October Sky The Movie Essay

The film October Sky manages a great deal of subjects that despite everything exist in social orders everywhere throughout the present reality. One of the fundamental subjects and maybe the most clear is the moving thought of pursuing one’s dream and never surrendering until progress is found. In the film, we discover Homer Hickam, a normal humble community kid, fascinated by the dispatch of Soviet satellite Sputnik and beguiled by joining the space race and making his own rockets. Homer gets motivated to better himself. He needs to effectively fabricate rockets and with further support from his educator, Miss Riley, he and his companions enter a science reasonable in which they get the opportunity to get school grants. This is Homer’s dream and he defines his objectives in like manner to accomplish his fantasy. Homer doesn’t permit any snag, even family inconveniences, to prevent him from acquiring his fantasy. His acknowledgment of his objectives and industriousness in accomplishing them is a truly honorable activity and is something that despite everything happens constantly. Over various decades the fantasies may change and the provokes one face to accomplish them might be unique however regardless of what decade, individuals are continually going to have dreams and objectives they need to accomplish in their lives. Each individual wants to be effective and upbeat. Achievement and accomplishment of dreams doesn't come simple. An individual must have assurance to be effective and the topic of seeking to an objective and a superior life doesn't disappear over decades, regardless of how large or little the fantasy is. Family strife is another subject that is all inclusive for some reasons. In a few different ways, family strife is joined with the subject of the age hole. This is on the grounds that family strife is regularly brought about by an absence of comprehension among individuals and that frequently happens among grown-ups and youngsters/adolescents. In October Sky, the contention among Homer and his dad, John, was from multiple points of view inescapable. Homer and John were purchased up in totally different universes. John experienced childhood in a conventional reality where most things were dark or white †right or wrong and things were constantly done likewise way. Homer is living hisâ teenage years in a period where the eventual fate of humble communities is questionable and the United States is being hauled into a mechanical age. Experiencing childhood in such various universes leaves the two with altogether different considerations and viewpoints on pretty much everything which implies they are no uncertainty going to conflict on those focuses. Their alternate points of view cause Homer and John to once in a while agree on things. The main thing they appeared to share for all intents and purpose was the way that they were both difficult and that neutralized them. Family clashes are frequently inescapable, even right up 'til the present time. The age hole among Homer and John that caused a great deal of their issues clearly still happens between families in each nation of our decade and will most likely despite everything happen for the remainder of time. The subjects managed in October Sky, for example, the quest for a fantasy, family strife, age hole and all the more, for example, money related issues have been around for quite a while and presumably for quite a while to come. www.wikipedia.comwww.imdb.com

The script of the Crucible Essays

The content of the Crucible Essays The content of the Crucible Paper The content of the Crucible Paper In The Crucible there are numerous profoundly sensational scenes where Miller makes a lot of strain and feeling in the crowd. Envision you are coordinating a creation of The Crucible. Depict how you would arrange these scenes and how you would develop strain and feeling in your crowd. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, was written in America during the 1950s. It portrays an educational relationship between the Salem witch-chase in 1692 and the McCarthy socialist preliminaries in 1950s America. Truth be told, Miller utilized a portion of the specific recorded discourse from the McCarthy preliminaries in the content of The Crucible. While viewing The Crucible the crowd ought to recollect that the individuals of Salem were devotedly puritan, thus anything that negated the rules, or any piece of the Bible would be vigorously disapproved of. Thus, inside the setting of the play, could be gone in to indications of black magic by individuals controlling reality. Toward the finish of Act III Elizabeth denies that Proctor has had an illicit relationship after Proctor has admitted to it. On the off chance that she comes clean it would have thrown solid questions across Abigails allegations. Subsequently Hale-maybe past the point of no return tells the court he trusts Proctor. Abigail, indicating her heartless cleverness once more, imagines Mary is sending her soul on her. Danforth trusts her. Mary, because of the weight from Danforth, the danger of death, and the young ladies panic blames Proctor for black magic and comes back to Abigail. Delegate and Giles are captured toward the finish of the demonstration. At the point when Elizabeth is brought in to the court I figure she ought to be driven in from the rear of the amphitheater, which will develop anticipation and strain in the crowd. I would gather the young ladies in front of an audience left, with Abigail marginally closer the inside and looking back. The young ladies should gaze wide-looked at Elizabeth. Delegate should stand the reflected situation of Abigail, again looking back. Robust ought to be near him, yet further right, looking apprehensively, yet marginally hopefully, at Elizabeth. This should show the crowd how the weight has all been moved to Elizabeth. Danforth should remain down focus looking out, and when Elizabeth arrives at the stage she should stand close before him looking towards him. This ought to make an emotional triangle between Elizabeth, Proctor, and Abigail. This ought to represent Elizabeths quandary. Regardless of whether to reprimand Abigail and keep to her Christian feelings, or to spare Johns name from disgrace. Elizabeth is brought in to affirm Proctors guarantee that he and Abigail engaged in extramarital relations. Delegate is sure she will come clean, as she never lies. He says that in her life she have never lied. This ought to make anticipation in the crowd, as they can detect Elizabeths quandary, yet recognize what John anticipates that her should do. This is one of the focuses in the scene where one of the characters could have changed to result of the play. At the point when Elizabeth denies her better half is an obscene person answering hesitantly to Danforths fierceness No, sir I would have the entire court freeze with the exception of Elizabeth and a focus on her when she says the line No, sir, at that point in a flash the lights should return up, and the activity proceed. This ought to again develop colossal strain in the crowd in the sit tight for Elizabeths choice. At the point when it comes the will be exceptionally shocked, however won't be offered time to recoup as the activity will proceed rapidly. The speed of Danforths response implies this was the appropriate response he needed, as it is brisk and contemptuous of the interests. This is appeared as he promptly arranges the Marshal to Remove her. This I believe is in such a case that she had not denied the illicit relationship it would have likewise left genuine inquiries regarding Danforths abilities of judgment. Sound at that point tells the court that he accept s Proctor and tells the court he has consistently struck me valid. I figure the crowd would think this has come past the point of no return. To underline this Danforth ought to overlook him, strolling back to his seat, not in any event, going to state, she didn't talk anything of licentiousness, and this man has lied. During this I would make Proctor place his head in his grasp, and the young ladies passing exceptionally prudent grins between each other. At the point when Hale says [pointing at Abigail] This young lady has consistently struck me bogus. She has-and Abigail cuts him off. Here we again perceive how Abigail utilizes her situation of intensity in the court. She out of nowhere cuts in about the yellow fledgling saying You won't! Begone! Begone, I state! this abruptly distracts from the individuals who are questioning her.

Management Risks in Financial Institutions Essay

The board Risks in Financial Institutions - Essay Example Essentially, hazard and return are connected a similar way. A minor case of this would be a bank charging distinctive financing costs on various people who have settled on a similar advance. The person who has a moderately poor record as a consumer is probably going to get a higher financing cost as there are odds of him/her not paying the credit bank. Along these lines, there is a higher hazard and the bank gets a better yield through the higher loan fee charged. Be that as it may, hazard should be overseen and there can be a few immense misfortunes if the money related establishment isn't prepared to manage it. Hazard the board is a sort of procedure which each money related establishment needs to have at its center and there are a few sections engaged with this including observing the dangers, estimating these dangers and controlling dangers. It is the examination of hazard blended in with the component of value chance controls. Hazard the board is required by banks and budgetary organizations as a security measure to shield the foundation from any major money related issues. The vulnerability and the potential inalienable dangers that accompany the monetary markets makes it significant for the greater part of the budgetary establishments and banks to utilize hazard the board. The hazard the executives controls are one of the significant determinants of the money related soundness of a bank. The most widely recognized sorts of dangers looked by most money related foundations There are a few kinds of dangers engaged with budgetary organizations and these dangers are as per the following: Systematic hazard. This is otherwise called diversifiable hazard. Essentially this specific kind of hazard implies the danger of the difference in resource esteem related with methodical elements. Thusly, the hazard can't be completely broadened. There are a few subcategories under deliberate dangers and there are different manners by which the estimation of an advantage can be influenced. The determinant of the adjustment in the estimation of the advantages possessed by the establishment and it relies on characteristic and financial elements including loan fees influencing the estimation of the benefits, an expansion in swelling may cause an expansion in fuel costs which may influence transportation and stock worth and changes in monetary conditions which may cause a few changes in the estimation of advantages. Loan cost hazard is one of the significant pieces of deliberate hazard and the organizations needs to quantify the variety and the responsiveness of the rate touchy resources towards the adjustments in financing costs. Ware value chance and remote trade hazard are different dangers which go under efficient dangers that numerous financial specialists attempt to quantify and attempt to limit these. Credit chance. This is the hazard which is identified with the installment by the indebted individuals. Credit chance is the hazard which all the banks face and they have to deal with this so as to be proactive against any future misfortunes. Fundamentally the bank is the loan specialist and is the leaser for the borrower and the hazard is that the borrower may fail and probably won't have the option to take care of the bank. This appears as a really low kind of hazard if a sole individual is included, be that as it may, credit chance likewise includes borrowings worth a large number of dollars by colossal organizations. Regardless of whether the business is well known and has a decent record of loan repayment, it can fail which may bring about lost a huge number of dollars to the bank. As such, it implies that the organization or the individual defaults which is the reason this hazard is otherwise called default chance. Counterparty hazard. This emerges from the

Calligraphy in Islam

Calligraphy is the type of craftsmanship which mean signs and letters in an expressive structure, it’s a type of visual workmanship which was created in western Europe by priests around 1500 years prior. It is a painting which is assists with communicating feelings through plans and show the scholarly aptitudes of a person. it is Greek word characterized by greek roots Kalli meaning excellent and appealing and gharphia alludes to composing. The point of this proposition is to talk about the job of calligraphy in islam and various kinds of calligraphy. Calligraphy is the tongue of the hand, the enjoyment of the soul, the envoy of the psyche, the inheritor of the idea, the weapon of information, the buddy of missing companion, the converser with them over significant distances, the safe of mysteries, and register of occasions. † †Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad Ash-Shaybani Many religions have utilized craftsmanship to representation their center regulation. Islam has utilized t he shapes and sizes of word and letter in calligraphy which is a fundamental type of craftsmanship for Islamic visual articulation and motivation. It representation the social estimations of Muslims. The Islamic calligraphy is a sign of most muslim social orders it stands apart with other calligraphic convention with adaptability and its appropriate to any ornamental reason, from the eighth century it turned out to be increasingly normalized and holding with Muslim character unquestionably more solidly than any composing custom. The instruments utilized by calligrapher are special which incorporates reeds and brush pens, scissors, a blade for cutting the pens, an ink pot, and a honing device, The customary method to hold the pen,† as indicated by Safadi, â€Å"is with center finger, index finger, and thumb very much scattered along the (pen's) shaft. Just the lightest conceivable weight is applied. † The most honorable reeds were local to the beach front terrains of the Persian Gulf. Qalams the most esteemed items are specified over the whole Muslim world. A practiced and convenient copyist would require distinctive qalams so as to accomplish various degrees of fineness. Inks utilized are of different hues however the ink most utilized is dark and earthy colored, since there intensity and textures can be changed, Many of the calligraphers are give preparing on the most proficient method to plan ink while different suggests that their formula is a mystery. In spite of the fact that strategies vary starting with one spot then onto the next spot, most inks depended on residue or light dark blended in with water and gum-Arabic. Different fixings are indigo, minced nerve nuts, and henna. The last phase of readiness included stressing the ink through silk. Additionally, the ink may be perfumed whenever wanted. There are various types of calligraphy confined to Islam the most widely recognized among them is Kufic. It has amalgamation of square and precise lines toward one side, and conservative striking roundabout structures on the other. It arrived at flawlessness in the late 8 century and became to just content to compose Quran for following 300 years. Taliq calligraphy which was created in Iran in the tenth century made by Hassan Ibn Husayn yet because of extraordinary improvement by abd-ul-malk its generally associated with him. It is composed with thick nipped pen with provide food corner cuts, it’s a blend of short flimsy vertical with wide even whose characteristic length is misrepresented at every possible opportunity and particularly toward the finish of work. Thuluth is medieval Islamic style of manually written letter set. It’s composed on principium that 33% of each letter inclines. It is colossal and extravagant calligraphy content which is frequently utilized for titles instead of the long content. The letters are round and possibly written in line so close that the component of letters meet with one another. A significant number of its discripence are found on building landmarks just as on glass, metalwork, materials, and wood. Naskh which implies â€Å"copying,† resembles a sudden spike in demand for a factory which was utilized in customary correspondence and the creation of scholarly works. It has a standard appearance. This calligraphic content of Ibn Muqla was accompanied to greatness by Ibn Al-Bawwaba, a house decorator who turned his hand to calligraphy. In tenth century it was utilized for composing the Quran and this workmanship never finished in Persia However, it is Mirza Ahmad Nayrizi, in the mid eighteenth century who is viewed as the last incredible ace of naskh. There were numerous late improvement in the Calligraphy. The Safavid administration in 1502 created an enlightening artful culminations of Islamic workmanship. During the time of Shah Isma'il and his replacement Shah Tahmasp (1524-1576), the Ta'liq content was designed and formed into a broadly utilized local content which prompted the innovation of a lighter and increasingly exquisite variant called Nasta'liq. The word Nasta'liq is a compound word got from Naskh and Ta'liq The Mughals lived and reigned in India from 1526 to 1858. This administration was the best, most extravagant, and longest enduring Muslim line to manage India. They delivered some best craftsmanship in the history. Nasta'liq, Naskh, and Thuluth were received by the Muslim calligraphers during this time. The energetic improvement of calligraphy in India prompted the making of new forms of Naskh and Thuluth. These Mughal contents are thicker and bolder, the letters are generally separated, and the bends are increasingly adjusted. Calligraphy was incredibly refreshing in this period particularly when the Taj Mahal was manufactured. One name remains firmly connected with It with the heavenly calligraphic engravings showed in the geometric friezes on the white marble †that is the name of the keen calligrapher Amanat Khan, whose genuine name was Abd ul-Haq. It tends to be demonstrated that the reality, that the Arabic calligraphy has more firmly connected with Islam than the Arabic language itself. That is, even uneducated individuals who couldn't consider either spoken or composed Arabic knew quickly when they were in a Muslim domain when they saw the Arabic content plainly showed in calligraphy. This uncommon capacity of the Islamic calligraphy proceeds to the current day. Referencing: Sana Naveed. (2006). islamic calligraphy workmanship. Accessible: http://www.muhammadanart.com/. Last got to seventeenth feb 2011. Islami City. (2005). islamic calligraphy . Accessible: http://www.islamicity.com/culture/calligraphy/. Last got to seventeenth feb 2011. Gallery Of Fine Arts. (202009). Presentation: Traces of the Calligrapher. Accessible: http://sites.asiasociety.org/islamiccalligraphy/presentation hints of-the-calligrapher/. Last got to seventeenth feb 2011. Mamoon Shakkal. (1993). The Language And The Script. Accessible: http://www.sakkal.com/ArtArabicCalligraphy.html. Last got to seventeenth feb 2011. Wilson, Diana Hardy. (1990). The reference book of calligraphy procedures: Headline. p34-56. Saramago (1995). Manual of painting and calligraph: Carcanet, in relationship with Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation,. p1-17.

The Essay Topic

The Essay TopicAn essay topic may be the defining element of a literary composition. It gives the reader a picture of the subject of the essay, what he or she will learn, and how the subject is presented to the reader. Often, the reader's personal experience with the topic may be the best indicator of the manner in which it should be presented to the reader.Your point of view on the subject or essay topic is the key to a coherent entire essay. Your view points may differ from the writer's view points, but they are not the same. The objective is to bring your personal viewpoint and experiences into the essay so that it achieves its purpose - to improve the reader's understanding of the subject.In other words, you cannot judge the essay from your personal viewpoints. You must rely on the writer's and the author's viewpoint to help you come up with the structure of the essay. The essay itself is what is important, and the ideas should be related to the nature of the topic. A strong and coherent essay is a part of what makes an essay successful.Not all original writers agree on the issues of grammar and spelling, but most do agree on the different issues relating to writing style. The essays that are the most successful have the best style. Style is the basis for this success.Style is the basis for this success. The questions are frequently asked: 'What is the best essay topic?' 'How do I write an essay topic?'The answer to these questions is that you cannot write the best essay topics by putting together questions and answers. The best essays are the ones that are related to the subject. A well written essay should use the proper formatting and also berich in vocabulary and in general readability.The second question is how do I write an essay topic? There are a number of ways in which a writer can design his or her essay topic. The simple answer is to start at the beginning and work backwards to cover more material.The simple answer is to start at the beginning an d work backwards to cover more material. The essay topic should not contain too much information. The topic of the essay should be short, easy to read, and without any ambiguity.

ACT Science †Research Summaries Strategy

The ACT Science Test will always be the fourth test you’ll take. It will have 7 passages and you’ll have 35 minutes to complete them. That’s about 5 minutes per passage so moving confidently through this test is essential! It takes practice to gain confidence in interpreting data and understanding the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary. Luckily, you already have all of the skills necessary to do this from your high school Science classes. Research Summaries involve one or more experiments conducted by a group of students or scientists. Often some type of phenomena will have been observed and the experiments will be set up to investigate how certain factors affect the phenomena. Often a graph, table or figure will accompany the description of the experiments to show the results. Here are some strategies to help you with these! Make sure to underline the Purpose Method for each Experiment as you read (don’t wait until you finish reading everything or you won’t remember!). The Purpose tells you why the scientists are conducting the experiment. What are they trying to find out? Look for verbs like â€Å"to study†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"to examine†¦Ã¢â‚¬  in the first explanatory paragraph. That is often where the description of the Purpose can be found. The Method for each experiment will be described in the paragraphs that follow. Make sure to make note of what is similar and what is different between the two experiments if there is more than one. Sometimes the scientists will change one or more factors between the experiments to see if the results change. Factors, also known as variables, are important elements in these experiments. These are often things like temperature, pH, pressure, time, distance, etc. Depending on the way the variable is being used in each experiment, it can be called either dependent or independent. Independent variables are those factors that are controlled by the scientists. Did the scientists increase the heat in the experiment? Did they add or remove pressure? If the scientists were the ones controlling the variable, it is independent.   Dependent variables are what the scientists observed changing. Let’s say that when the scientists increased the heat in our hypothetical experiment, the time also increased. To analyze the results, make sure to read all the text provided, including the title of each table. What is in each column? Make sure you understand how the labels in the data correspond to the descriptions in the passage. If there is a graph, read what is on the x-axis and y-axis. You should be doing this anyway to understand the factors, but it’s very important to read every single word on the page BEFORE diving into those questions! Don’t skip over anything just because it looks confusing or has unknown verbiage. A huge part of success on the ACT Science Test is simply knowing where to look for the right answer to the question!

Assessing an organisational structure and its financial impact - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2302 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? A well developed and appropriately connected structure is an important need for the objectives of organization. It provides fundamental features without which an organization cannot operate. An organizational operation could include decision making to their communication across the boards. These particular functions need to be well managed and operate in order for an organization to be successful. STRUCTURE OF HBL At present the Bank operates through one central and 23 Regional Offices and 1439 branches, all over Pakistan. The president and Executives Committee look after the affairs of the Bank. Each Regional Head Quarter is headed by a Chief Executive and assisted by General Manager Operations and General Manager Support Services. The Regional Head Quarter controls the branches in their area. Overseas operations consist of 65 main branches, two affiliates, two representative offices and two subsidiaries. President, from Head Office at Karachi controls the officers of the Bank with the help of the senior management. Functional responsibilities of the Banks are broken into seven groups known as International Operations Group Corporate Banking and Treasury Investment Group Retail Banking and Operation Group Finance, Audit and Administration Group Assets Remedial Management Group Credit Policy Group Corporate Bank, Financial Institutions and Project Finance Group In addition to the overall controlling authority, president also manages the International Operations Group individually. While the Senior Executive Vice Presidents supervise rest of the functional groups. Each Senior Executive Vice President is individually responsible for the group which is assigned to him. At the level of provinces there are Regional Head Quarters headed by Regional Chief Executives (RCE). Each RCE is assisted by GM operations and GM Support Services. Branches are also controlled by the RCEs. Circle Offices of the past times have been removed to reduce Managerial Layers, which were working under the control of Zonal Offices. This happened as a result of policy of beginning new changes in the organizational structure. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Assessing an organisational structure and its financial impact" essay for you Create order 2.1.6.2 Organizational Chart of HBL A chart defines the line of authority in an organization and its departmentation. It is a sort of visual presentation of the organizational structure. It specifies the duties and responsibilities of the personnel of the organization. The Organizational chart of HBL is given below. Chairman President Board of Directors SEVP International Operations SEVP Corporate Banking Treasury SEVP Retail Banking Information Technology SEVP Finance, Audit Administration SEVP Asset Remedial Management SEVP Credit Policy SEVP Corporate Banking, financial institute Project Finance 4.1 SWOT ANALYSIS OF HBL HBL is considered to be a very sound bank in the financial circles. The bank where the customers can safely keep their money as long as they want. In SWOT analysis the best strategies accomplish in organizations mission by: 1. Exploiting opportunities and strengths. Neutralizing its threats and Avoiding its weaknesses. Following is a list of SWOT of HBL 4.1.1 Strengths A skill or capability that enables HBL to conceive and implement its strategies. The officers of HBL are considered as one of the most able professionals in the banking world. I observed that HBL employees interact with their clients as if they are their personal friends and discuss about their problems as their own. HBL has got a reliable and easy to use internal computer system. Every information regarding the transactions in customers deposits has been computerized. HBL maintained its data properly. HBL has very good security system. HBL is the larger commercial bank in Pakistan with the network of over 1439 domestic and international branches. Being the pioneer of banking in Pakistan, HBL is the oldest and is the richest in experience. HBL focuses on consumer banking by lucrative schemes, products and services suiting best to the wants and demands of the customers. HBL has opened all its branches at commercial areas so that the customers or clients fa ce no problems in reaching to the bank. The band is always on the look to improve its services both to the domestic as well as overseas customers. Human resources development and introduction of new technology towards modern banking. 24 hours cash access and safe payment products for high value transaction. Having potential to encounter the competitive environment in the market. Veteran and experience private management group also involved in other interests like, textile and cement industry. Customer enjoys the services at the residential localities. 4.1.2 Weaknesses Highest number of branches effecting the proper maintenance and difficulty in providing same working environment at the each branch Poorer system of recovery of the system is a threat to bankruptcy. Lack of customer feed back. Low job satisfaction. Poor ATMs Service Inconsistency in efficiency and working atmosphere due to the largest of branches. Sense of insecurity in the employees serving at low profitable branches due to the down sizing. Females feel uneasy in an environment among the male workers. Victim of political, legal and socio-cultural pressures .Lack of professionalism in the branch employees mostly. 4.1.3 Opportunities Huge untapped market potential in consumer banking In opportunity exist, in form of opening of ladies banking section within the branch which is entirely a new idea and it will attract customer. Opportunity for developing value added services combined with corporate banking relationships, cash management services to large and medium sized corporate clients. Growing policies of government on business and commerce sector provide HBL opportunities to take advantages of these policies to meet efficiently with the business people to solve their problems with the instant cash and financing facilities. Govt. is taking very bold steps to promote IT in Pakistan. HBL has an opportunity to improve in technology. Large international network which principally focuses on trade finance with Pakistan can be utilized to tap trade activities in other markets. In addition, services such as cross border / offshore financing for corporate customers can be enhanced. Customer feedback o n different products and accounts has really improved the bank performance and encourage the atmosphere for other future policies. HBL also has an opportunity to expand its new technological advancement like; tele banking and internet banking facilities in order to serve the customer more efficiently, specially E-banking facility is also a new opportunity which is a flourishing business in foreign countries and can also be here, if HBL takes the initiatives. Further reduction in intermediation costs possible, with improving technology. Due to efficient and veteran management group, HBL can also improve Ill and expand its foreign operation successfully. Habib Bank Limited provide opportunity to utilize its skills and efficiencies in leasing business. 4.1.4 Threats An area in the environment that increases the difficulties the organizations achieving high performance. Consolidation in the banking sector resulting in increased competition. Shortage of trained and specialized staff at lower executive and officer levels The threat of inconsistency and government policy regarding to business and economics sectors, specially political and regional situation which makes the environment uncertain. Growing global technological advancement. Strict regulation by government over credit facilities to the customers as Ill as to meet the prudential. Loss of confidence of overseas customers due to freezing of accounts. Facing more competition by foreign banks in the market. Foreign banks are flourishing in field of consumer financing. Also the increasing operation of private banks. Highly attractive and advance services by foreign banks to their customers. Political forces; The events in the last couple of years; the bomb blast of May 28th 1998 and the subsequent freezing of the FCAs, the declaration thatRiba is Un-Islamic, and a volatile political scenario that saw the overthrow of the Nawaz Sharifregime, all contributed in highlighting the important role of government in the local economy. The freezing of the FCAs destroyed the confidence of foreign depositors. Also, the declaration thatRiba is against theSharia, is likely to cause tremendous uncertainty in the banking sector. After this Pakistans army totally holds on the government and push back the economy. Stability under the new regime is also very important for the economy as a whole. Continuous political changes have disrupted the policies and objectives as each regime brings with it its own agenda. Organizations need time to adjust to one regime and then work with it towards economic enhancement. Due the wrong policies of the government the extremism also develop in Pakistan and become the international issue in Pakistan and badly affected the Pakistan repute in the world and promote the uncertain conditions for the business in the Pakistan. Due to this the investors are not interested in the Pakistan. Economic Forces The Pakistan economy is more controlled economy, then one where market forces reign supreme. Several key institutions are stated owned. Thus a discussion of the economic forces that influence the private organization such as Habib Bank cannot ignore the substantial role played by the government in determining the state of the economy. The biggest indicator of the heavy role enjoyed by the government was evidence when foreign currency accounts (FCAs) were frozen on the orders of the ministry of finance in the wake of explosion tests on may 31st 1998. This and the recent efforts by the state bank to artificially lower the interest rates by revising the repo rates downwards and encouraging lower bids for T-Bill, highlights the overwhelming role of the government in the economy. Badla rates are a t rue indication of market rates at which financial intuitions are willing to lend but the government, under the dictates of the IMF wants to artificially lower the interest rates so as to provide investment liquidity within the economy. General Musharaf period of government putt back the economy of the Pakistan due to the wrong policies of the government for the economic growth in the Pakistan. Pakistan economy destroyed badly in that 10 to 11 years of the government, and investors hesitated to invest in the Pakistan, and also the load shading is another factor that effect the Pakistan economy badly. This not the end of the story after this Pakistan economy face lot of problems like bomb attacks in Pakistan no electricity and the unstable government, due to this the investor are not invest in the Pakistan and the existing business men finish their business unit due to the loss. Social forces: A low saving culture has offset the huge population advantage this is enjoyed by Pakistan. Also culture is dedicated by the religion, and in Pakistan a significant segment of the population is loath to accept interest for their deposits due to the negative religious implications of such an act. About 70% of Pakistans population is based on rural areas, thus making it harder for banks to mobilize their deposits within these regions. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚ ¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢Habib group also started a school system in Karachi for the cherty purpose. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚ ¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢They give the funds to the poor person on the daily basis Technological forces: Banks in the developed world have been turning to heavy IT investments, which differentiate their products, provide response times, enhance accessibility and improve customer satisfaction. Though investing in state-of-the-art host banking solution (Fiserv, Kapiti, etc) , ATM and POS ( point of sale) networks, visa, MasterCard, and Amex switches, smart cards, telebanking and now internet banking are common IT investment in the developed world, it is now that these products and services are gaining faster acceptance in Pakistan. Habib Bank change their technology in IT sector due to the requirements of the current time, before this they have the poor technology of the IT and un less skilled person in that field but at this time they replace it with the heavy installation of the IT instruments. They hired new skill employed and trained them for the efficient and effective work. The model of the five competitive forces was developed by Michael E. Porter in his book Competitive strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors in 1980 Porters model is based on the insight that a corporate strategy should meet the opportunities and threats in the organizations external environment Competing firms; Habib Bank limited is facing a strong competition from other private Pakistani banks like Metropolitan bank. Soneri bank and Askari Commercial bank. The improved per formance of the nationalized commercial banks (NCBs) is also the threat for the bank Al Habib. Foreign banks are also competing with the bank for same small medium sized companies. The bank is overcoming the incentive competition due to its strong reputation as a renowned financial group in Pakistan and a long history of experience in the banking sector. VI. Potential entry of new competitors; The entry barriers in this market are high. The new banks need permission from SBP so entry of new banks is restricted. Also the paid up capital requirement is likely to be raised from Rs.500 million to Rs.1 billion. VII.Development of substitute products; The non banking financial institutions including development finance institutions (DFIs), private sector investment banks (PSIBs), leasing corporations (LCs) and Modarbas are almost in the same line of business and can be treated to the bank. Other substitutes that compete include the national saving certificates, the stock ma rket, its supporting industry and brokerage houses. VIII.Bargaining power of suppliers; The main suppliers in the banking sectors are depositors. Although the bank is given higher return then any other bank (12% per annum) to attract the depositors but the low innovation in the product and also low investment in the marketing sector of the bank may provide difficulties in coming years. The regulatory bodies could also be the suppliers as they provide guidelines to the bank from time to time. These include the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), The Corporate Law Authority (CLA), The Ministry of Finance and the religious board. IX. Bargaining power of customers; The main customers are small traders and exporters based in Karachi and Lahore, majority of whom deal in textile related commodities. Since the bank is targeting the short-term trade finance market, the bargaining power of customer is substantial as other banks within the same sector like Bank Al Falah and Metropo litan are fast catching up with the Bank Al Habib in providing services to the traders.

The Completion Of My Degree Program At Northeastern State...

At the completion of my degree program at Northeastern State University, commencement exercises were rapidly approaching. As most of my classmates and friends were filled with excitement, I was experiencing mixed emotions, most of all fear of the unknown as to where I would end up. To be completely honest, I was fearful of leaving Tahlequah and Northeastern State simply due to so many unknown variables as to what steps I would take next in my life. I dreaded the fact that I was leaving Tahlequah, as it was a place that helped me to grown intellectually, emotionally, and physically. The influence of Dr. Kent Lashley had motivated me to become more scholarly and instilled a desire of life-long learning. Emotionally, I was forced to grow, mature, and problem solve without having my parents there to coach me, and as a result of that, I gained confidence and independence in my ability to make it as a young adult. Physically, I grew and learned the importance of proper nutrition, became an avid runner, and earned my 3rd degree black belt before graduating from college. The fear within me was simply not knowing where I would end up teaching with my first job. I had not applied too many places in Oklahoma before my graduation date as I had placed all of my eggs in one basket. I had relied on a young lady that I thought would spend the rest of my life with and was headed to Florida to fulfill a lifelong goal. 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The U.S. location houses the administrative functions of GWL’s wholly-owned U.S. subsidi ary, GWL Roofing U.S. Limited (GWL-US). Gaston Laroche, who was a roofer by trade, founded GWL in 1963. Gaston’s business philosophy was to offerRead MoreSCHM 2301 MurraySyllabus Spring 2015 V25207 Words   |  21 Pagesï » ¿Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business SCHM2301 Supply Chain and Operations Management Section 04– Class Number XXXX Tuesdays Fridays: 3:25-5:05pm-, 230 Dodge Hall Spring 2015 Instructor: Bob Murray Office: 325 Hayden Hall Email: r.murray@neu.edu Phone: 617-877-8432 Office Hours: Tuesday 10AM-12PM or by Appointment Text: A Customized Textbook, Supply Chain Management SCHM2301, ISBN9781308037400 Copies are onRead MoreHegemony and Discourse : Negotiating Cultural Relationships Through Media Production8970 Words   |  36 PagesVersion of Record - Dec 1, 2002 What is This? 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These personal and economic factors playRead MoreBrazil Culture17445 Words   |  70 PagesISTANBUL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION JANUARY 2007 .INDEX Preface†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 List of Tables†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 I. INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.4 II.CULTURAL PATTERNS OF BRAZIL†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. A. Social Institutions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1. Historical†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 2. Geographical†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 3. Demographical†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 4. Political†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10 5. 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The Benefits of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Essay

In today’s world, many people assume that the latest medical technology and treatments are always the best option. However, all over the world, different techniques for curing diseases and aliments are being used. These methods fall under the category of complementary and alternative medicine. According to Sandra Augustyn Lawton in Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Teens, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be defined as â€Å"a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine† (Lawton, 2007, p.3). Although complementary and alternative medicines are often interpreted as the same thing, complementary methods are used in†¦show more content†¦Herbs and minerals are some of the oldest medical treatments in the world, with some of the earliest remnants dating back to the ice age (â€Å"National Center†, 2011, para.7). By taking vitamins or eating a yogurt fortified with probiotics, a person is using complementary and alternative medicine. Movement therapies use physical motions to connect physical and spiritual health with the body. Some of the most common movement therapies include the Feldenkrais method, Pilates, Alexander technique, and Rolfing Structural Integration (â€Å"National Center†, 2011, para ). The Alexander technique is a method that alters everyday movement habits to improve one’s balance, coordination, and support (â€Å"What is the Alexander†, 2011, para.1). â€Å"Rolfing Structural Integration is a body-based practice that uses deep tissue facial manipulation and movement education. The goal is to encourage health and relieve stress by bringing the body into proper alignment with gravity† (Rolf Institute, 2011, para. ). Pilates is a common exercise system that moves the body in gentle but challenging ways, so as to improve posture, flexibility, and the body’s range of motion (â€Å"Pilates†, 2011, para.1). There are also many diets that are considered to be forms of complementary and alternative medicine. These include vegetarian diets, vegan diets, and macrobiotic diets. These diets have many benefits besides profiting one’sShow MoreRelatedCAM Therapeutic Modalities Essay1346 Words   |  6 PagesSurvey of Alternative Medicine November17, 2014 Kay Ach CAM Therapeutic Modalities In the pursuit of health and well-being, many Americans along with the world, have used Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) over the past decade. 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Complementary therapy is known by many different terms, including alternative therapy, alternativeRead MoreThe Use Of Complementary And Alternative Therapies767 Words   |  4 PagesIn the early 1900’s antibiotic medications appeared thus decreasing the use of complementary and alternative therapies, however their popularity was regained in the 1970’s (Kramlich, 2014). The use of complementary and alternative therapies is an increasing trend that individuals seek out if they need relief from other medical approaches, if they feel they are missing something from Canada’s health care system, to increase over health and to prevent further illness. These therapies are a trend thatRead MoreComplementary Medicine And Alternative Medicine1556 Words   |  7 PagesWHO, The terms complementary medicine or alternative medicine are used interchangeably with traditional medicine in some countries. 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Complementary Alternative Medicine take into consideration the individual as a wholeRead MoreCAM Modalities is an Alternative Therapy705 Words   |  3 Pagespatient. Complementary and alternative therapy (CAM) is the other route for the patient. Each of these modalities can produce a healing effect or relief from an ailment that will have an effect in a positive manner on the quality of life. Too many times patients become settled or complacent in his or her disease process and never look into the other routes. Basics Non-main stream therapy is in three categories and five domains by definition. The categories are complementary, alternative, and integrativeRead MoreComplementary And Alternative Medicine ( Cam )1105 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract: Although allopathic medicine or termed Western medicine is more widely accepted than complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) it has only started to emerge since the 1800s. 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An Analysis Of David L. Snead s An American Soldier

An American Soldier in World War I, edited by David L. Snead is a collection of letters written by a World War I soldier, George Browne, to his girlfriend, Martha. Professor David L. Snead was given these letters by one of his students in the 1990s . In this book, Professor Snead wanted to focus on the life of a Soldier in World War I and George’s letter describing the events first hand is a great way to help readers understand the hardships. The thesis here in this book gives a solid but brief description of what this book is about, â€Å"Browne’s letters offer a view of the experiences of an American Soldier, and He describes the difficulties of training, transit to and within France, the dangers and excitement of combat, and the war’s impact on relationships.† He also gives the personnel strain the war had on their relationship. As an American Soldier myself, this book gave me great appreciation for the military lifestyle in this generation. This book consisted of six descriptive chapters; the first 2 chapters consisted of what Corporal George Browne went through what I believe as the typical soldier experience through the initial process and becoming an American soldier. After embarking the Initial Military training, Browne was then shipped off two days later to France. His voyage across the seas, to problems with some of the engineers and their equipment were just few of the problems they faced due to the lack of technology. During the takeoff of World War I,

The Utility Of Myth Plato s Metaphysics - 1624 Words

The Utility of Myth in Plato’s Metaphysics ï » ¿Plato speaking from the mouth of Socrates in Phaedo, tells us, â€Å"people are likely not to be aware that those who pursue philosophy aright study nothing but dying and being dead.† (61a) As a philosopher Plato sought to offer not only descriptions of the world him around, but prescriptions as well. The above quote when understood metaphorically, for him, shows the aim of philosophy, and goal of the philosopher is and should be to scratch at the surface of our faculties. To do this, Plato believes we must let our ability to reason override our baser, desires, so as to reach our maximum potential to the benefit of ourselves and the those who come after. Plato s conception of psychology—â€Å"from Greek†¦show more content†¦His doctrine of the immortality of the soul, are tied to myths found throughout his Dialogues and coalesces with his theories of eternal/absolute forms, and mind-body dualism. Though they are asunder, they should be considered part a nd parcel of the same argument—to have a good life, and its opposite—death, calls for a harmony between our lowly and high desires, and as with his placement of myth at the end of his Dialogues, rather than the beginning—with our logos first and foremost at the helm. This reversal of the myth--reason, to reason--myth, sequential chain, can be argued to not just be a stylistic, or arburity choice; taking into account the consistency of placement, one can reasonably infer, Plato’s views were in many ways diametrically opposed to the plethora of expressions found among the masses. As an aristocrat, Plato was afforded the leisure needed to properly philosophize, and by chance, and virtue, his dialogues have survived to act as a foundation, for much western thought and religion to build on. The speculated life of Plato, much like his work, is rife with mystery and myth. We are given almost all secondary accounts of his life, sometimes more than a hundred years after the fact. Indeed, the specifics of Plato’s life are a matter of much debate with countless books penned on the subject. We can however, adopting a postmodernist stance (admitting much of the details are inference, ratherShow MoreRelated Plato on Education as the Development of Reason Essay3512 Words   |  15 PagesPlato on Education as the Development of Reason ABSTRACT: Socrates great educational innovation was in ascribing moral worth to the intellectual activity reflectively directed at ones own life. His concept of eudaimonia was so different from the ordinary that talking about it took on sometimes a paradoxical air, as in Apology 30b3. For him, reason is not a tool for attaining goals independently thought worthwhile; rather, rationality itself, expressed in the giving of reasons and the avoidance

Dissolved Oxygen Lab #1 Assignment free essay sample

Determine which of the following observations are testable. For those that are testable: †¢ Write a hypothesis and null hypothesis †¢ What would be your experimental approach? †¢ What are the dependant and independent variables? †¢ What is your control? †¢ How will you collect data? †¢ How will you present your data (charts, graphs, types)? †¢ How will you analyze your data? 1. When a plant is placed on a window sill, it grows faster than when it is placed on a coffee table in the middle of the living room. . The teller at the bank with brown hair and brown eyes is taller than the other tellers. 3. I caught four fish at seven o’ clock in the morning but didn’t catch any at noon. 4. The salaries at Smith and Company are based on the number of sales and Billy makes 3,000 dollars more than Joe. 5. When Sally eats healthy foods and exercises regularly, her blood pressure is lower than when she does not exercise and eats fatty foods. We will write a custom essay sample on Dissolved Oxygen Lab #1 Assignment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 6. The Italian restaurant across the street closes at 9 pm but the one two blocks away closes at 10 pm. 7. Bob bought a new blue shirt with a golf club on the back for twenty dollars. 8. For the past two days the clouds have come out at 3 pm and it has started raining at 3:15 pm. 9. George did not sleep at all last night because he was up finishing his paper. 10. Ice cream melts faster on a warm summer day than on a cold winter day. 11. How can you apply scientific method to an everyday problem? Give one example.

Penetration Test plan free essay sample

A table of contents: The scope of this Penetration test will include a fully intrusive without compromise attack and penetration test on the e-commerce web-based application server and cisco core backbone network that will be during the hours of 2:00am – 6:00am on Saturday and Sunday only. There will be no compromise on the extraction of information. A compromise can be involved only with Written Client Authorization Only. We will apply a full system backup prior to attack and penetration attack in the event of system malfunction or loss of data. This is subject to change at the Clients’ discretion. Authorization letter: We at E-Commerce Emporia authorize Darren Flory, Jason Olea, and James Williams of Hackers United to administer an Intrusive attack and penetration test during the hours of 2:00am to 6:00am every Saturday and Sunday until all weaknesses and vulnerabilities are established, limited or eliminated. A full system backup will be initiated pre-test each week. Any system failure as a result of testing will be handled by E-Commerce Emporia with Hackers United assisting in the fixing of the potential problems that arose. 3. A list of client questions that you need to answer: When will this test take place? How much will this affect my production processing? Can the test avoid certain systems? How does web penetration test different from network penetration test? Should we advise the IT staff of the test. 4. A test plan scope defining what is in scope and what is out of scope and why: The scope of this project is to perform a penetration test on the web-based application server, Cisco Core Backbone Network, and post penetration test assessment. All other aspects are considered out of scope. 5. Goals objectives: To find as many known vulnerabilities that can be located in the NIST vulnerability database. A successful test will be to find and document vulnerabilities and provide solutions to correct these issues. Special care will be taken to minimize any potential problems to the network or data. 6. Test plan tasks: 1. Authentication – Confirming the person is who they say they are. a. Authentication Bypass Direct page request (forced browsing), Parameter Modification, Session ID Prediction, SQL Injection b. Poor Password Strength – Require strong passwords with special characters, run a test when the users are creating them 2. Authorization – Determining the level of access the user should have. a. Privilege Escalation – Attempt to access roles the user should not be allowed to access to verify they are not able to. b. Forceful Browsing – Don’t use automated tools for common files and directory names. 3. Session Management a. Session Hijacking – Use a packet sniffer to look for these vulnerabilities b. Session Time out too long – how easy will it be for a hacker to swoop in before the session times out. 4. Input Validation a. Cross Site Scripting – Perform security review of the code, turn off HTTP trace support b. SQL Injection adding a single quote () or a semicolon (;) to see if it reports an error c. Buffer Overflow Use a language or compiler that performs automatic bounds checking. 5. Cryptography a. Weak SSL – Use nmap scanner or Nessus scanner b. Unencrypted Sensitive Data see if the data can be read from outside the network 7. Test plan reporting: Will provide the result and finding form the NMAP, Nessus scans, Damn Vulnerable Web APP (DVWA), tcpdump, wireshark. We will include as many recommended fixes as possible with recommended adjustments to network or policy. 8. A project plan and test plan schedule: Testing will be conducted between 2:00am to 6:00am EST on Saturday and Sunday only. Testing will take approximately 1 month. An additional month can be added if needed and is subject to Clients approval. Assessment Questions Answers 1. The 5 steps of the hacking process are: a. Phase 1 Reconnaissance b. Phase 2 Scanning c. Phase 3 Gaining Access d. Phase 4 Maintaining Access e. Phase 5 Covering Tracks 2. Hire White Hat Hackers to test your system and find exploits so that you can develop a plan to protect the system. 3. Wireshark, Nmap, NESSUS 4. A hacker could use something like email to get someone to send them their username or password just by asking for it in the email acting like they are an administrator. Clean desk policies can help prevent issues with people leaving stuff on their desk. 6. He will cover their tracks by removing logs, leaving a backdoor for easier access. 7. Backdoor 8. It depends on the scope of the approved penetration test. 9. NIST Publication 800-115 10. Planning, Discovery, Attack, Reporting. 11. An internal penetration test would most closely match an attack by an organizations own employee. 12. A penetration tester should not compromise or access a system that is defined in the formal rules of engagement. 13. A penetration test from an outside company without the knowledge of the IT staff would most closely match an outside attack on the company. 14. The Network Penetration testing is designed to detect vulnerabilities specifically in the network. Web Application penetration testing is designed to detect security vulnerabilities in the programming. 15. The Security Practitioner has set rules and parameters that they must follow that are agreed on. The malicious hacker does not have these rules and will exploit any system or resource to penetrate the systems.

Blood And Belonging Essay Research Paper Politics free essay sample

Blood And Belonging Essay, Research Paper Politicss of Western EuropeNovember 17, 1994Politics of Western EuropeBLOOD AND BELONGINGThis is a review of the book, Blood and Belonging, by MichaelIgnatieff. This paper will explicate the topic of the book and itsrelevance, discuss Michael Ignatieff # 8217 ; s methods and decisions on thesubject and eventually include a personal review of the book by theauthor of this paper.The writer of the book travels on what he footings # 8220 ; the sixjourneys. # 8221 ; On these # 8220 ; journeys # 8221 ; he encounters different civilizations, as he travels to six different co-occuring countries of the universe. He examinesthe alone look of patriotism that each public displays byinterviewing assorted members of that peculiar society. The six areasthat he travels to are specifically chosen for the lucidity whichnationalism is expressed in society. Patriotism is a factorcontributing toward both present possible hereafter instability in theseareas. These countries are former Yugoslavia ( sp ecifically Croatia andSerbia ) , Germany, Ukraine, Quebec, Kurdistan and Northern Ireland. We will write a custom essay sample on Blood And Belonging Essay Research Paper Politics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Harmonizing to Ignatieff, in Croatia and Serbia there is a desire for aseparate individuality between the two states. The fright of losing one # 8217 ; snational individuality has caused cultural hatred. A panic so strong andhistorically relentless, it has driven people to a despairing province todo anything. This is a big subscriber to the grounds for the extremeviolence nowadays at that place today. The writer provinces, # 8220 ; A Croat, therefore, issomeone who is non a Serb. A Serb is person who is non a Croat. # 8221 ; This citation deeply expresses the short-sighted outlook presentin their struggle. In his travels in Germany, the writer points out an importantquestion. Does the state make the province, or the province the state? This inquiry by far does non halt here, particularly when Germany is thesubject. The kernel of the German people is seen by some as aggressiveand offense, therefore the being of the German job. If the nationmakes the province so Germany will ever b e a menace. If the statemakes the state, so the aggressive nature of the German state, whichlead the universe into two planetary wars, can be harnessed and redirected. The inquiry has its roots and replies in the recent reunion ofGermany. The Ukraine is concerned with non being Russian. It is hereIgnatieff receives a complete vision of what patriotism is. He states, # 8221 ; I understand what patriotism truly is: the dream that a whole nationcould be like a fold ; singing the same anthem, listening to thesame Gospel, sharing the same emotions, linked non merely to each otherbut to the dead buried beneath their feet. # 8221 ; Quebec is a theoretical account that presents a possible hereafter of the statesystem. Ignatieff uses the illustration of Quebec to exemplify therelationship between patriotism and federalism. He implies that # 8220 ; iffederalism fails in Canada it can neglect anywhere. # 8221 ; If the balancebetween # 8220 ; cultural and civil rules # 8221 ; is non maint ained in Canada, whois non an destitute state and has a big, successful economic system ; thenperhaps the modern universe has non transcended the appreciation of patriotism. The Kurds represent a state without a province, who findthemselves surrounded by other states who are more aggressivenationalists. The term Kurdistan is a definition of the countries used byIgnatieff to explicate the country of major Kurdish public concentration. There is no existent boundary lines, no flag, no authorities and Kurds mustacknowledge the province in which they reside ( i.e. , # 8211 ; Syria, Turkey, Iranand Iraq ) , of which, is non Kurdistan. Finally, the 6th journey ends in Northern Ireland. He makesthe observation that this is the ideal topographic point to reason his undertaking. Northern Ireland contains a return of the subjects that seemed soprevalent in the other journeys. In Ireland ethnicity, faith andpolitics are all edge into one look or individuality. These are alsoevident in the five old surveies. Is Michael Ignatieff # 8217 ; s work relevant? The reply to thisquestion is, yes it is. The issue is of import. Patriotism presentsitself as a phenomenon. The inquiries of why people need to retain acultural individuality and the manner they go about continuing it is stillunanswerable. Evermore unfathomable is the force permeated throughnationalistic looks, which are # 8220 ; necessary # 8221 ; by the partiesinvolved. The really being of the mystery created by nationalismdictates the demand to research the topic in more deepness. The state of affairss in the book are non stray events. Nationalismexists in every province all over the universe. There is a dichotomypresented by Ignatieff between patriotism and federalism. He explainsthe political philosophy of patriotism by saying # 8220 ; ( 1 ) that the universe # 8217 ; speoples are divided into states, ( 2 ) that these states should hold theright of self-government, and ( 3 ) that the full self-determinationrequi res statehood. # 8221 ; Federalism, though non a peculiar political orientation, is ameans of sharing political power among different peoples within a province. The assorted systems of authorities which autumn under the definition offederalism are non debatable to the people ; unless, of class, theyare non wholly legitimate. If the authorities is illicit, thenideally nationalism stairss in to demand a wholly self-determinedgovernment, which renders proper representation to its public. Despite the diverseness of a province # 8217 ; s population, theoretically, harmoniousness is maintained since the people are decently represented or controlled. This state of affairs with fluctuation is experienced through out the world. States are dynamic, also their government and populace. If the dynamicsof the government or the state do not keep up with the pace of change inthe populace, then instability will rise in the name of nationalism andshake the very foundation of the state if left unchecked or notplacated. The method used by the author of the book was personalinterviews with both prominent people and the normal everyday person inthe areas visited. He also uses descriptions on the surrounding areasto accent the point of discussion. His intent was to objectively takethe reader on a stroll through the areas he visited. Through his styleof writing, he allows the reader to sit in on his interview byhighlighting specific questions and the responses that take place in hisconversations. Finally, he creates visual images that he had viewed asironic and analogical in support of his observations. Ignatieff comes to the conclusion that nationalism is not theproblem of this world. Continuing, he goes on to say that when oneloses their individuality to become a â€Å"patriot,† that is where thedanger lies. Being yourself is something that ethnic nationalism doesnot allow. Political ideologies can become blinding to its possessors. At the beginning of the book mentions that he is a liberal. Thetraveling and experiences did not change that at all. He notes theimportance of â€Å"liberal virtues – tolerance, compromise, reason,† butconcludes in an observation about how these virtues are opposing humannature. Ignatieff addresses the violence factor that surroundsnationalism like a plague, concluding that, nationalist rhetoric is anexcuse to commit acts of violence. He observed that most of theviolence is performed by young men between the ages of 18 to 25. Hisexplanation is that the liberal mind set forgets that not everyone hatesviolence. He also says that there exists in males a basic loathing ofpeace. Human nature is the reason for the violence or Ignatieff t hinksthat it is specifically male human nature. I personally enjoyed the book and found it to be interestingreading. It had the aspect of a novel without losing its academicnature. Michael Ignatieff’s writing style was creative and supportedhis observations well. He portrayed the destruction that he found inhis journeys in a way that allowed the reader to experience the samedespair and hopelessness of seeing it first hand. Another interesting perspective that the author added to thebook was his own identity. He traveled to places that he had eitherlived at or where his family originally came from. His family rootsadd a personal touch that would otherwise have been left out. Religion and its role in society are important concerningnationalism. It is in this author’s opinion that religions not beviewed as a secondary facet to nationalism. The Islamic uprisings inFrance and the peace talks in southwest Asia between Israel and Syriaare two different perspectives to the arg ument. Claude Barreau, advisorto the minister of interior in France says, â€Å"Foreigners arriving inFrance . . . now have a new fatherland. Islam has a place in France,provided it is willing to stay discreet as the other religions. ButIslamist are coming as colonisers.† This illustrates an underlyingprincipal that splits Europe down the middle. France is arepresentation of Europe according to the late Charles De Gaulle. France has adopted internal policies to control the growth of Islam bylimiting both social expressions of that faith and by specificimmigration procedures. Are not the three million plus population ofMoslems in France entitled to nationalistic expression of their identityas French Muslims? Where does that leave the Bosnian Muslims, theTurks or any other non Christian state located near or inside Europe?The second point deals with Israel and Syria. The two countrieshave been at odds with each other since 1947 when Israel was recognizedas a state. The main rea son for the clash is the difference ofreligion, not national identity. However, both countries have evolvedsince their beginnings and have strong nationalistic tendencies. Bothcountries are now leaning toward compromise rather than a holy war. Asthe talks continue for the return of the Golan Heights to Lebanon theMoslem Jew factor still remains tense. Of the recent peace talks is thestrip of land called the Golan Heights in north of Israel. Avoiding anattempt to explain an extremely complex situation or to oversimplify thematter, it is a fact that many heads of state in the region are choosingpolitical solutions to old religious problems. However, the foundationsof their society are religions, to be specific Islam and Judism. Thisreligious factor will never cease and always cause instability in theregion because of fundmentalism present on both sides.In conclusion, the subject of the book, Blood and Belonging,has been discussed. The relevance of the book’s theme was examined along with the authors methods and style of writing. This critique alsoaddressed the conclusions drawn by Michael Ignatieff concerningnationalism and its expressions in the world. Perhaps the world willallways have to deal with the dichotomy dicussed in this paper, howeverone can only hope that a long lasting solution will be found. BIBLIOGRAPHY1. Ignatieff, Michael Blood and Belonging: Journeys into the NewNationalism. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1993. 2. â€Å"It Depends on Rabin.† The Economist, 24th-30th September, 1994, pp.42-43. 3. â€Å"Secularity Defied.† The Economist, 8th-14th October, 1994, p.53.

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Emerging Logistics Strategy Essay The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe the emerging business logistics strategies which have emerged in the market place over the last few decades and will remain dominant well into the better half of twenty first century. Analysis through this work will argue that the two strategic concepts, namely supply chain integration and cycle time compression, represent distinctly different yet complementary approaches to corporate logistics which form the frameworks around which hundreds of firms are building successful logistics system. INTRODUCTION Logistics Strategy is the science of evaluating the most cost effective methodology of distributing goods to market while achieving service level objectives. It is important for companies to recognize that logistics strategy can be product-specific, customer-specific, and location-specific and that supply chains for each industry are dynamic and evolving. 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In this paper, contemporary logistics strategy and evolution of emerging strategies like SCM and Cycle time reduction will be explained. Implementation issues and other challenges like reaping the benefits of IT,  choosing a trade-off between complementary strategies; integration issues etc. are elaborately discussed. This paper will mostly discuss the logistics strategy which the companies are adopting to succeed in the emerging markets like India, China etc. Emerging markets are becoming hot destinations for carrying out business mainly because of access to low cost labors and material. However at the same time how the firm mitigates the risk associated with doing business in foreign territory and how it manages the associated cost of transportation will also be discussed. Logistics Strategy and its importance When a company creates a logistics strategy it is defining the service levels at which its logistics organization is at its most cost effective. Because supply chains are constantly changing and evolving, a company may develop a number of logistics strategies for specific product lines, specific countries or specific customers. The supply chain constantly changes and that will affect any logistics organization. To adapt to the flexibility of the supply chain, companies should develop and implement a formal logistics strategy. This will allow a company to identify the impact of imminent changes and make organizational or functional changes to ensure service levels are not reduced. Parameters Involved in Developing a Logistic Strategy A company can start to develop a logistics strategy by looking at four distinct levels of their logistics organization. * Strategic: By examining the company’s objectives and strategic supply chain decisions, the logistics strategy should review how the logistics organization contributes to those high-level objectives. * Structural: The logistics strategy should examine the structural issues of the logistics organization, such as the optimum number of warehouses and distribution centers or what products should be produced at a specific manufacturing plant. * Functional: Any strategy should review how each separate function in the logistics organization is to achieve functional excellence. * Implementation: The key to developing a successful logistics strategy is how it is to be implemented across the organization. The plan for implementation will include development or configuration of an information system, introduction  of new policies and procedures and the development of a change management plan. Components to Examine when Developing a Logistics Strategy When examining the four levels of logistics organization, all components of the operation should be examined to ascertain whether any potential cost benefits can be achieved. There are different component areas for each company but the list should at least include the following: * Transportation: Does the current transportation strategies help service levels? * Outsourcing: What outsourcing is used in the logistics function? Would a partnership with a third party logistics company improve service levels? * Logistics Systems: Do the current logistics systems provide the level of data that is required to successfully implement a logistics strategy or are new systems required? * Competitors: Review what the competitors offer. Can changes to the company’s customer service improve service levels? * Information: Is the information that drives the logistics organization real-time and accurate? If the data is inaccurate then the decisions that are made will be in error. * Strategy Review: Are the objectives of the logistics organization in line with company objectives and strategies. A successfully implemented logistics strategy is important for companies who are dedicated to keeping service levels at the highest levels possible despite changes that occur in the supply chain. Current logistics operating environment Since 1990s, the environment of logistics has changed greatly because of global integration and the gradual shortening of lifecycles of products. The mode of production in enterprises has changed from the traditional mass production mode led by products into the mass customization production mode to facilitate increasing global market competition. Srinivasa (2001) pointed out three main reasons of such revolution. 1. Change of manufacturing strategy In the past, logistics was recognized as a distinct function with the rise of mass production systems. Since 1990s, the Japanese philosophy of distributed manufacturing and lean manufacturing has become the key technique which is widely adopted around the world. Consequently, the logistics operation is  forced to change in order to fit such new Japanese manufacturing strategy. As a whole, logistics has become an extremely complicated process in which expert knowledge is required. 2. Change of customer demand Business environment as a whole is becoming extremely volatile. As product life cycle becomes shorter, manufacturers can no longer push their products down the supply chain easily. On the contrary, it is the consumer who pulls the products along this supply chain. Price and quality are no longer sufficient to thrive in this market. As speed to market and flexibility of the supply chain become the winning criteria, logistics management has grown much more complex in order to satisfy these conditions simultaneously. 3. Globalization As enterprises expand their markets beyond national boundaries, the need for more sophisticated services like multi-modal transport and international trade rules compliance increases. Hence, redesign of logistics operation is essential in order to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness on these issues. These issues revealed the complexity of logistics management in that traditional logistics operation which includes large quantity of stock storage and distribution cannot fulfill the real time, flexibility logistics service demand among the supply chain parties. Moreover, since logistics network has became more complex, it takes time to make critically decision in resource allocation and work task arrangement accurately. In the current dynamic scenario where business landscape has changed a lot and more and more business are becoming customer centric firms have realized that to remain competitive they need to consider logistics as a part of their strategy and not just another fu nction. Companies have gained significant advantages over their competitors by focusing and crafting a logistics strategy which suits their requirement. However, there is no fixed Logistics strategy solution in place for any type of industry. It depends on and varies from the type of goods, nature of industry, the market it serves etc. Below are some of the questions that a firm’s logistics strategy must address. Fast / Slow -A company logistics strategy must handle fast moving products differently from slow and medium moving products within their own  distribution center(s) and within their distribution network. It is to be seen is it economically beneficial to set up regional fast facilities and a centralized slow facility? DSD / Non-stock A company must have a clear understanding of all of the cost components and lost profit opportunities for products that are deemed Direct store Delivery or non-stock items. There has to be a logistics strategy in place that clearly delineates when an item should be inventoried. Third Party Services -Does your company need to own and/or operate its own distribution facilities or is it more effective to have third party logistics providers manage some or all aspects of your logistics functions? What are the economical, service and other considerations your company needs to consider before taking these steps? Hub and Spoke -Are there economical cost of goods advantages to sourcing products into a centralized distribution center that subsequently distributes to regional facilities or branches through a hub and spoke distribution network? Inbound Logistics -Are there opportunities to reduce your landed cost of goods through improved inbound logistics strategy including load consolidation, reduced handling, backhauls, etc.? Outbound Logistics-Are there opportunities to reduce your outbound transportation costs through improved private fleet routing? Through improved carrier rate shopping, through load consolidation opportunities, etc.? Facility Consolidation-Is your company operating too many distribution centers that are underutilized? What are the economical benefits and service impacts of closing one or more of your distribution points? Inventory reduction-Is your company carrying the right assortment and inventory levels to achieve service level objectives? To minimize inventory assets, to minimize storage and handling costs? Supply Chain-Are there opportunities to work with your trading partners to reduce supply chain complexities and improve service levels for specific products / vendor product lines? Are there internal supply chain policies that hinder cost-effective operations? Global Logistics-Are there opportunities to improve global logistics to reduce inventory levels in the supply chain? To reduce order cycle times? To reduce supplier lead times? To reduce logistics costs? With these questions in mind we proceed to see what have been few emerging and successful strategies and what the challenges in implementing them are. Emerging Logistic Strategies: Given the expanding complexities of global operations, information about logistics costs and capabilities is crucial to evaluating whether and how to leverage emerging markets as a means for increasing profit margin. Globally, there has been a trend to source from or manufacture in low-cost jurisdictions and emerging markets. This trend, however, is often offset by increased logistics costs and delivery times, along with a growing number of complexities that need to be managed. Senior management has begun to realize that lowering unit procurement costs does not translate directly to lower per-unit total landed costs — the total costs associated with importing goods or parts from distant emerging market locations. The complexities of managing logistics in emerging market locations ultimately add to the total landed costs of the associated goods. Therefore, the process of redesigning supply chain operations to establish logistics management capabilities in emerging markets is a fundamental dimension of a long-term business strategy. Components of this strategy should include a focus on end-to-end integrated operations design and sound process discipline. Further, this focus should include a means to achieve flexibility, responsiveness and resiliency to enable more effective competition in today’s environment of increasingly dynamic global business conditions. To leverage opportunities in emerging markets, companies must transition or expand from managing logistics in a limited number of local geographies to managing them in emerging market geographies worldwide — in a very efficient, agile manner that supports the responsiveness and flexibility associated with an On Demand Business. Companies can leverage specific approaches to transforming their global logistics capabilities and better support the business goals of lower cost sourcing or fulfillment by taking advantage of emerging market jurisdictions. Global supply chain management — a rapidly changing environment Because of competitive pressures in the global marketplace, companies are rapidly migrating to low-cost sources of labor and materials, which are typically located in countries that also represent emerging market opportunities. But the speed of this change may bring challenges associated with escalating shipping costs and increased supply chain risk, and these challenges could exceed a company’s internal skill and resource capacity. If  you are adopting global sourcing practices, you may not yet have the foreign trade experience necessary to manage regulatory compliance and related global supply chain management complexities. For example, multiple, autonomous business units within an organization can contribute to a fragmented logistics process as well as create missed opportunities for leveraging economies-of-scale. Individual business units may also lack the necessary economies-of-scale needed to establish a competitive foothold and gain sufficient influence in emerging markets. Balancing inbound and outbound supply chain logistics requires a comprehensive strategy that incorporates all the key functions of a supply chain to accelerate or expand sourcing from emerging markets. This horizontally integrated approach also helps you make strategic decisions regarding partnerships, shipping and other factors, to help ensure that savings from global sourcing are not eroded by increased logistics costs. Even more significantly, such a strategy can enable you to go beyond sourcing to position your organization to leverage your logistics capabilities to sell and distribute products within those emerging markets. Challenges to leveraging emerging markets in supply chain cost management As you expand your geographic reach of global sourcing into emerging markets, you will likely encounter a growing number of supply chain and logistics challenges, many of which directly or indirectly contribute to a large portion of total landed costs. Each issue can be grouped into one of two categories: tangible or intangible. Tangible challenges of working in emerging markets include obvious things such as the limited physical infrastructure of roads, bridges, harbors and airports. Other limiting items include the communications infrastructure needed to support the necessary IT connectivity. As constraints due to infrastructure bottlenecks represent a clear challenge, government agencies are more aptly able to focus on these items because the benefit for improvement extends beyond just the business sector. Enhancements to physical infrastructure help the greater population of the emerging marketplace and contribute to modernizing an entire region or industry. Physical infrastructure improvements tend to have greater visibility and  political momentum, and often involve just a few government agencies. For example, the current infrastructure expansion in China as described by EFT Research in late 2005:1 †¢ Between 2005 and 2008, more than US$70 billion per annum will be spent to create 75,000 new mil es of expressways †¢ Forty-three airports have been added since 2001, a major focus for expansion †¢ By 2010, China plans to double the number of shipping port berths from the 34,000 currently in use and will spend approximately US$6 billion each year to do so †¢ Between 2005 and 2020, China will build 25,000 km of new rail lines at a cost of US$250 billion. The net effects of current infrastructure limitations in China and other emerging markets are longer-than-expected lead times and greater variability in shipment cycle times. These factors have a direct impact on owned inventory levels and the overall cash-to-cash cycle time — both of which drive the need to tie up more working capital in the supply chain. These shipment cycle time delays, which can be typical, are often offset by shifting to expedited, or premium freight service levels. However, these shifts to faster service levels are what significantly erode the expected savings in procurement and sourcing. While tangible infrastructure and expansion challenges within emerging markets often get the most press and visibility, it is the intangible items that create the greatest headaches for global logistics managers. The list of intangibles consists of items that often carry â€Å"hidden costs† not fully grasped by companies entering an emerging market. Included are all the tariffs, duties, taxes, customs declarations processes, security and compliance requirements, and the daunting task of dealing with government agencies and multiple third parties in a foreign language. The complexity is exacerbated by variables that can constantly change and remain in a near-fluid state. Managing day-to-day events is complicated by the need to factor in multiple working locations, distant time zones, multiple handoffs of products and associated information, different national holidays, language and cultural barriers, and the ongoing regulatory changes. For example, effective January 1, 2006, the Ministry of Commerce of China updated numerous regulations for export processing zones, while at the same time Chinese customs issued new regulations for bonded logistics parks that support export-related handling activities. Understanding how such changes  impact your supply chain requires in-country operating experience and deep collaborative relationships with logistics services providers who manage daily in this dynamic environment. Not to be overlooked is the significant influence that culture and management style can have on implementing and managing a logistics operation. For example, some of the fundamental differences prevalent in the Far East: confrontation avoidance, top-down decision making and agreements formed through handshakes with less regard to contractual specifics are the norm. While the Western approach to dealing with supply chain partners and vendors is to collaborate and pursue a win-win outcome, that attitude rarely prevails in many emerging market locations. Do not underestimate the impact of negotiating style and approach for dealing with suppliers found in different business cultures. In emerging market countries where rule of law can be erratic, establishing sound relationships with known entities is critical. Getting a jump on technical obstacles to integrated supply chain management Leveraging emerging markets as both product source and product destination can be a dynamic response to global market pressures; however, many companies are not well positioned to take advantage of these opportunities. The key objectives for the technical aspects of managing logistics in emerging markets are to build flexibility into the design, develop a core competency to bring logistics suppliers on board in a seamless fashion, and to enable meaningful information capture that supports continuous improvement. For example, effective supply chain management depends on visibility into the status and location of in-transit materials and products, but many companies do not have these systems in place. Fortunately, many technology-based solutions are available from a range of providers. Nearly all transportation companies offer some type of shipment status or information-sharing system accessible through their Web sites. In addition, there are dozens of advanced logistics planning and execution software applications that companies can install and use themselves. While there is no comprehensive solution that effectively serves all industry verticals and logistics partners across the supply chain, it remains critical that companies efficiently integrate multiple applications across diverse trading partners. Even with an integrated value chain that seeks to  leverage leading applications, true visibility into order and shipment status across the logistics chain depends on tightly defined processes and the ability of all logistics partners to exchange and provide timely status reports on materials in transit. Managing logistics within and outside of emerging market locations can make these processes even more challenging — the increase in variables makes consistent execution and the timely exchange of information very difficult to achieve. Meanwhile, the very nature of an emerging market means that the number of logistics services providers with the appropriate experience is limited. And switching logistics providers can be very expensive. So part of the challenge becomes finding partners who either have the appropriate experience or have established networks and partnerships with reputable local providers. Managing and mitigating the risks associated with emerging market logistics In order to address the challenges of leveraging emerging markets as a cost reducing, and eventually, a profit-boosting strategy, companies are finding that they need to develop a strategy for managing logistics that can support multiple service-level requirements. As one element of such a logistics strategy, you need to determine how, where and to what extent the services of logistics suppliers should be engaged. There are several logistics management options to consider before you enter a new or emerging market. One end of the spectrum involves developing extensive multifunction logistics talent within your company, and then managing specific tactical activities and numerous contracts with logistics suppliers that provide narrowly defined services within a specific region or country. In this scenario, pitfalls include the time it takes to develop or recruit the necessary level of logistics talent and leadership, and the administrative cost of managing dozens, if not hundreds, of logistics suppliers. The other end of the spectrum involves leveraging already established and proven capabilities of a few logistics service providers — or even one — who can orchestrate the many activities, dependencies, and relationships across a global logistics network. Companies taking this approach are able to react to new and emerging opportunities in a shorter, more cost-effective time horizon. Figure 1 summarizes the spectrum of relationships with logistics partners. Figure 1: Logistics service provider options While core asset-based logistics providers are critical to logistics execution, there continues to be a competitive desire among service providers to offer strategically integrated solutions with a global reach that include already established relationships in key emerging market locations. As companies decide which model to pursue and which logistics service provider(s) to engage as potential long-term partners in an emerging market, there are a number of factors to consider: †¢ Experience with integrating logistics across the supply chain and related business functions such as direct procurement †¢ Demonstrated ability to lead supply chain transformation in phased initiatives that align with current and future customer requirements †¢ An understanding of the unique characteristics of the emerging market(s) where you are considering expanding sourcing activities or establishing operations and distribution capabilities †¢ Familiarity with your industry vertical and the nature of your supply chain requirements †¢ Proven capabilities to advise on support and manage international trade and customs regulations †¢ The capacity to offer robust middleware as an enabler of cross-functional IT integration with multiple supply chain partners †¢ The experience and capacity to act as information broker between you and your supply chain partners †¢ Infrastructure and business process designs that are highly scalable and redundant †¢ A track record of solid financial health and sound corporate governance A global logistics view in alignment with a top-down business strategy helps to avoid a piecemeal logistics contracting or outsourcing management approach that could exacerbate the challenge of integration and shipment visibility. Your approach to outsourcing should help you develop a responsive, plug and play, logistics management capability that will support your entry into emergi ng markets. This is also a key capability for enabling an adaptive global supply chain footprint and competitive advantage. To further support this goal, it is important to consolidate and align your supply chain management infrastructure, processes and procedures to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Leading logistics providers now have the resources and expertise to help you design your network and make location decisions that optimize the tradeoffs in cost, service level and risk; but you should be aware that such companies may also be driven by their own business goals. When you  receive advice about which emerging markets to target, ask yourself whether this advice is aligned to your business goals, or whether it reflects the logistics supplier’s own growth strategy. It is very important to look for an objective logistics partner who can establish clear business performance metrics and accountability for the entire ship-to deliver cycle. This includes activity from the shipping dock in the source country through each leg and mode of shipment. Such information should be a key part of the overall supply chain performance management dashboard — your logistics service provider should be able to supply you with a range of data and performance metrics such as on-time delivery, damage rates, error rates, cost/sales percentages and related financial metrics that drive continuous improvement efforts. IBM Case Study — overcoming emerging market implementation hurdles Strong global partnerships with leading logistics suppliers are a highly valued asset when it comes to entering emerging markets. IBM offers a case in point. Several years prior to the sale of their personal computing division to Lenovo, IBM shifted PC fulfillment operations to low-cost jurisdictions and emerging market locations. IBM had been conducting business in China for many years, which provided a leverage point for establishing the necessary legal entity and business model to support a manufacturing operation that could act as a global fulfilment center for a limited line of products. Setting up shop in one of China’s free-trade zones offered proximity to key suppliers and abundant availability of low-cost labor during a time of intense, industry wide cost pressures. But from a logistics management perspective, the implications seemed daunting. IBM needed to design and implement the capability to ship from a factory in Shenzhen to customer locations in the United States, Europe and the rest of Asia. This effort required robust process design with multiple logistics suppliers, not to mention the trade-management-related complexities associated with exporting from a free-trade zone to numerous other countries — most of which had their own unique entry and customs-related procedures. In the high-tech industry, the supply chain must be responsive and fast. In logistics, this means pre-clearing shipments through customs while flights are in-transit. The most minor of data inaccuracies on the commercial invoice or shipping  manifest during the entry process can delay shipments for hours. While an import delay of only a few hours may not seem drastic, the result can be a missed cutoff time with the in-country ground service delivery provider. This means an entire day can be added to the shipment cycle time. IBM found that design and implementation challenges resided at the most basic levels. The infrastructure and necessary processes just for getting the trucks from the manufacturing site to the Hong Kong airport caused delays. The frequency and timing of the flight schedules became the hard constraint that all other cutoff times were forced to meet. Getting the necessary level of lift capacity during the high-volume, end-of-quarter seasonal peaks required frequent communication and forecast updates with freight forwarders. Continuous design improvements were needed to reach the necessary process and system integration needed between the freight forwarder, broker and customs agents in the designated country. For small shipments, IBM took advantage of integrated services provided by UPS and FedEx, both of which have ground and air assets for multi-leg shipment continuity. More problematic were larger shipments requiring multiple third party logistics organizations in a series of freight and information handoffs. IBM believes that a core logistics objective should always be to design and implement an integrated end-to-end solution that includes a process and technology design spanning all involved parties, from the shipping site to the final customer delivery location. Other emerging-market implementation hurdles faced by IBM China is not the only major emerging market with strategic significance to the IBM supply chain and global business model. For many years, IBM has sold and distributed products in East European countries. Over the past two years, IBM has expanded operations in countries such as Hungary and the Czech Republic. IBM’s most recent effort included going live with assembly and fulfilment operations with an OEM partner in Hungary. Prior to making a decision about the final location, IBM conducted a network optimization study. Its purpose: to understand the tradeoffs between fulfillment costs, logistics costs, inbound transit times from supplier locations, and outbound transit times to customers throughout Europe. The longer transit times and greater variability were key to understanding if entering the Hungarian marketplace to seize the benefit of lower fulfillment costs was an optimal  supply chain decision. The distance from the manufacturing site to the primary airport in Budapest is a three-hour commute on a two-lane highway. For time-sensitive orders, this long transit time effectively pushes back the cutoff time for shipping to around noon, a loss of nearly a half day. Once the decision was made to operate and ship finished products from Hungary, several supply chain and logistics design points became important to the overall cost reduction strategy. Here are some key elements that helped enable logistics management for IBM in an Eastern European emerging market location: †¢ Extended vendor managed inventory (VMI) programs and pricing agreements with OEM partners to ensure purchase-order flow continuity and control †¢ Extended IBM’s logistics contract agreements to components suppliers on inbound lanes in order to mitigate rising logistics costs and transit time variability †¢ Formed strong partnership with logistics service provider to allow for vendor on premises activity — service supplier resources and systems that manage the flow of finished goods off the back dock †¢ Utilized the network of experienced logistics management professionals in the European region to ensure operational communications and continuity within the same time zones †¢ Took advantage of IBM business presence in-country and local resources to ease the language, culture, and knowledge barrier during transition and initial set up. The above examples reflect IBM’s ability to efficiently enter and enable logistics operations as a strategic component of our global business operating model. Figure 2: IBM logistics cost savings 1995–2004 The cost savings illustrated in Figure 2 were realized during a time when IBM was entering emerging market locations to enable an integrated global footprint. The largest portions of savings were in procurement by utilizing fewer core service providers, and the physical network design efficiencies of operating in key emerging market locales. Realizing competitive advantage from logistics transformation You can prevent rising costs and complexities from eroding the benefits of your global sourcing strategy. The advantages of a strategic approach to logistics are broad and can result in a significant increase in shareholder value. In fact, managing logistics  costs, service-level lead times and overall supply chain security is critical to your marketplace competitiveness. Figure 3: IBM Global Logistics Operating Model The IBM model for managing global logistics highlights its capabilities as a Global Trade Orchestrator. IBM is able to scale this capability for both internal divisions and external customers. The key to managing global logistics is to enable your company’s supply chain with the capability to efficiently unplug from one location or operating scenario, and enter a new or emerging market location. This capability will be both a strategic requirement and a competitive advantage, as long as worldwide business, economic and socio-political variables remain dynamic. Enabling this strategic capability requires cross-function process design, technology integration, and subject matter expertise ranging from network optimization, logistics contract and operations management to global trade and compliance management. This level of orchestration and collaboration is very scalable when merged seamlessly with a global governance model and strategically oriented leadership. Cycle time compression Logistics managers have long recognized the importance of order cycle time, and this concept has entered into the planning and operation of inventory control and distribution systems for decades. More recently, logistics executives have come to recognize the strategic significance of planning, and indeed reducing, the cycle times in their systems. Throughout many different industries, and taught by the examples of successful Japanese competitors, firms are working to reduce the total time required to bring products to marketplace. As George Stalk and Thomas Hout explan in their best-selling book competing against time, today, time is on the cutting edge of competitive advantage. The ways leading companies manage time- in production, in sales and distribution, in new product development and introduction- are the most powerful new sources of competitive advantage. A cycle time compression logistics strategy can be applied to distribution and production, and firms have also shown how the strategy can be employed in product development and roll out. In one frame of reference, cycle time can  be thought of as the time which elapses between the point at which a customer places an order and the point at which the property is received. Traditionally, logistics managers have attempted to control or reduce this order cycle time by increasing in stock availability rates, pre-positioning field inventories close to customers, or using premium flight services to speed delivery. While effective, these tactics are not without cost. From another point of view, customer order cycle times are obviously important, but they do not measure the true response time of the firm since the finished goods inventory performs the function of uncoupling the demand process from the production process. From this point of view, the cycle time is the length of time material remains in the firm as it flows from raw material, to production, to finished goods, and on to delivery to the customer. Attacking this cycle time has several benefits. First, it makes the firm more responsive; that is, the firm may be able to produce and distribute a product to a given customer more quickly. Second, cycle time reduction will reduce the time that material is held as inventory, and hence will increase inventory turnover and return on assets. Firms have employed many different tactics to achieve cycle time compression in their logistics processes, but most successful applications share these common characteristics: (1) The responsiveness of the total system is increased. The firm can more quickly respond to changing customer requirements because the logistics system has become more flexible and adaptive, and more easily able to react to changes in plans. (2) Inventory levels are reduced at all points in the system as on-hand stocks come to reflect more closely true customer requirements. (3) Risk and the associated costs of risk are reduced. As the cycle time falls, the demand forecasting horizon can be reduced, which reduced the risk of stock out, lost sales, obsolescence, redistribution, expediting, and all the other problems associated with forecast error. (4) The information content of the system increases. The system comes to rely  on fast and accurate transmission of information as a substitute for the inventory previously used to operate the system. To reduce cycle time companies need to look at the four major discrete cash cycles within their firms. — Sales Cycle — – Delivery Cycle– –Billing/Collection Cycle – –Make/Buy Inventory Cycle – The sales cycle is the first one to tackle. How long does it take from first contact with a customer to get a signed purchase order? Typically you’re incurring, and paying for, sales expenses during that process. If your normal sales cycle is three months, is there any way to collapse it to two months? One of the best ways to answer that question is by bringing together people within the organization who both work in the sales arena and interface with it. It can also be helpful to have someone from the outside who is not all that familiar with the process in the review. Benefits of cycle time reduction are common in all four areas. The result will be reduced cycle times that translate into a more effective organization and additiona l money in the bank. Cross-docking: The need for speed In today’s high velocity supply chain world, companies are increasingly focusing on distribution methods that will drive efficiency and increase customer satisfaction. Gone are the days where customer service was merely a buzz word. With the focus on customer service, companies have moved away for a supply driven business towards a demand driven business. Companies are also constantly searching for ways to reduce inventory and holding cost. The increase in speed has forced companies to search for ways to reduce product cycle time and move product quickly and cost effectively. Over the years, companies have seen a dramatic increase in the number of stock keeping units (SKU). The increase in the number of SKUs has added complexity to the business and also has increased the cost and time needed to manage the business. Department heads face additional pressure as they are required to stock shelves with the right products and ensure that customer demand is met all times. In today’s high speed world, shipping windows are changing rapidly, as retail clients demand increased speed to meet store requirements. To achieve these goals, cross-docking has been pushed to the frontline of the distribution strategy. What is cross-docking? Cross-docking is a system that relies on speed and agility and is normally used in hub-and-spoke operations. Cross-docking, in short, is the shipment and receiving of goods by bypassing the storage facility. In the process of cutting out the need for a storage facility, inventory can move quickly from one end of the supply chain to the other. Cross-docking is a fairly simplistic way of handling inventory that involves loading and unloading inventory from an incoming truck onto an outboard truck. During cross-docking storage time varies. However, most experts would agree that anything less than two days can be considered as cross-docking. In some cases staging also takes place. For all of its simplicity, cross-docking requires detailed planning and collaboration with partners. Companies require advance knowledge of product shipment and final destination of goods. Setting up the required infrastructure and systems can take time and capital. Logistic managers are increasingly making use of technology such as Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and automated processes. It is important to note that technology is not the key to success. However, the right system can smooth out problems and increase visibility in the chain. Companies now have the ability to send products on a Friday night, receive them on Saturday, and sell the products later in the day. How is it used? Cross-docking is used in a variety of strategies that include consolidating loads of less-that-truck load (LTL) carriers, consolidate loads from multiple suppliers and/or plants, deconsolidating orders, and preparing for shipping. Cross-docking can be divided into different complexity levels including one-touch, two-touch and multiple-touch. One-touch is considered the highest productivity as products are not loaded on the dock, but is loaded directly on the truck. During two-touch the focus is on load optimization and driving efficiencies. Inventory is received and staged on the dock, without making use of a storage facility. During multiple-touch, products are received and staged for reconfiguration and customization. An increasing number of companies are starting to use cross-docking in their operations. In a 2008 cross-docking trends report in the US, 52 percent of respondents stated that use cross-docking with a further 13 percent planning to start cross-docking in the next 24 months. A number of companies are  outsourcing cross-docking. By doing so, they avoid the challenges of setting up and running a cross-docking operation. Many companies start small and pilot projects are common as they explore the configuration that best fits their needs. For cross-docking to succeed it needs to be a coordinated effort that relies on close partnership and collaboration. What are the advantages? One of the key advantages of cross-docking is that companies are reducing their need for warehousing space, which reduces inventory holding cost. Cross-docking facilities are much cheaper to set up and run than warehouses and companies can save on the capital investment in warehouses. In some cases, companies can reduce warehouse floor space and sell off or lease out underutilized facilities. Companies like Toyota have designed and built their own cross-docking facilities. Normally these facilities are strategically located to reduce distance and maximize support. Some of the biggest advantages for companies are transport related. Companies can achieve significant cost savings, by consolidating loads of LTL carriers. Pallets that are heading for the same destination are consolidated and staged by order sequence. By doing this, companies can reduce the distribution cost of the total supply chain and pass the savings on to the consumer. By making use of cross-docking, companies can furthermore reduce the impact of rising energy cost. Companies like Toyota have used this strategy to great effect. With the increased reliance on Just-in-Time (JIT), parts are being shipped at higher frequency and lower quantity. By making use of cross-docking, Toyota has reduced distribution cost by consolidating smaller part supplies into consolidated loads. Cross-docking has allowed companies to increase JIT and remove waster or muda in the organization. The increased speed in the supply chain helps companies to reduce product cycle time and move product quickly and efficiently down or up the chain. In Toyota’s case, this has allowed them to increase delivery frequency and in some cases even double delivery cycles. Cross-docking also have some major benefits where inventory is limited. As inventory is not kept in storage, companies require less stock. The reduction in inventory will reduce holding cost and at the same time satisfy demand. One of the major benefits of cross-docking is also the reduction of labour cost. With the downturn in the  economy, companies will increasingly look at cross-docking as a possibility. Cross-docking can reduce staff numbers and their associated labour cost and also gives the organization greater flexibility during an economic downturn. Many companies, however, do not start cross-docking primarily for cost reasons. They start to improve customer service. Today’s customers require greater speed and are also more demanding. Companies should establish clear goals and be willing to test different options. For companies that want to streamline operations and increase the supply chain velocity, cross-docking may be the right solution. Implementation Issues and Conclusions Many firms have embraced and employed supply chain management and cycle time compression strategies in their logistics operations with dramatically positive results. However, not all such attempts have been successful, nor has every implementation proved straightforward or simple. In this section, I will list observations and conclusions drawn from scores of firms which have implemented these logistics strategies: (1) Supply chain management and cycle time compression are complementary strategies. The logistics manager is not forced to choose between these two strategies in and either/or basis. In fact, the two strategies are often mutually supportive and self-reinforcing. The strategies so frequently are seen together that it can be difficult or arbitrary to distinguish between them. In practice, the distinction between the two strategies is often blurred. A principal reason to develop supply chain management is often to capture and amplify the benefits of cycle time compression by applying the strategy at all levels in the chain. (2) Each strategy has common barriers to successful implementation. There are many pitfalls involved in employing these strategies, but the most significant problems are generally of two types: High complexity. The new systems are usually much more complicated than the systems and procedures which they replace. Supply chain management, as embodied for example in a quick response system, requires co-ordination of SKU-level item flows across firm boundaries in near real time with great precision and reliability. Low  inventory levels place the entire operation at risk to errors at any level in the system. New data systems and communications systems are needed to drive the logistics flow, and these systems are needed to drive the logistics flow, and these systems must perform flawlessly. In a successful cross docking operation, vehicle schedule and despatching is crucially important as well, and completely reliable carriers must be found. High trust. Supply chain management and cycle time compression must be based on high levels of trust within the various parts of a given firm, such as between production and distribution and between sales and distribution. In addition, very high levels of trust must be established and maintained between buyers and sellers in the supply chain, as well as between shippers and carriers and warehouses. Supply chain members must share and safeguard highly sensitive data, and all parties must be given candid estimates of production schedules, shipping status, and delivery dates. Inability or unwillingness to share these data will generally frustrate meaningful attempts to establish the close co-ordination implied by these strategies. (3) Information technology is the key enabling technology. Another common thread in the successful implementation history of these strategies in American firms is the reliance on fast and accurate information technology. Most such logistics systems use barcode scanning or some other form of automatic identification to provide input of SKU-level transaction data onn sales, inventory and shipments. Data are normally telecommunicated between various operating locations, usually by EDI. In addition, some form of high-level logistics system software is needed to guide the operation of the strategy. (4) Inventory reduction as a benefit. Most successful case histories of supply chain management or cycle time reduction will include inventory reduction, but inventory reduction will not be the whole story. Generally, inventory reduction will be one item on the list of benefits and cost savings which were sought or obtained. In many cases savings due to inventory reduction will be substantial, while in other cases inventory reduction may be a relatively minor consideration. (5) Successful logistics strategies must be integrated with production, marketing, and total corporate strategy. Supply chain management and cycle time compression are strategies which are often highly compatible with the overall strategy being pursued by the firm. Compression of the logistics component of the firm’s total cycle time is an integral component of the firm’s overall strategy of time-based competition. Logistics cycle time compression and supply chain co-ordination are also highly supportive of the general strategy of flexible manufacturing towards which many firms are moving. Many other firms are moving towards a marketing strategy which looks beyond mere ―customer satisfaction in an attempt to move past the competition by ―delighting the customer. In this context, compression of logistics cycle time increases the responsiveness of the logistics system to the customer’s desires. Incorporating the customer into the formal supply chain system should improve the level of support provided to the customer as well as increase the customer’s ability to convey its needs and wants to the firm and have them acted on. In this way supply chain approach will work to reinforce the marketing strategy. Supply chain management and cycle time compression are complementary logistics strategy which progressive firms are employing in many different ways and in many different settings. These strategies are not simply or easily developed, but the results achieved through their use are often dramatic. Any firm which is truly serious about competing in the marketplace should very carefully consider the implications of these strategies for its operations.