The Effects Of Plague On The People Of Florence - 938 Words

The Bubonic Plague took the lives of many individuals in the heart of Florence. Its reign affected â€Å"not just that of men and women†¦but even sentient animals† (Stefani). While the plague only lasted a mere six months, from March 1348 – September 1348, it is a piece of time that society should forever acknowledge and learn from. Much of the significant information from the Bubonic plague are unbeknownst to people today, even though it possesses such an importance aspect in our history. Therefore, in this essay, I will discuss the effects the plague had on the people of Florence, and how the appearance of this plague brought about short and long term historical change what we see today. There were two types of effects that impacted the people of Florence; physical and mental. Physically, the plague’s effects would more often than not begin â€Å"with swellings in the groin and armpit† (Boccaccio). The swelling was reported to range in various diffe rent sizes, and was given a more local term known as, â€Å"gavaccioli† (Baccaccio). Sighting of a gavaccioli naturally meant that the plague had begun to spread to every part of an individual’s body, and meant that death was imminent. Other symptoms associated with the plague are â€Å"sudden fever; spitting blood and saliva† (Stefani), and anyone who got to the point of spitting blood rarely ever survived. The sickness physically effected majority of civilization in Florence and resulted in vast amounts of death throughout. While the plagueShow MoreRelatedThe Plague Of The Century1184 Words   |  5 PagesGiovanni Boccaccio was a writer from Italy that wrote during the destruction of Florence caused by the plague during the 1340s. His accounts show the multiple horrendous sights he experienced that were not only occurring in Florence, but all across Europe. From his novel, Boccaccio is able to illustrate why the plague caused a large amount of civil unres t and chaos among society. The details from his account allows a first person perspective for anyone trying to place themselves 600 years backRead MoreEurope and the Black Death Essay1541 Words   |  7 Pagesdisaster. Historians estimated that this unidentifiable disease killed â€Å"more than 20 million people in Europe–almost one-third of the continent’s population,† by the 1350’s (Black Death). Now in today’s society scientists classify the unidentifiable disease as the bubonic plague, also referred to as the Black Death. During fourteenth century European-society, there was no logical medical knowledge; instead, people resorted to supplementary explanations, such as God punishing misbehaving religious groupsRead MoreThe Black Death And The Bubonic Plague892 Words   |  4 PagesDeath or the bubonic plague was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people and peaking in Europe in the years 1346–53. The black death first appeared in Europe in 1347 in Sicily, the disease was most likely brought to Europe on a ship that had been trading on the black sea. The black plague was carried by flea-infested rodents and spread rapidly. Almost half of Europe was killed by the bubonic plague. So much death couldRead More The Black Death Essay1179 Words   |  5 Pages A plague is a bacterial infection that can take on more than one form. One of the greatest plagues that have stricken mankind throughout history was the Black Death. The Black Death was the outbreak of the bubonic plague that struck Europe and the Mediterranean area between 1347 and 1351. This plague was the most severe plague that hit the earth because of its origin (the spread), the symptoms, and the effects of the plague. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Scientists and historians are still unsureRead MoreCauses And Effects Of The Black Death1010 Words   |  5 Pages The Black Death was a catastrophic plague that struck Europe in the mid 14th century. This plague killed between 30 and 50% of the population in the places it struck leading many to believe this had been a punishment from God. The drop in population caused by the black death left excess wealth which would lead to changes in the social hierarchy and European society in general. The black death caused a severe drop in population and devastated the land leaving excess wealth for thoseRead MoreThe Impacts of Boccaccios Writing Style on the Tone of Decameron1609 Words   |  6 Pagesof the book itself - the Black Plague, which ravaged Europe around the time of the books setting and publication - plays a somber but vital role in this important work. The importance of the plague to the story is no less evident than in the introduction, which demonstrates the awesome power of the sickness. Boccaccios account of the plague during the time it hit Florence is often compared to real accounts and additional sources of information about the Black Plague, but it is often left wantingRead MoreThe Decameron Was A Collection Of Bawdy And Serious Tales Written By Boccaccio959 Words   |  4 Pageslikely born in Florence or Certaldo and was the illegitimate son of a wealthy Florentine merchant, Bocacino di Chellino. As a youth he was trained to follow in his father s business but he eventually chose instead to study canon law and subsequently pursued the arts. It is a combination of Greek words for ten and day. According to Frankforter, the Decameron is a fictive record of a hundred stories that ten Florentine men and women told to entertain themselves while they hid from the plague in the comfortRead MoreThe Artistic Developments Of The Early Renaissance Period2091 Words   |  9 PagesTo what extent were the artistic developments of the early Renaissance period reflective of the cultural changes brought about by the Black Death. It is without a doubt the Black plague that spread throughout Europe from 1348 had large scale social and economic effects, the catastrophic horrors and disbelief that individuals lived and died through interrupted and disordered existing customary traditions. Synchronously the rise from the Medieval ages to the early Renaissance art period was witnessRead MoreThe Decameron Was A Collection Of Bawdy And Serious Tales Written By Boccaccio1006 Words   |  5 Pageslikely born in Florence or Certaldo and was the illegitimate son of a wealthy Florentine merchant, Bocacino di Chellino. As a youth he was trained to follow in his father s business but he eventually chose instead to study canon law and subsequently pursued the arts. It is a combination of Greek words for ten and day. According to Frankforter, the Decameron is a fictive record of a hundred stories that ten Florentine men and women told to entertain themselves while they hid from the plague in the comfortRead MoreThe Black Death And Its Effects On Society843 Words   |  4 Pagesone of the deadliest infectious diseases in history. This fatal and rapidly spreading disease horrified people of its time. The disastrous natural catastrophe was only compounded with other setbacks in fourteenth century Europe. Those set backs include, warfare, religious turmoil and peasant unrest. Also known as the bubonic plague, it struck Europe in 1347 and killed close to 50 million people. This constituted as half of their population, killing entire families and destroying tribes and villages

Shooting an Elephant and Letter from Birmingham Jail

In the stories â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† and â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† there is oppression from two separate groups. In â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† it is the British Empire trying to control the Burmese people, and in â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† it is the local government in Birmingham, Alabama denying the African American people their civil rights as people. Throughout history when any form of government tries to control a group of people or deny them their rights there has been various issues. The oppression of people, no matter what their race or creed, is wrong and it breeds hatred and sorrow in many forms. This essay will be comparing and contrasting the differences and similarities between how the Burmese and African American people were treated by white oppression. In â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† Dr. King gives us many examples of how African Americans were treated in Birmingham, Alabama. Some examples are lynchi ng, beating people to death in the streets, and bombing of African Americans’ homes. George Orwell has similar examples of mistreatment in his story as well, â€Å"All I knew was that I was stuck between my hatred of the empire I served and my rage against the evil-spirited little beasts who tried to make my job impossible.’ (Orwell 573), and â€Å"I thought the British Raj as an unbreakable tyranny, as something clamped down, in saecula saeculorum, upon the will of prostrate peoples; with another part I thought that the greatest joy would be to drive a bayonetShow MoreRelatedGrade 10 English - King vs Orwell Essay1633 Words   |  7 PagesColours, One World , One Approach to Injustice The essays â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† by George Orwell and the Letter From Birmingham Jail† by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. share several similarities, particularly in terms of the authors recognition of injustice in their respective communities. There are striking similarities between their causes despite Orwell being of British descent and part of the caucasian majority while Dr. King was from the United States of America and was part of the colouredRead MoreSwift, Orwell, and King: Standing against the Injustices of Their Times1795 Words   |  7 PagesKing faced death many times, and was almost assassinated in Birmingham in 1963, and also went to jail many times for his principles. In the end, he led the civil rights movement to victory in the United States, accomplishing more than any black leader before or since. His Letter from a Birmingham Jail in 1963 was a classic exposition of equal rights and freedom for all human beings, just as Orwells short story Shootin g and Elephant was a principled denunciation of British imperialism. Swift

Csf Proposal Free Essays

string(79) " a few department meetings with great response from the faculty in attendance\." Overview and purpose of the project: The purpose of this project is to continue to change the way the UST community thinks about waste. Composting confronts the idea that, when you throw something away it just disappears, and provides alternative to sending our waste to landfills. In the fall of 2012, the CSF funded a project to expand Dr. We will write a custom essay sample on Csf Proposal or any similar topic only for you Order Now Chester Wilson’s vermiculture composting system, which composts all of the coffee grounds produced by Beakers on the second floor of OWS. The goal of this previous CSF project was to expand the efforts of Dr. Wilson by collecting and composting much of the coffee grounds produced on north campus, as well as to raise campus awareness on the benefits and ease of composting. This project is well underway, and one can see the worms working their digestive wonders in the parking ramp under ASC. Quinn Wrenholt, the primary applicant of the fall vermicomposting CSF proposal, and other members of the Composting Club have been collecting the coffee grounds from the library Coffee Bene, as well as from T’s, the Loft, and Summit Marketplace in the student center since this spring semester began (with average daily collection of between 12 and 18 gallons of coffee grounds – more than 50 gallons each week). The collection crew, which consists of seven motivated individuals, comprises the core group of the Composting Club and has already logged more than 30 cumulative hours of volunteer time providing a direct service to our campus through collecting the coffee grounds we produce. Further Composting Club activities have included another 60 hours of volunteer time contributed to the development of a long-term research project connecting the worm composting bins in the ASC parking ramp to the research occurring in the UST Stewardship Garden located in the Green Space behind the BEC. These activities, in particular the daily collection of the mass amounts of coffee grounds has drawn the attention of Tommie Media on numerous occasions already this semester. Quinn Wrenholt will also soon be submitting a blog to the UST Sustainability Blog detailing the progress of the project up to this point and describing in more detail the research being done and some of the additional goals of the Composting Club (http://ustsustainblog. com) This proposal is to expand our on-campus composting even further by placing vermicompost bins in different departments and office areas around campus. This will allow coffee grounds and other food waste produced in these areas to be composted on site. The composting club will maintain these new bins in addition to the bins in the ASC. Additionally, each bin will be sponsored by an individual who works in the area covered by the bin. These Compost Club Liaisons are the keystone to this project with the Composting Club providing all the necessary support. This project’s proposed budget reflects exactly the number of vermicomposting bins that we have received demand and support for so far (see Appendix A). This expansion will be a great addition to the composting work started by Chester Wilson on South Campus and expanded to North Campus this past fall, as it will allow many UST faculty and staff to directly participate in the composting process. Additionally, the continued and increasing amount of alternative waste disposal will continue decrease our University’s carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions and increase the awareness of our campus community on issues pertaining to sustainability and waste. How the project will be implemented: This project already has all the necessary infrastructure and support in place, except the purchasing of the new, additional worm bins. The vermicomposting station in the ASC parking ramp will serve as the central headquarters for this outreach project. The Composting Club will work with the liaisons to find good locations for the bins within each department. The volunteer liaisons will serve as the day-to-day managers, adding their offices’ coffee grounds to the bin each day, and encouraging others to dispose of their waste in the appropriate receptacle. The liaisons will also serve as the point contact person should an issue arise with any of the bins. They will have access to a Compost Club Hotline which can be used to address questions and also guarantees bin removal within 30 minutes of being contacted, if needed. This is the ultimate backup if by some error or flaw a bin develops a smell or leak. These bins will be removed to the ASC parking ramp and dealt with accordingly where no one will be bothered and cleanup is easy. This is also the contingency plan for any case-by-case bin placement issues that occur; though at this point, all of the departments participating in the project have ensured feasibility and acquired permission for their bin(s). The Composting Club will be in charge of the overall maintenance of all on-campus worm bins. When the time comes for the finished compost to be collected from the bottom tray of the stack, the Composting Club will remove the finished tray and replace it with an empty one. The finished castings will be separated and collected in the ASC parking ramp where we have the facilities and space for doing so (see video for more detailed information and images of the Worm Factory system: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=0sxWOCWEpsg). Only the active composting will take place on site and will be contained by the bins – all of the more intensive and potentially messy procedures will happen off-site in the ASC parking ramp. If this project is approved, when the time comes for purchasing and distributing the new bins to the different locations across campus, the Composting Club will continue to work with the Physical plant to facilitate our fund expenditure. As we distribute the bins, we will also offer short ‘how to’ demonstrations for maintaining a healthy worm bin to the various departments, their liaisons, and other interested parties. Already, we have presented during the first five minutes of a few department meetings with great response from the faculty in attendance. You read "Csf Proposal" in category "Essay examples" Additionally, the Composting Club has assembled a list of FAQs relating to vermicomposting in the Worm Factory bins and containing information pertinent to this project. These FAQs can be viewed in Appendix B. Budget: For the CSF Vermicompost project last fall, all of the materials (excepting the worms themselves) were purchased from The Eggplant Urban Farm Supply, located on Selby Ave just a few blocks away from our campus. For this project, we plan to continue to utilize this neighboring business as a resource and supplier. Three-tray worm bin: $89 each – Total cost: $$$$ Each location will initially receive one, three-tray stack (excepting McNeely Hall which has requested two bins to cover the entire building). As of the time of this proposal’s submission, we have received requests for __ bins (See Appendix A). Additional trays: $10 each – Total cost: $$$$ We are requesting funding for an additional __ trays in order to respond to various rates of waste input in different departments, buildings, and offices. It is difficult to anticipate the scope of the waste produced in different offices prior to the actual collection of that waste. By altering both the number of trays in each stack and the number of worms in each tray, we can address the needs of different departments on a case-by-case basis. 10 lbs of worms: $189 (+$26 SH) – Total cost: $$$$ This is enough for five to six of the trays mentioned above. So we will likely require a minimum of __ lbs of worms. Flexible spending – Total cost: $300 In the Vermicompost CSF proposal submitted this past fall, we requested $500 to cover additional expenses related to developing the project. These funds have been instrumental in the project’s success and have been used to purchase rugs for the bin systems, brooms for keeping the ASC vermicomposting area clean, buckets and tubs for the collection of the coffee grounds, and more worms and trays than were originally estimated in order to keep up with the steady supply of grounds so far this semester. Also, some of the money has been allotted to fund a collaboration project with a couple of students from the UST club Engineers for a Sustainable World to design a compost sifter to facilitate the processing of finished compost and the collection of the worms. This will be very important in facilitating the collection of worm castings from the bins, and in enabling the research projects currently being developed. For this CSF project proposal, fewer unforeseen expenses are expected as much of the infrastructure for the project is now in place. However, the purchasing of rugs for the bins and other case-by-case needs are anticipated. For this reason, we are requesting an additional $300 to cover these expenses and which also may be used to purchase another worm bin if needed by a particular department or building. Proposed budget total: $$$$$ Include defined metrics for a clearly measurable outcome and a schedule of appropriate progress reports to the CSF through the duration of the project: To monitor the outcomes of this project, the Composting Club, in coordination with students actively conducting research on the vermicomposting systems, will calculate the amount of carbon we are eliminating from the atmosphere by aerobically composting UST’s coffee grounds and some of our campus food waste. Currently, this waste is going to landfills, where it degrades much more slowly in and anaerobic environment conducive to the production of methane and other harmful greenhouse gases. We will also make regular estimates of the amount of worm castings being produced. The castings are a valuable soil amendment, and there is potential for another student research project to pursue the branding of these castings. This way, any castings that are produced in addition to those used in the UST greenhouses and Stewardship Garden can be officially donated, which would make this not only a campus sustainability project and research opportunity, but also a non-profit business. These numbers can be easily recorded because it will be students from the composting club along with Chester Wilson that are handling and hauling the material and maintaining the worm bins across campus. We will submit semesterly basic reports to the CSF in a format such as this: |Fall 2013 (Implementation) | Spring 2014 |Fall 2014 |Spring 2015 | |Waste composted |0 |x |x |x | |Carbon Eliminated |0 |x |x |x | |Castings Produced |0 |x |x |x | | Additional reports may come from the research projects that are now being planned and implemented relating to this project and integrating it to other ongoing campus sustainability projects. If your project will offset greenhouse gases and reduce the campus carbon footprint, describe thoroughly how this will happen: Assuming 2 tons of waste per month composted (we will have a much more accurate estimate of the waste composted by the worms bins at the end of this semester), which would equate to the prevention of 1. 76 metric tons/month of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere. This is equivalent to eliminating 4. 56 cars from the road per month. That is just the reduction based on that waste not being in the landfill, there would be additional carbon reduced from not having to transport that waste to the site. Further benefit would come from the utilization of the worms castings as a soil amendment in food production areas. Healthier soils are better at sequestering atmospheric CO2 and can hold more of it than denuded soils lacking nutrients and organic matter. (See Appendix C for calculation source). Although campus greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced, this project serves even more to catalyze a sustainable initiative that can be expanded in years to come. In its first semester of existence, the Composting Club and the vermicomposting operations now located in the ASC parking ramp have already generated an awesome amount of student and faculty interest. Further, the project from the fall of 2012 has provided a conduit for alternative waste disposal on campus. The action of composting much of our campus waste is already providing a platform for further reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, reductions in waste, and overall reductions in UST’s carbon footprint. Describe if and how students will be involved and/or the educational value to our community: The fall vermicomposting project was designed to encourage students to consider their relationship with their food and food waste, and to provide an alternative method of waste ‘disposal’ for our campus. This project is designed to do the same for our faculty and staff, further strengthening the link between food waste and climate change and increasing our carbon reduction efforts. Students have already gotten involved with this project and the Composting Club is ready to expand our efforts! We are in the process of planning educational tours of the vermicomposting operation in the ASC parking ramp, which will be offered during Earth Week in addition to other sustainability-related project tours. Composting Club activities and the maintenance of the worm bins provide great opportunities for donation of service hours directly benefiting our campus. Further student engagement has come in the form of new research projects and connections with other campus projects. These integration projects include providing fertile worm castings to the UST greenhouses and the Stewardship Garden. As previously mentioned, students are currently in the process of developing research proposals to further develop the UST vermicomposting project and continue outreach and integration efforts – currently students are looking into branding the vermicastings, and also into connecting with other local community gardens to do soil testing and begin long-term, case-specific amendment studies. These projects would have beneficial impacts on the surrounding UST community, in addition to the benefits added by the use and donation of the finished castings. The increasing presence of composting efforts on campus allows the university community to fulfill our mission statement by â€Å"thinking critically and acting wisely to advance the common good. † This project is in line with the University Mission Statement because it provides students and now faculty the opportunity to be directly involved with the food chain and to participate in their waste. In recent years people have been increasingly encouraged to buy locally and to know where their food is coming from. While there is still a long way to go to reach these goals, movements are starting and people are daily becoming more aware of the problems human society faces. Unfortunately, there are still many people who never think about where their waste goes beyond ‘into the garbage,’ and never consider where there food comes from beyond ‘the grocery store. ’ Through the implementation and continued growth of this project, we will give the St. Thomas community the chance to experience the whole lifecycle of their food from soil and seed, to food on the table, to waste and back to soil, all within the onfines of our own campus and all on a sustainable level. Highlight innovations and the potential for the project to be scalable across our campuses: Integral to the mission of this project is scalability and its ability to grow. The Fall 2012 CSF Vermicomposting project has been hugely successful and has drawn substantial interest from individuals across campus. This pro posal is an expansion of that project, catalyzed by the interest and eagerness of others to partake and participate in alternative waste disposal. While working with the worm bins in the ASC parking ramp or while collecting the coffee grounds from UST producers, Compost Club members were occasionally approached by interested faculty or students about what they were doing or concerning the good coffee smell permeating the air near the bins. After introducing the interested individual to the project and showing them the worms, almost without fail, the students and faculty alike were interested in contributing their own coffee and their own food waste from home or from their office or department. Unfortunately, because the current vermicomposting system is already operating near capacity, we are unable to collect grounds or waste from these sources; however, it was this community interest that stimulated this expansion idea. This project has great potential to be scaled across our campuses and to continually grow and develop as a UST legacy. As other faculty and staff see the bins that we are planning to place in several departments across campus, we are expecting the bins to generate interest by other departments, offices, and campus buildings. The new demand will provide perfect support for future project proposals, further expanding UST’s composting and decreasing our waste and carbon output. If applicable, include lifecycle costs, possible investment payback schedules and potential long-term savings: The lifecycle costs of this project are minimal due to the low costs of maintenance and relatively low initial costs. These compost bins are long-term sustainable investments and are designed for in-home or in-office use. Chester Wilson has been using the same worm bins for more than ten years. These systems have proved reliable and durable and we are confident in using the Worm Factory worm bins for this proposed project. Although the money saved by sending the waste to the on-campus composting location, instead of having it picked up will be relatively minimal, dealing with much of our own waste in a sustainable and efficient manner right here on campus is a key feature of this project. Self-contained and efficient systems are worth highlighting as they embody a shift from a linear system of use and dispose to a more closed-loop cycle of use, compost, reuse. There is also great value in the production of the castings as a fertile soil amendment. To date, they have been used in the greenhouses extensively in place of relatively costly potting soils and synthetic fertilizers, which are also much more energy intensive to produce. Appendix A: Appendix B: FAQs: What can be put in the worm bins? The worms are not particularly picky eaters. Too much citrus can be uncomfortable for them, and meat and dairy products are always a risk to compost. While they are unlikely to hurt the worms, these items tend to be the main culprits for bad smelling compost. When the bins are distributed, the Composting Club will offer a brief training session for each department and their liaison. What if the bin begins to smell bad? As discussed in the video, the Worm Factory bins are designed to allow plenty of oxygen to flow through the system. Keeping the bins aerobic keeps the smell down, and remember that these systems are designed for in-home or in-office use. In the chance that the bin does begin to smell, the Compost Club Liaisons will have the responsibility of calling the club hotline – we guarantee full removal of smelly bins within 20 minutes of that phone call. Will the bin attract pests/rodents? Rodents signify a much larger problem than the mere presence of a Worm Factory composter. Pests, in particular fruit flies, can pose problems for indoor composting systems. There is actually a simple treatment that can be applied to the medium in the bins (the stuff the worms live in) that repels gnats and flies. Again, the Composting Club hotline will be the ultimate back-up for any issues with your bin; guaranteed quick removal. Are the bins messy? No. The bins are designed to hold the food waste and to collect the moisture produced. Composting Club will regularly collect the liquid (or Compost Tea) generated by the bins and will also be on-call to respond to any cleanup needs. All processing of finished compost will be conducted off-site in the ASC parking ramp. There, we have to facilities to deal with this slightly more messy process. Where will the bins be located? This should be determined on a departmental basis. The worms are really tolerant, but cannot be too hot, too cold, or too dry. Basically, by keeping the bins out of the sun, but in a heated/temperature-controlled area, they will be more than fine. The Composting Club will monitor the moisture levels in the bins and make any changes as needed. We recommend that the bins be placed in an easily accessible location – near the most common waste sources whenever possible – but that they remain mostly out-of-sight. Behind furniture, under counters, or unused storage closets or rooms make ideal locations. What are the responsibilities of the Compost Club Liaison? The liaison will be responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the bins and for calling the Composting Club hot line with any issues. At its most basic, the day-to-day maintenance will consist of collecting your office or department’s daily coffee grounds and adding them to the bin. Nothing about the job should be taxing or burdensome to the individual. Who will be in charge of emptying the bins once they have finished composting? Once again, the Composting Club will take care of emptying the bins when the compost in the bottom tray of the stack is finished. We will also be regularly monitoring the bins and will therefore know when the trays are ready to be emptied. All processing of finished compost will take place off-site in the ASC parking ramp where we have the facilities for doing so. How long does it take for the food waste to become finished compost? The answer to this question varies depending on the number of worms and the amount and type of food waste present. I like to think of one tray representing one-two weeks of composting. So a stack of three trays would represent a three-six week composting process. Appendix C: StopWaste. org is the website of a waste management organization located in Alameda county, CA. The organization is in charge of the waste management plan for the county, and the provide a variety of sustainable development plans and waste reduction initiatives for the businesses, schools, government buildings, and local industry in the fourteen cities comprising the county. http://www. stopwaste. us/partnership/calculator/ How to cite Csf Proposal, Essay examples

Test-Score Banding in Human Resource Selection

Question: Describe about the Test-Score Banding in Human Resource Selection? Answer: Introduction Understanding the various practice and concepts of human resource management focusing on retention, recruitment and employment cessation is the purpose of the assignment. This assignment deals with different practices and policies of human resource management and drawing a relation between Motivational theory and remuneration. It will help to explore the definitions of human resource management and to explore major concepts of personnel management and human resource management and identify the differences in between them. It will also help to understand the importance and application of lawful and regulatory matters related to retention, and employment cessation and recruitment. Analysis Distinction between human resource management and personnel management: It is a common belief that human resource management (HRM) and personnel management are same, but both are entirely different. Personnel management is referred to an element of management focused on workforce and their connection with the entity and on the other hand, human resource management is the most efficient use of manpower of an entity. It was also observed that PM deals with recruitment, selection, staffing, training and development, compensation of workforce and their relation with the organization. HRM deals with a broad range of activities like selection and recruitment, compensation, training and development, industrial relations, grievance management, welfare and appraisal. It is a continuous process of ensuring the availability of putting the perfect man into the right place and at the right time (Dessler 2013). Assessment of functions of HRM in fulfilling organizational purposes: Human resource management is responsible for recruitment, staffing, employee relation, training and development, pensions, facilities, rewards, security, health and safety. Three primary functions of HRM are recruitment, training, and motivation. In order to assess the functions of HRM in the above-specified supermarket Smiddle DD let us consider the various HRM policies accepted by supermarket chains like ALDI (Aldi.com 2016). The recruitment policy used by ALDI includes following steps: Online submission form and situational judgment assessment Online tests (diagrammatic reasoning, numerical reasoning and verbal reasoning) Video interview Review center Training and development: ALDI places great emphasis on training and development of its employees. Training needs are identified by analyzing the ongoing company performance in critical areas (Aldi.com 2016). It provides on the job as well as off the job training. On the job training includes coaching, mentoring, sitting next to Nellie- it is working a co-worker for learning the desired skills. On the job training are mostly provided by the managers. Additional training courses offered to the employees of ALDI are Performance reviews, employment law and influential skills. Motivation: For the purpose of motivation ALDI does the following- Provides excellent performers with positive and attractive remuneration Offer job security ALDI is the first grocery chain to start maternity leave policy Employees are allowed flexible working hours and employee rosters are done well in advance to plan holidays (Aldi.com 2016). Roles and responsibilities of line managers: Line manager are in charge of carrying out regular HR initiatives. Various responsibilities of line managers in HRM include employee engagement, performance appraisal, maintaining discipline and performance related pay (Lunshof 2015). Employee engagement: The line managers can increase employee engagement by focusing on the strengths of their employees and encouraging more open communication. This will not only increase employee engagement but also increase the motivational level of the employees. Performance appraisal: The line managers assess and rate the behaviors and performance of the employees under them. The response is conveyed in a one to one meeting among the manager and the employee. Maintaining discipline: Line managers guided by the rules and policies of the HR department sets out the expectations with his team. However the line manager himself needs to follow the rules laid by him, or else it would be hard to implement them with his team. Presentation related pay: It is the performance ratings obtained from the line managers that control the amount of supplement in the salary of the employees (Lunshof 2015). Analysis of the impact of legal and regulatory framework on HRM: Main objective of establishing rules regarding lawful framework in an organization is to ensure that the employees are protected from unfair discrimination in their workplace. It deals with certain acts of law to maintain an amicable relationship between employers and employees. It is created to ensure that employees are receiving fair treatment regarding remuneration, designation, and other factors. The legal and regulatory framework also define the working hours per week, overtime wages, protection of employees investments in their pension funds and provident funds. It lays down the rules of forming trade unions and also defines their rights and duties so that no confusion arises in this respect. Employers' are obliged to provide employees with certain health and safety benefits; legal and regulatory framework ensures it. Legal rights also provide employees with a tool to fight against harassment in the workplace (Kruppe et al 2013). Analysis of the reasons for human resource planning in the organization: The process that aims at providing right manpower in an organization at the right time is called Human resource planning. Proper planning ensures availability of right kind and quantity of people at a right time for uninterrupted flow of the operations of the organization. It also helps to cope up with the current changes in the external environment. If an organization decides to expand, human resource planning gives the information about the availability of manpower in the organization and the manpower required for the expansion. It not only provides information about the availability of the manpower but also helps to identify the skills required to perform a particular task and then it arranges for training programs to impart the required skills to the employees. It minimizes the overall cost of production by optimum utilization of human resources (Khasawneh, 2011). Stages involved in planning human resources requirement: Human resource planning estimates the personnel requirement in the future. It is a continuous process that begins with the identification of HR objectives, analyzes the manpower requirement and finally ends with the evaluation of HR planning. The steps involved are discussed below. Human resources assessment: Evaluation of human resource starts with the analysis of environmental factors (internal and external). The environmental analysis helps to recognize the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organization. Demand forecasting: It is the estimation of prospective demands of employees regarding number and quantity. Future needs are estimated by analyzing current human resource position of the organization and the plans for the organization. There are many techniques used to forecast manpower demand namely managerial judgment, work study, ratio trend and Delphi technique. Supply forecasting: While demand forecasting is associated with estimation of future requirement, supply forecast is associated with the estimation of manpower that are likely to be existing inside and outside the organization. Internal sources include job enlargement, promotion and transfer whereas external sources include hiring new candidates from outside like campus drive. Matching demand and supply: This process involves bringing internal and external sources to equilibrium so that the issue of shortage and surplus can be met. Action plan: This is the final step of human resource planning. Demand and supply matching bring to surface the issue of shortage and surplus. On the basis of these actions are executed. If there is an issue of shortage then recruitment, selection needs to be performed, and if there is an issue of surplus retrenchment, redeployment, training needs to be performed (Bates 2013). Comparison of recruitment and selection of two companies: ALDI and LIDL are two supermarket chains operating in the UK. These two supermarket chains have different patterns of selection and recruitment. ALDI travels across various universities to find the appropriate candidates (Aldi.com, 2016). Dedication, honesty, skills of a good team, education and diligence, are the qualities that they look for in a candidate. ALDI recruits candidates through trade employment expos, fairs and national careers. Apart from this, they also pay the highest salary in the market. ALDI firstly conducts an online application form and situational test, then online tests, after that video interview and finally assessment centers. LIDL look for right candidates through talent partnerships like Vlerick (Lidl.co.uk, 2016). Candidates do not need to upload their CVs. Instead, they need to give a brief description as to why they want to join the organization. If the candidates successfully qualify the initial telephonic screening, then they are invited to the boot camp. If they can qualify that round as well, then they are provided with a contract (Lidl.co.uk 2016). Evaluation of the recruitment and selection procedures of two companies: Whereas ALDI hires candidates from the universities, they get fresh young blood. Fresh blood is needed in the organization as they provide innovative ideas and lead to organizational development (Aldi.com, 2016). On the other hand, LIDL hires people who are self-motivated to join this organization. They do not need any extra motivation to adapt themselves to the organization. Therefore, they are highly productive since the beginning (Lidl.co.uk 2016). Link between reward and Motivational theory: The procedure by which the behavior of a person is affected by others through their satisfying power of the individuals needs and goals is known as motivation. Motivation theories are separated into two different viewpoints. Substance theories Process theories Reward is the prize that employees attain in the course of their job. The company paying for their performance it is financial reward or non- financial rewards like promotions, achievement, and praise. Motivational practices in ALDI which can be implemented Maternity and other rewards may be introduced. To reward the staff in a competitive environment, salary above the average salary can be paid, and working conditions could be improved. Impressive compensation packages and retirement plans should be made. Flexible working hours should be provided, and Employee Roster may be prepared from beforehand so that employees could plan their personal commitment or holidays around their work schedule (Petri and Govern 2012). Evaluating the procedure of job evaluation: The process of assessing plus analyzing different job analytically in determining their relative importance in an organization is called job evaluation. Several methods like factor comparison, job ranking and job grading are employed in job evaluation. The steps involved in job evaluation process are discussed below: Job study- The first step is the learning the job of the organization is obtaining information on job content. Compensating factors- In second step decision for what organization is paying for is made. i.e. which factor places a particular job at an elevated level in that job ladder than the other. Rising the methods- The next step includes the selection of a method for appraising the organizations job according to the selected factors. Job Structure- The next step includes comparing jobs for expanding a job structure. This involves setting up the job hierarchy, reaching and recording decisions and choosing and assigning decision makers. Structure of the wage- The fifth step is job pricing collection to appear at a wage composition. Other aspects determining pay are: Employee Compensation- All form of compensation or rewards that employees accept that arising from their employment. Direct financial expenses- Payment in the form of salary, wage commission, incentive, incentives, and bonus. Indirect financial expenditure- Financial remuneration such as insurance paid to the employees (Nuttin 2014). 3.3 Assessment of the efficiency of reward systems in diverse contexts: The organization can have an effective reward system if they look into the following areas:- The most influencing factor for employee motivation is compensation or reward. Employee compensation and reward system are the main reason behind industrial disputes. A proper compensation plan and reward system will reduce industrial dispute and help to maintain industrial harmony and peace. Reward system plays an important role in employee attrition. It influences employee retention in the organization. Job satisfaction of employees also depends on compensation and reward system. Compensation and reward system helps in establishing employer brand that helps in attracting new talents. Employees are motivated to put in their best efforts to accomplish organizational objectives. Effective compensation and reward system helps in building initiative towards works that in turn help in productivity of organization. Employees have a sense of belongingness with the organization with a proper compensation and reward system (Nuttin 2014). Assessment of the method organization use to observe employee performance: The different method of monitoring employee presentation are- 1) Assessment Centre- It is a place where performance appraisal of employees potentiality for giving him/her a position in the core useful areas are done is known as assessment centre. In many cases organizations contract out evaluation centers instead of making them their own (Dubois, 2004). The assessment center involves the use of methods like tests and exercises, social event and assignment. 2) Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) This method combine the graphical rating scale and the critical incident method. It consists of preset critical areas of job performance or a set of behavioral statements describing significant job performance qualities as good or bad (for e.g. the qualities like inter-personnel relationships, adaptability, and reliability, job knowledge, etc.). These statements are developed from critical incidence (Dubois, 2004). An employee's actual behavior is judged against the desired behavior by recording and comparing the behavior with BARS. 3) Human Resource Accounting- The success of personnel management actions and the utilization of employees is known as HR accounting. HR accounting is the method of conveying, making a budget, making a report of the cost of human resources acquired in an organization which includes wage plus training expense. Human resources are important assets of a business. HR accounting method attempts to find the virtual worth of these assets in monitory terms. (Kromrei 2015). 4) Management by Objective (MBO) The MBO is a process where superior employers and subordinate managers in the organization determines the organization goals and defines the major areas of each members responsibility in the business actions. The result expected from the responsibilities fulfilled by them is used as the methods for guiding business units operations, thereby assessing the contribution each members working in the unit. Thus, MBO is a process of joint goal setting, measure development towards the goal, taking an action to give surety to objective feedback and participation and achievement of employees (Kromrei 2015). Figure: Management by objective (Source: Kromrei 2015) 5) Customer Feedback Method- It is utilized particularly for sale staffs dealing with sales activity of an organization. Appraisal method and customer feedback is directly linked with employee presentation. This method of assessment could be impartial and consistent since clientele who is an outsider may give accurate judgment about employee performance than the insiders who are superior (Kromrei 2015). 5) 360 Degree method of Appraisal - 360 degree feedback is the performance appraisal tool that incorporates feedback from all who monitor and are affected by the performance of a candidate. Corresponding to the multiple points on a compass, in the 360 degree method each employee is provided with the opportunity to receive performance feedback from his or her customers, co-workers, supervisors and peers (Kromrei 2015) Figure: 360 Degree Appraisal Method (Source: Kromrei, H 2015) ALDI uses 360 Degree Feedback, in evaluating the presentation of their staff. It is the appraisal coming from all directions. Employees peers, subordinates and supervisors give feedback information about that particular employee which are used to fine tune a particular or group of employees for guidance (Aldi.com 2016). Identify the reasons for cessation of employment: Employment may end due to employee initiation, employer instigation or due to the action of regulation. Due to of demise of an employee, the measures existing under Forms and Procedures should be completed shortly as possible (Putzier and Baker 2011). The necessities for advising the deceased persons superannuation fund and the lawful provisions relating to the compensation of several salary or unused leave entitlements are included in these procedures. Types of termination- Voluntary cessation- Resignation, retirement. Involuntary cessation- Retrenchment, layoff. Employment at will- Termination of employment due to misconduct. Mutual termination. Employment exit procedures used by two organizations: In ALDI employment termination can be done in a number of ways. The first type of employment cessation is resignation. In this case an employee voluntarily comes forward and submits a resignation letter which acts as a legal proof of the desire to quit employment. In such a scenario the employee does not get any pension from the organization. The second method through which one can quit the job is through voluntary retirement. In such a case the employee submits a retirement letter which acts as proof of the termination of job contract. Employee is eligible to get pension. Another method is through rejection of the employment contract. In this case an employee rejects the employment contract as being legal and refuses to work for the organization. This happens in case of an employee who is not given full scope of responsibilities and duties he is expected to be tackling while on duty. Another way employment contract can be terminated is is by death of an employee. End of employment contract is another way of termination of contract. Retrenchment is another way of ending the employment contract (Aldi.com 2016). Impact of lawful measures on termination of employment: On ending employment an employee is allowed to get payment in lieu of long service leave, annual leave, and annual salary allowance. Leave for long service- An employee ceasing service with working for seven years will be compensated in lieu of his or her accrued long service leave entitlement. Annual salary allowance- An education bearing class employee ceasing service will be remunerated against his or her annual idle leave and loading allowance. When an employee expires, any payment in lieu of annual leave or loading grant will be given to the employees personnel lawful agent (Kaben 2011). Conclusion After the above analysis we can conclude that if Smiddle DD follows all the Human resource policies and procedures it can excel in the supermarket industry in line with the supermarket giants ALDI and LIDL. It has to follow proper rules regarding Human resource planning, recruitment, rewards and bonus, job evaluation, staff monitoring, cessation and exit. References Aguinis, H., 2004.Test-Score Banding In Human Resource Selection. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. Aldi.com, 2016.Welcome to ALDI. [online] Available at: [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016]. Bates, R., 2013. Improving human resources for health planning in developing economies.Human Resource Development International, 17(1), pp.88-97. Dessler, G., 2013.Human resource management. Boston: Prentice Hall. Dubois, D., 2004.Competency-based human resource management. Palo Alto, Calif.: Davies-Black Pub. Jerjawi, K., 2011. HR Managers Roles Contributions in Merger Processes.ijhrs, 1(1). Kabene, S., 2011.Human resources in healthcare, health informatics and healthcare systems. Hershey, PA: Medical Information Science Reference. Khasawneh, S., 2011. Human capital planning in higher education institutions.Intl Jnl of Educational Mgt, 25(6), pp.534-544. Kromrei, H., 2015. Enhancing the Annual Performance Appraisal Process: Reducing Biases and Engaging Employees Through Self-Assessment.Performance Improvement Quarterly, 28(2), pp.53-64. Kruppe, T., Rogowski, R. and Schmann, K., 2013.Labour Market Efficiency in the European Union: Employment Protection and Fixed Term Contracts. Routledge. Kuvaas, B., 2007. Different relationships between perceptions of developmental performance appraisal and work performance.Personnel Review, 36(3), pp.378-397. Kuvaas, B., Dysvik, A. and Buch, R., 2014. Antecedents and Employee Outcomes of Line Managers' Perceptions of Enabling HR Practices.Journal of Management Studies, 51(6), pp.845-868. Lidl.co.uk, 2016.Our Offers - Lidl UK. [online] Available at: [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016]. Lunshof, J., 2015. Human germ line editingroles and responsibilities.Protein Cell. Manoharan, T., Muralidharan, C. and Deshmukh, S., 2010. Analyzing the interaction of performance appraisal factors using interpretive structural modeling.Performance Improvement, 49(6), pp.25-35. Mondy, R. and Mondy, J., 2012.Human resource management. Boston: Prentice Hall. Nuttin, J., 2014.Future time perspective and motivation: Theory and research method. Psychology Press. Petri, H. and Govern, J., 2012.Motivation: Theory, research, and application. Cengage Learning. Putzier, J. and Baker, D., 2011.The everything HR kit. New York: American Management Association. Shields, J., 2007.Managing employee performance and reward. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Thite, M., 2011. Smart cities: implications of urban planning for human resource development.Human Resource Development International, 14(5), pp.623-631. Torrington, D., Hall, L. and Taylor, S., 2005.Human resource management. Harlow, England: FT Prentice Hall. Truss, C., Mankin, D. and Kelliher, C., 2012.Strategic human resource management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Walsh, D., 2015.Employment law for human resource practice. Cengage Learning. Werner, S., Schuler, R. and Jackson, S., 2012.Human resource management. Australia: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Minimum Wage free essay sample

A study on the minimum wage laws. This paper examines the public policy implications of minimum wage laws and to a lesser extent living-wage laws (with the understanding that the two are philosophically linked to each other). The author writes, for those of us just now entering the labor force, it would be unthinkable to contemplate the working world without the presence of a minimum wage law. The paper provides a brief history of labor law and public policy in the United States. The paper includes graphs and charts. The minimum wage does not seem to be one of those causes over which people become sufficiently impassioned to protest in the streets. But that is in large measure only because when people are protesting in the streets they tend to call for economic fairness or distributive justice, and both of these concepts are connected to the idea of a minimum wage or its newer and more radical cousin, the living wage. We will write a custom essay sample on Minimum Wage or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Does It Matter Where You Go to College

Does It Matter Where You Go to College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Getting into an elite college is becoming increasingly harder, and many students (and their parents) place tremendous stress on themselves to try to do all they can to get into one of the most prestigious colleges. They believe that graduating from a top college will allow them to have a more prosperous future. While it’s undeniable that elite colleges attract the highest caliber of student, there’s still debate about whether these colleges directly impact professional outcomes.So really, does it matter where you go to college? In this article, I’ll explore the impact of attending an elite institution. While it’s extremely difficult to compare the educational and social impact of one college versus another, we can try to determine the influence a specific college has on one’s professional future. feature image credit:bluefieldphotos bp/Flickr What Is an Elite College? For the purposes of this article, elite colleges are the most selective, prestigious colleges in the country. These colleges are seen as the gold standard, and that's why so many students spend years of hard work and worry to try to get into these schools. Some examples of elite colleges are the Ivy League schools, MIT, Stanford, and the University of Chicago. If you're looking for a complete list, I'd include the top 15 National Universities and the top 5 National Liberal Arts schools in US News on this list of revered super schools. Why It Does Matter Where You Go to College There are a number of reasons why going to a more prestigious schoolcan benefit your future. Below,I’ll detail some of the most important benefits of attending an elite college. Keep in mind that I'm focusing on the potential financial and professional benefits of going to a top college. Additionally, elite colleges may challenge you more academically, and you may enjoy surrounding yourself with other incredibly motivated and successful students. On the other hand, some of the classes at top schools may make you feel overwhelmed. You may feel compelled to select a less rigorous major, or you may not have time to do as many extracurricular activities or have an enjoyable social life. Graduates of Elite Schools Are More Likely to Have Future Financial and Professional Success Probably, the main reason students and their parents care about gaining admission to top colleges is because they believe that attending one of these schools is a ticket to future success. While it’s difficult to prove that going to an elite college makes you successful, there’s a strong relationship between attending an elite school and being successful. On average, graduates from elite schools make more money, and degrees from many elite schools provide the best return on your college investment. Also, while only 2%-5% of all US undergraduates graduate from top schools, 38% of Fortune 500 company CEOs and 44.8% of billionaires graduated from elite institutions. Similarly, of Forbes’s most powerful people, 55.9% of powerful women and 85.2% of powerful men attended elite schools. Graduates of Top Schools Are More Likely to Graduate Even if you believe that all college degrees are equal, the top schools tend to have the highest graduation rates. Those who attend the most prestigious schools are much more likely to get degrees. For example, Harvard’s graduation rate is 98%. Meanwhile, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a significantly less selective state school, has a graduation rate of 76%. Cal State Los Angeles, a California State University school, has a graduation rate of 41%. There are a number of factors that may contribute to the varying graduation rates. The most selective schools only admit top students; therefore, almost all of their students possess the necessary motivation to ensure that they graduate. Also, selective schools, particularly selective private schools, may offer more support services and guidance that result in higher graduation rates. Finally, some of the larger, less selective state schools have a higher percentage of low-income and nontraditional students. These students face additional obstacles that can prevent them from graduating. Low-Income Students May Benefit the Most From Going to a Top School On average, low-income students have significantly lower graduation rates. Furthermore, low-income students are more likely than wealthier students to attend a college that is less selective than one they could have attended. A widely read study determined that, for students admitted to elite schools, choosing to attend a somewhat selective school like Penn State over the most selective schools like Harvard didn’t impact future earnings for the majority. However, the payoff of attending elite colleges was greater for economically disadvantaged students. Why It Doesn’t Matter Which College You Attend There is definitely an argument to be made that where you go to college is insignificant. What matters are your skills, experience, work ethic, and that you get a college degree. Here are some reasons why it may not matter where you go to college. Going to an Elite School Isn’t Essential for Future Professional Success As previously mentioned, a study concluded that students who were admitted to top schools and opted to go to less selective schools ended up earning as much as their peers who graduated from the top schools. Therefore, you can conclude that what really matters isn’t where you go to school but possessing the attributes that make you competitive for admission to the top schools. Similarly, a Wall Street Journal study found that the prestige of a college doesn’t impact future earnings for many students. Specifically, the studyconcluded that a school’s prestige does have an impact on future earnings for business and liberal arts majors, but there is virtually no impact on future earnings for STEM majors. Additionally, even though graduates from the top schools are more likely to become CEOs or ridiculously wealthy, the majority of people who do aren’t graduates of elite institutions. Any Advantage of Going to an Elite School May Be Offset by Its Cost Even if going to a top college leads to somewhat higher earnings, those higher earnings may be more than offset by the substantially higher price of elite private colleges. For example, for the 2015-2016 academic year, the estimated cost of attendance for a year at Stanford was $65,177. For a California resident, the estimated cost of attendance for UCLA was $32,289. Over four years, that’s a difference of more than $120,000. Even if, hypothetically, the Stanford degree led to an annual salary that was $2,000 more than the UCLA degree, it would take more than 60 years of that extra salary just to cover the added cost of attending Stanford. However, keep in mind that elite private colleges typically offer the most generous financial aid. The listed cost of attendance may not be what you end up having to pay. Elite colleges aren't cheap. Conclusion: Does It Matter Where You Go to College? The short answer is that it depends. Primarily, it depends on your goals and background. If you want to become president or a CEO, you may be more likely to do so if you attend one of the most elite colleges. Similarly, some of the top Wall Street and consulting firms are known to almost exclusively hire employees who graduated from the most prestigious schools. Also, graduates of elite colleges have an advantage in the business world from strong, powerful alumni networks. However, If you want to be a scientist or teacher, there may not be much of an advantage, at least monetarily, from attending a top school. On the other hand, the data does suggest that students from low-income backgrounds may benefit the most from attending elite schools and choosing to attend the most selective school that accepts them. Furthermore, the answer depends on which schools you’re comparing. The difference between graduating from Stanford and graduating from UCLA is probably minimal, if there’s any difference at all, in the eyes of most employers and graduate schools. However, there’s a much larger difference between Stanford and Cal State Los Angeles. Again, you can still achieve any professional goal if you attend from Cal State Los Angeles, but the graduation rate of Stanford is significantly higher, and the average salaries of Stanford grads are substantially higher. It's important to remember that you can graduate from any college, and if you fully apply yourself, you can be a successful CEO, doctor, engineer, or whatever else you aspire to be. Similarly, if you go to an Ivy League college and try to coast through life without showing the dedication that got you into an elite college, you're likely to experience limited success. What Should You Do? Regardless of the school you attend, your work ethic, character, and aptitude will influence your future more than the college you graduated from. Maintain focus and keep working hard, and you’ll give yourself the best opportunity to reach your goals. Because getting a college degree is undoubtedly linked to future success, you want to attend a college that’s a good fit for you and your needs so that you’ll be more likely to graduate (and likely happier!). Find out how to go about researching and choosing a college. Also, research the professional outcomes for students who share your background and graduated with a degree in your intended major. You can use sites like payscale.com and College Scorecard to help you with your research. For example, while the University of Utah is ranked as the 5th best National University in the country by US News, it’s considered one of the very best colleges in the country for video game design. If you want to be a video game designer, going to the University of Utah may be more beneficial to your future career than going to Princeton or Yale. If you’re the first one in your family to go to college, or you have a disability, investigate how well students in your situation fare at a particular school. Each student has specific needs and goals, and you should try to determine how well a college will cater to your needs, and if it's well-equipped to help you fulfill your dreams. What's Next? If you've decided that you want to go to an elite college, find out how to get accepted. Also, you should know how many colleges to apply to and the complete college application timeline. Finally, if you think you can't go to an elite college becauseyou have sub-pargrades, but you want to go to a good school, learn about the best schools with low GPA requirements. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Short responses Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Short responses - Assignment Example I use Microsoft Excel for budgeting as it includes simple formulas for the calculations, which is why accountants also use spreadsheets for advanced budget calculations (Coy, Nelson, Buchanan and Fisher, 1998). Researchers also use spreadsheets to organize large data and this helps them to analyze data to draw meaningful conclusions from the raw data (â€Å"Using Spreadsheet†, 2013). Grocery shopping lists always involve numerous goods and items which become perplexing if not handled well. To avoid confusion and losing money on unnecessary items, I use Google Drive to create a list of items I need to buy. Google Docs provides grocery list templates which make grocery shopping easier and simpler (â€Å"Using Google Docs†, 2013). Listing my grocery items on a spreadsheet prevents me from missing on an item and helps me plan my weekly budget on food. Spreadsheets allow the organization of data to help in the analysis of these data which is particularly useful for researchers. This helps them import the data to spreadsheet software which carries out calculations on the data for statistical analysis (Meyers & Gamst et al.,

Week 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Week 7 - Essay Example These attacks are usually meant to coerce authorities into giving into the political, religious, and social goals of the terror groups. Therefore, terming the fight against terrorism as â€Å"war† eludes logic. As a counterterrorism measure the â€Å"combat on terror† has various questionable aspects. The main problem with the approach by the United States is that terrorism is viewed as a factor that can be dealt with through military action. According to Reese & Lewis, in 2003, United States soldiers invaded Iraq on grounds that Saddam Hussein was manufacturing weapons capable of mass destruction and that he was linked to the September 11 attacks (779). The result of the invasion was mass deaths of civilians and the abuse of human rights. Critics of this invasion, according to Reese & Lewis state that the United States was not averting any terror threats; rather, the invasion was an excuse for imperialist activities in Iraq (779). The problem with viewing terrorism as being synonymous with the September 11 attacks is that it distorts the meaning of terrorism to the general American population. According to Pillar, most Americans view terrorism almost entirely in relation to the September 11 attacks (1). The difference with the 9/11 attacks and other terror attacks is that most terrorist activities are not as organized and lethal as the 9/11 attacks. The reason for this difference is that most terror groups have neither such sophisticated weaponry nor such detailed planning. Since 9/11, almost all counterterrorism measures are equated with the fight against the Al-Qaeda, with every terror-related incident being examined for possible links with Al-Qaeda. To date, most of the counterterrorism resources are channeled towards making sure that the Al-Qaeda does not reestablish itself (Pillar 2). The practice to equate terrorism with Al-Qaeda is misinformed considering that there are numerous other terror groups the world over. For example, Pillar writes

Fashion design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fashion design - Essay Example oduce a range of clothing and aesthetics designs that will capture the interests of the customers, by following the developing trends and even going back to reinvigorate some traditional or ancient clothing styles and aesthetic components that were fashionable during the time, which can also integrate fully into the current tastes and preferences of the people (Eceiza and Alvarez, 22). Design functionality and aesthetic value forms the fundamental principles of fashion design, since a fashion designer must come up with a design that functions well for the current generation, while also matching the emerging trends and thus giving a touch of aesthetically pleasant attire. Most significant in the world of fashion design, is the consideration into who is likely to wear the garment or the accessory that has been produced, and on what occasions is the attire desirable. Therefore, with the interest of the current generation on the forefront, coupled by the occasional desirability and aesthetic appearance, a fashion designer is sure to remain in the business. There are a variety of skills that are desirable for an individual to qualify as a fashion designer. First, a wide knowledge in fabrics, ornaments, garments and fashion trends is highly desirable for anyone waiting to become a fashion designer (Eceiza and Alvarez, 37). The knowledge of fabrics is essential; since it enables an individual understand what type of material is desirable to produce a clothing fashion, based on the occasions for which the clothing is designed. The knowledge of ornaments is also relevant, since it allows individuals to understand the types of ornaments that are suitable to produce certain accessories, and which of such ornaments is worth matching the dressing that is designed for such occasions (Brogden, 42). Another relevant requirement for a prospective fashion designer is the knowledge of fashion trends. This is necessary because fashion is not statistic, and thus new designs are

Transport Layer Network Layer Protocols Attack

Transport Layer Network Layer Protocols Attack Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1: Background Data Communication technologies and the underlying protocols in the twenty-first century is one of the critical elements that acts as the backbone for electronic commerce and use of the world-wide-web (Todd and Johnson, 2001[1]). The increase in the growth of electronic commerce as well as other forms of internet-based secure communication have increased not only the risks associated with networking related attacks that involve in the loss of personal information and possible financial loss to the victims. One of the major components in the Internet communication is the underlying protocol that governs the compilation and communication of the information from the source computer to the target and back (Nash et al, 2001[2]). The role of the protocols in the networking also has a key influence on its ability to securely deliver the information as part of the overall communication architecture. This makes it clear that the robustness of the protocol and the extent to which a given proto col architecture can resist intruder attacks through encryption efficiency etc dictates the security associated with the information transfer as argued by Todd and Johnson, (2001). In this report a critical overview on the transport layer and the network layer protocols of the TCP/IP protocol architecture is presented to the reader. The research aims to throw light on the possible security attacks on these protocols and the possible countermeasures in order to prevent such attacks. The attacks in these cases mainly concern with the infringement of the information through unauthorised access bypassing the security or breaking the encryption surrounding the information being transported. 1.2: Aim and Objectives The aim of this research is to investigate the possible attacks on the Transport layer Network layer protocols and present possible countermeasures on overcoming the threat of these attacks on the day-to-day Internet-based data communication. The above aim of the research is accomplished through embracing the research on the following objectives To conduct a literature review on the Transport and Network layers of the TCP/IP protocol architecture. To conduct a critical overview on the possible types of attacks on the Transport Layer and Network Layer protocols. To present a critical analysis on the possible countermeasures to prevent the attacks on the Transport layer protocols. 1.3: Research Methodology A qualitative approach is used to conduct the research. Since there are five layers to the TCP/IP model of which the research aims to investigate the protocols associated with the Transport and Network layer, a qualitative approach is deemed effective as the infrastructure required to simulate tests for conducting a quantitative research is limited for conducting the research. As it is also apparent that the analysis on the five layers of the TCP/IP model is beyond the scope of the research conducted in this report, the research conducted mainly focuses on the key threats and possible types of attacks on the protocols of the TCP/IP layers discussed. 1.4: Chapter Overview Chapter 1: Introduction This is the current chapter that presents the aim, objectives and brief overview on the research conducted to the reader. Chapter 2: Literature Review This chapter presents an overview on the layers of the TCP/IP model followed by a detailed overview on the key Transport layer and Network layer protocols. The chapter also presents a brief overview on the network attacks and the possible threats associated with the Internet data transfer. Chapter 3: Protocol Attacks This chapter presents a critical overview on the types of attacks on the Transport Layer and Network Layer protocols. The chapter presents a critical analysis on the methods used and the potential losses that may result due to the attacks. Chapter 4: Countermeasures This chapter presents a critical overview on the possible countermeasures that are implemented in order to prevent the attacks discussed in chapter 3. A comparative study on the countermeasures discussed is also presented in this chapter. Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1: Internet Security in the twenty-first century The increase in the need for internet security from unauthorised access and malicious attacks is not only due to the need protecting personal/sensitive information of the users but also the service providers (Ganesh and Thorsteinson, 2003[3]). This is naturally because of the fact that the service providers can perform effectively only when the requests sent to the server are valid thus making justifiable use of the resources (Rayns et al, 2003[4]). The use of the resources in terms of the number of connections and the allocation of memory to cater for each connection established with the web server of the service provider is deemed to attribute to the extent to which a given website establishment performs effectively. This makes it clear that the need for internet security is not only a matter of protecting personal information but also effective utilisation of the computer resources dedicated for the purpose as argued by Rayns et al (2003). Walden (2007)[5] further argues that the security over the internet is mainly accomplished through implementing security measures on the connection-oriented and connection-less protocol used for transferring information from one end to another. It is interesting to note that the above focuses especially on the resource utilisation and protection of computer from malicious attacks through ensuring that the communication to and from the computer are not only secure but also valid. It is necessary to ensure both the validity and security of a given connection over the internet because of the former corresponds to the availability of the service whilst the later attribute to the reliability of the available service (Walden, 2007). It is also interesting to note that the prevention of unauthorised access to information systems connected to the Internet is deemed effective as opposed to implementing access control on each individual system as argued by Todd and Johnson (2001). This makes i t clear that the implementation of the security over the Internet is mainly through implementing the preventive measures against malicious attacks through strengthening the protocols used in the various layers of the TCP/IP model. As the TCP/IP model forms the basis for communication over the internet, it is apparent that the robustness of the protocols implemented in each layer of the TCP/IP stack dictates the effectiveness of the Internet security implemented (Walden, 2007). In the next section a critical overview of the TCP/IP model is presented to the reader. 2.2: TCP/IP Model ‘TCP/ IP is a set of rules that defines how two computers address each other and send data to each other’ as argued by Blank (2004) (p1)[6]. Naturally the above makes it clear that TCP/IP is merely a framework that governs the methods to be deployed in order to enable communication over the internet between two computing devices. As TCP/IP is platform independent in nature, it provides a communication framework that can be deployed across any given operating system on a computing device connected to the Internet or even a dedicated network as opposed to the World Wide Web. This further opens room for development of new protocols and communication standards/rules that can be implemented using the TCP/IP model on any one of its five layers as argued by Rayns et al (2003). Hence securing the information being transferred from one end to another over a given network or the Internet can be accomplished through implementing a combination of protocols to operate within the laye rs of the TCP/IP framework. The five layers of the TCP/IP model are Application Layer Transport Layer Network Layer Data Link Layer and Physical Layer. From the above it is evident that TCP/IP can be implemented in a given network using any number of protocols in each layer of the TCP/IP model depending upon the level of security required and the speed in data transfer. This is because of the fact that the increase in the number of protocols naturally increases the size of the data packet being transferred as part of the communication thus having a direct impact on the speed of communication as argued by Rayns et al (2003). It must also be noted that the protocols presented in each layer of the TCP/IP model shown in Fig 1 is merely a selection and not the exhaustive list of the protocol suite. From the model represented in Fig 1 one should also appreciate that the layers of the TCP/IP model are arranged in a logical fashion so that the protocols closer to the top at the layer 1 associate themselves with the computing applications that handle data encryption and security. The protocols to the bottom of the TCP/IP stack on layer 5 on the other hand associate themselves with the actual data transfer from one end to another through establishing connection and enabling communication between sender and receiver as argued by Blank (2004). As the research presented in this report focuses on the Transport and Network layers of the TCP/IP model a detailed overview on the five layers is beyond the scope of this report. A brief overview on each TCP/IP layer is presented below. Application Layer – This layer of the TCP/IP model comprises of the protocols that associate with the handling of data and the encryption of the information order to effectively transfer the information from one end to another. The application layer is also deemed as the layer of the TCP/IP model that communicates with the actual application that is handling the information prior to its transfer over the Internet. The protocols of the application layer enable the interaction between the computer and the actual web application that performs the business logic associated with the application prior to preparing the information for transfer over the Internet. This makes it clear that the application layer encryption is mainly associated with the segmentation of the data into packets and allocates the associated headers in order to enable their transfer over the Internet. This also makes it clear that the security associated with the information transfer is not implemented at the A pplication Layer of the TCP/IP model. This makes it clear that the application layer protocols are extensively used in case of client server applications where the data transfer between the client and the server is in the full-duplex mode (Feit, 1998[7]). Transport Layer – This is the actual layer that manages the connection between the two computers and the success or failure of the information being transferred as argued by Blank (2004). The purpose of the Transport layer protocol as the name suggests is to ensure the secure and successful transfer of information over the Internet between the communicating parties as argued by Ganesh and Thorsteinson (2003). The process of enabling end-to-end communication for successful data transfer is the major task that is accomplished using the Transport layer of the TCP/IP model. It is also interesting to not that the transport layer of the TCP/IP model provides the error tracking, flow control and data fragmentation capabilities independent of the underlying network as argued by Feit (1998). The transport layer of the TCP/IP model also performs the task of assigning the header to the data fragment off the overall information being transferred from one end to another. The transport layer of the TCP/IP model implements two forms of communication strategies. These are connection-oriented and connectionless implementation as discussed below. Connection-Oriented Implementation – The TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) protocol of the transport layer accomplishes the connection-oriented strategy of data communication. The connection-oriented approach o data communication corresponds to the process where a connection must be available between the communicating parties in conformance with the authentication and association rules prior to actually performing data transfer. This makes it clear that the data transfer in case of a connection-oriented approach depends on the extent to which the connection being established is live between the communicating computers. This makes it clear that the data transfer in a connection-oriented implementation can be accomplished only with the ability to maintain the connection between the computers thus making the data transfer reliable as argued by Feit (1998). This is naturally because of the fact that termination of the connection of loss of connection established during the cours e of the communication/data transfer would trigger a request to resend the information thus providing room for transferring all the information from one end to another. The session based communication strategies in terms of enabling the communication security is one of the key features of the connection-oriented implementation as prolonged inactivity or termination of the session will naturally terminate the connection established thus protecting the information transferred over the internet. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) which will be discussed in the next section depends on the establishment of a connection-oriented communication strategy in order to ensure that the communication between the two computers using the connection oriented approach will help protect the information being transferred by the transport layer protocol. As discussed earlier, the transfer of information from one end to another in a communication channel is accomplished through segmenting the information in to equal sized segments of data called packets that are assigned a header containing the details of the packet as well as its sequence in the information being transfer. The connection-oriented implementation of the transport layer has following key features Sequential data transfer – This is method which follows the First-in First-out (FIFO) strategy. Thus the sequence in which the data packets are received is the same in which it is being sent from the source computer. This approach is deemed secure to ensure that the information being transferred is not tampered with and loss of one of the packets will enable the sender to resend the entire information again. However, the major disadvantage is that the increase in the size of the information will result in poor performance in terms of speed of data transfer. Higher level of error control –As the connection oriented approach ensures that the connection established is live between the sender and the receiver throughout the entire communication process, it is clear that the error control is accomplished successfully through enabling the sender to resend the packets that were not received in the initial transfer. The control in the loss of packets using the above resend strategy naturally minimizes the error associated with the data transfer. Duplication Control – The connection-oriented strategy also has the inherent ability to eliminate duplicate data packets transferred thus allowing the connection-oriented architecture to ensure consistency in the information being transferred. Congestion Control – The TCP protocol monitors the network traffic as part of the transport layer activities. This ensures that that the session established between the sender and the receiver can transfer the required information successfully prior to reaching the session time-out situation as argued by Feit (1998). The client-server communication over the internet is a classical example for the implementation of a connection oriented strategy in the Transport layer of the TCP/IP model. The use of the PKI in the communication is one of the key aspects of the connection-oriented implementation that makes the TCP protocol a key element in the secure data transfer strategies of the day. Connectionless Implementation – As the name suggests the connectionless implementation is the case where a dedicated connection is not required to complete the data transfer between the communicating computer as argued by Blank (2004). The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is used in the case of connectionless implementation where the transfer of the data packets merely comprises the packet order and the source/target details alone. This makes it clear that the transfer of data can be achieved at a higher rate as the authentication and validation of the data transferred is not restricted to a time frame or the session that controls the communication. However, the major issue associated is the lack of security and inaccuracy of the data transferred. Alongside, the key issue with the UDP protocol and the connectionless implementation is the lack of traceability of the information thus resulting in a non-reliable communication channel as argued by Blank (2004). The UDP is thus deemed to be an insecure mode of communication over the internet due to the lack of security measures apart from authentication and identification of the communicative parties. It is further important to appreciate that implementing PKI using the connectionless approach would result the exposure of the information and the lack of effective acknowledgement of the authentication between the communicating computers thus affecting the information security providing room for network attacks that can directly affect the information being transferred through the connection. Network Layer – Blank (2004) argues that the network layer of the TCP/IP model performs the task of delivery of the data within the network one the data packet has reached the appropriate network subnet. This makes it clear that the network layer of the TCP/IP model plays a critical role in identifying the correct network target/destination in order to enable effective communication between the communicating parties as argued by Feit (1998). In case of the World Wide Web, the Network Layer plays the vital role of identifying the destination network and enabling the routing of the packets through the network in order to effectively reach the destination without the data being tampered by unauthorised users. The protocols that are widely used in the Network layer include the Internet Protocol (IP) and the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). The Routing Information Protocol (RIP) of the information TCP/IP model which is predominantly used in the Application layer plays a vi tal role in the network layer for enabling routing of the information across the networks in order to effectively reach the target computer in the communication channel established over the Internet. It is further critical to appreciate the fact that the routing of the packets alone is not the task of the network layer protocols but also to enable the transport layer protocol to effectively enable the communication and data transfer between the communicating computers. This makes it clear that network attacks over the internet by hackers to affect the performance of the communicating computers in order to gain unauthorised access is accomplished through manipulating the communication strategies implemented by the protocols in the Transport and Network Layers of the TCP/IP model. The access to information and the actual infringement of the information which is deemed as the consequence of the hacking or network attack is related to the infringement of the information at the applicati on layer protocols that hold the actual information being transferred (Blank, 2004). However, the attacks themselves that facilitate the aforementioned are accomplished through manipulating the procedures associated with the Transport Layer and Network Layer protocols. The attacks typically include spoofing, overloading, flooding etc., which are discussed in detail at chapter 3 of this report. The Data Link Layer and the Physical Layer of the TCP/IP model involve the actual hardware based communication strategies that are beyond the scope of this research. Hence these two layers of the TCP/IP model are not discussed any further. It is important to appreciate the fact that the top three layers of the TCP/IP stack interact frequently in order to enable the secure communication and allocation of computing resources on the computing devices involved in the communication (Blank, 2004). 2.3: Public Key Infrastructure – an overview PKI implements a form of cryptography known as the asymmetric cryptography in order to enable secure communication between two computers over the Internet as argued by Todd and Johnson (2001). This process mainly involves the use of a public key and private key that are used for encrypting and decrypting the information at the client and server ends respectively (Blank, 2004). The process of encryption is beyond the scope of this research although its role in the secure communication and the extent to which a hacker can manipulate the authentication strategies for launching an attack is relevant to the research. Hence the discussion in this section mainly concerns with the handshake and the communication strategies deployed along with an overview of the players in the PKI. This will help in identifying the various attacks plausible and the level manipulation that can be implemented by the hacker over the protocols used in order to infringe the communication between the client and ser ver computers. It is deemed that the PKI is a reliable communication strategy to implement secure communication through the use of Trusted Third Party (TTP) authentication and approval of the overall communication process between the server and the client computers. The key components of the PKI infrastructure that enable successful and reliable communication over the internet are discussed below Certificate Authority (CA) – The CA is the issuer and control of the public key and the digital certificate associated with the authentication and transfer of secure information over the connection established using the TCP protocol. The primary role of the CA is to generate the public and the private keys simultaneously for a given server computer or service provider (Blank, 2004). The public key as the name suggests is made available over the public domain for encryption/decryption of the information at the client-end of the connection. The private key is not shared and stored at the server which is used for encryption/decryption of the information as applicable at the server end of the connection established for communication. From the above description it is evident that the role of the CA in the PKI is pivotal for the effective implementation of the PKI for secure communication free of network attacks. This is because, if the server hosting the CA application is attacked either using cross site scripting or flood attacks, the public keys stored as well as the associated certificates for verification are compromised thus resulting in the hacker gaining control over the communication channel without the knowledge of the server or the client as argued by Blank (2004). This makes it clear that the security at the CA computer is critical to establish a reliable TTP computer for implementing connection-oriented communication using TCP protocol of the TCP/IP model. Registering Authority (RA) – The RA as the name implies is the verifier of the digital certificate before it is issued to a requestor as argued by Todd and Johnson (2001). The role of the RA computer in the PKI implementation is to enable an independent authorisation of the digital certificates issued thus providing a secondary verification of the information prior to communicating to the server. This presence of an independent verifying program or computer as part of the communication makes the PKI a reliable communication strategy to implemented connection-oriented communication over the internet in a secure fashion. It is also deemed to the key weakness of the PKI strategy owing to the fact that the reliability of the RA as a TTP in the communication process dictates the effectiveness of the communication and the protection of the server from intruder attacks as argued by Todd and Johnson (2001). However, the reliability of the CA or RA is not the issue of debate in this re search but the potential attacks that threaten the stability of the computers hosting the CA and RA programs in order to enable secure connection oriented implementation across the Internet. The key area where the attacks can be accomplished by hackers to disable the RA or the CA computer eventually compromising the information held within is the use process of handshake where the RA or the CA computer is expected to receive an acknowledgement (ACK) from the requesting computer for each message successfully communicated. It is through manipulating these handshake communications a CA or RA can be compromised as the communication channel is expected to open for a specific time period to receive the ACK as well as allocate sufficient resources to complete the data transfer. Abuse of this feature is one of the major areas where the connection-oriented communication faces threat of attacks. These are discussed in chapter 3 elaborately. Directories – The directories are the locations on the public domain that host the public keys for enabling the encryption of the information. The keys are normally held in more than one location in order to enable easy/quick access to the information as well as a verification strategy to ensure that the key retrieved is indeed the valid one for data transfer between the client a given server computer. Certificate Management System (CMS) – This is the application that controls or monitors the certificates issued and facilitates the verification process. The CMS forms the core of the PKI infrastructure as the CA and RA computers in the given PKI implementation are expected to host a validated CMS program to enable the connection-oriented communication between the client and the server. The key issue associated with the case described above is the fact that the CMS program itself is an independent application and hence its reliability/robustness to prevent malicious attacks alone dictates the extent to which a given CA or RA is reliable over the Internet. The key security strategy in case of the PKI implementation is the sharing of the public key whilst retaining the private key at the server computer as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001) [8]. This strategy allows the server computer to effectively encrypt or decrypt the information without depending upon the public key and hence leading a two pronged attack as the information encrypted using private key can be deciphered using the public key and vice versa. Although the use of the two independent keys helps overcome the security threats to the information being transferred, the transfer process itself is not governed by the PKI. This is the major weakness of the PKI infrastructure that allows room for malicious attacks that can hamper the performance by the CA, Ra or the host server computers as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001). From the above discussion it is evident that the security established using the PKI is mainly dependant on the following key elements of the PKI infrastructure CA and RA – The validity and reliability of these computers play a vital role in the effective implementation of the PKI. Apart from the fact that the client computer sending the information depends upon these computers security of the information in its entirety, it is also clear that the availability of these computers and their responses in terms of session time control and preventing session time-out cases are critical to enable successful communication in a connection-oriented implementation using the TCP protocol. An attack on the hosting server for the CA or the RA mainly in terms of flooding or denial of Service will result in the failure of the PKI infrastructure in terms of lack of availability. This situation is one of the major elements that must be addressed as part of the security strategies to be implemented on the transport layer protocols. Encryption Algorithm – The encryption algorithm used for issuing the public and private keys is another element that influences the security and reliability of the PKI as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001). The effectiveness of the hashing algorithm used for the purpose is not only essential for ensuring the security of the information through encryption but also dictates the size of the information for transmission after encryption as well as the speed associated with the data transfer for a given encryption strategy. As the complexity of the encryption algorithm naturally increases the size of the data being transferred thus affecting the speed associated with the communication, it is critical to establish a balance between security and speed in order to enable effective communication over an established connection. It is also important to note that the use of encryption algorithm dictates the extent to which a hacker can hack into the information that is being transfer whil st launching a transport/network layer attack as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001). It is deemed that the hackers through launching malicious attacks at the transport layer or the network layer tend to utilise the time gap to decipher the information being transferred in order to use the data for personal benefits. This makes it clear that the code hacking at the protocol level mainly attribute to the speed with which a given payload data transferred over a connection can be decrypted prior to termination of the connection itself as argued by Burnett and Paine (2001). From the above arguments we can deduce that the encryption poses the threat of single point of failure to the PKI in terms either being weak to prevent infringement or highly strong affecting the communication speed as argued by Nash et al (2001). Advantages or benefits of PKI The major benefits of the PKI include the following The TTP presence enables higher level of security through verification by independent entities in the communication process. The CA and RA in the PKI play a vital role in achieving the aforementioned. The dedication of resources for developing stronger algorithms to generate reliable public and private keys is yet another advantage associated with the PKI implementation. This makes it clear that the transport layer protocol (TCP) of the network layer protocol (IP, ICMP) weaknesses in terms of the request for resend and other key elements of connection verification can be overcome through robust algorithms. The growth f the electronic commerce at an exponential rate is one of the key factors that attribute to the availability of resources dedicated to the development of the PKI security strategies (Nash et al, 2001). The security infrastructure behind the storage and retrieval of the public keys is yet another area where the reliability and effectiveness of the PKI is evident. The fact that in case of reliable CA and RA, the security is indeed robust and the information being transferred is secure as well as the communication process as argued by Nash et al (2001). Constraints, Weaknesses and threats TTP reliability and costs – As discussed before the major issue is the TTP reliability. The involvement of the TTP not only questions the