Human Resource Planning, Classification, and Selection Essay Example

Human Resource Planning, Classification, and Selection Essay Human Resource Planning, Classification, and Selection Name: Course: Institution: We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resource Planning, Classification, and Selection specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resource Planning, Classification, and Selection specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Human Resource Planning, Classification, and Selection specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Instructor: Date: Human Resource Planning, Classification, and Selection Introduction Employees are the most valuable resources in an organization since they are the determinant in the success of an organization. Therefore, it is important that employers attract and hire the most qualified staff for the particular jobs available in the organization. Hence, this calls for having a good human resource planning, classification and selection. Therefore, human resource planning is of utmost importance in order for an organization to accomplish its goals and objectives. These can be done through human resource planning that ensures to assess the tasks that need to be done, and selecting the right people to do the work. Once the human resource personnel have this in mind, an action plan for guiding them in accomplishing these requirements is needed. Literature Review Since competition among private and public sectors has intensified for the last two to three decades, there has been an increased need for new strategies on tackling the human resource planning issues. This has seen a strategic shift in the field of human resource planning that reflects the continuing changes taking place in the labor market conditions. These changes in the labor force provide for another context of human resource strategy and planning for long-term future. â€Å"Longer-term changes in the employment relationship, from relational to transactional employment †¦ provide another important context for HR strategy and a way to view the future† (Gubman, 2004). This calls for more participation of the human resource department on the issues of the organization to guarantee success. Under this heading on planning, classifying and selecting, three topics addressed are human resource planning, classification of positions, and selection of staff. Human resource planning is one of the most important processes in any organization that seeks to develop a strategy of identifying the organizational needs concerning the workforce and develops a plan of achieving those needs (Cayer, 2004). Human resource planning is very crucial in determining the kind of staff that the organization will need as well as the means to get them. In addition, human resource planning will ensure accountability in the whole process of hiring and developing staff that is responsible and qualified for accomplishing the set goals of the organization. With planning, organizations are able to realize their needs, such as the training needs, job needs as well as development needs. While the problem is known, finding a solution is quite easy, and all organizations can do it quite easily. The public and private sector has been competing to get the best staff for a long time. For instance, in the 1990s, this competition was stiff due to low unemployment rate where qualified people were not in plenty like today. During this time, the public sector was viewed from a negative perspective and a poor public image due to lack of integrity by those in power. Therefore, in order to compete, there was need for a strategy that would ensure the selection was done right to attract only the qualified personnel. This led to the establishment of a system that would ensure to attract quality staff that would meet the goals and objectives of the organization. Faced by a need to compete with the private sector in attracting the best staff, the public sector human resource department was under pressure to utilize continuous human resource planning that would ensure hiring of only the qualified staff. In addition to the labor available in the market, and relevant knowledge in the field needed, it was necessary to have training and development of the employees in order to impart them with more knowledge that would make them even more fit for their jobs. Therefore, effective human resource planning should contribute to attracting, developing and retaining of talented employees. It should also measure, reward performance, engage and align skills with jobs (Gubman, 2004). Finally, human resource planning should continue control functions within human resource such as ensuring cost effectiveness. These are some of the main functions that human resource department seeks to achieve all the time in order to have seamless flow and relationships withi n the workplace. This are the main functions that human resource planning should address at all times, and none of them should be left out. Addressing these challenges ensures that during selection the organization will hire the best and most qualified personnel to fill the positions available. In addition, the staff an also ran Classification of positions is yet another topic revolving around human resource especially in the public sector, which is a traditional approach in human resource. Classification of positions aims at classifying jobs into different categories or agencies with the same tasks and responsibilities into certain categories. For instance, jobs with the same roles and responsibilities will be classified into a certain group of jobs in order to identify them (Cayer, 2004). With position classification, there come some problems despite the size of the public sector. One of the problems is the need to maintain consistency from one agency to another since agencies are responsible for classifying the jobs according to schedules put in place. Another problem is the lack of attracting people with the right combination of skills needed since the positions are classified so narrowly. With too narrow classification of jobs, qualified staff could be hired, but lack the right combination of skills needed for the job (Stillman, 2009). Finally, the last problem is existing classification systems become outdated when they are not reviewed regularly. This is because there are rapid changes in the labor markets as well as emerging technology and policies that require newer talent all the time (Cayer, 2004). Hence, monitoring of the classification systems should be done regularly. On the other hand, classification of positions has its advantages to the organization as long as they are well planned. When jobs are classified, this allows the management to in making of better decisions concerning the relationship between duties and the responsibilities of jobs and the administration. More so, when the jobs are classified, it is easier to have a better approach to organization of the activities in a hierarchical order that contributes to better coordination. The rationale for the classification is to have a basis for comparing the jobs. In addition, job classification allows management to manage the people and their positions (Cayer, 2004). For position classification to be effective to enable the personnel administration in managing the people, there has to be a job analysis in order to classify each job in its rightful position. A job analysis focuses on getting information concerning a job and the specific tasks involved in doing the job, skills and knowledge needed, qualifications and abilities needed in performing the particular tasks. This, the content, context and requirements of the job are analyzed, which will provide information concerning the jobs with similar characteristics that can be grouped or classified together. In addition, this can be used in ensuring to match each staff with a job that fits their abilities and skills. Information from a job analysis is also used in selecting of employees, identifying training and development needs, defining performance and establishing performance measures among other uses. Therefore, job analysis has to be conducted in position classification as well as selection o f staff. After the organization or agency used has done the above-mentioned function in planning, the final stage is identifying the right staff for the job, selection. Selection is very crucial part of human resource management since it determines who is hired and who is left out. The right people must be hired in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization. Therefore, human resource in the public sector should ensure total fairness and transparency during selection to avoid corruption that could lead to hiring of unqualified people. This will be most important if the public sector is to compete with the private sector, which has outpaced the public center. Several issues have occurred in the public sector concerning lack of accountability in their selection of staff (Rainey, 2009). Employers in the public sector have been sued regularly for crimes committed by their employees (Walter, 1992). This fact has been based on their carelessness during selection where they do not access the applicants thoroughly before asserting they are qualified for the jobs. Most of these claims have insisted that the employers took no time in practicing proper care in the recruitment process, and other activities such as training and development of the employees as well as lack of proper supervision. Most of those who commit the crimes in organizations usually have a history of criminal behavior or violence. It is the responsibility of personnel management to ensure proper securitization of staff selected before such things occur in order to protect everybody in the workplace. Such negligence has become rampant in the public sector. This negligence occurs when an employer employs a person without proper investigation concerning their behavior in the past. This leads to employing of people that might put the safety of others in the workplace in danger. Therefore, if the employer has failed in investigating the applicant before selecting them for employment, they are liable for anything that might happen such as the person causing harm to others (Walter, 1992). In order to eliminate such incidents, the employer should consult the referees of the applicant, as well as the previous employer about the behavior of the applicant and background information to ensure fitness and integrity. Sometimes this can be attributed to the lack of regular recruiting considering with government institutions employment is permanent and the likelihood of loosing a job is hard. Hence, there is hardly any employee leaving the job. Hence, number of times recruitment happens is minimal, a well as bureaucracy that requires following certain rules that might not be quite usable currently. In addition, considering that such institutions tend to recruit many people at the time, there could be hardly any time for going through all such procedures for all the applicants. This makes it hard to find out if a person has behaviors that could suggest anything that might not be good. However, even with reference to other people and referees provided, one could not be sure they are all telling the truth. With such lawsuits, it is up to the personnel management to ensure there is continuous planning of human resource needs of the organization in order to identify any needs for the organization. With continuous planning in human resource, there is a guarantee that such people can be identified as early as possible before they engage in any crime. This could be crucial in preventing criminal behaviors through prevention by taking the right measures such as training them and warning them. Human resource planning should be exercised in all organizations since they deal with the most important resource of the organization, the employees, who also happen to be quite sensitive as well as unpredictable. Unlike other resources of the organization, the employees are the most vsluable, since hthey make their own juddgments and decisions Conclusion An organization’s success is directly related to the wellness of its labor capital. The labor capital provides the expertise that turns materials into products, and procedures into services as well as conducting all the operations in the workplace. Without a labor force, there cannot be any organization. It is to this reason that human resource planning is so crucial in any organization. The policies and practices of human resource play a big role in shaping the attitudes behavior and motivation of the employees. In addition, planning ensures that to identify the needs of the employees and ways of meeting them. On the other hand, position classification will ensure to indicate the tasks of each staff in their jobs to ensure performance can be evaluated. Finally, selection is very crucial in ensuring the right staff for the organization is hired. Without such planning, the organization can be in no position to get the best people for achieving the goals and objectives. For the pubic sector, it should embrace the changes taking place in order to compete with the private sector in attracting the best staff (Noe, 2006).. This can only be done through continuous human resource planning. References Cayer, N. J. (2004). Public Personnel Administration (4th Ed.) Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Gubman, Ed. (2004). HR strategy and planning: From birth to business results. HR Human Resource Planning. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com Noe, R. A. (2006). Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage with OLC Card. Boston, Mass: McGraw-Hill. Walter, Robert J. (1992). Public employers’ potential liability from negligence in employment decisions. Public Administration Review. Retrieved from: http://proquest.umi.com Rainey, H.G. (2009). Understanding and Managing Public Organizations. New York, NY: John Wiley Sons. Stillman, R.J. (2009). Public Administration: Concepts and Cases. New York, NY: Cengage Learning.

30 Words Invented by Shakespeare

30 Words Invented by Shakespeare 30 Words Invented by Shakespeare 30 Words Invented by Shakespeare By Michael William Shakespeare (1564-1616), considered the greatest writer in the English language, used more than 24,000 words in his writings, more than any other author. Of those words, more than 1,700 were first used by him, as far we can tell. He may have made up many of them himself. How can you possibly understand someone who keeps making up new words? Because Shakespeare made up his new words from old, familiar words: nouns into verbs, verbs into adverbs, adverbs into nouns. He added new prefixes and suffixes to existing words. For example, gloom was already a noun that meant ‘darkness’ and even a verb, but Shakespeare turned it into a adjective, as in ‘the ruthless, vast and gloomy woods’ in Titus Andronicus. Renaissance writers, trying to express classical ideas for the first time in English, often borrowed words from the classical languages of Greek and Latin, and William Shakespeare was no exception. Also, in Shakespeares day, the rules of English grammar were not yet formalized, so he was freer to invent his own. After more than 400 years of changes in the English language, Shakespeare is still beloved and still understood. Because of his knowledge of essential language, we still know what the Princess means in Loves Labours Lost when she says (archaically) Prepare; I will away tonight, even though she leaves out the verb go. Here are 30 of the words invented by William Shakespeare, as compiled by my colleague Maeve in her article Shakespeare’s Vocabulary, each one demonstrated in a sentence from one of his plays: accommodation: adjustment, adaptation, compromise Thou art not noble; For all the accommodations that thou bearst Are nursed by baseness. Measure for Measure agile: able to move quickly or easily His agile arm beats down their fatal points. Romeo and Juliet allurement: Attractiveness, appeal, enticement. That is an advertisement to a proper maid in Florence, one Diana, to take heed of the allurement of one Count Rousillon Alls Well That Ends Well antipathy: dislike, hatred No contraries hold more antipathy Than I and such a knave. King Lear catastrophe: disaster, the dramatic event that begins the resolution of the story And pat! he comes, like the catastrophe of the old comedy. King Lear critical: inclined to criticize, extremely important O gentle lady, do not put me tot; For I am nothing, if not critical. Othello demonstrate: show, display, present And this may help to thicken other proofs That do demonstrate thinly. Othello dexterously: skillfully, with precision. Dexterously, good madonna. Twelfth Night dire: dreadful, dismal, portentous Hapless Aegeon, whom the fates have markd To bear the extremity of dire mishap! Comedy of Errors dislocate: to put out of place They are apt enough to dislocate and tear Thy flesh and bones. King Lear emphasis: Special weight, attention, forcefulness or prominence given to something Be choked with such another emphasis! Say, the brave Antony. Antony and Cleopatra eyeballs: the eyes Tis not your inky brows, your black silk hair, Your bugle eyeballs, nor your cheek of cream, As You Like It emulate: imitate, copy I see how thine eye would emulate the diamond: Merry Wives of Windsor exist: to be, to have reality By all the operation of the orbs From whom we do exist and cease to be; King Lear extract: draw out, remove, withdraw, May it be possible, that foreign hire Could out of thee extract one spark of evil That might annoy my finger? Henry V frugal: thrifty, cheap, economical I was then frugal of my mirth: Heaven forgive me! Merry Wives of Windsor hereditary: inherited, passed on from parents Hereditary, rather than purchased; what he cannot change, than what he chooses. Antony and Cleopatra horrid: terrible, horrible He would drown the stage with tears And cleave the general ear with horrid speech; Hamlet impertinent: insolent, ill-mannered, irrelevant In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, Tempest jovial: jolly, cheerful, merry Be bright and jovial among your guests to-night. Macbeth meditate: think, contemplate, study I will meditate the while upon some horrid message for a challenge. Twelfth Night modest: moderate, slight, humble, Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt With modest warrant. Coriolanus mutiny: tumult, strife, rebellion against a legal authority, especially at sea Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny. Julius Caesar obscene: indecent, offensive, repulsive O, forfend it, God, That in a Christian climate souls refined Should show so heinous, black, obscene a deed! Richard II pedant: a schoolmaster, someone who shows off his knowledge by using big words Most villanously; like a pedant that keeps a school i the church. Twelfth Night pell-mell: hasty, uncontrolled, confused Advance your standards, and upon them, lords; Pell-mell, down with them! Loves Labours Lost premeditated: deliberate, planned in advance Some peradventure have on them the guilt of premeditated and contrived murder; Henry V reliance: trust, dependence And my reliances on his fracted dates Have smit my credit: Timon of Athens submerged: underwater, below the surface, hidden So half my Egypt were submerged and made A cistern for scaled snakes! Antony and Cleopatra vast: Very large or wide The suns a thief, and with his great attraction Robs the vast sea: Timon of Athens Could we make up new words too, and still be understood? In imitation of Shakespeare, I tried making up a couple do you understand me? The anticlean toddler boy. Though you lamb yourself after your violence, quoth Sherlock, yet before judge and jury I will unlamb you. Shakespeare invented many words that might surprise you. In Shakespeares day, friend was already a noun, but Shakespeare turned it into a verb. Befriend is a more standard verb that expresses the same thing, but a newly-coined word has extra power and surprise but unless you do it discreetly, youll sound like e e cummings or James Joyce. Shakespeare also used the word unfriended, centuries before Mark Zuckerberg. The word swagger, popular with rap musicians, was first used in Henry V and A Midsummer Nights Dream, though Shakespeare didnt invent the word swag. 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the Future20 Rules About Subject-Verb AgreementWoof or Weft?

I WILL TALK THIS IN DETAIL (this is not a topic) Thesis

I WILL TALK THIS IN DETAIL (this is not a topic) - Thesis Example of garbage in landfills pose dangers not just because of the formation of noxious gases but also the possibility of burying anyone alive if the pile becomes too heavy. Due to the many problems caused by the use of conventional, limiting and non-renewable resources to produce products, the environment faces challenges that may soon be the cause of the ruin of man. However, by carefully planning the methods and actions of manufacturing as well as the use of other alternative methods in the production of items, with the idea of being as eco-friendly as possible, the output of large amounts of industrial wastes can be lessened, and even be reversed. In the book entitled â€Å"Cradle to Cradle†, authors William McDonough and Michael Braungart were able to show through various theories and practical applications on how to create industries that sustain life and the environment, as well as being able to reuse resources and reduce production costs while maintaining product quality. One thing special about the two authors is that they have truly put their hearts and minds to the concept that they have s strong belief in, even their book itself is not made of paper, but rather of a special kind of plastic that contains inorganic resin, making the book strong, smudge-proof as well as waterproof. By making their book as such, the authors were able to prove a point that yes, the concept of sustainability and being friendly to the earth and the ecosystems can be possible, with planning. The concept of cradle-to-cradle is the brainchild of the environmental advocacy of the authors to promote renewable, sustainable and ecological-friendly industries. Instead of following the usual method of using non-renewable and non-sustainable resources, following the old opportunistic design of industries, as well as following the traditional methods of manufacturing that keeps using raw materials but rarely recycles anything else, by following the authors’ methods of using

Fire Investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fire Investigation - Essay Example It will not be incorrect to note that Nova: Hunt for the serial A was an episode in the television series released in 1995. It was basically shot as a short film for the purpose of spreading awareness regarding true crimes and the convicts in such cases. This was to put a renouncement towards those who undertake such crimes and ultimately stay a part of the society. With the help of the episode, it was rather easy to note that people around us may be not what they are seemingly in reality. Hate crimes can be very dangerous for the society which is conducted by no other people but the common people living next door (Williams). The episode is about a fire extinguisher official who always wanted to work for the police force. Unfortunately, he could not pass his entrance test for the police force and ultimately ended up in the fire extinguisher force. The movie has a twist when the plot line introduces Leonard to be a convict of true crime. The movie can be considered as a helpful insight for the investigators to understand the insight and mindedness of convicts committing true crimes (Williams). The general context of the true crime was that Leonard was involved in planning fake fire accidents with the aid of rubber bands, match sticks and papers which ultimately resulted in major fire accidents. For many incidents, nobody can actually understand as to why the region was under fire accidents so frequently. But as per the close fire investigation, it was noted that the reason behind the fire accidents were similar and planned. A series of suspect investigation led to the final proceeding in which Leonard was convicted for his true crime (Williams). Through the above analysis, it could be said that films of television broadcasts can be used a way to depict real life stories of people who are around us. The story of a file extinguisher official who made it a routine to set places on fire by afore-planning so that the

Auxiliary Aircraft Systems Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Auxiliary Aircraft Systems - Article Example Every fuel tank has to withstand vibrations, fluid, structural, and, inertia loads without failure. In addition, fuel systems have to be free from vapor lock that occurs when fuel is used at its critical temperature. The danger of fuel starvation, fire, or explosion in flight makes it compulsory for fuel system irregularities check top priority. An aircraft fuel system has to deliver and store clean fuel at flow rate and pressure that sustains operations. Therefore, any evidence of leak or malfunction has to be rectified before departure. Personnel maintaining fuel or handling fuel systems should be trained on best practices that reduce incidents or accidents. Conditions of fuel trucks and storage tanks should be monitored to avoid contamination. Filter treatments and changes are to be carried regularly. Samples from all drains must be inspected regularly. Fueling and defueling of an aircraft should be done outside to avoid fuel vapors that might accumulate in hangar and cause an accident; these processes require fire extinguishers. Personnel should wear clothing that does not promote static electricity buildup. Correct fuel should be put in the aircraft by the placing placards at the filling port or at the fueling station. Nozzles are required to be clean every time to avoid contamination of the fuel. When defueling, if a tank is drained due to fuel contamination or suspected contamination, then it should not be mixed with other

The Role Of Cryptography In Network Security Computer Science Essay

The Role Of Cryptography In Network Security Computer Science Essay Network security is concerned with the protection of network resources against alteration, destruction and unauthorized use, cryptography and encryption are most critical components of network security. In my assignment, as a network security manager, I will try to research explore the performance of various cryptographic schemes and evaluate web security and the security of wireless network system. Networks take all kind of sensitive data and security play a vital role of any wireless network system. Security certify level of data integrity and data confidentiality as maintain wired network, without accurately implement security measures and wireless network adapter come within range of the network adapter. Security is high lack, laziness, and lack of knowledge and employee are not aware of these things, especially in small organisation and home, every organisation need to aware and training for employees time to time. Cryptology has two components, kryptos and logos. Cryptographic methods to certify the safety and security of communication and main goal is user authentication, data authentication such as integrity and authentication, non-repudiation of origin, and confidentiality and it has two functions encryption and decryption. In my research, as a network security manager, I will analyze cryptography, web security, and security of wireless network system to implement the network security strategies for the organisation in future. 1. Explore and explain different types of cryptography and assess the role of cryptography in network security. Cryptography has different methods for taking clear, readable data, and converts into unreadable data of secure communication and also transforms it back. Cryptography is also used to authenticate identify of message source and certify integrity of it. Cipher send message and use secret code. The cipher scrambles the message so that it cannot be understood by anyone other than the sender and receiver. Only the receiver who has the secret code can decipher the original message, thus ensuring confidentiality. (Citrix-system, 2010) Type of cryptography Following three common types of cryptography as below: Secret key cryptography is identified as symmetric key cryptography. Both sender and receiver know same secret code described the key and messages are encrypted by the sender and use key, decrypted by the receiver. It use single key for both encryption and decryption. This method works healthy if you are communicating with only a limited number of people, but it becomes impractical to exchange secret keys with large numbers of people. Secret key cryptography use is such as data encryption standard, advance encryption standard, Cast-128/256, international data encryption algorithm, and rivest ciphers etc. (Citrix-system, 2010) Public key cryptography is called asymmetric encryption and use couple of keys one for encryption and another for decryption. Key work in pairs of coordination public and private keys. Public key can freely distributed the private key. If senders and receivers dont have to communicate keys openly, they can give private key to communication confidentially. Public key cryptography use for key exchange and digital signatures such as RSA, digital signature algorithm, public-key cryptography standard etc. Hash functions use a mathematical transformation to permanently encrypt information. It also called message digests and one way encryption. Hash function use to provide a digital fingerprint of file contents and it is commonly employed by many operating system to encrypt passwords and it provide measure of the integrity of a file. It is also use message digest, secure hash algorithm, RIPEMD etc. (Kessler, G,2010) The role of cryptography Many feature combine to throw network security to the top issues in the organisation and face IS professional daily. Nowadays business operation decentralization and correspondence growth of computer network is the number one driver of concern about the network security. As far as security concern, many organisation networks are accidently waiting to occur, such accident will occur is impossible to predict but security breaches will occur. When organisation network security chooses is 100% involve cryptography technology. The following five basic uses of cryptography in network security solution are: Confidentiality Cryptography gives confidentiality through changing or hiding a message and protects confidential data from unauthorized access and use cryptographic key techniques to critically protect data; Access control Only authorized users (login password) can access to protect confidential data etc. Access would be possible for those individual that had access to the correct cryptographic keys; (Mitchell, M, 1995) Integrity Cryptographic tools give integrity verify that permit a recipient to authenticate that message transformed and cannot prevent a message from being transformed but effective to identify either planned and unplanned change of the message; Authentication is the ability to verify who sent a message. It done through the control key because those with access to the key are able to encrypt a message. Cryptographic function use different methods to certify that message is not changed or altered. These hash functions, digital signatures and message authentication codes. 2. Explore encryption for network security. Encryption for network security Encryption is the most effective method to reduce data loss or theft to encrypt the data on the network security. Encryption is a process of network security to apply crypto services at the network transfer layer on top of the data link level and under the application level. Network encryption other name network layer or network level encryption. The network transfer layers are layers 2 and 4 of the open systems interconnections (OSI) is the reference model, the layers responsible for connectivity and routing between two end points. Using the existing network services and application software, network encryption is invisible to the end user and operates independently of any other encryption processes used. Data is encrypted only while in transit, existing as plaintext on the originating and receiving hosts. Encryption for network security execute through internet protocol security and set of open internet engineering task force (IETF) standard and apply in combination and build structure for confidential communication over IP networks. Internet protocol security works through the network architecture and encrypted packets show to be the same to unencrypted packets and rout through any IP network easily. Network encryption product and services provide several companies such as Cisco, Oracle etc. (Search security, 2010) http://www.cipheroptics.com/images/network-encryption-big.jpg Figure 1 Network Encrypted 3. Critically review the key and password management in terms of network system security. The key management Information become essential assets and protects it and availability is vital for business success. Encryption is the technology for doing so and become significant part of network system security. Encryption key is very helpful to secure data and information. There are two types of key public and private key use to secure the information and network. These key used in cryptographic system as below: Public Key it was invented in 1976 and refer to cypher architecture type and apply two key pairs is encrypt and decrypt. It can use to encrypt message and corresponding private key to decrypt it. Public key encryption believe extremely secure because it does not need secret shared key among the sender and receiver. It is helpful for keeping private emails and stored on mail servers for many years. It programs such as PGP has digital signature ability built message sent can digitally signed. Private Key it also called secret key and encryption/decryption key to exchange secret messages and shared by the communicators so that each can encrypt and decrypt messages. Public key uses with private key together. (Search-security 2010) Password management Password is the most important aspect to login into the system and the network. Organisation should allow only authorised users to access to the network and every user access individual login and passwords to enter the network, its result increase the security aspects. There are following necessary things to secure password in the network system as below: Long Password every user need to long password because short password can very quickly compromised and analyse the permutation based on the password length; Change password anytime employee should change password regularly, nobody assume easily and helpful for security breaches of the network; Avoid utilize similar password dont use the same password for different accounts because it would naive for administrator to think and employee should use different password for safety and security for network system; Necessity to changing password regularly employees also gradually more access their work accounts from remote location, user need to educate/awareness on the required of altering the password frequently. (Storts, J, 2010) 4. Compare symmetric and asymmetric encryption systems and their vulnerability to attack. Symmetric encryption systems and their vulnerability Symmetric encryption system use same secret key is used to encrypt and decrypt information and transform between two keys. Secret key concern to information to transform the content because both can use encrypts and decrypts traffic. Symmetric encryption system has two types are: Stream ciphers it is bits of information one at a time and operates on 1 bit of data at a time. It is faster and smaller to implement and have an important security gap. Certain types of attacks may cause the information to be revealed; Block ciphers it is encrypts information by breaking it down into blocks and encrypt data in each block and this data is fixed sized commonly 64 bit and mostly use in triple DES and AES. (Encryptionanddecryption, 2010) Symmetric encryption algorithms including Des, 3DES, AES, and RC4 etc. 3DES and AES are normally used in IP sec and other types of VPNs. RC4 is used on wireless networks and used by WEP and WPA for encryption. Symmetric encryption algorithms can be extremely fast, and their relatively low complexity allows for easy implementation in hardware. However, they require that all hosts participating in the encryption have already been configured with the secret key through some external means. (Stretch, J, 2010) Symmetric Encryption Vulnerabilities are: To break symmetric encryption system through brute force and cryptanalysis; Figure-2 Symmetric encryption system Weak password can break symmetric encryption systems; Password always keep in mind or make a backup copy of the password; Exchange secret keys in secure manner and stored properly. (Encryptionanddecryption, 2010) To leaking and spying out password. symmetric_encryption.png Asymmetric encryption systems and their vulnerability Asymmetric encryption system use two keys one for encryption use for public, anyone can encrypt a message and another for decryption use for private and only receiver can decrypt a message, normally set up a key pair within a network and involve in six main elements are: Plaintext Text message applied in algorithm; Encryption algorithm it performs mathematical operation to conduct substitutions and transform to the plaintext; Public and Private keys the keys pair where one use for encryption and other decryption; Ciphertext produce encrypt message by applying algorithm to plaintext message through using key; Decryption Algorithm generates ciphertext and match key to produce the plaintext. (Encryptionanddecryption, 2010) Most common asymmetric encryption is RSA and if compare with symmetric encryption it is much slower but its capability to establish secure channel over a non-secure medium such as internet. This is accomplished by the exchange of public keys, which can only be used to encrypt data. The complementary private key, which is never shared, is used to decrypt. (Stretch, J, 2010) asymmetric_encryption.png Asymmetric Encryption Vulnerabilities are: Figure-3 Asymmetric encryption systemPublic key can be distributed freely; It is computing intensive; It process very slowly; Weak password can easily steal; Weak encryption to break this system; Crash digital signature; Security breach at the time of key exchange. 5. Explain and critically assess web security and critically list down different type web security tools and technologies. Web security Web is very vital role in our daily life such as online searching, surfing, customers, vendors, co-staffs, email, etc but need to be web security and identity theft protection. Web security has many problems like spam, viruses, security breaches theft etc. This problem with web security is the part of network of attack computers and servers send out spam messages without knowing it and email / passwords produce and re-sale to competitor. In my research, security expert says that shows you how to do something in five minutes and conveniently neglect to mention the security implications of their advice. If it sounds too easy to be true, it probably is. A perfect example of this is PHP solutions that use a file for data storage and ask you to make it writable to the world. This is easy to implement, but it means that any spammer can write to this file. (Heilmann, 2010) Web security has many risk and attacks such as IP address identify the computer, Fixed IP address is larger security risk, share network, staff unaware security leak in the network setting, SQL injection attacks, exploits browsers and websites, remote file inclusion (RFI), phishing etc. (Heilmann, 2010) Web Security Tools and Technologies The following list down of different type of web security tools and technologies as below: Spike Proxy It is a professional grade tool for looking for application level vulnerabilities in web application and cover SQL injection and cross-site-scripting; Power fuzzer It capable of spidering website and identifying inputs and common web vulnerabilities such as XSS, SQL injection and support https. Written in python; Sec point penetrator It network security tools based, penetration testing appliance or web based service give vulnerability scan pen testing and can change IP address to scan and report; Net sparker It allows users to exploit the identified vulnerabilities and see real impact of the problem. It capable false positive free, handling of websites that rely on AJAX and JavaScript; OWASP It uses multiple techniques such as conditional errors injection, blind injection based on integers, strings/statements, MS-SQL verbose error message and identify database version and gather information Gama Sec It is automated online website vulnerability assessment delivers test to web servers, web based application and web-interfaced system and support HTTP authentication schemes, HTTP protocol, BASIC etc; NIkto Scanner Open source web server scanner and perform complete tests against web servers for multiple items, dangerous files, CGIs, and problems of the server; Perimeter check it analyze external network devices such as servers, websites, firewalls, routers and security vulnerabilities and also lead to interrupted service, data theft, system destruction and help immediately remedy security problem. (Hower, R, 2010) . 6. Identify vulnerabilities and mis-configurations in wireless networks. Vulnerability and mis-configuration describe as some event that exposes organisation and network security has ability to work efficiently its required confidentiality level and protects lack of the systems. Wireless networks vulnerabilities Some of the following common wireless networks vulnerabilities as below: No set physical boundaries wireless access points can lose signals, due to doors, walls, floors, and insulation etc; Untrained users setting up unauthorized networks and workstation untrained users who either are uninformed and therefore unaware of security measures that must be taken when deploying wireless, or whose desire to have wireless is so strong that it completely overshadows the rules set by the organization to ensure that systems are secure. (Lane, H, 2005) Rogue access points this attack consist of connecting illegal access point on the network; Lack of monitoring every organisation has some loopholes in monitoring but intrusion detection tools can use continuously monitor to secure the network system; MAC address filtering it is unique number assigned and wireless LANs allows access point to connect to network. Filtering can result in security breach as user change MAC address, it result identity theft; Insufficient encryption standards weak encryption standard say that users will not enable it and harmful to wireless LAN as weak encryption; Easy to eavesdrop wireless use airwaves to listen easy on network traffic or connect to network and it results the data is encrypted with strong encryption. If WEP encryption use, hackers can some attempt to decrypt the information; Unsecure holes in network hacker can enter wireless LAN by circumventing firewalls and allow other to come, as a result confidential data lost or may compromise on the network; Denial-of-service attacks external causes based is Denial-of-service attacks and make network unproductive and forcefully user to disconnect continually disrupting operation in the organisation such as jamming (jam a radio network), rush access (overload network with malicious connection), spoofed de-authentication frames etc. (Lane, H, 2005) Wireless network mis-configuration Mis-matched software and hardware it is problem arises for network infrastructure that is vulnerable to wide range of attacks. Sometime function work properly but awfully mis-configured; Service Set ID (SSID) SSID is a configurable identification mechanism to enables a client to communicate with the correct base-station. Configured properly with SSID otherwise attacker can exploit the SSID in attempt to access base station and change SSID password and change 802.11 security settings for authentication. (Spam-laws, 2009) 7. Demonstrate how to keep wireless network system safe. Nowadays, wireless network become more common called Wi-Fi /802.11 and allow computer to connect to another without cables and using computer easier and more convenient than ever before with fast internet connection and wireless router and surf internet, data transfer, print documents, email, download information etc but unhappily, it also make easy for outsider/hacker to do the same. Organisation should following points to keep wireless network system safe and secure as below: Keep-out undesirable wireless guests wireless network restrict access through encryption is easy through which encoding or scrambling information to receive and send, only those can access with right password or encryption key and restrict wireless network to normal office hours. Some encryption protect wireless network such as wired equivalent protection (WEP), Wi-Fi protected access (WPA), WPA2 etc; Choose strong password in my research, I found some basic guideline when create a wireless network password is Password should be longer (20 characters) it takes someone to figure it out; Use mixture lowercase and uppercase letters; Insert numbers in between letters; Change password every 3 months; Write password down and keep in safe (in case of forget). Use the firewall it is front security and secures network, computers and data from snooping eyes; (Bryan, S, 2010) Dont show the name of the network (SSID); Change default SSID, dont use name to identify the organisation; Use MAC filtering because each network card is unique code known MAC address and access points to restrict access to assured; Switch on and use built-in encryption to prevent eavesdrop; Restrict user ability (network administrators) to setup quick and dirty wireless network, even temporarily. One rogue access point can undo all the good work you do on the others; Certify all security measures are in place, it result defence against intruders; (Microsoft, 2010) Turn off the wireless network when it isnt use; Hide/keep safe place confidential files/data. Conclusion I conclude that security of wireless network system play key role in every organisation and also implement all network security strategies for the organisation in present and future and secure network resources against alteration, destruction, and unauthorized use. Cryptography tools and web security tools are also very helpful to secure the network system and protect IT assets, confidential data and information. Recommendation I recommend some of the important points as below: Better education and stronger security implementation; Wireless network awareness and training for employees timely; Update wireless network security timely; Certify to secure wireless access point with a strong password; When it need implement WEP authentication method; Make sure all users have proper key or password configured on their system; Make sure all service provide to users are protected by end to end encryption; Use SSID, MAC address filtering allows to configure wireless APs.

Salvador de Madariagas La jirafa sagrada (The Sacred Giraffe) Essay

Salvador de Madariaga's La jirafa sagrada (The Sacred Giraffe) Amidst the fight for women’s suffrage in Spain, Salvador de Madariaga wrote The sacred giraffe, being the second volume of the posthumous works of Julio. In 1925, the time the book was published, women in the United States and much of Europe had secured the right to vote while those in Spain still remained in the fight. Madariaga an active politician as well as a writer sets up his novel as a world turned upside down. The humorous account of a make believe world where women have switched places with men depict the seemingly backwards society as a relative utopia based on peoples attitudes, rather than its social structure. The sacred giraffe starts out with a science conference contrasting the people in a mythical land known as Europe to their particular society, the Ebonites. In this land, males were thought to have dominated the public life of the fabled White Race; a humorous concept to the black women, the leaders of Ebonite society. Not only are the gender roles and skin tones different but the strange Race of 5000 years ago, were thought to be cannibalistic because "the Whites stored the remains of their dead instead of burning them"(3). The land of Ebony is a portrayed such that black is white, male is female, up is down, in this twilight-zone style country. The story plays out as a peek through a small window of time and space into the Ebonite society, centered around the doctoress Zama and her family as Zama tries to convince people that Europe did exist while her husband M’Zama, tries to fix up his brother with an eligible young women named Scruta. All the while the reader is given a tour of Ebony, exploring the major sites of the religious hive, ... ... is a long time and you don’t remember, but in those days no rain ever fell on the sea, nor on lakes, nor on rivers and brooks†¦Fish had no bones, so that children could eat them without making their parents choke, and oysters could be opened as if by persuasion"(189). The overall message of Madariaga is that it is the characteristics of each individual that form a functional society. It is neither the gender nor the color nor the exact workings of the government that allow the formation of a Utopia. Even from a seemingly ridiculous culture it is the moral thread that binds the people. The work may have been designed to influence the political swing of Spain, but its instruction holds true in all of humankind. Works Cited Madariaga, Salvador de. The sacred giraffe, being the second volume of the posthumous works of Julio. London: Martin Hopkinson & Co., 1925

Louisa May Alcott: Life and Work Essay

Louisa May Alcott is a female American Novelist born on November 29, 1832 and in Germantown, Pennsylvania (â€Å"Louisa May Alcott†). She had three sisters, a philosopher/teacher for a father, and a loving Mother (â€Å"Louisa May Alcott†). Her family is said to be her primary inspiration for her success in literature and also served as the foundation for her most popular book, â€Å"Little Women†. Based on the biography written by Stern, the stories of Alcott were lifted from â€Å"episodes from her life, her observations, her travels, her experiences, her reading† (xxii). The use of her own personal insights and experiences have made all of the stories as real as it could be during a time when the society is dominated by men and women are expected to become mere supporters. Nonetheless, Alcott has been a witness to her own strength and that of other women, which allowed her to accomplish a significant number of stories and literature that portrayed women as strong personages existing in a male-dominated society. In order to examine how Alcott has presented women as strong characters in a predominantly male society, her stories, such as â€Å"Little Women† and â€Å"Work: A Story of Experience,† are used to show the distinct power and role that women held in relation to the existing power dynamics between men and women. â€Å"Work: A Story of Experience† Women experienced a pivotal role in the industrial era as workers and as channels for the advocacies of the female working class. In the novel â€Å"Work: A Story of Experience,† the main character, Christie Devon, is shown as a women of great character as she tries to find her rightful place in the industrial age. After her several attempts, she ended up as mediator between the female working class and the owners of the businesses where they work in (Alcott 355). Christie has attributed her distinct capacity to serve as an instrument of negotiation to her mother and father, who are both seen of equally great importance (Alcott 355). In this particular work of Alcott, the author maintained a sense of reality in terms of the existing social structure between men and women in the industries and never denied the presence of gaps between the two. However, women are given the chance to voice out their concerns regarding the oppression they felt, which consequently increases their chances of receiving better treatment. The need for women who are strong enough to bring forth the concerns of the female working class is expressed by Alcott, who states that such women were much needed and not always easy to find; for even in democratic America the hand that earns its daily bread must wear some talent, name, or honor as an ornament, before it is very cordially shaken by those who wear white gloves. (355). In the said quote, there are three distinct elements that show the strength and renewed importance provided for females. First, females are given greater chances of participating in different affairs in the society provided that they have the necessary qualifications to do so. With the said qualifications, they are allowed to express their concerns and make contributes to decisions related to matters that directly affect them. The use of qualifications as a form of permit to engage in matters usually dominated by male is also realized by Christie, who mentioned that the attributes she inherited from both her mother and father are enough for her work as a negotiator. Second, the author recognized the existence of women who have the ability to participate but also noted their inherent rarity. The recognition made by author shows that women have gained strength and shared a certain amount of power albeit in rare instances. It is not to say that it is impossible for women to become as strong as Christie but should strive harder in order to gain a distinct position in the society. In fact, the words of the author do not serve as limitations but of recognition of the presence of strong and able women and implies the need to further increase their number. Third, the author also takes note that there are people in the society with who the females need to be at par with. Those with the â€Å"white gloves† can serve as representations of a class that the women should infiltrate through their qualifications. To a certain extent, it can be understood as the domination of males in the different areas of the society. The congregation of males is seen to be one where affiliation is strictly confounded by certain limitations. Nonetheless, the author still maintained the ability of strong females to break the barriers and become affiliated with the male-dominated fields in the society. Aside from the points mentioned above, the novel also represents women who are able to work outside their houses and take on roles that are different from the ones they usually did inside the household. The women portrayed in this particular novel of Alcott are shown to have the ability to work in different careers and are indeed allowed to do so. It is an indication of their ability to break the common stereotype attached to women at that time, which is to remain inside the household and attend to the needs of the family members. Nonetheless, the women are not spared from their household chores and are still expected to fulfill the usual roles attached to being a mother and a wife. Despite the inherent difficulty, the women are still able to cope with the need to balance both the demands of their work and families that renders them capable of succeeding at different tasks at one time. â€Å"Little Women† The novel, â€Å"Little Women† was published in 1868 and revolved around the story of four different women who are considered to be taken from the experiences of Alcott with her three other sisters (Richards 123). The novel’s main characters, being women, are used by the author to send â€Å"a feminist message about the shared challenges all women face in male-dominated society† (Richards 123). The author placed emphasis on the different barriers that often limited the opportunities made available to women. The obstacles enumerated in the novel are the burden of finding a husband who can serve the needs of the female, restrictions with regard to the choices in terms of career, and problems with regard to access to college education. All four women are shown in the novel to have their own distinct characters and their own means of coping with the difficulties they face as women. Jo, whose experiences are often related to that of the Louisa Alcott, is known to be a tough and free-spirited character (Walker and Dresner 115). All of the other characters are known to be struggling with the factors that limit their capacities. One well-known example is that of Jo who took great leaps in order to fulfill her goals and dreams. The three other women have also shown their own strength as they conquer and fulfill the problems and the expectations. All of them are shown as individuals who are able to work their way out of the comforts of the households and successfully overcame the different dilemmas they faced. The portrayal of the lives and struggles of the four women is successful and also appealed to the senses of the audience. As a result, a sequel to the novel was published and showed a different phase in the lives of the four women. In the second volume, the women are also shown to have their own individual struggles and the means they used to overcome the said struggles. In both volumes of â€Å"Little Women,† the females are presented together with their experiences with regard to the struggles they have to face in a male-dominated society. Interestingly, all of the women are able to face their problems with utmost strength, which shows that women have the capability to overcome the challenges because they have the skills to cope with the said difficulties. Likewise, it allows women to find their strength with other women and to provide the needed comfort and help, especially during difficult times. In fact, there is no other substitute for the kind of care provided by women and the courage they exhibit during critical times. At the time when Beth became ill from scarlet fever, it is her sisters who decided to take care of her. All of them remained strong despite the condition of Beth and took the initiative to solve their problems without needing much help from other people. On another note, Alcott have also shown that despite the dominance of males in the society, the females are still able to succeed in their own professions through their own little ways. In this respect, women are able to show that it is not the number that counts but the skills, knowledge, and abilities that they have. Other Stories In the other stories written by Alcott, the focus is also on the females and how they tried to overcome the problems they face in their own respective fields of profession. An example of this is how a woman is used as the main character for the â€Å"Candy Country. † In the said story, the woman is shown as a person who is capable of acquiring knowledge for the sake of enhancing their own welfare where the author states that â€Å"she goes home and grows up from a ‘sickly, fretful child’ to a ‘fine, strong woman’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Alcott xxxv). Despite the simplicity of the story, Alcott ensured that the main character portrays the strength of women despite the domination of men in the society. Conclusion The stories of Alcott are used to represent the strength of women despite the dominance of male in the society. Stories, such as â€Å"Work: A Story of Expereince† and â€Å"Little Women,† the author is able to show the difficulties faced by women and the distinct coping mechanisms carried out in order to solve their problems. Aside from this, Alcott have also shown that women are able to enter aspects of society that are known to be dominated by male. The access stems from their qualifications and abilities that prove they can also be at par with the rest of the population. Works Cited Alcott, Louisa May. Louisa May Alcott’s fairy tales and fantasy stories. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1992. Print. Alcott, Louisa May. Work: A Story of Experience. Charleston, SC: Bibliobazaar, 2008. Print. Louisa May Alcott. Louisa May Alcott Memorial Association. 2004. Web. 18 July 2010. Richards, Paulette. Terry McMillan: A Critical Companion. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing, 1999. Print. Stern, Madeleine. Louisa May Alcott: A Biography. Lebanon, NH: University Press of New England, 1996. Print. Walker, Nancy and Zita Dresner (Eds). Redressing the Balance: American Women’s Literary Humor from Colonial Times to the 1980s. Jackson, University Press of Mississippi, 1988. Print.

Free Essays on Narration

My â€Å"Little† Adventure There are many nerve-wrecking things that children do to their parents when they are very young. This story about my life is very true. When I was around two years old, I decided to ride my tricycle to Eat ‘n Park. It was a beautiful summer day in the Pittsburgh area. One morning, my grandfather, father, sister, brother and I went to breakfast at Eat ‘n Park. I loved the food and the company of others that I decided to go back again. The next day, my grandfather had gone back down to the restaurant. My brother, sister, neighbor children and I were in the fenced off back yard playing. I found my tricycle in the front yard and I climbed the wired fence with my trike. I rode up Bayonne Road to the stop sign. When I reached the top of the hill, I made a left and went down Beechview Road to Crane Ave. I made a left down the hill on Crane Ave, a very busy and dangerous road. When I reached the armory on the right hand side, a young girl stopped because she did not think I should have been there. She even stopped another car so no one would think she was kidnapping me. She asked you if you knew how to get home. I did not even talk around that age. I was a very quiet young boy. I said to the young lady, â€Å"I live at mommy’s house†. She brought me home. My mother was frantically looking everywhere for you when the lady pulled up with you in the car. When my family tells me this story, I used to laugh, now I do not. The reason I do not laugh anymore is because this was a life-threatening situation and I might have died that day. This is a story that I will remember for a long time. The day that I took my â€Å"little† adventure to Eat ‘n Park.... Free Essays on Narration Free Essays on Narration My â€Å"Little† Adventure There are many nerve-wrecking things that children do to their parents when they are very young. This story about my life is very true. When I was around two years old, I decided to ride my tricycle to Eat ‘n Park. It was a beautiful summer day in the Pittsburgh area. One morning, my grandfather, father, sister, brother and I went to breakfast at Eat ‘n Park. I loved the food and the company of others that I decided to go back again. The next day, my grandfather had gone back down to the restaurant. My brother, sister, neighbor children and I were in the fenced off back yard playing. I found my tricycle in the front yard and I climbed the wired fence with my trike. I rode up Bayonne Road to the stop sign. When I reached the top of the hill, I made a left and went down Beechview Road to Crane Ave. I made a left down the hill on Crane Ave, a very busy and dangerous road. When I reached the armory on the right hand side, a young girl stopped because she did not think I should have been there. She even stopped another car so no one would think she was kidnapping me. She asked you if you knew how to get home. I did not even talk around that age. I was a very quiet young boy. I said to the young lady, â€Å"I live at mommy’s house†. She brought me home. My mother was frantically looking everywhere for you when the lady pulled up with you in the car. When my family tells me this story, I used to laugh, now I do not. The reason I do not laugh anymore is because this was a life-threatening situation and I might have died that day. This is a story that I will remember for a long time. The day that I took my â€Å"little† adventure to Eat ‘n Park....

Terracog Case Study Essays

Terracog Case Study Essays Terracog Case Study Paper Terracog Case Study Paper TerraCog Case Study Background TerraCog, Inc. is a privately held company specializing in high quality GPS and fishing sonar equipment. Although TerraCog was not always first to market with their new products, they were known for surpassing their competitors in addressing consumer needs because of their innovation in creating exceptional product design and functionality. In 2006, TerraCog’s competitor, Posthaste, launched BirdsI, the only handheld GPS with satellite imagery. Caught off guard by the product’s success, TerraCog President, Richard Fiero, makes a snap decision to satisfy the â€Å"gadget† appeal of BirdsI by launching the company’s own version of the competing GPS called Aerial. However, as TerraCog moved forward with the initiative, the estimated costs of developing Aerial threatened to thwart the launch. Needing to finalize decisions on cost, pricing and initial production volume, key department managers gathered in a series of dubious meetings laced with frustration, disagreement and reluctance, but produced no effective conclusion. In the end, the onus fell to Emma Richardson, a newly-promoted Executive Vice President to push the group toward a go/no-go decision. Problem Definition TerraCog Inc. is suffering from a stalemate in the development and execution of Project Aerial brought on by poor decision making and an ineffective team structure. Relevant Theories and Models The overall decision making process at TerraCog seems a bit puzzling. Management’s decision to underestimate consumers’ response to the satellite imagery technology featured in BirdsI led to a valuable loss in time and market share. As a result, Fiero, under the sole advice of Vice President of Sales, Ed Pryor, hastily chose to start Project Ariel without the due diligence of consulting with key stakeholders to understand the implications of producing such a product. There was no discussion regarding the technological capabilities that Project Aerial would offer leading to a major disconnect in pricing Aerial. Furthermore, there was no consensus around the timing of implementing Project Aerial given that the product team was already working on several other projects. As a result, departments greeted the decision to launch Aerial with a not so enthusiastic response. Because group decision making generates more complete information and knowledge and offers an increased diversity of view, the executives would have benefitted more by meeting with stakeholders and explaining the challenges the company faced with not initially responding to BirdsI and discussing the go forward plan to develop a competing product. When choosing group decision making techniques, the best approach for TerraCog seems to be the interacting group technique. This approach is most effective for achieving commitment to a solution which in this case, is the decision to launch Aerial. When stakeholders participate in decision making, they are more likely to enthusiastically support the decision and encourage others to accept it. Not only was there a weakness in the decision making process at TerraCog, Project Aerial was also operating with a working group and not a true working team. A work group’s goal is to share information leaving each individual accountable for their own work while the group’s synergy is neutral, sometimes negative. Furthermore, the group lacked cohesiveness as each department worked in individual silos. The sales team did not have input into the product, nor was the production team given a chance to review the design and offer recommendations on managing product cost. The handoff approach from product development to production to sales meant that the problem was not discovered until the launch date was at risk of being missed. There was also a lack of clarity around who should be on the team and the nature of each individual’s role. At each key meeting regarding Aerial, there seem to be an absence of key stakeholders present. The inconsistency of participation at each meeting suggests that this is not a dedicated team but rather a manifestation of individuals forced to complete a task. As a result, TerraCog should implement a cross-functional team to effectively allow individuals from different departments to exchange information while promoting cohesiveness. Moreover, the establishment of a team leader is imperative to Project Aerial’s success as it operates in a multi-team system that allows different teams to coordinate their efforts to produce a desired outcome Alternatives There are three alternatives that Emma Richardson should consider when identifying the go forward plan of Project Aerial. The first alternative is to launch Aerial at the full retail price of $475. The advantage of launching at this price point is that TerraCog would again be a competitive force in the industry and would be answering the call of Posthaste’s launch of BirdsI with a superior product. This would allow TerraCog to remain the leader in innovation and prove that they are in fact successful in satisfying consumer demands. The disadvantage of launching at this price point is the price itself. Although TerraCog is a reputable name in the industry and may receive some product acceptance because of this, the price would more likely lead to lower sales causing a major loss in profit. Furthermore, retailers may not even give Aerial shelf space as they’re not only selling an expensive product, they’re late to market. Internally, the product development and production teams would carry the blame of failure since they were not able to produce a stellar product that was competitive in price and higher in quality during the time period required. Another alternative that Richardson should consider is launching at the lower price point suggestedat $400 per unit. Again the advantage here is answering consumer demands at a quicker rate than taking the time to develop a feasible product with low price and high quality. At this price point, TerraCog should be successful in recapturing lost share from going to market so late. Because the sales team was already promised by Fiero that Aerial would be priced at $400, that’s one team that would be on board with the project. The disadvantage of retailing the Aerial at $400 is the lost of margin and production costs. Furthermore, in order to recapture any loss revenue, launching at $400 would also mean TerraCog should lower the quality of Aerial. Internally, the production team would suffer the most since they’ve been reprimanded in the past for producing a low quality product. Moreover, given that TerraCog’s business was built on quality performance and innovation, the company’s reputation would take a huge hit when Aerial’s technology doesn’t perform to desired consumer standards. The last alternative that should be considered is to abandon the launch of Aerial altogether and focus on the other more exciting projects that the product team was initially working on. The pro to this alternative is that TerraCog could capitalize on the grown in cycling and fitness GPS applications and become a competitive force there. TerraCog could realize the inability to quickly make a quality product at a competitive price by cutting its losses now rather than realizing a greater hit when going to market. The con to this approach is that the company would suffer sunk costs with the amount of time and money already invested in the project. Moreover TerraCog would miss out on potential sales and new customers. They may also lose their valued reputation as they could be considered incompetent by not having the ability to create a competing product to BirdsI. Solution Given all of the possible alternatives for the go forward decision of Project Aerial, Emma Richardson should decide to move forward with the launch of Aerial at a reduced price of $425 while simultaneously working on a product redesign to re-launch a new and improved Aerial at a later date. The pro to this solution is that the price would allow TerraCog to remain a viable competitor while recapturing lost market share. Additionally the product team will still be able to explore more advanced technology to re-launch Aerial 2. 0. The con is that TerraCog would still be launching a lower end product which could ultimately turn off customers and not want them to even buy the future redeveloped product. Next steps is for Richardson to develop a cross-functional team by reeling the group back in to work more cohesively. To improve decision making, a clear vision needs to be clarified and agreed upon by all parties. Rather than arguing during meetings, the team should brainstorm objectives, discussed amongst the team, but ultimately decided upon by Fiero and Richardson. Both Fiero and Richardson should improve their leadership skills and be more confident articulating goals and supporting the team.

Introduction Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Introduction - Assignment Example I wish you all the best your current and future goals at Ashford University. Among the topics we are going to study in this course is cognitive psychology. Such is a fundamental course that looks into the scientific approaches that influence mental processes and decisions that people make on daily basis (Anastasi, 1979). Applied psychology helps in overcoming real life problems. The topic therefore provides ways of understanding such basic concepts as human memory, perception, attention and language. I believe such topics are important in the various areas of fields that I would work in later as a career woman. The topics will help an effective communicator capable of developing and packaging information strategically for specific audiences (Cina, 1981). This way, the course will enhance success in clinical psychology, advertising, educational psychology or forensic psychology among other fields in which I would choose to

Business report about Mountain West Health Plans Inc Essay

Business report about Mountain West Health Plans Inc - Essay Example This had become a problem to the management because it was labor intensive and consumed two thirds of the annual budget. Therefore, the company’s management had been yearning for Evelyn Gustafson’s replacement so that they could curb the increasing labor costs. Evelyn Gustafson had a long history with the company because she had worked there for a long time. She started her career as a customer service staff until she was promoted to being the director of customer service. Her leadership style was centered on putting oneself in the position of the subordinates. She used this style due to her experience in working in that department, and she understood what the employees went through. In her leadership style, she focused on involving the employees in the tasks by making them understand the company products and policies. She also focused on the quality of service that the subordinates offered to customers. In addition, Evelyn emphasized on employee training on the product s, problem solving and customer service techniques, which helped to ensure customer satisfaction. Her relationship oriented leadership style also involved ensuring the comfort of employees when performing their tasks by allowing them flexible schedules and breaks. However, her leadership style was not was not appealing to the top management, and they endeavored to change it after her retirement by appointing Erick Rasmussen to the post of director of customer service. Erik Rasmussen is a fresh college graduate in business administration, and therefore, he has no experience in the post. He sought to embrace a leadership style that ensured that the top management objectives of lowering costs of operation were achieved. He used a no-nonsense bureaucratic approach in directing and controlling the employees. He introduced the use of performance measurement standards to measure efficiency and performance of employees. This method measures employee performance based on the number of calls or customers that they handle per hour. This approach emphasizes on working speeds of subordinates, and requires them to handle as many customers as possible during their working time. This method would help to reduce the number of employees being employed in the department. His method also introduced a regulation requiring employees to work in monitored schedules. He ensured that employees spent minimal time on each customer they attend to with an objective of reducing call hold time. This method was completely different from the previously used method, which the employees were used to. Through Rasmussen’s method, the company achieved its objective of efficiency and non-flexible scheduling and cutting back on costs associated with employees. A leader should focus on being in charge of command, organizing and directing, setting processes in motion, and being the reason for others to act or change (Scouler and Chapman, 2012). Leadership styles are classifications of the leader ’s behavior in performance of their duties, during our study of the Mountain West Health Plans Inc’s customer service department; we identified several leadership issues, which are highlighted below. Firstly, there is no connection between the leader and the employees (Hendricks, n.d). We found that the leader does not understand the needs