The Positive Part Social Networking Web Sites.

THE POSITIVE PART Social networking Web sites are helping businesses advertise, thus social networking Web sites are benefiting businesses – economically. Social networking Web sites are helping education by allowing teachers and coaches to post club meeting times, school projects, and even homework on these sites. Social networking Web sites are enabling advancements in science and medicine. Job hunting Stay in touch with friends Positive causes/awareness THE NEGATIVE PARTThe very nature of such sites encourages users to provide a certain amount of personal information. But when deciding how much information to reveal, people may not exercise the same amount of caution on a Website as they would when meeting someone in person. This happens because: * the Internet provides a sense of anonymity; * the lack of physical interaction provides a false sense of security * they tailor the information for their friends to read, forgetting that others may see it.Sharing too much informa tion on social networking sites can be problematic in two ways: firstly, it can reveal something about you that you’d rather your current or future employer or school administrator not know, and second, it can put your personal safety at risk. Another potential downside of social networking sites is that they allow others to know a person’s contact information, interests, habits, and whereabouts.Consequences of sharing this information can range from the relatively harmless but annoying—such as an increase in spam—to the potentially deadly—such as stalking. Another great issue of concern with social networking web sites is that of child safety. Research has shown that almost three out of every four teenagers who use social networking web sites are at risk due to their lack of using online safety. Joly, Karine, 2007) A lot of the web sites do have an age requirement but it is easily bypassed by the lying about of one’s age. Even if they donâ €™t lie about their age the average age requirement is around fifteen years old. Predators may target children, teens, and other unsuspecting persons online—sometimes posing to be someone else—and then slowlyâ€Å"groom† them, forming relationships with them and then eventually convincing them to meet in person.

The Marriage Between Elizabeth And Mrs. Darcy - 1742 Words

The eventual marriage between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice comes as a result of their profound personal rediscoveries. Initially, a slew of misunderstandings between the two characters, stemming from their first encounter at a ball in Meryton, had plagued the relationship, nearly rendering it irreconcilable. They both left that first ball with wildly different interpretations of each other’s intentions; Darcy’s refusal to dance with Elizabeth instilled her with a budding resentment that would distort her judgement of him until mid-way through the novel, while the former character, assured by his pride, viewed her disposition as flirtatious in nature. These conflicting perspectives put them both at cross-purposes, but do†¦show more content†¦Bingley - a wealthy gentlemen of whom Darcy is an acquaintance -, who had been visiting Pemberley, and harbors romantic intentions for him. Her childish attempts to demean Elizabeth allows him to hint at hi s feelings for Miss Bennet, at one point even complimenting her beauty in front of her. Ultimately, both Darcy and Elizabeth, now changed individuals, both act in a manner different from their previous meeting; the former acts genteel and civil, and the latter receives kindly to his treatment. At the beginning of the novel, though, instability and misunderstanding characterized the relationship between the two. After Jane catches an illness en route to the Bingley Estate in Netherfield, Elizabeth chooses to travel to the house and care for her sister; Darcy, who had been visiting the Bingley’s, is also present there. On one particular night, Miss Bingley, Mr. Bingley’s sister, asks Elizabeth to parade about the room with her, in an attempt to attract Darcy’s attention; subsequently, the two women discuss the possibility of finding an aspect of his character to ridicule. He states that his critical fault is his resentment, and that his â€Å"good opinion once lo st is lost forever.† Elizabeth proceeds to mock him; she views his apparent assertion of self-awareness as examples of his conceited personality, and judges him for over-valuing his first impression. Unbeknownst to her, however, Darcy had reallyShow MoreRelatedThe Marriage Between Elizabeth And Mrs. Darcy1764 Words   |  8 PagesThe eventual marriage between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice comes as a result of their profound personal rediscoveries. Initially, a slew of misunderstandings between the two characters, stemming from their first encounter at a ball in Meryton, had plagued the relationship, nearly rendering it irreconcilable. They both left that first ball with wildly different interpretations of each other’s intentions; Darcy’s refusal to dance with Elizabeth instilled her with a budding resentmentRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1304 Words   |  6 PagesPrejudice, Jane Austen portrays themes of love, class, reputation, and marriage. From the beginning it is seen that the question of marriage is very important to the Bennet family. Upon not marrying, the girls cousin Mr. Collins will inherit Longbourn due to the absence of a male heir. This means that the family will become destitute since they won t have any support or a place to live. The only solution for them would be marriage. During this era, since women had to pay dowry, they had to find menRead MoreThe Relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice938 Words   |  4 PagesThe Relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice In the 19th century, a controversy arose over what the true foundation and purpose for marriage should be. The basis of this conflict was whether one should let reason or emotion be the guide of their love life and if a balance between the two could be maintained. The relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy in Jane Austens book Pride and Prejudice depicts such a balance, thus becoming the model for Austens definition of aRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1693 Words   |  7 Pagesworld around them views propriety and proper etiquette when it comes to marriages. This tale specifically focuses on one of the eldest daughters, Elizabeth Bennet, as she discovers the true meaning of love from an unexpected source. Despite the fact that this story is about love, it displays many characteristics that were typically of the time period the book is set in, especially in regards to marriage. The interaction between the characters of the novel displays and creates a theme of the impor tanceRead MoreComparing The Regency Era And The Current Decade. Class Issues, Racial Barriers, And Heredity1300 Words   |  6 PagesEra, he stated, â€Å"marriage was a woman’s goal and fulfillment, it was a woman’s career- a doctrine accepted by all of Austen’s heroines†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lauber 26). In addition, marriage was crucial for women because there were few occupations open to females during the time period. A woman could rarely become considered an independent because job opportunities that would pay well and be considered a reverential career were not available; therefore, women relied on inheriting money through marriage (Jane Austen InformationRead MoreThe Complications of Courtship in Pride and Prejudice1450 Words   |  6 Pagesnovel focuses around the developing relationship between the two main characters, Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. The protagonist of the novel, Elizabeth, and the antagonist of the novel, Mr Darcy are two very contrasting characters; despite being faced with many problems and challenges, discover that they love each other and that their love is enough to surpass any obstacle seen in the novel. Before the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr Darcy has a chance to develop, their first encounter atRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1370 Words   |  6 PagesOuter class marriage was rare during the nineteenth in order to maintain the family name and image. True love was obstructed at the time and often ignored for the sake of wealth and fortune. Social status is something the Bennett women obsess over in Pride and Prejudice, especially Mrs. Bennett; she wants her daughters to live good lives and marry well. She is not worried about true love or even their happiness; she only worries about their image, money, and the name they will make for themselvesRead MorePride and Prejudice1236 Words   |  5 PagesThe path to marriage initiates in the very first paragraph of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. This courtship novel begins with the premise that â€Å"a single man in possession of a fortune must be in want of a wife† (pg. 5) Throughout the competition for the single men, characters are naturally divided by the norms of their social standing. However, the use of social conventions and civility further divides them. The characters in need of the most moral reform remain unchanged, leaving a path forRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1533 Words   |  7 PagesIn today s society, marriage is a significant bond that must be on the basis of love and understanding. Marriage is a relationship described as more for love and emotion rather than convenience or money. Through the experience of Lydia and Wickham, Charlotte and Collins, and Elizabeth and Darcy, Austen criticizes marriages based on infatuation, convenience and money, and emphasizes that marriage can only be successful if they are founded on mutual love. In the novel Pride and Prejudice, AustenRead MoreConsent For Marriage By Mr. Darcy1058 Words   |  5 Pagesconsent for marriage with a loved one is a logical and emotional decision. In order to sensibly bring two people together, domestic ideology encompasses genuine emotional interest. During the analyzed passage, Mr. Darcy is proposing to Elizabeth for the second time. This signifies personal growth within Mr.Darcy as he lets go of prejudice and doesn’t let his pride get the best of him. Rather than continuously critiquing each other, they allow emotion to influence their thoughts. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth

Indian Film Industry - 2925 Words

INDIAN FILM INDUSTRY ANALYSIS(growth) The Indian Film Industry has been one of the oldest segments of the Indian entertainment industry. The Lumiere Brothers brought motion pictures to India in 1896, and since then there has been no looking back. Today, India has the worlds biggest movie industry that churns out around one thousand movies each year. The Indian Film Industry is witnessing mark improvements on all spheres - from the technology used in making films to the themes of the movies, exhibition, finance and marketing and even in its business environment. There is no doubt that the Indian Film Industry is finally getting corporatized in that sense. 2005 was a watershed year for the industry. Indian Film Producers are also looking†¦show more content†¦This has however not been the case with the rest of the states in India. Therefore, to avoid market fragmentation and distortions, a uniform and rational tax structure is required for the growth of the film industry. The funding of films either through non-banking finance companies, venture funds, corporate funds or through corporate finance, was a significant shift from the traditional film- financing model. IDBI was the first to start funding film production, that too, to big banners, big names and established film-personalities. The traditional model used amongst others distributors funds, personal finances of producers, money lenders. Obviously, there were inherent drawbacks attached to these modes of financing. Moreover, even banks are not forthcoming in financing film projects. Therefore, venture capital and private equity investment was clearly seen as a solution based on their appetite for risk and a conducive legal framework. Under the applicable law in India, there is no restriction on private equity investment into film making directly, without routing it, via venture capital regulations as venture capital. However, there are issues involved with such direct (non venture capital regulations routed) investment, which they could avoid by operating via applicable venture capital regulations. Corporatization of the Indian Film Industry has led to increasedShow MoreRelatedThe Indian Film Industry2071 Words   |  9 PagesThe Indian Film industry is largely a commercial industry with no state subsidies being provided. India is currently the world’s largest producer of films producing more than a 1000 films annually in 52 languages, selling more than 3.7 billion tickets worldwide and having over 400 production houses situated locally. 1288 films were released in India in 2009 (Central Board of Film Certification 6), compared to the USA, which released slightly more than half of India’s figure at 677 films (EuropeanRead MoreThe Indian Film Industry Of India1380 Words   |  6 Pages1. History of Bollywood Bollywood is the Hindi Film Industry of the country and a part of the Indian Film Industry. Bollywood is one of the largest film producers in India and one of the largest centers of film production in the world. However, the first films India watched were not made in Bollywood. The various stages of evolution of bollywood can be categorized as follows: Silent Era to Talkies (1930-1940): Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian Cinema was a man with vision and courage. In theRead MoreBollywood : The Indian Film Industry1429 Words   |  6 PagesThe Indian film industry, popularly known as Bollywood, produces many catchy tunes each year via its production of numerous films. Hindi music has become popular as part of Bollywood where the actors convey their feelings through singing and dancing. It is not possible to talk about Hindi music without referring to the film the song belongs to, however, for the purpose of this essay the Indian film songs will be kept as independent as possible from the film which they belong to. To recognize theRead MoreImpact Of Globalization On The Indian Film Industry1566 Words   |  7 Pageseconomies in the world. It is home to Bollywood, the Hindi-language film industry. The name was coined from the famous American term that refers to its film industry, Hollywood and the Indian city of Bombay. The effect of globalization in the Indian mo vie industry has been mixed both with positive and negative attributes. The paper will examine a brief history of the Indian film industry highlighting how globalization has shaped the industry over the years. The discussion will highlight the effects of globalizationRead MoreAnalysis Of I Walked With A Zombie 1548 Words   |  7 PagesVal Lewton, I Walked with a Zombie is a film directed by Jacques Tourneur in 1943. I Walked with a Zombie, is a tale told in a suspenseful style which incorporates the usage of light and shadow instead of many special effects to portray a scary, compelling, and engaging story. Val Lewton described the film â€Å"a West Indian version of Jan Eyre,† with its abnormal first wife, its noble suffering husband, and its selfless nurse who becomes wife number two. The film is similar to Charlotte Bronte’s JaneRead MoreKrissh Case730 Words   |  3 PagesQ-1: How has indian film industry evolved through ages? A : Indian Cinema has completed 100 years of its inception in this very year. In the last 100years, the cinema has evolved genre wise and also technologically from black and white and silent to coloured and with special sound effect. When we talk about Indian film industries, the current scenario is very different from past due to change in technology. Today Indian film industries playing an important role in Indian economy. We can dividedRead MoreThe Bollywood Musical Of India Essay928 Words   |  4 Pagesintroduction of this paper, the first feature-length sound film in India was a musical, Alam Ara (1931). In India, it is rare to find a commercial film that is not a musical. In 1955, Munna was the first Hindi film that did not feature singing or dancing. While it received critical acclaim by international standards, it was a financial failure in India. Munna would be what many would consider an art film in India. The earliest Hindi films included many song numbers. Alam Ara had at least a dozenRead MoreThe Pact of Hindi Films in India Essay1125 Words   |  5 Pagesestablished arrival of film in India and how several factors have had an influence on the Bollywood industry, the paper will now explore the pact of Hindi films in India. Through commercialization, Bollywood reinforces the idea of the importance of materialism. Throughout a film, objects are constantly being presented in some form of product placement. Rather than entertainment, Hindi films are now being used as a means for advertisement and marketing. By constantly showing films in which an actor isRead More100 Years of Indian Cinema - 11448 Words   |  6 Pages100 YEARS OF INDIAN CINEMA Indian Cinema has now completed 100 years on April 21, 2012, a country where over 1,000 films are made every year, in several languages. During these long years Indian cinema has broken many new grounds and established several milestones. The Times of India, Indias major newspaper then, hailed it as the marvel of the century. As writer and essayist Mukul Kesavan wrote, The art of the cinema was fashioned in India at the same time as it was developed in the West. TheRead MoreThe Modernity of Bollywood1582 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Film is a form of art that is formally used as a means of entertainment. Yet, through time making films are now a part of a massive industry. This paper will explore the importance of entertainment, specifically films that are made in India. The focus of this paper will be to introduce the arrival of film in India through different time periods and how several historical events have impacted the Bollywood industry. Moreover, once a general idea of how Bollywood development through time

Unit CU1672 - Understand and meet the nutritional...

Understand the nutritional needs that are unique to individuals with dementia 1.1 - Describe how cognitive functional and emotional changes associated with dementia can affect eating drinking and nutrition: Cognitive: if cognitive ability is impaired a patient could forget to eat, or think they aren’t being fed at all as well as forgetting to drink etc, they may also leave cookers or other hot things on as they have forgotten they have put them on, Functional: They may not be able to feed themselves properly or be able to drink. They may not be able to hold or lift cutlery properly. Emotional: They may be too distressed to eat or drink may also forget that they need to eat or drink. 1.2 - Explain how poor nutrition can†¦show more content†¦Food can also help with a person’s memory and give them a feeling of belonging. It also helps them to keep interested in foods and drink. It also helps them to feel a part of their culture and again can help with memories from the past. 1.5 - Explain why it is important to include a variety of food and drink in the diet of an individual with dementia: It’s important for people to have a good well balanced diet to enable them to get the right nutrition’s they need to stay fit and healthy. It’s also important a person with dementia sees a nutritionist so they get the correct and balanced diet. Understand the effect that that mealtime environments can have on an individual with dementia 2.1 - Describe how mealtime cultures and environments can be a barrier to meeting the nutritional needs of an individual with dementia: The person may not be hungry at the set times, not like the food or be able to feed themselves alone and not have the help to feed them or be rushed to finished. They may not like crowded areas or have the equipment they need to feed themselves. 2.2 - Describe how mealtime environments and food presentation can be designed to help an individual to eat and drink: A calming and relaxing environment is needed and foods they like and enjoy as well as the help and support to enable them to eat and at a rate that is ideal for them. If crowds aren’t to their liking then maybe feeding them in their

Legacy System Security Continue Usage Acceptance-Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Legacy System Evaluation, Security Risk Continue Usage Acceptance. Answer: Introduction A legacy application is any business application that is based on older technologies yet continues to support core business functions of an organization (NASCIO;2008; Survey Section 2.1). This paper explains the constraints in using the legacy systems and the necessity of modernizing the legacy system. It briefly covers different approaches towards modernizing the legacy systems. The paper intents to evaluate a Legacy system, describe security risk associated with a legacy system. We will also cover a counter (Jones; 2010; The Closure Rule) thought as to why Legacy systems do not pose a problem. Abbreviations Abbreviation Description NASCIO National Association of State Chief Information Officers ADM Application Development Maintenance IT Information Technology SOA Service Oriented Architecture COTS Commercial-off-the-Shelf software EAI Enterprise Application Integration ROI Return on Investment What are Legacy Systems? Often Legacy systems are defined by the age of the IT system set up and grossly older IT setups are categorised as Legacy System. BUT, this defining criteria is not the sole factor but there are additional factors like supportability, risk, agility, staffing, adequately support 'line-of-business' that need to be factored in as well (NASCIO;2008; Survey Section 2.3). Legacy applications can be defined as a group of functions that share a common set of data and address the business needs for a particular domain. Often time the boundaries of a system are based on historical development not based on business needs. Mostly Legacy systems utilize a variety of non-relational database products are coded in 2nd or 3rd generation languages, and often run on obsolete mainframe computers. Challenges with Legacy System There has been a rapid change in the integration scenario in the last two decades. There has been a steady increase of new techniques and products needed to support them. With the rapid emergence of new technologies, businesses are facing a tremendous challenge to balance their current legacy investments, which they had made in the past. Some of the key challenges (NASCIO; 2008; Survey Section 2.5) faced by larger organisations to maintain and sustain with Legacy Systems are: Applications running on legacy systems are dependent on specific set of skilled resources. Retention of operations and skilled team becomes crucial for business. Maintenance required even for small legacy business system. Same functionality provided by duplicate set of applications functionality but possibly running on different technologies in isolation within same organization. Customization leading to different versions of same product. Cost of IT operation is higher. Legacy application may not be having good UI and may be difficult and costly to maintain and enhance. Difficulty in enhancement may lead to non compliance with regard to regulatory requirement. Difficult to roll out companywide changes as individual modules will be dependent on legacy systems. Due to legacy nature of the systems, functions like document generation, document printing may be not be achievable. Modernization of Legacy system Legacy modernization the term can be described as the practice of understanding and evolving the existing software to high performing assets with low total cost of ownership (TCO) and less investment. This is achievable by either one or combination (NASCIO; 2008; Survey Section 2.7) of the following: Data conversion Extension Virtualization/ Emulation Re-engineer or replace with a COTS software Applications wrapping Re-hosting/ Re-platforming Automated migration Renovation/ Re-architecting Utilize EAI to encapsulate and link legacy applications SOA integration The modernization process can be as simple as upgrading or enhancing the current legacy application or it can be as complex so that it may end up into high end migration. To summarize the overall purpose is to improve the functionality of IT system to achieve business objectives in a leaner fashion. Evaluation of a Legacy system Till now we have covered the different aspects of Legacy applications, challenges, requirement to modernise and benefits of modernization. Let us evaluate a Legacy IT system. The system we are going to analyse is an in-house system build in Mainframe/ COBOL code and is used as Core Banking Platform for a Large European private wealth management bank. The Legacy environment is an application sending screen images then receiving keyboard responses to and from a fixed function terminal. The terminals are usually 3270's with the screen images being 3270 formats created from BMS (Basic Mapping Services) source members for CICS and MFS (Message Formatting Services) source members for IMS. Legacy environment Layout Layer- 1 is an example of a mainframe that is configured to handle requests from 3270 terminals which are like fixed functions, majorly able to scroll text from left to right and from top to bottom. These 3270 terminals have functionality built into hardware. Layer-2 is an SSCP-PU connection Layer-3 is an example of set of 2- 3270 controllers. Layer-4 This layer is connection between the 3270 controller and the 3270 terminal and is LU-2 connection. Layer-5 Is actual 3270 terminal which is customer facing and has screen of 24 lines and 80 characters. Some customers customize the terminal to allow more rows and columns. There are various limitations with the Legacy System and are summarised below: Shortage of skill sets required for supporting the old system Technologies or software supports from respective vendors may not be available Build on old technologies and scope of improvement on the old technologies are limited Non-alignment between business strategies and IT Old system is resistant to agility an new changes in business models Total cost of ownership is high Security Risk with legacy Applications Legacy code imposes an unmeasured unaccounted risk. While substantial budget is spent on small enhancement and maintenance of legacy applications; sufficient security attention is not paid to them compared to new application development although legacy applications are equally under regulatory scrutiny. Many legacy applications developed for internal use with less focus on security sometimes exposed to internet due to reasons like business pressure, merger acquisitions, partnership and automation. (NASCIO; 2008; Table 6) Legacy applications are susceptible to security risk because many were designed with physical access restriction model in focus, at a time when computer crimes were rare and compliance mandates were negligent. Legacy applications exist in every organization and they function perfectly however operating system may no longer supported, patches are not provided the vendor (i.e. ATMs running Windows XP) or supported utilities are no longer compatible with upgrades. The way users interact with systems has changed drastically over the past few decades and each access method raises security concerns for legacy applications spanning across mainframe, desktop, client-server and web 1.0 applications. Legacy applications maintained by less-skilled administrators also poses significant threat as their ability to perform corrective and preventive action in-time is limited. Following is a list of Top 10 security issues found during our study: Data exchange over unencrypted channel makes it susceptible to sniffing attack Data stored in unencrypted form which allows unauthorised viewing of business critical and private information Decentralized access control applied through client and critical data/credentials are locally stored in weakly unencrypted form Buffer Overflow due to improper memory management (applicable to unmanaged code written in C/C++ applications) Human error in privilege assignment results in unauthorised users executing important programs/scripts on production data In web application, insufficient input and output validation allows web attacks such as SQL Injection and XSS Running insecure versions of COTS or open source component, lacking security protections built into newer versions give opportunities to adversary to compromise the server Centralized database is accessed to all operating system users. CRUD operations are possible through database client and without application software One users terminal-emulation client macro is available to another user allowing impersonated execution Absence of audit trails / Logs make it almost impossible to investigate security incidents Why legacy systems do not pose a problem? Despite various initiatives and reasons highlighted above there are Enterprises that continue to use Legacy Applications. They accept the usage of this Legacy application for Business functionality and invest on the maintenance and necessary patching, upgrade, bug fixes of these legacy systems. Below are some of the reasons that we could identify and these can serve as supporting points in the context of retaining and maintain legacy application considering all the discussions we have done in above heads: 1) Dependency: Business is heaving dependent on Legacy application which becomes a bottleneck 2) Small functionality: Sometimes enterprise develop new modules for new business functions but for old or small business function which are associated with legacy application, they follow the as-is approach 3) Transformation project Failures: Due to fear of project failure some enterprise does not take a move for modernization 4) Line of Business: If Legacy application is able to serve the business functionality then the approach is not to disturb the current (legacy) ecosystem 5) Funding: Transformation project are generally mapped to technology enhancement and are not business requirement driven and hence minimal or less funding available. 6) Integration hiccups: If one legacy system is transformed then there may be integration challenges with other dependent legacy system or else enterprise has to revamp whole IT system which is difficult and challenging. 7) Legacy Application Know-how: In order to transform current (legacy) system should be known well so that there are no surprises once the new system is launched. But there is always a lack of Legacy application knowledge because of gap in documentation, knowledge sharing. This is also a challenge. 8) Staff Resistance: staff do not want to come out of comfort zone and hence resist any changes. 9) Data migration issues: Transforming Legacy application inherently brings another project of data migration which needs to be catered from following perspective: Data Quality Data Cleansing Data Mapping 10) Customization: Mostly legacy systems are in-house build and are totally customised as per specific business needs which enterprise does not want to lose. These are just few of the factors that are drivers for business to retain and maintain legacy system. Conclusion Migration of legacy to new infrastructure is an attractive proposal considering the challenges faced in running legacy applications. However, many organisations are deferring capital investments due to tougher economical situations various other reasons. Added to that, legacy applications are often complex and require good preparation probably an expensive project for migration to new infrastructures. Therefore, alternate initiatives must be explored. Optimizing legacy applications can be instrumental in reducing IT costs. After necessary cost system optimization analysis, if it is observed that there is no scope for further optimization, then the migration/transformation can be considered to be one of the options. References Jones.R, 2010, Finding the Good Argument OR Why Bother With Logic?, The Closure Rule NASCIO, 2008, Digital States at Risk!: Modernizing Legacy Systems, Survey Section 2.1: definition NASCIO, 2008, Digital States at Risk!: Modernizing Legacy Systems, Survey Section 2.3: criteria NASCIO, 2008, Digital States at Risk!: Modernizing Legacy Systems, Survey Section 2.5: drivers NASCIO, 2008, Digital States at Risk!: Modernizing Legacy Systems, Survey Section 2.7: modernization methods NASCIO, 2008, Digital States at Risk!: Modernizing Legacy Systems, Table 2: drivers NASCIO, 2008, Digital States at Risk!: Modernizing Legacy Systems, Table 6: Enterprise Risk Lamb.J, 2008, Legacy systems continue to have a place in the enterprise, Retrieved on Sept 13 from https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Legacy-systems-continue-to-have-a-place-in-the-enterprise

Search For Peace Essays - Phillips Exeter Academy, A Separate Peace

Search For Peace Searching for peace can be a challenge when every thing around you has something to do with war. Growing up can be difficult as well but through the tough times people become more knowledgeable. In A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, Finny, Gene, and Leper each struggle find peace and escape reality without having to face the truths to their lives. For Leper, Finny, and Gene, it is hard to find tranquility with a war happening around them. For example, Finny couldn't find serenity with himself because of his broken leg and that caused him to devise the idea of the fake war. It was hard for him to be happy because of his disability. Because of this, he felt useless and so he produced this idea so he could be at ease and not be an outcast. In addition, Leper looks for a beaver dam instead of working to be carefree and escape the war, we all volunteered?But not Leper.? He does this because he is afraid that a change in his life may disrupt his quiet state. By escaping through nature, he is avoiding the truths to his life. Furthermore, Gene fins a challenge in being placid because of his situation with Finny. He is unsure of his own opinion because he is used to agreeing with Finny, that he never developed his own thoughts and ideas. It's not until Finny's death that he finds his peace. With all these things happening around them t hey struggle to be mellow but find a similar relief in the fact that they will always have their own separate peace at Devon. Through all these events, all the characters suffer their own hardships. For example, Gene loses the friend he never knew he had. He was so busy competing with Finny that he never realized what a true friend he was. All his jealousy towards him turned to hate and eventually ended in tragedy. In addition, Leper suffers by discovering things about himself that he never realized. He learns that he is tired of pleasing other people all the time, ?What's she got to be pleased about?I'm pleasing myself!?(134). All he wants is someone who cares for him and that's what he's hoping to get when Gene comes to visit him. Furthermore, Finny endures the pain of realizing that he was misled by the one he cared about the most. For Gene the friendship was a bitter rivalry but for Finny, it was the best thing that ever happened to him. They each suffer through all this, but Finny suffers the most by being forced to face the truth about his accident. All this shows how they each tolerate pain through m aturity, and learn more about life. As each of the characters grow up, they become more knowledgeable. For example, Leper truly finds himself when he comes home from war. This ?crazy? Leper is who he really is. He was never sure of himself because he was always too busy escaping reality. In addition, Finny becomes more knowledgeable after he finds the truth about his accident. He was resentful towards Gene for doing such a thing; ?You want to break something else in me! Is that why you're here!? (76). His friendship with Gene was part of what kept him composed and the truth shattered his false representation of reality. Furthermore, when the truth about Finny's accident comes out, Gene world is shattered, and he sees everything around him the way it really is. This view gives him a better understanding of life. He learns that you can't just escape reality because it will always be there. Through all these events these characters become more knowledgeable by learning more about themselves and the world around them. Throughout the story, each character finds that growing up is a complex and hazardous task. In the search for peace, they lose a sense of reality but gain maturity. They also lose a sense of security that gave them the common bond they shared at Devon. English Essays

The Public Relations Practitioner as Cultural Intermediary Essay Example

The Public Relations Practitioner as Cultural Intermediary Essay Example The Public Relations Practitioner as Cultural Intermediary Essay The Public Relations Practitioner as Cultural Intermediary Essay symbolic interactionism, and ethnomethodology. Babbie and Mouton (2001:33) conclude that regardless of the related metatheory, the primary aim of interpretivism stays directed towards understanding: â€Å"understanding of individuals in terms of their own interpretations of reality and understanding of society in terms of the meanings which people ascribe to the social practices in that society†. Following will be a discussion of hermeneutics as a related metatheory to interpretivism. 3. 2. 1. 1 Hermeneutics as a metatheory The term â€Å"hermeneutics† is defined as â€Å"the science and methodology of interpreting texts† by the Encarta Dictionary (S. a. ). De Vos, Schultze and Patel (2005:6) states only hermeneutics as a related metatheory to interpretive social science, but Babbie and Mouton (2001:30) lists several related metatheories such as hermeneutics, symbolic interactionism, and ethnomethodology. In the process of understanding the nature of human inquiry, Dilthey used the term â€Å"hermeneutics† increasingly. â€Å"In the same way that we understand the meaning of texts through interpretation, we should aim to interpret the ideas, purposes and other mental states expressed in the world of human action† (Babbie and Mouton, 2001:31). De Vos, Schultze and Patel (2005:7) agree that â€Å"true meaning is rarely simple or obvious on the surface; one reaches it only through a detailed study of the text, contemplating its many messages and seeking the connections among its parts†. Babbie and Mouton (2001:33) further states that in an idealist epistemology, data collection should not be confined to observable behaviour, but should also include descriptions of people’s intentions, meanings, and reasons. Culture in this instance will substitute â€Å"people† in Babbie and Mouton’s definition. The emphasis thus is on interpretive understanding of the culture. Concluded from the information stated above, an interpretive approach would be most suitable to research the role of the public relations manager as cultural intermediary. . Postmodernism, globalization and culture in communication: a brief discussion 4. 1 Postmodern communication At approximately the same time that South Africa proceeded to become a democracy, a new movement, postmodernism, emerged. Postmodernism embodies a complicated term, which has only emerged as an area of academic study since the mid-1980’s and is a general, wide-ranging term which is applied to literature, art, philosophy, architecture, fiction, cultural and literary criticism, and communication. Postmodernism is largely a reaction to the assumed certainty of scientific (objective) efforts to explain reality. In essence, it stems from a recognition that reality is not simply mirrored in human understanding of it, but rather, is constructed as the mind tries to understand its own particular and personal reality. For this reason, postmodernism is highly sceptical of explanations which claim to be valid for all groups, cultures, traditions, or races, and instead focuses on the relative truths of each person. Postmodernism relies on concrete experience over abstract principles, knowing always that the outcome of ones own experience will necessarily be fallible and relative, rather than certain and universal. According to Steyn (2002:25), the postmodernism approach to society (and the individual’s place in it) comprises many different elements of which the most prominent aspect is the fragmented nature of society. Postmodernism is, to a large extent, a rejection of modernism. Whilst modernism is optimistic about the future and embraces progress and humanist value, postmodernism take a cynical approach towards these â€Å"values†. In addition, De Vos, Schultze and Patel (2005:8) emphasize that modernism has confidence in technology and science whilst postmodernism attacks this faith in science â€Å"by questioning its capacity to generate truth, in part because, like all human communications, it is dependent on language, which is socially constructed, and, as such, distorts reality†. Considering the above and the questions posed in the introduction of this assignment, it could be argued that the disarray in the contemporary corporate society is largely due to the postmodern reflection on society and not as such due to any hierarchal incompetence. For the past three decades, postmodernism dominated the cultural and intellectual scene in many fields throughout the world. The postmodern assault produced new social and political theories, as well as theoretical attempts to define the multifaceted aspects of the postmodern phenomenon itself, which in turn, seems aptly applicable to the current multi-cultural experience in South Africa. 4. 2 Globalization and communication Globalization refers to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole (www. sociology. emory. du). In thought and action, it makes the world a single place. What it means to live in this place, and how it must be ordered, become universal questions. These questions receive different answers from individuals and societies that define their position in relation to both a system of societies and the shared properties of humankind from very different perspectives. Globalization broadly refers to the expansion of global linkages, the organization of social life on a global scale, and the growth of a global consciousness, hence to the consolidation of a world society. In concept, globalization is, contrary to contemporary belief, not a new one. The modern world-system originated around 1500. In parts of Western Europe, a long-term crisis of feudalism gave way to technological innovation and the rise of market institutions. Advances in production and incentives for long-distance trade stimulated Europeans to reach other parts of the globe. Superior military strength and means of transportation enabled them to establish economic ties with other regions that favoured the accumulation of wealth in the European core. While the Europeans started with only small advantages, they exploited these to reshape the world in their capitalist image. The world as a whole is now devoted to endless accumulation and profit seeking on the basis of exchange in a market that treats goods and labour alike as commodities. (www. sociology. emory. edu). The magnitude and the impact of globalization on world trade is illustrated by Friedman (2005:181-182) who developed and interesting perspective that, due to globalization, the world has become â€Å"flat†. In the last decade of the twentieth century, several parts of the world were making the transition from a closed economy to a free market system, such as China, India, Russia, and Eastern Europe. By 2000, the â€Å"global economic world,† the amount of the world’s population participating in global trade, reached six billion people, compared to 2. 5 billion in 1985. As it happened, this coincided with the digital revolution that was â€Å"flat tening† the world, thus not only leveling the playing field, but also bringing that field directly to these new players†. Philosophers such as Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980) predicted, if not recognized, globalization in the way society is experiencing it today, as early as the 1960’s. It was during this time period when McLuhan both announced the existence of a â€Å"global village†, and predicted the intensification of the world community to its present expression. â€Å"If the work of the city is the remaking or translating of man into a more suitable form than his nomadic ancestors achieved, then might not our current translation of our entire lives into the spiritual form of information seem to make of the entire globe, and of the human family, a single consciousness? (McLuhan, as quoted by Kappelman, www. leaderu. com). All of this was supposed at a time when television was still in its infancy, and the personal computer was almost twenty years into the future. Globalization in its current status is largely due to interconnectedness via satellite and cable connection. The majority of mass- and interpersonal communication today is transmitted through the effective use of information technology. The result, according to Hannerz (2001:62) is that a great many kinds of actors now operate, if not literally globally, then at least transnational. There are more â€Å"ethnic diasporas† than ever before, dispersed membership groups, multinational business corporations and transnational occupational communities, each one engaged in â€Å"its own particular way in the management of some part of contemporary culture†. Hannerz’ view underlines the importance of a public relations practitioner acting as a cultural intermediary within a globalized society. 4. 3 Multi-cultural communication Ramphele (2008:112-113) states that â€Å"all South Africans are newcomers to democracy. We (South Africans) must acknowledge our authoritarian political heritage. It will not simply go away in the face of a democratic national constitution. Building a participatory, inclusive democratic culture is a long term process of cultural change. Schools, homes, communities and the workplace have distinctive and mutually supportive roles to play in this†. Ramphele’s statement addresses the topic of this assignment in more than one aspect. Not only is South Africa as a democratic union in its infancy in comparison to global democratic practices, but is the way in which we approach, and are approached by the international community, a new-fangled experience. South Africans as a whole have to deal with its own internal multi-cultural aspects, as well as the exposure to international cultures simultaneously, which is more apparent as to why a public relations manager should be able to act as a cultural intermediary. George (2003:Online) highlight this aspect, stating that by â€Å"understanding the cultural uniqueness of a country enables a public relations practitioner to identify the most effective message, format, channel of communication, and spokesperson to deliver that message. It is noticeable from the above that, in order to communicate effectively to its publics, the public relations practitioner must be able to understand and interpret multicultural identities. 4. 3. 1 Culture and cultural identities Samovar, Porter and McDaniel (2007:123-125) argues that cultural identity is a focal element in intercultural communication. An individual’s culture shapes his or her understanding and expectations as to which is the correct communication practices for various social settings – some which may be appropriate to one culture, may be inappropriate in another. Issues of identity can be expected to remain – and perhaps become more – complex as multiculturalism increasingly characterizes contemporary society. It is clear, however, that the old understanding of a fixed cultural identity or ethnicity is outdated, and identity is rapidly becoming more of and â€Å"articulated negotiation between what you call yourself and what other people are willing to call you†. But regardless of what form they may take or how they are achieved, your identities will remain a consequence of culture. Cultural differences appear in many ways and in many forms along a set of key dimensions. Nolan (1999:5-6) list six variables on which cultural differences can be distinguished: Perceptions: People from different cultures do not necessarily see the same things, even when everyone is looking in the same di rection. Interpretations: People do not select, interpret, or remember what they see in the same way, even when they see the same thing. Facts: Because people from different cultures have different definitions of the situation, they use different pieces of information in their thinking. Goals: People from different cultures may have quite different purposes or destinations in mind. Methods: Even when destinations are the same, people may have different ways of getting there. Values: People from different cultures apply very different standards in their evaluations of individuals, situations, behaviors and outcomes. Although Nolan’s variables appear to be overtly simplified, these variables could be a good starting point when approaching multi-cultural studies. However, the most popular advance to cultural studies stems from the work of anthropologist, Edward T. Hall who did pioneering work in multi-cultural research such as proxemics, a study of perception and the use of space between gender and culture. For example: there are important cultural rules and boundaries between the sexes, which mean we cannot move about as we would wish to think we can. Different cultures have differing norms and attitudes towards personal space and how closely people stand to each other when communicating. More intimate communications have different norms. If someone breaks the norm in any given situation it might be interpreted as threatening or unfriendly. Hall also found that different cultures have different norms to do with time, friendship, business, written and oral agreements. Spatial zones are different for women and men. Women initially approach more closely, prefer side-by-side conversations, allow other women to be closer than men, whilst men have more face-to-face conversations, and tend to stand closer to women than women feel comfortable with. ( onepine. info/mcult2. tm) More appropriate to this assignment though, is Hall’s conceptualization of high and low context cultural factors. In essence, in a high-context culture, there are many contextual elements that help people to understand the rules. As a result, much is taken for granted. This can be very confusing for a person who does not understand the unwritten rules of the specific culture. In a low-context culture, very little is taken for granted. Whilst this means that more explanation is needed, it also means there is less chance of misunderstanding, particularly when visitors are present. The application of Hall’s high- and low-context cultures is explained in table 2: Table 2: Hall’s high and low context culture Factor High-context culture Low-context culture Overtness of messagesMany covert and implicit messages, with use of metaphor and reading between the linesMany overt and explicit messages that is simple and clear Locus of control and attribution for failureInner locus of control and personal acceptance for failure Outer locus of control and blame of others for failure Use of non-verbal ommunicationMuch nonverbal communicationMore focus on verbal communication than body language Expression of reactionReserved, inward reactionsVisible, external, outward reaction Cohesion and separation of groupsStrong distinction between in-group and out-group Strong sense of familyFlexible and open grouping patterns, changing as needed People bonds Strong people bonds with affiliation to family and communityFragile bonds between people with little sense of loyalty Level of commitment to relationshipsHigh commitment to long-term relationships Relationship more important than taskLow commitment to relationship Task more important than relationships Flexibility of time Time is open and flexible Process is more important than productTime is highly organized Product is more important than process (http://changingminds. org/explanations/culture/hall_culture. htm) Applying the preceding two concepts as is to South Africa’s multi-cultural community would be rather complicated. The diverse compilation of cultures in South Africa simply does not allow for a â€Å"yes or no† answer. It would be required to analyze each of the eleven cultures in the country, including the free inflow of neighboring nationalities, in order to devise a suitable paradigm from which an applicable variable could be devised. This seems a rather daunting challenge. How then, to proceed to an acceptable, predictable, and definable course? Hannerz (2001:58) suggest that â€Å"we need a counter-image to that of the cultural mosaic, one that does not take for granted the boundedness of cultures and their simple relationship to populations and territories, but allows as a point of departure a more open, interconnected world. † To achieve that, and to move above the constraints of a multi-cultural collective, the student consulted Lull’s concept of a â€Å"superculture† (see fig. 1). According to Lull (2001:132-163), contemporary cultural conditions â€Å"appear to only exacerbate the confusion, isolation, and existential despair. The historically unparalleled development of communications technology and the sweep of globalization that surrounds us today are changing the very nature and meaning of culture. A superculture refers to a cultural mode that is above other modes, has a higher rank, quality and abundance than is reflected in other conceptions of culture. † It certainly exceeds the norms which typify and limit traditional ways of thinking about culture. Supercultures are composed in part of symbolic content that is made available by super media. The question immediately rises as to how cultural identities, for instance those officially recognized within South Africa’s geographical borders, fit into the concept of a superculture? The answer can be derived to from Lull’s explanation: â€Å"The super culture is the cultural matrix that individuals create for themselves in a world where access to ‘distant’ cultural resources has expanded enormously. At the same time, however, the superculture embodies traditional or ‘close’ cultural resources too – the values and social practices characteristic of ‘local’ cultures as they are learned and reproduced by individuals and group. The essence of the supercultures resides in the dynamic interfaces that link and mediates the available cultural spheres. † (Lull, 2001:132) Figure 1: Major components of Lull’s superculture (Lull, 2001: 139-157) To conclude the section on culture: in order to appropriately apply communication between multi-cultural identities, which in this instance signify the public relation practitioner and his or her publics, the student propose the implementation of Grunig’s two-way symmetrical model which â€Å"use communication to negotiate with publics, resolve conflict, and promote mutual understanding and respect between the organization and its public(s). † (http://iml. jou. ufl. edu). 5. Conclusion Friedman (2005:324-325) noted that â€Å"to reduce a country’s economic performance to culture alone is ridiculous, but to analyze a country’s economic performance without reference to culture, is equally ridiculous. As the world goes flat (globalize) , and more and more of the tools of collaboration get distributed and commoditized, the gap between cultures that have the will, the way and the focus to quickly adopt these new tools and apply them, and those that do not, will matter more. The differences between the two will become more amplified. Cultures that is open and willing to change, have huge advantage in this world. † Not only is Friedman’s statement applicable to a global economy, but is it also applicable to the global interaction of public relations practitioners. In addition, Jansoozi and Koper (2006:219-225) states that â€Å"public relations communication techniques have been forced to change as a result of globalization. The biggest challenge for public relations practitioners will be crossing language and cultural barriers. Often the subtleties of cultural difference are overlooked in the multinational’s own home country. Business organizations are realizing the importance of intercultural communication, even within the same national boundaries. Immigration and guest workers have altered the homogeneity of many countries and cultures. † It is within this framework (and with the support of quotations from authoritive source quoted in this assignment) that the student concludes: a purely western form of public relations practices no longer exists. As a result of globalization and the multi-national exposure that accompanies globalization, the public relations practitioner has inevitably become, amongst other, a cultural intermediary. The contemporary public relations practitioner’s communication is no longer restrained to the geographical, economic and cultural boundaries of his or her own country. Not only is the public relations practitioner able to communicate instantaneously on a global magnitude, but it is required of the practitioner to understand and interpret the culture of the publics which he or she communicates with. Global interaction demands that the public relations practitioner be aware of and implement trans-national customs and practices in the communication process. 6. Recommendation Exploring a topic such as culture and the effects it has on the process of communication globally, opens to a vast field of research. There are several factors that need to be explored in such a research project. For instance, the dynamics of a post-modern society, a globalized economic structure and the multi-cultural identities that accompanies such an economic structure, which all cannot possibly come to its fulfilment in a ten-page assignment. As Ihator (2000:44) clearly states: â€Å"The recognition of the cultural patterns of the world may be one positive stem in the understanding of the global publics. It behooves, therefore, international PR practitioners and researchers to use knowledge gained from various academic disciplines to adequately and effectively communicate with global constituencies†. Bibliography (Author unknown). S. a. Dictionary results – Hermeneutics [Online]. Available from: http://encarta. msn. com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults. [Accessed: 05/04/2007]. (Author unknown). S. a. Edward T. Hall – The silent language [Online]. Available from: onepine. info/mcult2. htm. [Accessed: 10/04/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Globalization issues [Online]. Available from: sociology. emory. edu/globalization/issues01. html. [Accessed: 10/04/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Globalization theories [Online]. Available from: sociology. emory. edu/globalization/theories01. html. [Accessed: 10/04/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Three Major Perspectives in Sociology [Online]. Available from: cliffsnotes. com/WileyCDA/CliffsReviewTopic/Three-Major-Perspectives-in-Sociology. topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26837. html. [Accessed: 05/06/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Science Quotes [Online]. Available from: quotelady. com/subjects/science. html. [Accessed: 05/06/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. Sir William Lawrence Bragg [Online]. Available from: britannica. com. [Accessed: 26/04/2008]. (Author unknown). S. a. The Importance of the Four Models of Public Relations [Online]. Available from: http://iml. jou. ufl. edu/projects/Fall99/Westbrook/models. htm. [Accessed: 07/03/2008]. BABBIE, E. MOUTON, J. 2001. The practice of social research. South African ed. Cape Town: Oxford University Press. DE VOS, A. S. , SCHULZE, S. PATEL, L. 2005. The sciences and the professions. In: De Vos, A. S. (ed. ) Research at grass roots: for the social sciences and human service professions. 3rd ed. Pretoria: Van Schaik:3-26. FRIEDMAN, T. L. 2005. The world is flat a brief history of the twenty-first century. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. GEORGE, A. M. 2003. Teaching culture: The challenges and opportunities of international public relations. Business communication quarterly, 66[Online]. Available from: www. questia. com. [Accessed: 01/06/08]. GUDYKUNST, W. B. 1993. Toward a theory of effective interpersonal and intergroup communication. International and intercultural communication annual, 17:33-71. HANNERZ, U. 2001. Thinking about culture in a global ecumene. In: LULL, J. (ed. ) Culture in the communication age. London: Routledge:54-71. IHATOR, A. 2000. Understanding the cultural patterns of the world – an imperative in implementing strategic international PR programs. Public Relations Quaterly, Winter:38-44. (Class handout: Public Relations Management IV, 24/05/2008). JANOOZI, J. KOPER, E. 2006. Implications of globalization for the public relations practice. Comunicacao e Sociedade, 8, 2005:219-225 [Online]. Available from: revcom2. portcom. intercom. org. br/index. php/cs_um/ article/ viewFile/4734/4448. [Accessed: 05/06/2008]. KAPPELMAN, T. 2001. Marshall McLuhan: â€Å"The Medium is the Message [Online]. Available from: leaderu. com/orgs/probe/docs/mcluhan. html#text2. [Accessed: 06/08/2007]. LEARY, M. R. MILLER, R. S. 2000. Self-presentational perspectives on personal relationships. In: Ickes, W. Duck, W. (eds. ) The social psychology of personal relationships. New York: Wiley:129-155. LULL, J. 2001. Superculture for the communication age. In: Lull, J. (ed. ) Culture in the communication age. London: Routledge: 132-163. McCLELLAND, K. 2000. Introduction to theories [Online]. Available from: http://web. grinnell. edu/courses/soc/s00/soc111-01/IntroTheories. html. [Accessed: 01/06/2008]. NOLAN, R. W. 1999. Communicating and Adapting across Cultures: Living and Working in the Global Village [Online]. Available from: www. questia. com. Accessed: 20/06/2008. PAPASTEFANOU, N. 2008. Assignment 2: the public relations practitioner as cultural intermediary. Tshwane University of Technology: Pretoria. PAPASTEFANOU, N. 2007. Module 1: communication research and theory (CSC400T). Pretoria: Tshwane University of Technology. PAPASTEFANOU, N. 2008. Module 2: culture and related issues. Tshwane