Form and Structure of ‘Abigail’s Party’ Emily Huntley Essay

Mike Leigh’s ‘Abigail’s Party’ was primarily shown on television and wasn’t initially meant for the stage, until it was realised how successful it was. The plot is based around a mirror of two party’s, one involving 5 adults all living in the same estate but of very contrasting backgrounds and classes which Mike Leigh also depicts, and the other of the sixteen year old daughter of Sue, who’s organised a typical teenage ‘rave’. The essence of the play is that generally speaking the younger generations should be observed at parties but in Mike Leigh’s example the irony is that the adult’s seem just as drunk and obscene as what is imagined next door. This is where the comedy arises and is developed throughout the play as the adults keep a close eye on the teenagers but there is no one to observe the adults. Mike Leigh has also drawn the attention of the audience by focusing on class by contrasting the classes of the characters, Beverly and Lawrence who are aspiring for true middle class, a poor newly married couple and a middle class divorcee. This situation in itself is controversial due to Sue not being nearly as wealthy as Beverly and Lawrence but being by far the most cultured of the group. Another example of this would be shown in Ang, her occupation as a nurse can actually be called a well known and accepted profession, although she has little money and isn’t well cultured or travelled, as an outsider you can see the intelligence that Mike Leigh has tried to depict over the other characters. The play is composed of two acts, both of which surprisingly end with the focus on Sue, the most timid character. I think this was purposeful on Leigh’s behalf as although she seems to be a pretty insignificant character she holds a lot of unknown power over the people in her company. Especially Lawrence who realises her class is above his and he aspires to be like her by seeking her approval. As the play develops so does the amount of alcohol consumed and the tension between the two married couples. Especially from Beverly and Lawrence’s points of view as they start verbally abusing each other in the presence of their guests, which I believe would not occur otherwise as Ang, Tony and Sue would realise their true characters. Therefore I could also state that the play is structured around class, parties and also alcohol. Everything in the play including props, lighting and sound effects is ultra realistic. The set includes real food and drink with a working record player and lamps, which provide the naturalistic lighting throughout the whole play, and the constant thumping from next door really makes the situation believable. To enhance the realism, Mike Leigh also wrote the play in ‘real time’, this means that the duration of the play is natural over the period of an evening, with no days or hours skipped. Another tool used by Mike Leigh to develop true realism is the use of colloquial dialect. There is no stylised or poetic language and also no imagery used. It is written so the audience can easily place themselves in the character’s positions. Discussing the structure of the play is hard considering the definitions of ‘A Well Made Play’ 1.) Exposition (introduction of characters and situations) 2.) Conflict (a huge problem is bought to the surface) 3.) Complications (the problem develops) 4.) Climax (the most dramatic, and tension filled part of the play) 5.) Dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nouement (the resolution) The exposition occurs between pages 1 and 13 when the characters are introduced to each other and also the audience. This is the period when the audience makes their own assumptions of the characters, and they can recognise different relationships and tensions. This is when we also realise about Lawrence’s hectic lifestyle and frequent suffering of heartburn so that his heart attack doesn’t come as a complete shock and the audience understand and sympathise more. The conflict is primarily to do with Beverly and Lawrence’s relationship and the strain that it is clearly under. But we also see the stress between Angela and Tony periodically. The complication is when the tension builds as more and more alcohol is consumed predominantly between Lawrence and Beverly. The climax is clearly Lawrence’s heart attack, which is the outcome, of a stressful job, a nagging wife, being polite to unwelcome guests the consumption of alcohol and the constant ‘thumping’ of the party next door. This is when the focus and drive of the play changes completely from the future life these characters have built themselves to the present situation. Lastly the dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nouement. In ‘Abigail’s Party’ there doesn’t seem to be a definite resolution, the play is left on a cliff hanger as the audience is ‘left in the dark’ as to whether the conflicts have been resolved and if not the final outcome of the situation. ‘Abigail’s Party’ is referred to as a comedy, but of various types, it contains a slight element of black comedy in the fact that Lawrence has a heart attack. But throughout the play, Leigh develops another form of comedy, not through one-liners, but due to the characters’ dialogue and movement etc. For example, Tony’s monosyllabic answers, Angela’s lack of social etiquette, Sue’s shyness and total dislike of the situation, Lawrence’s frequent cultural references even though everyone can see he is uneducated in Shakespeare and Beethoven and is simply attempting and failing to reach a higher social class (nouveaux riches). And Beverly’s clear lack of self-control concerning Tony and insulting Angela’s lipstick. ‘Abigail’s Party’ is essentially written as a comedy, until the end, which presents more opportunities, and shows a more tragic and retrospective feel. This play is unique in that it is completely down to the director as to how they depict it as it can be of two extremes tragic or comic, excluding Lawrence’s death, which is clearly comic with the reference to Ang’s cramp etc. In the production I saw, it was comic and I thought this worked well but having considered it to be a tragic play I think this could be just as effective.

Analysis of First Love by John Clare

First love is a poem, which encapsulates the experience the poet has falling in love for the first time. It is rejoicing the love he attained for a woman named Mary Joyce however there is sadness and a feeling of dissatisfaction hovering in the background. This feeling exists, as the love was unrequited. The poem has an underlying tone of innocence and flurry of emotions as it is the poets very first attempt at love exhibiting his feelings for Mary. The opening of the first stanza only shows how sudden and unexpected the feeling was as he was never ‘struck before that hour’. This is followed my sibilance alliteration ‘ so sudden and so sweet’ further emphasizing on the shock and bewilderment of the overwhelming feeling confirming it is a new experience. He uses his ‘heart’ as a symbol that she has ‘stolen’ completely ‘away’ however unknowingly. The paragraph continues to describe how he physically felt ill as his ‘face turned pale a deadly pale’. Generally when a person falls in love the first instinct is that the ‘blood [is] rushed‘ to the face, which occurs as a latter reaction. This could be because he probably already sensed that the love could not be returned as he didn’t say anything to her instead he hoped that his eyes would convey the message ‘words from my eyes did start’. He never came close to even touching or talking to her however the line ‘all seemed to turn to clay’ conveys the strong affection he attained for her. He also shows how the woman is in control of their (hallucinated) relationship as she could mould and re-mould him as per her wish. In the second stanza he goes on to describe more of his emotions brought forward by this interaction. He makes it quite visual for us of how the love has its affect on him and how he flushes with embarrassment so much that for a moment he feels blind. The physical impact of love relates the experience of love and loss. His life, his emotions were all now just focused on this one girl so much so that it ‘seemed midnight [to him] at noonday. This stanza ends on a very sad but dramatic note when he says that ‘blood burnt around my heart’ because he was in terrible pain emotionally as well as physically. The pace of the poem is however slows down in the last stanza. The poet seems depressed that the love he encompasses for Mary will never be fulfilled. The stanza begins with the poet asking rhetorical questions. In the first question he refers to flowers again like in the first stanza when he says ‘her face bloomed like a sweet flower’ it shows how innocent the love is and as they were never in physical contact even virginity. Also Clare admits that him and Mary could never be together as shown forth by the comparison of ‘flower’ and ‘winter’. According to him it will be as hard for their relationship to bloom as it would be for a flower in winter and slowly it will wilt and die. The second question shows his desperate depression. It clearly implies love as cold, deceitful and to be treated with caution. But he himself dove into it and continually obsesses about her. Love has a very strong physical impact within his body. These new feeling seem to have shaken him with surprise. The line ‘my heart has left its dwelling place’ exhibits the sense of loneliness and desertion that he feels. It includes rhetorical questions such as â€Å"are flowers the winters choice? † and I†is love;s bed always snow? † the reference to flowers takes us back to the simile in the beginning of the poem where the blooming of her face is compared to that of a flower suggestive of the blossoming of his love for her . it is in sharp contrast to the second reference of the flower which can only wilt and die in winter rather than blossom suggesting the lack of any possibility of the two coming together. Also read: In Exile Poem Analysis Arthur Nortje He refers to her face blooming like a sweet flower signifying the blossoming of his love which contrasts with the second reference to the flowers which is compared to winter suggests the lack of any possibility of them coming together just as the flower. the second question shows his desparate depression implying that love is cold deceitful and to be treated with caution . having drowned him in her live now it seems impossible for him to come out of it as my heart has left its dwelling place there is a sense of loneliness and the desertion that lurks towards the end of the poem making the reader to almost empathize with the poet. We are made to go through the experience and as the poem uses a diary form, it almost appears as if the poet is pouring his heart onto the paper. This is what makes the poem stand out as one can really suffer with him. He uses similes ‘her face bloomed like a sweet flower’, metaphors ‘my life has turned into clay’, alliterations such as ‘so sudden so sweet’ and realistic and effective images to make that possible. The rhyming structure of the poem is AB-AB-CD-CD. In each paragraph his feelings keep developing and we are made to witness this experience. The realistic images the poem has, helps the reader to understand the physical effects of being in love. The love he has was the sweetest, noblest and deepest love he has witnessed in his entire life so much so that it later drove him to insanity. Therefore more than first love I would consider it to be his true love. I feel as if the poet has been successful in conveying the impact of his emotions throughout this poem.

Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Article Review - Essay Example But finally, despite its efforts, Lucent Technologies faced serious charges under the Securities Exchange Act, 1934. Thus the article necessarily analyzes the damage control or recovery measures that the CEO of the company took at a later stage to improve the performance afterwards. Starting from 1966 Lucent became one of the global leaders in its concerned industry (telecomm). They manufactured products used for constructing copper line transmissions and switching, wireless and optical gear and other communications networking infrastructure. Due to the great range and demand of the products manufactured, the financial performance of the company was quite good. It had been one of the investor’s choices until January 2000 when Lucent declared that the revenue of the first quarter of the financial year 2000 would be lesser by 20 percent when year on year comparison is made. The financial analysts felt that though the company was lagging in the innovation part, competition had very little to do with its financial downfall. It was a case where the company intentionally misinterpreted its accounts to misguide the investors for investing in their stocks. (â€Å"The Lucent Accounting Scandal†, 2005) The SEC charged Lucent for its misinterpretation of the accounts as a result of which the investors were misguided. The company intentionally made false and overstated forecasts, which attracted many investors at once. But eventually the company made contradictory statements revealing their true financial position. Meanwhile many investors had actually invested huge amounts in the shares of the company. According to the federal law, showing inflated profits and making unrealistic forecasts in order to mislead investors are serious legal violation, which the company was ultimately alleged with. (Barnes and Bowers, 2007) Eventually the company failed to co-operate with Security Exchange Committee, and the later probed into the accounting

Marketing Management class discussion wk3 Assignment

Marketing Management class discussion wk3 - Assignment Example It is possible to keep customers who want the company to that want a company to go against its policies in favor of their requests. Instilling loyalty on a brand on a brand is possible. Loyalty results from the excellent services a company offers to its customers (Lindstrom, 2011). It is what the company offers exceptionally that makes clients prefer is brand and must not come from pricing. Each company has a group of clients who would always want to take advantage of policies on return of goods. It is unhealthy for a company to block such clients this may dent the company image. Though it is unhealthy for a company to keep such client, it is vital that to develop a strategy in dealing with those clients (Lindstrom, 2011). The strategy should be such that both the company and the client stand to benefit. The best way is adopting a proper customer relationship management style where the client completely and appreciates the company

Critical Thinking on Controversial Topic Research Paper

Critical Thinking on Controversial Topic - Research Paper Example 16). The situations given above show that communication is not easy. It can be found anywhere especially leaders deal with such situations that will test their experience and temperament in solving the issue. Clear communication is the key through discipline and proper advancing of agendas, promoting learning and strengthening relationships (Jarkins, 1999, p. 73). In real world situation, conflict is approached head on to solve it. If the conflict is not solved, it may just prolong the agony and the problem would still be there. Some people may give certain advice on how to make difficult conversations easier. Ten ways can be done: opening the lines of communication, acknowledging the other person’s willingness to talk, setting a time limit, paraphrasing each other’s comments, working out a compromise, making a list of questions to be answered, accepting being wrong, respecting expert opinion, understanding the emotional factors, and reviewing the things learned (Goldsm ith, 2011). The paper will not go into the details of the ten ways in dealing with difficult conversations but will focus on critical thinking skills on controversial topics. Critical thinking helps people to become wise even though they may not be practicing philosophers. What matters most is the concept of giving up two senses: â€Å"sense of obviousness and sense of absurdity,† (Sen, 2010, p. 1). Critical thinking contributes to intelligence analysis and a formal meaning may develop the ground towards the understanding of its importance according to the definition of Richard Paul and Lina Elder: that mode of thinking – about any subject, content, or problem -- in which the [solitary] thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them (Moore, 2007, p. 8). The definition clearly shows what critical thinking is. Basically it is a way or process of thinking about certain matter wherein the person or thinker does his best effort to improve his ability in learning and understanding the reason. In simpler words, each person gives meaning to a certain thing through mental maps or representation of the reality. Such an activity aides the person in proceeding to â€Å"revising, expanding, improving [†¦] mental map† and the understanding of the reality. In critical thinking, memory plays a key role (Leicester, 2010, p. 2). Since critical thinking is already defined, the next term is controversial topics. Controversial topics are issues that people have very strong yet various feelings and opinions and are subject to heated debates. Various opinions may come from social, political or religious beliefs. Controversial topics make people either positive or negative depending upon the created strong arguments for and against the subjects. Controversial topics are used in research assignments especially on reviews and looking at the pro s and cons (Questia, n.d.). in other words, controversial are things that have more than two ways of viewing the right answer while topics which are usually controversial are issues that cause heated debate due to more than one â€Å"correct† answer (Versfeld, 2005, p. 7). In Harvard Law School being the center for training the would-be law professionals, difficult conversations happen and are allowed. In the past, the school management of

Did slavery retard industrialization in the South Term Paper

Did slavery retard industrialization in the South - Term Paper Example , the value of slaves in the United States had escalated exceeding the invested values of all the nation’s factories, banks, and railroads combined (Morgan, 1983). This was such that, by the time the eve of the civil war came the prices of cotton had risen where the confederate leaders believed that necessity of cotton in the world market would assist the south with military and diplomatic support they required for victory. However, that was not the case because as they were trying to mobilize the important strengths and weakness slave labor and free market became clearer, especially in relation to supporting the economy. This essay will answer the question of whether slavery retarded the economy of the South. During the war, smaller industrial base did the mobilizing of the troops, an agricultural economy and fewer rail lines that were based on slave labor made mobilization of resources more difficult in the South. This resulted to the economy of the South to become shaky throughout the war (Smith & Economic History Society, 1998). The Emancipation Proclamation both enraged the South promising them freedom for their slaves threatening the existence of its primary labor source. This caused the economy of the South to suffer in 1864 as the Union Armies battered with the Confederate troops in the western and eastern theaters (Fearon & Laitin, 2003). This lowered the productivity of the South as the war slowed down the advantage of slavery that the North had over the South. Therefore, although slavery was established to be highly profitable it had a negative impact on the economy of the South because it impeded on the development of cities, industries. This in turn contributed to soil exhaustion, high debts and lack of technological innovation. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, he states, â€Å"slavery is no scholar, no improver, it does not love the whistle of the railroad; it does not love the newspaper, the mail-bag, a college, a book or a preacher who

Business Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Business Law - Assignment Example attentiveness, shunning conflict amidst their individual interest and those of the prevailing principal and submitting revenue collected on behalf of principal (Goldman & Corrada, 2011). Conversely, principal’ s duties entail compensation of the agent as agreed, indemnification of against claims, liabilities and corresponding expenses incurred in regard to discharging duties assigned by the principal (Goldman & Corrada, 2011). Due to the fiduciary relationship, a principal ought to contract with agent faithfully and impartially. The principal is liable to indemnify the agent for payments undertaken during the course of the association regardless of the expenditure authorized and promoting the principal’s business enterprise. Conversely, an agent is normally liable to the principal when they act devoid of real authority (Goldman & Corrada, 2011). Moreover, an agent is accountable to indemnification of the principal for the forfeit and devastation originating from their actions. Employment at- will stipulates that when a worker lacks a written employment contract and the corresponding term of employment that possess indefinite period, then the employer can terminate the worker for good cause or no cause at all. The exemptions to the underlying employment- at- will entail public-policy exemption, implied-contract exemption and Covenant-of-good-faith exemption. Public policy exemption where a worker is applied wrongly, when the cessation is in contradiction of the obvious, well-established public policy (Goldman & Corrada, 2011). Implied-contract exemption applicable instances where there is development of contract amidst a manager and worker without expression and written instrument of employment association. Covenant-of-good-faith exemption applies to the manager workers resolutions that are subject mainly to the ordinary reason or termination purely reached in bad motive. Anti-discrimination laws prohibit workplace discernment on the foundation of race,

Communication climate supportive defensive Essay

Communication climate supportive defensive - Essay Example We therefore adopted a supportive communication through focusing on what/how concerns in the topic, being focused on the task, upholding openness in the discussions, holding each as an equal person in the presentation and being very flexible. The proposal presentation adopted a supportive climate through high level of collaboration among the members present for the proposal presentation. The whole process was well prepared for by all members which therefore enabled everyone to n active role in defining as well as solving the problems at hand as against having to assign any person what he/she was expected to do. There was mutual understanding which espoused on empathy as n important element in supportive environment of communication. Besides, the investment committee with whom we worked were very supportive identified with us, respected our propositions and acted in a lot of care towards us which made the communication climate and environment very conducive for our presentation. In spite of our team being well structured in organizational structure, equality was well safeguarded in the presentation and discussions because the team acknowledged the quality of individual contribution towards the success of all. We however acknowledged that every person would be well placed to contribute towards any query raised from the discussions and this led to the open contribution policy while presenting as this would illustrate high levels of support to each other. The success of our presentation and discussions was much dependent on the capacity of us to work as a team and this meant that the hierarchy in responsibility s either being the chair or just a member had no place in the communication. Supportive climate of communication requires high degree of flexibility, open mindedness and general willingness to buy from new ideas presented while conversing and this was highly exhibited while presenting the business proposal to the

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 10

Business - Essay Example Hence, some members of the society have organized NGOs, non-profit, voluntary organizations which seek to promote social justice by protecting the right of human beings and by providing basic social services to them (Koehn, 2002). Since NGOs have a growing impact on the society, it is important to determine and assess their roles. This paper evaluates the role of NGOs in international development through different development theories and by studying specific cases. Ultimately, this paper aims to determine the extent to which society needs NGOs. Development is a complex process which experts attempted to explain through theories. Modernization theory is among those. This theory states that development should aim for economic growth, equity, democracy, political order and stability, and autonomy (Princeton University, 2006). When it comes to economic growth there is but very little, if not absolutely nothing, that NGOs can contribute. However, NGOs can play a huge role in the attainment of the other goals of modernization that Huntington proposed, especially when it comes to equity. People who unite to form NGOs can help in minimizing wealth inequality, which is often manifested by the lack of access by some individuals to basic social needs and services. NGOs may not be able to promote equity in the whole society but they can do so within smaller communities. An excellent example of this is the case of one Romanian NGO called the Association of Former Baragan Deportees of Timisoara, Romania. Under the leadership of Adam Balmez, the NGO united thousands of deportees who lobbied for reparations for their suffering caused by the cruelty of the communist regime. The NGO also helped in bringing to public the suffering that more than 40,000 people had endured because of communist brutality. The Association has not limited its actions into legally advancing the rights of deportees. It has also provided its members with basic social

Two wheeler Industry in India Essay Example for Free

Two wheeler Industry in India Essay It has been more than 50 years now that bikes have been ruling the Indian automobile sector. In 1955, the Indian government needed sturdy and reliable motorcycles for its Army and police to patrol the rugged border highways. The first batch of 350cc Bullet the super bike in India of all times, from the Royal Enfield Company of UK were received and assembled at Chennai. Since then, bikes in India have been flourishing as a two wheelers segment, and Indian bikes gaining on popularity all across the world. Talking of bikes cc, bikes having four-stroke engines are thought to be more fuel efficient motorbikes. They are the main reason for the growth of motorbikes in India as a segment. Indian bikes market share is about 81. 5% of the total two wheeler market in India. Three-fourth of the total exports in the two wheeler automobile industry is made in the motorcycle segment. Exports are made mainly to South East Asian and SAARC nations. India is the manufacturer of some of the best bikes in the world. Hero Honda, Kinetic Motor, TVS Motor, LML India are some of iconic bike manufacturers in India. There are cheap motorcycles that comprise the commuter bikes segment, as well luxury bikes like sports bike in India for the new age bikers. Ever year, a series of latest bike launch keep the sector buzzing. Kawasaki Ninja, Bajaj Pulsar 135 LS, and Honda Unicorn Dazzler are some of the latest motorcycle models that have made news in the recent past. Besides, there are also a number of new bikes in India that are awaiting a launch in the near future 3. Big Players This section provides detailed information on every bike manufacturer in India, features of motorcycles, motorcycle parts, and cheap motorcycles. 3. 1 Bajaj Auto Established in 1945, Bajaj Auto Ltd. was incorporated as a trading company. Till 1959, they imported scooters and three-wheelers from Italy and sold them in India. The company got a production license in the year 1959 and fastened a technical collaboration with Italian PIAGGIO in 1960. Bajaj Auto Ltd. is one among Indias top ten companies in terms of market capitalization and among the top five in terms of annual turnover. The company started producing scooters in the year 1961 and followed three-wheelers production in 1962. Its collaboration with Piaggio expired in 1971 and since then, their scooters and three-wheelers are being sold with the brand name â€Å"BAJAJ†. Maharashtra Scooters Ltd. , a Company with 24% equity participation by the Company and 27% participation from Maharashtra State Governments Western Maharashtra Development Corp. was formed in the year 1975 under the Horizontal transfer of technology policy. The first production unit is located at Satara, Maharashtra. The unit continues to collect scooters from CKDs supplied by the Company. These scooters are marketed through the Companys distribution network and under the Companys brand name. In 1984, the second production plant was set up at Aurangabad, Maharashtra. This plant started scooter production in 1986, three-wheeler production in 1987 and scooterettes and motorcycle facilities were commissioned in 1990 1991 respectively. Today, the company has become a market leader with annual production in excess of 1. 35 million units which was about 4000 units in 1961. |TWO WHEELERS | | MOTORCYCLE | |Bajaj Discover 150 DTSi |150 CC | |Bajaj Avenger |180 CC | |Bajaj CT 100 |99. 27 CC | |Bajaj Discover DTSi |135 CC | |Bajaj Kawasaki Caliber |111. 6 CC | |Bajaj Kawasaki Boxer |111. 6 CC | |Bajaj KB 125 |123 CC | |Bajaj 4S Champion |99. 35 CC | |Bajaj Platina |99. 27 CC | |Bajaj Pulsar 135 LS |135CC | |Bajaj Pulsar DTS-Fi 220 CC |220 CC | |Bajaj Pulsar DTSi | | | · Pulsar 180 DTS-i UG |180 CC | | · Pulsar 150 DTS-i UG |150 CC | | · Pulsar 200 Cc |200 CC | | · Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi |220 CC | |Bajaj Wind 125 |124. 6 CC | |Bajaj XCD |125 CC | |Bajaj Discover DTS-Si 100cc |100 CC | |Bajaj Pulsar 220 S |200CC | | SCOOTERS | |Bajaj Bravo |145 CC | |Bajaj Chetak |145. 45 CC | |Bajaj Classic SL |145. 45 CC | |Bajaj Legend |150 CC | | SCOOTERETTES/MOPEDS | |Bajaj Blade DTSi |100 CC | |Bajaj Cagiva CRX |145 CC | |Bajaj Fusion |145 CC | |Bajaj Kristal DTSi |100 CC | |Bajaj M 80 Electronic |74. 08 CC | |Bajaj Rave |74. 08 CC | |Bajaj Safire |74. 4 CC | |Bajaj Spirit |100 CC | |Bajaj Sunny |59. 86 CC | |Bajaj Sunny Spice |59. 86 CC | |Bajaj Wave DTSi |109. 7 CC | 3. 1. 1 SWOT Analysis Lets analyze the position of Bajaj in the current market set-up, evaluating its strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities available. Strengths: ? Highly experienced management. ? Product design and development capabilities. ? Extensive R D focus. ? Widespread distribution network. ? High performance products across all categories. ? High export to domestic sales ratio. ? Great financial support network (For financing the automobile) ? High economies of scale. ? High economies of scope. Weaknesses: ? Hasnt employed the excess cash for long. ? Still has no established brand to match Hero Hondas Splendor in commuter segment. ? Not a global player in spite of huge volumes. ? Not a globally recognizable brand (unlike the JV partner Kawasaki) Threats: ? The competition catches-up any new innovation in no time. ? Threat of cheap imported motorcycles from China. ? Margins getting squeezed from both the directions (Price as well as Cost) Opportunities: ? Double-digit growth in two-wheeler market. ? Untapped market above 180 cc in motorcycles. ? More maturity and movement towards higher-end motorcycles. ? The growing gearless trendy scooters and scooterette market. ? Growing world demand for entry-level motorcycles especially in emerging markets 3. 2 Hero Honda Motors Hero Honda Motors Ltd. is a result of the joint venture between Indias Hero Group and Japanese Honda Motors Company in the year 1983. This joint venture has not only created the worlds single largest two wheeler company but also one of the most successful joint ventures worldwide. Hero Honda is globally known of being the most fuel-efficient and the largest CBZ selling Indian Motorcycle Company. This is a relationship so harmonious that Hero Honda has managed to achieve indigenization of over 95 percent, a Honda record worldwide. The company is committed to provide the customer with excellence. A rich background of producing high value products at reasonable prices led the worlds largest manufacturer of motorcycles to collaborate with the worlds largest bicycle manufacturer. During 80s, Hero Honda became the first company in India to prove that it was possible to drive a vehicle without polluting the roads. They company possess three manufacturing units based at Dharuhera, Gurgaon and Haridwar are capable to produce 4. 4 million units per year. They introduced new generation motorcycles that set industry benchmarks for fuel thrift and low emission. The unique features like fuel conservation, safety riding courses and mobile workshops helped the group reach in the interiors of the country. Well-entrenched in the domestic market, Hero Honda Motors Ltd. turned its attention overseas, and exports have been steadily on the rise. Over the years, the Company has received its share of accolades, including the National Productivity Councils Award ( 1990-91), and the Economic Times Harvard Business School Association of India Award, against 200 contenders. The gross sales of Hero Honda by March end2008 was 33,371,43 Crores. |TWO WHEELERS | | MOTORCYCLES | |Hero Honda Achiever |Hero Honda CD Dawn |Hero Honda CD Deluxe | |Hero Honda CD 100 |Hero Honda CD 100 SS |Hero Honda Glamour | |Hero Honda Glamour |Hero Honda Splendor |Hero Honda Passion Plus | |Glamour |Splendor + | | |Glamour FI |Super Splendor | | | |Splendor NXG | | |Hero Honda Sleek |Hero Honda CBZ X-TREME |Hero Honda Karizma | | | |. Karizma ZMR FI | |Hero Honda Hunk | | | | SCOOTERETTES/MOPEDS | |Hero Honda Pleasure |Hero Ankur |Hero Gizmo | |Hero Panther |Hero Puch Automatic |Hero Sakhti 3G | |Hero Stepmatic |Hero Street |Hero Winner | |Hero Stepmatic |Hero Puch Automatic |Hero Sakthi 3G | |Hero Winner | | | 3. 2. 1 SWOT analysis 3. 3 TVS Motor TVS Motor is a leading and trusted two wheeler company began with the vision of TVS Scooty. The founder of the Sundaram Clayton Group, the late T. S. Srinivasan to design, develop and produce an affordable moped for the Indian family. This vision was realized in 1980 when TVS 50, Indias first two-seater moped rolled out of the factory at Hosur in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. The company has been known for its ruggedness and reliability. TVS 50 was successful and it has smoothened the way for many successes for TVS Suzuki even before its launch in the market. The TVS 50 XL is especially designed for individuals who want economy fused with sporty looks. Recently new XL Super With a 70 cc high-tech Power Pack is all set to redefine the category of mopeds in the country. The Suzuki Samurai was launched for the time conscious urban commuter. The Max 100 R was engineered for those who demanded strength and ruggedness. Along with them all, Suzuki Shogun was for those who wanted raw power. TVS Motor has continually worked on innovating the motorcycle segment along with two wheeler range. The Suzuki Shaolin, developed by TVS Suzuki is Indias first 5 speed, 140 cc motorcycle. Another example of the company success is TVS Scooty, a 60 cc Scooterette which keep one step ahead of its time in India. TVS Motor has been coveted 2 IT awards, one of them is bagging the SAP ACE 2008 award for Customer Excellence and the other one is 2008 Symantec South Asia Visionary Award. Along with this, it is the first company in the world to be honored with The Deming Prize for Total Quality Management. In September 2008, the company has got 19% growth for registering total two wheeler sales of 137,246 units . The company is the third largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India and ranks among the top ten globally. The company was the first in India to launch 2-seater 50cc moped and 100cc Indo-Japanese motorcycles. At present TVS Apache, TVS Victor, TVS Scooty, TVS Centra and TVS Fiero are the popular bikes in Indian market. In all, team TVS has triumphed each and every race and rally in the country from the road to racetrack, with each of the TVS bikes being a winner. And each time the Team TVS has won on the track or off it, our customers have secured a better product for their personal transportation. |TWO WHEELERS | | MOTORCYCLES | |Suzuki Hayabusa 1300 |Suzuki Intruder M1800R |Suzuki GS 150R | |TVS Apache RTR FI |TVS Centra |TVS Fiero | | | |TVS Fiero F2 | | | |TVS Fiero FX | |Suzuki Max 100 |Suzuki Max 100R |Suzuki Samurai | |Suzuki Shogun |Suzuki Shaolin |TVS Flame | |TVS Victor |TVS Star | | |TVS Victor GLX |TVS Star | | |TVS Victor GX |TVS Star City | | |TVS Victor Edge | | | | SCOOTERETTES/MOPEDS | |TVS Scooty Streak |TVS Scooty |TVS XL | | |TVS Scooty ES |TVS XL Super | | |TVS Scooty Pep |TVS XL Super HD | | |TVS Pep Plus | | |TVS XL Super |TVS XL Super HD |Scooty Teenz Electric | |TVS Apache RTR |TVS Spectra DX/AX | |.

Developing Learning Spaces in University

Developing Learning Spaces in University Science Learning Spaces and Transition into First Year Bachelor of Science Significant investment has been made in the past ten years in universities and schools in regard to learning spaces and engagement and retention of students as well as preparing students for the world of work outside of the education system. A learning space is one where the teacher and student engage in learning, where a task is realised and the ability to adopt new ways of seeing the world are understood. Research looking at learning spaces and the interaction between architecture and education, show that there is a disconnect between the designing of the learning space and those that teach in the learning space. Student feedback on the success of the learning space is not often considered or is the transition of the students from a school learning space environment to a university/tertiary learning space environment. Learning spaces have many different contexts school spaces, university spaces, virtual spaces, however the area of interest for this study is the transition of students from an innovative learning space in a secondary school environment to an innovative space in a tertiary environment. When researching and gathering information, the premise is that space (natural and built environments) shapes practices and outcomes in teaching and learning, in particular with students moving from secondary to tertiary environments. According to Oblinger (2006), the relationship and social practices that make up learning spaces are only one aspect of the complex relationships of teaching that inform learning outcomes. However, a learning space can improve conditions and mediate relationships that improve student learning along with the physical, mental and cognitive indicators (Oblinger 2006). The use and effect of learning spaces, particularly physical learning spaces are often related pedagogicall y and organisationally to changes in use and demands in any point of time. Arnot and Reay (2007) discuss an example any one particular space could be used for individual pathway planning, team teaching, personalised learning, teamwork, problem solving, community based learning, which can all be done in open multipurpose learning spaces that link the education to the real world environment. Bruckner (1997) and Nespor (2004) state that temporality is a key factor in how organisations, teachers and students respond to new learning spaces over time. Souter, Riddle, Keppell, Sellers (2010) suggest that innovative learning spaces such as the purpose built spaces that universities are investing in today, should support a constructivist approach to learning and support student centred learning that is collaborative and experiential. Often spaces are built for design without considering the learning and comfort of the students, as well as the success and retention of students in a particular program. Designing built environments on sound pedagogical and architectural principles that are appropriate to community needs provides new opportunities for academics to create new partnerships and new pedagogical possibilities (Blackmore et al, 2011). However, Elmore (2007) indicates that this means focusing on the purpose and rational for change which include teaching and learning practices to support the learning environment and student needs. Currently there is a lot of research looking at the transition of students from secondary to univer sity (Johnson, Johnson, Farenga Ness (2005); Sleeter 2008; Zeichner 2008, 2010) however the area of research looking at the use of traditional pedagogy and learning spaces at university show that there is a need for change (Zeichner 2010). The DEECD authorised The Connections between Learning Spaces and Learning Outcomes: A Literature Review (Blackmore et al. 2010) which concluded that while the investment of building new spaces has been based on sound architectural and educational principals, there was little evidence that showed the connectedness to improved student learning, and how the spaces were used by teachers, students and communities pedagogically, as well as what effect they had on different student social groups. The question then is how does community and governance in higher education relate to learning, teaching and space? Temple (2008) suggests that this is an under researched area and one that may have significance in retention and enjoyment of students at university. Often what universities and architects think people think about their buildings is unsupported when university staff members and students are actually asked (Temple 2008). Student-centred approach to university design often focus on issue s of pedagogy and the curriculum rather than the physical environment (Temple 2008). Some writers have noted that teaching and learning should drive design, rather than visa versa (Jamieson et al. 2000; Jamieson 2003). Guiding principal for new learning spaces secondary and tertiary. Case Studies New Chem labs, physics learning space and GCF and Education Perspectives on learning spaces and pedagogical needs. Learning spaces and pedagogy Retention and Attrition of students in tertiary education Pat Sanders Brighton Grammar Science lab, thorough case study Scotch College science labs Comparative analysis of planning between case studies planning, methodology and outcome References Arnot, M. and D. Reay (2007). A Sociology of Pedagogic Voice: Power, inequality and pupil consultation. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education 28(3): 311-325. Bruckner, M. (1997). Eavesdropping on Change: Listening to Teachers During the First Year of an Extended Block Schedule. NASSP Bulletin 81(593): 42-52. More and more high schools are moving to a block scheduling arrangement, which results in longer and fewer classes each day. Changes in teaching strategies are essential to the success of such programs, for without significant revisions in classroom time use, block scheduling results in lengthy lectures or multiple lessons forged together, sometimes without logic. Nespor, J. (2004). Educational scale-making. Pedagogy, Culture Society 12(3): 309 326. The article explores the complexities of educational scalemaking. Educational scales are defined as the spatial and temporal orders generated as pupils and teachers move and are moved through educational systems; scales are envelopes of spacetime into which certain schoolbased identities (and not others) can be folded. Scale is thus both an object and a means of power in educational practice. Using data from life history interviews with an elementary teacher in the USA, the article illustrates the multiplicity of scale-making processes, and raises the question of how certain scale definitions become more widely accepted and authoritative than others. Oblinger, D. (2006). Learning Spaces. D. Oblinger, Educause. Space, whether physical or virtual, can have a significant impact on learning. Learning Spaces focuses on how learner expectations influence such spaces, the principles and activities that facilitate learning, and the role of technology from the perspective of those who create learning environments: faculty, learning technologists, librarians, and administrators. Information technology has brought unique capabilities to learning spaces, whether stimulating greater interaction through the use of collaborative tools, videoconferencing with international experts, or opening virtual worlds for exploration. This e-book represents an ongoing exploration as we bring together space, technology, and pedagogy to ensure learner success.

Free Bluest Eye Essays - Toni Morrison Helped Me Find Myself :: Bluest Eye Essays

The Bluest Eye   - Toni Morrison Helped Me Find Myself          Toni Morrison, I owe you my deepest thanks for helping me to appreciate the image I see in the mirror, the voice I hear when I speak, and the rhythm in my step as I walk. Many attitudes remain the same as they were in my parent's youth. Some people still stare at others because they are different and some still carry hatred and anger in their hearts because another person's skin color is not the same as theirs. Yet, there are those who do not carry such hate in their hearts, but allow themselves to be influenced by the bold intimidation of those who do. Those without hate often change their personalities and ways of thinking in order to become a part of an attitude which appears to be strong. However, this hatred is based on fear, it is weak.       While reading The Bluest Eyes, a complex of emotions filled within me. I found myself putting my emotions and all of my heart into the lives of two girls, Claudia and Pecola, who both struggled to truly find themselves. Although I can not say this book and these two young girls mirror my life completely, I can say the strength found in Claudia and the wanting to be accepted in Pecola's heart was not only their own, but mine as well.    Being a black author, you forced me to relate myself to your words on a greater level than any other because of our similar skin tones and life experiences. You then caused me to ask questions about the strength of my heart, and if I could handle the pressure of never thinking I was good enough. In The Bluest Eyes, Pecola regrets the way she looks, calling herself ugly and wanting to fit in. During her tribulations, my heart yearned for some understanding of how she could not search into her own soul and find the beauty and love that was placed within. I then realized, I needed to do the same. Growing up in my neighborhood, children that shared my ancestry were very scarce. In middle school I became active in various organizations, and in high school I became a part colorguard, yet I still was not happy.

Essay --

In mid-20th century western society, preconceptions of male behavior remained inert. Stanley from A Streetcar Named Desire exemplifies rigid stereotypes of an alpha male within American society and Gallimard from M Butterfly juxtaposes with a deep, but thus far unfulfilled, desire for complete dominance over a woman. Society expected men to be exclusive figures of authority within the home, and more generally patriarchal dominants. Stanley, the antagonist in Streetcar, is immediately introduced as aggressive and dominant. It is quickly apparent that he is a man of habit and structure and expects undisputed authority and respect in his household, specifically from his wife. In scene one, â€Å"Stanley heaves the package [of meat] at [Stella]† (Williams 4), barely acknowledging his wife after coming home from work and Stella â€Å"laughs breathlessly†. Stella finds Stanley’s ignorant behavior amusing, which infers that Stanley regularly acts without much regard for his wife. From the first scene, the audience can already discern that Stanley feels superior to Stella and takes her for granted. In scene two, Stanley accepts an enthusiastic kiss from Stella with â€Å"lordly composure† (Williams 29). The suggestion that Stanley is lord-like is significant for two reasons. First, in feudal times lords had sworn vassals that owed full allegiance and obedience to their lords. If Stanley is the lord, then Williams implies that Stella is the faithful vassal doing her duty. Second, aristocratic succession dictates that only men can hold the title of â€Å"Lord† and subsequently the power that comes along with it. Since Stanley is the man, the comparison implies that Stanley has all the power in the relationship and that Stella will never have any power over S... ..., first hinted at with the way he treats his wife, is fully evident after he rapes his sister-in-law. Stanley shows no remorse for the brutish actions he takes to restore himself to power in his house and eradicate the threatening presence of Blanche. Gallimard is reserved, insecure, and submissive by nature. His deepest desire is to play the role of the archetypal â€Å"alpha-male† and dominate a woman completely. Although dominance is against his nature, he refuses to accept that his incarnate fantasy of â€Å"Butterfly† was only a veil of perception that was ironically used to dominate him. Both characters go to sickeningly extreme lengths to attain and preserve the dominant role in their household. But as they were men in the mid-20th century, they were responsible for upholding the patriarchal concepts in society that only accepted men that played the role of a dominant.

venus :: essays research papers

THE NATURE OF VENUS AND THE VENUS SIGN We're going to find out why some people cannot stand you yet others feel so powerfully attracted to you that they simply cannot resist your charm. And, as Venus rules art and music as much as she rules romance, we're going to explore your instinctive aesthetic preferences. We're going to look at both the shapes and colors that strike your fancy, plus the figures and faces that fill your fantasies. Venus is a planet for romantics. Her very name conjures up an image of mystery and sensuality, but she was a seductive symbol long before the Romans coined this name for her. The Babylonians called her Ishtar, Goddess of Fertility. The Sumerians knew her as Inanna, Queen of Thunder. To the Egyptians she was Isis the Enchantress, and to the Greeks Aphrodite, ultimate icon of feminine charm and the mother of Cupid. If you are a typical male, your Venus sign represents your ideal woman. Aphrodite wears many disguises. Today, you will see which she dons when she wants to capture your heart. If you are a woman, your Venus sign governs the kind of person you turn into when you exploit your feminine charm. I have to confess, though, that when reading romantic preference in a horoscope, all astrologers find female psychology more complicated. Aphrodite was the ultimate free woman. She belonged to no man yet she awakened a deep and profound spirit of desire in the heart of every man she encountered. She had passionate and fruitful romantic involvements with gods as diverse as the witty, intellectual Hermes, the silent, muscular Adonis and the pompous, powerful Zeus. Throughout all this she also had a tolerant husband: aloof and irritable Hephaestus, the wounded craftsman. Forget for a moment any judgement you might feel inclined to make about her character. We are dealing here with a symbolic goddess, not a real human being and we must view her in her proper context: as an icon of femininity. One day, I hope to write an entire book about her. For our purposes here, though, all we need to understand is that we are dealing with the image of a woman who is attractive to every type of man. A man's Venus sign tells us whether he is more likely to try and appeal to Aphrodite by acting like a Hermes, an Adonis, a Zeus or a Hephae stus.

How would Xerox define diversity

Xerox defines diversity as a priceless resource and a key to their success. It more than just race or gender. By incorporating in a company like xerox different cultures and ways of thinking it expands the mind set of the company and leads toward creating innovative solutions and business opportunities (Xerox). How has the definition of diversity changed over the years? We live in a world where, because of the Internet and the Web, we can communicate with someone in Africa or Asia as easily as we can communicate with someone in the office next door. A company like Xerox represents businesses all over the world, and the diversity of its employees is a big plus. Acknowledging our differences and using them as a value-added for any clients needs is one of the keys to a companies success. The economic problems that the world economy is experiencing has only added greater emphasis to our beliefs in the importance of diversity. We are all in this economic situation together. It certainly is not the time to retreat from our strong belief that diverse perspectives are essential to prospering in today's world. What are the seven reasons why Xerox should be motivated to diversify their workforce? Illustrate how Xerox shows its values workplace diversity. Wider Talent Pool More talent will be employed at Xerox if employees of all cultures and race are hired. More Knowledge Sharing Employees can share cultural traits , market demographics and help develop companies develop robust knowledge management and market intelligence systems. Enhanced Productivity By processing varied skills , competencies and capabilities of different races and cultures, Xerox can increase its productivity worldwide (Xerox). Reduced Discrimination At Xerox woman and minorities make up for 52% of the workforce and 42. 5% of Xerox senior executives are women or people of color or both (Xerox). This motivates employees in a way that they feel like they are being treated equally and thus providing a better job performance. By the hiring of african americans and other employees of other cultural backgrounds they have achieved equality in their workforce (Xerox). Demographic Marketing The marketing of products and services at Xerox has become culturally and demographically segmented. This requires the company to hire people from different backgrounds and nationalities to better serve the marketed area. Human Capital Retention Diversity has been leveraged to attract the best most heterogeneous talent it also has been harnessed to retain talent and corporate integrity. Commitment and Willingness of employees to seek Growth Xerox Provides Equal Opportunity to all employees of any cultural background and race. By doing this employees of all types are more motivated and committed to provide good job performance to seek growth in the company. Research Question The Fortune 500 Company I chose to compare Xerox with is FedEx. While doing some research about the workforce diversity at FedEx I realized that FedEx and Xerox have much in common. FedEx as well as Xerox strives to promote the hiring of different cultures all over the world to increase their productivity and to meet the worldwide needs of their customer satisfaction. FedEx quotes that † We place a high priority on serving the needs of diverse communities; after all, we live in a country comprised of people from many different backgrounds and cultures. To show we're serious about promoting and supporting diversity, we've spearheaded a number of diversity programs — for our employees, our suppliers, our customers and our neighborhoods (FedEx). FedEx has various diversity groups to promote cultural awareness and to ensure the inclusion of all employees, these groups include The Asian Network Group,The African-American Network Group, The Hispanic Network Group, The Women's Network Group and the FedEx Gay, Bisexual,Transgender and Friends Network. Each network group operates as a separate entity, features chairperson and other group officer positions as needed, and meets monthly and sponsors/co-sponsors at least one corporate diversity forum with CCA annually (FedEx). Comparing FedEx to Xerox I would have to say the they pretty much have the same goal in creating a successful company by the incorporating a diverse workforce and policies to provide trust and respect to their employees and by doing this they are creating more productive employees who are highly motivated to achieve the goals of the company.

The Hundred Flowers Campaign

The Hundred Flowers Campaign began in 1957 when Mao Zedong declared in a speech, â€Å"Let a hundred schools of thought contend,† effectively encouraging criticism from members of the Chinese Communist Party. After members began pointing out where the party had made mistakes, however, Mao suddenly reversed this new policy and began the Anti-Rightist Movement, condemning the critics whose opinions he had just previously invited. Was the Hundred Flowers Campaign a trick designed by Mao to trap his opponents? Mao reversed his policies, which people may use as proof that the campaign was a trick. Mao first announced his call for criticism to the members of the party on 27 February 1957. After they overcame their initial fears of being labelled ‘anti-party,’ members acquiesced to Mao’s request on a tremendous scale, sending millions of letters complaining of corruption, inefficiency, and lack of realism within the party. But then, suddenly, on 19 July 1957, only five months after its conception, Mao halted the campaign and began the Anti-Rightist Movement, a stark contrast to the Hundred Flowers Campaign. It was now a time of harsh suppression; those who had criticized the party were now reprimanded. This sudden and completely turnaround change in policy seems to suggest that the Hundred Flowers Campaign had been a deliberate manoeuvre to lure Mao’s enemies into the open, where they could be easily identified and removed during the Anti-Rightist Movement. Indeed, Mao seemed to have successfully trapped his opponents with this cunning trick. The harshness of the Anti-Rightist Movement also suggests that the campaign was a trick. Those who responded to Mao’s call for criticism most vehemently were now forced to withdraw their statements. Furthermore, thousands of party members were sent to ‘re-education camps,’ where some spent the next five or more years doing hard labour. Even Zhou Enlai, one of Mao’s most loyal supporters, was forced to make a specious and humiliating self-criticism in front of a large party gathering. Mao’s retaliation was severe, precise, and on an enormously large scale. He was obviously poised to attack, and this hints that the Hundred Flowers Campaign was merely a wily method of enticing Mao’s prey. There is, on the other hand, much evidence to support that the campaign was a genuine attempt at reform. In his ‘Contradictions’ speech, given to leading party workers in early 1957, Mao complained of the oppressive way some party officials were applying policies and hinted that it was time to begin permitting intellectuals to voice their opinions. Furthermore, in 1956, he had been tolerant of Hu Feng, a writer who challenged the idea that all artistic merit should be judged based on Marxist-Leninist values, even as other CCP leaders viciously censured him. These two examples show that Mao, although previously disdainful of intellectuals, may have begun to see their importance, and thus may have been honestly inviting their criticism when the Hundred Flowers Campaign began. In addition, the launching of the Hundred Flowers Campaign may have been triggered by events in other communist states rather than a desire to trick party opponents. In 1956, Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev launched an attack on the previous leader Joseph Stalin, dead now for three years, and his ‘cult of personality,’ Mao probably saw how his own popularity—adulating portraits of him were being hung everywhere—could also be interpreted as a cult of personality. Mao obviously wanted to dispel this notion, and may have attempted to do so with the Hundred Flowers Campaign. The campaign showed that he valued other people’s opinions, and that he was not just a heroic public image that deserved unquestioning flattery and praise. Seen from this light, it seems that Mao was not just aiming to trick his opponents. This theory also explains why the transition from the Hundred Flowers Campaign to the Anti-Rightist Movement was so sudden. If Mao indeed feared being compared to Stalin, his fear was relieved in late 1956 when Khrushchev crushed the Hungarian rising, an attempt to break away from the Soviet Union. This event showed that Khrushchev, although critical of Stalin, did not have any intention of relaxing the Communist Party’s authoritarian control over the USSR and its people. Mao realized that he would not have to compete with Khrushchev in developing ‘Communism with a human face,’ and perhaps this caused him to change his mind about the necessity of the Hundred Flowers Campaign. A quick shift into the Anti-Rightist Movement then resulted. After examining the evidence, it becomes clear that Mao did not design the Hundred Flowers Campaign as a trick to trap his opponents. Rather, he launched the campaign because of his increasing appreciation of the opinions of intellectuals, and more importantly, because of his fear of becoming a victim of de-Stalinisation. Although the sudden reversal of policy into the Anti-Rightist Movement may seem suspicious, it looses significance when juxtaposed against the defeat of the Hungarian rising: Mao simply changed his mind.

Discuss the Impact of Newly Industrialised Countries

Geography Past Paper Question: June 10 * Discuss the impact of Newly Industrialised countries (NICs) on the global economy. The NICs originally attracted a lot of inward investment such as FDI from TNC's which originated from MEDCs. The reasons were that NICs had a large labour force which worked for cheap wages. They also had cheap land, friendly govt legislations, cheap available raw materials and reduced import and export tariffs. The manufacturing industry was first to move and so the NICs became more focused on the secondary sector while the source countries (MEDCs) became tertiary sector economies.This is a disadvantage for most of the MEDCs as they will face periods of structural unemployment where the unskilled workers who could only do manufacturing work will be unable to find jobs. The NICs will have reduced unemployment since a lot of jobs will be made available; requiring low levels of work based skills. On the other hand, due to the lower costs of production for the TNCs , they will be able to sell products for cheaper prices and so this will benefit the global economy.It will also benefit the NICs as they will face increased demand for their services and their population would face glowing job prospects. After a while, the NICs tend to become countries where TNCs originate from. Examples of this could include â€Å"TATA† from India which operates in many sectors such as communications and information technology, engineering, energy, consumer products and chemicals. TATA are now trying to move out of India as it is becoming increasingly expensive to operate in the country. They are moving to other developing countries such as Brazil and Mexico who are now considered as NICs themselves.According to Rostow's model, we can see that most NICs will go through the stages of specialisation and industrialisation after which they will start to not rely on investment and imports from other countries. The Asian tigers have already gone through the stage s and now are able to provide for themselves rather than relying on investment. China and India are currently receiving growing investment but a few TNCs from those countries have started to outsource from other countries who are in the transitional stages such as Brazil.China and India will soon become developed countries such as the Asian Tigers and the focus will then shift to the other ‘BRICS' countries. To conclude, NICs have a largely positive impact on the global economy as they enable TNCs to provide goods and services for cheaper prices to international markets. On the other hand TNCs cause increased unemployment in the country they move production from. However, most of the affects are positive as NICs are allowed to become developed countries in the long term and new countries can then go through the same process such as India and Brazil respectively.

Fun at School Essay

† Is a conspiracy theory defined primarily by its internal narrative characteristics or by its external discursive position?† The answer to this quote is because the term â€Å"conspiracy theory† is not a neutral descriptor; it is commonly deployed as a term of disqualification for narratives that may, on their qualities, deserve thought. Further, when attached to a writer or thinker, the label â€Å"conspiracy theorist† can carry a shame similar in kind (if not degree) to that suffered by those designated â€Å"mentally ill.† I don’t think that I am paranoid that much because I don’t have to believe what other people say about their theories. I see others paranoid though every day. I think some conspiracy theorist could have a bad rap because people do not like what they have to say. For example 9/11 people say terrorist flew into the twin towers. Conspiracy theorist say there where bombs planted throughout the building and that the att ack was plotted by our own government. Of course this is going to give these people a bad rap. If our society believes our own government is attacking us and they don’t want to believe it’s true then it falls back on the conspiracy theorist giving him a bad rap. I do agree America is more paranoid then other countries because of the hype of conspiracy theories like sandy hook, 9/11, and all the deaths of famous people like Tupac, and JFK. Other countries may have more problems than us like war and food and water and they need more help than us, so why are we the ones paranoid and they are not. To me this shows America has only a few things to believe and one of those things being conspiracy theories. other countries have to worry about sustaining a life and living when Americans are thinking is Tupac really dead? Is this right for us to think like that? Do we really have problems here in the U.S.?

Analysis of Multiculturalism in a Global Society Article

Analysis of Multiculturalism in a Global Society - Article Example There many different aspects in which multiculturalism can affect the way people within a society behave. One of the factors that affect the behavior of people the most is the culture in which they are raised in. Culture refers to learned, shared, and integrated way of life (NesSmith, 1995). An example of the impact culture has on the behavior within a society is the different roles of women depending in which part of the world they live in. In the United States, women have equal life and they play an integral role in family life. Not only are the primary caretakers for the children, they also share the financial role with men. â€Å"Women compromise more than half the US workforce† (Missouricollege, 2009). In contrast to the Middle East women have very few rights and men dominate society and have power over most aspects of everyday life. In societies in which one of the gender lives in inequality progress is limited because there is a large opportunity cost associated with in hibiting the rights of women. There are other injustices that occur in foreign nations which in the perspective of the local is the normal activity. An example is the spread of child labor in many developing nations. Children should have the right to receive a proper childhood instead of being forced to work at an age in which neither their minds nor bodies are prepared for the task that should be performed by adults. Multiculturalism can also be utilized in an official manner as a type of policy guideline for governmental matters such as immigration. Three approaches to deal with immigrant groups and their cultures are monoculturalism, melting pots, and multiculturalism (Wordiq, 2009). In a monoculturalism, culture countries implement policies in which immigrants are accepted and assimilated. A melting pot occurs in  places where immigrant cultures are mixed and consolidated. The best example of a melting pot is the United States of America.  

New Media College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

New Media College - Essay Example As the discussion stresses one major way in which everyone has been affected by the wave of new media is that, now the media does not present information and entertainment to us but with us. People are not passive audience of the media but actively participate in all the media related activities, as new media is highly interactive in nature. The audience decides what it wants to see or listen. Media is no longer controlled by companies but by its audiences. According to the paper findings people do not just read content but make content too. It has become so interactive that people are using the older media to connect to the revolution brought in by the newer media. One’s voice on the web can be put up with ease. Just get it recorded and it’s on the web passing your message to the people you wanted to interact about every possible issue. One to many communication is becoming a thing of past. One–on-one communication is the trend that is building up so in future the role of journalists will be limited. This threat has resulted in many improvisations in the way the journalist’s present information. In an attempt to sustain the competition from new media, they have become very interactive. They no more look as media people, but people among us catering to our requirements of infotainment. The blog trend is catching up. In the coming 10 years we will turn to blogs for news in virtually every field of interest. Wh ether it is business, politics, or other social issues, the blog is going to become credible first-hand vehicle of information. Similar to the blog small content management system, self-publishing, systems integrating audio and video publishing etc. would be the source of information in the next decade. The computer is becoming an integral part of all activities in virtually every thinkable area of our growth process. To improve corporate collaborations, the business leaders are turning to wikis and blogs. These two have the potential to make emails a part of the traditional media. In fact emails have been started being treated as snail mails. It has been observed in the journal 'Information Age' (2006, p. 27) that " wikisare easier to manage than hundred of emails. The theory is - much like open source software development -

Goldman Sachs Financial Data Analysis Assignment

Goldman Sachs Financial Data Analysis - Assignment Example The company was founded in the year 1869 and has its headquarter in New York, but maintains subsidiary offices in the major financial centers globally. Over time, the firm has been largely recognized as among the best premier investment banks globally. The corporation linked itself to the New York Stock Exchange in the year 1896 from which it has been able to trade successfully its shares. As a result of this, its capital in 1898 stood at $1.6 milion and has since grown rapidly. Furthermore, the firm started issuing the IPOs in the year 1906 upon taking over Sears, Roebuck and Company. This is a deal mainly attributed to the personal friendship between Henry Goldman and Julius Rosenwald, who was the owner of the frim. Largely, the company reports its business in four main business segments namely, investment banking, investing and lending, institutional services, and investment management. In investment banking, the range of services that are offered targets a diverse group including financial institutions, governments, corporations, and investment funds. In this, it mainly provides services related to the strategic advisory that entails forms of acquisitions, mergers, divestitures, and risk management. With regard to institutional services, the firm facilitates the transactions done by clients in relation to making the markets in equity, fixed income, commodity products and currency attainable for the clients. This is supported by the act of making markets clear for the clients, as well as clearing transactions on major stocks, futures and options for clients through the provision of prime brokerage, financial and securities lending services. In investing and lending, the company invests and originates loans for the provision of financing to its clients that are long term in nature. Subsequently, the firm makes

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Case study - Essay Example This test is carried out to determine the contents of the milk that cause this kind of bleeding known as the blackout syndrome. There were various tests that were done on the two kinds of milk that were provided. They all have different objectives that will help in finding the cause of the black syndrome. The filter test is used to show the different type of microns that are contained in the middle; the Petri dish test is used to culture the milk for more studies; the atomic absorption flame photometer detects the presence and concentration of certain ions; the microscope test helps in the identification of the various shapes of the pathogens. The tests have different procedures, to culture the milk pathogens it is required to sterilize a nichrome loop, dip it into the liquid being tested and smear it across the agar in the petri dish. Repeat the same procedure on what is to be compared with and wait for the pathogens to culture. The atomic absorption flame photometer takes a certain procedure which as follows: prepare a solution of the substance to be tested, evaporate the solution to leave fine solid particles, burn the solid particles in the machine to produce a black strip with several distinct colors. To microscope test take the following procedure: take a small sample of the substance to be tested and add crystal violet to stain the cell, add iodine to fix the purple stain in some types of bacteria, wash everything in alcohol to decolorize the non-fixed bacteria, add a red counterstain and prepare the sample for viewing. The filtration test requires one to pour the substance to be tested into the machine and turn it on and wait for the wait for the machine to categorize the components of the test substance. The filter divides the components of the milk into three categories which shows the presence of different types of microns in the milk. Burning samples of the test product in the atomic absorption flame photometer shows a black strip with several disti nct colors. The petri dish test shows culturing in the milk sample in the dish. The microscope test helps to identify the shapes of the different types of bacterium in the milk. The filtration test shows the presence of fungi indicated by part of the milk that did not go into the 10 micron ending up in the F-100 bottle, the presence of bacteria indicated by the part of milk that has not gone through the half micron filter ending up in the F-five bottle. The culturing of pathogens in the petri dish indicates the presence of bacterium in the milk sample as indicated by the white pathogen growing in sample milk A. The different shapes of bacteria shown through the microscope show the types of bacterium in the milk (gram positive or gram negative) and their various colors. The results from the atomic absorption photometer indicate no poison in the milk since the readouts do not indicate anything out of normal. The filtration process indicates the different types of pathogens in the milk with regard to their sizes. The presence of the sample milk in bottle F100 indicate the presence of fungi while the presence of part of the sample milk in bottle F5 indicates the presence of bacteria and the presence of sample milk in bottle F0 indicates presence of viruses and chemicals in the milk. The identical coloration of the black strip in the flame photometer

Reducing the driver texting while driving can significant reduce the Essay

Reducing the driver texting while driving can significant reduce the number of car accident - Essay Example Texting while driving kills thousands of people each year. To stop these completely preventable accidents, every person who drives needs to stop texting in the car and wait to answer the phone. Distracted driving, which is the practice of not paying full attention to the road, is a big killer, and cell phone usage is one key factor. According to the FCC, in 2012 alone â€Å"driver distraction was the cause of 18 percent of all fatal crashes,† totaling more than 3300 deaths and over 421,000 injured people (FCC). While there are a number of ways that drivers could be distracted in their car, text messaging stands out as a very notable culprit. There are a huge amount of at-risk drivers who use cell phones. A poll from 2014 showed that 90% of all Americans own cell phones, 64% of which are smartphones (Pew Research Center). On top of that, studies have found that â€Å"text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted† (FCC). This is because, as can be imagined, the driver of a car who is trying to text has his or her attention split between a screen and the road. Distracted driving accidents have increased a lot in the past decade due to an increase in cell phone and smartphone usage. From 1999 to 2008, there was an increase of almost five percent in the number of fatal accidents which involved distracted driving (Wilson & Stimpson 2214). This makes sense when thinking about the increase in cell phone usage during that time. And the last few years of this period are the biggest increase, which ties in with more smart phones being popular for teenagers. Just from 2005 to 2008 there was an increase of 28% in distracted driving deaths (Wilston & Stimpson 2214). But there is still hope for the texting disaster. As Alosco et al. showed in a simulated driving study, texting as well as eating caused â€Å"impaired performance,† and interestingly, those who took part in the study after the fact understood that â€Å"texting

Self Recommendation Letter Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Self Recommendation Letter - Personal Statement Example I am a graduate of San Francisco State University where I undertook Hospitality and Tourism Management with an emphasis in Event Planning as a major and Business Administration as a minor. Professionally, I have been a teacher assistant at the San Francisco State University in the Department of Hospitality Management since August 2011. My responsibilities include engaging with supervisors to discuss and moderate the grades of students. I would also complete the grade related paperwork as required in addition to preparing and proctoring examinations. In addition, I monitor to ensure that all the materials needed in classes are available. This has opened me to an academic aspect of my professional specialization following experience from varied hotels in different capacities. WLC Corporation provided me with adequate experience in managerial skills, having served as a beverage manager in the fast food restaurant since August 2005. My duties included handling of customer relations matte rs and providing effective training to new employees. The management skills acquired were furthered when I joined Furama Hotels and Resorts International in Shanghai, China in May 2011 as an intern in hospitality consultancy. For the period spanning to September 2011, I assisted the Vice President, and indeed the whole team at large in maintaining and updating the restaurant’s database and providing administrative support in general. The demands of consultants’ projects saw me collecting appropriate data, analyzing and interpreting the data to give meaningful feedback in line with the objectives of the research. These tasks were sufficiently accomplished due to my proficiency in Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems. More so, I have skills in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. I have also grown in this career from basic responsibilities like the role of food delivery driver at Waiters on Wheels from January to April 2006. Here, I had to process customer orders accurately and timely, adhering to sanitation and safety principles applicable in food handling, which included maintaining the delivery vehicle clean. As a waiter at Xiao Loong Restaurant between October 2007 and January 2008 and waffle artist at WLC Corporation, I not only assisted in food preparation but also in serving customers while maintaining utmost customer service rules. These duties critically depended on my oral and written proficiency in languages including English, Mandarin and Cantonese. I also had to apply strong problem-solving and organizational skills for desired results. Being a proficient student, I was accorded the Abraham Lincoln High School Japanese Award in 2005 and the University of San Francisco, School of Law Certificate in Street Law in the same year. I am also involved in the youth ministry at the Lutheran Church of Holy Spirit and voluntarily served at the youth council as the resource person for youth activ ities. I have demonstrated my leadership traits as a basketball coach where my responsibilities included the preparation of registration materials needed for basketball camps and developing self esteem by teaching new skills and techniques and encouraging team work during practice and actual games. Career aspirations I have been engaged in restaurant operations from bottom up, serving as a driver, waiter up to management roles. I have also had adequate experience in hospitality academics as an assistant teacher. I look forward to nurturing event management responsibilities as I look forward to managing hospitality businesses at a senior level either at a permanent status or on a consultancy basis. In the hospitality industry, being an international worker would be a

Greek and Norse Mythology. Essay Example for Free

Greek and Norse Mythology. Essay Greek mythology and Roman mythology are almost identical. This is an accepted fact, as it is widely known that the Romans stole the Greek myths. However, it is very interesting to note that the mythology of the Vikings (Norse) has many similarities with the Greek myths. These myths are, by no means, identical to the Greek ones (like the Roman ones are), but there are very distinct commonalities between the two. I see two possible reasons for this besides pure coincidence. The first has to do with the fact that Norse myths were codified during the Viking era: 780 1070. This gives the Norsemen many centuries to become exposed to the Greek (or Roman) myths. The Vikings did travel as far east as the Caspian sea, which is further east than both Italy and Greece. The Norse myths were fashioned after the fall of the Roman empire. During the expansion of the Roman empire, the Romans were able to get all the way to Britain, which is farther west than the Scandinavian countries where these myths originated. The Vikings made many expeditions into Britain. So it is a very realistic thought that the Vikings could have been exposed to the stories of the Greek and Roman gods. It is also possible that the Vikings could have extrapolated parts of the Roman stories into their own. The only two existing primary sources of Norse mythology are the Prose (Elder) Edda, and the Poetic (Younger) Edda. These were written about one thousand to eight hundred years ago respectively. The second factor has to do with mythology as an extension of the society that fashions it. I see mythology as an attempt by a people to explain the powerful forces which affect and shape it, that are beyond its control, such as weather, the elements, and nature. I also see gods as being characters that have many similarities with the people within the society. The gods and goddesses are powerful beings capable of super-human powers, but nevertheless are characters fraught with very human frailties and flaws. In this way they created gods that had similarities with the common man in the society. This made the gods more tangible and easier to identify with. I think that this was necessary because they were not yet at the societal maturity level to have a single god on a cosmic plane. Most of the comparisons will be examining the similarities between major Greek and Norse gods, as well as creatures, stories and specific symbols which are featured in the mythologies.

How the Brain Impacts Learning Essay Example for Free

How the Brain Impacts Learning Essay The brain is a very complex and amazing organ that consists of two very important halves. The right hemisphere and the left hemisphere, both of these effect how we learn and process information. In most cases we have a dominate side whether it be the left or right side. In some cases it is found that there are whole brained thinkers pulling information from both sides of the brain. Let’s cover how the brain works, what subjects each side learns and how it processes information, teaching techniques for the right, left and whole brained learners. The brain is made up of two halves, or hemispheres – the left brain and the right brain. The brain is divided into two distinct and separate parts by a fold that runs from the front to the back. These parts are connected to each other by a thick cable of nerves at the base of each brain, called the corpus collosum. A good analogy is that of two separate, incredibly fast and immensely powerful computers, each running different program from the same input, connected by a network cable, or the corpus collosum. The left hemisphere of our brain is â€Å"wired† to the right side of our body and vice versa. This even applies to our eyes, with information from our right eye going to the left hemisphere and information from our left eye feeding the right hemisphere†(Eden, Left brain right brain) The left and right side of the brain have different ways to process how they take in information and learn different subjects. Let’s start with the right side of the brain and see how it works in this way. The right hemisphere process the information best with demonstrated instructions, looking for patterns, similarities, open ended questions, drawings and is free with its feelings. â€Å"Right-brain students are the dreamers. They can be very intelligent and very deep thinkers—so much so that they can get lost in their own little worlds. They make great students of the social sciences and the arts. † (Fleming, 2011) The Left side sees things differently than the right side preferring verbal instructions, logical thinking, talking and writing, multiple choice testing and controls feelings. Dominant left brain students will be more organized, theyll watch the clock, and theyll analyze information and process it sequentially. They are often cautious, and they follow rules and schedules. Left brain students are strong in math and science, and can answer questions quickly. †(Fleming, 2011) The whole brained learners or middle brained learners, are the ones that can use both sides to processes the different information which is a great benefit to their success in life. They can look at a situation and choose which side would best solve the situation. Students who are middle brain oriented can have strong qualities from either hemisphere. Those students can benefit from logic from the left and intuition from the right. †(Fleming, 2011) We are all different in the way we use our brain; some having a dominate side and some utilizing both sides. Thus leaving the question of how teaching techniques can stimulate both sides? Teachers have a great responsibility teaching our children and they should teach in a way that can stimulate both sides of our brain or better yet the whole brain. It is important to know what types of thinkers you have in your classroom so they can be better taught. The examples above should give you an idea of how the right, left and middle brained thinkers take in the information so let’s move forward to how you can help teach them better. â€Å"For many students, particularly those who are â€Å"right-brained,† a visual, such as a picture or 3-D model, can help them better understand a concept. Another way to help â€Å"right-brained† students is to pair music with learning. Have students make up a song about history facts and sing it to the melody of a familiar song such as â€Å"On Top of Old Smoky. † Let these students see, feel, and touch things. â€Å"Right-brained† students also seem to thrive when doing group or hands-on activities. †(Quantum Learning, 1999, p. 31) Activities should include shared learning, group discussions, role-playing and experiments. These learning techniques will greatly benefit our right brained learners. To help â€Å"left-brained† students, provide information in very logical sequences—for example, make (numbered) lists for them. Another way to help students with a left-brain preference is to give them typed or printed directions. Let these students do their work step by step. â€Å"Left-brained† students seem to thrive when following plans and having structure with activities. † (Quantum Learning, 1999, p. 31) Activates should include analysis, research, realistic projects a nd worksheets. These learning techniques will benefit the left brained thinkers. Keeping in mind though, that many teaching techniques can benefit all of your students; it is also important to use both of these techniques to benefit the students that use both the left and right side of their brain. As an educator you need to understand how your students learn best whether it is a; dominate left or right brained student or the whole brained learner that likes a mixture of both techniques. Another great benefit you can find using these techniques in your lessons is to get a dominate brained student to use there less used side of thinking. Through this we have learned how the brain works, how we process and learn information using both sides of our brain and how teaching techniques are important in learning as a whole. We all learn new things each and every day so use this as it is vital information to help you learn to your full potential. Today, in more than years past, we are using these studies to help students learn as much as they can. Teaching curriculums are always on par with the best technology out there and the more that we learn about the differences between the two halves of the brain the more our children can learn.

Data leakage

Data leakage Data leakage is the unauthorized or unintentional exposure, disclosure, or loss of sensitive information (GAO, 2007, p.2). Many businesses have in their control sensitive data about their organisation, employees and customers. The Information Commissioner (ICO) in a recent press statement (ICO,2010) is alarmed with the unacceptable number of data leakages within the modern world and will issue fines for major breaches to commence in 2010. In addition to our markets, the safety and security of our information could not be assumed either. (Verizon Business, 2009 p.2). In 2008 there appears to be a link between the turn of the recession and an increase in reported data leakages. Research conducted by Verizon Business (2009) showed that the number of reported compromised records was more than the previous four years combined as shown below in Figure 1.1. Figure 1.1 Number of records compromised per year in breaches investigated by Verizon Business (2009) Within this study (Verizon Business, 2009) it was found that the industries with the highest number of data leakages were in retail (31%) and financial services (30%). As employees exit, so does corporate data (Ponemon Institute, 2009, p.1). A survey conducted (Ponemon Institute, 2009) showed 59% of employees who left a business (including voluntarily and those asked to leave) stole data. It is difficult to measure the entire impact of a data leakage. Data Breaches Are Frequent, but Evidence of Resulting Identity Theft Is Limited; However, the Full Extent Is Unknown. (GAO, 2007, p.1.)   The financial impact on a business per breach according to the Ponemon Institute (2006) is on average $4.8 million.   Breaches can not only be financially costing to a business but also extremely damaging to a companys reputation, this study (Ponemon Institute, 2006) showed that 60% of customers terminated or considered terminating contracts after a security breach. According to Verizon Business (2009) in 2008 91% of all compromised records were linked to organized criminal groups. Examples of confidential data that criminal groups may wish to obtain are companys financial information, customers sensitive data and credit card details.   There are many ways in which data leakage can occur, some of which will be discussed in the following chapter of this report. 1.2 Data Leakage in the Media The media is one of the most influencing ways of communicating issues globally. Data leakage appears to be increasingly more popular in the media as the reported breaches increase. The ICO stated that there were 434 organisations that reported data security breaches in 2009, the previous year had 277 reported (Unacceptable level of data loss, 2009). This evidence supports the theory of there being an increase in breaches during the recession but what must be taken into account is that there is an increase in the reported cases. It may be that more businesses are becoming aware of data leakages where previously they were oblivious to breaches committed or did not disclose the known leakages. Reported in the media, a Nationwide employees laptop was stolen from their home containing confidential customer data (FSA,2007). 11 million Nationwide customers were said to be at risk of identity crime at the time. The FSA (Financial Services Authority) were alerted by the breach and it was found that the Nationwide did not start an investigation until 3 weeks after the theft took place. The firm were fined  £980,000 by the City watchdog for the security violation. Another example in the media (Previous Cases of Missing Data, 2009) is the Ministry of Defence data security breaches. The Ministry of Defence admitted to losing or having stolen 121 memory sticks in a four year period. According to this press release (Previous Cases of Missing Data, 2009) Defence Secretary Des Browne said 747 laptops had been stolen of those only 32 have been recovered. 1.3 Data Loss Prevention (DLP) The protection of sensitive data, to avoid data breaches, should be a vital part of a business day to day operations. Yet organisations rarely have adequate visibility or control of their data (Broom, cited in When financial data goes missing, 2008). From the research conducted (Verizon Business, 2008) out of all the data leakages that occurred in the year 87% were preventable through simple or intermediate controls. This suggests that many businesses are not putting in adequate controls to prevent leakages. The Date Protection Act (DPA) is a framework to ensure that personal information is handled properly (ICO, The Basics, no date). One of the principles of the act is, it is the responsibility of the business to secure the sensitive data it withholds. The DPA have the right to prosecute and unless exempt, all businesses have to abide by this act. The difficulty faced by many businesses is to manage the risk without affecting their productivity and to manage risk in a new and challenging environment (CFO Research Services and Crowe Chizek and Company LLC , 2008, p.2). The important factors to consider when implementing a DLP plan is the alignment of process, technology and people as a unit.   developing a robust security policy and ensuring that all employees fully understand their role and obligations(Broom, cited in When financial data goes missing, 2008). Broom also stated that users need high-quality training and good communication regarding information security concerns. Chapter 2: Types of Threats Threats to the protection of data can be split into two broad categories: Internal and External threats. Internal threats are from within the business itself and majorly centred on employees actions. Attacks from outside of the business are known as external threats. Examples include hackers, organized crime groups and government entities (p.8, Verizon Business, 2009) According to Verizon Business (2008 or 2009) 20% of reported data breaches are caused by insiders whilst 39% of the breaches involved multiple parties, thus proving the importance of a combination of internal and external controls. 2.2 External Threats According to Verizon Business, 2008 saw   more targeted, cutting edge, complex, and clever cybercrime attacks than seen in previous years   (p5 2009). The fact that attacks appear to be increasingly more sophisticated is a concern for many organisations to ensure they have adequate control measures in place. One of the most common external threats to data security is Malware.   According to Easttom (p6 Computer Secuirty Fundamentals) Malware is the Generic term for software that has a malicious purpose. Malware can be used to steal confidential data from a personal computer to a global network. A virus is a small program that replicates and hides itself in other programs, usually without your knowledge (Symantec,2003) through Computer security fundamentals p6.) A Trojan Horse is a useful or apparently useful program containing hidden code that, when invoked, performs some unwanted function. (P48 info sec pipkin). Trojans must spread through user interaction such as opening an e-mail attachment. It looks legitimate and so users are tricked into executing the malicious program. The Trojan can then potentially delete files, steal data and spread other malware. They can also be created to generate back doors to give hackers access to the system. (http://www.cisco.com/web/about/security/intelligence/virus-worm-diffs.html) An example of a dangerous Trojan is the Dmsys Trojan. According to (http://www.2-spyware.com/trojans-remova) and (http://www.uninstallspyware.com/uninstallDmsysTrojan.html) it steals users confidential information by infecting instant messengers. It uses a keystroke logging technique to steal passwords and private conversations. This information is stored in a log file and then sent to the hacker. Thus allowing the malicious user to have access to potentially, confidential information. There are various tools online that can dispose of this Trojan automatically, but if a user wanted to do it manually they would need to delete the files: dmsysmail.eml and dat.log. Manually Deleting Malware Each program consists of files. Evenspyware, a virus or a different parasite all have their own files( http://www.2-spyware.com/news/post203.html ) To remove a parasite usually means to delete all its files. According to this website, it is not always this simple, as files being used by active applications can not be deleted and some of the Malwares files may be set to invisible. Following this sites guidelines: Open Windows Task Manager and select End Process but only works if you know what processes should be running and those that look suspicious. Once you have stopped the process it is now possible to try and delete the malicious files. Locate the folder you believe the program to be (eg My Computer) and ensure all hidden and protected files are visible (Tools, Folder Options, View, Advanced Settings).There may still be files that are invisible, now type cmd into run to access the Command Prompt. Within the Command Prompt enter dir /A folder_name. All files within this folder will be listed including all hidden files. To delete these files within the cmd enter the command cd folder_name to locate the folder. Then enter del file_name to delete the file. Ensure the Recyle Bin is also emptied. http://www.2-spyware.com/news/post203.html steps on how to manually remove Malware. Preventing Malware attacks Since new viruses are introduced daily (p49 info sec pipkin) an up-to-date valid anti-virus software is essential to avoid data leakages via Malware. Vulnerability patching firewalls A combination of the mentioned attacks can be catastrophic to the security of data hacking gets the criminal in the door, but malware gets him the data (p20 verizon) It is critical that a blend of the above security measures are put into place. 2.1 Internal Threats Whether knowingly or unknowingly, innocently or maliciously, employees engage in behaviours that heighten the risk of data loss.( Cisco data leakage find page) According to a study conducted by cisco data leakage 46% of employees admitted to transferring files between work and personal computers and approximately 1 in 4 admitted sharing sensitive information with friends, family, or even strangers. According to the Deputy Information Commissioner David Smith (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8354655.stm) Unacceptable amounts of data are being stolen, lost in transit or mislaid by staff. Dangerous numbers of personal data is still being needlessly stored on unencrypted laptops and USB sticks. if they do not think about security, users can start to cause quite a few problems p37 computer insecurity book. bar chart 5 ponemon 2009 page8 info kept after leaving chart 7 ponemon 2009 page 9 According to Ponemon (2009), only 11% of the respondents who took part in this research had permission from their supervisor to keep this information. in figure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. An alarming percentage of the above transfers may have been avoided with appropriate controls, which will be discussed later in this report. It can often be hard to detect data leakages, such an employee copying confidential data to a USB device. more often, the information is left just as it was so that the theft is not quickly discovered p59 info sec pipkin. Using a Data Leakage Prevention tool can assist in monitoring and blocking users risky actions to avoid leakages. In this report Digital Guardian by Verdasys will be used to demonstrate some examples of how a DLP tool can be used to assist in the battle of information security. Chapter 3: Verdasys Digital Guardian Software Introduction Digital Guardian is a comprehensive and proven data security solution for protecting and tracking the flow of critical data anywhere in the world. (Verdasys, 2006) (http://www.daman.it/wp/dg/Digital_Guardian_DS.pdf ) According to Verdasys (2006) Digital Guardian (DG) can help to prevent the loss of data by identifying hard to detect user actions. The tool can block unauthorized access, copying, printing, and other user actions. The DG platform consists of a central server and control console to communicate with remote agents deployed to desktops, laptops and servers where data needs protection. It is an agent based (Endpoint) Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tool. These agents operate silently and report rules violations, continuing to operate even when a device is removed from the network. (Verdasys, 2006 http://www.daman.it/wp/dg/Digital_Guardian_DS.pdf ). The DG server is accessed via a web-based interface to the Control Console.   Figure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ DG Management /Control Console The above figure is the web-based management console. This tool can be implemented on both Windows and Linux machines. For this project Windows machines have been used. Capabilities Digital Guardian can monitor or block various risky actions users are taking. Whether it be users abuse or accidental operations. There are many actions that the software can perform some of which will be shown in the followingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Rules can be created within the software and then applied to policies which are deployed to machines chosen. These rules can generate warnings to the user and also email alerts to administrators upon policy breach. Reports can be generated to allow for auditing and drilldown summaries of use of data and users actions. Along with being able to completely block specific actions DG can also ask for justification from a user which is a form of Soft Blocking (DG, 2006). This type of DLP can also allow for a monitoring only approach, which   according to ( http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php) can be more   successful than a blocking solution. It can be used assist in computer forensics investigations whether it would be monitoring triggered rules by prohibited actions that breach corporate policy or more sinister illegal activity. According to (http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php)   The beginning of the investigative process is to find out what was being sent, where, and by whom. Is it legitimate business reasons? Maliciously? They didnt know any better? Blocking may keep the data safe, but it wont answer those questions. (http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php) There are functions within the tool that can block the removal of confidential data via clipboard actions (cut/paste/print screen).   add on features such as mail/file encryption and content inspection by Autonomyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (company name) (Verdasys 2006) Figure (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) shows the capabilities of the software, How the software works Digital Guardian installs drivers that tie into the Operating System (O/S) at a very low level within the kernel. When an application wants to save a file, it calls a function within the application that does this, and that the O/S handles the task, right down to the kernel that does the hard work, without application writers having to know the details.DG ties into that kernel, detects these events happening, extract useful details (like the filename and size etc), and then send the details onto the DG server. The advantage of this is that any application saving a file will have to get the O/S to do it, so tying in at that very low level ensures it works for virtually all applications. Any more Installation oh god try and remember!! Installation details of .. appendix. windows server,   SQL Server, DG Server, DG Agents,   Hardware and Software à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ pre , key etc. Detailed in the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Digital Guardian files.   Limitations  Ã‚   - FIND some Digital Guardian is mainly used for insider threats and doesnt lessen external threats by intruders or malicious attacks. It also does not address server and network vulnerabilities. (http://www.software.co.il/data-security/17-data-loss-prevention-shoppers-guide.html) No functionality to actually block users downloading applications (CHECK THIS) and running them if not already blocked within Application Management. The software has to be installed on the network to be able to block the use of it. check!! No rule to be able to block all attachments sent via emailcheck Scalability challenge of maintaining classifications of Windows shares/content (http://www.software.co.il/data-security/17-data-loss-prevention-shoppers-guide.html) Chapter 4: Testing and Implementation Policy Exception USB Encrypt Email Prompt Encrypt Mail Rule Encrypted Email Password Application Management Application Management Exceptions Application Management Exceptions Block of Applications Prompt Upload Via Webmail Upload via Webmail Prompt Block upload via webmail sites. This rule controls users access. Instead of completely blocking their access to certain sitesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Can access the specified sites but can not upload to these sites. For example social networking sites like Facebook. Stops the sending of attachments via webmail.   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If laptop accessed from outside of network these rules will still functionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. NEED BETTER SCREEN SHOT THAN THIS IS THERE A COMPONENT RULE FOR THIS? Control of USB Devices Block non-approved USB devices Within DG it is possible to block all uploads to all USB devices, thus preventing all users from removing any data from the network. It is also possible to block uploads to USB devices with the exception of predefined USB devices. For example if a business provides users with an encrypted USB device (such as Kingston.) a rule is created to say block all USB device if stated device is not listed in the component rule associated. The USB device is recognised by its Product ID and Vendor ID. These IDs can be discovered by using a simple tool such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Block non approved USBs Above is the control rule called Block non approved USBs. This rule is set to block any File Copy/Move/SaveAs to a removable device that is not listed within the function (component control rule) approved usb device. Component rule for USB Approved Within the approved usb device component rule is the Vendor Id and Product Id for the approved USB device(s). USB Block Prompt If the USB device inserted does not match the predefined approved removable device then the above prompt is triggered. This prompt is flexible and any message the administrator wishes to set will be displayed. Once Close is selected no data can then be transferred to the device. This way if the USB device is lost/stolen it is encrypted so would be extremely difficult to view any sensitive contents on the device without knowing the password. This rule could be useful for businesses where their employees have to travel regularly (eg Sales) and so data needs to be easily transportable. Obviously this rule does not stop users from stealing the data but does assist with accidental loss. The software could still be used to monitor who/what/how much data is being transferred to these devices. BETTER SCREEN SHOT Content inspection rulesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Look into TRY AND CRACK/BREAK THESE RULES. Manually blocking USB within the Registry It is possible to manually block all USB devices via the registry. The following steps were taken from Microsofts Support site (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823732). Before manually adapting the registry it is strongly recommended that a backup of the registry is made as any errors made within the registry can cause severe problems.   To enter the registry of the computer from the Start menu click Run and enter regedit.   Find the registry key : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesUsbStor. On the right hand side double click Start as highlighted in figureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.   Ensure Hexadecimal is highlighted and enter 4 within Value data. This will now block all USB devices being used on this machine. When a device is plugged into the machine the device will not be acknowledged. To re-enable USB devices follow the same steps above but change the Value data back to the default value of 3. Chapter 5: Analysis of results founded by Digital Guardian.   Digital Guardian Technology   ANY IMPROVEMENTS FOR DG Chapter 6: Critical review of other products Having assessed an Endpoint (agent based) DLP tool, secondary research was conducted on a Network DLP tool, Websense Data Security, for comparison. Figure below is a table of brief pros and cons for different DLP measures available, taken from informationweek.com . Analyse table Taken from (http://www.informationweek.com/1163/163ss_impactassessment690.jhtml;jsessionid=WA0XH3S4GN0CTQE1GHPSKH4ATMY32JVN) WhenDLPvendors are being honest, theyll readily admit they cant stop the serious and skilled insider from getting data out. (http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php)Their real significance is in finding employees who are accidentally leaking data, those who dont know its against policy or who are taking risky shortcuts to get their jobs done. Websense Data Security is a network based DLP tool with forward proxy.   According to a review by (http://www.software.co.il/data-security/17-data-loss-prevention-shoppers-guide.html) it is typically used for monitoring email traffic and quarantining suspect messages. It requires placing an application-layer proxy next to an Exchange server or server agent. With a network based DLP such as Websense it avoids having to install an agent onto every machine, and instead involving installing network taps. As data passes through these it is checked, and events collected that way. According to(http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php) Network-based solutions have the potential to be more vulnerable to an insider threat. An insider can steal data out via thenetwork, using encryption or steganography (where data is embedded within another data format). Unlike DG a network-based tool would not prevent a user plugging in a USB stick and copying files, it also would not log that this event had even occurred. TYPE UP MORE COMPARISONS Still, an even somewhat paranoid but unskilled insider can use a cell phone or digital camera to photograph documents on the screen. No form ofDLPcan protect against that. (http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless/time-to-take-action-against-data-loss.php) Installing   a DLP tool is not the be all and end all protection against threats and as emphasised earlier in this report a combination of measures needs to be addressed. Chapter 7: Conclusion and Future Work. Highlight any deficiencies etc Ethical Traking employees? ANY IMPROVEMENTS FOR DG   .Many different aspects to consider Link intro with conclusion. Verizon other factors p3 . The best security technology in the world wont produce a good return on investment without the foundation of security processes, policies, and education. P8 Cisco data leakage. if you have never experienced a security incident, does this mean that you are secure? Or does it just mean that, so far, you have been lucky? computer insecurity book in short no one is immune computer insecurity book More.. Glossary Bibliography Online Sources ICO. (2010), Press Release: Data Breaches to Incur up to  £500,000 penalty, [Online]. Available at [Accessed 31st January 2010]. (2009),Unacceptable Level of Data Loss, [Online]. Available at [Accessed 1st February 2010]. FSA. (2007), Final Notice to Nationwide Building Society, [Online]. Available at [Accessed 26th January 2010] (2009), Previous Cases of Missing Data [Online]. Available at   [Accessed 12th January 2010] Broom, A. (2008),When financial data goes missing.[Online]. Available at [Accessed 3rd February 2010] ICO. (date unknown), The Basics . [Online] Available at [Accessed 2nd February 2010] Journals GAO. (2007), What GAO Found, Report to Congressional Requesters Verizon Business (2009), Data Breach investigations Report Ponemon Institute. (2009), As Employees Exit so does Corporate Data, Data Loss Risks During Downsizing Ponemon Institute. (2006), 2006 Annual Study: Cost of a Data Breach CFO Research Services, Crowe Chizek and Company LLC. (2008), The Changing Landscape of Risk Management Appendices