Hinduism :: essays research papers

Hinduism The underlying concern of the Upanishads is the nature of Brahman, the universal soul; and the fundamental doctrine expounded is the identity of atman, or the innermost soul of each individual, with Brahman. Formulations of this doctrinal truth are stressed throughout the Upanishadic writings  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Upanishads are the most important portion of the Vedas. The Upanishads contain the essence or the knowledge portion of the Vedas. The philosophy of the Upanishads is sublime, profound, lofty and soul-stirring. The Upanishads speak of the identity of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. They reveal the most subtle and deep spiritual truths. The Upanishadic period prepared the ground for the development of rational ideas, scientific observation and advanced study in the fields of mathematics, logic and the physical sciences. It also cleared the way for a secular and more humane approach in the realm of social relations and government. Brahmin orthodoxy and ideas of ritual purity were challenged and confronted. The concept of god in Upanishadic thinking was quite different from the more common definition of god as creator and dispensor of reward and punishment. The Upanishadic concept of god was more abstract and subtle. It postulated the doctrine of a universal soul - that embraced all physical beings. All life emanated from this universal soul and death simply caused individual manifestations of the soul to merge or mingle back with the universal soul. The concept of a universal soul was illustrated through analogies from natural phenomenon. "As the bees make honey by collecting the juices of distant trees, and reduce the juice into one form. And as these juices have no discrimination, so that they might say, I am the juice of this tree or that, in the same manner, all these creatures, when they have become merged in the True, know not that they are merged in the True. . . ." The name of Krishna refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose spiritual form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. This is confirmed in the following verse of Mahabharata: "The word krs is the attractive feature of the Lord's existence, and na means spiritual pleasure.

Analysis of Semantics and Pragmatics in Two Texts :: Compare Contrast Linguistics

Analysis of Semantics and Pragmatics in Two Texts Linguistics is the science of a language. Linguists depend on the use of certain aspects in order to analyse, describe and explain a human language; these aspects include semantics and pragmatics. Semantics can be defined as the study of "meaning" of lexical words and expressions independently of context. Where pragmatics is the process of recognising the "invisible meaning" of lexical items and expressions; taking into account the speaker's/ addressee's intention, the status of hearer/ receiver and the actual situation. This paper will explain the process we, as humans usually follow to understand a certain text or utterance. This explanation would be achieved through the analysis of two journal articles from semantics and pragmatics perspective, taking into account a range of techniques associated with each of the two concepts including: Semantics Aspects: Synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, prototypes, homophones and homonyms, polysemy and ambiguity. Pragmatics Aspects: Deixis and Distance, reference and inference, conversational implicature, anaphoric and cataphoric reference, presupposition, entailment, direct and indirect speech acts and speech events, cultural context and cross cultural pragmatics, conversational analysis and background knowledge, denotation and connotation meaning, the four maxims and hedges. Analysing Article One We will begin by observing the semantic and pragmatic features in article 1 being "Men are sulks say surveys" .This article is taken from the hot topics section of the popular msn website. The main topic of this article is a medical concept being flu/cold, where the unspecified writer of this article discusses the reaction of men, compared to women when it comes to having flu. The article also lists a number of readers' comments on the subject topic. As a whole, article one is rich with lexical items that belong to the medical lexical field, such as cold, flu, Panadol, tablets, sick, suffer, diseases, chicken pox, depression, doctor, coughs, headache etc. The extensive use of these terms throughout the article was a necessity since the main topic is about a medical condition. Another lexical field was elaborated in this article being the family relationships such as mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, children etc. Antonymy or the use of two lexical items that represent the opposite meaning appear in this article such as men and women, males and females, wives and husbands, mothers and fathers, vent and defend etc. The use of these terms in this article is more likely for the purpose of comparison. Most of these antonyms are relational opposites; these opposites indicate two ends of a relationship between persons.

Epic of Beowulf :: Essays Papers

Beowulf "In a world without hope, a brave soul has nothing to lose." In the epic Beowulf, some might perceive Beowulf as having traits such as being arrogant. Although he is raised in a Pagan society, Beowulf concurs many tasks that an ordinary man could never do. He portrays man in general struggling against outward foes and inward doubts. Beowulf displays his characteristics; courage and strength, fame, perserverence, and compassion; which affords him the opportunity to be looked upon as an epic hero. With a lack of courage, not many can accomplish much. As Beowulf travels, his courage not only grows but stands strong. In his journey to Hrothgar's kingdom, Beowulf is faced with many unbearable tasks many men wouldn't dare to go up against, but with Beowulf, he takes those tasks and runs with them. His fight with Grendal not only proves his courage but his strength as well. Beowulf, being a mortal man, takes Grendal by the hands and tears his hand from his body, leaving Grendal mortally wounded. When Grendal's mother attempts avenge for her son's death, she is rudely awakened. After her kill of Ashchere, she resorts back to her lair in Hell, but not for long. Beowulf goes looking after her and swims through the deep, dark, and miserable waters to Hell. He finds Grendal's mother there and kills her without any warning to her. His bravery saves his people back in his homeland as well. After gaining the throne, a terrible dragon starts to terrorize his home. Here he proves t o his people that he is in fact a true hero. He, with the help of his dear kinsman, slays the dragon even after being wounded. His courage and strength truly proves him an epic hero. With an epic hero, one must know of his travels and battles. As is with Beowulf, he is known throughout the lands. His fame helped him tremendously in becoming this hero. His courageous fights and accomplishments led to his known defeats in battle with huge and fierce monsters. After his death, his people promised him a tumulus to be built in his memory so he could be remembered. Not only did his people hear his request, but they honored it as well. They built an enormous tumulus on top of a high cliff over the waters where the boats would see and remember him by.

How does Shakespeare use language to reinforce these feelings? Essay

Comment on various sorts of love in the play ‘Romeo and Juliet. How does Shakespeare use language to reinforce these feelings? Romeo and Juliet, a tale of two ‘Star-crossed’ lovers, is similar to any modern-day, magazine featured love story. It features a typical teenage romance, which is destined for tragedy. Take West Side Story or even Grease; they all thrive around the same plot. William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in the 16th Century. It is set in the 12th Century in the thriving city of Verona amongst the hate of two rival families; The Capulets and The Montagues. The plot intertwines itself around different types of love and ends with an act of truelove. Only through the young lover’s death do the two feuding families finally shake hands in a sign of reconciliation. Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet depend on one another as a source of support and love. One prime example of this is of Juliet and her nurse. This type of love is also featured at the beginning of the play between Romeo and his cousin, Benvolio. Throughout the beginning of Act 1 Scene 1 both Lord and Lady Montague (Romeo’s parents) and Benvolio show concern toward how Romeo has been behaving. They describe him as being ‘tearful’ and ‘unsociable’. Benvolio then shows himself as a close, sensitive friend to Romeo. He talks to Romeo sympathetically even though he has been pushed away by him. He displays care and support which could be classed as ‘brotherly love’. These actions between two people do not stop there as the same happens between Mercutio and Romeo in Act 2 Scene 4, Mercutio says to Romeo: ‘Why is not this better now than groaning for love, thou art sociable, thou art Romeo, for this drivelling love is like a great natural. ‘ In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Shakespeare used techniques such as light imagery to emphasise a mood or a particular speech. In Elizabethan times, when ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was written, the stage in which it would have been performed would have been very simple. Therefore, Shakespeare had to rely on the words spoken by the characters to create the imagery needed. By using light to denote love he could create the images he wanted and the audience could picture the mood as opposed to seeing it. An example of this is when Romeo describes Juliet, his love, as a light breaking through a dark window (Act 2 Scene 2) or a bright angel or the sun. Juliet then goes on to describe the suddenness of their love like lightning: ‘It is too rash, too sudden, too like the lightning. ‘ (Act 2 Scene 2 line 118-119) This technique is so effective that Shakespeare uses it throughout ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Shakespeare was born and grew up during the Elizabethan times. Religion, money and wealth played a strong part in life in this era. In Shakespeare’s plays he reflects heavily on Elizabethan values in showing love and marriage to be the main focus of women’s life. Girls as young as 12 were encouraged to marry for Wealth and Status as opposed to love. According to an Elizabethan text it says: ‘It is generally considered foolish to marry for love, although love may occur in marriage. ‘ Elizabethan Life- Throughout the Ages The idea of arranged marriages was very popular during this time and this topic is featured in Romeo and Juliet. Juliet’s parents, Lord and Lady Capulet, are approached by, Paris, a suitable husband for their daughter. Through looking at his background and status in wealth, Lord Capulet decides that the two should marry. However, it could be said that Shakespeare wasn’t in favour of these marriages because he made two main characters express concern about the age of their daughter being so young. This is shown when Lord Capulet says to Paris: ‘My child is yet a stranger in the world, She hath not seen the change of fourteen years, Let two more summers wither in their pride, Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride. ‘ (Act 1 Scene 2) One of the most abnormal actions which would not normally fit in with Elizabethan life is when Romeo and Juliet marry because of pure love. When this play was written there was a small rising Elizabethan interest in marrying for love as apposed to status of wealth or family. By including this in the play he introduced his audience to what he thought should be accepted possibly in future life. In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Shakespeare uses different types of language technique to create an emotion. A prime example of this is when the two lovers, Romeo and Juliet, meet for the very first time. They share a 14 line sonnet. In this sonnet there is religious imagery: Which mannerly devotion shows in this, For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss. (Act 1 Scene 5 lines 97-99) Here Romeo and Juliet use religious icons to express their love for each other and through mirroring the love between a pilgrim and a saint they are in reality talking about themselves. One of the reasons why Shakespeare has used this sonnet in the first meeting, between Romeo and Juliet is to emphasise their mutual feeling of ‘love at first sight’. It brings both rhythm and elegance to the text. By including sonnets in his text, Shakespeare is able to enhance and beatify the emotion. Before the famous two lovers, Romeo and Juliet, meet each other for the first time we discover, in the opening scene, that Romeo is infatuated with a lady called Rosaline. In Act 1 Scene 1 Romeo declares ‘She is too fair, to wise, wisely too fair, To merit bliss by making me despair. ‘ Romeo is indeed in despair as Rosaline, the women he apparently loves, has sworn that he will remain a virgin for the rest of her life. Benvolio reminds Romeo by saying ‘Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste. ‘ Romeo partly in anger, starts using elaborate language to further describe his infatuation. He says: ‘Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs, Being purged, a fire sparkling in lover’s eyes. ‘ Romeo’s love for Rosaline echoes Petrach’s, a popular English poet, work. Petrarch used very heavy descriptive language in his poetry. Romeo was almost obsessed with Rosaline but she rejected his advances. This type of infatuation is called Petrarchan love. Romeo’s love for Rosaline is classed as unrequited’ love or almost courtly love. Shakespeare wrote Romeo’s melodramatic speech about Rosaline to seem almost unconvincing. It was as if Shakespeare didn’t want the audience to believe that Romeo’s feelings were genuine. He uses oxymoron’s to persuade us that in fact Romeo’s love for Rosaline is false. An example of this is when Romeo says: ‘O brawling love, loving Hate, O heavy lightness, serious vanity. ‘ By including such techniques as this, it almost overdresses the text and enhances the fake- ness. Although the audience recognise that this love Romeo has is fake Shakespeare reinforces the audience’s suspicions by making one of his characters realise this too. Throughout the play Shakespeare uses the language to create and encourage dramatic tension. A good example of this is when the Friar Lawrence repeats the word ‘come’, in Act 5 Scene 3, four times within a short speech. By using repetition it builds up not only the pace but tension too. It is the Friar Laurence who comments on Romeo’s lack of genuine love. He believes that Romeo’s love for Rosaline is indeed false and is classed a doting rather than true love. He describes how this is common in young men by saying ‘Young men’s love then lies, Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes. ‘ Act 2 Scene 2. Friar Laurence then goes on to quote Romeo’s love again, he says: ‘Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell. ‘ Act 2 Scene 3. He believes that Romeo’s love is more like a recitation memorised from a book, and that he has no true understanding of it. When Romeo approaches Friar Laurence, after attending the Capulet party, his attitude has changed. He has indeed fallen in love with a Capulet; the Montague’s opposition. The language Romeo uses is livelier which is apposed to the dull yet heavily decorated speech he earlier used. When Romeo claimed to be in love with Rosaline, the friar became fed up with Romeo’s speech being too flowery. He says ‘Be plain good son, and homely in thy drift’. (Act 2 Scene 3 Lines 55). In Act 2 Scene 3 Friar Laurence is suspicious of Romeo’s new found love and tells him not to be too hasty. Romeo seems to be convinced about his new love. Friar Laurence says that he will support him: ‘In one respect I’ll thy assistant be’. Although through Friar Laurence’s speech and reactions towards Romeo he is wary, the Friar sees this as an opportunity to bring the two contrasting families together: ‘For this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your household’s rumour to pure love. At the beginning of the play it features Sampson and Gregory, two Montague Servants. They start to boast to each about their sexual experiences. They talk about women losing their virginity and men’s erections and their lust for such things. This could be classed as Crude or Sexual love. Another place in the play where it happens is in Act 2 Scene 5 line 75. This is when the nurse behaves in a crude manner. She says jokingly, while sending Juliet of to her marriage with Romeo, ‘But you shall bear the burden soon at night. ‘ One of the most obvious types of love portrayed in Romeo and Juliet is true love. This is displayed between the two ‘Star-crossed’ lovers Romeo and Juliet. Throughout the play they show ‘true love’ for each other. One prime example of this is in the balcony scene in Act 2 Scene 2. Both through indirect and direct speech to one another they express their feelings for one another. Juliet says to Romeo: ‘Ere one can say ‘It lightens’. Sweet, good night, this bud of love, by summers ripening breath. My love is deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have. ‘ In Romeo and Juliet one type of love which is portrayed between Juliet her parents is paternal Love. Both her father and mother express concern over Juliet and her welfare. Her father mainly shows this when The County Paris asks to marry Juliet within the next couple of days. He replies:’ Monday ha, ha! Wednesday is too soon, A’ Thursday let it be’. The language used by Lord Capulet reinforces his love for Juliet by appearing strong yet making a joke out of the suddenness of the marriage. By saying ‘ha, ha! ‘ in response to Paris wanting the marriage to be on Monday it appears as if he has everything sorted out. Yet, in the real sense he doesn’t want to let his daughter go so soon. Throughout his next speech he appears to of thought he is doing the right thing by marrying Juliet to Paris. He makes sure that Paris is a worthy Gentleman therefore portraying affection and love for his daughter. One character who is not related to Juliet yet shows parental-like love towards her is her nurse. We know that previous to when the play is set that the nurse has lost her child. Although that Juliet’s Nurse does not believe in ‘true love’ she expresses love for Juliet. She lets Juliet and her lover, an enemy of the family, meet. In Act 1 Scene 3 line 60-63 she shows affection towards Juliet after conveying messages to from one lover to another: ‘Peace, I have done. God mark thee to his grace, Thou wast the prettiest babe that e’er I nursed. And I might live to see thee married once, I have my wish. ‘ The language used by the nurse is very affectionate and personal. This helps to reinforce the Nurse’s Parental love for Juliet. The play ends with a triumph of true love over a dutiful love, the marriage between Juliet and Paris, and the hate between the two families. Romeo and Juliet perform the ultimate act of true love by dying for each other in order to be together. The two feuding families of Verona finally shake hands and are united through this tragedy. In shaking hands they are formalising Romeo and Juliet’s love. Capulet says: O brother Montague, give me thy hand. This is my daughter’s jointure, for no more can I demand. ‘

Challenges Faced by Companies While Entering a Foreign Business

10 Important Factors to Consider Before Starting Your Own Business Published on May 10, 2008 by Educate And Learn in Small Business Comments (46)|59 Liked It Certain key factors which need to be addressed before starting your own business. This article describes different factors which need to be kept in mind before starting your own business. It mainly talks about a business from a proprietorship point of view, rather than from a corporate point of view. Thus it is intended for small business. A number of factors are important in order to start a successful business. Here an effort is made to describe some of the key factors.Knowledge/Expertise Any business requires some amount of basic knowledge and experience. The owner needs to be aware about the business he intends to start. Knowledge and expertise about the product or service are keys to a successful business. In case of limited knowledge the owner may not be able to sustain the business and can be fooled by the vendors, suppli ers and competitors. When you ask yourself a question â€Å"What business shall I start? † you need to get a convincing reply about what you intend to do and how you are going to go about it. Read more in Small Business Small Business Survival in a Down Economy Four Easy Ways to Double Your Economic Stimulus Check  » Expert knowledge is especially required if the field of business is a niche field. For instance the construction or software industry would require more knowledge as against a retail business selling a particular brand of clothes or shoes. Market/Demand Once a decision is taken on the business you intend to start, the next step is to explore the demand / market for the product / service. Certain products will only have a domestic market for them whereas others can be successful on an international level.The key question is â€Å"Who are the customers? † A market survey can be conducted to identify the market for the business to be started. If the product / service is expected to be sold locally, the demand for it needs to be assessed. In case an international market is expected then rules and regulations for dealing internationally need to be found out. Total Project Costs It is important to correctly assess the total project cost required to set up and run the business successfully. In a capital intensive business such as starting a manufacturing plant, the start up costs can be very high.You need to identify the total amount which will be spent on the land & building, plant & machinery, furniture and office equipment, vehicles etc. If a business is in the nature of retail you will need to identify the cost of the store and furniture. Amount required for the decoration of the store needs to be assessed. Similarly in case of an office the major cost will be for the furniture and office equipment. An office or firm can be started at a relatively lower cost initially with only the basic requirements. One also needs to take care of th e working capital requirement.This will mainly consist of the inventory which needs to maintained and the credit which is extended to the customers. From this the supplier’s credit is deducted to arrive at the Working Capital Requirement. The Working Capital Requirement can be quite high for certain industries for example inventory will need to be maintained in a garment store. Similarly in case of a grocery shop there is need for huge inventory for which credit may not be given initially by the suppliers. Financing/Capital After identifying the initial costs required for starting the business, the financing pattern will need to be decided.The financing pattern will be mainly by way of capital introduction by the owner and borrowed funds. Depending on how much capital the owner can introduce the balance amount will need to be borrowed. Funds borrowed will be either short term loans or long term loans. The terms and conditions for borrowing funds will need to be studied such a s the cost of borrowing, security required, rate of interest and the repayment terms. The owner will need to approach a number of banks to get information about their terms of lending and draw a comparative analysis to identify which funding is the most beneficial for him.As a thumb rule short term funds should not be utilized for the purchase of fixed assets. Short term funds are mainly used to meet the working capital requirement. The logic is that if short term funds are used to purchase fixed assets how are you going to repay the short term loan if the business has not progressed. Once the financing pattern is identified the owner will need to decide how the money is going to be utilized. Competition Before entering new business, information about market competition needs to be found out.In case a product is a monopoly then the competition will not matter. Otherwise the success of the business will depend upon the demand and supply gap. Thus if there is a huge demand then you ca n enter the business inspite of the market competition. Otherwise you will need to be stronger than the competitors to gain an entry. Normally existing firms will always have an advantage due to the experience they have and because they may be well equipped. The question which needs to be answered is â€Å"What is unique about the product / service which will be offered to survive the market competition†?Information such as who are the competitors, what is their market strategy and what factors are required to compete with them are important. Location Deciding an optimum location for the business is a strategic and an important one. A good location goes a long way in making the business successful. The location needs to be carefully chosen. Some places have advantages over the others. You can save out on taxes, water and electricity costs if you are located in some areas. The raw materials can be easily sourced, the manpower would be easily available and you can save out on t ransportation costs in case of certain locations.Setting up a business in certain location could lead to subsidy and rebates from the Government. In the case of a retail business one needs to be located in a well populated area and one which is easily accessible. Certain niche products / services of different competitors are available at a single location. For example there are software belts having all software companies. Similarly there are gold marts which have different gold vendors and jewelers at a single location. Laws, Rules, & Regulation Setting up a new business would require compliance with various laws & regulations.Each country is governed by separate laws and regulations which require that any new business be registered with certain authorities and meets certain compliance. Thus registration of the name of the company may be required with Ministry of Commerce for instance. Further details need to be provided regarding the workforce and certain deductions may be require d from the staff (such as tax) which would need to be deposited with the respected Government bodies. Awareness is required of such rules and regulations. It is always better to consult a lawyer before setting up a new business in an unknown environment.There are certain accounting / consultancy firms which would have a division giving advise on legal and statutory compliance. In case of lack of expertise it is better to approach a lawyer / accounting / consultancy firms. Non compliance with the statute could lead to huge fines and penalty and hamper the success of a new business. Return on Investment Return on Investment (ROI) is calculated as Net Profit divided by the Investment made. The ROI is low in the initial years and is expected to grow on a year on year basis.The ROI needs to be compared with the return that would be earned from alternative business options available. For instance it could be compared with any other source of income such as money earned from investment in the stock market. Similarly the Return On Capital must be greater than the rate of interest earned from a fixed deposit kept with a bank. Staff/Manpower Any business requires efficient manpower to succeed. The staff needs to be carefully chosen since they are the ones who could make or break the business. The cost of manpower varies depending on the location of the business and thus this needs to be factored well.The business needs to be set up in a location where there is sufficient availability of manpower both skilled as well as unskilled. This remains one of the key criteria’s whether the business is going to be run with a staff of 2 or 2,000. Technology It is always better to invest in the best technology at the time of start up itself. Post investment, monitoring of the technology purchased is required. Technology would include plant & machinery as well as latest office equipment. One should not exclude the software required to monitor the business. Choosing optimum sof tware is a challenging task.A technologically advanced business is expected to perform much better in the longer run. All the above factors are important to start a successful business. Compromising any of these factors could hamper the growth. Starting a business these days is very challenging and an all round knowledge of various factors is required to run a successful one. It is important to make a Project Report on the basis of the above factors before starting a new business. Read more: http://bizcovering. com/small-business/10-important-factors-to-consider-before-starting-your-own-business/#ixzz2O2yGVG1w

Leading Change

â€Å"The harder you push, the harder the system pushes back† is the 2nd law in The Laws of the Fifth Discipline.   These laws are the core of a process called systems thinking and the concept is that it’s â€Å"best to manage the system, not just the individual processes.†Ã‚   (West & Cianfrani, 2004, p. 69)   Corporations have a tendency to look at the â€Å"direct linear cause and effect relationships,† rather than looking at â€Å"interactions.†Ã‚   (West & Cianfrani, 2004, p. 69)   Peter Senge’s book The Fifth Discipline identified 10 laws that defined systems thinking. The 2nd law in The Laws of the Fifth Discipline can be interpreted as â€Å"Compensating feedback.†Ã‚   Senge defines this as â€Å"when well-intentioned interventions call forth responses from the system that offset the benefits of the intervention.†Ã‚   (Senge, 1990, p. 58) In other words, the more effort exerted to change or improve the current organizational processes, the more effort it requires. Organizations have experienced this process when, for example, a product or brand suddenly begins to lose its popularity within the market.   When organizations begin to push new marketing strategies aggressively it often turns out that more revenue is spent on the marketing efforts with only a temporary pay back.   This process is not only limited to the business market, it can also be illustrated in personal experiences.   Senge uses the smoker as an example – if a person who is a regular smoker suddenly quits he or she might begin to gain weight, become frustrated with personal appearance and then suddenly begin smoking again.   (Senge, 1990, p. 59) As humans it is natural for us to get drawn into the process of compensating feedback.   We push harder and it’s exhausting and we often â€Å"glorify the suffering that ensues.†Ã‚   (Senge, 1990, p. 59)   When our efforts to produce change fail initially, we push harder and often have the belief that our hard work and effort will overcome all of the obstacles in front of us. However, compensating feedback is a process where we become blind to the fact that our efforts are actually contributing to the current obstacles we are facing as well as creating others we must overcome. (Senge, 1990, p. 59-60) Over the past two decades information and communication technology has continuously evolved and has empowered small businesses and large corporations with new emerging markets and tools.   The Internet has become the information highway and has impacted both social and economic relationships in various sectors such as education, health, government, trade and tourism.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. vii) In order to maintain its impact on society the information technology must continuously evolve to compensate for future needs for both local and global societies.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. VI)   Focusing on one idea or concept that does not elicit long-term success consumes time and effort that is imperative to online success. The consistent evolution of technology and the platforms provided are numerous and are impacting our society regularly.   These newly emerging technologies affect the way we do business, communicate with others, daily entertainment, study and do research.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. VI)   Ecommerce is the largest growing platform of the World Wide Web and it has provided a â€Å"new momentum of doing business in the digital economy.†Ã‚   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. VI) In order to compensate and adjust to the constant change through the internet environment we must be able to identify the implications. At the end of 2004 it was estimated that 750 million users represented the Internet community worldwide.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. VI) The e-marketplaces consist of various products and services that market their products both from Business to Business and Business to consumer.   These products and services provide value for both buyers and sellers. In order to create a successful ecommerce venture processes must be transformed from the traditional ways of doing business to modern Internet transactions that are efficient to both the buyer and the seller.   The biggest challenge for internet businesses is adapting to the virtual environment and integrating their current business processes into the e-marketplace. (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 97) The Internet environment has its benefits as well as disadvantages, or threats.   On a local business level it immediately provides â€Å"easy and fast entrance to new markets,† 24/7 business hours, less physical structure maintenance, and the possibility of sales increasing.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 99) For buyers this offers more selection of products and services, 24/7 business access and easy comparison between the various seller’s offers.     (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 99) Threats for businesses as a whole are the loss of direct customer face to face relationships, increased competition and the extra funds required for consistent upgrading of products and platforms.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 99)   For buyers there is the same lack of direct face to face relationships, the unknown reliability of the seller and lack of trust in products and services.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 99) E-commerce is about â€Å"rediscovering the individuality of the customers and their needs, and the creation of frictionless modes of commercial interaction with them.†Ã‚  Ã‚   (May, 2000, p. 4)   Businesses must approach change in an internet environment carefully, as in the traditional business model the direct interaction allows the consumer to feel important.   Ecommerce does not provide the close interaction; therefore it is imperative that the online business practices allow the consumer to feel like a person, not a type.   (May, 2000, p. 5) A great example of ecommerce success is Amazon.com.   This company has proven its ability to implement change and business growth without affecting its customer base or falling behind the competition.   The vision of the â€Å"Earth’s biggest bookstore† (May, 2000, p. 52) was to offer a range and large quantity of products that would dominate traditional booksellers and to â€Å"achieve market ubiquity without acquiring retail real estate.†Ã‚   (May, 2000, p. 52) Jeff Bezos identified books as an ideal product for selling online because the number of books the traditional bookseller could offer was limited; therefore, if these products were offered online the number available would be unlimited.   In a sense the book trade has always been â€Å"virtual† – any customer can enter a traditional bookstore and order any book in print. Amazon.com brought a new online concept to the book trade and improved the efficiency of a traditional process.   However, though this insight was extraordinary introducing the concept into the ecommerce marketplace meant that consistent change was necessary and that customers must receive the same attention and personal relationships currently experienced in the traditional environment.   (May, 2000, p. 53-54) In order to change the ecommerce impersonal environment Amazon.com had to introduce a new strategy into maintaining and increasing its customer base.   Changing the internet environment is not a simple display creation or the addition of a personable salesperson to physically approach customers.   Amazon.com had to approach this change with a technology based solution that offered a personal approach to its customers.   The applications Amazon implemented offered their customers a positive experience. Customers are now able to access their portfolios at any time and without interaction with a sales representative.   These portfolios are personalized and address customers on a first name basis, provide purchase history and even suggest similar titles that might be of interest to the customers.   This change provided a personal touch, saved Amazon on staff time and clearly benefits the customer.   (May, 2000, p. 54) Rick Berry, CEO of ICGCommerce.com, an Internet-Based procurement business, describes leading an e-commerce business as â€Å"driving a Ferrari with a cinderblock on the accelerator.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004)   This fast-paced environment requires consistent change, as â€Å"E-Procurement is a $10 trillion market worldwide.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004) Berry states that building a procurement business in the traditional sense would take at least 10 years to become successful; however within the internet environment they are making an attempt to establish credibility within six months.   Their goal is â€Å"to grab a chunk of that market before the competition moves in.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004) Berry believes that talent is what businesses require to provide effective leadership and the ability to change quickly within Internet based businesses.   Leadership must have the ability to â€Å"attract teams of talented risk-takers.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004)  Ã‚   The speed of the working environment in an e-commerce structure means that very little time is available to train staff; therefore leaders of e-commerce ventures â€Å"must strive to create a specific type of work culture† that is high-energy and results-oriented.   (Pandya, 2004) Because little time is allowed for training and communication in an internet environment is more direct than others, changing the actions of others as well as effectively communicating the vision of change is difficult.   â€Å"You communicate directly, and you must build a team that can cope with that.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004) If an internet company is to be successful it must begin with establishing a visionary culture with the ability to attract and retain talented staff.   Talented staff members have the ability to effectively introduce change within the internet environment effectively and without disrupting business flow. David Perry, founder of Chemdex says that creating a successful business with the ability to adapt to the constant change of the internet environment is â€Å"raising money, so you can hire good people, so you can make and sell good products, so you can raise more money.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004)   These staff members must be â€Å"enthusiastic, passionate and share the organization’s values.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004) In his article titled The True Value of Change Management, George Spafford quotes â€Å"The only constant is change.†Ã‚   (Spafford, 2005)   He believes that many IT organizations â€Å"lack a fundamental understanding of the need to manage change† and that these organizations feel that change management stops at budgetary planning. When introducing change into the internet environment organizations must understand that this process has huge impacts on business operations – the more complex the change is within the system the â€Å"effective change management processes† increase.   (Spafford, 2005)   As most change within the internet environment is technology based, it’s imperative to know that 80% of security breaches have been caused by human error. (Spafford, 2005) Potential solutions in technology have three parts â€Å"people, technology and process.†Ã‚   (Spafford, 2005)   Most organizations have processes in place where change requests are â€Å"submitted, reviewed, planned tested, scheduled and then implemented.† (Spafford, 2005)   The procedures are put into place to ensure that proper thought and planning have been applied and the implications assessed before introducing it within the business structure. Spafford believes that many organizations lack the resources to implement change and that many simply give up once the implications have surfaced with unsuccessful results.   He believes that companies must learn from their mistakes and work continuously to improve and implement future successes.   Developing one simple model of change in an internet environment can also be devastating.   â€Å"The point is to be flexible, keep costs down and remain responsive, adopting multiple change models.†Ã‚   (Spafford, 2005) The ability to manage change within the internet environment will always be a challenge for organizations.   Effective leadership is the key to any organization’s success as well as leadership’s ability to attract talented staff members who are constantly looking to the future, rather than traditional one-sided ideas. Technology is constantly evolving and introducing new competitive strategies into the ecommerce marketplace and little time is available to adapt to the competition.   Looking back at The Laws of the Fifth Discipline, â€Å"The harder you push, the harder the system pushes back† we see that it’s imperative to remain open-minded and constantly looking to the future where new concepts and ideas will introduce positive changes to the Internet environment. References May, P. (2000). The Business of Ecommerce: From Corporate Strategy to Technology. New York, New York: Cambridge University. Pandya, M. (2004). Center for Leadership and Change Management:   Leadership in E-Commerce:   What does it Take to Lead an E-Commerce Venture? Retrieved from http://leadership.wharton.upenn.edu/ecommerce/articles/Wharton_ECommerce_Forum.shtml Senge, P. M. (1990). The Fifth Discipline. New York, New York: Doubleday Dell Publishing Group. Spafford, G. (2005, August 15). Datamation:   The True Value of Change Management. Retrieved from http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/service/article.php/3527471 Waddell, D., & Singh, M. (2003). E-Business Innovation and Change Management. London: Idea Group Inc (IGI). West, J., & Cianfrani, C. A. (2004). Unlocking the Power of Your Qms: Keys to Business Performance Improvement. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: American Society for.          Leading Change Introduction Intense global competition, rapid technological change, and international capital markets are creating more demand for change leadership than at perhaps any other time in history. These forces, combined with the complexity of new and more global organizational forms that span nations and unite organizations through alliances, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions, make the job of leadership increasingly difficult. No wonder it is popular to suggest that leadership is in short supply in most organizations. Moreover, we have a limited understanding of the role that leaders should play in making effective change a reality. This is the motivation for this essay. In the pages that follow, I discuss how leaders can help organizations change to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.Body of the Essay It is one thing to argue that organizations need to reinvent themselves and develop new, more effective approaches to organizing, and quite another to accomplish it . Large-scale organizational transformation is, at best, a developing art that has yet to produce any clear formulas for success, but more and more attention is being turned to executives as the principle agents of change and adaptation. It is increasingly common to assume that leadership plays the crucial role in an organization's successful adaptation to a changing world. Companies are paying record compensation to attract the best and brightest executive talent to lead them safely through today's turbulent business environment. Many boards and executive recruiters assume that there exists an elite corps of individuals who possess leadership skills that have almost universal application.The subject of leadership and organization change is embedded deeply in the lexicon and discourse of business executives, management consultants, and organizational scholars. Business periodicals, the trade press, and academic publications are brimming with information and knowledge about leading o rganization change. Widespread attention to leading change is largely a reflection of the times. Fueled by unprecedented changes in technologies, markets, and economies, organizations are experiencing rapidly changing environments and enormous competitive pressures. Responses to these challenges are resulting in a virtual revolution in new organizational forms and systems. Organizations are increasingly seeking to transform themselves to become more adaptable and competitive, with leaner, more flexible structures, more empowered and committed employees, and more performance-driven human resource practices. (Lawler et al., 1995)As organizations strive to implement these innovations, they discover that change is incredibly arduous, requiring a great deal of expertise, resources, and luck. The sheer difficulty of transforming organizations is evident in their enormous inertial qualities as well as the scope and magnitude of the required changes. Organization transformation typically in volves radical changes in strategy and structure, in work practices and methods, and in members' perceptions, norms, and work behaviors. As many observers have pointed out, because transformational change involves the total organization including strategic relationships with the competitive environment, top leaders or CEOs need to lead the change process and are essential to its success. (Tichy & Devanna, 1986; Greiner & Bhambri, 1989; Nadler, 1997)â€Å"The Harder You Push, The Harder The System Pushes Back† Any organization has its own corporate culture and the employees in all hierarchies are accustomed to that particular culture. Bringing about any change at any level is bound to shake the status quo and bring in an element of disturbance within the smooth functioning of the organization. Keeping that in mind, the change leader has to be extremely careful in doing the job and allowing ample space and time for the employees and other variables to adjust to the change being brought about. If the change process is accelerated too much and transformation is imposed hard on the people and the system as a whole, it will result in increased resistance from the system and mounting difficulties in the process of change.â€Å"Change involves moving from the known to the unknown (Cummins/Worley, 1993). Because the future is uncertain and may adversely affect people’s competencies, worth, and coping abilities, organizational members generally do not support change, unless compelling reasons convince them to do so. Similarly, organizations tend to be heavily invested in the status quo, and they resist changing it in the face of uncertain future benefits. Consequently, a key issue in planning for action is how to motivate commitment to organizational change, such as Business Reengineering. This requires management attention to two related tasks: creating readiness for change and overcoming resistance to change.† http://www.prosci.com/w_4.htmPeople c an be made ready to accept and contribute towards change once they themselves get to feel the need for change. This means making people so discontented with the status quo that they are provoked to try new ways of performing. Generating such discontent can be to a certain extent difficult. People who have been functioning and behaving in ways that have become norms for them now, may find it difficult to the level of hurt, prior to their undertaking the change seriously. In a situation as sensitive as such, the change has to be led very cautiously providing room for delay. The many issues related to change leadership could be structured around multiple themes. They include leader behaviors for effective change, sources of change, different change strategies, whether leadership really matters, and the development of change leaders.Most leadership scholars emphasize the importance of developing a vision or direction as the first step in leading change. This direction is critical in mak ing sure that everyone is moving in the same direction. It is, however, an open question whether a vision is really necessary for leading change. A key issue, particularly in the literature on charismatic leadership, is how to create a sense of empowerment and ownership for employees.One argument is that this requires giving employees the autonomy to determine appropriate means for implementing the vision. (Conger, 1989) Prior research has shown that employees are most motivated when they have the freedom to determine what works best given their talents and skills. (Spreitzer et al., 1997) However, in order for such autonomy to work employees must have access to the resources necessary for implementation and to information about the competition and the financial situation of their organization; without these they are likely to feel helpless in bringing about change. Also, rewards may be particularly helpful in building a sense of ownership. (Lawler, 1986)Leaders in crisis organizati ons facing a revitalization challenge must devote considerable effort at the front end of their transformation to the creation of resources. Individuals' resistance to change builds in direct proportion to the magnitude of the gap they perceive between the level of effort expected of them as part of the transformation process and the resources available to get the job done. Often this initial resource-generating step involves closing and consolidating peripheral or under-performing operations, trimming employee payrolls, reducing corporate staff overhead expenses, and suspending or deferring programs so that current operations can generate more cash to be redeployed to the launch of the corporate transformation process. Leaders attempting to revitalize their organizations also need to seek new external resources as they launch their transformation process.For example, at General Electric during the early 1980s under Jack Welch, the creation of slack resources was not so much a probl em as was the reallocation of existing resources to the corporate transformation effort. So the initial transformation issue was less one of resource creation than one of resource reallocation. Businesses that did not fit the vision had to fix, sell, or close themselves, and resources that would otherwise be consumed by these ill-fitting businesses were reallocated to enhance productivity and automation initiatives and to fuel capital investments in businesses that offered greater promise for achieving Welch's lofty vision of being first or second in their chosen global markets. (Aguilar et al., 1985)It might be argued that the key role for the leader is setting context; he or she must create a culture that embraces the importance of change. The leader then needs to create an organization structure that will support the new vision. This might, for example, involve a team-based design to reduce centralization, hierarchy, and bureaucratization. The leader must select and hire top-notc h people who have the skills necessary to bring the new vision to actuality. If the vision involves globalization, for example, this might involve hiring or promoting people who have international experience. The leader must also create a reward system that encourages behaviors appropriate for the new vision. For example, if the vision requires more focus on the customer, then employees must be rewarded for actions that improve customer satisfaction. In other words, the leader's most important role may be to devise an organization that sustains the vision.Implications For Change In An Internet Environment Sebastian  and Samuel  (2004) â€Å"explore the challenge that technology will deliver to management at both the tactical and strategic level. Changes in communication, content of communication, globalization of communication, are critical to these changes. The environment will support a greater degree of discontinuities in planning which is brought about by the globalization of management activities. Successful management must encompass the management of these discontinuities but use information in an artificial intelligence environment. The integration of these data and the actions that come from that integration must be understood within a moral framework.† (Sebastian  & Samuel, 2004)In the present era of technological innovation and globalization, when the world’s business is coming closer to work as a network, when the logistics are being designed in a way that encompass the ever so easy access of technology, communication and information, when a single business is catering to the markets around the globe, the changes within the organization become more important than those ever were. It is the international culture that the employees have to work in, the greater than ever expansion plans and newer and faster service demands that they have to attend to. All these developments and enhancements come as part and result of the Internet en vironment in which virtually all businesses are operating these days.ConclusionLeading change in such circumstances become an even more demanding and challenging of a task for the managers or leaders. As the trade of goods and services around the world is getting faster and easier, the need for as fast a change continues. However as mentioned in the preceding pages that such changes cannot be brought overnight, nor can those be imposed or pushed hard on the individuals. The system pushes back even harder and poses even more resistance to the change. Instead, the vision once established has to be communicated to the people properly, make them ready for the change by suitably establishing the loopholes of the current state and furnish the future expectations of being technologically sound and equipped.ReferencesAguilar, F. J., Hamermesh, R. G., and Brainard, C. General Electric, 1984. (1985) Boston: Harvard Business School Press (9–385–315, Rev. Mar. 24, 1993).Conger, J. A. (1989) â€Å"The Charismatic Leader† San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Greiner, L., and Bhambri, A. (1989) â€Å"New CEO Intervention and Dynamics of Deliberate Strategic Change.† Strategic Management Journal, 10, 67–86.Lawler, E. E. (1986) â€Å"High-Involvement Management† San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986.Lawler, E., Mohrman, S., and Ledford, G. (1995) â€Å"Creating High Performance Organizations: Practices and Results of Employee Involvement and Total Quality Management in Fortune 1000 Companies† San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Nadler, D., (1997) â€Å"Champions of Change† San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Spreitzer, G. M., Kizilos, M., and Nason, S. (1997) â€Å"A Dimensional Analysis of the Relationship Between Psychological Empowerment and Effectiveness, Satisfaction, and Strain.† Journal of Management, 23 (5), 679–704.Tichy, N., and Devanna, M. (1986) â€Å"The Transformation Leader† New York: Wiley.Wolf D. Schumacher â€Å"Ma naging Barriers To Re-engineering Success.† http://www.prosci.com/w_4.htm Accessed January 31, 2007.

Bad Habits of Trusting Online Essay

One thing that I have learned as a young adult is that trusting is not always the best thing to do and in fact it could turn out to be the worst thing you ever did. Now working in the fast-food business every day, I learned that trust is more than just believing that someone else knows what they are talking about; trust is also about knowing what you’re getting whether that means a soft drink that is full to the top instead of half way, for a rude customer; or knowing that behind another computer screen there might not always be a good guy trying to help you get your money into your bank account. Instead their goal is to take your money and never be traced again. Trusting the internet with bank information, social security numbers, and personal information is the perfect antidote for online identity theft. This fraud is causing banks’ bad reputations, financial losses to thousands of Americans in the United States and will have a huge impact on E-commerce (activities th at relate to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet). In 2007, a study from Cyveillance, a company involved in cyber intelligence, showed that within the same two months, 1 million social security cards were thought to be stolen off of the internet; and in that same year online phishing which can be defined as the practice of using fraudulent e-mails and copies of legitimate websites to extract financial data from computer users for purposes of identity theft; had grown by fifty percent (Britt).Trusting the internet with social security numbers is one of the worse things to do, because it allows hackers more abilities and more information. So this means while you sit, frantic about how you trusted online sites, the bad guy on the other screen profits from their access to your credit cards, bank accounts and your identifying information. The worst part about it all is that after the fraud it is unlikely that the person who caused you so many problems would ever be caught or punished for their harm to you. Online identity theft allows cri minals to do crimes or things in your name, or even change bank account information. For some people like Amy Browne, a Yahoo Contributor and a mother, she was a victim of identity theft. Amy experienced a harsh battle for her identity, on Oct 19, 2011 Amy did not only lose a lot financially when her rent card was short hundreds of dollars, she also lost her son’s trust and love when she accused him of  stealing the rent money each time. What I understood from Browne and her experience with online identity theft was that it can be very confusing, scary, and hurtful. The real problem with identity theft is that it cannot be taken back, so for Browne and her family they suffered. The solution to making online phishing decrease from fifty percent is to rely less on online interactions, because when an actual banker is in front of you he or she does not ask you for your social security number. Instead they let you type it into a pin pad, never having a chance for identity theft to occur. For banks such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America, protection from identity theft have become extremely important to their companies, which is why they have incorporated tools and alerts, like password changes to help their customers be safer from online identity theft. With the frauds becoming more sophisticated, banks need to find better ways of identifying the crimes. For banks that do not want bad reputation, this means hiring more staff, or investing in technologies that help identify the acts of bank fraud .As Americans we are a bit greedy, and scared to lose what we have worked hard for. Some people spend years working a family business simply because of traditions dear to relatives that started family legacies. We all know that leaving our money at home in a safe is predictable, and that leaving it under our beds could be dangerous in case of a fire or flood. So we trust our banks. What we have found out through Daniel T. Woolley in his journal, â€Å"Journal of retail banking services, was that loses attributed to computer fraud, theft, and vandalism across all industry segments are currently estimated at $10 billion – and rising steadily. (Woolley.) Now hearing scary things like this make it hard to believe that the banks might not be much safer than online fraud, but it is safer, because banks are coming up with solutions to help their customers be completely safe from identity fraud. The solution is that trusting the banks may not be the best thing to some people because there are still occasions of identity theft within bank accounts, but what has to be recognized by consumers and customers is the amount of effort and time the bankers are taking to try and keep customers safe. In reality the banks will do whatever is needed to satisfy their customers, they need customers just as much as customers need them. Numbers of fraud within banks has fallen due to the regulations from the bankers. Teddy de Rivera, EVP of the Internet services group at Wells Fargo reports  Ã¢â‚¬Å"We know that because of all the tools we have in our layered security approach, as well as through relationships we’ve built with other banks, the actual losses we’re seeing — and we guarantee all online banking fraud losses — has actually dropped year over year† (Crosman). De Rivera does not prove his facts but the number of losses he suffered from at the bank were very little. De Rivera says that relationships with other banks and security have been the key to helping the numbers lessen. Being aware and educated about banking is the key to finding the best way to keep your money safe and accessible. Overall banks are more reliable than the internet because banks are constantly being looked at by bankers to help their customers with identity safety. In America today there are nearly eighty seven percent of people who shop online. E—commerce -activities that relate to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet –has had negative effects due to the amount of fraud and identity theft with online transactions. What this means is that online businesses like Amazon, and EBay are suffering from business loss. The amounts of threats are scaring their customers away. As Americans the enjoyable things are cheap and quick to have. Although everyone doesn’t look at price ranges most people would go for the lowest price they could weather they are rich or poor. For example Toms shoes were founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie, who came up with a very inspirational theory to help children in need. With every pair of Toms that is sold another pair is given to a child in need. Not only does it feel good as a customer to know that you are hip and in style it also feels rewarding to know that you are helping others. Since the big boom from the Toms shoes Mycoskie has been able to donate ten million pairs of shoes to children in need. At the start Toms were fifty dollars a pair, now they can be found in places such as Nordstrom’s and EBay for way cheaper. As customers we want the best deals and online shopping does its best to help customers find those deals. Nordstrom’s sells Toms f or thirty seven dollars whereas EBay sells them for twenty five dollars. There are several benefits for online shopping customers, they are able to buy anything at any time, it is convenient, lots of discounts, and has a large variety. There are also disadvantages to online shopping as well, shipping costs, must wait for shipment, cannot inspect purchase physically, cannot use cash to pay, and not all sites are trustable, fraud number are increasing with online  purchases. On most sites like EBay and Amazon customers are able to leave feedback on their products which helps other customers to know the good and the bad in products, well when EBay made the decision to cut out their buyers reference with the hopes of better customer experience; customers argue the act will cause more fraud. â€Å"EBay said the changes to the feedback system will improve accuracy and accountability. Critics argue that the move could increase buyer fraud. Opponents have left thousands of comments complaining about the elimination of negative buyer references (eBay’s). One of the hardest things about online shopping is the trust, not know if you will get the actual item you are shopping for. About a year ago my mother was on the hunt by my side for Toms that were red; we looked in stores but could not find them, so we relied on the internet. After she put in her card number and her personal information we knew the transaction was complete. I remember waiting weeks and watching my shipment tracker as the days counted down for the delivery day, but when I got my shipment of red toms we were shocked to find that inside the random box not even Toms symbolized there laid a one dollar gold coin. My mother was not able to get her money back or a replacement for the wrong product which shoes how un-predictable online shopping can be. In some cases convenience is necessary but how helpful is it to shop online and get the wrong product, and end up having to wait or except a loss as my mother did. Fraud has become a very big issue in society today. The more willing and vulnerable a person is the more likely their chance is to be a victim of identity theft and fraud. Currently we live in a place that moves forty miles per hour daily, individuals now a days don’t just work one job and go home to their families, but instead a second or third job. Money has always had negative and positive effects on people’s lives whet her it helps build or makes loss, money doesn’t change. Just like money doesn’t change so doesn’t the people the Americans who steal, harm, and rob others via online fraud. Trusting someone else with your money that you work hard for can be hard whether you spend it online or in person, but the positive to buying all items in person is a valid recipe for returns, a trained worker to help with social security issues rather than an operator, and the fact that all in person interactions are going to be more recognizable than transactions online. As Americans we put our trust in a lot of people, fast-food workers, doctors, and bankers with that being  said we hope for the best outcomes and sometimes can be surprised at the carelessness, and disrespect of some of the people we trust the most. With online Identity theft growing so quickly and the knowing of the subject, as individuals we have to be more knowledgeable towards things in order to escape completely from fraud online. With each transaction online there is an unknown that could be a person, scenario, or problem. Americans have to recognize the damages of trusting the internet with bank information, social security numbers, and personal information because online identity theft is real. Don’t share personal information with the web. Citations: Britt, Phil. â€Å"Keeping up with fraudsters: to fight fraud, banks must gather information about current schemes and educate consumers.† Bank Systems + Technology Aug. 2005: 31+. Academic OneFile. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. Trusting the internet with social security numbers is one of the worse things to do, because it allows hackers more abilities and more information. So this means while you sit, frantic about how you trusted online sites, the bad guy on the other screen profits from their access to your credit cards, bank accounts and your identifying information. The worst part about it all is that after the fraud it is unlikely that the person who caused you so many problems would ever be caught or punished for their harm to you. Online identity theft allows criminals to do crimes or things in your name, or even change bank account information. Crosman, Penny. â€Å"Standing Guard.† Bank Systems + Technology 1 May 2010: 12. Academic OneFile. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. De Rivera does not prove his facts but the number of losses he suffered from at the bank were very little. De Rivera says that relationships with other banks and security have been the key to helping the numbers lessen. Being aware and educated about banking is the key to finding the best way to keep your money safe and accessible. Overall banks are more reliable than the internet because banks are constantly being looked at by bankers to help their customers with identity safety. â€Å"eBay’s Plan To Eliminate Negative Buyer Comments Draws Fire; eBay says  sellers will no longer be able to leave negative or neutral feedback about buyers.† InformationWeek 7 Feb. 2008. Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. EBay will do away with negative buyer references, along with a host of other changes it says are aimed at improving customer experience. What EBay has to recognize is that by shutting their customers out and giving them no voice to be able to say how they felt about products is giving customers more reason to assume that EBay cannot be trusted. Woolley, Daniel T. â€Å"Electronic robbery: how to prevent huge losses in nanoseconds.† Journal of Retail Banking Services Summer 1998: 49+. Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. Its hard to believe that the banks might not be much safer than online fraud, but it is safer, because banks are coming up with solutions to help their customers be completely safe from identity fraud. The solution is that trusting the banks may not be the best thing to some people because there are still occasions of identity theft within bank accounts, but what has to be recognized by consumers and customers is the amount of effort and time the bankers are taking to try and keep customers safe.