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Assumptions made during production

The labour resource output is constant throughout the production process.

When calculating the cost we assume that the amount of work put in by the human resource is consistent with the projections.

That the workers never miss work during the project.

We assume that the workers are never faced by such challenges like sickness that would make them miss a day of work.

That workers work a standard 8 hours daily with no overtime.

We have not created a provision for working overtime or given any rates for calculating overtime wages.

That there is no labour turnover.

The process only uses the workforce present at the start of production up to the end. I.e. there is no exit or recruitment

That there is no other factor affecting production other than the size of the workforce.

That the production engineer will be involved in every step of production

ASSESSMENT A

6. Steps taken by production manager to reduce risk.

Risk is any incident that can happen in the place of work when least expected and usually results to losses or injury to workersCITATION Cro00 l 2057 (Michel & Galai, 2000). It is always prudent that the manager assess the working environment and identify the risks most likely to be faced. Risk management is the scientific approach involved with quantifying the probability of an event occurring and the effects of the occurrence CITATION Kra06 l 2057 (Andreas, 2006). Risk is an important part of every venture and no benefits would be gained by an entry does not take risks. Some practical approaches to alleviating the possibility of a risk happening and mitigation measures if and when a risk occurs are CITATION Kra06 l 2057 (Andreas, 2006);

Making sure all the workers use proper equipment and wear protective gear.

Making sure that the place of work has a strategic exit point in case a risk occurs e.g. fire.

Installing fire fighting equipment and making sure they are well maintained.

Properly securing the production plant to prevent the risk of theft.

Taking the relevant insurance cover to secure the assets.

This measures coupled by creating awareness amongst the workers, rehearsing evacuation and first aid drills would go a long way in ensuring safety in the workplace is guaranteed. The manager should employ risk management strategies most relevant to his company.

7. Reduction of the budget (cost cutting measures).

Budgeting is the process through which an entity formulates a plan to utilise his/her monetary resources by allocating them amongst the various tasks depending on a variety of factors CITATION Ban03 l 2057 (Alan & Gilberti, 2003). Many business enterprises due to market dynamics have been forced to look for cost cutting measures so as to increase the profitability of a firm and to maintain its competitiveness. The production manager can use a variety of approaches in order to cut on the cost. Such steps include;

Recruiting skilled interns- the manager could use the help of interns to supplement the effort of his current workforce. This would help reduce the time frame of the project and resolving of over allocation issues effectively cutting down on cost.

Automation of processes where possible- the production manager could advocate for the mechanization of some processes. This would help in increasing the effectiveness of the workers, reducing the time taken.

Outsourcing- outsourcing involves identifying non-core operations in a business and contracting them to an outside firm which has greater expertise in carrying out that operation at lower costs CITATION Gre99 l 2057 (Greaver & F, 1999). the project manager would recommend outsourcing some non-core production functions to specialists companies. This would essentially reduce the cost of production and ensure effective use of time.

Economies of scale- the manager could work on ways of increasing the output significantly so that the amount of profits earned supersedes the cost.

HR initiative- the manager would let each member participate in giving ideas and raising suggestions on ways in which the production process would be made more effective. Human resource forms an important part of every production process and HR initiative is one of the best methods of bringing out the best in the workers CITATION Noe06 l 2057 (Noe & Raymond, 2006).

These are some of the ways the manager would use in cost reduction.

8. Smooth running of the product development process.

The project manager’s most important responsibility is ensuring that the production goes on as planned. Some of the prudent steps the manager would take to make sure that all goes well during the whole process include;

Have a deep and detailed understanding of the production process- the manager should make sure he equips himself with all the requisite knowledge about the product.

Team work- the manager should make sure that all the processes are harmonised and that all workers are in sync. This would help in ensuring all the employees pull towards the same goal.

Setting objectives- the manager would set objectives which would act as a guideline and reference point during the whole process. Objectives are very important if a desired target is to be achieved.

Creating a schedule- time is one of the most important resources. A work schedule would ensure that time is properly used hence avoiding any delays during production.

Leading frequent team meetings- the manager should conduct regular meetings with his staff to get updates and to solve any challenges that have come up in the course of production.

Conducting random inspections- the manager should carry out random checks throughout the production period so as to keep the staff on their toes. In essence this would help reduce complacency amongst the workers.

Budgeting- a budget is an important tool in today’s business world. A manager should ensure that all production activities are carried out within the confines of the stipulated budget.

Motivating workers- the manager should keep on motivating the workers since they would be faced with numerous challenges all through the production period.

9. Project related supporting activities, plans, events or tasks that you might have overlooked

1. Conducting a consumer survey.

The company before undertaking to produce should have conducted an opinion poll to have the consumers say on the intended product. Consumers are one of the most important part of a firm’s success. Factors affecting the consumers demand for a product vary a lot. Nowadays market surveys is an important method of identifying the needs of the market and identifying market gaps to be exploited. The firm should have used the various statistical methods of collecting data from the masses then the data would be analysed. The results of the analysis would provide a clear picture on the market needs.

2. Assessing environmental impact.

The company should have formed a team to conduct a study on the environmental impacts that would result from production. An environment assessment report would help in deciding whether it was wise to go ahead with the planned production and would also help in devising proper ways of handling and dumping wastes after production

10. Ensuring product quality is maintained.

The quality of a product is what a company prides itself in. Faulty products have been associated with repair costs and at times cost of replacement. Many firms have been affected by this as faulty products affects the reputation of a producer. The two main methods used in ensuring the product is of the right quality are;

Quality assurance- it involves checking the product at every stage of production. As the product passes through different departments it is checked to ensure that it is of the right quality. At times tests are carried out to help out in gauging the quality. Usually samples are picked during production and in some big companies the quality is checked in computerised systems reducing the possibility of having a product. It ensures that the right raw material is used during production and that each product is produced within a specified time. Maintenance of equipment is an important part in ensuring quality is maintained.

Quality control- it’s conducted by quality control inspectors. The inspectors set the threshold in which the products should reach. Quality control is quite an old fashioned method of guaranteeing quality. Raw materials are sampled and analysed and if they are of the required quality production is allowed to start. During production samples of the unfinished product are collected and tested. This helps in ensuring the production process is devoid of ant defects. Once production is complete the products are again checked before being dispatched to the consumers. However, this practise is quite expensive and wasteful thus many companies have embraced quality assurance rather that quality control.

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY Alan, B., & Gilberti, J. (2003). Budgeting. McGraw Hill.

Andreas, K. (2006). Risk Management. Emerald Group Pub.

Greaver, & F, M. (1999). Strategic outsourcing a structured approach to outsourcing decisions and initiative. AMACOM.

Michel, C., & Galai, D. (2000). Risk Management. McGraw Hil.

Noe, & Raymond. (2006). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. (5th Edition ed.). McGraw Hill.

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Homeschooling

IntroductionIn 2012, more than three million students around the world were home-schooled, and the number continues to increase at a rapid rate even to this day. In just a ten-year time span from 2002 to 2012, there was eighty-three percent increase of homeschooled children around the world with United States scoring more than ¼ of the number (Kunzman 20). This information or data corresponds with the rise of Americans who think that parents ought to have the right to home-school their children. The rate of homeschooling moved from fifty percent in 2002 to eighty percent in 2012 (Ray 30). Despite the fact that critics state that many parents do not have teaching requirements or credentials and lack of socialization from the home schooled students can lead to poor social skills and isolation. In addition, other scholars have noted that there are many positive effects for students to consider home schooling as compared to the negative effects.Homeschooling is the best option of student’s education since it allows them to have one on one tutoring; the ability to choose the curriculum that fits well with the family customs and beliefs as well a more flexible schedule, and student’s natural ability are some of the advantages of home schooling (Taylor-Hough 11). Home- schooling; which is a type of education that takes place at home has been a contentious choice for education hence opposed by many people and professionals in the past since the early 19th century as it was prohibited in most countries or states up to 1990. Before, then attending public school was the only choice of education because attending public school was compulsory up to 1990.Despite the controversy surrounding home- schooling because of lack of teacher qualification for parents as well as the lack of socialization, homeschooling is a viable option for education since students can have an outstanding education at home and for several other reasons, one of which is the chance to offer students one on one tutoring. Parents have the chance of giving his/her child 100 percent attention whereas a public school teacher must supervise more than 40 children (Taylor-Hough 13). By using one on one method of schooling, students have a chance of asking the parents a question and receive and immediate answer as compared to classroom education whereby the students has to wait for the teacher to have time for questions. Home schooling allows a student to get stronger and well-rounded accessibility and learn at a faster pace as compared to classroom education. As a result, home-schooled students have higher national tests scores and grades. For example, standardized testing in the United States and United Arab emirates as well as the United Kingdom have shown that home-schooled children or students have scored higher than the average students in their countries. Home-schooled children score approximately 1.8 points higher in the ACT and 69 points higher on the SAT.Home schooling permits students to have a more flexible schedule for the homework as compared to students who attend private or public schools which must be in school for more than seven hours a day. If students are faced with inflexible or tough schedules due to disability, illness and sports or even due to family lifestyles, the students may not have the chance to attend on schooling days a week hence causing education disruptions that lead to lower or poor grades in the future. In addition, a student may be limited to studying at the same pace of an average school; brilliant student may feel like he/she is held back while a struggling student may feel pushed or rushed (Kunzman 22). With the availability of homeschooling a brilliant or sharp student can ease or quicken his/her pace and choose or select a challenging curriculum that is not offered at public schools; a student struggling can work at his/her own pace to understand the curriculum fully. In addition, home-schooled students have the option of choosing the number of classes to take at a go; they may opt to choose one subject at a time or even six or seven classes at a time. This kind of flexibility permits home-schooled students to strengthen their education by allowing them to choose how to study for their personal benefits.However, several critics have noted that many parents or guardians lack the required qualifications to tutor their kids complex subjects such as mathematics and physics. It is true that many parents are not able to teach their children difficult subjects because there are not experts in them. Students and parents can choose a correspondence or online courses if they pose excellent computer skills in addition to writing and reading skills, where they can get full attention to a tutor (Kunzman 21). This is a challenge to many home-schooled students who have limited access to internet and computer. In addition, such students are disadvantaged due to low-internet speeds. On tutoring also depends on the availability of the tutor. For example, in a case that the tutor is sick or attending family responsibilities he/she may not be able to teach the home-schooling student.The other negative side of homeschooling is the lack of socialization that can lead to inability to work with others in the future and anti-social personality. Even with the best home-schooling education, you cannot add the social part (Ray 33). Scholars have noted that since home-schooled students do not go out of their houses for school, they may be faced with social problems when they get jobs. However, what critics have not realized is that home-schooled students have a chance of socializing in various other ways including part-time jobs, church activities, and via sports.ConclusionDespite all the advantages of home schooling, parents or guardians should understand that homeschooling is not the only available option for education. Private and public schools are the other possibilities for students who are seeking best education. However, students and parents should comprehend the best alternatives since each option has it positive and negative sides. Home schooling allows students to study at their own speed and to have suppleness with their academic schedules. Parents are also given chance to help their kids with their education. Socialization may be hard to incorporate in a public school education, but it is easy to add into homeschooler’s schedule. Public schools are the best choice of education to many, but one should understand that there are other choices for education. Ultimately, homeschoolers have higher test grades and scores and have a chance to use one on one tutoring. Parents and students should ensure they use the best option since twelve grades where a child is in school is the most significant time for education growth.

Works cited

Kunzman, Robert. “Homeschooling and religious fundamentalism.” International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education 3.1 (2010): 17-28.

Ray, Brian D. “2.04 million homeschool students in the United States in 2010.” National Home Education Research Institute. Retrieved from nheri. org (2011).

Taylor-Hough, Deborah. “Are All Homeschooling Methods Created Equal?.” Online Submission (2010).

Article Summary

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In this article, Finlayson (2014) focused on depicting how political speeches are an integral outcome of societal constructs associated with the aesthetic, institutional, and technological organization and arrangement of communication. The purpose of the article was to provide justifications for the significance and value of political rhetoric in political speeches, particularly in the British context. Finlayson attained this purpose by taking an analytical approach that focused on the areas of political speeches in the past and present, the communicative regime, the virtues of political rhetoric, and the contemporary British rhetoric.

Finlayson (2014) presented several main points the first of which was that rhetoric as an art is essentially concerned with making political arguments and discourses persuasive amidst political contestation by connecting the audiences’ common sense. Here, the author believed that in political communication, rhetoric constitutes both a distinctive theory and practice of communicating persuasively while recognizing that noble and successful arguments in public life integrate and make sense of the propositions derived from the common sense of the people in one’s audience.

The second main point is that political speech in the past is not the same as in the present because public speaking in politics has evolved into a new political system in which the art of rhetoric is no longer appreciated as one of the most indispensable political arts. According to Finlayson (2014), public speaking is a fundamental aspect of politics, and so, preparing and delivering political speeches must reflect appropriate levels of rhetoric to ensure they are persuasive enough to the audiences. Arguing from the perceptive of speeches by Balfour and Cameron, the author held that using rhetoric in political speeches should stimulate audiences to be in immediate agreement or disdain with the speaker.

As regards the communicative regime, Finlayson (2014) argued that technology is at the core of the organization of political communication today. The author held that technology has significantly driven the means by which political communication is amplified, recorded, and disseminated to audiences. Besides this, technology has transformed the scale and cultural distance of political communication, together with its accessibility to audiences and creators and its durability.

On the virtues of political rhetoric, Finlayson (2014) argued that a rhetorical form of political communication must reflect three key features that include proving, pleasing, and persuading. The attainment of these characteristics requires the speaker to demonstrate prudence, wisdom, great judgment, and aptitude to deliver political speeches in a manner that befits the specific context. This makes the audience perceive such communication as truthful, meticulous, and necessarily attractive.

Finally, regarding the concept of rhetoric in Britain today, the author’s main point was a reiteration of the role of technology in political communication. Here, Finlayson (2014) sustained that technology has led to the creation of a new public communication regime characterized by noteworthy redundancy of classical rhetorical skills. For this reason, the author concludes by affirming that the contemporary British political rhetoric is not very good at attaining the three features of an effective rhetorical form of political communication, namely, proving, persuading, and pleasing.

References

Finlayson, A. (2014). Proving, pleasing and persuading? Rhetoric in contemporary British politics. The Political Quarterly, 85(4), 428-436.

Family Health Assessment

In assessing family health patterns, The Gordon’s 11 Functional Health Patterns Assessment proves to be a vital tool because of its ability to enhance caregiver’s understanding of the overall health of the family (Carole, et al, p. 53). In this paper, the focus will be only Thompson’s family consisting of a father age 42, mother age 36, and two teenage daughters (16 and 14 years respectively). The findings of this assessment relates to three of the open-ended questions with reference to the diverse patterns of the assessment tool.

According to the findings, the current health status of the family is not that bad. Their 16-year old child suffers from chest problem managed by adherence to specific regimen from the health provider. One of the health values promoted in the family from childhood is the need to seek medical check-up on a monthly basis unless in cases of emergency. In order to improve their health, every member of the family pays maximum attention on what they consume, engage in daily exercise activities, and adheres to the routine checkups at the family’s health provider (Keeling & Catherine, p. 27).

As a mechanism towards enhancing the family health, the family notes that their daily diet must incorporate carbohydrates, protein, minerals, and vitamins. For instance, on a meal occasion, the family might feed on cereals, milk, and fruits in the course of the day with the aim of improving their health conditions. The assessment also revealed that the family members focus on avoiding too much fat and cholesterol in their meal compositions. In addition, they tend to feed on fruits and salad. According to the father, body weight is a critical issue and every member of the family must monitor his or her weight after every two weeks. This led to a consistent body weight among the family members in the course of last year.

According to the assessment, the family value sleep or rest. Every member of the family goes to bed by nine to ensure that they have approximately 8 hours of rest after every dreadful encounter during the day. The family notes that there are rare cases in which one would not be able to sleep. In such cases, they just lie on bed and let the toll takes its course with exception to illness or health problem requiring medical attention during the night. Prior to bed, the family converges in the leaving as a show of togetherness and prays before departing to their sleeping rooms.

Every member of the family has diverse elimination patterns. For instance, the head of the house (father) has a regular pattern of elimination, which tends to occur very early in the morning before going to work. Other members have irregular elimination patterns. In addition, the family tends to add more fiber to its diet through consumption of fruits and vegetables with the aim of dealing with constipation. In most cases, the family drinks plenty of water and other natural fluids. This is to prevent dehydration and aspects of constipation.

The family a weekly pattern of exercise or activity in attempts to enhance health conditions of the members. This is through engaging in weekly road trips covering about four kilometers. In addition, the girls engage in netball team sports in their respective school to keep fit. As a family, the members participate in family tag-games on a weekly basis playing handball and basketball games. The father has a degree in business administration while the mother has a degree in psychology. The girls are pursuing their high school education. They complain about having some difficulties in handling mathematic problems. In the last week, the 16-year old did vectors concept while the 14-year old could not recall what she did in the course of last week.

Every member of the family has different leisure activity. For instance, the girls prefer to spend their leisure time visiting friend rather than being with the family. On the other hand, their parents spend their leisure time at various joints for dinners. There is no any sensory deficit within the family aided by the quality nutrition for the family. The family views each other as a close friend. They feel like they are there for each other in the time or moment of need. Emotions and moods might vary, but in the end, they feel like one family joined by love and respect for each other. Each family member seeks to portray quality image of the family thus mirroring the perception of the family and each other within the society.

The most important relations within the family include how they feel about each other and how they treat one another. This defines respectful relationship among each family member. According to the girls, their role model is their mother. On the other hand, family role models include Hillary Clinton and Martin Luther. According to the family, there is no problem in relation to reproductive system. The parents are satisfied with the sexuality of the family. Each parent had an objective of having three children. This indicates that they are still in the process of searching for the third child. In order to cope with problems, the family adopts a transparent approach in discussing the issue on a family platform. These mechanisms are effective towards the achievement of the goals and objectives. Finally, no member in the family member has ever suffered from emotional distress.

In relation to these findings, I would recommend two critical wellness nursing diagnoses. These include health-seeking behaviors and effective therapeutic regimen management (James et al, p. 1521). These approaches will ensure that the family maintains its health conditions as well as improve and monitor the condition of the sick child suffering from chest pain.

Open-ended Questions

Values/Health Perception

How would you describe your current health?

What health values are important from your childhood?

What family mechanisms do you engage in to improve your health?

Nutrition

Can you describe the composition of family’s daily diet?

What kinds of foods do you like or avoid and why?

Are in a position to describe your weight patter in the course of the last year?

Sleep/Rest

What are your sleep habits?

In case you cannot sleep, what do you?

What steps do you take in your preparation to bed?

Elimination

What can you tell me about your elimination patterns?

In this family, what do you do in case of constipation?

What fluids do you drink daily?

Activity/Exercise

How do you describe your weekly pattern in relation to activity and exercise?

What kind of team sports do you engage in?

What activities do you participate in as a family?

Cognitive

What level of education have you completed?

What can you tell me about school encounter? Was it easy or you had some difficulties with any subject?

What did you do in the course of last week?

Sensory-Perception

What do you do for leisure?

Would you describe your ability to exercise?

As a family, do you have any sensory deficits? Are they corrected?

Self-Perception

How do you feel about each other?

What are your emotions and moods?

Can you describe how you view yourselves and each other within the family?

Role Relationship

What relations are important to you as a family?

How would you describe family members’ relationship with each other?

Who are their role models?

Sexuality

Do you have any problem in relation to reproductive system?

Would you term your sexuality as satisfactory?

How have your plans achieved with reference to having children?

Coping

How does this family cope with problems?

Are these actions effective or ineffective?

Has any member of the family had any treatment on mental stress or emotional distress?

Works Cited

Weaver III, James B., et al. “Health Information–Seeking Behaviors, Health Indicators, and Health Risks.” American Journal of Public Health 100.8 (2010): 1520-1525.

Keeling, Joanne L., and Catherine McQuarrie. “Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Practice.” Mental Health Practice 17.5 (2014): 26-28.

Nettle, Carole, et al. “Family as Client: Using Gordon’s Health Pattern Typology.” Journal Of Community Health Nursing 10.1 (1993): 53.

Stereotypes

A stereotype refers to a fixed as well as over-generalized belief in relation to a particular class or group of individuals. It relates to a thought developed concerning how a group of people execute things in certain ways within the society. Some of the stereotypes make us feel worse about them. There are various stereotypes against the black community or African Americans with reference to ‘acting white’. In most cases, these stereotypes are not accurate or exact. Some of these stereotypes indicate that the members of the black community are trying to meet various expectations of the white beliefs and culture thus, making such individuals to turn their backs to their own culture. In this essay, the focus will be on examination of key stereotypes concerning black people ‘acting white’.

Black community or members of the African American community have specific ways of acting in accordance with their culture. Any deviation from these behavior traits indicates that they are turning their back against their own culture and beliefs. There is a stereotype relating to how black people dress within the society. For instance, African Americans have the tendency of dressing in Fubu clothes and baggie jeans. In most cases, they dress in extra-large t-shirts with diverse decorations. Any deviation from this trend is an illustration of acting against the culture. In case black people dress in fitting clothes, they are termed as ‘acting white’ (Bergin & Cooks, 2002). Only white people have the tendency of dressing smartly in fitting clothes. This stereotype is mostly in accurate because it does not reveal the reality on the mode of dressing. African Americans might just decide to appear smart through their mode of dressing.

In addition, African Americans have specific taste for music. In the United States, the most critical hip-hip, rap, and R&B. Deviation from this musical taste and preference would translate to ‘acting white’. African Americans have the tendency of listening to more of Nelly, DMX, and other popular rap music. Moreover, members of the black community in the United States refer to each other using the ‘n’ word. This is an illustration of a sense of belonging to a certain culture and belief (Stinson, 2011). African Americans who fail to use the ‘n’ word while referring to one another within the society are ‘acting white’. This is a demonstration of a stereotype identifying how events unfold within the society.

African Americans have the tendency of attending underprivileged schools because of insufficiency in the financial resources. The essence of being ‘from the ghetto’ as well as fighting ‘the struggle’ is ideal for the black community (Neal-Barnett et al, 2010). Most of the African Americans who attend fancy learning institutions are ‘acting white’. This is because fancy living style is associated with the white culture and beliefs. Another unfounded allegation on the culture against the black community relates the commitment of the kids to their studies. For instance, being good at math and poor at basketball do not relate to the culture of the African Americans. This stereotype illustrate the fact that such students or kids are ‘acting white’ while shunning the culture of the black community (Sohn, 2011). The essence is also evident in the job field. African Americans believe that high paying jobs or white collar jobs do not symbolize being black. They believe that they are not meant for such jobs hence prefer to live in the ‘ghettos’ while struggling to make the ends meet. When some African Americans work hard in their education to pursue such careers, they are deemed to be ‘acting white’ (Ruebeck et al, 2009). From these illustrations, it is vital to note that most of these stereotypes are not accurate.

References

Sohn, K. (2011). Acting White: A Critical Review. Urban Review, 43(2), 217-234.

Neal-Barnett, A., Stadulis, R., Singer, N., Murray, M., & Demmings, J. (2010). Assessing the Effects of Experiencing the Acting White Accusation. Urban Review, 42(2), 102-122.

Stinson, D. (2011). When the ‘Burden of Acting White’ is Not a Burden: School Success and African American Male Students. Urban Review, 43(1), 43-65.

Bergin, D. A., & Cooks, H. C. (2002). High School Students of Color Talk About Accusations of “Acting White”. Urban Review, 34(2), 113.

Ruebeck, C. S., Averett, S. L., & Bodenhorn, H. N. (2009). Acting White or Acting Black: Mixed-Race Adolescents’ Identity and Behavior. B.E. Journal Of Economic Analysis & Policy: Contributions To Economic Analysis & Policy, 9(1), 1-42.

LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL BY MARTIN LUTHER KING

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Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King Jr, who served as a minister and an activist of civil rights, wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail in April 1963, while he was still in prison. He had been arrested for civil disobedience after engaging in a peaceful protest against segregation which was prevalent in Birmingham city. The letter addresses the racial segregation and all the injustices that the black community in the US was facing. The letter was in response to the criticism which had been addressed to King by eight clergymen who considered King’s and his fellow activists’ actions as unwise and untimely. King addressed the concerns of the clergymen about his action using a formal tone. The primary audience of King’s letter were the clergymen and other white moderates who were against the black community movement. This essay provides a comprehensive discussion of what was included in King’s Letter provides the author’s key arguments and personal thoughts about the letter.

There are three main issues presented in the letter. Firstly, King addressed the clergymen’s concern that it was not his place as outside to interfere with Birmingham city. Explaining why he was in Birmingham; King gave three reasons why it was appropriate for him to engage actively in Birmingham’s civil rights despite him not being a permanent resident. He first explained that he was the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which operated in all Southern states. He further stated that his organization was sharing staff, financial and educational resources with its affiliates, and a few months ago, the affiliates in Birmingham had requested them to engage in a nonviolent protest, which they agreed to. Therefore, he was in Birmingham because he had organizational ties there. Secondly, he stated that he was in Birmingham because of the injustice there. He explained that he was in Birmingham to seek freedom for all and respond to the call of aid. Lastly, King claimed that he was in Birmingham to deal with injustices since injustices in Birmingham were a threat to justice everywhere.

Secondly, King addressed why Birmingham needed to demonstrate. He claimed that the black community had no alternative but to demonstrate since the need for justice in the city was urgent. According to King, the main reason for the demonstrations were that Birmingham was the most segregated city in the US, with high records of brutality among the black community, blacks being treated unjustly in courts, and the existence of many unresolved cases of the Blacks’ homes and churches in Birmingham, which the political leaders had refused to negotiate. King explained that he and his organization had acted responsibly and adhered to the four basic steps to be followed during a nonviolent campaign. The first step entails gathering facts. King explained that he, together with his group, had reviewed and confirmed the existence of segregation in Birmingham. The step is negotiation. Birmingham and his team had negotiated with the leaders of the economic community in Birmingham, and several promises were made. However, these promises were never fulfilled. The third step is self-purification. King and his team had conducted inner reflections and workshops of non-Violence. The fourth action is direct action, the nonviolent protest that King had been arrested for taking part in.

Lastly, King expressed his intentions during the peaceful protests in the letter. The main aim of their direct action was to establish a scenario that would inevitably open doors for negotiations. King further went ahead to address the critics from each of the clergymen. He addressed the critics in the letter why the action was untimely. Addressing this critic, he explained that the city had waited for over 340 years for their God-given and constitutional rights, and it was now time to act. He also addressed the clergy’s concern that he and his team were willing to break the law. He stated that he would be on the frontline, urging people to obey the just laws. However, he would openly advocate obeying unjust laws. Laws in Birmingham were unfair, and King would not advocate for them to be obeyed. He also explained that he had been greatly disappointed by the white moderates who preferred a negative peace that involves a lack of tension to positive peace characterized by justice. He also argued that White moderates were more devoted to order than justice. King also addressed the criticism that although their actions were peaceful, they precipitated the violence. He compared such thoughts with condemning a man who has been robbed because his custody of money hastened the act of bribery, which he considered illogical. Additionally, King addressed the clergymen’s concern that the direct action in Birmingham as extreme. He expressed great disappointment that his fellow clergymen would consider his nonviolent efforts as those of extremists. In his defense, he stated that oppressed individuals would not be oppressed forever, and their desire for freedom had to be attended to. He further insisted that it was better for his actions to be considered extreme for the cause of justice than standing by and watching injustices to continue. King also refutes the clergymen’s claim that laws of segregation should be fought in courts and not in the street. Supporting his argument King explained that only through direct action could push the white majority to confront the racism issue and engage in a true dialogue. King addressed all the concerns of the clergyman in a detailed manner and explained the reasons behind the direct action.

In my opinion, King utilized his letter to address the concerns of the clergymen and make his judgment. Additionally, although King was mainly addressing the clergymen’s criticisms, he was also reaching out to the whole nation to stop racial injustice by successfully showing how injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere. Furthermore, using pathos, ethos, and logos made his speech more effective. The use of biblical allusions also allowed King to develop analogies concerning the biblical figures, justify the peaceful protests, and solidify his arguments. Finally, the fact that King closes the letter using a hopeful note indicates that the Black community will attain the equality and freedom are fighting for.

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2nd Corinthians 12:7-10

Introduction

The bible passage from 2nd Corinthians 12:7-10 written by the Apostle Paul is titled ‘The Thorn in the Flesh.’ Paul wrote the second book of Corinthians to the church in Corinth, giving them advice on various matters concerning their faith and Christian life. To reinforce his message, Paul used his own life as an example. The purpose of this paper is to compare the passage based on three different versions of the bible: the New International Version, the New King James Version and the Common English Bible. Additionally, the paper will interpret the meaning of the passage, and its application to Christian life.

Investigation

Literary Questions

The bible passage is part of Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth to encourage them in their journey of faith and Christianity. In the letter, Paul addresses the Church directly using the first person, using his own experiences. He explains that God sent him a ‘thorn in the flesh’ lest he begin to trust in himself and become proud.

The passage fits in quite well with the verses that come before and after it. Verse 6 of the New International Version states that “Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say….” This gives a background as to some of the reasons that may lead Paul to conceit (Barrier 4). God had revealed so much to Paul, such that he could afford to boast about his revelations. Verse 7 then goes on to explain how God also sent Paul some challenges to keep him dependent on God and keep him from pride. Verse 11 that comes after the passage explains that Paul’s trails did not make him any less inferior to other apostles.

Grammatical Questions

There are some differences in the wording of the passage in the three translations, and these may affect the interpretation of the passage. Verse 10 in the three translations uses some different words:

I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties (NIV)

I’m all right with weaknesses, insults, disasters, harassments, and stressful situations (CEB)

I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses (NKJV) (Biblegateway)

The New King James and New International Versions each state that Paul delighted and took pleasure in his challenges, while the Common English Bible uses a different phrase, ‘I’m all right.’ This shows that Paul merely endured his suffering, while the other two say that he was happy to suffer.

The wording of the different problems that Paul went through is also different, and this might make a person interpret them more lightly in one version as compared to the others.

The structure of the passage varies in the three translations, mainly in the words used as explained. However, the three passages retain the same words in speaking about God’s grace being sufficient through suffering, and also when Paul says that how weakness is what makes him strong.

Historical Questions

The historical background of the passage is that it was written after Paul had visited the Church in Corinth, and had his authority challenged. The members if the Corinthian church even went as ass far as to insult him, and Paul wrote to them to express his disappointment. However, in the latter parts of the letter, he speaks of his joy upon learning that the Corinthians had repented, and that he culprits had been identified. Paul’s letter to the Church at Corinth carried the message that even in the face of persecution, he rejoiced because God’s grace remained sufficient through all difficulties.

Verse 10 of the passage is based on the background of the history of the writing. Paul speaks of weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties. Before Paul converted into Christianity, he had been one of the biggest persecutors of the Christian Church. However, after God appeared to him, Paul become one of the strongest apostles and for this reason, God revealed many things to him (Schellenberg 518). Some people felt that Paul had too much authority, and this is why he was insulted by the Corinthian church. Aside from the Corinthian Church, he had also faced a lot of persecution from different quarters, for example he had been thrown into jail, stoned, beaten and endured other sufferings. These kinds of challenges are what Paul refers to in Verse 10. All of these challenges are from the ‘messenger of Satan’ as Paul states.

Theological Questions

The main message of 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 is that God’s grace is sufficient for Christians no matter how great their suffering might be. In addition to many persecutions from enemies of the Church, Paul was also insulted and challenged by fellow Christians. Paul was trying to tell his critics and persecutors that even in the face of attacks, he remained steadfast in his faith. He asserted that times of weakness led Christians to rely even more on God, therefore making them stronger (Moss 321).

I find several important principles in the passage. The first is warning against pride when one feels God’s favor upon their lives. The passage tells us about God’s grace that is sufficient for His people even in their darkest hour. The passage also teaches Christians that suffering and difficulties are inevitable part of their Christian journey, and the best thing they can do is to count on God’s grace that is especially manifested in times of weakness. The passage also warns the Church against causing the suffering of fellow members and church leaders. The church should respect its leadership because they have been ordained by God. The church of Corinth felt that Paul had too much authority.

Paul asks God to take his trials away three times, but God failed to do so. This is another sign that Christians should accept God’s will in their lives, even when it is not what they want. Christians must have absolute confidence of God especially in times of problems.

Application

The bible passage from Corinthians is one that I have learnt a lot from. Paul was one of the greatest Apostles, yet his experiences are applicable to the daily life of a Christian. First, Paul fought against pride, something that all Christians must strive to avoid. Paul says that God sent him a thorn in the flesh, to keep him from conceit. Most of the time, Christians begin to get conceited, thinking that God favors them more than others (Ellington 331). This passage has helped me to understand that guarding against pride is a fundamental principle of faith. Another important point I learned from the passage is that sometimes, Christians do not get what they want from God; rather we should trust God to do His will in our lives. Temptations and challenges come to us so that God can give us His strength in our times of weakness. God’s grace is sufficient in all seasons of our lives, but even more so when we experience difficulties from quarters we do not expect. The lessons from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians apply to every Christian even today.

Works Cited

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “The Thorn in the Flesh” Biblegateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+12%3A7-10&version=NKJVBarrier, Jeremy. “Visions of Weakness: Apocalyptic Genre and the Identification of Paul’s Opponents in 2 Corinthians 12: 1-6.” Restoration Quarterly 47.1 (2005): 4.

Ellington, Dustin W. “Not Applicable to Believers? The Aims and Basis of Paul’s” I” in 2 Corinthians 10—13.” Journal of Biblical Literature 131.2 (2012): 325-340.

Moss, Candida R. “Christly possession and weakened bodies: Reconsideration of the function of Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12: 7–10).” Journal of Religion, Disability & Health 16.4 (2012): 319-333.

Schellenberg, Ryan S. “Paul, Samson Occom, and the Constraints of Boasting: A Comparative Rereading of 2 Corinthians 10–13.” Harvard Theological Review 109.4 (2016): 512-535.

Impact of Technology on an Organization

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In adapting to new technology, universities face many challenges. This is in terms of systems for performance evaluation, compensation systems and decision rights. Problems usually arise when people have to adapt to changes. Information has to be communicated as well as processed. Everyone in the university has to have access to information; otherwise it will not function as it is meant to. Universities are in need of technology, which will facilitate their work processes. They have to ensure that they effectively deal with challenges, such as decision authority. The other challenges include how to have proper incentives as well as team work. Some universities are still using a system, which is traditional and in turn, it has made the mass markets become exhausted. Organization structure is affected if it does not employ the use of information technology (Hitt & Brynjolfsson, 1997).

Most of the employees who work in universities, which are traditional, are not happy with changes related to the existing organization structure and coming up with an organization, which is virtual. There is usually a need in universities to ensure that people are united, in order to increase their productivity. The theory of social action is extremely useful in knowing the impact technology has had on the universities. This is because their failures and successes are easily made known. According to Brynjolfsson and Hitt, organizations are forced to obey authority, which is decentralized. The latter is as a result of the impact of Information technology. Furthermore, they believe that transmission of knowledge becomes cheap as a result of IT. Universities are now ensuring that all their departments are connected, in order to increase efficiency. Rights for making decisions are thus allocated to the entire optimum knowledge chamber, which exists (Hitt & Brynjolfsson, 1997).

Centralization in universities is often measured in terms of rationality, which is human or cost based. This in turn affects the level of centralization at the different universities. It is easy to obtain and measure information, based upon effective decision making. The result is that communication costs are economized as well as optimized. In order to obtain information, there is a central agent. It is vital in matters related to cost saving as well as its benefits. The disadvantage is that those involved in decision making especially the central ones are the ones who lose a lot. Decentralization occurs as a result of efficiency, which is induced. Decentralization is affected by the presence of decision makers who are multiple (Hitt & Brynjolfsson, 1997).

On the other hand, Baroudi and Lucbas believe that there is a link between organizational design and IT design. There are many ways, which tasks can be coordinated, as well as be divided in order to increase productivity. The process of organizational design can also be used because it advocates for management decentralization (Lucas & Baroudi, 1994). This means that all the employees working in the university will be involved in decision making. Span control is an element of a variable used in the design process. At the different universities there will be many people in management and they have to report to their heads. In every organizational chart, every employee’s job titles are made known and can easily be altered. The latter can easily be achieved as compared to strategy, culture and behavior. The frame work of social action advocates for constructs, which are key in any university. The most vital aspects of any organization should be technology, structure, tasks and people. Technology plays an essential role in bringing about changes in the universities structure. This means that there is a direct relation between organization form and IT. Relationships, which exist in firms, are due to communications as well as computers. In modern times, universities are seeking to become hybrid as compared to before when they were centralized. This is because a lot of emphasize has been placed on micromarketing (Lucas & Baroudi, 1994).

Universities are adapting to the use of technology, in order to modify their outlook as well as processes. Technology has reduced the number of employees who are employed. This has had a negative impact on the manner, which the university is perceived. Competitive advantage and cost saving is what is often sort by traditional organizations when they choose to incorporate technology into their structure. The universities operation is improved by re-engineering processes. Shifting to models, which are virtual, is what is being done by universities, which are traditional. This is for the purpose of ensuring that responsiveness is improved. Negative impacts are brought about by being slow and with technology this is not possible. For crisis to known before hand, change should be accepted by everyone (Lucas & Baroudi, 1994).

In conclusion, this case study provides a lot of information concerning the advantages of IT in an organization. Organizations, which are traditional, should adopt an approach that is modern in order to improve their performance and processes. Thus, the research by the different authors is extremely beneficial. Almost every organization in the world is being run by technology and this has in turn, brought about increased competition. Consumers are the ones who are benefiting from the advantages of technology.

References

Hitt, Lorin. & Brynjolfsson, Erik. (1997). Information Technology and Internal Firm Organization: An Exploratory Analysis. Journal of Management Information Systems. 14.2, 81-101.

Lucas, Henry jr. & Baroudi, Jack. (1994). The Role of Information Technology in Organization Design. Journal of Management Information Systems 10, 4, 9-23.

Impacts of Cyber Inecurity

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Introduction

Cyber security is one of the major concerns in this fast-growing field of technology. Most people blindly use the technology mainly in communication and social media without taking any precautions to secure their personal information and data. The increased cases of hacking on individuals, companies, and governments is worrying and demands urgent actions to address the issue. More so is the rising cases of theft of personal data from customers and patients where it is then sold on online black markets for billions of dollars. The danger lies in the uncensored exposure of innocent individual’s personal data that is later used to threaten and steal from them on the online platforms. Over the years, the sensitization and public outcry over hacking and insecurity on the online platforms has raised the alarm that is helping combat the problem. However, a huge problem lies within the uncontrolled cases of hacking where millions of cyber insecurity issue are reported. The solution lies in the close collaboration between the governments and tech experts who can help crack down on the perpetrators of these evil acts. Just in 2019 alone, there were more than 2.5 million cases of attempted and successful hacks that mainly targeted customers in the online business and even air travel.

Just the past 8 months, the FBI reported that the Federal Reserve of the U.S. was a victim of almost 2500 attempted hacks. These figures show that the hackers and only criminals have no limits and will do anything to get even to the most secure systems (Kshetri, 2017). Moreover, the government has been called upon to come up with the right systems that will help safeguard the online data of its people that if exposed to the criminals can even pose a national security problem. There is thus a personal and national concern when it comes to issues of cyber security. Another outlook into the issue is the co-relations between the underlying factors that touch on tech security and the usage over its widely spreading reaches (Ekstedt et al., 2015). The internet has become a common tool that is facilitating the sharing of data between individuals, companies, and governments. Through the same avenue, online criminals and inventing ways to bypass this and acquire key personal and financial information from the people. Studies have shown that 2.7 billion dollars are stolen through cyber related hackings from customers and even governments (Kharchenko et al., 2019). These mischievous activities happen with little detection from the cyber security experts who are meant to crack down and stop these acts.

Effect of cyber insecurity on business and customer security

Cyber security has been highlighted as one of the core issues modern business have to address. Almost all businesses today operate within or under a set of full tech systems that involves communication, payments, and customer services (Soomro et al., 2016). This exposes them to the cyber security issues of this age and thus a major setback to their security and stability. One of the underlying factors in this business is the inclusive value and that posed by these cyber security problems on businesses studies shows that at least 45% of modern business receive cyber security threats or hacking attempts every year. The figures have been rising thus showing the agility and increased attempts by the online criminals to penetrate the business files (Ji et al., 2016). A case in point was like the 2015 Yahoo hacking that raised global attention over the security of customer data. Cyber insecurity is harmful to businesses and has an overall effect of cutting down customer loyalty. Cyber security is targeted to become a multi-billion-dollar industry as the risks of hacking continue to rise (Rashid et al., 2018). The exposure of online data from customers who seek online services is offering an outlet for criminals to conduct their activities.

In some extreme cases, cyber insecurity has led to loss of cash where some businesses accounts are hacked and money transferred in mysterious ways. One of the main threats that businesses face is theft of customer data (Hubbard & Seiersen, 2016). Most e-commerce firms across the w rod now have to spend millions of dollars in cyber security to safeguard their customer data as well as finances (Kharchenko et al., 2019). The issue adds to the burden of doing business thus increasing the pressure on the existing value and dynamics of doing business. The threat not only exists among the ecommerce firms but almost all businesses as they are now exposed to the modern technology. The theft of this vital information not only threatens the companies but the customer safety as already seen in the health records scandals around the world. The cyber criminals know that the key to inducing harm to a company is to steal customer data where they threaten to sell the personal information. To online buyers. These risky ad dangerous moves by online criminals are responsible for the rising cases of customer loyalty decline where some cases lead to lawsuits (Shapsough et al., 2015). The end game to these hackings is the increased fear by customers to trade online and the huge financial burden the business has to bear in protecting their customers and data.

Impact of cyber insecurity on government operation

Cyber insecurity has been a major issue at the governmental level with many countries reporting attempted hackings. Online criminals seek to terrorize and steal critical government information and data through its websites and this even poses national security threat (Van Schaik et al., 2017). The U.S. Federal government reports an average of 2500 hackings annually that often come from its rivals like China and Russia. The online criminals have mastered the new way to target the government by using the lower agencies and ministries that are more vulnerable and easier to hit (Tisdale, 2015). The impact of cyber insecurity is very sensitive when it is done to the government as it poses both economic and national security risk that can endanger the stability of a country. One of the key targets for online hackers is the political establishments and state of a country that are the pillars of the country’s stability (Srinivas et al., 2019). For example, the 2016 Russian hacking on the Democratic party in the U.S. shows how the situation can be dangerous when it goes unnoticed.

The impact of the cyber security at a national level is the possibility of conflict between countries that can even lead to war. China is accused of conducting ample hacks on the U.S. treasury that was almost promoting diplomatic chaos between the two giants back in 2014 (Kharchenko et al., 2019). These mischievous online business by government hackers who mainly work secretly for the government can be dangerous and harm relations between countries. Cybercrime has been noted by the UN as a major hindrance to diplomatic relations mainly between the democratic and communist countries. Iran which has been a major concern for many countries has been accused of hiring and protecting its hackers who often target the U.S. these relations that have been derailed by the increased tense atmosphere on the online platforms has stained the links between countries (Soomro et al., 2016).

Cyber security at governmental level also targets the military sector that is a prime source of a country’s security data. Hackers target this prime sector as it can provide the enemy an edge on the weapon development and defense tactics used by its enemy (Hubbard & Seiersen, 2016). The increased cases of hacks on the military departments of other countries has become a major concern for NATO and the UN as some of the global society bodies. The U.S. has even accused China od hacking into its weaponry departments and stealing vital and sensitive data that it uses to gain an edge over its enemy. For example, the U.S. accused China if hacking into its drone development system thus causing a major setback to the underlying and existing diplomatic ties (Shapsough et al., 2015). These acts have even led to some countries calling back their envoys and closing consulates as a retaliatory measure. The effect of cyber security at governmental level can thus be far reaching ad dangerous when not handled in a mature manner. Many governments report cases of hacking in their financial reserves that threatens their security and economic viability (Rashid et al., 2018). Moreover, there is a concern over what and how the measures can be directed to harnessed the right technology to help curb cases of hacking and cyber security.

Impact of cyber insecurity on personal privacy

Cyber security at a personal level has never been more concerning than now at a time when the rate of technology use is rising. There is a major concern over what many people expose on the internet and the safety that comes with this platform (Van Schaik et al., 2017). One of the key aspects of internet security relates to the theft of personal sensitive data that relates to the individual’s life. For example, hackers target the frequent intern users mainly on the social media. Hidden cameras in hotel rooms and spying done on the home-based cameras shows the increasing sensitivity of the mater. cyber security at a personal level has to do with the increasing cases of diverse internet use that shows that technology can be costly to people (Hubbard & Seiersen, 2016). The online hackers who often target social media users have identified a prime field where people pay less attention to their safety. One of the main ways technology is affecting personal security relates to the loss of vital details that can threaten one’s physical security.

Cyber security also shows that many people often lose their credit card details when they shop online or pay for ai tickets. Airports have also been hacked where vital personal data of that belong to travelers is lost and sold by hackers on the dark web (Kharchenko et al., 2019). One of the key shortages of the key concerns over the cyber security is the way personal data can be protected from online criminals who use to it to threaten and extort money. For example, online hacks on personal data is often sold to criminals who use it to carry out financial hacks on the customers. Still, the value of key aspects of online insecurity goes beyond personal information that often touches on what the individuals would use as security in various applications (Soomro et al., 2016). The special media accounts have remained the prime target used by the hackers who capitalize on the reckless intent users. Today, more than 25 million social media accounts are hacked every year that target the young people who pay less attention to their online security. One of the main ways the online hacking threatens the security of individual is like in tracing the location of the individual. Online hackers also target social media accounts for companies and businesses where they steal customer data. Still, these activities are conducted under the radar that often makes it hard for the security personnel to identify the source of the threat (Van Schaik et al., 2017). The common personal information stolen from individuals include the credit card data, photos, personal videos, or even financial records.

Cyber security evaluated the relationship between cyber security and personal safety where key aspects of online safety was addressed. One of the main ways the online security is a major issue as noted in the study is that most people have zero knowledge on their online safety (Hubbard & Seiersen, 2016). The scholar also identified that the value of an inclusive value that is attached to online safety has become a major concern for most people. Most of the online users have increasingly become sensitive to the information they share with their peers. The study also found that cyber security will increasingly become a sensitive issue that is tied to the technology use. Over the years, the need for a robust and strong cyber security system has shown that the world is far from attaining the right security. One of the main ways cyber security is being addressed is by bringing together viable avenues that can help address the right security issues that exist on the online platforms. Theft of online data by hackers is already posing a challenge to businesses that are having to invest millions of dollars to secure customer data (Hubbard & Seiersen, 2016). The study sums up that there is need to have a combined effort that can address rising threats of cyber security to ensure online safety.

Cyber security analyzed the reasons for the rising threats to cyber security mainly at busines and personal level. One of the main ways companies and individual are putting measures to protect their information is by hiring the right experts or programs that can help safeguard their privacy (Shapsough et al., 2015). The major issue here lies in the possibility of a diverse and strong security systems that can help eliminate the problem of data security. Most people who face online security threats have testified that they originate from a single source and this makes it easy to track. However, online hackers have mastered the loopholes that exist in technology use and thus capitalize on these weaknesses to harm or threaten the individuals (Van Schaik et al., 2017). The study concludes that the viability of the online security measures in a bid to upgrade cyber security has to match or be ahead of the various technological gains.

The statement implies that the safety on the online platforms needs to be evaluated regularly to ensure that any loopholes identified is addressed with the right technology. The approach will not only safeguard customer data nut also increase the leverage on the use and safety of the internet and other technologies. Moreover, the increased threats that lie within the online technology like in use of computers and smartphones needs to be addressed by creating the right barriers (Hubbard & Seiersen, 2016). The key to ensuring strong cyber security is to always stay ahead of the online criminals by identifying the key loopholes that they may sue in trying to sabotage and ruin the online business.

Conclusion

Theft of customer data mainly for online companies has come at a huge financial and loyalty cost for the firms. Victims of the cyber insecurity issues continue to rise and this puts more risk to online business. Governments are also facing acute challenges when securing the financial and military data from hackers. The problem shows how deep the issue of cyber security has gone and thus urgent solutions are needed to keep the world secure ad safeguard the integrity of the fast-developing technology. Over the years, efforts and huge amounts of money has been poured to the upgrading of cyber security systems mainly in the governmental platforms that have remained a key target by hackers. For this reason, some progress is being made that is helping bring the issue to some control and thus enabling the problem to put under control. One of the major problems realized in the past two years is the by passing of even the most secure cyber security systems that is raising concern of how best the online platforms can be secured. Studies have showed that most people are now aware of the threat that exists relating to cyber security and thus are taking some precaution to safeguard themselves from this problem. Even with the huge efforts being made, the online hackers are upping their game by coming up with high tech software and programs that spy and bypass the secure systems and this points to a very worrying issue of the preparedness of the tech companies.

References

Ekstedt, M., Johnson, P., Lagerström, R., Gorton, D., Nydrén, J., & Shahzad, K. (2015, September). Securi cad by foreseeti: A cad tool for enterprise cyber security management. In 2015 IEEE 19th International Enterprise Distributed Object Computing Workshop (pp. 152-155). IEEE.

Hubbard, D. W., & Seiersen, R. (2016). How to measure anything in cybersecurity risk. Hoboken: Wiley.

Ji, X., Yu, H., Fan, G., & Fu, W. (2016, May). Attack-defense trees based cyber security analysis for CPSs. In 2016 17th IEEE/ACIS International Conference on Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Parallel/Distributed Computing (SNPD) (pp. 693-698). IEEE.

Kharchenko, V., Dotsenko, S., Illiashenko, O., & Kamenskyi, S. (2019, June). Integrated Cyber Safety & Security Management System: Industry 4.0 Issue. In 2019 10th International Conference on Dependable Systems, Services and Technologies (DESSERT) (pp. 197-201). IEEE.

Kshetri, N. (2017). Blockchain’s roles in strengthening cybersecurity and protecting privacy. Telecommunications policy, 41(10), 1027-1038.

Rashid, A., Danezis, G., Chivers, H., Lupu, E., Martin, A., Lewis, M., & Peersman, C. (2018). Scoping the cyber security body of knowledge. IEEE Security & Privacy, 16(3), 96-102.

Shapsough, S., Qatan, F., Aburukba, R., Aloul, F., & Al Ali, A. R. (2015, October). Smart grid cyber security: Challenges and solutions. In 2015 International conference on smart grid and clean energy technologies (ICSGCE) (pp. 170-175). IEEE.

Soomro, Z. A., Shah, M. H., & Ahmed, J. (2016). Information security management needs more holistic approach: A literature review. International Journal of Information Management, 36(2), 215-225.

Srinivas, J., Das, A. K., & Kumar, N. (2019). Government regulations in cyber security: Framework, standards and recommendations. Future Generation Computer Systems, 92, 178-188.

Tisdale, S. M. (2015). Cybersecurity: Challenges from a Systems, Complexity, Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence Perspective. Issues in Information Systems, 16(3).

Van Schaik, P., Jeske, D., Onibokun, J., Coventry, L., Jansen, J., & Kusev, P. (2017). Risk perceptions of cyber-security and precautionary behaviour. Computers in Human Behavior, 75, 547-559.

3D printing technology

The emergence and continued advances of the 3D technology have been closely associated with having both positive and negative effects and impacts at the social and environmental levels of our contemporary. On the positive hand, the advent of 3D printing technologies remains to be praised for promoting and sustaining a culture of innovation in the designing and production of products in the society. As an emphasis, according to the available literature, the 3D printing has resulted to innovative materials and new patterns of objects whose competitive value can only be exploited using 3D.

Advances and the increased acceptance of 3D printing are expected to continue changing the manufacturing industry as we know it today. Overall, with promising continued advancement of 3D printing technology in the future, and the competitive advantage such promises in terms of cost, efficiency, and reliability, the near future and beyond of 3D printing technology is bright.

In terms of cost, the cost 3D printing is in essence expected to continue enjoying rapid declines over the new five years. The claim is based on the truth that the technology has witnessed decreases in cost over the past few decades, a trend expected to progress and increase in future as the technology continues to appreciate rapid advancements and favorable conditions for exploiting the competitive value that come with economics of scale in its market. In addition, the future of 3D printing technology is quite promising in terms of efficiency and accessibility since possible trends of declines in the costs will translate to increased ability to access and use this technology by many in the society.

It is likely that regulatory bodies will move in to pass strict laws to the entry of the industry. For instance, there is a continued trend in focusing the FDM and poly jet technologies in the 3D printing of bio-compatible materials as a competitive platform for enabling the speedy prototyping of medical and dental products. Medical security cannot be placed in the hands of individual and the private sector for this matter. We can, therefore, hypothesize that the industry is definitely going to grow steadily in a series of few years but will begin to retard with the emergence of new rules following the pursuit to act ethically. Mostly governments and states will seek to make public all 3D printers.

Recommendations for future research

It is evident that the research on 3D printing has a long way to go. In the future, there should be a platform for researchers to pool all their research findings in order to improve the existing 3D printing machine. The ability of this machine is associated with the coming up with shapes that cannot be obtained in any other way. Simply put, this machine enhances creativity of the highest order. The world is going through a threat of waste management and the use of this technology will mean frequent recycling of waste materials and hence reducing pollution (Wang & Chen, 2014; Lipson & Kurman, 2013). These machines can be made to use the available materials only. For instance, where the customer has plastics, metals, glass, wood, food and even living cells a machine suitable to using such material can be made. This means a wide applicability of 3D printing technology in the near future and beyond.

Reference

Free, D. 2012. University of Nevada-Reno Library offers 3-D printing. College & Research Libraries News 73(8): 455.