The eNotes Blog Dantes Confession and a New Circle of Hell forProfessors

Dantes Confession and a New Circle of Hell forProfessors This week, The Chronicle of Higher Education published a lengthy confession of a man who works for a custom essay writing service. It is a growing industry, as plagiarism detectors, like turnitin.com, are increasingly being used to catch cheating in both high schools and universities. Even though the price for a customized essay is high, about $20 per page, students are willing to pay for work that earns them a good grade.   Since the work is original, it passes the plagiarism detectors and professors often cannot take action against the cheater without proof of wrongdoing. The  writer, who calls himself Ed Dante for this article,  Ã‚  is unapologetic and largely blames our educational system for failing to properly meet the needs of its students.   Two of his most frequent types of buyers are ESL students and educationally deficient students (another other group who avails themselves of his services, he says, are lazy rich kids). Dante argues: Students who come to American universities from other countries find that their efforts to learn a new language are confounded not only by cultural difficulties but also by the pressures of grading. The focus on evaluation rather than education means that those who havent mastered English must do so quickly or suffer the consequences. My service provides a particularly quick way to master English. And those who are hopelessly deficient- a euphemism, I admit- struggle with communication in general. Another reason Dante cites for choosing a non-traditional career in writing is the money.   He claims to make about $66,000 a year,   typically much more than your average humanities professor. It may not be right, it may not be fair, but its out there. What can a professor do to combat this type of cheating?

Michael Phelps Coach Shares 3 Steps to Conquering Anything

Michael Phelps Coach Shares 3 Steps to Conquering Anything Ever wonder what sets peak performers apart from the rest of us? Or how it might be possible to reach that level of performance ourselves? Raw talent and intelligence are not enough. Here are the top 3 most important daily habits of champions, at least according to Olympic champion Michael Phelps’ coach–who certainly would know!1. Take Charge of Everything You Can ControlHaving a desire to be at the top of your field is one thing. But having a clear vision for what that looks like is another. There are so many variables in your career that you cannot control. What you can control is the process of doing what you need to do, i.e. getting into the pool every day and swimming fast, every single day, week, month, and year. Stay true to the journey, every step, and focus on the parts you have power over. You’ll be in a much stronger place to grasp your dreams when they come within reach.2.  Visualize Your Best SelfYou have to visualize yourself doing what you know y ou need to do to be the best. You have to do this every day. See yourself winning and achieving your goals. Don’t just fantasize, visualize. Run through your success in a variety of different scenarios with obstacles to overcome. Watch yourself winning. Your brain will get so used to that success, it will be that much more likely to help push you toward it when the time comes to perform. Form a strong mental picture of where you want to be in a year, and hold on tight. Your brain will help deliver opportunities to get you there.3. You Have to Put in the WorkHere’s the catch. You have to work hard. All the talent and drive and intelligence and mental preparedness in the world can’t get you where you want to go. Only hard work can. Practice practice practice. Michael Phelps practiced 365 days a year for 6 straight years to prepare for the Olympics. This is part of what programmed his brain and body for peak performance. Whatever your equivalent is- put in the time and effort. Run through that presentation not just one, but ten or a hundred more times before you give it.Working on these three daily habits won’t necessarily get you a record-breaking heap of Olympic medals, but it sure will help get you where you want to go. Find your equivalent and get to work.

Swot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Swot - Essay Example ariety of freight including sand, drill cuttings, propane, sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide, wood products, feed products, and fertilizers (Lehigh Railway LLC , par 1). Moreover, they also boast of a full range of transloading services through their in-house manpower or through their reliable transload service sub-contractor. Railway is also proud of the quality of their highly-skilled employees. LRWY has weaknesses too which they are currently addressing. This includes their problem with the lease contracts with Norfolk Southern. They are also beset with problems of locomotive power shortages. A key opportunity of LRWY is the presence of Marcellus Shale in its location. Marcellus Shale formation is considered by some geologist as a major source of natural gas (Geology.com , par 2). People in the natural gas industry believe that the Marcellus can be a major contributor for the supply of natural gas for the United States. This development presents possible new business opportunities for LRWY. The threats being faced by the company is the presence of other railroad companies in the area. However, the main threat that confronts them is the possible cancellation of their lease contract with Norfolk. As in any infrastructure, they are also aware that their railway may be damaged through Acts of God such as earthquakes, floods or hurricanes. Presently, LRWY’s advantage over its competitors is its location or geography. Its line encompasses a large area from Athens to Laceyville, Mehoopany, Meshopen, Presswood, Rummerfield, Sayer, Skinners Eddy, Towanda, Ulster, Wyalusing, and Wysox (Lehigh Railway LLC , par 1). The strategic issue that will challenge LRWY is the probability of a high growth rate in its business as against their capability to meet the demands of a growing market. The company must be able to gear up for this future growth in its business if it wants to remain competitive. In the next five years, aside from coping with this expansion, the

Businesses within the Small Business Administration (SBA) 8A Program Research Paper

Businesses within the Small Business Administration (SBA) 8A Program - Research Paper Example The Federal Government of U.S has, since a long time, actively promoted the socio-economic welfare of small businesses. It is for this particular reason that the Small Business Administration (SBA) was founded to ensure that small businesses have the business acumen and resources to survive and grow in the competitive marketplace. Several opportunities have been provided to small businesses, including the securing of no-bid contracts and granting of prime contracts. In recent years, the 8(a) business development program by SBA has gained a lot of attention owing to generous incentives and growth capabilities offered by the SBA for businesses that meet the criteria for this program. The 8A program was introduced by the SBA with the main objective of assisting and facilitating small and disadvantaged businesses so that they can compete in the competitive marketplace. The popular 8(a) Business Development program is specifically targeted towards small businesses that where individuals who are â€Å"socially and economically† disadvantaged own and control at least 51% of such businesses (Koprince, 2012). Accordingly, it helps such entrepreneurs to get accessibility to mainstream business in the American market. Furthermore, it helps harness the aspirations of entrepreneurs by securing government contracts for such businesses to help them grow. The 8(a) program is separated into two stages: the developmental 4 year period and the transitional 5 year period (SBA.gov). The 8(a) program offers several benefits for disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Firstly, the program entails the â€Å"sole-source† no-bid contract which implies that participant businesses shall not have to bid for contracts and shall be the sole providers of the products to be provided under the contractual agreement (SBA.gov). This holds true for contracts under $3.5 million worth of

The Story of Us Essay Example for Free

The Story of Us Essay The film â€Å"The Story of Us† that we have watched last week gave me the full of insights and learned how difficult a marriage could be. This movie was about the story of a couple married for about fifteen years and from their perfect marriage, it almost ends up to divorce. They have two children that through them they still pretend as good parents even if their relationship is not working anymore. They decided to send their children to a summer camp so they can start their trial separation before telling it to their kids. In the end, because they still love each other and also for the best of their children, they had chosen to be strong and set aside all the detestation and hatred from them. People may engage into marriage thru various reasons. The majority of it is usually because of legal and social aspects. But the reality is that a person is not only associated to emotional or a feeling to someone but also it is the spiritual and religious aspects that lead to marriage. For me, a person who entered into a relationship with someone should be committed to the person he loved so the partnership between them will be strong and the marriage will be eternal. Marriage for me is not just a formal contract or agreement of two persons who love each other which is usually followed by a wedding ceremony. It is really important for me because it does not only show how relationship works but it is instituted and destined by God for the permanent relationship between a man and a woman. My point of view towards relationship to a good marriage is that it should not be developed according to our anticipation. With the conformity of a husband and wife that are married, they should not be separated and will stand for every hardship that they will encounter. As shown in the movie, like what almost happened to Ben and Katie Jordan in the film was because of misunderstandings and the exchange of throbbing with each other. There are lots of couples nowadays that encountered similar problems like this. They also run into a situation that a couple cannot stand each other anymore which mostly ends up to divorce. Some of the couples may reconcile and choose to stay what is ordained while thers may lead to worst thing like separation or divorce. This film had given me lot of insights on the views of marriage. I can say that this movie made me realized that in order for a marriage to work well it is important that couples should learn how to reconcile and accept the love of their partners despite of their dissimilarities. People choose to marry the person they like not just because of feelings, affection or likeness to their spouse but because they fated their love to God and willingness to accept all the differences of their partner. I have learned that not all marriage will lead to lifelong relationship unless they truly love and vowed to each other. I also recognized that not all relationships are perfect thus we should continue ourselves to be loyal, devoted and still faithful to love ones. This film also taught me on what we should do or the best thing to perform if a situation happened in the marriage life like this. Also, we should learn how to accompany with others and to forgive and forget the mistakes of a person you love which will direct into a good marriage life.

The Future of World Population :: Papers

The Present and Future The growth of the world's population is a problem that many people see as being addressed at some point in the future. While we live in a country that is reaping the benefits of a superpower, most of the United States is disconnected from the problems of population growth. In this paper, I intend to address three major issues. How long will we be able to support our planets food needs? How can we deal with population growth in the present day? And How come certain areas tend to have larger population growth than other areas? But first in this paper, I will see how the theories of sociologists and demographers fit into the Earth's population problem. THEORIES MARX 1818-1883 Karl Marx viewed a capitalist society as an economic system that was bound to fail. In Marx's opinion this eminent failure was based in the design of the system. According to Marx, In the capitalist economy there are two major groups; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie are t hose who own the means of production, have the power. The proletariat are those that work for the bourgeoisie and are at their mercy. At the economy develops, the gap between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat grows wider and eventually all the capital is controlled by a small percentage of the population and the proletariat is forced into poverty. To someone with little or no sociological background, the above paragraph has nothing to do with population as a social problem. But if you fit population into Marx's description of the capitalist system, it is more relevant than at first glance. The best way to make this point clear is to provide two hypothetical situations. Family X is a middle class family that is doing well financially and they tend to have more children than if they are not making so much money. But as the bourgeoisie gains more and more control, families like X have their income driven down and ultimately have fewer children. Families must have enough money, food, etc. to survive. If they don't have these goods and they can't control their wages, they must control they must control an aspect of their lives that would allow them to survive, whether or not to have children. Family Z is an extremely wealthy family that more or less monopolizes an aspect of their economy. As the economy progresses, family Z is able to drive down the wages of their workers thereby increasing their profit.

Electronic Payment System

UNIT – 3 Electronic Payment System Contents †¢ What is E-payment? †¢ Types of E-payment Systems †¢ Digital Token-based Electronic Payment Systems †¢ Smart Cards & Electronic Payment Systems †¢ Credit Card-based Electronic Payment Systems †¢ Risk & Electronic Payment Systems †¢ Designing Electronic Payment System What is E-payment ? †¢ E-payment systems is the mechanism of transferring money over the Internet and technology used in this transfer is called as EFT. EFT defined as â€Å" any transfer of fund initiated through an e-terminal, telephonic instrument, or computer or magnetic tape to order, instruct or authorize a financial institution to debit or credit an account. It is mostly used for Business to business (B2B) commerce where companies doing business together tend to use electronic data interchange (EDI) system to send each other bills and notices of payment. E-Payment †¢ Information online offline $Products/services Adva ntages of E-Payment †¢ †¢ †¢ Increase payment efficiency – Reduce transaction costs – Enable trade in goods and services of very low value Increase convenience of making payments – Payment can be made swiftly and remotely using various devices Can be used for – e-commerce / e-Trade – For other purposes like paying bills, taxes, etc MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 1Categories of EFT Banking and financial payments * Large-scale or wholesale payment * Small scale or retail payment * Home banking Retailing payments * Credit cards * Debit cards On-line electronic commerce payments * Token-based payment system ~ Electronic cash ~ Electronic checks ~ Smart cards or debit cards * Credit card-based payment systems ~ Encrypted credit cards ~ Third-party authorization numbers Main factors when selecting e-payment method †¢ Availability (bank system, laws and regulations) †¢ The consideration of size and type of business, type of a target group of consumers, types of products and services. The ability to provide security against fraudulent activity †¢ Being cost effective for low value transaction fees †¢ Being protective of the privacy of the users †¢ Easy to use, and being convenient for purchasing on the web based e-business Token-based E-Payment Systems Electronic tokens are the new financial instruments which are in the form of electronic cash/money or checks.Electronic tokens are same as cash that is backed by bank. They are of three types: 1. Cash or real-time ( e-cash) 2. Debit or Prepaid (smart cards, e-purses) 3. Credit or Postpaid (credit/debit cards, e-checks) E-cash Electronic cash is a consumer-oriented electronic payment. Though it replaces the cash but still cash is quite dominant form of payment for three reasons: 1. Lack of trust in banking system 2.Inefficient clearing and settlement of non-cash transaction 3. Negativ e real interest rates paid on bank deposit Advantages of cash over credit cards †¢ It is negotiable †¢ Cash is a legal tender †¢ Cash is a bearer instrument †¢ It need require bank account to operate †¢ No risk on the part of acceptor that the medium of exchange may not be good MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 2Properties of e-cash E-cash must have following four properties: Monetary values: Interoperability Retrievability Security E-cash in Action †¢ E-cash based on cryptographic systems called â€Å"digital signature† †¢ †¢ †¢ This method involves pair of two numeric keys (very large number or integer) that work in tandem (cycle): one for encoding and another for decoding. Message encoded with one numeric key can only be decoded with other numeric key and none other. The encoding key is kept private while the decoding key is made public. E-checks †¢ E-checks are a nother form of electronic tokens. †¢ †¢ A new electronic version of paper check. E-check is an instruction to a financial institution to pay a given amount of money to the payee. It is a specially formatted email message sent over the Internet. It contains as the same information as on paper based check. Check service providers PayByCheck (http://www. paybycheck. com) CyberSource (http://cybersource. com) Transaction Payment Sequence in E-check system Payer Transfer e-check Payee Deposit e-check Forward e-check for payer authentication Bank Accounting Server MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof.Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 3 Transaction Payment Sequence in E-check system †¢ Buyer must register with third party account server using electronic check. †¢ On receiving the check, the seller presents it to accounting server for verification and payment. †¢ The accounting system verifies the digital signature on the check. †¢ Proper ly signed and endorsed checks can be electronically exchanged between financial institutions through electronic clearing house. Advantages of E-Check †¢ They work in the same way as traditional checks. †¢ E-checks are suited for micro payments. Eliminate the need for expensive process reengineering and taking advantage of the banking industry. †¢ Financial risk is assumed by accounting server. †¢ E-checks create a float through third-party accounting server. They make money out of buyers and sellers transaction by providing deposit account. Difference b/w EFT and E-check †¢ In E-Cheque, electronic versions of the cheque are issued, received & processed. So, payee issues an E-Cheque for each payment. †¢ In EFT transfer automatic withdrawals are made for monthly bills or other fixed payments; no cheques are issued.Smart cards †¢ A smart card is a plastic card with an embedded microchip containing information about you. †¢ A smart card can store about 100 times the amount of information that a magnetic strip plastic card can store. †¢ A smart card contains private user information, such as financial facts, private encryption keys, account information, credit card numbers, health insurance information, etc. †¢ So far not successful in U. S. , but popular in Europe, Germany, Singapore and Japan to pay for public phone call, transportation.Mondex Smart Card †¢ Holds and dispenses electronic cash (Smart-card based, stored-value card) †¢ Developed by MasterCard International †¢ Requires specific card reader, called Mondex terminal, for merchant or customer to use card over Internet †¢ Supports micropayments and works both online and off-line at stores or over the telephone †¢ Secret chip-to-chip transfer protocol †¢ Loaded through ATM – ATM does not know transfer protocol; connects with secure device at bank MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi , SOM, SIMS, Indore Mondex Smart Card Processing Mondex Smart Card †¢ Disadvantages – Card carries real cash in electronic form, creating the possibility of theft – No deferred (overdue) payment as with credit cards – cash is dispensed immediately Types of Smart cards Smart cards are basically of two types: 1. Relationship-based Smart Cards 2. Electronic Purses and Debit Cards Relationship-based Smart Cards It is the enhancement of existing card services that offer customers far better options like: 1. Access to multiple accounts (debit, credit, e-cash) on one card. 2.Offer various functions ( cash access, bill payment, balance inquiry, fund transfer) 3. Multiple access options at multiple location using multiple access device (ATM, PC, PDA or screenphone etc) Electronic Purses and Debit Cards Electronic Purses or E- wallet are the smart cards embedded with programmable microchip that store sum of money instead of cash. Once a purse is loaded with money it require card reader vending machine which verifies its authenticity . Then after amount is deducted from balance. It shows the remaining balance on the card hence eliminate the small bill in busy stores.E-wallets when depleted can be recharged with money . MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 5 Credit cards-based e-payment system Credit Cards †¢ A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users dealing in e-commerce. Most credit cards are the same shape and size, as specified by the ISO 7810 standard. †¢ A credit card is different to a debit card in that it does not remove money from the user's account after every transaction. In the case of credit cards, the issuer lends money to the consumer (or the user) to be paid to the merchant.Credit cards-based e-payment system Customers who purchase any goods send their credit card details to the service provider involved and the credit card organization will handle thi s payment. Online credit card payment has following categories: 1. Payment using plain credit card details 2. Payments using encrypted credit card details 3. Payment using third-party verification Entities involved in Credit card Transaction Consumer (Buyer or Card holder) Merchant (Seller) Card Issuer (Consumers’ Bank) Acquirer or Principal (Merchant’s Bank) Card Association (Visa, Master Card etc) Third party processor How an Online Credit Transaction WorksEncryption and Credit cards Encryption process starts when credit card information is entered into a browser and sent securely over network between buyer to seller. Encryption process includes following steps: 1. Customer presents his credit card information securely to merchant. 2. Merchant validates the authenticity of card holder 3. Merchant relays this information to its bank or on-line card processor. MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 6 4. The bank r elays the information to customer’s bank for authorization approval 5.The customer’s bank returns the credit card , charge authentication and authorization to the merchant Processing Payment with Encrypted Third-party authorization and Credit cards In third party processing, consumer register with third party on the internet to verify emicrotransaction. The companies providing third party payment service on internet are: ( First Virtual) †¢ http://www. fv. com †¢ http://www. openmarket. com †¢ http://www. 2checkout. com/ †¢ http://www. paypal. com/ Payment can be made by credit card via clearing house.Online Third-Party Processor (OTPPs) has following steps for buying information online. 1. Consumer registers for an OTPP a/c that is backed by credit card. 2. To purchase customer request merchant by her OTPP account no. 3. Merchant then contact the OTPP payment server with customer’s account no. 4. OTPP payment server verifies the customerâ₠¬â„¢s account no. for vender (merchant) & checks for sufficient funds. 5. OTPP server send a message to buyer that can be responded back by buyer as ; yes/agree; No/disagree; fraud. 6.If OTPP gets ‘Yes’ from customer, merchant is informed & then customer is allowed to download material. MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 7 Online Payment Processing using a Third-party Processor Risk in using Credit cards †¢ Customer uses a stolen card or account number to fraudulently purchase goods or service online. †¢ Many people who will be on the Internet have not even had their first Web experience. †¢ Hackers find the ways into an e-commerce merchant’s payment processing system and then issue credits to hacker card account numbers. Many users are also likely to be younger and have less access to credit and debit cards †¢ Many purchases they make will be micropayments. †¢ Credit cards canno t be used for large sums of B2B transactions †¢ Customer falsely claims that he or she did not receive a shipment Limitations of Online Credit Card Payment Systems †¢ Security – neither merchant nor consumer can be fully authenticated. †¢ Cost – for merchants, around 3. 5% of purchase price plus transaction fee of 2030 cents per transaction. †¢ People living in rural areas don’t have same access to computers and Internet that others do. Social equity – many people do not have access to credit cards (young and old age), disabled, individuals who are not computer savvy and individuals who cannot afford cards ( poor credit risk). Designing Electronic Payment Systems Following criteria should be satisfied while designing any new E-payment System: 1. Privacy 6. Pricing 2. Security 7. Standards 3. Intuitive Interface 4. Database Integration 5. Brokers MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Ind ore 8 Electronic Payment System UNIT – 3 Electronic Payment System Contents †¢ What is E-payment? †¢ Types of E-payment Systems †¢ Digital Token-based Electronic Payment Systems †¢ Smart Cards & Electronic Payment Systems †¢ Credit Card-based Electronic Payment Systems †¢ Risk & Electronic Payment Systems †¢ Designing Electronic Payment System What is E-payment ? †¢ E-payment systems is the mechanism of transferring money over the Internet and technology used in this transfer is called as EFT. EFT defined as â€Å" any transfer of fund initiated through an e-terminal, telephonic instrument, or computer or magnetic tape to order, instruct or authorize a financial institution to debit or credit an account. It is mostly used for Business to business (B2B) commerce where companies doing business together tend to use electronic data interchange (EDI) system to send each other bills and notices of payment. E-Payment †¢ Information online offline $Products/services Adva ntages of E-Payment †¢ †¢ †¢ Increase payment efficiency – Reduce transaction costs – Enable trade in goods and services of very low value Increase convenience of making payments – Payment can be made swiftly and remotely using various devices Can be used for – e-commerce / e-Trade – For other purposes like paying bills, taxes, etc MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 1Categories of EFT Banking and financial payments * Large-scale or wholesale payment * Small scale or retail payment * Home banking Retailing payments * Credit cards * Debit cards On-line electronic commerce payments * Token-based payment system ~ Electronic cash ~ Electronic checks ~ Smart cards or debit cards * Credit card-based payment systems ~ Encrypted credit cards ~ Third-party authorization numbers Main factors when selecting e-payment method †¢ Availability (bank system, laws and regulations) †¢ The consideration of size and type of business, type of a target group of consumers, types of products and services. The ability to provide security against fraudulent activity †¢ Being cost effective for low value transaction fees †¢ Being protective of the privacy of the users †¢ Easy to use, and being convenient for purchasing on the web based e-business Token-based E-Payment Systems Electronic tokens are the new financial instruments which are in the form of electronic cash/money or checks.Electronic tokens are same as cash that is backed by bank. They are of three types: 1. Cash or real-time ( e-cash) 2. Debit or Prepaid (smart cards, e-purses) 3. Credit or Postpaid (credit/debit cards, e-checks) E-cash Electronic cash is a consumer-oriented electronic payment. Though it replaces the cash but still cash is quite dominant form of payment for three reasons: 1. Lack of trust in banking system 2.Inefficient clearing and settlement of non-cash transaction 3. Negativ e real interest rates paid on bank deposit Advantages of cash over credit cards †¢ It is negotiable †¢ Cash is a legal tender †¢ Cash is a bearer instrument †¢ It need require bank account to operate †¢ No risk on the part of acceptor that the medium of exchange may not be good MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 2Properties of e-cash E-cash must have following four properties: Monetary values: Interoperability Retrievability Security E-cash in Action †¢ E-cash based on cryptographic systems called â€Å"digital signature† †¢ †¢ †¢ This method involves pair of two numeric keys (very large number or integer) that work in tandem (cycle): one for encoding and another for decoding. Message encoded with one numeric key can only be decoded with other numeric key and none other. The encoding key is kept private while the decoding key is made public. E-checks †¢ E-checks are a nother form of electronic tokens. †¢ †¢ A new electronic version of paper check. E-check is an instruction to a financial institution to pay a given amount of money to the payee. It is a specially formatted email message sent over the Internet. It contains as the same information as on paper based check. Check service providers PayByCheck (http://www. paybycheck. com) CyberSource (http://cybersource. com) Transaction Payment Sequence in E-check system Payer Transfer e-check Payee Deposit e-check Forward e-check for payer authentication Bank Accounting Server MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof.Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 3 Transaction Payment Sequence in E-check system †¢ Buyer must register with third party account server using electronic check. †¢ On receiving the check, the seller presents it to accounting server for verification and payment. †¢ The accounting system verifies the digital signature on the check. †¢ Proper ly signed and endorsed checks can be electronically exchanged between financial institutions through electronic clearing house. Advantages of E-Check †¢ They work in the same way as traditional checks. †¢ E-checks are suited for micro payments. Eliminate the need for expensive process reengineering and taking advantage of the banking industry. †¢ Financial risk is assumed by accounting server. †¢ E-checks create a float through third-party accounting server. They make money out of buyers and sellers transaction by providing deposit account. Difference b/w EFT and E-check †¢ In E-Cheque, electronic versions of the cheque are issued, received & processed. So, payee issues an E-Cheque for each payment. †¢ In EFT transfer automatic withdrawals are made for monthly bills or other fixed payments; no cheques are issued.Smart cards †¢ A smart card is a plastic card with an embedded microchip containing information about you. †¢ A smart card can store about 100 times the amount of information that a magnetic strip plastic card can store. †¢ A smart card contains private user information, such as financial facts, private encryption keys, account information, credit card numbers, health insurance information, etc. †¢ So far not successful in U. S. , but popular in Europe, Germany, Singapore and Japan to pay for public phone call, transportation.Mondex Smart Card †¢ Holds and dispenses electronic cash (Smart-card based, stored-value card) †¢ Developed by MasterCard International †¢ Requires specific card reader, called Mondex terminal, for merchant or customer to use card over Internet †¢ Supports micropayments and works both online and off-line at stores or over the telephone †¢ Secret chip-to-chip transfer protocol †¢ Loaded through ATM – ATM does not know transfer protocol; connects with secure device at bank MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi , SOM, SIMS, Indore Mondex Smart Card Processing Mondex Smart Card †¢ Disadvantages – Card carries real cash in electronic form, creating the possibility of theft – No deferred (overdue) payment as with credit cards – cash is dispensed immediately Types of Smart cards Smart cards are basically of two types: 1. Relationship-based Smart Cards 2. Electronic Purses and Debit Cards Relationship-based Smart Cards It is the enhancement of existing card services that offer customers far better options like: 1. Access to multiple accounts (debit, credit, e-cash) on one card. 2.Offer various functions ( cash access, bill payment, balance inquiry, fund transfer) 3. Multiple access options at multiple location using multiple access device (ATM, PC, PDA or screenphone etc) Electronic Purses and Debit Cards Electronic Purses or E- wallet are the smart cards embedded with programmable microchip that store sum of money instead of cash. Once a purse is loaded with money it require card reader vending machine which verifies its authenticity . Then after amount is deducted from balance. It shows the remaining balance on the card hence eliminate the small bill in busy stores.E-wallets when depleted can be recharged with money . MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 5 Credit cards-based e-payment system Credit Cards †¢ A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users dealing in e-commerce. Most credit cards are the same shape and size, as specified by the ISO 7810 standard. †¢ A credit card is different to a debit card in that it does not remove money from the user's account after every transaction. In the case of credit cards, the issuer lends money to the consumer (or the user) to be paid to the merchant.Credit cards-based e-payment system Customers who purchase any goods send their credit card details to the service provider involved and the credit card organization will handle thi s payment. Online credit card payment has following categories: 1. Payment using plain credit card details 2. Payments using encrypted credit card details 3. Payment using third-party verification Entities involved in Credit card Transaction Consumer (Buyer or Card holder) Merchant (Seller) Card Issuer (Consumers’ Bank) Acquirer or Principal (Merchant’s Bank) Card Association (Visa, Master Card etc) Third party processor How an Online Credit Transaction WorksEncryption and Credit cards Encryption process starts when credit card information is entered into a browser and sent securely over network between buyer to seller. Encryption process includes following steps: 1. Customer presents his credit card information securely to merchant. 2. Merchant validates the authenticity of card holder 3. Merchant relays this information to its bank or on-line card processor. MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 6 4. The bank r elays the information to customer’s bank for authorization approval 5.The customer’s bank returns the credit card , charge authentication and authorization to the merchant Processing Payment with Encrypted Third-party authorization and Credit cards In third party processing, consumer register with third party on the internet to verify emicrotransaction. The companies providing third party payment service on internet are: ( First Virtual) †¢ http://www. fv. com †¢ http://www. openmarket. com †¢ http://www. 2checkout. com/ †¢ http://www. paypal. com/ Payment can be made by credit card via clearing house.Online Third-Party Processor (OTPPs) has following steps for buying information online. 1. Consumer registers for an OTPP a/c that is backed by credit card. 2. To purchase customer request merchant by her OTPP account no. 3. Merchant then contact the OTPP payment server with customer’s account no. 4. OTPP payment server verifies the customerâ₠¬â„¢s account no. for vender (merchant) & checks for sufficient funds. 5. OTPP server send a message to buyer that can be responded back by buyer as ; yes/agree; No/disagree; fraud. 6.If OTPP gets ‘Yes’ from customer, merchant is informed & then customer is allowed to download material. MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Indore 7 Online Payment Processing using a Third-party Processor Risk in using Credit cards †¢ Customer uses a stolen card or account number to fraudulently purchase goods or service online. †¢ Many people who will be on the Internet have not even had their first Web experience. †¢ Hackers find the ways into an e-commerce merchant’s payment processing system and then issue credits to hacker card account numbers. Many users are also likely to be younger and have less access to credit and debit cards †¢ Many purchases they make will be micropayments. †¢ Credit cards canno t be used for large sums of B2B transactions †¢ Customer falsely claims that he or she did not receive a shipment Limitations of Online Credit Card Payment Systems †¢ Security – neither merchant nor consumer can be fully authenticated. †¢ Cost – for merchants, around 3. 5% of purchase price plus transaction fee of 2030 cents per transaction. †¢ People living in rural areas don’t have same access to computers and Internet that others do. Social equity – many people do not have access to credit cards (young and old age), disabled, individuals who are not computer savvy and individuals who cannot afford cards ( poor credit risk). Designing Electronic Payment Systems Following criteria should be satisfied while designing any new E-payment System: 1. Privacy 6. Pricing 2. Security 7. Standards 3. Intuitive Interface 4. Database Integration 5. Brokers MBA-II, EBF (FT-204C) Unit-3, Study material compiled by Prof. Vanita Joshi, SOM, SIMS, Ind ore 8

Compare and contrast the changes in the character of Baldini in Perfume and Mr. Samsa in The Metamorphosis Essay

Compare and contrast the changes in the character of Baldini in Perfume and Mr. Samsa in The Metamorphosis after they experience empowerment in their lives. Empowerment is when one increases his capability and status within family and career. Often the great satisfaction stemming from empowerment lead those who experience it to become complacent, especially towards those who once held more distinctive positions. This is especially evident the character development of Baldini and Mr. Samsa in Perfume and The Metamorphosis. In Perfume, Baldini is an unoriginal perfumer whose fame is surpassed by the talented Pà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½lissier. On the other hand, Mr. Samsa from The Metamorphosis is an unemployed man who relies on his son, Gregor to support the family financially; that is, before Gregor’s incredible transformation. These two characters are both feeble and insignificant in the beginning. However, after they become accomplished and experience empowerment, they begin to belittle those previously more successful than them through their actions and thoughts. Yet despite the similar transformations, the authors have different intentions because Baldini and Mr. Samsa have opposite endings in the story – one dies and the other prospers. This is an intriguing aspect because the characters develop in almost identical ways although they are written by authors of different cultures. Thus, this investigation will examine the extent to which Baldini and Mr. Samsa are comparable in their changes after they are subjected to empowerment. Baldini and Mr. Samsa are both initially weak in their appearances and actions. For example, Baldini is an incompetent perfumer who lacks confidence and originality before his transformation. This is illustrated by the dialogue in Chapter 10 when Baldini reiterates that he alone can create unique perfumes and Chà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nier concurs repetitively. For example Baldini says, â€Å"As you know, I create my own perfumes†, â€Å"I alone give birth to them [perfumes]†, and â€Å"I am thinking of creating something†¦ that will cause a veritable furor†. This repetition of similar statements highlights the insecurity Baldini feels about his perfuming abilities. His frequent use of words and phrases such as â€Å"create† and â€Å"give birth† in contrast with his actual actions demonstrate his ineptitude and even cowardly nature. In addition, by changing the structure of this dialogue to a dramatic form, Sà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½skind suggests that both these characters are aware that they are putting on an act. This is further supported by Chà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nier’s effort to please and conform to Baldini. When Baldini asks whether Pà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½lissier’s â€Å"Amor and Psyche† is â€Å"vulgar†, Chà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nier responds with â€Å"totally vulgar†. Similarly, when Baldini claims that he â€Å"alone give birth to them [perfumes]†, Chà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nier immediately replies â€Å"I know†. Chà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nier’s automatic submissive responses indicate that these two characters are putting on a regular act. This effectively shows that Baldini routinely creates this dialogue to attempt to retain a sense of dignity and importance. However, in reality â€Å"he was old and exhausted† [chapter 11], and he is simply trying to conceal his faults and the fact that he is no longer a great perfumer. Readers can infer from this that Baldini is cowardly in nature, and this is corroborated by the fact that he resorts to claiming Pà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½lissier’s ‘Amor and Psyche’ as his creation because he cannot concoct his own perfume. However, Baldini becomes confident after his business prospers, thanks to Grenouille. In fact, he becomes so confident that he begins to believe that Grenouille is not so phenomenal after all, as this is shown as follows: â€Å"Baldini no longer considered him a second Frangipani or, worse, some weird wizard† [chapter 17] Although this is partly because Grenouille regularly errs intentionally to deceive Baldini into believing that he is â€Å"perfectly normal† [chapter 17], it illustrates Baldini’s increasing ego after he experiences empowerment. Similarly to Baldini before he succeeds in his perfuming business, Mr. Samsa from The Metamorphosis is weak and sickly before he experiences empowerment, which is prior to Gregor’s metamorphosis. He â€Å"used to lie wearily buried in bed† [pg27, lines 44~45]. He also â€Å"as a sign of joy only lifted up his arms†[pg28, lines 2~3], and this illustrates his perpetual exhaustion. Yet after Gregor becomes disabled and Mr. Samsa becomes the family’s backbone, Mr. Samsa is no longer weary all the time. In fact, he becomes alert, as â€Å"he was holding himself very erect† [pg28, line 10] and â€Å"his black eyes darted bright, piercing glances† [pg 35, lines 14~15]when he prepares to punish Gregor. Kafka carefully uses language here to illustrate Mr. Samsa’s newly-acquired confidence and vitality. For example, â€Å"darted† and â€Å"piercing† suggest energy and alertness, something he clearly lacked before. His eyes are â€Å"bright†, and this portrays Mr. Samsa as shrewd and vigilant. Furthermore, Mr. Samsa’s hair has â€Å"a scrupulously exact, gleaming part† [pg28, line 15]. â€Å"Gleaming† serves a similar effect as â€Å"bright†, and this reemphasizes Mr. Samsa’s newly-acquired energy and acuity. He is now a scrupulous and strict father, something in complete contrast with his former self. Evidently, Mr. Samsa has transformed from a feeble to a confident and strong-minded character due to his taste of empowerment. Mr. Samsa also seems to no longer care for his son after his transformation, as he does not hesitate to punish Gregor for frightening Mrs. Samsa by launching apples at him. Indeed, Gregor immediately realizes after his metamorphosis that â€Å"the father considered only the strictest treatment called for in dealing with him† [pg28, lines 23~25]. This indicates that Mr. Samsa has adopted a condescending attitude towards Gregor, who previously held a more successful and distinctive position than him. The example further strengthens the claim that both Baldini and Mr. Samsa start to act and think superciliously once they are superior to those once more prosperous than them. So far it can be observed from this analysis that both Baldini from Perfume and Mr. Samsa from The Metamorphosis are constantly exhausted and weak before they experience empowerment; that is, before Baldini’s perfume business prospers and before Mr. Samsa becomes more capable and acquires more power in his family than Gregor. They also both undergo similar transformations into arrogant and overconfident characters. Yet hidden behind this similarity is the difference between the authors’ intention in developing them in parallel ways. This discrepancy can be inferred from the characters’ contrasting endings in the stories. In Perfume, Sà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½skind arranges the plot so that Baldini dies when his house collapses in the river. This suggests that the author develops Baldini this way because he disapproves of people who become overconfident and condescending in manner when they flourish. It should also be noted that in contrast with The Metamorphosis, Perfume adopts a more fantastic, almost fairytale-like plot. This is supported by endless evidences, the most notable of which is Grenouille’s superhuman olfactory senses that allows Grenouille to create the incredible perfume that frees himself of his crime [chapter 49].Hence, Sà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½skind may have arranged Baldini to receive his deserved punishment as he would in an ideal world. In contrast with Baldini, Mr. Samsa ends with a prosperous and hopeful future despite a dead son. This may be because Kafka had always felt powerless in the presence of his father, who was robust and accomplished in his career. This is evident from Kafka’s letter to his father1, â€Å"†¦you do charge me with coldness, estrangements and ingratitude. And, what is more, you charge me with it in such a way as to make it seem my fault† This extract accurately summarizes the pressure and ineptitude Kafka had felt under his father, Hermann Kafka’s influence. The shadow that Hermann had always casted on him is reflected by the fact that Kafka portrays Mr. Samsa as a dominating character after his transformation. This gives us an insight to why Kafka has let Mr. Samsa thrive in the end despite the latter’s evil towards his son. In addition, since Kafka adopts realism in his writing style in The Metamorphosis, his intention in ending Mr. Samsa this way may be to illustrate the imperfection of the real world. By examining the authors’ intentions in Perfume and The Metamorphosis, Baldini’s and Mr. Samsa’s changes do not seem as similar below the surface. In conclusion, Baldini and Mr. Samsa experience seemingly almost identical changes in their characters when they acquire power and rank. Their confidence and ego increase, and as a result they begin to disparage others through their thoughts and actions. They transform from enervated and sickly characters to healthy and confident ones. Yet they have each metamorphosed this way for contrasting reasons; through Mr. Samsa’s prosperous end, Kafka reflects the shadow his domineering father had casted on him. In contrast, through Baldini’s unexpected and swift death Sà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½skind conveys his disapproval of the character development Baldini undergoes. Thus, it can be concluded that within the stories Baldini and Mr. Samsa both undergo almost identical development to a great extent. But this similarity ceases somewhat when the authors’ intentions and historical backgrounds are closely examined. The editions of the texts used to support this essay are: Perfume – Penguin Fiction Edition The Metamorphosis – Translated and Edited by Stanley Corngold – A Norton Critical Edition.

8 steps to managing your time effectively as an admin assistant

8 steps to managing your time effectively as an admin assistant If you’re an administrative assistant, chances are good that youre supposed to rock at everything related to time management.  This vital job skill might not come naturally to you, but it is something you can learn (and become great at) over time. Even if youre on top of things, it’s always possible to streamline even more.Here are 8 strategies for how to manage your time effectively (or even more effectively) while on the job.1. Stop procrastinating.Getting a sense of just how much you procrastinate is often a good motivator to beat this common habit once and for all. Put a little tick mark or X next to a task on your to-do list for every time you think about doing it, but then put it off for later. Start noticing how many tick marks pile up. Pretty crazy, right? Wouldnt it take a lot less of your mental energy just to get something done? Then, you could cross it off and move on!Tackle your tasks promptly. Handle each email or piece of paper only once, and then get i t off your desk. It’s not doing anyone any good just sitting there.2. Keep your inbox clean.Letting emails and snail mail pile up in your inboxes is the kiss of death. Learn how to quickly process information, synthesize it, and turn it into action. When you get a message of any sort, deal with it then. Sort your emails into file folders, leaving only the actionable items. Then breeze through those until you’ve got a blank slate.3. Don’t try to multitask.Unless youre a whiz at doing lots at once, multitasking often ends up meaning you don’t do any tasks. Tackling a lot of little things will decrease your productivity, no matter how good you are at splitting your focus. Practice mindfulness at work. Take it one task at a time. Go a little slower, and you’ll find your productivity and quality of output both increase. Dare to work slowly- if you do it right the first time, you’ll save time overall.4. Eliminate interruptions.Of course, youll get interrupted throughout the course of a day. Just don’t let each one derail you. Keep interactions short, and don’t put down your pen or change your body language to answer questions. Keep coworkers from lingering for a chat. Be friendly, but dismissive when you’re really in the zone.5. Cultivate efficiency.Don’t make extra work for yourself, and take unnecessary steps. Organize tasks in like bunches–for example, aim to make two trips to the copier per day instead of twelve. Plan your errands to maximize efficiency.6. Set a schedule.Set times for each day where you will check your email, then turn off your notifications- except for things marked urgent. You don’t have to read each one the second it comes in. As long as you’re checking multiple times a day- say for five minutes every hour, or ten minutes every two or three hours- you’re not going to miss anything crucial. (And see step 2: when you do take the time to read messag es, deal with them then and there!)7. Prioritize in order of importance.Always manage your workday so you’re dispatching the most important things first. Log an hour first thing (perhaps even before that first cup of office coffee and that first email check) on your most important project. Even if you can’t get that task done in that hour, you’ll have made serious progress and will be more likely to get back to it and complete it that day.8. Organize the spaces around you.Keep your desk clear of clutter. Keep your web addresses sorted alphabetically, and by category. Keep your to-do list lean and mean by revamping it every afternoon before you leave. If all elements around you are neat, clean, and orderly, its much easier to be efficient. Time spent looking for things is time better spent on completing tasks!

9 Tips to Improve Your Email Communication With Coworkers

9 Tips to Improve Your Email Communication With Coworkers Unless your office has gone back to carrier pigeons and pneumatic tubes carrying memos, email is the king when it comes to office communications. Those â€Å"new message† dings and badges follow us everywhere these days. That said, familiarity doesn’t necessarily mean there aren’t some best practices we should all follow.Here are 9 tips to remember as you craft your 50th email of the day.1. Fast response =/= good response2. No one gets points for being That Guy who corrects others’ grammar.3. Your snarky response: just don’t send it.4. Don’t link to your personal blog in your signature.5. If you absolutely must trash-talk about someone else on the email chain, ALWAYS double-check the â€Å"reply all† setting.6. There is such a thing as TOO formal in a work email.7. Don’t hit â€Å"send† while you’re still angry.8. Don’t be the person who drops by to discuss the email you just sent.9. At some point, your emai l server will push you to the brink of a nervous breakdown.

Career Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Career Plan - Essay Example After pursuing this professional interest, I would like to work as an accountant in a medium sized or a large organization. As my dream job, accounting has five possible job specializations and career paths that would enable me to fulfill my professional interest in finance. These career paths include audit accounting, budget analysis, financial accounting, management accounting, and tax accounting. This essay discusses the career planning methodology and the process of developing a successful professional career. 2 DISCUSSION ANALYSIS 2.1 Career Planning Methodology Making a choice on a career is a very challenging undertaking. It entails more that making up one’s mind about what they want to do in life in order to earn a living. It involves selecting a profession in which one is competent in, a profession that one is interested in undertaking, and a profession that will provide one with employment opportunities and career development. As such, the career planning process has four main steps that individuals must consider to ensure that they end up following their professional interest. These steps include self-assessment, exploring and choosing career, planning the course of the career, and taking action through job application. 2.1.1 Self-assessment. ... This assessment provides an individual with a deeper understanding of self before venturing into the process of choosing careers. This is particularly significant in aiding one to choose the career that best fits their personality. 2.1.2 Exploring and choosing a career. Based on the results obtained after self-assessment, this step enables one to choose an occupation that best suits their personality and skills. In this step, one also explores different careers and the opportunities available in each of these careers to identify the ones that interest them the most. After a thorough research of the labor market, one should start eliminating the careers that do not interest them while still looking for more information on the available careers that interest them. This will eventually narrow down to a single career. This step should also take into consideration the subjects that one is studying in school to ensure that they are in line with their career of choice. 2.1.3 Planning the co urse of the career After selecting a career of choice, an individual should use this step to set out different career goals they intend to attain and the time required to attain these goals. This stage also includes the acquisition of the necessary career qualifications. In this stage, it is advisable to ask other professionals in the particular career about the required qualifications and the time required attaining these qualifications. One should also check on job advertisements and the required qualifications cross checking them with personal qualifications to determine whether one is still on the right track. Equally, it is important to check out the responsibilities of professionals in this career. This stage helps one to

Reflective of future thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Reflective of future thinking - Essay Example However, there are a myriad of factors to be considered before developing innovations in a company, including the sustainability aspect of new products and technology. Overall, there are many changes in the world, as well as in the business world. These have mainly been realized because of the advanced changes in technology, which in turn influence the economy of a country and the global economy as well. Various industries today also exhibit great changes in their practice and products, compared to past decades. In this presentation, the main focus is on the car industry, which has not been left behind, with regard to technology. In the world of technology today, new inventions are developed to increase efficiency. Similarly, in the car industry, major new technologies are unveiled on a regular basis. These might be concerned with improving safety of cars, usefulness of cars, cars’ entertainment and luxury aspects, or for purely innovative reasons. Most of the new car innovati ons are exciting and have improved efficiency in various aspects of cars. The first car was invented in the year 1769. Today, this first car cannot be compared to the present supercars, in terms of technology and efficiency. As a result of increased technological advances in cars, today’s cars are more safe and reliable than they were in past years. In the car industry, technological advancement is key, therefore, it is expected that this industry will produce more technologically advanced cars in the future (Christidis, Hildalgo & Soria 2003). However, different factors will influence the extent to which technology is adopted in the car industry in future. These include the availability of fuel and level of pollution by cars. With regard to fuel, the car industry, compared to the pat years, has increased the number of cars that it manufactures, and reduced the cost of cars, thus making cars to be affordable to many people. This therefore, has led to high consumption of fuel, and it is feared that in future, fuel might become scarce, since it is being exhausted today at a high rate. Additionally, the car industry is regarded as one of the top industries that highly contribute to global warming. Most cars today use petroleum, which emits Carbon dioxide gas on combustion. Therefore, in future, the car industry might consider fuel economy and reducing global warming, when it develops new car models, as these factors will promote sustainability (Macrel & Cooper 2011). In order to analyze the future of cars with regard to technological improvement, this paper will employ different tools and techniques of foresight. The initial thinking about the future holds that there is so much unpredictability in the future. It is therefore, not possible for people to perfectly figure out what the future holds, since a myriad of factors, which are beyond human control, influence the events of the future. Human beings have different expectations about the future. Although no human being can peer into the future, these use their minds and imagination to create a picture of the future, which might be unrealistic. Overall, people expect positive things to happen in the future. However, these expectations might not be in line with what the future really holds. This