Ecological Footprint Calculator Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ecological Footprint Calculator - Assignment Example beef from a properly grazed cow can both be qualified as meat, but their production, development and preparation all have serious impacts on one’s ecological footprint. The quiz also lacked clarity at certain points. One question had to do with how much trash I generate. This question is easy to answer at first, but after some thought it actually becomes quite difficult. Do items recycled and composted count as trash? The quiz does not answer this question. Nor are there further questions relating composting and recycling. I can only cite the example of my own family. In our case, my mother would frequently refer to recyclable containers as trash, even though we used the environmentally friendly method to dispose of them. If other Americans use the same language as was used in my household, this particular question may produce skewed results and leave people with a very inaccurate perception of their ecological footprint. Ultimately the quiz does what it’s supposed to do. The Footprint Network is an organization designed to promote environmentally friendly lifestyles. It does this by giving you a result that projects your ecological footprint (however inaccurate it may be) and then listing ways you can improve your lifestyle to better the entire planet. However, it would be more useful for the website to give you a more accurate appraisal of your environmental situation. These are problems that could easily be fixed by introducing a new level of clarity to the questions

Maya Angelou Essay Example for Free

Maya Angelou Essay As a woman you are created with a special gift, it’s like little extra ingredients that all women have within them. The poem â€Å"Phenomenal Woman† by Maya Angelou, she speaks about the elegance of a woman, her inner being the way she glow without saying a word Maya expressed how men are amazed by her presence â€Å"men themselves have wondered what they see in me† (line 31-32). It’s hard to put your finger on it all women were born with the power. In the poem â€Å"Still I rise† by Maya Angelou she described the struggles of life trials and tribulations you face in society and the way people may judge you. As if she was writing about a woman â€Å"does my sassiness upset you? †She also wrote in another stanza â€Å"does my sexiness upset you? †She used this comparison to show she is a sexy woman who demands respect. Maya’s attitude in this poem is portraying a confident black African American woman. She is really laughing at men challenging them. They cannot stop her from rising above all expectation. This poem gives you not only inspiration encouragement to be fearless; to the end of it all you must believe you still rise above it all. The title gives a sense of entity and power. This masterpiece the poem â€Å"phenomenal woman† has also empowered women to get more in touch with their inner beauty. Maya describes in great detail the mystery of women and the behavior of men and their reaction. It shows women to not only love your-self but to embrace every aspect of your mind, body and soul. Maya show that sexuality isn’t only related to outer beauty, or by the way you dress it more about how you feel within your own skin . she shows you instead of hating your body love it from the crown of your head to the sole of your feet. In society today women enhances their body by doing plastic surgery to feel accepted. She feels inferior clearly stating that every part of a woman is beauty. In comparisons to â€Å"Phenomenal Woman† and â€Å"Still I Rise† both poems Maya speaks about not bowing to the â€Å"oppressor†. You can feel her compassion in every word in Phenomenal Woman â€Å"now you understand why my head’s not bowed† (lines 47). Still I Rise forth stanza â€Å"with head bowed and eyes lowered? †Within these lines she stresses that she will not conform to what society made her out to be, that she will soar above and beyond everyone expectations. The little gives a sense of entity and power. In conclusion these two poems have few similarities; Maya characterized the strength of an African American woman. By using powerful words she described the emotional aspect of inner beauty, standing proud professing no one will ever bring her down not by the color of her skin nor the fact of being a woman that there’s more within.

Social democracy as a force in contemporary britain

Social democracy as a force in contemporary britain In this essay I will attempt to firstly define Social Democracy and what advantages and disadvantages it brings to a state. Then I will move on to showing how Social Democracy is still existent within contemporary Britain through the means of public spending on education and benefits. I will explore Labours contemporary policies to show that Socialism is still present in Labour. However I will then explain how the Labour Party, which has its foundations in Socialism, has changed and moved towards the Third Party or New Labour which also values Capitalist aims. I will then argue that Britain is becoming more of a Capitalist state under New Labour and how globalisation has affected this. Giddens described social democracy as: Social Democracy moderate, parliamentary socialism built upon consolidating the welfare state. (Giddens. A, 1998, p4) He recognised how Social Democracy differed to Marxism. Social Democracy saw free market capitalism as producing many of the problematic effects Marx diagnosed, but believed these can be muted or overcome by state intervention. (Giddens. A, 1998, p8) The advantage of Social Democracy is that Socialism uses the welfare state to abolish exploitation within the market system and destroy the division of society in class groups. They aim to remove all inequalities whether its economic or political using state intervention when needed. (Przeworski. A, 1985, p29) This gives everyone an equal start in life. Giddens told of the state intervention as government intervening in family or individual life when needed. Social democracy saw that there was a vital need for state benefits to help those who are unable to fend for themselves. (Giddens. A, 1998, p9) The advantage of this is that it closes the income gap between the different classes. However Giddens coined the main disadvantage of a Social Democratic state. The economic theory of Socialism was always inadequate, underestimating the capacity of Capitalism to innovate, adapt and generate increasing productivity. Socialism failed to grasp the significance of markets as informational devices, providing essential data for buyers and sellers. (Giddens. A, 1998, p4-5) In the Labour revolution of 1945-1951 Britain was a planned economy, nationalised industry and expanded welfare state, a Social Democratic state. (Reitan.E.A, 2003, p27) However toward the 1970s Britain faced lowest productivity within the major industrial states, high unemployment and inflation. There was unwillingness of workers to move around to find employment. Managers were also slow in introducing technology that would improve productivity. (Reitan. E.A, 2003, p141) this shows that at that time the British state was unable to keep up with the market changes and generate increased productivity backing up Giddens claim that Socialism is unable to increase productivity and adapt to the market. (Giddens. A, 1998, p4-5) There are characteristics of the welfare state within contemporary Britain. We see the state still providing free education. Just recently there are reports saying that there have been increased spending on education. The figures showed that the spending has been increasing for more than 50 years. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8562405.stm The graph below shows the figures of increased public spending on education. Education spending (Derived from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8562405.stm) The graph shows how in the U.K. the state is spending money on education has increased from 50% to almost 140% in 2005-2006. Spending money on education in the UK will giving everyone an equal start in life and removing inequalities which are characteristics of a social democracy. (Przeworski. A, 1985, p29) Another demonstration of a Social Democracy within contemporary Britain is the benefit system. The British government provide benefits for those who are disabled, low income, unemployed, have dependent children, aged over 60, pregnant or recently had a child and those who are caring for another. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/index.htm This is a clear indicator of Socialist practise as they are using the welfare state to eliminate the inequalities within a state. (Przeworski. A, 1985, p29) By providing people who are less off with benefits it closes the gap that Capitalism has created for them. (Giddens. A, 1998, p8) Britains current government Labour still has policies that are indicators of Social Democracy. We want to rebuild trust in politicsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦put more power in the hands of individual citizens so that they can influence the decisions which affect themselves, their families and local communities http://www.labour.org.uk/democracy_and_citizenship This aims to equal chances to voice individual opinions. This ensures that power isnt just given to a certain class and that it is equally distributed between the classes. http://www.labour.org.uk/democracy_and_citizenship There are also ways of creating equality between genders. Introduced the National Minimum Wage two thirds of the beneficiaries are women and it has played a substantial part in narrowing the gender pay gap. http://www.labour.org.uk/Equalities Labour believes everyone is entitled to equality. They aim to be fair to those regardless of gender, disability, sexual orientation, age, race, religion or belief. http://www.labour.org.uk/Equalities This demonstrates Social Democracys existence within contemporary Britain. But there are clear indicators that the British state is moving away from Socialism. Currently Britain is under the Labour Party governance. Social Democracy essentially underpins the British Labour Party with the Labour Parties motto A future fair for all. http://www.labour.org.uk/future-fair-for-all This clearly indicates that their main aim is for equality within the British state. However there has been speculation. The evidence shows that labour has become split into two clearly differentiated constituencies: those with secure employment (insiders) and those without (outsiders). http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/oso/public/content/politicalscience/9780199216352/toc.html?q= There has been speculation that theres a new labour party. This was seen arising when Blair was in power. The new labour seemed to embrace capitalism and abandoned classical social democracy for the third way revised social democracy. (Driver. S, Martell. L, 2006, p26) The Third Way was used to mark out Labours departure from the politics of the Social Democratic state, signifying a reconfiguration of relationships between the economy and state. (Newman. J, 2001, p40) The Third Way is in favour of growth, entrepreneurship, and enterprise and wealth creation. It also values social justice. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/458626.stm However we see how the Labour Party who once was based on Social Democracy edge away and heading towards Capitalism. However does contemporary Britain still value social justice over Capitalism under the Third Way? In recent times we see lowered public spending. Weve already spent  £4bn less on unemployment benefits and income support for the unemployed than was anticipated. Comment Alistair Darling to the BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8406670.stm We see lowered welfare spending which raises questions about Labours a fair future for all. However New Labour sees this less as a social right and more about personal responsibility and social duty. http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/oso/public/content/politicalscience/9780199266722/acprof-9780199266722-chapter-2.html?q=#acprof-9780199266722-chapter-2 This clearly shows how the Third Way governance is prioritising economic issues over social issues. The contemporary British state however has many characteristics of a Capitalist state. Globalisation has also contributed to the breakdown of welfare state in contemporary Britain. We see now that due to globalisation instead of business fighting over market share but now we see states fighting. States remain interested in survival at the very least, and pursuing power at the most. (Aydinli. E, Rosenau. J.N, 2005, p127) Globalisation is described as the denationalisation of politics (Aydinli. E, Rosenau. J.N, 2005, p127) which essentially means that states are no longer deciding policies that benefit them but in fact they make policies that suit globalisation. The emergence of a global market economy and the need for global competitiveness have handed neo liberalism a powerful new weapon with which to contain and neutralise the counter pressures of domestic politics. (Mishra. R, 1999, p3) There is also the belief of the hyperglobalisation thesis where states believe that if their state does not increase incentives for businesses to invest in their state businesses will go elsewhere. States are constantly competing for foreign investment. Therefore they lower corporation tax to increase the incentive. (Ravenhill. J, 2008, p343) So now we see states producing policies that are business friendly. State aims are to lower inflation and a steady currency which is argued to attract businesses as lower inflation would mean lower raw materials for businesses and steady currency means there is less of a risk for the business to be exposed to fluctuations in exchange rates. (Mishra. R, 1999, p5) States constantly fighting over investment has caused them to jeopardise domestic policies. The incremental tightening of domestic environmental policies has sometimes been delayed or blocked for the fear of incurring economic competitive disadvantages. (Holden. B, 2000, p186) This shows that states are more concerned about economic growth and not about equality within the social classes. Not surprisingly a higher level of insecurity, poverty and equality has become accepted in many countriesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the retreat from the mixed economy and the welfare state is visible everywhere with the Anglo Saxon countries leading the way. (Mishra. R, 1999, p3) A good demonstration of the British state favouring Capitalism over Socialism is recently to the bank crisis. We see the state pouring money into the financial sector instead of using it to close the gap of inequality. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7666570.stm It could also be argued that the states increase spending in education http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8562405.stm is purely for Capitalist reasons. Better-educated workers are likely to be more productive at their own jobs; they may, at the same time, raise the productivity of their colleaguesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦their importance has valuable implications for the role of public financing as well as for the organisation of education. (Miles. D, Myles. G.D, Preston. I, 2003, p121) States invest in human capital to make their domestic workforce more productive. They also benefit an increase in technological progress. States with high economic activity are generally those with a state financed education system. (Miles. D, Myles. G.D, Preston. I, 2003, p121) This can be used to argue that Britains public spending on education is purely for Capitalist reasons and not Socialist. Therefore indicating Britains welfare system is Capitalist based. In conclusion I think the British state still had characteristics of a social democracy but with the changes in the economy due to globalisation states has started to prioritise the market over social equality. The contemporary British state produces too many policies that are Capitalist friendly and they have became even clearer with the recent recession. We see Britain moving away from a Social Democratic state towards a more market driven Capitalist state.

The Role of Chance in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: Romeo and Juliet Essays

The Role of Chance in Romeo and Juliet In William Shakespeare's classic Elizabethan Tragedy "Romeo & Juliet" we are asked to determine what events in the story are chance, coincidence or fate. Although some scholars are persuaded to relate as to how chance and coincidence are tools of fate, I feel as though everything is either chance or coincidence. If everything was controlled by fate then life would be pointless. We would have no decisions to make, it would all be predetermined. That is why I don't believe in fate, and so, naturally I have determined that "Romeo & Juliet" is not controlled by fate. I was also told that people in the Middle East believe in fate full out. So much that they travel at crazy speeds in their cars around corners without thinking twice. They believe that if there is a car around that corner, then it was fated to happen and they would still die if they were going the speed limit. I believe that Romeo & Juliet dug there own holes with bad decisions. Chance plays a major part in the story. Everything starts in the very beginning when Montegue and Capulet servants just happen to cross paths in a public place. This is a chance meeting. Coincidence cannot be involved now because it is too early in the story. Also by chance, the servants are talking of their hatred of the other family and there unwillingness to bear insults. The opening line of the play is, "Gregory, on my word, we'll not carry coals. "(pg.6)" Meaning he will not stand for any insults. This results in the fight that forces Prince Escalus to make the decree that "If ever you disturb our streets again your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace." (pg.14) He is saying that the next person who starts a fight will be executed. This decree results in Romeo's banishment, and his banishment is the reason for Juliet faking her death, which caused both of them to die. Another act of chance is when Romeo climbs over the Capulet house's wall right next to Juliet's room. The very first coincidental event is on page 4, before the actual play begins, it is that the Montagues and Capulets are fighting.

Impact of social media marketing Essay

Over the years communication has evolved into a revolutionary platform, through the invention and development of Internet. The Internet has evolved from a means to facilitate data, to a platform of public communication through social media. Social media has opened up a plethora of opportunities for businesses to advertise, promote and market themselves to customers. This research paper discusses how social media has changed the scope of the traditional customer relationship marketing in today’s business world. IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA Since the beginning of time, communication has always played a major role in normal day-to-day activity. Communication has evolved and gone through significant changes through out the years and has shifted the way humans interact with each other. Through new technologies and inventions such s the Internet, communication has grown significantly from the traditional face-to-face interaction. The Internet has revolutionized everyday human interaction and communication through incorporating social media. Social media has impacted every aspect of human interaction from personal lives to the business world. The business world however, has especially been impacted by the application of social media. As social media continues to grow as a marketing tool, Many companies have incorporated social media into their daily business activity for brand awareness, target market reach, business expansion and customer interaction. However, since companies have incorporated social media marketing, traditional customer relationship marketing is decreasing because companies are relying heavily on social media marketing. What Social Media Is Social media is a means or forum in which individuals, groups, or organizations interact and share information, thoughts or ideas. Adam J. Mills defines social media as â€Å" Internet and web-based technology platforms designed to encourage social interaction between individuals, groups and organizations.† (Mills, 2012). Social media has become increasingly popular because of its ability to serve as away to connect with others in the world that may or not be in the same region. Mills goes on to say that, â€Å" Social media are IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA part of the phenomenon known as ‘Web.2.0’. Web 2.0 is best understood as the result of the evolution of technology and application form the proverbial early days of the internet where communications were largely one-way and the Internet was used as a source of information retrieval.† (Mills, 2012). Social media consist of many tools and platforms where individuals and organizations interact. These tools play a major role in the existence and stability of the social media network. Social Media Tools and Their Functions Social media tools are those elements that are used by the public, organization or businesses and little or no cost to communicate or network. One of the top social media tools today is Facebook. According to Emily Raush who quoted â€Å"Top 10 Websites† â€Å"Facebook is the number one most visited, taking up 10 percent of all Internet visits. It is also by far the most widely consumer-used social media site.† (Raush, 2011). Facebook is a social media tool that everybody in all age groups and in all backgrounds are familiar with. Facebook has created ways in which users can create profiles and interest groups that cater to an individual or organizations needs and motives. Facebook users can exchange messages, receive notifications, add friends and subscribe to areas of interest. Another social media tool is Twitter, which is a micro blogging site that â€Å"allows users to send out real-time updates to followers for a quick and easy read.† (Raush, 2011). Twitter consists largely of opinion sharing and short messages. Twitter is a forum where individuals follow people or companies of interest to send or read what others are IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA saying about any given subject. This forum can be used through a desktop or mobile device. YouTube is another social media marketing tool that has become very popular over the years. â€Å" YouTube is currently one of the biggest search engines being used today. YouTube is a video-sharing website that is primarily updated by subscribed users who upload videos. Individuals, subscribed or unsubscribed, have the ability to watch videos, like them and comment on their thoughts of the videos. Social Media in the Business World Since the development of these various social media tools, companies have used they’re development and growth to gain competitive advantage in the markets. Companies use social media tools to market their brand and interact with their target market. One of the primary reasons businesses utilize social media to market is because social media marketing reduces the cost of advertising. With forums such as Facebook, companies have the opportunity to create a profile for their product or service and inform their target market about what they are all about and the benefits of their product with out having to spend a dime. Social media marketing is one of the most cost effective ways for a company to gain exposure and advertise a company. Social media also creates spreadability or exposure for a company among consumers. Mills states â€Å"spreadability refers to the ease with which a campaign flows across social networks.† (Mills, 2012). The ability for a brand or company to spread through social media tools such as Twitter and YouTube, give the company leverage and helps the business get their name out without much effort. The ability for the companies IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA name to get out can be through word of mouth on these social media tools, where customers share videos or share their opinions of how the product or service worked for them. â€Å" Since people are most interested in what their friends have to say about something, a friend’s review of a company can go along way in helping generate exposure for that business† (Raush, 2011). Social media marketing can also promotes brand engagement. Companies can engage their target market by creating interest groups for their product or service. By utilizing social media tools like Facebook, business can set up an interest group specifically catered to their brand and consumers can interact by liking the group, commenting on the company profile and making suggestions and sharing the content with others to expand the companies reach. Donna Hoffman and Marek Fodor of the MIT Sloan Management Review state that â€Å" highly engaged social media campaigns involve user-generated content on the part of the consumer, reinforcing loyalty to the brand and making the customer more likely to commit additional effort to support the brand in the future.† (Hoffman and Fodor, 2010). Brand engagement also creates a way for companies to know what is that a consumer wants and needs. Interest groups can contribute to the marketing research efforts of the business. As stated by Hoffman and Fodor â€Å"social media can improve the efficiency of market research efforts when, for example, marketers set up online prediction markets to crowd source new ideas or mine online forums that allow customers to comment on product concepts and offer improvements for existing products.† (Hoffman and Fodor, 2010). Social media marketing has revolutionized the way that businesses utilize social media tools to expand and grow their business. However social media has affected and negatively impacted customer relationship marketing. Social Media Marketing vs. Customer Relationship Marketing Over the years customer relationship marketing has played a major part in the growth of any business. Customer relationship marketing is what most business are all about. Customer relationship marketing is where businesses learn their customer’s needs, build customer loyalty and trust. Companies now rely so heavily on social media marketing that, they have neglected and forgotten the importance of customer relationship marketing. The problem with social media marketing is that the public primarily controls the content. Companies might find themselves trying to defend their brand based on what individuals have said to discredit that business. Customer relationship marketing is important in this aspect because business can have that one-on–one interaction with their, customers to ensure that the customer has the experience for themselves, and is not going based on the opinions of others. The businesses have the opportunity to build trust between themselves and the customer if customer relationship marketing is retained. Trust is an important part of a relationship between customers and businesses. Sometimes social media marketing can impede that trust because the opinion of others can impact and or form the mind of potential customers and could in turn shorten the intended reach of a customer. Social media marketing can also become over bearing and create a situation with customer where the customer feels like the company is being intrusive or annoying. Social media marketing also strikes concern because as Jack Yan discussed in IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA his article, sometimes, social media tools can bee unreliable. Yan stated that Twitter, which is much harder to patrol and easier to manipulate, has its share of fake accounts with programs adding followers and tweeting fake messages.† (Yan, 2011). Conclusion Social media marketing is a great way for businesses to market their brand and get awareness out there about their product or service. Social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have hand a tremendous impact on the advertising and growth of companies. Social media tools have allowed consumers to engage in the advancement of brands in that customers can suggest improvement or give their opinion on a brand.   However, because social media has evolved, customer relationship marketing has been impacted. Businesses rely heavily on social media marketing and in turn are leaving their brands and reputations in the hands of those who can alter their customer brand and market strategy. Social media is constantly growing and in turn social media marketing will continue to grow and revolutionize. Social media, if used correctly, can create the tools necessary for a company or business to have a competitive advantage and create stronger brand equity. IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA Reference Hoffman, D. L., & Fodor, M. (2010). Can you measure the roi of your social media marketing? MIT Sloan Management Review, 52(1), 41-49. Mills, A. J. (2012). Virality in social media: The spin framework. Journal of Public Affairs, doi: 10.1002/pa.1418 Raush, E. R. (2011). Social media: Revolutionizing the business world. (Unpublished master’s thesis, Liberty University), Available from Berkeley Electronic Press. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1267&context=honors Yan, J. (2011). Social media in branding: Fulfilling a need. Journal of Brand Management, 18(9), 688-696. doi: 10.1057

Introduction to Routing and Switching Essay

1. Introduction – Computer Network A computer network is a setup which comprises of multiple computers and devices to create connection in order to support the communication of all such devices. This facilitates sharing of information and resources to all the users present in the network. The following are the main purposes that the network provides to its users:  · Communication- networks allow free flow of communication among all the users. These include chat, messages, emails, conferences, etc.  · Sharing of Resources – Resources can be shared among all the users within a network. These include: o Hardware – The different computers in a network can also make use of a single hardware attached to the network. Consider the example of a shared printer attached to multiple devices in the network like in case of a university or office environment. o Software- Network also allows users to share software application programs through their computers o Files and other data – Files and data can be shared among systems in a network environment through authorized access. This helps members to work and submit tasks on the same domain and within deadlines, thus saving from hassles. 2. The Open Systems Interconnection OSI Model The hardware components of the network operate at the layers of the OSI model which are briefly discussed below: Physical layer This is concerned with the functions that carry a stream of bits over a physical medium at the mechanical and electrical level. Hubs and Repeaters operate at the physical layer of the OSI model. Data link Layer This layer categorizes data from network layer (upper layer) into frames and handles errors of the physical layer to provide to the network layer. The Bridges operate at the Data link layer of the OSI Model. Network Layer The delivery of the packet is the responsibility of the network layer which can include multiple links. Network layer can be used in cases of multiple networks where there are some links between the networks. Routers operate at the Network layer of the OSI model. Transport Layer The transport layer is also responsible for delivery of packets but it also recognizes relationship between messages. This is done in proper order and the layer also ensures control of error and flow at the source as well as the destination. Session Layer This layer controls dialog and synchronizes interaction within the network. Presentation Layer This layer is also one of the most important layers as it is looks into the syntax and semantics of the data being transferred within the network. Application Layer This layer involves interfaces and other supporting frames for the user to access the network. 3. Hardware Components within a Network The following re the basic hardware components within a network to interconnect devices (Sosinsky 33): 3.1 Network Interface Cards (NICs) These are the components used to connect to another networking medium. The NIC has a unique identification number known as Media Access Control address (MAC address) that is provided by the manufacturer. 3.2 Repeaters Repeater is a device used to transmit signals after cleaning them by regenerating the original bit pattern. 3.3 Hubs Hub connects multiple devices in the network so that they appear as a single device, therefore, it has multiple ports. 3.4 Bridges These are also hardware components that connect multiple segments of the network. 4. Network Hardware Components – Routers and Switches Routers and switches are important components of the computer network that support the above mentioned purpose of a network. These are discussed in details as under: 4.1 Routers Router is a software or device that helps in transmitting data between users in a predefined manner, thus helping in serving the purpose of the network. The data is in the form of packets that travels along the network, where the routers process the data present in the packet. In many cases there is a pre-defined forwarding or routing table used to direct the information to the appropriate destination (Beasley 62). The main tasks of the routers include:  · Ensures information forwarding to the required destination  · Keeps track and avoids information from reaching where not needed 4.1.1 Characteristics The following are the characteristics of Routers:  · The routers correspond to internet Protocols such as the internet Protocol, internet Control message Protocol, etc.  · Provides interfaces between the packet networks through the required functions  · Sends and receives datagrams  · Chooses destination for the datagram according to the routing database  · Provides support facilities for network management which includes status and exception reporting, debugging, etc. 4.1.2 Routing Routing is the process of sharing information by connecting networks and translating protocols between them. It functions at the network layer of the OSI model, acquiring addresses from the IP header of the layer to get the sources and destination. Here the Routing Protocols are used. Routers also use the routing tables to decide the destination of the packets. The routing tables include:  · Address information  · Connection Priorities  · Traffic Rules Routing differs in its delivery schemes which include the following:  · Delivery to a single node (unicast) where the node is predefined.  · Delivery to multiple specified nodes (multicast)  · Delivery to all the nodes that are part of the network (Broadcast)

Misdoubt Chamber of Commerce Essay

Introduction Misdoubt Chamber of Commerce (MSCC) is a non-profit organization created out of the need for legislature that directly addressed transportation access, an issue that was affecting the business and economic development. As time progressed and the business grew, the executive board acknowledged the need to migrate to computer technology to use information at their disposal efficiently. The goal of this case study is to analyze and list the changes that occurred as a result of MSCC acquiring new systems for handling business operations. Background After a thorough analysis MSCC’s computer systems were found to be lacking proper integration and documentation, had very little maintenance and support and were not Y2K compatible at the time of the evaluation. To help grow revenue at a rapid rate and to reduce staff and programs Leon Lassiter was hired in December 2000. Lassiter brought 12 years of marketing and sales management experience working with American Brands. He believed that working with MSCC would have afforded him the opportunity to make a bigger difference than he would have been able to make with his former employers. His vision, along with the newly hired computer programmer Simon Kovecki, was to incorporate a computer system that enabled the organization to run its principal functions more efficiently. Len Lassiter was a strong advocate for the organization purchasing a new system called UNITRAK. Although this may have been a smart business decision, employees were disillusioned as they felt that they should have been consulted when decisions of that magnitude needed to be made. Simon Kovecki, who never received the promotion that he felt was merited, also voiced his concerns about the fact that access to data was too easily accessible. Eventually, Lassiter’s demonstration of the new UNITRAK System was persuasive and powerful enough to convince the MSCC to purchase the system. The purchase of the new system, which in itself was fraught with delays, brought on some new challenges. The implementation of the project was late with staff and users raising concerns. However, it was deployed and Lassiter was adamant that two days of training was required by all employees to understand this new system. Initial reactions were that this system was not as user-friendly or efficient however Lassiter allayed these concerns stating that the system as a new one and as such would require employees spend some time getting comfortable and familiar with this system. One of the requirements of the UNITRAK is that older data had to be altered and or converted to a new system for effective application. This process was not without its problems as there were errors converting data, data was corrupted, and backups accidentally erasing crucial data. Jeff Hedges, in charge of computer operations, rarely followed up on system purchases and uses as he was preoccupied with other facets of the organization. All these problems led to an uncertainty as to whether the organization would have been able to face the upcoming Y2K changes . Discussion With all the changes that MSCC was facing, the need to list problems and solutions was imperative as we can see here: Lack of required skills of the computer department personnel: oProblem: Simon Kovechi had very little experience was disappointed with the fact that he did not get the promotion that he felt he deserved. He was also unable to acclimate to the new system in a timely manner due to his lack of IT experience. oSolution: Experienced personnel are essential to any system changes within an organization. Appropriate delegation of work: Problem: Jeff Hedges was unable to give the new system the attention that it warranted as he also had other responsibilities. In the case of Leon Lassiter, he was put in charge of computer operations although he was not the employee responsible heading computer operations. oSolution: Personnel with IT knowledge should head the computer operations department and in a situation where the company is transitioning, should be their primary focus. Supporting applications and software: Problem: UNITRAK was unable to provide adequate data conversion support. oSolution: It is imperative that when an organization is the moving to a new computer system they select one that provides adequate reliable support. compatibility Consistency of data: Problem: Separate databases run on one system. Solution: Integrated database should be utilized to allow for more efficient data entry. Lost data: Problem: Old information lost in previous backups due to lack of proper implementation. oSolution: Proper documentation of software so that backups are not corrupted. Y2K compatibility: Problem: System incompatible with Y2k Solution: Systems should be updated in a timely manner so that compatibility is not an issue. Based on these problem and solution sets MSCC should implement the following: †¢Ensure that IT department has employees with the necessary skillsets for data conversion; †¢The board and management of the organization should be actively involved in the implementation of any new systems; †¢Request adequate support from UNITRAK along with proper documentation for the new system. †¢Ensure the organization has an efficient backup system in place †¢An outside consultant should be hired to help make the system Y2K compatible in a timely manner. Reviewed and made more concise. Conclusion MSCC relies heavily on data that is accumulated within their computer systems. In this instance, they were found to be negligent in protecting and securing their most important assets thus almost claiming bankruptcy in the process. MSCC should have had a strategic plan for implementation of a new system to achieve a seamless transition with very little loss to the business.