Day: May 11, 2020

ChineseFinancial and Monetary System

InChina, shadow banking has become a significant system and has beenconsidered part of Chinese finance. The Financial Stability Board(FSB) refers shadow banking as a credit intermediary that involvesentities, as well as activities, which are deemed to be outside theusual banking system. The shadow banking system, in China, is viewedas a credit intermediation that offers liquidity and credittransformation, although it operates outside the normal bankingsystem. In the Chinese market, shadow banking exists in various formsand has different impacts on the development of the financial system.The origins and growth of shadow banking emanates from the continuousactivities of the financial market. It can be argued that shadowbanking has partly triumphed in mitigating borrowers’overdependence on banks, developed more investment opportunities, andmet part of the economy’s capital demand. The system can also beindicated to have enhanced liquidity and activity in the financialmarkets of China (Elliott et al., 2015). Furthermore, it has helpedin making investment/lending more efficient. The purpose of thisreport is to discuss the varied forms of shadow banking activities inChina, their impacts on the financial system development, thepotential perils of the shadow banking system, as well as thechallenges faced by the Chinese authorities in the regulation of thesector, and the recommendations on what can be done to reduce thechallenges posed by the sector without necessarily hurting the upsideof the system.

TheMain Forms of Shadowing Banking Activities in China

Guarantees

Inthe Chinese market, guarantee entities have their operations inshadow banking in two ways. First, they engage in the centralbusiness of offering financial guarantees through the transfer ofcredit risk to the guarantee firm (Elliott et al., 2015). This hasthe advantage of mitigating capital needs for banks that make suchassured loans. Also, the guarantee entities give direct loans even ifthey do not hold legal certificates to engage in the activity.

Bankers’Acceptances (BA)

Bankers’acceptances are permits that are issued by banks that offer anagreement to make payment in the future unconditionally, which isusually within a period of 6 months. The BAs are usually backedpartly by a deposit that the party desiring issuance of bankers’acceptance makes. In this case, the deposit acts as collateral.

TrustLoans and Leases

Theseare financial dealings that are assumed by trust companies. A trustentity is a firm that is separately regulated and combines aspects ofbanks, as well as resource managers, in Western monetary systems(Elliott et al., 2015). These entities have broad latitude inoperating across the fiscal sector however, guidelines areprogressively tightening restrictions on their activities.

FinancialLeasing

Leasingservice is also an activity supported by shadow banking. This entailsleasing of different forms that do not exist in banks. The financialleasing is not offered for a short duration, and some of it may beoffered by specialty leasing entities.

MicrofinanceCompanies

Microfinanceentities are considered to be firms that are separately regulated anddeal with the provision of financial services. However, theseentities have permits to provide credit in small volumes, which aidin encouraging small businesses and rural borrowers to access credit.Therefore, it can be argued that the microfinance companies act astargets for small businesses and rural households.

WealthManagement Products

Wealthmanagement products entail commodities that offer a yield on theground of the performance of several basic assets. Basically, theoriginal investment is a single vast loan. Wealth management productsare provided by banks or trust entities however, securityorganizations provide similar products (Elliott et al., 2015).

EntrustedLoans

Entrustedloans are types of credits made by organizations in the non-fiscaleconomy, which are operated via banks for legitimate purposeshowever, the banks are covered from the loan risk of the debtorthrough the non-fiscal organization (Elliott et al., 2015).

BondMarkets

Sometimes,the commercial bond market is incorporated in obtaining shadowbanking volumes, although the normal definitions in the globe do notsupport the inclusion of bonds in the calculations.

PawnShops and Unofficial Lenders

Theseshops are considered vital creditors to some households as well asmeager businesses. Besides, there are other creditors that tend torun informally to friends, relatives, or close associations. Althoughsome informal lending has been termed illegal, they cannot bebelieved to have a high percentage in shadow banking (Elliott et al.,2015).

Impactsof Shadowing Banking on the Development of Financial System

Theshadow banks have been indicated to have both positive and negativeimpacts on the development of the financial system. Although thereare two sides of the system, it can be indicated that the positivepart of the shadow banking exceeds the negative side. The Chineseauthorities need to put some regulations that would help ineliminating the adverse effects of shadow banking, which would aid inenhancing the efficiency of the system. The following paragraphs willdiscuss the adverse and positive effects of shadowing banking on thefinancial system development.

PositiveImpacts

Oneof the positive sides of shadow banking is that it can aid in fuelingeconomic growth through making financial services less expensive, aswell as widely operating accessible. Compared to the normal bankingsystems, the shadow banking system is considered to have loweroperating costs (Zhang et al., 2014). The low operating costsfacilitate the shadow banks to provide loans and other financialservices at a reduced price. Through providing cheaper loan andfinancial services to the citizens, the system is in a position toreach a large number of people a move that can help in thestimulation of finance scheme in the country. Another positivebenefit of shadow banking is that it is capable of providing servicesthat regular banks cannot offer or serving customers that would notserve. For instance, shadow banks have the ability to provideservices of entrusted loans, a service that cannot be offered by theregular banking system. This is an important consideration since itis an important ingredient towards financial development since theservices that clients obtain in the shadow banks would play a part,in one way or another, in building the financial system.

Shadowbanking plays a critical role in the growth of the financial sectorbecause it is believed to provide more resources to the SMEs. Because of its flexibility, the shadow banking system has thecapacity of offering services to small and medium enterprises inlarge numbers. Most of the SMEs are not in a position to obtain loansand other services from the regular banking systems due to the strictregulations that guide the banks in the provision of services (Zhanget al., 2014). The SMEs usually form a large contribution to theeconomy through boosting the economy, enhancing innovation,increasing employment level, and export expansion (Check appendix a)check appendix b for SME and exports in China. Through thesecontributions of the SMEs via the shadow banks, it can be argued thatshadow banking provides a favorable financial environment, which iscritical in the growth of the financial system.

Furthermore,shadow banking has positive impacts because it permits borrowers tobe in a position to obtain resources from a broader range ofinvestors having a broader pool of peril preferences. The capacity oftransforming cash flows from fairly illiquid resources such as longrun individual credits into liquid, diversified, tradable securitiesthat profit investors concerned in holding securities, which offer areturn and may be transformed into cash easily. The capacity ofshadow banks of customizing securities permits the development ofrisk-return compromises which are appealing to all kinds of savers.Demand deposit commodities provided through the regular bankingsystem conventionally never provided the scope of risk-returngroupings availed to the marker-mediated credit. However, the shadowbanking system has helped in fueling a vast increase in the amountsof available credit. The build-up of credit to the borrowers is acritical aspect in the development of financial system (Elliott etal., 2015).

Inaddition, another positive impact on the growth of the financialsystem is that shadow banking brings possibilities for profits fromspecialty by loan providers, including superior knowhow originatingfrom specialism in a single field of the market, as well as economiesof scale, made feasible by focusing on certain credit arbitragefunctions. Companies operating in the non-bank field and creditguarantors may specialize in niche areas, which are not well-servedby regular banks. In such an instance, the underserved area by thebanks would be in a position to generate incomes through the servicesof the shadow banks, which would help in the development of thefinancial system.

NegativeImpacts

Despiteshadow banking having a positive impact on the development offinancial system, it also has adverse effects on the financial systemdevelopment. One of the negative impacts on the growth of thefinancial system is that it offers loan services to riskier customersor in riskier forms. For instance, it is in a position to give outloans without collaterals. Through giving out unsecured loans toindividuals, shadow banks have a higher probability of losingresources. The loss of resources borrowed from the shadow banks isconsidered a financial loss since the resources could have beeninvested in a more gainful manner in case strict laws were provided.Thus, instead of expanding the financial system, it leads to itsdeterioration.

Also,shadow banking has been considered to increase financial fragility.Although it has been believed that securitization as well as shadowbanking can enhance financial stability through better allocation ofcredit risk across different investors, shadow banking increasesfinancial fragility emanating from the off-balance-sheetassociations. It is difficult to trace the balance sheet of a shadowbanking system the invisibility of the occurrences is questionableto the growth of the financial system.

Moreover,due to the attractiveness of the shadow banking in its services forinstance, offering loan and other services at a reduced price, mostcustomers may prefer running from the regular banking systems so thatthey can obtain the services of the shadow banks. In such a move, theregular banks would have a reduced number of clients, which wouldaffect the contribution of regular banks in the growth of theeconomy. Such a move has resulted in the limitation of the expansionof the financial system.

PotentialRisks of the Shadow Banking System

Emanatingfrom the spread of shadow banking in the Chinese market, the keyquestion that comes to mind is whether it poses severe risks inChina. Certainly, there are significant risks that the shadow bankingsystem has in China due to various reasons such as the business isriskier compared to regular banking, operates with meager safetymargins, there is little transparency in the system, China isundergoing some hard adjustments economically which could triggerloan losses, and shadow banking has too much reliance on implicitguarantees. The following paragraphs discuss the potential risks thatthe shadow banking system poses in China.

Oneof the main risks in shadow banking originates from maturitydisparities amid funding sources, especially WMPs, and risky loansthat end up in risky sectors like coal mining and poverty development(Liang, 2015). The moment trust entities run into solemn cash-flowproblems, the evasions they make on WMPs are aching, but usually notshattering. Predictable contagion to the Chinese financial scheme islimited. However, the bet would be wrong in case there would be ashadow banking crisis in China (check Appendix c for percentage ofWMPs).

Besides,shadow banking system has been deemed to mitigate the effectivenessof macro-prudential controls, as well as financial supervision. Someof the institutions associated with shadow banking invest in propertyentities, high-pollution sectors having excess production capacity,which interfere with macro-prudential controls and impact the rate ofeconomic adjustment. This poses a risk to the economy since there islikelihood that there would be less concern in the control of issuesthat can adversely influence the performance of an economy.

Anotherrisk that may emerge as a result of the shadow banking system isfinancial instability. This risk lies in the possible defaults thatare likely to be there by the local governments, which may begenerated by the economic go-slow as well as deteriorating landprices (Liang, 2015). Most local regimes are usually over-influencedand much of their debt is under the ownership of front entities,through shadow banks. In mitigating the peril of local governmentevasions, the central administration has introduced a policy thatallows local regimes to issue bonds for the substitution of debt. Incase the bonds are to be obtained from the shadow bank system, thereis likely to be a financial instability.

Inaddition, another risk that may emerge emanating from shadow bankingis the deceleration of the economy. Because of the cheaper ratesoffered by the shadow banks, for its services, there is likely to behuge amounts of resources given out by the shadow banking system.However, since the guarantee for returning the loans taken byindividuals and firms is very low, most of the resources do notbenefit the economy since they go to unproductive activities orprojects. Channeling of resources to unproductive products can resultin the deceleration of the economy.

Therealso exists a risk to the regular banking institutions. Shadowbanking has been considered to have serious implications for normalfinancial institutions, which affect them mightily. Some of the gainsfrom shadow banking are deemed to be unreasonably high a move thatoffers a false incentive for customers, unleash unjustifiableaggression, as well as threaten to steal business from the normalfinancial institutions (Liang, 2015). These implications tend toinfluence regular banking institutions adversely, which may create anenvironment that is unfriendliness and redundancy, despite theinstitutions operating in the same industry. Such a move may resultin customer suffering because they may not obtain what they desire.

Furthermore,shadow banking poses a great risk, not only to the financial area,but also in other areas. Some of the shadow banking firms are notregulated appropriately, a move that has made them expand recklesslyhaving little concern on risk management. Ignoring the management ofrisks can be seen as an eminent danger because it disregards thesafety and well-being of customers. Besides, the government units donot supervise the daily activities of these organizations, which maypresent an excellent ground for problems in the area of business, aswell as fields, in which customers operate.

Actionsthe Chinese Authorities Have Taken To Address These Issues

Giventhe expansion of the shadow banking, the authorities started to worrydue to its impacts. There were two great concerns on the side of theregulators: first, they were worried that an uncontrolled shadowbanking sector could generate extreme credit progress and second, alack of openness in the utilization and source of resources couldgenerate concealed perils. Therefore, the authorities focused onthree actions decelerating the speed of non-bank credit expansion,applying discipline on the utilization of the inter-bank market forfinancing, and necessitating the arrangement of shadow assets, aswell as liabilities, to be made open (Bottelier, 2015). The followingparagraphs discuss these actions.

Deceleratingthe Speed of Non-Bank Credit Growth

Throughthis government intervention, virtually all the credit for expansionin 2012 and part of 2013 was from sources other than bank lending.The monetary tightening became applied by the government in 2013 camealmost to a time that there was a deceleration in the pace ofnon-bank lending that brought growth in entire credit down to below15%, while there was virtually no change in the speed of bank lending(Bottelier, 2015).

ApplyingDiscipline on the Utilization of the Inter-Bank Market for Funding

Disciplineon the inter-bank market commenced in June of 2013, when the PBOCcame up with a liquidity squeeze, which temporarily drove overnightinterest rates to approximately 30%. The panic that resulted infinancial markets coerced the PBOC to backpedal temporarily, but overthe rest part of the year, inter-bank and other short-term fundingrates rose gradually (Bottelier, 2015). One of the primary reasonsfor this action was to curb the enthusiasm of smaller banks, whichhad been borrowing large amounts on the inter-bank market, so as tofund higher risk lending activities that were routed through shadowbanking. The PBOC did not sufficiently communicate its objectives,and markets were temporarily unsettled as a result however, theregulatory intention was sensible and straightforward.

Transparencyof Composition of Shadow Assets and Liabilities

Thedetermination of making shadow banking activities more transparentare incorporated in different regulatory documents such as the StateCouncil’s Document N0. 107 and No. 127 and CBRC’s Document No.140. According to Document 107, the action of fund pools is banned,where trust entities and other WMP issuers cannot move resourcesextensively from one venture to another. Also, institutions arerequired to have a limit on their experiences to individualcounterparties, as well as meet capital necessities for off-balancesheet transactions that did not require to be backed by capital.

ChallengesFacing the Chinese Authorities in Regulating Shadow Banking Sector

Thereare different challenges facing the Chinese authorities as they tryto regulate the shadow banking sector. One of the challenges is thehigh capacity of implicit guarantees throughout the system. It isdifficult to entirely eliminate implicit guarantees because they tendto arise whenever there is the belief that another party can step into bail out an institution or transaction even when the allegedguarantor has made no such promise. Nevertheless, implicit guaranteestend to fade away the moment there are plausible and explicitguarantees or other mechanisms which define what would happen in casethere emerged trouble. Unwinding implicit guarantees is exceedinglydifficult, especially in the country. It is not adequate to simplyindicate that the guarantees no longer exist because the investorshave to see a likely mechanism by which the presumed guarantee canfail to operate.

Apartfrom implicit guarantees, there exists the query of the lender of thelast resort, which is a function of the central bank. Vividly, thePBOC would offer emergency funding to a solvent bank that faces aliquidity crisis. Nevertheless, the PBOC would step in when a vasttrust company or other form of shadow bank has the same problem. Thesolution to this vital question is not clear, and may result invarious issues. The worst case would be if a trust entity or itsfunders presume that the PBOV would get involved and then the fundersencounter losses when the assumption turns out not to be true. Thiscan result in a crisis.

Anotherchallenge entails failure of having an entirely integrated regulatoryframework. Financial institutions are usually involved in a broadrange of businesses directly, through subsidiaries, or throughcooperating with independent organizations such as shadow banks.However, the regulatory system of China comprises of PBOC, CSRC,CBRC, CIRC, and other agencies. This generates regulatory gaps, aswell as loopholes, which financial institutions can arbitrage infinding the kindest treatment.

Besides,a lack of transparency is also an issue when it comes to theregulation of shadow banking system. Since most of shadow banking isa type of regulatory arbitrage, there is an aspect of opacity or evenmisdirection in transactions made. The opacity of the shadow bankingsystem makes the regulations from authorities more likely to fail ordifficult. To make it worse, in a crisis, it can result in panickingsince perceptions of the actual strength of a bank or other financialagency can fall sharply because investors and depositors recognizethat they do not understand what the balance sheet groupingrepresent.

Moreover,in the regulation of shadow banking, another challenge that isencountered is regulatory inconsistency. There are varied,inconsistent reports about regulators permitting or turning a blindeye to actions that are not authorized, openly not allowed, or evenillegitimate. Part of this is arguably benevolent in that it is akind of the classic Chinese technique of the reform era of takingsmall steps and learning about them as one proceeds (Sheng &amp Ng,2016).

Proposalsto Reduce the Downside without Hurting the Upside of Shadow Banking

Thereare various proposals that can be put forward in reducing thedownside of shadow banking while maintaining the upside of thesystem. One of the proposals is that the banking system needs toexpand the financial services to SMEs, households, and ruralbusinesses. The SMEs have a difficult time obtaining resources fromthe regular banking systems, which is the same case to ruralbusinesses and households. However, the shadow banking system is in aposition to offer loans to these units with ease a move thatgenerates a high demand for resources from shadow banking system.This has the risk of causing the destabilization of the economy,despite the potential benefits it holds to the economy. In an attemptto correct and regulate the downside that can be brought by havingshadow banking providing a lot of resources to the SMEs, householdsand rural businesses, it is recommended that the regular bankingsystem should increase the amounts it channels to these units(Elliott &amp Qiao, 2015). Such a move would help in reducing thehigh demand for resources from shadow banking system, which wouldcreate stabilization in the economy.

Anothercritical proposal that can be considered in an attempt to correct thedownside of the shadow banking system while preserving its upside isincreasing the efficiency of the financial sector. Reforming of theshadow baking system must encourage firms to become better providersof services to their target market compared to the regular banksthis would spur regular banks to enhance their businesses. In thiscase, efficiency entails offering services that are tailored to theneeds of customers, at a favorable price, and when needed (Elliott &ampQiao, 2015). Thus, enhancing the efficiency of the system would meana lot to resolving the issues associated with the shadow bankingsystem.

Besides,striving for a level playing ground across the financial sector canbe proposed as another way of ensuring that the downside of shadowbanking system. An important way of achieving a more efficient, aswell as safer financial system, which includes shadow banks entailsstriving to ensure that varied financial sub-sectors contend on alevel playing ground. In short, China needs not influence thesub-sectors that win or lose the market share through implicitsubsidies or generating regulations that create advantage on onesub-unit at the expense of others (Sekine, 2015). If it is oneregulation that the authorities desire to provide for the benefit ofthe sector, then the regulation should be for all the firms in thesector. Thus, through helping shadow banks play a level field justlike the normal banks would help the system in eliminatinginefficiencies that it possesses. Currently, regular banks and shadowbanks function under exceedingly different guidelines that offer themunique combinations of benefits, as well as costs. These guidelinestend to create a crisis in the financial sector.

Furthermore,increasing consumer opportunity, as well as safety, would be animportant proposal for the proper functioning of the system. One ofthe initial shadow banking commodities to emerge in China was thewealth management products, which has been capable of servinghigher-yielding substitutes for bank deposits, at the same time,being viewed as being essentially safe like deposits (Sheng &amp Ng,2016). Therefore, this part of shadow banking offers an instantconsumer benefit. In the shadow banking system, part of the lendinghas gone to small businesses and households, offering them resourcesthat they could otherwise not obtain (Elliott &amp Qiao, 2015). Thecharges have been higher compared to those for corporate borrowinghowever, the rates are still attractive to individuals without othernoble alternatives. The shadow banking should not consider increasingtheir rates, but should focus on expanding the benefits further tomore customers. Besides, reforms need to emphasize on improving thesafety of consumers, especially by ensuring that buyers understandthe products and services they are purchasing and the risksassociated with them, if any.

Inaddition, it is important to consider defining clearly the nature ofthe safety net for the firms in the financial system. One of thechallenges that make the shadow banks not function properly is thehigh volume of implicit guarantees present in the financial system.Although the implicit guarantees are difficult to deal with, there isa need for developing a safety net within the financial system. Theauthorities should make a clarity concerning which institutions areeligible for lender of last resort aid and the guidelines for theassistance should be spelt out, especially the collateral necessities(Elliott &amp Qiao, 2015). Furthermore, the authorities need tostress on the necessity of having clarity in the financialassociations, especially the guarantees, amid financial institutions.This must be confirmed, backed by law and guidelines, or investorsshould be convinced that it is not the case.

Conclusion

Theshadow banking system, in China, is viewed as a credit intermediationthat offers liquidity and credit transformation, although it operatesoutside the normal banking system. In the Chinese market, shadowbanking exists in various forms and has different impacts on thedevelopment of the financial system. From the discussion, it can beargued that shadow banking has partly triumphed in mitigatingborrowers’ overdependence on banks, developed more investmentopportunities, and met part of the economy’s capital demand. Thesystem can also be indicated to have enhanced liquidity and activityin the financial markets of China. Furthermore, it has helped inmaking investment/lending more efficient. There are significant risksthat the shadow banking system has in China due to various reasonssuch as the business is riskier compared to regular banking,operates with meager safety margins, there is little transparency inthe system, China is undergoing some hard adjustments economicallywhich could trigger loan losses, and shadow banking has too muchreliance on implicit guarantees. The risks associated with shadowbanking system include financial instability, deceleration of theeconomy, mitigates the effectiveness of macro-prudential controls,and influencing the regular financial institutions. Differentproposals can be made that can help in correcting the downsides ofthe shadow banking system these include defining clearly the natureof the safety net for the firms in the financial system due to theimplicit guarantees that make the shadow banks not function properly,increasing consumer opportunity and safety, striving for a levelplaying ground across the financial sector, increasing the efficiencyof the system, and expanding the financial services to SMEs,households, and rural businesses. From the analysis, it can be arguedthat shadow banking has positive benefits, but it still poses athreat emanating from its nature. Therefore, there is the need forauthorities to regulate its operations in order to eliminate theperils.

Appendices

Appendixa

Appendixb

Proportionof SMEs that Exported in 2014

Appendixc

References

Bottelier,P. (2015). Shadow Banking in China. WorldBank 1818 H Association.

Elliott,D. &amp Qiao, Y. (2015). Reforming Shadow Banking in China. EconomicStudies at Brookings.

Elliott,D., Kroeber, A. &amp Qiao, Y. (2015). Shadow banking in China: Aprimer. EconomicStudies at Brookings.

Liang,Y. (2015). ShadowBanking in China: Implications for Financial Stability and EconomicRebalancing.Economics Seminar, Portland State University.

Sekine,E. (2015). Reforming China’s Financial Markets: the Problems ofShadow Banking and Non-performing Loans. PolicyResearch Institute, Ministry of Finance, Japan, Public Policy Review,Vol.11, No.1.

Sheng,A., &amp Ng, C. S. (2016). Shadowbanking in China: An opportunity for financial reform.Hoboken: Wiley.

Zhang,J., Cheng, J., &amp Griffith, G. (2014). InsideChina`s shadow banking: The next subprime crisis?Singapore: Enrich Professional Publishing.

1

ORGANIZATION DIRECTION

Organization Direction:Amazon.com

Your Name (First M.Last)

School or InstitutionName (University at Place or Town, State)

Establishing organizational directionshould be the primary objective of any organization (Dobbs, 2006).So, in this paper, we will address some of the key factors inestablishing the organizational direction of our chosen organization(Amazon). This paper is exclusively prepared for the Amazon Board ofDirectors.

Amazon Inc.’sorganizational structure is extensive. It allows the corporation tohave a strong control over its worldwide e-commerce and onlineoperations (Panagiotelis, Smith, &amp Danaher, 2014). For example,Amazon’s commercial structure determines how managers influence andmaintain the operative activities in several areas of business.

Amazon uses aparticular growth strategy called “cost leadership” to achievecompetitive advantage. The main objective of this competitivestrategy is to minimize the operational costs (Panagiotelis, Smith, &ampDanaher, 2014). When it comes to differentiation, the organizationuses networking technologies and advanced computing, which maximizeits operational productivity, thus, minimizing overall costs.Moreover, a wide range of products and services are offered by thecompany to uphold its constant growth.

Amazon`smanagement approach is simple and straight forward. The mainobjective is to increase site traffic and it is done by onlinepromotional advertising and public relation activities. Theorganization`s corporate culture is very competitive. Every quarter,the team members and employees are ranked against each other on thebasis of work efficiency (Spector, 2011). This increases theorganization`s productivity and influences the fast growth ofproduction and other business activities. Employees are given theopportunity to evaluate their own work on a monthly basis. Also,Amazon maintains an organizational culture that allows employees todirectly interact with the top executives (Spector, 2011). So, thisgenerates employee satisfaction.

Conclusion

These strategies or factors are thekeys to establishing an organizational direction of Amazon. Thesestrategies led the company to be the number one e-commerce site inthe world, and surely it will lead them to future successes as well(Spector, 2011).

References

Dobbs, R. (2006).Building the healthy corporation (organizational growth). StrategicDirection,

22(2).http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/sd.2006.05622baf.001

Panagiotelis, A.,Smith, M., &amp Danaher, P. (2014). From Amazon to Apple: ModelingOnline

RetailSales, Purchase Incidence, and Visit Behavior. Journal Of Business&amp Economic Statistics, 32(1), 14-29.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07350015.2013.835729

Spector, R. (2011).Amazon.com (1st ed.). New York: HarperBusiness.

ERNurse Leader

ERNurse Leader

1. Using the emergency room (ER) environment. As a nurse leader, how do you lead other nurses in the ER to manage their time effectively?

Allhospitals regardless of their size encounter time-management relatedpressures. Specifically, in the ER, the success of its operationsheavily relies on speed and efficiency. Therefore, it critical toensure time is well managed through the incorporation of numerousapproaches. As the person in charge of the nurses in the ER, first Ialways stay focused on my duties by avoiding any probabledistractions. Any free time is dedicated in anticipating for futureactivities, for instance, discharge orders and prescription writing.Consultation phone calls should be anticipated. This enableseffective treatment as the plan of action is outlined before all testresults are delivered back. This is useful in eliminating long waitsat the emergency department hence it’s important to createinterdepartmental rapport. I strictly focus on admitting patients whoapparently require admittance even before all the test results aredispatched. Further, I ensure that I am flexible in my operations tobe able to work extra fast. Patients with chronic conditions aretreated as referrals, and the patients should be reassured that noharm would occur while waiting for appointment.it is not mandatoryfor the charts to be taken in a particular especially when alone. Ifthere is stability among all the patients, the process can commencewith first handling the simpler cases before attending to the complexones (Huber, 2013). In preventing the delay in disposition,unnecessary tests should not be ordered. It is also critical to orderall the probable tests all at once. It is also important to have amemo book containing information about the patients and theirphysicians as this saves time in case they receive a call from thedoctor, they will not have to refer to the charts. Finally, nursesare encouraged to ensure they are efficient by having brief breaks inaddition to the intake of adequate nutrition.

2. Using your leadership skills, how can you improve the ER department budget to meet the company’s goal?

Forthe objectives of the company to be achieved, it is mandatory to cuton costs. As a leader, it is important to work towards ensuring thatreadmissions are significantly reduced as these have a negativeimpact on the operations of the ED. Besides being costly, they alsoattract scrutiny not only from private insurers, but also thepatients themselves. As a result, this ensures that the hospital as awhole does not risk losing government reimbursements (Buppert, 2014).Therefore, patients who have been discharged should routinely attendpost-acute hospital visits. Furthermore, patients must be educated onpractical measures to take following their release from the ER. Allnurses must be trained on the concept of preventive care to ensurethat general readmission rates are significantly lowered. Inachieving this, it is vital to ensure that all nurses in the ERconstructively engage the patients on how to be compliant with careplans accorded to them.

Deficienciesin the ER need to be appropriately addressed. For instance, the ERattends to scores of patients who lack any form of insurance. As aresult, this problem has contributed to the increased costs ofuncompensated care. As a result of close collaboration, all the ERnurses work to foresee that all uninsured patients who are eligiblefor public funding are provided with the much-needed assistance incompleting their applications. This enables prioritization ofpreventive care among patients thus eliminating the last minute rushto for treatment which is costly. This measure lowers uncompensatedcare and other negative debts.

3. What can you as a nurse leader do to improve staffing issues in the ER?

TheER should be staffed with highly trained personnel to ensure itoperates efficiently, attains patient satisfaction while cutting onthe costs of operation. As a nurse leader, I have to focus on boththe strategic and tactical drivers. The quality of care and servicein addition to patient safety are considered as strategic driverswhereas the tactical drivers comprise of the patient duration ofstay, capabilities of the physician, the number of non-physicians,admit holds, acuity and patient volumes (Welton, 2016). Given thatthe ER is operational throughout the year, I work towardsestablishing the reasonable workload which provides guidance onadding more staff once the workload is exceeded. The priority isgiven to staffing alternatives regarded to be less costly as would beindicated by the infection point in the event of double coverage. Theinfection point is attained when matching the capabilities of thestaff to demand (Huber, 2013). Additionally, I have to initiate abenchmarking process that compares the ER to other health facilitiesthat operate on a comparable acuity and volume. This results inpatient satisfaction and efficiency at ER.

4. Imagine yourself in a leadership meeting, what will be your contribution/s to the ER policy revision.

Nursesat the ER department face numerous difficulties on a daily basis.They handle critical conditions most of which are life-threatening.Therefore, the recommendations that I would make focus on the need toprevent loss through protecting both patients and the nurses. Recently employed nurses must undergo mandatory orientation tofamiliarize them with the hospital and departmental policies.Long-serving nurses must also be reoriented to improve theircomprehension on existent policies and the revisions that will beincorporated. The other recommendation would focus on preventing, andhandling of patient complaints. The policies would be agreed on byall stakeholders in the ER department on how to first avoid claimsand in case they occur, the policies would clearly outline how theyare to be handled. The disaster plan of the emergency departmentshould be streamlined with that of the hospital. Finally, I will alsorecommend a policy that will reduce frequent visits to the ER unlessit is mandatory (Soril etal.,2015).

5. How will you as a nurse leader enforce licensure and certification compliance among ER nurses?

Iwill ensure that all the nurses in the emergency room undergoperiodic competency testing. I will encourage them to pursue furthereducation which would provide them with broad perspectives regardingthe mutating healthcare requirements, the mounting knowledge andpolitical implications on health. It will be beneficial for allnurses to belong to a professional body as this will enable them tobe updated on the ongoing changes that might affect their profession.Furthermore, they will be required to undertake a compulsorycertification program provided by the American Nurses CredentialingCenter (ANCC). The outcome will be that their specialty expertisewill be well demonstrated to their patients and as their leader, Iwill be able to validate their knowledge. The nurses will be proudlyempowered and professionally satisfied as a result of the ANCCcertification.

Theywill also be required to partake Quality and Safety Education forNurses, which will equip them with the necessary competencies toprovide quality care and safety of patients. No nurse will be allowedto operate in the ER department without the necessary license ofoperation and certifications. They have to be registered with theNursing and Midwifery Council. Incompetent nurses will be required toupgrade their skills through continued education. It will be vitalfor them to ensure their registration is up to date.

6. How do you manage the patient work flow in the ER department as a nurse leader?

Thereare numerous ways through which the emergency room department caneffectively manage the workflow. One of the measures to incorporateis the use of data and metrics which allows for the efficientmonitoring and management of patients (Remus, 2016). As a result, thecyclical trends will be adequately identified, anticipated andmitigated. Besides, accountability is realized due to the existenceof clear goals and vision. Secondly, the boarding of patients in theemergency room is subjected to established objectives to guide themitigation and managing of the process. The quality of care andpatient safety is dependent on the clinical decision-making processwhich is regulated by established best practices and patient acuity. The nurses would undergo regular training and orientation to improvetheir interaction with patients who are regarded to have behavioralhealth emergencies. Communities are usually characterized by variouspractices and policies which are likely to confound the patient flowin this target group. Thus, I will give priority on closelycollaborating with behavioral health providers in the community. Theestablishment of new solutions will be synergized, and the ERservices would be appropriately utilized (Chan etal.,2014).

References

Buppert,C. (2014). Nursepractitioner`s business practice and legal guide.Jones &amp Bartlett Publishers.

Chan,H. Y., Lo, S. M., Lee, L. L. Y., Lo, W. Y. L., Yu, W. C., Wu, Y. F.,&amp Chan, J. T. S. (2014). Lean techniques for the improvement ofpatients’ flow in emergency department. Worldjournal of emergency medicine,5(1),24.

Huber,D. (2013). Leadershipand nursing care management.Elsevier Health Sciences.

Remus,S. (2016). Advancing the Digital Health Discourse for Nurse Leaders.NursingInformatics 2016,412.

Soril,L. J., Leggett, L. E., Lorenzetti, D. L., Noseworthy, T. W., &ampClement, F. M. (2015). Reducing frequent visits to the emergencydepartment: a systematic review of interventions. PloSone,10(4),e0123660.

Welton,J. M. (2016). Nurse staffing and patient outcomes: Are we asking theright research question? InternationalJournal of Nursing Studies,63,A1-A2.

NETWORK SECURITY: SOURCES AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES 15

NetworkSecurity: Sources and Prevention Strategies

NetworkSecurity: Sources and Prevention Strategies

Abstract

Networksecurity is a key challenge that contemporary organizations have tograpple with as they make use of technological advancements inimproving business efficiency together with effectiveness. While itis a fact that security threats are a serious challenge in themanagement of information technology, it seems that much more needsto be done in order to counter this challenge. This research exploresto the topic of network security by identifying and discussing thetypes and sources of security threats, besides outlining the currentstrategies used in response to this problem. The research seeksanswers to the question of why network security is one of the top ITmanagement issues confronting managers today. The primary purpose ofthe research is to understand the sources of computer securitythreats, and the actions that should be taken to improve networksecurity. Key findings made from the research are that securitythreats are posed by insiders and malicious external agents. Theresearch also reveals that at present, most organizations usefirewalls and virtual private networks to improve network security.Owing to the limitations of these tools, recommended strategiesinclude encryption, zero-trust philosophy, and caching of firewalls.

Contents

Abstract 2

1.0 INTRODUCTION 4

1.1 Background to the study 4

1.2 Problem statement 5

1.3 Statement of purpose 5

1.4 Research questions 5

1.5 Significance of the study 5

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Types of network security threats 6

2.2 Sources of network security threats 6

2.3 Current practices in improving network security 8

3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 9

3.1. Encryption 10

3.2 Improving the performance of firewalls 11

3.3. Addressing employee concerns and grievances 11

3.4 Cultivate a tradition of cyber-security 12

3.5 Restrict the use of mobile phones and other personal devices within the place of work 12

4.0 CONCLUSION 13

5.0 REFERENCES 14

1.0INTRODUCTION

1.1Background to the study

Everybusiness organization today has embraced information technology (IT)as an integral component. It is well-known that IT plays aninvaluable role in promoting effective communication within andacross organizations (Cavelty &amp Mauer, 2016). The use of IT incommunication is reflected in the observation that almost allorganizations today communicate via email, smartphones and otherelectronic means. Besides communication, information technology alsofacilitates the management of inventory such that organizations arecapable of meeting customers’ demands. IT has also proved useful inmanaging relationships between organizations and their customers, aswell as storing valuable data about employees (MacKechnie, 2016). Inaddition to this, IT has helped organizations to make more accurateplans, improve marketing effectiveness, and providing instant supportto customers.

Fromthe above report, it is evident that IT is an integral part of thedaily lives of human beings today. As Fong, Li and Fong (2013) state,IT has multiple uses including in industries such as transportation,banking and manufacturing, as well as healthcare. However, theincreasing utility of IT in today’s world is matched by a similargrowth in the prevalence of security threats. According to Al-Taiey(2012), there has been an exponential increase in cases of networkattacks, with attackers becoming highly sophisticated and smart. Cases of servers having been hacked and crucial information retrievedhave become rampant today. Citing the example of cloud computing,Shaikh and Haider (2011) report that even though consumers can getaccess to virtual resources via the internet, security concerns arethe sole barrier to the universal adoption of the cloud computingtechnology. Without doubt, network security is a major issue facingIT managers in today’s organizations.

1.2Problem statement

Thereare many security issues surrounding information technologyapplications and systems today, meaning that confidential datapertaining to customers and other key stakeholders is not secured.Having established that security threats are a major issue facingmanagers and organizations today, it is important to develop andimplement effective strategies to boost network security.

1.3Statement of purpose

Theobjective of this research paper is to identify the strategies thatshould be embraced in organizations in order to counter the problemof network security. In order to achieve this objective, the researchbegins by highlighting the types and causes of security threats inorganizations, as well as the current strategies used to counter suchthreats. The research relies on secondary data drawn from books andjournal articles. Based on the key themes identified through theliterature review, several recommendations are provided to helpenhance network security in organizations.

1.4Research questions

Thepaper addresses the following research questions:

1. What are the causes and types of security threats facing organizations today?

2. What should be done in order to boost network security in today’s organizations?

1.5Significance of the study

Itis hoped that the findings obtained from this research will provide asuccessful guide to managers grappling with the problem of securitythreats. More precisely, the study offers simple solutions that mayprove helpful in minimizing cases of cyber-security.

2.0LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1Types of network security threats

Inaccordance with the fact that security threats have become rampantacross organizations today, substantial literature addressing thetypes of security threats is available. Defining the term ‘securitythreats’, it is been stated that security threats encompass allactions, both actual and attempted, that are undertaken with theobjective of compromising availability, confidentiality, andintegrity of a communication network or a computer (Ryan, 2015). Thisdefinition implies that any attempts to learn a server’s InternetProtocol (IP) address, as well as defacing a company’s website,amount to security threats. In the same way, network security is alsocompromised when malicious software such as viruses is installed on acomputer. In short, computer security threats may take the form ofevents that are aimed at stealing, destroying, or damaging equipmentlike servers and switches. Alternatively, security threats are saidto be in existence where certain occurrences make authorized usersunable to access vital information (Cisco Networking Academy, 2013).

Besideshacking a server’s IP address and obtaining confidentialinformation about a company, security threats also take the form ofaccess attacks, which occur when a company’s website is defacedwith the purpose of stealing vital data like customers list or thefirm’s financial information. Another type of security threat ispassword attacks, which is a phrase used in reference to repeatedtrials to identify the information used to authenticate a user’sprofile and information (Al-Taiey, 2012).

2.2Sources of network security threats

Threatsto network security are generally categorized into two: external andinternal. Internal threats are posed by persons within theorganizations, including employees and other users who have regularaccess to the network and vital data pertaining to the organization.On the other hand, external security threats are posed by users whodo not belong to the organization, and who are not authorized toaccess the company’s resources as well as network (Cisco NetworkingAcademy, 2013).

Regardingthe internal threats to computer security, it has been observed that,employees are one among the most dangerous sources of securitythreats. According to the author, there are some instances whenemployees circumvent security measures inadvertently (Ryan, 2015).For example, an employee may forget a disk containing confidentialinformation about his or her employer in a public transport vehicle.In the same way, another employee could deliberately leave thediskette in a bus as a way of punishing his or her employer forhaving failed to fulfill the employee’s grievances. This latterscenario is common, with numerous cases having been documented aboutdisgruntled employees of multinational organizations who steal entireclient databases that have been stored on compact disks. This is alsoknown as insider effect (Kizza, 2015), and is very harmful tocomputer security especially when employees adopt the habit ofstealing company information for sale.

Amajor theme that is reiterated in the literature review is thatcomputer viruses are the main tool through which security attacks areconducted (Al-Taiey, 2012 Cisco Networking Academy, 2013).Precisely, the Cisco Networking Academy (2013) reports that someviruses are exceptionally dangerous in that they can be used to“harvest sensitive information such as passwords and credit cardnumbers” (p. 546). Additionally, there are certain viruses thatrecord keystrokes, meaning that every information that is enteredinto a computer by a user is captured, and may be used to access theuser’s financial and other accounts.

Inasmuchas it has been established that security threats are largely causedby viruses and other malicious software, it is very important to notethat laxity in management could also create loopholes for hackers toexecute their attacks. According to Kizza (2015), there are numerousfactors that threaten computer security, one of them being weaknessesin communication protocols together with the entire networkinfrastructure. Apart from this, it is important to bear in mind thathackers are usually individuals who possess expert knowledge ininformation technology, which is why they are capable ofillegitimately accessing business systems. A crucial implication ofthis is that any solutions to the problem must be formulated from abroad perspective, which means that all the potential sources of thethreat must be factored in.

2.3Current practices in improving network security

Havingascertained network security as a salient management issue incontemporary organizations, it is essential to uncover the strategiesand practices that are currently employed in response to thesolution. The most widely deployed strategy is the use of firewalls,which are deemed effective in enhancing network security (Stewart,2013). Firewalls are deemed effective in boosting network securitybecause they safeguard a company’s or user’s internal informationagainst intruders, both internal and external. At the same time,firewalls are effective in preventing Denial-of-Service attacks(Gonzalez et al., 2012). Apart from firewalls, companies are alsomaking use of virtual private networks (VPNs) in order to safeguardnetwork integrity, thus securing business-to-business communications.In short, there are a number of applications that have been developedto boost network security.

Despitethe widespread usage of firewalls together with VPNs, severalshortcomings have been identified regarding these strategies. Stewart(2013) states that inasmuch as firewalls are a crucial component ofIT infrastructure today, they do not offer the perfect solution tothe menace of network security. To begin with, firewalls are prone tofailure due to the fact that they are developed by human beings.Stewart (2013) explains that the controlling mechanisms as well aslogic of firewalls are nothing but a software code that is designedby computer experts. This is a serious limitation considering thatany activity or innovation that involves people carries a possibilityof failing or becoming defective. Despite the truth that softwaredevelopers undertake thorough testing on firewall products beforethese are released to the markets, it is wrong to rely on theassumption that the code is intrinsically perfect. In other words,firewalls do not provide 100% protection against security threats.

Closelyrelated to the above limitation is the revelation that hackers are soknowledgeable on matters of IT that they constantly employ a varietyof scanning and testing tools in order to detect weaknesses that canbe exploited. The moment they detect a vulnerable area, hackersmaximize on the flaw, which has resulted into some firewalls eithercrashing or freezing (Stewart, 2013). As an illustration of astatement made earlier in this report, which cites poorinfrastructural management as one of the sources of computer threats,Stewart (2013) discloses that there are some instances where thefirewall’s capacity is not sufficient to retain all the dataentered. When this happens, the excess information is transferred toan adjacent device. It is worth noting that this shortcoming usuallyworks to the benefit of hackers, who inject excess data into thefirewall’s memory buffer. The bottom-line here is that firewallsmay not provide a perfect solution to the security threats issue,particularly owing to improper control of software quality, as wellas improper programming techniques.

3.0RECOMMENDATIONS

Animportant deduction made from the above literature review is thatsecurity threats are a major problem facing organizations andindividuals alike. Having learnt that hackers are capable ofaccessing sensitive information regarding a company’s orindividual’s finances, it is evident that a lasting, effectivesolutions needs to be found and implemented in order to counter theproblem. In line with this, a number of suggestions are deemedimperative to the enhancement of network security.

3.1.Encryption

Theidea that encryption is one of the techniques that can effectively beused to boost network security is shared by many authors. In spite ofthe fact that data stored on compact disks and other hardware devicesis occasionally accessed by unauthorized persons, encryptingsensitive information on storage devices has been proven by securityexperts to be effective in protecting sensitive information againsthacking (Ryan, 2015). A similar view is held by Cole (2012), whoasserts that encryption plays a pivotal role in protecting dataagainst compromise. However, encryption needs to be done with utmostcaution and professionalism, more so in light of the report thathackers tend to be so knowledgeable that they can estimate the secretkeys used in encrypting data. Some people possess so much expertiseat hacking that they have discovered tactics of retrieving secretkeys. The implication here is that encryption is not an absolutesolution to the problem of security threats (Ryan, 2015).

Inorder to ensure that all sensitive data is properly encrypted andprotected against hackers, it is essential for IT experts andmanagers to ensure proper implementation and management of all secretkeys. As Cole (2012) advises, implementing encryption alone is notenough the keys must be managed properly. This implies that the keysto the encryption code should only be known to only a few,trustworthy persons within the organization. Additionally, thesepersons should be provided with strict instructions not to disclosethe key to any other person.

Inaddition to the above, it might be worthwhile to engage the expertservices of cryptanalysts (people whose specialty in the decryptionof codes). The objective of this latter suggestion is to allow asmuch as time as possible to external parties to try deciphering theencrypted message. If the cryptanalysts are unable to decode thismessage after numerous attempts, the organization may rest assuredthat its most sensitive data is safe (Cole, 2012).

3.2Improving the performance of firewalls

Ithas been learnt that despite several shortcomings associated withfirewalls, firewalls are very popular across organizations. Thiscreates the impression that the use of firewalls in boosting networksecurity should be continued and encouraged, albeit with a fewimprovements. A crucial lesson obtained from the literature review isthat firewalls have a limitation in that they are not always capableof accommodating all the data that is injected. This gives hackers anopportunity to channel sensitive data to their records. In order toeliminate this problem, a technique known as caching has beenproposed, the aim being to increase the firewall’s performance towirespeed. This simply means that there is no room for communicationdelays because the firewall and the network operate at a similarspeed (Stewart, 2013). By definition, caching refers to the techniquewhereby often-accessed content is held within the firewall’s memoryor storage. In simple terms, caching effectively converts a firewallto function like a proxy server, meaning that the user can inject asmuch data as he or she desires without running the risk of overrun(Stewart, 2013).

3.3.Addressing employee concerns and grievances

Inline with the finding that security threats sometimes come fromwithin the organizations, it is very important for managers toidentify and implement adequate strategies to counter the threatposed by insiders. In particular, having found that disgruntledemployees sometimes hit back at their employer by stealing andselling confidential data, it is specifically proposed that managersshould pay significant attention to the issue of employee welfare andmotivation. Wall (2015) notes that even though there are predictiveanalytics techniques and tools that can be used to detect whenemployees are collaborating with criminal gangs, such tools tend tobe time-consuming as well as expensive. For this reason, and inaccordance with the deterrence theory, it is proposed that managersshould invest in employee motivation as a way of enhancing securityperformance within organizations (Son, 2011).

3.4Cultivate a tradition of cyber-security

Whilstacknowledging that in most organizations, network security and allmatters pertaining to IT management are regarded as theresponsibility of the IT department, it should be noted that thethreat posed by hackers can only be minimized or eradicated if everymember of the organization is actively involved in addressing thechallenge. Cavelty and Mauer (2016) posit that network security isachievable only when all nations create a cyber-security culture.What this means is that organizations should involve all stakeholdersin addressing the threat. This might also be interpreted assuggesting that governments need to be involved in the formulation ofsolutions to the menace of security threats.

Atthe organizational level, a cyber-security culture can be created ifcompanies dedicate more resources, both financial and in terms oftime, towards the improvement of computer security. While it is truethat investing in cyber-security consumes a substantial amount ofresources, it is highly recommended that all organizations,regardless of their size, should hire IT security experts and engagethem at the board level in order to ensure that cyber-security takescentre stage in every business process (Wall, 2015).

3.5Restrict the use of mobile phones and other personal devices withinthe place of work

Itis expected that the introduction of policies restricting the usageof mobile phones and other personal gadgets at the workplace willelicit controversy and disapproval from employees. However, thebottom-line is that threats to network security do not always comefrom outside they are also perpetuated by employees. Havingestablished that some employees collude with criminal gangs toretrieve sensitive information from employers, it is needful fororganizations to adopt a philosophy of zero-trust. In part, thismeans that organizations could restrict the usage of mobile deviceswithin the workplace, especially when such devices are used inaccessing critical data together with systems. In addition to this,it may be beneficial for firms to set up a single system from whereall incoming and outgoing data is controlled (Wall, 2015). This way,IT experts will be in a position to detect any employee who utilizesthe company’s data with a malicious intent.

4.0CONCLUSION

Informationtechnology is widely used for a variety of purposes in businessorganizations as well as in various aspects of life. However, withthe increasing utility of IT comes a fair share of challenges andthreats, the key one being security threats. It has been observedthat hackers are devising new ways of accessing confidential dataabout individuals and organizations, thanks to IT. Accordingly,network security, popularly known as cyber-security, has become ahotly discussed topic today. The research documented in this reportreveals that security threats come from external as well as internalforces, and take the form of password attacks, denial-of-accessattacks, and defacing of entities’ websites. In response to theseattacks, the most commonly used strategies are firewalling togetherwith virtual private networks. Despite the utility of these tools,several flaws have been identified, meaning that organizations arenot totally protected against hackers. In order to boost networksecurity, several recommendations have been made, includingencryption, embracing the zero-trust philosophy, and minimizing theinsider threat by ensuring that employees are adequately motivated.

5.0 REFERENCES

Al-Taiey,T. (2012). All-in-onefor beginners (EBook, 13 Exam Engines, and Flash Cards): ACertification Guide with 2200 Sample Questions and Answers withComprehensive Explanations: the Complete One-Week Preparation for theCISCO CCENT/CCNA.Thaar AL-Taiey.

Cavelty,M. &amp Mauer, V. (2016). Powerand security in the information age: investigating the role of statein cyberspace.Routledge.

CiscoNetworking Academy Program. (2013). ITessentials: PC hardware and software companion guide.Indianapolis, Ind: Cisco Press.

Cole,E. (2012). AdvancedPersistent Threat: Understanding the Danger and How to Protect YourOrganization.Burlington: Elsevier Science.

Fong,A. C. M., Li, C. K., &amp Fong, B. (2013). Telemedicinetechnologies: Information technologies in medicine and telehealth.Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.

Gonzalez,N., Miers, C., Redigolo, F., Simplicio, M., Carvalho, T., Näslund,M., &amp Pourzandi, M. (2012). A quantitative analysis of currentsecurity concerns and solutions for cloud computing. Journalof Cloud Computing: Advances, Systems and Applications,1(1),1.

Kizza,J. M. (2015). Guideto computer network security.London Springer.

MacKechnie,C. (2016). Informationtechnology &amp its role in the modern organization.Retrieved from&lt&lthttp://smallbusiness.chron.com/information-technology-its-role-modern-organization-1800.html&gt&gton 20 December 2016.

Ryan,J. (2015). LeadingIssues in Cyber Warfare and Security: Cyber Warfare and Security,Volume 2.New York: Academic Conferences and publishing limited

Shaikh,F. B., &amp Haider, S. (2011, December). Security threats in cloudcomputing. In Internettechnology and secured transactions (ICITST), 2011 internationalconference for(pp. 214-219). IEEE.

Son,J. Y. (2011). Out of fear or desire? Toward a better understanding ofemployees’ motivation to follow IS security policies. Information&amp Management,48(7),296-302.

Stewart,J. (2013). Networksecurity, firewalls and VPNs.Jones &amp Bartlett Publishers.

Wall,M. (2015). Six things firms should do to improve cybersecurity. BBCNews. Retrieved from &lt&lt http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34636751 &gt&gton 20 December 2016.

ClimateChange

ClimateChange

Theterm “climate change” is used to describe a process that involvesthe alteration of global climate patterns. This change is primarilyattributed to an increase in the quantity of greenhouse gases thathave accumulated in the atmosphere for many years (EnvironmentalProtection Agency, 2016). The phenomenon is characterized by gradualvariation in the quantity of solar energy that reaches the earth,alteration in atmosphere’s capacity to reflect, and an increase inthe volume of greenhouse gases. This paper is a brief overview of thecauses and effects of climate change.

Theoccurrence of the climate change is attributed to natural events aswell as human activities. Scientists have confirmed with the 95 %level of confidence that human activities play the most significantrole in the occurrence of the phenomenon of climate change (Global, 2016). This assertion has been confirmed by studiesindicating that industrial operations have increased the quantity ofcarbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere to 400 parts per million(PPM) from 280 PPM with a period of 150 years (GCC, 2016). Otheractivities that contribute towards the release of the greenhousegases that play the key role towards the occurrence of climate changeinclude the transportation (26 %), electricity generation (30 %),residential houses (12 %), and agriculture (9 %), among others (EPA,2016).

Althoughhuman activities have been blamed for the occurrence of climatechange, studies have shown that natural forces also contributetowards the phenomenon. Volcanic eruptions lead to climate change byincreasing the quantities of the greenhouse gases emitted each year.A change in the solar output leads to an increase in the quantity ofheat energy released by the sun (EPA, 2016). A shift in platetectonics has also influenced ocean-atmosphere circulations, thusincreasing the chances for the occurrence of a change in climate.Some of the key impacts of the change in climate include a decline inagricultural output, alteration of rainfall patterns, loss ofbiodiversity, and human diseases.

Inconclusion, a change in global climate affects the survival of allliving things. These changes are largely attributed to humanactivities, but there are several natural events that contribute totheir occurrence.

References

EnvironmentalProtection Agency (2016). Greenhouse gas emission: Sources ofgreenhouse gas emission. EPA.Retrieved December 24, 2016, fromhttps://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions

Global (2016). A blanket around the earth. GCC.Retrieved December 24, 2016, http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/

CourseTittle

Themother-daughter relationships

Thetwo poems of Sharon Olds address important themes in the lives ofhumanity. They are a representation of the manner of life within theprivate domain of a person’s life and the experiences that peoplemeet in their day to day interactions with one another in the outsideworld. In “Still life in Landscape,” the poet illustrates anoccurrence on the road while they are on a journey. She explains thenature of road travels, the challenges it poses and its effect onfamilies. In “First Thanksgiving,” the poet demonstrates theexperience of a mother’s love towards her daughter. It seems thelove is green and still in its onset, presenting a lot of excitementand moments anticipated. The nature of love is elucidated in the twopoems, representing different perceptions and considerations in theway it is shared between mothers and their daughters.

Thetheme of love is profoundly mentioned in the two poems however,there is a pertinent twist that is distinct to each poem. In the poem“Still life in Landscape,” a family witnesses the death of awoman whose life has been claimed on the road (Olds 28-28). Out ofconcern and fear, the poet’s mother turns her head from beholdingthe situation because it will be a devastating view for a child herage. It is of love that the mother keeps her from bearing thisordeal. The nature of love in this instance is portrayed asprevention of a person from going through an ordeal that would betraumatizing and disturbing to one’s mind or life. In this case, itwould be thoughtful to relate that an expression of love arises whenan individual is covered from experiencing an event that would end updestroying and haunting their lives in the future. The poet’smother considers her future, keeping her from having memories thatwould torment her in her life.

Onthe other hand, in the poem “First Thanksgiving,” a lover awaitsevents that are to occur in the future, anticipating good momentsthat will assure her instances of ecstasy (Olds).The poems in this sense are preemptive of the future. They explainevents that are yet to occur. It means that in the poem “Still lifein Landscape,” the mother out of love anticipates a free life forher daughter. It is in the same vein that the poet in “FirstThanksgiving” focuses on a future she shares with a loved one.

Also,it is significant to include that the setting of the poem in “Stilllife in landscape” is night. It is a representation of the darkworld. The horrors of the night represent the filth and rot of theworld. However, amidst the pain and suffering, love is an importantaspect that keeps the people going. The only genuine interactions arethose considered in love. In a world that is satiated with darkness,the possibility that presents light is love. Again, it is proper toindicate that in the poem “First Thanksgiving,” the lonelinessthat consumes the life of a woman living in solitude is justified byher expectation to meet her lover. The intentions are that her lifewill be turned into a hopeful one. The love possessed by a womansteers her into the future with the steady hope that life will bebetter.

Furthermore,it is critical to propound that the poem “Still life in landscape,”speaks of the innocence of a child’s mind. The mother protects herfrom the exposure to the world that is corrupted by evil. The poet’smother safeguards her from seeing the raw state of the world thefact that her father is a drunk driver and at one point hit a personwho, fortunately, came out alive. The mother’s shield of her purityin mind depicts a weighty level of love. The concern she has for herdaughter mediates the reality in life and her bid to protect herdaughter from the evil in the world. It is also crucial to mentionthat the poem “First Thanksgiving” displays the attitude of aperson struggling with keeping things in position so that they willfit in the society.

Importantly,it is essential to communicate that there is a twist in theexperience of the poet in “First Thanksgiving” when she divertsattention from the narration she gives concerning her future lovelife to the story about bees (Olds).The description holds that the bee she played with returned to biteher. It is an imagery illustrating that even the love she expectedwould turn sour and bite back on her. It is not always that ourexpectations shall be met nevertheless, having an achievement isjust a portion of the reality. There is possibility that things mayturn out as expected while on the other hand, the disappointment thatcomes with it could be frustrating and apparently, hurting. Incomparison to the poem in “Still life in landscape,” it is likelythe mother of the poet was protecting her from the broken worldhowever, it seems the poet had already learned and had a grasp of theworld, and her mother’s involvement would not influence herperception. Therefore, no matter how hard sometimes we struggle tocover the reality of life, it has got its way of appearing to thesurface for all and sundry to behold. Indeed, the truth of life, thereality represented by the events and experiences man undergoescannot be hidden. It is exposed to the world and people of whateverage despite how long it takes to mature.

Onanother plane, the poem “First Thanksgiving” reflects on amother’s love for her daughter. She cherishes the memories fromwhen the poet was a child until she is a grown up (Olds).Even in adulthood, her mother still wants to treat her as her darlingdaughter. The innocence of her mother’s love is pure and real.Though the poet has grown and is older now, her mother still delightsin taking care of her. The poet’s mother recognizes that “shedoes not need love like that,” and in that way acknowledged thather girl has grown and would seek love elsewhere. It shows that themother’s love is encompassing, understanding that things wouldchange when people grow. The kind of accommodation that the mother inthis poem exhibits allows her daughter to be free minded in thesociety, but facing reality in life with the hope that her mother’slove is readily available to her. It is also insightful in thecircumstances in the poem “Still life in landscape,” revealingthe weight of a mother’s love, trying to prevent her daughter fromseeing the cruel world in a negative light. The mother notes thereality of a corrupt world but only wants to expose her child to thepositives in the society.

Theother aspect of love that is expounded in the poem “Still life inlandscape” is love for oneself. The poet writes that “she was notI, she was not my mother” (Olds 28-28). It renders that in thisfamily they only care about themselves. As long as the father did nothit the mother or the daughter, then all was all right. The fatherexhibits selfishness in his character, involving in drunk driving andhitting a person. On many occasions, there have been cases reportedof accidents occurring as a result of drunk driving. It is only ofparamount understanding to indicate that such situations are drivenby selfish motives and facilitated by an attitude of an uncaringsociety (Emmerichs 171-194).

Itis necessary to identify the manner of love that exists between thefather and mother in the poem “Still life in landscape.” Thesituation between them is showed to be complicated, yet they stilllove one another amidst their differences. The mother is completelyaware of the fact that her husband is drunk yet she trusts that hewill drive them safely home. The poem “First Thanksgiving”substantially addresses the love that existed between the poet andher husband, saying “she came into my life the second greatarrival, after him.” She recognizes that her daughter was theproduct of the best thing that ever happened to her in her entirelife. It behooves to document that sometimes the events in thesociety could arouse memories that might have impacted on our livesimmensely. The remembrance of the love shared makes livingworthwhile.

Asrepresented in Sharon Old’s “Still life in landscape,” thewoman in the accident had died and the description the poet uses torelay the situation tells of the devastating situation (Olds 28-28).It is imperative to record that the reality of life is considered asfleeting. It is true that there is no permanence in life. At onepoint in life a person has to die however, a person’s death shouldnot be caused by the recklessness or an avoidable mistake of anotheron the road. The whole picture demands everyone’s responsibilityfor the life of all in the society (Kastenbaum). Apparently, it isonly possible through the love portrayed in the poem.

Itis again necessary to note that the two poems carry phrases thatrecords the characters clamped into their mother’s breasts. It isrepresentative of the safety that arises from the love of a mother.The characters in the poems display an intimate understanding andlove for their mothers (Kaplan). It is clear that the greatestinfluence in the lives of these characters is their motherstherefore, pitching them as playing a vital role in the upbringing ofchildren (Kaplan).

Inconclusion, the theme of love is overwhelmingly illustrated in thetwo poems. In comparison and contrasts, the poems have beenunderstood to convey a particular message of the motherly love,expounding on the details addressed by the poems. It is therefore,right to assert that the poems are educative and reflective of thereality that the world holds.

Workcited

Emmerichs,Sharon. &quotShakespeare And The Landscape Of Death: Crossing TheBoundaries Of Life And The Afterlife&quot. Shakespeare8.2 (2012): 171-194. Web.

Kaplan,E. Ann. Motherhoodand representation: The mother in popular culture and melodrama.Routledge, 2013.

Kastenbaum,Robert J. Death,society, and human experience.Routledge, 2015.

Olds,Sharon. &quotFirst Thanksgiving by Sharon Olds&quot. PoetryFoundation.N.p., 2016. Web. 24 Dec. 2016.

Olds,Sharon. &quotStill Life in Landscape.&quot TheAmerican Poetry Review27.6 (1998): 28-28.

Proposalof Guidelines for starting an Analytical Unit within a PoliceDepartment

InstitutionAffiliation

Theproposal aims to create or develop a new analytical unit in anattempt to support all kinds of police departments such as commandexpertise, control units, detectives and patrol personnel.Additionally, the analytical unit will acquire and analyzeinformation so as to identify crime patterns, tendencies, offendersand create links to enhance decision making. Similarly, due toincreased crimes such as robbery, rape and terrorism, informationlinked to these cases would be analyzed and a response to the futurecrimes will be developed with the aid of this analytical unit.

Crimeanalysis is a lay down of procedural and investigation methodspurposed to provide fast and consistent information that iscomparative to crime models and trends that help in operational andmanagement of resources and the prevention and containment ofcriminal activities. It also supports a number of investigationprocedures and increases the clearance of cases as well as enhancingdepartment functions. Finally, this proposal will illustrate themissions, goals and objectives as well the role of crime analysiswithin the police departments, recruitment, training, crime dealingsand the expected outcomes (Maguire et al, 2012).

TheMission, Goal and Objectives of the Analytical Unit

First,the mission of this analytical unit is to promote the setting andorganization of the police force department through gathering,analyzing and distributing information on crime models finding,crime-offender relationships, point profile examination andforecasting crime possibilities. Second, the goal of the analyticalunit will be to offer correct, practical info distributed in a fastway throughout the police departments. Crime investigation activitiesacross the police staff sections will reduce and help in analysisprocedures. Finally, the objective of the analytical unit is toincrease efficiency in guard operations, crime prevention andthreatening of offenders by info and research leads.

Therole of Analysis processes within the Police Department

Theanalysis process within the department is responsible for thefollowing

Facilitatesthe conduction of crime related research such as crime patterns,trends and offender activities interpretation of existinginvestigations through formal and informal data collection simplifiespolicing agencies and incorporates proactive crime eradicationtechniques and analyzes case legislation and court decision processessince it answers some questions in identifying and prioritizingchallenges, recognize responses and providing design interventionsthat explore the types of crimes being committed and what is knownabout the individuals committing these crimes.

Liaisewith other departments in investigation of cases as well assummarizing the number of crime activities taking place within theselected period as well as evaluate strategies that are effective inassessment and improving policing processes that are fundamental incrime management. Notably, the provision of additions and amendmentsto the police units that are responsible in crime prevention andsecurity management analysis support departmental-wide needs andincreased technical crimes hence allowing amendments of own policiesand programs. Additionally, it allows for the preparation of annualbudget that facilitates department maintenance and sustainability(Santos et al, 2012).

Analysisprovides a good basis of research procedures and data distributionlaw enforcement personnel utilize strategies that enable crimeprevention and response to crime as well as the most effective mannerto do these is by analysis. Analysis encourages collaboration amongthe local law enforcement sectors and other law enforcement entities.Through statistical methods and crime categorization, a working staffcan be established that include all the crime personnel to address aspecific problem using analytical tools in the police departments.

Analysisis importance in organizational transformation crime mapping andrecognition by the police administration may help in communicationand promote a better understanding of the nature of crimes that areencountered on the daily basis. It is significant in solvingproblems with the development of technology, analysis of crimes hasgained a great deal in uncovering patterns and tendencies in crimeactivities and enables police officers to have access to unfamiliarproducts.

Analysisof crime offers long lasting solutions to police departments itdevelops and links special information about criminals and crimepatterns. It synthesizes information or data through planningprocesses and provides responses to national criminal entities. Itenhances police activities such as publishing, graphing and charting.Additionally, it explains crime and disorder during interviews andformal presentations as the provision of charts that illustrates thecorrelation between crimes and offenders during court presentations.

Providesinformation demanded acquisition of data needed for management asanalyzes tells exact information and how the resources that areneeded to work of issues such as violence and arrests. Enables policedepartment leaders review their needs as it provides an outline ofvariety of services given through initiatives such as offering ofrecommendations, training and technical assistance that aid agenciesof crime analysis hence reduce crime efforts and gives guidelines onhow to respond to crime challenges (Wortley et al, 2013).

Actsas a supporting tool to the whole police department by offeringanalysis on criminal patterns in order to a come up with accuratedata that is needed in critical dealings with crime activities andensures that police objectives are realized the police intelligencehighly depends on the analysis of meaningful information hence theinvestigators can draw plans and deliver reports during prosecutionsand case testimonials activities.

Staffing

Theanalytical unit can be controlled by the section manager orsupervisor who oversees the duties of the analyst. Additionally, theanalytical unit staff should be credible to undertake research and becompetent in working with computers and exhibit autonomy in theirduties. It is expected that the unit will have fresh analysts whohave entered into the field as they will give new vigor and be ableto offer a highly standardized performance. Notably, analysts withexperience in the related field should be given priority while hiringas they will be expected to undertake their duties with little or nosupervision and show discipline in their work sections.

Occupationspecialization can be considered to enable the analysts to payattention to their line of duties these can be undertaken basing onthe education and experience of the staff. The analytical unit shouldpromote staff members in data entry procedures to enhance smoothworking experiences. This is significant as a lot of time is wastedin the data entry processes therefore, quality analyzed informationcan be delivered throughout the entire police departments andinitiation of investigations is achieved (Tylor et al, 2013).

Whileemploying, the individuals applying should be given differentinformation to analyze based on the position they are applying. Thiswould assist the departments to have understanding on the person theyare recruiting and if he or she is in a better position to undertakethe technical duties in the analytical field. On the other hand, theapplicants can be given interview tests to determine their abilitiesin the field. Additionally, the department is required to have thespecialized personnel to carry out the hiring processes.

Theinterns and institution graduates can be the best individuals for newstaff. They should be able to adopt the working conditions of theunit and possess the required experience in the field. They couldalso come up with in-depth investigations and mentoring schemes thatcan be important in practical activities. Additionally, the analystsshould be mandated to develop their careers and strive to enhancetheir professions as it is crucial in motivating as well asbenefiting the entire analytical unit.

Thenewly hired staff irrespective of their positions, their startingsalary should be the same. This will ensure parity across thedepartments as harmonization of wages is enhanced. As long as theanalysts undertake same duties, they all deserve to be paid equally.Notably, in many instances, the payment procedures should be set byfinancial officers who may wish to motivate or offer some extrabenefits to outstanding individuals in the department as well assponsoring advanced training.

Finally,promotion and motivation of analysts should be put intoconsideration for instance, analysts who might have certified may befunded from different stakeholders to enable their success.Similarly, the unit should create regular processes that would allowprogressive performance in various stages. This will determine thekind of personnel in the department as the successful functioning ofthe police department is greatly dependent on the achievements of theanalytical unit hence it is desirable to focus on recruitingindividuals with prior understanding to law enforcement systems asthis will minimize training costs.

Procedures

Theanalytical unit should create regular processes that would allowdistribution and collection of information in various stages acrossthe unit. This would be possible if documented procedures are put inplace. The gathering of info should follow the stipulated protocolssuch as the government laws and guidelines. This ensures that anyinformation received or distributed from the databases is valid andauthorized.

Onthe other hand, documented procedures in the unit should also giveparticular are information needed by the investigators and theprocesses involved. These will also determine the feedback given asthe mode of information transfer must be clear and precise to reduceambiguity and misunderstanding. All the parties involved should haveaccess to these documentations so that they can be aware of theentire police routines and procedures (McCue et al, 2014).

Decisionon what kind of experience is needed and the style of policing shouldbe made. A consideration on how the capacities that matches amongapplicants is fundamental since the new recruits need to have notonly analytical experience but also management skills and knowledgeto develop in-depth investigations across the departments.Additionally, the analysts should know to whom they will report theanalyzed information.

Theneed for operating plans that precisely show how the analytical unitwill function day by day is crucial these will outline supervisionprotocols that aim at preventing crimes and provide responses tocalls of service. This can be achieved through the creation of plansthat develops work schedules and shift duties. Finally, the operatingplans will enhance concerns on the special enforcement that should befulfilled.

Training

Theanalysts should get tasked in thorough training in various areas suchas intelligent expertise, criminology and strategic measures. Theyshould take duties in accordance to the available information and incorrelation to the mission of the department. Provisions of trainingprocedures for the analysts that can help them acquire computationalknowledge are necessary. They should be trained on the ways ofcollecting data and how to undertake intelligence procedures.

Theanalysts should be trained on latest analytical technologies due toimprovements in equipment and analytical programs. As technology ischanging rapidly, computer training can be incorporated to assist inthese trainings. Each staff member in the analytical unit shouldreceive training in all the analytical fields such as procedure ofacquiring information, preparing of court procedures as well asundertaking interviews (Wortley et al, 2013).

Theanalysts should be equipped with the knowledge of requesting,understanding and evaluating analyzed data. With this, the entirepolice department will be conversant with the analysis unit and itsrole to keep away from any differences of interest. Similarly,training credentials should be reviewed based on the set standardsfor instance, if an individual is recruited, there should be amandatory training that will last for specific period of time beforethey could start undertaking duties.

ExpectedProducts

Themajor products from analysis are bar graphs, tables as well aswritten outlines, conclusions and approvals. All the analytical unitstaff should recognize these products so that it can be easy for themto comprehend. The supervisors and topmost managers should beinformed on the procedures that lead to the final products since theproducts are mostly technical and strategic in nature.

Allthe products are significant supporting the police departments tomake crucial decisions and judgments when handling criminalactivities and general processes of combating crimes. It is expectedthat the analytical unit should be able to illustrate and quantifythe expected products that would gain validation from the topmanagement of the department and all the staff members. Since theanalysis processes are technical, the outcome should be alwaysmeasurable.

Itis important for the analysts to provide a timely report andrecommendations to their managers. They should also come up withexpected outcomes within the scheduled time frame. The departmentwill need to offer critical forms such as reports on incidences suchas arrests and these forms should also be designed in a way that theyrelate with proposed record management systems that handle certainactivities.

Creationof department website will also keep the public informed these willallow communication and support transition phase of the analyticalunit. Similarly, dissemination of information within the analyticalunit should prevent potential delays as the development ofalternative call responses and reporting strategies should be put inplace as well as staffing of a receptionist in the analytical unit tohelp in queries and service requests.

References

Taylor,I., Walton, P., &amp Young, J. (Eds.). (2013). CriticalCriminology (Routledge Revivals).Routledge.

Maguire,M., Morgan, R., &amp Reiner, R. (2012). TheOxford handbook of criminology.Oxford University Press.

McCue,C. (2014). Datamining and predictive analysis: Intelligence gathering and crimeanalysis.Butterworth-Heinemann.

Santos,R. B. (2012). Crimeanalysis with crime mapping.Sage.

Wortley,R., &amp Mazerolle, L. (Eds.). (2013). Environmentalcriminology and crime analysis.Willan.

NameSurname:

Due

BritishLit response to prompts Description

Response1

TheAnglo Saxon period and the Renaissance have some similarities as wellas some differences and are reflected in the Beowulf and ParadiseLost poems. The Beowulf used exaggeration as a literary device andpass on his message and the main theme presented was death andrevenge. For instance, he ‘pursues war to the end,’ which is anindication that he fought to the last minute. According to him,every person who does the wrong thing deserved to die. Paradise Loston the other hand uses hyperbole as a literal device to pass on histhemes which are marriage and the idolatry. He manages to convincethe audience on the relation between the two and how it affects themin a negative way. To reflect the high level of idolatry, he statesthat slackening forces urge humans on the ‘paradise within thee,happier far.’

Response2

Evidencefrom Elegy by Gray that supports his classification as a pre-Romanticwriter is evident in the way he writes ‘The struggling pangs ofconscious truth to hide, to quench the blushes of ingenuous shame’.It is clear that he uses the emotional feelings to capture what hehad in mind as well as think through as opposed to thinking in acritical manner (Thomas28).He uses his emotional side to describe the surrounding and otherphysical factors that surround him.

Response3

Theauthor accomplishes the feat to bring out the spectrum of humanpersonalities which are diversified through his description of howpeople behave. He argues that every person has their good and badside and comes out through the qualities they reveal which make thecharacter of an individual wide. The attitude towards humankindemerges from the narrative poem as one who has no distinct characterthat can define them. They are unique beings who must live with eachother in harmony despite the differences they have.

Response4

Themodern day as it is has social classes and groups that displaysimilar characteristics and deserve the Pope’s mockery due to thehigh level of pride that is evident from the way people behave andassociate with each other (Carol &amp Susan 126). People chase theirpersonal dreams at the expense of the other meaning that the spiritof togetherness and the ability to mind about others is no longer afactor that people put in consideration. The haves do not want toassociate with the have not’s.

Peopleno longer have regards to the lowly in the society and pride is thecenter of the human associations. They no longer care what othersthink of them as long as they have the level of comfort they so deemimportant to them. Condemnation of the wrong deeds against each otherno longer happens as they have to ensure they pursue personalhappiness at the expense of anyone who stands in the way.

Selfishnessand personal gratification is the attitude that people of todaydisplay as they engage with others. They also portray the attitude ofself-importance ignoring the fact that each person has an importantrole to play. Self-indulgence comes in the form of making sure theysatisfy their needs and wants without helping each other.

Itis common to find that the gap between the poor and the richcontinues to increase due to the spirit of self-indulgence. AlexanderPope satirizes the aspect of idleness and describes how people in thesociety use this ideology to justify their reason for not workinghard. It becomes an excuse of why they do not do things the way theyshould (Carol &amp Susan 137). Most if not all, are affluent peoplein the society who choose to relax and have the younger generationtake care of them.

Itjustifies the reason why people view others negatively and exaggeratetheir actions as either right or wrong depending on the judgmentsthey put across. It is hence a personal choice to act and beresponsible in all the actions, decisions and plans that oneundertakes so that they can be responsible people in the society.

WorksCited

CarolFrancis and Susan Thies. BritishLiterature Traditions and Change Perfection Learning (2010): 126-278

Thomas,Gray. ElegyWritten in a Country Church-yard.Hardpress Limited, (2013): 23-78.

Purchasinga Computer Research Project

Purchasinga Computer Research Project

Thepurpose of the computer

Thework in question is a law firm with ten attorneys. The description ofcomputer is what each attorney will need including employees workingin the accounting section. The computer is required for various needsin order to make the daily workload easier and convenient. Thefollowing are the major reasons the firms needs a computer:

Research-Eachattorney will have to carry out some research on a daily basis onvarious topics. They need to know about law reviews, amendments, andnew laws. Research will be possible through a fast internetconnection and a local intranet that will make it possible for worksharing through the same server.

Printing-Cases will be subscribed and typed by the company secretary and sentin digital form. An attorney will connect the computer to a printerso that they can print and photocopy documents to specific cases theyare working on.

Keeprecords- Records are essential for referencing and a computer with abackup system will be provide data storage space. Attorneys may wantto make references to past cases and they will have to keep recordson past cases and configure them in accordance with the associatedstatutes and case outcomes.

Communication-Thereis a lot of communication that takes place on a daily basis. Usingcomputer-based communication will help reduce operational costs inthe firm. Reports, proposals, and any other official communicationwill be done through email. In some cases, meetings will be heldusing teleconferencing tools with are more efficient using acomputer.

Thesoftware needed

Theprimary software is Microsoft office 8.0. Word will be used heavilywith a moderate use of excel and an occasional use of PowerPoint. Alldocuments received from various parties from within and without thefirm will be modified in Word 8.0 or translated into Word 8.0 usingMacLink. It is also important to have a compatible file format andfunction in order to make easy to read or modify documents in Word8.0 or translate them into Word 8.0 using MacLink.

Netscapecommunicator with an acrobat reader- All attorneys and paralegals inthe law firm will need a Netscape communicator and an acrobat readerto carry out research on the web and also send emails.

QuickBooksPro- QuickBooks Pro is the accounting software the firm intends touse in order to keep track of income streams and expenses. The firmis still quite small and the software will be useful to maintaingeneral ledger and in keeping track of trust accounts for attorneys.It is simple to track monthly incomes and expenses using QuickBookPro.

TheHardware needed

Computers-Thefirm needs lightweight laptops with close or similar specificationsfor larger monitors for desktops. The firm may use Lenovo YogaSeries, Microsoft Surface Pro 4 or Macs.

Printer-Eachattorney will have a robotic pocket printer connected to thecomputer.

Scanner-Thefirm will need a diverse scanner such as the Fujitsu ScanSnap Ix500because it has a full version of Adobe Acrobat X.

Thecost of computer as budgeted

Ifit becomes necessary to use Macs the costs will have to go up, but itis strictly between $850 to $1599 for Microsoft Surface Pro or theLenovo Yoga Series.

Comparisonof Computers advertised

Configuration	www.Lenovo.com	www.Microsoftstore.com	www.apple.com/mac
Screen size	15”	15”	15”
RAM (MB)	512	512	512
Hard Drive	40	40	32 GB or an extension of 500GB New Sata 2.5&quot
Processor speed (GHz)	3.0	3.0	2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, with 8MB shared L3 cache
CD-ROM Speed	52x	52x	4x
Software	Microsoft office 2013	Microsoft office 2013	Microsoft Office Home
Peripheral devices	Printer and Scanner		Printer and Scanner
Price	1500	1450	4500

Nowthat the Lenovo Yoga series and the Microsoft Surface Pro are PCs,they have some similarities and differences with the Mac thatinfluence the choice of the computer to use in the firm. A law firmis very busy place and the availability and access to hardware andsoftware is vital. Lenovo and Microsoft surface is widely producedand it will be easier to make repairs and installations. Macs arespecifically produced by Apple Company and the firm will have theburden of a constant lick to Apple technicians or those trained towork on Macs. Work in a law firm is text-centered and attorneys maynot need a graphic-based interface for their day-to-day work. TheLenovo series and Microsoft Surface Pro 4 weigh in better than theMac because they are easy to use and maintain. The Mac is quiteexpensive yet it may typically perform the same formal functions thatattorneys need. The challenge is that many programs used in PCs arenot compatible with the Mac and therefore the choice of the computerto use will be to use a single model to make everyday operations mucheasier. Among the three advertisements, the Lenovo Yoga Series ismost suitable because it is affordable with high securitycapabilities that fit an attorney’s office.

References

LenovoYoga | Next-Gen 2-in-1s, Tablets, Laptops, &amp Desktops | LenovoUS. (2016). Shop.lenovo.com. Retrieved 22 December 2016, fromhttp://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/yoga

Question3

Howare the Dutch society and religion different from the Italians?

TheDutch society is different from that of the Italians, and thesedifferences are seen in their various forms like in their way of lifeand religion. Their differences in lifestyle range from their food,rules, and nightlife. The Italians are obsessed with food they arethe home to some of the foods we have come to appreciate like pizzaand pasta. The Italians put their heart and soul into the foods theymake as compared to the Dutch. The people in Netherlands eateverything. Taste is not exactly a part of their daily routine. Thereare no special cuisine or mind blowing recipes to expect from theDutch.

Italyis more of a free country with no rules. For example, traffic lightsare bot considered as rules to be followed but rather referred to asChristmas decorations. In Netherlands however, there are so manyrules to follow that over time have made the Dutch strict in how theydo things. The Dutch are very strict on time as they are accustomedto a society that follows the rules to the letter

Italyis characterized by a predominance of Christianity, especially theCatholic Church. However, there are so many other different religionsthat have scattered all across the country. In the Netherlands, thelarger population is from the protestant community that is theCalvinist and the Lutheran. The rest of the population follows theRoman Catholic Church

Howdoes the Dutch art and patronage differ with that of the Italians?

Artin Italy was established by three men, Michelangelo, Raphael andLeonardo da Vinci after the fall of the Roman Empire. These artistsinfluenced the Renaissance that gave birth to Bermini and Borromini.They developed the fundamentals of paintings, architecture, andpoetry. Italy has had different eras of art like the Etruscan art,Roman art and the medieval art. Some of the paintings we see in theworld today like the Monalisa began in Italy. It homes to some of thelargest art museums in the world. Italy has been at the forefront inpromoting art, and there has never been a dull moment.

InNetherlands however, art was mainly visual. The Dutch Golden AgePainting was characterized by a very particular type of art that wasborrowed from Flemish Baroque. It was only in the 17^thcentury that art was dominant among the Dutch as production ceased. Through Vincent Van Gogh and Piet Mondrian in the 19^thcentury, art in Netherlands was once again restored though it took awhile for it to be appreciated. The Dutch mainly focuses on cubism intheir art while the Italians focus on expressionism

Womenare highly esteemed and sought after as they are considered to bemore creative in their art. They are seen as symbols of art from thegods and are therefore considered as art themselves. This is why inthe Dutch community, it was every artist dream to have a painting ofa woman. Most of these paintings were of nude or semi-nude women.

1. I would, first of all, buy the Monalisa. Not only is it one of the most sought after painting in the world, but its expressionism and artistic strokes would also attract any Dutch art lover. This is the basic of the baroque art (Stechow, 1968, 35).

2. Michelangelo’s Pieta. This art is known as the purest form of art. The symbol of Virgin Mary in Vatican. This piece is a selling piece for the Dutch as it shows the faith of the Italians (Stechow, 1968, 79)

3. Galleria dell ‘Academia, Florence by Michelangelo. This is the free-standing nude statue made of marbles. It is a breathtaking piece of art (Stechow, 1968, 145)

4. The Sistine Chapel. It is entire work of art in a chapel` it would push the Dutch to be more creative in their artistic sculptures (Stechow, 1968, 123).

References

Stechow,W. (1968). Dutch landscape painting of the seventeenth century (No.1). Phaidon Press Ltd.