Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay - 701 Words

In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, many themes come up often throughout the story, especially the theme about bonds between two people. The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck expresses theme of Friendship through various literary elements. Friendship is people that care for and respect each other. It is the link that makes people stick together through the struggles of life. This essay will prove that friendship is important in life. The book starts in a town called Soledad, which means lonely, but George and Lennie are far from lonely. Their friendship is a caring one because all they have is each other. The first example of their friendship is when George and Lennie are at the pond place and Lennie boasts,†¦show more content†¦This confirms that the theme friendship is expressed throughout the novel, starting from the beginning. In the third and fourth chapter of the book, Candy, George, and Lennie are the center of attention due to their friendships. T he first lesson of friendship is demonstrated by George when he is again talking to Slim and shares, â€Å"When his Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin. Got kinda used to each other after a little while† (Steinbeck 40). George has known Lennie for a long time and has been trustworthy since he met him. The second lesson that shows friendship is when Candy is sad about his dog and sulks, â€Å"Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him† (Steinbeck 44). Candy is mourning over the death of his long time friendship with his dog. His dog deaths has given him loneliness because it was his only friend. The third lesson that shows friendship is when Lennie is talking to Crook and he answers, â€Å"Sure. Me an him goes ever place together† (Steinbeck 70). Lennie expresses that he doesnt want to be alone and cares about his friendship with George. This proves that the theme friendship is continuously expressed throughout the novel. The main focus of the final chapters, are George and Lennies friendship. The first case of their friendship is when Lennie is talking to Curleys wife and claims, â€Å"George says youll get us in a mess† (Steinbeck 88). Lennie tellsShow MoreRelatedOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck973 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: I. Background A. John Steinbeck was born on February 27th, 1902 in Salinas, California. 1. Salinas River was one of the few centers for shipping, farming, and agriculture a. John Steinbeck worked as an employed laborer, digging canals and working beside men similar to characters in his novels. 2. In a discussion John Steinbeck said, I worked in the same country that the story is laid in. The characters are composites to a certain extent. Lennie was a real person. Hes in an insaneRead MoreOf Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck842 Words   |  4 Pages it was not uncommon to become morosely secluded while working. Men would go far away from their families in search of any jobs they could get, with only themselves to confide in; colleagues only filling in the void of friends and family partially. Naturally, John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, written during this period, would reflect this fact as a major aspect of the story. Loneliness would become the sinew of Of Mice and Men, manifested in some of the story’s main characters: Candy, CrooksRead MoreOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck1358 Words   |  6 Pagesthis expression to stress the fact that there are and will be difficulties in life. John Steinbeck, in his novella Of Mice and Men, does not fall short of the same views. It takes place in the year 1937, a period associated with the Great Depression, and illustrates the hardships of the time, and more so those that laborers such as George and Lennie experience. Life proves to be full of disappointments for both men who are victims of harsh circumstances in more ways than one. The two have a dreamRead MoreThe And Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1549 Words   |  7 PagesThis essay will be exploring the role of women in the texts ‘DNA’ by Dennis Kelly and ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck. Both texts are quite dissimilar for the most part, with ‘DNA’ being a contemporary play, dealing with problems faced by modern youth groups and ‘Of Mice and Men’ being a classic novella. Set in the 1930’s, the novella tells a story of two migrant workers who flee to Salinas, California, for work. In spite of this, both explore the presentation of female characters similarlyRead MoreOf Mi ce And Men By John Steinbeck894 Words   |  4 PagesOf Mice and Men Essay John Steinbeck once said, â€Å"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us†. In his novella, Of Mice and Men, two men go on an unexpected journey in search for their dream of happiness. There are many themes that come from their journey such as, the gilded American dream, the bond of male friendships, the power of women and femininityRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1433 Words   |  6 PagesI am writing a literary essay on the novella, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I will be responding to the question describe an important character and explain how the character helped you understand an important message. In the novella, Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, two characters, Crooks and Curley’s wife, help me understand the message ‘Discrimination isolates people’. The book takes place in Soledad, California, mid 1930’s, during the Great Depression, at a time when discriminationRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1747 Words   |  7 Pages Of Mice and Men is a tragedy And The Pearl is a parable. Author s Name John Steinbeck -Title of Work #1: Of Mice and Men -Genre: Tragedy -Evidence of Genre (explain what makes the work an example of the genre): Tragedy is a branch of literature that uses a serious and dignified style the sad or unfortunate events encountered or caused by a heroic individual. In Of Mice and Men George and Lennie face a lot of tragic events. -Complete Summary of Work: Of Mice and Men is theRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1354 Words   |  6 PagesThe novel ‘Of Mice and Men’, written by John Steinbeck, is set near the Salinas River in California, America during the Great Depression between 1930-1939. The Great Depression was a distressing time in the history of America as the unemployment rate was high which in turn led to poverty and hunger. During this time, many struggled to find work and this steered them to travel long distances, often without having anyone to talk to. Dreams were crafted by this travelling workforce and were somethingRead MoreMice Of Men By John Steinbeck785 Words   |  4 Pages It was an hopeless time period. For George in steinbeck s book mice of men by John Steinbeck,it was the great depression.This was a time period of a deep and dark economic downturn that affected the whole country. While the story focuses on George and Lennie s struggles through this hopeless time.They were best buds that got along great. They went to farm to farm as migrant works to get there pay. George had to take care of Lennie throughout the book and pick up the pieces, but lennie was a kindRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1400 Words   |  6 PagesOf Mice and Men, it is not just a band! Of Mice and Men was originally a short novel written by John Steinbeck in the 1930s. Regardless of the shortness in length, though, it is a rather deep and emotional book with quite a few messages behind the fictional storyline. These messages, however, cannot be discovered right off the bat. To genuinely absorb the messages Steinbeck teaches and actually understand the meaning behind them, one must read the book in its entirety. Steinbeck educates readers

Regulatory Issues Impacting Development of an Emergency...

The development of an Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan is complex. There is not a single format to base the plan. Each plan is dissimilar according to the facility that the plan was developed. Each facility is composed of different structural components, machinery, chemicals, and equipment. These subtle differences can mean diverse regulations and standards that must be incorporated into the Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan. Compliance must be achieved when developing the plan. Regulations and standards are written and enforced by several state and federal agencies (Dunlap, n.d.). Some of these agencies include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and†¦show more content†¦In the case of an animal disease epidemic, an animal diagnostic center is a prominent instrument for diagnostic testing. Therefore, FEMA training of staff should be incorporated in the facility’s Emergency Prepar edness and Management Plan. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is involved with the private sector. The EPA regulates parts of the industry that poses pollution threats impacting the environment. The EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) vigorously enforces the regulations that the EPA develops. Civil and criminal enforcement by the OECA ensures the protection of the environment from pollutions. The EPA assists the private sector to achieve regulation compliance by offering compliance assistance programs. Compliance assistance programs are based on the facilities’ s sector classification. The EPA regulations are divided into NAICS sectors based on industry type, such as agriculture crop production (NAICS 111) (EPA compliance, n.d.). When developing an Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan an assessment of the facility is necessary. An initial assessment would evaluate which NAICS sectors the facility would be classified. Based on the NAICS sector the facility woul d assess regulations required to be in compliance (Schneid Collins, 2001). The Commonwealth of Kentucky,Show MoreRelatedManage Risk7576 Words   |  31 Pagesbe changed in order to increase efficiency at work and any legislative laws involved.   The conduction of the investigation was done in a way to view the aspects of staff members, the community, management and the government   This investigation has been conducted in a way which sees the aspect of management, staff members, governments, and the community. A probability or threat of damage, injury, liability, loss, or any other negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilitiesRead MoreDiscussion Forum Essay4880 Words   |  20 PagesStrategies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.pg. 13-16 Appendix 2A: Reflection - Patient Centred Care†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.pg. 17 Appendix 2B: Reflection - Hostility in the Workforce†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....pg. 18 Appendix 2C: Reflection - Delegation†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦pg. 19 There are many issues associated with the transition from graduate registered nurse into practicing registered nurse. Recent studies have found the phase to be a stressful period for many graduates the main challenges were fitting into social groups, delegation, hostilityRead MoreEffect of Risk Management in Oil and Gas Industry10589 Words   |  43 Pageshas revealed a strong relationship between the concepts of risk management and other risk management strategies on the product and service quality. Organizational executives use the concept of risk management (RM) techniques to design tailored RM strategies to integrate the concept into their enterprise risk management frameworks. Typically, that characterizes BP’s risk management approaches including its reputational risk management strategy. Reputational risks in the oil and gas industry are theRead MoreBp Sustainability Essay28986 Words   |  116 Pagesmeans in practice. We discuss how the accident and oil spill are sha ping how we do business, and the changes we are making to our portfolio and organization. Our website plays an integral part in our sustainability reporting, covering a wider set of issues and reporting on them in more depth. The website includes detailed information about our environmental and safety performance, as well as case studies that demonstrate our sustainability efforts in action. Full sustainability reporting bp.com/sustainability Read MoreAn Evaluation of an on-Farm Food Safety Program for Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Producers; a Global Blueprint for Fruit and Vegetable Producers51659 Words   |  207 Pagescurrent on-farm food safety issues and programs, with specific focus on the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP)- based initiative. In 2003, OGVG s 200 members had a combined farm-gate value of $350 million and represented 41 per cent of North American greenhouse vegetable production. Program implementation barriers identified included: perceived costs of participation, the priority of food safety management; and, management/employee relationshipsRead MoreNokias Human Resources System144007 Words   |  577 Pages . . 5 ITEM 1. ITEM 2. ITEM 3. 3A. 3B. 3C. 3D. ITEM 4. 4A. 4B. 4C. 4D. ITEM 4A. ITEM 5. 5A. 5B. 5C. 5D. 5E. 5F. ITEM 6. 6A. 6B. 6C. 6D. 6E. ITEM 7. 7A. 7B. 7C. ITEM 8. 8A. 8B. ITEM 9. 9A. 9B. 9C. 9D. 9E. 9F. PART I IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KEY INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Read MoreAdvancing Effective Communicationcommunication, Cultural Competence, and Patient- and Family-Centered Care Quality Safety Equity53293 Words   |  214 Pages.....................................3 How the Roadmap Is Organized ........................................................................................................................................................3 Checklist of Recommended Issues to Address ..............................................................................................................................4 Joint Commission Requirements..............................................................................Read MoreContempor ary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 PagesContemporary Issues in Management Accounting This page intentionally left blank Contemporary Issues in Management Accounting Edited by ALNOOR BHIMANI 1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford ox2 6dp Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico

Telecommunication and Network System of ABCD University

Question: Describe about the Importance of Information Security, the laws and regulations of information security and Compliance, system audit controls of ABCD University? Answer: Introduction ABCD University is a 21st century college which has advanced technological infrastructure. The organization has an impressive collection of multimedia and computing resources. The university has total 19000 staff and students who use 3000 computers on a regular basis. The university provides maximum resources to the students like computer laboratories, server connection and also various learning facilities. Along with these all the resident students use the university network for their work purpose. Thus the university tries to benefit all the staff and students from their advanced network system. The firm wants to further improve their network system and implement security strategies. For this reason the university has hired a policy maker who would make the students understand the importance of network security and would increase the security system of the entire network connection of the university. He would train both the staff and students in how to maintain security of their ow n network. Thus this would make the University network more protected and secure to work with. Importance of Information Security According to Ronald Reagan The oxygen of modern age is Information. It is the most powerful tool one can have.(West, 2008). Every organization including universities must have Information Security-Management System (ISMS). It is one of the most important components of a place which deals with many computers and network server (Microsoft, 2005). All the data present in the IT systems of a University is extremely valuable. It helps in storing and processing information. Thus information security is very essential. The importance of information security is as follows: Confidentiality: All the data in the IT system can only access and viewed by the authorized person only. No third party can view the secured information of an individual. Integrity: It maintains integrity of the data and can be relied upon accurately and is processed correctly. All the data and information is properly securely stored within the system (Doherty Fulford, 2006). Availability: Even with the strict security system all the data can be accessed whenever it is needed. Reducing the Risk: Information security reduces the risk of leaking or hacking any kind of data and information from the IT system. Unique Accessibility: Information security allows only a single user to access the data that is uniquely protected by the individuals own password. Thus Information Security is extremely essential to keep an individuals personal data secured. In universities there are many students who are doing their research or project using ABCDs network system so no data or information can be allowed to leak out. According to Network Security Guidelines persons who extract data from different networks can face punishment from the court of law (Siponen, 2001). Thus information security should be the primary focus of ABCD University so that all the students can make optimum usage of the universities network system. Assets Classification and Control Every organization and universities has many types of assets. And in the 21st century all the record and data about the various assets are stored in the ABCDs universities server. It is through this network that the organization controls and classifies its assets and properties. Billions of dollars of assets and their details are stored in the universities server. All the record since the beginning of the university and all the details of the students are incorporated inside the server of the university. Thus to protect all these, information security is extremely essential for the university. Information security prevents a third party from viewing and accessing those confidential data about the universities assets. Classification of Information Information security helps to classify information according to security basis. The security system protects the entire data and server of the university but it has priority according to importance basis. For example all the record and details of each and every single student and staff is considered to be high priority. For this reason only a single user is given the liberty to access it. While library information is of medium priority and thus it is accessible to both the student and the librarian. Similarly the university has many medium priority data and information which is accessible to only few people. However for example a certain University club has data and information about its events is of least priority. Here the information security system allows all the members or students to access the clubs data and other event information. The Network System of ABCD University ABCD uses 3000 computers and even has its own network system for the benefit of the students and the staff. It has voice and data network systems with high network security. It has UNIX hosts and also fileservers which support many upgraded applications. For high security purposes and for optimum use of the computing laboratories the university even has a technical support team. The technical support team is always present inside the campus and offers support to all the students. They even have a help desk with expert technicians who fixes all the software and hardware problems faced by the staff and students. If any malfunction took place or any kind of security problem the technicians would be immediately informed and they would help the students and staff to solve it. The laws and regulations of information security During the early 2000s and also late 1990s many laws were established regarding the privacy and security of information of organizations. This was successful due to the involvement of large company like Enron (Wixom Todd, 2005).The main focus of all the information security laws and regulations is to protect the integrity, availability and confidentiality of all the information that might have an impact on the stakeholders of an organization (Solms, 2004). The laws regarding information security has certain goals like: Implementation and establishment of controls Maintain, assess and protect compliance issues Identification and remediation of the deviations and vulnerabilities Providing reports that could prove an organizations compliance Thus all the laws governing the information security of an organization have the same goal of protect ones information which he does not want to share. The information security of ABCD University will abide by all the rules and regulations so that all the staff and students can make optimum use of the universitys network and server. Training of the students and staff The information security installed in the ABCD University is extremely user friendly. But it requires a little guidance so the technicians arranged a training program for all the staff and students. The program was of 3 hour duration where all the students participated. The following things were taught and showed during the training session: The students were first told about the importance and necessity of information security. UniTech was the organization that provided all the latest information security software for the University. The students were made familiar with the software that was installed in every single computer. If they faced any difficulty they were provided with the help desk number. For more security the students could individually approach their local technicians who would upgrade their IT system. Every student and staff was given a unique ID code which would help them to login with the information security system where they could give their own password. Thus from the training program the students were shown a demo of the information security. They were also warned about the violation of the information security protocols. The entire program was a successful event. Access and Cryptographic Control Information is one of the most important assets of an organization. The information security helps to protect all the data and record of a University or a firm. It uses various software to protect the infiltration of a third party from viewing the data and also prevents various viruses from corrupting the files. Information security contains high level antivirus (Kagan, 2007). The two basic functions of information security are as follows: Access Control Access Control determines and ensures the proper user who is allowed to view or access the information. It does not allow any other person to view the record and data. It controls the servers, mobile devices, mainframes, operating systems, and network services, desktop and also the laptops are monitored by the access control software (Vroom Solms, 2004). No third party can bypass the security systems provided by the access control. All the data and information is available to only the authorized person and he has unique password to access any data. Cryptographic Control Cryptography is considered to be a science which uses complex mathematics including logical designing methods. Strong encryptions are required to hide data and information about an organization (Mogull, 2005). Information security has such strong and protected encryption that allows the valuable information of the University to remain hidden. At present there are many hackers who can even hack and retrieve data and information from highly secured encryptions. The cryptographic control of information security prevents such things from happening. Thus both access control and cryptographic control is an essential part of information security. The security system installed by ABCD University has both the facilities and thus the students can use the learning resources of the university without any problem. Compliance, system audit controls of ABCD University Auditing of an organization is extremely necessary. It maintains and checks the security of the firm and also maintains the risk management of the company (Petter, Straub Rai, 2007). Thus ABCD University must make a thorough auditing of the entire system of the university. The university must undergo auditing because of the following reasons: To check the security system and information security of the university. The auditing checks the security policies of the universities and finds the drawbacks in it. It helps to manage the risks of the University. The entire auditing of the University follows compliance audit. Thus from the above we can see that ABCD University require a good and thorough auditing. Thus it helps to maintain the security measures of the university and also the various securities polices of ABCD University. Information security also helps to control the environmental security of the university. The university after the auditing installed various information security software by UniTech so that both the students and the staff could receive the optimum benefit of the computing laboratories and the learning resources. Conclusions Thus from the above detailed analysis of ABCD University it is evident that information security plays a major role in the privacy of the company. The following things have been derived from the above study: Information security is one of the essential parts of the university which would protect its assets and detailed data. Information security also has access and cryptographic control over the entire system of the organization. Training is required for the students and staff so that they can understand the information security system and can operate it easily. Information security has many rules and regulations which must be followed by the university. Anybody who fails to abide by the security protocols will be punished in the court of law. Information security provides a unique ID and password for every single student and staff so that only the authorized person can view the information or data stored the university server and network. Thus it can be said that ABCD University must increase their information security and upgrade it so that both the students and staff can utilize the learning resources of the university to its optimum level. Recommendations After such a detailed study about the information security of ABCD University many points have come to light. Information security is extremely important for the university so that it can protect all its assets and have proper cryptographic control over the details of every student. The following are the recommendations that the university can add: The university must upgrade the information security system on a monthly basis. All the students must be aware of the importance of information security and students not using it must be penalized. All the technicians must have detailed knowledge about the system so that they can assist whenever it is necessary. Bibliography (2005, December).Data Confidentiality. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from MSDN. Mogull, R. (2005, August).Management Update: Use the Three Laws of Encryption to Properly Protect Data.Retrieved February 4, 2006, from Gartner. (2001, November 26).Advanced Encryption Standard. Retrieved May 15, 2012, from NIST Computer Security Resource Center. Olzak, T. (2006, February).Data Storage Security.Retrieved May 19, 2012, from Adventures in Security. Zim, H. S. (1962).Codes and Secret Writing.Scholastic Book Services. Mogull, R. (2005, August).Management Update: Use the Three Laws of Encryption to Properly Protect Data.Retrieved February 4, 2006, 2004 E-Crime Watch Survey Summary of Findings, Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (CERT/CC). Kankanhalli, H.-H. Teo, B.C.Y. Tan, K.-K. Wei (2003), An integrative study of information systems security effectiveness, International Journal of Information Management 23. Karahanna, D.W. Straub, N.L. Chervany (1999), Information technology adoption across time: a cross-sectional comparison of pre-adoption and post-adoption beliefs, MIS Quarterly 23 (2). G. Peace, D. Galletta, J. Thong (2003), Software piracy in the workplace: a model and empirical test, Journal of Management Information Systems 20 (1). Doherty, N. F., and Fulford, H. 2006. Aligning the Information Security Policy with the Strategic Information Systems Plan, Computers and Security (25:1), pp. 55-63. Dhillon, G., and Backhouse, J. 2001. Current Directions in Information Security Research: Toward Socio-Organizational Perspectives, Information Systems Journal (11:2), pp. 127-153. Petter, S., Straub, D., and Rai, A. 2007. Specifying Formative Constructs in Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly (31:4), pp. 623-656. Siponen, M. T. 2001. Five Dimensions of Information Security Awareness, Computers and Society (31:2), pp. 24-29. West, R. 2008. The Psychology of Security, Communications of the ACM (51:4), pp. 34-40. Whitman, M. E. 2008. Chapter 6: Security Policy: From Designto Maintenance, in Information Security: Policy, Processes, and Practices, D. W. Straub, S. Goodman, and R. Baskerville (eds.), Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, pp. 123-151. Willison, R. 2006. Understanding the Perpetration of Employee Computer Crime in the Organizational Context, Information and Organization (16:4), pp. 304-324. Vroom, R. von Solms (2004), towards information security behavioral compliance, Computers Security 23 (3). M. Stanton, K.R. Stam, P. Mastrangelo, J. Jolton (2005), Analysis of end user security behaviors, Computers Security 24 (2). V. Post, A. Kagan (2007), Evaluating information security tradeoffs: restricting access can interfere with user tasks, Computers Security 26 (3). v. Solms, B.v. Solms (2004), From policies to culture, Computers Security 23. G. Peace, D. Galletta, J. Thong (2003), Software piracy in the workplace: a model and empirical test, Journal of Management Information Systems 20 (1). Dhillon, J. Backhouse (2001), Current directions in IS security research: towards socio organizational perspectives, Information Systems Journal 11. Wixom, B. H., and Todd, P. A. 2005. Theoretical Integration of User Satisfaction and Technology Acceptance, Information Systems Research (16:1), pp. 85-102. Venkatesh, S. Brown (2001), A longitudinal investigation of personal computers in homes: adoption determinants and emerging challenges, MIS Quarterly 25 (1). References Petter, S., Straub, D., and Rai, A. 2007. Specifying Formative Constructs in Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly (31:4), pp. 623-656. V. Post, A. Kagan (2007), Evaluating information security tradeoffs: restricting access can interfere with user tasks, Computers Security 26 (3). Wixom, B. H., and Todd, P. A. 2005. Theoretical Integration of User Satisfaction and Technology Acceptance, Information Systems Research (16:1), pp. 85-102. Vroom, R. von Solms (2004), towards information security behavioral compliance, Computers Security 23 (3). Siponen, M. T. 2001. Five Dimensions of Information Security Awareness, Computers and Society (31:2), pp. 24-29. West, R. 2008. The Psychology of Security, Communications of the ACM (51:4), pp. 34-40. Mogull, R. (2005, August).Management Update: Use the Three Laws of Encryption to Properly Protect Data.Retrieved February 4, 2006, from Gartner. Doherty, N. F., and Fulford, H. 2006. Aligning the Information Security Policy with the Strategic Information Systems Plan, Computers and Security (25:1), pp. 55-63. (2005, December).Data Confidentiality. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from MSDN. v. Solms, B.v. Solms (2004), From policies to culture, Computers Security 23.

Social stratification and social class free essay sample

Today,stratification, a system by which society ranks its members in a hierarchy, is the norm throughout the world. All societies stratify their members. A stratifiedsociety is one in which there is an unequal distribution of society’s rewards and in which people are arranged hierarchically into layers according to how much of society’s rewards they possess. Historical Stratification Systems Slavery is a system of stratification in which one person owns another, as he or she would own property, and exploits the slave’s labor for economic gain. Slaves are one of the lowest categories in any stratification system, as they possess virtually no power or wealth of their own. Slavery’s Global History Many Americans view slavery as a phenomenon that began with the colonization of the New World and ended with the Civil War, but slavery has existed for a very long time. Slavery appears in the Old Testament of the Bible, as well as in the Qur’an. It was common practice in ancient Greece and Rome . The Causes of Slavery A common assumption about slavery is that it is generally based on racism. Though racism was the primary cause of slavery in the United States, it was not the main reason that people in other areas were enslaved. Reasons for slavery include debt, crime, war, and beliefs of inherent superiority. Debt: Individuals who could not pay their way out of debt sometimes had to literally sell themselves. If a slave’s debt was not paid off before his or her death, the debt was often passed down to his or her children, enslaving several generations of the same family. Crime: Families against whom a crime had been committed might enslave members of the perpetrator’s family as compensation. Prisoners of war: Slaves were often taken during wartime, or when a new territory was being invaded. When Rome was colonizing much of the known world approximately 2,000 years ago, it routinely took slaves from the lands it conquered. Beliefs of inherent superiority: Some people believe that they have a right to enslave those who they believe are inherently inferior to them. Slavery in the United States Slavery in the United States was unique for several reasons. First, it had a fairly equal male-to-female ratio. Slaves also lived longer than in other regions. They often reproduced, and their children were born into slavery. In other countries, slavery was not permanent or hereditary. Once slaves paid off their debts, they were set free. In the United States, slaves were rarely freed before the Civil War. The Estate System An ancient stratification system that no longer exists today was the estate system, a three-tiered system composed of the nobility, the clergy, and the commoners. During the Middle Ages, much of Europe was organized under this system. Nobility Members of the nobility had great inherited wealth and did little or no discernible work. They occupied themselves in what we would term leisure pursuits, such as hunting or riding. Others cultivated interests in cultural pursuits, such as art and music. To ensure that their inherited wealth passed smoothly from one generation to the next without being dispersed to members of the extended family, the nobility of the Middle Ages practiced the law of primogeniture. The word primogeniture comes from Latin and means â€Å"first born. † The nobility’s law of primogeniture stipulated that only a first-born son could inherit his father’s wealth. Members of this stratum developed an ideology to justify their privileged positions, the divine right of kings, which posited that the authority of the king comes directly from God. The king delegated authority to the nobles. Because the king and the nobles were God’s representatives, they had to be obeyed. Clergy The eldest son was guaranteed a healthy income upon the death of his father, but other sons had to find their own means of income. Few, if any, were trained for work, so many became members of the Roman Catholic clergy, a body of religious officials. The clergy was very powerful in European society in the Middle Ages, and membership offered long-term job security and a comfortable living. The higher up the ladder a priest went, the more power he had over the masses. Commoners The third tier of the estate system consisted of the masses of people known as thecommoners. They spent their lives engaged in hard physical labor, with virtually no chance of moving up in society. Indentured Servitude Some commoners, searching for a way out of their situation, found it by agreeing to indentured servitude, in which one individual agrees to sell his or her body or labor to another for a specified period of time. Once the time period is over, the individual may leave. Indentured servitude differs from slavery in that the individual chooses to enter into the agreement, while slaves have no say in deciding the course of their lives. In today’s world, three main systems of stratification remain: slavery, a caste system, and a class system. Slavery Slavery still exists today. As many as 400 million people live under conditions that qualify as slavery, despite laws prohibiting it. In Mauritania, the Sudan, Ghana, and Benin, slavery exists much as it did 800 years ago. In other parts of the world, including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, debt slavery is common. Sex slavery, the forcing of girls into prostitution, is prevalent in Asia. Caste System A caste system is a social system based on ascribed statuses, which are traits or characteristics that people possess as a result of their birth. Ascribed statuses can include race, gender, nationality, body type, and age. A caste system ranks people rigidly. No matter what a person does, he or she cannot change castes. People often try to compensate for ascribed statuses by changing their nationality, lying about their age, or undergoing plastic surgery to alter their body type. In some societies, this strategy works; in others, it does not. India’s Caste System The Indian government officially outlawed the caste system in 1949, but vestiges of it remain today. The system originated with the Hindu religion, which subscribes to the concept of reincarnation, the belief that while the physical body dies, the soul of a person is immortal and goes on to be reborn into another body. People who are good in their current life will come back to improved circumstances in the next life, but if they are evil, they will be punished in the next one. Therefore, those who are poor or ill are suffering punishment for having done something wrong in a past life. One should not interfere in the life of another person because that individual’s circumstances are the result of what he or she has done in a previous incarnation. Some might view reincarnation as religious tradition. Others might view it asideology, a set of values that people devise to rationalize a particular social custom. In the case of the caste system, the custom being rationalized is inequality. If an individual is poor, for example, blaming his or her circumstances on what he or she did in a past life absolves others in the society of the responsibility for providing any assistance. Ideology also attempts to explain why some are in positions of wealth and power. Hindu tradition would say that the wealthy and powerful are being rewarded for what they did in a past life, and therefore they deserve every privilege they have. The Five Castes The Indian caste system has existed for about 3,000 years. There were four original castes, and one caste so low that it was not even considered to be part of the caste system: 1. The Brahman caste usually consisted of priests or scholars and enjoyed a great deal of prestige and wealth. 2. The Kshatriya caste, or warrior caste, was composed of those who distinguished themselves in military service. 3. The Vaishva caste comprised two sets of people—business-people and skilled craftspeople. 4. The Shudra caste consisted of those who made their living doing manual labor. 5. The Harijan, Dalit, or Untouchable caste was thought to comprise only inferior people who were so repulsive that an individual who accidentally touched one would have to engage in extensive ritual ablutions to rid himself or herself of the contamination. There is no social movement in a caste system. An individual born into the Harijan caste cannot change his or her fate. Nor can someone be demoted to a lower caste; the caste into which a person is born is the caste he or she will have for life. Castes and Work Caste dictates the type of work an individual is allowed to do. Members of the Shudra caste, for example, are relegated to performing hard physical work regardless of their skill, intelligence, or ambition. Those born into the Brahman caste must attend university or become a member of the clergy, even though they may show no interest or aptitude toward that end. Castes and Marriage In a true caste system, societies practice endogamy, or marriage within one’s own group or caste, with marriage between castes strictly forbidden. Traditionally, love is not used as a basis for marriage in a caste system. Rather, parents arrange marriages, sometimes when the future bride and groom are still children. The Indian concept of marriage is that while love is wonderful, it is neither a necessary nor desirable condition of marriage. If the couple is considered compatible in terms of major demographic variables, then the marriage is considered appropriate. Caste is one of the important variables, along with religion and educational level. Modern India’s caste system has many more than the original five castes. Because the distinctions between these numerous castes have blurred over time, some people marry outside their caste. In general, however, caste is still considered an important determinant of whom one will marry. When people do marry outside of their caste, they are likely to marry someone whose caste is only a few levels away from their own. Castes and Socializing One’s caste also determines social contact. Friendships, and relationships in general, are rare among members of different castes. They neither live nor work near each other and rarely have any contact with one another. South Africa’s Apartheid System The apartheid system of South Africa is another example of a caste system. The term apartheid refers to the total separation of the races. White Europeans colonized South Africa starting in the seventeenth century, and the area remained part of the British Empire until its independence in 1961. The policy of apartheid, introduced in 1948, relegated black people to a caste far below that of whites. Black people could not vote, receive an education, or mix with whites in any way. The work of Nelson Mandela and others who fought for black equality have made apartheid illegal in South Africa, but, like the caste system in India, some prejudice and discrimination remain. Class System In a class system, an individual’s place in the social system is based on achieved statuses, which are statuses that we either earn or choose and that are not subject to where or to whom we were born. Those born within a class system can choose their educational level, careers, and spouses. Social mobility, or movement up or down the social hierarchy, is a major characteristic of the class system. Social class (attributes, categories). For centuries, sociologists have analyzed social stratification, its root causes, and its effects on society. Theorists Karl Marx and Max Weber disagreed about the nature of class, in particular. Other sociologists applied traditional frameworks to stratification. Karl Marx based his conflict theory on the idea that modern society has only two classes of people: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie are the owners of the means of production: the factories, businesses, and equipment needed to produce wealth. The proletariat are the workers. According to Marx, the bourgeoisie in capitalist societies exploit workers. The owners pay them enough to afford food and a place to live, and the workers, who do not realize they are being exploited, have a false consciousness, or a mistaken sense, that they are well off. They think they can count on their capitalist bosses to do what was best for them. Marx foresaw a workers’ revolution. As the rich grew richer, Marx hypothesized that workers would develop a true class consciousness, or a sense of shared identity based on their common experience of exploitation by the bourgeoisie. The workers would unite and rise up in a global revolution. Once the dust settled after the revolution, the workers would then own the means of production, and the world would become communist. No one stratum would control the access to wealth. Everything would be owned equally by everyone. Marx’s vision did not come true. As societies modernized and grew larger, the working classes became more educated, acquiring specific job skills and achieving the kind of financial well-being that Marx never thought possible. Instead of increased exploitation, they came under the protection of unions and labor laws. Skilled factory workers and tradespeople eventually began to earn salaries that were similar to, or in some instances greater than, their middle-class counterparts. Max Weber took issue with Marx’s seemingly simplistic view of stratification. Weber argued that owning property, such as factories or equipment, is only part of what determines a person’s social class. Social class for Weber included power and prestige, in addition to property or wealth. People who run corporations without owning them still benefit from increased production and greater profits. Prestige and Property Weber argued that property can bring prestige, since people tend to hold rich people in high regard. Prestige can also come from other sources, such as athletic or intellectual ability. In those instances, prestige can lead to property, if people are willing to pay for access to prestige. For Weber, wealth and prestige are intertwined. Power and Wealth Weber believed that social class is also a result of power, which is merely the ability of an individual to get his or her way, despite opposition. Wealthy people tend to be more powerful than poor people, and power can come from an individual’s prestige. Sociologists still consider social class to be a grouping of people with similar levels of wealth, prestige, and power. Davis and Moore: The Functionalist Perspective Sociologists Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore believed that stratification serves an important function in society. In any society, a number of tasks must be accomplished. Some tasks, such as cleaning streets or serving coffee in a restaurant, are relatively simple. Other tasks, such as performing brain surgery or designing skyscrapers, are complicated and require more intelligence and training than the simple tasks. Those who perform the difficult tasks are therefore entitled to more power, prestige, and money. Davis and Moore believed that an unequal distribution of society’s rewards is necessary to encourage people to take on the more complicated and important work that required many years of training. They believed that the rewards attached to a particular job reflect its importance to society. Melvin Tumin Sociologist Melvin Tumin took issue with Davis and Moore’s theory. He disagreed with their assumption that the relative importance of a particular job can always be measured by how much money or prestige is given to the people who performed those jobs. That assumption made identifying important jobs difficult. Were the jobs inherently important, or were they important because people received great rewards to perform them? If society worked the way Davis and Moore had envisioned, Tumin argued, all societies would be meritocracies, systems of stratification in which positions are given according to individual merit. Ability would determine who goes to college and what jobs someone holds. Instead, Tumin found that gender and the income of an individual’s family were more important predictors than ability or what type of work an individual would do. Men are typically placed in a higher social stratification than women, regardless of ability. A family with more money can afford to send its children to college. As college graduates, these children are more likely to assume high-paying, prestigious jobs. Conversely, people born into poverty are more likely to drop out of school and work low-paying jobs in order to survive, thereby shutting them off from the kinds of positions that are associated with wealth, power, and prestige. 3. Elite theory (value, altimetry approach). Elite theory developed in part as a reaction to Marxism. It rejected the Marxian idea that a classless society having an egalitarian structure could be realized after class struggle in every society. It regards Marxism as an ideology rather than an objective analysis of social systems. According to Elite theory man can never be liberated from the subjugation of an elite structure. The term Elite refers to those who excel. The classical elite theorists identify the governing elite in terms of superior personal qualities of those who exercise power. However later versions of elite theory places less emphasis on the personal qualities of the powerful and more on the institutional framework of the society. They argued that the hierarchical organization of social institutions allows a minority to monopolize power. Another criticism of the elite theories against the Marxian view of distribution of power is that the ruling class too large and amorphous a group to be able to effectively wield power. In their view power is always exercised by a small cohesive group of the elite. Elite theory argues that all societies are divided into two main groups a ruling minority and the ruled. This situation is inevitable. If the proletarian revolution occurs it will merely result in the replacement of one ruling elite by another. Classical elite theory was propounded by Pareto and Mosca. Social mobility (vertical, horizontal) Social Mobility Individuals are recognized in society through the statuses they occupy and the roles they enact. The society as well as individuals is dynamic. Men are normally engaged in endless endeavor to enhance their statuses in society, move from lower position to higher position, secure superior job from an inferior one. For various reasons people of the higher status and position may be forced to come down to a lower status and position. Thus people in society continue to move up and down the status scale. This movement is called social mobility. The study of social mobility is an important aspect of social stratification. Infact it is an inseparable aspect of social stratification system because the nature, form, range and degree of social mobility depends on the very nature of stratification system. Stratification system refers to the process of placing individuals in different layers or strata. According to Wallace and Wallace social mobility is the movement of a person or persons from one social status to another. W.P Scott has defined sociology as the movement of an individual or group from one social class or social stratum to another. Types of Social Mobility Horizontal And Vertical Social Mobility A distinction is made between horizontal and vertical social mobility. The former refers to change of occupational position or role of an individual or a group without involving any change in its position in the social hierarchy, the latter refers essentially to changes in the position of an individual or a group along the social hierarchy. When a rural laborer comes to the city and becomes an industrial worker or a manager takes a position in another company there are no significant changes in their position in the hierarchy. Those are the examples of horizontal mobility. Horizontal mobility is a change in position without the change in statue. It indicates a change in position within the range of the same status. It is a movement from one status to its equalivalent. But if an industrial worker becomes a businessman or lawyer he has radically changed his position in the stratification system. This is an example of vertical mobility. Vertical mobility refers to a movement of an individual or people or groups from one status to another. It involves change within the lifetime of an individual to a higher or lower status than the person had to begin with. Forms Of Vertical Social Mobility The vertical mobility can take place in two ways individuals and groups may improve their position in the hierarchy by moving upwards or their position might worsen and they may fall down the hierarchy. When individuals get into seats of political position; acquire money and exert influence over others because of their new status they are said to have achieved individual mobility. Like individuals even groups also attain high social mobility. When a dalit from a village becomes an important official it is a case of upward mobility. On the other hand an aristocrat or a member of an upper class may be dispossessed of his wealth and he is forced to enter a manual occupation. This is an example of downward mobility. Inter-Generational Social Mobility Time factor is an important element in social mobility. On the basis of the time factor involved in social mobility there is another type of inter-generational mobility. It is a change in status from that which a child began within the parents, household to that of the child upon reaching adulthood. It refers to a change in the status of family members from one generation to the next. For example a farmers son becoming an officer. It is important because the amount of this mobility in a society tells us to what extent inequalities are passed on from one generation to the next. If there is very little inter-generational mobility . inequality is clearly deeply built into the society for people life chances are being determined at the moment of birth. When there is a mobility people are clearly able to achieve new statuses through their own efforts, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. Intra-Generational Mobility Mobility taking place in personal terms within the lifespan of the same person is called intra-generational mobility. It refers to the advancement in ones social level during the course of ones lifetime. It may also be understood as a change in social status which occurs within a persons adult career. For example a person working as a supervisor in a factory becoming its assistant manager after getting promotion. Structural mobility Structural mobility is a kind of vertical mobility. Structural mobility refers to mobility which is brought about by changes in stratification hierarchy itself. It is a vertical movement of a specific group, class or occupation relative to others in the stratification system. It is a type of forced mobility for it takes place because of the structural changes and not because of individual attempts. For example historical circumstances or labor market changes may lead to the rise of decline of an occupational group within the social hierarchy. An influx of immigrants may also alter class alignments -especially if the new arrivals are disproportionately highly skilled or unskilled. Social Classes in the United States Socioeconomic status is just a way of describing the stratification system of the United States. The class system, also imperfect in classifying all Americans, nonetheless offers a general understanding of American social stratification.