A Recent E Commerce Threat - 1643 Words

Keller Graduate School of Management Of DeVry University Research Project 1: A Recent E-Commerce Threat Michaels Stores’ Breach Nitesh Timilsina E-Business Security (SEC573) Kathleen Milburn 03/22/2015 Table of Contents 1. Threat identification, technical features, and vulnerabilities 1 2. Diagram depicting the mechanism of attack and exploitation 2 3. Potential or actual consequences 5 4. Risk assessment 6 5. References 8 1. Threat identification, technical features, and vulnerabilities On January 2014, Michaels an art and craft retailer and its subsidiary Aaron Brothers, revealed that costumer information database consist of payment card number and expiration date been compromised. Costumer using credit or debit card at Michaels in between May 8, 2013 to Jan 27, 2014 compromised 2.6 million cards and at Aaron Brothers in between June 26, 1013 to Feb 27, 2014 been compromised 400,000 cards. The company committed to work with other parties to improve security of payment card transaction for all consumers. An unauthorized and highly sophisticated malware that not been encountered previously by any security company attacked the point-of-sale systems where all the card information is stored. The outcome of this hacking been extensive and affected millions of customer’s personal and payment data was exposed, results in the payment card compromise of three million customers. Point-of-Sale (PoS) is the system that used byShow MoreRelatedTo What Extent Is an E-Commerce Strategy the Best Way for Businesses to Increase Their Profits? (40 Marks)1398 Words   |  6 PagesTo what extent is an e-commerce strategy the best way for businesses to increase their profits? (40 marks) E-commerce is the online transaction of goods and services, which has completely revolutionized business and the way in which businesses can operate. It’s now easier for customers to compare prices/products with a little time spent browsing the Internet opposed to dragging themselves to the stores. This means that e-commerce is having an impact on what and how much businesses sell, thereforeRead MoreE-Commerce: Pros and Cons of Taking the Clothing Store Online1535 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Introduction It is important to note that in the recent past, technology (and most particularly the Internet) has effectively changed the way people conduct business. Today, most businesses have come to the realization that to remain relevant in a highly competitive marketplace; they must fully exploit the opportunities presented by both technology and the Internet. In this text, I discuss a number of issues arising out of my resolve to engage in e-Commerce as the owner of a small clothing store alongRead MoreThe Company Amazon.com Inc. An E Commerce Based Industry Essay1289 Words   |  6 Pages Political The company Amazon.Com Inc. an e-commerce based industry can be affected by the country’s political external factors for example: A) political stability of developed countries. It could creates an opportunity to expand . B)Government support for e-commerce. It is an a opportunity as a well a threat, an opportunity because it can continue to expand and diversify it business, a treat because competition will also increase. C) Increasing governmental efforts on cyber-securityRead MoreImpact of E-Commerce to Malaysian Economy854 Words   |  4 PagesIMPACT OF E-COMMERCE ON THE MALAYSIAN ECONOMY E-commerce is the new buzz word. With the advent of the Internet, the development of e-commerce in both the developed and developing economies has developed at a rapid pace. Developing countries such as Malaysia are catching up fast as there are already 1.2 million Internet users. The private sector and the Government have taken initiatives to implement e-commerce. Physical and legal infrastructure for e-commerce in Malaysia have been put in placeRead MoreSecurity and Payment Issues Faced by e-commerce Business in the Hospitality Industry978 Words   |  4 Pages1. INTRODUCTION In recent years, experts have expressed alarm about the rise in internet privacy violations and cyber-attacks to e-commerce systems especially in the hospitality industry. â€Å"In 2011, Trustwave SpiderLabs conducted 42 percent more data breach investigations than in the previous year. More than 85 percent of these data breaches occurred in the food and beverage, retail and hospitality industries.† (Savitz Percoco, 2012). It seems logical that any business would understand that buildingRead MoreAlibaba1038 Words   |  5 Pageshttp://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/2523153/ Alibaba.com Limited - Strategic SWOT Analysis Review Description: Summary Alibaba.com Limited (Alibaba.com) is a diverse e-commerce company. It is the flagship company of Alibaba Group Holding Limited. It principally operates business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce web portals for small businesses. It provides three different uniform resource locators, namely, www.1688.com, a Chinese language marketplace for domestic trade in China; www.alibabaRead MoreFords E-Commerce Strategy1680 Words   |  7 PagesEXECUTIVE SUMMARY In early 1999, Ford announced an integrated e-commerce strategy, with the objective of creating an interface among customers, dealers, vendors and even competitors. The SWOT analysis was studied for the development the strategy, as well as the chances of success of such strategy. With Fords desire to shift from ‘dealer-centric selling to ‘consumer-centric selling, we looked at the typical characteristics of online customers and how dealers could reinvent themselves to remainRead MoreAmazon Swot Analysis On Amazon1196 Words   |  5 Pagessuperior logistical system that has made the process of distribution easy and efficient. The company has developed an important mind recall for customers that make the brand’s penetration into other online markets more plausible. Weakness In the recent years, it has become notable that Amazon’s diversification strategy has tended to spread so much to the extent of moving gradually from the entity’s fundamental core competencies. The point of departure is seen as a weakness as opposed to strengthRead MoreThe Privacy Of A Computer System Essay1538 Words   |  7 Pages Human beings value their privacy and the protection of their personal sphere of life. They value some control over who knows what about them. They certainly do not want their personal information to be accessible to just anyone at any time. But recent advances in information technology threaten privacy and have reduced the amount of control over personal data and open up the possibility of a range of negative consequences as a result of access to personal data. Data privacy or information privacyRead MoreBusiness Press Article And An Executive Summary Essay1512 Words   |  7 Pagesguiding a subsidiary in China to obtain a freight-forwarding license that analysts say enables Amazon to sell space on container ships traveling between Asia and the U.S. and Europe. In other words, we have identified Amazon is becoming a mix of e-commerce Walmart with a FedEx attached. In order to take on such a huge step into this differentiated niche market some major issues may arise. We identified these issues based on their current market share and revenue that will be utilizes to digest their

The New Fuss About Compare Essay Samples

The New Fuss About Compare Essay Samples The Importance of Compare Essay Samples The very first thing you ought to do is identify the sort of compare and contrast essay which you are handling. Then again, you may be made to compare things which do not have that much in common. There was no question he'd discover a way to contact farming. You want to understand how long you've got and how much you may write in the allocated time. Since you may see, the topics are broken up into multiple categories so it would be simpler that you select one. You may also choose a single topic at the moment and get started practicing. In the majority of cases, the topics you pick should be closely related. Also, you can look for sample expository essay topics so you will understand what to research and that which you will deal with. You can attract books, movies or articles which are discussing exactly the same topic you're likely to approach in your essay. You may use the suggested topics as inspiration for your own, or you could simply opt to write about one you enjoy the most. It's possible to also give your own personal views about the subject and the result in the conclusion of the poetry essays. You're able to use any as the subject of your essay particularly when you're not assigned any specific theme. You see it is an unusual topic that might be quite hard to imagine or explain, but some students might just turn that topic into a masterpiece. College students are our very first category. Its basic purpose it to discover the most important similarities. The comparison report ought to be in third individual. A comparison essay is devoted to description of similar and unique features of a few objects. Therefore, one particular comparison essay might not be completed in the exact same way as another. The Dirty Facts About Compare Essay Samples An excellent essay should have essential points. You don't wish to confuse the reader, so it's best in case you choose 1 format and utilize it throughout your essay. The same as in any essay, in the conclusion of your writing you ought to make an overview of all of the points mentioned in the essay. Before writing a comparative essay, you first have to arm yourself with the data you need. It's possible for you to choose books from fiction and non-fiction categories but make sure whatever books you opt for, they are from exactly the same category. The images of the 2 poems are so completely different they almost. To start with, in the same way as any other bit of academic writing, a comparative essay ought to have a goal. Key Pieces of Compare Essay Samples Naturally, writing is among the top learning programs in any significant school institution. When it can be less difficult to write on a well-known topic, with a little bit of research and organization, a writer can make an essay on a number of subject areas if assigned. It's common to be assigned to compose essays in every area of study, not just when taking a composition program. Contrast essays could be difficult for many learners to write since they require that students understand two topics in depth. You're able to use books, documentaries, videos, and newspapers to discover relevant information concerning the topics you're discussing. There are many sources from where you are able to gather information on your subjects but ensure that you always go with facts. Before you begin, it's vital to choose topics that you truly know well. You may choose topics that are associated with the differences between the 2 cultures, languages or eras. Getting the Best Compare Essay Samples A strong essay is going to have an opening paragraph that comes with a thesis statement and a concluding paragraph. A paper may contain over five paragraphs altogether based on the variety of subjects a student makes the decision to analyze. Moreover, an essay writer must also have the ability to supply valid references on the arguments which he would want to include in the paragraph. It's possible to restate your thesis statement and point out a number of the arguments used over the whole essay that b acks it up.

Solution free essay sample

A second is to recognize deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences of events that have already been recognized in the financial statements or tax returns. A permanent difference is a difference between taxable income and pretax financial income that, under existing applicable tax laws and regulations, will not be offset by corresponding differences or â€Å"turn around† in other periods. Therefore, a permanent difference is caused by an item that: (1) is included in pretax financial income but never in taxable income, or (2) is included in taxable income but never in pretax financial income. Examples of permanent differences are: (1) interest received on municipal obligations (such interest is included in pretax financial income but is not included in taxable income), (2) premiums paid on officers’ life insurance policies in which the company is the beneficiary (such premiums are not allowable expenses for determining taxable income but are expenses for determining pretax financial income), and (3) fines and expenses resulting from a violation of law. We will write a custom essay sample on Solution or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Item (3), like item (2), is an expense which is not deductible for tax purposes. 4. A temporary difference is a difference between the tax basis of an asset or liability and its reported (carrying or book) amount in the financial statements that will result in taxable amounts or deductible amounts in future years when the reported amount of the asset is recovered or when the reported amount of the liability is settled. The temporary differences discussed in this chapter all result from differences between taxable income and pretax financial income which will reverse and result in taxable or deductible amounts in future periods. Examples of temporary differences are: (1) Gross profit or gain on installment sales reported for financial reporting purposes at the date of sale and reported in tax returns when later collected. (2) Depreciation for financial reporting purposes is less than that deducted in tax returns in early years of assets’ lives because of using an accelerated depreciation method for tax purposes. (3) Rent and royalties taxed when collected, but deferred for financial reporting purposes and recognized as revenue when earned in later periods. 4) Unrealized gains or losses recognized in income for financial reporting purposes but deferred for tax purposes. 5. An originating temporary difference is the initial difference between the book basis and the tax basis of an asset or liability. A reversing difference occurs when a temporary difference that originated in prior periods is eliminated and the related tax effect is removed from the tax account.

My current philosophical perspective on life

One of the reasons why it is crucially important for just about any well-educated individual to possess a comprehensive worldview is that it enables such an individual to understand the significance of the surrounding reality’s emanations, which in turn increases his or her chances to attain social prominence. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on My current philosophical perspective on life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In my paper, I will aim to explore the validity of this suggestion at length, while elaborating upon the specifics of my personal worldview and upon how my worldview helps me to adopt a proper stance towards addressing life-challenges. The foremost aspect of my worldview is the fact that it is dialectical. That is, I believe that the actual significance of the reality’s manifestations should be assessed within the conceptual framework of how causes define the nature of corresponding e ffects. This is the reason why I do not think that it is being appropriate to discuss particular phenomena as ‘thing in itself’, outside of what happened to be this phenomena’s dialectically predetermined causes. In its turn, this partially explains why I consider myself a materialist, who does not believe in the realness of essentially metaphysical notions. This also explains why I think that is specifically the Darwinian theory of evolution, which provides scientifically substantiated answers to the question of what triggered the emergence of biological life on Earth and what had set the newly emerged life-forms on the path of becoming ever more complex. It goes without saying, of course, that the fact that I adhere to the provisions of the Darwinian theory of evolution naturally makes me an atheist, as I am being in a position to define the discursive significance of the people’s very sense of religiosity. In essence, I think that the strength of a p articular individual’s religiosity positively correlates with the extent of his or her evolutionary underdevelopment. Such people’s underdevelopment emanates itself in their tendency to adopt a holistic stance, when it comes to tackling life-challenges, which in turn prompts them to subjectualize nature – just as primeval savages and high mammals tend to do. Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, it has been well observed that bears that sustain injuries against sticking out tree-branches, while crawling over the log, often end up hitting these branches with both of their paws – as if they wanted to punish them. The reason for this is simple – in bear’s mind, the ‘evil’ branch appears nothing short of an entity of its own. This illustrates the actual origins of ‘spirituality’. And, as we are being well aware of – ‘spirituality’ serves as the conceptual foundation for just about any world’s major religion. What it means is that, the more people are being tempted to profess a particular religion, the closer they are to animals and vice versa. The validity of this suggestion can even be confirmed visually, in regards to what appears to be the anthropological constitution of many Islamic fundamentalists, for example. Nevertheless, even though that I think that the very laws of nature determine the process of people continually becoming less ‘animalistic’, as the part of their evolutionary development, I still think that biologically speaking, the representatives of Homo Sapiens species are nothing but primates. In its turn, this explains the nature of social dynamics in just about any human society. After all, just as it is being the case with the existential anxieties of male-monkeys within a particular tribe, men’s foremost existential anxie ties are being concerned with making babies (spreading the seed) and with imposing dominance upon others. The understanding of this simple fact, on my part, comes in particularly handy when I assess the extent of many currently popular socio-political ideologies. For example, through the lenses of my worldview, the ideology of feminism appears utterly fallacious, simply because in the societies of primates males always dominate – this what actually ensures these societies’ structural integrity. Therefore, if feminists succeed with promoting their agenda, this will inevitably result in the destruction of Western civilization, as we know it. The earlier outlined conceptual premises of my worldview, are being thoroughly consistent with what I believe account for this worldview’s foremost socio-political, ethical and epistemological implications. The implications can be formulated as follows: a) The linearity of progress. I believe in the full objectivity of the co ncept of socio-political and scientific progress. The very fact that, as time goes on, the realities of today’s living are becoming ever more discursively complex and technologically intensive suggests that, contrary to the speculations of promoters of ‘multiculturalism’ and ‘cultural relativism’ (who imply that the concept of progress is being essentially ‘euro-centric’ and consequentially ‘wicked’), this concept does in fact help to explain the very essence of historical laws, to which people never cease being subjected. In its turn, this suggests that human societies can either be in the state of continuous advancement (Western societies) or in the state of continuous degradation (Third World societies).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on My current philosophical perspective on life specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More b) The discursive fallaciousness of the concept of ‘people’s equality’. Given the fact that, as it was mentioned earlier, the representatives of Homo Sapiens species never cease remaining the subjects of evolutionary laws, it eliminates even a theoretical possibility for people to be ‘equal’, regardless of what happened to be the specifics of their genetically predetermined ability to operate with abstract categories (IQ). The validity of this statement can be easily illustrated in regards to what accounts for the difference between the quality of living standards in Western countries, on the one hand, and the quality of living standards in the Third World countries, on the other. c) The non-religious essence of the people’s sense of ethics/morality. Even though that even today, many people continue to believe that the one’s ability to act morally is being reflective of the strength of his or her religious beliefs, the recent discoveries in the fields of biology, genetics an d sociology expose the sheer wrongness of such a belief. This is because these discoveries established a positive correlation between the measure of people’s ability to act ethically, on the one hand, and the extent of their intellectual advancement. Yet, as it was pointed out earlier, the notion of intellectual advancement and the concept of religion are utterly incompatible. e) The eventual rise of a new ‘post-human’ era. The fact that, as of today, the ongoing progress in the fields of biology, genetics, medicine and IT has attained a clearly defined exponential momentum, creates objective precondition for the humanity to qualify for yet another ‘evolutionary jump’. It is being estimated that in twenty years from now, it will became possible for people to learn foreign languages instantly (by the mean of having microchips installed in their brains), to grow new limbs (genetic engineering) and to even attain immortality (by the mean of having the ir consciousness saved in the computer’s hard drive). This, of course, will instantly deem the currently predominant social, economic and ethical conventions hopelessly outdated. Yet, such an eventual development is inevitable. The very fact that, as it was shown earlier, I was able to define the practical implications of my philosophical worldview, suggests this worldview’s overall discursive relevance. However, the same fact is also being suggestive as to what may account for my worldview’s foremost challenge – namely, my worldview’s inconsistency with the dogmas of political correctness. Yet, as we all know, there has not been even a single instance in history of some artificially upheld ideological dogmas having effectively reversed the course of socio-political and technological progress.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another important aspect of my worldview is that I believe that it is only discursively/practically relevant knowledge, which students should be striving to acquire. This suggestion directly relates to Luann’s question, as seen in the cartoon. Apparently, just as it is being the case with many today’s students, she had a hard time trying to figure out what was the actual purpose of her studies. In its turn, this can be explained by the fact that, during the course of acquiring new knowledge, Luann could not relate to this knowledge emotionally – probably, because she considered this knowledge practically irrelevant. This is the reason why she will not remember what she had learnt by the time she reaches 45. What it means that, contrary to many people’s belief, the process of acquiring new knowledge is not being synonymous with the process of memorizing. In order to be considered ‘knowledgeable’, one must be quick-minded, industrious and wis e enough to be able to apply his or her abstract knowledge in practice. Unfortunately, as practice indicates, due to considerations of political correctness, the development of these qualities in students is being rarely considered an integral part of the learning process. I believe that the earlier provided insights into my worldview do correlate with the initial suggestion that the one’s possession of a comprehensive worldview is the foremost precondition for him or her to be able to attain social prominence. This is because such a worldview makes it easier for the concerned individual to discover the discursive/practical relevance of the acquired theoretical knowledge. This essay on My current philosophical perspective on life was written and submitted by user Adalynn Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

buy custom Captivating Nursing Essay Examples on IOM Report About Nurses

buy custom Captivating Nursing Essay Examples on IOM Report About Nurses Nursing Essay Example on Professional Development of Nurses Introduction Ten years ago leadership in nursing was increasingly concerned about the disturbing trend in the entire nation. In certain states and underprivileged urban centers, students in nursing programs left school, since they did not have sufficient groundwork in science and math to enable them deal with courses at the college. Most ambitious nursing students could fulfill their dreams. The nation was also suffering. The US was losing its future nurses who were significant in controlling the impending inadequacies at a time when public demand for nursing was approximated to increase due to the aging population and inflow of persons newly insured. The nation was losing nursing students who would significantly assist in diversification of the vocation. Young adults were also denied the opportunities of acquiring skills needed to find future jobs in nursing practice. Due to the looming danger posed by the decreased chances of having adequate nurses in the future, nursing leadership in certain s tates proposed the adoption of middle colleges for students from low-income households.

How Millennials Can Save Millions for Retirement

How Millennials Can Save Millions for Retirement It’s not fun to have to think about retirement savings in your 20s, but boy is it necessary. As inflation rates change and pensions become more rare, thinking about the future now is mandatory if you want to live comfortably without working in your mid-60s and beyond. Figure Out Your NeedsHere are 4 things you can do to figure out how much you need and how much you’re going to need to save to get that much.1. Estimate your future spendingEstimating your future spending is very similar to estimating your current spending. But take into account what expenses you will and will not have in the next few years. Will your mortgage get paid off? Will you have any long term health costs? Will you want to travel? Find an online calculator that can help you with your numbers.2. Estimate your retirement costsFind an online calculator also to help you calculate your retirement needs: your monthly expenses, savings goals, retirement age, etc.3. Make a planWrite down- even if only on a single sheet of paper- the goals you’ve established to help hold yourself accountable.4. Keep at itThings change. Life changes. Keep revisiting your plan to make sure it’s up-to-date and stays relevant enough to actually deliver what you need.Aim Sky High- Think MillionaireSo we’ve covered  how to start thinking about saving and putting a solid plan in action. But we know you want to save lots. Millions, ideally, right? Here are 5 tips to get you started on the path to total financial comfort.1. Start ASAPThe earlier you start, the more you’ll end up with in your war chest. Imagine what would happen if you upped your monthly savings number over the course of your lifetime? The number really really adds up.2. Avoid debtBe smart by avoiding student loans and credit card debt. If you do accrue unavoidable debt, make sure to pay it off snappily as possible. You’ll save a massive amount of money without even noticing. And always think through the fi nancial repercussions of major life decisions.3. Invest slowlyDon’t dump all your excess money into high risk/reward ventures. Slow and steady wins the race. Think 401k.4. Generate multiple incomesThe more money you bring in, the more you’ll save and the faster you can pay down your debts and start pumping any extra funds into your wealth creation.  5. Live frugallyEvery time you go to spend money on something, rethink that cost in terms of other things. How many lattes turn into a trip to Paris? A new fall coat? How many fall coats turn into a Ferrari, over time? Cut as many corners as you can and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you gain financial control of your life and your future.

Loss in Baldwins Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Loss in Baldwins Music - Essay Example As the discussion highlights the reason why music is represented is his brother was jazz musician and his life takes a turn once he gets addicted to drugs. The story The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Hijuelo is almost similar to that of Baldwin’s. The stories are similar in many ways, as this story also revolves around a musician and his losses in life. In this story, Castillo, the main character loses his friends, brother and collaborators of his band. The loss is personal and similar to the one that Baldwin faces. Music plays a major role in this novel too, as Castillo is one of the most renowned musicians of the band, Mambo Kings. This paper outlines that when comparing these two novels, it is certain that music has been used as a toll to represent their loss in life. The next story, Accordion Crimes by Annie Proulx revolves around the instrument which survives for a longer period of time. This instrument’s journey is certainly remarkable, but the saddest part is the death of people who acquire the instrument. When compared to the other two stories, Accordion Crimes describes about the loss of people who sacrifice their life for the sake of music. The experience is societal, as many people, irrespective of their caste and creed are involved in this journey.

Epidemiology exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Epidemiology exam - Essay Example The Odd's Ratio would provide the estimated risk of prior patients, however the relative risk is also assessed looking forward to new ones. Therefore, a Cohort works best here because the assessment is looked at in terms of the mothers habits affecting the child in a forward manner. Birth weight, however, can be affected by infection, lack of support, no neonatal care, previous abortions, previous preterm births and other confounding factors. Reduction of effects would be done by a complete and thorough history of the patients prior to entering the study. B: The question involves an investigation into whether people who have worked in the factory of a chemical company producing toxic chemicals are more likely to develop a specific lung disease. This is a retrospective study or case-control since we are analyzing only one disease plus we are looking backward at people that already worked or were involved in a process prior to Time A looking backward to Time B.

bpo management system Essay Example for Free

bpo management system Essay 1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose This document describes the high level design for the CHART/EORS Intranet Mapping Application and the CHART Internet Mapping Application. The purpose of this design is to show the high-level technical approach to meeting the requirements defined in system requirements specification. This serves to identify the architecture of the system and high-level interactions between major system components. 1.2 Objectives Identify and describe the software architecture for the system. Provide  high-level approaches to various technical challenges. Provide a guide for future development efforts, such as detailed design and coding. 1.3 Scope This high level design encompasses the approach for meeting the requirements as defined in the documents CHART/EORS Intranet Mapping System Requirement Specification and CHART Internet Mapping System Requirement Specification. 2. System Architecture 2.1 Overview The following diagram shows the system architecture used by CHART mapping applications.  The system design utilizes web based multi-tier system architecture. The data storage is managed at the data tier by the databases. The main business logics are hosted in the two applications in the web server. Because mapping is an area that there are many requirements related to client side interactions with the graphic content of the application, application logics are partitioned based on the most appropriate location to execute them. Some are located on the client browsers to provide instantaneous feedback to the user. The general system operation flow involves the following: 1. Data updates from various sources such as the CHART II CORBA events, EORS data inputs, device and event editing modules are stored in the databases. 2. When a mapping application receives a mapping request, it sends the image map generation request to the ArcIMS map server. The ArcIMS server retrieves the map data from the databases and creates a rendering of the map and saves it as a raster image file. The mapping application generates HTML pages embedded with the image and sends it to the browser client. 3. For the CHART Intranet mapping client, the application also generates the dynamic content in VML format, which encodes the device and event information in vector format. This enables the application to update the dynamic data without having to reload the whole map image. This avoids the heavy load on the map server when the application scales up. 4. When the images and VML  data arrives at the client browser, the client displays the map to the user. The user can interact with this data on the client. 2.2 SQL Server and ArcSDE ArcSDE from ESRI allows managing of geographic information in commercial databases such as SQL Server, Oracle, DB2 and Informix. ArcSDE provides functionalities to efficiently store and retrieve spatial information using spatial indexing mechanisms. ArcSDE provides a set of API and administrative utilities that help manage the spatial data storage. For the CHART mapping systems, the combination of ArcSDE and SQL Server manages the spatial information in the relational database. ArcSDE adds spatial functionalities without disrupting standard SQL database capabilities. 2.3 Map Server (ArcIMS) ArcIMS includes a few components that will play important roles in the CHART mapping application. The workhorse component that processes the data and generates maps is the spatial server. Managing the spatial servers is the ArcIMS Application Server, which monitors each spatial server’s activity and brokers map requests to the least busy spatial server. The detailed interaction of a map request is as the following: When the ASP.Net page receives a map request, it parses it and uses the ActiveX Connector object model to construct a map request. The connector then sends the map request in ArcXML format to the Application Server. The Application Server then finds the least busy spatial server and forwards the map request to it. The spatial server performs the query against the ArcSDE database, retrieves the data and renders them into a raster image file. The location of the file is then sent back to the connector and the ASP.Net page writes it back to the client as HTML page with the image embedded in it. 2.4 Web Server (IIS) .Net Framework and ASP.Net The web server hosts and publishes content to the client browser. In the case of the CHART mapping applications, most of the content is dynamic content generated by ASP.Net modules. When IIS recognizes a page being an ASP.Net module (an aspx extension), it passes the request to the .Net Framework to load the module and handle the request. The ASP.Net pages are then loaded into memory and executed. The .Net Framework provides many utilities such as garbage collection, tracing, just-in-time compilation that manages the execution of ASP.Net modules. The ASP.Net page modules are where the CHART mapping application logic is coded. The web server also provides security via the Secured Socket Layer (SSL), allowing interactions between the user’s browser and the web server to be encrypted when necessary. 2.5 Security 2.5.1 Network Level Security Network layer security will be managed by the network security configurations like firewall and RSA secure ID. 2.5.2 Secured Socket Layer (SSL) MDOT has a certificate server to provide digital certificates for the SSL configuration. The server name must remain consistent with the certificate. All links shall use the same server name, otherwise, if the server is referred using an IP address or a local server name, etc., the user will see an alert indicating the certificate is in-consistent with the resource. IIS supports the configuration of one folder in the web application requiring SSL while other portion does not. The session information remains consistent between SSL portion of the web site and the non-SSL portion. 2.5.3 Enterprise User Enters Read-Only View Many of the CHART mapping functionalities are for display and reviewing data, i.e. a read-only view. The design allows enterprise viewers and CHART users to access the read-only portion of the web site without having to input user name and password. This also enables CHART users to reach the viewing area without having to enter their login information again. When system receives a user request to enter the secured area, the system checks whether the current session has been authenticated. If not, system displays login screen. The user shall enter their CHART user name and password. Upon receipt of the user name and password, the system checks it  against the CHART II database’s user tables. If they are authenticated, the system stores the user information in the session. The session will be managed in the server until the configured timeout expires. All subsequent requests from the same user session will inherit the same authorization information for the user. 2.5.4 CHART User Enters Editing Area Other applications, like future versions of CHART II and CHART Lite, can launch the map editing URL via the HTTPS protocol. The user name and password can be sent via https request. The system verifies their authentication information against the CHART II user database using an OLEDB/ODBC connection. If the authentication information is correct, the system will store this information in the session. The user will be redirected to the map page. If the authentication is rejected, the user request will be redirected to the login screen to reenter the authentication information. Associating a CHART user with an op-center/default map view area: Based on CHART II R1B3 database design, users are not associated with an op-center; rather, the user specifies an op-center during logon. In order to display a default map view area based on an op-center, an external application launching the CHART mapping application will also need to pass in the operation center name to initialize the map to the associated extent. Passing user name and password in URL request: The mapping site shall have a module that verifies the user name and password, then forward the page to the map page, hence avoiding showing the password on URL address box. At the current time, without the full integration with CHART II and CHART Lite, the system will expect plain text user name and password. In the future, an encryption/decryption algorithms agreed between the systems can be added to achieve higher security. 2.5.5 EORS Security Currently, the EORS security has not been implemented. EORS functions will be hard-coded with security configuration. 3. Network Configuration The design above depicts CHART network configuration as the Internal network, a Demilitarization Zone (DMZ) network for hosting the web server and connecting out to the external Internet network. There will be two firewalls, one between the Internet and the DMZ network and another one between the DMZ network and the internal network. The map server and database servers are to be hosted in the internal network for maximum security. The initial configuration calls for two physical computers to host the map servers and database servers. In the future, if the system needs to scale up, additional physical servers can be added. The Intranet web server can optionally be hosted on the load-balanced virtual server too. 3.1.1 Map Server Load Balancing The design achieves load balancing by a combination of Windows 2000 Advanced Server Network Load Balancing (NLB) Service and the ArcIMS Application Server. The system utilizes two physical server computers. The two servers are configured with NLB. NLB works on the TCP/IP level. Any incoming traffic from web server to the virtual server IP address is load balanced between the two application servers by NLB. ArcIMS Application Server operates at the application level, monitoring each spatial server’s load and operation. When a spatial server is busy, it directs the map request to idling spatial server(s). Each physical map server hosts one ArcIMS Application Server and two ArcIMS Spatial Server instances. An application server failure forces NLB to direct new connections to the remaining application server. When the failed server is recovered, new client connections should once again be shared between the two servers. The two spatial server instances are â€Å"cross registered† to the application servers. As shown in the diagram, Spatial Server A1 and A2 are registered to Application Server B and A correspondingly. This arrangement ensures that when a spatial server is down, the application server can still  utilize the spatial server from the other server to serve the map request and the application server continue to function. Also, this configuration also allows ArcIMS to load balance at the Spatial Server level as opposed to just the network traffic level, which is what NLB provides. This configuration can withstand an Application Server failure, a Spatial Server failure, a simultaneous Application/Spatial Server failure or hardware failure of one of the physical map servers. Using two map servers with network load balancing should provide high-availability load balanced ArcIMS web site. 3.1.2 Database Load Balancing By running two SQL Server and ArcSDE instances with NLB to balance the load, the system can achieve high availability at the database server layer. The database servers are completely independent and share no hardware components. This type of availability is achievable with the standard edition of SQL Server. The two database servers are setup with Transactional replication. One of the two SQL Servers is configured as the publisher and the other one as a subscriber. All the data modification such as insert, delete and update will be performed on the publisher and changes are replicated to the subscriber. Transactional replication can provide very low latency to Subscribers. Subscribers receiving data using a push subscription usually receive changes from the Publisher within one minute or sooner, provided that the network link and adequate processing resources are available (latency of a few seconds can often be achieved). When the web server and map server requests use the virtual IP address on the load-balanced group of database servers, they are directed to the database server with the least amount of load. If one of the database servers goes down due to hardware failure, NLB detects that this server is down and no longer directs database requests to this machine. The remaining machine handles the database requests and apart from a slight drop in performance the users are unaware that a database server has failed. When the hardware is fixed the offending machine can be brought back online. One limitation exists for this design. It happens when the publisher database is down. In this situation the data updates cannot be committed until the publisher database comes back. But at the same time, all read access from the Internet and Intranet server could still be directed to the secondary server. In the case when the publisher data is going to be down for extended time period, system configuration need to allow system administrator to change the configuration so that the replica will serve as the main database. Compared with clustering solution, this system design provides the maximum database availability and performance benefit. The databases that need to be replicated would include: 1. Background map database. Background map data does not change often. A snapshot replication is sufficient for replicating data updates in one database to the other. 2. CHART/EORS Spatial Database CHART/EORS spatial database stores CHART and EORS device and event information with spatial data. They are dynamically updated throughout the day. Transactional replication will be setup to ensure that data change in one database gets replicated to the other one. 3. SDE metadata. In general, the system can continue to provide access of map and data to both the Internet and Intranet users in the case of failure of any one component in the system. The only exception is that when the publisher database is down, the new data cannot be updated into the system. Users will get delayed information. 3.1.3 DMZ Configuration CHART is currently implementing a Demilitarization Zone (DMZ) network to enhance the network security. This entails creating a separate network for the web server computer(s) and separating it from the internal network with a firewall. In an ideal world, the DMZ would have no physical connection to the internal network. This would require two separate map server setups to serve the  Internet and Intranet users. The recommended way to implement is to disallow any access from the DMZ to the internal network, but allow access from the internal network to the DMZ. In other words, allow out-bound connections. On each of the ArcIMS server computers, mount a network drive to a shared drive on the Web server. Each ArcIMS spatial server would write the output raster image files to the location on the web server to be delivered to the Internet client browsers. 4. Database Organization To reduce the dependency and operation interference between the spatial data and the attribute data, the EORS spatial database and CHART spatial database will be created as two SQL Server databases. To reduce the performance overhead when joining data between the spatial and attribute data, the EORS spatial database will reside on the same database server(s) as the EORS database. 5. Technical Challenges 5.1 Map Display Mechanism CHART Intranet mapping application requires that changes in event and device data be reflected on all map clients in a near-real-time fashion (within 5 seconds). To do so via the traditional raster map publishing mechanism will result in all clients retrieving updated map every 5 seconds or at least when event/device status update requires a new map to be generated. When there is large number of users of the system, it will result in a high map server load in a concentrated short time period. To resolve this issue, the project team reviewed various technical approaches and summarizes their advantages and disadvantages as the following: 5.1.1 Raster (JPEG, GIF or PNG) Image This is a popular approach that utilizes the basic image display functionality of web browsers. It utilizes the server processing power efficiently. The disadvantages are that the images have limited client side intelligence, leaving most of the computation concentrated on the server. It’s capability of handling large number of concurrent map requests is limited. Generally, one map server can support 4-8 requests per second. For  CHART’s situation, when an event changes status, if a new map image needs to be generated, it would be about 40 requests per second (200 users at 5 second update interval). Many servers will be required to support the load. With the license fee involved with using GIF format, we will not use GIF for map publishing. Compared with JPG format, PNG graphics do not have the â€Å"bleeding† effect inherent with the JPEG compression algorithm. With the map displaying lines rather than continuous tone images, it is much cleaner. PNG also results in a smaller file, which translates into faster download times for client. The only JPG advantage is server side image generation times. It is recommended to utilize PNG for the Intranet application to produce highest quality images for standardized IE browser while utilizing JPG for the Internet to allow for support of as many browsers as possible. Also, the reduction in image processing time should deliver better web image generation performance. 5.1.2 XML Based Vector Graphics 5.1.2.1 Vector Markup Language (VML) VML is a XML based W3C standard in describing vector graphics. Basically, it encodes the vector coordinates of points, lines and polygons in XML format. The support of VML is included in Internet Explorer 5.0 and later. There is no download needed to display VML encoded vector graphics. It also has built-in support for style sheet and scripting. This makes it possible to modify the display properties and positions of the vector graphics using the JavaScript on the client-side browser. Using this functionality, we can dynamically update the display of devices and events. 5.1.2.2 Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) Scalable Vector Graphics is another XML-based W3C standard format for vector graphics. Compared with VML, it requires Java or ActiveX based plug-in to be displayed. Also, based on review of the plug-ins (SVG Viewer by Adobe), there is not as much support for scripting as for VML. 5.1.3 ArcIMS Java Viewer ArcIMS includes a Java Viewer, which provides a Java Applet that can be customized to a certain extent to display vector encoded GIS data on the client side. It requires a download to the client. The Java Viewer reads vector data from ArcIMS feature server encoded using an ESRI proprietary compression format, which makes it difficult to implement special features such as WSMS offsetted road networks because they need to be offset dynamically based on map scale. 5.1.4 MapObjects Java MapObjects Java from ESRI provides a set of Java-based objects for GIS functionalities. It has an extensive set of functionality that can satisfy the requirements. But, it requires a license fee of $100/seat, or comparable server-based licensing. It also requires a download to client machine to run it. 5.1.5 Summary Based on the research above, the project team recommends the following design: Use raster map for background map display (background data with SHA grid map are often large amount of data, suitable for server side processing) Use XML data format to transport the device and event data from server to browser client. Use JavaScript to create and update the VML vector data elements to display the dynamic layers including all the CHART/EORS devices and events. The diagram above illustrates the map display mechanism: 1. Map server reads the spatial data from background database and sends the published map image to the client browser to be displayed as background. 2. Device and event information is broadcasted from the CHART II system in the form of CORBA events. 3. CORBA event listener receives the event broadcast and saves the data into CHART spatial database. 4. CHART/EORS device and event data are published in XML format to the client. Client browser parses the XML into a XML Document Object Model (DOM) using the XML parser. 5. The client browser then iterate through the DOM tree structure and create corresponding VML elements based on the XML device and event data. The VML elements are displayed on the top of the background raster map image. 6. At a pre-configured interval, the browser client retrieves update of device and event data from the IIS server in XML format and update the VML display  based on the updated information. 5.2 Automated Refresh of Device and Event Data CHART/EORS device and event information needs to be updated at a pre-configured interval. They should be updated separate from the background map to reduce the load on the map server. The technical approach to achieve this will be to use a hidden frame to send the request to retrieve updated device and event data and receive the response. The response will package the data in XML file to be parsed into a document object model (DOM) and display the data on map. The request can be to retrieve all data or only retrieve data newer than last retrieval. When the new device/event is received and it requires changing the display of the device/events, the style assignment for the elements can be changed to update the device and event display.   The VML elements will be sent using real-world coordinates (Maryland State Plane 1983). After the data has been retrieved to the client side, the VML map layers can be dynamically projected using the â€Å"local coordinate space†. When user zooms or pan the map, the VML will be projected using the updated coordinates to fit the new map extent without going back to the server to retrieve new data set. 5.3 Inter-Frame Client Script Synchronization The map page has a few frames and the browser loads them asynchronously. Scripts in one frame may call scripts in another frame that may not have been loaded. The approach to resolve this is to add client-side exception handling and verification routine to ensure that the script is called always after the frame is loaded. 5.4 Assigning and Editing Event Location The dynamic nature of VML elements in the browser allows adding and modifying VML elements by scripting. When the user clicks or drags the mouse on the map, client-side script manages the transformation of screen coordinates and real-world map coordinates. The coordinates are sent back to the server’s secured URL where the information is extracted and saved to the database. 5.5 Scalability The CHART mapping application serves not only the Intranet users, but also Internet browser clients. During emergency situations, the load on both the Internet and Intranet servers could get extremely high. The system must be able to scale up to serve large amount of users. The technical approach to solve this issue involves two main facets. As described in the network configuration section, the system will employ network load balancing and allows adding additional hardware in the future. The system should also be able to utilize the caching feature of IIS and ASP.Net to scale up without significantly increase hardware investment. ASP.Net allows caching configuration for individual page modules, such as whether the page is cached and how long it is cached. After the application is deployed, these caching settings can be configured on the web pages. For example, if it is determined that the Internet mapping can be up to 3 seconds late, by setting caching time to 3 seconds, all requests from the Internet will receive a cached response without creating additional load on the map and database server. 5.6 Exception Management and Recovery CHART II keeps its clients updated via a push model using the CORBA Event Service. The Event Service does not guarantee delivery; therefore it is possible for event data to be lost/dropped (although in practice, this is rare). To account for this possibility, the CHART Web Event Listener will refresh its information about the status of devices and traffic events from CHART II at a configurable interval. Also, each time the Event Listener is started, it will retrieve all relevant data from CHART II. Thus, the update model becomes a push model with an occasional pull to be safe. This process will be used to recover from the following situations: 1. The Event Listener was down and did not receive new data from CHART II. 2. CHART II CORBA event(s) occasionally dropped while the Event Listener is up and running. Another likely scenario is that the CHART II server or service(s) restart. After a typical restart, the CORBA Event Service CORBA objects will be  recreated with the same characteristics allowing the Event Listener to continue to automatically receive CHART II CORBA events. As the CHART II services will not be processing events during this time, no events are likely to be missed. Therefore, the Event Listener does not need to do anything special to handle a CHART II server or service(s) restart. Sometimes CHART II maintenance will require that new (and different) Event Service CORBA objects be created. This might happen during a CHART II upgrade, for example. In this case, the Event Listener will need to be restarted so that it can pick up the new objects. Since this type of maintenance does not occur often and the Event Listener restarting is fast, the restart can be handled as part of the CHART II upgrade procedures. 5.7 Integration with ASP Code in EORS and CHART Web Application The CHART Intranet Mapping, replacing the existing EORS mapping application, will still be launched as a separate window by a URL string with a few parameters identifying the district, view type, etc. The impact on EORS web application should be limited to modifying the URL links. The current CHART Internet Mapping site uses â€Å"include† statement to include site navigation pages from upper level CHART web site’s pages. When upgrading Internet Mapping to ASP.Net, â€Å"include† statement is no longer used. Instead, a ServerXMLHTTP request can be formulated to request the text from the included ASP page and merge them into the mapping ASP.Net pages. The limitation of this implementation would be that the ASP.Net application couldn’t share the session and application variables from the ASP application. Currently, there are only a couple of them, such as database connection string. The ASP.Net mapping application will maintain a separate set of application variables. 6. User Interface Design 6.1 Intranet Map Site User Interface Design Here following is a high-level frame structure for the Intranet mapping site: 1. AppFrame is the highest-level frame that includes all the child frames. On the top of the page, there will be the title frame, which will host the  CHART icon. Also inside the title frame will be a group of tabs, such as Traffic, Roadway Weather, Message Sign, etc. 2. ToolsFrame hosts the map navigation and other map related tools. The ToolsFrame will also host menu system that allows the user to bring up data and other detailed information. 3. HiddenFrame will be used to submit and receive information from the server. 4. ContentFrame is further divided to a map frame on the left and a data frame on the right. The user shall be able rearrange the frame boundary to give more space to the map or data area. Data frame will display data as well as legend, layer control and other items when needed. 5. PromptFrame will display the current tool selected and instructions for user activities. Here is a screen shot of the preliminary user interface design: 6.2 Internet Map Site User Interface The overall CHART Internet mapping web site design will stay the same as current web site. The site will stay as part of the overall CHART web site by including the CHART navigation menus into the site. The site will not be using frames; instead, all elements will be laid out as HTML tables. 7. References 1. CHART/EORS Intranet Mapping System Requirement Specification 2. CHART Internet Mapping System Requirement Specification 3. Security and ArcIMS – ESRI White Paper 4. ArcSDE Configuration and Tuning Guide for Microsoft SQL Server – ESRI White Paper 5. ArcIMS 4.0 High-Availability Configuration Testing Using Network Load Balancing –ESRI White Paper 6. Vector Markup Language (VML) Specification – W3C 8. Terms and Glossary ArcXML – ESRI’s map request/response specification in XML format CORBA – Common Object Request Broker Architecture CSS – Cascading Style Sheets DOM – Document Object Model ESRI – Environment System Research Institute GIS – Geographic Information System GML – Geography Markup Language NLB – Network Load Balancing SSL – Secure Socket Layer SVG – Scalable Vector Graphics VML – Vector Markup Language XML – Extensible Markup Language

Fabric And Jewelery In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Erin Kilkenny   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  English Comp & Lit   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cathy Seigel   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  March 7, 2000   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sir Gawain Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In literature, insights into characters, places, and events are often communicated to the reader by symbolic references within the text. This is the case in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In this Medieval romance, the colors and textures of fabrics and jewelry are used heavily by the poet not only as a descriptive tool, but also to give the reader information about the characters’ personalities and roles within the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The narrative opens with a holiday feast in King Arthur’s court. The richness of this setting is represented by the decorations surrounding Queen Guenevere described in lines 76-80. â€Å"With costly silk curtains, a canopy over,/ Of Toulouse and Turkestan tapestries rich/ All broidered and bordered with the best gems/ Ever brought into Britain, with bright pennies/ to pay.† These lines also symbolize the queen’s role in the poem of a stately symbol of chivalric Camelot and as a female ideal. In this setting women are all around, but Guenevere is positioned above them and is surrounded by expensive, beautiful things. She is clearly made superior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Green Knight then arrives at Arthur’s court to pose a challenge for someone to cut off his head and to have the favor returned a year later. He and his horse are both entirely green and are clad in rich attire. The horse’s saddle is described as follows, in lines 164-167: â€Å" About himself and his saddle, set upon silk,/ That to tell of the trifles would tax my wits,/ The butterflies and birds embroidered thereon/ In green of gayest, with many gold thread.† The Green Knight’s appearance makes his supernatural qualities apparent from the start, even before he is able to survive decapitation. Though his ornate clothing establishes him as a respectable knight, the fact that he is entirely green is not normal. Green is often associated with creepy, monstrous things, so therefore the knight is given a supernatural quality by that color.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gawain, Arthur’s knight who takes the Green Knight’s challenge, is portrayed in different lights as the story progresses. Descriptions of fabric and clothing are integral to this portrayal. When he is departing Camelot to find the Green Knight, Gawain is depicted as a virtuous, chivalrous knight bravely facing his fate. His clothing, therefore, is red, symbolizing courage, and bears a gold pentangle, a symbol of virtue. This is described in lines 636-639, â€Å"On shield and coat in view/ He bore that emblem bright/ As to his word most true/ And in speech most courteous knight.

The Negative Effects of the Fashion Industry on Eating Disorders

ENG 150 18 October 2012 The Negative Effects of the Fashion Industry on Eating Disorders While it’s fashion week in London, the size â€Å"zero† models start to prepare for the big show by purging to be as thin as possible. Most models starve themselves in order to achieve the â€Å"waif†, stick-thin figure; it becomes so addictive, almost like second nature that it further leads to serious eating disorders. From recent studies, today’s model weighs about 23% less than the normal woman. Clearly, most models do not depict the average woman. Men and women all over the world follow the influences that the fashion industry provides.They believe that the fashion industry depicts on what society should be acknowledged as, picture-perfect thin. Most models look like they had descended from heaven, but in reality they live in a sad world where body image is what is considered beautiful and they would do just about anything to achieve it. Society is also taking a n ose dive into this self-deprecating environment, where it is definitely not healthy for a person to develop and thrive. As Naomi Hooke, anorexia survivor, acknowledges, â€Å"Anorexia has often been perceived as a quest for model-like beauty . . many anorexics detest their bodies,† she then further goes into detail how this industry became her downfall (3). These waifish models on the runway cause major damage in the well-being of many, as well as their own; they create body image complexes that haunt women forever. Yes, the fashion industry is well known for the classic thin models, although in the 1950’s models symbolized the beauty of the average woman, full figured and all, but today’s models should not depict to an individual on what they should be perceived to look like, yet it happens every day.When a victim of eating disorders views a model, they think, â€Å"Why am I so fat? Why don’t I look like her? What do I need to do to look like that? â₠¬  The confidence and the self-worth of these victims start to fall short, although some begin to find solutions to their problems. According to Paul Casciato, of Reuters. com, almost 9 out of 10 teenage girls said they feel pressured to be skinny by the fashion industry and media. A large contributing factor to this problem is that many people in the fashion world encourage the use of overly thin models in editorials and fashion shows.For example, as Kathryn Shattuck, What's On Today: [The Arts/Cultural Desk], mentions that Kelly Cutrone, world renowned fashion publicist, encourages, â€Å"Clothes look better on thin people. The fabric hangs better† (1). The fashion industry’s emphasis on being thin and its use of extremely underweight models in unacceptable. Many people would agree that the fashion industry plays the majority role in eating disorders, but Lisa Hilton, British Vogue writer, disagrees. Hilton argues, â€Å"Its objective is selling clothes, and the co nsensus remains that in order to achieve this, models need to be thin . . Fashion is about fantasy, about impossibility, about, dare we say it, art. Most women can’t tell the difference† (1). Hilton condescendingly continues to refute the criticisms that models are too thin and the fashion industry encourages eating disorders. More recently, Sports Illustrated model, Kate Upton whom is a size 4, is now considered a plus size model and deemed to be â€Å"too curvy†. In the United States the â€Å"normal† sized woman is between the size of 6 and 10. Most of us do not understand why some put themselves through so much anguish to satisfy these body image complexes.Back in the 1950’s, models were absolutely glamorous, they were healthy and had meat on their bones. The average height of a model is 5’10† and weighs approximately 120 pounds whereas the average women with a height of 5’10† weigh about 145 pounds. This is a significa nt and disturbing difference. As Hooke emphasizes, â€Å"Sufferers are often presumed to pore over the pages of glossy magazines and starve themselves in their aspirations to become glamorous, thinner-than-thin sex goddesses,† she then concludes how the industry destroyed her life.Women give in and fall into temptation, but why? These â€Å"normal† women are beautiful they way they are, but in fashion terms, they are considered morbidly obese in comparison. As Holly Brubach, New York Times Magazine journalist, argues, Models starve themselves the way football players take steroids, jeopardizing their health and longevity for celebrity and wealth. More surprising, perhaps, and certainly no less alarming, is it the realization that dieting as become so commonplace that the skeletons on the catwalk simply strike us as more expert than the rest of us (1). As Brucach further describes how the fashion industry and their models compel everyday women to give up meals, she also observes that the Internet provides sufferers starvation tips. Commonly called promote anorexia, or â€Å"pro anas†. There are many blogs and forums that pro anas flock to for tips. One teenage girl professed, â€Å"Splurged and had 7 grapes, I can’t believe it. I cannot eat tomorrow.Please send skinny thoughts my way! † Another pro ana, calls herself MelancholyMiss states in forum Lard Ass Rant Time, â€Å"Starting to feel that swimmy feeling in my head again . . . I'm trying to tell myself I need to eat a little something so I can have some energy. No, my hard work won’t go to waste. I’m spinning, spinning down into the depths of self loathing, misery, isolation. † What these women go through on a day to day basis is just horrendous. It’s truly sickening. What drives these sufferers is beyond most.Isabelle Caro, a French model and actress who became the international face of anorexia when she allowed her ravaged body to be photogra phed nude for an Italian advertising campaign to raise awareness about the disease. Italian fashion label, Nolita, had photographed Caro at 26 years old weighing only 59 pounds. When Caro was featured on an episode of Taboo on the National Geographic channel, she claimed that she tried getting help but in her line of work, it was not possible and that if she gained weight she would lose her job.Neil Katz of CBS News, describes the billboard as, â€Å"[Her] face was emaciated, her arms and legs mere sticks, her teeth seemingly too large for her mouth† (2). In Katz’ article, Caro confirms, â€Å"I decided to do it to warn girls about the danger of diets and of fashion commandments† (1). In 2006, she reached the weight of 52 pounds. She sank into a coma and after months of extensive care she reached weight of 93 pounds. Although the major effort put into changing her life around, she was still remained in crucial health.Her body could not handle the major back and forth transformation that her body failed and died. She died at only 28. In her memoir, The Little Girl Who Didn’t Want to Get Fat, her dying wish was to raise attention and eliminate anorexia and other eating disorders. There are numerous ways to change the fashion industry’s negative reputation. The Council of Fashion Designers of America has created the CDFA initiative, which is implementing certain designers and magazines to fix said problem.The CFDA’s ideas include offering models that have been identified as having an eating disorder to seek professional help and not be able to work without a medical consent. Other ideal solutions include supplying healthy foods during photo shoots and shows; also educate models about eating disorders. Although, these solutions seem ideal, but won’t become obsolete. There must be harsher regulations where healthy women, of certain weight requirements, can become models. This industry must defend its reputation and e nd the horrible habit of girls starving themselves to look like unrealistic and photo-shopped

Financial Ratios and Hershey

A. TWO KEY LESSONS LEARNT FROM THIS CASE Hershey Company is famous known for being the biggest manufacturer of chocolates and confectionery products in North America and grocery products in over 60 countries worldwide. In 2009, Hershey sales up to 3. 23 percent. Advertising expenses increased by 46 percent as the company continued to promote iconic brands such as the Hershey Kiss and Reese’s products. Due to lower commodity prices, the company plans to discontinue their Cacao Reserve brand as well as their Starbucks chocolate partnership. The company also plans to close their online gift business.The company expanded its global presence via joint ventures in china and India. From this case, we found two key lessons as following: (a) The first lesson is about the important of expanding to global market (b) The second lesson is about the importance for the firm to keep developing customer preferences. It is important for company to focus on how to formulate global product strate gy to penetrate growing international markets. Therefore, Hershey should come up with new strategies in finance, marketing and production department to complete globally and to increase the customer satisfaction and market share.B. Vision Statement Since we could not find a vision statement of Hershey company then we suggest a vision as below: â€Å"Achieving consumers needs which making chocolate more healthy, delicious and delightful for life† From our opinion, this vision is clear in term of to help the company to see where the company is going on in the future which the company more concern about customer need and offer the product of natural and organic chocolate for health. According to researchers led by Natalie Rose, MD, of the University of California at San Diego.The result suggests several possible relationships between eating chocolate and wellness, it helps to increase the level of specific neurotransmitters in our brain that in turn promotes feeling of happiness and help to raise the good hormone that act as an ati-depressant. Therefore, It captures the importance not only for healthy but also the happiness of eating chocolate. C. Mission Statement The current mission of the Hershey company is â€Å"Bringing sweet moments of Hershey happiness to the world everyday† To our stakeholders, this means: Consumer: Delivering quality consumer driven confectionery experiences for all occasions. * Employees: Winning with an aligned and empowered organization while having fun. * Business Partner: Building collaborative relationships for profitable growth with our customers, suppliers, and partners. * Shareholder: Creating sustainable value. * Communities: Honoring our heritage through continued commitment to making a positive difference. The current mission consists of the following characteristics: 1. Customer 2. Concern for survival, profitability, growth 3. Philosophy 4. Self-concept 5.Concern for public image 6. Concern for employees Missi on statement is often the most visible and public part of the strategic management process. The current mission is sufficient to remind the company on their attitude and outlook. However, it is important to include the nine characteristic, as mission statement would be more effective. From our analysis, the current mission lacks of another three characteristics, which are products, market, and technology. These four characteristics are important for the company in the long-term development. Thus, we think that the current mission can be improved as follows: Bringing sweet moments of chocolate Hershey happiness to the world every day† To stakeholders, this means: Consumer: Delivering quality consumer with the lastest technology to drive experiences for all occasions. Employee: Winning with an aligned and empowered organization while having fun. Business Partners: Building collaborative relationships for profitable growth with our customers, suppliers, and partners in the intern ational market. Shareholders: Creating sustainable value. Communities: Honoring our heritage through continued commitment to making a positive difference.D. External Audit Opportunities 1. Organic foods products are one of the fastest growing sectors in the United States with a projected value of $26. 3 billion by 2011. 2. Seasonal sales such as Halloween and Valentine's Day account for 10 percent of the annual sales in the industry. 3. Nestle's image, however, has suffered within the global community due to allegations about sourcing of cocoa from farms that employed children in Africa, as well as its marketing tactics used to promote its infant milk substitutes in developing nations. 4.Consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional value of various product ingredients with purchase decisions reflecting a preference for organic and nonadulterated products. 5. Confectionery products include chocolate, gum, cereal bars, and sugar confectionery products with a projected global ma rket value of $107. 4 billion by 2010. 6. Chocolate currently accounts for 55. 8 percent of the market's overall global value. Threats 1. Mergers and acquisitions in the past few years have influenced both the market share and product portfolio of global firms in the confectionery industry. 2.Nestle, one of the global leaders in the industry, expanded its nutritional product with the acquisition of Jenny Craig, a company with an established brand of nutritional weight-management products. 3. Nestle recently entered the organic products segment with projected sales of $24 billion by 2010. 4. Due to increased consumer concerns about artificial ingredients, the company [Cadbury] also manufactures a line of products with no artificial colors or artificial flavorings under the Natural Confectionery Company. 5. Cadbury has a 71 percent market share in India, and enjoys a 53 percent market share in the chocolate category in Australia. . Due to increased consumer preference for low fat and organic products, Mars Nutrition and Health Well Being has also developed a line of low-fat products and healthy snacks. 7. Some research analysts expect that international wholesale sugar prices may reach 40 cents a pound. 8. Cocoa future contract prices in 2008 ranged from $0. 86 to $1. 50 per pound, which represented a significant increase from 2007 prices. CPM – Competitive Profile Matrix * Estimates for Hershey focused on similar product lines with Nestle, Cadbury and Mars The Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM)Critical success factors| Weight| Hershey| Nestle| Cadbury| Mars| | | Rating| Score| Rating| Score| Rating| Score| Rating| Score| Global Expansion| 0. 2| 4| 0. 8| 4| 0. 8| 3| 0. 6| 3| 0. 6| Financial Position| 0. 10| 2| 0. 2| 4| 0. 4| 3| 0. 3| 2| 0. 2| Advertising ;amp;Marketing| 0. 15| 4| 0. 6| 2| 0. 3| 3| 0. 45| 3| 0. 45| Customer Loyalty| 0. 1| 2| 0. 2| 3| 0. 3| 3| 0. 3| 3| 0. 3| Market share| 0. 15| 3| 0. 45| 4| 0. 6| 4| 0. 6| 2| 0. 3| Product Quality| 0. 12| 4| 0. 36| 2| 0. 24| 3| 0. 36| 3| 0. 36| Price Competitiveness| 0. 10| 3| 0. 30| 3| 0. 30| 4| 0. 40| 3| 0. 0| Management| 0. 08| 2| 0. 16| 4| 0. 32| 2| 0. 16| 3| 0. 24| Total| 1. 0| 3. 07| 3. 26| 3. 17| 2. 75| The Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) show that weighted score of Hershey, Nestle, Cadbury and Mars. Nestle has got total weighted scores is 3. 26 which is highest score and Hershey is the third scores, less than Nestle and Cadbury. The CPM indicates that Hershey is the strongest in terms of Product Quality and Advertising ;amp;Marketing. This means if Hershey is to be competitive, it has to focus on global expansion and market share. The External Factor Evaluation (IFE) MatrixKEY INTERNAL FACTOR| WEIGHT| RATING| WEIGHTED SCORE| OPPORTUNITIES| | Organic foods products are one of the fastest growing sectors in the United States| 0. 1| 4| 0. 4| Seasonal sales account for 10 percent of the annual sales in the industry| 0. 05| 3| 0. 15| Nestle’s image has suffered from farms tha t employed children in Africa| 0. 04| 4| 0. 16| Consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional value of various product| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| Confectionery products projected global market value of $107. 4 billion by 2010| 0. 09| 4| 0. 36| Chocolate currently accounts for 55. percent of the market’s overall global value| 0. 08| 4| 0. 32| Sub-total for Opportunities| 1. 00| | 1. 60| THREAT| WEIGHT| RATING| WEIGHTED SCORE| Mergers and acquisitions have influenced both the both the market share and product portfolio of global firms| 0. 01| 3| 0. 3| Nestle expanded nutritional product| 0. 08| 2| 0. 16| Nestle entered the organic products segment| 0. 08| 2| 0. 16| Cadbury manufactures a line of products with no artificial colors or artificial flavorings| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| Cadbury has a 71 percent market share in India, and enjoys a 53 percent market share in chocolate category inAustralia| 0. 06| 2| 0. 12| Mars Nutrition and Health Well Being has developed a line of low-fat produc ts and healthy snacks| 0. 07| 4| 0. 28| International wholesale sugar prices may reach 40 cents a pound| 0. 06| 4| 0. 24| Cocoa future contract prices in 2008 ranged from $0. 86 to $1. 50 per pound| 0. 05| 4| 0. 20| Sub-total for Threats| 1. 00| | 1. 67| Total| 1. 00| | 3. 27| The EFE matrix reveals that score for Opportunities versus score for Threats. Hershey’s total weighted scores is more than average which is at 3. 27.This indicates that Hershey is responding strongly above average to the existing opportunities and threats. In other words, the company’s current strategies are able to gain advantage of the existing opportunities and minimize the potential effects of external threats. E. Internal Audit Strengths 1. The Hershey and Godrej venture will distribute Hershey products via Godrej's distribution network to over 1. 6 million outlets in India. 2. Advertising expenses for the quarter increased by 46 percent as the company continued to promote iconic brands such as the Hershey Kiss and Reese's products. 3.The company relies on special promotions to increase holiday sales, and it also uses advertising programs to supplement seasonal sales. 4. During the past several years, the company has expanded its global presence through a variety of acquisitions and joint ventures with established firms in the international market. 5. Hershey also has special editions products that are themed with events, such as their Dark Knight Collection (milk chocolate peanut butter bats) created for the release of the movie Dark Knight. The company also encourages customers to personalize messages and gifts via its interactive home page. . Due to increased consumer preferences for healthy and organic products, the company portfolio of healthy snacks has expanded to include Payday Pro energy bars and sugar-free products such as Twizzlers. 7. Hershey, as well as other competitors in the industry, is acquiring nonchocolate products as well as nutritional products to complement its existing products. 8. Hershey products are sold to more than 2 million retail outlets, including wholesale distributors, chain grocery stores, convenience stores, and wholesale clubs as well as natural food stores. 9.Direct research on consumer preferences as well as process innovations are supported via the Hershey Center of Health and Nutrition developed in 2007. 10. Operating Profit Margin: 14%(2008) 15%(2009) Weaknesses 1. The company also plans to close their online gift business, which featured seasonal products and gifts that could be personalized by the consumer. 2. Due to global supply initiatives, the company projects a reduction of 1,500 positions over the next three-year period. 3. The company plans to discontinue their Cacao Reserve brand as well as their Starbucks chocolate partnership. 4.Hershey's iconic brands such as Hershey Bar, Hershey Kisses, and Reese's are instantly recognized within the domestic market. 5. The company’s long-term debt in creased from $1,279,965 in20O7 to 1,505,954 in 2008. The Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix KEY INTERNAL FACTOR| WEIGHT| RATING| WEIGHTED SCORE| STRENGTHS| | The company will distribute Hershey products via Godrej’s distribution network in India| 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| Advertising expenses for promote iconic brands| 0. 09| 4| 0. 36| The company relies on special promotions| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| The company has expanded its global presence| 0. 8| 3| 0. 24| Hershey has special editions products that are themed with events| 0. 06| 2| 0. 12| The company portfolio of healthy snacks has expanded to include Payday Pro energy bars and sugar-free products| 0. 08| 4| 0. 32| Acquiring nonchocolate and nutritional products| 0. 09| 4| 0. 36| Hershey products are sold to more than 2 million retail outlets| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| Direct research on consumer preferences and process innovations are supported by the Hershey Center of Health and Nutrition developed| 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| Operating Profit Margi n: 14% (2008) 15% (2009)| 0. 6| 3| 0. 18| Sub-total for strengths| 1. 00| | 2. 36| WEAKNESSES| WEIGHT| RATING| WEIGHTED SCORE| The company plans to close their online gift business| 0. 06| 2| 0. 12| The company projects a reduction of 1,500 positions over the next three years| 0. 05| 2| 0. 12| The company plans to discontinue Cacao Reserve brand Starbucks chocolate partnership| 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| Hershey’s iconic brands are instantly recognized within the domestic market. | 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| The company’s long-term debt increased| 0. 05| 2| 0. 10| Sub-total for weaknesses| 1. 00| | 0. 68| Total| 1. 00| | 3. 4| Based on the IFE evaluation shows that score for Strengths versus score for Weaknesses. Total weighted scores for Hershey is 3. 04 considered as above average which is indicates that the company’s internal position is strong. Financial Ratio Analysis (2008) Growth Rates % (5-Year Annual Avg. )| ABC Company| Sales | 16. 22%| Net Income (5-Year Annual Avg. )| 4 5. 81%| Dividends (5-Year Annual Avg. )| 41. 27%| Profit Margins| | Gross Margin| 34%| Pre-Tax Margin| 11%| Net Profit Margin| 6%| 5Yr Net Profit Margin (5-Year Avg. )| 8. 97%| Financial Condition| | Debt/Equity Ratio| 10. 42|Current Ratio| 1. 06| Quick Ratio| 0. 59| Investment Returns %| | Return On Equity| 98%| Return On Assets| 9%| Return On Equity (5-Year Avg. )| 62. 95%| Return On Assets (5-Year Avg. )| 10. 72%| Management Efficiency| | Income/Employee| 24. 33| Revenue/Employee| 400. 99| Inventory Turnover| 8. 66| Asset Turnover| 1. 41| NET WORTH ANALYSIS OF AVP (2008 IN MILLION)| | | | | | | | | | Growth ratios:| Growth rate = [(current year – base year) / base year] * 100| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Percentage| | | 2009 Growth rate in sales| | 3. 23| | | 2008| | | | | 3. 76| | | 2007| | | | | 0. 5| | | 2008 Growth rate in net income| | | 45. 41| | Stockholders' Equity + Goodwill  | $ 872,876| Net Income * 5|   |   |   | $ 1,557,025| Share price * Net Income| 34. 74 * 311,405 = 10,818,210| Number of Shares Outstanding * Share Price| 227,035 * 34. 74 = 7,887,196| Method Average|   |   |   | 5,283,826. 70| FINANCIAL ANALYSIS The financial analysis for Hershey will be provided giving by liquidity ratios, leverage ratios, activity ratios, and profitability ratios as following. PROFITABILITY RATIOS From an accounting standpoint, profitability is defined as business gain in an activity.The measures used in this section detail how profitable the firm’s operations are and how well the firm generates a return on capital. The ratios for profitability analysis are return on assets, sales margin, return on equity, and the dividend payout ratio. Return on Assets: Return on assets (ROA) measures a company’s efficiency in generating profits from its available assets. This is calculated by dividing net income by total assets. An increasing ratio indicates higher efficiency. Hershey’s ROA improved from 5% in 2007 to 9% in 2008 indicating that Hershey became more efficient over the 2008 fiscal year.Return on Equity: The return on equity (ROE) is a measure of how well a company is able to return a profit using the shareholder’s investment. It is calculated by dividing net income by the shareholder’s equity. A higher number indicates a better return from shareholder’s investments. Hershey’s return on equity improved from 36% in 2007 to 98% in 2008, indicating a higher efficiency and better return from shareholder’s investment. Improvements were noted between 2007 and 2008 for Hershey’s ROA, ROE, Gross Profit Margin, Operating Profit Margin, Net Profit Margin and Earning Per Share were increased proportionally.LIQUIDITY RATIOS A company’s liquidity can be described by how easily a company can pay off short-term debts, in specific those due in the fiscal year. Current Ratio: The current ratio gives a strong measure of a company’s liquidity. It compares t he cash and cash equivalents plus any current assets that will be turned into cash within a year to current liabilities that must be paid within the year. This ratio indicates how well a company can pay its current debts. It is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities. Hershey’s current ratio improved from 0. 8 in 2007 to 1. 06 in 2008. Although this is an improvement, a ratio of 1 or better is desired in order to show the ability to pay of all current debts with current assets. Quick Ratio: The quick ratio is similar to the current ratio. Instead of using all current assets, the quick ratio only uses cash, market securities, and accounts receivables to compare against current liabilities. This is done to further narrow the assets to those that can more quickly be turn into cash. Hershey’s quick ratio improved from 0. 51 to 0. 59.Although an improvement can be seen, a more desirable ratio would be closer to 1 so that debts could be paid with current cash and cash equivalents. All measures of liquidity showed improvements for Hershey between 2007 and 2008. This is largely due to Hershey’s ability to generate a greater amount of operational cash flows between the two years. The improvement in current ratio and quick ratio shows an improved ability to pay off short term debts with current assets, which is also indicative that future payments of the long term debt will be possible. ACTIVITY RATIOSActivity in a firm is typically categorized as creation of product and moving product out the door for sales. Activity measures focus on these actions and evaluate how a firm uses its assets to generate revenues. If a company is able to utilize its assets efficiently, fewer funds from financing are needed. The ratios analyzed in this section are inventory turnover and asset turnover. Asset Turnover: Asset turnover takes an overall focus on how the company uses all of its assets to generate revenues. A higher number is desired becau se it indicates that each dollar of asset is producing a greater amount of revenue.It is calculated by dividing the company’s revenue by the total amount of assets for the current year. Hershey’s asset turnover ratio improved from 1. 16 in 2007 to 1. 41 in 2008. This shows that Hershey’s was more efficient in using its assets between evaluation periods. Inventory Turnover: Inventory turnover is a measure of how often within a year that inventory is sold and replaced. It is calculated by dividing cost of goods sold by inventory. A high ratio indicates efficiency and a high rate of sales. Hershey’s inventory turnover slightly improved from 8. 24 in 2007 to 8. 6 in 2008. Improvements were seen in inventory and asset turnover ratios. Hershey’s assets decreased in value while revenues increased, resulting in a more efficient use of assets. LEVERAGE RATIOS A company’s leverage defines how a company handles its debt. Companies that have a high leve rage can have difficulty paying back debts, securing new debts from creditors, and are usually higher risk. But, these companies can also attain tax advantages and gain large returns from investing. The ratios analyzed in this section include the debt ratio, debt to equity ratio and imes interest earned ratio. Debt Ratio: The debt ratio indicates how much debt a company has relative to its assets. This ratio is calculated by dividing total liabilities by total assets. This ratio is one of the components typically used by investors to determine the risk level of a company. A lower number is favored because it shows the company has a larger percentage of assets when compared to liabilities. Hershey’s debt ratio increased and deteriorated from 0. 762 in 2005 to 0. 836 in 2006. This is due to a decrease in company assets while liabilities increased.The increase in liabilities can be noted most in the long-term liabilities. This adds risk to Hershey’s from an investment sta ndpoint. Debt to Equity Ratio: The debt to equity ratio is a measure of what proportions of debt and equity are used in its financing. It is also a measure of a company’s financial leverage. The ratio is calculated by dividing total liabilities by stockholder’s equity. A lower number is favored because it indicates a higher amount of shareholder’s equity when compared to liabilities. Hershey’s debt to equity ratio increased and deteriorated from 6. 16 in 2007 to 10. 2 in 2008. This is largely a result in Hershey’s large decrease in shareholder’s equity. Times Interest Earned Ratio: The times interest earned ratio gives shows how well a company is able to pay its interest expenses with earnings before taxes. The number represents how many times over the interest expense can be paid with the earnings before interest. A higher number is favored. The ratio is calculated by dividing earning before interest and taxes (EBIT) by net interest expense . The times interest earned ratio for Hershey’s increase from 3. 87 in 2007 to 6. 03 in 2008.Hershey achieved many improvements in their financial ratios. Between 2005 and 2006, Hershey showed improvements in many areas. Their overall profitability improved. Liquidity also improved in all areas. This can be attributed to their ability to generate a greater amount of operational cash flows. Because of their increased liquidity, Hershey shows that they are in a better position to pay off their debts and is able to distribute their earnings to stockholders more readily. G. SPACE Matrix 2. 44, -1. 06 2. 44, -1. 06 6 5 4 3 2 1 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 CompetitiveIS ES CA FS Conservative Aggressive Defensive X 6 5 4 3 2 1 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 Competitive IS ES CA FS Conservative Aggressive Defensive X Financial Position (FP) Return on Investment ROE, ROA+4 Leverage+2 Earning Per Share+5 Inventory+3 Liquidity+4 Subtotal (FP) +18 Indu stry Position (IP) Growth potential+6 Extent leverage+5 Profit potent+5 Productivity+4 Subtotal (IP) +20 Competitive Position (CP) Market share -5 Product quality -1 Control over suppliers and distributers-2 Subtotal (CP) -8 Stability Position (SP) Barriers to entry into market-4Demand variability-6 Competitive pressure-6 Subtotal (SP) -14 x-axis = -2. 66 + 5= 2. 44 y-axis = -4. 66+ 3. 6= -1. 06 Based on this formula, it shows that The Hershey company x-axis is 2. 44 and y-axis is -1. 06. Therefore firm’s directional vector is located in the lower-right or competitive quadrant of the SPACE Matrix. In other word, The company has competitive advantages in a growing industry, The Hershey should pursue competitive strategies which include; backward, forward and horizontal integration; market penetration; market development and product evelopment. H. Grand Strategy Matrix Quadrant IV business have a strong competitive position but are in a slow-growth industry. Hershey has the str ength to launch diversified into more promising growth area such as India and China. The company also has characteristically high cash-flow levels and limited internal growth need as the result of 86% market share in America. I. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix BCG is a private management consulting firm base in Boston. The purpose of BCG Matrix is graphically shows the company’s position in terms of relative market share and industry growth.Hershey is in the Star quadrant because Hershey is leading in terms of market share in America and the growth rate sale is higher than zero for several years. As the result, the Star quadrant indicates that Hershey has good long-run opportunities for growth and profitability. To maintain this position Hershey need a substantial investment especially in global market and to strengthen its dominant position. Strategies that is best for Hershey includes market penetration, market development, product development, and forward, backward an d horizontal integration. J.The Internal-External (IE) Matrix | | | The IFE Total Weighted Score| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Strong| Average| Weak| | | | | | 3. 0 to 4. 0| 2. 0 to 2. 99| 1. 0 to 1. 99| | | | | High| IFE = 3. 04 IFE = 3. 04 I| II| III| | | | | EFE = 3. 27 EFE = 3. 27 3. 0 to 3. 99| | | | | | | | Medium| IV| V| VI| | | The EFE Total Weighted Score| 2. 0 to 2. 99| | | | | | | | Low| VII| VIII| IX| | | | | 1. 0 to 1. 99| | | | | | Key: | Grow and build| | Hold and maintain| | Harvest or diverstiture|The Internal – External (IE) Matrix The IE matrix is based on two key dimensions such as the IFE total weighted score and the EFE total weighted score. The total weighted scores allow construction of the corporate-level IE Matrix. The result from IE Matrix states that Hershey Company is appropriate for division 1 or can be described as grow and build. The most appropriate strategies for this division can be intensive market penetration, market development, and product development or company can also consider intensive backward integration, forward integration and horizontal integration.Based on the interpretation, suggest two best alternatives that the company could pursuit, then perform QSPM matrix. K. QSPM Strategic Alternatives| Key Internal Factors Weight| Alternative 1: Global Expansion| Alternative 2: Develop Organic Products| Strengths| AS | TAS| AS| TAS| 1. Distribute Hershey products via Godrej’s distribution network in India| 0. 06| 4| 0. 24| 2| 0. 18| 2. Advertising expenses for promote iconic brands. | 0. 09| 4| 0. 36| 3| 0. 27| 3. Relies on special promotions| 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| 2| 0. 14| 4.The company has expanded its global presence. | 0. 08| 4| 0. 32| 2| 0. 12| 5. Hershey has special editions product that are themed with events. | 0. 06| -| -| -| -| 6. The company portfolio of healthy snacks has expanded| 0. 08| 2| 0. 16| 4| 0. 32| 7. Acquiring non-chocolate and nutritional products| 0. 09| 2| 0. 18| 4| 0. 36| 8. Products are sold to more than 2 million retail outlets. | 0. 07| -| -| -| -| 9. Hershey Centre of Health supported research on consumer preferences and process innovations. | 0. 06| 2| 0. 12| 3| 0. 18| 10. Operating profit Margin: 14% (2008) 15% (2009)| 0. 6| -| -| -| -| Weaknesses| 1. Plans to close online gift business. | 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| 1| 0. 06| 2. The company projects a reduction of 1,500 positions. | 0. 05| 2| 0. 10| 1| 0. 05| 3. Plans to discontinue Cocao Reserve brand Starbucks chocolate partnership. | 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| 1| 0. 06| 4. Hershey’s iconic brands are instantly recognized within the domestic market| 0. 06| -| -| -| -| 5. The company’s long-term debt increased| 0. 05| -| -| -| -| SUBTOTAL| 1. 00| | 2. 05| | 1. 74| | Global Expansion| Develop Organic Products| Opportunities| AS| TAS| AS| TAS| 1.Organic foods products are the fastest growing sectors. | 0. 10| 1| 0. 10| 4| 0. 40| 2. Seasonal sales account for 10%| 0. 05| -| -| -| -| 3. Nestle’s image has suffe red. | 0. 04| 3| 0. 12| 2| 0. 08| 4. Consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional value. | 0. 07| 3| 0. 21| 4| 0. 28| 5. Confectionery products projected global market value of $107. 4 billion by 2010| 0. 09| 3 | 0. 27| 2| 0. 18| 6. Chocolate currently accounts for 55. 8% of the market’s overall global value. | 0. 08| -| -| -| -| Threats| 1. Mergers and acquisitions have influenced both the market share. 0. 01| 4| 0. 04| 2| 0. 02| 2. Nestle expanded nutritional product. | 0. 08| 3| 0. 24| 4| 0. 32| 3. Nestle entered the organic product segment. | 0. 08| 3| 0. 24| 4| 0. 32| 4. Cadbury manufactures a line of products with no artificial colors or flavorings| 0. 07| 1| 0. 07| 2| 0. 14| 5. Cadbury has a 71% market share in India, and 53% Australia. | 0. 06| 3| 0. 18| 2| 0. 12| 6. Mars Nutrition and Health Well being has developed low-fat and healthy snacks| 0. 07| 2| 0. 14| 3| 0. 21| 7. International wholesale sugar prices may reach 40 cent a pound| 0. 06| -| -| -| -| 8.Coc oa future contract prices in 2008 ranged from $ 0. 86 to $1. 50 per pound| 0. 05| -| -| -| -| SUBTOTAL| | | 1. 57| | 2. 07| SUM TOTAL ATTRACTIVENESS SCORE| | | 3. 66| | 3. 81| As the result of QSPM, we consider two alternative strategies As following:a) Global expansion b) Develop organic products The sum total attractive scores are 3. 66 and 3. 87. The analysis indicates that Hershey should develop organic products. L. Recommendations From the evaluations of the company’s conditions, performance, and the analysis provided from SWOT matrix, IFE-EFE matrix, and Grand strategy matrix.We recommend three specific strategies as following: 1) Expand to global market Hershey has recently market share 86% in America and it is well known in America as the chocolate maker since 1906. On the other hand, In the global market, Hershey is the third rang next to Nestle and Cadbery. Hershey needs to continue to focus on the global market. Hershey currently has a limited presence in many area s of the world. However, compare to the actual plan strategies of the company, they have begun to expand into new areas such as China and India. We are suggesting the new organization structure to Hershey Food Corporation.In this structure, we have suggested continental president, which will help to complete globally or to increase the market share globally because they will have the experience of the particular continents and they will work according to market conditions. The Hershey Company needs to go international advertisement to promote the product as well as they have to find out the new channels of distribution and adopt the new channels to increase the sales. For the cost of expand to global market, the company must spend more in terms of marketing that amount is indicated in the projected income statement. ) Continue chocolate partnership with coffee store, and online gift business Hershey should continue to provide new chocolate flavored coffee product in supermarkets and coffee stores. This allows Hershey to market to new segment, more consumers , and participate in new trends. Besides, Hershey should continue online gift business to get the new channel to increase the sales as well as to provide the seasonal products and the gifts that could be personalized by the consumer. 3) Develop organic product People have become much more aware of the various factors that negatively affect their health.Chocolate and other candy are viewed as an unhealthy snack. Organic food products are one of the fastest growing sectors. Therefore, Hershey needs to continue to expand the market healthy products in order to gain a greater market share. If Hershey continues to market the products they already have in categories and continues to develop new products that address the healthy to the public, then their revenues will increase throughout the years as the projected income statement as following. Projected financial statementsProjected The Hershey company Statements of Income| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In thousands of dollars except| For the year ended December 31| 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | | | | | | | | | Net Sales| 5,132,768| 5,298,668| 5,671,009| 6,238,110| Costs and Expenses 😠 | | | | | | | | | | | | Cost of sales| | 3,375,050| 3,245,531| 3,255,801| 3,402,798| | | | | | | | Selling, marketing and administrative| 1,073,019| 1,208,672| 1,426,477| 1,511,119| | | | | | | | | Business realignment and | | 94,801| 82,875| 83,433| 90,080| | impairment charges, net| | | | | | | | | | Total costs and expenses| 4,542,870| 4,537,078| 4,765,711| 5,003,997| | | | | | | | | | Income before Interest and Income Taxes| 589,898| 761,590| 905,298| 1,234,113| | Interest expenses, net| | 97,876| 90,459| 96,434| 111,070| | | | | | | | | | Income before Income Taxes| | 492,022| 671,131| 808,864| 1,123,043| | Provision for income taxes| | 180,617| 235,137| 299,065| 393,065| | | | | | | | | | Net Income| 311,405| 435,994| 509,799| 729,978| Projected The He rshey Company's Balance Sheet| | | | | | | | | | all numbers in thousands)| | Period Ending| 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | | | | | | | | | | Total Asset| | | 3,634,719| 3,675,031| 4,272,732| 4,913,642| Short term debt| | | 501,504| 39,313| 285,480| 157,014| Long term debt| | | 1,505,945| 1,502,730| 1,541,825| 1,418,479| Stockholders' Equity| | | 318,199| 760,339| 937,601| 1,021,985| M. Evaluation of the recommendations based on Islamic perspective Islamic perspective As we know, Hershey produces good quality of chocolate and Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark chocolate.These benefits are from flavonoids , which act as antioxidants. Moreover, the other benefit that we are able to gain from chocolate such as Lower Blood Pressure, Lower Cholesterol, endorphin production and so on. Allah orders us to consume good thing and try to avoid the meal that it will damage our bodies. As Allah said: Messengers! eat of the good thing s and do good; surely i know what you do Chapter: 23 , Verse: 51 eat of the lawful and good things with which allah has provided you and be thankful for the favors of allah if it is he you worship Chapter: 16 , Verse: 114 Moreover, Hershey produce halal product to consumer. The ingredients that are utilized to produce chocolate are not the ingredient that Allah forbidden as said in Quran. He has only forbidden you what dies of itself and blood and flesh of swine and that over which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then surely Allah is forgiving, merciful Chapter: 16 , Verse: 115 Hershey also has policy to maintain and concern about environment. It was one of the companies who are in World cocoa Foundation which support environmental project. This project includes non-chemical pest management practice and encourage sustainable farming practice to support ecosy stem in the region.Allah does not love people who harm environment as said in Quran ? â€Å"Seek not mischief in the land, for Allah loves not those who do mischief. † (Quran 28:77) According to scientists and philosophers, man is considered as the major factor in disturbing the natural balance of the universe. Man interferes intentionally or unintentionally in the earth's ecosystems by impairing its perfect order and precise sequence. However, it seems that man has cut off his nose to spite his face and he now is the victim. Grave dangers are anifested in pollution of the air, water, soil, outer space and others, as well as the irrational exploitation of the environment's resources, and inconsistent distribution of human settlements. All these factors have lead to different problems, all of which are marked by a disturbance to the earth's natural balance. If companies or industries exploit or use up natural materials and environment, all damage will revert back to them. As promised Quran. Mischief has appeared on the land and sea, because of (the need) that the hands of man have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from evil). †Ã‚  (Quran 30:41) REFFERENCES About Hershey. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://www. thehersheycompany. com/about-hershey. aspx â€Å"Chocolate is good for you. † Chocolate Trading Co. July 13th, 2005 November 1st, 2007. Financial Report. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://www. thehersheycompany. com/ investors/financial-reports. aspx. Fred R. David, â€Å"Strategic Management: Concept and Cases, Hershey Company—2009† 13th Edn.Page 111-119. Pearson Education, 2011 Halal and Haram Foods according to Quran. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://www. parsquran. com/eng/subject/halal. htm Karem S. Ghoneim (Prof. ), Quran Recitations : The Quran and the Environment . Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://www. whyquran. co m/877/content/blogsection/0/98/9/18/ Mark Stibich, Health Benefits of  Chocolate. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: http://longevity. about. com/od/lifelongnutrition/p/chocolate. htm Organization’s key Competitors. Retrieved on 02/02/12. From: www. foodproductiondaily-usa. com |