Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Examine how systems engineers at Northlinks Consultants control access to email files and network communication The WritePass Journal
Examine how systems engineers at Northlinks Consultants control access to email files and network communication Examine how systems engineers at Northlinks Consultants control access to email files and network communication Introduction Q1                                                                                                                             What should Gwen do? Lawrence, manager at Northlinks Consultants believes staff spends a lot of time sending ‘personal’ emails to friends and family. As a result, he wants Gwen the systems engineer to help him have access to email files on all PCs in the office. Gwen is faced with mainly a morality issue. The morality issue in this case involves ‘spying’ on employees emails which though may be work related but may also contain information that they would not want in the public domain which Gwen views as a breach of trust. In ethically though, Bourke v. Nissan (www.loundy.com/CASES/Bourke_v_Nissan.html) is an example of a situation where a court has ruled as regards non privacy of emails when it is used on company internal network. Thus, if an e-mail system is used at a company, it belongs to the employer and as such; the employer is allowed to review its contents. These emails also include messages sent both internally (within the company) and externally and web based email accounts such as Yahoo too. As an employee at Northlinks, one may feel like the employer has breached one’s trust if one hears that the employer views their email files. However, if notice is given before such a policy is introduced, the situation might be better managed. It should be noted however that the company has no ethical obligations to inform the staff of the new policy (maybe only moral). Therefore in this regards, Gwen has no option but to do what Lawrence requires and her morals cannot be given higher priority than her work conduct. However, alternatively, Gwen could also suggest to Lawrence that workers should be told their emails are being reviewed so that they can keep private talk outside of work emails. Furthermore, Gwen may go ahead to let staff know about the ‘new’ policy before it is implemented. Another alternative for Gwen is to hand the job to another member of the team at least for this task if her morals cannot handle executing the task. Q2 Professional Codes of conduct as developed by Professional bodies are mainly a set of guidelines designed to show acceptable behaviour for members of the body. One virtue could be that adhering to professional ethics gives satisfaction to members of that group. As such, as a member of that body, in addition to having the satisfaction of meeting other requirements, one also gets the satisfaction of remaining a member because one has kept to the ethical codes of the body. Another virtue is highlighted in the fact that for most bodies, as one rises in degree in the body implies also the number of years he/she has spent adhering to the ethical standards. As such, one who has fully kept the standards of the body to the fullest is also most likely to be one in the top ratings of the body. For instance, a chartered Engineer would have kept within the codes of ethics of the engineering Society to get to that level and as such is accorded more respect in that field. Short comings of these ethical codes may be summarised in two subheadings – Enforceability and Vagueness. Vagueness – Most ethical codes are vague. This is actually a ‘quality’ of such codes as their vagueness helps in giving it room for interpretation. In most organisations, this interpretation is done by top level members. For example, the C.R.12 of the IMechE code of ethics states that â€Å"Members shall act honourably, responsibly, and lawfully so as to uphold the reputation, standing and dignity of the profession in general and the Institution in particular†. What does the term ‘act honourably’ imply? Does it mean that members of this body cannot be involved in say, a civil protest? Can that be termed as not acting honourably? Enforceability – like every law, ethical codes need to be enforced to be effective. However, for bodies like the IET, ImechE, etc., enforcing these codes on every member can be a hideous task. Unfortunately, when this is not done properly, the codes cannot be effective. As can be seen from the above, while having an ethical code has its virtues, it also has its short comings. However, the short comings while valid and can be misinterpreted and misapplied, like in the example given of the IMechE C.R.12 code. An example is the Goodrich A-7 brake case in 1972 (Harris, Pritchard and Rabbins 2009) when Goodrich corporation won a contract for the supply of brakes for the Navy A-7 aircraft. Testing showed clearly that the design would not function correctly based on Government regulations but Managers tried to trick government into thinking the design worked correctly. Searle Lawson (a young graduate Engineer) and Kermit Vandivier both working for Goodrich understood that their professional ethics mandated that public safety must be paramount in all decisions, informed the FBI which then informed Government Accounting office. Goodrich immediately fired Vandivier and Lawson had to resign. Keeping to the Engineering codes cost Lawson and Vandivier their jobs. If they had not reported the case, they may have kept their jobs but lives may have been lost as in the DC-10 case also in 1972 (Harris, Pritchard and Rabbins 2009). Ethical codes help keep Engineers on their toes giving them ‘laws’ to refer to when litigations arise. Therefore, this writer feels that having professional ethics do not in any way, outweigh not having them. Q3 According to an online resource (wiktionary), Ethics is â€Å"the study of principles relating to right and wrong conduct or standards that govern the conduct of a person, especially a member of a profession†. In essence, within every profession lies a set of standards or ‘ground rules’ which guard that profession and which every member of that profession must adhere to. Any member of the profession who goes against these set standards can be dismissed or where possible, his membership of the profession can be cancelled. These set of ground rules are said to be the Ethics guarding that profession. Bower (notes) lists that ethical standards would typically include: A Code of Ethics Legal Requirements Moral and Personal Values Morality on the other hand is an ‘adopted’ set of rules and regulations or code of conduct within an environment for what is right and wrong. In modern society, morals have formed the spine of modern society especially in the case of religion. It should be noted that morals define an individual’s character while ethics are more guidelines for a group or society which members must follow and which morals are applied. An example can be seen in the case of a lawyer whose personal morals may define murder as a crime that should be punished but whose professional ethics expect him to defend an accused as vigorously as possible. With the advent of the internet and revolution in the Information Technology, there has been a need for the introduction of ethics or guidelines to guard against abuse. These ethics known as cyberethics is a code of responsible behaviour for using the Internet. Internet ethics however refer to code of conduct guarding against inappropriate use of online resources. Online resources could be documents in online libraries, etc. An example of inappropriate use of online resources could be sending of spam messages (RFC 1087). Computer ethics overall cover the way computing professionals should make decisions regarding professional and social conduct (Bynum 2005). This as we can see is not restricted to the use of computers as in the case of Internet and Cyberethics, but covers the individual professionals themselves and how the conduct themselves. Like Margaret Anne Pierce and John Henry said, these ethical decisions related to computer technology and usage can be categorised thus: The individuals own personal code. Any informal code of ethical behaviour that exists in the work place. Exposure to formal codes of ethics. Q4 There are some key issues involved in this article. The bridge had reached a critical stage which according to Engineer A’s recommendation and expertise suggestions by a consulting and inspection firm, required urgent repairs. The current state of the bridge also meant that it was a danger to the general public and so it was closed. However, probably due to the inconvenience caused by closing the bridge, the idea of closure did not go down well with the public and closure signs were ignored and when permanent signs were placed, the public protested. Also may be due to public outcry, the bridge was reopened with a limit on load going over it and which Engineer A has clearly seen is being ignored. As it stands, due to the reopening of the bridge, there is a danger to the general public. One of the fundamental Canons of a many Engineering codes including the American Society of Civil Engineers says that â€Å"Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and shall strive to comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of their professional duties†. This engineering code request that the safety and welfare of the public be placed paramount in every situation. This implies that even in the situation where comfort is sacrificed, in this case, the inconvenience of having to go around the bridge, the welfare and safety should be put first. In addition, it can be seen that the Commission may have been swayed by political motives in the reopening of the bridge. Engineer A’s duty as dictated in another fundamental Canon of Civil Engineering code – â€Å"Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honour, integrity, and dignity of the engineering profession and shall act with zero-tolerance for bribery, fraud, and corruption†. This means that irrespective of public outcry or the pressure on him by politicians to reopen the bridge, Engineer A must maintain his stand and by putting the welfare of the public first. He should make his dissenting views known to the County Commission even if it is just for him to have a clear conscience. References Online resource. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ethics sourced 10/03/2011. Dr. Bowers’s Notes from the 4 Ethics Articles taken from Engineering Dimensions, Magazine Sourced online from http://web2.uwindsor.ca/courses/bondy2/lectures/ethics.pdf on 01/03/2011 Bynum, Terrell Ward. A Very Shory History of Computer Ethics. Southern Connecticut State University. Archived from the original on 2008-04-18. http://web.archive.org/web/20080418122849/southernct.edu/organizations/rccs/resources/research/introduction/bynum_shrt_hist.html. Retrieved 10/03/2011. Margaret, A, Henry, J. â€Å"Computer Ethics: The Role of Personal, Informal, and Formal Codes†. Journal of business ethics. Sourced online from springerlink.com/content/m3201253822641r0/ on 12/03/2011. Harris C.E., Pritchard M.S., Rabbins M.J. 2009. â€Å"Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases†. Fourth Edition. Wadsworth Engage Learning, Belmont, USA.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Critical Thinking Exercises for Students
Critical Thinking Exercises for Students Critical thinking is a skill that students develop gradually as they progress in school. While the skill becomes more important in higher grades, some students find it difficult to understand the concept of critical thinking. The reason critical thinking can be difficult to grasp is because it requires students to set aside assumptions and beliefs to learn to think without bias or judgment. Critical thinking involves suspending your beliefs to explore and question topics from a blank page point of view. It also involves the ability to distinguish fact from opinion when exploring a topic. These exercises are designed to help develop critical thinking skills. Critical Thinking Exercise 1: Tour Guide for an Alien This exercise provides an opportunity to think outside your normal way of thinking. Pretend that you have been assigned the task of conducting a tour for aliens who are visiting the earth and observing human life. Youre riding along in a blimp, viewing the landscape below, and you float over a professional baseball stadium. One of the aliens looks down and is very confused by what he sees. You explain that there is a game going on and he asks several important questions. What is a game? Why are there no female players?Why do people get so excited about watching other people play games?What is a team?Why cant the people in the seats go down on the field and join in? If you try to answer these questions fully, it will quickly become apparent that we carry around certain assumptions and values. We support a certain team, for instance, because it makes us feel like were a part of a community. This sense of community is a value that matters to some people more than others. Furthermore, when trying to explain team sports to an alien, you have to explain the value we place on winning and losing. When you think like an alien tour guide, you are forced to take a deeper look at the things we do and things we value. Sometimes they dont sound logical from the outside looking in. Critical Thinking Exercise 2: Fact or Opinion Do you think you know the difference between fact and opinion? Its not always easy to discern. When you visit websites, do you believe everything you read? The abundance of available information makes it more important than ever for students to develop critical thinking skills. Additionally, its an important reminder that you must use trustworthy sources in your school work. If you dont learn the difference between fact and opinion, you may end up reading and watching things that continue to reinforce beliefs and assumptions you already own. For this exercise, read each statement and try to determine whether it sounds like a fact or an opinion. This can be completed alone or with a study partner. My mom is the best mom on earth.My dad is taller than your dad.My telephone number is difficult to memorize.The deepest part of the ocean is 35,813 feet deep.Dogs make better pets than turtles.Smoking is bad for your health.Eighty-five percent of all cases of lung cancer in the U.S. are caused by smoking.If you flatten and stretch out a Slinky toy it will be 87 feet long.Slinky toys are fun.One out of every one hundred American citizens is color blind.Two out of ten American citizens are boring. You will probably find some of the statements easy to judge but other statements difficult. If you can effectively debate the truthfulness of a statement with your partner, then its most likely an opinion.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4
MARKETING - Essay Example Which is why we attend colleges and vocational education? A career is a journey not a destination. It is made up of a series of job profiles that a person has to fulfil before he attains his goal. Therefore, it is very important for a person to have a clear idea about what he wants to accomplish. Every job includes certain tasks, duties and responsibilities. In order to execute a job one needs to have certain skill sets. Through a reflective commentary one can analyse the skill sets that a person has to inculcate in order to reach his career goal. This can be done through a proper analysis of one’s skills and abilities. First and foremost, a person should define clearly what his career goal is. No analysis is complete without accurate determination of one’s career goal. Then one should know exactly the skill sets that are needed to achieve that goal. After that a person should do an introspection of his skills and abilities. If he has the required skills matching his ca reer goal, he should look for avenues for its development. If he does not have the skills he should look for developing them through self development, training and counselling. I am a student of Westminster University which is located at London in the United Kingdom. I am studying International Business with Spanish. I have certain strengths and weaknesses. My strengths are self confidence, the ability to think high, the ability to work in a team. The area of my weakness has been my introvert nature. Also, at times I get confused under pressure. I believe that my educational background and also my attitude provide me certain opportunities in life. I believe in learning from others and acquiring experience. Experience can also help me to acquire more ideas and knowledge. Besides knowledge of International Business, I am also well versed in the maintenance of aircraft. I have got a rich and vivid work experience. I have worked in Saudi Airlines along
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Project Entpreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Project Entpreneurship - Essay Example there are many cases of teen pregnancy on more than one occasion†(Anand 2011, para. 1). We could refer many studies and surveys conducted around the western countries regarding teenage pregnancy. It would certainly prove that teenage pregnancies are increasing as well as abortions too. In developing countries it is related with child marriages, but in western countries it is related with before marriage sex relations. So in order to prevent this, certain measures should be taken and implemented. So we planned to conduct a campaign in NHS Bedfordshire. NHS Bedfordshire schools are part of healthy school programs and they have taken many measures to ensure the health of young people. They already have a teenage pregnancy unit, known as Bedfordshire teenage pregnancy unit. So our plan is to conduct a campaign in Bedfordshire campuses in order to create strong awareness against teenage pregnancy and to prevent it. Business Project: The current business project that we are aiming a t is the various kinds of ways to effectively plan and implement the planning programme. The planning program, in this context, is the discussion on an illegal activity namely the teenage pregnancy. ... The discussion on the campaign is mainly aiming to create the awareness on the teenagers, especially the boys with the main intention of eradicating teenage pregnancy. Various methods are identified for the reduction of the teenage pregnancy, but before that there are various problems identified and they have to be clearly understood and steps have to be taken accordingly for reducing teenage pregnancy. The main problem found behind teenage pregnancy was the single parenting culture in the UK country. The single parenting of the children may lead to the various adverse effects on the behavior of the child and they may lead to the various mal practices like the usage of the drugs, alcohol and prone to various kinds of syndromes, which lead to the dynamic life styles and culture. The main reasons for a teenager falling into certain kinds of acts are due to the non-controlling of them and they doesn’t not find adequate time for successful parenting. The various kinds of abstin ence approach can help the children in reducing the teenage pregnancy. We should be able to educate the teenaged children about those approaches accordingly and should give proper guidance on sex issues prevailing in the country and the after effects of those actions. Sex education should be made compulsory among the teenagers and they should be given complete advices and suggestions on preventing teenage pregnancy and to prevent themselves from any kind of the abuse. A proper counseling should be given to children as well as the parents about how to prevent pregnancy. Sexual education should be given priority and use of contraception methods should be conveyed to the teenagers and to the parents for proper behaving. Volunteering and various legal aids should be imposed to the teenage
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Fast Food Essay Essay Example for Free
Fast Food Essay Essay America’s obesity is caused by numerous factors, that which are viewed differently by people. For example, many different people believe the problem of obesity is caused by over eating, increased portion sizes, lack of nutrition, and how fast food companies are going after children. These problems are all considered to be immense problems of obesity. Though, different people may believe only one of the followings is a major cause. Thus, it is of importance to discuss the reasons why. First of all, portion sizes from fast food restaurants have dramatically increased over the course of a few decades. In the article, â€Å"By Any Other Name, It’s Still a Supersize,†the author, Lisa R. Young, states that, â€Å"In the last few years, Hardee’s, Burger King and Wendy’s all have introduced 1,000-calorie-plus sandwiches stuffed with 12 ounces of beef – the amount of meat recommended for two days for most adults.†This shows that one meal can be more than half the average calories needed for individuals in a single day. Instead, people should avoid large quantities of food and should eat healthier. Consequently, big portion sizes are one of the factors of obesity. Second, fast food companies are deliberately targeting children as they are easy targets to go after. Kelly Brownell, the author of â€Å"Are Children Prey for Fast Food Companies?†says how Happy Meals from McDonalds are served with toys. These toys are advertised and are served with low nutritious food. â€Å"Only 12 of 3,039 possible kids’ meal combinations meet nutrition criteria for preschoolers.†However, if fast food companies would serve healthier foods to children, like fruits and milk, the statistics would increase. Also, these foods are high in sugar, and fat. Ultimately, companies targeting children with unhealthy food and toys can lead to a higher rate of children being obese or diabetic. Strangely enough, fast food mimicking fast casual places may actually be better and healthier due to its fresher ingredients. Julie Jargon writes the article, â€Å"Fast Food Aspires to ‘Fast Casual’†; and she states that fast food restaurants are up scaling their food. â€Å"In the hope of appealing to more-sophisticated consumers, fast-food chains are moving beyond simple cheeseburgers and tacos, adding fancier ingredients such as portabella mushrooms, citrus-herb marinated chicken, and pepper bacon.†This upgrade may be attracting more customers to the fast food industry, but they will be attracted to healthier foods. Therefore, it may not be as much as a leading cause as of obesity as other things. In conclusion, fast food companies have changed America for the worse over the course of a few years. Fast food places mostly have high fat and low nutritious portion sizes that shouldn’t be eaten daily. Families shouldn’t eat fast foods as much as they think they should, and instead should result in eating healthier, fresher products. Alternatives to fast food places may dramatically decrease obesity in America. America’s obesity epidemic may be led by the fast food industries.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Christianity According to St. Augustine and Machiavelli Essay -- essay
In St. Augustine’s book entitled Political Writings, one could see that Christianity plays a very important role in his view of politics. His opinion on the morality or lack of morality in politics, to me makes it more evident that Christianity persuades his views. Although it seems his writings have become quite well known and admired, not everyone fully shared his beliefs. Niccolo Machiavelli, for instance, seemed to believe in a government that was not driven by morality, but more by practicality. In, The Prince, Machiavelli stresses that the moral fibers of government should not be so soft. Like St. Augustine, his work went on to become one of the most famous books ever written about politics. Throughout the two works there are some similarities and differences regarding politics, however it their view of Christianity and morality that many find most intriguing.      After reading St. Augustine’s book it seemed to me that he had very little interest in politics as a whole, but he did seem to have a a great interest on the moral problems that plagued them. The books that make up this work come from one of his previous works entitled, The City of God, in which Augustine discusses many different aspects of the city. Augustine’s view of Christianity in regard to politics was due to the moral decline of the Roman Empire and the effect of this decline on the still faithful Christians. Augustine blamed the pagan gods and their lack of concern for the moral character which defined those who worshiped them. He also makes a reference to Plato’s Republic, in regards to the way Plato wanted to banish the poets from his city in speech. Augustine also felt that there should be strong censorship of the poets when writing about the gods because they made fools out of them. Augustine is also very concerned with the amount of people who in past invasions of their homelands escaped by lying about being Christians and then turned their backs on Christ when the danger had subsided. Augustine’s work also raises the question of why mercy is extended to the pious and ungrateful. Augustine responds by reminding everyone that, â€Å"The sun rises upon the good and evil, and the rains fall upon the just and the unjust.†The book also discusses Gods patience with humans and how the choice to repent ones sins lies within the man. He tells how some will recognize... ...in things, I do think it is safe to say that they are both Christians. Although, without question St. Augustine is more in touch with his faith, he seems to be less in touch with politics. Machiavelli on the other hand does not separate man from what he sees to be his natural state of morality but uses it to the advantage of politics. When discussing Moses and his helping the Israelites escape to the promise land, Machiavelli mentions the miracles of Christ and states that God has done his part and it is time for humans to do theirs. This leads me to think that he believes politics should not lack God but work in conjunction with him.      To me St. Augustine is not educated only in his faith, but in the faiths of others as well and he shows no discrimination but more concern with how they are led morally in their beliefs. Machiavelli, however seems to be content with the use of religion as tool to secure the strength of the state. After fully reading the work I do not feel as though Machiavelli is as anarchical of a person as some would be led to think. I think he just had a better understanding of human nature and how it is commonly applied to politics.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
History book report Essay
It is the circumstances and the characters of the founding â€Å"brothers,†their ideological as well as personal conflicts that created the US as a nation. SUMMARY Here is a presentation of US Historyâ€â€the creation of a new nation that does not attempt to consolidate events into a general account that suggests the inevitability of the Declaration of Independence but examines history in light of a handful of episodes involving central personages, their passions and conflicts that reveal as much of the creation of the nation after the Constitutional Convention. At one end were the Federalists including Washington, Hamilton and Adams who believed that revolution was a necessary step in order to build US nationhood as embodied by the newly established federal government. On the other were the Republicans including Jefferson and Madison who saw revolution in its liberating character, holding the Declaration of Independence as most sacred, in contrast to the Federalists who consider the Constitution most dear. At that time, there was no notion of valid opposition. Both sides thought about the other’s position as treasonable. These are the circumstances that surround the duel between Hamilton and Barr, which led to the former’s death and cost the latter’s political career. These are the circumstances that led to Washington’s non-acceptance of a third term as well as Jefferson’s treacherous vilification of his friend, John Adams. This high level of political tension led to the compromise in 1790 to appease the Southern states, as a result of fear of the states’ secession (despite both parties’ belief that slavery was inconsistent with the principles embodied by the Revolution). In all stages of these events, the characters were aware of that they were in fact, making history. BOOK REVIEWS 1. In Bobrick’s (2000) review of the Founding Brothers, he compared the Ellis’ style to Lytton Strachey, the author of Eminent Victorians. But according to him, Ellis was different in a way that the latter never veered towards making a caricature of the characters. He described the book as â€Å"splendid†¦ humane, learned, written with flair and radiant with a calm intelligence and wit. †He also guaranteed that even those who are familiar with the â€Å"revolutionary generation†will find the book to be both captivating and enlightening of the first years of America as a nation. 2. Meanwhile, Hodgson (2002) said that Ellis’ method made possible the retention by general readers of their interest in a highly-intelligent discussion of 18th century politics. He thinks that The Founding Brothers is one of those rare books/analyses that can be read for pleasure. But despite these comments, he also notes that Ellis’ work suffers the characteristics of â€Å"American Exceptionalism†and failing to acknowledge Britain’s version of history. The Independent, where Hodgson’s review was published is a British newspaper. REACTION TO BOOK REVIEWS There is nothing surprising about the positive reviews gained by The Founding Brothers. After all, with the pervasiveness of the linear or historiographic approach, there is no doubt that the book’s manner of presentation can be characterized as a breath of fresh air. Ellis’ novel approach enabled him to indirectly give a general and probably in many ways, different accounts of history by being able to pick only six of all specific stories that could have contributed to history. This indicates not only deep knowledge of the personal lives of some characters as some reviewers point out, but also indicates a deep insight of what transpired in history as well as what as its implications and consequences. While it is true that Ellis was able to make the book more interesting to the general readers, it is arguable that the book’s â€Å"indifferent†to others’ version of history is an issue. Ellis does not claim to represent to be a version of other nations’ histories or any nation’s history for that matter. At best, what Ellis book attempts to represent is his own interpretation of history considering everything that he studied, and analyzed both as writer, researcher and historian. ENLIGHTENING Interpretations of history can be different depending on the manner of its presentation. In schools, and even in colleges, these founders are usually depicted as saints, sometimes even to the point of idolatry. Ellis presentation of these founders is an attempt to humanize them in the minds of the readers. In the end, they are not depicted purely as models of idealism, motivated by pure goodwill and love for the country, but as politicians who regardless of their real motives are affected by conflicting circumstances, and sometimes real ambition. ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT The book is already enjoyable as it is despite whatever flaws it may have. One reviewer notes the fact that some point of views, particularly those of the British were not taken into account. The writer personally do not think that such alteration, or any alteration for that matter would be necessary to cause a significant change on the effect that the book had to the readers. References Bobrick, B. (2000). The Brethren. New York Times Online. Retrieved 28 April 2009 from http://www. nytimes. com/books/00/12/10/reviews/001210. 10bobrict. html? scp=1&sq=founding%20brothers%20review%20ellis&st=cse. Ellis, J. (2001). Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation. Alfred Knopf: New York. Hodgson, G. (2002). The Apostles of the US Brought to Life. The Independent Online. Retrieved 28 Apriil 2009 from http://www. independent. co. uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/founding-brothers–the-revolutionary-generation-by-joseph-j-ellis-750973. html.
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