Why I want to be a police after I graduate Lincoln College Essay

Why I want to be a police after I graduate Lincoln College - Essay Example helping the community that the officers belong to. Of course a person can also help their community by becoming a social worker or a scientist but I feel that the input made by these individuals is more evident on the bigger picture. Individuals and groups on a smaller scale have to be in direct government functionaries and the front line for maintaining law and order in a society has always been the civil police of the country. This ability to have direct contact with people and having a broad level of authority to help those in need makes a police officer much more useful than a scientist since a scientist may never get to see the eventual effect of his/her invention or discovery in their lifetime. A police officer who stops a crime in progress or catches a criminal can immediately see the effect on society even if it is one person at a time. Since police work and the police force are controlled by the government, most of the information regarding a career in the police comes from government sources and related websites. Perhaps the best source of information about working in the police comes from the U.S. Department of Labor (2006) which has extensive information about the earnings, nature of the work, working conditions, required training and job outlook for this profession. It would appear that the nature of police work is similar across the globe since consistent topics and information was found on London’s Metropolitan Police website (2002) regarding the work performed by the police and the outlook of the chosen career. The research also shows that police work is not limited to the cities since state and federal police have their own jurisdictions and spheres of operations. The U.S. marshal’s website (2006) for example, lists the broad focus that marshals have had as the oldest law enforcement agency for protecting the law in America. Similarly, the U.S. Secret Service website (2002) and the U.S.

Australian Stereotypes Essay Example for Free

Australian Stereotypes Essay Stereotyping the Australians has always been a common practice by people all around the world. In fact, Australia has been classified as one of the most stereotyped nations in the world due to the sense that much of the international community believes that they have a solid understanding regarding Australian society, despite the fact that their beliefs bear little similarities to the realities of Australian life in the 21st Century. Australia is a complex nation that is riddled with assumptions that are downright false, and sometimes ridiculous. There’s no denying it – as soon the word ‘Australia’ is out, our mind automatically paints a certain glossy picture. For starters, people have assumed that the Australians love to barbecue all the time. Now, while everyone loves a scrumptious and moist barbecued chicken, who in the world would have the time (or patience) to spend the whole morning barbecuing steaks and chicken just to provide a simple breakfast, and repeat the tedious process again for lunch and dinner every single day? The baneful clean-up process and charcoal stains are simply enough to test my patience. However, people in the nationwide has evoke countless of preconceptions that the Aussies are found to be a bunch of barbecue-addicted people, much to the annoyance of the Australians. The real question is ; how did this Australian stereotype become so viral? Australia itself is culpable. Tourism Australia has tried to boost their tourism industries by commercializing Australians with a fresh and rejuvenating look such as the stereotypical â€Å"beach and bimbos† image popularised in the 1980s. However, the portrayal that Aussies loves hang out at the beach every day and ‘put another shrimp on the barbecue’ (or barbie, in the Australian slang) apparently bears a scanty resemblance with the reality. Nick Bryant, a Sydney correspondent also suggested that the popularity of television programs such as Neighbours and Home and Away only rendered the British public to carry a superficial perception of Australia that is not representative of the majority of the nation. Throw another shrimp on the barbie was a 1980s tourism slogan by Paul Hogan which remains as one of the most recognisable quotes associated with Australia within the international community. Another popular Australian stereotype is being belligerent drunkards. People have always assumed that the cities of Australia are full of drunken people, empty scotch bottles and foul alcohol stenches. However, if you happen to walk at the streets of Melbourne, you will realize that it is just like any conventional city, bustling with working ladies and man as opposed to the stereotypical view. Studies have also proved that the country only ranks 44th in terms of global alcohol consumption as opposed to the 17th ranking of the UK. In a nutshell, some of the stereotypical views on Australians are proved to be untrue although some parts of them that are quite true. Stereotypes can be hard to avoid, so my advice is DO NOT always believe what you hear! Many things are always not what they are seemed to be so always do a little research first before ascertaining its validity.

The Data Inscription Standard Computer Science Essay

The Data Inscription Standard Computer Science Essay Whenever data is exchanged electronically many times the privacy of the data is a required. Encryption is used to restrict unintended recipients from viewing the data, which are deemed confidential and potentially dangerous if made known to irresponsible parties. In other word, encryption is the procedure of transforming plain text data that can be read by anyone to cipher text data that can only be read by someone with a secret decryption key.A message before being changed in any way is called plain text. Plain text messages are converted to ciphertext via some encryption method. An enryption method is called a cryptosystem. In 1972, the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), a part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, initiated a program to develop standards for the protection of computer data. The Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology (ICST), one of the major operating units of the National Bureau of Standards, had been recently established in response to a 1965 federal law known as the Brooks Act (PL89-306) that required new standards for improving utilization of computers by the federal government. Computer security had been identified by an ICST study as one of the high-priority areas requiring standards if computers were to be effectively used. A set of guidelines and standards were defined by the ICST that were to be developed as resources became available in computer security. The guidelines were to include areas such as physical security, risk management, contingency planning, and security auditing. Guidelines were adequate in areas not requiring interoperability among various computers. St andards were required in areas such as encryption, personal authentication, access control, secure data stor-age, and transmission because they could affect interoperability. Standards can be divided into different sections: basic, interoperability, interface, and implementation. 1. Basic standards (also called 4standards of good practice) are used to specify generic functions (services, methods, results) required to achieve a certain set of common goals. Examples include standards for purity of chemicals, contents of food products, and in the computer field, structured programming practices. 2. Interoperability standards specify functions and formats so that data transmitted from one computer can be properly acted on when received by another computer.The implementation (hardware, firmware, software) or structure (integrated, isolated, interfaced layers) need not be specified in interoperability standards, since there is no intent of replacing one implementation or structure within a system with another. 3. Interface standards specify not only the function and format of data crossing the interface, but also include physical, electrical, and logical specifications sufficient to replace one implementation (device, program, component) on either side of the interface with another. 4. Implementation standards not only specify the interfaces, functions, and formats, but also the structure and the method of implementation. These may be necessary to assure that secondary characteristics such as speed, reliability, physical security, etc. also meet certain needs. Such standards are often used to permit component replacement in an overall system. Services or Applications The basic DES algorithm can be used for both data encryption and data authentication. 1. Data Encryption: It is easy to see how the DES may be used to encrypt a 64-bit plaintext input to a 64-bit cipher text output, but data are seldom limited to 64 bits. In order to use DES in a variety of cryptographic applications, four modes of operation were developed: electronic codebook (ECB); cipher feedback (CFB); cipher block chaining (CBC); and output feedback (OFB) [26] (Figs. 1-4). Each mode has its advantages and disadvantages. ECB is excellent for encrypting keys; CFB is typically used for encrypting individual characters; and OFB is often used for encrypting satellite communications. Both CBC and CFB can be used to authenticate data. These modes of operation permit the use of DES for interactive terminal to host encryption, crypto-graphic key encryption for automated key management applications, file encryption, mail encryption, satellite data encryption, and other applications. In fact, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find a cryptographic application where the DES cannot be applied. Figure 1: Electronic codebook (ECB) mode. Figure2: Cipher block chaining (CBC) mode. History of encryption In its earliest form, people have been attempting to conceal certain information that they wanted to keep to their own possession by substituting parts of the information with symbols, numbers and pictures. Ancient Babylonian merchants used intaglio, a piece of flat stone carved into a collage of images and some writing to identify themselves in trading transactions. Using this mechanism, they are producing what today we know as digital signature. The public knew that a particular signature belonged to this trader, but only he had the intaglio to produce that signature. Of course, technology today has evolved at such rapid pace that the need to protect information grows with the lessening reliability of older encryption techniques. Basic modern encryption is not much different from the ancient civilisations substitution using symbols. Translation table, lends itself very well in making a piece of data generally unreadable. However computers today are much too advanced that translation table is easily broken and thus no longer viable. Instead encryption today has grown into such specialised field that involve mathematical, non-linear cryptosystem that even a relatively powerful computers take months or even years to break the ciphertext. The origins of DES go back to the early 1970s. In 1972, after concluding a study on the US governments computer security needs, the US standards body NBS (National Bureau of Standards) now named NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) identified a need for a government-wide standard for encrypting unclassified, sensitive information.[1] Accordingly, on 15 May 1973, after consulting with the NSA, NBS solicited proposals for a cipher that would meet rigorous design criteria. None of the submissions, however, turned out to be suitable. A second request was issued on 27 August 1974. This time, IBM submitted a candidate which was deemed acceptable a cipher developed during the period 1973-1974 based on an earlier algorithm, Horst Feistels Lucifer cipher. The team at IBM involved in cipher design and analysis included Feistel, Walter Tuchman, Don Coppersmith, Alan Konheim, Carl Meyer, Mike Matyas, Roy Adler, Edna Grossman, Bill Notz, Lynn Smith, and Bryant Tuckerman. NSAs involvement in the design On 17 March 1975, the proposed DES was published in the Federal Register. Public comments were requested, and in the following year two open workshops were held to discuss the proposed standard. There was some criticism from various parties, including from public-key cryptography pioneers Martin Hellman and Whitfield Diffie, citing a shortened key length and the mysterious S-boxes as evidence of improper interference from the NSA. The suspicion was that the algorithm had been covertly weakened by the intelligence agency so that they but no-one else could easily read encrypted messages.[2] Alan Konheim (one of the designers of DES) commented, We sent the S-boxes off to Washington. They came back and were all different.[3] The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence reviewed the NSAs actions to determine whether there had been any improper involvement. In the unclassified summary of their findings, published in 1978, the Committee wrote: In the development of DES, NSA convinced IBM that a reduced key size was sufficient; indirectly assisted in the development of the S-box structures; and certified that the final DES algorithm was, to the best of their knowledge, free from any statistical or mathematical weakness.[4] However, it also found that NSA did not tamper with the design of the algorithm in any way. IBM invented and designed the algorithm, made all pertinent decisions regarding it, and concurred that the agreed upon key size was more than adequate for all commercial applications for which the DES was intended.[5] Another member of the DES team, Walter Tuchman, stated We developed the DES algorithm entirely within IBM using IBMers. The NSA did not dictate a single wire![6] In contrast, a declassified NSA book on cryptologic history states: In 1973 NBS solicited private industry for a data encryption standard (DES). The first offerings were disappointing, so NSA began working on its own algorithm. Then Howard Rosenblum, deputy director for research and engineering, discovered that Walter Tuchman of IBM was working on a modification to Lucifer for general use. NSA gave Tuchman a clearance and brought him in to work jointly with the Agency on his Lucifer modification.[7]and NSA worked closely with IBM to strengthen the algorithm against all except brute force attacks and to strengthen substitution tables, called S-boxes. Conversely, NSA tried to convince IBM to reduce the length of the key from 64 to 48 bits. Ultimately they compromised on a 56-bit key.[8] Some of the suspicions about hidden weaknesses in the S-boxes were allayed in 1990, with the independent discovery and open publication by Eli Biham and Adi Shamir of differential cryptanalysis, a general method for breaking block ciphers. The S-boxes of DES were much more resistant to the attack than if they had been chosen at random, strongly suggesting that IBM knew about the technique in the 1970s. This was indeed the case; in 1994, Don Coppersmith published some of the original design criteria for the S-boxes.[9] According to Steven Levy, IBM Watson researchers discovered differential cryptanalytic attacks in 1974 and were asked by the NSA to keep the technique secret.[10] Coppersmith explains IBMs secrecy decision by saying, that was because [differential cryptanalysis] can be a very powerful tool, used against many schemes, and there was concern that such information in the public domain could adversely affect national security. Levy quotes Walter Tuchman: [t]he asked us to st amp all our documents confidential We actually put a number on each one and locked them up in safes, because they were considered U.S. government classified. They said do it. So I did it. Bruce Schneier observed that It took the academic community two decades to figure out that the NSA tweaks actually improved the security of DES. Encryption Now a Days Industrial espionage among highly competitive businesses often requires that extensive security measures be put into place. And, those who wish to exercise their personal freedom, outside of the oppressive nature of governments, may also wish to encrypt certain information to avoid legalities that entailed possession of such. With respect to the Internet, there are many types of data and messages that people would want to be kept secret. Now that commercial trading on the Net is a reality, one of the main targets of data encryption is credit card numbers. Other information that could otherwise benefit or educate a group or individual can also be used against such groups or individuals. Security Problems That Encryption Does Not Solve While there are many good reasons to encrypt data, there are many reasons not to encrypt data. Encryption does not solve all security problems, and may make some problems worse. The following sections describe some misconceptions about encryption of stored data: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Principle 1: Encryption Does Not Solve Access Control Problems à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Principle 2: Encryption Does Not Protect Against a Malicious Database Administrator à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Principle 3: Encrypting Everything Does Not Make Data Secure Principle 1: Encryption Does Not Solve Access Control Problems Most organizations must limit data access to users who must see this data. For example, a human resources system may limit employees to viewing only their own employment records, while allowing managers of employees to see the employment records of subordinates. Human resource specialists may also need to see employee records for multiple employees. Typically, you can use access control mechanisms to address security policies that limit data access to those with a need to see it. Oracle Database has provided strong, independently evaluated access control mechanisms for many years. It enables access control enforcement to a fine level of granularity through Virtual Private Database. Because human resource records are considered sensitive information, it is tempting to think that all information should be encrypted for better security. However, encryption cannot enforce granular access control, and it may hinder data access. For example, an employee, his manager, and a human resources clerk may all need to access an employee record. If all employee data is encrypted, then all three must be able to access the data in unencrypted form. Therefore, the employee, the manager and the human resources clerk would have to share the same encryption key to decrypt the data. Encryption would, therefore, not provide any additional security in the sense of better access control, and the encryption might hinder the proper or efficient functioning of the application. An additional issue is that it is difficult to securely transmit and share encryption keys among multiple users of a system. A basic principle behind encrypting stored data is that it must not interfere with access control. For example, a user who has the SELECT privilege on emp should not be limited by the encryption mechanism from seeing all the data he is otherwise allowed to see. Similarly, there is little benefit to encrypting part of a table with one key and part of a table with another key if users must see all encrypted data in the table. In this case, encryption adds to the overhead of decrypting the data before users can read it. If access controls are implemented well, then encryption adds little additional security within the database itself. A user who has privileges to access data within the database has no more nor any less privileges as a result of encryption. Therefore, you should never use encryption to solve access control problems. Principle 2: Encryption Does Not Protect Against a Malicious Database Administrator Some organizations, concerned that a malicious user might gain elevated (database administrator) privileges by guessing a password, like the idea of encrypting stored data to protect against this threat. However, the correct solution to this problem is to protect the database administrator account, and to change default passwords for other privileged accounts. The easiest way to break into a database is by using a default password for a privileged account that an administrator allowed to remain unchanged. One example is SYS/CHANGE_ON_INSTALL. While there are many destructive things a malicious user can do to a database after gaining the DBA privilege, encryption will not protect against many of them. Examples include corrupting or deleting data, exporting user data to the file system to e-mail the data back to himself to run a password cracker on it, and so on. Some organizations are concerned that database administrators, typically having all privileges, are able to see all data in the database. These organizations feel that the database administrators should administer the database, but should not be able to see the data that the database contains. Some organizations are also concerned about concentrating so much privilege in one person, and would prefer to partition the DBA function, or enforce two-person access rules. It is tempting to think that encrypting all data (or significant amounts of data) will solve these problems, but there are better ways to protect against these threats. For example, Oracle Database supports limited partitioning of DBA privileges. Oracle Database provides native support for SYSDBA and SYSOPER users. SYSDBA has all privileges, but SYSOPER has a limited privilege set (such as startup and shutdown of the database). Furthermore, you can create smaller roles encompassing several system privileges. A jr_dba role might not include all system privileges, but only those appropriate to a junior database administrator (such as CREATE TABLE, CREATE USER, and so on). Oracle Database also enables auditing the actions taken by SYS (or SYS-privileged users) and storing that audit trail in a secure operating system location. Using this model, a separate auditor who has root privileges on the operating system can audit all actions by SYS, enabling the auditor to hold all database administrators accountable for their actions. See Auditing SYS Administrative Users for information about ways to audit database administrators. You can also fine-tune the access and control that database administrators have by using Oracle Database Vault. See Oracle Database Vault Administrators Guide for more information. The database administrator function is a trusted position. Even organizations with the most sensitive data, such as intelligence agencies, do not typically partition the database administrator function. Instead, they manage their database administrators strongly, because it is a position of trust. Periodic auditing can help to uncover inappropriate activities. Encryption of stored data must not interfere with the administration of the database, because otherwise, larger security issues can result. For example, if by encrypting data you corrupt the data, then you create a security problem, the data itself cannot be interpreted, and it may not be recoverable. You can use encryption to limit the ability of a database administrator or other privileged user to see data in the database. However, it is not a substitute for managing the database administrator privileges properly, or for controlling the use of powerful system privileges. If untrustworthy users have significant privileges, then they can pose multiple threats to an organization, some of them far more significant than viewing unencrypted credit card numbers. Principle 3: Encrypting Everything Does Not Make Data Secure A common error is to think that if encrypting some data strengthens security, then encrypting everything makes all data secure. As the discussion of the previous two principles illustrates, encryption does not address access control issues well, and it is important that encryption not interfere with normal access controls. Furthermore, encrypting an entire production database means that all data must be decrypted to be read, updated, or deleted. Encryption is inherently a performance-intensive operation; encrypting all data will significantly affect performance. Availability is a key aspect of security. If encrypting data makes data unavailable, or adversely affects availability by reducing performance, then encrypting everything will create a new security problem. Availability is also adversely affected by the database being inaccessible when encryption keys are changed, as good security practices require on a regular basis. When the keys are to be changed, the database is inaccessible while data is decrypted and re-encrypted with a new key or keys. There may be advantages to encrypting data stored off-line. For example, an organization may store backups for a period of 6 months to a year off-line, in a remote location. Of course, the first line of protection is to secure the facility storing the data, by establishing physical access controls. Encrypting this data before it is stored may provide additional benefits. Because it is not being accessed on-line, performance need not be a consideration. While an Oracle database does not provide this capability, there are vendors who provide encryption services. Before embarking on large-scale encryption of backup data, organizations considering this approach should thoroughly test the process. It is essential to verify that data encrypted before off-line storage can be decrypted and re-imported successfully. Advantages EFS technology makes it so that files encrypted by one user cannot be opened by another user if the latter does not possess appropriate permissions. After encryption is activated, the file remains encrypted in any storage location on the disk, regardless of where it is moved. Encryption is can be used on any files, including executables. The user with permission to decrypt a file is able to work with the file like with any other, without experiencing any restrictions or difficulties. Meanwhile, other users receive a restricted access notification when they attempt to access the EFS encrypted file. This approach is definitely very convenient. The user gets the opportunity to reliably and quickly (using standard means) limit access to confidential information for other household members or colleagues who also use the computer. EFS seems like an all-around winning tool, but this is not the case. Data encrypted using this technology can be entirely lost, for example during operating system reinstallation. We should remember that the files on disk are encrypted using the FEK (File Encryption Key), which is stored in their attributes. FEK is encrypted using the master key, which in turn is encrypted using the respective keys of the system users with access to the file. The user keys themselves are encrypted with the users password hashes, and the password hashes use the SYSKEY security feature. This chain of encryption, according to EFS developers, should reliably protect data, but in practice, as explained below, the protection can be ultimately reduced to the good old login-pass-word combination. Thanks to this encryption chain, if the password is lost or reset, or if the operating system fails or is reinstalled, it becomes impossible to gain access to the EFS-encrypted files on the drive. In fact, access can be lost irreversibly. Regular users do not fully understand how EFS works and often pay for it when they lose their data. Microsoft has issued EFS documentation that explains how it works and the main issues that may be encountered when encrypting, but these are difficult for regular users to understand, and few read the documentation before starting to work. Data Encryption Challenges In cases where encryption can provide additional security, there are some associated technical challenges, as described in the following sections: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encrypting Indexed Data à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Generating Encryption Keys à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Transmitting Encryption Keys à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Storing Encryption Keys à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Changing Encryption Keys à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encrypting Binary Large Objects Encrypting Indexed Data Special difficulties arise when encrypted data is indexed. For example, suppose a company uses a national identity number, such as the U.S. Social Security number (SSN), as the employee number for its employees. The company considers employee numbers to be sensitive data, and, therefore, wants to encrypt data in the employee_number column of the employees table. Because employee_number contains unique values, the database designers want to have an index on it for better performance. However, if DBMS_CRYPTO or the DBMS_OBFUSCATION_TOOLKIT (or another mechanism) is used to encrypt data in a column, then an index on that column will also contain encrypted values. Although an index can be used for equality checking (for example, SELECT * FROM emp WHERE employee_number = 987654321), if the index on that column contains encrypted values, then the index is essentially unusable for any other purpose. You should not encrypt indexed data. Oracle recommends that you do not use national identity numbers as unique IDs. Instead, use the CREATE SEQUENCE statement to generate unique identity numbers. Reasons to avoid using national identity numbers are as follows: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There are privacy issues associated with overuse of national identity numbers (for example, identity theft). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sometimes national identity numbers can have duplicates, as with U.S. Social Security numbers. Generating Encryption Keys Encrypted data is only as secure as the key used for encrypting it. An encryption key must be securely generated using secure cryptographic key generation. Oracle Database provides support for secure random number generation, with the RANDOMBYTES function of DBMS_CRYPTO. (This function replaces the capabilities provided by the GetKey procedure of the earlier DBMS_OBFUSCATION_TOOLKIT.) DBMS_CRYPTO calls the secure random number generator (RNG) previously certified by RSA Security. Note: Do not use the DBMS_RANDOM package. The DBMS_RANDOM package generates pseudo-random numbers, which, as Randomness Recommendations for Security (RFC-1750) states that using pseudo-random processes to generate secret quantities can result in pseudo-security. Be sure to provide the correct number of bytes when you encrypt a key value. For example, you must provide a 16-byte key for the ENCRYPT_AES128 encryption algorithm. Transmitting Encryption Keys If the encryption key is to be passed by the application to the database, then you must encrypt it. Otherwise, an intruder could get access to the key as it is being transmitted. Network encryption, such as that provided by Oracle Advanced Security, protects all data in transit from modification or interception, including cryptographic keys. Storing Encryption Keys Storing encryption keys is one of the most important, yet difficult, aspects of encryption. To recover data encrypted with a symmetric key, the key must be accessible to an authorized application or user seeking to decrypt the data. At the same time, the key must be inaccessible to someone who is maliciously trying to access encrypted data that he is not supposed to see. The options available to a developer are: Storing the Encryption Keys in the Database Storing the Encryption Keys in the Operating System Users Managing Their Own Encryption Keys Using Transparent Database Encryption and Table space Encryption Storing the Encryption Keys in the Database Storing the keys in the database cannot always provide infallible security if you are trying to protect against the database administrator accessing encrypted data. An all-privileged database administrator could still access tables containing encryption keys. However, it can often provide good security against the casual curious user or against someone compromising the database file on the operating system. As a trivial example, suppose you create a table (EMP) that contains employee data. You want to encrypt the employee Social Security number (SSN) stored in one of the columns. You could encrypt employee SSN using a key that is stored in a separate column. However, anyone with SELECT access on the entire table could retrieve the encryption key and decrypt the matching SSN. While this encryption scheme seems easily defeated, with a little more effort you can create a solution that is much harder to break. For example, you could encrypt the SSN using a technique that performs some additional data transformation on the employee_number before using it to encrypt the SSN. This technique might be as simple as using an XOR operation on the employee_number and the birth date of the employee to determine the validity of the values. As additional protection, PL/SQL source code performing encryption can be wrapped, (using the WRAP utility) which obfuscates (scrambles) the code. The WRAP utility processes an input SQL file and obfuscates the PL/SQL units in it. For example, the following command uses the keymanage.sql file as the input: wrap iname=/mydir/keymanage.sql A developer can subsequently have a function in the package call the DBMS_OBFUSCATION_TOOLKIT with the key contained in the wrapped package. Oracle Database enables you to obfuscate dynamically generated PL/SQL code. The DBMS_DDL package contains two subprograms that allow you to obfuscate dynamically generated PL/SQL program units. For example, the following block uses the DBMS_DDL.CREATE_WRAPPED procedure to wrap dynamically generated PL/SQL code. BEGIN SYS.DBMS_DDL.CREATE_WRAPPED (function_returning_PLSQL_code()); END; While wrapping is not unbreakable, it makes it harder for an intruder to get access to the encryption key. Even in cases where a different key is supplied for each encrypted data value, you should not embed the key value within a package. Instead, wrap the package that performs the key management (that is, data transformation or padding). An alternative to wrapping the data is to have a separate table in which to store the encryption key and to envelope the call to the keys table with a procedure. The key table can be joined to the data table using a primary key to foreign key relationship. For example, employee_number is the primary key in the employees table that stores employee information and the encrypted SSN. The employee_number column is a foreign key to the ssn_keys table that stores the encryption keys for the employee SSN. The key stored in the ssn_keys table can also be transformed before use (by using an XOR operation), so the key itself is not stored unencrypted. If you wrap the procedure, then that can hide the way in which the keys are transformed before use. The strengths of this approach are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Users who have direct table access cannot see the sensitive data unencrypted, nor can they retrieve the keys to decrypt the data. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Access to decrypted data can be controlled through a procedure that selects the encrypted data, retrieves the decryption key from the key table, and transforms it before it can be used to decrypt the data. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The data transformation algorithm is hidden from casual snooping by wrapping the procedure, which obfuscates the procedure code. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ SELECT access to both the data table and the keys table does not guarantee that the user with this access can decrypt the data, because the key is transformed before use. The weakness to this approach is that a user who has SELECT access to both the key table and the data table, and who can derive the key transformation algorithm, can break the encryption scheme. The preceding approach is not infallible, but it is adequate to protect against easy retrieval of sensitive information stored in clear text. Storing the Encryption Keys in the Operating System Storing keys in a flat file in the operating system is another option. Oracle Database enables you to make callouts from PL/SQL, which you could use to retrieve encryption keys. However, if you store keys in the operating system and make callouts to it, then your data is only as secure as the protection on the operating system. If your primary security concern is that the database can be broken into from the operating system, then storing the keys in the operating system makes it easier for an intruder to retrieve encrypted data than storing the keys in the database itself. Users Managing Their Own Encryption Keys Using Transparent Database Encryption and Table space Encryption Transparent database encryption and table space encryption provide secu

Classification Essay - Cats :: Classification Essays

There are three types of domestic cats: indoor domestic cats, outdoor domestic cats, and indoor-outdoor domestic cats. Though these cats would look very similar if they were clean and sitting next to each other, they would also be very different. Indoor cats are generally very clean, since they do not have to work for their food. The excess time allows them to clean and pamper themselves on a daily basis. The fact that they are usually fed on regular intervals makes an indoor cat overweight. The cats know that they can sleep all day and still get fed once or more times a day. Also, since the cats do not work for their food, they lose their exercise time. It makes it impossible for them to burn off any extra calories they may have gotten. This type of cat generally likes a lot of human contact, since humans are the ones who pamper and feed the cats. They are use to this contact, which makes them not scared of humans. For the most indoor cats, a person does not have to worry about getting a disease from them, since the cat probably is taken to the veterinarian on a regular basis. Outdoor cats usually are pretty scraggly looking. The fact that they have to work for all of their food causes them to get more dirty and does not allow them the time to clean themselves everyday. They are much skinnier and are in much better shape. These cats are awake all day long looking for food and avoiding the everyday obstacles of an outdoor cat. This allows them to get plenty of exercise, but not always enough food. Outdoor cats are not usually people friendly. They are not around humans, so that they do not depend on humans enough to be friendly with people. It is probably a good thing that these types of cats do not like a lot of human contact, since more outdoor cats unlike indoor cats have not had their shots. This does not insure that they are free from diseases, so a person does not know if this cat has a disease or not. An indoor-outdoor cat is a combination of the previous two types of cats. These cats are also generally clean looking cats that are semi-dependent on humans for their food.

Dell Corporation

Dell Corporation 1. Introduction A . Company History In 1983, Michael Dell, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Texas at Austin, Spent his evenings and weekends pre-formatting hard disks for IBM-compatible PC upgrades. A year later, he dropped out of college to continue with his rapidly expanding business, which had grown from zero to $6 million in 1985, simply by upgrading IBM compatibles for local businesses. In 1985, Dell shifted its focus to assembling it own brand of computers which led to a dramatic growth of the business, with $70 million in sales at the end of 1985.By the year 1990 sales had grown to more than $500 million and Dell was able to supply a number of Fortune 500 Companies. The company now had a broad product line of desktop and portable computers with Intel processors and had earned a strong reputation for quality products and service. Throughout the company’s history, a big part of Dell’s success was due to its unique and distinctive  "Dell Direct Model. † This model took efficiency to new heights by eliminating the intermediaries between maker and user of PC’s and lowered costs by eliminating inventory with the help of an efficient supply-chain management system and internet sales.Today, as the world’s largest PC manufacturer, Dell Computer Corporation offers a great variety of computing products directly to customers, with build-to-order systems and Comprehensive services that fulfill the needs of its customers. Dell’s customers range from Major corporations to individuals all over the world. Efficient cash management has enabled Dell to have both extremely high inventory returns and a â€Å"negative cash conversion cycle. † This cash flow system permits Dell to pass on cost savings to customers in the form of lower prices for the best technology available.These competitive advantages have helped the company achieve a solid cash position with outstanding liquidity B.. In search of a company culture The culture at Dell had always been driven by a continuous program to drive down costs And improve the â€Å"customer experience. † Facts were more important and more highly valued than emotions and personal feelings. As the company grew and succeeded, the company culture that pushed the drive to be number one and to make a personal fortune was based solely on economic terms.But in the year 2000, Dell’s margins in the hardware business began to decline due to a slowing demand for PC’s and a price war with competitors. Investors were disappointed, layoffs were frequent, and employees began to wonder why they worked in a high-tech industry, and why they worked for Dell. Kevin Rollins was aware that all great companies have great cultures. They have a Purpose and a leadership model. Aware of an urgent need to define his company’s culture, he Looked for inspiration, reading books on Franklin, Jefferson, Monroe, and Washington.He soon dis covered that what the founding fathers of the United States believed in went well beyond logic. They were passionate, very idealistic, and had a vision that exceeded their personal gain and involved the risk of losing their lives. Mr. Rollins found this remarkable, and it caused him to think about the country’s soul and its leaders. He believed this was an â€Å"interesting paradigm for a company to examine, as opposed to simply adopting the business paradigm. † With this foundation, he began to develop what became known as The Soul of Dell. C. . Key Players Michael Dell is the founder and CEO of Dell Computers.During the past 18 years, he Has grown the company’s sales from $6 Million to $33. 7 Billion and opened sales offices Worldwide, employing more than 38,000 people around the world. In 1992, Michael Dell Became the youngest CEO of a company to be ranked as a Fortune 500 firm. He has been Honored in numerous occasions for his vision and leadership. One of t he main goals for his Company is to double company profits by 2005 Kevin Rollins became Dell’s President and Chief Operating Officer in March of 2001. Before then, he was president of Dell Americas. He managed all company operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America.During Mr. Rollins’ tenure at Dell, the Company has gone through a dramatic growth process increasing revenues from $5 Billion to $31 billion in just five years. Before joining the company, he functioned as vice president and Managing partner of Bain & Company Management Consultants, where he specialized in Corporate strategy and the management of high-tech companies. With his development of The Soul of Dell, he would like people to refer to Dell as a place where respect, integrity, honesty, and forthrightness are valued. Elizabeth Allen is currently the vice president of Corporate Communications at Dell.Her Responsibilities include the direction and global management of Dell’s corporate communications functions, including media relations, employee communication, and liaison with brand and product advertising divisions. Allen has spent more 20 years of her career in corporate communications. Before joining Dell, she was vice president of corporate communications at Staples Inc. , where she expanded investor, government, community and media relations. Previously, she worked for Raytheon Company and Loral Corporation as vice president of corporate communications in each.Allen has the responsibility of diffusing The Soul of Dell both inside the company and externally. 2. Current situation A. Vision statement It’s the way we do business. It's the way we interact with the community. It's the way we interpret the world around us– our customers needs, the future of technology, and the global business climate. Whatever changes the future may bring our vision — Dell Vision —    will be our guiding force. So Dell needs full customer sat isfaction. In order to become the most successful computer company, they need the newest technology and loyal customers. B.Mission Statement Dell's mission is to be the most successful Computer Company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. In doing so, Dell will meet customer expectations of: †¢Highest quality †¢Leading technology †¢Competitive pricing †¢Individual and company accountability †¢Best-in-class service and support †¢Flexible customization capability †¢Superior corporate citizenship †¢Financial stability 1- Customer The customer of dell according to the mission statement is the whole world because their aim is to be the most successful computer company in the world 2- MarketDue to the point that Dell wants to be the most successful computer company in the world it is automatically understood that their market is the whole world 3- Concern for profitability and growth Due to aiming to conquer t he whole world their will always be a place for growth which leads to more profitability 4- Concern for employees The mission statement does not talk at all about the employees I think this is the only flaw in the mission statement but if a company has such big goals the employees must be very qualified especially in this filed. The filed of computers because it is very competitive market with the other competitors. . Philosophy: From day one, Dell has built his company up on the premise that what the customer says goes. When he first started Dell Computer at the age of 19 in his University of Texas dorm room, Dell says his concept was simple: buy parts, assemble them, and sell the finished products directly to customers. He effectively eliminated big distributors and was able to reduce the end price he could charge. â€Å"You tell us what you want – how fast you want the programs to operate, how much memory, how expandable – and we will build it for you and ship it o ut, usually within three days,† he says. And if ever you have a question or a problem about your system, you call us direct. We take direct responsibility for the complete satisfaction of each and every customer. † After his company had been in business for three years, Dell created the industry’s first on-site-service program. If there was a problem with your computer, you didn’t have to return to the store to have it looked at. You simply called Dell and a serviceman would come to your house and fix it. â€Å"That was a pretty important plus because we didn’t have any stores,† Dell jokingly recalls.Dell claims that his company operates on a relatively simple concept: â€Å"The most important thing is to satisfy our customers,† he says. â€Å"The second most important is to be profitable. If we don't do the first one well, the second one won't happen. † Thus, the focus of his company remains on concrete issues, such as improving delivery time, cutting operating costs and maintaining customer service. Dell believes in the importance of adding value â€Å"beyond the box†, looking at the customer’s total experience. To this end, he often aligns his company with complementary partners for increased efficiency.Today, Dell builds computers only in response to orders that the company has actually received from users, either by phone or the Internet. Users are able to dictate the company’s supply, relieving Dell of the risk that comes along with trying to predict market demand in the extremely unpredictable computer industry. Because Dell customizes its products, the company is also able to provide unmatched levels of customer service. For instance, on October 27, 1997, after the Asian economic crisis overwhelmed Nasdaq’s online trading site, Nasdaq called Dell, which proceeded to build eight custom-made PowerEdge servers in just 36 hours.Three days later, they were up and running for N asdaq. By prioritizing his customers, Dell was rewarded with their business and loyalty. http://www. evancarmichael. com/Famous-Entrepreneurs/646/Lesson-2-Develop-a-CustomerFocused-Philosophy. html 6. Concern for public image The point that â€Å"Dell's mission is to be the most successful Computer Company in the world† means only one thing and that is the public image for the company must be very good not only domestically but also internationally. 7. Production servicesThe way how dell operates is actually a very smart way to cut of cost and inventory accounting wise leading to more profit for the company also the quote â€Å"Best-in-class service and support† convinces you that any service this company does can only be the best. 8. Technology Technology plays a very important role for dell simply because of the nature of the business. The computer filed is all about technology and service that is what gives any company the edge of survival in this filed so technolog y must be very high. â€Å"Leading technology†, http://www. samples-help. org. uk/mission-statements/dell-mission-statement. htm http://retailindustry. bout. com/od/topusretailcompanies/p/dellincprofile. htm C. Values statement Extending Our Global Success Leadership. Performance. A commitment to expansion. These are the principles that have secured our success in the marketplace and enhanced our ability to anticipate and address the industry’s needs. Our unique position as a technology leader ensures that you’ll always be challenged in your work and supported in reaching your most ambitious goals. [pic][pic][pic][pic] Showing results 1-2 of 2 1. Collaboration. Ambition. A commitment to unique solutions. When you work at Dell, you embody these principles every day. 2.Commitment to Diversity Collaboration. Empowerment. Opportunity. These are the tenets of Dell's strong commitment to diversity. http://content. dell. com/us/en/corp/careers-our-values. aspx D. Dell policies 1. Dell Global Environmental Policy Dell aspires to be a company in which environmental excellence is a priority in  everything we do. Our goal is to fully integrate environmental stewardship into the business of providing quality products, best-in-class services and the best customer experience at the best value. http://content. dell. com/us/en/corp/d/corporate~corp-comm~en/Documents~dell-global-environmental-policy. df. aspx 2. Global social media policy Scope This Global Policy on Social Media (Policy) is a Corporate Compliance Policy and applies to all Dell employees, employees of any Dell subsidiary, assigned workers, as well as to third parties performing services on Dell's behalf (hereinafter collectively referred to as â€Å"You†). For employees, compliance with this Policy is an expectation of employment (subject to local legal requirements). For assigned workers and third parties, compliance with this Policy is a condition of access to Dell facilities and resources, and of being permitted to perform services forDell. Definitions for capitalized terms used in this Policy may be found at the end of the Policy. Purpose Dell recognizes that Social Media tools such as blogs, micro-blogs, online forums, content-sharing Websites and other digital channels established for online interaction and connection are increasingly used to: promote Dell to colleagues, customers, the media and other Dell stakeholders; and/or share personal opinions and participate in online dialogue as individuals.The purpose of this Policy is to establish standards and expectations regarding any Dell-related use of Social Media. Dell's commitment to being direct, supports open communications, provided such communications adhere to this Policy. Policy Statement You must adhere to the following when engaging in Social Media: †¢ Appropriate Use of Information Technology Resources. Dell's Information Technology (IT) resources are company property dedicated to achiev ing Dell's business objectives. Inappropriate use is not acceptable.This includes, but is not limited to, using Dell IT assets to post offensive material on content-sharing websites, publish defamatory remarks about colleagues or customers on web forums or blogs, and leaking Confidential Information. †¢ Speaking On Behalf of Dell. Blogging and other online dialogue are far-reaching forms of communication; distribution is meant for a vast public audience. Information purported to be published by Dell contained within blogs and other Websites could have a negative impact to Dell and our stakeholders, with potential legal implications.Unless You have successfully completed Dell's Social Media training courses and have been certified to speak on behalf of the company  using Social Media, You shall never claim to be speaking on behalf of Dell or expressing an official company position in such communications. †¢ Ethical Conduct. You shall not conduct activities that are illega l or contrary to Dell's Code of Conduct, Privacy Statement Regarding Customer and Online User Information, or other Dell policies. Always respect the dignity and privacy of colleagues, customers, other Dell stakeholders and Dell competitors.Harassing, intimidating, offensive, abusive, threatening, menacing or hostile content communicated through blogs and other online communications is prohibited. Data related to others, including, but not limited to, personal details and pictures, shall only be posted with that party's consent. †¢ Transparency of Origin. You shall disclose Your connection to Dell in all communications with customers, the media or other Dell stakeholders when speaking on behalf of Dell (if authorized to do so) or discussing or recommending Dell or its products or services (even when doing so in Your personal capacity).You must also provide Your Dell contact information upon request. Unless you are certified to speak on behalf of Dell, You should make it clear t hat the opinions are Yours alone and do not necessarily reflect Dell's views or positions. †¢ Accurate Information. Never knowingly communicate information that is untrue or deceptive. Communications shall be based on current, accurate, complete and relevant data. Dell will take all reasonable steps to assure the validity of information communicated  using any channel but it is Your responsibility to assure accuracy in the first instance.Anecdotes and opinions shall be identified as such. †¢ Protection of Confidential Information. You shall protect Confidential Information as such information represents one of Dell's most important assets. It is never appropriate to share, post, publish or otherwise disclose Confidential Information unless You are explicitly authorized to do so. You must respect securities and financial disclosure laws, and must not post or otherwise comment in any capacity on Confidential Information that may be considered financial information (such as earnings, future business performance, business plans or prospects). Accountability. You will be held accountable for the information You share in online activities. Be careful what You share, publish, post or otherwise disclose. You are personally responsible for what You share and should remember that anything You post may be public for an indefinite period of time (even if You attempt to modify or delete). Try to ensure Your online communications reflect Dell's brand attributes of openness, responsiveness, integrity and optimism. Procedures and Training Dell has adopted training materials to assist You in complying with this Policy.Dell's Social Media  and Communities (SMaC) Team will deliver role-appropriate training. Asking Questions You are encouraged to ask any questions You may have about this Policy. To learn more about how to use Social Media in accordance with this Policy, contact Dell's SMaC Team at [email  protected] com. You may also ask Your leader or Human Resou rces representative, or contact the Global Ethics  and Compliance Office at [email  protected] com, or the Legal Department. Reporting and Investigation It is very important that You immediately report any suspicious behavior regarding Dell employees or Dell third parties.To report known or suspected violations of this Policy, contact your leader or another member of management, your Human Resources representative, an Ethics  and Compliance team member, or call the Ethics Helpline, a confidential toll-free, third party-operated telephone service, You may also submit a report  using the Ethicsline, a confidential Web-based online reporting vehicle. Reports made  using the telephone Helpline or the Web-based Ethicsline may be made anonymously where permitted by local law. Anyone reporting a suspected or actual violation of this Policy is protected from retaliation under Dell's Code of Conduct.All good faith allegations of violations of this Policy will be fully and confident ially investigated pursuant to Dell's Global Policy on Raising and Investigating Potential Ethics  and Compliance Violations. You are required to cooperate with all investigations of alleged Policy violations. Discipline and Other Consequences Employees who violate this Policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action or other remedial measures up to and including termination of employment if warranted under the circumstances and permissible under applicable law.Assigned workers and third parties who violate this Policy are subject to being denied access to Dell facilities, personnel and assets, and permission to perform services on Dell's behalf. Waivers The provisions of this policy cannot be waived. Dell management does not have the authority to approve waivers to this Policy. Revision and Revocation This Policy is not a contract between Dell and any employee, assigned worker, or third party. This Policy may be revised or revoked by Dell at any time, without advance no tice or cause. Local Policies and ProceduresDell operates in many countries and it is Dell's intention to comply with all applicable legal requirements. Accordingly, if a provision of this Policy conflicts with applicable local legal requirements, Dell will follow the local legal requirement (provided the local requirement does not conflict with U. S. law). In addition, Dell may adopt regional or country-specific policies on this subject to accommodate local conditions or legal requirements, and will inform employees in the applicable region or country of the terms of any such policy. DefinitionsConfidential Information  Ã¢â‚¬â€ Important or valuable business information that is not available to the public. It includes trade secrets and other intellectual property that has been developed, licensed or acquired by Dell. It can also include information of customers, business partners or others that has been disclosed to Dell under obligations of confidentiality. Examples include una nnounced financial information, strategic business plans, unannounced product or services and solutions offerings, planned or contemplated mergers or acquisitions, lawsuits and other legal proceedings, roduct design and technical knowledge, customer and team member personal information. Social Media  Ã¢â‚¬â€ Web-based technologies used to broadcast messages and participate in dialogues. Examples of Social Media software applications on the Internet include social networking applications such as Facebook; video-sharing applications such as YouTube; micro-blogging applications such as Twitter; collaboration applications such as Wikipedia; and Dell's official corporate blog, Direct2Dell. Examples of Social Media applications used within Dell are Dell's internal blog, One Dell Way, and Dell's internal networking tool, Chatter.Global Policy on Social Media Effective Date: August 5, 2010 http://content. dell. com/us/en/corp/d/corp-comm/social-media-policy. aspx 3. Privacy and Data Secu rity At Dell, your right to privacy and data security is a primary concern. That's why, when you visit dell. com, we help you maintain control over your personal data on the Internet. Below are the guidelines we use for protecting the information you provide us during a visit to our Internet sites (www. dell. com/ap) or when you use our online support offerings such as support. ap. dell. com.Other Dell and Dell Co-branded sites may operate under their own privacy and security policies. 3. External scanning A. PEST ANALYSIS PEST analysis is very important that an organization considers its environment before beginning the marketing process. In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. The organization's marketing environment is made up from: PEST analysis stands for â€Å"Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis† and describes a framework of macro environmental factors used in environmental scanning.It is also referred t o as the STEP, STEEP or PESTLE analysis (Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological, Legal, and Ethical). It is a part of the external analysis when doing market research and gives a certain overview of the different macro environmental factors that the company has to take into consideration. Political factors include areas such as tax policy, employment laws, environmental regulations, trade restrictions and tariffs and political stability. The economic factors are the economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and inflation rate.Social factors often look at the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. The technological factors also include ecological and environmental aspects and can determine the barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. It looks at elements such as R&D activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate o f technological change. The internal environment e. g. staff (or internal customers), office technology, wages and finance, etc.The microenvironment e. g. our external customers, agents and distributors, suppliers, our competitors, etc. The macro-environment e. g. Political (and legal) forces, Economic forces, Socio cultural forces, and Technological forces. These are known as PEST factors. Political Factors The political arena has a huge influence upon the regulation of businesses, and the spending power of consumers and other businesses. You must consider issues such as: .How stable is the political environment? For example what is happening because of 25 of January revolution? Will government policy influence laws that regulate or tax your business? .What is the government's position on marketing ethics? And this is not clear in Egypt those days What is the government's policy on the economy? Does the government have a view on culture and religion? Is the government involved in t rading agreements such as EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, or others? Economic Factors Marketers need to consider the state of a trading economy in the short and long-terms. This is especially true when planning for international marketing. You need to look at: . Interest rates 2. The level of inflation Employment level per capital Sociocultural Factors The social and cultural influences on business vary from country to country. It is very important that such factors are considered. Factors include: l. What is the dominant religion? 2. What are attitudes to foreign products and services? 3. Does language impact upon the diffusion of products onto markets? 4. How much time do consumers have for leisure? 5. What are the roles of men and women within society? 6. How long are the population living?Are the older generations wealthy? 7. Do the population have a strong/weak opinion on green issues? Technological Factors Technology is vital for competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization . Consider the following points: 1. Does technology allow for products and services to be made more cheaply and to a better standard of quality? 2. Do the technologies offer consumers and businesses more innovative products and services such as Internet banking, new generation mobile telephones, etc? 3. How is distribution changed by new technologies e. g. ooks via the Internet, flight tickets, auctions, etc? 4. Does technology offer companies a new way to communicate with consumers e. g. banners, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), etc? http://www. nishanw. org/Corporate%20Strategy%20lession%202%20tools. doc B. Porter’s model 1. New entrants:- From the point of view of Dell this is considered a low risk simply because to enter a market like this you need a lot of capital, to start up and to get the latest technology. Seconded of all there are a lot of established companies in this field so entering it would be nearly impossible. ttp://www. photopla. net/wwp0503/entry. ph p 2. Rivalry:- Rivalry will always exist in such a market because there are lot of establish competitors such as HP, Sony, Toshiba. And many more. www. csus. edu/indiv/h/†¦ /ComputerIndustryAnalysis8-06. ppt – 3. Threat of substitute products:- In the computer filed you would think there are no substitute products. It matters on exactly what the customer wants if the customer wants a computer just to serf the internet there are substitute products. Like the high tech mobiles and I-Pad.However if the consumer uses a computer to play games or other things computer a pretty much the only product you can buy to do these stuff therefor the computer becomes a nessatiy . In the case of dell laptops are not considered a substitute products compared to the normal Personal computer. Due to that dell is one of the main players in the computer market and are aiming to be the best in all computers as to oppose of Gamma or Philips for example. http://www. vodafone. co. uk/personal/ind ex. htm 4. Bargaining power of buyers:-The consumer or buyer in this case has a lot of power therefore any company that wants to serve has to play by one rule an that rule is. To produce a product at the lowest cost possible selling that same product at the highest cost possible. The highest cost possible is the selling price your competitors sell there product. Consider if you will that the cost the competitor sells his product that to be your ceiling of a price there for you will always find that competitors all there prices are very close if not even the same.Only if there is a huge difference in quality. 5. Bargaining power of suppliers. As for suppliers bargaining power this is a very high risk for any company because a supplier may rise prices or less the quality of the product. There for it is a must for every company to have an excellent relation with its supplier. Relative power or other stakeholders Governments play a big role on any company with law and Terries and so on there for it might not be that easy to enter a new market. C. Strategic groupsIn the case of dell or in general the computer industry you will find that there are a lot of players in the market such as Sony, HP, Compaq, all of these companies just mentioned all work under the IBM Bracket as to oppose of apple which uses Macintosh a completely different operation system. This is more used by advanced users such as engineers and musicians. So from by point of view if we were to compare price of the final product and quality you will find Apple in the top right while dell and all the others will be under apple also on the right because dell always thrive on the highest quality product. pic] D. Strategic types Dell is a reactor company because in this filed of computers all of them work as a reactor company simply because all what dell does is that is manufactures and assembles the computer the only thing that changes in this field is the technology and power of the computer example for the companies that create that technology is Intel and AMD E. Issue priority Matrix Impact on organizationHigh Medium Low | | | | | |Medium priority | |Increasing Turn over |high | | |High priority |rate | | | | | | | |Low priority |Financial crisis |High priority |Medium | | | |Medium priority | | |Swine flu |Low priority | |low | Probability of occurrence The issue priority matrix is a matrix that helps you measure the priority of external factors and its effect on the organization. the financial crisis have a medium level of occurrence, while it have a medium priority, while the swine flu has a low level of occurrence with a low priority, the rate of turn over rate has a high priority with a high rate of occurrence. F. Industry success matrix In the industry we have decided to place all the direct competitors in our bubble according to the Strategic groups. Picking only 3 companies for convenience Key factors |weight |Dell |score |sony |score | |1 | Increased internet |. 20 |3 | . 6 |Increases dell profit | | |access in Egypt | | | |by reaching more | | | | | | |customers | |2 |Outsourcing |. 05 |4 |. |Improve the quality of | | | | | | |services offered by | | | | | | |dell | |3 |Ecommerce |. 10 |4 |. 4 |Increasing profits | | | | | | |through usage of dell | | | | | | |direct model | |4 |Maintaining Low Price |. 05 |2 |. 1 |Questionable as it's an| | Leadership | | | |old strategy used for | | | | | | |companies in growth | | | | | | |stage | |THREATS | |THREATS | | | | |1 |I. T. Advancement |. 0 |4 |. 8 |Well positioned | |2 |Price Wars |. 10 |3 |. 3 |Questionable | |3 |Strong Brands in The |. 10 |3 |. 3 |Dell brand name is also| | |Market (IBM) | | | |a strong ones | |4 |HP / Compaq Merger | . 20 |4 |. |Well positioned | |Total |1. 00 |3. 5 | | | | The 3. 50 WEIGHTED SCORE in Dell’s EFE Matrix is above average and represents that Dell is responding in an excellent way to its opportunities and threats in the I. T industry. In other words we can c onclude that Dell’s strategies efficiently and effectively take advantage of its opportunities and take serious steps to minimize the potential threats. http://www. ijazconsulting. com/uploads/Dell-Strategic_Case-Analysis_by_Ijaz_and_Muffich. pdf 4. Internal scanning A. Organizational structureDell Corporation’s organizational structure is a functional, decentralized structure. The company encourages different departments and functional components to contribute ideas to enhance the strength of the organization. The hierarchical structure provides defines the various functions provided by Dell Corporation, including Business Development, Education, and Global. A decentralized structure provides more learning availability for all members of the enterprise, as decisions come from various levels; in contrast, the centralized structure has more of the decision-making coming from the upper levels of the enterprise, such as the CEO and Vice Presidents.In the divisional organi zation, every division has its own groups to support that specific division (such as purchasing units and human resources units). [pic] 2. Culture: |Dell believes in being direct in everything we do. Our ultimate success is based on maintaining direct | |relationships built on trust. Our relationships with diverse partners help us reach multicultural consumer groups| |across the world and recruit the best and brightest talent to achieve success in the marketplace. | |Dell's Winning Culture and comprehensive diversity initiatives create a corporate environment based on | |meritocracy, personal achievement and equal access to all available opportunities.We focus our internal efforts | |on cultivating and promoting best practices among our global workforce in the areas of policy development, | |training, recruitment, mentoring, development, advancement and culture change. Furthermore, our Work/Life | |Effectiveness and career management programs enhance our ability to retain and develo p valuable team members and | |demonstrate our commitment to the Dell Team. | |Networking Groups | |Dell sponsors a community of networking groups formed by employees with common interests in areas such as | |ethnicity, gender, nationality, lifestyle, and sexual orientation.These groups offer Dell employees the | |opportunity to network with other employees from around the company, while providing encouragement and an | |enhanced sense of belonging through informal mentoring, professional and community events and access to personal | |and professional development and growth. Additionally, networking groups help foster a more inclusive work | |environment, improve communication among employees and enhance understanding of all employees about the value of | |diversity. | |Networking Groups currently chartered: | |BRIDGE – Building Relationships in Diverse Group Environments (African-American Networking Group) | |W. I. S. E. Women In Search of Excellence | |aDellante – Hispanic Networking Group | |PRIDE – Partnering for Respect of Individuality in the Dell Environment (A Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & | |Straight Alliance) | |A. I. M. – Asians in Motion | | | |Work/Life Effectiveness | |At Dell, our people are our most valuable asset and we are committed to fostering a culture that exhibits this | |value. Our goal is to enable employees to maximize their contribution to the company while also maintaining | |effectiveness between their work and personal lives.We advocate flexibility in the workplace to empower | |employees, teams and managers to hold discussions about both the needs of the business and each employee's | |individual Work/Life Effectiveness goals, and then to construct a plan for fulfilling both priorities. As | |individual circumstances vary, solutions that enable flexibility can be different, including informal and formal | |flexible work arrangements such as variable daily work times, work-from-home, and par t-time work arrangements. | |Additionally, Dell offers corporate employee resources that enable employees to better manage their Work/Life | |situations, such as: | |Employee Assistance Program | |Dependent Care ReferralResources | |Mothers Rooms | |Staying Well at Dell Initiatives like â€Å"Weight Watchers at Work† | | | | | | | | | | | |Career Management Program | |Dell is committed to developing our workforce and helping employees achieve their personal and professional best. | |Through an intensive, six-month Career Management Program, we strive to develop, fully engage, and retain | |high-performing talent. Specifically, participants in the program spend 6-8 hours per month developing and | |strengthening network and mentoring relationships; engaging in new activities; and exploring new assignments or | |positions at Dell. Managers participate in a kickoff session and a mid-program discussion with the coach and | |participant, in addition to holding monthly career- related discussions with participants. | http://www. dell. com/content/topics/global. spx/corp/diversity/en/culture? c=us=en 3. Resources (Value chain): 1. Typical value chain |Raw materials | |Primary | |manufacturing | |Fabrication | |Distributor | |Retailer | In this case dell here saves a lot of cost compared to any other competitor in the market simply because dell acts as a distributor and retailer, leading to a huge reduction of cost. As it is dells signature to deliver their product right to your door as ordered over the internet. This is how it works in America but of course this does not occur here in Egypt. As here in Egypt it only seems enough to have the name dell in the market.This point has many other factors because here in Egypt the income level is lower than in the America so people here such as my self for example would rather want to customize his personal computer. Rather than buying a brand name. 2. Corporate Value chain [pic] Dell Company here in Egypt doesnâ €™t work as a full company, but only works in Egypt as a distributor only. The company works with agents and people have the possibility to buy through the internet as the company use its direct model to deliver customized products anywhere in the world. Dell Company has 2 of the primary activities here in Egypt they are marketing and sales, and services. Marketing and sales:I have seen with my own eyes that Dell Company does marketing activities to increase awareness and sales in booths in computer mall Also they provide discounts on their products to increase sales. Services There are for any dell products after sales services and repair possibilities incase anything could go wrong with a dell computer. IFAS |Internal Factor |INTERNAL STRENGTHS |WEIGHTS |RATINGS |WEIGHTED |Comment | |Evaluation Matrix | | | |SCORE | | |3 |Product Reliability |. 0 | 4 |. 8 |Important as product | | | | | | |reliability leads to good | | | | | | |reputation of dell | |4 |C. Relationship |. 10 | 2 |. 2 |Questionable | |7 |Leading tech |. 10 | 3 |. |Good ,but there are more | | | | | | |powerful technologies | |8 |Supply Chain |. 20 | 4 |. 8 |Excellent supply chain by | | | | | | |using dell direct model | |Internal weaknesses | | | | | | |1 |Little Product Diversification |. 20 | 4 |. |Focusing on laptop | | | | | | |manufacturing | |2 |No in house repair capability |. 10 | 3 |. 3 |Bad service | |3 |No Business Diversification |. 20 | 4 |. 8 |The company doesn't produce | | | | | | |anything rather than | | | | | | |electronics | |Total | | 1. 0 | |4 | | |6 | |5 |duration | |Opportunities (O) |O1. changes in life style |S1. strong brand name |W. 1 low variety of products | | |O2. technology innovation |S2. Huge capital investment |W. 2 low quality products | | |O3. Expand market share |S3. Affordable prices | | | |O4. New Market entrance |S4.High qualified employees | | |Treats (T) |T1. High competition | | | | |T2. finacail recession | | | | |T3. Market entrance (in Middle | | | | |East) | | | S1&O1 as dell has a very strong brand name dell can use its brand name in a way that affects changes in life style.For example entering a new product to compete with the I-pod. S1&O2 In the computer bossiness technological invention is created by the companied that do process the microchips such as Intel and AMD Dell just gives you the final product of the computer. Dell can use this to their advantage to collaborate with tease companies and create a technology that is only available to dell only. S1&T1 in the computer there is a lot of completion so dell can use their high qualified employees to compete with the other companies. W2&O4 one of the weaknesses of dell is their low quality products dell can use this to their advantage to enter new markets for example the African market. Porter’s model |Lower cost |Differentiation | |Broad target |Cost leadership |Differentiation | |Narrow target |Cost focus |Differentiation focus | It is believe that dell ha s more then 1 characteristic according to porter’s model dell has a lot of more products then Acer for example. Laptops, PCs, Monitors ext. While Acer only do laptops For this example dell is certainly in the differentiation for broad target row. While as in the case of Dell and Apple. Dell certainly has a cost leadership over Apple. I would also like to highlight something that in computers there is no cheap or expensive computers. It is all about the power you have in the computer. The more power you have the more expensive it would be. 6-Strategy Formulation 1.Corporate strategy Directional:- It seems that Dell Company is in the stability stage in its life cycle. Dell Company has achieved a lot in its years and is a very well know brand that is why you will find their brand name as strength in the TOWS Matrix. We also believe that the company uses 2 strategies in the stability bracket. It is always the case in the technology filed that if any company does something new a c ompetitor would at least do the same if not even better so in this case Dell is always on the look out for what their competitors do. The seconded strategy Dell uses is the profit strategy by cutting down any unnecessary expensive Portfolio:-Product line of dell 1. Laptops & Tablets 2. Personal computer &workstation 3. Speakers 4. Monitors 5. Monitors LCD 6. Keyboard 7. Mouse 8. Servers BCG Matrix | | | | | Relative Market Share | | | | | | | | | | |High 1. 0 | Medium . 50 | | | | | | | |Low 0. | | | | | | | | | |High +20 |Stars |Question Marks | | | | | |Speakers | | | | | | | | | | |Laptops & Tablets |Keyboard | | | | |Monitor LCD | | | | | | |Mouse | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Industry Sales | | | | | |Growth Rate | | | | | | | |Medium 0 |Cash Cows |Dogs | | | |Personal computers & workstations |Monitors | | | |Servers | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Low -20 | | | Laptops where chosen as stars simply because they have a large market share and a high growth rate. The same is also on the LCD monitors because every computer needs a monitor. The other types of monitors which are the old style are considered to be almost obsolete therefore the original monitors where put in the dogs sector.As for the personal computers because most of the people prefer laptops the demand for personal computers over the years has dropped tremendously. There are more for custom users because you can get more power from a personal computer then a laptop therefore you can say that personal computers have a high market share while the growth rate is dropping. Speaker, keyboards, mice are all considered to be an essential for any computer there froe they have a high growth but a low market share as they are not specialist in these products. 2. Cooperative strategies Strategic alliance: Dell and Perot Systems Announce Strategic Alliance To Provide Fully-Integrated Virtualized Healthcare Technology Solutions To Reduce Cost and Improve Patient Care: Ne w Solutions will Promote Electronic Health Records (EHR) Implementation Dell and Perot Systems today announced a strategic alliance where their combined delivery teams will provide fully-integrated global IT solutions that unite their best-in-class technology and services solutions to provide virtualized desktop, storage and server solutions for hospitals, health systems and physician practices – virtualized on premises or hosted either off-site or in secure, private clouds. Dell, a leading technology provider to commercial enterprises around the world, and Perot Systems, the leading healthcare technology solutions provider in the U. S. , are jointly introducing their first series of innovative solutions that bring desktop mobility and virtual storage and server scalability to the Healthcare Industry at the HIMSS Annual Event in Chicago, Ill.These solutions are designed to help improve patient care and to help healthcare organizations achieve the standard of â€Å"meaningful use† for EHRs established in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). TheNews: Mobile Clinical Computing †¢ Puts virtual technology in the hands of healthcare professionals at the point of care for improved clinical decision-making and efficiency †¢ Improves healthcare delivery with EHR implementation and usability †¢ Improves staff productivity by eliminating repeated, time consuming log-ins and improving application response time for remote users   †¢ Can reduce up-front capital expense and improve TCO Virtual Server Platform Simplifies the provisioning and scaling of health information systems, including servers and storage, by using standardized and virtualized public and private virtual computing environments †¢ Features structured technology assessment and consulting to optimize applications that will benefit most from virtualization   †¢ Addresses technology obsolescence issues by enabling dynamic compute workloads †¢ Ca n reduce up-front capital expense and improve TCO  Ã‚  Ã‚   †¢ Makes compute power a variable expense by aligning technology to business needs Virtual EHR Solutions †¢ Dell and Perot Systems will create hosted and secure private cloud-based EHR  alternatives to dedicated, on-premise EHR solutions †¢ Makes EHR adoption easier by eliminating the need to purchase, deploy and maintain hardware and software onsite †¢ Reduces up-front capital requirements and accelerates time to positive ROI †¢ Reduces burden of systems management for IT staff †¢ Simplifies the challenge of achieving â€Å"meaningful use† as defined in the ARRA Virtual Medical Archiving Solution Simplifies data management by storing patient records, images and other information in a virtual or secure private cloud environment †¢ Reduces capital outlay and total cost of ownership with world-class advisory and consulting services  Ã‚   †¢ Addresses myriad of healthcare ar chiving needs and budgets †¢ Scales as archiving requirements change †¢ Aligns cost and data availability to the regulatory requirements of various types of data produced in healthcare What this means for customers: †¢ Healthcare today is more sophisticated, with more cost pressures and operational complexity than ever before. Healthcare providers need secure access to reliable, real-time and easy-to-use information technology that enables them to obtain and manage treatment information, patient histories and other clinical resources to improve productivity and patient care while reducing costs. These new Dell and Perot Systems virtualized solutions will address these needs while simplifying and reducing the cost of EHR adoption so that healthcare providers can more easily achieve â€Å"meaningful use† for EHR Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments under the   American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Quotes: Dr. James Coffin, vice president an d general manager, Dell Healthcare and Life Sciences:    â€Å"The role technology plays in shaping the future of healthcare around the globe has never been as important as it is today with medical professionals and government leaders looking for ways to improve the quality of healthcare and reduce its cost to citizens, employers and government.Our partnership with Perot Systems is focused on developing new solutions and delivering them in new ways to improve delivery of healthcare and patient outcomes. † Chuck Lyles, president of Perot Systems healthcare group: â€Å"In the current environment, clients are seeking solutions which improve services while reducing expenses. With the combined capabilities of Dell and Perot systems, these virtual solutions will increase user satisfaction and ease administration effort while reducing cost and preserving capital. † About Dell Dell listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. De ll serves those who serve with next generation infrastructure for healthcare. About Perot SystemsPerot Systems is a worldwide provider of information technology services and business solutions. Through its flexible and collaborative approach, Perot Systems integrates expertise from across the company to deliver custom solutions that enable clients to accelerate growth, streamline operations and create new levels of customer value. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Perot Systems reported 2008 revenue of $2. 8 billion. The company has more than 23,000 associates located in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific. Additional information on Perot Systems is available at http://www. perotsystems. com/. http://content. dell. com/us/en/corp/d/press-releases/DellandPerotSystemsStrategicAlliance. aspx 3. Functional: Manufacturing and Operations at Dell | | | | | |Dell is committed to fully integrating environmental performance into overall business and operational management. Dell | |manufacturing and operations facilities around the globe maintain a strong focus on minimizing impact on the environment| |while providing a safe workplace environment for our employees. | |Dell's direct business model yields strong production inventory and capital investment efficiencies that translate into | |tangible benefits for the environment.Because all products are made to order, Dell currently maintains only three days | |of inventory for most parts and equipment, which keeps the environmental impact of warehousing to a minimum. Components | |and parts are only ordered and shipped to Dell when they are ready to be assembled into the final computer product, | |thereby saving energy and operational costs associated with storing inventory. | |Keeping our employees healthy and well is a high priority, and Dell is committed to providing a safe workplace for our | |employees. Dell's occupational health, safety, and wellness programs are designed to meet our employees' needs, | |motivating them to stay healthy and safe as they go about their daily activities both at work and at home.The | |Environmental, Health, and Safety team works closely with manufacturing, facilities, design, and process engineers, with| |a goal to continually improve the safety of our operations. | http://www1. euro. dell. com/content/topics/global. aspx/corp/environment/en/mfg_ops_main? c=ma=ar | Human resources : | |The Human Resources department has long been the Rodney Dangerfield of the enterprise. â€Å"I can’t get no respect! † the comedian | |complained to anyone who’d listen. And so it goes with HR in the enterprise. | |There are lots of reasons for this.For some of rank-and-file employees, HR embodies the pettiness of corporate life and a slavish | |devotion to inane rules and outmoded processes. Others see it in a more sinister light: the CFO’s enforcer that slashes jobs and | |benefits, all in service of the bottom line. | |Just three years ag o, a business magazine published an article  Ã¢â‚¬â€ â€Å"Why We Hate HR† — that portrayed HR executives as mindless | |bureaucrats. â€Å"I’m the cork in the bottom of the boat,† complained one HR director on a popular Web forum. â€Å"We get no respect until we | |save them from themselves and some of the bad choices they make when our back is turned,† said another. |Fortunately, at least at forward-thinking companies, that stereotype is as out of date as the secretarial pool on â€Å"Mad Men. † Many of | |today’s HR leaders are now accepted among the upper ranks of corporate leadership and act as trusted advisers to their CEOs. | |And increasingly, these HR leaders are turning to their enterprise IT colleagues to pry open the boardroom door and get the respect | |they deserve. A new generation of HR management tools makes it easier to find new talent, enable existing employees, and track trends | |that have an impact far beyond the HR department’s traditional boundaries. | |Of course, any competent HR executive uses the Internet to recruit and select employees.

Fake Flesh Recipe for Costumes and Decorations

Fake Flesh Recipe for Costumes and Decorations Use common kitchen ingredients to make non-toxic fake flesh or organs for Halloween and scary parties. Its a variation of a common slime recipe and has viscoelastic properties, so youll incorporate science into your decorations. Fake Flesh Ingredients 2 tablespoons corn starch4 teaspoons water2-5 drops red food coloring1/2 teaspoon cocoa mix (with marshmallows or without) How to Make Mix together the cornstarch, food coloring, and water in a bowl.After you have a smooth consistency, mix in the cocoa powder. Its okay if the cocoa forms little clumps (theyll look like blood clots).Use your fingers to press the mixture against the side of the bowl to form shapes. If you use your hands, youll get crumbly edges, so a mold (the bowl) is best for a smooth effect. You may wish to mix in a little more cornstarch or cocoa mix to firm up or darken your organs. Gruesome Tips and Tricks Mix in tiny bits of gelatin if you want a fatty appearance. Drizzle fake blood over the flesh as desired for extra gore. You can stick fake flesh and organs onto objects, clothing, or flesh using syrup or corn starch. The recipe actually tastes okay, so you can eat it for effect! Recipe Variations If you microwave this recipe, youll get rubbery flesh that wont fall apart when you put it in water. If you want a more flavorful flesh, use unsweetened cherry or berry drink mix instead of food coloring and cocoa. You could use the sweetened version, too, but the resulting flesh might be sticky.