable in different spheres of life. In explaining the situation facing the Christians, the six stages in all the three levels are used. According to Kohlberg (1984), the first level, known as Preconventional or the premoral is concerned with an individuals’ level of responsiveness to both rules their evaluative labels. It views them in terms of either their pleasant or unpleasant consequences of action. Characteristics of the first stage include obedience and punishment orientation, which major concern is on the objectiveness of the responsibility. With reference to this stage, the Christians disobeyed the law and therefore liable for punishment. The second stage, which Kohlberg described as naively egoistic orientation defines the right action as a parson’s means through which they can personally satisfy their needs as well as that of others. With personal satisfaction being essential in this stage, the actions taken by the Christians we re justified. The second level is defined by conventional or role conformity. In this level, it points out that the moral values guide a person in performing the right role in maintaining the conventional order as well as accomplishing the desire of other people but still maintaining his own right. In this level, the third stage defines the good boy or the good girl orientation, geared towards pleasing other people (Nisha, 2006). There was no need to intentions of the Christians in pleasing Nero and this meant that they were not wrong in their actions. Evaluation of the action taken by an individual is in terms of the personal orientations. The fourth stage, authority and social-order-maintaining orientation, means that the orientation of showing any form of respect to the people as a duty and maintain any form of social order did not justify the actions of these Christians in any way, and thus were supposed to be punished. The third level, the postconventional or

Mcdonalds Corporation Is The Worlds Largest Chain Marketing Essay

Mcdonalds Corporation Is The Worlds Largest Chain Marketing Essay McDonalds Corporation is the worlds largest chain of fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily through more than 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries worldwide. McDonalds sells various fast food items and soft drinks including, burgers, chicken, salads, fries, and ice cream. Many McDonalds restaurants have included a playground for children and advertising geared toward children, and some have been redesigned in a more natural style, with a particular emphasis on comfort: introducing lounge areas and fireplaces, and eliminating hard plastic chairs and tables. Each McDonalds restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. The corporations revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. McDonalds revenues grew 27% over the three years ending in 2007 to $22.8 billion, and 9% growth in operating income to $3.9 billion.  [1]   History analysis: The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California. Their introduction of the Speedee Service System in 1948 established the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant. The original mascot of McDonalds was a man with a chefs hat on top of a hamburger shaped head whose name was Speedee. Speedee was eventually replaced with Ronald McDonald in 1963. The present corporation dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955 , the ninth McDonalds restaurant overall. Kroc later purchased the McDonald brothers equity in the company and led its worldwide expansion and the company became listed on the public stock markets in 1965. With the expansion of McDonalds into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of life. Its prominence has also made it a frequent topic of public debates about obesity, corporate ethics and consumer responsibility.  [2]   Vision To be the best and leading fast food provider around the globe Mission McDonalds brand mission is to be our customers favorite place and way to eat, and improve our operations to provide the most delicious fast food that meet our customers expectations. Values Our values summarized in Q.S.C. V.. Provide good quality, services to customer. Have a cleanliness environment when customer enjoys their meal. The value of food product makes every customer is smiling. Suppliers Substitutes Buyers Potential entrants Competitive rivalryThe Five Forces Framework The Threat of Entrants Large established companies with strong brand identities such as McDonalds BKC, YUM, and WEN do make it more difficult to enter and succeed within the marketplace; new entrants find that they are faced with price competition from existing chain restaurants. Bargaining Power of Buyers Low bargaining power of buyers. Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of suppliers within the fast food industry would be relatively small, unless the main ingredient of the product is not readily available. Threat of Substitutes This could range from a competitive fast food restaurant to family restaurant to a home cooked meal. Competitive Rivalry The strength of competition in this industry is very high; the main rivals are BKC, YUM, and WEN. They compete with international, national, regional, local, retailers of food products (restaurants, quick service, pizza, coffee shops, and supermarkets). PESTEL Framework: Political: The international operations of McDonalds are highly influenced by the individual state policies enforced by each government. Economic: McDonalds has the tendency to experience hardship in instances where the economy of the respective states is hit by inflation and changes in the exchange rates. Market leader. Very high target market. Low cost and more incomes. The rate at which the economy of that particular state grows determines the purchasing power of the consumers in that country. Social: Working within many social groups. Increase employments. Technological Advanced technology development. Quality standards. Environmental: Quality packing. Local manufacture using foreign supplies. Legal: Legislation for product. Sustained logo. SWOT ANALYSIS Opportunities Threats Growing health trends among consumers Globalization, expansion in other countries (especially in China India). Diversification and acquisition of other quick-service restaurants. Growth of the fast-food industry. Worldwide deregulation. Low cost menu that will attract the customers. Freebies and discounts. Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonalds of contributing to the countrys health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity. The relationship between corporate level McDonalds and its franchise dealers. McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically. Anti-American sentiments. Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies. Fast-food chain industry is expected to struggle to meet the expectations of the customers towards health and environmental issues. Strength Weakness Strong brand name, image and reputation. Large market share. Strong global presence. Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University. McDonalds Plan to win focuses on people, products, place, price and promotion. Strong financial performance and position. Unhealthy food image. High Staff Turnover including Top management Customer losses due to fierce competition. Legal actions related to health issues; use of trans fat beef oil. Uses HCFC-22 to make polystyrene that is contributing to ozone depletion. Ignoring breakfast from the menu. COMPARISION McDonalds Burger King Yum Brands Wendys Critical Success Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Price 0.15 4 0.60 3 0.45 3 0.45 3 0.45 Financial Position 0.08 4 0.32 3 0.32 3 0.24 2 0.16 Consumer Loyalty 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.40 3 0.30 2 0.20 Advertising 0.10 3 0.30 3 0.30 4 0.40 2 0.20 Product Quality 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.40 4 0.40 2 0.20 Innovation 0.15 3 0.45 3 0.45 3 0.45 2 0.30 Market Share 0.10 4 0.40 2 0.20 3 0.30 2 0.20 Management 0.07 4 0.28 3 0.21 3 0.21 3 0.21 Global Expansion 0.15 4 0.60 2 0.30 3 0.45 1 0.15 Total 1 3.75 3.03 3.20 2.07 External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix Key External Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Opportunities Growing health trends among consumers 0.08 3 0.24 Globalization, expansion in other countries (especially in China India). 0.12 4 0.48 Diversification and acquisition of other quick-service restaurants. .04 3 0.12 Growth of the fast-food industry. .10 3 0.30 Worldwide deregulation .04 2 0.08 Low cost menu that will attract the customers. .08 2 0.16 Freebies and discounts. .08 1 0.08 Threats Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonalds of contributing to the countrys health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity. 0.10 3 0.30 The relationship between corporate level McDonalds and its franchise dealers. 0.09 3 0.27 McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically. 0.12 4 0.48 Anti-American sentiments. .07 2 .14 Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies. .04 3 .12 Fast-food chain industry is expected to struggle to meet the expectations of the customers towards health and environmental issues. .04 2 .08 Total 1.00 2.85 Financial Ratio Analysis 12/2007 Growth Rates % McDonalds Industry SP 500 Sales (Qtr vs year ago qtr) -3.30 4.20 -3.80 Net Income (YTD vs YTD) 84.70 47.90 8.40 Net Income (Qtr vs year ago qtr) -22.60 -59.90 -94.80 Sales (5-Year Annual Avg.) 6.53 8.14 13.26 Net Income (5-Year Annual Avg.) 23.39 15.30 14.45 Dividends (5-Year Annual Avg.) 32.36 22.36 12.30 Price Ratios Current P/E Ratio 14.7 14.2 13.0 P/E Ratio 5-Year High N/A 9.5 12.5 P/E Ratio 5-Year Low N/A 4.7 2.0 Price/Sales Ratio 2.62 1.88 1.47 Price/Book Value 4.62 3.54 3.00 Price/Cash Flow Ratio 11.20 10.00 9.00 Profit Margins % Gross Margin 36.7 32.1 39.4 Pre-Tax Margin 26.2 17.2 13.2 Net Profit Margin 18.3 12.0 9.1 5Yr Gross Margin (5-Year Avg.) 33.9 33.3 39.1 5Yr PreTax Margin (5-Year Avg.) 19.8 14.2 16.6 5Yr Net Profit Margin (5-Year Avg.) 13.7 9.8 11.45 Financial Condition Debt/Equity Ratio 0.76 .80 1.03 Current Ratio 1.4 1.2 1.4 Quick Ratio 1.3 1.1 1.1 Interest Coverage N/A 1.2 29.9 Leverage Ratio 2.1 -5.3 1.9 Book Value/Share 12.00 10.00 19.75 Investment Returns % Return On Equity 32.2 44.4 27.9 Return On Assets 14.9 11.3 8.1 Return On Capital 17.0 13.7 11.2 Return On Equity (5-Year Avg.) 19.7 22.8 20.6 Return On Assets (5-Year Avg.) 10.0 8.98 8.5 Return On Capital (5-Year Avg.) 11.4 11.0 11.5 Management Efficiency Income/Employee 10,783 9,401 91,499 Revenue/Employee 58,806 98,207 1,000,000 Receivable Turnover 23.7 44.7 15.8 Inventory Turnover 125.7 98.7 12.3 Asset Turnover 0.8 1.1 1.0 Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix Key Internal Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Strengths Strong brand name, image and reputation. 0.12 4 0.48 Large market share. 0.10 4 0.40 Strong global presence. 0.04 3 0.12 Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University. 0.04 3 0.12 McDonalds Plan to Win focuses on people, products, place, price and promotion 0.12 4 0.48 Strong financial performance and position. 0.08 4 0.32 Introduction of new products. 0.06 4 0.24 Customer focus (centric). 0.06 4 0.24 Strong performance in the global marketplace. 0.08 4 0.32 Weaknesses Unhealthy food image. 0.08 1 0.08 High Staff Turnover including Top management 0.04 1 0.10 Customer losses due to fierce competition. 0.04 1 0.04 Legal actions related to health issues; use of trans fat beef oil. 0.04 2 0.08 McDonalds uses HCFC-22 to make polystyrene that is contributing to ozone depletion. 0.04 2 0.08 Ignoring breakfast from the menu. 0.06 1 0.06 Total 1.00 3.16 SPACE Matrix Financial Strength Rating Environmental Stability Rating Return on investment 4 Rate of inflation -3 Leverage 4 Demand Changes -3 Net Income 6 Price Elasticity of demand -1 EPS 5 Competitive pressure -3 ROE 5 Barriers to entry new markets -3 Cash Flow 4 Risk involved in business -2 Average 4.67 Average -2.5 Y-axis 2.17 Competitive Advantage Rating Industry Strength Rating Market share -1.00 Growth potential 5 Product Quality -1.00 Financial stability 5 Customer Loyalty -1.00 Ease of entry new markets 4 Control over other parties -2.00 Resources utilization 4 Profit potential 5 Demand variability 3 Average -1.25 Average 4.33 X-axis 3.08 Directional vector point is 🙠 3.08, 2.17) Conservative Aggressive Competitive Defensive FS IS CA ES Grand Strategy Matrix Quadrant II Quadrant I Quadrant IV Quadrant III Rapid Market Growth Strong Competitive Position Weak Competitive Position Slow Market Growth The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix Question Marks Cash Cows Dogs Relative Market Share Position Industry Sales Growth Rate Stars MCD The Internal-External (IE) Matrix The IFE Total Weighted Score Strong Average Weak 3.0 to 4.0 2.0 to 2.99 1.0 to 1.99 III II I High 3.0 to 3.99 VI V IV The EFE Total Weighted Score McDonaldsMedium 2.0 to 2.99 IX VIII VII Low 1.0 to 1.99 The Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) Strategy 1 Expand further in Asia by adding 500 restaurants Strategy 2 Applying 0 grams Trans fat in all worldwide McDonalds restaurants Key Internal Factors Weight AS TAS AS TAS Strengths   Strong brand name, image and reputation 0.12 4 0.48 4 0.48 Large market share 0.10 4 0.40 2 0.20 Strong global presence 0.04 4 0.12 2 0.08 Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University 0.04 McDonalds Plan to Win focuses on people, products, place, price and promotion 0.12 4 0.48 4 0.48 Strong financial performance and position 0.08 4 0.32 4 0.32 Introduction of new products 0.06 Customer focus (centric) 0.06 1 0.06 4 0.24 Strong performance in the global marketplace 0.08 3 0.24 1 0.08 Weaknesses Unhealthy food image 0.08 1 0.08 4 0.32 High Staff Turnover including Top management 0.10 Customer losses due to fierce competition 0.04 3 0.12 1 0.04 Legal actions related to health issues; use of trans fat beef oil 0.04 1 0.04 4 0.16 Uses HCFC-22 to make polystyrene that is contributing to ozone depletion 0.04 SUBTOTAL 1.00 2.34 2.40 Strategy 1 Expand further in Asia by adding 500 restaurants Strategy 2 Applying 0 grams Trans fat in all worldwide McDonalds restaurants Key External Factors Weight AS TAS AS TAS Opportunities Growing health trends among consumers 0.08 1 0.08 4 0.32 Globalization, expansion in other countries (especially in China India) 0.12 4 0.48 1 0.12 Diversification and acquisition of other quick-service restaurants 0.04 Growth of the fast-food industry 0.10 4 0.40 4 0.40 Worldwide deregulation 0.04 4 0.16 1 0.04 Low cost menu that will attract the customers 0.08 Freebies and discounts 0.08 Threats Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonalds of contributing to the countrys health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity 0.10 1 0.10 4 0.40 The relationship between corporate level McDonalds and its franchise dealers 0.09 4 0.36 1 0.09 McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically 0.12 4 0.48 4 0.48 Anti-American sentiments 0.07 Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies 0.04 Fast-food chain industry is expected to struggle to meet the expectations of the customers towards health and environmental issues 0.04 1 0.04 4 0.16 SUBTOTAL 1.00 2.10 2.01 SUM TOTAL ATTRACTIVENESS SCORE 4.44 4.41 . Conclusion McDonalds faces some difficult challenges. Key to its future success will be maintaining its core strengths-an unwavering focus on quality and consistency-while carefully experimenting with new options. These innovative initiatives could include launching higher-end restaurants under new brands that wouldnt be saddled with McDonalds fast-food image. The company could also look into expanding more aggressively abroad where the prospects for significant growth are greater.   The companys environment efforts, while important, should not overshadow its marketing initiatives, which are what the company is all about. Recommendations Expand further into Asia markets over a 2-year period by adding 500 restaurants per year at a cost of $4 billion annually, and applying 0 grams Trans fat in all worldwide McDonalds restaurants.

Retrocasualty in Time Travel Essay -- Science

â€Å"Can the future affect the present, and can the present affect the past?†(1) This is the question posed by the philosophical concept of retrocasualty – the product of time travel to the past. Time travel has been a common staple in science fiction writing, so many of its explanations owe their origins to tales of protagonists discovering its often confusing implications. Many people may already have a great understanding of a few hypothesized behaviors of time travel due to popular media, such as Back to the Future, Star Trek, and many other works of fiction. Currently, scientific knowledge is too premature to know if time travel is possible, no less how it behaves, so questions and answers are open for anybody to contemplate. The most famous question of time travel is the one posed by the temporal paradox, in which the time traveler invokes a condition which causes the circumstances that led up to time travel, or the time traveler’s presence, to become impo ssible. Many theories have attempted to answer this paradox, introducing behaviorally diverse concepts such as merging time lines, multiple dimensions, or a nature of time where everything is predestined. The act of time travel can produce radically different effects, depending on which solution to the temporal paradox is applied. The largest difference between expressed solutions to the temporal paradox is in what degree they assume deterministic behavior of the time line. The time line protection hypothesis(2) is a rigidly deterministic solution to the temporal paradox, one that hypothesizes that any action that can cause a paradox will ultimately fail, due to some unforeseen twist of fate. This paradox assumes that all time travel to the past is (or will) become part of t... ... then, it will remain an elusive tool for science fiction and philosophical contemplation. Works Cited â€Å"Retrocasualty.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010 2) â€Å"Temporal Paradox – Time Line Protection Hypothesis.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010 3) â€Å"Temporal Paradox – Harmony Theory.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010 4) â€Å"Temporal Paradox – Temporal Merging Hypothesis.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010 5) â€Å"Temporal Paradox – Time Line Protection Hypothesis.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010 Retrocasualty in Time Travel Essay -- Science â€Å"Can the future affect the present, and can the present affect the past?†(1) This is the question posed by the philosophical concept of retrocasualty – the product of time travel to the past. Time travel has been a common staple in science fiction writing, so many of its explanations owe their origins to tales of protagonists discovering its often confusing implications. Many people may already have a great understanding of a few hypothesized behaviors of time travel due to popular media, such as Back to the Future, Star Trek, and many other works of fiction. Currently, scientific knowledge is too premature to know if time travel is possible, no less how it behaves, so questions and answers are open for anybody to contemplate. The most famous question of time travel is the one posed by the temporal paradox, in which the time traveler invokes a condition which causes the circumstances that led up to time travel, or the time traveler’s presence, to become impo ssible. Many theories have attempted to answer this paradox, introducing behaviorally diverse concepts such as merging time lines, multiple dimensions, or a nature of time where everything is predestined. The act of time travel can produce radically different effects, depending on which solution to the temporal paradox is applied. The largest difference between expressed solutions to the temporal paradox is in what degree they assume deterministic behavior of the time line. The time line protection hypothesis(2) is a rigidly deterministic solution to the temporal paradox, one that hypothesizes that any action that can cause a paradox will ultimately fail, due to some unforeseen twist of fate. This paradox assumes that all time travel to the past is (or will) become part of t... ... then, it will remain an elusive tool for science fiction and philosophical contemplation. Works Cited â€Å"Retrocasualty.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010 2) â€Å"Temporal Paradox – Time Line Protection Hypothesis.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010 3) â€Å"Temporal Paradox – Harmony Theory.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010 4) â€Å"Temporal Paradox – Temporal Merging Hypothesis.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010 5) â€Å"Temporal Paradox – Time Line Protection Hypothesis.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 05:51, 11 October 2010

Internetworking End-to-End Requirements Essay

– Hence such characteristics as: performance, reliability, scalability, mobility, and QoS of DS are impacted by the underlying network technology and the OS ? Principles of computer networking – Every network has: ? An architecture or layers of protocols ? Packet switching for communication ? Route selection and data streaming ? Comm Subsystems (network technologies rest on): – Transmission media: wires, cables, fiber, wireless (sat, IR, RF, mwave) – Hardware devices: routers, switches, bridges, hubs, repeaters, network interfaces/card/transceivers. – Software components: protocol stacks, comm handlers/drivers, OS primitives, network-focus APIs ? Hosts – The computers and end-devices that use the comm subsystem – Subnet: A single cluster or collection of nodes, which reach each other on the same physical medium and capable of routing outgoing and incoming messages – The Internet is a collection of several subnets (or intranets) ? Networking issues for distributed systems – Initial requirements for DS applications: ftp, rlogin, email, newsgroup – Subsequent generation of DS applics. : on-line shared resources. – Current requirements: performance, reliability, scalability, mobility, security, QoS, multicasting ? Performance – Key: time to deliver unit(s) of messages between a pair of interconnected computers/devices – point-to-point latency (delay) from sending out of outgoing-buffer and receiving into incoming-buffer. Usually due to software overheads, traffic load, and path selection – Data transfer/bit rate: speed of data transfer between 2 computers (bps). Usually due to physical properties of the medium. ? Message trans time = latency + length/bit-rate ? Bandwidth vs. bit-rate. – The total system bandwidth (volume of data sent and received in a unit time, e. g. , per sec. ) is a measure of its throughput – Bit rate or transfer rate is restricted to the medium’s ability to propagate individual bits/signals in a unit time – In most LANs, e. g. , Ethernet’s, when full transmission capacity is devoted to messaging (with little or no latency), then bandwidth and bit-rate are same in measure – Local memory vs network resources: ? Applications access to shared resources on same network usually under msec ? Applications access to local memory usually under msec (1000x faster)? However, for high speed network web-server, with caches, the access time is much faster (than local disk access due to hard disk latency) ? Scalability (Internet and DSs) – Future growth of computing nodes of Internet (hosts, switches) in 109’s (100’s of 106 hosts alone) – Requires substantial changes to routing and addressing schemes (more later! ) – Current traffic (load) on Internet approx. measured by the latencies (see www. mids. org), which seem to have reduced (with advances in medium and protocol types). – Future growth and sustainability depend on economies of use, charge rate, locality/placement of shared resource? Reliability – Failures are typically, not due to the physical medium, but at the end-end (at host levels) software (application-level), therefore, error detection/correction is at the level – Suggesting that the communication subsystem need not be error-free (made transparent/hidden to user) because reliability is somewhat guaranteed at the send/receiver ends (where errors may be caused by, e. g. , buffer overflow, clock drifts causing premature timeouts) ? Security – Most intranets are protected from external (Internet-wide) DSs by firewall. – A firewall protects all the resources of an organized from unlawful/malicious access by external users, and control/monitoring of use of resources outside the firewall – A firewall (bundle of security software and network hardware) runs on a gateway – the entry/exit point of the corporate intranet – A firewall is usually configured based on corporate security policy, and filters incoming and outgoing messages. – To go beyond firewalls, and grant access to world- or Internet-wide resources, end-to-end authentication, privacy, and security (Standards) are needed to allow DSs to function – E. g., techniques are Cryptographic and Authentication – usually implemented at a level above the communication subsystem – Virtual Private Network (VPN) security concept allows intranet-level protection of such features/devices as local routers and secure links to mobile devices ? Mobility – Need wireless to support portable computers and hand-held devices – Wireless links are susceptible to, e. g. , eavesdropping, distortions in medium, out-of-sight/range transmitters/receivers – Current addressing and routing schemes are based on ‘wired’ technologies, which have been adapted and, therefore, not perfect and need extensions? QoS (Quality of Service) – Meeting deadlines and user requirements in transmitting/processing streams of real-time multimedia data – E. g. , QoS requirements: guaranteed bandwidth, timely delivery or bounded latencies, or dynamic readjustments to requirements ? Multicasting – Most transmissions are point-to-point, but several involve one-to-many (either one-to-all – broadcast or selective broadcast – multicast) – Simply sending the same message from one node to several destinations is inefficient – Multicasting technique allows single transmission to multiple destination (simultaneously) by using special addressing scheme 3. Multimedia Transmission and Internetworking Heterogeneous Systems ? Types of Networks – LANs: (confined to smaller, typically, 2. 5km diameter spread) ? higher speed, single medium for interconnection (twisted pair, coax, opt), no routing within ‘segments’ – all point-to-point (from hub), inter-segment connections via switches/hubs, low latency, low error rate ? E. g. , Ethernet, token ring, slotted ring protocols, wired. (1) Ethernet: 1970 with bandwidth of 10Mbps, with extended versions of 100/1000Mbps, lacking latency and bandwidth QoS for DSs: (2) ATM – using frame cells and optical fills the gap but expensive for LAN, newer high-speed Ethernets offer improvement and cost-effective – MANs: (confined to extended, regional area, typically, up to 50km spread) ? Based on high-bandwidth copper and fiber optics for multimedia (audio/video/voice), ? E. g. , technologies: ATM, high-speed Ethernet (IEEE 802. 6 – protocols for MANs), DSL (digital subscriber line) using ATM switches to switch digitized voice over twisted pair @ 0. 25-6Mbps within 1. 5km, cable modem uses coax @ 1. 5Mpbs using analog signaling on TV networks and longer distances than DSL – WANs: (worldwide, lower speeds over sets of varying types of circuits with routers) ? High latency (due to switching and route searching) between 0. 1-0. 5s, signaling speed around 3x105km/s (bounds latency) plus propagation delay (round-trip) of about 0. 2s if using satellite/geostationary dishes; generally slower at 10-100kbps or best 1-2Mbps – Wireless: (connecting portable, wearable devices using access points) ? Common protocol – IEEE 802. 11 (a, b, and now g) (WaveLAN) @ 2-11Mbps (11g’s bandwidth near 54Mbps) over 150m creating a WLANs, some mobiles connected to fixed devices – printers, servers, palmtops to create a WPANs (wireless personal area networks) using IR links or low-powered Bluetooth radio network tech @ 1-2Mbps over 10m. ? Most mobile cell phones use Bluetooth tech. e. g. , European GSM standard and US, mostly, analog-based AMP cellular radio network, atop by CDPD – cellular digital packet data communication system, operating over wider areas at lower speed 9. 6-19. 2kbps.? Tiny screens of mobiles and wearables require a new WAP protocol – Internetworks ? Building open, extendible system for DSs, supporting network heterogeneity, multi-protocol system involving LANs, MANs, WLANs, connected by routers and gateways with layers of software for data and protocol conversions – creating a ‘virtual network’ using underlying physical networks ? E. g. , the Internet using TCP/IP (over several other physical protocols) – Comparisons ? Range of performance characteristics: ? Frequency and types of failures, when used for DS applics? Packet delivery/loss, duplicates (masked at TCP level to guarantee some reliability and transparency to DSs; but may use UDP – faster but less reliable and DS applic’s responsibility to guarantee reliability) Diagram 3. 2 Network Principles †¢ Packet Transmission †¢ Packet transmission superseded telephone/telegraph switched network †¢ Messages are packetized and packets are queued, buffered (in local storage), and transmitted when lines are available using asynchronous transmission protocol †¢ Data Streaming †¢ Multimedia data can’t be packetized due to unpredicted delays. AV data are streamed at higher frequency and bandwidth at continuous flow rate †¢ Delivery of multimedia data to its destination is time-critical / low latency – requiring end-to-end predefined route †¢ E. g. networks: ATM, IPv6 (next generation – will separate ‘steamed’ IP packets at network layer; and use RSVP (resource reserv. protocol) resource/bandwidth prealloc and RTP play-time/time-reqs (real-time transp protocol) at layers 3 & 1, respectively) to work ? Switching Schemes – 4 Kinds of switching methods typically used. – Broadcast – no switching logic, all nodes ‘see’ signals on circuits/cells (e.g. , Ethernet, wireless networks) – Circuit Switching – Interconnected segments of circuits via switches/exchange boxes, e. g. , POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) – Packet Switching – Developed as computing tech advanced with processors and storage spaces using store-and-forward algorithms and computers as switches. Packets are not sent instantaneously, routed on different links, reordered, may be lost, high latency (few msec – msecs). Extension to switch audio/video data brought integration of ‘digitized’ data for computer comm. , telephone services, TV, and radio broadcasting, teleconferencing. – Frame Relay – PS (not instantaneous, just an illusion! ), but FR, which integrates CS and PS techniques, streams smaller packets (53 byte-cells called frames) as bits at processing nodes. E. g. , ATM – Protocols – – Protocols – implemented as pairs of software modules in send/receive nodes, – Specify the sequence of messages for transmission – Specify the format of the data in the messages – Protocols Layers – layered architecture, following the OSI suite – packets are communicated as peer-to-peer transmission but effected vertically across layers by encapsulation method over a physical medium Protocols Suites – The 7-layered architecture of the ISO-OSI †¢ Each layer provides service to the layer above it and extends the service provided by the layer below it †¢ A complete set of protocol layers constitute a suite or stack †¢ Layering simplifies and generalizes the software interface definitions, but costly overhead due to encapsulations and protocol conversions Diagram 3. 3 4. Service Provider Management On the Internet, a management service provider (MSP) is a company that manages information technology services for other companies. For example, a company could hire an MSP to configure and administer its business computers and related systems on a continuing basis, saving the company. An MSP is a service provider that offers system and network management tools and expertise. An MSP typically has its own data center that runs advanced network management software such as HP OpenView or Tivoli. It uses these tools to actively monitor and provide reports on aspects of its customer’s networks, including communication links, network bandwidth, servers, and so on. The MSP may host the customer’s Web servers and application servers at its own site. The services provided by MSPs have been called â€Å"Web telemetry† services. The MSP Association defines MSPs as follows: Management Service Providers deliver information technology (IT) infrastructure management services to multiple customers over a network on a subscription basis. Like Application Service Providers (ASPs), Management Service Providers deliver services via networks that are billed to their clients on a recurring fee basis. Unlike ASPs, which deliver business applications to end users, MSPs deliver system management services to IT departments and other customers who manage their own technology assets. TriActive is an example of an MSP. It provides management and monitoring of PCs, servers, networks, and Web sites from its own NOC (network operations center), which is hosted by Exodus Communications. Exodus ensures that the NOC has fully redundant power, network connectivity, routing, and switching to ensure maximum reliability and integrity. A â€Å"microagent† interacts with customer systems to provide system management. The agent is lightweight and designed for use over the Internet. It acts as a universal agent invoking and managing other agents and programs as required for specific actions. The service is delivered via the Web through a secure Internet portal that lets customers view management information, based on their role in the organization. For example, CIOs can view overall management information while help desk technicians can check call queues, escalations, and open ticket status. Systems analysts can conduct asset inventories and view virus reporting. Objective Systems Integrators is another management service provider that provides software solutions for unified network, service application, and process management. OSI was recently acquired by Agilent Technologies. A list of other MSPs may be found at the MSP Association Web site. Web application and infrastructure monitoring and management have suddenly become critical, yet the tools to do them are lacking. Management service providers (MSP), the latest addition to the current slew of service providers, claim to offer products and services that will oversee your Web operations. Companies staking claims as early MSPs include Candle Corp. in Santa Monica, Calif. ; InteQ Corp. in Burlington, Mass. ; and Nuclio Corp. in Skokie, Ill. What makes MSPs distinctive is that their products and services are provided over the Internet on a subscription basis. That means â€Å"MSPs can achieve economies of scale that companies who license software cannot,† says Christopher Booth, head of technical operations at FreightWise Inc. , a Forth Worth, Texas-based online transportation exchange. Though he declined to say how much his company is paying to use Nuclio’s MSP, Booth did say that the service has been â€Å"very advantageous. † The cost savings that MSPs can pass on may help them catch on with corporate customers. Gartner Group Inc. in Stamford, Conn., estimates that the $90 million MSP market will balloon to more than $3. 25 billion by 2005. 5. Programmable/Cognitive Networks A key strength of the Internet has been to reduce the intelligence within the network to that required placed at strategic places within the network such as at administrative boundaries, or at locations where there is a large mismatch between bandwidth, or where the certain location specific services can be used. Others believe that the entire architecture should be rethought as a computational environment, in which everything can be programmed, and the entire network becomes active. The research in this area is aimed at discovering how viable it is to open up such elements of the communications architecture as the routing table. A fundamental question raised by both the active service and the active network approaches is how to ensure that the shared resource of the network remains safe and is protected from misbehaving programs. Programs can abuse the network by generating packet explosions and can abuse the shared processor by using all the memory and the processor cycles. Worse, they may subvert the working of correct programs so that they too break. If network programmability is going to be available to the application designers, we need to ensure that they do not break things by accident, let alone by intention. Traditional systems approaches to protection are based upon what a program should be able to do, then using runtime checks to ensure that the program doesn’t exceed these bounds. This leads to the sandbox model of protection, as used in Java and enhanced to provide protection for Active Networks. However, there are major problems with this approach. First, each runtime check reduces the performance of the system, increasing the overhead of each use of system resources. Second, it is very difficult to ensure that the protection mechanisms are correct, and cannot be subverted in any way. An alternative approach is to use compile time checks upon what the program is doing. This uses the type system to represent predicates about program functionality and if a program is well-typed, then it proves the program to obey the policies implemented in the type system. This approach has been used to allow users to run programs within the kernel as in Spin, and in protecting access to router functionality in the Switchware project. †¢ To provide a network programming language based on Internet `best effort’ communication. †¢ To provide scaleable high-level communication based on `remote spawn’ from which other communication can be built. †¢ To make use of types as safety properties, to ensure that the safety and security policies of the network are maintained. †¢ To rapidly prototype tools such as compilers and simulators in order to drive the development of the language by examples. Best-effort distributed programming In the Internet, an application transmits a packet, which is sent to the next router on the way to the destination. At this router, the arrival of the packet causes code to run, which calls other code dependent upon the fields in the header of the packet. This code may access and modify local state stored in the router and then copy or create one or more packets to be sent out from the router. These packets are then routed on output links depending upon the destination for each packet, and so on until the packets reach their destination, or are destroyed within the network for whatever reason. In our programming model, we have attempted to replicate this basic structure of packet transmission. In the Internet, the arrival of a packet initiates some thread of control which uses the data within the packet to decide upon the disposition of the packet. In our model, a packet becomes a thread of control, carrying the code to be run and the names or values of any data referenced within that code. When a thread arrives at a Safetynet-aware router or end system, the thread code is instantiated within the runtime and runs within a de_ned scheduling class. The thread of control may call other code to be run on its behalf. The other code is encapsulated within classes, which are either present in the router, or are dynamically loaded from elsewhere. Threads can spawn other threads, either locally or on the next hop to some destination. 6. Design of an Internetwork We will discuss about the networking especially the internetworking. In this case we will need to discuss some topics related with the Internet Infrastructure, Internet routing, domain name and address resolution, internet protocol and the applications. Internet Infrastructure: The Internet backbone is made up of many large networks which interconnect with each other. These large networks are known as Network Service Providers or Naps. Some of the large Naps are UUNet, Cerf Net, IBM, BBN Planet, Sprint Net, PSINet, as well as others. These networks peer with each other to exchange packet traffic. Each NSP is required to connect to three Network Access Points or NAPs. At the NAPs, packet traffic may jump from one NSP’s backbone to another NSP’s backbone. NSPs also interconnect at Metropolitan Area Exchanges or MAEs. MAEs serve the same purpose as the NAPs but are privately owned. NAPs were the original Internet interconnects points. Both NAPs and MAEs are referred to as Internet Exchange Points or IXs. NSPs also sell bandwidth to smaller networks, such as ISPs and smaller bandwidth providers. Below is a picture showing this hierarchical infrastructure. Diagram 4 This is not a true representation of an actual piece of the Internet. Diagram 4 is only meant to demonstrate how the NSPs could interconnect with each other and smaller ISPs. None of the physical network components are shown in Diagram 4 as they are in Diagram 3. This is because a single NSP’s backbone infrastructure is a complex drawing by itself. Most NSPs publish maps of their network infrastructure on their web sites and can be found easily. To draw an actual map of the Internet would be nearly impossible due to its size, complexity, and ever-changing structure. The Internet Routing Working: It is general phenomenon that No computer knows where any of the other computers are, and packets do not get sent to every computer. The information used to get packets to their destinations is contained in routing tables kept by each router connected to the Internet. The Routers are called the packet switches. A router is usually connected between networks to route packets between them. Each router knows about its sub-networks and which IP addresses they use. The router usually doesn’t know what IP addresses are ‘above’ it. Examine Diagram 5 below. The black boxes connecting the backbones are routers. The larger NSP backbones at the top are connected at a NAP. Under them are several sub-networks, and under them, more sub-networks. At the bottom are two local area networks with computers attached. Diagram 5 When a packet arrives at a router, the router examines the IP address put there by the IP protocol layer on the originating computer. The router checks its routing table. If the network containing the IP address is found, the packet is sent to that network. If the network containing the IP address is not found, then the router sends the packet on a default route, usually up the backbone hierarchy to the next router. Hopefully the next router will know where to send the packet. If it does not, again the packet is routed upwards until it reaches a NSP backbone. The routers connected to the NSP backbones hold the largest routing tables and here the packet will be routed to the correct backbone, where it will begin its journey ‘downward’ through smaller and smaller networks until it finds its destination. Domain Names and Address Resolution. But what if you don’t know the IP address of the computer you want to connect to? What if the you need to access a web server referred to as www. anothercomputer. com? How does your web browser know where on the Internet this computer lives? The answer to all these questions is the Domain Name Service or DNS. The DNS is a distributed database which keeps track of computer’s names and their corresponding IP addresses on the Internet. Many computers connected to the Internet host part of the DNS database and the software that allows others to access it. These computers are known as DNS servers. No DNS server contains the entire database; they only contain a subset of it. If a DNS server does not contain the domain name requested by another computer, the DNS server re-directs the requesting computer to another DNS server. Diagram 6 The Domain Name Service is structured as a hierarchy similar to the IP routing hierarchy. The computer requesting a name resolution will be re-directed ‘up’ the hierarchy until a DNS server is found that can resolve the domain name in the request. Figure 6 illustrates a portion of the hierarchy. At the top of the tree are the domain roots. Some of the older, more common domains are seen near the top. What is not shown are the multitude of DNS servers around the world which form the rest of the hierarchy? When an Internet connection is setup (e. g. for a LAN or Dial-Up Networking in Windows), one primary and one or more secondary DNS servers are usually specified as part of the installation. This way, any Internet applications that need domain name resolution will be able to function correctly. For example, when you enter a web address into your web browser, the browser first connects to your primary DNS server. After obtaining the IP address for the domain name you entered, the browser then connects to the target computer and requests the web page you wanted. The Disable DNS in Windows If you’re using Windows 95/NT and access the Internet, you may view your DNS server(s) and even disable them. If you use Dial-Up Networking: Open your Dial-Up Networking window (which can be found in Windows Explorer under your CD-ROM drive and above Network Neighborhood). Right click on your Internet connection and click Properties. Near the bottom of the connection properties window press the TCP/IP Settings†¦ button. If you have a permanent connection to the Internet: Right click on Network Neighborhood and click Properties. Click TCP/IP Properties. Select the DNS Configuration tab at the top. You should now be looking at your DNS servers’ IP addresses. Here you may disable DNS or set your DNS servers to 0. 0. 0. 0. (Write down your DNS servers’ IP addresses first. You will probably have to restart Windows as well. ) Now enter an address into your web browser. The browser won’t be able to resolve the domain name and you will probably get a nasty dialog box explaining that a DNS server couldn’t be found. However, if you enter the corresponding IP address instead of the domain name, the browser will be able to retrieve the desired web page. (Use ping to get the IP address prior to disabling DNS. ) Other Microsoft operating systems are similar. Internet protocols: As hinted to earlier in the section about protocol stacks, one may surmise that there are many protocols that are used on the Internet. This is true; there are many communication protocols required for the Internet to function. These include the TCP and IP protocols, routing protocols, medium access control protocols, application level protocols, etc. The following sections describe some of the more important and commonly used protocols on the Internet. Higher-level protocols are discussed first, followed by lower level protocols. Application Protocols: HTTP and the World Wide Web One of the most commonly used services on the Internet is the World Wide Web (WWW). The application protocol that makes the web work is Hypertext Transfer Protocol or HTTP. Do not confuse this with the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). HTML is the language used to write web pages. HTTP is the protocol that web browsers and web servers use to communicate with each other over the Internet. It is an application level protocol because it sits on top of the TCP layer in the protocol stack and is used by specific applications to talk to one another. In this case the applications are web browsers and web servers. HTTP is a connectionless text based protocol. Clients (web browsers) send requests to web servers for web elements such as web pages and images. After the request is serviced by a server, the connection between client and server across the Internet is disconnected. A new connection must be made for each request. Most protocols are connection oriented. This means that the two computers communicating with each other keep the connection open over the Internet. HTTP does not however. Before an HTTP request can be made by a client, a new connection must be made to the server. When you type a URL into a web browser, this is what happens: If the URL contains a domain name, the browser first connects to a domain name server and retrieves the corresponding IP address for the web server. The web browser connects to the web server and sends an HTTP request (via the protocol stack) for the desired web page. The web server receives the request and checks for the desired page. If the page exists, the web server sends it. If the server cannot find the requested page, it will send an HTTP 404 error message. (404 mean ‘Page Not Found’ as anyone who has surfed the web probably knows. ) The web browser receives the page back and the connection is closed. The browser then parses through the page and looks for other page elements it needs to complete the web page. These usually include images, applets, etc. For each element needed, the browser makes additional connections and HTTP requests to the server for each element. When the browser has finished loading all images, applets, etc.the page will be completely loaded in the browser window. Retrieving a Web Page Using HTTP: Telnet is a remote terminal service used on the Internet. Its use has declined lately, but it is a very useful tool to study the Internet. In Windows find the default telnet program. It may be located in the Windows directory named telnet. exe. When opened, pull down the Terminal menu and select Preferences. In the preferences window, check Local Echo. (This is so you can see your HTTP request when you type it. ) Now pull down the Connection menu and select Remote System. Enter www. google. com for the Host Name and 80 for the Port. (Web servers usually listen on port 80 by default. ) Press Connect. Now type GET / HTTP/1. 0 And press Enter twice. This is a simple HTTP request to a web server for its root page. You should see a web page flash by and then a dialog box should pop up to tell you the connection was lost. If you’d like to save the retrieved page, turn on logging in the Telnet program. You may then browse through the web page and see the HTML that was used to write it. Most Internet protocols are specified by Internet documents known as a Request for Comments or RFCs. RFCs may be found at several locations on the Internet. See the Resources section below for appropriate URL’s. HTTP version 1. 0 is specified by RFC 1945. Application Protocols: SMTP and Electronic Mail: Another commonly used Internet service is electronic mail. E-mail uses an application level protocol called Simple Mail Transfer Protocol or SMTP. SMTP is also a text-based protocol, but unlike HTTP, SMTP is connection oriented. SMTP is also more complicated than HTTP. There are many more commands and considerations in SMTP than there are in HTTP. When you open your mail client to read your e-mail, this is what typically happens: The mail client (Netscape Mail, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Outlook, etc.) opens a connection to its default mail server. The mail server’s IP address or domain name is typically setup when the mail client is installed. The mail server will always transmit the first message to identify itself. The client will send an SMTP HELO command to which the server will respond with a 250 OK message. Depending on whether the client is checking mail, sending mail, etc. the appropriate SMTP commands will be sent to the server, which will respond accordingly. This request/response transaction will continue until the client sends an SMTP QUIT command. The server will then say goodbye and the connection will be closed. Transmission Control Protocol: Under the application layer in the protocol stack is the TCP layer. When applications open a connection to another computer on the Internet, the messages they send (using a specific application layer protocol) get passed down the stack to the TCP layer. TCP is responsible for routing application protocols to the correct application on the destination computer. To accomplish this, port numbers are used. Ports can be thought of as separate channels on each computer. For example, you can surf the web while reading e-mail. This is because these two applications (the web browser and the mail clien.