Intercultural aspect of culture Essay

During the first day of the workshop, I did not completely understand the real meaning of culture. I did not even have a single definition for the term culture. Many questions came into my mind such as, â€Å"What is culture? What are the factors that create culture? What is the scope of culture? Does culture improve itself or not? Although, I started the inquiry on the concept of culture without certain answers for these questions, I had figured them out step by step during that day. I started to find answers for most of the questions that I faced. I finally understood what culture was and why different people with different cultures had different behaviors. By understanding the factors that influenced culture, I started to learn its importance to the parties who got involved in particular conflicts. Throughout that day, I comprehended why people with different cultures got involved in particular conflicts and what were their objectives. I started to give answers for these queries. They might need someone whom they can air their grievances or opinions with. Moreover, they might only wish that others would respect their culture as it was. In the role play, I learned that listening skill was very helpful in making the parties who were involved in the conflict feel better. Also, they should be given the chance to continue telling their stories without any interruption. I had also learned that I could be able to interact with them simply through body language such as moving my head up and down which tells, â€Å"I understand you. Keep going. † Furthermore, these skills would give me the chance to get as much information as possible and understand the parties’ cultures. Personally, I think that having much understanding of other cultures using the skills mentioned earlier would help me adapt with their behaviors and become more flexible when dealing with them. Culture’s factors such as religion, climate and geography play very significant roles in parties’ behavior. These explain why different countries have different cultures. Finally, all ideas and skills that I had learned during the first day of the workshop let me pay a close attention on understanding other cultures, respecting their beliefs and values as I want other people do the same thing when they cross my culture. I would try to use these ideas and skills in my daily life – simply by listening to other people and respecting them. Before evolving an intercultural model of conflict resolution it is important to understand and identify aspects of culture that lead to creation of the framework of conflict. The cultural spectrum holds different shades for a person, a society and a nation, accordingly helping each of them to assimilate and adapt to a common identity that is defined and shaped by culture (Holliday, Hyde and Kullman, 2004). In the process of evolving this collective identity, culture transcends its traditional role of providing an aggregate set of beliefs, customs, norms, values, ethics, traditions, moral, social and legal codes, perceptions, and philosophy, to become the overall physical framework for the society to function. Culture attains a real form, rendering a three dimensional living space for people to experience its living force ((Holliday, Hyde and Kullman, 2004)). Culture is strongly related with geographical setting of a place, religion, ethnicity, and race, explaining why different countries have different cultures, and also why places on seashore share common elements of culture that is quite different from culture of mountainous places. The imprinting of culture on ways a person thinks, acts, perceives the environment and models his/her reaction is very strong and virtually indelible, determining every aspect of human behavior and giving rise to cultural identity in addition to individual and national identity. Although the classic rational choice framework says that people are independent in choice of their behavior and approach towards events, its seen that at subtle levels the structural model provided by culture acts as final determinant in predicting a person, a society and a nation. Although culture is dynamic, evolving and continuously upgrading itself, in essence, these changes occur within the context of culture’s own timeframe. One of the most important contribution of culture to human civilization is the orientation provided towards other cultures, making the culture in question receptive, tolerant, indifferent or outright hostile towards different cultures. Societies are seldom mono-cultural, displaying a range of cultural traits, achieved through generations of trades, contact, and cross cultural mixing (Holliday, Hyde and Kullman, 2004). However, although for people belonging to a particular culture, their culture would hardly seem complex, the cultural realities are hidden beneath the surface, difficult to observe and discern from outside. These improper understanding and imperfect perceptions of culture often give rise to conflict when different cultures are required to meet or come across.

Ritz – Carlton

?The case â€Å"The Ritz- Carlton: Managing the Mystique† deals with the strategic marketing decision of how the hotel chain should continue its operations in order to satisfy its customers more. By overcoming the challenges of being one of the top ranking hotels in the world and hiring the right people to do so, the success of your marketing startegy would be inevitable. In this way Ritz- Carlton could potentially increase its sales and and expand in different countries.Therefore, this case will deal with possible solutions and ways of operating in order to create hotel uniqueness and gain a cometitive advantage compare to other five- stars hotels. Ranked as the best luxury hotel chain in America out of thousands others, for the past years it still provides the same exceptional standard of quality, comfort and fittings (Power, 2012). The essence of the Ritz Carlton experience lies in the quality of the service provided by the company which is also the intangible product the c ompany is selling.The manager makes sure that the service is tailored to the individual and is earnest and helpful. Every guest and employee is treated with respect and the general managers pay special attention to every visitor from the moment of airport picking until the moment the visitor leaves the hotel. An essential part of the service process is the guest recognition procedure, part of the service quality indicators (SQIs) which when implemented â€Å"creates a sticky relationship† between the guest and employee, in particular or the hotel, in general.The staff’s responsibility is to make each â€Å"guest feels well when they leave† and create an unforgettable, personalised experience which satisfies even the most discerning visitors. Moreover, the company also recognize the technology as a key to a high service level. It is something that the customer expects to receive when stays at a five- star hotel. In order for Ritz-Carlton to be a leader in what it is selling, the company has realized the need for continuous improvement of its core competences by placing total quality management (TQM) as a central point in their strategy implementation.It has to concentrate on hiring the right people who enjoy looking after other people, and provide a pleasant environment for them to work in. Moreover, the hotel-chain improves its weak areas based on the feedback it receives from evaluators when applying for awards. Moreover, the ability to satisfy all kind of customer’s claims makes them more loyal. In this situation, the Ritz- Carlton manages to fill the customer gap by providing the customer’s expectations, what he believes should receive, and at the same time his perceptions, what he gets in addition (Wilson, 2012).This rise some challenges for the hotel manager, such as the ability to close the other four gaps called provider gaps. The first one of which is to not knowing what customers expect, which applies the difference between the customers expectations and the company’s understanding of them. In order to overcome this challenge a more direct contact with the guests of the hotel is needed. In particular, establishing strong and long- term relationships with regular customers and satisfying their needs in every moment.To succeed in this, interviews and surveys could be conducted among the customers to establish their requirements and expectations. Afterwards, building a system with all of their responses would contribute to stay closer to them. Therefore, to conduct all the relevant information, the empowered and front line people play an important role. In the hospitality management, the communication between the manager and his employees plays and important role to avoid establishing a gap. As a second provider gap is considered not selecting the right service quality designs and standards.In order to deliver the highest quality service, the service design and the company’s performa nce standards should be developed in a way to reflect the customer expectations and perceptions. The new plan should be focused on customer driven design and together with it meeting the employees needs. The third gap is not delivering service designs and standards. As being developed in the second stage of the customer gap system, now the firm has to succeed in delivering the new way of serving its guests. The employees should be selected effectively to complete their obligations.They should have the right characteristics to complete the job. Conflicts on the workplace should be avoided as well as the inability of team work. Moreover, appropriate systems and facilities should be developed and provided, to follow if all the factors for achieving the high standard level of service are in place. The last but not the least provider gap is not matching performance to promises. The marketing advertisement plays an important role in this stage. By creating an advertisement with promotion of over- promising services, the customer expectations also increase and it is difficult to meet the standards you cannot provide.This interactive marketing strategy might be created together with external companies to communicate effectively with current and potential customers (Wilson, 2012). To create the same policy in every of the Ritz- Carlton hotels, the top manager has to follow the same policy and stick to the same standards in order to create a successful business chain. This will result in customer loyalty concerning every hotel location and will build a better reputation for the company. Therefore, to create a uniquness in its services, the famous luxury hotels are known as the ones who treats its guests as royalties (Michelli, 2008).This something is called â€Å"The Ritz-Carlton Mystique. † Being in any of the seventy worldwide locations gives you the opportunity to see the art of service. By creating a data with all the customers perceptions, Ritz- Carlton wins a high reputation among its competitors. However, in order to collect this data and proceed it in a right way, the company relies on its employees who are the one next to the people and contributing to their memorable experience. The reason for being one of the most successful chains is that Ritz- Carlton look for things that most companies ignore and then uses its findings in a unique way to attract more people.Another characteristic of the company’s policy is the meetings organized to share relevant information for providing better services, this has a positive impact on the whole organizational process as well as the team work within the employees. In the case example of the family in Bali, the impact it has on the work performance is really significant and the easiest way to reach all thousands of employees all around the world. It reinforce the actions in everyone and contributes to the service values.The high quality, standardised service could be considered as an impo rtant factor in the luxurious hotel business. It creates uniquenessness and something that makes people feel valued. That is also the reason why in establishing the company’s key success factors, Ritz- Carlton puts on first place the mystique followed by employee engagement, customer engagement, product service excellence, community involvement, and financial performance. The employeers are playing an important role of the Mystique strategy. The popular chain is really careful in selecting its staff and at the same time training them.Moreover, they expect from them a high engagement with their job because this would result in a lower management turnover, fewer safety incidents, and higher profitability and productivity (Gallup, 2007). As a customer- driven company, the hotel chain builds its success on factors such as service characteristics, where the business meets all customer needs and create a product and competitive advantage. Moreover, it focus on the strategy characte ristics, where the human resource management in the face of the employees take place in the operations.Process and marketplace characteristics are defined as marketing based to establish the best way of presenting the business potential (Wilson, 2012). Therefore, the best hotels in the world started launcing their loyal programmes in order to survive the downturn. Ritz- Carlton aim has always been to build a loyalty in its customers habits. The company is striving for broadening its customer base, increasing the cometitiveness of its service, motivate a profitable behaviour together with increasing its market share . The loyalty program is truly build on the customer feedback in demanding the world- class respect.It provides services from airline tickets to unique traveling experiences and adventures which no other luxury hotel chain would be able to provide. Moreover, the loyal programme is personal for each of Ritz’s clients. It is customised towards his prefernces and expe ctations for experencing a memorable holiday. This is another proof that the company is totally based on the idea of customer- driven policy. The Ritz- Carlton is succeeding in exceeding the guests expectations in every aspect. But the question is how exactly it reaches this success compared to other top brand hotels?It pays attention on its internal resources and by doing that is manages to build a good reputation among the customers and attract new ones. Moreover, by creating programs to train its employees and empower them with the mission to satisfy their guests, contribute to their job satisfaction and the recognition of feeling part of the organization. However, to be known from the people who are potential customers but are not part of the loyal programme, a special marketing communication channel should be created. Nowadays, the marketing communications have become really complex way of reaching customers.The term is part of the whole marketing strategy and could be defined as the promotion aspect of the â€Å"Marketing Mix†. Specifically it applies the practice of advertisement through mass- media, websites, cinemas and etc. Moreover, it is a really important aspect of how the branding image would be build in order to reach the right potential target group. At the moment, Ritz- Carlton is using different, unstandard approach to reach the attention of its future guests. It is going back to old style brochures sent by classic post. It is producing a high quality, perfectly designed cards, honourly signed by the CEO of the company.This is a good way to promote its unique service for luxury chains. However it should straighten its positions according to the services marketing triangle (Wilson, 2012). It applies the theory of the involvement of the employees, customers and the company for the creation of a successful marketing communication. By starting with the external marketing communication, including advertising, corporate websites, sales promo tion and public relations and continuing with interactive ones, for instance, personal selling, customer service interactions or in particular concentrating on the customers habits.In order to avoid miscommunication and successfully create a promotion channel, these two factors should be linked together. The way of doing this is by having a third sector, internal marketing, which assures that the communication line is accurate. The things that are mentioned in the company and explained to the employees should be matching with what are the customer demands. The whole combination is called the services marketing triangle (Wilson, 2012). In order to establish more effective way of promoting its unique services, Ritz- Carlton would meet some challenges in its strategy.Since the service is intangible it is more difficult to reach its consumers and convince them in the uniqueness of what is being offered. The company should assure that they make clear what is differating them from all the competitors and what is the advantage of purchasing their services. Therefore, they should be really accurate in the information which is provided in the promotion material, and assure they would provide the same thing they are claiming in their announcement. Ritz- carlton may use the approach of grabbing the first attention.It could create an advertisement which pop up online and a a link which is going to lead the user to further information. In this way, the company wins an advantage of providing knowledge to the people who are not aware of the luxury services. As a final challenge the marketing communication strategy should be coordinated with the operations of the company to achieve its optimal goal. Employees should be train in a way to meet the company’s requirements. The advantage that Ritz- carlton is providing to its employees is the opportunity of highly educated training program.The program called, The â€Å"Seven Day Countdown† is the training process con ducted by the hotel-chain to familiarize the newly recruited employees with the organizational system and it happens one month after they get hired. The first two days consist of â€Å"orienting employees to the Ritz–Carlton culture and values† as well as having the opportunity to learn more about your department, meet your colleagues and get to know them through various group exercises and activities. Additionally, the importance of self-teaching and guest satisfaction is highlighted and the Gold Standards of the company are presented.The next five days are devoted to the training and development of the specific skills required to perform the job in each division through trial runs or mocking activities which represent a realistic situation an employee might face. Even though this process defines what Ritz-Carlton believes in and has become an integer part of its strategy, Collin expressed his concern that these seven days are too short and suggested to be extended in order for the hotel to open at a higher occupancy rate and â€Å"to reach 80% occupancy in a shorter amount of time†.Four Seasons is a severe competition for Ritz-Carlton and the occupancy rate gap between the two rivals is getting smaller with every year. As is stated in the article even though the company is able to satisfy 92% of its customers, 8% are dissatisfied for certain reasons. Based on customer feedback, the hotel-chain can determine the reasons for this percentage and adjust accordingly. Since both parties’ decisions need to be taken into account I believe that McBride should add one more day to the standard seven day programme.This particular day which can take place before the trial and mocking days, should include a training of new employees on how to deal with people from different cultural backgrounds. This might as well have been one of the reasons why some people were dissatisfied – maybe a person from the stuff acted in a certain way without realizing that he/she offended a guest. Moreover, the employees hired for the job are also from different cultures and have different perceptions of dealing with a problem.These cultural differences could be presented in the form of case studies or group activities. Another thing which should be included in this extra day should be ethics and teaching future staff what is right and wrong as well as what is an acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. The financial implication for Ritz-Carlton of extending the training process would be an increase in the pre-opening budget in the corresponding section. This means more trainers will be required with relevant knowledge on the topics for that extra day or the participating ones will be paid extra.Moreover, by training its employees through its learning programme, Ritz- Carlton wins an advantage in developing new employees’ ideals. However, it causes some internal and external changes in the environment, due to the developing of new culture. The result, however is worth it as trained employees do not require so tight control from a managerial side as they would be aware what is expected from them. Moreover, as feeling part of the team they would optimise their performance and that would result in more benefits for the chain.They are trained in working efficently as well as effectively. The advantages that Ritz- carlton provides to its employees is the opportunity to grow and learn from the best. This contributes to their job performance and commitment. Moreover, this will result in a higher quality service and will create a competitive advantage for the company In conclusion, it could be derived that Ritz- Carlton has to meet some challenges in order to stay on the top of the luxurious hotel chain business. As with its high class service, it manages to satisfy even the most demanding customers.However, in order to keep its positions it has to straighten its marketing communication channels to reach more custom ers. The company could take an action of developing an online marketing campaign to inform about its locations and exclusive offers. It should keep its advantages of providing the Ritz- Carlton Mystique since it creates a uniqueness of being their customer. Moreover, focusing on promoting it as a competitive advantage will higher the company’s turnovers. Overall, the success of the Ritz- Carlton hotel chain will remain the same if it continues its development with the years.

Comparison of ‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ Essay

In this essay I will be comparing the two stories ‘The Speckled Band’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ by Roald Dahl. ‘The Speckled Band’ was written in 1892.This was in The Victorian Period when people had very little faith in the Police and Conan Doyle needed to create a Detective who always got everything right so that the public started to believe the Police could actually get it right. It was first published in a magazine called â€Å"The Strand† in weekly episodes so to a certain extent he needed to keep his readers interested as well which is why the plot is so complicated. The plot is about a woman called Helen Stoner who is going to get married, but someone or something murders her sister who also was supposed to get married. Helen Stoner goes to see Sherlock Holmes to see if he can help solve the crime. The plot is full of twists and red herrings that is up to the reader to try and solve as they go along but as always Sherlock Holmes works out the significance of everything and solves the crime. ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ was written in 1954by Roald Dahl. This story was also published in a magazine called â€Å"Harpers† but was written to be read in one go so it does not have the complicated layout of Conan Doyles story. Instead the reader knows exactly what is going on form the start of the story and the ending is shocking and designed to entertain and horrify. It was written by Dahl to show how women at the time were a lot more powerful than the men gave them credit for and should be respected more than being at home , pregnant. The plot is about a modern couple that seem to be falling out. Mary Maloney is the perfect 1950’s housewife who makes dinner and cleans, but one day when her husband (Patrick Maloney) comes home from work they have an argument. Mary loses her temper with Patrick and hits him over the head with a leg of lamb and accidentally kills him. In a panic she phones the police and puts the leg of lamb in the oven to cook for dinner. When the police arrive she persuades them to eat the lamb because it would be a waste of food. In the end the police eat the evidence and Mary didn’t get caught. Dahl uses comic irony at the end to engage the reader as Mary sits there laughing about what she has done; you don’t imagine her to do this as a middle class housewife. The times that these stories are set in are both very different. Like travel, in ‘The Speckled Band’. They travel by horse and cart but in ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ trey use car or foot just like in the modern day. For communication the people in 1892 would have to write or go and see the person they wanted to talk to but in 1954 they would have used the telephone. Also in 1892 they did not have much electricity so they used candles instead of light, whereas in 1954 they had lots of electricity. In 1892 the women would have worn veils and long skirts but in 1954 they would have they would have worn jeans, t-shirt etc. in 1892 rich families would lived in large houses with servants but in the modern day most families are middle classed and do not have the money for servants etc. When there was an enquiry in 1892 the detectives would have had to use their own knowledge to solve crimes but in 1954 they would use fingerprints, evidence etc to solve the crimes. The language used in ‘The Speckled Band’ was old fashioned and very formal like when Sherlock Holmes says â€Å"Very sorry to knock you up Watson, † said he, â€Å"but it’s the common lot this morning.† He also says things like â€Å"Mrs Hudson has been knocked up, she reported upon me, and I on you.† This isn’t the kind of language we would use in the modern day and proves that it is set in 1892. However in ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ there was a lot of slang and it was not as formal. Like when Mary says â€Å"Hullo darling.† And † Hullo Sam† to the grocer. However the way she speaks to Sam the grocer proves it was set in the 1950’s and not in any other time because we would not know the person in the corner shops first name today but it was common in the 1950’s to be friendly with them. In ‘The Speckled Band’ Sherlock Holmes is the main character. He is a famous detective and solves difficult cases. Conan Doyle invented him because people in the Victorian times were fed with the fact that the police could not solve any crimes and he wanted a character that always got everything right. However in ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ there were police who are good at solving cases but wouldn’t be able to solve them without any evidence and they are very arrogant and treat Mary as a silly woman when in fact she is the person who has tricked them and been the murderer. Dahl does this to shock his readers and make it even more dramatic which Conan Doyle would not want to do because they needed to trust their detective! In ‘The Speckled Band’ the killer was a snake that had been hypnotised by Helen Stoner’s stepfather, but all the way through the story he is a suspect and he acts suspiciously like when Helen goes to visit Sherlock Holmes to tell him what has been going on, shortly after she leaves her stepfather came in asking if she has been here. It seemed like he had something to hide, but in the end it had nothing to do with him. In ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ Mary seems like a nice, gentle woman who feels that she has to help out. Like when she says, â€Å"Darling, shall I get your slippers?† but after the police eat the evidence she laughs so I think he whole issue hade made her go a bit insane. At the beginning of the story you didn’t expect it from her because she just seems like a normal, average wife like when it said about ‘She took his coat and hung it in the closet.’ and when it said ‘She was sat back again in her chair with the sewing.’ The scene seems too realistic for something bad to happen. In ‘The Speckled Band’ the victim was Helen Stoner’s sister because there was nothing anyone could do to save her; this made the readers feel very sorry for her. The next victim was Helen Stoner and because nobody knew what killed her sister it seemed that she needed protection. I would expect someone like her to be the next victim because she is a woman who has done nothing wrong and is innocent. I don’t think her or her sister deserved to be the victims because they are both just happy and normal people. In ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ you don’t feel sorry for Patrick because he is being horrible to Mary and you feel automatically on her side from the beginning. I think he deserved to be upset but not killed because they are just having a falling out. ‘The Speckled Band’ is set in Stoke Moran, which is Helen’s stepfather house. Sherlock Holmes is investigating the house. I think it is a good setting for a murder to take place and because it’s a very big house which makes it creepier for the reader because you don’t know what is doing the killings. ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ is set in Mary Maloney’s house. I think the way the author has described it makes it sound very realistic, like when he says, â€Å"The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight.† This makes the room sound cosy and like it really exists. You can really picture the scenery. I also think it’s a good setting for a murder because you can imagine it happening there. I think I would expect it because so many crimes in real life have been taken place in houses. Out of the two stories I preferred ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ because it is easier to understand and keeps you interested all the way though with the description it uses. I disliked the other story because the speaking parts dragged on to long and I did really just want to get on and find out what happens.

Ellingtonia Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Ellingtonia Music - Essay Example The two principles that he applied to his life and which could guide others to achieve success were (a) willingness to learn, and (b) capacity to move with the demand of times. One, who rose from the grassroots level in life, knew the value of success and how to maintain that level, once he reached the top. His upbringing had much to do with the leadership qualities in his professional life that led him to success. John Edward Hasse writes, â€Å" Even before he acquired the nickname â€Å"Duke,† young Ellington was a natural aristocrat—in bearing, manners, taste, dress, and self-confidence. Cultivating airs and graces, and foreshadowing his future relationships with women, he even had his female cousin bow down to him as a sign of respect.†(24)To him, music was the passion and mission of life and not commission. (Meaning earning money for self-aggrandizement, forsaking the business ethics) It was a rare combination of qualities for an artist to be guided by busi ness acumen. He began taking lessons in piano at the age of seven, and by then his family friends had recognized his latent genius in music. Hasse writes, â€Å"When he was seven or eight, attending Garnet Elementary School, his mother signed him for his first formal training in music.†(26)At the age of 18, he entered the music world with a bang, and this was his first master-stroke to make an entry in the business world in relation to music. He issued the biggest advertisement in the telephone yellow pages regarding his aspirations to become a bandleader.

Financial Managment about (Mergers & Acquisitions) Essay

Financial Managment about (Mergers & Acquisitions) - Essay Example Periodic environmental appraisal and organizational appraisal lead to generation of strategic alternatives. The strategic alternatives are then evaluated in the context of organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Expansion strategy is followed when an organization wishes to broaden the scope of its customer groups, functions, alternative technologies etc. Merger and Acquisition (or takeover) strategies basically involve the external approach to expansion. In this process basically two or occasionally more than two entities are involved. Mergers take place when the objectives of the buyer company and the seller company are matched to a large extent, while takeovers or acquisitions are usually based on the strong motivation of the buyer company. Takeovers are frequently classified as hostile takeovers (which are against the wishes of the acquired company) and friendly takeovers (by mutual consent in which case they could also be described as a merger). The purported key principle behind buying a company is to create shareholder value over and above that of the sum of the two companies. In a nutshell the key factors leading to M& A are; A merger is a combination of two or more organizations in which one acquires the assets and liabilities of the other in exchange for shares or cash, or both the organizations are dissolved, and assets and liabilities are combined and new stock is issued. For the organization which is acquired it is merger. For the organization which acquires another, it is acquisition. If both organizations dissolve their identity to create a new organization, it is called consolidation or amalgamation. Mergers are also classified as; Horizontal Mergers: ... For the organization which acquires another, it is acquisition. If both organizations dissolve their identity to create a new organization, it is called consolidation or amalgamation. Mergers are also classified as; Horizontal Mergers: When there is a combination of two or more organizations in the same business, or of companies engaged in similar aspects of production or marketing processes. For example a steel making company combining with another steel making company. Vertical Mergers: When there is a combination of two or more organizations, not necessarily in the same business, which creates complimentary situation either in terms of supply of materials (inputs) or marketing of goods and services (outputs). For example a footwear manufacturing company combining with a leather tannery or with a chain of shoe retail stores. Concentric Mergers: When there is a combination of two or more organizations related to each other either in terms of customer functions, customer groups or alternative technologies used. For example a computer motherboard making company combining with a peripheral devices making company. Conglomerate Mergers: When there is a combination of two or more organizations unrelated to each other, either in terms of customer functions, customer groups, or alternative technologies used. For example an IT company joining hands with a footwear manufacturing company. For mergers to take place two organizations have to act. Both these organization have certain set of reasons for taking this step and accordingly they go into preparations and negotiations. Four key aspects to getting acquisitions right; Pre-deal phase: It includes negotiations and rigorous due diligence like business due diligence, people due diligence, accounting due diligence

Biology Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Biology Questions - Essay Example Prokaryotic initially prior infusion with the other forms was able to support itself via utilizing free O2 in processing both its energy and food. This is via diminutive heterotrophs mitochondria via respiration and ensuring that they produced useful food and energy liable for their sustainability. Primarily, the Eukaryote Evolution bears two pathways, which encompass Endosymbiosis and Membrane infolding (Virtual Fossil Museum). Researchers have accepted and utilized Endosymbiosis in expounding the evolution of Eukaryote contrary to the latter pathway. Membrane infolding process contends that unit’s’ membrane engulfed the invading prokaryote where instead of digesting the cell wall it remained intact and formed an extra membrane surrounding protomitochondria and protochloroplast (Virtual Fossil Museum). Hence, the external membrane developed Eukaryote characteristics where its continued evolution yielded to endomembrane system (The virtual Fossil Museum). Conversely, En dosymbiosis claims that two entities that are diverse structurally fused due to their entirety dependence (symbiosis). The theory contends that eukaryote mitochondrion emanated from autotrophic organism engulfed by a large heterotrophic entity (Virtual Fossil Museum). Prokaryote was unable to utilize O2 to support its metabolisms process losting its outer cell wall, though, it developed an extra flexible membrane. This yielded to more infolding forming the nucleus and diverse numerous internal organelles as indicated in Fig.1. Alternatively, Eukaryote engulfed alphaproteobacteria (autotroph) without digesting it, which utilized O2 in synthesizing energy via photosynthesis (Fig. 2). This established symbiosis relationship existing amid the Eukaryote and the autotroph in the cell (The virtual Fossil Museum). Eukaryote’s responsibilities entail protection and nutrients provisions while the endosymbiont prokaryote energy via respiration (Virtual Fossil Museum). Symbiosis normally entails diverse entities that usually exist in the same environment and co-exist via mutual dependence, for instance, Eukaryote and prokaryote. This is via each entity having a distinct role, which the other cannot undertake on its own, but it is essential for own continued existence. Figure 1: Endosymbiosis Theory Retrieved from http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Evolution/Endosymbiosis.htm Figure 2: Endosymbiosis Theory. Retrieved from http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Evolution/Endosymbiosis.htm Qn. #2 Zonation entails how diverse ecosystems normally distribute themselves owing to their capability to withstand certain climatic aspects and can adequately thrive in their midst. Primarily, it depends on altitude, latitude or other factors that prompts diverse ecosystems and tend to inhabit certain geographical positions than others. Since, they do possess the necessary adaptation characteristics; these will enable their sustainability contrary to others, which could become extinct if exposed to the region (Keddy 101). Local zonation refers to small fragments having distinct characteristics and ecosystems that normally inhabit certain region, for illustration, intertidal zonation. This lies amid the high and low tidal lines, mainly on the shoreline (Keddy 269). Animals or plants meant to dwell in this region entail that they do bear diverse

Citizenship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Citizenship - Essay Example American citizens need to be active and engage in daily operation of the government activities in order to establish a just and liberal society. Therefore, it is the significant for civic, local, small, and religious groups get detailed knowledge and education significant to administer the right combination of compassion, loving and active discipline necessary for each citizen. This in turn will foster citizenship, encouraging civic pride and nurturing American families. Citizens must be ready and willing to agree and adhere to the regulations, tenets, obligations, and rules by which they are governed. Democratic governments give many freedoms to their citizens incorporating the freedom to criticize and dissent the government. Citizenship in a democratic country needs civility, patience, and participation. Democratic citizens realize that they have rights and responsibilities (Jeffrey et al, 2010). Due to this, they are challenged to understand that democracy needs hard work and an i nvestment of time. Therefore, a government of the people requires consistent support and vigilance by the governed. Responsibilities of citizens in a democracy demand the need for collective self-government and a personal sense of social concern as member of a polity. This shows a multifaceted nature of citizenship as a practice and philosophy that values the objectives and goals of equality, fraternity, and liberty. In democratic states such as the United States of America, the civic participation or engagement implies that citizens are required to act as juries or offer mandatory civilian or military national service for a certain period (Jeffrey et al, 2010). In addition, other obligations apply to the democratic ideals and are the main roles or responsibilities of the citizen. For instance, a sole responsibility among these is the respect for the rule of law. It is significant for citizens to pay their taxes, respect the rights of other people who have different ideas or opinion s from theirs’, and accepting the power of the elected government are some of the responsibilities of a citizen in a democracy. A citizen in a democratic government has the role of pursuing the common good of the community. Therefore, it is important to lay emphasis on the principles of voluntarism or freedom in that the government or the authority does not have the right to compel and force its citizens to be good but it can offer incentives as well as sanctions for bad or unacceptable behaviors. A democratic government needs to have educated, aggressive and responsible citizens who act in accordance with the various civic virtues such as self-determination, freedom from oppressive government and interdependence. This is because in absence of active citizen participation and without practice of civic virtue in the life of a community, democratic institutions such as the State and market and the entire civil society cannot operate in a sustainable manner (Jeffrey et al, 2010) . Democratic citizens understand that they bear the burden of roles for their community if indeed they have to benefit from the government’s guard of their rights. In order for democracy to succeed, its citizens must be aggressive since they are aware that the failure or success of the government is their obligation and responsibility. In turn, the government understands that it must treat its citizens

Is penalties harsh enough on underage drinking and should parents be Research Paper

Is penalties harsh enough on underage drinking and should parents be held accountable - Research Paper Example This paper intends to discuss whether penalties applied to underage drinking are harsh enough, or in other words, should drinking be allowed for underage people, and should parents be held accountable for underage drinking. If we compare the drinking age in United States to that in other countries around the globe, we come to know that there are stricter laws in US about legal age for drinking. Most of the other western countries regard it as a normal social activity performed by an individual of any age. In European countries, and in England, children start taking alcohol, although a small quantity, with their parents. Wine is often a casual part of meal. Australia allows drinking at eighteen and England allows it at sixteen, and the teens consuming alcohol at so young an age are found to be perfectly healthy. This makes it easy to argue that a lower drinking age should be acceptable when the rest of the world is okay with it. Thinking this way, one feels that there are harsh penalt ies by the government on underage drinking. ... It is easy to teach a young kid of 18, as compared to an elder person, and make him learn how much of it is okay and how much is harmful. Parents in Europe teach their kids how to be responsible with drinking and then they set them free to try it out, but responsibly. In US, parents are so much fearful of the worse consequences and threats posed by heavy alcoholism that they inculcate this fear inside their children that the act is totally wrong and they cannot think about drinking before they reach a set age by the law. This concludes that there is no need for harsh penalties on underage drinking, but there is need to create more awareness on health hazards in case of binge drinking. Learning and knowledge can do what penalties cannot. There is another dark side regarding penalties. Harsh penalties increase the thirst. It is very natural for man to crave for something he has been forbidden. He wants to do things and try them out when they are told not to. This is because of his expe rimental nature that compels him to crave for something he cannot get. Adam ate the forbidden fruit because he had been specially told not to eat it. Similarly, alcohol becomes the tempting forbidden fruit for teens. Strictly forbidding kids to touch alcohol increases the curiosity inside them and then they turn out breaking the laws and standing liable for penalties. Studies have suggested that most teens drink out of their excitement that they get in breaking the law. â€Å"87% of high school seniors have used alcohol† (Harold). Hence, it is clear that a lot of high schoolers and teens do consume alcohol. Then what are the laws for? Medical science and psychological studies reveal that teens

Learning disability is a growing problem in the UK Essay

Learning disability is a growing problem in the UK - Essay Example Quine (2003) studied a sample of 200 five to 18-year-olds with learning disabilities and identified a range of behaviour difficulties such as: attention seeking (29%), over activity (21%), temper tantrums (25%), aggressiveness (21%), screaming (22%), wandering off (18%), destructiveness (14%) and self-injurious behaviour (12%). Kiernan and Kiernan (2000) found that in a study of 68 schools for children with severe learning disabilities, 8% were thought to have extremely difficult or very difficult behaviour and a further 14% who were thought to have behavioural difficulties of a lesser nature. They calculated that somewhere in the region of 2000 children in England and Wales alone will present with severe difficulties, and that a further 3400 will present with difficulties of a lesser nature. As introduced above, the determining, the prevalence of behaviour analysis is difficult, in part because of inadequate operationalization of the term. The preferred term, behaviour analysis, is regarded by a number of commentators as problematic, because of its tendency to be used over-inclusively for a range of other conditions (Slevin 2000, Gates 2002). Consequently, in the current study, to achieve conceptual clarity the term was operational zed to refer exclusively to children with learning disabilities who predominantly demonstrated behavioural difficulties. ... Nihira (2000) has divided behavioural difficulties into six subcategories: violent and antisocial behaviour, rebellious behaviour, untrustworthy behaviour, destructive behaviour towards property or self, stereotyped and hyperactive behaviour and inappropriate body exposure. These six subcategories have been developed into an eight category scale: The British Association on Learning Disabilities, Adaptive Behaviour Scale-Residential and Community 2nd Edition (UKLD ABS: RC: 2) (Nihira et al. 2000). The manifestation of any behaviour that fell into any of these eight subcategories, at a level that caused parental distress, was used in this study as evidence of behaviour difficulties. Learning Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities. A relatively unexplored conceptual issue is the relationship between learning disabilities and developmental disabilities. This relationship is important to the topic of this article because the emphasis on functionality in the recent UKLD definition (Luckasson et al., 2001) is conceptually similar to that found in the definition of developmental disabilities (Beirne-Smith et al., 2000). Furthermore, Learning Disabilities have always been considered the most common type of developmental disability. As defined in the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (P.L. 98-527), a developmental disability refers to a severe, chronic condition that causes substantial functional limitations in three or more major life activities. This primary component of the definition is very similar to the UKLD definition's specification of limitations in two or more applicable adaptive skill areas. For a comparison among the

Is There a Soul Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Is There a Soul - Assignment Example Firstly, other than the physical matter that differentiates one individual from the other or one living thing from the other, what exactly differentiates one individual from everyone else, or one living things from all the other living thins of the same species?   Secondly, what exactly feels the pain, sorrow, and sadness on the event of the loss of a loved one through death? The attempt to answer these two questions simply points to the existence of a distinct non-physical matter component of the living things that makes the living things distinct from the other members of their species, and which experiences the pain of loss through death (Bishop, 2000).  Further, if two individuals are born as identical twins and brought up in the same environment, observing the same behavior and mannerisms, there will still exist some aspects that make each of the two identical twins distinct from each other. Thus, the distinct non-physical and non-matter element of humans and other living th ings, which gives each individual living thing the â€Å"I-factor†, makes it unique from all the rest. This individual element of consciousness that makes an individual distinct from all the rest is essentially defined as the soul (Klemp, 2009). In this respect, the soul represents the irreducible element of consciousness, which makes it impossible for scientists to make any form of life in the laboratory by mixing any of the non-living matter. The simple fact that life stems from life and never from the non-living matter, is a clear demonstration of the fact that there is some aspect of the non-physical matter that holds the essence of life, which in itself is the soul.

SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) Essay

SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) - Essay Example He battered down government regulations and interference to make banking far more global than before, but he had to face immense criticism for raising voice for laissez-faire Capitalism. Some blamed Walter for bringing excessive loans to third world countries by contraindicating with government regulations for charging interest. According to his biographer Phillip Zweig: â€Å"he was a shy, insecure, and trembling personality† as a rising executive but he revolutionized the old systems in a magnificent way. Huey Peirce Long was the former governor of Louisiana and a Democrat politician, reputed as the champion of common people. He was remnant of Populist ideology and criticized Federal Reserve Bank intensely. He believed that its policies were responsible for Great Depression; so he launched Share Our Wealth Plan but failed to elaborate how he will institute it. He was known for extremist mannerism against his opponents, preoccupation with presidential ambitions and flamboyant lifestyle. Long was successful as Louisiana governor in 1928 elections by winning enough support by his enormous campaigns, criticizing corporate sector and depicting the wealthy as parasites. It is also to be noted that he worked more for his state Louisiana, compared to the nation (Brinkley, 1983). His life has enjoyed fascination in literature, movies, and music Just when he started gaining more fame, he was assassinated and this has left his story, headstrong, charismatic yet unaccomplished. William Allen White (1868- 1944); was an influential American journalist, â€Å"the Emporia Gazette† former editor, a liberal Republican politician and the leader of Progressive movement in Kansas. He emerged as the spokesperson for the Middle America in his time. White gained attention all over the country because of his undaunted editorials in the Emporia Gazette, against the

Hamilton Versus Jefferson Essay Example for Free

Hamilton Versus Jefferson Essay The differences between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were certainly profound. Hamilton in general was more eloquent, a centralist, some may even call him a monarch-sympathizer. Thomas Jefferson was anti-federalism, pro-state authority, and overall down-to-earth. These two men have created the types of ideologies the modern two-party system operates by, despite George Washington’s warning of such division. Alexander Hamilton was one of the vigorous advocates of ratifying the constitution in replacement of the Articles of Confederation that did nothing to form a single currency, a strong economy, or a proper domestic security, in wake of the Shay’s rebellion. Thus, Alexander authored the majority of the federalist papers, which urged for a more central government. Hamilton wished for a stronger economy based on national encouragement through a national bank, a single currency, and tariffs to protect American industry. He also wanted a central government to assume all state-debt by creating a permanent national debt through the continuing sale of bonds. In this way, the states would be subservient to the national government. In contrast, Thomas Jefferson became an adamant figure in the opposition party, the Republican Party. This party felt that the federalists were attempting to establish another tyranny to rule the states. Thus, the party was in favor of state’s rights and anti-federalism. Jefferson himself was not opposed to a strong national economy but was fearful of massive urbanization and government centralism. He believed the heart of the American economy was the independence of the agrarian life. That farmers ought to be the heart of America competing in a free-market both nationally and internationally.

Steganography Using Lsb Insertion Technique Computer Science Essay

Steganography Using Lsb Insertion Technique Computer Science Essay Steganography is a method used for hiding a message by fixing in a carrier data. There are two types of data. They are internal data and external data .The external information contains visible part or audible part of data which is not useful for data owner and the internal information contains embedded data. The techniques used in Steganography makes hard to detect hidden message within an image file. By this technique we are not only sending a message but also we are hiding the message. Steganography system is designed to encode and decode a secret file embedded in image file with a random Least Significant Bit (LSB) insertion technique. By using this technique the secret data are spread out among the image data in a random manner with the help of a secret key. The key generates pseudorandom numbers and identifies where and in which order hidden message is laid out. Steganography includes cryptography which is an advantage for Steganography .In cryptography, diffusion is applied to secret message.   INTRODUCTION: The Data transmitted comes in many forms and it is used for more than one application. Communications should be done secretly. Secret communication varies from bank transfers, corporate communications and credit card purchase. Steganography is an art of embedding a secret message into a normal message. Steganography is used in watermarking for protecting data copyrights .Unsurprisingly, methods of Steganography change because innocuous spam contents are growing frequently by embedded texts Cryptography is technique used to make secret message scribbled for third party and are normally used in internet. The encrypted message is targeted by attackers in cryptography because it hides the message content. An another data hiding technique known as watermarking used for embedding and hiding, some symbol data or digital manifest in the digital valuable data like photo picture, digital movie, musical sound etc. Watermarking purpose is mainly used to protect ownership or copyrights of the data. In this technique, hardness of embedded evidence and hidden evidence are very small and is important. In this technique the important information is present in external information which is visible or audible. In the Steganography technique, confidential information is made invisible to a human eye by embedding it as a dummy data such as a speech sound and a digital image. Steganography contains another research topic called as steganalysis which is used to find a stego file from the available files. Steganalysis is used in detecting suspicious image file. The suspicious image files are embedded with the crime associated information All traditional Steganography techniques have limited information-hiding capacity. These techniques can hide 10% or less than 10% data of a carrier data. The principle of these techniques is to replace frequency components of carrier or to replace LSB bits of multivalued image with secret information. Steganography uses image as a carrier data and it embeds secret information in bit planes .We can replace all noise like regions in the bit planes without disturbing the quality of image and is termed as B.P.C.S Steganography .BPCS Steganography is known as Bit plane complexity segmentation Steganography. BACKGROUND HISTORY: Steganography is derived from a Greek word which means as a covered writing or hidden writing. In Steganography stegos means cover and grafia means writing. THEORY: Steganography is used to hide confidential information from human eyes by embedding it in a carrier data such as digital image or speech sound. A carrier data is a color image having RGB color components in a multi-bit data structure. The embedded information is extracted using special extracting program and key .The techniques of Steganography are different from file camouflage or file deception technique. File deception is a technique used for hiding secret data in computer file and it almost looks like a Steganography. But, it is an trick to disguise a secret-data file as a normal file and is possible in files which have dont care option. For example, Word file or JPEG image OR MPEG will allow for adding an extra data (extension) at the end of a regular file. Even an extra data (which can be encrypted) are added, the JPEG image, word file or MPEG looks like the original image and original sound, or document on the computer. People may think this is due to Steganography. The lengthy files are easily detected by engineers. So, file deception and Steganography are different. The Steganography softwares that are available in the market are based on file deception. In Steganography, if output file size is increased by embedding the information then the program is called as File deception. A secret data can be made unreadable by encrypting the data. The secret data should be encrypted to make it unreadable for third party. With the help of data encryption, secret data can be safe. Data encryption is based on data scrambling and it uses a secret key. Data encryption can create a doubt to the people that owner of the data is hiding something in an image. In data encryption we can find easily that he is hiding something in a image. Therefore encryption of data is not enough. Steganography is the solution for data encryption. There are two types of data in Steganography .they are secret data and carrier data. Secret data is very valuable when compared to the carrier data. Carrier data is a type of dummy data which is not so important but it is needed. The data which is embedded is called as stego data.If we want to recover the secret data , we can extract that data from stego data.We need a special program or a key for data extraction.. The carrier is image data which has color components of red green and blue colors in 24 bit pixel structure. The figure below shows an example of carrier image and stego image. The secret data is embedded in stego image. Steganography is a method of hiding the secret data by fixing it in media data .For example in the figure a secret data is embedded but we cant find in which place the secret data is embedded. The Embedded data will be very safe in the Steganography because it will hide content of the message and location of hidden image. There are many methods to embed the data .but; it is very hard to find about the method used in embedding the message.. Steganography can co-operate with cryptography to embed the encrypted data safely. In Steganography , Stego data will not have any evidence about the embedded data. The Steganography user should discard the original carrier data after embedding such that it will not allow comparison of stego and original data. Embedded capacity should be larger. BPCS method is the method available method for image Steganography. If anyone detect the Steganography image, it is very difficult for him to retrieve the hidden image. There are three basic ways to hide a message in image. They are Injection, substitution and generation. Using Injection method we can find in which place data to be inserted and using substitution we can find least significant bits for hiding the message. Using generation method we can create a new file based on the hidden information. Method of implementation: Least significant bit insertion is one of the important methods of implementation. In this method, the LSB bits of byte are altered so that it form bit string and represents an embedded file. By changing the LSB bits, it will cause some small differences in color which are not noticeable to human eye. After that an image is compressed and a text message is hidden in image .In LSB method, LSB bits of the covered image is altered such that they form embedded information. Embedding a message into cover image will result a stego image. For normal vision, stego image looks identical as cover image; this is because of only small changes of pixel values. Therefore there is no significant difference. The embedded message is sequentially embedded in covered image so that it is easy for a third party to recover the message by retrieving the pixels sequentially starting from the first pixel of the image. Steganography uses a key which as a better security. It is difficult to recover the embedde d image without valid key. LEAST SIGNIFICANT BIT INSERTION Least significant bit insertion is the common technique used in Steganography. In LSB method, an image is used. An image is more than strings and string of bytes. Each byte in an image represents different colors. The last few bits in a color byte do not hold much significance as the first few bits. Therefore only two bits differ in last few bits that represent a color which is undistinguishable to human eyes. In LSB method, least significant bits of a cover image are altered such that we can embed information. The example shows how letter A is hidden in first 8 bytes of 3 pixels in a 24 bit image. Since the 8 bit letter A requires only 8 bytes to hide it, ninth byte of the 3 pixels used to hide the next character of the hidden message. Example shows that in a 24 bit image, letter A can be hidden in first 8 bytes of 3 pixels Pixels: (00100111 11101001 11001000) (00100111 11001000 11101001) (11001000 00100111 11101001) A: 01000010 Result: (00100110  11101001 11001000) (00100110  11001000 11101000) (11001001  00100110  11101001) The five underlined bits are the 5 bits which were altered. With LSB insertion technique, on an average half of the bits of an image are changed. A is a 8 bit letter and requires 8 bytes for hiding. The ninth byte of 3 pixels is used for hiding next character of secret message. The slight variations of this technique allows a message to embed into two or more least significant bits per bytes, and increases the information hidden capacity of the cover object .but cover object is degraded and easily detectable.LSB insertion is easy to implement and is also easily attacked if the modifications are done wrongly. Improper modifications in color palette and simple image calculations will destroy hidden message. Image resizing and image cropping are some examples of image manipulations. Applications of Steganography: Steganography is applicable the following areas. 1).Private communication and secret data storing. 2).Security of data. 3).Accessing the control system for distributing the digital content 4).Media data base systems. The application area of Steganography differs based on the features utilized in a system. 1).Private communication and secret data storing: The secrecy of embedded data is important in this area. Steganography provides capacity for hiding the existence of secret data and Steganography makes very hard to detect the embedded data in a image and Steganography strengthens the encrypted data. In Steganography, select a carrier data according to the size of embedded data. Carrier data should not be effective. Now embed the secret data using an embedding program with the help of a key. To recover the embedded data, an extracting program is used with a key. Before starting the communication in this case, Key negotiation is used 2).Security for a data: Steganography is used in military applications for maintaining the secret data .In military secret information should be very secure to avoid sudden attacks on them from enemies. Steganography can hide the existence of contents of data but it cannot hide the presence of data. Data should not be larger than carrier image .Steganography strengthens the secrecy of the data. Fragility of the embedded data is advantage for this application area. Embedded data can be rather fragile than robust. But embedded data is fragile in most of the Steganography programs. No one can change or tampered the data .If anyone changes or tampers the data, and then it can be easily detected by the extraction program. 3). Accessing the control system for distributing the digital content : In this application, embedded data is explained to publicize the content. Here embedded data is hidden data. Digital contents are being commonly distributed by internet. Some music companies release the music for free in some web sites and in some sites it charges for the music downloads. Digital contents are equally distributed to user who accesses the web pages. Even it is possible to send digital content to e-mail messages it takes more time. We can to upload any content on the web page; we can issue a special access key to extract the content. In Steganography a prototype of an access control system is developed for distributing the digital content through internet. This can be explained by following steps. 1).The content owner will classify his digital content in a folder and embeds the folder according to Steganography method by accessing the folder access key and uploads embedded content on web page. 2).On the web page, owner will explains the contents clearly and publicises it worldwide and gives his contact information on web page. 3).The owner will receive access request from the customer who visited that web page. Then owner creates an access key and provides it to the customer for free or charge. 4).Media database systems: In this type of application secrecy of data is not important, converting two types of data into one data is important. Photos, Pictures, movies and music will come under media data. For example the media data for a photograph will contain about the title of the photo and date and time of a photo and it also contain about the camera used to take that photograph. à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ Data hiding in .bmp images: There are several formats exists for an digital image. .BMP, JPG, GIF are some formats .Each format is associated with advantage and disadvantages. Because of its simplicity, windows BMP file offers more advantages. It has an advantage of widely spreader and the information contained is minimum .Bmp file is a binary file.bmp file is divided into four sections such as file header, image header, color table and pixel data. The file header is used to know about size of the image and to learn where actual image data is located within the file. The Image header gives information about the image and its data format such as width and height of the image. Image header also gives information such as how many bits are used per pixel and checks whether the image data is compressed data or uncompressed data. Depending on the image data, color table will be present. When color table is not present, a set of bit masks are used to extract the color information from the image data. When dealing with 24-bit image, color table is not present. When dealing with 8-bit image, color table consists of 256 entries. Each entry consists of four bytes of data. In these four bytes of data, first three bytes are blue, green and red colors values .The fourth byte must be equal to zero because it is not used. In 8-bit format, each pixel is represented by single byte of the data which is index in to color table. In 24-bit format, each pixel I represented by RGB component values .The pixel data holds entire hidden data and there are changes by one pixel value either positive or negative. MATLAB: The MATLAB is a language for technical computing. MATLAB integrates computation, visualization and programming in a easy way in which problems and solutions are expresses in mathematical notation. Typical uses include Math and computation Data acquisition Algorithm development Modelling, simulation and protyping Data analysis, exploration and visualization Application development MATLAB is a system whose data element is an array without dimensions. It allows in solving computing programs such as Matrix and vectors formulations. It writes program in a scalar language such as FORTRAN within a fraction of seconds. MATLAB can be abbreviated as a matrix laboratory. MATLAB was developed to access matrix software. The matrix software was developed by linpack and eispack projectsdeveloped .MATLAB engine incorporates LAPACK and BLAS libraries by embedding the state of art in software for matrix computation. Matlab has evolved over a period of years with input from many users. MATLAB has become a standard tool for advanced courses such as engineering, maths, and sciences .MATLAB is like a tool for high research productivity, analysis and development. MATLAB SYSTEM: MATLAB system consists of five main parts: 1).desktop tools and development environment 2).MATLAB Mathematical functions library 3).MATLAB language 4).graphics 5).MATLAB application program interface 1).Desktop tools and development environment: MATLAB is a set of tools and facilities that helps to use and to become more productive with MATLAB function and files. In MATLAB most of the tools are graphical user interfaces and includes MATLAB desktop, command window, editor and debugger, code analyzer and browser for viewing help, workspace and folders. 2). MATLAB Mathematical functions library MATLAB is a huge collection of computational algorithms ranging from elementary functions such as sum, sine, cosine and complex arithmetic to more sophisticated functions like matrix inverse, matrix Eigen values, Bessel functions and fast Fourier transforms 3). MATLAB language MATLAB language is an high level matrix language with control flow statements, functions, data structures, and object-oriented programming features. It allows small and large programming .In programming in large is to create complete large and complex application programs and programming in small is to create quick and dirty throw away programs. 4). GRAPHICS:- MATLAB is having extensive facilities to display vectors and matrices as graphs. It includes high level functions for two dimensional and three dimensional data visualization, image processing, and presentation graphics .MATLAB also includes low-level functions and allows in customizing appearance of graphics to build complete graphical user interfaces on MATLAB application. 5).MATLAB Application program interface (API):- It is a library which allows us to write C and FORTRAN programs to interact with MATLAB .It also includes facilities such as calling routines from MATLAB, calling MATLAB as a computational engine and for reading and writing MATA FILES. MATLAB working environment: MATLAB DESKTOP:- It is the main application window in MATLAB. This window consists of five sub windows such as current directory, command history, workspace browser, command window, and a figure which is shown while displaying a graphic. The User types commands in command window and expressions at the prompt. The output of these commands is displayed. In MATLAB, workspace is defined as a set of variables created by user in work session. These variables are shown in workspace browser. The workspace browser launches array editor by clicking on a variable. In array editor, we can edit properties of a variable and we can also get information about the variables. In MATLAB, the current directory tab is above the workspace tab. The Current directory tab shows contents of current directory and its path is shown in current directory window. In windows operating system, the path c:MATLABwork indicates work as a subdirectory and MATLAB as a main directory and is installed in c drive. In current directory window, click on an arrow button to see recently used paths. To change a current directory, click on a button on right side of a window. To find M-files and other MATLAB files, MATLAB uses a search path that is organized in system files. The files that are to be runned in MATLAB should locate in the current directory or in directories available on search path .Math work related tools and files that are supplied by MATLAB are already exist in search path. On desktop from file menu select set path to modify or to add search path or to see which directories are existing on search path. To avoid repeated changing, the current directory adds a commonly used search paths to directory. In MATLAB, the commands used by the user in current and earlier sessions are recorded in command history window. Using right click on command history window, we can select and re-execute previously entered MATLAB then it launches a menu. For execution of the commands select the options from menu. We can select various options from menu for execution of the commands which are useful in implementation of various commands. MATLAB EDITOR TO CREATE M-FILES: The MATLAB editor is used for creating M-files. The graphical window will appear in a separate window or a sub window. The M-files are represented as extension .m on desktop. MATLAB editor is having some options to debug a file and saving a file and to view the file. In differentiating various codes MATLAB editor will perform some simple checkings. In MATLAB, text editor is used to write and to edit M-functions. To edit a text in MATLAB, type as EDIT at prompt then it an M-file is opened with a filename. Therefore it is ready for editing. The files should be in a search path or in a current directory. How to get help in MATLAB: Use the MATLAB help browser for any help in the MATLAB. The help browser will be opened in a separate window when we click on symbol (?) on desktop toolbar or in command window type as help. The Browser Help is displayed separately as a HTML document .HELP browser is incorporated into MATLAB desktop .HELP pane and DISPLAY pane are the two panes that are available in HELP browser. HELP pane is used in finding the information and display pane is used for viewing the information. To perform a search, Navigator pane is used. CONCLUSIONS: This project explains techniques for embedding a data in an color image and also some features are added which include file types excluding bitmap images and Steganography methods. Data extracted from cover image depends on pixel values of an image CODING : %I=imread(sravs.bmp); %%read an image I=uigetfile(.bmp,select the iamge); I=imread(I); b=1; disp(orginal text to be embedded); %txt= textread(message.txt, %c, whitespace , ); fid = fopen(message.txt); A=fread(fid,schar); fclose(fid); A1=char(A); disp(embedding text); txt=A1; txt N = 8*numel(txt); %%%%%%% to find out the total no of elements for the text S = numel(I); %%%% total no of elements for the image if N > S warning( Text truncated to be within size of image );%%%%%%if text size is more than the image size %%%%%% process block segmentation txt = txt(1:floor(S/8));%%%%%% dividing into 8*8 blocks for the text N = 8*numel(txt); end %%%%% initializing the total no of bits for the text and the image p = 2^b; h = 2^(b-1); I1 = reshape(I,1,S);%%%%% resize the elemnts for the new image size %figure ,imshow(I1,truesize); addl = S-N;%%%%%%%take the difference of the elments for the imagfe and the text dim = size(I); I2 = round(abs(I1(1:N)));%%%%%%take the complexity of each block si = sign(I1(1:N)); for k = 1:N if si(k) == 0%%%%%%%replace ment of the bits for the complexity blocks si(k) = 1; end I2(k) = round(I2(k)); if mod((I2(k)),p) >= h I2(k) = I2(k) h; end end bt = dec2bin(txt,8);%%%%%% bint = reshape(bt,1,N); d = h*48; bi = (h*bint) d; %%%%%%remove the complexity blocks of the image and replace with the non complexity blocksof image I3 = double(I2) + bi; binadd = [bi zeros(1,addl)]; I4 = double(si).*double(I3); I5 = [I4 I1(N+1:S)]; intl = reshape(I5,dim);%%%%%%resize the image and display the stego cotents figure,imshow(intl);title(stegnograph image); %return figure,imshow(I);title(original image); I=im2bw(I); %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%decoding%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% siz=length(txt); bsiz = 8*siz; n = numel(intl); if bsiz > n error(Size of text given exceeds the maximum that can be embedded in the image) return end dim = size(intl); addl = n-bsiz; I1 = reshape(intl,1,n); I2 = round(abs(I1(1:bsiz))); p = 2^b; h = 2^(b-1); rb = zeros(1,bsiz); for k = 1:bsiz I2(k) = round(I2(k)); r = rem(I2(k),p); if r >= h rb(k) = 1; end end rbi = (dec2bin(rb,1)); rbin = reshape(rbi,siz,8); rectxt = (bin2dec(rbin)); disp(retrived text from the steg image); rextxt=char(rectxt) return

The Importance Of Security In Distributed Systems Information Technology Essay

The Importance Of Security In Distributed Systems Information Technology Essay The total number of computer systems installed within any organization has been increasing at a phenomenal rate. The relative ease of installing and utilizing computer applications is a compelling reason for connecting computer systems together and distributing or sharing the work. These distributed systems allow you to take better advantage of the vast array of processing power now available. Distributed computing probably means many different things to many different people. To some, it means client or server, it is cooperative processing and to still other, its using a distributed database. Further explanations and definitions may be required to ensure that everyone has a common view and understanding of a distributed computing system. When referencing a distributed computing system, every user should be able to see the same thing. A distributed computing system is composed of system elements which are then distributed across different processing platforms connected by a network. In this paper, have 10.0 Section. Each of the section will describe. Section 2.0 is about Distributed System. Section 3.0 is about Threat of distributed System. Distributed System Security will describe in Section 4.0. The next Section 5.0 is about Distributed System Security Mechanism. Distributed System Security Architecture will describe on Section 6.0.We can know about Distributed System Requirements in Section 7.0. In Section 8.0, we can know Factors Affecting Distributed System Security. Contribution in the security, we can see on Section 9.0 and finally Section 10 concludes this paper. Distributed System Today, computers are not stand alone units. Several computers are being networked together to form large computer systems. Not only are computers being network, but they are being networked into large distributed systems where each individual computer, node if you will, can make use of the applications distributed throughout the system (Dobry Schanken, 1994). Study on the formal specification of authorization has become a major challenge in the current development of secure computing and IT systems (Yun, 2008). Figure 1. Authorization (Access control) in a distributed environment. Consider a distributed environment as shown in Figure 1, in which different users can access various resources through the network (Internet). Therefore, from the definition above, it indicates how an organization can benefit from using the distributed system as shown below: Resource sharing It is possible to use different types of hardware, software or data wherever in the system hence reduce unnecessary costs related with the tools. Also it supports resource sharing model that describes the way resources are provided, the way they are used as well as the way provider and users interact between each other. There are more benefits such as through search engines and computer based working were different information can be shared in inexpensive and easy way. Concurrency Several processes can take place at the same time while components access as well as update any of the shared resources including databases. The important thing is that concurrent updates must be coordinated in order to maintain integrity of the system. Openness It allows detailed interfaces of components to be published and supports the integration of new components with existing once. Scalability The system is capable of accommodating changes in case of increase number in of users and resources it should be able to respond faster. This can be done by adding a number of processors with high speed to the system. Therefore the architecture and implementation must be flexible enough to allow it. Fault tolerance Distributed systems are capable of operating correctly even if there maybe some defects within the system (internal errors) for the purpose of increasing system dependability within an organization o a business. 3.0 Threat of Distributed Systems There are different threats when distributed system is concerned, as any networked computer system can face it. It is important to implement countermeasures for all expected threats for the purpose of the system to remain constant and cost effective. Those threats can be distinguished depending on their interaction as follows below: Denial of service Involves attacks that affect the availability of information from the system to the user resulting to paralysation of the entire operation of an organization or part of activities depending on the attack. The use of resource control mechanism can help in solving the above problem by applying timing responses, sizing responses, and connection control. Also problem detection by timing latency in system can easily be done if there is a dramatic increase of latency then denial of service (DoS) can be detected as well as addressed. Information leakage Is one of the threats of computer system specifically distributed systems where sensitive information can easily be revealed to unauthorized users that results to lack of confidentiality. Unauthorized access This can occur due to the reason that the physical configuration is not strong enough to protect such threats from accessing the system (distributed system). This is known as inter process communication threats. There is a need to for an organization that is willing to implement access control system to keep in mind three things which are models, access control policies as well as mechanisms (Krause Tipton, 1998). Access control policies will enable organizations to be able to specify different ways that will lead to proper management of access to resources as well as information which are the valuable assets of an organization. Distributed System Security The objective of any security system is the ability to keep a secret. This is as true automated systems as much as it is for people. It is as important to keep the information secret when it is stored as well as when it sent over a network. A secure system is the one that can be trusted to keep secret, and important word is trusted. Trusts can be defined as a confident reliance on the integrity, honesty or justice of another. Trust refers to the ability of the application to perform actions with integrity and to perform its functions on a continuing basis. However, individuals, governments and institutions such as banks, hospitals and other commercial enterprise will only consign their secrets to a computer system if they can be absolutely certain of confidentiality (Randell Rushby, 2007). The security architecture incorporates elements to safeguard the confidentiality of information and ensure that all access to the computing resources is authorized and authenticated. Defined security architecture can be used to ensure the design of applications and systems will meet the required security objectives. The architecture will help guide decisions between systems and across platforms and ensure all of the systems meet a standard minimum level of security. Nevertheless, the security still has some problem. For example, the problems of maintaining security are compounded because the sharing of secrets is generally desired but only in a tightly controlled manner. In case, an individual can choose other individuals or groups with whom he wishes to share his private information (Randell Rushby, 2007). This sharing is called discretionary security because it is permitted at the discretion of the individual. The trusted portion of a secure system is normally identified with a small operating system nuclear. The name is a security kernel. It is the rest of the operating system and all applications and user programs belong to the un-trusted element. However, certain difficulties attend the use of such kernelized systems. In the part of the structure of all secure systems constructed or designed recently has been influenced by the concept of a reference monitor (Randell Rushby, 2007). A reference monitor is a small, inaccessible, reliable mechanism that controls the behavior of un-trusted system elements by mediating their references to such external entities as data and other un-trusted elements. Each access is checked against a record of the accesses that the security policy authorizes for that element. Distributed System Security Mechanism Cryptography The security of information transmitted from one node to another is questionable, therefore there is a need of using a proper method of transforming it into unreadable formats (secrets writing) through cryptography. The use of a single key or public key cryptographic algorithm which is suitable for protecting message content by hiding information carried by a packet during the transmission process. This can be accomplished using RSA or AES algorithms. Authentication protocol Provides a series of communication procedures between users of the system and the server for the purpose of securing the communication process. Access control mechanism This can be done using access control lists (ACL) that consists of a list related to an object that states all the subjects that can be allowed to access the object, as well as the rights to the object. ACL normally are implemented directly or as an approximation in recent Operating systems Distributed System Security Architecture The OSI Open system interconnection Reference model is often used to depict largely of distributed system architecture for it has the ability to describe various levels of service essential to support distributed transactions. Autonomous computer systems and their processes intercommunicate through the first four levels of OSI-RM. Middleware is considered as the bridge used to connect distributed applications across different physical locations, with different hardware platforms, network technologies, operating systems, as well as different programming languages In order to design, maintain and utilize the computational services offered by the distributed system, it is suitable to use abstraction of the distributed system physical architecture (Donnelly. 1979). The abstraction views the distributed system as a collection of processes that normally communicates with each other in the process. Processes communicate by passing messages; there if two processes communicate it means the communication is done over communication channels. 7.0 Distributed System Security Requirement There are many requirements of distributed system security that focus on the area of IT security criteria. That is the development of protection profiles. The protection profile is meant to describe requirements that must be met to achieve varying levels of security. These requirements presented component, categorized or relating to assurance. For example, trusted recovery is the components that refer to functions that respond to anticipated failures or discontinuity in operations (Dobry Schanken, 1994). Following a system failures the system must be able to recreate the Trusted Computing Base (TCB) secure states. Failure from which the system must be able to anticipate and securely recover include action that fail to complete because they detect exceptional conditions during their operations. The distributed system must be competent of recognizing failures in which of its components. This is because the overall TCB is a discontinuity in the protection provided by them. Another example is cryptography. The cryptography is a method of securing of information that has the components to establish the guidelines for using cryptography to secure the paths between nodes. Encryption and decryption performance of the system is the factor of the confidentiality and integrity of data communications .So, several different types of encryption may need to be used depending on the users environment. Although, there have several requirement of distributed system security such as trusted recovery, trusted path, security management and etc. They already have new concepts required to secure the connections between the various products that comprise the distributed system need to be included. A distributed system is one of the first implementations for be secure, must not only make use of traditional computer security concepts but have to utilize communication security concepts as well. Factors Affecting Distributed System Security There is a need to analyze and identify the factors as well as issues related to trustworthiness of services provided by distributed systems apart from network topology and node evaluation. These factors includes distributed system physical security environment, interactions between different security mechanisms and distributed system management structure, are very important and relevant compared to network topology and node evaluation levels. Below is more information concerning the factors mentioned above. Physical security There are some differences that occur in a distributed systems physical environment such as those that occurs due to the reason that the elements/components of a distributed system are located in different location which is the result of changes overtime in its environment. Jurisdiction authorities The wide spread heterogeneity in the physical security environment is the result of the process of administering a distributed system by multiple jurisdiction authorities due to the types of mechanisms supported. Interaction between security mechanisms In distributed system nodes are from different manufacturers, families of a single manufacturer, different versions which results into different security mechanism. In case stand-alone system or distributed systems that may be using different discretionary access control mechanisms are interconnected for the purpose of forming a single distributed system then it brings danger (Anderson. 1985). The interactions between different policies implanted in trusted subjects running in different nodes bring dangers to the system. Contribution The analysis presented in this paper was mention distributed system security that is a computer security architecture that provides a suite of functions including login, authentication, and access control in a distributed system to differ from other similar architectures. The distributed system security includes many applications that can help the system to protect to failure network. Therefore, this paper is suitable for individuals, governments and institutions such as banks, hospitals and other commercial enterprise that they would like to know the information of distributed system security. 10.0 Conclusion Distributed system security is fundamentally more complex than stand-alone system security. Current computer security concepts assume that trusts is assigned to a distributed system element on the basis of viewpoint. This security mechanism for distributed file systems solves many of the performance and security problems in existing systems today.

Buck versus Bell Essay example -- Supreme Court Sterilization Essays

Buck versus Bell During the early twentieth century, the United States was enduring significant social and economic changes due to its transformation into a commercial and industrial world power. As the need for labor escalated within many urban areas, millions of Europeans emigrated from Southern and Eastern Europe with the hopes of capitalizing upon these employment opportunities and attaining a better life. Simultaneously, many African-Americans migrated from the rural South into major cities, bearing the same intentions as those of the European immigrants. The presence of these minority groups generated both racial and class fears within white middle and upper class Americans. The fervent ethnocentrism resulting from these fears, coupled with the Social Darwinist concepts of Herbert Spencer, would ultimately spur the American eugenics movement. Originating from the theories of Sir Francis Galton, the cousin of Charles Darwin, eugenics is the study of human heredity and genetic principles for the purposes of improving the human race by limiting the proliferation of defective gene pools. Charles Davenport, the founding father of the American eugenics movement, was one of many elite Americans advocating for the incorporation of the ideals of this new "science" into society. The work of Davenport, which became known as eugenic principles, would not only have an impact on public education, but a legal impact as well. By 1931, thirty state legislatures had passed involuntary sterilization laws that targeted "defective strains" within the general population, such as the blind, the deaf, the poor, and the feebleminded. Virginia, one of these states, held the position that involuntary sterilization would not only benefit the overal... ... People With Mental Disabilities: Issues, Perspectives, and Cases (Westport CT: Auburn House, 1995) 22. Works Cited Buck v. Bell. 274 U.S. 200, 205. No. 292 US Supreme Ct. 1927. Brantlinger, Ellen. Sterilization of People With Mental Disabilities: Issues, Perspectives, and Cases. Westport CT: Auburn House, 1995. Larson, Edward. Sex, Race, and Science: Eugenics in the Deep South. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995. Macklin, Ruth. Mental Retardation and Sterilization: A Problem of Competency and Paternalism. New York: Plenum Press, 1981. Reilly, Phillip. The Surgical Solution: A History of Involuntary Sterilization in the United States. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991. Shapiro, Thomas. Population Control Politics: Women, Sterilization, and Reproductive Choice. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1985.

The Constant Struggle :: English Literature

The Constant Struggle â€Å"To be or not to be, that is the question.† Indeed, this is the question Barbara constantly asks herself, whether or not she has to be a responsible mom to Jodie, or to try and have a life of her own. In the short story â€Å"Over the Hill† by Lynne Schwartz, Barbara is a single mother struggling between the difficult tasks of being a mom and of being a single adult. Barbara faces a dilemma that many other single parents also faces, and that is their desire to date other people because they don’t want to be a single parent for the rest of their lives. However, her responsibility as a single mom doesn’t always allow her to do that. As a result, Barbara is a responsible, fun loving mother torn between her duty to her daughter and her need for adult companionship. Like many other single parents around the world, the income Barbara makes is not always enough to take care of her family. Consequently, being the responsible mom that she is, Barbara is â€Å"taking a short course, one night a week† on bartending along with her friend Pat in hopes of having a supplementary source of money (pg 208). They think that they could â€Å"make a lot of money on the side doing bartending at fancy parties† (pg 208). Barbara hopes that her income working as a â€Å"draftsperson in an architect’s office† in addition to the bartending money she hopes on making will be enough to support her family (pg 208). Although Barbara thinks that â€Å"under certain circumstances abortion might be a good idea†, she did not get an abortion when she was pregnant with Jodie (pg 209). Why didn’t she get an abortion? Barbara didn’t get an abortion because she is a dependable person that takes responsibilities for her own actions, even though she knows that her life would be utterly transformed when she becomes a single mother. Although Barbara feels depressed at the end of the night when she thinks that James isn’t coming over, she still plays her role as the responsible mother and reminds Jodie that she â€Å"should be going to bed,† because she has a â€Å"dentist appointment tomorrow† (pg 217). By trying to make more money, not getting an abortion when she was pregnant with Jodie, and reminding Jodie that she has a dentist appointment the next day even though she’s depressed about James shows just how dedicated and responsible Barbara is to being a mother. In addition to being a responsible mother, Barbara is also very fun loving. She enjoys â€Å"fooling around with shakers and glasses like kids

Music and Musicians in the Renaissance Essay examples -- Exploratory E

Music and Musicians in the Renaissance If music be the food of love, play on! ~ Orsino, Twelfth Night In the Elizabethan Era (1558-1603) and the Jacobean Era (1603-1625), there was a fondness for spectacle and pageantry. At court, trumpets and drums resounded to announce mealtimes; in town, these instruments were used by theatre troupes to herald upcoming performances (Renaissance & Baroque Society of Pittsburgh, 2003, and Folkerth, 2002). Music, then, is applied boldly and lavishly in everyday life and in drama, an imitation of life. Musical Instruments The major classes of musical instruments used in the High and Late Renaissance include plucked strings, bowed strings, brass, double reeds, other winds, keyboards, and percussions (McGee, 1985). Lutes, drums, and trumpets were often used, but the instruments that were especially popular during the Renaissance include the bass viol, treble viol, viola, violin, tenor sackbut, cornetto, bass sackbut, curtal, tenor shawm, bass recorder, and harpsichord (McGee, 1985). Instrumental Music From the Early Renaissance to the High Renaissance, there was a movement from vocal music to a combination of vocal and instrumental music (Brown, 1976). There are seven categories of instrumental music: 1) vocal music played by instruments, 2) settings of pre-existing melodies, 3) variation sets, 4) ricercars, fantasias, and canzonas, 5) preludes, preambles, and toccatas for solo instruments, 6) dance music, and 7) songs composed specifically for lute and solo voice (Brown, 1976). Italy dominated the stage for instrumental music at this time, and it was not until the last decades of the sixteenth century that English instrumental music became popular (Brow... ...cobean periods. Works Cited Brown, Howard M. Music in the Renaissance. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1976. Folkerth, Wes. The Sound of Shakespeare. London: Routledge, 2002. McGee, Timothy J. Medieval and Renaissance Music: A Performer’s Guide. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985. Novak, Elaine Adams. Staging Shakespearean Theatre. Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books, 2000. Renaissance & Baroque Society of Pittsburgh. â€Å"Shakespeare’s Top 40†. Available: http://www.rbsp.org/current_season/shakespeare.php, March 2003. Shirley, Frances Ann. Shakespeare’s Use of Off-Stage Sounds. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1963. University of Victoria. â€Å"Elizabethan Court Musicians†. Available: http://web.uvic.ca/shakespeare/Library/SLTnoframes/literature/courtmusicians.html, date unavailable. Accessed : March 4, 2003.