CASE MGT - 491 STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Essay

CASE MGT - 491 STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example This paper will discuss a new strategic human resource management plan for a middle size firm. The paper will discuss the new HR plan from the point of view of a Chief executive officer. The new plan will be aimed at ensuring the HRM department meets its strategic goals. The HRM will be expected to come up with minimum requirements for every position in the organization. The minimum requirements will be dictated by the roles and responsibilities for each role. This information will enable the HRM decide if the person in charge of a post is worth it. It will also be important during the hiring process since it will guide the hiring team on which candidate to choose. After coming up with the minimum requirements for each post, the HRM will develop a skills inventory which will gauge the worthiness of the current employees. The HRM department in close cooperation with the overall management will discuss the number of employees that the organization requires in each department. This will be guided by the trends in demand and supply as well as the current and future objectives of the organization. Once the number is determined, a hiring or firing plan will be established. Firing /retrenchment and hiring exercises will be based on department requirements and the qualifications of each employee/interviewee. Employee job satisfaction is important since it increases employee retention (Lawler & Boudreau, 2009). Factors such as technologies and organization cultures contribute in determining the level of employee job satisfaction. The company will invest in technologies proposed by the HRM. Moreover, the company will focus on creating a culture that values the employees. A culture of valuing employees increases productivity, invention and employee retention. All employees will be treated equally regardless of their diversities (Abang & Abang , 2009. The long-term goals of the organization will be used to determine the labor demands

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway Essay Example for Free

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway Essay 1. A Clean Well-Lighted Place 2. In the short story A Clean Well-Lighted Place written by Ernest Hemingway in 1933, there are three characters that are defined by light.   First there is the elderly gentleman who is a customer in the bar.   He regularly comes to the bar to get drunk while he sits in the shadows of the leaves of a tree.   This man has lived a long life and has known much pain.   In fact he has known enough pain that he has tried to commit suicide. The two waiters inside the cafe knew that the old man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too drunk he would leave without paying, so they kept watch on him. Last week he tried to commit suicide, one waiter said. (Hemingway)   He drinks to dull his pain of loss and pain.   The shadows are symbolic of all of his bead memories clumped together and the leaves that through tiny shadows to hide him are specific memories.   Even though he wraps himself in the darkness, he must be close to the light in order to survive.   The light, or goodness, gives him hope to carry on in a life that he cannot even successfully leave. The next character is the young waiter who must have the light.   He has not lived long, has a wife, and children.   Because his life seems to be exactly where it should be things are good and that is represented by the clean light of the bar.   Because of his youth, there has not been time for messes or losses.   He fears the shadows that shroud the elderly man because he sees them as foreshadows of his own life that he does not want to face. Hell stay all night, he said to his colleague. Im sleepy now. I never get into bed before three oclock. He should have killed himself last week. (Hemingway) The last is the older waiter.   This man has experienced enough life that he, like the elderly gentleman, prefers the dark.   He sees the light as only something to illuminate the defects in life.   The light is very bright and pleasant but the bar is unpolished, the waiter. said. (Hemingway)   This way feels that understands that he has more in common with the elderly man in the shadows, but he longs to be back in the light. I am of those who like to stay late at the cafe, the older waiter said. With all those who do not want to go to bed. With all those who need a light for the night. (Hemingway) 3. Hemingway uses A Clean Well-Lighted Place to ponder the meaning of life.   Life is lived and through the journey, individuals know the joy which leave them with a lack of understanding of others like the young waiter and the elderly man.   You should have killed yourself last week, he said to the deaf man. The old man motioned with his finger. (Hemingway) Only those who are satisfied with life should be around him.   Money is not what makes people happy. The elderly man has money, but still he tries unsuccessfully to committee suicide.   Hemingway was well into his career at this time and had plenty of money yet he was not happy.   He adds the quick glimpse of the girl and the soldier who brave the fear of getting caught for the sake of love or the physical part of love to show that there are things that are meaningful in life that are worth the risk.   Yet in the end people are left with their shadows of memories that are so painful that they either desire for nothing but to turn back to the light part of their lives or to desire to leave life.

Godhead :: social issues

Godhead On May 20, 325 AD the world was forever changed. Emperor Constantine called a meeting of the 318 Bishops at Nicea and on that day they instituted one of the greatest flaws of American religion today. This is the doctrine of the Trinity, suggesting the view of the Oneness doctrine, believing on one God and His name being Jesus, is no longer correct. The Trinity doctrine cannot be proven by simply reading the scriptures; it has to be described and explained in detail, before you can begin to see the Trinitarian view. The Trinity doctrine is a doctrine of inference, not a doctrine of fact. If you ever listen or take part in a Oneness verses Trinity debate you will find that as long as they are quoting scriptures the Trinity looses ground. Hence, the doctrine of the Trinity must be â€Å"injected† into the scriptures to prove itself. One man once said â€Å"The Trinity has to be piped into Scripture before it can be piped out.† The best example is: everyone knows you can’t get milk from cotton. But, if you take the cotton and soak it in milk first then you can squeeze the milk from the cotton. In the same sense the Trinity doctrine is like this. Before you can begin to see the Trinity doctrine, someone has to tell you about it and then go to scripture to prove it as fact. By just reading the scriptures first, no one will ever find the Trinity represented, for the scriptures prove the Oneness of Jesus Christ all through the Bible. I do not understand how the doctrine of the Trinity can get around the unity of the Old Testament and New Testament stating the One God facts. Deuteronomy 6:4(NKJV) states: â€Å"Here, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:†. That sums up the doctrine of the Oneness. But, one instance will not satisfy. Here are just a few of the misconceptions of the Trinity Doctrine that cause it to be in fault: First: â€Å"Elohim† â€Å"Elohim†, meaning "God", is sometimes confused to show the plurality of the Godhead, this is not a correct interpretation. In the Hebrew words are plural in construction but singular in the way that they are used. Also the Hebrew often used plural forms to show majesty or greatness of one person or deity. Even though these are plural words, to say they represent a multiplicity in the Godhead would be wrong.

Prejudice and Ethics in Counselling Essay

If a counsellor finds herself drifting into judgemental thoughts upon listening to a client describe a lifestyle in which she eats all day, while attempting to lose weight, it will be extremely difficult for me to keep the results of my emotional response to this judgemental attitude from reflecting in my voice and choice of words in working with the client. Clients may be dysfunctional, but they aren’t emotionally insensitive or unintelligent, and are very likely to hear the implied feelings of the therapist. Obviously, this will do little to establish or maintain the kind of trust necessary for effective counselling. I need to recognise this more in myself. I am sure that intellectually I try to have no prejudices; however I know that I do because I can tell by the tone of my voice or the little voice that may appear in my head. I know that I am hypocritical in several of these instances. For example, I may think that that unemployed people are lazy, and that fat people are lazy too, when I have been unemployed and not looking for work. Even though I don’t often think in prejudicial terms I can do if under pressure and stressed, and looking for someone to blame. Therapists are necessarily aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socio-economic status and consider these factors when working with members of such groups. Therapists try to eliminate the effect on their work of biases based on those factors, and they do not knowingly participate in or condone activities of others based upon such prejudices. Because of the tendency to generalize, rather than be specific, it is quite possible to encounter therapists who simply don’t see obesity as a disability, and therefore excuse themselves, internally, from their prejudice in this area, rationalizing that the person is not disabled, but simply lazy. There are therapists who within the privacy of their own thoughts, may feel the same way about alcoholics or drug addicts. These therapists may realize that their prejudice is counter-productive to the therapeutic process, and may attempt to avoid voicing their feelings around other therapists or in the presence of their clients, but while they may succeed in not overtly expressing these feelings in front of their clients, they are usually unable to keep from letting them slip in the presence of their friends. If they are lucky, they will receive productive feedback, who may assist them in overcoming their own prejudices. This, in fact, is the idea behind supervision in the therapeutic process, wherein a therapist is monitored and overseen by another therapist who has more experience. This provides the opportunity for the therapist to be made aware of any limitations being imposed on the therapeutic process due to prejudicial attitudes, judgements, lack of education with regard to a particular illness, and many other areas. Realistically not all therapists receive the benefits of adequate supervision, and it is quite possible to find those that are limited by the prejudices with which they, knowingly or unknowingly, view the world, of which their clients form a part. Specifically addressing areas: Religious Affiliation Many of those who seek counselling have had atypical experiences in their upbringing. This often leads them into exploring areas of belief which most people with a more conventional upbringing would never consider appropriate, even if they were exposed to the opportunity. One example is Wicca which many people, out of ignorance, associate with devil-worship or something equivalent. If a counsellor is a devout Christian, with no exposure to the truth behind various forms of paganism, and if the client’s belief in these things comes up in the course of therapy, it may be very difficult for the therapist to resist a little preaching or proselytizing, or to avoid associating the client’s religious beliefs with their coincidentally ‘different’, and likely dysfunctional lifestyle. Obviously, if the client gets a sense of this, they are likely to shut down and be less forthcoming with their thoughts and feelings. Class This comes under the heading of ‘socio-economic status’. There are some therapists who firmly believe in ‘dressing down’ when working with clients from a disadvantaged socio-economic background. This doesn’t mean looking sloppy or wearing torn jeans, but just dressing simply as in trousers and a t-shirt, rather than a suit. While there is some truth to the value of not unnecessarily emphasizing a visual difference between the therapist and the client there are other therapists who insist that they should dress according to status. I feel that a therapist should dress in whatever way makes them feel most comfortable, since it is this feeling of being comfortable that the client will notice. Of course, there are other ways in which the therapist can err in contrasting their social status with that of the client. The client may get them to talking about themselves, and the therapist may let it slip that they just bought a new car. This does little to assist the client, and may engender the feeling that â€Å"sure, the ideas you talk about work for you, but that’s only because your life and background is so much better than mine†¦ hey’ll never work for me in my situation†. For this reason, therapists are trained not to indulge in disclosure of their personal life beyond what might be useful in establishing rapport with the client. Ethnicity This is a prominent area in which prejudice is not tolerable. There is a difference between overcoming prejudice against someone, and being proactive for someone of a race with which you are not closely acquainted. It is one thing to avoid politically incorrect vocabulary, but quite another to be aware of appropriate role models for those of another race, based on a knowledge of their contributions to society. Of course a client of colour is very likely to pick up on such limitations on the therapist’s part. Age Ageism is one of the most recent entries into the area of prejudicial conscience. Factors contributing to this prejudice include fear of death and loss of control, an almost worshipful regard for youth and beauty, a societal sense of self-worth based on productivity, and a stereotype of the elderly as being institutionalized and in poor health – something which is simply not the case with the majority of seniors today. Counselling a senior in regard to their love life will obviously be a stretch for the counsellor who is not age positive. Seniors are especially likely to be aware of, and sensitive to, any indication on the part of the therapist that they view them in some judgemental way as they’ve learned a lot about reading people in their lifetimes. Gender Sexism can severely compromise the ability of a therapist to nurture the self-esteem and independence necessary for a client to progress. A female therapist who is unable to get past her own expectations that a male should be the strong, responsible provider in a relationship is not likely to be of much value to a male client who needs to take the time away from such responsibilities which will facilitate his ability to explore deeply repressed feelings. Also women who have had a bad experience with a certain type of chauvinistic male may then begin to see men as inferior and have difficulty dealing with an assertive male. A therapist who has herself experienced domestic violence may feel uneasy or threatened by a male who divulges that he is or was a wife-beater. The therapist must be able to compartmentalise her own feelings in order to treat the client. Sexual Orientation and Practices Prejudice against a gay male may be inseparable from prejudice against the practice of anal sex. It is also equally possible for a male therapist to resent a gay female. Contempt is a difficult emotion to mask, and a client with an alternate orientation, or the practitioner of an unusual sexual lifestyle, maybe more likely to keep this quiet. If this information is never disclosed due to fear of repugnance, it may hamper the progress of therapy. Mental Health Diagnosis Most therapists have been carefully trained to be cognizant of the very real stigma which a diagnosis of mental illness can cause in the experience of a client. When you consider that a large percentage of therapists initially enter the field of mental health either seeking to comprehend their own problems or out of the desire to help others which is based on having been raised in an emotional environment which promotes the dysfunctional beliefs of co-dependency, it is not hard to understand that they might a familiarity with the trauma of mental illness in the course of their own upbringing. Such a background can emerge during therapy as fear of, or repulsion by, certain symptoms or behaviours which might have been exhibited by family members during their own childhood, and caused them to experience their own traumas. If these feelings haven’t been resolved, the therapist may resist the very presence of the client whose behaviours trigger unresolved emotions from their own past. It is hardly therapeutic for the therapist to feel threatened by the client when they are at their worst in terms of symptoms or behaviours. A therapist who is only comfortable with clients who are acting ‘normal’ isn’t much good. Physical Disorders Any disability which is not understood can engender fear and loathing, nervousness and uncertainty. A client with cerebral palsy in addition to a mental disorder may have to work at finding a therapist who has the patience, compassion and education about the physical condition needed to make any headway into the mental condition. In this sense it is also a responsibility of the client to interview the therapist to ascertain that the therapist is competent. Most therapists eventually realize that the nature of their occupation requires that they work on and resolve their own issues as diligently as they work on resolving the issues of their clients. Having removed the emotional blocks which might cause them to unconsciously stifle the feelings nd behaviours of their clients, they still need to educate themselves in the area of multicultural awareness so as to be able to provide motivation and proactive guidance to the clients in their charge regardless of age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, socio-economic status, or any combination of these. Other things that may induce prejudice are: †¢ Jargon – the use of specialized language, creating barriers which reinforce power differences. Stereotypes – terms use d to refer to people from different groups, i. e. older people as ‘old dears’. †¢ Stigma – terms such as ‘mental handicap’ carry a damaging stigma. †¢ Exclusion – this might be inadvertently asking a Muslim what his ‘Christian’ name is, rather than his ‘first’ name. †¢ Depersonalization – this relates to terms such as ‘the elderly’ rather than ‘older people’ and ‘the mentally ill’ rather than ‘people with mental distress’ Use of language with clients: I believe it is critically important to explore our use of language as therapists. Mindful of some of the settings in which counsellors work and the specific difficulties clients struggle with, we need to be sensitive to some of the words in common use and which are deeply offensive. Working with people who have dependency problem we must be aware not to term suffers as ‘drug user’, ‘drug abuser’, ‘drug pusher’ or ‘recreational drug use’, ‘alcoholic’, ‘alcohol abuser/misuser’ It is only in recent years that we have developed a language to describe the phenomenon of child sexual abuse. Previously there was no discourse and children’s distress went often unheeded. Burstow (1992: 202) refers to ‘eating disorders’ as ‘troubled eating’. She says ‘There is nothing more orderly than the precise regimen that women who are anorexic follow’. We hear of ‘date rape’ and somehow it is thought to be less traumatic or damaging than other rape. Burstow (1992) refers to ‘psychiatric survivors’ having been ‘psychiatrized’ by the system, and Wilson and Beresford (2000) use the term ‘people with madness and distress’ rather than the more sanitized ‘mental health service users’. It is important for the therapist to develop awareness of the social and political backdrop to their clients’ stories. Does this woman, for example, stay in a violent relationship because of her personal psychology, or do issues of poverty and powerlessness and lack of appropriate support services contribute to her problems. Is she a black woman? What would her (and her children’s) experience be of a refuge where all the other women, including workers, were white. And if she were a lesbian, how might she be received or understood by her heterosexual peers.

Organizational Characteristics Essay

This paper will describe the culture and the organizational characteristics of a chosen organization, Publix Supermarkets. Detailed throughout will be the common characteristics of the organization as it operates on a day to day basis. Specifically the system based on individual units, rules and norms expected of the associates and supervisors as well as the hierarchy will be established for the reader to garner a better understanding. Furthermore, the communication networks, organizational orientation, approaches to and by leadership members, as well as the decision making and communication procedures put forth by members of management will be analyzed. This paper will describe which 4 of these listed characteristics are most influenced by communication between members and levels of Publix Supermarkets. The author has been employed with this supermarket chain for more than 7 years and has ample knowledge and understanding on the organization as a whole. Common Characteristics of an Organization Publix Supermarkets is a grocery chain unlike many others for a variety of reasons. Founded in 1930 in Winter haven, Florida by George W. Jenkins, Publix is known for its customer first atmosphere and pleasurable shopping experience. The grocery chain whose motto states they will never knowingly disappoint their customers operates in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee and currently has more than 1000 stores in operation (Publix.com). Jenkins’ supermarket chain has continued to grow on their customer friendly business sense. Publix has since become a Fortune 500 company and is privately held and owned by its employees. For as well as they treat their customers, the chain treats its associates and management staff just as well if not better. Publix workers who have been with the company a base number of years receive shares of stock for every 1000 hours worked, and can purchase more shares of stock at almost any time during a given year. The grocery chain is also well known for its high ranking employee benefits and treatment in the employment world. Rules/Norms (Written and Unwritten) Outside of the big green P logo, the Publix atmosphere is what customers relate to with the chain more than anything else. Communication with customers is a major asset in following proper Publix protocol. The smiling helpful associates, clean stores, and consumer friendly set up of product is where Publix truly prides itself as an organization. Each experience ends with a friendly cashier and bagger, and the bagger will always bring the customer to their vehicle and help load product into the car for them. Believe it or not this all relates to performance evaluations that are done quarterly, where associates are evaluated on their behavior amongst the customers. Customer intimacy is something Publix takes very seriously. The Publix image extends onto its associates as well. All employees are expected to show up to work on time and be clean shaven in full clean uniform attire. Each department and job class has their own specific uniform; however all include proper hygiene, reasonable hairstyling, and proper equipment to perform their tasks to better serve the shoppers. Publix is an organization that understands how to promote their brand by utilizing all available options to do so. Clean stores and clean happy associates promote the â€Å"Publix Way.† This plays a major role in nonverbal communication between Publix associates and their customers. Aside from dress code and customer relations, two major elements, there are many other standards Publix employees are held to. A good example of one unwritten Publix rule would be: communication between associates when out on the sales floor during business hours must be respectful, and if at all possible must include the customer. Also, outside from positive communication both verbal and nonverbal with customers and fellow associates employees are expected to communicate both effectively and respectfully with management teams as well. Hierarchy The Publix store level hierarchy is something that runs seemingly parallel in each department throughout the store. Each department and sub department have their chain of command as follows: part time associates, full time associates, assistant department manager, and department manager. The two major departments, grocery and customer service, have the most associates, in order to better supervise their employees there is a position called a team leader that fits into the hierarchy between the full time associates and the management team. Publix is a company that only promotes from within. This is a big selling point for associates and applicants alike. Knowing that the opportunity for advancement is always there is a major asset for the associates in the store. Communications between the different levels of the chain of command are fluid. The associates can go to their department managers, or team leaders, with any concern or idea. The department managers at store level then communicate with the store’s assistant manager and store manager about the associate’s ideas and concerns. Communication Networks The information Publix gathers through their retail channels is usually information based on product analysis and placement that they can pass down to the management teams at store levels to assess further. Ultimately the store will take the advice of corporate and try to taper the information in the way it works most effectively for each store. Each store can take the same information and depict it differently. Information about new products, events, or openings may not influence all stores, or influence them all at the same level. There are times, during major events like hurricanes, holidays, or back to school time, where Publix store level employees must take the information sent to them by corporate including sales figures and forecasts in order to build the proper displays and floor models for customers to browse. Having product out that customers take interest in can help drive sales. The communication between the different levels of Publix Supermarkets goes hand in hand with communication networks at the store level. Leadership Approaches A major tool in the line of communication at Publix is how they allow anyone who is willing to step up and be a leader, do so. When every associate feels that sense of empowerment in their employment it urges them to lead in a different way, work harder and do a better job to lead by example. Publix pushes their associates to be role models both in the stores, and in the community. The management teams are in place to ensure guidelines are followed, but showing quality leadership through positive communication means so much more. Communicating with leaders is always a situation associates take very seriously in any industry or business. This is no different in the retail world at Publix. Associates voice their concerns and feelings to their leaders, whether it be management, team leaders, or even fellow associates who take on the responsibility of leading a specific group. At Publix supermarkets the communication had with leadership is always something associates should come away from feeling they were heard out and understood, good virtue for any organization to sustain. Conclusion Publix through the years has become one of the most widely respected organizations in America. This is due to the quality product and customer service put out the grocery chain, but also playing a role in the respect factor is the culture of the organization. This of course starts at store level and works its way to the corporate ranks, and is in large part to do with positive, effective communication. Publix supermarkets are known throughout the world a company that is great to work for, just as much as they are to shop at. Through utilizing all of the common communication characteristics Publix has continued to promote a very associate friendly atmosphere through the years. The supermarket chain takes pride in the fact that each associate understands their value to their company and takes pride in hiring quality applicants. Publix utilizes its rules and norms, hierarchy, communication networks, and strong leadership approach in all day to day activities in order to remain a successful industry leader.

Marks Spencer Essays

Marks Spencer Essays Marks Spencer Paper Marks Spencer Paper Essay Topic: Marketing Marketers use PEST analysis in order to investigate the outside environment in which an organization is operating. PEST stands for: * Political factors affect the activity of the business. Political developments are generally out of the control of an organization, but it needs to forecast and anticipate change and then react accordingly. The development of the European Union has provided both opportunities and threats to British organizations. Its recent enlargement meant the market for British products expanded by 45 million customers. * Economic influences look at how the performance of the economy impacts on organizations. All economies go through cycles of prosperity, recession and recovery. The business cycle is especially important because of its direct effect on consumer and business spending. During times of prosperity, both consumers and business customers buy more goods and services. * Social environment describes the characteristics of society, the people who live in that society and their values and beliefs. The first area of study tends to focus on the population demographics revealing information about size, gender, ethnic groups, income levels, educational attainment, occupations and family structure. This information is very useful to marketers in predicting the size of markets for many products from food to clothe. * Technological developments affect many organizations. Growing ownership of computers and the influence of the Internet is allowing people to buy virtually anything without having to leave their homes. Mobile phones are also now being used for advertisements. Political Factors MS: Political factors affect MS in a lot of ways. Some of those ways are explained below: The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 makes it illegal for anyone to be directly or indirectly discriminated against or harassed on their grounds of gender. It applies to all aspects of employment, training, treatment at work, dismissal and redundancy. There are some expectations such as acting and live in jobs, but however these are rare. Marks Spencer follows the Sex Discrimination Law in order no to get sued. However if MS choose not to follow this act they will get sued which will mean they will have more expenses in the business. Also if MS also get sued they will be in the newspapers probably all around the world which means MS will then end up loosing their customers as well as publicity which will also go into their expenses. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 protects people with disability against discrimination in employment, when obtaining goods and services, buying/renting land or property and gaining access to business premises. Employers must make reasonable adjustments to the workplace to enable a disabled person to do the job. Public bodies must have policies and action plans to tackle discrimination and no employer must treat a disabled person less favourably than able bodied people without justification. Discrimination is not divided into direct or indirect but is based on the grounds that less favourable treatment cannot be justified. Marks Spencer must follow the Disability Discrimination Law. The things that MS do to follow this law are they have lifts in all of their stores if the stores have stairs, they have lowered cash tills which is easier for the disabled person to reach, they also have electric wheel chairs which are good for the disabled people if they can not walk. If MS did not follow this law they would get sued and loose profit from the business. National Minimum Wage Act 1998 the minimum wage in the UK is  £5.73 for all adult workers. MS are paying most of their staffs the minimum wage  £5.73 per hour The mandate trade union proclaim on Tuesday, 24 February 2009 that they have made and agreement with MS for a new pay deal which is above the terms of the national wage agreement. Normally Marks Spencers staffs receives 5.73 per hour but it depends on how old they, if they are 22 years then they will receive that amount if below the age then they will receive less. Although a complex retail environment and call from employers groups for an extended pay pause, MS agreed to increase staffs wages above the current rates of pay to 6.7%. Mandate Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Light said, This deal is significant both in terms of Marks and Spencers recognition of the contribution from its staff members and also in terms of the local partnership process which can work successfully, even in difficult economic times, between employers and trade unions. The deal will see the implementation of the first phase (3.5%) of Towards 2016 paid to all staff from 1 January 2009 which means Marks and Spencer staff will not see a three month pay freeze as was negotiated in the National Wage Agreement and will instead see their pay increased ahead of schedule. The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 creates a minimum wage across the United Kingdom, currently  £5.73 per hour for adults. It was a flagship policy of the Labour Party in the UK during its 1997 election campaign and is still pronounced today in New Labour Party circulars as an outstanding gain for at least 1.5 million people. The national minimum wage (NMW) took effect on 1 April 1999. No national minimum wage existed prior to this date, although there were a variety of systems of wage controls focussed on specific industries. Part of the reason for Labours minimum wage policy was the decline of trade union membership over recent decades (weakening employees bargaining power), as well as a recognition that the employees most vulnerable to low pay (especially in service industries) were rarely unionised in the first place. The minimum wage was opposed by the opposition Conservative Party, including the Conservatives current leader, David Cameron. all employers must pay a minimum hourly wage to workers over the age of 18 regardless of where they work the size of the firm or the workers occupation. From the 1st October 2004 the national minimum wage was extended to workers aged 16 and 17 but this does not include apprentices aged 16-18. Apprentices aged 19 and above qualify for the minimum wage after the first twelve months of their apprenticeship. Marks Spencer pay all of the workers at least the minimum wage and even more for other workers. It is good for Marks and Spencer that the minimum wage isnt so big because they dont have to over pay their workers. However if the minimum wage keeps increasing then MS might have to cut jobs which means their sales and profits will be lower. Economic Factors MS: Economic factors affect MS in a lot of different ways. Some of those ways are explained below: Costs of credit (borrowing): Cost of borrowing influence MS in a good and bad way because they have to borrow money to expand however the bad way is that they have to pay back interest rates in return Marks Spencer has to be careful with the amount of money that they borrow from the bank. The reason for this is because when you borrow money from the bank you have to pay them interests because the bank is sacrificing their ability to use that money. Marks Spencer has to be careful not to borrow more than they actually need because interest repayments may rise causing MS more expenses which at the end of the day for them is profit that could be made. Competitive pressures: Competition affects MS in a bad way because they have to fight in order to sell their products. Competition is one of the biggest influence to MS. Marks Spencer competes against businesses such as Tesco and Asda for market share by making their products high quality and healthy as well as having good prices on them. Marks Spencer has many different ways that they could beat the competition. However they are already beating the competition because their main competitor is Waitrose and MS is more popular and has better prices than Waitrose products. This is a good for MS because they are one of the healthiest retailers in the UK and have competitive prices. Energy prices: Energy prices are an important cost of MS and are a bad impact because MS has more costs to pay. This is because MS stores use electricity for light, cash machines, heating and air conditioning. When energy prices increase MS then have to figure out ways how to use less electricity whether that would be installing solar panels in their store or something else. This has a big impact on MS because their business costs increase which means that they have to raise costs of their products in order to retain their profits. Social factors MS: Social factors affect MS in a lot of different ways. Some of those ways are explained below: Ageing population: The number of older people in the UK is increasing all the time. This has a good impact on MS because their target market will increase in age meaning more sales. This means that MS must produce things such as clothes for older people. However this is a good affect on MS because this will increase their profits more due to the amount of people that are going to buy their products is increasing. The old people will also eat healthy foods and MS food is really healthy if not the healthiest out of all the different food organisations in the UK such as Tesco and Asda. Hosting a major sporting and cultural events: Marks Spencer Celebrity culture: Celebrity culture is a good impact on MS because a lot people want to become celebrities. If they can not become celebrities they try to dress and live like celebrities. This is why Marks Spencer has to pay celebrities such as Twiggy to advertise their products to customers in positive ways. When MS use celebrities to advertise their products customers will buy them more because they will think that they will look like the celebrity that is advertising those products. It costs MS a lot of money to employ celebrities in order to advertise their products however it is like an investment for MS because their sales will increase on the products that they will advertise. Technological factors: Technological factors affect MS in a lot of different ways. Some of those ways are. Internet: Internet is a good impact for MS because they are able to sell their products online. MS have a website which is www.marksandspencer.co.uk in their website you can everything online and get it delivered straight to your home. This means that MS is able to expand their business to those who can not leave their home but want to use MS products. Internet has made a good opportunity for MS to expand their business globally.

Evaluate training and development methods that may assist organisations in meeting their strategic objectives essay part 2

Evaluate training and development methods that may assist organisations in meeting their strategic objectives essay part 2 Evaluate training and development methods that may assist organisations in meeting their strategic objectives essay part 2 Evaluate training and development methods that may assist organisations in meeting their strategic objectives essay part 2Evaluate training and development methods that may assist organisations in meeting their strategic objectives essay part  1Researchers (Harrison Kessels 2004: 120) distinguish two types of organisational training benchmarking systems, which are external and internal. The external training benchmarking system implies the training that involves the interaction between organisations operating within the similar or alternative industries. In terms of the external training benchmarking the training is conducted by outsiders, for instance, coaches from other companies or educators from educational institutions. External training involves the use of such training methods as coaching, when coaches are hired by the organisation from outside to train employees respectively to the target training program offered by the coach to the organisation.The internal training bench marking system implies that the training that involves organisational divisions and units. In case of the internal training benchmarking, the training is conducted by insiders, i.e. professionals working within the organisation. One of the methods that can be applied in terms of the internal training benchmarking system is the delegation. The delegation involves the delegation of functions of employees to each other, when employees replace each other and perform their tasks. In such a way, they learn to work at different positions expanding their professional skills and experience and understanding better how their colleagues work and how the entire organisation functions since employees learn how they work at different positions in one and the same organisation.Another method that may be applied in terms of the internal training benchmarking system is knowledge sharing management. Today, the knowledge sharing management is very popular because it is cost-efficient and allows keepin g the knowledge within the organisation without sharing it with outsiders. The knowledge sharing management implies the training of employees, who can then share the acquired knowledge with other employees. In fact, the knowledge sharing management can facilitate the integration of new employees, when newcomers work along with experienced employees, who share their knowledge and experience with them. This training and development method is cheap and effective because employees take a proactive position and learn through action.In addition, it is possible to distinguish the on-the-job training, including project-based learning and job-shadowing teams (Guest, 2003: 182). In fact, knowledge management and delegation are methods of the on-the-job training. On-the-job training is cost efficient. Moreover, it saves not only money but also time because employees can keep working and training at the same time. Project-based learning and job-shadowing teams are also effective methods of on-t he-job training that allow employees to develop their professional skills, while working in teams and learning from each other.Another strategic approach to the training and development process is the in-house training schemes, such as computer-based training; virtual reality; simulations; projects; lecture sessions; developmental programmes; professional development; and apprenticeship training (Kamoche 1996: 228). Such training methods are effective for free lancers and employees, who work at home. For instance, many IT companies use distance job to save costs and to create comfortable conditions for the work of their employees. As a result, they increase the effectiveness of their employees’ performance and save costs. At the same time, they naturally prefer the in-house training schemes to keep the costs of training low and maintain the workplace environment, which employees are accustomed to.Also, it is worth mentioning external courses, including HE/FE; private training providers; and professional standards (McLean McLean 2001: 314). External methods of training are essential, when organisations lack knowledge or do not have sufficient internal resources to develop the target skills and competencies in their employees. In such a situation, they have to hire outsiders, who can reach training and development goals of organisations.In addition, there is self-managed learning, which includes study groups; voluntary participation in distance learning; drawing on mentoring schemes; and personal development logs (Purcell 1995: 72). Self-managed learning is quite a controversial method of training and development. On the one hand, self-learning is efficient because employees are self-motivated and are aware of the importance of training. On the other hand, there is always a risk that employees can lose motivation and fail in the training process.Furthermore, researchers (Guest 2004: 172) distinguish the planned experiential training, which includes actio n learning sets; outdoor developmental programmes; apprenticeship; technical training schemes; open forums; video-conferencing; and brainstorming. The planned experiential training is effective, when organisations have a clear, long-run plan of their development. However, this method is not always efficient in the highly changing business environment, when training priorities may change unexpectedly changing plans of organisations.In the course of the implementation of either training and development method, organisations should take into consideration the major training costs of the particular method to determine whether they are capable to implement this training and development method successfully or not. In this regard, human resources costs are particularly important and include the following costs: salaries of trainers/instructors; management/supervisor salaries; external training provider fees; loss of production costs; subsistence costs; trainers/trainees (Reddington 2005: 1 75). Human resources comprise the core of the training process and organisation invests substantial funds into the training and development of their human resources.In addition, organisations should take into consideration the equipment costs, which they will have to spend on training, including training equipment aids; depreciation of training/equipment/procedures/processes (Keep Mayhew 1999: 144). Today, equipment comprises an important part of training costs because organisations work in a highly technological environment that requires using the up-to-date technologies and equipment in the training process. The use of such equipment naturally increases costs of the training and development process.Also organisations will have to cover administrative costs, while conducting their training, including wages/salaries of administrative staff; systems procedures; training facilities; electronic equipment; general administrative costs (Huselid Becker 1996: 35). Administrative costs increase respectively to the organisational structure and hierarchy. The more complex the organisational hierarchy is the higher are administrative costs.Furthermore, material costs comprise a large part of training and development costs, including distance learning packages; materials used for technical; practical learning; educational resources; protective clothing; Health Safety and regulation procedures (McCracken Martin 2005: 289). Material costs comprise an integral part of the contemporary training and development process because organisations use various material resources for the training of their employees and they have to cover their costs.Thus, the training and development process is very important for the successful organisational development. However, there is no universal training method that will be equally effective for all organisations. Instead, organisations should determine their training and development needs first and then through negotiation and collaborati on with key stakeholders, including managers and employees, elaborate the training and development method and strategy that meet needs and expectations of the organisation. In such a way, they can develop the effective training and development program that will function in a long-run perspective.

Conversation Lesson About the Equality of lMen and Women

Conversation Lesson About the Equality of lMen and Women Debates in class can help English learners practice a wide range of functions including agreeing and disagreeing, negotiating, collaboration with other students, and so on. Often students need help with ideas and thats where this lesson plan can help. Below you will find cues to the discussion concerning equality between men and women to help get students discussing issues related to the debate. Provide ample time for the discussion and then time the debate. This will help encourage precise language use. This debate can easily be carried out between the men and women in the class, or those who believe the statement is true and those who do not. Another variation is based on the idea that having students support opinions that are not necessarily their own during debates can help improve students fluency. In this manner, students pragmatically focus on correct production skills in conversation rather than striving to win the argument. For more information on this approach please see the following feature: Teaching Conversational Skills: Tips and Strategies. Aim Improve conversational skills when supporting a point of view Activity Debate about the question of whether men and women are truly equal. Level Upper-intermediate to advanced Outline Review language used when expressing opinions, disagreeing, making comments on other persons point of view, etc.Write a few ideas on the board to encourage discussion of the equality between men and women: the workplace, the home, government, etc.Ask students if they feel that women are truly equal to men in these various roles and places.Based on students responses, divide groups up into two groups. One group arguing that equality has been achieved for women and one that feels that women have not yet attained true equality to men. Idea: Put students into the group with the opposite opinion of what they seemed to believe in the warm-up conversation.Give students worksheets including ideas pro and con. Have students develop arguments using the ideas on the worksheet as a springboard for further ideas and discussion.Once students have prepared their opening arguments, begin with the debate. Each team has 5 minutes to present their principal ideas.Have students prepare notes and make a rebuttal to the expressed opinions. While the debate is in progress, take notes on common errors made by the students.At the end of the debate, take time for a short focus on common mistakes. This is important, as students should not be too involved emotionally and therefore will be quite capable of recognizing language problems - as opposed to problems in beliefs! Men and Women: Equal at Last? You are going to debate whether women are finally truly equal to men. Use the clues and ideas below to help you create an argument for your appointed point of view with your team members. Below you will find phrases and language helpful in expressing opinions, offering explanations and disagreeing. Opinions, Preferences I think..., In my opinion..., Id like to..., Id rather..., Id prefer..., The way I see it..., As far as Im concerned..., If it were up to me..., I suppose..., I suspect that..., Im pretty sure that..., It is fairly certain that..., Im convinced that..., I honestly feel that, I strongly believe that..., Without a doubt,..., Disagreeing I dont think that..., Dont you think it would be better..., I dont agree, Id prefer..., Shouldnt we consider..., But what about..., Im afraid I dont agree..., Frankly, I doubt if..., Lets face it, The truth of the matter is..., The problem with your point of view is that... Giving Reasons and Offering Explanations To start with, The reason why..., Thats why..., For this reason..., Thats the reason why..., Many people think...., Considering..., Allowing for the fact that..., When you consider that... Yes, Women Are Now Equal to Men Many governments have both male and female representatives.Many companies are now owned or managed by women.A lot of progress has been made since the 1960s.Television series now portray women as successful career makers.Men now share in the raising of children and household responsibilities.Many important laws have been passed to ensure equality in the workplace.In many places, a married couple can choose whether the man or the women takes leave from work to look after the newly arrived baby.People arent discussing equality anymore. It has become a reality.Have you ever heard of Margaret Thatcher? Excuse Me? Women Still Have a Long Way to Go Before They Are Equal to Men Women still earn less than men in many work situations.Women are still portrayed in a superficial manner in many television shows.Look at international sporting. How many professional female leagues are as successful as their male counterparts?Most governments still are made up in their majority of men.We are having this debate because women are not equal. Otherwise, there would be no need to discuss the matter.Women are often not given enough responsibility based on the possibility that they might become pregnant.The number of sexual harassment suits have increased over the past 10 years.Hundreds of years of history cant have been changed in a mere 30 odd years.Have you ever watched Bay Watch?

Business plan - It Shoes Business Plan Term Paper

Business plan - It Shoes Business Plan - Term Paper Example lthough companies like Rollasole and Afterheels are selling ballerina shoes through vending machines in countries like UK, USA and Australia but they their penetration in French market is low hence IT shoes has the opportunity to cater to the demands of an untouched market (Fleming, â€Å"Flat shoes in a flash! Vending machines that dispense ballet flats to stiletto-sore party girls take U.S. clubs by storm†). The business venture has the opportunity to consolidate business opportunities in the country due to absence of any market leader. Stable political environment of France has increased the business opportunity for both foreign companies who planning to invest in the country and domestic players who planning to diversify existing business portfolio. Market line (2012) has reported that, government of France has restricted foreign direct invest up to 1, 500, 000 Euros for foreign companies planning to expand business in territories such as Saint Pierre, Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna etc. Government has imposed high corporate tax on foreign players in order to protect interest of domestic players. There is no doubt that favorable government policy will protect IT shoes from competitive threat of foreign players. Conjoint effect of economic recession and sovereign debt crisis has decreased the GDP growth rate and purchasing power parity of people of France. French government is trying to compensate high level of external debt by increasing tax rate on people. Market line (2012) has reported that tax burden on people of France has increased by 20% to 30% within last few years. Increased tax burden has reduced amount of disposable income for French people, which has resulted in reduction in demand for retail merchandises. It is evident from the economic analysis of France, IT shoes should think about using competitive pricing in order to generate demand among customers. Market line (2012) has reported that almost 35% of population in France belongs to the age group

Public Spending Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Public Spending - Essay Example The public expenditure was raised in the 20th century due to the impact of the world wars. Before the World War I, the public expenditure was about 15% of the GDP. After the war it appeared to be about 25% of the GDP and maintained the level in the next few years. It did change during the starting phase of depression in the economic conditions (Chantrill, 2010). After the World War II, the public expenditure had increased and it was budgeted to consume 35% of the GDP and this level was retained till 1950s. The public expenditure was slowly raised in the year 1960 and it increased in early 1980s consuming about 45% of the GDP (Chantrill, 2010). Public expenditure rose by 0.7 percent of the GDP from 1999-2008. A decade ago, according to the OECD statistics, UK public spending was registered at 8.7 percent of the GDP below the Euro area average. By 2008, this figure had been registered at 1.3 percent below the Euro area average (IOD, 2008). There were lot of instability in the public expending regarding the defence system. The spending in defence expense was increased before the World War II. 3.5% of the GDP was used in defence spending in the year 1935 and reached to 15.9% in 1939. After the commencement of the World War II, the British Government started to assemble most of its resources for the war. The expenditure was over 40% of the GDP on the defence system for four years and it was raised to 46.37% of GDP in 1943 (Chantrill, 2010). The public expenditure in development of the state of education was expanded from 2% of GDP in 1990 to 6% of GDP in the second decade of 21st century. The spending in this sector has been increased to 3.37% of GDP in 1955. During the starting phase of 1956 the spending was increased rapidly and it accounted to 4% of GDP in 1960 and 6.5% of GDP in 1975 (Chantrill, 2010). There has been a decrease in the spending during the period of 1970 to 1980. In 1989 it reached to 4.25%

How music is evolving through the generations Essay

How music is evolving through the generations - Essay Example Undeniably, the contemporary technological and environmental changes have positively impacted on evolution of music to fit the 21st century. No wonder children are finding it difficult to cope up with pop music, which definitely belong to a different generations. Such children try to look for music that can satisfy their interest, tastes, preferences, and fashions but in no avail (Benzon). Evidently, contemporary children are looking for catchy songs in addition to flashy images. Unfortunately, watching artistes perform today on stage is far much different from how they would perform many years back. The idea behind such changes is changing times that call for newer and more exhilarating shows that will meet the interests, tastes, and preferences of the contemporary audiences (Benzon). Anyway there is cause of alarm since the moment the contemporary children will get over their current tastes, the coming generation will be rocking in the world of music. Evidently, with the changing needs, wants, and preferences of different and prevailing generations, music like any other global sector has had to significantly change in a bid to rising into the occasion in order to meet specific needs, wants, and preferences. Therefore, technological and developmental dynamisms and turbulences have been the epicenter of evolution of

Childhood model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Childhood model - Essay Example Obese children should learn from healthy children through observation. In addition, they should be encouraged to adapt the requisite behaviors. Lastly, they should believe in their ability to change. Social cognitive theory came about because of the work conducted in the field of social learning theory advocated by Miller and Dollard in 1941. The theory has been applied in marketing where celebrities are used to introduce a product to a given demographic. A good example is the use of Drogba as the brand ambassador for Samsung in Africa. Students who perform well are rewarded with presents at the end of the academic year while those who exhibit good behavior are rewarded with leadership positions. The influence of the media is associated with social cognitive theory. People embrace behavior that is rewarded and shun what is punished (Ross, Lepper and Ward, 2010). Social cognitive theories are applied in the training of nurses and in their day-to-day responsibilities. Self-efficacy highlights an individual’s confidence in his or her ability to perform and master tasks. A student with a higher self-efficacy handles the Foley catheter with relative ease while one with a low self-efficacy would struggle handling

Dq-4.1-Sheila Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dq-4.1-Sheila - Essay Example Knowledge workers are important for an organization for two reasons: innovation and growth (Davenport, 2005). Their jobs involve complex tasks and even more complex decisions. With the advent of new technologies, knowledge workers have become quite independent in the sense that they may not see other team members regularly. This presents various challenges regarding seamless communication. Online collaboration tools counter the challenges by enabling timely decision making, quick answers to knowledge worker questions, and uninterrupted communication (Power, 2013). Knowledge workers are especially involved in collaboration due to the nature of their jobs that require quick clarifications, decision making, communication, and finally, completion. Thus, collaboration in simple terms refers to a task which requires collective and coordinated effort for completion and in the case of knowledge workers, data, analytics, and consultation. Knowledge workers work with terabytes of digital data in an increasingly knowledge-centered environment. The emergence of collaboration tools have allowed knowledge workers to be assisted and supported by managers virtually. Groupwares are collaboration tools that are specifically suited for team based collaborators (McNurlin, Sprague, and Bui, 2009). Collaboration tools include online cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Docs, and Sky Drive, video calling services like Skype, Facetime, and Google Hangouts, desktop virtualization services, and so on (Kroenke, 2011). Collaboration involves the use of file sharing, instant voice over and text chat, video calling, and other utilities so as to communicate, share, and discuss about a particular subject. Managers may communicate to their knowledge workers about the required tasks using these channels. They may also comment on their existing work such as files while knowledge workers may

Childhood model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Childhood model - Essay Example Obese children should learn from healthy children through observation. In addition, they should be encouraged to adapt the requisite behaviors. Lastly, they should believe in their ability to change. Social cognitive theory came about because of the work conducted in the field of social learning theory advocated by Miller and Dollard in 1941. The theory has been applied in marketing where celebrities are used to introduce a product to a given demographic. A good example is the use of Drogba as the brand ambassador for Samsung in Africa. Students who perform well are rewarded with presents at the end of the academic year while those who exhibit good behavior are rewarded with leadership positions. The influence of the media is associated with social cognitive theory. People embrace behavior that is rewarded and shun what is punished (Ross, Lepper and Ward, 2010). Social cognitive theories are applied in the training of nurses and in their day-to-day responsibilities. Self-efficacy highlights an individual’s confidence in his or her ability to perform and master tasks. A student with a higher self-efficacy handles the Foley catheter with relative ease while one with a low self-efficacy would struggle handling

Product Attractiveness and Competition in the Market Full Of Assignment

Product Attractiveness and Competition in the Market Full Of Competitors - Assignment Example The paper focuses developing a suitable tactical marketing mix strategy. The significance of tactical marketing mix on product performance is reflected. This part of the paper exemplifies how the product, its price, placement, and promotion techniques influence demand and market share. Additionally, the significance of emerging technologies, such as the internet and media, on marketing is discussed. Generally, the research focuses on the importance of pertinent exit strategy and a tactical marketing mix strategy to a business. At the end of the discussion is a conclusion of all the aspects that have been covered in the study. The sale of a product is largely dependent on consumer taste and preference. Toyota car models, such as Subaru legacy, are in great demand in America and other parts of the world. The car is a choice for many due to its reliability and excellent services. The features of the car are eye-catching and the general outlook is amazing. Subaru legacy is preferred to o ther cars for its economical fuel consumption, resistance to wear and tear, high-speed safety and many other features. However, the car face stiff competition from other luxuries car models from other companies such Honda and Ford. New car models introduced by these rival companies are a threat to the automobile market. As a result, Toyota Company has introduced new and more advanced Subaru legacy models to secure a market share. An exit strategy is basically transition of a company’s ownership, either after achieving the expected objective or to evade failure in future. It is necessary to devise means of recovering invested capital in the event of exiting a business. This can only be made possible by developing an effective exit strategy. According to Hawkey, the type of an exit strategy to be adopted depends on the kind of business undertaken by a company. The best way to make an exit strategy is to initiate a business with the end in mind.  

Losing Common Sense in a Sea of Technology Essay Example for Free

Losing Common Sense in a Sea of Technology Essay Technology has made miracles take place. Technology is an asset to our society. Things we could not do with our anatomical brains we can conjure up with a machine. With the answers to simple questions at fingertips with the availability of the internet, simple thought processes replaced with instant gratification. Critical thinking is almost extinct due to rapid response internet websites and databases. In today’s society, we depend on computers and technology to dictate schedules, lead meetings, and manage social lives. Therefore, ruing personal bonds, destroying critical and creative thinking, and losing common sense. The introduction of technology and computers on society has been beneficial in many areas, science having the biggest impact. For example, new radar technology will allow forecasters to see extreme weather, as will potential improvements to satellite technology, as well as computer models that run on powerful super computers. With these radars improved, more lives saved. â€Å"This will allow us to get to cover faster and be better prepared† (Lubchenco, Hayes 68). Another example of how technology has been beneficial to our society is in the medical field. Today many surgeries perform with the help of robots. Robotically assisted cardiac surgery presents less invasive than conventional surgery, with shortened hospital stays and faster return to daily activities (Krueger, Jones, Howell, etal. ) The largest benefit of technology is the easy and fast access that has come from the Internet. Almost any subject matter, research papers, and technical documents are available to anyone. Communication has also become much simpler using the Internet. Computers and the internet has become a staple in the American home. Not only are Americans conforming to an E-society, the rest of the world is too. This intention of this paper is not to discourage technology. Technology has done the unimaginable in societies here and abroad, perhaps technology has done too much. As we advance in the small gadgets and upgrade our systems to use the latest software, it is safe to say, we have become â€Å"addicted†. Because of this â€Å"addiction† or dependency on technology and computers, more and more people are flooding to their P. D. A’s or to their laptops to do simple everyday tasks; we should know how to do already. Anything from grocery shopping, booking a plane flight, depositing a paycheck, can be done over the internet from a personal computer, cell phone, or I Pad. Life as we know it is becoming a virtual reality within itself. We focus our addenda’s and our itineraries based around technology. Despite the positive impact technology has made on education, there are certainly areas that it poorly used. â€Å"The uncontrolled use of technology without examining its long-term benefits and potential problems is not something that should be allowed to happen in education. (Hodorowicz) For example, more and more often universities are moving toward â€Å"distant learning†, or online classes. â€Å"Nothing can replace the interactions between students and teachers. Once the process of learning from a fellow person has been automated to something mechanical many things will be lost† (Hodorowicz). Furthermore, automated grading loses the ability to see just where a student went wrong, or what the student was trying to achieve in an answer. Online courses remove the ability to deal with truly great teachers in a personal way, and it removes the ability to interact with other students. Automated education also hinders getting help when needed. It has been noted that with the use of computers and technology â€Å"education will no longer be an unpredictable and exciting adventure in human enlightenment, but an exercise in conformity and an apprenticeship to whatever gadgetry is useful in a technical world† (Schwarz). Technology has also been useful inside the home. yet, has been a key factor in the decline of stable, social relationships. Researchers are debating whether the Internet is improving or harming participation in community life and social relationships. This research examined the social and psychological impact of the Internet on 169 people in 73 households during their first 1 to 2 years on-line. We used longitudinal data to examine the effects of the Internet on social involvement and psychological well-being. In this sample, the Internet was used extensively for communication. Nonetheless, greater use of the Internet was associated with declines in participants communication with family members in the household, declines in the size of their social circle, and increases in their depression and loneliness (Kraut, Patterson,Keisler,etal. . Virtual communities are becoming an ever-growing normality. With the social networks like Facebook and twitter comes the anonymous predators. † The Internet is populated by people with false identities, people with inaccurate information, people who express themselves quickly and with little reflection or sense of accountability† (Schwarz). New frauds and ill opportunities to drain ba nk accounts emerge daily; just an example of how we are coming adapt to the cyber world with our eyes wide open. We are losing what it means to be human and the morals that were once instilled. As stated earlier in this paper, this is not a paper of whether technology in our world today is right or wrong. This is a paper proving how our ethical values and use of common knowledge are becoming extinct because we allow computers to think for us. We are losing creativity to think â€Å"outside the box† with our learning becoming more of a mathematical equation than an experience. Relying too much on technology is what will lead to the extinction of man, maybe not of a species, but of an individual, rather than random avitar. Works Cited Schwarz, Gretchen.

Impact of Spyware on Computers and Mobile Devices

Impact of Spyware on Computers and Mobile Devices 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROJECT OUTLINE The title of the project chosen by the author is â€Å"Study on the impact of spyware on computers and mobile devices† which simply means that the author analyzes the impact of spyware through an empirical study. The study focuses on the factors that influence the spyware growth which in turn increases its level of impact on computers and mobile devices. Computers and mobile devices are widely used; they are used to access the internet, while everyone wants to acquire the internet in todays world. While technology advances, so are the criminal activities on the technology. When talking about computer crime, the first thing that comes to mind is spyware. Spyware is so big of a crime that millions of dollars are lost annually due to it. Hackers use spyware to still private information from the users like credit card information and so on. Although spyware has been here for a long time, it is computer crime with no legal consequence. Users have little or no knowledge about what spyware is and it can do to them and their machines (computers and mobile devises). Even though virus has been around longer than spyware, but spyware is beginning to make its mark with computer security breaches. Spyware can collect personal data from a users computer. If not taken care of spyware can cause delayed processing of many of your applications. Below are the brief descriptions of each chapter: Chapter one: Introduction This chapter provides a brief overview of the project. It provides the reader with the background information about spyware and the problem statement. The research questions, limitations and methodology are also discussed in this chapter. Chapter two: Literature Review This chapter mainly deals with the pertinent literature of the impact of spyware and discussion on the various types of spyware effect and the comparison between the mobile spyware and the computer spyware. Lastly, the chapter will also discuss about the factors enhancing spyware growth. Chapter three: Research Framework and Hypotheses Development This chapter discus the author is going to propose the research framework/model and hypotheses to explore the users perception about privacy, self efficiency, security, legal framework, spyware knowledge and self-efficiency, trust and cost. Chapter four: Research Methodology This chapter will describe the research design that is used during the research. The chapter will discuss the overall research process. The chapter will also include information on data collection, sampling plan and questionnaire development. Chapter five: Data Analysis and Findings This chapter will outline the data collected through questionnaire and interviews by making use of the appropriate software and analysis of the study. The chapter will also provide discussion of the research findings. Chapter six: Conclusion and Recommendation This chapter will discuss about the result of the previous chapter the contribution of the study to the body knowledge. Conclusion along with future enhancement will also be discussed in the chapter. This chapter concludes the research. 1.2 INTRODUCTION This chapter is meant to give the user/reader helpful idea and an insight to the whole research. Most readers will like to get a grasp of the main ideas of a research paper before actually proceeding to read the whole research. This chapter clearly states the primary objective of the research and the main problem which is been researched. The backgrounds and nature of the study are also highlight the purpose of the research. Several books and journals have been read by the author to have foundation knowledge on the concept of spyware. Spyware is a significant problem to most computer users today. The term â€Å"spyware† describes a new class of computer software. This software tracks users activities online or offline, provides targeted advertising, and engage in other types of activities that the user does not desire or the user may describe as invasive to them. Analysis suggests that these types of programs may reside on up to 90 percent (%) of all the computers connected to the internet. (EarthLink 2005) Frequently, programs bundle spyware with freeware or shareware, though it can also arrive via email, instant messages or web downloads. While the magnitude of the spyware problem is well documented, even do recent studies have had only limited success in explaining the broad range of user behaviors that contribute to the proliferation of spyware. Unlike viruses and other malicious code, users themselves often have a choice whether they want to install these programs. Anecdotal evidence suggests, and our study confirms, that some users are willing to install spyware when the desired application is of perceived high utility and a comparable product without spyware is not available or known to the user (Michelle Delio 2004). Our goals in this study are to understand the factors and users decision making process in installing spyware. During installation, users are presented with notices such as software agreements, terms of service (TOS), end user licensing agreements (EULA), and security warnings. Based on information in these notices, users should, in theory, be able to make a decision about whether to install the software and evaluate the potential consequences of that decision. However, there is a general perception that these notices are ineffective and users often dont even read the software agreement, terms of service, end user licensing or security warnings. One software provider included a $1000 cash prize offer in the EULA that was displayed during each software installation, yet the prize was only claimed after 4 months and 3,000 downloads of the software (PC PitStop 2005). 1.3 BACKGROUND STUDY Spyware has existed at least since the late 1980s when some Keyloggers where discovered in some university computers. â€Å"The word spyware was first used in publicly in October 1995. It popped up on Usenet (a distributed Internet discussion system in which users post e-mail like messages) in an article aimed at Microsofts business model.† (Shanmuga 2005) Over the years, there has been a steady growth in the use of spyware by online attackers and criminals to execute crime against individual, companies and organisations. In the span of just few years, spyware has become the internets most popular download. During the years, the anti-spyware was developed to tackle this problem. The anti-spyware was meant to find, detect and remove the spyware. But even with the development of anti-spyware, spyware still continues to grow every day. One of the factors that aid this growth is the lack of standard definition of spyware. Jerry Berman, President of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), explained in testimony to the Subcommittee on Communications of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in March 2004 that â€Å"The term has been applied to software ranging from keystroke loggers that capture every key typed on a particular computer; to advertising applications that track users web browsing; to programs that hijack users system settings.† (CDT 2004) He noted that what these various types of software programs â€Å"have in common is a lack of transparency and an absence of respect for users ability to control their own computers and Internet connections.† (CDT 2004) Different anti-spyware companies and organizations use different definition which makes even difficult for the users of computers and mobile dont even know what spyware is, as such how can they know the threat of it and the harm it those to their devices 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT The problem statement of this research study â€Å"is the hypothesized factors influence and positive affect the users attitude towards spyware?† Even do spyware has been here for over two decades, it still does not have a standard definition. This makes it harder for users to understand what spyware is and how it affects their system, and how deep is the level of impact. (Norbert 2007) Past studies have been done to study the development of spyware and its growth, how it affects the businesses, privacy and other personal informations of the users, and disrupts the performance of the users machine, and the factors that influence the growth. While the magnitude of the spyware problem is well documented, even do these studies have had only limited success in explaining the broad range of user behaviors that contribute to the proliferation of spyware. Unlike virus and other malicious codes, users often have the choice to whether they want to install this spyware or not. While other users install it with other programs without knowing. This situation often arises as a result of users not reading the software agreement, term of service or the end user licensing agreements. Nonetheless, only very few studies focus specifically on the level of spyware impact on computers and mobile devices, and most of them were carried out in the United States of America USA. Addressing this problem is a very big issue, because users dont want to spend two to five minutes of their time to read the terms of service. The software producers often put in a lot of information in the terms of service there by making the user not read because it is too lengthy. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS With reference to the Problem statement, the author suggested the following questions: What are the factors influencing spyware growth among users? What are the theoretical models used and extended in previous studies of spyware? What are the significant factors influencing the research? What are the users reactions towards spyware? How will the research result affect impact of spyware on computers and mobile devices? 1.6 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES With reference to the research questions, the author developed the following research objectives for the study: To identify the factors influencing spyware growth among users. To study and discuss the theoretical models used and extended in previous studies of spyware. To examine the hypotheses and experimental validating the research model. To better understand the users reaction towards spyware. To discuss the empirical result and the suggestion to promote and reduce the growth of spyware. 1.7 NATURE OF STUDY The author is studying about the impact of spyware in both mobile devices and computers, and the he generates some questionnaires which he will use to gather information from the general public and organisations. This study was design in such a way that the author and other practitioners will answer questions based on their perspective view. The conceptual model was based on extensive literature review of various theoretical models that is aligned with the technological, network, economical, business and some other dimension. The conceptual model is then converted into research model for validation and testing using data collected from the general public and some network specialist. 1.8 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY This study presents two main implications, the theoretical contribution and the practical contribution. The developed model in this study consists of six constructs; they are spyware knowledge, perceived privacy control, security effect, self efficiency, legal framework, and trustworthiness and trust in vendors. This model is tested empirically to explain what will lead the users to take technical defensive measures. In practical contribution, the result of this study will also benefit the software vendors, the users of computers and mobile devices and any other institution will be able to apply the key factors obtained from this research to meet their institutional, organizational or personal needs. This study will benefit in term of providing the users point of view and it will also contribute to administration decisions as the finding of the research help direct them to the area of focus. The findings will make the contribution in term of creating an understanding on the factors that will influence spyware growth and its level of impact. 1.9 METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW This research is design in such a way that it was divided in two adopted steps. The steps are the pre-test study and the main study. The pre-test study was the study that was done in the early stages of the research. This involves the literature reviewing of type of spyware, impact of spyware, how spyware affects the machine and so on. The pre-test was conducted to gain a greater understanding about spyware. The pre-test study helps in understanding the topic there by producing the main research questions. The main study will be conducted based on a survey, a questionnaires and interview conducted among users, corporations and some top school in Malaysia. The questionnaire will be use to collect data on some of the identified problems. The collected data will then be analyzed using the appropriate statistic tools. 1.10 CONCLUSION In conclusion, this chapter introduces the research to the reader by bringing out the background of spyware, the primary objective of the research, also stating the main questions of the research. It also discusses the methodology in summary. In short, this chapter will provides the reader will hopeful idea about the research. The following chapters will further provide the literature review on the impact of spyware in our machines and devices. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter will provide an in-depth detail on spyware as well as the types of spyware. The chapter will also bring out all the possible definitions of spyware, the overview of spyware. The chapter will bring out the possible ways in which spyware operates and it will talk a little about the target victims of the spyware. The chapter will also analyze the infection methods of spyware and so on. 2.2 DEFINITION It is not easy to bring out a standard definition on spyware, which makes it much harder to understand. But the author will bring out all the definitions he can find and also propose/bring his own definition based on his understanding of the spyware. In the definition of spyware, two particular issues must be included for the definition to be complete. But research shows that users only stick to either one of the two when defining spyware. This two issues are always been contested by the users. The two particular issues contested are the range of software behaviour and the degree of user consent that is desirable. Firstly, some users prefer the narrow definition which focuses on the monitoring (Surveillance) aspects of spyware and its ability to steal, communicate and store information about users and their behavior. Others prefer the broad definition that includes adware, toolbars, search tools, hijackers and dialers. Definitions for spyware also include hacker tools for remote access and administration, key logging and cracking passwords. Second, there is limited agreement on the lawfulnessof spyware that engages in behavior such as targeting advertisements, installing programs on user machines and collecting click stream data. Users consider a wide range of programs that present spyware-like functionality unacceptable. To complicate the definition, certain software behaviors are acceptable in some contexts but not others. Furthermore, there is concern over user notice and consentrequired during an installation process. The practice of bundlingsoftware, which merges spyware with unrelated programs, also heightens this concern. Jerry Berman, President of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), explained in testimony to the Subcommittee on Communications of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in March 2004 that â€Å"The term has been applied to software ranging from keystroke loggers that capture every key typed on a particular computer; to advertising applications that track users web browsing; to programs that hijack users system settings.† (CDT 2004) He noted that what these various types of software programs â€Å"have in common is a lack of transparency and an absence of respect for users ability to control their own computers and Internet connections.† (CDT 2004) The author will also like to propose his definition of spyware based on his understanding of the matter. Spyware is a program that is installed in the machine with or without the permission of the user, and it can monitor the activities of the user, steal valuable information from the user and send to a third party and disturb/regulate the functionality of the machine like speed, stability and internet access efficiency. 2.3 OVERVIEW 2.3.1 Types of spyware Basically any software that can be installed in the users machine which is used to obtains information from their computer or mobile device without their knowledge can be termed as a spyware. There are many types of spyware that are doing the rounds on the Internet, but in technical terms, you can classify them into two broad categories namely, Domestic Spyware and Commercial Spyware. (UpickReviews 2007) 2.3.1.1 Domestic spyware Domestic spyware is software that is usually purchased and installed by computer owners to monitor the Internet behaviour on their computer networks. Employers usually use this software to monitor employee online activities. Some family members use domestic spyware to monitor other family members, while parents and guardians often use this kind of software to monitor the activities of their children online. Some people use this kind of softwares to spy on their friends and girl friend. In America, many couples often install this kind of software on their partners mobile phone in other to monitor their call. This usually happens when one party thinks the other is cheating on them. A third party can also install domestic spyware without the knowledge of the computer owner on their machine or mobile device. Law enforcement officials have often used domestic spyware to monitor suspected criminal activity and criminals have used domestic spyware to siphon personal information from private computers in order to steal assets. (TopTenReviews 2003) Domestic spyware is one of the most common spyware used using mobile devices. This is done to monitor the activity of the target victim i.e calls and SMS. 2.3.1.2 Commercial spyware. These types of software systems are often used by third parties to monitor and record the browsing behaviour of the user. The main purpose of it is to monitor the online habits of the user and sell the gathered information to anyone who might be interested. It is often online businesses that buy the information and use it to hit the user with targeted advertising, i.e. advertisements that relate to your usual Internet browsing habits. Advertisers often use commercial spyware simply because it is far simpler, economical and faster than collecting information through legal means such as contests, questionnaires, registration surveys and the likes. It is also because information gathered by spyware is far more reliable because users often dont cooperate when it comes to filling questionnaire sincerely, while some may accept to do it but they will not give true information when it comes to their private things. Since it represents the users true browsing behaviour, the advertisers go for it. You may take your pick while filling out an online registration form, but you just cannot cheat a spyware because it simply monitors and records all your activities. In the past marketers had to bribe their way to learn the users preferences through contests, registration surveys and the like. Those methods of gaining the users personal information still exist, but in those cases you have the power to read the fine print to learn the fate of your data and so could choose to consent or refuse There are many types of spyware that are classified under commercial spyware. They are: Browser hijackers, adware, Malware, dialers, Trojans and viruses, Worms, etc. 2.3.1.2.1 Adware Adware is the most common type of spyware available. They are cookies which hide on your computer waiting for you to go online. The cookies often get into your computer through popup that you open. Once the adware detects that youre connected to the Internet it starts sending you popup, pop-over, pop-under ads, and some sort of advertisement for anything from airline tickets to porn site membership. Not only that but even information on your viewing habits is tracked and stored. This data is then sold on to marketing companies who will be sending you more junk email and popup ads. (Spam-site 2006) 2.3.1.2.2 Dealers Software that gets installed on your computer that has the ability to make phone calls from your computer, though a phone-connected modem, without your knowledge. These programs will connect to other computers, through your phone line, which are usually porn sites. These numbers are pay per minute call though, so you get charged for the amount of time your computer is connected to it. While dialers do not spy on users they are malevolent in nature because they can cause huge financial harm to their victims. It is mostly used by porn sites. They can also be classified as hijackers. ( Abrams 2009) 2.3.1.2.3 Malware Malware is malicious software designed specifically to damage users machine. But Malware is typically not self-replicating or designed for PC-to-PC distribution. (Pareto 2009) 2.3.1.2.3 Trojan Trojan is a program that contains hidden functionality, often posing as useful applications yet performing Spyware or Adware functions and facilitates unauthorized access to the users computer system. The term ‘Trojan horse was found from the mythical wooden horse that carried hidden Greek soldiers into Troy. (Pareto 2009) 2.3.1.2.4 Worm Worms are self-replicating, fast-spreading Internet threats that are more like viruses than Spyware. They differ from viruses in that they can replace entire files on the host computer. Both viruses and worms attempt to spread to as many computers as possible, using e-mail, the Internet, and file-sharing networks as methods of distribution. (Pareto 2009) 2.4 OPERATIONS OF SPYWARE The usual method for a spyware to operate is to run secretly in the background of the users computers (McCardle 2003). The reason behind this concealing of processes is commonly argued as that it would hardly be acceptable if, e.g., if free file-sharing software kept stopping to ask the user if they are ready to fetch a new banner or a pop-up window (Townsend 2003). Therefore, the client/server routine of spyware is normally executed in the background. In practice, there would be nothing wrong with spyware running in the background provided that the users know that it is happening, what data is being transmitted, and that they have agreed to the process as part of the conditions for obtaining the freeware. However, most users are unaware that they have software on their computers that tracks and reports information on their Internet usage to a third party. Typically, a spyware program secretly gathers user information and spreads it without the users knowledge of it. Once installed, the spyware monitors, e.g., user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to third parties, such as advertising companies. In reality, spyware run constantly, even when their carrier program, e.g., a file-sharing tool, has been terminated. A more or less legal grey area is utilized by the spyware actors, since in most program licenses they specify that information may be gathered for corporate purposes. However, the usual model is to collect more information than they have asked for (Townsend 2003). Besides this, most license agreements are been formulated in such a way that the reader finds it extensively hard for users to understand. 2.5 SPYWARE INFECTION METHOD Spyware infects its victims through many different ways. The most common of these ways include drive-by download, P2P wrecks havoc, free software download, social engineering and vulnerability route. 2.5.1 Drive-by downloads This is a program that is automatically downloaded to users computer, often without the users knowledge. The download may be initiated when the user visits a website or by another application. Drive by downloads can also be initiated by Mouse Over downloads, requiring a user to run the mouse over a malicious Pop-up ad or malicious pop-up window. Another scenario is when the user visits a website that pops up a window with a message like in order to properly view this website you must install this program. The FTP / HTTP Get request will initiate the download of the software onto the client machine. Installation will be performed by the user and during this installation they will be asked permission to install the malware as well as the software. Internet Explorer uses ActiveX controls for installing legitimate plug-ins like Flash, to enhance the browsers functionality and provide interactive programs for Internet Explorer. When misused, it provides a means for installing spyware such as dialers, browser hijackers, and other types of malware. ActiveX programs can automatically download to a users computer, often without users knowledge. It can be invoked from web pages through the use of a scripting language or directly with an HTML OBJECT tag. On execution by a web browser, it has full access to the Windows operating system and does not run in a â€Å"sandbox. Depending on browser security settings, the browser application may display a security warning to either stop or continue the installation. The warning may not offer a proper description of the program, and usually is misleading or could be masked by other deceptive dialog boxes. Sometimes â€Å"No† is not taken for an answer, and repeated attempts are made to get the user to approve and download the application. ActiveX controls can be signed or unsigned. Signed ActiveX controls are automatically installed while browsing the web, and are used by spyware applications. A signed ActiveX control only verifies that the code or control was from the signer and that it has not been altered; however, it may still be malicious. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.2 P2P Wrecks Havoc Most of the spyware comes bundled with other popular programs that are that are free, also through most of the peer-to-peer networks like Kazaa, Bearshare, Limewire among others. They install malware in the machine as part of the P2P installation process. The P2P application may not function if these components are not installed. These â€Å"free† versions generate ad revenue for their publishers, causing pop-ups and sending information to affiliate networks for data aggregation or data mining. Applications such as Cydoor, New.net, TopText, SaveNow, Webhancer, VX2, CommonName, GetNet/ClearSearch, IncrediFind and OnFlow are of the few applications that are installed this way and may serve up ad banners and ad messages, or track your Internet surfing habits. Unfortunately, the makers of the host programs try not to advertise their programs hidden payloads. Reading the licensing agreement (carefully) during installation will often reveal embedded licenses for the piggybacking adware. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.3 Software free web download Some of the softwares that they claim is free in the internet, when you download and install them, at the same time you will be installing a secondary program. This secondary program is a spyware. It will monitor your activity and report to a third party or a central database. If the user notices the spyware and deletes it, but didnt delete the software, whenever the system online, the software will download the spyware application and install it again. This kind of infection often occurs when the use fails to read the license agreement. In other cases, the license agreement is twisted in such a way that the user will not understand it. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.4 Social engineering Sometimes when users browse the web, they may receive offers for corrective programs or special plug-ins that may be described as necessary for viewing the site. These voluntary but covert and unintentional installations are one source of spyware. Some of these offers are made to appear like a Windows alert from Microsoft or an anti-spyware application to tricks users into downloading and installing them. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.5 Security holes in internet explorer Another method of infection is by exploring the security holes in internet explorer. Internet Explorer has had multiple security vulnerabilities, some of which are disclosed by Microsoft with downloadable updates and patches. Some spyware applications take advantage of these holes and install Trojan droppers, which redirect the browser to portal sites. CoolWebSearch (one of the most notorious pests in recent times) and many other spyware are known to take advantage of Internet Explorer security holes. KeenValue, and InternetOptimizer are examples that use Trojan downloader. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.6 TARGET VICTIMS OF SPYWARE Spyware generally has no specific target victims, but in some cases it has specific victims. It attacks any and every one that falls into its trap. It usually hides in other programs or in some websites like porn website. Spyware is divided into two, domestic and commercial spyware. The victims of domestic spyware are specific, because domestic spyware is software that is usually purchased and installed by computer owners to monitor the Internet behaviour on their computer networks. Employers usually use this software to monitor employee online activities. Some family members use domestic spyware to monitor other family members, while parents and guardians often use this kind of software to monitor the activities of their children online. Some people use this kind of softwares to spy on their friends and girl friend. Others purchase this spyware to install in their partners mobile phone so as to monitor the call and SMS that they are making. Large companies and businesses are also among the most popular spyware targets. This often happen due to competition in the business or personal enmity, while sometimes is just for fun. In this kind of situation, malwares are often used. This is because malware is specifically design to damage the machine. The most popular victims of spyware are the general public. This is because spyware infects and still information about the general public and sends them to a third party who sells the information to advertising companies. More than 80% of general public that are using the internet have/had been affected by spyware one way or another. This shows that both mobile device users and computer users can be affected by spyware. 2.6.1 Mobile devices Not all mobile device users can be affected by spyware. There are categories of mobile devices that can be affected. This includes a blackberry, palmtop, iphone, and any other mobile device that has Bluetooth or can connect to the internet. This is because spyware has to be downloaded, transferred or installed from a source. 2.6.2 Computers All type of computers can be affected with spyware if they are online. Sometimes, the computer is not infected through the internet, but spyware needs the internet so as to establish connection with the third party. 2.7 IMPLICATIONS OF SPYWARE Spyware may Impact of Spyware on Computers and Mobile Devices Impact of Spyware on Computers and Mobile Devices 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROJECT OUTLINE The title of the project chosen by the author is â€Å"Study on the impact of spyware on computers and mobile devices† which simply means that the author analyzes the impact of spyware through an empirical study. The study focuses on the factors that influence the spyware growth which in turn increases its level of impact on computers and mobile devices. Computers and mobile devices are widely used; they are used to access the internet, while everyone wants to acquire the internet in todays world. While technology advances, so are the criminal activities on the technology. When talking about computer crime, the first thing that comes to mind is spyware. Spyware is so big of a crime that millions of dollars are lost annually due to it. Hackers use spyware to still private information from the users like credit card information and so on. Although spyware has been here for a long time, it is computer crime with no legal consequence. Users have little or no knowledge about what spyware is and it can do to them and their machines (computers and mobile devises). Even though virus has been around longer than spyware, but spyware is beginning to make its mark with computer security breaches. Spyware can collect personal data from a users computer. If not taken care of spyware can cause delayed processing of many of your applications. Below are the brief descriptions of each chapter: Chapter one: Introduction This chapter provides a brief overview of the project. It provides the reader with the background information about spyware and the problem statement. The research questions, limitations and methodology are also discussed in this chapter. Chapter two: Literature Review This chapter mainly deals with the pertinent literature of the impact of spyware and discussion on the various types of spyware effect and the comparison between the mobile spyware and the computer spyware. Lastly, the chapter will also discuss about the factors enhancing spyware growth. Chapter three: Research Framework and Hypotheses Development This chapter discus the author is going to propose the research framework/model and hypotheses to explore the users perception about privacy, self efficiency, security, legal framework, spyware knowledge and self-efficiency, trust and cost. Chapter four: Research Methodology This chapter will describe the research design that is used during the research. The chapter will discuss the overall research process. The chapter will also include information on data collection, sampling plan and questionnaire development. Chapter five: Data Analysis and Findings This chapter will outline the data collected through questionnaire and interviews by making use of the appropriate software and analysis of the study. The chapter will also provide discussion of the research findings. Chapter six: Conclusion and Recommendation This chapter will discuss about the result of the previous chapter the contribution of the study to the body knowledge. Conclusion along with future enhancement will also be discussed in the chapter. This chapter concludes the research. 1.2 INTRODUCTION This chapter is meant to give the user/reader helpful idea and an insight to the whole research. Most readers will like to get a grasp of the main ideas of a research paper before actually proceeding to read the whole research. This chapter clearly states the primary objective of the research and the main problem which is been researched. The backgrounds and nature of the study are also highlight the purpose of the research. Several books and journals have been read by the author to have foundation knowledge on the concept of spyware. Spyware is a significant problem to most computer users today. The term â€Å"spyware† describes a new class of computer software. This software tracks users activities online or offline, provides targeted advertising, and engage in other types of activities that the user does not desire or the user may describe as invasive to them. Analysis suggests that these types of programs may reside on up to 90 percent (%) of all the computers connected to the internet. (EarthLink 2005) Frequently, programs bundle spyware with freeware or shareware, though it can also arrive via email, instant messages or web downloads. While the magnitude of the spyware problem is well documented, even do recent studies have had only limited success in explaining the broad range of user behaviors that contribute to the proliferation of spyware. Unlike viruses and other malicious code, users themselves often have a choice whether they want to install these programs. Anecdotal evidence suggests, and our study confirms, that some users are willing to install spyware when the desired application is of perceived high utility and a comparable product without spyware is not available or known to the user (Michelle Delio 2004). Our goals in this study are to understand the factors and users decision making process in installing spyware. During installation, users are presented with notices such as software agreements, terms of service (TOS), end user licensing agreements (EULA), and security warnings. Based on information in these notices, users should, in theory, be able to make a decision about whether to install the software and evaluate the potential consequences of that decision. However, there is a general perception that these notices are ineffective and users often dont even read the software agreement, terms of service, end user licensing or security warnings. One software provider included a $1000 cash prize offer in the EULA that was displayed during each software installation, yet the prize was only claimed after 4 months and 3,000 downloads of the software (PC PitStop 2005). 1.3 BACKGROUND STUDY Spyware has existed at least since the late 1980s when some Keyloggers where discovered in some university computers. â€Å"The word spyware was first used in publicly in October 1995. It popped up on Usenet (a distributed Internet discussion system in which users post e-mail like messages) in an article aimed at Microsofts business model.† (Shanmuga 2005) Over the years, there has been a steady growth in the use of spyware by online attackers and criminals to execute crime against individual, companies and organisations. In the span of just few years, spyware has become the internets most popular download. During the years, the anti-spyware was developed to tackle this problem. The anti-spyware was meant to find, detect and remove the spyware. But even with the development of anti-spyware, spyware still continues to grow every day. One of the factors that aid this growth is the lack of standard definition of spyware. Jerry Berman, President of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), explained in testimony to the Subcommittee on Communications of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in March 2004 that â€Å"The term has been applied to software ranging from keystroke loggers that capture every key typed on a particular computer; to advertising applications that track users web browsing; to programs that hijack users system settings.† (CDT 2004) He noted that what these various types of software programs â€Å"have in common is a lack of transparency and an absence of respect for users ability to control their own computers and Internet connections.† (CDT 2004) Different anti-spyware companies and organizations use different definition which makes even difficult for the users of computers and mobile dont even know what spyware is, as such how can they know the threat of it and the harm it those to their devices 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT The problem statement of this research study â€Å"is the hypothesized factors influence and positive affect the users attitude towards spyware?† Even do spyware has been here for over two decades, it still does not have a standard definition. This makes it harder for users to understand what spyware is and how it affects their system, and how deep is the level of impact. (Norbert 2007) Past studies have been done to study the development of spyware and its growth, how it affects the businesses, privacy and other personal informations of the users, and disrupts the performance of the users machine, and the factors that influence the growth. While the magnitude of the spyware problem is well documented, even do these studies have had only limited success in explaining the broad range of user behaviors that contribute to the proliferation of spyware. Unlike virus and other malicious codes, users often have the choice to whether they want to install this spyware or not. While other users install it with other programs without knowing. This situation often arises as a result of users not reading the software agreement, term of service or the end user licensing agreements. Nonetheless, only very few studies focus specifically on the level of spyware impact on computers and mobile devices, and most of them were carried out in the United States of America USA. Addressing this problem is a very big issue, because users dont want to spend two to five minutes of their time to read the terms of service. The software producers often put in a lot of information in the terms of service there by making the user not read because it is too lengthy. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS With reference to the Problem statement, the author suggested the following questions: What are the factors influencing spyware growth among users? What are the theoretical models used and extended in previous studies of spyware? What are the significant factors influencing the research? What are the users reactions towards spyware? How will the research result affect impact of spyware on computers and mobile devices? 1.6 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES With reference to the research questions, the author developed the following research objectives for the study: To identify the factors influencing spyware growth among users. To study and discuss the theoretical models used and extended in previous studies of spyware. To examine the hypotheses and experimental validating the research model. To better understand the users reaction towards spyware. To discuss the empirical result and the suggestion to promote and reduce the growth of spyware. 1.7 NATURE OF STUDY The author is studying about the impact of spyware in both mobile devices and computers, and the he generates some questionnaires which he will use to gather information from the general public and organisations. This study was design in such a way that the author and other practitioners will answer questions based on their perspective view. The conceptual model was based on extensive literature review of various theoretical models that is aligned with the technological, network, economical, business and some other dimension. The conceptual model is then converted into research model for validation and testing using data collected from the general public and some network specialist. 1.8 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY This study presents two main implications, the theoretical contribution and the practical contribution. The developed model in this study consists of six constructs; they are spyware knowledge, perceived privacy control, security effect, self efficiency, legal framework, and trustworthiness and trust in vendors. This model is tested empirically to explain what will lead the users to take technical defensive measures. In practical contribution, the result of this study will also benefit the software vendors, the users of computers and mobile devices and any other institution will be able to apply the key factors obtained from this research to meet their institutional, organizational or personal needs. This study will benefit in term of providing the users point of view and it will also contribute to administration decisions as the finding of the research help direct them to the area of focus. The findings will make the contribution in term of creating an understanding on the factors that will influence spyware growth and its level of impact. 1.9 METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW This research is design in such a way that it was divided in two adopted steps. The steps are the pre-test study and the main study. The pre-test study was the study that was done in the early stages of the research. This involves the literature reviewing of type of spyware, impact of spyware, how spyware affects the machine and so on. The pre-test was conducted to gain a greater understanding about spyware. The pre-test study helps in understanding the topic there by producing the main research questions. The main study will be conducted based on a survey, a questionnaires and interview conducted among users, corporations and some top school in Malaysia. The questionnaire will be use to collect data on some of the identified problems. The collected data will then be analyzed using the appropriate statistic tools. 1.10 CONCLUSION In conclusion, this chapter introduces the research to the reader by bringing out the background of spyware, the primary objective of the research, also stating the main questions of the research. It also discusses the methodology in summary. In short, this chapter will provides the reader will hopeful idea about the research. The following chapters will further provide the literature review on the impact of spyware in our machines and devices. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter will provide an in-depth detail on spyware as well as the types of spyware. The chapter will also bring out all the possible definitions of spyware, the overview of spyware. The chapter will bring out the possible ways in which spyware operates and it will talk a little about the target victims of the spyware. The chapter will also analyze the infection methods of spyware and so on. 2.2 DEFINITION It is not easy to bring out a standard definition on spyware, which makes it much harder to understand. But the author will bring out all the definitions he can find and also propose/bring his own definition based on his understanding of the spyware. In the definition of spyware, two particular issues must be included for the definition to be complete. But research shows that users only stick to either one of the two when defining spyware. This two issues are always been contested by the users. The two particular issues contested are the range of software behaviour and the degree of user consent that is desirable. Firstly, some users prefer the narrow definition which focuses on the monitoring (Surveillance) aspects of spyware and its ability to steal, communicate and store information about users and their behavior. Others prefer the broad definition that includes adware, toolbars, search tools, hijackers and dialers. Definitions for spyware also include hacker tools for remote access and administration, key logging and cracking passwords. Second, there is limited agreement on the lawfulnessof spyware that engages in behavior such as targeting advertisements, installing programs on user machines and collecting click stream data. Users consider a wide range of programs that present spyware-like functionality unacceptable. To complicate the definition, certain software behaviors are acceptable in some contexts but not others. Furthermore, there is concern over user notice and consentrequired during an installation process. The practice of bundlingsoftware, which merges spyware with unrelated programs, also heightens this concern. Jerry Berman, President of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), explained in testimony to the Subcommittee on Communications of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in March 2004 that â€Å"The term has been applied to software ranging from keystroke loggers that capture every key typed on a particular computer; to advertising applications that track users web browsing; to programs that hijack users system settings.† (CDT 2004) He noted that what these various types of software programs â€Å"have in common is a lack of transparency and an absence of respect for users ability to control their own computers and Internet connections.† (CDT 2004) The author will also like to propose his definition of spyware based on his understanding of the matter. Spyware is a program that is installed in the machine with or without the permission of the user, and it can monitor the activities of the user, steal valuable information from the user and send to a third party and disturb/regulate the functionality of the machine like speed, stability and internet access efficiency. 2.3 OVERVIEW 2.3.1 Types of spyware Basically any software that can be installed in the users machine which is used to obtains information from their computer or mobile device without their knowledge can be termed as a spyware. There are many types of spyware that are doing the rounds on the Internet, but in technical terms, you can classify them into two broad categories namely, Domestic Spyware and Commercial Spyware. (UpickReviews 2007) 2.3.1.1 Domestic spyware Domestic spyware is software that is usually purchased and installed by computer owners to monitor the Internet behaviour on their computer networks. Employers usually use this software to monitor employee online activities. Some family members use domestic spyware to monitor other family members, while parents and guardians often use this kind of software to monitor the activities of their children online. Some people use this kind of softwares to spy on their friends and girl friend. In America, many couples often install this kind of software on their partners mobile phone in other to monitor their call. This usually happens when one party thinks the other is cheating on them. A third party can also install domestic spyware without the knowledge of the computer owner on their machine or mobile device. Law enforcement officials have often used domestic spyware to monitor suspected criminal activity and criminals have used domestic spyware to siphon personal information from private computers in order to steal assets. (TopTenReviews 2003) Domestic spyware is one of the most common spyware used using mobile devices. This is done to monitor the activity of the target victim i.e calls and SMS. 2.3.1.2 Commercial spyware. These types of software systems are often used by third parties to monitor and record the browsing behaviour of the user. The main purpose of it is to monitor the online habits of the user and sell the gathered information to anyone who might be interested. It is often online businesses that buy the information and use it to hit the user with targeted advertising, i.e. advertisements that relate to your usual Internet browsing habits. Advertisers often use commercial spyware simply because it is far simpler, economical and faster than collecting information through legal means such as contests, questionnaires, registration surveys and the likes. It is also because information gathered by spyware is far more reliable because users often dont cooperate when it comes to filling questionnaire sincerely, while some may accept to do it but they will not give true information when it comes to their private things. Since it represents the users true browsing behaviour, the advertisers go for it. You may take your pick while filling out an online registration form, but you just cannot cheat a spyware because it simply monitors and records all your activities. In the past marketers had to bribe their way to learn the users preferences through contests, registration surveys and the like. Those methods of gaining the users personal information still exist, but in those cases you have the power to read the fine print to learn the fate of your data and so could choose to consent or refuse There are many types of spyware that are classified under commercial spyware. They are: Browser hijackers, adware, Malware, dialers, Trojans and viruses, Worms, etc. 2.3.1.2.1 Adware Adware is the most common type of spyware available. They are cookies which hide on your computer waiting for you to go online. The cookies often get into your computer through popup that you open. Once the adware detects that youre connected to the Internet it starts sending you popup, pop-over, pop-under ads, and some sort of advertisement for anything from airline tickets to porn site membership. Not only that but even information on your viewing habits is tracked and stored. This data is then sold on to marketing companies who will be sending you more junk email and popup ads. (Spam-site 2006) 2.3.1.2.2 Dealers Software that gets installed on your computer that has the ability to make phone calls from your computer, though a phone-connected modem, without your knowledge. These programs will connect to other computers, through your phone line, which are usually porn sites. These numbers are pay per minute call though, so you get charged for the amount of time your computer is connected to it. While dialers do not spy on users they are malevolent in nature because they can cause huge financial harm to their victims. It is mostly used by porn sites. They can also be classified as hijackers. ( Abrams 2009) 2.3.1.2.3 Malware Malware is malicious software designed specifically to damage users machine. But Malware is typically not self-replicating or designed for PC-to-PC distribution. (Pareto 2009) 2.3.1.2.3 Trojan Trojan is a program that contains hidden functionality, often posing as useful applications yet performing Spyware or Adware functions and facilitates unauthorized access to the users computer system. The term ‘Trojan horse was found from the mythical wooden horse that carried hidden Greek soldiers into Troy. (Pareto 2009) 2.3.1.2.4 Worm Worms are self-replicating, fast-spreading Internet threats that are more like viruses than Spyware. They differ from viruses in that they can replace entire files on the host computer. Both viruses and worms attempt to spread to as many computers as possible, using e-mail, the Internet, and file-sharing networks as methods of distribution. (Pareto 2009) 2.4 OPERATIONS OF SPYWARE The usual method for a spyware to operate is to run secretly in the background of the users computers (McCardle 2003). The reason behind this concealing of processes is commonly argued as that it would hardly be acceptable if, e.g., if free file-sharing software kept stopping to ask the user if they are ready to fetch a new banner or a pop-up window (Townsend 2003). Therefore, the client/server routine of spyware is normally executed in the background. In practice, there would be nothing wrong with spyware running in the background provided that the users know that it is happening, what data is being transmitted, and that they have agreed to the process as part of the conditions for obtaining the freeware. However, most users are unaware that they have software on their computers that tracks and reports information on their Internet usage to a third party. Typically, a spyware program secretly gathers user information and spreads it without the users knowledge of it. Once installed, the spyware monitors, e.g., user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to third parties, such as advertising companies. In reality, spyware run constantly, even when their carrier program, e.g., a file-sharing tool, has been terminated. A more or less legal grey area is utilized by the spyware actors, since in most program licenses they specify that information may be gathered for corporate purposes. However, the usual model is to collect more information than they have asked for (Townsend 2003). Besides this, most license agreements are been formulated in such a way that the reader finds it extensively hard for users to understand. 2.5 SPYWARE INFECTION METHOD Spyware infects its victims through many different ways. The most common of these ways include drive-by download, P2P wrecks havoc, free software download, social engineering and vulnerability route. 2.5.1 Drive-by downloads This is a program that is automatically downloaded to users computer, often without the users knowledge. The download may be initiated when the user visits a website or by another application. Drive by downloads can also be initiated by Mouse Over downloads, requiring a user to run the mouse over a malicious Pop-up ad or malicious pop-up window. Another scenario is when the user visits a website that pops up a window with a message like in order to properly view this website you must install this program. The FTP / HTTP Get request will initiate the download of the software onto the client machine. Installation will be performed by the user and during this installation they will be asked permission to install the malware as well as the software. Internet Explorer uses ActiveX controls for installing legitimate plug-ins like Flash, to enhance the browsers functionality and provide interactive programs for Internet Explorer. When misused, it provides a means for installing spyware such as dialers, browser hijackers, and other types of malware. ActiveX programs can automatically download to a users computer, often without users knowledge. It can be invoked from web pages through the use of a scripting language or directly with an HTML OBJECT tag. On execution by a web browser, it has full access to the Windows operating system and does not run in a â€Å"sandbox. Depending on browser security settings, the browser application may display a security warning to either stop or continue the installation. The warning may not offer a proper description of the program, and usually is misleading or could be masked by other deceptive dialog boxes. Sometimes â€Å"No† is not taken for an answer, and repeated attempts are made to get the user to approve and download the application. ActiveX controls can be signed or unsigned. Signed ActiveX controls are automatically installed while browsing the web, and are used by spyware applications. A signed ActiveX control only verifies that the code or control was from the signer and that it has not been altered; however, it may still be malicious. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.2 P2P Wrecks Havoc Most of the spyware comes bundled with other popular programs that are that are free, also through most of the peer-to-peer networks like Kazaa, Bearshare, Limewire among others. They install malware in the machine as part of the P2P installation process. The P2P application may not function if these components are not installed. These â€Å"free† versions generate ad revenue for their publishers, causing pop-ups and sending information to affiliate networks for data aggregation or data mining. Applications such as Cydoor, New.net, TopText, SaveNow, Webhancer, VX2, CommonName, GetNet/ClearSearch, IncrediFind and OnFlow are of the few applications that are installed this way and may serve up ad banners and ad messages, or track your Internet surfing habits. Unfortunately, the makers of the host programs try not to advertise their programs hidden payloads. Reading the licensing agreement (carefully) during installation will often reveal embedded licenses for the piggybacking adware. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.3 Software free web download Some of the softwares that they claim is free in the internet, when you download and install them, at the same time you will be installing a secondary program. This secondary program is a spyware. It will monitor your activity and report to a third party or a central database. If the user notices the spyware and deletes it, but didnt delete the software, whenever the system online, the software will download the spyware application and install it again. This kind of infection often occurs when the use fails to read the license agreement. In other cases, the license agreement is twisted in such a way that the user will not understand it. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.4 Social engineering Sometimes when users browse the web, they may receive offers for corrective programs or special plug-ins that may be described as necessary for viewing the site. These voluntary but covert and unintentional installations are one source of spyware. Some of these offers are made to appear like a Windows alert from Microsoft or an anti-spyware application to tricks users into downloading and installing them. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.5 Security holes in internet explorer Another method of infection is by exploring the security holes in internet explorer. Internet Explorer has had multiple security vulnerabilities, some of which are disclosed by Microsoft with downloadable updates and patches. Some spyware applications take advantage of these holes and install Trojan droppers, which redirect the browser to portal sites. CoolWebSearch (one of the most notorious pests in recent times) and many other spyware are known to take advantage of Internet Explorer security holes. KeenValue, and InternetOptimizer are examples that use Trojan downloader. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.6 TARGET VICTIMS OF SPYWARE Spyware generally has no specific target victims, but in some cases it has specific victims. It attacks any and every one that falls into its trap. It usually hides in other programs or in some websites like porn website. Spyware is divided into two, domestic and commercial spyware. The victims of domestic spyware are specific, because domestic spyware is software that is usually purchased and installed by computer owners to monitor the Internet behaviour on their computer networks. Employers usually use this software to monitor employee online activities. Some family members use domestic spyware to monitor other family members, while parents and guardians often use this kind of software to monitor the activities of their children online. Some people use this kind of softwares to spy on their friends and girl friend. Others purchase this spyware to install in their partners mobile phone so as to monitor the call and SMS that they are making. Large companies and businesses are also among the most popular spyware targets. This often happen due to competition in the business or personal enmity, while sometimes is just for fun. In this kind of situation, malwares are often used. This is because malware is specifically design to damage the machine. The most popular victims of spyware are the general public. This is because spyware infects and still information about the general public and sends them to a third party who sells the information to advertising companies. More than 80% of general public that are using the internet have/had been affected by spyware one way or another. This shows that both mobile device users and computer users can be affected by spyware. 2.6.1 Mobile devices Not all mobile device users can be affected by spyware. There are categories of mobile devices that can be affected. This includes a blackberry, palmtop, iphone, and any other mobile device that has Bluetooth or can connect to the internet. This is because spyware has to be downloaded, transferred or installed from a source. 2.6.2 Computers All type of computers can be affected with spyware if they are online. Sometimes, the computer is not infected through the internet, but spyware needs the internet so as to establish connection with the third party. 2.7 IMPLICATIONS OF SPYWARE Spyware may