Different Religions of the World Essay

There are many religions in the world. They practice many different ways. There is Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. I like to study about different religions. Islam worships the God Allah, which means God in Arabic Muslims religion is Islam. Mohammed is the prophet to follow and he was the last prophet. Muslims have three holidays. There is Ramadan, Eid and Eid-el-haj. Each year all the Muslims go to Mecca. Muslims believe women should not show their bodies, this keeps the men from sinning. Muslims holly book is the Qur’an. All Muslims pray five times a day and every Friday go to mosque. Muslims must pray in Arabic. Judaism was founded in Israel by a man named Abraham. Jews worship God. Jews have a holly book called Torah. Jews do not believe the Messiah has come yet. They speak and read Hebrew, and do it the most for prayer. Jews pray in a particular way. They have a special holiday called Hanukkah, which is the same as Christmas in America. The different thing is they use a menorah. A menorah holds candles that Jews light each night of Hanukkah. Jews have special celebrations called bar and bat mitzvahs too. This is a family celebration of a boy or girl celebrating being grown up. The new man or woman must prove themselves by saying parts of the Torah. Jews eat special food called kosher and is blessed by their preacher who is called Rabbi. This is for God. Christianity was founded in Israel by Jesus of Nazareth. Christians worship God just like the other religions. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Christians can be free and pray when they feel the need. However, most still attend church, which is like a Muslims mosque. Christians celebrate two religious Holidays Easter and Christmas. Easter is the celebration when Jesus rose on the third day. There is also Good Friday and most things close on this day. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Jesus was born in a manor in Bethlehem, and his mother was Marry. Her husband was Joseph. Jesus was a gift from God because he was born of a virgin. Even though Christians are free, they still have strong faith. In conclusion, all of these religions have their own special ways, but the important part is that they all worship God. God is who made this world. These religions just worship God in a different way from each other. They also live life in a little different way. This is what makes the world special. I am Muslim, but I also like learning about different religions.

Hamlet’s Emotions in the First Soliloquy Essay

In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare creates a rich emotional fabric in Hamlet’s first soliloquy. From the first lines of the soliloquy, we can find such emotions as depression, disillusion, anger, and even the hatred and disgust for Hamlet’s mother and uncle. The first line in the soliloquy shows us depression: â€Å"O! that this too too solid flesh would melt,/Thaw and resolve itself into a dew† (Shakespeare 42). Hamlet’s depressive spirit is explained by that he is tired of life and wants to die. The reason for this is that all of the events, like King Hamlet’s death or Claudius’s marriage with Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, which happens with the Prince press on him. As for the being disillusion about the Queen, when she marries Claudius, Hamlet asks himself â€Å"why, she would hang on him,/As if increase of appetite had grown† (Shakespeare 42). Hamlet feels disillusioned about his mother because after two months when his father dea d, she married Claudius. In Hamlet’s opinion his mother betrayed his fathers love. Also Hamlet feels too angry with his uncle, so he compares Claudius with his father, who was â€Å"so excellent a king† and says about the new king â€Å"that was, to this,/Hyperion to a satyr† (Shakespeare 42). The young Prince can’t understand how his uncle can be a better king than his father. Hamlet is angry with Claudius because that â€Å"satyr† married his mother and called Hamlet his son, without asking his opinion or wish. Hamlet is not only angry with his uncle, but also he hates Claudius: â€Å"My father’s brother, †¦/within a month,/Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears/Had left the flushing in her galled eyes† (Shakespeare 44). Hamlet hates his uncle because Claudius seduced his mother. But the strongest emotion Hamlet has in my mind is disgust about his mother: â€Å"a beast, that wants discourse of reason† (Shakespeare 42). Young Hamlet thinks that his mother betrayed his father love while marrying Claudius. Also Prince thinks that his mother is like all other women, he thinks that she is a prostitute. In the first soliloquy Hamlet has a rich emotional fabric, which is made up from the strongest emotions that form Prince of Denmark’s character.

Nursing shortage and its effects on the provision of health care Term Paper

Nursing shortage and its effects on the provision of health care - Term Paper Example Despite renewed efforts at reform in most European countries, the number of uninsured people continues to grow, the cost of healthcare continues to soar, and the safety and quality of care are queried. The great challenges of the healthcare system need significant attention on the part of health experts, policy makers and the society. One problem that has continued to dog the health care sector over the last five years has been the perennial shortage of registered nurses as well as other health care professionals as a demonstration of the fragility and faults in the health care system. For health care delivery to be efficient, reasonable, and inexpensive, there must be an ample stream of knowledgeable, well spread and employed certified nurses. While the general quality of care seems to have responded progressively to the rising emphasis on evidence-based practice and performing procedures, major inequalities in quality stubbornly persist. The health care system and the nursing profe ssion are once more witnessing a shortage in nurses that is augmented by shortcomings of the system and the ever-rising need for health care, as the baby boomers grow old. The intricate environment of challenges of the health care system requires major attention on the part of health care professionals, policy makers and to a smaller extent the public.In all the health care literature available today, the widely accepted elements of health care reform are the ability to get health care, its quality, cost, and the workforce.

Choose a company that you know well Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Choose a company that you know well - Essay Example This project will try to look at the foundation, the mission and vision of the company and its history in the last five years (Shibaloy, 2011). The mission statement follows its philosophy that states: devoting the talent and technology to produce superior products and services that continue and contribute to better the global society. The vision is to â€Å"inspire the world and create the future† (Shibaloy, 2011). According to the founder, its name Samsung was used to denote a big, power and a numerous entity. True to its name, Samsung are legends in their won field having grown from a small company dealing with groceries, securities and to a multinational company owning all sorts of investment in the world ranging from electronic to health and insurance companies. The last decade has been a crucial moment for Samsung. They have extended their roots in technology deep down the spine of their competitors such as Nokia and Apple Company overtaking them through their massive innovations. This has, however, come not without a fair share of challenges. In 2000, a computer programming laboratory established in Warsaw, Poland was the start of its journey. The work began with set top boxes technology before advancing to digital TV and smartphones. According to statistics, Warsaw base is Samsung engine in terms of Research and Development Center. It has lead to the magnificent innovations which have seen it rise to a global company commanding a big market share in the electronic industry (Shibaloy, 2011). The company expanded its market by becoming the sole supplier of Rolls-Royce Trent combustor module used in Airbus A380. Samsung Company was also part of the engineering work of Boeing’s 787 Dream liner which derived some profits to the company. In the year 2010, Samsung publicly announced a ten-year growth strategy that was focused around five major businesses. Among the

Poverty in Black America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poverty in Black America - Research Paper Example Out of 40 million, 10.7 million blacks live in poverty (27.4%). A total of 54.6 % of all blacks live in single mother homes. (Black Poverty).1 2. American Black community is not only poor by American standards; rather many amongst them touch â€Å"third world† poor status. In USA official unemployment rate is 4.4% whereas official unemployment rate for blacks is 10% .Approximately a million black children in USA are living below poverty line. (Phillip).2 3. Poverty brings other associated problems. Either poverty causes these problems or these problems cause poverty. The problems include poor education standards, broken family structure, violence, high crime rate, mass unemployment, poor living standards and housing, poor health, friction in communities and low contribution towards economy etc. 4. Higher education is considered essential in upgrading the standard of life. However with poor economic status, black families are unable to afford college education and postgraduate studies. The frustrated youth is therefore divulged towards depression, uncertainty, frustration, drugs and crime. 5. Consistently black students in schools have not performed well. According to Carter (Carter) â€Å"so many decades have passed since 1954 Brown decision however many people are still intrigued by the (under) performance of Black Students in Americas schools†3 . In schools these students remain in groups. These groups often fight each other to gain dominance. Masculine image amongst black boys is a very dominant concept. The past association with slavery also haunts quite a few black youngsters. There is another impression amongst black students according to which a student involved in studies is not received well amongst the peers. When impact of all these factors is combined it results into distraction from studies and poor results and failure in life later on. 6. There has been a factor of racism as well in few schools where black students have been labeled naturally â€Å"dumb†. There has been a feedback from teachers according to which white teachers did not feel comfortable in the company of black students. Unfortunately negative indicators in school life do not point towards bright future of black students. 7. Lack of role models is often cited as a reason for blacks not doing well in many fields specially education. There is a general impression that blacks are not good at studies however they are good in sports and music. However it is considered a wrong argument. Black sportsmen and music celebrities are very few in number. The lifestyles and wealth these celebrities enjoy create a false impression amongst blacks, due to which, black youngsters dream of becoming music or sports stars, through some sort of shortcut in life. The results in real life are far different than dreams. 8. Thirteenth amendment to US constitution was passed in December 1865, according to which slavery was abolished in USA. The country was not stabl e in that era and southern states continued with practices similar to slavery however union army was limited and could not protect ex-slaves. Few states passed â€Å"black codes† according to which unemployed blacks could be arrested and fined .Prisoners that were unable to pay fines could be used as slaves. Blacks were not allowed to buy land and were denied fair wages for work. 9. After the civil war

Safe and Quality Healthcare Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Safe and Quality Healthcare Services - Essay Example So as we see, FMEA is a precautionary process, which helps prevent problems and help deal with them in an effective and organized manner, if they were to occur. This analytical method has been used since several decades in the production and engineering industry and has proved to be an excellent tool in identifying and reducing hazards. It examines each individual component of a particular system to determine a number of ways in which each component could fail and, not only this, but the effect of a particular failure on the stability of the entire system. (Spath, 2003) One of the major concerns in the healthcare industry is safety. The assurance that a patient is in reliable hands and that the treatment being done or service being offered is safe up to quality standards. For patient safety and wellbeing, healthcare service providers must adopt a set of rules or standards to abide by. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) assumed responsibility for the certification of hospitals in 1951, back then, the standards continued to uphold a safe environment. Because of increasing public concern with the problem of medical errors and patient injuries, JCAHO reinforced its commitment to patient safety. Commencing in 1996, JCAHO introduced a number of new standards that are intended to maintain continuous improvement in the safety of the services provided to the public. (Spath, 2003) In addition to adopting well defined processes used in healthcare services and assuring that the personnel performing the processes are competent, there is a need for more safety and precautionary measures. The solution to this lies in other industries. This is when JCAHO executives considered standard changes to adopt a more a proactive approach to risk reduction, they researched many other techniques to improve safety used in other high-risk industries to find one that would be adaptable to health care services as well. (Spath, 2003) The process So, basically FMEA is a proactive approach and it consumes little time and resources when compared to the return on investments. The National Center for Patient Safety website developed by the Veterans Affair, devised a set of steps applying the traditional FMEA to healthcare. The process is as follows: 1. Choose a process to study. JCAHO requires the

American Education Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

American Education Today - Essay Example Society has no other institutions upon which it can rely in the matter. If schools and colleges do not emphasize rigorous intellectual training, there will be none. This is not true of the other services that educational agencies may incidentally render. It is well for the schools to pay attention to public health, for example, but if they are unable to do so, the health of the nation will not go uncared for. Puritan values and beliefs became a part of education system and pedagogy. The crucial doctrinal issues of the century concerned questions about human nature and God's grace. In what manner did God communicate redemption How might an individual transcend sin and find salvation How did God elevate a soul into union with Himself Protestants from the beginning rejected Catholic teaching concerning a "divine spark" that survived the Fall and remained unblemished by Original Sin. Following Stubblefield and Keane (1994) puritan philosophies reflected in education and brought religious values to curriculum. Freedom was indeed one pole of the Puritan axis, but order was the other. The new order was to be rooted in biblical authority and precedent. If any people ever were, Puritans were people of the Book. The new order they created, and the world view that undergirded it, was meticulously scriptural in nature. "Puritans rejected liturgical traditions, no matter how venerable, that had no di scernible basis in the Bible, replacing them with worship and devotional practices seen as more soundly scriptural" (Karier 1991, 34). At the same time, as we have seen, some devotional themes and methods with slight scriptural foundation were so strong that they were able to survive the transition from medieval Catholicism to New England Puritanism. New England's participation in this moral system is well known and persisted through the century even as the society itself changed. Education system introduced religious education and teaching as the main subject studied during the colonial era. Today, religion is still of vital importance for private and public schools. Puritan philosophy brought to education ideas of sin and guilt, honesty and patience (Karier 1991). Puritan emphasis on literacy, based on the Protestant insistence that individuals must be able to read their own Bibles, was a further iconoclastic and socially divisive element in Puritan devotion. Puritanism encouraged believers to read, meditate, and pray on their own. Meditation focused on personal experience, and prayers expressed personal hopes and concerns. Puritanism was not only a lay movement; like radical religious movements in Europe generally, it was also a women's movement. In their writing, Gordon and Gordon (2002) state that women formed the "front line in defense of their preachers" under persecution in England, and women emerged as leaders and "prophets" among radical groups throughout the Civil War. The first Latin grammar school was opened in 1635 for high social classes including clergy and state officials. The preliminary grammar or Latin curriculum also became compartmentalized, entrusted to specialist grammar teachers. The effect of this new specialization of education is well known at the university level: scholasticism became ever more preoccupied with the

Spoon ringartist statement Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Spoon ringartist - Personal Statement Example The inspiration for this format was the idea of a child tying a balloon to her finger, and watching it bobbing along as she walks. The round head of the spoon represents the balloon, and the twisting silver parts below are designed to wrap around the finger like string. It can be worn as a ring with the spoon part as decoration, or it can be actually used just like an ordinary spoon. There is a small gap between the twists of the silver which allows the spoon ring to be attached to the rim of a teacup or coffee mug. This particular use of the spoon ring turns it into an unusual piece of tableware which creates a striking sculptural outline, rising up from the level of other pieces of china on the table just as a balloon naturally rises in the air. A third functional feature of the spoon ring is that it can be set down on the table with the spoon part up in the air. The twists form a secure cylindrical base, and this ensures that the spoon, with any sticky or wet substances attached to it, will not touch the table cloth. This is practical and hygienic, solving the problem of stains and contamination passing to and from the spoon and the environment. Overall, the piece is intended to be fun. It is a talking point and a demonstration of thinking in unconventional ways about everyday objects. The owner of the spoon ring can slide from one application of the object to another, starting with the conventional appearance of the ring, and moving to a practical use in tea or coffee drinking, and then finally showing two different ways of storing the object after use – on the table or on the cup. This reveals that things are not always what they seem, and that there are multiple ways of enjoying everyday

Capital Punishment Debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Capital Punishment Debate - Essay Example "Since 1994, states that have executed murderers have experienced the most rapid decline in homicide rates while states without capital punishment have seen an increase in murders (Tucker, 2001)." Capital Punishment Protester: People may fear death, but fear outweighed by anger toward another person is enough to push the criminal over the edge. A strong rage will inhibit a criminal's judgment and a murder will occur regardless of capital punishment. Studies may show a decline in murders in states with capital punishment but these numbers are a coincidence. Statistics have also shown that capital punishment does not deter criminal activity. "Consider the twenty-seven states where at least one execution occurred during the sample period. Executions deter murder in only six states. Capital punishment, however, actually increases murder in thirteen states, more than twice as many as experience deterrence. In eight states, capital punishment has no effect on the murder rate (Shepherd, 2005, pg 2003)." Capital Punishment Advocate: Capital punishment also makes law-abiding citizens safe. Execution of the criminal keeps the criminal from re-offending because an execution is permanent and the criminal will not be on the streets again. Future lives are saved because the criminal cannot harm another person after the prison sentence. Capital Punis

Human Impact on Natural Systems in the Middle East Essay

Human Impact on Natural Systems in the Middle East - Essay Example Since time immemorial, human beings have had to adapt to these different natural systems in order to survive, and throughout this time, this race has proven to be among the most resilient in the world. While one cannot help but commend the hardiness of this race in its ability to survive even some of the harshest conditions in the world, it should be noted that human beings, through their activities, have had an impact on the naturals systems within which they have come to settle. This is a consequence of their attempts to adapt to these environments, and while some of the impacts may be positive, sadly, a majority of them tend to be negative, as it has often led to the destruction of the natural systems that are involved. Among the most affected areas in the world today, due to human activity, is the Middle East where there has existed, for thousands of years, great civilizations, which have impacted significantly on the natural systems. Human beings in the Middle East were, for a l ong time, primarily pastoralists and because of this, they had an impact on the environment. This region is primarily arid or semiarid and because of this, the pastoralists had to move from place to place with their livestock in order to find sustenance. These people tended to have large herds, which fed on the scarce vegetation that could be found in this region at the time (Bocco & Jaubert, 1994). Consequently, large tracts of rare vegetation were destroyed by these animals and with this destruction came the destruction of many diverse ecosystems. With the destruction of the plant life also came to the continued desertification of the region as the scarce plant cover was stripped away by the large herds of livestock (Davis, 2010). In recent times, however, as many people in the region have come to abandon pastoralism in favor of living in urban areas, some of the vegetation that was almost completely destroyed has begun to thrive again. The Middle East is a major source of oil and natural gas and it has been stated that it holds some of the largest reserves of these resources in the world. Over the last few decades, these resources have been a major source of income for the countries, which can be found in this region. Not only has it enabled their governments to have plenty of wealth to fund expansive social welfare systems, but it has also enabled the increase of the standard of living, with some even stating that these standards are higher than those in the Western world (Toksoz, 2000). While this is true, there has also been a significant impact on the environment. The first of these has been the discharge of carbon fumes to the environment from the oil mining sites. The mining of oil and its refining involves the burning of the fossil fuels involved so that the product can be extracted from the ground, and this means that there has been a rise in the carbon emissions in the region in recent decades. While the mining of oil has and continues to be a prof itable venture, it has come to bring harm to the environment as it has contributed an immense deal to global warming (Hawley, 2004). While some places in the Middle East were extremely dry, with the commencement of oil mining, these places have become even drier and hotter, this has led to the destruction of quite a number of plants, and animal life since the increased heat has destroyed their ecosystems.

Why Go To College Essay Example for Free

Why Go To College Essay What influenced me to attend college? My Grandparents have tried to get me to go to college for many years. However, I didn’t have much interest in furthering my education. I was a nanny for almost seven years, and had hopes of making that my career, until I was charged with a felony. That put an abrupt end to a career in any form of childcare. So after spending the next two years in treatment, I came to the conclusion that going to college would be the best way for me to achieve my new interest of helping others with their chemical dependency addictions. â€Å"Your future starts here†(www.grad.pci.uta.edu). There are a lot of colleges that use that catch phrase. My future without college became clear to me when witnessing two brothers that came from the same background. One attended college and the other chose not to, and began his own transportation business. With the event of 9-11, his business went under. Without an education beyond High School, he has not been able to find meaningful employment and is currently living in a camper and doing odd jobs. The other brother, that attended college, is now an executive in a major corporation and is living in a ‘mansion’. It became clear to me that in order to get into the field I am interested in and make a decent living, I would need to further my education. The difference in the annual income between someone with just a high school diploma and someone with a Bachelor’s Degree is huge. Statistics show that High School graduates on average make $33,176 a year, and someone with a Bachelor’s Degree can make $54,756 on average per year.(www.ohe.state.mn.us, Facts About Income of Graduates, Minnesota Office of Higher Education, March 23, 2012, web, Aug. 2013) Now that’s quite a difference. I chose to compare these two things because a Bachelor’s Degree is what I would need to get into the field I may possibly be interested in. I’m still unsure of a specific major that I would like to pursue. Chemical Dependency Counseling is an interest of my mine, but I’m still undecided. So that’s another plus with going to college, they offer courses that are meant to help someone who’s unsure about what they want to do with their future, find something that interests them. I have found that college is not as easy as I once thought. There are many things or activities one must give up or put on hold while attending college, but a little studying now will lead to a better future later. Mainly what I hope to gain by attending college,  is not only a higher education, but also a skill set and the discipline to build a career in the field I choose, rather than just having a minimum wage job.

Sniffing Attacks Prevention and Detection Techniques

Sniffing Attacks Prevention and Detection Techniques Security in Wired/Wireless Networks:  Sniffing Attacks Prevention and Detection Techniques in Wired and Wireless Local Area Networks (LAN) ABSTRACT During the past era, Information Technology made a revolution in RD. No doubt Internet becomes an essential backbone for all sciences and research nowadays. Accordingly security threats and data banks attacks turn out to be a phenomenon. Thus, granting protection to such crucial information becomes a high demand. While reviewing the latest studies in this area, there are strong signs that attacking information warehouse is the hot topic nowadays. Moreover, preventing attacks to TCP/IP networks and what are the most efficient techniques to protect it, is the most targeted research area for security experts. For instance, what so called the Man-in-the-Middle attack [MiM] and Denial of Service [DoS] are just some ways of vulnerable attacks to TCP/IP networks, using some tools available free on the internet. They are sniffing the data traffic or causing service denial. In our research, we evaluated the most famous security solutions and classifying them according to their efficiency against detecting or preventing the types of Address Resolution Protocol [ARP] Spoofing attacks. Based of the surprising experimental results in the security lab, we proposed an optimal algorithm to enhance their ability Keywords: Sniffing Attacks, ARP cache poisoning, Man-in-the-Middle [MiM], Intrusion Prevention Detection technique [IPS/IDS], Denial of Service [DoS] CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview As we mentioned in the abstract section that this research is focusing on the internal attack within the local area network [LAN] which is forming the major and critical attacks which the network resources are exposed to according to recent studies conducted in the Information Security domain[1]. We will demonstrate two major attacks affecting the Internet users the local network; The MiM attack[2] (Man-in-the-Middle Attack) and DoS (Denial-of-Service). There are many tools and softwares widely available and for free of cost which can carry out many attacks over the network and violate the privacy of users, such tools like Sniffers[3] monitors data traveling over a network, it either can be of authorized or unauthorized function. It was started initially as a Network Analyzer to help the Administrator to perform health check and maintain the network activities; however it is used today to redirect the traffic and access confidential files. Traditionally, research in the area of information and communication security focused on helping developers of systems prevent security vulnerabilities in the systems they produce, before the systems are released to customers. the majority of studies on network security, are considering only the external attacks. Internal as well as external are of the outmost importance when it comes to information security, but need to be complemented with more depth research for developing detection and prevention mechanisms, and studying internal threats. The research plan we followed in our work presented here are as follows: a. Address Resolution Protocol [ARP] b. ARP Spoofing attack [Poisoning] c. ARP Spoofing based MiM DoS attacks d. Experiments e. Optimal ARP Spoofing detection algorithm f. Results analysis g. Conclusion 1.1.1 What is an ARP: The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) [4] is used by computers to map network addresses (IP) to physical addresses or what is usually refer to: Media Access Control addresses (MAC). It translates IP addresses to Ethernet MAC addresses and classified as a Networking protocol used to find hosts address given its IP address. Some network expert consider it as a DataLink Layer protocol because it only operates on the local area network or point-to-point link that a host is connected to[5]. The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is documented in RFC 826[1] and later it was adopted by other media, such as FDDI[6]. For more details about Internet Protocols Suits; see appendix [1] 1.1.2 How it works: The ARP Process RARP As we stated formerly from an architecture perspective, ARP is a layer 3 function (Network), however in a programming perspective ARP is considered as layer 2 (Datalink) because it calls the LAN data like layer code. RARP is stand for; Reverse Address Resolution Protocol, and it is a network protocol used to resolve a MAC address to the corresponding network layer address, i.e. RARP is used to map a MAC address to an IP address exactly the reverse function of the ARP request/reply. 1.1.3 Types of ARP/RARP protocol messages: There are four types of ARP massages that are sent by an ARP protocol: a. ARP request b. ARP reply c. RARP request d. RARP reply As we just said in the definition, ARP is used to map network address (IP) to physical address (MAC) and when a host need to communicate with another host it needs to know its MAC address. Here comes ARP protocol and works by broadcasting a packet (ARP-Request) for any hosts connected over the Ethernet network. The ARP packet contains the IP address of the sender and the IP address of the target it is interested in communicating with. See (1.2) and (1.3): However, the target host, identifying that the IP address in the ARP request packet is belong to itself, so it returns an answer back in a unicast reply (ARP-Reply) and the host which initiated the ARP request catches the [IP,MAC] pair and keeps it in ARP cache memory. Keeping the host reply in cache will minimize the ARP traffic in the LAN. See (1.4): So simply when the ARP request is broadcasted to all PCs on the network it asks the following question: Is x.x.x.x is your IP address?, if Yes send back your MAC address. Then every PC checks if its IP address is matching the one in ARP request and sends ARP reply with its MAC address. But the repeated ARP requests especially when it is broadcasted every time a MAC address is required; creates a high traffic in the network, and hence the Operating Systems keep copy of the ARP replies in the computers cache memory and update it frequently with any new pair, this will help in reducing the ARP requests number[9]. By the way ARP spoofing technique which we are going to talk about in the next chapter is occurring when forged ARP replies is created and sent to the source computer who initiated the ARP request formerly and updated its ARP cache with fake information. We will know afterward this kind of exploitation is called poisoning the ARP cache. The Reverse Address Resolution Protocol [RARP] is broadcasting a RARP request packet with the target MAC address which will be received by all hosts in the Ethernet network. Host which its MAC address is matching the one in the RARP request will reply with its IP address in the RARP reply packet and sends it to the host which initiated the RARP request. Afterward the IP address which consists of 32 bit will be converted to 48 bit Ethernet address, by the suitable encapsulation mechanism. This is the common practice for the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), which is documented in RFC 826 [51]. ARP defines the exchanges between network interfaces connected to an Ethernet media segment in order to map an IP address to a link layer address on demand. Link layer addresses are hardware addresses (although they are not unchallengeable) on Ethernet cards; where the IP addresses are logical addresses assigned to machines attached to the Ethernet. Accordingly a Datalink layer address is known by other names, i.e. Ethernet Addresses, Media Access Control (MAC) Addresses, and even Hardware Addresses. However, the correct term from the kernels perspective is Link Layer Address because this address can be changed via command line tools [50]. 1.1.4 ARP and RARP message formats: The ARP packet consists of Ethernet Header and Data packet; the Ethernet header is divided to: 6 bytes for the destination address 6 bytes for source address 2 bytes for the frame type in hexadecimal (e.g. 0806 for ARP 8035 for RARP) Where, the data packet structure of ARP packet is encapsulated and the information that every part holds are demonstrated in the following table[10]: Table 1.1: ARP and RARP packet structure + Bits 0 7 Bits 8 15 Bits 16 31 0 Hardware type (HTYPE) Protocol type (PTYPE) 32 Hardware length (HLEN) Protocol length (PLEN) Operation (OPER) 64 Source hardware address [MAC] (SHA) (first 32 bits) 96 Source hardware address (last 16 bits) Source protocol address (first 16 bits) 128 Sender protocol address (last 16 bits) Destination hardware address (first 16 bits) 160 Destination hardware address (THA) (last 32 bits) 192 Destination protocol address (TPA) Hardware address type (2 bytes). 1=Ethernet Protocol address type ( 2 bytes). 0800H (hexadecimal) = IP address Operation type; 1 = ARP request, 2=ARP reply, 3=RARP request, 4=RARP reply etc†¦. 1.1.5 TCP Standard Ports/Services The table below is showing, a list of services and ports used by TCP protocol: Table 1.2: TCP Ports and Services Port # Keywords Description 20 FTP-DATA File Transfer [Default Data] 21 FTP File Transfer [Control] 23 TELNET TelNet [Telecommunication network ] 25 SMTP Simple Mail Transfer 37 TIME Time 42 NAMESERVER Host Name Server 43 NICNAME Who Is 53 DOMAIN Domain Name Server 79 FINGER Finger 80 HTTP WWW 110 POP3 Post Office Protocol Version 3 111 SUNRPC SUN Remote Procedure Call CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Background 2.1.1 ARP Spoofing based on MiM and DoS attacks ARP spoofing is also called; ARP poison routing (ARP) or ARP cache poisoning or ARP Cache Corrupting. It is a method of attacking an Ethernet local area network by updating the target ARP cache with a forged ARP request and reply packets[9]. This will try to change the target MAC address by another one which the attacker has a control on it. Updating ARP cache with a fake entry value is so called ARP Poisoning. What is sniffer? or (The Network Analyzer); it is a software or a hardware which log the traffic over a network and captures the data packets, then decodes the packets and analyzes the content. Kindly notice in our research that the following terms; Spoofing, Poisoning and Cache Corrupting are referring to the same term . Furthermore, since ARP is considered as a trusted protocol within the network and is not designed to deal with malicious activities in the network, so attackers found unusual ways to illegitimately penetrate into the network; causing harmful costs. These harms or costs can be much worse when the attacker tries to impersonate another user, performs Man-in-the-Middle attacks (MiM), or even causes Denial of Service (DoS) on a Server or even the whole Network[11]. P.S. Spoof means: hoax or imitation. Thanks to the British comedian Arthur Roberts (1852-1933), who introduced the word spoof to the world in the 19th century. He invented a game and called it Spoof, it incorporates tricks nonsense[12]. Why it is so difficult to detect sniffers? †¢ The attack is essentially performed in the passive mode, which means it is hidden and working in the backend so the standard user will not recognize such attacks. Besides it is not easily for user to detect the sniffing since this kind of attacks is generating usual traffic over the network. †¢ The other point is the fact that sniffers can be normally linked to an active intrusion attacks. While talking about the requirement and resources; sniffing is only requiring a standard machine connected over the network with normal hardware configurations and there is no need to special requirements or high performance. †¢ Threat is always seen as external and many researches shows that most of the attacks are from the internal resources; according to the recent Global security surveys in 2009[13], another study [14] shows that internal threat is incredible increased to more than 80% of the security breaches, where external attacks showed about 15% with internal help and 5% just from pure outsiders. 2.1.2 How ARP caches are updated? Let us recall how the communication happens on an Ethernet LAN. As we early stated that all communications in layer 2 is based on the MAC address, so for any PC wants to talk to a target on the network is has to address it to the targets MAC address. If a source computer tries to communicate with another computer in TCP/IP based network it has to translate the targets IP into the corresponding physical address (MAC) and here where we use an ARP protocol. The translation happens by request/reply ARP broadcast processes. When the ARP requester receives the reply, it catches the pair and keep it in its ARP cache memory so it wont ask for it over again[15]. 2.1.3 ARP Cache Poisoning (Spoofing) Attack It is the process of corrupting an ARP cache with fake IP/MAC entries. It also used to perform some other attacks, for instance:  § Man-in-the-Middle (MiM) attack, also known as (MITM)  § Denial of Service (DoS) attack (refer to section 3.2) As we discussed earlier if an entry is exist in the ARP cache, then it can be updated or corrupted using ARP reply or ARP request. But what about if the entry; is NOT exist in the ARP cache? The answer is: ARP request packets always work to corrupt any Operating System ARP cache whether the entry exists or not in the ARP cache. On the other hand, for hackers, ARP requests allow them to corrupt always the target ARP caches! A recent study[16] showed by experiment the impact of the ARP request update on different Operating Systems. An experiment revealed which OS with dynamic entries in the ARP cache was vulnerable to the ARP cache poisoning attack. 2.1 [17], an evaluation for the impact of the ARP request update on different Operating Systems, e.g. Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000, 2003 Server, Linux 2.x, and Solaris 5.9: Table 2.1: ARP request impact on various OS Windows XP Windows 2000 Windows 2003 Server Linux 2.4 Linux 2.6 Free BSD 4.11 SunOS Solaris5.9 Entry exist in ARP cache? Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No ARP request √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ ARP reply √ X √ √ √ X √ X √ X √ √ √ √ √ = ARP request or reply message is accepted by the system allows the update or creation of MAC / IP entry X = ARP request or reply message is rejected by the system doest NOT allow update creation MAC/IP entry The results of the experiment indicated that: 1. If the entry does not exist in the ARP cache, all tested OSs, except Windows 2000, Free BSD 4.11 and SunOS Solaris 5.9, will not allow the creation of a new entry by an ARP reply message. 2. If the entry does not exist in the ARP cache, all tested OSs allow the creation of a new entry by an ARP request message. 3. However, if the entry existed already in the ARP cache, all tested OSs allowed its update by an ARP reply (even in the absence of an ARP request) or request message. Therefore, when using ARP reply messages, the ARP cache poisoning attack becomes difficult to realize against most OSs. However, it remains indeed possible when using ARP request messages. In conclusion, most common OSs are still vulnerable to the ARP cache poisoning attack. Malicious users can first use ARP request messages to create fake IP/MAC entries in the ARP caches of their target hosts. Then, fake ARP reply massages are used to maintain the existence of fake IP/MAC entries in the ARP caches of the target hosts. 2.1.4 Example of ARP Cache Spoofing As mentioned above the ARP Spoofing process is mainly to corrupt the ARP cache of any host over the network with fake IP/MAC pair in order to perform some serious attacks such as Man-in-the-Middle attack [MiM] or Denial-of-Service [DoS]. In the following demonstration we will show the two different steps before and after the ARP cache poisoning is taking place, in the (2.1) and (2.2). 2.1.4.1 ARP Cache Spoofing (before ARP corruption) In (2.1) its clear that the ARP cache table is legitimate for all hosts connected to the network via a switch, where we can see that every IP-address is mapped to a valid and corresponding MAC-address for that host. For instance; in ARP cache table of the host â€Å"A† ; the IP-address of the host â€Å"B† is mapped with the MAC-address of the host â€Å"B†. And the same case is applied on host â€Å"C†. On the other hand, in ARP cache table of the host â€Å"B† for example; the IP-address of the host â€Å"A† is mapped with the MAC-address of the host â€Å"A†. And the same case is applied on host â€Å"C†. Let us see what changes may occur after the cache poisoning: 2.1.4.2 ARP Cache Spoofing (after corruption) In (2.2): Host â€Å"C† is the malicious host in this scenario. It corrupted the ARP cache tables for both hosts â€Å"A† and â€Å"B†. The ARP cache table for host â€Å"A† is becoming illegitimate now, where we can see that every IP-address is mapped to an invalid and not the corresponding MAC-address for that host. For instance; in ARP cache table of the host â€Å"A† ; the IP-address of the host â€Å"B† is mapped with the MAC-address of the host â€Å"C†. And the same case is applied on host â€Å"B†. In this case whenever the host â€Å"A† want to communicate with host â€Å"B†, the TCP/IP traffic will be guided to pass by the malicious host â€Å"C† instead of â€Å"B†..! So what..? Hackers use the process of generating such abnormal ARP request packets to corrupt the ARP cache for certain hosts and perform different attacks over the network (e.g. MiM or DoS). 2.1.5 Gratuitous ARP: This process is concerned about IP address duplication attack. Such a situation is due to the case when a host sends an ARP request to look for its MAC. This may occur when the host reboots, or once changing its Ethernet Number or the IP address[17]. Gratuitous ARP is doing the following tasks: i. Finding IP address conflicts in the Network by verifying if there is another host that has the same IP address and displaying this message:  « duplicate IP address sent from Ethernet address: a:b:c:d:e:f » . ii. If a host changing its MAC or IP address by sending an ARP request, then it will force to update the ARP cache on the Network with the new MAC/IP address P.S. ARP Gratuitous is mainly influence old Operation Systems, such as; Windows XP SP1 or older. 2.1.6 MiM attack: The man-in-the-middle attack, (abbreviated as: MiM, or sometimes: MITM[18]) comes from the Packet-Sniffing[19]. MiM doesnt listen to all the packets that walk along the network as the Sniffer works, however it interfere with one or more hosts in the network and starts snooping between them. Such hosts been listened by a MiM are commonly called victims. A victim can be a normal host (e.g. PC or Notebook), gateway or even a router! An attacker who is mainly spying between two or more victims; is establishing a autonomous connections between the victims and convey messages between them as if they are directly connected. And hence we call him: Man-in-the-Middle. So far MiM is just listening to the traffic passing through two victims. Although this kind of outrage is illegitimate and can reach sensitive information like passwords, e-mail messages, encryption keys†¦etc. however it become worse and worse when he tries to go further than and inject false and fake packets and convey them between the deceived victims. According to[20] MiM attack is classified as an active attack, because the hacker manages the traffic in the network between the source and the destinations. MiM is very famous approach used by hackers nowadays and uses the ARP protocol in order to attack the ARP-Cache tables and hence control the targets[21]. By poisoning the ARP tables for all hosts in the network for example; will instruct the hosts to reroute the traffic to the Attacker host instead of the Gateway, where he starts interfering between any two or more victims. One more thing needs to be mentioned that the attacker has to forward all the interrupted packets to the original destination, so that the synchronized connection will remain and doesnt time out! In the above ; ARP spoofing occurs when sending a fake and spoofed ARP reply to the target, i.e. if the Attacker has an IP: [10.10.1.10] and wants to sniff the traffic between the Victim who has an IP: [10.10.1.20] and the Gateway which has an IP: [10.10.1.254] it simply sends fake ARP replies to associate its own MAC address with the Gateway IP [10.10.1.254]. The Victim then is trapped and starts sending all the packets intended to the Gateway to the Attacker address as in the above illustration. 2.1.7 Denial of Service [DoS]: DoS attacks; occurring when any suspicious host over the network performs ARP cache poisoning and receives any packet designated to the original target to the suspicious host and cause a block in the connection between the host and the target which is being attacked. Kindly notice that more details regarding Denial of Service [DoS] will be discussed in section (3.2) in chapter No. 3. 2.2 Evaluation Of Common Intrusion Detection Systems And Intrusion Prevention Systems 2.2.1 ARP cache poisoning and MiM attacks: The ARP cache spoofing attack and the Man-in-the-Middle attack are usually maintained and controlled by humans[22]. There are many solutions proposed in solving this type of security threat, based on different mechanisms or protocols at different OSI model layers; such as; Application layer, Network layer and Data link layer[16]. 2.2.2 Detection of ARP cache poisoning attack: Arpwatch[23] and Snort[24] are tools that are able to detect ARP cache poisoning attack by checking each packet contents. To do that, these tools monitor Ethernet activities and keep databases of Ethernet MAC/IP address pairs. If an analyzed packet has an Ethernet MAC/IP address pair, which does not appear in their databases, then the system administrator is alerted. Arpwatch and Snort are sensors that need to have access to monitoring ports on the switches (usually, known under the name of SPAN port, or mirroring port) or be placed in locations where they can see all the network traffic. Therefore, it would be more interesting and efficient to detect any ARP anomalies without the use of any access privilege or special ports on the switches. This is the case since substantial performance impact can be caused when port mirroring is in effect. This strategy makes ARP spoofing detection based on sniffing not quite viable on switched LAN networks[16]. 2.2.3 Packets sniffing and MiM attacks: On shared broadcast LAN networks, such as hubbed and wireless networks, packets sniffing can easily be achieved with minimal efforts. However, a switched LAN environment presents a different problem with few available techniques for sniffing. The first technique consists of connecting to an administrative port on the Switch and setting it to broadcast mode. The administrative port will now receive all traffic. A second technique is summarized by sending a large number of spoofed packets, which is usually an ARP packet (Address Resolution Protocol) to the Switch so it fails to open and sends all packets to all ports. However, a recent study[25] shows that only old switches models are vulnerable to this attack. Another technique, which is based on the MiM attack, is to tell target hosts on the LAN network to use an attackers MAC address in order to get to any other host. This technique is based on the generation of malicious ARP traffic. The attacker host takes a copy of the received t raffic then forwards it to the correct host. Today, security devices, such IDSs (An intrusion detection system) [26] and IPSs (An Intrusion Prevention System)[27], have become a standard component of security solutions used to protect computing assets from hostile attacks. IDSs are able to detect many types of attacks, such as denial of service (DoS) and IP spoofing attacks. But, their ability and reliability to detect certain attacks are still questionable, notably the MiM attack. Prevention mechanisms, such as S-ARP[28] and O-ARP[29] lack efficient implementation on real systems and for a performance evaluation 2.2.4 Prevention mechanisms based on secure ARP protocols: A number of cryptographic protocols have targeted issues related to ARP security. For example, S-ARP[28] is a popular ARP security protocol that uses asymmetric cryptography utilizing digitally signed ARP replies. At the receiving end, an entry is updated if and only if the signatures are correctly verified. S-ARP is considerably slow as can be deduced from the results presented in[28]. Furthermore, S-ARP can not prevent against cache poisoning attacks. a. O-ARP technique: O-ARP[29] is a secure ARP technique that is similar to S-ARP with regards to its message format and key management. However, it uses cryptography only when necessary and tries to avoid it when ever possible. The authors in[29] claim that O-ARP is much faster than S-ARP on the average, and can be used as security measure to prevent against cache poisoning attacks. Meanwhile, the authors did not implement O-ARP in any operating system to obtain measurements for its performance. In[30] the authors proposed another Secure Address Resolution Protocol. In this protocol, a secure server shares secret keys with each host on a subnet. The server maintains a database of MAC/IP address mappings, which is updated periodically through communication with each host. All ARP requests and replies occur between a host and the server, and replies are authenticated using the shared pair keys. The main drawback of this technique is congestion at the server, which constitutes a single point of failure in the network. b. Ticket-based Address Resolution Protocol Ticket-based Address Resolution Protocol (TARP)[31] is another secure ARP protocol. TARP is built as an extension to ARP. TARP implements security by distributing centrally issued secure MAC/IP address mapping attestations through existing ARP messages. These attestations, called tickets are given to clients as they join the network and are subsequently distributed through existing ARP messages. Unlike other popular ARP-based solutions, the costs per resolution are reduced to one public key validation per request/reply pair in the worst case. However, networks implementing TARP are vulnerable to two types of attacks-active host impersonation, and DoS through ticket flooding. In addition, TARP does not include support for dynamic environments, mainly when hosts IP addresses changes dynamically. c. Cryptographic Technique Another approach was presented in[32], where the authors proposed a cryptographic technique. The technique is based on the combination of digital signatures and one time passwords based on hash chains. d. ARPSec protocol Moreover, in[33], the ARPSec protocol was proposed as an ARP security extension that intends to solve the security weaknesses of the ARP protocol. ARPSec provides an anti-replay protection and authentication using a secret key shared only by the source and the destination of the packet computed by an authenticated Diffie-Hellman exchange. Unfortunately, no real-time implementation or performance evaluations on actual network systems were performed to quantify their efficiency. At the network layer, the IPSec[34] protocol can be used to facilitate the confidentiality, integrity, and authentication of information communicated using the IP protocol. IPSec proposes solutions for many security issues within the IP protocol, but does not prevent any malicious users from manipulating ARP packets, at the Data link layer, or redirecting target network IP traffic to other destinations. IPSec guaranties the confidentiality and integrity of the redirected IP traffic, but cannot prevent malicious users from causing DoS attacks on target hosts. 2.2.5 Protection mechanisms at the Application layer: Recently, several security protection mechanisms have been proposed at the Application layer. However, such mechanisms might not be effective against certain attacks at the lower layers, mainly at the Data Link layer. For example, in[35], the authors argued that most deployed user authentication mechanisms fail to provide protection against the MiM attack, even when they run on top of the SSL/TLS protocol or other similar protocols. The authors then introduced the notion of SSL/TLS session-aware user authentication, and elaborated on possibilities to implement it. Another example is the Interlock protocol, proposed in[36], which was later shown to be vulnerable to attacks when used for authentication[37]. For enhanced security at the Application layer, in[38] a new proposed technique called Delayed Password Disclosure (DPD) was shown to complement a password-based authentication and key exchange protocol to protect against a special form of the MiM attack, the doppelganger window att ack. On the other hand, in[39] the authors proposed the notion of a Password Protection Module (PPM) that provides protection against the MiM attack for certain situations. PPMs are effective only if they take into account network-related information, such as IP addresses and URLs. This makes PPMs very difficult to deploy and manage. Additional protection mechanisms were proposed in[40] to secure tunneled authentication protocols against the MiM attack. In most cases, prevention mechanisms at the Application layer guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of the traffic exchanged but do not prevent malicious users from redirecting network traffic to their hosts. 2.2.6 External protection mechanisms: Several attempts have been made to address the above security issues through methods external to the ARP protocol. For example, it has been proposed that hosts can statically be cond[41] . This would incur a huge administrative overhead and is largely intractable for dynamic environments. Conversely, the port security[42] features available in recent switches restrict the use of physical ports to con MAC addresses. If an attacker forges its own MAC address and includes an additional frame header containing malicious mapping, poisoning a victims ARP cache can still be possible. This approach only prevents certain kinds of MAC hijacking, but does nothing to prevent MiM attack. Hence, it is only a partial and in many ways limited solution

Development In Social And Cultural Contexts

Development In Social And Cultural Contexts According to sociocultural theories, child development differentiates in different social and cultural contexts. Culturally- specific beliefs and practices in each sociocultural context influence childrens development in its unique way (Berk, 2009). This essay sets out to examine how Chinese childrens developments in academic knowledge and temperament are impacted by culturally-specific child rearing in Chinese society. Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory and Vygotskys sociocultural theory are applied to analyse the general practices, the assumptions, the beliefs and the upheld values of child rearing in China. Definitions of Culture and Society Culture and society may mean different things to different people. For instance, society is defined as an association with ones fellowsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, the system of customs and organization adopted by a body of individualsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered communityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (2002, p.2906, cited in New Zealand Tertiary College[NZTC], 2010). In this essay, society refers to the aggregate of people living together. Therefore, the Chinese society means the populations living in China. Culture in this essay refers to the distinctive customs, achievements, products, outlook, etc., of a societyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as defined in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (2002, p. 575, cited in NZTC, 2010). By culturally-specific child rearing practices within this essay, it means the consistent and similar child rearing practices adopted by Chinese, such as feeding, toilet training, sleeping arrangement, a nd discipline. Academic Knowledge and Temperament of shyness Generally speaking, there are three broad domains of child development: physical, emotional and social, and cognitive (Berk, 2009). This essay will focus on studying the influence of culturally-specific child rearing on Chinese childrens academic learning (cognitive development) and temperament (emotional and social development). In a study of Hong Kong-Chinese preschool childrens literacy skills, it is advised that: 75% of five years olds can write their names in Chinese correctly; more than 50% of four years olds can write appropriately using strokes and stroke patterns (the two smallest units in Chinese writings); 75% of three years olds can differentiate drawing from writing, and 20% can write appropriately (Chan Louies, 1992, cited in Chan, Juan, Foon, 2008). In international cross-cultural studies of reading, mathematics, and science achievement, children from all the participating Chinese cities, namely Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao, are rated top performers, way above the international level (Programme for International Student Assessment, 2003, 2006, cited in Berk, 2009). Despite relevant high academic achievement, most cross-cultural studies define Chinese children as shy and withdrawn (Chen, Rubin, Li, 1995, Chen et al., 1998, cited in Berk, 2009). In a cross-cultural study of Chinese and Canadian two years olds, Chinese toddlers were found significantly more inhibited than Canadian ones (Chen et al., 1998, cited in Papalia, Olds, Feldman, 2004). Child rearing practices in the Ecological Systems According to Bronfenbrenner, the environment influencing child development can be classified into five different layers from the innermost to the outermost levels: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and the chronosystem. The microsystem refers to childrens immediate environment, such as home and early childhood centre .The mesosystem is the interaction between the microsystems. Other social settings outside the immediate environment that affect childrens development make up the exosystem. The macrosystem includes cultural values, laws, customs, and resources. Chronosystem means the whole environment system is an ever-changing system. Any changes in life events imposed by others or by the children as they grow up can modify the systems (Berk, 2009). The child rearing practices in the respective systems that contribute to childrens development of relevant high academic performance and temperament of shyness are analysed as below. At home (microsystem), the childcare is mostly carried out by mothers. Chinese mothers are found to indulge their infants and toddlers in terms of feeding, sleeping (Roopnariane Carter, 1992, cited in Yunus, 2005). They always keep their children close to them and favour physical contact over verbal stimulation. The mothers start toilet training the babies when they are six months and most of they are successfully trained by one and half years old (Whiting Whiting, 1975, Sung, 1995, Lee, 1999, cited in Yunus, 2005). It is suggested by Kelly and Tseng (2000, cited in Yunus, 2005) that the over-indulgence and early rigid toilet training are positively related to Chinese childrens slow physical and motor development. The fathers role is to discipline children. The discipline is taught by induction: explicit statement of what exactly the child is expected to do and why. If the child doesnt do as told, some parents might resort to shaming the misbehaved child, retrieving their love or e ven physical punishment (Jose, Huntsinger, Huntsinger, Liaw, 2000, Schwalb, Nakazawa, Yamamoto, Hyun, 2004, cited in Berk, 2009). The parenting style is less warm and more controlling (Dehart, Sroufe, Cooper, 2004; Berk, 2009). Yunus(2005) suggests that Chinese parenting is more authoritarian compared to Western parenting. The communication pattern is one way: parent to child. At most times, children listen attentively to what parents say. Children are not to openly express opinions on certain issues (Chiew, 2000, Zhao, 2002, Akhtar, 1998, cited in Yunus, 2005), or to express strong emotions ever since they are babies (Berk, 2009). It is found that parents do little to help their children release emotions, encouraging them to hide the emotions (Chan, Bowes, Wyver, 2009).. Children are taught the emotion-feeling rules and display rules justified with moral reasons (Wang, 2006, cited in Chan et al., 2009). Being reared in an authoritarian way and taught the emotion display rules (hiding the emotions), Chinese children are inclined to be shy and withdrawn (Chan et. al., 2009). In terms of parents attitudes towards play, almost all Chinese parents discourage their children to play at home. They often tell their children Dont think of playing all the time. Learning is most important. Believing in the importance of academic learning, parents begin to teach their children to count and write since they are three in most cases. Therefore, for home activities as well as mother-child interaction, it would be mother teaching the child to write, count, and appropriate social behaviour through fable storytelling, especially respecting the elders (Pearson Rao, 2003). A recent survey shows that before children attend primary school, 88.6% parents teach their children reading, recognising Chinese characters and counting; 28.2% parents teach their children foreign language, and 20.3% parents tutor their children the courses for primary school (Wang, Wang, Chen, 2010). A lot of demonstration, time to practice academic skills, and explicit values of academic skills, faci litate Chinese childrens development in academic knowledge (Chan et al., 2008; Gershoff Aber, 2006, cited in Berk, 2009). Most Chinese parents send their children to kindergartens when they are three. The children will then spend eight to nine hours daily in the kindergarten (Liu Elicker, 2005). The interaction between Chinese parents and teachers (mesosystem) is limited (Schwartz, 2003, cited in Yunus, 2005). While parents do concern about their childrens learning, they assign the teaching responsibility to teachers, relying on the teachers for childrens learning in the kindergarten (Morrow, 1999, cited in Yunus, 2005). In a survey of parents expectations of kindergarten teaching, parents express their main aspirations for their children as possessing academic skills and filial piety (88%) (Xinyuan Kindergarten, 2010). Parents highly valuing academic skills urges teachers to put a lot of efforts in academic teaching to meet up their expectations. In China the child rearing is shared among the extended family (exosystem), especially grandparents take up a large role in raising the children. The filial piety and the whole system of family are greatly valued among the extended family (Yunus, 2005). Children are taught the importance of respecting the elders and the obligation to contribute to familys honour by behaving properly (Zhao, 2002, cited in Yunus, 2005). When children are shy, reticent, quiet, they are considered by the extended family to be well-behaved and having sense of understanding (Hart, Yang, Nelson, Robinson, Olsen, Nelson, Porter, Jin, Olsen, Wu, 2000). Children are constantly reminded that their first means to fulfil family responsibility and obligation is through education (Yunus, 2005). The expectation of academic achievement and honouring family reputations placed by the extended family put pressure on parents child education and childrens motivation towards high academic performance. In macrosystem, the Chinese families are greatly influenced by Confucian philosophy stressing the importance of academic achievement and social harmony. The following assumptions are deeply rooted in Chinese child rearing practices: children inherently penchant for the good; proper training during early childhood helps to build childrens positive character; formal education and high standards of academic achievement is important for childrens development (Yunus, 2005). It is the custom that parents are to provide an environment conducive to academic achievement, while children are to work hard for high performance in academics. Besides, Chinese value the doctrine of mean (Zhong Yong Zhi Dao in Mandarin), not being extreme. Inhibited, sensitive, and socially restrained behaviour are highly valued in the Chinese culture (Ho, 1986, Lao, 1996, Chen, in press, cited in Hart et al., 2000). It is partly because they prioritise the importance of maintaining social order and interpersonal har mony in the society at large in the collectivism society (Hart e al., 2000). The one-child policy in China also affects childrens development to a great extent. Having only one child, a lot of parents do their best to start their childrens education at the possible earliest age to make their children more advantaged within the intensely competitive Chinese educational system (Brassard Chen, 2005). Government also devote the increased resources to the care and education of children to support the families and to secure the countrys future generations success in the highly competitive economy (Dehart et al., 2004). In the chronosystem, while shyness is traditionally valued by parents and the society, recent researches indicate a change of peoples attitudes towards childrens shyness. With the rapid growth of the economy, assertiveness and sociability started to be viewed as desirable for success in the society (Chen, Wang, DeSouza, 2006, Yu, 2002, cited in Berk, 2009). It is reasonable to assume, with parents values swift, their way of interacting with children will change accordingly in the future, influencing childrens development in a different way. Figure 1. Chinese child rearing practices contributing to academic learning and shyness in the Ecological Systems. Vygotskys sociocultural theory According to Vygotskys sociocultural theory, each culture provides its own context and different goals for children (Drewery Bird, 2004). Vygotsky proposes that cultural influence children through cultural tools, which refer to the knowledge of cultural practices that help children fit into their cultural context, including language, rituals, ceremonies and social values and beliefs that guide peoples thinking (Crain, 2000, cited in NZTC, 2010). Vygotsky further suggests that the values, beliefs, customs and desirable skills of a culture are transmitted to the next generation through social interaction, in particular through scaffolding by adults and more-advanced peers (Rowe Wertsch, 2002, cited in Berk, 2009). In china, the selected goals for children are high academic achievement and maintaining social harmony. There goals are valued by the Confucian philosophy which still deeply influences the Chinese parents (Hart et al., 2000). Parents encourage children to develop these culturally valued skills at an early age of three. Children strive for these desirable skills to fit into the sociocultural context. Social value and belief of early formal education, cultural practices upholding the academics and proper social behaviour of respecting elders and shyness add to the Chinese cultural tools. All these cultural tools support the daily child rearing practices, educational activities, the routines, the child-adult interactions as analysed in the ecological systems (Crain, 2000, cited in NZTC, 2010). Through interaction with their parents, extended family, children learn, apply and internalize these cultural values and tools of academic learning and temperament of shyness. Conclusion Different sociocultural environment places different goals and expectations on children. When the sociocultural context changes over time, certain values and practices might change. Generally speaking, Chinese children are expected to fulfill the goals and expectations of academic achievement and maintaining social harmony placed by their parents, extended family, and society. The values, beliefs upheld by the society affect the parents and extended family, and the extended family and parents influence childrens development in academic learning and temperament through specific child rearing practices emphasising these skills.

The Cult of Santiago Essay examples -- Religion

The Cult of Santiago During the first century Europe was plagued with many different wars for political and religious agendas. At this time Christianity was still just a new trend and seen by many the way that we see doomsday cults today. Rather than making it impossible for Christianity to get a foothold in the people, the new Christianity trend used the turmoil as a doorway through which it was able to find strong followers. Saint James, known in Spanish as Santiago, was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus; during his lifetime he came to Spain to preach the gospel, probably following a route that leads to the "End of the Earth" which held a great deal of mythical and mystical value to Europeans (Lehelma). During this time the Moors, or Arabs, were in the process of expanding their territory, infringing upon many people's lands and belief systems. In the year 711 Visogothic Spain had nearly been conquered by the Moors, and the Spaniards were in dire need of a savior. Thus follows the birth of the Cult o f Saint James. During the battle of Clavijo Saint James appeared as a holy warrior fighting for Ramiro I of Leon, attempting to push back and defeat the troops of Abdurrahaman II. The image of Saint James the Moor-slayer,mounted horseback striking down all Moors in his path with a mighty sword, however grotesque, was then used to strengthen the Christian resistance to the Arabs. During Saint James' lifetime it seems that his preaching found little results. It is believed that he managed to convert only nine people to Christianity (New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1071). The route that the Camino takes is believed to have been used in Roman and even prehistoric times as a route to Finisterre, which was believed to be the "End of the... ... were influenced by these movements because they are infused in the new towns and cities along the Camino as well as being carried into "the farthermost [sic] corners of Europe" (Lehelma). The Cult of Saint James was born through turmoil but survived because of faith. The fact that Spain was never conquered by the Moors and turned into an Arab nation is believed to be thanks to Saint James, and also why he is, and has been, the patron saint of Spain. Santiago de Compostela is considered one of the three most important centers of Christianity with Jerusalem and Rome being the other two. For this feat, Spain was and is grateful to Saint James, and the pilgrimage to his tomb has been a monumentous occasion for Christians all over Europe and the world. Works Cited Antti Lehelma. "A Short Guide For Pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela." 1 June 1999. Online Posting.

Courtly Love Essay -- History, Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, Courtly love was a code which prescribed the conduct between a lady and her lover (Britannica). The relationship of courtly love was very much like the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege. The lover serves his beloved, in the manner a servant would. He owes his devotion and allegiance to her, and she inspires him to perform noble acts of valor (Schwartz). Capellanus writes, in The Art of Courtly Love, â€Å"A true lover considers nothing good except what he thinks will please his beloved†. The stories of Marie de France and Chrà ©tien de Troyes illustrate the conventions of courtly love. According to Capellanus, â€Å"Good character alone makes any man worthy of love†. In Lanval, the fairy lover chooses Lanval because he is â€Å"worthy and courtly† (Lawall 1319). Lanval gladly accepts the fairy’s love. He promises to â€Å"abandon all others for [her]† (Lawall 1319). Capellanus also says that â€Å"a true lover does not desire to embrace in love anyone except his beloved†. Therefore, Lanval loves his fairy lover solely. When the Queen offers her love to Lanval, he rejects her because his heart is devoted to his fairy lover. His beloved is one whom he â€Å"prized above all others† (Lawall 1320). Lanval desires no one more than his fairy lover. She provides him with â€Å"great joy and pleasure† that he can forego the other pleasures of the world (Lawall 1320). The claim she has on him is like that of a king’s. A good, chivalric knight should hold ladies in esteem. He should do all in his power to serve and protect ladies. Perceval’s mother instructs him to never â€Å"withhold [his] aid† from a lady or a â€Å"maiden in distress† (Lawall 1333). She says that â€Å"he who does not yield honor to ladies, loses his honor† (Lawall 1333).... ...hat is secret. Lanval, likewise, enjoys a secret love. In fact, if he ever reveals his love, he would â€Å"lose [her] forever† (Lawall 1319). Indeed, when Lanval tells the Queen that he is loved by a lady more worthy than the Queen, Lanval loses his beloved. He calls â€Å"his beloved repeatedly, but to no avail† (Lawall 1321). She leaves him once their love is made public. Courtly love defined the romance between a knight and his lady love. A knight must be worthy of love. A knight must be sworn to complete devotion to his beloved. He must hold her in high esteem and do all he can to protect her. A knight must desire no one above his beloved and the thought of her must continually be in his mind. Furthermore, courtly love must be a secret love; it does not exist within marriage. The conventions of medieval courtly love directed a knight towards servitude to his beloved.

The Invincible and the taking over of technology :: essays research papers

In recent years, new advances in technology have freed people from tedious tasks, enabling them to do more in less time. We have come to rely excessively on this technology, to the point that we may be giving computers too much intelligence and independence. If machines ever develop intelligence on a level that could challenge humans, will they find that the most efficient course of action for humans is removing them? Stanislaw Lem’s novel The Invincible tells of a race of robots that dwell on a planet and come to threaten the lives of a crew looking for their sister ship, The Condor. Robots were placed upon the planet millions of years ago and evolved according to the environment. They needed to destroy anything that would cause their species to discontinue, including humans. The Invincible proves that the advancement of intelligent machines will threaten our society one-day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout history, humans have become fascinated with how far technology may someday take us. Works of science fiction through literature and entertainment have made it possible to uncover potential future developments. Levels of technological advancements are at an all time high, while computing power is set increase dramatically in coming decades. Gordon Moore, the co-founder of Intel, predicted, in what is now known as Moore’s Law, that the processing power will double every 18 months. This and the development of quantum computers may account for new tools toward artificial intelligence. Some have looked at this upcoming enhancement in artificial intelligence with anticipation and others with dread. Professor Hans Moravec, well known for his belief that machines will inherit the earth, believes that it is only the next logical step in evolution. Mechanical machines are capable of far greater learning and development and will therefore replace biological humans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Leslie, professor of philosophy at Guelph Univerisy, predicted a number of ways these intelligent machines may cause the extinction of mankind. The super intelligent machines may argue to themselves that they are superior to humans. They may also develop the theory that the only way to save humans, is to save us from ourselves. They may eliminate some of us due to overpopulation trends or disease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although we do not currently possess the ability to create such complex intelligence, many who are studying this field have thought of ways to prevent an intelligent machine takeover. Isaac Asimov, a quintessential author of more than 500 science fiction works, developed a group of fundamental rules humans would give to intelligent machines in order protect themselves.

Soft System Methodology

Application of Soft Systems Methodology By Name Course Professor University City/State Date In management, problematic situations often arise. Some from a need to harmonize different peoples’ perceptions, some from need to expand the business and others from the need to start new projects The soft system methodology is a general approach for addressing real-world difficult situations in management.It has been developed with time as a result of extensive research by Peter Checkland and Brian Wilson among others. It grants a framework for a step by step enquiry and knowledge concerning the organization. It provides a clearly defined research approach that is action based to assist in addressing iniquitous problems. It concerns developing models that don’t represent the real world but allows people to structure their thinking about the existent world through the use of systems principles and rules.It constrains thinking with an intention of eventually expanding it. It all begins with a real world problem and it is from the problem that the model is created. It makes some assumptions: That most organizational and management problems cannot be perceived as wholesome systems problems because the system is too complex to analyze and it also assumes that applying a complete approach to a non-systemic problem is important.There are the factors that make it suitable for use in projects: It is suitable for complex, messy situations, it is adaptable to the real world, it culminates into a learning process, it teases the problem situation thus making it more creative in the problem solving process and it is excellent at pointing lines and/or areas of weakness and also at spotting relationships, a vital aspect in project management. The client’s project brief helps in identification of the firm’s goal, the strategic direction that the firm can use to achieve the goals.From it we can also identify the contrasting poles; the two options that can be taken towards achieving the goal. This makes it a complex problem, a specialization of Soft Systems Methodology. It has seven stages addressing both the conceptual and real worlds. The first stage is the problem situation that is considered difficult and messy. This stage is in the real world and it involves acknowledging, investigating and defining the problem. At this stage, there are no constraints caused by organizational boundaries or strict definitions.Data is collected in whatever form and using any statistically appropriate method. In the second stage, the problem is somehow expressed in the totality of its richness using the data collected. It should include processes, climate, issues that people express, people, conflicts and structures. According to Checkland, the best way of executing this stage is by the use of pictures. These inclusions should be evaluated to deduce what they entail. The third stage is about root definitions.A root definition is a sentence put across i n usual language, consisting of elements according to the mnemonic CATWOE, whereby C stands for customers who are the victims of the transformation, A for Actors who perform the transformation, T for the transformation process, W for Weltanschauung which is the world view that makes the transformation meaningful in a perspective, O stands for owners that are able to alter the transformation and E for environmental constraints; elements that the system takes as given.It is in the conceptual world and is mooted as the most difficult stage of the methodology. First and foremost, understanding of the different perspectives’ concepts that can be drawn from the rich picture is crucial. In the words of Checkland, they are called holons. Stage four is the development of the conceptual model using the root definitions. The conceptual model is the planned set of activities that logic calls for in a speculative system which essentially is the one described in the root definition. Stage five entails comparing conceptual models with the reality.Different models formulated can be compared in order to get the best model. Pitfalls of the model are outlined for improvement. Stage six involves outlining possible adjustments that are feasible and advantageous and finally, stage seven is the implementation of the approved changes at stage six. SSM ANALYSIS 1-Client’s perspective In the first stage we start with the situation that needs intervention in this project. The company is in the process of expanding to levels that it will be able to compete with the best in the United Kingdom.As the company expands, so do its responsibilities; to the industry, to the community and future trends. It has a responsibility to the environment. However, as it strives to fulfil its responsibilities to the environment, there are several other factors that have to be put into consideration. The other factors that come into play can be researched by the use of both quantitative and qu alitative methods of data collection. This would help to produce results as per the different perspectives of the company’s employees and those it affects.In the second stage, our problem situation is how to fulfil the company’s responsibility to the environment. Prospective clients I can’t affords that Competitors Will customers support the change? I think I can afford CompanyCustomer Will the change be very costly? I better clean it myself Will the changes be sustainable? It will all depend on the quality * Improved performance * Services that are environment friendly * Services at affordable cost Shareholders Environmentalregulators Root DefinitionA system that is jointly owned by the client and its consumers with the available cleaning resources to ensure that the consumers get cleaning services at an affordable cost and in a way that will not impact negatively on their environment by using environment friendly cleaners within the constraints of time and bud getary allocations while meeting the high standards expected by the shareholders, prospective clients and environmental regulators and ensuring it does not give competitors an edge. The customers are the consumers of the service that the company provides. The actor is the company (the client).The transformation is to ensure the consumers get cleaning services. The input for this transformation is the cleaning services to be offered while the output is the cleaning services offered. The Weltanschauung is at an affordable cost that will not have negative impact on the environment. The system is jointly owned by the client and consumers of its services. The environmental constraints are time, budget allocated to the service and living up to the standards set by the environmental regulators, shareholders and the watchful eye of competitors and prospective clients.After that we have to make a conceptual model that captures the root definitions in a conceptual world. Below is the activity model taking the client’s perspective. Know about the available cleaning resources Establish what a complete cleaning service is. Assess what an affordable cost entails. Determine available time Provide cleaning services Assess what negative environmental impact is Assess whether the service was high quality Establish the funds available Ensure that the service satisfies the quality standards set by shareholders and environmental regulators.It should also attract new customers and keep competitors at bay. Control action Controlac Efficiency (‘doing the thing right’; ‘is there least use of funds? ’) entails cost and process management, and is an interior weight of the managerialist model in principle and specifically project management literature. A lot of work has been prepared in generating methods to intensify the power exerted by project implementation teams, and thus progress project efficiency. A project is efficient if it brings the planned y ield within the budgeted inputs and on time.Within particular constraints, the efficiency of a project is a factor of the management aptitude of the implementation team. SSM emphasizes efficiency since a system is prone to fail to achieve the desired results without a wealth of resource usage. Efficacy (‘doing a successful thing’; ‘does the way work? ’) regards the pros of the assumption of change of a given project. Every aid project is based on an inherent ‘theory of change’ that supposes that the outputs of the project will advance changes in knowledge, approach or practice among persons with whom the project relates.That is, the degree to which the ‘means’ generate the projected ‘ends’. Efficacy is usually the focus of most appraisal literature and is a function of the design—the level to which the causality of the project is based in ingrained understanding and uses apposite means of social renovation. A pr oject design may be adjudged efficacious when the yields of the project lead to the estimated outcomes. SSM is keeps a keen eye on efficacy because a system could fail if the means chosen to convey about the intended transformation does not work. Effectiveness (‘doing the right thing’; ‘is this the right thing to do? ) encompasses the thoughtful and developmental value or aptness of an idea. Eventually, effectiveness is decided by the environmental, social and economic sustainability of intercession and therefore is a function of the guidelines and strategies espoused by the project implementing agency. Effectiveness is holistic in nature (i. e. the whole program or approach) to which any set project plays a role. That is, given a project considered to be efficacious, effectiveness is into whether or not the project result contributes to the expected impact.In a nutshell, effectiveness is a gauge of the degree to which certain system adds to the more comprehensive perspective that gives that system meaning. SSM B In this analysis, I’ll look at it from the view-point of the different departments of the company. The problem that needs intervention is the fulfilment of the company’s corporate responsibility and the departments, though in the same company, have different perspectives of how they view the situation. Some of them can be viewed differently are: * Clients are not sure if the increase in cost will be forwarded to them. Clients prefer degrading of environment to increase in prices. * Will clients support the new environment friendly approach? * Consider products practices if they are pleasing to the public. * Lessen environmental impact * Changing is likely to be more costly * [Don’t want to] change prices and practices * Clients might not support the change and go elsewhere * Operate at national level in the long term * Adding a recycling service * Tie in well with existing services These are even what the rich p icture would most constitute. CATWOE elements of fulfilling environmental responsibility.This would be better expressed through a rich picture that would capture the perspectives of the different stakeholders in the company. The inter-relationships of the different people would also come out. The subsequent analysis will go through the players in the system and then I’ll take a look at the impediments and catalysts of the implementation of the submissions and recommendations made. ANALYSIS I This centres on the roles of different people in the company. The interaction between the consultancy firm and the company is indicative that there has been established that there is a need for intervention.There are also those that can be affected by the whole intervention, those that the intervention revolves around. They include: a) The company’s clientele who have to be satisfied that the service is value for their money. As the price hike is implemented, they must feel that th e marginal price is equivalent to their marginal utility in terms of quality of service and environmental conservation. This quality should have a good face value. b) The company’s management should ensure that as the company grows it at the same time meets its goals and objectives. ) The sales office must ensure that the addition of the proposed quality does not affect the company’s sales negatively. d) Employees in general should feel that the project does not unnecessarily increase their work load without a perk associated with it. e) The environmental regulator should also feel that the company is true to its pledge towards environmental conservation. CULTURAL ANALYSIS (II) Information about the cultural dynamics in the company is scanty. This is because the project brief only explains what they want to implement but they don’t explain how different people behave or relate in the company.However, it is common knowledge that there are stakeholders in the comp any and to be specific, the sales office, the company’s employees, the finance office and the customers. The sales office is represented by the national sales manager Stephen Grant, a person whose character cannot be depicted from the interview but since there is a scheduled meeting, it will pose an opportunity to know him better. Information on employees is non-existent but in liaison with relevant departments with the company we’ll get it.This is critical because the change will directly affect their work load and how they respond to the changes is likely to alter the direction of the company. The national sales manager will also provide us with information about the constraints that face the financial office and the behaviour of their clients, another bunch that is meant to be affected by the changes. ANALYSIS OF POWER (III) In this section, I will look at the different interests at play and how the company will take care of all the interests in the system. The same issue owners wield the instruments of power in the company.Therefore, they will be Stephen Grant (national sales manager), finance department, clients (customers), Environmental regulators and employees. The finance department holds the financial power and goodwill of the company. Any tendency by the department to frustrate the project implementation can take it (the project) down. The employees on the other hand must feel motivated to work for the company and support the project. If the terms are not improved and the workload increases, they are likely to go in search of pastures new and this would not help in the success of the project.The clients also hold a very powerful position in the system; if they feel that the company’s project does not add value and decide to seek the services from another company the company’s sales will go down and this would mean the project has not succeeded. The environmental regulators who double as government agencies also wield some power and could influence the success of the project. They would like to see that the company is steadfast in its efforts to conserve the environment and also comply with the tax regimes that are forthcoming when the project is implemented.The national sales manager is also powerful owing to his role in deciding price floors and ceilings and would detect when sales falter. He is therefore in a position to influence the success of the project. The perspectives of different primary stakeholders are also of utmost importance in this project. They are the same issue owners save for the employees who in this case are replaced by the company’s management. Clients’ perspective PQR P- Responding to the company’s advances R-To help the company to implement its project on environmental conservation CATWOEC-Consultancy team A-Clients themselves and the consultancy team T-Making their feelings known to the consultancy team W-Working towards a higher quality, competent serv ice that is environmental friendly. O-Clients E-Time and mindset Management’s perspective PQR P-Put up systems that are both customer and environmental friendly Q-Investigating the available options and decide which one is best placed to achieve the objectives. R-In order to adapt an environmental friendly model and become more attractive to attract new customers CATWOEC-The Company itself, Government and environmental regulators, consumers A-Company’s management, Stephen grant, Consultancy team T- Introduces practices and products that are environmental friendly. W- Practices that can improve the image of the company to the genral public and the world at large. O- Company’s management. E- Budget, Time, market forces, conflict of interests. Consultancy team’s perspective PQR P-Perform the task requested by Forebys. Q- By doing research and presenting a clear report on ways in which Forebys could achieve its goals and objectives. R-In order to improve the image of the companyCATWOE C- Forebys A- Consultancy firm. T- Preparing a report that will give Forebys a clear direction on the practices and products they want to introduce. W- Forebys expects a comprehensive report that will be value for money. O- Forebys E- Budget, Time, expectations of Forebys, availability of information. Stephen Grant’s Perspective PQR P- To introduce environment products and practices by the company. Q- By hiring a consultancy firm to do the analysis and come up with a workable model R- In order to be competitive in the market and offer services that are environmentally sound.CATWOE C -Consumers, Company’s board A – Stephen Grant, Consultancy firm T- Introducing new products and services to the market W- Becoming an environmental friendly company in all aspects O- The company’s management E- Budgetary constraints, the customers’ desire, time, Competitors 3Es Efficiency- is there least use of funds? Efficacy- does the way wo rk? Effectiveness- is this the right thing to do? Briefing Notes Objectives of the Meeting i. The most pressing objective for the consultancy firm is winning the contract. ii. To familiarise itself with the dynamics of the company.Background of Company and Project (From project brief) i. Having been in operation for 4 years, the company has stretched its muscles to whole of west midlands and plans to go full throttle in the next five years. It offers cleaning and gardening services; it started as a window cleaning company but extended its services to cleaning houses after floods and fire. ii. Besides expanding, it desires to adopt an environmental friendly model which they have come up with two options that can be adopted to achieve it. However, none of these options have been ratified and so they have to be investigated.They are: * Introduction of products and practices that are environmental friendly. * Setting up a recycling service that would be incorporated by its existing netw orks and operations. Deliverables * The consultancy firm aims at doing a comprehensive investigation that will deliver beyond the scope of the firm. * The consultancy is dedicated to delivering highly feasible and easy to implement mechanism to achieve the intended goals. * We will gear our efforts towards a lucid, concise working formula to make it easy to achieve intended goals and objectives in a timely manner. Preliminary AnalysisA preliminary analysis shows that: * Customers should be the focal point when carrying out this whole investigation because their choice to shift allegiance would mean total collapse of not only the project but also the company. * Shareholders should also be willing to inject new finances to the company for a better future. * There will be conflicts of interests in the drafting and implementation of the projects and so it will be upon the company to balance the interests. Bibliography Wilson, B. 2008. Soft Systems Methodology: Conceptual Model Building and Its Contribution. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.