A Movie About Religious Conversion free essay sample

Black Robe Although throughout the film it was evident that other Indian tribes, such as the Iroquois and Algonquin, did not want to convert to Christianity because it went against their own beliefs, the Huron’s were able to go against their belief and accept Christianity.Despite the Huron’s disapproval of the religion because of their own beliefs they eventually accept the religion based on the perception of father LaForgue and his humbleness when he arrives to the settlement, the Huron’s respective chauvinism changes and begins to tolerate the religion as time goes by when the settlement accepts Christianity and the honesty LaForgue gives off, and a cultural rapprochement is evident when the Huron settlement accept Christianity when father LaForgue is there and becomes the priest of the settlement.The film Black Robe shows that there was a successful convergence of the religion the Huron’s had to Christianity. We will write a custom essay sample on A Movie About Religious Conversion or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Throughout the film all the tribes did not like father LaForgue, as well as LaForgue’s assistant, Daniel. It is clear the Indians do not like father LaForgue because they discriminate him by referring to him as â€Å"black robe† and not by his actual name. (Black Robe) Also, when the Algonquin’s abandon LaForgue Daniel continues with the Indian tribe and they do not like it nor do they like him following them.For example, one member of the tribe attempts to murder Daniel as he is following the tribe. (Black Robe) However, despite all these things that have occurred father LaForgue remains humble and when he finally reaches the Huron settlement he respects the tribe and tells them that he loves them even though the other Indians tortured him and put him through a tough journey. During father LaForgue’s journey to the Huron settlement it is clear that each Indian tribe show a strong chauvinistic view on their respective religions. For example, even though LaForgue goes through many trials and ribulations with the Algonquin tribe, he is still with the chief as he is dy ing and still refuses LaForgue’s request to convert, and the chief even tells his daughter to abandon LaForgue because he witnessed it in his dream. (Black Robe) However, when LaForgue finally reaches the Huron’s it is evident that they too were strong in their faith. It is clear that they did not want to accept Christianity because they murdered one of the French inhabitants that were there in the beginning. (Black Robe) Despite the Huron’s resistance, they eventually accepted father LaForgue and Christianity because he was honest and loving towards the Huron’s.LaForgue was able to reveal the previous inhabitants lie to the Huron’s that baptism will cure their disease by saying it wouldn’t and be honest to the Huron’s to gain their respect, as well as their trust. Throughout the film there is always tension between the Indians and father LaForgue based on his ethnicity and more importantly his religion. However, a cultural rapprochement is reached between LaForgue and the Huron’s towards the end of the movie. This is evident when LaForgue finally reaches the settlement and sees that the Huron’s are lost and hopeless because they are slowly dying due to disease.Seeing how weak they are, LaForgue is asked by the Huron’s many questions to solidify his presence in the settlement. LaForgue eventually tells them the truth about the baptizing and that he loves all of them, even though he was mistreated and abandoned by the other Indians. When LaForgue is asked the question if he loves them, he flashes back on all the faces of the Indians he encountered on his voyage and he also reaches a cultural rapprochement with the Huron’s, and all the other Indians, by saying he loves them. With that response, the Huron’s accept LaForgue, and Christianity, and are baptized at the end of the film. (Black Robe)Although throughout the film it is evident that the Indians, such as the Iroquois and Algonquin, reject Christianity because it goes against their own beliefs, the Huron’s were able to go against their own beliefs and accept Christianity. The Huron’s were able to accept Christianity because of the perception father LaForgue gave off and his humbleness he evokes in the settlement, the Huron’s respective chauvinism begins to change as t hey forego their own religion and accept Christianity through father LaForgue, and a cultural rapprochement is evident when father LaForgue arrives at the settlement and baptizes the Huron’s.

Art in Public Spaces

Art in Public Spaces Introduction The following essay examines a piece of public art and the space it is found in order to discuss art, beauty and the purpose of public art. The essay specifically focuses on the Unnamed Sculpture at Pier 39 in San Francisco and uses the concepts from Semiotics to analyze the space and art piece together.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art in Public Spaces specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Also, the essay discusses the purpose of the Unnamed Sculpture at Pier 39 in San Francisco as a public art. The Skygate in San Francisco is a modern sculpture that was designed by Isamu Noguchi.This public art is usually set for free entertainment each Wednesday at noon. The Skygate has a natural framing that is presented by trees and thus giving it an outstanding background. The contributions of art in public places have not been fully recognized. Art in public places affects the everyday lives of millions of people ac ross the globe as more money is spent while commissioning them. However, the critical recognition of public art is yet to be recognized despite its proliferation. This is as a result of such factors as lack of a clear historical framework, evaluation as well as confusion concerning the definition of art in public places. According to some scholars, art in public places has been in existence since time immemorial. According to them, public art existed in form of Lascaux’s cave paintings. Other scholars believe that art in public places came into practice in 1967 following the creation of public arts program by the National Endowment for the Arts. According to some historians, art in public places began in 1935 with the establishment of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which was aimed at providing the US citizens with economic relief following the Great Depression. It is believed that President Roosevelt enhanced the proliferation of arts in public places during this tim e by providing employment opportunities to thousands of artists who worked in the public works division of WPA.Thus,the; the main challenge with regards to public arts is establishing the time line for its development. This makes the definition of arts in public places to be at issue. Since the term ‘art in public places’ was coined over fifty years ago, it is disappointing to note that the term has not been clearly defined. According to Hein’s, public art has the capacity of occupying public space and also drawing public into debate and intelligent discourse.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to him, art has the potential to of engendering new ways of thinking and new perspectives .Similarly, Barber in his ‘Cultural Interventions in the Public Sphere’ book stated that public art provides people with an opportunity to develop a range of res istant and critical strategies that have an effect of encouraging multiple responses(Merryman and Elsen 656-658). Arts in public places can exist in various forms including letters, orchards, sculptures, displays, monuments, memorials among others. A large number of arts in public places are found in towns and urban areas even though some are found in rural areas. Art in public places are found everywhere i.e. they are displayed on side of buildings, airport terminals, recreational parks, business organizations e.t.c. (Merryman and Elsen 656-658). San Francisco’s Skygate and semiotic approach Usually, arts in public works have the effect of conveying meaning to millions of spectators. Semiotics is commonly defined as the ‘science of signs’ implying that, pubic art is intended to have some significant meaning and purpose to human beings. According to semiotic approach, public arts can provide meanings in various forms including; words, texts and codes (Ashton 301) . Isamu Noguchi in his Skygate work adopted a semiotic approach by harmonizing both the architecture and the space. He created an attraction site with a view of communicating a range of meanings to societies, spectators, designers and all the interested persons across the globe. The sculpture is constructed in such a way that, in absence of written records, the space and site can provide people with the required information for understanding the identities. The work by Isamu Noguchi takes Skygate identity from the site as it reflects the space and architecture around it in manner that is accurate and distorted. Despite the fact that Skygate’s title has a chaotic title, the space and the subject are harmonious. Isamu Noguchi in his sculptural work has combined shape with mirror-polished stainless steel to produce an attractive public art (Ashton 301). Purpose of San Francisco’s Skygate as a public art Skygate in San Francisco as a public art enhances democracy in that i t is accessible to everyone.Basa (2008) in his studies states that public arts should be designed in such a way that everyone is capable of viewing it. Public art that is accessible to everyone promotes public response and support. Public arts form an integral part of any public environment due to the fact that they are seen everyday by millions of people. Art in public places usually have an enormous impact with regards to the impressions that are created about a place. The appearance of public art plays an important role as far as people’s feelings are concerned. It is for this reason that millions of dollars are spent for public arts. Also, the appearance of arts in public places can become a subject of debate in editorial columns. It is therefore important that arts in public places have a good appearance as it can become a public issue (McNiff 36).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art in Public Spaces specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/pa ge Learn More Skygate has the effect of attracting larger audiences from all walks of life. The youths are the majority of audiences who comes to Skygate. The sculpture is a major tourist attraction as millions of tourists tours United States to view it. Throngs of people constantly fill the park everyday. This public art provides people of all races, ages, nationalities and classes with an opportunity to interact with each other. This in turn plays an important role of earning the United States Federal Government foreign exchange. This sculpture has become a major tourist marketing (Fleming and Goldman 201-225). This public art is found in an open space and therefore, people can use the environment for multiple purposes ranging form politics to social interaction. The art piece is found in an open space and does not have an obstructive effect on the surrounding buildings i.e. it is both people and environmental friendly. This aspect has the effect of forcing people to visit Skygate on a constant basis. People are usually proud of art in public places that are found where they live. Everyone has a stake in public arts and everyone wants to be associated with them. First people are concerned with enjoying their environments. Secondly; they prefer to visit those places that favorably impress them. People also prefer that their self image and self worth be reflected by the appearance of public arts (Fleming and Goldman 201-225). Also, the material that is used to construct the public art is environmental friendly. The artists were careful while they were choosing the kind of materials to use when constructing the public art. They preferred using polished-stainless steel materials which are undestructive. The investors demand that public arts be well planned and attractive as this increases property values. Art in public places is an important component as far as any strong and vibrant community is concerned. The Skygate in the San Francisco acts a s an economic development tool. It has seen numerous cities jump start their economies. According to a research by Basa (2008), major towns that have a robust and lively art in public places are associated with sustained economic growth. Conclusion Skygate as a piece of art has an aesthetic appeal and this makes it to look attractive. The art piece is in accordance with the semiotics approach of arts in public space. This public art has the effect of appealing to a large audience. Its design can satisfy the large mass of people who experiences it on a regular basis.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Aesthetic appeal is necessary as it significantly contributes to how the public feels and values a given public art. Aesthetic appeal has social and cultural components and it goes beyond simple expressions of a person’s taste .Public arts should be designed in such a way that the beauty resides in the art piece as opposed to the beholder’s mind. Ashton, Dore. Noguchi East and West. New York. University of California Press, 1993. Basa, Lynn. The Artists Guide to Public Art: How to Find and Win Commissions. New York: Allworth Communications, Inc., 2008. Fleming, Lee and Goldman, Melisa.The art of placemaking: interpreting community  through public art and urban. Michigan: The University of Michigan, 2007. McNiff, Shaun. Integrating the Arts in Therapy: History, Theory, and  Practice.Springfield: Charles C Thomas Publisher, 2009. Merryman, John and Elsen, Albert. Law, ethics, and the visual arts. Alphen aa den Rijn: Kluwer Law International, 2002.

An investigation into the experience of international students Coursework

An investigation into the experience of international students studying in a UK university - Coursework Example This explains that their experience has been largely fulfilling. Being a traditional destination for higher education UK has been attracting students from all over the world for decades and henceforth has maintained a second position in the world in terms drawing international students following US. However, in the recent times, the government and higher education institution have had to face steep challenges to maintain the growth in the number of international students that they have been maintaining over the last decade or so (Zheng, 2012). It is believed that apart from the recent recession and competition from other countries, student’s experience while studying in UK can explain the reason for this challenge (Soo and Elliott, 2010). The relevance of this research lies in the explanation of international students’ experience while studying in UK, thereby commenting on the qualities and drawbacks of the education system. In addition to that, alongside explaining the experience of international students, this research will cater to highlight the educational framework implemented in the country that has been successful in rendering those experiences to the students. Aims and objectives The research paper will cater to fulfil the following aims and objectives: To do an in-depth analysis of experience of international students studying in a UK university. To comment on different aspects of the educational framework in UK those are responsible for providing such experiences. To highlight the challenges being faced by the government and educational institutions in maintaining the growth in the number of international students and its relationship with the experiences of international students. Literature review   Bennell and Pearce (2003), OECD (2004) and Zammuto (2008) have come to a common conclusion that globalization has not only manifested itself through international trade and foreign direct investment but also through the rising trend on in ternational student mobility in higher education. UK has been at the forefront receiving a pool of those international students migrating every year. According to Forland (2006), the rhetoric of internationalization suggests that, the underlying reason behind welcoming international students to UK higher education is to add benefits to the learning situation, to the students and to the institution as a whole. Most institutions now emphasize in internationalizing the student body and curriculum in order to provide them with world class experience. They believe that internationally focused educational perspective will enhance the learning experience of students. Surveys have shown that international students are largely satisfied with the study experience (Fernandez, 2011). However, some of them have regarded the experience of studying in UK as not of value for money. According to the author, international students are different in their own respect and they bring different prior expe riences along with them to UK (Fernandez, 2011). They have to get acquainted with the learning style and culture that prevails

Explain and summarise the main reasons why such a large firms fail to Essay

Explain and summarise the main reasons why such a large firms fail to grow - Essay Example The point of concern is that in the today’s world, most of the entrepreneurs do not possess these characteristics and that is the reason why they are not able to grow their businesses successfully. An entrepreneur should be able to understand all business practices and cross-cultural issues in order to make a permanent place in the market. Understanding of the cultural, political, and economic environments of the country is also very important for an entrepreneur to be successful. There exist many reasons, which stop the firms from making a rapid growth. Some of the most significant reasons include poor execution of strategies, improper management structure, unfriendly economic environment, unskilled staff, lack of capital, lack of quality services, improper use of profits, overhead costs, unavailability of the technology, overexpansion, and ineffective marketing planning. These factors make it very difficult for most of the firms to grow rapidly and successfully in the market . Let us discuss all of these factors in some detail in order to get a better understanding of the issue. Improper Management Structure Improper management structure is one of the reasons behind the failure of most of the firms. A firm needs appropriate management structure not only to grow but also to survive in a market. ... Management of a business cannot be done by one or two individuals rather a business requires the efforts of all of the employees working for the firm in order to be successful. A proper management structure is very critical for the growth of a business. A single person cannot control a firm employing a large number of people. The managers of the businesses need to transfer controls to the employees in order to motivate them and also to make them feel valued. In this way, the employees begin to work hard for the firm, which results in increasing the productivity and profitability of the business. A single person does not have all required skills and abilities to run a business. For the proper management of a new business, different areas of a business such as finance, purchasing, selling, production, and hiring and managing employees require the efforts of different people having relevant educational and professional backgrounds. Therefore, the managers should not only empower the emp loyees but also should make them take appropriate decisions for the proper growth and development of the firms. Poor Execution of Strategies One of the main reasons why most of the firms fail to grow in the market is poor execution of business strategies. Most of the managers do not possess the ability to develop and implement appropriate business strategies. A well-developed strategy is a key towards success of a business. A business cannot stand among its competitors without having a well-structured business plan. It is because a business plan includes appropriates set of actions which make a business grow in a market. So without having clear goals and objectives and without looking at different aspects of the business, it becomes very difficult for an entrepreneur to make the

Traits That Shape Personality: Reflection

Traits That Shape Personality: Reflection Dominika Klapacz We live in a world that has over 7 billion people and even when there is so many individuals, not one person is the same. There are various characteristics that determine what type of personality a person will endure. Personality can be defined as qualities that mold an individual’s original character. It is what makes us all unique. It forever changes as we grow up, influenced by what happens internally and externally. Not one personality is the same because we all have different experiences, different outlooks on life, different cultures, and different perspectives. The three traits that I believe define my personality are high need for affiliation from Henry Murray’s theory, extraversion from Eysenck’s two-factor theory, and conscientiousness. A first trait that describes my personality is need for affiliation from Henry Murray’s theory from the motive approach. According to the motive approach to personality, it is an assumption that an individual’s behavior is reflected on a set of underlying needs. Once a need becomes intense, it turns itself into a motive that influences what behavior is going to be presented. The motive theory also states that behavior is influenced by press, an external stimulant that gives motivation. Needs direct behavior and there are two types of needs: primary and secondary. Primary needs are biological needs such as food and water. Secondary needs are psychological needs such as positive self-views and achievement. The influence of behaviors depend on the strength of the needs. Motives are pertained to the individual’s goals and desires (Carver Sheier 2011). An example of this: a need for food results in a motive state of hunger. Press acts like a trigger that influence mo tives. In Henry Murray’s theory there are four types of needs: need for power, need for achievement, need for affiliation, and need for intimacy. The need for affiliation is the trait that best describes my personality out of the four types of needs. The need for affiliation is the desire to spend time with others (Carver Sheier 2011). There are many reasons why I believe that I have a high need for affiliation. All my life I have lived in Chicago with my family. I had all my friends and family close to me so I was never out of touch with anybody. Just a little over a year I have moved to a South Suburb called Oak Forest with my boyfriend. I don’t know anybody here. When my boyfriend goes to work and I have no class that day, I am always stuck at home alone. As soon as he leaves, I get anxious and try my best to find something to do and go out to see a friend. I don’t even care that I have to drive 30miles plus to see a friend, I just need social contact with a human being. This is definitely an example of the need for affiliation because in this need an individual tries to have some type of social contact with another individual. When I am home alone, I call around to my friends in Chicago to see if they can hang out with me. When my friends are busy and can’t go out due to work or school, I call my cousin and hang out with her. If I were just to sit at home and not bot her to call anybody to hang out, I would feel very alone and that I don’t belong with any social group. However, when I do hang out with my friends or cousin, I feel like I belong to a certain social group and that makes me feel at ease. When I am outside my home and I am in my school setting, it is also obvious that I have a high need for affiliation. Every time I walk into class, I walk towards the social group and sit next to them. Even when it is the first week of class and I have no clue who anybody is, I still manage to go to a group of students and talk with them. Most of the time I get a sense that they don’t really want to talk to me and they think I am weird, but I don’t mind because I am calm knowing that I am around people. â€Å"People with a high need for social affiliation do not look for social rewards, but rather intrinsically valuing the relationships with other people† (Carver and Scheier 1992). One time on a beautiful sunny day I was walking around campus by the quads and I saw a group of random girls talking. I came up to them and starting talking to them about random things. I remember one of the girls looking at me as if I was from another planet, she got up and left. After one of the girls left, the rest followed her and left me there. I shrugged and started walking to another group of people. People with a high need for affiliation are likely to interact as much as possible with people so they do no stay alone. This is true in my case because I feel like I need to socialize with people, even when they might think I am strange. Another trait that describes my personality is extraversion. Extraversion is one of the five traits that make up human personality in Eysenck’s theory. Eysenck created a model of personality traits that consisted of the continuum of neuroticism and extraversion. He believed that everybody lied somewhere between the continuum. Extraversion is the best trait that describes my personality. Extraversion is characterized by being very sociable, being talkative, enthusiastic and assertive. People who are extraverts seek any opportunity to engage with others. If you ask a person to describe an extrovert, they would say that they are full of life, full of optimism, and energy. I am very extroverted. In a group setting I am constantly talking to someone and make sure that there never is any awkward silence. I am very friendly and highly adaptable to any environment. One example of my extraversion is that when I go to a party that I hardly know anybody in, I make the best of it and act as if I knew the people for years. I would go to a random person at the party and introduce myself and talk about anything and everything I could think of. There would be times where I would go to my boyfriend’s family’s house for a family gathering for a few hours, and after go to my boyfriend’s friend’s house to see a whole new group of people there and I would just adjust to the environment without a problem. When I lived with my parents in Chicago, they would always have random family friends come over. Most of these people I wouldn’t see ever since I was a baby. Whenever these strangers would come over, my siblings would run upstairs and hide from them or they would never come downstairs to greet them. My siblings would call me â€Å"weird† because I would stay downstairs with the adults and have a conversation with them as if they were my best friends. I fit in the category of being extraverted because I am very outgoing and talkative. There is rarely a time where I am quiet. I am excited when I am around people and I like to energize others. Making things happen is what I am good at. A third trait that perfectly describes my personality is conscientiousness. Conscientiousness is a personality trait that is defined as being careful, thorough, responsible, and diligent. Individuals high in conscientiousness want to achieve and do a task well. Therefore, I feel that conscientiousness fits in my personality well. For example, I am the oldest out of my three siblings and my mom trusted me at a younger age a lot more than she trusted my other siblings. When I was in kindergarten, my mom would let me walk to school and back without her having to worry that I would get lost or go somewhere else. She trusted that I would get out of school and walk straight home. Even though my school was literally only 3 blocks away, it was a big deal for me. I never really paid attention to it until I grew a little older and my siblings started going to school. My sister was starting kindergarten and I would always have to walk her to school and from school. The reason why I believe that conscientiousness describes my personality is because my mom trusted me, and she didn’t trust my sister. That makes me more responsible in my mother’s eyes. I also feel obligated to be responsible because I am the oldest. Growing up I always babysat my siblings and there would rarely be an occasion where I wouldn’t have another kid to babysit along with my siblings. The neighbors trusted me babysitting their children. I made sure they were safe, full, and happy. Outside of the home environment, I am a very diligent student. I am in constant effort to accomplish something so I can better myself. I do my best to get a better grade and if I do bad I don’t punish myself, I just push myself to do better. I plan my work out ahead of time so I have a set schedule for my work. I have a research paper that is due on April 10th for my CLJ class, and I already went into the writing center to better my paper. This is a good example for conscientiousness because this trait in a personality makes individuals systematic and they plan rather than being spontaneous. Conscientiousness predicts that there will be a higher achievement in both high school and college (Noftle Robins 2002). Even though I do have a strong degree of conscientiousness personality, I do not take it to an extreme. I am not a complete workaholic or perfectionist; however, I do try my best in my work and I am hard working and reliable when it comes to doing a job. In conclusion, just as there are no two people that are the same, no two personalities are the same either. In the world that is filled with over 7 billion people, each individual has a unique personality. Some people might share the same traits as another but there will always be a different pattern, different experiences, and different cultures that will make up a different personality. Three traits that my personality is made up of are need for affiliation, extraversion, and conscientiousness. These shape my personality and make me into the unique person that I am today. References Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F. (2011). Perspectives on Personality (7th edition). Boston, MA: Allyn Bacon. Carver, C. S and Scheier, M. F. (1992) Perspectives on Personality Allyn and  Bacon, Boston Noftle, E., Robins, R. W. (2007). Personality predictors of academic out comes: Big five correlates with GPA and goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93, 116 –130.

The Role Of Safety Management On Personal Information

Safety management describes a process of protection from any harm. It also describes the countermeasures put in place by that process. Harm may indicate a loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Safety management focuses on preventing harm resulting from both random acts of nature and intentional strategic actions (Schechter, 2004). Safety management is a major concern in today's digital era. The Internet offers a low cost, but insecure means of reaching people. Owing to the ubiquity of the Internet, it is difficult to control and trace intrusions or attacks by unauthorized people, hackers, etc. Electronic commerce applications need secure mechanisms for accurate user identification, accessing sensitive database, storing and transmitting sensitive information, etc. Personal identification numbers (PINs), passwords, smart cards and digital certificates are some of the means normally used for this purpose. However, these means do not really identify a person, but only knowledge of some data or belonging of some determined object (Sanchez-Reillo et al. 1999), e. g. public key infrastructure (PKI) cannot assure identity of the maker of a transaction, it can only identify the maker's computer. An imposter can easily masquerade as a legitimate user and defraud the system. Information must be readily available in organizations for making decisions to support the organizational mission. Murphy, Boren, and Schlarman (2000) state that due to increased connectivity and the urgency to exchange information and data among partners, suppliers, and customers on a real time basis, the need to protect and secure computer resources is greater than ever. As a result, this has created the possibility of exposing sensitive corporate information to competitors as well as hackers who can now access organizational computer resources from remote sites. The potential loss of such information to an organization goes beyond financial losses and includes the possibility of corrupted data, denial of services to suppliers, business partners and customers, loss of customer confidence, and lost sales. Security in business processes (i. e. , maintaining proper authentication, authorization, non-repudiation, and privacy) is critical to successful e-business operations. Enabling business functions over the Internet has been recognized as a major component for the success of businesses and, by mitigating risks in a cost-effective manner, security is now being viewed as a component of business operations (Deise, Nowikow, King, & Wright, 2000). Decisions about information systems made by managers are vital to the success, and even survival, of a firm (Enns, Huff, & Golden, 2003). Despite increased security threats, organizations have traditionally allocated very little of the total IT budget to information security. Forrester Research estimates that in Fortune 500 companies, the average amount of money as a percent of revenue that is spent on IT security is 0. 0025 percent or slightly less than what they spend on coffee (Clarke, 2002). Organizations must evaluate and prioritize the optimum mix of products and services to be deployed for protecting confidentiality (maintaining privacy of information), integrity (maintaining information is not altered in transit), and availability (maintaining access to information and resources) of corporate assets. The decision to deploy certain technology is based on variables such as the organizational business model, level of risk, vulnerability, cost, and return on investment (Highland, 1993). There are several ways in which information can be protected. One method to safeguard information is by using controls. The concept of controls can be applied to financial auditing as well as technical computer security. General controls include personnel, physical and organizational controls as well as technical security services and mechanisms (Summers, 1997). Computer security controls can be hardware or software-based and may include biometric devices, anti-virus software, smart cards, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems that can be used to build the enterprise security infrastructure. Additionally, these controls may be preventive, detective, or corrective. In the area of information safety management, research has often lagged practice. Dhillon & Blackhouse (2001) have stressed the need for â€Å"more empirical research to develop key principles for the prevention of negative events and therefore to help in the management of security. Despite known vulnerabilities in applications and operating systems, companies continue to deploy software to stay competitive, and steps taken to secure products and services are knee-jerk reactions to media stories that are more reactive than proactive in nature. Most IT managers lack a coherent framework and concrete methodology for achieving enterprise security. A security plan that includes t echnology, personnel, and policies would be a much better approach to developing an enterprise security strategy. One such model is the Enterprise security Framework Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) model. The PWC model is comprehensive because it addresses the entire enterprise of security architecture. The model emphasizes information security strategies within the organization using a holistic rather than apiecemeal approach. The framework is based on four pillars: security vision and strategy, senior management commitment, information security management structure, and training and awareness. Within the pillars are decision drivers, development, and implementation phases. Firewalls are placed in the development phase since they are used to provide interpretation of corporate standards at the technical level. For a detailed discussion of the PWC model, the reader is referred to Murphy, Boren, and Schlarman (2000). Firewalls can be considered a last line of defense in protecting and securing information systems. Wood (1988) provided a context for information security systems planning and proposed that reactive and incremental improvement approaches to address security are harbingers of a more serious problem. Other factors identified in Wood's model are the lack of top management support, information overload, insufficient staffing, and limited resources. Straub and Welke (1998) advocate using deterrence, prevention, detection, and recovery security action cycle to mitigate systems risk and use prioritized security controls. Data on computer crimes is often under-reported because companies are not willing to risk public embarrassment and bad publicity. Most companies choose to handle these incidents internally without keeping documentation or reporting to local, state or federal authorities (Saita, 2001). There is a need for unbiased empirical studies in the information security area that will provide insight into problems affecting today's technology dependent corporations and industries. With a strong need to collect and analyze computer security data, the CSI/FBI Computer Crime and security Survey is published yearly (see http:// www. gocsi. com). This study provides descriptive statistics but does not attempt to identify relationship between variables, as is expected in analytical surveys. Also, results reported in this annual survey have been identified by the publishers themselves to be potentially misleading due to the limited number of respondents and their accuracy as a result of anonymous nature of the surveys. These results have also been called into question because of lack of statistical or scholarly rigor and self-serving interest (Heiser, 2002). Despite these limitations, the CSI/FBI survey provides a useful role in comparison of yearly data for similar parameters. The area of human computer interface provides a link between the user and software applications. User satisfaction is a function of features, user interface, response time, reliability, â€Å"installability,† information, maintainability, and other factors. If a product's user interface catches a user's attention and is simple to learn and use, and has the right price and features, then the product may gain competitive advantage† (Torres, 2002, p. 15). The theory of user interface design and user involvement in completing task-based actions related to Internet and security software has been substantiated by two studies in which user interaction with peer-to-peer software (Good & Kerkelberg, 2002), and PGP softwa re (Whitten & Tygar, 1999) were examined. Good and Krekelberg (peer-to-peer study) found that applications connecting to the Internet need better usability and software design to maintain integrity of information stored on a user's computer. In this study, individuals assumed responsibility of keeping firewalls operational at all times. This contributed in large part to maintaining effective enterprise security. Whitten and Tygar (PGP study) found that user errors are a significant portion of computer security failures, and further concluded that user interfaces for security programs require a usability standard much different from other consumer software. Although this study is not directly concerned with user satisfaction, but is more focused on factors that affect deployment rather than development of end-user software in a specific area, some factors may be directly tied to user satisfaction as will be shown by correlational analysis). Due to increasing mobile and off-site access by employees using cable modems, DSL conn ections, and wireless devices to access corporate resources, personal firewalls are a necessary component to maintain overall enterprise security in an organization. Because of the nature and availability of personal firewall software, most companies choose to acquire it rather than develop it in-house. Software acquisition that results in productivity gains and strategic advantage is of critical concern to organizations, and factors that relate to these benefits must be correctly identified and understood for software acquisition decisions (Nelson, Richmond, & Seidmann, 1996). Purchase of commercial software includes identifying requirements, evaluating packages from different vendors, configuring, installing, and evaluating it either as server or client-based solution. This may further involve requirements acquisition that leads to product selection (Maiden, Ncube, & Moore, 1997). As a method of selection, professionals in charge of evaluating personal firewall software could draft a feature requirements document, and evaluate vendor products by comparing available features as well as using demonstration versions of software. This would be followed by user experience with the software. As mentioned earlier, the need for user involvement in information systems has been considered an important mechanism for improving system quality and ensuring successful system implementation. It is further believed that the user's satisfaction with a system leads to greater system usage (Baroudi, Olson, & Ives, 1986). The requirements for software though must be as measurable as possible to enable product selection and may also use repertory grids in which stakeholders are asked for attributes applicable to a set of entities and values for cells in an entity-attribute matrix. This would produce representation of requirements in a standardized, quantifiable format amenable even to statistical analyses (Maiden, Ncube, & Moore, 1997). In relation to the security area, Goodhue and Straub (1991) found company actions and individual awareness to be statistically significant in a study of perceptions of managers regarding controls installed in organizations. The normalized safety factor provided a measure of relative strength of importance attached by factors to each statement on the scale used during sorting. As mentioned earlier, adherents in Factor 1 felt strongly in favor of statement 4 (Performance) and opposed statements 8 (Setup/configuration) and 5 (Installation). The results of Factor 2 are consistent with Factor 1, that is, Performance of the product is the highest rated criterion. ease-of-use also rated highly in Factors 1 and 2. The largest dissension between Factor 1 and 2 groups involved statements 9 (Availability of Online Help), 7 (Intrusion Reports generated), and 6 (Regular Product Updates). The most dissension between Factors 2 and 3 involved Statements 1 (Cost) and 3 (Ease-of-use). Results of Factor 3 were consistent with Factors 1 and 2, with Performance criteria once again being highly rated. The largest dissension between Factors 1 and 3 involved statements 1 (Cost), 3 (Ease-of-use), and 9 (Availability of Online Help). Extreme differences between all factors appeared in Cost, Intrusion Reports generated, and Availability of Online Help. There was only one statement, Performance of the product, that showed consensus among all factors; that is, it did not distinguish between any pair of factors, which indicates Performance of the desktop firewall software is an agreed upon criterion irrespective of group characteristics. The managerial implications of this study can be assessed at the level of selecting appropriate software for use on computers in organizations to maintain security. There is evidence of user satisfaction being a useful measure of system success (Mahmood et al. , 2000). While the end-user may not purchase individually preferred software for installation on company owned computers, the user can influence decisions for selection by making known to IS managers the features that would contribute to regular use of security software such as personal firewalls. Given access of these machines to corporate resources, appropriate and regular use of software would contribute to maintaining enterprise security. For technical professionals (e. g. , programmers) who install firewalls on their desktop, programs could emphasize the statements that are defining characteristics shown in Factor 3. For an industry that has non-technical professionals (such as Factor 1 and 2), other non-technical characteristics of the product could be emphasized thus achieving maximum effectiveness in program deployment. Increased awareness should minimize user related faults, nullify these in theory, and maximize the efficiency of security techniques and procedures from the user's point of view (Siponen, 2000). Due to project deadlines and market competition, software is often shipped without being fully tested as secure, and standard industry practice is to release incremental service packs that address security issues in the product. In a case of security software, this may adversely affect the reputation of a vendor once its products have been shown to have high vulnerability to being compromised. Knowledge on personal safety management could provide a better understanding of importance of personal firewall security software on organizational client computers. The decision to install an information system necessitates a choice of mechanisms to determine whether it is needed, and once implemented, whether it is functioning properly (Ives, Olson, & Baroudi, 1983). More research needs to be done in the area of selection of software for implementation on user's computers that are owned by corporations and given to employees for off-site work. This can include regular employees vs. contractors who may connect to employer and client networks from the same computer. If the findings are to have wider applicability, qualified industry professionals and security officers responsible for maintaining secure infrastructure in corporations should be included in the analysis. The study provides management and security professionals a basis for making decisions related to enterprise security. It provides personal firewall vendors an insight into feature requirements of the personal firewall market, and provides academic researchers interested in security, a more focused approach on various dimensions of security software from the behavioral perspective. Future studies could be industry and product specific in order to assess differences in selecting general-purpose software versus security specific products. In many cases, management has looked at the need for implementing information security programs and products as a necessary encumbrance, something akin to paying taxes or insurance premiums (Highland, 1993). But organizations are increasingly becoming aware of the potential for legal exposure via lawsuits, and are deploying countermeasures (such as personal firewalls) to reduce vulnerability and mitigate risk. The chief information security officer in today's organizations should have the responsibility of managing organizational risks by using empirical models and analysis to determine strategies for protecting corporate assets. Firewalls are the last line of defense in the corporate network and therefore play a critical role in information security. With personal firewalls being a new product genre, this study was conducted since there is no research available that specifically looks at determinants for selection of security software in a corporate environment to protect organizational assets. As the information security field evolves further, decisions for security software acquisitions need to be researched further. Selection and deployment of appropriate firewalls can make a significant difference in an organization's enterprise security strategy. It is therefore also important to understand the variables (as shown in this study) that may affect decisions to select and deploy personal firewall software in a corporate environment. It is recommended that in order to provide better evidence of factors that affect deployment of technology tools that create awareness of security issues and produce better informed employees, research into behavioral factors also needs to be conducted to gain insight into programs and processes that will lead to the development of a robust enterprise security strategy. Information security awareness research has been mostly descriptive and has not explored the possibilities offered by motivation/behavioral theories, or the related theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model, specifically in the information security domain (Mathieson, 1991 ; Siponen, 2000; Legris, Ingham, & Collerette, 2003). Since security has been deployed at the perimeter of electronic network and on servers by system administrators, the area of information security has ignored users of information systems since software developers are far removed from how the user will interact with security software. Human compliance with information security rules require an understanding of how people work and think (Highland, 1993). Lane (1985) considers the human factor to be the first and most important component of security and a critical part of the risk analysis process. This is especially true in personal firewall software since the burden of maintaining a secure environment is being shared by the user and the system administrator.

Law Brief

Law Brief Assignment Case: Fans v. New York Highlanders Inc. Facts: The New York Highlanders are building a new stadium, offered a first come first serve season ticket special. In order to be eligible, buyers would have to pay a $10,000 licensing fee which would guarantee a specific seat as identified in a stadium seating diagram. About 10,000 fans signed up and sent in their seating choices at the 50 yard line (the most desired seats) and received confirmation from the Highlanders that their seats were reserved.Unfortunately, after the licenses were sold to the 10,000 fans, the stadiums dimensions were reduced and only had 5,000 available seats on the 50 yard line. The Highlanders announced that 5,000 of the 10,000 would get the preferred seating based on a lottery, and the remaining 5,000 would be given other seats. Issue: The plaintiffs are suing the defendant to reimburse a $10,000 fee which guaranteed a specific seat in the new stadium. Due to reduced dimensions, the New York Hi ghlanders Inc. would give the plaintiffs different seats Application: Referring to the case of Yocca v. Pittsburg Steelers Sports Inc. Yocca was sent a brochure granting the right to buy annual season tickets to games thru stadium building licenses. Yocca applied for the stadium building license and listed his seating preference. The Steelers sent him a letter notifying him of the section in which his seat was located. A diagram was included with detailed parameters of the section, but it differed from the original brochures diagram. The Steelers also sent Yocca documents including a clause that read,† This agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties. † Yocca signed the documents, and the Steelers told him the specific location of the seats.When he arrived to the stadium, the seat was not where he expected it to be. Yocca filed a suit against the Steelers, the defendants appealed to the state supreme court. Since the parties, without any fraud or mistake, have purposely put their arrangements in writing, the law states the writing to be the only evidence of their agreement. All previous negotiations, conversations and verbal agreements can not be combined or added to evidence. â€Å"Once a writing is determined to be the parties entire contract, the parol evidence rule applies and evidence of any previous written negations or agreements nvolving the same subject matter as the contract is almost always inadmissible to explain or vary the terms of the contract. Because the plaintiffs based their complaint on the claim that the defendants violated the terms of the brochure, and the court held the brochure as not part of the contract, the case was dismissed. The Yocca v. Pittsburg Steelers Sports Inc case is similar to the Fans v. New York Highlanders Inc, in which the fan(s) paid for specific seats that they were guaranteed to have.The fans signed up for their seat choices and received confirmation that the seats were reserved, same as Yoc ca’s agreement with the Steelers. A few differences between these two cases are that Yocca signs a clause that reads, â€Å"This agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties. † But this clause was signed AFTER he applied for the SBL documents. With the Highlanders case, we are not giving enough information as to what the fans signed off to, but we can make an assumption that the fans signed off to a similar clause because they both are applying for stadium building license.Also, in Yocca’s case the stadium was not reducing its dimensions. Both cases had plaintiffs purchasing â€Å"specific† seats in which they were guaranteed and resulting in having a different seat or wanting reimbursement. With the fans v. Highlanders, there was no brochure or previous negations; the plaintiff’s signed off on the SBL which is the only evidence of their agreement. Seeing as to the defendant violating the agreement, the plaintiff’s are subject to a reimbursement. Decision: In a court of law, the parties’ entire contract (the Stadium Building License Document) is the only evidence of their agreement.All negations, conversations, and brochures cannot be added to parol evidence. Because the plaintiff’s based their case complaint that the defendant violated the terms of the Stadium Building License, the defendants owe the fans a reimbursement of $10,000. Citations: 1. Clarkson, Miller. Business Law. 11. Yocca v. Pittsburg Steeler Sports, Inc. , Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2004 578 Pa. , 854 A. 2D, 425: Pages 313-314. 2. http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/23473/how_to_write_a_legal_brief_pg2 Law Brief Law Brief Assignment Case: Fans v. New York Highlanders Inc. Facts: The New York Highlanders are building a new stadium, offered a first come first serve season ticket special. In order to be eligible, buyers would have to pay a $10,000 licensing fee which would guarantee a specific seat as identified in a stadium seating diagram. About 10,000 fans signed up and sent in their seating choices at the 50 yard line (the most desired seats) and received confirmation from the Highlanders that their seats were reserved.Unfortunately, after the licenses were sold to the 10,000 fans, the stadiums dimensions were reduced and only had 5,000 available seats on the 50 yard line. The Highlanders announced that 5,000 of the 10,000 would get the preferred seating based on a lottery, and the remaining 5,000 would be given other seats. Issue: The plaintiffs are suing the defendant to reimburse a $10,000 fee which guaranteed a specific seat in the new stadium. Due to reduced dimensions, the New York Hi ghlanders Inc. would give the plaintiffs different seats Application: Referring to the case of Yocca v. Pittsburg Steelers Sports Inc. Yocca was sent a brochure granting the right to buy annual season tickets to games thru stadium building licenses. Yocca applied for the stadium building license and listed his seating preference. The Steelers sent him a letter notifying him of the section in which his seat was located. A diagram was included with detailed parameters of the section, but it differed from the original brochures diagram. The Steelers also sent Yocca documents including a clause that read,† This agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties. † Yocca signed the documents, and the Steelers told him the specific location of the seats.When he arrived to the stadium, the seat was not where he expected it to be. Yocca filed a suit against the Steelers, the defendants appealed to the state supreme court. Since the parties, without any fraud or mistake, have purposely put their arrangements in writing, the law states the writing to be the only evidence of their agreement. All previous negotiations, conversations and verbal agreements can not be combined or added to evidence. â€Å"Once a writing is determined to be the parties entire contract, the parol evidence rule applies and evidence of any previous written negations or agreements nvolving the same subject matter as the contract is almost always inadmissible to explain or vary the terms of the contract. Because the plaintiffs based their complaint on the claim that the defendants violated the terms of the brochure, and the court held the brochure as not part of the contract, the case was dismissed. The Yocca v. Pittsburg Steelers Sports Inc case is similar to the Fans v. New York Highlanders Inc, in which the fan(s) paid for specific seats that they were guaranteed to have.The fans signed up for their seat choices and received confirmation that the seats were reserved, same as Yoc ca’s agreement with the Steelers. A few differences between these two cases are that Yocca signs a clause that reads, â€Å"This agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties. † But this clause was signed AFTER he applied for the SBL documents. With the Highlanders case, we are not giving enough information as to what the fans signed off to, but we can make an assumption that the fans signed off to a similar clause because they both are applying for stadium building license.Also, in Yocca’s case the stadium was not reducing its dimensions. Both cases had plaintiffs purchasing â€Å"specific† seats in which they were guaranteed and resulting in having a different seat or wanting reimbursement. With the fans v. Highlanders, there was no brochure or previous negations; the plaintiff’s signed off on the SBL which is the only evidence of their agreement. Seeing as to the defendant violating the agreement, the plaintiff’s are subject to a reimbursement. Decision: In a court of law, the parties’ entire contract (the Stadium Building License Document) is the only evidence of their agreement.All negations, conversations, and brochures cannot be added to parol evidence. Because the plaintiff’s based their case complaint that the defendant violated the terms of the Stadium Building License, the defendants owe the fans a reimbursement of $10,000. Citations: 1. Clarkson, Miller. Business Law. 11. Yocca v. Pittsburg Steeler Sports, Inc. , Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2004 578 Pa. , 854 A. 2D, 425: Pages 313-314. 2. http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/23473/how_to_write_a_legal_brief_pg2