Category: Tech & Engineering

Introduction

Network management refers to the activities, methods, procedures, and tools that pertain to the operation, administration, maintenance, and provisioning of networked systems.

This includes managing computer networks through a wide variety of software and hardware products that help a network system administrator manage a network.

Core Responsibilities of a network manager

1. Operation: The network manager is responsible for keeping the network running smoothly, monitoring the network to identify problems that may occur.
2. Administration: The network manager monitors the network resources and how they are utilized eliminating bottlenecks in the network. It is the responsibility of the network manager to ensure that the network is protected against unauthorized users.
3. Maintenance: Maintenance is concerned with performing of repairs on available equipments and the upgrading of the network resources. It also involves both corrective and preventive measures to make the managed network run effectively and efficiently. The network manager should oversee these duties.
4. Provisioning: This involves configuring network resources to provide specific services such as voice services. The network manager should make sure that the network is configured correctly for different services.
5. Coordination: The network manager coordinates all the network resources including the staff and the management tools.

The five key management tasks

1. Planning: The process that develops, creates, and implements strategies for the accomplishment of objectives is called planning. The general approach to planning begins with the creation of strategic plans for the entire network. To better understand the planning process, an organization must thoroughly define its goals and objectives. The network management team must have clear goals and objectives to meet the network needs of an organization.
2. Organizing: The principle of management dedicated to the structuring of resources to support the accomplishment of objectives. Organizing tasks requires determining what is to be done, in what order, by whom, by which methods, and according to what timeline.
3. Directing: The network manager should be able to delegate the staff to perform various duties to ensure that the network is running properly.
4. Controlling: Monitoring progress toward completion, and making necessary adjustments to achieve the desired objectives, requires the exercise of control. In general, the control function serves to assure the organization of the validity of the plan. The controlling function also determines what must be monitored as well as applies specific control tools to gather and evaluate information.
5. Staffing: People are the most critical link any management department. it is imperative that managers continuously recognize the crucial role that people play in the network management.

Discussion of network management tools use

Network management is an area of information technology in which many tools, applications and devices are used to monitor and maintain a network.

The network management architectures have the basic structure and a set of relationships. In simple terms, in a network management, workstations send alerts when they encounter any problems to the management entities. These management entities react to that alert by logging the event, notifying the operator, shutting down the system or automatically trying to clear the fault that has occurred.

The management entities also poll the workstations or end systems to check periodically whether they are running properly. The network management protocol is used to send and receive information to and from the managed devices.

The most common protocol that is used in network management is the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and the Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP).

For the purpose of this assignment I have divided the network management tools according to the five conceptual areas of the network management model namely the configuration, fault, security, performance and security management modules.

Due to needs that have arisen in network management I have also added the protocol, bandwidth and inventory management tools.

1. Configuration management tools: Configuration management tools are used for tracking the hardware and software versions of resources that are on the network to identify their effects on the network’s operation. System and Configuration Management for LAN’s, servers, workstations, telecom and devices An example of this is Microsoft’s System Management Server (SMS) which has the capability to monitor, manage and track every piece of software and hardware on a given network. Another example of this is the ISDNwatch which is a graphical monitor, logging tool and early warning system for ISDN routers.
2. Fault management tools: The purpose of this network management tools is to detect, log and alert the system administrators of problems that might affect the systems operations. Usually the symptoms of the fault are identified and the system that is generating the fault is isolated so that it does not affect the other systems and the production in the company
3. Security management tools: This is used to control the access to the network based on the guidelines or rules provided. Security Management deals with controlling access to resources and even alerting the proper authorities when certain resources are accessed. Network management systems can be used to send messages when certain files, servers or routers are accessed. Intrusion detection systems such as Symantec’s Intruder Alert have this security management capability. The ipMONITOR is another such tool.
4. Performance management tools: Performance management deals with monitoring, assessing, and adjusting the available bandwidth and network resource usage in order to efficiently run a network. Performance management is a very important part of the network management model particularly to an organization that wants to streamline their network’s performance. Solar Winds is a great tool for performance management.
5. Accounting management tools: The network accounting tools are used to measure the network utilization parameters in such way that the users of the network are regulated properly. Such regulations lead to optimal utilization of the network resources which also plays a role in the performance management. Accounting management monitors and assesses the usage of data and/or resources for the purpose of billing. This aspect of the network management is done by Internet Service Providers to bill customers for the resources they use.
6. Protocol management tools: The protocol analysis tools are used as their name suggests; analyzing local area Networks and wide area Network Protocols.
7. Bandwidth management tools: Dynamically control the bandwidth usage, define and manage unlimited service levels, and monitor access services in real-time, while gathering historical data for analysis. Examples of these tools are Dyband , Entuity Eye of the Storm (EYE) and paessler PRTG which is a windows network traffic monitor that will monitor bandwidth usage and other network parameters via SNMP.
8. Inventory software tools: These are software tools used by the Help Desk for the purpose of keeping of inventory of computers in a network.

Case Study Of the Arpanet Crash Of 1980

Case Problem

On October 27, 1980, there was an unusual occurrence on the ARPANET. For a period of several hours, the network appeared to be unusable, due to what was later diagnosed as a high priority software process running out of control devouring resources needed by other processes, thereby making the network unusable.

The ARPANET lost all connectivity for four hours. The entire ARPANET went down in the following way: the status messages sent back and forth between nodes were deleted if the time stamps were older (smaller) than a previous message. Connections which already existed were summarily broken. No IMP was able to communicate reliably with any other IMP.

This faulty sequence of control packets in turn affected the apportionment of software resources in the IMPs, causing one of the IMP processes to use an excessive amount of resources, to the detriment of other IMP processes.

Cause of the crash

The immediate cause of the problem was a hardware malfunction which caused a faulty sequence of network control packets to be generated. This was due to a bit corruption in a memory node, three six-bit time stamps were each kept (none being deleted) because they each happened to be larger than their predecessor message (modulo 64).

Each of these three messages caused other messages to be sent over and over to other neighboring nodes who kept these sent messages. Close inspection showed that all the updates were from a single IMP, IMP 50. It was unable to communicate properly with the neighboring IMP29. Not only were all the updates on the queue from IMP 50, but they all had one of three sequence numbers (either 8, 40, or 44)

For simplicity, 32 was considered a permissible difference, with the numerically larger time stamp being arbitrarily deemed the more recent in that case. In the situation that caused the collapse, the correct version of the time stamp was 44 [101100 in binary], whereas the bit-dropped versions had time stamps 40 [101000] and 8 [001000]. The garbage-collection algorithm noted that 44 was more recent than 30, which in turn was more recent than 8, which in turn was more recent than 44 (modulo 64). Thus all three versions of that status message had to be kept.

How the network was restored

All that was necessary was to patch the IMPs to disregard any updates from IMP 50, which after all was down anyway. In summary, each node had to be manually shut down.

This procedure was fully successful in bringing the network back up.

How could this problem have been avoided if the ARPAnet managers had today’s management tools?

Today there are numerous network management tools that help network managers monitor the network resources and the processes that occur at any given time. I will use the examples of some of the management tools that I discussed in PART 3 of this assignment and the modifications that could have been made to ARPAnet network design at that time.

• Firstly, situation like this could have been avoided if there was proper checksumming of dropped bits and the table logs. However there is potential drawbacks of using a lot of CPU cycles and taking up of memory space which are scarce resources.
• Use of upgraded IMP hardware
• Design a system whereby all the IMPs go into their loader/dumpers when the problem arose. This would have enabled the re-initialization and restart of all the IMPs much quickly.
• Use of configuration management tools such as the ISDNwatch that would have alerted the network administrators of device failure in their resources and in this case the routers.
• Use of fault management tools which detect, log and alert the system administrators of problems that might affect the systems operations. This would have enabled the administrators to isolate and deal with the problem on time.
• Use of efficient built in alarm system that could have alerted the administrators that there was a network outage. Again, this could have limited the amount of time that there was this outage.
• Bandwidth management tools could have controlled the rate at which the updates were being generated and built analysis data thereby reducing excessive demands on the system.

Application of the key management tasks to the Case

1. Planning: The ARPAnet managers should have had strategic plans for the entire network such that when this kind of a problem occurred it would have been easier for them to pinpoint what the cause of this problem was.
2. Organizing: Organizing tasks requires determining what is to be done, in what order, by whom, by which methods, and according to what timeline. The network manager should have determined who should have handled this problem and by which methods
3. Directing: The network manager should be able to delegate the staff to perform various duties to ensure that the network is running properly. There should have been a staff member to monitor the network.
4. Controlling: The controlling function also determines what must be monitored as well as applies specific control tools to gather and evaluate information. The network manager should have determined what was to be monitored to ensure that there was no network outage and by which tools
5. Staffing: The manager should have that there was enough staff to deal with the situation when it arose to limit the time of the outage.

References

“The New Routing Algorithm for the ARPANET,” IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON COMMUNICATIONS, May 1980, J.M. McQuillan, I. Richer, E.C. Rosen.

“The Updating Protocol of ARPANET’s New Routing Algorithm,” COMPUTER NETWORKS, 1980, E.C. Rosen.

The Sims is the strategic life-simulation developed by Maxis. Being aimed at showing the daily activities of the family, the game is great in considering the roles of the family members and the distinguishing those in accordance with the gender roles. Playing this game, students are to understand its main idea and the peculiarities of successful development of the plot. There are a lot of different versions of The Sims, still the main idea is as follows.

The players are offered the house and the family members. The players are responsible for the daily activities of the characters such as washing, teeth brushing, eating, washing up, cleaning, etc. if people do not take the trash off, they may get sick as the bacteria are delivered. The same happens if the characters do not take the bath. Eating is also important for healthy existence as well as sleep.

The day and the night are the background attributes of the game. Additionally, parents have to go to work and children are to attend schools and colleges. Everything is like in the real life. The players are doing all possible to make sure that their characters enjoy life. Playing the game is like a great adventure where people have an opportunity to live the life they are dreaming of.

The game teaches players the responsibilities the family members have. Before getting down to the game the players are to choose the names, the members, their age, gender and number (about children). The family is offered a particular sum of money they are to deal with. The gender roles are also considered as a father is usually considered as the feeder of the family while the mother is staying at home with children and cooks dinner.

The job opportunities and the way to plan the budget are offered for training. The players are to check how much money they have and how much they can spend on food, traveling, other activities. The family members in The Sims have a number of necessities and these necessities presuppose their status and activity. As it has already been mentioned Sims are to eat, they are to have a rest otherwise, they may be depressed. Sims have to communicate a sit is also important.

Thus, it may be concluded that he main idea of the game is to show children the family and gender roles. Moving the characters, making those perform their responsibilities the players get to know what may be if one does not eat, why parents have to work and where they put the money they get.

Additionally, the players learn to be responsible for their lives and for the lives of their children (the smaller members of the family). The players are also offered an opportunity to check the number of careers. Moreover, children are taught to study as only in this case they may expect to occupy a good position, earn enough money to make sure that the furniture on their home is comfortable and they have an opportunity to get enough delicious food.

The players understand what the family means, the make sure how difficult fathers (men) have to work and how hard mothers (women) are to complete their tasks about the house remembering about their working responsibilities as well. The game is educative and deserves attention, however, some research shows that women are less interested in such games (Hartmann and Klimmt 924).

Works Cited

Hartmann, Tilo and Christoph Klimmt. “Gender and computer games: Exploring females’ dislikes.” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 11 (2006): 910–931. Print.

Introduction

Video games have been used in the modern word, especially in the development of technologies. The game involves human-machine interaction. Video gaming powerhouses have grown over the years , hence forming an industry associated with art. Various companies develop video games. With the increase in demand for video games, various firms have entered the industry to share the huge profits. This has created a lot of competition in the industry (Wolf 4).

Video games are associated with a number of advantages and drawbacks. As an example of advantages, there is a fact that video games help children with injuries. They help distract the mind of the sick from pain and discomfort. Playing video games also helps children with attention deficiency disorder.

This tenet is supported by various research findings that conclude that video games enhance the social skills of children suffering from attention deficiency disorder (Hendrick and Susan 57). In the modern world, medical departments have adopted the use of psychotherapy to help recovering patients improve motor and coordination skills (Mia 24). Video games are also considered to boost the self-confidence of the players as well as enhance their level of creativity. Video games are developed in a progressive design.

This implies that the second stage is harder than the first. This assists the players to acquire problem solving techniques as well as other cognitive and perpetual skills. Video games offer an avenue for physical fitness. Not all gaming consoles have motion controlling option such as the Wii fit device which, for example, enhances physical fitness (Consalvo, 171).

The video games, if not well checked, can result in the following shortcomings; the simple rule that should first be considered is the fact that too much playing is detrimental. In essence, playing video games for too long can cause harm in a number of ways. Many video games very clear portray the use of weaponry and the objective of killing or injuring others.

Video games make children isolated from the society and peers around them. The focus changes from social life to completing in the new level or starting a new game. This also causes students to disregard their grades and the real world as a result (Anderson, Buckley and Gentile 3)

The gaming consoles are extremely addictive, and as such, guardians should keep an eye on their children to avoid the same. With the coming of the internet to households, games are now available all the time. The addiction that comes from playing video games cannot be compared to alcoholism or violance.

Nonetheless, its has its own detriments. For instance, it causes the player to miss school lessons or meals, thus affecting his/her study progress and health issues. It is essential for the game players to follow the strict guidelines in order to avoid the development of the unwanted tendencies (Gunter 115).

Personally, I would like to examine Nintendo, the market leader in the gaming sector, in this study. Since the 1980s, Nintendo has been a gaming powerhouse in the gaming industry. However, with the emergence of the Xbox and the PlayStation, Nintendo’s revenue declined because of the stiff competition. The company had to quit the race for technological supremacy in the console and focus on a niche that the market players had ignored.

However, Nintendo’s strategy was to use the revolutionary motion sensing technique. The controllers of the Wii were similar to the television remote controllers. This was a strategic move by the designers because they knew that the remote gaming controllers would attract a large market. The simple technology and the strategy of using characters resembling players in the game have greatly facilitated in achieving success by the Wii (Dahlén, Lange, and Terry 151).

Initially, Nintendo had its focus on non-traditional gamers by insisting on the use of product differentiation other than enhancing technology. This has changed since their introduction to the Sony games. This has facilitated Nintendo to capture the hardcore and the non-traditional gamers in a single console. Comparing the Wii to its competitors, the Wii is fairly priced, and this enhances affordability (Anderson, Buckley, and Gentile, 16).

Conclusion

The industry of video games has developed in the recent past, and this has created a lot of competition. Video games were initially considered to target children. However with the milestones achieved towards modernization, the gaming consoles have evolved to accommodate even grown-ups.

This is facilitated by the use of the three dimensional images which even have physical fitness. The video have plenty of benefits games in the modern world. However, in instances of misuse, video games are harmful. This is because of the addiction tendencies and negative thoughts they may promote in young minds, hence causing harm. Parents and guardians should minitor their children’s activities to avoid such instances.

Works Cited

Anderson, Craig A, Katherine E. Buckley, and Douglas A. Gentile.Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print

Consalvo, Mia. Cheating: Gaining Advantage in Videogames. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2007. Print.

Dahlén, Micael, Fredrik Lange, and Terry Smith.Marketing Communications: A Brand Narrative Approach. Chichester, U.K: Wiley, 2010. Print.

Gunter, Barrie. The Effects of Video Games on Children: The Myth Unmasked. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998. Print.

Hendrick, Clyde, and Susan S. Hendrick.Close Relationships: A Sourcebook. Thousand Oaks [u.a.: Sage Publ, 2000. Print.

Wolf, Mark J. P. The Video Game Explosion: A History from Pong to Playstation and Beyond. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2007. Print.

Arduino board is a small circuit board. Its developers define it as “an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software” (as cited in Fish, 2011, para. 4). However, it is, actually, a programmable logic controller. The board can control loads of DIY hardware projects. It is now widely used worldwide and the users are often students as well as professionals who are working on development of certain devices that are based on the use of actuators and sensors. Importantly, Arduino is supported by the online community and people are sharing ideas on improvements and possible uses of the devices.

The Arduino board was developed in 2005. It was a project of several students who studied at the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea (Italy). The board was created as an alternative to a more expensive one. Prior to creation of Arduino, people had to use a more expensive BASIC Stamp (that could cost around $100). Interestingly, the new board was named after a café where the students often got together. After completion of the project, the designers of the device worked on its further development. Major areas of the concern were its price, weight as well as availability to the public.

Clearly, the product has earned immense popularity among students and hobbyists as well as professionals. Remarkably, Arduino is available under Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license (Fish, 2011, para. 7). There is one significant point to be taken into account, as it can be accessible under copyleft license. Thus, although designers can modify and/or use the hardware, they cannot use the name Arduino without permission of the board developers. As has been mentioned above, Arduinos are supported by the online community and each user can share his/her ideas on any adjustments. It is important to add that the board costs only around $50, which is affordable for many.

As has been mentioned above, the Arduino Board is a (Atmel 8-bit) microcontroller. It includes certain components that enable the board to be incorporated into different circuits. One of major peculiarities of Arduino is connecters that can be used to connect the board to different shields. The boards contain a number of chips (usually megaAVR). In the majority of cases, Arduino boards contain a ceramic resonator and 5 volt linear regulator.

The boards are pre-programmed that makes it easier to upload programs to the flash memory. Notably, it is easy to use the board as the programing language is simple and similar to Java languages. As has been mentioned above, the boards can be quite easily adjusted to the needs of the user. At present, lots of Arduino products exist. They include (but are not confined to) Arduino USB, Arduino Mega, Arduino FIO, LilyPad Arduino, Arduino Nano, Arduino Serial and Arduino Mini (Hardware Index, 2014).

Clearly, this is a popular product as it can be used in many ways. For instance, Arduino USB can connect the board with a computer and it includes certain software that can be used for programming. LilyPad Arduino is a very useful board that is aimed at stitching into flexible applications. For instance, it can be used in devices adjusted to cloth or flexible fabric. Arduino Nano and Arduino Mini can be perfect for small breadboards. Although it is very small, its functions are preserved. Clearly, numerous shields expand the range of implications of the device. Thus, some shields enable the board to have wireless connection, which is very convenient.

The board can take inputs from numerous sensors as well as control a variety of outputs (for example, motors or lights). The board can be utilized with cameras, speakers, buttons, smart-phones, GPS units, or even TV sets. Arduino is often used by designers and hobbyists as the boards are easy to use and can be applicable in various settings. Thus, these boards can help on creating, robots, heating clothes, various gadgets, anything related to electronics and so on. It is often be used in 3D printers. Importantly, the online community develops numerous ideas that are further used to come up with new solutions. Therefore, using Arduinos is a never ending process that enables each user to utilize the device to the fullest and create new amazing things.

In conclusion, it is possible to note that Arduino is a small circuit board that contributes greatly to development of the world of electronics. Arduinos can serve numerous purposes and are always improved due to being open to the online community. Numerous shields expand the range of possible uses of the board. Arduinos are used in robotics and are often a part of such revolutionary thing as 3D printers. One of major peculiarities of these boards is their availability to the wide audience due to its price and connectedness to the online community. Thus, students, professionals and hobbyists create numerous new things and share their ideas. Clearly, such cooperation will definitely lead to development of many valuable and important devices that would help people make a difference.

Reference List

Fish, E. (2011). Geek 101: What is Arduino? Web.

Hardware index. (2014). Web.

Executive Summary

This report provides a detailed plan to introduce an SMS traffic jam alert for drives across the UAE. It seeks to use modern HD cameras and movement detectors to collect data concerning the traffic jams. As such, the data will be sent to the clients upon request through the service providers. After the evaluation of the market situation and SWOT analysis, the report identifies radio stations as the major threat because they provide the information for free. However, the threat is not intense because the information is not customized and reliable. On the other hand, the SMS alert is customized, quick, and efficient to use. As such, it has great potential to generate profit, especially at a time when traffic jams have become a major concern. Importantly, the service will be marketed using text messages, which can reach many people within a very short period of time. As such, it is expected to meet overwhelming applause from the general public and other stakeholders.

Current Market Situation

Market Problem

Traffic jam has become one of the most problematic challenges as far as the economy of UAE is concerned (Hazbun 78). For example, the Sharjah-Dubai Etihad road experiences critical and massive congestion starting from Alkan Bridge (Elsheshtawy 167). Indeed, traffic jams have important economic impacts on the individual and national-wide economic stability. Understandably, traffic consumes critical and resourceful time for employees going to work and the businessmen seeking to handle their daily chores (Davidson 138). Furthermore, the traffic jams pose a critical problem to the public transport system because they have to wait until the congestions are eliminated. As such, they lead to significant macro and micro-economic losses across the country.

Market Need

Due to the prevalence of the above problem, there is a high need to develop a system that can solve this problem and enable people to get their way without encountering traffic jams. In this case, the urgent need to avoid jams along the roads provides a high market for an SMS alert service that can help drivers to spot congestion. However, the only available services include the announcement made on the radios concerning the congested roads. However, the schedule of the announcements is determined by the radio presenters. This implies that the drivers cannot access the information at the time they need it. As such, the market can absorb the SMS alert service because it closes this gap. Evidently, drivers can request a report on the traffic congestion around the country at will. As a result, it is a better alternative when compared to the existing services offered.

Market Description

Customer Base

The customer base for the traffic jam SMS alert service is quite extensive, especially when it comes to the entire UAE. As such, the customer base includes citizens who own a vehicle. In that regard, they drive their vehicles in the morning and the evenings to meet deadlines and get home early. In that regard, they need an SMS alert plan to inform them about the congestion in various parts of the road network so that they can choose their routes wisely.

Segmentation

Whereas the customer base includes all people who own vehicles, it can be segmented into four distinct groups. The three groups include the business people who drive to meet their deadlines and appointments. The second segment includes employees who have to report to work early in the morning and drive back home early. Indeed, this segment includes governments’ officials and other personnel serving in public offices. The third segment is comprised of public service vehicles they provide citizens with transportation services across the UAE. The last segmentation can be termed as others. These include people driving along the roads such as students and driving schools.

Features and Benefits of the Service and Segments Needs

Features of The Service

The traffic jam SMS alert service basically seeks to use mobile technology to provide the necessary information on congestion in the UAE. As a result, the service will be using one of the most efficient technologies in the world, bearing in mind the ease of accessing information using mobile devices such as phones and tablets. Another important feature is that the SMS alert service will be using the same mobile devices to release payments. This is based on the fact that mobile communication is connected to service providers who can allow the charges upon request.

Benefits of the Service

There are various benefits of the SMS alert plan as far as the traffic jam avoidance is concerned. First, the SMS alert system will help drivers to avoid traffic jams and choose alternative routes if they need to make such decisions. Secondly, the use of mobile technology is very efficient when it comes to both operation and payments. Indeed, using the alert service will not need the clients to obtain additional gadgets to receive the information or release the payments. As such, it becomes very efficient to operate, join and pay the charges required.

Segments Needs

There are various needs required by the customers’ segments when it comes to the provision of this service. First, all the segments need accurate information at all times. Indeed, the credibility of this service is measured by the question of whether it is reliable or not. As such, this implies that all the traffic jams alerts must reflect the accurate situation of congestion at the time of the request. The second customers’ need is efficiency and time consciousness. In this case, traffic jams keep on changing from time to time. In that regard, therefore, the customers need instant responses once they send their request to get information about the congestion status of a given road.

Service Review

Basically, the SMS alert system that seeks to use short message services to provide information to drivers concerning traffic jams in UAE. It provides such information to registered members who have subscribed and agreed to the terms and conditions of the service provision. As stated before, it used mobile technology in order to ensure the efficiency of making the requests. In addition, the charges are deducted from the airtime as provided by the service provider.

Competitive Review

The competition that might face the SMS alert system is essentially very weak currently. According to the market situation analysis, it was indicated that the only existent similar service is provided by the radio stations. In this case, for example, Dubai uses the radio stations to ensure that driver get information about the congestion along the roads. Further, it was evident that the provision of information is essentially unreliable. This unreliability is caused by the fact that the radio presenters make the decision on the time to make the announcement. In addition, they are the ones who choose the roads and areas to focus on. As such, the information is general because it is not customized to serve the immediate need of the customer. Further, the services are not provided by all the radio services due to the differences that arise when it comes to management.

Channel and Logistics Review

Service Providers

In order to facilitate the operation and success of the SMS traffic jam alerts, the entity will work with the service providers. The service providers have direct contact with mobile phone owners and subscribers. As a result, they will facilitate the sending of the message once the clients make the request. As such, the SMS alert service will require the client to be registered with an operating service provider in UAE. The SMS alert system will secure a USSD code from all the service providers in UAE so that the clients can dial it to follow the necessary steps.

Data Collection

The traffic jam and congestion information will be collected using HD cameras anchored in the roads. The cameras will have the night-vision capability so as to capture the situation. However, the night vision camera can be incapable of providing reliable information due to darkness. As such, movement detectors will be used during the night to determine the situation as far as the jam is concerned. The movement detectors will be used to measure the number of vehicles that pass through a range of distance per every ten minutes. This will help to determine whether there is congestion or not. This information will be sent to a surveillance centre. The database can be used to send information upon request by the clients through the service providers.

Sample of Competitive Service and Pricing

Indeed, it has been stated that the competition is not as such intense due to the reasons that were provided in a competitive review. Indeed, the flaws and the unreliability of the radio stations cannot warrant their services intense financial impact. However, it cannot be ignored based on the exaggeration of its weaknesses and the ignorance of its benefits. As such, the SWOT analysis will provide critical information concerning potential threats and weaknesses to form the basis of improvement. As such, the analysis of alternative services and their corresponding pricing does not arise, in this case. The pricing of the SMS alert service will be based on the three subscriptions, including the Pay-Per-Request, weekly and monthly plan as shown in this table.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

In the service review and description, it is evident that the SMS alert service has various critical strengths. First, the service uses current mobile technology to relay information to the clients. In this case, almost all drivers and people in UAE own mobile phones. In addition, they subscribe to a service provider to enhance information. As such, the technical logistics are set because the systems of service providers are already working, and the mobile phones are available.

As such, there will be very minimal technical installation to facilitate the operation of the service. The second strength arises from the fact that mobile technology will facilitate efficiency especially when it comes to responsiveness. In this case, the request will be made using the mobile phones and the responses will be provided automatically using the service provides from the database. Third, the service uses very reliable and automated system to collect information from the field. As stated before, there will be camera installations around the country in order to collect information about the jam and congestions. In addition to this, the cameras will be installed with night vision capability to ensure that the information is available in the database 24 hours in a day and it is available in real time.

Weaknesses

Whereas the system has benefits that are beyond reproach, it is not without defects that can reduce its functionality. Fundamentally, the service relies on the service providers to relay information to the clients. As such, the service will require the third party to provide the information collected. As such, it is subjected to the efficiency of the service providers. If the service providers experience difficulties or technological failures, the service will be affected significantly. However, this does not affect the service providers because they are only facilitators. In addition, this condition implies that it is impossible to have absolute control when it comes to the operation of the system entirely. As such, it becomes very disadvantageous especially if the service providers wish to explore the business.

Opportunities

There is one critical opportunity that has emerged in UAE as far as the SMA alert service is concerned. Indeed, UAE is affected by the congestion and traffic jams nationwide. As such, there is the need to provide an easy solution to this menace and enable people to evade the congestion. If a solution emerges, it will be taken with a lot of enthusiasm by the stakeholders and clients. With this urgent need, the SMS alert system will flourish over a very small period of time. The second opportunity is the fact that the traffic jams in UAE are not going to find a lasting solution very soon. This is based on the idea that most roads are quite big and multilane, but they have not yet solved the problem. As such, finding a permanent solution will take substantial time. Further, the issue of finding an absolute solution for a traffic jam is still debatable.

Threats

One of the major threats to this service is the provision of similar service by the radio stations for free. Although the previous competitive analysis indicated that the services might not pose intense rivalry due to unreliability, the fact that they are offered for free might present a better alternative. The second threat is found in the fact that the government might find a solution to the problem either by expanding the roads or stipulating policies that can reduce congestion. This would eliminate the SMS alert services completely and lead to loss of business.

Objective and Issues

The objective of this service is to help drivers to avoid traffic jams and reach their destination on time. As such, it seeks to provide a crucial business solution to businessmen and the entire economy. However, it is surrounded by one issue that cannot be ignored. This issue emerges from the fact that the service does not seek to solve the problem of congestion. It just helps people to avoid the problem and achieve their desired results despite the traffic jam. However, it will help to reduce the congestion although the effect will be insignificant.

Marketing Strategy

Positioning

Before the implementation of this a market research will be conducted to identify the other specific needs of customers. This research will be conducted using SMS facilitated by the service providers. The clients will be questioned as to whether they would need to receive SMS alerts for traffic jams. As such, the analysis will show the viability of the service and the possible changes that can be made. Importantly, the market will be segmented in terms of the seven emirates. As such, this will help to ease the operation and bulk of the messages.

Service Strategy

The service will make use of technology to ease the operational needs, collect information and communicate to clients. As such, this will ensure that the service is aligned to the technological level of the modern world. Indeed, the use of mobile technology will ensure that the clients operate efficiently and receive information timely.

Marketing Communication Strategy

As part of the market communication strategy, the service will use the short messages to promote the service to the citizenry. As such, advertisement messages will be used to inform and persuade customers to use the services. The advertisement information will be attached at the end of the system messages sent by the service providers when clients are checking airtime balance.

Marketing organization

Since the service is being introduced in the market and most of the advertisement is done by the service providers, the organization will be simply structured. It will be structured horizontally to incorporate four personnel that include Communication Director, PR Manager, the service strategy director, and Alliance Manager who will help to liaise with the service providers.

Marketing Action Programs

Budget

Controls

This service will be using customers’ feedback as the main controls to assess the performance of the service. As such, the feedbacks will be collected using online surveys and SMS messages sent by service providers after a period of two months. In addition, there will be a customer care number to collect complaints and compliments in case they arise. In the surveys, the customers will be required to rate the performance of the service based on efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness.

Social Responsibility Marketing

The service will promote two corporate social responsibilities in order to create a good image. First, it will attach default message persuading drivers to avoid over speeding. This message will come along with every message sent to the clients upon request for traffic jam conditions. Second, the service will be providing information about the legal speed set for every road in case the clients request for the information. The provision of this data concerning the legal speeds set for different roads will help drivers to avoid fines and will be provided for free.

Works Cited

Hazbun, Muhamad. Dubai, debt, and dependency the political and economic implications of the bailout of Dubai. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, 2011. Print.

Davidson, Cannetta. Dubai: the vulnerability of success. New York, Columbia University Press, 2008. Print.

Elsheshtawy, Yarveda. Dubai behind an urban spectacle. London, Routledge, 2010. Print.

Why Protect Our Electronic Information?

Protection of electronic information is a security measure for preventing identity theft and unauthorized access to personal or business information. Stealing information can help individuals get knowledge about a company and use the information for self-gain. Stolen information that contains sensitive data is valuable to competitors and investors. The biggest motivation for protecting electronic information is to prevent the exposure of an individual or a business to harm that can arise when other people know personal and business secrets that can allow them to gain access to other personal or business resources.

The ability to collect, store, and analyze data continues to expand. As a result, it is possible to collect fragments of information from different sources and create a profile of an individual, which is useful for companies that sell goods and services to the person or a target market with the same characteristics. The demand for customer intelligence continues to create the need for personal information, which increases the odds of individuals and companies going out of their way to breach security measures for organizations to access personal and business data (Woods, 2013).

Who wants our information and why?

A number of companies and individuals are interested in private information for selfish gains. Employees within a company need information to perform their duties well. However, those who intend to perform malicious activities also require information and can resort to stealing when they do not have legal ways of obtaining the information they need. Individuals who run scandalous activities that are aimed at collecting sensitive financial information for use or sale to criminal organizations are also a threat to personal and corporate information. Employees who are disgruntled with their employer can decide to steal information and sell it to competitors when the stolen information contains trade secrets or when it can jeopardize business deals.

Former employees may also require information to use in their new companies, especially when they leave a company to start their own. Their motivation is to use classified information to create rival products and services that increase their business’ competitiveness. In international scenes, fictitious individuals and companies faking interest in an organization can request sensitive information to facilitate business deals and then use the information collected for other purposes that are not beneficial to the organization giving out the information.

What can they do with gathered information?

Companies and individuals collecting information use it as an asset for sale to other companies. Many companies provide free services to people, but they collect personal and institutional data about the users of their services and then sell the data to advertisers or other companies that may need to use the information for research. Intruders into organizations’ information systems use their access to collect data that can help them make intrusion into other systems. The intruders may cause harm to a network, harm to an individual, or expose the hidden information to the public, depending on the motivation of the intrusion and theft of information (Casey, 2011).

With email addresses, hackers and malicious people can send spam messages or sell the emails to other parties that are interested in spamming people. Stolen emails can also be fed into malware programs that infect the email accounts and automatically replicate in all addresses contained in the contacts saved in an email account. The malware can collect additional information from the email account and send the information automatically to the creators, who may use the information to steal money from online businesses and personal accounts (O’Farrell, 2014).

It is possible to send malware programs to email addresses to compromise the functionality of the recipients’ computers. This tactic is useful for a business that wants to destroy its rivals. Disgruntled current and former employees of an organization who are seeking revenge can also use it. The destruction of systems ends up causing time and financial losses to the affected organization.

Methods of Transmitting

Emails

An Email is useful for sending information and receiving information. It is a widespread communication tool for organizations. Emails exist in secure and non-secure forms, with the former requiring informed usage and providing limitations for usage. Many people rely on web-based email services that are free, but these are easy to intercept and steal information. Companies and public institutions like hospitals have to use secure email solutions because they deal with sensitive client information and have to comply with regulations for handling user data (Hruska, 2013).

Safety Precautions (Do’s and Don’ts)

Many individuals make the mistake of only having one account. However, unlike a home address, it is good to have many email accounts. The best practice is to have an email account for every nature of business and personal relations that one has. It is good to have a dedicated email for social networking and another email address for work, as well as a separate email for non-classified uses. Whenever an email account is spammed, the user should be alert to the potential of the email address being in the hands of the wrong people. It is best to stop using the email address altogether when there is a flood of incoming spam. The user should pick out the most important email conversations and create a filter automatically and forward them to a new address (Mir & Banday, 2010).

It is important to log out of the email provider’s website when accessing email from a computer or a phone, even if it is a company intranet. Leaving emails without logging out allows other people easy access to conversations in the email account and its address book. The intruders can use the information to blackmail other people or the owner of the account. They can even use the email address to do illegal activities. Such actions will put the owner of the email address in trouble, as it is a form of identity theft. Another good practice for email use is to wipe out any data that a browser or computer collects about a person’s activities regarding an email.

Therefore, it is good to clear history after using a public computer so that other users of the same computer are not able to access personal information that can jeopardize the security of personal or an organization’s information. Moreover, it is important to delete cookies and browser cache because they can provide malware programs with sufficient data to advance their attacks to a user’s email account and addresses contained in it. Public computers refer to any computer that the user has no control over who can access the computer and the ability to create passwords for access (Mir & Banday, 2010).

One should always use secured and company-approved accounts for handling company information and emails when sending and receiving corporate sensitive information. When using an email, one should always check the recipients to ensure that all addresses attached as part of the “send-to” email are relevant. Many people make a mistake of “replying-to-all” when they need to reply to one or two people in an email conversation. It is also important for the members of an organization to understand the uses of the three fields of an email, named the TO, BCC, and CC when sending emails to more than one person. Lastly, it is crucial to back up emails in a separate system in organizations so that when there is a security breach, wiping out the system to prevent unauthorized access will not result in permanent information losses.

Texts/Phones

Phone calls can provide additional security over emails when there is no need to have a written record of the conversation. However, phones are also prone to access by the wrong parties, who can access text messages and call records. Individuals and companies can send information via texts as a way of stealing it from other individuals or companies. For example, a recipient of a message can forward it to other parties that are not authorized to get the message. The forwarded message can include sensitive information, such as passwords, transit times and schedules, user names, email addresses, and phone numbers. Even without sending, it is possible to use malware on smartphones to fetch messages and transmit them remotely to other devices for unethical uses.

Most text messages are not private. As a result, using text messaging as a channel for corporate communication should only be considered as a last option. Although networks do not collect text message records and store them, they sometimes monitor text message traffic to find out whether users are abusing their networks. They may also monitor text messages on behalf of security agencies that want to gather evidence for cases they are investigating. Either way, going with a secure system for sending text messages should solve the problem, as illustrated in the ‘good practices’ options presented in the following section. Stored messages are useful for record keeping and audits, but they are potential sources of information that can facilitate unauthorized access to personal or corporate information. Therefore, if messages are to linger for a while on a person’s phone or corporate system, the concerned people should encrypt the messages to secure them from being accessed by the wrong parties.

In addition to the message, there is a trail of information about who sent the message and who received it at a given time, which is valuable information for people trying to monitor the conversations and movements of a person for selfish and unauthorized activities. Therefore, in addition to encrypting and protecting the actual messages, the trail used in conversations should also remain covered (Hoopes, 2014).

Safety Precautions (Do’s and Don’ts)

When using phones, users should ensure that they keep a passcode for accessing the phone and only reveal the passcode to trusted persons. They should also change the passcode regularly. In addition, phones should have the SIM pin enabled as a security measure. The best way to secure a phone is to provide physical security that prevents anyone else from handling and accessing information on the phone (Hoopes, 2014).

Physical security also requires the user to avoid using the phone in insecure networks when the phone contains sensitive information. For example, it is better to use a cellular network that is secured than to use open Wi-Fi networks available in public places (Hoopes, 2014). Lost phones should be reported to the organization as soon as possible so that their numbers are erased from the organization’s database used to send secure texts to staffs.

Helpful Security Measures for Securing Data

A problem exists with the uncontrolled use of portable electronic devices like tablets and smartphones or flash storage devices. Many companies assume that they are secure because they have firewalls and other perimeter security installations, such as anti-virus programs. However, individual access through trusted devices to the central system of a corporate network creates enough loopholes for intruders to use when seeking information from a company. They can compromise the trusted devices and gain easy access to the secured systems in the company. An organization can prevent abuses and neglect practices that contribute to the unauthorized access of sensitive information using a corporate policy on the use of devices to access and send emails or texts (Casey, 2011).

Sending/Receiving Emails

Companies and individuals should ensure that the sending and receiving of emails happens through secured devices only. Employees should send emails using computers or gadgets that pass the requirements of the security policy of their company. Employees should not allow an email to render non-text features, unless they have scrutinized the message and its intention and ascertained its origin as secure. Emails should be sent in plain text form and attachments included in the zipped form. Institutions should encourage the employees to use local POP3 and IMAP clients, instead of web-based email services for receiving and sending important emails. Organizations have to ensure that the email authentication process relies on high standard encryption to prevent unauthorized access to emails sent within the system.

Sending/Receiving Texts

When organizations have to send and receive a text containing valuable information, they need to implement protocols of formatting the message and channels to use for sending and receiving. Messages should not contain more than one important identifier that can allow intruders to access the organization. Companies need a text-messaging platform that authenticates the origin of messages and confirms whether recipients have received messages.

Organizations can ensure that only intended recipients have access to company sensitive information by using encrypted services for texting and use of authorized devices. At the same time, they can monitor the usage of the communication channel to determine its effectiveness as a security measure. Companies may advise the workers to install mobile apps that help to secure sent and received text messages to prevent other people who do not have secure login information from accessing the company’s important messages (Hoopes, 2014).

Organizations may have to use Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) protocols that provide live access to the corporate’s stored information using the phone. The platform allows users to send details securely as compared to texting (Mayes & Markantonakis, 2008). They can then receive a final response of their query as a text message that does not contain their login information to the system. Controlling physical access to systems, in addition to limiting electronic access can help to keep information secure within an organization.

References

Casey, E. (2011). Investigating computer intrusions. In E. Casey, Digital evidence and computer crime: Forensic science computers and the internet (pp. 369-419). London, UK: Academic Press. Web.

Hoopes, H. (2014). Apps to easily encrypt your text messaging and mobile calls. Gizmag. Web.

Hruska, J. (2013). Encrypted email isn’t secure, but if you must use it, here are some Lavabit alternatives. Extreme Tech. Web.

Mayes, K. E., & Markantonakis, K. (2008). Smart cards, tokens, security and applications. New York, NY: Springer. Web.

Mir, F. A., & Banday, M. T. (2010). Control of spam: a comparative approach with special reference to India. Information & Communications Technology Law, 19(1), 27-59. Web.

O’Farrell, N. (2014). How hackers use stolen information to steal your identity and more. Credit Sesame. Web.

Woods, B. (2013). What’s the true value of your personal data? Meet the people who want to help you sell it. TNW. Web.

Definition of cloud compounding

Cloud compounding refers to a configuration that permits the provision of ubiquitous and efficient real-time network access to pooled computing resources. These resources are configurable and include networks, storage, servers, services and applications. Access to these resources is fast and requires minimal management effort or intervention by a service provider. Cloud compounding allows users in a network to access resources that are not in the user computer but elsewhere in the internet (Gartner, 2012).

How it works

The cloud was a product of global computing infrastructure developed by large online based companies such as Google and Amazon, to run their own operations. These companies developed large data centers in different parts of the world with high speed connections, and identified business opportunities in providing additional data storage and computing services to other organizations.

The data centers can hold tens of thousands of servers, each of which runs an operating system application that is capable of providing numerous ‘virtualized’ atmospheres to clients. Consumers can use these environments to operate their own programs, without intruding on other applications running concurrently on the same server (Gartner, 2012).

Efficient management of the virtualization process is possible through the integration of systems that enhance stability and security of the cloud. The three main types of clouds are public, private and hybrid clouds. These clouds are used for various services as infrastructure, applications and platforms (Gartner, 2012).

Advantage of cloud compounding

Cloud services are useful to consumers, businesses ad public authorities. The most popular cloud service for businesses involves productivity suites that function in a similar manner to popular applications like word editors. An example of such a cloud suite is ‘Office 365’ by Microsoft, which contains word processing, spreadsheets and presentation tools.

Cloud compounding provides organizations with a flexible form of outsourcing since it minimizes ICT operation and maintenance costs, while enabling the consolidation and optimization of computer hardware and software resources (Fielder & Brown, 2012).

Businesses are able to save on costs that would have, otherwise, been used to purchase expensive infrastructure. Using the cloud allows companies to allocate operational budgets as required and allows businesses to try out various novel services and roll-out the most effective ones. This allows small businesses with limited infrastructure to access the necessary business services that are available on the cloud including business continuity planning, management of demand spikes and full outsourcing requirements.

Clouds enhance the collaboration process between various organizational functions by forming the link between multiple providers. Cloud compounding also reduces the infrastructure requirements for new businesses, which allows them to focus their limited resources on scaling (Fielder & Brown, 2012).

Disadvantages of cloud compounding

Consumers and businesses are faced with cloud compounding challenges. The main concerns for consumers include data security, provider failures and access to law enforcement. The primary concerns for businesses are confidentiality of corporate data, privacy and integrity of services. Other challenges for businesses associated with cloud compounding include loss of control of services, lack of liability of providers, intra-cloud migration challenges and vague terms of payment (Fielder & Brown, 2012).

The main hurdle for both consumers and businesses in adopting cloud compounding are lack of privacy and standardisation. Data security risks involve the interception of data during authentication and communication within the cloud. Providers are not transparent on safety mechanisms for cloud users, though they provide dedicated clouds that are managed by individual organizations. Additional safety procedures involve audit and verification of systems of the providers (Fielder & Brown, 2012).

Contribution to business value and performance

Cloud compounding has different uses depending on the user. For consumers, the cloud is used for file storage, email, payment, information and content sharing and music and video streaming.

Businesses, on the other hand, are motivated to take up cloud compounding in order to reduce capital expenditure, allow flexible scalability of IT infrastructure, enhance business continuity due to ease of recovery from disasters, optimize on computing capacity, eliminate the need for expertise and better control of marginal costs. Businesses use the cloud for project management, as a collaboration platform and for the design of custom programs (Gartner, 2012).

Cloud compounding is useful in business operations since it enables organizations to focus their finances on necessary resources. It allows for economies of scale, access to a wide variety of services and proficient use of resources. Businesses that use cloud compounding are able to increase their performance in two ways. To start with, companies use clouds to overcome the drudgery of putting up and sustaining IT infrastructure.

This enables them to direct their resources to the optimization of available infrastructure. Secondly, clouds provide businesses with flexibility in terms of easy modification of existing IT infrastructure in scaling the organization. The costs involved in transforming the company IT infrastructure, due to changes in the business processes, are considerably less compared to changing traditional IT services (Gartner, 2012).

Research shows that small businesses and start-ups are migrating to cloud compounding faster than the larger organizations. For instance, mobile application markets are cloud enabled. This is due to the numerous benefits associated with cloud compounding. The widespread adoption of businesses to cloud compounding is expected to increase due to its characteristic of improving business agility and the tendency of companies to move towards green initiatives (Fielder & Brown, 2012).

References

Fielder, A., & Brown, I. (2012). Cloud Computing: Internal Market and Consumer Protection. Policy Department A: Economic and Scientific Policy.

Gartner, D. P. (2012). The Business Landscape of Cloud Computing. Financial Times: The connected business.

Introduction

Technological advancement in the 21st century has caused unprecedented growth in many industries. Companies in the manufacturing industry have gone to great lengths to ensure that they deliver state-of-art products to their customers. This clamor for esteem by the customer has been compounded by the advent of global climate change. The adverse effects of global warming have prompted manufacturers to opt for designs that do not heighten the scourge. In light of this development, companies have gradually embraced the idea of ‘green technology’, which is a term coined by environmentalists to refer to environmentally friendly designs.

Technophiles have been obliged to tow along this line of thought by warming up to designs that incorporate green technology. In the automotive industry, manufacturers have expended a lot of resources and time to roll out designs that measure up to the increasingly sophisticated desires of their customers, while at the same time incorporating elements of green technology. The Fisker Karma is a prime example of this trend. While its features embody a modern luxury car, its designers delved deep into their design repertoire to ensure that the car incorporated every practically conceivable element of green technology. This essay seeks to examine the Fisker Karma critically in order to develop a clear concept of its standing as a product in the automotive market.

A Synopsis

The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid (Leftlane, 2013) car that is touted as the best among the green car generation that is quickly taking its place on the automotive market. It is the “first model in Fisker’s line of production, which is a coupe-like four-door sedan that boasts of a range-extending gas engine and electric motor” (Leftlane, 2013, Para.6). These features set it apart from its competitors in the green car generation of which most are either purely electric or hybrid in the configuration.

The Fisker Karma, although it uses gasoline, is always electrically driven because the gasoline-only serves to power a generator, which produces the power to run the engine (Sherman, 2011). The machine is capable of accelerating from zero to sixty miles within about seven seconds, an attribute that is commensurate with modern day sports cars (Leftlane, 2013).

The car was engineered in Los Angels by a team of high profile experts headed by Henrik Fisker, hence its name (Cropley, 2013). A lead designer is a man who has been touted to be among the best car designers of modern time, as attested by the fact that he is the man behind the gorgeous BMW Z8 and Aston Martin Vantage car models (Cropley, 2013). The car was built at the former Porsche Boxter plant in Finland as the foremost of the Fisker car brands (Cropley, 2013). It is relatively new on the scene because Fisker entered into the automotive scene in 2007. The Fisker Karma, which is the only model that the company ever delivered to the market, made its debut at an auto show in 2008 (Bennet, 2013). Since then, mixed reactions and reviews have plagued the automotive scene concerning the car model.

The Karma in Perspective

Fisker Automotive

The Karma is an embodiment of modern-day green vehicle technology, which focuses on environmental conservation in all aspects including its design, manufacture, and its functioning. Its builder, Fisker Automotive, is relatively new on the scene. It began its operations in the year 2007 with its first car appearing in an auto show in 2008 (Bennet, 2013). Fisker Automotive is an American company whose founders intended to start a revolution in the transition towards green cars by rolling out a luxury plug-in hybrid car that had never hit the motor industry before. Its headquarters are in California and their main plant is situated in Delaware (Bennet, 2013). Fisker was able to deliver its first orders to the market within three years on a budget of about a billion U.S. dollars (Sherman, 2011).

The figure was much less than what General Motors invested in the production of the Chevy Volt, which is among the leading electric cars in the auto scene (Sherman, 2011). Fisker’s entry into the automotive scene was almost immediately plagued by a series of undesirable events that eroded peoples’ confidence in the company. Karma buyers reported a plethora of faults in their cars within months of purchase, its prime supplier of batteries A123 moved out of business, and the U.S. government cut off its major source of funding Bennet, 2013). This move left the company with a bleak future to look forward to and unfortunately, these events transpired before the company could achieve a notable presence internationally leaving it mostly in the U.S. and probably in Europe.

Product Configuration (Fisker Karma)

The Karma’s debut seems to have been well timed. It came at a time when developed economies were drumming up support for electric cars in an effort to reduce environmentally harmful emissions from cars. In light of these, Fisker was lining up its products for environmentally conscious individuals who hold a soft spot for luxury automobiles. Going by its initial offering price, the Karma seems to have been destined for the higher social class. The selling price range of $87,000 to $100,000 per unit is a clear indicator that Fisker targeted higher socioeconomic class individuals including celebrities, government officials, and members of the public commensurate with this class (Bennet, 2013). The design and features contained in this product clearly attest to the fact that it was meant for the person who has a keen eye for the beauty in a car.

Fisker makers approached the design of the Karma with a clear-cut idea of what they wanted to deliver to their customers, which is evident in the state-of-the-art technologies incorporated in the karma. The designers went to the extent of incorporating technology that had not yet found its way into the automotive industry. The Karma features the “world’s largest spherically curved monolithic solar panel integrated into its roof” (Cropley, 2013, Para.11).

This aspect gives the car an extra 5 miles per week source of power besides its advanced lithium-ion battery, which has the capability to propel it for up to 50 miles without using gasoline (Leftlane, 2013). The approach to the design of the Karma is entirely environmentally conscious in every detail. None of the parts are crafted to hoodwink the customer, as they are truly what they are alleged to be. There was no compromise with any detail of its features. Its breaks are power generators in themselves and any time the car brakes are applied, it replenishes its supply of electric power reserves.

A lithium-ion battery powers the engine of the Fisker Karma until its stored charge is depleted before reverting to its gasoline reserves. The gasoline reserves, as mentioned earlier, simply power a 175 kW generator, which then drives the Karma’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that incorporates turbocharging and direct injection technologies (Cropley, 2013). At normal operation, the Karma’s power system is capable of delivering about 400 horsepower, which gives it a 95 m/h top speed when in electric mode (Cropley, 2013). It is worth noting that for normal short drives, the car may not have to switch to its gasoline-powered system at all.

The Karma’s interior design is just as elaborate as its other features. Every inch of its interior is covered with natural or recyclable materials (Cropley, 2013). This attribute of its interior design adds to the fact that Fisker was out to deliver a green car like no other to its customers. This ‘Eco’ approach to its design is compounded by the fact that in its entire design, the car employs an advanced animal-free approach (Cropley, 2013).

Instead, high-grade textile has been used in place of leather and high-quality wood reclaimed from dead trees that have survived up to 300 years, which give beauty and form in an environmentally conscious manner (Cropley, 2013). The inside of Karma gives a customer the feel of a luxury car and the customer can enjoy this comfort fully aware of the fact that no life was harmed to deliver comfort.

The dashboard of the Karma is awash with LCD screens with the central command center that monitors all the processes of the car (Cropley, 2013). The screens are in a place of the traditional gauges that one would expect to come across in a normal car. The central command controls the audio, navigation, and telephone among other processes (Cropley, 2013). These features give the drive a central point from which most of the major processes of the vehicle can be controlled. In addition to such features, the car also has both interior and exterior speakers, which generate a sound aimed at warning pedestrians of the Karma’s approach (Cropley, 2013). This feature is vital for purposes of safety because when the car is running on electricity only, it technically produces no sound.

In anticipation of such features by prospective customers, they started placing orders for the Karma immediately after its debut in a 2008 auto show. The clamor for the car seemed to overwhelm Fisker Automotive because a good number of deliveries were made after the delivery dates were long overdue. This car is clearly a consumer product that was sought after by many. The unfortunate events that plagued Fisker in its early life can be entirely blamed for the purported drop in value for the car. Most clients panicked when they realized the likelihood of closure or sale of Fisker Automotive due to its financial woes. This element is adversely affecting the performance of the Karma on the market since customers were not certain of getting a support provider when they needed one.

The Karma is a typical example of the more-for-less philosophy. The features it places at the disposal of its users coupled with its Eco-friendly design approach gives the customer so much more for their money. The manufacturer attended to the problems that were realized by customers who had purchased the car. Several recalls that were also made by the company was to correct an issue or two. This move shows that the company was committed to ensuring that its customers’ needs were fully taken care of. Reports indicate that the manufacturer lost a considerable amount of funds with the sale of each unit that was successfully delivered. This loss is undesirable in business, but the fact that these extra production costs could not push the manufacturer to place a higher price tag is the strongest indicator of the philosophy Fisker adopted.

The Fisker Karma is still in the introductory stage of the product life cycle where the manufacturer is still immersed in efforts to ensure that the car is reputed globally as a green car, but is commensurate with sports luxury in every respect. Fortunes changed for the automotive manufacturer at a critical stage. Perhaps if the Department of Energy did not halt its financial support, the Karma model would take off with slight adjustments to its initial features and specifications.

Negative publicity continues to damage the reputation of the Karma forcing it into a position from which it may require lots of effort and resources to recover in order to move on to the next phase of the product life cycle. This kind of publicity does not do the Karma any justice owing to the fact that the introductory stage of the product life cycle should be characterized by massive advertisement, which creates awareness in the potential buyer (Perreault et al., 2009).

Competitors of the Karma

Fisker Automotive made a bold attempt to cut out a market niche that would have been very difficult for its rivals to permeate. This assertion is evident in the fact that most preceding electric cars were relatively smaller to offer better use of electric power. Some manufacturers, such as General Motors, had explored the path of the bigger green car, but their models fell short of the passion and aesthetic value offered by modern day luxury cars. The designer of the Karma seems to have carefully considered all these aspects and incorporated the model. This aspect was a head start for the Auto manufacturer especially when given the fact that the green car market is largely unutilized. There was a need to correct just a few issues with the car’s operation to place abreast of all competition.

The Fisker Karma hit the market at a time when several electric cars were up and running. Almost all major car manufacturers across the globe have rolled out a green car to capture that section of the market too. Like the Karma, such cars have faced heavy criticism in their evolution from the initially unattractive performance potential to the current reasonable levels. The electric cars that currently exist in the market can be categorized into pure-electrics such as the Tesla model, hybrids such as the Prius model, and plug-in hybrids such as the Karma (Zang & Cooke, 2013). Among the different categories, the Karma only faced stiff competition from a few.

The Karma is the only full-size hybrid luxury sedan that exists in the market today (Cropley, 2013). It only faces competition from other non-similar electric cars because of their incorporation of green technology. Some of the cars, which are seen as the closest competitors of the Karma include “the BMW ActiveHybrid 7, Lexus LS 600h L, and the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid” (Cropley, 2013, Para.12). Though seen as the closest competitors of the Karma, it lacks a true competitor that features all its technologies, appearance, and size. This aspect places Karma in a position where it would have almost monopolized the market. However, even as things stand currently, the Karma is still the greenest of all-electric cars due to its carefully considered approach to Eco-friendly design.

Pricing Strategy

The approach that a company gives to pricing has the potential to make or break a product or service. The approach taken should make the customers feel that the value that they give in order to enjoy the benefits of a given product is commensurate with the benefits (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). Companies can use several pricing approaches to place reasonable price tags on their products. One such example is the customer value-based pricing in which the manufacturer prices a product based on the value that customers attach to the product rather than the cost of production (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). There are other pricing strategies used by companies such as cost-based pricing in which a company considers all costs incurred during the entire production process and makes uses them to come up with a strategy.

Fisker Automotive adopted a value-based strategy in which they priced the Karma based on what they believed was right value for the product. Reviews show that with every sale of the Karma, Fisker lost a substantial amount of money, but they kept on operating with such a price. The auto manufacturer was likely aiming at long term goals of drawing on the economies of scale to run profitably later on in its operations. The Karma’s retail price projection was at $87,000. However, the actual retail price varied between this and $100,000, which can be attributed to the fact that the company used two approaches within the value-based pricing strategy to price and sell the Karma.

The Karma has the potential to fetch much more beyond its price tag. If the company’s future was assured, it was capable of eliminating the bugs that riddled the Karma’s performance and present it as a flawless model that is unequaled in the market. However, it is unfortunate that this dream may never come to be after the withdrawal of funding by the major funder of the auto manufacturer.

Promotion mix employed by Fisker Automotive

The Fisker Karma, being the first brand produced by Fisker Automotive, received the attention it deserved. The details incorporated in the car’s design clearly testify that the experts at the plant expended great efforts to come up with the model. The company, like many others, first unveiled a car that would show the world what they intended to produce. About two years later, they were able to deliver the car to the market with features surpassing what they had shown the world. The company then engaged in an awareness campaign that incorporates most of the elements of the promotion mix. The campaign was so heavy that critics of the model later viewed it as part of the reason the company could not take off.

Elements of the promotional mix are easily identifiable in Fisker’s effort to make a mark in the automotive market. Some of the most prominent elements of the promotion mix that were employed by the company include advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct selling. Advertising was done via several media including television, magazines, newspapers, and the Internet. Since advertising involves a non-personal presentation of a product (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010), featuring the Karma in an auto show before it went into production does not qualify as part of the advertising campaign. However, through it, potential customers became aware of the impending production of a new state-of-the-art green car that would hit the market and started placing orders.

In addition to advertising, the company also employed a sales promotion approach to the marketing mix. The cars that were successfully delivered had warranties on them. The manufacturer dealt with all repair and maintenance of requirements of the cars and even recalled some cars to its plant to improve on areas, which did not meet expectations. The company was out to ensure that its car stayed on the road successfully in order to pave the way for the future, which it had already planned for adequately.

Besides the two promotion mix approaches, the company also added public relations to its repertoire of marketing options including several avenues of which a good example is the Karma website. The website incorporates interactive features, which can adequately attend to the needs of anyone who accesses it. It also features a direct assistance option, which when chosen gives the customer or potential customer room to make inquiries about the product. The head of the plant, Henrik Fisker, also availed himself for interviews with media companies. These moves were all intended to ensure success for the Karma.

After the auto show that unveiled the Fisker Karma, it is reported that orders started flowing in. Fisker then immediately embarked on production to deliver the orders before producing more for the general market. The fact that Fisker personnel took orders directly from customers and dealt with their concerns until the orders were delivered qualifies this process to be direct selling. The orders were barely completed before the company was engulfed in unending woes ranging from trouble with its suppliers to withdrawal of funding by the Department of Energy.

Conclusion

This analysis has shown that the Fisker Karma was a noble idea that lacked sustained support for its benefits to be realized. Its power potential and handling efficiency coupled with the stunning looks qualify this car for its status. The manufacturer approached the Karma’s design from a perspective that would have proved elusive to many green car designers for quite a long time. The car is a revolutionary model for the green car niche. Although many electric cars came before it, the designer of the Karma ensured that their model had no real competition in the marketplace. Although Fisker Automotive was almost immediately forced to halt its operations due to lack of funds, their first model, the Fisker Karma, was a clear indicator of how far they could go to ensure that customers’ needs were met and even exceeded. The Fisker Karma may die or live on but either way, it shall go down in the annals of the automotive industry as one of the most progressive green cars of its time.

Reference List

Bennet, D. (2013). The Real Lesson of Fisker Auto’s Failure. Web.

Cropley, S. (2013). Fisker Karma review. Web.

Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. (2010). Principles of Marketing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Web.

Leftlane: 2013 Fisker Karma. (2013). Web.

Perreault, D., Cannon, P., & McCarthy, J. (2009). Basic Marketing. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Web.

Sherman, D. (2011). 2012 Fisker Karma. Web.

Zang, F., & Cooke, P. (2009). The Green Vehicle Trend: Electric, Plug-in hybrid or Hydrogen fuel cell? Web.

Introduction

Today we are living in a world that is technology-driven globally. For instance, Marshall Poe, the author of the Hive in the Atlantic Monthly, is a link to the home page of Wikipedia for the planet earth. Wikipedia is an online web. It is through this web that people are in a position to gather a lot of information from it. It has the greatest potential to be the greatest effort in knowledge-gathering all over the world. It’s through this web that people are in a position to access so much information related to daily activities. This internet has a lot of impact on many people and the economy at large.

Main Body

With the new internet technology, all people all over the world can be connected and hence as a result, you find that people can do their activities using these machines without the need of traveling to get these facilities. The new internet has solved many people’s problems since you find that with this new technology, people are in a position to do research using the internet, and with this, it has simplified and solved many problems.

It is with the new internet whereby people use this new technology to have a level of transparency and be in a position to change the way businesses are conducted. The Internet has played several functions since its introduction. It ensures the full and free exchange of information through the open internet and diverse media outlets. Internet is an open service for everyone to use. All the users of the internet are free to make use of this service to be in a position to get the necessary information ranging from business information to governments information among others.

This would eventually have an impact on the small or non-profit organizations to innovate on the new internet and also be in a position to reach more audiences. It’s through this that the economy would be in a position to grow since people are in a position to access these materials. (Chesbrough, 2003).

The Internet has also been used by many governments. You find that many governments have made the data available online to allow citizens to view these data and make the available comments concerning how to improve the government’s activities. For instance, by providing information on the environment, you find that people are in a position to understand their environment, know how to protect these environments for instance how to control pollution which affects the health of human beings for instance air pollution since people need to stay in a clean environment free from pollution. It’s also by providing this information that people are in a position to protect themselves from these things.

Open technology has led to many innovations and inventions helping businesses to improve their productivity and global competitiveness. For instance, the new technology has helped many firms to improve on their products since they are in a position to access information free from the internet which has helped them to run their firms properly. With this new technology, these firms have been in a position to cut down their costs.

For instance, in training their leaders and the staff, you find that these people are in a position to learn online through the use of the internet and this has helped these organizations to reduce their costs leading to comparative advantage. Most of the consumers are in a position to shop online by the use of the internet. Through this, you find that most of the expenses have been reduced leading to greater profits for these organizations. (O’Connor, 2006).

Open technology for instance the introduction of computers in schools has led to many innovations and inventions especially in education. Technology in the classroom is another area where open technology is highly depicted. We are in a modern age where digital learning is found in most schools. As a result, technology has a wide influence on education. Most of the schools today have introduced computers in their schools which have made work easier for the learners. Technology in education has built an education system that meets the needs and demands of many people in the modern world.

It is with this technology that each student is in a position to excel in education because most of the schools use computers when learning. They have also access to the internet whereby they can get more information apart from what is told in class. They can use the internet to research for more information and hence in a position to succeed. It’s by use of these computers that teachers use these techniques which help them design and deliver good lessons to their students. The technology has helped to explore specific actions hence improving the education role to the child. The paper costs have also gone down since most of the schools use electronic databases.

As a result, you find that less time is taken when constructing these data since everything has been computerized. It’s through the use of these computers that students have improved their effectiveness and efficiency when doing their work. Through networking along with online organizational tools, you find that students are in a position to learn more hence improving their learning. Most of the colleges do research and to do research effectively there is the need for computers since they normally deal with huge volumes of data. We live in a world whereby we deal with huge volumes of data. To be in a position to organize and analyze these data, then there is the need for computers application and software to be in a position to work effectively with these huge data.

Despite the advantages the open technology to most of these societies, it has also several disadvantages. It has led to immoral behaviors in most societies. You find that the internet is free on-air and you find that most of this information can have negative impacts on the children who watch these things. For instance, the pornographies which are actually on the internet, when the children watch them, you find that they lead to bad behaviors to the children.

Since they are open to everyone irrespective of age, you find that most of the children use most of their free time watching these movies and this may lead to an immoral society full of deviants. Some of the webs limit the freedom of expression and also you find that in some not all information is given. When the audience has been limited to the freedom of expression, then you find that people’s decisions are not heard, and in the end, the information is only limited to some people but not everyone’s view. But if there was freedom of expression, people are in a position to give their views on certain areas hence increasing their effectiveness. (O’Connor, 2006).

Conclusion

Open technology has had so many impacts on most societies. This is because people are in a position to access information through the web hence improving their productivity. For instance, farmers are in a position to increase their yield since they can access information through the web related to farming. They have also cut down most of their expenses since they do the research on their own hence lowering these expenses of consulting researchers.

In education, you also find that education standards have also increased since most of the schools today use computers when learning. Despite the advantages which have come with open technology, it has also some limitations as far as these societies are concerned. It has led to immoral behaviors in children and the youth who normally access these webs. You find that most of these webs do have certain pornographies which when children watch, they can lead to deviant behaviors to these children.

Reference

Chesbrough, H. (2003). Open innovation. The new imperative for creating and profiting from technology.Boston.Harvard Business School Press.

O’Connor. (2006).Open, radical innovation. Towards an integrated model in large established firms.Oxford.Oxford University Press.

Comparison of three Astronomical Binoculars

Giant Celestron 15×70 Skymaster

This astronomical binocular makes use of modern technology and has an exceptional performance at an affordable price. Made for astronomical viewing, the Celestron 15 x 70 makes it possible to view Jupiter and its moons, Saturn’s rings, and the orbits of other stars. It is adaptable and can be used for other terrestrial uses. The 15 x 70 Skymaster has high quality prisms that are double-coated to improve contrast and transfer the greatest amount of light possible to the eyes, enabling use even in dark conditions (Best Binoculars, 2010, para. 1).

The 15 x 70 SkyMaster binocular is water resistant and has and can be mounted on an ordinary tripod. Other attributes include a rubber covering for a better grip, a long center focus knob, and long eye relief for persons who use glasses. The diopter is also easy to tune in order to bring images to focus. On the negative, the weight of this device makes hand-use for an extended time tricky, and focusing is a bit tedious. Probably the biggest disadvantage is that the eyecups allow in light, hence distract if used in broad daylight (Ciao, 2010, para. 6).

Specifications

• Magnification: 15x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 70mm
• Exit Pupil: 4.7
• Eye Relief: 18mm
• Size: Giant Binoculars
• Weight: 1361g
• Field of View: 230ft at 1,000 yards
• Close Focus Distance: 9.9ft
• Image Stabilization: No
• Auto Focus: No (Best Binoculars, 2010, para. 6)

GALILEO 20×60 Astronomical Binoculars (C-2060)

The C-2060 boasts of a 60mm objective lens and moves images more than 20 times closer than the naked eye. Its prisms are arranged in a Porro prism fashion that gives them a higher sensitivity over other binocular models (Scopes, (No date), para. 2). Besides, the binocular has a completely coated optics that reduces glare. Other features of the C-2060 include water resistance, rubber covered for better handling, a complete range center focus and can be fitted to a standard tripod (Sportsman’s Guide, 2010, para. 2). However, the binocular ranks low on aspect and this reduces their usability on watching terrestrial objects (Optics Planet, 2010, para. 1).

Specifications

• Magnification: 20x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 60mm
• Exit Pupil: 3
• Eye Relief: 10mm
• Size: Small Binoculars
• Weight: 1088 g
• Field of View: 156ft at 1,000 yards
• Close Focus Distance: 30ft
• Image Stabilization: No
• Auto Focus: No

Zumell 20×80 SuperGiant Astronomical Binoculars

Zumell 20×80 Binoculars have excellent optics that are completely coated and with the precise diopter tuning, finer details can be seen (The Binocular Site, 2010, para. 1). The large 80 mm lens bring in just enough light and this makes it easier to view terrestrial objects even on a dark night. The center focus is easy to adjust, allowing one to make precise views (Softpedia, 2010, para. 2). The binoculars weigh almost 2000 g and this makes them difficult for extended hand use, when fitted to a tripod, viewing cannot be made past an angle of 75 degrees (Buzzilions, (No date), para. 1). A strong point for the Zhummel binocular is their very large field of view that increases clarity of images.

Specifications

• Magnification: 20x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 80mm
• Exit Pupil: 4
• Eye Relief: 17mm
• Size: Giant Binoculars
• Weight: 2000g
• Field of View: 168ft at 1,000 yards
• Close Focus Distance: 70ft
• Image Stabilization: No
• Auto Focus: No

Conclusion

Among the three astronomical binoculars, the one that gives the best performance with regards to price is GALILEO 20×60 Astronomical Binoculars (C-2060). The Zhummel model gives finer images and with a wide field of view but is heavy and when fitted to a tripod, cannot be used at an angle greater than 75 degrees. The price is also high.

Reference List

Best Binoculars. (2010). Giant Celestron 15×70 Skymaster. Web.

Buzzilions. (No date). Zumell 20×80 SuperGiant Astronomical Binoculars Package. Web.

Ciao, (2010). Celestron Skymaster 15×70 *71009*. Web.

Optics Planet. (2010). Reviews – Galileo 20×60 mm Astro Binoculars C-2060 Reviews –GO-BI-C2060. Web.

Scopes. (No date). GALILEO 20×60 Astronomical Binoculars (C-2060). Web.

Softpedia. (2010). Zumell 20×80 SuperGiant Astronomical Binoculars. Web.

Sportsman’s Guide. (2010). The Sky’s the Limit with the Galileo C2060 Astronomical Binoculars. Web.

The Binocular Site. (2010). Zumell 20×80 SuperGiant Astronomical Binoculars. Web.