Leisure studies in Canada.

The city of saint Luc City is a beautiful city that has a lot of leisure opportunities such as parks, libraries, and Samuel Moskovitch arena. The city is very accessible as it has well constructed roads and paths that link each and every part of the city. There has been paths that have been constructed of late for example the four Heart paths that was officially opened on 30th September 2007. These paths are meant to make Pierre Elliot Tradeau park accessible. (Heart in Motion Walking Paths, Cote Saint Luc City)These walking paths one which is a kilometer long, another of 3km, 5km, and the last one is of 8km. The heart in motion paths was extended from the city sidewalk by the Quebec stroke foundation. All these paths are clearly marked with distinct blue and yellow colors. These are supported with motion signs after a span of each one and a half kilometer so as to keep tourists who visit this city in the right track. All these city paths branch from the Pierre Elliot Tradeau Park on the southern corner.The construction of the four walking paths had some health benefits to the residents and visitors who come to this city. The paths allow those who want to do walking exercise a classic opportunity for doing so. This is according to the mayor of this city Anthony housefather. Construction of walking paths has been done in other places like Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and German and as thus it is not without precedence. It is something that is feasible as it has been tested and proved that city paths like those in Cote Saint Luc city help in keeping the city dwellers physically fit.Within the city there is a place that people can visit to enjoy themselves and one of these places is the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park, which is located at Mackle road and next to the Samuel Moskovitch arena. It is situated at the northern side of the city. The park is just beautiful and you cannot afford not to visit it. Inside there is a base ball field, soft ban field there is a nd there is also an artificial lake called Contennial Lake where you can enjoy pedal boat rides at a small fee in summertime. There is a picnic area that is very beautiful in winter especially when it’s covered with ice. The parks scene is extremely beautiful with a green covered landscape. (Samuel Moskovitch Arena, 6985 Mackle Road.)The fees that are charged in this park are pocket friendly in fact the cost cannot exceed $25.00 U.S dollars. For example you can access the Baseball diamond with only one dollar, the second baseball diamond with 2 U.S dollars the third one with 3 U.S dollars. There is also a hotel where you can rent a room. These two rooms are equipped with a mini fridge and microwave. (Lesson 6)Also in the city of Cote saint-Luc, there is an arena called Samuel Moskovitch that is located at the Mackle road. This arena is a home to the ice surface that is used by the minor Hockey group, the skating club, hockey schools and adult as well as the youth leagues. Wit hin the arena there is a studio room and a conference room which are good for private rentals. The two rooms are well equipped with basic set up as well as clean up. They also have chairs and table making them ideal for holding conferences.The studio room is equipped with a freezer and not forgetting that there is also enough parking area that can accommodate over two hundred vehicles. For those who might be interested in renting these places it’s good to know their exact measurements to avoid disappointments. The Ice Rink is 200feet in length and 85 feet wide, the studio is (36.5 x 25) feet that can accommodate 85 people when arranged in banquet style and while arranged in theater style it can hold one hundred and seven people. The conference room is 25 feet long and 12 feet wide and can hold twelve people while standing.All these rooms are rented for only two hours and any time on top of that is charged separately. The conference, studio and the studio room for partners are charged 50, 100 and 150 U.S dollars respectively. The ice is suitable for those who are holding birthday parties and has two dressing units. Those people who want to rent both the ice and the studio room are charged according to the set charges.The city has also a public library where you can go to read books, novels, magazines and newspapers. The library is well equipped thus making it ideal for conducting researches. This library is called Eleanor London public library. It offers some games like the classic board game. The library crew consists of skilled people who guide people on how to fully utilize the library materials. The library offers a scavenger hunt play where the winner merits some prizes. This library is also equipped with audio visual devices for storing information for example there is a number of musical as well as artistic works from the Baroque times that are free to all.Though the government has made sure that there are enough recreational places in Canada for all, there might be some barriers that may limit or prevent one from enjoying these sites. If you have some physical disabilities or limitations you might not enjoy these recreational facilities to the fullest. For example if you are crippled then you cannot be able to maneuver through the region. The park has three-baseball field which cannot be of any importance to the physically challenged people especially those who do not have legs and hands. But still arrangements can be made for them to be taken there to relax and enjoy the cool environment. For those who cannot access the park because they cannot walk, alternative means can be used such as airlifting these people to the designated places that are of importance to them. T they can also be driven to these places using vehicles but with a risk of not physically exercising their bodies.Taking a leisure walk helps one to improve the circulation of blood and thus making your heart strong. There are also pedal boats that are found in TheTradeau Park but people who have leg problems cannot be able to use pedals so they can’t enjoy the boat rides. (Pierre Elliot Trudeau Park). The governments of Canada in easing the burden of those who are physically impaired under a tourist and leisure companion sticker are allowed to access to all recreational places for free. If you are visually impaired you cannot have an access all the information that you might need. Some information is stored in magazines, books and journals and it is obvious they cannot be of any use to a blind person. (Lesson 5)In Canada this problem is well taken care of by the library management who has diversified information storage devices. Some library materials are audio visual. This means a blind person can have access to the needed information by listening. A blind person can also have some difficulties in accessing the recreation places as they are marked with colors and motion signs that guide the walkers but they are of no use to a b lind person.Anybody who is knew to a particular place finds it hard to access the recreational places. This person must be guided on how to access them. Proper maps should be provided to these people assuming they know how to read maps. For these maps to be of beneficial to the map readers, then labeling of the features on the ground should be well labeled to avoid confusion. This is something that the government has taken care of; it has provided people who need to visit these places with posters and other signs to guide them. For example in the Cole Saint Luc City the paths are clearly marked with yellow and blue colors after every 500 meters, to keep the walkers on the right track.The government of Canada also uses the motion signs on the paths to guide those seeing these recreational places for this reason even people who are new to Canada can access these places without facing difficulties in locating them. It should not be forgotten that these can be of help to only those that are literate and who have no visual impairments. Sign language solves the language difficulty. Where people cannot communicate in one language then signs prove to be useful. But still you may not be able to enjoy these places as you should. If you do not speak the same language you may be limited to access places and information that you need.Lack of enough financial resources also limits people from enjoying their leisure to the maximum as not all these places are accessible for free. To access some of these you must part with some money. Lastly you may fail to have an excellent leisure time if you are not used to the climate of that particular region. For example, in the Trudeau Park pedal boats that are only available in summers and ice during the winter so if you go during other times apart from summer and winter respectively then you cannot enjoy your leisure time. Therefore climate can also be a limitation.In short, Canada offers people with one of the best recreational place s in the world. The Cote Saint Luc City is a home to these places for example there is a public library, Samuel Moskovitch Arena, walking paths and Trudeau Park where some are freely accessible for free or at a fee. There are some barriers that may prevent one from enjoying these leisure places. These are factors like culture, language, physical disabilities and unfamiliar ness with a new place.Reference:6985 Mackle Road. Samuel Moskovitch Arena.Lesson 6: Commercial Recreation, Economics of recreation.Lesson 5: Travel and Tourism study materials.Pierre Elliot Trudeau Park, 6975 Macle road.Heart in Motion Walking Paths, Cote Saint Luc City.

Vizio Case

Management Focus on Vizio Quest no 7: Reread the Management Focus on Vizio and answer the following questions: a. Why is the manufacturing of flat panel TV’s migrating to different locations around the world? Vizio’ TV get their panel from South Korea, electronic components from China, and processors from the United States, and it is come together in Mexico. Vizio’s managers search for the cheapest manufacturers of flat panel displays and these electronic components.Vizio’ TV move to the developing countries to making their products because the workers salaries are lower than the United States, so they can reduce the cost of the products. Another reason of migrating to different locations is the decreasing trade and investment barriers between countries. b. Who benefits from the globalization of the flat panel display industry? Who are the losers? Vizio Company takes benefits from globalization of the flat panel display industry because they reduce the lab or costs and then also increase their profit.The labors in foreign countries also benefit because they are hired with a higher salary by the company. Consumers also benefit from it because they can purchase the TV in a lower price as compare with other brands prices. Some people could not get any benefits because when the company moves to another country, they have to lose jobs. The manufacturing products environment in the foreign country may be effected or harmful due to the pollutant release to the environment and it affects the people who live around. d. What does the example of Vizio tell you about the future of production in an increasingly integrated global economy?What does it tell you about the strategies that enterprises must adopt to thrive in highly competitive global markets? In the future, more and more companies will choose the globalization in production which is applied to their business, the manufacturers to reduce the cost and increase the competitive advantages i n the market. When every manufacturer follows this strategy, the unfair in competition will remove. For example, Sonyand Hitachi close their plants in U. S but make T. V in Mexico and Asia plants and sell their products in U. S to compete with Vizio Company.

Internationl Business Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Internationl Business Practice - Essay Example The main person responsible for coining the term globalization is considered to be Theodore Levitt. With the passage of time, the phenomenon has grown at a steady rate whereby the setting under which it is held is one that focuses on the global patterns related with the sociological findings. The aspect of whether or not globalization is a newer form of western imperialism is manifested in the definition of the same word. Globalization, for that matter, is remarked as Internationalization since the nature of the two terms is on a worldwide scale more than anything else. West tries to exploit the basis of globalization which the third world countries could bring to the benefit of the developed nations. However, on the part of the two terms, the one thing common however is the fact that these have identified themselves well with the changing (and growing) trends, where most of these are credited on the shoulders of the World War II, after which there has been a resurgent rat race nonetheless. Globalization is a phenomenon and it is one that is here to stay for long. The world has become a global village due to globalization and it is a good omen if seen in the proper perspectives. In an economic zone, globalization plays a significant role at increasing trade on an interna tional front which as compared to the global economy, is much faster and ahead of its time. Globalization improves the technological infrastructures and supports in the development of the telecommunications not only on a regional scale but throughout the world, thus providing help and facilitation to the west more than anything else. With the help of globalization, the legal stance is one that focuses more on the increase in the number of different standards worldwide, which in all essence must be made use of. These include copyright laws, privacy obligations, patenting and others which somehow or the other mesh along well with the legal framework of different multinationals and institutions

Critically compare and contrast the major cultural and institutional Essay

Critically compare and contrast the major cultural and institutional features and predominant HR policies and practices in UK an - Essay Example Both the two countries managed a score of 35 points on power distance. Germany is seen to be highly decentralized while at the same time it is also strongly supported by a large middle class. The Key management in various institutions have to carefully take into consideration any co-determination rights that may exist, in addition to its leadership being continually challenged to display appropriate levels of expertise. Extensive control is also one of the factors that is strongly disliked in Germany (Hofstede Centre 2013). In comparison to this, the British society has been noted to be strongly advocating for and believing that any inequalities that may happen to exist between people should be greatly minimized. Hofstede also shows that there are some inherent tensions in British culture as pertaining to one not being limited to how far they can be able to progress in life irrespective of where they were born on one hand, and the relative importance of birth rank on the other hand ( Hofstede Centre 2013). ... In comparison to the British society, the German society attains a score of 67 on the Individualism score (Hofstede Centre 2013). German society tends to focus on parent-children relationships with little emphasis on uncles and aunts. German communication is ranked as being one of the highest scores globally in line with the accepted ideal of one being honest even if it hurts (Mooij 2007). With a high score of 66 points, the German society is highly regarded as being a mainly masculine society. Good performance is highly valued and the German school system is keen to spate children into several different types of schools when they reach the age of ten. The general sense is that people in Germany â€Å"live to work† and their tasks provide them with self esteem. In Comparison, the British society also attains a score of 66 in masculinity (Hofstede Centre 2013). The British society is also highly driven and success oriented. People in Britain also live to work and well defined a nd clear performance ambitions (Strangleman and Warren 2008). On the uncertainty avoidance score, the UK with a score of 35 is seen to be quite a happy nation (Gibson 2002). With the low score in UAI, the British as seen to be relatively comfortable in any ambiguous situations that they may happen to encounter. (Hofstede Centre 2013). The German score on the UAI index is also set at 35. The society tends to place a lot of importance on details so as to ascertain that a project has been well thought-out. Germans are seen to compensate for any high uncertainty on their part by strongly relying on their individual expertise (Mead and Andrews 2009). The

Victims of Terrorism, Hate Crimes & Racial Profiling Assignment

Victims of Terrorism, Hate Crimes & Racial Profiling - Assignment Example However, there have been attempts to end racial profiling in the United States. Question one: Terrorism is a systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. Domestic terrorism refers to illegal use of force or violence committed by a person or group against a person to intimidate them for political or social objectives. The US considers terrorist attacks domestic if they are carried out by its citizens who are not acting on behalf of a foreign power (Doerner, 2012). Investigations of domestic violence are carried out in accordance with The Attorney General guidelines on general crimes and Domestic Terrorism Investigations. The establishment of terrorism as a crime that can be committed domestically became a law in the year 2001 when President George W. Bush signed the Patriot Act. Domestic terrorism is a major concern in the United States. In fact, domestic terrorism has currently hit the highest point of the cycle in the United States but most of the cases are simple at tacks committed by lone actors. However, the implications of the crimes is as those of jihadist and Iranian attacks (Peek, 2011). Recently there was an attack on Oak Creek, which was termed as a case of domestic terrorism where seven people were shot and killed. The US local law enforcement agencies have played a key role in dealing with the many threats of the modern world. The police in the United States are involved in mitigating and defeating terrorism in the United States. This is because the police agencies have acquired technology and ideas on how to offer effective defense and conquer offence. According to Peek (2011), they work with communities in order to achieve this goal. Therefore, the establishment of terrorism as a crime that can be committed domestically has changed policing in a number of ways. It has broadened the ideas and knowledge of the Department of Homeland Security who work together with police, intelligence and immigration agencies to fight terrorism (Doern er, 2012). Question One A: Policing in the US has changed with the establishment of terrorism as a crime that can be committed domestically. As mentioned above, police play a major role in mitigating and overcoming terrorism in the United States. Local agencies in the country have the knowledge and technology to create counter networks and to work on effective defenses and offenses. This has been possible due to expansion on knowledge concerning the concept of terrorism and what entails it. Through multijurisdictional efforts, police can determine whether individuals or enterprises are an active threat that calls for inquiry or enforcement action (Peek, 2011). The agencies are transparent, flexible and adaptable enough to join forces with one another. They develop more important and credulous unions and create strategies that capitalize on law enforcement resources. Most significantly, they work with societies to counter the acts of terrorism. Policing is therefore a convergent tact ic that battles crime and disorder while creating unfriendly environments for terrorists. For instance, after terrorist events in 2011, police organizations have strengthened their efforts against terrorism (Peek, 2011). The Justice Departments’ federal Bureau of Investigations which is the leading agency dealing with matters of terrorism and the Department of Homeland Security and the local agencies have strongly been involved in the fight against terrorism. The police have been able to attack

Enterprising management ( food care ltd-quality caterer must cut a Essay

Enterprising management ( food care ltd-quality caterer must cut a bigger slice of the profits cake) - Essay Example Another ploy used by rivals is the offer of other services unrelated to catering to suggest as a bundle of services to customers who prefer to devolve these to a single party for sake of convenience and overall lower costs. Yet another worry for FCL is the rumour that it is likely to be taken over by a larger rival. This puts off the prospective or existing customer in the belief that their quality will be affected adversely. This also affects the workforce as they feel threatened by these takeover prospects. There are three issues that need to be dealt with. (1) A definitive business strategy needs to be designed to take the business forward; (2) Profitability has to increase from the present low of 2%; and finally the (3) Self-esteem, especially of the workforce, has to be boosted. Strategy can be planned by understanding the nature and need of competitive advantage; increase in profits requires a business plan; and raising self esteem in the workforce requires motivation. (1) Business strategy has to revolve around acquiring and then maintaining customers. This has special application in the catering business where the customer is retained for very long periods. In such organisations the orders are repetitive and require tailor made executions that must continue to satisfy the customer. Customer satisfaction rests on the principles of quality, price and service. The customer has to be convinced that quality will mean long-term health and nutritious value of the meals supplied. Price has to be competitive and for this the strengthened supply chain will ensure lowest costs. Still some price escalations may happen and it is here that the element of strong service comes into play. Service can include some peripheral services like running of the catering centre from the customer premises or providing some extras to augment tastes and preferences. These services must however relate to the core competency of the organisation as it is here that they will be

Taiwan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Taiwan - Research Paper Example cool, wet weather to the northern half of the island between October and March an ocean monsoon that is accompanied with rain to the southern half of the island between April and September. Taiwan experiences a climate that enables the growth of green vegetation as well as three or two rice harvest annually; this is as a result of warm ocean currents. Even though the distribution of water resources is uneven, making water available for use per capita low down; most of the times it the thundershowers and the occasional typhoon bring heavy downpours in the summertime that can be harnessed for crop production hence stable food supply(Rubinstein,2007). For this reason, Taiwan is the second most densely populated country in the world, with an estimated population of over 23 million. Majority of this population lives in the lowlands near the western coast rot the island. The Taipei-Keelung metropolitan area at the northern end hosts about 9 million people, while Taichung and Kaohsiung have over 2 million people respectively (Crook, 2010). The island is highly industrialized; this has eventually led to a steady rise in their standards of living and advances in the health and medical sciences (Roy, 2003). With the better living standards, Taipei citizens in Taiwan experience the highest life expectancy of 82.66 years according to the statistical studies of 2012. The life expectancy of women averaged 85.3, while that of men reached 80 and this was accredited to the better health and medical care facilities and the city’s policy of establishing a widespread day-care and home service network for senior citizens. This was evidently confirmed at the population of the elderly people in the following year was at 362,605 accounting to 13.5 percent of the total population. The whole population is also subjected to the health care system that was instituted in 1995. It is a single player necessary social insurance plan which centralizes the disbursement of health-care funds.

Recovery Period Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Recovery Period - Essay Example The institute of law enforcement runs on the basis of mutual respect; the civilian respects the officer and the officer respects the civilian, not considering him/herself superior because of his uniform. An officer must, at all times, remain unbiased so as not to obstruct his judgement during his duty. The above stated behaviors are, to me, the most likely to incite the opposite feelings. Biases arise because there is no respect for one’s fellows. Prejudice leads to hatred, which then manifests itself into hate crimes. And these crimes simply grow in magnitude. An automatic termination would set an example. The second behavior shows a lack of respect for the very job. By not respecting the profession of law enforcement, one cannot be considered an officer – it becomes contradictory in nature. This sort of behavior leads to bullying and taking advantage of others. The â€Å"recovery phase provides a ‘window of opportunity’ for risk reduction† (Christoplos). The recovery period simply refers to the phase, after the occurring of any crime, where the victims involved recover from their losses. This does not necessarily mean emotional losses. If, for instance, a theft took place in a shop, the recovery phase/period would include the recovering from the financial loss, the traumatic experience of being held at gun point (perhaps), and the relief and rehabilitation (not necessarily in mobile terms) of the victims. This period is often called the window of opportunity for risk reduction. Risk reduction refers to the actual trimming down of the risk of any crime. What this statement, thus, means is this: when a crime occurs, a situation arises in which the involved actors (victims, civilians or the cops) are given an opportunity to reduce risk for future such happenings. Mr. Christoplos wrote a report on the window of opportunity

United States Electoral College Essay Example for Free

United States Electoral College Essay The Electoral College, the mechanism for electing the president and the vice-president of the United States which was first put to use in the 1789 presidential election has already outgrown its purpose and should therefore be abolished (National Archives and Records Administration). Formulated by the country’s founders more than two hundred years ago, the system has undoubtedly grown stale and ineffective and no longer â€Å"conform to our modern interpretation of democracy, which is one person, one vote† (Hough). According to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), although the term could not be found anywhere in the United States Constitution, it is believed to have been actually conceived by the â€Å"founding fathers as a compromise between the election of a president by Congress and election by popular vote. † The term was coined from the words â€Å"elector† and â€Å"college. † The term â€Å"elector† was used to refer to the German princes who were granted the right to take part in the process of electing the German king who later became the emperor of the Roman Empire while â€Å"college† was taken from the Latin word collegium which means â€Å"a body of persons that act as a unit. † Thus the term â€Å"electoral college† means a group of people chosen to elect the President and the Vice President of the United States of America (NARA). A total of 538 electors handpicked by political parties comprise the present Electoral College. Every state has two electors representing their two senators and another elector for each of their congressional representation. This means that a small state with only one congressional representation owing to the smallness of its population is allocated the minimum number of three electors. In 2004, the four states with the highest number of electors were: California (55), Texas (34), New York (31), and Florida (27) while seven small states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming), and the District of Columbia, had only three electors each (NARA). As congressional representation is determined by the census of population which is taken every ten years, a state’s number of electors could therefore be reduced or increased, without prejudicing the total electors of 538 for the entire country. For instance, based on the 1990 census of population, the state of Arizona was allowed 8 electors for the presidential elections of 1992, 1996, and 2000. After it registered a population increase in 2000, its number of congressional representation and therefore, the number of its electors, was raised to 10 for the presidential elections of 2004, 2008, and 2012 (NARA). In 48 states and the District of Columbia, a presidential candidate who gets the majority of votes in one state is awarded all the electoral votes allocated for that state in a â€Å"winner-take-all† manner. In the states of Maine and Nebraska, meanwhile, proportional voting is practiced. Under this voting system, Maine, which has four electoral votes, gives one vote to the winner in each of its two congressional districts and gives the remaining two votes to whoever gets the majority votes in the entire state (NARA). A simple majority or a minimum of 270 electoral votes is needed to win the U. S. presidency. In case of a tie (269-269 result) in the presidential contest, the Congress of the United States decides the issue while the U. S. Senate conducts the runoff election in case of a deadlock in the vice presidential race. In the history of the presidential election in the country, the congressional runoff was only done twice – in 1800 and in 1824. In the vice presidential race, the United States Senate was called on to decide the issue in 1836 (NARA). This is the first undesirable feature of the Electoral College that many American voters find unacceptable. A tie in the presidential election under this system takes the electoral process away from the hands of the American voters and confers the power to elect the president to a highly partisan congress. In such a scenario, the presidential candidate of the party which controls the House of Representatives would win the presidency regardless of the will of the majority of the American voters. A case in point was the 1824 presidential election. When congress decided on the issue after a deadlock was declared, Andrew Jackson lost the presidency to John Quincy Adams despite garnering a decisive 57. 2% of the popular vote (NARA). Point two against the Electoral College is the fact that the president and the vice president of the United States are not actually chosen by the people but through the electoral votes assigned to the 50 states and the District of Columbia. It is therefore possible for a candidate to win the votes and gain the trust and confidence of the majority of American voters and still lose the presidency – a systemic defect which is tantamount to a disenfranchisement of American voters. This has already happened four times in the political history of the country. The case of Andrew Jackson in 1824 was already discussed earlier in this paper. Another case occurred in 1876 when Rutherford Hayes (R) won the presidency with a single electoral vote majority (185 against Samuel Tilden’s 184) in spite of the fact that only 48. 5% of those who voted went for him while the majority 51. 5% voted for Tilden. Once again, in 1888, Benjamin Harrison (R) won with 233 electoral votes against Grover Cleveland’s (D) 168. However, 90,596 more American voters had chosen Cleveland over Harrison in that election. The most recent case was the 2000 presidential election. President George W. Bush (R) defeated Albert Gore, Jr. , 271 – 266 electoral votes, despite getting only 50,456,062 popular votes (49. 7%) against Al Gore’s 50,996,582 (50. 3%). The official result of that election, in effect, nullified the votes of 540,520 American voters who gave Gore the advantage in popular votes, thereby expressing their preference for Al Gore to be the president of the country (NARA). The Electoral College does not count the votes cast by American voters equally. For instance, in the 2004 election, Wyoming, one of the small states, was allocated three electoral votes. California, on the other hand, whose population was about fifty times larger than Wyoming, only had 54 electoral votes. A simple computation would show us that although California was 50 times as large as Wyoming, its number of electoral votes was only 18 times larger (54/3 = 18). In other words, a vote cast by a voter from Wyoming was given a higher value than the vote cast by a California voter (Bates). Or, expressed another way, one Wyoming voter is equal to 18 California voters. This is plain inequality! Electoral College discourages some voters from participating in the election, thereby resulting to low voter turnout which reduces the credibility of an election. This is true in the case of states which have already been identified as one-party states. For instance in 2004, since California was already expected to vote for the Democratic candidate, chances were that some voters who planned to vote for the Republican standard bearer could have chosen to stay home instead. Indeed, what’s the point of voting when your state is already in the hands of the other party? It would seem as if the votes have already been counted before they were cast (Bates). On the other hand, defenders of the Electoral College claim that under the popular voting, the small states would simply be overwhelmed by the large states and that presidential candidates would tend to overlook them in favor of large states where more votes could be obtained. The opposite had, in fact, been observed during the campaigning which occurred for the 2004 election. Let us return to the example of California, the largest voting state in the country. Because it was already expected to go for the Democratic Party, George W. Bush ignored it in spite of its size and its 54 electoral votes and concentrated instead in the â€Å"swing state of Pennsylvania† which he visited â€Å"more than forty† times. In fact campaigning for the presidency of the United States had always shown candidates spending more time in swing states than in larger states which had already committed to the other side (Bates). Because of its proven ineptness and widespread unacceptability, the Electoral College has been labelled differently by different people. It was likened to â€Å"the vermiform appendix: a useless organ that can cause trouble on occasion† (Abolish the Electoral College? ). It was described by the American Bar Association as â€Å"archaic and ambiguous† when a survey it conducted in 1987 found that 69% of American lawyers wanted the system abolished. The American public have spoken against the system through polls held in 1967 (58%), 1968 (81%), and then again in1981 when 75% of Americans were found to favor its replacement by a popular voting system (NARA). Regardless of the labels, however, the subjugation of the people’s will and the utter disregard for the value of the votes of Americans has rendered the Electoral College unacceptable to the American public. Their disgust and contempt for the system was already shown by the more than 700 proposals for its abolition or modification. They almost succeeded in the U. S. Senate in 1956 when amendments introduced by Republican Senator Karl Mundt (South Dakota) and Texas Democratic Senator Price Daniel won a senate voting with a 48-37 majority. Only their failure to muster the required three-fourths vote of the senate prevented the measures from pushing through (Duchschere). The American people tried again in 1969. Supported by then President Richard Nixon, an amendment was unanimously approved in the House of Representatives only to be stalled in the Senate for almost one year until supporters lost their interest on the measure and it died a natural death. Republican Senator Eastland and Democratic Senator Thurmond, described as â€Å"notorious segregationists† because they had been observed to have â€Å"voted against every civil-rights and voting-rights measure† in the Senate, were responsible for its death (Electoral Justice). Americans now want their votes to be properly counted and their decisions duly respected. As Professor Keyssar aptly put it, Americans today believe that the Electoral College has ceased to mirror America’s â€Å"sense of social equality† (Hough). Hence, it is now time to say goodbye to the antiquated, obsolete Electoral College. The time has arrived to show the civilized world that in the United States of America, every man, every registered voter, has a right to vote and a right to demand that such vote be counted. Works Cited â€Å"Abolish the Electoral College? † Wilson Quarterly. Winter 2001, Vol 25, Issue 1, p. 97. 13 June 2007. http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=truedb=aphAN=4028232site=ehost-live Bates, Nathaniel. â€Å"What Are the Arguments Made in Favor – And Against – the Electoral College? † 26 October 2004. 15 June 2007. http://hnn. us/articles/8163. html Duchschere, Kevin. â€Å"JFK Led Opposition in 1956 Effort to Reform the Electoral College. † Minneapolis Star Tribune. 26 November 2000. 13 June 2007. http://www. freerepublic. com/forum/a3a20ce2a366a. htm Electoral Justice. â€Å"The Electoral College: An Embarassing Vestige of Slavery and Segregation. † 15 June 2007. http://www. iwantmyvote. com/justice/electoral_college/ Hough, Lory. â€Å"Why Do We Still Have The Electoral College? † News Stories. 13 June 2007. http://www. ksg. harvard. edu/news/news/2004/Keyssar_why-electoral_college_102904. htm National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). â€Å"U. S. Electoral College. † 13 June 2007. http://www. archives. gov/federal-register/electoral-college/index. html

Language skill is essential tool in the job market Essay Example for Free

Language skill is essential tool in the job market Essay Language skill is essential tool in the job market. Being able to speak a prefect english language is a skill that a person have over other graduates and being able to boost up the chances of getting the job. English language proficiency works as a determination of people’s opportunity to get a job. Hence it can be concluded that a persons ability and perseverance of a language plays an important and vital role in future employment. A person must have the ability to convey their ideas with a good english and to achieve it a daily practice of the language will give a better result. A better understanding of the language will secure a place for a better job. The characters in both articles teaches that we can improved the language skill if we try to our best. If we got enough self-motivation, it is possible brush up our language skills in our spare time. There are plenty ways to practice and improve the english language skill and one of it is through learning new words from dictionary. Other than that, Amy tan in her article â€Å"Mother Tongue† celebrates the fact that she did not follow the expectations that people had of her because her maths are better than her english and of her struggle with writing and language. Its shows that self-determination contributes to the success. I agree with you that it is essential that we properly understand the role that English plays and will play in our daily life. For many jobs, communication skills in English are in increasing demand. English is becoming a basic requirement for a job. Importance of the English language in the workplace continues to be a top concern among employers. A person who are more competent, fluent and impressive in speaking in English than other graduates have better opportunities in the job market. Every employee faces interview before getting a job. If that person is not suitable for the respective job in terms of English language, the chances of getting the job will be low.Hence, a good english language skill is important to secure a better job. The characters of both articles also says that we can learn and improve English language if we have a self-motivation and improve our daily communication. We can started with a simple English and improve it day by day .

Utilitarian Arguments For Thesis Statement

Utilitarian Arguments For Thesis Statement From our point of view, we agree that the procedures of women undergo scalpel is not morally justified. Therefore, people have no right to undergo scalpel even it is because of the beauty demanded by society. Utilitarian Arguments for Thesis Statement Utilitarian approach has proven that the procedures of women undergoing scalpel is not morally justified. This is because according to Act-Utilitarianism, an action is right only if the action produces more pleasure than pain for all parties. More important, it is not depending on the rules of morality that govern the action. We cannot deny that scalpel can make women prettier and more attractive. Therefore, it is definitely will produce more pleasure than pain for the women. However, this situation is only happen in the short run. Let look into the long run, if more and more women are undergoing scalpel, it will affect the perceptions about beauty in society. This is because everyone now is perfect like a doll and women who not undergoing scalpel will automatically considered as ugly. As a result, everyone will have a mindset that women must undergo scalpel then only can be considered a pretty woman. Moreover, scalpel may lead to several side effects and health issues in the future. The side effects and health issues caused by scalpel may become a burden to the women, her family as well as society. This is because the cost of these issues is mainly bear by the society. At that time, it is more pain than pleasure for everyone. This is because the consequences may not easily be recovered and it is impossible to return to the original state. Health Risks We begin with the most obvious of risks. Call it reconstructive, cosmetic, or plasticit is still surgery. People have risked and lost their lives and limbs, and suffered devastating disfigurement and scarring as a result of plastic surgery gone wrong. The worst outcomes are rare, but risk is nonetheless a reality. As quoted by (Natalie Kita, March 9,2009) By applying the Rule-utilitarianism, we have noticed that another point of view that supports our thesis statement. According to the Rule-utilitarianism, the action which means that follow the rules that general acceptance and produce the greatest balance of happiness is right. We all know that the outlook of one person is a present from God and we cannot overtake God to decide ones person outlook by undergoing scalpel. Although there are no rules and acts states that people undergo scalpel in search of beauty is prohibited and illegal. The rules of general acceptance are that no one can overtake God to decide our outlook by undergoing scalpel. Therefore, scalpel is not morally justified action. If the society continues this trend of scalpel, it may create several negative consequences from health risks to psychological and social. The health risk may include infection, tissue death, pneumonia, delayed healing and so on. The psychological and social risks may include the potential of inadequate of correction such as one may still feel ugly after scalpel. Based on the impacts, we can conclude that undergoing scalpel in search of beauty will create more harm than good. Utilitarian Arguments for Antithesis Statement Nowadays, social networks like Facebook has fundamentally changed the way people communicate and discover new things. Many people like to share their live with their friends or even a stranger. Therefore, these people start to demand a beauty appearance so that they can proudly share their photo or portrait online. In addition, people especially women start to level up their demand about beauty. They always want to become as pretty as some celebrity. Therefore, the only way for them to achieve this dream is by undergoing scalpel. For them, it is totally a moral justified behavior because they think that they have the right to decide their own appearance in order to fulfill the wants as well as the demand of beauty by the society. By virtue of hedonism, women undergoing scalpel is nothing wrong. Hedonism is the theory which emphasizes on pleasure and the absence of pain and therefore only the pleasure is ultimately good. For example, women can undergo scalpel in order to search for be auty appearance so that they can fulfill their dream and demand of the society. This is because a beauty appearance can brings pleasure to them. People from all over the world come to have their noses tweaked, chins thinned and fat removed and occasionally grafted onto another part of their face. Its not just a female thing males make up at least 30 percent of JK Plastic Surgery Clinics patients. JK Plastic Surgery Clinics foreign patients account for about 40 to 50 percent of the total number of patients. Of the foreign patients, Chinese make up about 70 percent. As quoted by (Violet Kim, August 9, 2012) This statement shows that it is morally justified and people have the right to undergo scalpel even a man. This is because scalpel is widely accepted all around the world and receive general acceptance from the society. In other words, nowadays, it is a pleasure to have a beautiful appearance after undergoing scalpel. Besides that, it is also legal for the doctor to help people undergo scalpel. Some countries like China and Korea even allowed doctor to advertise their profession and skills in scalpel and this mean it is legal and morally justified. According to Act-Utilitarianism, scalpel is right since it produces the greatest balance of pleasure over pain for the society. This is because beautiful appearance of one person can create happiness for themselves or even the people around them. Moreover, it also create job opportunities for doctor who running scalpel business. Finally, everyone is happy with this activity and thus it produces the greatest balance of pleasure over pain fo r all parties. First, there is no specific biblical prohibition against changing the appearance of our physical bodies. Second, we do not consider other means to improve our outward appearance unethical. For example, few would argue that all forms of makeup, grooming, and fashionable clothing are intrinsically immoral behaviors. In short, the freedom we have in Christ along with the guidance of our own conscience should lead us regarding behaviors that are not specifically prohibited. For this reason, I can find no reason to find cosmetic surgery intrinsically immoral. As quoted from (Richard J. Poupard, 2010) This statement explains that scalpel is as normal as grooming and fashionable clothing. Therefore, women undergo scalpel in order to search for beauty is a morally justified action. According to Rule-Utilitarianism, it is also right if it conform to a set of rules the general acceptances of which will produce the greatest balance of pleasure over pain for everyone. For example, there are people who undergo scalpel to correct their skin which damaged by fire is a pleasure for them and their family as well.

The Mr. T. Experience, Yo La Tengo, and The Knitting Factory?...Oh... :: Free Essays Online

The Mr. T. Experience, Yo La Tengo, and The Knitting Factory?...Oh... "Tonight at Tramps, Chisel, Fuzzy and Velocity Girl, seven dollar cover, all ages." Before I became indie rock literate I would not have been able to understand the above quote from a concert flier. Someone who is indie rock illiterate might read it as an add for a brothel, featuring the use of tools, and hairy fast women of all ages. On the other hand, someone who is indie rock literate would know to read it as "tonight at the concert venue called Tramps there will be a show featuring the bands Chisel, Fuzzy and Velocity Girl, it costs seven dollars to get in and you may be any age to attend." I used to watch my friends Mike and Zoe with awe and jealousy. They had found a way into the seemingly elite world of indie rock (independent rock music). They bought the records, wore the clothes, and most importantly they spoke the language. The language was one that sounded a lot like English, but it was filled with words and phrases like "Brownie's," "Bikini Kill," and "all ages show". It was clear that although these could be taken as normal English words they had other meanings, meanings with which I was not familiar. I wondered how these friends of mine had managed to obtain their passports into this land of mystery, wonder, and seven-inch singles. I now know that there is not a secret handshake that gets a person into the indie rock scene. Nor is there a panel of ultra-cool guardians hiding out in rock clubs deciding who's in and who's out. There is merely a certain type of literacy that one eventually picks up if one observes and listens and lets oneself become part of the scene. Just like any other kind of literacy, nobody is born with it, it needs to be learned. My transition from illiteracy to literacy in this area has become something of a blur for me. I'm not sure when or how I became indie rock literate, but I am now. One of the most important aspects of this form of literacy is that it enables me to talk to people about something that I am interested in. Being indie rock literate, it is easier to clearly convey thoughts and ideas that have to do with the world that particular subculture within American popular culture.

Adolf Hitler Essay -- Adolf Hitler Nazi Germany Biography Essays

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was born on April 20th, 1889 in Braunau, Austria. He was the fourth child of Alois Schickelgruber and Klara Hitler. The couple’s first three offsprings died as children, but more two more were born later, in addition to Adolf’s half siblings from his father’s previous marriage. A housemaid described Adolf’s father as a strict but comfortable man, and his mother was known to give Adolf much love and affection. As a child, Adolf was very skilled at artwork, and even went to a special school for awhile, but he didn’t do well there. His father died in 1903 of a pleural hemorrhage, and his mother died in 1907 of breast cancer. Hitler spent six years in Vienna, Austria, the center of anti-Semitism. He was virtually penniless. These years helped him develop prejudices about Jews, and an interest in politics. At the time, two of his closest friends were Jewish and he admired many Jewish art dealers and operatic performers and producers. Hi tler later was arrested for avoiding military service for World War I. When he was eventually caught, he was found â€Å"unfit†¦too weak†¦and unable to bear arms.†1 Later, he served four years. Near the end of the war, Hitler was partially blinded when he was exposed to poison gas. In 1919, Adolf joined the German Workers’ Party (later renamed National Socialist German Workers’ – or Nazi – Party). In 1921, he was elected as the party’s chairman, or Fà ¼hrer. Later in 1923, Hitler led an uprising against the Weimar Republic, the German government. Unfortunately for him, the uprising failed, and he was sentenced to five years in prison. He only served nine moths of this sentence though, during which he dictated his auto-biography, Mein Kampf (My Struggle). "[The Jews'] ultimate go... .... p. 17 2. Ibid., as cited in Fleming, pp. 28-29 Found at: http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/people/h/hitler-adolf/hitler-1922.html Adolf Hitler Quotes Great liars are also great magicians. Adolf Hitler The only people I have been able to use are those who fought. Adolf Hitler My will decides. Adof Hitler "The German people is not warlike nation. It is a soldierly one, which means it does not want a war but does not fear it. It loves peace but it also loves its humor and freedom." "Nature is cruel; therefore we are also entitled to be cruel. When I send the flower of German youth into the steel hail of the next war without feeling the slightest regret over the precious German blood that is being spilled, should I not also have the right to eliminate millions of an inferior race that multiplies like vermin?" (Adolf Hitler, cited in Joachim Fest's 1975 "Hitler")

Leadership styles in greek mythology Essay

In ancient Greece, certain leadership qualities were seen as more desirable, and by reviewing Greek mythology it is possible to understand what these ancient people valued in their leaders. The tales of Uranus, Cronus, and Zeus show which characteristics were prized by the Greek people, and which were despised. Uranus, son and husband of Gaea, was tyrannical, and fearful, casting his offspring into the underworld. He was obsessed with absolute power. It did not concern him that his children, the Hundred-handed giants and the Cyclopes, burned with rage at him from their Underworld prison. It did not concern him that his mother-wife Gaea suffered dearly knowing the fate of her children. He was a wicked ruler, and his Titan sons and daughters were fearful of him. Even when Gaea urged them to join her in a plot to overthrow Uranus, the Titans, terrified, could not reply. It was only when Cronus, the youngest Titan, finally agreed to help Gaea that Uranus was finally and violently defeated. Cronus dismembered his father and scattered the body parts. The Titans then freed their siblings and made Cronus king. Cronus, however, turned out to be as wicked a king as his father Uranus. Gaea warned Cronus that like his father, his child would overthrow him. Obsessed with avoiding Uranus’s fate, Cronus devoured each of the children born to him and Rhea, his wife. Eventually, Rhea deceived Cronus to keep him from eating the newborn children. Cunningly, Rhea his one child, Zeus, and fed her husband a rock in the place of the shining child. When Zeus grew up, joined with his brother Poseidon and the other children of Cronus in a war resulted in Zeus’s overthrow of Cronus. At last, overpowered, the Titans retreated into Tartarus, where they were bound, imprisoned, for eternity. With the Titans in the depths of the earth, the rule of Zeus began. Unlike his father and grandfather, Zeus ruled the world justly. He assigned each of the deities their respective functions. He created a system of laws, and punished those immortals that broke their sacred word. Zeus also allowed the immortals to benefit mankind. Out of chaotic destruction, Zeus’s rule began and he established such order that no Olympian god would question his authority. Even when the Titans would try to return and overthrow Zeus, they could not defeat him due to the loyalty he had earned from the other Olympians. A reading of these tales shows that the Greeks looked for the qualities of strength and authority in their leaders, along with courage and wisdom. However, these alone were not enough. In order to be a great leader or king, one needed to establish a system of justice and fairness, where those who did wrong would face punishment, and where order would be maintained instead of chaos. Zeus was the model for earthly kings because of his ability to bring order, fairness, and justice along with his great strength.

High School Student

Karina Canas English 2323 2/15/12 Supernatural vs. Natural Ever been watching television and out of nowhere a picture frame or some other object fall without anyone moving it? Was it some supernatural power that caused it to fall like a ghost that is haunting a house or was the picture frame just placed wrong? The Castle of Otranto has many mysterious events that happen all throughout the novel, but not all of them are said to be supernatural. Some of the events can actually be explained, but others can’t therefore are said to be supernatural.The very first thing that happens in the novel is the giant helmet â€Å"larger than any casque ever made for human beings† that had fallen randomly out of the sky and crushed Conrad. There is no reasonable explanation to how anyone could have dropped it on Conrad because it was that huge that no one could have lifted it. One of the events that can be explained is when Manfred is trying to chase after Isabella but stops when the â €Å"moon presented to his sight the plumes of the fatal helmet, which rose to the height of the windows, waving backwards and forwards in a tempestuous manner, and accompanied with a hollow and rustling sound†.The reflection of the moon casted a shadow of the helmet and the wind caused the shadow to appear to be waving. The rustling sound was most likely made by the animals or the guards walking. This event appears to be natural though it does give the setting a scary atmosphere. Falling photograph frames are somewhat normal, but Horace Walpole took it a little farther and mentioned the portrait of Manfred’s â€Å"grandfather uttered a deep sigh, and heaved its breast†. Not only did his grandfather in the portrait sighed, but â€Å"it also quit its panel, and descended on the floor with a grave and melancholy air and then motion for Manfred to follow him†.Just like in Harry Potter moving portraits that talk are fictions, but it is a very effective way to raise the climax and give the reader a feeling of mystery and raise the climax. Especially when he finally gets to the door of the chamber and it is â€Å"clapped to with violence by an invisible hand†. The door is not actually held by an invisible hand. It is most likely locked up that’s why Manfred has a hard time opening the door. Later while Manfred is searching for Isabella, his guards Diego and Jaquez manage to get the door open and find what they believe to be a â€Å"giant lying down, for the foot and leg were stretched at length on the floor†.This giant could possibly be the owner of the giant helmet at the beginning of the novel, but there is still no explanation of how the giant got to the chamber without anyone noticing it. Even the guards mention how the giant is supernatural for they suggest for Manfred to â€Å"send for the chaplain, and have the castle exorcised because it appears to be enchanted†. Towards the end of the novel Frederic men tions that while he was in the forest he found a hermit who â€Å"St. Nicholas had appeared to and revealed a secret that he was to disclose to mortal man only on the day of his death-bed†.The apparition of a dead saint is supernatural because the dead don’t come back to life. When Manfred offers Frederic to marry his daughter Matilda â€Å"three drops of blood fell from the nose of Alfonso’s statue meaning that the blood of Alfonso will never mix with that of Manfred†. There has been many cases where it is said that statues bleed or cry, and even though there are proofs there is no logically explanation to this events other than the fact that they are supernatural.As mention there are many mysterious events which cannot be explained, but give a sense of scariness in the novel. The most effective in mystery are the giant helmet which gives intrigues the reader to keep on reading to try and solve the mystery of it and the grandfather coming out of his port rait and leading Manfred to the giant who could possibly the owner of the mysterious helmet. Supernatural and natural events are both great to create mystery that sometimes it is hard to tell them apart.

Diversity Training Essay

Research diversity training programs and their effectiveness. Discuss the purpose of diversity training and review the types of programs that are most effective in meeting goals for improving diversity within organizations. Diversity training is recommended to provide employees with the knowledge and skills to effectively communicate and relate to shareholders of different ethnicity, gender, mannerisms, sexual orientation, religion, and age. Diversity training has a positive impact on the company because it helps employees to respond more sensitively to differences in the workplace. Employees will become more aware of their actions, and mannerisms with others in the workplace. Also, it may be necessary to train managers in diversity in order to comply with the equal opportunity/affirmative action laws. Managers that are trained can effectively address diversity issues in the workplace (Reasons for Diversity, n.d.). Diversity training is effective if employees can recognize the advantages of becoming a culturally diverse workplace. Advantages can include; attracting and retaining valuable employees, increased innovation and creativity, and improved team performance. Organizations that encompass diversity can provide a better service or product if employees can understand their customer’s culture and background. The most effective approach for improving workplace diversity is to create a program to promote diversity hiring. A position or task force should be created who’s primarily responsibility is to oversee diversity hiring and training. Typically, diversity training is effectively taught through group exercises, role play, lectures, and video presentations. In conjunction with diversity training programs, the organization should promote employee involvement through diversity committees, diversity staff positions, and affirmative action plans (Rolander, n.d.). When employees are more involved, they become more aware of their actions and the actions of others to help promote diversity. References: Reasons for diversity training. (n.d.). Retrieved April 7, 2010, from Ehow website: http://www.ehow.com/facts_4912414_reasons-diversity-training.html Rolander, G.-C. (n.d.). Creating effective diversity policies . In Divesity central. Retrieved April 7, 2010, from http://www.diversitycentral.com/ diversity_practitioners/research_07_04.html What are the ways an organization can identify managers with dysfunctional behaviors? Once these managers are identified, describe the various actions that could be undertaken to help them change these behaviors. The symptoms and warning signs of a dysfunctional manager include; arrogance in leadership, lack of leadership performance feedback (from employees), favoritism, over-management that inhibits communication between staff members, lack of collaboration, lack of teamwork, low productivity, decline in employee morale, backstabbing, and high rate of employee absenteeism and turnover (Jones, n.d.). Consequently, with bad workplace politics and performance, employees will often distance themselves and can become uncooperative if they feel discriminated against and unappreciated. In some cases, employees will resort to sabotaging the company name, and the organization will risk losing their high performers. Furthermore, employees will lose their motivation and productivity (Jones, n.d.). Once the managers are identified, performance-oriented goals should be set to cure the bad behavior (Jones, n.d.). Fist, the organization must identify the performance issues and get feedback from employees. Employee feedback can be evaluated through an employee feedback survey. The manager must be willing to participate in the change program and recognize their bad behavior. Team-building workshops can be used to educate and train management on effective communication and conflict resolution (Jones, n.d.). If differences are still apparent after arbitration, replacement of the uncooperative management is necessary. References: Jones, M. (n.d.). Dysfunctional Leadership & Dysfunctional Organization . In The Politics of failure: watch out for the warning signs of bad leadership. Retrieved April 7, 2010, from http://www.iim-edu.org/ dysfunctionalleadershipdysfunctionalorganizations/index.htm

Comparative Analysis of Private, Public Banks

Ibmr| study on impact of technology on customer needs in banking| | | NAYANA SHREE N S| MBA FINANCE| Project on study on impact of technology on customer needs in banking SEMESTER IV SUBMITTED BY NAYANA SHREE N S ROLL NO. IBMR COLLEGE IBMR COLLEGE Address: CERTIFICATE This is to certify that Nayana Shree N S of MBA FINANCE Semester IV {2012-13} has successfully completed the project on â€Å"Project on study on impact of technology on customer needs in banking† under the guidance of Mrs. Bickram . Course Co-ordinatorPrincipalProject Guide/ Internal Examiner External Examiner DECLARATION I Nayana Shree N S the student of MBA Finance Semester IV {2012-13} hereby declare that I have completed the project on â€Å"Project on study on impact of technology on customer needs in banking†. The information submitted is true and original to the best of my knowledge. Signature Nayana Shree N S Roll No. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Many people have played a part in making this project study a su ccess by giving their valuable inputs and useful suggestions.Firstly I would express my gratitude to the University Of Mysore for providing me the opportunity to study the practical aspects of banking and insurance. I am thankful to the principal Mrs. xxxxxxx for giving me an opportunity to work on this project. I am also thankful to our co-ordinator Mrs. xxxxxx for her immeasurable encouragement and support. I am also particularly grateful to my project guide xxxxx for extending his support and time. INDEX Chapter No. | Titles| Pg. No. | 1| Introduction| 1-7| 2| Role Of Technology| 8| 3| E-Banking| 9-12| | Digital Signatures| 13-15| 5| Card Skimming| 16| 6| Credit Cards| 17-20| 7| Mobile Banking| 21-23| 8| Electronic Funds Transfer| 24-26| 9| Debit Cards| 27-33| 10| Telephone Banking| 34-35| 11| Uses Of Information Technology In Banks| 36-39| 12| Technology Vision 2020| 40-44| 13| Present Level of Computerization| 45-46| 14| Advantages of Technology| 47-48| 15| Disadvantages of Tec hnology| 49-50| 16| Nature and Change in Banking| 51-53| 17| Issues and Challenges| 54| 18| Countermeasures to Frauds| 55-58| 19| Conclusion| 59| 20| Bibliography| 60| INTRODUCTIONIn the five decades since independence, banking in India has evolved through four distinct phases. During Fourth phase, also called as Reform Phase, Recommendations of the Narasimham Committee (1991) paved the way for the reform phase in the banking. Important initiatives with regard to the reform of the banking system were taken in this phase. Important among these have been introduction of new accounting and prudential norms relating to income recognition, provisioning and capital adequacy, deregulation of interest rates & easing of norms for entry in the field of banking.Entry of new banks resulted in a paradigm shift in the ways of banking in India. The growing competition, growing expectations led to increased awareness amongst banks on the role and importance of technology in banking. The arrival of foreign and private banks with their superior state-of-the-art technology-based services pushed Indian Banks also to follow suit by going in for the latest technologies so as to meet the threat of competition and retain their customer base. Indian banking industry, today is in the midst of an IT revolution.A combination of regulatory and competitive reasons have led to increasing importance of total banking automation in the Indian Banking Industry. Information Technology has basically been used under two different avenues in Banking. One is Communication and Connectivity and other is Business Process Reengineering. Information technology enables sophisticated product development, better market infrastructure, implementation of reliable techniques for control of risks and helps the financial intermediaries to reach geographically distant and diversified markets.In view of this, technology has changed the contours of three major functions performed by banks, i. e. , access to liquidi ty, transformation of assets and monitoring of risks. Further, Information technology and the communication networking systems have a crucial bearing on the efficiency of money, capital and foreign exchange markets. The Software Packages for Banking Applications in India had their beginnings in the middle of 80s, when the Banks started computerizing the branches in a limited manner.The early 90s saw the plummeting hardware prices and advent of cheap and inexpensive but high-powered PCs and servers and banks went in for what was called Total Branch Automation (TBA) Packages. The middle and late 90s witnessed the tornado of financial reforms, deregulation, globalization etc. coupled with rapid revolution in communication technologies and evolution of novel concept of ‘convergence' of computer and communication technologies, like Internet, mobile / cell phones etc. MILESTONESIn India, banks as well as other financial entities entered the world of information technology and with I ndian Financial Net (INFINET). INFINET, a wide area satellite based network (WAN) using VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminals) technology, was jointly set up by the Reserve Bank and Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) in June 1999. The Indian Financial Network (INFINET) which initially comprised only the public sector banks was opened up for participation by other categories of members.The first set of applications that could benefit greatly from the use of technological advances in the computer and communications area relate to the Payment systems which form the lifeline of any banking activity. The process of reforms in payment and settlement systems has gained momentum with the implementation of projects such as NDS ((Negotiated Dealing System), CFMS (Centralised Funds Management System) for better funds management by banks and SFMS (Structured Financial Messaging Solution) for secure message transfer.This would result in funds transfers and funds-r elated message transfer to be routed electronically across banks using the medium of the INFINET. Negotiated dealing system (NDS), which has become operational since February 2002 and RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement system) scheduled towards the end of 2003 are other major developments in the area. Internet has significantly influenced delivery channels of the banks. Internet has emerged as an important medium for delivery of banking products & services.Detailed guidelines of RBI for Internet Banking has prepared the necessary ground for growth of Internet Banking in India. The Information Technology Act, 2000 has given legal recognition to creation, trans-mission and retention of an electronic (or magnetic) data to be treated as valid proof in a court of law, except in those areas, which continue to be governed by the provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.As stated in RBI's Annual Monetary and Credit Policy 2002-2003: â€Å"To reap the full benefits of such electroni c message transfers, it is necessary that banks bestow sufficient attention on the computerization and networking of the branches situated at commercially important centers on a time-bound basis. Intra-city and intra-bank networking would facilitate in addressing the â€Å"last mile† problem which would in turn result in quick and efficient funds transfers across the country†. Implementation of Centralized Funds Management SystemThe centralized funds management system (CFMS) provides for a centralized viewing of balance positions of the account holders across different accounts maintained at various locations of RBI. While the first phase of the system covering the centralized funds enquiry system (CFES) has been made available to the users, the second phase comprising the centralized funds transfer system (CFTS) would be made available by the middle of 2003. So far, 54 banks have implemented the system at their treasuries/funds management branches.Certification and Dig ital Signatures The mid-term Review of October 2002 indicated the need for information security on the network and the use of public key infrastructure (PKI) by banks. The Controller of Certifying Authorities, Government of India, have approved the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) as a Certification Authority (CA) for digital signatures. Consequently, the process of setting up of registration authorities (RA) under the CA has commenced at various banks.In addition to the negotiated dealing system (NDS), the electronic clearing service (ECS) and electronic funds transfer (EFT) are also being enhanced in terms of security by means of implementation of PKI and digital signatures using the facilities offered by the CA. Committee on Payment Systems In order to examine the entire gamut of the process of reforms in payment and settlement systems which would be culminating with the real time gross settlement (RTGS) system, a Committee on Payment Systems ( Chairman: Dr. R. H.Patil) was set up in 2002. The Committee, after examining the various aspects relating to payment and settlement systems, submitted its report in September 2002 along with a draft Payment Systems Bill. The draft Bill provides, inter alia, a legal basis for netting, apart from empowering RBI to have regulatory and oversight powers over payment and settlement systems of the country. The report of the Committee was put on the RBI website for wider dissemination. The draft Bill has been forwarded to the Government. Multi-application Smart CardsRecognizing the need for technology based payment products and the growing importance of smart card based payment flows, a pilot project for multi-application smart cards in conjunction with a few banks and vendors, under the aegis of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India, has been initiated. The project is aimed at the formulation of standards for multi-application smart cards on the bas is of inter-operable systems and technological components of the entire system. Special Electronic Funds TransferAs indicated in the mid-term Review of October 2002, national EFT (NEFT) is being introduced using the backbone of the structured financial messaging system (SFMS) of the IDRBT. NEFT would provide for movement of electronic transfer of funds in a safe, secure and quick manner across branches of any bank to any other bank through a central gateway of each bank, with the inter-bank settlement being effected in the books of account of banks maintained at RBI. Since this scheme requires connectivity across a large number of branches at many cities, a special EFT (SEFT) was introduced in April 2003 covering about 3000 branches in 500 cities.This has facilitated same day transfer of funds across accounts of constituents at all these branches. National Settlement System (NSS) The clearing and settlement activities are dispersed through 1,047 clearing houses managed by RBI, the S tate Bank of India and its associates, public sector banks and other institutions. In order to facilitate banks to have better control over their funds, it is proposed to introduce national settlement system (NSS) in a phased manner. Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) As indicated in the mid-term Review of October 2002, development of the various software modules for the RTGS system is in progress.The initial set of modules is expected to be delivered by June 2003 for members to conduct tests and familiarisation exercises. The live run of RTGS is scheduled towards the end of 2003. Reporting of Call/Notice Money Market Transactions on NDS Platform Negotiated dealing system (NDS), which has become operational since February 2002, enables on-line dealing and dissemination of trade information relating to instruments in money, government securities and foreign exchange markets. Membership in NDS is open to all institutions which are members of INFINET and are maintaining subsidiar y general ledger (SGL) Account with RBI.These include banks, financial institutions (FIs), primary dealers (PDs), insurance companies, mutual funds and any other institution as admitted by RBI. At present, all deals in government securities, call/notice/term money, CDs and CP executed among NDS members have to be reported automatically through NDS, if the deal is done on NDS and within 15 minutes of concluding the deal, if done outside NDS. However, it has been observed that a very sizeable proportion of daily call/notice money market deals is not reported by members on NDS as stipulated.With a view to improving transparency and strengthening efficiency in the market, it is proposed that: 1. From the fortnight beginning May 3, 2003, it would be mandatory for all NDS members to report all their call/notice money market deals on NDS. Deals done outside NDS should be reported within 15 minutes on NDS, irrespective of the size of the deal or whether the counterparty is a member of the N DS or not. 2. Full compliance with the reporting requirement to NDS will be reviewed in September 2003.In case there is repeated non-reporting of deals by an NDS member, it will be considered whether non-reported deals by that member should be treated as invalid with effect from a future date. ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY Information Technology has basically been used under two different avenues in Banking. One is Communication and Connectivity and other is Business Process Reengineering. Information technology enables sophisticated product development, better market infrastructure, implementation of reliable techniques for control of risks and helps the financial intermediaries to reach geographically distant and diversified markets.In view of this, technology has changed the contours of three major functions performed by banks, i. e. , access to liquidity, transformation of assets and monitoring of risks. Further, Information technology and the communication networking systems have a crucia l bearing on the efficiency of money, capital and foreign exchange markets. Internet has significantly influenced delivery channels of the banks. Internet has emerged as an important medium for delivery of banking products ; services. Detailed guidelines of RBI for Internet Banking has prepared the necessary ground for growth of Internet Banking in India.The Information Technology Act, 2000 has given legal recognition to creation, transmission and retention of an electronic (or magnetic) data to be treated as valid proof in a court of law, except in those areas, which continue to be governed by the provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. As stated in RBI's Annual Monetary and Credit Policy 2002-2003: â€Å"To reap the full benefits of such electronic message transfers, it is necessary that banks bestow sufficient attention on the computerisation and networking of the branches situated at commercially important centres on a time-bound basis.Intra-city and intra-bank netw orking would facilitate in addressing the â€Å"last mile† problem which would in turn result in quick and efficient funds transfers across the country†. E-BANKING Online banking (or Internet banking) allows customers to conduct financial transactions on a secure website operated by their retail or virtual bank, credit union or building society. Online banking solutions have many features and capabilities in common, but traditionally also have some that are application specific. The common features fall broadly into several categories Transactional (e. g. , performing a financial transaction such as an account to account transfer, paying a bill, wire transfer, apply for a loan, new account, etc. ) * Payments to third parties, including bill payments and telegraphic/wire transfers * Funds transfers between a customer's own transactional account and savings accounts * Investment purchase or sale * Loan applications and transactions, such as repayments of enrollments * Non -transactional (e. g. , online statements, cheque links, cobrowsing, chat) * Viewing recent transactions Downloading bank statements , for example in PDF format * Viewing images of paid cheques * Financial Institution Administration * Management of multiple users having varying levels of authority * Transaction approval process Features commonly unique to Internet banking include Personal financial management support, such as importing data into personal accounting software Some online banking platforms support account aggregation to allow the customers to monitor all of their accounts in one place whether they are with their main bank or with other institutions. History of E-BankingThe precursor for the modern home online banking services were the distance banking services over electronic media from the early 1980s. The term online became popular in the late '80s and referred to the use of a terminal, keyboard and TV (or monitor) to access the banking system using a phone line. â⠂¬ËœHome banking’ can also refer to the use of a numeric keypad to send tones down a phone line with instructions to the bank. Online services started in New York in 1981 when four of the city’s major banks (Citibank, Chase Manhattan, Chemical andManufacturers Hanover) offered home banking services[1] using the videotex system.Because of the commercial failure of videotex these banking services never became popular except in France where the use of videotex (Minitel) was subsidised by the telecom provider and the UK, where the Prestel system was used. The UK's first home online banking services[2] was set up by Bank of Scotland for customers of the Nottingham Building Society (NBS) in 1983. [3] The system used was based on the UK's Prestel system and used a computer, such as the BBC Micro, or keyboard (Tandata Td1400) connected to the telephone system and television set.The system (known as ‘Homelink') allowed on-line viewing of statements, bank transfers and bil l payments. In order to make bank transfers and bill payments, a written instruction giving details of the intended recipient had to be sent to the NBS who set the details up on the Homelink system. Typical recipients were gas, electricity and telephone companies and accounts with other banks. Details of payments to be made were input into the NBS system by the account holder via Prestel.A cheque was then sent by NBS to the payee and an advice giving details of the payment was sent to the account holder. BACS was later used to transfer the payment directly. Stanford Federal Credit Union was the first financial institution to offer online internet banking services to all of its members in October 1994. [citation needed] Today, many banks are internet only banks. Unlike their predecessors, these internet only banks do not maintain brick and mortar bank branches. Instead, they typically differentiate themselves by offering better interest rates and online banking features.Security Prot ection through single password authentication, as is the case in most secure Internet shopping sites, is not considered secure enough for personal online banking applications in some countries. Basically there exist two different security methods for online banking. 1. The PIN/TAN system where the PIN represents a password, used for the login and TANs representing one-time passwords to authenticate transactions. TANs can be distributed in different ways, the most popular one is to send a list of TANs to the online banking user by postal letter.The most secure way of using TANs is to generate them by need using asecurity token. These token generated TANs depend on the time and a unique secret, stored in the security token (this is called two-factor authentication or 2FA). Usually online banking with PIN/TAN is done via a web browser using SSL secured connections, so that there is no additional encryption needed. Another way to provide TANs to an online banking user is to send the TAN of the current bank transaction to the user's (GSM) mobile phone via SMS. The SMS text usually quotes the transaction amount and details, the TAN is only valid for a short period of time.Especially in Germany and Austria, many banks have adopted this â€Å"SMS TAN† service as it is considered very secure. 2. Signature based online banking where all transactions are signed and encrypted digitally. The Keys for the signature generation and encryption can be stored on smartcards or any memory medium, depending on the concrete implementation. Attacks Most of the attacks on online banking used today are based on deceiving the user to steal login data and valid TANs. Two well known examples for those attacks are phishing and pharming. Cross-site scripting and keylogger/Trojan horses can also be used to steal login information.A method to attack signature based online banking methods is to manipulate the used software in a way, that correct transactions are shown on the screen and faked transactions are signed in the background. A recent FDIC Technology Incident Report, compiled from suspicious activity reports banks file quarterly, lists 536 cases of computer intrusion, with an average loss per incident of $30,000. That adds up to a nearly $16-million loss in the second quarter of 2007. Computer intrusions increased by 150 percent between the first quarter of 2007 and the second.In 80 percent of the cases, the source of the intrusion is unknown but it occurred during online banking, the report states. The most recent kind of attack is the so-called Man in the Browser attack, where a Trojan horse permits a remote attacker to modify the destination account number and also the amount. Countermeasures There exist several countermeasures which try to avoid attacks. Digital certificates are used against phishing and pharming, the use of class-3 card readers is a measure to avoid manipulation of transactions by the software in signature based online banking variant s.To protect their systems against Trojan horses, users should use virus scanners and be careful with downloaded software or e-mail attachments. DIGITAL SIGNATURES A digital signature or digital signature scheme is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. A valid digital signature gives a recipient reason to believe that the message was created by a known sender, and that it was not altered in transit. Digital signatures are commonly used for software distribution, financial transactions, and in other cases where it is important to detect forgery or tampering.Digital signatures are often used to implement electronic signatures, a broader term that refers to any electronic data that carries the intent of a signature, but not all electronic signatures use digital signatures. In some countries, including the United States, India, and members of the European Union, electronic signatures have legal significance. However, laws concerning e lectronic signatures do not always make clear whether they are digital cryptographic signatures in the sense used here, leaving the legal definition, and so their importance, somewhat confused.Digital signatures employ a type of asymmetric cryptography. For messages sent through a nonsecure channel, a properly implemented digital signature gives the receiver reason to believe the message was sent by the claimed sender. Digital signatures are equivalent to traditional handwritten signatures in many respects; properly implemented digital signatures are more difficult to forge than the handwritten type. Digital signature schemes in the sense used here are cryptographically based, and must be implemented properly to be effective.Digital signatures can also provide non-repudiation, meaning that the signer cannot successfully claim they did not sign a message, while also claiming their private key remains secret; further, some non-repudiation schemes offer a time stamp for the digital sig nature, so that even if the private key is exposed, the signature is valid nonetheless. Digitally signed messages may be anything representable as a bitstring: examples include electronic mail, contracts, or a message sent via some other cryptographic protocol. A digital signature scheme typically consists of three algorithms: 1.A key generation algorithm that selects a private key uniformly at random from a set of possible private keys. The algorithm outputs the private key and a corresponding public key. 2. A signing algorithm that, given a message and a private key, produces a signature. 3. A signature verifying algorithm that, given a message, public key and a signature, either accepts or rejects the message's claim to authenticity. Two main properties are required. First, a signature generated from a fixed message and fixed private key should verify the authenticity of that message by using the corresponding public key.Secondly, it should be computationally infeasible to genera te a valid signature for a party who does not possess the private key. Uses of digital signatures As organizations move away from paper documents with ink signatures or authenticity stamps, digital signatures can provide added assurances of the evidence to provenance, identity, and status of an electronic document as well as acknowledging informed consent and approval by a signatory. The United States Government Printing Office (GPO) publishes electronic versions of the budget, public and private laws, and congressional bills with digital signatures.Universities including Penn State, University of Chicago, and Stanford are publishing electronic student transcripts with digital signatures. Below are some common reasons for applying a digital signature to communications: Authentication Although messages may often include information about the entity sending a message, that information may not be accurate. Digital signatures can be used to authenticate the source of messages. When owne rship of a digital signature secret key is bound to a specific user, a valid signature shows that the message was sent by that user.The importance of high confidence in sender authenticity is especially obvious in a financial context. For example, suppose a bank's branch office sends instructions to the central office requesting a change in the balance of an account. If the central office is not convinced that such a message is truly sent from an authorized source, acting on such a request could be a grave mistake. Integrity In many scenarios, the sender and receiver of a message may have a need for confidence that the message has not been altered during transmission.Although encryption hides the contents of a message, it may be possible to change an encrypted message without understanding it. (Some encryption algorithms, known as nonmalleable ones, prevent this, but others do not. ) However, if a message is digitally signed, any change in the message after signature will invalidate the signature. Furthermore, there is no efficient way to modify a message and its signature to produce a new message with a valid signature, because this is still considered to be computationally infeasible by most cryptographic hash functions (see collision resistance). Digital signatures vs. nk on paper signatures An ink signature can be easily replicated from one document to another by copying the image manually or digitally. Digital signatures cryptographically bind an electronic identity to an electronic document and the digital signature cannot be copied to another document. Paper contracts often have the ink signature block on the last page, and the previous pages may be replaced after a signature is applied. Digital signatures can be applied to an entire document, such that the digital signature on the last page will indicate tampering if any data on any of the pages have been altered. CARD SKIMMING Card skimming’ is the illegal copying of information from the magnet ic strip of a credit or ATM card. It is a more direct version of a phishing scam. The scammers try to steal your details so they can access your accounts. Once scammers have skimmed your card, they can create a fake or ‘cloned’ card with your details on it. The scammer is then able to run up charges on your account. Card skimming is also a way for scammers to steal your identity (your personal details) and use it to commit identity fraud. By stealing your personal details and account numbers the scammer may be able to borrow money or take out loans in your name.Warning signs †¢A shop assistant takes your card out of your sight in order to process your transaction. †¢You are asked to swipe your card through more than one machine. †¢You see a shop assistant swipe the card through a different machine to the one you used. †¢You notice something suspicious about the card slot on an ATM (e. g. an attached device). †¢You notice unusual or unauthorised transactions on your account or credit card statement. Protect yourself from card skimming †¢Keep your credit card and ATM cards safe. Do not share your personal identity number (PIN) with anyone. Do not keep any written copy of your PIN with the card. Check your bank account and credit card statements when you get them. If you see a transaction you cannot explain, report it to your credit union or bank. †¢Choose passwords that would be difficult for anyone else to guess. CREDIT CARDS A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services. [1] The issuer of the card creates a revolving account and grants a line of credit to the consumer (or the user) from which the user can borrow money for payment to a merchant or as a cash advance to the user.A credit card is different from a charge card: a charge card requires the balance to be paid in full each month. In contrast, credit cards allow the consumers a continuing balance of debt, subject to interest being charged. A credit card also differs from a cash card, which can be used like currency by the owner of the card. Most credit cards are issued by banks or credit unions, and are the shape and size specified by the ISO/IEC 7810standard as ID-1. This is defined as 85. 60 ? 53. 98 mm (3. 370 ? 2. 125 in) (33/8 ? 21/8 in) in size .How credit cards work Credit cards are issued by a credit card issuer, such as a bank or credit union, after an account has been approved by the credit provider, after which cardholders can use it to make purchases at merchants accepting that card. Merchants often advertise which cards they accept by displaying acceptance marks – generally derived from logos – or may communicate this orally, as in â€Å"Credit cards are fine† (implicitly meaning â€Å"major brands†), â€Å"We take (brands X, Y, and Z)†, or â₠¬Å"We don't take credit cards†.When a purchase is made, the credit card user agrees to pay the card issuer. The cardholder indicates consent to pay by signing a receiptwith a record of the card details and indicating the amount to be paid or by entering a personal identification number (PIN). Also, many merchants now accept verbal authorizations via telephone and electronic authorization using the Internet, known as a card not present transaction (CNP).Electronic verification systems allow merchants to verify in a few seconds that the card is valid and the credit card customer has sufficient credit to cover the purchase, allowing the verification to happen at time of purchase. The verification is performed using a credit card payment terminal or point-of-sale (POS) system with a communications link to the merchant's acquiring bank. Data from the card is obtained from amagnetic stripe or chip on the card; the latter system is called Chip and PIN in the United Kingdom and Irelan d, and is implemented as anEMV card.For card not present transactions where the card is not shown (e. g. , e-commerce, mail order, and telephone sales), merchants additionally verify that the customer is in physical possession of the card and is the authorized user by asking for additional information such as thesecurity code printed on the back of the card, date of expiry, and billing address. Each month, the credit card user is sent a statement indicating the purchases undertaken with the card, any outstanding fees, and the total amount owed.After receiving the statement, the cardholder may dispute any charges that he or she thinks are incorrect (see 15 U. S. C.  § 1643, which limits cardholder liability for unauthorized use of a credit card to $50, and the Fair Credit Billing Act for details of the US regulations). Otherwise, the cardholder must pay a defined minimum proportion of the bill by a due date, or may choose to pay a higher amount up to the entire amount owed. The cre dit issuer charges interest on the amount owed if the balance is not paid in full (typically at a much higher rate than most other forms of debt).In addition, if the credit card user fails to make at least the minimum payment by the due date, the issuer may impose a â€Å"late fee† and/or other penalties on the user. To help mitigate this, some financial institutions can arrange for automatic payments to be deducted from the user's bank accounts, thus avoiding such penalties altogether as long as the cardholder has sufficient funds. Interest charges Credit card issuers usually waive interest charges if the balance is paid in full each month, but typically will charge full interest on the entire outstanding balance from the date of each purchase if the total balance is not paid.For example, if a user had a $1,000 transaction and repaid it in full within this grace period, there would be no interest charged. If, however, even $1. 00 of the total amount remained unpaid, interest would be charged on the $1,000 from the date of purchase until the payment is received. The precise manner in which interest is charged is usually detailed in a cardholder agreement which may be summarized on the back of the monthly statement. The general calculation formula most financial institutions use to determine the amount of interest to be charged is APR/100 x ADB/365 x number of days revolved.Take the annual percentage rate (APR) and divide by 100 then multiply to the amount of the average daily balance (ADB) divided by 365 and then take this total and multiply by the total number of days the amount revolved before payment was made on the account. Financial institutions refer to interest charged back to the original time of the transaction and up to the time a payment was made, if not in full, as RRFC or residual retail finance charge.Thus after an amount has revolved and a payment has been made, the user of the card will still receive interest charges on their statement a fter paying the next statement in full (in fact the statement may only have a charge for interest that collected up until the date the full balance was paid, i. e. when the balance stopped revolving). The credit card may simply serve as a form of revolving credit, or it may become a complicated financial instrument with multiple balance segments each at a different interest rate, possibly with a single umbrella credit limit, or with separate credit limits applicable to the various balance segments.Usually this compartmentalization is the result of special incentive offers from the issuing bank, to encourage balance transfers from cards of other issuers. In the event that several interest rates apply to various balance segments, payment allocation is generally at the discretion of the issuing bank, and payments will therefore usually be allocated towards the lowest rate balances until paid in full before any money is paid towards higher rate balances.Interest rates can vary considera bly from card to card, and the interest rate on a particular card may jump dramatically if the card user is late with a payment on that card or any other credit instrument, or even if the issuing bank decides to raise its revenue. Benefits to customers The main benefit to each customer is convenience. Compared to debit cards and cheques, a credit card allows small short-term loans to be quickly made to a customer who need not calculate a balance remaining before every transaction, provided the total charges do not exceed the maximum credit line for the card.Credit cards also provide more fraud protection than debit cards. In the UK for example, the bank is jointly liable with the merchant for purchases of defective products over ? 100. [5] Many credit cards offer rewards and benefits packages, such as offering enhanced product warranties at no cost, free loss/damage coverage on new purchases, and points which may be redeemed for cash, products, or airline tickets. Additionally, carr ying a credit card may be a convenience to some customers as it eliminates the need to carry any cash for most purposes.MOBILE BANKING Mobile banking (also known as M-Banking, mbanking, SMS Banking) is a term used for performing balance checks, account transactions, payments, credit applications and other banking transactions through a mobile device such as a mobile phone or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The earliest mobile banking services were offered over SMS. With the introduction of the first primitive smart phones withWAP support enabling the use of the mobile web in 1999, the first European banks started to offer mobile banking on this platform to their customers .Mobile banking has until recently (2010) most often been performed via SMS or the Mobile Web. Apple'sinitial success with iPhone and the rapid growth of phones based on Google's Android (operating system)have led to increasing use of special client programs, called apps, downloaded to the mobile device. Mobile B anking Services Mobile banking can offer services such as the following: Account Information 1. Mini-statements and checking of account history 2. Alerts on account activity or passing of set thresholds 3. Monitoring of term deposits 4. Access to loan statements 5. Access to card statements . Mutual funds / equity statements 7. Insurance policy management 8. Pension plan management 9. Status on cheque, stop payment on cheque 10. Ordering cheque books 11. Balance checking in the account 12. Recent transactions 13. Due date of payment (functionality for stop, change and deleting of payments) 14. PIN provision, Change of PIN and reminder over the Internet 15. Blocking of (lost, stolen) cards Payments, Deposits, Withdrawals, and Transfers 1. Domestic and international fund transfers 2. Micro-payment handling 3. Mobile recharging 4. Commercial payment processing 5. Bill payment processing . Peer to Peer payments 7. Withdrawal at banking agent 8. Deposit at banking agent A specific sequen ce of SMS messages will enable the system to verify if the client has sufficient funds in his or her wallet and authorize a deposit or withdrawal transaction at the agent. When depositing money, the merchant receives cash and the system credits the client's bank account or mobile wallet. In the same way the client can also withdraw money at the merchant: through exchanging sms to provide authorization, the merchant hands the client cash and debits the merchant's account. Investments 1.Portfolio management services 2. Real-time stock quotes 3. Personalized alerts and notifications on security prices Support 1. Status of requests for credit, including mortgage approval, and insurance coverage 2. Check (cheque) book and card requests 3. Exchange of data messages and email, including complaint submission and tracking 4. ATM Location Content Services 1. General information such as weather updates, news 2. Loyalty-related offers 3. Location-based services Based on a survey conducted by Fo rrester, mobile banking will be attractive mainly to the younger, more â€Å"tech-savvy† customer segment.A third of mobile phone users say that they may consider performing some kind of financial transaction through their mobile phone. But most of the users are interested in performing basic transactions such as querying for account balance and making bill payment. ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER Electronic funds transfer or EFT is the electronic exchange or transfer of money from one account to another, either within a single financial institution or across multiple institutions, through computer-based systems. The term is used for a number of different concepts: Cardholder-initiated transactions, where a cardholder makes use of a payment card * Direct deposit payroll payments for a business to its employees, possibly via a payroll service bureau * Direct debit payments, sometimes called electronic checks, for which a business debits the consumer's bank accounts for payment for g oods or services * Electronic bill payment in online banking, which may be delivered by EFT or paper check * Transactions involving stored value of electronic money, possibly in a private currency * Wire transfer via an international banking network (carries a higher fee in North America) * Electronic Benefit Transfer In 1978 U. S. Congress passed the Electronic Funds Transfer Act to establish the rights and liabilities of consumers as well as the responsibilities of all participants in EFT activities in the United States. RTGSReal time gross settlement systems (RTGS) are funds transfer systems where transfer of money or securities[1] takes place from one bank to another on a â€Å"real time† and on â€Å"gross† basis. Settlement in â€Å"real time† means payment transaction is not subjected to any waiting period. The transactions are settled as soon as they are processed. â€Å"Gross settlement† means the transaction is settled on one to one basis withou t bunching or netting with any other transaction. Once processed, payments are final and irrevocable. Fees for RTGS vary from bank to bank. RBI has prescribed upper limit for the fees which can be charged by all banks both for NEFT and RTGS.Both the remitting and receiving must have Core banking in place to enter into RTGS transactions. Core Banking enabled banks and branches are assigned an Indian Financial System Code (IFSC) for RTGS and NEFT purposes. This is an eleven digit alphanumeric code and unique to each branch of bank. The first four alphabets indicate the identity of the bank and remaining seven numerals indicate a single branch. This code is provided on the cheque books, which are required for transactions along with recipient's account number. RTGS is a large value (minimum value of transaction should be Rs 2,00,000) funds transfer system whereby financial intermediaries can settle interbank transfers for their own account as well as for their customers.The system effe cts final settlement of interbank funds transfers on a continuous, transaction-by-transaction basis throughout the processing day. Customers can access the RTGS facility between 9 am to 4:30 pm on week days and 9 am to 1:30 pm on Saturday. However, the timings that the banks follow may vary depending on the customer timings of the bank branches. Banks could use balances maintained under the cash reserve ratio (CRR) and the intra-day liquidity (IDL) to be supplied by the central bank, for meeting any eventuality arising out of the real time gross settlement (RTGS). The RBI fixed the IDL limit for banks to three times their net owned fund (NOF). The IDL will be charged at Rs 25 per transaction entered into by the bank on theRTGS platform. The marketable securities and treasury billswill have to be placed as collateral with a margin of five per cent. However, the apex bank will also impose severe penalties if the IDL is not paid back at the end of the day. National Electronic Fund Tran sfer National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) is an online system for transferring funds of Indian financial institution (especially banks). There is no minimum limit for fund transfer in NEFT system. DEBIT CARDS A debit card (also known as a bank card or check card) is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution.Some cards have a stored value with which a payment is made, while most relay a message to the cardholder's bank to withdraw funds from a designated account in favor of the payee's designated bank account. The card can be used as an alternative payment method to cash when making purchases. In some cases, the cards are designed exclusively for use on the Internet, and so there is no physical card. In many countries the use of debit cards has become so widespread that their volume of use has overtaken or entirely replaced the check and, in some instances, cash transactions. Like credit cards, debit card s are used widely for telephone and Internet purchases. However, unlike credit cards, the funds paid using a debit card are transferred immediately from the bearer's bank account, instead of having the bearer pay back the money at a later date.Debit cards usually also allow for instant withdrawal of cash, acting as the ATM card for withdrawing cash and as a check guarantee card. Merchants may also offer cashback facilities to customers, where a customer can withdraw cash along with their purchase. Online Debit System Online debit cards require electronic authorization of every transaction and the debits are reflected in the user’s account immediately. The transaction may be additionally secured with the personal identification number (PIN) authentication system and some online cards require such authentication for every transaction, essentially becoming enhanced automatic teller machine(ATM) cards.One difficulty in using online debit cards is the necessity of an electronic au thorization device at the point of sale (POS) and sometimes also a separate PINpad to enter the PIN, although this is becoming commonplace for all card transactions in many countries. Overall, the online debit card is generally viewed as superior to the offline debit card because of its more secure authentication system and live status, which alleviates problems with processing lag on transactions that may only issue online debit cards. Some on-line debit systems are using the normal authentication processes of Internet banking to provide real-time on-line debit transactions. The most notable of these are Ideal and POLi. Offline Debit SystemOffline debit cards have the logos of major credit cards (for example, Visa or MasterCard) or major debit cards (for example, Maestro in the United Kingdom and other countries, but not the United States) and are used at the point of sale like a credit card (with payer's signature). This type of debit card may be subject to a daily limit, and/or a maximum limit equal to the current/checking account balance from which it draws funds. Transactions conducted with offline debit cards require 2–3 days to be reflected on users’ account balances. In some countries and with some banks and merchant service organizations, a â€Å"credit† or offline debit transaction is without cost to the purchaser beyond the face value of the transaction, while a small fee may be charged for a â€Å"debit† or online debit transaction (although it is often absorbed by the retailer).Other differences are that online debit purchasers may opt to withdraw cash in addition to the amount of the debit purchase (if the merchant supports that functionality); also, from the merchant's standpoint, the merchant pays lower fees on online debit transaction as compared to â€Å"credit† (offline) debit transaction. Prepaid debit cards Prepaid debit cards, also called reloadable debit cards or reloadable prepaid cards, are often used for recurring payments. The payer loads funds to the cardholder's card account. Prepaid debit cards use either the offline debit system or the online debit system to access these funds. Particularly for companies with a large number of payment recipients abroad, prepaid debit cards allow the delivery of international payments without the delays and fees associated with international checks and bank transfers.Providers include Caxton FX prepaid cards, Escape prepaid cards, Travelex prepaid cards and TransCash prepaid Visa cards. Whereas, web-based services such as stock photography websites (istockphoto), outsourced services (oDesk),money transfer services (Western Union) and affiliate networks (MediaWhiz) have all started offering prepaid debit cards for their contributors/freelancers/vendors. Advantages of debit cards a. A consumer who is not credit worthy and may find it difficult or impossible to obtain a credit card can more easily obtain a debit card, allowing him/her to make plastic transactions. For example, legislation often prevents minors from taking out debt, which includes the use of a credit card, but not online debit card transactions. b.For most transactions, a check card can be used to avoid check writing altogether. Check cards debit funds from the user's account on the spot, thereby finalizing the transaction at the time of purchase, and bypassing the requirement to pay a credit card bill at a later date, or to write an insecure check containing the account holder's personal information. c. Like credit cards, debit cards are accepted by merchants with less identification and scrutiny than personal checks, thereby making transactions quicker and less intrusive. Unlike personal checks, merchants generally do not believe that a payment via a debit card may be later dishonored. d.Unlike a credit card, which charges higher fees and interest rates when a cash advance is obtained, a debit card may be used to obtain cash from an ATM or a PIN-based t ransaction at no extra charge, other than a foreign ATM fee. Disadvantages of debit cards a. Use of a debit card is not usually limited to the existing funds in the account to which it is linked, most banks allow a certain threshold over the available bank balance which can cause overdraft fees if the users transaction does not reflect available balance. b. Many banks are now charging over-limit fees or non-sufficient funds fees based upon pre-authorizations, and even attempted but refused transactions by the erchant (some of which may be unknown until later discovery by account holder). c. Many merchants mistakenly believe that amounts owed can be â€Å"taken† from a customer's account after a debit card (or number) has been presented, without agreement as to date, payee name, amount and currency, thus causing penalty fees for overdrafts, over-the-limit, amounts not available causing further rejections or overdrafts, and rejected transactions by some banks. d. In some countr ies debit cards offer lower levels of security protection than credit cards. [9] Theft of the users PIN using skimming devices can be accomplished much easier with a PIN input than with a signature-based credit transaction.However, theft of users' PIN codes using skimming devices can be equally easily accomplished with a debit transaction PIN input, as with a credit transaction PIN input, and theft using a signature-based credit transaction is equally easy as theft using a signature-based debit transaction. e. In many places, laws protect the consumer from fraud much less than with a credit card. While the holder of a credit card is legally responsible for only a minimal amount of a fraudulent transaction made with a credit card, which is often waived by the bank, the consumer may be held liable for hundreds of dollars, or even the entire value of fraudulent debit transactions. The consumer also has a shorter time (usually just two days) to report such fraud to the bank in order to be eligible for such a waiver with a debit card,[9] whereas with a credit card, this time may be up to 60 days.A thief who obtains or clones a debit card along with its PIN may be able to clean out the consumer's bank account, and the consumer will have no recourse. f. An automated teller machine (ATM), also known as a Cash Point, Cash Machine or sometimes a Hole in the Wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public space without the need for a cashier, human clerk or bank teller. ATMs are known by various other names including automatic banking machine, cash machine, and various regional variants derived from trademarks on ATM systems held by particular banks. g.On most modern ATMs, the customer is identified by inserting a plastic ATM card with a magnetic stripe or a plastic smart card with a chip, that contains a unique card number and some security informa tion such as an expiration date or CVVC (CVV). Authentication is provided by the customer entering a personal identification number (PIN). h. Using an ATM, customers can access their bank accounts in order to make cash withdrawals,credit card cash advances, and check their account balances as well as purchase prepaid cellphone credit. If the currency being withdrawn from the ATM is different from that which the bank account is denominated in (e. g. Withdrawing Japanese Yen from a bank account containing US Dollars), the money will be converted at a wholesale exchange rate. Thus, ATMs often provide the best possible exchange rate for foreign travelers and are heavily used for this purpose as well Alternative uses Two NCR Personas 84 ATMs at a bank inJersey dispensing two types of pound sterling banknotes: Bank of England noteson the left, and States of Jersey notes on the right Although ATMs were originally developed as just cash dispensers, they have evolved to include many other ba nk-related functions. In some countries, especially those which benefit from a fully integrated cross-bank ATM network (e. g. Multibanco in Portugal), ATMs include many functions which are not directly related to the management of one's own bank account, such as: 1. Deposit currency recognition, acceptance, and recycling[61][62] 2. Paying routine bills, fees, and taxes (utilities, phone bills, social security, legal fees, taxes, etc. ) 3. Printing bank statements 4. Updating passbooks 5. Loading monetary value into stored value cards 6. Purchasing 7. Postage stamps. 8. Lottery tickets 9. Train tickets 10. Concert tickets 11. Movie tickets 12. Shopping mall gift certificates. 13. Games and promotional features 14. Fastloans 15. CRM at the ATM 16. Cheque Processing Module 17. Adding pre-paid cell phone / mobile phone credit.Increasingly banks are seeking to use the ATM as a sales device to deliver pre approved loans and targeted advertising using products such as ITM (the Intelligent Teller Machine) from Aptra Relate from NCR. ATMs can also act as an advertising channel for companies to advertise their own products or third-party products and services. In Canada, ATMs are called guichets automatiques in French and sometimes â€Å"Bank Machines† in English. The Interac shared cash network does not allow for the selling of goods from ATMs due to specific security requirements for PIN entry when buying goods. CIBC machines in Canada, are able to top-up the minutes on certain pay as you go phones. TELEPHONE BANKINGTelephone banking is a service provided by a financial institution, which allows its customers to perform transactions over the telephone. Most telephone banking services use an automated phone answering system with phone keypad response or voice recognition capability. To guarantee security, the customer must first authenticate through a numeric or verbal password or through security questions asked by a live representative (see below). With the ob vious exception of cash withdrawals and deposits, it offers virtually all the features of an automated teller machine: account balance information and list of latest transactions, electronic bill payments, funds transfers between a customer'saccounts, etc.Usually, customers can also speak to a live representative located in a call centre or a branch, although this feature is not always guaranteed to be offered 24/7. In addition to the self-service transactions listed earlier, telephone banking representatives are usually trained to do what was traditionally available only at the branch: loan applications, investment purchases and redemptions, chequebook orders, debit cardreplacements, change of address, etc. Banks which operate mostly or exclusively by telephone are known as phone banks. They also help modernise the user by using special technology. A credit card balance transfer is the transfer of the balance (the money) in a credit card account to an account held at another credit cardcompany.This process is actively encouraged by almost all credit card issuers as a means to attract new customers. Such an arrangement is attractive to the consumer because the new bank or credit card issuer will offer incentives such as a low interest or interest-free period, loyalty points or some such other device or combination of incentives. It is also attractive to the credit card company which uses this process to gain that new customer, and of course detrimental to the prior credit card company. An order of payments for every credit card specifies which balance(s) will be paid first. In nearly all cases payments apply to lowest-rate balances first – highest-rate last.Any balance under a teaser rate or fixed rate will be paid off sooner than any purchases or cash advances (which usually have the highest APR). By avoiding making purchases or taking cash advances altogether, the borrower can ensure they maintain the full benefits of the original balance transfer. Th e process is extremely fast and can be concluded within a matter of hours in some cases. Automated services exist to help facilitate such balance transfers. Other similar services do exist, but they may not be free to use. USES OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN BANKS Information Technology uses in Banking sector: – †¢Business banking †¢Retail banking †¢Banking technology †¢Banking environment †¢Card Market Business banking:BMI-Tec Knowledge has been publishing their annual report on Business Electronic Banking for the past 13 years. The report provides valuable year on year trend analysis for the major banks in South Africa. There are two parallel research objectives of the publication, to report on business banking trends and more specific information on each of the electronic banking products offered by the banks. Each year, the questionnaire used for the research process retains a generic core but incorporates changes that reflect the ever changing bank ing environment and the related impact of technology. The research is focused on business banking and specifically for companies that use an online or electronic banking product in their ay-to-day administration of their business banking administration. The key area of segmentation for this report is by the four major banks in South Africa: Absa, First National Bank, Nedbank and Standard Bank. Other areas of segmentation include size of company by employees and annual turnover and whether these companies are single banked or multi banked. Retail banking: Understanding the financial delivery channels BMI-T has conducted a recent benchmarking study to highlight external expertise and knowledge that is currently available in the ATM and SST environment. From this collated information, the client was able will be able to benchmark their own operations against these parameters.This study assisted the client in identifying and determining the current and potential best practices around AT Ms and to see where they are currently placed in this context. The scope of the research covered both local and international perspectives with the international perspective be segmented further by a split between Africa in comparison with the Rest of the World and South Africa Business Electronic Banking in the Small to Medium Business sector BMI-Tec Knowledge has been publishing their annual report on Business Electronic Banking in the corporate sector for the past 13 years. This new report, Business electronic banking in the SMB sector will be a parallel report in order to fully understand both markets; corporates and the SMB sector.There are two parallel research objectives of the publication, to report on business banking trends in the small to medium business sector and provide more specific information on each of the electronic banking products offered by the banks. The research is focused on business banking and specifically for companies that use an online or electronic ban king product in their day-to-day administration of their business banking administration. The key area of segmentation for this report is the four major banks in South Africa: Absa, First National Bank, Nedbank and Standard Bank. Other areas of segmentation include size of company by employees and annual turnover and whether these companies are single banked or multi banked. Multi-Channel Banking for Retail Financial Services 2005: BMI-T conducts research in the financial delivery channels to the retail market.This research covers the following issues: †¢The optimum balance between customer experience and lower costs, †¢International overview of financial delivery channels and the road to multi-channel integration, †¢Trends and market drivers and/or inhibitors that have driven the changes in global banks, †¢South African comparison of financial delivery channels and their related offerings from the banks, †¢Comparison of pricing and products and services tha t are available on each channel from each financial provider, †¢Number of customer points such as ATMs, †¢Number of banking branches and level of change and expected growth for the future. Research to test the future for High-value-low frequency channels or low-value-high frequency channels, current and future usage patterns of financial delivery channels from the South African retail customers (which channels, frequency, timing and for which transactions plus trend analysis with past annual data). Banking technology: South Africa is in many ways a global leader in the adoption and use of technology to improve competitiveness and de