E learning system

E-learning is another form of distance learning where education and training courses are delivered using computer technology. Typically, this means that courses are delivered either via the Internet, or on computer networks (linked computers). With the increased availability of PC's and Internet access, E-Learning is a web application uses JSP. The database is Oracle log.This online application enables the ND users to register online, select the subject, read the tutorial and appear for the exam online. A person Is given three attempts to pass a paper. In subjects containing more than one exam, the candidate should take tests in a particular sequence and also he can attempt the next test only if he has completed the previous papers. The correct answers for the questions are displayed after the exam. The date of the registration, date of exam, number of attempts, test results etc. Re stored in the database. 1. 2 Purpose: – Education through the Internet, network and a computer Is E-learning. This helps In network enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. Learning refers to use of electronic applications and processes to learn. This is a web based application which can be hosted in the website of any training institute. The students will be able to register online, read the course material and write online exam. Certificates also will be issued online. The objectives of this project are . To provide distance learning To make It convenient for people who have other commitments Cost reduction Reduced paper work Computer evaluated tests 1. 3 Understanding Of Existing System : Shows educators and trainers how to adapt teaching methods and materials to make use of the Internet. Including a framework showing how to apply Internet technology progressively as skills and confidence grow, the project demonstrates the route from adapting materials to developing a virtual course.Nowadays, when people are not having time to visit an institute. Therefore, the software i s designed to provide the education through Internet. The project â€Å"E – LEARNING† helps the common world in any field they are to get the knowledge what they want even sitting at their places. This helps them to spare time In their busy schedule and save their time during transportation. 1. 4 Tools/Environment used.

Learning Experience Paper Essay

From the moment we enter into this world from the womb, humans are bombarded with stimuli and other conditioning. This stimulus plays a significant role in developing who we are, how we perceive elements before us and as important, how we react to those stimuli or events. The course that we take on this journey varies greatly from person to person. The various theories and methods discussed in the proceeding paper will evaluate the potential results from these various stimuli and conditioning, where they derive from and how they impact our learning experience. Throughout the world, there are few learning experiences that rival the association of sharks and the ocean and the subsequent fear that is elicited by people as a result. Some fear has reached an irrational level and is known as galeophobia, which means â€Å"Excessive and persistent fear of sharks† (Definition of fear of sharks, 2012, para. 1). These fears can occur on their own. However Hollywood of past, the maker of â€Å"JAWS† and ever increasing current events covered by expanding media have assuredly brought many new shark phobias into the fold. Fears commonly develop from the unknown or based on what cannot be seen, and those of the deep continue to underlie a mysterious phenomenon. On top of that, recent proof of bull sharks making their way into the brackish waters of rivers and tributaries have only validated some of these fears. As an experienced outdoorsman, surfer and diver, I have learned to have respect for all of my surroundings. While mankind typically has a good command of their surroundings, we are at risk on a daily basis, from muggings to shootings, to vehicle accidents and more. Climb a mountain, walk a ledge, run out in lightening or swim in the ocean and possibilities of injury or more are there. We simply must live our lives regardless and accept the risks that we face. People, throughout times, have been drawn to the coasts and oceans, first as a means of access ways for trade and some time after as a place of relaxation. We have always known there were mysterious creatures in the sea, some dangerous and sharks are definitely among the top of the  predators. Classical conditioning can play a role in developing situations such as this fear. In this instance, the shark is the unconditioned stimulus, as most people would inherently fear it. As such, fear would constitute the unconditional response. The neutral stimulus, in this case, would be the beach or entry into the waters of the beach. â€Å"After some such pairings the CS will elicit, by itself, a conditioned response (CR) very much like UR.† (Reber, Allen, Reber, 2009) Shark attacks have occurred for as long as we have been associated with the water. Over the past several decades, is that shark attacks, movies concerning them, and an increasing media presence to cover the actual occurrences, have misrepresented the actual level of danger associated with swimming at beaches. This misrepresentation has caused people to now associate beaches to sharks. Beaches have become for many, the conditioned stimulus, and those associating that conditioned stimulus to sharks is exhibiting a conditioned response. In the case of Operant Conditioning, behaviors are based on consequences. These consequences could be in the form of repeatable behaviors or reinforcement or punishments. â€Å"Any well-trained â€Å"operant† is in effect a habit.† (Staddon, 2003) An example of its use would be that the South African Coast is notorious for sharks, especially Great Whites. A surfer entering the water with no incidents will likely continue to enter, reinforced by the fact that no attack occurred. On the other hand, if that surfer were attacked, that would be a strong consequence, in the form of punishment, to discourage further entry. Cognitive social learning involves less of outside stimulus and relies more on the inherent capabilities of the individual to assess the stimulus and make determinations. In the same South African Coast example, the surfer, knowing that a particular area had many sharks, would have developed sufficient reasoning. To determine that he or she should find another safer, less populated area to surf in. In all of the learning theories discussed, there are elements of each that work best in particular situations. Overall, it is my opinion that cognitive-social learning is the most reliable theory, with regards to the learning process, for it relies on the inherent nature of the beings. Classical conditioning utilizes association that does not necessarily pertain to that behavior. Consequently, operant conditioning modifies behavior only after several occurrences and or consequences. Reference MedicineNet.com. (June 14, 2012). Definition of Fear of sharks. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=12519 Staddon, J. E. R., & Cerutti, D. T. (2003). Operant conditioning. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 115-44. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/205795898?accountid=458 Classical conditioning. (2009). In A. Reber, R. Allen, & E. Reber, The Penguin dictionary of psychology. London, United Kingdom: Penguin. Retrieved from http://search.credoreference.com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/content/entry/penguinpsyc/classical_conditioning/0

Analysing elements of integrated marketing communication

Analysing elements of integrated marketing communication In the past, the various elements of marketing communication mix were handled by experts in the relevant areas and regarded as separate functions. For example, sales department managed its selling activities independently; advertising campaigns conduct by advertising agencies whereas the sponsorship and direct marketing are conduct by specialists or consultants in these areas. Obviously, it can lead to frequently inconsistent and uncoordinated. Therefore, to change this situation to be better, integrated marketing communication should be implementing. There are some factors of implementing the IMC which are significant political and social changes, rapid technological development, and the empowerment of consumers. All these powerful forces have all contributed to creating a business climate in which marketers can no longer afford to ‘dictate’ to their target audience. Hence, marketers should learn to adapt with the new environment because marketing landscape has much ch anged over the last decade. It is an environment where consumers are able to evaluate the offers being made to them and to decide more independently how to satisfy their requirements. Consumers are more selective where they will ensure that the company provides what and when they want it. Thus, this has lead to significant changes in the way marketers promote their product offerings to consumers. So, we can say that the era of IMC is very important to company. DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS Integrated means that combine or coordinate separate elements so as to provide a harmonious, interrelated whole. In other word, when all marketing communication tool work together, it will be more effective than work as a single component. It will create more competitive advantages, boost sales and profit, while saving cost, time and stress if this concept is incorporated in marketing strategy. So, if the marketing communication tools are combined as a group it will produce more powerful outcome in the process of delivering customer superior value. Marketing The root word for marketing is market. Market is defined as a place for consumer and sellers to carry out transaction that required cash as an exchange medium for obtaining a product or service. Marketing can be defined in two perspectives which include old view or new view of marketing. From the new view of marketing, it is all about the creation of superior value for customers and building strong customer relationship in order to capture value and feedback from customer. It is different from old views of marketing which focus only on process of selling and telling the product to target market. Communication In  general, communication is defined  as  a  process of transmitting information and meaning from sender to receiver  either  in  verbal  or  nonverbal no matter it is occurred in a group or interpersonal.   This  process of communication  is considered successful if the receiver understanding inf ormation or message conveyed by the sender. There are two types of communication which is verbal communication and non verbal communication. Verbal communication includes written and oral presentation while non verbal communication includes an overall body language of the person which included the body posture, gesture and facial expressions. In marketing perspective, communication is defined as a process by which persuasive information is transmitted as promotional messages through one or more channels such as print, radio, television, direct mail, and personal selling.

Case Study on Swindodn plc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case Study on Swindodn plc - Research Paper Example Thus, fundamentals of accounting tells us that the cost of an assets includes cash paid outright when the assets is bought plus the amounts that will be paid in the future. Such future amounts also includes interest expenses paid for the use of borrowed money(Brigham, 1985) For there are two ways to get an asset, through investment of cash and through creation of loans or long term debts or bonds. In addition, the cost of the assets includes all other cash outlay that will put such assets into operation. Meaning, the additional cost includes trial runs, hauling or delivery expenses to deliver the drills from the supplier's warehouse to the purchaser's factory or place of business(Ross, 1996). For, the cost of capital here includes the drill and platform cost of 14,000,000 and the 1,000,000 additional costs. Evidently, the cost of amount that the company will have to pay in order to put the long term investment into operation. The prior accelerated cost recovery system had been the product of the economic recovery tax act of 1981. Also, the MACRS was a complete going away from the prior tax depreciation procedures instituted by fundamentals of financial accounting. Meaning, the prior depreciation methods took cognizance of including the salvage value or scrap value of the assets(Ross, 1996). The prior depreciation methods include the straight line method, the sum of the years digits, the double declining method, the 150 percent declining method, the units of production method, the hours of production used method and tools expense methods among others. This prior system that had been closely similar to the financial accounting depreciation methods has now been changed to mechanical computation called MACRS. Distinctly, the MACRS c) The project's Operating Cash Flows (inflows) (15 marks) Cash inflows Year Cash inflows 1 3,500,0000.88503,097,500 2 4,000,000 0.7831 3,132,400 3 6,000,000 0.6931 4,158,600 4 8,000,000 0.6133 4,906,400 5 12,000,000 0.5428 6,513,600 Total for 5 yrs 33,500,00021,808,500 Less depreciation 5 yrs 14,130,000 Cash inflows before tax 7,678,500 Tax 40% 3,071,400 Cash inflows after tax 4,607,100 Add back depreciation14,130,000 Cash inflows 18,737,100The cash inflow for the first year is 3,500,000 multiplied by the present value factor of 1 of .8850 results to cash inflow of 3,097,500. on the second year, the 4,000,000 multiplied by the present value factor of 1 of .78831 results to cash inflow of 3,132,400. on the third year, 6,000,000 multiplied by the present value factor of 1 of .6931 results to cash

Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Critical Thinking - Essay Example Excessive bureaucracy demotivates employees because set regulations affect creativity. Employees in a bureaucratic organisation execute their specific tasks as directed by their managers. At times, employees are right regarding a certain work, but their employers insists that they continue with their tasks without any alteration. This restriction prevents employees from developing other measures of executing the tasks consequently minimizing employee’s creativity. Additionally, this restriction tends to demotivate employees largely because they feel that the organisation does not support their noble ideas that are beneficial towards accomplishment of various tasks. Additionally, the hierarchical authority associated with bureaucracy implies that employees lack the capacity to share their personal views towards decision-making because of the set up (Daft & Marcic, 2006). There is a high probability of killing ideas because they originate from the wrong individual. Consequently, ideas may gain support because they originate from the top management. Additionally, there is a perception that the management is always right This situation makes employees feel that the management distorts data to ensure that performance looks better, though it is not. Additionally, there is interference of internal communications among employees with the intention of reflecting what the organisation wants to be as opposed to what it really is. The overall effect is denial that leads to mistakes within an organisation. There is a tendency of the management to deny responsibilities for these mistakes or failures and may opt to blame some employees (Daft & Marcic, 2006). Additionally, the perceived desires of the management determine decision-making instead of involving employees. This approach makes the top management insulated from reality. Consequently, they opt to

Effectiveness of Controversial Advertising (Marketing Communications) Essay

Effectiveness of Controversial Advertising (Marketing Communications) - Essay Example According to Hosford-Dunn, et al. (2000, p.163), the basic functions of advertising are: to inform, persuade, or remind and reinforce customers so that information about the products and services will be disseminated and eventually sell themselves. Advertising is one of the marketing strategies that is used in communicating information with a purpose of influencing individual about a certain product or services in order to stimulate market demand. Advertising is considered as a business activity for it involves money and time; however, this activity is naturally visible, in fact, it is prone to public criticisms particularly when it did not meet consumer expectations and satisfactions, and when it delivered false advertising. Advertisements are considered to be successful if they affect people purchase power and consequently increase sales turnover, sales revenue and elevate brand awareness. All advertising efforts are expected to originate from genuine, unique and eye catching idea; however, marketers nowadays are crossing the traditional line and run controversial advertisements. The main thrust of this paper is to discuss the effectiveness of controversial advertising as a method of successfully selling a product. Controversial Advertising During the 19th and the 20th century when competition is becoming more intense, companies have increased their interest in using advertisements just to be competitive. There are billions of advertisements appearing in a day and this number is growing rapidly. This overwhelming information received by the viewing public had made them saturated and lessen their attention toward every advertisements because they go unnoticed and viewed in an unconscious manner. In order for advertisers to hold new chances in gaining public attention and awareness, they downplay shocking advertisements that are morally daring and offensive to the public. According to Jeurissen (2007, p.158), â€Å"for those who have the courage to publish a c ontroversial advertisement, there is a chance that their message will become the subject of a lively discussion: people will start to talk about it...† Adventurous marketers preferred to use controversial advertising as a method of successfully selling a product because they believed it will cause curiosity in people awareness and make everyone remember. However, a great percentage of consumers said that these kinds of advertisements leave negative consequences. The Effectiveness of Controversial Advertising Nowadays, advertisements are made to execute themes that are beyond the line of creativity and are sometimes exaggerated, eye catching and more controversial than ever just to capture the attention of the viewing public. The print advertisements below are some of the controversial advertising campaigns whose concepts are extreme and shocking just to promote products or services (see figure 1). Figure 1: Controversial and Disturbing Print Ads Source: Huang, 2010 This patter n addresses organizational message that is beginning to emerge wherein advertisers use gore, violence, nudity, sexual connotation, etc., which used to show social, political, and moral conflicts. However, according to Wright (1997, p.141), â€Å"the messages of other controversial ads might be less bland, such as

Forensic Questioned Document Examinations Essay

Forensic Questioned Document Examinations - Essay Example Forensic question document examination is also used to analyze documents that are being disputed. For instance, if there is any question that a document is legitimate, then a question document examiner will analyze the document to determine its validity. This is especially necessary in cases where fraud may be present. In some instances, question document examiners are asked to be witnesses in cases (Koppenhaver, 2007; Southeastern Association of Forensic Document Examiners 2010). To have a clear analysis of forensic question document examination, it is fitting that we look at both the advantages and the disadvantages of this element of forensics. First, we will analyze the advantages of question document examination. One advantage to using question document examination is that this element of forensics can enable forensic personnel to extract a number of very elaborate and extremely valuable details that will aid in speedily solving crimes and determining whether or not a particular document is fraudulent or valid. . There are a number of different technologies that facilitate this. For instance, there are techniques to determine what types of inks are used to write documents, which not only works wonders in determining validity but can also point to a particular suspect. Techniques, such as â€Å"high performance liquid chromatography and infrared spectroscopy with principal components analysis and linear discriminate analysis† facilitate the forensic classification of inks from various ballpoint pins (Kher, 2006). . When one knows the type of ink that has been used to write documents, this will possibly narrow down suspects because efforts will then be focused on analyzing documents written in only that particular ink and looking with pens that contain that particular ink at the crime scene, which will bring forensic personnel one step closer to solving the case. Then, there are the numerous analysis techniques and various technologies that enable

Exploring Refugees religion continuity and change Essay

Exploring Refugees religion continuity and change - Essay Example She motivated me to participate on local and international events. I consider myself a lucky woman because I had the chance to come to the United States and experience the richness of the culture and knowledge. I was blessed to meet fantastic people who I learned something from each one of them. Through my study in University of Delaware, I have had the honor of taking many inspiring classes taught by intelligent, passionate, and caring professors, and I learned many things through my discussion with my friends and colleagues whom I had classes. During the past three years, my family and friends contributions were very essential on my emotional support. I could not have done any of this without their support, prayers, encouragement, and advices that helped me through stress and confusion. In addition, I am truly thankful for my friend Saied who encouraged me through tough time, and who was always there for me. He made sure to take care of my health problem, and volunteered to drive me for conducting the interviews. I would like to thank all the individuals who agreed to be interviewed. I greatly appreciate their hospitality to invite me to their houses, giving me their time, and speaking freely about their religion, rituals, challenges, and hopes. They gave me the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their lives. It is my hope that this research project help to promote a better image about Muslims, and that American gain better understanding for Muslim families. 24 I follow the same rituals same as back home. For example, I only eat halal food where we buy a whole slaughtered sheep and we keep it in the freezer. Also, I do not shake men’s hands, and people know I am a Muslim and these things are forbidden. (H, 39, 131) 60 The studies of Arab Muslim refugees in the United States are just in the beginning; research is needed on wellbeing of families. Refugees have more challenges than many other immigrants because of what they have experienced

The Historical Development of the Juvenile Court Essay

The Historical Development of the Juvenile Court - Essay Example In 1825, a refuge institution was opened in New York that was the first of its kind to deal with the juvenile delinquents, followed by the opening of two other institutions of the same kind. The methods of treatment used in these institutions included corporal punishments and heavy labor. Voices were raised against such a treatment of the children and eventually, a juvenile court bill was passed in 1899 in Illinois. The main role of these courts was to rehabilitate and reform neglected children, children who committed offences not deemed appropriate for their age and who committed offences that would be considered crimes if carried out by adults. 2. Discuss the development of due process rights for juveniles through several key U.S. Supreme Court cases. Answer: The U.S. Supreme Court did not recognize procedural restrictions for juvenile courts because of their rehabilitative nature as opposed to punitive nature. But the Gerald Gault case of 1964 set precedent for the subsequent deve lopment of the due process rights for juveniles. In this case, the child was initially institutionalized for six years, the punishment for the similar offence for adults was a mere 50$ or a few months detention. On the appeal of the parents, the Supreme Court reversed the Arizona case decision and the development of due process rights started taking shape. Other significant developments in defining procedural restrictions which resulted from case trials were: the decision in the Mckiever v Pennsylvania case that the states had the right to use jury trials independently in juvenile cases but this was not a constitutional requirement, the Roper v Simmons case which resulted in the minimum age for death penalty being set at 18 years and many other such cases. 3. What are different models used to transfer a juvenile to adult court? Why would a state want to transfer a juvenile out of the juvenile justice system? Answer: There are three models of transferring juveniles to adult courts: a ) Judicial Waiver: It is the instance of transferring a juvenile case to a criminal court due to the transfer or waiver of jurisdiction by the judge himself. b) Concurrent Jurisdiction: It is also known as the Prosecutorial Discretion because in these cases the prosecution has the choice of either filing the case in the juvenile court or the criminal court. c) Statutory Exclusion: The cases where the criminal courts have original jurisdiction, the juvenile cases are transferred through this model. The reason why some of the juvenile cases are transferred to adult courts is that the nature of their offences is extremely violent and the public outrage over some of the offences like school shootings etc. makes it difficult to prosecute them under juvenile due process.  

The First Generation College Student Scholarship Essay

The First Generation College Student - Scholarship Essay Example As an FGCS, going to college is one of the proudest moments in my life because I know that I have the opportunity to improve the lives of my family members who never had the chance to attend college. Going to and graduating from college also means that I get to realize my dream of starting my own healthcare-related organization. Â  According to Engle (2007), FGCS face a lot of challenges in relation to staying enrolled in, and graduating from college, among them being the inability to reach the required GPA for graduation. As a result of having good grades, with a GPA of 3.5, I have joined the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) so as to increase my chances of getting a scholarship to further advance my studies. Right now, I am an undergraduate student majoring in Science in Health Administration with more concentration on Health Information Systems. With good grades, I am hopeful the NSCS will sponsor me to pursue a master’s degree in Business Administration with a special focus on Health Care Management. Â  Currently, I am working as a Medical Administrative Assistant so that I can gain experience in the field of healthcare management but also so that I can get additional money to support myself. After I am done with my studies, however, I would like to manage the information technology department of a facility that deals with healthcare delivery. By working in such a facility, I will be exposed to all manner of patients and get to learn their problems and discover what kind of help they need. Â  Having the access to patient records while working in the information technology department will give me information regarding the plight of special groups of people in the society. Since my long-term goal is to set up a non-profit organization that caters to the needs of special groups of people in the society, the information gained during my managerial job will be of utmost importance.

Isolation and Loneliness in Of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

Isolation and Loneliness in Of Mice and Men Essay In the novel Of Mice and Men the theme of loneliness and isolation can hardly be ignored as there are elements of them in key moments in the story. Isolation and loneliness plays a huge role in the story and some of the points that make this book a very gripping read, they also put things across that most of us would not have imagined in the first place. George and Lennie play the biggest part to the themes of loneliness and isolation. When they first arrive at the ranch everybody is very surprised to see two itinerant workers travelling around together. The night before George and Lennie come to the ranch they are sitting by the brush they say to each other Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world They dont belong no placeBut not us! Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you. George and Lennies dream of themselves owning a ranch together and having a house with two separate bedrooms for each other, this in the day the book was written was very strange because people keep themselves to themselves and travel on their own they would do almost anything to share a room with somebody just for the company. But George and Lennie arent lonely and they want their own space away from other people. All of the other workers are not afraid to tell George and Lennie that they find it strange that two workers are travelling together and Lennie can only speak when George lets him. The ranch owner tells George that he will keep an eye on them because George may be trying to take something from George, for example his money. This is a perfect example of how people thought about workers travelling together. A good point about having friends on the ranch is if you get in a fight you have someone to stick up for you. An example of this is when Curley starts to hit Lennie he does nothing until George tells him that he can hit back and so he does and Curley gets what he probably deserves. The friendship that George and Lennie has is very important especially to Lennie because most other people would not be able to put up with him being a pest and causing them to loose their previous job in weed due to Lennie doing something stupid. If it was not for these two friends looking out for each other Lennie would probably been killed a lot earlier on in the story and not by George. Curleys wife is also a great example of loneliness and isolation on the ranch. Steinbeck does not give her a name. That makes her feel unimportant and she is not wanted, even though she plays a big part in the novel about the themes of dreams and in a way stops Lennie and George from getting their own dream of their own ranch. She is the only woman on a ranch full of men. This means that there is an immediate sense of loneliness because if any of the workers are caught flirting with her there will be trouble because Curleys dad is the ranch owner and he can get the workers sacked if his son tells him to, so Curleys wife has to stay in her house all day and the only person she can really talk to is Curley. Towards the end of the novel when Curleys wife is talking to Lennie in the barn it is the first time in the whole novel when she actually has a full conversation with anybody. She opens up to Lennie and tells him things that she has never told anyone else before, probably because she has nobody else to talk to. She really lets her hair down and tells him all sorts of things like she tells him that she does not like to only have to talk to Candy because she does not like him and that he is not a nice person. The only reason why she married him was so that she can escape her previous life at home. She also says Think I dont like to talk to somebody ever once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time. On the ranch Candy is another perfect example of loneliness and isolation. Because he is old and disabled the other workers have a different attitude to him. His equivalent to a friend on the ranch was hi old dog. Because his dog was old and no longer useful so they kill it. Candy hopes they shoot him when he gets unable to do any work. At the very end of the novel when Lennie has killed Curleys wife and Curley is hunting him down. George is the one to kill Lennie because they were friends and he wanted no body else to shoot him. This shows friendship even when Lennie has done something very bad up until his last moment George can still find it in his heart to be kind to Lennie.

Arthur Millers play Essay Example for Free

Arthur Millers play Essay Arthur Millers play The Crucible is, on the surface, a play about a real life historical event that took place in the small American town of Salem in 1692. A mass hysteria gripped the town because of accusations of witchcraft and compacting with the devil. This led to many innocent people being hanged. However, some people believe that if you look deeper into the play you can see clear parallels with 1692 Salem and 1950s America. After the end of the Second World War most of Europe was devastated and left trying to recover. This left the USA and the USSR as the two dominant superpowers, both of these heavily armed nations were extremely scared of the other attacking them and so came an arms race to try to beat the other side. Diplomatic relations between the two powers broke down and widespread fear of communism took over the USA. So began the Cold War. Senator Joseph McCarthy set up the House Un-American Committee to root out communists and their sympathisers. This included anyone who had remotely left-wing views. Many actors, writers and musicians were brought before the committee including Miller himself. If you remember a crucible is a dish used to heat out the impurities from metals, you can see how it relates to Proctor in court being heated to provide names and confessions. This is much the same as what happened to Miller who was also asked to name names (but refused). To answer the question it has to be remembered that Miller intended that the play be performed on stage and not read like a book. He uses stage directions to convey to the audience some of the feelings characters are experiencing. On page 108 stage directions for Proctor say With great force of will, but not quite looking at her. The shows the audience that Proctor still cannot forgive himself for his affair with Abigail. It also shows the conflict between Proctor and Elizabeth and also Proctor and Abigail. Proctor also has a conflict with Parris, who he correctly believes is an incompetent fool. In addition to this he also has conflict he also a conflict with all the girls because he knows they are faking the whole thing. Miller shows this by having Proctor go to court to try and prove the girls liars. He brings Mary Warren into Court saying, She never saw no spirits. He also has conflicts with judges Haythorne and Danforth. On page 113 he says I speak my own sins, I cannot judge another. (Crying out with hatred) The stage directions for this quote clearly shows this conflict. These conflicts are all of one particular type, conflicts with other people, except for the conflicts with Judges Haythorne and Danforth who could also represent Proctors conflicts with Authority.  Reverend Hale has a conflict with Proctor because he believes that Proctor should sign the confession to live and not die for his pride. At one point he shows his anger at Proctors decision to tear up his confession says Man, you will hang! You cannot!.  A lot of characters especially Proctor have conflicts with authority. Proctor has a huge conflict with the courts and also the church, although the two are very close together. This is where Miller uses him to explore his own conflict with McCarthyism and his own experiences before the House Un-American Committee. On page 114 stage directions for Proctor read Proctor has finished signing when Danforth reaches for the paper. But Proctor snatches it up and now a wild terror is rising in him, and a boundless anger this shows very much how much Proctor hates the courts and could also show us something of Millers feelings towards McCarthyism. This is because both Proctor and Miller know that the courts/government are almost trying to bribe people into giving the names of others even if the others are innocent people that are being named to get them out of trouble or being named for some kind of revenge purpose. To add to his long list of conflicts Proctor also has a conflict within himself about whether or now he should sign the confession and name people to save his life or to protect others and his honour and die. Miller also faced this (although he was only threatened with jail not death) but like Proctor he refused to name people and escaped without severe punishment.  Elizabeth Proctor also has conflicts within herself as to whether or not to help John Proctor in his decision to sign the paper or not. In the end she does not help him and he must do it himself. This may show how alone you could feel when being questioned about your Un-American Activities in 1950s/60s America. In the end of the play Proctor is hung for not confessing or naming names. This ending solves many of the conflicts in the play. It solves all Proctors conflicts with people and authority and also other people conflicts with him. However it could spark of new conflicts within people such as the girls who faked the whole thing and must be wondering whether they should have said something before people were killed or whether to say something now. I think Miller is using his characters to show us different conflicts in society and the problems with people and how they can do things they ordinarily wouldnt to gain an advantage or to escape trouble. He also uses the conflicts to show problems with high authority and how they could collapse if they were revealed to be wrong about serious things like the witch trials. I think Miller is trying to tell us something we should all probably learn from.

Global Transportation and the Logistics Industry

Global Transportation and the Logistics Industry The Transportation Logistics sector spans a wide range of service offerings such as by air, road, rail, sea as well as related services such as warehousing, handling, and stevedoring. The extent of coverage includes value added services such as packaging, assembling, labelling etc. In addition to these, Transport Logistic providers undertake the management role of planning, administering and coordinating. Over the years, the sector has reshaped in manner where most players have a tendency to consolidate; resulting in larger, integrated groups operating in more than one of the Transport Logistics sub-services/sectors. As a result, the limits between the sub-services/sectors become more and more indistinct. The benefits of globalisation and business process outsourcing of logistics services generated double digit revenue growth in the industry in the early part of the 21st century. However the co-existence of other pressures, threats and limitations such as the economic downturn, and fuel price hike contribute to the dramatic changes faced by contenders in the sector. With privatisation and liberalisation, more complexities were introduced to the sector. In addition, trade routes are changing and networks have become increasingly complex as have the agreements between companies sharing resources. There have been several regulatory requirements which have changed substantially in the recent years. Due to more IT enabled interconnectivity in companies, it operates across national. Hence, issues pertaining to customs, tax compliance, accounting and governance have increased. Companies looking to build a sustainable business need to continuously offer value additions to its stakeholders. Therefore with the changing business models in the industry, many companies are evolving from forwarding and warehouse managing businesses to highly industrialised, IT driven supply chain providers; adopting a holistic approach in their service. Impact of the economic downturn Over the past years, the Transport Logistics industry has been profiting considerably from positive economic conditions and the demand for raw materials, capital and consumer products. Since 2008 though, the trade was suddenly faced with some of the most complex market conditions in history. A tightening global credit crisis and economic downturn that began in the U.S. quickly spread throughout the globe, impacting many organizations in nearly every aspect of the business. Changes in consumer buying patterns have led to less significant transport volumes, and shifts to less expensive delivery modes, with a sizeable impact on the express business. The volatile oil price coupled with a stronger focus on emission reduction has increased pressure on transportation companies, especially airlines, leading to a record in airline insolvencies. In addition, the economic recession places more fundamental challenges on the Transportation Logistics industry: consumer patterns and a general cur b of demand thereby causing a lower level of the flow of goods. Opportunities in the emerging markets For a countrys economy, in addition to the tourism sector, even the transportation sector is often viewed as an important indicator of growth. With the rise in commercial trade activities, the location of manufacturing facilities and distribution centres can have a major impact on the growth of a countrys transportation sector and transportation infrastructure. The relative location of these manufacturing facilities and distribution centres can dictate whether the country becomes a centre within a logistics network or a spoke in the wheel, serving in effect as a transit passage. Such matters are of particular importance to emerging economies where the transport and logistics infrastructure is making rapid development. Logistic providers are faced with clients who wish to source out of low-cost countries or access these new markets. They need to ensure that they can help their clients meet their objectives, understand the emerging markets environment, and expand their competencies and resources. These companies are at a crossroads in their development and have several strategic questions to consider. Should they expand or try new a niche? Should they move into an acquisition? Should they look at a stock-exchange float? Should they invest in IT/new technology? Should they look at optimising their cost base to counteract the trend towards smaller margins? How can they differentiate from competition by convincing customers that they add value to the business? About FedEx Corporation Introduction http://www.csustan.edu/manage/harris/case4.html Federal Express is an express transportation company, founded by Frederick W. Smith in 1973. During his college years, his intuition that the U.S. was becoming a service-oriented economy and needed a reliable, overnight delivery service company designed for dedicated transportation of packages and documents was the cornerstone of the companys existence today. He started Federal Express with over $80 million, making it the largest company of its time ever funded by venture capital. He found investors willing to contribute $40 million, used $8 million in family money, and received the rest from bank financing. Background Federal Express became successful due to the fact that they pioneered in advanced IT interventions ahead of its competition. They built a super-hub in Memphis, Tennessee, where all packages from the United States would be loaded and shipped out each night. Today, Federal Express has over 143,000 workers worldwide, and delivers more than 3 million express packages to 211 countries daily. One major change has affected Federal Express. In January of 1998, Federal Express the company re-launched as FDX Corporation. FDX Corporation now includes Federal Express, Roadway Packaging System (RPS), Viking Freight, Roberts Express, and Caliber Logistics. Even though FDX owns all these companies, Federal Express still remains independent. Federal Express CEO is currently Theodore Weise. FDXs strategy is to corroborate on selling and synergies for all FDX companies, but run operations separately and keep each companys strengths and markets separate. Therefore, some information will be about FDX, but most will be for Federal Express as its own company. FDX Corporate Subsidiaries All business units of FDX follow the corporate mission statement of the parent company. This synergy allows for growth. It also puts the entity in a position to acquire more companies whose operations are similar. Currently, these are the names and descriptions of the companies under FDX, other than Federal Express. 1. RPS: North Americas second-largest provider of ground small-package delivery. It also services 28 European countries and Puerto Rico. 2. Viking Freight: The premier brand name in less-than-truckload freight movements throughout the western United States. 3. Roberts Express: Engineer and execute time-specific, door-to-door surface and air-charter delivery solutions that solve special-handling challenges for FDX customers within North America and Europe. 4. Caliber Logistics: Develops and implements customized logistics solutions that help FDX customers manage costs, improve customer service and focus on their core business activities. In the Sales Breakdown for these FDX companies, Federal Express still accounts for 83 percent of total revenues. The next largest is RPS, bringing in 11 percent of FDXs total revenues. Strategic vision http://apps.shareholder.com/sec/viewerContent.aspx?companyid=FDXdocid=784953 FedEx Corporations vision is a world where goods and information move quickly and seamlessly. A world where businesses source raw materials and parts globally, then move high-value goods quickly between continents and across time zones. A world where global information and transportation networks can shrink time and distance, creating competitive advantages for customers. FedEx has experienced consistent growth in terms of net income in just about every year of its operation, which has meant three decades of growth. One of the companys greatest strengths is undoubtedly its business concept. No matter what the economy is doing, there will always be a need for package delivery of some sort by companies and individuals involved in nearly every industry. Even when times are tough and companies are seeking to save money, FedEx has less expensive delivery alternatives from which to choose. Of course, being the originator of the express delivery concept is also a key strength. FedEx became a household name before any of its competitors ever arrived on the scene, and thus has become synonymous with the idea of express package delivery in the minds of many, if not most, consumers. Visionary leadership (introduction to founder CEO) Fred Smith recognized the need for a reliable, overnight delivery service. Smith presented the idea in a Yale term paper in the 1960s, and received a C grade for his efforts. Between 1969 and 1971 Smith, however, secured $90 million ($40 million from investors, $8 million from his family, and $42 million in bank financing) to launch Federal Express as the then largest startup funded by venture capital. Federal Express began offering overnight and second-day delivery to 22 American cities in 1973. Today, The FedEx Express unit is one of the five subsidiary organizations that comprise Federal Express. The FedEx Express unit is the primary focus of this study. FedEx Express is the global market leader in express transportation. The firm moves an average of three million packages daily. FedEx Ground is a subsidiary of FedEx Express. FedEx Ground provides ground delivery of packages in North America. FedEx Freight is a less-than-truckload carrier. FedEx Freight operates throughout the United States. FedEx Freight has two operating subsidiaries à ¹ FedEx Freight East and FedEx Freight West. Access is what makes all forms of interaction and exchange possible between people, businesses and nations. Increases in Access boost opportunities and empower people with the ability and confidence to improve their current conditions and future prospects. Mission Statement The Mission Statement of FDX is to produce superior financial returns for stockholders, by providing high value-added logistics, transportation and related information services through focused operating companies. This mission statement shows that FDX has a clear focus. (1) The main focus is to bring returns to stockholders. (2) They will emphasize adding value above and beyond just their service of transporting an object from one place to another. (3) Their focus of operations will be logistics, transportation, and related information. This mission statement is focused enough to keep FDX from diversifying into for example, food products; yet vague enough to allow growth in all of those areas. Philosophy FDX and Federal Express, in particular hold a People-Service-Profit philosophy. The ‘People goal is the continuous improvement of managements leadership. The ‘Service standard is 100 percent customer satisfaction. The ‘Profit goal is much like any other companys goal, and is essential to long-term viability. This philosophy governs how FDX runs its business, and defines strategies. Customers Markets, Globalization and Services The scope of the Federal Express operation covers business-to-business, business-to-individual and individual-to-individual accounts. Federal Express markets include more than 200 countries where 90 percent of all the worlds revenues originate. Federal Express provides both document and freight deliveries as well as supporting services. Stemming from the visionary leadership of the CEO, the company follows market reach global footprint and a business strategy. Competitors Federal Express list of competitors include: United Parcel Service (UPS), Airborne Express, Emery Worldwide, BAX Global, DHL Worldwide, and United States Postal Service. Federal Express holds 46.5 percent, the largest portion, with UPS and Airborne Express as the largest competitors. As shown from the preceding information, Federal Express is clearly a large, strong, and growing express transportation company. Environment screening analysis This section will show the services Federal Express provides; its strengths and weaknesses as an organization; the opportunities and threats, current problems and issues faced. Services Federal Express provides delivery on documents and packages both domestically and internationally. Further, the company also provides supporting services. In the United States, Internationally Supporting Services Priority Overnight Priority interNet Ship Standard Overnight Economy Collect on Delivery Same Day Next Flight Location Service First Overnight First Dangerous Goods Service Express Freight Priority Freight Worldwide Logistics Weekend Shipping Economy Freight U.S. Government Shippers Alaska and Hawaii Airport to Airport International Government Guide S.W.O.T. Analysis Company Strengths and Resource Capabilities: Globalisation: Federal Express largely operates on a global scale. They operate in 211 countries. They provide services that appeal to most of the world. They have such a large market in which to operate which generates tremendous revenue for the business. Benefits of global economies of scale become available to players that operate in such a large playing field. Innovation: Federal Express took the first-mover advantage by identifying airplanes and trucks as a source and resource to gain business advantage. This helped them to remain the industry leader since 1973. Technology and Communication: Federal Express uses and continues to search for new technology. They allow spending of $1billion a year, 10% of total revenues on IT interventions such as integration. The companys commitment to introducing new customer centric service models through IT keeps customers from switching to other providers. Federal Express also has excellent communication with their customers. They use tracking devices on all shipments and customers can trace their shipment through many different avenues including a user-friendly Web site. Federal Express customers can feel assured that FedEx will always be on top of technology. Strategic Vision: Company CEO Frederick Smith built an industry leader, and sustained the title since 1973. The strategic vision of the company is cascaded through top managers who are in charge of the strategic direction of the business. First-Mover Advantage: The company has had first-mover advantage in several areas: (1) Being a global express transportation logistics company (2) Advanced IT interventions that attributed to the continued success of the company (3) Incorporating smaller business units with similar operations under its belt to synergize and control more of the market. Consolidating its resource capabilities at an optimized level has attributed greatly to its success. Strong Brand Image: In 1990, Federal Express became the first organization awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in the service category. Further, in 1994, the company was the first in global express transportation to obtain simultaneous system-wide ISO 9001 certification in international quality standards. Federal Express has also developed its own quality system that matches their customers standards. Company Weaknesses and Resource Deficiencies: Escalating prices: Federal Express prices are priced above its competitors. This can be a weakness if their customers do not perceive a difference between Federal Express and its competitors services. Labour Disputes with Pilots: Federal Express pilots have formed the FedEx Pilots Association. This organization demanded changes in the pilots salaries, retirement benefits, and suggested outsourcing some foreign flights instead of giving their own pilots the job. The pilots have a Web site where news is posted and any grievances are communicated. During the busy Christmas season in 1998, the pilots threatened to strike. Federal Express and the FedEx Pilots Association have developed a tentative agreement, which is published on the pilots Web site. However, the pilots do not believe this agreement fully meets their expectations. The pilot dispute is definitely an internal weakness for Federal Express, considering they have 3,500 pilots employed with them. The business operations would suffer if there were strikes. When UPS employees went on strike in 1997, Federal Express took the extra 800,000 shipments a day. If Federal Express employees went on strike, their competitors could gain an immediate advantage. The reason for running subsidiaries separately: FDX has deliberately chosen to keep its subsidiaries separate. According to FDXs 1998 Annual Report, CEO Frederick Smith states, Simply layering the unique resource and operating requirements of a time-definite, global, express-delivery network onto a day-definite, ground small-package network would surely result in diminished service quality and increased costs. Under the FDX umbrella, we will leverage our shared strengths while operating each delivery network independently, with each focused on its respective markets. Frederick Smith is confident this will be a strength, instead of a weakness. Company Opportunities: Expansion Globally: Federal Express can continue to expand its global footprint. Expansion Internally: Federal Express can continue to acquire more similar smaller business which could offer Federal Express leverage to expand into new technologies or areas in their industry. Run Subsidiaries Together: If FDX doesnt profit from running the subsidiaries separately, they can change to integrating their operations to achieve better synergies and economies of scale. Contracts with Large Corporations: To stay the industry leader, Federal Express should form contracts with companies who will add cost-saving or value-adding benefits to their services. Joint-Ventures: Federal Express can form joint ventures, such as already with Netscape and American Express, to enjoy the growth of integrating their customer bases. Expansion of e-commerce: Federal Express already has a major presence of shipping online. They should keep finding Internet companies to contract delivery of their products. Since the growth of e-commerce is rapid now, Federal Express could enjoy both profits and brand name recognition from this kind of expansion. Company Threats: Y2K Problem: If Federal Express communication and tracking systems arent actually Year 2000 ready, they will experience lost shipments, lost customers, and lost profits. This is a threat for every business, but a global company will be affected on a larger scale. Community Responsibility in the U.S.: Federal Express might be subject to community disapproval in expansion within the United States. Right now, Federal Express has plans to build a second super-hub in Greensboro, NC. The airport is supportive, but the citizens of the community are not. Federal Express has to decide whether the community support or building the centre is more important. Relations with Foreign Countries: Through Federal Express expansions globally, they are subject to laws and regulations of all foreign countries. There could be major problems in this area, stunting growth and raising costs. Already, Great Britain will not let Federal Express fly their own planes for shipments. Federal Express must either load their cargo on to British planes, or use ground transportation. This is very inefficient for Federal Express; however, it keeps competition out for British Air Transportation companies. Everywhere Federal Express goes, they are at risk for regulations that hinder their operations or efficiency. Economic and Political Conditions: Federal Express is subject to the entire worlds economic and political condition in the areas of fuel prices and supply, customer purchase of their services, and relations with foreign countries. As a global company, they are subject to much more risk than domestic companies. Current Problems and Issues Federal Express has several current issues and problems. Decisions about these issues will affect Federal Express profits and brand name in the future. Federal Express Pilots disputes with the company over their salary and compensation, retirement benefits, and Federal Express outsourcing some foreign flights. Federal Express spends only 13.17 percent of total operating expenses on their labor expense. The industry average is 14.81 percent. However, Federal Express main competitors spend 20 and 24 percent of total operating expenses on labor. This is why the pilots are voicing their disagreements, and demanding change. Fuel Price Fluctuation: Federal Express raised their prices and developed contracts with oil suppliers to cover fluctuating fuel costs and volatility of supply. Creation of super-hub in North Carolina: Federal Express does not have the communitys support. Alliance with Netscape: FDX created an alliance with Netscape in order to simplify the world of electronic commerce. FDX will offer delivery services on Netscapes Internet portal site. This will allow both companies to achieve mutual business targets that could not be achieved otherwise. Alliance with American Express: Federal Express offers a 10 to 20 percent discount on many delivery services to customers using an American Express Small Business Corporate Card. Federal Express offers many different services spanning the globe; this is why Federal Express has many strengths, and opportunities. However, Federal Express must also be concerned with their weaknesses and current problems. Industry Analysis Dominant Economic Characteristics Federal Express is in the Air Freight or Air Cargo Transportation Industry. This industry had sales of $34.2 billion in 1998. This industry is in the early maturity life cycle because entry is difficult, yet current competitors are still growing. Companies can realize economies of scale in this industry in marketing and purchasing. Services in this industry are essentially identical, with the exception being the value-added services. General Economic Conditions The current global economic crisis can affect this industry by stunting foreign expansion and reduced utilization of express shipping services. The current crisis in Kosovo may affect business for these companies if any countries they do business in feel the United States is wrong and want to boycott American-originating products and services. Porters 5-Forces Model Rivalry Among Competing Sellers: This is a strong force in this industry because the competitors use price cuts to compete, there is a low cost and ease to switching brands, and the companies in this industry diversify and acquire other companies for strategic growth and synergy. Competitive Force of Potential Entry: This is a weak force in this industry. Each company currently in the industry has strong brand images, leaving a harder job for new companies. The capital expenditures to start an express transportation company are large, and the companies currently are achieving economies of scale by going global. Any smaller company will not be able to achieve these right away, not allowing them to compete on prices. Another factor threatening potential entrants is trade tariffs and international regulations. Most companies currently in the industry have already established relations with foreign countries. New companies will have to prove themselves to foreign companies, suppliers, and customers. Competitive Pressures of Substitute Products: This is a weak to moderate force in this industry. Businesses and individuals that wish to ship cargo and packages can do it with other modes of transportation such as trucks, trains and boats. However, the customers that use air freight transportation usually desire convenience, speed, and low cost. Traditional transportation modes do not offer all three of these. Businesses and Individuals who want to ship documents can use e-mail, the Internet, and Facsimiles. However, these can take some time to scan and load, and then it is uncertain that your document will get to its destination. Power of Suppliers This is a strong force if the suppliers serve industries other than Air Freight. If a supplier only has accounts, or the majority of their accounts with these companies, they will not be able to control prices and supplies. Suppliers that are involved in this industry are: vehicle manufacturers, airplane manufacturers, fuel suppliers, labor, airports, and shipping materials manufacturers. Power of Buyers This is a moderate force in this industry because competition keeps prices similar among the companies. The only difference is companies, such as Federal Express who have value-added services that allow a higher price. Also, the buyers of the services in this industry are reactionary. They do not know the technology before it happens. They become dependent on the technology, service and speed offered by the companies in this industry and will pay for it. Industry Prospects and Overall Attractiveness A trend among Air Freight shippers is to use the Internet for communication with customers and even obtaining shipping contracts with companies selling on the Internet. This alliance with the fastest-growing industry will bring exponential growth to the Air Freight industry, above and beyond what they would normally have realized without this. This industry should remain attractive, with concentration on competition for market share, service differentiation, and brand image. Current Advertising has been aimed at being better than the competitor for different reasons. Performance Analysis FDX has an impressive performance record for example in 1998 they had revenues of $15.9 billion. We can also look at their Net Income for 1998, as well as for the last five years. This information is shown in 4 on Page 3 of the Appendix. As you can see, sales have been growing steadily for the past five years. Looking at the net income, though, it isnt that impressive. It even declined in 1997, from the rising fuel costs during that year. However, in 1998 it grew from $200,000 to $500,000. That could be from reduction in operating costs, or from the acquisition of the subsidiaries which had lower operating costs compared to Federal Express. The financial ratios for FDX compared to Airborne Express (ABF) are in Table 2 on Page 3 of the Appendix. Most of the ratios show Airborne Express in better financial condition than FDX. However, this can be explained through FDXs size as compared to Airborne Express. Airborne Express does not offer as many services or types of shipments as FDX, and it only has half the market share as FDX. Since UPS does not have air shipments, we could not benchmark FDX to them. Clearly though, FDX and Federal Express is the market leader in this industry, have outstanding sales, a healthy profit, and a safe amount of debt. A 5-Year analysis of Federal Express profitability and activity ratios is in s 5 and 6 on page 4 of the Appendix. These ratios over time show a steady increase, except for year 1997, where fuel costs hurt Federal Express deeply.TNT N.V. is an international express and mail delivery services company with headquarters in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, TNT operates the national postal service under the name TNT Post. The group also offers postal services in eight other European countries, including the UK, Federal Express Five-Point Strategy Federal Express has five strategies that govern business tactics. These are to improve service levels, lower unit costs, establish international leadership and sustain profitability, get closer to the customer, and maintain the People-Service-Profit Philosophy. Major Strategic Issues FDX is focused on three primary growth strategies. A collaborative sales process that leverages their shared customer relationships, aggressive global marketing of the broad FDX portfolio to targeted prospective customers, and a strategic application of information systems to reduce costs and improve customer access and connectivity. Introduction to the business strategy Expanding Access Through Our Networks While the benefits and mechanisms of Access are too vast and complex to attribute to any one creator, FedEx is proud to have been the driving force behind many milestones and advances, beginning with overnight express delivery in 1973 from our hub in Memphis. At first connecting 25 U.S. cities — and today, 220 countries — express delivery was a historic breakthrough in Access, collapsing the time and distance between places and connecting people everywhere. Through our expanding networks, anyone shipping a package can now tap into unprecedented speed and worldwide reach. Shaping the Way the World Connects FedEx delivers systems and solutions, not just packages. In recent years, weve increased Access by moving information in the form of bits as close to its destination as possible before converting it into atoms. For example, when one customer planned to host a leadership seminar in New Delhi, FedEx Kinkos transferred tons of materials digitally to China, printed them in one day, and shipped them to India the next. With FedEx Office Print Online capability, any individual can do the same — printing documents remotely and having them delivered locally. Its one major new way FedEx is contributing to greater Access. Today, thanks in part to the Access provided by the internet and FedEx, its possible for a leading electronics company to synchronize its microchip factories in China to the pulse of global demand, flying the finished chips as needed to manufacturing lines in Shanghai, Seoul or Singapore. The chips are bound for laptops and phones that create personal connections in their own right, while the corresponding transformation of China into the worlds factory is expected to lift half a billion people out of poverty by 2020. New FedEx hubs in Guangzhou and Hangzhou will increase the global Access of homegrown Chinese companies and contribute to greater quality of life, while helping companies outside this market to navigate and grow their business here. Changing Whats Possible For 35 years, FedEx has been dedicated to changing whats possible and improving life for people everywhere by promoting greater Access. Every day around the world, we see first-hand how Access empowers people to improve their lives, their businesses and their communities. Because we see this power, we have a unique perspective on Access. Infrastructure/supply chain value chain FedEx has done several things with its value chain to develop new business. First they have always recognized the need to have technology and IT work to communicate the logistics that they run. They have developed internet technologies that work simply and efficiently to enable customers and sellers to use FedEx as a go between. This has enabled many companies to integrate FedEx technology into their own web sites for customers to use. However, up until January 19, 2000 the organization of Fe

Sport Psychology Essay -- Papers

Sport Psychology In earlier days sports psychology was mostly concerned with developing assessment methods that would identify those people with the potential to become serious superior athletes. Today the focus is on psychological training, exercises that strengthen the mental skills that will help athletic performances on the path to excellence. These skills include mental imagery and focus training. If an athlete is serious about becoming the best he or she can possibly be, the most essential ingredient is commitment to practice the right things. It takes incredible commitment to reach the top: a commitment to rest and train the body so it can perform under the most demanding conditions and a commitment to train the mind to focus totally on executing your best performance skills under the most stressful circumstances. (Tutko,T 1976 pg.5) To excel in a sport is a contest with yourself, to call upon the natural abilities within you own mind and body. Each person begins at a different location menta lly, physically and with respect to the support we are given. An athlete quest for personal excellence requires the most of what you have- whatever that may be. Mental Imagery "Your images lead your reality" One of the best practice fields for peak performance is the mind. Many athletes use mental imagery for quick rehearsal before an event: A diver, for instance, might perform a double somersault with a half twist one final time in his mind as he readies himself on the board. Mental imagery can also help people prepare for possible hazards. A squash player might run through a difficult back court return in his or her mind to rehearse the various options that might be necessary in case of a delayed reaction. Psychologists s... ...equence, from mind (mental imagery) to body, from target to performance. Each step eliminates nonessentials so that the single focus or vision can fully absorb the performer's awareness. (Barrington.J,1987.61.53) Developing an ability to directly focus on critical performance cues and hold it there until the body is free to follow the visions of the mind is crucial to high level performance. The principles of sport psychology are helping athletes succeed far beyond just body strength but past their mind barriers. An achievement that can only be attained with dedication and a will to let your mind explore the all possibilities no matter how extravagant. Thanks to the extensive coverage of psychological training, the sports enthusiast can understand the need for an benefits of sport psychology. Bibliography: Tutko,T 1976 Barrington, J.1987

Essay on the Art of Chaos :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Art of Chaos Abstract:Â   In this paper, I will attempt to explain the nature of Fractals. Both natural and computer generated fractals will be explained. At the end, I hope the reader has a rudimentary sense of fractals in terms of both art and geometry. Most people live in a state of semi-chaos. Isn't your cluttered desk an example of the chaos in the world? The words chaos and pattern seem to be a dichotomy, but fractals are both of these things. Basic definitions of fractals include the words self-similar, chaotic, and infinitely complex. Before I go on, let me first define the previous terms in order that the reader will understand their meanings as I will use them. Self-similarity is the idea of an object where there is an apparent pattern in some visual or non-visual way. Sometimes, self-similarity is found with the naked eye, and other times a pattern appears under a microscope, or even when a significant change occurs. The major presumption of self-similarity is some type of pattern. Chaos has been defined many ways through literature, philosophy, or even daily life. As I stated before, chaos is often used to describe disorder. The way I would like to use it is in terms of a certain unpredictability. Random events or iterations of the same even should cause a chaotic effect. Later, I will show how this is not the case. The last term we need to define is infinitely complex. As the term itself implies, fractals are things that go on forever. Why this is will be discussed later, as well. In an ideal world, all types of fractals are self-similar, chaotic, and infinitely complex, but in the real world most natural objects are self-similar and chaotic, but not infinitely complex. Some examples of things that are self-similar and chaotic, but not infinitely complex are fern leaves, bronchial tubes, snowflakes, blood vessels, and clouds. Only one example in the world satisfies the three characteristics of a fractal, a coastline. Coastlines are unique, because the length of a coastline is infinite, but the area within the coastline in finite. The theory of the interaction between infinity and finality is described by a fractal called the Koch Curve. Like coastlines, the length of the shape is infinite, but the area inside of it is finite. The shape of the Koch Curve is a triangle where a triangle one third of the size of the original triangle is placed on the middle of each side of the triangle.

Heart Of Darkness :: essays research papers

Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad is a fictional novel with an overflow of symbolism. Throughout the entire novel Conrad uses a plethora of simple colors, objects, and places in order to clarify very complex meanings. By doing this, Conrad is able to lure the reader into a world unlike his or her own: the Congo River, located in central Africa. Although the interpretation of these symbols is so elaborate, the simplicity of each makes it somewhat easy to overlook. A few examples of the many symbols found in Conrad’s novel include the jungle, as well as the colors of white and black, better known as the colors of life and death. In Heart of Darkness, the images of black and white have the usual connotations of evil and good. These pigments are found throughout the entire book. Ironically, although black, the native Africans seem to represent a sort of good by doing what they feel is right. On the other hand, the white foreigners carry themselves with some kind of evil as they exploit the great kindness of the blacks. I guess you could say that the white men were filled with a black hatred inside. Another example is found when Marlow enters the Belgian company’s office. Sitting in the office are two women dressed almost completely in black. Marlow is no beginning to understand the seriousness of the journey he is going to make. Even his predecessor dies because of a quarrel over two black hens. The usage of black is almost too much to handle. Another example that I also remembered from the movie was how Kurtz’s pictures were always placed within a dark ebony back round. Another ironic example is the continued description of the white ivory. Its beautiful white shine makes it look righteous, even though it really demonstrates a great evil as the elephants were being destroyed along with other people. Other colors were of importance as well to truly understand the symbolic nature of the story. The plaid patches and trimmings on the Russian’s harlequin clothes portray his ever-changing moods and foolish, light-hearted behavior. By simply using a description of clothing, Conrad is able to show us how he tends to stay out of trouble with his befriending nature. The color yellow will usually symbolize some sort of corruption or decay. We first read about yellow as it marks the area of Congo on the map in the Brussels office.

Network VPN and Web Security Cryptography Essay

Securing Internet commercial transactions and sensitive banking data is increasingly becoming critical as threats to computer networks continue to cause significant financial losses resulting from data damage, loss or corruption by spy ware, viruses and other data corrupting hostile codes (Mogollon, 2007). The consequences of having weak security system administration become enormous and companies should step up their security measures to protect sensitive data by cryptographic methods. In online transactions, the secure Web server communicates with the client’s computer by authenticating each other. They do this by enciphering the data which is transmitted by means specific protocols such as transport layer security (TLS), Internet protocol security (IPsec) and secure socket layer (SSL). All Web browsers such as Internet Explorer and Netscape have in-built TLS and SSL protocols. To make internet transactions safe, the problems associated with end-user certificate distribution have to be solved and this was the challenge that led to the fall of secure electronic transaction (SET) technology after its introduction in 1990s (Mogollon, 2007). This paper will discuss important technologies behind VPN SSL and website encryption paying critical attention to algorithms which make encryption in financial systems such as the Internet commercial transactions possible and secure. In particular, the paper addresses advanced and critical issues in online transactions as one of the areas applying cryptography and network security. The Need for Network Security in Financial Systems The modern online commerce and financial systems are rapidly growing partly because several protocols for Web encryption are often implemented hence ensuring secure transactions. In a practical scenario, online clients buying commodities enter the credit card number online and then hit the â€Å"Submit† button. While this information is provided online and can be deciphered by hackers, the Web browser commits to secure this online transaction by enciphering the transmitted data (Mogollon, 2007). Secure communication between the client and the server requires client-server authentication which is a cryptographic key exchange involving an agreement of both parties. The client and the server will agree on a common pre-master secret code or key. Data is then enciphered using the keys which are generated from the agreed pre-master key. This communication agreement between the client and server also involves the decisions on which versions and protocols to use such as SSL2, SSL3, TLS1. 0, and TLS 1. 1 (Mogollon, 2007). They will also agree on which cryptographic algorithm to use and whether to authenticate to each other or not. The use of certain techniques of public-key encryption which generate the pre-master secret key will also be agreed on. Both have to make an agreement that session keys are to be created to help in the enciphering of the messages. Virtual Private Network (VPN) A virtual private network (VPN) serves as an extension of a private network which encompasses links across public or shared networks such as the Internet (Mogollon, 2007). VPN enables users to send data between two interconnected computers across a public or shared network in a way that it emulates point-to-point private link properties. Virtual private networking is the technique of creating and configuring VPN and it emulates point-to-point links (Mogollon, 2007). There should be data encapsulation or wrapping with headers to provide routing information thus allowing it to traverse the public or shared transit internetwork and attain its endpoint. At the same time, to emulate private links, the sent data must be encrypted for security and confidentiality (Microsoft Corporation, 2003). The packets intercepted on public or shared networks cannot be deciphered without the use of encryption keys. Private data is encapsulated in a connection portion known as the tunnel and it is encrypted in a connection portion known as the VPN connection (Microsoft Corporation, 2003). Fig 1. 1 Figure 1. 1: Virtual private network connection (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) The VPN connection provide the capabilities for remote users while at homes, branch offices or even while traveling to securely connect to remote organizations’ servers by the use of routing infrastructure which is provided by a shares or public network like the Internet(Microsoft Corporation, 2003). Since the creation of VPN connection is facilitated by the Internet from anywhere, these networks require strong security mechanisms to avoid any unwelcome private network access and to protect private data while traversing the public network (Microsoft Corporation, 2003). These security mechanisms include data encryption and authentication as well as other advanced VPN security measures such as certificate-based authentication. Virtual private network security (VPNs) is provided by the Internet Protocol security (IPsec), TLS and SSL (Mogollon, 2007). IPsecVPN are commonly used in several enterprises but they are not as easy to use as SSLVPN. Another difference between IPsec VPN and SSL VPN is that IPsec VPN works at Layer 3 and creates a tunnel into networks. This way, IPsec allows for devices to log on as if they have physical connections to the local area network (LAN) (Mogollon, 2007). On the other hand, the SSL VPN work at the application Layer 4 and users can have access to individual applications through the Web browser. In SSLVPN, the administrators can dictate the access by applications instead of providing entire network access. VPN emulates the facility of private wide area network (WAN) by the use of private Internet Protocol (IP) and public internet backbones (Mogollon, 2007). Secure Socket Layer Virtual Private Network (SSLVPN) Security networks particularly those used in online transactions demand increasingly complex cryptographic systems and algorithms (Lian, 2009). Therefore, there is need for individuals concerned with the implementation of security policies in companies to use technical knowledge and skill in information technology in order to implement critical security mechanisms. Unlike the traditional IPsec VPN which requires the use of special client software on computers of end users, the SSL VPN such as Web SSL VPN requires no installation of such software (Lian, 2009). SSLVPN is mainly designed to provide remote users access to various client-server applications, Web application as well as internal network connections. SSL VPN authenticates and encrypts client-server communication (Lian, 2009). Two types of SSL VPNs are recognized: the SSL Portal VPN and SSL Tunnel VPN (Lian, 2009). The SSL Portal VPN usually allows a single SSL to connect to the website while allowing secure access to a number of network services by end users. This common website is known as the portal because it serves as a single door leading to a number of resources. The site is usually a single page having links to other pages. The second example of SSLVPN is the SSL Tunnel VPN which allows Web browsers, and thus users to safely access a number of multiple network services as well as protocols and applications which are not Web-based (Lian, 2009). Access is mainly provided via a tunnel which runs under SSL. The SSL Tunnel VPN requires all browsers to have the capacity to support active content that makes them to have more functionality not possible with SSL Portal VPN. The active content supported by SSL Tunnel VPN includes Active X, Java, JavaScript and plug-ins or Flash applications (Lian, 2009). Secure Socket Layer (SSL) provides a standardized communication encryption deployed for the purpose of protecting a number of protocols (Lian, 2009). For instance, most online transacting sites such as PayPal, AlertPay and MoneyBookers have their Universal Resource Locator (URL) address beginning with â€Å"https://† instead of â€Å"http://. † This means that the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (Http) is wrapped inside the SSL (Lian, 2009). Cryptography and Encryption Cryptography is concerned with the development of algorithms where data is written secretly thus the names, crypto-meaning secret and –graphy, meaning writing (Li, n. d). Cryptography basically provides a number of ways to confirm data security during VPN communication. These various means or algorithms include hash, cipher, digital signature, authentication and key generation (Lian, 2009). Cryptography endeavors to conceal the actual context of data from everyone except the recipient and the sender hence maintaining secrecy or privacy. Cryptography also verifies or authenticates the correctness or validity of data to recipients in virtual private network. As a result of this, cryptography has been the basis of a number of technological solutions to problems such as communication and network security in share networks such as that in VPN. In general, cryptography can be defined as the technique exploiting the methods and principles of converting intelligible data into unintelligible one and then changing it back to the original form (Li, n. d). SSL VPN encryption involves the adoption of traditions and novel algorithms of encryption in the protection of sensitive data such as the one exchanged during online transactions. The original data is transformed into secure data with specific algorithm of encryption by the use of the encryption key. At the same time, the encrypted data can be decrypted back into its original state with the help of algorithms of decryption. Sometimes, attacks to data are common in networked systems where hackers break into systems to obtain the original data which has not been encrypted. The present research focuses on the efficient algorithms of encryption and decryption which are secure against these attacks (Lian, 2009). Typical VPN Encryption Algorithms VPN encryption utilizes a number of encryption algorithms to secure flowing traffic across a shared or public network (Malik, 2003). The encryption of VPN connections is done so as to allow VPN and Web traffic to traverse share or public network like the Internet. Example of encrypted VPN is the SSL VPN and IPsec which uses encryption algorithms to safely allow traffic across shared or public network such as the Internet (Malik, 2003). Apart from classifying VPN in terms of encryption, classification of VPN can also be based on the model of OSI layer which they are constructed in. this is an important classification as the encrypted VPN only allows specific amount of traffic which gets encrypted and the degree of transparency to VPN clients (Malik, 2003). Classification of VPN based on the OSI model layers recognizes three types of VPNs: data link layer, network layer and application layer VPNs (Malik, 2003). Algorithms used for encryption can be classified into partial encryption, direct encryption and compression-combined encryption (Lian, 2009). According to the number of keys used, algorithms can also be classified into asymmetrical and symmetrical algorithms. In general, different encryption algorithms encrypt data volumes hence acquiring different efficiency and security. It therefore remains a decision of system security administrators to select which algorithm to use which will provide the best VPN security (Microsoft Corporation, 2005). There is no single encryption algorithm which is efficient to address all situations (Microsoft Corporation, 2005). However, there are basic factors to consider when selecting the type of algorithm to use in VPN security. Strong encryption algorithms always consume more resources in computer systems compared to weaker encryption algorithms. Long encryption keys are considered to offer stronger securities than the shorter keys. Therefore, Chief Security Officer (CSOs) should decide on longer keys to enhance system securities (Microsoft Corporation, 2005). Asymmetric algorithms are also considered stronger than the symmetric ones since they use different keys (Microsoft Corporation, 2005). However, asymmetric algorithms of encryption are slower compared to symmetric ones. Experts also prefer block ciphers as they use loner keys hence offer stronger security compared to stream ciphers. Passwords that are long and complex seem to offer better security than shorter and simpler passwords which can be broken easily by hackers. It should be factor to consider the amount of data which is being encrypted. If large amounts of data are to be encrypted, then symmetric keys are to be used to encrypt the data and asymmetric keys should be used to encrypt the symmetric keys. It is also critical to compress data before encrypting because it is not easy to compress data once it has been encrypted (Microsoft Corporation, 2005). Direct encryption involves the encryption of data content with either traditional or novel cipher directly. Partial encryption involves the encryption of only significant portions of data and other parts are left unencrypted (Microsoft Corporation, 2003). Compression-combined encryption involves the combinations of encryption operation with compression operation which are simultaneously implemented. Comparably, direct encryption offers the highest data security as it encrypts largest volumes of data. However, this method has the lowest efficiency as it takes much time encrypting all data volumes. The reduction of data volumes in partial and compression-combined encryptions result to lower security but with highest efficiency (Lian, 2009). There are specific examples of ciphering algorithms used by most online companies to protect sensitive and private data such as business data, personal messages or passwords for online banking. The commonly used ciphering algorithms include the DES/3 DES, RC4, SEAL and Blowfish (MyCrypto. net, n. d). Data encryption in VPN client-server communications is critical for data confidentiality. This is because data is passed between VPN clients and VPN servers over a public or shared network which often poses risks of illegal data interception by the hackers. However, VPN servers can be configured to force communication encryption. The encryption will force VPN clients connecting to VPN servers to encrypt their data or else be denied connections. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 employs two different types of encryptions: the Internet Protocol security (IPSec) encryption that uses the Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) and Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption (MPPE) which used Point –to –Point Tunneling Protocol (Microsoft Corporation, 2005). In telephone communication or dial-up clients, data encryption is not necessary between the clients and their Internet Service Providers (ISP) since the encryption is always carried out with VPN client-VPN server connections. This implies that mobile users using dial-up connections to dial local ISPs need not to encrypt anything since once the Internet connection has been established, the users can create VPN connection with corporate VPN servers. In case VPN connections are encrypted, there is no need for encryption between users and ISPs in dial-up connections (Microsoft Corporation, 2005). VPN encryption generally allows for the attainment of the highest possible security standards made possible by key generation in a certified centre using the RSA, 1024 bit (MyCrypto. net, n. d). Smart card technology especially the TCOS-2. 0 Net Key SmartCard OS (operating system) grant a safe mode for key storage which complies with the evaluation criteria of information security systems (Li, n. d). Different types of encryption algorithms employ proprietary specific methods to generate the secret keys and thus the encryption algorithms become useful in different types of applications (MyCrypto. net, n. d). The length of keys generated by these algorithms determines the strength of encryption. The most common algorithms, DES/3DES, BLOWFISH, IDEA, SEAL, RC4 and RSA have different qualities and capabilities which network security administrators may choose to use in providing VPN security (MyCrypto. net, n. d). The RSA algorithm, developed in 1979 was named after its developers Ron Rivest, Shamir and Adleman hence the name RSA (Riikonen, 2002). RSA supports digital signatures and encryption and it is therefore the most widely used type of public key algorithm. RSA takes advantage of the problem of integer factorization to enhance security and it utilizes both private and public keys. It is one of the algorithms which is easy to understand and it has been patent-free since the year 2000 (Riikonen, 2002). RSA is commonly used for securing IP data, transport (SSL/TSL) data, emails, terminal connections and conferencing services. Its security entirely depends on the randomness of the numbers generated by the Pseudo Random Number Generator (PRNG). Data Encryption Standard/ Triple Data Encryption Standard (DES/3DES) has widely been used as a standard in banking institutions in Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) as well as in UNIX OS password encryption (MyCrypto. net, n. d). DES/3DES allows the authentication of Personal Identification Number (PIN) to be made possible. While DES is basically a 64-bit block cipher, it uses 56-bit keys in encryption and most users don’t regard it as advances in computer technology continue to transform the banking and online industry (MyCrypto. net, n. d). DES has been found to be vulnerable to some cyberattacks and experts have now recommended 3DES as the stronger option. 3DES has the ability to encrypt data 3 times hence the name 3DES. It uses different keys for all the three passes and this gives it a total cumulative of 112-168 bit key size (MyCrypto. net, n. d). IDEA (International Data Encryption Algorithm) is another type of algorithm first developed by Prof. Massey and Dr. Lai in the wake of 1990s in Switzerland (MyCrypto. net, n. d) . It was meant to replace DES algorithm but one of the weaknesses of DES is that it uses a common key for both encryption and decryption and it only operates on 8 bytes at every incident. The success of IDEA in enhancing security lies on the length of its 128-bit key which makes hackers difficult to break especially those who try out every key. To present, there are no known means of breaking the IDEA 128-bit key other than trying each key at a time which is also difficult (MyCrypto. net, n. d). This then makes the algorithm better for security. Since it is a fast algorithm, IDEA has been implemented in most hardware chipsets to male them run faster (MyCrypto. net, n. d). Just like IDEA and DES, Blowfish represent another type of a symmetric block cipher which tales a varying key length ranging from 32 to 448 bits (MyCrypto. net, n. d). This makes it ideal for both exportable and domestic use. Developed in 1993 by Bruce Schneier, Blowfish became not only a fast alternative but also a free option to the other existing algorithms of encryption. Blowfish is now becoming more accepted by many experts because of its strong encryption properties (MyCrypto. net, n. d). Software-optimized Encryption Algorithm (SEAL), developed by Coppersmith and Rogaway is an example of a stream cipher where data is encrypted continuously (MyCrypto. net, n. d). Stream ciphers represent a group of algorithms which are faster compared to block ciphers such as IDEA, Blowfish and DES. However, stream ciphers have an extended initialization phase whereby a secure harsh algorithm is used to complete the set of tables (MyCrypto. net, n. d). It is considered a very fast algorithm as it uses 160 bit key for the purpose of encryption. In addition, SEAL is considered one of the safest algorithms used to protect data from hackers and thus, it can be used in managing passwords in financial systems (MyCrypto. net, n. d). Ciphers and Encryption Ciphers transform plaintext into secured ciphertext and then recover it back from ciphertext with the help of keys (Li, n. d). This way, data is kept private during client-server communication this providing maximum VPN and Web security. The transformation into plaintext and the recovery from ciphertext is commonly known as encryption and decryption respectively. During the decryption process, a key is required and without the key, correct plaintext recovery is not possible. There are several types of ciphers widely known and have been classified according to their properties. Ciphers can be classified as to either symmetric or asymmetric ciphers (Li, n. d). In symmetric ciphers, the decryption key used in cryptography is the same as that used in encryption. The operation for decrypting is often symmetric to the encrypting operation in symmetric ciphers (Li, n. d). In asymmetric ciphers, the decryption operations are never symmetric to encryption operations hence the keys used might differ (Lian, 2009). A simple model for showing asymmetric and symmetric ciphers is as shown below in Fig 2. 1 (a) and (b). Fig 2. 1(a) and (b) (a) Symmetric cipher (b) Asymmetric cipher Fig 2. 1 (a) and (b): Symmetric and asymmetric ciphers (Lian, 2009) In the models shown above, symmetric cipher use same key (K0) in encryption and decryption while asymmetric cipher use different keys (K1) and (K1) for encryption and decryption respectively (Lian, 2009). Since in asymmetric cipher the key is similar in both encryption and decryption operations, the key is known both to the sender and the receiver but not to the third party and it should always be kept private. Otherwise, the third party can decrypt the ciphertext and expose the ciphertext as plaintext. This is why the asymmetric cipher is also known as the private cipher. However, symmetric ciphers such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Data Encryption Standard (DES) and International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA) have widely been used despite some vulnerabilities of ciphertext decryption by third parties (Lian, 2009). Asymmetric ciphers offer advanced security as the encryption key (K1) can securely be made public but the decryption key (K2) is safely kept private only made known to the receiver. This means that if the sender and the third party only knows one key (the encryption key), he is not able to decrypt the ciphertext hence maintaining maximum network security. The asymmetric cipher is therefore known as the public cipher and the symmetric cipher, private cipher. Asymmetric cipher or public ciphers are regarded more suitable particularly for key exchanges in online communications and internet commercial transactions. The reasons which make public ciphers suitable for VPN securities are for instance the difficulties in large number factorization in RSA cipher. The problem of the discrete logarithm is the concept behind the suitability of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). The ElGamal encryption is also regarded to offer suitable securities because of the problem with complex computing of discrete logarithms as the encryption is always defines over a wide range of cyclic groups. Cryptanalysis and Security Attacks Cryptanalysis techniques allow hackers to break easily into cipher systems in VPN. According to Kerckhoffs principle, the hacker clearly knows the cipher per se and the security of the cipher is largely depended on the private key (Lian, 2009). Cryptanalysis techniques employed by attackers aim to get access to the cipher’s private key with the aim of knowing the information as plaintext, ciphertext or even encryption algorithm. Cryptanalysis methods can be grouped into four categories according to the information best known to the attackers (Lian, 2009). The attack based on only ciphertext means that the attack only progresses after the attacker has known ciphertext collection. This method is known as ciphertext-only attack (Lian, 2009). Known-plaintext attack is another cryptanalysis method which means that the attack method will only be successful when the hacker has obtained pairs of plain-text-ciphertext sets. Another attack method is the chosen-plaintext attack which progresses only when the hacker has ciphertexts which correspond to arbitrary plaintexts sets. The last possible method of attack is the related-key attack which works after the attacker has obtained ciphertext which are encrypted using two dissimilar keys (Lian, 2009). Encryption algorithms security is determined by the resistance to cryptanalysis techniques including attacks like differential analysis, statistical attack and relate-key attacks. Ciphers used for network VPN and Web security should be analyzed thoroughly before they can be used, otherwise, attackers will break into systems when ciphers don’t provide the required maximum network security. Simple metrics can be employed in measuring resistance to cryptographic analysis and common attacks of ciphers. These metrics include plaintext sensitivity, key sensitivity and ciphertext randomness (Lian, 2009). It can therefore be said that the cryptographic algorithm is of high security only when the encryption algorithm is heavily secured against cryptographic analysis and attacks. In case the algorithm doe not provide this essential requirement, the encryption algorithm is then considered to be of low security. Key sensitivity refers to changes in ciphertext as a result of changes in keys. Good ciphers will recognize the slightest difference in keys and cause significant changes in ciphertext. Plain text sensitivity is almost similar to plaintext sensitivity and is defines as the alteration in ciphertext as a result of plaintext changes. Good ciphers should also be able to recognize any slight difference in plaintext changes and therefore cause significant ciphertext changes. Ciphertext randomness basically differs from the plaintext. In good ciphers, the ciphertext always has good randomness which makes it hard for attackers to establish holes in statistical properties of ciphertexts (Lian, 2009). Ciphers transform original intelligible data into a form which is unintelligible by the help of keys. This method is used to secure data confidentiality. Hash always uses the original data to generate short strings used to protect data integrity. Digital signatures employ the key-based hash in the generation of hash values for the data which is to be protected. Digital signatures are often used in the detection whether operations are done by the authenticated owner or not. This is critical in online transactions such as those involving online payment methods such as AlertPay, PayPal and MoneyBookers. Key generation and authentication provide critical methods which help in the generation and distribution of multiple keys during communication. Hackers use cryptoanalytical methods to analyze and break into networked systems through cryptographic means. Cryptoanalysis provides some special or common means to analyze hash, cipher, digital signatures or key generation and authentication algorithms securities. The best cryptographic methods in VPN and Web security should be immune to cryptoanalytical methods before they can be applied in system network security. Conclusion Encryption algorithms offer secure communication against cryptanalysis used by attackers such as known-plaintext attack, ciphertext-only attack and select-plaintext attacks. Complete encryption offers security to traditional and novel ciphers against cryptanalysis by hackers. Partial encryption allows some parameters to be encrypted using ciphers which are immune to cryptographic attacks. Compression-combined encryption involves the combination of encryption and comprension operations which make it secure from the perspective of cryptanalysis. VPN encryption utilizes basic encryption mechanisms which secure the traffic flowing across shared or public network. The encryption is critical in allowing VPN traffic to traverse public or shared network like the Internet. Banking systems have always employed complex security measures such as SSL VPN and IPsec VPN to encrypt traffics by the use of encryption algorithm in shared VPN connections. References: Malik, S (2003). Network security principles and practices. Indianapolis, IN: Cisco Press. Mogollon, M (2007). Cryptography and security services: mechanisms and applications. 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