Understanding and Developing Organizational Culture Essay Example

Understanding and Developing Organizational Culture Paper The IT nits may be distributed according to business donation, geographic location, or both. All or any of the IT functions may be distributed. The degree to which they are distributed will vary depending upon the philosophy and objectives to the organizations management. 4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of distributed data processing? Response: The advantages of EDP are: a. Cost reductions b. Improved cost control responsibility C. Improved user satisfaction d. Back up flexibility. The disadvantages (risks) are: a. Inefficient use Of resources b. Destruction of audit trails c. Inadequate segregation of duties . Difficulty acquiring qualified professionals e. Lack of standards 5. What types of tasks become redundant in a distributed data processing system? Response: Autonomous systems development initiatives distributed throughout the firm can result in each user area reinventing the Wheel rather than benefiting trot the work to others. For example, application programs created by one user, which could be used with little or no change by others, will be redesigned from scratch rather than shared. Likewise, data common to many users may be recreated for each, resulting in a high level of data redundancy. This situation has implications for data accuracy and consistency. 6. Explain Why certain duties that are deemed incompatible in a manual system may be combined in a CBS computer-based information system environment. Give an example. Response: The IT (CBS) environment tends to consolidate activities. We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding and Developing Organizational Culture specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding and Developing Organizational Culture specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding and Developing Organizational Culture specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A single application may authorize, process, and record all aspects Of a transaction. Thus, the focus of segregation control shifts from the operational level (transaction processing tasks that computers now perform) to higher. Level organizational relationships within the computer services function. 7. What are the three primary CBS functions that must be separated? Response: The three primary CBS functions that must be separated are as follows: a. Separate systems development from computer operations, b. Separate the database administrator from other functions , and c. Operate new systems development from maintenance. 8. What exposures do data consolidation in a CSS environment pose? Response: In a CBS environment, data consolidation exposes the data to losses from natural and man-made disasters. Consolidation creates a single point of failure. Â  The only way to back up a central computer site against disasters is to roved a second computer facility. 9. What problems may occur as a result of combining applications programming and maintenance tasks into one position? Response: One problem that may occur is inadequate documentation. Documenting is not considered as interesting a task as designing testing, and implementing a new system, thus a systems professional may move on to a new project rather than spend time documenting an almost complete project. Job security may be another reason a programmer may not fully document his or her work. Another problem that may occur is the increased potential for program raid. Fifth original programmer generates fraudulent code during development, then this programmer, through maintenance procedures, may disable the code prior to audits. Thus, the programmer can continue to cover his or her tracks. 10. Why is poor-quality systems documentation a prevalent problem? Response: Poor-quality systems documentation is a chronic IT problem and a significant challenge for many organizations seeking SOX compliance. At least two explanations are possible for this phenomenon. First, documenting systems is not as interesting as designing, testing, and implementing them. Systems repossession much prefer to move on to an exciting new project rather than document one just complete The second possible reason for poor documentation is job security. When a system is poorly documented, it is difficult to interpret, test, and debug. Therefore, the programmer who understands the system (the one who coded it) maintains bargaining power and becomes relatively indispensable. When the programmer leaves the firm, however, a new programmer inherits maintenance responsibility for the undocumented system. Depending on its complexity, the transition period may be long and costly. 11. What is RAID? Response: RAID (redundant arrays of independent disks) use parallel disks that contain redundant elements of data and applications. If one disk fails, the lost data are automatically reconstructed from the redundant components stored on the other disks. 2. What is the role off data librarian? Response: A data librarian, who is responsible for the receipt, storage, retrieval, and custody to data tiles, controls access to the data library. The librarian issues data files to computer operators in accordance with program requests and takes custody files when processing or backup procedures are completed. The trend in recent years toward real-time processing and the increased use of direct- access files has reduced or even eliminated the role of the data librarian in many organizations, 13. What is the role off corporate computer services department? How does this differ from other configurations? Response: The role Of a corporate computer services department (IT function) differs in that it is not a completely centralized model: rather, the group plays the role Of provider Of technical advice and expertise to distributed computer services. Tours, it provides much more support than would be received in a impolitely distributed model. A corporate computer services department provides a means for central testing of commercial hardware and software in an efficient manner. Further, the corporate group can provide users with services such as installation of new software and troubleshooting hardware and software problems. The corporate group can establish systems development, programming, and documentation standards, The corporate group can aid the user groups in evaluating the technical credentials of prospective systems professionals, 14, What are the five risks associated with distributed data processing? Response: The Five risks associated with distributed data processing are as a. Inefficient use of resources, destruction of audit trails, c. Inadequate segregation of duties, potential inability to hire qualified professionals, and e. Lack of standards. IS List the control features that directly contribute to the security of the computer center environment. A. Physical location controls b. Construction controls c. Access controls d. Air conditioning e. Fire suppression f. Fault tolerance 16. What is data conversion? Response: The data conversion function transcribes transaction data from paper source documents into computer input. For example, data conversion could be keying sales orders into a sales order application in modern systems or transcribing data into magnetic media (tape or disk) suitable for computer processing in legacy-type systems. 17, What may be contained in the data library? Response: The data library is a room adjacent to the computer center that provides safe storage for the off-line data files, Those files could be backups or current data files. For instance, the data library could store backups on DVDs, CD-Rooms, tapes, or other storage devices, It could also store live, current data lies on magnetic tapes and removable disk packs. In addition, the data library could store the original copies of commercial soft. are and their licenses for safekeeping. 18. What is an ORG Response: A recovery operations center (ROCK) or hot site is a fully equipped backup data center that many companies share. In addition to hardware and backup facilities, ROCK service providers Offer a range of technical services to their clients, who pay an annual fee for access rights. In the event of a major disaster, a subscriber can occupy the premises and, within a few hours, resume processing critical applications. , What is a cold site? The empty shell or cold site plan is an arrangement wherein the company buys or leases a building that will serve as a data center. In the event of a disaster, the shell is available and ready to receive whatever hardware the temporary user requires to run its essential data processing systems. 20. What is fault tolerance? Response: Fault tolerance is the ability of the system to continue operation when part of the system fails due to hardware failure, application program error, or operator error. Implementing fault tolerance control ensures that no single mint of potential system failure exists Total failure can occur only in the event of the failure of multiple components, or system-wide failure. 21. What are the often-cited benefits of IT outsourcing? Response: Often-cited benefits Of IT outsourcing include improved core business performance, improved IT performance (because of the vendors expertise), and reduced IT costs. 22. Define commodity IT asset. Response: Commodity IT assets are those assets that are not unique to a particular organization and are thus easily acquired in the marketplace. These include such things are nonvoter management, systems operations, server maintenance, and help-desk functions. 23. Define specific asset. Response: Specific assets, in contrast to commodity assets, are unique to the organization and support its strategic objectives. Because of their idiosyncratic nature, specific assets have little value outside of their current use. 24, List five risks associated with IT outsourcing. A. Failure to perform b. Vendor exploitation c. Outsourcing costs exceed benefits d. Reduced security e. Loss Of strategic advantage Discussion Questions 1. How is pre-SOX IT governance different from post-SOX IT governance? Response: Prior to SOX, the common practice regarding IT investments was to defer all decisions to corporate IT professionals. Modern IT governance, however, follows the philosophy that all corporate stakeholders, including boards of directors, top management, and department users (i. E. Accounting and finance) be active participants in key IT decisions. Such broad-based involvement reduces risk and increases the likelihood that IT decisions will be in compliance with user needs, corporate policies, strategic initiatives, and internal control requirements under SOX. . Although IT governance is a broad area, only three aspects of IT governance are discussed in the chapter. Name them and explain why these topics were chosen. Response: Although all IT governance issues are important to the organization, not all of them are matters of internal control under SOX that may potentially impact the financial reporting process. This chapter examined three IT governance issues that are addressed by SOX and the COOS internal control framework. These are: a. Organizational structure of the IT function, b. Computer center operations, and Disaster recovery planning. 3. What types of incompatible activities are prone to becoming consolidated in a distributed data processing system? HOW can this be prevented? Response: Achieving an adequate segregation of duties may not be possible in some distributed environments. The distribution of the IT services to users may result in the creation of small independent units that do not permit the desired separation of incompatible functions. For example, within a single unit the same person may write application programs, perform program maintenance, enter transaction data into the computer, and operate the computer equipment. Such a situation would be a fundamental violation of internal control. 4. Why would an operational manager be willing to take on more work in the tort of supervising an information system? Response: Managers are responsible for the success of their divisions, If the benefits to be reaped from a EDP are expected to be great enough, the manager may find it is worth her or his while to expend the extra effort, Some of the benefits the manager may hope will materialize within the divisions are more efficiently run operations, better decision making, and reduced processing costs. Increased customer satisfaction may also result if the DOPE system is more accommodating. 5. HOW can data be centralized in a distributed data processing system? Response: The data is stored centrally, but updated or processed at the local (remote) site. Thus, data is retrieved from the centralized data store, processed locally, and then sent back to the centralized data store. 6. Should standards be centralized in a distributed data processing environment? Explain. Response: The relatively poor control environment imposed by the EDP model can be improved by establishing some central guidance. The corporate group can contribute to this goal by establishing and distributing to user areas appropriate standards for systems development, programming, and documentation. 7. How can human behavior be considered one of the biggest potential threats to operating system integrity? Response: The purpose of segregation of duties is to deal with the potential negative aspects of human behavior including errors and fraud. The relationship between systems development (both new systems development and maintenance) and computer operations activities poses a potential risk that can circumvent operating system integrity. These functions are inherently incompatible. With detailed knowledge of application logic and control parameters and access to the computers operating system and utilities, an individual could make unauthorized changes to the application during its execution. 8. A bank in California has thirteen branches spread throughout northern California, each With its own minicomputer where its data are stored. Another bank has 10 branches spread throughout California, with its data stored on a mainframe in San Francisco. Which system do you think is more vulnerable to unauthorized access? Excessive losses from disaster? Response: The bank that has the data for all of its branches stored on one mainframe computer is at greater risk of access control. All of the firms records are centrally housed. Once a perpetrator gains unauthorized access to the system, the data for all 10 branches are at risk, For the other bank the perpetrator would have to breach security for each of the thirteen branch computers. Thus, the bank with all of data centrally stored on a mainframe is more vulnerable to access control. The primary disasters of concern in California are earthquakes and fires. The bank with a central mainframe in San Francisco is robbery at the greatest risk of damage from both earthquakes and fires. If that system is destroyed, all of the branches lose their processing capability and, possibly, stored data. 9. End-user computing has become extremely popular in distributed data processing organizations. The end users like it because they feel they can more readily design and implement their own applications. Does this type of environment always foster more efficient development Of applications? Explain your answer. Response: Distributed data processing if not properly managed, may result in duplication of efforts. Two or more individual end users may develop similar applications While completely unaware Of each Others efforts. Such duplication is an inefficient use of human resources. 10. Compare and contrast the following disaster recovery options: mutual aid pact, empty shell, recovery operations center, and internally provided backup. Rank them from most risky to least risky, as well as from most costly to least costly. Response: A mutual aid pact requires two or more organizations to agree to and trust each other to aid the other with data processing needs in the event of a disaster. This method is the lowest cost, but also somewhat risky. First, the host company must be trusted to scale back its own processing in order to process the transactions of the disaster-stricken company, Second, the firms must not be affected by the same disaster, or the plan fails. The next lowest cost method is internally provided backup. With this method, organizations with multiple data processing centers may invest in internal excess capacity and support themselves in the case of disaster in one data processing center. This method is not as risky as the mutual aid pact because reliance on another organization is to a factor. In terms of cost, the next highest method is the empty shell where two or more organizations buy or lease space for a data processing center. The space is made ready for computer installation; however, no computer equipment is installed. This method requires lease or mortgage payments as well as payment for air conditioning and raised floors. The risk in this method is that the hardware, software, and technicians may be difficult, if not impossible, to have available in the case Of a natural disaster. Further, if multiple members systems crash simultaneously, an allocation problem exists. The method with lowest risk and also the highest cost is the recovery operations center. This method takes the empty shell concept one step further-?the computer equipment is actually purchased and software may even be installed. Assuming that this site is far enough away from the disaster-stricken area not to be affected by the disaster, this method can be a very good safeguard. 1 1. Who should determine and prioritize the critical applications? How is this done? How frequently is it done? Response: The critical applications should be identified and prioritize by the seer departments, accountants, and auditors, The applications should be prioritize based upon the impact on the short-run survival of the firm. The frequency with which the priorities need to be assessed depends upon the amount and kinds of changes that are made to systems over time. Firms that make changes frequently should reassess priorities frequently. 12. Why is it easier for programmers to perpetrate a fraud than operators? Response: It is much easier for programmers to perpetrate a fraud because they know the code. They know how to get around Some, or most, Of the embedded controls. Better yet, some programmers deliberately program code that gets them around controls and allows them to commit fraud. 13. Why should an organization centralize the acquisition, testing, and implementation of software and hardware within the corporate IT function? Response: The corporate IT group is better able to evaluate the merits of competing vendor software and hardware. A central, technically astute group such as this can evaluate systems features, controls, and compatibility with industry and organizational standards most efficiently. Test results can then be strutted to user areas as standards for guiding acquisition decisions. 14 Organizations sometimes locate their computer centers in the basement of their buildings to avoid normal traffic flows, Comment on this practice. Response: Locating the computer center in the basement to a building can create an exposure to disaster risk such as floods. The Chicago Board of Trade computer centers systems were located in the basement of a multi-storied office building in Chicago. When the century-old water pipelines burst, part of the first floor and the entire basement flooded. Trade was suspended for several days until system functionality could be restored, causing the loss of millions of dollars. This disaster would have been prevented if the computer center had simply been located on the top floor-?still away from normal traffic flows, but also away from the risk of flood. 15. The 2003 blackout that affected the U. S. Northeast caused numerous computer failures. What Can an organization do to protect itself from such uncontrollable power failures? Response: The decision regarding power controls can be an expensive one and usually requires the advice and analysis of experts. The following, however, are options that can be employed. Voltage regulators and surge protectors provide regulated electricity. Related to the level of electricity (frequency), and clean electricity, related to spikes and other potential hazards. Power outages and brownouts can generally be controlled with a battery backup (known as an uninterruptible power supply). 16. Discuss potential problem with ROCs. Response: Because of the heavy investment involved, ROCS are typically shared among many companies. The firms either buy shares in or become subscribers to the ROCK, paying monthly fees for rights to its use, That situation does provide mom risk because a widespread natural disaster may affect numerous entities in the same general geographic area, If multiple entities share the same ROCK, some firm or firms will end up queued in a waiting line. 17. Discuss two potential problems associated with a cold site. A. Recovery depends on the timely availability of the necessary computer hardware to restore the data processing function. Management must obtain assurances from hardware vendors that the vendor will give priority to meeting the organizations needs in the event Of a disaster. An unanticipated hardware apply problem at this critical juncture could be a fatal blow. B. With this approach there is the potential for competition among users for the shell resources, the same as for a hot site. For example, a widespread natural disaster, such as a flood or earthquake, may destroy the data processing capabilities of several shell members located in the same geographic area. Those affected by the disaster would be faced with a second major problem: how to allocate the limited facilities of the shell among them. The situation is analogous to a sinking ship that has an inadequate number of lifeboats. 8. Discuss three techniques used to achieve fault tolerance. A. Redundant arrays of inexpensive (or independent) disks (RAID), There are several types to RAID configurations. Essentially, each method involves the use of parallel disks that contain redundant elements of data and applications. If one disk fails, the lost data are automatically reconstructed from the redundant components stored on the other disks, b. Uninterruptible power supplies. In the event of a power outage, short-term backup power (i. E. , battery power) is provided to allow the system to shut down n a controlled manner. This process will prevent the data loss and corruption that would otherwise result from an uncontrolled system crash, lag. Explain the outsourcing risk of failure to perform Response: Once a client firm has outsourced specific IT assets, its performance becomes linked to the vendors performance. The negative implications Of such dependency are illustrated in the financial problems that have plagued the huge outsourcing vendor Electronic Data Systems Cop. DES). In a cost-cutting effort, DES terminated seven thousand employees, which impacted its ability to serve Other clients. Following an eleven-year low in share prices, DES stockholders filed a class-action lawsuit against the company. Clearly, vendors experiencing such serious financial and legal problems threaten the viability of their clients also. 20. Explain vendor exploitation. Response: Once the client firm has divested itself of specific assets it becomes dependent on the vendor. The vendor may exploit this dependency by raising service rates to an exorbitant level, As the clients IT needs develop over time beyond the original contract terms, it runs the risk that new or incremental revises will be negotiated at a premium, This dependency may threaten the clients long-term flexibility, agility, and competitiveness and result in even greater vendor dependency. 21, Explain why reduced security is an outsourcing risk, Response: Information outsourced to off-shore IT vendors raises unique and serious questions regarding internal control and the protection of sensitive personal data. When corporate financial systems are developed and hosted overseas, and program code is developed through interfaces with the host companys network, US corporations are at risk of losing control of their information. TO a large degree, US firms are reliant on the outsourcing vendors security measures, data-access policies, and the privacy laws of the host country. 22. Explain how IT outsourcing can lead to loss of strategic advantage. Response: Alignment between IT strategy and business strategy requires a close working relationship between corporate management and IT management in the concurrent development of business and IT strategies. This, however, is difficult to accomplish when IT planning is geographically redeployed off-shore or even domestically. Further, since the financial justification for IT outsourcing upends upon the vendor achieving economies of scale, the vendor is naturally driven toward seeking common solutions that may be used by many clients rather than creating unique solutions for each of them, This fundamental underpinning to IT outsourcing is inconsistent with the clients pursuit of strategic advantage in the marketplace, 23, Explain the role of a ASS 70 report in reviewing internal controls.

Latin Imperative Verbs

Latin Imperative Verbs Normally, the imperative mood is used for direct commands (orders): DormiGo to sleep! English rearranges the word order of the declarative sentence, if its necessary, and replaces the period with an exclamation point. The Latin imperative is formed by removing the -re ending of the present infinitive: dormire without the -re is dormi. When ordering two or more people, add -te to the singular imperative. When telling more than one person to go to sleep, you say: DormiteSleep! For the plural imperative of 3rd conjugation verbs, the e before the dropped re is changed to an i. Thus, the plural imperative of mittere to send is: mittiteSend! but the singular imperative is: mitteSend! There are some irregular or irregular-seeming imperatives, especially in the case of irregular verbs. The imperative of ferre to carry is ferre minus the -re ending, as predicted: ferCarry! in the singular and FerteCarry! in the plural. The imperative of the verb nolo is used to form negative commands. To say dont in Latin, you ordinarily use the imperative of nolo with the infinitive of the other verb.Noli me tangere.Dont touch me! Present Imperative of Nolo Singular: noliPlural: nolite More On the Negative Imperative You can also use other constructions. For instance, for the prohibitive imperative dont hurry you would say ne festina. More Imperatives There are also less common passive and future imperatives. For the verb to love amare, the passive imperative singular is amare and the passive imperative plural is amamini. Both passive imperatives translate as be loved. For deponent verbs (verbs that are passive in form and active in meaning), the imperative is passive although the meaning is active. The future imperatives for amare are amato, in the singular, and amatote, in the plural. This isnt a form we differentiate in English. In a sense, English imperatives are future imperatives because the person giving the order is asking that something be done in the near or distant future. Memento Remember! is the future imperative of the verb memini to remember. Esto be is another relatively common Latin future imperative. Its plural is, as predicted, estote.

Lord Randalls Anonymous Folk Ballad

Lord Randall's Anonymous Folk Ballad The folk ballad Lord Randall is an example of an Anglo-Scottish border ballad. These songs were sung acapella  and  often had repeating lines. History of the Ballad Sir Walter Scott collected border ballads and published them in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, published in three volumes from 1802 to 1803. Scott is known for his 1805 poem The Lay of the Last Minstrel, which brought him to literary fame. He was offered the position of Poet Laureate in 1813 but declined. Lord Randall tells the tale of a noble young man who has been poisoned by his lover. He comes home to his mother and complains that he is fatigued and only wants to lie down on his bed. He repeatedly pleads with his mother to make his bed so he can finally rest. His mother repeatedly questions him on what he has been doing and teases the story out of him. He has been poisoned by his false-hearted lover, and he bequeaths his belongings and treasures to his siblings. The structure of the song is reminiscent of the nursery rhyme Billy Boy, but instead of the hero being poisoned by the young lady, he bakes her a pie and decides she is too young to leave her mother. It also is mirrored in the campfire song, Green and Yellow. The song is a source for many  modern artists and authors. Bob Dylan used it as the basis of A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall. Many artists have covered the folk ballad on their albums and releases. The Lord Randall Anonymous Traditional Folk Ballad â€Å"O where ha you been, Lord Randal, my son?And where ha you been, my handsome young man?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I ha been at the greenwood; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down.†An wha met ye there, Lord Randal, my son?An wha met you there, my handsome young man?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"O I met wi my true-love; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m wearied wi huntin, an fain wad lie down.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"And what did she give you, Lord Randal, my son?And what did she give you, my handsome young man?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Eels fried in a pan; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m wearied with huntin, and fain wad lie down.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"And wha gat your leavins, Lord Randal, my son?And what gat your leavins, my handsom young man?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"My hawks and my hounds; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m wearied wi huntin, and fain wad lie down.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"And what becam of them, Lord Randall, my son?And what became of them, my handsome young man?†Ã¢â‚¬Å "They stretched their legs out an died; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m wearied wi huntin, and fain wad lie down.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"O I fear you are poisoned, Lord Randal, my son!I fear you are poisoned, my handsome young man!†Ã¢â‚¬Å"O yes, I am poisoned; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down. â€Å"What d’ ye leave to your mother, Lord Randal, my son?What d’ye leave to your mother, my handsome young man?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Four and twenty milk kye; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"What d’ ye leave to your sister, Lord Randal, my son?What d’ ye leave to your sister, my handsome young man?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"My gold and my silver; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m sick at the heart, an I fain wad lie down.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"What d’ ye leave to your brother, Lord Randal, my son?What d’ ye leave to your brother, my handsome young man?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"My house and my lands; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"What d’ ye leave to your true-love, Lord Randal, my son?What d’ ye leave to your true-love, my handsome young man?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I leave her hell and fire; mother, mak my bed soon,For I’m sick at the hea rt, and I fain wad lie down.†

The history of Italian Mobsters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The history of Italian Mobsters - Essay Example Why is this so? Where does this image of the gangster come from? Why as a "monster" type are we both attracted and repulsed by his (or less often her) screen presence?† (Florida State University, 2011). Indeed, the Mob's heroic reputation was a major part of the censorship of the early Hays Code (Florida State University, 2011). The Italian mob were complex social agents: They were both ruthless social parasites and community guards, representatives of Italian communities and their secret shame, successful businessmen and criminals. The Italian mafia were far from alone: In The Ethnic Myth, Steinberg (1991) points out that at one point one sixth of the organized crime in New York was Jewish! But it is true that the Italians were powerful in New Jersey, New York, Chicago and Las Vegas. La Cosa Nostra was a Sicilian institution, but in America, its start and success had to do with one factor: Prohibition. â€Å"The Prohibition era of the 1920s gave rise to the organized crime sy ndicate in the United States. Federal efforts to enforce prohibition, including raids on speakeasies, were countered by well-organized bootlegging operations with national and international connections. A particularly notorious gang of the times was Al Capone's mob in Chicago. There were also gangs in Detroit, New York and other cities. Wars among gangs, producing grisly killings, frequently made headlines† (US History, 2011). The FBI traces the history of La Cosa Nostra from Sicily: â€Å"These enterprises evolved over the course of 3,000 years during numerous periods of invasion and exploitation by numerous conquering armies in Italy. Over the millennia, Sicilians became more clannish and began to rely on familial ties for safety, protection, justice, and survival. An underground secret society formed initially as resistance fighters against the invaders and to exact frontier vigilante justice against oppression. A member was known as a â€Å"Man Of Honor,† respected and admired because he protected his family and friends and kept silent even unto death. Sicilians weren’t concerned if the group profited from its actions because it came at the expense of the oppressive authorities. These secret societies eventually grew into the Mafia† (2011). It is important to note, though, that not all of the people in La Cosa Nostra in America were native mobsters in Sicily. Rather, the social form was transplanted because of new conditions. It was difficult for immigrants to eke out a living in the America of the early 1900s. Prohibition made an obvious opportunity emerge: The distribution, production and consumption of alcohol would be the business model. As the Nevada Observer (1987) put it in their comprehensive time line of La Cosa Nostra (LCN), â€Å"Although organized crime had existed in the United States prior to this time, it was the bonanza of Prohibition which enabled the small, but powerful, LCN to capitalize upon its international contacts, its reputation for ruthlessness, and--above all--its rigidly disciplined structure of cooperating gangs to establish the position of unrivaled eminence it holds in the American underworld today†. But La Cosa Nostra didn't end with Prohibition. Once the organizations were created, it was too easy to use them for all sorts of other enterprises.

The Essential Activity of Christian Ministry Essay

The Essential Activity of Christian Ministry - Essay Example It has been ascertained that there exists certain similarities as well as difference between the above mentioned aspects of education, discipleship and spiritual formation (Bridges 2006). Correspondingly, this paper intends to critically discuss the various essential activities performed by the Christian ministry and will come up with illustrating the most vital activity among the aforesaid three dimensions. Education, Discipleship and Spiritual Formation Education, discipleship and spiritual formation are considered among the essential activities performed by the Christian ministry. Education, in this context, means producing discipleship among the people who worship Jesus Christ. One of the primary aims of the Christian education is to develop discipleship among people. Furthermore, discipleship in Christianity is regarded as the relationship between the Lord with His disciples. Contextually, it can be firmly related as a relationship between the teacher and student or as a relatio nship between the master and learner. A true disciple is argued to be one who abides by all the teachings of Jesus and spread the acquired knowledge to other people. On the other hand, spiritual formation is an attempt directed towards deepening faith in Lord and furtherance of spiritual enhancement amid the community (Glandion, 2012). It is also regarded as the means through which life can be led with spirituality and prosperity. All these aspects are considered to be among the important or essential activates performed by the Christian ministry as its essential activities (Hinkel, 2012). Comparing and Contrasting the Essential Activities of Christian Ministry All the above mentioned aspects are similar to each owing to the reason that all of them work towards stimulating the augmentation of human faith in God. It has been observed in this regard that education, as an activity of Christian ministry not only signifies Christian learning but also used to develop discipleship among th e people who worship Jesus. In this context, spiritual formation of people includes some of the traditional methods of discipleship like fasting, Bible reading and prayer among others. Correspondingly, the activity of Christian education follows a predetermined format while the activity of spiritual formation changes with the quest of people to find Lord and His guidance. It has been observed that Christian education is considered to be head knowledge while spiritual formation is considered as knowledge gained straight from heart. Simultaneously, there also persists a considerable difference between discipleship with Christian education as well as spiritual formation. In the realm of Christianity, discipleship is admitted to be quite challenging as compared to spiritual formation and education activities. In contrast to Christian education and spiritual formation, discipleship is regarded as a continuous process wherein a follower of Jesus is firmly involved in introducing other peo ple to Jesus as Savior and Lord. Unlike education and spiritual formation, discipleship requires commitment to the greatest extent so that the teaching of God can be duly followed and conveyed to other people in the most convincing manner. The above discussed aspect also depicts that these concepts of education, spiritual format

What is evaluating Essay Example for Free

What is evaluating Essay Evaluation is an assessment of something or making an observation of the outcome whether good or bad. An example of evaluating is after the Year 8 disco, was the year 8 pupil’s filing out an evaluation form on how they thought the event went. There are many different ways to evaluate such as minutes of meeting, questionnaires, post-event papers and circulation list. Minutes of meeting Meetings normally have formal minutes attached to them or they have notes. When taking minutes of a meeting the information given and any actions that need to be taken are recorded so that what is needed to happen before the next meeting does. Minutes need to be told to the people attending ASAP so that they can look through them, check that it is accurate and carry out any actions if needed. The main advantage of minutes of meeting is that more of what is needed to be said is said this is good because everyone’s ideas can be shared. Another advantage of minutes of meeting is that everyone who is needed is there so that no one misses out on the information that has been given. The final advantage of minutes of meeting is the privacy, this is good because the information said will only be between the people who are present in the meeting. There are also disadvantages to minutes of meeting they are that everyone present in the meeting may all have disagreements this may lead to not having what is needed to be done, done. Another disadvantage of minutes of meeting is that people present may be shy and won’t feel like sharing their ideas. The final disadvantage to minutes of meeting is that the information given at the meeting may be said to quick so that everyone cannot be taken down in time. When planning the Year 8 disco we wrote down the minutes during the meeting. This helped us as a group because everyone knew what they needed to do before the next meeting. For example as the event manager I would inform my deputy manager when they need to go into the Year 8 assembly to inform them what is happening, when it is happening and to give them the information needed to them about the event. If we did not do this then everyone would be confused on what they had to do to prepare for the event, and also everything that needed to be taken care of so that event was a success was done. Questionnaires A questionnaire is research which involves a number of different questions to gather information from the people who are filling it in. Questionnaires are designed as a way to find out what people are thinking. An advantage of questionnaires is that it is very practical because it is quick to collect information from the people filling out the questionnaire. Another advantage of questionnaires is that the same questions is asked to everyone filling the questionnaire out so easy to sum up. The final advantage to questionnaires is that large information can be collected. There are also some disadvantages to questionnaires which is that there is no way of telling how much though someone who is filling the questionnaire out has put it. Another disadvantage is that the person filling it out may forget what has happened to fill it out so it won’t be reliable. The final disadvantage to questionnaires is that there is no way to tell how truthful a respondent is being. As a way of evaluating the Year 8 pupil’s event, we created questionnaires for the Year 8 pupils who attended to fill in. This helped us because the information we had been given back told us why they enjoyed the event and what they thought could have gone better. It was important for us to create questionnaires for the year 8 pupils, so we know how well our planning of the event went, and also to know what went wrong. It also helped us to know what to do and what not to do if planning another event. The questionnaires advantage was the way it was set out, it was set out in a way where if any of the Year 8’s had a lot of feedback from one question then there was space for them to write it down. Post-event report Most conferences and exhibitions usepost post-event reports contain details of what the event will be like, and what it has to offer. Because of post-event reports it is becoming very common to share post-event reports For planning the Year 8 pupils event we did not use any post-event reports because it would not work as we invited all of the Year 8 pupils to the event. If we did use post-event reports than it would be useful to us as it would be away of informing the Year 8 pupils what the event is and what sort of stuff is on offer at the event. Circulation lists A circulation list is a way of giving out information to delegates who attend the past event. The event is a useful way of engaging delegates to attend more events by the holder. Because of this it is becoming more often to have e-lists, or email lists that can be used to send information to the delegates. There are more ways that event organisers can put a circulation list which is through a website with a password so that previous delegates can access. An advantage of circulation list is that you have a list of people who are certain to attend all other events which are being held by you. However a disadvantage to circulation list is that it takes time having to create a website to make an e-list. When planning the Year 8 pupils event we did not use a circulation list invite a certain number of pupils to the event. If we did use circulation lists then it would be useful because if we had another chance to plan an event, then there would be a number of pupils who would definitely attend. Overall, evaluating can contribute to future planning of events by many different ways. Using questionnaires is the easiest way to evaluate information. This is because instead of evaluating at the end of something you can also evaluate at the beginning and find out information of what people want. By doing this you would find out information about what the attendees are looking for in the event, by knowing this planning the event will be easy because you know what is wanted. Using a circulation list as part of your evaluation is also good because it means that you already have people who are certain to attend. This will mean not having to worry about no one showing up. Taking minutes at meetings is very important so that everyone is participating knows what they are doing and everyone knows what they need to do by the next meeting. If no minutes at meetings were taken than the people planning the event will all get confused on what is needed to be done, which means nothing will be done to make sure the event is successful. In conclusion to evaluation it is very important to do after anything that has been done. This is because it informs you on how well something happened and how it can be improved. It was important we did an evaluation for the Year 8 event because we wanted to know how the pupils attended found it, if they enjoyed it or if they did not. Evaluation helps a lot because if wanting to plan another event you will know what to do and what not to do for people to enjoy.

Analysis of Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Essay -- Kubla Khan

Analysis of Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge 'Kubla Khan' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge reveals the power of the imaginative poetry. This poetry has the ability to create kingdoms and paradise. In this poem Coleridge is expressing heaven and hell through his own eyes just as the aplostles did in the ?Bible? and Milton did in 'Paradise Lost'. The poem begins with a mythical tone, ?In Xanadu did Kubla Khan/ A stately pleasure dome decree.? The poem does not give specifics to the construction of the palace. It just states that Khan decreed the palace be built and then begins describing the palace. The poem?s method of creating a vision of the ?pleasure dome? is similar to the biblical tale of the creation of the Garden of Eden. As Eden was created by God, the ?pl...

Compare and Contrast Essay on King Lear and Macbeth

Shakespeare had written many plays in his life time, some of them included various tragedies which included King Lear and Macbeth. All of Shakespeare’s plays had a theme which was used to help the story’s plot to advance further, making events much more interesting. King Lear and Macbeth both have a common theme of madness that is apparent throughout the play which has been depicted differently. They are both written in different ways but still share a same purpose. The essay will be broken down into three parts; firstly we will look at the way madness is viewed in Macbeth. Secondly, we will look at the way King Lear portrays madness lastly we will compare the two to see how differently madness is displayed. While both plays share this similarity, the plays differ by the way the theme of madness is executed. In Macbeth, both the main characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin to show clear signs of madness through alterations in their physical senses. (smell, sight etc. ) this is evident when Lady Macbeth hallucinates that her hands are still covered in king Duncan’s blood despite having washed then several times. Here’s the smell of blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. (Act 5, scene 1, 46-47) Shakespeare uses imagery to give a better understanding of what is going on within the characters mind. Here madness is altering Lady Macbeth’s sense of smell and sight, this tricks her into believing that King Duncan’s blood will never dissipate from her hands even though they are perfectly clean. Another example of the theme of madness that is characterized by Macbeth is found in act three, scene four, the climax of the play. Immediately guilt ridden from ordering the murder of Banquo, Macbeth reaches his pinnacle of madness; exemplified by his delusion of Banquo's ghost. Showing that he can no longer differentiate between reality and his imagination Macbeth shouts, Avaunt! And quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with (III. iv. 93-97). Ross responds to him, What sights, my lord (III. iii. 118). The Insanity of Macbeth is shown in these quotes. Shakespeare's description of Macbeth's thoughts visibly reveals the theme of madness. Shakespeare portrays madness among many of his characters, and he returns to the theme again and again. Indirect characterization in the form of Lear's mad speeches allows Shakespeare to convey the theme of madness. For example one of Lear's first speeches after things started to go bad for him, Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, How shall your house-hold heads and unfed sides, Your loop'd and window'd rag-gedness, defend you†¦ (III. iv. 35-38). Lear's insanity increases throughout the play, demonstrated to the audience through more speeches, until his emotions overthrow his reason at the climax of the play. Lear randomly shouts in to the storm, Rumble thy bellyfull! Spit, fire! Spout, rain! Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire are my daughters. I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness. I never gave you kingdom, called you children (III. ii. 14-17). The example of Lear invoking the storm to destroy the seeds of matter along with many other absurd statements illustrates that he has an unsound mind and it is made clear to the audience by his words. Shakespeare expands on the theme of madness in King Lear by Lear again using his words to express the reason for his insanity. The cause is the realization that his daughters Goneril and Regan do not love him. What finally pushed him over the edge was the cruel actions afflicted on him by the people that supposedly loved him. To such a lowness but his unkind daughters. †¦ ‘Twas this flesh begot Those pelican daughters describes Lear of the cruelty of his daughters (III. iii. 76,80-81). The character of Lear produces the theme of madness by expressing his own increasing insanity and reasons the reason for it in raving tangents. The style and depiction of the theme of madness are very different in both plays. Macbeth shows madness in the main characters with lots of imagery, giving a very physical sense of feeling towards the audience making them have a better understanding of what the characters are feeling. In King Lear madness is depicted through the main characters dialogue. This is meant to show the psychological turmoil going through the character’s mind which helps the audience understand why and what the character is doing within the play. In conclusion it is clear that madness was a very re occurring theme in both plays King Lear and Macbeth. However, the style in which the madness was depicted in each play is very different, in Macbeth madness within the main characters is shown through basic hallucinations through sight and smell, whereas in King Lear Shakespeare wanted the main characters to display madness through the dialogue. Both techniques used by Shakespeare were made to ultimately give more of an understanding of what is going on within the play. Both uses of madness are equally effective depending on which kind of play is written

Industrial growth Essay

Industrial growth was mainly concentrated in the North and East of the United States. According to our text in the year 1890 more than 85 percent of manufactured goods originated from here. The West was not as settled as the Eastern and Midwestern portions of our country, but still played a major role supplying raw materials to the industries to the East. Between 1870 and 1900 settlers took a total of 430 million acres in the West and with this began the economic growth of the western portion of the U. S. The only advance that was technologically available to individuals of the West that connected them to the East was the railway system. This was the single most important innovation that changed America’s economic and social life forever. The railway system linked cities and villages that were in isolated or remote areas. â€Å"It tied people together, brought in outside products, fostered greater interdependence, and encouraged economic specialization† (520). Some of the resources that the West had were gold mining, cattle ranching and land bonanzas. It was these resources that would help in getting settlers from the east and around the world to come out to the western part of the U. S. But with growth due to the bonanza’s there were â€Å"uneven growth, boom and bust economic cycles, and wasted resources† (501). Individuals became migrant because of these cycles and began to followed river bottoms in search of gold, railway tracks and other opportunities. The book discussed â€Å"Instant Cities† that would sprout up because of this migration. The West portrayed a get rich quickly type of lifestyle. Mining was a very influential factor as to why most came to the West and why there was a get rich ideology. But still many came because of opportunities that mining produced such as providing food clothing and services to the miners. Cattle ranching in the west proved to be very profitable. The plains provided grasses and terrain that suited cattle. Mexican helped to create the essentials for cattle ranching with introducing the long horn cattle and such things as â€Å"branding, roundups, and roping† (505). In 1870 millions of farmers followed the miners and ranchers to move out west for the crop bonanzas. Farming was very hard in these early times taking its toll on many families. But as farming techniques got better and new technology was introduced farming became a thriving business in the West. The differences economically for the East and West sections of the United States varied because of industrialization. This happened over three decades after the Civil War. At the beginning of the war the United States was behind industrialized countries in Europe, but by 1900 the U. S. was to exceed many of those countries. Population was a major factor for this industrialization. It was the population of the East that helped to move the East up the economic ladder faster than the West, which of course was a contributor of raw materials for these factories. Labor was gained through immigration that happened to grow by at least eight million between 1870’s and 1880’s and then between 1890 and 1914 another fifteen million arrived (519). The growing population expanded economic growth for the East during the latter part of the 19th century. The growing population helped to expand markets of the East, but when the telegraph and telephone was introduced along with the railways this only helped to exploit and expand these markets into the West.

Benjamin Franklin - The first self-made man in America essays

Benjamin Franklin - The first self-made man in America essays Franklin's autobiography represents the American dream - rising from rags to riches, or as Franklin himself writes Having emerged from the poverty and obscurity in which I was born and bred, to a state of affluence... (P. 1). Franklin writes to his son, as some kind of self-help book. He hopes that through his life story people will be inspired, and find their own path to success. Almost every paragraph in the book aims to point out certain virtues Franklin has, and how much important it is. At the beginning of the second part (P. 55) he explains this with letters from friends who have read parts of the autobiography and encourage him to publish the book a model to improve one's life. He even outlines thirteen which he believes are important for successful living. But already in the beginning of the book Franklin discusses the importance of respect and family (P. 11). Out of respect to his father he does not go into the sea trade, and his father allows him to quit the family trade and apprentice as a printer under his brother in Rhode Island. He also takes his father's advice when his father notices a written discussion between Franklin and a friend and, without addressing the subject, corrects his son's writing. Franklin mentions the fact that his father did not address the topic discussed, only the manner of writing, respecting his privacy (P. 11). Leaving his family house at the age of twelve indicates his independence, as well as his decision to not eat meat at the age of sixteen, while being criticized for it by his brother and others. Later he leaves his brother, after feeling confined and unevaluated by him. By this he shows he will not conform, and will walk his own path. Another attribute Franklin holds in high regard is good penmanship, and writing. He learns from anyone and everything he can, whether it's his father advices, the books he reads etc. A complete paragraph in page 13 discusses ho...

History of Air Cargo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

History of Air Cargo - Essay Example Sir George-Cayley- a British aeronautical engineer deserves to be known as the father of aviation for his tremendous contribution in the field of flying. ("Aviation", 2005) Several experiments were made in the field of aviation between 1890 and 1901. In 1901, Langley tested and flew an unmanned quarter sized model before testing his full scale model called aerodrome in 1903, which operated on a gasoline engine. However, the machine achieved little success. In 1903, the Wright Brothers made the first successful flight. However, major developments in aviation was the result of the efforts made by Chanute, Lilenthal and Langley after 1885, who established a sound basis in experimental aerodynamics; but stability and control essential for sustained flight were yet to be achieved. Above all, the heavy steam engine was planned to be replaced by light gasoline engine. The world's first successful flight was made on December 17, 1903 in North Carolina by the Wright Brothers, in a heavier-than-aircraft under power and control. The first longest flight was flown for 260m in 59 seconds. In the following year, the brothers together made 105 flights, the longest b eing for over 5 minutes followed by a 38 minute 3 sec (38.9 Km) flight in the next year. In 1906, the first official flight in Europe was made in France by Alberto Santos-Dumont of Brazil for around 220m in 21.2 sec. The airplane which was self designed by Alberto was powered with a levavasseur 40 horsepower Antoinette engine. By the end of 1907, Henri Farman flew an aircraft built by Voisin in Europe for 1 min. In 1908, a flyer was demonstrated to the ArmySignals Corps at Fort Myer Virginie by Oriville, which was flown for over an hour and carried a passenger for the first time in the history of flying. Wright successfully accomplished flying on December 31st for over 2 hours and 20 minutes, with complete control of his flyer. Glenn Hammond Curtiss, New York was one of the most prominent American designer manufacturer and pilots of airplanes, completing the first solo flight on June 28, 1907 in a dirigible airship built by Thomas Baldwin. The aircraft was powered with a modified Cu rtiss engine of Curtiss motorcycle. On June 4th, 1908, the Scientific American trophy was awarded, for their flight in their third airplane by name the June Bug which covered a distance of 1552 m (5090 ft) in 1 min and 42.5 sec. Curtiss won New York world prize for his flight from Albany, New York to New York City. Curtiss became the first American to develop and fly a seaplane in January. Louis Bleriot- a French engineer flew across the English Channel in 35.5 min, in a monoplane, which was self

How Does Tesco Meet The Macro-Environment Challenges Essay

How Does Tesco Meet The Macro-Environment Challenges - Essay Example It now operates in 11 markets outside the UK, in Europe and Asia. Over 100,000 employees work in their international operations, serving over  15 million customers and generating over  £11 billion sales and over  £560 million profit. Over half of group space is now outside the UK. (Tesco International)  Tesco has many branches all throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, China, Japan, and in many parts of the world, and is expanding to other parts of Asia and Hong Kong. It is an international retailer serving over 13 countries. Tesco is making headway in the difficult times and for the development of international business. It has done major acquisitions in the Czech Republic and in Poland where they bought the Leader Price stores and in Malaysia where they bought the Makro stores. (Tesco website) Stiff competition enables Tesco to apply various strategies to stay on top. Tesco is aware that consumers have an easy way of switching between stores, i.e., they choose to shop in a different store from one month to the next. They have a wide range of retailers to choose from including Wall Mart/Asda, Sainsbury, Morrison, Waitrose, M&S, Somerfield, Aldi, Lidl and Netto, other smaller supermarkets, Costco and Makro, the Co-Ops, Symbol groups, and thousands of independent retailers. (Talking Tesco) As regards competition on products, Tesco has 1,866 products cheaper than Asda which has 1,120 products cheaper than Tesco. Sainsbury’s has 451 products cheaper than Tesco which has 4,450 products cheaper than the former. Morrisons has only 417 products cheaper, while Tesco has 3,054 products cheaper than Morrisons. (Sir Terry Leahy interview) Tesco listens to communities – Tesco aims to improve the way they consult local communities before building new stores so that they can be sure that they have understood local issues and concerns. (Tesco website)  Tesco’s share data sometimes showed that there was a sharp increase in the sales of flowers.