Will come Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Will come - Essay Example Dean Black wood represented Revenant Records and was relevant in deriving fundamental information about phantoms project (Sullivan 274). Moreover, John Jeremiah Sullivan conducted various interviews on the dynamics of music and artists. Indeed, Sullivan interviewed Gayle Dean Wardlow about Booker Miller. Apparently, the interview helped Sullivan to understand prewar. Notably, Booker Miller derived fundamental authority since he was a prewar player (Sullivan 276). Moreover, the interview helped Sullivan to connect with Charley Patton since Booker Miller had an apprenticeship with Charley Patton (Sullivan 276). John Jeremiah Sullivan also used readings to research about music, artists, and music scholars. He quoted the works of Robert Palmer who referred to rock n’ roll music as deep blues. The research helped Sullivan to establish how rock n’ roll music became dominant among the youth across the globe (Sullivan 275). John Jeremiah Sullivan also referred to the works of Wald who helped the author to analyze Robert Johnson and his music. Through Wald, Sullivan derives how, when, and the types of songs played by Robert Johnson in different occasions (Sullivan 269). The research methods and sources used by Sullivan were fundamental in understanding the origin of different genres of music. Apparently, the essay was relevant as a story ab out

Dickens Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Dickens Great Expectations Essay Pips account of the events that took place after visiting Miss Havisham My Uncle Pumblechook took me to the home of Miss Havisham. The initial image I had was of a dismal house made from old brick with the windows either bricked up or barred and with a disused brewery at the side of the property. Obviously once a luxurious house it was now beginning to crumble and decay. A very beautiful young girl called Estella met me. Although only my age she seemed to delight in calling me boy. She told me the Manor house also had the name Satis House which in Greek, Latin or Hebrew means Enough house and she claimed that whoever had this house would want for nothing, I found this a curious fact. I went in through the side door as the great entrance had two bars across it. I followed Estella who was holding a single candle along dark passages, where all daylight was excluded. Once Estella and I arrived at a door, she left me in pitch black telling me scornfully she didnt want to go in. I was nervous and apprehensive, however given no other choice I knocked at the door. Once told to enter I found myself in a large dark room in which initially my eyes focused on a draped dressing table festooned with many objects. On further observations I spotted an armchair, sitting in which, I saw the strangest lady I had ever seen before and knew I ever would again. Dressed all in white the bridal dress she wore must have once been worn by a young woman, however now it was seen on an old women whose shrunken body was mere skin and bones. All I could conjure up was the comparison of Miss Havisham to a waxwork skeleton, now in the ashes of a rich dress. The bridal dresses luxurious fabrics of satin, lace and silk were now yellow, faded and paper-thin, and added to this the flowers in her hair and veil gave me the uncomfortable feeling that the women was now dressed in her grave clothes. When Miss Havishams dark eyes turned to look at me I felt utter alarm and wanted to shout, but nothing came out. With my eyes still intently taking in the untidy room, with clothes and personal effects scattered around and with one shoe on her foot and the other on the table, I gave Miss Havisham my name and told her I had come to play. As I was told to come nearer I noted that both her watch and room clock had stopped at twenty minutes to nine, I wondered why this would be? Although afraid of her I felt the necessity to lie when she asked if I was afraid of her, the fact she hadnt seen daylight since before I was born only accentuated my trepidation of her. As she touched her heart it reminded me of the young man and when she told me it was broken I saw her face fill with a weird boastful smile. I had come to play, to entertain Miss Havisham, but I didnt know what to do, she thought that I was being very sullen and obstinate, however I told her that I was sorry for her and was finding everything new, strange and melancholy. I had to call Estella as Miss Havisham told us to play cards together. As I could only play Beggar my Neighbour Estellas contempt of me seemed to grow, I was merely a labouring boy and one that called a knave a Jack. Why did she think so little of me and make me feel conscience for the first time of my coarse hands and common boots? Miss Havisham appeared to watch us in a transfixed expression, like that of a corpse, as though her whole body and soul had dropped and mere daylight would turn her to dust. I had to whisper to Miss Havisham what I thought of Estella and realised that although she was very pretty I also found her very proud and insulting, although deep down I realised I would like to see her again. I did hear Miss Havisham earlier telling Estella she could break my heart if she desired, I wonder what she meant by this? I had a great wish to go home, but on Miss Havishams request I have agreed to return in six days. Being without natural light, I almost thought it must be dark outside so I was hit by the daylight when re-entering the courtyard. On orders from Miss Havisham, Estella brought me some food, however the look she gave me was one that I felt such humiliation and hurt that tears sprang to my eyes. Realising I was morally sensitive and timid seemed to bring pleasure to Estella and she enjoyed treating me as though I was a disgraced dog. Feeling better from the food I was again aware of the whole oppressive wilderness, a crooked pigeon house, with no pigeons, no animals, just a total emptiness. In the brewery building I saw Estella above in the gallery and hanging a figure of the old women in her faded white apparel, when I turned to look again enormous fear hit me, it had vanished! Desperate to go Estella unlocked the door for me, she appeared so superior to me and seeing me cry seemed to fuel her need to taunt me even more. I just felt my self-esteem was at an all time low, I obviously have despicable habits and Im more ignorant than I had ever realised.

Economic Impact Of A Sports Facility :: essays research papers

Feasibility Study Before a facility's economic impact can be determined, a feasibility study should be done to excite the community members about the facility. The purpose of a feasibility study is to "provide research information about the community, special interest groups, and its use as a decision making tool in the community" (Farmer, Montgomery, Ammon, Jr. 12). In essence, this study is done to assure the community that building a sports facility is right for them and that their money will not go to waste. It also let's them know why their area is the most feasible for the facility. It also gives them non-economic influences such as civic pride in their team. If they have more than just economic reasons to approve the stadium, they will not need that much more influence to vote yes. The main points of the study should include estimated economic benefits to the owner of the team and facility, the short term costs along with term costs, and cultural or economic loses and benefits to the community. The cost of the study usually runs about $.08 per person in the community. (E.g. 75,000 people = $6,000 cost) When doing these studies, the city offices need to hire outside firms and specialist such as accountants and economists. These people will bring credibility to the studies, which will look good to the people in the community. The weakness with hiring these outside firms is that they are in this for themselves and may not understand what you are trying to do. If they do not understand how this is intended to be a positive influence on your residents, they may not focus on the positive points as much as the officials would like. When the financing of the facility needs to be determined, it forces the city officials to put together where the money they need is going to come from. They can take from the community, take from the owner of the teams, or hire an entirely new owner for the building. Before a facility is built, there may be need to schedule dates for events in advance and collect deposits to help pay for the construction. By attracting a prime tenant immediately, many dates on the calendar will be filled and attracting a prime tenant immediately will put a nice sum of money into the development funds for the facility. Also, setting dates for other events can contribute to the facility funding. Economic Impact Of A Sports Facility :: essays research papers Feasibility Study Before a facility's economic impact can be determined, a feasibility study should be done to excite the community members about the facility. The purpose of a feasibility study is to "provide research information about the community, special interest groups, and its use as a decision making tool in the community" (Farmer, Montgomery, Ammon, Jr. 12). In essence, this study is done to assure the community that building a sports facility is right for them and that their money will not go to waste. It also let's them know why their area is the most feasible for the facility. It also gives them non-economic influences such as civic pride in their team. If they have more than just economic reasons to approve the stadium, they will not need that much more influence to vote yes. The main points of the study should include estimated economic benefits to the owner of the team and facility, the short term costs along with term costs, and cultural or economic loses and benefits to the community. The cost of the study usually runs about $.08 per person in the community. (E.g. 75,000 people = $6,000 cost) When doing these studies, the city offices need to hire outside firms and specialist such as accountants and economists. These people will bring credibility to the studies, which will look good to the people in the community. The weakness with hiring these outside firms is that they are in this for themselves and may not understand what you are trying to do. If they do not understand how this is intended to be a positive influence on your residents, they may not focus on the positive points as much as the officials would like. When the financing of the facility needs to be determined, it forces the city officials to put together where the money they need is going to come from. They can take from the community, take from the owner of the teams, or hire an entirely new owner for the building. Before a facility is built, there may be need to schedule dates for events in advance and collect deposits to help pay for the construction. By attracting a prime tenant immediately, many dates on the calendar will be filled and attracting a prime tenant immediately will put a nice sum of money into the development funds for the facility. Also, setting dates for other events can contribute to the facility funding.

How animals save the planet Essay

Narwhals like these help scientists track global warming in the Arctic. These mythical looking tusked whales, also known as the â€Å"unicorns of the sea,† are measuring changing temperatures in Greenland’s arctic waters to track global warming. Climate scientists at the University of Washington attached thermometers and small satellite transmitters to the narwhals, who can dive far deeper than humans. As a result they found that waters in Greenland’s Baffin Bay are 0.9 degrees C warmer than formerly calculated. Dogs Working Dogs for Conservation in action. Humankind has long looked to its best friend to lend a helping nose – whether it’s a hunter tracking down prey or a police officer searching for drugs. Now groups like Working Dogs For Conservation and UK-based Conservation Dogs use dogs to sniff out endangered animals and plants – like jaguars in the Amazon or black bears in China – so researchers can track and save them. Birds Birds are natural recyclers. While our feathered friends in more urban areas have been known to utilize trash like string and paperclips in the building of their nests, male bowerbirds in Australia and New Guinea repurpose bright plastic containers and bottle caps to build their elaborate â€Å"bowers,† arched walkways carefully decorated and designed to attract female partners. Octopi A resourceful octopus searches for suitable shelter. Another animal recycler, the octopus is renowned for its intelligence and use of tools. Certain species like the veined octopus build shelters from sea shells, coconut shells, or more human debris. As this video shows, octopi enjoy hiding inside of glass jars they find on the ocean’s floor, putting what would otherwise be trash to good use. Rats An African giant pouched rat sniffs out a landmine. Like dogs, rats have a superior sense of smell. African giant pouched rats like the one pictured here sniff out land mines while being too light to  actually set them off. Anti-landmine organization APOPO dubs them â€Å"HeroRATS† for their ability to help the group find these environmentally hazardous, not to mention dangerous, weapons. Bees Bees use their keen sense of smell to detect environmental contaminants. Bees are widely talented and have a sensitivity to smells, tastes, and colors. They’re also highly communicative, using sound and dance to talk amongst themselves. It turns out that they can recognize specific types of chemicals and send off a certain buzzing sound depending on what chemical is released into the air. This is helping humans detect toxic chemicals in the environment and could be useful in detecting chemical warfare attacks. Sea Lions and Seals A sea lion measuring ocean conditions.  Like the narwhals, sea lions and seals can easily dive deep below the water’s surface to track climate change. Researchers at the University of California Santa Cruz rely on them to measure salinity, temperature, and other conditions so we can develop better models of ocean water circulation. Elephant seals in the Arctic measure temperature and have also been used to track the health of U.S. salmon populations. Mules A mule measures radiation levels.  Sarah and Little Kate are two mules that have been recruited to brave the conditions of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory outside of Los Angeles. A 1959 leak at the laboratory left radiation that may still linger in the area. Equipped with gamma radiation scanning equipment, the mules investigate the area and report back to government officials conducting this study. While it may not be ethical to subject animals to hazardous areas, the work they are doing may end up making the area safer for humans and animals alike.

Once more to the lake Essay

1. In the opening paragraphs, White’s attitude was of reminasance and awe. The nostalgia of his memory shared with us not once but twice. His urge to revisit the lake was strengthened with the readers urge to read just a bit more detail. White claws us into the memory with him, like we were there as a story teller, telling ourselves about what was happening, what it smelled and felt like. His attitude was of a warm â€Å"jollity† that invited us to join. 2. Examples of creative language: â€Å"and the gods grinning and licking their chops in the hills.† â€Å"she ran on moonlight sails.†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"With a cake of soap.† â€Å"seen lily pads only from train windows† 3. â€Å"We went fishing the first morning. I felt the same damp moss covering the worms in the bait can, and saw the dragonfly alight on the tip of my rod as it hovered a few inches from the surface of the water.† The effect of the attention to detail in the first 6 paragraphs gives you the feeling that you are right there beside him. That you are reading his diary, or watching it in a movie. Everything is given to you and little is left to the imagination but to imagine with the details handed over. 4.†There were cottages sprinkled around the shores.†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"This was the background, and the life along the shore was the design.† â€Å"The one-luggers throbbed and fluttered, and the twin cylinder ones purred and purred, and that was a quiet sound, too.† The figurative language gives such an awe-encrusted feel to the lake, and allows the reader to imagine what every sense feels, smells, or hears by the figurative language. 5. Sight: â€Å"It was a fairly large and undisturbed lake and there were places in it that, to a child at least, seemed infinitely remote and primeval.† The secluded lake and the rare outbursts of the scenery make it seem like the lake was of a magical essence, sureal in its sense of peace. Sound: â€Å"The one luluggers throbbed and fluttered, and the twin-cylinder ones purred and purred, and that was a quiet sound, too.† The sense of sound is described to the reader, and every reader can imagine it differently. It makes it more realatable to the reader since he uses examples every person can understand. Touch/Feel: â€Å"I watched him, his hard little body, skinny and bare, saw him  wince slightly as he pulled up around his vitals the small, soggy, icy garnment. As he buckled the swollen belt, suddenly my groin felt the chill of death.† It talks of the familiar feeling of icy doom when putting on still-wet swimming suits. Most of everyone knows of the feelin g, and it again adds to the personable feel of the story. Taste: â€Å"There was a choice of pie for dessert, and one was blueberry and one was apple†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We’re given the flavors of the pie, but in reality we most likely thought of the flavors ourselves, because of the common aspect of blueberry or apple pie. Smell: â€Å"the smell of the swamp drift in through the rusty screens.† It talks about the smell in a way that even the most negative connotation (like rust) can feel nostalgia and joy. 6. Paragraph 10 describes the peace and utter tranquility in the lake and surrounding atmosphere. It ebbs and flows along with the water as much as it does into our minds, the almost picture-esque paragraph with audio to go along with it. 7. The specifity of paragraph 11 is very meticulous. He gives us the vision, the sound on purpose. He is trying to appeal to ethos and pathos so as to give us the experience as well. He provides specific details so that the reader can feel apart of the memory. 8. The paragraph’s last sentence began with â€Å"And† to add as an almost after thought to the prior list of campers. It shows the seperation of the campers (everyone getting drenched in the rain while swimming) and the the â€Å"comedian† whom comes into the lake with an umbrella to save themselves from the rain. It’s a very silly thought, and to us as readers it can show the character of everyone there. 9. The final image of the essay given is the son putting on wet, cold swim trunks. And just as how the author imagined himself in his son, we can imagine ourselves as his son. Trying to bear the cold, clinging cloth as you re-dress. It brings back an almost child-like action, which was once done before. 10. The author uses the word â€Å"And† around 130-140 times throughout the essay. The word acts connective in nature, we’re going through the man’s memories so there are so many details to add and feelings to feel. It’s indecisive and exactly as you would expect a verbal recounting of a memory, a story of the past. It makes the essay feel that much more of a story from someone you know.

Living and Non-Living Cells and Tissues in Trees

Living and Non-Living Cells and Tissues in Trees Only 1 percent of a dormant mature tree is biologically living while the rest is composed of non-living, structural wood cells. In other words, very little of a trees  woody volume is composed of living, metabolizing tissue; rather, the major living and growing portions of a tree are leaves, buds, roots, and a thin film or skin of cells just under the bark called the cambium. There are other living cells that are important for tree growth within the different parts of trees, especially in root tips, the apical meristem, and leaf and flower buds; however, these living cells make up a very small percentage of the total volume of a trees cells. Instead, non-living or dead cells comprise most of the volume of a tree, providing vital structural support for the living cells. Interestingly enough, trees start out in life as a germinating seed with every living cell in hyperdrive, but  as a tree seed becomes a seedling, then a sapling, then a mature tree, its living contents become less and less as a percentage of the total volume. Trees increasingly lose their living cytoplasmic cells as metabolism ceases in each cell, and although they are no longer alive, these non-living cells now provide protection, transportation, and physical support for the living ones. The Vital Role of Non-Living Cells Without the support and structure provided by non-living cells,  trees would likely die  and certainly wouldnt grow quite as large as they do. This is because non-living cells provide a vital role in the process of  how a tree grows  - from the heavy lifting of holding up the tall branches to the trees bark, which protects the thin layer of living cells underneath. This supporting and protective wood is created by cambial-hardened cells produced on the inner and outer cambial layer and sandwiched between the outer cambial layer. As a result, the bark of a tree is a product of the ongoing process of creating  sieve tubes to transport water and nutrients from the leaves to the roots and back. The sound, non-living cells of a tree are very important to helping a tree stay protected, and the bark and structural cells serve as a line of defense against insects and disease that could affect the vulnerable living tissue of the cambium that maintains life throughout the tree. New cells are formed and living cells cease metabolization as they transform into transport vessels and protective skin, creating a cycle of creation, rapid growth, slowing metabolism, and death as the tree climbs ever-higher into a healthy, full plant. When Wood Is Considered Alive and Dead For most intents and purposes, wood is considered to be the product of living cells in trees harnessing the environment around them to make proteins and form protective vessels and shells for the trees sustained growth. Wood is only technically considered dead when its separated from the tree itself, as it still serves a vital role in the plants life when attached to living cells in the tree. In other words, although wood is largely made of non-living cells - cells that no longer reproduce but instead transport nutrients to living cells - it is still considered alive if it is attached to the tree itself. However, if a branch falls off or a person cuts down a tree, the wood is considered dead because it no longer transports living matter through itself. As a result, wood that has been separated from a tree will dry up as the protoplasm hardens and the protein turns into the wood one might use in a fireplace or for building a shelf. This wood is considered dead, though the piece it was once attached to - if still attached to the tree itself - is still considered alive.

How Diversity Makes Us Smarter Professor Ramos Blog

How Diversity Makes Us Smarter Kourtnie Terry Melody Palma Karen Arenas English 010 5:00 p.m. How Diversity Makes Us Smarter For many years, research by Scientists, Psychologists, Sociologists and Economists has shown that socially diverse groups (race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation) are more creative and advanced than average unvaried groups. Science has also shown that typically, diverse groups are far more proficient than homogenous groups, by adding in their own opinions on things like from solving problems or the production of artistic work they obtain a more efficient comprehension of subjects. This is because people with different backgrounds can offer distinct and unique perspectives to other people which can also help them gain knowledge from individuals with various backgrounds. There are many advantages and benefits with social interaction from different or disparate individuals. There are a lot of advantages that come with meeting certain individuals, although research has shown that social diversity in groups can also cause discomfort, a lack of trust, conflicts, lower communication s, and other issues, it can also allow an enhancement in creativity and bring out knowledge within one another. When divergent individuals come together to brainstorm or solve problems, they bring out different information and offer different perspectives on particular topics because the social distinction within people can help you gain awareness and assimilation of one’s culture, their perspective and past experiences. Diversity provokes thoughts and emotions in people allowing them to perform more efficiently. Research has shown that diversity appears to lead to higher-quality scientific research. Scientists have also found that papers that have been written by more diverse groups have shown more citations and have a higher impact on people. Homogeneous groups are sometimes convinced that since they share the same beliefs and understand one another’s perspectives, they will accomplish more and be able to perform or problem solve in a more efficient or productive way . In most cases, people tend to work harder both socially and intellectual when emerged in diverse environments. By considering other alternatives, you are promoting hard work and creativity. Research shows that homogenous groups are less likely to be successful in certain activities, on the other hand diverse groups tend to accomplish more at a sufficient rate. When a group of diverse individuals come together it has been shown that they have a greater understanding on a wide variety of topics because they are getting different opinions and perspectives. When more people with different backgrounds and experiences gather, their work has a higher impact on their ethic skills. By having individuals from different backgrounds come together it can encourage others to achieve a greater goal and be more successful. By forming a diverse group you can learn more about others and their upbringing and that can help open your mind to other opportunities. I feel diverse groups can help you learn more and expand your knowledge of things. Do you think that diverse groups help you become successful and have a better understanding of things? Reference: Katherine W. Phillips, October 1, 2014, Scientific America, Policy Ethics, â€Å"Being around people who are different from us makes us more creative, more diligent and harder-working† https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/

History of Naturalization Requirements in the U.S.

History of Naturalization Requirements in the U.S. Naturalization is the process of gaining United States citizenship. Becoming an American citizen is the ultimate goal for many immigrants, but very few people are aware that the requirements for naturalization have been over 200 years in the making. Legislative History of Naturalization Before applying for naturalization, most immigrants must have spent 5 years as a permanent resident in the United States. How did we come up with the 5-year rule? The answer is found in the legislative history of immigration to the U.S. Naturalization requirements are set out in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the basic body of immigration law. Before the INA was created in 1952, a variety of statutes governed immigration law. Lets take a look at the major changes to naturalization requirements. Before the Act of March 26, 1790, naturalization was under the control of the individual states. This first federal activity established a uniform rule for naturalization by setting the residence requirement at 2 years.The Act of January 29, 1795, repealed the 1790 act and raised the residency requirement to 5 years. It also required, for the first time, a declaration of intention to seek citizenship at least 3 years before naturalization.Along came the Naturalization Act of June 18, 1798 - a time when political tensions were running high and there was an increased desire to guard the nation. The residence requirement for naturalization was raised from 5 years to 14 years.Four years later, Congress passed the Naturalization Act of April 14, 1802, which reduced the residence period for naturalization from 14 years back to 5 years.The Act of May 26, 1824, made it easier for the naturalization of certain aliens who had entered the U.S. as minors, by setting a 2-year instead of a 3-year interval between the declaration of intention and admission to citizenship. The Act of May 11, 1922, was an extension of a 1921 Act and included an amendment that changed the residency requirement in a Western Hemisphere country from 1 year to the current requirement of 5 years.Noncitizens who had served honorably in the U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam conflict or in other periods of military hostilities were recognized in the Act of October 24, 1968. This act amended the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, providing an expedited naturalization process for these military members.The 2-year continuous U.S. residence requirement was done away with in the Act of October 5, 1978.A major overhaul of immigration law occurred with the Immigration Act of November 29, 1990. In it, state residency requirements were reduced to the current requirement of 3 months. Naturalization Requirements Today Todays general naturalization requirements state that you must have 5 years as a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. prior to filing, with no single absence from the U.S. of more than 1 year. In addition, you must have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months out of the previous 5 years and resided within a state or district for at least 3 months. It is important to note that there are exceptions to the 5-year rule for certain people. These include: spouses of U.S. citizens; employees of the U.S. Government (including the U.S. Armed Forces); American research institutes recognized by the Attorney General; recognized U.S. religious organizations; U.S. research institutions; an American firm engaged in the development of foreign trade and commerce of the U.S.; and certain public international organizations involving the U.S. USCIS has special help available for naturalization candidates with disabilities and the government makes some exceptions on requirements for elderly people. Source: USCIS Edited by Dan Moffett

Government Deficits and Public Debt Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Government Deficits and Public Debt - Term Paper Example The reverse is a negative deficit where the outstanding government debt falls. This negative deficit is referred to as a surplus. The borrowing by a specific government issues securities to the parties holding the IOU which lays down the terms of the amount borrowed. The total amount of these IOUs equals the total of the debt that the specific government has not paid. This includes all the amounts outstanding which are inclusive of interest to be paid and the principal amount. The government debt is unlike other private accounting procedures where debt is a measurement of assets and liabilities of a government. The changes in capital are measured by capital budgeting which takes into account assets and liabilities. Several types of debts that are given out by several different governments can be divided into several ways. One way of classifying this debt is according to the specific type of government issuing the IOU. In the case of the United States, there are several divisions of government which includes Federal, state, and the local debt. This debt can, however, be classified by the period it would take to mature from the date of issue, for example, a five-year bond. The government deficit is expressed in real values rather than nominal values. This is because using nominal values would result in an overstatement of debt that is required to cover the government deficit. Moreover, the size of this government debt is measured by the debt ratio and also government debt is measured as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product. A deficit occurs in a situation where government purchases and transfers which form the government spending exceed income in form of tax receipts. To cover the deficit in su ch a case, the government must borrow. The finances of most industrial economies by the end of World War 1 were never as they are present.

Sample Items Form the Multifactor leadership questionnaire(MLQ)Forms Personal Statement

Sample Items Form the Multifactor leadership questionnaire(MLQ)Forms 5X-short - Personal Statement Example A broad range of leadership styles is measured through Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. For example, behaviors like active versus passive leadership may be an agenda of measurement through the standard multifactor scale which is preset or prescribed. It helps in discovery of traits of discrete transformational leadership behavior as well as individual measurement to assess them. The entire package is consisted of four major leadership assessment areas, which are transformational leadership, transactional leadership, passive or averse and outcomes of leadership. These qualitative variables are further quantified in to number scales in order to get discrete results. In the four heads, there are forty five statements in total which are used to infer the results in self rater form. There are five quantitative scale readings to identify the Here a person needs to take the questionnaire that leads to a standardized benchmark system to develop the assessment of individual leadership behaviors. It is a leadership report which provides road map to get a brief progressive report. When I took the test so far, I was more concerned to know my team work behavioral report. It was quite shocking as well as very much relevant to what I was seeking. The leadership is a behavioral trait which is not commonly found in everyone. When we talk about transactional leadership, contingent or conditional reward system and management by exception active turns in to action. There are several up shots of the transactional and transformational traits which are intended to check out. Leadership attributes individualism versus collectivism and attitudes are considered in the category of transformational leadership style. In organization, a leader always needs to talk about collective interests rather than his or her personal goals. Averse leadership behavior is so bad and boring for company’s development and well-being. No matter how adverse is the situation or scenario?

Business models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business models - Essay Example In this essay an attempt has been made to explain this aspect of the business model with the help of different examples. For this purpose, different research articles and publications have been used. While designing or redesigning the business model it is important to keep in consideration several points like the needs of the customers, what activities will fulfil or satisfy those needs, how the activities will be linked, who will perform those activities, how the value be created for different stakeholders, and what revenue models will be integrated. Hence, it can be said that ultimately the business activities and model should be designed in such a way that there is high value creation for all stakeholders along with delivering high financial performance. Stakeholders’ credibility and financial viability tend to bring in or combine both; financial and social constraints while formulating and designing the overall business model. The business model has two broad factors: on the one hand it keeps in consideration the financial factors and characteristics of the organisation including the methods of revenues, the overall structure of cost, the balance sheet, income statement etc, in order to make sure that all these financial factors are associated with the opportunities and limitations associated with the overall activities and actions of management in order to cut down the costs, increase the revenues, improve the balance sheet and income statement etc. However it is important to understand here that the business model is not only formulated for fulfilling the financial objectives and achieving certain financial returns like specific profit level, return on capital, or other financial goals which reflect overall financial viabi lity. So, on the other hand, business model should also keep in consideration the role of different stakeholders in the overall process of opportunity definition,

The reality of the 1920s in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The reality of the 1920s in the US - Essay Example Advances in communication also signified this decade, as the radio was invented leading to establishment of radio stations and commercial radio networks. Coupled with introduction of long distance telephones, this led to opening up of the rural areas.1 Prior to this boom, there was a dark period at peaking in 1919, in the labor market. This was initiated by a universal strike of the entire workforce in the completely steel industry in America and all workers in Seattle. This crippled the economy as thousands of workers and consumers were affected. Employers were faced with the challenge of remaining firm against demands from the workers as a warfare based on class threatened to come up. Moreover, just two years earlier, in Russia, there had been a Communist revolution and this made employers threaten violence upon workers if they refused to return to normalcy. Nevertheless, the situation was salvaged by Hubert Hoover, then Commerce Secretary, who was able to talk industrial leaders i nto voluntarily raising production and wages in order to restore the economy. It is crucial to note that the strikes moved the American government to react strongly against such radical movements, since the Communist Revolution still lingered in people’s minds causing a certain intrigue, this came to be recognized as the Red Scare phase.2 On the political front, the decade featured three presidents Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover. Its beginning was marked by elections that brought Harding into power with Coolidge as his running mate. World War 1 had just ended and people were rearing for a return to normalcy considering the labor problems, rise in immigration and racial strife that were rampant earlier on. The 1920s saw the final participation of U.S in the League of Nations, where President Wilson convened the Council as provided for in the League’s Act that the first assembly be summoned by the President of the United States. Notabl y also, the 18th Amendment of the U.S Constitution came into effect prohibiting the making, selling and possessing of alcohol. In 1924, the National Origins Act came into effect, reducing the number of immigrants to U.S to 150,000 per year with the aim of the legislation being to let the more desirable immigrants from western and northern Europe, into America, in larger numbers (â€Å"1920s Politics†). In addition, of significance through this decade as well, is the Harlem Renaissance that was the flowering of the African American culture through creative arts. It emerged from Harlem, a district within New York but grew to include other areas, where the blacks attempted to create a different perspective of their race through literary, theatrical, visual arts and musical works. This awakened a certain consciousness that led to redefinition of the white stereotypes, and rising of civil rights movements aimed at affording blacks new socio-economic opportunities and uplift the ra ce while developing their pride. Avant-garde artists from Europe experimented with African art, further giving esteem to the African Americans. Initially referred to as the New Negro Movement, the Harlem Renaissance saw African Americans migrating from the South to the northern areas where things were more prosperous.3 Within 1920, in August, came the

Our Bandit Future Cities, Shantytowns, and Climate Change Governance Essay

Our Bandit Future Cities, Shantytowns, and Climate Change Governance - Essay Example The researcher states that the effects of climate change on the world's cities and the people who live in them are not subjects that have received a great deal of attention, at least not in isolation from other climate change effects. Climate change effects tend to get considered in continental or regional terms: melting ice caps, agricultural crop losses across vast swaths of land, and shoreline loss that will inundate sub-continents. Alternately, the discussion tends to focus on behavioral change, again at the level of entire national populations, suggesting that countries must consider using cleaner energy sources, producing cleaner-burning vehicles, and providing incentives for citizens to insulate their homes better. Many, if not most, commentators seem to endorse the view that resolution of climate change challenges should be addressed at the global level and enforced by state parties pursuant to global accords. More recently, there has been some discussion of the inequalities that climate change will exacerbate. Crudely put, the analysis posits that poorer nations, especially those in Asia and Africa, will become poorer, while the richer nations will--if they do not become richer--suffer fewer of the negative consequences of climate change. In light of these differential climate change effects on poorer nations, some analysts have explored the probability of increased civil strife. However, even when the literature examines effects of climate change on civil strife, the analysis tends to address national roles and bilateral or multilateral national responses. (5) Furthermore, when land use changes are discussed, urban land use is typically excluded from consideration. The focus tends to be on deforestation and agricultural land. (6) This debate strikingly neglects what is arguably the dominant demographic shift of  our  era, namely the global trend towards urbanization--the move to mega-cities. As the United Nations Population Fund reports, in 2008, a majority of the world's population will live in urban areas. That number is expected to increase by another 50% by 2030. (7) In historical terms, it is impossible to understate the significance of this phenomenon, especially inasmuch as the vast majority of these urban immigrants will arrive with few resources and live in slum conditions. (8) Moreover, perhaps the characteristic feature of many such slums is that they are dominated by the informal economy, characterized by oppressive systems of patronage, corruption, and violence. (9) As the world gets hotter, this seems likely to create a--perhaps literally--combustible situation. (10) A host of factors, including environmental degradation, inadequate provision of environmental and infrastructure services, and limited employment opportunities are combining to turn many of the world's mega-slums into dangerous, violent places. (11) Moreover, there is considerable literature that has examined the relationship between increased urba n violence and temperature rise. (12) It does not seem unreasonable, therefore, to posit a connection between climate change and urban violence, one that calls

The reality of the 1920s in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The reality of the 1920s in the US - Essay Example Advances in communication also signified this decade, as the radio was invented leading to establishment of radio stations and commercial radio networks. Coupled with introduction of long distance telephones, this led to opening up of the rural areas.1 Prior to this boom, there was a dark period at peaking in 1919, in the labor market. This was initiated by a universal strike of the entire workforce in the completely steel industry in America and all workers in Seattle. This crippled the economy as thousands of workers and consumers were affected. Employers were faced with the challenge of remaining firm against demands from the workers as a warfare based on class threatened to come up. Moreover, just two years earlier, in Russia, there had been a Communist revolution and this made employers threaten violence upon workers if they refused to return to normalcy. Nevertheless, the situation was salvaged by Hubert Hoover, then Commerce Secretary, who was able to talk industrial leaders i nto voluntarily raising production and wages in order to restore the economy. It is crucial to note that the strikes moved the American government to react strongly against such radical movements, since the Communist Revolution still lingered in people’s minds causing a certain intrigue, this came to be recognized as the Red Scare phase.2 On the political front, the decade featured three presidents Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover. Its beginning was marked by elections that brought Harding into power with Coolidge as his running mate. World War 1 had just ended and people were rearing for a return to normalcy considering the labor problems, rise in immigration and racial strife that were rampant earlier on. The 1920s saw the final participation of U.S in the League of Nations, where President Wilson convened the Council as provided for in the League’s Act that the first assembly be summoned by the President of the United States. Notabl y also, the 18th Amendment of the U.S Constitution came into effect prohibiting the making, selling and possessing of alcohol. In 1924, the National Origins Act came into effect, reducing the number of immigrants to U.S to 150,000 per year with the aim of the legislation being to let the more desirable immigrants from western and northern Europe, into America, in larger numbers (â€Å"1920s Politics†). In addition, of significance through this decade as well, is the Harlem Renaissance that was the flowering of the African American culture through creative arts. It emerged from Harlem, a district within New York but grew to include other areas, where the blacks attempted to create a different perspective of their race through literary, theatrical, visual arts and musical works. This awakened a certain consciousness that led to redefinition of the white stereotypes, and rising of civil rights movements aimed at affording blacks new socio-economic opportunities and uplift the ra ce while developing their pride. Avant-garde artists from Europe experimented with African art, further giving esteem to the African Americans. Initially referred to as the New Negro Movement, the Harlem Renaissance saw African Americans migrating from the South to the northern areas where things were more prosperous.3 Within 1920, in August, came the

Reasons for and Against Intervention in Syrian Civil War Essay

Reasons for and Against Intervention in Syrian Civil War - Essay Example The intricate state of affairs in the Middle East has encouraged President Al-Assad to cling onto power and instigate a bloody onslaught against his populace. The Syrian citizenry has continuously demanded that been demanding that President Al-Assad steps down, in order to facilitate the setting up of a government with a solid democratic foundation. Even though President Al-Assad has lost a solid power base, it is apparent that he has exploited the intricate regional state of affairs which has destabilized the capacity of the United Nations (U.N) to firmly counter the Syrian crisis 2. In order to comprehend the complex state of affairs, it is appropriate to take a broader look at this region. This may help in understanding why the U.N seems incapable of being decisive against President Al-Assad. However, as the president of the world’s superpower, there is urge of considering whether to intervene or not and save the Syrian people. This crisis that started on 15th March 2011, h as claimed very many lives as protesters all over the country call for the resignation of president Bashar Al-Asad in favor of political rights and freedom. However, Bashar has consistently ignored the grievances of the people and continuously used violence to protesters as well the rebels with the urge of overthrowing the government 3. Therefore, the United States of America should not and cannot stay oblivious to the abominable mass killings in Syria. It is thus with this regard that the government needs a strong and firm decision on the Syrian crisis so as to restore peace and stability in a country where the two attributes have long been forgotten. Moreover, The Syrian regime’s violent reaction to protests since March 2011 has led to the death of approximately 5,400  people, according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).  

Experiment to find the concentration of the ethanedioic acid Essay Example for Free

Experiment to find the concentration of the ethanedioic acid Essay I can use a gas collection to find the overall concentration of the acid mixture, and as I already have the concentration of H2C2O4 , I can simply minus that from the total concentration to get the concentration of the H2SO4. Both strong and weak acids will react with a metal, therefore I will react the acid mixture with magnesium metal. Quantities of chemicals to use As I have been told that the concentrations are approximately 0. 1 mol dm-3 H2C2O4 and 0. 2 mol dm-3 H2SO4, I can say that the total concentration is approximately 0. 1+0. 2=0. 3 mol dm-3. I am going to use 25cm3 of the acid mixture, therefore total moles of acid mixture is 0. 3 x 0. 025 = 0. 0075 moles H2SO4 + Mg == MgSO4 + H2 and H2C2O4 + Mg == MgC2O4 + H2 I need these in one equation so I can get the molar ratios, therefore I formed this ionic equation. 4H+ + 2Mg == 2Mg2+ + 2H2 The molar ratio between the acid mixture hydrogen is 4:2(2:1), therefore (0. 0075/2)x24000=90cm3, this is less than 250cm3, so will fit into the measuring cylinder. I must ensure the Magnesium is in excess. So if I use approximately 0. 1grams, moles of Mg = 0. 1/24. 3=0.0042moles but 1:2 ratio so multiply by 2 to get 0. 0084moles, therefore there is more moles Mg than acid so it is in excess. Ethanedioic acid is a highly poisonous carboxylic acid. It is corrosive and may cause burns. If it comes to contact with skin rinse with plenty of water immediately. Wear a lab coat to prevent exposure to skin. Specimen calculation If 22cm3 of KMnO4 was needed for the redox titration, then 0. 022 x 0. 05= 1. 110-3 moles of KMnO4 . Using 5:2 ratio of 5C2O42- 2MnO4- moles of H2C2O4 is (1. 110-3 /2) x5=2. 7510-3 moles, and finally to get concentration 2.7510-3 /0. 025=0. 11 mol dm-3. Which is almost 0. 1mol dm-3 as suggested the concentration was approximately. The above was all from experiment 1, and now to get the concentration of the Sulphuric acid was experiment 2. If the volume of gas collected was 80cm3, then moles of Hydrogen would be (80/1000)/24=0. 0033moles, however 4:2 ratio with acid so multiply by 2 to get 0. 0066moles, and as I used 25cm3 acid, concentration is 0. 0066/(25/1000)=0. 27mol dm-3. To get the H2SO4 concentration minus the H2C2O4 concentration (0. 11), 0. 27-0. 11=0. 16mol dm-3, this is close to 0. 20mol dm-3

Cultural diversity and innovation

Cultural diversity and innovation CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND INNOVATION 1. Preface This paper is written as an assignment for the course: Societal Developments and Institutions. This paper contains a literature study for the workgroup cultural diversity, by a first year master student organization studies at the University of Tilburg. This paper is written with the help and suggestions of my teacher, mister Mutsaers, who provided some helpful articles to start this paper. 3. Introduction 3.1 Research problem In the Netherlands we live in a multicultural society. In this society there are a lot of members with lots of different cultural backgrounds. These members of the multicultural society will have to work together in organizations. Groups in organizations have become more diverse in terms of their demographic composition over the years and will continue to become more diverse in years to come (Jackson, 1992; Triandis, Kurowski, Gelfand, 1994; Williams OReilly, 1998). Also the process of globalization leads to organizations with members with different cultural backgrounds. According to Cox and Blake (1991) the recent business trends of globalization and increasing ethnic diversity are turning managers attention to the management of cultural differences. Numerous companies have discovered that increasing the diversity of their workforce pays off in improved performances (Curseu, 2007). According to Cox and Blake (1991) a well managed, diverse workforce holds potential competitive adva ntages for organizations. However not all scientific research comes to the same conclusions. Research on the relationship between workgroup diversity and performance has yielded inconsistent results (van Knippenberg, 2004). This inconsistency in results on the relationship between cultural diversity and organizational performances provides a great opportunity for further research. This literature study will focus on one specific part of organizational performance, namely innovative performance. Innovative performance is important for organizations because innovativeness stimulates economic development by fueling the engines of corporate growth (Schumpeter 1934, Penrose 1959). Without it, firms eventually wither and die. Advocates of the value-in diversity hypothesis suggest that work team heterogeneity promotes creativity and innovation (Cox Blake, 1991). Since cultural diversity is one aspect of work team heterogeneity, this would mean that cultural diversity also has a positive effect on organizational innovative performance. This study will examine the advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity on organizational innovative performance, in order to find out what the effects of cultural diversity are on an organizations innovative performance. 3.2 Research goal. The goal of this research is to find out what the advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity within organizations are with respect to the innovative performance of the organization. 3.3 Research Question The research question of this paper is: What are the effects of racial diversity in organizations on the innovative team performance? 3.4 Research relevance Social relevance The social relevance of this paper is probably very low. This paper only examines the advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity in organizations on innovative performance of organizations. There wont be any solutions provided that will have an impact on society. Practical relevance The practical relevance of this paper is that when managers of organizations want to find out what the effects of cultural diversity are for the innovative performance of their organization they could study this paper and use the results to decide how cultural diverse they want their work teams to be, that is working on innovations, so they could come to a high organizational innovative performance. Scientific relevance Unfortunately, research on the positive and negative effects of work-group diversity has largely developed in separate research traditions, and an integrative theoretical framework from which to understand the effects of diversity on team performance is missing (Guzzo Dickson, 1996; Kozlowski Bell, 2003; Williams OReilly, 1998). This paper will not research the positive and negative effects of all kinds of diversity within organizations on all kinds of group performances, but it will integrate the positive and negative effects of cultural diversity within organizations on the innovative performance of the teams in the organization. So this research could be seen as a start of integrating separate research traditions. So further research could build on this paper. 4. Theoretical background. In this paper literature is researched and analyzed, in order to answer the question: What are the effects of racial diversity in workgroups on the innovative team performance? To answer this question a few important concepts will be used. The first concept used in this thesis is diversity. The term diversity often provokes intense emotional reactions from people who, perhaps, have come to associate the word with ideas as â€Å"affirmative action† and â€Å"hiring quotas† ; yet it is a word that simply means â€Å"variety† or a â€Å"point of respect in with things differ† (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 1993; Websters Dictionary of the English Language, 1992). Diversity refers to differences between individuals on any attribute that may lead to the perception that another person is different from self (e.g., Jackson, 1992; Triandis et al., 1994; Williams OReilly, 1998). This first concept is a very general one. For the sake of this paper this definition has to be narrowed down. In this paper we will study team diversity. Team diversity is a group characteristic that reflects the degree to which there are objective or subjective differences between people within the team (van Knippenberg Schippers, 2007). These may be differences in demographic characteristics such as age, gender, or ethnicity, in job-related characteristics such as functional background or organizational tenure, in more deep-level (Harrison, Price, Bell, 1998) psychological characteristics such as personality, attitudes, and values, or on yet other dimensions of differentiation ( Dijk, Engen, Knippenberg, 2009). In an effort to organize thinking about different types of diversity some researchers (Cummings, Zhou Oldham, 1993; Jackson, 1992; Jackson, May Whitney, 1995; Maznevski, 1994; Tsui, Egan OReilly, 1992) have suggested ways of categorizing different types of diversity (Milliken Martins, 1996). One common distinction is between diversity on observable or readily detectable attributes such as race or ethnic background, age or gender, and diversity with respect to less visible or underlying attributes such as education, technical abilities, functional background, tenure in the organization or socio-economic background, personality characteristics, or values (Cummings et al., 1993; Jackson et al., 1995; Tsui et al., 1992) In this paper the focus is on one of the observable attributes of diversity, namely: racial diversity. Racial diversity is the diversity within teams in race. The second important concept of this paper is a team. Teams can be defined as a set of two or more actors who interact dynamically, adaptively and interdependently who share common goals or purposes; and who have specific roles or functions to perform (Salas et al., 1992). This paper studies teams, because organizations are increasingly relying on teams for innovation (Ilgen, Hollenbeck, Johnson, Jundt, 2005). Different articles use different names for teams. In a lot of articles the auteur refer to work groups. When the term work group is use in another article, it will be changed into teams so that this paper will be more consistent. The third important concept in this paper is radical innovation. Radical innovations are fundamentally different from things invented before and they represent revolutionary changes in technology. They lie at the core of entrepreneurial activity and wealth creation (Schumpeter, 1975). 5. Methodology 5.1 Research approach This research could be described as explorative, because it combines literature of cultural diversity with literature on organizational performance and innovative performance in a way that results in a clear overview of advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity on innovative performance. This overview is still missing in the literature so far. So this paper really explores the effects of cultural diversity on innovative performance in a way that hasnt been done before. 5.2 Data collection To find literature for this thesis the website www.webofscience.com will be used. The articles you can find on this website conform to the ISI-norms. These norms make sure that the article are from a high quality.. The methodology used in the articles to come to results have to be convincing so that the results are valid. When the article is considered useful for this thesis the whole article will be analyzed carefully. Also the website Google scholar and the online library of the University of Tilburg will be used to find literature about the main concepts of this thesis. To search for literature key words will be typed in at the search functions of the sites. The key words that will be used are:, cultural diversity, innovation, radical, team, organization, performance, work groups. These key words will be used in different combinations. The literature used in this thesis will be analyzed by first reading the abstract and discussion/conclusion parts of the articles. The articles are considered relevant when the topics of the articles have a connection to the topic of this thesis. When this is the case the articles will be selected. By doing this time will be saved by not reading a lot of irrelevant literature. Ones articles are selected the snowball function that the web of science offers will be used to find more literature. Snowballing can happen forwards (who cites the article) and backwards (who are cited in the article) by looking at the reference list of the articles. Both kinds of snowballing will be used in this thesis. Of course there will also be searched for more articles of the same writer, to find out if this writer has written more relevant articles for this thesis. 5.3 data analyses The articles will be systematically analyzed. The articles will be read to see what they are about exactly. The articles that are about the effects of racial diversity on team performance will get a number. Author Article number The key ideas of the article will be summarized so that it will be easy to find back which articles are about which topic. A distinction will be made between positive and negative effects on team performance. So the effects of racial diversity on team performance that have been found in articles will be easy to find back in the table. Article number Negative effects Positive effects 6. results Effects of racial diversity on innovative team performance Diversity is a characteristic of a group of two or more people and typically refers to demographic differences in one sort or another among group members (McGrath, Berdahl, Arrow, 1995). Researchers predictions about any one diversity variable differ depending on which of the dimensions they see as critical to determining its impact (Ely Thomas, 2001). Pelled (1996) predicted that racial diversity, as a source of visible differences, would incite intergroup bias and lead to negative outcomes for teams. But racial diversity could also have positive outcomes when you look at it from a different perspective. Cox, Lobel and McLeod (1991) predicted that racial diversity, as a source of cultural differences, would enhance creative problem solving and lead to positive outcomes for teams. In another study , McLeod and Lobel (1992) found that teams that are heterogeneous with respect to the ethnic backgrounds produced higher quality ideas on a brainstorming task than more homogeneous teams d id (Milliken Martins, 1996). Other researchers have found results that suggest that racial diversity could both have positive and negative effects on teams in organizations. More specifically, diversity in a team can produce lower cohesion and miscommunication among group members, which can lead to team conflict (Jehn, 1995). Some of this conflict may be productive—if, for example, it avoids â€Å"groupthink† and brings additional points of view into the discussion—whereas other forms may worsen team performance (Kochan et.al., 2003). Findings on the effects of racial diversity on team performance have been inconsistent in the literature so far. In some teams, diversity may improve performance, while in other teams, diversity may be detrimental to performance (Jackson, 1992; Jehn et al., 1999; OReilly Flatt, 1989; Richard, 2001; Steiner, 1972).. For example, the effects of diversity on team performance might be more favorable if group leaders and members build on team members creativity and information (Kochan et.al., 2003). In this paper the effects of racial diversity are studied on one particular kind of team performance, namely the innovative performance of teams. The type of innovation that is discussed in this paper is radical innovation. Racial diversity will be more positively related to performance, the more performance is contingent on the in-depth processing and integration of task-relevant information and perspectives (van Knippenberg et al., 2004). That is, if diversitys potential benefits derive fro m a process of exchanging and integrating diverse information, knowledge, and perspectives, diversitys benefits should be more evident the more task performance can be expected to benefit from information elaboration (Dijk, Engen, Knippenberg, 2009).This is the case much more for complex, knowledge-intensive tasks requiring the generation of non-routine solutions to complex problems and complex decisions than for more simple and routine task with lower information-processing requirements (Jehn et al., 1999). In line with this argument, a small meta-analysis of 13 studies by Bowers et al. (2000) confirmed this prediction, showing that diversity was positively related to team performance for complex tasks but negatively related to performance for simple tasks (Dijk, Engen, Knippenberg, 2009). Since the creation of radical innovations can be considered as one of these complex tasks, it can be assumed that racial diversity has a positive effect on the team ´s innovative performance. Innovation requires a creative spark and out-of-the-box thinking (Zhou Shalley, 2008). Diversity may be particularly conducive to such out-of-the-box thinking, because the exchange and integration of diverse perspectives may stimulate new ways of looking at the issues at hand and the need to integrate divergent perspectives may give rise to more creative solutions to problems and more innovative products (Paulus Nijstad, 2003; van Knippenberg et al., 2004). Thats why according to van Dijk, Engen, van Knippenberg, innovation teams may have more to gain from diversity than other teams. A very important factor to improve an team ´s innovative performance is the creation of ideas. The insights, skills, and experiences employees have developed as members of various cultural identity groups (racial diversity) are potentially valuable resources that the work group can use to rethink its primary tasks and redefine its markets, products, strategies, and business practices in ways that will advance its mission (Ely Thomas, 2001). The greater the informational resources available to the team, the more the team should be able to reach an in-depth understanding of the task, solve problems encountered in the course of task performance, and reach high-quality outcomes in terms of the creativity, innovation, and overall quality of the teams products, ideas, or decisions (Dijk, Engen, Knippenberg, 2009) .The differences in information and viewpoints may also give rise to task conflict and dissent; faced with the need to solve these conflicts and reconcile opposing views, team members may engage in more elaborate processing of task-relevant information and search for more creative problem solutions than would be the case in the absence of conflict and dissent (Knippenberg, de Dreu, Homan, 2004). As a result, task conflict and dissent may be associated with better and more creative team performance (e.g., De Dreu, Harinck, van Vianen, 1999; Tjosvold, 1998). There is some literature suggesting that task conflict is negatively related to team performance (De Dreu Weingart, 2003b), and others state that it is not so much the presence or absence of conflict but instead the way conflicts are managed that helps or hinders teams to perform effectively (De Dreu Weingart, 2003a; Lovelace, Shapiro, Weingart, 2001; Simons Peterson, 2000; Tjosvold, 1998). Third, and perhaps most important, performance does not benefit from conflict and dissent per se but from the process that conflict and dissent is assumed to promote: the deep-level and creative processing of diverse information and viewpoints (Knippenberg, de Dreu, Homan, 2004). However, the exchange of diverse information, ideas, and viewpoints may also stimulate such in-depth processing without conflict or dissent (Knippenberg, de Dreu, Homan, 2004). This is why racial diverse teams can outperform, more homogeneous teams. The proposition that diverse teams may outperform more homogeneous teams follows from the reasoning that the exposure to more diverse information and perspectives may promote elaboration of task relevant information (Knippenberg, de Dreu, Homan, 2004).This, in turn, would be expected to lead to more thorough and creative information processing, problem solving, and decision making. Such expected outcomes, then, give rise to the proposition that diversity may benefit performance to the extent that performance requires information processing, creative and innovative idea generation and problem solving, and/or high quality decision making (Knippenberg, de Dreu, Homa n, 2004), such as innovative performances. So whether racial diversity stimulates task-conflict or not, the fact that racial diversity promotes differences in information and viewpoints remains. These differences in information and viewpoints are beneficial for creativity, which results in improved innovative team performance. So as a result this papers states that, racial diversity has a positive effect on innovative performance through the enhanced creativity of the team, because of the differences in information and viewpoints that racial diversity provides. Organizations may increase their number of racial minorities, to better match the demographic characteristics of their significant customers in order to achieve a competitive edge in the market (Cox, 1994). As racioethnic populations (minorities), increase as a ratio of the whole population, it behoves organizations to adjust their human resource mix to reflect the target market they are attempting to reach (Richard, 2000). As firms reach out to a broader customer base, they need employees who understand particular customer preferences and requirements (Morrison, 1992). According to Cox Blake (1991), the insights and cultural sensitivity, that racial diversity, brings to a marketing effort improve an organizations ability to reach different market segments. These insights and cultural sensitivity can be of great important to the organization for the creation of new business ideas and the creation of innovations. It means that the organization has to compose racial diverse teams in o rder find out new market opportunities and business ideas. So from this perspective racial diversity has an positive effect on innovative team performance. Racial diversity also has a positive effect on innovative performance from a resource-based point of view. Human resources, particularly diverse resources, are protected by knowledge barriers and appear socially complex because they involve a mix of talents that are elusive and hard to understand (Lippman Rumelt, 1982). Knowledge-based resources depend upon large numbers of people of teams engaged in coordinated, creative action providing a firm competitive advantage (Barney, 1991; Hart, 1995). Therefore, an team with a diversity of perspectives should have more resources to draw on and should be more creative and innovative (Richard, 2000). Maznevski (1994), suggested that racial diversity, as a source of inherent and immutable differences, would provide teams with different kinds of information from which they could potentially benefit, but such differences would often be difficult for parties to understand and accept. These different kinds of information are especially valuable for the innovative performance of team. The different kinds of information are important for the creation of new ideas that could evolve in successful innovations. The fact that different parties could have problems with understanding the information and accepting it, seems very relevant for innovation projects, since innovative performance is depending on the creation of new ideas. So from this perspective racial diversity could have a positive, as well as a negative, effect on innovative team performance depending on how the problems with understanding the information and accepting it, are managed. Another important variable when looking at the influence of racial diversity on team performance is power differences. There is much theoretical and empirical support for the notion that paying attention to differences in power and status is critical for understanding diversity in organizations (Ely Thomas, 2001). According to Aldefer (1987) the distribution of power among cultural identity groups, both inside the organization and in the larger society, is key to how people think, feel and behave at work. Ely and Thomas (2001) state that different racial groups holds different status and power. In organizations, status differentials are reinforced when higher-status identity groups are disproportionately represented in positions of organizational authority and are challenged when they are not (Alderfer, 1987; Lau Murnighan, 1998). The distribution of power within could than have a negative as well as a positive effect on team ´s innovative performance. For racial diversity to hav e a positive impact on team performance, different identity groups should be equally distributed throughout the hierarchical position within the organization, so that there is not one overruling way of thinking within the organization. Another negative effect from racial diversity is, that differences in race could lead to the formation of subgroups. The social categorization perspective holds that similarities and differences are used as a basis for categorizing self and others into groups, with ensuing categorizations distinguishing between ones own in-group and one or more out-groups (Knippenberg, de Dreu, Homan, 2004). Racial diversity, as part of the social categorization perspective, is one of these factors that lead to the categorizations. People tend to like and trust in-group members more than out-group members and thus generally tend to favor in-groups over out-groups (Brewer, 1979; Tajfel Turner, 1986; Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, Wetherell, 1987). Consistent with research on similarity/attraction (Williams OReilly, 1998), this signifies that team members are more positively inclined toward their team and the people within it if fellow group members are similar rather than dissimilar to the self. Mo reover, categorization processes may produce subgroups within the team (i.e., â€Å"us† and â€Å"them†), and give rise to problematic inter-subgroup relations (Knippenberg, de Dreu, Homan, 2004). As a result, the more homogeneous the team, the fewer relational conflicts will occur (Jehn et al., 1999; Pelled, Eisenhardt, Xin, 1999). Since racial diversity increases the heterogeneity of the team, the assumption is that racial diversity, as a source of visible differences, would incite intergroup bias and lead to negative outcomes for teams. These negative outcomes also occur in innovative workgroups. When organization are trying to innovate, they often put members of different teams (or organizations) together to come up with these innovations. This would mean that the intergroup relations of members of these different teams (or organizations) should be good. But categorization processes may produce subgroups within the team and give rise to problematic inter-subgroup relations (Knippenberg, de Dreu, Homan, 2004). When this is the case the team ´s innovative performance will decrease, because the problematic inter-subgroup relationships increase emotional conflict. In contrast to the earlier mentioned task conflict, emotional conflict tends to diminish performance (Pelled, Eisenhardt, Xin, 1999). Racial diversity can also have an impact on commitment. Findings suggest that individuals who are different from their team in racial background tend to be less psychological committed to their organizations (Tsui et al., 1992). Another result from this same research has indicated that absents takes places more often in racial diverse teams, than in teams that or more homogeneous when it comes to racial backgrounds. Tsui et al., (1992), also state that racial diverse members are less inclined to stay with the organizations, which implicates a higher amount of turnovers in racial diverse work teams. Although these effects are more on a individual level they could impact the whole organization. When the dissatisfied members leave the organization, the organization will then become more homogeneous and the positive effects of racial diversity could than possibly disappear. 7. Conclusion As a conclusion it is fair to say that racial diversity both has negative as well as positive effects on team performance. The negative effects of racial diversity on team performance are: Lower cohesion Intergroup bias Miscommunication Group conflict (can also be positive) Difficult to understand and accept information Relational conflict Decreased commitment More turnover. Even though racial diversity can have negative effects on the performance on teams, this paper has shown that there are also a lot of positive effects from racial diversity on team performance. These positive effects are: Out of the box thinking Higher quality ideas Creative problem solving Task conflict Creation of new ideas Deep-level and creative processing of diverse information and viewpoints Better match the demographic characteristics of their significant customers The insights and cultural sensitivity, that racial diversity, brings to a marketing effort improve an organizations ability to reach different market segments Different kinds of information This paper has shown that especially these positive effects are very relevant when looking at the radical innovation performance of teams. The creation of radical innovations is a complex task, that requires creative thinking, diverse information and multiple perspectives, since all innovation starts with creative ideas (Amabile, 1996). So it are the positive effects that are extremely relevant in the case of radical innovation. This is why racial diversity increases a team ´s radical innovation performance. 8. Discussion Theoretical implications The goal of this research was to find out what the advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity within a team are with respect to the innovative performance of the a team. By studying literature on racial diversity this paper has come to a clear overview of positive and negative effects. The practical relevance of this study is that the results have shown that especially the positive effects of racial diversity are beneficial for the creation of radical innovations in teams. This could be usefully for managers of organization, trying to increase the innovative performance of the organization. They should try to increase the diversity of the teams in their organizations. The scientific relevance of this paper is that it has separated racial diversity from other types of diversity. A lot of literature mixes different types of diversity in their studies, which makes it unclear what the effects of different types of diversity are on team performance. This paper has provided a clear overview of the effects of one type of diversity, namely racial diversity, on one type of team performance, namely innovative performance. As stated before, the social relevance of this study will be low, since it is not likely that this paper will have an impact on society. Managerial implications This research could be very useful for managers as innovation is a key factor in organizations ability to create a sustainable competitive advantage (cf. Zhou Shalley, 2008) and organizations are increasingly relying on teams for innovation (Ilgen, Hollenbeck, Johnson, Jundt, 2005). This makes it important for managers to compose the right teams to work on innovation project. This paper has shown that it is best for managers, to compose a team that is racial diverse, since racial diversity has positive effects on the innovative outcomes of teams. Limitations and recommendations One of the limitations of this paper is that there are only a limited amount of articles studied. There are so many articles about different types of diversity and their effects on group performance that it is hard to take them all into consideration. Another limitation is that research doesn ´t include moderation effects. Some authors have indicated that since both negative as well as positive effects of racial diversity have been found, it is time to do more research about moderating effects. As van Knippenberg, De Dreu, Homan (2004) say it: `The state of the science thus suggests that in order to advance our understanding of the relationship between diversity and performance, we should look for moderators of the diversity-performance relationship`. This is a recommendation for further research on the topic of the effects of racial diversity on team performance. Another recommendations is that more research, that directly studies the relationship between racial diversity and innovative team performance is needed. This paper has studied effects of racial diversity on group performance, and then made a link to innovative performance, by using the characteristics of radical innovations. A direct research could increase the reliability of the results that were found in this research. 9. references. Aldefer, C.P. (1987). An intergroup perspective on group dynamics. Handbook of organizational behavior. 190-219 Cox, T.H., Blake, S., (1991). Managing cultural diversity: implications for organizational competitiveness. Academy of Management Executive, 5 (3):45-56 Ely, R.J. Thomas, D.A. (2001). Cultural diversity at work: The effects of diversity perspectives on work group processes and outcomes. Administrative Science Quarterly, 46(2): 229-273. Curseu, P.L. (2007). Complexity in organizations. Pearson Education Ltd. London GB. Ilgen, D. R., Hollenbeck, J. R., Johnson, M., Jundt, D. 2005. Teams in organizations: from input-pr

Metaphysical Premises And Types Of Liberal Ideology: Liberalism As The End And Liberalism As The Way :: Politics

Metaphysical Premises And Types Of Liberal Ideology: Liberalism As The End And Liberalism As The Way ABSTRACT: The problem of choosing the way for our country unavoidably brings us to a discussion of the problem of liberalism. At first glance, this should not be a problem since liberal principles underlie Western society and are the basis of the modern world order. But this opinion is not shared by all intellectuals in Russia. First is the specificity of the Russian mentality, social consciousness and social life. The idea of 'Russia's own way' is much referred to by various political movements of pronounced nationalist color, but we have to study this idea at its deepest level rather than oversimplify reality. Yet even most thinkers who are oriented to the West and have insisted on the adoption of Western values and standards have also strongly criticized European civilization. Secondly, liberalism does not have a simple meaning. It connotes a number of complex ideological systems transformed over time both in theory and in political practice. Therefore, it is important to analyze the metaphysical premises of liberal doctrines and systems. I will examine assessments of liberal ideas made by Russian religious philosophers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as P. Struve, N. Novgorodtsev, I. Iliin, and S. Frank who all considered liberalism primarily a metaphysical rather than a legal or political phenomenon, and interpreted it as an empirical manifestation of the deep nature of the human spiritual reality. The problem of choosing the way for our country unavoidably makes us discuss the problem of liberalism. At the first sight, this should not be problem at all, as the liberal principles underlie Western society and so make the basis of the whole modern world order. But such a straight opinion is not shared by all political people here in Russia and there are two major reasons for this. First of the two is specificity of Russian mentality, Russian social consciousness, and generally all Russian social life. The idea of Russia's own way is, true, much used by various political movements of pronounced nationalist color, but we have to study this idea to the most possible deepness to not be oversimplifying the reality. It was common among all political groups and movements to state Russia's special historical fate and ways. Even the most westernly oriented political thinkers, though insisted on the adoption of Western values and standards, strongly criticized European civilization at the same time (so did Hertzen in his late years, for example).

Ict Policy and Server Room Proposal for a Small Firm

INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY POLICY DOCUMENT INTRODUCTION Information and Communications Technology Policy addresses security issues and how to effectively apply and maintain information systems, thereby facilitating protection of critical, valuable and confidential information together with its associated systems. Most people are likely to recognise the impact and severity of the loss or theft of confidential designs for a new product. However they do not always recognise the potential risk, and consequential result, of seemingly ‘innocent' activities, such as copying software or copying the corporate database onto their laptop computer or not documenting changes made to their systems. The purchase and installation of hardware and software requires those involved to consider carefully the Information Security issues involved in this process. Careful consideration of the company's business needs is paramount, as it is usually expensive to make subsequent changes. Analysis of user requirements versus the various benchmarks test results will establish the best choice of server/software to be purchased. Installation of new equipment must be properly considered and planned to avoid unnecessary disruption and to ensure that the IT & T Policy issues are adequately covered. The issue of IT consumables is looked into. These are expensive and should be properly controlled both from an expense perspective as well as an Information Security perspective. Valuable items should always be kept in a secure environment to avoid damage or loss. OBJECTIVES To develop an Information Communication Technology policy for KPLC Retirement Benefits Scheme that introduces efficient and effective use of IT systems and in turn facilitate the smooth running of the secretariat. MISSION STATEMENT To strive to provide nothing but the best means of data and telecommunications services to the secretariat as a whole. DEFINITION OF ICT POLICY A set of rules, regulations, procedures and plans of action for administration of equipment, resources, and services in the ICT section. TERMS OF REFERENCE The aim of this document is to; ) Analyse procedures and practices that are in use currently and identify those that can be reinforced or changed. ii) Work out a time plan for the smooth transition from the use of KPLC systems and resources. iii) Review implemented policies elsewhere to facilitate broad knowledge and adapt ideas suitable to our environment. TABLE OF CONTENTS INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY POLICY DOCUMENT1 INTRODUCTION1 TABLE OF CONTENTS2 PREAMBLE4 IT & T SYSTEM DESCRIPTIONS4 1. 0 PROCUREMENT OF HARDWARE, PERIPHERALS & OTHER EQUIPMENT8 1. 1 Purchasing and Installing Hardware8 1. 2Cabling, UPS, Printers and Modems15 1. 3Consumables16 . 4Working off premises or using out-sourced processing18 1. 5Using Secure Storage20 1. 6Documenting Hardware23 1. 7 Telecommunications equipment25 1. 8Other Hardware Issues28 1. 9 Disaster Recovery Plans30 2. 0 CONTROLLING ACCESS TO INFORMATION & SYSTEMS IN THE SECRETARAIT32 2. 1Controlling Access to Information and Systems32 2. 1. 5 Controlling Access to Operating System Software38 Managing Passwords39 3. 0 PROCESSING INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS46 3. 1Networks46 3. 2System Operations and Administration49 3. 3E-mail and the World Wide Web57 3. 4Telephones & Fax69 3. 5Data Management73 3. 6Backup, Recovery and Archiving75 . 7Document Handling78 3. 7. 3 Countersigning Documents79 3. 7. 5 Approving Documents before dispatch80 3. 7. 6 Signature Verification80 3. 8Securing Data83 3. 8 . 4 Maintaining Customer Information Confidentiality86 4. 0 PURCHASING AND MAINTAINING COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE90 4. 1Purchasing and Installing Software90 4. 2Software Maintenance & Upgrade92 4. 3Other Software Issues94 5 COMBATING CYBER CRIME95 5. 1Combating Cyber Crime95 5. 1. 1 Defending Against Premeditated Third Party Cyber Crime Attacks95 5. 1. 2 Minimising the Impact of Cyber Attacks97 5. 1. 3 Collecting Evidence for Cyber Crime Prosecution98 5. 1. Defending Against Premeditated Internal Attacks99 5. 1. 5 Defending Against Opportunistic Cyber Crime Attacks100 6. 0 COMPLYING WITH LEGAL AND POLICY REQUIREMENT101 6. 1Complying with Legal Obligations101 6. 1. 2 Complying with General Copyright Legislation101 6. 1. 3 Complying with Copyright and Software Licensing Legislation102 6. 1. 4 Legal Safeguards against Computer Misuse103 6. 2Complying with Policies103 6. 3Avoiding Litigation106 6. 3. 3 Sending Copyrighted Information Electronically107 7. 1 E- Commerce Issues108 7. 2 Structurin g E-Commerce Systems Including Web Sites108 7. 3 Securing E-Commerce Networks109 . 4 Configuring E-Commerce Web Sites110 7. 5 Using External Service Providers for E-Commerce Delivery Channel111 8. 7Cost Considerations116 9. 0 DEALING WITH PREMISES RELATED CONSIDERATIONS118 9. 1 Physical Security of Equipment and Assets118 10. 0 NETWORK SECURITY MEASURES122 10. 1 Data Network devices122 10. 2 System administration123 10. 3 System Auditing129 10. 4 Email Policies130 10. 5 The Internet131 10. 6Computer desktop equipment133 10. 7Human Resource Aspects Policies141 10. 8Security Policy Auditing142 10. 9Incidence Management and Responses146 Reporting an Incident146 What is Cybercrime? 151 10. 0Movement of Telecommunications Equipment155 11. 1Setting Classification Standards157 12. 0 RETIREMENT OF OBSOLESCENCE OR OBSOLETE EQUIPMENT158 12. 1 Setting New Hardware Standards158 12. 2Methods of assessing old and inapt Software/hardware158 12. 3Hardware and software obsolescence160 12. 4RBS Depre ciation Factors for Defining Old Or Inapt Equipment161 13. 0 APPENDIX 1162 13. 1 LIST OF SPARES & ACCESSORIES162 14. 1 GLOSSARY & REFERENCES163 PREAMBLE It is necessary for one to be familiar with the various Information Technology and Telecommunications Systems that the company has acquired and installed over the years. This document provides the description of the systems as well as the policies formulated in regard to these IT & Telecommunications systems. IT & T SYSTEM DESCRIPTIONS 1. Telephony The telephone network for RBS consists of the public interconnected network using automatic branch exchanges (PABX) which connects us to the public network using telecommunication service providers and private branch network (PBX) which is housed in our commercial office premises which help us communicate in the premises through extension numbers. 2. Computer Data systems These are composed of data network hubs and switches which make the Local Area Networks (LAN) and the routers which interconnect the LANs. Each LAN is composed of passive data networks, servers and PCs that use the network thus realised to exchange information and data throughout the enterprise. 3. System Software and Data System software is the general term used to describe the many software programs, drivers and utilities that together enable a computer system to operate. One of the main components of system software is the operating system of the computer e. g. Microsoft Windows ® XP Professional. 4. Data Data in the language of information technology means the individual elements that comprise the information and can be processed, formatted and re-presented, so that it gains meaning and thereby becomes information. Here we are concerned with the protection and safeguard of that data/information which, in its various forms can be identified as Business Assets or Information Assets. The term data and information can be used somewhat interchangeably; but, as a general rule, information always comprises data, but data is not always information. ICT SYSTEMS DESCRIPTIONS DESCRIPTIONS THE OF SYSTEM RBS – Open Retirement Benefits Scheme System The system is used for the administration of employee and employer contributions into the RBS Fund. It has a database for member details together with their dependants. This is used when benefits are to be calculated for deceased persons and withdrawing members. The system also has a pensioners payroll used to pay all pensioners whether retirees or widows and orphans. Group Life for all employees and the issue of Last Expense is also maintained and administered in the system. Database Management Systems The secretariat database is managed using ORACLE database management systems(DBMS). Oracle databases are relational, thus data is stored in them in row-column (table) format. All the company data is stored and managed using ORACLE. WINDOWS NT ENVIRONMENT The Window NT environment operates in domains. A domain is a collection of computers and users defined by the administrator of a Windows NT Server network that share a common directory database. A domain provides access to the centralised user accounts and group accounts maintained by the domain administrator. Each domain has a unique name. Window NT Environment In the current WAN model of KPLC there is a single master domain called KPLCSTIMA. The KPLCSTIMA is also the main account domain and KPLCNET as Internet resource domain. A child domain known as RBS. KPLCSTIMA will be created from the master domain and will have trust relationship with it. This is will give us more control of our systems and semi-autonomy from the KPLC systems. It will be installed with Windows Server 2003 standard edition operating system which will provide the following services at RBS: 1. File and Print sharing. 2. Microsoft Exchange Services – host the resident Staff member’s mailboxes and enable efficient sending and receiving of internal/Internet mail and if need be provide also storage of the mailboxes. 3. Anti-virus Software. 4. Systems Management Server for Network management. 5. Internet Browsing. 6. To allow for faster downloads of the application updates. 7. To enable the efficient installation and periodic updates of the PC anti-virus in the local area network. 8. For faster and seamless primary logon of client PC’s to the network. Our application i. e. RBS system is already running in a stand alone server and will continue that way to ensure system stability and integrity. The new system will also run on its own stand alone server for the same reason. †¢The primary domain controller (PDC) tracks changes made to domain accounts. Whenever an administrator makes a change to a domain account, the change is recorded in the directory database on the PDC. The PDC is the only domain server that receives these changes directly. A domain has one PDC. A backup domain controller (BDC) maintains a copy of the directory database. This copy is synchronised periodically and automatically with the PDC. BDC’s also authenticate user logons, and a BDC can be promoted to function as the PDC. Multiple BDC’s can exist in a domain. Client PCs Currently there are four PCs and two laptops in the secretariat all running Windows XP as the desktop operating system and networked using Windows NT operating system of the K PLC master domain. All PCs have MS Office 2003 – 2007 as an office desktop application. The PCs have between 256 and 512 MB RAM. All the PCs are running on Microsoft TCP/IP protocol and use USER LEVEL access on the network. Microsoft Exchange Server Microsoft Exchange Server is used for electronic messaging in and out of the organisation. Exchange is organised into entities called sites each consisting of one or more servers containing mailboxes and public folders. Mailboxes are where a user’s messages are kept, each user having a single mailbox whereas public folders are like notice – boards, containing information that is shared between multiple users. Intra-site communication has to occur at high speed and with high reliability. Inter-site communication can occur at lower speeds. In addition to local messaging, there is Internet messaging, implemented via the Proxy Server. Anti-Virus Software McAfee’s Total Virus Defence Software is the current company guard against viruses. The software is loaded on all the Exchange server protects against viruses distributed. A group of computers and the server that manages them is called an Anti-virus Domain. The anti – virus server downloads new version automatically from McAfee Website on the Internet. Once the new software version is downloaded, the system administrator configures it for distribution. It also alerts the system administrator to ‘pull’ the latest versions to the Anti-virus Server. Internet Microsoft Proxy Server provides an easy, secure way to bring Internet access to every desktop in an organisation. The proxy server is a gateway between the company’s network and the Internet. A gateway is special software, or a computer running special software, that enables two different networks to communicate. The gateway acts as a barrier that allows you to make requests to the Internet and receive information, but does not allow access to your network by unauthorised users. [pic] 1. 0 PROCUREMENT OF HARDWARE, PERIPHERALS & OTHER EQUIPMENT 1. 1 Purchasing and Installing Hardware This Chapter deals with the Information Technology and Security issues relating to the purchase, use or maintenance of equipment through which information is processed and stored. 1. 1. 0 Procurement of Hardware, Peripherals and Other Equipment Policy Statement All purchases of new systems hardware or new components for existing systems must be made in accordance with Information Security and other organisation Policies, as well as technical standards. Such requests to purchase must be based upon a User Requirements Specification document and take account of longer-term organisational business needs. The purchase and installation of hardware requires those involved to consider carefully the Information Security issues involved in this process. This section covers the key areas to be considered. . 1. 1 Specifying Information Security Requirements for New Hardware The purchase of new computers and peripherals requires careful consideration of the business needs because it is usually expensive to make subsequent changes. |ICT Issues to consider |Action Required | |The system must have adequate capacity or else it may not be |Estimate the current and potential load on the system. | |able to process your data. For critical applications ensure t hat the system is reliable and of | | |high quality. | | |Select a supplier with a proven ‘track record', who is likely to be | | |in business for the life of the hardware. | |Data must be adequately protected; otherwise there is a risk |Determine the type of safeguards necessary for the information | |of loss or accidental / malicious damage. concerned and ensure that the hardware is capable of supporting the | | |required features, e. g. the type of operating system and attached | | |devices. See classifying information and data | |Where hardware maintenance is poor or unreliable, you greatly|Choose a supplier with a proven ‘track record', who is likely to be | |increase the risk to the organisation, because, in the event |in business for the life of the hardware. |of failure, processing could simply STOP. |Enter into a maintenance contract at the time of purchase with a | | |suitable response time in the event of a failure. See service level | | |agreement | |T he system must be sufficiently ‘resilient' to avoid |Determine your organisation’s tolerance to system non-availability | |unplanned down-time, which can have an immediate negative |(seconds, minutes, hours or days? , and approach the design of your | |impact on your organisation |hardware configuration accordingly. | | |Consider the use of mirrored disks to guard against disk failures; | | |duplicate processors in case of processor failure; duplicate | | |configurations; and the use of an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) | | |and standby generators. 1. 1. 2 Installing New Hardware Installation of new equipment must be properly considered and planned to avoid unnecessary disruption and to ensure that the ICT Policy issues are adequately covered. (See Premises for further detail. ) Policy Statement All new hardware installations are to be planned formally and notified to all interested parties ahead of the proposed installation date. Information Technology and Securi ty requirements for new installations are to be circulated for comment to all interested parties, well in advance of installation. ICT Issues to consider |Action Required | |The equipment must be located in a suitable environment otherwise|Adhere to the specifications and recommendations of the | |it may fail. |manufacturer or supplier, e. g. for operational temperature, | | |humidity etc. | |Adequate safeguards against fire, water and electrical failure | | |should be in place. See Premises | |Any disclosure of your network diagrams, security features, |Ensure that all persons on site, whether from your own | |locations and configurations etc. exposes potential |organisation or not, have completed a Non-Disclosure Agreement | |vulnerabilities, which could be exploited. Although a Non Disclosure Agreement paves the way for legal | | |redress, it cannot protect you against actual commercial damage. | |Leaving tools, utilities and developer's kits on your new system |All new syste ms should be configured for maximum practical | |endangers the confidentiality and integrity of your data |security by the removal of unnecessary utilities, developers' | | |programs, etc. a technique known as hardening. | |Without an installation plan for the new equipment, disruption to|Ensure that all special pre-installation requirements (e. g. air | |operational systems is more likely. |conditioning) have been met. | | |Identify the precise location for the equipment and ensure that | | |the power and network cables are ready. | | |Agree a detailed installation plan with the vendor. | |Anticipate what might go wrong and consider how to minimise the | | |risks. | |Where the installation plan does not include safeguards against |Agree a detailed installation plan and document it. See Project | |the (inevitable) increased security threat resulting from |Plan | |(relatively) ‘open access' to the systems area, accidental or |Monitor progress against the plan. |malicious damage can result. |Only allow authorised persons access to the systems area. | | |To protect all parties never allow engineers to work unattended. | | | | |Breaches of Health and Safety regulations endanger the well being|Ensure Health and Safety regulations are followed when locating | |of your staff and your organisation’s commercial activities. the equipment, peripherals and cables. | | |A periodic visual inspection is beneficial also. | 1. 1. 3 Testing Newly Installed Systems and Equipment Hardware should be tested when new to verify it is working correctly, and then further tests applied periodically to ensure continued effective functioning. Policy Statement All equipment must be fully and comprehensively tested and formally accepted by users before being transferred to the live environment or user sites. |ICT Issues to consider |Action Required | |Where new equipment is not tested for critical functions before |Ensure that all new installations are thoroughly tested after | |being used, it can lead to failure and hence damage to both data |initial set-up and prior to live use. |and other linked systems. |All such tests should be in accordance with a documented test | | |plan. | |Inadequate testing can threaten the integrity and availability of|Check the test outputs to confirm the results. Ensure that | |your data. |all-key components, e. g. hard disk subsystems are included in the| | |tests. | |Devices that are known to degrade with time, e. g. printers, | | |should be tested periodically | |Where testing is performed in a manner that does not simulate |Ensure that the test plan simulates realistic work patterns | |live conditions, the results of such testing cannot be relied | | |upon. | |Poor security procedures during equipment testing can compromise |Ensure that Non Disclosure Agreement have been obtained from all | |the confidentiality of your data. |third party staff involved in testing the equipment. | |Verify that the required security configuration and safeguards | | |have been implemented for the new hardware. | | |If live data is used in the testing process for the new hardware,| | |ensure that it is closely controlled. See Use of Live Data for | | |Testing | Explanatory notes NT servers The analysis of user requirements (client base and mail sizes expected) versus the various benchmarks test results will establish the best choice of server to be purchased. For file and print server only disk space is a key requirement. IT & T Issues |Key Actions | |CPU Board |Dual CPU, redundant system components in many aspects | |Disk & Disk space |Enough storage to cater for expected growth of mail database for the next| | |fiscal year | | | | | |Redundant and RAID-5 capable | |SPEC INT2000 |Compares CPU speeds for various servers. | | | |SPEC CPU2000 |To establish best processors and server performances. | | | | |(http://www. specbench. org/) |To establish best server as per RBS requirements. | | | | | |Do sample analysis based on databases expected or consult database | | |product vendor on system demands. |TPC-C benchmark |The TPC-C benchmark measures the ability of a server to process | | |transactions in a simulated business environment, calculating both the | |See guidelines at http://www. tpc. org/ for |performance of the System Under Test and real world scenario. | |transactions per server | | | |Mail servers should handle 1500 mail user traffic simultaneously in a | | |normal business environment. | | | | |Mail servers should be capable of storing all mails processed in a normal| | |working day. | Routers |ICT Issues |Key Actions | |Router basics |Dual CPU, all redundant system components installed at time of purchase | | |in many aspects | |IOS, RAM and ROM |Latest Cisco IOS e. g. ver 12. X. , 128 MB RAM and suitable flash memory to | | |store all features of IOS. | | | | |VPN and 3-DES features enabled | |IOS compatibility |New routers should Cisco compatible to integrate seamlessly with existing| | |IOS and equipment. | |Number of WAN ports |Decide by local needs e. g. | | | | | |Hub-routers should be preferred for small LANs | |User Management |Manageable by local o r by remote interface, RMON, SNMP or network user | | |interfaces. | Hubs and Switches Item |Action | |Hardware basics |Dual CPU, all redundant system components installed at time of purchase in many | | |aspects | |IOS, RAM and ROM |Latest Cisco IOS e. g. ver 12. X, VLAN and work grouping, bridging possible. | |IOS compatibility |Cisco compatible to integrate seamlessly with existing IOS and equipment. |Protocols |Ethernet enabled | |L | | |Number of LAN ports |Decide by local needs e. g. | | |Hub-routers should be preferred for small LANs | |User Management |Manageable by local or by remote interface, RMON, SNMP or html enabled network | | |user interface. | Modems Item |Action required | |Software Compatible |Supports HyperTerminal for Windows | | | | | |Should be configurable using AT commands | |V90 |Modems should be V90 standard and downward compatible with existing V54 & V42 | | |types, etc. |2 & 4 wire |Supports two wire dialup and 4 wire leased analogue line use. | Data cabinets Equipment cabinets should be properly chosen. The current 6U cabinet is too small for any future expansion or even good workmanship to be carried out. Vendors should provide cabinet of size equal or larger than 12U cabinet. |Item |Action | |Sufficient space for equipment |The cabinet should house all the equipment and accessories at the installation| |See http://www. datacabinets. om/ |time, leave room for future expansion and provide free space for proper | | |ventilation | |Aesthetically chosen for office environment |The cabinet aesthetically coloured to match with general looks in the vicinity| | |free standing or wall mounted and should be equipped with sufficient power | | |blocks. | |Proper ventilation and humidity |The cabinet must have sufficient cooling fans. The fans in these cabinets | | |shall be designed to give minimum noise level expected in a normal office | | |environment and must be designed to keep the humidity level low. | |Designed for equipment therein |The cabinets will be used to house all the active equipment and connection | | |accessories such patch panels, Light Unit Interfaces (LIU). | | | | | |Be lockable and be equipped with some trays. LIUs, cord organisers, cable | | |straps etc. |Grounding and ESD |All cabinet shall be electrically grounded to ensure electric noise and | | |electrostatic discharge is minimised. | Server Room The following items are useful in a server room construction. |Item |Action | |Backup supply |Installation of a central UPS to back up for at least 30 minutes after an | | |outage. | |Conditioned power supply |Installation of spike protectors is necessary to ensure well regulated supply | | |free of surges and dips. |Neat and extensive cable trays |Construction of a technical (false) floor and technical roof (false ceiling) | | |to house all types of cabling and utilities such as fire hydrants, smoke | | |detectors, etc | |No electrostatic discharge (ESD) in computer centre and |Proper grounding and use of anti-static PVC tiles on floor. Each tile must be| |equipment |grounded well. | |Maintain ambient temperature |Installation of a two way redundant air conditioning system. | | |Maintain 16 ? C via room wall. | |Guard against fires and similar hazards |Installation of an automatic fire-fighting system |Use effective extinguishers that are less hazardous to |Use most inert system e. g. Inergen | |human health. |See www. inergen. com/ | |Classify room usage |Partitioning of the computer room | |Proper lighting |Supply and installation of False Ceiling | |Protection against harmful effects of fire hydrants |Supply of Gas Masks | 1. 2Cabling, UPS, Printers and Modems Cabling For best of cabling the following international standards should be incorporated when carrying voice/data-cabling works. |Item |Action | |Scope |Systems Administrator to access scope of requirements. | |Design of cabling plant and premises consideration |According to ANSI/EIA/TIA 568B & 569 standards | | |See www. ansi. org, www. eia. org & http://www. tiaonline. rg | |Implementation and workmanship of cabling works and testing |According to ANSI/EIA/TIA 606 & 607 standards of installing and | | |maintaining data/voice cabling plant. | |Network Active devices |Different vendors have preferred methods of rolling out active | | |devices try this method: | | | | | |Develop | |high-level process flow diagram for deploying new solutions | | |solution hardware requirements | | |solution management platforms | | |solution validation by pilot project | | |full solution deployment | | |document all related information for management, maintenance and | | |future extensions | UPS The following formulas are useful in determining choice of UPS. The UPS are rated in terms of steady power out put and backup time. Steady power rate is given in watts= W Backup time is given in Hours or Ampere-hour of the batteries. = Ah Backup capacity in terms of Ampere-Hour is Ah = (Watt x time) and or is computed to be Ah =3. 6 Mega joules. Power x Time = Energy (joules) Translates to Time =Ah/power E. g. StimaEIS is 7. 2-kVA load. To backup for half an hour it requires (7200 x 30 x 60 x 60)/3. 6 x106 = 216 Ah Given that each small battery is 12V with 9 Ah each then the UPS will have 24 small batteries. Similarly for rest of the computers same formula can be used. 1. 3Consumables Introduction ICT consumables are expensive and should be properly controlled both from an expense perspective as well as an Information Security perspective. This section deals with the Information Security aspects of IT consumables. 1. 3. 1 Controlling IT Consumables Policy Statement IT Consumables must be purchased in accordance with the organisation’s approved purchasing procedures with usage monitored to discourage theft and improper use. They must be kept in a well-designated store away from working area. Explanatory Notes Examples of consumables are printer forms, stationery, printer paper, toner & ink, ribbons, disks, diskettes, bar-code labels and other accessories. Item |Key Actions | |Pilfering of your consumables results in increased organisational|Safeguard Consumables against petty theft by locking cupboards, | |expense. |maintaining a register, written authorisation prior to removal of| | |items etc. Keys to be kept by the supervisor’s office. | |Consumables may be s tolen with the intent to defraud your |Take special measures to protect potentially valuable pre-printed| |organisation or customers. |forms and account for their usage. Store area should be a | | |restricted area, use gate-passes and authorisation. |Confidential data may be revealed to unauthorised persons from |Ensure that confidential information cannot be identified from | |discarded Consumables e. g. discarded draft printer output and |discarded Consumables, such as printer ribbons and floppy disks, | |test data printer output. |by destroying them. | | |Destroy or shred surplus printout / fiche containing data, | | |whether or not the data appears to be confidential – it may be! | | |See also Classifying Information and Data. | 1. 3. Using removable storage media including Diskettes and CDs Policy Statement Only personnel who are authorised to install or modify software, and staff who are authorised to transfer and update data shall use removable media to transfer dat a to / from the organisation’s network. Any other persons shall require specific authorisation. Explanatory Notes When using removable storage media, there are additional ICT Security risks associated with the portability of the media. Personnel authorised to install & modify software is the system administrator. Personnel authorised to transfer and update data shall be determined by the general manager and systems administrator. ICT Issues |Key Actions | |Loss or ‘disappearance' of disks, tapes, etc. can |Ensure that all media are stored safely and securely. | |compromise the confidentiality of the organisation’s |Make sure that all media are labelled clearly, whether physically and/or | |data. |electronically, and that they can be located easily when needed. | | |Designate key individuals to monitor the storage and use of removable | | |media. | |Damage to media compromises the integrity of your |Follow the manufacturers' recommendations when handling the m edia. | |corporate records. Take protective measures against environmental extremes of temperature, | | |humidity, dust, etc. , appropriate to the importance and sensitivity of the| | |data. | | |Consider carefully the safeguards required for any media being moved or | | |stored off-site; especially backup tapes / disks. | | |In the case of irreplaceable data, you should consider taking security | | |copies, each of which must be properly safeguarded. | |Consider using fire-resistant storage cabinets for such media. | 1. 4Working off premises or using out-sourced processing Working Off-Premises involves a broad range of Information Security risks. In addition to the obvious threat of theft of the equipment there are also significant risks to the information contained on portable equipment. It is necessary to use business centres with great care as confidential information or data can be input onto equipment that is not under your control. 1. 4. 1 Contracting or using Out-sour ced Processing The following issues should be considered if the organisation decides to utsource some or all of its computer processing. Policy Statement Persons responsible for commissioning out-sourced computer processing must ensure that the services used are from reputable companies that operate with accredited information security and quality standards which should include an appropriate Service Level Agreement. |ICT Issues to consider |Action Required | |Inadequate performance can threaten your organisation's |Determine the critical success factors for your organisation in terms of| |information processing and business operations. speed, reliability, response and ability to scale rapidly (if | | |necessary). | | |Document these factors in a Service Level Agreement with penalty clauses| | |for breaches. | |Poor reliability threatens the performance of your |Consider your organisation's tolerance to system non-availability in | |business. |seconds, minutes, hours or days? | | |Ensure that the service provider can meet these needs. | |Document these factors in a Service Level Agreement with penalty clauses| | |for breaches. | |Lack of direct control when outsourcing can compromise |Due diligence should be exercised to ensure that the outsourcing company| |data confidentiality. |is reputable and operates with adequate standards. | | |Obtain a Non Disclosure Agreement from the outsourcing company. | | |Insist on secure transmission methods between your organisation and | | |theirs, e. g. authenticated transmission with encrypted data. | 1. 4. 2 Issuing Laptop / Portable Computers to Personnel Laptops, Portables, Palmtops -or even electronic ‘organisers', which connect to and store your organisation’s data – are included within this topic. Throughout this topic we refer to them collectively as ‘laptops' Policy Statement Line management must authorise the issue of portable computers. Usage is restricted to business purposes, and users must be aware of, and accept the terms and conditions of use, especially responsibility for the security of information held on such devices |ICT Issues |Action Required | |Confidential data disclosed to unauthorised persons can |Be certain that the member of staff has a valid business reason for | |damage the organisation. |using a laptop. Maintain and update the Hardware Inventory with the | | |primary user's name and contact details | | |Ensure that you are always able to trace the physical location of the | | |laptop and that the type and sensitivity of any stored data is known and| | |properly secure. | | |Always use any ‘power-on' password feature as a simple deterrent to | | |opportunistic usage. | | |Ensure the confidentiality and security of backup files. |The use of unlicensed software can subject your |All software used on the laptop must be licensed and comply with both | |organisation to legal action |legal and organisational standards. | |Viruses, Worms, Trojans and other Malicious Code can |Scan the laptop for malicious code and viruses regularly. | |corrupt both data and the system files. |Always scan files before accepting them onto the laptop | |Theft of the laptop exposes the organisation to the threat|Ensure that the holder implements adequate safety procedures against | |of disclosure o f sensitive corporate data to competitors. |theft. | |Consider the use of securing wires or other security devices in open | | |offices. | | |Ensure that the Hardware Inventory contains relevant allocation details | | |of all computers. Insure the laptop against loss, theft and damage. | | |Be aware of any exclusion in cover. Prepare guidelines for issuing | | |portable computing equipment. |Inadequate backup and recovery routines can lead to the |Ensure that laptop computers can have their data safeguarded through | |loss of data. |regular backups. | | |Ensure that the primary user of the equipment recognises their | | |responsibilities in this regard. | Guidelines for Issuing Portable Computing Equipment Those responsible for issuing portable computer equipment must ensure that the following is complied with before issuing such equipment to employees. †¢ Ensure that adequate insurance cover is provided for the portable equipment for use in the home country and abroad. Ensure that suitable virus scanning software is present on the equipment. †¢ Supply suitable network connections and ensure that access procedures are applied if the equipment is to be connected to a network. †¢ Ensure that adequate capacity (hard disk and memory size) is available on the equipment to support business processing. †¢ Ensure that adequate backup and restore facilities and procedures are in place. †¢ Ensure that compatible versions of application software are in place. †¢ Ensure that software encryption and/or physical locking devices are in place. †¢ Ensure that adequate records of the equipment are maintained, and that the issue is authorised and receipted. Ensure that authorisation for use of portable computing equipment is received †¢ Ensure that the Terms of Use are issued and signed. 1. 5Using Secure Storage Introduction It is essential that valuable confidential or critical information or equipment is stored in a secure locati on. This section covers secure storage. Policy Statement Sensitive or valuable material and equipment must be stored securely and according to the classification status of the information being stored. Documents are to be stored in a secure manner in accordance with their classification status. 1. 5. 1 Using lockable storage cupboards & filing cabinets A lockable storage cupboard should be considered for storing sensitive or valuable equipment. A lockable filing cabinet should be considered for secure storage of paper-based files and records, or small but movable items. |ICT Issues |Key Actions | |Unsecured organisation sensitive material may be |Ensure that all sensitive material is secured in a lockable storage | |stolen from the department. |cupboard, cabinet or safe when not required. The more sensitive the | | |material, the more care must be taken in selecting the appropriate storage| | |method. | |Ensure you are aware of who is an authorised key holder to any such | | |storage cupboard, cabinet or safe. | | |Ensure that a second key is available with a trusted key holder via a dual| | |control issues process in case the key holder is unavailable or the item | | |is required in an emergency. | |Securely locked organisation sensitive material may be|Ensure that highly sensitive material including computer discs and tapes | |stolen or damaged whilst in store. |are stored in a fire rated storage cupboard, cabinet, or sa fe. Beware that| | |the cabinet itself may survive the fire but the items inside may be | | |damaged irreparably. | | |Ensure that all sensitive material is secured in a lockable storage | | |cupboard, cabinet, or safe when not required. | | |Use a storage unit, which matches the sensitivity of the material. The | | |more sensitive the material, the more care must be taken in selecting the | | |appropriate storage method. | |Ensure you are aware of who is an authorised key holder to any such | | |storage cupboard, cabinet or safe. | | |Ensure that a second key is available with a trusted key holder via a dual| | |control issues process in case the key holder is unavailable or the item | | |is required in an emergency. | 1. 5. 2 Using Fire-Protected Storage Cabinets & Safes A fire protected storage cabinet is a good way to protect sensitive material against the risk of being destroyed by fire and possible water damage from fire fighting activities. The use of safes for storage is to be en couraged. The security of the safe itself is just as critical. Policy Statement Items such as backup-tapes, microfiche, microfilm, archives, recovery diskettes, passwords, CDs for software installation shall be considered sensitive and valuable to the organisation and must be stored in fire-protected storage cabinets & safes. |IT & T Issues |Key Actions | |Sensitive data stored in fire-protected cabinets can |Ensure that all sensitive material is secured in a Fire protected | |nevertheless be damaged beyond use. Due to their possible |cabinets & safe when not required. Yearly & Monthly system & database | |additional weight, siting is a key consideration |backups should be kept away from the building | | |Ensure you are aware of who is an authorised key holder to any such | | |storage cupboard, cabinet or safe. | | |Ensure that a second key is available with a trusted key holder via a | | |data control issues process in case the key holder is unavailable or the | | |item is required in an emergency. | |Sensitive data may be lost if stolen or during transit. |Copies of archives should be kept separate from actual database backups. | |A physical log file to control backup data movement to various safe | | |locations to be kept up-to-date both with signature of security personnel| | |and person moving the backups. | | |Data Library to be up-to-date with details of backup date, type, | | |location, type & expiry date | 1. 6Documenting Hardware Introduction This section deals with hardware documentation and manuals, and also hardware inventory. It is es sential that hardware documentation is kept up to date and made available to all users as appropriate. 1. . 1Managing and Using Hardware Documentation ‘Documentation' refers to both the operator manuals and the technical documentation that should be provided by the supplier / vendor. Policy Statement Hardware documentation must be kept up-to-date and readily available to the all staff that may need it. |ICT Issues |Key Actions | |If equipment is operated incorrectly mistakes and |Ensure you receive all operational and technical manuals for each piece | |damage may result. |of equipment. | | |Store the documentation accessibly but safely. | |Systems users must be trained according to the supplier's manuals | |A failure to follow the recommended schedule of |Ensure all regular maintenance is carried out and monitored. | |maintenance runs the risk of system malfunction, which |Adopt procedures which ensure that your operators complete all | |could possibly jeopardise your busines s operation. |maintenance for which they are responsible according to the | | |manufacturer's recommendation | |Failure to operate equipment in accordance with the |Ensure you receive all operational and technical manuals for each piece | |instructions can invalidate the warranty. |of equipment. | |Ensure that such manuals are readily available and form the basis of all | | |training. | |Failure to complete and return the manufacturer's |Complete the warranty card in time and record the details in your | |warranty card may invalidate the warranty and hence |Hardware Inventory Register. | |limit the manufacturer's liability | | ] 1. 6. 2 Maintaining a Hardware Inventory or Register Introduction A register / database of all computer equipment used within your organisation is to be established and maintained. Policy Statement A formal inventory of all equipment should be maintained and kept up to date at all times. ICT Issues |Key Actions | |Theft of equipment is most likely to result in additional |Establish inventory and implement procedures for updating it. | |cost to the organisation and could compromise data security. |Ensure that you have a procedure to advise the acquisition of new | | |hardware, the disposal of old items and any changes of location. | | |Periodically verify the correctness of the inventory by checking that | | |a sample of hardware is physically present. |Inadequate insurance could render your organisation liable |Establish inventory and implement procedures for keeping it | |to loss in the event of a claimable event. |up-to-date. | | |Ensure that you periodically review the adequacy of your insurance | | |cover. | |Shortcomings in the planning of equipment replacement can |Establish an inventory and, in conformance with your IT Plan, ‘ear | |make it difficult to plan ahead for new technology. |mark' equipment for replacement and plan accordingly. | 1. 7 Telecommunications equipment (Procurement, maintenance, practices and design t elecommunications) Procurement of telecommunications system †¢ Manufacturer maintenance (internal & external) †¢ Design criteria of systems †¢ Commissioning & Decommissioning of systems †¢ Fibre optic systems Introduction This chapter deals with the Information Communication Technology issues relating to the purchase, use, maintenance and the design of equipment through which information is processed and transmitted. The systems covered include, Telephony (PAX and PABX) Data Networks Fibre Network 1. 7. 1 System Design ( Engineering) Policy statement ICT system engineering will be based on tested and proven state of the art technology for a given ICT system. Explanatory notes The systems administrator shall from time to time update her/himself with new international standards for ICT systems. She/he shall be required to come up with flexible systems that will meet the company needs at the best. |ICT Issues |Actions | |Technology |System engineering shall be based on the latest technology in the | | |required field such as Telephony. | |Company's needs (Application) |The design shall address the company needs and applications for at least| | |the next ten years. |Flexibility |The system design shall address the equipment flexibility and upgrade. | |Redundancy |The design will state the expected loading and redundancy of the | | |equipment | 1. 7. 2 Procurement Policy Statement In addition to the public and company procurement procedures, the ICT departments will specify in details the functional and capacity requirements of system before any purchase is done. Explanatory notes Before any system acquisition is done, the system administrator will be requir ed to have evaluated the company's needs. This will include system performance; reliability ultimate capacity and staff abilities included proposed training requirements. This will be in the form of Request for Proposal (RFP) documents. |IC T Issues |Actions | |Tender document |Shall have detailed system/equipment description of the performance, | | |reliability and capacity of hardware. The system life expectancy shall be| | |required | |Spares and Support |The system spares will be stated. The system support and staff training | | |clearly be addressed | |Authorised dealership/partnership |The vendor shall be required to state and prove the partnerships with the | | |manufacturer | |Tendering |The type of bidders to be invited shall be stated | 1. 7. 3 Commissioning/ Decommissioning Policy Statement System commissioning will be carried out as stipulated in the manufacture's testing/commissioning sheets for any new ICT equipment. Tests should nclude all the RFP system requirements. System commissioning is necessary to ascertain system performance all the designed parameters will be tested. After the commissioning the system passwords should be immediately changed as a security measure, to protect any data manipulation or corruption from the vendor. |ICT Issues |Actions | |Performance |All tests as per system design and manufacturer's | | |specification/performance shall be carried out. |Drawings |All system drawings shall be submitted ( at least three copies)and kept | | |in safe custody | |Equipment Cabinet keys |The equipment cabinet keys shall be handed over to the functional head | |Decommissioning |System decommissioning shall be carried out once the equipment is no | | |longer in use. | | |Commissioning sheets and drawings shall be used to determine the current | | |connection (Circuit termination) of the system. | | |The decommissioned equipment shall be removed from the Telecom room and | | |all wires/cables not used shall be removed. | |The drawings for decommissioned systems/equipment shall be retired. | 1. 7. 4 Maintenance Practices Policy Statement All ICT systems shall be maintained regularly as per manufacture's recommendations. Where system are placed in harsh environments, system maintenance will be carried out as deemed by the systems administrator. Explanatory notes All system maintenance should be done in house as much as possible. Outsourcing of maintenance (Annual Maintenance Contracts, AMC’s) contrac