Cloud Computing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Cloud Computing - Essay Example The flipside of the application lies in its precarious state of security. Being accessible to a number of users and within any locality, cloud computing is highly insecure and the fear of interception, loss or unauthorized access of data exists. A SWOT analysis reveals the advantages that cloud computing offers to institutions and businesses organizations keen in embracing convenient and fast methods of data storage and accessibility while at the same time showing the mundane flaws involved. Chief among the strengths of cloud computing is the ability to integrate a number of applications into one system and offer the user a single product able to offer various services. This could be equated to an omnibus that carries various passengers and conveniently drops each one at his destination. The technology substantially reduces the costs incurred in investment. While the technology demands that the university pay close to seven thousand dollars, the other option of self investment would cost universities about three hundred thousand dollars. Other strengths are the mobility which essentially allows access of the data from any locality and the expanded memory capacity as its RAM is larger. This boils down to the availability of more space for institutions to store their ever increasing data (Beard). Cloud computing comes with inherent weaknesses. Ideally, any organization that decides to adopt cloud computing technology must inevitably adjust their models. A business organization for instance must adjust the business model in tandem with the cloud computing technology. This is synonymous to an overhaul and could be expensive especially for large organizations which already have established cultures. The biggest weakness in cloud computing, however, lies in the security of the technology. The technology being an amalgamation of various institutional applications in a remote

History of Psychological Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History of Psychological Assessment - Essay Example However, certain quarters harbored a dissenting view and maintained that intelligence was a fixed property, the implication lending credence to the notion that a nation with superior intelligence could be segmented and developed with specific testing techniques. Robert Yerkes was one of those convinced that with intelligence being a measurable constant, intelligence tests could be executed and quantified like an exact science. It is to be recalled that during this period psychology was considered to be a mere pseudoscience, and Yerkes was determined to find a way in which he could bring credibility to his craft. He wanted to have psychology recognized as 'hard' science and believed that using a 'scientific' approach to mental testing looked like a promising route to achieve this. (Gould, 1982) He was under the impression that rigorous, statistic-based tests would uplift the overall image of psychology within the scientific community. The advent of the First World War gave him the perfect opportunity to showcase the "hard" techniques of mental testing, and thus present to everyone that psychology was indeed a creditable science. In 1917, Yerkes was the president of the American Psychology Association, and under their auspices he spearheaded what was to become one of the biggest intelligence tests in history. Faced with the daunting task of gauging the capabilities of more than 1.75 million new recruits, the United States Army handed over the reins to Yerkes and his team from the APA. He devised three types of tests for the recruits. The first was an alpha test, which was a written exam for those who were literate. According to Sticht & Armstrong (2003), it had eight parts, including analogies, filling in the missing number, and unscrambling a sentence. The beta test was a seven-part pictorial test for those who were illiterate. Test components included a picture completion test, and numbering tasks among others. The third test was an individual examination, and this was administered to those who had failed the beta It is pertinent to note that the Alpha and Beta tests could be applicable to big groups, and in most cases took no more than an hour. In analyzing his findings, Yerkes insisted that the tests administered were an accurate barometer of what he had termed "native intellectual ability", or innate intelligence that was unaffected by culture and educational opportunities (Gould, 1982) The tests would go on to generate a significant amount of interest in the country, and with that Yerkes had achieved his long-standing goal of making psychology a credible, "hard" science. In retrospect, the beta and alpha tests promulgated by Yerkes were inherently flawed in so many aspects. Its findings reflected that the average mental age of a white American adult was 13, which if equated in contemporary terms would make them the equivalent of a semi-retarded person. The average mental age of a black American adult was 10, and the scores of immigrants were comparably low. The hypothesis here being, the darker the skin of the person, the less "intelligent" he would be. These findings and the methodologies implemented are now found to be both ethically and scientifically wanting. While it had been

Critical Review E Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critical Review E - Essay Example McDonough and partners’ conceptual project of rooftop gardening in China (2005) demonstrates how congestion entails the need for new buildings that cater to sustainable communities. See Figure 1. The project fits Manhattan urbanism because of its megalomania, but it also challenges the latter because it seeks to address and reduce the culture of congestion through a program that tackles spaces and actions. The project illustrates megalomania because of its localization of a â€Å"world totally fabricated by man† (Koolhaus, 325). Rooftop gardening is a localization of agriculturalism, through the conversion of a dimension of urban space to a local rural one. Though the project aims to improve the building’s sustainability, it remains as an evidence of the negative effects of the culture of congestion: an Urbanism that has created the loss of spaces dedicated to agricultural industries. The project is a garden, but it also depicts Urbanism through its features of human-made fabrication and integration into a congested culture. The same project, nevertheless, addresses and diminishes the culture of congestion through a program that tackles spaces and actions. It represents the programmatic function of architecture that Tschumi believes is its essential role. He argues that architecture must create places that â€Å"confront spaces and actions† (Tschumi 141). The project deals with urbanism through promoting an ecosystem in the megalomania, which combines social engagement (through its walkways) and sustainability. It confronts congestion through expressing its desire for ecological balance. The conceptual project of rooftop gardening in China reveals that Urbanism is experiencing a rupture, as it scrambles to invite back Nature into its form and function. It remains a megalomania that exhibits human-made fabrications of living systems, though it also confronts the culture of congestion by attempting to provide more agricultural spaces that attend to long-run

Interim Financial Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Interim Financial Reporting - Essay Example The fundamental goal of interim financial reporting is to present regular and timely evaluations of a business’s performance. There are certain intrinsic limitations of interim reporting. Owing to the shortened time periods involved, inaccuracies in assessment and allocation are amplified. The consequences of seasonal fluctuations, as well as momentary market circumstances, further limit the dependability, comparability and extrapolative significance of interim reports (Motiwalla, 2003). IAS 34 & Interim Financial Reporting The IFRS had formulated several accounting standards that are supposed to be observed by business organizations while preparing their accounting reports. The accounting standard IAS 34 delineates the requirements for the preparation of interim financial reports. IAS 34 is applicable when a business organisation chooses to issue an interim financial report that is compliant with the IFRSs. ... his standard also recommends codes for recognition and measurement in the preparation of comprehensive or abridged financial statements for a provisional time period. Apt and consistent interim financial reporting enhances the ability of creditors, investors and other financial report users to recognise an organisation’s financial situation and liquidity, as well as its competence to generate income and cash flow (European Commission, 2011, pp. 1-3). IAS 34 does not provide any directive as to what kinds of organisations are supposed to issue interim financial reports, how frequent issuance should be, or after what period following the completion of an interim phase an issuance should be made. Nevertheless, often all across the world, organisations whose shares are listed on exchanges and traded in markets have been required by governments and other authorities, such as securities regulators and stock exchanges, to issue interim financial reports. The International Accounting Standards Board, and later on the International Accounting Standards Committee, has repeatedly persuaded publicly listed organisations to issue interim financial reports. These interim reports are supposed to be compliant with the codes of recognition, disclosure and measurement, as defined in the IAS 34 (Deloitte, 2006, pp. 4-6). Organisations listed on exchanges are particularly pressured to prepare and issue interim financial reports at the end of the first six months of the financial year, and are typically asked to issue their interim financial reports no more than 60 days after to the completion of the interim phase (European Commission, 2011, pp. 6-8). The annual or interim financial reports of organisations are assessed individually to check their compliance with the IFRSs. If an

Under Armour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Under Armour - Essay Example The fact that Under Armour has fewer retail stores it means that it has fewer powerful buyers who can often dictate terms. In terms of competitive rivalry, the two companies do not pose a serious threat since Under Armour itself offers unique products. However, all the competitors have allocated a sizeable budget on research, meaning that they are likely to offer undifferentiated products and services that may reduce attractiveness of Under Armour. Under Armour doesn’t pose the threat of new entry since the other two corporations have the advantage of the economies of scale, and considering their budgetary allocations on marketing, Under Armour is less likely to capitalize on the threat of substitution. Under Armour has a major strength of manufacturing the most unique brand in the market. However, the weakness of fewer retail stores and the threat posed by other corporations like Nike and Adidas Group gives it a lesser advantage in the market. Broadening the company’s product offering to all athletes and increasing its sale, designing kits that can be worn under different weather conditions, marketing and product promotion (Thomson, 2012). All the three companies are engaged in sponsorships and endorsements for product promotion and marketing. They have also allocated sizeable amounts of resources on research and development of new products. On one hand, Under Armour has the advantage of its unique products in the market, and on the other hand, it has a disadvantage of unfavorable competition in terms of capital against the other two. He needs to address the issue of the growing number of individual items produced, uncertainties surrounding consumer demand that affects accurate projections of items to order (Thomson, 2012), and how to acquire the lion’s share of the market. Carrying out proper survey in

Wk5 Implementation, Strategic Controls, and Contingency Plans Essay

Wk5 Implementation, Strategic Controls, and Contingency Plans - Essay Example One of the noted weaknesses of Apple is its poor relationship with the market than Microsoft (Iftikhar, 2013). This means that for many years, Apple has the consensus of specifying its own standards, rather than the standards of customers. This could mean more of a production-centred management strategy of products, rather than market or customer-centred approach. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure that Apple will take seriously the necessity of ensuring the voices of the customers are constantly heard in its production setting. On the other hand, Iftikhar noted that the products of Apple have very short life cycle, implying that constant maintenance of the research and development department has to be initiated. This prevailing management system has to be changed for good. Thus, the research and development department has to be dynamic, but on the other side, should also be one of the most expensive departments at Apple. Thus, it is necessary to ensure huge capital for this reason. The management therefore, in order to ensure a sustainable competitive advantage should further double its effort in research and development, primarily for the associated expenses of its actual operation. This is to suggest that point that Apple should primarily put the context of adjusting its budget for research and development much more than what is has tried so far from the past until recently. In addition, Apple according to Iftikhar has very low presence in the advertisement. The marketing department should therefore try to improve its strategic approach in communicating its product offerings. This means that in order to ensure a sustainable growth for its offerings and retention in the market, Apple should ensure constant communication and a wide coverage of its message to its market. Finally, Iftikhar also pointed out that Apple has very small market occupation. This issue is one pertaining to organizational

Public Health and Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public Health and Safety - Essay Example These are just some cases where the public is left open to the hazards of the dangerous conditions of properties. In response to these alarming scenarios, UK had enacted several statutes to foster public health and safety. Already in place are UK's Torts Act 1977, laws on public nuisance, Public Health Act 1936, Defective Premises Act 1972, Fatal Accidents Act 1976, (Harpwood 2005,p.196-384) and the Occupiers Liability Act 1984. From the onset we must clarify that there is no contractual relationship between the owner of the property and the spouses . Since they came in to the premises uninvited , they must be deemed as trespassers as defined in the Occupiers Liability Act 1984 but the nagging question then is must the company be absolved from liability and the spouses be considered to have taken undue risk and must suffer for their own misfortune. Or must the company be liable for the damages done on the basis of 'res ipsa loquitor' principle on Torts as it cannot be denied that damages happened in its property and therefore there is an assumption of negligence and want of due care on its part. Thus, must the company be considered a tortfeasor which has the burden of proof of proving that it is not guilty of negligence in immediately fencing the condemned property after knowledge of possibility of causing harm to the public and that it exercised due standard of care. If it fails to prove both, must it answ er for damages incurred to the spouses on the basis of failing to qualify for the 'reasonable man test'(Bolton v Stone) and on grounds of nuisance. Lastly, whether spouses by trespassing in a property which has a warning sign that people will be entering at their own risk guilty of contributory negligence by which company can hide under the doctrine of limited liability and whether by such act the spouses must be assumed to have voluntarily exposed themselves to the risk and thus must be precluded from recovery for injuries they suffered therefrom under the principle of "volenti non fit injuria" (Barker 2002,p.181). 3 Statement of Relevant Laws The basic law that governs this case is the UK Torts Act 1977 specifically quasi-delict or culpa aquiliana which provides that where there is no preexisting contractual relationships between the parties, the party who by act or