Monday, September 30, 2019

Global Problems Such As Climate Change Greenhouse Effect Engineering Essay

Nowadays people are faced with many planetary jobs, such as clime alteration, nursery consequence, acid rains, air and H2O pollution, etc. One of the major jobs is air pollution. Air contain waste gases from cars, such as oxides of sulfur, N, C monoxide, which combine in air with H2O or other atoms, organizing unsafe compounds, destructing ozone bed and precipitating with acerb rains. Many solutions are proposed presents, such as utilizing environmentally friendly fuels, change the auto or engine design. One of possible solutions is auto mass decrease. For illustration, â€Å" each 100 g of decrease of auto mass consequences in salvaging 0.3 liters of fuel per 100 kilometer, which equals to 0.6 – 0.7 kilogram of CO2 † ( Steeluniversity.org ) But how can the mass decrease be implemented? Harmonizing to the equation, mass depends on the volume and the denseness of the stuff: As it is seen from the equation auto mass can be reduced by taking the stuff with lower denseness or by cut downing the volume of auto parts. In footings of the first solution steel remains to be the most suited stuff because of it ‘s mechanical belongingss. Steel has satisfied formability, articulation ability and output strength. Customers are happy with steel. Almost all autos are made from steels and the industry has all agencies and conditions for it. However, unstained steel is rather expensive and coating must be used. There are besides some alternate stuffs with lower denseness – Ti ( I?=4.52 ) , aluminum ( I?=2.71 ) , glass ( I?=2.55-3.55 ) , Mg ( 1.71 ) , composite ( 1.55-1.93 ) , polymer ( 0.9-1.7 ) , cloths ( 0.8-0.9 ) , white pine ( 0.51 ) . ( Istochnic ) . But they can non be used by several grounds: Cost – auto doors made of Ti, Mg, aluminum can be really expensive, so that clients will non accept these autos. Lower mechanical belongingss. Cars may non go through clang trials Poor formability Joining troubles -it can be hard to fall in such auto outer door panel with the body-in-white. Extremist alterations of the whole fabrication procedure may be required The alteration of the stuff may ensue in the alteration of assembly fixtures, organizing dies, etc. Further probes are necessary Some of these stuffs are already used in luxury autos, such as Lotus. ( Istochnik ) . But for household autos it seems to be impropriate. Hence, steel is chosen for the auto door outer panel. To cut down auto mass another parametric quantity can be changed – V ( volume of the constituent – in our instance the volume of door ) . We can non extinguish this constituent due to safety demands. We can non change the surface of the door, because it can do the alterations of the whole building. That is why the merely possible thing we can make is to understate the thickness of the door which seems to be the best option. However, we should utilize another type of steel to follow with all safety and design standards. Purposes to cut down the auto outer door panel mass at least by 25 % take the thickness of the door carry out trials on formability, articulation ability, corrosion opposition, dent and oil-canning trials take the steel and coating method Calculate weight and cost nest eggs When planing auto door the most important belongingss should be considered are: Joinability – the ability of steel to fall in, depend on the chemical science and strength ( Istochnik I change ) Formability – ability to accept the desirable signifier deue to fictile distortion. With the addition of strength formability decreases ( Change and Istochnik ) Corrosion opposition – bar of the destructive onslaught by the environment ( alteration and Istochnik ) Dent opposition – the ability of the stuff to defy local distortions. Small defects can be caused by rocks ( Change and Istochnik ) Furthermore trials are needed to be carried out in order to look into the belongingss of chosen stuff. Dent and Oil-canning trials Dent trial and Oil-canning trials are required to find the thickness and the output strength of auto door panel. The minimal values of this parametric quantities following with this demands should be found. Difference between as-received output and the concluding output strength. IstochnikThickness, millimeterAs-formed output strength, MpaPanel curvature, millimeterPanel mass, kg0.56305 49 3.980.58305 43 4.120.60290 38 4.250.62290 35 4.400.68277 27 4.830.70240 25 4.970.72240 23 5.110.76240 21 5.400.80190 19 5.68 Table 1. Date from the dent and oil-canning trials for each thickness Figure 1. Yield Strength against curvature for each thickness What parameters does the dent trial depend on? What parameters does the warp trial depend on? Which strength is needed for each thickness? Corrosion opposition The life-time warrant for auto door panel is 12 old ages. Several factors contribute to the corrosion opposition, including the stuff chosen. Stainless steel has first-class opposition to corrosion, but it will be really expensive to bring forth auto from this stuff. Uncoated steel will non last for 12 old ages harmonizing to rust procedure. So, the coated steel is the most cost effectual manner of bettering corrosion opposition of an uncoated merchandise. There are several types of coatings, viz. : pigment coating, Sn coating, Zn coating, Cr coating and polymer coating. Paint, Sn, polymer, Cr can give aesthetic consequence but one time scratched it will non protect steel from the corrosion because they act merely like a barrier. Serious environmental concerns and high cost can be deal with in the instance of polymers and Cr. Furthermore, extra coating may be needed to give the appropriate coating and surface required by clients and marketing co-workers. That is why Zn seems to be the best coating stuff. Even if scratched it will give the steel. It gives an first-class protection due to sacrificial mechanism. However, extra bed is needed to obtained coloring material that consumers need. Industry criterion corrosion trial is carried out in order to find the thickness of Zn coating and technique for using Zn coating. First Zn coated sheet 150Ãâ€"100 nanometer is treated with Zn phosphate, premier with catodic electrocoat, spray with white based coat and finish with clear coat. Scribe the painted steel – one diagonal abrasion through the coatings to the steel. The sheets are subjected to the 80 rhythms. – one per twenty-four hours. This corresponds to 3.4 old ages of exposure to existent conditions. Measurement showed how many millimeter of pigment next to the Scribe was removed. Due to the experiments day of the month the most effectual type of surfacing are HD galvanised and HD galvannealed. Cold rolled steels showed the worst corrosion opposition.Coating typeCoating weight, g*m2Average scribe weirdo, millimeterElectrogalvanized steel30 2.7Electrogalvanized steel+Zn rich primer40 2.8Hot dip galvanized steel45 2.6Electrogalvanized steel60 2.1Electrogalvanize steel70 1.6Hot dip galvanized steel67 1.7Hot dip galvanized steel107 1.4 The size of the auto door is 700Ãâ€"1000 millimeter. So, the country of the door is: S= 700*1000=700 000 mm2 It is known that the average loss of pigment is 0.01 % after 12 old ages. The country of paint loss can be calculated as: Spain loss=700 000*0.01/100=70 mm2 If this happen due to one abrasion, it may be possible to cipher the mean scribe weirdo after these 12 old ages. However, it is assumed that horizontal Scribe is non governed by the length of the abrasion. Scribe creep12 years=70/10=7 millimeter Similarly, Scribe creep1 year= 7 / 12 = 0.583 millimeter Scribe creep3.4 twelvemonth = 0.583 * 3.4 = 1.9822 a†°? 2 millimeter Using the above secret plan it is possible to happen the thinnest coating matching to 2mm scribe weirdo. The thinnest coating is 60 g. per mm2 or 8.4 A µm. The surface coating and the cost depend on the type of surfacing. The average cost for 60 g/mm2 coating is the undermentioned: 1.27 for galvanneal steel ; 1.3 for dip galvanized and 1.33 for electrogalvanized. Similarly the surface finish index is 1, 0.95 and 0.9, severally. Hot dip galvanized coating was chosen for this instance, because this coating showed itself better during corrosion trial and it has the mean values of the cost and surface finish index. Formability During formability trial a steel foliage is analyzing at particular imperativeness. This trial demonstrates the location of major strains in auto door panel. The angle parts of the panel a most likely to tear during forming. To prove these corners Forming Limit Diagram is applied. It is seen from the trial that the location of the secret plan on the Diagram depends on several factors, such as strength, type of the coat and oil for lubrication. To put the points to the safe country the undermentioned parametric quantities were chosen: Thickness t = 0.6 millimeter As-received yield-strength 290 Mpa Coating – hot dip galvinised Lubricant – Oil 2 The as-received strength alters the work indurating advocate which affects stretching of the steel sheet. In our instance the minimal work indurating advocate was found to be 0.2. We besides do n't take into history the R value since deep drawing is non utilize for auto door panel. Joinability There several types of fall ining techniques, such as adhesive bonding, concentrating and welding. Adhesive bonding is non normally used for auto door because it is technically complicated and economically unbeneficial. Riveting is used for some parts of autos but this method is impracticable for doors, since it would impact the visual aspect of the vehicle. In this instance welding seems to be the most appropriative. Steels are easy welded together, what is widely used in industry. Among the great sum of welding techniques ( electron beam welding, optical maser welding, seam welding, metal inert gas welding, opposition topographic point welding, discharge welding, clash welding ) opposition topographic point welding is the best pick for auto door outer panel. This technique is accessible and easy. the thickness of the steel sheet and the type of surfacing can impact fall ining procedure. That is why joinability trials should be carried out to look into if steel sheets with chosen coatings can be welded together. During the trial the following values were determined: Thickness, T millimeter 0.6 As-formed output strength, MPa 210 Load, kN 1.9 Welding current, kA 8.0 Welding clip, rhythms 8 Hold clip, rhythms 10 Coating Hot-dip galvanized Electrode life 2000 dyer's rockets 1 rhythm = 0.02 s What is the minimal and maximal current that produces acceptable dyer's rockets? Which is the minimal and maximal electrode force? What is the minimal and maximal dyer's rocket rate? Determine this inquiries when there is no coating Steel choice Now we have to take the steel class. Harmonizing to our consequences, we were proposed 6 types of steel: The BH220 Bake Hard steel was chosen. The comparative tabular array of current and chosen steels: Comparative parametric quantity Original Experimental Steel thickness, millimeter 0.8 0.6 Steel curvature, millimeter 10 38 Coating, type/thickness 0/0 3/8.4 Min burden, N 1.1 1.9 Min welding current, kA 5 8 Min welding clip, rhythms 7 8 Hold clip, rhythms 10 10 Consequences.Decision.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Business Ethics Tyco International Essay

Description of Organization and Product Tyco International Ltd. is a corporation with official headquarters based in Pembroke, Bermuda but the company maintains operational headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey. Tyco has grown into a multi-billion dollar company (scattered in over 100 countries) — with revenue of $41.0 billion USD (2006) to boast. Founded in 1960 by Arthur J. Rosenberg, Tyco was birthed when Rosenberg opened a laboratory intended for research and experimental works catered for government use. Incorporated by 1962 as Tyco Laboratories, it shifted its focus to developing scientific materials as well as energy conversion products, which now caters for the commercial sector. Tyco is a manufacturing and service conglomerate which is involved in a variety of products ranging from electronics, fire and security services, healthcare, aerospace, and some industrial products. For instance, its passive and active electronic components are found in computers, aerospace, automobiles, industrial machines, and household appliances among others. Under its fire protection and electronic security operations, it is responsible for designing, manufacturing, and installing products as well as providing services in these areas. Part of Tyco’s Healthcare business involves medical, pharmaceutical, surgical, imaging, and respiratory products. The company also manufactures industrial valves, and fire sprinklers thereby giving services in residential and industrial settings (â€Å"Tyco: Our Business†). It also provides services — consultation on engineering and construction management, including operating services. Through one of its subsidies, the company also has an integrated system used for the tracking and controlling public transportation system, tunnels, and bridges. Furthermore, Tyco is involved in the monitoring of systems of burglar & fire alarms, and on medical alert systems where 24-hour monitoring and response is necessary. Tyco is also engaged in buying steel and resin in the United States, as well as copper, gold, zinc, brass, paper, ink, cotton, wax, chemicals and additives. Other products purchased by the group are foil, copper clad materials, adhesives, and cloth. As of 2005, Tyco is responsible for employing about 247,900 people in its company (â€Å"Company Research: Tyco International Ltd.†). Tyco’s phenomenal growth can be traced back in the late 1980s when the company engaged in a number of acquisitions in some major companies such as ADT, Siemens Electrochemical Components, Thorn Security, and Mueller Company. But it was not until the 1990s and the subsequent years that Tyco became more aggressive in its acquisition strategy under Dennis Kozlowski as CEO. In a span of about eleven years (from 1991 to 2001), Tyco has reportedly acquired 1000 other companies. It was in 1997 that Tyco made the controversial shift of headquarters from Massachusetts to Bermuda, after the company’s acquisition of ADT.   ADT Limited has its origins which can be traced way back in the 1900s in the United Kingdom and by 1980s was restructured under the laws of Bermuda. Although part of the merger, since ADT was incorporated in Bermuda, it was still perceived as a shrewd move to avoid taxes. Shareholder and investors were later informed of this tax advantage. A partial list of Tyco’s products and its brands: AMP for its electronic components and cables RAYCHEM for circuit protection devices Ansul, Total Weather, Skum & Sabo for fire fighting products Kendall, Monoject, Shiley for medical supplies Simplex Grinnell, Wormald for fire sprinklers OpenSky and EDACS for critical communications systems Violation / People Involved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the 1990s, the company continued to show a stable and steady rise in income. But by 1999, rumors of accounting irregularities began to leak with charges directed against Tyco’s top executives: Dennis Kozlowski (former chairman and chief executive), Mark H. Swartz (former chief financial officer), and Mark Belnick (former general counsel). These accusations were vehemently denied by the company’s leadership.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was not until January of 2002 that prosecutors found Kozlowski guilty of tax evasion for his art purchases. Investigators later followed a trail of lavish expenditures, thereby making Kozlowski’s tax evasion scheme a mere ‘tip of the iceberg’.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Eight months later, these three men were arrested and tried before the New York State Supreme Court. Kozlowski and Swartz were charged of robbing the company of about $600 million with the aid of Belnick. They were found guilty of treating Tyco as a personal bank account, stealing worth of $170 million through company loans and $430 million worth of fraudulent sales of securities without the company’s shareholders knowledge (â€Å"Three Tyco Execs Indicted for Fraud†). Kozlowski was found guilty of masterminding a series of ethical violations, by misusing corporate funds for relocation and executive loan programs. Since 1996 up to 2002, these two men awarded themselves hundreds of millions of dollars with low or no-interest loans usually from Tyco’s Key Employee Corporate Loan Program (KELP). The company explicitly defined the purpose of the program. Tyco’s KELP was designed to provide loan assistance for Tyco key employees to pay their taxes when investing upon Tyco’s common stock. Of the $270 million that Kozlowski took through KELP loans (from 1997 to 2002), about $29,000,000 only were used for taxes because of the result of the vesting of Tyco stock. The rest of the money were improperly used for self-serving interests such as acquiring luxury apartments and estates, expensive artworks, estate jewelry, a yacht, and spending about $100 million for a lavish party for his second wife. Also, Kozlowski is now notoriously known for owning a gold-laced shower curtain worth $6,000 — a picture for his lavish lifestyle. He also used KELP funds to finance his own personal investments and other business ventures, deliberately violating the program’s purpose. Swartz also misappropriated about $85,000,000 dollars from the company’s KELP loans during these same periods. Following from Kozlowski’s example, he too appropriated only about $13,000,000 dollars to cover taxes as a result from the vesting of Tyco stock. Swartz misappropriated the remaining $72,000,000 dollars for self-serving purposes such as financing his own business investments, and the purchasing of real estate holdings and trusts. Kozlowski and Swartz were also guilty of deceitful acts by deliberately failing to disclose in their annual Director & Officer Questionnaire (â€Å"D&O Questionnaire†), which are given to Tyco’s senior executives, the information of these loans — much less the manner of which how these KELP loans were used. Tyco’s shareholders were deceived by Kozlowski and Swartz’s failure to reveal these important facts on the company’s Form 10-K and proxy statements. The company also has a relocation loan program since 1995, to give assistance to its employees who were affected when it moved its offices to New York City from New Hampshire and later to Florida. Kozlowski and Swartz also enriched themselves by availing of relocation loans and spending it for purposes not covered by the program. Of the $46,000,000 dollars which Kozlowski amassed from the relocation loan, $18,000,000 was spent to buy a waterfront compound in Boca Raton and an estimated $7,000,000 Park Avenue apartment for his previous wife. Swartz spent $6,500,000 to purchase an apartment on New York City’s Upper East Side; $17 M for a waterfront compound also in Boca Raton; and the rest of the funds were used in purposes not authorized by the program. They were also accountable for repeatedly classifying and reclassifying their debts to the company, and even moving on to authorizing transactions by which their millions of dollars of KELP and relocation loans were forgiven and written off the company’s books. They also instructed others to falsify the company’s books and records in order to conceal these violations. Swartz also enriched himself by selling his New Hampshire real estate to a Tyco subsidiary for $305,000, but in which the Tyco subsidiary sold it at a far lower price about two years later from its purchase. Swartz purposely did not disclose this transaction from Tyco’s investors. Both Kozlowski and Swartz abused company perquisites from Tyco — such as causing the company to purchase luxurious apartments and stay in it rent-free and made use of Tyco corporate aircraft in purposes unrelated to the company’s business. The former CEO also misused Tyco’s funds by releasing large amounts of charitable donations in his own name, and all the while failed to disclose and report these facts to investors, as mandated by the federal securities laws. While possessing material information, Swartz engaged in fraudulent sales of Tyco stocks through family business partnerships. Both men lied to Tyco’s auditors by signing management representation letters which avowed the absence of fraudulent acts from significant employees involved in Tyco’s internal control. Belnick, Tyco’s former chief legal officer, amassed millions of dollars from Tyco through similar violations committed by Kozlowski and Swartz (T Newkirk, J Coffman, R Kaplan, D Frohlich, and J Weiner. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission). Explanation of the Outcome   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The two former top Tyco executives received 8 1/3 to 25 years of prison-sentence after being tried before a New York state court, after it’s first resulted in a mistrial. They were found guilty of siphoning and misappropriating company funds during their stint as Tyco’s top executives. This was considered as one of the biggest ethical violations in a series of white-collar crimes that has tainted and eroded public confidence in the US corporate landscape. As a result, Kozlowski and Swartz served their terms in New York state prison, a case which differs greatly from other convicted corporate executives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other convicted corporate executives such as Adelphia’s John Rigas, or Martha Stewart served their prison sentences in a federal prison. Often dubbed as â€Å"Club Feds† or â€Å"Camp Cupcake†, federal prison conditions could appear like a ‘boarding school’ —- there are no bars and some are even offering facilities like tennis courts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In stark contrast, state prison do not offer such ‘luxuries’ and the gravest issue could boil down even to the inmate’s safety. It usually houses criminals convicted of rape, murder and other violent offenses —- one reason which explains its unsafe condition and which makes tight security a necessity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While others may see this conviction too harsh for a white-collar crime, Kozlowski and Swartz cannot escape their fate since their case began as a state investigation for trying to evade about $1,000,000 dollars worth of tax payment for acquiring expensive artworks by Renoir, Monet and other celebrated painters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, this has come upon the government’s stand of placing stricter measures on its effort of cracking down corruption in the corporate scene (K. Crawford. â€Å"For Kozlowski, An Especially Grim Future†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to a former SEC prosecutor, the sentences for white-collar criminals are getting tougher and judges’ former tendency to give them milder treatment is fast disappearing. While Kozlowski is credited for building up Tyco’s multi-billion dollar industrial empire, which used to give an impressive and illustrious career — rising from being an ordinary employee to become Tyco’s chief executive officer, his crime is also credited as the grandest (so far) in scale and amount of thievery in corporate history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While some would protest about the usefulness of long prison sentences given to white-collar criminals, especially when they are towards the age of retirement. However, there is an inescapable trend among state and federal courts to give longer years of prison-conviction. Whereas in the early 1990s, when such crimes were new and few, a certain convicted salesman received eight years reduction in his 10-year term, an equivalent of 22 months in jail (L. Lazaroff. â€Å"Ex-Tyco Executives Get Up To 25 Years: Kozlowski, Swartz also to pay millions in restitution, fines†). Kozlowski is serving his prison sentence at Midstate Correctional Facility in Marcy, N.Y., located outside of Syracuse of N.Y.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Clearly, there has been a great shift of change. Opinion of the Outcome   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the aftermath of the Enron, Adelphia, Tyco and other high profile business scandals which prove that ethical violations can pose a serious and costly risk for a business entity’s ability to grow or thrive. As demonstrated by Kozlowski, Swartz and Belnick —- the collapse of integrity could cost hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars for its company to cover extra expenses such as litigation, fines, damage of company reputation, subsequent loss of client’s trust, decline in sales, and the process for damage-control.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While this indictment against Kozlowski and his accomplices seem severe when it received as much punishment as those who commit violent crimes, but given the substantial amount stolen, the consequent loss of wealth due to erosion of public trust, and costly lawsuits — the benefits of giving such harsh convictions would serve as a deterrent for future losses. It is also the government’s responsibility to restore confidence among investors towards corporate entities in order for these institutions to survive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kozlowski’s shot for â€Å"dizzying success† (even using fraudulent and criminal means) was fed in part by Wall Street’s hero worship of ‘rock star’ CEOs. However, in light of a string of corporate scandals, leaders must be emulated for their ability to ‘shepherd’ their company and provide examples of living up to ethical standards themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This outcome also brings the much needed transformation on government (such as the Sarbeans-Oxley Act) and company policies pertaining to how business is conducted by those who serve them. While most of the focus is on the violators, the rippling effects of such crimes could threaten the financial security of millions of the company’s employees and their families.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Companies, in lieu of the scandal, have now placed greater importance of training its employees to make ethical decisions which would cultivate a corporate culture founded on trust and integrity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This case also helped to strengthen greater consciousness for the need to fight corruption in a global scale. The United Nations signed a new treaty in its bid to fight corruption worldwide. This covers not only government officials but is applied to the private sector as well (â€Å"United Nations Convention Against Corruption†). The Organization Today   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rebounding from the moral crises that swept its top executives, along with other companies, there has been greater commitment for transparency among the new management performers in Tyco and other companies. These are corporate leaders who have built a track record of excellent performance and who have been practicing high ethical standards. All efforts are geared toward rebuilding the company’s reputation, public and investor’s trust.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Edward D. Breen became Tyco’s new CEO in July 2002, he took a bold step in his sweeping reform to re-establish credibility and faith to the company, which included firing the Board of Directors that hired him.   Of the 500 employees in Tyco’s Princeton, N.J. headquarters, as much as 480 are newly hired since Breen breezed in to Tyco’s management scene.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although at first, Breen found the company in confusion, low morale among its employees, and about to face a cash shortage because of an $11 billion debt due a year after, Tyco has a good foundation due to Tyco’s acquisition of a number of stable businesses (S. Lohr. â€Å"New Strategies Changing Face of Corporate Scandal†). This separates Tyco from much of the companies who suffered the same fate from dishonest dealings by its top executives most of which filed for bankruptcy. Tyco was able to recover from the crisis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to a public announcement made last January 13, 2006, Tyco International is divided into three business segments: Tyco Healthcare, Tyco Electronics, and Tyco Fire & Security, and Tyco Engineered Products & Services (TFS/TEPS). Each has operations separate from each other and possesses their own set of board of directors, executives, and financial structure. By February 6, 2007, Tyco has revenue of $41 billion and currently employing about 250,000 people in different countries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite being in the process of splitting into three major companies, Tyco International Ltd. still saw an increase of net earnings of up to 43 % or a profit rise of about $793 million due to great demand especially for its electronics and security devices. Company profit taken from continuing operations is up on 37 cents per share – a performance which proved better than Wall’s Street’s forecasts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Among Tyco’s four divisions, three reported an increase in sales and better operating profits for the first quarter of this year; with its heal-care the only segment which handed in a lower yield in profit due to the company’s restructuring measures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tyco is preparing to push on its health-care and electronics divisions by the second quarter. It is gearing up for more aggressive measures as it sees a favorable global economic environment for this year, being optimistic to avail a rise of 6 to 7 percent in sales.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tyco’s shares have even achieved more than 30% over the previous year, twice than the rise of Standard & Poor’s 500 index. Another measure of its success- Tyco’s stock price rose to $33.21 on the New York Stock Exchange from its $8 value just right after the scandal (â€Å"Tyco’s Net Earnings Jump 43%†). References:    â€Å"Tyco: Our Business†. http://www.tyco.com/ â€Å"Company Research: Tyco International Ltd.†. The New York Times. February 16, 2007. http://custom.marketwatch.com/custom/nyt-com/html-companyprofile.asp?MW=http://marketwatch.nytimes.com/custom/nyt-com/html-companyprofile.asp&symb=TYC&sid=42806#compinfo â€Å"Three Tyco Execs Indicted for Fraud†. CNN.com/BUSINESS. http://edition.cnn.com/2002/BUSINESS/asia/09/12/us.tyco/ Newkirk T, Coffman J, Kaplan R, Frohlich D, Weiner J. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. http://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaint/complr 17722.htm Crawford, K. â€Å"For Kozlowski, An Especially Grim Future†. CNNMoney.com   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/21/news/newsmakers/prisons_state/ Lazaroff, Leon. â€Å"Ex-Tyco Executives Get Up To 25 Years: Kozlowski, Swartz also to pay millions in restitution, fines. Chicago Tribune. September 20, 2005. â€Å"United Nations Convention Against Corruption†.   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://untreaty.un.org/English/notpubl/Corruption_E.pdf Lohr, S. â€Å"New Strategies Changing Face of Corporate Scandal†. New York Times News Service. June 4, 2005.   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050604/news_1b4scandals.html â€Å"Tyco’s Net Earnings Jump 43%†. February 6, 2007.   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/06/news/companies/bc.tyco.results.reut/index.htm

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Amos Is Identified As The Prophet Amos Religion Essay

Amos Is Identified As The Prophet Amos Religion Essay Introduction: The author of the Book of Amos is identified as the prophet Amos. Amos was the first prophet in the Bible whose message was recorded at length. Although he came from a town in Judah, he preached to the people of the northern kingdom of Israel, about the middle of the eighth century B.C. The Book was likely written between 760 and 753 B.C. As a shepherd and a fruit picker from the Judean village of Tekoa, he was called by God, even though he lacks an education or a priestly background. His mission is directed to his neighbour to the north, Israel. It was a time of great prosperity, notable religious piety, and apparent security. But Amos saw that prosperity was limited to the wealthy, and that it fed on injustice and on oppression of the poor. Amos’ ministry takes place while Jeroboam II reign over Israel, and Uzziah reigns over Judah. Amos can see beneath Israel’s external prosperity and power; internally the nation is corrupt to the core. In short, they had forgotten what it meant to follow God. Amos took his uncompromising message straight to the religious authorities of his day, instead of listening to him, they threw him out. In the same way that Amos challenged the Israelites to reconsider their priorities, he challenges us in the climax to his book, and reminds us of what God wants (Amos 5:24). In this essay, I wish to write an introduction on the Book of Amos. Background and Meaning of Amos: The Book of Amos is set in a time when the people of Israel have reached a low point in their devotion to God. The people have become greedy and have stopped following and adhering to their values. The people in Amos’ time expected the ‘day of the Lord’ to be a picnic; but Amos pointed a different picture of inescapable terror. Scholars have understood Amos’ image of Yahweh passing through the midst of the people of Israel as an allusion; to his passing through Egypt. They make reference in this regard to (Exodu s 12:12). ‘For I will pass through the midst of you; says Yahweh.’ According to Amos, Israel is guilty of injustice toward the innocent, poor and young women. As punishment Yahweh’s vengeance would be directed against Israel, and the prophet warns his audience; ‘Is not the day of the Lord darkness in it'(Amos 5:20). The ‘day of the Lord’ was widely celebrated and highly anticipated by the followers of God. Amos came to tell the people that the ‘day of the Lord’ was coming soon and that it meant divine judgement and justice for their iniquities. Structure and Theme: The nine chapters of the Book of Amos emphasize one central theme. The people o the nation of Israel has broken their covenant with God, and his judgement against their sin will be severe. In the first major section of the book, Amos begins with biting words of judgement against the six nations surrounding the lands of Judah and Israel.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Structure and Agency in colonial Latin America Essay

Structure and Agency in colonial Latin America - Essay Example these articles precisely show that, each individual’s culture influenced his manner of doing things and his reputation but was partly influenced by the environment as well as the authority. Being honored signified dignity, self-control and self-esteem. The Spanish were labeled as honorable and worked very hard to maintain their reputation. The society half accepted the Spanish way of life as ethical and moral. According to Mark Burkholder, following the Spanish culture and being religiously converted was a means of acquiring honor. Spanish men viewed each religious act as morally right otherwise a dishonor. The society at large, accepted maintaining a religious marriage in addition to adopting the new milieu of labor and occupation as norms. The Spanish elite maintained titles which made them more honorable than the natives. Spanish men were either in political positions or masters to their slaves and therefore acted in manner not to lower their reputation. Honor is associated with rank, prestige and allowance to perform some rituals as it was the case of priests. In a common notion, being a priest awarded you respect not only to fellow race members but from other clas ses as well. Honor determined ones political influence and eligibility. Given that it was only the elite group that contained rights to determine political leaders; Ann Twinam and Geoffrey Spurling demonstrate the significance of honor in administrative position eligibility. According to spurling, a priest being accused of sodomy retards his reputation hence causing questions about his leadership. The accusation showed respect to men’s sexual behavior, with the general public viewing sodomy as a sort of dishonor. Men were supposed to remain faithful to and being born out of wedlock was partly considered a dishonor. Twinam examines the disposal of a political candidate based on proscribed birth of his mother. The Spanish not only viewed unfaithfulness as unlawful but as a source of

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Art periods - Impressionism and Post Impressionism Essay

Art periods - Impressionism and Post Impressionism - Essay Example The impressionist deviated from their predecessor artists as they painted in the open air (en plain air) (Rewald, 2005). This was very important in confronting the modern city life and the nature. They further painted their work by use of pure color. The use of pure color was very important as they made the work of the artist impressive. The work was attractive unlike the previous artistic work. The artists who fall in this category influenced the western conception of drawings and paintings. The impressionists revolutionized the western work of art. It was an avenue of the post impressionists who created their work basing on the impressionism. They modified the impressionism work of art. They thus, maintained some other aspects of the impressionism. The impressionism is very important as it made a base for the post impressionism. All the paintings, drawings and films of post- impressionism were borrowed from the impressionism. Even though the post impressionists deviated from the im pressionists, they still borrowed some knowledge from impressionists to perfect their works of art. Claude Monet is the greatest artist in this period. He aimed at catching light and atmosphere something which had not been thought by the past artists. His enjoyment in painting outdoors let to spontaneous and free painting technique. Monet’s brushwork is remarkably varied and flexible. He could change his work. Sometimes his work was dappled and sparking but at other times it was broad and sweeping.

The DHS Progress Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The DHS Progress - Term Paper Example DHS is presently in the analyzing process of appraising its global footprint of more than 1,500 personnel in 75 countries (DHS, 2011). The massive transformation of the DHS is the biggest restructuring of the government since the late 1940s when the CIA, Defense Department, and National Security Council were formed (Kahn, 2009). Relationship between the DHS and various law enforcement and intelligence agencies has undergone change over the years. Working on a strategy of sharing information by various federal, state, and local-level agencies after the 9/11 threat, it needed to create a â€Å"trusted partnership† among them to make information exchange integrated, interlinked, efficient and automatic to guarantee national security. The two departments, namely the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) manage information connected to homeland security information systems. Other than that, a number of governmental, commercial, and private organizations provide warning signals, updates, and databases to the officials of homeland security to strengthen the action-taking efforts. Besides, state-level â€Å"fusion centers† also assimilate, research, and distribute â€Å"all-source† homeland security information (Bean, 2009). After the 9/11 attack, the need for cooperation among various agencies, such as intelligence, law enforcement, and emergency management has attracted focus. Earlier, there was no information sharing taking place before 9/11. It was noted to be the biggest hurdle that human and system sharing was always discouraged. The need was felt of providing incentives for exchanging information so that an increased equilibrium could be maintained between security and exchanged information. New laws were codified on Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Further, such policies and systems were framed and enforced by federal agencies that encouraged information exchange. These attempts got

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Theories in Nursing Practice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theories in Nursing Practice - Assignment Example Her coaching then identifies organization system of the model. The scenario implies that nurses should be empowered to utilize their experience in care management, though in a positive way. Nurses’ training should therefore ensure emotional stability and sensitivity. Jason Short who navigates flooded roads to reach a dying patient in his home is using the Orlando’s nursing process theory. According to the theory, a nurse primary function is to identify a patient’s immediate need and to meet that need. Personal intuition guides identification of a patient’s need that may not necessarily be consistent with the information that the patient is conveying. Jason’s motive of helping bedridden patients identifies a broad approach that identifies a dying patient, then using the patient’s environment to learn the patient’s needs before employing initiatives for helping the patient and is therefore consistent with the theory. Based on the theory, nurses should be trained to identify patient’s underlying needs through psychological empowerment (Black, 2013). The Imogene King’s theory of goal attainment is also applicable to Brian McMillion’s scenario. The theory identifies the role of a nurse’s experience in influencing the nurse’s approach to caring for patient and the scenario identifies the role of his traumatic experience in identifying with military veteran (Fitzpatrick and Kazer, 2011). His traumatic experiences as an ex soldier motivates him to help veterans who could suffering from negative effects of their services. The scenario therefore identifies the need to empower nurses to effective management of their bad experiences for helping patients. Sister Stephen’s approach to care that brings patients comfort through her farm animals applies the Kolba’s theory of comfort. According to the middle range theory, the immediate goal of care is to attain comfort and this

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Global Organizational Behavior And Employee Development Dissertation

Global Organizational Behavior And Employee Development - Dissertation Example The findings of the research indicate that there is a positive relationship between employee development and the organization behavior. Motivation and job satisfaction determine the employees’ contribution to the achievement of the organizational goals. The limitation of this research emanates from the fact that the data used for the analysis is subjective to the human opinions and hence may be untruthful. The recommendation of this study is that the management team in any organization should invest in employee motivation and development to optimize the worker output. The value of this research lies in its ability to provide viable solutions to the reformation of organization behavior. Given that employees form part of the scarce organizational resources, optimizing their output is a priority for any organization that intends to remain productive in the competitive market environment. This paper makes a conclusion that the topic of global of global organizational behavior and employee development is of great importance to the modern organizations, this has not received the amount of attention it deserves from researchers in the present generation. The theories that were developed by classical, and other past theorists on this topic might not be highly relevant to the situation of the modern organization. This is because of the fact that the traditional organization has experienced vast transformations in its structure, and the modern business environment has also experienced various changes, in addition to the needs and living standards of the modern employees.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Analyze the article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyze the - Article Example Hence the study found out that the perception of school librarians and their internship experiences. It has been found that many higher education institutions are turning to the online programmes as the student is in a position to access greater learning resources, proffesional experts. What is more is that the student has unlimited geographical area that the student is accessed at their own convenience (Dotson, 2010). The program is very beneficial to the already employed students who cannot be able to attend the full time learning program, hence making it possible for anyone to advance in their studies. Furthermore it is more effective as the students undertaking the course work are in a better position to practice what they learn as they can apply it in the daily activities of their work (Dotson, 2010). More over the programme has been very effective in reducing the gap between academia and practice; this is because students learn experimentally as they practice what they have learnt (Dotson, 2010). Studies also show that the programme is becoming more popular all around the world. Other studies that have been carried out previously indicate that many students are now turning to online learning programmes as they are more convenient and effective. The study turned out to be meaning full and also useful; this is because online learning programmes have over the years been proven to be more effective by the previous studies. The main objective of this study was to find out if the online facilitated graduate internship programmes were effective (Dotson, 2010). The study therefore found it to be effective. As most of the students worldwide are now embracing online education Furthermore the advancement in technology have helped to make this process more effective, this has been very critical as it has supported distance learning

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Fiftieth Gate Essay Example for Free

The Fiftieth Gate Essay The interplay between history and memory is a solipsistic act, where history inevitably relies on memory to maintain its vitality whereas memory relies on history to sustain its immortality. Throughout Mark Baker’s polyphonous non-fiction memoir, †The Fiftieth Gate† and the thread like idea of the images below, memory is depicted as the panacea that enriches history as it provides diverse individual perspectives on the historical event of the holocaust. However, the biography also adduces the complications that memory might suffer, thereby revealing the inadequate omniscience of history. Baker envisages the conception of interweaving memories on elucidating historical evidence. In Gate 38, the fairy tale quality of this gate symbolises how memory can join with historical evidence to provide a more profound range of information. When Baker recites his dream to Genia, he uses the metaphor of â€Å"a river of wine† that has turned to â€Å"blood† representing the connection between an individual’s memory , in this case Baker’s memory of his childhood story, and detailed history of the Holocaust which the adult historian, Baker, had obviously studied. However, Genia recognised Baker’s dream as a childhood story book with a different ending. This representation demonstrates both how individual memories validate each other and how history is revealed through its interplay with memory. Baker further explores how memory provokes and vindicates history in his non-fiction biography. Typical of the whole memoir, gate 39 constitutes a multifarious types of textual forms portraying the ambiguity of history and its inability in unfolding the past’s conundrums without the aid of memory. Baker delineates this notion by examining the prewar historical document, his â€Å"most treasured photograph† of his family taken in 1946 stating that althoughâ€Å"The photograph transcends time. There is nothing to suggest it is 1946† ergo illustrating the obstruction history faces in reaching the absolute truth. Moreover, Baker depicts using rhetorical questions what the historical document failed to answer,† Does not the photographer know that in two months my grandmother’s smile will be erased forever ? † Whereas the impact of incident on his mother’s memory â€Å"it was a holiday because I remember putting on my best dress† deliberately evokes the clarity of particular memories in supplying the answers. Thus, the limitations of history are revealed by delving into one’s memory, as memory provides a more complete portrait of a historical event. On the other hand, despite memory’s contiguous interconnection with histor y in being its nurturing essence, yet it endures multifaceted intricacies which hinder history from absolute truth. This duality of memory is represented by the binary of Genia’s personality; †I am your victim , not your oppressor†. Baker depicts the extremes of Genia’s personality, between depression and exhilaration through ellipsis, †That was me then. Nothing to look at now†¦nothing to see†¦ruins† and in her inversion of cause and effect about her original period of depression: †I remember now. The breakdown, it was because of you. † This dual nature of one’s memory provokes memory’s bewilderment, hence revealing the imperfection of history. Additionally, memory’s failure in passing the test of athanasia manipulates the inadequate omniscience of history. Gate 41 recounts Baker’s attempt to find Benjamin Kogut, a survivor who saved Yossel , Baker’s father, as a means of enhancing historical evidence by the inclusion of Kogut’s memory. Baker uses recount about â€Å"The Search Bureau for Missing Relatives† in Jerusalem to show how historical evidence is sifted. Ultimately, Baker’s discovery of a Kogut family member’s Tel Aviv telephone number reveals that Kogut has died leaving â€Å" one single photograph from after the liberation, but no memories†. Baker’s metaphor of â€Å"peering into memory’s black hole† conveys the tendency of memory to be lost thus relinquishing the concept of â€Å"absolute truth† while revealing history to be only a partial representation of collective memory. In retrospect, the reader sees memory acting as an anecdote since it assists history but fails to achieve history’s â€Å"absolute truth†. This notion is akin to Sir Winston Churchill’s ideology which depicts that â€Å"History is written by victors† as a means of demonstrating the interplay of memory and history where the prejudice of collective memory restrains the candidness of history.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Acquire Communicative Competence In Second Language English Language Essay

Acquire Communicative Competence In Second Language English Language Essay Communication is very important to both, children and adults. Regardless of any disabilities, all human being acquire the ability to communicate subconsciously. The topic is chosen as an issue of education due to two main reasons. First, it is within the same topic that the writer chooses as his research scope. Secondly, because it is the most prominent problem that the writer realizes faced by the students in the school that he did his practicum. A child acquires his mother tongue through exposure he receives from the surrounding namely his parents, friends and the societies. The mutes learn the sign language base on a similar purpose to any normal kids, which is to deliver and receive messages. The developmental stages of the acquisition process are best defined through various aspects throughout the childrens ageing process (Lightbrown Spada; 2006). Due to the similar fact on the importance of communication, people are required to master more than only one language. Improvement in technologies, business opportunities, education and many other fields has open more opportunities for the world societies to exchange and share ideas of similar interest. One of the most typical technologies that have increased the needs of learning English as a second language is the enhancement of the internet. This is why learning and mastering a second language becomes crucial. In answering this question which is, what does it means to acquire communicative competence?, it is important to clarify the meaning of all of the important terms included in the question such as the terms acquire, communication, as well as communicative competence. Literally, acquire means to gain something by your own efforts, ability or behavior: She has acquired a good knowledge of English (Oxford Dictionary; 2005). Acquire is best understood when being compared to the word learn where it is a process gone through by learners in formal settings with a well-defined stages according to the appropriate level of difficulties. Acquire on the other hand is a process of automatically empowering a skill or ability through either formal or informal settings. Communication means the activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information: Speech is the fastest method of communication between people. (Oxford Dictionary; 2005). It includes process of sending info rmation either verbally through words of spoken mouth or non-verbally through sign language. Communicative competence has been so far considered as a major term in the field of second language acquisition. There is no specific definition yet that can be claimed as the most suitable meaning in defining what does communicative competence means. However, base on various readings, I managed to find the best explanation in defining the meaning of this term. According to George Yule (The study of language; 2006), communicative competence can best be defined as the general ability to use language accurately, appropriately and flexibly. However the degree of such competencies can be measured in three different components. It consists of the grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence and the strategic competence. The first component is grammatical competence, which involves the accurate use of words and structures. (George Yule; 2006) Noam Chomsky definition of grammatical competence takes into account phonological competence as part of the components. One good example of this component is learners need to learn and understand the different time references of sets of words such as he takes, he took and he has taken, and to be able to make appropriate time reference when speaking or writing the words. In short, it can be interpreted as the ability to recognize and produce the distinctive grammatical structures of a language and to use them effectively in communication Concentration on grammatical competence only, however will not provide the learner with the ability to interpret or produce second language expressions appropriately. This ability is actually the second component, called sociolinguistic competence. It enables the learner to know when to say Can I have some water? versus Give me some water! according to the social context. Much of the discussion on the pragmatics aspect has to become familiar in the cultural context of the second language if the learner is to develop sociolinguistic competence. (George Yule; 2006) The third component is called strategic competence. This is the ability to organize a message effectively and to compensate, via strategies, for any difficulties. In second language use, learners inevitably experience moments when there is a gap between communicative intent and their ability to express that intent. (George Yule; 2006) The implications might either be good as well as bad. The good thing is when learners try to express themselves using a communication strategy. Example is when a learner use the vocabularies that already known to them in referring to things that they have no idea of its English word such as, a plate to put cigarettes dust that refers to an ashtray. In the worst cases, learners may just stop talking, which is a bad idea in learning a language. In close reference to only the definition provided above, communicative competence can best be defined as being able to automatically and interpret received information accurately with correct grammatical application that reflects the real contextual meaning wished to be conveyed, as well as able to compensate unknown or difficult words into typical, understandable language. There are a few assumptions made by linguists in regards of the nature of verbal communication which I believe may help to further explain the meaning of acquiring a second language communicative competence. The assumptions include that communication is meaning-based, conventional and interactional. (Jack Richards; 1985). Under the meaning-based aspect of communication, most of the examples given are based on people that learn English as their second language. It helps a lot in making my very own assumption in regards of determining the true meaning of acquiring a second language communicative competency. This assumption differentiate English users base on two different needs. The basic survival need and the survival level need. The basic survival need refers to, learners who have active vocabulary of perhaps two hundred words, minimal knowledge of the syntax of English, but in a situation where English is required for simple and basic communicative purposes. The immediate need refer to a core basic referents or things in the real world such as name of things, states, events and attributes using known words. Basic survival requires learner to be able to link words together to make predications, that is, to express propositions. At this level, learning a language is seen as learning how to create propositions. (Jack Richards; 1985) The survival level need implies more than construction of propositions. At this level, learners are usually identified as adult speakers. They use propositions in utterances in a variety of ways such as to ask a question about a proposition, to affirm a proposition, deny or negate a proposition or express an attitude toward a proposition. Speakers immediate need is to work out a way of performing such operations as stating, affirming, denying, or questioning propositions as economically as possible. Here speakers have needs similar to children who are learning their mother tongue as complex utterances are expressed within the limited grammatical system known to the speaker. However, the way they express the need is rather more advance and complex compared to children expression or utterances. By making comparison of both levels, it can be concluded that being able to make propositions alone does not make a second language learner communicatively competence. The skills that learners and speakers of a second language use to express their needs as well to be able to produce accurate utterances and acquire the ability to restructure their existing vocabularies to meet the demand of contextual suitability, is a part of the components of acquiring a second language competency. The next assumption is on the conventional aspect of communication. Under this assumptions, the goals of English language learners change through the acquisition process. It is stated that, as language acquisition proceeds, the learner revises his or her ideas about how propositions are expressed in English. Learners syntax become more complex as his or her knowledge of negation, the auxiliary system, questions, word order, embedding, conjoining and so on expands. (Jack Richards; 1985) At this stage, learners are believed to have gained the grammatical competence. Propositions or utterances made by learners are differentiated into two kinds. The first is a conventional way of making propositions and utterances which is in close context to daily usage and the second is novel utterances. The best way to explain the difference between both types of communication forms is by looking at these two sentences below. Would you mind mailing this letter to me? It is my desire that this letter be mailed by you. (Jack Richards; 1985) The first is an example of a conventional utterance as it is used by native speakers of the language and in close context to real life conversation. The latter is an example of a novel utterance. Even though it is a grammatically correct sentence, it holds no status as a potential utterance within discourse, which is not applicable in daily conversation. This assumption address that, once learners have progressed to the stage where they are beginning to generate novel utterances, they find that many of their utterances fail to conform to pattern of conventional usage, although they are undoubtedly English sentences. (Jack Richards; 1985) This proves that, only a fraction of sentences that could be generated by our grammatical competence are actually ever used in communication. This is because communication is largely consists of the use of language in a more conventional ways. In reference to defining the meaning of acquiring communicative competency, I believe that producing grammatically correct sentences is of ultimate importance because it hinders misunderstanding and increase the intelligibility. The fact that language is conventional has important implications for language teaching as it suggest that language acquisition is better compared to the process of language learning. However, it is also important for learners to practice communicating, verbalizing or delivering their thoughts using sentences which are in close context to the purposes of the communication that takes place so that the intended meanings become clearer and more authentic. The next assumption is on the interactional aspect of communication. Under this assumption it is said that, language is used to keep open the channels of communication between people and to establish a suitable rapport. (Jack Richards; 1985) In any action, each actor provides a field of action for the other actors, and the reciprocity thus established allows the participants to exercise enacting a self or identity, and using strategies to accomplish other interactional ends. (Jack Richards: Goffman: Watson; 1985) In explaining the quoted explanation, it is best to look into the initial stage of conversation between two strangers. To raise a safe topic is a typical strategy in starting a small talk. Topics are carefully chosen so that there is a strong likelihood of mutual agreement. This allows speakers the right to stress his agreement with the hearer, and therefore satisfy the hearers desire to be right or to be corroborated in his opinions. (Jack Richards; 1985) A safe topic is de fined as much of what passes for communication with the purposes of sociability. (Jack Richards: Bolinger: 1975) Examples of safe topics are topics for virtually everyone such as the weather, the beauty of scenery, opinions on the public transportation and many more. (Jack Richards: Brown Levinson: 1978) These are examples of what has been called phatic communion. Basically, there are three main mechanisms of phatic communion namely the speakers repertoire of verbal and visual gestures, speakers stock of canned topics and formulaic utterances and lastly the awareness of taking turns in a conversation. Speakers repertoire of verbal and visual gestures refer to the signals send and receive by speakers which signal interest in what his or her conversational partner is saying. This includes the use colloquial utterances to show agreement as well as disagreement such as mhmm, uh-uh, a-hah, yeah, really? and many more. The importance of colloquial language in terms of addressing appropriate context according to the appropriate social class has been highlighted by Janet Holmes in her book, An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. She stated that, there are other strategies besides topic manipulation which have been used in order to capture people most relaxed or vernacular speech style. The second mechanism is the speakers stock of canned topics and formulaic utterances. These are produced at relevant points in discourse, such as the small talk that is required to make brief encounters with acquaintances. (Jack Richards; 1985) From my opinion, I think the terms stock of canned topics and formulaic utterances here refer to the utterances that a speaker says while the conversation takes place either between his or her common friends as well as to strangers. This is the ability to connect topics which is in the similar context with what has been said at the initial stage of the conversation with the purpose of extending the conversation for a longer period. The third mechanism is the awareness of taking turns in a conversation. This refers to the awareness of when to talk and when not to talk, that is, appropriate use of turn-taking conventions. (Jack Richards; 1985) This is a mere fact of practicing politeness in a conventional communication. Being polite is a serious business in any language. It is difficult to learn because it involves understanding not just the language, but also the social and cultural values of the community. In fact it involves a great deal more than superficial politeness routines that parents explicitly teach their children. (Janet Holmes; 2008) The assumption has provided me with another insight towards defining second language communicative competency. It takes into account the credibility as well as the ability of a learner or speaker to speak freely regardless of who the receivers or hearers are. The selection of suitable topics in initiating a conversation, the ability to hold a conversation for quite some times and to show respect towards the other speaker without stereotyping and by not neglecting the affectionate factors such as politeness is also a key element in acquiring a second language competency. To conclude, acquiring a second language communicative competency requires learners to master the basic needs of communication which are the ability to transmit and interpret received information accurately with correct grammatical application that reflects the real contextual meaning as well as able to compensate unknown or difficult words into typical, understandable language. Other than that, learners need to be able to acquire the ability to restructure their existing vocabularies to meet the demand of contextual suitability. Furthermore, it is important for learners to practice to communicate using sentences which are in close context to the purposes of the communication that takes place so that the intended meanings become clearer and more authentic. Learners should also be able to manipulate suitable topics in initiating a conversation and to hold the conversation for quite some times while showing respect towards the other speaker without stereotyping and by not neglecting th e affectionate factors such as politeness. There is a major difference between communicatively competence and speaking competently. I realized that throughout the essay, most of the explanations made were regulated around only two points. First, is in defining the meaning of communicative competence. Second, is elaborating the meaning of acquiring second language communicative competence from the perspective of only verbal communication. I realize that the process of communication is not restricted to only one channel which is speaking. It can also be through other means of sending and receiving messages such as writing, listening and reading. This is considered as a delimitation which I encountered in accomplishing the task. My initial plan was to define the meaning of acquiring communicative competence from the four main components of English language learning which are speaking, listening, reading and writing. However, due to the limited resources, I decided to choose only one part of the second language communicative comp etency aspect.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Speech :: essays research papers

Now that this journey is declared officially â€Å"OVER† I would like for all of you teachers to recognize all my patience, understanding, and my abilities of persuasion. For all of you who made my life miserable and impossible, I still love ya!! * I would like to dedicate my abilities of skipping class to Mr. Diaz because without him, I wouldn’t be where I am right know. Thank you for never noticing! * I would also like to dedicate all my sore throats to Mr. Williams because without them, I probably wouldn’t be able to spit as many times as I did your coffee mug. * I dedicate my logros to the logro club Even though I wasn’t completely part of you guys, I’m aware the road is not easy and you guys did push it hard. * To Anibal, I dedicate the 101 times I arrived late to school and you nicely opened me the gate every single time. * To Carmen Alicia, I dedicate the happiness school brought to my face daily since she was always there giving me a smile specially in the moments of need. * To Mrs. Faillace I would like to dedicate my acceptance to Suffolk University because if it wasn’t for her support and comprehension I probably would never made it. * Mr. Gabriel, even though you always try to be funny but you aren’t, I dedicate you all my referrals to the office you let pass if I laughed at your bad jokes. * Lalito Escolar, I leave you my never ending love and our hidden affair. * Zuly, I dedicate you all the school rules I didn’t obey including in your own computers lab. (Checking e-mail) * To Mrs. Farr I dedicate my ability to sleep for 45 min. without you noticing. * To Mr. Barrios I dedicate my incredible ability to counterfeit passes since he never catch me one. * To All teachers, If you always have wondered why the teacher appreciation day gave you diarrhea, is because the drink had laxatives. Speech :: essays research papers Now that this journey is declared officially â€Å"OVER† I would like for all of you teachers to recognize all my patience, understanding, and my abilities of persuasion. For all of you who made my life miserable and impossible, I still love ya!! * I would like to dedicate my abilities of skipping class to Mr. Diaz because without him, I wouldn’t be where I am right know. Thank you for never noticing! * I would also like to dedicate all my sore throats to Mr. Williams because without them, I probably wouldn’t be able to spit as many times as I did your coffee mug. * I dedicate my logros to the logro club Even though I wasn’t completely part of you guys, I’m aware the road is not easy and you guys did push it hard. * To Anibal, I dedicate the 101 times I arrived late to school and you nicely opened me the gate every single time. * To Carmen Alicia, I dedicate the happiness school brought to my face daily since she was always there giving me a smile specially in the moments of need. * To Mrs. Faillace I would like to dedicate my acceptance to Suffolk University because if it wasn’t for her support and comprehension I probably would never made it. * Mr. Gabriel, even though you always try to be funny but you aren’t, I dedicate you all my referrals to the office you let pass if I laughed at your bad jokes. * Lalito Escolar, I leave you my never ending love and our hidden affair. * Zuly, I dedicate you all the school rules I didn’t obey including in your own computers lab. (Checking e-mail) * To Mrs. Farr I dedicate my ability to sleep for 45 min. without you noticing. * To Mr. Barrios I dedicate my incredible ability to counterfeit passes since he never catch me one. * To All teachers, If you always have wondered why the teacher appreciation day gave you diarrhea, is because the drink had laxatives.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Hacking satellite cards :: essays research papers

Writing a "Private 3M Script" First it is important to define the term "3M." The term "3M" simply refers to a script's ability to unlock all of the channels, based on the saying "All for one, and One for all!" from the "3 Musketeers," (which came from the old days of hacking cable boxes where all channels were viewable through one channel). Anyway, "3M" now is just a generic term for a card that has all channels open and no stealth or write protection. In stealth scripts, the "3M" code refers to the actual part of the code that enables the video.All scripts that open all of the channels are 3M's, however most people are referring to scripts that auto-update on their own, when they refer to a 3M. The card auto-updates because it has no commands blocked, and it appears to be a normal subbed card, as much as possible. The EASIEST type of 3M to write is to modify a valid bin file, by editing it in BasicH. Before you can write a script to modify the card, you need to be able to edit a bin file manually to make those changes. If you read through this page carefully you will find everything you need to know to modify a valid bin file with unique jump points and a 3M code. After you are done editing your valid bin file you will have a private 3M that auto-updates, with private jump points. To remove simply do a 1-STEP clean in BasicH or BasicU. If you follow the directions you should have a fairly safe 3M to use. If you have a private 3M (that does not have code in any regions that have been changed ago updates) your card would still be running today no matter HOW long they've been you installed it. They can only send a "killer" ECM that will loop your cards if they have 8 known bytes in a row that they can hash. In order to ZAP your card with an ECM your card needs to be detected as being "hacked." In order to do this they need to know you card's "signature," and your signature is based on the "extra&quo t; data that is on your card: the jump points and 3M code. If they don't know your jump points or how exactly you broke up your 3M code then it is not possible for them to target you since they won't know the "signature" of your card. Hacking satellite cards :: essays research papers Writing a "Private 3M Script" First it is important to define the term "3M." The term "3M" simply refers to a script's ability to unlock all of the channels, based on the saying "All for one, and One for all!" from the "3 Musketeers," (which came from the old days of hacking cable boxes where all channels were viewable through one channel). Anyway, "3M" now is just a generic term for a card that has all channels open and no stealth or write protection. In stealth scripts, the "3M" code refers to the actual part of the code that enables the video.All scripts that open all of the channels are 3M's, however most people are referring to scripts that auto-update on their own, when they refer to a 3M. The card auto-updates because it has no commands blocked, and it appears to be a normal subbed card, as much as possible. The EASIEST type of 3M to write is to modify a valid bin file, by editing it in BasicH. Before you can write a script to modify the card, you need to be able to edit a bin file manually to make those changes. If you read through this page carefully you will find everything you need to know to modify a valid bin file with unique jump points and a 3M code. After you are done editing your valid bin file you will have a private 3M that auto-updates, with private jump points. To remove simply do a 1-STEP clean in BasicH or BasicU. If you follow the directions you should have a fairly safe 3M to use. If you have a private 3M (that does not have code in any regions that have been changed ago updates) your card would still be running today no matter HOW long they've been you installed it. They can only send a "killer" ECM that will loop your cards if they have 8 known bytes in a row that they can hash. In order to ZAP your card with an ECM your card needs to be detected as being "hacked." In order to do this they need to know you card's "signature," and your signature is based on the "extra&quo t; data that is on your card: the jump points and 3M code. If they don't know your jump points or how exactly you broke up your 3M code then it is not possible for them to target you since they won't know the "signature" of your card.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Progressivism Essays -- essays research papers

Progressivism implies a philosophy which welcomes innovations and reforms in the political, economic, and social order. The Progressive movement, 1901 to 1917, was ultimately the triumph of conservatism rather than a victory for liberalism. In a general sense, the conservative goals of this period justified the Liberal reforms enacted by Progressive leaders. Deviating from the â€Å"traditional† definition of conservatism (a resistance to change and a disposition of hostility to innovations in the political, social, and economic order), the Conservatist triumph was in the sense that there was an effort to maintain basic social and economic relations vital to a capitalist society. The Progressive leaders essentially wanted to perpetuate Liberal reform in order to bring upon general conservatism. Expansion of the federal government’s powers, competition and economic distribution of wealth, and the social welfare of American citizens concerned the many leaders of this era. The business influence on politics was quite significant of the Progressive Era. Not only did the three leading Progressive political figures, Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson, bring upon new heights to government regulation, but also the great business leaders of this era defined the units of political intervention. With political capitalism rising to fame, Progressive politics experienced new themes and areas. The inevitability of federal regulation policies, reformation of social welfare, conservation, and various innovations with banking led to one conservative effort: the preservation of existing powers and economic/social relations. The political leaders of this ear were conservative in that they all believed in the fundamentals of basic capitalism. The various forms of anti-trust legislation presented by each president made the nation one step closer to providing a stable, predictable, and secure, therefore, conservative capitalist society. Theodore Roosevelt’s statist tendencies brought new meaning to government regulation. Roosevelt’s Anti-Trust policy of 1902 pledged government intervention to break up illegal monopolies and regulate corporations for the public good. Roosevelt felt that â€Å"bad† trusts threatened competition and markets. in order to restore free competition, President Roosevelt ordered the Justice department to prosecute corporations pursing monopolistic pr... ...ed and are Liberal indeed. However, the Liberal reforms reinforced the original conservative goals. Business and political leaders accepted the growing competition. Laissez faire, complete Liberalism, hardly ever existed and will not appear in the near future. Political capitalism, by definition from Gabriel Kolko (author of â€Å"The Triumph of Conservatism), is the utilization of political outlets to attain conditions of stability, predictability, and security in the economy. The fact that federal regulation of the economy was conservative in its effect in preserving existing power and economic relations in society shows that federal regulation in the economy was conservative as well. Through the many antitrust acts and various economic and social policies, the Progressive Era ultimately operated on the assumption that the general welfare of the community could be best served by satisfying the concrete needs of business. The big business and business leaders influenced the regulation and the government worked for the people, promoting competition and decentralization. Hence, the Progressive movement served to preserve original goals, not reform society with Liberalism.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Smart Card

A smartcard is a specific type of plastic card generally made of polyvinyl chloride based on polyesters or polycarbonate. It is the size of credit card. There is a 3by 5 mm imbedded chip in the card. Smart card contains either memory card or microprocessor that holds data and information. The microprocessor card can add, delete, and manipulate information on the card, while a memory-chip card (for example, pre-paid phone cards) can only undertake a pre-defined operation.Smart cards, unlike magnetic stripe cards, can carry all necessary functions and information on the card. Therefore, they do not require access to remote databases at the time of the transaction. A typical smartcard consists of an 8-bit microprocessor running at approximately 5 MHz with ROM, EEPROM and RAM, together with serial input and output, all in a single chip that is mounted on a plastic carrier. The operating system is typically stored in ROM, the CPU uses RAM as its working memory, and most of the data is sto red in EEPROM. Fig:-1 shows smart card. HistoryIn 1968 and 1969 German electrical engineers Helmut and Jurgen jointly developed automated chip card. Then after in 1974 French inventor Roland Moreno gives memory card concept called smart card. An important patent for smart cards with a microprocessor and memory as used today was filed by Jurgen Dethloff in 1976 and granted as USP 4105156 in 1978. The first mass use of the cards was as a telephone card for payment in French pay phones starting in 1983. Carte Bleue After the Telecarte microchips were integrated into all French Carte Bleue debit cards in 1992.Customers inserted the card into the merchant's POS terminal, then typed the PIN, before the transaction was accepted. Only very limited transactions (such as paying small highway tolls) are processed without a PIN. Smart-card-based electronic purse systems store funds on the card so that readers do not need network connectivity and entered service throughout Europe in the mid-1990 s. The major boom in smart card use came in the 1990s, with the introduction of smart-card-based SIMs used in GSM mobile phone equipment in Europe.With the ubiquity of mobile phones in Europe, smart cards have become very common. Development of contactless systems Contactless smart cards that do not require physical contact between card and reader are becoming increasingly popular for payment and ticketing applications such as mass transit and motorway tolls. Visa and MasterCard have agreed to an easy-to-implement version that was deployed in 2004–2006 in the USA. Most contactless fare collection implementations are custom and incompatible, though the MIFARE Standard card .Smart cards are also being introduced in personal identification at national and international levels. Citizen cards, drivers’ licenses, and patient card schemes are appearing. A smart card is a plastic card about the size of a credit card, with an embedded microchip that can be loaded with data, use d for telephone calling, electronic cash payments, and other applications, and then periodically refreshed for additional use. Currently or soon, you may be able to use a smart card to: Dial a connection on a mobile telephone and be charged on a per-call basis* Establish your identity when logging on to an Internet access provider or to an online bank * Pay for parking at parking meters or to get on subways, trains, or buses * Give hospitals or doctors personal data without filling out a form * Make small purchases at electronic stores on the Web (a kind of cybercash) * Buy gasoline at a gasoline station Over a billion smart cards are already in use. Currently, Europe is the region where they are most used. Ovum, a research firm, predicts that 2. billion smart cards will be shipped annually by 2003. Another study forecasts a $26. 5 billion market for recharging smart cards by 2005. Compaq and Hewlett-Packard are reportedly working on keyboards that include smart card slots that can be read like bank credit cards. The hardware for making the cards and the devices that can read them is currently made principally by Bull, Gemplus, and Schlumberger. How Smart Cards Work A smart card contains more information than a magnetic stripe card and it can be programmed for different applications.Some cards can contain programming and data to support multiple applications and some can be updated to add new applications after they are issued. Smart cards can be designed to be inserted into a slot and read by a special reader.. An industry standard interface between programming and PC hardware in a smart card has been defined by the PC Working Group, representing Microsoft, IBM and other interested companies. Like smart cards with contacts, contactless cards do not have an internal power source.Instead, they use an inductor to capture some of the incident radio-frequency interrogation signal, rectify it, and use it to power the card's electronics. Hybrids A hybrid smart card which clearly shows the antenna connected to the main chip Dual-interface cards implement contactless and contact interfaces on a single card with some shared storage and processing. An example is Porto's multi-application transport card, called Andante, which uses a chip with both contact and contactless interfaces . Applications First introduced in Europe nearly three decades ago, smart cards debuted as a stored value tool for payphones to reduce theft.As smart cards and other chip-based cards advanced, people found new ways to use them, including charge cards for credit purchases and for record keeping in place of paper. In the U. S. , consumers have been using chip cards for everything from visiting libraries to buying groceries to attending movies, firmly integrating them into our everyday lives. Several U. S. states have chip card programs in progress for government applications ranging from the Department of Motor Vehicles to Electronic Benefit Transfers (EBTs).Many industrie s have implemented the power of smart cards in their products, such as the GSM digital cellular phones as well as TV-satellite decoders. Why Smart Cards Smart cards improve the convenience and security of any transaction. They provide tamper-proof storage of user and account identity. Smart card systems have proven to be more reliable than other machine-readable cards, like magnetic stripe and barcode, with many studies showing card read life and reader life improvements demonstrating much lower cost of system maintenance. Smart cards also provide vital components of system security or the exchange of data throughout virtually any type of network.They protect against a full range of security threats, from careless storage of user passwords to sophisticated system hacks. The costs to manage password resets for an organization or enterprise are very high, thus making smart cards a cost-effective solution in these environments. Multifunction cards can also be used to manage network sys tem access and store value and other data. Worldwide, people are now using smart cards for a wide variety of daily tasks, which include: FinancialSmart cards serve as credit or ATM cards, fuel cards, mobile phone SIMs, authorization cards for pay television, household utility pre-payment cards, high-security identification and access-control cards, and public transport and public phone payment cards. Non-EMV cards work like magnetic stripe cards. This is a typical USA card technology (PayPass Magstripe and VISA MSD). The cards do not hold/maintain the account balance. All payment passes without a PIN, usually in off-line mode. The security of such a transaction is no greater than with a magnetic stripe card transaction.EMV cards have contact and contactless interfaces. They work as a normal EMV card via contact interface. Via contactless interface they work somewhat differently in that the card command sequence adopts contactless features such as low power and short transaction time . Identification A quickly growing application is in digital identification. In this application, the cards authenticate identity. The most common example employs public key infrastructure (PKI). The card stores an encrypted digital certificate issued from the PKI provider along with other relevant information.Contactless smart cards that can be read from within a wallet or even a garment simplify authentication; however, there is concern over criminals accessing data from these cards. Cryptographic smart cards are often used for single sign-on. Most advanced smart cards include specialized cryptographic hardware that uses algorithms such as RSA and DSA. Today's cryptographic smart cards generate key pairs on board, to avoid the risk from having more than one copy of the key (since by design there usually isn't a way to extract private keys from a smartThe first smart card river's license system in the world was implemented in 1987 in Turkey. Turkey had a high level of road accident s and decided to develop and use digital tachograph devices on heavy vehicles, instead of the existing mechanical ones, to reduce speed violations. Since 1987, the professional driver's licenses in Turkey are issued as smart cards and the driver is required to insert his driver's license into the digital tachograph before starting to drive. The tachograph unit records speed violations for each driver and gives a printed report. The driving hours for each driver is also being monitored and reported.In 1990 the European Union conducted a feasibility study through BEVAC Consulting Engineers, titled â€Å"Feasibility study with respect to a European electronic driver’s license (based on a smart-card) on behalf of Directorate General VII†. In this study, chapter seven is dedicated to the experience in Turkey, stating that the electronic driver's license application, in the form of smart cards, was first implemented in Turkey in 1987. Public transit Smart cards and integrate d ticketing have become widely used by public transit operators around the world. Card users may use their cards for other purposes than for transit, such as small purchases.Computer security The Mozilla Firefox web browser can use smart cards to store certificates for use in secure web browsing. Some disk encryption systems, such as TrueCrypt and Microsoft Windows 7 BitLocker, can use smart cards to securely hold encryption keys, and also to add another layer of encryption to critical parts of the secured disk. Smart cards are also used for single sign-on to log on to computers. Smart card support functionality has been added to Windows Live passports. Schools Smart cards are being provided to students at schools and colleges. Tracking student attendance * As an electronic purse, to pay for items at canteens, vending machines etc. * Tracking and monitoring food choices at the canteen, to help the student maintain a healthy diet* Tracking loans from the school library Healthcare Sma rt health cards can improve the security and privacy of patient information, provide a secure carrier for portable medical records, reduce health care fraud, support new processes for portable medical records, provide secure access to emergency medical information, enable compliance with government initiatives (e. g. organ donation) and mandates, and provide the platform to implement other applications as needed by the health care organization. Advantages The benefits of smart cards are directly related to the volume of information and applications that are programmed for use on a card. A single contact/contactless smart card can be programmed with multiple banking credentials, medical entitlement, driver’s license/public transport entitlement, loyalty programs and club memberships to name just a few. Multi-factor and proximity authentication can and has been embedded into smart cards to increase the security of all services on the card.For example, a smart card can be progra mmed to only allow a contactless transaction if it is also within range of another device like a uniquely paired mobile phone. This can significantly increase the security of the smart card. Individuals gain increased security and convenience when using smart cards designed for interoperability between services. For example, consumers only need to replace one card if their wallet is lost or stolen. Additionally, the data storage available on a card could contain medical information that is critical in an emergency should the card holder allow access to this.The first main advantage of smart cards is their flexibility. There is no need, for example, to carry several cards: one card can simultaneously be an ID, a credit card, a stored-value cash card, and a repository of personal information such as telephone numbers or medical history. Such a card can be easily replaced if lost, and, because a PIN number (or other form of security) must be used to access information, is totally usele ss to people other than its legal bearer. At the first attempt to use it illegally, the card would be deactivated by the card reader itself. The second main advantage is security.Smart cards can be electronic key rings, giving the bearer ability to access information and physical places without need for online connections. They are encryption devices, so that the user can encrypt and decrypt information without relying on unknown, and therefore potentially untrustworthy, appliances such as ATMs. Smart cards are very flexible in providing authentication at different level of the bearer and the counterpart. Finally, with the information about the user that smart cards can provide to the other parties, they are useful devices for customizing products andservices.Other general benefits of smart cards are: * Portability * Increasing data storage capacity * Reliability that is virtually unaffected by electrical and magnetic fields. Smart Cards andElectroniccommerce Smart cards are turning out to be a fundamental piece of the transformation of retailing into electronic commerce. The impressive growth of the Internet is making electronic shopping at least a real possibility, if not a habit, among computer users. However, the business model used in current electronic commerce applications still cannot enjoy the full potential of the electronic medium.Moreover, concerns about the reliability of an invisible counterpart and about the safety of the Internet for credit card information increase the wariness and thereby limit the use of the electronic shopping on the part of customers. Of the estimated 360 billion payments that took place in the United States in 1995, approximately 300 billion could not have taken place using the existing electronic media. Such transactions involved micro-payments p; i. e. payments for less than $10 p; which are virtually outside of the electronic arena for lack of a payment method compatible with such low amounts.Credit cards or checks are simply too expensive to use for micro-payments, and the e-cash currently being experimented on the World Wide Web does not seem to have the characteristics to appeal to shoppers. For this reason, smart cards could be a fundamental building block of widespread use of electronic commerce, since they are an instrument to pay at a low cost for transactions involving small amountsofmoney. Another big advantage of smart cards for electronic commerce is their use for the customization of services.It is already possible to purchase tailored services on the World Wide Web p; MyYahoo and FireFly are well known examples. However, in order for the service supplier to deliver the customized service, the user has to provide each supplier with her profile p; a boring and time consuming activity. A smart card can contain a non-encrypted profile of the bearer, so that the user can get customized services even without previous contacts with the supplier. Finally, smart cards are a key technology ena bler for financial institutions.The processing power, the portability and the interactive properties of smart cards will constitute the basis for a revolution in the relationship between consumers and banks. PC-based home banking and phone banking will give way to card banking: a phone equipped with a smart card reader will be all that is needed for any kind of transaction. A smart card is a plastic card with a small, built in microcomputer chip and integrated circuit that can store and process a lot of data. It is considered to be a secure, time saving device that can access information without use of a PC or the Internet.However, smart cards have both Flexibility * Smart cards have a lot of flexibility. They can store multiple types of information including identification, credit cards, business and family contacts. Cost and Availability * Smart card readers are expensive to produce. These readers are not available in all locations and may have compatibility issues due to the diff erences of each smart card brand. Adafruit Raspberry Pi Starter Kit Now available in India ProtoCentral Security * Smart cards are individually encrypted and can only be accessed by pin number.However, there is concern about privacy and whether or not information on the card could be accessed or used illegally by the government or other third-party sources. Data Integrity * Information on a smart card cannot be erased or removed accidentally by any electrical or magnetic means. Smart Card Uses * Smart cards are useful for setting limits on expenses, customizing customer loyalty programs and accessing critical health care information. Smart cards save users from having to remember multiple usernames and passwords. DisadvantagesThe plastic card in which the chip is embedded is fairly flexible, and the larger the chip, the higher the probability that normal use could damage it. Cards are often carried in wallets or pockets, a harsh environment for a chip. However, for large banking sys tems, failure-management costs can be more than offset by fraud reduction. Client-side identification and authentication cards are the most secure way for e. g. , internet banking applications, but security is never 100% sure. If the account holder's computer hosts malware, the security model may be broken.Malware can override the communication (both input via keyboard and output via application screen) between the user and the application. Rabobank (â€Å"random reader†) in the Netherlands combine a smart card with an unconnected card reader to avoid this problem. The customer enters a challenge received from the bank's website, a PIN and the transaction amount into the reader, The reader returns an 8-digit signature. This signature is manually entered into the personal computer and verified by the bank, preventing malware from changing the transaction amount. Another problem is the lack of standards for functionality and security.