Reaction Papers

Objectives

Course readings present an important and necessary supplement to our lectures and discussions. This assignment aims to help you develop greater understandings on course materials by seriously and intellectually engaging with these reading materials. Specifically, this assignment requires you to:

• Read and reflect on readings prior to class;
• Review and critique scholarly writings;
• Bring the required readings into dialogue with other course materials;
• Summarize and present your thoughts and opinions.

General Guidelines

Throughout the course of our class, you will write two ( Two )reaction papers to two different course readings picked by you. Each reaction paper is about 800 words in length (2-3 pages, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font).

Select Readings

Within the first week of the class, you will browse the titles and abstracts of course readings. By the second week of the class, you should decide which two readings you would like to write reaction papers on.

 

Write Reaction Papers

As you read through and critically engage with the reading materials, provide reflective reviews that summarize and critique the readings in your own words.

Reaction Paper Guidelines:

§  Introduction: Introduce the overall topic of the article.

o   Example: The article is about…; The general question is….

§  Context: Describe the specific context within which the study is based. This could be a debate or a gap in previous studies, a historical or recent event, and a topic from lecture.

o   Example: The study is based on the context of XXX; The topic is related to lecture discussions on XXX.

§  Main Arguments: Summarize the general themes, key points and arguments in the article. You should also present the evidences and examples used by the author(s) in order to explain how and why the author(s) come to the conclusions.

§  Critiques: Discuss your opinion about the reading and evaluation of the work’s strengths and weaknesses. These could be about the topic, the arguments and the examples. You could start with the general contribution of the article to your understanding on the topic and then dive into the specific strengths and weaknesses.

o   Example: The article contributes to my understanding on XXX; The arguments are (not) well-presented because XXX; There are flaws/ contradictions/ constraints in the argument as XXX; what are the other things you would hope the author(s) have investigated.  

§  Conclusion: End the paper by making a final statement about the reading and your evaluation.

Format:

§  2-3 pages long

§  Double-spaced

§  1-inch margins

§  12-point Times New Roman font

  

Research Report #2: Emerging Issues Risk Analysis and Report

Scenario

The Entertainment Team (ET — part of Resort Operations at Padgett-Beale, Inc.) is excited about a new event management platform and is ready to go to contract with the vendor. This platform is a cloud-based service that provides end-to-end management for events (conferences, concerts, festivals). The head of Marketing & Media (M&M) is on board and strongly supports the use of this system. M&M believes that the data collection and analysis capabilities of the system will prove extremely valuable for its efforts. Resort Operations (RO) also believes that the technology could be leveraged to provide additional capabilities for managing participation in hotel sponsored “kids programs” and related children-only events. 

For an additional fee, the event management platform’s vendor will provide customized RFID bands to be worn by attendees. 

The RFID bands and RFID readers use near-field communications to identify the wearer and complete the desired transactions (e.g. record a booth visit, make a purchase, vote for a favorite activity or performer, etc.).

The RFID bands have unique identifiers embedded in the band that allow tracking of attendees (admittance, where they go within the venue, what they “like,” how long they stay in a given location, etc.). 

The RFID bands can also be connected to an attendee’s credit card or debit card account and then used by the attendee to make purchases for food, beverages, and souvenirs. 

For children, the RFID bands can be paired with a parent’s band, loaded with allergy information, and have a parent specified spending limit or spending preauthorization tied to the parent’s credit card account.

The head of Corporate IT has tentatively given approval for this outsourcing because it leverages cloud-computing capabilities. IT’s approval is very important to supporters of this the acquisition because of the company’s ban on “Shadow IT.” (Only Corporate IT is allowed to issue contracts for information technology related purchases, acquisitions, and outsourcing contracts.) Corporate IT also supports a cloud-based platform since this reduces the amount of infrastructure which IT must support and manage directly. 

The project has come to a screeching halt, however, due to an objection by the Chief Financial Officer. The CFO has asked that the IT Governance Board investigate this project and obtain more information about the benefits and risks of using RFID bands linked to an external system which processes transactions and authorizations of mobile / cashless payments for goods and services. The CFO is concerned that the company’s PCI Compliance status may be adversely affected.

The Chief Privacy Officer has also expressed an objection about this project. The CPO is concerned about the privacy implications of tracking both movement of individuals and the tracking of their purchasing behaviors.

The IT Governance Board agreed that the concerns expressed by two of its members (the CFO and CPO) have merit. The board has requested an unbiased analysis of the proposed use cases and the security and privacy issues which could be reasonably expected to arise. 

The IT Governance Board has also agreed to a request from the Chief of Staff that the management interns be allowed to participate in this analysis as their final project. Per the agreement, their involvement will be limited to providing background research into the defined use cases for cashless purchases. These use cases are:

1. Purchases for craft materials and snacks by children (under the age of 13) attending a hotel sponsored “kids club” program. 

2. Purchases by Individuals attending a music festival or other event where IDs must be checked to establish proof of age (legal requirement for local alcoholic beverage consumption).

3. Purchases by attendees at trade shows (attendees are “adults”).

Your Task

Pick one of the three use cases listed above. Then, follow the directions below to complete the required research and write your final report. 

Research

1. Read / Review the readings in the LEO classroom.

2. Read this introductions to RFID technologies: https://www.gettoken.com/beginners-guide-rfid-technology-events/ 

3. Research one or more of the Use Cases

a. Children: 8 Benefits of Using RFID Wristbands for Resorts & Attractions (see section 4: Family Freedom) https://www.idcband.com/en-us/blog-us/8-benefits-of-using-rfid-wristbands-resorts-attractions/ and https://tappit.com/rfid-wristband-safety/ 

b. Managing Adult Attendees at Music Festivals (includes RFID bands linked to twitter, Facebook, and credit/debit card) http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/rfid-wristbands-vs-nfc-smartphones-what-s-winning-the-contactless-battle-1167135 

c. Tracking Adults at Trade Shows http://www.universalrfid.com/product/rfid-labels-provide-technology-at-trade-shows/ and https://blog.printsome.com/rfid-wristbands-good-bad/

4. Choose one of the Use Cases then find and review at least one additional resource on your own that provides information about privacy and security related laws that could limit or impose additional responsibilities upon Padgett-Beale’s collection, storage, transmission, and use of data about guests. (Note: laws may differ with respect to collecting data from or about children.) You should also investigate laws, regulations, or standards which impact the use of the RFID bands for mobile purchases.

5. Using all of your readings, identify and research at least 5 security and privacy issues which the IT Governance Board needs to consider and address as it considers the implications of your chosen use case upon the adoption or rejection of the proposed IT project (Event Management Platform & RFID bands). 

6. Then, identify 5 best practices that you can recommend to Padgett-Beale’s leadership team to reduce and/or manage risks associated with the security and privacy of data associated with the event management platform.

Write

Write a five to seven (5-7) page report using your research. At a minimum, your report must include the following:

1. An introduction or overview of event management systems and the potential security and privacy concerns which could arise when implementing this technology.  This introduction should be suitable for an executive audience. Provide a brief explanation as to why three major operating units believe the company needs this capability. 

2. An analysis section in which you address the following:

a. Identify and describe your chosen Use Case

b. Identify and describe five or more types of personal / private information or data that will be collected, stored, processed, and transmitted in conjunction with the use case. 

c. Identify and describe five or more compliance issues related to the use of the RFID bands to make and track mobile purchases.

d. Analyze and discuss five or more privacy and security issues related to the use case.

e. Identify and discuss 3 or more relevant laws, regulations, or standards which could impact the planned implementation of the event management system with RFID wrist bands.

3. A recommendations section in which you identify and discuss five or more best practices for security and privacy that should be implemented before the technology is put into use by the company. Include at least one recommendation in each of the following categories: people, processes, policies, and technologies.  

4. A closing section (summary) in which you summarize the issues related to your chosen use case and the event management platform overall. Include a summary of your recommendations to the IT Governance Board.

5. You are expected to credit your sources using in-text citations and reference list entries. Both your citations and your reference list entries must follow a consistent citation style (APA, MLA, etc.). 

Sunshine S

In the Middle East, the select country is Israel, while in the African Continent, we have Tanzania. Israel previously eliminated trade restrictions on the WTO members, where it failed to import from them. However, Israel has a trade legal policy that prevents the import of goods from those countries that do not allow Israel to export to them. Israel maintains import licenses, which are used for maintaining tariff quota administration, achieving safety, and security reasons, especially against the countries which refuse to trade with them. The tariffs are licenses last for eight years. Israel also has trade policies that protect local industries and producers. In such a case, the country imposes limits on certain volumes of products that it can import, even from the WTO members. The country focuses on minimizing the amounts of products within its territories on ensuring that the prices of the local products do not fall; to an extent, local firms making losses from their sales (Israel – Country Commercial Guide, 2020).

In the case of Tanzania, the most recent reviews on its trade policies abashed active licenses on imports and exports, with the exception of sensitive for health and security reasons. Besides, the country has gone the extra mile to impose restrictions on poultry and biotech products, which making it completely difficult to trade with other countries. All restrictions are expected to adhere to the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) (Tanzania – Country Commercial Guide, 2021). The legal framework regulating international trade has adversely affected the trade relationship with other countries, leading to hindrances and unpredictable delays in the delivery of the allowed products. Both Israel and Tanzania have incurred significant losses as a result of their legal policies inhibiting international trade practices.

Vianna J

Part Two

There are many companies with global brands that thrive in the United States but fail in one or more global markets due to legal issues. One such company is Google. It is one of the world’s major Internet giants, expanding globally and making the market completely dependent on it. However, due to censorship issues, the company has been banned in China. Baidu is a local internet company that has gained a large user base in China by ensuring that it provides all kinds of information including pirated information.

In 2020, the “Global Times” published an article explaining why China is angry with the United States for banning its technology industry, while China is on the front line of banning the US technology industry. Google decided to leave the Chinese market in 2010 due to the demanding copyright regulations where the company should provide all kinds of information. Although they have complied with the regulations, Google believes that these regulations violate their policies (Times, 2020). Before they left, there was a legal issue. The government claimed that Google had not yet complied with its oppressive censorship policy. Google believes that its main goal is to provide users with information. 

In summary, some companies feel that their foreign policies are harsh and sometimes take drastic actions. Just like Google, many companies have withdrawn from foreign markets based on unfriendly policies and legal requirements. China is one of the countries with very unfriendly information policies. These policies discourage technology companies such as Google and Facebook. The communist nature of the people and the government can also lead to policy conflicts, which may discourage investors. 

Rozina B

What questions do you have about the overarching Unit 5 assignment? Although it is not due until the end of the class, it is important that you begin planning for this project early in the course. What are your initial thoughts about how you will approach this assignment? Explain. 

Well if we talk about the unit 5 assignment then my thoughts are clear and my expectations are also good because whenever you do new things you learn from it, so I am happy that I am going to learn new things and when you start doing group projects then you must have the communication skills so your skills show your talent level and your work show your performances and as I had worked a lot of different projects but this time this project is somehow different and its quite interesting to understand and learn new things and I am willing to learn new things. When you perform a group project then there is many good and bad aspects as well because sometime your thoughts does not meet and some time you have a lazy member so it’s quite interesting but as well as a challenging project, but if you are willing to do with good deed and with a great communication skill then you accomplish it on time. 

When I got my project then I start my working on same day because I don’t want to lose it and don’t want to take stress because when you take stress then you cannot do work properly and you cannot concentrate on your project, so without lacking and wasting of time I will start my project work and I will communicate to my project members and we divide our work so when we start work on time then we all remain on same page and we will accomplish our project on time. 

What are the most important elements of a Business Plan? Why?

Every element is important in business plan but according to me the most important is executive summary because an executive summary tells investors why your business will be successful in very few words, it tells us about mission and vision statement of the company and the financial seeking for the investors. The other most important elements are product description or company description, market analysis, competitive analysis, description of management and organization, breakdown of your product and services, marketing plan, sales strategy, and financial projection. These all are important elements of business plan, they all are important because if you not include one of them then your business plan is incomplete and all these elements show strong competitive business plan. So investors can easily understand your plan and make investment with you and it will help you for future growth. 

What other elements should be added to the Business Plan to encourage potential investors? 

According to me funding should be added because when investors see them then they are encourage to invest in your business. Because in that part we explain that what we have and what we need and how much it gives us and investor benefits. So when investor read this and understand then they will invest in our business and it will help us to grow more in future. 

How important is accurate financial data to the Business Plan? Why?

This is the most important part because when you exactly know the financial data then you will invest according to that, and you need to know all the expenses and returns and receivables because financial data help you in future investment and growth and tells you how much you earn in profit and how much you have to do spent on new investments.

Sincerely,

Sierra M

Good evening class, 

In this discussion post, I will address the third and the fourth question. 

3.What other elements should be added to the Business Plan to encourage potential investors?  

The basic outline of a solid Business Plan already includes: Company History/Background, the Market and Business Opportunity, Competition, Customers, Sales and Marketing Strategies, Products and Services, Finances and Sources of Funding, and Future planning. 

All of these elements are going to draw in new potential investors, because it provides them with the information they need to know and understand, but an element that could really be emphasized is the “WHY.” The factual information is very important, but a business plan needs a little spice thrown into the mix so that the potential investor can see that this business plan is like no other. There are many different strategies you can use to encourage potential investors. Show up, know your information, be confident, and state the WHY. Why is this business plan being presented, and why do you not want to miss out on this business opportunity?

4.How important is accurate financial data to the Business Plan? Why?

Very important! It is not just important to the Business Plan, but the entire present and future of the organization. Accurate financial data statistics are going to allow managers and board members to make important business decisions. How much can the organization advance, and how much room do we have for improvement? Not many changes or business opportunities can happen without money. Accurate financial data will allows investors to see what “shape” the organization is currently in. What are their revenues, expenses, profits, and debt. All of this information is crucial when trying to present a new Business Plan to potential investors. If you provide false data, that could lead to legal and trust issues. 

Initial Post Instructions

For the initial post, respond to one of the following options, and label the beginning of your post indicating either Option 1 or Option 2:

• Option 1: The Equal Rights Amendment was first proposed almost a century ago and has still not been added to the United States Constitution. It is supposed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. It was first introduced to Congress by Alice Paul, leader of women’s suffrage movement in 1923. Compare/contrast the Equal Rights Amendment with the Fourteenth Amendment. Did they deal with separate concepts? Explain your answer.
• Option 2: The Bill of Rights is not only included with the United States Constitution but also state constitutions. All states have provisions in their constitutions that protect individual rights. Go online and look up your state constitution concerning amendments that are included in the Bill of Rights. How does your state constitution protect your individual rights?

Writing Requirements

• Minimum of 2 posts (1 initial & 1 follow-up)
• Cite your sources when applicable (assigned readings/online lessons and an outside scholarly source)
• APA format for in-text citations and list of references

ONLY NEEDS TO BE A HALF PAGE TO ONE PAGE LONG