Strategy And Controls In Information Security

Strategy and Controls For Dealing With Malicious Attacks and Vulnerability Every organization must focus and invest on countermeasures to deal with computer attacks and vulnerabilities. According to Beard and Wen (2009) an organization ought to balance its resources against the value of its information assets and any possible threats against them. These would work in detecting vulnerabilities, preventing attacks, and countering effects of any attacks that succeeds.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategy And Controls In Information Security specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Identifying the vulnerabilities and finding a way of minimizing them would work well to avoid possible attacks, and this is the best strategy. An attack is an act committed by an intruder with a wrong motive of interfering with system security. An attack on the information assets exploits the system’s vulnerability, and could damage the asset. An attack could comprise any of the following categories or a combination of any of them: Fabrications, which means adoption of some deceptions to play a trick on the unaware users of a system; Interruptions, which creates a break in the transmission channel and therefore acting as a block; Interceptions, which eavesdrops on transmissions redirecting to unauthorized user; and Modifications, which interferes or altercates with the data being transmitted. Vulnerability on the other hand is a weakness in a system that makes it possible for a harm to be caused by an attack. Threats cannot be eliminated, but it is possible to protect a system against vulnerabilities. This would minimize the chances of a threat exploiting the vulnerability. Therefore, eliminating as much vulnerability as possible is the key to protection against the risk of attack (Ludwig, 1996). Strategies of Dealing with Risks of Attacks and Threats The security plan in an organization’s information sys tem should include both proactive and reactive strategic measures. The proactive strategy involves predefined steps for preventing attacks before they occur, and involves determining the damage of a possible attack, determining the vulnerabilities the attack would exploit, and finally minimizing the weaknesses or the determined weak points for that specific threat. This has been discussed considering several threats as mentioned: Virus, Logic Bombs, Worm A virus attaches itself to software and spreads within the system and through e-mails to other systems. A worm on the other hand spreads through exploiting vulnerability in an application or operating system in a network. A logic bomb is a virus or worm that activates under set conditions, and mainly affects the application layer.Advertising Looking for essay on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A virus can cause multiple damages to a system, and can lead to a huge loss of a ll necessary information. The drive or software can also crash due to virus attack. All the documents stored in the hard drive can be lost. Virus would also interrupt the surfing process of the net, exposing personal information to public. This may also affect other systems in the network. Some types of virus are able to generate Internet Protocol (IP) address randomly and send automatically. If the generated address is copy of SQL server, the virus can be fired off by the system haphazardly to other IP addresses, affecting a whole system very fast. In addition, a virus attack can also cause buffer overflow where the virus may take advantage of overflow susceptibility. The affected system will not be able to handle excessive information, therefore may shut down. Zero-day attacks are tricky since they are perpetuated before the software developer would even think of implementing a counter to a threat. Vulnerability management would assist to minimize the risks of virus attacks. This is a security and quality assurance process by software developers that comprises an analysis phase of a possible attack, the test phase, reporting to developers, and mitigation or protective measures necessary. Control Measures Zero-day protection- These are protection mechanisms found in contemporary operating systems to minimize zero day attacks. Desktop and server protection software are also recommended to counter buffer overflow vulnerabilities. White listing, which only allows known good applications access the system can effectively control against zero-day attacks. Multiple layers protection would be appropriate in case where one-layer exploit is discovered. For instance, implementing server access control, local server firewalling, and network hardware firewall. These are three layers which would complement each other in case one is compromised. Antivirus and spyware can also be used to detect any virus, worm or logic bomb attacks through scanning process, and removal by destroying the parasite files and directories. Back door Attacks This is access to a computer that bypasses any set security mechanisms. This can be done for troubleshooting by a programmer, but attackers may use it as an exploit. This would pose a security risk, since crackers would always look for a vulnerable spot to exploit. A backdoor allows an intruder to interfere with files and even delete them or change system settings. It can also degrade internet facilities affecting speed and performance.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategy And Controls In Information Security specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Control of Backdoors A backdoor can be found and removed by use of antivirus products. Advanced spyware removers can detect and remove backdoors by scanning. These have extensive signature databases for system parasites. Instructions on manual malware removal are also available in internet resources in cas e of an antivirus or spyware remover fails. The user can then be able to delete all files and other objects that are parasitic. Vulnerabilities A weakness in the design or operation of a system that can be exploited to compromise its security can be referred to as vulnerability. Some of the vulnerabilities encountered are highlighted below with strategies and control of dealing with them. Security Administration Systems lack security policy leading to an ungoverned information network, and therefore vulnerable to attacks. The main cause of this situation is the attitude of most PCs administrators with distaste for security administration (Vilcinskas and Niman, 2000) This can be controlled by ensuring that procedures contributing to security are predicated to elements of the policy to be firm and quite effective. This would comprise security plans and enforcement including auditing controls. In addition, security training to the staff is very crucial and should not be omitted in an o rganization. A consistent process of formal configuration management and officially documented procedures should be fully implemented. A security policy regulating the time for users logging time to the system could also be set. Architechture Single points-of-failure exist where many PCs have centralized data storage and control. Physical damage to assets may result due to permissible operation of control equipment. In addition, the leveraging of PCs and networks for emergency signals renders the system vulnerable. Other systems like security and fire are also being integrated in PCs. This increases the possibilities of disruption and intrusion (DePoy, 2003. P. 6)Advertising Looking for essay on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This would require an effective control hierarchy to preclude any possible physical damage. Networks Vulnerabilities in networks include limitations caused by use of simple passwords and ill-protected links for old systems which are so vulnerable to attack. However, contemporary technologies in modern systems have also led to more risk due to massive accumulation of attacks the world over. In addition, there is uninformed trust in PCs links to faithfully transmit data with shared links that are not adequately shielded from other entities using it. Also interfaces to external systems assume the same trust on outside network. Control of these vulnerabilities due to network include protecting PCs connections over vulnerable links with encryption, substantial authentication for remote access and data protection between clients and access points. The system administrator would also demand periodic change of passwords, use of screen savers that can time out and activate the workstation lo ck, and setting a NetBios password if supported by hardware manufacturer (Warigon, 1997). Conclusion Strategies of a security plan in an organization involve predefined steps for preventing attacks. Virus, logic bombs and backdoor attacks have been analyzed in this discussion and the possible administrative and other control measures. Some vulnerabilities have also been highlighted with strategies of dealing with them and control measures. These include security administration, architecture, and network-related vulnerabilities. References Beard, D. Wen, H. (2009). Reducing The Threat Levels for Accounting Information  Systems. NewYork: New York State Society. DePoy, J. (2003). Common Vulnerabilities In Critical Infrastructure Control Systems.  Sandia, U. S. : Sandia Corporation. Ludwig, M. (1996). The Little Blackbook of Computer Viruses. Tucson, Arizona: American Eagle Publications, Inc. Vilcinskas, M. Niman, P. (2000). Security Strategies. New York: Inobits Consulting Pty Lt d. Warigon, S. (1997). Data Warehouse Control and Security. London: The ledger. This essay on Strategy And Controls In Information Security was written and submitted by user Mohammed Stark to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

ACT Prep

Is There Asian-American Discrimination in College Admissions and SAT / ACT Prep SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Recently, there has been substantial coverage about whether colleges discriminate against Asian-Americans in admissions and even test prep. What does that mean for these students? How should such students navigate SAT / ACT prep and college admissions? This article surveys the current state of admissions and gives some tips. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of PrepScholar or any affiliate. While even broaching this topic can be seen as controversial, I also believe, as an educator, that I’m responsible for giving advice that helps the greatest number of students understand the landscape. This article specifically addresses Asian-Americans applying from the US and not applicants directly applying from Asia. Introduction The intersection of race and college admissions has always been a sensitive issue, but recently it has boiled over to the front pages of newspapers. Sociology professor Thomas Espenshade writes that â€Å"To receive equal consideration by elite colleges, Asian-Americans must outperform Whites by 140 points [on the 1600-scale SAT].† Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show that, while Asians of college age doubled in the last 25 years, their enrollment rates at Ivy-League schools have stayed the same. S.B. Woo, founder of the National Asian-American Educational Foundation,concludes that the â€Å"discrimination is obvious†. Others defend using race as a factor in admissions. Director of Education Equity Khin Aung argues that considering race allows benefits of diversity such as â€Å"creating the most effective learning environment.† Jeff Neal, a spokesperson at Harvard, states that Harvard â€Å"continues to support the use of holistic admissions process," which implicitly includes race. To catch up with the current state of conversation on the topic, all you have to do is Google â€Å"Asian college admissions†. Are Asian-Americans Discriminated Against in College Admissions? The value of affirmative action is controversial, but the existence of affirmative action is undisputed. The vast majority of experts in college admissions and SAT / ACT prep agree that affirmative action exists - college admissions is not totally blind to race. Given an ACT / SAT score range, it is an empirical fact that Asian-Americans have a lower acceptance rate than the average white American in many data setssuch as the Espenshade and Radford 1997 elite college admissions data. Likewise, a survey of the admitted class of 2017 at Harvard revealed that SAT scores for Asians (including Indians) were higher than those of whites. However, as anyone who has studied statistics can tell you (and I do have a Master’s degree in the field), those facts above are correlations and not causations. They suggest, but do not prove, that an Asian-American with otherwise the same application to the same school as a white American will have a lower chance of admission. I call this the Hypothesis that being Asian Lowers Admissions Chances (HALAC). HALAC, of course, implies that being Asian means that getting into a given college will be harderfor you than for a white American. What This Article Does and Does Not Do This article will give you advice as to what an Asian-American may want to consider doing to maximize chances of college admissions. On both the front of the university and the government, policy moves too slowly for it to help most Asian-Americans with this issue. Therefore, this article doesn't take any stance on the correct institutional policies or political views as a response to HALAC. Additionally, given that causality is difficult to prove, this article doesn't take a stance on whether causally the HALAC effect exists. Instead, this article focuses on things you, as an Asian-American, can do right now to maximize your chances of being accepted into top colleges. If you read through the evidence and believe that the HALAC effect exists, then the suggestions below can be useful to you. If you Google the evidence and don't think it supports HALAC, that's fine too - the advice below will be less applicable to you in that case. What Doesn't Work Before I give you the tips for what works for Asian applicants under the HALAC effect, I will first go over what absolutely doesn’t work. First, lying doesn’t work nearly as well as you might think.What if you just don’t check the Asian box? What if you check â€Å"don’t want to disclose†? The problem is that colleges can often tell your race through other means. You do have to give colleges your legal name - if your last name is Nguyen, Lee, Kim, or Patel, for example, the admissions staff will almost certainly figure it out. What about just changing your name or making up your name? This will really get you into hot water as colleges are pretty good about calling your past teachers and running background checks on you. A good rule of thumb is this: if a casual friend who knows you would unambiguously say you’re of Asian ethnicity, it’s hard to get around it. Just put down that you’re Asian and be done with it. By telling the truth on your name and ethnicity box, you at least signal honesty. On the other hand, if you have a legitimate reason for not identifying as Asian, then you can, in fact, consider this path. Suppose you’re genetically 25% Asian and 75% Hispanic, and your parents were both born in the United States. Some college applications ask you to identify with one or as many ethnicities as you want. Under the HALAC effect you probably do want to omit Asian, if allowed. Also, mass action will rarely work to your advantage for admissions. By mass action, I mean protesting the HALAC effect, suing colleges, complaining to the government, and so forth. Colleges may be reluctant to admit a student likely to cause the administration a headache.Remember, university administration is a highly political entity. The government political process also works way too slowly. It will cost millions to fight it out in court and years to reach a judgment. If your goal is to raise your chances of admissions under the HALAC effect, I would think twice about filing an official grievance. Of course, there are other fine reasons that you may want to take mass action in the future, perhaps due to your political or ethical beliefs. However, I’m just telling you that, almost always, taking official or mass action won’t increase your personal short-term chances of getting into a certain school. Who Does This Article Apply To? This article applies much more to Americans of Asian heritage, i.e. students who have studied in the US at least a few years before they apply to college. It applies much less to students who are applying directly from another country. These latter students are better classified as international students. For them, there is a whole set of other factors that are more important - for example appetite of a college for internationalstudents, authenticity of documents, etc. Throughout this article, the term â€Å"Asian† includes Indian and other ethnically related neighbors - since the data across these groups are all similar. How You Can Combat the HALAC Effect Now that you understand what the HALAC effect is, how can you use that information to increase your chances of getting into top schools? Below are three strategies for combating the HALAC effect; read through them to learn how to maximize your chances of admission. Step 1: Account for the HALAC Effect Before you can combat the HALAC effect, first you have to find where it exists. The HALAC effect is not something that can be magically erased by easy action on your part. Therefore, in response to the HALAC effect, the first and most important thing that a student of Asian heritage should do is to account for it correctly. By this, I mean realizing that your chances of getting in are lower and planning accordingly which colleges you’ll apply to and how you’ll apply to them. Accounting for the HALAC effectmeans that you should adjust where your reach, target, and safety schools are. Instead of putting them as high as you might otherwise, target them a little lower. If you target too high, you run the risk of overshooting - not getting into the target schools of your choice and instead getting into a safety school that you didn’t spend much time researching. You should also account for the HALAC effect more at classically â€Å"elite† colleges. Colleges that are US News ranked 1-10 probably suffer most from HALAC, with the effect decreasing through colleges 10-50 in rank. The effect becomes much lower in colleges ranked above 50. In fact, most HALAC studies focus on the top colleges for exactly this reason: the effects are more concentrated and more statistically significant there. There are many potential reasons for the concentration of the HALAC effect on highly ranked colleges. Proportionally, more Asians apply to these colleges, leading to the HALAC effect when colleges diversify away from Asians. Also, these schools tend to care the most about diversity factors because they are already oversubscribed by great academic performers. These diversity factors tend to be big drivers of the HALAC effect. Conversely, a more moderately rated college will show a lesser HALAC effect because, to them, someone academically strong is itself a great asset. How do you account for the HALAC effect? One method is to apply to more colleges when doing applications. Apply to three times the number of reach schools you would otherwise and twice the number of target schools. Applying to more schools ensures that you compensate for lower chances due to HALAC. The more accurate method to account for HALAC is to just do an SAT / ACT score adjustment. That is, lower your SAT by 100 points (on the 1600 scale) or yourACT score by 2 points, and then go through the colleges you’re applying to â€Å"as if† you got your adjusted score. For example, if you really got a 1500 on your SAT, think of your chances of getting into college as if you got a 1400 instead. When you look up your chances using our â€Å"what are my chances table†, use 1400 instead of 1500. By doing this adjustment, you’ll correctly identifythe right reach, target, and safety schools. Why 100 points on the SAT and 2 points on the ACT? These are rough numbers that are closest to a large set of consensus estimates for the HALAC effect. They’re a little lower than the Espenshade study but higher than some other casual surveys. I should disclaim that these numbers are rules of thumb and not hard scientific numbers. Also, for rank 1-10 schools, you should adjust for the full 100 points, but if you’re applying to schools ranked 10-50, a rule of thumb is you can account for just a 50-point adjustment. The adjustment beyond rank 50 will be smaller still. Step 2: Combat the HALAC Effect Through Test Scores Given that Asians need a 100-point increase on the 1600-SAT to reach the same admissions chances, another way to combat the effect is just by having a higher SAT / ACT score.This does require more time and dedication, but it’s definitely possible. It’s not easy to improve by 100 points on the SAT or 2 points on the ACT. However, such improvements are definitely doable. In fact, we at PrepScholar have a 160-point guarantee for the SATand a 4-point guarantee for the ACT.You’ll need to work harder, but you can overcome the HALAC effect this way. Some stereotype Asians as studying more than usual forthe SAT / ACT. However, with their need to score higher just to have the same chances under HALAC, this behavioris much less of a surprise. Step 3: Combat the HALAC Effect Through Diversity in Other Areas To combat HALAC closer to its roots, it’s useful to examine how the HALAC effect arises. Supporters of affirmative action, including the universities themselves, always emphasize diversity as the primary goal. While one can argue about whether that is the sole goal of affirmative action, it is clear that diversity provides a strong channel to drive the HALAC effect. Looking at the diversity driver of the HALAC effect will be another key for Asians to overcome it. Under this diversity driver model, the reason HALAC occurs is because, in the eyes of admissions officers, too many Asian applicants all look the same on paper. They are too similar along too many dimensions. These applicants all do well in school, have high ACT / SAT scores, play violin or piano, and play a racketsport like tennis. Oh and, of course, they are all Asian. The problem from the point of diversity isn’t that an applicant is merely Asian, but rather that an entire host of applicants all look the same along other dimensions. A colorful but useful analogy for the diversity needs of colleges is putting horses into barn stalls. The horses represent applicants, and the barn stalls are the â€Å"spaces† and archetypes that the school has for these applicants. One stall might be labeledâ€Å"Asian, high grades, piano player† - and this stall is overfilled. But if you were white, the â€Å"white, high grades, piano player† stall is only half full! You can’t change your ethnicity, but you can definitely change your other labels, your other dimensions. It turns out that â€Å"Asian, high grades, lacrosse star† is wide open too! Why not fill that stall instead? Put in more theoretical terms, to the extent the HALAC effect is about diversity, you can generate diversity along other dimensions. Instead of being an Asian who’s a top ranked violin player (stereotypical Asian), why not try being a top guitar player? You can go further than that. While a guitar is not stereotypically Asian, it is still a very common instrument. Perhaps you are better off trying to be a top French horn player? Instead of playing badminton, why not try soccer or squash? Generally, think about what the stereotypical Asian applicant looks like. If you can be equally good along a dimension but break the stereotype, it is definitely to your advantage. Being in your state’s top 20 tennis players is probably less advantageous than being one of your state’s top 20 lacrosse players. Being a top 50 debater in your state is probably better than being a top 50 math competitor. It is important that you break the Asian stereotype in ways that are low cost to you. If you can jump from being a top 20 tennis player to a top 20 lacrosse player for free, you definitely should. But life is rarely that simple - and that’s just one of many reasons I don’t like the plain advice â€Å"appear less Asian†. What if you’re a nationally ranked tennis player and don’t know a thing about lacrosse? What if math is your passion and debating is more boring to you than breaking rocks? You have to account for the fact that breaking stereotypes can be costly. I would say that, for an Asian applicant, a rank 50 state debater is stronger than a rank 50 math competitor. But a rank 50 debater is definitely weaker than a rank 5 state math competitor and is probably equal to a rank 20 state math competitor. When it comes to top colleges, they care about what you’re best at and your natural spike. I would be extremely cautious about sacrificing your best dimension in the name of diversity. In fact, I would almost never sacrifice your spike for diversity. The take-away message is this: if you can diversify in extracurriculars at low cost, then do it. However, if you have a special talent, and it happens to be in an area that â€Å"looks Asian†, then don’t give it up. The right calibration is probably a loss of 2x in rank. If you can switch from an Asian-heavy activity to an Asian-light one and lose just 1.5x in rank (e.g. rank 20 to rank 30), then make the switch. But if you have to give up 4x in rank (rank 20 to rank 80), don’t make the switch. Summary Hopefully, the above article gives you a good sense of the unique landscape that Asian-American applicants face in United States college admissions. We started out with some background on the debate - although if you want the full story it’s best to Google the controversy yourself. Then we talked about what the data shows and whether you believe in the Hypothesis of Asians having Lower Admissions Chances. In such a case, we examined how big the HALAC effect can be (about 100 points on the SAT scale). The good news is that there are steps Asian-Americans can take to increase their chances. First, look for diversity in dimensions beyond race; look for diversity in extracurriculars. Second, it’s important to ensure that you’re strong on the SAT / ACT front to make up those 100 points. Do both of these things and you'll give yourself a much better shot at getting into your dream schools. What's Next? Want to improve your SAT score so that you have a better chance of getting into topschools? Learn how studying can get you a perfect SAT score! Wondering which extracurriculars you should join to help yourself stand out? We have guides that include hundreds of extracurriculars ideas andexamples of amazing extracurriculars that are sure to impress colleges. Want more information on what it takes to get into top schools? Learn how to get accepted to Harvard and the Ivy League, written by a Harvard alum. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Dr. Fred Zhang About the Author Fred is co-founder of PrepScholar. He scored a perfect score on the SAT and is passionate about sharing information with aspiring students. 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Discuss your Understanding of the pros and cons of MRPII systems, Essay

Discuss your Understanding of the pros and cons of MRPII systems, citing at least two Web sources. How could any new system be better than an MRPII system - Essay Example es and processes information for effective decision making in scheduling, designing, inventory management and cost control in the business (Goddard, 1993). MRP II is a computer-based scheme that generates detailed production schedules using real time data to harmonize the influx of constituent resources. It is commonly used by itself, but also with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The MRP II system does have pros and cons which are elaborated subsequently (Goddard, 1993). The Manufacturing Resource Planning II promotes improved consistency in-on-time customer delivery and enhances inventory reductions of one-fourth to one-third. Also, there is elevated inventory turnover decline in purchasing costs because of fewer expedited shipments. Lastly, it minimizes of workforce overtime (Goddard, 1993). The cons of MRP II are centered on the fact that all of the preceding planning before creation can be based on disingenuous data and decelerate the production process itself. As unanticipated changes occur, the planning process ought to be recalculated from the start, which can cause wastefulness if feedback about drawbacks is not supplied on a well-timed, regular basis (Goddard, 1993). In conclusion, the current MRP II system takes time to put up and implement and so a new system will be better. Some recent MRP II systems have integrated limited decision making support functionality, whereas the business is moving to a newer age band of a stable, comprehensive technology, and risk is relatively low (Murgiano,

Adult learning and development theories applied to military education Assignment

Adult learning and development theories applied to military education - Assignment Example Established educational programs play an important role in influencing learning processes and program components, moderated by learning and developmental theories, empowers learning processes to success. Examples of learning theories are social cognitive orientation theory, transformational learning theory and self-directed learning theory while Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is an example of developmental theories. Class sessions, tutoring, advising, program evaluation, and mandatory assessment are examples of program components and this paper reviews them subject to learning theories and developmental theories. Transformational learning theory and educational learning components Transformational learning theory is core to adult learning program. The theory’s core construct is the learning approach in which adults transform their existing knowledge, opinions, and assumptions and assume a more open minded and comprehensive scope of their experiences. The theor y relies on meditations, based on positive and negative experiences that motivate an individual and those experiences that develop surprises to adult learners, leading to social change that may be evident in reduced poverty level in the society, enhanced knowledge base in the learners, or reduced level of oppression. Transformational learning also relies on learners’ rationale from which new knowledge constructs are developed from experiences (Merriam, Caffarella and Baumgartner, 2012; Westby, 2007). Class session defines the traditional learning process in which a teacher teaches students belonging to a given class. It is a common approach to adult education, especially because of fixed schedules converges learning time, and constrained facilities. The foundation of class session exposure of the learner to new knowledge and this identifies with diversified aspects of the transformational learning theory. Exposure to new knowledge offers a basis for reflection into the learne r’s experience, a process that triggers the transformational learning theory’s aspect of reconstruction of perspectives. Developed knowledge in class sessions also offer a benchmark for determining the motivational aspect of an experience as lower benchmarks would enlist positive attitude while high benchmarks would identify discouragements in a learner’s experience. Interactive class sessions also exhaust learners’ perspectives and rationale to transform approach to knowledge development and to changed held perspectives (King, 2009; Boylan, Bliss and Bonham, 1997). Unlike class sessions, tutoring focuses on small number of students per educators and may sometimes be done on a one-on one basis. Its scope is similar to the scope of class session and therefore identify with transformational learning theory. The tutor, in a facilitator role, exposes learners to constructs that evoke reflection and meditation upon experience to motivate new perspectives. Lear nt knowledge from the program component also establishes standards that motivate learners into reflections and meditations. Consequently, tutoring identifies with the transformational learning theory through its concepts that promote reflection, among learners, of their experience, meditation upon the experiences, and integration of the experiences and learnt concepts for a new perspective. Advisory and counseling initiatives are other major components of educational programs and apply to adult education. The adult learner prefers an active approach to knowl

The Electronic Frontiers Australia Essay Example for Free

The Electronic Frontiers Australia Essay The Electronic Frontiers Australia, Inc. (EFA) has launched a campaign â€Å"Generation Z safely surfing the Internet†, in an attempt to revoke the Australian law of forcefully blocking inappropriate content from teenage children. EFA is a NGO dedicated to the cause of promoting Internet users rights. The Australian government had earlier passed a law in 2007 requiring all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to implement Internet filtering; which the EFA opposes. Though the proposal was held in principle by the Rudd Labor government without any detailed subsequent information, its application was confirmed in January 2008 by Minister Conroy. The campaign by EFA aims to promote safe Internet usage of the Generation Z through media and communication. The education of parents on monitoring their children’s Internet usage is also emphasized. Forcefully blocking content is an infringement of civil liberties of the computer operators, which needs to be resisted. Apart from civil rights, such blockages deprive parents of the opportunity to guide their children towards safe surfing, through habit cultivation. EFA expects communities like Adolescent Family Counseling, Anglicare and Australian Camp Connect Association to extend support for its campaign. The EFA has pointed out to the results of a 2005 survey by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) that showed that most parents are against the filtering system. With only three out of ten parents using the system, most parents maintained that they trusted their children’s ability to judge right from wrong. Some parents felt that the software of the filtering system was ineffective and therefore the objectives of the system cannot be realized. Many parents also felt that the implementation of the filters drastically reduced Internet speed. The EFA questioned the technical feasibility of the system saying that both the filtering systems, content analysis and index filtering are not completely foolproof. There are several ways through which the black listed content can pass through the system. Also the harmful content identified by the Australian Communications Media Authority for black listing does not include content originating outside Australia. Elaborating on the costs to the government on account of the filtering system, EFA spokesman Colin Jacobs said that the $24. 3 million allocated for this in the current budget and the $51. 4 million anticipated for the next year can be put to better use. The government in its 2004 report, revealed that the expense of executing ISP-level Internet filtering systems would be $45 million towards initial installation, extra servers to run the software and ISP personnel to set up the system, and $33 million required subsequently each year. The government had maintained that it is unsafe for children to access the Internet without the controls. However children belonging to the Generation Z have high curiosity and needs, always wanting to seek and explore. This aspect of childhood trait should be not be chopped down by forcefully blocking content. Children need to be encouraged to explore; however they need to be guided by the parents. As part of its strategy, EFA banks on major media releases on the topic to gather support. With a media portfolio of three newspapers, five online media, two journals and airtime on two radios, EFA intends to put the issue in the lime light of public sphere. Social workshops to attract journalists and establishing of strategic partnerships with media groups and publications sharing EFA views, are also in the agenda. Holding community meetings, interviews with the focus group, delivering speeches, distributing pamphlets and publishing monthly newsletters are part of the campaign’s strategy.

Great Expectations: Lessons on Life and Love :: Great Expectations Essays

Great Expectations: Lessons on Life and Love Great Expectations is merely timeless. It is about all the things that life is about: how relatives can be loving, or abusive, how people can choose their own families; how a woman might be driven to destroy her child, or give her child away; how people may be corrupt, may be redeemed; how your upbringing defines your character, and how you may rise above or embrace that definition; and how, finally, love is a choice. Great Expectations, written by Charles Dickens, is a moral book, without any clear moral directives. Its language is beautiful, its plot compelling, its characters complex and complete. People, Dickens tells us, are not always what they seem. Not simply because they've disguised or hidden or renamed themselves, like Magwitch; not only because those who seem most beautiful may be, in fact, most terrible, like Estella. People are not always what they seem because people are never only one thing. The wretched Mrs. Joe becomes nearly lovable after her injury; Mrs. Havisham melts (before she burns); Magwitch in trouble terrorizes Pip, but in prosperity is his benefactor; Wemmick's character is dependent on his location; there is a hint that even Estella, at last, is not as brightly cold as her name and nature suggests; and, of course, Pip is at first good, and then snobbish and profligate, and then, finally, good. Money changes everything except human nature. Human beings chan ge: not for the better, and not for the worse, and not permanently. People change, then change back. Their changes do not necessarily make them happy. That is the human condition. "That was a memorable day for me," says Pip, after first visiting Satis House, "for it made great changes in me. But it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause, you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day." "Great Expectations" is no less instructive for not being morally definite. That first link will change you, as the circumstances of your childhood will. It is your own duty (I believe Dickens says) to change yourself inwardly as you are changed outwardly.

Biometrics Identification Attendance Monitoring System Essay

Technology plays an important role in our society because of modernization. One that makes the daily activities of organizations more convenient is the use of technology. The internet that is really abundant today for handling information, web-based applications are some example of this and Information Technology (IT) is a big help to many companies. To resolve the problems encountered in the daily processes as well as to make their company effective and competitive. â€Å"Business Analytics† is a continuous iterative exploration that refers to the technology, application, processes and a fact based management to driven decision making. Philippine Auto Components, Inc. was established in the Philippines in 1995. The company is a part of DENSO Corporation Japan, which is the leading company in automotive technology components in the world. The products are car air-conditioning and heating systems, electrical automotive and electronic control products, filters, fuel management systems, instrument panel clusters and radiators. PAC is certified as ISO 14001 in August 1998 for it regards the preservation of natural resources and international and environmental standard. The company have the mission to contribute to the better world by creating value together with a vision for future. It’s Vision to become the top design engineering who totally develop Electronic automobile technology. Its philosophy, such as Customer satisfaction to quality products and services, Global Growth through anticipation of change, Environmental Preservation and harmony with society and Corporate vitality and respect for individuality. The organization works the spirit of having teamwork, as One for All, All for One†. The policy in the manufacturing as 3M- Minimum space, stock, investment; 3N- No defect received, produced, delivered; 3S- speed, simple, s. o. p and 3Z- Zero emission, variance, accident. The principles of HR to their employees to motivate them to work with encouragement by fully concentrating with their capabilities, to recruit, assign, retain, and develop competitive workers with creative power and fair HR management policies to gain for DENSO recognition in both community and associates. Since they expanded last year, they will focus on recruitment of new employees and maintaining the performances of their current workers. Because of this they exceed more time and focus for the HR Personnel to generate reports about the employees, the applicants as well as the supervisors. In the recruitment process, there are applicants that will have an exam once they submitted their resume in the company; applicant wait hours while screening of their resume which is checked by HR Personnel. Applicants who passed the exam will be informed through phone for scheduled interview and requirements. Usually applicants wait months with the result. When an employee requests a sick leave, he/she is required to fill up explanatory form. Before request leave acceptance, he is required to submit medical certification for the updating signed by concerned Officers for HR archiving and verification. Ailing personnel is considered unfit to work. Meanwhile, the supervisors have several tasks to accomplish also and the top priority is the work for the flow of the production. They should go to the designation area of the supervisors and employees to update records correcting inconsistencies accomplishing this with given deadline. HR has other reports to be done apart from this. Through cooperation and time management the process with the HR, it should be easier for them to handle. We focused our study on the HR department about their current process in the recruitment, evaluation and filling leave by the employees as well as the reports for the HR. The researchers want to contribute to the improvement of the processes through this study. The Philippine Auto Components, Inc. is one of the companies that want improvement, in their office because they encountered inconveniency. The main objective of the study is to develop efficiently the current process of Human resources of Philippine Auto Component, Inc. Specifically, the study aims to achieve the following: 1. To determine the problem with regards to data rendering of Human Resources. 2. To determine the issues with regards to generating reports of Employees Information. 3. To address accurately the information for the Human Resources related decision. 4. To speed up the process of monitoring the records in recruitment, job evaluation and performance, leave request and employees’ information. 5. To provide a system that can be effective, accurate, reliable, user friendly and secure. 6. To improve the reports and employees information being mishandled that leads to the lost of data and errors in records. Conceptual Framework The researchers used a paradigm structure to support the fundamental principles of the study. A paradigm is a pattern or a model that corresponds to the real world of processes on what the researchers have gathered. It guides the development of the study regarding what the proponents want to improve for the satisfaction among the persons involved in this study. The figure shows the paradigm that is based upon the process in the Human Resource Department or the office. The paradigm has the Input, Process and Output that will guide the researchers for the development of the automation in some HR processes. INPUTPROCESSOUTPUT Figure 1. Conceptual Framework The figure shows the process inside the HR that the information about the employee, applicants and even the supervisors are being recorded. The employees information like their leave request, their performances in their designated jobs including the personal information and which the department they belong to. The applicants’ information with the flow of recruitment and their training are also being input. The supervisors are also being evaluated by the employees. This will be processed and have an output of the reports in evaluations of three, the absence calculations and the lists of the current employees and newly hired as well as the applicants’ information and list. Significance of the Study Prior to the advent of computerization, data is processed manually. However, in the past few decades, the computer and electronic technology has been incorporated into almost every aspect of our lives. They now play a big role in the lives of people and assist them in taking care of files and documents. Today, there is probably no better indication of how technologically advance is the society than a computerization process. Nowadays, computers have become the base technology that enables the people to tap information resources as the fast growing industry of the internet. Great help will be provided for the company Philippine Auto Components, Inc. in terms of trends in Information System, thus, improving the HR functions and benefits as the delivery of services within the organization. The following are the beneficiaries: Company. The Philippine Auto Components, Inc. will benefit because they can save materials like papers and inks as part of their cost in the operation of the company, especially they can now have strategic planning to be more competitive advantages instead on focusing to the manual process that HR has. The company will remove the barrier between the branches or other department. HR Personnel. Can give less effort in the report, target deadlines are being done before the date, eliminates human errors, save time, the leave and absences made by the employees are monitored as well as the communication between the applicants and employee is more convenient. The possible loss of information is less. Supervisors. Accurate and up to date leave reporting and a real-time tracking of leave will generate the system. They are easily informed about the leave request and handling of approval and disapproval will not disturb their other work activities within the company. Employees. Can easily file a leave request without filling up many forms like explanation slip, and they can monitor and aware of their allotted leave such as sick leave and vacation leave. They can work in a fair environment. Their performances are also shown for they will be in the sense of improving their jobs and have a goal to do task well managed and be an asset to the company. Applicants. Hiring within the company is easily being known by the applicants and they will prefer online applications than traditional walk-in job hunting which is time consuming and costly. The announcement online will benefit them, for they can easily apply for what exact job they are looking for. The follow-up Interview schedule through email would be better than waiting for a phone call. Researchers. This will help the future researchers to use this as their reference in their study as well as the programming language being used. This will aid them in enriching their study and will serve as a source of their related literature. Scope and Limitation This study will focus on the HR functions in the company, Philippine Auto Components, Inc. and is intended to eliminate the common problems encountered by the current process of the organization. The information about the current employees, applicants as well as the supervisors will be input to the system. The employees can request a leave which is being approved by the supervisor with the use of the system. Employees can also monitor their allotted leave and performances in their jobs. Applicants can follow-up scheduled interviews through the notification in the HR admin who uses the system. They can also view hiring position within the company. HR can monitor the training of the newly hired employees. The information list of employees in their classification belonged to like contractual, under probationary, regular employees and on the job trainees are also being monitored. The allotted or remaining absence or leave will be monitored by the employee. The performances of employees being evaluated by the supervisor and the applicants’ information are being updated by the HR Personnel. The system offers reports like list of employees, list of applicants, leave monitoring and evaluation reports among the employees. There is a communication between the employee and the HR department and employees can also suggest some ideas to the management. The system does not cover the inventory of all the materials inside the company, cannot compute the sales of the company, do not monitor the prices of the product, cannot monitor trucking and shipping of the products and cannot make purchase order. Definition of Terms Online. A computer-related application that uses an internet connection to be access by the users of the system to communicate easier and faster among the people involved in the institution. It helps the organization to gain more competitive advantages. Company. This is the working environment that has one goal in achieving their vision in terms of business and customer services depending on their products. Organization. It is the groups of people in the company that are involved in the process of Human Resources and needed to have the full attention with regards to the data handling. I. S. Information System. System that help the current process to be more accurate, efficient, secured, user friendly and make their work and day to day operation be more convenient. HRIS. Human Resource Information System. System that develop to collect, process, store and distribute information applying to the policies and process of the Human Resource Management. HRM. Human Resource Management. It encompasses the recruitment, records, leave reports and other information that provides a safe and fair environment in the company. HR Personnel. Person who are responsible in the Human Resource in the current process. HR Department. The persons who are involved in the data reports, recruitment, evaluation and the whole Human Resource process in the company. Supervisors. The head officer of each department in the company that implement the rules and regulations of the company, communicating to the HR for the better flow of the employees’ job, be motivated and guides them for their leave request. Employees. The persons who work within the company’s premises. Applicant. The people who seek job vacancies in the company to have a work and be stable to the day to day life. Leave Request. The employees need to file when in sick, emergency, even maternity and paternity leave covered on period of the date. Computerization. It is the process of applying technology in the paper handling materials for betterment of the organizations’ tasks in the company. Paradigm. A pattern that will help the researchers to overview the covered processes of the HR on what are should be the input data and the accurate output of the system. Quantitative Data. It express the data’s certain amount or range. It makes sense to set boundary limits to such data and it is also meaningful to apply arithmetic operations to data. Quantitative research. This is a technique like surveys whose findings may be expressed numerically and can be computed through mathematical manipulation. That will help the researchers to estimate the future events or quantities. Lickert Scale. It is the way to measure the mean figure responses and evaluate a study through questionnaire using decrement value (Strongly Agree, Agree, Neither, Disagree and Strongly Disagree). Iterative Waterfall. The focus is on delivering a sprint of work as opposed to a series of valuable/shippable features.