Are counter-intelligence and counter-espionage priorities mainly Essay

Are counter-intelligence and counter-espionage priorities mainly during major state-against-state geopolitical confrontations, a - Essay Example David Lonsdale has talked about this phenomenon by evoking the consequences of information technology.2 There have been a number of changes happening in the geopolitical relations that have changed the way, counter-espionage and counterintelligence operations are carried out. The changes have also transformed the time and space in which such acts are relevant. It was in this backdrop that in 1991, US had declared that new challenges were surfacing before the US counterintelligence, and had developed a National Security Strategy which said: Growing international economic competition and potential regional instabilities vastly broaden the scope of the potential intelligence threat. Our traditional openness, combined with recent changes in immigration laws and the sheer volume of information flow in the United States, affords great access to sensitive information and facilities as well as to individuals who may be targets for intelligence collection.3 Similarly, the formation of Europol in European Union was a step towards ensuring effective counterintelligence coordination within the EU nations.4 UK has also included US â€Å"among the prioritized country for a cooperation treaty with Europol.†5 All this refocusing and redesigning of intelligence activities represent a broader understanding of the changes that happen around. Counterintelligence operations have thus become more a round the clock activity than being a response to some existing or potential security threats. Researchers have been talking about the need for establishing an â€Å"international intelligence model†¦[which can]†¦establish shared concepts and procedures in the exchange of intelligence and common national and international intelligence work.†6 International counterespionage and counterintelligence activities and theories have to be discussed in the broader context of geopolitics. The term, ‘geopolitics’, is often used to understand international politic s and foreign policy matters.7 Henry Kissinger had equaled this concept with â€Å"global equilibrium and permanent national interests in the world balance of power.†8 Thus this concept is viewed as a prerequisite for maintaining global peace and well being. But usually, counterintelligence and counterespionage practices have also a trait to create global tensions as well. When these activities infringes upon the privacy and freedom of the citizens, criticism is bound to rise. For example, in the 1970s, FBI in America had pursued callous persecution of the Black radical activists and the American Indian Movement in the name of national security.9 Bruneau and Tollefson have also explained this aspect of counterintelligence by saying that, â€Å"counterintelligence and security intelligence activities have the greatest negative implications for democracy because of their covert surveillance of their citizenry.†10 Also, when the counterintelligence activity of a hostile n ation or agency is unearthed and the propagators are prosecuted, the hostilities may get enhanced. An interesting explanation on intelligence and counterintelligence has been that â€Å"one side’s intelligence failure is likely to be another side’s counterintelligence success. Conversely, an intelligence coup by one country implies a

Measurement Of Concrete Workability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Measurement Of Concrete Workability - Essay Example The volume of water affects the density of the concrete. The more the water content, the greater the workability of the concrete. High contents of water results in higher fluidity and hence better workability. An increase in the water/cement ratio decreases the compressive strength of the concrete. Large water/cement ratios increase the fluidity of the mixture and this can even cause the concrete to collapse. The method of curing used also affects the strength of the compressive strength of the mixture. All methods except the air curing method increase the compressive strength. Characteristic strength is used since it is normally based on statistical concepts as it is the strength below which no more than 5 % of all the cubes that have been tested from the concrete mixture will fall. It is expected that 95 % of all the cube samples will have strength in excess of the design characteristic strength. The practicality of placing concrete into a tightly spaced mold containing reinforceme nt is limited by the process of casting the concrete and the cost of performing this operation. In order to achieve a good compaction, vibration is done on the concrete mix using a screed board vibrator. This removes the air spaces present in the mixture. The amount of water available in the mix improves the workability of the concrete. The greater the content of water, the greater the workability of the concrete. High contents of water usually result in higher fluidity and hence better workability.

A Critical Analysis of Company Q’s Social Responsibility Essay Example for Free

A Critical Analysis of Company Q’s Social Responsibility Essay Abstract This essay is a critical analysis of the behaviors that Company Q has demonstrated with regard to social responsibility. In essence, Company Q’s behaviors, while reasonable reactions to maintain financial viability and avoid contribution to employee malfeasance, actually demonstrate a profound solicitude that results in a negative public image that will end up costing it more in the long term. I will offer solutions that will provide a cost savings while keeping Company Q from making further embarrassing errors. A Critical Analysis of Company Q’s Social Responsibility Unfortunately, Company Q has not made wise decisions as it relates to social responsibility. There are reports that the company 1) chose to close much-needed grocery stores in economically depressed (read: minority-occupied) parts of town, 2.) chose to start offering health-conscious food items only after it could locate the highest-margin products it could find; and 3) ashamedly refused to provide day-old food to the local food bank under the auspices that it was concerned that its employees would steal the food instead of donating it. The goal of this analysis is not only to highlight this absurd behavior and reasoning but also to offer solutions that are conducive to meeting social-responsibility concerns and maintaining financial viability. With any hope, Company Q will heed the counsel and institute immediate changes. Scenario 1 The news recently reported the shuttering of two of Company Q’s grocery stores in Neighborhood A and Neighborhood B. Although the company gave no public statement about the nature of these closings, public financial disclosures indicate the rationale: The stores were not profitable. Of course, in a free-market economy, companies have the option to close unprofitable stores. But in addition to being a free market, we are also an economy that operates on high social principles—or, at the very least, we  should be. Company Q apparently missed this memorandum when it was sent 30 years ago. With these stores removed from both neighborhoods, where are the residents of those neighborhoods supposed to shop? And with the removal of the stores, what impetus do the few other grocers have to keep prices reasonable for people of that socio-economic level? Scenario 1—Resolution I recognize that a possible rebuttal to any of the aforementioned questions is, â€Å"If the residents are not shopping there and putting money into the store, why would we be expected to stay open?† I would offer that such a rebuttal is wrongheaded. Perhaps a better question may be, â€Å"What are we doing to cause residents to shop elsewhere or to not spend more money with us?† Does Company Q offer the food choices these residents want? Is the layout of your stores conducive to these residents? Are the prices too high? Do the staff you employ in these stores look like the residents who shop there? If the answer is â€Å"no† to any of these questions, we will have unlocked one of many possible reasons why the store is unprofitable. It is then Company Q’s responsibility to address these issues instead of packing up shop and moving to the more affluent areas of town, where they are not concerned that a jar of pickles may cost $40. Scenario 2 With a weight epidemic ravaging the country, Company Q made its decision to offer health-conscious food fare only after it could find the foods that provided the highest margin of profit for it. That is probably why there is a dearth of health-food options in its store, and probably why the prices are nearly twice those of its competitors. This message translates to the community as: â€Å"If Company X can profit obscenely from offering health-food options to its consumers, it will then be concerned with offering healthy options. Otherwise, let the American obesity epidemic rage on unfettered—not our problem!† Scenario 2—Resolution The above message is a clear problem, and it does not have to be. It is possible for Company Q to offer plenty of health-food options while still making a profit, though the profit may not be as obscene as the one it is currently making. Company Q can engage in more impactful negotiations with its suppliers or can shop the market for health-food competitors who would  be willing to supply its sizable consumer base with its food. In our previous reference to store closings, Company Q could also offer more health-food options in more of its stores as opposed to select ones. Or Company Q could offer the same food products but initially make less of a profit on it by offering discounts on it initially as a sort of enticement to customers to become interested and promote the food to their network of friends and family. This possibility could theoretically create increased demand for the healthy food and allow more profitability for the company in the long run. Company profitability and meeting social-responsibility obligations as it relates to our country’s obesity epidemic need not be at variance. Scenario 3 A local food bank—one that serves the indigent—requested the donation of day-old food from Company Q, but Company Q responded that it was concerned that it would lose revenue because it was concerned that its employees would purloin the food instead of donating it. Scenario 3—Resolution This response is insulting to its own employees and to the food bank. If Company Q is concerned that its employees are miscreants, the company’s bigger concern should be the integrity of its employee-verification process. There are many solutions available: have the food-bank employees collect the food themselves, designate a specific employee to handle food donations, make a tax-deductible donation in the amount of the destroyed food instead. Almost any response is better than what Company Q provided. Conclusion There is no question that every company has a right to pursue profits, and I recognize that Company Q is ultimately attempting to do just that. However, it is imperative that Company Q realize that it has a responsibility to contribute to society something other than products and services. Consumers are interested in doing business with forward-thinking companies who recognize their responsibility in propelling the â€Å"soul† of our society forward. With the counsel provided, Company Q can bring itself in line with many other companies in being truly customer centric.

David Jones Management Case Study

David Jones Management Case Study Report writing on the case of David Jones management Prepared by Nisarg Patel David Jones is one of largest departmental store in Australia. It was established in 1838. Since 176 years the Australian retail market has undergone drastic changes. According to my suggestion the best model of planned change that suits David Jones case study is the positive model of planned change. The positive model, as it appears from its name is based on the positive mentality. It pays emphasis on that things will better in the future and that present going things are not bad. Thus to lead the company using this model there is no need of faults in the present conditions. The use of positive model can be done at any point of time with expectation of making conditions better in future and perfection can always be achieved. This model focuses on the betterment of things that working properly then on things that are not working. In order to initiate the enquiry occurrence of problem is not required. The initiation of enquiry can be done any time for better future of the company. Dav id Jones departmental stores should indentify its strengths. They should magnify their strength and prepare itself for an ideal future. They should achieve their future expectations by designing different ways to accomplish their target. In order to meet the required future expectation, implementation of their plan is carried out properly. It is easy to focus on strength and improve it than trying to decrease errors or weakness because people of the organization are highly motivated to deliver superior products or results due to its positive vibe. The positive model of planned change is based on concept of appreciative enquiry and expectation theory. It involves primary development of their strength to the highest level. To increase the efficiency of positive model of planned change in case of David Jones, they should make use of wide range of diagnostic tools to deal with the current scenario along with improving their strength to maximum (Ashton 2010). David Jones brought many changes in itself to achieve their desired future of being one of the largest store chains across Australia. The implementation of new strategy is not easy because there is always resistance to change. The change is always accompanied with low output, frequent quarrels, slowdown of overall process. In order to overcome the resistance to change, organization should follow certain solutions. The management should always encourage staff to come up with new ideas and should listen to their feedback on it. The solution of problem lies in its root cause. The management should focus on finding out what are the actual problem and its source. In many cases the problem is the social change of employees and their relationships. (Lawrence 1969) The management sometimes only pays emphasis the technical aspects of the change and neglects the social change. The social change being the root leads to magnification of the technical issue. Thus the amount of effects required to overcome the resistance of change increase. The best solution for overcoming social change is use of emotional intelligence. The basic definition of emotional intelligence can be the skill to monitor others and your own emotions and feelings, to differentiate between them and use all this information to guide action and thoughts. The change in an organization is very emotionally demanding. Thus use of emotional intelligence is necessary. The emotional intelligence is acquired by age and years of experience. The use of emotional intelligence during decision making is helpful to successfully execute the change and the emotions can be regulated. Whenever there is a change, the management should have knowledge about the employee’s behavior, feelings, tho ughts, etc (YBARRA and KROSS 2014) I agree with the decisions made by the management and the changes they brought in the organization were needed urgently. The introduction of the bridal boutique at the seventh floor of building of David Jones departmental store located in central business district of Sydney. That is an example of innovation. The David Jones store is delivering a totally new perspective of bridal wear. They are the pioneers of this new trend in the retail market. This strategic move will boost their sales and help them to build their image in market. Innovation is necessary for company to survive in the modern retail market at global level. The overall changes made at David Jones are perfect and I totally agree with it. My suggestion in this case is that they should open theme bridal boutique at other major cities like Melbourne, Brisbane, etc. The other thing I would like to suggest is that david jones should set two different cloth line for different segment of people. The one such be economical and the other one should be exclusive superior range. They should take inspiration from Toyota. Toyota has owns two brands of itself, one is Lexus and other is Toyota. ( adam 2010) This concept might boost the sales and market position of david jones in Australia. The celebrity events that david jones organize are great. These events are successful in attracting customers. These events project david jones at a gobal level. The store keeps on updating according to customer needs. David jones introduced many international brands to Australian grounds. The management’s decision in the past to take it online has now bloomed. The company is having 190% growth in 3Q14. This result proves the effectiveness of decision. The customers should be always satisfied with the company. (ASX AND MEDIA RELEASE 2011) The company has a corporate transformation and that will bring a change corporation wide across the whole company. The company needs to boost its corporate revenue in order to survive in the modern retail market. The company should focus building a stronger corporate reputation in the Australian retail market. Overall the company should maintain their position as the leading fashion retail store across whole Australia. Thus the company needs to bring a change corporation wide rather than focusing on change in a particular department. The company should implement new management technique that ensures the optimum use of the area of strength of the company. The top level executives should make sure that the corporate principals are followed by the staff. The decision making should be effective and done by futuristic ideas. The management should think for long-term investment. It will help them to build a better future for the company. The management should cover the all perspective of p resent and future business. The management should understand the importance of the strength of the company. The better future can only be achieved by continuous innovation. The company has to incorporate higher values of work. They should continuously bring new concept and replace the older ineffective concepts. The company brings a customer-driven innovation and achieves maximum excellence. There should be overall development in the emerging markets. The company has to keep on analyzing the current market and continuously focus on improvement. The goal of the management should be increasing the strength business foundation. The change made should provide a drastic progress in the market. The financial growth is essential for the company. The stakeholder of company should be satisfied by the progress of the company and increase corporate value of the company. By doing this the company will be able to gain trust of the stakeholder and will have a better market value. (Harner 2011) The success of the corporate transformation depends on the long term solution it provides. The corporate transformation is based on the understanding of the processes and the principles. The transformation should not be made just quick fix the problems. There should be no use negative solutions such laying off employees, selling off under pressure, etc. This thing creates a false impression of the company in the market and adversely affects the market price and value. The corporate transformation is all about thinking, planning and acting in new ways. The effective transformation us the one which gives ability to grow and sustain the company under market crisis. The change has to be deep rooted not just the superficial. The transformation is only successful when it is based on perspective of the total company. The top level management should a vision of better future and should focus on implementation of the changes throughout the company. The corporate transformation is a coordinate d process. It may involve short term loses. The new formed business strategy should boost the sales. The top level management should analyze problems; evaluate strengths, weakness and resources available to the company. (Krishnan 2008) According to my view coercive style of management is used by Paul Zahra, the CEO of David Jones. The use of incremental and collaborative method of change causes conflicting views and ideology in many cases. Thus leads to chaos and is often time consuming. The use of dictatorial transformation and forced evolution is a better option. In case of David Jones there was scope of time so forced evolution was used. If the change in made within the time limit than more successful. Paul Zahra took decision on the perfect time to take the store online. The results today show 190% growth in their online segment. The other changes made were for betterment of the company. The company has progressed a lot over the time period. REFERENCE LIST Aston, 2010, viewed on 16 august 2014, http://ashtonfourie.com/blog1/2010/04/29/comparison-of-three-major-change-models/ Paul R. Lawrence, 1969, viewed on 16 august 2014, http://hbr.org/1969/01/how-to-deal-with-resistance-to-change OSCAR YBARRA, ETHAN KROSS, JEFFREY SANCHEZ-BURKS, the Academy of Management Perspectives 2014, Vol. 28, No. 2, 93–107, THE â€Å"BIG IDEA† THAT IS YET TO BE: TOWARD A MORE MOTIVATED, CONTEXTUAL, AND DYNAMIC MODEL OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, viewed on 16 august 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amp.2012.0106 ADAM FISHER, 2010, Toyota and Lexus: a tale of twin brand, viewed on 17 august 2014, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/toyota-and-lexus-a-tale-of-twin-brands/ ASX AND MEDIA RELEASE, 2011,viewed on 17 august 2014, http://www.davidjones.com.au/~/media/David-Jones/Corporate/ASX-and-Media/2011/Jan_11_JAN.ashx Stephen harner, 2011, Key to Corporate Transformation: Ten Decisions Actions, viewed on 18 august 2014, http://www.forbes.com/sites/stephenharner/2011/05/16/key-to-corporate-transformation-ten-decisions-an-actions/ Priti Krishnan, 2008, Corporate Transformation, Icfai Books, viewed on 18 august 2014, http://www.ibscdc.org/businesscasebooks-pdfs/Corporate%20Transformation.pdf

Women during the 1780s :: essays research papers

â€Å"Her name is Louise Pierce. She was born in 1770. She is able to perform all tasks around the house. Louise will be sold as a single slave today and I start bidding at five dollars.† That was the last thing Louise heard before my husband Thomas and I, Sarah bought her as our slave. Louise had no idea that she would be working a very low wage at all hours of the day. She was required to wake up at 6 am, prepare breakfast followed by doing the wash until lunch, which she prepared. After lunch, Louise was to clean the kitchen, run any errands of my choice and begin preparing dinner with myself. She usually stopped working around 9 pm, which is when Thomas and I would reside for the night. Although Louise was only 15, she was very smart and intuitive. She was able to sew, cook, clean, and manage our household very well for being so young. Louise had the potential to be a very smart young lady but unfortunately due to her skin color, she was not allowed to be educated. My husband Thomas is a very old fashioned man who believed in whites holding all the power in our nation. He would never see it in any other light. I think most of his oppression comes from fighting in the revolutionary war. He clearly showed his views through his actions towards our slaves. He would physically abuse Louise if she were to speak when she wasn’t spoken to or mess up on any sort of task. I never defended Louise but I felt her pain in my heart. I would not dare speak out against my husband. His views were my views and even If I felt different, I had no place saying it as nothing would come of it anyway. Thomas never wanted children. He is too selfish with his money. Our tobacco plantation is probably one of the best around our parts. Thomas isn’t exactly subtle when it comes to being humble about our money either. We are very well known as Thomas is a member of many political and social groups. We both attend church every Sunday in our best outfits and host dinner parties annually. Life wasn’t as grand as it looked on the outside. Thomas and I had different views on life. He was for slavery and white supremacy and I believed in equal rights for all human beings.

Sentimental and Humorous Speech by the Father of the Bride

Sentimental and Humorous Speech by the Father of the Bride Ladies and gentlemen, it is my very pleasant duty to welcome you here this evening to this special occasion of celebrating this marriage. I'm sure that you will all agree on how radiant and gorgeous the bride is. However the groom is not too bad himself. I know that some of you have traveled quite a distance to be with us here tonight, from both overseas and interstate. We really thank you and welcome you here tonight and hope that you really do enjoy yourselves accordingly. We are all very sad that the bride's grandfather is not here with us tonight. We all miss him, but I?m sure he is "watching down on us and is very proud and happy for her.? When they stood at the altar earlier today and she spoke those magic words ?I do?, I had cause to reflect that it's one of the few times in her life she's agreed to do something without question. Don't get me wrong, my daughter was wonderful and obedient as a child - with a bit of prompting. As a child she was full of life, effervescence, fun and joy and was just so bubbly she made friends with everyone. During her teen years, both at school and at University, she had a wonderful time, being the first person to gain the distinction of getting her degree with no study at all. However she worked hard for her degree, and we congratulate her for it. Then her Thespian Knight in Shining Armor in the form of the groom came along. I didn't doubt her choice at all, as Victor Hugo once said, "Men have sight, women have insight.? Now the groom is a very good actor, but with a somewhat "Puckish" sense of humor. At first we thought him a little shy, retiring and rather reluctant to talk with us, but we were victims of... ... bride she is, and the sight of them coming together as such a lovely couple makes the hard work and planning that has gone into this day worthwhile. As I say this, I see that my daughter has grown up, left home, and is now married. When I look back over the years, I realize how little time you really do have with your children..A philosopher once said: ''Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after your gold and good health have gone.? We wish you all the happiness and prosperity in the world, and I am glad to welcome the groom and his family into our family. In conclusion, I hope that none of you will go home thinking the words of Groucho Marks: "I've had a wonderful time, but this wasn't it." And so I would now ask you to raise your glasses and join me in a toast to the future health and happiness of the union of the bride and groom.

What Is The Purpose Of College

While struggling to prioritize and manage my time efficiently for the complete on of finals, the recurring question of the significance of college plays in my head. Was this the right decision? Will this land me my dream job in four years? Is this a familiar feeling g for all college freshmen? Questions such as these race back and forth as I try my hardest to finish word k for general education classes that have absolutely no interest in.All throughout my high school years was essentially being trained for college The exams, essay structures, and constant lectures of expectations were all drilled into us in preparation for higher education. I've learned, however, that there are so ma NY small but imperative details about college that a high school counselor cannot teach a p arson; one has to experience it for themselves. The sudden gift Of freedom and the ability to ex. SST without any supervision from those one is so accustomed to obeying, is more than enough h to catch a student of f guard and result in experimental behavior.Even aside from students in De separate attempts to mind themselves and adapt to such a brand new environment, the coursework and pressure for students to have their college careers planned out is more than likely to lead t o doubts and stress. In the long run, it is almost certain that the decision to obtain a degree will lea eve a person with a higher chance at earning a greater salary, becoming more knowledgeable of g mineral studies, and being better able to handle both diversity and adversity.While there are man y benefits there are also many flaws in the system, as well as alternatives for those who do not bell eve that the college experience is right for them. One of the greatest influences of college admissions is the impression that o en is guaranteed to earn a higher salary if they have a degree of some level. While t he probabilities aren't set in stone, there are some relative pieces of evidence that support HTH s theory. Accor ding to the U. S.Census Bureau, the annual salary difference between high school g radiates and those who hold a bachelors degree is roughly twentieth thousand dollars. With a college degree in a particular field one makes themselves more marketable, as well as qualified ND available for many more open positions because of their previously acquired knowledge. N regards to the job search, the more time a person spends at a college allows them to make all the e more connections adjusts might help them land a position with ease.As far as the economy go sees in today's society, having a bachelors degree (or higher) is the equivalent to what holding g a high school diploma was just years ago. As time passes, requirements become a lot more particular depending on the compensation one would like to receive from their employ For those who are passionate about a particular subject, college is a great plan CE to attend. The unlimited amount of resources, aid from specialized professors, and s up port from peers studying the exact majors are a great motivator for success.College grants SST dents the opportunity to find themselves in a sense. Because of all the freedoms, studs ants gradually begin to realize their true likes and dislikes. Often times things that one thought the y were passionate about end up getting replaced by a new found love. College supports these d velveteen's and offers platforms (such as classrooms and studies) for one to be creative and e express themselves. It is not always about choosing the field that will yield the most income.Taking g the opportunity to pursue your craft, no matter what the reward, is a notion that some are away are enough to take note Of and act upon. The ability to understand people and their different cultures, behaviors, etc can be learned in college as well. Universities present the chance to meet and socialize e with peers from all over the world. And although this may be a bit uncomfortable and sort of a culture shock a t first, the lessons and comprehensions that one leaves these friendships with are priceless and unlikely to happen in any other setting.Aversive, or stress, may be the biggest and recurring obstacles throughout on see's college career. It stems from any and every place, and happens all the time. The pres sure to succeed and pass with outstanding grades and the inability to manage time effectively are probably the leading causes of stress. But, if there's anyone who can handle a week's worth of extreme sisters and still manage to pull their grades together despite the occasional mental meltdown, its a college student. But is college really necessary?Is it really required for everyone? No, if one do sees decide not to attend college that in no way makes them a failure or any less superior than a graduate. Although college offers a lot of possibilities, so does the real world. There are still hundreds of ways to sun. ‘eve and support oneself without higher education. For starter s, o en can teach themselves. By simply choosing the subject of their interest, a person can ma term any topic he or she desires by use Of obtainable resources such as books, videos, online tutor ails, etcetera.A schoolbag's alternative to college is also trade school. By earning a certificate , a person can do anything from working in that corresponding area to taking the next step and opening pupa business or practice that provides that particular service. Another factor that leads people to choosing a direction other than college is the fact that it is so extremely pricey. Many people cannot make the grades for scholarship s, do not receive enough in financial aid, and can not afford college out of pocket.Therefore t hey are forced to result in a lesser alternative or just not pursuing an extended education at all. Ultimately, college is a privilege and a huge decision for anyone considering attending. Prepare ion is key: entering with a healthy mindset is ideal for a smooth tran sition. As for those who not s e themselves in university in the future, it is perfectly okay to chase your dreams and do what you set your mind and heart to.

Thomas Green

A person’s success in an organization not only depends on his or her personality and ability, but also how he or she manages office politics and resolves conflicts. In order to successfully manage interpersonal relations within a corporate environment, one also needs to understand the power and influence structures in one’s organization. Failure to develop effective work relationships can cause job dissatisfaction, low work performance, unnecessary conflicts, and potentially getting fired from one’s job.Thomas Green Case is a great example of how different work styles and office politics can result in a career crisis. After reviewing the following case study, I have concluded that both parties are responsible for the lack of synergy between the employee, Green, and upper-management, Davis. The underlying root cause of these problems occurring in the office is from the lack of respect the co-workers have for one another.There are several other possible underlying root causes of these employee-managerial altercations such as Thomas Green’s immense amount of confidence in himself, or Frank Davis’ approach on how to handle certain situations, however, the lack of respect for one another is the root cause of the inappropriate challenges to authority Green has expressed, and the ill-favored atmosphere Davis has created. Company's BackgroundDynamic Displays was founded in 1990 as a provider of self-service options to banks via Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). In 1994, Dynamic Displays launched a new division at the Travel and  Hospitality Industry, and developed their first self-service check-in kiosk for  Discover Airlines. These kiosks not only reduced costs but also improved  customer service, shortened passenger wait times, and provided valuable information to these travelers. But now due to web check-in facility  is kiosk is facing a danger of lacking behind. Introduction:This is a case about Thomas Green, a 28 year guy , who was recruited in Dynamic Displays as an account  executive got promoted to senior marketing specialist within few months was finding difficulty in adjusting with  immediate boss Frank Davis. The conflict between the two now had reached its limit affecting the enthusiasm of Thomas Green and can result  in termination of Green. This case throws light on role of politics, dynamics of the power and importance of  communication within an organization. 1. Define the Problem: Describe the type of case and what problem(s) or issue(s) should be the focus for your analysis.Problem: In the case of â€Å"Thomas Green: power, office politics, and a career in Crisis†, it describes the dilemma of Thomas Green who works in a company called Dynamic Display. Thomas was recruited as an account executive, and then five months later, he was promoted as a Senior Market Specialist directly by the President Shannon McDonald. Thomas’s boss Frank Davis hadn’t expected to ch oose Green as the new senior market specialist, and he was very dissatisfied with Green’s work style and performance three months after the promotion.After being informed that Frank Davis had emailed McDonald about his concerns about Green’s performance, Green was getting really worried about his situation and not sure how to explain his perspective to McDonald. I’m going to analyze the issue for Green and suggest solutions to solve the problem. Thomas Green has a serious problem at Dynamic Displays. After joining the company in March of 2007, Green spent 6 months dazzling his superiors with his salesmanship and ability to create a strong rapport with his clients.He was also able to create a rapport with Shannon McDonald, the division vice president and Mary Jacobs, the national sales director. Green was able to impress McDonald to the point that, when a senior market specialist position opened up, she promoted him to the position, while advising him, â€Å"Thi s new job will require you to think strategically as well as tactically†¦I am hoping you compensate for your lack of experience by seeking out guidance from some of our more seasoned managers. † The promotion of Thomas Green did not go unnoticed, of course.The position had been vacated by Frank Davis, who had been promoted to marketing director and now supervised the position. Davis had hoped to choose his replacement for the position and Green would not have been his choice. Be that as it may, both Green and Davis appeared ready to work together, with Davis stating, â€Å"We had some good meetings this week and the clients responded well to your ideas. However, I think we would have been more effective if we had been able to provide the clients with some market data. † Problem Statement:Thomas Green, a young account executive, was offered by Shannon McDonald the opportunity of a lifetime to quickly climb up the career ladder at Dynamic Displays, and become a senio r market specialist. However, this wasn’t kindly embraced by the person who was going to be his boss, Frank Davis, who was the one supposed to choose a person for that position. Several conflicts arose between them, mainly due to work style differences and failed expectations, and Green is facing a meeting with McDonald to give his point of view about the whole situation.Now the question is â€Å"What should Thomas Green do? †. He just started to look for a new place to live and was dealing with a long distance relationship, is it the best time to quit the job? Root Cause and Analysis Current scenario /Problem The main problem is that Davis and Green both believe that they have the power to perform their job better than the other. Lack of proactive action taken by McDonald as she never the mail regarding Green's  performance seriously. Davis want of maintaining the power  distance was also one of the problems. Highly individualistic nature of both Green and Davis. 2.List any outside concepts that can be applied: Write down any principles, frameworks or theories that can be applied to this case. One of the reasons one might think that all these conflict happened is because Davis was the one supposed to choose the person for the job Green was assigned to, and he wasn’t definitely going to pick him. He could be also somewhat resentful towards Green since he had worked all the way throughout his life to have a successful career and Green just â€Å"won† the career lottery. Hence, even if Green met with all his expectations and went above and beyond, he would have never been satisfied.A second theory was that Davis had a really hard time dealing with Green’s attempt to challenge his forecasts in front of an audience, since he didn’t have the experience or knowledge to question them and decided to make is life miserable from then on. A third hypothesis, and the most plausible one, is that Green just didn’t cope wi th Davis’s requirements and was not the professional he was supposed to be. A difference in work styles was certainly one of the main causes for this clash. While Green adopted a more â€Å"face to face†, informal and intuitive approach, Davis was much more organized and structured, and adopted an authoritative stance. . List relevant qualitative data: evidence related to or based on the quality or character of something. 4. List relevant quantitative data: evidence related to or based on the amount or number of something. 5. Describe the results of your analysis: What evidence have you accumulated that supports one interpretation over another. Respect is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as â€Å"esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as the manifestation of a personal quality or ability. The underlying root cause of the lack of synergy in Dynamic Display’s work place is the lac k of respect the employee has for his superior and vice versa. Thomas Green doesn’t respect Frank Davis’ leadership strategies and the amount of experience Davis has, while Davis doesn’t respect Thomas Green’s potential and his ability to correctly do his job effectively and efficiently. Frank Davis had his mind set on whom he wanted as the new senior market specialist and Thomas Green was not who he originally had in mind.This is displayed when Shannon McDonald informed Thomas Green about his new boss, â€Å" Tom, you are walking into a sticky situation with Frank Davis. Frank had expected to choose the new senior market specialist and it would not have been you. You’ll have to deal with any fallout that might result from that† (p. 3). Frank Davis had very high expectations in a little amount of time for Green to show the best of his abilities. 6. Describe alternative actions: List and prioritize possible recommendations or actions that com e out of your analysis.Possible Solutions / Recommendation McDonald can remove Green from the current position of Senior Market Specialist and put him at the new position where his Sales  skills can best utilized in interest of organization. McDonald can act as an intermediary between Davis and Green. She can separately talk to  both and try to convey the point of views of Green and Davis to each other in order to create win-win situation and aligning their individual goals with the organization goals. She can encourage Green to  ask Davis for managerial advice and try to convince Davis to help him.Green can be given adequate training so that he can understand the necessary managerial skills that are needed for the position he is in and he should also be educated about employing correct office politics. Davis should clearly lay down the organizational goals and rules and should use his position of power to influence Green to  abide by them. Green shouldn't change the job (to o much loan) and try to change his style of working and try to develop skills which he lacked  (pointed out by Davis and others) which not only helped him in his growth within the organization but  also will add to organization success 7.Describe your preferred action plan: Write a clear statement of what you would recommend including short, medium and long-term steps to be carried out. Learning's from the case This case portrays office politics and if not treated properly can create problems in an organization. This case gives insight how power  distance in an organization can cause problems. This case illustrates the importance of proper communication between the different members of organization. This case is also proves that point that if proactive action is not taken by leader  then it can result in bigger issues a.What is Thomas Green’a situation? The case describes the dilemma of a marketing manager, Thomas Green, who, after being rapidly promoted, is harshly c riticized by his boss, Frank Davis. Green and Davis disagree on work styles and market projections. Green believes the sales goals set by Davis are based on â€Å"creative accounting† and grossly overstate the current market environment. A mood of silent conflict develops quickly between the two men, and Green is concerned that Davis is building a case to fire him.Green's situation is one in which his failure to adapt his work style and fully understand the demands and boundaries of his new position may lead to his discharge. A factor in the background is Green's relationship with his boss's boss. Radical thoughts and style: Thomas Green is a young and dynamic graduate from University of Georgia in Bachelor's  degree  in Economics and has a six year work experience as account executive. He is relatively still not that experienced and he is very power hungry, which  probably caused him to use Shannon to further his goals rather than looking after the interest of the orga nization.Inability to blend in the organization and not listen to his immediate boss: Green was reluctant to listen to his boss, Davis and hence was unable to mould himself to the needs of  the organization. As a result, the boss got vexed with his lack of documented numbers and updating his scheduler properly. Inconspicuous  promotion  of Green: Green's (having less age than others plus only few months of job with the organization) promotion was not clear. Although Shannon took a chance in promoting Green, Davis might have asked for an experienced person to take the  position.Just because Green and Shannon were in the same college alumni and from the same state (Georgia), and the  fact that he cajoled her into promoting him. Lack of showing interest on feedback of a guy whom she hired: Though we see that Shannon  promoted Green, she was not concerned enough to carefully read through the performance review given by Davis and taking some proactive action. It can be assume d that if she would have taken enough interest in giving Green some important suggestions, about how to improve his work, things might have been different.Personal relationship is a source of conflict: The personal relationship between Shannon and Green is also cause of concern as it already caused Shannon to err in her judgment. There is very little visibility of Greens work in the organization which also accounts for his lack of alias in the organization and his low-influence. b. What are the different work styles, personalities and expectations of Davis and Green? What are the work styles and personalities of Thomas Green and Frank Davis? Thomas Green and Frank Davis have completely different work styles, and their personalities are also very contrasting.Thomas Green is an ambitious, bright and aggressive young man without any managerial experience. Green was unable to look at issues based on a structural and long-term view. Most of all he is interested in the end result of the p erformance, not in the detailed plan or a structure of the job. Although he is an excellent seller with strong hard skills, he has a poor strategic and tactical lore, ignoring office politics. Green is clearly annoyed by office politics and rather than taking the time to learn about the culture of the firm he chooses to ignore the cultural norms and values that existed.Thomas is too self-confident to ask for guidance from more matured colleagues that results in a complete failure of an effective work and establishing of friendly relations with his boss, Frank Davis. Frank Davis on a contrary is an excellent strategic player. Davis would rather to make memos and presentations for a meeting, while Green prefers to deliver his ideas directly to clients and talk face to face. Frank pays much attention to the office politics, strong efforts and enthusiasm of the employee.As he had just been promoted from the position of a senior market specialist he for sure was competent and experienced in the way the things should be done. He got used to a precise planning of an every detail, schedule and documentation. That depicts him as a highly organized person with perfect managerial skills. Thomas Green and Frank Davis use different working styles, and their personalities are also very different. When dealing with clients, Frank uses memos, proposals and also uses data to back up his proposals and give the client a better idea on what they are investing in.Thomas is more of a face to face to guy. He delivers is ideas to the clients and expect them to jump on board just by trusting his ideas. In the article Thomas is sketched to be very intelligent and talented and that causes him to be arrogant and overly confident. Frank Davis on the other hand was very concerned about the future of the company. He is portrayed as a visionary that believes in facts to achieve his goals. Even though they were so different in working styles and personality, both Frank and Thomas were trying to achieve the same goal but their methods were very different.How do the actions of TG differ from the expectations of F. D.? Generally TG work style does not align with FD strategy and procedures. For example; TG doesn’t keep Davis updated about his sales appointments. He doesn’t even listen to FD when he receives orders or other vital information. TG has an inappropriate work style for his new role. FD has optimistic Thomas Green ‘s evaluation of his job as senior market specialist did not meat the expectations of his boss. According to Frank as a senior market specialist, Thomas should think outside the box and develop strategies to capture aggressive growth target.After the first 2 month in the position, Thomas didn’t get a good review from is boss due to his actions. The first thing that affected Thomas performance was the fact that Frank could not locate him because he wasn’t keeping is Outlook Calendar updated. Frank wants to be informed on the progress of his specialist with the tasks that he assigned, and not being able to get in touch with Thomas wasn’t a good look. The second thing was the fact that he wasn’t keeping up with the specific tasks that were assigned to him by Frank. Frank Davis:His long career makes him feel better than Thomas Green: In the initial meeting (Green's first meeting), Green challenges his position on the growth rate forecasts for following year  calling them unrealistic and unattainable. Davis feels that Green is too inexperienced to  justify to him how he got to the 10% growth projection. Positional power also has influence in his actions: Frank Davis thinks that Green is not capable enough to handle the responsibilities nor is he experienced. Therefore he sends along negatively biased report against Green to Shannon in an effort to remove him and get some one more able.About Frank Davis: * Frank Davis is a 17-year veteran of Dynamic Displays. * He joined the company in 1990 as an account executive with the Financial Services Solutions Division. * He also held the position such as market specialist and senior market specialist with the Travel and Hospitality Division. * He is currently the marketing director of the Travel and Hospitality division. * Thomas Green’s immediate boss is Frank Davis, the marketing director. Davis had recently been promoted from position that Green assumed. Thomas Green:Radical thoughts and style: Thomas Green is a young and dynamic graduate from University of Georgia in Bachelor's  degree  in Economics and has a six year work experience as account executive. He is relatively still not that experienced and he is very power hungry, which  probably caused him to use Shannon to further his goals rather than looking after the interest of the organization. Inability to blend in the organization and not listen to his immediate boss: Green was reluctant to listen to his boss, Davis and hence was unable to mould hims elf to the needs of  the organization.As a result, the boss got vexed with his lack of documented numbers and updating his scheduler properly. Thomas green Case Study:- 1) Thomas Green was a high performing individual and could have been a very good leader, if he would have exhibited all the qualities of a true leader. Here is an analysis of Thomas’s leadership style based on Ancona leadership model. a. Inventing:- Thomas was very good on this quality of leadership. Soon after his promotion, when he met Davis, his boss, he was able to come with many new ideas and client responded very positively to these ideas. . Another example of Thomas being inventive:-one of the market specialists who accompanied Thomas to several meeting during the special software project said that Thomas is very creative and can quickly think of new ideas on his feet. b. Visioning:- One of the very important example of Thomas being a visionary was that he know what he wants in his career. He was able to see the position where he wants to be in his organization. And using his inventing capability he was able to make a way to that promotion i.Another example of Thomas’s visioning skill:- In-spite of positive indicators of the market stats (as per Davis) Thomas was able to see that market is actually not going in that direction. Thomas was more close to the consumers. After he stepped into this new role he met many clients, their account executives and market specialist. Based on his meetings he was able to predict that 10% growth, which Davis forecasted was not achievable. c. Sense making:- Thomas was good in this skill also. His ideas made sense to clients (clients responded well to his ideas).Also he was able to convince McDonald that he is a better fit for the new senior marketing specialist position. While in meeting he was able to invent new ideas for his clients which totally got the clients interested in his ideas. d. Relating: – This was something Thomas fel l behind on. McDonald informed him that he is walking into a tricky situation; still he was not able to relate this warning to Davis’s behavior. During Budgeting and forecasting meeting he openly challenged Davis’ forecasted growth of 10 %.He was not able to relate that Davis was doing this forecasting for past several years and Thomas is the young new guy, challenging Davis Openly will make Davis very upset. In addition he was not able to relate to McDonald either. After the promotion he did not follow up with McDonald to keep him posted of the dynamics going on between him and Davis. Further he was not able to relate to his clients. He was able to walk them through the benefits they will get based on his idea, however, he was not able to provide data supporting his ideas.Green was a high potential worker, if he has been more successful in relating to the people around him then he could have been very strong and influential leader. c. What is your analysis of Green's actions and job performance to date? What is your analysis of Thomas Green’s actions and job performance in his first five months? What mistakes has he made? Thomas Green doesn’t have much to show for after his first five months on the job. I feel Mr. Green was the most effective during the first few weeks after his promotion. He was able to accomplish a lot before the Budget Plan Meeting on October 8, 2008.One of Mr. Green’s biggest mistakes was publicly disagreeing with Mr. Davis’ sales growth projections. Mr. Green’s performance decreased drastically after this meeting. Mr. Green, in my opinion, spent the next several months complaining about the inflated sales goal, and trying to get others in Dynamic Displays to see his point of view. During Mr. Green’s second month performance evaluation, Mr. Green and Mr. Davis spoke about several things he had been doing wrong. Some of these problems were: not keeping an updated schedule, not followi ng up when information is requested, and a lack of enthusiasm.Because Mr. Green felt like he was being micromanaged he was very reluctant to do what Mr. Davis had suggested. Mr. Green did not heed his boss’s advice about using hard data and presentations. Mr. Green later received feedback from several of his sales associates that this hard data was going to be essential in closing the sales with many of the prospective clients. What actions, if any, would you recommend for Thomas Green to take? (Be sure to explain WHY these are the actions he should take. ) Mr. Green’s first plan of action should be to complete the self-evaluation of his performance that Ms.McDonald, Mr. Davis’ boss, asked him to complete. Mr. Green should use the points Mr. Davis suggested when completing the self-evaluation, because this is how upper management will be viewing him as well. Furthermore, I feel Mr. Green needs to listen to Mr. Davis more. Mr. Davis was in the same position he wa s just a few months Analysis: Although Green is willing to achieve a high selling growth for the company, he concentrated too much on achieving the goal instead of observing the surrounding situation.Moreover, Green did not have enough managerial experiences so he was not able to deal with issues based on a structural and long-term view; that's why he decided to avoid interactions with Davis instead of making improvements or rebuilding his relationship with Davis after Davis first criticized him. Their divergence in work style and personalities also contributed to the problem. For example, Davis prefers using memos or presentations when a meeting is set up, while Green would rather talk to his client directly or talk about things face to face.In addition, lack of communication further deteriorated the situation between Davis and Green. Despite Green’s relationship with Davis as a subordinate, they were less connected with each other for their job progress and they didnâ€℠¢t communicate well. Lastly, the most important thing we need is trust when working in a company or collaborating with other people. The environment in Dynamic Displays lacked trust. On the one hand, Davis required his subordinates to keep him informed of their progress and schedules.On the other hand, Green didn’t trust Davis’s evaluation and he suspected Davis had an intention to get rid of him. Analysis: One of the problems that has aroused was the inconspicuous promotion of Thomas Green. Shannon McDonald promoted Green due to the fact that they graduated from the same college and were both from the same state. They shared a similar background which gave more incentive to promote Green, although he lacked experience in the organization. Personal relationship between the two was a source of conflict, which altered Shannon’s judgment.Shannon also lacked interest of the Davis’s performance reviews. To avoid conflict, she should have provided Green with su ggestions on how to improve his work ethic. As described in the case, Thomas Green is a young graduate from the University of Georgia, with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a six year work experience as an account executive. Although Green has little experience, he aggressively seeks to advance his position in the organization, using Shannon to further his goals. Instead of pursuing the goals of the organization, he only looks out after his own personal gains.Another problem of Green’s was his inability to connect with the organization and refusal to follow Davis’s instructions. Due to Green’s reluctant behavior, Davis was faced with a lack of documented numbers and failure to update his schedule accordingly. Therefore, he was unable to reach the goals of the organization. Frank Davis’s problem is that he feels that he is much more experienced than Green due to his long career. Green challenges Davis’s position on the growth rate forecas ts for the following year, calling them unrealistic and unattainable. Davis feels that Green is too inexperienced for his justification.Some solutions that could have avoided the problem is that Shannon could have put Green in the new position, allowing him to fully utilize his sales skills in interest of the organization. Also, she could have individually spoken to Davis and Green creating a win-win situation for them and aligning their individual goals with the organization’s goals. Green should have received training so that he could understand the managerial skills needed for his position. d. What are the possible underlying agenda’s for Davis and McDonalds? Power, Office Politics, and Career in CrisisIn this essay I will attempt to answer why the actions of Thomas Green were so different than what his boss Frank Davis expected of him. I will also address the individual agendas of the two bosses and how each person wants to be treated. In identifying the power base s that were used by each person, I will go to French and Ravens personal bases of power to see how each could have used them more effectively, while also identifying if any of those powers were abused. An old Yugoslavian Proverb states, â€Å"If you wish to know what a man is, place him in authority! †Ã‚   Actions Differ from ExpectationsFrom the information given Thomas Greens promotion given by Shannon McDonald was one that put him in a very difficult situation from the beginning. His new boss, Frank Davis, was promoted out of the very position that Green just assumed and Davis had not wanted to promote Green to this position in the first place. Then Thomas spent most all of his time during that first week reviewing the old sales reviews, after which during the following week, Frank Davis gave Tom a whirl wind review and tour of all the major airline clients he had contact with for the company.After which Frank told Tom that their meetings had gone good and the clients real ly liked his ideas. At which point Frank said, â€Å"I think we would have been more effective if we had been able to provide the clients with some market data. † (Sasser ; Beckham, 2008) Frank even gave Tom some very specific things he needed to do like; spending a lot of time preparing to meet the clients and have proposals with supporting details that can be given to the clients. He also tasked him with developing the Market Strategy for his assigned area of responsibility.The back ground of Tom was that he is a guy that is able to keep it all in his head and this makes a great salesman, but his new position is one that requires him to have the documentation to back up what he is e. What should Thomas Green do? In the case of Thomas Green, the best possible solution would be to set up a meeting with McDonald. As the company Vice President, it would be best for Green to speak directly to the head of the department, especially since it was McDonald herself who granted Greenà ¢â‚¬â„¢s promotion.In this meeting, it would also help for Green to request Frank Davis’ presence, so that there are no hidden or mixed messages among the two employees. Judging from the three’s characters, it is easy to see why their current problem occurred. As vice president, McDonald became too trusting with Green’s abilities despite only having minimal experience in the position he sought for. As an aspiring corporate leader, Green was all too confident in his ideas and determination to see any mistakes in his actions. Finally, as the marketing director (not to mention, the previous holder of Green’s current position) Davis’ was more ager to doubt Green rather than to trust him. Collectively, each person made it difficult to have teamwork, and a sense of unity as a company. While Green recognizes the different options he has, nothing will benefit him more than choosing to discuss his performance with his superiors. In doing this, not only will he be able to plead his case, but a personal and physical discussion of the problem would avoid the possibility of having his reasons misunderstood, something an impersonal note or email would do. One of the contributing problems to their current situation is that Frank Davis has all but faith in his newly promoted subordinate.In telling Green to keep quiet of his forecasts being overstated, not only is Davis misusing his power as a superior, but he is also being close-minded. When superiors are reluctant in having their decisions challenged, subordinates are less encouraged to throw out ideas and suggestions. This is a reason why keeping quiet is not the best option for Green. Although it may not be written that it is his responsibility to question his boss, just because Davis is Green’s superior does not mean his forecasts are always accurate.

Digital Subscriber Line

C H A P T E R Chapter Goals †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Identify and discuss different types of digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies. Discuss the benefits of using xDSL technologies. Explain how ASDL works. Explain the basic concepts of signaling and modulation. Discuss additional DSL technologies (SDSL, HDSL, HDSL-2, G. SHDSL, IDSL, and VDSL). Digital Subscriber Line Introduction Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology is a modem technology that uses existing twisted-pair telephone lines to transport high-bandwidth data, such as multimedia and video, to service subscribers. The term xDSL covers a number of similar yet competing forms of DSL technologies, including ADSL, SDSL, HDSL, HDSL-2, G. SHDL, IDSL, and VDSL. xDSL is drawing significant attention from implementers and service providers because it promises to deliver high-bandwidth data rates to dispersed locations with relatively small changes to the existing telco infrastructure. xDSL services are dedicated, point-to-point, public network access over twisted-pair copper wire on the local loop (last mile) between a network service provider’s (NSP) central office and the customer site, or on local loops created either intrabuilding or intracampus. Currently, most DSL deployments are ADSL, mainly delivered to residential customers. This chapter focus mainly on defining ADSL. Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) technology is asymmetric. It allows more bandwidth downstream—from an NSP’s central office to the customer site—than upstream from the subscriber to the central office. This asymmetry, combined with always-on access (which eliminates call setup), makes ADSL ideal for Internet/intranet surfing, video-on-demand, and remote LAN access. Users of these applications typically download much more information than they send. Internetworking Technologies Handbook 1-58705-001-3 21-1 Chapter 21 Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Digital Subscriber Line ADSL transmits more than 6 Mbps to a subscriber and as much as 640 kbps more in both directions (shown in Figure 21-1). Such rates expand existing access capacity by a factor of 50 or more without new cabling. ADSL can literally transform the existing public information network from one limited to voice, text, and low-resolution graphics to a powerful, ubiquitous system capable of bringing multimedia, including full-motion video, to every home this century. Figure 21-1 The Components of an ADSL Network Include a Telco and a CPE Core network Existing copper Server ADSL ADSL 1. 5 to 9 Mbps 16 to 640 kbps Internet ADSL connection ADSL will play a crucial role over the next decade or more as telephone companies enter new markets for delivering information in video and multimedia formats. New broadband cabling will take decades to reach all prospective subscribers. Success of these new services depends on reaching as many subscribers as possible during the first few years. By bringing movies, television, video catalogs, remote CD-ROMs, corporate LANs, and the Internet into homes and small businesses, ADSL will make these markets viable and profitable for telephone companies and application suppliers alike. ADSL Capabilities An ADSL circuit connects an ADSL modem on each end of a twisted-pair telephone line, creating three information channels: a high-speed downstream channel, a medium-speed duplex channel, and a basic telephone service channel. The basic telephone service channel is split off from the digital modem by filters, thus guaranteeing uninterrupted basic telephone service, even if ADSL fails. The high-speed channel ranges from 1. 5 to 9 Mbps, and duplex rates range from 16 to 640 kbps. Each channel can be submultiplexed to form multiple lower-rate channels. ADSL modems provide data rates consistent with North American T1 1. 544 Mbps and European E1 2. 048 Mbps digital hierarchies (see Figure 21-2), and can be purchased with various speed ranges and capabilities. The minimum configuration provides 1. 5 or 2. 0 Mbps downstream and a 16-kbps duplex channel; others provide rates of 6. 1 Mbps and 64 kbps for duplex. Products with downstream rates up to 8 Mbps and duplex rates up to 640 kbps are available today. ADSL modems accommodate Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) transport with variable rates and compensation for ATM overhead, as well as IP protocols. Internetworking Technologies Handbook 21-2 1-58705-001-3 Chapter 21 Digital Subscriber Line Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Figure 21-2 This Chart Shows the Speeds for Downstream Bearer and Duplex Bearer Channels Downstream bearer channels n x 1. 536 Mbps 1. 536 Mbps 3. 072 Mbps 4. 608 Mbps 6. 144 Mbps 2. 048 Mbps 4. 096 Mbps x 2. 048 Mbps Duplex bearer channels C channel Optional channels 16 Kbps 64 Kbps 160 Kbps 384 Kbps 544 Kbps 576 Kbps Downstream data rates depend on a number of factors, including the length of the copper line, its wire gauge, the presence of bridged taps, and cross-coupled interference. Line attenuation increases with line length and frequency, and decreases as wire diameter increases. Ignoring bridged taps, ADSL perfo rms as shown in Table 21-1. Table 21-1 Claimed ADSL Physical-Media Performance Data Rate (Mbps) 1. 5 or 2 1. 5 or 2 6. 1 6. 1 Wire Gauge (AWG) 24 26 24 26 Distance (feet) 18,000 15,000 12,000 9,000 Wire Size (mm) 0. 5 0. 4 0. 5 0. 4 Distance (km) 5. 5 4. 6 3. 7 2. 7 Although the measure varies from telco to telco, these capabilities can cover up to 95 percent of a loop plant, depending on the desired data rate. Customers beyond these distances can be reached with fiber-based digital loop carrier (DLC) systems. As these DLC systems become commercially available, telephone companies can offer virtually ubiquitous access in a relatively short time. Many applications envisioned for ADSL involve digital compressed video. As a real-time signal, digital video cannot use link- or network-level error control procedures commonly found in data communications systems. Therefore, ADSL modems incorporate forward error correction that dramatically reduces errors caused by impulse noise. Error correction on a symbol-by-symbol basis also reduces errors caused by continuous noise coupled into a line. ADSL Technology ADSL depends on advanced digital signal processing and creative algorithms to squeeze so much information through twisted-pair telephone lines. In addition, many advances have been required in transformers, analog filters, and analog/digital (A/D) converters. Long telephone lines may attenuate signals at 1 MHz (the outer edge of the band used by ADSL) by as much as 90 dB, forcing analog sections of ADSL modems to work very hard to realize large dynamic ranges, separate channels, and Internetworking Technologies Handbook 1-58705-001-3 21-3 Chapter 21 Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Digital Subscriber Line maintain low noise figures. On the outside, ADSL looks simple—transparent synchronous data pipes at various data rates over ordinary telephone lines. The inside, where all the transistors work, is a miracle of modern technology. Figure 21-3 displays the ADSL transceiver-network end. Figure 21-3 This Diagram Provides an Overview of the Devices That Make Up the ADSL Transceiver-Network End of the Topology Downstream channel(s) Duplex channel(s) Mux Error control XMTR D/A and A/D Line coupler Channel separation (FDM or ECH) Basic telephone service splitter Line Demux Duplex channel(s) Error control RCVR Basic telephone service ADSL transceiver–network end (Premises end is mirror image) To create multiple channels, ADSL modems divide the available bandwidth of a telephone line in one of two ways: frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) or echo cancellation, as shown in Figure 21-4. FDM assigns one band for upstream data and another band for downstream data. The downstream path is then divided by time-division multiplexing into one or more high-speed channels and one or more low-speed channels. The upstream path is also multiplexed into corresponding low-speed channels. Echo cancellation assigns the upstream band to overlap the downstream, and separates the two by means of local echo cancellation, a technique well known in V. 32 and V. 34 modems. With either technique, ADSL splits off a 4-kHz region for basic telephone service at the DC end of the band. Internetworking Technologies Handbook 21-4 1-58705-001-3 Chapter 21 Digital Subscriber Line Signaling and Modulation Figure 21-4 ADSL Uses FDM and Echo Cancellation to Divide the Available Bandwidth for Services FDM Upstream Basic telephone service Downstream Frequency Echo cancellation Upstream Basic telephone service Downstream 1 Mhz Frequency 1 Mhz An ADSL modem organizes the aggregate data stream created by multiplexing downstream channels, duplex channels, and maintenance channels together into blocks, and it attaches an error correction code to each block. The receiver then corrects errors that occur during transmission, up to the limits implied by the code and the block length. At the user’s option, the unit also can create superblocks by interleaving data within subblocks; this allows the receiver to correct any combination of errors within a specific span of bits. This, in turn, allows for effective transmission of both data and video signals. Signaling and Modulation This section includes the following: †¢ †¢ CAP and DMT Modulated ADSL ADSL Standards and Associations CAP and DMT Modulated ADSL DMT and CAP are line-coding methods for modulating the electrical signals sent over the copper wire in the local loop. Carrierless Amplitude and Phase (CAP) is a common line-coding method. CAP is a well-understood technology because of its similarity with QAM. Although CAP is well-understood and relatively inexpensive, some argue that it is difficult to scale because it is a single-carrier modulation technique and is susceptible to narrowband interference. DMT uses multiple carriers. At this point, DMT is capable of more speed than CAP. This is one reason that the ANSI committee T1E1. accorded it standards status in document T1. 413. This standard calls for 256 subbands of 4 KHz each, thereby occupying 1. 024 GHz. Each subband can be modulated with QAM 64 for clean subbands, down to QPSK. If each of the subbands can support QAM-64 modulation, then the forward channel supports 6. 1 Mbps. On the return path are 32 subbands, with a potential for 1. 5 Mbps. Internetworking Technologies H andbook 1-58705-001-3 21-5 Chapter 21 Signaling and Modulation Digital Subscriber Line CAP and DMT Compared CAP is a single-carrier technique that uses a wide passband. DMT is a multiple-carrier technique that uses many narrowband channels. The two have a number of engineering differences, even though, ultimately, they can offer similar service to the network layers discussed previously. Adaptive Equalization Adaptive equalizers are amplifiers that shape frequency response to compensate for attenuation and phase error. Adaptive equalization requires that the modems learn line characteristics and do so by sending probes and looking at the return signals. The equalizer then knows how it must amplify signals to get a nice, flat frequency response. The greater the dynamic range, the more complex the equalization. ADSL requires 50 dB of dynamic range, complicating adaptive equalization. Only with recent advances in digital signal processing (number crunching) has it become possible to have such equalization in relatively small packaging. Adaptive equalization is required for CAP because noise characteristics vary significantly across the frequency passband. Adaptive equalization is not needed for DMT because noise characteristics do not vary across any given 4-KHz subband. A major issue in comparing DMT with CAP is determining the point at which the complexity of adaptive equalization surpasses the complexity of DMT’s multiple Fourier transform calculations. This is determined by further implementation experience. Power Consumption Although DMT clearly scales and does not need adaptive equalization, other factors must be considered. First, with 256 channels, DMT has a disadvantage regarding power consumption (and, therefore, cost) when compared with CAP. DMT has a high peak-to-average power ratio because the multiple carriers can constructively interfere to yield a strong signal. DMT has higher computational requirements, resulting in more transistors than the transceiver chips. Numbers are mostly proprietary at this point, but it is estimated that a single transceiver will consume 5 W of power, even with further advances. Power consumption is important because hundreds or thousands (as carriers dearly hope) of transceivers might be at the central office, or CEV. This would require much more heat dissipation than CAP requires. Latency Another issue for DMT is that latencies are somewhat higher than with CAP (15). Because each subband uses only 4 KHz, no bit can travel faster than permitted by a QAM-64. The trade-off between throughput and latency is a historical one in data communications and has normally been settled in the marketplace. Speed DMT appears to have the speed advantage over CAP. Because narrow carriers have relatively few equalization problems, more aggressive modulation techniques can be used on each channel. For CAP to achieve comparable bit rates, it might be necessary to use more bandwidth, far beyond 1 MHz. This creates new problems associated with high frequencies on wires and would reduce CAP’s current advantage in power consumption. Internetworking Technologies Handbook 21-6 1-58705-001-3 Chapter 21 Digital Subscriber Line Additional DSL Technologies ADSL Standards and Associations The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Working Group T1E1. 4 recently approved an ADSL standard at rates up to 6. 1 Mbps (DMT/ANSI Standard T1. 413). The European Technical Standards Institute (ETSI) contributed an annex to T1. 413 to reflect European requirements. T1. 413 currently embodies a single terminal interface at the premises end. Issue II expands the standard to include a multiplexed interface at the premises end, protocols for configuration and network management, and other improvements. The ATM Forum and the Digital Audio-Visual Council (DAVIC) have both recognized ADSL as a physical layer transmission protocol for UTP media. Additional DSL Technologies This section discusses the following DSL technologies: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ SDSL HDSL HDSL-2 G. SHDSL ISDN Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) VDSL SDSL Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) is a rate-adaptive version of HDSL and, like HDSL, is symmetric. It allows equal bandwidth downstream from an NSP’s central office to the customer site as upstream from the subscriber to the central office. SDSL supports data only on a single line and does not support analog calls. SDSL uses 2B1Q line coding and can transmit up to 1. 54 Mbps to and from a subscriber, or can be configured to offer a variable range of bandwidth up to 1. 45 Mbps. The symmetry that SDSL offers, combined with always-on access (which eliminates call setup), makes it a favorable WAN technology for small to medium businesses and branch offices, and can be an affordable alternative to dedicated leased lines and Frame Relay services. Because traffic is symmetrical, file transfer, web hosting, and distance-learning applications can effectively be implemented with SDSL. HDSL Originally developed by Bellcore, high bit-rate DSL (HDSL)/T1/E1 technologies have been standardized by ANSI in the United States and by ETSI in Europe. The ANSI standard covers two-pair T1 transmission, with a data rate of 784 kbps on each twisted pair. ETSI standards exist both for a two-pair E1 system, with each pair carrying 1168 kbps, and a three-pair E1 system, with 784 kbps on each twisted pair. HDSL became popular because it is a better way of provisioning T1 or E1 over twisted-pair copper lines than the long-used technique known as Alternative Mark Inversion (AMI). HDSL uses less bandwidth and requires no repeaters up to the CSA range. By using adaptive line equalization and 2B1Q modulation, HDSL transmits 1. 544 Mbps or 2. 048 Mbps in bandwidth ranging from 80ntrast to the 1. 5 MHz required by AMI. (AMI is still the encoding protocol used for the majority of T1. ) Internetworking Technologies Handbook 1-58705-001-3 21-7 Chapter 21 Additional DSL Technologies Digital Subscriber Line T1 service can be installed in a day for less than $1,000 by installing HDSL modems at each end of the line. Installation via AMI costs much more and takes more time because of the requirement to add repeaters between the subscriber and the CO. Depending on the length of the line, the cost to add repeaters for AMI could be up to $5,000 and could take more than a week. HDSL is heavily used in cellular telephone buildouts. Traffic from the base station is backhauled to the CO using HDSL in more than 50 percent of installations. Currently, the vast majority of new T1 lines are provisioned with HDSL. However, because of the embedded base of AMI, less than 30 percent of existing T1 lines are provisioned with HDSL. HDSL does have drawbacks. First, no provision exists for analog voice because it uses the voice band. Second, ADSL achieves better speeds than HDSL because ADSL’s asymmetry deliberately keeps the crosstalk at one end of the line. Symmetric systems such as HDSL have crosstalk at both ends. HDSL-2 HDSL-2 is an emerging standard and a promising alternative to HDSL. The intention is to offer a symmetric service at T1 speeds using a single-wire pair rather than two pairs. This will enable it to operate for a larger potential audience. It will require more aggressive modulation, shorter distances (about 10,000 feet), and better phone lines. Much of the SDSL equipment in the market today uses the 2B1Q line code developed for Integrated Services Digital Network. The Bell companies have insisted that using this SDSL at speeds higher than 768 kbps can cause interference with voice and other services that are offered on copper wire within the same wire bundle. The biggest advantage of HDSL-2, which was developed to serve as a standard by which different vendors’ equipment could interoperate, is that it is designed not to interfere with other services. However, HDSL-2 is full rate only, offering services only at 1. 5 Mbps. G. SHDSL G. SHDSL is a standards-based, multirate version of HDSL-2 and offers symmetrical service. The advantage of HDSL-2, which was developed to serve as a standard by which different vendors’ equipment could interoperate, is that it is designed not to interfere with other services. However, the HDSL-2 standard addresses only services at 1. 5 Mbps. Multirate HDSL-2 is part of Issue 2 of the standard known as G. SHDSL, and is ratified by the ITU. G. SHDSL builds upon the benefits of HDSL-2 by offering symmetrical rates of 2. 3 Mbps. ISDN Digital Subscriber Line ISDN digital subscriber line (IDSL) is a cross between ISDN and xDSL. It is like ISDN in that it uses a single-wire pair to transmit full-duplex data at 128 kbps and at distances of up to RRD range. Like ISDN, IDSL uses a 2B1Q line code to enable transparent operation through the ISDN â€Å"U† interface. Finally, the user continues to use existing CPE (ISDN BRI terminal adapters, bridges, and routers) to make the CO connections. The big difference is from the carrier’s point-of-view. Unlike ISDN, ISDL does not connect through the voice switch. A new piece of data communications equipment terminates the ISDL connection and shuts it off to a router or data switch. This is a key feature because the overloading of central office voice switches by data users is a growing problem for telcos. Internetworking Technologies Handbook 21-8 1-58705-001-3 Chapter 21 Digital Subscriber Line Summary The limitation of ISDL is that the customer no longer has access to ISDN signaling or voice services. But for Internet service providers, who do not provide a public voice service, ISDL is an interesting way of using POTS dial service to offer higher-speed Internet access, targeting the embedded base of more than five million ISDN users as an initial market. VDSL Very-High-Data-Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) transmits high-speed data over short reaches of twisted-pair copper telephone lines, with a range of speeds depending on actual line length. The maximum downstream rate under consideration is between 51 and 55 Mbps over lines up to 1000 feet (300 m) in length. Downstream speeds as low as 13 Mbps over lengths beyond 4000 feet (1500 m) are also common. Upstream rates in early models will be asymmetric, just like ADSL, at speeds from 1. 6 to 2. 3 Mbps. Both data channels will be separated in frequency from bands used for basic telephone service and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), enabling service providers to overlay VDSL on existing services. Currently, the two high-speed channels are also separated in frequency. As needs arise for higher-speed upstream channels or symmetric rates, VDSL systems may need to use echo cancellation. Summary ASDL technology is asymmetric, allowing more bandwidth for downstream than upstream data flow. This asymmetric technology combined with always-on access makes ASDL ideal for users who typically download much more data than they send. An ASDL modem is connected to both ends of a twisted-pair telephone line to create three information channels: a high-speed downstream channel, a medium-speed duplex channel, and a basic telephone service channel. ADSL modems create multiple channels by dividing the available bandwidth of a telephone line using either frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) or echo cancellation. Both techniques split off a 4-kHz region for basic telephone service at the DC end of the band Synchronous Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) provides variable, symmetric, high-speed data communication up to 1. 54 Mbps. But SDSL doesn’t allow analog on the same line, as ADSL does. SDSL uses 2B1Q line coding, a technology employed in ISDN and T1 services. SDSL is a viable business option because of its capability to transmit high-speed data over longer distances from the CO and because of its ease of deployment made possible by its spectral compatibility. High Bit-Rate DSL (HDSL) is a symmetric version of DSL that uses 2B1Q like SDSL, but over two-wire pairs. HDSL is targeted at business deployment because it offers full-rate symmetrical 1. 5 Mbps service. HDSL-2 is a standards-based version of HDSL offering symmetrical 1. 5 Mbps service like HDSL, but with a single twisted pair of wires. HDSL is full-rate and does not offer variable rates. G. SHDSL does offer multirate service with symmetrical speeds of up to 2. 3 Mbps. ISDN digital subscriber line (IDSL) is similar in many ways to ISDN. The primary difference is that IDSL is always on and can reach speeds up to 512 kbps with compression. IDSL uses 2B1Q line coding and does not support analog. On the other hand, IDSL does allow data communications over longer distances than other DSL options (up to 26,000 feet) and is considerably less expensive than ISDN service, in most cases. Because IDSL supports existing ISDN CPE, it makes it easy to convert from ISDN to IDSL. Internetworking Technologies Handbook 1-58705-001-3 21-9 Chapter 21 Review Questions Digital Subscriber Line Very-High-Data-Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) transmits high-speed data over short distances through twisted-pair copper telephone lines. VDSL technology is still in the definition stage, but additional research is required before it can be standardized. VSDL and ADSL are similar technologies. However, although VSDL transmits data at nearly 10 times the rate of ADSL, ADSL is the more complex transmission technology. Review Questions Q – Name the current versions of DSL technology. A – ADSL, SDSL, HDSL, HDSL-2, G. SHDL, IDSL, and VDSL. Q – What are the two-line coding methods used for ADSL? A – DMT and CAP. Q – Which versions of DSL offer symmetrical service? A – SDSL, HDSL, and HDSL-2. Q – What symmetrical version of DSL offers multirate service over a single pair of wire? A – G. SHDSL Q – How far of a reach can IDSL achieve from the CO? A – 26,000 feet. Q – What downstream and upstream rates are proposed for VDSL? A – The maximum downstream rate under consideration is between 51 and 55 Mbps over lines up to 1000 feet (300 m) in length. Downstream speeds as low as 13 Mbps over lengths beyond 4000 feet (1500 m) are also common. Upstream rates in early models will be asymmetric, just like ADSL, at speeds from 1. 6 to 2. 3 Mbps. For More Information ADSL Forum (http://www. adsl. com/) Cisco DSL Depot (http://www. isco. com/warp/public/779/servpro/promotions/dsldepot/) Glossary Terms †¢ G. SHDSL – Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line. The upstream data rate is different from the downstream (typically the downstream is greater than the upstream). It is applicable to many DSL technologies offered today; however, this term typically assumes DMT as defined in the ANSI T1. 413 specification. CPE – Customer premises equipment, including devices such as CSU/DSUs, modems, and ISDN terminal adapters, required to provide an electromagnetic termination for wide-area network circuits before connecting to the router or access server. This equipment was historically provided by the telephone company, but it is now typically provided by the customer in North American markets. †¢ Internetworking Technologies Handbook 21-10 1-58705-001-3 Chapter 21 Digital Subscriber Line Glossary Terms †¢ CSU/DSU – Channel service unit/data service unit. Provides electromagnetic termination of the digital (WAN) signal at the customer premises. Performs line conditioning and equalization functions, and responds to loopback commands sent from the central office. In North America, the customer supplies the device providing CSU/DSU functionality; outside North America, the telecommunications service provider usually provides this device. DMT – Discrete Multitone is the ANSI specified modulation technique for G. SHDSL (ANSI-T1. 413). DMT is theoretically capable of more speed than CAP. The key providers of DMT are Alcatel, Amati, Aware/ADI, and Orckit. Downstream – Refers to the transmission of data from the central office (CO or COE) to the customer premise equipment (CPE). HDSL – High-speed Digital Subscriber Line. This is a symmetrical modulation technique that uses two or three pairs of wires. HDSL2 – High-speed Digital Subscriber Line. This is a symmetrical modulation technique that can achieve speeds in the T1 (1. 5 Mbps) range using one copper pair. POTS – Plain old telephone service. QAM – Quadrature amplitude phase modulation. RG. SHDSL – Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line. This refers to the CAP2 and QAM technologies that use variable data rates to maximize the utilization of various loop lengths. SDSL – Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line. This indicates a subscriber line service that utilizes the same data rate for upstream and downstream. This term is applicable to MDSL and HDSL technologies. Upstream – Refers to the transmission of data from the customer premises equipment (CPE) to the central office equipment (CO or COE). VDSL – Very-High-Data-Rate Digital Subscriber Line. This is a high-speed asymmetrical service in the 10 to 25 Mbps range, typically limited to less than 5,000 feet. The targeted application for this technology is a hybrid fiber copper system (fiber to the neighborhood). †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Internetworking Technologies Handbook 1-58705-001-3 21-11 Chapter 21 Glossary Terms Digital Subscriber Line Internetworking Technologies Handbook 21-12 1-58705-001-3

Corporate social responsibility in Nordstorm Essay

From the case study and the e-Activity, determine two (2) key reasons why people value the customer service that Nordstrom provides. Examine Nordstrom’s current corporate social responsibility activities, and suggest one (1) additional action that the company could take to further strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts. Two reasons why people value the customer service that Nordstorm provides. 1. With the recent downturn of the economy, some people can relate more to the needs of others. This has change the outlook of most when it comes to community service or giving back. It seems that people get a heartwarming feeling to know that they are â€Å"shopping for a cause† with that mindset that a portion of their money for a $200 pair of shoes is going to a greater cause. For instance, I recently purchased a pair of TOMS from Nordstorm. Once I left I felt really good to know that my purchase was going to give a child in another country a pair of shoes and help Nordstorn with their social responsibilities. This feeling was achieved with just one simple purchase and minimum effort which is what this company is trying to promote. 2. Another aspect that attributes to Nordstorm’s customer service is the quality of clothing that they offer to consumers. They keep up with trends and what is current in society. They provide their customers with a wide variety of selection that you would not see in most stores. They also have a courtesy staff that gives constructive opinions of their inventory. From the scenario, suggest two (2) reasons why you believe it is important for Walters Aeroworks to take its corporate community into consideration when addressing social responsibility. Assess the value of a reputable corporate image when considering expanding the company’s current operations. Provide a rationale for your response. Two reasons why I believe it is important for Walters Aeroworks to take its corporate community into consideration when addressing social responsibility. 1. It presents a positive image to the employees, clients and the general public. Moreover, it show a ‘practice what you preach’

What Is AP Research Should You Take It

What Is AP Research Should You Take It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips AP Research is a class introduced by the College Board as a part of its new AP Capstone program. But what does it really involve? How can you do well? In this article, I'll provide an overview of AP Research and give you some more information about whether you should take it and how you can be successful in the class. What Is AP Research? AP Research is the second course that students take in the AP Capstone program. It comes after AP Seminar.If you take AP Seminar and AP Research, you will earn an AP Research and Seminar Certificate, and if you take both classes in addition to four other AP courses and exams, you will earn an AP Capstone Diploma. This program is very new (the College Board rolled out the full version in the fall of 2014), but you will most likely benefit from it in the college application process when schools see the types of advanced assignments you've completed in these research-focusedclasses. In AP Research, students are encouraged to explore a topic or problem that interests them and design, plan, and conduct a year-long research project centered around it.The classrepresents the culmination of skills that students learn in AP Seminar, which include effectively analyzing sources, formulating coherent arguments backed up by evidence, and examining issues from differing points of view.Smaller research projects in AP Seminar will prepare you for the large-scale research project you will undertake in AP Research. Doing a long-term research project is a lot like scaling the craggy peak of a snowy mountain if you substitute physical discomfort for mental discomfort, but it's also just as rewarding in the end! What Exactly Will You Do in AP Research? AP Research consists entirely of a year-long research project.The end product is a 4000-5000 word academic paper and a 15-20 minute presentation with an oral defense.You will also be expected to compile the materials you used in your research into a portfolio.This piece of workis similar to a thesis project, so it’s good preparation for college academics. Topics for the research project are usually relatively open, but arguments for and against solutions to major problems in society tend to be the main focus. For example, you might investigate whether the government should invest more resources in finding and supporting sustainable energy sources. In your academic paper, you will be expected to: Introduce and contextualize your research question and your initial thoughts and hypotheses about it.In the case of my example, the research question might be "Should the government devote more resources to sustainable energy projects?" You would reflect on the question briefly here and share your initial uninformed opinions before diving into any research. Review previous ideas and works on the subject and their arguments and perspectives.This is where you would address arguments for and against the adoption of policies to promote the use of sustainable energy. This section lays the groundwork for your arguments in later sections of the paper. Explain your research method and why you approached the question this way.Here, you would discuss how you went about compiling sources for your research and how you collected the information. This lends credibility to your argument in the next section. Present your findings and interpret their significance in connection to your research question.In this section, you would lay out your argument based on the evidence you discovered through your research. In the example, your argument might be that we should devote more resources to sustainable energy projects because the long term consequences of continuing to use non-renewable energy sources will be extremely dire. You could support this argument with research that you touched on in previous sections. Discuss the implications and limitations of your findings and reflect on the process. This is where you would talk about any qualifiers related to your argument in the previous section. If you can't be absolutely sure of a conclusion that you drew or there is some speculation involved, you would go over those potential limitations. You would also talk about what your findings mean in a larger context. Talk about potential next steps on the issue in view of these findings.Basically, this is the "so what?" section. This is where you would present your ideas for what practical steps the world might take based on your research. In the example, this could be something like providing better tax incentives for businesses that use renewable energy sources or rearranging money in the government's budget in a specific way so that more of it goes towards clean energy projects. Provide a complete bibliography.This is pretty self-explanatory. You'll need to cite all your sources correctly and make sure that they're trustworthy. After you turn in your paper, you will also deliver a 15-20 minute presentation to a panel of teachers in whatever format works best for your research. You'll be asked to give a defense of your findings after your presentation. Your AP Research teacher and two panel members chosen by your teacher will ask you three or four questions about your work, and you'll have to answer them based on your research. You'll be judged on the quality of your defense. If you make a weak argument, your teacher will bang a gavel on her desk and scream "OVER-RULED!" again and again until you come up with something better. Should You Take AP Research? First of all, you can only take AP Research if you take AP Seminar beforehand.Make sure you plan out your classes carefullyif you want to end up in this class! If you are looking to earn the AP Research and Seminar Certificate or the AP Capstone Diploma, you will need to take this class.Keep in mind that for the Capstone Diploma you’ll also need to take four more AP classes and exams. Some colleges will offer you credit for taking these classesor will allow you to place out of introductory courses that are required for other students.This can make things a little easier on you during your freshman year. You’ll also be better prepared for college academics if you take AP Research.You will already be familiar with the process of collecting research and using it to formulate an opinion on a topic. When you're assigned your first research paper, you’ll know exactly where to start. Aside from those benefits, AP Research can be a fun way to explore a topic that genuinely interests you. You'll have a ton of freedom when it comes to choosing your topic, so you can explore almost any idea that you find compelling. AP Research is a good choice for students who are looking for a way to enrich their high school experience with independent research and enroll in competitive college programs. Go, be free. Soar through the wide open sky of source material on your wings of intellectual inquiry. How Can You Do Well in AP Research? In AP Research, the most important rule for doing well is to avoid falling behind!Since your entire grade rests on one long-term project, you will need to make sure that you are diligent about staying on task throughout the year.It’s tempting to procrastinate when it seems like you have such a long time to complete the project, but you won’t get the most out of your research if you don’t spread out your work.You want to avoid turning in a sub-par project that you don’t believe in because you ran out of time. I would also suggest that you finish doing all of your research before you start writing any part of your paper. It's hard to write a cohesive argument when you're adding to it piece by piece as you go along. It's best to compile all the information you need first, figure out your argument based on the evidence, and then start structuring your paper around it. This might seem obvious, but sometimes with these types of projects it's tempting to start working on the part that you actually have to turn in before you've fully explored all the background information. In a related point, you should be flexible and accept that you may need to reframe your research question.You never know what dead ends you might hit or how you might need to change your project as you learn more about your topic.The best way to plan for these scenarios is to start your research early.The highest-quality projects will be those that adapt to new findings over time. You will have to defend your work, so you should be sure that you believe in the point of view that you’re selling and that it's backed up by solid evidence. Finally, you shouldchoose a research question that fascinates you. Working on a research project for a whole year can get tedious, and you don't want to be completely sick of your topic after a couple of months. Talk to your teacher about your interests so that you can work together to find a viable research question that will hold your focus. Choose a topic with a lot of depth, just like this insanely creepy stairwell. Conclusion AP Research is the second class in the AP Capstone program after AP Seminar. It's similar to an independent study class andconsists entirely of one year-long research project on a topic of your choice. You will write a research paper summarizing your findings and then give an oral presentation followed by a defense of your argument. AP Research can be a useful class for students who want to be well-prepared for college-level assignments. It's a great way to hone your skills in effectively conducting research and formulating arguments based on evidence. It also might be a nice break from your other classes because of the level of freedom it provides to students. It's an opportunity to learn more about nearly any topic or question that intrigues you! What's Next? Not sure if you can take AP Research at your school? Consult this article for a list of all the high schools that offer the AP Capstone program. You should also take at this article for a detailed guide to which AP classes you should take in general. If you're on the fence about AP classes in general, check out this article for more information on how AP classes and exams might benefit you. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: