The Role Of Energy In Human Development Environmental Sciences Essay Free Essays

In November, 2009 the UN Development Program ( UNDP ) office noticed that 1.5 Billion individuals of the universe, around one-fourth of flow universe populace are still without power ( EIA World examination, 2009 ) . They are generally in provincial creating universe. We will compose a custom exposition test on The Role Of Energy In Human Development Environmental Sciences Essay or then again any comparative theme just for you Request Now The UNDP other than featured the squeezing requests to ensure that the vitality requests of creating states are cardinal to any new clime change understanding. The greater part of them who live in obscurity are at all evolved states ( LDCs ) of South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, fitting to the examination ( The Energy Access Situation in Developing States: A Review Focusing on the Least Developed Counties and Sub-Saharan Africa. ) Mr. Olav Kjorven, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Development Policy, told newsmans in New York at the dispatch of the examination: â€Å" Expanding vitality dish is essential to embrace planetary poverty. It needs to go on at the least expense and in the cleanest way conceivable to help creating states set up a low-carbon way to improvement, † He other than noted: â€Å" Almost 50% of the mankind is entirely detached from the contention on the most proficient method to drive human headway with less spreads and greener vitality in light of the fact that their reality is substantially more fundamental than that. They convey overwhelming tonss of H2O and supplement on their dorsums since they do n’t hold transport ; they cook over wood fires that amendss their wellbeing, non with power, gas or oil, † â€Å" We should ensure that vitality requests of these individuals are cardinal to another clime understanding, † he included, referencing to the settlement to control nursery gas transmissions that states are trusting to achieve when they meet in the Danish capital in December, 2009 Kjorven noticed that 2,000,000 individuals kick the bucket each twelvemonth from causes related with introduction to smoke from cooking with biomass and coal and 99 percent of those expires happen in the advancement states. In L DCs and Sub-Saharan Africa, half of all expires from pneumonia in kids under five mature ages, interminable lung illness and lung harmful neoplastic malady in adults are ascribed to the use of strong fuel, contrasted and 38 percent in creating states by and large. Curiously, a large portion of these individuals live in a section where there is plentifulness of daylight ( see Figure 1.1 and 1.2 ) , and it is no â€Å" shot logical control † that daylight can be changed over to power. The Photo-voltaic ( PV ) designing that changes over the daylight to power has been known since 1950s, and the offices to hive away PV power when the Sun is reflecting and do it accessible when it is dull has been applied for mature ages. Besides, power produced as such is nearby and dispersed. It very well may be utilized where it is required, and in this manner wo n’t require transmittal of power from a cardinal bring forthing station to remote provincial nations, and consequently would stifle all power transmittal related issues or costs which would be Millions of dollars so as to pass on the power framework to these inaccessible country nations of the universe. Among the various vitality usages, run intoing illuming requests reasonably and dependably is much of the time the fundamental requests for human life, and the hidden key to any financial turn of events, and riddance of human destitution. Lighting assists individuals with increasing additional clasp for working, perusing in the eventide, lolling more noteworthy security and more solace. The nature of obvious radiation from an electric start is ordinarily better when contrasted and kerosine lights or tightens, and is less hazardous to wellbeing, and safe. Contrasted with the noticeable radiation gave by power that the individuals in the created universe use, the obvious radiation from a kerosine light is truly curbed. So as to peruse under this light 1 has about set the books on the right track over the light. In add-on, being at so close propinquity with these lights, the children will undoubtedly breathe in the depletes from these lights which are poisonous and undesirable. Along th ese lines, the nonattendance of present day noticeable radiation as gave by the power obstructs non only the dissecting capacity of these hapless children however close to it makes genuine wellbeing occupations. Pode ( Pode, 2008 ) noted â€Å" In footings of costs, noticeable radiation from kerosine is definitely more costly than gave by electric obvious radiations. The expense of utile light vitality ( $/Lumen Hour of obvious radiation ) for kerosine is in excess of multiple times higher than the wasteful glowing bulbs, is in excess of multiple times higher than a Compact Fluorescent noticeable radiation bulb and in excess of multiple times higher than a LED † . The International Finance Corporation ( IFC ) gauges that $ 38 Billion is spent yearly, predominantly by the hapless, on fuel-based lighting ( World Bank Group Progress on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects in Fiscal Year 2006: Bettering Lifes ) . An adjustment to electric noticeable radiations ( CFL and LED based ) would be under 1/2000 of this enormous expenses for illuming, an economy of mammoth extent. 2.1 Introduction Each twenty-four hours around 122 PW of daylight arrives at the Earth ‘s surface. This is copious contrasted with the 13 TW of whole vitality devoured by universes. Sunlight based vitality ( power ) is made by the daylight. At the point when the daylight strikes a PV cell, a stuff produced using Si or sand that is like the stuff utilized in doing registering machine memory french friess, the vitality contained in the daylight ( the photons ) energizes the iota inside the semiconducting material stuff, and movement of these free particles makes electromotive power ( direct flow electromotive power ) and electric flow. In this manner each piece long as there is Sun, and the daylight hits a PV cell at that spot will be PV power. This is feasible and is abundant. 2.0 System Installation Issues Final result of sun oriented PV board can change altogether with its siting-area each piece great as its attitude ( tilt edge ) connection to place of the Sun. Since the PV power is created by the Sun, the total of daylight hitting the PV cell will discover how much sun oriented power can be gotten from a PV cell at an area. The attitude of the Sun with respect to the PV cell is of import as it would arrange the total of Sun ‘s vitality that would hit the outside of the PV personnel, and its continuation. Accordingly, a sun oriented PV board that can follow the Sun as it moves from E to west during the twenty-four hours can deliver the most total of sun powered power at an area. Where such trailing sunlight based PV is non executable, the sun based board ought to be mounted at a point with the goal that it hits the Sun sheer for the greater part of the clasp and gets the daylight during the vast majority of the twenty-four hours, Similarly, shadowing will affect the whole of Su n got on the PV board and will affect the aggregate of finished results. A Solar Pathfinder ( hypertext move convention:/www.solarpathfinder.com ) or comparative instrument ought to be utilized to locate the ideal area of the workforce, and topographic point it. The UNDP has proposed that â€Å" The most essential requests for human improvement are to take long and sound lives, to be knowing, to hold course to the assets required for a pleasant basis of life and to have the option to participate in the life of the network. Without these, numerous picks are just non accessible, and numerous odds in life stay unaccessible † ( hypertext move convention:/hdr.undp.org/en/measurements/records/hdi/, got to 5/1/2010 ) . Since 1970s global Keynesiasm featured the planetary commonality with two significant nations of concerns: another worldwide financial request ( NIEO ) and transportation of assets to the hapless populace of the universe ( the third universe states, 3W ) to run into the essential requests being developed ( Preston, P.W. , ( 1996 ) , Development Theory, ISBN 0-631-19554-8 ) . See figure beneath. The capacity of vitality in human improvement was preeminent featured in an UN Report, arranged by the Brundtland Commission ( Brundtland Report, ( 1987 ) , United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development ( WCED ) , 1987, hypertext move convention:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brundtland_Commission, got to June, 2010 ) . Absence of course to reasonable vitality was other than noted as one of the significant reasons for need and lack of human turn of events. The inconsistencies in vitality use between the created universe and the immature universe was other than noted, with a recommendation that the created universe take a more extensive capacity in taking this tremendous difference. The authoritiess of the First universe states and the cardinal foundations of the post-second universe war expansive industrialist frameworks, the IMF, the World Banks, the NGOs understood that they should suit to constrain per unit regions of change, and pay taking care of this NIEO by transporta tion of assets to the hapless states to run into their essential requests, and turn toing the vitality need was on the agenda. ( Preston, P.W. , ( 1996 ) , Development Theory, ISBN 0-631-19554-8 ) . We will talk how this improvement assault for the full universe uncommonly for the vitality hapless states was tended to under this NIEO ( see Figure I.1 ) . Current vitality as gave by power gives numerous odds to human turn of events. It decreases the clasp expected to execute essential family employments. The clasp in this way spared could be utilized for money coevals, expanded cultural exercises and instructive aim. It has been resolved that vitality ingestion has significant correlativity with GDP each piece great as HDI. An examination distributed by IEA shows that the states with high ingestion level of per capita power, accomplish upper position of both eco

Flaws with utilitarianism Essay Example For Students

Imperfections with utilitarianism Essay Among the most glaring issues that I see with Utilitarianism is its incorporation of creatures under the umbrella that covers this hypothesis. It appears to be unquestionable that there exists an over the top number of situations where the result that is against the wellbeing of a creature is positive for people, yet that directing activity is one that has been persistently taken and excused by the overall population. This is a major test, as the Utilitarian way of thinking orders that the delight and agony experienced by all people, including creatures, has equivalent worth and must be viewed as while deciding the net advantage of an activities outcomes. The most exceptional and predominant of models that one could give to outline this inconsistency would be the act of utilizing creatures to give food. It can't be contended that it is to the greatest advantage of a dairy animals, a chicken, or another creature to be butchered to serve the dietary needs of humankind. Appropriately, Utilitarian thinking proposes, contrary to the instinct of mankind, that it is ethically impermissible to murder the creatures. While an Utilitarian thinker may give the counter-contention that such is characteristic request of the world that there exist a progressive food tree. Further they would demand that more noteworthy's benefit is that people be supported and accommodated by the meat, for our pleasure is better in quality than that of the brute. This thinking, nonetheless, is defective in two different ways. At first, the strategy by which meat discovers its approach to markets for our buy and inevitable utilization isn't one administered by the meth ods of nature, but instead is one built for proficiency by people. Creatures are bread coercively, at that point fed with explicit aim of overseeing fat substance, meat flavor, and constitution, every one of which limits the Utilitarian case that nature makes our flesh eating strategies morally passable. Also, and maybe more on a very basic level, such a case is in direct logical inconsistency to the Utilitarian principle that every individual has equivalent worth paying little heed to character or height. Since people could be adequately sustained without the executing of creatures, it can't be contended that the result of making demise a creature is identical or less considerable than that of taking care of a man. Then again, there exist similarly the same number of difficulties to raise had the ethicist taken the other position that creatures have equivalent worth and in like manner that their pleasure is impermissibly encroached upon when they are slaughtered for human intrigue. Contentions could be introduced for a group of activities taken regularly by society in general. One may address the way that utilizing creature testing for the headway of medication has benefits that exceed the torments. Also, while the advancement of land successfully slaughters the beforehand creature occupants, it is an acknowledged outcome that society has shown it is eager to ignore. In every one of these cases, most of society supports such conduct, as confirm by their reality as normal open practice. While it is obvious that restriction to every conduct exists, the size of this obstruction is far exceeded by those in finding the drawn out advantages deserving of the negative outcomes. At long last, it develop s obvious that while it might be important to think about the interests of creatures while ascertaining the net advantage of a given activity, neither their pleasure nor their torment ought to be likened to our own. Such a standard has been presented through the moral psychological test The Dilemma of the Swine. Resultantly, human presence establishes higher joy that does that of a creature and we are frequently better served by making such a qualification through natural investigation as opposed to applying Hedonistic Calculus. The way that Utilitarianism can be constrained into logical inconsistencies paying little mind to the position they pick makes the incorporation of creatures under their moral umbrella a huge issue.

Shelbys Amazing CPW Adventure

Shelby’s Amazing CPW Adventure This past weekend was the legendary Campus Preview Weekend at MIT and I was extremely stoked to finally visit. Not only was it my first time visiting campus, but it was also my first time in Boston/Cambridge. Here is a photo of me outside of 77 Mass Ave. (So this is where my application went.) I was instantly stunned by the campus and the intriguing architecture. I was especially awed by Simmons Hall, aka The Sponge. After getting settled in my hosts dorm at New House 2, I was pumped and ready to attend some fun events and classes. Before my escapade, my host and I took time to chat in the Office of Minority education, where I was able to get the scoop on MIT from other current students. The more I learned about MIT, the more I was certain that MIT is the perfect fit for me. This only made me more excited to be on campus. My CPW weekend was off to a great start. The entire weekend was action-packed and downtime was nonexistent. I could probably write a book about my CPW experience, but rather, I will highlight some of my favorite events of the weekend! The Stata Center. Another mind-boggling architectural masterpiece at MIT. On Friday I went on a UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program) tour at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research to learn about current cancer research headed by Dr. Robert Weinberg. It was interesting to know that our tour guide had an active role in this significant research, and the fact that I would have the opportunity to partake in research at MIT was exciting. I toured the actual laboratory, how cool is that? I even got all of my inquires answered. When the tour was over, I couldnt help but ponder upon when I will participate in research at MITby this point (Day 2 of CPW, mind you) I was already convinced that MIT is where I would be next year. Between Friday and Saturday, I attended three fairs: the academics fair, the athletics fair, and the activities fair. I collected all sorts of brochures and packets from everything that I was interested in. Just envision a fully-loaded, on-the-verge-of-exploding, drawstring bag and youll have a comparable image of what my bag was like after these three fairs. I walked table to table at these fairs and discovered so many, perhaps too many, clubs, sports, and academic opportunities that I found thrilling. The opportunities seemed endless, and for that, I knew at this point that MIT was where I would go to college. MIT will allow me to explore and develop all of my interests. I know that next year as a freshman, in addition to my classes, I may try water polo, play in the MIT Symphony Orchestra, and make time for the literary club. On Saturday I toured WMBR, MITs student-run radio station that broadcasts all over Boston. They showed me their music library, complete with innumerable CDs and records. I felt like a kid in a candy store, and the first bookshelf I rushed to was the one designated to artists that start with L to see which Led Zeppelin albums they had. In fact, the radio crew let me pick a Led Zeppelin song, introduce it on air, and play it. And that was my radio debut (there will be more of me on air next year at MIT, just a heads up). In case you Zeppelin fans out there are wondering, I picked Immigrant Song to play on air. Remember, I have only touched upon a few of the events because, as I said earlier, I could write a book about my CPW experience (and maybe I will, who knows). Attending CPW confirmed that MIT was the perfect place for me.

The Prophet Muhammad Was A Great Woman - 850 Words

Zainab bint Muhammad was a great woman. She was the eldest daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Khadija (rah). She was born 599AD. Her story begins in Makkah when one day her cousin, Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi, ask her head in marriage. The prophet asked Zaynab if she wanted to marry him, and she blushed out of bashfulness and smiled. They had two children named Ali (died during childhood) and Umma. One day when, Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi returned to Makkah from a trip, Zainab announced that her father had become the prophet of Islam and that she and most her family had be come Muslims. The quraysh told Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi to divorce Zainab and that they would bring him a better woman. He refused and stayed with Zainab, but he refused to†¦show more content†¦During the immigration Zainab got permission from her father to stay with her husband in Makkah. That’s when tragedy struck. Since Zainab’s husband was not Muslim, he was going to fight in the battle of Bad r against the Muslims. That meant that he would have to fight her father. She was very scared. She feared for her husband and her father. She prayed saying â€Å"O Allah, I fear one day the sun may rise and my children become orphans or I lose my father†. So the battle started, and ended in victory for the Muslims. In the end the Muslims won and Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi was captured. When this news reached Makkah, Zainab was over come with relief and thanked Allah that her father was all right and that the Muslims had won. There was a problem though. Her husband was captured. She did not have much so she gave her necklace as a payment. When the prophet was checking the payments and releasing captives, he saw Zainab’s necklace. He began to sob because it was Khadija’s necklace and he had loved her dearly. He released Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi for the time being and told him to give the necklace to Zainab and tell her to never give it away. Then the prophet created a rul e. A Muslim woman cannot be married to a disbeliver. Therefore, when Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi came back to Makkah he told Zainab that she had to go and stay with her father in Madina and leave him. She asked him for millionth time if he would become Muslim and stay with

My Experience At The Holland Inventory Assignment - 875 Words

While doing the Holland Inventory Assignment I found myself confronted with questions which varied in difficulty for me to answer. Some required me to look deeper at myself and what I truly enjoy doing and helped me explore more about my interests than I have done already. After finishing the set of questions I chose to take the optional 20 picture/painting survey as well. The optional survey was used to get a more accurate read of my personality, and also contributed to my final results. I received the code ISA at the end of the activity which is created from three groups; Investigative, Social, and Artistic. When I looked over my results I found it to be quite accurate of how I already perceived myself, and was nice to be given extra reassurance of myself from the test result. The Investigative part I found related to me because I view myself as a person who asks a lot of questions and is very interested in how things work or come to be. I enjoy going into depth with research about things that I find appealing or interesting, and gain knowledge about that subject. The social reading from the test fits me as well because I love being around people. doing so gives me more energy and makes me feel more comfortable a lot of the time. I have a passion about helping people and find it easy for people to come to me about problems or for just good company. Creating things and expressing oneself is something I find important personally and throughout society as a whole. I haveShow MoreRelatedJohn Holland Theory Of Personality2069 Words   |  9 PagesAssignment 1: Theory Selection Career and work have varying meaning for most individuals. Some view their careers as part of their identity and status. For others, work is a means to support themselves and enable them to pursue other interests. Still others seek careers that are satisfying and provide them with an opportunity to express their personalities and values. 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School Finance Article Analysis Free Essays

After the Second World War, there has been a dramatic increase on school finance in the United States. Through the article, Guthrie explains some of the critical incidents that contributed the considerable increase of the per-pupil expenditures in public elementary and secondary learning institutions. Upon reading the article, one should have an understanding on how do certain events affect per student spending in America. We will write a custom essay sample on School Finance Article Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Some of the factors cited by Guthrie are the constant expansions regarding the services offered by schools, more pricey specialized classes on high school students, and special education programs. Also, Guthrie includes that grants for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with disabilities make a contribution to increased costs. In the article, Guthrie suggests that it is very likely that the increasing expenditure on school finance continues. With this, the author offers some solutions to be considered to put a halt or, at the least, control its growth rate. Some of these are privatization and contracting. Just like the article states about the increasing per student expenditure, school finance in Massachusetts is also affected by the factors stated earlier. Thus, one can say that Massachusetts is on its way on a much higher education budget. In the event that the education status in Massachusetts will continue (that is, its school’s productivity is increased), there can be a possibility that the trend will snap, thus making the funds for public elementary and secondary schools could be minimized. How to cite School Finance Article Analysis, Papers

Hypothesis Testing and Changepoint Detection †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Hypothesis Testing and Changepoint Detection. Answer: Introduction: Cryptography is a process using which information can be converted into a format that cannot be read normally. The purpose of cryptography is to conceal any secret message from any unwanted viewer and only the intended recipient will be provided with the method to convert it to readable text (Stallings Tahiliani, 2014).A data that can be read and understood without the involvement of any special technique is known as plaintext. The method of masking a plaintext with the intention to hide its contents is called encryption.Encryption of a plaintext results in an unreadable format known as ciphertext.Symmetric key encryption is a type of cryptography method that involves the sharing of a secret key to encrypt and decrypt the data (Agrawal Mishra, 2012). Symmetric encryption algorithms have high efficiency in processing large amounts of information and computationally less intensive compared to the process of asymmetric encryption algorithm.Stream ciphers and block ciphers are the two types of symmetric key encryption algorithm that provides bit-by-bit and block encryption respectively. Data Encryption Standard (DES), Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) management and BLOWFISH are examples of various symmetric key algorithms (Surya Diviya, 2012). Public Key Encryption also known as Asymmetric Encryption is a type of Cryptography that employs two keys for the process of encrypting and decrypting a data.One key is used for the encryption of a data; however, it cannot be used for decrypting the encrypted data. Similarly, another key is used for decrypting the data, which cannot be used for encrypting the same (Wee, 2012). The two keys are public key and private key. Public key is used for encrypting the data and is in possession of both the sender and the recipient while the private key is possessed only by the receiver of the message. To decrypt an encrypted message the recipient will require using both the public and private key.The public key is open to all however, it alone cannot be used to decrypt the coded message (Hofheinz Jager, 2012). Therefore, the encryption is secure. Both the public and private keys are based on very lengthy prime numbers. There is almost infinite amount of prime numbers available, which creates a n infinite amount of possibility for creating such keys. This enhances the security of the system extremely.An example can be cited in support of the topic mentioned above. Suppose a person A sends an encrypted data to person B. A encrypts the data with a public key and sends the data to B with the key (Hsu, Yang Hwang, 2013). B already has the private key to decode the data in possession and after receiving the package decodes the data using both the public and private key. Any intermediate viewer can see the package however; will be unable to decode the data, as they do not possess both the public as well as the private key (Jeeva, Palanisamy Kanagaram, 2012). The term hashing typically means the process of reducing any object from its original dimension. In technological perspective, hashing signifies the conversion of a string characters into a smaller value or key of fixed length that represents the original string.The purpose of hashing is to summarise and retrieve items in a database, as it is a quicker process to locate the object using the shorter key than to find it using the original value. Hashing finds its utility in many encryption algorithms as well (Park et al., 2012). All the techniques mentioned above are encryption techniques that are used for maintaining confidentiality and authentication. However, the public key encryption method is best suited to maintain confidentiality and authentication as it has two encryption keys involved in the process of encryption and decryption that uses a long set of prime numbers. This method increases the complexity level of encryption thereby enhancing the security of the confidential data. Denial-of-Service or DoS is a form of cyberattack that is carried out on any personal or organisational network management. The purpose of this type of attack generally is not to expose or retrieve any type of confidential information from the network; rather it is used to cause a great deal of issue for the users in a network. A DoS attack uses the technique of flooding a network with requests that increases the traffic of the network. This results in slow network connection and websites failing to load properly (Gunasekhar et al., 2014). In an organisation, a DoS attack can clod the network because of which, the employees in the organisation will be unable to access any web services to perform organisational operation. The DoS is effective in rendering the services of an organisation offline that can cause loss in business and negative publicity of the same. A DoS attack is almost impossible to stop occurring in an organisation, especially the advanced DDoS (Distributed Denial of S ervice) attack that is botnet-driven. It is almost impossible to identify an infected request from a legitimate request as these requests often use the same protocols or ports and may have resemblance to a legitimate request in respect to its content.However, some precautions can be taken to prevent DoS attacks in an organisation (Durcekova, Schwartz Shahmehri, 2012). The organisation can purchase a lot of bandwidth. It is an expensive process though but is the simplest process as well. Implementing a lot of bandwidth, the organisation will create a situation where the attacker will face difficulties in carrying out a successful DoS attack. This is because the more bandwidth a network has the more the attacker must clog by flooding with requests (Malekzadeh, Ghani Subramaniam, 2012). Another method of precaution is using DoS attack identification and detection techniques like wavelet-based signal analysis, activity profiling and change-point detection that will help to recognise a malicious traffic from a legitimate one. In such process, the first task is to determine the accurate moment of the attack. This is possible by using activity-profiling technique that helps to calculate the average rate of traffic and marks significant increase in the traffic rate.An organization that can detect a DoS attack can also determine the type of DoS attack that is going to be carried out on the organization (Fachkha et al., 2012). Another robust mechanism for the detection of a DoS attack is Change-Point Detection or Change-Point Monitoring (CPM) system.A CPM uses the inbuilt protocol behaviours for detecting a DoS attack. CPM is not dependent on traffic flow rates or specific applications as the protocol behaviours are identified exclusively by the specifications of the proto col and the service models of Internet applications (Tartakovsky, Polunchenko Sokolov, 2013). CPM is not sensitive to traffic patterns and sites as it relies on the non-parametric CUSUM method, thus resulting in a robust CPM, making it much more generally applicable and an easier deployment.CPM plays a dual role in detection of DoS attacks, the first mile CPM and the last mile CPM. As the first mile CPM has proximity to the sources of flooding, it alarms about the ongoing DoS attack and helps to reveal the source from which the flooding is being originated. The simplicity of CPM is due to its low computation overhead and statelessness (Tartakovsky, Nikiforov Basseville, 2014). The last and the most obvious method of precaution from DoS attacks is implementing strong and sophisticated firewall in the network along with other Network Security Software that may be able to detect or warn before the occurrence of a DoS attack in the organisation (Raiyn, 2014). Some rules are required to be followed while working in secure areas as the protection and privacy of the area should be of the utmost priority. The following is a list of some rules that is necessary to be followed: The organisation shall manage the activities of every individual who enter an important area such as computer rooms, control centres, data storage rooms and important server locations (Peltier, 2016). The organisation must prohibit access of any media that uses an external interface connection within a secret area without a prior legitimate approval provided by the accreditation authority (Peltier, 2016). The organisation should prohibit the access of any media that uses an external interface connection in a top-secret area without in possession of a written authorisation from the accreditation authority (Peltier, 2016). The areas that have special sensitive sectors should be designated with proper symbols and have tight security deployed in all entry and exit points that leads to the secure area (Peltier, 2016). The behaviour of the personnel on premises of restricted areas should be governed by formal policies or guidelines that should include prohibition of eating, drinking and smoking; rules regarding usage of devices that generate radio frequency such as cell phones near sensitive equipment and when can storage devices be used (Peltier, 2016). Methodologies regarding working in secure areas shall be properly designed and applied (Peltier, 2016). Secure working areas must have physical protection. Possible measures include facilitating the personnel with the knowledge of the operations inside a secure facility on a need-to-know basis; the operations in secure sectors should be supervised and vacant secure areas should be locked as well as checked periodically (Peltier, 2016). Only those personnel who have legitimate authorisation should be permitted access to places that stores sensitive information such as a computer room or a data storage room (Peltier, 2016). The computerised operations should be kept by the organisation in a secure area with access restriction. Unauthorised personnel must be denied access by the organisation with the use of restricted areas, security rooms and locked doors (Peltier, 2016). Restricted areas may be created for the protection of sensitive and confidential information in open areas during working shifts. The restricted areas must be clearly marked and any unauthorised access to these locations must be promptly challenged by the personnel who are working in the restricted area (Peltier, 2016). The organisation must limit controlled area access to only authorised personnel during criminal justice information processing times (Peltier, 2016). The organisations personnel policies should be obtained and reviewed to analyse and assess the methods and controls over recruiting new employees (Peltier, 2016). A procedure must be implemented that specifies about who can authorise personnel work in locations where ePHI might be accessed (Peltier, 2016). The trash bins that are used in an organisation can transform to a valuable information centre for industrial spies seeking company secrets to utilise them for benefits. Industrial competitors are always on the look-out for sensitive information of their rivals, which may drop in their lap in the form of a crumpled paper thrown away carelessly by an employee of the rival company into a trash bin that is rummaged and retrieved by an industrial spy in disguise of a sweeper (Benny, 2013). There are many instances of such incidents where an employee of an organisation threw away a paper containing sensitive company data carelessly into the wastebasket of the office that caused heavy loss to the company. Due to recent security conditions, every organisation is spending a fortune in cranking up the security measures. However, all the efforts are going to trash due to such insensitive acts. There is however, some procedure that can protect a trash bin of one company from becoming the winnin g trophy of its rival (Bhatti Alymenko, 2017). Paper Shredders are machines that can be used to destroy company documents completely that are not needed by the company instead of discarding them to the bin.This is a very effective process that will protect a company from losing any of its documents to the world even if it is not required by the company. There are some organisations like the Data Destruction Services Inc. in Boston run by Dick Hannon, who takes orders from organisations who wishes to destroy some of their documents and deploy vans equipped with paper shredder machines at their location to destroy the documents management (Bhatti Alymenko, 2017). To reduce the risk of desktop PC theft, individual desktop PCs in organisations can be securely locked onto their desktops with a cable, if there is something on the desk to wrap the cable around. In addition, each PC should have a login screen that requires a complex passcode and a screensaver so that an intruder can be restricted from unauthorised access and use to the system (Bhatti Alymenko, 2017). Intrusion Detection System of a firewall uses two types of filtering namely Deep Packet Inspection and Packet Stream Analysis. Deep Packet Inspection abbreviated as DPI is a method of packet filtering whose zone of operation is in the application layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model. DPI makes it possible to locate, recognise, differentiate, reroute or block packets with particular code or data that typical packet filtering tools fail to identify as they are tasked to examine only packet headers. Communication Service providers use DPI to allocate the resources that are available to them to achieve a streamlined flow of traffic (Antonello et al., 2012). An example can be cited in support of the topic discussed above. A message is tagged as high priority that can be routed to its destination before the pending less important or low priority data packets that are involved in ordinary internet browsing. DPI can be utilised further for speeding up transfer of data to avoid P2P abuse, enhancing the experience of most subscribers by improving the performance of the network. Many security implications are there of using DPI as the technology enables to recognise the original source as well as the recipient of content that contains specific packets (Antonello et al., 2012). A packet stream are basically fragmented parts of a message or data that is broken down into small bits, each of which contains part of the complete information that is present in the whole packet. The packet is broken down in such a way that at the receiving end it can be reassembled to its original form and the information within the packet is not damaged (Sanders, 2017). The process of analysing a packet stream within a network for possible malicious contents or detection of intrusion is called packet stream analysis. It is a basic method of monitoring a network. Many network packet analyser-tools are there that monitor all the incoming and outgoing packets in a network link and capture these packets to inspect for any malicious traffic. These tools also provide reconstruction of session that helps to understand the exact problem of the network. Apart from the packet header, most of the network data is binary trash. A large amount of processing power is required to extract the true meaningful information out of a network session. It multiplies to an exponential rate if the data is encrypted. More analysis requires implementation of hardware, which in turn requires higher expense of cost. That is why a true network analysis is processing intensive and tough on the analyst (Sanders, 2017). References Agrawal, M., Mishra, P. (2012). A comparative survey on symmetric key encryption techniques. International Journal on Computer Science and Engineering, 4(5), 877. Antonello, R., Fernandes, S., Kamienski, C., Sadok, D., Kelner, J., GDor, I., ... Westholm, T. (2012). Deep packet inspection tools and techniques in commodity platforms: Challenges and trends. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 35(6), 1863-1878. Benny, D. J. (2013). Industrial espionage: Developing a counterespionage program. Crc Press. Bhatti, H. J., Alymenko, A. (2017). A Literature Review: Industrial Espionage. Durcekova, V., Schwartz, L., Shahmehri, N. (2012, May). Sophisticated denial of service attacks aimed at application layer. In ELEKTRO, 2012 (pp. 55-60). IEEE. Fachkha, C., Bou-Harb, E., Boukhtouta, A., Dinh, S., Iqbal, F., Debbabi, M. (2012, October). Investigating the dark cyberspace: Profiling, threat-based analysis and correlation. In Risk and Security of Internet and Systems (CRiSIS), 2012 7th International Conference on (pp. 1-8). IEEE. Gunasekhar, T., Rao, K. T., Saikiran, P., Lakshmi, P. S. (2014). A survey on denial of service attacks. Hofheinz, D., Jager, T. (2012, August). Tightly Secure Signatures and Public-Key Encryption. In Crypto (Vol. 7417, pp. 590-607). Hsu, S. T., Yang, C. C., Hwang, M. S. (2013). A Study of Public Key Encryption with Keyword Search. IJ Network Security, 15(2), 71-79. Jeeva, A. L., Palanisamy, D. V., Kanagaram, K. (2012). Comparative analysis of performance efficiency and security measures of some encryption algorithms. International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA), 2(3), 3033-3037. Malekzadeh, M., Ghani, A. A. A., Subramaniam, S. (2012). A new security model to prevent denial?of?service attacks and violation of availability in wireless networks. International Journal of Communication Systems, 25(7), 903-925. Park, P., Yoo, S., Choi, S. I., Park, J., Ryu, H. Y., Ryou, J. (2012). A Pseudo State-Based Distributed DoS Detection Mechanism Using Dynamic Hashing. In Computer Applications for Security, Control and System Engineering (pp. 22-29). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. Peltier, T. R. (2016). Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: guidelines for effective information security management. CRC Press. Raiyn, J. (2014). A survey of cyber attack detection strategies. International Journal of Security and Its Applications, 8(1), 247-256. Sanders, C. (2017). Practical packet analysis: Using Wireshark to solve real-world network problems. No Starch Press. Stallings, W., Tahiliani, M. P. (2014). Cryptography and network security: principles and practice (Vol. 6). London: Pearson. Surya, E., Diviya, C. (2012). A Survey on Symmetric Key Encryption Algorithms. International Journal of Computer Science Communication Networks, 2(4), 475-477. Tartakovsky, A. G., Polunchenko, A. S., Sokolov, G. (2013). Efficient computer network anomaly detection by changepoint detection methods. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Signal Processing, 7(1), 4-11. Tartakovsky, A., Nikiforov, I., Basseville, M. (2014). Sequential analysis: Hypothesis testing and changepoint detection. CRC Press. Wee, H. (2012, May). Public Key Encryption against Related Key Attacks. In Public Key Cryptography (Vol. 7293, pp. 262-279).

The Spirits of the Towers free essay sample

A study of the recent Gerald Manley Hopkins poem, The Spirits of the Towers, which reflects on the September 11 tragedy in New York City. This paper analyzes the poem which reflects on the horror and destruction of the terrorist attack on New Yorks Twin Towers. The paper describes this haiku poems strong imagery of the attack and eloquent use of the symbols of American culture to represent the American spirit. The central theme is a search for meaning within the tragedy of September 11. The spirits of the towers are not only the ghostly remembrances of the buildings themselves, but also the actual spirits of the many people who died there. In a larger sense, the ghosts of the people and of the buildings become part of the American spirit, in the same sense that we use the phrase the spirit of 76.

Private Versus Public Interest essays

Private Versus Public Interest essays The public world is influenced by many things. Among them, private industry and regulation either try to become completely void or completely involved (or at times partially) with the public realm. This is the focus of many legal problems. The libertarian/communitarian debate appears in two area of the law, corporate contracts and drug screenings, and exemplifies why some areas of law are more difficult to categorize as private or public than others. As corporations continue to gain energy and momentum today, one must stop and look at the rules that both publicly and privately governs them. The rules which originated in an earlier age were created without the complexities faced by an organizational society, thus concepts dealing with corporate policy, such as contracts, are wondered if still valid after all these years (Text, 529). Private companies decisions undoubtedly effect the public in many ways. The public either gains or loses with every social, economic, or political decision that a huge corporation makes. Rightfully earning the description of new social actor, the corporation has seemingly taken on a whole new persona; it is able to become wealthy, be knowledgeable, earn prestige, and sue in a court of law (Text, 530). Private vs. public organizational issues raise complexities among libertarians views regarding impacts to the individual and to the community. Libertarians have an underlying philosophic and atomistic view that corporations are made up of individuals and that private affairs should, indeed, be kept private. To prevent harm from society, in the event of a wrongdoing, the organization should find the individual responsible and hold him or her accountable for the action. The libertarian point of view also believes that the corporation has the right to remain privatized, with little or no interference from the government; contracts should be upheld between the individuals...

Radical Islam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Radical Islam - Research Paper Example The application of Sharia law c. The termination of non-Muslim influence in the Muslim world d. The development of Muslim identity in politics e. The fundamentals of radical Islam have a lot of bearing on the application of the doctrine IV. Manifestations a. Political violence or terrorism i. September 11 (2001) ii. Attacks on US bases in East Africa (1998) b. Mass revolutions i. Iran revolution (1979) ii. Arab spring (2011) c. Political aggression i. Anti-US foreign policy ii. Refusal to recognize the statehood of Israel d. Isolation from the global order i. Iran (nuclear program) ii. Iraq (biological weapons) V. Implications a. Terrorism b. Political aggression c. Isolation from the global order VI. Future a. The future of radical Islam is unpredictable b. It is yet to be seen whether Muslim countries will embrace radical Islam in future c. Though Muslim countries are likely to be moderate in the future VII. Conclusion a. Radical Islam is a political ideology based on the basics of Islam; Quran and the Sunna b. It manifests in various forms like terrorism and revolutions c. It originated from the need to apply Islamic principles in politics d. It calls for the elimination of western control over Muslim region e. Countries that embrace the ideology risk isolation from the global order f. In future Muslim countries will not embrace the ideology g. Radical Islam is a recipe for political isolation VIII. ... Several other terms have been used to imply the same thing and they include Islamism, extremism and Islamic fundamentalism. Radical Islam has both positive and negative connotations in the sense that at a positive level it is perceived as a mechanism towards unity in the Muslim world as well as a guarantor of purity and morality in the political sphere. However, radical Islam is a dangerous concept that segregates the Muslim world from the mainstream on the grounds of religious doctrine. As a result, many opponents of the concept often describe it as a misapplication of extreme doctrines of Islam on political sphere which could have catastrophic results. Radical Islam has been in existence for a lengthy period of time and it has a long history of application. In essence, radical Islam originates from the misinterpretation and misplaced application of Islamic religious doctrine on political and social order. There are several implications of radical Islam most of which include isolati on, violence and terrorism. Moreover, radical Islam manifests in numerous ways that range from destructive tendencies like acts of terror and democratic revolutions like the Arab spring. The future of radical Islam is quite unpredictable owing to the fact that it is not easily known whether Muslim countries will embrace the doctrine in future. Origin of Radical Islam As a term radical Islam was coined by scholars and thinkers who have studied foreign policy, international relations and the particulars of Muslim countries. Originally, the term was meant to imply ideologies that seek to emphasize that Islam ought to direct the personal, political as well as

Nationwide retail theft, deterrents and the determination of risk Essay

Nationwide retail theft, deterrents and the determination of risk - Essay Example The paper tells that the current economic environment makes effective loss prevention more important than ever. The worldwide economic environment has been struggling in recent years as a consequence of a global economic crisis. This has resulted in the decrease in available finances for many people and markets. The financial crisis has had widespread effects across all sectors of the economy. For example, consumers have been faced with a lower amount of income, decreased job availability and an increased cost of living, while employers have found it necessary to lay off staff and tighten their margins to ensure that they remain profitable. Throughout the time the United States economy has suffered significantly, with the situation for many people across the country becoming desperate. Although the economy is slowly recovering, many people still struggle in obtaining the necessities required to survive. One consequence of this is that rates of theft have significantly increased and m any stores have less available staff to monitor security. A second effect of this is that it is becoming increasingly important for companies to limit their spending and increase revenue. Loss prevention significantly increases the company income, as the amount of money that is lost through theft can be high. The use of security systems is especially useful in this area as they are able to significantly reduce the number of staff that are required for security, and often increase effectiveness also. Making these changes now is important, as there are concerns that the country will continue to struggle economically. There is little change in the job market, and many people continue to struggle financially. Regardless of whether the economic climate improves in the near future or remains difficult the need for loss prevention remains a priority for any retail business. Managing Theft There are two general approaches to managing theft within a store. They are not necessarily mutually e xclusive, but generally a store will focus on one of these while putting only a small amount of effort on the second. The first approach is the use of plans, procedures and philosophies in place which focus on apprehending thieves and prosecuting them. The second approach is to focus on preventing theft from occurring in the first place. Both aspects are important to the management of loss within a business, and they can co-occur within an organization. Businesses generally focus on one of these two approaches as they require substantially different methods and training. In addition, both approaches have significant financial cost. . Each approach has its benefits, and which is most efficient depends on the type of organization in which it is being applied and the socioeconomic environment in which the particular store is centered. The concept of a brand is important for organizations. Many

The Thomas Cook France Strategy On French Market Marketing Essay

The Thomas Cook France Strategy On French Market Marketing Essay In 2009, the international tourism industry generated more than 611 Billion Euros but it goes through a transformation cause to some externals factors. Firstly, the development of internet has particularly modified the context, permitting a disintermediation between the tours operators suppliers and the finals customers. On the other hand, Internet has also allowed the development of Pure players specialized in discount prices on the tourism industry. Because of this situation, the major tour operators groups and travel agents are developing new strategies. Their mains purposes are to satisfy the customers demand and to respond to the emergence of electronic markets system. Most of tours operators offer a wide range of holidays packages in a highly competitive market constantly in evolution. The Package Holidays (or all inclusive travels) is defined as a single package including at least travel and accommodation and sometimes other services. In France, its very popular because the customers like the value it provides, the security offered and the large choices of destination. Numerous group as TUI, Expedia, Go Travel, Club Medà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are present in the French market but Thomas Cook is a very good model in term of strategy, positioning and growth Indeed, with 3 million annual customers in 2009 and a market share of 13%, Thomas cook France is a second major tour operator in France offering a large range of tourism and services through all over the world for all the budgets. Thanks to the acquisition of Jets tours and results in net progression, the group is now able to develop a strategy based on the innovation and on it network growth. In 2012, Thomas Cook wants to reach 20% of market share on the tour operating market and is interesting to explore the strategic position of the groups to achieve its objectives. Throughout this report, we are going to analyze the macro-environment of the group thanks to the Pestle Analysis and the five forces framework, as well as it strategic capability in order to understand it strategic fit and direction with Environment. 2 Task A The Macro- Environment To maintain profitability, the tours operators have to analyze their business environment to achieve high sales volume and to reduce the costs of the packages by allowing to the customers a great valuable experience. Nowadays, tourism is a dynamic industry, really vital for the international economy. Nevertheless, this industry is very dependent of the macro-environment mutations. Indeed, some elements can influence the stability of the market as the geopolitics conflicts, effects of terrorism and environmental issues for example. All this can have impacts on the tours operators performance as well as in their strategic direction. Its necessary for the managers to use the Pestle Analysis for understanding their industry situation. Thanks to this useful tool the tours operators will be able to consider its external environment before to make wrong choices and to put in place their strategies. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis Figure 1 Pestel Factor on the tourism industry 2.1.1 Political The political influence is certain. Since the 11 September attacks the global political situation has changed. These facts have had bad impacts on the tourism industry and on its different actors (travel agent, airline companies and tour operators). The precautions related to security, the struggle against the terrorism and the management of the crisis became majors factors which resulted to modifications and reorganization in the touristic activities. The procedures to enter on the territories are harder, controls in the airports have been reinforced and all this affect tourist perceptions. Cause to the deficit public, the French government will establish in 2012 a new Taxation policy on the internet subscription (source le Figaro). This decision can impact the purchasing power of the French people and influence their holidays destinations. Nevertheless, some events promoted the activities touristic like the Schengen area expansion or the enlargement of the European Union (Cyprus in 2004 which is a great destination for the French people, Turkey in a near future). 2.1.2 Economic All stakeholders are strongly influenced by the economic situation. Tourism is one of the most resilient industries in the world. The international tourists arrivals are estimated to have declined worldwide by 4% in 2009 to 880 millions. In the same year, international tourism generated 611 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ billion in export earnings according to the world tourism organization. Cause to the global economic crisis and the problem of the H1N1 Flue, the short distance travel have been privileged face up to the purchasing power diminution. Indeed, in France, only 20% of the population traveled in a foreign country and 46% didnt go on holidays cause to the diminution of their budget. The decreasing of the Euro and the unemployment augmentation can represent also a threat for the French customers. Moreover, the pressure on the fuel prices by the speculation, the conflicts or by the OPEP countries can cause majors impacts in the Tour operators strategies because the oil prices is also an important factor in the package holidays industry. 2.1.3 Social Nowadays, we can see a rise in tourism by elderly and by the student. News customers expectations emerge and influence the tour operators offers. With the development of cheapest holidays (particularly in Mediterranean countries), the travel abroad became banal and now, lot of people are looking for a consumption more responsible. The attitudes concerning safety and environment play from now on an important role in the customers decisions Moreover, brand consciousness has a good impact on the people. 2.1.4 Technological With the internet development, lot of actors offer competitive price and also at the last minute. This entire permit for the customers to choose and to compare The impacts are considerable because the online reservation and sales permits to eliminate staff, intermediaries and in this way tour operators have to adopt their strategies in order to dont lose their customers. Nevertheless, Internet is also a low barrier for potential entrants. Internet has also permitted the emergence of platform like Trip Advisor. Just in few seconds the customers have the power to destroy the reputation of a company. 2.1.5 Environment The sustainable tourism represents a good opportunity in the Tourism industry. We can see consumption more responsible and the augmentation of ethical packages holidays. For example, KUONI group realized a partnership with some organizations or associations to promote tourism more responsible. However, Tourism can contribute to the degradation of the environment (CO2 emission cause to the aviation contribution, green house effects, pressure on the local resources and water for some countries). Natural disasters like the tsunami, Caribbean hurricane, Iceland disruptive volcano have major negatives effects. At long term, these events can cause many problems on destinations. 2.1.6 Legal In France, the employment law concerning the working time (35 hour per week, 5 weeks of holidays) has permitted to the French people to travel more but on shorts distances which favored the development of short stays(Marrakech, Romaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). 2.2 Porters 5 Forces 2.2.1 Threat of new entrants is low High barriers to entry due to a high concentration Global players and strategic alliances: Merger and acquisition reinforce the positioning of big groups and let little chance to new distributors (maybe niche marketà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). They propose competitive prices and lot of destinations thanks to economies of scales and integration strategies. Brand recognition: play an important role as barrier to new entrants. In the French market, more than 35% of market share is controlled by Thomas Cook and TUI. 2.2.2 Threat of substitutes is high Emergence of the information and communication technologies Internet product development  [1]  : Has permitted the online agency emergence which necessitate less investments so a repercussion on the final price The role of the tours operating is questioned. Now its possible to plan his trips without going through the traditional network. 2.2.3 The power of buyers High due to large choices of substitutes The buyer power is high: Easier access to substitutes / Customers can compare the offers and impose their conditions to have a better value for money Customer reactions: Have the possibility to give her opinion on the company performances and services after their trips = Necessity for the tours operators to managing the customer relation and to attract and keep it. 2.2.4 The power of suppliers High due to a disintermediation phenomenon E-Commerce development  [2]  : Suppliers (airline companies, hostelsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) can sale directly to the final customer in order to absorb  [3]  the intermediarys margin Difficulties for companies having a low market share to have power on supplies 2.2.5 Competitive Rivalry- High due to pressure on the margins and differentiation opportunities The French market of tour operating is fragmented and enough saturated. High fixed cost largely favors the top leaders and permits to realize concentration and integration strategies in order to pressure on the margins The big group came from internet are stronger and reinforce their position with acquisition and merger to propose competitive prices However, there are still opportunities for companies because: Low differentiation between the tours operators: Excepted Club Med, Voyageurs du Monde or Marmara for example, the tours operators compete on a same segment(midrange and up market) without a really distinct identity Even if, Thomas Cook and TUI have an important financial capabilities, the financial performances of the sector are average 2.3 Critical success factor Now, we can identify the critical success factors to conclude the macro-environment analysis. This latter are important key points to consider in order gaining a competitive advantage: The price is highly important even for the up market segment because the tourism industry know a strong pressure on the margins Offer a service of quality to the customer in order to be differentiate of the competition and to attract and keep the customer Control the costs in order to be competitive on the market Consider the ICT (information and communications technologies) to extend the customer base and to face up at the evolution of the market Partnerships and network 2.4 Opportunities and Threats OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Sales augmentation thanks to internet Online Agencies growth and development Employment law favorable for travels Disintermediation between the tours operators suppliers and the finals customers Opportunities in niche and up market segment Air traffic controls cause to terrorism Ecotourism development Easier access to substitutes Brand consciousness Increase of the oil barrel price Customers are looking for a service personalized based on the quality Purchasing power diminution / Global recession Low differentiation between the tours operators Natural disasters, green house effects Table 1: Opportunities and Threats 3 Task B The external factors play a major role on the tourism industry and its actors. Now that the macro-environment analysis has been realized, the second parts will deal with the strategic capabilities of Thomas Cook France. 3.1 Thomas Cook France Since 2000 the group is present on the French market and possesses a valuable brand image thanks to its first distribution network in France (660 agencies), a strong brand portfolio (Jet Tours, Club Jumboà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) and values which place customers at the center of its preoccupations. In this second part of the assignment, competitive advantage, resources and competencies will be analyze in order to understand how the group can surmount the threats and exploit the opportunities of the market. 3.2 Value Chain 3.2.1 Primary activities The main activities generating added values for Thomas Cook is firstly the supply of packages followed by the composition of the offer and its arrangements according to their customers and orientation. Then, come an important key concerning the service based on sales experience and the manner to advice. To conclude, the after sales service in order to insure the customer satisfaction and his fidelization. 3.2.2 Support Activities Support activities provide support and added value to the primary functions improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the latter. If tour operator want be competitive in the market, he has to acquire informatics systems and infrastructure. Moreover, as Thomas Cook is an intermediary between suppliers and the customer, the management of the human resources is highly important to insure a support in the primary activities. In this context, the network and partnerships are essentials in order to offer competitive touristic products and services and Thomas cook is well positioned on this point with more than 150 partnerships (Club Med, Traveltainmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) This value chain provides an overview of the functioning of a tour operator like Thomas Cook and will help the managers to understand which activities provide more value to be competitive. Infrastructure and informatics systems Human resources: formation, experience, destination Knowledge Development of partnerships and networks contacts SUPPLIES COMPOSITION OF THE PACKAGES HOLIDAYS MARKETING AND SALES SERVICE Figure 3 Thomas Cook France Value Chain 3.3 Resources and competences 3.3.1 Physical resources and capabilities Even if Thomas Cook is a service provider, the tangibles goods that it possesses take on a strategic importance. The most important factor for the group is the utilization of its most important physical resource: its 660 agencies on all the French territory. These agencies permit to develop a good quality in term of sales and advices but also permit to identify in live the demand evolution. Thomas Cook is the first tour operator which covers all the territory thanks to its distribution network. TUI Travel, the leader on the French market arrive in second position with almost 400 agencies. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..). The most important factor for tour operator capabilities is the utilization of the distribution framework. More than 60 % of the sales are carried out by the agencies network. Moreover, Thomas cook possess a quite sophisticated IT infrastructure thanks to its partnership with TravelTainment. Thanks to a performing tool concerning the online reservation, the group proposes a high technological solution and became the first group in France to put in place such a partnership. 3.3.2 Human Resources and competencies Thanks to 1700 employees at the attention of the customers, Thomas Cook France attach an importance to human resources management The human resources policy of the group, emphases training and adaptation of teams to increase the professionalization and promote an operational decentralization. All the employees are positively aware of all the destinations. Nevertheless, the low level of wage can be a threat for the group in term of competitiveness. Indeed, in 2010, 40% of the employees have participated at a strike to demand augmentation face to positive results. One indicator for the human resources competency of Thomas Cook can be the Chairman knowledge,  skills, experience  and  behavior  used to improve performance of the group. Since 2006, the chairman of Thomas Cook, Denis Wathier, expert in E-commerce fulfils totally the group expectations in accordance with the market opportunities and threats (E-commerce evolutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). He has refocused the strategy, developed the franchise network and internet sales and has permitted to recover profitability. He has a great valuable experience in tourism industry (see Table 3) and the frequency of chairman substitutions have been stop (source). Since 2006 THOMAS COOK CHAIRMAN 2004 2006 MAEVA Group strategy Director 2000 -2004 VOYAGES-SNCF.COM General Director 1996 -2000 PIERRE VACANCES TOURISME Marketing and Communication  Director 1995 -1996 CLUB MÉDITERRANÉE Marketing Director France   1990 -1995 UCPA Marketing and sales Manager Figure 4 Denis Waltier Experience, Thomas Cook France Chairman 3.4 Financial resources and competencies Since 2007, Thomas Cook have positive results (Table4) because in 2006 the net income was 6  300 000 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬. Denis Waltier hopes for 2010 an operational profitability of 5 %. This profitability will be the result of a hard work concerning the staff control cost and package holidays costs. THOMAS COOK France 2008 2007 Evolution Net income 71  900 000 4.400.000 + 1534,09 % Gross operating profit -900.000 -1.700.000 + 47,06 % Table 2 Financial results Ratio THOMAS COOK France 2008 2007 Evolution Cash flow Staff costs 1.900.000 400  000 4.200.000 1.300.000 -54,76 % -69,23% Table 3 Financial Ratio Staff cost is a key performance in term of cost management. The difference is significant for 2007-2008. This entire permit to be more competitive on the market because there is a huge pressure on the margins. 3.5 Intangible resources and capabilities The intangible resource of Thomas Cook is its brand recognition and experience. The group has a huge brand image in France but also all around the world. In 2001, after only one year of experience in the French Market, Thomas Cook has had 31% of notoriety and overtook competitors based on the market since more than 10 years. In this segment, the group has a significant potential in term of competitive advantage. Moreover, the leadership position of Thomas Cook on the French market is explained by the values which animate its business: the quality of services and the customer satisfaction. 3.6 Overview about Threshold vs. Unique resources /Competencies RESOURCES COMPETENCIES Threshold competencies Financial Human Financial Human Physical Intangible Capabilities for competitive Advantage Intangible Physical Figure 4 Threshold vs. Unique Resources / Competencies The principal competitive advantage of Thomas Cook France is its reputation and brand name which are two elements which permit them to be the second leadership on the French market. With more than 150 partnerships, 4 billions of customers and a strong presence in the international market, the brand Thomas Cook has a good reputation and notoriety. 3.7. Evaluation of a sustainable competitive advantage The sustainable competitive advantage of Thomas Cook is its distribution network. With a multi-canal distribution strategy, the group is in advance on its competitors. Indeed, it has the best distribution capabilities in term of agencies and covers all the French territory. All this permit to gain market share and to have a great positioning in term of distribution. The group hopes to overtake TUI Travel in 2 years thanks to this advantage. 3.8 Summary of Strengths and weaknesses STRENGHTS WEAKNESSES Excelent brand image and notoriety Human resources: Decrease of the wages Competitive distribution network : 660 agencies High Chairman substitutions (4 in five years) Human competencies Financial resources: Negative gross operating profit Positioned on all the segments Low cost with Club Jumbo Mid-range with Up market with Jet Tours The group is late on the internet distribution network Intangible resources: Lack of identification on other Thomas Cook brands Strong partnership and relation with suppliers Net Income growth Table 4 Strengths and weaknesses 4. Task C 4.1 Strategic Direction Thomas Cook France follows a strategy based on its growth network and on innovation. The principal objective for Thomas Cook France is to control the costs in order to be competitive. Thomas Cook is conscious of the threats and opportunities on the market. Nowadays, the group wants to strengthen its positioning on the French market and developed new segments like its niche concept voyage trà ¨s privà ©e and Au coeur du monde. Thanks to the Ansoff matrix, we can analyse the strategic direction : Two main options Market penetration: Thomas cook has to gain market share if the group wants to achieve its objectives for 2012: 20% of market share in 2012. The group proposes competitive products and services. It has a strong power vis-à  -vis suppliers and thanks to its strong distribution network, he has in advance on these competitors. Now, the group has to increase their economies of scale It has to have a clear positioning on the market Horizontal integration: 4.2. Strategic Fit Opportunity /Threats SUITABLE Strategy  ? Comments Eco tourism product development X For the moment Thomas Cook doesnt take account of this opportunity in its strategy. It has strong partnership with non gouvernemental organizations like planà ¨te urgence but doesnt propose ethical packages holidays. Brand consciousness Æ’Â ¼ Thomas Cook France have a strong brand image and its communication strategy is based on its knowledge and experience Service personalized for the customers Æ’Â ¼ The customer is in the center of its preoccupations. Their only objective is to give at the customer an unforgettable experience. For example Thomas Cook France is the only company who propose an assistance in French in their village holidays Purchasing power diminution Æ’Â ¼ Thanks to its new low-cost product Le Club Jumbo, the group can face up to the global recession and propose substitution product and services to maintain their sales volume Internet development X The group is late on this segment. The sales represent only 11% of the sales. The Chairman has decided to invest in this network and wait for the next years Low differentiation between the tours operators X Even if the group is positioned on all the range, it has a lack of differentiation due to the numbers of its offers and its positioning strategy is not enough clear Online Agencies growth and development Æ’Â ¼ Appropriate strategy thanks to the development of an online platform Vacances trà ¨s privà ©es.com Green house effects/ Global Warming Æ’Â ¼ The sustainable development is a priority in the Thomas Cook strategy. Since 2007, the group put in place a strategy to reinforce their image : 1 package holiday bought = 1 tree planted in Indonesia Opportunities in niche market Æ’Â ¼ The group propose a new offer positioned on a niche segment: luxury package holidays at decreasing price scale Table 5 Strategic Fit of Thomas Cook Critical succes factors Match? Comments The price Æ’Â ¼ -Thomas Cook propose competitive prices thanks to its network and partnerships -Strong relations with the suppliers which permit economies of scale and to be competitive -Pricing policy Servive of quality Æ’Â ¼ Quality of the service is at the center of the preoccupations Before the travel: Assistance 24/24 and 7/7 by phone or internet During the travel : special assistance services After the travel: Customer satisfaction study Consider the ICT Æ’Â ¼ Partnerships Æ’Â ¼ 150 partnerships Control of the costs . Table 6 Thomas Cook France match with critical success factors References List Books Gerry Johnson, Kevan Scholes and Richard Whittington, 8th edition, Exploring Corporate Strategy, Text and cases, 2010 Gilian Dale, BTEC National, Travel and tourism, 2007 John Beech, Simon Chadwick, The business of tourism management, 2006 A.K Bahtia, The business of tourism: Concept and strategies, 2007 Viviane Tauran-Jamelin, Marketing du tourisme  : 1à ¨re et 2à ¨me annà ©e, 2002, France Internet Journal du net, 2006, Qui sont les championsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦du voyage  ? Available at: http://www.journaldunet.com/management/0608/0608149-match-tour-operateurs.shtml Tnooz, 2010, Build your own package holiday on Thomas cook and you actually go with Expedia Available at: http://www.tnooz.com/2010/01/08/news/build-your-own-package-holiday-on-thomas-cook-and-you-actually-go-with-expedia/ Journal du net, 2010, France : Le marchà © du tourisme en ligne Available at: http://www.journaldunet.com/cc/10_tourisme/tourisme_marche_fr.shtml Strategos, Pierre Amalou,2009, Denis Wathier, prà ©sident du directoire de Thomas Cook France Available at: http://www.strategos.fr/spip.php?page=article-numeroid_article=775 Synolia, 2010, THOMAS COOK VOYAGES DOPE SES PARTS DE MARCHÉ AVEC SUGARCRM Available at  : http://www.synolia.com/cas-clients-sugarcrm/thomas-cook-voyages-dope-ses-parts-de-marche-avec-sug-2.html BFM Radio, 2010, Interview de Denis Wathier : On ne peut pas se contenter de faire uniquement du voyage gà ©nà ©raliste Available at: http://www.radiobfm.com/edito/info/81395/denis-wathier-on-ne-peut-pas-se-contenter-de-faire-uniquement-du-voyage-generaliste/ Les Echos, 2009, La consolidation du secteur est en cours Available at: http://www.lesechos.fr/entreprises-secteurs/service distribution/dossier/300377344-la-consolidation-du-secteur-est-en-cours.htm Daily Bourse.fr, 2008, AVEC JET TOURS, THOMAS COOK ATTEINT LA TAILLE CRITIQUE EN FRANCE (WATHIER) Available at: http://www.daily-bourse.fr/avec-jet-tours-thomas-cook-atteint-la-taille-criti-Feed-AFP080609113548.x4aesox2.php Daily Bourse.fr, 2008, THOMAS COOK FRANCE PASSE À LOFFENSIVE ET ÉTEND SON RÉSEAU DAGENCES Available at: http://www.daily-bourse.fr/thomas-cook-france-passe-a-l-offensive-et-etend-so-Feed-AFP070926111050.1ot6c8zf.php Corporama watching the business, 2010, Economie : Un partenariat de 3 ans pour Transavia et Thomas Cook Available at: http://www.franceactus.com Journal du net, 2008, Thomas Cook rachà ¨te Jet Tours au Club Med Available at  : http://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/tourisme/actualite/thomas-cook-rachete-jet-tours-au-club-med.shtml Tourmag.com, 2006, Thomas Cook France de retour à   là ©quilibre Available at: http://www.tourmag.com/Thomas-Cook-France-de-retour-a-l-equilibre_a12080.html Wikionews, 2010, Thomas Cook ouvre 3 nouveaux Club Jumbo Available at: http://www.tourmagazine.fr/Thomas-Cook-ouvre-3-nouveaux-Clubs-Jumbo_a15707.html Rà ©seau de veille en tourisme, 2008, Regard sur les grands changements du  «tour-operating » mondial Available at: http://veilletourisme.ca/2008/03/10/regard-sur-les-grands-changements-du-tour-operating-mondial/ Là ©cho touristique.com, 2010, Thomas Cook France revendique 5 % de rentabilità © en 2009 Available at: http://www.lechotouristique.com/thomas-cook-france-revendique-5-de-rentabilite-en-2009,19959 Là ©cho touristique.com, 2010, Thomas Cook assure en cas de force majeure Available at: http://www.lechotouristique.com/thomas-cook-assure-en-cas-de-force-majeure,20842 Verif.com, 2008, Thomas Cook France, Financial infomations Available at: http://www.verif.com/bilans-gratuits/THOMAS-COOK-FRANCE-431994482/ Tourmag.com, 2009, Thomas Cook France: Denis Wathier succeed à   Olivier de Nicola, Restructuration de Thomas Cook France Available at: http://www.tourmag.com/Thomas-Cook-France-Denis-Wathier-succede-a-Olivier-de-Nicola_a19001.html Strategos, 2010, Denis Wathier, prà ©sident du Directoire Thomas Cook France Available at: http://www.strategos.fr/spip.php?page=article-numeroid_article=794 Sud Aà ©rien, 2004, Quand les  «Ã‚  low cost  Ã‚ » grignotent les marchà ©s du charter Available at: http://www.sud-aerien.org/Quand-les-low-cost-grignotent-les Stratà ©gies.fr, 2004, Adieu Havas voyages, bonjour Thomas Cook Available at: http://www.strategies.fr/actualites/marques/r28235W/adieu-havas-voyages-bonjour-thomas-cook.html Tour Hebdo, 2010, Thomas Cook champion de la rentabilità © du secteur en 2010 Available at: http://www.pros-du-tourisme.com/actualites/detail/30682/thomas-cook-champion-de-la-rentabilite-du-secteur-en-2010.html Strategos, 2010, Denis Wathier, Thomas Cook Available at: http://www.strategos.fr/spip.php?page=article-numeroid_article=660 World Tourism Organisation, 2010, Comitted to tourism, travel and millennium development goals Available at: http://www.unwto.org/index.php 2008, THOMAS COOK GROUP MAKES ACQUISITIONS IN FRANCE AND CANADA www.thomascook.fr/pages_statiques//CP_version_Anglaise_finale.do

Gel Electrophoresis

Laura Gallagher Partner: Rob Einersen Biology Period D Mr. Alvarez 15 February 2013 Gel Electrophoresis Introduction: Agarose Gel Electrophoresis is a process in which the process of determining whether a strand of DNA is either positively or negatively charged. The container in which the gel is stored has a negative and positive side; whichever side the DNA molecules go to means the DNA is charged the opposite way. (Ware, Lunte, Gardiner)For example if a DNA molecule goes to the negative side that means that the DNA is positively charged and vice versa.The agarose gel is composed of a fine powder substance, water and a buffer solution. The solution must be boiled to its boiling point then you have to pour the solution into a casting mold there also needs to be a comb that leaves six holds in the mold. It must be left in the casting mold for about a half an hour for the gel to solidify. Electrophoresis has a few different uses such as establishing the size of a strand or molecule of DNA or RNA. (Bowen) It can also be used to find out family members or criminals or tests of that manner. This is all possible because of the DNA’s charge and the charge of the molds.Although if a DNA molecule is too big it is not going to be able travel fast through the so it is better for the experiment if the DNA molecules are small. To get the DNA small restriction enzymes are used. (Roberts) Restriction enzymes cut specific DNA molecules in half which helps with the travel through the gel. Before the electrophoresis machine was developed people used to use gravity to separate DNADNA molecules are going to be negative and smaller molecules are going to move farther than the larger molecules. The purpose of this lab is to learn how to create an agarose gel and properly load a well in an agarose gel.The purpose is also to learning how to use electrophoresis equipment and how to analyze the results of DNA electrophoresis. Methods and Materials: Start off, by gathering all of the necessary materials for the beginning which is 1. 2 mL of gel buffer in one graduated cylinder, in a separate graduated cylinder58. 8 mL of water and 0. 48 g of agarose powder. Next take an Erlenmeyer flask and mix all three of the substances, place the flask on a hot plate and keep swooshing the mixture in the flask. Repeat that step until the liquid in the hot plate becomes clear, make sure that the solution does not boil.Let the solution sit until it is lukewarm. Now, the molding tray should be prepared by taping off the sides with painters tape so no liquid can escape. Place the comb in the designated slot in the molding tray and pour the agarose solution into the mold tray. Now, take a graduated cylinder and pour in 8 mL of the buffer solution and 400 mL of water, then, pour it into the gel box. After the gel solidifies, with extreme caution, remove the painters tape and comb. Next, take the mold tray and place it on the table; now, take six disposable pipettes and the colo red dye from you teacher and fill each pipette with a different color.After each pipette has a different color, empty the pipette not too far in or too close to the surface of each well. Next, place the mold tray in the gel box, close the lid, and plug it in for about a half an hour. After the half an hour is up, take a couple pictures of the mold tray and the results that you saw. Results: Figure 1 Figure 2 As you see in figure 1, the dye pigments have been placed in each well and it is not perfect some of the dye have gotten out and leaked out on the top of the gel.That is okay though because the experiment was still a success because the dye pigments did move with the DNA molecules as you can see in figure 2. The dye pigments in all of the wells except for the well at the very top, all moved towards the positive side of the tray. The well at the very top contained positively charged DNA so that DNA started to move towards the negative side of the tray. Discussion: For the most pa rt, my hypothesis was correct, I was correct about the smaller particles moving further than the larger particles. I was correct and incorrect when I said that The DNA molecules are going to be negative. I as correct because five out of six were negative, although there was one that was positive so it did not go in the same direction as the other five. DNA’s direction is only influenced by one factor, which is whether the DNA is negatively or positively charged. This directly affects why the DNA moved the positive pole because DNA is negative so due to attraction it goes to the positive side of the pole. When a molecule is moving its rate of length and speed correlates with its size, if a molecule of DNA is large, it is going to be harder for it to move so it would be much easier for a small molecule of DNA to move across the gel.You can the molecules of DNA moving because they are dyed with the dye pigments. Electrophoresis causes the smaller DNA molecules to move further be cause it is easier for the positive charge to pull smaller pieces of DNA. Though, for this to happen, the power has to be turned on. Once the power is turned on it also turns on each end’s charge on each side of the tray so the DNA is attracted to that side of the tray. Most of the DNA the molecules carried a negative charge. A negative charge is carried because those molecules went towards the positive pole.Although those few molecules carried a positive charge so they went to the negative pole. The banding patterns in the gel are determined by the size of the DNA molecule. It can be interpreted as some of the DNA molecules weren’t broken down as small as others. Scientists use the number of nucleotides in one sample and it is compared to another blood sample. All of the similarities and differences add up. Also the sequences of the bases in a chain of DNA. In many murder investigations, DNA is used to find the culprit. Such as the case of James Anagnos, James was bea ten and stabbed to death in 1977 in his bar. NBC) James was holding a strand of hair that belonged to his murderer. Three decades later they compared the DNA is the strand of hair to a man named Frank Wright, it was a match. It didn’t serve any justice though, because Wright died in 2002. This is similar to the case of Priscilla Ann Blevins. Priscilla’s remains were found off an interstate and they were stored in a facility and kept under the name â€Å"Jane Doe†. (Lohr) Blevins’ genetic information was entered into a computer and it matched up with â€Å"Jane Doe† and was later confirmed with dental records.DNA helped to resolve this 37 year old cold case just like it did for the 1993 murder of Alie Berrelez. Alie was a five year old girl who was sitting in her apartment complex eating pizza when she was kidnapped. (Curry) Alie’s remains were found four days later stashed next to a creek. Nick Stofer was the main suspect but they couldnâ₠¬â„¢t arrest him because they didn’t have enough evidence against him. When this crime happened there was no such thing as DNA testing so there was no way they could prove it was him. In 2011, they compared DNA from Alie’s under to Nick Stofer and it was a match.Again Stofer died before he could stand trial, he died in 2001. Bibliography B. R. Ware,  Susan Lunte,  Kathleen Gardiner, 2012, â€Å"Electrophoresis,† in AccessScience,  ©McGraw-Hill Education, Retrieved from http://www. accessscience. com/content. aspx? searchStr=Electrophoresis&id=226400 Bowen R. , 2000, â€Å"Agarose Gel Electrophoresis of DNA†, in Colostate, Retrieved from http://arbl. cvmbs. colostate. edu/hbooks/genetics/biotech/gels/agardna. html Richard Roberts, 2012, â€Å"Restriction enzyme,† in AccessScience,  ©McGraw-Hill Education, Retrieved from http://www. accessscience. com/content. aspx? earchStr=restriction+enzymes&id=584150 2010, â€Å"Three Decade Old Murder M ystery Solved Using DNA† , in NBC California, retrieved from http://www. nbclosangeles. com/news/local/Three-Decade-Old-Murder-Mystery-Solved-Using-DNA-101944298. html Lohr D. , â€Å"After 37 Years, Priscilla Ann Blevins' Disappearance Solved Using DNA†, Huffington Post, Retrieved from http://www. huffingtonpost. com/2012/11/01/priscilla-ann-blevins_n_2059155. htmlCurry C. , 2011, â€Å"Cold Case of Murdered 5-Year-Old Alie Berrelez Solved†, ABC News, retrieved from http://abcnews. go. com/US/cold-case-year-murdered-1993-solved-dna/story? id=14510785

New Media Convergence and Audience Fragmentation and Programme Content in International Broadcasting

New Media Convergence and Audience Fragmentation and Programme Content in International Broadcasting The new media technologies have been referred to as the communication revolution due to the immense changes they have brought to mass communication and social lifestyles in past decade or so. The expression ‘new media’ has been in use since the 1960s and has had to encompass an expanding and diversifying set of applied communication technologies such the it is somehow impracticable to tell just what the ‘new media’ comprise. As far as the essential features of new media are concerned, however, the main ones seem to be: their interconnectedness; their accessibility to individual users as senders or receivers; their interactivity; their multiplicity of use and open-ended character; and their ubiquity and almost limitless extended located-ness. The new media could be said to have brought a communications revolution because it seems to have brought a revolt against mass communication and all that it used to stand for. The two main driving force of this communications revolution are satellite communication and computer technologies. The key to the immense power of the computer as a communication device lies in the process of digitalization that allows information of all kinds in all formats to be carried with the same efficiency and also in a multiplex. New means of transmission by cable, satellite and radio have immensely increased the capacity to transmit. New means of storage and retrieval including the personal video recorder, the mobile phone, CD-ROM, compact disc, DVD, etc, have also expanded the range of possibilities, and even the remote control device has played a part. The many possibilities of ‘media-making’ (camcorders, PCs, printers, cameras, etc, especially in digital form) have changed immensely the practice of journalism whether print or broadcast, such that the amateur or the professional are being bridged. There are also new kinds of ‘quasi-media’ such as computer games and virtual reality devices which seem to be overlapping with the mass media in their culture and in the satisfaction of use. The communications revolution has being of benefit to traditional media and the audience due mainly to the interactivity that has become possible. What is the nature of convergence? Convergence is the coming together of different technologies, the fusion of two or more technologies to form something new and different, something that has attributes of each but is altogether unique. The new technologies and products that result from convergence are greater than the sum of the original parts, and the two most powerful and pervasive technologies – information and media are converging. The result of convergence has been called ‘techno-fusion’. What are the differences between the old and the new? Today the differences between the old and new are difficult to distinguish partly because some media forms are now distributed across different types of transmission channels, reducing the original uniqueness of form and experience in use. Also, the increasing convergence of technology, based on digitalization, can only reinforce this tendency. Thirdly, globalization has reduced the distinctiveness of domestic content and institutions and as such content and practices are becoming global or universal though some are domesticated variants of the global. Nevertheless, there are some clear differences in terms of physical and psychosocial characteristics, in terms of perceived trust and credibility for example. Differences are obvious concerning freedom and control where the new seems to be freer and less controlled especially by government. Secondly, differences are clear concerning what each is good for and the perceived uses by individual audience members. What is New Media? New media rely on digital technologies, allowing for previously separate media to converge. Media convergence is defined as a phenomenon of new media and this can be explained as digital media. The idea of new media captures both the development of unique forms of digital media, and the remaking of more traditional media forms to adopt and adapt to the new media technologies. Convergence captures the development futures of old media and merges it with new media. Blogs, and Podcasts are all part of new media. MySpace and Facebook are part of social media (also known as viral marketing), which is a branch of new media. What is new about the new media? It is pertinent at this point to understand that a medium is not just an applied technology for transmission of certain symbolic content or of linkage among people but that it also embodies a set of social relations that interact with features of the new technology. There are some evidences that mass media have changed from the past two or three decades from the days of one-way, one-directional and undifferentiated flow to an undifferentiated mass audience due to certain features of new technology. What is new is basically due to the fact of digitalization and convergence. Digitalization is the process by which texts can be reduced to binary form and used in production, distribution and storage. Convergence is the digital linkage and symbiosis between media forms in terms of organization, distribution, reception and regulation. Mcquail (2006) has defined convergence as the process of coming together or becoming more alike of media technologies due to digitalization. The new media transcends the limit of traditional print and broadcast in the following ways: ? It enables many-to-many conversations ?It enables the simultaneous reception, alteration and redistribution of cultural products ? It dislocates communicative action beyond national boundaries bringing in the ‘death of the distance’ across the world More succinctly, what is new about the new media may be the combination of interactivity with innovative features such as, the unlimited range of content and content format, the scope of audience reach, and the global nature of communication. Other features include, that the new media are as much private and public communication and that their operation is not typically professional or bureaucratically organized to the same degree as the mass media. Another feature of the new media is that the boundaries between publisher, producer, distributor, consumer and reviewer of content are blurring, leading to a general meltdown of roles that may result in the emergence of separate, more specialized institutional complexes of media skills and activities. So, what is new? ?Digitalization ?Convergence Divergence from mass communication ?Adaptation of media roles ?Interactivity and fragmentation of audience ?Fragmentation of media organization and institution ?Reduced control Categories of new media While new media technological forms continue to multiply and diversify, there are as at now four main categories. ?Interpersonal communication media ?Interactive play media ?Information search media ?Collective participatory media Key ch aracteristics of new media The following are the key characteristics unique to the new media across the four categories. Interactivity ?Sociability ?Media richness ?Audience autonomy ?Entertainment ?User privacy ?User personalization Audience Fragmentation and Programme Content in International Broadcasting Countries and cultures have long been in communication across borders; however, in the 20th century, first radio, then television and the internet accelerated that process dramatically. National leaders are often unnerved when broadcasts or other information comes straight across borders without any chance to stop, control, or mediate it. In the 1930s and 1940s, around World War II and the cold war, radio seemed menacingly effective in propaganda across borders. Radio competitions and clashes, even some miniature cold wars of their own, erupted among a number of countries in the Asia, Middle East, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the West and USA. By contrast, broadcast television seemed comfortingly short range as it took preeminence from the late 1940s on. Satellite television was the next big technological development in international broadcasting. As early as the 1960s controversies started concerning the use of this type of transmission for fear of the propaganda and intrusion into national borders. The debate culminated in a schism between the developed and the developing regions of the world concerning cultural imperialism, media imperialism and the imbalance in news flow across the globe. The global spread of satellite and cable TV channels in the 1990s has seemed to increase the outflow of American and European television programming and films to other countries. The internet has become the latest major t technology to deliver radio, television, music downloads, video downloads, films, news stories, newspapers, and new forms of content, like weblogs, across national and cultural borders. The growth of the internet in the late 1990s and 2000s has also threatened the ability of national governments to control cross-border flow of information and entertainment. The internet continues to bring a great deal of content from the USA and the West into other parts of the world. However, it also much cheaper to produce either information or entertainment for the internet, so many governments, cultures, religion, and ideologies now produce for and distribute over the internet. Governments dominated activity in international radio, despite early developments and precedents from commercial international shortwave broadcasting prior to World War II. However, it seems private actors instead of governments now dominate global television news and entertainment. What are the implications for the audience of the shift from government international radio broadcasting to private international satellite television? What of the further shift on the internet to supplement or replace the dominance of major international radio and international commercial TV? What of the implications of the fact that most radio audiences today tend to be quite localized, given a choice, particularly with the spread of higher fidelity stereo FM broadcasts, which deliver the best available radio sound quality but seldom cover more than a limited urban area? What are the motivations for broadcasting internationally? Four major reasons have been adduced for both state-run and private organizations transmitting directly across borders: to enhance national or organizational prestige; to promote national or organizational interests; to attempt religious, ideological or political indoctrination; and to foster cultural ties. When governments are the primary actors as it is here, the goal is often summed up as public diplomacy. That is the deliberate effort by governments to affect foreign public opinion in a manner that is positive to their goals. Public diplomacy may be defined as the influencing in a positive way the perceptions of individuals and organizations across the world. Another perspective on this sees motivations in terms of: being an instrument of foreign policy, as a mirror of society, as symbolic presence, as a converter and sustainer, as a coercer and intimidator, as an educator, as an entertainer, and as a seller of goods and services. Evidence of the importance that governments attach to international broadcasting can be found in their total commitment to funding and support using diverse models as may be found in BBC, VOA, Radio Moscow, RFI, etc. Similarly, as the internet now permits a greater variety of players to broadcasting, many more have entered to pursue all or some of similar goals. Why audiences listen or view across borders? According to the categories of listening motivations listed by Boyd (1996) as cited by Straubhaar and Boyd (2003), audiences tune in to hear news and information, to be entertained, to learn, to hear religious or political broadcast, to enhance their status, to protest, or to pursue a hobby. Concerning the question of media effects on audience in international broadcasting, the available studies show that the effects of international radio broadcasting are relatively limited. Nevertheless, there are at least some historical cases in which international radio as part of public diplomacy had considerable impact. Radio Free Europe clearly had a role in fomenting the Hungarian uprising of 1956. The USA conducted ‘radio wars’ against Cuba and Nicaragua fomenting refugee flight if nothing else. The use of radio in international broadcasting is changing decisively; however, as most of the services are moving away from transmitting on shortwave radio and moving towards re-broadcasting or re-transmitting on leased local FM facilities and also supplementing these efforts by web casting. Today, international radio broadcasters tend to put their signals out as streaming audio feeds on the internet. International radio is also sometimes sought by those who do not trust the local or national media readily available to then. This and other factors may be affecting the international audience in the direction of fragmentation. Few international broadcasters today have anything resembling a mass audience, instead they have fragments of core listeners of viewers who are attracted by tradition or habit or interests in specific programming such as news, music, documentaries, sports and so on. Audience Fragmentation in International Broadcasting The rise of new media has brought the question of audience fragmentation and selective exposure to the front burner of concerns by the broadcast media. This is because audience fragmentation has emerged as the inevitable consequence of audience diversity based on diversity of participation and reception that have been enhanced immensely by the convergence of media technologies. Audience fragmentation may also be due to diversity of media content and the loyalty or otherwise of the audience to these various programmes. In the same way there are many broadcast channels and stations even at the external broadcasting level such that loyalties may have become fragmented over the multitude of international stations available to the audience. The array of broadcast options available to the audience may have thus created a remarkable degree of audience fragmentation. There has been created a new multi-platform world due to the convergence of new media. For example, the number of listeners or viewers who now use their PCs or mobile phones for monitoring the newscast instead of waiting for specific time periods of broadcast from their station of choice usually on traditional media may be increasing as more and more people adopt several new media options available to them. Such fragments of listeners or viewers may actually replace their traditional media channels with the ones they now have in multimedia. Some viewers now choose to watch news highlights on the web at their convenience rather than the scheduled news cast they used to frequent. Traditional broadcasters cannot afford to ignore cable and satellite operators as well as the web, mobile and other alternative distribution channels who may have contributed to the fragmentation of their traditional audience. Today media scholars and practitioners have continued to debate whether the mass audience really exists any more or whether mass audience has not become a myth. This issue or question persists because they challenge them to re-think presumed givens of the past while also providing a framework within which to examine the undeniable evidence of fragmentation of the broadcast audience today. As information and communication technologies increasingly become available and affordable to people and are more widely adopted news and current affairs media may have to strategize on ow to move away from being mass media to media targeting and specific niche programming and distribution. The external channel may have to do some audience research to find out what type of audience are disengaging form their traditional media and for what reasons. So also the world-view of such audience may have to be ascertained and embedded in programme content so as to attract the audience. Other forms of distrib ution that may compliment the traditional may have to be considered and appropriated. How to view and review the audience against the backdrop of fragmentation? Any evaluation of audience should start with a disturbing doubt about the continuing validity of the term. On the threshold of an era in which pressing a button summons any song, stock number or movie episode on display anywhere in the house and ‘grazing’ and ‘on demand’ viewing or listening replace the regular traditional listening or viewing habits. The notion of audience as a community or solidarity group, or as a form of involvement in a text which one has not summoned or invented oneself, a text that can surprise, becomes problematic. The danger to audiences posed by their disembodiment into individual dreams bubbles, or their disappearance into time-shift recorders who never find time to listen or view, is not as close as the technologies that allow it. The conditions underlying identity, sociality and community are slower to change than technologies. We know that the world cup or the English league or the Olympic Games find us attending as faithful audience members, be it within the community, the nation or even the globe. These examples however suggest that the term ‘audiences’ is too general. Fans may be more fitting in the case of football, and ‘public’ in the case of an al-Qaida attack. But, whether listening or viewing as we used to know it is seriously threatened, the acutely destabilizing transformations of communication technologies suggest that the concept of ‘audience’ should be studied in tandem with its counterpart: the dominant media and genre it faces. Those changing technologies also suggest that the way in which audiences are situated – is everyone listening or viewing at the same content, are they listening or viewing alone or together, are they talking or silent, is the transmission live or recorded – is inseparable from characteristics of the media they interact with, marked by their technological and institutional characteristics, and the ways in which they perceive their consumers. The larger picture suggests that the contemporary media environment holds two types of threats to audiences. One is the abundance of what is offered, chasing viewers or listeners to an endless choice of niche channels or stations and time-shift options which may operate as a boomerang pushing us to turn on good old broadcast radio or TV and find out what is on. The second threat is the internet. It has been contended that internet user are not really ‘audiences’ as it can not be seen as an electronic mass medium but rather as an umbrella, multi-purpose technology, loaded with a broad range of disparate communication functions, such as shortcutting mediators in the management of daily life. In reality the internet fosters audiences but goes beyond that to provide a myriad of services that may not be in the mode of mass communication especially as it does not fulfill the need of listening or viewing texts over which audiences have no direct control and /or texts that enable the suspending of unbelief. Assuming that in spite of the dramatic transformation in the media environment, audiences are still alive, so do the technologies that nurture them , what follows is a review of the changes undergone by mass media audiences and the ways in which these changes were defined. A very useful scheme to define audiences categorizes them into three: citizens, consumers and jugglers. The audience is categorized thus based on the historical progression of broadcasting through three eras, moving from ‘scarcity’ to ‘availability’ to ‘plenty’. Each phase carries an image of the audience. Scarce broadcasting addresses audiences as a unified mass of ‘citizens’ while available broadcasting addresses them as individual ‘consumers’. Today’s broadcasting of plenty seems to be addressing lonely ‘jugglers’ somewhat paralyzed by endless choice, offering listeners or viewers to either commute between isolated niches or listen or view broadcast as ‘impotent witnesses’. Ellis (2000) as cited by Straubhaar and Boyd (2003), implied that in the first era of scarcity of broadcast, radio and then TV address ‘citizens’ who in the period of availability turn into ‘consumers’ and in the phase of plenty become ‘jugglers’. The ‘citizen’ is a passive audience’ often comprising a lonely crowd subjected to broadcast directed at the mass audience as such broadcast reaches all groups uniformly, but this is soon changed to the ‘consumer’ who is an active audience who has choices and multiple interpretations and plurality of ways of getting involved and varying tastes that can be addressed. The age of plenty provides endless options for activity for the ‘juggler’ audience, but raises the issue of how such activities should be defined. Here, near endless choices weakens commitment and makes the audience to resort to juggling between competing programmes, stations or channels, or media. The monstrous dimensions of choice in this present phase may be leading in two directions. As indicated by Ellis, jugglers can choose between retreating to any obscure, esoteric, isolating niche of broadcasting or joining the citizens and /or consumers by turning to broadcast of traditional radio or TV. What is the implication of audience fragmentation for programme content? Following the identification of today’s audience as a ‘juggler’ audience due to fragmentation the main programme content strategy should border on how to retain the core listeners and viewers and provide niche programmes at the same time. This requires audience research on a more or less continuous basis. International broadcast channels may have to imitate the local FM channels that have mastered the art of creating programme formats that make them unique even where there is a proliferation. The BBC and VOA do a lot of audience research but hardly make them public but they have started utilizing re-distribution and re-transmission on local FM in some regions of world and also making their presence available on the internet and on satellite and cable. What are the prospects of new media? The new media have been widely hailed as a potential way of escape from the oppressive top-down politics of mass democracies in which tightly organized political parties make policy unilaterally and mobilize support behind them with minimal negotiation and grass-roots input. They provide the means for the provision of information and ideas, almost unlimited access for all voices and much feedback and negotiation between sender and receiver in the mass media. They promise new forums for the development of interest groups and formation of opinion, and allow social dialogue without the inevitable intervention of governmental institutions or state machineries. They promise true forms of freedom of expression that may be difficult to control by government. There is the prospect of a reduced role for professional journalist to mediate between citizen and government and to mediate in the public sphere generally. There is also the promise of absence of boundaries, greater speed of transmission and low cost of operations compared to traditional media. The biggest prospect is the ready access for all who want to speak, unmediated by the powerful interests that control the content of print and broadcast. What are the challenges? The new media are no different from the old in terms of social stratification of ownership and access. It is the better-offs that can access and upgrade the new technologies and they are always ahead of the working class or the poor. They are differentially empowered and if anything move further ahead of majority of the people. The new media require new skills and new attitudes to learning and working. There must be the attitude of life-long learning to catch up with new skills demanded by the pace of technological changes. There is also the issue of multi-tasking and its burden or otherwise on the users of new media technologies. 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